December Highlander

LOOK INSIDE:

Senior English electives may end next year

Volleyball makes CCS, gets knocked out in semi-finals See page 11 for details

See page 7 for details

The Highlander Carlmont High School Newspaper Volume II, Issue 3 December 2010 See us online at http://scotscoop.com

Eucalyptus lights draw thousands Thousands of people pour onto Eucalyptus Avenue during the month of December to get a glimpse of the holiday decorations that seem to get more extravagant each year, but many of them don’t know the work involved in making this winter wonderland possible.

Christmas on Eucalyptus Avenue starts a little earlier than it does in most places. Christmas starts around Thanksgiving weekend. But every year as the pressure of having an outstanding light show rises, the start time seems to begin earlier as well.

Eucalyptus Avenue has become a holiday landmark in San Carlos. People from all over the Bay Area come along with visiting family members to get a glimpse of what new creations the residents on the street have come up with each year.

“It’s really extravagant and over the top. I always go there

with my friends and family,” said Reza Mirgoli.

“I just try and create the best possible Christmas experience anyone has ever had. It is the best time of the year,” stated Dave Newman who has lived on Eucalyptus for the past twenty years. “It started out with just a few lights on a few houses and has now grown into a huge phenomenon,” he added.

Many neighbors have come and gone on the street but each newcomer makes sure to pull their weight during this season and add their own style and ideas into the mix.

Only on one occasion has a former neighbor not got in the spirit of things. When that happened, all other neighbors pulled together and left a package on their doorstep containing some extra lights. From that point on they embraced the holiday spirit.

Now, prospective house-buyers are warned of the holiday extravaganza in the purchase

photo by Gianna Dimick

Art mural coming soon

By Erica Valbusa Staff Writer

A mural designed by the Carlmont art club is in the works to brighten up the side of administration building.

The idea of a mural was the vision of Carlmont principal Dr. Raul Zamora, who thought it would be a great way to give Carlmont a different as well as a positive look.

“When the trailer in front of the administration building was moved, a barren wall was left.

Last year, we received a grant from a mural project that the school participated in, and I found out that Ms. Hodges had already painted a few murals. I thought it would be good to put these two ideas together,” stated Dr. Zamora.

The mural is set to be located on the side of the administration building above the yearbook room.

In addition to brightening up the school, “We also thought that this mural would show the importance of art and students will be so impressed by it that they would want to take an art class,” remarked Ms. Cynthia Hodges, who is supervising the project.

The mural will depict a number of students pictured as they are chipping away at a wall, and through this wall will be a tropical scene and a waterfall. The students involved are combining their ideas with the graffiti artist Banksy as their model and inspiration because his art is a part of an underground movement.

“A lot of students can relate to his art and when we combine his work with our ideas, it will have a wider appeal among the students,” stated art club president Kristen Willsher.

Art student Julia McQueary Continued on page 3

disclosure papers that they receive.

For the last twelve years on Thanksgiving weekend, a crane arrives at the Newman home and is then borrowed by most neighbors.

The crane helps everyone put the lights in places that are hard to reach.

In more recent years the Frankonis, who are long term residents of the street as well rent an additional crane to decorate their large and well-known Christmas tree in their front yard.

Another tradition on the street has been the snow, which arrives secretly around the third week in December. Newman doesn’t let the secret date get out knowing that a mob of people will be waiting around

all day.

Newman used to get snow driven in from Tahoe, but after learning that the snow melted very quickly on the drive home he went a different route. He got in contact with an ice company nearby San Jose and they crush ice to look like snow.

One morning, ten tons of “snow” is unloaded onto a thirty

foot ramp to make it possible for anyone to go sledding. Newman wanted to create a more Christmas spirited environment.

So if it doesn’t snow here Newman doesn’t see why you cant bring it.

“I want the neighbors to keep doing it because it is so sick,” added Armen Balushian.

Continued on page 3

Cheer squad competing in nationals

By Mary Farmar Staff Writer The Carlmont cheerleaders aren’t just there to get students pumped up at a football game, they are also a competitive squad who placed third in their first competition and are heading towards nationals in March.

On November 7, the Carlmont cheer team attended a competition held at Washington High School in Fremont. Before the event cheerleader Ariana Bolton said, “It’s our first competition for Carlmont, and I’m super excited. Our team has been planning on going to nationals.”

After competing against many high school teams, they ended up placing third out of nine in the division, qualifying them for

photo by Gianna Dimick

By Bridget Newman Staff writer

nationals.

Many students at Carlmont have noticed improvement and changes in their performances making them more appreciated. “I think they’re better this year because they looked more organized and they had amazing tricks at the last assembly,” said Lauren Bruguera.

Ryan Fong stated, “They have

definitely improved because they’re doing more impressive stunts and routines. They look more passionate about what they do.”

Helping the Scots become better is coach Jelica Baker who is new this year. She motivates and inspires the cheerleaders. When Continued on page 12

49ers’ Bill Ring - Carlmont alum reflects

By Reyna Ortiz Staff Writer

Carlmont High School has been blessed over the years with many well-known alumni; among these is living legend Bill Ring, former running back from the San Francisco 49ers.

Along with playing football all four years of high school, Ring also played for Carlmont’s baseball team and wrestling team that won the league champion-

ship.

Carlmont’s current softball coach and former math teacher, Mr. Jim Liggett, was Ring’s offensive and defensive line coach on the football field. ”He [Ring] was the most dedicated and competitive football player I have ever coached,” Liggett stated.

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, then moving to Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and finally settling

in Belmont, California did not have an effect on Ring’s career later in life.

Winning the championship game against the now-closed, Cubberley High School, his senior year with 360 rushing yards, Ring was headed for success.

When asked if he ever thought he would make it to the NFL, Continued on page 10

Page 2

News and Opinions

Homework may not help scores; may hurt students

By Kendall Bishop Staff Writer

For dedicated students, a lot of time is put into homework, but is all the work being given beneficial to our academics or is it causing students to suffer?

Experts define homework as outof-class work used to help students elaborate on classroom activities and to establish goals, good study habits, as well as responsibility.

The positive aspect of homework is it allows students to get a better understanding and retention of the material learned in class.

The purpose of homework is not only for the students benefit but for the teachers as well. Teachers use homework as a way to get a feel for the student’s comprehension of the material. This comes in use as a direction for what the teacher needs to review.

Freshman Rachel Burry explained, “Homework can be helpful especially in math because when I don’t understand something in class, I can go back and read the book to review and understand it.”

Although teacher’s motives for giving homework may be good, studies show that homework can cause conflict at home. It not only affects family relationships by cutting into family time, but it is also a cause of arguments due to a parent’s concern for their child’s success.

“Homework can sometimes be stressful because I have a giant family and my

dad works till late so I am responsible for making dinner and doing homework on top of it,” Carlmont student Sarah Burry expressed. Her sister, Rachel Burry agreed, “Homework can be stressful, because in some classes homework is worth a lot.”

Since the 1990’s there has been a great push for giving larger amounts of homework because of the increasingly high academic standards. Now, more than ever, America is feeling the pressure of keeping in competition with countries that have higher academic test scores.

However, research shows that the amount of homework given, whether it be greater or less, is not related to higher achievement. According to physorg.com, Denmark and Japan have some of the highest scoring students but the teachers are known to give little homework.

Greece, Thailand and Iran are assigned a large amount of homework and those countries have very low average scores.

Pediatricians are now concerned that too much homework can be unhealthy.

This is due to kids not having enough time for physical activity. Homework overload can lead to chronic sleep loss which causes obesity, higher blood pressure, and heart rate as well as depression, anxiety and stress.

While the effects of homework can be negative and positive, it’s something all students have to deal with to get through the school experience.

