February 2024

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February 7, 2024 @dbbullseye

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Classroom showcase by dusk

Senior reveries to reality

Diamond Bar High hosted its annual Open House with its activities drawing in hundreds of guests.

Colleges have released their early decisions, satisfying seniors’ student-hood dreams.

James yang asst. news editor

curtis chyau staff writer

The culmination of much coordination and hard work, this year’s Open House event at Diamond Bar High School brought much enjoyment to the teachers, parents and students who participated. Having prepared for Open House as early as last year, those involved in the preparation of the various activities intended to make Jan. 25 a night to remember. Among other things, guests visited different language projects, class walkthroughs and club demonstrations.

At 6:30 PM, visitors were greeted in the amphitheater by United Student Body student leaders, school mascots and faculty members.

The DBHS Administration Team hosted demonstrations simulating their regular student activities as food trucks stood by.

“The whole vision for Open House was to create an environ-

(AIME), which was held on Feb. 1.

Those who qualified included freshman Russell Kuo, sophomores Jesse Hu, Brian Huang, Kevin Kim, Nathan Tien, Jay Tsuei, Eric Zhang, and seniors Bryce Chang and Jennifer Cheng.

Top scorers in the annual American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) for the two categories, grade 10 or under and grade 12 or under, are invited to take the AIME in hopes of making it to the

As seniors at DBHS prepare to wrap up their high school experience, some have already decided where the next chapter of their life story will take place.

Although the year is just about halfway done, many seniors have already been accepted to the colleges they will attend.

Many of these seniors have been accepted to some of the most prestigious schools in the country, including Yale, MIT, Cornell, Princeton, Duke, Emory, and NYU among others.

One of these students is senior class president Justin Kung, who was recently accepted to Yale University.

“I chose Yale for its open curriculum to explore my interdisciplinary interests, research opportunities, and people-friendly environment as Yale emphasizes peer-to-peer connections and fosters a strong sense of community and collaboration,” Kung said.

Having done multiple extracurriculars, Kung said that thanks to the amount of work he put into his high school career, he was decently prepared for the college admissions process.

“Overall the college admission process centers around a lot of writing, whether it be describing each of your most important activities, or writing an essay about your deepest passions and hidden secrets,” Kung said. “For me, the writing wasn’t that bad, but the introspection that it took to form words to describe certain experiences certainly took a long time.”

Melody Zhang was another senior fortunate enough to hear back from her early decision choice: the Stern School of Business at NYU. “I originally chose ED1 to NYU because I knew I would ultimately raise my admission chances from around 7% to about 15%,” Zhang said. “Although that doesn’t seem like a drastic increase in admission chances, I felt that NYU would be the perfect place for me to hone my skills to jump into investment banking or financial consulting. I also just love New York City in general, and I wanted to move to the East Coast to experience a change in environment from California.”

Like all the other seniors applying to college, she had to navigate the tricky admissions process.

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Photo courtesy of ANNIE GUO The World Language department hosted a wide range of activities, from an all-grade student concert to cultural games. ment that showcased our Brahma pride and hospitality,” organizer Nicolle Flores said. “This was all meant to demonstrate to our school community how much we love our school. It was great to see our community on campus learning about DBHS and enjoying themselves.”

At the front gates, Diamond Bar High’s Team Sprocket 3473 hosted a strong demonstration of their regular club activities, showcasing their bulky robot and other technological skills. Kids and parents were allowed to control the robot’s extensions using a remote control to toss a large ball into a bucket.

Guests were led through the school’s most recent achievements in full, including their status as a National Blue Ribbon School and their success in Mock Trial, Math Madness and band competitions.

Parents of incoming DBHS students were also interested in hearing about Advanced Placement classes, International Baccalaureate and the new addition of the culinary science and recording engineering classes.

When the rest of campus opened its classroom doors to students and parents at 7 PM, the night became more heated. The Chinese, Korean

and Spanish language departments had prepared for a collaborative event occupying the whole of the 300s buildings, where the students banded together to put on a dazzling performance.

Language students were led by Spanish teachers Sergio Navarro, Nancy Najera, Magali Rosas, Rosa Romero, Charlotte Sorensen and Brenda Zavala; Chinese teachers Jared Wu, Janet Lu and Anastasia Wolf; and Korean teacher Amelia Lee. On stage, they sang the popular Disney song “It’s a Small

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TEDx with DBHS: vocalizing wellness

The Wellness Center recently hosted a series of student TEDx talks. joanne lee photo editor

Placing themselves under the spotlight, a handful of select Diamond Bar High School students shone as they took the stage to share their TEDx speeches in an event hosted and organized by the Wellness Center.

After a rigorous audition process, 18 student speakers were selected.

The speeches were hosted on Jan. 23 and participants spoke in groups of three for six class periods.

Each speech centered around the topic of wellness, supported by personal topics such as personal growth, difficulty and their beliefs.

Junior Kavya Nair was inspired to audition for the speeches by her

personal life and problems she faces.

Her topic, “The Mind of an Overthinker” documented a difficulty that she faced and how she decided to overcome it.

“I initially wasn’t planning to audition for this Ted Talk because of my own fears and self-doubt,” Nair said. “However, as I was writing my speech for my class, I realized that I need to quite literally follow my own advice to stop overthinking.”

Nair also learned about herself during the process of spreading her message, including how to understand and control her overthinking tendencies. “ S o m e things that I have learned through this ordeal is how many simple changes we can bring into our life to positively impact it day to day,” Nair said. “Having a good support group that you can share your mind with is something that helps with overthinking.”

tedx on p. 2

Photo courtesy of CARL LUO Mathletes practiced past problems tirelessly to transcend the AMC10 and 12..

AIMEing for the sky Math-oriented students placed high on the AMC competition, landing them into the next level.

Eric zhang asst. news editor This year, 10 talented Diamond Bar High School students qualified for the prestigious American Invitational Mathematics Exam

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The Bull’s Eye

February 7, 2024

Top ten in History Bowl Diamond Bar High’s History Club took eighth place in the recently held National History Bowl. curtis chyau staff writer After delving into history books, the Diamond Bar High School History Club took eighth place at the National History Bowl regional qualifier.

The National History Bowl is a history-based competition open to teams from several high schools all over the country.

The teams that place in the top 50% in the regional competitions move on to a national competition held later in the year.

Hosting several trivia-based tryouts with the use of a Jeopardy-style buzzer system to fill out their roster, the leaders of the club judged potential participants on various factors like speed, accuracy, and confidence.

Once they had their roster set, the club’s real work started–and they began preparing for actual competition.

“The History Bowl tests us on pretty much every category of history there is, from arts & entertainment to global politics to ancient empires, so it’s a little hard to know everything,” History Club co-presi-

dent Nina Wu said. “Our team decided to split up each category and allow each member to become experts on something niche.”

They only had a few weeks to improve quickly before the competition.

One of the things the team felt the need to i m p rove on was strategy.

Since the team l a c k e d knowledge of the content of the actual competition, they had to do some extensive studying.

“In the beginning, none of us knew how it worked, what style the questions were, or what kind of history we should study,” Wu said via Instagram. “But as we began training, we realized that there were patterns to the categories of questions they asked and through this, we were able to frame our knowledge to better suit the competition.”

However, after some high-intensity training, they eventually managed to find a way to maximize the efficiency of their conceptual application by going through dozens of past history bowl tests and questions to test their brain capacity for

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knowledge.

“Overall, we managed to successfully answer quite a few questions about the topics we were individually skilled at,” Wu said. “I found that we ended up just going for it even if we we re n ’ t 1 0 0 % s u r e that our answers w e r e right oftentimes the answer [was] simpler than you’d think.”

After a successful first competition, the club is preparing for future competitions.

With their next competition set for March 9th, the team is holding another tryout on Feb. 1 to fill out rosters even further.

The History Club still has a bit of time to further improve. Now possessing a better understanding of the competition, they aim for another high placement.

“Until then, we’re going to have weekly training sessions,” Wu said.

“But since we now know how these competitions really work, we’re going to study certain materials more. With the help of history teachers and the additional members on the team, we’re hoping to place even higher next time.”

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“The college admissions process was very fast-paced and reflective, especially if you are applying to private schools,” Zhang said. “In my opinion, writing your personal statement for private schools really forces you to think about what you’ve learned in life, whether it centers on overcoming adversity or discovering what you value in life.”

All of these seniors were extremely ecstatic when they received the glorious news that they had been accepted into some of the most selective and competitive schools in the country, surpassing tens of thousands of others in the country.

This can be shown by the jubilant reaction of Alton Hsiung, who was accepted into Princeton University.

“I wasn’t expecting myself to have a big reaction but because of how I opened it in front of a lot of people by accident I felt really hyped up,” Hsiung said.

With the school year rapidly coming to a close, current seniors will soon be faced with regular decision admissions, a different issue from those who have already been accepted.

In a future time, the Class of 2025 is set to be the next batch of seniors impatiently waiting for their results in due time.

“I would like to encourage underclassmen to just try,” Zhang said. “Whether that is by taking a long shot in the college admission process or signing up for a competition you don’t think you’ll win in, I hope you guys all put your best foot forward in life.”

DBHS PEER COUNSELING Student speakers open up on the TEDx stage, verbalizing their worldviews.

To express oneself: DBHS TEDx Talks tedx from p. 1 Another student, junior John Shimono, shared his own experience with philosophy in his speech about Optimism and Nihilism at the TEDx Talk he presided over.

“Learning about the topic I was going to present was interesting and I realized public speaking is fairly rewarding since this was my first time in a major public speaking role.” Shimono said.

He found inspiration through a popular internet meme, which quickly escalated into something much bigger—an entire oration centering around his personal life and inner worldview. With this unlikely inspiration, Shimono took the next step, a chance to deliver his speech.

“The topic started off as a joke based on a meme, but when I read The Myth of Sisyphus’ by Albert Camus, I realized his philosophy was actually very clever.” Shimono said. “I auditioned mostly because I thought that delivering that kind of speech was a different opportunity than most that are offered during high school and a fun way

to test and push myself.”

After sharing their motivational speeches, many speakers aspired to continue with furthering their confidence of speech through public speaking.

Nair plans on taking the opportunity to speak again if it presents itself.

She doesn’t want to let her insecurities stop her from doing what she wants.

