APRIL 2018

INSIDE THE ISSUE

a&e 11

opinion 4

opinion 4

feature 7

the bull’s eye NEWS

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sports 15

OPINION

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FEATURE

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APRIL 25, 2018 VOLUME XXXVI, ISSUE VIII ONLINE AT DBBULLSEYE.COM

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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SPORTS

Minority students speak out on race Brahmas share their experience, good and bad, of attending an Asian majority high school.

BY NOOR NAJI, PAULINE WOODLEY AND TED YARMOSKI

SEE PAGEs 8, 9, 13 HANNAH LEE

Diamond Bar High School junior Trenity Hughes walked into a class ready to complete the day’s work.

To the side, she noticed a small group of students discussing something inaudible. But when Hughes approached to join the discussion, she was met with opposition and a common refrain: “You wouldn't understand, you’re not Asian.”

Campus classes headed to portables Construction processes set to begin in summer, sending students to trailers.

Angela Yang Asst. News Editor The structure of life at Diamond Bar High School will undergo considerable change next school year as students and faculty prepare to move into a community of portable classrooms.

Located on the upper field in front of the softball and junior varsity baseball areas, these trailers will serve as temporary classrooms for those affected by major renovation projects inside the 500 and 900 buildings.

The portables will begin dotting the fields after the school’s annual

Fourth of July fireworks celebration on the grass.

Around the same time, construction will begin in the parking lot near the tennis courts for a new music building that will include separate indoor spaces for not only band and orchestra, but color guard and drumline as well.

The 900 building will remain intact until this new three-story building is completed in fall of 2020, according to music director Steve Acciani.

Therefore, music classrooms will stay in place while teachers in the 500 building begin their move starting in the fall and continue to relocate two or three at a time each weekend until late spring of 2019, according to DBHS operations manager Mike Bromberg.

As students are to spend a considerable portion of their day in

portables ON P.3

Photo courtesy of MATTHEW BRUMMETT

RACE ON P. 8-9

New APs offered for fall semester Samyuktha Vellaiyan staff writer

across Southern California planning to pursue STEM majors in college with ideas to change the world.

“It was just kind of surreal to realize that more than my mom and dad and GLC—all these supporting individuals—there was also a scholarship committee who wanted me to actually be in the action of fulfilling my dreams,” Yang said.

Yang first discovered the program her freshman year when she saw two DBHS seniors receive the prestigious scholarship.

“I remember thinking in that moment I’m going to try for it my senior year and see how it goes,” Yang said. “It was kind of a fulfillment of a really small teenage dream to win that scholarship. It’s weird to be standing in their shoes since I looked up to them a lot for pursuing what they loved with the scholarship.”

As part of her application, Yang had to submit two essays about a challenge she faced and her aspirations for the future. Additionally,

Two new AP classes will be added to Diamond Bar High School’s lineup of 23 AP courses next school year: AP Human Geography and AP Computer Science Principles.

DBHS Instructional Deans Matthew Brummett and Gabriel Aguilar were able to include these two new AP classes because the course offering list had room for extra classes for the students to take.

The classes were approved by College Board before they were added to the course catalog.

“The more course offerings you can offer the students, the more access you can give the students to the curriculum,” Brummett said.

AP Human Geography was introduced to the DBHS administrators by AP U.S. History teacher Ty Watkins.

According to Watkins, he had worked with Brummett and assistant principal David Hong since the summer of 2016 to include this class in the course offerings.

“My son took the class last year at another school, and Walnut has taught the class for over 10 years, so I thought that Diamond Bar students would love it,” Watkins said.

“This would be a new challenge for me to teach a new course.”

AP Human Geography will be available to sophomores, juniors and seniors.

Throughout the year, the course will cover regional trends, world

EDISON ON P.3

Classes ON P.2

Photo courtesy of TANYA YANG

DBHS senior Tanya Yang was surprised by the company during orchestra class.

Scholarship lights up senior's STEM future Tanya Yang wins $40,000 scholarship from Southern California Edison.

CINDY LIU asst. NEWS EDITOR

Portable classrooms will be set up in the softball and baseball fields for the duration of the two-year construction and renovation period on campus.

The phrase may not have been uttered to Hughes, a mixed race student, if it wasn’t for Diamond Bar High School’s unique student makeup. While DBHS has a “minority” enrollment of 89 percent, there is a clear Asian majority, making up 66 percent of the student population, according to U.S. News and World report in 2015. Other races compose a much smaller population; three percent of students are black, 11 percent are white and 18 percent are Hispanic.

On the surface, DBHS is a fairly accepting community, and though the racial makeup of students lacks diversity, many students feel that being a minority on campus does not affect their lives.

Even before heading to school on March 23, Diamond Bar High School senior Tanya Yang had suspected something was up.

Her mother kept pushing her to tie up her hair—believing it improves Yang’s appearance—and band director Steve Acciani was adamant on not letting her leave the band room.

Yet, even with her suspicions, Yang couldn’t believe her eyes when representatives from Southern California Edison walked into the band room and presented her with a check for a $40,000 scholarship.

Each year, the Edison Scholars program awards $40,000 scholarships to 30 high school seniors

2

NEWS

Gearing up for regional victory

Mock trial witnesses success

DBHS's robotics team earns first place in Orange County.

Brahmas compete in the courtoom against students from around the nation. ryan chae sports EDITOR

Photo courtesy of AMELIE LEE

Six members of the DBHS team participated in the National Moot Court Competition at Duke University in late March after three months of preparation.

Crafting arguments with the guidance of a Los Angeles County district attorney for over two months, six members of Diamond Bar High School’s Mock Trial team traveled to Duke University and all reached the second round of the National Moot Court Competition.

From March 23 to 26, seniors Meghan Shen and Pablo Martinez, juniors Heidi Luo, Amelie Lee and Hamzah Daud and sophomore Ryan Lou competed against 122 other students from around the world.

“It was a wonderful experience.

Not only did we compete, but we also gained advice on courtroom demeanor like how to address the judges and to know what points to bring up,” Lou said.

For the competition, partici-

pants were divided into pairs: Martinez and Daud, Lee and Luo and Lou and Shen.

Of the three teams, Luo and Lee were the only Brahmas who made it past the second round and into the top eight. “[Lee and I] both did not think we would make it that far since it was our first year, but when we did I felt so much satisfaction knowing that all our hard work had paid off over these last three months,” Luo said.

Individually, Martinez was the top Diamond Bar performer as he was recognized as the sixth best speaker out of the other 128 competitors.

Advised by math teachers and Mock Trial coaches Latitia Thomas and Margaret Ku, the teams practiced together from January

CORRECTIONS In the March issue, The Bull's Eye stated that adults outside the school during the walk-out were protesting against the event, but they were actually supporting the students. The story on new teachers also stated that Melissa Wilson is a DBHS class of 2008 alumna; she is from the class of 2010.

News Editors Asst. News Editors

With only 40 minutes left before their inspection at the Orange County Regional, Team Sprocket’s robot broke down. Without the correct spare parts, the team worked to fix their robot with what they had on hand. However, even with this unexpected complication, Diamond Bar High School came out victorious and went home as the Orange County Regional Winner.