Christianity Devolved

By Arik Schoessow Staff Writer

“Christianity has changed. It was once a moral system based on the teachings of a good-hearted prophet but for mainstream society stretching for hundreds of years up to today, in America and across the world, this system has devolved into a fallback for a social title of morality and justification for cruel acts of hatred, only made acceptable because of divine right.”

Christianity has changed. It was once a moral system based on the teachings of a good-hearted prophet but for mainstream society stretching for hundreds of years up to today, in America and across the world, this system has devolved into a fallback for a social title of morality and justification for cruel acts of hatred, only made acceptable because of divine right.

However, that is not to say that the Christianity of truth is completely lost in time. Today there are still those who follow the path of an original Christian, devoting their efforts to humanity and combating, not following a path of hypocriticism. It is only a shame that there are so few.

The dawn of Christianity occurred around the first century and it was a raw following of the prophet Jesus Christ.

The Christians then were subject to prosecution from Jewish religious leaders, they were the underdogs, the martyrs.

The Christians continued to be punished, this time by the Roman Empire starting around the year 64, and ending more than two hundred years later in the year 313. It was at this point that Christianity was granted Authoritative Power.

Now, the one thing about true Christianity that is entirely beautiful is the same thing that makes expansive Christianity fully impossible. The teachings of Christ discourage greed. Jesus the man

was a dreamer who saw many flaws in what society had become and wished to expose them. He saw that the roots of these flaws could be reformed by people coming together to resist tyranny, and becoming humane and neighborly to one another.

However, society is not so malleable and once power is granted the fates change easily. In 313, when Constantine adopted Christianity as the religion of the Roman Empire, the fates changed. Christianity became the enforcer, the invader, the Empire. Ever since then Christianity has been possibly the most profound influence on Western society in the history of man. Divine right, manifest destiny, assumed authority are all things that have been born since Christianity has taken power in the western world.

Now, as the evolution of the western world continued to progress, so did the evolution of Christianity. Civilization has grown and become more of a large frenzy than a community of peoples. As the masters of this frenzy (Kings, Popes, other religious leaders) gained more power in society, the overall power of Christianity grew as well until it became an authoritative system that demanded and enforced a strict set of specialized laws. Basically, the religion has remained in high authority since then, even in the United States.

Christianity is the predominant religion in the United States today, which is ironic, because true Christianity would never be bound with a capitalist system.

As I mentioned earlier, true Christianity opposes greed, so why is it that people in America feel as if they are true Christians when they are actually devoted capitalists? Because they do not understand or necessarily even believe the message of Christianity. People most associate Christianity with Christmas and

The world political stage

By Matthew Ray Staff Writer

The world in which we live today is nothing like the world that our ancestors traversed. Today we live in a complex society of rules and regulations, laws and societal constructs to manipulate and mold our minds into working machines; we work to further the progress of the entire political machinery that now keeps the whole world on its toes. However, we are no more evolved in our society than we were hundreds of years ago. We seem to have taken two steps forward, three steps back, then we stumbled over and now we refuse to pick ourselves up.

Politics surround our every movement. When we walk down the street we think about how we walk down the street, how others are going to think and respond to however we walk, and the coordination and movement of the action of walking. When we become worried with the opinions of others then we begin to forget our own opinions and they slowly dissipate. In the grand scheme of things, what somebody else thinks is simply irrelevant.

“All the world’s a stage,” as Shakespeare once said, “and all the men and women merely players.” In this ongoing act the director is somewhere off in the distance. You can never really see the director or speak with the director, you are just directed. And all this time you may wonder why your lines are yours or why you were given a specific role and it’s not for any real reason except for one that you create for yourself. Meaning is self projected. If you’re actually being directed, it’s only because you signed up for the play. But where the real politics come in are in the stage directions.

The system that the past generations have created has grown, been engineered

and influenced by each passing generation. So it begins to seem like the further in time you go the less choice each new generation has; that reform is the only option to any change in the system, political reform. In part that’s true. The system will become more advanced and more complex as we go but we can still change the system itself. We don’t have to be subject to the system and manipulated into working for its benefit. In the system, we are all tools. However, some tools are used by the powers at be and others fit in to the intricate design of the machine. Those other tools are maintained and checked on but with one slip those tools can bring down the entire machine with them; renegades.

Now, I’m not talking about anarchy or any sort of project mayhem catastrophe to the system that would result in its demise. I’m talking about serious education; re-indoctrinating the masses, because the only ideal way to combat propaganda is essentially with more propaganda. A lot of people don’t even realize the system we live in is fallacy. It is only one of many possible outcomes of humanity and, plain and simple, it is not a very good one. Once people realize that we are being manipulated and used as tools in the political machinery, then a real change can occur.

All change comes from within. Each person must be a catalyst for the real revolution, the mental revelation. I say we stop the madness induced by this sad excuse for a humane organization of society that we know as our government.

You are only directed if you sign up for the play and you are only controlled if you agree to the unspoken laws of authority.

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players”

the holiday season in general, the spirit of gifts and giving, but what Christmas has become is simply an economic event, perhaps the most intense in the modern world.

The season of gifts makes people feel like they must buy, mostly due to the social expectancy, not the genuine attitude of fellowship.

This plays into the hands of the capitalist mentality and is now an unstoppable habit, fed by social constraints. It is a shame but faith has largely become a social standard that many people are bred to uphold, a mere expectation.

Faith should be more than an image. If a person is willing to commit to a religion, that person had better understand and practice what the religion suggests, not just use the membership for appearance.

The first Christians underwent torturous prosecution for hundreds of years to bring the simple message of love and companionship toward one another, but somewhere along the path the name of Christianity was stolen and applied to a

quite different concept: religious extremism. When kings and emperors said they adopted Christianity, they were in fact abandoning all forms of it. What is practiced today by most mainstream Christians is certainly not anywhere close to the standards that were laid down in the “past times”. If the prophet, the man Jesus Christ could see what is being done in his namesake today, he would be seriously disturbed.

News and Opinions

Republican party in control School budgets may be affected

By Jorja Flynn Staff Writer

The Republican led House of Representatives may lead to changes in education. Republicans and Democrats often have different views on how education in the country should be run and the now Republican majority may want to make changes to the previously Democrat House.

A few months ago in Arizona, a bill was passed banning ethnic studies from being taught in schools. Arguments against it claim that it is racist and that it only passed because Republicans do not like illegal immigrants, according to forbes. com.

On the other side, the Republicans view it as a way to encourage ethnic diversity.

According to forbes.com, Republicans believe that ethnic studies “advocate ethnic solidarity instead of treating pupils as individuals.�

While both sides have a strong argument, it does not change the fact that certain subjects are actually being banned from being taught.

There have also been cases where books were attempted to be banned from schools and public libraries because they were deemed inappropriate.

During Republican Sarah Palin’s term as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, she tried to have certain books banned from libraries.

It became a national issue because it was not the first time that someone had tried to ban books from libraries and schools.

Liberals generally believe that children should have access to all knowledge and that it should be up to the parents to decide what their children can or cannot read, whereas, some conservatives believe that children should not be exposed to potentially harmful material.

According to a study given to students of Carlmont history teacher, Jayson Waller, over 60 percent of his students would have voted Democrat in the Midterm elections if they were of legal voting age.

If the five classes that Waller teaches are at all representative of the rest of the students’ beliefs, it suggests that a lot of students at Carlmont support Democrats.

Most Democrats would be frustrated at a Republican controlled House because it would mean not much would get done.

More bills are usually passed when the majority party in the legislative branch and executive branch agree on issues, but the president is Democrat and the House is now Republican controlled. Some Democrats are upset that they lost control of the House to Republicans.

“I think a Republican controlled House might positively affect students because they might take more of an interest in politics if the shift in the House doesn’t bring about the policies and results they like. It might help them develop a political identity based on what they think should or shouldn’t change,� said Asha Karim.