“I would definitely do something like this in the future as a way to get myself out there. I am going to take baby steps towards my goal and achieve it,” Nair said. “And inspiring someone else to take a stand in their life will definitely be an amazing product of my incredible journey so far.”

The TED talks were filmed by DBHS’ Brahma Cinematics video production crew.

Making the best use of technology through this medium, they would be accessible to anyone who missed it or wished to relive the experiences the student speakers had brought to them.

February 7, 2024

The Bull’s Eye

Math students advance to AIME stage

News

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Open House: presenting projects Open from p.1 World” in their respective foreign languages, eventually attracting a large crowd to liven up the atmosphere.

After the concert was over, teachers led visitors into their classrooms to play a few native cultural games and to discuss their regular activities.

“Hundreds of kids performed the song and the parents seemed to really enjoy it. Many people were recording, taking photos and singing along,” Navarro said. “We feel that singing and dancing is the best way to share our culture with the public.”

At the amphitheater, the French language department, led by teachers Anthony Tietz and Caroline Ayme-Johnson, displayed an original movie directed and filmed completely by students in the French program as a sequel to their last original musical.

La Roi de Baguette’s production was assisted by San Gabriel Valley Regional Occupational Program, Printed Works Club, Pathways Academy, DBHS Recording Program and Brahma Cinematics.

“It was astounding to see the

aime from p.1 United State of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), a prestigious competition that only about 250 students in the nation compete in every year. These competitions offer students an opportunity to showcase their mathematical skills to the world.

“I take pride in honing my mathematical skills every day,” Tien said. “My goal of making it to the USAMO motivates me even more.”

Unlike the qualifying AMC 10 and 12, where students were given five multiple-choice options for each problem, the AIME gives the scholars three hours to answer 15 complex free-response questions, with answer possibilities in whole numbers ranging from 0 to 999.

This reduces the chance of students guessing the correct answer to accurately test students’ mathematical skills, to ensure that all of the qualifiers for USAMO are competent enough.

“This time, I think I scored around six or seven,” Tien said.

“It was definitely much more difficult than the AMC and the questions required a lot more thought.”

amount of ingenuity, creativity, skill and passion that was poured into the project. The French students always bring 100% to every event, so I feel fantastic about their engagement and interactions,” Tietz said. “They even brought a baguette king on a palanquin to the event while chanting his name feverishly.”

W h i l e much of Open House was utilized as a time to showcase achievements from the past semester, many students attended because of academic incentive in the form of extra credit.

In particular, the math teachers organized several Kahoot sessions to offer every math student at DBHS an opportunity to raise their grades.

They introduced a competitive element as well, directing the sessions divided by class difficulty into an academic battle between math periods. Seeing such success in this year’s Open House event, student departments are already planning to dazzle DBHS visitors next January.

The academic opportunities and celebratory mood associated with this after-school thrill leave many students anticipating next year’s Open House.

“I take pride in honing my mathematical skills every day.”

NATHAN TIEN

Though the concepts tested in these competitions are difficult, the critical and out-of-the-box thinking required to solve these problems makes tests especially challenging. The pressure induced on the students is also a common limiting factor behind many people’s performances.

“The most challenging part about these math competitions is honestly the time frame,” Hu said. “75 minutes for the AMC 10 and 12 was just brutal.”

Many of the students who qualified for AIME studied problems from old tests and visited several of the concepts that the AMC quizzed in the past. Because the AMC releases all of its past tests with detailed solutions, there are many resources available to help competitors prepare. In fact, the best way to prepare for the AMC and AIME is to work through old test problems because many of the concepts that are tested are similar.

“To prepare for the AMC and AIME, I worked through many of the post-2000’s tests,” Hu said.

“I tried to do every test from 2000 to 2023 chronologically to get the maximum result I could.”

Succeeding in these competitions requires much resilience and dedication. However, the substantial rewards that follow the persistence of these competitors make it incredibly gratifying.

“The skills I have learned from competition math have helped me learn new ideas more quickly,” Tien said. “It has helped me especially much in my math classes, and has also improved my critical thinking skills.”

Officers by elect The DBHS student body decided on the USB officers for the 2023-24 school year. emma chuang staff writer After a remarkably long week filled with anticipation, toy giveaways, and self promotions, the United Student Body elections are well underway.

The 2024 USB council will compose of juniors Jane Kim as president, Alexandra Chou as vice president, Adeline Chang as secretary, Noah Chan as IOC chairperson, Janice Chu as speaker of the house

and sophomore Michelle Park as finance director.

The preparation for getting to that point was both exciting and tedious for the candidates.

Many candidates said that taking initiative changed their perspective, growing their confidence and connection with their peers.

“Going to everyone in the school was a very humbling experience where some people would kindly listen to you and vote for you, whereas others wouldn’t even bother to look up while I was speaking,” Chu said.

The process of convincing people to vote was difficult, as many candidates were inexperienced in regards to putting themselves out at center stage.

However, they pushed through, using a variety of tactics, including posters, flyers, social media posts and giveaways to initiate conversations with peers.

“I promoted myself by posting on social media and approaching people on campus that I was not previously familiar with,” Chang

said. “Approaching new people was the most challenging because I’m not the most extroverted person so it was a good way for me to step outside my comfort zone.”

“I hope to impact the school for the better and keep clubs easy to create and maintain.”

NOAH CHAN

As the leaders of Diamond Bar High School, USB holds a lot of school events representing the school’s inclusiveness and leadership.

Most of this year’s council members say this puts some pressure on them to uphold a good example for their fellow peers.

“I hope to impact the school for the better and help keep clubs or extracurricular organizations easy to create and maintain,” Chan said.

The experience changed some of the members’ perspective, causing them to grow more confident as a person.

The majority said that it allowed a strong connection between the USB students and their peers, causing them to take initiative and assume a large amount of responsibility for others.

“USB means being the leader of the school, now that I am on board, I must lead with my fellow board members,” Chu said.

Getting elected into the 2024 USB council has inspired some to take on a challenge to make big decisions and lead something bigger than themselves, something much more meaningful to both them and their peers.

“Being in USB means so much to me,” Kim said. “USB is not just a group of students that paints posters and does rallies. USB students represent our school and what Diamond Bar stands for. Being in USB since freshman year has been such a privilege for me that I truly call them my second family.”

4 Opinion

February 7, 2023

The Bull’s Eye

Searching for passion in the 21st century

JEREMIAH JUNG NEWS EDITOR

I

n a world where everyone strives to be unique, it may seem impossible to stand out.

Often facing such daunting odds in the college admissions process, high school students of the 21st century resort to demonstrating that uniqueness through the lens of a passion. Yet, no matter the number of awards in FBLA, accolades in mock trial, tournaments won in robotics, clubs founded or children assisted in third-world

countries, the efforts of students often remain futile – unable to surmount those expectations.

Not all of those ‘passionate’ efforts, though, are of equal merit.

A student’s demonstrative passion is either authentic or completely pretentious — and to no fault of their own. Society forces its youth to all be unique in a particular way, shape or form, most notably amidst college applications.

All my life, I have grown up hearing stories of math geniuses who went to Harvard and musical prodigies who received full-ride scholarships; however, the overarching question is always: “So what did he/she do?”

Everyone assumes that there must be a special something that distinguishes a student from their millions of peers around the world, perpetuating the notion that one must have a passion to be successful.

This, in and of itself, is flawed.

Humans’ particularity has only ever been augmented in being multifaceted creatures, yet the modern educative atmosphere quashes that inherent part of our nature.

While society generally pushes these expectations onto those without a realized passion, those who have found genuine enthusiasm in something suffer from a different issue – the myriad of false passions that often eclipse their devotion.

On paper, it is difficult to differentiate between a heartfelt pursuit and one meticulously crafted to impress admissions officers. When a disinterested individual can pretend to be dedicated to helping kids in Africa and be considered the creator of an impactful passion project, or when said individual’s affluent family can help organize events, fundraisers and activities that those without money would be unable to achieve, the hardworking student teaching local kids in need at home cannot help but feel dis-

heartened. When such a large portion of so-called passion projects lose focus of their actual goal and devolve into self-centered endeavors, it is society that must eventually carry that weight.

The consequences of such sentiment have already infected the youth as they journey into the future and will reverberate throughout society once our generation

enters the workforce. Litigators who don’t know how to speak, doctors who don’t care about the lives in their hands or teachers without an interest in fostering their kids seem like the stuff of a dystopian society. But as long as the current system continues to force students into predefined boxes and limit exploration, this could very well become our reality.

End of preteens Flaws in the US tipping system

ERIC ZHang asst. feature editor

A

Cartoon Courtesy of MEILAN BUSTEED

lthough the U.S. is one of the most advanced firstworld countries, its tipping culture is still extremely outdated. America’s growth in economic size, technological innovation and social standards are restrained by its current tipping culture, which creates financial instability for service workers, unreasonable standards for consumers and only benefits companies.

For the vast majority of countries, tipping is simply seen as a gesture of gratitude. Even while dining in, restaurant-goers are not obligated to tip, and usually only do so if the service exceeds their expectations.

In fact, leaving a gratuity is frowned upon in many East Asian countries, such as China or Japan, because employees believe that good service should be the standard. Instead, many restaurants in those countries include an automatic service charge of five to

10 percent to the bill, eliminating the obligation for customers to tip and providing workers with wage security.

In the United States, however, it is customary for customers to tip a minimum of 15-20% of the total, even in establishments beyond restaurants, like salons or valets.

In fact, according to a Forbes Digital Tipping Culture survey, most

“A shift towards a fairer wage system, where employees are paid regularly and tips are discouraged, will contribute to a more stable distribution of earnings for service workers”

Americans tip between 16-20%, with the 21-25% category trailing close behind. A tip in America is not seen as a bonus reward, but more so a necessary act to support minimum wage workers. This stems from the fact that the federal minimum wage in the United States is $7.25, but the federal minimum wage for employees who receive tips is only $2.13, far be-

low the standard minimum wage.

While employers are required to compensate employees if they do not receive enough tips to cover minimum wage, many consumers are unaware of this fact and tip to help the workers.

As a result, service workers must rely on the generosity of customers to close the gap between an inadequate minimum wage and a livable income. The only party that reaps the benefits of the American tipping system is the business owners themselves.

Since customers are expected to tip generously, restaurant owners don’t feel the need to pay their employees as much because their pay combined with their tips will likely pass the minimum wage threshold, allowing restaurant owners to pocket more money for themselves.

