I INDEX
S STAF F E D Khurrum’s World
You’re Not Alone
Explore a day in the life of Khurrum Elahi, senior and Life Skills student. Read on to learn about Khurrum’s experience in the Life Skills program and about the teachers and aides who work with him every day.
Although struggling with a mental illness can cause teens to feel alone, there are numerous resources available for support on our campus. Read on to learn more. PGS 18-19 photo illustration by APRIL SANTONIL
PGS 22-25
Carman LMU Bound
Frozen Sweets
Taking 10,000 Steps
Ice cream with honey, ice cream with sorbet, ice cream with almonds, ice cream with liquid nitrogen—the possibilities are endless! Check out the over-hyped, most innovative, and overall best of frozen treats.
How many steps do you take in a day? Teachers from all departments on campus are challenging themselves to take 10,000 steps a day using the Fitbit app. Learn more about the friendly health competition and their progress.
Following three years of high school soccer, Emily Carman, senior and girls’ varsity soccer captain, has signed to play at Loyola Marymount University next fall. Read her trials and triumphs in soccer on her journey to the Division 1 level.
PG 29
PG 35
PG 46-47
M MASTHEAD
THE WILDCAT since 1930 “When I found $40 in my back pocket.”
What was your luckiest moment? “I almost got ran over by a motorcycle but luckily, it crashed into a door and I didn’t get hurt.”
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR
Jessica Yim and Betty Lee Emiko Kaneoka
NEWS EDITOR
Nicole Nam
OPINION EDITOR
Anabel King
FEATURE CO-EDITORS ARTS CO-EDITORS
“When I found out that the next day was Saturday!”
Stacy Uhm and Astyr Ko Joy Hsieh and Charlotte Kim
“When I got free Disneyland tickets.”
SPORTS CO-EDITORS
Samantha Magpantay and Matthew Moon
PHOTO CO-EDITORS
Michael Cho, Rachel Lin, April Santonil
“When I used history to logic out a math problem and got it right.”
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ethan Ahn, Harry Cho, Monica Hiemer, Halie Nam, Hannah Roark, Deval Patel, Brandon Yun
STAFF WRITERS
Angelica Doan, Khurrum Elahi, Choha Kim, Jacob Nam, Jean Park, Celeste Roh, Jessica Tseng, Elizabeth Wheat
ADVISER
Alex Koers
MISSION STATEMENT // The Wildcat is published by the students of Brea
the Wildcat
Olinda High School’s Newspaper class. The purpose of the publication is to Brea Olinda High School inform and educate the Brea community, as well as highlight campus life and 789 Wildcat Way student achievement. The Wildcat encourages expression of reader opinion Brea, CA 92821 in the form of letters to the editor. Letters must be signed with a name and submitted to bohs.wildcat.newspaper@gmail.com. Opinions stated in the bohs.wildcat.newspaper@gmail.com Wildcat do not necessarily belong to Brea Olinda High School administration, FACEBOOK: faculty, and students. Unsigned editorials reflect the views of the staff. Bylined The BOHS Wildcat Newspaper columns reflect the views of the writer.
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2 THE WILDCAT March 2015
A teacher was found hanged in her classroom at El Dorado High School on the morning of March 2. Though it is not yet confirmed, police believe that this was a suicide. Our hearts go out to the students, faculty, and families of El Dorado High School, and the teacher who felt that suicide was the only escape. In light of this tragic event, the Wildcat would like to address all of our teachers, staff members, and students at BOHS. You are appreciated. You are loved. Though it may not always be apparent, it is existent. And we give our support to you in times of struggles and hardships, in pain and in grief. In this issue, we look at how students suffering from a mental health condition can seek help at our school. A mental health condition is a disorder that affects your mood, thinking, and behavior. It is not a feeling or an emotion, contrary to popular belief. It is a terrible, painful affliction that in most cases cannot be cured, only treated. On campus, students can seek encouragement from clubs and support groups, which shed light on mental illness and provide emotional support to help students function on a day-to-day basis. These groups also allow students to explore treatment options and advocate suicide prevention. We, as a society, are raised to think that any display of emotion is a display of weakness. And it is this thinking that sometimes steers our perceptions of depression, anxiety, autism, eating disorders, bipolar disorders, and many more. And because these are mental disorders, it is often hard to know who is suffering and who isn’t. A friendly insult could be the last words a person hears. And it could be any person. Therefore, it is imperative that we not only spread words of comfort and support, but also stop messages of hate and judgement. BOHS should be a safe and supportive environment for every student, teacher, and staff member. Our attitudes toward a breach in that environment should be nothing but open-minded and supportive, not only from El Dorado High School, but for schools everywhere.
NEWS
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TEACHERS TO RECEIVE MACBOOKS EVERY THREE YEARS by JACOB NAM // Staff Writer photos by ETHAN AHN, MICHAEL CHO, MONICA HEIMER, and DEVAL PATEL
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fter years of using outdated computers, all teachers at BOHS will be provided with a brand new Macbook Air laptop as soon as next month. These new computers will provide teachers with updated software, reliable wifi connections, and portability. The use of the latest in laptop technology is expected to create a more modern learning environment for teachers and students. “[Teachers] haven’t had any new equipment in about ten years, and the fact that we are getting 21st century equipment is a giant step forward for our school,” Todd Salesky, GITA teacher, said. These new devices will not only affect teachers, but also the students. With teachers operating the new computers in their classrooms, students will be able to engage themselves while learning and understanding new concepts. “By making teachers do more
A MacBook Air costs $899. The Board of Education will provide funds for all the devices. Teachers will get new computers every three years. Students can participate in a more modern learning environment.
technology [related] things and requiring them to do things with technology, students will have to start more things with technology,” Gil Rotblum, history teacher, said. Teachers will be able to create more interactive lesson plans with the new computers, and students will experience the lesson from the laptop live on the projector, according to Chris Ansevin, math
teacher. Students will also be able use the same apps, such as Google, as the ones their teachers will use on their new Macbooks. “I think if there’s consistency amongst technology, then [teachers and students] can all use the same apps. Using the same apps as the teachers will be helpful for the students,” Amy Welch, AP
Biology teacher, said. Although a new Macbook Air costs $899, according to apple. com, the Board of Education will fund all of the new devices, according to Ron Vasquez, Technology Manager. According to Dave Giordano, Assistant Superintendent, the funding for these devices will be coming out of the common core and state budgets. “Some [teachers] received [new computers] whenever their old ones go bad, but it’s been awhile since there’s been this many of them,” Vasquez said. In order to prevent computers from slowing down, teachers will receive new laptops every three years. Changing computers often will allow teachers to keep the technology advanced and updated, according to Vasquez. “It is necessary to change any computer because after 18 months, the speed doubles. So I think it’s absolutely important to change it every three years,” Wade Cormier, science teacher, said.
WHAT DO TEACHERS THINK ABOUT GETTING NEW MACBOOKS EVERY THREE YEARS?
JENNIFER COLLIER
WADE CORMIER
TODD SALESKY
GIL ROTBLUM
AP CALCULUS AB
AP CHEMISTRY
GITA
AP EUROPEAN HISTORY
AMY WELCH AP BIOLOGY
“I don’t really feel the change in Macbooks and what we do right now and I don’t think it will really affect the students and change much.”
“I’m hoping with the use of Macbooks, we will be open to use more technology in the classroom, and there will be more encouragement to use technology.”
“We haven’t had any new equipment in about 10 years and the fact that we are getting 21st century equipment is a giant step forward for our school.”
“I think teachers are going to be forced to use advance technology, and by using advance technology, the students will have to start using it.”
“It’s necessary to change Macbooks when it needs to be changed. I have a Macbook at home for about five years, and it’s fine, but it does get slower so I understand consistency changing.” March 2015 THE WILDCAT 3
GITA TO represent OC in CUE conferences by JEAN PARK // Staff Writer
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APRIL SANTONIL // the wildcat RETIREMENT: Arthur J. “Skip” Roland in his office. After serving for seven years as superintendent of BOUSD, Roland has decided to retire.
ROLAND RETIRES AFTER SERVING 7 YEARS AS SUPERINTENDENT by CHOHA KIM // Staff Writer
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rthur J. “Skip” Roland, superintendent of the Brea Olinda Unified School District (BOUSD), will retire at the end of the school year after seven years within the district. During Roland’s tenure as superintendent, he has worked closely with principal Jerry Halpin on major facility projects such as supervising the construction of the new building, building the BITA yard, outfitting the GITA classroom with new technology, and leading cleanup after 2008’s Triangle Complex fire and last year’s earthquake. “Dr. Roland has led the school with the motto of keeping the needs of students’ first even when
Unified School districts, and director of human resources. “I have had a truly blessed career where every job I have held has been, and remains, my favorite job. All were the best jobs because I believe I provided value to others every day, in every position,” Roland said. Not only is Roland praised by Halpin for his integrity, but also for his leadership style. According to Nadene Davis, BOUSD executive assistant, Roland has a leadership style grounded in fiscal responsibility, open communication, and hard work. Recently, he received the Outstanding Contribution to Education Award from the Orange County Department of Education. Even after working as superintendent, his journey in education continues. According to Roland, he currently teaches in the Transformational Leadership doctoral program at Brandman University in Irvine, and he will continue to do so. “I never dreamed I would some day be lucky enough to be the superintendent in the same district. However, the fact that it happened validates a fundamental belief of mine: luck occurs when hard work meets opportunity,” Roland said. Roland has made an impact in the district with his leadership and his co-workers stated that they will miss him tremendously. “I have mixed feelings about Dr. Roland retiring. I am happy for him and I have loved having him as a mentor for the past twelve years. On the other hand, he will be very difficult to replace,” Halpin said.
“I have mixed feelings about Dr. Roland retiring. I am happy for him and I have loved having him as a mentor for the past twelve years. On the other hand, he will be very difficult to replace,” said principal Jerry Halpin. catastrophe such as the fires [seven] years ago and the earthquake [last year] Dr. Roland always worked with integrity,” Halpin said. According to Roland, he has provided all students with rigorous and relevant educational experiences in an “any time, any place, any path, any pace” enviornment that would ultimately lead to students’ success in their futures. Before he started his career as superintendent, he was a teacher, coach, cheerleading advisor, Ski Club advisor, activities director, assistant principal, a principal in both the Orange County School District (OCDE) and Saddleback Valley 4 THE WILDCAT March 2015
aising social awareness for cyber safety, GITA created Cyber Ninja Safety websites with an interactive environment. With the Cyber Ninja Safety project, GITA was deemed qualified to represent Orange County Department of Education at Computer Using Educators (CUE) conferences. Every year, the Orange County Department of Education selects top technology projects made by students from kindergarten to 12th grade to represent public schools in Orange County at the technology conferences. Fortunately, GITA was among the two selected high school programs, along with Tustin, to represent Orange County at various CUE conferences. “BOHS will be representing all of Orange County [alongside Tustin], and there is an honor of being a group of elite people to represent all the high schools in Orange County,” Todd Salesky, GITA teacher, said. The selection is based off of an application process and a preliminary event, in which judges score the different projects. The highest scoring schools are given the opportunity to represent Orange County at technology events, such as the CUE conferences. GITA attended the Orange County Department of Education’s preliminary event, presenting the Ninja Cyber Safety Academy project to promote online safety. “It is actually surprising to find out how little people know about cyber safety, so what GITA is doing is very helpful to society because little to no places tell people about cyber safety. The Cyber Safety Ninja Academy is one of the first few live projects that actually go in depth into cyber safety,” Juwan DeJesus, junior, said. Back in Jan., GITA first attended the Orange County Computer Using Educators Student Technology Showcase (OCCUE STS) at JSerra Catholic High School. At OCCUE STS, GITA was selected by the Orange County Department of Education’s review team to attend the statewide CUE conference in Palm Springs on March 21. “I was surprised, and really proud of our project. So much work was put into it that I really felt that all our efforts were paid off. Through this we get a lot of recognition which could mean a lot of good things for the future of GITA,” Melody Kim, senior, said. Through this experience, GITA students are able to expose themselves to the work of different schools with similar technology programs, while presenting their own project.
GRAPHICS PLACES IN SKILLS USA COMPETITION BEST IN SHOW
by JEAN PARK // Staff Writer
DEVAL PATEL // the wildcat DISCUSSION TIME: (left to right) Nolan Witt, junior, Josh Evans, sophomore, Franco Ciccarello, Graphics teacher, Jake Evans, and Nathaniel Acosta, seniors, discuss about the Skills USA competition.
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ompeting regionally against 2100 students in the Skills USA competition, seven Graphics Club members placed in various categories including advertising design, t-shirt design, and pin design in Feb. Skills USA is a national organization with over 9,100 student members in California that focuses on enhancing the lives and careers of students. It holds an annual competition contesting various categories including t-shirt design, pin design, advertising design, and more. Every year, Graphics Club competes regionally in the Southern California division in the T-shirt design, advertisement design, pin design, and photography. For the past three years the Graphics Club competed, it advanced to State and then to Nationals. According to Franco Ciccarello, Graphics Club advisor, the club is hoping for a three-peat as this year’s nationals will be held at Louisville, Ky. This year at regionals, Nolan Witt, junior, placed third and Jake Evans, senior, placed fourth in the advertising design category. In the t-shirt design, Witt and Nathaniel
Acosta, senior, tied for Gold. Madison Sorrell, junior, won silver, Tea Castreje, senior, won Bronze while Bianca Avila and Mike Telez, seniors, placed fourth and fifth place respectively. In pin design, Evans placed silver. According to Ciccarello, not only are creativity and originality factors needed to win, but also technical proficiency in computer graphics. “The nice thing is that two of the winners were first semester graphics students, and being able to win a competition [after] your first semester of a new class is exciting and encouraging for them,” Ciccarello said. Members started their journey in the graphics course taught by Ciccarello. According to Castreje, paying attention in the Graphics class allowed her to be creative through the use of a computer. As a first year Graphics student and competitor in Skills USA, she was ecstatic when she found out she had placed third place in T-Shirt Design. Having surpassed the requirements for the state-level competition, Castreje is excited to represent Graphics Club at the state competition.
Similar to Castreje, Sorrell also started competing in Skills USA by taking the graphics course, initially clueless about what graphics would lead her to accomplish. “I had no clue what I was doing and I never thought I would get anywhere with it. You pretty much start with no skills at all and work from there, developing an array of skills that tie into an amazing art form,” Sorrell said. Her art form began with preparation and hard work, aiming to impress the Skills USA judges with her skill and oral presentation. According to Sorrell, she started preparing a few weeks before the competition by starting with thumbnails and sketching out the designs. “After I decided on my final design, I took it into illustrator and went from there, watching my design evolve from a simple sketch to a vibrant design of the L.A and San Francisco skylines,” Sorrell said. On the other hand, unlike Castreje and Sorrell, Witt and Josh Evans has had prior experience at the Skills USA competition. Witt placed first last year in state for t-shirt design while Evans placed second in state for pin. Having designed the class t-shirts for two years, Witt is recognized on a national level for the competition. Nevertheless, Evans views his overall experience at the competition as a great opportunity for him to showcase his designs and see where he stands in a regional and state level. Participating in the Skills USA competition has not only proved the Graphics Club members to be hard-working and creative, but exposes their sheer extraordinary talent, according to Ciccarello. As students approach the state-level competition, the winners expressed their enthusiasm and excitement to be representing our school.