Since Republicans are generally more conservative, they tend to support more of these conservative views on education such as the freedom to pray in schools.

Though praying in school has not been banned in particular, schools are not allowed to force students to pray.

It seems that just because a few states enacted more conservative rules for schools that the House would never mess with schools nationally, but Republicans in congress have tried before.

In 1996 the Republican Party discussed dissolving the Department of Education because the constitution did not give the government the power to control schools, which would mean education would be completely up to individual schools.

According to news.yahoo.com, Republicans in the 2010 midterm elections were also discussing abolishing the Department of Education raising the question; will the Republicans in the House affect our schools?

“Certain subjects are banned from being taught�

Student athletes work hard for balance

By Connor Moore

As high school flies by, the road from the freshman squad to becoming a senior on varsity is starting to become harder and harder because of the intensifying competition in education and the lack of schedule availability for other academic activities.

For most varsity teams, and some junior varsity, practice starts immediately after school. It’s also expected around once a week that a blank schedule be kept for games.

This almost completely rules out the opportunity for student athletes to pledge their time on a regular basis towards any academic, extra-curricular activities.

Most sports rule out even more than just some extra-curricular clubs, but also limit possibilities to schedule extra classes. Most varsity teams, and some j.v. teams, start somewhere around twenty to thirty minutes after school gets let out.

An athlete doesn’t have the chance to take a seventh period class if he or she pleases to do so.

Ms. Delgado, a counselor at Carlmont, has seen students balance sports an academics well, and also has advice on how to succeed.

She recommends not necessarily falling victim to the stereotype that colleges

photo by Gianna Dimick

Staff Writer

academically.

Elodie Stephan, a Carlmont senior, traveled the same road earlier depicted. From being a young procrastinating freshman to a varsity water polo star, and academic success. “Freshman year I thought I could easily finish my procrastinated essay at 11 p.m and wake up at 5:30 in the morning to be at the Carlmont pool by 6 A.M�

Now as a senior, Stephan has assessed the true importance of succeeding in school and even sacrificed socially to do so, “I obviously thought wrong as a freshman,� Stephan commented, “and now as a senior I’ve had to sacrifice.

Many weekends where I know there’s a fun party that all my friends are going to, to work on my college stuff.�

There are certainly ways to up one’s GPA while combining on and off court/ field success however. Taking advance placement classes, scheduling a zero period, and using free time on the weekends to do community service are all ways to increase an individual’s GPA. One of the keys in sports is to fight hard, then once you are tired, fight harder. By no means should someone give up on attempting to have an outstanding GPA because of the fact that an individual is overly time consumed. There are ways to succeed, effort is really one of the only constants necessary to do so.

On, and off of the court.

only look at an individual’s outstanding achievements, but rather, colleges actually look at outstanding success. Achieving success in her eyes was plain and simple: do what you have a passion for, and your performance will reflect what colleges are searching for.

Ms. Delgado also commented “It’s all about time management. I have seen success through people who know how to assess the amount of effort and time necessary to do well.� Though it may seem impossible to enhance one’s transcript or repertoire, sports in and of themselves are extra-curricular. Participating in them gains athletes credits and also colleges highly regard school athletics because it is pretty much universally understood the strife undergone by most athletes

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Page 3

Highlander Staff Editor-in-chief: Christina Belasco

Entertainment: Sarah Biklen

Scot Scoop: Savannah Jack

Features:

Jenna Chambers

Sports:

Dana Bloom

Online:

Ashley Dierolf

Photo Editors: Gianna Dimick Curtis Fan

Copy Editor/ Cartoonist: Elizabeth Max

Staff Writers: Emily Beiers Carly Bertolozzi Kendall Bishop Grace Chang Shannon Chang Jacob Cox Mary Farmar Joshua Faulkner Jorja Flynn Nikolas Frazier Ivan Garin Sarah Levin Connor Moore Bridget Newman Reyna Ortiz Alexandra Porter Matthew Ray Jasmine Rishi Arik Schoessow Miranda Santana Steven Tsujisaka Erica Valbusa Annie Wesolek Anna Wheeler Noelani Zane

The Highlander is published eight times a year as an open forum for student expression.

Comments can be sent via email to editor@scotscoop.com Visit scotscoop.com for daily content updates, videos, slideshows, and more.

Art mural Continued from front

will be creating a rendering of the mural, which is a miniature version of the final product. The students involved will then use this blueprint to create the mural itself. “I know that it’s going to look awesome and be a great new part of the school,� stated McQueary.

The total size of the mural is set to be 16 by 20 feet. The students will not paint on the actual building itself, but rather on twenty 4 by 8 foot wooden panels. These panels will then be hung on the building.

The art club has already begun the process of creating the mural with the priming of the wooden boards. It is planned that the students will paint the mural on Fridays during lunch and on the weekends.

The students involved have their work cut out for them to finish the mural. “We are shooting for February because we want to have it up in time for the seniors to enjoy,� said Hodges.

The funds for the mural are being supplied by the grant that Carlmont received last year.

Willsher and McQueary both have high hopes for the final product. “I hope that everyone will love it and that it will get up sooner than later,� remarked Willsher. “I am excited to see how the mural will bring everyone together and to see what the mural will look like,� stated Dr. Zamora.

Holiday Lights Continued from front

Eucalyptus’ lights have now become a huge part of the Christmas season, and truly put the Bay Area in the Christmas spirit. The sky seems to be the limit for the residents of Eucalyptus and so much work goes into making the each house appear magical.

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Entertainment

Page 4

Weird television hooks us You don’t want to watch but you can’t look away

By Sarah Levin Staff Writer

From polygamy to unplanned pregnancy, some shows on TV these days are just plain weird.

Take the show Sister Wives for example. This controversial show premiered on TLC back in September, and follows the lives of Kody Brown and his four wives as they navigate through life.

So far, Brown has courted and married his fourth wife, Robyn, and there have been numerous spats between his wives and his thirteen (yes, thirteen) children.

Overall, the show has had mixed reviews from critics, and our Carlmont critics are no different. Referring to Brown’s lanky locks, English teacher Jody Humes noted, “With that haircut, I don’t see how this guy can even get four wives!�

The Browns have been quoted saying they started their involvement in the series to open people’s eyes about polygamy. However, this plan may have backfired.

After the first episode aired, the police

announced a criminal investigation of the family for evidence of polygamy (marriage to more than one person). Kody Brown has insisted the situation is completely legal, as only his first marriage is recognized by the state.

Despite threats of criminal prosecution, TLC has already picked up Sister Wives for a second season. No word yet on whether it will be called Sister Prisoners.

In any case, the weirdness doesn’t stop there. People looking for an even weirder and more disgusting show can tune in to I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant, also on TLC. The show chronicles the stories of women who (you guessed it!) didn’t know they were pregnant until they went into labor.

Though it may seem ridiculous, this show may actually benefit our nations youth. It shows young women what

could happen if they’re not careful. It would certainly be an effective Sex Ed. Program.

Through all of this, the question remains: Why would anyone even WATCH this garbage?! Two words: unintentional humor.

The stories on I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant are so bizarre that the show almost borders on satire.

Whether following the adventures of a woman who was told by the emergency room nurse, “Congratulations! You just had a baby in your pants!,�or the tragic story of an unfortunate girl who gave birth in a toilet, the situations either make you feel sorry for the mother or wonder out loud how stupid someone could be.

As Carlmont junior Monika Skinner

put it, “How can someone not know they were pregnant?! Wouldn’t they figure it out when they started getting fat?�

Though both Sister Wives and I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant have achieved moderate success. Sophomore Emma Smith said, “Overall, TV is getting worse - all those reality shows and everything.�

Are there any quality shows left? Some Carlmont students have the answer.