“This year was a turning point in our team’s history because we expanded from 35 members to a 50-man team with a lot of younger, less experienced members,” senior engineering captain Karen Tan said via Facebook. “But it was thanks to the hundreds of hours our dedicated members put in that we were able to make it this far.”

The team, competing at UCI from March 22 to 24, were able to move up the rankings by earning points through performing certain tasks with their robot. At the end of the qualification round, they were ranked 12 of 52.

The team was given six weeks to build the robot for their competition. According to senior Savan-

Emily Jacobsson, Catherine Zhang Brian Chang, Hannah Lee Angela Yang, Cindy Liu

Opinion Editor Asst. Opinion Editor

Noor Naji Ted Yarmoski

Feature Editors Asst. Feature Editor

Emily Kim, Catherine Zhang Amelie Lee Emily Jacobsson, Pauline Woodley Amy Miyahara

A&E Editors Asst. A&E Editor Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor

Ryan Chae Justin Prakaiphetkul

Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editors

Hannah Lee Ingrid Chan, Amelie Lee

Business Manager

Tess Guan Tess Guan Sophia Kim

Web Editor Asst. Web Editor Staff Writers

to March, for two hours a day Monday through Thursday. On Wednesdays, the team had L.A. County Deputy DA Angela Brunson assist them in developing arguments and rebuttals for their sides of the case brief that was given to them by Duke University.

“The judges were very harsh when they were judging us, but it was good for them to grill us that bad. It really tested the abilities we gathered over the last three months,” Luo said.

Despite the tough competition and the intense questioning of judges, Luo still thought that the experience was a valuable one that she enjoyed.

“It was such a great experience and felt so exhilarating, arguing in front of a judge. Being surrounded by brilliant and eloquent students around my age and competing at Duke University was just really appealing to me,” Luo said. “Next year when I compete in Mock Trial, I can say Moot Court helped my confidence and public speaking skills.”

catherine Liu staff writer

nah Domingue, the final design includes a cascade pulley system, which allows them to operate their robot to pull down platforms, or in their case an elevator, along with a perfected intake system to ensure that the robot grips the game piece tightly. The team also built in pistons on the intake system, which allows the robot to bend its arms and shoot the game piece.

The team previously finished 10th at the San Diego Regionals.

According to senior business captain Tanya Yang, the experience helped them prepare for the second regional match.

“After San Diego, we came up with a list of different things that could have gone better and tried to think of solutions for them,” junior Kenneth Song said via Facebook.

At the O.C. regionals, Team Sprocket was chosen by SMbly Required, a robotics team from Rancho Santa Margarita who came in third at semi-finals, to work together in the finals. They also worked with Team 812, Midnight Mechanics. Together, they placed first, earning a spot in the FIRST Robotics Competition World Championships last weekend in Houston.

“It’s incredible that we’re going to be at the world championships because it’s a celebration of everything the team has accomplished this past season,” Yang said. “With just the caliber of the teams there [and] the people, it’s really a great experience.”

stepping up by lying down

the staff Editors-in-Chief

APRIL 25, 2018

THE BULL'S EYE

Catherine Liu, Christina Liu, Samyuktha Vellaiyan

Advisor

Doug List

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

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

INGRID CHAN

A DBHS student lays on a gurney while a Red Cross nurse prepares to withdraw blood for the April 16 donation drive.

Human geo, computer science principles added to AP curriculum CLASSES FROM P.1 patterns and ethnic geography, which discusses diversity and economic trends of immigration with geography.

“Something I am proud of about this AP course is that it does not require a documented prerequisite, so it’s available to whoever wants to take it,” Brummett said.

Instructional Dean Gabriel Aguilar was responsible for adding the AP Computer Science Principles course. According to Aguilar, he included this class due to the high demand from students for courses

related to computer science.

“I have gotten to meet a lot of students that are interested in computer science, several of which have graduated and gone on to pursue computer science degrees,” Aguilar said. “A lot of this is based off of their feedback where students that want to pursue computer science are asking us to increase these types of classes.”

AP Computer Science Principles, which requires a freshman year Computer Systems prerequisite, is an introductory course for sophomores to take before Computer Science A, which is currently

taught by Luke Shubin.

Unlike Computer Science A, the new course incorporates multiple coding languages.

In two years, Aguilar intends to introduce a capstone level senior course to follow Computer Science A. In this class, seniors can research and explore projects based on what they want to pursue.

“I hope our students are interested in taking these courses and exploring them, and I also think it's going to help our Brahma Tech Program by offering a high quality introduction to that field,” Aguilar said.

THE BULL'S EYE

APRIL 25, 2018

NEWS

3

Improved Science Olympiad team built on chemistry DBHS's competition team closed out their season placing high at the state level.

SOCIAL MEDIA PRIVACY BREACH

TED YARMOSKI ASST. OPINION EDITOR

A Bull's Eye staff member criticizes Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's leniency in allowing third party company Cambridge Analytica to access user data.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: ROKUAN

The Bull's Eye reviews a Japanese ramen and sushi restaurant located in Stater Bros. Markets plaza, assessing the location's menu options, prices and service.

BUILDING AN EDUCATION IN PERU

Led by Spanish teacher Katie Swetnam, a group of six Brahmas worked with the Sacred Valley Project to travel to Peru and build a school for underprivileged girls

visit

DBBULLSEYE.COM

Brahma receives $40,000 from Edison cepted to top colleges like MIT and Stanford University, she has not she sent in a short supplemental yet committed to a school to attend video once she was chosen as a fiin the fall. nalist.

However, having already been While she isn’t sure what specifioffered financial aid packages by cally made her colleges on top stand out among of her Edison the thousands of s ch o l a r s h i p, "[The financial aid] applicants, she Yang will face gives me the privilege points to her emfew financial to solely focus on my phasis on realizchallenges at academics and not ing her dreams. whichever colanything else."

“I just really lege she choosconveyed that es.

TANYA YANG education is so “It gives me important to me the privilege to and it’s the key to opening a lot of solely focus on my academics and opportunities,” Yang said. “I really not anything else,” Yang said. “I defined my dreams and aspirations think it’s not a privilege that a lot in the essay.” of people can afford so I’m very While Yang was recently acgrateful for that.”

After being one of six teams from the Los Angeles County to qualify for the Southern California State Science Olympiad competition at the California Institute of Technology, Diamond Bar High School’s Science Olympiad team ended their season with a sixth place overall showing.

This was one of the highest placements the DBHS team has ever had, according to senior cocaptain Pablo Martinez.

Freshman Ryan Real and sophomore Sean Ru placed second in helicopters and third in towers, respectively.

Additionally, sophomore Jay Siri and senior Melody Zhao came in fourth in astronomy while sophomore Ryan Lou and senior Tanya Yang placed fifth in ecology.

However, the team will not move on to the national competition since a first place team ranking is required for qualification.

“The team performed phenomenally well,” Martinez said. “Usually we place in the double digits [so] getting sixth was a huge achievement.”

