February 2016

inside the issue

rescuing coco

Seriously Satirical: HEADWEAR POLICIES opinion 5

feature 6

a&e 9

DISPLAYing an artistic side

the bull’s eye NEWS

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OPINION

A peek at life in U.S. schools

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F E AT U RE

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ART S & E N TE RTA I N ME N T

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S P O RT S

Lighting up the night

the evolution of dance

This year’s Sadies, on March 11, is themed “DB Zoo Lights,” based on the popular L.A. attraction. hannah lee asst. news editor

ingrid chan staff writer

INTERNATIONAL on p.3

TEACHERS ON THE RUN

february 24, 2016 Volume XXXIV, Issue VI ONLINE at dbbullseye.com

Groups of Chinese students attend classes at DBHS while on a trip up the West Coast.

Believe it or not, Diamond Bar High School just welcomed a whole lot more Chinese students this past month. Starting Jan. 29, four groups of students from China each spent a week attending DBHS to experience the difference between the American education system and their own.

The first week of this program had Chinese students coming to DBHS from two different Chinese districts. Then there was the arrival of a third group the week after that, and a fourth batch of kids stopped by just last week.

The size of each group ranged from around 20 to 30 students with most of them being sophomores or juniors.

“Sometimes with a big group it’s difficult because you are trying to figure out how to incorporate them into the classroom,” AP US History teacher Ty Watkins said.

Instructional Dean Gabriel Aguilar is one of the central coordinators in this arrangement, having set up a system where Chinese students from different schools will visit DBHS for one week each while participating in a variety of handson classes such as Graphic Arts, Video Production, Woodshop, Photography, and even History.

“Just imagine if you were going to go to another country to visit a different school during your vacation. Would you want to be in a math class or something with similar academic stress? I tried to take a look at it from the perspective of these students,” Aguilar said.

During their five-day long attendance at DBHS, the international students were split into smaller groups of around five, and then proceeded to shift from class to class throughout the school day in their groups.

“It’s going to a be great opportunity for them to interact with our students, and also a positive thing for American students as well. The teachers have done a great job at welcoming the students here and giving them a good impression of the educational system in the United States,” Aguilar said.

The idea of having international students visit originated at Walnut High School, but this year WHS is not participating and Diamond Bar

sports 15

CALVIN RU

The All Male dance team performs to “The Evolution of Music” by Pentatonix at the Star Wars themed rally on Feb. 12.

DB and Walnut compete to collect blood donations The schools are trying to see which can collect the most blood during the month of February. ingrid chan staff writer High school blood donations have become common all throughout the United States, and now, Diamond Bar and Walnut High School have decided to step up their game with a life saving competition aptly titled “Out for Blood”.

The two schools will be competing to see which one can donate the most blood with WHS’ drive on Feb. 24 and DBHS’ taking place on Feb. 25.

Thomas Malo, an account man-

ager and representative for American Red Cross, is working alongside the schools to organize the event.

While discussing plans for this year’s drive with DB Red Cross advisor Daniel Roubian, the two decided to reignite school spirit by proposing the idea of a contest between the two Walnut Valley schools.

A competition like Out for Blood has never occurred before, and both the club members and Thomas are eager to carry it out.

“Everyone’s very excited about it and it seems like an idea that could work. We hope to turn it into an annual event,” Roubian said.

Red Cross club members will arrive at 5:30 AM the day of the blood drive to open the gym and plan out the day. At around 6 AM, Red Cross employees will come with nurses, examiners, and supervisors to set

In its second year back on the Diamond Bar High School schedule, the Sadie Hawkins dance will once again break traditional gender roles by relieving the pressure on boys to ask girls to dances and give females a chance to experience it for themselves.

Junior USB spirit directors Ari Muramoto and Mason Soldridge selected for this year’s theme, “DB Zoo Lights,” based on the currently popular date spot, the L.A. Zoo Lights. The dance will be held on March 11.

up the necessary equipment. By 7 AM, they will be ready to take student donations.

“We have a history of both campuses [DBHS and WHS] being the best in So Cal, and with this competition, knowing what our past successes has been, I feel our rivalry is one of kind. It won’t just inspire those to save lives, but it will also give the students on both campuses more of a reason to be proud of their school,” Malo said.

There are a set of requirements students must meet before even being considered as a possible donor, a few of them being written parent consent, a form, and sixteen years of age. At the blood drive, students’ weight, height, and drug history will also be examined before any blood is taken.

“We thought it’d be fun to incorporate something trending right now. You can dress up as matching couple clothes, which is what usually kind of what Sadies is, or you can dress up with a cute animal theme with your date,” Muramoto said.

The USB members plan on filling the gym with twinkling lights to mimic the zoo’s whimsical atmosphere as closely as possible, and hope to have many activities available throughout the night, such as carnival game booths, face paint-

BLOOD on p.2

sadies on p.3

“We’re going to try to make sure that there’s something for everybody,” ARI MURAMOTO

Sending a silent message for peace MSA members dedicate a day of silence for Syrians by taping their mouths closed. catherine zhang asst. feature editor Attempting to push past misconceptions against Muslims in light of the controversies surrounding the terrorist group ISIS, Diamond Bar High School’s Muslim Student Association held a day of silence for Syria on Feb. 12.

Students who chose to participate covered their mouth with duct tape or simply stayed quiet for varying durations—all day or during certain periods. The act wasn’t

ERIC HONG

Noor Naji, president of MSA, opens the club’s “Silence For Syria” campaign follow-up with an activity urging students to sympathize with Syrian refugees.

a political statement, as the event was for humanitarian reasons.

“The media really just distorts the image of Muslims, so we just hope that people can see that we’re also human. We could adjust in environments and we’re also a part of society,” said Batol Naji, MSA secretary. “We all want to help, we don’t want to look at the differences because we all have differences, but America is diverse and we want to contribute to the society.”

In MSA, there are a few students with relatives currently residing in Syria, or who have even grown up in Syria themselves.

The event was initially meant to give the members a voice to clarify misconceptions about Syria and Syrians.

MSA on p.3

2

NEWS

Dance and Color guard set up for success

The two groups began their competition seasons on Feb. 13. emily kim asst. sports editor

To begin the season, all 45 the Diamond Bar High School Dance Company dancers competed against schools throughout Southern California in the West Coast Elite Dance Championships held at Esperanza High School on Feb. 13.

“It was a very tough competition because a lot of the teams ... are teams that we won’t see again until nationals. Knowing that we did so well on our first week out is a great accomplishment,” dance choreog-

rapher and coach Kari Simonson said.

All Male took first place, earning the highest point total of of the day for both showmanship and choreography with 94 points. Large Lyrical and Medium Co-Ed Hip Hop each placed second in their categories , and Small Dance took sixth place.

“There are a lot of things we learned looking back at recordings and what we hear from our peers and coaches,” senior co-captain of Dance Company Justin Kang said.

The dancers competed the following week at USA Regionals, a qualifying competition for nationals at Arroyo Valley High School.

Both All-Male and Large Lyrical placed first. Small Jazz, Duet, and Co-ed placed fifth.

Photo courtesy of CUONG NGUYEN

Senior Justin Kang and junior Allyson Cantimbuhan dance together during their second place Co-Ed Hip Hop performance on Feb. 13.

the staff Editors-in-Chief News Editors Asst. News Editors

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

THE BULL'S EYE

Lilly Ball, Yusheng Xia Frances Wu, Yusheng Xia Brian Chang, Hannah Lee

Opinion Editor Asst. Opinion Editor

Eric Hong Sarah Markiewicz

Feature Editor Asst. Feature Editors

Michelle Ki Vrinda Chauhan, Catherine Zhang

A&E Editor Asst. A&E Editors Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editors Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editor Business Manager Asst. Business Manager Web Editor Asst. Web Editor Staff Writers Advisor

Lilly Ball Emily Jacobsson, Pauline Villegas Bernard Chen Ryan Chae, Emily Kim Eric Hong Calvin Ru Vrinda Chauhan Emily Jacobsson

Meanwhile, the varsity, junior varsity, and freshman Color Guard teams are looking forward to improving their performances after beginning their competition season with an evaluation last month at Riverside Community College.

“This is our first time in Open Class, which is a new division for us, since we moved up from last year,” junior varsity captain Harjas Dhillon said.

During the evaluation, the team received input from coaches and judges outside of school on how to improve its performance.

Varsity Color Guard had its first officially judged competition on Feb. 13 at Riverside’s Martin Luther King Jr. High School against five other schools. The team performed both a preliminary and final performance, scoring 61.5 and 63.5 respectively, coming in last.

At its next competition the following week at Bakersfield, Varsity Colorguard scored 72.0 during the preliminary round, putting them in first place. However, the team scored a mere 72.3 points in the final round, losing to the first place team Stockdale High School.

“There are definitely things we need to improve on, but even though our performance wasn’t technically correct we performed and had a lot of energy, which the audience really liked,” Dhillon said.

DB Dance Company will compete on Saturday at Woodbridge High School. Frosh and Junior Varsity Color Guard will compete the same day at Del Norte High School.

NEWSBITS ENGLAND

CHINA

CALIFORNIA

SWEDEN

While Girl Scout Cookies are indeed tasty and can help people gain weight, one would not expect that a box of Thin Mints could help policemen in arresting a motorcycle chase suspect.

Found discarded in bushes after the suspect threw it away, the box of cookies contained a cell phone number. The Girl Scout confirmed that she had sold a box of Thin Mints to a motorcyclist, and provided the information needed for his arrest.

Parts of Asia and North America have been hit by heavy snowfall for the past few weeks, but citizens are making the best out of the bad weather. They have been posting pictures to social media of their frozen clothes, calling them “invisible people.” While some users have gone for simple illusions, others have performed more elaborate tricks like making these “invisible people” ride a bike or snowboard.

WISCONSIN

CALIFORNIA

It is because of a cheesy reason that a Wisconsin group accused of robbery decided not to steal money, settling on a more favorable option of carting away a trailer filled with $70,000 worth of cheese. This was the second cheese incident of the week, after nearly $90,000 worth of Parmesan disappeared just days before.

With too much time on his flippers, a young California sea lion decided to take a break from the ocean and do some shopping at a nearby gift shop. He climbed up 145 steps from the Sunny Jim Sea Cave in California to the nearby Cave Store, flipping through merchandise until an employee discovered him and escorted him back to the ocean.

or worn for eating and sleeping, the fangs a one thick of a kind opportuWithare China’s pollution Dashing out of the way of nity that only a vampire specialist dentist can provide. increasing drastically, British mini go-karts with drivers in entrepreneurs saw a potenbright cartoon-like outfits, tial business scheme—selling shoppers at London’s Westfield air in a jar. Leo De Watts, a Mall were astonished. While British native living in Hong many may be hardcore fans Kong, is selling jars of British of video games, base jumper countryside air for $115 each. group Base37 took their obsesAlthough his company, Aethaer, sion to a new level. Sporting started a few weeks ago, they outfits of the Mario Kart video have already sold 180 jars. In game characters, the group addition, they offered a Chishowed up uninvited and drove nese New Year Special, 15 jars through the mall before quickly for $12,000. leaving through the parking lot.

DB holds year’s second blood drive BLood from p.1

The past drives were able to raise about 80 to 100 pints of blood, and this year’s competition will hopefully encourage more students to donate.

“This year has definitely changed things in terms of our relationship with other schools.

Usually it’s a pretty daunting idea for most people [when donating blood], but if everyone does their part or just sacrifices a little, there are some pretty amazing things that can result,” Red Cross club president senior Kathy Tong said via Facebook.

Once all the requirements are

met, students will be allowed to talk with friends, read, or use their phones while blood is being drawn.

“If everyone does their part or just sacrifices a little, there are some pretty amazing things that can result.”

KATHY TONG Each blood drive will have their own canteen area where students can rest after their donation for at

least 15 minutes.

After students are rested, they’ll be sent back to class with a T-shirt and whatever giveaways the event will have on that day.

Eating a healthy breakfast and lunch as well as drinking water is recommended on the day of the blood drive, and students are advised not to partake in any heavy physical activities afterwards.

“For this, a lot of the officer board got involved, and I think this year we definitely stepped it up in terms of having a vision and working efficiently towards that vision,” Tong said.

delivering a perfect harmony

Gaby Dinh Tess Guan Ingrid Chan, Sophia Kim Doug List

contact us Diamond Bar High School, Room 563 21400 Pathfinder Road Diamond Bar, CA 91765 Phone: (909) 594-1405 x33563 Email: eye.editors@gmail.com Business Inquiries: thebullseyebusiness@gmail.com

editorial policy The Bull’s Eye is a public forum that welcomes the views of our readers. Letters to the Editor and Op-Ed pieces will be accepted only if they are signed. The author may, however, request anonymity. The staff reserves the right to edit letters without changing content. You may forward letters to Room 563 or submit them online at dbbullseye.com.

