Inside:
Focus on Celebration of Classes (see Focus, Page 10-11)
Serving the Archbishop Mitty Community
Volume 24 Number 3
February 2015
A Lifetime of Success Coach Sue Phillips Reflects On Her Remarkable Career
Photo Courtesy of Ms. Sue Phillips
Ms. Sue Phillips coaches her USA U-17 Women’s Basketball Team for the FIBA Basketball World Cup Tournament. By Madeleine Fernando and Emily Malig Staff Editors With five state championships, 10 NorCal titles, and over 15 CCS championships under her belt, along with her most recent achievement—leading the U-17 National USA Basketball team to a gold medal in the U-17 world championships—Ms. Sue Phillips is no stranger to success. Throughout her 23 years as Mitty’s head women’s basketball coach, Phillips has continued to uphold Mitty’s reputation as an athletic powerhouse while inspiring her players on and off the court. Recently, Sue Phillips and fellow U-17 men’s basketball coach Mr. Don Showalter were named USA Basketball’s 2014 Youth-Development Co-Coaches of the Year. This prestigious honor recognizes coaches who have made a profound impact on individual athletes or a team’s overall performance; recipients are selected by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) in conjunction with USA Basketball. Before her experience as a national coach, Phillips served on the USA Basketball selection committee, which determined the rosters for the U-16 and U-17 national teams from 2009-2012. “During those times they requested my services as a court coach to help assist the coaches,” reflects Ms. Phillips. “I think that’s when the director of USA basketball saw my ability to coach and interact with the kids.” After four years of working on the selection committee, she was chosen to coach the national team herself. As a coach, Phillips is both demanding and caring. senior Lauren Mewes, one of Mitty’s varsity basketball players, recounts that Coach Phillips “creates high pressure situations in practice in order to prepare her players physically and mentally for game time.” After going to Saint Lawrence for middle school, Phillips enrolled as a student at Mitty, where she continued to hone her abilities both as a player and teammate. In fact, the women’s basketball team won their first ever CCS title during Phillips’s junior year in 1985. It was during her involvement in Mitty’s volleyball, softball, and basketball teams that her love of coaching was born. “I truly believe I was born to be an educator in some capacity,” Ms. Phillips states. She graduated Mitty in 1986 with several athletic scholarships to well-known universities such as Northwest-
ern University, where she played softball on a full scholarship. Phillips opted out of playing collegiate basketball, yet never lost her passion for the sport; she continued playing casually on the streets with her roommates and friends, and she always enjoyed watching the basketball team. In retrospect, Coach Phillips realizes, “Not playing at the collegiate level has given me an edge to continue being a student of the game, so I continued to learn.” Phillips first started coaching as an assistant softball coach at West Valley College, later becoming an assistant coach to Mitty’s team. By the time she turned 23, she was already the head coach of Mitty’s basketball and softball teams. Following her position as a high school coach, Phillips coached college basketball at Cal Berkeley for a year before coming back to Mitty—a choice she made due to the work-life balance. “I like being in the classroom. I like being able to not have to basketball every day of the year,” says Coach Phillips; “I want to read. I want to go to Hawaii. Mitty affords me the opportunity to do many things I love.” In addition to being the women’s varsity basketball head coach, Ms. Phillips is also a dedicated teacher. She describes her love for teaching by stating, “Our livelihood does not rest on our ability to win games; for me it’s my ability to teach the quadratic formula. We’re educators first and we need to keep that in perspective.” Coach Phillips describes herself not only as an educator, but also as a life-long learner who prides herself on continuing to grow and evolve as a coach. She devotes time to studying film of her opponents and watching professional and collegiate basketball to pick up new strategies for her players. Former basketball player and current Mitty faculty member Ms. Tamara Monson fondly recalls old memories of Ms. Phillips, remarking, “Her passion and enthusiasm for the game are unparalleled, and she expects nothing less than the same from her players.” Recent Mitty alum and UCLA athlete Kelli Hayes describes Coach Phillips as a “champion.” Hayes comments, “She is a coach who is willing to go the extra mile for her players by getting to know them on a personal level, teaching them how to be better daughters, students, future employees, and bosses. She has helped me become stronger, more mature, and more compassionate because of her persistence to make me a great basketball player and an even better person.”
CONTENTS:
Opinions.........................................4-6
FOCUS............................................ 10-11
Sports..........................................16-17
News...............................................1-3
JUSTICE AWARENESS.................... 7-9
Arts & Entertainment.................12-15
PHOTO........................................... 18-20
Page 2
February 2015 • News
Champions of the Game By Charlie Pyle Staff Writer
Walking through the Fien Gym, hundreds of Mitty students are unaware of one of the most important cornerstones of Mitty athletics—the Archbishop Mitty Hall of Fame. Decorating the small room on the northwest side of the gym is an endless array of plaques that commemorate hundreds of notable members of the Mitty athletic community. Mitty’s Athletic Hall of Fame was first created in 1998. Some of the original inductees include Olympian Brandi Chastain, current Mitty teachers Ms. Sue Phillips and Mrs. Justina Williams, and professional women’s basketball player Maureen Photo Courtesy of Pro Image Studios Formico. Mr. Bill Hutton receives a standing ovation as he walks Every two years, Mitty’s Hall of Fame to the podium to accept his award. inducts up to eight student athletes, two overall teams, and an individual who has greatly influenced “While it did make me reminisce about my old the athletics program. Those who made significant playing days and being coached by Ms. Phillips, contributions to the Archbishop Mitty athletic pro- I was most struck with the evening’s inductees. gram either on the field (First Team, All WCAL, Notwithstanding their impressive resumes, it was or All CCS) or administratively are eligible to join their expressions of gratitude and love for the Mitty the Hall of Fame. Nominees who are selected to the community that I believe are the feelings shared by Hall of Fame must have graduated at least five years many members of the Hall of Fame.” She continued, “The coaches and teammates prior to the Induction dinner. helped me grow and taught me what it means to This year, the following eight alumni were inducted into the Hall of Fame: Keilani Ricketts, work past my potential, to be a good teammate and Drew Gordon, K.C. Walsh, Christine Waylon, to work through adversity: those are the memories Tayler Davis, Megan Yocke, Collin Chiverton, and that I cherish most. As a current teacher and coach, Eddie Dominguez. The team inductees are the 2001 I was humbled to witness that the Mitty community State Champion Women’s Volleyball team and the continues to instill these values and principles in the 2007-2008 Men’s Basketball team that went to the next generation of Mitty athletes inducted into the State finals. Mr. Bill Hutton is also being inducted Hall of Fame.” It is due to the exceptional talent and dedication this year for his stellar baseball coaching career. Mrs. Williams commented on the celebratory of these athletes and coaches that Mitty has distinguished itself as an athletic powerhouse. atmosphere at the dinner, ackowledging that
Redefined & Redesigned By Soo Min Cho and Pei-Ling Lee Staff Writer and Staff Editor
Both Collegeboard and Khan Academy have put up free tutorials and practice problems for the new SAT. It is estimated that the first test will released in Spring of 2016. The goal of the new test is to prepare students more effectively for the real world. How do the new and old tests differ? Take a look below.
Curriculum Corner
English By Izzy Braham Staff Writer Designed to provoke creative thought and analysis in an engaging way, the new English electives to be added this upcoming school year are intended to explore specific topics of interest. Subject matter ranges from an in-depth look into Shakespeare’s works to a course on writing about the culinary arts. Hailed as the greatest writer in the English language, Shakespeare is renowned for his ability to communicate universal themes of humanity. In Ms. Jeannine Black’s Shakespeare course, students will study Hamlet and King Lear—two of the writer’s greatest tragedies, watch various film versions, and read contemporary retellings as well. Ms. Lauren Zachmeier’s British Literature course will center around finding one’s individual identity amidst a rapidly changing society. Students will explore how Romantic writers reflected on a simpler period prior to the Industrial Revolution while challenging social norms of their time. The Female Voice in Literature course, taught by Ms. Jennifer Lesnick, will examine the definition of the female voice and the role it plays in the literature we read, meanwhile exploring various cultural stereotypes and perceptions that pervade society. For those interested in gastronomy and literature, there will be a class taught by Mitty’s very own food connoisseur, Mr. Craig Whitt. Entitled A Moveable Feast, the class will be dedicated to food fiction and non-fiction. From Ernest Hemingway to food critic Michael Pollan, students will read, discuss, write—and of course “eat”—on all things food.
Religion By Jason Xu Staff Writer Senior level religion electives provide students with an introspective environment in which they are given the time and the resources to challenge their own beliefs and learn more about different world views. With the addition of two new religion electives for seniors, the upcoming school year is sure to be an exciting one. Vocation and Discernment, a class created by Ms. Betsy Purner, allows students to explore their identities. They will be able to discover who they want to become and learn how they can reach these aspirations. Science and religion are often regarded as disparate practices that rarely intersect. Suggesting instead that a simultaneous understanding of the two disciplines is possible, Mrs. Sigrid Jacobsen came up with the idea of the class Science and Religion. Apart from being a religion teacher herself, Ms. Jacobsen also has a degree in science, which allows her to focus on key questions: Can religion and science coexist? How do humans beings know knowledge? How do we know that we know knowledge? “We want to show mainstream Catholics that science and religion can and must coexist together,” stated Ms. Jacobsen, who said the new class would concentrate on “the philosophy of science and the requirements for science to be effective in its domain, its flaws and weaknesses, and its capabilities of proving when restricted by its own domain.” Mr. Keith Mathews notes, “The main goal for these new courses is to make our religious studies more reflective of the diverse interest in our faculty and students. Although we are a Catholic school and our religion classes make no exceptions to speaking to that Catholic faith, within that tradition we would like to explore broader topics such as science and religion or physiology and religion.”
News • February 2015
Page 3
Student Wellness: The Quest for Balance By Maya Ruiz Staff Writer
grow as not just an intellectually competent individual, but as a faith-filled, just, respectful leader. Right now our time is so crucial; we should be spending it efficiently and intentionally.” To kickstart the Student Sleep Education Initiative, ASB officers determined the best method of sharing the survey findings with the school would be through divisional meetings. So on January 7, 2015, after careful preparation, all Mitty students were debriefed by administration and student government representatives at divisional meetings. Students learned more about Mitty’s Wellness Committee, the year’s areas of focus, and the student sleep education campaign. Additionally, every household was sent an overview and executive summary of survey results. The Wellness Committee has already begun a parent education component of the initiative to include parents in the process of creating healthy life habits. The Student Wellness Committee will be creating a campaign to motivate students to live healthier and complete homework more efficiently so they can find time for family and sleep. These habits are key to developing healthy lifestyles that students will carry with them into college and beyond. To encourage students to get more sleep, ASB plans to incorporate social media to make the message more accessible and available. Class pages and promotional materials will be utilized to spread the wellness initiative. Scott also explains the student responsibility of working with counselors to create a balanced schedule: “Students need to know that getting good grades in certain classes is a lot better than failing all the really hard ones.” ASB Vice President Amrith Mylvara reminds students that, “We are a lot more than what our transcripts tell us. Especially at Mitty, it’s hard to see that because everyone is ultra-competitive and everyone is ultra-advanced in terms of academics and athletics. People are getting D1 scholarships, people are getting 4.6-4.7 GPA’s, and perfect SAT scores. Amidst all that pressure, it’s our goal to figure out how to tell everyone to be who they are rather than try to live up to these arbitrary numbers that other people set for them.” In the end, students need to realize the importance of being awake, aware, and present to the people in their lives, so that they may enjoy happier, healthier years in high school.