The burden of fair compensation should not fall on the shoulders of customers, but on the shoulders of employers, who must ensure that their employees receive adequate wages that support them without any extra tips.

A shift towards a fairer wage system, where employees are paid regularly and tips are discouraged, will contribute to a more stable distribution of earnings for service workers. It will also promote a healthier and more sustainable work environment for them, and alleviate the financial strain on customers too.

Taking on responsibility for concert-goers

alex guan contributing writer

O

n Nov. 17, 2023, Brazilian student Ana Clara Benevides suffered from a sudden cardiac arrest at a Taylor Swift concert and passed away at the age of 23. Her condition was caused by dehydration, as the venue, Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, had banned attendees from bringing in bottled water, forcing them to buy overpriced water bottles, which were in short supply.

Benevides’ death sparked both

international outrage and a debate about whether musicians or venues should be held accountable for injuries and deaths that occur at their concerts. While it may reflect poorly on the musician to have an injury or death at their concerts, ultimately, responsibility should lie solely on the venue’s staff, not the artist.

It is important to recognize that deaths and injuries have always been prevalent at concerts, and this latest incident is only part of a pattern of poor venue and staff management.

For instance, in 2021, negligence combined with a lack of foresight from concert staff at the Astroworld Festival in NRG Park in Texas held by Travis Scott led to a crowd crush that killed 10 people and injured 300. In 1999, Woodstock ‘99, a three-day music festival in Rome and New York took the lives of three people and injured

over 5000 because security officers were poorly trained and there was essentially no effort to maintain sanitation on the premises.

Legally, owners of venues are responsible for on-site injuries, according to an article written by attorney firm Gerash Steiner Blanton P.C. shortly after the Astroworld crowd crush. They argued there were legal grounds to file negligent or inadequate security claims in response to potential criminal assaults and rowdy crowds at concerts.

Artists also do not own these venues themselves, so it is completely out of their control how they can manage crowds and logistics at a concert.

The litigation committee at the New York State Bar Association published a report regarding

this detail, which reiterates that “the owner of a concert venue generally has a common law duty to keep the property safe with respect to invitees on his or her or its venue.”

This reinforce s

the fact that it is the venue owner’s responsibility to keep people safe, not the artist.

When reflecting on the unfortunate, avoidable passing of devoted fans, it is valid to feel resentment or anger towards an artist for not doing more to prevent the accident.

However, performers are not to be blamed for casualties at their concerts. Concert staff are accountable for ensuring their attendees’ safety and enjoyment.

These issues, while sad, are avoidable if steps are taken to ensure procedures are properly followed. Concert staff are not always responsible for some attendees’ behavior and cannot directly control them, but they should take steps to maintain security and the safety of others at the venue. In addition, necessities like water and air conditioning need to be readily available and free, to ensure attendees do not risk injury or death.

February 7, 2023

Opinion 5

The Bull’s Eye

Taylor JoE a&E editor

O

n Dec. 28, 2023, Gypsy Rose Blanchard Anderson was released from prison, serving only eight years of her 10-year prison sentence. Back in 2016, Anderson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder of her abusive mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, and was sentenced alongside her then-boyfriend, Nicholas Gode-

john. Although Anderson’s actions should not be glorified and put on a pedestal, her story is an inspiration for many.It’s easy to judge someone like Anderson from the outside without knowing the true background of her case. Gypsy was a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy abuse from her mother, who, for attention, committed medical fraud, claiming that Anderson had sleep apnea, leukemia and muscular dystrophy.

As a result, Gypsy was required to unnecessarily undergo surgeries, use a wheelchair and feeding tube and take medications that caused her teeth to rot and be extracted. Due to the countless years of abuse that panned out across Anderson’s entire life, Anderson asked her online ex-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, to kill Dee Dee so that they would ultimately end

up together. Dee Dee’s death was shortly discovered after Anderson had posted on Dee Dee’s Facebook, ultimately leading to the ex-couple’s sentence.Since Anderson’s release, her case has been brought back to life due to her surge in popularity. While some find it odd, commenting that her social media page is glorifying murder, people need to put into perspective the vulnerable situation she was in. While it is undeniable that murder is wrong, Gypsy was unaware of any other options out of her situation because of Dee Dee Blanchard’s high protection over her. She didn’t have any friends or sources she could reach out to, besides her online boyfriend. The public needs to put themselves in Anderson’s shoes—she wasn’t aware of the possible escape routes out of her abusive situation. Ad-

ditionally, Anderson is seen using her platform for good. Rather than promoting her past actions as the victim, her posts further showcase that she is truly looking for change.

While many believe that Anderson should still remain in prison for her actions, I believe that she has changed as an individual and that her story can raise awareness of those suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy and their victims. Although her past actions are ridiculed, Anderson has admitted that her past actions were completely wrong. At the end of the day, Anderson is and was a victim of horrific abuse and trauma at the hands of the person that she was supposed to trust the most.

She made a mistake, admitted her wrongdoing, served her time in prison, and is out now, hoping to inspire others with her story.

The viral “Tiktalker” pandemic

Cartoon Courtesy of MEILAN BUSTEED

Morning traffic jam jamboree

SATIRICAL

of my horn blaring into your ears.

I was once behind this mom at an intersection driving her kids to school or something. I waited a full SECOND for her to move, and she didn’t. Absolutely ridiculous. I looked right at her kid in the backseat, looked that little 8-year-old brat right in the eyes, and gave him my full finger. Bet she learned her lesson after that.

Speaking of little kids, let’s talk about these darn high schoolers on the road who can’t go two red lights without pulling out their phones.

It’s honestly crazy that they are so addicted to their phones that they’ll be willing to risk MY life over it.

Completely ridiculous. How about

down the front of my house at 200 miles per hour. Tell me, where do you have to go in such a hurry at night? I’m over here trying to rest and these kids are getting a oneway ticket to Narnia. It’s crazy how insane these people have gotten.

Ridiculous. If you’ve got somewhere to go, then leave earlier. Just because you leave the house late doesn’t mean you can just blow past my neighborhood on your trip to heaven. And if that’s one of you reading this, then turn off those sirens that come after. You make it hard to sleep! I seriously don’t know how ANY of you got your licenses. I didn’t know DMV officials took bribes.

Aaron Shaw Staff writer

D

riving. Let’s be real here– it’s not that difficult. Most cars nowadays have that automatic fancy schmancy stuff that does half the driving for you, yet some of you still can’t drive in a straight line. There are two pedals down there–Left brake, right gas. Press it, it’ll do what you want.

That wheel at your chest? Turn it.

See what happens.

Honesty, I can’t stand the stupidity of these people on the road.

Half of you don’t even know how to use a turn signal. I’m pretty sure if you drive a BMW or a Tesla you don’t even know what a turn signal is! I swear, the next one of you who cuts me off will learn just how good your car’s automatic braking is. I’m curious, we should find out together!

This brings me to my next point: traffic lights. Did you know that if the light is green, it means go?

MOVE. I didn’t get my dad to buy this $200,000 Audi R8 to sit here pumping gas. If I see that light turn green, you better get moving unless you want to feel the full wrath

you learn how to drive for five seconds without panic braking before you start endangering my life.

That’s another thing: the filthy streets. The city ought to clean up the streets, clean everything up because this is ridiculous. I once dropped my phone while making a very important business call because I hit a big pothole. It’s astounding to me. I lost the client because of it. Doesn’t the city care about its citizens? It’s alright, because I went to the city hall later that day to file an official complaint and sue for emotional damage.

Sometimes I’m trying to get a good night’s sleep and some rowdy groups of people are driving

S T U P I D LY

Cartoon Courtesy of JASMINE CHEN

A vote for youth

D T E U TEE BU S P E E

Gypsy’s controversial stardom

Jianlan busteed Editor-in-chief

S

o many times I have heard older generations complain about political apathy in young voters, blaming them for sitting idly as the results skewed out of their favor. But, instead of asking what the youth can do for their country, we must now begin to ask what our country can do for its youth.

Imagine a well-funded public education system where all children can learn basic math and reading skills in primary school.

Investing in the guidance of young people through the voting process is a crucial starting point in reaching this reality. Many teens are not even aware of the option to preregister to vote due to poor advertisement, while those who were aware, like me, had trouble with the long, confusing process. It wasn’t until a student-organized voter registration campaign walked me through the registration form that I finally secured my “I’m registered to vote” sticker.

But because school districts are not required to ready students for civic engagement and 11 states do not even require a civics or U.S. government class, many high-schoolers remain woefully underprepared to cast their ballot as they enter adulthood.

The numbers back up this missing piece of our education. As of the 2022 midterms, only about onethird of 18-year-olds were registered to vote, according to United States Census data. To put that into perspective, out of the four million students who graduate high school each year, 2.8 million of them are missing in the electorate. 2.8 million per year.

While it’s fair to say that not all of these registered voters will end up casting their ballot on Election Day, many will. Youth tend to have the strongest thoughts on policy, and in every presidential election as far back as 2004, Census data shows that more than 75 percent of registered youth turned out.

In today’s polarized political society, numbers like that can turn an election on its head, disrupting incumbent runs and pushing new, fresh candidates to the center stage. In contrast to today’s political climate, where two-thirds of the youth feel that politicians and elected officials “do not reflect the needs and experiences of young people,” These candidates might actually feel a sense of urgency around the issues we deem important, with a catalytic effect that propels youth to vote more passionately.

We must work to ensure these rights are exercised and protected. Running a voter registration drive like the one here at Diamond Bar High School is a sure way to increase engagement within the community. However, addressing systemic issues requires a more long-term, strategic approach. By lobbying local elected officials to pass legislation like the Youth Voting Rights Act, which aims to provide meaningful federal protection to youth voting rights, we can play a bigger role in shaping policies that directly impact our civic representation. It’s time to change the narrative from apathy to opportunity to ensure all Americans have an equal chance to cast a ballot.

The Bull’s Eye

6 Feature

February 7, 2024 One event included the club’s guest panels from students from universities such as George Washington University, UCLA and UNC to speak on their experiences in the fields of political science and journalism.

They have also been able to teach their members the importance of leadership in the field of politics and in their communities.

The club’s recent leadership symposium gave members a way to gain leadership opportunities and learn lessons about leadership skills from guest speakers such as senate member, Josh Newman, DBHS principal David Hong and council member Andrew Chou.

