campanile_issue1_1112

The Campanile

PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301

Palo Alto Senior High School

NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44

Since 1918

Vol. XCIV, No. 1

50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301 • http://voice.paly.net/campanile

PAUSD test scores improve

Report shows success, increases in scores of disadvantaged students

Monday, October 3, 2011

Urbina, Van der Burg back at Paly Retired teachers return to intruct extra classes

By Layla Memar News Editor

For the full story, see RANKED, page A3

ASB SUCCEEDS IN GOAL OF TRANSPARENCY

By Brian Benton Editor in Chief

Thanks to the recently created position of Communications Officer, an updated website and new Facebook, Twitter and Formspring pages, Palo Alto High School’s Associated Student Body has officially begun its quest to become more transparent with the Paly community.

The goal was set at the beginning of the year, inspired by the arrival of new adviser Matt Hall.

“The idea to create [the new pages] came from a discussion we had at the beginning of the year to increase our transparency,” Student Body President Uma Veerappan said. “I wouldn’t say that Mr. Hall is doing all of the work but he’s definitely helping us.”

The new additions not only let ASB share what is happening in their classroom with the rest of the Paly community, but they also let the community share their ideas with ASB. The desire to increase transparency came from the fact that in past years, students found ASB secluded from the rest of the school and felt like the class kept themselves hidden behind the doors of the Student Activities Office, limited to only ideas that came from inside.

“I definitely felt separated [from ASB] last year,” senior Andreas Winsberg said. “It

seemed like last year they made absolutely no effort to be transparent. I’m glad that they’re at least trying this year.”

As a final sign that they are serious about communicating, ASB welcomed an outsider into their work place to observe how the class is run and what goes on inside the SAO. Most meetings are run in a fairly standard fashion. The first part of the period consists of Student Body President Uma Veerappan reading an agenda for that day and then calling up officers to update the class on the projects they have been working on.

Occasionally instead of a normal meeting, the class pitches in to help set up for events.

This mostly occurs on days with special schedules, like Club Day. On Sept. 21, the initial updates included everything from reports on how each grade’s Spirit Week floats and dances were coming along to a discussion regarding whether the Homecoming Dance should be formal or, as it was originally stated to be, casual.

During the dance dress-code discussion, the volume of the class got a bit loud, but most of the talking out included ideas about what is best for the school.

Unlike a normal classroom, hands were seldom raised, although the students rarely talk ed over each other and instead build off their peers’ ideas. Finally, the group reached an agreement on semi-formal.

The new ASB website was also a focus during Sept. 21’s meeting. According to ASB Secretary Jared Swezey-Gleason, the website will include minutes taken during meetings.

“I [take minutes each meeting] and send them to Uma [Veerappan] and Mr. Hall [so they can be uploaded to] the new website,” Swezey-

Homecoming tickets to be free Reward for high turnout at first dance

Gleason said. “There were minutes last year, but they were taken by hand in a notebook so they weren’t used at all.”

Although he does add comments from time to time, Hall lets his students run the class and have full say on most decisions.

The second half of the 90-minute period was left open for working on projects, mostly relating to upcoming events. Student Body Vice President Maddie Kuppe finalized details about Club Day, while junior Sports Commissioner Josh Stabinsky and Sophomore Class President Alex Hammer put the finishing touches on their respective class shirts.

Because so many seniors are in ASB, Senior Class President Sam Blake was able to leave Spirit Week planning to his classmates and focus on Prom.

“I work on Prom usually one class period a week,” Blake said as he sent an email to a possible location.

Although this is Blake’s first year on ASB, he can tell that a larger emphasis is being put on taking input from the rest of the school.

“ASB has a bit of a negative reputation, but we’re trying really hard to fix that this year,” Blake said. “[Mr. Hall] works hard and definitely wants what’s best for the school as a whole.”

With ten minutes remaining in class, the group reassembles to share the progress they made that day and ask for advice on any problems they ran into.

Thanks to the new communication and Hall’s outgoing nature, ASB is definitely on the path toward accomplishing their goal of transparency. The doors are definitely becoming more open to the public, and now, someone will actually answer if you go knocking.

ALEX LIN/CAMPANILE

Urbina and Van der Burg made the decision to return after an overflow of students created a need for more educators.

See TEACHERS, Page A3

Paly debate program, coach accept top awards

By Ben Hawthorne Staff Writer

By Elena Pinsker Technology Editor

Tickets to the Palo Alto High School homecoming dance, which will take place Oct. 29 at 7:00 p.m, will be free this year, as decided in a unanimous vote by the Associated Student Body. According to the ASB Twitter and Facebook accounts, the free admission is intended to “reward students for great attendance at the Back to School Dance.”

“You can’t beat free,” ASB advisor Matt Hall said. “I think [we are] just trying to say, ‘Hey guys, give it a chance. We’re so confident that it’s going to be a fun event. You’ve got nothing to lose.’”

ASB also thinks the dance this year will attract a larger audience with the addition of a new DJ and light show. ASB hopes that by eliminating ticket costs, students who would not normally attend will be included.

“We want to try something new,” Senior Class President Sam Blake said. “Paly dances in the past haven’t necessarily been incredibly successful and we hope this will help change that.”

Hall said that while he is not able to make any promises as of now, if more students attend this dance, other dances may be free in the future. “[The idea of future free dances] was brought up,” Hall said. “[It] certainly will be considered, but I wouldn’t say yes or no at this point.”

According to Blake, ASB is not worried about the lack of income from the free admission. Dances are aimed at providing a fun experience for students as opposed to being revenue-oriented.

“It’s going to be a new dance,” Blake said.

Spirit points will also be offered to the grades of those who attend.

Teachers Kay Van der Burg and Janet Urbina returned to Palo Alto High School for the 2011-2012 school year despite previously declaring retirement. At the close of the 2010-2011 school year, both teachers, along with three others, announced they would not be returning to Paly. Van der Burg and Urbina, however, changed their minds.

Urbina’s decision to come back and teach was reached not long ago.

The week before Labor Day, Urbina received a call from a fellow colleague.

“Mr. Duffy called me and said that they were opening another class of Spanish 2 and [asked if] would I come in and teach it,” Urbina said.

Urbina accepted and entered her 36th year of teaching.

She now teaches one section of Spanish 2, though in prior years she had been teaching Spanish 3 Honors and Spanish 4 Advanced Placement.

Because she is teaching one lane lower than she is used to, Urbina has had to alter her teaching style to adjust to the change.

“I’m used to teaching the 3 Honors and the A.P. [courses], and so these students are just beginning and they’re learning and they can’t understand everything I say,” Urbina said.

Urbina’s return has also helped some Paly seniors with regards to the college application process.

“Knowing Señora Urbina is back makes my college app schedule so much more relaxed,” senior Victoria Tse said. “Instead of having to worry about whether the universities I am applying to accept online teacher recommendations, I can worry about other aspects.”

Though Urbina is back at Paly this year, she is fairly certain that she will not be returning next year.

Van der Burg’s decision to come back to Paly, like Urbina’s, was a last-minute one.

“I decided [to return to Paly] the weekend before school started,” Van der Burg said.

“There was a class that didn’t have a teacher, so I was asked to teach it and I decided ‘hm, that’s a really good idea. I’d love to teach some sophomores again.”

Not only is Van der Burg back on campus to teach again, but she is also help supporting her senior advisees through the college process. A main reason why she chose to come back, in fact, is because of them.

This will be her 15th year teaching at Paly, and her 26th year in the Palo Alto Unified School District.

Van der Burg’s return has pleased both herself and her students. Her students are grateful of her presence for they can now come to her with any questions they have, specifically her seniors with and get immediate responses, rather than waiting for emails.

“The fact that we get to see her and correspond with her and the fact that she’s a

COURTESY OF JENNIE SAVAGE

Debate coach Jennie Savage celebrates senior Alex Carter’s victory at the Garcia Invitational.

Palo Alto High School’s debate team received two prestigious awards last week, the 200 Club Award recognizing schools that achieved over 200 degrees of success last year, and the Diamond Award, the National Forensics League’s (NFL) most distinguished coaching award, awarded to Paly debate coach Jennie Savage.

“Both the number of Paly Speech and Debate Club students and their active participation and success at tornaments has placed PAHS in the top 5 percent of (NFL) chapters nationwide,” Savage said.

This award establishes Paly debate as one of the most successful programs in the nation and is a major achievement for the young team. “[The 200 Club Award] means that we are one of the largest, most successful speech and debate clubs in the nation, and hopefully a permanent force in the national speech and debate community,” Savage said.

The 200 Club Award was awarded to Paly debate just three days after it had received another award, the Diamond Award, which recognizes Savage’s coaching prowess.

“An NFL Diamond Award recognizes a professional career that combines excellence and longevity,” wrote a spokesperson for the NFL. Paly’s speech and debate program is considered an anomaly in the debate community because it is one of the few nationally successful teams that is not funded by a school, and is instead entirely self-sufficient. Savage takes pride in her teams success.

“I think that it really puts Paly on the map in terms of being an established team and a presence in the NFL,” Savage said. “It’s very unusual for a school that doesn’t have a coach on staff to get a diamond because those programs don’t last very long.”

This award represents the latest in a string of achievements by Paly debate, including sending a debater to the Tournament of Champions.

INSIDE

News...................................A1-A3 Opinion..........................A4-A6 Sports..............................A7/A9-A10 Lifestyles...................................B1 Features.............................B2-B3/B8 Spotlight.............................B5-B7 A&E...............................B9/B11-B12

OPINION

CLIMBING THE POLLS The recent controversy over Senior Polls have removed much of the fun from the cherished tradition.

ALEX LIN/CAMPANILE

PAGE A5

SPORTS

MICHAEL WIFALL/FLICKR

FALL BALL Bay Area sports fans keep their fingers crossed for success this year.

PAGE A10

RIKI RATTNER/CAMPANILE

ERIC JAMES SARMIENTO/FLICKR

OPINION

NEWS

Patient records from Stanford Medical Center were leaked.

Paly fails to meet academic requirements set by No Child Left Behind.

MEDICAL MISHAP PAGE A8

LEFT IN THE DUST

PAGE A3

NEWS

A2 • October 3, 2011

The Campanile

Craig Tuana becomes Paly Dean of Students

NewsBriefs Teachers use Schoology to interact with students online

Schoology is a website which Palo Alto High School began piloting at the beginning of second semester of the 2010-2011 school year.

According to schoology.com, Schoology combines “Social networking with learning management” to accommodate students and teachers.

Schoology is very similar to the already-implemented InClass and Infinite Campus, including many of the same academic features as these online sites such as an easy-to-use attendance record, grade book and assignment timeline.

The layout of this website is very similar to Facebook, with commenting and messaging tools. It also has a recent, constantly refreshing feed similar to Facebook’s “NewsFeed.” Statuses, website links and photos can all be posted, shared and commented on.

Similar to Facebook, users can post comments on posts of peers and/or teachers. The commenting system allows discussions outside of class.

Schoology is interactive between teachers and their classes. Teachers can post online quizzes, worksheets and homework assignments. The website makes it easier for students to stay organized with a timeline sidebar of all assignments due in chronological order.

On August 19, 2011 the iTunes App Store began offering a Schoology iPhone app. The app features easy access to all the Schoology tools such as assignment timelines and grades.

—Chayla Cummings

Senior Staff Writer

School Board considers new site for educational programs At a School Board meeting on Sept. 27, the Palo Alto Unified School District discussed their plan to take over the former site of the Peninsula Day Care Center.

The Board of Education went over how it plans to fund the acquisition and go over the terms of both the purchase and sale agreement. They planned in addition to discussed the findings from inspections that are currently taking place on the property of 2.6 acres.

The site is next to Greendell School, which houses Adult Education, Springboard to Kindergarten, the District’s Young 5s program, special education programs for preschool students and the Preschool Family program.

Superintendent Kevin Skelly considers the possible purchase to be a great opportunity for educational growth.

“Consistent enrollment growth in the district is challenging our ability to adequately respond to this increase in students, and this property offers many exciting possibilities,” Skelly said. “Staff believes that an opportunity to acquire property adjacent to an existing site and in a part of the district where enrollment growth is most pronounced is worthy of strong consideration.”

—Annabel Snow

Editor in Chief

Domestic Violence forum to be held for teen awareness The Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC) is hosting an annual forum addressing domestic violence in teenage relationships on October 6 in honor of October’s status as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The forum was created after a Center for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey from 2005 showed that 9.2 percent of all high school students reported being victims of dating violence in 2004.

The founders of the forum, the SCVMC Departments of Pediatrics and Obstetrics/Gynecology are striving to connect the event with the local teenage community. Palo Alto High School senior Chloe Koseff is on a teen committee which helped to organize and publicize the forum.

“We are [publicizing] by inviting the principals and superintendents of all of the high schools of the members of the committee to the forum, with the hopes of bringing a similar, but teen-focused seminar to the schools,” Koseff said.

The forum aims to educate professionals and members of the community on how to cope with issues of domestic violence within the area.

There will be several speakers at the forum, including Doctor Tonya Chaffee, a professor of health sciences at University of California at San Francisco, senior attorney Crisanne Hazen and Mountain View High School senior Arian Dehnow.

According to Koseff, the three speakers will offer a variety of perspectives on teen-dating violence. Chaffee will discuss adults’ role in addressing abuse, Hazen will detail laws regarding domestic violence and Dehnow will offer a teenage opinion on the topic.

For students wishing to attend the forum, the Medical Center is located in San Jose, off of Highway 280 and Bascom Avenue near Valley Fair Shopping Mall and San Jose City College.

—Rachel Wilson

Staff Writer

UpcomingEvents Oct. 7: Paly Football Vs. Wilcox Team hopes for victory in fifth game.

Oct. 15: Light The Night

Participants raise money for cancer patients.

Oct. 17: Staff Development

Students not required to attend school.

Oct. 21: First Quarter Ends First quarter grades are due on October 25.

Oct. 24-28: Spirit Week

Expect rallies throughout the week.

Klein, former dean, now assistant principal at Gunn

By James Foug and Logan Mendenhall

Staff Writers Former Palo Alto High School English teacher and administrator Trinity Klein became the new Henry M. Gunn High School Assistant Principal this year when Craig Tuana replaced her as the Dean of Students at Paly.

Tuana previously worked at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale before deciding to become the Dean of Students at Paly. Tuana taught leadership as well as academic support classes.

“I have long known that the Palo Alto School District, Paly staff, community and parents truly care about the well-being of students and put them first,” Tuana said.

As the newly installed Dean of Students, Tuana has many more responsibilities than when he worked at his previous school in Fremont.

His main focus will be the well-being of the students, and is prepared to adjust to new surroundings and work with an entire new staff including Principal Winston.

“The job entails many different aspects, from supporting staff, supporting students, focusing on a few of the standardized tests that are given each year and helping ensure the campus is a welcome and fun place to be, among other things,”

Tuana said. “Paly is everything I expected and more; the students are very friendly and welcoming, and the same goes for the staff. I feel very fortunate.”

Klein, the former dean of students, is now working across town at Gunn. Klein began teaching English at Paly in 1997 and was a Teacher Advisor from 1998 to 2010.

She became the English Instructional Supervisor in 2005 and held that position until 2010 when she became the Dean of Students for her last year at Paly.

Over this past summer, Klein was offered the Assistant Principal job at Gunn from District Superintendent Kevin Skelly. She accepted it, seeing it as a new opportunity and a new chapter in her life..

“I took the Assistant Principal position at Gunn when it was offered to me because it was a wonderful opportunity to continue to learn the functions of school administration, to stay within the district that I love, to grow my skill set as a school leader, to learn a wonderful new school community and culture and to work with a prinicipal whom I have known and respected for a very long time,” Klein said.

As the Assistant Principal at Gunn, Klein will be managing tasks such as activities involving athletics, student discipline, at-

SAM DODSON/ CAMPANILE

Tuana looks forward to handling his multiple new tasks and meeting Paly students. Tuana previously worked at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale. tendance, budget and standarized testing.

“I thrive on new challenges and experiences and have been really enjoying getting to know all the people here and learning the ‘Gunn Way,’” Klein said.

After a long career at Paly, Klein expects a great future at Gunn with multiple years to come.

“I had a very happy 14 year career at Paly,” Klein said. “There are too many good memories to count.

I love making new memories here at Gunn. We are very lucky to be in a school district with two schools of this caliber, yet with unique personalities and characteristics. I feel so fortunate that I get to experience both.”

New clubs form, hope to attract committed members

By Chrissie Cheng

No experience is needed to join the Field Staff Writer Hockey Club, and gear for the sport will be proNew clubs have been created for Palo Alto vided.

High School students to join for the 2011-2012 Semba hopes many Paly students will be inschool year. Additions to last year’s clubs in- terested in joining and hopes that people will clude the Field Hockey Club, National Honor have the same passion about field hockey that Society (NHS) and the Bike Vikes. she has.

The Field Hockey Club was created by soph“Field hockey is something I really like and omore Emily Semba, who hopes to spark inter- I think a lot of people will be interested in playest among Paly students that want to be intro- ing,” Semba said. duced to field hockey.

On Tuesdays at lunch, The National Honor “[The club will focus on] Society will be meeting with learning the basics, do- “Field hockey is something I club members who are intering normal drills and doested in creating a better ening what a normal school really like and I think a lot vironment for the Paly com[team] would do—just of people will be interested in munity. practice,” Semba said.

“The main point [of the Coached by Erin La- playing.” club] is to be able to help man, a niece of Paly teachsociety and mainly our Emily Semba our er Steve Foug, the club school, so we will be doing sophomore many community projects to will practice on Thursday nights. Club members help our school,” junior cowill also play scrimmages club leader Serena Yee said. against local school field hockey teams.

The NHS club will be in contact with Paly “I know a couple [of] high school coaches, and staff to generate ideas that could make a differthey were talking to me about organizing scrim- ence on campus. Club leaders are already brainmages against the teams,” Semba said. storming goals for this year.

“One project we are thinking of is improving lockers by repainting them,” Yee said.

The NHS hopes club members join who need community service hours and are interested in improving the school.

Also on Tuesdays at lunch is the Paly Bike Vikes, a club dedicated to Paly students who are interested in all things related to biking.

Bike admirers will enjoy hanging out, exchanging tips on biking and planning outings for school trips.

“We’re thinking of out-of-school rides to the Baylands, or even on Arastradero Foothill,” junior co-club leader Tran Situ said.

No experience is needed in order to join the Bike Vikes, only learning about biking.

“Any Paly student is welcome, not just serious bikers,” Situ said. “[You can join] as long as you are willing to really learn.”

Situ was surprised when he realized that there were no biking clubs at Paly and created the club because of his passion for biking.

“I was shocked there wasn’t already one at Paly, a great school in a well-known bike-friendly town,” Situ said.

The Bike Vikes will meet in room 1701 with teacher adviser Kenyon Scott.

Construction for new buildings to finish in 21 months

By Elizabeth Bowman

Staff Writer Palo Alto High School is in the process of constructing a two-story social science and history building and a new media arts center on campus due to projected student growth.

The estimated duration of construction is 21 months. So far, the construction has been on schedule.

The social science, history and math building will have 17 classrooms, a resource center and staff offices. The eight classroom media arts center will include a central forum, a journalism library, several studios and a kitchen.

“These buildings will be state-of-the-art and will blow your mind,” Principal Phil Winston said.

According to Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson, $27,940,000 from the Measure A bond will go towards constructing the new buildings, and improving the library, Haymarket Theater and Tower Building.

Portables will be removed from the quad once construction is complete, creating more open space for students, but as of now, the construction poses a problem for some students and teachers alike.

“Construction around campus really affects how I get to class because the portables are right in the quad,” junior Serena Yee said.

Japanese teacher Teruko Kamikihara notices construction is very noisy. History teacher Adam Yonkers also noticed the loud noises.

ASB

“The first week it was really really loud because they were trying to tear up the blacktop, but since then it hasn’t been bad,” Yonkers said.

Winston says that there will be worse noise in the future but that the school is taking multiple steps to lighten the situation.

“The construction crew and manager have committed to letting us know when [the noise] will be unusually loud,” Winston said. “We are also in the process of getting sound amplification systems.”

Classrooms along the perimeter closest to the construction will receive speaker systems for the noise. History teacher Stephen Foug says he now has a microphone connected to a speaker on the wall. He

Updates

was not informed that he an anticipation of us getwould receive an amplifica- ting as many as 2,500 stution system. He jokes that dents,” Berkson said.

Yonkers is bothered by the use of the speakers may the noise but excited for the be detrimental.

“Giving me a speaker completion of buildings.

“It is delayed gratificamight be a bad move from my neighboring classroom’s tion. I know it’s going to be perspective,” Foug said. “I good but we’re just not sure exactmay be ly what temptit’s going ed to “I think a lot of our to entail crank up schools are really hurting for us,” the volYonkers ume and financially, so it’s exciting said. m a k e that we’re able to build.”

N e w M r s .

Melissa McGrath E n g l i s h Mattes’ c l a s s English teacher t e a c h e r Melissa t h i n k McGrath that God is excited for the changes. is talking to them.

“I think a lot of our Growth in student population contributed immensely schools are really hurting financially, so it’s exciting to the decision to build.

“We’re pretty close to the that we’re able to build,” limit right now but there’s McGrath said.

School Board

Palo Alto High School’s Associate Student Body kicked off its 20112012 campaign with the Back-to-School dance. The event was well attended and enjoyed by many of the students who came out.

“I think we just created a lot of hype about it this year,” Junior Class President Jessica Tam said. “It seems people like having dances in the quad more.”

ASB hopes to capitalize on this success going into the year and looks forward to further growth in dance attendance.

There is a change in management this year, with new Paly staff member Matt Hall taking over as advisor for ASB. Students have said that Hall contributes a positive attitude and good leadership to the class.

“He brings the knowledge of a wise man and the leadership of a Sensei,” ASB member Quinn Rockwell said.

Hall is hoping to bring a new mentality to ASB this year.

“I’m not a 70 percent kind of guy,” Hall said.

ASB wishes to construct a bond with the students that it represents this year. Due to an emphasis on communication, social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter have been revamped from last year. ASB has also activated a Formspring account for students to express their opinion. All these tools are being utilized as ways to connect with the students.

“I know [ASB President] Uma [Veerappan] is really focusing on transparency with students,” Tam said.

Next up for ASB is Spirit Week, for which members have already started spending significant time preparing.

The Palo Alto School Board held a meeting on Sept. 13 to discuss the adoption of the 2012 Focused Goals and Initiatives, future use of the Cubberley Community Center and the ending balance of the budget for the previous school year along with other school related issues.

There was also a special meeting called at 8:30 a.m. the same morning to discuss adopting new policies for the board, as well as how to deal with existing board policies that are being influenced due to state budget cuts and other financial issues.

The Focused Goals and Initiatives for the upcoming school year cover the broad themes of academic achievement, staff development, budget and communication.

“These goals are a piece of the puzzle, the big instructional puzzle,” Dr. Charles Young, assistant superintendent said.

Dr. Kevin Skelly, superintendent of Palo Alto Unified School District, also emphasized the need to have more intervention and communication with students and families before declaring them special-education students.

“We want other efforts as well to help regular students before they become special-ed students,” Dr Skelly said.

Though academics was the largest part of these initiatives, budget trends and infrastructure were also addressed. In particular the Board concentrated on how to minimize the impact of the construction upon the schools.

After extensive deliberation, the goals were passed unanimously by the school board.

—Jake Kerman Staff Writer

—Emily Rosenthal Staff Writer

NEWS

The Campanile

October 3, 2011 • A3

Administration requires adult supervision in weight room Controversial rule limits use of equipment, creates inconvenience for students

By Kyle Stewart Staff Writer

Palo Alto High School recently enacted a weight room rule that requires adult supervision in the room while students are present.

Due to safety concerns, the weight room is now locked when no adult is present.

Paly has no weight room trainer; therefore, there are no designated times other than before school and during seventh period that the weight room will be open. “[It is] a safety issue more than anything,” Paly trainer Josh Goldstein said. “We’re enforcing these new rules so that there is no goofing off [or] horseplay and so that students lift properly.”

Paly Physical Education teacher David Duran added that the administration does not want students getting hurt while unsupervised, as such injuries pose a legal and ethical challenge.

“Overall, this rule is in effect because we just don’t want anyone to get hurt, and there were a couple accidents after school when no one was there to help,” Duran said.

RIKI RATTNER/CAMPANILE

The Palo Alto High School administration now requires adult supervision while students are present in the weight room due to safety concerns, angering students that use equipment outside regular school hours.

Last year several students were injured in the weight room, including former Paly student Miles Anderson. The injuries were both traumatic and influential on current campus policy.

Anderson was pushing the bars on the fly machine when the pin that holds the weight up snapped, forcing Anderson’s pushing momentum to smash his right ring finger between bars.

This accident resulted in a trip to the emergency room and stitches for Anderson.

Even though Anderson was under supervision when his accident occurred, the Paly admin-

istration still wants to employ a weight room supervisor to raise overall awareness.

The administration is trying the best they can to keep the weight room open as much as possible.

“We all know you guys want to lift,” Duran said. “We are trying our best to find someone and help supervise, hopefully everybody.”

Students have suggested using volunteers as monitors to solve the issue of adult supervision.

“It would be really effective if the administration could get a teacher volunteer schedule going to keep the weight room open,” junior Weston Preising said.

Goldstein would like to see the weight room open all the time but also addresses money as an issue.

“We need to find someone willing to keep the weight room open but it’s a matter of paying someone to do that,” Goldstein said.

“Money is always an issue.”

Even with the changes that the administration is trying to make, students are still having difficulty pursuing their workouts in the weight room.

With the new rules in effect, many students have begun to work out daily at different, offcampus gyms. Students such as seniors John Dickerson are having a tough time lifting after school due to the new rules enacted by the Paly administration.

“I go to the YMCA more often because of the lack of availability at the Paly weight room,” Dickerson said. “It’s kind of a pain. People still want to lift at Paly, but it’s not open nearly as much as it used to, so kids can’t get as active anymore.”

Goldstein is now opening up the weight room to seventh period students who have a prep.

In addition, coach Jason Fung teaches zero period P.E. and allows anyone to use the weight room before school. However, it sometimes causes students to miss workout routines, which can be frustrating.

“Sometimes I don’t have enough time to lift at other places when the weight room is locked, which forces me not to lift,” junior Erik Anderson said. “This has made me weaker and I’ve noticed it drastically.”

PAUSD fails to meet standards District test scores improve No Child Left Behind benchmarks not met

By Grace Fang Technology Editor

The Palo Alto Unified School District, although improving its scores overall, still failed to meet Academic Performance Index growth targets under the No Child Left Behind policy last year. The API growth targets reflect state accountability requirements and do not match the federal Adequate Yearly Progress requirements. The AYP requirement for the API is a 2010 Growth API of 620, or a one-point increase from the 2009 Base API to the 2010 Growth API for a school or Local Educational Agency, according to PAUSD Board of Education President Melissa Caswell. The PAUSD scores are based on how well students did on the California Standards Test. The district must meet certain percentages of participants and students who score at a high level.

“You have to have a certain percentage of kids scoring proficient or advanced on the tests in order to pass,” PAUSD Superintendent Kevin Skelly said.

Students in PAUSD schools failed to meet the percentage requirements last year, either by not scoring high enough or by not taking the test at all.

“Last year there were not enough students taking the tests, and there were groups of students that did not pass the test,” Skelly said.

Many minority, socioeconomically disadvantaged and special education students have been struggling with their API growth. The administration is working hard to help these groups reach the standards that NCLB has set for PAUSD. “No Child Left Behind requires that students overall and in every subgroup reach the standard,” research director Diana Wilmot said.

African Americans in the district have raised their API scores from 709 in 2010 to 720 in 2011, resulting in an 11 point growth. Socioeconomically disadvantaged students raised their API by 19 points, but API scores for Hispanics went down by three points, according to the 2010-2011 Accountability Progress Report (APR).

Urbina, Van der Burg return to teach classes TEACHERS, continued from A1 great college adviser, teacher and person all around facilitates the college process,” senior and Van der Burg advisee Aaron Zelinger said.

Van der Burg, though, was not only an adviser for last year’s juniors but also last year’s sophomores. This year Paly English teacher Erin Angell has assumed responsibility of Van der Burg’s former sophomore advisees, who are now juniors.

“I was a ninth grade adviser for two years and then after doing that I thought it would be a natural progression to try 10 through 12,” Angell said. “I wanted to be able to have a relationship with students for more than one year.”

Angell also wanted to be able to experience having students in her classes as well as in her advisory so she can get to know them better.

While Van der Burg is the one who is writing her senior advisees’ letters of recommendation for college and the one who runs the senior advisory period, Angell is sitting in on advisory sessions so she can become better acquainted with the role of a teacher adviser.

“This is actually a really nice opportunity because I get to watch a veteran [teacher adviser] and see what they’re doing,” Angell said.

Angell also serves as a resource for Van der Burg’s advisees, since her availability on campus is limited.

“I’m a point person for the 12th graders because Ms. Van der Burg is not on campus all day,” Angell said.

Angell is open to answer any questions Van der Burg’s students have, whether it regards a schedule change, a conflict or advice. With regards to her plan for next year, Van der Burg is sure she will not be returning to Paly. She will likely be in San Diego and involved in teaching in some way.

“Some of our subgroups are not significant enough in terms of numbers to be counted, but I look at the data with a serious eye,” Palo Alto High School Principal Phil Winston said.

Though PAUSD failed in terms of overall student participation and proficiency levels, API scores are different from school to school so some schools may not have actually failed to meet the requirements.

“PAUSD creates growth targets across the district, but the API is a state-created measure that varies by school,” Caswell said.

If schools continue to do poorly on standardized tests, then students would face dire consequences which may affect their future. Any participating school that does not make AYP for two years must offer parents the choice to send their child to a non-failing school in the district, and after three years must provide supplemental services.

“We’re trying to do a variety of things to help the students, such as more preschool, development programs, longer school days and provide more intense instruction,” Skelly said.

“The consequences may be that we will have to change our requirements and expectations,” Skelly said. “According to the Federal Secretary of Education, the state superintendent might have to make decisions and we will see how that will affect Palo Alto.”

Last year, Paly was not given an API growth target because the school scored at or above the statewide performance target of 800 in 2010. PAUSD has 50 percent more students with Academic Risk Demographics than the other top five K-12 districts and the greatest API gains with students who are socioeconomically challenged.

“It is important that we continue to invest in helping our teachers further develop their skills and provide them with additional tools, so that they are able to effectively reach each child in the classroom,” Caswell said.

Visit voice.paly.net for full story

RANKED, continued from graphic on A1

By Wesley Shiau Staff Writer

Based on a report given during a Palo Alto Unified School District School Board meeting on Sept. 13, PAUSD ranks fifth in the state in terms of its Academic Performance Index.