Mitty’s initiative to focus on student wellness began in December of 2013, when lead administrators met with Dr. Denise Pope, the co-founder of Challenge Success, a research-based organization that develops curriculum, conferences, and other programs for parents, schools, and kids in order to promote healthy and more effective paths to success. Dr. Pope’s involvement with Mitty led her to speak to administration, faculty, and staff about student wellness. She emphasized the importance of sleep in fighting stress, the need for a balanced course load, and the value of relaxation, family time, and play time for students. Partnering with Challenge Success, Mitty established a Wellness Committee, consisting of administrators, faculty, counselors, parents, and students, to review the findings from the student wellness survey taken in March 2014. This committee began work in August 2014 and attended the Challenge Success Conference at Stanford University in September. In October, the Wellness Committee compiled all their findings and decided on the two focus areas for 2014-2015 school year: homework and sleep. In terms of evaluating the homework load, progress has already been made. In December, students took a homework survey to give academic departments student feedback. On January 5, 2015, Mitty faculty and staff were presented with the resulting data. The first student survey had indicated that 42% of students believed that many or all of their classes assigned “busywork,” so department chairs worked with teachers to determine what “busywork” really is and how to eliminate it. The survey also indicated that 47% of students found three fourths to all of their homework meaningful. ASB President Scott Raine-King emphasizes that the initiative to examine homework practices and determine where changes can be made is a two way street—teachers will not be cutting back on homework so that students can spend another hour scrolling through Twitter or watching Netflix. Rather, students are encouraged to develop efficient work habits so that they will be able to find more time for family. Scott explains, “It’s so we can have that time to develop and
Macbeth: foul is fair By Krista DeGuzman Staff Writer
Macbeth, renowned as one of Shakespeare’s bloodiest and darkest tragedies, is regarded as a timeless classic, boasting themes about ambition, corruption, and power. Mitty’s adaptation of Macbeth seemed hauntingly real, and the hard work put into the play did not go unnoticed. Several changes were made in order to amplify the cinematic appeal of Macbeth. Secondary characters were modified, as seen in the combination of The Captain and The Porter to form Captain Porter, a drunken yet loyal official. The character of Lennox, on the other hand, was removed entirely. In addition, scenes were cut to maintain vital content without sacrificing quality. In doing so, Mitty’s rendition of the play condensed Macbeth from a three-hour long performance to a cinematic experience lasting less than two hours. Given the darker themes of witchcraft and murder explored Photo Courtesy of Pro Image Studios in Macbeth, actors were challenged to connect with their roles. So, before rehearsals began, Director Mr. Doug Santana had Macbeth slays another victim in a fit of rage. students build their characters by writing background stories to develop a deeper understanding of their roles. An abridged synopsis for those students unfamiliar with the play was discussed in Macbeth’s pre-show session. Mr. Santana, as well as teachers Mr. Kevin Brazelton and Ms. Beth Madia, offered some analysis of key elements seen in the play in an effort to help students better understand the meaning of the show. Both having taught Macbeth as AP Language and Composition teachers, Mr. Brazelton and Ms. Madia explained to students what made Macbeth’s character and downfall so compelling. The attention to detail in the set design helped neatly convey the tone of the show. Using multiple fog machines to shroud the stage in smoke and attaching splintery wood to line the walls, Mitty’s dedication to creating the mysterious, secretive world of Macbeth proved to be a success. Mr. Brazelton remarked, “I thought that the use of the orchestra pit in the stage floor was very effective, as they were able to have characters disappear and spirits appear out of that hole. Overall, the costuming, set design, and acting were amazing! It was a very entertaining 100 minutes.” The amount of thought and level of creativity that went into production helped the show succeed in doing one of Shakespeare’s darkest tragedies justice. Similar to Macbeth’s single-minded focus and ambitious attempts to shape his own destiny, Mitty’s ambitious revival of Macbeth was surely notable.
Volume 24 Number 3 Advisors Mr. Mick VanValkenburg & Mr. Craig Whitt News Ramya Balasingam, Madeleine Fernando, Pei-Ling Lee, & Emily Malig Opinion Jacob Isaacs, Sarah Nehemiah, Rachita Pandya, & Sanika Puranik Justice Awareness Riya Dange, Catherine Gong, Manasi Patwa, & Rasika Ranghavan Focus Sindhu Giri, Lina Lalwani, Veronica Marquez, & Kerri Yen Arts & Entertainment Winni Cherukuri, Kasturi Kulkarni, & Shannon Lam Sports Eric He, Pooja Patel, & Jenni Sherwood Photo Camille Daszynski, & Aditya Gunda Archbishop Mitty High School 5000 Mitty Way, San Jose, CA 95129
Answer: C
OPINIONS
Opinions • February 2015
Opposing Viewpoints:
To Speak...
free speech can’t be interpreted the same way. Words from cartoonists do not necessarily have the same gravity or influence as words from global leaders. It’s all about context. Instead of paring down the liberties of all, why not make a larger effort to understand the power of speech? Teach people to be aware of the context and remedy the issue at the root. Just weeks before the Charlie Hebdo attacks, Sony cancelled the release of The Interview due to threats from North Korea. President Obama scolded Sony for this decision, saying, “We cannot have a society in which some dictator someplace can starts imposing censorship here in the United States…if somebody is able to intimidate folks out of releasing a satirical movie, imagine what they’re going to start doing when they see a documentary they don’t like, or news reports they don’t like.” When the boundaries on our liberties are tested, the line doesn’t seem to move that much. However, each infringement moves the line further and further away. Canceling The Interview isn’t that bad, but it does set a dangerous precedent for how we should respond when our freedoms are threatened. Will we keep shrinking away at each threat? Though a proud nation, will we end up sacrificing our ideals and our freedoms? True freedom of speech is always powerful (and sometimes obnoxious) but it is never cowardly. It’s hard to draw the line on free speech. After all, how do you delineate something that can be both great and base, something that can be both powerful and inconsequential? Where? Can you draw a line? In short, no. It’s about time we stopped drawing lines and picked up that pen to write instead.
...Or Not To Speak?
When Benjamin Franklin said that those who will sacrifice their liberty for security deserve neither, he was only partially right. While it is important to have a self-checking, free society that does not fear censorship, the expression of your own rights cannot come at the violation of another’s. Words and images should never be used to viciously attack. At that point, a line must be drawn separating freedom of expression from abuse of expression. More specifically, your liberty can’t come at the cost of another’s. Because wouldn’t that make the other’s liberty come at the cost of yours? Let me explain. The world desperately needs freedom of expression. It is our most effective safeguard against oppression. When used properly, it holds everyone accountable for their actions. Sony’s satire, The Interview, publicly criticized the totalitarian dictatorship and human rights violations of North Korea. And not long after Sony Pictures was hacked, the United Nations Security Council held a briefing to discuss human rights abuses in North Korea. Sadly, however, freedom of expression is often misunderstood and misused. The First Amendment protects the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. Some people’s religious traditions use stoning as punishment. So why is it not protected under the First Amendment? Because it violates the right to life. Similarly, few use freedom of expression to justify cyberbullying or abusive language. In other words, the right to free expression is not a limitless one. Ideally, it would be great if it were. But we don’t live in an ideal world. We live in the real world, and in the real world, lines must always be drawn. At a protest, you have the right to peacefully assemble. If you become violent, your
By Paris Grabeel Staff Writer
protest is no longer protected by free speech—you are endangering the lives of others. After the controversial decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, protesters in Oakland blocked freeway ramps, shutting down I-580 and bringing traffic to a halt. Their right to demonstrate was protected, but not when it encroached upon others’ ability and right to move freely. This demonstration unjustly kept people from getting home to their families, so it was restricted. Freedom of expression was most recently brought up regarding the terrorist attacks on Charlie Hebdo, a satirical Parisian newspaper that is known to publish inflammatory pieces mocking Islam. To the 1.6 billion Muslims around the world, Charlie Hebdo is rude, insensitive, deeply insulting and derogatory, amplifying the worst stereotypes of the Islamic faith. Of course, that does not justify the actions of the terrorists in any way, but looking at it through the perspective of those offended, one might see why Muslims, alongside denouncing the terrorists’ actions, also believe Charlie Hebdo is in the wrong. Freedom of speech should be used to express opinions, keep governments in check, and protect a free-thinking society, but when expression is used to unfairly attack and bully, it has gone too far. Liberty is a wonderful ideal many brave people have fought for throughout history. Our nation was founded on the belief that it was essential for a fulfilling and meaningful existence. We may sacrifice our own security for our liberty, but we may never sacrifice the security of another for our liberty. That is not our sacrifice to make.
Page 5
Authentic Music is Dead
First things first, I’m a realist. Authenticity in mainstream music is dead. Talent and hard work used to be necessary in order to make it big in the music industry, but nowadays, it takes much, much more. On November 19, 1990, pop duo Milli Vanilli, one of the biggest pop acts of the nineties, was stripped of its Grammy for Best New Artist. Why? Because producer Frank Farian snagged Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan to front Milli
By Annie Zhang Staff Writer
Confusion. Outrage. Grief. Revelation? In the weeks following the Charlie Hebdo massacre, I wasn't choking back my tears the way many still were. No, I spent the long weeks of the aftermath perplexed, wondering if words had always felt so heavy and piercing. Suddenly, it was a little harder to talk. On January 7 the gunshots across the pond had shocked me into noticing—for the first time—the power hidden in words. Free speech is powerful in ways that guns are not. In a quiet, intangible way the pen is mightier than the AK-47 because while weapons take lives, the tools of speech give life. Every time an editorial writes about another Edward Snowden, the pen breathes life into the idea of whistleblowing. Every time slam poets hurl their metaphors against racism and sexism, their words revitalize the ideals of justice. You can imprison, silence, or even kill the man who speaks, but you can’t kill the ideas born from his words. From one person to the next, speech aims to spread ideas. This quality allows the ideas contained in one uttered phrase to crescendo into huge ideological movements. Irrepressible by nature, free speech shouldn’t be chained by qualifications and limitations. However, the opposing side of this debate argues that restrictions on speech are necessary because the same powerful words can be used to harm others. Such was the case of Charlie Hebdo, in which some cartoons were interpreted as unforgivably offensive. However, this is not so much a free speech issue as it is one of context and responsibility. Speech exists between two parties—the speaker and the audience. The speaker has the duty to make his or her speech fit its setting. For Charlie Hebdo, that setting was the safe stage of comedy and satire. Yet, the audience must also recognize that these varying outlets for
Vanilli, though their songs were sung and written by artists other than themselves. Fast forward to 2015, where this has become the norm for making it big in the music industry. Though in the past artists used to be recognized for their innovative visions, artists today are marketed like brands—their popularity comes from their music’s mass appeal and accessibility to global audiences. The music industry has mostly become a rat race for cranking out the next Top 40 hits because there is a considerable amount of money to be made in manufacturing stars and their music. Most of the top hits we hear have been put together by teams of producers and songwriters. Music producers mix, master, and record the instrumentals of a song in order to bring out the best in artists while top of the line writers create the lyrics, the melodies, and
Im(media)te Attention January 6: A 10 year old Nigerian girl with explosives strapped to her body detonates her weapons, killing herself and 19 others. January 7: Two armed men break into the office of the satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, and shoot at everyone in the vicinity, killing 12. January 7: Boko Haram, the Nigerian radical Islamist group, massacres the town of Baga in Northern Nigeria, killing thousands. January 8: Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan expresses solidarity with and sorrow for the French people in their national security crisis. January 11: World leaders meet in Paris to march against terrorism. When I turned on the news on January 7, I immediately heard about the attacks in France, but it took me more investigating to learn about the attacks in Nigeria. I turned on the news on January 8 to hear that the Nigerian president had not even acknowledged the terrorism and massacre in his own country. And on January 11, I heard about a huge protest in Paris regarding freedom of speech but barely a word of support for Nigerians.
the “hooks” that pull you into the song. Despite the universality of unoriginal pop acts, people still claim to value “authenticity” as a measuring stick for an artist’s work. This authenticity of a musical artist lends ethos, an appeal to credibility, to their public image. However, in this day and age, it is nearly impossible to make it big without the help of a major label, making authenticity highly subjective. One example? Macklemore. His authenticity stems from his “independent success” without the help of a major label. In actuality, he and Ryan Lewis hired Alternative Distribution Alliance, an arm of the Warner Music Group, to advertise for them. His marketable music earned him not one, but four Grammys, beating out the arguably more authentic Kanye West’s song “New Slaves” and Kendrick Lamar’s album good kid, m.A.A.d city. Whether we like it or not, mainstream, manufactured music is here to stay, while authenticity has disappeared. I guess now we have to accept this and enjoy those pop hits you secretly pretend to hate. Uptown Funk, I’m looking at you.
By Janani Rangarajan Staff Writer
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to claim that no one has been talking about Nigeria. Nor am I trying to say that the Charlie Hebdo shooting doesn’t deserve our attention. But I am beyond outraged that Nigerian people, in an attempt to get international attention for their struggling situation, felt forced to modify the solidarity slogan “Je suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) to “I am Baga,” in reference to the unknown number of people slaughtered mercilessly in Nigeria. Do we, as people of the world, not have the attention span to listen to the problems of both people, especially when their problems are so different? Paris’ attacks are largely condemned as attacks on the civil liberty of freedom of speech. Nigeria’s attacks, however, display much deeper problems that need international focus. Child suicide bombers? Boko Haram projected to control up to 20% of Nigeria, a land mass bigger than California? The president blatantly ignoring the violence within his borders? The fact that it was harder for us to learn about the attacks in Nigeria also makes us much less likely to develop concern for Nigerians. The media’s coverage of more typically western stories over others strongly influences the actions of our society. If we are unable to inform ourselves and treat every situation with the attention it needs, then we perpetuate the stagnation of solutions that this world has today. It is the media’s responsibility to report evenly rather than to focus on a select few stories that seem more relevant to people like us.