ERIC HONG

Choir members junior Jodie Lu and sophomores Myra Mayr and Kaitlyn Lee (left to right) sing “Can’t Help Falling in Love”

by Elvis Presley as a Valentine’s Day singing gram on Feb. 16.

NEWS

THE BULL'S EYE

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

Syrians honored in day of silence MSA from p.1 “A lot of people who speak of their lives in the camps. There are Syria and the Syrian refugees still horrible events going in Syria, haven’t even been there before and but they have hope, and the hope is some of our members spent their you, me, my children, and the fuchildhood growing up there. The ture generations who can help ease Syria being represented in the metheir sufferings,” Elwan said. dia isn’t the Syria they know or reThe club has held events in the member. We want to give them an past, including “Ask a Muslim” outlet to express that.” co-club adlast semester, when guest speakviser Lauren Osajima-Baird said. ers Furhan Zubairi, the Imam at In addition, MSA sold wrista local mosque, and Thomas Albands with “Silence for Syria” on ameddine, a teacher at Institute of them the day prior to the event Knowledge, held an discussion on for $2 each to help fund a refugee terrorism and Islam. school in Lebanon.

“Ask a Female Muslim” was That same day, the club watched a separate event that featured a video in OsajiMuslim women ma-Baird’s room speaking about during lunch, the difficulties “We’re all people and illustrating the and their feelings we believe in doing Syrian crisis. of wearing hisomething to connect to “It was shockjabs. Students of people as people. ing for me to various religions see what Syria also partook in TONY TIETZ looked like before the experience by all the rubble. It’s wearing a hijab just rubble now, and it was so beaufor the day. tiful, but now it’s something you Although the club has existed don’t recognize,” Osajima-Baird for more than a decade, it changed said. every year, according to OsajimaThe subsequent week, MSA held Baird. Instead of just providing a a follow up for “Silence for Syria” place to pray and gather, the club is campaign. more open and focuses on bringing Following a video about Syrian light to false ideas people may have refugees, guest speaker Hanadi Elof the Islam religion. wan, a Syrian activist for organiza“Instead of being blind to the tions such as the Syrian American feelings of our own humanity Council and the Sunrise Foundawhen we aren’t aware of the suftion, retold her experiences on visferings, we chose to humanify and iting Syrian refugee camps. understand them. We’re all people “I saw children with shoes of and we believe in doing something different sizes and moms crying, to connect to people as people. and it was terrible. For a second, I That’s what makes us human, it’s stepped back and I thought [that] recognizing the humanity in everywe have to do something to improve one,” adviser Tony Tietz said.

3

Brahma Tech juniors recognized in STEM field Juniors Leslie Sim and Shannen Barrameda receive the NCWIT award for computer science. brian chang asst. news editor Women are generally regarded as underrepresented in the world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, but juniors Shannen Barrameda and Leslie Sim are looking to change that.

With academic backgrounds that focus on STEM fields, both were recipients of the National Center for Women and Information Technology’s Affiliate Awards for the Los Angeles/Orange County Metro Region.

NCWIT is an organization dedicated to promoting gender equality in STEM fields by offering scholarships and awards for girls considering pursuing science or engineering for their future careers.

By earning the award, both are qualified to be members of the NCWIT community. Both Barrameda and Sim had known that they would like to pursue STEM careers since they were young.

Sim initially enjoyed biology but recently found a passion for physics and computers, while Barrameda started out liking math but transitioned to computers.

“I kind of knew that I wanted to get into STEM, because a lot of people have this desire to do math, and I think that came to me at a

Leslie Sim (left) and Shannen Barrameda (right) received the NCWIT award for their accomplishments in computer science this past month. young age, but ultimately, I want to incorporate [computer science] into entrepreneurship or business in general, but I do want to major in computer science,” Barrameda said.

Sim and Barrameda are officers in the Brahma Tech Academy; Sim is vice president of Internal Affairs and Barrameda is secretary.

In September 2015, Brahma Tech advisor Alina Gallardo sent an email to all Brahma Tech members, encouraging females to apply for the NCWIT award for Aspirations in Computing Honors.

Previously, Sim earned the Affiliate Runner Up Award from NCWIT. This year, she was able to win the actual award, an achievement she is proud of.

“I had to fill out an application and tell [NCWIT] about myself and

introduce myself to the NCWIT community,” Sim said. “I was really happy, because last year I got the Runner-Up Award, so basically it was like honorable mention, and this year I won, so it was definitely a big step up for me.”

Barrameda was influenced by the achievements of past Brahma Tech alumnae who had earned the award, such as Alice Jin, who is attending MIT, and Nicole Chen, who is attending UC Berkeley.

Jin was able to win the national level award, and Chen was chosen as a state winner for two years in a row from 2013-2015 and as a national runner-up.

Both Sim and Barrameda encourage students to take the opportunities offered them and say that students should not underestimate themselves.

Sadies to feature more activities, shorter lines Inciting a dramatic revolution sadies from p.1 ing, spray paint tattoos, and photo booths.

Although long lines for many activities posed a problem for many attendees last year, this year Muramoto and Soldridge plan to cut down on the wait times for lines by having multiple booths available for each activity.

“We’re going to try to make sure that there’s something for everybody,” Muramoto said.

However, the number of activities and the several companies that are involved in the dance are causing difficulties, along with the lim-

FOR ADVICE ON SADIES ASKINGS, SEE FEATURE, PAGE 7

ited time the USB members have to complete the plans. Muramoto and Soldridge are working with a strict timeline of deadlines for each aspect of the dance.

“Right now, it’s a little bit difficult getting in touch with different companies and have them call us back as soon as possible because we’re on a time crunch right now, and so communication is a little bit difficult as it’s upcoming,” Muramoto said.

The dance will be held in the gym from 7-10 p.m. Tickets will be sold for $15 with an activity card, and $20 without during pre-sale, and $20 with an activity card and $25 dollars without during regular sale.

ERIC HONG

Senior Jordan Osmena promotes the spring musical, “Les Misérables,” during lunch for Performing Arts Week on Feb. 9.

International students explore the American school system at DBHS international from p.1 High School is the one partaking in the program.

It began about four years ago as an extension of the summer school exchange between U.S. and Chinese schools.

The offer of having students visit DBHS was directed at international students who wanted to come in order to gain experience and learn English. Most of them come from English emerging schools, so every student who comes from China to DBHS speaks English and are here to practice and develop their conversational skills.

To further break the language barrier that some students were struggling with, teachers were

present to help translate as well as many DBHS students who speak Mandarin.

“They were very humble and didn’t expect much, so everything that we did with them they were very grateful for. They were also quick learners and picked things up quickly,” photography teacher William Foley said.

The international students were here in America as part of an international educational program.

They spent two weeks here in the United States; one for traveling and sightseeing — visiting parks such as Universal Studios, Knott’s Berry Farm, and Disneyland — and another for visiting both high schools

and colleges.

This sort of program is seen more commonly in middle schools than in high schools — and is also present in some elementary schools — as junior high students have more flexible schedules, making it easier to incorporate the visiting students, who usually come during their school breaks.

“There’s always a market of Chinese students willing to travel to America, but we’re also looking into sending some of our students overseas as well. We’ve talked about some programs DBHS might want to participate in although we currently don’t do anything like this yet,” Aguilar said.

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The team members placed third in their recent competition and qualified to continue to the State Leadership Conference in April.

BOOK REVIEW: TROUBLE

Non Pratt’s 2014 debut novel presents teenage pregnancy in an artfully honest manner.

EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR

Joanne Taylor was awarded employee of the year for 2015 for the Walnut Valley Unified School District.

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DBBULLSEYE.COM

4 OPINION

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

THE BULL'S EYE

EYE EDITORS OF THE

food waste

PDA: Guidance counselors need to pay more attention to excessive public displays of affection during break times, rather than allow them to cause discomfort to other students.

A

ttention students of Diamond Bar High School— please, keep your hands to yourself. Tucked away in the pages of the DBHS official student handbook and planner is a rule that much of the student body seems unfamiliar with, one that prevents “excessive displays of affection.”

While it may seem like a rational request for a school campus that is inhabited by thousands of minors, this rule is hardly enforced.

As a result, students are subjected every passing period and lunch break to overtly enthusiastic public displays of affection that unfortunately, are ignored by faculty.

It is not the innocent acts of holding hands, hugging, or pecks on the cheek that are surprisingly allowed to occur on campus, but rather the inappropriate conduct that occurs behind columns and corners, places that students have learned to shield their eyes from while walking by. Teenage love may be a pure force, fueled by hor-

mones and lust, but it does not need to be acted out in front of others. These occurrences are bound to happen, but it is the administration’s duty to prevent them. The sneers and uncomfortable eye contact of others is obviously not enough to cease the madness. As awkward as it is to approach a couple making physical contact, the job must be done.

As these excessive displays of affection continue to run rampant on campus, there is still no official rule dedicated solely to stopping them. The mention of these acts is shoved into a single sentence, one that also deals with “disruptive behavior,” in the third level of the guidelines for student conduct.

As this issue has been prevalent on campus for many years, it is surprising that is has not been mentioned in a larger way. It may be common sense to many, but without any ramifications, the participating students cannot be blamed.

DANIEL HUANG (9) “People should be able to express their feelings to each other without any interruption.

There should be no restriction because love is true.”

CASSIDY QUIAMBO (10) “I don’t really mind it unless it’s graphic.

You should just leave people alone as long as they’re not harming anyone. ”

CASEY TAMANAHA (12) “I see people in the hallways like making out, but in corners, away from people, it’s okay.”

Stress is not a stigma sarah markiewicz asst. opinion editor

A

Cartoon courtesy of INGRID CHAN

Cut at the line cutting sophia kim staff writer

E

ver since my freshman year, being pushed around in the crowded hallways or struggling to get to class wasn’t a big problem for me. Being stuck in a never-ending lunch line in the sizzling sun however, has enraged me beyond measures.

As soon as I stand in line to buy lunch, I glance around nervously hoping that line cutters aren’t nearby. However, no matter how close I stand behind someone in line, students always manage to barge in right in front of me, totally ignoring my presence. Many times, when they come in with groups of three to four, I have to get pushed back without a fight. Having to deal with these oblivious students for two years now is enough.

Out of all the lunch lines, the grill is the worst when it comes to students cutting. The 15-foot line that I once stood in grows longer as students scramble toward the front of the line. A large group of students would look around, make sure the lunch lady wasn’t paying attention, and then sneak in from under the belt. For every person who snuck in, I would be placed a step further from buying lunch.

Sometimes, when I’m cut by more than 10 people, I give up completely and instead grab a snack from the student store.

It may seem easy to just speak up and tell the lunch ladies about those who cut in line. However, due

to the large amount of students that participate in this sinful act, it’s hard to say anything. Telling an adult in front of other students’ faces would create enemies, something you probably want to avoid during high school.

Although the line for the burger grill is the worst, the regular lunch lines are still unorganized.

Students can’t stand in a straight line, and instead stand in groups, which makes it hard to tell who is cutting or not. These students often act as if they were greeting a friend, when in reality they are moving in without being noticed.

The thought of struggling to get lunch in the hot sun has given me enough nightmares that I now choose to pack lunch. I can’t stand how students try to act as if they have morals in class, and then as soon as the bell rings, they show how truly devilish they are.

Standing in line for double the amount of time due to sneaky students is unfair for those who actually wait. Allowing large groups of kids to barge in shouldn’t be tolerated. In order to prevent this, I believe that having one or two attentive lunch ladies managing lines could help solve the problem.

Because most of the lunch ladies are busy preparing food, many are not able to notice those who cut in line. In addition, placing white lines on the pavement would help organize the students into certain lines so it would be easier to notice those who cut in. These simple changes would bring a measure of justice to those who’ve sacrificed their time as the line cutters jump ahead.

s someone who’s just as bent with stress as countless other high school students, I was somewhat grateful to see the effort put into the Wellness Center opening. Still, I had minimal participation in “enjoying” the fair.

While the Wellness Center itself seems to be a welcome addition to the campus, the whole idea of a fair just seemed to romanticize the idea of students having mood disorders and issues with stress.