The district received an overall API of 926 this year, one point higher than last year’s score of 925. API is based on student performance on the California Standards Test in the subjects English, science, social science and math, and the California High School Exit Exam.

For students with disabilities, the California Alternate Performance Assessment and the California Modified Assessment are used. PAUSD was also ranked fifth in the state with the greatest API increase among students with socioeconomic disadvantages according to Diana Wilmot, the Research and Development Coordinator for PAUSD who replaced research director William Garrison this year. PAUSD had over 800 students classified as possessing socioeconomic disadvantages, while San Marino Unified School District, the first-ranked district in California with an API of 955, has under 70.

Palo Alto High School improved its API score by 3 points from 897 to 900 while Henry M. Gunn High School’s API score dropped 9 points from 918 to 909. The most notable improvement came from Terman Middle School, the only middle school in the PAUSD to have an improved API score.

Their API score improved 17 points from 940 to 957. Conversely, Walter Hays Elementary School had its worst API score in over 10 years, dropping 17 points from 934 in 2010 to 917 in 2011. Paly had a 97 percent and 96 percent pass rate in the math and English language arts sections respectively on the CAHSEE. Girls had a higher pass rate compared to boys with 99 percent and 97 percent pass rates in the math and English language arts sections, re-

spectively. The highest success rate came from the Asian students enrolled at either Paly or Gunn. 282 Asians passed their math and English CAHSEE, while only two Asian students did not pass their English portions.

While PAUSD ranked far above the California’s average, some board members, including superintendent Kevin Skelly, were “disappointed” by the API scores.

“I was hoping we would improve more than we did,” Skelly said. “If you look at the results last year, we saw a big jump in lots of different levels, but this year we didn’t.”

“We continue to not make the kind of progress we would like to make in terms of the achievement gap,” said Board member Barbara Klausner, who suggested “disaggregating and re-aggregating” data at the district level to better find solutions.

The report additionally examined the results of the CST in English language arts and math, which were a major part of the five “strategic planning goals” created in 2008 that the district aims to achieve by spring 2012. The report presented on Sept. 13 is one of two to be presented and covered the first three goals which focused on improving student performance on the California Standards Test subjects, English language arts and math. The second report is expected to be presented in October.

According to the report, students have improved in almost all areas since 2008 but none of the goals have been actually achieved. The goals for the English language arts and Math to be reached by 2012: Goal One: Have 95 percent or more students in grades three to eight score at their appropriate grade level.

Goal Two: Have 85 percent of students in grades three to eight show a year’s progress or more in their grade’s curriculum.

Goal Three: Reduce the amount of students in grades four to eight who fall under the “not yet proficient” category in these areas by 50 percent.

Stanford Avenue to become pedestrian-friendly

El Camino intersection construction should improve safety, atmosphere

By Matt Morton Staff Writer

The city’s plans to make the intersection of El Camino Real and Stanford Avenue more attractive to pedestrians and cyclists are close to finished, with all work on the track to be completed next week.

One of Palo Alto’s busiest intersection is getting a facelift, adding new landscaped corners, resurfaced crosswalks, decorative streetlights, benches, tree-filled medians and new traffic lights.

The construction extends 100 feet in each direction on El Camino, and wraps around the Starbucks on the corner.

“Construction started back [at] the end of January,” the City of Palo Alto’s onsite Construction Manager James Beauchamp said.

According to Beauchamp, seven months were given to complete the project. Only one corner was worked on at a time. “[Construction] was done with the idea that pedestrians were given a safe corner to walk on,” Beauchamp said, “[they] therefore did not need to walk through all four corners under construction at the same time.”

During the work, Beauchamp and other workers uncovered some surprising artifacts from Palo Alto’s history.

“El Camino is an old street, with many generations of work and revisions of buildings and street re-design, and therefore the underground holds a lot of history,”Beauchamp said. “History, such as old abandoned utilities that have been replaced, old storm drain systems, parts of old buildings and sometimes even old cars.”

The construction began with the hope that the intersection would be made safer and more attractive to pedestrians and bicyclists.

The City of Palo Alto intended to make the intersection more aesthetically pleasing, so more people could enjoy the scenery. The new trees and benches will help add to the ambiance.

“Stanford Avenue is a primary route to school with high pedestrian and bicycle traffic,” Beauchamp said. “By eliminating the triangular pedestrian refuge islands, the project provides a shorter and more direct crosswalk between sidewalks. Also, widening the median will provide a safe refuge area for pedestrians who cannot cross the entire width of El Camino Real in one signal cycle.”

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is funding the remodeling. They approved a $1.2 million federal grant in early 2010 for the construction which started in late January of this year.

The construction has interfered with traffic, as lanes have been forced to close and traffic slowed as the workers entered the busy El Camino rush.

However, pedestrian and cyclist traffic stay completely open at all times, and Beauchamp predicted that there would not be many future closures.

“All attempts have been made to only close lanes–only one at a time–during non-rush hour traffic, and as little as possible,” Beauchamp said. “Local detour signs will be in place to communicate to drivers how to get around closures, but construction is coming to a close.”

ADAM MANSOUR/CAMPANILE

The crosswalk at the El Camino intersection will be safer for bikers and pedestrians after construction adding new benches, stoplights and tree-filled medians.

Some people are worried about the negative effects of the remodeling, however.

The new corner bulb-outs will remove the right turn lanes both from eastbound Stanford Ave onto southbound El Camino and from southbound El Camino onto westbound Stanford Ave.

Roger, a Palo Alto resident who refrained from giving his last name, is concerned with the effects of the construction.

“The elimination of these lanes will reduce traffic flow, increase waiting at signals, increase neighborhood cutthrough traffic, increase driver frustration, and increase pollution,” he said.

A4 • Monday, October 3, 2011

OPINION

Editorials

ASB transparency increases with social media usage New website, new advisor allows ASB to form communication lines with student body

Last year, in an editorial published on June 3, The Campanile called upon the Palo Alto High School’s Associated Student Body (ASB) to have “more communication and transparency” with the rest of the school community. Thanks to their new website and social media pages, it seems that they have taken this request to heart.

The new ASB Twitter and Facebook accounts could be updated more often though, as ASB now has a Communication Commissioner dedicated to communicating with the community.

The new website is also a great addition, especially the inclusion of full minutes for each meeting. Sharing exactly what goes on each meeting is a great sign of ASB’s commitment to transparency.

New advisor Matt Hall’s commitment to reaching out to the school has also been noticeable and is making ASB much more approachable as well.

In addition to the new sites and Mr. Hall’s outgoing nature, The Campanile would also like to applaud ASB for their decision to use online surveys as a way to get feedback from the Paly community. With that, we hope that students will take the surveys, as they are the only way for ASB to really hear what is being said. However, we feel like the surveys could allow students to provide new ideas, as opposed to just commenting on ASB’s ideas.

For example, ASB has released an online survey regarding a possible Night Rally. The survey was a great idea for this new proposal, but should have had a space for additional comments. The survey also could have provided more information on what the event might include, as many students were unclear as to what a night rally incorporates. If more information were provided for students, the surveys would ultimately be more helpful to ASB. Not only would ASB get a better idea of what the student body would prefer, but it would also effectively include the student body in preparation for these types of events — which is important if ASB wants the student body to feel included in the planning of these types of events.

The surveys also could be better publicized, as only a small amount of Paly students have “liked” The Palo Alto High School ASB page so far. To do this, ASB could easily post flyers with easy ways to access the surveys throughout campus, or even ask students to fill them out during advisory. Hearing students’ opinions is vital, yet the opinions will only be worthwhile if enough are shared.

Although perfection has not been reached just yet, ASB is off to a great start in regards to becoming more transparent. The Campanile looks forward to communicating with ASB in the future.

Schedule correction system inefficient, stressful for students

The Campanile

Letters to the Editors Multiple media options distracting, overwhelming

School feels uglier with dead grass, portables, construction

Thanks to the internet, media has become extremely accessible. This has its pros and its cons.

As a high school junior, I often times find all the options of distraction overwhelming. Fortunately for me, all my favorite TV shows from last season were renewed. Unfortunately for me, all my favorite TV shows from last season were renewed.

I feel obligated to continue following all my old favorites: How I Met Your Mother, Gossip Girl, Community, 90210, Parenthood, Glee, Big Bang Theory, House, (among others). And, to pile on to my television commitments, I also have to begin following all the new series that have caught my interest: Pan Am, Hart of Dixie, Awkward, The Playboy Club, and New Girl! School has begun, and my love/hate relationship with the internet has resumed.

These shows are all amazing, and I lack focus.

Where’s a writer’s strike when you need one?

Honestly, I’m getting pretty irritated with the internet. Putting full television episodes online one day after air date: horrible idea. All those in favor of a Hulu shutdown? No? Me neither. There’s really nothing more productive I could do with those 8 hours/week anyhow.

I really don’t like having the portables in the middle of the Quad. Freshman year was fun when we had double the quad size but now the portables are in the middle and it looks a lot uglier than it did before. The construction doesn’t help either because when I’m in Spanish it gets really loud and I can’t even hear what my teacher is saying.

I came to Paly sometimes during the summer and nothing was happening, so I don’t really understand why they didn’t work on it during the summer. Too bad the new buildings are going to finish in like 30 months or something because I will have graduated by then, I think it would have been really cool if I could have been able to use the new classrooms. Also what was the deal with the brown grass? For a week the Quad was dying someone needs to water it.

—Kirby Gee, junior

Campanile wants to hear from you! If you have questions, comments or suggestions for future stories please e-mail campanile.opinion@gmail.com. Thank you.

—Dana Donnelly, junior

News to Know Our four biggest stories of the past four weeks

1

2

3 4

Administration should use internet, distribute a week before school to make process more efficient In previous issues of The Campanile, the staff has exposed its frustration with the administration’s schedule distribution policy. The current method, in which students pick up schedules on the day before school starts and, if unsatisfied, must make changes in the span of one short, frustrating week is inefficient. It is the administration’s responsibility to facilitate this stressful process.

The current schedule distribution system has caused tension between students and the administration, and amidst the academic pressures of the beginning of a new school year, the chaos is almost unbearable. Though The Campanile acknowledges the difficulties involved in organizing schedule for 1,950 students, the system would be greatly improved and much more efficient if the schedule pickup date were moved to the week before school commences. This would enable schedule errors that do not involve dropping or changing classes (for example, being in two different periods of the same class or having two classes scheduled in the same period) to be cleared during the week before school, which would allow students to make subjective changes more easily during the first week of school. With additional time for students to plan and assess their best options, their decisions will be better thought-out when it is time to actually make

the changes. The Campanile believes that the process will be less of a headache for the guidance office if it has an extra week to negotiate schedule changes.

The first few days of new classes are crucial, and missing these days, which often include curriculum focused on summer work, upcoming quizzes, class structures and syllabi and setting the pace for the school year, sets students behind their peers. Unsure footing in the beginning of the year upsets the learning curve. If this could be avoided, students would start off the year on a more confident foot.

The Campanile realizes that these concerns were also raised during the 2010-2011 school year.

However, students expect an explanation for the lack of response from the administration regarding this issue. Students are obviously unaware of the full extent of work that the guidance office must undergo to effectively make changes at the beginning of the year, but if the administration were to explain the reasoning behind the current system and whether or not it is possible to change it, students would be less confused and more sympathetic. The fall should reflect the enthusiasm of a new school year, and transitioning from summer schedules to class schedules should include better communication between students and staff.

Parking permits too expensive, limited spaces available Students express frustration due to rare availability of parking spots, contruction complications Recently, due to high priced parking permits along with limited spaces due to construction, parking has become a sensitive subject for many of the students at Palo Alto High School to say the least. For those who can afford the $100 permit, it has become a struggle to find parking in both lots, and it has even reached a point where staff is forced to park in our valuable spots.

Although a high parking permit fee effectively encourages students to consider alternative transportation to school, for some students driving to school is a necessary reality. Although the Paly administration offers financial assistance to students who cannot afford a parking permit, many students are still left frustrated with the policy. With the living cost of being a student in Palo Alto already very high, it is an unnecessary burden to pay an additional $100 each year just for the hope that a parking spot may be available each day.

After paying such a high parking permit cost, students are left upset with the resulting product.

There are not enough parking spots available for every student who has purchased a parking permit, so some students who have even purchased a permit must sometimes seek parking off campus.

In addition, students are offered poor service after purchasing their permits. At least one student in Campanile has received a parking ticket merely for putting their permit in the wrong spot on their windshield. When attempting to contest the $40 ticket, she was denied her request on grounds

of mere “incontestability.” Furthermore, students must handle parking permit issues with the Palo Alto Police, not an on campus source, which is both inconvenient and challenging. If students are expected to pay $100 for any service, including parking permits, they should be able to expect and demand better service.

The Campanile staff feels that the lack of spots available for students is inconvenient and results in students being late for class due to far parking spots or even due to them being forced to park across the street in residential areas. While we understand that parking is a privilege for high school students and that funds from parking permits are necessary additions to the Associated Student Body budget, we propose that changes be made to the current parking program to create a fairer system.

Many other public high schools in California offer parking for their students free of charge or for a much smaller price than $100, making cheaper parking permits a viable solution to this issue.

Furthermore, parking permit funds last year contributed to a massive excess budget in ASB. Most of these funds were used for ASB events such as dances, most of which Paly students barely attended. Since funds from parking permits were therefore not even used for the benefit of students on campus, the administration should either rethink having such a steep fee for permits or examine a better way to distribute funds.

1. With the Iowa caucus set to kick off primary season in February, Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney lead the pack of potential Republican candidates for President.

2. Despite crowds of thousands protesting outside the Supreme Court and White House, highly controversial Georgia inmate Troy Davis, whom many believe to be innocent, suffered the death penalty on Sept. 21 after his petition to stay the execution was denied by the Supreme Court.

3. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas submitted an application to the United Nations for full recognition of a Palestinian state on Sept. 23. The bid will be discussed this week, but the United States has already publicly opposed it.

4. After over two years in custody, a pair of American hikers convicted of illegal entry and espionage in Iran were arrived in New York on Sept. 25 after being released from prison on $1 million bail.

The Campanile Editors in Chief

Michael Abrams • Brian Benton • Kirah Ingram Annabel Snow • Hannah Totte • Lauren Wong

News Editor

Opinion Editor

Layla Memar

Meghan Byrd

Spotlight Editor

Lifestyles Editor

Madeline Berger

Nikki Whitson

Sports Editors

A&E Editor

Features Editors

Advertising Managers

Tech Editors

Photography Editors

Michael Augustine Mayssen Labidi Hannah Park Tanvi Varma

Clara Chang

Gracie Fang Elena Pinsker

Bailey Cassidy Ben Krasnow Alex Lin Riki Rattner

Staff Writers Kate Apostolou Joshua Arfin Charlotte Barry Isabel Benatar Elizabeth Bowman Josie Butler Brandon Byer Jillian Chacon Gavin Chan Chrissie Cheng Olivia Cole

Benjamin Cook Olivia Cornfield Laura Cui Chayla Cummings Ryan Deslauriers Samuel Dodson Charles Dulik Marie Ezran Rose Fitzgerald James Foug Yasna Haghdoost

Ben Hawthorne Grace Keller Jake Kerman William Kershner Alvin Kim Nira Krasnow Adam Mansour Caroline Martignetti Anna McGarrigle Logan Mendenhall Matthew Morton

Anna Norimoto Sophie Parker Perri Pond Julia Poppy Emily Rosenthal Gina Scarpino Abha Sharma Wesley Shiau Ashley Shin Jordan Smith Kelly Stern

Kyle Stewart Alex Taussig Emily Tran Alex Van Der Veen Michael Wang Eric Wang Rachel Wilson Beth Yan Jacob Zenger

Photographers Charlotte Barry Chrissie Cheng Samuel Dodson

Adam Mansour Anna McGarrigle Logan Mendenhall

Yael Palmon Emily Rosenthal Gina Scarpino

Advisor

Esther Wojcicki Letters to the Editors: Email all letters to editors to campanile.opinion@gmail.com.

The Campanile prints letters on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit submissions. The Campanile only prints signed letters.

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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.

OPINION

The Campanile

October 3, 2011 • A5

Senior polls unnecessarily controversial, system flawed

Cheating, corruption, Facebook conflict detract from fun annual tradition

On Sept. 14, angry, defensive and sarcastic posts alike blew up the newsfeeds of 400 seniors when the staff of the Palo Alto High School yearbook, Madrono, posted the final nominations for the 2012 Senior Polls. The Senior Polls group’s Facebook Wall was covered in posts from seniors accusing Malaurenwong drono of rigging the polls in my opinion and arguing that the nominations were an unfair representation of the class.

Then, on Sept. 22, Madrono Senior Section Editor Lili Koohestani announced that Madrono would be redoing the final round of voting due to cheating.

Madrono’s decision to partially redo Senior Polls was the right choice, as a flawed system, cheating and the mindset that lead to it made the polls undeservedly controversial when the polls, usually considered a fun break from the stress of senior year, turned into a source of stress themselves.

Those who declined to vote because they believed their votes would not matter are partially responsible for the fact that only a small handful of the senior class was nominated for the 44 superlatives, with some nominated for seven to eight categories each. Voting is each person’s own decision, and if one wants to submit his or her own name for all 44 categories, he or she is perfectly free to do so.

However, he or she cannot complain when the polls do not represent exactly whom he or she thinks deserves to win each category. Because only 201 out of 468 seniors voted in the nomination round, it is not surprising that many thought the polls unrepresentative when only half the class participated. Both the success and accuracy of Senior Polls depend entirely on the participation of the student body.

“They can’t force people to vote,” senior Shannon Scheel said. “If you didn’t take it upon yourself to go vote, and then you’re complaining about it not being fair, then that’s just hypocritical.”

Additionally, many argued that the poll nominations, which determined the final candidates, were a popularity contest. However, if a person received 30 votes, he or she would probably have been included in the final round of voting, regardless of perceived social status.

The polls can never be truly representative of the whole class because it is impossible to pigeonhole 468 seniors into 44 categories.“The polls don’t rep-

ALEX LIN/ CAMPANILE

Lili Koohestani, Livia Wyss and Emilie Merckling (left to right) monitor the senior polls ballot box during lunch. Seniors await the second round of results, after complaints were voiced about Facebook voting. resent all the people in our grade because each person has a different personality,” Koohestani said.

“For the people who didn’t get voted, it’s because they’re more unique than [the categories] want them to be.”

According to Koohestani, online voting was used because it is more efficient than paper ballots and allows the results to be released more quickly. However, in the future, although a painstaking inconvenience, paper ballots are probably the only way to prevent controversy and alleviate doubt.

“I don’t think that [because it was online] it was tampered with, or that it was unfair or that it wasn’t a fair representation,” senior Jared SwezeyGleason said. “I just think that there’s a possibility for that to happen, and [so] I would’ve been much more comfortable with a paper ballot.”

An issue with Facebook-oriented polls is that not every member of the senior class has a Facebook account.

Many seniors were also added to the Facebook group after the preliminary voting had ended. However, there was not a substantial overall issue with publicity; in fact, with the Facebook drama that en-

sued, there was plenty of awareness to go around, but for the wrong reasons.

“I disliked [the polls] because I felt like [they] split the senior class, and we should really just be more unified and supportive of each other,” senior Rollin Lau said. “Senior polls are just for fun. It’s really not that big of a deal.”

In addition to the controversy of the online voting system and its questionable integrity, another prevalent issue that ultimately lead to the redoing of the final round of the polls was cheating.

“I know of some cheating, and those [votes were] disqualified,” Koohestani said. “There’s many different ways of figuring out if people cheated, and it’s just really pathetic that they would have to cheat on something like Senior Polls. It’s supposed to be something fun, but [cheating] is ruining it for everyone.”

For example, some seniors asked non-seniors to vote for them. A downside of posting fliers around campus with public links on them is that while seniors can easily access the polls this way, so can freshmen, sophomores and juniors, especially if their senior friends encourage them to do so.

“I voted in the Senior Polls by going to the website,” an anonymous junior said. “A friend asked me to, so I just voted for the friend for what they wanted [me] to do and then [for] everything else I did whatever I thought would be fun.”

While completely defeating the purpose of the first word of “Senior” Polls, it is tempting to send the link to a friend and ask him or her for the crucial vote for a given category. Still, it is one thing to ask friends for votes, regardless of whether they are seniors, but to vote for oneself multiple times from several different computers is a different story. Doing so can throw off the system not only for that particular category but for the other categories as well. There should be zero possibility of the survey takers being able to manipulate the polls, especially to their own advantage.

One way to improve the polls would be to require participants to write their student ID numbers at the top of the survey before filling it out. That way, students who attempt to take the survey again will already have their ID number linked with a set of results. Additionally, many complained about having to fill out every question on the survey; however, if this were not required, people would be more inclined to cheat.

“Otherwise, they’re just going to vote for their friends in a couple of categories and then close it,” Koohestani said. “One category might have a whole bunch of votes and another category might have two, and that isn’t fair.”

For the final round of voting, although inconvenient, paper ballots are the only way to ensure a trustworthy system. By deciding to institute a redo of the final round following this year’s controversy, Madrono made a smart choice, and should consider using paper ballots again in the future to prevent such controversy from recurring.

However, Senior Polls will never perfectly represent the class, no matter how fair the system. It is impossible to apply 44 labels to 468 unique individuals; in fact, that is all they are — labels. Having one’s picture taken as part of a four-page section of a yearbook that will be meaningless by this time next year should not carry such heavy weight.

“When I was voting, I was like, ‘Oh, this is part of high school, you vote and it blows over,’ but a lot of people were really hung up on the process and getting voting things,” Scheel said. “It’s almost as though you’re asking other people to judge you, but it really shouldn’t be that way at all. In the end, it’s other people’s opinions. It doesn’t really matter. Its only a picture in the yearbook.”

Students should be taught life skills before going to college Many students at Palo Alto High School have gone through the process of reviewing their transcripts, checking them for unfulfilled graduation requirements. josiebutler They check to in my opinion make sure that they have some Advanced Placement courses under their belt and that their grades are in good shape for college.

However, these exercises only ensure that a student is academically ready for college. There is a lot more to attending college than just knowing the quadratic formula or the motifs that appear in Shakespeare’s plays. Schools work hard to prepare their students academically, yet many college students soon realize that after leaving high school, checks do not write themselves, bank accounts involve more than just spending, the money on credit card does not just come out of thin air and eating macaroni and cheese every night is not a feasible option.

Independence is readily passed from the hands of parents to teens when they leave for college and with it comes the great unknown and the formidable question of what to do now that parents are not longer there to hold their hand every step of the way.

Schools originally taught students these skills in a classroom setting, but over time they handed off this large responsibility to parents, many of whom failed to pass along their knowledge to their teens. Some parents have never even been formally taught the basic skills needed in order to be successful, such as managing their bank account or doing their taxes correctly. Schools need

to make it a priority to ensure that their students are prepared for all aspects of life on their own. Therefore, it should be mandatory that students take a Home Economics class before they graduate high school.

When people think of Home Economics, they immediately associate it with cooking. The class does graze the surface of cooking, but it also does so much more.

The class would cover a wide variety of topics, including what to expect in the world of college loans and grants, one’s first bills, managing personal health care, budgeting, taxes, job and college application strategies (including interview etiquette) and civic responsibilities and resources.

These skills not only correspond with college life, but life as an adult as well.

The fact is that many students are not taught the necessary means and strategies to become successful adults in not only the workforce, but in life as well. It is true, however, that they do eventually figure it out. After a period of struggle and a lot of advice, many people begin learning to navigate the workings of the business world. But imagine the success that these people would have had if they approached these situations already having learned how to combat them.

For example, there are students who have never written, and do not know how to write, a check. There are also students who have never considered doing their own laundry. These are some of the topics Home Economics would cover.

“I think a Home Economics class would definitely be a good idea to have in school,” Mariah Philips, Paly class of 2011 said. “I mean, even with simple things like laundry, I wasn’t prepared.

I knew the basic ‘whites go with whites and darks go with darks’, but other than that I was lost. It would have saved me time and my ego if I knew the basics from the start.”

VERBATIM

One of the most foreign things students confront in college is the new and overwhelming experience of college loans. Home Economics would help to educate Paly students on what loans to take out, how to manage their money in order to pay them off and the payment options available. Teaching students about loans is great not only for college, but also in the event that they have to take one out as an adult.

The class would teach students about bills and smart investment decisions.

Things like checking accounts, savings account, debit and credit cards would all be explained and taught in a manner that would promote good economic ideals.

These skills would be very beneficial to many young adults when it comes to things as simple as getting their taxes in on time. Home Economics would also help students learn how to construct strong college and job applications.

“College application help would have been extremely useful,” Phillips said.

“No one told me how difficult and time consuming it would be. You have to know how to navigate some universities’ online sites to even find an application, and then filling one out is also a very strenuous process.”

Public speaking and interview etiquette are qualities that colleges and employers find appealing in applicants.

“I think [public speaking skills] are such essential qualities to have,” Philips said. “First impressions mean a lot when it comes to interviews, and if you learn public speaking skills in high school, then you are one up on everyone in college.”

Today, improved communication technologies allow people to talk without meeting face to face or even speaking a single word to each other. This creates the increasingly large problem of students’ inability to effectually give pre-

EMILY TRAN/CAMPANILE

Students in the class Focus on Success work on time management and problem solving skills, lessons that will help them in college and in their jobs later in life. sentations in both college and work environments.

“Lots of college students and professors say that public speaking is one of the most important courses you can take in college because it will help you the most later in life,” Philips said.

Home Economics would also integrate some minor cooking skills and good eating habits into its curriculum.

The course would teach kids about tips to help them protect themselves against harmful chemicals found in food.

These classes would also address the issue of eating healthy. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescence Psychiatry, 33 percent of adolescence are obese. Some Paly students do not make the healthiest choices when it comes to eating right. A great example would be those students who walk over to Town and Country to pick up a bag of Cheetos and a Coke for lunch. Soda has become the beverage of choice for

many high school students and according to ABC News, 24.3 percent of teens drink sodas daily. Educating teens could impact the choices they make about the foods they eat in the future.

Many Paly students say that creating a mandatory class like this would be a waste of time because this information is covered elsewhere. One could argue that they are taught how to calculate interest in their Algebra classes, or how to cook in Foods, or what is harmful to the human body in Living Skills. But the truth is, these classes only touch the surface on the important skills needed for life outside of high school. There needs to be a class that specifically focuses on developing and instilling good eating, economic and social skills in students before they graduate from high school and Home Economics would do just that. It could act as the much needed College 101 crash course before students take the plunge into the real world.

What do you want to do before the warm weather is over?

Compiled by Brian Benton and Riki Rattner

“Get to the beach and maybe go swimming.”

“Wear short sleeved shirts.”

Aiden Lonsky junior

Luke Schroeder freshman

“Go to Santa Cruz.”

Kristina Savvateeva sophomore

“I want to go surfing. That’s what I want to do.”

“Have one last [University Club] Friday.”

Craig Tuana Dean of Students

Mira Ahmad and Corso Rosati seniors

October 3, 2011 • A7

SPOTLIGHT

The Campanile

Though summer is over and school is shifting into high gear, memories from summer and the preceeding school ye the minds of Palo Alto High School students, especially those who experienced new cultures. Seven Paly students h journey around the world to exotic locations over the summer as well as during the school year. These students ex cultures, environments and people, altering their perspectives and views of the world in many ways. From visiting t of Argentina to experiencing the profound culture of China, these Paly students have had the opportunity of a lifet Text by Anna Norimoto, Nira Krasnow, and Charlotte Barry

Despite unyielding travel restrictions and a circuitous travel route, senior Thomas Wade jo Caribbean island of Cuba this past summer with the Ragazzi Boys Chorus. The Redwood Ci toured for a week and a half, performing with multiple Cuban choirs.

“It was very different from performing in the United States,” Wade said.

Wade noted that the language barrier between the English-speaking choir and Spanishences was an issue he had never come across before. Because of the language gap, the ch on a translator who was present at all of their shows to explain the director’s speeches befo Despite the communication hindrance, Wade found the audiences in Cuba to be much more appreciative than the audiences in the U.S. “The audiences were not big, but they appreciated choral music like no American audienc “It was clear that they were there because they wanted to be.”

Wade attributed this attentiveness to the appreciation of the arts that Cuba promotes.

“In the U.S. we have two professional choirs,” Wade said. “In Cuba there are 27. In Ame two professional choirs struggle to support themselves and maintain a consistent income. A Cuba are paid by the government.”

Because the Cuban appreciation for music was apparent in both their audiences and ch sumed that it would be reflected in their theaters as well. Surprisingly, when Wade perfor Teatro, Cuba’s most highly-esteemed theater, the theater’s appearance did not live up to his “It just was a shock to walk into the principal theatre in Cuba and then see it in shambles Although the locations were not optimal due to inadequate acoustics and deteriorating a did not prove to be a problem for the young singers. Instead, Wade found it to be a good l ence.

“I think what we learned most is to be adaptive,” Wade said. “That it was our job to share our music with our audience, even though conditions were not ideal.”

Design by Madeline Berger, Emily Tran and Michael Wang

MEXICO

Cuba

Palo Alto High School junior and Amigos de las Americas participant Alexander Jenson, was part of an eight-week community service project in the village of Tezoatlan de Segura y Luna in Oaxaca, Mexico. Amigos de las Americas is an organization that sends students during the summer, either for six, seven or eight weeks, to work in a community in Latin America.

Amigos’ mission is to have their students create young leaders out of themselves, advance community development and strengthen their understanding from their stay in Latin America.

“I became involved with Amigos [de las Americas] because some people presented in Señora Urbina’s Spanish 4AP class, and I had been looking for a fun abroad program,” Jenson said. “[It was] deeply involved in community development more or less which sealed the deal.”

His project was to set up trash and recycling bins on the corner of the streets throughout the entire community and to teach at elementary school classes for about 25 hours per week.

“We worked with children from ages four to 13 on topics like nutrition, personal hygiene and the environment,” Jenson said. “I would say it was very successful.”

He lived with a family who gave him all he needed, including food and lodging. Jenson did not see his family most of the day because of his service work and the amount of work his host parents had.

Aside from his family, Jenson met local people and several other volunteers from the states.

Jenson misses the life and culture in Oaxaca and wishes to go back soon.

“I absolutely miss Tezoatlanm,” Jenson said. “The culture is much more relaxed [than Palo Alto’s].”

Jenson was accepted to be part of the Amigos de Las Americas Staff this year to train those who are interested in during the summer of 2012. He expects to organize games in Spanish, share his experiences, and supervise the volunteering hours and product sales.