Everyone’s Favorite Pope Former janitor, nightclub bouncer, chemical technician, and literature teacher. Current worldwide religious leader of 1.2 billion Catholics. And we all love him. Since his papacy began in 2013, Pope Francis has made his way into the hearts of many (myself included) with a revolutionary freshness, exemplifying acts of humility and modesty that are invigorating in a world filled with pomp and pageantry. Pope Francis is a breath of fresh air in the lustrous halls of the Vatican. In the past two years of his papacy, Pope Francis has called for dialogue on hot-button issues such as marriage, divorce, gay marriage, and abortion. But what is most intriguing are the pontiff’s reactions to the opulence and grandiosity of the Church—and his commitment to the poor. He has since called for a “legitimate redistribution” of wealth to the poor, a radical position in the world today. But the pope practices what he preaches. Literally. It has been rumored he sneaks out of the Vatican and boards his local subway station to minister to the Roman homeless. In addition, Francis has actually declined residency in the usual Apostolic Palace, residing instead in a much humbler guest apartment in the Vatican. And the pope has auctioned his Harley-Davidson with the proceeds to service the poor. (Emphasizing: the pope actually owned a Harley-Davidson). Ultimately, he is a man of his word (and The Word), which makes the humble pontifex all the more lovable. Pope Francis also recognizes the modern world we all
By Karen Liou Staff Writer
inhabit and tailors his teachings to fit that world. Although he has upheld the majority of the Church’s teachings, he acknowledges the world’s current situations—differently from previous popes. Just this past September, the selfie-taking pope married couples who have “lived in sin,” among them a couple who had a child out of wedlock, contradicting Church doctrine. This marks a fundamental shift in church dogma: not only is the pope more understanding of today’s modern world, but he also is encouraging the church to be more inclusive toward all people, resembling the acts of Jesus Christ (an important figure some Church officials often forget and, oh yeah, the incarnation of God). Perhaps the public is completely enamored with Pope Francis because he drives a HarleyDavidson (well, at least used to), but I think the public
By Laura Galang Staff Writer loves him because he gives the Church a fresh perspective. No longer is the pope abiding by some of the outdated traditions of the Church, but instead he is trying to rid the Church of its detachedness and be more accepting of modern-day society. Full disclosure, I think the pope is so popular with the people because he brings with him honesty and humility. Pope Francis doesn’t strictly interpret the Bible word-for-word, but instead he truly tries to emulate and embody the true spirit of Jesus Christ, which is what the church should be doing. But, I mean, I still think it’s pretty cool that he used to drive a motorcycle.
Page 6
Katniss or Karenina? David Foster Wallace once quoted one of his teachers saying: “Good fiction’s job is to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” I start off by quoting Wallace because he is the epitome of what we call “serious” art. He is the author of serious literary works such as The Pale King and Infinite Jest. His writing is hard to comprehend for most audiences; there are literally book guides for his novels. Commercial entertainment has affected us in a way where we as art viewers (whether it is movies, literature etc.) are conditioned to just want easy fun in everything presented to us. However, some works of art that might have been created to be fun are actually very good, so it’s not all black and white. Sure, no one would ever compare The Hunger
February 2015 • Opinions
By Clarissa Vokt Staff Writer
Games to, say, anything by Tolstoy. In part, that’s because the real problem is that low art is not representative of real life. In real life, pleasure is often a byproduct of toiling. The commercial art culture has trained us to expect happy endings, to believe that every story is a Cinderella story and that every story works out in the end. This makes it harder for us to read books such as those by David Foster Wallace, which are phenomenal, but too realistic for a reader who is used to everything being packaged and sealed with a little bow on top. Wallace died before he could see what has become of our society in the modern age. He never foresaw the smart phone and 24/7 social media and how much they have affected us. Multitasking is shortening our attention span, making it harder for us to read and enjoy serious literature. In this day and age, serious art is endangered. Art today is more of an escape from suffering, not confront it.
Quick Hits: Short, Sweet, and to the point
College: Free For All
Style over Substance By Kushal Singh Staff Writer
Who knew that a line of deodorants, body spray, and other fragrances could develop into a multi-million dollar industry? Apparently, Axe did. Notorious for their sensual humor that plays into male fantasies, its commercials are well-known globally, primarily because of how they present them—a playful, alluring tone that aims to entice male viewers. So why is style valued over substance? Think about it this way—when you give a presentation, do you give a copy of your speech to everyone in the room and expect them to read it? In other words, every single idea that has ever existed had to be presented at some point to someone else before it got approved, funded, or executed. A higher level of understanding arises after seeing someone explain his or her ideas. You can’t shake hands or share a laugh with an idea, but you can with its creator. It may seem surprising, but it is because of the ability to persuade—more so than the ability to innovate—that society has distinguished the likes of Edison, Bell, and Jobs. This idea also holds true in the high-school world. Suppose, for instance, your star athlete is always late for practice. As coach, you have two options: bluntly castigating him or giving him motivating feedback. The former choice could potentially instill rebelliousness, while the latter inspires, so what you say clearly matters less than how you say it. Essays are the same—a well-written essay always wins out over a poor one, even when its ideas are not as strong. Ideally, the best ideas, content-wise, should win. Realistically, the fate of ideas hinges on how well you talk about what you’ve made, or what you want to accomplish.
Meditation Nation By Jacob Isaacs Opinions Editor
Justice Awareness AP English, AP Biology...and AP Naptime? What Mitty’s Wellness Survey Tells Us about Student Life By Jocelyn Woods Staff Writer The lecture seems endless, the clock appears frozen, and you feel your eyelids growing heavier and heavier. Before long, you’ve nodded off. And when you wake up, you’re staring right into the face of an angry teacher. If it’s English class, you might try quoting Shel Silverstein: “No -- I did not take a nap -The nap -- took -- me Off the bed and out the window Far beyond the sea, To a land where sleepy heads Read only comic books And lock their naps in iron safes So that they can’t get took.” Although locking our naps in iron safes seems a bit extreme, high school students often express nostalgia for the “good old days” of kindergarten when we were actually allowed to take naps at school. But unless American high schools suddenly begin offering AP Naptime, nodding off in class will never be a successful strategy. In fact, such behavior is a sign of sleep deprivation – a condition with which the average high school student everywhere is very familiar. We students often push ourselves towards a common goal: to maintain high grades and juggle a number of extra-curriculars. As a result, we overexend ourselves, leaving sleep behind in hopes of getting into that “dream college.” The administration of Archbishop Mitty has taken note of such behavior and is spearheading a student wellness program to ensure the problem doesn’t become serious. Last March, Denise Pope, a senior lecturer at Stanford who also holds a Ph.D.
from the school, and the Challenge Success research team conducted the Stanford Survey of Adolescent School Experiences at Mitty to identify student workload, sleep patterns, stress, and more. The results revealed below average levels of sleep and above average levels of stress throughout the Mitty student body. For example, 60% of Mitty students reported going to bed at 11:30 p.m. or later. This trend causes students to fall short of the recommended average of 9.25 hours of sleep a night. Freshmen were at the high end with 6.74 hours, and seniors at the low end with 6.05. Moreover, students across all grade levels rated their stress levels at between 4 and 4.5 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being never experiencing academic stress and 5 being always experiencing such stress. While this situation problematic for students, it is equally troubling for teachers. Mrs. Boulton attests, “As a teacher it is frightening to see the beyond midnight
time stamp on some student homework assignments. I would love to see more rested and focused students in class.” With these concerns in mind, Archbishop Mitty has established a Wellness Committee dedicated to tackling the issues of sleep and homework load. This committee includes students Erin Weiner (’16) and Daniel Plascencia (’15); parents Amy Korb and David Mewes; faculty Mrs. Boulton and Mr. Van Valkenburg; counselor Mrs. Woodruff; and Administrators Associate Principal Ms. Caputo and Mr. Greg Walker. According to Mrs. Boulton, the committee’s goal for this year is “to reduce stress, starting with adding more sleep and reevaluating the homework given. We want to see healthier students who are enthusiastic about learning and engaged in the process.” These changes, however, are not confined to committee meetings. Mrs. Caputo calls the response in and outside the committee “impressive.” ASB, she says, is
especially, “doing a great job encouraging the school to do something counter-cultural like putting down the phone.” Likewise, the Wellness Committee and school administration and faculty encourage the larger student body to actively participate in the campaign. Senior Daniel Plascencia urges students to “keep raising awareness and leading by example.” Although getting nine hours of sleep a night may seem unattainable for many of us, the attempt to make changes towards a healthier lifestyle is truly an important goal. “It’s easy to listen to this and say no, that’s impossible,” explains Mrs. Caputo. “But to take it with an open mind and strive for gradual improvement is what we are trying to start with.” This shift towards improvement is not limited to students and the committee, but extends to parents as well. In fact, this March, Dr. Pope will be coming to Mitty to speak to parents about their role in improving student wellness. Mitty’s bold actions through the Wellness Program manifest the administration and faculty’s interest in student well-being. As senior Daniel Plascencia says, “Mitty faculty really cares about the student body and wants the best for the entire Mitty community, and – although it is a slow process – we can do it.”
By Maya Guhan Staff Writer
At Archbishop Mitty High School, college is the ultimate goal. Most of us will go to college, earn degrees, and find fulfilling careers. However, for over 40% of high school students across the country, our absolute is simply a dream: these students are unable to enter college, one of the main reasons being the cost of going to school. Last month, President Obama traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee, to propose free community college. The administration is looking to spend 60 billion dollars over the next ten years to pay for the first two years of community college for over nine million students across the country. The Happy Planet Index (HPI) measures the expected well-being, ecological footprint, and life expectancy of people in a specific country. The United States has one of the lowest HPIs in the world, indicating low well-being. Our minimal access to higher education contributes largely to this statistic. The United States is built on the “American Dream”—the idea that anyone can
work hard and become successful. How can we self-servingly preach this ideal but not give our citizens the opportunity to better their lives? Entering college is the foundation for a successful future in which individuals can be self-sustaining. According to new data from the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, Americans with fouryear degrees made 98 percent more than people without a degree. David Autor, an MIT economist, says that the true cost of a college degree is actually negative $500,000 as college pays for itself. Not going to college will cost you half a million dollars. While Obama’s proposal is nowhere near perfect and financing it would certainly cost, we, as Americans, need to support the idea of free higher education. Without a bachelor’s degree, individuals are harming themselves in the long run, often leading to less fulfilling lives. With programs like this proposal for free Community College, we can make more possible for all our ideal, the American Dream.
Model United Nations Most of my friends know my personality is about as type-A as type-A can be. They also are probably aware that I consistently get at least eight hours of sleep a night while simultaneously trying my hardest to not be a slacker. How do I reconcile my proactivity and anxiety with my comparatively open schedule and good night’s rest? As we at Mitty examine our busy, busy schedules to find a happy medium between work and play and rest, I offer this piece of advice: meditate. Meditation is ubiquitous throughout human history, but still remains an evasive concept. It always involves some introspection, often accompanied by positioning yourself comfortably, focusing on your breathing, closing your eyes, repeating mantras (key phrases), concentrating on an image or sound, or simply letting your thoughts wander with impunity. It’s best to stick with what works for you.
Beyond just its definition, science is still unclear, in many cases, how meditation affects the brain, but what we do know is that it makes people more aware, calm, poised, happy, and well-rested. Who wouldn’t want that? And it doesn’t eat up too much of your time—ten to twenty minutes a day is fine. You may think you’d lose sleep or homework time, but in reality, meditation provides acuity that can help you get your work done, or sleep, or just calm down. In our hectic lives, it also creates a rare opportunity to be alone with our thoughts, free from their normal weightiness. This means meditation works in tandem with self-hypnosis, wherein you encourage yourself to act a certain way. With all these benefits at so little cost, meditation beats sliced bread in usefulness. Give it (at least) a few weeks of your time if you want to work faster, act happier, and sleep better.
Creating the Leaders of Tomorrow By Amulya Yerrapotu Justice Awareness Editor
The Model United Nations Club was formed last September by juniors Chiara Caraccio, Pranav Govindaraju, and Nikhil Aggarwal. Model UN teams role play as specific countries and compete against teams from different schools in mock conferences that mimic actual sessions of the United Nations. The teams discuss issues ranging from the Iranian Nuclear program to water safety in India. Throughout the course of a day of competition, each country will ally itself with other nations to create and present comprehensive plans to tackle these modern day issues plaguing the world. The assembly then votes on the plan they believe best solves the problem — just like the actual United Nations would. However, the club isn’t solely focused on competition. As club moderator Mr. Miller says, “If we want kids to think globally, they need to be aware of the issues we face in the real world. Community service
is important, of course, but a global understanding is vital as well.” Thus, the club aspires to promote awareness of global issues. For example, last semester, club members attended the United Nations Annual Film Festival in Palo Alto to view two documentaries: “Growing Home,” which depicted the struggles of
refugees from the Syrian Crisis, and “Red Line,” which detailed the war effort against Syrian Leader and Dictator Bashar al Assad. Last month, the club partnered with sophomore Mary Celestin to screen the documentary “Girl Rising,” which describes the journeys of seven girls as they use education to change their lives.
The emphasis on awareness is central to the purpose of the club. According to senior Adam Giacomelli, “As future leaders of our country, I feel as though we need to be educated on global issues so we can better solve them in the future.” In the future, the club hopes to go even further than awareness, and focus more on advocacy through signing petitions and attending protests. The club has clearly enjoyed a successful start, coming home from the Santa Clara Valley Model United Nations Conference on January 30 and 31 with multiple awards. Sophomores Aakash Tawade and Murad Awad, as well as juniors Pranav Govindaraju and Chiara Caraccio, were recognized for Research Awards, while juniors Abi Padwal, Max Akiba, and Robbie Gallaher and senior Adam Giacomelli won Outstanding Awards. We wish the Model UN club the best of luck in their future endeavors, both inside and outside of an academic environment.