Photo courtesy of DAWN DAZA

Brahmas competing at the California Institute of Technology ranked sixth place.

The competition consisted of around 30 unique events. During engineering-based events, competitors are tasked with constructing a specific structure or contraption which can range from balsa wood towers to an intricate machine.

In knowledge-based categories, students are given either a multiple choice or written test on a specific subject such as genetics, earth science or thermodynamics. Most members of the team competed in three to four categories.

Since last October, the team has met every week to discuss and prepare for competitions. To prepare, they put in over 30 hours of group meetings, not including independent studying of the various subjects which amounted to hundreds

of hours for some. “[Science Olympiad] basically requires you to look for the knowledge yourself. Whether it's renting a college textbook or perusing over Khan Academy videos, you need to put in the time,” senior co-captain Yang said.

According to Yang, working with your partners in cooperative events is essential in doing well in competitions because each member of the team plays an important role.

The close interactions between team members also strengthens relationships and forges friendships.

“The most rewarding part is meeting and getting to know friends,” Martinez said. “Yes, the medals are nice, but medals are just medals.”

walking into neverland

edison FROM p. 1

Temporary classrooms to be added to campus portables FROM p. 1 these new accommodations, several new restrooms will also be built on these fields.

“They’re not going to be portapotties, they’re real restrooms with flushing toilets,” Bromberg said.

Because lengthy distances to and from the portables may affect the time students need to travel between classes, administration is looking into implementing a modified bell schedule which would allow for longer passing periods, but not extend the school day in total.

This, once finalized, will take effect at the beginning of next school year, Bromberg said.

Space availability for soccer, baseball and softball will also be limited by these portables, so practice opportunities for these sports

may be impaired.

Although no official plan has been decided upon to remedy the situation, Bromberg said that the school has been discussing temporarily switching over to the fields at Evergreen or Castle Rock Elementary School.

Meanwhile, marching band season will be affected as well, as the Thundering Herd typically holds their practice sessions in the parking lot by the tennis courts.

“They’re going to be using that as a staging area for all the construction stuff, so we’ll have to find a different place but it’s totally worth it,” Acciani said.

According to Bromberg, the 400 building is next in line to be upgraded after this upcoming construction process concludes in about two school years.

INGRID CHAN

DBHS seniors Angela Kieta and Connor Magpayo walk down the catwalk at Prom Fashion Show in the gym on April 13.

Instructional dean moves on Matthew Brummett will leave DBHS for an assistant principal position at Suzanne Middle School.

BRIAN CHANG NEWS EDITOR Instructional Dean Matthew Brummett will leave friends and family behind as he transitions from his current role to become the assistant principal at Suzanne Middle School.

Brummett was unanimously voted as the middle school’s new administrator by the Walnut Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees last Wednesday.

Having worked at Diamond Bar High School since 2010, Brummett initially taught history and coached varsity soccer for the school. In 2015, he was named instructional dean for the Social Studies, English

and PE/Health divisions.

Brummett says he will miss the bonds he formed while working at DBHS, as many of the staff members have supported him through some of the most important times in his life.

“There are teachers and administrators and support staff here who have been side by side with me through my biggest life milestones.

Some of the teachers and administrators here were at my wedding,” Brummett said. “All of them that I know really well were very supportive when our daughter was born.”

Despite the bittersweet farewells, Brummet said he is excited to begin in his new role, which he will begin on July 1. Brummett will be working more closely with students than he currently is.

“Getting a different experience at the middle school level will be valuable to me, working with different grade levels,” Brummett said. “As an Instructional Dean,

my number one focus is making sure that we are providing our students with quality education by supporting our teachers. In my new role, I will be able to do that, but I will also be doing more student support. I think it’s a great opportunity for me to get more experience as an administrator.”

Brummett praised the improvement he has seen at DBHS over the course of his time on campus, calling it “a special place to work.”

“The campus as a whole, as far as the performance of our students to the performance of all of our staff members, it just seems like this place keeps getting better and better,” Brummett said. “There was never a day where I was disappointed to get up in the morning and go to work. This place is amazing.”

At the same meeting, Julie Galindo was named a full-time Instructional Dean. She has been serving in the post since September on an interim basis.

4

G

OPINION

APRIL 25, 2018

THE BULL'S EYE

EYE EDITORS OF THE

OF EYE THE EDITORS

OPINION: Political topics should be discussed in a well-rounded and productive manner.

iven the current political climate of the U.S., it has become increasingly important that students are informed about the world around them. As such, teachers need to provide class time to discuss political matters from an objective perspective.

Teachers are individuals who students should look up to and respect. It is dangerous for figures of authority to share their opinions without also soliciting opposing viewpoints, as those with power can influence others disproportionately. Yet, it is even worse when teachers tiptoe around political topics.

Students represent the future

of this country, as they will be the ones voting and making decisions.

Thus it is vital that they are aware of and educated on current political issues. Teachers should seek to provide students a background on current issues and why they are controversial in order to give students an idea of the world around them and empower them to make informed decisions in the future.

Politics should exist in the classroom in two forms—discussions and lectures. Teachers should do what they can to inform students about relevant political issues by presenting facts about them and clarifying why they are controversial. This is separate from holding

class discussions, during which students can share their own thoughts.

The discussions that do happen should feature viewpoints from both sides of the spectrum. By facilitating and promoting these discussions instead of actively participating, teachers would not overly influence students.

Teachers should act only as moderators who present the class with context before allowing students to present and develop their own opinions. They should step in only if incorrect statistics are brought up, students are becoming too heated or the discussion is moving off topic.

The whole point of having these conversations in the classroom is to allow students to form and share their own opinions in a forum where they will not be judged for their ideas. While no student should be forced to give an opinion, those who do can help others form their own.

While students at Diamond Bar High School may feel as if political debates raging around the country have no effect on their lives, it is vital they become more aware of the issues at hand. Teachers should approach politics with caution as to not overshare, but they should also refrain from complete silence on current issues.

When talking about issues in class, I think students should be able to express their opinions.

It would be great if students talked about politics, but most are scared of disagreeing with the teacher.

Teachers should try not to influence their students, but if it’s discussion, then it’s good for learning.

JORDYN BEAULIEU (11)

COLT KEPLER (12)

JOHNATHAN NG (11)

LETTER TO THE

I

n the last issue of The Bull’s Eye, Amelie Lee wrote an impassioned article on the “collective voice for reform” in America.

She discussed the tide of young people raising their voices on lax gun laws in America. On this 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, I wish to urge for us students to follow in his steps. He dreamed for a world where his four children would “live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” When Gallup asked Americans in 1963 if the Civil Rights Movement had hurt or helped the cause for black rights, 85 percent of Americans said it hurt black social advancement. They who remained quiet lacked the ability to imagine a better world. Those who did imagine a better world, like Dr. King, rose up, changing the moral course of our country forever.

Today, the tides of change have again risen, ready to be directed by the collective force of an awakening sect of the population. In this moment, it is of the paramount importance that us students imagine a better world for ourselves and our posterity. For which we must, as Dr. King and the civil rights activists of his time did, speak up, march, and most important of all, vote.