Students place in the pin and t-shirt design category at Skills USA
PIN DESIGN
SILVER
by JOSH EVANS
T-SHIRT DESIGN
SILVER
by TEA CASTREJE
GOLD
by NATHANIEL ACOSTA
GOLD
by NOLAN WITT
SILVER
by ALEX SORRELL
March 2015 THE WILDCAT 5
24TH ANNUAL BREA 8K CLASSIC 2,530 participants of all ages gathered to compete in the Master’s, Open, and 1K Fun Run by ELIZABETH WHEAT // Staff Writer
Presented by the Brea mall and other sponsors in the city, runners from all over the county participated in this year’s 24th Annual Brea 8k Classic on Feb. 22 to fundraise for programs at BOHS such as the GITA program, Academic Booster Club, Instrumental Music and Color Guard boosters and Vocal Music boosters. The Master’s race, which is only for participants who are 40 years old and older, began at 7:30 a.m. For younger participants, the race began at 8 a.m, while children, ages 10 and under, ran in the 1K Fun Run at 9:15 a.m. Starting from East Birch Street and Brea Mall Road, the race was a five mile run, which ended at the east parking lot at the Brea Mall. While participants ran, local community members lined upon the sidelines to not only encourage runners, but also to watch the race and offer water. Also an abundance of volunteers, including students from our school were involved in working on the sound system, guiding runners on the correct route, distributing goodie bags, and helping the runners sign in. “I helped distribute the goodie bags that all the participants pick up either before or after the race,” Diana Camacho, senior, said. “I was also representing the GITA program by volunteering.” 6 THE WILDCAT March 2015
After the race was completed, participants were served with food from local restaurants and fastfood joints such as Subway and Elbows, and an award ceremony was held for the top three overall male and female winners along with the fastest man and woman in Brea. Gregory Mitchell, 41, placed first in the men’s master’s division, and Cassandra Henkiel, 44, placed first in the women’s master’s division. Also, Vivien Hyman, 35, placed first overall in the women’s division. Overall in the men’s division, Austin
newsbasinblues.org READY SET RUN: Runners start the five mile course in the 24th annual Brea 8K Classic. 257 runners participated in this year’s Master’s race; 2273 in the Open race on Febraury 22.
Tamagno, junior, took first place, making him the fastest runner in Brea. Coming in 129th place, Carly Halm was the fastest woman in Brea. “I love participating in the race, it helps me prepare for college cross country races,” Carly Halm, junior and cross country, track
and field athlete, said. “In high school, you run a three mile race, but in college you run five mile races. Plus, it helps start the track and field season off”. However, the race was not attended exclusively by just students. Jonathan Quiming, English teacher, also
participated in the event. “I ran because my gym, Cross Fitness, was forming a team so that they can represent the community. The whole venue was really cool, and I especially enjoyed seeing former students I haven’t seen in a long time,” Quiming said.
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French teachers plan trip to film festival by CHOHA KIM // Staff Writer
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rench students will broaden their world cinema horizons and enhance their French language skills by attending the 19th COLCOA Film Festival, “A Week of French Film Premieres in Hollywood,” on April 24 in Los Angeles. Participants will have the opportunity to communicate with other French-speaking students while learning more about the French culture. Movie-goers will watch a featured film presented in French with English subtitles that has never been released in the United States. Nadia Fox, French teacher and World Language Department Chair, and Amanda Louis, French teacher, are organizing the field trip. “This is my first year at BOHS and so my first year bringing BOHS students to COLCOA. Every year I have gone with my students during the years I’ve taught at three high schools. I will take BOHS annually from here on out. I am so happy to introduce BOHS French students to this wonderful, cultural experience,” Louis said. Fox believes that the French Film Festival will enhance the students’ ability to learn more about the language. “Since my mother was French, I was exposed to French language naturally since I was young.
THE BEST IN FRENCH CINEMA
And it soon led to my interests in French and became an opportunity to know that French is a beautiful language,” Fox said. “Reading a book which is written in French can help students learn too, but watching a French movie also contributes to their effective learning by exposing students to French language, gradually.” Monica Girgis, senior and AP French student, believes that watching films in French helps students learn more about the language. “Since I was young, I attended French Catholic school and studied French for nine years. At that time, teachers showed me French movies. Watching movies helped me a lot in learning French grammar and vocabulary that could be related to speaking and writing,“ Girgis said. According to Fox, it is important to enjoy the language itself while learning about the specific culture and lifestyle. She believes that since the French Film Festival will include exposure to not just the French language, but French culture as well, the experience will be very entertaining and interesting for students. In addition to French Film Festival, French teachers are also planning to have more field trips in the future to places such as French restaurants, French art museums, and theaters.
French teacher Nadia Fox selects four must-watch films from France JEAN de FLORETTE (1986)
“The Godfather of French films, [Jean de Florette and its] sequels provide a riveting drama that takes audiences through a whirlwind of emotions.” Watch it on Amazon Instant Video
AMOUR (2012) “A movie about the struggle of dementia and love, this is a film which requires extra Kleenex.” The film won the 2013 Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Watch it on Amazon Instant Video
AMELIE (2001) “The lovable character Amelie is a bit strange, but hilarious, while learning about life in this coming of age film starring Audrey Tautou.” Watch it on Netflix
AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS (1987) “A touching movie about a Catholic school which hides Jewish children during the Holocaust in Nazioccupied France. Based on a true story.” Watch it on Hulu+
ROBOTICS CLUB PREPARES FOR RESCUE ROBOT COMPETITION by NICOLE NAM // News Editor
Working with robots and using advanced computer programming skills, the Robotics Club is currently preparing for its first competition called the Rescue Robot, which will be held in May. According to Mechanical Design Educational Resource, the Rescue Robot competition, organized by UCI and Vital Link, allows high students to create ground and aerial robots to find and identify stimulated human survivors during natural disasters. The competition requires each robot to be safely autonomous, and work in natural environments. Students are also required to utilize an Android phone in order to control the robot. By doing so, the club is developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI), which allows the robot to navigate by itself. “The competition is a pretty programming-focused one,” Matthew Cha, senior, said. “We’re supposed to develop an AI for the robot that will search a file for bar codes, scan them, and report them back.” However, since it is the Robotics Club’s first year, it is everyone’s first experience in managing how to use a robot. Therefore, according to Cha, programming
the robot has been challenging. “Being a quick learner helps a lot. It’s not expected for anyone to know every little thing about robots, but a lot of the knowledge is a Google search away, so the ability to find the correct information and use it is really nice,” Cha said. While the learning curve for learning robotics is steep, according to Brent Gackstetter, senior and Robotics Club president, anyone who has an interest in robots can become involved in the club without having any prior knowledge about robots. “The most valuable skill would be the ability to think logically and think outside the box. And so far as skill sets go, the ability to do an object oriented programming (O.O.P.), as well as non-object oriented programming, and knowledge of basic electronics are helpful. However, we are more than willing to reach those who wish to join but do not have those skill sets,” Gackstetter said. As the competition draws near, students are not only adjusting the programs enabled in the robot, but also making sure to test their project.
MICHAEL CHO // the wildcat TECH-SAVVY: Vincent Nguyen, senior, Jonathan Eichinger, freshman, Tanner Saffert, junior, and Brent Gackstetter, senior, assemble their robot.
“We’re currently working toward completing the assembly of the robot, integrating sensors, installing the Android phone to allow the robot the control itself, as well as AI it to allow the robot to act autonomously,” Gackstetter said. March 2015 THE WILDCAT 7
8 THE WILDCAT March 2015
photo by APRIL SANTONIL
BEHIND THE SCENES Tyler van Beek, senior, and Shane van Beek, junior, machine saw wood in BITA 3 and 4. BITA is currently building a storage shed for the custodians. The students designed, budgeted, and planned the project prior to construction.
March 2015 THE WILDCAT 9
APUSH in the rong Direction
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hen news of College Board’s drastic changes to the AP United States (APUSH) exam reached schools, the nation, disoriented educators, and students alike expressed discontent with the new exam. While many found it acceptable to make minor changes to improve the quality of the APUSH test, renovating the entire exam with only less than a year to prepare resulted in damage to teachers’ curriculum and students’ studies. College Board stated that the APUSH test was redesigned in response to concerns that the previous course prevented classrooms from examining topics in depth, thus eliminating any opportunities for students to engage in constructive writing and research. These supporters of the new APUSH curriculum claim that the revisions are beneficial because the number of multiple choice questions is shorter and the added short answer questions are simpler. Last year’s exam included two free response questions, a Data Based Question (DBQ), and 80 multiple choice questions, while this year’s exam transformed free response questions into four short answer questions, one long essay question, a DBQ, and 55 multiple choice questions. Exam time has increased from 185 minutes to 195 minutes. But it isn’t the changes to the exam that has teachers and students on edge. It’s the timing (or lack thereof) that has teachers frantically doling out lessons while trying to understand the new test themselves. Teachers who prepare students for the exam
The changes made to the AP U.S. History exam by the College Board have created a hectic and confusing year for teachers and students alike. by CELESTE ROH & JEAN PARK // Staff Writers
usually have years of expertise on the skills needed for the exam. However, because the entire test was changed at once, it is difficult for teachers to properly teach the new structure and yield the results AP graders are looking for. “College Board suddenly told us that we had a new curriculum, then didn’t specify on how to do certain parts of the teaching. The history is the same, but since they changed the test, it’s harder for me to know whether I’m preparing the students enough because I’m busy trying to get through the topics,” Leslie Leaming, APUSH teacher, said. Neither APUSH teachers nor students have enough time or information to fully comprehend the new test. “The new requirements for the DBQ and Long Essay questions are vague, especially the synthesis and contextualization sections. College Board is asking for too much when only given 40 to 45 minutes to write a cohesive essay,” Andrew Kim, junior, said. As the teachers struggle to overcome the setbacks, students are directly affected by the changes. Many prospective AP students look to prior AP students for advice on the exam. However, this year’s APUSH students signed up for a rigorous course without any knowledge of the redesigned APUSH exam. “It’s frustrating. The reason we signed up for the class is because people who took it last year said it was doable, but now since they’ve changed it, it’s harder for us. The concepts are already so difficult and there’s so much energy you have to invest in it,” Caroline Bower, junior, said. The AP European History exam will also
receive modifications starting next year. But unlike the new APUSH curriculum, AP Euro teachers were alerted of the upcoming changes two years ago, with all the details regarding the new standards for the exam. According to Gil Rotblum, AP Euro teacher, the exam will no longer have penalty scoring and will be modified to include short answer questions and instead of two, just one long essay question. In order to prepare himself, Rotblum implemented these rules early on so he could be prepared in time for students taking the new exam. While APUSH students this year will be struggling to catch up on the new material, upcoming AP Euro students will be able to learn in a prepared environment for the AP test. Rotblum believes that the changes are “a good thing” as there aren’t many drastic changes to the overall curriculum and also because he was able to implement these skills early on to prepare future students. If the APUSH exam changes were less substantial and announced earlier like the AP Euro exam, staff and students would experienced a smoother school year. “The course would probably be less harder if we had more time and resources. The teachers are definitely trying their best but they’re being kept in the dark like the rest of us which is what’s really making it frustrating,” Kyle Kirk, junior, said. Instead of unleashing all changes to the APUSH exam at once, a more organized and gradual adjustment would have better prepared students and teachers for the year.
AP U.S. History
AP Physics 1 & 2
AP European History
A.P Calculus AB & BC
2014-2015
2014-2015
2015-2016
2016-2017
This year, the APUSH exam will include a shorter Data Based Question (DBQ) and short answer questions, in an effort to emphasize deeper analysis.
10 THE WILDCAT March 2015
AP Physics was previously split into classes AP Physics B and C. Now, AP Physics is split into AP Physics 1, C - Mechanics, and C - Electricity & Magnetism.
The redesigned AP Euro. exam will include less multiple choice questions and essays and added short answer questions, attempting to develop historical thinking skills.
The AP Calculus exams will only have minor changes with the addition of the L’ Hospital’s Rule, limit comparison test, and more. None of the previous topics will be removed.
Rust in Peace
A look back at objects, activities, and trends that have become outdated over the past few years.
The King’s speech
The Fault in Our Pockets
by ANABEL KING // Opinion Editor
I
t happened in a dressing room. The soft indie music echoed under the dim lights of the Hollister store. Conversations shifted from laughter to silence, silence to laughter. I stood before a mirror in a dressing room smaller than my closet, frozen in horror at what I saw. A Hollister employee asked if everything was okay. No, Mr. Cute Guy Who Works at Hollister. Everything was not. The pair of jeans I was trying on kept me at a standstill. They fit around my thighs, stopped above my ankles. They even had beltloops that could fit a normal-sized belt. But happiness is finite. For there, in the seam on my hips, in the dye of the jeans, in the hamartia of these hemlines–oh, horror. Oh, tragedy. They had fake pockets. Truly no two words have ever brought such heartbreak and disappointment over a pair of well-fitting skinny jeans. And that got me thinking. Has a man ever complained that their jeans have fake pockets? That their shirts and sweaters and jackets have closed cavities for fashion purposes only? Pockets on male attire are fascinating. Countless times I have watched my male friends pull out of their pockets a cell phone, a calculator, a Charles Dickens novel, a mini-fridge, and a premature baby seal. It’s like when Mary Poppins pulled out a full-sized lamp out of her travel bag and Michael and Jane stood in wonder and disbelief. Whereas my average pockets can barely hold the volume of my phone, yet are great for storing a piece of lint. Maybe two. But why are female pockets so useless? Perhaps clothing manufacturers believe all women carry purses and thus have no need to conveniently store things in the pouches of their clothes. But that’s not true. Women carry purses because of their ridiculously-small-sized pockets. How can the fashion industry (which is for the most part designed and structured by men) expect to successfully target women’s fashion if they believe that pockets are not an essential quality of a clothing garment? Pockets are holding us back. From storing phones, keys, and wallets to keeping our hands warm, pockets designed for utility purposes rather than fashion will enable us to become less dependent on purses, less dependent on others when we forget our purses, and more liberated than ever to control what we carry in the pockets of our pants.
After the closure of the Borders bookstore in Brea, it became more apparent that bookstores are losing their popularity.
Maps are becoming more extinct, especially with a GPS installed in every car and phone.
When was the last time you sat down and had a good, filling breakfast before heading off for school? That’s what we thought. Forget postcards. More and more people are Snapchatting or Instagraming their vacation getaways instead of sending a heartfelt postcard.
