Panther Prints | February 2012

The Panther Prints Informing and Educating the Pinewood Community and the Surrounding Area for 25 Years February 24, 2011

Volume I. Edition 5.

25th Annual Edition

Scheppler: Doctor of Linsanity MAX DARROW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF “He is amazing athlete who the epitome of greatness.” Pinewood’s very own varsity girls basketball coach Doc Scheppler said this in reference to 23-year-old Palo Alto native and rising NBA superstar, Jere- my Lin. Up until very recently, Lin was not a household name. He was known throughout the Bay Area for being a basketball star from Palo Alto High School, but the majority of Americans wouldn’t be able to tell someone who Lin was. Last year, Lin played off the bench as a point guard periodically for the Golden State Warriors. But due to the lockout, Lin was never able to work out with new head coach Mark Jackson, and was waived from the team on the first day of training camp this year. Since Lin could not work out with his NBA coach during the lockout, he had to find someone else to work with. And that is when he was reunited with Coach Scheppler. The duo worked together either at Pinewood or the gym on Fabian Way throughout the summer, up until the lockout was lifted. “I was his high school coach’s coach in high school and he was recommended to me by his high school coach. I had worked with is

Recent NBA sensation Jeremy Lin, who grew up in the Bay Area, has risen to fame and success recently, though not without the help of Pinewood’s Varsity Girls Basketball Coach Doc Scheppler, who worked with Lin throughout the summer. Photos taken from Google Images.

him once when he was in college,” Scheppler said. “Jeremy’s a great learner. He was highly motivated and always gave a onehundred percent effort into the workouts.” After being waived by the Warriors, the Houston Rockets picked Lin up for a few weeks, but had enough depth and waived him to clear the payroll to sign another player. But on Dec. 27, 2011, Lin was picked up by the New York Knicks. Between the Knicks’ head coach Mike D’Antoni’s fast-paced offense and the work that he put in with Scheppler, some-

thing clicked in his game. In his first true appearance, Lin scored 25 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and had 7 assists, leading the Knicks to a victory over the New Jersey Nets. Many people turned their heads and thought it was a fluke—but it wasn’t. Within his first four games with the Knicks, he averaged 27.3 points, 8.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Some people still believed that he was getting lucky, playing against sub-par teams, and wouldn’t believe that he would

be any good against any strong teams. Days later, his first challenge was given to him: the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite being guarded periodically by legend Kobe Bryant, Lin managed to lead both teams in scoring with 38 points and had seven assists, leading the Knicks to a 92-85 victory. But the Linsanity didn’t stop there, as he would hit a game-winning three pointer with 0.5 seconds left of the game against the Toronto Raptors. A few games later, he led his team to a victory over the reigning NBA Champions, the Dallas Mavericks. “I’m happy for the game of basketball that we can now embrace a true hero in a sport that is infiltrated with players that don’t exemplify the spirit of playing a team sport,” Scheppler said. “It is so inspiring how he has personally turned a team around with his energy and style of play. Within a span of a few weeks, Lin has transformed from an unknown kid to an international hero. But despite his sudden fame, he still remains a very humble man, thanking the people around him for his success. “He includes everybody in his success and acknowledges those people in his life that have got him to this exciting point in his life. Family, friends, teammates, and coaches have all been thanked,” Scheppler said. “He is an amazing athlete who is the epitome of greatness.

ALL IN THE SPIRIT OF SPIRIT WEEK

From Left to Right: Junior Haley Longbottom and Senior Adi Rosenthal pose for “Under the Sea” day. Spirit Week posters reveal the “Planet Pinewood” ecosystems theme. Senior Erik Matousek holds the acorn as the squirrel from “Ice Age” for the senior lipsync. Senior John Bennet shows off his jellyfish costume. Photos by Emily Ng and Faiz Khan.

CITY R e g u l a t i o n s D r i v e Bridge Program Connects Resources Parking Issue to the Surface Pinewood to Outside be devoted enrichment activities ANNIE KONG STAFF WRITER On any given day, parents, students, teachers, and visitors jockey for one of the 150 parking spots in Pinewood’s ever-busy Upper Campus parking lot. During special events such as sporting events, the Jamboree, and graduation, the problem is even worse, with dozens of cars spilling onto nearby streets. Los Altos Hills town officials, responding to a neighbor complaint, are now cracking down on neighborhood parking. Those who park on nearby streets for Pinewood events now run the risk of being ticketed, and Pinewood administrators are considering using a shuttle service for the school’s larger scheduled events. The Los Altos Town Council sent Pinewood President Scott Riches a letter last November stating that no cars should be parked on the street at any time, even during special events. Two days after the letter was received, “No Parking, Tow Away” signs were placed in front of the school. Riches and Pinewood Principal Mark Gardner immediately set up a meeting with the Town of Los Altos Hills to express their concerns and to brainstorm possible solutions to the problem. “We felt it was unacceptable that there could not even be limited overflow parking for the dozen of so special events that happen at our school,” Riches said. Town officials told Riches and Gardner that no one is allowed to park on the street over the town pathways because this was one of the conditions laid out on Pinewood’s use permit. Vehicles parked on nearby streets will be given citations by the sheriff, officials warned. Both sides have come up with a solution: the town will pay for and create a new pathway closest to

Pinewood’s fence, where cars can park on the shoulder. The railroad ties and rocks outside Pinewood, now allow cars to park in front of the school. “The Town is happy with this solution and seems to be a good compromise for the school as this helps for the limited overflow parking for the smaller special events such as sporting events and performances, ” Riches said. For graduation, the Jamboree, back-to-school night, and the admissions open house, the four large special events of the year, Gardner and Riches are looking into other possible solutions for parking. One idea is to have offsite parking at either Gardner Bullis School or at the Town of Los Altos Hills, both which are just down the street. A shuttle service will then be provided for those who park in those parking lots after Pinewood’s parking lot is maxed out. Riches said that for the 36 years Pinewood has been at this location, people have been parking on the streets for special events, and there has never been an issue or complaint from neighbors or from the Town until now. Students and faculty at Pinewood follow the rule of no parking on the streets for day-to-day operations and have adhered to the Town’s policy. Pinewood has always been aware of this rule, Riches said, but given the limited number of special events – about a dozen or so per year-- where copious amounts of people attend, Pinewood’s small parking lot cannot accommodate so many, and people park out on the streets. Riches and Gardner stated that it is virtually impossible to accommodate all parking on Pinewood’s small parking lot for special events; however, the town was very adamant about prohibiting parking on their pathways for any occasion. Though the parking issue still remains a controversy, a compromise was reached between the town and Pinewood School.

KELLY RYAN STAFF WRITER

This summer Pinewood will participate in the Peninsula Bridge Summer Program, bringing intensive academics and enrichment activities to motivated middle school students. The Peninsula Bridge organization serves students from the top 25 percent of their class in grades 5-8. The students come from certain schools in the Ravenswood, Redwood City, San Mateo-Foster City, and Mountain View-Los Altos districts. Peninsula Bridge is a nonprofit group that helps underserved students prepare for accelerated programs in high school. Also, it provides a multitude of enrichment programs that have been cut in many of the public schools such as art and athletics. There is an Academic Year Program that provides a bridge to connect students to outside resources to help fill the gaps they have at their current schools such as tutoring and other enrichment activities. There is also a summer program in which Pinewood is participating. Nine schools, including Pinewood, provide their facilities and host the summer program. At Pinewood, the mornings will be spent on the academic classes and afternoons will

such as art and drama. From June 25 to July 27, Pinewood will host rising 7th and 8th grade students from the Mountain View-Los Altos school district. Many of our own students have signed up to be teaching assistants this summer. When asked why Pinewood wanted their students involved, site director Dr. Bonnie Traymore, said, “It gives them a chance to develop leadership skills and adds socioeconomic diversity to Pinewood.” Along with Dr. Traymore, English teacher Meghann Hummel will teach the Language Arts classes, Jackee Bruno, Pinewood’s Athletic Director, will teach the sports elective, and Kiara Boyle, a current public school teacher in Los Angeles, will teach the math classes. Pinewood interns will be responsible for developing and teaching the electives and for assisting the teachers. Some of the Pinewood interns include Annie Kong, Karina Uppal, Haley Longbottom, Emma Grillo, and Veronica Boyce. The Peninsula Bridge Summer Program not only helps the students from under-resourced schools but also provides a rewarding experience for the Pinewood students. This program also provides a unique opportunity to develop leadership and teamwork skill, as well as a socioeconomically diverse background.