Hamzah Daud Junior

police shooting Is violence against minorities an institutionalized practice? chael Brown (2014), Eric Garner (2014), Philando Castille (2016), Alton Sterling (2016) and many, many more. All were unarmed, and all police officers involved were either acquitted or not indicted for their actions.

It would be less concerning if the allegations of police abuse were specific to one city or state, however, they are not. A 2014 Department of Justice report discovered that Cleveland’s police department regularly used excessive deadly force on its majornoor naji ity black residents. In another investigation opinion editor by the DOJ, racial bias patterns were found Police shootings and their in Ferguson’s police department “typically connection with race is in an effort to ticket as many low-income back in the news after yet black residents as possible in an attempt to another unarmed African American male raise local budget revenue through fines and in San Francisco, Stephon Clark, was shot court fees.” in his grandmother’s backSimilar conclusions yard. Police violence is not, were drawn from reports “[Police shootings] like some may argue, an regarding Los Angeles, reflect the more issue of isolated cases, but New Orleans, New Mexico a deathly trend true to the and Oregon police departrampant racial African American commuments. inequalities in the law nity for over 60 years.

It’s not to say every inenforcement system Disparities in race with stance involving a white as a whole.” regard to police shootings officer and a black victim aren’t hard to find; in fact, has to be racial. In many it is almost quite literally black and white. cases, the officer might rightfully sense According to the FBI’s 2012 report, 31 danger, and the person in question may be percent of police shooting or killing victims a criminal. However, what an officer senses were black, despite making up only 13 peras danger is incredibly subjective and police cent of the nation’s population. And accordcan use deadly force if they merely perceive ing to the Guardian’s project, The Counted, a “threat,” whether it is reasonable or not. unarmed victims killed by police are more These disparities aren’t exclusive to polikely to be minorities. lice shootings. In fact, they reflect the more “It’s the way that police are trained to rampant racial inequalities in the law ensee communities of color as war zones and forcement system as a whole. It is not hard to behave like occupying force,” writes the to find the statistics showing that blacks are executive director of the Center for Constimuch more likely to be arrested for drugs, tutional Rights, Vincent Warren. despite similar rates of drug use between Justification from the other side comes the races. In addition, the prison populafrom violent crime statistics—since African tion is filled with blacks in disproportionate American have a greater homicide rate than amounts and that blacks represent almost other groups and are thought to be more half of defendants who are later exonerated likely to be criminals, they are therefore after being convicted of crimes. more likely to be shot. However, many of While all the evidence keeps on stacking these victims are stopped because of petty, up, the black community is told to remain siand often, nonviolent offenses, such as traflent and trust a justice system that has failed fic violations or stealing cigarettes. This was over and over again, from Rodney King in the case with Trayvon Martin (2012), Mi1991 to Stephon Clark today.

PRO

by low employment rates and high single motherhood and high school dropout rates, as well as frequent gang activity. It is no surprise that there are more instances of police violence against minorities, as there is much more crime and therefore a greater likelihood of a violent criminal being present in these areas.

A frequent point brought up is the fact that many of the shootings do not happen when a violent crime is taking place, but at ted yarmoski routine traffic stops. With a higher police asst. opinion editor presence due to higher crime rates, there The correlation between tends to be more stops for simple traffic viopolice violence and race lations, which also increases the chances of is an uncontested fact, yet pulling over a violent criminal. the issue is not whether or not this is true, More often than not, the police are jusbut why it occurs. tified in the shooting. Many times Many people quickly the victim is carrying a assert that the reason beweapon or has a violent “The problem does hind these deaths is a racreaction and the safest opnot lie with how the ist agenda put into place by tion to avoid officer injury the police, but this could or death is to respond with police go about their not be more wrong. In fact, deadly force. In Graham v. jobs, but how well this assumption can only Connor heard by the U.S. these communities lead to further damage race Supreme Court, it was dedo.” relations. A deeper look is termined that the police required to reveal the true may shoot someone who is cause of this correlation. suspected of a severe crime, poses a threat A major factor ignored in this case is the to officers or actively resists arrest. fact that minorities tend to commit violent An overwhelming majority of police crimes at higher rates than Caucasians and shootings meet these criteria, as data colAsians. According to the Bureau of Justice lected by the Washington Post in 2015 found Statistics, over half of all homicides in the that almost all police shooting victims were United States were committed by African armed with dangerous weapons and posed a Americans from 1980 to 2008, even though threat to police officers. they only make up 13 percent of the U.S. The problem does not lie with how the popopulation. lice go about their jobs, but how well these This statistic should not be taken at surcommunities do. The best way we can solve face value either, as the reason that minorithe issue of police violence against minorities tend to commit more crime is not due to ties is to address the root of the problem. their race, but other more prevalent factors.

Someone who has graduated high school, And these numbers only include homicides has no children outside of marriage and that are solved, which excludes about 61 is employed reduces their chance of being percent of killings, and only those commitimpoverished dramatically to around 2 perted by a single perpetrator, according to U.S. cent, according to the Brookings Institution, News and World Report. a nonprofit research organization. We can Data recorded by the FBI reveals that successfully help these communities and there is a strong positive correlation bereduce police violence by encouraging edutween crime and lower socioeconomic stacation, promoting the use of protection and tus. These communities are characterized supporting the creation of new jobs.

CON

THE BULL'S EYE

APRIL 25, 2018

OPINION

Environmental passion for an A

A

pauline woodley a&e editor

s an AP Environmental Science student, my end-ofthe-year project is exactly what I needed to make myself more environmentally conscious. I have never cared more about the world around me, and surprisingly, all it took was a letter grade.

Before I start working, I need enough supplies and materials to use to reduce waste and save the planet.

After making countless Facebook and Instagram posts about my Chipotle fundraisers and begging my friends to get Yogurtland for a good cause, my favorite thing to do is take a break and snack on a small bag of chips (small, of course, to reduce waste).

At these lovely fundraisers, I enjoy forcing—encouraging—unsuspecting customers to sign petitions.

I’m sure those signing my recycla-

ble sheet of paper are changing all of their environmentally harmful ways of life thanks to me.

The perfect use of all the money we make will be superfluous gifts for the winners of fun lunchtime activities. But again, this is all in the name of creating a healthier planet.

After a long day of advocating for safe energy sources, I go to the gas station to fill my car with high quality gasoline. Then I drive home, turn on all the lights and get to work on my next fundraising event using my computer.

When I get to class, I sit and plot my revenge on the disgusting energy wasted on lighting our classrooms.

These days, our generation can’t even put their energy-draining phones down long enough to appreciate the beautiful world around them.

But I always remind my friends to subscribe to our YouTube channel on their phones for instructions on how to keep our planet clean.

However, they shouldn’t do it because of the extra points my class gets when they hit the thumbs up button, but because my class cares so much about the fate of our Earth and so should my closest pals.

Being an environmental activist is not easy, but someone has to do

it. Sometimes I even break a sweat working so hard for my grade...I mean, my planet. The two-hour showers I take give me the perfect opportunity to cleanse off the pollution that all the non-APES students are creating daily.