Analog wristwatches are disappearing with the replacement of digital phone clocks. compiled by ANABEL KING
March 2015 THE WILDCAT 11
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Wake Up, Wildcats! by MATTHEW MOON // Sports Co-Editor
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head in front of me dipped. Then bobbed. And eventually fell to the desk. Initially, I thought it was just another exaggerated display of boredom, but as the peaceful and rhythmic breathing reached my ears, I immediately knew that the student in front of me was getting in a little Z’s before the bell rang. Whether it’s the lazy students, the overachievers, or those with senioritis, sleeping in class has been a common phenomenon among students. “I’ve seen [students fall asleep] happen a couple of times,” Alisa Fang, freshman, said. “Most of the time I just ignore it but sometimes it’s funny to see it happen.” But falling asleep in class isn’t just a topic. Sleeping during class is disrespectful to teachers who put in long hours to carefully plan out lessons. Missed lectures, incomplete notes, and an offended teacher labeling you as the new “slacker” are just some of the prices student pay for their in-class naps. “It gives the impression that they don’t care
Illustration by BETTY LEE
or they’re not interested,” Deborah McNamee, math teacher, said. “When students are in class they have a job to do and I have the job to teach them. When they sleep, it doesn’t allow me to do my job and they don’t get to learn.” McNamee points out that teenagers have a variety of reasons for failing to get enough rest. According to nationwidechildrens.org, an average adolescent gets seven hours of sleep although they need nine hours to be healthy. “So many students are overextended; they [come home] late, they stay up working on projects, or they’re playing video games. Sometimes it’s [an at-home issue], but we [as teachers] can’t tell the difference between someone who is that exhausted or has a problem outside of school versus the kid who just refuses to do anything,” McNamee said. “But, definitely, better time management [would help] in almost all cases.” So instead of staying up that extra hour to watch Netflix and sleeping during class to recuperate from it, remember that it will cost you both your grade and your teacher’s respect.
“Those [students] that sleep during class [aren’t] showing enough respect to the people that teach them,” Shawn French, English teacher, said. “[They need to] get more sleep at night, [which involves] putting cellphones away, devices away, laptops, iPads away and actually go to sleep.” As for those with jam-packed schedules, like McNamee said, good time management is key. Try knocking out some homework assignments during non-instructional school hours. Have an essay to write up? Take some time to plan for it during snack. Have some extra math problems to do? Finish it up when you have some free-time in the school day. Although these seem like small, worthless tasks, they add up. Before you know it, you’ll have an entire extra hour that can be used to reclaim your energy for the next day, rather than sleep through the lab in science. The next time you drift off into your dreams during class, remember that you’ll be disrespecting your teachers, and fellow students as well as sacrificing your grade, all at the expense of an hour of rest.
March 2015 THE WILDCAT 13
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F EA T U R E
TUNE DOWN FOR WHAT? Streamed music use has shot up as purchasing music has plummeted. The increase of streamed music has created a new industry that eventually harms artists. by ASTYR KO // Feature Co-Editor
Amount of students using music streaming 824 students polled
PREMIUM PANDORA (28)
PANDORA STREAMING (228)
PREMIUM SPOTIFY (36)
SPOTIFY STREAMING (104)
YOUTUBE STREAMING (216)
ITUNES PURCHASING (84)
OTHER (128)
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Have you wondered how musicians make their money? We know that Kanye West sells millions of dollars worth of concert tickets and One Direction sells millions of dollars worth of merchandise. But how do they generate money for the sale of their music itself? Although audiences may enjoy listening to music via inexpensive streaming devices such as Spotify and Pandora, artists generally do not promote this method of listening, since it causes them to lose money. According to times.com, streaming services like YouTube and Pandora pay artists less than one cent per stream. As streaming music increases in the U.S., artists lose money. According to the nytimes.com, album sales have dropped again by 9.4 percent and song sales have decreased by 12.5 percent. In total, about 257 million downloads, CDs, and vinyl LPs were sold in 2014, which affects the artist’s revenue. The increase of streaming music creates a new mean of song sales. An artist’s success is measured by the number of paid downloads and by the amount of streamed plays online, therefore, more than one artist can be considered “number one”. The amount of music streaming increases yearly (by 45 percent in 2014, according to nytimes.com). Taylor Swift’s album beat Frozen slightly in sales, as she sold 3.66 million albums while Frozen sold 3.53 million, according to nytimes.com. However, streaming services like Spotify and Pandora changes the song sales. By the number of streams the album had been played throughout 2014, Frozen’s album beat Swift’s, by .07 million times, according to Billboard magazine. Wyatt Rias, senior, agrees with the harmful impact streaming music has on artists. Wyatt, bass guitarist in his band, the Juicebox Bandits, which has albums available for purchase on iTunes and on
Pandora and Spotify, shares his opinion. “Downloading music would be better than streaming because artists are paid extremely little each time a song is played compared to when people listen to a demo of a song and purchase it,” Rias said. “We wouldn’t be making as much money [if people streamed our music]. For the bands that are trying to make it big and trying to make a living off of [their music], it would be a lot harder”. Streaming services like Spotify, which has 10 million paid subscribers, skyrocketed by 54 percent in the U.S., according to washingtonpost.com. In England, music sales decreased last year for the first time, while the amount of streaming music doubled. Streaming music services have also become more competitive, creating a larger issue for artists. According to Apple Inc., Apple agreed to make a deal with Beats by Dre, premium headphone maker, for $3.2 billion. Back in 2003, iTunes was a success, but sales dropped over the next decade. Apple needed a way of streaming music and the easiest answer was purchasing Beats. Apple CEO claims that purchasing Beats will give the company a “head start” because Beats owns “57 percent of the premium market of headphones that cost over $99” according to nbcnews.com. Taylor Swift took action against the competitive streaming business by removing her songs from Spotify--which has both paid and free options called “freemium”--because the service refused to allow her music to be available to only paid subscribers. She immediately became an inspiration to other artists who felt the injustice of being paid less than one cent. Her drastic action paid off, as her album sold 1.3 million sales in the first week, which is more than any other album since 2002 according to Times magazine.
The
Heart Education of
An in-depth look at how the state’s education system treats its arts programs in public schools. by ANABEL KING // Opinion Editor photos by DEVAL PATEL
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Michael Cooper (‘00), substitute teacher, brushes his Expo marker against the barren whiteboard, conjuring a masterpiece that appears effortless. He crouches at the bottom of the board to shade in shadows and stands on the tips of his toes to add more detail to the top of the drawing. Every once in a while he takes a step back to take in the whole of his creation while students pull out their phones to capture this collection of marker strokes from “Picasso Cooper.” Cooper complements his teaching with intricate illustrations on classroom white boards. While he uses visual art to engage and inspire his students, he has no interest in becoming an art teacher. He described the field of art-teaching as “unstable,” and compromises by keeping the two jobs separate. “Teaching art is a lost profession,” Cooper said. “Not a lot of art teachers are being hired nowadays. Because classes for science and math have a bigger priority in schools, usually the first program to get cut [in order] to fund those science and math classes is the arts.” Due to years of budget cuts in California public schools, and a state and national emphasis on math and English test results, school districts compensate for the increased spending on math and English by eliminating extracurricular activities, according to edsource.org. This budget crisis was a result of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the state’s Public School Accountability Act. The two acts emphasize the importance of key academic subjects such as math, English, and science among young students, resulting in a deprioritizing of fine arts courses. (Traditionally, “fine arts” consists of painting, sculpting, music, poetry, film, photography, conceptual art, and print making.) Even though the NCLB recognizes the arts as a core subject, it does not require any instructional time or assessment data for performance in arts education. Historically, California has not used arts education at an “optimal level,” according to Kurt Whitman, who wrote “Investing in Arts Education to Advance California’s Creative Industry” (2012). California is recognized as one of the leading creative capitols of the 16 THE WILDCAT March 2015
world, according to Whitman, but it fails to sufficiently fund its public school arts programs. California has even dropped from 47th to 49th place in school spending per student in the United States, according to a 2013 Ed Week report. Across the nation, the majority of school arts programs, and consequently art teachers, are “in more trouble than ever,” according to the National Education Association. Since 2007, 71 percent of schools have reduced instruction time in the arts to provide more time and resources for math and English. But at BOHS, such measures were not as drastic. “In times when the economy was strained and school districts were forced to make cuts, it was often the arts departments that were forced to suffer,” Delaina Hofacre, art teacher, said. “But during those times, our district chose to maintain arts programs [so] that each of its students would have the opportunity to participate in the arts.”
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While cutting back on arts programs seem like a logical sacrifice to strengthen and emphasize the importance of math and English programs, the effects of the fine arts on students are significant in multiple ways. Research by the Do Something organization shows that music improves a student’s ability in math, reading, creativity, social development, personality adjustment, and self-worth. The study also notes that arts and music education programs are mandatory in countries that are consistently ranked among the highest for math and science test scores, such as Hungary, Japan, and the Netherlands. In addition, students who study art are more likely to be academically successful as well as more punctual to class. Educational programs for music and theater “correlates strongly” with high test scores in math and science. “Art has changed me to be a more socially engaged person, have an open mind, and discover myself,” Kalinah Tallase, senior and Advanced Art student, said. “It helped me be more opportunistic and build self-confidence to the point where there is no such thing as ‘ugly things’ in the world. Without art, I would be lost looking for my identity.” “Art is being able to express yourself in whatever form you choose,” Amy Smith, sophomore and aspiring artist, said. “No one’s expecting you to follow any strict path
like with math--you just do what you want. More exposure to art can bring a huge cultural advantage to students as it seems culture is neglected compared to academics.” So if numerous studies have shown that exposure to the arts corresponds to greater character development and higher test scores, then why are schools targeting arts programs when it comes to saving money? The arts, especially the fine or visual arts, have held a traditional place in society as a leisure activity, appreciated and expressed as a non-professional skill and therefore viewed as a non-academic priority. “I think that we as a society have compartmentalized art and placed it outside the workday. This limits the integration and enjoyment of art in the everyday things we do,” said Bill Madden, science teacher at Brea Junior High. “As a society, we have monetized math, language, and science to a degree that if a student does not excel in these, he or she is a considered a failure.” Cooper, despite being a successful artist, relies on his job as a substitute teacher for stability. While he utilizes his passion for art as a way to inspire students to find their passion, he is “frustrated” that the concept of art as a whole is not as appreciated by society compared to other areas of math, science, and English.
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However, the attitude towards art may begin to change. The California Arts Education Association (CAEA) proposes an alternate solution. Due to the lack of attention towards art programs, educational organizations like the CAEA advocate that non-arts teachers can emphasize the subject by integrating art into the academic classroom. This call to action is necessary, considering that in the schools of our city, art integration declines from an elementary school classroom to the high school classroom. Hilary Maddox, a third grade teacher at Fanning Elementary School, claims that she uses art elements in the classroom on a “weekly basis.” “Yesterday I used [art] to reinforce a math concept like perimeter. The kids drew Peri-bots where they designed robots and figured the perimeter of the shapes they used,” Maddox said. “It’s not formal art, but it helps them visualize and connect with the
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rt in the City
How the Brea Art Gallery deals with attracting the younger generations by MATTHEW MOON // Sports Co-Editor
#COOPERSPECIAL: Cooper draws George Takei and Hobbes while substituting for a teacher.
math problem.” Maddox believes that incorporating art into the classroom not only ensures that the students are engaged, but also inspires them to work more and work harder. “Art often encourages kids to take pride in their work for those who find academics more difficult,” Maddox said. “If you want to keep the kids engaged, you give them artistic freedom.” Madden incorporates art elements into his curriculum, but only when appropriate. “While I have personal opinions on art, I don’t teach art, but try to reflect it in my teaching,” Madden said. “By art, I mean all aspects of visual, musical, and auditory inputs that are necessary for understanding the world, including scientific principles. Showing students the visual, auditory, and olfactory beauty in the subject matter is the best way to stimulate ideas and inspire wonder, and hopefully encourage students to explore their own. Art must be a part of any curriculum whether it is language, science, or mathematics.” Art exposure and integration in the classroom vary at different grade levels, and it reveals a trend that as students progress into higher grade levels, the arts seem to slowly disappear. Madden cites this disappearance as a result of the lack of flexibility given to teachers to integrate art as the grade levels progress. “I do not have sufficient time or space in my classroom to fully integrate very many
aspects of artistic expression. The demands of the state standards I am required to teach preclude me from many ways that I could bring more art into my curriculum,” Madden said.
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But in Wiley H. Bates Middle School, a public school in Maryland, a full implementation of arts integration in 2008 was successful. As of 2012, the percentage of students proficient or advanced in Bates Middle school has increased almost 12 times faster than the state in reading, and nearly four times faster in math, according to edutopia.org. “It seems to me that more and more districts are coming to the realization that art education is vital to developing creative and innovative thinkers,” Hofacre said. “Most celebrated and successful people in every occupation have one thing in common–the ability to creatively solve problems. And art is the subject that focuses on just that.” As for Cooper, he will continue to inspire students through drawings of Bill Nye or Where the Wild Things Are as a substitute teacher as well as contribute outside of the classroom as an artist. His commissioned works, such as the Country Hills Elementary School playground mural and the Brea Glenbrook Clubhouse recreational room, are true works of art that will never find its way into the “lost profession.”
Tucked away in the corners of the City of Brea Civic Center, hidden from a pedestrian eye on the street, is a small contemporary art gallery flowing with zen and tranquility. Soft lights illuminate masterful works of art and calm piano music whispers in the background– the perfect atmosphere to ponder the complex meanings of twisted sculptures or splattered paintings. But while the daily attendance at the City of Brea Art Gallery remains relatively stable, attracting the younger audience into the museum has always been a long standing problem. Christina Mercer, Head Gallery Director of the Brea Art Gallery, says that the gallery caters more to mature visitors, such as newly retired individuals or middle-aged adults in its daily attendance, as opposed to adolescents and younger children. Mercer also expresses that families, teenagers, and children are all groups that she would “love to see come [to the gallery] more often.” “I think it’s tough because people have a hard time finding the time. A lot of kids are involved with sports after school, have homework, or have to take care of their younger sibling and stuff like that. I would love if people came just to enjoy the art and appreciate it,” Mercer, said. In an effort to attract the city’s youth, Mercer has set up various social networking accounts on behalf of the gallery, such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. She has also arranged for more interactive experiences as well as exhibitions that appeal to the age group. “[We are planning] shows with artwork that cater to that younger audience. We’re doing a show, Curious Mediums: Peculiar and Surprising Works of Art in the summertime. It’s going to be art made up of things that you wouldn’t think that you could be able to make art out of. Things that not only [young] people will appreciate, but take [them] by surprise and blow their minds, allowing them to think outside of the box,” Mercer said. Mercer hopes that these additions will not only attract the younger audience, but inspire more involvement and inspiration in the world of art. March 2015 THE WILDCAT 17
teen issue
TRAPPED INSIDE story by ANABEL KING // Opinion Editors photo by APRIL SANTONIL // Photo Editor
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hen the body is in pain, it suffers alone. Nerves may send signals to the brain, the brain may send responses back. But in a doctor’s lab under an MRI, there is no scientific way to detect how pain behaves in the brain, according to the National Institute of Health. The pain may grow and expand and worsen, but unless the body gives a distinct sign that it is in distress, no one will know that the individual is suffering. No one will be able to tell. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, 20 percent of adolescents have a diagnosable mental health disorder. However, less than 50 percent of adolescents who have a psychiatric disorder actually seek professional help, according to a 2013 study by Duke University. For Alicia (her name has been changed), sophomore, her first experience with an anxiety attack occurred one day while she prepared for a normal school day. “It was a feeling of suffocation,” Alicia said. “And at times I literally was prevented from breathing. And the worst feeling is that you feel this cascade of emotion and pain that punches you at the beginning of the day. And it takes more than a few minutes– hours–of this feeling to understand the present problem.” An anxiety attack, also known as a panic attack, is a short episode of intense fear or discomfort in any given situation, according to the Anxiety and 18 THE WILDCAT March 2015
Depression Association of America (ADAA). Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., according to ADAA. “The first time I experienced it, I felt the need to blame God, school, people–whatever. But especially it boils down to yourself,” Alicia said. “You never want to wake up or move a muscle because you’ll feel that wave of being overwhelmed again and this knowing that you may be broken–even for eternity–this forever is all within a few minutes.” Alicia also suffers from dysthymia, a mild form of depression that she inherited at the age of eight. But for Alicia and other students who suffer from mental disorders, whom do they turn to when their illnesses obstruct them from participating in school? According to school psychologist Dr. Steve Aguillon, there are a variety of options for students to seek help and support. Besides himself, Dr. Aguillon also cites the guidance counselors, the guidance counselors’ interns, and his interns as a school-provided resource for students. “Between all of us staff, we can handle the crises and the bigger issues that arise here,” Dr. Aguillon said. “Together we act like a web of support.” According to the National Association of School Psychologists, school is often where a student’s mental health issues are discovered, and it is thus imperative that schools should play a role in that responsibility. “Schools are where children spend
most of the day,” former president George Bush said when enacting his 2003 New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. “While schools are primarily concerned with education, mental health is essential to learning as well as to social and mental development. Because of this important interplay between emotional health and school success, schools must be partners in the mental health care of our children.” But what qualifies as a mental illness? According to the Mayo Clinic, a mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions that affect a person’s mood, thinking, or behavior. It becomes an illness when continual symptoms cause frequent stress and a disturbance in one’s ability to function. According to Dr. Aguillon, teenagers are evaluated and diagnosed based on exhibiting a cluster of symptomatology which together form identifiable patterns affecting emotion, thought, and behavior.