Opinion 2

Fair or Foul?

The Editors’ Corner GARRETT BIGGS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Two famous presidential philanderers, Grover Cleveland and Andrew Jackson. Photos taken from crghenry.org. VICTORIA GARDINER STAFF WRITER Elections season is not only remembered in the heart’s of every American as a time of democracy and patriotism, but as a feeding frenzy for tabloids and gossip columnists. Suddenly, here is a plethora of targets that will not only have the juiciest most tantalizing gossip, but the resulting damage control will continue to perpetuate the story, thus producing more actions to twist into criticism. Don’t get me wrong, I like seeing a politician with egg on their face as much as the next person, but at what point does it stop being tabloid fodder, and start to actually matter? History provides us with plenty of examples of President’s personal lives being brought to the forefront of the media for the amusement of the masses. At times thing information has been irrelevant and trivial, even leaving lasting damage to the candidate’s personal life. One example of this that we can lift from American history, is a marital scandal involving President Andrew Jackson. It turned out that the divorce of Jackson’s wife to her first husband had never been properly finalized, and that her current marriage was void because of this. The Jackson’s rectified this clerical error immediately, but not before the media could get a hold of it. Rachel Jackson was bat-

tered with slander during her husband’s campaign. She died shortly before her husband’s inauguration, and though there is no evidence to suggest it, Jackson blamed the media’s slander and the shame it brought her for her death. So fair or foul? I say foul, if Jackson had not rectified his marriage then there would be something to talk about, but given the circumstances this slander was just an attempt to discredit Jackson during his campaign. In addition to Jackson history also provides us with President Grover Cleveland, who was slandered by opponents during his presidential campaign, for having sired an illegitimate child. It got to the point that Cleveland’s opponents had single mothers standing at his speeches with their young children in tow chanting, “ma ma, where’s my pa?” after Cleveland’s victory his supporters called back in kind with “He’s in the white House, ha ha ha.” It would be a fair thing to bring up, if Cleveland had left his lover and child to fend for themselves, but, in fact, Cleveland regularly paid the required child support and went to great lengths to ensure that his child was happy, healthy and educated. Not only is it irrelevant to bring up indiscretions that the target in question owns up to, but it gives them the chance to show that they have a sense of responsibility. It does more good than harm to the candidate’s reputation.

However there are situations where a political figure’s indiscretions can matter greatly. The most famous example being Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. Not only did this little fling expose Clinton’s moral shortcomings, he made a mistake ammunition against him by lying to his wife and the American people about it. The tryst became fair game the moment the attempt was made to cover it up. And finally, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Newt Gingrich. Fair or foul? In my view, absolutely, one hundred percent, beyond the shadow of a doubt… fair. A cornerstone Gingrich’s campaign are his supposed family values. How can the American public believe in the ‘family values’ of a man who has not only had three wives, but divorced the first two promptly after they were diagnosed with terminal illnesses? In the case of his second wife, doctors explicitly advised that stress would take a great toll on his health. Last time I checked divorce proceedings weren’t exactly massage therapy. So at what point does a candidate’s personal life begin to matter in their politics? Answer: when indiscretions of their personal life contradict major components of their policies, or when they have the gaul to blatantly lie to the American public about the matter. But if the indiscretion is something they are owning up to, it is best to leave it alone.

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:

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

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

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

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Robin Sanders PHOTO EDITOR: Lindsay Riches

STAFF WRITERS: Ben Brown Sam Carp Rorie Duncan Kevin Endersby Victoria Gardiner Andrew Gerson Alex Hasnain Annie Kong Sarah Lawson

For those of you who are familiar with the Opinion pages of the Panther Prints, you may recognize the fact that I have had an opinion article in almost every single issue of the Prints since my freshman year. I have established my views on a number of issues from why indigo has been taken out of the rainbow (I’m still mad), to an increase in the number of Christians living in China. Yet I have a problem, and that is that I am loud, and although I am now the editor-in-chief of the Panther Prints, I rant endlessly during layout about a number of issues proving to be a liability in production. Thus, the editors corner was invented. This is a place of meditation, where instead of being loud and writing an opinion article, I can be quiet and write my opinion article faster. No longer will our wonderful advisor Kim Wetzel, have to tell me to shut up and write. Instead, my “worthwhile?” thoughts will now be published for the school to read. Yikes. This week is Oscar Week, and although I am not exactly a religious follower of it as opposed to some of my colleagues, I was startled by a recent article published in the Los Angeles Times. For those of you who do not know, the 5,765 Academy Voters names are kept secret from the

Oscar trophies on display. Photo taken from everythingmultimediaonline.wordpress.com.

public, so influence is not swayed. That said, the LA Times did find out quite a bit about the voters. According to the Times, “Oscar voters are nearly 94% Caucasian and 77% male, The Times found. Blacks are about 2% of the academy, and Latinos are less than 2%.” This group of voters is clearly less diverse than the general movie going public, and this upsets me on a number of levels. First of all, because of this, the winners of the Oscars will not reflect the opinion of the general public. Isn’t true success in film-making, when a large number of people respect and enjoy your show, opposed to a small group of rich white men that only represent a minority of the population? Wouldn’t this explain why horrible British dramas that nobody has ever seen win every single year and movies like “The Blind Side” and “Avatar” lose? It actually is a country for old men. (Three points to the person that gets why that is a funny reference). In other news, I am back from New York after attending the Broadway Student Summit with eight other Pinewood actors. I also have been officially quoted for the first time on page 5! Karalena, my Arts & Culture editor, will be getting yelled at later for letting that quote be published. The point of this aside is that I was impressed by the increase of religious Broadway shows spreading through New York. While there I attended a revival of “Godspell”, and the new musical “Sister Act”. It is clear that these shows have decided to put religion (specifically Christianity in the most fun light possible). Christian or not you have to respect the strategy of trying to capture a new generation, by making religion as fun as possible. And now my word limit is up, so I will see you in the satirical issue this April. Later folks.

Owen Lewis Austin Liang Raquel Perez Camille Polster Shani Rosenthal Kelly Ryan Brittany Schulte Etelle Stephan Sydni Topper Karina Uppal

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Faiz & Natasha Khan Amrith Deepak Vishal Jindal Emily Ng David Rodden Annie Whitacre WEB MASTER: Alex Banning

Editorial 3

Introverted Vs. Shy: There Is a Difference

Recently, I read the TIME Magazine cover story, “The Upside of Being an Introvert (and Why Extroverts are Overrated),” by Bryan Walsh. The article discusses the difference between shyness and being an introvert, and why being an introvert may not be such a bad thing. Reading this article sent a huge wave of relief over me. It’s good to know there’s actually an upside to being an introvert! I only wish I had known sooner. Anyhow, Walsh points out that some of the world’s most successful, powerful individuals have been introverts, ranging from religious leader Moses to investor Warren Buffett, and from baseball player Joe DiMaggio to current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. This came as a huge shock to me. I mean, really, Hillary Clinton? Isn’t it in the job description of a politician to be charming and sociable? I guess not, according to Walsh. My future is not as dark as it once seemed. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy spending time with friends, but something about dances just drained the life out of me. I used to think there was something wrong with me, some type of disease Image Taken From http://www.evercurious.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/introvert.jpg. that made me detest social gatherings BRITTANY SCHULTE and meeting new people. STAFF WRITER People would make fun of me for being the “quiet” kid or tell me I have no friends (in a joking, sarcastic manner, of Friday night, and it’s the first junior high dance of the course, but I’ll admit it still stung a little). But each year as year. I walk into the theater, excited, smiling from ear I grew older and wiser, the feeling of “there’s something to ear. I have high hopes for this dance. I think to my- wrong with me…” became smaller and smaller. Out came self, “This one’s different. I’ll actually have fun tonight.” this new, exuberant feeling of “who cares what other people And again, I’m wrong. Within 20 minutes, I want to go think?” I’ve come to realize that I am who I am, and no one home. I feel drained and tired, and I don’t understand why. can tell me otherwise. Feeling awkward and out-of-place, I realize I’d much rather The truth is, a natural bias exists within our society that tends be snuggling up on the couch with a good book and a cup of to praise the outspoken, fiery, energetic people-magnets and hot chocolate. look down upon the shy, quiet spectators. (They don’t talk, so