Our ideas may cost the school an unreasonable amount of money, but it’s important we aim high.

SHALLOWLY SATIRICAL

If we try hard enough, the school may even implement our idea. (See: the amazing water bottle station in the front office that everyone uses.)

I’m infinitely thankful for the chance to parade my APES project all over campus and demonstrate how to be a model citizen. I mean, who knew I would be giving other people the chance to save the ozone

Biased intrusions into a historic territory

“I

noor naji opinion editor

f every olive of every tree that was uprooted and burned was pressed, it yet would not produce enough tears to cry for AlNakbah.” ---Lise Brouillette I knew, before I even wrote this article, that I would share a stance taken by Stephen Hawking, Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn and many more, but is nonetheless globally unpopular. The fact is that the Israeli government has long established policies of oppression, occupation, ethnic cleansing and

apartheid. And the violence weeks ago was one of many instances in the last five decades.

After rounds of live ammunition were fired at Palestinian protesters a few weeks ago, dozens were killed and hundreds were injured as they were calling for Palestinian “refugees to be allowed back to their family homes in Israel.” Days later, a video emerged of an Israeli sniper cheering after he shot an unarmed Palestinian.

Unsurprisingly, Israel’s claim of “self-defense” was lazily slapped on as an excuse, ignoring the fact that the protesters were sitting under tents and all were unarmed.

Time after time, the violence between the two has been presented as that of equal sides fighting for the same land, but that is far from true. Israel, with U.S. military support, has far more power than Palestine, which has been occupied

and displaced for decades.

Israel, claiming itself to be the victim in the conflict, has repeatedly responded to “terrorist” stonethrowers with bombs—a clear overreaction. Many avoid criticizing Israel considering its Jewish population. However, criticizing Israel’s war crimes is not anti-Semitic, just as criticizing Saudi Arabia is not anti-Muslim.

There is no denying that there is violence on the Palestinian side, Hamas being an example; however, most Palestinian violence is a reaction to their homes, schools and hospitals being demolished. If Israel has the right to defend itself from terrorists, doesn’t Palestine have the right to do the same?

If only the roles were somehow reversed. If Israelis were occupied and the Arab, Muslim government militarily occupied the West Bank, with no basic supplies allowed, the

5

world response would be very different. No one would hesitate to use the words: radical Muslim government oppressing Jewish residents. The same does not go for Israel.

In 2005, Israel ended occupation in Gaza, however, their control is still evident: they control borders, coastline, airspace and communications.

Moreover, Palestine has been under a blockade by Israel and Egypt for the past 11 years, cutting medical and food supplies in the country.

During this blockade, thousand of Palestinians and about 100 Israeli were killed, according to Reuters.

Arab residents are often unrightfully held in Israeli prisons, along with being abused and tortured. Moreover, Palestinians face strip searching and military forces invading their homes. All such incidents were reported by B’Tselem, an Israeli Information Center for Human Rights.

It is easy to forget the painful and

Cartoon courtesy of MEGAN LEE layer simply by buying a burrito at Chipotle.

These projects are really going to make an impact on the environment, solving problems that desperately need our attention. In a perfect world, everyone would be like me and my class full of people ready to change the world, one flush, straw and step at a time.

Noor in a Nutshell complicated history of Palestine.

Sympathy for Israel comes from the fact that Jewish people persecuted during World War II deserved a homeland. While the region was inhabited by Jewish groups for centuries, it has also been inhabited by Christians and Muslims equally as long. Being a minority doesn’t give you the right to oppress those beneath you, continuously expand on territories you vowed you wouldn’t touch, and make the “other” refugees in their own land.

As former Israeli snipers wrote in a letter to the Guardian, “Harming innocent people in Gaza is part of what is needed to maintain the regime of occupation, and we must not allow it to continue. Only ceasing to militarily control the Palestinian people will bring this to an end.”

There is no path to peace with occupation. And only then, will the olive and lemon trees end their mourn.

No-passing period Prom askings: confess to impress

amy miyahara asst. a&e editor

“W

Cartoon courtesy of COLLIN CHIU

ill you go to prom with me?” is something that many high school girls would love to hear and many guys have asked through posters, flash mobs, gifts and more.

While these “promposals” started off as a simple way to express emotion, modern teens have taken them a step too far.

Askings are undoubtedly a fun, exciting way to get a date. They can be a romantic or friendly way to show that you value someone.

The issue is not the proposals themselves, but the culture they have created. Guys are under extreme pressure to create a promposal that is flashy and creative, even if they don’t want to. It

no longer becomes an intimate gesture, but rather a pricey obligation and an unnecessary competition.

The askings also create situations in which the girl feels obligated to say yes, even if asked by someone she does not want to go with. A simpler one-on-one asking gives a girl the power to say no if she wishes. Even if someone has their heart set on carrying out a giant promposal, it’s best to ask the recipient ahead of time to make sure they’re comfortable with it.

Because of this culture, many may not be creating promposals because they actually care about the person they’re asking, especially if it’s someone they have barely spoken to. A number of ulterior motives are taken into account, including peer validation and the chance to show off on social media.

Homecoming and prom seasons are definitely two of the most enjoyable times to scroll through social media feeds, but seeing poster after poster can be demoralizing to those who never get asked. Seeing other promposals can also cause girls to expect flamboyant askings for themselves. This either leads to disappointment on the girl’s end when their expectations are not

met, or additional pressure on the guy’s end to outdo other promposals, continuing the unhealthy cycle.

Often times, guys are obligated to ask due to societal roles. Of course, girls can ask too, and all the more power to them if they do, but the reality is that many girls do not have the courage to take this action. This comes from the stereotype that guys are the ones expected to take initiative in a relationship, a phenomenon that exists not just with high school dances but in many other areas of society.

Aside from the petty issues promposals cause in high school, they signify a much greater issue of a male dominated society. While it would be irrational to obsess over this minor issue, it is important to be aware of the subtle sexism in everyday life.

Promposals are a highlight of the high school experience to many students and it is unlikely that people will break this enjoyable tradition. While there is nothing wrong with planning something memorable for a special someone, the extreme culture of dance proposals signifies a society that cares more about building self image than building real relationships.

6

FEATURE

DBHS ALUMNI EST. 1982

a seed planted in poverty

Christina Liu Staff writer In developing countries where gender inequality and poverty persist, few are addressing the situation head on. However, class of 1994 Diamond Bar High School alumna Liezl Van Riper has made it her job to reduce the disparity in those areas.

The goal of MyAgro, a nonprofit organization, is to get seed and fertilizer companies in western Africa to begin recognizing poor farmers as potential consumers, and selling to them. MyAgro is attempting to create a marketplace in these rural areas for those in poverty.

Riper, who has worked for MyAgro for two years, is currently the vice president of development, and is responsible for obtaining grants that will continue to fund the program so that the organization can continue helping the poor farmers survive on anything less than $1.50 a day.

“I play matchmaker between my organization that helps farmers grow a lot more food and make money, and identify all the donors in the world who really care about that kind of motto,” Riper said.