Students with mental illnesses are surrounded with people who are willing to help, such as clubs and counselors.
where to go for help Parents Although it may seem like your parents aren’t able to help, especially when they are nagging you, but your parents hate to see you in pain and will try their best to understand.
Trusted Adult If talking to your parent is uncomfortable, there is always an adult who is willing to help and listen to your needs whether it is a counselor or a coach. They will be able to direct you to the support you need.
Hotline
“You are trapped,” Alicia said, “choked to the point where you can’t even breathe or move. And when you’re in school, this cycle of feeling worthless repeats and repeats and repeats until you don’t care anymore. There is no way out. Or so it seems.” A wide variety of resources are available for students suffering from mental disorders. However, not many students are aware of this. “There’s a plethora of resources [provided by the school], but the awareness of them is not that present,” Alicia said. “In my two years here, I’ve met nearly thirty people that have exhibited symptoms, but never sought therapy, and [found] even more [people] when I told my story.” Dr. Aguillon emphasizes the importance of utilizing teachers as a close resource as they are the most easily accessible. According to Dr. Aguillon, good teachers should have enough common sense to recognize a student may have needs or an issue, and then support the student if it is within
their scope or refer the student to a specialist. Jonathan Gunther, history teacher, knows what it is like to live with a mental illness, as he suffers from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). In his classroom, Gunther talks openly about his MDD, according to a previous story by the Wildcat. He hopes to inspire students to overcome their mental illnesses by seeking assistance, whether it is emotional or medical. But, when the issue becomes a bigger problem, students are referred to Dr. Aguillon or the guidance counselors for further help. Alicia finds support and help through her guidance counselor and encourages other students to do the same. Besides providing resources to treat mentally-ill students, the school also takes measures to ensure that the mental health of all students are taken care of.
There are various hotlines for you to call for different causes. If you are uncomfortable will opening up to someone you know, a hotline, such as L.A. crisis line (800-854-7771) can give you advice and encouragement.
Support Group According to mayoclinic.org, support groups bring people dealing with the same issues together. You’re not alone, and talking to others who understand your situation can help you cope.
Club Love On Your Arms Club To Write Love on Your Arms is a club on campus dedicated for those with mental illnesses. However, anyone is invited to support peers. In the club, students discuss different struggles, like stress, and give advice. Go to room 108 for more information about joining the club.
See page 26 March 2015 THE WILDCAT 19
(top left to bottom right) preschoolers hide underneath playset to escape the sun; female lion laying down in the grass; heard of elephants cooling off at a mud hole; African women carry their groceries in bags on their heads; photo of Roark and child; Camps Bay beach, Cape Town.
SERVING IN THE SAFARI Hannah Roark, junior, traveled to Johannesburg, in South Africa, for a mission trip with her church. Roark’s outlook on life was transformed as she realized that happiness comes from the simplest of things. photo and story by HANNAH ROARK // Photographer
Johannesburg 20 THE WILDCAT March 2015
It was hot. The scorching sun seared down on us, unrelenting and cruel, as we remodeled the Kgodiso Preschool Center. I was covered in paint, dirt and sweat. My eyes burned from the dust and chemical fumes. There was little shade and I could feel my skin burn under the blazing sun. Roofs were made of metal and even the small shack-like building lacked the coolness we so desperately needed. I could hear little preschoolers huddled into a small room next door, giggling and laughing as they played with old building blocks and broken cars. It was my first time going to Africa. Lasting fifteen days, this trip was the longest I’d been away from home. Never before had I been so far away from my family. It was terrifying, and unfamiliar and completely out of my comfort zone. And I loved every bit of it. Along with thirteen other volunteers, we went to Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, to work with preschoolers and orphanages, hoping to improve their learning experience and school quality. We repainted, grouted, patched and rebuilt a couple of their preschool centers. The preschools weren’t even really preschools. They were simple houses that had been turned into a day care. The teacher’s had no resources to teach from and the “students” had nothing to learn from. We agreed to surprise the schools with whatever they lacked. In the months prior to the trip, went to garage sales, to used bookstores, and even raided our families’ bookshelves, in search of preschool aged reading books to give the children and the teachers’ academic materials. And every so often, we would meet up to discuss our progress. We even decided to raise money, donating money or putting on garage sales, to give to the schools. In the end, we raised $3750, or 37,500 Rand. With this money, they were able to buy any necessary supplies they may have needed. Sitting on the small crumbling stone wall, I watched the kids run in the dirt, climbing a rusted playground set that was being held together with duct tape. It’s hard for me not to be grateful for my life in America after watching kids—who didn’t even know they were poor—chase each other around in the dirt. It’s different seeing poverty in person than watching a
(top left to bottom right) preschoolers practice their ceremonial dance for graduation; Roark and Nalithando, a preschooler Roark connected with; a local business in the outskirts of Johannesburg; street performers playing in the middle of an African Street Fair; Nalithando, playing on the preschool’s playset commercial about it on TV. 30 to 40 children were in a single ten-by-twelve room where the walls were slathered in mold and mildew and peppered with rat feces, and the floor was missing chunks of cement. Even the preschool sign, a simple wooden slab propped on two wooden stakes, announcing the name and number of the Kgodiso Preschool Center, was in disarray, broken and lying in the dirt. It was unbearably hot, due to the tin roofs, and there was little space to play. The children, along
to do— just run around and be chased. He didn’t mind that he had nowhere to run. He would simply run in circles, happy that someone cared enough to pay attention to him and simply run around with him. There was more to the trip than just helping the preschools. While there, we got a taste of South African culture and history. We became painfully aware of the segregation that still lingers throughout the country. Although racial prejudice has been mostly forgotten, financial
“I came into this trip with a sense of entitlement and selfishness, acting like I was going to change the lives of the kids in Africa, and that I was going to make a difference in the community. But they changed me.” Hannah Roark, sophomore with the few teachers that worked there, shared a single outhouse and washed their hands in a bucket. Hardly anything close to regulations. But to them, that was enough. They didn’t need fancy clothes or even proper toys. They were content with running around in the dirt, playing tag and climbing a rusty old playset. Some kids would gather in a group and dance, or start to sing little songs their teachers taught them. One boy, Nalithando, would come up to me, smile, then run away and wait for me to chase him. That’s all he wanted
prejudice is still a large factor of everyday life. Poverty was very obvious, especially in Johannesburg, You’d drive through town and see a small township, housing little shacks and huts, then right next door, there would be herd of mansions, huge and lumbering, casting a shadow over the tin shacks. The neighborhoods were diverse, containing all shapes and sizes of houses and homes. Owning a car was a luxury, and we’d often get resentful glances from the people walking in the streets. Everywhere we went, South African vendors would bombard us
with trinkets they swore they made themselves. One man even followed out car down the street, running after us, waving his merchandise. They did anything they could to make money, sometimes even taking out the gears and wires from traffic lights, and selling them on the street. The poverty in itself was a whole other experience, something I had only heard about on TV. It was like walking into a parallel universe-nothing was the same as America. The culture, the dynamic society, everything was different. But it just made the trip even more influential. I came into this trip with a sense of entitlement and selfishness, acting like I was going to change the lives of the kids in Africa, and that I was going to change the community, that anything I did would help them because, let’s face it, they had next to nothing. But they changed me. The people of Africa, every single person I met, every person I saw, left me with a sense of hope and humility that I had never experienced before. They may be financially poor, but they were richer than I could ever be. Fifteen days. 360 hours. That’s how long it took for me to completely change my outlook on life. My eyes opened and I began to see everything I took for granted, things as simple as air conditioning, or a bed, or even a toothbrush. I plan on going back, and next time I hope to make as much of a difference in the community as they made in me. March 2015 THE WILDCAT 21
A HELPING HAND Louie Zamora, Life Skills aide, helps Khurrum Elahi, senior, take a picture during his photography class. Aides not only give necessary help to students with disabilities, but also form close relationships with them.
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CAN’T SPELL GUIDANCE WITHOUT
A-I-D-E
Aides provide support to the Special Education Department and to students with disabilities. Not only do they administer educational skills to their students, but they become their friends as well.
SPECIAL EDUCATION FACTS
20
the total number of aides in the BOHS Special Education Department.
by STACY UHM / / Feature Co-Editor
lex Arellano, Life Skills aide, walks beside and a t t e n d s classes with Khurrum Elahi, senior, experiencing the background noise of teenagers chattering, papers shuffling and backpacks being zipped open and closed. Yet he also becomes used to the sound of a creaking elevator and the mechanical hum of Elahi’s wheelchair as he provides both academic and social support. Due to this constant closeness throughout the day, Arellano, and other Special Education aides, develop a close bond with their students. In class, aides work in small groups or one-on-one with students with disabilities to help with reading, writing, math, and other subjects. Not only do the aides have the academic knowhow to tutor their students, but Kristy Ettinger, Life Skills teacher, states that they are also “caring,” “flexible,” and “full of enthusiasm.” According to Jeff Weber, Life Skills teacher, aides are similar to “chameleons,” as they are able to easily blend into any situation that they may be presented with. Some days, aides may have three to four different classes to go to with different students. “Their preparation time is probably their biggest disadvantage. They don’t have the planning or preparation that the teacher has, but all the same class responsibilities as far as meeting students’ needs. It’s like they are doing an improv on stage. It’s not easy, but they do a great job,” Weber said.
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Aides are also able to give help other than educational guidance. Louie Zamora, Life Skills aide and Elahi’s morning aide, and Arellano, Elahi’s afternoon aide, support Elahi by carrying him in and out of his wheelchair, navigating a sometimesmalfunctioning elevator, opening doors for him, helping him use his tablet, and much more. Aside from having and fulfilling duties as an aide, their relationships “really become more than just an aide and student relationship,” Arellano said. “We actually have a personal relationship. We’re more like friends. We have a good time and share a lot of laughs. Khurrum is more than somebody I help. He’s really someone special to me. He’s my friend. With this guy, there is never a dull moment. There’s always funny happenings or stories that we laugh about.” The Special Education program consists of three departments: the Resource Department, Special Day Class (SDC), and Life Skills. According to Weber, students in the Resource Department are considered to have “mild” conditions (students in this department are in general education classes but receive extra support at the learning center), while SDC students have “moderate” conditions (students in this department take their core academic classes in a Special Education class), and Life Skills students have “severe” and “cognitive disabilities,” such as autism and Down syndrome, according to Weber. The Life Skills class utilizes 14 total aides (by comparison, the
Resource Department and SDC have six aides in total). Each aide is paired up with a student or group of students to administer help—such as helping them get along and helping them with social skills at school and even at restaurants and local shops—during the Life Skills class and other academic and elective classes of the students with disabilities. Because of the different levels of abilities in the Special Education program, it would be “difficult” for a single teacher to teach all students in one class with the same pace. Therefore, the aides are there for those who need the material to be broken down and made “more accessible,” according to Weber. “What we’re trying to do is to provide everyone with education at their level. We might have a first grade level student in our class, and so we would work with them for them to go to the second grade level,” Weber said. The Special Education teachers adjust the reading level of high school curricula to the appropriate level of their students by finding different versions of the work or making it themselves. Assessments are then taken by the student and their education level is examined for improvement. However, there is no set test that officially advances the student’s education level. “I can’t wait to see [students’] further developments and growth because [my favorite part of being an aide] is seeing the kids. I absolutely love every one of these kids. I love their talents. I think their ability is amazing,” Nicolee Leonard, Life Skills aide, said.
IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) ensures the rights of students with disabilities by providing free and appropriate public education.
California has the most IDEA children and students aged 3-21.
702,000 is roughly the amount of special education students in California each year.
44,633
is the number of special education students enrolled in Orange County. edsource.org, febp.newamerica.net, parentcenterhub.org
March 2015 THE WILDCAT 23
MOTIVATION from
LIMITATION Danyal Khurrum Elahi, senior, must use a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy. Despite some limitations, he does not feel the challenges he faces are difficult. He is motivated by his dream to be able to walk and work for ESPN. by DANYAL KHURRUM ELAHI / / Staff Writer
Hi.
My name is Danyal Khurrum Elahi. I’m 17-years old and I was born with a disability called cerebral palsy (CP), a group of permanent movement problems caused by damage to the motor control centers of the brain. I may be in a wheelchair, but I’m just like everyone else. I don’t care what other people may think because my life in a wheelchair is not difficult at all. I am Muslim and I pray five times a day. During Ramadan we fast for 30 days. It is hard because I get hungry all day and have to wait until 7 a.m. to eat. There are a lot of rules to follow, just like school. On school days, I get up at 5:40 a.m. and my cousin, Mikael Kurshed, gets me out bed. Mikael is like my older brother. He helps me with my problems. He is also a really good role model.
