Panther Prints | May 2012

The Pa n t he r Pr in ts Pinewood School: Making the Difference Volume I. Edition 5.

MaY 3, 2012

25th Annual Edition

Godspell:starstruckand spellbound an opportunity of a lifetime, and I would love to get the chance to meet and work with them,” sophomore Quinn Foster said.

Hollywood is headed to Pinewood. In The event will not only support the order to fundraise for the Pinewood Arts arts, but it will also impact the PineDepartment, celebrity guest stars Emily wood community in a positive way. “The Bergl, Brad Ellis, David Yost, and others ‘Godspell’ fundraiser is a totally new are scheduled to perform in a much-anopportunity and event that has never ticipated benefit concert at 8 p.m., May happened at Pinewood before. I think 25-26. Organized by Pinewood Drama it will get students more interested in teachers Spencer Williams, Doug Eivers, what is happening on campus and thereand Scott Lacy, the concert will feature a fore, the performing arts at Pinewood performance of the musical “Godspell.”.In will gain more support,” Adlparvar said. addition to the famous guests, Williams With this fundraiser, Pinewood may will be singing the lead role of Jesus; Eivbecome more visible to other performing ers will be playing the part of Judas; and arts communities. “We are really excited Lacy will direct the show from the piano. about the ‘Godspell’ fundraiser. WhatevThe idea to perform the musical Godspell er will promote Pinewood and help raise was born during a theater trip to New York money for the Arts Department is always City in February. “When I was hired at good. I myself have watched Emily BerPinewood, Mr. Eivers, Mr. Williams, and gl perform before, and she is amazing.

I all discussed the idea of having a special Pinewood Arts Department will hold a beneft concert on May 25-26 featuring a performance of the musical Attending the event will definitely be event like this. While we were on the the- “Godspell,” starring Broadway stars Emily Bergl, David Yost, and Brad Ellis. Photos taken from Google Images. worth it,” Principal Mark Gardner said. atre trip to New York City earlier this year, ment, the proceeds from the concert will mine who understand the importance of Many Pinewood students support the also be allocated to the Pinewood Choirs’ the performing arts in schools.

David Yost we saw the Broadway revival of “Godidea of having a fundraiser like this and spell” and each one of us came out with trip to Rome this December. “I think that will be hosting the event, and it should are excited to be able to perform in the the same feeling... that this would be the this event will attract people to attend and be a very exciting evening,” Lacy said. concert. “I love ‘Godspell!’ I auditioned Allowing the students a chance to per- just to be a part of it, even if I ended up perfect ‘event’ for Pinewood,” Lacy said. thus, support the Performing Arts Department.

However, because it involves celebriform with famous people from the enter- in an ensemble role. I think having ceComposed by Stephen Schwartz, the musical “Godspell” presents a series of ties that attract all sorts of audiences, it will tainment industry, this event is a fantastic lebrities at the event is a great idea, as it parables, based on the Gospel of Matthew. also be a wonderful way to fundraise for opportunity for Pinewood students. “I am may attract more audience members than It takes place in New York City during the Rome trip,” senior Ava Adlparvar said. really excited for these guest performers to usual,” freshman Ben Montrym said.

Several performers have donated their come to Pinewood so that the students are the late 1960s. Displayed as a wander“I encourage everyone to buy ticking musician dressed as a clown, Jesus time for this event, including the origi- able to perform with professionals and have ets for this amazing two-night event Christ joins a group of hippies, who to- nal Blue Ranger from “Mighty Mor- a different type of musical theater experi- to show how much you support the gether travel around a fairy-tale version phon Power Rangers”, David Yost, the ence,” choir teacher Spencer Williams said. performing arts here at Pinewood.

“This is going to be an amazing experiof the city, re-enacting Biblical parables. pianist from Fox’s “Glee”, Brad Ellis, Ticket prices are $50, $100, Although the fundraiser is being held and Broadway and television star Emily ence for all who get to be a part of it. Bring- and $150. For more informaspecifically for the Pinewood Arts Depart- Bergl. “All of these artists are friends of ing such famous guest stars to Pinewood is tion, visit www.pinewoodarts.com.

KARINA UPPAL STAFF WRITER

Hollywood Heavyweights Headed to Pinewood

Brad

David

Emily

ALEX HASNAIN STAFF WRITER

ALEX HASNAIN STAFF WRITER

AMRITH DEEPAK STAFF WRITER

Famous musician Brad Ellis will visit Pinewood for Godspell in May. Ellis is a composer and pianist, making many appearances as the piano accompanist for the hit TV show, “Glee” by Fox. Not only has Ellis made several appearancees on the television series, he also has coached and performed with 80 potential candidate characters for the show. Along with “Glee”, Ellis composed pieces and played the piano for other major TV shows and movies, namely “Gilmore Girls,” “Close to Home,” and “Beauty and the Beast.” He also worked with the LA Philharmonic for their 2006 album “Unexpected Dreams: Songs from the Stars,” which featured other performances by celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson. In 2006, Ellis orchestrated Billy Joel’s “Waltz Variations no.2 op.5” (performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra), and in 2009, he was the composer of the original music for the 2009 Off Broadway run of The Tin Pan Alley Rag. Brad Ellis has been honored with many special and important roles in televison, broadway, composition, and other roles in entertainment.

Renowned actor David Yost will visit Pinewood for “Godspell” in May. Yost is a well-known producer and actor who has become famous for playing the role of Billy Cranston in the TV series “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.”

Born in Iowa, Yost moved to California hoping to fulfill his dreams of becoming an actor.

After winning the part of Billy Cranston in an audition, Yost starred in over two hundred episodes and was the only ranger to appear in all the episodes of “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.”

In 1995, he appeared in his first film “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.” After the series ended, it was succeeded by “Power Rangers: Zeo.” However, Yost’s role in the show diminished, and after some disputes on the set and not enough pay, Yost left the series.

However, Yost continued his acting career; in 1996, Yost also had a leading role in the film “Ladykillers,” and in 2002, he appeared in a play called “Fallen Guardian Angels.”

AMRITH DEEPAK STAFF WRITER

Lacy is talking to other stars to replace Ferguson. Unless other conflicts arise, the person showcasing in “Godspell” will either be actress Megan Mullally from “Will and Grace” or Anthony Rapp. Mullally won several Emmy awards and is a famous Broadway star. Rapp is a film, television, and Broadway star. He was part of the film version of the Broadway Musical “Rent.”

Born in England, Emily Bergl has been a familiar face in the Broadway scene. From the age of six, Bergl has participated in local productions, even designing and producing films in her backyard. Bergl graduated Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most respected academic honor society from Grinnell College in 1997 with a B.A. in English and Theater. After college, she moved to New York, where she lived with two other actors in a tiny studio apartment above a strip club. Within a few months, she played the lead in “The Rage: Carrie 2,” which was her first role on camera. This earned her places in independent films like “Happy Campers,” “Chasing Sleep,” and “Fur.” Bergl continued in theater by starring on Broadway. She performed in “The Lion in Winter” and won the Friends of the New York Theatre award for Best Broadway Debut.

She also starred in Steven Spielberg’s “Presents Taken.”