ARGENTINA

Thaddeus Claassen, now a senior at Palo Alto High School, spent his junior year in El Bolson, Argentina, a small mountain town with a population of about 25,000 people in the Andes of Patagonia. Claassen enjoyed spending a year abroad through an organization called American Field Service Intercultural Programs, which gave him the opportunity to experience a different culture.

“I went to high school there, did the work I was given, [and] made friends [with both locals and other foreign exchange students], the same as people do here,” Claassen said.

According to Claassen, classes were quite “wild.”

His first school was a public school which specialized in farming. He took classes about forestation, aromas, pigs and berries.

The second school he attended was a private school that specialized in business. AFS has families who volunteer to host students from around the world. Claassen did not have prior knowledge about his family, however he was very happy with the family he was accepted into.

“I wish I had my Argentine family here because they were spectacular,” Claassen said, “I couldn’t have asked for a better family.”

Even though he was sad to leave his Argentinian family, Claassen was ready to head back home after a year in Argentina. Claassen says he will forever miss the food he ate, the great times he had in his community, and the people who made his experience the best he could have asked for.

Afri

Junior Shelby Knowles took her fourth trip to Af the Christian ministry group, Young Life. She spent in South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland.

“We [the Knowles family] just go [to Africa] in g are on the committee for Young Life in Africa,” Kno with the Young Life ministries in Africa by doing w serve food and clean up in the dining hall.”

In addition to visiting the existing Young Life pro Mozambique, Knowles and her family hoped to se group in Swaziland. “[We] had a meeting with a bunch of potential Life leaders in order to train them to be leaders in S land,” Knowles said.

Although much of her time in Africa was spent at ing to Young Life business, Knowles still was able t merse herself in the African culture. Even on her f visit to Africa, Knowles admits there were a few su ing cultural practices that she encountered. “[We] took a 27 hour train ride to Cape Town went to Cape Point, which is the southernmost po Africa,” Knowles said. “On the train to Cape Town police came and were searching the cars for body because witchcraft is still practiced there and body are used in witchcraft.”

The Campanile

ear are still fresh in had the chance to xperienced diverse the unique towns time.

ourneyed to the ity-based choir

-speaking audihoir had to rely ore every song. e attentive and

ce,” Wade said.

SPOTLIGHT Senior Sam Blake spent the majority of his summer before senior year in the third largest country in the world, China. “[Living in China] was really fun,” Blake said. “I lived in an apartment, so I got a lot of freedom.”

Blake and three other international young adults lived in Jiangdu, a town just off the Eastern coast of China. The opportunity to work in China was arranged by Projects Abroad.

Blake traveled to China as a business intern at IQAir, which is an indoor air purification company.

Blake worked in the business department at IQAir’s offices in Jiangdu, China. A typical day was fairly low key.

In the mornings, Blake would work on documents or correct papers for the company. Later in the day, he had the opportunity to give presentations, meet with business partners, and enjoy China’s nightlife.

Interning at IQAir led Blake to unique experiences in China.

“I gave presentations to various English speaking companies [like] Global Doctor,” Blake said. “I also gave a presentation to the American Consulate of Jiangdu. I also had a part time job, [in China], modeling Western clothing.”

Blake’s business routine in China was different than that of an American company.

“It’s a lot more about who you know, and there are a lot more business lunches and ‘getting to know you, let’s be friends,’ types of things before we do any sales,” Blake said. “Business runs differently [in China]. It’s a totally different culture.”

October 3, 2011 • A8

china

erica, even the All the choirs in

hoirs, Wade asrmed in El Gran s expectations. s,” Wade said. architecture, it learning experi-

ica

israel Senior Sam Asin spent the second semester of his junior year at the North American Federation of Temple Youth Eisendrath International Exchange (NTFY-EIE) High School in Israel. Asin first learned about the opportunity to live in another country at a summer camp he attends every year.

“My idea was that I didn’t want to have a normal high school career and just go through [school] like anyone else would,” Asin said. “I wanted to do something unique, and this [was] something I was very interested in.”

NTFY-EIE, or EIE, is a program that allows high school students from America to travel to Israel for one semester and strengthen their independence and knowledge of Judaism. In addition to taking traditional high school classes, Asin also studied Israeli history and Hebrew language.

“I’m still relatively on track in terms of applying to colleges and all my other classes,” Asin said, “We were in school for nine to ten hours on a normal day,” Asin said. “We all got used to that, so a day here at Paly feels short.”

Ten-hour school days occurred three to four times a week. On the other days, the group would take field trips to other cities, religious sites, and regions throughout Israel.

“We spent a couple weeks hiking around the northern part of Israel, and we spent a while down in the desert,” Asin said.

According to Asin, there were about 80 students in the program, allowing for intimate class settings.

“Classes were very small. I was in a few classes with only three or four people,” Asin said. “Some people were in one-on-one classes, and the largest class size I had was about 18 people, and the rest [had] ten or less.”

Another difference between Paly and EIE was the amount of academic resources available to students. Internet access in Israel is spotty, and if Asin was able to get online, it would only be for a few minutes. On the weekends, Asin and his friends would visit the surrounding cities in Israel, or often just hang out and enjoy their free time together.

“I got very close to the other Americans I was with because I [was] with them for four months, 24/7,” Asin said. “[In Israel], your whole social life is with the same people that you go to school with.”

Living in such a close community and making long-lasting friends were some of Asin’s favorite parts of spending a semester in Israel.

“These are people that I’m still in touch with now,” Asin said. “I’m always talking to them, and we’re always trying to see each other as much as we possibly can. They are the people I am closest with.”

frica this past summer with three weeks with her family

general because my parents owles said. “I’ve helped out work crew at camps where I

ograms in South Africa and et up a new branch of the

Young Swazi-

ttendto imfourth urpris-

n and oint of n, the parts y parts

About a thousand miles northeast of the New Zealand coast lies the tropical paradise of Fiji, where sophomore Sarah Limb vacationed this past summer.

Limb, however, did not spend her time relaxing on the tropical Fijian beaches.

“I didn’t go to touristy areas,” Limb said. “I went with my church to poor areas and we volunteered there.”

Limb’s church served in the town of Labasa on the northern Fijian island of Vanua Levu. One of the members of Limb’s church has family in Labasa, which was the reason they chose the town as their destination. The church members performed many tasks to assist the poor community.

“We helped cook food for people and went to schools and helped around,” Limb said.

Besides volunteering, Limb and her church did some religious outreach work in the town.

“We talked to the community about their beliefs, they are mostly Hindu,” Limb said.

Limb enjoyed many aspects of her trip and experienced a new culture, which was especially influential. The volunteering Limb took part in gave her the opportunity to get involved with the members of the town.

“Hanging out with the people was my favorite part,” Limb said.

Limb acquired a much greater sense of the culture in Fiji from spending time with the natives.

“It was a good eye-opener,” Limb said.

“There weren’t that many Fijian people [in Labasa]. They were Indian. They are a lot more conservative [than in the United States]. I had to wear skirts to my ankles and we couldn’t wear tank tops.”

FIJI

A8 • October 3, 2011

OPINION

The Campanile

Presidential candidate not given a fair chance in election Lack of main stream media coverage reduces Ron Paul’s chances in presidential race He is called the intellectual godfather of the Tea Party movement, yet Bill Maher endorses him and Jon Stewart argues on his behalf.

He is the only Republican presidential candidate that Reagan ever endorsed, but he’s the only candidate at the GOP debate on Sept. charliedulik in my opinion 7 that criticized Reagan’s presidency.

A paradox to some and a prophet to others, Representative Ron Paul, the 12-term Texas congressman, has faced a near media blackout due to his ardently libertarian beliefs.

Paul is consistently ignored by mainstream media, despite garnering a technical victory in the crucial Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, being in the top tier of fundraising candidates and consistently placing in the top three of most major presidential polls.

However, with tenacious supporters, an unwavering message and steadily growing support, Paul is a serious candidate with a legitimate opportunity for success come primary season, and due to his successes and potential, deserves to be treated as such by the media.

GAGE SKIDMORE/CREATIVE COMMONS Whereas candidates Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Michele Bachmann have the luxury of appearPresidential Candidate Ron Paul has not been regarded as a primary candidate for presidency in spite of his ing on a different Sunday morning talk show each growing support. Anti-establishment views have inevitably caused a lack of media coverage and attention. week, Paul has struggled to gain traction due to when facing President Obama. There have been the Republican Leadership Conference straw poll his generally anti-establishment views. multiple polls that show that Paul is more popu- with nearly 50 percent of the vote, and two days During debates, his views have been openly lar than frontrunner Rick Perry in their joint home later he won the New Hampshire Young Republiscoffed at by Fox News moderators and his speakcans straw poll with 45 percent. On Sept. 17, Paul state of Texas. ing times at such events are consistently lower Paul’s extensive grassroots campaign, another won the California Straw Poll, once again winning than nearly every other candidate. asset of his candidacy, was able to flex its muscles 45 percent of the vote.

This lack of recognition by the media is astoundOne would expect a candidate with this many at the Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, an event intended ingly uncalled for. There is a veritable plethora of to show which way voters are leaning in the Repub- commanding victories to have captured media atreasons why Paul should be on an equal or higher tention, but somehow Paul consistently goes unlican race. platform than many other Republican candidates At Ames, Paul lost to Bachmann by less than one mentioned. The fact of the matter is that he is igcurrently enjoying a higher standard of media atpercent, yet every major news network ignored the nored because his beliefs are thought to be too tention. fact that the wind seems to be blowing in the direc- radical.

First off, in the second quarter of fundraising, Among his less mainstream beliefs is his position of the Texas congressman. only one candidate brought in more money than In fact, after the Straw Poll, both MSNBC and tion supporting the legalization of all drugs. When Paul.

Fox News analysts spoke of a new top tier of candi- attacked about the consequences of his views, Paul Paul has been referred to as a fundraising madates, that is, Romney, Perry and Bachmann. A few has a simple response, that if heroin were legal, chine, and his “money bombs,” 24-hour events with hosts even mentioned Pennsylvania Representative people would not suddenly change their ways and a special theme in which supporters donate monRick Santorum as a winner of the Straw Poll, even start using the drug for the mere reason that they ey to his campaign, have consistently raised over though Paul garnered near- are legally able to.

2 million dollars in a single “The argument is if we legalize heroin tomorrow, ly three times the amount of day. everyone is going to use heroin,” Paul said during a votes Santorum received.

Paul also has by far the “The argument is if we legalYet the ludicrousness debate in May. “How many people here would use most campaign donations ize heroin tomorrow, everyone of the conjecture that San- heroin if it were legal? I bet nobody would.” from members in the miliAnother of his well known beliefs is non-intertorum beat Paul was nevtary, a key demographic to is going to use heroin. How er mentioned on any main- ventionism. Paul believes in bringing all American Republican voters. Politifact many people here would use stream media outlet. The one troops home — not just the those in Afghanistan reported that Paul received place it was mentioned was and Iraq, but all of the 369,000 troops stationed in $34,480 in donations from heroin if it were legal? I bet on the cable television outlet over 150 countries around the world. Paul takes a U.S. military personnel, more nobody would.” much more aggressive stance on this issue than any Central. than every Republican canRon Paul Comedy “Santorum?” The Daily other candidate. didate and President Barack Presidential Candidate When asked how soon he would bring the troops Show with Jon Stewart host Obama combined.

Jon Stewart said. “Santorum home, Paul replied by saying, “As soon as the boats A recent Gallup poll placed lost to [Tim Pawlenty], the guy who lost so bad he can get to them.”While these views can be attracPaul in third place, ahead of Bachmann and most tive to progressives seeking definite change, Paul is had to drop out!” other so-called “top tier” candidates in the news.

The technical victory at Ames was one of many criticized for his classic conservative beliefs includIn a Rasmussen poll in July, Paul was shown to straw poll victories for Paul. In August Paul won ing being pro-life and anti-gay marriage. have the best support of any Republican candidate

The difference between Paul and other conservatives is that he feels that these decisions should be up to the states. Although he is against those issues personally, Paul believes that if the states decide to legalize gay marriage and abortion, it is their right to do so and their decision should be respected, which is clearly a different opinion than most Republicans.

Although Paul differs from most Republicans on the topic of gay marriage, he finds legal basis for his beliefs in the Constitution, something many conservatives claim to stick to but fail to adhere to when circumstance suits them, making him a more stringent Republican. As Maher said, “[Paul is] really more conservative than most conservatives.”

Paul carries another trait that the majority of politicians lack — consistent support of ones opinions. He voted against the Iraq War and the Patriot Act. He has never once voted to raise taxes or to increase the power of the executive branch.

Supporters of Paul are quick to tout his prophetic views. In 2001, Paul warned of the collapse of the real estate bubble. In a 1997 speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, Paul opposed going to war with Iraq, and reiterated that position in 2002 when he voted against President George W. Bush’s Iraq War. In the early 2000’s Paul warned that Bin Laden was most likely hiding in Pakistan. Recently, Paul predicted that the US would enter into a military conflict in Libya. Lo and behold, despite Obama saying no troops would be in Libya, both the National Review and the Drudge Report have reported that American boots are now on Libyan soil.

Opinions of Paul’s, such as wanting to abolish the Federal Reserve and opposing all unjustified U.S. military operations, are now becoming popular mainstream opinions, yet no matter how many times these opinions are mentioned in the media, Paul is rarely talked about in conjunction with them, despite having supported them for much longer than nearly every candidate.

Paul has criticized the chair of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, for years, yet in August it was a national event when Rick Perry gained attention for saying Bernanke has acted treasonously.

Similarly, Paul has always opposed military conflict, yet Bachmann is cited as a speaker for the anti-Libya movement. The media’s ignorance of Paul is not merely a mistake of oversight. On Fox News, when commentator Juan Williams tried to mention Paul’s landslide victory at the Conservative Political Action Conference, he was told on air that Paul was not supposed to be discussed.

At a Republican debate on Sept. 12, Paul was given the second lowest amount of speaking time and cut off multiple times. However, despite numerous setbacks, Paul’s support is climbing. In recent polls he has surpassed Bachmann, and in some he is even gaining ground on Romney.

Whether or not Paul’s views appeal to certain people, they are intelligent and legitimate. He has consistently supported his beliefs and has been reelected time and time again.

His candidacy is definitely in the top tier in terms of finance and support. There is no precedent or rationalization for the media blackout of Ron Paul, and he deserves the same amount of attention that any other leading candidate has.

Stanford’s medical records exposed for public viewing

New technology causes problems with doctor-patient confidentiality

A few weeks ago, the New York Times’ front page featured news from the west coast, specifically from an area close to home, here in Palo Alto.

Stanford medical records had been hannahtotte leaked online, it in my opinion said, and had remained online undetected since Sept.

9, 2012, endangering patient privacy by posting a data spreadsheet which included the names and medical records of thousands of patients.

The article, “Patient Data Posted Online in Major Breach of Privacy,” by staff writer Kevin Sack, said that Stanford Hospital just discovered the security breach this September, resulting in abundant frustration from families of patients and patients themselves, as well as from the California Department of Public Health.

Patient-doctor privacy has always been emphasized in the world of health, and in an esteemed institution like Stanford, loyalty and trust between staff and patients is expected.

However, as hospitals and doctors’ offices alike transition into this modern era with new expectations of technological advancement and proficiency, switching medical records from paper to computer has several consequences.

Stanford’s security breach is shocking, but it is one of many that now seem inevitable; responsibility of the people with access to private records is necessary to allay fears of lost anonymity.

In Stanford’s case, the information was leaked in the form of a spreadsheet posted on Student of Fortune, a website that allows students to pay for homework help.

The spreadsheet was leaked from one of the hospital’s billing contractors, called Multi-Specialty Collection Services, which took responsibility for the

breach, according to CBS San Francisco news.

Even though Stanford Hospital immediately terminated contracts with MultiSpecialty Collection Services, the hospital should take more responsibility and action regarding its relationships with contractors.

The new age of technology could, by nature, allow hackers completely unrelated to the records to access medical data; when contractors are trusted with information as Multi-Specialty Collection Services was, patients are unknowingly at risk.

“It’s a model based on trust - ‘I trust you to do the right thing because I can sue,’” Bryan Cline, vice president of the Health Information Trust Alliance, said to the Mercury News. “There’s nothing about assuring that third parties can actually protect the information.”

Switching to electronically published records makes relationships with contractors and vendors more complicated, and it facilitates many aspects of daily tasks amidst the ongoing chaos of a hospital. According to Danielle Ofri, associate professor of medicine at the New York University School of Medicine, health care is the only industry not yet fully computerized.

More than half of practices still using paper records, but hospitals with the monetary and technological resources are implementing computer screens in all aspects of patient-doctor relationships.

“Every M.R.I. scan, X-ray, CT scan and EKG can be viewed by any doctor anywhere in the hospital,” Ofri said in a recent New York Times contribution article. “Prescriptions can be renewed in seconds. Medication interactions are automatically flagged.

Lab results are queued to the individual doctor. Immunizations can be tracked. One click brings up a patient’s blood pressure readings for the past decade. Doctors can be reminded to ask about smoking, depression, domestic violence and asthma.”

The benefits of an electronically-based health care system encourage speed and accuracy in areas that previously added unnecessary confusion, as shown. With the advantages of technology, though, comes an age of revised ethics and responsibility.

Hospitals must put the protection of their patients’ privacy first, ensuring first that their employees take heightened responsibility with access to electronic records.

By using software with data that can be accessed from any computer, as Ofri mentioned, the risks of a security breach resulting from stolen laptops greatly increases. According to Sack, the Department of Health and Services disclosed that in just two years medical data from over 11 million people has been indecently exposed.

“Since passage of the federal stimulus package, which includes provisions requiring prompt public reporting of breaches, the government has received notice of 306 cases from September 2009 to June 2011 that affected at least 500 people apiece,” Sack said in his article.

“A recent report to Congress tallied 30 thousand smaller breaches from September 2009 to December 2010, affecting more than 72 thousand people.”

When acclaimed hospitals assure that their patients’ security is of the utmost importance, even security breaches that are not the technical fault of anyone associated with the hospital lowers credibility.

Actions must be taken to further restrict access to medical records in order to establish reaffirmed trust in the eyes of patients.

Mistakes are unavoidable, but the undetected ease with which Stanford Hospital patients’ medical data was posted on Students of Fortune for such an extended period of time is simply unacceptable. It is easy to assume that the most obvious solution would be to revert back to the days of paper records.

As computer interfaces become increasingly involved in hospital atmo-

RIKI RATTNER/CAMPANILE

The doctor-patient confidentiality of the Stanford hospital is in danger because of online hackers. Stanford and other hospitals will have to tighten up online security. spheres, the definite security of a doctor personally handling medical data without any form of technology interrupting the process is diminishing quickly. According to Ofri, the growing use of computers is also affecting doctor-patient relationships.

“In the old days, when a patient arrived in my office, I laid the paper chart on the desk between us,” Ofri said in her article. “I looked directly at the patient. As we spoke, I would briefly drop my eyes to jot a note on the page, and then look right up to continue our conversation.

My gaze and my body language remained oriented toward the patient nearly all the time. In the current computerized medical world this is impossible. I have to be tuned toward the computer screen to check labs, review X-

rays, read prior notes, document the patient’s current concerns.”

The efficiency of technological records is too great to completely sacrifice, but doctors and other medical employees and contractors must remember that leaning on technology requires developing a new sense of ethics. Nothing can replace human-to-human contact, just as searching physically through records are unable to ensure the same amount of certainty in regards to security.

However, if hospitals, doctors offices and other health care providers can be completely honest regarding the dangers of technology by emphasizing their patients’ and the public’s understanding of new-age data security, both the public and private sectors healthcare can effectively work together to shrink the possibilities of any breaches.

The Campanile

S P ORT S

Monday, October 3, 2011

New quarterback ready to bring Vikings another great year Sophomore transfer Keller Chryst leading defending champions in football

By Brandon Byer Staff Writer

Sophomore Keller Chryst, Palo Alto High School’s new transfer quarterback from Charlotte, North Carolina, has been doused with high praise and major expectations as he’s made his way onto the Paly campus.

With hopes of a return to Central Coast Sectional (CCS) and state championships, Paly’s newest addition will propel the school forward.

After Palo Alto lost last year’s quarterback Christoph Bono to the University of California Los Angeles when he graduated, many thought that last season’s success would be impossible to repeat.

“Coming from Charlotte, it was definitely a big change, but I have really enjoyed my time here in Palo Alto so far,” Chryst said.

Adjusting to a new scene can be very difficult for a teenager, especially when it is across the country from his hometown.

His high school in Charlotte was about the same size in student population as Paly so making the jump has not been a big deal for Chryst.

Making the transition from the East Coast to the West Coast has been an adjustment, but the football field is still the same. “ I love football,” Chryst said. “I feel very comfortable out there and of course it’s a lot of fun.”

He did, however; see one significant difference between the two teams he has played for.

“The one major difference I have noticed between Palo Alto and Charlotte is the intensity of the games,” Chryst said. “In Charlotte, football was a pretty big deal as to here. It still is intense, but just not to the level of ADAM MANSOUR/CAMPANILE my former school.”

With Chryst’s view on the intensity level from where Quarterback Keller Chryst talks to coach Earl Hansen during Palo Alto’s game at crosstown rival Gunn he had originally been, he has more freedom and less High school on Friday, September 23. He led the vikings to a 45-14 win in his third career start at Paly. pressure. Chryst originally moved to Palo Alto when his However, Chryst does not feel that pressure is replacing Bono, who led the Vikings to an undefather, Geep Chryst, came to join San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh’s staff as the quarterback’s is going to faze him from being the student and feated CCS Championship just last year. Chryst is quarterback he can ready to step up to the task of leading the Vikings coach. to a state championship repeat.

Chryst appreciates his dad “I’m not here to be Christoph [Bono]. be. not here to be Christoph [Bono], I’m here to “I try not to let exinsights when he can get them.

I’m here to be my own person out on tra unneeded pres- be “I’m my own person out on the field and to be the best “It’s really cool,” Chryst sure into my mind, I can be out there.” Chryst said. “I try not to get said. “He tries to help me when the field.”

I know that there caught up about what other people say about me.” he can, but a lot of the time Keller Chryst but The Vikings look to defend their state champiis always pressure he’s busy and it’s hard for me Sophomore no matter what you onship this season under the direction of their new to get time with him because of do whether it be in a sophomore quarterback who feels very comfortable his schedule working with the sport or in the class- around his new teammates, coaches, teachers and 49ers.” community.

The pressure that comes with having a high-profile room,” Chryst said. “That’s just how life is.”

“My teammates are genuine, good guys and I’m With this mindset, Chryst plans to be himfather can make life around campus and on the field self out on the football field, even though he really impressed with how they come out every day more stressful.

and work so hard to make sure that the team is improving every single week,” Chryst said.

One teammate junior center Spencer Drazovich is impressed with how Chryst has been able to grab hold of this team as a leader on and off the field, and how focus he is during the games and practice.

“I like how cool he is on the field, he always has his mind clear and he is definitely a leader,” Drazovich said. “And he knows how to get things done when we need him the most,” Chryst is not just a teammate; he is a friend to every player.

“Keller and I have a good relationship on and off the field, everyone enjoys being around him because he’s always positive” Drazovich said.

With the support of his new teammates, Chryst sees a bright future for this football team.

He enjoys working with head coach Earl Hansen everyday after school for practice and on Friday nights during the football games.

They discuss strategy and diagnosing coverages and opponents schemes and Chryst never wants the conversation to end.

“Coach [Hansen] is a great guy and teacher, he knows a lot more about football than you think an average high school football coach would know about the game” Chryst said.

Chryst says winning a state championship is the goal for the season and anything less would fall short of his expectations.

He does not care about individual statistics because if the team is not winning your stats don’t matter.

“I think taking it game by game and winning state are the most important to me and my team,” Chryst said. “Individual statistics don’t matter if you don’t win and we know we are the best team in CCS, so this year we are going out every Friday night to prove it.”

Drazovich, who works with Keller everyday at practice, and in the huddles during the games observes what Keller can bring to future Paly teams and beyond high school.

“I think Keller has got a great chance to play football for a long time at higher levels,” Drazovich said.

Chryst has set many goals for himself this season, win a CCS championship in football, do well in the classroom, and adjust to his new city.

He is attempting to win the championship and recapture the magic the Palo Alto community celebrated just last year.

Local fitness stores provide variety of apparel for all athletes

Sports Authority, Lululemon, Big 5 and Sportissimo sell items for any sport

By William Kershner

lululemon ATHLETICA

The term ‘sporting goods’ covers a variety of items, including everything from surf boards to running shoes to camping equipment.

Sporting goods stores are a necessity for all athletes and help maximize their all-around performance.

However, not all local stores share the same inventory, price or atmosphere.

Each has unique features generally not found elsewhere and some do not bring the same quality as their competitors to the table. These variables can make a huge differences and make certain stores more worth your while.

432 University Ave. Palo Alto (650) 566-1617

Staff Writer

Sports authority 1775 E Bayshore Rd. East Palo Alto (650) 838-0715 Sports Authority has become a premier and dominant player in the sporting goods market ever since it left its parent company Kmart many years ago.

Sports Authority Stores can be found almost anywhere across the United States.

Most of the chain’s success comes from the fact that Sports Authority offers practically every basic need for every sport.

Walking around the store, you will find an array of fitness shoes on the right and a back wall full of bicycles. On the opposite wall is an extreme action sports section holding everything from kayaks to paintball guns.

Encompassing the center of the store is the apparel department. All shorts, shirts, pants, sweatshirts, socks and hats can be found laid out in a men’s, women’s and children’s sections.

The upside of Sports Authority is that if one has a general sports need, one will absolutely be able to find what suits one best here.

Generally reasonable prices and the quality to match them makes Sports Authority one of the best choices one can make if they know what they are looking for.

The downside is that the store offers nothing special or unique.

Nothing pops out at the customer or makes Sports Authority a specific destination.

This does not stand as too much of a problem as such a wide variety of options and brands give shoppers availability to the most effective fitness gear.

Free yoga classes are not the only reason lululemon athletica stores have been able to draw customers to buy $98 yoga pants.

With a unique blend of fashion and lifestyle marketing, lululemon trains and supports local ambassadors for their in-store communities that embody the lululemon lifestyle.

By embracing the yoga movement in their stores, they have gained many followers and preach yoga as a lifestyle to all who enter through their doors.

Most clothing items are yoga-inspired, as the company says and lululemon would generally agree.

The store pulls off a zen feeling when entering and sports lightweight exercise apparel, generally yoga worthy.

The shelves are lined with various styles of long sleeved shirts, short sleeved shirts, pullovers and hoodies all with a form-fitting fit.

Tucked into the back corner of the store, a smaller men’s section can be also be found, contrary to the popular belief that lululemon is a woman’s store.

The clothes can get a bit pricey at times where competing stores have items similar but for $20-$30 less.

The most unique part about lululemon is its education section on yoga.

Multiple classes each day teach yoga lessons to a local looking for a better technique and way to practice.

This improves the community’s yoga knowledge and provides a general hobby for many individuals.

BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS 700 El Camino Real Menlo Park (650) 323-8520 Almost interchangeable with Sports Authority, Big 5 Sporting Goods is also a large chain offering a similar shopping selection to its customers.

Rows of athletic shirts, shorts and shoes line the stores walls, but the main difference is the quality and variety of sporting goods.

Big 5 offers all the same basic brands that Sports Authority does, but it does so with less accessories.

The smaller amount of sports apparel brands that Big 5 carries is easily noticeable.

For example, instead of carrying the whole line of Nike Training shoes, Big 5 only houses two or three of these models.

Also, of available shorts they have a limited color options and limited sizes.

This trend occurs in many of the clothing options Big 5 offers such as swimsuits, children’s sports and shoes.

In summary, the choices contain less variety and quality in comparison with Sports Authority. Although this is not the case with all items in the store, Big 5 generally does not enthusiastically carry the same variety on their shelves.

The local Big 5 store is also significantly smaller and therefore obviously holds less choices than it otherwise might be able to in a superstore.

Sportissimo 855 El Camino Real Palo Alto (650) 322-2939 Located just across the street in Town & Country Village, Sportissimo is best described as a small sportswear boutique.

Although the shop may look small, Sportissimo outfits larger companies and athletic teams by ordering what customers want if it is not available in-store.

They carry specialty fitness shoes, athletic clothing, yoga materials and certain sports supplies that you cannot easily find elsewhere.

Two entire walls full of athletic shoes, sport specific to basketball, soccer, tennis and football take up the main space in the store and a large general selection of cross trainers and flat out running shoes are also available.

Noticeably, the shoes range widely in price range offering many very basic selections but also including shoes more advanced runners would be interested in buying.

The range of shoes goes from a basic pair of $45 Nike SPARQ cross-trainers all the way up to some Nike Air Max+ running shoes which usually start around $160.

The in-store selection of apparel for Sportissimo is very limited in comparison to what the store offers online.

Available in the men section are a couple of cotton short sleeved shirts and two or three compression tops. It also has one or two general athletic shorts and

RIKI RATTNER/CAMPANILE

Lululemon in downtown Palo Alto provides customers with a variety of atheletic gear and offers free yoga lessons while uniquely mixing fashion with practicality and style. more compression shorts and pants. The women section holds almost the same amount with a few options of warm-up jackets and baggy running shorts available.

A better option for clothing shopping within Sportissimo is its online selection of apparel.

Sportissimo has access to the entire stock of Nike and Adidas team gear and you can shop directly from their website.

What makes Sportissimo special is their small athletic accessories available

in-store of ready to order. This is a great place to get a watch, heart rate monitor, or even a pair of sunglasses.

The staff is extremely helpful and knowledgeable on these topics and can easily help find the best product suited for each customer.

Overall the store is great for runners, yoga and fitness people and the weekend warrior.

Sportissimo offers unique small store with larger store options available online.

SPORTS

The Campanile

October 3, 2011• A10

Bay Area sports teams show new potential

By Ryan Deslauriers Staff Writer

It is the month of October. The Major League Baseball playoffs began, the National Football League is in full swing and the National Hockey League is about to commence.

What does this all mean? There has never been a better time to be a Bay Area sports fan. The San

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers The 49ers are currently going through a coaching change, as former Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh was just hired. Harbaugh’s challenge is to turn this team into a winning team, something they have not been since the 2002 season. Harbaugh certainly has the talent to turn the 49ers into a championship-caliber team.

The team is led by star running back Frank Gore, tight end Vernon Davis and young wide-receiver Michael Crabtree.

The 49ers are also blessed with the best linebacker in the NFL, hard hitting Patrick Willis.

On the offensive side of the ball, the 49ers will return to the West Coast-style offense.

Quarterback Alex Smith starts for the 49ers. Smith has been praised by Harbaugh for the skills he possesses and for leading player workouts without coach instruction. This off-season the San Francisco 49ers drafted quarterback Colin Kaepernick from the University of Nevada.