‘‘
period class and I love my zero to fifth period schedule because I like getting home at 1:45 p.m. everyday. I love that I start my day in photography. Mr. Vierra, my photography teacher, understands my disability. I use a tripod to take pictures. I like taking pictures of BOHS and sporting events. I find it enjoyable and I can be creative. This is Elahi’s second year of photography class. He enjoys taking classes that allow him to tap into his creative side, like Newspaper and Drama. After photography, I go to my first and second period Life Skills class. I stand in my stander. It is equipment that helps me stretch and strengthen my legs. Jeff Weber and Kristy Ettinger are my Life Skills teachers. They have done a fantastic
I don’t care what other people may think, my life in a wheelchair is not difficult at all.” DANYAL KHURRUM ELAHI, senior
I want to be caring, responsible and independent just like him. Elahi lives with his uncle, AJ Aziz, and Mikael, who helps him to get ready every morning. Aziz is Elahi’s role model, and he inspires his nephew to work hard in school and to “keep moving forward.” It’s not hard at all to get up in the morning. After washing up, my cousin carries me downstairs and puts me in my wheelchair. Then I go to the bus and I get on it by a wheelchair lift. I get to school at 6:45 a.m. My aide, Louie Zamora, meets me at the bus. This is my first year taking a zero
24 THE WILDCAT March 2015
job with the Life Skills class. During Life Skills, Elahi uses his iPad to complete his work. Elahi is “proud” to be a part of the Life Skills program. He feels that some students on campus may be afraid of the special education students, but that they should know that the students are “really friendly.” Life Skills students go on communitybased instruction (CBI) field trips to know the community and learn how to be independent, and we do travel training on the Orange County Travel Authority (OCTA) bus, where we learn how to take the city bus.
On a recent CBI field trip to IHOP, the students practiced eating with utensils. The Life Skills students also go on job training trips, such as their recent trip to the restaurant Islands. Although Elahi enjoys field trips, he prefers to be at school so that he can stay on top of his work. During snack and lunch, I hang out with my friends Alex Garcia and Sanjit Venkatrakumar, seniors. I’m happy to have two really good friends. They are a really a big part of my life and always help me out when I have a problem. They are always there for me and are really true friends. I really enjoy my school day because of them. They make me smile. We hang out on the weekends and talk about sports, like our favorite team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and television shows like “Spongebob.” We ask each other about our days and important things like our families. During his free time at school, Elahi also meets with his cousin, Shifa Kurshed, freshman. Elahi tries to be a role model for Kurshed, and the cousins “have each other’s backs.” When Kurshed started high school, Elahi told her to not be nervous, since he would “look out for her.” After snack, I go to my third period with Alex Arellano, my instructional aide. Mr. Alex and I take the elevator to Newspaper. Being in Newspaper inspires me to write about things that happen at school. My dream job is in sports journalism or sports broadcasting for ESPN’s Sports Center. I’m very happy to be the first special education student to be in Newspaper. Alex Koers, Newspaper adviser, is an outstanding teacher. After Newspaper, I go to Drama. It is a really interesting class. We practice scenes. We are given multiple acting assignments like being afraid, being a superhero, or being a new kid in school. It is Elahi’s second year in the drama program. His fifth period class is Special Day Class (SDC) U.S. History, taught by Justin Villaseñor. Elahi’s favorite U.S. History topic is the Civil War, and he enjoyed working on the “character project” that went along with the lesson. I really enjoy high school. My senior year is great. After high school, I plan on attending High Hopes. This facility is a place where people with physical disabilities go for rehabilitation. I am looking forward to being in the High Hopes program. High Hopes is a physical disability transition program located in Tustin. At the facility, Elahi looks forward to using the robotic machines so that he is able to walk one day. My message to you, Brea Olinda class of 2015, is don’t be a afraid of your future. I wish everyone the best of luck.
(top) Elahi and his aide, Alex Arellano, listen to a lecture in U.S. History. Elahi laughs at his teacher’s jokes. (middle) Elahi uses the iPad to research and write because holding a pencil is difficult. (bottom) Elahi and his aid, Louie Zamora, work together during Life Skills on the stander.
(top) Elahi and Arellano read a script in Drama. In the play, Elahi plays a varsity football player in a scene about the nominees for Homecoming king and queen. (middle) Elahi works in his Life Skills class on the stander. (bottom) Elahi’s creativity is expressed in his photography.
(top) Elahi stretches his legs on the stander during his two periods of Life Skills. (bottom) Elahi gets onto a school bus through a lift, which allows him to use his mechanical wheelchair, rather than having to switch to a manual wheelchair. photos by ETHAN AHN
March 2015 THE WILDCAT 25
from PAGES 18-19
Join the Wildcat!
Mental Health
According to Jena Muhr, Aguillon’s intern, the guidance counselors ensure students are mentallyfit to handle school during Orientation Day over the summer. Muhr also states that every school is federally required to have a psychologist on staff for the school community. But getting help doesn’t necessarily mean help from psychologists and counselors. Studentrun activities like To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) club also provides emotional support and help to those in need. According to Melody Kim, senior and TWLOHA president, the club works to raise awareness about various mental disorders such as depression, eating disorders, and self-harm, and also promotes suicide prevention. They strive to create a friendly environment where members can feel safe and comfortable. “I think people have learned more about [mental health] topics [through our club]. What may seem not that big has bigger consequences,” Kim said. “February was Eating Disorder Awareness Month, and I think that’s one of the biggest problems people have with everyone being subconscious of their bodies and going on diets that could ultimately damage your body.” Another resource aimed at supporting the mental health of students is You Matter Week, organized by Link Crew. Held in December, the annual You Matter Week strives to make every student on campus feel wanted and appreciated. Link Crew members sponsor Compliment Grams, in which students can anonymously write compliments to other students. They also write every student’s name on a cut-out paw print and post them around the school. “I hope that the student body will learn or at least understand that this subject is not taken lightly and that nobody needs to resort to taking their life,” Alexis Camacho, junior and TWLOHA club member, said. “They need to know that they matter.” As for Alicia, who is also an honors and AP student, her fight against depression and anxiety inside the classroom environment will remain an important factor of her academic and personal life. “Don’t get me wrong, I have the most phenomenal teachers and staff, friends that make me feel a little less worthless, and as many books as I want,” Alicia said. “But the thing is, it’s really overwhelming even for those who are not in AP/ honors classes. The so-called ‘cure’ to depression is different as it isn’t a math equation, or some pill more times than not. It’s treating yourself and rediscovering all emotion after its absence. Help is always out there, but suicide is never the answer.” 26 THE WILDCAT March 2015
Your award-winning Wildcat newsmagazine is looking for new staff members! This UC-approved elective seeks curious, creative, and passionate individuals...in other words, YOU!
For more information, email: bohs.wildcat.newspaper@gmail.com
Positions available... Staff Writer
Photographer
Hey Wildcats! If you are interested in joining, you can pick up an application from room 201. By taking the class, you get to meet new people and cooperate with the entire staff to create shiny colorful magazines thoughout the whole year!
Illustrator
Editor
illustrations by BETTY LEE
photos by MICHAEL CHO and APRIL SANTONIL
BEHIND THE SCENES
ADVANCED FOODs
Top: DAVID ROBBINS, DAVID ALMANZA, JORDEN BROWN and JUDE PRIVRATSKY, senior, make Florida Key Lime Pie in Advanced Foods. In class, students are able to prepare, bake, cook, and taste their own creations. They often share their creations with lucky teachers who act as taste-testers. Middle: TYFFANIE SHERMAN, sophomore, and ELAINA LEE, senior, learn to stuff peaches into their Alabama Fried Peach Pie before baking them. These pastries are folded into half-moon shapes. They are then cooked in fat to create a crispy edge. Bottom: BAILEY GRUBBS, sophomore, BOSTON HUNT and CHRISTINA LEE, seniors, create, bake, and slice customized pizzas. While tossing the pizza dough and carefully handling hot food, the Advanced Foods students practice their budding culinary skills.
March 2015 THE WILDCAT 27
“Success finds a way, failure finds an excuse.”
FAME READY Following another successful show season, the United Choirs of Brea made their way to FAME Nationals in Orlando, Fla. on March 14. Under the direction of Dave Willert, Doug Kuhl, Kurt Nielsen, and Eric Hendrickson, Masquerade and Thundercats placed first in four competitions this season, and Spellbound first and second in two competitions, setting the stage for their Florida performances. compiled by CHARLOTTE KIM // A&E Co-Editor photos courtesy of TOM FULLER
28 THE WILDCAT March 2015
photos by RACHEL LIN, BRANDON YUN and JESSICA YIM
by JEAN PARK // Staff Writer
InstaSweets
Meet Instagram, where many choose to share their life through filtered pictures. Wildcat staff member, Jean Park saw many popular recurring pictures of frozen desserts on her IG feed. She decided to try these frozen treats with soaring expectations to see if they were truly Instagram-worthy.
Popbar
HoneyMee
Frostbites
Creamistry
440 S Anaheim Blvd Anaheim
18180 Colima Rd Rowland Heights
11304 South St. Ceritos
3972 Barranca Pkwy Irvine
Popbar is gelato molded onto a Popsicle stick with various options of customization. Popbar offers customizing options such as different flavors, chocolates, and toppings ranging from almonds and pistachios to waffle bits. I ordered green tea gelato, drizzled with dark chocolate with almonds pressed into one side and coconut shavings on the other side. When first handed the gelato, I was mesmerized by the beauty of the Popbar. However, the beauty could not justify the price and flavor. It was creamy, with the sweetness of the green tea flavor balanced out by the dark chocolate and crunch of the almonds and coconut. However, I quickly grew sick of the treacly green tea taste. The dessert itself was messy to eat, as the toppings fell and the gelato quickly melted, resulting in sticky fingers and wasted food. Overall, I was sorely disappointed with Popbar, as it was over-priced and overhyped.
Honeymee offers “true milk” ice cream with variations of honey, chocolate, or honeycomb as a topping. The name “true milk” confused me, as I tasted no difference between this and vanilla ice cream. My order came out quickly--a small cup filled with ice cream and a small ice cube-sized honeycomb piece on top with a bit of honey oozing out. The thick honey hardened on the cold ice cream, which quickly melted into a milk-like texture. The honeycomb disintegrated on the tongue, leaving a waxy textured residue that resembled eraser shavings. The downside of Honeymee ice cream was its small size, yet pricey tab. It also melted too quickly and the honeycomb residue was not pleasant. Once the small honeycomb was eaten the remaining true milk ice cream was not special, However, the honey and ice cream complimented each other nicely, and I would be willing to try it again.
Frostbites is sorbet shop with an option of vanilla or chocolate soft serve ice cream to complement the Italian ice. After careful deliberation and multiple samples, I ordered lychee, mango, sour apple, strawberry sorbet with vanilla ice cream, which was rich and had a velvety consistency. There was a vast selection of Italian ice ranging from fruits to peanut butter, and they all perfectly resembled the flavors that they claimed to be. When both were put on one spoon, the results blew my taste buds away. The icy, flavorful sorbet mixed with the thick ice cream was a creamy concoction. My favorite part about Frostbites were the friendly employees who allowed me to sample various flavors before deciding. There is no limit to how many flavors you can combine in one cup, and all mixtures resulted in a complimentary cold dessert. I would return to Frostbites at any given opportunity, due to its affordability and taste.
Creamistry is a unique ice cream shop that utilizes liquid nitrogen to freeze their ice cream mixture. Creamistry claims that this technique keeps the milk particles stay very small, creating an ultra-smooth dessert. When the nitrogen is added, the low temperature causes a billowing cloud of white, cold air stemming from the machine, resulting in a thick, heavy ice cream. There are many sizes, bases, flavors, and toppings that it is hard to choose. I ordered the coffee flavor with Heath bars in a brownie bowl despite the extra fee. The ice cream went down smoothly while the flavor captured exactly what it claims to be. The extra charges were easily forgiven as the brownie came out hot and moist while the Heath bar added a crunch to the smooth ice cream. Overall, Creamistry had top quality ice cream, and I would return after carefully budgeting my money to afford this expensive nitrogen ice cream.
Rating:
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Rating: March 2015 THE WILDCAT 29
lready showcasing Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter on ABC, Marvel will release Daredevil (and then a slew of other Marvel properties...see sidebar) on Netflix on April 10. Marvel’s Daredevil stars the blind lawyer Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), who has a unique trait: extraordinary senses. During the day, Murdock fights injustice as a lawyer, and during the night, he fights crime as the masked hero Daredevil on the violent streets of New York’s Hell’s Kitchen. Daredevil originates from the comic series, Daredevil, released in 1964. In the comics, Murdock becomes blind due to radioactive waste, and learns martial arts to seek revenge against the Fixers, who killed his father. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., currently in its second season, features Agent Phil Coulson, (Clark Gregg), who assembles agents from S.H.I.E.L.D., a worldwide law enforcement organization, including Agents Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), Melinda May
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small world, big universe Already a huge success in theaters, the Marvel Universe will expand to Netflix this Spring. by JACOB NAM // Staff Writer illustration by JESSICA YIM
(Ming-Na Wen), Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker), and Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge). However, a decisive battle against the evil organization HYDRA causes trouble by interrupting S.H.I.E.L.D.’s duty to restore peace. In season two, Agent Coulson is chosen to be Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents Fitz, Simmons, and Skye rejoin Coulson, and Lance Hunter, a talented sharp shooter, is recruited. Finally, S.H.I.E.L.D. is back and ready for redemption. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. reveals a connection to the comic book, Nick Fury, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., portraying Skye and her father (Kyle MacLachlan) as Daisy Johnson and Dr. Calvin Zabo, also known as Quake and Hyde. In the comic books, Hyde, a scientist, has a daughter, Quake, and in the show, Skye reunites with her father, Dr. Zabo, also a scientist. Agent Carter was inspired by movies such as Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The show is set in 1946, when Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley
Atwell) is working for the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) and is stuck inside her office instead of fighting villains. She is finally tasked by Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) to track down deadly inventions that were stolen from him. Carter takes a risk and agrees to help Stark, but if she is caught, she will be known as a traitor to the SSR and serve her life in prison. Agent Carter uses the comics of Captain America, created in 1941, to portray Carter, in which she is the lover of Captain America. The show continues on her life without Captain America and displays Agent Carter as a strong-willed and courageous agent working for the SSR. Agent Carter also uses the idea of a female avenger, such as the Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson in the Avengers films), to show the presence of a female lead, according to screenrant.com. There is currently an unprecedented number of heroes on TV, and Marvel fans especially are being treated to the stories of their favorite characters.
MEET THE HEROES On their journey to the silver screen, Marvel’s superheroes have stayed true to their comic book origins.
sources: CoverBrowser NewKadia
DAREDEVIL
JESSICA JONES
LUKE CAGE
PEGGY CARTER
IRON FIST
ALIAS: Matthew Murdock POWERS: Superhuman senses, radar sense that forms a mental picture of surroundings, detective, tracker, marksman, interrogator, acrobat, martial artist, gymnast PARNERSHIPS: Black Widow, Elektra UNUSUAL FEATURE: blind
ALIASES: Knightress, Madeline, Jewel, Power Woman POWERS: Superhuman strength and durability, flight, psionic protection OCCUPATION: vigilante, private detective, superhero consultant at The Daily Bugle AFFILIATIONS: Avengers, Alias Investigations
ALIASES: Power Man, Mark Lucas, Hero for Hire, Ace of Spades POWERS: Superhuman strength, accelerated healing, durability, stamina, unbreakable skin, street fighting, hand-to-hand combat UNUSUAL FEATURE: Cage’s leather jacket impervious to injury
ALIAS: Margaret “Peggy” Carter OCCUPATION: Former communications specialist, spy, resistance fighter AFFILIATIONS: Captain America, Avengers Support Crew, S.H.I.E.L.D., French Resistance, O.S.S., S.S.R.