Smith, like many high school students, enjoys watching Glee. “I love Glee. It’s entertaining and most of the songs are really good.� Not only is Glee entertaining, it also touches on important key issues, from religious faith to sexual preference.

And yes, there is some unplanned pregnancy thrown in too.

Sophomore Carol Painter enjoys Chuck, a show about an average Joe thrust into the secret life of a spy. Painter enjoys Chuck because it has, “smart humor.

Also, even though the story line probably wouldn’t happen in real life, its done in a way that seems very realistic.�

Hang in there, Carlmont. If you look past the ridiculousness of reality programming, there are still some shows out there worth watching.

How the Scots stole Christmas Concert list

Traditions, customs unique to all different countries

By Alex Porter Staff Writer

From large feasts to floral decorations like poinsettias, Christmas is celebrated in a variety of ways all over the world.

Each country has its own unique festivities.

In Italy, Christmas celebrations last for three weeks starting with Novena, which are short prayers that begin eight days before Christmas. The last day is when the Italian children receive most of their gifts. Instead of Santa Claus, La Befana will bring gifts (or coal if they are bad) to the children in Italy. La Befana signifies the end of holiday on January 6 during a time called the Epiphany.

The Middle Eastern Christmas involves a time of fasting from December 1 to Christmas Eve to purify the mind and body. After the fasting is broken, families usually attend mass and read prayers. “My grandmother recites prayers before presents are opened on Christmas day,� sophomore Yassi Yavari commented.

A feast follows the celebration, with chicken stew as the main course.

The Scottish government banned Christmas for almost four hundred years before it was reestablished in the 1950’s.

Today, it is celebrated quietly amongst the people, mostly because the Scottish Church does not think highly of the holiday. Some traditions the people of Scot-

land follow include keeping the fire lit to scare away evil elves, making Advent calendars, and playing the bagpipe.

Like Scotland, Christmas was banned throughout Russia from 1917 to 1992.

The ban influenced more festivities during the New Year, leaving Christmas as a smaller, more religious holiday. “New Year is a greater celebration than Christmas in Russia,� commented freshman, Simeon Giverts. Since the Russians use a different calendar than other countries, their Christmas falls on January 7. Some Russian customs are decorating trees, called the “yelka� and attending all-night

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church services.

Traditional customs during a Greek Christmas include forty days of fasting, children singing “kalanda�, or carols, eating christopsomo bread, and honoring Saint Nicholas. During the twelve days of Christmas, families will place a sprig of basil wrapped around a wooden cross in a bowl of holy water to scare away the evil Killantzaroi spirits. Gifts are not usually given until January 1 on St. Basil’s Day. Mexican Christmas focuses on the religious aspects of the holiday. The main celebration that is most traditional to Mexico is La Posada. “During La Posada, a group of people each week, walk to a house asking for shelter and we bring Virgin Mary and leave her there,� mentioned O’Dalis Hernandez, a junior.

After a midnight mass, known as “la misa del gallo�, families will sit down to a Christmas dinner. Bright, bold poinsettias representing Christmas time originated from Mexico in the seventeenth century.

We are very familiar with the tree decorations, stockings, cookies for Santa, and lights illuminating the outside of houses, that symbolize the American Christmas.

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Entertainment

Page 5

Kwanzaa uncovered

Revealing the myths behind this little known holiday

By Anna Wheeler Staff Writer

The three main winter holidays are considered to be Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. But if that is the case, then why is it that Kwanzaa falls behind in the sense that few people know about it?

Surprisingly Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday. Known as the first specifically African American holiday, it was created

by Maulana Karenga in 1966 in order to celebrate African American culture, beliefs and history.

It is celebrated over a seven day span and features activities such as candle lighting and gift giving. Celebrators of Kwanzaa follow seven main principles, including unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. Each day is dedicated to a specific principle.

Day one is Umoja, which is Swahili for unity. This day revolves around family, community, nature and race.

The second day celebrates self-determination. During this part of celebration, people focus on how they define them-

selves.

Ujima, or responsibility, is honored on day three. The main points include helping others and building and maintaining community together.

On the fourth day, Ujamaa is the focus.

Ujamaa is defined as cooperative economics, and can be practiced in numerous different ways. One of the ways it is commonly used is to try to influence leaders within a local community to support an equal economic system.

The fifth day is Nia, also known as purpose. It is based on developing community in order to restore people to their original greatness.

The sixth day is dedicated to creativity, known in Swahili as Kuumba. The day encourages people to do as much as they can in hopes of leaving their community more beautiful than it was originally.

And last but not least is Imani, or faith.

Imani promotes the belief and trust in people.

In an interview with Beliefnet, a site devoted to different religions and beliefs, Maulana Karenga stated that “Kwanzaa does not come from African religions, it comes from African culture.”

Carlmont students, although very diverse, barely know anything about the third most mainstream winter holiday.

“I don’t know anything about it, actually,” said Melanie Albanese, a sophomore.

Kwanzaa has very little publicity. It is truly more of a cultural holiday as opposed to Christmas, which despite having a strong religious connection, is becoming more and more of a commercial holiday for some people.

Going down the same thought path

Music has always been a part of society.

Arguably, the most famous concert of all time was Woodstock. The “Three Days of Peace and Music” featured artists such as The Who, Janis Joplin, Santana and The Grateful Dead, for only eight dollars and fifty cents. When asked what past concert he would have liked to see, Gustinsic replied, “Of course Queen if Freddie [Mercury] were still alive, and Led Zeppelin.”

Another form of enjoyment at concerts is people-watching.

Observing the actions of fans can be just as entertaining as watching the band itself.

You can spot men and women of all ages dancing and drawing attention to themselves in hopes of catching the eye or the performer.

Women dress provocatively and might even wear outlandish pink wigs, such as a fan at the “Billy Joel and Elton John Face To Face Tour 2010.”

At Aerosmith’s “Cocked, Locked and Ready To Rock Tour” this past summer one woman threw a rose at front-man Steven Tyler and cried in happiness as he spit the petals out into the audience after biting it.

As for men, you can be sure they’re are singing and yelling as loud as they can as they dance.

Even though you may be having the time of your life, everything comes with a price. Hats, scarves, programs, bags, jackets, bandanas and even underwear can be bought. Just a simple t-shirts can cost forty dollars.

The memories will last a lifetime and when you see thousands of lighters light up a stadium like stars in the night sky you’ll find that in the end it was all worthwhile.

Toys & games throughout the years

Live music is better

By Miranda Santana Staff Writer

Imagine there are thousands of screaming people around you. They are all waiting to see their favorite artist and you are one of those people. You don’t feel the excitement unless you are there. Experiencing your favorite artist in person is much more enjoyable.

Some people question whether a two-hundred dollar ticket is worth being so close to the stage for a few hours or whether a nosebleed seat that is still expensive is worth it for being that far away.

“The loud music just kind of consumes you and its like being in a whole different world.” said Rachel Cissna.

During concerts, the music is so loud that Photo by Miranda Santana you can’t hear anyone around you singing along, let alone yourself. Besides the music, fans are clapping their hands and screaming on the top of their lungs in attempt to get the performers attention.

The reality hits everyone at a concert.

You are not experiencing the music through an ipod, a computer, the radio, or TV. Your favorite artist is right in front of you.

A lot of Carlmont students have gone to concerts. You can tell by t-shirts that say things such as “Bon Jovi: The Circle Tour 2010.” Or you can log onto Facebook and see their status as “OMG 25 days till i see...!!!!”

“I saw Tower of Power,” said Jeff Sudmeir. “It was pretty awesome! I had a spot right next to the speakers.”

There are still students who have yet not had the concert experience. “It would be sick to see Blink-182, The Offspring, and A Day To Remember,” said Mark Gustinsic.

that Albanese did, Katy Spalding, also a sophomore, added her own opinion. “I know it’s a holiday and that it’s celebrated around Christmas time, but to be honest, that’s about it,” she stated.