In regards to defense, incoming coordinator Vic Fangio studied alongside Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator Dom Capers of the Green Bay Packers. Like Capers, Fangio promises to use an aggressive 3-4, defense which uses 3 lineman and 4 linebackers to overwhelm offenses by sending players into the backfield from all over the field.

To implement this defense, Fangio needs to find the right players. San Francisco has

Francisco Bay Area has some phenomenal teams across a range of sports to look forward to.

The Raiders and 49ers both have promising chances of reaching the playoffs for the first time in several years. So far, the 49ers are on track with a 10-6 record, but their schedule will get much tougher and it will be a stretch for them to make it that far.

not had a serious pass rusher in years and their secondary has been sub-par.

First round draft pick Aldon Smith is not starting right away, but he adds an advantage to the 49ers 3-4 defense. In the meantime, Fangio will probably be looking to maximize the use of Patrick Willis in his defense.

The 49ers have a division title in mind.

With Smith at quarterback for possibly his final season, it will be interesting to see how Harbaugh uses his strengths to win.

San Francisco has a strong offensive roster and a potentially strong defensive roster too, especially if Aldon Smith can develop quickly.

Overall, this season is going to

come down to whether the players can buy into Harbaugh’s coaching scheme, and if Harbaugh can get better production out of the quarterback slot.

If the players buy into what Harbaugh says and get better production out of Smith, the 49ers have a strong shot at winning the division. If they do not win the division this year, they should be able to next year.

The future looks bright with quarterback Colin Kaepernick under center. The 49ers have a strong shot at making the playoffs this year.

The Oakland Raiders will most likely finish 7-9 and will probably finish second in their division.

The Raiders will be a major threat to the rest of the NFL teams very shortly, especially with the play of star running back Darren McFadden.

OAKLAND RAIDERS For most NFL teams, an eight-win season is nothing to be proud of. But when those eight wins ended a seven-year stretch of consecutive losing records, the team was pretty happy.

The

The San Jose Sharks might finally have the tools to get over the semi-finals which have plagued them in years past.

Long story short, if you are a season ticket holder for any of these teams, hold onto that ticket tight for the Bay Area is soon going to be the sports powerhouse of the country. Overall, Bay Area teams are looking stronger than ever.

Oakland Raiders won eight games in 2010, the first time since 2003 that they had a .500 winning percentage or better.

The Oakland Raiders finally showed some life last year, giving hope to fans, coaches and players.

Running back Darren McFadden finally lived up to his first-round hype, Jason Campbell gave the Raiders a modicum of competence at the quarterback position and the defense became a force to be reckoned with.

Offensive coordinator Al Saunders brings needed experience to this young team. Saunders is looking to maximize the talents of his stars, which means a large amount of carries to Darren McFadden and a more involved passing game for wide receivers Jacoby Ford, Louis

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS The San Francisco Giants are having a slightly worse season than they might have hoped. The Giants (86-76) had high hopes coming off their World Series win in 2010.

For the first half of the season, the Giants looked like they would be able to contend their World Series title, going 52-40 and leading the National League West for the first time since 2003 at the all-star break.

However, following a slew of injuries to star players such as catcher Buster Posey, second baseman Freddy Sanchez and pitcher Jonathon Sanchez, among others, and the surprising play of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Giants have missed the playoffs.

In the absence of Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval and Carlos Beltran have tried to lead the Giants offense with batting averages over .315 and slugging percentages around .550. Surprisingly, even with the strong play by these two individuals, the Giants have a league low 570 runs, or 3.5 runs per game.

Thankfully, the Giants have never been a team renowned for hitting. Their pitching staff was what carried the Giants all the way to the world series.

Led by two time Cy Young Award winner, awarded to the best pitcher in the league, Tim Lincecum (13-14, 2.74 era, 220 strikeouts) the Giants pitching staff has been phenomenal.

They are second in the league with a 3.20 team era and holding opponents to a .232 batting average. Giants’ starter Tim Lincecum’s contract is up for negotiation. Lincecum, being arguably the most valuable pitcher in the majors should be the Giants’ first priority, even more important than outfielder Carlos Beltran.

Based on a recent contract to All-Star pitcher Cliff Lee, who signed a 5-year, $120-million contract with the Giants rival, the Philadelphia Phillies, other

pitchi n g staffs will be tough, too.

This will set the precedent for Tim Lincecums’ contract this upcoming offseason. Philadelphia’s other starter, Roy “Doc” Halladay signed a deal upwards of $40 million dollars for three years. Both of these deals will be brought up in contract talks with Lincecum. Long story short, the Giants must re-sign Lincecum to a long term-deal.

2010 Giants playoff hero Cody Ross also has his contract up for negotiation. The team needs him to play next season because current outfielders, Aubrey Huff and Andres Torres, are not producing well enough to sustain.

Andres Torres contract is up for negotiation and since he us not producing at a high enough level to warrant a new contract the giants would be smart to save their money and invest it in other players.

Fan favorite Buster Posey, who is the staple of this Giants offense, is in need of a new contract. Posey deserves a long term contract because he is arguably the best catcher in the majors.

On top of being the best catcher the Giants hitting is horrid and Posey can change that. The giants should sign him to a long term deal of more than 10 years so that

Posey can contribute to the Giants lineup throughout the entirety of his career.

Giants starting third baseman Pablo Sandoval deserves a new contract because he has literally stepped up to the plate when no one else has.

Sandoval, like Posey is young and the Giants would be smart to sign him long term. The failure to re-sign Posey and Sandoval would make the fans frustrated with management.

Even with a strong pitching staff, the Giants have had a lot of trouble winning games. It will be interesting to see if the Giants can re-sign Carlos Beltran, and Tim Lincecum to a long term deal, and it will also be intriguing to see who they will pick up to help get them back into the playoffs.

It will be important that AllStar catcher Posey returns to the lineup. Hopefully, with the return of their star players next season the Giants will do better.

SAN JOSE SHARKS While the Raiders and 49ers are both looking toward a chance at the playoffs, the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks are looking to continue their dominance in the Western Conference, as they try to make the playoffs in 13 of the past 14 seasons.

The San Jose Sharks have never won the Stanley Cup, however they have reached the semi finals two years in a row.

For most general managers, making consecutive semifinals would mean tweaking a few things here and there .

For Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson, making consecutive semi-finals means shaking up the roster to try and get the cup that has eluded the Sharks for about the past 20 years.

The biggest moves the Sharks have made this season

are trades.

Devin Setoguchi, whose production has diminished since his 2008-2009 season, and forward, Dany Heatley, in favor of Martin Havlat.

Wilson also opted to not resign a pair of useful defensemen, Ian White and Kent Huskins, as well as forwards Ben Eager, Jamal Mayers, Kyle Wellwood and Scott Nichol. None of these players were skill players, although White was a good defensemen.

Although the Sharks will lose some production from Heatley, which Havlat can not replicate, Havlat is a much faster skater, with a more defensive presence, and will fit nicely into the sharks wealth of forwards.

During the Semi-Finals last season it was evident that the Sharks needed more and better defensemen.

To bolster their defense, they traded for Brent Burns, a player who can hit hard, carries the puck well and will bolster the offensive production from the defense. Burns will be poised for a breakout season.

The Sharks third and fourth lines have been spotty over the years, so Wilson decided to bring in forward Michael Handzus. To continue the bolster of the defense, Wilson hired talented defensemen Colin White and Jim

Murphy and Darius HeywardBay. Jason Campbell will be the starting quarterback, Al Saunders and first-year coach Hue Jackson just announced.

The Raiders brought in firstyear offensive line coach Bob Wylie to train this very young and inexperienced offensive line. If the raiders want to win, right guard Bruce Campbell, center Steve Wisniewski and left tackle Jared Veldheer need to keep Jason Campbell upright and give him time to throw.

On the defensive side of the ball, defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan has to overcome not having the top cornerback in the league, Nnamdi Asomugha, for the first time since 2002.

This off-season, the raiders cornerback signed with Stanford Routt to a three year contract, making him one of the highest paid cornerbacks in the league.

The loss of Nnamdi Asomugha will put a lot of pressure on cornerbacks Chris Johnson, Tyvon Branch and DeMarcus Van Dyke to fill the gaping hole left in the secondary, which consist of the defensive backs. The defense should be alright, if the cornerbacks can keep the opposing wide-receivers in check.

The Raiders are convinced this will be a breakthrough season, but in 2011 they will face a harder schedule and it will be more difficult to duplicate their 6-0 in-division play from 2010.

Obtaining the division crown is in their sights, but the Raiders need wide-receiver Jacoby Ford to step up his game, the offensive line to keep Campbell healthy and the secondary needs to hold their own in the passing game this season.

Vandermeer. White, a twotime Stanley Cup winner with the New Jersey Devils, brings the Sharks a sense of size and leadership when they need it the most.

The Sharks’ defense, with Burns, returning all-star Dan Boyle, Douglas Murray, Marc Edourd-Vlasic, Colin White and Jim Vandermeer, makes the Sharks’ blue line a force to be reckoned with. The team’s defense is not as deep as their offense, but it brings a nice blend of grit, speed and offensive prowess to an all-around strong team.

The Sharks’ offense is centered around All-Star captain Joe Thornton, who has averaged 72 assists since the recent lockout, forward Patrick Marleau, who scored 32 goals last season and forward Joe Pavelski who is a clutch scorer and a go-to player.

In addition, the Sharks have Logan Couture who scored 32 goals in his rookie season and will score many more this season, Martin Havlat and Ryane Clowe, who bring grit and a scoring touch.

The Sharks third and fourth lines have been spotty over the years, so Wilson decided to bring in veteran forward Michael Handzus. Handzus has size, some skill and is a dominant force in the face-off circle, as well as a great penalty killer. The Sharks look poised for a big offensive season.

The Sharks are returning goaltender Antti Niemi, who is very consistent and can win the most important games.

The first 82 games of the season should be almost irrelevant to the Sharks because they have the skill to easily win the Pacific Division for the fifth straight year, be a top three seed in the conference and contend for the Stanley Cup. Wilson rolled the dice shaking up the lineup of the only team to make the semi-finals two years in a row.

However, the only thing Sharks fans will care about this season, is if the Sharks end their season in disappointment like so many years before or if they finally win the Stanley Cup for the first time.

Fans will definitely be on the edge of their seats this season.

The Campanile

SPORTS

October 3, 2011•A11

Kurt Devlin replaces girls’ varsity soccer coach SportsBriefs Head coach, defensive line-up new components for Vikings

By Jordan Smith Staff Writer

Kurt Devlin replaced Ernesto Cruz, the new Palo Alto High School varsity soccer coach this year. Devlin comes to Palo Alto with many years of coaching experience under his belt and is excited to start his new job at Paly.

For the past 20 years, Devlin coached both the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams at Cañada College as well as other high school soccer teams, including the one at Menlo-Atherton High School.

Last year was a particularly difficult year for the Lady Vikes. It was the first time that the girls’ soccer team failed to qualify for the CCS (Central Coast Section) playoffs.

The 2010-2011 season was Cruz’s sixth year as head coach for the varsity soccer team.

Cruz’s passion and genuine love for the game will be missed by the players, parents, and referees.

“It was a shock, but I’m ready to move on,” Cruz said. “It has been really great to coach at Paly. I don’t do it for the money. I do it for the love.”

Unfortunately, even with Cruz’s leadership, the team’s season record (5-11-3) was their worst performance to date. Fans had high hopes for the promising soccer team but the squad failed to meet expectations.

The Paly varsity soccer season of 2009-2010 MARC HAVLIK/CAMPANILE carried an overall record of 9-9-2. At the time, there were ten seniors who each played a key Senior Lily Seedman runs a drill at a soccer practice during the 2010-2011 soccer season. This role on the team. Losing ten seniors was one year, Paly must adapt to new faces on the field and the sideline, including a new head coach. of the factors that contributed to the sudden increase of losses during the 2010-2011 season.

“I heard he’s a screamer,” senior forward Devlin has talent to work with, and the Recently graduated seniors Ali Kershner, Marina Foley said. field expertise of a professional player.

Helen Butler, Gracie Marshall, Gracie Cain Foley has participated in three seasons of “I prefer that the teams play a possessionand Hannah Ohlson were all defensive playtype style with good individual and team de- varsity soccer under the direction of Cruz. ers on the Paly girls’ soccer team. Because the “Yes, I am excited,” Foley said. “It’s alfending,” Devlin said. five seniors graduated, it will be interesting to Devlin also has first-hand experience play- ways good to have a fresh start. Ernesto has see how Devlin puts together an entirely new ing on the field for a team many soccer fanat- been great for the program.” defensive lineup.

Players consistently expressed exciteics are familiar with.

Paly’s defense relied heavily on Ali Kersh“I played for the San Jose Earthquakes in ment and generally positive feelings towards ner, the goalie of the soccer team. Kershner 1987, trained with Southampton FC in Eng- the new coach and the upcoming soccer seais currently enrolled land and coached at son.There were only a few players who were at Duke UniversiClub Sport Heredi- scared that Devlin will be too intense for ty, where she plays “I prefer that the teams play a possesano in Costa Rica,” their liking. goalie for the Divi- sion-type style with good individual They feel this way mainly because college Devlin said. sion 1 Duke soccer The question re- coaches are stereotyped as fitness fanatics and team defending.” team. mains: why would who like brutal practices. However, Devlin Now that she Kurt Devlin Devlin want to is genuinely devoted to Paly and his main has graduated and a soccer team goals do not consist of exhausting Paly’s socVarsity Soccer Coach coach moved onto college with an unimpres- cer players. soccer, the dilemma No matter how Devlin decides to coach sive record? that players, parents “Palo Alto is in- the team, the players agree that the change and coaches face is finding a substantial retriguing to me because of its high level of ac- will be good. placement for Kershner.

“He has experience and has always wantademic and athletic success,” Delvin said. “I Luckily, the Vikings have junior Erin would like to see the soccer program compete ed to be a Paly coach,” Athletic Director EeChang, who is both a field player and a goalie. for the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League arl Hansen said. “He’s awesome.”

In the last season, Chang mostly played on the Hansen was impressed with the years of (SCVAL) title and do well in the CCS playoffs.” field, but in the upcoming season, Chang’s onAlthough Devlin brings an ambitious and a experience Devlin has, and looks forward to ly role will be to tend the goal. motivated attitude, it is difficult to say how he seeing how he can apply his wisdom towards She will be a full-time goalie for the Lady will instill this same attitude among the play- bettering the soccer team.

Vikes and her fellow teammates believe that Only time will tell if Devlin’s experience ers when they have been through a very negashe can live up to Kershner’s prestigious reptive season. Some players are already express- and ambition pays off in the nearing Paly utation. ing cocern over Devlin’s college coaching style. soccer season.

Paly varsity tennis faces difficult start to season

Team confronts tough competitors, hopeful success, improvement to come

By Emily Rosenthal Staff Writer

The Palo Alto High School girls’ varsity tennis team is off to a good start this year despite a few losses early in the season.

The team struggled against Monta Vista High School, losing 1-6, and later in the week against Aragon High School and Saratoga High School, losing 3-4 and 1-6, respectively.

However, the team picked up their performance in both the Paly and Santa Catalina Invitationals, and remains confident for the upcoming season.

The girls’ varsity team faced their two toughest competitors early in the CHARLOTTE BARRY/CAMPANILE season, explaining their Senior Amy Ke serves in a non-league match against Castilleja School on Sept. 22. early losses.

The team’s perfor- The Vikings won by a score of 6-1, improving their overall season record to 6-6. mance steadily improved “I was nervous at first, the second half of our seafrom those matches, and slow start is the number they are now looking for- of key players who gradu- because [losing] nine se- son and hopefully we will ward to a successful sea- ated last year. Last year, niors is a lot [to loose], preform well.”

Senior captains Amy Ke son. over half of the varsity but I think we are in real“We are doing pretty team was comprised of se- ly good shape,” Budhiraja and junior Sammy Soloman said. “We have a lot of new led the team at both the Pawell because the first two niors. matches we played the top “Because of all the people, and they are not ly Invitational, where they two teams in the league, new people, we are strug- only freshmen, we have a won third place.

The Catalina Invitationbut we gling to lot of sophomores and juhave won win, but niors as well. I think we al, where the team placed almost all “Because of all the I think are in good shape for the second. Ke and her partner, sophomore Hollie Kool, won our other new people, we are we have next couple of years.”

Coach Andy Harader is their matches, securing a matches,” enough sophomore struggling to win, t a l e n t , ” also optimistic about the high ranking for the team.

The other players gave s i n g l e s but I think we have j u n i o r team and performance in very strong performances player Aas- enough talent.” s i n g l e s the upcoming season.

“It was definitely a re- as well. hli Budhip l a y Katy Abbott er Katy building season. We on“We sent lots of people raja said. to semi-finals and finals, ly have one senior on “I think we A b b o t t Junior our team so it is a young and everyone won at least doing realsaid. ly well.”

M a - team,” Harder said. “We one match,” Abbott said.“I In a non-league match ny new players joined the had a rough start to the think [Harader] was really against Castilleja School girls’ varsity tennis team season and lost a couple of happy with how we did at the team won 6-1, con- this year to replace the se- very close matches, but we the Catalina Invitational.”

However, it is unclear if turned it around and intinuing their momentum niors that graduated. from earlier in the week at Now the team main- stead of being 1-5 we are this success will continue, the inviatationals. One of ly consists of sophomores 6-6. Things are looking up, due to the uncertainty of we are getting ready for the team lineup. the main reasons for their and juniors.

Harader hopes to solidify the lineup soon, but it is unclear if this will actually happen.

“He never really decided on the lineup last year,” Abbott said.

This makes it difficult for players who have to play both doubles and singles.

The two forms require different techniques, and for doubles it is especially important to understand how one’s partner plays “[The lineup] is a work in progress,” Harader said. “We are getting closer, but it takes some work, and a lot of these girls have not played with each other before.

Two years from now, we are going to be better because these girls will have played with each other a lot. They will be stronger both mentally and physically.”

GIRLS TENNIS Recent Scores vs Castilleja Sept. 22, W 6-1 vs. Sacred Heart Prep Sept. 26, L 2-5 vs. Los Altos Sept.27, W 6-1

Upcoming Games vs. Lynbrook Oct. 4, 3:30 p.m. vs. Monta Vista Oct. 6, 3:30 p.m. vs. Mt. View Oct. 13, 3:30 p.m.

Boys’ water polo players rely on experienced leadership The water polo team hopes to showcase their athleticism and skill this season. This year they will try to beat their infamous opponent, Los Altos High School, and win the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL).

Senior captain Aaron Zelinger voiced a few concerns about the upcoming season. According to Zelinger, uniting the team is the biggest obstacle this year.

“I think we have a really talented team, and if we could unify we could have a good chance,” Zelinger said. “We have quite an eclectic bunch this year, we have to figure out a way to bring different elements into one unified direction. This is going to be our greatest challenge, but also our greatest success.”

The overall consensus is that the team is filled with talent this season. This, combined with the rigorous preseason and in-season training schedule, gives the team a fighting chance.

Training included a series of morning and evening practices during the summer, lead by coach Giovanni Napolitano. With 16 years in the Italian Pro League, six years on the Italian National Team and a gold medal at the 1994 World Championships in Rome, Napolitano is no newcomer to water polo. All of the players agree that Napolitano is one of the biggest factors helping to lead this team to victory.

With all this work, talent and experienced leadership, the team is able to maintain focus and work hard towards their goals. Winning SCVALs and beating Los Altos seems to be at the forefront of their minds.

Off to a promising start, the Paly boys water polo team beat Los Gatos High School 20-6 on Sept. 13 and Mountain View High School 7-6 the next day. In their tournament that weekend, Sept.

16 to 17, the boys beat Valley Christian High School, but lost to Menlo-Atherton High School 5-7.

With coach Napolitano and the strong three captains leading the way, the Palo Alto boys water polo team is sure to make this season one to watch.

–Caroline Martignetti and Julia Poppy

Staff Writers

Cross country off to promising start, young talent helping lead team The Palo Alto High School cross country team began their season with determination and grit, placing well in the first three meets this season.

Their first meet took place at Henry M. Gunn High School on Thursday, Sept. 8, with the sun shining bright on the Vikings.

The Vikings were successful at the start of the season with a third and ninth place finish by senior Nikolai Solgaard, and junior Ben Hawthorne, respectively. The girls had strong finishes by junior Chika Kasahara and freshman Katie Foug, who had the best time for Paly girls with a 13:49.

“The season this year is looking very good because of the strong freshman and sophomore classes,” senior varsity runner Lydia Guo said. “Varsity this year is trained and ready for the season as shown in this meet.”

The coach of the girls cross country varsity team, Paul Jones, hopes for a successful season and a chance to run at the state championships if everything goes well.

“The season is looking very good this year, we have a solid looking group of girls,” Jones said. “We would like to be the top one or two this year and then crack a shot at going to states.”

The most recent race took place at the Lowell Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 17. The varsity boys finished in seventh place with strong finishes from some of the younger guys on the team.

The girls varsity placed third and were overall very happy with their success at this meet.

“We lost no seniors so we should finish really well this year. A goal for our team is to make CCS,” junior Justin Zhang said.

“Compared to last year we should have a more promising season because we had no seniors last year and this year we have many seniors and a strong junior class,” senior Nikolai Solgaard said, after receiving first place for Paly.

With experienced varsity players on both girls and boys cross country, the season is looking promising. The state championship is in sight as long as the grit remains.

–Logan Mendenhall and Sophie Parker

Staff Writers

Girls’ water polo team optimistic with strong start to season Palo Alto High School’s girls’ water polo team is off to a promising start in their 2011 season, in hopes of living up to the standard set by last year’s team and qualifying for Central Coast Section (CCS).

This year’s team is coached by Spencer Dornin, who is new to Paly this year. Dornin previously coached the San Francisco Tsunami Water Polo team. “[This year] we’re excited, we’re optimistic, we want to make CCS,” Dornin said. “We have strong leadership, good leadership and work ethic. [We have] great camaraderie.”

Paly kicked off the season at the St. Francis Invitational, coming in victorious over Burlingame with a score of 10-6. In the same weekend, the Lady Vikes lost to Leland.

On Sept. 14, Paly won their first home game against Wilcox High School by default due to a forfeit by the Chargers.

The Vikings defeated cross-town rival Castilleja High School, 12-2 at a home game on Wednesday, September 21.

Paly started strong, with sophomore Emma Wolfe scoring a goal in the first ten seconds of the game. Castilleja scored their first goal of the game minutes after Wolfe’s shot, tying the score at 1-1. In the last two minutes of the quarter, junior offense Martine Leclerc and senior Shannon Scheel scored, ending the quarter 3-1.

The Lady Vikes picked up the game pace in the second quarter, starting with two shot blocks by junior goalie Abby Bromberg.

Paly continued with back-to-back goals from Leclerc and senior Skylar Dorosin. In the seconds of the first half, Scheel scored for Paly, ending the half 6-1.

Dorosin’s 3rd goal of the evening started off the first minute of the 2nd half, which was shortly followed by another point from junior Liana Krakirian.Paly worked through Castilleja’s defense, allowing Dorosin to score with nine seconds left on the shot clock and ending the quarter 10-1.

Senior goalie Eve Higgins started the 4th quarter by blocking two shots. Sophomore Tara Lawrence stole a goal, followed by junior Kelly Stern a few minutes later. With less than two minutes left in the game, Castilleja scored a goal, leaving the final score at 12-2.

Upcoming home games for the girls are against Homstead High School on Tuesday, Oct. 4, and rival Los Gatos High School on Thursday, Oct. 6 and Wednesday, Oct. 12. The next away game will be on Thursday, Oct. 20 against Los Altos High School.

–Anna Norimoto and Beth Yan

Staff Writers

SPORTS

A12 • October 3, 2011

All good things must come to an end

The Campanile

Varsity football fails to maintain perfect record

Team bounces back against Gunn after frustrating Mitty loss

By James Foug and Wesley Shiau Staff Writers

michaelaugustine

A few weekends ago I went to a San Francisco 49ers game at Candlestick Park, my first NFL game of the year.

Given that I had no 49ers gear, I figured I would have to wear some Paly swag to compensate. Over the course of the day I made a bunch of new friends that were pleased to see that I supported our Vikings. Right before I got to my seat an ecstatic fan jumped out of his seat and yelled, “Palo Alto High School Class of 85!” I received a bunch of fist pounds and high fives the rest of the day and felt a surge of pride every time.

The past few weeks have been exciting for Paly sports. Both of our State Championship teams got back to action, starting their seasons with a lot of hype. There was no question Paly had high hopes for football and volleyball and despite roster changes, we all expected another set of championship seasons. As fans, we had grown spoiled and some fans may have even figured, “We did it last year, why not again?”

Despite a start that has been flawed for our two powerhouses, as fans we have nothing to worry about.

Our athletics can learn a lot from their early defeats. Football’s biggest loss of the season was against Mitty on Sept. 16. It was a close game that was as disappointing in the moment as it was promising for the future. While Paly’s chance for another perfect season and State Championship is over, it’s more important to focus on the positives. The loss against Mitty snapped Paly’s 14-game winning streak, but sophomore transfer quarterback Keller Chryst had promising signs of a bright future. Despite two interceptions, Chryst played well enough to give his team a chance to win with 230 yards passing and a touchdown in his first road game of his Paly career. The loss should not be interpreted as a disappointment, but instead as an opportunity. Paly responded well to the opportunity, drubbing rival Henry M. Gunn High School 45-14 the next week.

Volleyball, too, has faced its share of adversity in its first start of the season.

Paly handled its first test in championship form, winning first place in the Reno Tournament (9-0). Paly’s dominance was almost refuted as it lost the first two games in its games against Presentation High School and Sacred Heart Prep High School before winning the last three games of both matches, going 11-0. Paly’s next tournament was not as favorable, as the Vikings placed sixth after a lackluster performance (43). After sweeping Gunn and Mountain View, Paly took another match to five sets against reigning state champion Saint Francis. This game was another nail biting game in which Paly played hard.

Paly’s recent disappointments are not meant to be interpreted negatively, but instead as a focus point. Football’s and volleyball’s success last year was unprecedented. Paly has never done so well in two premier sports in one year.

With that said, for as incredible it was, it has been equally distracting. These losses will help refocus the Vikings and benefit the teams in the long run. With football and volleyball facing tough opponents in Archbishop Mitty and Saint Francis High School, respectively, the Vikings received exposure to tough opponents early. The pain of losing will also fuel the Vikings for the rest of their seasons. Refocusing on current athletics, not past achievement, is all Paly needs. A team is not always judged by their achievement, but by how they respond to adversity. How teams respond to losses is paramount.

While the team’s state championships should not get in the way of the teams current tasks, the experience gained through those journeys will continuously guide each program. Both teams have that swagger; that understanding that they are capable of incredible achievement. Their job is just to block out expectations and tap into their potential.

As I experienced at the 49ers game, people love Paly. We have a school that excels in academics and is located in a great part of the Bay Area. Appearances from James Franco and DeSean Jackson last year show our school’s importance. Paly has much to pride itself on, the least of which is our athletics across the board. Stronger in some sports than others, we have a fan base that is passionate about its players.

Our fans will hopefully support our athletics, championships or not, because regardless each program deserves our support. When I say “all good things must come to an end,” I do not mean Paly’s championship-caliber play is done, but instead, a new era of Paly sports is starting.

After a 14-0 season last year and a state title, the Palo Alto High School football team has started their 2011 season 2-1 with wins over San Benito High School (Hollister) and Henry M. Gunn High School.

In spite of a successful season so far, the Vikings do not plan to take it easy as they look forward to coming games.

“We just need to keep working harder and harder at every practice, senior running back B.J. Boyd said. “That way we can have a successful season and be right back on top.”

Despite the loss of key players Michael Cullen, Kevin Anderson, Davante Adams, Maurice Williams, TJ Braff and Christoph Bono, the Vikings ended their first game with a commanding win over San Benito with help from other veterans on the team.

“We have four returners, with me, [senior] Mikey [Lyzwa], [junior] Spencer [Drazovich] and [senior] Sam [Moses], so there is a lot of experience up front,” senior lineman Tory Prati said.

Boyd set the tone for the rest of the half, starting the game with a 90-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff and giving Paly an early 7-0 lead. The team hopes his dominant running style will set the tone for the rest of the season.

“Our goal is to be fast and aggressive and keep our team in every game,” senior middle linebacker Brennan Miller said.

“Give us a chance to win and let our offense put up some points.”

Though the Vikings managed to dominate the rest of the half, heading to the locker rooms with a 28-6 lead, in the second half San Benito prevented the team from closing the game the way it started.

San Benito scored an additional 12 points to end the night with a final score of 28-18.

“Though it wasn’t bad for a first game, we had some good moments,” junior linebacker Erik Anderson said. “We learned that we also have a lot to work on for the upcoming season. We need to increase our stamina and make sure we keep up the intensity the entire game.”

In their next game, the Vikings lost to Archbishop Mitty by a score of 27-21, the Vikings’ first loss since 2009.

The first quarter remained scoreless as neither team could find the end zone, but three minutes into the second quarter Mitty scored a two-yard run, giving them a 7-0 lead.

Senior running back Dre Hill tied the score halfway through the second quarter and with a successful extra point. The

Riki Rattner/Campanile

(From the left) Senior running-back Dre Hill fights off a Mitty defender during Paly’s loss to the Monarchs. (Top and bottom right) B.J. Boyd runs downfield against rivals Gunn.

Vikings managed to tie the game at 7-7.

Mitty scored two more touchdowns, and the halftime score was 21-7.

Paly managed to start the second half strong with a nine-yard touchdown by Hill, and in the first 10 minutes of the fourth quarter managed to tie the game with a pass from sophomore quarterback Keller Chryst for a 38-yard touchdown.

Paly was unable to score again and Mitty scored the final touchdown of the night, ending the game at 27-21.

“The loss really affected the team because last year we never lost a game; it was a perfect season,” running back and wideout receiver Boyd said. “It was just telling us we’re not the best yet and we have to work a little harder. We had a lot of mistakes that we need to clean up, but once we do that, the team will be ready to go.”

A week later, Paly played crosstown rival Gunn in their third game of the season, securing a win with a solid score of 45-14.

The Vikings quickly took the lead with a touchdown in the first couple of plays, a 63-yard drive followed by a oneyard handoff to senior running back Morris Gates-Mouton.

After forcing Gunn to punt, Paly went 61 yards on one play on a 61-yard touchdown completion from Chryst to Boyd.

On the ensuing kickoff, Gunn fumbled deep in their own territory at the nineyard line.