In addition to Broadway, she worked at regional theatres like the Williamstown Theatre Festival, La Jolla Playhouse, and The Globe Theatres, in plays such as “Romeo and Juliet,” “Proof,” and “Our Town.” Bergl is a member of of Antaeus, a theatre company in Los Angeles that produces classic works, and she was in Second Stage’s “Becky Shaw,” a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. In 2006 Bergl starred in Eugene O’Neill’s “A Touch of the Poet.”

During her free time, Bergl volunteers for Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic and also Read Across America. As a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, she has built houses for the underprivileged around the world. Her most recent endeavors have included a role in the popular television series “Desperate Housewives” as Beth Young.

JESSE TYLER FERGUSON CANCELS

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who stars as Mitch in “Modern Family” was supposed star in Pinewood’s production of “Godspell,” but he will not make it because he got a movie role. Pinewood performing arts teacher Scott

Opinion 2

Letter to the Editor: Choose Better Books!

Dear Editor, “Why waste my time at the library? The books are boring and basically ancient.” When asking classmates if they want to go the Pinewood School library, they respond this way almost every time, and I agree with them. The problem that needs to be resolved is the fact that no one reads the books in the school library, and therefore, the books there will continue to be unused and wasted unless the students and faculty of Pinewood come together to donate new, updated books.

Ten out of the ten people I asked in Jr. High never go to the school library to read or check out books, unless they are assigned to. This fact shows us that students won’t want to read during their free time unless these archaic and horribly boring books are replaced with new, popular, and interesting ones. Also, without new books, students won’t be encouraged to use the library for both educational and leisurely purposes. Wouldn’t it be better if Pinewood’s students choose to absorb valuable information and develop better writing, grammar mechanics, or history and science skills, rather than playing brain washing video games on their iPods?

The last problem that I have to address has to do with the old books that no one is reading, and the fact that they are just taking up space on shelves that could be used more efficiently, like to store extra textbooks.

What is a wise solution to these problems?

How can we replace the books in the library with newer ones without spending hundreds of dollars? It’s really quite simple. Students and faculty can donate books, and put them in cardboard boxes outside their classrooms. Six out of the ten people I spoke to would be willing to donate books to the school library. For a couple of weeks, or even a month, students and faculty could bring books from home to donate to the library, by placing them in their class boxes. Of course, the books would have to be in decent shape, with no tears or rips in the pages. Also, they would specifically have to be recently pub-

lished books, preferably more fiction rather than nonfiction. We could even make a competition out of the donation process in order to make it more fun and enjoyable!

What about the old books that we’d be replacing? Where would those go? The concept is similar to the former. We could sell the old books to students, or we could donate them to libraries or needy organizations like homeless shelters. That way, we could clear off the shelves to make way for new books, but at the same time, benefit others! Lastly, in order to make the books easier to find and locate, we could categorize and organize them. It would also make finding books faster if they were divided into two categories, books for junior high students and books for high school students. Furthermore, we could separate these into genres, and then alphabetically categorize them. Making the books easier and faster to find would increase people’s desire to read, read, read! These solutions would not even cost us a cent!

Most people say that replacing the library with more interesting books won’t increase the number of people who go to it, but it will. After conducting a survey, I was informed that 10 out of 10 people would come to the library much more often if it had better quality books. Reading is a great way to occupy your time while benefiting your mind and overall knowledge. The students of Pinewood School are enthusiastic, spirited, and always looking for ways to obtain more knowledge, and help the school to be as successful and useful as it can be. Pinewood is an incredible campus, with many amenities, and together we could make the library even more appealing with the help of students and faculty!

We are willing to make a change!

You folks know what this is... Photo by Garrett Biggs

Sincerely, India Claire Flinchum

7th Grader

Move That Line

THE PANTHER PRINTS WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE FEEDBACK FROM OUR READERS, AND WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! IF THESE OPINION/EDITORIAL ARTICLES, OR ANY OF THE ONES ON THE OTHER PAGES SOLICIT A RESPONSE, PLEASE EMAIL US AT:

pantherprints@pinewood.

BEN BROWN STAFF WRITER Imagine this scenario: You have been sitting in class for two straight periods, after not eating breakfast in the morning. Then finally, it’s lunch.

You’re about to get served, and suddenly you’re cut in line. This is no uncommon occurance these days.

There are some students who have never cut the lunch line, but they are astoundingly rare. So why do so many Pinewood students cut? I refuse to believe that the children of

EDITORS IN CHIEF: Garrett Biggs Max Darrow NEWS EDITORS: Matti Thurston Emily Zhang ADVISOR: Kim Wetzel

upper class wealthy families are so malnourished and hungry that they simply cannot wait 10 minutes in line for lunch. So there must be another explanation.

There appears to be an ongoing cycle with the lunch line. A student does not cut at first but then gets aggravated when other students cut him over and over again, and in frustration he starts cutting the line as well. Other students then see this student cutting and the process repeats itself.

But is cutting the lunch line wrong?

Put simply: yes. The line takes long

FEATURES EDITORS: Karalena Davis Niuniu Teo SPORTS EDITORS: Max Darrow Stephen Yu

enough and students have people to meet and places to be. When people cut, it really isn’t fair to everyone else. If everyone stayed in his or her place in line, the line would move much faster. Without big groups of friends cutting the line, students would be able to quickly jump in line, grab their lunch, and head onto the meetings they need to attend.

However, there could be an iillogical reason as to why someone would cut the lunch line. Most people do it only if they have to quickly get to a meeting. But when you look at the front of the lunch line to see if there

is anyone there that you have said more than one word to and jump in line with him, that is getting unreasonable. It also gets annoying when a large group of friends cuts into the line. Cutting the lunch line is out of control. Even when the line is only ten people long, large groups of people cut, leaving the moral students still waiting for their lunch twenty minutes later.

So please, in the future, just go to the end of the line (and feel free to yell at those who still decide to cut).

It’s not a big deal and it will help the line move faster.

Panther Prints Staff OP/ED EDITORS: Garrett Biggs Tiffany Chen

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Editorial 3

License to K i l l

BRITTANY SCHULTE STAFF WRITER The question should not be whether George Zimmerman is or is not guilty of murdering a young man by the name of Trayvon Martin.

The fact is, a neighborhood watch official shot and killed an African-American teenager.

The unarmed boy was 70 yards from his father’s house, carrying a bag of skittles and an Arizona Iced Tea when he was suddenly apprehended. Zimmerman pursued him, despite a warning from a 911 dispatcher that such action was not necessary. I believe the facts speak for themselves.

Zimmerman’s attorneys claim Martin initiated the attack against Zimmerman, and Zimmerman had no choice but to pull out his gun in defense. However, usually when two peo-

This type of tragedy has even happened right in our own backyard. Only a few months ago, Shareef Alman, a disgruntled employee at the quarry in Cupertino, shot three people and wounded another six. These people should not even have beenable to possess guns in the first place.

Self-defense is not a valid reason to bear a firearm. Many countries like Japan and France prohibit civilian use of firearms except for sporting and hunting. Compare crime rates of those countries to the U.S., and then tell me why exactly guns are so handy dandy for everyday people (Japan’s homicide rate is .5 compared to 5 of the U.S., according to the United Nations).

Giving guns to civilians gives them license to kill, not the ability to protect.In reality, it is a vicious cycle. People live in fear that someone might pull out a gun, so therefore they themselves carry a gun to be safe. Somehow that idea strikes me the wrong way.