Chivalry Should Not Be Dead

they must be uninteresting.) It makes sense, though, because outgoing people are the type of people who others want to be around. There is nothing wrong with this; it is all part of human nature. Extroverts are often funny and energetic and confident: all things people generally love to see in a person. But perhaps our society fails to see the true personas of the many introverts out there. Rather than telling introverts to speak up or get lost, people should treat the idea of being an “introvert” as a possibly beneficial feature rather than a detrimental characteristic. As Walsh points out, introverts are less likely to rush headlong into ideas and are more likely to think things through. Their friendships, while fewer, are deeper in nature. Introverts can achieve higher levels of concentration in solitude than extroverts, who tend to be around people all the time, can. I am an introvert. Being around too many people at once and being forced to make small talk with people I’m not familiar with is not exactly my idea of a fun time. However, I must admit that I am also somewhat shy; however, not to the extent that it encroaches upon my ability to forge connections with people. It is important to realize the huge difference between being shy and being an introvert. A shy person feels anxious or self-conscious when around other people, whereas an introvert prefers to sit back and enjoy his or her alone time. As an introvert, when people have said to me things like “You never talk” or “Why are you so quiet?” I feel the urge to explain that it’s not that I’m incapable of talking or that I’m angry or nervous, but rather I have nothing to say or I’m busy thinking about other things or I’d rather listen than actively participate in a conversation. To be honest, it’s irritating. After all, it’s not like us introverts go around telling people to hush up and tone down their loud personalities. The difference between introverts and extroverts is equivalent to the difference between someone who prefers rock and roll to classical music. Both are different, but neither is necessarily better. I’m slowly coming to terms in that I’ll never be considered a bustling socialite. I now realize I have so much to offer the world. Just because I don’t have the most exuberant and lively personality in the bunch, does not mean I’m doomed to be a fly on the wall. Trust me, if I want to be heard, I will go out of my way to make myself heard. But until then, just let me be.

When Money Equals Speech... TIFFANY CHEN OP-ED EDITOR

Image Taken From: http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/wjon.com/files/2012/01/CostaConcordia.jpg?w=630&h=420&zc=1 &s=0&a=t&q=89.

AUSTIN LIANG STAFF WRITER Chivalry is dead. “I tripped and ended up in one of the lifeboats, getting stuck in there for almost an hour,” is the shabby excuse of Captain Francesco Schettino for abandoning the Costa Concordia, a cruise ship that sunk off the coast of Italy during the evening of Jan. 13, before passengers were able to evacuate. Owned by Carnival Corporation, Costa Concordia hit a reef off the coast of Italian island Isole le Scole and partially sunk, killing 17 passengers. Captain Schettino, who is currently accused of manslaughter and abandoning ship, may face up to 12 years in prison, also blatantly refused and ignored the Coast Guard’s orders when spotted and ordered back to ship, coming up with excuses such as “It’s dark and I can’t see anything,” or “It’s only a small technical problem.” “Women and children first!” used to be the maxim for evacuating ships and was duly followed during the Titanic’s great disaster. Back when the Titanic sunk, this maxim ensured that almost all of the women and children were saved. On the other hand, the situation on the Costa Concordia was described as “every man – and crew member – for himself.” What happened to risking your life for women and children, or the generous idea of putting others before yourself? Men on the ship literally refused and ignored orders to give up their seats for women and children, and in some cases, elbowed and fought others in an effort to

secure a lifeboat seat. Men might believe that following this code of morals is outdated. Developed and upheld during the Victorian era in the late 1800s, this maxim was used during a time where women were perceived as more fragile, and certainly inferior, to men. Today, there is a tradition of equality that exists between the sexes. As a result, it may be considered sexist— and therefore offensive—if a man tries to do something for a woman that may portray her as weak or needing protection. Just because women have equality and equal rights now does not mean that chivalrous actions are unneeded or imply sexism. Men should still treat women well. That means doing things such as holding the door open, and being a gentleman. Nowadays even the idea of “ladies first” is rarely followed. Men shouldn’t follow this because it’s some societal imperative; they should do it because it is what true gentlemen do. Being chivalrous will also show the emotional side of men, and that they care about women. If men do this, women and men can build and strengthen personal and emotional relationships. These close relationships will bring women and men closer together, and make them happier. Men should step it up, and start being more chivalrous, from holding the door open for ladies and even put their lives at risk in order to save a woman. This maxim is necessary because men need to be able to sacrifice their lives in order to contribute to the greater good and save the people who hold and are the future generation.

What is a democracy, exactly? We of the United States like to think ourselves part of a democracy, or at least, a democratic republic, in which a poor man’s vote counts the same as a rich man’s. Upon further reflection this idea is obviously false. Each person has only one vote, that’s true. But the rich can donate money, and money means lots in elections. Money can buy ad space on airwaves. It can assemble a better campaign team. It can do lots of magical things for the party that possesses the most. Not to mention that the rich often control certain industries or companies that may work somehow perfectly with certain campaigns. There are limitations on how much an individual can donate to a particular candidate ($2400 per candidate per election). These limits were put in place to prevent corruption--if people are allowed to donate undisclosed amounts of money, corruption results, as happened in the Gilded Age. In an effort to “reform” campaign financing ostensibly in favor not “violating” the First Amendment, various methods have been passed to allow people (and corporations, who really are just people) to donate money above and beyond that $2400 limit. The most recent of these “reforms” came in the form of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Comission decision by the Supreme Court, which ruled that the federal government could not limit political donations from unions or corporations, and Speechnow.org v. FEC, in which the Federal Court of Appeals ruled that contributions to groups that only made “independent” expenditiures could not be limited. These two led to the formation of the super PAC, a lovely “independent” money-gobbler for certain candidates. In theory, super PACs are “independent-expenditure only committees”

that are not allowed to “coordinate” with the candidate they support. In practice, candidates can communicate their wishes quite easily through the media, as Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert so ably demonstrated. The easy circumvention of this nocoordinating rule smacks of corruption, as does the no-limit rule of donation acceptance. Super PACs have come to dominate this year’s election even as candidates have tried to play up their averageAmerican compatibility. So much for speaking up for the little guy. Just one example: the Associated Press found that of the $60 million that super PACs collected in the campaigns so far, $33 million came from just 24 people. And yet this report has come only recently, as super PACs do not have to continuously disclose their donors. We end up with a campaign that’s now financed almost exclusively off of one couple--Newt Gingrich’s faltering campaign received $10 million last month from Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam. Considering that the super PAC only raked in $11 million last month, such a contribution has certainly helped sustain his capaign. Super PACs, in effect, have equated money with speech. Apparently, according to today’s courts, the freedom to give money to campaign equals the freedom of speech--and to put any limits on people donating money is to censure their ability to speak. So the rich get to buy elections with their money, while the poor can sit back and try to get rich to buy their own speech. Tough luck ‘til you guys get rich, losers! While some may think that it’s the right of the rich to give as much as they want to support, and that in effect money does equal speech, since people spend to have their voices heard, this idea is inherently unfair. By upholding such an idea we are deepening the already wide gulf between the rich and the poor, an always discouraging prospect.

Features 4

Seussical: the Junior High Musical

The Cat’s famous Hat. Photos from Scott Lacy

SYDNI TOPPER STAFF WRITER Singing, dancing, a few crowd-pleasing exercises, and of course a whole lot of energy made up Seussical, the last eighth grade musical of the year. The eighth grade students made the most of their five weeks of rehearsals, and the result was fabulous. Seussical the Musical was directed by Mr. Lacy and was a fun and exciting experience for the cast. Seussical was Performing arts teacher Scott Lacy’s first musical at Pinewood, but he has directed over 150 shows prior, in addition to running a theater company in San Diego. Scott Lacy will be directing all junior high musicals from now on. The basic plot of Seussical the Musical was reminiscent of “Horton Hears a Who”. As the Cat in the Hat (Carolyn Ehrlich) narrates the story to the audience, Horton (Dominick Twombly)goes on an adventure to find the Whos, a tiny race that live on a dust speck on a clover.