Although there is not much known about Kwanzaa, it has a lot of impact on people all over the world.

Evolution of fun

By Annie Wesolek Staff Writer

Without modern technology, children of the past found imaginative ways to have fun.

Parents constantly feel the need to remind their children that “back in their day,” things were a lot different, and much simpler than today’s fast-paced digital world. Take a look at some popular toys and trends from back in the day...

During the 50’s in various colleges, students would take part in telephone booth stuffing. The goal was to stuff as many people in a telephone booth as the space would allow.

In order to set a record, one person inside the booth would have to make call.

The world record for the most people stuffed into a telephone booth was set in South Africa for twenty-five people.

Toward the end of the 50’s, this fad lost popularity in the USA, only to be reincarnated in the form of Volkswagen stuffing years later.

A beloved children’s toy of today was produced back in the 60’s. Etch A Sketch was invented by Arthur Granjean in 1959 and debuted at the international Toy Fair that year.

The toy entered production July 12,

1960, and became a huge hit. “The Etch A Sketch was awesome because your drawing could disappear with just a few shakes,” commented Maddie Holbrook.

In the 70’s popular toys like the Pet Rock and the Rubik’s Cube were invented. Gary Dahl, from Las Gatos, California, envisioned that the perfect pet was one that did absolutely nothing.

The Pet Rock was essentially a stone placed on a bed of straw in a cardboard box with an instructional manual full of fun interesting things about the pet.

Some stores began selling miniature clothes for the Pet Rock.

The Rubik’s Cube was invented by a Hungarian Professor by the name of Ernő Rubik in 1974 and has been very popular in recent years, even among teens.

In the 80’s it was all about Care Bears.

These fluffy companions were child’s best friend.

One of the major toy trends during the 90’s were virtual pets. One of the most popular virtual pets were call Tamagotchis, digital handheld pets. The appeal of a virtual pet, much like that of a pet rock, came from its simplicity. Children could own a pet that they didn’t need to feed, walk, or spend time with.

Entertainment has changed over the years, but no matter what decade it is, there is always a way to waste time.

Scot Scoop Students give back this holiday season Page 6

During this holiday season, many Carlmont Scots are looking forward to helping others by Adopting a family, participating in the canned food drive, and much more.

Throughout December, Carlmont High School runs a program called Adopt-AFamily where students can help others who need extra help during the holidays.

Adopting a family is simple. First you will need to contact Mr. Jim Kelly or Mrs. Joni Gordon for details. Then they will assign you a family and you are on your way to being a successful sponsor.

The families who participate in AdoptA-Family are collectively chosen by the staff and administration of Carlmont and are anonymous to sponsors.

Being a sponsor entails the following: providing a holiday meal with enough food to feed the entire family and bearing at least one present for every family member. Also when adopters are feeling extra generous they will include other household necessities.

The family usually makes a wish list so the sponsors know what they need or

would like, before they receive the gifts.

Presents range anywhere from Hot Wheels toy cars for young children to warm winter coats and scarves for adults.

When everything is bought and ready to be given away, the adopters give their gifts to the Carlmont staff and is delivered the week before Christmas to each family.

Many people at Carlmont who have earned a reputation of adopting families over the years including Terri Plack, Ms. Michelle McKee, ASB, and Ms. Gail Langkusch.

This year Ms. McKee will not be adopting a family, but contributing to the cause by aiding in the finances of the gifts and clothing to any person choosing to Adopt-A-Family.

When asked why she likes to help the Adopt A Family program she said, “I feel like I have so much and I feel like Christmas is about giving back and sharing. I don’t really need anything during the holidays but there are many families in great need.”

Although there are many who cannot afford to adopt a family, there are always means of helping out this holiday season.

An alternative way students helped out during these festive months was by collecting canned, imperishable foods for the can food drive at our school, starting November 8th and ending the 19th.

Last year the food drive was such a hit, that ASB collected enough food to feed Carlmont families though April. The goal this year was to beat our record and raise even more cans.

On November 18 and 19 ASB students went around to each class and collected all the cans, excited to see if they could achieve their goal.

Many teachers, including Mr. Felix Guzman, offered extra credit to students who brought in cans for the drive.

Like many other teachers he believes strongly in the food drive.

During the drive he told the Highlander, “I care about people who don’t have food on their tables. I come from a poor country [Guatemala] so I am sympathetic with those who are less fortunate. One thing that should never happen is people going hungry because there’s always something others can do to change it.”

On top of helping Carlmont families, many students brought in as many cans as they could to their 4th period class, in hopes of winning a free pizza party from ASB. Students were also encouraged to bring their cans in reusable bags, because after the drive was over, ASB students sorted and then organized the food into full meals, that totaled to 160.

No matter what you do, every bit helps, especially during the holidays. AdoptA-Family and the canned food drive are ways in which Carlmont students and staff play their part in making sure everyone in our community has a happy, joyful holiday.

How to: break bad news to your parents

Photo by: Gianna Dimick

By Carly Bertolozzi Staff Writer

It’s all about timing and making sure the truth doesn’t hurt

By Sarah Biklen

Entertainment Editor Christmas is coming up, and with the holiday season comes gifts, including the treasured gift of your final semester report card.

If you feel like your grades might hinder your chances at getting that brand new iPhone or cat’s cradle kit you’ve always wanted, you may need a fresh strategy for breaking the bad news; one that eases your parents into the shock of their child’s mistake.

One approach is the ol’ “there’s really bad news, and then there’s bad news.”

Start with something terrible that you didn’t do and then finish with something that you actually did.

It is important that your pseudo-mis-

take is worse than your real mistake.

For example, say you are having a nice quiet family dinner with your parents.

The smell of smoked salmon and couscous is alive in the air and you feel like the time is right to unveil the truth about your D in English.

So you tell your parents, “Mom, dad, I crashed the family car.” Once you see their startled disappointed faces you know it’s the right time for, “Just kidding! But I did get a D in English,” followed by an awkward laugh and a charming smile.

News broken, Christmas presents still somewhat guaranteed.

Another strategy is to catch your parent(s) when they’re busy and nonchalantly mention your latest mistake.

If your mom is typing an email and doesn’t seem to be responding to what you say with anything other than the word “yes” this is the opportune moment to confess your latest mistake.

Make sure you casually interject the bad news into your monologue. For instance, “So we were all discussing the validity of the hypotenuse when I realized I failed math class, which really put a damper on the mood.” Then hope your mom or dad doesn’t notice.

A method that has been historically effective is a little something I like to call “list and drop.” This simply means that one lists their most recent achievements (i.e. a good grade on a test or a chore completed) and then drops the bad news.

Ideally, the good will outweigh the bad

and your parents won’t be too disappointed.

If you’re really desperate, just remember that a letter can often demonstrate thoughtfulness and would be a less direct approach.

If you really want to give your parents some space to cool down give the letter to them on the way out of the house.

Who knows? By the time you get back they may be ready to forgive.

There is no real way to get around breaking bad news to your parents, but there are ways to soften the blow.

If you decide to take this advice or create your own method, just remember to avoid jumbo-trons and writing in the sky; subtlety leads to success.

Did you know...? The monthly quad snapshot

By Gianna Dimick Photo Editor

Photo By Gianna Dimick

- Honey is sometimes used in the center of golf balls - The can opener was invented 48 years after the invention of the can.

- Avocados are poisonous to birds.

- About 150 people die each year from being hit by a coconut.

- On average it takes 6 months to build a Rolls Royce and 13 hours to make a Toyota.

- A dragonfly has an average lifespan of 24 hours.

- By licking a stamp, 1/10th of a calorie is consumed.

- An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain.