If Zimmerman had not been carrying a gun that night, would he have eagerly pursued a Taken from politicalhumor.about.com suspicious looking Martin? Probably not. He ple are in an altercation, and one person has a would have waited for police, who are trained gun, the winner is apparent. The question that and prepared to handle situations like that. plagues me the most is why ordinary people The gun gave him the power. It was his like Zimmerman are permitted by law to carry a choice to approach and follow Martin. Martin lethal weapon in their pockets. Guns should be had every right to defend himself against this used only in hunting and war, not the murder of strange, unidentified man. Zimmerman made innocent civilians. a stupid decision that night by pursuing and Normal citizens should not have the consti- entering an altercation while carrying a contutional right to carry a gun. Guns are far too cealed weapon. simple and too easy to acquire. Fatal mistakes It is because of peoples’ right to carry guns can too easily be made with the pull of a trig- that Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law falters. ger. People are emotional, and fear can cause The law is backed by the NRA, the National people to do irrational things.

Rifle Association. You can already tell we’re In last year’s Tuscon shooting, a madman headed for disaster when the most pro-gun with a gun let loose and killed six people. people in the nation decide to make a law that Why did no one stop him from owning a gun? inevitably will protect the decisions of most Remember the Virginia Tech shooting back in gun users. The president of the NRA, Marion 2007? The gunman had been diagnosed with Hammer, was one of the main writers of the anxiety disorder; no one stopped him from Stand Your Ground Law, and she is known owning a gun, either. for making Florida the “gunshine” state. She

strongly promotes the idea that an armed society is a better one. I disagree. An armed society is a dangerous one, and one that I personally would not like to live in.

Laws like the Stand Your Ground Law provide too much protection for the shooters.

How do you know if you are in reasonable enough danger to pull out a gun and shoot someone? There is too much room for error and guessing.

It is clear in Zimmerman’s recent apology that he did in fact make false presumptions about the situation that evening. It is obvious now, after the fact, that Martin did not have a weapon on him and did not have the same advantage as Zimmerman. It was an unfair fight from the beginning, but neither Zimmerman nor Martin knew it at the time. The Stand Your Ground Law gave Zimmerman a false sense of empowerment and desperation that led him to resort to the most drastic measure.

In reality, the law provides that same sense of empowerment to everyone without asking for any accountability or responsibility on the gun users part.

The reason Trayvon Martin is dead lies in the core of America. I understand that our nation is one of freedom and liberty: one where you should have the right to protect yourself in any case.

However, I think that from this belief rooted in the foundation of our country, people have begun to have differing ideas on what freedom really is.

People like Marion Hammer believe carrying guns give people the freedom that they so rightly deserve via the American Constitution. However, the fact that some people believe that it is their lawful right to own and use a gun causes countless problems for our society as a whole.

My wish is to live in a society where no one has to live in fear of each other, one where Zimmerman would never have felt the need to pursue and shoot an innocent boy.

The Power of facebook AUSTIN LIANG STAFF WRITER Meet Candace. Candace is a 9-year old girl who is the victim of bullying, and needs you to help. Yes, you can help raise awareness for this cause by just clicking on that “Like” button. What do you do next? Do you Google some anti-bullying foundations to donate to or do you continue down the news feed and forget about it a few minutes later? Unfortunately, in the case of many Facebook users, they take the latter option. This is known as giving a Facebook pity like. Many people share a photo, and put a caption along the lines of “1 like=1 prayer” or “Like if you support cancer research.”

However, this tactic of trying to spread awareness is preposterous and insignificant.

How can putting a small thought of cancer or child hunger in someone’s brain help relieve the suffering these people are feeling?

It doesn’t.

People just click “like” and move on. This “like and ignore” pattern is actually detrimental to society. I believe that this is actually encouraging ignorance to these issues because Facebook users will get used to just acknowledging that there are problems in the world, but they will continue to not really do much about it. People may think that liking a photo has a major effect on society and that it actually does help others, but it doesn’t.

People may only like these photos to show that they care, but there is no push or motivation to get anything done; sharing these photos does not encourage anyone to take initiative. Moreover, it gives Facebook users who like it a false sense of philanthropy when they are actually not accomplishing anything at all.

The only way you can truly help these causes is to go out and donate to charities or to actually try to take action to spread awareness.

Also, many of the people who

Photo taken from 9gag.com

share photos of the little girl with cancer or the emaciated African child do not truly advocate and fully support these causes. The people share these kinds of photos are sometimes publicizing these photos just because they want to exhibit a sense of altruism or just to get publicity and likes.

If people who share these photos truly care about these issues, they would try more effective ways of encouraging people to donate such as fundraisers or flyers instead of just a small photo on a Facebook feed that will quickly be forgotten. What kind of effect will this photo actually have? Will it create a new home for impoverished kids or help raise money for chemotherapy? No, it will not.

Again, the only impact this form of spreading awareness creates is very little and perhaps even increases ignorance.

However, there are still some goodhearted people with sincere wishes who share pity photos and actually do create awareness. For example, some Facebook users share photos that have a caption that actually has a number which people can text a phrase to in order to donate money for a certain cause. Additionally, the people who not only like the photo but also follow through by texting the number help raise money for various causes.

Moreover, in cases such as child or teen kidnapping or abduction, sharing a picture and brief description of the person can help aid the search.

Even putting a small picture in someone’s mind can greatly help because then more people will be able to recognize a missing person.

This group of people can truly put Facebook pity likes to good use. Many people who share photos on Facebook in order to try to raise awareness or believe that liking it has an actual effect on society should be aware that it is not as effective as taking real-world initiative and action by going out to raise money and spread awareness.

Features 4

A l u m n i G r a d u at i o n S p e a k e r s CAMILLE POLSTER STAFF WRITER For this year’s 8th grade and high school graduation speakers, the Board of Directors has chosen two Pinewood alumni--Jared Schiffman, co-founder and current partner at Potion, and Victoria Yeager Sawyer, part of the Senior Corporate Council for Genentech. Sawyer will be speaking at the high school graduation ceremony, and Schiffman will speak at the Jr. High graduation.

Jared Schiffman participated in many activities when he attended Pinewood.

“I was on the newspaper and the yearbook staff, I was on the debate team, and I was in several plays and musicals,” Schiffman said.

Schiffman graduated from Pinewood in 1995. He attended college at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he met his current business partner, Phillip Tiongson. Together the two of them started their own business in 2005 called Potion, which has recently been nominated for the National Design Award.

“I’ve always done my own projects and I wanted to work at a place where I could see my ideas take shape.

Starting a company was the only way I saw to do that,” Schiffman said.

Potion is an interactive design firm that focuses mainly on creating interactive social experiences by using light displays and video cameras. Some of the most noted installations that Potion has created are at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, National Museum of American History in Washington D.C., and the interactive menu at The St. Regis Hotel.

After graduating in Pinewood’s class of 1993, Victoria Yeager Sawyer continued her academic career as a Princeton undergrad.

“I did not know what I wanted to study. I knew after taking Honors Chemistry and AP Physics at Pinewood that I could forget about a career in the sciences, but beyond that I wasn’t sure. I decided to study law while at Princeton,” Yeager Sawyer said. “I wasn’t sure that I would be a lawyer, but I felt that law school would be a phenomenal education and provide me with an excellent

skillset for whatever career I chose.”