“There’s power in being able to take action in your community, and be a leader,” Wu said. “We

JOANNE LEE DBHS Politics Society hosts their first leadership symposium featuring community figures, such as principal David Hong.

A passion for politics Cecilia su Asst. sports editor From engaging with local council members to learning leadership experiences through senate members, Diamond Bar High School’s Politics Society has invited many students to see the beauty of politics through innovative events.

Senior and current president,

Chloe Schaefer, has always had a passion for politics.

Alongside junior co-president, Nina Wu, the pair created Politics Society in 2022 aimed to encourage students to engage with their community, learn more about politics and enact their own change through political activism.

“I really hope that through the club I’m able to help people realize the impacts that bills passed

by Congress have,” Schaefer said.

“Politics is not about the big impacts, but it’s about the small incremental change that happens every single day that’s impacting people’s lives one by one.”

Politics Society’s events not only offer opportunities for members to interact with policy makers in our community, but also gives them a chance to explore future career paths within politics.

“It was inspiring to see the people who showed up getting a lot out of every event, and it makes me very happy.

Nina Wu want to instill that into our members, and we want them to continue being a leader.”

The club not only acts as an outlet for students to be able to grow their passions for politics, but it has helped students gain the confidence to utilize their voices to enact change, and it’s ultimately helped to deem politics as a subject that’s not as scary as it seems.

“I hope in the future we are able to engage and change Diamond Bar’s students’ ideas about politics,” Schaefer said.

Shining under the spotlight Aaron Shaw Staff writer Diamond Bar High School’s Asian Fashion Week models, junior Annie Guo and senior Andrew Chen, are no strangers to the spotlight.

Guo began modeling at 15 as a hobby after some motivation from her parents to start. She found herself taking modeling more seriously as her peers provided inspiration to pursue it. On the other hand, Chen got his opportunity when his mom inspired him to become a model. Chen started at 17 after working hard on his body, getting into shape and growing into it.

“My motivation comes from the support and encouragement of my peers and modeling agent,” Guo said. “They continuously motivate me to pursue my modeling career and remind me of the positive impact it has on my self-esteem.”

Guo and Chen have each received numerous opportunities to model on various shows and runways.

Guo has collaborated with LA Fashion Week and has done shows for many different designers, even modeling for F/Row Fashion Week in October.

Modeling on p. 7

Students brighten lives of seniors James yang asst. news editor Collaborating alongside other Diamond Bar High School students in his non-profit organization, the Sunshine Hearts Foundation, junior Justin Tsuei travels to retirement homes aiming to brighten others’ lives.

Tsuei started the organization in Aug. 2023 to spread awareness for senior isolation in retirement homes, as well as helping elders re-experience the prime of their lives.

At Sunshine Heart’s activities and meetings, Tsuei along with other volunteers, exchange life stories and build connections with senior citizens at the Brookdale Brea, Regency Grand West Covina and Serento Rosas retirement homes.

Activities include giving senior citizens manicures, giving lessons about modern technology and hosting fun art activities and playing board games together, just to name a few.

“My grandfather passed away unexpected ly this past s u m m e r, and he never talked about his life. I never had the chance to say goodbye,” Tsuei said via Instagram. “By creating this non-profit, I want senior residents to get a chance to share their story with the youth and hear the youths’ stories too.”

The Sunshine Hearts Foundation plans many events to further strengthen bonds with the pre-

vious generation. Recently hosting a cookie decorating event in the retirement homes, the organization purchased cookies, icing and other supplies to decorate baked goods with senior citizens, the event ultimately ending as a smashing success.

Tsuei intends to hold another event soon, celebrating the Lunar New Year with elderly residents to introduce them to diverse cultural elements from all over the world. Future events Tsuei has planned include creating traditional Chinese lanterns and wrapping dumplings.

“My non-profit means a lot to me, as it’s a way to honor my grandpa’s memory,” Tsuei said. “I want to acknowledge him and how much of an impact he had on my life.”

The Sunshine Hearts Foundation has been expanding beyond its original local influence, amassing many new volunteers and followers on social media platforms to take part in their cause.

Though the foundation started as a local project, Tsuei holds the ambition for the foundation to assist retired people from all over the state. “ I ’ m proudest of how far we’ve come and the connections we’ve built. We have connections with three retirement homes in the area,” Tsuei said. “Seeing the joy on seniors’ faces when we go to retirement homes is priceless, and their gratitude for our volunteers is what makes it worthwhile.”

DBHSORG Andrea Yang wins first place at this year’s Congressional District 38 app challenge with her new STEM-based app “Starfly”.

Helping shoot for the stars Emma chuang staff writer Encouraging women and people of color to shoot for the stars, Diamond Bar High School sophomore Andrea Yang’s self-made app, “Starfly”, was awarded winner of the U.S Congressional App Challenge.

Based on an educational IOS app coded in a program called Swift, Starfly is designed for minority groups, specifically. The name, Starfly, is a play on words, with“Star” being the name of the mascot, and “fly” meaning to encourage or succeed. Since its primary focus is centered around astronomy, the star acts as the app’s mascot representative.

Through this design, Yang aims

for Starfly to help users “fly” like a star, targeting audiences such as primarily young minority communities, ranging from ages 11 to 14.

“I was glad and excited to use the opportunity to spread Starfly to more people,” Yang said. “I made the app to address the gender and race minority gap in astronomy and other STEM fields.”

Moreover, Starfly’s features include 21 lesson plans and modules in topics ranging from astronomy to biology. The app follows the educational path with an integrated chatbot that runs on OpenAI, as well as a tab regarding recent news from space stations like NASA. “I first began creating the app in fall of 2023,” Yang said. “I began programming the prototype and

creating the design with tools like Figma. The rest of the year was mostly reiterating the design and app flow according to pilot tests.”

As users complete lessons, they are awarded coins after difficult lessons. Throughout the game, purchases and accessories can be made for customizing your avatar using these coins.

Other than user profile customization, these coins can be used to purchase additional lessons. Enhancing Starfly with a social aspect of the game, users can collaborate and message other users to collaborate on projects together.

“Using programming or coding, you can honestly make anything you set your mind to,” Yang said. “If you see a problem, you can probably make something to solve it.”

February 7, 2024

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The Bull’s Eye

Discovering success with every move Eric Zhang Asst. Feature Editor

Photo courtesy of Annie Guo Junior Annie Guo models in Downtown Los Angeles for designer Solgo Atelier, among other modeling gigs in the area.

Standing in the limelight modeling ON P. 6 Chen, on the other hand, has appeared in Asian Fashion Week and has shot promotionals with brands including Sparktrendz.

Despite all their successes, being a model hasn’t always been so easy, as both Guo and Chen have had insecurities with their body image.

Even so, they have persevered through their challenges and have worked to improve their craft.

“My biggest challenge has been dealing with body image issues and occasional insecurities during modeling,” Guo said. “It can be challenging when comparing myself to other professionals, but overcoming these hurdles has been part of my journey.”

Guo and Chen both plan on continuing to model in the foreseeable

future. However, while Guo sees modeling as a potential career path for herself, Chen wishes to pursue other ambitions.

“I plan on being a model for as long as I can but I won’t put all my focus on modeling, I’m going to treat modeling as a side hustle,” C h e n s a i d . “ I ’ m still going to put education and academics first.”

It’s safe to say that neither will be exiting the spotlight for a while.

Both models are working on their craft and actively trying to sign onto more agencies and brands. “[My] future goals are probably [to] get signed with top agencies and maybe work with some world renowned companies and brands,” Chen said.

“Modeling to me means that I can showcase my physical attributes in different clothing, and also helps me with building self confidence.”

Outsmarting opponents one move at a time, Diamond Bar High School sophomore Jonathan Chen recently secured a top 50 finish in the U16 division of the World Youth Chess Championships.

Chen’s passion for chess began at five years old, when he was first introduced to the game by his father and his friends. Needless to say, he immediately was interested.

After learning the basics, his passion for the activity grew, and he soon recognized his determination to master the game as a whole.

However, Chen knew that the road to becoming a “chess master” wouldn’t be easy, but that it would be filled with challenges.

“Becoming a master at something doesn’t happen within days or even months,” Chen said. “It takes years of dedication and patience until finally you’ve reached that point.”

By putting in hours of hard work every single day, Chen found himself at a level above his peers.

He was the third youngest per-

son in the US to receive the National Master (NM) title.

He also won four chess national championships when he was six, seven, ten and fourteen years old.

But most impressively, Chen secured third place at the World Cadets Chess Championship, the most prestigious chess tournament in the world.

Chen now has the honor of being a FIDE Master (FM), a title only given to a few thousand of the best chess players. However, he is still looking to improve his skills even more.

“My long-term goal for chess is to reach IM (International Master),” Chen said. “It’s not an easy task and takes a lot of time and effort, but I will reach it at some point.”

Though playing chess remains one of Chen’s top priorities, he doesn’t plan on becoming a full-time chess player in the future.

Despite this, he says that he will always try to play for fun when he can, since chess has greatly impacted him throughout his life so far.

“Being a chess master influences my thinking, I think about many details and different ways of doing things,” Chen said. “Chess has taught me to be patient and to let opportunities come.”

Printing out a bright future Micah noritake Asst. A&E Editor For two years, Diamond Bar High School sophomore Michael Mellad has pursued his dream of starting his own business: LA Printables. His business focuses on screen printing – a process that uses designs on screens to print directly onto the fabric – to cater to a wider audience whether that be for companies in bulk, or as simple gifts for friends.

“Printing, in my eyes, was something I saw in demand, and I liked the idea that I could sell it as a service to other companies rather than just sell a product,” Mellad said.

Michael’s drive for business came from his motivation to maintain and build on his company. He also gains satisfaction with success from his orders that he completes along with helping other companies.

“What motivates me is looking at the next step and the possibilities as well as seeing my business do well and expanding it gives me motivation to grow and make my

business more successful,” Mellad said.

Starting a business for anyone always comes with challenges that can shut down a business entirely, and LA Printables was no exception. For Mellad, overcoming initial roadblocks was the greatest challenge.

“The obstacles that I’ve dealt with so far consist of things like just figuring out how to start my business, reaching people and companies who could use my business,” Mellad said. “But, what helped me the most was contacting professionals who gave me advice on how to grow and expand my business.”