Although coping methods such as therapy dogs, massages, and food are some of the many ways to cope with stress, the fair seemed to dance around the idea of mental and emotional health issues. The only part of the fair that seemed to engage into the serious nature of well-being was the platform for motivational speeches, which wasn’t as heavily publicized as say, the Disneyland raffle that bribed students to visit every station.

Even less heavily publicized was the heart of the fair itself, the Wellness Center. Having had depression for about two years, I’ve opened my eyes to the many people around me who also have problems with their emotional health. I know that the fair does not have to reflect the objectives of the wellness center. Still, the fair should have worked to show that things like therapy and mood disorders should become less stigmatized on high school campuses.

While events like the wellness fair address the needs of many students, there is more that can be done to show students that overworking themselves isn’t a “cool” or even noble thing to do.

Friends have been driven to huge amounts of stress and resentment due to the competitiveness of their clubs. Students are belittled for not taking high-level classes, even if those students are talented or have enough stress on their hands.

It’s inevitable that students need to take responsibility for what they want to accomplish, and having a less difficult system of learning isn’t going to teach anyone to persevere. Still, I feel that our school culture tends to focus too much on encouraging simple mind sets, such as the need to make it into a college, when there are other paths such as volunteering, getting a job, or joining the military.

Since I was a freshman, dropping a class seemed disgraceful until I did it. I found myself and others feeling that maybe the classes we had dropped were just not for us. Taking it to an extreme, by dropping out, most students probably feel scared about the future, but it’s still a good decision for people who feel they should.

For people who have stress on top of a mood disorder like depression or bipolar disorder, don’t be afraid of how your teachers or classmates react if you feel like you’re just too wrapped up in stress.

While teachers, mentors, and peer counselors can help us with understanding stress and how to cope, every student needs to understand that while he or she is stressed, everyone else is too. They should do their parts to not only help themselves, but to understand and help each other.

OPINION

THE BULL'S EYE

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

5

SERIOUSLY

SATIRICAL

ingrid chan staff writer

T

here are not enough words to describe how grateful I am for the safety that our school dress code guarantees us.

Exposed midriffs and bare shoulders should be the least of our worries when the use of hoods, hats, and beanies on campus can possibly throw our entire student body into peril.

To wear this sort of headgear is to blatantly disregard the wellbeing of our fellow schoolmates since potential criminals can successfully sneak onto school grounds by simply donning the

hazardous cap, or pulling on the ever suspicious hood whilst leaving well over half their face exposed. These life threatening situations call for the banning of all headwear on campus.

Of course, these concerns are completely invalid as long as the letters DBHS are printed on your clothing.

With but a single glance at these four simple characters, there can be absolutely no doubting that you are a genuine Diamond Bar High School student, and not at all any kind of a dastardly villain; because who in their right mind would wear clothing branded with the DBHS logo if not a student themself ?

Not only does this magical school acronym ward off dangers

that may be lurking left and right, but it is also an effective way to show your enthusiasm in a school with a student body that is otherwise always filled with unfailing school spirit.

Just toss away those sad hats and hoods that have the misfortune of lacking the signature DBHS letters. With such tasteless fashion and obvious safety hazards, there is no question as to why they should be forbidden. After all, hats can cast shadows over facial features and cover foreheads, while hoods make it nearly impossible to recognize someone from behind, therefore these accessories must not be allowed — because hair obviously doesn’t do exactly the same thing.

Cartoon courtesy of MEGAN LEE Why waste your time and energy on any other product?

Get your own DBHS clothing

articles now and say hello to a better and improved school environment!

Studios, not Oscars, at fault for nominee whiteout ryan chae asst. sports editor

S

ince the announcement of the 2015 Academy Award nominations, Hollywood has been abuzz over the absence of black nominees in the various categories such as best actress, best director and best actor.

While the last two years have had all white Oscar nominations for the various categories, critics must keep in mind that these nominations are based on performance, not skin color.

Shortly after the announcement, many African Americans in the entertainment industry decided to boycott this year’s Oscars.

Many, like director Spike Lee and actress Jada Pinkett Smith, took to social media to express their outrage.

Smith released a Facebook video stating, “At the Oscars…people of color are always welcomed to give out awards but we are rarely recognized for our artistic accomplishments.”

Could it be that the nonwhite actors and directors in this year’s films have not been on par with other nominees who were chosen?

Three films where black actors

had leading roles were “Creed,” “Straight Outta Compton,” and “Concussion.”

Having seen these films, I believe that Michael B. Jordan of “Creed,” was the only one who deserved of a nomination as best actor. Jordan’s performance would have garnered a nomination in another year, but this year’s crop was too strong. His snub was not a racial issue, but just a typical situation in which there are too many actors whose performances were superior.

“Straight Outta Compton” was a film focused on its group, not the individuals, and “Concussion,” may have been one of Will Smith’s weakest drama performances as

all he did was slap on a Jamaican accent to take on the role.

For the best directors category, there were only two black directors who could have made the cut for their films, Ryan Coogler of “Creed,” and F. Gary Gray for “Straight Outta Compton.” Like the best actors group, the competition was too tough for these directors.

Even legendary director Ridley Scott was left out for the much praised “The Martian.”

Unfortunately, there were not enough roles filled with diversity that could have been considered for an Oscar. Nominating an actor or actress, purely on the color of their skin, defeats the purpose of

recognizing them for their art.

The problem does not lie with the Academy for its lack of diversity in the nominations, but rather, with the film industry for its lack of roles available to various ethnicities.

This year did not really have a range of films with black actors and directors that really caught the attention of the Oscars like in previous years with movies such as “12 Years a Slave.”

So, if actors and directors want to find a scapegoat for this situation, look toward the movie studios that develop the films, not the Academy, which only views and judges the films.

Valedictorians: A tradition worth keeping? brian chang asst. news editor

V

aledictorian comes from the Latin root vale dicere, which means “to say farewell.” It is fitting, then, for the one named as the valedictorian to give the final speech at his or her graduation ceremony. Recently, however, the practice has come under fire, with critics claiming that the award may ignite unnecessary competition in an already stressful high school environment.

While the high levels of pressure that come with competing might be detrimental to the health of some students, the concept of a valedictorian is not enough to form these complications. Instead, these issues are a result of individual students striving to achieve success above their level.

Rather than bringing detrimental levels of pressure, competition allows for students to reach greater heights. Competition teaches students that they need to work for their goals, and those that don’t work hard enough do not achieve what they want. It allows students to reach for their limits and can also promote healthy relationships between people who work together to achieve their goals. Without the desire to succeed, students become much less motivated and tend to achieve less.

Additionally, students who do not experience defeat may actually suffer negative effects as well.

According to journalists and psychology authors Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, children who

always win eventually feel entitled to victory, and may be so afraid of losing as to not work hard and even risk defeat. In order for students to develop sufficiently for the future, they need to learn that losing is part of the game.

Competition aside, there is no such thing as a student who never stood a chance at being valedictorian. Everyone enters high school with a potential of a 4.0 GPA, and those who are unable to maintain it don’t deserve to be called the highest in the class, plain and simple.

Academic success boils down to studying efficiently and being able to understand information. Contrary to popular belief, it is not enough to just memorize facts and formulas. Students unable to keep up with their peers aren’t cut out for valedictorian status.

Besides, the entire point of the valedictorian system is that not everyone is going to earn the award.

Being the best in the class isn’t and shouldn’t be the norm; it should be a special honor reserved for a select few. Those students who aren’t able to make it at the highest level of competition are entirely normal; according to the system, the ones who are recognized as valedictorians are the exceptions.

There isn’t meant to be pressure upon to entire school to become a valedictorian, but instead the title is an award meant to honor those who are the best of the best.

Valedictorians are a traditional and valuable component of high school, as the rank encourages students to work harder and allows colleges another angle at which to evaluate competent students. To do away with the system risks creating an overall decline in education.

michelle ki feature editor

A

PRO

CON

s the competition for getting accepted into college skyrockets, earning the prestigious title of valedictorian is the cause of much stress. The title of valedictorian should be eliminated, as it turns students’ education into competition, and forces serious candidates to lose sight of the importance of their emotional, mental or physical health.

The title of valedictorian emphasizes the idea of being perfect, which is ultimately harmful. According to Jason Moser, a professor of psychology at Michigan State University, perfectionism, while not classified as a disease, has been connected to poor physical health and to health problems such as eating disorders, anxiety, and depression.

Moser also found that although valedictorians do exceptionally well within eminently structured systems, they “do not break molds or succeed as entrepreneurs or in the creative arts.”

At Lexington High School in Massachusetts, the class rank and the valedictorian award was removed decades ago. LHS principal stated that some school districts needed the enticement of a valedictorian award to get students to work hard. However, she found that it led to a more urgent necessity to abate “the pressure of perfection.”

The ranking system also inherently promotes a culture of

unnecessary competition in an environment that is already duly competitive and overly focused on test scores and grades. Students focused solely on the title do whatever it takes to preserve a high GPA. Rewarding students with the title of valedictorian might entice them to enroll in easy classes or mediocre levels of required courses to ensure themselves outstanding GPAs. In many cases, they avoid a non-weighted course, even if it interests them, because it won’t boost their rank.

Recognizing students just based on numbers is absolutely absurd. Doing so twists their education into a competition where the odds of winning are slim and leads them to a point where “competition and rivalry become more important than the pursuit.”

According to Jan Brogan, a correspondent for the Boston Globe and parent of a valedictorian, by the time her daughter was 14, she was working herself into what would become “annual bouts of exhaustion that mimicked mono.”

Two months after she made her speech, she was hospitalized for an eating disorder.

Depending on the person, the title of valedictorian can bring either satisfying or atrocious thoughts. However, in any situation, when the bad outweighs the good, the obstruction should be removed and stopped at all costs.

In this case, when the valedictorian title is causing high school students all over the world to feel extreme stress and forces them to feel incredible amounts of pressure, this “honor” should be completely removed from all schools.

6

FEATURE

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

THE BULL'S EYE

What up, dog?

yusheng xia editor-in-chief I walked into a room full of people and dogs. No, not the cute, furry dogs that have rightfully earned the title of man’s best friend, but instead the 100 percent all-beef skinless Dog Haus that, on sight, had my mouth watering with anticipation.

My first impression of the Dog Haus in Fullerton as a whole was one approval. With a modern, spacious room filled with plenty of tables spread out enough to prevent a cramped environment, my two friends and I had no problem settling down to debate over our orders.

The restaurant offered a variety of choices of hot dogs, sausages, and hamburgers. In addition, there was the option of building your own meal if the choices for the three categories did not meet your expectations.

After careful consideration and lots of intense arguing, I settled with the best-selling Old Town Dog, while my companions chose the Pig and Fig sausage, and the Scott Baioli. To top it all off, I ordered a decadent Salted Caramel Shake, and we shared a side of tater tots.

Our food came within minutes

ALUMNI

Photos by YUSHENG XIA

Dog Haus, located in Fullerton, offers a variety of specialty hot dogs, including the best-selling Old Town Dog (left), which consists of a bacon wrapped dog sprinkled with cheese and jalapeños, and customer favorite, Grand Slam (right), which features a sunny side up egg, tater tots, and bacon strips. of ordering, and the presentation was fabulous.

My Old Town Dog transformed what was probably once a regular hotdog, into a bacon-wrapped dog that was showered with golden chipotle aioli and cotija cheese, jam packed with dark green jalapeños, and stuffed into a fluffy light brown King’s Hawaiian bun.

My friends’ hot dog and sausage dog looked equally appetizing; with high expectations, we each grabbed our meal and bit into it.

I would be lying if I said those expectations were fully met. While

the flavors and textures of the toppings and bread mixed well together, the bacon was not so flavorful, and made the dog itself taste rather bland and dry.

However, the tater tots were hot and crispy, and the caramel shake had just the right blend of caramel and ice cream.

When my hotdog was nearing its demise, I noticed yet another minor problem with my meal. For a big eater like me, a single hotdog was not fully satisfying, and I decided to order another customer favorite: the Grand Slam.

Calculating the future

bernard chen sports editor Predicting the future often brings to mind horoscopes and fortune cookies, but Diamond Bar High School alumnus Brandon Sim is taking the idea to new heights as a quantitative trader.

Earning a physics and statistics degree during his first three years at Harvard, and a Masters in Computational Science and Engineering during his fourth year, Sim finds patterns in data from the market and applies them algorithmically to predict future market movements.

Sim, a 2011 graduate of DBHS, currently resides and works at the hedge fund company Citadel in Chicago, after being recruited out of Harvard. During his time at Harvard, Sim worked with the DanaFarber Cancer Institute in Boston to research algorithmic techniques for rational drug discovery.