ALIASES: Daniel Thomas Rand, Daredevil, The Living Weapon, Young Dragon POWERS: The Iron Fist, telepathic mind fusion, martial arts AFFILIATIONS: Daniel Rand temporarily posed as Daredevil to prove to the public that Murdock was not the vigilante.
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April 10, 2015
2015
TBD
TBD
TBD
REVIEW
A
Asian Americans can now rejoice in their representation on network TV. ABC’s new family comedy, Fresh Off the Boat follows the story of second-generation Taiwanese-American Eddie and his family as they attempt to start a business after moving from Washington, D.C. to central Florida. Based on chef Eddie Huang’s memoir of the same name, the show deals not only with racial issues and culture shock, but also traditional, and even non-traditional, family conflicts. Perhaps that is what makes this show such a milestone for Asian representation on American television. Its depiction of racial issues is as subtle as its title, but its humor is not solely dependent on stereotypes and generalizations. At first glance, the show seems to rely on
to my sister’s love of country music. But they also became quiet when a boy made fun of Eddie’s worms for lunch and thought of times when our neighbors would come over with freshly-picked oranges and we would return the favor with a bowl of adobo and rice. Growing up as a second-generation, I remember refusing to eat longganisa and tanola for dinner because someone at school had corn dogs for lunch, so I wanted to eat corn dogs too. I remember how I begged my mother to buy more Chef Boyardee cans and less pancit canton packages. I wanted more American food. And with Fresh Off the Boat, these secondgeneration experiences are handled with care. It provides both perspectives of a culture shock and it leaves it to the viewers to judge what really goes on when kids are exposed to diversity. The timing of the show’s launch could not have come at a more appropriate time. The last show to focus on an Asian American aired 20
Sailing into the mainstream ABC turns Taiwanese chef Eddie Huang’s memoir into Fresh Off the Boat, the first show to feature Asian Americans in twenty years. by ANABEL KING // Opinion Editor
the Asian American family as the butt of the joke, with a stereotypical mother who isn’t satisfied with her children getting straight A’s or a grandmother whose broken English makes for hilarious subtitles. But the show fleshes out its characters and breaks down those stereotypes, emphasizing an Asian child’s love of hip-hop or a mother’s impeccable aim with an onion. When my family (a mix of Chinese and Filipino) gathered to watch the show’s first two episodes, they squealed with glee at the thought of witnessing the launch of an Asian Americancentered show. That’s all they focused on. The name didn’t bother them, the over-the-top accents didn’t bother them. They saw Asian actors on the screen that for once weren’t starring in a Filipino soap opera or mouthing off Chinese one-liners directly to the camera. This was modern. This was in HD. This was in America! And as the episode progressed, there were moments of laughter and there were moments of empathy. They compared Eddie’s love of hip-hop
years ago, starring Margaret Cho in All-American Girl (coincidentally cancelled in 1995, the same year that Fresh is set in). But in terms of a TV show promoting racial diversity, Fresh Off the Boat fits right in. Unfortunately, it has been moved to ABC’s Tuesday slot, not included in the network’s Wednesday night comedy line-up. Instead, it has been dragged away from the varsity family shows, and plopped onto Tuesday night as the only comedy, with no popular lead-in show, in the same time slot that ultimately killed ABC’s Selfie. Fresh Off the Boat is an important show. A family sitcom that can flawlessly execute racial and social issues, yet doesn’t solely derive humor from those said issues, is vital in stressing the vast lack of minority representation in the television industry. So for a show like Fresh to enforce this lack of representation, the stakes are even higher for it to succeed, and its content is more than willing to prove its worth.
OUR FAVORITE FINCH RETURNS
On July 14, the sequel to 1960’s To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, will debut. by CHARLOTTE KIM // A&E Editor
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the author weaves a tale of racial inequality in the small town of Maycomb through the innocent eyes of Scout Finch. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is still hugely relevant, and after fifty years since the book was first published, Lee continues to change prejudiced hearts in our society with a follow-up. Shocking the literary world, Lee announced a sequel called Go Set a Watchman, anticipated to debut on July 14. Upon her announcement, Lee shared that this new book will have even deeper ancient, historical roots than Mockingbird. After reading the manuscript for Mockingbird, Lee’s editor asked her to write it in the view of Scout as a child (finding the character’s flashbacks to be intriguing), as opposed to the perspective of Scout as a woman. According to Lee, “I was a first-time writer, so I did as I was told.” After fleshing out major sections of the manuscript, Lee forgot about the book...until this year, when her friend Tonja Carter stumbled across it. With some consideration, she decided to publish the 304page novel without any revisions. At first, Lee confided to her cousin that she did not write after her first novel came out because she believed that her success for the second novel would mirror the first. The 88-year-old recently revoked her decision and, as her publisher says, “[Lee] is alive and kicking and happy as hell with the reactions of Watchman.” Since the ailing Lee released the sequel decades after the first novel, her estate’s motives have been questioned. Some critics, such as the New Yorker and Chicago Tribune, claim that she is being exploited by her publisher. They support their assumptions with evidence that Lee is supposedly helpless and frail because she lives in an assisted-living facility. Most optimistic viewers believe that despite her age and declining health, she solely and independently made the decision to publish her book. And whatever she writes will indeed be a gold mine of lessons and hope, just like the beloved To Kill a Mockingbird. March 2015 THE WILDCAT 31
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PERFORMING ARTS
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SPOTLIGHTS
compiled by ASTYR KO and CHARLOTTE KIM photos by MICHAEL CHO and RACHEL LIN
Drumline comes as a difficult yet worthwhile experience. According to director Tony Nguyen, their motto is “Work hard, play hard.” Melody Kim Pit Captain What are your inspirations? My inspirations for music are Drum Corps International and Winter Guard International. I watch YouTube videos on them and see how each ensemble performs. Always inspired by the hard work and passion they put into performing, I dream of joining one of these professional groups and playing with the same passion they display on stage. What will you be looking forward to most during competition season? There’s a rush that you get when you play in front of an audience. That nervousness before the show, the energy as the music builds up to the climax, and the tension releasing as you roll out of the gym reflecting on the show you just performed. I love the feeling of playing a great run and being proud of your hard work pay off. What advice do you have for new Drumline members? Join only if you’re going to put in hard work.You may have heard how fun it is to be in drumline, 32 THE WILDCAT March 2015
but in order to be able to do crazy things, you have to earn it through hard work. Put your best effort into everything. Through the bruises, cuts, sprains and tears, you’ll make make memories that will last a lifetime. What are your post high school plans? I’m majoring in Biochemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. I am considering minoring in music, but if that does not happen, I hope to join a nearby Winter Guard or Drums Corp International percussion group to get the experience of performing in a group again.
“Work hard,
play hard.”
MELODY KIM and SAMMIE KO, seniors, both share a love for the beauty of music. With Drumline, they strengthen their leadership skills set in a background of artistic creativity and fun.
Sammie Ko Drum Captain What are your inspirations? It sounds dorky, but there are professional competitive leagues for marching bands and drumlines. The first time I watched Riverside City College’s Indoor Drumline perform, I fell in love. How has Drumline influenced you? I hear rhythms everywhere. When I listen to music on the radio, I zero in on the drumset in the background. That’s all I hear sometimes. I’m also really used to working with many different people up to this point, and I’ve pretty much lost my anxiety to perform. What is the most challenging part of Drumline? It’s always hard getting all the parts to click together just right, especially when there’s a sound lag between the front ensemble and the people who are marching. The music is always difficult, but it sounds
amazing when it’s done correctly so I guess that’s why it’s worth it. What has been your most rewarding experience? At the end of every season, when we can finally put together a beautifully clean show; that is one of the best feelings in the world. There’s the hush of the audience when they’re enthralled and the grins we can’t keep off our faces near the end of the performance. It’s an amazing moment to share together with everyone.
JAKE MILES Woodwind Seargant What is the most challenging part about band, and why? The most challenging part about band is pushing yourself to practice on your own even when you really don’t want to, since everybody needs it no matter how good they are. Which song in band has been your favorite to perform, and why? My favorite song to perform in band has been In the Mood, a song we’ve played in jazz band every year. It’s really challenging and fun and I really enjoy playing it. What other instruments do you play? I also play piano, guitar, and some flute. My interest in instruments other than the saxophone started when my parents got me a keyboard for Christmas when I was 14, and I liked playing it so much that I wanted to learn as many other instruments as I could.
What marching band competitions has band perform in? How did it feel to win first place? We compete at other high schools against other high schools from the state. Winning first place is a really rewarding experience, since it shows us what all our hard work really leads to. What is a typical week of a band member? A week typically consists of a four hour marching rehearsal on Tuesday, playing at football games on Friday, and having another rehearsal and then a competition on Saturday, not to mention playing every day during the band period. What was your proudest moment in band? My proudest moments in band have been playing in concerts and hearing the crowd cheer for the band. We play for entertainment value and not for a score, so we enjoy it more ourselves, and to hear the audience appreciate the music is a really cool feeling.
What kind of duties do you have as band president? I hold meetings with the band council to decide things like band member of the month, and I also organize things like band bonfires, the Christmas party, and the band banquet at the end of the year.
My most embarrassing moment in band was when I was the only freshman on a jazz band trip and the other kids pulled a really horrible prank on me that made me cry. What will you miss most about band? I’m going to miss the people the most. I’ve gotten to know a lot of really cool people in band that I’ve shared some great memories with, and I’m going to be sad when I leave them. What are your post high school plans? My post high school plans are to attend Cal State Fullerton and major in music composition.
With every student committing their time and effort to rehearsals and playing music ranging from the Blues to Latin, they hope to surpass last year’s success. inspiration? My inspirations are jazz musician Dexter Gordon and rock band Fleetwood Mac because they show me that I may be able to inspire people with music the way they have with me.
What advice do you have for new band members? New band members should try to get to know as many band people as they can, because friends make it a lot more fun and motivate you. Who is your
What is your most embarrassing moment from band?
Senior JAKE MILES, gives an inside look at the life of a band member. The musician shares how his passion for music started and his plans to continue playing after high school. March 2015 THE WILDCAT 33
T
TRENDS
Pick me up pick up lines
Have a crush on a cute guy or girl in class? Or looking for a way to make your friend laugh? The Wildcats is here to help. Try out one of these pick up lines to break the ice. illustrations by BETTY LEE & JESSICA YIM photos by BRANDON YUN & ETHAN AHN Jeremy Mattern lit. teacher “Girl, you must be tired because you’ve been running through my mind all day.”
Brandon Yang senior “If I had a star for every time you brightened my day, I would have a galaxy in my hand.”
Hee Hwang senior
Lorenzo Casas senior
Nadia Fox french teacher
Maddy Kim junior
Chloe Pena freshman
“When I first saw you, I looked for a signature, because every masterpiece has one.”
“Are you a 90 degree angle? Because you are looking right!”
“Have you ever wanted to be a dad to five children?”
“You smell like trash, so let me take you out.”
“Are you Swedish? Because you are the sweetest thing ever.”
Rickey Torres sophomore
Jaclyn Fairchild senior
Candace Ko freshman
Brian Morck junior
Ellie Smith senior
“Did you fart? Because you blew me away.”
“Can I borrow a kiss? I promise I’ll give it back.”
“If you were a potato, you would be a hot potato.”
“Are you Ariel? Because I think mermaid for each other.”
“Do you have a raisin? How about a date?”
Alex Lee senior
Franco Ciccarello
Julia Lee junior
Susan Luce lit. teacher
Dimitri Ohler freshman
“Your name is not Sully, but you can still be my Boo.”
“If I told you that you had a nice body, would you hold it against me?”
“If you were a tropical fruit you’d be a fine-apple.”
“Do you go to the gym? Because I think you and I can work out!”
34 THE WILDCAT March 2015
graphics teacher
“You must be a traffic ticket because you have ‘fine’ written all over you.”
HEALTH
STAYING ON TRACK Several teachers compete against each other in the Fitbit challenge by walking 10,000 steps a day.
H
Going the
Distance Doan reviews Charity Miles, an app that encourages users to walk, run, or bike and earn money for preferred charities
by CELESTE ROH // Staff Writer
by Angelica Doan // Staff Writer
STEPPING UP: Wade Cormier walks around the track for the Fitbit challenge // photo by BRANDUN YUN
I
n an effort to advocate and maintain healthy lifestyles, a dozen BOHS teachers have been participating in a fitness walking challenge since January using the Fitbit step tracker. Although there are no specific rules or winners in this friendly competition, teachers work to “outwalk” each other while keeping an eye on their progress using the Fitbit app which sets a daily goal of 10,000 steps. In order to increase their step count, some teachers walk to work, park farther away from places, or spend their sixth period walking around the track. “I have started walking to school twice a week, which is about a seven-mile round trip, since I live in Fullerton,” Jonathan Gunther, history teacher, said. The mobile app digitally records the number of steps taken that week, so teachers can “friend” each other to keep track of who is in the lead, encourage others to join, and maintain bragging rights. These teachers have been continuing their
In the Lead
A tally of several teachers participating in the Fitbit challenge, and who has taken the most steps so far. From left, Amy Welch, Jennifer Cormier, Jonathon Gunther, Wade Cormier, Gil Rotblum
walk-a-thon with great dedication. Jill Matyush, psychology and government teacher, has a total step count of ____. Many others who have started later are catching up to the earlier participants. Gil Rotblum, history teacher and swim coach, started over Valentine’s week and already has an estimated total count of about 132,000 steps. Usually in the lead, Gunther’s step count is over 720,000 steps(must update again), which is equivalent to 360 miles. Although the teachers are participating in order to have fun while exercising, some have been participating in order to fulfill their individual goals. Amy Welch, biology teacher, has been doing the challenge in order to train for a half marathon. Gunther originally began in order to lose weight after an appointment with his doctor. “We’re all just trying to be healthier and maintain control of our weight by getting more physical activity during the day. Hopefully, there is no end date to this challenge so everyone c a n continue to exercise and be fit,” Wade Cormier, chemistry teacher, said.