Through a scratchcard, a mobile cash transfer, system, MyAgro pro-

restaurant review

APRIL 25, 2018

THE BULL'S EYE

vides African farmers who do not have interest or collateral a mobile bank account. Farmers can stop by the village shop and purchase a scratchcard, and input the code on the scratchcard into their phone to move the money to a mobile account.

Through this system, farmers are gradually able to save up money for a prepayment for a package of MyAgro seeds and fertilizer for their planting season. “[In America], there are people who cater to us because they recognize us as paying customers,” Riper said.

Although Riper visits Africa every four months to reconnect with the mission, she spends most of her time interacting with donors.

“Trying to get money in the door and make sure we have enough money to run our organization, that’s stressful,” Riper said. “But what keeps me going is when we do get that big grant.”

MyAgro has been named this year’s winner of the Skoll Award, an award granted by a private foundation that identifies the most promising solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems.

Along with this, MyAgro will receive a $1.25 million grant.

“It validates all the work, all the stress, that everyone at the organi-

Photo courtesy of LIEZL VAN RIPER

Liezl Van Riper (right) with Fatourmata Koubale, a farmer from Mali who now grows enough food to feed her family year-round, after working with MyAgro.

zation worked so hard for,” Riper said. “We are doing this because we know we are changing the lives for farmers across sub-Saharan Africa, and this really important prestigious foundation agrees.”

Riper’s original career plans consisted of being involved in government work after studying political science at UCI. However, after seeing an on-campus march against Proposition 187, which would have left immigrants without access to healthcare or education, Riper realized that what she really wanted to do was to balance out inequality in the world.

“After graduating from UCI, I moved to Japan to become an English teacher,” Riper said. “Although Japan was so much fun, but it didn’t fulfill me in a social way—I didn’t feel like I was making a social impact in helping people” From her time in DBHS, Riper recalls being apart of USB and the interactions that took place outside of the classroom as aspects that shape her to this day.

“Those interactions with the classmates in that regard, out of the classroom, that’s where I developed a stronger emotional quotient.” Riper said. “There were opportunities outside of the classroom to just be a better human being.”

Early bird catches breakfast

ingrid Chan asst. photo editor Early Bird Cafe lives up to its name; you’ve got to be an early riser to catch their open hours.

Operating from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekends, Early Bird Cafe is only open for about seven hours a day, yet is hugely popular among locals in Fullerton. After dropping by for a taste of their food, I can finally say I understand the hype.

Although I arrived early in the morning, the cafe was already half-filled, and many other diners walked in and out as I continued with my meal. Despite its busy environment, the store wasn’t crowded as the shop is spacious and has more than enough tables. With high open ceilings, low hanging lights and complementing brick, wood, glass and white-washed walls, the store is noticeably going for minimalist, industrial style.

Their menu mainly consists of breakfast and brunch dishes. My sister and I asked for recommendations before settling for a Traditional Eggs Benedict for $12, “The Dutch” Waffle for $6.50 and their signature OC Famous EB Single Origin Coffee for $3.25. We didn’t have to wait long before our orders arrived; it only took around seven minutes.

The Traditional Eggs Benedict comes with a choice of either hashbrowns or seasoned potatoes and half a fried tomato covered with breadcrumbs. Our choice of hashbrowns consisted of grated potatoes, onions and a good heaping

The Coach Zylstra Sandwich is part of International Deli’s menu.

INGRID CHAN

Early Bird Cafe opens before eight in the mornings serving breakfast. of melted cheese oozing out from its center. Lightly grilled on both sides, they had a delightfully firm bite and were neither too salty nor too plain.

The highlight was definitely the eggs benedict. The eggs were slathered in the perfect amount of hollandaise sauce and garnished with a sprinkling of green onions.

They were perfectly poached with the yolk immediately running out onto the ham after being cut into.

Underneath the egg was a thick roasted strip of ham, which was rich and had a slightly smoky flavor. Beneath the ham were a few slices of crispy bacon.

The ham and bacon were on the salty side, but it was balanced out by the unseasoned egg. However, I found that the muffin was the best part as it was perfectly toasted with a crunchy exterior and a buttery soft inside. The gooey yolk filled the inside, neutralizing the typical dryness of English muffins and creating the perfect texture of crispy yet moist.

“The Dutch” Waffle was thinner than I expected, but surprisingly still had a chewy texture. It was topped with blueberries, cream cheese and a dusting of powdered sugar. Rather than the thick, heavy cream cheese you’d normally expect to come with bagels, the cream cheese on the waffle was exceptionally fluffy.

DETAILS Cuisine: Breakfast & Brunch ADDRESS: 1000b E Bastanchury Rd, Fullerton, 92835 Yelp Rating: Although it was a very large portion, the thinness of the waffle and the lightness of the cream made the dish well-balanced and easy to finish.

Meanwhile, the OC Famous EB Single Origin coffee has secured a spot as one of my favorite blends out of all the cafes I’ve been to.

The drink was served in a cute mug with a little pitcher of cream on the side. On its own, the coffee was not overwhelmingly bitter, as the bitterness was outshined by a distinct earthy flavor. After adding the cream, I was satisfied with the milky, yet lightly bitter taste that came without any sugar.

The staff also constantly refills the coffee you ordered without extra charges. If asked, they’ll even give you the equivalent of a grande-Starbucks cup of coffee togo after you finish your meal.

Though their prices are more expensive than what you’d find in other cafes, the venue’s portions are significantly larger, and the quality of the food makes the price more than worth it.

Based on their tasty food, generosity and quality service, Early Bird Cafe is definitely worth checking out.

Staff Spotlight

AMELIE LEE

Teacher’s name now on menus

angela yang ASST. news editor While the typical restaurant customer makes their choice from an already available selections, one Brahma faculty member has inspired a unique additions to the two local menus.

Diamond Bar High School economics teacher William Zylstra can purchase his very own selfnamed sandwich at International Deli as well as a pizza at Mr G’s Pizza.

“Sometimes people need just a little extra for their business, and Mr G’s stated that they were having some problems because that market area was shutting down,” Zylstra said. “A kid in my classroom’s parents owned it so I said, ‘Why don’t you name pizzas after people in the area?’ Instead of naming it ‘pepperoni,’ name it ‘Coach Hardison’ or whatever.”

The pizza diner—as well as the International Deli— accepted the idea and soon several new items named after local individuals were soon available to order. This practice took off at Mr G’s in the 1990s when several of its food items donned the names of real-life locals, but the Zylstra Pizza—with its

Italian sausage, bell peppers, jalapenos, onions and pepperoni—now remains the last man standing.

Zylstra helped design the pie with his student teacher Thomas Drulias, pairing together the toppings of his choice.

This top-seller is priced at $8.75 for a 10-inch small, $16.50 for a 14-inch medium and $19.75 for a 16-inch large. At the International Deli, the Coach Zylstra Sandwich claims the title of most expensive item on the menu due to its lavish array of ingredients.

The sandwich’s roast beef and bacon are complemented by pepper jack cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, with added jalapenos, ortega chilis, spicy mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

This combination came into existence after Zylstra suggested to one of the owners’ daughters, who was in his class, that the International Deli add a “Zylstra Sandwich.”