Later in 2011, he co-founded Theratech with fellow students at Harvard. The medical device startup targeted chemotherapy, and used a Chemopatch to facilitate the automated delivery of drugs in a home-based environment. The same year, the device won several engineering and design awards, including a $20,000 cash prize from the Create the Future design contest and the undergraduate second prize at the Collegiate Inventors Competition.

“When I first studied physics, I was fascinated by the idea that, given some initial conditions, there were models that could allow you to precisely determine future behavior of that system,” Sim said via email. “But, to my dismay, I quickly learned that it’s pretty difficult, and by that, I mean impossible, to understand a system in a perfect, deterministic fashion.”

Leading up to his job as a quantitative trader, Sim also interned

With an egg, tater tots, and bacon strips combined with the dog in a King’s Hawaiian bun, this order was superior and the combination greatly heightened the overall taste.

Overall, Dog Haus did not meet my expectations, as the cost of a hot dog at $5.99 with the addition of $3.49 for a combo made it quite pricey, considering it is not that filling. However, if hotdogs are your thing, I definitely recommend the restaurant. But for me, the trip is starting to look like a one time visit.

Photo courtesy of TEXAS TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY

at IMC Financial Markets, a market-making firm in Chicago, and at D.E. Shaw & Co., a quantitative hedge fund in New York. For Sim, predicting human behavior, the market, and statistics are all interrelated.

He especially enjoys how fastpaced his occupation is, as the market often shifts rapidly and he must keep up with feedback to stay ahead and make better predictions.

“I chose this job because it combines everything I like to do—I get to analyze data in a heavily quantitative way, gain insights from such data, and compete in a highly competitive field with opportunities for success,” he said.

However, Sim found inspiration long before he was recruited into the trading industry. According to Sim, physics teacher Angela Jensvold and retired calculus teacher Howard Alcosser, among others, were key individuals who allowed him to explore new topics during high school.

Personal projects, scientific research, technology, entrepreneurship, and quantitative finance all played a role in solidifying his interest in the field.

“What’s most fascinating about quantitative research is the amount of data I get to look at and the amount of insight that can be gleaned from such data,” Sim said.

“I absolutely love this part of my job.”

To current students, Sim suggests taking it easy and exploring personal passions and interests. He says that skills picked up from current activities may potentially help in finding a future job.

“For me, that was gaining and analyzing insight from a complex system, whether it was a physical system that explained the natural world, a model for how Texas Hold ‘Em should be played, or a model for how market participants behave,” Sim said.

With his experience in data analysis and statistics, Sim applies his skill in daily life as well, watching sports in his free time and attempting to predict outcomes through machine learning.

He also enjoys working on natural language processing and data visualization. In the future, Sim hopes to continue harnessing data and applying it to the market or other areas.

cuisine: American

Address: 2555 E Chapman Ave, Fullerton, CA 92831 PHONE #: (714) 213-8265 PRICE RANGE: $4-$7 Yelp Rating:

Saving coco sophia kim staff writer

DBHS 2011 alumni Brandon Sim works at Citadell in Chicago as a quantitive researcher after attending Harvard University, majoring in physics and statistics.

DETAILS

Never would I have imagined that fostering one stray dog could take me on a three month journey full of pain, happiness, and guilt.

It all started last Oct. when I was on my phone and came upon a snapchat that my friend posted.

It was a picture of a stray female black chihuahua named Coco, with a caption asking if anyone wanted to take her.

She mentioned that she was unable to take care of the dog, and that it would be taken to the shelter soon if no one stepped up. I realized right away that if I didn’t take action, she would be taken to the pound, only to be euthanized without a second chance in life. Making false promises with my mother that I would find a home for her within a week, the dog ended up at our house the following day.

The one week we imagined for it to take to find her a home gradually became months. I started my search for the “perfect home” online, posting ads on multiple websites. The definition of a “perfect home” for me was a dog-lover that would treat her like a family member, who lived in a house with

a backyard, and often took her on walks. With high hopes, I took pictures of her in cute dresses and posted her photos on advertising websites like Craigslist, RadioKorea, ClassifiedAds, Oodle, Puppyfind, and Recycler.

I received a few phone calls from people of interest, but ended up rejecting them all. Many people who called me were animal hoarders with five to six dogs in their homes, while others told me that she would be living outdoors, which isn’t suitable for small dogs.

On top of posting online ads daily for months, I visited Albertsons, dog parks, and Petsmart with her, hoping to find a good owner there. Most of the people I talked to would all wish me luck, but they didn’t want to take her in. I decided to visit Petsmart every weekend, as it was the place I wished to find the perfect owner at. However, one day the manager found out about what I was doing and told me to leave.

While I was waiting in the parking lot for my mom with Coco, one of the rescue ladies partnered with Petsmart came dashing towards me, yelling at me that my actions were illegal.

After I stopped going to

coco on p.12

Photos by SOPHIA KIM

DBHS sophomore Sophia Kim retells her experience in rescuing a stray dog and enduring multiple hardships of securing the animal a perfect and loving home.

FEATURE

THE BULL'S EYE

feburary 24, 2016

7

Club Corner

Photo courtesy of JANELLE CRISTALES

Now’s your chance, girls angela yang contributing writer Yet another school dance is coming up, but this time around, the tables have turned. Girls, the moment has come to finally break out of that old societal mold, take the initiative, and ask out that special someone to Diamond Bar High School’s Sadie Hawkins dance.

Whoever it is you plan to take, be sure to make them feel extra special by employing some of these ideas to create an adorable dance proposal.

A substantial portion of the school is involved in either band or orchestra. If your guy is into music, try surprising him with a pun.

Tell him that you plan to “orchestrate” a great time at the dance, or that he definitely won’t regret “band-ing” together with you.

But don’t worry if that’s not your forté. Another simple way to ask the question is via song lyrics. If you know he has a favorite song or artist, find some suitable lyrics to form your question, and sing your proposal or place them on a poster.

Thinking about asking a sports fan? Last year, DBHS senior Janelle Cristales scored her date to Sadie’s by incorporating his favorite sports teams onto a huge poster proposal.

She utilized the names of the Los Angeles Angels and the Pittsburgh

STAFF

SPOTLIGHT

Steelers to form the question, “Will you be an Angel and let me STEEL you to Sadies?”

If you and your potential date share a common interest, use it to your advantage and organize a more personalized proposal.

Freshman golfer Kailie Vongsaga will be attending her first Sadie’s this year, and has someone in mind she is hoping to bring to the dance. She plans to ask a member of the varsity golf team by using a method that makes the proposal relatable to both of them.

“I’m going to go out on the putting practice green and get a lot of golf balls to write out “SADIES?” Vongsaga said. “Then I’ll put a sign on 2 holes that says “yes” or “no” and the guy that I’ll be asking will have to putt a ball into one of the holes to answer.”

If you’re planning to ask out somebody who loves to read, get creative by letting him figure out the proposal for himself.

If he happens to be obsessed with a novel, lay out a list of fill-inthe-blank trivia questions regarding favorite books or series on a poster, with each missing word of a blank contributing to the composition of the end result--your Sadie’s proposal.

Of course, there are countless other ways to formulate a great and original proposal. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and go get that date.

calvin ru asst. photo editor

I nt e r a c t

Service is nothing new when it comes to the students of Diamond Bar High School. But the Interact Club takes service to a new meaning.

Members of Interact Club are part of a world-wide volunteer organization called Rotary International, which has an extensive pedigree and a long tradition of service. The Rotary has made a positive impact on numerous American communities, as well as communities around the world, during its century plus of operation, and now seeks to further develop its operations in the BrahPhoto courtesy of CLAIRE MEDINA ma community.

DBHS volunteer club Interact mainly focuses on helping those in need in nearby In recent years, Interact has communities; their international goal is to ultimately raise money to combat polio. grown in terms of membership and its variety of activities, including vice club, the international organi- club. its monthly Fountain for Disabled zation’s main objective is to raise Interact will be holding its second Youth, and the annual charity gala. money to eliminate the ongoing charity gala in partnership with The Fountain for Disabled Youth threat of polio.

UNICEF on Feb. 25 at the Diamond is a program held at Christian Zion To raise that money, the club’s Bar Center to raise funds towards Church in which officers coor- their common cause. volunteers interdinate various For $20, all student, including “It’s rewarding to spend act with disabled fundraisers in any non-DBHS students, can enjoy time with people who youth, designated order to provide an Italian dinner along with entermaybe think differently, as “angels,” and the necessary tainment like that of All Male and and through that, participate in varifunds to manu- Dance Company. ous activities such facture and disAdditionally, a candy bar and you experience a lot as dancing, singtribute the polio a photo booth will be available to of reflection and selfing, and finger vaccine to those those who desire sweets and wish to growth.” painting with the in third world document this day of their life.

WINSTON WANG children. countries.

“The gala’s planning process has “FFDY is my “ I n t e r a c t definitely been a journey for all of favorite event bechanged me as us with this goal to be something cause it allows me to help people, a person and as cliché as it sounds, bigger than just another commupeople that a lot of people look it made me grow in every aspect be nity service club and make a real down upon and judge. Also because it social, professional, or organi- difference in the world,” club presiit’s rewarding to spend time with zational. When I feel down or un- dent and senior Kathy Tong said. people who maybe think differently, motivated, I instantly look towards “Especially since Rotary Internaand through that you experience a this organization. It has given me so tional and UNICEF, the national lot of reflection and self-growth,” much and I don’t know if I can ever organizations, partnered up to comsophomore Winston Wang said via offer enough to return how much bat polio as well, we thought that as Facebook.

I’ve received,” said junior Nicole their high school derivations we’d While Interact is a general ser- Kim, who handles publicity for the follow in their footstep.”

s a ly e r ’ s j o u r n e y o f j u s t i c e

catherine zhang asst. feature editor Serving in the Vietnam War and as a California Highway Patrol officer, Diamond Bar High School Administration of Justice teacher Jim Salyer, has devoted himself to the law—whether it be teaching about justice, or enforcing it.

Salyer’s history with wanting to serve can be traced back to his youth, when he joined the military after he graduated high school in 1964.

He trained at Ft. Ord in California, Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri, and then at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma for officer candidate school.

“Training was hard in that you had to pursue the daily routines, [which] required a lot of physical stamina. They kept you so busy, you didn’t have time to think about much besides the training,” Salyer said.

During his time at Ft. Sill, Salyer was sent to Vietnam, where he spent a year stationed at combat base Camp Carroll as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S Army Artillery.

Part of his duties included keeping watch on the fort, calling in artillery strikes and plotting data that would be sent to the guns to fire rounds on targets.

After being honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant after completing his service, he worked as a California Highway Patrol Of-

Photo Courtesy of JIM SALYER

DBHS Administration of Justice teacher Jim Salyer served in the Vietnam War and afterwards as a California Highway Patrol officer, starting from 1971. ficer starting from 1971. Salyer had various duties, which ranged from helping stranded motorists to delivering gas to cars with no fuel. As much as he enjoyed his profession, he retired in 1984, after being hit by a drunk driver.

During a traffic stop, Salyer was talking with a truck driver when he noticed an out of control motorist speeding toward them. Without hesitation, he quickly pushed the driver out of the way but ended up sustaining major injuries to his elbow and knee. In a period of two and a half years, four CHP officers were hit by drunk drivers in

the same area. Salyer was the only survivor.

“I was the only one who survived, the other three were friends of mine, so I felt very fortunate to be the survivor out of the four that were struck,” Salyer said.

Salyer considers regimentation of the CHP and military quite similar, as it involves a lot of physical training and stress-induced practices. He claims that being able to remain calm in a stressful situation is key to both the military and the CHP. After retiring in 1984, Salyer obtained his teaching credential for

social science and began teaching World and U.S. History at DBHS, and has continued with Administration of Justice, a course he has been teaching for over 30 years now.

“I enjoy being able to impart on knowledge and experience I’ve had in my lifetime. I don’t think too many people can say that they had the same kind of experiences I had.

Being able to share a lot of those life experiences and see how the students react to it is pretty gratifying,” Salyer said.

Salyer’s ROP Administration of Justice class is an introduction to

various laws and crimes, and also gives insight on the many branches of professions that involve law enforcement.

The teacher also brings in various guest speakers from agencies such as the U.S. Marshall, the Secret Service and the FBI as well as local sheriffs, police sergeants, and military branches.

“I think that I’m able to get students a different perspective of how our law enforcement and community works. It makes them better at understanding before they judge what [they] might see in the media.”