Now a successful lawyer, Yeager Sawyer works as a senior transactional lawyer for Genentech. Not only has Yeager Sawyer achieved much, but she has also made a name for herself in the world of charity. While studying at Georgetown University Law School, Yeager Sawyer joined the Junior League of Washington D.C.. Yeager Sawyer stayed associated with the Junior League even after moving to Honolulu for a short time and then again when she moved to San Francisco.

“I think that Pinewood encourages students to be wellrounded and, in my opinion, doing charity work is part of being a well-rounded person,” Yeager Sawyer said.

The Pinewood Board has high hopes for this year’s graduation speeches.

“Jared has great creativity, and I am hoping he will have a very dynamic presentation,” Pinewood President Scott Riches said. “Victoria has accomplished a lot of success in her career, while still involving herself in philanthropy. I am hoping she will be able to share with the students that it is not just about advancing your career.”

ared Schiffman as he appeared in the Pinewood Yearbook his senior year.

Yeager Sawyer as she appeared in the Pinewood Yearbook her senior year.

Top: Yeager Sawyer’s appearance in the Gentry magazine for her charitable efforts. Photo taken from Gentry Magazine.

spotlight: VAL MONTICUE

VICTORIA GARDINER STAFF WRITER What were you doing before you came to work at Pinewood?

I was working at an analysis firm doing risk analysis for car insurance companies, but it was not fulfilling. I had to find a corporate job after one year in a credentialing programl. Prior to the credential program I had taught at Lydian Academy in Menlo Park for three or four years teaching math and science.

I used to coach rock climbing when I was in college, and that was when I realized that I loved working with people and wanted to teach. When I saw that Pinewood was looking for a physics teacher, I jumped on it. I’m much happier teaching here than I was working [in] industry.

So you’re happy here at Pinewood?

Very happy. This place is incredible. Everyone is so kind and open. It’s amazing to only have been here a few weeks and everyone knows my name and everyone knows I’m the new physics teacher. Everyone, faculty and students, have been 100 percent supportive, and done everything to help me settle in.

battle of the bands cancelled

Have you noticed any differences that set Pinewood apart?

ETELLE STEPHEN STAFF WRITER

I like how everyone is open to suggestions. I have a lot of freedom to teach in the way I feel I will be most effective. There isn’t a specific curriculum I have to adhere to.

Instead, I can pick my own textbook to use for my classes, assign my own projects, and I’m free to create homework assignments as I need to. I can also write my own tests, rather than using tests provided with a text book. It’s nice to be able to produce a diverse curriculum and supplement it with topics that I find particularly interesting or cool labs.

The Panther paw print reflected the flickering hall lights, a light breeze rustled through the trees, and the sky was a grayish purple. It was a normal April evening. Too normal.

On Saturday, April 14, there was a scheduled Battle of the Bands at the Pinewood Upper Campus Theater. However, the event never took place.

The Battle of the Bands wasActivities Director Jackee Bruno’s brainchild, meant to spark an increased interest in dance music.

The difference between the Battle of the Bands and the Artist Harvest was that this was supposed to be a competition and the music was supposed to be more specifically for dance genre.

According to senior Ava Adlparvar, Artist Harvest managed to raise a total of $700 for the Free the Youth Foundation. Curiously, the Battle of the Bands proved to be much less popular with the student body.

The event itself was cancelled because Pinewood just didn’t have enough bands that signed up, with only two bands that showed interest. Additionally, many bands could not participate because there was a “Dames at Sea” rehearsal until 8 p.m. that night.

However, the problem does not seem to be a lack of interest in participating in musical activities at Pinewood. Perhaps the problem was more a matter of organization and conflict with the musical rehearsals.

“I wish that we had done a battle of the bands this year, I would have loved to see that,” senior Trevor Leimer said.

Despite this interest, many have expressed a belief that the musical scene at Pinewood is lacking in activity and exposure.

“I would like to see more active interest in the live music scene at Pinewood,” drama teacher Doug Eivers said.

Others agreed, proposing the formation of an actual Pinewood band. A Pinewood band used to exist, but unfortunately, it was cancelled because of a lack of interest.

However, with the increasing interest in the Pinewood music scene, it is becoming a possibility again.

“If there was a school band, I would definitely join,” junior Haley Longbottom said.

Because of this interest, there is a possibility for a renewed effort to make a Battle of the Bands happen in the near future.

“I totally think we should try and make it happen,” junior Claire Nolan said.

With popular support from the students, the Battle of the Bands may be successful in the future.

“I would love to try this again and get it on the calendar as soon as possible to avoid conflicts,” Eivers said.

Cool. So what are some of your hobbies?

Val Monticue, pictured above, joined the Pinewood community midsemester. Photo by Niuniu Teo.

Top: Schiffman as the founder of Potion, recently nominated for the National Design Award.

I like to play music. I mainly play fiddle and guitar, though I can play piano and trumpet as well. If you hand me any sort of brass or woodwind I can play a ditty on it, the basics are the same. I also enjoy fencing, on its own, and I fence in the SCA. The SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) is an educational historical reenactment group. We reproduce culture, arts, and even martial activities of medieval Europe.

I really enjoy medieval style fencing. I also enjoy sewing medieval period garments, and I’ve recently started learning calligraphy.

What about this rumor that you’re a gamer?

I play consol games, but not that often. We have an Xbox 360 and a Wii in my house. I enjoy fighting games the most, but mostly I just like playing. To put it in perspective, I go to California extreme arcade expo every year. It’s a flat fee to get in, and the place is wall to wall with games; everything from space invaders to Soul Caliber V and a couple hundred pinball machines, all set to free-play mode.

Any other hobbies?

I’m more of a board gamer than a video gamer. I really enjoy German-style board games. American board games are often very simplistic lke Sorry or Monopoly. German -style board games, like Catan (though that’s a very basic German-style board game) involve multiple layers of complex systems and intricate strategy. They’re far more challenging and fun to play.

Anything else you’d like to say?

I’m really happy to be working here, and grateful for this opportunity.

Arts And Culture 5

Dames At Sea: A Swimming Success KELLY RYAN STAFF WRITER Directed by theater teacher G. Scott Lacy, Pinewood’s Performing Arts Department staged a revival of a 1930s parody, “Dames at Sea,” with book and lyrics by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller and music by Jim Wise. Staged originally in the 1960s, this flashy, movie-style musical is the story of an understudy stepping into the lead role and becoming a Broadway star.

Ruby, played by senior Andie Huebsch, is a small town girl from Utah who follows her dreams of performing on Broadway. When she arrives, she quickly falls for Dick, a navy sailor who is also an aspiring song writer, played by senior Bradley Naumann.

While Ruby gets a spot in the chorus, Joan, played by senior Adrienne Whitlock, renews her romance with another sailor, Lucky played by Dante Fraioli, also a senior. When their theater gets torn down, Dick and Lucky persuade their captain, played by

sophomore Talmage Wise, to let them perform on their navy ship.

On opening night on the ship, the leading lady Mona Kent,

played by senior Jenny Hansen, gets seasick, paving the way for Ruby to take her place. The show ends with Ruby bringing down

Top left: Senior Jenny Hansen takes the spotlight in a wild musical number. Top right: The cast poses for a photo on the deck of the “ship.” Bottom: When in doubt...jazz hands.

Photos by Emily Ng.

the house and all three couples getting married and living happily ever after with dreams coming true.