A few plays later, Mouton punched in a three-yard run for his second rushing touchdown of the night. Later in the game senior Justin Grey returned a punt for a touchdown to extend the lead from 26-0 after a failed extra point. After another touchdown by Mouton, Boyd caught a 72-yard pass from Chryst to break the game open.

From there on out, the game’s pace slowed as backups began to enter the game.

Gunn ended up scoring a late touchdown in garbage time, their second of the game.

“Like any win, it feels good, but we know that there are more tough games to go down the road like this week versus Homestead,” Chryst said. “[Bijon] Boyd’s athletism brings a new dimension to our game now. We still have great backs in Morris [Gates-Mouton] and Dre [Hill] in the backfield and another deep threat outside now in B.J.” Besides a late touchdown scored by Gunn, Paly’s defensive coordinator Jake Halas was proud of his defense’s performance.

“That was our third-string [defense] out there against their first-string offense and I thought they did a great job,” Halas said. “Our defense overall played well.”

Former Paly junior varsity quarterback Andre Guzman now plays for Gunn after transferring this past year.

Guzman will take the place of Sean Lydster.

“Playing against my former teammates was fun,” Guzman said. “I still keep in contact with a lot of those guys and we’re really cool with each other.

Playing at Gunn has been good. It’s obviously a program that is going through a rebuilding process and I already knew that going in there. But, it has been cool playing here.”

Paly’s dominance against Gunn continues to reach unprecedented levels.

The Vikings have beaten their crosstown rivals nine straight times since their last loss to Gunn in 2002, 40-19.

“It feels great,” center Spencer Drazovich said. “They are our crosstown rivals so it always feels good to beat them.

It was a good win, but now we have to move on and prepare for our next game against Homestead.”

Prior to the 2011 season, Paly added two new players and a new coach, all with connections to the NFL. Chryst’s father is the new quarterbacks coach for the San Francisco 49ers.

Junior strong safety Matt Tolbert’s father is also a new addition to the 49ers staff. He is the new strength and conditioning coach for San Francisco. Both players transferred to Paly this year as a result of their fathers’ hirings.

Wendell Davis, father of sophomore defensive back Malcolm Davis, was the San Francisco 49ers assistant wide receivers coach last year under Mike Singletary.

Paly will look to capitalize on its success against Gunn in their matchup against Homestead next week. They beat the Mustangs last year with a score of 33-13.

FOOTBALL Recent Scores vs. San Benito Sept. 2, W 28-18 vs. Archbishop Mitty Sept. 16, L 27-21 vs. Gunn Sept. 23, W 45-14

Upcoming Games vs. Wilcox Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. @ Los Gatos Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m.

Reigning state champs rebound after shaky beginning

Paly volleyball finds competition tough to start the year off

By Olivia Cole and Kyle Stewart Staff Writers

After claiming their title in 2010 as Division I State Champions, Palo Alto High School’s women’s varsity volleyball team opened the 2011 season with a strong start, earning first place in the Reno Tournament and winning its first three games.

With 16 players instead of the usual 12 and a favorable start to the season at the Reno Tournament, Paly dominated its first match against Presentation High School (9-10-0) on Sept. 7.

Although it was a close first game, Paly took the lead in the match, securing a score of 25-19 in the first game.

Presentation, however, began the second game with a promising start and a score of 5-3.

Paly persevered through Presentation’s determination and tied the score at 9-9. Finally the second game went to Paly, with a score of 27-25.

Presentation came back to win both the third and fourth games, with scores at 25-21 and 25-19.

Finally, Paly won the match with the score of 15-11 in the fifth game.

“I think the team played really well, especially against a nationally ranked team,” senior middle blocker Jackie Koenig said after the match. “We were down in ruts sometimes but we came back and kept our cool and played as a team really well.”

The match against Presentation was not an easy win for Paly. It was the first match of the season and the first match the team played without two valuable players that graduated in 2011.

“Obviously we lost two huge roles in outside hitter Trina

Ohms and libero Megan Coleman, but I think the newcomers have done a really good job of trying to fill in as best [they] can,” senior outside hitter Maddie Kuppe said.

Paly’s second match, at home, against Sacred Heart Prep (103-0) on Sept. 13th was no less competitive than the first.

Sacred Heart won the first two games, with scores of 25-20 and 25-16. Paly came back to win the last three games, with scores at 25-13, 27-25 and 1511.

After this auspicious start to the season, Paly came in sixth at the Mitty Tournament on Sept. 16 and 17. This result was unexpected, but explainable, because the competitors at the tournament were a tough match even for Paly’s tough Lady Vikes. Recently, Paly beat Henry M. Gunn High School in Paly’s own big gym.

Even though the match was between the two Palo Alto rivals, the turnout was much smaller than expected. Paly reached 25 points quickly in the first game, with Gunn trailing at 9.

The Vikings maintained their first victory by beating Gunn in the second and third games with scores at 25-18 and 25-16. Despite the small crowd, both teams played aggressively, with Paly ruthlessly taking the win at the end of the third game. Even after such a strong win, the players and coaches were looking ahead, critiquing their game for next time.

“I think that we can improve our defense,” sophomore libero Keri Gee said.“Even though our defense was very good tonight, but I think that we can improve it more.”

The coaching staff also saw areas in which they could improve in. “[We can improve] our focus,” Head Coach David Winn

LOGAN MENDENHALL/Campanile

Senior Maddie Kuppe serves the ball in Paly’s win over rival Gunn.

Outside hitter Kuppe averaged 3.4 kills against the crosstown rival. said.“We’re going to have to do a better job of making sure we don’t squander points. We had a few too many errors. If we focus on our defense our offense will take care of itself.”

Even while considering how to avoid mistakes for next time, Gee (and any Paly fan watching the game) received a positive impression from Paly’s performance.

“I thought that we were very energetic and loud and we were just on our game tonight,” Gee said.

Even from Gunn’s side of the court, Paly clearly dominated the match.

“They’re just really good, they jump higher than we do,

they hit harder, they play faster than we do,” Gunn Head Coach Kevin Hwang said.

Paly’s most recent game was against Saint Francis, but the result was a heartbreaking loss. Saint Francis took a hardfought lead in the first game, beating Paly 25-20. The second game turned into an extended game as Saint Francis continued to fight off Paly by beating them 28-20. Paly seemed down and out after two games, but in the third game, they fought back and won 25-19. However, Paly’s comeback was not over yet. The fourth game was hardfought and Paly won 25-22. After a great comeback by Paly, they ended up falling short

in the fifth and final game by a score of 15-8. Currently, Paly is looking to improve their defense.

“We’re working a lot on defense right now,” junior setter Shelby Knowles said. “We have a really solid offense but just have a harder time stopping the other team from getting kills.”

Even after the loss to Saint Francis, Paly is not going to let this get them down.

“We weren’t really playing bad last night, we were just outplayed by Saint Francis,” Knowles said. “They won the D2 State Championship last year and have a super solid team this year. I don’t think were discouraged or anything after losing that.”

Paly is still determined to repeat as state champions.

“We have a goal of doing it again,” Knowles said. “After winning the state championship, we just have higher expectations for this season and are working that much harder.”

With such a tenacious start, Paly fans can look forward to a riveting season and hopefully many more wins to come.

VOLLEYBALL Recent Scores Reno Tournament Sept. 2-3, 1st place vs. Gunn Sept. 7, W 3-0 @ Mountain View Sept. 22, W 3-0

Upcoming Games @ Los Altos Oct. 4, 6:45 p.m. vs. Monta Vista Nov. 10, 6:45 p.m.

Lifest yles The Campanile

Features • A&E • People

Monday, October 3, 2011• B1

Texting is a Habit

kirahingram

So, word on the street is you are texting someone new. Are you sending mushy-gushy electronic messages to some lover on the other side of the phone line? Is it true? If it is, nod once; if I am horribly mistaken, rip this paper up immediately. (Just kidding, please do not do that.)

No matter if you are texting some new love interest or your significant other of one year, your brother, or your mom, when it comes to texting there are some serious rules that we, as teenagers, must learn to obey.

1. Under no circumstance are you allowed to use improper grammar.

I mean seriously, sentences without verbs, or the wrong verb, do not make the least amount of sense, and using pronouns just makes life ohso-much easier! Whenever someone texts me “I wish you was back,” I simply want to pull out a gun and direct the barrel towards my foot. I mean how hard is it for you to type just one more puny word into your text so you are not embarrassing yourself while talking to me? Next time let’s change that text to “I wish you were back.” See, all that was needed was a different form of the verb, which was just four letters instead of three! Am I right, or am I right?

2. Do not use vocabulary that your receiver will not understand.

Using big, fancy, ghetto-licious slang will not impress people if they need someone to explain to them what the word means. Not being able to understand a text from that cutie across the room is never fun.

So think before you send the word “finna” to your grandmother and do not even think about sending the word “woofin’” to your boss. Actually, you probably should not even be texting your boss in the first place because that is a little “janky.”

3. Use complete sentences, because those complete sentences will make you lots of friends. Please finish your thoughts, and type the whole sentence out. It does not matter if you think leaving out some important information in your text will make you look cooler because leaving out key words or phrases makes you as cool as a bag of chips, which in my opinion is as cool as the blisters on my worn-out feet. Cool your jets, man. If your receiver does not understand the text you just sent them, you actually look like an idiot.

4. If you have an iPhone, use your Emojis for good, not for evil. If you have a problem with someone, do not try to explain the situation through Emojis; use your real bigperson words and tell them how you really feel. Better yet, CALL THEM. Using Emojis to cover up your feelings will only make the situation worse because your receiver might possibly interpret the whole conversation as something good, instead of what it really is — an attack about how that person is messing with your life and seriously, seriously needs to stop.

5. Use punctuation. Punctuation is key when trying to get your point across. The separation of sentences is like seeing a rainbow after a terrible rainstorm; it is beautiful — and expected. Oh, how I love punctuation! Even if you are only adding one, itty-bitty period, DO IT. Being able to read a text smoothly is the key to a clear conversation between two people. And if you accidentally send the wrong thing, make sure to send an edited text afterwards because you do not want your receiver getting the wrong message or thinking you accidentally sent your message to the wrong person.

6. The final rule for texting is that you just need to make sure your message makes sense. If it does not, start over, my friend.

So before you send that text, double-check you included your verbs, pronouns, punctuation and common vocabulary. That cutie from across the room will love you forever because that text message is an instant read that required absolutely no outside help for interpretation.

By Michael Wang

Staff Writer Palo Alto High School students Quinn Rockwell, Matan Geller, and Mason Haverstock were all sporting Knockarounds that day. Rockwell explained that they were wearing them to keep the sun out of their eyes, but a more likely explanation was so the police could not identify them, as what they were doing was very illegal.

Rockwell, with a sigh, geared up and approached the smooth asphalt road. Geller and Haverstock did the same. With one final fist-bump between them, they were on their way.

Down the road they sped, from twenty, to thirty, to forty miles per hour, hitting all the apexes; drifting some and railing others. From the beginning to the end, they rode on the edge of gravity, friction and momentum. Geller, in front, kept a vigilant eye for road debris and blind corners. Concentration was key; one false move and it is man versus guardrail — and guardrail always wins.

With the adrenaline coursing through their veins, they deftly navigated the switchbacks and chicanes, taking breaths in through their mouths and out through their noses to prevent their full face helmets from fogging up.

As they reached the end of the road, one by one, they slid to a stop. On the way back to their follow car, they enthusiastically fist-bump each other once again, and prepare for another “gnarly” run down Claremont Canyon road.

Enter the fast paced world of downhill skateboarding (DH), one of the fastest growing extreme sports.

In the past two or three years, this sport has been gaining popularity in the Bay Area and beyond. Haverstock, Geller and Rockwell are simply three kids in a movement that spans all the way from Canada, to Brazil, and Singapore. All around the world, people are discovering this alternative form of skateboarding and loving it.

This all seems kind of perplexing. Usually, extremely dangerous sports like DH are the sport of adrenaline junkies, developing a cult following at best. When Rockwell was asked to describe why he, along with other DH riders, enjoyed the sport so much, he

A&E

answered “when you’re going forty down a hill, you get this surreal slow motion surfing feeling. I know that seems kind of weird, but there’s nothing like it.”

DH has developed a culture, an industry, and a community that has transcended borders. Kids as young as six to people as old as 70 are donning helmets, buying boards, and bombing hills, and it looks like downhill skateboarding is here to stay.

With its roots right here in California, DH has developed into what it is today in the hills of Berkeley and Los Angeles. Local skaters of those areas had a need for a type of adrenaline they could not get from vert ramps and flip tricks, so they took to the hills. Downhill skateboarding and YoYo legend Cliff Coleman, a Berkeley native, recalls sixty years ago when he first took up the sport.

“I remember back when I was a little kid, I had a paper route in the Berkeley hills,” Coleman said. “One day, these college guys gave me a skateboard, an old two-by-four with steel wheels and a shoe skate nailed to the bottom. To me, it was the most awesome thing I had ever seen.”

Before long, Coleman had learned to skate what were to be the best skate roads in California, and this was before anyone else knew what a skateboard was.

DH has come a long way since then. Today, the world’s top racers compete in an international circuit, the International Gravity Sports Association. In this circuit, DH riders compete in sanctioned events on closed roads, in leather speedsuits and full face helmets.

On these courses, riders push the limits on what can be done on a skateboard.

Competitors routinely hit speeds of fifty miles per hour and above. In certain courses, riders have been clocked at over 70.

Despite the visceral thrill of bombing and navigating hairpins, there are other aspects of DH as well. Freeriding, a less technical offshoot of DH, is just as popular among riders. Akin to snowboarding, freeriding, in the words of IGSA’s number one skater Kevin Reimer “is all about going sideways.”

In more specific terms, freeriding is about kicking out the board at speed in

FASHIONʼS NIGHT OUT BY ROSE FITZGERALD AND EMILY TRAN

FEATURES

order to go into a slide while riding down a hill. The point of freeride is to make it down the hill while doing the “steeziest” slides. Steeze, a portmanteau of “style” and “ease,” pretty much characterizes the mantra of every freerider: stay fast, stay steezy, and stay alive.

All this skating is not without risk though and downhill skaters are constantly reminded of the sobering reality of their dangerous sport. Haverstock knows this all too well.

“While I was freeriding Valparaiso, [In Menlo Park] I saw a car coming the opposite direction,” Haverstock said. “I tried to ride past it but I got speed wobbles..I don’t remember all if it, but I remember blacking out and waking up in the hospital.”

Luckily, he still skates today, but that incident offered a painful reminder of the reality of DH; the fact that people do die doing it, and it’s a risk that all riders have to take.

But in the end of it all, DH is not about being the most hardcore guy on the block.

It is not about getting the best time, the most air, or the longest slides.

While there is no doubt an element of competition to it, it is comparatively zen to its closest relative, street skating. Rockwell, who used to street skate himself, offers his paradigm of street skating versus DH. “A lot of the mentality in street skating nowadays is like you’re always trying to prove you’re better than everyone else...

[DH] is more like you’re enjoying the sport with friends and it’s more about the enjoyment rather than the competition.”

There lies the dichotomy of the two.

Downhill skaters skate for the fun of it, and that is where the camaraderie in the DH community lies. DH riders, both freeride and tech, skate the way they do for the fun of it. Danger is an ever present spectre on the horizon, but most skaters just strap on their helmets and don’t think twice about it.

“It’s just part of the sport,” Reimer said.

“If you start pushing it to the limit people are going to get hurt, but you choose how extreme or not extreme DH is going to be, and in the end it all just comes down to staying safe and having fun.”

A&E

F E AT U R E S

The Campanile

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

Paly welcomes fifteen new staff members to faculty As students begin to let go of their summer dreams and settle into the daily routine of school, fifteen new teachers are also adjusting to the Palo Alto High School environment and learning more about the students and staff. This year, there are new teachers in every department from Math to History to English, Art and more.

Visual Arts Department

Language Arts Department

Mathematics Department

Mr. Ferrera

CHARLOTTE BARRY/CAMPANILE

Ms. Young

Brenda Young, a new addition to the Math Department, was previously a tax accountant but changed careers.

“I made the switch because I always enjoyed teaching and it is just something I always wanted to do,” Young said.

One of Young’s main goals as a teacher this year is to help students appreciate and understand math, a very important subject.

“I do not expect all my students to love math, but I want them to see how it is relevant to them and not let it deter them from doing certain careers because they think [they are] so math-oriented,” Young said.

Young is already familiar with the PAUSD because she grew up in Palo Alto and is excited to be back.

—Marie Ezran

Staff Writer

Mr. Peters

David Peters, one of the three new math teachers this year, taught at John P. Stevens High School in New Jersey before coming to Palo Alto High School this year.

He enjoys the supportive atmosphere at Paly as well as the California weather.

“It is beautiful [here],” Peters said. “The weather is crazy compared to New Jersey. That is definitely the thing that affects me the most.”

This year Peters is teaching Geometry and Introduction to Analysis and Calculus.

—Marie Ezran

Staff Writer

ALEX LIN/CAMPANILE

Steven Ferrera joined Palo Alto High School this year and is teaching three classes of Art Spectrum. Ferrera previously taught at Ex’pression College for the last four years, a school in Emeryville focused on digital art.

“I like the physicality of [art],” Ferrera said. “I like that you are working with your hands, I thinks that is one of the things that attracts me to art plus its your chance to be creative.”

Ferrera, who has a background in film, is currently working on a stop motion movie and also enjoys mountain biking and rock climbing in addition to art.

—Marie Ezran

Staff Writer

Science Department

Ms. O’Shea

Michelle O’Shea, who previously taught at Leland High School for seven years, joined the Science Department to teach freshmen Biology AC and Biology 1A. O’Shea looks forward to getting to know her students better.

“What I am really excited about and one of the reasons I came to Paly is that I think there is such a student-friendly atmosphere,” O’Shea said.

She enjoys Biology a lot and hopes to share her love for science with her students.

“I just love [biology],” O’Shea said. “I think it is really easy to make relevant for students and meaningful.”

ALEX LIN/CAMPANILE

Foreign Language Department Sra. Alvarado

Marina Alvarado previously taught at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara and is now teaching one class of Spanish 4AP this year and four classes of Spanish 2. Alvarado hopes to improve her students’ Spanish speaking skills. “[My main goal this year is] for us to have fun and for them to learn,” Alvarado said.

Alvarado loves to travel and visit new places.

“I always wanted to go to Antarctica and so if there is an opportunity, I will go to Antarctica,” Alvarado said.

RIKI RATTNER/CAMPANILE

Mr. Rowe

John Rowe was a student teacher during the 2011 spring semester, so he is familiar with the campus. This year he became a member of the Math Department, teaching Algebra 1 and 2.

Rowe previously worked in several Silicon Valley marketing companies, but wanted to change environments and focus on education.

“I am coming from a different industry but I really like working with all the students,” Rowe said. “The school just has tons of resources, there are a lot of great teachers here that I work with, and, the parent base as well.”

Outside of school Rowe enjoys various athletic activities such as soccer, mountain biking and surfing.

—Marie Ezran

Staff Writer

Social Studies Department Mr. Davis

Alexander Davis is another newcomer in the history department. Davis got his very first teaching job at Paly.

“I like history because it’s about figuring out what really happened,” Davis said. “We can analyze and judge people, places, and events in the past; this informs us about the assumptions we make today.”

Davis’ favorite region to study is Latin America. Outside of school he swims and enjoys raft guiding in the summers.

Staff Writer

ALEX LIN/CAMPANILE

Ms. He

Liyuan He was a student teacher at Palo Alto High School last year and is teaching Mandarin 3 and 4 this year.

Her favorite parts of teaching here are the supportive staff and hardworking students. She also loves the creative atmosphere and inclusive environment.

“The students here have a lot of energy and passion,” she said.

He intends to make sure that no student will feel left behind.

Mr. Farina

Chris Farina, a former Palo Alto resident, teaches World History, Psychology, and Advanced Placement Psychology.

He taught at Henry M. Gunn High School after spending the last four years teaching in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Farina likes Paly’s advisory and tutorial systems, allowing him to help his students.

“I really enjoy the school’s emphasis on collaboration,” Farina said.

In his free time, he enjoys playing Ultimate Frisbee and other sports. Farina has played Ultimate Frisbee for the last ten years and has competed across the country, from Hawaii to Maine.

—Alex Taussig Staff Writer

Erika Magagna, who just finished Graduate School at San Francisco State University, is teaching her first year of moderate to severe special education at Paly.

So far, she is enjoying her first year here as a Special Education teacher and as a member of the faculty.

Magagna was introduced to the life of people with disabilities in high school in a peer tutoring program.

“I just really felt that was a big moment in my life,” Magagna said. “I really clicked with her and worked with her really well and still to this day when I go back to Wyoming, I’ll call [her] and we’ll hang out.”

said. “They felt really confident about the material.”

McGrath hopes to continue her trend of helping students understand the material.

“I wanted to continue [that] trend and I like being around the school setting,” McGrath said.

In addition to teaching, McGrath’s biggest passion is competitive Latin ballroom dancing.

She trains several days a week with her partner and competes every couple months.

—Marie Ezran

Staff Writer

conversations and that is what I have been having with my students so far.”

—Marie Ezran

Staff Writer

Ms. Bricca

Laura Bricca joined this year, teaching the therapeutic support program at Paly. She taught at Palo Alto Prep for the past six years before coming to Palo Alto High school.

Her goal this year is to build a successful new therapeutic support program designed for students with emotional and behavioral disorders and to make it successful. “[This program] provides [students] with additional resources and support, including individual and group therapy,” Bricca said.

Bricca likes to play the guitar and piano as well as practice martial arts.

—Marie Ezran

Staff Writer

Mr. Hall

Matt Hall is new to Paly this year, and is the new advisor for the Associate Student Body. He taught Japanese previously at Silver Creek High School in San Jose.

“I felt like I had accomplished all I could there, and it was time to take my talents elsewhere,” Hall said.

Hall is an avid juggler. He won a silver medal at an International Juggler’s Association competition.

Hall is hoping to bring a positive vibe to ASB this year. “To lead, you must start by serving,” Hall says.

“I enjoy seeing how my students are motivated by the new and fresh activities I designed,” He said.

He hopes to improve her students’ Chinese skills by implementing an expanded curriculum and sharing her experiences.

“I like to see how they can handle real life conversations in Chinese better and better.”

—Marie Ezran

Staff Writer

ANNA MCGARRIGLE/CAMPANILE

Administration

Staff Writer

Ms. Magagna

RIKI RATTNER/CAMPANILE

Antionette Tran was previously a student teacher at Piedmont Hills High School. For her first year as a teacher, she will be teaching Critical Thinking 1.

“I like the eclectic group of students that I have,” Tran said.

“Everyone is different and they each have a little spark in their personality so it helps me remember who is who and it just makes the class a little more fun.”

Tran decided to become an English teacher because she enjoyed writing and reading while growing up.

“I like reading and analyzing everything,” Tran said. “That is why I came here — to have great

—Marie Ezran

Special Education Department

—Eric Wang

Ms. McGrath

Melissa McGrath taught at Del Mar High School in San Jose for two years before coming to Palo Alto High School to teach.

She is currently teaching Critical Thinking 2 and World Literature.

McGrath always loved being a student growing up and started tutoring her classmates in first grade.

“It was always really rewarding to be able to explain something to someone in a way that they understood it,” McGrath

Ms. Tran

—Marie Ezran

Staff Writer

RIKI RATTNER/CAMPANILE

YAEL PALMON/CAMPANILE

—Jake Kerman

RIKI RATTNER/CAMPANILE

Staff Writer

Physical Education Department Ms. Wiktorowicz

Magagna feels welcomed by the students and looks forward to teaching at Paly.

Sharon Wiktorowicz joined the Athletic Department this year and is teaching four periods of Physical Education.

She previously taught at Jefferson High School in Daly City before coming to Palo Alto High School.

Wiktorowicz likes physical activity and sports.

“I really enjoy physical activity,” Wiktorowicz said. “It has always been my passion and I want to be able to teach kids to be active.”

Wiktorowicz enjoys outdoor activities, baking, and spending time with her husband.

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

ANNA MCGARRIGLE/CAMPANILE

—Marie Ezran

—Marie Ezran

CHARLOTTE BARRY/CAMPANILE

F E AT U R E S

The Campanile

October 3, 2011 • B3

Twins express close bonds on Paly campus every day

Siblings provide each other with crucial support in academics and in sports

By Laura Cui

Senior Staff Writer

The door opens ajar as Palo Alto High School senior Sam Borsos comes face to face with an almost exact mirror image of herself, her identical twin sister Paige Borsos. Both sisters glance up and down at one another’s outfits and, reassured, go back to their daily morning routines. As a habit, the Borsos make sure they are not wearing similar outfits before leaving for school. Starting up the car, the Borsos sisters carpool off to Paly for another day.

There, they are among the many sets of twins and triplets that attend Paly together.

According to Sam, having a twin at school holds many advantages and can be comforting amidst the atmosphere of a competitive school.

With a sibling in the same grade, there is the shared opportunity of studying together for their classes.

“We’re in a lot of the same classes so we have tests on a lot of the same days,” Sam said. “We’ll study and make notes together and combine our brain power.”

Not only do the Borsos help one another during school, but they also accompany each other to basketball conditioning after school. There is an unspoken agreement that the sisters have one another’s backs.

“Our older brother went to college already so it’s nice knowing that neither of us will ever have to live at home without the other one,” Sam said. “We always have one another.”

Paly sophomores and fraternal twins Kristen and Tori DeStefano can relate to helping one another during school.

ALEX LIN/CAMPANILE “Having a twin at Paly helps me homework wise,” Kristen said. “If I don’t understand some- Identical twins Sam and Paige Borsos enjoy the sunshine on the quad, and take a break from their classes. thing that we’re doing in class, Tori usually does They are among the various twins, and triplets here at school who serve as one another’s support system. and then helps me out.”

Paly also has sets of triplets as well. Not on- walking around school. In Mike’s case, he may en“Not only if we’re in the same class, but teachers ly does having one sibling in the same grade add counter either his brother or sister while class is in call us by the wrong name if we have them different to the fun, but an additional sister or brother can session. periods,” Sam said. “They still get us wrong.” make up a whole support system.

Another set of triplets at Paly are juniors Fariha, “Sometimes it can get a little annoying when I’m Ben, Jen and Mike in the same class with Israa and Yusra Beig. The Beig sisters have stuck Lin are seniors at Paly my siblings,” Mike said. together ever since moving to Palo Alto in July of “I remember being so thankful that my and have gone through “But overall, it’s a good 2009. three years of the high sisters were there with me through the “It’s absolutely comforting to have my sisters thing because there will school experience to- nervousness and uncertainty.” always be someone that with me,” Fariha said. “I remember freshman year gether.

I know and can help me when it was the first day of school and we didn’t Fariha Beig in that class.”

“I think the privilege know a soul. I remember being so thankful that my of being a triplet at Paly The assumption as- sisters were there with me through the nervousJunior is that there are classes sociated with identical ness and uncertainty.” that we all are taking,” Each of the Beig sisters are two minutes apart, twins is that there will Mike said. “If there are any problems, we can help be difficulty in telling them apart. In the Borsos’ with Fariha being the oldest and Yusra the youngeach other out.” case, this is occasionally true when they are in the est. Fariha accepts the responsibility that comes Although the help can come in handy, it is not same class. with being the eldest. always easy having a sibling in the same class. At “Being the oldest gives me loads of responsibiliBeing identical twins, the Borsos are commontimes, one might see his or her sister or brother ly mistaken for one another, especially by teachers. ties especially when it comes to my siblings,” Far-

iha said. “I need to look out for them and be there when they need me.”

Kristen is also the oldest, but believes she and Tori act pretty much the same age.

“I’m the oldest by 9 minutes,” Kristen said. “I feel like we have the same maturity level but I never let Tori forget that she’s younger than me.”

Mike tries to assert his authority over his siblings, being the oldest, but usually fails to do so.

“I’m the oldest, but as triplets I don’t think it really counts,” Mike said. “I try to act like the boss but it doesn’t work.”

Fariha appreciates that at Paly, students do not judge each of them based on the other two, which gives them the chance to be their own individuals.

Nonetheless, Fariha feels at ease among the company of her two sisters.

“Having my sisters in my classes can be a positive or a negative,” Fariha said. “I loved having my sisters during P.E. — it was very entertaining. In academic classes, it’s more difficult because people expect us to perform the same on tests and quizzes.

We have different strengths and weaknesses, so we perform differently in various subjects.”

Mike agrees that the expectations are set by others due to him being a triplet.

“I feel that having siblings in the same grade puts on more pressure because when they do better than me on tests, it makes me seem like a slacker,” Mike said.

Although comparison between twins and triplets is expected, there is also a quirky side to being interconnected during birth. The Borsos sisters occasionally experience an almost telepathic moment with one another.

“I’m actually writing one of my college essays on how we can sort of speak silently,” Sam said. “We say the same thing at the same time a lot and we have this thing that’s pre-choreographed where we stare at each other and gasp ‘twin moment!’ and everyone is always very shocked, even though we know to do that every time. It’s funny and it freaks people out because we have the same voice too.”

All in all, Fariha expresses her gratefulness for being a triplet due to the comfort of knowing her two sisters will always be there for her.

“I love being a triplet; it has altered the way I view the world,” Fariha said. “I have learned compromise, responsibility and forgiveness. We do get into quarrels and disagreements, but an eye for an eye just makes us blind. The best part of being a triplet is that I have two best friends living with me.”

Although Jersey Shore may think of “twinning” a little differently, the twins and triplets at Paly “twin” in their own unique way.

“It’s just twinning,” Sam said. “We’re twinning all day, every day.”

Stanford mall hosts second annual Fashion’s Night Out

Scarce advertising results in small turnout compared to New York’s show

By Emily Tran and Rose Fitzgerald Staff Writers

On a temperate September evening at Stanford Shopping Center, spotlights shine down upon four poised models dressed in elegant designer gowns. They stand beside expensive luxury sport cars outside Neiman Marcus, overlooking fields of glass-blown pumpkins. Inside, more models in chic party dresses hold onto their cocktails as they ride up and down escalators. On the second floor of the store, two tall black speakers blast hip-hop beats courtesy of a DJ on the floor above, and small children with butterflies painted on their faces wait in line for animal balloons made by two fashionable clowns. Large red posters with three letters spelling FNO hang on every floor.

This is Stanford Shopping Center’s second annual Fashion’s Night Out. But amidst the social activities and the roaming models, the open bars appear to be empty and not one person is dancing to the songs provided by the DJ. 3,000 miles away, something slightly similar is happening in New York City on Sept. 8, only on a much larger scale. All the venues are booked and decorated with care in hopes that Vogue’s Editor in Chief Anna Wintour will soon be there.