8 FEATURE

THE BULL'S EYE

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

“I hang out with her family sometimes. They’re all really fun and entertaining. They’re all so similar in the sense of humor, and they’re truly sarcastic. They always try to find the fun side of everything.”

Tyler Lieve & Melinda Ramirez (10) “When we first met in middle school, she made fun of me. She said I was ugly. I still don’t know if she was joking or not.”

Keven Guerra (11) & SHELBY KEPLER (10)

Allison Griffin (12) & Chris Cardoza(11)

HUMANS +couples OF DBHS

“There’s just never a dull moment. We play sparr a lot, wrestling around and goofing around. We’re always bugging for each other’s attention and we’re really affectionate and clingy.”

Tim BautistA & Srinda Promlap (11) “He always surprises me. One time, I got mad at him because he went out even though we planned to spend time with each other. But, he invited me over and pulled out Disneyland tickets as a surprise and I got happy again.”

Dora Varner & Alec Jahanvash (10) ““She makes me smile, she makes my heart do the smiley face emoji. Whenever I’m with her, the carol from heaven just constantly replays in my head.”

Scan the QR code to view more portraits on Students + Humans of DBHS Facebook page.

Isabel Amezquita (10) & Michael Rivera (12) “I pack lunch for her everyday because I just want to be a supportive boyfriend for her and always help her out.”

THE BULL'S EYE

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

“VIVACE” EUNICE CHUNG

9

“NEVER AGAIN” HAILEY SHI

“ZOMBABE” EMILY ZHANG

“BUBLEGUM PUNCH” EMILY ZHANG

“LARGO” EUNICE CHUNG

“SAVE THE FROGS” HAILEY SHI

l u sc

their fu g n i t pt READ MORE ABOUT THESE TALENTED ARTISTS ON PAGE 12

Hailey shi

ur e emily zhang

Eunice Chung

Shi draws and paints in order to express herself in the art world. She uses color schemes and techniques that create a skill set that is far beyond her years. Shi has also entered numerous amounts of art competitions, winning many of them along the way.

Chung uses sculptures and paintings to express her views on things she enjoys, such as music.

Each piece she creates is intended to make a social statement that will allow the viewer to interpret the piece in their own way

Zhang specializes in digital art and color theory, along with painting and sculpting. Zhang uses her young perspective and knowledge of average high school students to create art that many teenagers can relate to.

10 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

THE BULL'S EYE

Students Capture the Moment sophia kim staff writer With photography-inspired social media apps on the rise, such as Snapchat and Instagram, many students are becoming familiar with taking photos on their cell phone. But for three Diamond Bar High School students, photographs are taken through a different lense.

Inspired to take up photography by her twin sister, senior Janice Gunawan decided to join her sibling in creating their own photo busin e s s two

years ago. As a result of her sister being the yearbook photo editor at Troy High School, Gunawan knew that photo companies charged a lot of money to print high school dance photos. Advertising through Facebook, Gunawan and her sister started their own business, JG Photo, through a Sadie’s photoshoot.

After a successful shoot, they moved on to taking prom photos for students attending Diamond Bar High School, Walnut High School, and Troy High School.

“We got over 40 couples in less than a year, and made about $900 in less than one year, so it was pretty successful,” she said.

Although her sister takes most of the photos, Gunawan directs the subjects on where to stand and chooses the location. She also helps the couples pose to create the best picture possible. After editing the photos, she prints them and distributes them to the couples. As a side career, Gunawan dreams of taking wedding photos and graduation photos.

While Gunawan started the business with her sister, senior Aaron Lu started his photography business alone. Also inspired to start by his sibling, Lu started taking photos for leisure, then moved on for business purposes.

For the first time this year, Lu

Choir Hits High Notes While Preparing for Competition frances wu news editor Show choir performances are some of the most sensational shows put on at Diamond Bar High School. In the upcoming months, Solitaire and Marquis will be dazzling audiences and judges alike during this year’s competition season.

The season began on Feb. 5 across all of Southern California; Solitaire and Marquis had their first competition the same day.

Solitaire went against groups from Glendora and Rowland Heights, placing second and receiving a musicianship award for having the highest music scores. Marquis competed against Cypress and Glendora High School, also taking second place.

The preparation process for putting together the sets began in the summer, when the songs were selected, and continues through the school year. Once choir advisor Patty Breitag approves the song choices, choreographer Bobbi

Adams selects a theme for each group, and designs costumes for the students.

Normally, the performers start practicing during the fall semester, but because Adams needed district approval before being allowed on campus to work with the students, the two groups started several months late, in January.

Each group learns one set and attempts to perfect it throughout the competition season. Sets generally consist of three songs to be sung and danced to, one ballad, and one song to be performed acapella, all centered around one theme.

This year, Solitaire’s set is key themed, and consists of the songs “Skeleton Keys,” “Key to My Heart,” “Handful of Keys,” and “Your Love is the Key.” Marquis members will be acting as doormen to Heaven and Hell, and their set songs are “The Roof,” “Penthouse Serenade,” “Satan’s Boogie,” “Elevator Man,” and “The Higher You Get The Farther You Fall.”

Scoring for the competitions

CALVIN RU

consists of 60 percent singing and 40 percent dancing. Evaluation of singing is based on tone quality, blend, and intonation, and dancing considers synchronization, quality of facials, and stage presence.

“Dancing is a little more challenging this year compared to years prior; it takes a lot more practice to be able to execute the moves cleanly as a group,” said Stephanie Wantah, choir secretary.

Due to the difficulty of the choreography this year, the students have been practicing every Monday afternoon and all day on Saturdays. Additionally, for the first time in several years, the two groups are going to Nationals in Orlando, Florida, at the end of March.

“Marquis and Solitaire are very excited for the upcoming competition season. This year we’ve invested more money and time into our sets than ever before, and we can’t wait to see it pay off at our upcoming competitions,” President Nicolas Zhou said.

Photo courtesy of NICOLAS ZHOU

Marquis works hard to prepare for the next competition as Solitaire wins second place at Brea Olinda Competition.

took pre-homecoming photos at Cal Poly Pomona, and sold them to DBHS students. Lu also took photos of houses in Diamond Bar’s gated community, The Country, to help a real estate agent sell houses. On top of taking photos with a professional digital SLR cameras, Lu likes to go on to the rooftop of his house and take personal Snapchat photos on his phone.

“Just do what you like to do and make your photos your own,” Lu said. “Don’t copy others, but rather be inspired by others.”

On the other hand, sophomore Clarissa Hui started photography her freshman year after being selected as her class historian. Hui attends all the parades and performances that the DBHS marching band, the Thundering Herd, participates in to take photos. In addition, Hui also took homecoming photos of couples for business purposes.

“I actually had to learn how to format and print them out which was kind of difficult, but I learned,” Hui said.

Using a photo she took of the Thundering Herd, Hui entered it in the Through My Lense photo contest hosted by the city of Diamond Bar, and won honorable mention. The contest was open to anyone from Diamond Bar and asked contestants to submit a photo under a category, ranging from nature to people. Hui submitted a photo of band and color guard performing at a parade, and won honorable mention under the category, People. She also received certificates and a $50 check.

Hui’s short but experienced photography skills landed her many historian roles in different clubs also. Aside from taking photos for the school, Hui enjoys visiting the Botanical Garden in the Huntington library to take pictures. All her photos are uploaded on photographui.weebly.com.

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‘ANTI’ BY RIHANNA vrinda chauhan business editor Anti-generic, anti-pop, antiRihanna. When Rihanna first began her career, she was a good girl gone bad. Now, almost a decade later, she takes on a role that ironically rebels against even her original rebellious image, experimenting with both her style and her message, and gracefully so at that. For this reason, “Anti” may be her best album yet.

Rihanna is a continuously blooming rose, with her music returning richer, wilder, more exuberant with each album. Like a true trendsetter, Rihanna is constantly out with the old and in with the new, even when it comes to her self-image. In a sense, her newest album, “Anti,” is the closest one could get to describing her musical style. Constantly challenging musical traditions, Rihanna recreates pop in this album, in her signature iconic way.

Back in October of last year, Rihanna revealed that the album “strives to make an impact by doing the very antithesis of what the public expects.” She also wanted to create more “timeless music.”

The vocal range displayed in this album, as well as the style and layout of the songs, attest to this. After working on this album for over three years, she seems to have accomplished her goal.

But to say she accomplished this arduous task herself would be a lie. A few of her songs incorporate snippets of other songs, while others are signature edgy Rihanna.

Yet, it is hard to place an adjective on this album, because it appears to be an amalgam of various styles.

My favorite songs are the love songs. “Love on the Brain,” an

Amy Winehouse-esque slow song with very traditional lovey-dovey instrumentals that blends perfectly with Rihanna’s sharp and clear voice. This song is timeless and sweet, and is unlike any of the artist’s previous works, making this the biggest risk on the album.

Rihanna exercises her full vocal range on this album also, particularly in “Higher,” which emulates a state of drunkeness. The twominute song has no clear verse or chorus, only free singing. Her voice shifts suddenly from high notes to low, and the song is rather erratic and messy, making it all the better.

Other favorites include “Woo,” “Kiss It Better,” and “Pose,” all of which are rather modern pop songs that resemble more of her old style, but incorporate darker, more noir elements in terms of beat, namely in “Woo.” She also covers Tame Impala’s “Same Ol’ Mistakes,” and her voice gives this song a much more intense and sexier edge to it.

This album is also difficult to describe lyrically. She sings about a dark, intense love, often equating it to pain, but she also throws in light-hearted allusions to drugs and her notorious party lifestyle.

The lyrics of this album are not too evolved though, and I came to appreciate the album for its sound rather than lyrical complexity.

I have so much fun just watching Rihanna evolve and come back with something new, shocking, and naughty. She is bold, loud and unapologetic. Her music embodies her unafraid synergy with every song and album. She reinvents herself and returns with more panache than ever, and manages to pull everything she does off. It would be a colossal understatement to say that I am hyped for her future work.

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

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PRIDE & PREJUDICE & ZOMBIES Lily James shines as Elizabeth Bennet in this apocalyptic rendition of Jane Austen’s romantic classic. hannah lee asst. news editor Although I try to go into every movie open mindedly, it’s hard to say that I walked into “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” without any biases. The title speaks for itself, sounding like a joke taken too far and every English teacher’s worst nightmare. Although the original mash-up novel by Seth Grahame-Smith proved to be a hit, this on-screen adaptation was horrifyingly gruesome—in all the wrong ways.

The most impressive part of this not-quite remake is that it manages to stay true to Jane Austen’s classic 19th century novel “Pride and Prejudice,” even matching much of the dialogue faithfully with the book.

The five Bennet sisters search for a stable future through a marriage into wealth, having the zombie invasion being simply a minor obstacle in their search for love.

Although they keep their elegance and grace, they train to be highly skilled warriors in the event of a spontaneous flesh eating attack.

Jane (Bella Heathcote), the supposedly most desirable sister, quickly finds herself an equally as desirable partner, Charles Bingley (Douglas Booth). Meanwhile, Elizabeth (Lily James), the second

Photo courtesy of LIONSGATE

Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) fights alongside her fellow zombie-hunters.

Bennet daughter, finds herself in a situation with the stiff and mysteriously charming Fitzwilliam Darcy (Sam Riley), in the midst of a war between the undead and the living.

Darcy and Elizabeth take being “violently in love” into literal terms, even taking part in hand-to-hand combat while discussing their undeniable love for each other.

The cast is scattered with familiar faces, such as James (“Cinderella”), Matt Smith (“Doctor Who”), Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”), and Riley (“Maleficent”). James’ breathtaking beauty aside, she brings the cunning, deadly, Elizabeth to life. Her portrayal of Elizabeth brings out the strong female heroine that Hollywood has been

slowly introducing onto the big screen. Although Riley’s performance is by no means weak, James proved to be superior over her male counterpart. Though they shined when apart, their on-screen chemistry was only passable.

Director Burr Steers seems a bit too eager about the undead. He doesn’t hesitate to cut straight to the action, opening the film with a graphic zombie beheading. Many of the scenes were showy displays of the makeup and costume design, however I can’t deny that it was both superb and visually petrifying. The moment a zombie steps on screen, the scene suddenly became intense and dramatic. Everything else, including the plot, is disre-

garded, as the zombie became the focus of attention. However, this resulted in the combat scenes being some of the best throughout the film, including the camerawork, and fight choreography.

Steer delivers a clumsy movie progression that severely lacks transition and balance. He offers no blending of the plot with the whole zombies fiasco, and a scene with genuine emotion and significance to the romantic storyline is just a cut away from zombies being blown to bits.