Several companies have reached out to Mellad, such as Unintended and Makenai; he now plans to further expand and organize his business. Currently he is working on rebranding his company by purchasing more printers, scanners and a new Instagram page.

“I’m working on marketing, and getting experience,” says Mellad, “To expand my business, my short term goals would be to invest in more equipment, but in the long term I eventually want to open my own printing shop.”

Photo courtesy of Kevin Lee Kevin Lee celebrates 200k subscribers on his YouTube Channel.

Solving the YouTube algorithm Eric Zhang Asst. Feature Editor Inspiring his fans through cubing, Diamond Bar High School Class of 2021 alumnus Kevin Lee has amassed nearly a quarter of a million subscribers on his YouTube channel “Cubing Encoded.”

Lee’s journey began in 2015 when he decided to create his YouTube channel. He found himself spending his free time playing with Rubik’s cubes, and soon became an expert at the activity.

This hobby manifested into his desire to share his passion for cubing with the world. But common among many content creators,

things were rocky for him at the start.

“YouTube is an incredibly competitive landscape,” Lee said. “It was difficult having to constantly one-up myself week after week.

Additionally, dealing with negative comments for the first time was a jarring experience.”

These experiences, although harsh, allowed Lee to learn invaluable lessons about videography and content that have greatly contributed to his current success. He learned how to captivate and retain his audience, use camera angles, lighting and brainstorm new video ideas. Lee quickly learned that success doesn’t happen overnight and that greatness takes time. With

this, he set out to take incremental steps to fulfill his ambitions of becoming a YouTube sensation.

“I always set concrete numerical goals for my YouTube channel,” Lee said. “Eventually, I made it my goal to reach 100,000 subscribers, which took an immense amount of dedication and effort.”

Reaching a milestone of 100,000 subscribers in 2020, and now, over 50 million views on his channel, Lee wishes to expand beyond Rubik’s Cube-related content.

In an attempt to branch out, he has been incorporating college-related content as well, including his “Study Abroad” and “Day in the life of a UC Berkeley Student” video logs.

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February 7, 2023

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INs

and

story by Cecilia Su I design By Hilary hui

L

ooking back on 2023 there were numerous fashion trends that came and went from preppy outfits to mermaid core. Now that we’ve begun a fresh start to a new year, it’s time to decide our fashion ins and outs for 2024.

2

Mary Jane Shoes (In)

Introduced in 1904 by the Brown Shoe Company, Mary Janes became “the” shoe to wear with traditional school uniforms.

After they lost popularity, they finally resurged in 2023, popularized by the brand Repetto. Varying in many colors ranging from cherry red to black, Mary Janes are paired beautifully with both dresses and casual outfits. Easy to spot in a multitude of outfit inspiration videos, they bring outfits together in the most sophisticated, yet classy, way.

4

Chunky String Necklace (Out)

Charm necklaces are no stranger to fashion, and in 2023 they were overtaken by trending chunky necklaces. However, the creation of chunky necklaces has without a doubt failed to compete against the timeless beauty of simple charm necklaces, and has only instead put their beauty to shame.

These necklaces are adorned with charms including giant heart gemstones, seashells, heart lockets and carabiner clasps, and each large scale charm is placed upon a minimalist chain.

T h e clash of the maximalist and minimalist elements consistently fails to complementeach o t h e r.

5

Essentials (Out)

Last year, Essentials spread like wildfire amongst consumers. The brand’s clothing helped create simple outfits for many, but Essentials never seemed to solidify their status as “timeless pieces.” The brand currently has three rotating clothing colors amongst their products: dark gray, tan and black, with their logo as the brand’s only design.

Keeping this in mind, the brand never had an edge, and quite possibly never will.

1

Coquette Trend (In)

As the year came to a close, we saw practically everything wrapped up in the most perfect of bows as the coquette trend sky-

rocke t e d . Through this trend, bows were presented on a multitude of objects, from headphones to shoes to designer bags. With each ribbon, piece of lace or string of pearls, they proved to elevate every outfit and accessory they were paired with.

3

Low - Rise Jeans (In)

Remembered from the early 2000s from style icons including Brittany Spears and Paris Hilton, low rise jeans have not only been brought back, but they’ve earned their title as a closet staple piece. Low rise jeans are often worn with longer tank tops, crewnecks and off-theshoulder tops, and they’ve proven to help make any outfit standout. Just like magic, low rise jeans turn even the most casual outfit into one that’s both simple, yet ingenious.

Converse Black Run Star (Out)

6

E v e r since Converse rose to popularity in the 90’s, they have been deemed the pair of shoes to wear “to be cool” amongst teens. Ever since Converse has seemed to successfully release new and creative designs every launch keeping in tune with Converse’s infamous style of timeless designs up until the 2019 release of the Converse Run Stars.

These shoes at first glance seem to be a pair that will forever change your style. However, the shoes’ spiked soles downgrade the classic design of the Converses that we know and love, and only cause a headache for the person trying to find a cool enough outfit to pair with them.

February 7, 2023

The Bull’s Eye

Arts & Entertainment 9

New York Times Game Rating

Story by Jeremiah Jung | Design by Taylor Joe & Hilary Hui

Ever since the surge in Wordle enthusiasts in the years following quarantine, more and more people have been seeking out daily challenges in the catalog of puzzles and games that the New York Times offers online. Below are some of the standouts:

Although the New York Times crossword puzzle has been a part of morning routines for decades, its online, smaller counterpart, The Mini, is just as entertaining, if not more so.

It’s quick, simple, and incredibly satisfying, whether you’re struggling with phrases due to a lack of spaces or whizzing through it in sub-30 seconds. Regardless, its compact nature makes it the perfect coffee break activity; its clever clues make each row a challenge, albeit a fun one, that makes for a quick, rewarding sense of accomplishment.

Connections, a hidden gem among puzzle games, seamlessly blends logic and creativity into a captivating gaming experience. The challenge of linking seemingly unrelated words in a grid demands more than just a strong vocabulary—it requires a strategic mindset and an ability to think outside the box. The game order requires matching related double meaning topics of specific categories. Connections not only works your brain but sparks a sense of curiosity, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a unique and intellectually stimulating gameplay experience.

Perhaps the trend that started it all, this word puzzle offers a simple and accessible, yet intellectually challenging, mental test, making it clear why it went viral on the Internet across all age ranges. Its appeal lies in a straightforward approach – guess a five-letter word within six attempts. This accessibility makes it an excellent choice for a quick mental workout, providing a delightful challenge that’s easy to dive into.

Spelling Bee, a unique offering in The New York Times Games catalog, challenges players – not necessarily to showcase their spelling prowess but to discover words with specific letter combinations. The mix of familiar and obscure words keeps the game engaging and offers an opportunity for continuous learning, requiring the player to spell a number of words using six letters and one core letter that must be implemented in every word for it to be admissible.

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The Bull’s Eye

Tune in: 21 Savage’s “American Dream” The grand symphony of 21 Savage’s newest album, one of the most hyped up albums of the last year, dropped on January 12. American Dream, containing 15 songs with beautifully developed features from artists like Doja Cat to Metro Boomin, perfectly conveys his message about America and the social disparities he faced in society.

The first time listening to this album, I was hit with the same flow and the stereot y pi c a l lyrics that are heard f r o m many rap artists.

Although the songs had different beats the songs felt like they had no variety, especially since the first four songs were mediocre. Songs like “Sneaky”, “All Of Me”, “Sea the Real”, and “N.H.I.E” ft. Doja Cat did not stand out to me due to their mundane, cheap trap beats. Since the album contained songs with the stereotypical drill beat featured in many of the songs, American Dream left a redundant taste after listening.

However, I felt that songs such as “Redrum”, “Letter To My Brudda”, and “Prove it” all had unique touches and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to them. Redrum featured a unique sampling that he used for the entirety of the song, adding a nice sound that blended amazingly with the other elements.

Track six featured vocals from Young Thug and Metro Boomin, showcasing each artist and their style; unfortunately, the beat was a little boring, limiting the song’s potential. “Letter To My Brudda” had a wonderful sample which he highlighted for the entirety of the song giving

Wonderfully Renewed Disney+ Percy Jackson Final Verdict: Stream It Micah Noritake A&E ASst. Editor Recently released on Disney+, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” invites viewers to relive the nostalgia of binge-reading the series in elementary school. The pilot season covers the first book, “The Lighting Thief,” with Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood.

The series starts in Manhattan, New York, where Percy is introduced into Camp Half Blood. From camp he embarks on a quest with his best friend Grover and his soonto-be friend Annabeth, as they travel across the United States in order to retrieve a stolen thunderbolt owned by Zeus.

Throughout the series Percy’s character develops from knowing nothing of this new world to adjusting to his environment and thriving as he adventures across America with his friends. On his journey filled with twists and turns, he learns bravery, obtains new friends and learns the value of friendship.

The pacing of the series was slightly different from the book,

but since I have read the series, I understood what was going on in the characters’ heads, along with how the characters converse.

As for someone who has not read or heard of this series, it may be confusing to follow along with the plotline.

One part in particular that was confusing, and sadly not as highlighted I would hope, was Thalia, an older sister figure to Annabeth and the only reason she was able to make it to Camp HalfBlood.

As for the relationship between t h e characters and the singular character development, I feel the series did very well in growing the characters together and progressing them in their own ways.

Photo Courtesy of TvInsider

This especially goes from the start of their quest; from when they go through many challenges and battles to the end, you see them subtly get closer as well as confiding with each other.

Grover remains stable throughout the story as the mediator between Percy and Annabeth and sadly does not get to the part of the series where we see the rest of his story unfold.

T hough Annabeth was depicted in the book as having blonde hair and stormy gray eyes, actress Leah Jeffries forced me to adapt the mental image I had of her. As for her character, Annabeth was very well developed as she warms up to Percy and starts to open up to her new friends.

One of my favorite scenes during the series is when they encounter Medusa.

The whole scene was very nostalgic and accurate to the book.

From the monster chasing them towards Medusa, all the way to when they shipped her head to Mount Olympus, the series made it very enjoyable and entertaining.

Overall, the series surpassed my expectations and was very enjoyable. It gave me the nostalgia that I longed for, the characters that I love and the accuracy I liked to see.