Celebrities and models deck the halls of the most expensive shops on Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue as the people of the city open their wallets and take out their plastics to clean out the borough of Manhattan.

This is New York City’s Fashion’s Night Out. It is the Christmas Eve of the fashion world, the night before the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week kicks off.

In 2009, all seven international Vogue Editors in Chief decided to create Fashion’s Night Out in hopes of bringing young fashionistas together to celebrate fashion and to boost the economy by supporting the cause of full priced retail.

According to its website, Fashion’s Night Out was hosted in 250 cities and over 1,000 retailers, marking its third consecutive year of great success.

While Fashion’s Night Out is about consumerism, it also has a philanthropic interest. About 40 percent of its fashion gear proceeds go to the New York City AIDS fund. At the Stanford Shopping Center, stores such as Pinkberry, La Baguette, Vince and many others contributed their evening sales to help the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital.

The event gained its popularity and success thanks to the help of social media, which has played a big part in marketing the event to the public. Sites like Facebook, Twitter and fashion blogs have heavily contributed to the popularity of Fashion’s Night Out in New York City by sending users updates on the events, tweets about celebrity sightings and store deals.

The event’s Twitter has even put on scavenger hunts in previous years to lure people from store to store which has helped promote the retail industry and create greater profits for stores.

Kevin Tu, who works for models.com, a fashion site based in the city, attended events around New York City with a group of friends and used social media to help him navigate through out the night.

“One thing that was very helpful was that blogs would list which celebrities were going to be where, and what events were going on in particular places,” Tu said. “This helped me plan out my night accordingly and it made it easier for me to know what was going on and where.”

Tu was one of the many thousands that came out to fill the streets of Uptown and Downtown Manhattan as they were enticed by the free drinks, giveaways, complimentary mani-pedis and, of course, celebrity appearances.

The hype and excitement for the event resulted in complete pandemonium among those who attended Fashion’s Night Out in New York City.

MODELS.COM

Models in New York showcase their designers new looks to photographers at a local New York department store hosting a major release for a new clothing line that is highly popular among many consumers. These garments are highly in demand for this upcoming season’s collection.

“Honestly, it’s so crazy,” Tu said. “Especially since it’s Uptown and Downtown. They should really split it into two nights so that everyone can enjoy everything that’s going on, but I had a lot of fun during [Fashion’s Night Out].”

The streets became chaotic as shoppers tried to find fashion designers such as Marc Jacobs and tune into free concerts that were organized by stores such as Nike, who had Ellie Goulding perform.

“I started out at Victoria’s Secret to see models Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrioso and other models for work,” Tu said. “I headed Uptown to get a glimpse of Nicki Minaj at Yves Saint Laurent. It was so chaotic and there were so many people trying to get in, but I did end up seeing her for a hot second.”

Darryn Fitzgerald, who works for Nike communications, attended Fashion’s Night Out in the city to see the launch of Tom Ford Beauty, the designer’s new makeup line.

“A good friend of mine does product development for the designer, so it was very exciting to see all her hard work come to fruition,” Fitzgerald said. “I had a nice time, but all of the stores are really crowded, so without a personal connection, I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much.”

In the chaos, Fitzgerald also managed to catch a glipse of some celebrities and fashion icons that came out to FNO. “I [got to see] Katie Couric and [Vogue beauty editor] Sarah Brown, so that was pretty cool,” Fitzgerald said.

While New York City was hopping, the Thursday night scene in Palo Alto was somewhat monochrome.

Palo Alto High School junior Kayli DeBacker attended Stanford’s Fashion’s Night Out last year, and was disappointed by this year’s turnout at FNO. According to DeBacker, the event in Palo Alto was geared towards an older audience, making it more about buying mer-

chandise than fashion itself. Compared to last year’s event at Stanford, last year proved to be more successful as the event had more attendees. “[Last year] there were way more people and it was more about the fashion,” DeBacker said. “There was a fashion show, and models standing everywhere, and this year, I noticed there were random stations through the mall, and it wasn’t as fun and [as] kid- [or as] teenager-friendly.”

The successful marketing in the event in New York City greatly increased the attendance at the Fashion’s Night Out, something that Palo Alto’s events have lacked in the past.

“I don’t think they advertised the event well at all,” DeBacker said.

“If I hadn’t heard about [Fashion’s Night Out] from my mom, I probably wouldn’t have known about it.”

Stanford Shopping Center’s downgrade of [FNO] made it an overall less exciting experience than that of last year.

Palo Alto is no New York City, but there is still a large clientele that come to the Stanford Mall willing to spend.

The events that were planned sounded good on paper: free mini facials, free pastries and swag bags, but when entering the mall there were just as many people as there would normally be at a mall on a Thursday night, missing the concept of Fashion’s Night Out — an event designed to gather people together to celebrate fashion.

And while these two locations both hosted the same event in NYC there were a myriad of shoppers having a soiree in honor of fashion.

“The experience in New York City during Fashion’s Night Out is something that can’t be replicated anywhere else,” Tu said. “As the birth place of FNO, it’s amazing to see all these people come together in one night and create an entire event that takes over all of Manhattan.”

B4 • October 3, 2011

F E AT U R E S

The Campanile

Palo Alto plant lovers find peace in community gardens

Flowers, crops sprout up as result of dedication and hard work from gardeners

By Perri Pond Staff Writer

The quietness settles as a warm breeze blows, spreading the seeds of the Early Girl tomatoes.

The sun beats down, enriching the soil, as birds chirp a soft tune, completing this place of joy and tranquility.

Each morning, the plants open their petals like clockwork and begin the day as the last one ends.

Throughout the day they absorb nutrients, growing and blooming. At sundown, after a full day of developing and tending to, the cool, gentle wind sweeps the seeds to their new home. Then the plants drift asleep and wake up the next morning to repeat their routine yet again.

This all-natural nirvana is the Palo Alto Main Community Garden. The garden is a haven for more than 165 community gardeners and is located behind the Palo Alto Main Library and the Palo Alto Art Center. This jewel of Palo Alto is overwhelming with extravagant vegetables and botanicals.

Originally, in the mid-1960s, Stanford University used the area for a study on meadows. Once finished, Stanford left the land full of weeds and overgrown plants. Later, the neighbors took over the property.

Volunteers decided to complete a weed abatement project, which eventually turned into the 60,000 square foot community gardens that now exist in Palo Alto.

Over the years, community gardening has become increasingly popular; thus, the issue of space arose. Soon, the nearby Eleanor Pardee Community Garden was born.

This garden, smaller and more secluded, sits behind Eleanor Pardee Park.

The Edith Johnson Garden in Johnson Park, with only 29 plots, is the last of the three community gardens of Palo Alto, each with their own distinct styles of gardening.

Each garden has become more than just a place for a weekend hobby, as the community gardens are a place of learning and exploring.

The open environment provides great teaching and learning opportunities.

“It’s free teaching,” volunteer garden organizer of the Main Garden Reeda Morgin said. “There are 165 gardeners in this garden, each with a different idea of what gardening is. Someone can come in and get a lot of information and a lot of people learn best with someone next to you, that knows what they are doing.”

Many of the gardeners share tips and new ideas each year to broaden their planting horizons.

“Each year I choose a new tomato plant that has lost its tag, just to see what it will come out to be,” Morgin said.

Besides providing access to fresh, organic produce, the gardens provide a tight-knit community where people can share their ideas with their fellow gardeners.

“We give each other tips and recommendations,” veteran gardener Barbra Kingsmen said.

Kingsmen has been gardening at the Eleanor Pardee Community Garden for 20 years.

“The community garden is a nice community to be part of,” Kingsmen said. “We help each other out. When I was gone for ten days on vacation my neighbor watered my garden for me.”

The entire community has created an open and welcome environment. One can come without any previous knowledge about gardening and leave with a bundle of information.

“It’s a good learning environment,” Morgin said. “[The Main Garden is] more inviting, you can always walk the paths inside, and ask [people questions]. Anytime you come into the garden someone is trying to foist food onto you.”

Another gardener, Mary May, after leaving Palo Alto for several years, returned to the gardens and recently started to begin planting her winter crops. Meanwhile, she has been teaching her daughter Elizabeth May and her grandchildren.

“People are more than happy to listen to your questions or recommendations,” Elizabeth May said. “I do not know much about gardening, so it is nice to have my mother here, the expert, as well as the various other gardeners welcoming you.”

The Main Community Garden lets various groups meet at the main entrance and use the space for their needs. For example, children come over to the garden at the Junior Museum to look at insects and explore.

Morgin teaches classes at the Main Community Garden. These classes range from topics of how to prune roses to composting.

Various gardeners also value the ability to give away their crops free of charge. “[During] any given week, I personally give away twenty bouquets of flowers,” Morgin said.

According to the garden rules, community gardeners cannot sell their crops. This emphasizes the main purpose of the community gardens — the ability to grow plants for oneself, family members, friends and the community out of choice rather than necessity.

Gardening provides some with an outlet, whether it be creative or stress-relieving.

“Not only is it your exercise, [but] your religion, because you’ve got to be out here sufficiently,” said Morgin. “It’s my psychotherapy, I kill the weeds instead of my son.”

The gardens have become so popular that the waiting lists at the Eleanor Pardee and Edith Johnson Community Gardens are always long.

Many plots have been divided so more people can be accepted.

The smaller plots make gardening more manageable because gardening requires many hours of labor and is harder to keep up with when one has a larger plot.

The community gardens recommend coming at least two or three times a week to keep each gar-

ALEX LIN/CAMPANILE

A sunflower grows in the Main Community Garden in Palo Alto. Sunflowers are popular crops during the summertime because they are low maintenance and serve as colorful additions to any kind of plot. den up to standards. Along with maintaining one’s garden up to standards of garden rules, every year there are community garden workdays.

Each gardener must attend a minimum of two out of the four workdays to help beautify the garden by restoring the fence surrounding the garden, redoing the paths that separate each plot or helping with general garden maintenance.

“Having a garden here is quite the responsibility,” Kingsmen said.

Recently, news of new road construction connecting the parking lots of the Palo Alto Main Library and the Palo Alto Art Center has created concerns among the community gardeners.

“The library and the art center decided they wanted more of a community involvement here between with the new meeting room in the library,” Palo Alto Community Gardens coordinator Catherine Bourquin said. “They needed more parking and more accessibility to get from [the Art Center Parking lot] to [the Library parking lot].”

The road would bisect the main entrance to the Main Community Garden, and take out “the annex,” a separate patch of plots adjacent to the rest of the garden. “[As a group] most of us are saying that [the road] will change this space because this is our meeting space, this is where we have our pot

lucks, where several other groups meet,” Morgin said. “We would like to keep this section as a meeting space, the whole city can use this section as an outdoor meeting space.”

The gardeners of the Main Community Garden are opposed to this new idea. They are worried that connecting the parking lots of the library and art center would ruin the gardens quietness and disrupt the natural tranquility.

“The whole point of this area is to have an open space smack dab inside the city, so you come here you will notice how quiet it is, if we put a driveway right through here [Main Community Garden entrance], all you’ll here is the cars going back and forth.”

Rather, the community gardeners would like to see a more elaborate path built for walking so that people can get around by foot, instead of by car.

This solution would benefit the Art Center, the Main Library and the Main Community Garden.

Constructing a road would take away the special community garden environment; the quietness would be shattered, the birds muted, and the breeze polluted.

By destroying the community gardens in Palo Alto, gardeners would lose a place to carry out their hobby and Palo Alto residents would lose a beautiful resource in their city.

The Campanile

F E AT U R E S

October 3, 2011 • B5

City of Palo Alto to vote on installation of composting center

Robert Wenzlau lobbying to make Palo Alto more environmentally friendly

By Isabel Benatar

third is food waste that is now collected at Paly, but not yet at homes and the final third is the organic Remember when you scraped your unfinished solids that our sewage plant generates.” dinner into the garbage disposal last week? Right The AD plant would also convert the 60,000 or now, all of our local sewage sludge — leftovers in- more tons per year of organic waste the Palo Alto cluded — is incinerated here in Palo Alto and the residents create into methane gas and compost. ashes are shipped to Gilroy, costing the city more The gas would be burned to create green enerthan 1.5 million dollars per year. gy that Palo Alto could sell or use to power 1,400 Remember when you dropped your banana peel homes. The compost could be sold commercially or into the green bin at school and patted yourself on to gardens and farms. the back? Congratulations, that was the correct Currently, sewage sludge is being burned and bin for compost. However, that banana peel will be food waste is being trucked to a landfill in Gilroy, trucked over 50 miles to Gilroy before being com- which wastes a great deal of fuel and pollutes the posted, thanks to the recent closure of Palo Alto’s environment. composting center.

“We operate only one of two sludge incinerators You are probably asking yourself, ‘why are we in California,” Wenzlau said. “Having our town opgiving the people of Gilroy all of our organic waste?’ erate an incinerator is a local embarrassment that How can we use it for something good right here the project will replace.” in Palo Alto? Many other Palo Alto residents are Palo Alto would save $800,000 annually if it thinking the same thing, including Robert Wenzlau. stopped incinerating sewage sludge and $200,000 Wenzlau, Chief Executive Officer of Terradex annually if it did not have to dispose of the waste Inc. and a member of the Palo Alto Green Energy ash that this creates.

Initiative, has been supporting composting operaThe pollution from transporting the yard trimtions in Palo Alto since the 1970s. mings and food waste and the fumes created by the A few years ago, he learned that the city’s com- burning of sludge are damaging the environment posting center was going to close and be converted instead of being utilized as a resource to create eninto a park. ergy.

“The analogy is like building a home without According to pagreenenergy.org, the AD plant’s bathrooms,” Wenzlau said. technology would reduce Palo Alto’s greenhouse After writing posts on Palo Alto Online and hold- gas emissions by 20,000 tons per year, the equivaing a community teach-in, Wenzlau and other citi- lent of taking 2,600 cars off the road. It would prozens got the attention of the City Council. duce enough clean energy to power 1,400 homes, The task force that the council created for the and save the city about $1.5 million per year. Oversubject recommended that the city create a local all, these statistics mean that the project would bioenergy facility. This idea has evolved into a plan produce money for Palo Alto through green energy to create an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in ten sales and avoid hauling organics to Gilroy. out of the 126 acres of Byxbee Park in the Baylands.

“The project is innovative, allowing Palo AlAccording to transitionpaloalto.org, the land that to to show other cities and the country a path to would be used for the facility new ways to reduce climate has already been impacted “The project is innovative, allow- change,” Wenzlau said. greatly by the dump having While the plant is expectbeen there and is no longer ing Palo Alto to show other cities ed to last at least 30 years, really a wetland. Howev- and the country a path to new it would not be completed for er, conservationists in Palo ways to reduce climate change.” about five years, so all of its Alto believe that this area benefits would not be earned Robert Wenzlau right away. It would not be should remain dedicated to the park, so those in favor of CEO, Terradex Inc. cheap, either. The cost of the AD plant decided to do a building the plant is estimatcitizen initiative. ed to be between $40 and $50 “We gained thousands of signatures and showed million. To balance this expense the calculated savour council the will of the community,” Wenzlau ings relative to the alternatives is $1.5 million per said. year.

Now, plans for the AD plant are becoming more “One must remember that with waste and sewdetailed. age there are no free solutions; rather, cities must “There are three types of organics that will power find the lowest cost approach,” Wenzlau said. the facility,” Wenzlau said. “The first third is yard Another aspect of the AD plant is the potential trimmings that go into the green bins, the second educational opportunities it could provide.

Staff Writer

“For students in biology, the project uses anaerobic — decay without oxygen — to generate methane,” Wenzlau said. “For students of environmental science, the project demonstrates approaches to carbon sequestration.”

This opportunity to incorporate the technology into education could even extend into economics classes.

“The project would generate 1.4 megawatts of local renewable energy, the equivalent of that used by 1,400 Palo Alto homes,” Wenzlau said. “[Economics] students would have a chance to find out how the multiple income streams and cost savings pay back the investment in the plant.”

Many students who attend Paly will return after college looking for jobs, and green jobs are becoming more and more popular.

“I hope having a local bioenergy facility generates opportunities for green jobs and allows research and business opportunities into a greening economy,” Wenzlau said.

Palo Alto youth can also play a very important role in whether the AD plant will come into existence in the first place.

The vote for this project is coming up on Nov. 8 and many Palo Alto High School and Henry M. Gunn High School seniors will be 18. This means some current Palo Alto high school students will be able to play an important role in the decision making process.

“Students can register at any post office, and participate in this important local election,” Wenzlau said. “It is your home town and the project affects your future,” Wenzlau said.

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B6 • October 3, 2011

F E AT U R E S

The Campanile

Proposed alternative high school promotes creative learning

Palo Alto community member hopes for more hands-on learning for teens

By Kate Apostolou

of her children’s good friends were driving drunk on Middlefield Road at 100 miles per hour after a parImagine waking up long after the sun has risen, ty. They crashed, and the driver died. Ever since, feeling rested, eagerly pushing aside the covers and Johnson has felt the need to provide kids with safe getting out of a warm bed because today is Mon- alternative activities.

“The number of accidents from alcohol, the day, and it is time to get ready for school. This may sound ridiculous to a typical high school student, amount of drug use in town and then the kids killbut go along with this fantasy for just a while lon- ing themselves on the train tracks really compelled me [to create the teen center and school],” Johnson ger.

Now imagine walking to the bus stop and board- said. “I thought, ‘there’s got to be something else for ing Palo Alto’s main bus line, which heads into the kids to do.’”

Because Johnson has an extensive background center of the city. Step off the bus near the intersection of Hansen and El Camino and head toward the in art, she sees creativity and self-expression as essential to teen wellness and education. school campus.

These influences are apparent in her list of classMake sure to double-check today’s schedule, which reads: algebra, woodworking, yoga, English, es and activities included in the school, such as weaving, creating graffiti walls, recording music, silk painting, history and organic gardening.

Now head towards the school restaurant because producing a radio station and exploring dance.

“I think [art in education] is critical,” Johnson Mom forgot to buy cereal for breakfast. But wait, some of the food costs money, so first head to the said. “It’s a great tragedy that art programs are dissatellite bank on campus and draw money out of an appearing. It’s an outlet, and it’s a voice that in maaccount. Enjoy a delicious and satisfying meal pre- ny ways can’t be heard with computers or in Engpared and served by fellow students, and finally, if lish classes or math classes.”

Johnson currently runs a local summer camp there is time, stop by the school’s mini-store to buy called the Ohlone Art Camp, at which kids explore some snacks for later.

While sitting in class, look forward to the dance art through different mediums such as silk paintbeing held that night at the school’s teen center. ing and embroidery.

The camp was previously held at Ohlone ElePlan teams for foosball after school and for midmentary School but now takes place in Johnson’s night basketball, also held in the teen center.

Consider spending time in the music recording backyard. Paly junior Emily Hain has attendschool or in the ethnic dance studio. The possibili- ed Johnson’s camp for years and volunteered as a ties are endless. This is life on campus. This is life counselor this past summer.

“I think [Johnson’s] teaching philosophy is very in the Mayfield Village. This is Kristen Johnson’s successful,” Hain said. “She kind of stands back dream. and watches over kids Johnson, a graphic deand doesn’t really tell signer, art teacher and Pa- “It’s a great tragedy that art prothem what to do, which lo Alto mother, has been I think is really nice beplanning this teen commu- grams are disappearing. It’s an outnity, called the Mayfield let, and it’s a voice that in many ways cause then the kids will learn things themselves.”

Village, for years. can’t be heard with computers or in Hain has experienced “My initial idea was the benefit of art in eduto open a teen center be- English classes or math classes.” through the years cause Palo Alto doesn’t Kristen Johnson cation at Ohlone Art Camp. She really have any place for Ohlone Art Camp founder appreciates the freedom older teens to hang out of art, which differs from late in the evening, and a much of her schoolwork. place for children of color “Art really opens up people’s minds, makes them where there is total acceptance and a wide variety of things for kids to do,” Johnson said. “It kind of more creative and lets them think,” Hain said. “You evolved from being just a teen center to incorporat- don’t have to put all this concentration in it and focus on memorizing things. It’s a lot more loose and ing an alternative high school with it.”

Johnson recalls personal experiences that moti- open.”

Hain learned about the plans for the Mayfield vated her to start the project. Her children, who are half African-American and half Caucasian, had dif- Village from discussions with Johnson and thinks the school would benefit teens in the community. ficulty in the Palo Alto public school district.

“It sounds really cool,” Hain said. “It would be a “My kids both went through the school system here and all of their friends had other friends of col- really good alternative for people who don’t want to or who really struggled,” Johnson said. “Once they go to a public high school.”

Hain acknowledges the difficulty and pressure of hit high school, they really had a lot of issues.”

As a mother and member of the Palo Alto commu- Palo Alto’s public high schools and sees the Maynity, Johnson also feels the weight of teen alcohol- field Village as an opportunity to learn without conism, drug abuse and depression. Six years ago, two stant stress.

Staff Writer

YAEL PALMON/CAMPANILE

Kristen Johnson tends to her pet chicken. Love of nature and art serve as inspirations in the development of activities, like organic farming, for her ideal high school. The proposed school encourages innovative learning.

“I think there’s a lot of pressure at Paly, and no matter what classes you’re in or what you do, there’s always some pressure and some competitiveness,” Hain said. “I think a school like [the Mayfield Village] wouldn’t be quite as competitive.”

Johnson’s school, which would provide college preparatory classes and vocational training, is not just fun and games. Johnson also wants to emphasize practical skills that will help students prepare for their future.

She envisions a life skills class that teaches teens how to balance a checkbook, sign a rental agreement, get medical insurance and dress for a job interview. On top of that, Johnson also wants to face realities such as teen pregnancy.

“Quite a number of girls [at my daughter’s high school] got pregnant, and they all had babies, but they all wanted to keep going to school,” Johnson said. “So what happens to the babies? And what happens to the girls? [Pregnancy] is going to happen, and it’s a reality, so why don’t we have teen parenting classes and an on-site day care?”

Johnson now has an overflowing binder with ideas and contacts for her project. She has written out descriptions of the classes she wants to include in her school, ideas for the teen center and plans for other aspects of the community such as the restaurant and satellite bank. The next step is writing a proposal and asking for grants.

“I have a long list of people to go after for money,” Johnson said. “I believe I have even included people like Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey.”

In addition to selecting the school’s location at the corner of El Camino Real and Hansen Way, Johnson also has specific plans about the building itself. She emphasizes the importance of environmentally friendly architecture.

“I’d like to build [the school] from the ground up and have it be 100 percent self-sustaining and green,” Johnson said. “I’d like to find a young local architect to design it with student input.”

As of now, Johnson has a meeting scheduled for Oct. 16 at the Hunan Garden restaurant in Palo Alto, where she will discuss the Mayfield Village with people interested in developing the project.

Johnson encourages teens and other community members to attend the meeting and give their input.

“People can email me at graffikdezine@comcast. net if they want more information about the meeting,” Johnson said.

Johnson acknowledges that her project will take time and effort but does not let that hinder her determination.

“I’ve had a lot of people say, ‘Why don’t you start small?’ but I’m a big thinker,” Johnson said. “I like to envision the whole thing.”

At the end of the day, Johnson just wants to excite teens about learning, give them a safe place to explore their interests and build their confidence for the future.

“I’d like to be able to offer some dreams and some possibilities,” Johnson said. “That’s what’s most important.”

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F E AT U R E S

October 3rd, 2011 • B7

Palo Alto welcomes new restaurant from owners of McDonald’s

Lyfe Kitchen provides many nutritious, low calorie substitutes for fast food meals

By Elena Pinsker Technology Editor

Following America’s health kick, each McDonald’s restaurant now sports a poster with every menu item’s nutrition facts. And while it has always been known that fast food is not the healthiest meal option, actually seeing the numbers associated with the food has caused some diners to steer clear of the double golden arches.

McDonald’s Angus Bacon and Cheese Sandwich is loaded with almost 800 calories and 39 grams of fat, which is, in one dish, more than a person’s daily recommended fat intake. The chain has been around since 1955, but with America’s obesity rate double of what it was 30 years ago, many people are looking to healthier options to satisfy their cravings.

That is why Mike Roberts, Steve Sidwell and Mike Donahue decided to start Love Your Food Everyday (LYFE) Kitchen. Each with a background in business (Roberts as the former Chief Operating Officer of McDonald’s, Sidwell the founder of an investment banking firm, and Donahue the former McDonald’s Chief Communications Officer), the three decided to create a restaurant aimed at providing “great tasting, good-for-you food that is convenient and affordable,” according to the LYFE Kitchen website.

LYFE Kitchen will open in Palo Alto on Oct. 12 on Hamilton Avenue.

“LYFE Kitchen Palo Alto will be our flagship location,” Donahue said in an e-mail. “Palo Alto has been the home to so much innovation, [like] the home of Facebook and other technology companies.

[We] hope to be a transformational brand ourselves started here in Palo Alto.”

Although the Palo Alto restaurant is still under construction, a full menu can be found on the LYFE Kitchen website, www.lyfekitchen.com.

While there are no specific nutrition facts on the menu, LYFE Kitchen promises that no menu item contains more than 600 calories and 1000 milligrams of sodium and the prices of the food range from $4 to $18.

The specific nutrition facts about each dish will be available online and in the restaurant once it opens. None of the food is fried and no genetically modified ingredients are used, according to the LYFE Kitchen website.

“Great nutrition [equals] great taste,” the website states. “There is room at LYFE Kitchen for everyone with a wide variety of proteins and products available for every type of nutritional, [and] dietary preference.”

There are six different menus from which a customer can choose, offering every meal from breakfast to dessert.

The breakfast menu features dishes like the Spinach and Cheese Frittata, which the website describes as “whipped egg whites with chopped spinach and [a] choice of goat cheese or cheddar cheese.”

Many other frittatas and breakfast burritos are available, as well as more classic breakfast meals, like pancakes or a yogurt and fruit parfait.

Many dishes on the menu have a “featured ingredient,” like greek yogurt or oats, and menu items have a colored stamp indicating that it is either vegan, gluten-free, can be prepared vegan, is a LYFE Kitchen signature dish or a combination of the four.

“We wanted to offer everyone options for greattasting, chef-inspired dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Donahue said. “We also hope to be a trusted ‘lifestyle’ ally for our guests by being in-

YAEL PALMON/CAMPANILE

YAEL PALMON/CAMPANILE

LISA GERSHMAN/ LYFE KITCHEN.COM

Top left: BBQ chicken and corn flat bread. Top right: A tomato, watermelon and goat cheese salad. Bottom: Mayor Sid Espinosa (second from left) welcomes the Lyfe Kitchen staff to the new Palo Alto location. volved in the community and a resource for guests’ active lifestyles.”

Similar to a fast-food restaurant, LYFE Kitchen has designed an alternative to the classic hamburger. The burger, which is 100 percent ground beef patty, comes topped with organic lettuce, tomato and pickles, as well as ketchup and a choice of three different cheeses.

“All of our chef-inspired menu items will highlight natural, fresh ingredients enhanced with spices and herbs,” Donahue said.

While LYFE Kitchen aims at providing healthy food, there is no lack of sweets at the restaurant.

The menu has five dessert options (which all follow the calorie and sodium guidelines) that range from simple chocolate chip cookies to a banana rum cheesecake.

The cheesecake and the flourless chocolate cake come “plated,” meaning they should be eaten in the restaurant, while the other items, such as chocolate chip cookies and brownies, are labeled as “grab & go.”

Along with providing healthy food to its customers, LYFE Kitchen focuses on giving back to its community.

“LYFE Kitchen will dedicate a portion of our proceeds to charitable efforts, prioritizing balanced lifestyles with a focus on nutrition, fitness, and overall

health and wellness,” the LYFE Kitchen website says. “We will commit to giving back in all of the communities in which a LYFE Kitchen is located.”

LYFE Kitchen believes that giving back is not simply donating money — charity starts when purchasing the ingredients. LYFE Kitchen uses locally-grown fruits and vegetables in its food, as well as promising to use “responsibly raised” meats. They pride themselves in offering “minimally processed” foods in order to increase the health and taste factors of each dish.

“Each item of the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus will feature responsibly sourced ingredients from local farms whenever possible,” Donahue said. “A focus on local ingredients ensures freshness, quickness to destination, supporting [the] local community, and it’s the right thing to do.”

All of the meat used by LYFE Kitchen meets the Global Animal Partnership 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards. The steps to meeting the requirement include a “no caging, no crowding” policy, according to the Global Animal Partnership website, as well as requirements that animals be allowed outside and live in “enriched” environments.

Executive chefs Art Smith and Tal Ronnen believe that using responsibly raised meat is important to the quality of the food at LYFE Kitchen.

The two chefs come from different culinary backgrounds, each bringing their individual flavors to the food.

Smith formerly worked as Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef for ten years and has appeared on Bravo TV’s Top Chef Masters.

Throughout his career, Smith has based his style on the comfort of a home-cooked meal that he believes is intrinsic in every family. He has also written two cookbooks, Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family and Kitchen Life: Real Food for Real Families.

“Chef Art underwent his own life transformation after losing over 100 pounds with exercise and eating fresh, natural foods,” Donahue said. “He’s putting a new twist on some of his favorite dishes like his signature ‘Unfried Chicken’ and his own new breakfast favorite: [the] Art Start — steel cut Irish oatmeal with dried cranberries, nuts, Greek yogurt and 100 percent maple syrup.”

Ronnen, who Donahue described as “one of the most ground-breaking vegan and vegetarian chefs today,” has a background in catering, and has prepared meals for Winfrey’s “21-Day Diet Detox” and Ellen DeGeneres’ wedding. He is best known for being a vegan chef, and has used his meatless cooking to bolster his career, as well as his cookbook, The Conscious Cook.

“LYFE Kitchen is about [having] great intention[s],” Smith said in a video on the LYFE website. “LYFE Kitchen was brought together by a lot of people who care. [We have] two chefs: one coming from the vegan side of the world, which I believe is a very important aspect we must pay attention to, and one coming from comfort.”

The juxtaposition of comfort food and modern vegetarianism is evident in the diverse meals available at LYFE Kitchen, as many of the meals have the option of being prepared vegan.

LYFE Kitchen, unlike other fast-food restaurants, offers different dining experiences.

The popular “grab-and-go” option is available for diners in a hurry, but the restaurant will also be stocked with tables for a sit-down meal with friends and family. For those who prefer staying at home, LYFE Kitchen will also deliver.

“Guests will feel as though they are walking in to a friend’s [house] — where the central meeting place is usually the kitchen — with a warm and inviting environment for all guests,” Donahue said.

Many restaurants and food businesses have tried to find a balance between good-tasting and healthy food. Soda companies preach “diet” sodas and ingredients like butter substitutes have claimed to provide all of the taste while also being good for one’s body.