Want to help a charity and get into shape? Charity Miles, a free app that enables users to donate money to charity by walking, biking, or running, is available through both the Apple Store and Google Play. Charity Miles gives users an incentive to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle, a win-win situation for the charity and the user of the app. The app gives the user the option to join or create a team, so the fundraiser can see everybody’s results. According to PC Magazine, the app raised over $300,000 in its first year (2013). If an athlete wants to run inside, but they’re tired of just looking at a treadmill they should try using the Virtual Runner app, available at the Apple Store. It has courses, such as the Boston Marathon, displayed on a phone or iPad screen. The display will adjust to the runner’s speed for a more realistic experience. This app is helpful to prepare for a race, since users can see the course before running it. Zombies, Run! makes running more fun. It’s an app available at the Apple Store that makes running a game. This app motivates people by having them outrun zombies that are chasing them. Zombies, Run! also supplies sound effects to evoke one of the user’s senses to make their adrenaline flow. It keeps track of the user’s runs, who can share them with people, and make stories out of their runs. Couch to 5K has virtual coaches, who speak to help prepare a person to run a 5K without any previous running experience. This app is enabled with GPS, to track the distance and pace of runs. It also has a graph so people can track their progress throughout training. This app works best if used for 30 minutes a day three times a week for nine weeks. March 2015 THE WILDCAT 35
McDonald’s
Milestone by MATTHEW MOON // Sports Co-Editor illustration by JESSICA YIM
photo by MICHAEL CHO
Cheers for Chipotle by ASTYR KO // Feature Co-Editor
The room is dark and dingy. Inside, there are hundreds of “conventionally raised” pigs squeezed into a small pen. Not having enough room to even turn around, pigs squeal as they are injected with antibiotics to prevent them from getting sick. Chipotle Mexican Grill does not support conventionally raised animals. Chipotle’s mission statement, called Food with Integrity, reads “[we are] to find the very best ingredients, raised with respect for the animals, the environment, and the farmers,” according to chipotle.com. This means that Chipotle’s meat sources are naturally raised with grass and exposed to ample sunlight. Chipotle purchases their meat from environmental friendly butchers like the Niman Pork Rich Company. However, in the middle of January, Chipotle found out that one of their carnitas (pork) suppliers violated their mission statement. In order to abide by their own mission statement, Chipotle announced they will stop selling carnitas in more than one third of their 1,600 restaurants, including those in Brea. Geon Lee, sophomore, a fan of carnitas,
agrees with their actions and says that he would rather have no carnitas than have conventionally raised carnitas. “I think it’s pretty cool that they are showing the public how they actually do care about the mistreatment of animals, and they aren’t just a moneymaking business in the restaurant industry. This is an awesome way for them to easily help promote awareness about such issues,” Ashley Chen, senior and president of Club Paw, said. In an article by the Washington Post, Chris Arnold, Chipotle spokesman, claimed that carnitas total to about six percent of all entree orders. Arnold plans to find a way to provide carnitas once again, whether through requesting more carnitas from current suppliers, or to find new ones. Many agree and appreciate Chipotle’s honesty and action to provide quality meat. “Society tells us that eating a pig is fine, but eating a dog would be barbaric. I am overjoyed that Chipotle is taking steps to create a more healthy living,” Breanne Carey, sophomore and vegan, said.
Chipotle announced that they will stop selling carnitas in more than one third of their 1,600 restaurants, including those in Brea.
36 THE WILDCAT March 2015
McDonald’s has joined Chipotle, Panera, and Chick-fil-A in the ranks of regulating its meat product sources. Announced to the public on Mar. 6, the United States-based fast food chain made the decision to refuse to serve chicken raised on antibiotics, according to npr.org, and instead will search for new suppliers who comply to their needs. By doing so, McDonald’s will be one of the few major restaurant chains to ban animals raised on antibiotics, something that the Food and Drug Administration have been emphasizing for years. Other chains such as Five Guys Burgers and Inn-Out have failed to make the commitment as of yet. According pbs.org, antibiotics given to animals can contribute to more quickly adapted and drug-resistant bacteria, which could potentially pose a threat to humans. Also, these drug resistant bacteria could prove to be problematic in future as many of the medicines that we use to cure infections today could be useless on them. But McDonald’s chicken will not be entirely drug-free. The new regulation allows for suppliers to continue to use drugs called ionophores, an antibiotic which is not used to treat humans. The transition to drug-free chicken meat will happen over a course of two years.
nékter by JOY HSIEH // Arts Editor
Walking in, I was immediately surrounded by the smell of fresh fruit, the sound of blenders, and sweaty adults clad in workout gear, eagerly awaiting their post-gym juice fixes. Nekter, a juice-bar chain, serves not only specialty drinks, but also fresh acai bowls, juice cleanses, and other healthy snacks. Located in Brea, friendly employees and quick service makes it a convenient, hassle-free stop. The dark interior however, doesn’t make you want to stay. Luckily, there is plenty of outside seating, which is a wonderful place to enjoy your freshly pressed and blended treats. The Banana Berry Acai Bowl was by far the best item I tried. The base, a mixture of acai, bananas, berries and nut milk, was like frozen yogurt: refreshing, light and creamy. It was topped with granola rolled in agave nectar, a natural sweetener, adding a nice contrast to the subtle tartness of the acai and elevating the overall taste. The bowl was also garnished with sliced bananas, strawberries and blueberries, which enhanced the healthy, fruity look of the bowl and added texture. It was surprisingly substantial, and quickly filled me up.
smoothies
a review
Though I could only taste the bananas at first, the hints of pineapple and coconut butter gave the Acai Tropical Bowl its islandy, summertime feel. This bowl was topped with shredded coconut, agave nectar, and a whole sliced banana. Its brown color initially turned me off, but after a few bites, I forgot all about it. It was harder to believe that the Acai Peanut Butter Bowl was healthy. The blend of acai, bananas, dates, strawberries, and raw vanilla bean cashew nut milk was slightly creamy, and a little chunky. It was topped with bananas and a lot of granola, making the bowl far too sugary for a food that’s supposed to be good for you. It was almost like eating dessert for breakfast, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Berry Banana Smoothie was surprisingly light and airy. However, it was still creamy, probably from the raw vanilla bean cashew nut milk that was blended in with the berries and bananas. It was sweet, but not overwhelmingly so—the berries provided a tartness that kept the smoothie in balance. Sporting a vibrant pink hue, the Pink Flamingo smoothie scared
acai bowls
ACAI PEANUT BUTTER BOWL me at first and I wasn’t sure what to anticipate. Luckily, it wasn’t disgusting, but it wasn’t fantastic either. I later learned that pitaya, the main ingredient, is just a pink variation of dragon fruit. Though it was combined with strawberries, pineapple, coconut water and a touch of agave nectar, the pitaya had the strongest flavor and overshadowed the others. The Greenie juice, however, was very disappointing. Advertised as Nekter’s signature drink, I had expectations that were high—too high, apparently. Though it is composed of parsley, spinach, kale, celery, cucumber, lemon and apple, all I could taste was parsley and celery. It also separated very quickly, leaving a green sludge at the bottom of my cup. Though it could be remixed to restore its original consistency, the separation was quite a turn off. I really wanted to like this drink, but its savory flavor made it difficult to enjoy. At $4.75 for a small drink and at least $6.75 for an acai bowl, Nekter can be a pricey option. However, the bowls are definitely worth the cost. Not only are they healthy, but they’re also delicious and filling.
Berry Banana Burst
This bowl is surprisingly sweet for a supposedly healthy treat. Topped with freshly sliced bananas and a lot of granola, the PB bowl is like dessert for breakfast.
BANANA BERRY BOWL The Banana Berry bowl is one of the best items Nekter has to offer. The crunchy and sweet granola on top compliments the creamy and tart acai base perfectly.
ACAI TROPICAL BOWL This island-inspired bowl with its creamy blend of pineapple, coconut butter, and banana stays to its name. The shredded coconut greatly enhances the bowl’s texture.
must try
Greenie Pink Flamingo
Brea Union Plaza, 2435 E Imperial Hwy, Brea, CA 92821
BANANA BERRY ACAI BOWL
March 2015 THE WILDCAT 37
Snack Attack
Water (Aquafina) Health grade: A Price: $1.25 Calories: 0 Review: According to mayoclinic.org, even a mild dehydration can make an individual feel “tired” due to all systems of the body being dependant on water. It is “important” for one to drink water before being thirsty as thirst is a sign that the body is already heading towards dehydration, according to acefitness.org.
Editors Astyr Ko and Stacy Uhm review the school vending machine and the health content included in the snacks.
Hot Cheeto Puffs Health grade: F Price: $1.00 Calories: 150 Review: According to CBS, Hot Cheetos give adolescents the same brain response as to ones of illicit substances. It also causes many to have gastritis due to its spiciness.
Popcorn Health grade: B Price: $1.00 Calories: 70 Review: While air-popped popcorn is normally unhealthy, the large amount of seasoning with cheese and oil adds to the total fat and calories.
Fantastix Health grade: D Price: $1 Calories: 130 Review: Although Fantastix has less sodium and calories than hot cheeto puffs, it contains trans fat. According to the mayoclinic. org, trans fat is the “worst” type of fat one can eat as it increases the “LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol” in an individual’s body while lowering the “HDL (‘good’) cholesterol” in the body. This will increase one’s risk of heart disease.
Pop Tart Health grade: C Price: $1 Calories: 200 Review: According to livestrong.com, women should intake no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day and men should intake no more than 9 teaspoons. However, one Pop Tart contains 16g of sugar, which is equal to 4 teaspoons of sugar.
Rice Krispie Treat Health grade: B Price: $1.00 Calories: 90 Review: This has vitamins and zero cholesterol. However, there are many simple and healthy ways to make your own to make your own treats.
Cool Ranch Doritos Health grade: D Price: $1.00 Calories: 150 Review: If you’re eating more than 12 pieces of Doritos, then you are eating too much. The Doritos contain controversial artificial flavors and MSG equivalents. The amount of chemicals in the food is not cool.
38 THE WILDCAT March 2015
SPARKLING ICE Health grade: C Price: $1.50 Calories: 0 Review: Sparkling Ice contains a substitute of sugar called sucralose. However, chlorinated compounds like sucralose have been linked to birth defects and cancer because the chemical accumulates in the body. Therefore, it outweighs the benefits of a zero calorie drink.
by ASTYR KO and STACY UHM // Feature Co-Editors infograph by JESSICA YIM // Co-Editor-in-Chief
SPORTS
S
Matyuch Rewarded for Excellence as A.D.
After a past life as a professional coach and athlete, Jill Matyuch, BOHS’ girls’ athletic director has been awarded the Norm MacKenzie Award by the California State Athletic Directors’ Association. by MATTHEW MOON // Sports Co-Editor
A
small, dusty softball field was where Jill Matyuch discovered her lifelong passion for sports as a girl. Now a grown adult teaching Government and Psychology, Matyuch has been awarded the Norm MacKenzie Award for her outstanding performance as the girls’ athletic director. An alumni of the California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), class of ‘90, Matyuch first came to BOHS in 2008 as girls’ softball coach. It was only later that she became a teacher, which she discovered “to be a natural fit.” In 2010, it was announced that Sharon Caperton, the previous girls’ athletic director, was retiring. Due to her love for athletics and sports, Matyuch applied for the job, and was eventually accepted into the position. Upon receiving the news, Matyuch recalled herself being “excited for the new challenge.” Almost five years later on Jan. 23, Matyuch received the Norm MacKenzie Award of Excellence from the CSADA.The award is given annually to athletic directors in California who demonstrate excellence in their profession. Although she “did not know about the award” until she was notified, Matyuch was honored to receive it. She will be formally presented the award at the CSADA Annual Conference in April. “You never really expect recognition, you just
APRIL SANTONIL // Wildcat
“You never really expect recognition, you just go about your business day to [day]. “I’m really honored to be recognized by my colleagues and I’m excited to attend the banquet.” Jill Matyuch
Girls’ Athletic Director
go about your business day to [day],” Matyuch said. “I’m really honored to be recognized by my colleagues, and I’m excited to attend the banquet.” Jeff Weber, Life Skills teacher and former varsity girls’ softball coach, says that Matyuch is “very deserving of [the] award.” “She works super hard to make sure we have the best athletics and she works equally hard for all the sports on campus no matter what it is, from Ladycats to girls’ tennis. She always looks for their best interests and she worked really hard these past two years to help get our league adjusted to get a more competitive balance. She puts the kids first,” Weber said. Before joining the BOHS staff, Matyuch had a successful career as a professional coach, and mentored sports teams at Charter Oak High
School, El Dorado High School, CSUF, Unversity of Texas, Ohio University, and now BOHS. For her outstanding work as a coach, she was awarded the Empire League Coach-of-the-Year honor in 1999 during her time at El Dorado and also received the CIF-Southern Section Division II Coach of the Year award in 1993 at Charter Oak. She was also named the 2003 Speedline/ NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year for her work at Ohio University. In addition to coaching, Matyuch has had experience as a professional athlete. She participated in the discontinued U.S. Olympic Festival five times, in the years 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, and 1995. Throughout her involvement with the festival, she has earned three medals. “I thought it was pretty cool for a basketball player [like me] to be playing in softball and team handball in the Olympic Festival,” Matyuch said. Although her days of competing in largescale competitions are over, Matyuch recalls her experiences as being “a blast.” She also reveals that she does miss one thing about her past, which is coaching for college athletics. “I have a ton of friends in the business and it is sometimes difficult to be on the outside looking in,” Matyuch said. “Nevertheless, I enjoy what I am doing now and I don’t have any plans to leave. I’m pretty happy here at BOHS.” March 2015 THE WILDCAT 39
the track encyclopedia 1 4 6
7 3
8 2
9
5
1. Track and Field
6. Shot Put
Track and field is a spring sport, composed of many events that are categorized in three main groups: running, jumping and throwing. The girls’ track and field coach is Matt Rainwater, world history teacher, while Jeremy Mattern, English teacher, is the boys’ track and field coach. Mattern and Rainwater coach the distance runners, Alan Sherman coaches jumps, and Jesse Guthrie coaches sprints and hurdles. Currently, there is no coach designated for throws. The girls’ distance running captain is Meredith Lehman, sophomore, and Kailani Talag, junior, is the captain for throws. Also, Alyssa Rifillato, senior, is the captain for girls’ sprints. Alex Martinez, senior, is captain of the boys’ track and field team. The first track and field meet took place on Mar. 7 and was called the “Cougar Classic”.
Shot put athletes throw a heavy ball, typically made of metal, as far as they can into a sand pit. The distance they throw the shot put is measured in meters.
CARLY HALM
Carly Halm is a distance runner. Last year, Halm made it in the top 10 in school history for the 1600 meter.
ELISA TRUJILLO
Elisa Trujillo is a jumps athlete. She recently broke the CIF record for long jump at a recent practice.
KAILANI TALAG
Kailani Talag is the girls’ track and field team captain for throws, which includes discus and shot put.
JUNIOR
7. Discus Discus athletes throw a disc as far as possible after spinning in a circle one and a half times. There are boundaries that the disc must land within for it to be a qualified throw.
JUNIOR
2. High Jump
4. Long Jump
8. Distance
High jump athletes train to see how high they can jump over a horizontal bar. Every time an athlete jumps without dislodging the bar, the height is raised.
During long jump, athletes take off from a starting point, run to a line, and jump as far as they can into a sand pit. The athletes can only jump once, with three attempts each.
Distance runners run 1600 meters (four laps around the track) and 3200 meters (eight laps), which are equivalent to one and two miles respectively.
3. Triple Jump
5. Hurdles
9. Sprints
Triple jump is an event where athletes jump three times as far as they can from a starting point into a sand pit. Distance is measured where the athlete’s feet land.
Hurdle athletes run a 100 or 300 meter race, which contains eight hurdles between 68-107 cm tall. They can also run the 100 meter, which has ten hurdles.
Sprinters run 100 and 200 meter races. Before the race starts, sprinters take off from a block, unlike distance. Sprinters usually run on the balls of their feet.