Although there were some mistakes in how they paced the series, I would still recommend this series to anyone who liked reading the

a heartfelt message to his brother, Jamie. Finally, “Prove It” ft. Summer Walker was great because of her two angelical solos, which were the only reason this song felt special.

“Should’ve Wore a Bonnet”, “Dark Days”, and “Red Sky” were the songs that were truly amazing for their musicality and features. The song “Should’ve Wore a Bonnet” was personally my favorite song because it has the perfect balance of Brent Faiyaz and 21 Savage, blending rap and RnB. “Red Sky” encapsulated 21 Savage’s music with a powerful beat along with the mashup of artists. The reason “Dark Days” was outstanding was because of the change in style, the song had a more melodic tone which was a great switch in mood.

Overall I think this album was great, but sadly not an album where every song stands alone as a great song. But, American Dream contained some amazing songs that I will definitely be adding to my playlists and are worth a listen.

Notes of Triumph: Lucas O’Brien Alex Guan contributing writer Composing their original music and combining their efforts into a singular work, Diamond Bar High School’s Performing Arts Academy Advanced Music Program president, Lucas O’Brien, made news on Jan. 6 when he reunited with alumni Bryan Chiu and Avery Li to record new music.

Using recording equipment and facilities in DBHS’ instrumental music building, they recorded “Three Pieces for Brass Trio,” a collaborative composition which explores an expansive range of ideas, colors, and moods through different perspectives.

The three of them originally premiered excerpts from the composition at the May 2023 Academy Recital, which the composers themselves presented. The movement is described in three parts: Li’s movement, “Three Points”, presents a series of excerpts from previous works, whereas O’Brien’s “Pillars” is more dream-like and contemplative. By contrast, Chiu’s “V-I-IV#” concludes the work with a rapid tempo and constant energy.

O’Brien had been friends with Chiu and Li since middle school when they discussed music theory and compositions. Inspired by the fact that all three composed their own music, they devised the idea to co-compose a movement to perform together.

“More than that, I was writing music for my friends, and I think that inspired me more than anything else,” O’Brien said.

The three separately wrote their pieces, transcribing them to m u s i c no-

tation software and printing them out as one.

“Bryan helped assemble the sheet music and we rehearsed together for the following months for the May 2023 Performing Arts Academy Recital,” O’Brien said.

“It’s an especially fun feeling at the beginning of the process because you basically have the world at your hands.”

Chiu particularly emphasized his devotion to music, incorporating his musical know-how and his enthusiasm to refine and polish his work.

“At the time, I was interested in music focused on counterpoint, the idea of having music where each line is equally important and creating harmony through the interaction between said lines,” Chiu said.

In the process, they all especially admired the wide expanse of potential they had at their fingertips.

“I loved exploring the textures and sonorities that the instrumentation allowed for, utilizing the full range of pitch, volume, and timbre that every instrument offered,” Li said.

The three would commission Performing Arts Academy directors Aki Nishiguchi and Micheal Yoshimi to set up recording equipment to capture O’Brien, Li, and Chiu playing their masterpiece.

We had the time to record multiple takes of each movement and specific sections within them,” O’Brien said. “Eventually the video and audio will be spliced together into a full-length recording of “Three Pieces for Brass Trio” in its entirety.

The three do not currently have any plans or prospects with “Three Pieces for Brass Trio”, but express that they wish to continue composing original pieces.

“I most definitely plan to continue writing music; it’s something I truly love to do,” said O’Brien.

Febuary 7, 2024

Arts and Entertainment 11

The Bull’s Eye

DB Dance Company Draped in Drama: Golden Globe continues the legacy curtis CHYAo staff writer Ariel Shan asst. opinon editor “And the Golden Globe goes to…

Barbie!” The audience exploded into roaring applause as the camera panned over to actress Margot Robbie and the cast of “Barbie.”

They had just won the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, a new category added in 2024. However, the show did not treat “Barbie” as deserving of such an award.

The Golden Globes takes place at the beginning of each year, commending the hard work and dedication that were poured into creating outstanding films in the year prior. At the award show, motion pictures (alongside their contributors) are recognized in 27 different categories, ranging from Best Performance to Best Director.

When the time came to present the winners of the 81st annual Golden Globes with their awards, the majority of the audience and viewers online were in agreement

that the recipients earned their respective titles. Strong emotions of delight and honor filled the venue as the show carried on their acknowledgements.

Main host comedian Jo Koy kicked off the event and gave his opening monologue. He started off by welcoming everyone to the moment “we all dreamt of,” and then proceeded on a tangent about the greatness of his favorite film, “Oppenheimer.” Koy praised the movie in a peculiar way: by bringing down another.

“Oppenheimer and Barbie are competing for Cinematic Box Office Achievement,” Koy said. “Oppenheimer is based on a 721 page Pulitzer Prize winning book about the Manhattan Project and Barbie is on a plastic doll with big boobies.”

Koy continued his monologue by describing the plot of “Barbie.” He shared his interpretation of the story: how Margot Robbie went from “perfect beauty” to “bad breath, cellulite, and flat feet,” a statement that received nothing

Photo Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly

but silence and disappointment.

His joke went against everything in the message that the film and its crew had fought to spread. After the movie hit the theaters in July of 2023, director Greta Gerwig took to interviews to describe her efforts in illustrating the challenges that society faced when it came to identity and gender norms.

“We ask ourselves — not just as women, men too — that we walk this impossible tightrope of being perfect,” Gerwig said. “Barbie has always been a symbol of this thing that you could never reach because she physically couldn’t stand up if she were a human being.”

With an emphasis on feminism and womanhood, “Barbie” inspired millions worldwide to feel empowered and motivated to embark down a path of self-discovery.

It wasn’t Barbie’s cellulite or flat feet that taught her resilience or how to recognize her worth. The true lessons came from the encouragement and support of the women that she encountered on her journey back to Barbieland. Yet, this idea was completely reduced by Koy, himself representing the society that hindered growth.

What should have been an amazing opportunity for Koy to be highlighted for making history (by becoming the first Filipino-American host of the Golden Globes) turned into a media disaster. It was astonishing how in just five minutes the lively room became uncomfortable.

To add onto his list of offenses, Koy later went on to target Taylor Swift, who was present at the award show for the success of her movie, “The Eras Tour.”

“The biggest difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL– on the Golden Globes we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift,” Koy said.

globe on pg 12

As Diamond Bar High School Dance Company prepares to freestyle through their upcoming season, they have organized several events to both prepare for the season and collaborate together as a team.

Serving as a fundraiser for Dance Company, the event allows for the members of Dance Company to interact with and recruit kids aged 5-13 from various local dance studios. Specifically, the team hosts a few activities teaching choreography, such as choreography to a song from the movie Trolls.

After that, the camp participants will perform what they learned at the camp alongside Dance Company at their kickoff showcase. “[A] majority of the event was organized by the leader group, including myself, within the team, but couldn’t have been done without our director Mrs. Riley, and our amazing dance company parents,” senior Dance Company president Malia Avery said. “We reached out to numerous studios and spread the word of the youth camp with friends and family, and by social media as well.”

According to Avery, organizing the event was not as hard as anticipated.

“We did it smoothly because we

have a good leader and director,” senior secretary Derick Popeney said “But I think it was a pretty tough event to organize because it’s like 50 plus little kids you have to take care of all at once and you need to make sure you have the right amount of people to actually watch over these kids.”

Despite the dance camp going extremely smoothly for Dance Company, some parts of the camp could be improved, such as its length. A few members of Dance Company believe that the participants could benefit from an extended camp.

“One thing that would make it better … is if it was stretched for a longer period of time than one day because what we do is we teach the kids one day and then have them perform the next day,” Popeney said. “But if we really wanted to get these kids excited about dance we could teach for a longer period of time.”

Ultimately, the dance camp was a success for Dance Company, as the leaders hoped that everyone who participated in the event enjoyed their time and were satisfied with their experience.

“I want everyone to have fun, especially the little ones, and I hope that they enjoy dancing and getting to know our team,” Avery said.

“Some youth campers are even incoming freshmen, so hopefully we can recruit some new members as well for next year.”

Photo Courtesy of DB Dance Company Princeton Fletcher poses with local Diamond Bar youth while teaching dance.

Maintaining On-Screen Personas Ariel SHan Asst. opinion editor I grew up surrounded by screens filled with magical fairytales, their stories pure and sweet, intricate in a universe of their own. However, in the age of stale live-action remakes, Hollywood actors and actresses have become increasingly involved in the interpretation of these stories, as their personal characters intertwine with the ones we see on screen.

Their every action and controversy takes away from the magic of the tales they have been entrusted to bring to life.

Considering the weight of public opinions, both Hollywood companies and actors need to do more in maintaining positive personas for public attention, since their actions outside of their respective films heavily affect the project’s first impressions and ultimately, box office success.

An unfortunate example of a movie impacted by widespread disapproval for its lead actress is Disney’s live-action remake of the beloved classic, Snow White, set to release in March of 2024. Rachel Zegler, who was announced to play Snow White in the live-action, started her Disney princess career by publicly expressing her distaste for the 1937 original film.

Claiming that the movie scared

her as a child, Zegler shared that she had watched “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” once and never revisited it again until she was in the cast. The actress also praised the remake’s change in storyline, which scrapped Snow White’s original sweet and caring nature to instead put an emphasis on her hidden leadership qualities, revealing “the leader she knows she can be,” without the support of a prince.

Being an advocate for feminism is not a bad thing; in fact, it is important to call for representation in an environment that lacks inclusivity, such as Hollywood. However, Zegler’s progressive ideas alone did not land her in hot water, rather, the way she expressed herself throughout the movie’s promotional interviews left longtime viewers with a bad taste in their mouths.

Fans of Disney found her to be “ungrateful” for her role because of her attitude towards the original.

This controversy was coupled with racist ideology on social media, as some commenters opposed the idea of a Colombian woman portraying a princess who is quite literally characterized by her pale skin.

Though race shouldn’t be an issue in these live action remakes, erasing Snow White’s complete identity into somebody completely new was a mistake on Disney’s end. Changing the entire narrative

diminishes the beauty of the original film and capitalizes off of modern feminism without making any real commentary, where a princess falling in love with a prince is now perceived as helpless and weak. If Disney truly wanted to be more inclusive of these roles of leadership, they should be creating new storylines of women being the heroes, rather than altering old storylines to fit the present day narrative.