Lacy tried out a new style of auditioning, different from the Pinewood norm, to better mirror what they would see in the music business. “The students had to create a résumé and show it to me like they would out in the real world,” Lacy said. Each student chose a song beforehand to sing to him, but the songs could be as easy as Happy Birthday. The cast consisted of 18 members, and they had five weeks to put the show on, with an hour and a half of in-school rehearsal every day. “I really liked this musical because we had great props and really catchy songs,” Twombly said. The process of putting on the play was already quite structured, but Lacy gave the students some freedom to incorporate their own ideas into the show. “They had the freedom to improvise and invent the characters themselves because the parts weren’t already choreographed,” Lacy said. The freedom to design their own characters was greatly appreciated all around, and perhaps added to the overall enthusiasm of the cast for the musical. “Mr. Lacy was an amazing director, and even let us help with the choreography and come up with some of our own ideas. For example, he let me play guitar in two of the songs because I asked him if I could,” Ehrlich said. Ideas were free flowing, filling the play with a markedly Junior High enthusiasm. “I really enjoyed the part in the play where I got to do the human surfboard and surf over my classmates,” eighth grader Alexander Yazdani said. In the last few weeks they staged the musical, then put it all together by holding dress rehearsals, where they perform the entire play with costumes, as if it were the real thing. “My favorite part was the dress rehearsals because we could put on the show with less pressure” eighth grader Hannah Ditzler, also known as Mayzie the Bird, said. On Jan 12 and 13, the cast put on two shows for their parents and peers, and the audience responded enthusiastically. “I really enjoyed watching the play because it was very fast-paced and entertaining!” seventh grader Bailey Heit said.

The Waiting Game NIUNIU TEO FEATURES EDITOR “Second Semester Senior”. It almost sounds like nomenclature, given to a certain subspecies of high school student: the over-caffeinated, pajama-wearing, bedheaded creatures, commonly known as seniors. What exactly is it that causes such strange behavior? What is it that causes such baffling behavior of once model students, who, for some reason, fall tragic victims to the combination of shell shock from the battlefield of first semester application madness and the maddening limbo of waiting for college decisions? Upon closer look, many do not have as radical responses to the strange and sudden freedom that comes with the second semester, though whether it is a result of denial or ignorance is unclear. “Meh,” senior Jon Schulze said, regarding the waiting game. “I don’t really care.” Meanwhile, others’ reactions ranged from apathy to slight anxiety. “At first the waiting process was kind of nerve-wracking, but now it’s just kind of waiting. It doesn’t really affect me that much anymore,” senior Emily Ng said. Ted Lim, who has been basking in the golden (or perhaps cardinal red would be more correct) glow of being a recipient of an early decision acceptance, senses more clearly the stress he would have felt had he still been waiting for his decision. “I’m really glad I did it, since I got in. So, yes, second semester senior has been so liberating,” Lim said. “But, if I hadn’t gotten into Stanford I would definitely be really stressed, because you don’t have the comfort of knowing you have somewhere to go yet.” However, stressed or not, the most obvious symptom of senioritis is the sudden realization that college rejection is no longer a looming consequence of slipping grades, and the consequent soul-defining question: to try or not to try. Teachers, in response, have had a difficult time swaying their students’ decision one way or another. “I find that, for some, once they get into college, they stop caring about things like AP Physics. It’s very hard to motivate them, which can be frustrating as a teacher,” physics teacher Jack Young said. However, even Young could understand the motivations (or lack of it) behind his students’ actions. “If I were a second semester senior, I would have set it up so I didn’t have any serious classes second semester senior year, and I would have coasted until the end,” he said.

Though Young was quite conscientious of keeping said students anonymous, many aren’t afraid to proclaim a change in attitude during second semester. “Am I still trying?” Shulze asked. “Not really. It’s gone down, but not much. Teachers give less work, since they know that nothing’s going to happen. Or, less is going to happen at least.” However, a select few of the better trained seniors found that old habits die hard. “I haven’t changed at all from first semester, because I feel like I still have to try hard, just ‘cause,” senior Amanda Zucker said. “It’s just like in middle school, I still tried, because it felt bad to come home with a bad grade.” Others found that although old habits die hard, they may slightly sicken under less pressure. “It’s hard not trying all of a sudden, so I do homework and stuff, but it’s definitely harder to concentrate on studying and things like that,” senior Evan Chan said. Finally, it seems the greater majority find that without the pressure of sending transcripts to college, grades have lost their ability to motivate. “Second semester has been a lot lazier. I try less because I know that I just need to do average,” senior Woo Nguyen said. “I don’t need to prove anything anymore.”

Photo by Faiz Khan.

Love-Hate Day

Another name for Valentine’s Day, in honor of singles on a couple-specific day. Photo from storyvilletimes.com

RORIE DUNCAN STAFF WRITER Feb 14: for some, it was a day of celebration, love, and being together, while for others it was just another Tuesday. For others, it is even worse than a normal Tuesday. Most of the time, those who have a partner embrace the holiday more than those who do not. Some happy couples, however, are still iffy about the holiday. For some, Valentine’s Day can be simply taking the time to think about the one’s you love...for others it’s mainly about eating the chocolate that’s discounted on the 15th. After talking with Pinewood students and faculty, most were indifferent about the holiday. “It’s a stupid holiday,” junior Surya Thekkath said. Some students had even more spiteful views about the holiday. “It’s a dumb consumer holiday and its only fun for people who are wrapped up in the lies of ‘love,’” sophomore Quinn Foster said. The majority seemed to be mostly indifferent about the holiday. “I’m just doing my homework,”

sophomore Chandler Loftus said when asked of her plans. “Why would I do anything?” junior Claire Nolan asked. So where’s the love around Pinewood? Luckily for the holiday, not everyone at Pinewood was so indifferent towards the holiday “I have plans to take out my girlfriend to Mongolian Barbeque in downtown Mountain View,” said junior Victoria Gardiner. For some, the problem wasn’t so much the holiday itself but responsibilities that came with it. “I like the holiday, it just seems like a lot of pressure for the guys though,” said junior Daniel Shvarts. As for the staff at Pinewood, most agreed that it was just another Tuesday. Some teachers seemed to put the focus of the holiday on their children, like tenth grade writing teacher and ninth grade literature teacher Rob Morrill. “I just bought my wife some flowers. My daughter really loves the holiday though. She made Valentine’s mailboxes for my wife and my son and I and has been putting cards in them,” Morrill said. Still for other teachers, the holiday was viewed in a different light. “I love my husband everyday. Everyday should be treated like Valentine’s Day. There shouldn’t be one specific day to love someone,” French teacher Caroline DeWagter said. But then again, Valentine’s Day proves to be the holiday where the most Hallmark cards, flowers, and chocolates are sold than any other time of the year besides Mother’s Day, so there has to be something about this holiday that people embrace, even if you don’t admit it. “I just like Valentine’s Day because of all the chocolate,” sophomore Kai Schuster said.

Arts And Culture 5

Aspiring Actors Take a Bite Out of The Big Apple KARINA UPPAL STAFF WRITER Arranged by Scott Lacy, Spencer Williams, and Doug Eivers, Pinewood Drama Department’s trip to New York allowed nine Pinewood students to improve on their acting skills at the “Broadway Student Summit.” The summit, from February 18-20, was a three-day course of classes and auditions for students interested in musical theater. The summit allowed students to participate in workshops in dancing, singing, monologues, and other skills and to get comments back from Broadway directors and cast members. “A few years ago, Mr. Williams and I attended a workshop called ‘The Broadway Teachers Workshop’. Many people there were talk about starting a similar workshop geared toward students. We were all for it,” Eivers said. At the summit, the students were be able to meet and work with many of those who are working on Broadway right now. “We met four actors who were younger than us, 3rd-8th graders who were in “Billy Elliot” on Broadway. They talked to us about

what being an actor on Broadway is like,” Freshman Carson Robinette said. Other broadway performers that they were able to meet included Morgan James from “Godspell” and Sarah Saltsberg, who played the character Logainne from the original “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”, which Pinewood produced this year. Past guests included Stephen Schwartz (composer of “Godspell” and “Wicked”), Michael Mayer (director of “Spring Awakening”), and Lea Michele (actor in “Spring

Awakening” and “Glee”). Many of the students who went on this trip aspire to focus on acting, singing, or dancing in the future. “I chose to go on this trip because I actually want to pursue a career in musical theater, so I thought that just auditioning for and earning input and feedback from these famous Broadway directors and cast members would be helpful and beneficial,” junior Andie Huebsch said. Travelling to New York, the center of Broadway and theater,

Left: Students take a photo before seeing the broadway show “Godspell”. Above: The Pinewood performers pose for another picture while traveling in New York. Jazz hands all the way! peace signs in the New York Subway.