LYFE Kitchen believes that healthy food starts with its ingredients. Organic fruits and vegetables, good meat and healthy preparations result in LYFE Kitchen’s unique menu of dishes perfect for every meal.

“We hope to fulfill America’s desire for greattasting, good-for-you food that is both convenient and affordable,” Donahue said. “Our primary focus is on opening the first LYFE Kitchen location. If the community and our guests respond how we hope that they will, we will look to open future locations.”

Between nutritional dishes and responsible ingredients, the LYFE Kitchen team believes eating healthy food can, and should be, an enjoyable experience. With affordable prices and easily-accessible meals, LYFE Kitchen’s goal is clear: Love Your Food Everyday.

Project Safety Net establishes outreach program for troubled teens City hopes to combat existing mental health issues with improved support plan for local youth

By Elisabeth Yan

May 2009 when a Henry M. Gunn High School student took his life.

Sitting at a table surrounded by pa“The city came together to come up pers and notebooks, a student won- with a plan to increase teen mental ders how he or she will manage to get health,” Palo Alto mayor Sid Espinosa through the day with an essay due, two said. tests and sports practice on four hours of Resources and outlines are adversleep. For many teenagers in the Silicon tised throughout the website with titles Valley, this struggle to find balance is a like ‘Take 5 to Save Lives.’ The website constant reality. leads teens to active committees of proLiving in an affluent community, at- fessionals via phone. Among them are tending a rigorous school and trying to the Health Care Alliance for Response maintain a healthy social life puts pres- to Adolescent Depression (HEARD) and sure on students. Some may feel like the Student Health Awareness Resourcthere is nowhere to turn for reprieve. es and Education (SHARE).

Project Safety Net (PSN), started in Dec. Kimberly Diorio, Vice Principal of Pa2010, is a program that reaches out to lo Alto High School, frequently encounPalo Alto teens ters students in affected by “[Project Safety Net] is huge, not need and understress and anxistands the imjust in Palo Alto but in every comety. portance of supThe proj- munity. There are a lot of misconport for teens. ect’s objective, also has ceptions about mental health, some She as written on training in counits website, is of it is cultural too” seling. to “develop and “[Project Kim Diorio Safety implement an Net] is Vice Principal huge, not just in effective, comprehensive, Palo Alto but in communityevery communibased mental health plan for overall ty,” Diorio said. “There are a lot of misyouth well-being in Palo Alto.” conceptions about mental health, some This community project reaches out of it is cultural too.” to the youth of Palo Alto in a variety of Diorio attends the PSN meetings, ways. which are frequent and usually discuss PSN intends to assist teenagers “hot button issues,” according to Diorio. through hot line numbers, prevention These gatherings are open to the public guidelines, upcoming forums and a mul- and generally on Thursday afternoons at titude of other resources that are offered the Lucie Stern Community Center in on the detailed website.

Palo Alto.

Due to the increasing number of teenPeople who attend the meeting are age deaths by suicide, the pressing issue from the city level, school level, and medof teen well-being has recently become of ical field. interest on a national level.

“All those who touch the lives of kids,” According to the Nationwide Chil- Diorio said. “They are a highly trained, dren’s Hospital website, in 2009, 11 per- highly skilled, and very passionate group cent of high school students had made of adults.” a plan in the past 12 months about how Support has also been offered from they would attempt suicide. agencies outside the immediate Palo AlThis situation was brought to the at- to community. Organizations including tention of the Palo Alto community in the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospi-

Staff Writer

tal at Stanford have partnered with the City of Palo Alto by contributing to Project Safety Net. “We’ve received some funding from Stanford,” Diorio said. “My understanding is that part of the building plan, for their expansion, was to be given to the city. And they chose to give it to Project Safety Net.” Stanford has not only contributed financially to the project but has also offered the support of professionals from their Department of Psychiatry.

The main procedure for implementation comes in three steps: education, prevention and intervention.

“The first step is awareness,” Diorio said, addressing the fact that not many students have been introduced to Project Safety Net and the benefits it provides.

The project hopes to educate on the importance of mental health lie in schools, media and the community.

Many high school students appreciate the idea behind the project. However, they acknowledge that the lack of publicity for the effort could undermine its productivity.

“I didn’t know about it and I don’t think anyone else does either,” junior Chelsea Chen said. “I think it’s important that people know about it, like the high school students, because that’s who the project was made for. Maybe they should do something to get more recognition in the community.”

The second section of plan, titled ‘Prevention,’ discusses topics spanning from outreach and character building to reduction of lethal means and harassment.

“I think [Project Safety Net] is a good step towards suicide prevention because although the parents can’t necessarily stop them physically, the presence of a parent who is involved in a community prevention program like this may cause the children to realize that there is indeed someone who cares enough to give up their time to work with them to secure their mental health,” junior Josh Oh said.

The final step of the project’s outline is intervention, which promotes counseling services, policies for suicide prevention, and assessments of risk.

Many students agree with the effort and hope to see positive results.

“I think it’s a good idea,” freshman Sarah Putulin said. “It’s a good way to

bring the community closer together.”

Oh agrees but emphasizes the need to publicize the fundamentals of the project to the students and the community.

“I don’t know too much about it, but I think it’s a good idea to reach out and assure kids that there are people out there that care about them,” Oh said.

B8 • October 3, 2011

F E AT U R E S

The Campanile

New stores coming soon to Stanford Shopping Center Urban Outfitters, Bath and Body Works provide alternatives to existing shops

By Olivia Cole

“I can’t wait,” Stefanski said. “I’ve been excited ever since I heard about it.

Hip clothes. Cool wall art. Funky fur- I think I’ll shop at the new Urban Outfitniture. Architecturally inspiring spaces. ters a lot, probably every month.”

Unlike Stefanski, junior Alec FishEclectic novelties.

When Urban Outfitters opens its man was not unconditionally anticipatdoors to the public this fall, shoppers at ing Urban Outfitters’ arrival; he had Stanford Mall will get a taste of some- some constructive criticism regarding their apparel. thing a little different.

“I don’t like how they sell stuff that is What makes the Urban Outfitters chain unique? As people walk into each just flat out anomalous and that no one Urban Outfitters, the first thing that in their right mind would buy,” Fishman hits them might be the alternative mu- said. “Like a monkey faced ski mask insic. Bands like Passion Pit, Phoenix, tended for street wear.”

Even so, Fishman, too, was generally and Vampire Weekend play in the background, complementing the edgy feel of enthusiastic for the new store.

“I’m pretty excited because I like a lot the clothing.

This clothing, which includes pieces of the stuff they have there,” Fishman ranging from rompers to T-shirts, jumps said. “It will be nice when their clothes out from the racks in brightly colored and are really accessible and you don’t have textured fabrics. Next to these racks, the to go all the way to Santana Row.” For those teenagers who are excitcameras, books, toys, posters and furnied about Stanture all sit waitford Shopping ing to be bought “I’m pretty excited because I like a Center’s Urfor an artsy bedlot of the stuff they have [at Urban ban Outfitters, room. job opportuniA l t h o u g h Outfitters]. It will be really nice ties await. Urshoppers may when their clothes are really accesban Outfitters be busy looking is accepting job at the clothes, sible and you don’t have to go all applications onthe architecture the way to Santana Row.” line. that surrounds Alec Fishman Until now, them is just as intriguing. The Junior the Urban Outfitters franchise bright clothhas only hired ing contrasts the deep colors of the walls surround- people over the age of 18. Now, appliing them, and the beams in the ceiling cants who are 16 or older may fill out are each precisely placed in this massive a form regarding their general information, followed by a series of questions work of art.

Urban Outfitters is unlike any chain regarding their style, inspirations and store Stanford Mall has ever seen and personality. Anyone who is legally able to work in the United States can apply Palo Alto is ready for its arrival.

For years, teens have been disap- with hopes of working inside Urban Outpointed with the few choices they have fitters.

Next door to where Urban Outfitters when shopping at Stanford Mall. Unlike Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo or Westfield will stand in a few months, Bath and Body Valley Fair Mall in San Jose, Stanford Works is also coming soon.

Bath and Body Works is a personal Mall houses very few stores for teens.

Palo Alto teenagers shopping at Stan- care chain store, equipped with lotion, ford are limited to the moose-covered perfume and candles all for the well-beclothing in Abercrombie and Fitch or the ing of its customers.

The addition of these two new stores one-dimensional apparel at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, or Macy’s. So, naturally, to the northeast side of Stanford Mall many teenagers in Palo Alto are excited will present an exciting new option for some, and a challenge for others. for the opening of this alternative store.

Junior Emma Sameroynina is excited Charlee Stefanski, an eighth grader at David Starr Jordan Middle School, is for the new addition of Bath and Body looking forward to Stanford’s new store Works, although she is somewhat reluctant because of the idea that anothadditions.

Staff Writer

OLIVIA COLE/CAMPANILE

The Urban Outfitters and Bath and Body Works storefronts will be located on the south side of Stanford Shopping Center near Pinkberry and Ralph Lauren, giving local shoppers easy access to the popular stores. The two will be opening sometime this fall. er store could potentially be lost. “Yeah, Bath and Body Works will be great, but I love The Body Shop too,” Sameroynina said. “I guess I just don’t think we need another one of those stores, and honestly I like The Body Shop more.”

The Body Shop, which is located two storefronts down from where Bath and Body Works will open in the fall, contains all the same kinds of products as Bath and Body Works.

Although both stores have similar products, Bath and Body Works is somewhat cheaper than The Body Shop, which could entice customers who otherwise would have paid a higher price for a tube of lotion or a bottle of perfume.

However, The Body Shop representative Sheikina Liverpool believes that customers will stay loyal to their brand despite

some favorable aspects of Bath and Body Works.

“The Body Shop is the original, natural and ethical beauty company,” Liverpool said. “As pioneers in the beauty industry, introducing fair business practices such as Community Fair Trade, tackling tough issues through awareness campaigns like our Stop Sex Trafficking of Children & Young People campaign and protecting our planet through the use of 100 percent recycled plastic bottles and minimum product packaging, we always strive to deliver to our customers the best nature has to offer through our naturally inspired beauty products. As a company, we do not comment on the business strategy or retail plans of other beauty retailers but believe the efficacy of our products coupled with our strong

commitment to be a force for positive social and environmental changes helps us stand out to our customers.”

The Body Shop has been at Stanford Mall for years, but this old favorite could go out of business if they lose their customers to Bath and Body Works. There are some residents of Palo Alto who would barely notice if The Body Shop went out of business.

When asked about her opinion on the will-be competing stores, freshman Claire Liu said, “I like Bath and Body Works more. I just like a lot of the scents they make, more than I like those from the Body Shop.”

Clearly, Stanford Shopping Center has recognized that the teenage demographic is a prominent group of consumers that can no longer be ignored.

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The Campanile

No such thing as ugly

Monday, October 3, 2011

Palo Alto eatery serves Middle Eastern cuisine Oren’s Hummus Shop prepares delicious, authentic cooking

By Ben Krasnow Features Editor

juliapoppy Ugly. A four letter word that packs punch. It pops up on television, in gossipy conversations, and most often infront of the mirror of teenagesrs. This idea of pretty versus ugly finally needs to be defined.

There is no such thing as someone who is universally ugly. Yes! That is the truth. I know, it sounds crazy, but I promise it is true.

No two people are alike. Everyone has a different brain (unless you’re a clone, then bummer for you) and a different body. So how can society justify comparing two separate people? Of course they will have varying talents but, they are different people.

That’s the thing. Everyone is different, but everyone seems to try to be the same person. Who is that one perfect person? No one knows, that’s the crazy thing. We all try and strive to be this fabled ideal person.

So my advice is, STOP. Stop striving to be that stick-thin girl or curvaceous “hoochie mama.” Everyone is unique and it is in fact impossible to be exactly like someone else.

More importantly, you are the only you out there, so why not embrace it? You were blessed with your gorgeous individuality and it would be a shame if you did not celebrate it.

You were given one body, one mind, and one life and using your time obsessing over your flaws is waste of your time.

Why am I not content with my life? Well, probably because you do not accept yourself for the wonderfully amazing person you are. Honestly, if you spend time obsessing over every little thing about yourself, before you know it you will be 80 and wondering where your life went. There is no way you can be present and enjoy every lovely moment of your life if you can’t get passed that one freckle on your cheek.

Trust me, hating yourself is a waste of time and a crime against humanity. You are beautiful. You are perfect. There are many people who have accepted and learned to love themselves who have had their lives cut short. You have been lucky enough to get a full life, so why not live it? Before you get up and rush through your busy day, relax and enjoy that one moment of bliss.

There, you’ve already started being more positive! Hoorah for you! I am proud. Then just take it one moment at a time, laugh with your pals, smile at those stupid jokes your less than funny friends tell and for once, be happy. Let yourself be happy. It is harder than it sounds, trust me I know, but accept yourself — your gorgeous, charming self — and appreciate how lucky we all are.

Now listen, loves, I am not saying go sky diving and drop out of school, I am just saying try to and learn to love yourself and your life. Instead of saying “Wow I look like a random bogen today,” shout “I look perfectly dashing this morning.” Accompany every complaint with a positive or optimistic comment. Take me the other day, I said “Wow, this class is so boring,” but I stopped and thought for a hot second and then I said: “But at least it is delightful weather outside and I am lucky enough to able to go to school.” TRY IT. I dare you. See if you can do these two things for one week. Come on. What do you really have to lose?

One last thing, learn to love others too. You may think someone doesn’t look like a perfect ten, but to someone else they are off-the-charts gorgeous. They may have the most wonderful personality and if you’re lucky enough, they may make your life oh-so-much brighter. In addition, keep in mind that everyone has crapola going on in their life, so cut everyone some slack. Most importantly, respect others. You don’t have to love others, you do not even have to like everyone, but you should respect everyone. Being disrespectful is just plain wrong. Period.

So to sum it up — appreciate how wonderfully gorgeous and unique you are, do not take your life for granted, be kind to others and listen to those “you are beautiful” notes on the bathroom stall. Cause doll, you are.

Written on the front of the menu at Oren’s Hummus Shop is, “Finally, an authentic Israeli restaurant in the Bay Area.” Oren’s lives up to this saying with some of the best Israeli food in town.

Oren’s is located in the former location of Zao Noodle Bar on University Avenue. When you walk in to Oren’s, the first thing you notice is the smell. Fresh pita bread is baked daily on site and fills the entire restaurant with its pungent aroma. The next are all of the Moroccan spices that are used on their chicken and beef kebabs.

The pop music playing in the background is welcoming, although it adds to a noise level that is high to begin with. The restaurant is medium sized, but feels much smaller than that. The amount of tables crammed into the restaurant makes it feel smaller, and can sometimes make it difficult to navigate between them.

All of the food is served family style. The restaurant encourages you to mix and match the food together, which is how meals are typically served in Israel. It also means the portions are on the larger side.

Simply put, the food is fantastic. It is almost all authentic Israeli cuisine like pita, falafel, Israeli salad and ALEX LIN/CAMPANILE hummus. There are a few additions to the menu that are distinctly American, such as sweet potato fries and Beef hummus spread with freshly baked pita bread is served with a side of spicy Israeli sauce called skhug yarok. regular french fries.

Many different types of hummus are available to dip pita in including spinach, lemon garlic and roasted pepper.

The only classic Israeli dish missing from the menu is schwarma, which is a lamb dish that is made similar In fact, the only real problem with Oren’s is the pricing. $2.95. Falafel is a classic Israeli dish that is made by to the way that rotisserie chicken is made in the United Customers who go to the restaurant need to be care- frying mashed garbanzo beans in oil. By far, the most ful about how much they are ordering. For example, ad- abundant stores in Israel are falafel shops that sell States. It is typically served in pita.

There is only one dish that is not truly authentic: the ditions to the hummus dishes combined with ordering sandwiches, Israeli salad and tahini sauce. This classic multiple side dishes adds up quickly. dish is on Oren’s menu, but unfortunately only as a take pita. Pita is traditionally served with The beef hummus is a great dish out dish. The Israeli salad is delicious, and a bargain a pit in the center to put in foods like as well, it costs $9.95 but is such a at $6.95 considering the portion size. The salad is light falafel and Israeli salad; the pita at large portion that it easily justi- and full of flavor. It is also very authentic, and comes Oren’s does not have this space but OREN’S HUMMUS SHOP fies the price. It tastes just like an with a tahini sauce that pairs with it extremely well. is quite good nonetheless. Very light 261 University Ave authentic hummus dish from the “This is the best Israeli food in the Bay Area,” Sam and fluffy, it pairs nicely with just Palo Alto, CA 94301 streets of Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. It Asin, a Palo Alto High School senior who spent a semesabout anything on the menu and is $6.00 - $20.00 is especially good with the falafel, Is- ter in Israel last year, said. “It makes me miss Israel.” served with every dish on the menu raeli salad and pita.

Oren’s has only been in town for a few months, but for this reason.

Two side dishes that come with already has a reputation as having great food and atThe chicken kebab is delicious and http://www.facebook.com/OrensHummusShop it are Israeli pickles and olives, and mosphere. a good complement to other dishes. falafel.

It lives up to this reputation with some of the most Seasoned with a blend of Moroccan Both were fantastic dishes, as they authentic and delicious Israeli food in the Bay Area. spices then grilled, it is moist, light Signatures of the store are large portions and occaand delicious. The only downside to this dish is the added a crunchy texture to an otherwise very soft dish. price; the portion designed for two people costs $17.95. The pickles and olives are $1.50, while the falafel is sionally high prices, but Oren’s is worth it.

Twitter accounts provide live cultures promotes wellness comic relief, witty humor Kombucha tea containing active,

By Jillian Chacon Senior Staff Writer

Every day, new products are released advertising healthy living and a longer and better life. Although it is not the newest product, Kombucha Tea has become very popular. Kombucha is a teabased product containing live culture, in other words, bacteria. The general notion of bacterica is that is can be extremely harmful to the body.

While some bacteria are harmful and not wanted in the body, other bacteria are good for one’s health, which are known as probiotics.

The most well-known brand of Kombucha tea is called Synergy.

“Synergy is a health beverage that can serve as a sort of anecdotal drink as well,” senior and Synergy drinker Victoria Tse said. “It’s been used over the years to help stop the spread of diseases, like in one woman with breast cancer.

“Basically it’s a drink made of fermenting cultures in the tea itself which makes it act as a stronger version of yogurt in its basica form as a culture of bacteria.”

After GT Dave from Beverly Hills heard the news that his mother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, his life came crashing down. He also heard that one week after his mother was diagnosed, the cancer stopped spreading.

“After a week of emotional turmoil, I was relieved to find out that her breast cancer had not spread,” GT Dave said on the Synergy Drink website.

“And that the pungent tasting cultured tea that she had been drinking

was part of the reason why,” Dave said.

Soon after this, GT Dave thought of the idea of Synergy drinks. There are two types of Synergy drinks, the enlightened version and the raw version, exclusively for ages over 21.

The enlightened version is tart and acidic but the variety of flavors offered make it so much better.

There are six different flavors; Trilogy, Cosmic Cranberry, Gingerberry, Divine Grape, Superfruits and Strawberry Serenity.

“My favorite flavor is Cranberry because it has a unique taste and is not as sweet as the other flavors,” Tse said.

Not only do Synergy drinks contain Kombucha, they are low calorie, low in carbohydrates, vegan and kosher.

“I love Synergy, you feel a renewed sense of energy.” said Tse. “Unlike energy drinks, the point of Synergy is not to make up for the lack of sleep, but rather to make you feel better throughout the day in terms of even just your mood,” The specialized form of Kombucha Tea is not available everywhere, as only certain stores sell and advocate this drink.

Stores such as Whole Foods, Piazza’s Fine Foods, Fraiche Frozen Yogurt and Lunardi’s Market sell Synergy.

Synergy drinks can be pricey, usually selling for around $2.99, but the added health benefits from drinking the tea make up for the higher price.

Although Synergy does not take the place of water, it has good nutritional values, added heath benefits and promotes a healthy style of living for anyone who drinks kombucha.

By Meghan Byrd Opinion Editor

Over the past few years, Twitter has transformed from a breaking news tool to one of everyday enjoyment. As many who are avid tweeters know, part of tweeting involves being clever and witty when using the 140 characters to draft a crafty message. Here are five of the funniest twitters.

@firstworldpains

Upside: This Twitter takes the phrase “third world problems” to a whole new level. By playing off of a commonplace phrase, it pokes fun at the problems that people encounter living in an upscale country.

Downside: The tweets can get repetitive and annoying, and at nearly 20 tweets per day coming at such a fast rate that they can easily clog up a tweet feed.

Favorite Tweets: “The potato chips I’m eating are too wide for my mouth. #firstworldpains.”

“A hot girl on ChatRoulette skipped me and now I have lower self esteem. #firstworldpains.”

“The weight of two iPhones in my gym shorts causes my pants to sag ever so slightly. #firstworldpains.”

“I have to browse Facebook on on my iPad to avoid the silly new “features.” #firstworldpains.”

@paproblems

Upside: A twitter that community residents can relate to whole-heartedly, it pokes fun at everyday ocurrences in Palo Alto. Although this feed is very similar to @firstworldpains, it is more relatable and thus, funnier.

Downside: This twitter can get somewhat repetitive, but unlike @firstworldpains, it does not clog up the tweet feed.

Favorite Tweets: “All these people are talking about war and stuff but spirit week is coming up so let’s talk about that.”

“Did anyone throw a rager while their parents were at Back to School night? #thatswhatsup.”

“I really only have a math tutor so I have someone to do my homework for me.”

“I would totally say yes if you used a Harry Potter pickup line on me.”

“I feel uncomfortable because you refuse to argue with me.”

“Theres a big difference between being a hipster and being indie but you’re neither.”

@oldmansearch

RIKI RATTNER/CAMPANILE

Synergy, a popular type of Kombucha, comes in a variety of flavors such as Divinity and Cosmic Cranberry and helps to promote a heathy immune and digestive system.

Upside: The description of the twitter: “My dad is 81 years old. I’m teaching him how to use the internet. I told him twitter was how to search things on Google. These tweets are what he’s

searching.” If this description is not convincing enough that this is a hilariously random array of mismatched phrases read his tweets.

Downside: This twitter can be stupid. Some claim that this twitter may be fake, raising questions on its authenticity.

Favorite Tweets: “shapes without names” “what is the most stylish way to prepare potatos today?” “alternate uses for the moon”

@mwenzlau

Upside: One of the funniest paly student twitters, @mwenzlau combines classic humor with some of her own personal mishaps, providing endless entertainment. Senior Margaret Wenzlau, the woman behind the magic, has perfect rhythm and timing when delivering her witty remarks.

Downside: Although @mwenzlau’s humor is beyond hilarious to most, some might not understand her comedic genius. If the follower does not know Margret, her tweets might seem confusing and maybe a bit strange.

Favorite Tweets: “Thursday night homework is the brussel sprout of schoolwork. Avoid at all costs.”

“Trying to figure out where a wrap fits on the spectrum from salad to burrito to sandwich. Tough call.”

“I crack open pistachio nuts to blow off steam. I’m nutty.”

@Lord_Voldemort7

Upside: Without a doubt, first place goes to the Dark Lord himself.

With enough Ron, Hermione and Bellatrix jokes to satisfy any Harry Potter fan, he is the ultimate king of evil.

Although some people might find it hard to believe that jokes bashing Harry and the gang would be funny, this comedic genius somehow makes it work.

The best part? He’s completely anonymous, and clearly a huge HP fan undercover. Although the Dark Lord was vanquished in the seventh and final instalment of the Harry Potter series, Tweeters hope this one stays around for a while longer.

Downside: There is a minimal amount foul language. Also, Twilight fans beware, this Tweeter’s constant jokes about vampires bite just as hard has his Harry-themed ones.

Favorite Tweets: #that1friend that would literally give his right hand for you... as long as you make him a new one out of magical metal....”

“A sparkly vampire is more famous than you will ever be. Sad, but true.

“Bullying is for losers” is a TT. Um, isn’t calling bullies ‘losers’ a form of bullying? Your trend fails more than Neville in Potions.”

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The Campanile

October 3, 2011 • B10

Legal online music options connect through Facebook Spotify, Turntable.fm, Pandora give listeners access to alternative music

By Michael Augustine Sports Editor

The last decade has brought a major influx of innovation ranging from the invention of the Segway to the widespread use of YouTube.

Music has kept up the pace of blistering innovation, shunning the Walkman and boomboxes for more developed mediums. The advancements of iTunes have led to many popular online music options. As opposed to their illegal predecessors, these alternatives are legal and all focus on social networking.

SPOTIFY With headquarters in the United Kingdom, it was only a matter of time before the next big online music subscription program made it across the Atlantic.

Spotify was founded in 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, and with 15 million songs available to 10 million users, it gives users ultimate control of their music selections. “[Spotify] lets me discover new music legally without having to pay per song,” senior Matt Slipper said.

Spotify offers an user-friendly operating system that combines already owned music with new music that users can “star” to keep track of. With playlists similar to iTunes, Spotify does not stray from familiar waters.

However, Spotify takes traditional music listeners into the social world by connecting users with their Facebook friends’ profiles.

Spotify profiles consist of any public playlists and a user’s top six artists and songs.

The social aspect of Spotify solidifies its place in the future as a progressive option for users who want to be aware of their friends’ song selections. Spotify has fused with Facebook, informing all Facebook users what their friends are listening to through Spotify and through their news feeds. This recently formed symbiotic relationship between Facebook and Spotify allows Facebook

Spotify

Spotify allows users to discover alternative music options in a legal manner while also connecting its listeners to each other through Facebook. Along with the standard free option that has restrictions and advertisements, Spotify also offers the Unlimited and Premium subscriptions for a monthly fee. users to listen to their friends’ music. Spotify also offers an Inbox feature that allows friends to send each other music.

Spotify has a three-tier subscription plan. For most users, the standard free option is best, but these users are restricted to 10 hours of Spotify music a month. Spotify also includes advertisements, limits a broad set of capabilities and requires Internet connection.

The next level of subscription is Spotify Unlimited, offered for $4.99 per month. This option cuts advertisements and removes the 10-hour listening limit. Unlimited provides enthusiasts with abroad capabilities so people can listen to their music around the world.

Lastly, the holy grail of Spotify is its Premium subscription.

This gives users all the same benefits of Unlimited as well as mobile access and enhanced sound quality.

Premium gives users 100 percent access to as much music as Spotify offers, and the means to play that music whenever, re-

gardless of an Internet connection.

“I’ve upgraded to Spotify Unlimited, which allows me to actually download the music and take it with me,” senior Alex Lenail said. “[Spotify] allow[s] the user to make playlists, deceiving the user into thinking they actually own the music — ­ all ­­ for free.”

TURNTABLE.FM In terms of enabling social interaction, Turntable.fm delivers by sending users into a digital world. Turntable.fm has exploded onto the scene in the last year and has attracted a lot of attention. It consists of five “DJs” who dictate the music choice and an audience who rates each selection. A positively ranked song earns the DJ points while negatively ranked songs usher in the next DJ’s song. With hundreds of open “rooms,” each with a different music theme, fans of Turntable.fm can find any genre, where they can hopefully have a shot at DJ. Turntable.fm’s social capabilities are its strength. Similar to Spotify, users can “star” favorite

rooms so they can return to a given genre. Also, users can share links to rooms via Facebook, Twitter or e-mail.

In each virtual room, users are exposed to their own queue where they can add music in anticipation of their next DJ stint as well as use a chat box that allows everyone in the room to communicate.

“I use [Turntable.fm] because it’s a good way of getting into a new genre you don’t know anything about,” senior Andre Gouyet said. “It’s a different experience because the playlist is created by a lot of people.”

Billy Chasen and Seth Goldstein cofounded the Internet sensation in January 2011, which has since attracted 600,000 users as of September 2011, Turntable. fm said on their website.

A recent extension provided

by Google Chrome allows users to tag music and make playlists.

The extension lets listeners stay engaged in the music while navigating other pages.

The Popup notification option informs users of song titles, votes

and any comments from the chat feature.

Turntable.fm lets users add music they are listening to right to their own queue or straight to Amazon, iTunes, Last.fm, Spotify, or Rdio for further access to the music. A recently developed iPhone application has further extended the program’s domestic capabilities. Turntable.fm’s biggest drawback is its international absence, as it is currently only available in America.

“I like the idea, but it seemed a little difficult to use technically in the few times I’ve tried it out as compared to Pandora, iTunes and YouTube,” senior Aaron Zelinger said. “The peer-rating feature is particularly enticing as it utilizes game mechanics to get more users involved.”

PANDORA Pandora can be compared to Mom’s cooking. No matter how hard life gets, one can always go home and know he or she has a nice, home-cooked meal waiting for him or her. This meal may not live up to the hype of the new,

appealing Japanese fusion restaurant that everyone has been talking about recently, but it is always a strong option.

Founded by Tim Westergren, Pandora has been on the online music scene since January 2000.

The foundation of Pandora is its Music Genome Project. Users create channels that are based off of one song or artist. The program does the rest, providing listeners with similar music. Users can “like,” “dislike” or “skip” music.

Pandora adjusts its next selections based on user feedback.

Pandora has improved its interface and social capabilities, upgrading Mom’s menu. Pandora has gotten rid of the 40-hour listening limit for users, differing from the strict limits that other music providers enforce. Pandora’s user interface closes the gap between its old format and other online music powerhouses. Pandora also gives track information for any given song, including lyrics, a biography of the band and suggested similar artists.

Besides a faster programming system, Pandora has transformed its social functions. Pandora offers a free app for Android and iPhone users, which is nearly on par with Spotify and Turntable.fm when it comes to social sharing. Pandora also lets users “follow” each other, enabling users to listen to their friends’ playlists.

“Pandora provides a seamless method of musical exploration,” senior Kuran Freyermuth said.

“With the click of a mouse, Pandora will unlock a world of new tracks and jams that you didn’t even know existed.”

Pandora One provides paying costumers with an enhanced experience.

For $36 a year, One is an affordable way to experience very high quality music and personalize Pandora. This upgrade bans all advertisements and lets users skip as many songs as they want, a prominent complaint of standard Pandora limiting users control over their music.

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The Campanile

October 3, 2011 • B11

Upcoming TV shows, movies make school year enjoyable Fall television series show promise

Newly released movies grab attention Niro) is captured.

By Bailey Cassidy

By Caroline Martignetti

Along with the new school clothes, supplies, classes and stresses that the beginning of the school year always brings comes one specific thing that students and teachers alike can always look forward to: an anticipated fall television lineup. Returning favorites and debuting shows alike are generating much buzz this fall as popular shows like Glee, Modern Family, and Parenthood return to television.

Fall has arrived, heralding turkeys, pumpkins, changing leaves and much more. It also signals a new movie season filled with horror films, remakes and comedies. With all the upcoming releases, it can be hard to find the right movie, but do not fret. This guide will help to find the perfect movie.