I’m not someone to be bothered by gore and violence, but the PG-13 boundaries are being pushed to the limit. Because many of the zombie scenes lacked plot, genuine suspense and thrill was replaced with shock factors such as jump-scares and extremely graphic deaths, which had even me feeling squeamish. However, there were points where the violence was taken so ridiculously over the top and featured obvious CGI work that it seemed almost comedic.

The film didn’t quite find its happily ever after, and many unanswered questions still remain, which, unfortunately, pleads for a sequel. Perhaps beloved classics such as “Pride and Prejudice” should remain as classics, and left at peace in their original, renowned state, free of the undead.

tHE HOUSE RETURNS, FULLER THAN EVER emily jacobsson asst. a&e editor It’s been twenty years since we’ve last seen the Tanners in all their glory, with young Michelle Tanner finally regaining her memory after falling off her horse in the final episode of the beloved sitcom, “Full House.” I still remember watching a rerun of the final episode as a young girl, teary eyed as the cast came on for their final curtain call. With the Netflix spinoff, “Fuller House,” being released Friday, “Full House” fans finally get their long overdue family reunion.

Fans have been ecstatic since Netflix released two short teasers showing the iconic Tanner residence looking just as it did when we left it. One of the teasers shows the interior of the house, as the disembodied voices of the characters make comments about moving back in. D.J. is heard saying, “Gosh it feels good to be back,” something all fans can relate to.

“Fuller House” follows D.J. Tanner-Fuller (Candace Bure) who is now a recently widowed mother of three, as she moves back into her childhood home to raise her sons. By her side, as they always have been, is her sister Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and her best friend Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber).

The family would hardly be

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themselves without Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) their cleaning obsessed dad, his two best friends Joey (David Coulier) and Jesse, played by John Stamos, one of the four producers of the show.

The only character from the main cast of “Full House” that is not returning is Michelle, played

by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

The Olsen twins explained that they both have not been in front of the camera in a long time, and don’t consider themselves actresses anymore. After a failed attempt at recruiting sister Elizabeth Olsen to play Michelle, it was decided that the character’s absence would be explained by placing her in New York, where she is pursuing her dreams of building a fashion empire.

Just as the Olsen twins shared the role of Michelle, twins Dashiell and Fox Messitt will take turns in portraying Tommy Fuller Jr., D.J.’s infant son. Max Fuller, the seven year old middle child, will be played by Elias Harger.

Kimmy, who we all knew to be eccentric and somewhat dimwitted, is now married and has a daughter named Ramona (Soni Nicole Bringas,) who is seen in the trailers as good friends with D.J.’s oldest son Jackson (Michael Campion). D.J.’s high school sweetheart Steve (Scott Weigner) is also returning, though it is unclear as to what role he will be playing.

Photo courtesy of NETFLIX

DJ Tanner (Candace Bure) returns to her childhood home to raise her own kids.

Senior Sheizan Bawa performs a song during Apollo Night on the 19.

HANNAH LEE

SHINING A LIGHT ON APOLLO NIGHT stuart kusdono contributing writer The lights slowly dimmed as the exuberant audience members quieted down in eager anticipation of entertaining performances to come. They were not disappointed.

In a flash of sheer energy, Apollo Night began its sixth year in the Diamond Bar high school auditorium. The opening act, a parody of famous artists Beyoncé and Drake, was ever-so colorful, scintillating, and bubbly.

Hosted by the Black Student Union, Apollo Night is an annual show featuring numerous acts put on by students who wish to display their various talents. This year the acts were all music-related, with five of the ten being singing performances.

Despite the fact that there were many singing performances, the show did not feel as if it was dragging on. Each performance was unique in its own way in terms of voice, rhythm, and melody. All were also simply astounding in the richness of each singer’s voice.

Shiezan Bawa began the show with a guitar and singing act of the song “Nothin’ on You” by B.O.B., executing his performance smoothly and effortlessly.

The next act was Sarah Singh, who sang “Sedated” by Hozier, but put a twist to the performance by singing it acapella. The audience

was enthralled during her performance, clapping to the rhythm.

As the show carried on, the audience was enthusiastic and supportive, giving out encouraging cheers during and after every performer’s act. They were particularly loud with Katelyn Contreras and Roya Rezvani, as they hit impressively high notes during their number, and also with Tyler Cooper as he performed.

In addition to singing, there was a piano performance by James English, and a rapping performance by Jaden Campbell.

There were also two group performances, including a dancing group of five BSU members, and a trio of singers, Jodie Lu, Myra Mayr, and Kaitlyn Lee. Hosts Felicitas Anijelo and Cameron Essex executed their roles perfectly, and were responsible in keeping the vivaciousness and momentum of the show going.

They were quite the dynamic duo, providing humor throughout the show.

The talent show ultimately concluded with an end just as bombastic and dazzling as the opening, if not more spectacular. All of the BSU students who hosted the show, in addition to some of the performers, came out on stage, dancing and rapping to the original song “Swerve” by DBHS student and musician B Money, all the while red lights flashed in the background.

Masters Behind the Camera lilly ball editor-in-chief While many filmmakers may emulate one another, each provides their audience with unique experiences. With every film, they leave a different feeling lingering deep within you as you watch on. This distinctiveness could be attributed to any of the many aspects of cinema-- cast, script, cinematography.

But whatever it may be, each director makes their individual mark, molding the cast and script to make it their own masterpiece.

Throughout my journey into becoming a film buff, I have fallen in love with a few directors who, for the most part, don’t disappoint me.

Wes Anderson possesses some form of magic. Each and every one of his films contains a certain Anderson-esque quality that allows them to be both whimsical and moving.

I am embarrassed to say that the first Anderson film that introduced me to his wizardry was the 2012 release, “Moonrise Kingdom.”

After the film ended, I left thinking that it was the strangest film I had ever witnessed, but it’s quirkiness charmed me.

From “Moonrise Kingdom,” I moved onto “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” “The Darjeeling Limited,” and my favorite, “The Royal Tenenbaums.” Each of Anderson’s creations is it’s own adventure, with a strange color scheme and personality that carries throughout the film. For those who are unfamiliar with Anderson’s work, I suggest starting with his latest film, “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” to ease you into his eccentricity.

Alejandro González Iñárritu has been shoved into the spotlight fairly recently, with his Academy Award win for “Birdman” last year.

But long before “Birdman,” Iñárritu was creating heartbreaking Spanish-language films. The transition from films such as “Biutiful” to “Birdman” is enough to rattle any director, but Iñárritu did it flawlessly.

Upon viewing “Birdman,” I immediately sought out the genius director. I was surprised but pleased to learn of Iñárritu, a Mexican director making his mark on the American film industry, with “The Revenant” only further proving his immense skill. Each of Iñárritu’s films has an overbearing ambiance, enveloping audience members, and a fantastic soundtrack to go along with it. He may only have a handful of releases, but each is so fantastic that Iñárritu is now one of the greats.

When I say that Joe Wright is one of my favorite directors, I promise that it is not just because of “Pride and Prejudice.” While he may have directed my absolute favorite film, Wright has a knack for period dramas and beautiful cinematography, making his films such as “Atonement” and “Anna Karenina” unbelievably dreamy.

His films are mainly adaptations of classic novels, and manage to stay true to the author’s work, while maintaining the otherworldly feel that Wright is so skilled at creating.

Photo courtesy of Focus Features

Wes Anderson’s film, about two chidlren, “Moonrise Kingdom.”

February 24, 2016

Stray dog finds a new home coco from p.6 PetSmart, afraid of getting arrested, I decided to stand in front of Albertsons multiple times a week in search of an owner.

It was about the second month and I was getting worn out.

One night, I did find a lady who showed interest, and she also seemed to have the perfect home for Coco.

However, when I got home, the small piece of paper with her phone number was nowhere to be found and I was flustered. After two months of pain, I couldn’t believe that I lost the key to Coco’s happiness.

The woman did tell me to join a Facebook group called Diamond Bar Buzz where I might be able to find a potential owner.

I was hoping to find the woman on the Facebook page, but instead I came upon a different woman who showed interest.

It was Christmas Eve and my father wouldn’t tolerate keeping Coco any longer, so I decided to give her to the family.

I explained the pain that Coco went through and how she needed a loving home to repair her heart.

After I left her there, I came home with an empty heart. The few months I stayed with Coco really left a big imprint in my life.

Unable to let her go that quickly, I try to visit Coco at least once a month to check up on her.

I hope that she is happy with her new family and stays safe.

THE BULL'S EYE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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DBHS STUDENTS DRAW ON INSPIRATION pauline villegas asst. a&e editor Creating art can be challenging for most people, however, some students here at Diamond Bar High School excel at channeling their feelings into a form of art. Sophomore Hailey Shi, and seniors Eunice Chung and Emily Zhang are among those who have made an impact in the high school art world, while expressing themselves in a creative way.

Shi draws and paints in her free time, and her work has been acknowledged by the National Holocaust Art Competition and the Congressional Art Contest.

Shi has also been given the opportunity to hold her own personal art exhibition at the Affiliated High School of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in China.

Art teacher Coleen Gee met Shi when she was a freshman and was immediately impressed by what she had to offer. Gee was also fascinated by how dedicated Shi was to her art work and her school work in general.

“I create art to tell stories and to communicate with my audience.

Drawing is my way of expressing myself because I am an introvert. I find myself at peace when I am immersed in my painting,” Shi said.

Although creating art while being a student can be somewhat hard to manage, Shi takes an AP Studio Art class, and finds that art is more than just a part of her everyday homework.

“I spend more time on art than academics because I need to put more thought and feeling into my artwork,” Shi said.

While Shi expresses herself through painting, Chung creates art in the form of sculptures. The sculptures are inspired by things that interest her, such as music.

The use of three-dimensional art allows the viewer to relate to the substance in the real world.

“Unlike working with traditional canvas board or paper, there’s an organic freedom in creating threedimensional, in-the-round figures, which I really enjoy,” Chung said.

Her inspiration comes from many different outlets, but music plays a huge role in the pieces she creates.

“Music has always played a major role in my life, and I wanted to fuse my love for this craft with my artwork,” Chung said. “From the degradation of modern music, to the visual representation of sound, I aim to explore the interplay between art and music from a kaleidoscope of angles.”

While creating art, Chung believes that her art is a tool for social change. Her art intends to make a statement about music, and with each piece she hopes to portray a clear, unique message that carries through in her artwork.

“Eunice is one of the most amazing students I have ever taught in the 18 years that I’ve taught art here at Diamond Bar High School,” Gee said.

In the time they have been together, Eunice is the only student she has taught that has submitted both an AP Studio Art Portfolio and an IB Visual Arts Portfolio. Chung received a perfect score on the AP Studio Art Portfolio and Gee believes she will also receive a perfect score on the IB Visual Arts Portfolio.

Chung is inspired by artists who

The Death Of Music, by Eunice Chung, will be featured at an IB art exhibition. take risks. Artists such as painter Wassily Kandinsky and architects Min Suk Cho and Frank Gehry inspire her to create original art that will hopefully inspire others.

“These innovators have challenged convention and I seek to emulate their bravado in my own work,” Chung said.

Chung takes pride in all of the pieces she creates and believes that her artistic risk-taking has been her biggest accomplishment so far.

Zhang also creates murals, illustrations, and sculptures in order to portray what she is feeling.

“I really want to create art that will inspire other artists to get into their own art,” Zhang said.

Zhang is inspired by artists such as Shepard Fairey, the creator of the famous brand “Obey,” and Chris Sanders, an animator and illustrator for Walt Disney Pictures. These artists have inspired Zhang to strive to become an animator or director.

“Because of my young age, I

have a younger perspective. I understand what a lot of teenagers are going through in high school and in social media,” Zhang said.

One of Zhang’s favorite personal pieces was an interactive sculpture that was displayed at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum.

Everyone that was apart of the piece was asked to write on a slip of paper. The sculpture eventually grew to be quite large, with everyone’s slips of paper coming together to create something beautiful.

“After checking up on it a week later, there were hundreds of papers that all started with mine.

It was so cool to see,” she said.

Gee has also had the pleasure to teach Zhang in her art career at DBHS. Zhang proved to be one of her best students at design composition and color theory while working with Gee. “She is gifted at not only traditional paintings, but she is also really good at graphic design and digital design,” Gee said.

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SPORTS

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FEBRUARY 24, 2016

Dominating the court GIRLS BASKETBALL Team plays today after winning first two CIF playoffs. gaby dinh web editor

Senior Lauren Unger moves the ball down the field during the conference game against Glendora.