Corruption Behind The Grammys RAQUEL PEREZ STAFF WRITER U2 is the highest Grammy-winning band of all time, but do they deserve all of these awards? Personally, I believe so. But should Beyonce hold more than twice the number of Grammys as The Rolling Stones? Many would say no. Mainstream artists and radio hits are usually clear favorites for these awards. Record sales are a new criteria to choose the winners while voice and creativity have become secondary. With these new criteria, many fear the essence of music is being lost to money and popularity. Over the last few years, singers like Justin Bieber or Taylor Swift have left the Grammys with a golden gramophone in each hand even though many consider their music to be far from original and unappealing to all audiences above the age of 12. The outstanding sales of artists such as Rihanna or Katy Perry can obviously not remain unnoticed. However, giving these prizes to someone just because of their popularity might be overstepping the line. We mustn’t forget the history of these awards. Leg-

and spending time with people who work in the theater business, the students were given a fantastic opportunity. “I really think this trip to New York is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to meet with many famous directors and cast members, out of which a majority are professional,” sophomore Annie Whitacre said. “It was a great chance for us to work with a large collection of students from around the nation who also like to act,” freshman Ben Montrym said.

endary pop singers like Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Madonna, and rock bands such as Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Bruce Springsteen, have all received these internationally renowned awards. Therefore, shouldn’t the people who continue this legacy be chosen slightly more meticulously? The Taylor Swifts of the world are constantly coming and going and they should not be given a Grammy just because they had “that one catchy song,” because at the end of the day they are going to be forgotten as quickly as they appeared. Giving the wrong image can also be a deal breaker. Many bands are given these awards because they give the correct message or represent something that is socially acceptable at that given moment. More controversial groups such as Nirvana, Greenday, etc, are far less decorated than American sweethearts such as Kelly Clarkson or the promoter of self-expression, Lady Gaga. The Grammys are becoming a way for certain types of music to gain popularity over those who are perhaps more “alternative” or “indie” but that are potentially just as good or even better than the actual winners. This year, Adele won in

major categories with her groundbreaking album “21.” She is competed against artists such as Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and Katy Perry, amongst others. Some question that her singing and the outreach of her singing is nowhere near that of her rivals. They also hope that in the future, judges will see this and not give the awards away to the highest iTunes seller, but to the greatest voice. One of the most interesting sections is always “Best New Artist”, which this year is a close competition between Bon Iver, Nicki Minaj, The Band Perry, Skrillex and J. Cole. Although they all deserve these nominations, other bands that have created perhaps a more genuine and innovative style include Florence + the Machine and Lana del Rey, who have already been nominated for several MTV awards and Q awards. Of course, everyone has different tastes in music, but the Grammys seem to be inaccessible for those who don’t make the top of charts. Even then there are a series of standards to be met so that they are eligible. So the question stands, who deserves to win?

Spencer Williams and Scott Lacy

overall performance was a success. It was highly attended, and Lacy looks forward to performing again soon. He is currently working on a new cabaret series and has updates posted on his website, gscottlacy.com. Williams was excited to be performing again because he has not performed in a while. “I thought the show was amazing! It had great music, great stories, and great entertainment. It was a great opportunity working with him,” Williams said. Mr. Lacy’s music had elements of pop and Broadway, but it was mostly a cabaret style show. “The show went really well,” Lacy said. There was a good turnout for the

Not only were the students able to improve their musical abilities at the Broadway summit, but they also spent the first two days of their trip traveling through New York. “On Thursday and Friday, they went sightseeing, which gave them a chance experience the Big Apple. The World Trade Center, iceskating rink in Central Park, and shopping centers were among their destinations. “It was be a great opportunity for all of us to spend time together,” junior Claire Witzke said. Besides just learning from Broadway professionals at the summit and sightseeing in New York, the students also had the opportunity to watch five Broadway shows. The students saw Godspell on Thursday, Chicago on Friday with a backstage tour, Sister Act on Saturday, Anything Goes with a talk back, and Rent on Sunday. Editor-in-chief Garrett Biggs who attended the workshop himself, had this to say about the experience: “The ability to study under professional actors and directors for the week was a unique and rare experience that I have taken lots from.”

Photo Of The Month

Photo courtesy of nationalgeographic.com. Taken by Penny Tweedie/Getty Images.

Artist Harvest To Showcase Pinewood Talent

fee is $7 and pizza and snacks AMRITH DEEPAK will be available for purchase. STAFF WRITER All proceeds benefit “Free the Youth”, which provides food and Artist Harvest, Pinewood’s tal- education for malnutritioned stuent show, will be on Friday March dents. “We’re looking forward 9 at 6 p.m. It will be a time for to this show case of Pinewood’s Pinewood students to showcase talent and as always the ASB is their talents on stage. This event excited to be raising money for a is not a competition but an oppor- goodcause” teacher Hannah Jones tunity for the Pinewood commu- said. The event will be hosted by nity to perform. The admission Claire Witzke and Garrett Biggs.

Teachers Can Sing Too CAMILLE POLSTER STAFF WRITER

Pinewood’s faculty has been awfully busy lately with a recent performance from Scott Lacy and Spencer Williams and an upcoming performance from office manager,. Kristina Nakagawa. On Monday, Jan. 30, Scott Lacey held a cabaret style performance at the Rrazz Room in San Francisco. Although the show was mostly a solo performance, Williams also performed with him as a guest star. “It was great working with Spencer because we have similar tastes and styles in music,” Lacy said.

The two had not worked together professionally before but they both seemed to have had a great time working together. They performed a song called “Lily’s Eyes” from The Secret Garden, and according to Lacy, it was the “highlight of the night.” Not only was the song a hit, but the

show. Several faculty members attended including principal, Mark Gardner, Laurie Wilson, Laurie Eickmeier, and Kristina Nakagawa. Several other Pinewood students, such as Andie Huebsch and Hannah Manheim also attended. “It was very inspirational. My favorite parts were the duet of ‘Lily’s Eye’ and the opening number where Mr. Lacy performed a song by Judy Garland,” Junior Andie Huebsch said. Along with Lacy and Williams, Nakagawa, has been hard at work in the art world. Nakagawa will be performing in upcoming shows on March 20-21 at the Davies Symphony Hall, also in San Francisco. Based on rehearsals, Nakagawa thinks the

show will be great. “I have worked with my duet partner before, so we feel pretty prepared, and I really love singing with her!” Nakagawa said. This show is going to be a review of music by Steven Schwartz, who is the composer of music for shows such as “Wicked” and “Godspell”. It will feature performances from The Choral Project, which Nakagawa is a part of, and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. Not only will these two choral groups be performing, but Schwartz himself will also be attending and performing with the groups. “It’s not every day you get to sing music by the composer with the composer there,” Nakagawa said.

Sports 6

Basketball Teams Prepare for CCS OWEN LEWIS & MAX DARROW STAFF WRITER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Both the boys and girls varsity basketball teams have once again qualified for postseason play in the Central Coast Section (CCS) tournament. With the shadow of one of the most electrifying and talented girls basketball teams in Pinewood’s history still looming, this years varsity girls basketball team looks to capture that same magic themselves. Yet the Panthers lost half of their team from last year, including a phenomenal senior class that was their starting five. So, living up to the expectations of last season has been a daunting mission for this young team. However, if anyone was up for the task, it’s safe to say it would be legendary girls basketball coach Doc Scheppler. The girls, now 16-11, jumped out to a promising start, winning a tournament in the East Bay, and placing second in the Saint Ignatius Tournament where sophomore forward Leanna Bade was named MVP. The girls also beat St. Bernard, who were ranked second in California last year. Considering the age of the team, this was an impressive feat; five freshman joined the team this year, among them is shooting guard Gaabi Bade. “We don’t feel the pressure of the last season that much. We have amazing chemistry,” Bade said. Another freshman starting in the lineup is Marissa “Mo” Hing, who leads the team in scoring, averaging over 10 points per game. Head Coach Scheppler, despite an influx of a much younger team, held high expectations for the girls this year. But that doesn’t necessarily mean adding another state championship to the banner in the gym. “Whether we win another state championship will not define our success, it’s the moments you share and our improvement that will define our success,” Scheppler said. Yet is another shot at the title so improbable? Absolutely not. The girls are ranked fifth in the state of all

Division V teams, and according to Scheppler, play a “fast and aggressive style that allows us to beat teams we aren’t supposed to beat.” The six returning players, including junior Angelina Mapa, have taken on new leadership roles. “It was hard adjusting from being state winners to starting over again, but [the freshman girls] all have unbelievable potential and they will be really good in the future,” Mapa said, returning from a devastating knee injury. Yet a lack of size and experience have hurt the team at times, ending league play with 4-6 record. “League hasn’t really gone the way we wanted it to,” Mapa explained. After four consecutive losses to start out league, the girls showed determination and bounced back to win three of their next four games, including a thrilling win against Eastside Prep, when a technical foul committed by the Eastside coach, after regulation had ended, gave Marisa Hing a chance to nail two clutch free-throws and earn the unconventional win for Pinewood, despite the storming of the court by dismayed Eastside parents. Some of the parents went even further than storming the court, and walked down the main hallway throwing everything around in their way. All of the garbage cans were thrown on the ground in the hallway, filling it with trash. Other things were damaged as well, such as The Panther Prints newspaper stand in front of the office. Despite a tough loss to Mercy High School-Burlingame in the league finals, the girls have still qualified for the CCS tournament and look to wreak havoc there. The 22-2 boys varsity basketball team also has qualified for CCS, securing the number one seed after winning the league title with a 13-1 record. This is the best record that a Pinewood boys basketball team has in years. Sophomore Michael John Stevens and senior captain Dante Fraioli both agree that one of the keys to the team’s success is the boys camaraderie.