GLEE

The action-packed, R-rated movie Drive was released Sept. 16 and depicts the story of a young stunt car artist (Ryan Gosling) who works as a getaway driver for armed heists by night. A budding romance between Driver (Gosling) and Irene (Carey Mulligan) is a main element as well. As the plot continues, Irene’s life begins to unravel due to the return of her ex-convict husband.

DRIVE

Season three of this musical comedy-drama marks the beginning of senior year for the original “Glee” stars, including star singer Rachel (Lea Michele), Finn (Cory Monteith) and Puck (Mark Salling), all of whom will be graduating from McKinley High at the end of this season. The creators are therefore planning to make this season the best of all. With a fan favorite character from an opposing school transferring to Mckinley High and popular former cheerleader altering her appearance there is plenty of drama in this new Glee season. A brand new character in the third season is Damian McGinty, one of the winners of the spin-off reality competition “The Glee Project.” McGinty will first appear in the third episode this upcoming season and will play an exchange student named Rory who will be staying with main character Brittany’s (Heather Morris) family. “Glee” premiered Sept. 20 and airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on FOX.

I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT

Sarah Jessica Parker stars in this romanticcomedy called I Don’t Know How She Does It, revealing a woman who has it all; namely, the husband, the kids and the job. This comedy takes a satirical outlook on a woman who is too busy for her own good.

ABDUCTION

Starring Twilight’s heartthrob Taylor Lautner, Abduction is a thriller about a boy’s journey to uncover the truth about his life.

SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC

America’s first reality show is still going strong as it begins its 23rd season, which takes place in Samoa, where seasons 19 and 20 were both shot. The “Redemption Island” twist returns, which allows players that are voted out to compete against each other for a chance to reenter the game. Also back to the show are two former contestants: Benjamin “Coach” Wade (“Survivor: Tocantins” and “Heroes vs. Villains”) and Ozzy Lusth (“Survivor: Cook Islands” and “Micronesia”). “Survivor: South Pacific” premiered Sept. 14 and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on CBS.

UP ALL NIGHT

This new exciting comedy follows Reagan (Christina Applegate) and Chris (Will Arnett) as new parents who attempt to juggle work, a social life and their new baby. Despite their new responsibilities as parents, they oftentimes manage to find time to stay up all night partying, which distracts them from caring for their baby. “Up All Night” premiered Sept. 21 and airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.

MODERN FAMILY

The third season of this heartwarming and hilarious comedy promises to provide viewers with all the laughs and touching family moments that filled the first two seasons. This series follows the comedic circumstances in the lives of Jay Prichett’s family, which includes his wife, a much younger Colombian woman named Gloria and her son, Manny.

It also stars Jay’s daughter Claire Dunphy and his son Mitchell along with their partners and children.

This season Mitchell and his partner Cameron focus on adopting a second baby. “Modern Family” premieres Sept. 21 and airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.

2 BROKE GIRLS

MONEYBALL

Staff Writer

Features Editor

This new sitcom follows Max (Kat Dennings), a young woman who works two jobs to pay her rent. When one of her coworkers quits, she ends up working with a woman named Caroline (Beth Behrs), who initially appears to be spoiled and not very smart. As the two women get to know each other better, however, they become good friends and come up with the idea to start a cupcake baking business together. “2 Broke Girls” premieres Sept. 19 and airs Mondays at 8:30 p.m. on CBS.

KILLER ELITE

Killer Elite, rated R, is a star-studded film revolving around a retired member of Britain’s Elite Special Air Services (Jason Statham) who is forced into action when his mentor (Robert De

The highly anticipated movie Moneyball depicts the inspiring story of the Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beanes, played by Brad Pitt, and his attempt to put together a successful baseball club.

FOOTLOOSE

Coming to theaters on Oct. 14 is Paramount Pictures’ remake of the 1984 classic Footloose. The 2011 interpretation of the classic stars Kenny Wormaid as Ren McCormack and Julianne Hough as the reverend’s daughter, Arial Moore. When Ren moves to a town where rock ‘n’ roll has been banned, his bigcity persona leads him to break the rules and question authority.

ANONYMOUS

As October continues a thriller will be released October 28th called Anonymous. Starring Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave and David Thewlis, Anonymous is a political thriller that plays on the idea that it was Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford who really wrote Shakespeare’s plays.

STRAW DOGS

Released on Sept. 16 and starring James Marsden, Kate Bosworth and Alexander Skarsgard, Straw Dogs is an R-rated remake of a film originally released in 1971. Marsden plays David Sumner, a Los Angeles screenwriter who moves with his wife (Bosworth) to a town in the deep South. As the couple settles in, conflict begins to brew with locals, threatening everyone’s lives.

Be sure to tune in this fall for hot new shows and movies coming out!

TAG YOUR FRIENDS {HOUSE} OF LA MODE/CREATIVE COMMONS

Returning shows that have been missed by many, such as Glee and Modern Family, premier this fall.

PARENTHOOD

Fans are eager for the return of “Parenthood,” in its third season. This dramatic comedy follows the trials of the multi-generational Braverman clan, led by patriarch Zeek and matriarch Camille. The family will be expanding this season since Kristina is expecting, while Julia and Joel adopt a second child. “Parenthood” premiered Sept. 13 and airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on NBC.

TWO AND A HALF MEN

Although it is starting its ninth season, “Two and a Half Men” still manages to gather much attention. This sitcom follows Charlie Harper’s life after his recently divorced brother, along with his son, moves into Charlie’s house. This season, former star Charlie Sheen has been replaced by Ashton Kutcher. The season starts with Charlie’s (Kutcher) funeral, and how exactly his demise came to be is one of the main themes explored this season—it is rumored that his longtime stalker Rose (Melanie Lynskey) may have been involved in his death. “Two and a Half Men” premiered Sept. 19 and airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on CBS.

THE SECRET CIRCLE

In a new series that airs Thursdays 9 p.m. on the CW, Cassie Blake (Britt Robertson) moves to Chance Harbor, Washington with her grandmother to start fresh after unexpectedly losing her mother in a house fire. A group of students at her new high school know something about her past that her mother had hoped to hide, leading Cassie to find out that her new friends are witches. The mysterious nature of this show will appeal to fans of “The Vampire Diaries,” also by L.J. Smith. The show airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on CW.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:WIKIPEDIA/WIKIPEDIA/WIKIPEDIA/IMDB

Clockwise starting from top left: Ryan Gosling of Drive, Brad Pitt of Moneyball, Sarah Jessica Parker of I Don’t Know How She Does It, and James Marsden of Straw Dogs are starring in this fall’s movies.

Gourmet Franks offers upscale hot dogs at reasonable prices

By Ashley Shin Senior Staff Writer

An upscale version of the classic hot dog stand, Gourmet Franks located in the Stanford Shopping Center, offers a variety of hot dog choices for the hungry shopper.

GOURMET FRANKS 199 Stanford Shopping Center Palo Alto CA, 94304 $3.99-$5.25

The small store is located between Gap and Howard’s Shoes and can easily be missed if one does not look carefully..

The shop itself is extremely confined and space inside is at a minimum.

However, the small space serves its purpose with a refrigerator with canned and bottled drinks, a sizzling hot grilled and condiment counter.

Every hot dog served by Gourmet Franks is cooked by the same process.

The hot dogs are first sliced down the middle and then cut, creating dash marks. They are then placed on the hot grill and in just a matter of minutes, the hot dogs are fully cooked. Meanwhile, the buns are toasted on the grill alongside the hot dogs.

SOPHIE PARKER/CAMPANILE

Gourmet Franks serves a variety of specialty hot dogs, like the Hebrew National (shown above with onions, pickle, mustard and ketchup). The prices of most of these hot dogs range from $3.99 to $5.25, perfect for any kind of student looking for a nice meal at an affordable low cost.

The classic hot dog is the Hebrew National Beef Hot Dog and is a decent sized portion, enough to satisfy for a meal. The Hebrew National costs $5.20.

The meat is flavorful and juicy and Gourmet Franks’ grilling technique provides a nice crust around the outside of the hot dog and bun, adding flavor to the overall taste.

Customers have a choice of meat, including the Chicago Vi-

enna Beef Hot Dog for $5.25, the Schwartz Lemon Chicken Sausage for $5.20, the Saag Chicken Apple Sausage for $5.20, the Schwartz Smoked Bratwurst for $5.25 and more.

Gourmet Franks also offers a vegetarian option with the Vegetarian Hot Dog for $4.75. The Non-Fat Turkey Hot Dog is a good choice for a healthier alternative and is the cheapest option at $3.99.

However, the Turkey Hot Dog is significantly smaller than the Hebrew National Beef Hot Dog. On the other hand, for the indulger, the chili-cheese hot dog provides a hefty meal.

The complimentary condiments offered include ketchup, two different kinds of mustard, relish, pickles and more.

Deluxe condiments can be purchased for an additional price.

Shredded cheddar cheese can be

added for an extra 50 cents; however, the cheese does not melt because it is added after the hot dog is cooked and provides a strange texture contrast with the hot dog.

Grilled sauerkraut can be requested for an additional $1.75 while grilled veggies such as onions and bell peppers can be added for an additional dollar. These options are prepared on the grill when the hot dogs and buns are cooked along with a choice of on-

ions or peppers. The sides offered include chips, coleslaw, pasta salad, baked beans, chili, potato salad and soup.

There is outdoor seating available, which consists of several black tables, chairs and benches. In general, there are enough seats to accommodate Gourmet Franks customers.

Gourmet Franks does not offer any indoor seating, making it an undesirable spot when it is raining, but it is still a perfect place for a grab and go meal.

Some may argue that $5 for a hot dog is too expensive but the quality of the food served at Gourmet Franks far exceeds the average hot dog served in a baseball stadium. The portions are decently sized as well.

Overall, the speed of service at Gourmet Franks is extremely quick, which makes it an ideal lunch spot for Palo Alto High School students or for a short stop during a busy shopping trip.

In addition, all the hot dogs on the menu range from $3.99 to $5.25, perfect for a student on a budget.

The drive from Paly to Stanford Shopping Center and back on average takes less than ten minutes.

This short driving distance and quick preparation time makes Gourmet Franks a great spot for a 35 minute Paly lunch break.

Fans of the classic hot dog will definitely enjoy this stop.

A&E

The Campanile

October 3, 2011 • B13

Bay Area art museums display antique, everyday items

Multiple locations offer eclectic objects that entertain, educate viewers

By Anna McGarrigle

animators which are open to everyone. Cartoons are so commonly found in publications that they are not often thought of as historic art. This concept is what makes the CAM so interesting, since it displays American history through a common, everyday medium which reflects the events and tastes of that time.

Located on Mission Street, there are other museums within blocks of the CAM, such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Yerba Buena Center, the Jewish Contemporary Museum and the Museum of the African Diaspora. Although it is a lengthy drive or train ride to San Francisco, the CAM is an entertaining and pleasurable experience.

Staff Writer

When most people think of art, they think of ancient paintings by unimaginative old men. However, Bay Area museums have much more interesting content to offer. Museums such as the Museum of American Heritage allow visitors to relive life in a 1930’s Palo Alto home, while the San Jose Museum of Art displays contemporary interpretations of Silicon Valley life. The Cartoon Museum of San Francisco illustrates the history of our country through everyday cartoons and special exhibits. Finally, the Cantor Arts Center on the Stanford campus is a local portal into different cultures and times through a diverse collection of art.

Museums are not only for displaying dull strokes of paint on canvas. They are places to explore the history of the world through extensive mediums with no boundaries. From comic strips to bronze statues to sculptures made out of rejected office materials, museums in the Bay Area span all conceivable outlandish and unconventional subject matter.

museum of american heritage 351 Homer Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 Admission: $5

cantor arts center 328 Lomita Drive Stanford, CA 94304 Admission: Free Entering through the white marble foyer of the Cantor Arts Center makes one forget he or she is in Palo Alto. The museum features art from around the globe, despite being just minutes away from Palo Alto High School. Located just off of Campus Drive on the Stanford University, the Cantor Arts Center stands in a grand columned building built circa 1894. Established from the personal collections of the Stanford family, the Cantor Museum features artwork from various cultures throughout history.

Perhaps the most famous collection is the Auguste Rodin sculpture collection, featuring 200 of the sculptor’s great pieces, including one of Rodin’s most famous pieces, “The Gates of Hell.” The Cantor’s Rodin collection is the largest private collection outside of Paris, attracting approximately 200,000 visitors annually, according to museum Director Thomas Seligman. The “Europe and America in the 19th Century” gallery displays paintings by famous artists such as Eugène Boudin, Edgar Degas and Auguste Renoir. To go forward a few centuries, one can visit the contemporary galleries across the hall.

The Slab Man by Duane Hansen, a lifelike sculpture of a laborer, lives in one of these galleries lives the Slab Man by Duane Hansen, a lifelike sculpture of a laborer. The sculpture is astoundingly realistic, right down to the nametag and facial hair. He stands among other boldly colored modern artwork made out of materials one would never consider art-

ANNA MCGARRIGLE/CAMPANILE

The Museum of American Heritage shows retro objects from the 1930s. These everyday items, like a tube of toothpaste, were revolutionary in their time, but are now items that can be found in almost any home. worthy. Some of Alexander Calder’s famous mobiles can be seen in the outdoor displays of the building.

In addition to being across the street from Paly, the Cantor has no admissions charge.

“It’s a free museum ­— not many museums offer that anymore,” a student-volunteer at the front desk said.

The Cantor is the perfect destination on a rainy day or a sunny picnic in the sculpture garden. Make sure to stop by the Cool Café, which features outdoor seating overlooking the sculpture garden, if you want to grab a snack.

Visiting the Cantor is an international experience and very convenient for Paly students. The artwork is accessible for people of all ages, art enthusiasts or not.

In the heart of downtown San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Art is one of the most prominent contemporary art museums in the Bay Area. Located in a 19th century building, the museum recently added a new wing and sky bridge. The museum’s eclectic collections feature contemporary artwork, with a focus on West Coast and Silicon Valley art. “[We] present the art of our time, contemporary art, especially the artists of the west coast,” Sherrill Ingalls, the Director of Marketing and Communications, said.

One exhibit currently on display is a sculpture made out of castaway office fixtures from Silicon Valley.

Another exhibit investigates the Bible through cartoon artwork. An upcoming collection titled “So, who do you think you are?” explores human nature through art.

cartoon art museum 655 Mission Street San Francisco, CA 94105 Admission: $7 Adults, $5 Children From the Green Lantern to Troubletown, the Cartoon Art Museum (CAM) in San Francisco can tell you everything about the history of cartoons.

Dedicated to documenting the evolution of cartoons, the museum studies and exhibits cartoons through the ages.

Comic enthusiasts can explore the evolution of the Archie Andrews comic strip through original sketches, newspaper strips and comic books on display at the museum.

The “Cartoonists Remember: September 11, 2001-2011” exhibit is coming this month to the CAM as renowned cartoonists exhibit their interpretations of the 10th anniversary. The exhibit features cartoon strips by 93 of the top cartoonists in the country.

In addition to the comics on display, the CAM offers classes taught by professional cartoonists and

Technology of the 1930s may seem prehistoric to some people, but upon further thought, the vegetable peeler was just as great an innovation as the iPhone at that time, and this museum attempts to show the visitors just that.

The Museum of American Heritage (MOAH) has all sorts of items that were state of the art in the 1930s but are now common household objects.

Located in the historic Williams House in downtown Palo Alto, which was built in 1907, the MOAH offers interesting exhibits on electrical and mechanical inventions of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

“Our prime objective is to entertain,” gallery supervisors Julia Baskett said. “Our second priority is education. We want people to come in and look at our exhibits to find things that are interesting in a personal way.”

Among the quirky toys and tools are many things we do not think of as modern inventions.

“Even the simplest things are inventions,” Baskett said.

Toothpaste in a tube, bubble gum, toilet paper, vegetable peelers and even ice cream scoops qualify, according to Baskett.

When men had perfectly groomed mustaches, they needed spoons to protect their mustaches from soup. Quite the innovation.

The original kitchen of the Williams House displays the evolution of the toaster and waffle iron from a clunky press machine to the conventional waffle maker. The kitchen is outfitted with vintage food containers and appliances to paint a portrait of life in a 1930s household.

“We like people to get a sense of the past and learn something,” Baskett said.

The Museum of American Heritage is an important addition to Palo Alto that shows daily life in the town’s history.

Paly students run gaming, music, beauty YouTube channels Self-filmed, edited videos posted online, containing varied content

By Alvin Kim

Shang said that he has had a love for music since he was young. As for why he Names like Nigahiga, Fred and smosh continues to make videos, he says that are recognized as popular YouTube us- encouragement from friends is his moers by almost any high school student. tivation.Tsung said that her motivation But what about Tiffanycorners1994, ted- comes from her viewers and also from the fact that she simply enjoys creating dy405139 and wtflozer?

While the former channels are more the videos.

“I just got contacted by Google Adpopular and have more views, the latter are more related to students at Pa- Sense,” Tsung said. “They add [adverly, since it is Paly students who run the tisements] to your videos and that way you get paid a certain amount. It’s a rechannels.

These students have been inspired to ally insignificant amount, but it’s kind of make a splash in the giant ocean of vid- cool that you get paid for your videos. It’s just fun, a hobby of mine. It’s a cool paseos that is YouTube.

Tiffany Tsung, a Paly senior, runs a time for when I’m bored.”

She emphasized that she currently beauty and fashion channel called tiffanycorners1994, where she gives out considers her channel a hobby and that fashion advice and product reviews. She she does not really aim to get a large said that she was inspired to create You- subscriber base.

“Since my new channel [started], I Tube videos after being introduced to a have around 310 subscribers,” Tsung popular channel.

“My friend showed me a video of a re- said. “Some people are really successful. ally popular girl who was on YouTube They have thousands of subscribers, but and I was like, ‘I didn’t even know that I’m just starting out. The reason why I all of this stuff was on YouTube,’” Tsung do it isn’t for subscribers. It’s just a hobsaid. “I just always thought YouTube by for now.”

Tsung said that she does not try to was for random videos. I started watching more people and as I was watching, emulate other, more well-known users’ I was like, ‘Whoa, I want to do this my- styles, and that she prefers to stick to her own. self.”

“It’s still my own style,” Tsung said.

Paly senior Frank Shang also began making videos after discussing the idea “You’re putting yourself in front of a camera. If you’re acting like someone with a friend. “[I started my YouTube channel] real- else, then it’s totally pointless. They’re ly early sophomore year,” Shang said. “I successful for their own reasons and I remember I was in [chemistry] with se- don’t want to copy them because no one nior Kevin Lee and he was talking about wants to watch five of the same people.”

Teddy Phung, a Paly junior who runs making music. He was like, ‘Oh dude, we should start making music,’ and I just a gaming channel called teddy405139, started making beats and stuff. It just said that his style is about having fun and trying to be grew.” funny while proShang runs “[My channel is] still my own viding footage of a music channel video games that named wtflozer, style. You’re putting yourself in he plays. where he posts front of a camera. If you’re acting Phung said i n s tr um e nt a ls he has changed for the public to like someone else, then it’s totally his style of video download. pointless.” his Anyone who Tiffany Tsung throughout video-making downloads the pre-made songs senior career, initially narrating his can add lyrics games by himor other changes to Shang’s beats in order to create new self, which later led to videos of himself playing games with his friends. songs.

Abraham Phung, Teddy’s older broth“I make music and then I post to YouTube for other people to listen to,” Shang er and a 2011 Paly alumnus, said that said. “The [music] doesn’t have peo- this increase socializing is one of the posple singing so people can download and itive results of Teddy running a channel.

“He reaches out to other people now,” make songs out of it. I mostly do hip-hop and pop and some R&B. I don’t really do Abraham said. “He has several friends right now and they are also big computer country, but I can try to do anything.”

Staff Writer

YOUTUBE

Teddy Phung, who uses the username Teddy405139, posts first-person gaming videos. The format of his gaming videos allow the viewers to watch his video gaming screen like they are playing the game themselves while listening to his in-game voice-overs. people. He’s always on chat with them, talking with them. He would go play Call of Duty and play with them online. From there he would record the gameplay that they do.”

Teddy agreed, saying that his videos relate directly to his friendships.

“I think my YouTube [videos] corresponds with my friends, since a lot of my friends are my gaming friends,” Teddy said.

All of the time and effort being put into videos can open up career paths, as they have for more popular users like WongFuProductions and dailygrace.

Abraham said that while Teddy cannot use YouTube as a job source, he can use his passion to get involved in similar fields of work.

“I feel like [his YouTube channel] is a good vantage point, a good point of inspiration,” Abraham said. “I feel like from here he can integrate into computer engineering. He doesn’t really like programming, but I feel like his outreach into computers and computer science might stem off from this inspiration.”

Likewise, all of Shang’s work is done with the possibility of continuing further

in the future. While his beat-making is only a hobby now, he realizes that music has the potential to become something that plays an even larger role in his life.

“Right now [Youtube] doesn’t affect me that much,” Shang said. “I’m not flying outside of my state to go to other places to collaborate. Eventually if I get big enough it will affect me. It might shape my profession. I might become a music producer. It’s definitely possible.

It’s basically the reason why I’m going to minor in music production [in college].”

Shang said that he will consider colleges’ music programs when picking the college he wants to attend. Many colleges do not offer a music production minor.

“I want to go a school that offers music minors, especially music production and music industry stuff,” Shang said. “I hear [University of Southern California] has a good music program. Also, [University of San Diego] has a music production minor, which is really rare in college.”

Bryan Young, Shang’s friend, said that Shang has the potential to hold a career in music, but that Shang will need to revamp his mentality.

“You have to be really dedicated,” Young said. “It has to turn from an ‘Oh, this is something I do for fun’ to an, ‘Oh, I want this to be my job.”

Even if running YouTube channels is technically only a hobby, the benefits from doing so still make the experience worthwhile. Tsung views her channel as simply a fun hobby, but she said that she has experienced a positive personal change due to running her channel.

“Before I wasn’t as confident in school, even just walking around,” Tsung said.

“I don’t know if it’s just being a senior this year, but I just feel so much more confident and haters don’t bother me as much anymore.”

Helen Shang, Frank’s older sister, also sees an increase in Frank’s confidence “I think he’s learned to be more confident and aggressive in his own music” Helen said. “You need a certain amount of confidence when putting your stuff on YouTube.”

All three channel owners encourage others to use YouTube as a medium to pursue their passions, as they have experienced mostly positive experiences and gained new skills in the process.

A&E

B14 • October 3, 2011

New grilled cheese restaurant to open in Palo Alto Hi-tech food chain attracts customers with comfort food

By Maddie Berger Spotlight Editor

What do a handheld video camera, Pure Digital tech company and a hitech grilled cheese sandwich restaurant have in common?

They were all created by Johnathan Kaplan, a local entrepreneur most famous for popularizing the Flip Video camera. Helping people record cheesy home videos has been Kaplan’s main occupation since 2007, but now he’s moved on to something even cheesier.

The Melt is a hi-tech, fast food restaurant that only offers grilled cheese sandwiches and soup. The first restaurant opened in San Francisco’s SoMA district in August and according to the Huffington Post, Kaplan hopes to open three others by Thanksgiving. Two of the new restaurants are to be located in San Francisco, and the third will be in Palo Alto.

Kaplan’s plan to create a nationwide food chain solely serving grilled cheese seems ambitious in today’s challenging economic climate. However, Kaplan seems confident that the public’s love of comfort food will propel the business forward. He has also received considerable financial backing from venture capital giant Sequoia Capital, according to the Huffington Post.

Capital aside, the real test of the success of The Melt will come from the public and how much they like the new restaurant. The facade of the eatery is inviting enough; large windows and a glass door stamped with MADDIE BERGER/CAMPANILE the cheery orange logo.

Inside, the orange, white and The Melt offers various grilled cheese sandwiches with different cheeses, breads and soups ranging from The Classic with brown themed decor is sleek and cheddar on potato bread and tomato soup to The Amsterdamn with smoked Gouda on eight grain with black bean soup. simple with plastic tables, white walls and bright lighting. The menu melting of the cheese to just the right The sandwiches themselves are mirable, it would be nice to have more is mounted above the cash registers amount. delicious; the sharp cheddar on po- variety. and is short, with less variety than This method of cooking not only tato bread is surprisingly flavorful Also, the chocolate milk is simply a one might expect. guarantees a consistently delicious and dunking it in the tangy toma- Horizon milk, something easily availThere are five different sandwich- grilled cheese, but it also makes the to soup that comes with it makes it able at home or at the grocery store for es and five different soups. One may wait for food very short. After plac- even toastier. half the price. order these items separately for $5.95 ing an order, it only takes about five The Jalapeno Jack is perfect for Due to its never-fail grilling method each (the smaller cup of soup is only minutes before one of the employees those who can handle a little spice, and quick delivery time, The Melt will $3.85) or a combination of one sand- bellows the customer’s initials across while the Gruyere’s earthy, salty fla- most likely be a successful endeavor, a wich and one cup of soup for $8.95. the room, announcing the arrival of vor comes through nicely. The chees- popular lunch spot for working profesThe sandwiches all have differ- their sandwich. es in each of the sandwiches have sionals or a fast dinner option for famient cheeses and breads. There is The presentation of the meal is very distinctive tastes, but the bread lies with tight schedules. By 7:00 pm on the classic sharp cheddar on potato cute yet understated. A brown paper all tastes the same, which is a slight a Friday, a line had formed at the regbread, the spicy jaunder the sandwich disappointment. ister and almost all the seats in the reslapeno jack on souris an allusion to the The addition of the soup to the taurant were full. dough, smoked Goubrown paper lunch cheddar makes it easy to eat so the However, the fact remains that THE MELT da on eight grain, 115 New Montgomery St bag, an old school flavor never gets old. The other sand- grilled cheese is a food that is easy Fontina and provotouch that is echoed wiches, sans soup, were not as en- to make at home and not necessarily San Francisco, CA 94105 throughout the res- joyable to finish. To truly enjoy the something most people are willing to lone on garlic bread and aged Gruyere on taurant. cuisine, purchasing a combination pay more than $5 for. $3.85-$8.95 white wheat.

Each sandwich al- varies the flavors offered to ones palAlso, with no real creativity on the As for preparation, so comes with a com- ette, while a sandwich on its own menu, The Melt is not a restaurant one http://www.facebook.com/themelt all the sandwiches plimentary bag of po- goes bland after eating about half. would go out of their way to visit, alare cooked the same tato chips.

With rather salty items dominat- most defeating the purpose of a restauway on specialized As delicious as ing the menu, a beverage is also a rant all together. grills from Electrolux, a luxury ap- these chips are, after a consuming a must. Water is free, and the only othOverall, while the taste of the sandpliance company that partnered with carbohydrate-heavy sandwich drip- er options are fountain drinks and wiches is superb, The Melt still has Kaplan to create technology that sup- ping with cheese, a piece of fruit normal or chocolate milk. some things to work on to enhance the posedly grills the bread to perfec- would be a more appetizing choice on While the restaurant’s dedication diner’s experience and make them want tion while simultaneously timing the the side. to its paper-bag lunch theme is ad- to come back for more.

Clubbin’ Alex Lin and Riki Rattner

67 different clubs took the quad on Friday, Sept. 23 for Paly’s Club Day. The clubs showed diversity and enthusiasm as they encouraged students to sign up at booths decorated with colorful posters. Clubs focused on everything from bicycling and Bhangra to cartoons and Christianity. Students were treated to free hamburgers and hot dogs during the extra long lunch period, as well as a dance performance. Unity and exitment filled the school during the annual event.

1

The Campanile

in

1950

This edition featuring

John Carter with The Campanile’s own

Kirah Ingram and Lauren Wong The Campanile: What’s it like living with Alex Carter?

John Carter: Pretty fun, he’s a nice guy.

TC: Is it hard living up to the standard he sets of being an awesome smangin’ dude?

JC: Yeah, my parents expect me to have really good grades because of him.

TC: Do you get good grades?

JC: Not really.

TC: John Carter, what’s the most scandalous thing you’ve ever done?

JC: Uhh... I probably can’t say it.

TC: Is it that scandalous?

JC: Uhh... I mean like... with my parents or with the school?

TC: Ohh, wow!

JC: I mean like getting in trouble right, that’s what you mean.

TC: Both.

JC: I’ve gotten in trouble for a lot of stuff.

TC: Just know that this is going to be published from the school newspaper.

JC: Umm... once I disrupted the class and I got in trouble for it.

TC: What were you doing?

JC: I shouted out, um, a... scandalous like... I’ve never done anything scandalous, never mind.

TC: What are you known for?

JC: Being a fun guy to hang out with.

TC: Are you a ladies’ man?

JC: I like to think of myself as a ladies’ man. I like to throw out a couple of punch lines and jokes.

TC: What kind of things do you do while hanging out with the ladies?

JC: I don’t really hang out with the ladies or with men.

TC: And you work at the Farmer’s Market?

JC: I have.

TC: What is one thing you would never want anyone to ever know about you?

JC: Um... why would you ask me that?

TC: What is one thing that no one knows about you?

JC: Um... that Alex Carter is my brother.

TC: But you have the same last name...

JC: Yeah but not many people because Carter is a common last name.

TC: You look very similar and you have the same mannerisms.

JC: Yeah, that’s what a lot of people say but, most people actually don’t know that we are brothers.

TC: Really, because you look like you could be twins. Alex has a butt chin. What do you think about butt chins?

JC: Uh... I don’t like my chin. I think it’s a butt chin and I think they are kinda gross.

TC: What else do you think is gross?

JC: People who have bad dinner table manners.

TC: What’s your pet peeve?

JC: Um, people with lisps.

TC: Wait, why? Why don’t you like people with lisps?

JC: I don’t like how they talk.

TC: They can’t help it.

JC: They should get speech training.

TC: Ohh...

JC: I’m sorry.

TC: Who’s your current love interest?

JC: Love interest?

TC: Yeah. Who do you have your eye on?

JC: Probably my brother, Alex.

TC: Okay... really?

JC: Wait is this actually going into the newspaper?

TC: Yes! You can give her a code name.

JC: I’m not interested in anyone right now.

TC: Are you focusing on your studies?

JC: Yeah.

TC: Good boy. Why aren’t you in PE right now?

JC: Uh... I forgot my bathing suit.

TC: On purpose or by accident?

JC: On purpose.

TC: “Accidentally?” Or accidentally on purpose?

JC: Yeah exactly.

TC: Are you going to do debate [like Alex does?]

JC: No. TC: So what’s your thing?

JC: I’m doing football right now.

TC: Football, how’s that going?

JC: Pretty well.

TC: Are you knocking up some nasty people on the field?

JC: Yes. This is a really weird interview.