- It’s required in Belgium to take harmonica lessons in preschool.

- In the world, 12 newborn babies are accidentally given to the wrong parents everyday.

Ashley Thompson, Cierra Reimche, and Jessica Gotelli show off their Hogwarts spiritwear on Friday the 19th, in honor of reported from: www.funfactz.com the new Harry Potter movie now in theatres.

Scot Scoop

Page 7

English choices may end Talk Elective English classes may not be an option for seniors next year Staff Writer

Carlmont’s administration and English teachers are discussing the future of the senior English courses: creative writing and mythology.

Rumors are that the beloved senior electives, creative writing and mythology may be cut in the 2011-2012 school year.

According to Carlmont administrators, staff members are not allowed to share why the courses may be cut.

“The decision about whether to continue the elective program is not made yet.

In fact, the question is under discussion right now, and there are many possible outcomes,” stated English teacher Carole Pierce.

Creative writing is a course for seniors that helps develop each student’s discrete voice and sole writing technique.

Students read and write various essays, short stories, and poems, which they later scrutinize for understanding. “[Students] focus on stylistic devices and rhetorical structures and strategies,” stated creative writing teacher Gail Langkusch.

In creative writing, students’ evaluations are expressed through writing, class discussions, and Socratic seminars. As students develop a greater understanding of the proficiency of writing, they write various segments based on the material read. “If the assignment focuses on ‘The Iceberg Theory,’ they read stories that exemplify this, and then write their own stories,” Langkusch said.

The objective of the course is for students to understand the essential relationship between inclusive reading

and superb writing. Students register for creative writing to improve their writing skills. “They [also] want the challenge and experience of doing something different with their English language skills,” Langkusch concluded.

In mythology, students explore various world cultures such as African, Asian, Latin American, and Native American.

They also read mythology that has had a great significance on Western culture, for the most part focusing on Classical mythology and the Celtic/Arthurian cycle of legends.

“It’s not really techniques or skills that I learned in this class, but about some of the beliefs of other cultures which I found interesting. I enjoyed mythology ...and I’m sure others did too. Seeing the course eliminated makes me think, ‘look, there goes another fun class’,” stated former Carlmont student Keoni Zane.

“I want to take mythology because it seems like a fun and interesting class.

I would also like to learn more about Greek mythology,” junior student Matt Wood responded.

Senior student Casey Schade reacted by stating, “Mythology and creative writing are classes that draw students into the love of learning. Without these classes, students would view school as more mundane and their interest in learning would decrease.”

“Students and parents should have a significant say in this because it will affect them,” junior student Benjamin Hoffman added.

When asked why the two senior English courses may be cut, Instructional Vice Principal Robert Fishstrom emphasized that the many reasons why the courses may be cut is confidential and cannot be disclosed at this time.

“Giving options to students gives opportunities for growth in specific fields that interest them. I’ve been waiting for creative writing since freshman year because writing has been a passion of mine.

I’m so happy that I was able to take a course that really kept my interest at school,” senior student Ashley Browning stated. “I find that completely ridiculous.

The decision to take away the option to take a specified English class isn’t right.

Both classes are interesting and overall enjoyable,” she concluded.

Fishstrom said, “We know that there are a lot of concerns regarding English IV courses for next year. Please know that we review all facets for our instructional programs that include course offerings, staffing and budgeting matters.”

photo by Gianna Dimick

By Steven Tsujisaka

Back

What’s a good way to study for finals?

“Go over all your notes” Emily Stambaugh, sophomore

“Make flashcards because they help with memorization.”

Jesse Gifford, sophomore

“Read through your textbook” Spencer Jenkins, junior

Filmmaker takes first place in California short film competition

By Gianna Dimick Photo Editor

When the opportunity to enter a short film contest presented itself to Carlmont student Tessa Herns, she took it. The contest, held by The LegiSchool Project, asked for a short film based on the question, “what is the state of California’s biggest issue”. Herns entered the contest due to her “competitive spirit” and the encouragement from her film teacher Ms. Elizabeth Chun.

In her one minute film about the failing educational system found in low income areas, Herns was able to impress the judges and win first place.

The contest was introduced to Herns in September by Ms. Chun. Entering contests is not part of the grade in the Film II class, but it is a great way to show creativity and commitment. Herns has had a passion for filming since the 5th grade and is questioning whether or not she should continue this path into college. She used all of her own original ideas to create her winning film.

Herns described her reaction once she received the call from

California State University Sacramento announcing that she had won, “I freaked out. I didn’t expect it at all! All of California was competing for it.”

The contest was open to California residents.

Entries were sent in from all over California, so winning first place was a huge achievement.

Ms. Chun stated that she has had “some students win other contests, but not this one before... I was so happy for her. She really did a nice job. It was very well made.”

Herns’ exciting experience also came with exciting rewards.

Herns received prize money and got the chance to present her film at a Town Hall Meeting in Sacramento. The best part of the whole process though, in Herns’ point of view, was “being able to write ‘first place winner’ on my college

“Study a little every night.

Don’t cram.”

Mr. Nguyen, Chemistry teacher

applications.”

The short film contest is a joint effort put forth by the California State Legis-

“I freaked out. I didn’t expect it at all! All of California was competing for it.” lature and California State University, Sacramento.

The point of The LegiSchool Project’s efforts and contests, as stated on their website, is to “engage young people in matters of public policy and state government by creating opportunities for students and state leaders to meet and share ideas on the problems affecting Californians.” By presenting these contests to students, they become aware of issues in our state.

While many students do not to take advantage of entering film contests, they are still open to anyone. “I hope this encourages more students to enter film contests... I try to provide as many film contests as I can, but its up to them to do it.”

If you would like more information on Tessa’s film or want to learn more about The LegiSchool Project, please check out their website at: www.csus.edu/calst/ legischool_project.html

“I read whatever my teacher gives me” Maurice Kapidzic, junior

“Down a red bull and pull an all nighter.” Brandon Mar, junior “Review your old home work and quizzes.” Ashley Mickey, junior

By Carly Bertolozzi

Features

Page 8

Winter break fails to incorporate all holidays By: Shannon Chang Staff Writer

Although Christmas is celebrated during winter break, holidays of other cultures and religions are celebrated while school is still in session.

Christmas occurs on Dec. 25, which is over winter break. On this day, children wake up early to open presents and enjoy a whole day of school free happiness while Jewish students do not get to enjoy a school free holiday due to the fact that Hanukkah begins on Dec. 1 and ends on Dec. 9 this year.

According to the New York Times, Christmas is the annual celebration of the birth of Jesus and it marks the beginning of the longer season, Christmastide.

Christmas is celebrated by the exchange of greeting cards, gift giving, music, church celebration and a special Christmas dinner.

According to the New York Times, Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday lasting eight day, beginning on the twenty-fifth day of Kislev and ending on the second day of Tevet as in the Hebrew calender.

Hanukkah, which can occur anywhere from late November to late December, commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem to Judaism and is celebrated by lighting one candle of a candelabrum on each of the eight days.

There is an extra ninth candle for the purpose of lighting the others and is given a special location on the candelabrum either higher or lower than the others.

Hanukkah is also celebrated by praying, singing and giving Hanukkah gelt, which is chocolate.

Many Jewish students, such as sophomore Andrew Durlofsky, are upset that they still have to attend school while celebrating Hanukkah.

“It is very disappointing that the school does not acknowledge other religious holidays,” said Durlofsky.

Other Jewish students, such as sophomore Jackie Gabovich are not as bothered by attending school during the celebration.

“I do not really mind because it’s at night, so it’s not that bad,” stated Gabovich.

Each year the days of Hanukkah change, making it difficult to include the holiday in winter break.

Last year Hanukkah started on the Dec. 11 and started on Dec. 21 the year before that.