Ballistic Blowouts ANDREW GERSON STAFF WRITER The year 2012 has been kind to Pinewood sports so far, as all three varsity teams won their games on Jan. 27th as a part of Ballistic. The girls varsity soccer team started the afternoon with a dominant 7-0 win over Eastside Prep, adding to the team’s collection of impressive victories this season. On the basketball court, the boys junior varsity basketball team won a 50-43 game over Woodside Priory before the girls JV team lost 1844 to Mercy High School-Burlingame. As the afternoon became the evening, the girls varsity basketball team won a thrilling game over Mercy-Burlingame by a final score of 53-50. Finally, the boys varsity basketball team capped off a great day of sports with an easy 81-38 victory over Priory. Despite the focus Pinewood puts on basketball, girls soccer has been a great success this year, winning 10 games in an 11-game stretch. Senior Danielle Man has consistently been a top scorer for the team, but she recognizes the team’s tremendous talent as a whole. “We have a lot of really talented players and good chemistry on the field. This is definitely the best team I’ve been on at Pinewood!” Man said. However, improvements could have been made to make Ballistic even more enjoyable. Every team attracted Pinewood fans, but rivalry games would have raised the excitement surrounding the event to a whole new level. Currently, Ballistic and other similar events are not scheduled around significant home games. “We don’t really have a rivalry

with Eastside, so even though it was nice to win, I don’t think that it was a very interesting game,” Man said. The boys varsity basketball game had a similar feel to it. Junior Owen Lewis led the way with 15 points as the Panthers scored a season-high 34 points in the first quarter alone. By the end of the game, Priory had committed 30 turnovers, and it was clear that the Pinewood team operates on a much higher level. Any Pinewood fan would appreciate a win like that on Ballistic, but the romp did leave something to be desired. The large crowds the boys draw every game are a good sign of school spirit, but the added intensity of a game on Ballistic against a rival like Sacred Heart Prep would be a truly memorable event. The highlight of the night came from the girls varsity basketball team’s upset over Mercy-Burlingame, which no doubt had the intensity of a close rivalry game. Ranked as the 10th best Division IV team in California, Mercy looked to maintain an undefeated record against Pinewood, ranked as the number 3 team in Division V. Pinewood held a 6-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, and the game was not decided until the final buzzer. “We had to get it in with 2 seconds left, and we were under their basket. I was so scared there’d be a turnover,” senior Kelly Doran said. This game may have been a defining moment of the girls’ season as they look to advance far in CCS and beyond. “Mercy’s number 1 in our league, so [the win] was definitely exciting,” Doran said.

Senior guard Jenny Hansen (left) sets a screen for sophomore forward Leanna Bade (right) as she drives to the basket for a layup. Photo by Faiz Khan.

“It feels amazing to be on this team, never before have I gotten the chance to be a part of such a close-knit group of guys who all have each other’s back,” Fraioli said. “There’s a sense of pride that goes with it as well. The feeling is indescribable.” Despite a humbling loss to Harker on the boys senior night, the team feels that they have enough momentum to carry into the post season. Stevens, a sophomore on the team, is excited for the playoffs and the future. “I think that its awesome to have the opportunity to make it all the way,” he said. “It also makes it so much better that I have two years after this.” As for preparation for the upcoming CCS tournament, the boys plan on continuing what they have done all season: working hard and continuing to improve. “For CCS, all we need to do is what we’ve been doing—Don’t fix what isn’t broken. From last week to this week, Coach [Jason] Peery has scheduled us five workouts with our trainer Jamal. We are staying in the gym until about 9:15 every night to watch film and eat healthily,” Fraioli said. “It’s time to hone our fundamentals—the basics that got us to where we are to begin with.”

This has been a very special year for both the boys team as well as the student body. For the first time in years, the Panthers swept the cross-town rivals Sacred Heart Prep Gators and Menlo Knights in their respective series. The game at Sacred Heart will go down as one of the most memorable games in school history, and was donned as one of the greatest West Bay Athletic League (WBAL) games in the league’s history. As the CCS tournament approaches for both the boys and girls, many of the students and faculty members are getting very excited. Among the faculty, communications teacher Phil Ribuado expressed much praise for the teams. “I think every year both teams have the potential to go all the way,” he said. “As a teacher, I’m a big believer in Pinewood and have pride both in academic and athletic potential.” Senior Evan Chan also is really looking forward to the upcoming tournaments and feels that the teams are ready for the challenge. “I think that it’s really awesome that both teams are going to CCS again,” he said. “I definitely think that both teams will go far again, and I’m excited to watch them play.”

M anning L e a d s G i a n ts to Victory in S u pe r B ow l X LV I MAX DARROW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF On Feb. 5, the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 21-17, winning Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis in the rematch of Super Bowl XLII. The Patriots entered the playoffs as the number one seed in the AFC with a 13-3 record, and were heavily favored to make it back to the Super Bowl for the fifth time since 2000. The Giants, on the other hand, barely even qualified for the playoffs, having a 97 record. In the beginning of the season, due to such a slow start, rumors circulated around the league that the Giants would fire long-time head coach Tom Coughlin and begin a new era. The decision to keep him certainly paid off. After the midway point of the season, the Giants dropped four games in a row to the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers. After this losing streak, it looked like the team was out of the playoff race and needed to look ahead to the next season. But ever since that loss in Week 13 to the Packers, something clicked in the Giants locker room, as they won seven of the next eight games, including the Super Bowl. But in order to make the playoffs, the Giants needed to step up their game. And that is what they did, as they earned three crucial wins against two rivals, the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets. The Giants entered the playoffs as a wild card team with one of the weakest records in the league, yet somehow managed to defeat some of the strongest teams in the league. First in line were the Atlanta Falcons whom the Giants wiped the floor with,

winning 24-2. But from that point on, the Giants would travel throughout the country with few days of rest to play away versus the Packers and 49ers. Stunning the nation, the Giants redeemed themselves against the 15-1 Packers, winning at Lambeau Field 37-20. To the public, the Giants got lucky. But this wasn’t the case, as the Giants would travel on five days rest to San Francisco to defeat the 49ers in overtime, 2017, earning another trip to the Super Bowl. And once again, the Giants delivered. Just like in 2008, the Giants were able to defeat the Patriots in the last minutes of the Super Bowl. Was it as climactic as the famous David Tyree Velcro catch? No, but it was pretty close. Before the season started, Giants quarterback Eli Manning put himself in the same tier of quarterbacks as Patriots’ Tom Brady and his brother, Peyton Manning. People didn’t take him seriously, laughed and criticized him for saying this. But who led his team to a Super Bowl victory over Tom Brady, won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, and joined his brother and Brady as one of the top quarterbacks in the National Football League? Eli Manning. Game Leaders: New England Pass: Brady 27-41, 276 yds, 2 tds Rush: Green-Ellis 10 car, 44 yds, 0 tds Rec: Hernandez 8 rec, 67 yds, 1 td New York Pass: Manning 30-40, 296 yds, 1 td Rush: Bradshaw 17 car, 72 yds, 1 td Rec: Nicks 10 rec, 109 yds, 0 tds

Sports 7

Girls soccer finishes strong season ROBIN SANDERS ASSISTANT EDITOR While success is hard to achieve, sometimes improvement is even harder. However, the varsity girls soccer team has proven that they have the ability to do both. With an almost undefeated season record of 11-32 and a league record of 10-1-1, the team ended the season at the top of the league. It was not so easy in the beginning, however. “The team improved in basically every facet of the game -- scoring, possession, defense -- and they have grown together and a group and have improved their cohesiveness tremendously,” assistant coach Daniel Cristiani said. Being able to advance technically as well as cohesively has proven to be an advantage, shown through the team’s impressive record of only one league loss. Head coach Whitney Woods attributed the team’s success to their ability to pass the ball. “We improved in all aspects of the game but what stands out to me is the way we kept possession of the ball. The girls know how to support each other by finding the right angles, and making the right runs” Wood said. Communication between the team members also developed to a more skillful level. “In the past, [our team] would just panic and kick the ball away without any purpose… no we don’t turn the ball over as much and we are able to create more opportunities to score,” Wood said. It may be the coaching the girls received, or possibly the unity that they have developed. “The team’s improvement has helped and been evident in terms of the outcomes of games. We have won nearly every game convincingly and comfortably as a result of the specific improvements made by the players,” Cristiani said.