ERIC HONG

One away from win GIRLS SOCCER Because of offensive struggles, the Lady Brahmas lost numerous close games, finishing fourth with a 4-5-1 record in the league. emily kim asst. sports editor

Although the Diamond Bar varsity girls soccer team will be ending the season with more losses than wins, with a record of 4-5-1, this season has proved to be a learning experience for the team, as they have come close to cinching several games.

While the Lady Brahmas have remained stationary in their standings, ending fourth in league, the team has made improvements both in its overall chemistry and game strategies. Another new skill that the girls have implemented this season was trying new formations based on what opponent the team faced.

The girls have played numerous close games, two of which

were against the undefeated league champs, South Hills Huskies. The Brahmas lost by one goal in both matches.

“After losses, I try not to talk about it too much right after the game,” head coach Matt Franco said. “We’ll make a practice plan to work on those things that we struggled with and then we just kind of move forward, try not to dwell on it too much, move on.”

However, the season has also had its share of exciting wins. In the team’s second conference match against Ayala, the two schools traded goals until the score was even at 2-2 in the first fifteen minutes. The score remained that way, pushing the game into double overtime before the Lady Brahmas were able to secure the win, making the final goal.

With a lack of offensive power,

the team has been unable to score as many goals as they hoped this season.

According to Franco, the offense was a work in progress this year.

He hopes to develop the offensive attack as a unit in order to score more and match the team’s already strong defense.

On the defensive line, players such as goalies senior captain Stevie Eide and sophomore Samantha Blazek, as well as center backs junior Delaney Donohue and freshman Elisa Kolek, were some of the key players this season. Junior captain Kayla Pak also performed well this season, shutting down multiple goal attempts and scoring the most goals on the team with six, all as a defender.

“We’ve had some good games against the top teams and a couple bad games that we let get away from us,” Franco said. “Every loss that we had has been by one goal so we’ve been close in our games but we just didn’t get the end results that we wanted.”

Continual successes in their CIF games showcase why varsity girls basketball is one of the most successful DBHS teams not only this season, but the whole year.

In their first home CIF game February 18, girls basketball dominated the first quarter by 210, eventually winning by a score of 57-31. And then on Saturday at Walnut High School, the girls won their second round CIF game 40-32 against El Rancho by outscoring them by nine points in the fourth quarter.

Though the score shows the Brahmas with a clear lead against El Rancho, the game was closer than the final score suggests.

El Rancho lead the fourth quarter with a four point lead. It would take the efforts from the Brahma’s defense for the team to be in the lead, holding against El Rancho to one point in the final seven minutes.

Notable standouts include junior Juliana Gamboa and senior Candace Black who led the team in scoring with 11 and nine points.

They will play against top seed Mira Costa in the quarterfinals today.

Playing better than they ever have before, the Lady Brahmas have emerged with their most successful season in twenty years, finishing second place in the Palomares League with a 22-4 record.

The team’s last home game in the regular season was against Glendora on February 11, and ended with a successful 59-44 win. The Brah-

ERIC HONG

Junior Juliana Gamboa runs the ball down the court on Senior Night.

mas originally trailed Glendora in the first half, but dominated the rest of the game thanks to the play of Gamboa in addition to seniors Kayla Rice and Destinee Garr.

Head coach Tony McCabe said that good relationships between players, individual player development by assistant coaches Kylance Malveaux and Erica Young, and an easier preseason were some factors that led to the team’s overall success this year.

“Every once in awhile you get this team that comes together. We have this great senior group and a great junior group that are all coming together at the same time,” McCabe said.

Three of the current seniors, captains Rice and Garr, as well as Sabrina Liang, all have been on varsity since their freshman year.

“When you have players like that who do so much for your team, you’re going to be a good team,” McCabe said.

Experienced players in first year Four freshman have made their marks, earning spots on varsity teams despite their young age. stuart kusdono angela yang amy miyahara contributing writers The pressure of playing with and against more experienced competition might seem overwhelming to freshman sports members, but this has not deterred Ethan Galang, Ol-

ivia Valdivia, Andrew Cardiel, and Kailie Vongsaga from taking on the challenge of playing on varsity in their respective sports..

Galang, part of boys varsity basketball team, stated that he found it hard to transition from playing in middle school to high school.

“A year ago I was playing with 13 and 14 year olds but now I’m playing against 18 year olds,” Galang said.

However, Galang has shown considerable leadership for the team through his strength in creating opportunities for others.

“When [my teammates] need help, I’ll be there to cover for them

Photo courtesy of ANDREW CARDIEL

Andrew Cardiel (above, kneeling) had no prior experience in wrestling.

and hope they’ll be able to do the same for me.” Galang said. “It’s a great experience because the seniors teach me and encourage me to push myself,” Meanwhile, girls varsity soccer also features Valdivia, who had played soccer since age three and entered DBHS with the goal of joining varsity.

Valdivia took a special liking to soccer after trying out various sports.

Her greatest accomplishment in the sport was being invited to an Olympic development program and getting picked as an alternate after making it to the last round of tryouts.

Although playing on varsity has proved quite challenging for Valdivia, as it is sometimes difficult to keep up with the older girls, the experience has proved valuable for her.

“I have learned to just be confident and strong when playing,” Valdivia said.

Vongsaga is another freshman who has experience with her sport, as she is a key member of girls varsity golf. Vongsaga was ranked 17th in the AJGA Polo Rankings, which ranks all girls ages 12 to 18. The Junior Golf Scoreboard ranked her first out of all girls in the class of 2019.

“She’s a very strong player physically, and mentally, she’s super tough,” head coach Tony McCabe said. “She’s just a great addition.

Olivia Valdiva has been playing soccer since the young age of three.

She was our best player, [and] she was the MVP of the league.”

Vongsaga says that the hardest part about playing golf is maintaining mental strength.

“You’re out there for four hours or more; you’ve got to keep yourself strong,” she said. “Don’t get frustrated, and be calm…just have fun out there.”

In the future, Vongsaga plans to play golf professionally. Although she says she is not sure where she wants to attend college, she has already been offered full-ride scholarships to Texas Christian University and UCLA. While most athletes begin training at a young age to reach varsity, Cardiel shows that years of experi-

ERIC HONG

ence are not always necessary to excel.

Cardiel followed in his brother, Michael Cardiel’s, footsteps by trying out for the varsity wrestling team despite having no previous experience with the sport.

“It’s an amazing feeling to know I can get to that level so soon,” Cardiel said. “It’s definitely an honor to be on varsity.”

Since it is Cardiel’s first year wrestling, both his brother and the coaches have helped him adjust to the sport and motivated him to perform better.

“He’s got talent and he’ll do well,” Coach Marcus Johnson said.

“He’s one of the best wrestlers on the team.”

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FEBRUARY 24, 2016

Dancer sets the barre higher DBHS Teacher Kari Simonson is pursuing a new passion in life: weightlifting. She has already competed in two events and plans to compete in a national tournament. tess guan asst. web editor Ballet barres at school, iron bars at home. Diamond Bar High School dance teacher Kari Simonson, who started weightlifting in June, is not only a dance enthusiast, but also a dedicated weightlifter.

“I didn’t think it could be that

hard,” she said. “I was trying to show my husband how easy it could be, but I was so wrong.”

Simonson spontaneously decided to give weightlifting a first try after finding a barbell among the weight equipment her husband, who owns a strength and conditioning gym, stored in their garage.

“I just picked it up thinking this ‘couldn’t be too hard to do,’ I had

no idea what I was doing,” Simonson said. “Then I kind of just fell in love with it, because there’s a whole technique behind it, kind of like dance, which is why I think it kind of appeals to me.”

Simonson soon started increasing the weights of the bars she used to practice, to the point where she realized she needed a coach.

Prior to weightlifting, Simonson had never worked with a coach before. However, she soon realized that in addition to helping her with the new sport, working one on one with a professional has allowed her to grow and develop as a dance

Photo courtesy of KARI SIMONSON

Kari Simonson competes at a local Chikara Weightlifting competition. Her next competition is in April.

teacher as well.

Currently, Simonson trains in a gym once or twice a week with her coach, Simon Kuang, a professional who nearly completed in the Olympics but was affected by a shoulder injury. At home, she practices weightlifting four times a week.

There are two primary lifts in Olympic weightlifting: snatch and clean-and-jerk. Simonson’s max for the snatch is 48 kilograms, or 106 pounds, while her clean and jerk is 63 kilos, or 104 pounds. Furthermore, her back squat lift is 55 enormously. kilos, 121 pounds.

“The minute you get it in your “It doesn’t matter about how head that you can’t do it, then it’s much you can lift, it doesn’t matter exactly what you’re body will do,” about the numbers… I’m almost 40 Simonson said. “If it’s taught me years old and I’ve been the stronanything, it’s that your body is gest I’ve ever been in my life,” Si- so much more powerful than you monson said. think it is, and it’s all mental.”

As of now, Simonson has comThe similarity between the prinpeted in two weightlifting com- ciples for dance and weightlifting petitions, and has an upcoming have further inspired Simonson to event in April. After her third become a better dancer and teachcompetition, she plans to attend er. the National Masters Weightlifting “It’s been interchangeable, Championships. Since the event dance has helped with my weightis divided by lifting because age group of my body and weight, awareness and “It doesn’t matter about how her age qualimy mobility. much you can lift, it doesn’t fies her in the Weightlifting matter about the numbers…” masters athhas helped KARI SIMONSON lete category. my dancing “If someone tremendously, would have it tests my told me a year ago that I would strength, my control, my body have been doing this, I would have awareness on the other side, and laughed,” Simonson said, “I’ve almy power,” she said. ways joked that ‘I’m not a gym perDespite the large amounts of the son, I’m not an athlete.’ Dancing time, effort, and work she has put is a sport, but I’ll never consider into weightlifting, Simonson fully myself ‘training to be an athlete.’” advocates for others to try the sport Although weightlifting appears as well. to be a dangerous sport, if done “I don’t think you really know correctly, the risk of injury is very how strong you are because the low. bar, or the iron, will tell you exactPhysically, Simonson has only ly how you are. Nobody else outside had problems with tendonitis in can tell you exactly how life is, peoher shoulder, a pre-existing injury ple will say one thing, you can do that had already affected her prior one thing, but the bar will tell you to weightlifting. Mentally, howthe truth,” she said. “You can’t hide ever, the sport has impacted her from the iron.”

Young team unable to clinch wins BOYS BASKETBALL Despite a lack of experience, Brahmas earned spot in CIF playoffs ending the season 3-7. brian chang asst. news editor Despite fielding a roster of mostly young blood, with a handful of veterans, the Diamond Bar High School’s varsity boys basketball team was able to end the regular season with a bang, beating the Glendora Tartans 64-32 on Senior Night, Feb. 11, and earning the team a spot in the CIF playoffs.

However, the team’s championship dreams were crushed by a 5524 loss to Rancho Verde Mustangs Feb. 17 in the first round.

They finished the season 3-7 and finished with a 0-1 record in CIF playoffs.

Head coach Henry Frierson believes that the team had the talent to do well, but that the lack of returning players made it difficult to compete in big games.

The team lost the majority of its matchups in the Palomares League to teams like the Ayala Bulldogs and the Bonita Bearcats, who both ended the season 9-1.

The previous season, the team had nine seniors, all of whom were returning players, while this sea-

son the team only had three.

For their final game of the regular season, the Brahmas were able to come out on top against the Tartans for the first time this season.

The team’s two other wins were both against South Hills, coming out on top with scores of 64-62 and 67-41, respectively.

Senior captains Evon Shubin and Damien Flores have been major factors in the team’s wins, along with junior Malik Corey.

“Our strength this year has probably been in our post play, but I think our biggest weakness is just our size and inexperience,” Frierson said. “Our centers are pretty decent size, but then we have a vast drop-off to our forward and wing positions.”

One of the team’s goals was to end the season off on a high note for the remaining seniors. Frierson expects the team to do well next year due to the talent from younger players, such as freshman Ethan Galang.

“He is a really good player for us.

There are still a lot of rookie mistakes that he makes, but his shooting ability is very high for his age,” Frierson said. “We’re extremely young, but I think we made a lot of progress in developing the kids in the program in general.”

The team was able to make the CIF playoffs despite placing fourth in the regular season, as Ayala High School was selected to play in a different CIF division.

Senior Peter Valencia uses a screen set by senior Damien Flores in a game against Glendora.