Page 8
February 2015 • Justice Awareness
Justice Awareness • February 2015
Page 9
#Rest in Power Leelah’s Story
By Amy Baylis & Carmen Orellana Staff Writers By Paulina Thurmann & Michelle Mallari Staff Writers
ALS Ice Bucket
From policemen to CEO’s, Olympians to students, this icy-cold waterfall trend touched the lives of millions by raising awareness about ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a debilitating disease that creates permanent nerve damage. In 2014, the social-media phenomenon dubbed the “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge” took an unlikely path to fame with proceeds reaching over $100 million to. Sounds pretty cool to me.
Pope Francis
Elected on March 13, 2013, Argentinian Pope Francis has already made a monumental impact on social justice issues around the world. He has expressed deep concern about and focused media attention on poverty, economic inequality, education, and world peace. The Holy Father is already well-known for his humility, his concern for the marginalized and vulnerable, and his commitment to build bridges between all backgrounds and faiths through openness and dialogue. Millions of followers eagerly await his next steps toward promoting social justice and uniting the world church of liberal and conservative Christians.
Cuba
Since 1961, the United States and Cuba have had a rough history. The US has had severed economic and political ties and has imposed travel restrictions and sanctions on those traveling to Cuba for some fifty years. But in a historic move on December 17, Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro struck an unprecedented agreement to normalize relations between the two countries. Americans and Cubans alike can only hope that this is just the beginning of long-term peaceful relations.
Year Looking Forward #BlackLivesMatter
45-year old Eric Garner from New York was allegedly selling untaxed individual cigarettes (loosies) when he was killed by police officer Daniel Pantaleo through a chokehold. One month later, unarmed 18-year old Michael Brown from Ferguson, Missouri, was shot and killed by officer Darren Wilson. Neither officer was indicted for their offense, despite the fact that Grand Juries indict nearly 100% of the time (an indictment is a recommendation to bring a formal charge). Protests broke out across the nation after the inaction by the Grand Juries, as thousands took to the streets proclaims that black lives matter and demanding changes to the justice system in order to protect the lives of African American men. With the recent death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice at the hands of the police in Ohio, it’s clear that reform is still necessary in the future if we are to avoid such tragedies going forward.
ISIS/ISIL
On August 19, 2014, a shocking YouTube clip of American journalist James Foley’s beheading was released. Soon after, other captives were used by the Islamic State of Iraq and and the Levant (ISIS and ISIL) to gain global exposure for their attacks and expansion. ISIS, a Sunni Muslim extremist group, uses such violence and terrorism to instill fear, take land, and gain power. Since ISIS dominated global news headlines, it has garnered a stronger resistance from other countries, as well. Targeting ISIS’s leaders as well as training Iraqis to fight has undermined ISIS, and the number of volunteers for the group has decreased significantly. The continuing efforts to stop ISIS have the ability to eventually cripple the extremists.
On December 28, 2014, Leelah Alcorn committed suicide by walking into oncoming traffic on a local highway. Leelah chose to end her life, it appears, because of the negative responses she received from her parents and peers due to coming out as transgender. As a transwoman, Leelah identified as female, rather than the male gender she was assigned at birth. After Leelah hinted to her parents that she felt herself to be a girl, they responded by removing her from public high school and isolating her from her friends and social media. They believed that Leelah’s gender orientation was a curable condition and in an attempt to “heal her,” sent her to Christian Conversion Therapy. Conversion Therapy is used to convince transgender people to identify as the sex that they were assigned at birth. Many transgender people suffer from gender dysphoria, a psychological condition caused by the conflict between one’s assigned gender and the gender that one identifies as. Conversion Ther-
apy only augments this condition. According to the American Psychological Association, LGBT individuals who are forced to attend Conversion Therapy are eight times more likely to attempt suicide. This “therapy” has already been banned
in California and New Jersey, and a recent petition has called for Congress to pass “Leelah’s Law,” a proposal to ban all such conversion therapy treatments throughout the nation. A study recently conducted by the American Foundation for Sui-
cide Prevention found that approximately 40% of transgender people consider suicide. This shockingly high percentage demonstrates the desperate need for more transgender rights advocacy to provide greater support to LGBT teens. Leelah isn’t the first person, and unfortunately, she won’t be the last to struggle with feeling isolated and depressed due to her gender identification. However, her story can also be a catalyst for change. While it may be too late to save Leelah, we as a society can still work to prevent this tragedy from happening to any other at-risk transgender teens. As she pleads in her suicide note, “My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide this year. I want someone to look at that number and say ‘that’s messed up’ and fix it. Fix society. Please.”
Spelling Out World Crises: By Nicholas Kirst Staff Writer Recently “The Interview,” a satire featuring James Franco and Seth Rogen that parodies North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s dictatorship, made headlines. Though the film is meant to merely poke fun at North Korea, the issues that the film portrays concerning the regime in North Korea are far from comedic. Twenty-three countries in the world are still currently governed by a dictatorial political system. Most infamously—next to China—is North Korea (or as they call themselves, The Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea). Since June of 1950, the western world has been deadlocked in a conflict with the North: three years of violent war and sixty-four years of cold war.
Even though North Korea does not welcome foreigners, many people still choose to visit. Kenneth Bae, a forty-six year old Korean-American Missionary, and Matthew Miller, a twenty-four year old English teacher on a private tour, both traveled to North Korea for different reasons, but both were individually arrested for committing “hostile acts” against the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea. Both were sentenced to hard labor. On November 8, 2014, both Bae and Miller were released after secret diplomatic missions were carried out. Director of U.S. National Intelligence, James Clapper, who is the highest ranking American official to visit North Korea in years, visited Pyongyang to reach that agreement.
Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, has not released much information about the arrests to the media, but some believe that the two men were being used as “puppets” to further the North’s nuclear program. In past years, Pyongyang has expanded its research in the field of nuclear technology. It claims the research is to provide an avenue for “peaceful energy,” but western nations remain skeptical and smother North Korea with sanctions to discourage its nuclear ambitions. North Korea may have also arrested the men to use as leverage for an increase in foreign aid. Thousands of North Koreans are living on food provided by foreign aid—without it many would die of starvation.
Behind the Screens
Star Power Shouldn’t Eclipse Sexual Abuse By Laura Cervantes Staff Writer
By Niharika Bhat Justice Awareness Editor Bill Cosby, Charlie Sheen. Sean Connery, Bill Murray. To many, these men are household Hollywood names, associated with family hits like the beloved “Cosby Show,” “Two and a Half Men,” and hit movies. But beneath the laugh tracks and sound effects lies the unpleasant and undeniable reality of these actors’ abuse toward women. The dark history of the some men in Hollywood is something that many ignore, but the recent spotlight upon comedian Bill Cosby’s alleged rape of over twenty different women has brought the issue back into America’s focus. Cosby’s alleged sexual violence has been widely rumored in the entertainment industry for the past ten years—the first accusation was brought forth against him in 2005 by Andrea Constand, an employee of Cosby’s alma mater of Temple University, and was quickly followed in 2006 by actress Barbara Bowman. Both women were persuaded to drop their suits in exchange for a settlement, and their stories were largely ignored. Since then, over twenty women have come forth between 2006 and 2014 with eerily similar stories of the abuse they suffered at Cosby’s hands. Somehow, though, his career, though, seemed to be in no way affected by this onslaught of
allegations. Although some question why the victims waited so long to come out with their experiences (most of the women place Cosby’s violence against them in the late 1970s), there is no denying that their overwhelmingly similar stories provide strong evidence against Cosby.
Thus far, he has refused to make a statement, but his public image has been affected — Netflix and NBC have both backed out of deals with him, and the U.S. Navy recently revoked the honorary title it had awarded him. However, it is unlikely that Cosby will face any jail time (the sentence for rape can stretch from 3 to even 30 years). Show or no show, award or no award, Cosby is still a free man who is not being held legally accountable for his actions. However, Cosby is not the only prominent figure in the entertainment industry who has managed to
escape recrimination for unacceptable attitudes and actions toward women. Sean Connery, famous for his role as James Bond, chuckled on the Barbara Walters Show about how he “doesn’t think there is anything wrong in hitting a woman... An open-handed slap is totally justified. I think the man is just slightly more advanced than the woman.” Bill Murray’s ex-wife has appealed throughout their thirty year marriage for protection from her husband, whom she said repeatedly physically abused her. Charlie Sheen has had three ex-wives file for restraining orders against his violent and abusive behavior. The list goes on and on. However, type any of these men’s names into a search engine, and it is not these allegations that first appear— rather, their hilarious stand up comedy shows, love lives, or red carpet interviews are the first search results you’ll see. But these men should not be protected by their wealth, fame, and gender, yet their words and actions have been quickly shoved under a rug of concealment. No longer should victims have to live in fear while their abusers go about unpunished for their actions. As a community, we must recognize the actions of these men as indefensible.
On September 26, 2014, in the city of Iguala, Mexico, uniformed police ambushed five buses from the Rural Teachers College in Ayotzinapa, a town in the Mexican state of Guerrero. With the aid of three unknown gunmen, six students were killed, more than 30 were wounded, and 43 students “disappeared.” Trained soldiers in the infantry located less than two miles away failed to intercede. It wasn’t until two weeks later that official reports announced an official count of the missing students, released along with news of the discoveries of mass graves nearby—graves that forensically proved to be a dead end. They weren’t graves for the students. Their relatives breathed a sigh of relief but also asked the impossible question: Where were they? The mission became to bring them back alive. This isn’t the first massacre to strike Mexico, but something about it has struck a chord with both the citizens of Mexico and those around the world. Maybe it is the sheer brutality of the situation, or the apparent police involvement. Perhaps it is the fact that the mayor of Iguala, and his wife,
are suspected of setting up the entire attack. And, maybe, it is the deception of the government in releasing details of the case, and their mistreatment of the desperate mothers and fathers of the missing. Maybe it’s all of this. On January 28, 2015, the hopes of the students’ families were crushed as the attorney general declared the students dead, based on forensic evidence that was collected and
is currently being turned over to the United Nations. The government expressed condolences and solidarity with those suffering, but is facing backlash from its citizens. The people of Mexico are unable to accept the ambiguity and lack of decisive action by their government in the search for the missing students. Bernabe Abraham, the father of one of the students, solemnly intones, “Our government has deceived us. We do not trust them.” Human rights groups have called the case’s conclusion premature due to unanswered questions and the fact that DNA tests have only confirmed the death of one student. The people’s distrust of the government runs deep, causing them to believe the government is just anxious to close the case. What really happened remains unclear, but the message is not. The people of Mexico want justice, truth, and their children back. As the world looks on, it is important to remember that these disappearances are a call to action. As the protestors’ rallying cries say, #YaMeCansé—I have had enough.
On January 7, two gunmen stormed the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine in Paris. They shot several journalists, including the magazine’s editor, Stephane Charbonnier, and a Muslim policeman, Ahmed Merabet. In total, the attack killed 12 people. The police began an extensive manhunt. Two days later, Amedy Coulibaly, who had sworn loyalty to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, held hostages at a Jewish supermarket. Counter-terror police units then entered the building, the Hebdo gunmen were killed, and the hostages were freed. In the wake of these attacks, though many demonstrate solidarity with the French through the popular “Je Suis Charlie” and “Je Suis Ahmed” posters and pins, others have grown violent.
By Giulia Travostino & Margarita Zvereva Staff Writers Since the magazine bombing, more than 50 incidents of threats and attacks have been reported on the Muslim community. In Villefranche-sur-Saone, a homemade bomb went off in a mosque. In Lievin, Nazi symbols were found graffitied on the side of an Islamic building. In Corte on the French island of Corsica, a pig’s head was found near a prayer room in a Lord of the Flies-esque demonstration. These blatant attacks of hatred have only increased the religious tension already present in France, as members of the Muslim community fear for their lives. Many do not recognize that Islam is not to blame for extremist actions. In fact, the word “peace” occurs more frequently in the Quran than the word “war.” As French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius stated in the NY Daily
News, “The terrorists’ religion is not Islam, which they are betraying...It’s barbarity.” Islam itself is quite widespread: 5 million followers live in France. Despite this, the faith is stigmatized for the actions of a few individuals. Many Muslims themselves have professed their support for the victims of the attack, outraged by the actions of the terrorists. While we should mourn for those who died and protect those that are living, we must not retaliate in fits of anger and revenge. As the French Prime Minister Manuel Valls stated, “France is not at war with religion. France is not at war with Islam or Muslims. France will protect, as it always has done, all of its citizens. Those who are believers and those who are not.”
super freshman
FRES HMEN Sticking the Landing
By Ivanna Yeager As she explains, “gymnasStaff Writer tics is pretty hectic because it’s Much of freshman Neena busy and I always have to go to Deshpande’s life consists of practice.” Her daily schedule competing in international includes going to school, doing competitions, staying energetic more homework after school, through late night practices, and going to practice from 6:00twirling in mid-air. 9:30, and finally getting home She began acrobatic gymat 10 p.m. nastics at just six years old, One of the biggest strugand started competing at 12. gles for Neena is missing weeks Practicing three to four hours a off of school for competitions. day, Neena commits to a total Neena thankfully admits that of an astonishing twenty hours she gets a lot of support from each week honing her craft. As Neena (top) with teammates. her friends who catch her up on a result of her dedication and commitment, school work when she needs it most when she Neena is a Senior Elite, the highest level of misses classes. International Acrobatic Gymnastics. Neena says that her family constantly supThe difference between traditional and ac- ports her with her hectic schedule. Although she robatic gymnastics is the nature of the routine. still struggles with time management, Neena Acrobatic gymnastics is a partner(s) routine continues to balance her school work with her comprised of acrobatic moves, dancing, and love for gymnastics. All told, Neena proves tumbling. For her routine, Neena works with that with time management and a good support two partners in her gymnastic competitions. system, nothing is truly impossible.