Freshman Nicole Colonna looks to pass to fellow teammate and senior Adrienne Whitlock. Photo by Annie Whitacre.

The improvements were endless. The soccer team “really worked a lot on making every player useful. Being able to play without a weak link on the field this year made us so much better,” senior Adrienne Whitlock said. This brings up a unique characteristic about the girls varsity soccer team. Many varsity sports teams, and sports teams in general, often contain a few, talented players, while the rest are basically “fillers” that take up space on the bench. The varsity girls soccer team is different. Each player was able to compete with their teammates at the same level, which aided the team tremendously during arduous situations requiring the utmost effort of all the players. “Because so many of our games ended up with such high scores, we had to just play possession a lot in games, which was really good for us because it forced us to improve on our ball handling and passing skills,” Whitlock said. “Not only did our starters improve, but also our non starters, so we always had fresh players on the bench ready to play any position,” Whitlock said.

boys tennis to smash opponents SAM CARP STAFF WRITER Look out Pinewood, here comes an arsenal of intense action you won’t want to miss: varsity boys tennis. As the basketball and soccer seasons come to an end in February, tennis begins. On Feb. 13, the first practice for boys varsity tennis began. Kicking off the season the right way, the new and veteran players went right to work. A winning season takes hard-earned practice, and potential can only be built through mental and physical toughness, as most athletes know. That’s why the players believe that giving it their all will have extremely positive results during the season, which kicks off in March. Junior and second year player Brennan Kuo is a great example of the effort and stamina the players are putting in. Despite his ankle injury, which has been giving him trouble for some time, you’ll never find him off of the court for long. “The kid’s got spirit,” senior Ted Lim said. The varsity boys are focusing diligently and are trying to fix the mistakes they made last year. Errors could be found in

different areas like forehands and running the court, among others, and the players believe that nothing will help them more than looking back on what they did wrong last year. “It helps a ton to see the improvement you’ve made in different areas of your game. I know that I did some things wrong last year, but I hope that my hard work will improve me for my senior year,” senior and four-year veteran Evan Chan said. Despite the less-than-perfect seasons the boys tennis team has been having the past few years, the guys still love the competitive and fun loving spirit brought forth in the sport, admitting to the thrill and enthusiasm it brings them. The only drawback of playing tennis is the loss of free time because it requires long hours for the games. The student athletes make the most of the time, and when they’re not on the court playing in their match, they’re either on the sidelines cheering on their teammates or up at the tables, doing homework. “We have great chemistry. I’m just glad to have been on the team for four years. Everyone’s very supportive and always gives it their all,” senior and team captain Russell Sutter said.

Tennis players practicing their elegant form. Top left: an opponent practicing with the Pinewood athletes. Bottom left: junior Brennan Kuo practices his backhand stroke. Right: senior Evan Chan lunges to smack the ball. Photos by Faiz Khan.

This cohesive partnership forged within the team allowed them to be “so much faster than the girls on just about every team we play” Whitlock said. This came in handy when Pinewood played large schools, such as the game against Mercy San Francisco. Deemed the favorite game by Cristiani, this match exemplified the ability of the girls varsity soccer team to execute and effectively control the outcome of the game. “It was just a dominating performance across the board, with some of the most beautiful goals you will ever see – in particular a header goal from Danielle Man and a left-foot curling shot from Gretchen Olsen from outside the penalty area,” Cristiani said. “We just dominated the whole game. We had the best executed and prettiest goals of the season,” Wood said. However, Wood chose a different game as the best representation of the team’s improvement, instead recollecting the division championship match against Crystal Springs, which ended in a tie. “I have coached girl’s varsity soccer for ten years and that game is in the top three of all games that I have seen. These girls played with intensity, purpose,

and heart. They gave it all they could and did all the right things,” Wood said. It didn’t occur to Wood that her team hadn’t won the game. To her, the team “gave it all they could and did all the right things… it was by far the best game we played this season,” Wood said. The team isn’t satisfied, yet. As with all success with life, there is always room for improvement. While the offensive side is very solid, the team’s defense has some areas that need to be altered slightly. “There are some small improvements to be made, in particular on defending against crosses and set pieces, but these needed changes are minor,” Cristiani said. The girls soccer team was good enough to compete with any team in their league, but “these upgrades would…help us compete better with teams that are outside of our division. Our only losses and ties this year came mostly as a result of the other team’s winning balls in the air after crosses or indirect kicks,” Cristiani said. “I think that as a team, we’ve made some huge improvements, and now we just have to keep it up and stay consistent,” Whitlock said.

Baseball team eyes first post season STEPHEN YU SPORTS EDITOR With their first game coming up on March 1 against Lynbrook, the baseball team has high expectations to build upon last year. The addition of new players from all grade levels complements the core members from last year and helps fuel the drive to make a CCS appearance. Last year, the team reached a 11-9 overall record and a dismal 3-7 league record and barely missed the CCS championships. Even after key wins against Westmoor, Kings Academy, and Crystal Springs, Pinewood still fell short. With this experience, the team hopes to extend its playoff run. “Speaking on behalf of the three seniors who have been on the team since freshman year, the team goal is to be the first Pinewood baseball team ever to make it to CCS. And with our depth this year and veteran leadership, that will be very possible,” senior and team captain Max Darrow said. Newcomers to the team include seniors Andrew Gerson and Brandon Mohajeri; freshmen Oscar Fick, Kai Meter, and Travis Jones; and sophomore Kevin Tracy. After a few practices together, the newcomers have contributed to the team by adding depth to the roster and demonstrating their ability to cooperate. “Our team is very friendly and although we’re still in the preseason we definitely work well together. It’s probably because we all go to school with each other,” junior Jack Hochberg said. Besides working hard, the team also knows when to take it easy. “Together, the team works well together as a whole, knowing when to be serious and when to relax a little,” sophomore Dylan Dreyer said. In addition to the new players, the team also possesses two excellent coaches that have years of experience. “Coach Chad (Morin) is a great coach who gets us prepared mentally for every game and gives us the tools to succeed. He’s put together a good staff be-

hind Coach Dos (Remedios) and Pitching Coach Jeff, both of which who have extensive background knowledge of baseball and run organizations of their own,” junior Josh Rose said. In order to build off of last year’s season, the team has pinpointed their areas of weakness and has worked on them in practice. “In general I think we can improve on pitching, defense, and situational hitting. We have a lot of good hitting and I think if we can improve on defense it will inevitably help our pitching staff,” Remedios said. Likewise, the team must focus on the fundamentals. “Coach Chad in particular wants us to focus on us being a solid allaround team which consists of limiting errors in the field, good starting pitching, and timely at-bats. We are focusing on all areas of the game to improve in, in order for us to play at our maximum potential,” Rose said. Unlike other years, this year’s team starts the season with all of its members. “Each year is a challenge to get a group to play like a team when you don’t get your full squad until halfway through the season. This year we have nine returning players which is the most I’ve had as a coach. This should make developing team chemistry a bit easier,” Morin said. The team has set its sight on what could be their best year. “We are very confident. We do better each year and this will be no exception. We didn’t lose a lot of players and we are all going to improve,” Hochberg said. “I am the most confident I have ever been about our ballclub. The team is returning with its core players from last year and a couple additional players. So the experience we have on this team from playing against competition like SHP and Menlo will really help us out down the stretch. I believe we can control our own destiny. If we perform at the level of which we as a team know we can achieve, we should have a realistic opportunity to make a postseason bid in CCS. As Coach Chad has told me numerous of times, ‘If there’s a time to do it. It is now,’” Rose said.