Overall, the production was a hit. Seats were sold out with fans flooding in to see the show.

“I’ve gone to “Dames” every night so far,” said freshman Eri Yoshimoto.

The dancing was the main highlight of the production. The cast learned many fantastic tap dance numbers from choreography and theater teacher Spencer Williams to give the show a 1930’s feel. The sets were created to resemble a 30’s setting by theater teacher Doug Eivers. Initially, the setting starts as the stage of a Broadway theater, but when the play within the play relocates to a ship, the set is changed to the bow of a boat, complete with a promenade deck, allowing for intricateand creative tap numbers.

The costumes, designed

by Lacy, office manager Kristina Nakagawa, and school counselor Tina Maier, really added punch to the show. The shimmering, 1930s-inspired outfits of

the ensemble added a glamorous, star-worthy flare to the musical numbers, really bringing out the feel of a Busby Berkeley musical.

The Performing Arts department has embarked on a new adventure this year by performing at Foothill College’s Lohman Theater since all previous shows have been at Pinewood’s own theater. The venue gave the production a very professional feel and the tiered seating of the theater guaranteed that every seat was a “good seat.”

“It was a different experience; not what I am used to. It was interesting to work with different sets and the different atmosphere,” freshman Kristy Stebbins said.

The production included representatives from the senior class to the freshman class, who all worked incredibly hard to put on this wild performance showcasing the glitz and glam of the 30s.

“I was amazed at how much talent they all had,” freshman Nicole Colonna said.

Photo Of The Month Nakagawa wows Audience In

Performance RORIE DUNCAN STAFF WRITER

Colorful Lighting Effects

This photo of Claire Nolan was taken by Woo Ngyuen in Jared Leake’s digital photography class, as they continue to experiment with different camera features and digital effects such as exposure, shutter speed, and light. This particular photo uses the technique of overexposing the photo so that the light is captured as it is drawn in the sky, something that would not normally be seen in a regular picture.

Office manager Kristina Nakagawa wowed the audience at Davieʼs Symphony Hall in San Francisco March 20-21. Singing for over 5,000 people in such a renowned location was a fantastic opportunity, and according to many of the Pinewood students and faculty, the show was spectacular.

“I was literally on the edge of my seat. People behind me had to kindly ask if I would sit back so they could see. It was a long show, but it didn’t feel long. I was also amazed by Nakagawaʼs solo. Overall, it was a fantastic performance,” English teacher Meghann Hummel said.

During the concert, the choirs performed a song titled “Testimony,” for the “It Gets Better” project. “It was very emotional. Almost everyone was crying,” Nakagawa said. Other

Pinewood students and faculty who attended the event were also impressed by Nakagawaʼs performance.

“The event was over two hours long, and there were many solos. However, after Nakagawaʼs performance, there was more applause than that of any other performer. I was very impressed,” Curriculum Director Laurie Eickmeier said.

The event was a joint concert with the Gay Menʼs Choir. All of the songs were written by Stephen Schwartz, who also attended the performance.

“It was probably the best concert I have ever seen. Mrs. N. also had a solo during the song “For Good,” from “Wicked”. It was so beautiful,” junior Claire Witzke said.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It was amazing to be able to sing the songs of such a great composer like Stephen Schwartz and have him standing five feet away from you,” Nakagawa said.

Pinewood Art Show Grabs Attention Of Art Community

very proud of my work. I’m glad we got the chance to put our work up,” Loftus said.

Other pieces included a graphic The Pinewood art show opened design and typography image by at Foothill College on Thursday, senior Zoe Sharkey that featured April 19. Students’ artwork from an image of Kurt Cobain created Digital Photography, VPA Art, and solely with letters of his name as Studio Art classes was displayed well as a line-based image by senior to show off Pinewood’s artistic talJon Schulze. ent. Ending on April 30, Seniors Adi Rosenthal, the show coincided with “I’m very happy with the turnout of Helen Jargarin, and Taythe theater performance the show.” - Art teacher Jared Leake lor Smith-Hams, and juof “Dames at Sea,” also at nior Abigail Brennenman Foothill. Opening night proved to contour line pieces. also had some of their work in the be a great success, as parents, teachDigital photography pupils exhibit, mostly graphic design ers, and students all came together also showed their projects, a se- images and drawings that were to discuss the artwork, eat food, and ries of portraits with different inspired by a quote that they chose watch the preview of the play that backgrounds, all framed in origi- themselves. Disney movies and occurred on the same night. nal ways and with different tints music bands were some of the choThe space, though limited, was and effects on the photographs. sen themes. perfect for the event, and there was Photographs on display included Overall, the exhibit was widely plenty of light, high ceilings, and projects by seniors Jenn Bodine successful and the arts department is good company. and Woo Nguyen, junior Chloe Mill- hoping to be able to host another in At the entrance of the show, a se- er, and sophomore Chandler Loftus. the future. Hopefully, they will have ries of videos made by students was “I worked hard on that project, so a slightly larger space, for there were played to welcome guests. All of the seeing it up at the show made me many pieces that didn’t make it to the RAQUEL PERÉZ STAFF WRITER

films starred Pinewood students and added some humor to the evening with their funny plotlines. The artwork itself included a wide variety of techniques, themes, mediums, and styles. VPA sophomore students, including Leeana Bade, Sarah Cilker and Andrew Yaholkovsky, displayed several class projects such as charcoal still-life drawings and

show because of a lack of space.

“All I can say is the artwork was just great. I hope we’ll be able to have one every year,” Leake said.

Left: a graphic design with a Disney theme by senior Adi Rosenthal. Right: A set of photos taken by junior Chloe Miller.

Sports 6

Tirabassi and Peery Move On MAX DARROW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF In the past four years, Pinewood has developed one of the strongest athletic programs in the West Bay Athletic League. A football team was created and won a league championship within its first four years of existence while the boys varsity basketball team made it to the Central Coast Section finals three years in a row, winning twice and continuing into the Northern California playoff bracket up as far as the NorCal finals.

These accomplishments can be attributed to many people—the athletes, the athletic department, the faculty. But the two men truly accredited for these feats are Coach Michael Tirabassi and Coach Jason Peery, both of whom decided to resign at the end of their respective seasons.

Tirabassi, a man who lives, breathes, and dreams football, saw an opportunity to move up in his career and coach an eleven-man team at a larger high school. He hopes to continue coaching at higher and higher levels, possibly reaching the NCAA. “I decided to step down to continue on in my coaching career,” Tirabassi said in an interview with the Los Altos Town Crier. “I was comfortable that my replacement and former assistant, Matt Irvin, could carry on the program, so I decided it was time.”

Peery, former head coach of the varsity boys basketball team, who has devoted countless hours in the past four years of his life to creating a championship basketball team, felt that it was time to step back for a little bit and focus his time on his loved ones.

“I have six kids and my best friend is my wife and she’s been incredibly supportive, but the time is right to focus on my family and put the energy that I have put into coaching into my own family,” Peery said in an interview with the Los Altos Town Crier.

A Pinewood graduate and member of the former “Dream Team,” Peery will always be tied in with the Pinewood family.

“I will coach again someday, perhaps even at Pinewood, but not now,” he said.