By Rachel George Staff Writer Freshman Cassie Korb truly epitomizes what it means to be a Monarch. Not only is she a smart academic student, but she also participates in a long list of extracurricular activities, including club and Mitty soccer, speech and debate, and student government. When asked how she juggles her school work, social life, and activities, she admits, “I’m going to be honest. Keeping good grades is tough. I leave the house at 6:30 in the morning and get back home at 9:00 p.m. I have to be organized in order to stay on top.” However, regardless of the many activities that she balances, Cassie is able to manage her busy schedule with incredible enthusiasm. This excitement was most evident when she described her role in student government, especially with the upcoming Monarch Madness. Cassie comments, “Our freshmen representatives are doing an amazing job preparing for Monarch Madness. We spent countless hours over Christmas break putting time in every day to ensure our class’ events will be extremely memorable. A lot more goes into Monarch Madness behind the scenes than most people could ever imagine.” Finally, when asked if she could share anything else, she explained, “All I can say is that we are stoked to take on this challenge!”
FOCUS ON
This was a special encounter strictly for those trained and who volunteer at Happy Hollow.
juniors Monarch Madness is coming and the junior class is incredibly busy planning their Alice in Wonderland theme. In the midst of the mayhem, we had a chance to talk to junior representatives Cal Williams and Emma Dapkus and get some behind-the-scene’s action inside Student Activities. “So fresh, so clean!” Both reps comment on how their class has been managing to rise above expectations. Though it is Cal’s first year as a student government representative, he is simply blown away by the dedication and the passion of his classmates. He comments that after only four practices, the Monarch Madness team had learned their dance and are practically ready to perform on the big night. “This year,” Cal states, “we are motivated to be more spirited.” Preparing for the Tea Party The process for deciding the Alice in Wonderland theme was not an easy task. Each representative brought four or five possible themes to the table, and then the reps decided which were the best. Yet, it appears their efforts were worth it, as Emma comments, “Everybody has been very supportive of our theme.” Favorite Madness Moments According to Emma, her favorite moment was the night before last year’s Monarch Madness. “When we went to the Civic Center for dress rehearsal and decorated the parents’ section, we took a step back and witnessed all of our work coming together,” she explains.
For Cal, Rep Relay is the most exciting aspect. The new game will replace Row, Row, Row Your Reps, and will consist of a series of smaller tasks that each person must accomplish. According to Cal, “the game allows us to be unified as a group and helps us bond. It is something new that we will all get to experience together.” Best Rep Moments On a more personal level, we decided to ask Emma and Cal a few questions regarding their own experiences in student government. Both juniors enjoy being a part of the close-knit student government family. Emma explains, “I might not have met some of these people if I were not on student government. We are a diverse group—there are a lot of different people from Athletics, Performing Arts, and Campus Ministry.” —Sindhu Giri, Lina Lalwani, Veronica Marquez, and Kerri Yen, Focus Editors
Of the 24 years of Monarch Madness, sophomores have prevailed twice. This year, having won all of the dress-up days during Spirit Week as Karate Kid, the sophomores have a real chance of winning Monarch Madness XXIV as Pinocchio. Class President Darren Tsai and Media Coordinator Brian Chan share their thoughts below: How did you come up with “Pinocchio” for this year’s theme? Darren: The reps came up with the theme during Freshman Orientation when we were brainstorming. Once we started getting the ideas flowing, it looked really cool. And here we are! Why do you think sophomores won the dress-up days during Spirit Week? Brian: We won the dress-up days because our whole class was spirited and had the drive to go the extra mile. We also won because everyone
Cassie Korb (center) with friends.
ZOOTEENS By Katherine Rejer Staff Writer Since she was a little girl, junior Jennifer Good always dreamed of being a wildlife veterinarian. So when she discovered the Zooteens program at Happy Hollow Zoo in the summer of 2014, she seized the opportunity to learn about the animals and live out her goals. Now, even during the busy school year, she continues to volunteer there, while learning about working in a zoo. As a volunteer, Jennifer works as a camp counselor for the educational camps for children, holds meet and greets to show audience members unique animals such as salamanders, tortoises, and blue-tongued skinks, and lessens the zookeepers’ workload by helping them with daily routines. Her favorite part about her volunteer work is educating others about unknown animals and, also, helping them understand animals in new ways. Jennifer loves being in such a great environment with the other volunteers and staff because everyone shares a common love for animals. She comments that volunteering at Happy Hollow has been one of the most amazing opportunities she has been able to take part in. She describes her passion saying, “I love seeing the light in children’s eyes when they learn something new about these beautiful animals, and I hope that I am able to teach them about loving and respecting all animals. I am so grateful that I volunteer because I am lucky enough to get work experience while also having the best time ever.”
sopho mores cooperated well with the numerous emails from the reps, and the reps are thankful for that! What do you love the most about the class of 2017? Darren: I love watching my class come together as one and enjoy the events that we plan for them—for example, Spirit Week. Everyone understands each other in a way that no other class can. The class of 2017 is united in this strange way that I can’t describe. What three adjectives would you choose to describe the class of 2017? Darren: Unique, spirited, and undivided. Brian: Energetic, talented, and fearless! —Kristine Chang and Sanghavi Srinivasan, Staff Writers
By Kirthana Sarathy Staff Writer Music is a big deal at Mitty—so big in fact, that five sophomores decided to create their very own band last May, called Turf Title. The pop-punk band is composed of Gabe Sharp (Vocals), Shane Mitbo (Vocals and guitar), Cal Bailey (Drums), Lucas Kernan (Guitar), and Cole Hammers (Bellarmine High School, Bass player). Originally, Shane and Gabe were in a separate band, but they wanted to expand and incorporate a better sound, which allowed Lucas, Cal, and Cole to join. They believe that their music style has improved immensely since their first show last July. Remembering their very first gig, they recalled, “The songs we played at our first show were garbage. We have made many errors, but making them now is crucial since we are so young.” Falling in the punk, hardcore genre, their songs have an aggressive style with strong lyrics and catchy melodies that energize the crowd. Someday, they hope to share the stage with other bands they look up to, such as Blink-182 and The Story So Far. With a four song self-titled EP released, it seems that they are on the path to achieving their dreams. However, even with their current success, their biggest aspiration is to “make more music that people, including us, enjoy listening to.” Check out Turf Title’s EP on their website www. turftitleca.bandcamp.com, and join the revolution to defend your turf.
Brian Chan (left) and Darren Tsai (right).
Dynamic Duos: Batman & Robin
CELEBRATION OF THE CLASsES
By Rose Le Staff Writer
SENIORS “1, 5, we got pride!” This cheer has come to define the Senior Class. As winners of Spirit Week 2014 the class is off to a great start. Senior Cassie Coleman has been a student representative for the class of 2015 these past three years. We got a chance to catch up with her to learn about her passion for dancing and enthusiasm for choreographing her last Monarch Madness dance. How long have you been dancing? I've been dancing since I was 2 years old. My mother is a dance teacher, so I guess you could say that dancing is in my blood. What is your favorite part about dancing? I love dancing because it's a language that everyone anywhere in the world can understand without having to say a word. The Monarch Madness teams always have such a positive attitude and get really excited when they get the dance. Speaking of Monarch Madness, we know that you have been working really hard for your final Monarch Madness. What is the process like? Well, the theme was brought up on the ECJ Native American trip that some of the reps went on over the summer. When it was time to decide on a theme, The Dark Knight Rises was definitely on the list; it was the one that everyone could agree on. Over the years, what has been your favorite part about Monarch Madness? I love seeing how excited the team gets when they get a move right during practice. The coolest part though, is the dress rehearsal at the civic center the night before. It is exciting getting to see everyone's dance for the first time. What is it like choreographing the Monarch Madness dances? The main thing is that I have to consider the different levels of dancers that I am teaching. The moves that I choreograph are very basic but challenging enough that members have to practice on their own time to make sure they get the moves down perfectly. It can be a frustrating at times, but I definitely love doing it; I love seeing all of the dances come together into one.
Cal Williams (left) and Emma Dapkus (right).
Defend Your Turf
—Chris Collins and Veronica Marquez, Staff Writer and Staff Editor
At AMHS, there are many best friendships, dynamic duos, terrific twosomes. Let’s focus on one pair of best friends: seniors Maddie Ballard and Karli Holthouse. Where and how did you two meet? Karli: We played soccer together when we were young, but we weren’t really conjoined at the hip until we attended the same middle school. The beginning of the 6th grade was the start of our friendship, truly. Do you have a favorite memory with your best friend? Maddie: I can’t remember if this was in 6th or 7th grade, but there was this time when Karli and I were in her kitchen just cracking up uncontrollably, and I thought, “I have a feeling we are going to be friends for a long time.” What’s your favorite thing to do together? Karli: One of my favorite things to do with Madison is go out and try new random food places. Sometimes we decide really late on a school night that we want dessert, so we run down the streets of Santana Row to catch some our favorite restaurants before they close. One of our favorites is Kenji Sushi. We stay there for hours and make friends with all the chefs. What’s your favorite thing about your best friend? Maddie: No matter what is happening in my life, Karli is right there next to me. She understands me—how I think, how I live, and how I love—and respects me for the way I am. She sleeps over once a week and knows that I always run out of shampoo in my shower but never complains when I don’t replace it right away. Karli: My favorite thing about Madison Avoux is that she’s always been there for me. No matter what, she’s the most consistent thing in my life.
Arts & Entertainment h t a n i p o G
Jyo ts
UPCOMING EVENTS February
By Kristyna Otto A&E Editor The world of fashion, in a nutshell, is a rather vast one. There is no single path to take when it comes to its expression. Two seniors, Jyotsna (Jo) Gopinath and Sabrina Chen, both uniquely reflect the world of fashion here at Mitty. Jo created her own fashion brand Green with Envy, designing all of the clothing. Her collection is eco-friendly and embodies her own personal sense of style. Currently, Jo is designing her very own prom dress and has been asked to be on the design team at Santa Clara University. Sabrina’s Youtube channel, “ADifferentCanvas,” represents how media has infiltrated the fashion world. Her YouTube videos consist of Outfits of the Day, makeup tutorials, and fashion tips and tricks. As her channel grows and develops, she has big plans for its future while also continuing to express her love for fashion and YouTube.
A&E: When did you start your brand Green with Envy, and why? Jo Gopinath: I started last summer. I have always been a proponent of environmental consciousness, and I have always loved fashion since I was young; not haute couture, but rather street fashion. I love its accessibility, variety, and ability to make statements. That is what Green With Envy incorporates. I strive to make eco-friendly clothing appealing and unique, while also adhering to my sense of style. With my line, I don’t want people to think eco-fashion is an either/or choice, but rather a harmony of style and consciousness.
na
Page 13
A&E: Has fashion design always been a passion for you? JG: No, designing was not always my passion. My inspiration came from my grandmother when I was 11 years old. It was the summer after she left and before freshman year that I attempted it myself by signing up for sewing classes, and buying a new sewing machine. The summer after, I worked on a pattern book, and this past summer I started upcycling and designing my own pieces. I can’t believe I have come all this way, because I have so much more to learn. And I love learning, so that should be fun. A&E: What was your inspiration for your brand name Green with Envy? JG: Green obviously signifies my vision for sustainability and environmental consciousness, which is reinforced by my tagline “Real Style is Sustainable”; I think people get lost in trying to find what looks good that they fail to recognize the effects their actions have on our planet, especially when it comes to our consumer market. The famous adage “green with envy” signifies someone who deeply desires that which another person has. The word envy can possess a negative connotation as well as a positive one, and I chose to focus on the latter connotation. Therefore, my vision is to make people strongly desire to be sustainable and conscious while also being sleek and stylish.