“I’m very lucky that I have a sandwich named after me and a pizza, so I’m looking for some other restaurant to try to do something in the local area,” Zylstra said.

“I was hoping maybe the local Korean community would name a kimbap after me.”

FEATURE

THE BULL'S EYE

APRIL 25, 2018

7

Reform from within Sophia Kim asst, web editor

Photo courtesy of VIOLET HUANG

Three DBHS participants marched in Los Angeles to protest for gun control.

Teacher, students join gun protest Amelie Lee ASST. feature editor Following the lead of students across the country, Diamond Bar High School staff and students took to the streets on March 24, demanding to have their voice heard on the issue of gun control.

Physics teacher Angela Jensvold and seniors Violet Huang and Michelle Chen marched alongside hundreds of thousands of protesters in Los Angeles in the March for Our Lives.

Inspired by students directly affected by the Florida shooting and teenagers across the country taking a stand on the controverPhoto courtesy of ANGELA JENSVOLD sial issue, Jensvold has been vocal about bringing her passion and Mayor Eric Garcetti. frustration to a larger platform.

“The current lack government With one friend teaching at Marjopolicies is ridiculous,” Chen said. ry Stoneman Douglas High School “If we don’t do something now, I and another teaching in Newtown, can’t imagine how much worse Connecticut, the problem will Jensvold said “It made me feel better to get in the future. that she feels the I think I’m scared know that I am not the urgency to voice of what could haponly one who has had her opinion on pen if I don’t say enough.” the matter in something. Going ANGELA JENSVOLD hope of persuadto the march was ing politicians an opportunity to into banning assault rifles. speak out.”

“Sandy Hook was the first shootJensvold said that she was not ing that really hit home, and I was just inspired, but deeply moved devastated by that, but after this by the actions of children such as last shooting, I’m no longer sad— 11-year-old Naomi Wadler, who spoke up about the lives of African American women lost to gun violence. Jensvold also expressed support for students on the DBHS campus who spoke out and participated in events such as the Mar. 14 walkout.

“In the past, I thought that it didn’t make much of a difference to speak out. But now, I feel if children can get off their butts and speak out, then certainly I can do more than that,” Jensvold said.

“I’ve been attending marches and protests my whole life, but it was the kids that inspired this one. It made me feel better to know that I Photo courtesy of VIOLET HUANG am not the only one who has had Huang (left) and Chen marched in the enough.” gun control rally on Mar. 24.

As this was their first time goI’m furious. I’m furious that [Coning to a political protest, Chen and gress] has done nothing to protect Huang said that they were both us and that we’re not safe in a place surprised by the number of and that I consider to be sacred: my the fiery passion of the particiclassroom,” Jensvold said. pants.

Huang chose to attend the event “Being around a passionate after witnessing the passion from group of people allowed me to exstudents on DBHS campus. After press my feelings freely along with seeing the student-planned walkMARCH ON P. 13 out on March 14, Huang looked further into the issue of gun control and decided to participate in the March 24 protest with her friend Chen, who also feels strongly about the issue. Chen said that she feels frustrated at some of the solutions that politicians were proposing, and wants to let them know that people do not agree.

“It’s important that we show our support for the policies that can prevent what happened at those schools. I felt really powerful to be in support of the speakers there,” Huang said.

The protest began at Broadway and Eighth Street in downtown L.A. with speeches by students and Photo courtesy of ANGELA JENSVOLD local politicians, including L.A.

Flipping through the pages of a magazine, Marisa Umeh was concerned with the lack of representation of girls of color in popular media. Inspired to make a change, she created a variety of T-shirts with designs of girls showing their individuality.

That was when she was 12.

Continuing her passion into high school, the Diamond Bar High School senior now runs an organization called “Chocolate Cupcakes” to encourage minority girls to strive for their best. Through hosting a variety of events and workshops around Los Angeles, Umeh encourages girls to go above and beyond by connecting them with successful women in the workforce.

“This organization is an empowerment organization geared towards empowering young minority girls to reach their academic and personal potential,” Umeh said.

Partnering with various community organizations such as Sisters Working Against Violence, Umeh hosts workshops that motivates the girls. With an all-girls environment at every hosted event, Umeh said that she hopes to encourage girls to focus on their dream and be outspoken about their ideas.

One of Umeh’s major events called #girlboss, held on Aug. 6 last year, inspired young girls to become entrepreneurs. By inviting a panel of speakers at each event, including the CEO of Hustlette, a clothing brand, and Hilda Brown, a doctor, Umeh provided an opportunity for the girls to interact with high-ranking females in the workforce.

“I think it’s important for girls to see scientists that look like them

Photos courtesy of MARISA UMEH

Senior Marisa Umeh (center) works near Los Angeles to help minority girls. and lawyers that look like them. I feel like once they see those images they think, ‘oh I too can do that’,” she said.

Another organization Umeh partnered with is Runway for Peace, which focuses on giving girls the opportunity to develop public speaking skills. Girls at the event were given a chance to meet women from the WNBA teams and walk through a set-up a runway for a confidence-boost.

“Most of my workshops have been located in inner city neighborhoods because that is where there is typically the most need,” she said. “It becomes extremely crucial for girls to see images of women that are achieving and making strides in different fields.”

Recently, Chocolate Cupcakes received a grant from the State Department to create a coding workshop called Steamworks. With additional funding by Google and NASA, among others, Steamworks will give Umeh the opportunity to start a coding camp for young minority girls who are interested in the field of STEM. Although Umeh is focusing on working with primarily elemen-

tary students at the moment, she stated that she hopes to see results once they receive higher education.

With a goal of continuously expanding her organization, Umeh also said that she hopes to build a strong support system for minority girls. After high school, Umeh aims to reach her dream of establishing “Chocolate Cupcakes” into a wellknown and established organization, large enough to branch out into local high schools.

“This is something I’ll deal with for the rest of my life, I hope,” she said. “Ultimately, I would like to hold a big conference with a thousand people.”

Diving into a new hobby Christina Liu staff writer Jumping into the ocean, the first thing Diamond Bar High School sophomore Tony Xu sees is the bright rainbow colors of underwater coral. When he is surrounded by miles of water on either side, scuba diver Xu enjoys the silence the ocean brings.

“It’s a very calm experience, because when you are in the water, you can’t hear people talking—you can’t really hear anything,” Xu said. “It’s just a really calm experience for me.”

Xu’s first time diving was on a school excursion to Catalina Island in seventh grade during his time at Chaparral Middle School.

“That’s the first time I saw so much stuff in the ocean and the feeling was so amazing. You can kind of enjoy yourself; no one else is there, you can do whatever you want,” Xu said.

A year later, when he visited Hawaii during his eighth grade summer, Xu was introduced to a family friend who gave him a more in depth scuba diving experience. After more experience with the sport, Xu now describes his first time at Catalina as a poor portrayal of real scuba diving since there is not a lot of marine life to observe around the islands. With a deeper appreciation for scuba diving, Xu attempts to dive at least once a month.