The two coaches have sent many players off to play college sports ranging from Division I to Divsion III. Former players and alumni such as Connor Whitlock (BYU) and Max Lippe (UMass Amherst) had the opportunity to play under both coaches, both of whom are playing football in college. Lippe is playing basketball as well. Tirabassi also has sent off two more college football players, Michael Darrow (Macalaster College) and Andrew Kruep (Willamette).

In this year’s graduating class, seniors Mikey Naumann and Dante Fraioli have had the opportunity to play under both coaches during high school.

Coach Michael Tirabassi (left) spent four years creating and developing the Pinewood varsity boys football team that won the Mission Trail Athletic League championship this year. Coach Jason Peery (right) spent four years with the varsity boys basketball team and brought them to the Northern California championship for the first time since the “Dream Team” in 1987. Photo courtesy of statefarm.com and Lindsay Riches.

“I feel so privileged that I got to play for both Coach Peery and Coach Tirabassi,” senior Naumann said. “Both of them have taught me skills that I will be able to use on and off the court and have made me a better man.”

“Being a part of these two teams and playing for Coach Tirabassi and Coach Peery were two of the most amazing experiences of my life,” Fraioli said. “I am so happy that I got the opportunity to be a part of such great teams and play in such great programs. I’ll definitely miss both of them.”

Looking Ba c k at a C a r e e r of Pine w o od Ba sk e t ba l l KEVIN ENDERSBY STAFF WRITER

Sophomore Dylan Dreyer throws out a SHP runner at first base. Photo by Steve Dreyer.

Varsity Boys Baseball Aims for CCS Playoffs ROBIN SANDERS ASSISTANT EDITOR As the spring sports season comes to a close, the Pinewood varsity baseball team continues its quest to make the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs, with a 9-6 record overall and 2-4 in league.

In addition to coming off of a 3-game win streak, the team has ended games with impressive scores. In the Panthers’ game against North Valley Baptist High School, the baseball team managed to put away an incredible 14 runs, while limiting their opponents to only a single run the entire game. In an away game at Woodside Priory High School, Pinewood shut out the Priory baseball team while also scoring 10 runs.

Like most teams, the baseball season has had its low points. Mid-season, the baseball team suffered a mild slump in performance, losing back-toback away games against the Sacred Heart Prep Gators and Gunn Titans, 0-9 and 10-12 respectively. However, the team got right back out of the ditch with an 11-5 victory against St. Lawrence Academy on the boys home turf.

A few games later, the Panthers traveled down to San Jose to take on the always-formidable Harker Eagles. Up until this year, Pinewood had not won a baseball game at Harker. And up until the seventh inning of the game, it looked like it would stay that way. In the top of the final inning—the boys final at-bats of regulation—Harker was ahead 6-3.

Senior catcher Dante Fraioli began the rally with a triple and the rest of the team pitched in, scoring three runs that inning to tie up the ballgame.

The combination of stellar defense by both teams and

controversial calls by the umpires kept the game going until the tenth inning. With a 3-2 count, senior captain and second baseman Max Darrow hit a lead-off triple. Freshman outfielder Oscar Fick then knocked in Darrow with a hit to the infield, giving Pinewood a 7-6 lead.

Sophomore pitcher Kevin Tracy then closed out the game, striking out a total of six batters in the final innings of the game.

The team used this victory to propel them to two additional wins.

In an away game against the Crystal Springs Uplands Gryphons, Pinewood dominated from the first pitch, winning the game 10-2.

Their next game was against Lynbrook High School. Pinewood’s players continue to perform at an elite level, winning the game 12-3.

However, the team dropped two league games to the top two teams in the West Bay Athletic League (WBAL) at home, versus the Menlo Knights and once again versus Sacred Heart Prep.

Compared to previous seasons, this is by far one of the best baseball teams that Pinewood has ever had.

Junior pitcher Nate Bell is very content with this year’s team. “I love my team this year. We all get along well, and even when a player’s going through a slump everyone helps make him feel better.

Overall, this season has been really fun,” he said. “I really like how we can have our fun, yet still stay in the competitive level of our league.”

The Panthers look to continue to improve their season with a win over Kings Academy today in a non-league competition.

The athletic department has already chosen the two coaches’ replacements.

Former assistant coach Mani Messi will be taking over Peery’s job and former assistant coach Matt Irvin will be taking over Tirabassi’s position. Athletic Director Matt Stimson feels that the transition from coach to coach will go very smoothly. “[Coach Irvin] will be great,” Stimson said in an interview with the Los Altos Town Crier. “Kids love him, he has great energy and this will make the transition very smooth.”

With the basketball season over and numerous basketball careers ending, the Panther Prints decided to sit down with some of the players from the boys and girls varsity basketball teams to look back at their careers.

What will you miss most about the team?

John Bennett: Definitely the team chemistry and unity. Throughout my life, I’ll never have another team like that.

Bradley Naumann: It’s hard to say what I would miss most about the team because we have been through so much together. So the best I can give you is a list of things: the practices, the packed games, the bonding experiences at tournaments, the team dinners, the sleepovers, the pranks, the memories.

Dante Fraioli: What I’m going to miss most is the family and culture aspects of being on that team. Winning was fun but how we did it and the road to get there was what really defined us.

Jenny Hansen: Obviously I will miss my teammates from this year and past years as well as coaches. They have all shaped me not only as a basketball player but also as a person and hold a special place in my heart. I will really miss Kelly [Doran]. This whole basketball journey has put us through so much and brought us a lot closer throughout the four years that she is one of my best friends now.

With the season being over I can say truthfully that I already miss working together as a team to get better each day and just playing basketball with them. I will miss being part of a team that is so dedicated to loving the game, loving hard work for the sake of getting better, and loving each other.

What are some of your favorite memories of your basketball career?

Bennett: I’ll never forget Solomone being blind in FoodMax and the final buzzer of the Sacred Heart game.

B. Naumann: My best memories include winning Boonville, winning Cloverdale, beating Branson twice, the water balloon fight at our away tourney in Cloverdale, smacking Sacred Heart at the Gator-Raid, and all the games that led up to the Nor Cal finals.

Mikey Naumann: I’m definitely going to miss the pregame locker room time with the team. Those are some of my fondest memories.

Fraioli: I’d say some of our [and my] best memories are either Kevin’s awesome pregame speeches or going to eat after games on the weekend.

Hansen: This year alone has been jampacked with memories. Obviously winning state twice in a row is something that I will never forget. I would say that my memories of this year have been characterized by crazy fun–like on our long bus rides–and surprising ourselves with the potential of such a young team.

Do you have any words of wisdom for your team for their future?

Bennett: Don’t have the mindset of ‘we have to do better than them.’ Be yourself.

Basketball brought out the best in me and everyone else.

M. Naumann: Cherish every moment you have together as a team.

Fraioli: I would tell my team to always be the best man that they each can be. Try to make the people around you proud to say they know you.

Hansen: The characteristic of humility and selfless dedication is what is so special about playing basketball for Pinewood. If I had to give advice or words of wisdom, it would be to keep that selflessness in mind. Play for the stars of Pinewood’s past, play for your teammates, play for the little girls watching you who want to learn what it means to be a good basketball player and a good teammate. Wearing a Pinewood Jersey means that to other teams there is a target on your back, but what is important to remember and maintain is having each others’ backs.

The varsity boys basketball team poses with the trophy after winning first place in the Cloverdale Tournament.

They would continue to have their best season in more than 20 years. Photo by Lindsay Riches.