While you spend your time on YouTube watching beauty gurus, cute animals, gamers, and music videos, do you ever catch anything contagious? In 2010, Eddie Lee, Jason Lee, and Eric Lu created their YouTube channel, Jubilee Project, wanting viewers to take something away from each of their videos because “there are plenty of things in this world that are contagious—chickenpox, flu and cooties; but we believe that doing good is perhaps the most infectious of them all.” After busking the streets of New York to raise money to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, the three posted the video on the Internet. The response soon reached seven hundred dollars for the cause. The trio then decided to start a YouTube channel and continue doing non-profit work by producing a wide variety of videos and spreading their message. Often, we overlook the many cruelties in this world, but Jubilee Project aims to bring light to injustices and tragedies around the globe. To raise awareness for different causes such as autism, sex trafficking, AIDS, and poverty, they have made informative videos with their creative writing and crew. In addition, Jubilee Project makes videos based on their strong personal beliefs: being ap-
Don’t get me wrong. This movie is good. As I walked out of American Sniper, I was silent, much like the rest of the audience feeling part awe, part reverence. Clint Eastwood’s firm direction, coupled with Tom Stern’s excellent cinematography, elevated the film to be a solid tribute to Chris Kyle, the sniper whose life the movie is based on. However, if you look beneath the surface of this film, you will quickly realize that, while this is a great movie, it does not accurately depict Chris Kyle’s life. Instead, this is a movie depicting war and the hardships faced by the soldiers who fight. Take away all of the social controversy, mixed messages, and political backlash, and you have a superb war film. It is action packed, delivering each fight scene with heart-
A&E: Recently, you walked in a fashion show, wearing your own brand. What is your experience on the runway—both walking and showing your collection? JG: I walked at the SCU Eco-fashion show, put on by the Center for Sustainability. I had never done runway before, so I was certain I would trip out of excitement and fear when I walked, but I didn’t! I think the most amazing part of the experience http://greenwithenvyfashion. for me was having VIP attendees of the event approach me afterward saying that they were inspired by my garments and thought I tumblr.com/ did an outstanding job.
Sabrina
Che n
A&E: How did you come up with your channel’s name “ADifferentCanvas”? Sabrina Chen: Anyone who knows me knows that I’m obsessed with fashion, makeup, music, and films, and that is what I wanted to show on my channel. The name of my channel derives from my belief that all of those things—makeup included—are forms of art, just on a different canvas. Originally the name was “ArtOnADifferentCanvas” but later it just got shortened to “ADifferentCanvas.” A&E: When and why did you start making YouTube videos?
SC: I actually made my first channel in 2008 with a few of my friends. Looking back at some of the videos now, they are all super embarrassing—mostly because it was a comedy channel and we were not funny at all. As a result, those had to be taken down. I made my current channel in the summer of 2013. I made it mostly because I love YouTube. I’ve been a YouTube follower since the start and have found inspiration through so many YouTubers that I decided that I wanted to share my take on things as well. I also found out that I really enjoy video editing. A&E: Who are some YouTubers that inspire you and your videos? SC: My greatest YouTube inspirations are Michelle Phan, Jenn Im, and Claire Marshall. Michelle Phan is one of the original YouTubers and her channel was how I was introduced to makeup. Jenn Im is my spirit animal. Her style and editing are always on point and, now that I think about it, is one of the factors that got me interested in fashion. Claire Marshall is the queen of editing. Her videos are so creatively edited https://www.youtube.com/channel/ and make me think of better ways to edit my own. UClwHJjdZjmB17WFkjm2beWg
pounding exhilaration. It explores the effects of PTSD on families and soldiers returning home. One major aspect that distinguishes this film from other war films is Bradley Cooper. Playing Chris Kyle, Cooper put on 40 pounds of muscle for the role. His portrayal of Kyle is raw, gripping, and definitely his career best, surpassing his performances in Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle. He steals each scene with his nuanced acting and refined portrayal of the character Clint Eastwood has handed him. But this is where the problems begin. The Chris Kyle in American Sniper is Clint Eastwood’s Chris Kyle, not the real Chris Kyle. In the film, Chris Kyle is shown to not want to kill people in Iraq, and is shown as struggling with
2/10: Hozier at the Fox Theater (Oakland) 2/14: Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull at the Oracle Arena (Oakland) 2/16: Meghan Trainor, Sheppard at The Fillmore (SF) 2/25-26: Pentatonix at the Fox Theater (Oakland) 2/26: Andy Grammer, Alex and Sierra at the Fillmore (SF) 2/26: David Cook at the Catalyst (Santa Cruz) 2/27: Fifth Harmony at the Regency Ballroom (SF) 2/28: Bo Burnham at The Warfield (SF)
preciative and believing in unconditional love, which continues to inspire their viewers to live life to the fullest. Jubilee Project hosted their first conference in 2014, which was focused on the idea of what it means to live for something greater, and opened the event to their viewers. Inspired by the conference, they produced short films such as You Are More, in which a swimmer becomes anorexic in order to reach his goal of swimming to receive a scholarship, and Recovery, where a young woman must choose whether she is to pursue her father’s wishes or the job she is passionate about. Jubilee Project has put out videos that they believe can stand as “a powerful catalyst for change.” To spread their message further, Jubilee Project opened an online store and began to sell apparel with their brand DGiC which stands for “Doing Good is Contagious.” Jubilee Project has set out to inspire others and make an everlasting footprint on the world through their work. I do not believe that words can do justice to the reformative efforts that these three have done, so maybe next time while you’re on YouTube, check out their channel, and inspiration might just come your way.
AMERICAN SNIPER
A&E: Do you plan to continue with your brand after you graduate? JG: I have not thought that far into the future. One of my mentors is the Chair of the Department of Theater and Dance at Santa Clara University, where I am most likely attending college. She already has saved me a station in the costume shop, and is expecting me in her design classes. Even if I don’t continue with the brand itself, I am sure I will continue to express my creative side with needle and thread.
By Alexis Rambac Staff Writer
Passion for Fashion
Arts & Entertainment • February 2015
March 3/5: Monarch Madness at the San Jose Civic Center 3/11: Bleachers at the Fillmore (SF) 3/11: Walk the Moon at the Masonic (SF) 3/20-21, 26-28: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way To The Forum in the Kinkade Theater 3/27: Winter Concert in the Kinkade Theater 3/31: Maroon 5 at the SAP Center
By Heramb Tamhankar Staff Writer his morality throughout the film. However, in reality, Chris Kyle thought of killing as ‘fun’ and he dehumanized people to the point where the process of killing transformed from the taking of a life into the simple pull of a trigger. Clint Eastwood glorifies Kyle–celebrates him as an American hero–and alters his true characteristics. Furthermore, the few aspects of Kyle’s life that this movie did get correct are, in the end, not good for the movie and the controversy surrounding it. To an uninformed viewer, virtually every Iraqi portrayed in this film is shown as an evil person. This is the part that correctly displays Kyle’s view of Muslims, who he described in his autobiography as “savages.” This has resulted in much backlash in the
South Asian Dance Club On January 10, Mitty’s South Asian Dance Club (SADC) performed at Irvington High School’s 6th annual Dil Se cultural show. Dil Se is a popular and impressive yearly celebration of Indian culture that showcases dance teams from schools all around the Bay Area. Among a number of experienced and talented high school teams at the event, Mitty’s SADC stood out as one of the newer teams, but they have already created a lasting legacy in the past couple of years. The team, aptly named Mitty Nachale, which means dance in Hindi, has found great success through their
unique Bollywood-style fusion of traditional Indian dance and modern styles such as jazz, contemporary, and hip hop. The vast range of dance styles that Nachale incorporates in their routines has differentiated this team from others and has made them incredibly exciting to watch. SADC’s success can largely be attributed to the hard work and relentless dedication of co-captains Jahnavi Singh and Priyal Patel, both of whom are only juniors and yet have led this team with the utmost maturity and responsibility. Priyal and Jahnavi have both been dancing since they were mere toddlers and were strong leaders of this team since their freshman year. The two worked tirelessly to choreograph and plan out the dance routines together; starting way back in September, they began to conduct team rehearsals twice a week to teach the rest of the team the dance. One of the newest and youngest members of Nachale, freshman Shriya Nandwani, recalls these practices as somewhat “stressful,” but admits that, “in the end, all our hard work paid off!” Despite being the only freshman on the team, Shriya describes the team of 14 as a happy, close-knit family. The road to Dil Se may not have always been smooth, but it was certainly enjoyable.
media since Muslim communities are complaining that the film demonizes them and may lead to American extremists threatening Muslims. It is best to understand that this is a movie made to show war through Kyle’s eyes, not everyone’s. Furthermore, the public should not take views presented in this film to heart and make them their own. This is a good movie, but that’s all it is, a movie. It contains inaccurate depictions. I would recommend that people definitely see the film, but see it informed.
By Winni Cherukuri A&E Editor
Co-captains Jahnavi and Priyal share a similar sentiment agreeing that, “Although coordinating the practices and dances was hard, after each show we all feel the satisfaction of our hard work.” The commitment and hard work are certainly apparent by the group’s outstanding Dil Se performance. Dressed in gorgeous blue and gold outfits, the team stunned the audience with their near flawless performance of their routine. Jahnavi and Priyal explained, “The adrenaline rush during and after our performance at Dil Se was our most memorable and exciting moment of the year.” For the co-captains, Nachale isn’t simply another extracurricular — it is a passion, and these two have done an amazing job channeling their love for dance into Mitty’s team. As for the rest of the team members, Nachale has been a fun and relaxing way to escape some of the stress and pressures of school and engage themselves in something they love while also embracing their culture. Now that Dil Se, the first major dance event of the year, is over, the team looks forward to more performances in the coming months including Silsilay at Lynbrook High School on March 21 and Desi Deewane at Presentation High School on March 28. Fellow Monarchs who would like to see Nachale perform should come to these events and support our own South Asian Dance Club as they continue to dance their way to success!
Page 14
February 2015 • Arts & Entertainment
Freedom of Speech in Arts and Entertainment What might seem funny or enjoyable to one person can be considered offensive to another. In light of recent events, people all across the country are forced to think about the rights protected in the United States by the Constitution: freedom of speech and expression. These rights allow Americans to freely voice their opinions, however questionable or uninformed they may be. For instance, many people have mocked Michelle Obama for the videos that she has posted on Vine. Countless Vine users have edited, liked, and re-vined videos that mock our First Lady’s cringe-worthy smile and her “sweet potato” vines for her Let’s Move Campaign. Though these vines make fun of our First Lady, the U.S. government has not made any attempts to prohibit further mocking, and the videos continue to be posted and liked everyday. Vine may seem pretty relaxed when it comes to “funny” videos, but some other social media such as Instagram and Facebook have taken steps to censor accounts and pictures that reveal the human body. Instagram frequently takes down and deletes pictures that violate its strict censorship policies. In the past, Instagram has removed the photos of celebrities like Nicki Minaj, Chelsea Handler and Miley Cyrus that it deemed too provocative. However, in other countries, the freedom of speech and expression are not as protected as they are in the United States. In fact, challenging certain people or ideas is forbidden and disobedience can lead to severe repercussions. The Interview, the American comedy about the assassination of Kim
By Klara Barbarossa Staff Writer
Jong-un, created controversy in late November of 2014 when alleged North Korean hackers breached Sony Pictures Entertainment and started issuing threats, angry with the film. Sony decided to cancel the wide release of the film and later settled on first distributing the film digitally through streaming services, then releasing it in theaters. While nobody was immediately harmed with the controversy surrounding The Interview, this was not the case with Charlie Hebdo, a satirical newspaper whose offices were attacked by terrorists because of its controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Twelve people were ultimately killed on the morning of January 7 at the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo. Although there was bloodshed and fear that more attacks would follow, Charlie Hebdo bravely released its provocative next issue on a massive scale: over 3 million copies were printed instead of the usual 60,000. These terrorists may have attempted to silence the magazine and the movie industry, but instead they triggered a renewed activism for freedom of the press and freedom of creative expression around the world. Through the attacks on both Charlie Hebdo and Sony, we see that there is a danger that comes with provocative speech. Ridiculing leaders of religions or countries may seem to be an acceptable joke to some people, but it can be upsetting to others. After all, not everyone is accustomed to having the right to speak their mind. However, while good judgment, taste and tact should always be practiced, journalists, filmmakers and artists should be able to take creative risks and walk the line between humor and controversy without fearing for their lives.
The Advantages of Fast Food Recently, fast food restaurants have been getting a bad rap — when it’s not mind-blowing calorie counts, it’s sky-high sodium percentages or even various mystery meats. But let’s face it, we’ve all had those days when all we crave is an In-N-Out burger, and when we do end up going; it becomes an event — something that ends up on our Instagram feed or Snapchat story. So is all fast food that bad? Is there any way we can still eat what we want but remain healthy and avoid judgment at the same time? I like to think positively, and I do believe that fast food has some positive aspects to it. First of all, it’s cheap. For those who can’t afford to shop at Whole Foods or even Safeway, fast food is the way to go. It is unfortunate that people often have to choose between eating healthy and eating on a budget, but, especially
in the last decade, many different fast food chains have the go-to, low-cost tastes. Fast food is now a global phenomenon, and billions of dollars are cycled throughout the economy each year because of it. Each fast food restaurant brings jobs to the economy which benefit everyone from teens looking to save up for college to adults who are in between jobs, trying to make ends meet. 12% of Americans have at one point or another been employed at McDonald’s, the most profitable fast food chain in the world. People often argue that fast food is unhealthy, but that is not necessarily the case if you make smart choices. New, low-calorie options are being introduced every day, such as fresh salads, grilled cheese sandwiches, fruit cups, and low-fat yogurt. Fast food menus are required to show calorie counts, so it’s much
By Nicole Rejer Staff Writer
easier to make better decisions. There are ways to cut calories without giving up the burger: substitute the fries for some apple sticks, or the soda for some water. Above all, fast food is fast. With two working parents and kids with crammed schedules filled with school activities and extra-curriculars, many families don’t have time to sit down together and enjoy a threecourse dinner. At least in fast food restaurants, people can enjoy themselves instead of worrying about making food in the little time that they have. Fast food is all about moderation. If your diet consists of a cycle of Chipotle, Burger King, and Dairy Queen, nothing will likely save you from the inevitable obesity, or even worse, diabetes. Fast food shouldn’t be a constant in one’s life; it should be an occasional break from healthy meals.