Despite the role of production in the controversial switch-up to become more “modern,” Zegler’s obvious lack of media training contributed to the decline in public interest of the film. This neglect of public image by both parties could have been avoided if they had just taken a moment to remember the impact of outside factors on the success of the project as a whole.

On the other hand, Disney also struggles to keep its movie stars out of political trouble. Proven by past incidents, Disney’s attempt at inclusion is often profit-driven, not taking into consideration the position of actors and their personal backgrounds.

In 2020, leading actress Liu Yifei of another live action remake– “Mulan,” outraged movie-goers when she showed public support for the Hong Kong police amidst heavy student protests. It was also revealed that part of the film was recorded in Xinjiang, controversial

due to the province’s ties to Uyghur internment camps.

Although actors are entitled to their own opinions, they must be mindful of when and how they weigh in on charged political moments because they are in the public eye. Liu’s public support for the Hong Kong police was brutally ignorant in a time of crisis, and that was enough for people to end all support for Mulan. Hashtag #boycottmulan was created, calling for the boycott of the movie worldwide. Disney faced around $140 million in losses, yet failed to learn

from this when they slipped into trouble again in the production of Snow White.

Movie stars have done enough to destroy the cherished stories trying to be retold, it is time for them to step up and recognize the damage their controversies have and will cause. It is without a doubt that actors and actresses have a huge impact on whether their movie has a positive public image.

As the faces of large projects, they should keep their controversial opinions away from the public eye to protect the film.

Photo Courtesy of Looper

Business 12

The Bull’s Eye

Appraising talent through commendable cinematics Globe From P. 11

It was quite a feat to bring up one of the most successful pop artists in history just to talk about her boyfriend’s NFL games.

This unnecessary comparison received no reaction from Swift, but rage from the Swifties watching.

Despite 2023 being a powerful year for women, Koy’s ill-mannered monologue seemed to insinuate the opposite.

Following the show, Koy expressed that he had been put on the spot, working off of a very last-minute script. In an attempt to alleviate the heat, he confronted the reactions to his monologue.

“The reaction to the Barbie joke… I’m telling a joke– what happened to society where we can’t even joke with each other anymore… You want a perfect monologue? Yo, shut up!”

Nevertheless, he fell flat on his duties.

Perhaps that was why this year’s Golden Globes felt very reminiscent of the one in 2023. One where

the main host became the greatest debacle.

Although it was disappointing for this series of unfortunate events to unfold this way, the Golden Globes had much to be celebrated. Hayao Miyaizaki–the legendary animator of many Studio Ghibli films–won his first academy award since 2001.

In addition, Billie Eilish alongside her brother, Finneas O’Con-

nell, won the “Best Original Song” award for their song, “What Was I Made For?” After all, the main goal of the Golden Globes is to recognize and praise excellence in filmmaking and television production, as well as providing a platform to promote and showcase noteworthy works in the industry. The award show turned the dreams of many into realities.

Photo courtesy of GMA NETWORK

February 7, 2024

February 7, 2023

The Bull’s Eye

Business 13

14 Sports

The Bull’s Eye

February 7, 2024

Brahma athlete takes a step towards her future The catcher announced her verbal commitment to Biola University last winter. emma chuang staff writer Launching her college career, junior Natalie Kim committed to Biola University’s softball program in Dec. 2023.

From the age of 10, Kim fell in love with softball.

She has developed a deep bond with the sport, creating many friendships on the softball field.

“Since I know where I’m going for college already, I am able to relax through my senior year,” Kim said. “I’m still a junior so it’s a verbal commitment, but I loved the school and environment so there was no point in waiting.”

Moreover, Kim felt a connection when visiting Biola, enjoying the size and warmth of the university.

Due to her passion for softball which could not be ended with high school, she immediately decided to pursue the sport there.

“When I visited Biola, it felt like everyone knew each other in some way, like a big family,” Kim said. “The coaches were also extremely nice and made an effort to get to know me.”

One of Kim’s favorite memories on the softball team included freshman bonding, where she had the opportunity to interact and connect with new members of the team.

Overall, Kim felt a fervent bond with each member despite being a recruit.

“I like that softball is a team sport and that I got to form longtime friendships with my teammates,” Kim said. “People that I

met when playing softball are now the people I call my best friends.”

Throughout her high school softball journey, Kim is extreme-

ly grateful to her coaches and parents, who pushed her to be the best player that she could be.

“I wouldn’t be here without my

parents; they were my drive and motivation,” Kim said. “My coaches also had a lasting impact on my life…guiding me and building me.”

Photo courtesy of Natalie Kim Junior Natalie Kim catches a pitch during the 2023 PGF National Championships with her club team, BSC Bengals Gurule.

Heading into the playoffs with momentum The Brahmas hope to build upon their winning streak in their postseason matches.

Ethan Ro Sports Editor

DBHSORG Brahma boys soccer defends the goal from South Hills High School attackers.

Boys hold high standards for league results and postseason Boys soccer has seen great success thanks to changes made on and off the field. hilary hui feature editor Kicking their way into the CIF playoffs, the Diamond Bar High School’s boys soccer team currently stands with an overall record of 7-5-4 and a league record of 6-3-1 akin to their strategy changes and determination throughout the season.

As of now, the team remains optimistic about CIF prospects, noting the positive impact of new team members fitting seamlessly into the chemistry of the team.

New players, eager to prove themselves on and off the field, have contributed to a surge in team spirit as well as the energy of the team as a whole.

Head coach Pete Orosco’s newly implemented training regimen, emphasizing strength training and conditioning, has been highlighted as a key contributor to the team’s fitness, performance and subsequent wins against Walnut, 2-0, and Los Altos, 2-1.

“The team wants to make it to CIF and hopefully receive first or second place in our league,” junior forward Jay Shin said. “We just want to play to the level that we know that we are capable of.”

The team’s close 1-0 win against Wilson, and 1-1 tie with South Hills have proven the team’s ability to overcome adversity on the field.

Junior keeper Milan Mehta saved a penalty kick during their match against Wilson and the team was soon able to come out with a win.

However, the team faced challenges throughout the season, receiving a red card during their game at South Hills, extending the game an extra 20 minutes to give South Hills the opportunity to end the match in a tie.

“We need to fix our attitude,” senior Jacob Toohey said. “The whole team needs to be on the same page about winning every game and leaving everything on the field and ignoring everything before and after the game and focusing on just getting the result we want.”

From seasoned veterans to newcomers, the team’s goal is to end the season first or second in the league.

Toohey expressed the team’s goal to keep a positive attitude throughout the remainder of the season, urging his teammates to continue to put their all into each match.

The team lost their game against Wilson last Tuesday with a score of 1-4 and ended the season with a win against South Hills last Thursday with a score of 4-0.

“This season has been fun as I have spent a long amount of time with my fellow senior teammates,” Toohey said. “We have come to learn how each other play and have grown closer as friends.”

With victory margins ranging from 40-point blowouts to single-digit nail-biters, the Diamond Bar High School girls basketball team has dominated in the regular season and has high hopes for the playoffs.

The girls finished the regular season as back-to-back undefeated Hacienda League Champions, boasting a 22-4 overall record and 10-0 league record supported by a nine-game win streak to close out the year.

According to MaxPreps, they are ranked #8 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 2A and just outside

the top 100 in the state as of Feb. 1.

The Brahmas’ ability to press their opponents and force turnovers on defense has been a notable factor in their success this year.

Additionally, rising stars such as freshman guard Jasmine Ruiz and senior forward Maia Pak have contributed valuable minutes to the team’s rotation aside from the core starters.

“Jasmine is a knockdown shooter and has a lot of time to grow as a player since she is a freshman,” senior guard and captain Morgan Seshiki said. “Maia has really shown defensive intensity and is able to guard the post players on the opposing teams.”

Earlier in the season, the girls had struggled to secure rebounds due to the smaller stature of their

team, but they have since seen dramatic improvement in this aspect of their gameplay.

Nonetheless, the team still sees room for improvement when it comes to pacing, as they often rush their offensive scheme in the heat of the moment.

“With the different plays that we have, we have a lot of freedom to create and find multiple ways to score,” Seshiki said.

“We just have to be patient with the ball and be able to make the extra pass when needed.”

Building on the momentum from the closing stretch of the regular season, the Brahmas are seeking a deep playoff run.

To prepare themselves for the games that lie ahead, the team is continuing to implement a variety of offensive and defensive drills into their practices to imitate in-game scenarios.

Photo courtesy of J.Ramos Junior Cali Azcuenaga shoots a free throw during a home rival game against the Walnut Mustangs on Tuesday, Jan. 23.

Sports 15

The Bull’s Eye

Febuary 7, 2023

Tackling their competition Through motivation and hard work wrestling has earned a spot in CIF. Ariel Shan Asst. Opinion editor

Photo wcourtesy of dbhsgwp Girls water polo taking a group photo after defeating Walnut High School, 7-5, in their final playoff game of the season.

Propelling toward CIF success in the water Finding momentum after tough losses, girls water polo is now ready for CIF. Emma Chuang Staff Writer After asserting victory against multiple schools, the Diamond Bar High School girls water polo team has claimed their spot in CIF. Their current overall record is 6-12 and their league record is 2-4.

To wrap up their regular season, girls water polo suffered a nail-biting 10-11 loss to Don Lugo on senior night. However, throughout the season, the team has not let losses define them. Earlier in the season, the Brahmas lost re-

spectively to Rowland and Walnut. Motivated by these defeats, they built their way back up to earn their spot in the CIF playoffs.

“Losing a game can be tough sometimes and often disappointing,” senior left-wing Martina Carvajal said. “On the contrary, the feeling of losing makes me appreciate the taste of victory even more.

It’s important to remember that the effort put in is much greater than whatever the outcome of a game is.”

Although the girls faced adversity this season, they continued to fight towards an exhilarating 7-5 win against cross-town rivals Walnut and a 14-3 victory against Wilson. The team’s hard work and determination placed them third in the league, and secured them a spot in the CIF playoffs. They continue to train and improve on weaknesses in hopes of mak-

ing a deep run in postseason play.

“I want to work on my passes because being able to give my teammate a good pass gives them a better chance of scoring,” senior captain left-driver Asamiko Khowdee said. “Good passing also helps to make plays run smoother.”