40 THE WILDCAT March 2015
Track Stars
JUNIOR
Alex Martinez is the boys’ track and field team captain. He specializes in sprints. ALEX MARTINEZ SENIOR
compiled by ANGELICA DOAN // Staff Writer photo by HARRY CHO
Player Profile
GIRLS’ AND BOYS’ SWIMMING Ashley Chen
Dillon McKinley
> How has swimming impacted your life?
> What is the most challenging part of being in varsity swim?
Swim is a huge deal for me because it has brought out who I am. It’s a huge factor of my life. When thinking about going to college, I don’t know what I’m going to do without swim. Swim has taught me a lot of values in t h e self-discipline of the sport, about people, and the leadership in it.
Coach Rotblum doesn’t like to let us breath. It’s practical for events, but it hurts in practice.
> What was the best experience you have had during your time in varsity swim? My first year on varsity, I made finals in two events. The entire varsity team went to my lane while I was racing and cheered the entire time, pushing me to go faster.
> What hobbies do you enjoy outside of swim? I like to be outside, whether it’s at the beach or hiking. Actually, just being outside and being active is a joy in itself.
> What makes being in varsity swim worthwhile for you?
> What is your favorite stroke? Backstroke is my favorite stroke because I can breathe whenever I want.
Because of the rigorous cardio exercise we do, I can eat whatever I want without worrying about gaining weight. That may be the best part about swim.
> What swimmer do you look up to?
> What do you think about during your meets?
Missy Franklin, not only because of her ability to swim, but also her personality. Everyone is so happy around her and she has this great vibe, on top of her swimming.
Coach Rotblum always tells me a couple of things I should try during each event. Also, don’t listen to a song you don’t want to have stuck in your head during your race before hopping into the pool.
> What is the most rewarding part of swim? The most rewarding part is accomplishing not only your goal, but your entire team accomplishing their goals all together and just being super excited. I think the team vibe is an awesome part of the activity because swimming is such an individual sport.
> What is the most challenging part of swim? The most challenging part is the self-discipline, the will to push yourself, and motivating yourself.
> Do you have any advice for future swim athletes? Put in the effort in practice, and it will show in meets. Swim is mental as much as physical, so have a positive mindset is important.
Seniors Ashley Chen, girls’ varsity swim captain, and Dillon McKinley, boys’ varsity athlete, reveal their season goals and personal interests. photo by RACHEL LIN compiled by ANGELICA DOAN and CELESTE ROH // Staff Writer
> Who is your greatest inspiration? My dad is my greatest inspiration. He always pushes me to give everything I’ve got, and has shown me the type of life that’s respectable to live.
March 2015 THE WILDCAT 41
Meet
the
Team
Boys’ VARSITY Baseball
stats from maxpreps.com (as of Mar. 12)
“We have a very competitive team [this year]. I’d like the kids to put all the extra work necessary to make a playoff run and to contend for a league title. I expect them to make playoffs and at least win a game or two there.”
Tyler Becker Sophomore
kyle Jackson Sophomore
Aemon FowLer
On Base Percentage : .366
The COach Second Year as COach
Jeff Zordani
Brandon Kinmond
Junior
Senior
Current Record*: 2-4 Stolen Bases : 7
*current record as of Mar. 10
Trevor Besse
Christian Lynch
Senior
Senior
Earned Run Average : 3.69 Runs : 12 Runs Batted In : 11
Trevor Wood
Chris Kern
Senior
Junior
Batting Average : .227
Malik Campbell
Zach Williams
Junior
Senior
Andre Kemps
Senior
Nathan MorrilL
Senior
Home Runs : 0 Chris Farias
Connor Tousignant
Noah Goellrich
Jesse Hayes
Bronson Muller
Brandon Itatani
Junior
Junior
Senior
Senior
Junior
Senior
Rich Pohle AssiSTant Coach fourth Year as COach VinceNT Torres
Christian Hall
Garret Sadro
Drake Rodriguez
Oscar Ibarra
Theo Pommier
Senior
Junior
Senior
Senior
Senior
Junior
compiled by MATT MOON // Sports Editor
4042 THE THEWILDCAT WILDCAT March March2015 2015
Meet
the
Team
GIRLS’ VARSITY SOFTBALL
stats from maxpreps.com (as of Mar. 12)
“I have a great group of girls this season who work well together. They push each other to be better players and always strive to do their best. I think we are going to do well this season and I am excited to see what we can accomplish.”
Kacey Frausto
Alexis Sullivan
Senior Outfield
Sophomore
Infield
JOrdan Learn
Fielding Percentage: .939
The COach FIrst Year as COach
Current Record*: 6-3 *current record as of March
Victoria Minor Junior
Stolen Bases : 4
Mariah Mendoza
On Base Percentage : .394
Senior Outfield
Infield
Earned Run Average : 2.26
Maranda Gutierrez Sophomore
Infield
Three Wildcat softball players are committed to Division 1 universities. Maranda Gutierrez has committed to DePaul University, Lauren Hanna has committed to Villanova Unversity, and Hailey Jensen has committed to the University of North Carolina. Alexis Sullivan has committed to Midland College.
Slugging Percentage : .497
Cheyenne Rivera
Senior
Batting Average : .314
Outfield
HanNah Towbin
Kara Piper
Mikayla Pontrelli
Sophomore
Junior
Junior
Infield and Outfield
Infield and Outfield
Home Runs : 7
Freshman
Infield and Outfield
Pitcher and Infield
Hailey Jensen
Kayla Hebert
Lauren Hanna
nina Del Rio
Taylor Williams
Junior
Junior
Senior Catcher and Infield
Sophomore
Junior
Pitcher and Infield
Pitcher and INfield
Catcher and Outfield
Catcher and Outfield
Alyssa Chacon
photos by MICHAEL CHO
March 2015 THE WILDCAT 43
Ladycats eye State play-off re-match with Vanden HS By JACOB NAM // Staff Writer Photos by DEVAL PATEL & MONICA HEIMER
On Mar. 14, the Ladycats started their quest for the state championship against South Hills in the second round of the CIF State Division 3 Play-offs under Jeff Sink, girls’ varsity basketball coach, who has guided BOHS to four state titles. The most recent state title was won the 20082009 season. Now after almost five years without a state victory, the team has proceeded to the State playoffs, having automatically qualified after their first round win against Centennial. The team was able to advance immediately to the second round of the competition due to them having a first-round bye in their bracket. Vanden High School, the team that gave the Ladycats one of their only four losses of the season, is in the other bracket of the state playoffs. They also have a first-round bye. The loss against Vanden 68-80 occurred on Dec. 29 in the West Coast Jamboree a week after they won the John Anderson Division Championship in the Nike Tournament of Champions (TOC). BOHS will face Vanden once more if both BALL FAKE: Sierra Bononi, senior and girls’ varsiteams advance to the state finals, but must first ty co-team captain, fakes a shot as Mater Dei’s win against South Hills whose overall record is Katie Lou Samuelson closes out. 24-7 as opposed to the Ladycats’ 23-4, according to maxpreps.com. Results of the game were not available at time of press. “I’m excited to go to state because I feel that we [can] definitely win state. We have a really high likelihood of winning [first-round bye], and you want to get more to state because it’s even cooler to say ‘I won state.’ If we keep on improving and we keep on performing how we have been performing, I think we will be able to win the state title and get our tenth banner up in the gym,” Sierra Bononi, senior and girls’ varsity basketball co-team captain, said. Before state, the Ladycats REILI RICHARDSON played in the Richardson, a junior, is the Ladycats’ leading Open scorer, with a total of 466 points on the season CIF-SS Division Playas of March. 10, according to ocvarsity.com. offs which hosts the top-ranked teams of Southern California. They secured a spot as a nine-seed after 44 THE WILDCAT March 2015
winning the Crestview League title. Coming off a CIF first round win against Centennial High School, the Ladycats played on their home court to face the number one ranked team in the nation, Mater Dei, on Feb. 24. The matchup against Mater Dei was considered the “game everybody wanted to see,” since Mater Dei was ranked number one in the county and Brea Olinda ranked number two, according to ocvarsity.com. With a blow of the referee’s whistle, the anticipated game began. In the first quarter, the teams traded baskets and the Ladycats stuck close to the Monarchs. A Mater Dei run to end the first quarter left the Ladycats with a 12-22 deficit. The Ladycats made a run at the start of the second quarter, but were behind because of Katie Lou Samuelson, the Monarchs’ best player, according to ocvarsity.com. Mater Dei stopped the Ladycats’ run and stretched the lead, ending the first half at a score of 24-42. During the third quarter, the Ladycats scored first with a three-point shot from Reili Richardson, junior and varsity co-team captain. But following the consecutive scoring off Samuelson’s three point shots, the game started to heat up. By the end of the third quarter, the score was 61-30. In the final quarter, Richardson sunk two three-point shots and Tyiona Watkins, freshman and varsity player, rose up to block both Samuelson and Ally Rosenblum, two of Mater Dei’s tallest players. Despite Richardson’s 24 points and Shay Jarrett’s 12 points, the Ladycats lost to Mater Dei, 50-77. “Even though we lost a terrible game, it’s still good because we can learn from our mistakes. We can learn from this big game and not make the same mistakes again.” Watkins said. The Ladycats began the first round of CIF on Feb. 18, against Centennial. During the first half, both teams went back and forth until the Ladycats took the lead, 33-30. Hanging on to it, the Ladycats outscored their opponent in the second half, 33-26. The first round game ended with BOHS coming out on top, 66-58. With three games before the Ladycats reach the final round, South Hills and two other teams are the only opponents to beat before yet another state title is achieved.
Champion
BOHSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first state wrestling qualifier since 2008, Ryan Gutierrez, junior, participated in the 113 weight class at the State meet after winning a 3rd place medal at Masters, a CIF title, and a Century Conference title. photo by APRIL SANTONIL
March 2015 THE WILDCAT 45
the road to Loyola Marymount University Senior Emily Carman caps four varsity seasons with scholarship to NCAA Division 1 Lions. by SAMANTHA MAGPANTAY // Sports Co-Editor photo by APRIL SANTONIL // Photo Editor
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mily Carman, senior and girls’ varsity soccer co-team captain, caps her four year varsity experience with a full scholarship package to Division 1 Loyola Marymount University (LMU). This season, Carman helped guide her team to a 2nd place finish in the Century League and for her efforts, she earned First Team All-Century League Honors. The year before, she earned Second Team Honors. With a loss at the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinals against West Torrance, Carman’s last high school season ended with an overall record of 16-10-3, according to maxpreps.com. Known for her aggressive play as a 5’9” forward, Carman has two red cards and “too many yellow cards to count” in her high school career. She also leads the team in scoring and assists with 11 goals and five assists. Not to mention her ability “to play every position other than goalie” according to Mike Knaus, girls’ varsity soccer coach. These essential aspects of her game helped her seal a partial soccer scholarship to the LMU Lions. Carman started garnering attention from colleges for her hard-nosed play and skill during her freshman year. During her senior year, major programs such as Stanford, Santa Clara University, and Oregon took notice of her talents. Carman ultimately chose LMU, and on Feb. 4, National Signing Day, Carman signed her Letter of Intent. “[LMU] offered me scholarship money. I also really like the campus and [that it’s a] private school. The coach there is nice too. I just really thought that [LMU] was the best fit for me. It was a relief that I didn’t have to look for colleges--I knew where I was going and what I was going to do.,” Carman said. Carman’s road to LMU began as the youngest child in a family of successful athletes. Carmen was expected to follow in their footsteps. Despite having a father who almost made the Major Leagues in baseball, and a mother who went to the Olympic Qualifiers for track and field, Carman was steered in a different direction--soccer. Carman, “like all little kids,” was encouraged to play soccer by her father at the age of five. Unfortunately, she hated the sport even though she “was kind of good at it and always scored the goals.” It was only when she joined Anaheim Surf, a club soccer team, at nine years old, that she realized her love for soccer with the help from her then teammates. “When I joined my club team, I made all my best friends there. My teammates were like my sisters, so I just loved getting to be with them and to play with them,” Carman said. With the encouragement of her teammates, Carman aimed to be a better player. The result of her improvement: She landed a spot on the Wildcats varsity roster during her freshman year of high school. Carman looked up to her upperclassmen teammates for guidance and support, as most freshmen do. However, she found herself as the starting center in a “negative environment.” A majority of the juniors and seniors were unsupportive and only had scathing criticism for Carman. “One time I came out of a game crying and I was in tears. I was a wreck. My coach pulled me out and he asked, ‘Why are you crying? Are you okay?’ I said, ‘No, they’re being mean. I literally can’t play like this. She’s yelling at me, she’s not being nice, she’s telling me I suck and that I need to be better. She was just being a horrible person,’” Carman said. However, undeterred from success, she won Rookie of the Year her freshman year, “becom[ing] a terror along the backline,” according to ocvarsity.com, and managed to help her club team place in the top eight of the National Club Championship as a Cal South Regional Pro+ODP player her sophomore year. Then, when the upperclassmen left during her junior year, she learned to foster a positive environment. “My junior year and this year have been the best years in soccer teammate-wise because everyone is so [much more] positive and kind to each other. Something I learned from my freshmen and sophomore years is that I needed to be positive because people respond better and get stuff done. My inspiration really comes from my teammates. They inspire me to do better because they are my best friends and sisters. I want to do well for them,” Carman said. Carman’s teammates also hold the same sentiment towards her. “[Carman] is just a big role model for the team because she is so good at what she does. She always helps us and is someone we can count on all the time,” Harlie Valentine, senior, said. As for her parents who pushed her to do soccer which set Carman on the road to LMU, they expect her “to do great things in college because she has always done great things throughout her life and [they] don’t see why college would be any different.” March 2015 THE WILDCAT 47
FLASHBACK TO THE WILDCAT PAST
D
Blast to the past with a 1958 edition of the Wildcat, published 57 years ago this month.
A.
F
E
B
In 1958, our school hosted a Career Day. Now, we explore career options online with our guidance counselors.
B. We’re assuming that they are referring to health class, which is now taught freshman year, not in junior high.
C. Perhaps the boy in the cartoon is rushing to the movie theater for tickets to see South Pacific, which was released on March 19 of the same year. Movie tickets cost about 68 cents then, according to NATOonline.org.
C
D.
The number one song of ‘58, “Too Fat Polka (She’s Too Fat For Me)” by Arthur Godfrey, includes the lyrics “I don’t want her, you can have her, she’s too fat for me.” Godfrey would surely be under fire if this was released in 2015.
H G
E. This isn’t just a silly rhyme. Halitosis, a.k.a. bad breath, really can be cured with chlorophyll gum, according to naturalnews.com.
2
F.
The Hi-Y was a service club for high school students associated with YMCA, according to their website. It was an all-boys organization on campus that worked closely with school faculty.
48 THE WILDCAT March 2015
G.
Don’t worry, you won’t find any more sexist jokes in the Wildcat. But, the trend has (unfortunately) continued into the 21st century on Twitter and other social media sites.
H.
Crab walking while kicking a ball? Silly name aside, “Black Bottom Soccer” seems like a strenuous game. Maybe we should bring it back as a tournament organized by ASB.