Macbeth: A Riveting Tale of Blood and Battle Fog as white as heaven grips the air and crawls onto the stage in smooth tendrils, soon stained red with the blood spraying throughout the air… Archbishop Mitty’s production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth captivated audiences in the Kinkade Theater last month with pints of blood, medieval regalia, and terrific acting. Both Shakespeare aficionados and ordinary lovers of theater alike found the play to be thoroughly moving and poetic. In my opinion, the cast of this chilling thriller turned Shakespeare’s words into the tale of a power-thirsty couple that was willing to kill anybody and anything that stood in their way. Despite the iconic play’s unanimously positive reviews, many were concerned about Shakespeare’s challenging use of language — how do you navigate your way through the labyrinth of metaphors and complex structure? The first thing an audience member has to accept is that
Shakespearean dramas are a genre of their own, and they don’t seem similar to modern dramas at first glance. You probably won’t understand them right away. Instead, you have to sit back, relax, and simply enjoy the performance in front of you. If you do that, Shakespeare’s words can move you just as much as they would a Shakespeare fanatic’s; the meaning of his work extends further than what just words can capture. It also helps that Mitty’s seasoned actors were there to hold your hand and lead you into the madness so you don’t get lost immediately. Shakespeare’s Macbeth has a lot to offer, but it does take a little work if you really want to immerse yourself into his masterpieces. Thanks to Mitty’s cast and the unbelievable performance of Macbeth by senior Shawn Clifford, I was fully engrossed by the world of Shakespeare, and I can’t wait for the next adventure.
By Shayne Jones Staff Writer
Arts & Entertainment • February 2015
Page 15
Monarch Critics
Tetsuo and Youth
By Mary Celestin Staff Writer Born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, Lupe School Love” featuring Ed Sheeran. With Fiasco has always thought outside of the box. gentle piano chords, a light bass layover, and When his friends nicknamed him “Lupe” in slow raps comparing the past with an overhigh school, he quickly adopted the name paced present, Lupe flashes back to his 2006 Lupe Fiasco after a song by hip-hop su- days. The same flow is carried on to another pergroup, the Firm. It wasn’t until he was song “Dots & Lines” in which Lupe takes a nineteen, however, that Lupe took his creative creative approach to geometry by comparing genius into the rapping world. it to the necessary love mankind should share After several ups and downs, including with one another. Opening with a banjo solo a failed rap group and a cut record deal, the followed by a heavy bass line, the song is both Chicago based rapper finally had his big original and catchy. break. In 2006, he was signed to Atlantic ReWhile the general tone of the album is cords and debuted peaceful, a few songs a top-charting alhint that Lupe’s pobum, Food & Lilitical days are not quor. Ever since, completely over. Lupe has used his About half-way fame to reshape through the eight the rapping comminute track “Prismunity with his oner 1 & 2,” the viooften controversial lins take center stage work. Songs like as the beat slows and “All Black Everyis accompanied by thing” and “Hurt the sound of metal Me Soul” confront gates opening and taboo subject of racism, poverty, war and closing repeatedly. Soon after, the sound of promiscuousness with a fierce lyricism that chains bombards the listeners as a clip of a forces Lupe’s listeners to think about the woman speaking of Jim Crow laws enters words, and not just dance to the beats. the song. After the woman finishes, Lupe But his fifth, chart-topping album Tetsuo switches tactics by introducing a double-time and Youth takes most Lupe fans by surprise. beat, electronic scales and rhymes that deal When asked by Rolling Stone, Lupe explains with the prison systems of America. that his socio-political days are behind him. Lines like these are scattered throughout Much like his old classics, “Paris, Tokyo” and Lupe’s new album, suggesting that his days “I Gotcha,” the tracks on Tetsuo and Youth as a controversialist are not entirely through. have a calmer, romantic air about them than But only time will tell. Until then, even though those found on his last two albums: “Food & most his lyrics lack the same punch that they Liquor II” and “Lasers.” used to, Tetsuo and Youth is a solid album that An example of such a song is “Old deserves a listen.
Still Alive... Still Alice? By Rachel Hernandez Staff Writer
In Still Alice, Julianne Moore stars as Dr. Alice Howland, a prestigious professor who works at Columbia University. Her husband, John, played by Alec Baldwin, has a difficult time adjusting to the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, a disease that the whole family has been affected by. Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that causes progressive memory loss and impairs thinking and actions. Just like countless times before, directors Westmoreland and Glatzer work together to create a dramatic piece that shows the audience a different perspective of life. Both directors and writers did not hesitate to portray the real struggles that Alzheimer’s patients experience. Alice’s diagnosis soon becomes a test for the whole family. John, their son and two daughters, played by Hunter Parrish, Kristen Stewart and Kate Bosworth, struggle to come to terms with the disease. From mistaking her usual route in her early morning runs to forgetting the identity of her oldest daughter, Alice struggles to find who she used to be. Although the movie made the audience feel a sense of heartbreak for the family, it also had a few relatable moments; such as when her two daughters, Lydia and Anna, have an argument at the dinner table ending in “shut up”
and name calling. The strength of the family is nothing less of inspirational, as they continue to stay light-hearted through the rough times. The movie did not conclude how I expected: We do not get to see the full journey of Alice or how she overcomes the last steps of her disease. All we know is that she is in good hands through the care of her daughter, Lydia. Even though Alice faces with many struggles, she shows everyone how she is “learning the art of losing”. Through the process of learning to deal with her disease, she discovers an important lesson: You not defined by your disease. She expresses her positive attitude through realizing how our strange behavior and fumbled sentences change other’s perceptions of us and even our perception of ourselves, but that is not who we are, that is our disease. Throughout the film, Alice must deal with struggles that make her question who she really is. In spite of the hardships she has to face, Alice does not let it stop her from living a beautiful life, making her a true role model and inspiration. All she can do is live in the moment and accept herself for her mistakes and imperfections. Despite the unanticipated ending, Still Alice conveys the incredible journey of Dr. Alice Howland and is deserving of every award nomination that the film has received.
By Shannon Lam A&E Editor Like many others, I was captivated by Fifth Harmony when they first appeared on The X-Factor. Each of their strong vocals blended well together, and their spunky personalities made them even more likable. When they released their EP in 2013, it was on constant replay. Fifth Harmony’s new album, Reflections, continues to capture these qualities and more. Full of empowering and upbeat songs, it is easy to find yourself dancing to this album, whether it’s in your seat or around your room. “Them Girls Be Like” is an uplifting song about body image, and its catchy beats are bound to make anyone feel good. While the majority of songs on this album are upbeat, “We Know” takes it slow, and is more emotional than other songs, revealing a much rawer side of the band. Another favorite of mine is “Everlasting Love.” With hints of R&B, it is a great break from the pop songs that seem to dominate the radio. Given the amount of singing along I’ve been doing to this album, I hope that they can make room for one more band member.
By Fiona Pestana Staff Writer While watching the Project Almanac trailer, the movie seemed to be a typical teenage adventure film. I hoped to be proven wrong as I watched the movie, but unfortunately, my initial prediction was true. Starring Jonny Weston (Chasing Mavericks) and Sofia Black-D’Elia (Gossip Girl), Project Almanac concentrated on teenagers who discover instructions on building a time machine. After playing around and checking off a few bucket-list items, the facts of the present were changed for the worse. The concept sounded interesting, but the execution was poor, earning the title of “mediocre.” Dumbing down the script made the actors seem untalented and their characters underdeveloped. The shaky perspective of the documentary-styled camera angles only detracted from the plot focus. Project Almanac cannot live up to Back to the Future or Phil of the Future and is sure to be forgotten in the course of a few months.
In a Nutshell
By Kasturi Kulkarni A&E Editor
By Lauren Belotti Staff Writer
Despite being a loyal Fall Out Boy fan, I couldn’t help but worry about what was to come with the band’s sixth studio album, American Beauty/American Psycho. After the immense success of their 2013 Save Rock and Roll, I feared that they were headed for a more mainstream sound. I’m thrilled to say that they weren’t. AB/AP debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100, and for good reason. I’ve had the album on repeat since its release. With arena anthems like “Centuries,” “Novocaine,” and the title track, “American Beauty/American Psycho,” Patrick Stump’s powerful vocals make it impossible to sit still. The album’s softer tracks, such as “Favorite Record” and “The Kids Aren’t Alright” are layered perfection. Bassist Pete Wentz’s lyrics are raw, angsty, and chock-full of pop culture references. Fall Out Boy sampled everything from Motley Crue to “Tom’s Diner,” giving the album a distinct new sound. The album ends with Stump’s haunting pleas to “hold on” — hold on, because this 14-year-old band is on a roll, and I hope they never stop.
After Mikky Ekko’s song “Stay,” which he co-wrote and sang with Rihanna, soared to the top of the charts, many were left wondering: “Who is this mysterious Mikky Ekko?” In his recently released debut album Time, Ekko presents his inspirational words through his angelic voice. Many of the lyrics could be called cheesy, but I consider them better than the irrelevant, pointless lyrics that a majority of today’s music is filled with. Some of the songs, such as the single “Riot,” have a hint of echoing incorporated in them that many may find bothersome; however, others, such as “Hold You Down,” are wonderfully written and produced. This album was not a hit or a miss for the up-and-coming artist, but it definitely showcases his amazing voice and songwriting talents. I look forward to hearing more from Mikky Ekko in the future.
Lion drawings by Bharathi Arasan
SPORTS
Men’s Basketball: Hitting Its Stride By Amrith Mylvara and Prahlad Anand Staff Writers Mitty Men’s Basketball is back and the Monarchs are on a roll, winning five of their last six games when our paper had gone to press on Feb. 16. The team looks to finish the WCAL strong and cement their position as one of the most dominant presences in the Bay Area. In an unforgiving league, there are bound to be some challenges. With WCAL losses to Bellarmine, Archbishop Riordan, and Serra over a ten day period in January, the season did not start as planned. However, the Monarchs have since righted themselves, putting together five wins in their last six games to stand at 8-4 in league and 14-9 overall. Though the Monarchs did stumble, their play has them in position for their sixth consecutive CCS title. Asked about the team’s philosophy throughout this season, Coach Tim Kennedy explained, “The week in which we lost three games in a row really tested us and I was impressed how mentally tough our players were to bounce back and get two big wins the following week.” Coming into the season, the Monarchs anticipated the difficulty involved in overcoming the loss of some of last year’s core players to graduation. However, with the burgeoning talent in the form of new transfer students, sophomores Sebastian Much and Kyle Peterson, and much-improved returning players, the Monarchs are still a championshipcaliber team, primed to take it all this season. Senior Cameron Korb said that the Monarchs “aren’t starting anew; we’ve put in so much work to get to where we are, it’s just a matter of bringing everything we’ve got day in and day out.” Right on cue, the Monarchs decimated the St. Francis
Senior Nouri Modallalkar takes down his opponent.
Photo courtesy of Mr. Luie Lopez
Senior Cameron Korb drives to the bucket.
Lancers for the second time this season on Jan. 28 with a 61- 42 victory, then followed it up with two more blowout wins over St. Ignatius on New Year’s Eve and Bellarmine on Feb. 4. The 70-30 win over the Wildcats was their largest margin of victory this season, and the string of recent league victories shows that this team is hitting its stride. With Juniors Ben Kone and Nick La Bruna dominating the paint and Korb and Mike Scott raining three pointers in from beyond the arc, the Monarchs are living up to the vision that Coach Kennedy had for them at the beginning of the season. “Our mantra has been to improve everyday so that we are playing our best basketball at the end of the season,” says Kennedy. “We never want our players to get too high when we win or get too low when we lose. If we stick to getting better everyday we will have the right mindset to be successful and right now our team feels more confident in their roles and expectations.” The path to the team’s ultimate destination is strewn with obstacles that can only be overcome if the team functions as a cohesive unit and stays hungry in its pursuit of another title. Complacency has no home in Mitty-brand basketball, and Coach Kennedy is keen to remind his players that without a drive to succeed, achievement becomes that much more difficult. The Monarchs are a group of players who put their heart into everything they do and their work ethic is unquestionable. Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard, but seeing as how the Monarchs are both talented and hard working, the league title is ripe for their taking. No doubt the Monarch spirit burns bright within these young men in their quest to again capture WCAL and CCS crowns.