According to Khowdee, a common challenge for the team is communication. As one of the team captains, she has made it her goal to become more aware of what is going on around her, especially when passing the ball to her teammates.

“Season has been so much fun this year,” Khowdee said.

“It has been an adjustment from last season because we have a new coach. However, thanks to him, I have been able to expand my knowledge on water polo.”

The girls are excited to end the season strong. Their first

Maia Pak editor-In-Chief

Turning losses into motivation Girls soccer after facing crushing defeats, is aiming for success next season.

Evelyn NakaIshi Buisness Manager After an emotional senior night and a disappointing 0-1 defeat against South Hills High School, the Diamond Bar High School girls soccer team ends their tumultuous season with an overall record of 7-12-1 and league record of 3-7.

In a frustrating season plagued by close losses against South Hills and Los Altos, the team found motivation and team spirit in their wins. Last Tuesday, the team secured a win against Wilson High School with a score of 2-1. The previous week, the girls beat Rowland, a team they initially lost to in an exhilarating 2-0 game.

“We work very hard and have amazing effort in our games, but not getting the outcomes we are wishing for is frustrating at times,” senior defender Avery Wang said.

Although the season did not pan out as the team hoped, the camaraderie and spirit displayed by both teammates and supporters transformed the defeat into a memorable and heartwarming occasion. The team’s senior night

ceremony highlighted the invaluable bonds forged through the sport. As the seniors prepare to bid farewell to their high school soccer journey, their legacy of resilience and teamwork continues to inspire underclassmen.

“Our team built up our team chemistry so having one another to rely on is helpful,” Wang said. “I hope to enjoy the rest of the season and have fun with the team, creating lasting memories.

Despite the team’s high spirits, it has been hard to play connected and adjust to new formations during games and practice.

Nevertheless, they continue to learn how to work hard together and put effort into both practice and games.

“Trusting each other for the most part has been a large hurdle and [we’ve overcome this by] letting everyone know that mistakes are okay,” senior forward Darah Johnson said.

The girls have been continuing to work out in the weight room and doing band work to avoid any injuries.

“I play each game with gratitude and I am so thankful for being on the team with such amazing peers for the past four years,” Johnson said.

Nonetheless, the team has proven their skill and adaptability this past season. With several successes and disappointments, they conclude their 2024 soccer season with new goals and memories to carry on.

Photo courtesy of JOANNE LEE Brahma wrestling tackling Los Altos High School during the teams senior night.

New talents drive basketball to CIF

Boys basketball plays to their strengths and continues to work together.

Photo courtesy of dbhsgirlssoccer Girls soccer celebrating their triumphant, 2-1, win against Rowland High School.

After maintaining a victory streak of 14-10 against fierce competitors, the wrestling team achieved the title of League Finalist this year, narrowly losing to Walnut by just two points. They also qualified for CIF and will be competing from Jan. 27 to Jan. 31.

The athletes prepared for their Hacienda League tournaments with an amped-up conditioning plan that consisted of cardio, such as sprints and long-distance runs, as well as strength workouts like push-ups and lunges. Drilling and live wrestling were also key components of their training, all of which built up the Brahmas’ endurance to wrestle for six minutes straight during the tournament.

Even off the competition floor, it was crucial for the Brahmas to stay dedicated and focused on improvement.

“A goal I have for the wres-

tling team as a whole is for them to give their 100% during practices and when they wrestle so that they don’t regret it in the future,” senior Juno Kuk said.

The team shared one main weakness: losing motivation. As a result of intense conditioning, both physical and mental fatigue were common among athletes.

“Our coach encourages us to be healthy,” junior Olivia Daza said.

“Additionally, practicing with a purpose and reminding myself of the goals I’ve set helps keep me on track during the season.”

To rekindle their spirit, the wrestling team plans to focus on individual progress. Each wrestler will push themselves to work harder so that their training partner follows suit.

“A ripple effect happens as each and every wrestler begins to stay consistent with their wrestling,” Kuk said. “Practice makes perfect.”

Keeping a healthy mindset, wrestling is prepared for the grande finale of their duals in the CIF playoffs.

“Our coach has this saying, ‘Win as a team, lose as a team,’ to remind us of the amount of effort we all need to be putting in,” Daza said. “We might wrestle individually, but everyone’s match contributes to the final score.”

Looking toward CIF playoffs, the Diamond Bar High School boys basketball team bounces back from tough season losses, finishing third in the Hacienda League with a 7-3 record.

Working through the challenges that come with playing more experienced teams as a young group, the team has focused on fine tuning their teamwork and chemistry.

“I feel that since I’ve gotten more playing time, I’ve been able to adjust to varsity better,” junior power forward Apolo Yonemoto said. “The more you play, the easier it is to adjust.

If you don’t play that much, it is harder to adjust since it takes time to adapt.”

Notably, senior guard Antoine Tran set the school-wide record for most three-point shots made in a single game, with eight shots during the team’s matchup

against South Hills.

“All my teammates were supporting me and encouraging me, and I felt really good and happy to be a part of it,” Tran said. “It was really good and unexpected, because I didn’t expect to play this much in the beginning of the season and I feel like we came a long way.”

H o w e v er, the season was not without challenges.

Many of the team’s starting lineup faced injuries this year, some of which put their players out for multiple games on end.

“When a lot of people go down, new people go up,” Tran said. “I’m really happy that our team took this step in playing and stepping up because some guys that haven’t been playing that much

stepped up to the challenge.”

This shift in unity has allowed the team to adopt an optimistic view toward their upcoming playoff run.

“With a rough start to our season and with many injuries, I am proud of our team’s resiliency and growth,” senior co-captain Jack Lin said. “Making CIF was great, but as a team, we want t o make it far a n d upset some top teams.

So, we have to continue playing hard and playing t o g e t h e r. ” The Brahmas are set to face Oak Park High School away in the first round of CIF on Feb. 7.

Photo courtesy ofJ. Ramos Junior Max Gao tipping the ball to his teamates to gain the advantge of winning the fist points against Walnut High School.

The Bull’s Eye

SPORTS Building upon his skill sets from previous seasons, AOTM Ethan Alfonso leads Brahma basketball to success as co-captain.

Curtis chyau staff writer The Brahmas have the ball and hope to drive the ball to the basket and score. As the players on the court battle near the hoop, one swipes the ball away.

Ultimately, this ball-handler maneuvers his way to the other side and makes the layup, adding two points to the score.

As a part of the Diamond Bar High School basketball team, senior point guard and shooting guard Ethan Alfonso pulls off these kinds of plays regularly.

Putting up 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 steals in a win against Wilson on his birthday, Alfonso stands out among the team.

Having played basketball since the third grade, he was introduced to the game by his father, who hooped h i m s e l f during his younger ye a r s and taught him the basics.

He has loved the g a m e ever since.

“I love t h e feeling of playing in front of a big crowd; especially when I’m in a rhythm, t h e

game just comes to me,” Alfonso said. “I also enjoy seeing my hard work from training and practice reflected throughout my performances in games” Alfonso has several achievements already under his belt, including the title of Hacienda League Second Team and the Hacienda League Title in his junior year.

Now in his final year on the team, he hopes to win the league title and make a deep run in CIF. “I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished over my many years of playing basketball, but I’ve been the most proud of this year,” Alfonso said.

“It’s always been my dream to play at a varsity level, and even better, to play a key role on the team.”

Alfonso very much enjoys the game of basketball, but he has also learned several lessons from the game as well. Playing at the varsity level since h i s

sophomore year, Alfonso had to put in countless hours of training to get to where he is today.

“Basketball has taught me how to work well with others,” Alfonso said. “From playing on many different teams in middle school, basketball has helped me overcome being shy around others.”

As the 2023-2024 season and school year come to a close, Alfonso prepares for the next chapter in his life. After high school, he plans to major in physics with hopes of eventually becoming a medical physicist.

“I’d like to give a shout-out to the Diamond Bar coaching staff for helping me get to where I am today as an athlete,” Alfonso said.

In her final high school season, AOTM Keira Ruelas follows in her sisters’ footsteps and paves her own path to her goals.

AARON SHAW STAFF WRITER The ball flies through the air.

22 players on the field, and time freezes. As it slowly falls, one player is faster than the rest.

February Athlete of the Month K e i r a Ruelas slides, foot to the ball.

Interception!

Ru e l a s was introduced to the game of soccer at a young age, starting her journey with her local American Youth Soccer Organization. Growing up, she played many sports with her sisters, with the main one being soccer. When she came to Diamond Bar High School, Ruelas followed in her sisters’ footsteps, joining the team as a freshman.

“I started playing when I was five and have been playing since,” Ruelas said.

“I enjoy calling myself a student-athlete and accomplishing so much within my time playing.”

Just like any other athlete, Ruelas’ sports career hasn’t been easy. Throughout her high school experience, Ruelas has worked through both mental and physical barriers, but she has managed to overcome them to be the best athlete she can be. In her sophomore year, she fought through knee surgery after tearing her medial collateral ligament in her right knee. After 6 months of physical therapy, she returned to her junior year better than ever.

“A challenge I have faced is overthinking about a game. I tend to get into my head when I’m playing,” Ruelas said.

“I find it hard to encourage myself to be better on the field when I’m having a bad game.”

As the captain of the team, Ruelas has many re-

sponsibilities beyond her game. Though she is always working on ways to improve her game, she must also properly motivate her team to work hard and have fun.

“The soccer environment can be very fun and supportive,” Ruelas said. “I love how many people I have connected with because of the sport; it has given me opportunities and lessons.”

Ruelas is no stranger to awards and recognition for her achievements. The senior is the proud owner of the “Rookie of the Year” and “League Most Valuable Player” titles. In her sophomore year, her team won a league championship game, eventually tying with South Hills for the co-championship team title.

“The soccer environment can be very fun and supportive,” Ruelas said. “I love how many people I have connected with because of the sport, it has given me opportunities and lessons.”

Despite her lifelong experience and immense success, Ruelas has no plans to continue the sport into college. Even so, she is grateful for the game and the opportunities it has provided for her.

“I have admired playing soccer for m a n y years of my life. I’m v e r y grateful for all t h e lessons it has brought me,” Ruelas said.

“I’m proud of myself for staying strong through the process and s t ay i n g positive.”

DECEMBER AOTM MISCHA MOTT & ANDREW LIU read @ dbbullseye.com