ARROW
THE
VOLUME XXXI, ISSUE 3
Westlake High School
100 N. LAKEVIEW CANYON ROAD, WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA 91362
NOVEMBER 21, 2008
Maki Touched Lives of Students, Colleagues CONRAD WILTON STAFF WRITER
COURTESY PHOTO
Nearly a thousand family members, friends, and students came together to celebrate the life and legacy of WHS math teacher Mike Maki on Oct. 28 at Calvary Community Church. The entire WHS community was still in shock at the news that Maki had died from complications from injuries he had suffered after a bicycling accident. In an emotional outpouring of appreciation, friends and students spoke about Maki’s generosity, compassion, and understanding that had touched so many lives. Principal Ron Lipari, Maki’s friend, and roommate Sam Nainoa, along with several staff members, delivered eulogies that acknowledged the 42-year-old’s love for the outdoors, his many valuable contributions to his students and to the school. Math Department Chair Carmella Ettaro spoke on behalf of the many friends and colleagues he had made in his eight years at WHS. “Mr. Maki was my colleague. We ate lunch together and were good friends,” said Ettaro.
Maki began teaching at WHS in 2000 as an Algebra teacher. This year Maki was teaching two Pre-Algebra classes and three Algebra I classes. The small size of Maki’s Algebra I classes “allowed him to really connect with the kids. He really liked them [the students] and his classes were more personal because of it,” said Ettaro. Ettaro included in her eulogy Maki’s “highly competitive personality, his ridiculous happiness, and his enjoyment of the simple things of life.” Maki possessed a love for athletics and mountain biking. He was a member of the basketball team during his stay at Righetti High School. The seemingly innocent morning of Oct. 10 was the last day Maki would ride his bike to school. According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Deputy, a car struck Maki from the rear at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Hillcrest Drive and sent him flying into the back of a pick-up truck where he eventually fell to the asphalt. Maki received treatment at the site and was transported to the Los Robles Medical Center. Maki’s father, Frederick E. Maki, said his son suffered serious injuries but was expected to make a full recovery. Almost two weeks after the accident, Maki died and left
PHOTO BY KATELYN SMITH
WHS shocked. Social Science Department Chair Michael Lynch, a friend of Maki, said “his signature attribute was that he was a calm, mellow guy and always positive.” Maki and Lynch golfed and biked together. “He was just a great guy,” said Lynch. Maki received his teaching credential from San Diego State University. He had recently supervised the PTSA and student community service at WHS. Moving on is difficult for math teacher Lisa Ryder. “It is hard to just continue. I ate lunch with him every day and played poker with him for years. To come here and not have him here reminds me everyday what I have lost,” said Ryder. Maki began his tenure at WHS the same year as Ryder. “Maki was a very content person who was really kind. He just drew you to him and always made you feel better. He was that type of a guy,” said Ryder. After the announcement of that Maki had passed away, WHS students came in droves to sign the memorial board outside the library. Kevin Commons, ‘10, was one of the mourners bidding his last farewell to his teacher. “My favorite attribute that he [Maki] had was a coolheadedness about things. No matter what, Maki never lost his cool,” said Commons. Ironically, according to Ryder, the students who were unsuccessful in Maki’s class loved him the most. Math teacher Eric Shackelford, who knew Maki for close to nine years said that what made Maki so special was “his considerate, reasonable, and witty nature.”
FOREVER IN OUR MEMORIES: A shrine for Mike Maki has been constructed on Hillcrest Road, the site of the accident.
Aca Deca Has Promising First Scrimmage KATELYN SMITH FEATURE EDITOR
Establishing itself as an early frontrunner, the Academic Decathlon team came in 2nd at its first scrimmage after beating Oxnard at every event except the Super Quiz. This scrimmage, which was held Nov. 15, gives WHS “a good chance of going to state,” said Karen Tsai ‘10, a member of the current Aca Deca team. In the program, students study social science, math, art, music, and economics. Aca Deca accepts students from grades 10-12. Freshmen must wait a year before applying for the class because they must
be more knowledgeable in certain subjects, like math, which ranges from Algebra I to Calculus. Westlake’s Aca Deca coach, English teacher Joseph Nigro, helps ensure strong performances in literature and language, especially. Each year, the U.S. Academic Decathlon selects a theme from which all the tested subjects derive. The 2008-2009 theme is Latin America. This theme appears in the study of Latin music, the study of Darwin and the Galapagos Islands, and the novel Bless Me Ultima. Two main competitions lie ahead: The first competition on Jan. 10 and the second on Feb. 7.
If they make it to State, they will be competing from Mar. 13-16. In order to gain the maximum amount of knowledge, the class is broken down into three divisions: Honors, Scholastic, and Varsity. These division are based on the students’ GPA from the previous two school years. Ironically, often “some of the students in the lowest level turn out to be the smartest,” said Tsai. According to Tsai, competition day is long, with many multiple choice tests, interviews, speeches, and impromptu speeches. This year’s team “works really hard” and “we all help each other in studying, preparing, etc,” said Tsai.
See Center for a tribute to Mike Maki
IN THIS
ISSUE
NEWS................................1-2 OPINION...............................3 FEATURES.............4-9, 12-15 A TRIBUTE....................10-11 ENTERTAINMENT.........16-17 SPORTS........................18-19