ERIC HONG

SPORTS

THE BULL'S EYE

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

Teachers run more than the classroom Three DBHS staffers devote much of their free time to competitive running, participating in marathons and iron man triathlons. pauline villegas asst. a&e editor Most adults find it hard to make time for anything other than their careers and families. However, a select group of Diamond Bar High School staff members have found a place in their busy schedules to train and participate in long-distance running events.

Teachers Denise Mesdjian, Les Schafer, and Jennifer Bravo have each completed marathons, halfmarathons, and triathlons. These running events can be as long as 26.2 miles and require months of vigorous training.

English teacher Mesdjian began running when she was eleven years old, participating in track and field and cross country in both high school and college.

“Running a marathon was just

Photo courtesy JENNIFER BRAVO

Jennifer Bravo completed the LA Marathon in 2014.

the next step in my running journey,” Mesdjian said.

Mesdjian uses running as a type of therapy or a way of achieving something that she has been striving for, as preparing requires intense mental and physical training.

“I’ve always used self-motivation. It’s kind of the metaphor of running away from your problems and also running towards a goal.

It’s a spiritual journey that I like to take,” Mesdjian said.

Running also allows Mesdjian to spur on her own creativity and it gives her a goal to work toward.

She has participated in city marathons, trail marathons, and triathlons.

In addition, Mesdjian is the route coordinator of her running club, the So Cal Pacers. Serving as the route coordinator, she designs the routes that they run when they meet up at Bonelli Park.

“When you participate in a sport that is difficult, you really bond with the people on your team,” Mesdjian said. She is currently training for a 50-mile race in Mammoth.

Math teacher Schaefer has also participated in a multitude of running events. In total, he has completed three full marathons and one half iron man, which is a form of a triathlon.

Schaefer began running in 2004, and two years later decided to run his first full marathon in Long Beach.

“I enjoy longer distances because I feel really good when I accomplish them,” Schaefer said.

While training, the thought of finishing kept Schaefer going. He understood that his goal was to fin-

michelle ki feature editor Although improvements were made from last year, the girls varsity water polo team experienced yet another tough season. However, with great efforts contributed by both the coaches and players, the team’s overall record improved to a 7-22, compared to last year’s 4-23 record.

But the season was overshadowed by the loss of their beloved assistant coach.

“I think it is safe to say that all of us wish that Coach Alexander Alan Ruiz was still with us,” head coach Alexander Matal said. “His contributions to the program, staff and student-athletes were far reaching and will forever be ingrained in our program’s history. He will be missed by all of us.”

Unlike last season, the coaches emphasized a better understanding of the fundamental skills needed to be successful.

“The difference between this year and last year, we lost 10 close games by one to four goals, which could have been wins for us,” Matal said.

Some of the key moments this season consisted of the team’s first ever league victory against Glendora and two wins against Ontario after losing to both schools last year.

The team also finished 7th in the Nogales Varsity Tournament and 6th in the Varsity Winter Classic.

Senior captains Mia Le, Jenna

Canova, and Alyssa Moran took charge, leading the team through any obstacles and challenges they faced. According to Matal, they showed great leadership skills and pushed the team to work hard every day.

To further improve next season, the water polo coaches plan on increasing the intensity of the workouts and focus more on ingame situations to help the players

SPORTS COLUMN

Chasing History ryan chae asst. sports editor

I

Photo courtesy DENISE MESDJIAN

Denise Mesdjian participated at the Bulldog 25K in September of 2015 ish and no matter what he had to keep pushing through.

Chemistry teacher Jennifer Bravo also understands what it’s like to train for a running event. Her local YMCA employee suggested that a group of her class members sign up for a 5k, which is a distance of roughly 3 miles.

After signing up for her first 5k, she quickly progressed to a 10k, half marathon, and then ultimately, a full marathon.

“Once I decided to do a full marathon, what really helped me was joining a running group and that

made a huge difference,” Bravo said.

Three times, Bravo has run in the Los Angeles Marathon.

Having friends to train alongside with motivated Bravo to push through all of her challenges.

Their training plan and schedules allowed her to stay organized while preparing for the big day. Exercising with her husband also helped Bravo finish all 26.2 miles.

“Last year, my husband decided he would like to run a marathon as well. Having him to run with also motivated me,” Bravo said.

Making fundamental improvements GIRLS WATER POLO In its second season, the team became more competitive, surpassing expecatations and exceeding last year’s record.

15

increase the rate of success during Although the water polo team games. They will continue to focus did not succeed in terms of record, on the key fundamental skills for the improvements made from last new students, while continuing to season are expected to pay off next develop and advance the skill sets season. of the return“This group of ing players.

“This group of young ladies young ladies ex“We have exceeded every expectation ceeded every exmade huge and met every challenge that pectation and met strides to close the coaching staff presented every challenge the gap bethem with.” that the coaching tween the end staff presented COACH ALEXANDER MATAL of last season them with. We are and this season, playing at a higher but we still have a lot of water polo level than what anyone would exto learn and room to improvement pect from a second year program,” our current skill sets,” Matal said.

Matal said.

Junior Simar Cheema defends the ball from a Lady Bear defender against Warren. DB lost the match 22-3.

ERIC HONG

n the NBA, we are witnessing history. For the first time in 20 years, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ historical 72-10 regular season record, which was set by the legendary trio of Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen, and one of the greatest players of all time, Michael Jordan, is threatened by the Golden State Warriors.

In terms of individual talent, the Warriors may not have players of the same caliber as those from the ‘96 Bulls; however, the team still has its own set of weapons that could challenge any team in the history of the NBA. At shooting guard, the team boasts Klay Thompson, a two-time all-star holding the league record for most points in a quarter with 37 points and winner of the threepoint shooting contest. Everyday triple-double threat Draymond Green runs the power forward with the passing abilities of a guard, the size of a post, and the ability to guard any position. And of course, the team has Stephen Curry, the man who has lit up every other team in the league.

Curry was last year’s MVP and the talk of the league. And yet, as impossible as it sounds, he has only gotten better, improving in a way that could have him win this year’s Most Improved Player award. With his insane shooting range and ball handling, Curry has catapulted the Warriors to the greatest start in NBA history, with 24 wins before losing and earning the best 50 game start, going 46-4. Curry is averaging 29.8 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.3 rebounds a game while making an unbelievable five threes a game and maintaining a historic 31.99 player efficiency rating.

As a Kevin Durant fan, it hurts for me to say that Curry is the best player in the NBA right now.

Even when he doesn’t drop a ton of points in a night, Curry does everything else correctly. Curry draws in defenders to give his teammates opportunities, goes head to head with any other point guard in the league, and acts as a source of light that players and fans can look to.

In matches against the best team of the league, Curry is always ready to show up.

On Feb. 6, in a 116-108 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with less than a minute left in the game, Curry dropped a jumper that gave the team a 114-108 lead. Then, Curry ended the game with a no-look pass to Andre Iguodala for a dunk while he was being double teamed.

This is just one of the many instances that the star proved he can close out games for his team.

In fact, the Warriors are dominating their matchups this year against hopeful contenders.

Against the strongest teams, both in the East and West, the team has knocked off the top three seeds in the conferences by an average of 13 points. Two of these wins included a 120-90 win over the 43-8 San Antonio Spurs and a 132-98 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team the Warriors faced in the NBA Finals last year.

With less than 30 games to go, the Warriors are more than likely going to put their names into the history books as the team with the greatest regular season record.

If the team keeps up the way it’s playing, it’ll easily become the thirteenth team in NBA history to win back-to-back titles.

16 SPORTS

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

THE BULL'S EYE

sPRING PRESEASON Schedule baseball

badminton

3/1 @ Villa Park 3/3 Crean Lutheran 3/9 Wilson

2/29 Cabrillo 3/8 Redlands 3/11 @ Webb

2/27-3/7 Don Lugo Tournament 3/10 Walnut

boys tennis

softball 2/27-3/5 Brea Tournament 3/8 @ Los Altos 3/9 Glendora

swim 3/5 TBA @ Palomares League Relay 3/10 Walnut 3/11 TBA @ Mt. Sac

SPORTS

Season ends with first round exit BOYS SOCCER After tying for first place in the Palomares League, the Brahmas were eliminated by the Beckman Patriots in the team’s opening playoff game. eric hong opinion editor The Diamond Bar High School varsity boys soccer team’s CIF run was stopped short on Friday after a 1-0 loss in the first round of the

ERIC HONG

Senior Jason Yi looks to take possession of the ball against Beckman.

playoffs against Beckman High School Patriots. A goal from the Patriots in the final seconds of the game ended the Brahmas’ season with 17-3-6 overall record.

Prior to the CIF playoffs, the Brahmas were tied for first place in the Palomares League with Claremont High School, with a record of 9-1. Out of the nine wins, they dominated the race with five shutouts, including a 5-0 win against the Ayala High School Bulldogs.

The sole loss was a 3-0 loss against Claremont High School, after having beaten the team in a prior, nonconference game.

“Our playoff division is unbelievably deep.” head coach Kemp Wells said before Friday’s game.

“There are no breaks. … We need to capitalize on every opportunity and play every moment like it will be our last since it very well may be our last game.”

Senior forward/midfielder Bry-

an Becerra led the season with 14 goals, and seniors forwards Tony di Donato and Mohamad Abboushi followed with 11 and 10 goals, respectively. Senior midfielder/forward Mortaza Lutfy led the team with seven assists, and di Donato and Becerra followed with five each.

But in this year’s team, it wasn’t only the forwards that put all the points on the board. A balance in scoring distribution among the team’s players and positions was a key characteristic in the squad, according to Wells. Although no player came close to scoring over 20 goals as in last year’s team, more players in different positions have scored goals during the season. As a defender, senior Connor Donohue scored six goals, and senior defender/midfielder Bruno Gamboa scored five.

According to Wells, a major focus of the team was on taking ad-

ERIC HONG

Seniors Connor Donohue and Bruno Gamboa fight for the ball against Claremont. vantage of scoring opportunities.

Although the Brahmas have generated many scoring chances during the season, usually more than their opposing teams, finishing on the chances was an area that needed

improvement.

“We didn’t win CIF, but I think overall we had a great season. You have to take the positives out of things and I think going 17-3-6 is excellent for us,” Abboushi said.

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

Destinee Garr

emily jacobsson asst. a&e editor In 2012, the only freshman impressive enough to be placed on the Diamond Bar High School girls varsity basketball team was Destinee Garr. Now, as a senior and one of five team captains, Garr is leading the Lady Brahmas through their most successful season in 20 years.

While natural talent may play a role in Garr’s success, she recounts how her hard work since third grade has been essential in her development.

Garr found inspiration to begin playing through her family, who shared the same interests in sports.

“My dad used to play [basketball] and I just grew up with all my cousins playing sports. I didn’t like to play with Barbies anyway,”

Garr said.

For the past seven years, Garr has been playing with her a travel team, Edge Basketball. She was chosen out of three hundred other players by her travel ball coach to receive an award for being an all around outstanding player.

For the Brahmas, Garr has become an exceptional rebounder, averaging seven per game.

“She’s always been and probably is one of the best rebounders that

Senior Destinee Garr dribbles the ball against a Lady Tartan in the team’s 59-44 victory over Glendora.

ERIC HONG

has ever played at Diamond Bar. She’s been good at that all along,” head coach Tony McCabe said.

Throughout her four years on the varsity team, Garr has been team captain for two years and played in every position, showing how flexible she is in her ability.

Garr was able to smoothly transition from being a center to a point guard, which is sometimes regarded as the hardest position to play.

According to McCabe, Garr’s versatility is what makes her especially appealing to the college recruiters.

With averages of 6.1 points per game, 1.1 steals per game and 0.5 blocked shots per game, Garr surpasses the national average in all four categories.

After placing second in league, Garr and the Lady Brahmas are now focusing on doing their best as the CIF playoffs draw near.

“I’m proud of every game we play because we have to work so hard to win and just to play our best,” Garr said.

Even with her impressive high school career, Garr admits to facing rough patches

once in awhile, during which she begins to lose her will to continue playing basketball. However, encouragement from her teammates, specifically co-captain Kayla Rice, has been a big reason why she continues to pull through. “[This season] has been fun, but you have those times where you don’t want to play anymore and you have to push yourself. You have to say ‘you can do it, don’t quit.’”

Garr said.

With her final year on the team coming to an end, Garr looks forward to a strong end of the season, though it is not without a heavy heart that she leaves the team.

In the future, Garr looks to forward to playing with a junior college team, though she isn’t sure about any further plans regarding basketball.

“I’m going to miss playing with the girls on the team and just playing high school ball,” Garr said. “I know it’s going to be a lot different in college so I’m enjoying it while it lasts.”