Sports 7

Tennis Season endures numerous hardships STEPHEN YU SPORTS EDITOR Despite ending the season with a 2-10 record, the boys tennis team believes it has the potential to be a dangerous team in the league and that subsequent years will bring more wins. The addition of new players has added depth to the roster and helped the young team overcome its many challenges.

The team has faced a deficit of players since last year, and this year proved no different. With the loss of sophomore and 14th ranked player in Northern California Dylan Dreyer, the team had to deal with personnel issues. “We are losing four seniors and currently are just over the minimum number of players to be considered a “team”. Last year we had no seniors, so it wasn’t really a problem. But this year we gained two new players (junior Faiz Khan and sophomore Daniel Snelgrove) while losing at least six from last year,” senior Jon Schulze said.

Members of the team stayed positive and did their best to cope with the lack of players. “Last year we didn’t have any seniors, but this year we had a couple and a lot more experience and also a couple more new members. I think we improved a lot more since last year,” senior Evan Chan said.

The lack of players comprised only a small part of the tennis teams woes; the team also played a difficult schedule. “We would go from having four matches a week, two weeks in a row, to maybe one or two the next couple of weeks. It was very lopsided and by the time Thursday rolled around most of us were very exhausted,” Schulze said.

However, the problems did not end there.

The team plays in a competitive league that includes schools like Menlo and Sacred Heart. “We had to play a lot of competitive

(Left) Sophomore Sid Kurkure squats down low to return a serve. (Right) Senior Jon Schulze snaps his fingers while slamming a ball across the net. Photo submitted by Vishal Jindal.

teams, and many times we played several matches in one week,” Chan said.

“Menlo is one of the best teams in the nation. Sacred Heart and Crystal Springs are also very good this year as well. So when it comes to league matches, we have our hands full,” Schulze said.

The team faced many setbacks but was still able to relish its successes. The game against Sacred Heart on March 28 was especially memorable. Pinewood won three matches against them but ultimately had to forfeit three matches because the team was so shorthanded. Against King’s Academy on

Golder rekindles the bowling spirit SAM CARP STAFF WRITER Bowling is making a comeback with sophomore Morgan Golder representing her district in the state bowling championships for the first time. She will be competing for the state title on May 5 and possibly May 6.

Like any competitor, Golder had to complete a series of challenges in order to qualify for this highly-esteemed tournament. On January 28, Golder was required to compete in a tournament for children, age 12 and up, held at Homestead Lanes in Cupertino, CA. Contending against about 50 other bowlers from around the district, Golder fought through three games, eventually emerging as a top scorer. Her final scores were 190, 160, and 170, spectacular results for average bowlers.

“She’s amazing. I’ve never seen anybody bowl like her,” sophomore Emma Mason said.

Despite her great wins in the past, Golder knows that the state competition is imminent and that she must focus on it in order to play to the best of her ability. The state championship will take place in Fountain Valley,

CA. If Golder competes well on the first day of the tournament and has high scores, she will continue into the next round, which will take place on May 6. On her first day, Golder will bowl a total of six games—two squads, or sets, each consisting of three games—with the best possible score being 300 points per game. The players will switch lanes each time a game is played, so Golder will end up playing on six different lanes that day.

“To prepare, I’m going to try to get practice in whenever I can. I bowl on a league on Saturdays, and I also plan to stay longer to practice more and get some help from one of the coaches. There is also a clinic on Wednesdays, which I would like to attend before the tournament,” Golder said.

Looking to the future, Golder may have a chance to compete in the national bowling championships if she performs and bowls well in the state competition. However, the competition is tough, as only the top two boys and girls from the country make it that far, an incredibly small number considering how many competitors the tournament began with.

Golder remains hopeful though, knowing that she has the talent to make it to nationals if she focuses and tries her best.

Sophomore Morgan Golder poses at the 12th Annual Reno Jr/Adult Invitational in the National Bowling Stadium. Photo by Natasha Khan.

April 23, sophomore Kevin Endersby nearly won in number one singles.

“We grow with each loss. We play with intensity every day. We give opponents a hard time. It wasn’t bad, but we will get more experience,” sophomore Sid Kurkure said.

With the season coming to an end, the team has had time to reflect on its performance and areas of weakness. “Next year, we need to improve our team chemistry, and become more consistent hitters. All of us need to work on our serves.

For some, just getting it in. For me and Kevin, it’s getting more power,” Kurkure said.

“I thought this season was really great, and although we weren’t the most competitive team out there, we improved a lot from where we were in the beginning of the season,” Chan said.

“We all made vast improvements from last season, and we even won a couple of matches, albeit against out of league opponents. To my team I love all of you guys, and I hope that next year Kevin and Sid will be good leaders. We had a lot of fun this year, and next year should be no different. Fight on guys. Craig I love you too,” Schulze said.

Introducing the pinewood swim team OWEN LEWIS STAFF WRITER To the Pinewood public, the most mysterious sport Pinewood offers is swimming. Where do they practice?

Who’s on the team? Do they have a coach? Are they good? Information about the swim teach may seem elusive, but the truth about the team will be unveiled here.

Every great team needs a great leader, and the swim team has found theirs: Andrew Matthews, a former Pinewood student, will take the reins for the Panthers next year. Matthews comes at the job with an experienced past.

“I coached youth swimming and managed an aquatics department for a local nonprofit. I grew up swimming and played club water polo until coming to Pinewood for high school. I swam my sophomore through senior years at Pinewood,” Matthews said.

Of the 18 swimmers this year, several have qualified for CCS. “The entire team has stepped up when needed. Our seniors, Adi Rosenthal, Daniel Branski, and Nate Brown, have really been integral in the team’s success.

They communicate well with the team and work hard at practice. They are great role models for the underclassmen,” Matthews said.

“Andrew is an amazing coach; he pushes us really hard to improve without being too harsh,” junior Sinclair Hancock said.

Things are looking up for Pinewood swimmers since they have established a reliable staple in Matthews and are ready and willing to work hard.

“I’d like to see everyone return next year and hopefully have some new additions,” Matthews said.

There are four main swimming strokes: freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly. The freestyle stroke is fast and efficient, and often the preferred stroke of most swimmers. Freestyle uses the same arm movements at opposite intervals and a flutter kick, and is often used in the

swimming leg of triathlons.

The breaststroke is usually the first stroke taught to beginners since the swimmer can keep his head above the water, avoiding breathing and visibility issues.

The breaststroke is the slowest of the competitive strokes and uses symmetric arm movements and a frog kick.

The backstroke is the only stroke that is swum on the back, using windmill-like arm movements and a flutter kick. Physicians often advise the backstroke to people experiencing back problems.

Lastly, the butterfly uses symmetrical arm movements, a wave-like body undulation and a dolphin kick. The butterfly has a reputation for being hard to learn, but once mastered, it is the second fastest stroke after freestyle.

These strokes have been improved and perfected by our swimmers this year. The swim team can be found after school at the University Club about 5 minutes away from Pinewood.

“Not having a pool isn’t too much of a challenge with the exception of transportation. We are very lucky to be able to use the University Club of Palo Alto which is nearby and convenient. By having an off-campus practice facility, distractions are minimal compared to being on campus. The team comes in focused and works hard making coaching easier,” Matthews said.

Swim coach Andrew Matthews smiles for the camera. Photo by Lindsay Riches.