Women’s Soccer
Men’s Soccer
By Giuliano Orsi & Tonjanae Watson Staff Writers If there’s a winter sport that’s certain to always be on top, it’s Women’s Soccer. The Monarchs are on their way to completing another incredible soccer season, holding onto an undefeated league record of 10-0-1 and an overall mark of 16-1-2, as they look to capture their fourth WCAL title in the last five seasons and their 14th CCS banner. They are coming off of crushing victories over league rivals St. Ignatius, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Presentation, and Notre Dame thanks to strong play on both sides of the field. Photo courtesy of Archbishop Mitty The squad will have to keep this Senior Ashley Kirchick swipes intensity up, as they are currently locked the ball from St. Ignatius. in a tight race with St. Francis for first in WCAL, a team that they tied earlier last month. Against St. Ignatius, the Monarchs were exceptional on the defensive end in the first half, especially Freshman Hailey Prentice, who helped stop many St. Ignatius scoring opportunities from her outside back position, and topped it off by scoring a goal herself. “[Head Coach] J.T. Hanley pushes me in practice everyday, training to become a better athlete...I definitely see a positive result,” says Prentice. Freshman Sophie Mendoza has contributed nine goals and nine assists using her incredible speed and ball control. Senior Amy Apostol is leading the squad in goals so far with 13, and Senior Captain Kristina Sola, is number one in assists, with an impressive 13 helpers and 11 goals. This year the Monarchs returned undeterred by the loss of 11 graduated seniors. The current seniors are grateful for the new talent brought on by four new freshmen and are confident in the remainder in their season. Apostol has no doubts about the abilities of her teammates: “The freshmen, as they do every year, contribute a lot towards our overall team success. They work hard during practice and have a great desire to win like everyone else on the team.” Mitty Women’s Soccer has won the WCAL title three times in the past four seasons. Indeed, success is the norm with this team, which is currently on a 17-match unbeaten streak and has won seven of 12 titles since the formation of the WCAL for women’s sports, the best of any school. In addition, they are ranked No. 1 in CCS by Prep2Prep.com. Overall, the team hopes to continue their success. So come support your women’s soccer program as they seek to re-capture their title.
By Sanjay Raman & Harika Veeramacheneni Staff Writers Led by Coach Cesar Sanchez and his staff, this year’s men’s soccer squad looks to repeat their success as WCAL champions for the fourth year in a row. At the end of the 20132014 season, the Mitty Photo courtesy of Sportswurlz men’s soccer team came Freshman Jota Yamaguchi contests for the ball. out on top, with a 11-1-2 record and the title of WCAL champions. Despite losing key seniors Eric Espinoza, Roy Powell, Tanner Haas, and Dylan Neider-Perez to graduation, the Monarchs have again started strong this year. “This year’s team is very young overall, but also has a mix of older players in key spots that give us a very competitive team,” said Coach Sanchez. With a 7-4-2 record in WCAL league play as of Feb. 16, the Monarchs are currently sitting in fourth place and in a good position to move up and be a force in WCAL this year. So far, the Monarchs have tied tough WCAL foes Bellarmine and Saint Francis while convincingly beating teams like Sacred Heart Cathedral, Valley Christian, Serra, and Archbishop Riordan. The tie against first-place Bellarmine on Jan. 7, where a late second half penalty kick by sophomore Makenna Pendleton evened the game and the Mitty defense stood its ground, sparked a three-game win streak and five straight games without a loss. Overall, the Monarchs are 9-5-4 and are led by 2014 All-WCAL First Team senior Will Foxcroft, 2014 WCAL Goalkeeper of the Year Chris Velez, and Pendleton, who has ten goals and five assists in 15 games so far this season. Foxcroft, who is second on the team with three goals, is not concerned about losing key players from last year’s championship team. “We don’t really think about players we have lost,” he said. “We just see it as a completely new team with a new set of goals we work towards. We are a really young team with a lot of talent, to be a great team we have to learn to play together as a team.” The Monarchs are in the middle of a strong push, winning recent games against Riordan, Valley Christian, and Serra. The team will have finished up its regular season with a game on the road against St. Francis by the time you read this. They now look to head into the playoffs on a strong note in search of another title. Ultimately, the end goal for this soccer team, as Coach Sanchez says, is “to end up with a CCS banner.”
Team Seeks to Reach New Heights New Leadership Aims for Success
Sports • February 2015
Page 17
Wrestling: A New Team Dynamic By Alec Jo and Pooja Patel keep striving even if you get beaten and bruised. You Staff Writer and Sports Editor keep pushing. First round is about who’s trained the This year has offered a new realm of possibilities most. Second round is whose form is the best. Third for Men’s Wrestling: new coaching, new wrestlers, round is about heart and who wants it more.” and new ambition to build off last year’s amazing On Senior Night, the Monarchs fell to Bellarmsuccesses. ine 19-48. Although the Monarchs won most of their New coaching under Daniel Chaid brought a new matches, numerous byes were the cause of their defeat. dynamic to the team. Outstanding performances came from Borst and junior Senior Jonathan Borst talks about the change in Daniel Woodward, winning their respective matches coaching: “We have almost an entirely new coaching 12-3 and 3-0. Juco outlasted his opponent by winning staff this year; however, many things are still the same. 4-3 in dramatic fashion in double overtime. I really enjoy having As Woodward so many new and difdescribes, the turnferent perspectives on ing point of his victechnique.” tory was persevering He also comthrough the second ments on the team uniround: “This was ty that has epitomized that most challengthis season: “We have ing part of my match, a good team dynamic. because I had to go We joke around, but into many stalemate know how to work positions so that he hard when we need could not escape.” to. We are all good He added, “I friends and support ended up winning each other in tough 3-0 through my enPhoto courtesy of ProImage times.” durance and strategy, Senior DJ Couch looks to turn his man for the pin. This year’s team and in the end all the is led by seniors hard work paid off.” Borst, Max Elfrink, DJ Couch, and sophomore Mark While the team has not attained the same success Chaid. Only a few matches remain as they hope to as last year, performances such as Woodward’s serve reach the WCAL championships once again. as rallying points in building momentum for the future. The team is focused on certain principles, which The Monarchs closed out the regular season are showcased in the team’s underclassmen. Sopho- strong with a 45-30 victory over Archbishop Riordan more Michael Juco is one of the underclassmen who on Feb. 10, finishing 2-4 in league play. The season hopes to take over the reins through hard work and did not culminate in a championship, but under a new dedication as the seniors finish up their final year. coaching staff, the team is certainly headed in the right He says that, despite the individual aspect of the direction for years to come. sport, the whole team brings its “persistence and menIn the WCAL championships at Serra on Feb. 14, tal toughness. You have to be able to keep getting up, Mitty placed fourth.
Women’s Basketball Continues Its Dominance
Mewes believes that “as individuals, the team By Samantha Baker and Yabsera Grum has some amazing athletes and shooters, but when Staff Writers Winners of nine of their last ten games, the Mitty they play as a team they are strong, determined, and Women’s Basketball team owned an 18-4 record overall unstoppable”. Anderson, a junior, was the Player of the Game (9-1 in league play) at press time, having won nine of their last ten games, including eight straight league against Valley Christian on Jan. 23 with an impressive wins. Currently tied at the top of the WCAL with total of 27 points and 6 three-pointers. Her diligence, as well as the whole team’s St. Ignatius, the Monarchs perseverance, guided the face off at home against the Monarchs to success in a Wildcats on Feb. 20 in a huge night they will not forget. match-up. Head Coach Sue PhilHaving garnered viclips stresses “communication, tories in the MLK Showfocus, and intensity” as key case and in WCAL play, the elements to success on the Women’s Varsity Basketball court. team is once again on a trek On and off the court, to success. Coach Phillips emphasizes The Monarchs took “strength of character and advantage of the MLK Showmental toughness” to stay at case on Jan. 17 to display new the top of the WCAL standlevels of athleticism and comings. She believes that “offpetitiveness, with sophomore season development of the Heleyna Hill taking the lead, entire roster has been the scoring 29 points against Sacreason behind and the founramento High School. dation for their success.” Against the St. Francis Every game in this upLancers on Jan. 13, sophocoming season is important more Maddie Holland scored in league play. Their games 20 points and grabbed eight Photo courtesy of ProImage at Sacred Heart Cathedral on rebounds. Upperclassmen Junior Jahnay Anderson looks to pass. Feb. 17 and home against St. Taylor Todd, Lauren Mewes, Ignatius on Feb. 20 will likely and Jahnay Anderson had impressive showings on the court. Mewes, a senior, decide the WCAL champion. In a thrilling game against Sacred Heart Cathedral predicts a bright future for the team. “We have really improved into an unselfish team on Jan. 27, the Monarchs emerged with a 61-58 victory with a shared vision,” she said. ”We are continuing to over the Fightin’ Irish. They also added a 59-27 win over St. Francis on get better and stronger as a team with the help of our coaches and supporters. We are focused going into Feb. 3, and are hitting their stride. Come out and supthe latter part of our season and are working towards port these ladies on Friday Feb. 20 as they stake their claim to the top of the WCAL standings. finishing the season stronger than we started.”
Photo courtesy of Mr. Luie Lopez
Dakari Monroe is taking his talents up the road to SJSU.
Dakari: #SpartanUp By Brian Consiglio and Cyrus Zarrabian Staff Writers Dakari “Primetime” Monroe has become one of the most decorated football players in Archbishop Mitty history. With all the attention he generated from college scouts, Dakari had a difficult decision to make. Despite receiving offers from several Pac-12 and Mountain West schools such as Arizona and Washington State, Monroe accepted a football scholarship to play at San Jose State University, where he will have an opportunity to make an early impact at cornerback. “SJSU is close to home and being able to see family and friends after home games means a lot to me,” said Monroe. Dakari has compiled quite the highlight reel over his three years on the varsity team in all three aspects of football, contributing as a speedy receiver, lockdown corner, and a huge weapon on special teams as a kickoff returner. But his physical gifts are just part of what makes him a special player. “The thing most people don’t know about him is his football IQ is off the charts. He can process information and react as good as anyone I’ve been around at this level,” explains Coach Keith Burns. “His willingness to seek out information on the opponent puts him in the right place at the right time.” Monroe’s dedication and commitment to football have won him numerous awards the past three years. As just a sophomore, he was nominated to the All-State team, and set a school record with a 99-yard touchdown run. As a junior, Monroe was the WCAL Wide Receiver MVP, and accounted for 14 total touchdowns. Finally, in his senior season he was on the WCAL first team and San Jose Mercury News second team this fall. Although he will be missed, Monroe will forever be a part of Mitty’s proud football tradition, and will continue to succeed next fall at San Jose State, where he will major in kinesiology and play cornerback for our local Spartans.
NCAA By Sports Editors
Women’s Soccer
Brianna Rodrigues, Dominican University of California
Men’s Soccer
Darren Chetcuti, Dominican University of California
Football
Brett Foley, San Jose State University Dakari Monroe, San Jose State University Thomas Hudson, Arizona State University
Photo courtesy of Mr. Luie Lopez
Page 18
February 2015 • Photography
Photography • February 2015
Page 19
Japneet Singh
Through The Lens
Alexis Diaz
Monarch Photography Michael O’Brien
Shelby Leone
Per·spec·tive/pər’spektiv/(n.) a mental view or outlook that enables understanding of how aspects of a subject relate to a whole
Madeline Bailey
Vivianne Tu
Photography Tip: Cityscape Conundrums When photographing, here are some quick tips that can help your picture showcase the most unique and captivating aspects of a city: 1) Take your photo at the perfect time in order to capture the most elaborate atmosphere of the city. 2) Choose an interesting angle that reveals a different frame of mind. 3) Fit just enough of the high-rises and lighted streets to catch the viewers attention--you do not want your picture to be overcrowded or too bland.
Michelle Anne Mallari
Martha Serrano
Photography • February 2015
Page 20
SELF IDENTITY Self Identity is a play-on our regularly run Featured Photographer—with a twist! Our goal is to challenge student photographers to not only capture a specific essence of the world, but also elaborate and ponder on how that photo speaks volumes in relation to who the photographer may be as a person. As the famous photographer Ansel Adams once said, “Photography, as a powerful medium of expressions and communications, offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation, and execution.” Photography Editors Camille Daszynski & Aditya Gunda
With my photography, I try to capture whatever catches my eye. I really like to focus in on nature’s natural colors and beauty and the natural lighting in a specific location. I believe that my photography shows the intricate ways that I look into detail and my ability to find something unique and interesting wherever I may be. —Madeline Bailey Class of 2016
My photos are always special to me because of the detail, which is why the majority of the ones I take are macro. I take pictures of almost everything, but I obviously love taking pictures of flowers. They’re so beautiful and worthy of recognition. For me, photography is a chance to step out of the “student athlete” persona and relax every once in a while. —Haley Wymbs Class of 2015
I do particularly admire the quote that says, “patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet” by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. I believe that patience is a virtue simply because in quiet waiting, one can acquire and prosper from life’s most priceless memories, including the gift of photography and the beautiful memoirs that they become. —Paulina Thurman Class of 2017