inside the issue
opinion 5
feature 6
A LOOK INTO AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Alumni Spotlight: Choreographer Melissa Garcia
a&e 10
sports 15
the bull’s eye NEWS
Season Overview: Baseball
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OPINION
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F E AT U RE
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MARCH 25, 2015 Volume XXXIII, Issue VII ONLINE at dbbullseye.com
ART S & E N TE RTA I N ME N T
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S P O RT S
Battling Islamic stereotypes The Muslim Student Association is attempting to explain Islamis beliefs and dispel discrimination.
Photos by CALVIN RU
At the 300 Building, each of the foreign languages performed songs or dances, with everyone ending the night with a song from the popular movie, “Les Misérables.” Games, food, and activities were also offered.
A rousing Open House The school held events for different departments to show their skills. nadia lee staff writer katlyn lee editor-in-chief Large crowds of students filled the courtyard of the foreign language building, pairs of salsa and merengue dancers took their positions, and a drone floated above it all. This was the scene at Diamond Bar High School’s first Open House in five years. “We haven’t had Open House at DBHS for several years, so it was time to showcase our students’ work and talents so parents could have a better idea of what they have accomplished this year. We want to create a lively festival atmosphere celebrating all languages in the plaza,” Spanish
teacher Christine Buccola said. The event, held last Thursday evening, featured each of the school’s main departments providing activities for curious parents. The science classes displayed various exhibits of student projects and demonstrations, while in the math department,
students tested their knowledge in the Math Matrix, in which they tried to answer math questions at various levels. In another section of the school, the history teachers hosted a jeopardy game called the Brain Bowl where students were
˃˃ OPEN HOUSE on p.3
obviously have never understood,” Akbany said. Meanwhile, outside of club events, Muslim students attending DBHS are rebuking the movement and practices of ISIS, as the Islamic extremist group continues victoria ly to misrepresent Islamic values through their destructive behavasst. feature editor ior. “Everything they do is exactly In the wake of the ISIS’ incessant what Islam says not to do. Islam is brutality, the Muslim community a religion that promotes peace, rehas been faced with heightened spect, and tolerance,” club member misconceptions about its Islam reNuha Alomari said. ligion. As a result of these perpetuWith incidents ranging from beated negative stereotypes, Muslims heading executions, kidnappings, are under renewed scrutiny across and reports of sexual abuse and the nation. slavery within ISIS-controlled arAt Diamond Bar High School, eas, the group has inflicted much the Muslim Student Association conflict and disorder within the is actively trying to bring clarity Middle East. For example, ISIS to any false impressions students held a French journalist captive for may have toward Islam. 10 months, and most recently, on “A lot of people’s perceptions of March 19, the organization claimed the religion come from the media responsibility for a mass shooting or non-experts at a museum in on the matter, so Tunisia. Unformisinformation tunately, many “Everything they do is is propagated ofpeople are asexactly what Islam says ten,” club memsociating this not to do.” ber senior Saaextremist group NUHA ALOMARI kib Akbany said. with the Mus“For example, lim community. people keep ask“I think that ing me if I’m going to get an arit’s really easy for news and media ranged marriage because I’m Musto use ISIS as an excuse to hate all lim--that’s not going to happen.” Muslims but what they don’t menMSA’s first event, Misconception is that ISIS is killing Muslims tions About Muslims, was held on as well,” Senior Aman Shamim, Feb. 26 to address aspects of Islam the president of MSA, said. that students may not fully unMembers of MSA are emphaderstand. During the gathering, sizing that ISIS does not repreparticipants were able to ask quessent the true values of Islam and tions regarding Islam and gain is completely separate from the some understanding of the religion Muslim community. Yet because through the club members’ explaIslam is so closely associated with nations. ISIS, Muslim students at DBHS “As a Muslim, it pains me to see that these people claim to fight for ˃˃ MSA on p.3 and represent a religion that they
Shed the Gender casts light on war conflict Red Cross recently held an event to raise awareness about gender roles in war-torn countries. sasha rivera asst. opinion editor The harmful effects of war on people, specifically women, are topics not that well-known or often explored. However, at Diamond Bar High School, students sought to raise awareness about these issues at their Shed the Gender event on March 13. About 35 DBHS students attended Shed the Gender. Members of Red Cross told those at the event about the International Humanitarian Law and gender stereotypes during times of war and conflict. They explored how war enforces
harmful gender labels, such as the idea of women being weaker than men, leads to sexual violence and objectification. Through videos and an interactive Jeopardy game, the group shed light on this topic and its importance. “A lot of people have absolutely no idea what International Humanitarian Law is, let alone the effects of gender stereotypes during war… If people have no idea that these rules actually exist, it’s no surprise that no country enforces them, even though they’ve all pledged to enforce it,” stated senior Elmeera Nosrati, one of the DBHS students involved with organizing the event. “To end that we need to start educating the future law makers and politicians about it so maybe the result will be different in the next generation.” Shed the Gender was not arranged by the club, but rather by the larger organization outside of
school. Nosrati, as well as seniors Lorelle Sun, Amy Wong, Crystal Xiao and two girls from Mark Keppel High School, represented San Gabriel-Pomona Valley as a team. The event itself began with an introduction of the IHL, the law of war and armed conflicts, giving background information, such as its creation at the Geneva Convention, where it was adopted by all nations. The purpose of this law is to limit the effects of armed conflict for humanitarian reasons, as well as to protect innocent people and to restrict means and methods of warfare. It sets rules during times of war that must be followed in order to properly protect civilians and soldiers, such as prisoners of war. However, this law is somewhat difficult to enforce and not all countries follow its rules, which is why the International Committee of the Red Cross works to make sure that these rules are obeyed.
SASHA RIVERA
Attendees participate in an event held by Red Cross to discuss important points about gender equality. “International Services is a line of service under the American Red Cross. Besides responding to disasters and managing blood drives, the Red Cross is also responsible
for promoting IHL as well as making sure nations are respecting it,”
˃˃ GENDER on p.3