As you can see, every year these changes make it difficult for the administration and the school board to

find a way to compensate for both winter holidays.

According to officialkwanzaawebsite. org, Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday that begins on Dec. 27 and ends on Jan. 1. and it celebrates African Americans unique culture rather than a religion. Kwanzaas origins were founded based on the first harvest celebrations in Africa.

To include all three holidays in winter break we would need to have a month off of school which would be added back onto the schedule during the time that is supposed to be summer.

When asked if we should lengthen winter break to include Hanukkah, Mr. Cyriakos Nichols answered, “If they could get Christmas and Hanukkah to fit into the break that would be good, but it would be difficult to do.”

Senior Jacqueline Concilla commented that “It involves too many logistics to figure it out around every religion’s holidays, so it is better to just have it where it is.”

unique look at the Blue Angels. Getting to interact with professionals that share a common interest with us is awesome,”

This event, which occurs every summer during the last week of July, has people come from all over the world to enjoy

stated Gruschka.

This past summer, Piety visited EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, an international gathering of more than five-hundred thousand aviation enthusiasts in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

daily air shows, forums, workshops, demonstrations, aerobatics and pyrotechnics.

Admission allows exclusive views of aircraft one would normally see in a museum. Another special opportunity

is witnessing more than ten-thousand aircraft flying in internationally, causing Oshkosh Airport to become one of the busiest airports in the world.

Despite the exhilarating air shows, one of the biggest commitments are the intense practice sessions. Samurkashian, Gruschka and Piety practice every Thursday at San Carlos airport from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

“I think taking lessons on a consistent basis is really important,” stated Samurkashian.

These sessions include physical strengthening drills, attending academic classes, critical uniform inspections and performing certain promotional ceremonies.

With growing experience, Gruschka has enjoyed his eighteen months in the program.

“Getting to fly in the different aircraft is the best part of it all. Tanner and I recently flew in a C5. We’re the only kids on the peninsula to fly in it,” said Gruschka.

Samurkashian has been flying since he was eight, and hopes to pursue a career in the navy as a fighter pilot.

“The idea that I am able to do something that people weren’t meant to do is the coolest part,” stated Samurkashian.

“To include all three holidays in winter break we would need to have a month off of school”

Air Force program prepares students for career in aviation By: Noelani Zane Staff Writer

Carlmont students Armen Samurkashian, Mark Gruschka and Tanner Piety are on their way to pursue a career in aviation through a program called Civil Air Patrol.

Civil Air Patrol is a volunteer auxiliary program of the United States Air Force, providing people as young as twelve years old with the opportunity to learn how to physically fly aircraft’s with hands-on experience.

Members of the program are not required to join the military though many still do.

“I’d like to pursue a career in commercial aviation,” stated Piety, when asked his goals of the program. Piety currently holds the position of first sergeant, the highest ranking non-commissioned officer at the squadron.

Civil Air Patrol gives members of the program the opportunity to meet and perform flight line security for a formal aerobatic flying team, the Blue Angels.

The Blue Angels, a United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, have been performing since 1946 across the country and are famous for their annual performances during “Fleet Week” in San Francisco.

“I think it’s cool how we get to have a

by Liz Max

Features

Page 9

Carlmont ASB: the extracurricular heroes Staff Writer

The funds that support nearly all of the extracurricular activities at Carlmont come from the tireless efforts of the Associated Student Body, ASB. This year, ASB students and faculty have already raised approximately $131,370 from selling tickets to football games, the school dance and from receiving donations. The money is then split into different accounts for various extracurricular programs offered by Carlmont.

About 64 percent of the money ASB raises every year goes towards the sports program, though only 41 percent of the money raised by the ASB every year is from sports activities.

What many students are not aware of is which sports benefit the most from ASB funds.

In a poll, 69 percent of Carlmont students believed that the Carlmont football program raised the most money out of all the sports, and 66 percent students believed that the football program received the most money out of all the sports from the ASB. While the Carlmont football program

does indeed raise the most money out of all the sports offered, raising around $7,000 per season, contrary to popular belief, the football program does not receive the most money of all the sport activities.

ASB awarded the Carlmont basketball program $9,500 this year alone, $5,300 of which went towards boys basketball.

“The ASB has about $44 to spend on each student this year on extracurricular activities,” said ASB director Jim Kelly, “but not every student does extracurricular activities, and sometimes we actually don’t have enough things to spend

money on.”

Though ASB has raised over $130,000

ing extra cash.”

ASB raises money in various ways every year to fund the Carlmont extracurricular programs including selling food at concession stands, selling tickets for dances and games, creating parking permits for the senior parking lot, and selling food and other items at the student store.

“We don’t get sponsored money or anything to fund extracurricular activities. All the money that we get to spend we have to make on our own,” explained Kelly.

Extracurricular activities on campus include clubs such as Helping Humanity, ASB supplies, student supplies, the prom and other dances.

“The amount of money we have for prom and other things at Carlmont is all up to the student body. They have to raise the funds if they want spending money,” said Kelly.

While many students do not know the source of funding for Carlmont’s various extracurricular programs, more than half of Carlmont students at one point are involved during their high school careers in one of the programs funded by ASB.

photo by Jasmine Rishi

By: Jasmine Rishi

to spend on Carlmont’s extracurricular activities, only $89,000 has been budgeted to be actually spent this year.

“We don’t plan to spend all of the money we have,” said Kelly, “in this economy, $1,000 is just a drop in the bucket. We keep money aside just in case we run into a problem and end up need-

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Page 10

Sports

Football fires up the crowd

By Emily Beiers Staff Writer

More than any other sport in America, football brings out students, staff, and community alike.

Why is it that football is so popular amongst high schools? Why is it that football brings the most people from all locks of life? Why is it that football creates the most school spirit, even if the team is not necessarily winning all the time?

“Carlmont puts a lot of work in to our football program, and the games are well publicized, so people always go to them,” said freshman, Brandon Whiteley.

It is true, that Carlmont football games are highly publicized. There are posters made with a picture of the varsity football team, and the schedule for the 2010 season, which are posted in several places including Carlmont classrooms and in local stores.

“Football is a more popular sport in

general, and it’s a community event,” said junior Aimee Lucchesi.

Compared to other sports, football has the largest stadiums. In 2010, an average of 70,000 people attended every NFL football game, an average of 40,000 attended every MLB game, and an average of 19,000 attended every NBA game.

“Football is big because every school has it. It’s our school’s pride, and represents our school,” said junior Marissa Elkins.

Homecoming is a big week at our school, and it is held in the middle of football season every year. The home-

coming football game consists of rallies, and a lot of school spirit. Students, staff, neighbors, family, and friends, all come to watch the game.

“Our school focuses on football,” stated junior Dakota Bullert.

Every school in the Sequoia High School District has a football team, but not every school has other sports teams, such as a badminton team or a lacrosse team.

Unlike other photo by Curtis Fan sports, Football only has one scheduled game a week.

The games are always on either a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Basketball, for example, has two games a week, on school

Carlmont’s Bill Ring... continued from front page Ring humbly stated, “It had been my dream since I was eight years old, so I posted a sign over my dorm room bed saying that one day I will play in the NFL.” Despite Ring’s clear NFL potential, he did not end up getting recruited by any Division 1 schools right out of high school, although he explained that it was his “dream to play D1 football.”

The University of California, Berkeley recruited Ring his senior year at Carlmont, but the coach of UC Berkeley’s football team thought that Ring’s height of 5 feet 10 inches would be a potential problem in the NFL. The coach repealed his recruitment, but he would later realize he had made a huge mistake.

He ended up playing for the College of San Mateo for two seasons when he received a scholarship from a widely known Division 1 university, Brigham Young University. Ring jokingly stated, “I’m a good Catholic boy who went to a Mormon university.”