News 8

Rummage Sale for Mexico Trip SYDNI TOPPER STAFF WRITER On Saturday, April 25, people from all around Los Altos gathered at Pinewood’s upper campus for a rummage sale to help fundraise for the summer Mexico trip.

Eleven Pinewood students are planning to travel to Oaxaca, Mexico in June to help build houses for families there; these same students helped to organize and run the sale.

For a few weeks before the sale, the students advertised, placing posters all around campus and the town, a notice in the Pinewood newsletter, and ads on Craigslist.

Families associated with the Mexico trip and other families and faculty from the Lower, Middle, and Upper campuses all donated items for the rummage sale.

On the day of the sale, a huge crowd flocked to Pinewood Upper Campus, even

before the sale opened. Every lunch table was filled with donations, ready to be sold.

Though Pinewood families attended also, the majority of people who attended the sale were not from Pinewood.

“We had people waiting outside the gate, and when we first opened up in the morning, about 50 people stampeded in!” Hannah Jones, trip supervisor and Literature teacher, said.

The rummage sale raised about $650, though only about 75 percent of the items were sold.

“Not only did we raise $650, but we also worked together as a team, which will be a

great experience for when we head to Mexico early this summer,” Jones said.

“It was actually a lot of fun because there were so many people who were not Pinewood students at the rum-

Los Altos residents peruse the items at the rummage sale. All of the items were donated by Pinewood families and faculty. Photo by Annie Whitacre.

age sale. There were families from all over Los Altos rushing in and we sold so much stuff,” junior Gabrielle Amos-Grosser, who will attend the Mexico trip, said.

The sale lasted for about four hours, with the Mexico trip students helping the customers.

“During the sale, I worked and helped people find what they wanted, and I had a lot of fun,” sophomore Greg Naumann, who will be going on the Mexico trip, said.

“There was a great selection of items, from books to clothes to dishes and silverware and bean bag chairs to lava lamps and twilight posters!” sophomore Talmage Wise said.

The sale did not fully meet their expectations.

“We didn’t make as much profit as we wanted and it should have been two hours instead of four, but overall it was fun,” sophomore Etelle Stéphan, one of the main organizers of the trip, said.

Pinewood Helps the Community SHANI ROSENTHAL STAFF WRITER As the end of the second semester approaches, another student favorite has appeared on the calendar: community service day.

On May 2, each grade was involved in a different service project off the Pinewood campus. The seventh grade went to Wunderlich Park for habitat restoration and trail maintenance. Eighth grade went to Arastradero Open Space Preserve to help with trail maintenance, includ-

ing picking weeds and other harmful plants. The freshmen helped maintain trails at Muir Beach in Marin County.

The sophomores volunteered at the San Jose rose garden.

The juniors built a house in Daly City, and the seniors worked at a food bank in San Francisco.

Not only does community service day offer a chance for students and faculty members to relax and escape the stresses of school, but it also allows Pinewood to help out in the community.

Pinewood has been striving to encourage students to get

involved in the community ever since the high school began more than 20 years ago; however, Pinewood has only been doing a community service day for seven years.

Whether students enjoy missing class, working with their friends, or volunteering in the community, most concur that community service day is a definite favorite.

“I love community service day because most of the time we are having fun with our grade, but we get to help out the community at the same time,” junior Haley Longbottom said.

Each year, it is a challenge to book volunteer opportunities for each grade.

“One of the difficulties of the community service day is finding a place that can have 50 students participate at the same time and the same location,” principal Mark Gardner said.

There have been several favorite community service days in the past.

“In 10th grade we cleared out an entire forest of weeds.

I liked it more than past community service days because it was more engaging and they had a job for everyone,”

junior Branden Hing said.

“My favorite community service day was in the seventh grade when we went to a farm and cleaned up,” Longbottom said.

The Pinewood community has made service hours obligatory for many years, hoping that the benefits of community service become apparent to students.

“We want the students to realize the benefit to themselves and others when they do the community service.

Learning can happen outside the classroom even when doing something unrelated to

the student’s subject areas.

We like the students and the teachers working together on a common goal or purpose.

Everyone is the same and everyone is giving of themselves and their time to help others,” Gardner said.

Although students love community service day, there is room for improvement.

“I hope to engage in more community service where we actually get to see results. It would be nice if we were able to see the effects of what we are doing and see how much people who value community are needed,” Hing said.

Lunch With a Flair Of France ANNIE KONG STAFF WRITER On April 18, students and teachers got a taste of French culture and cuisine at the annual French Luncheon.

Once every year, French students enjoy preparing and eating delicious French food during the French luncheon. French students from grades 7 – 12 are required to bring in a French dish that serves at least six to eight people. Different French classes are assigned different dishes to bring to ensure a large as-

sortment of food. This year was no different.

“Everyone contributed and brought various French dishes, so the food was delicious,” freshman Alex Krohn said.

Much effort was put into making the luncheon possible. To help prepare, students with French before lunch had to set up tables, utensils, and help prepare, cut, and warm the food. Students in French class after lunch also had to help put away everything and wash and dry the dishes. Students devoted time the night before to cook these dishes and spent time days ahead researching delectable meals for everyone to enjoy.

A wide variety of food, from salads to fruits to couscous to stew was served. Favorite desserts, such as chocolate cake and fudge, were scrounged from the table immediately.

All the tables were filled up and packed with mouthwatering French dishes.

In previous years, many Spanish students have slipped into line and snuck food onto their plates, passing off as French students.

This year however, French students and teachers were not going to let that happen again. Madame Anna Daniel kept a watchful eye out for any students that tried to slip by undetected. The French students kept lookout also, shooing away Spanish students who lingered around the table, looking longingly at the food laid out. However, Spanish students were allowed to take the leftovers after

all the French students had gotten their fill.

The French luncheon is not only a fun experience, but it also helps students to learn about the French culture and experience it.

“The French picnic is definitely a special time of the year that all the French students look forward to, including me,” freshman Katherine Tseung said.

“The opportunity to taste some French food helps enrich our learning about the French culture.”

Overall, it was largely a group effort, and all the hard work paid off in the end. Students and teachers enjoyed the luncheon immensely, and the food was excellent. Students are already looking forward to next year.

“It was great! I can’t wait until next time!”

Krohn said.

Golf Classic SARAH LAWSON STAFF WRITER

Left: Students enjoy the plethora of treats laid out on the lunch tables. Right: Spanish teachers Sheila Schmitz and Reet Palczewska pour Orangina at the end of the lunchline. Photos taken by Emily Ng.

Teachers and parents alike traveled to the Stanford Golf Course on April 30 for Pinewood’s biennial Golf Classic. Serving as a fundraiser for the school, each player paid $350 to enter the tournament.

The day consisted of 18 holes of golf at Stanford, a boxed lunch on the green, and a post-tournament barbeque; however, nongolfers could pay a nominal fee of $25 to join in on the barbeque festivities.

Individuals and corporations were invited to sponsor holes, carts, the putting green, lunch, or the reception.

Organizers are still tallying the amount of money actually raised by the event. It is predicted that the fundraiser was a success.

President Scott Riches said that the number of golfers who played, the new venue at Stanford, and the large amount of sponsors made the event great.

“I think this was one of our top golf tournaments,” Riches said.

“Thanks to all those in the Pinewood community who participated.”