News 8

Welcome to Philanthropy 101 SHANI ROSENTHAL STAFF WRITER The past month has seen the creation of several new clubs. The newest addition, the Philanthropy Club, differs greatly from previous service-based clubs. Several clubs at Pinewood, such as Interact and Ecobeast, aspire to fund raise and volunteer for different charties and associations, but the main objective of the Philanthropy Club differs. Its main focus is to promote the ideals of philanthropy through business skills. “The Pinewood Philanthropy Club’s mission is to teach students

important business skills through philanthropy. The club will take a venture capitalist approach towards charitable giving. We will evaluate each organization’s business plan, speak with the representatives and perform hands-on work with each organization. We will then determine grant allocations to each organization,” Alison Beers, club president, said. Although the club is mostly student run, Math Teacher Jude Loeffler, the club advisor, does oversee and supervise the club. “As the advisor, I make sure that the members fully realize the meaning of the financial reports that we look over and help answer any ques-

tions,” Loeffler said. Not only does the club seek to help organizations by fundraising for them, but it also teaches its members about business, money, and planning. Participants to learn new facts and strategies about responsibility and business, as well as engage in charity work. “The Pinewood Philanthropy Club is a lot more concerned with evaluating charities than working or fundraising for them,” Beers said. Although the group has organized some fundraisers and activities to work with various charities, doing this is not their primary goal. “We have fundraisers to raise [money], but our meetings are cen-

tralized around the logistics of the charities, how effective they are, and if they can do more good with our money than another charity,” Beers said. To learn about charity organizations, fundraisers have been done and set up for the future. “This club provides ample opportunities to students who are seeking to make a difference and encourages giving back,” Loeffler said. During spirit week this past February, the Philanthropy Club, in collaboration with Ecobeast, held a fundraiser each day that held the theme of each spirit day. For example, for arctic day the clubs sold calendars, stuffed animals, and edible snowballs to raise money for

the protection of polar bears. More than $150 was raised. In the future, the club plans to hold a lottery in which gift cards will be raffled off to winners. “I really have a passion for philanthropy and I wanted to share that with the students at Pinewood. I’ve volunteered for a philanthropic organization in the past and found it rewarding, educational, and interesting,” Beers said. The Philanthropy Club is for students who not only want to participate in community service, but also for those who want to learn. Since the club began, 23 students have joined the Facebook group and many more attend meetings. The club is accepting new members.

Ecosystems Highlight Spirit Week BEN BROWN KEVIN ENDERSBY STAFF WRITERS

From Feb. 6-10, Pinewood students dressed up and danced for the annual spirit week. In the end, the seniors finished with the most points, and the score fell by grade order from there. Many students enjoyed the dress-up themes and events chosen for the spirit days, and many were impressed by the lipsync performances. However, cold and windy weather caused trouble for everyone. This year, the student council decided to put the class’ rooms – the area in which each grade decorates for their theme – in the hallway by the office. Because of incredibly windy weather, the ‘rooms’ were blown down, scattering and knocking over decorations and the hard work of many students. In fact, the seniors were forced to put caution tape around their area for fear of anything else collapsing in their room and the possibility of injury from falling snowboards or skis. “The week as a whole was much harder on the class councils than on me and ASB because they’re the ones competing against each other…the hardest part for me was just watching the rooms get destroyed by the weather,” Activities Director Jackee Bruno said. “It was sad to see the intense wind

that ripped up all the hard work that everyone put into them,” sophomore Sarah Cilker said. Not only did the weather damage the rooms, but it also made partici-

bobbing-for-apples,” Bruno said. “They were hesitant at first, but then they just dove right in. It was ridiculous.” Although people had mixed opinions on what was the best of the week, most students and faculty agreed that the week as a whole was a success. “The best part of the week was the lip-sync and watching other grades’ in their lip-syncs. The jungle was my favorite theme,” sophomore Quinn Foster said. “The lip-syncs were the best I have seen in the six years I have been here,” Bruno said. Junior Claire Nolan’s and Senior Solomone Wolfgramm’s favorite part was also the lip-sync, but others had different opinions. “I enjoyed dressing up the most, especially for the under the sea theme,” sophomore Cassie LaScola said. Sweat’s favorite part of the week was the games at lunch, and Bruno’s second favorite activity was the skateboard relay. To improve spirit week next year, director of admissions Dafna Brown had an idea, which Bruno agreed with. “If spirit week were moved to the week directly after finals, kids wouldn’t have to worry about tests or quizzes or essays. That way, they could fully participate in all the spirit week activities, making it LEFT: Jack Hochberg, junior class president, working on the junior’s jungle-themed ecosystem. TOP-RIGHT: Freshmen engage in the more fun for everyone involved,” annual lyp sync, performing the theme of “desert.” BOTTOM-RIGHT: Sophomores perform “Under the Sea.” Photos by Emily Ng Brown said.

Formal Tickets: Cost Analyzed SHANI ROSENTHAL STAFF WRITER This year’s winter formal dance may have been a hit when it comes to the sheer amount of people, but its ticket prices were $5 to $10 higher than last year’s prices. The small raise in ticket prices only occurred because Jingle-Ball and other small fundraisers were not successful. However, due to more recent fundraising hits like Gator-Raid, future dances’ ticket prices, notably Prom, will not be raised. “I think that the raise in winter formal ticket prices was not too bad of a raise because it was only about $10 more than previous year. Also, I don’t think the raise caused people from going to winter formal because the turnout was still good,” Jenn Bodine, Associated Student Body secretary, said. Along with funding issues, the winter formal tickets were more expensive because the tickets for the animalthemed dance in September were cheap-

pating in the apple-bobbing event more difficult. “Apple bobbing was cold,” freshman Jack Sweat said. “My only suggestion for next year is do not do en-

er than the previous year’s. The pricier tickets, however, had little to no real effect on the turnout for winter formal as a whole. “Formal costs a lot. We pay for, the ASB pays for thirty percent and the students pay for the rest of that, so we can only cover so much. I raised the prices because we also are trying to lower the cost of prom this year,” Jackee Bruno, Activities Director, said. Unlike last year’s winter formal, this year’s was on a larger and nicer boat. This allowed for more dance room and better dining quarters. Also, due to the cheaper dances last year, the ASB was a little bit in debt. That accounted for the more expensive tickets this year, as certain expenditures had to be accounted for. “So last year we paid for a smaller boat, but this year, we got lucky and switched to a bigger boat and it ended up being $5 more per person, so not too much,” Bradley Naumann, ASB president, said.

vironment-based themes.” On the other hand, some enjoyed the cold because it made the event more exciting and fun to watch. “My favorite activity was the

Jingleball Canceled

ited members. This second attempt was just as futile. “It just costs too much. I understand it’s a fundraiser, but not many people are willOriginally postponed until after finals, ing to spend that much money to play dodge Jingleball, the annual dodgeball tournament, ball,” Greg Naumann, sophomore and student has finally been canceled due to a lack council member, said. of interest. Whether an issue of price or a general lack Originally scheduled in December, the As- of interest, students are still sad to see this trasociated Student Body decided to postpone dition fade away. the competition until after finals, thinking the “Even if you don’t play on a team, it’s still a timing was the issue. Evidently, that was ton of fun to watch and root for your friends on not the main issue, the court,” Nicole as there was still Colonna, freshman “It just costs too much. I undnot enough interand student council erstand it’s a fundraiser, but est in January after member, said. finals to have “Jingleball has not many people are willing the tournament. always been a fato spend that much money to “People just weren’t vorite and a really play dodgeball,” into it this year,” great activity that, Bradley Naumann, until this year, was senior and ASB a tradition. Next -Greg Naumann president, said. year’s ASB should Price is a common at least try and complaint among students. Although Jingle- have it again,” Naumann said. ball is played during lunch by all grades, it “I am extremely disappointed that Jingleball is a fundraiser for the ASB. The original at- got cancelled. However, ASB and I will try to tempt was priced at $7 per person, which was bring it back next year,” Activities Director then lowered to $40.00 per team with unlim- Jackee Bruno said. SARAH LAWSON STAFF WRITER