“We had great coaches and great players,” Ring complimented about his experience at Bringham Young.

Ring’s best moment at Brigham Young University was after he was announced MVP for the bowl game they played in Japan.

After majoring in finance, Ring was signed as a free agent by the Oakland Raiders. He later joined the Pittsburgh

Steelers, and it wasn’t until 1981 when Ring was signed by the San Francisco 49ers.

Ring was on the 49ers as a running back from 1981 to 1986, when the 49ers won two Superbowls, in 1982 and 1985.

During his third year on the 49ers, Ring’s teammates honored him with the Len Eshmont Award, or also known as the Most Valuable Player.

Ring proved in his career that following your dreams and never giving up will get you far in life. He passed his words of wisdom onto all the current Scots at our school today, “Tell all your Scots, whatever your dream is, dream big, and post it over your bed in your dorm room like I did.”

nights.

Football is big not only at Carlmont, but also across America. Carlmont principal, Dr. Raul Zamora, grew up in El Paso, Texas, where football is very big.

“It would bring the community together,” said Dr. Zamora, “and the first page in the sports section was always about football”.

The football program at Carlmont hired a new coach this past season, Mr. Jason Selli. He has previously coached at both Burlingame High School and South City High School.

“Football gets a lot of attention in society. Currently, it’s the most highly watched sport,” said Coach Selli.

“The atmosphere of the football games bring the community together. Football is outdoors, has night games, and the band is always playing.”

Dr. Zamora also added that the cheer team contributes to school spirit and helps make football so popular.

Sports

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head in the Game Volleyball bumped out Getcha Preview of the 2011 NBA season of CCS playoffs

By Ivan Garin

By Jacob Cox Staff Writer

In 2009, Carlmont volleyball was sent home in dramatic fashion by Salinas in the CCS semifinals. When the 2010 CCS brackets were released, the Lady Scots noticed one thing: a potential rematch with Salinas.

The Lady Scots finished their regular season at 19-13, and 9-5 in the highly competitive PAL Bay Division. Carlmont received a 5 seed in their Division 1 CCS bracket, and were set to face off with 12 seed Gilroy on Wednesday Nov 10.

When asked what the Lady Scots needed to do to be successful, junior Torika Ramulo stated, “We need to stay positive and play really good defense.”

Carlmont did just that in a quick three game sweep over Gilroy that propelled them into a quarterfinal match-up against Salinas.

Junior Shelby Vance led the way with 14 kills and three blocks.

Captains Shannon Garrett and Torika Ramulo contributed as well with six kills a piece.

Prior to their battle with Salinas, Ramulo commented, “We want revenge. We are really prepared and excited for this opportunity.”

The match was essentially a road game for Carlmont, taking place at North Salinas High School, a “neutral site,” but this did not affect Carlmont.

The Lady Scots came out strong and photo by Curtis Fan took the first game 25-21, but the defending CCS champions weren’t going down easily. Salinas fought back to win the second and third games and had all of the momentum heading into what could have been the final game of Carlmont’s season.

Carlmont coach Cindy Wolf was well aware of this and explained the following to her team: “You are only better than them if you work as a team and just have fun. Go balls out on defense and be smart.”

Carlmont listened to this advice, and trampled Salinas in the fourth game, 25-17. With the momentum now on their side, the Lady Scots were able to complete the victory and capture complete

redemption.

Senior captain, Alyson Lazzarotti, gave credit to the team’s mental approach against Salinas. “Our mental game came through, and we were able to stay focused.”

Junior Shelby Vance added, “We talked a lot and played together.”

The semifinals took place on Thursday Nov 18 and Carlmont was set to square off with the CCS favorites, Palo Alto (34-1). Although the Lady Scots were big underdogs coming in to the match, they were able to use this to their advantage.

“We know there is nothing to lose because we are playing the number one seed. We are not worried, and are going to go all out” declared Lazzarotti.

After losing the first game, the Lady Scots were able to work out their jitters and take a hardfought second game, 28-26. The third game went back and forth, but Palo Alto prevailed and Carlmont was one game away from heading home.

“You don’t really realize how badly you want something until you’re a senior, and it could be your last high school game ever,” said senior Shannon Garrett.

Garrett and other seniors used this as motivation in a remarkable fourth game. In the longest Division 1 CCS game in over four years, Palo Alto outlasted Carlmont 31-29 and shattered their hopes of reaching the CCS finals.

Although it was a difficult way to end their season, the Lady Scots were proud of their performance and overall development from the beginning of the season until now.

“The way we played tonight was nowhere near the level of play we were at in the beginning of the season, and I’m really proud of us,” concluded Garrett.

Considering the lack of experience and loss of talented seniors from the 2009 season, the Carlmont Lady Scots certainly exceeded their preseason expectations. They may not have achieved their ultimate goal of reaching the CCS Championship, but they have every right to be proud of their accomplishments in the 2010 season.

Sports Columnist

After a thrilling 2009 season, the NBA has come back just in time for the holidays.

Several teams have already stood out from the rest of the pack as championship contenders.

Before the season began, many teams changed their game with the introduction of rookies and newly acquired free trade agents. Most notable of these teams is the Miami Heat. After last seasons solid 47-35 record, the Heat’s manager Pat Riley decided to step it up and he used $45 million in cap space to acquire superstars Chris Bosh and LeBron James.

They will team up with Dwayne Wade, who has been the Heat’s poster boy since 2003. The deadly trio is sure to wreak havoc in the Eastern division. All three are best friends, top five picks in the 2003 draft and were on the USA team that won a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.

Many students agree that the Heat’s new acquisitions will make them the team to beat. “I think the Miami Heat will win the league because they have three of the best players in the league, if not then they should at least easily win the Eastern Division,” said Kyle Fenton.

The only other team that has received as much hype as the Heat are last season’s champs, the Lakers. It’s easy to see why. After qualifying to the finals for the last three consecutive years and winning the last two, the Lakers are the most consistently dominant team to be in the NBA since Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in the 1990’s.

“I know the Lakers will win the championships this year simply because they are the best team in the league. Kobe and Gasol are powerhouses who won’t accept defeat” said Jesse Gifford.

If the Lakers succeed then it will be their 17th Championship banner which would tie them for the most with the Boston Celtics. It would also mark the end of head coach Phil Jackson’s highly successful career with a 12th championship as a coach.

The local favorite, Golden State Warriors have had a tough time the last couple of years in the NBA. They were just bought for $450 million and along with that rumors have been heard of them moving to Las Vegas.

Nevertheless, they still have fan-favorite forward Monte Ellis, the promising Stephen Curry, and they recently acquired all-star David Lee from the Knicks. Don’t expect nothing too great from them this season as they haven’t made the playoffs since ‘07.

In a league where amazing happens, where there are dark-horses everywhere, expect some major upsets and exciting playoffs.

Sports

Page 12

Fall

sports results

Stats compiled by Grace Chang Graphic design by Liz Max

Cheerleading continued from front page asked about her thoughts on her cheer team she said, “They have been practicing since June. They went to their first competition and did really well, though there are always things that you can improve on.”

Students at Carlmont noticed the effect the coach had on the team. “They are significantly better this year.

The new coach, Coach Baker, is doing great things for the team and spirit for our school,” Lisa Hendryx

mentioned.

Another factor is their practices are said to be more intense. Cheerleader Talia Fasuaro said, “The practices and routines will get harder.”

Another cheerleader, Rachel Parker said, “We work very hard, though it can be scary at times.”

According to Bolton and Parker, teammates are closer with each other this year. With closer bonds on the

team, the cheer leading experience is more enjoyable for all the teammates.

With updated outfits, a new coach, strong ties within the team, and longer practices, the cheer leaders are off to a fresh start.

Their appearance at nationals will be held in Los Angeles where they have high hopes.