Currently, Xu frequents the port of San Diego to dive, as it is one of the more interesting spots with diverse wildlife. Although there are closer scuba diving areas—such as Santa Monica—Xu said it is dif-

Photo courtesy of TONY XU

Sophomore Tony Xu has been scuba-diving once a month for four years. ficult to find the same variety as the South Pacific waters. Xu said that the Tahiti island in French Polynesia was the most memorable spot for him because of the water’s clarity.

“It’s really clean, and with scuba diving, it feels like you’re in the air.

I never scuba dived in any water that clear—you can see everything underwater,” Xu said.

Although Xu describes scuba diving as a safe and relaxing activity, Xu said that there are safety

procedures he had to learn prior to diving, such as different hand gestures to communicate with other divers. Xu was also taught the importance of remaining calm in all situations in case of an emergency.

“If the gas tank has issues, you can’t be freaking out, because once you are freaking out, you are starting to use more oxygen.” Xu said.

“Honestly, nothing has happened to me, but you have to be prepared for everything that might happen.”

Having scuba dived in both the Pacific and Indian Ocean, Xu hopes to try out diving in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea in the future.

However, due to the stronger sea currents experienced in the Atlantic, Xu doesn’t plan on diving there until after he is 18 years old or is more experienced with the sport.

“I will continue to do scuba diving as a stress release because it’s very close to college applications, so there’s a lot of stress, SAT, college apps,” Xu said. “That’s just to calm myself down and be like ‘Oh it’s OK.’”

8

NEWS

APRIL 25, 2018

THE BULL'S EYE

9

From the eyes of the few

WHAT A BRAHMA LOOKS LIKE

WRITTEN BY: NOOR NAJI, PAULINE WOODLEY, TED YARMOSKI DESIGN BY: EMILY JACOBSSON

The racial demographics of DBHS (Walnut Valley Unified School District 2016)

American Indian/Alaskan Native 0% Asian 65.9%

See page 13 for a view from other students

Black 2.7%

RACE FROM P.1

Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander 0.4% Latino 19% White 10.3% Mixed 1.7%

the californian population (Kids Data 2016)

American Indian/Alaskan Native 0.6% Asian 11.4% Black 5.8% Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander 1%

“Being a minority hasn’t affected me in the slightest. I’m just another person, another human being,” senior Pablo Martinez said, and he is not alone.

“At other areas, I feel like I would be at a disadvantage, but here, I get treated equally,” junior Darius Cramer said.

However, when taking a closer look at the underlying feelings and issues, another side of DBHS— one of discrimination and biases—can be seen.

With a studious environment due to what is seen as simply “Asian culture,” many non-Asians on campus feel as if they are pressured to take AP classes but also are underestimated in comparison with their Asian peers.

“Being a Mexican American, there are more expectations for me to perform better,” senior Julian Galarza said. He also claims that GLCs and teachers alike push the minorities at DBHS to take AP classes to “prove the stereotypes wrong” and “bring more representation to the AP classes.”

Many students constantly feel that they are held to stereotypes of academic limitations by other students.

“I don’t think [the Asians on campus] are racist; they just live in this environment. They see that more Asian people are in AP classes, less Mexicans are in AP classes, you put two and two together: Mexicans are not as smart as Asians...The general idea is that we [Mexicans] can’t perform as well, especially in areas like math and science,” Galarza said.

Agreeing with Galarza, Cramer, an African American, said that it seems as if teachers are underestimating the minorities and holding them to

lower standards, not expecting them to be the top students in rigorous classes.

Senior Shalah Hamza believes that as a half Mexican-American and half Afghani-American, teachers, at times, treat her differently.

When Hamza needed more clarification on an assignment, “a teacher said that ‘for somebody like you, I know this would be a little harder to understand,’” Hamza said, where she picked up on a prejudicial tone.

Chemistry teacher Jose Marquez also frequently observes common prejudices against students in

“‘YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND, YOU’RE NOT ASIAN’” his science classes.

“I’ve heard Asian students in an AP class act surprised that someone who is not Asian does as well as they do in a class, so I think there’s a level of ignorance on both ends,” Marquez said.

He also recognizes the effect that the judgments have on not only minority students, but both sides.

“Sometimes it’s unfair that people think Asians are so smart; it puts an undue pressure on kids to struggle,” Marquez said. “And then you have students of color think that ‘I’m nowhere near as smart as these kids, because I’m not them.’”

In addition to the academic disparities between races at DBHS, there are also social variations in

the way students interact with people of different backgrounds. For some, race is not a determining factor in who they surround themselves with.

“I think that if there are social disadvantages, that I don’t recognize them because I’ve been in this setting for so long. If people are excluding me based upon my race, I am not realizing it,” senior Marisa Umeh said. Umeh, like many students at DBHS, has close friends with a variety of backgrounds.

This is not true of everyone’s social experience.

Some, such as senior Ethan Holmes and Shalah Hamza, recognize the formation of exclusive social groups that only admit certain ethnicities and cultures.

“There are some Asian cliques that are extremely exclusionary in the sense that they don’t talk to anyone thats not Asian,” Holmes said. “When people speak another language around you just so you can’t understand. That could go with any culture, but in Diamond Bar it’s especially prevalent.”

Hamza notices that Asian groups tend to be “cliquey” and selective with whom they associate with.

“A lot of the time, you’ll see a bunch of Asian kids sitting together, they’re very exclusive,” Hamza said. “I feel like if you’re not Asian, they’re going to be like ‘you’re lower than me’ or they’re going to put a barrier.”

Senior Saadia Naqvi spoke about the similar social obstacles she faces being Pakistani-American.

“I get that you’re comfortable with your own people, but at the same time, it’s like there’s this barrier that you can’t get across no matter what,” Naqvi said of the campus majority’s tendency to flock to one another in social situations.

“Friends accept you faster if you’re the same race as them,” junior Hailie Nash said, summing up the prevailing trend among students.

Another issue on campus is the “n-word.” Although they may not voice their opinion to those who say the word, students are discontent with its frequent use.

“People use the ‘everyone says it’ excuse when saying the n-word, but that word has a lot of meaning to us. We don’t like it. Don’t say it. There are people around us who have a history with that word and you’re being immature,” Nash said with Cramer chiming in.

“I know not to say other racial slurs to those races because I have respect for them, it should be the same for us,” Cramer said. “They know what they’re doing, they should know right from wrong.”

According to DBHS Principal Reuben Jones, administration is doing all they can to ensure that every student feels safe and receives fair opportunities.

“Grade Level Coordinators, instructional deans and administrative staff, we’re doing all we can to encourage students to take as many rigorous courses as they can,” Jones said.

Over the past year, DBHS has done its best to spread cultural awareness through activities such as Cultural Week, where members of different student unions served food, performed and educated crowds on the challenges they face.

“Everyday, there’s a big challenge, but ultimately it’s a heart issue. We can have programs and policies in place, but individual people have to make individual choices of how they’re going to treat one another.”

Latino 54% White 24.1% Mixed 3.1%

DARIUS CRAMER 11TH GRADE

MARISA UMEH 12TH GRADE

ANDREA MORAN 12TH GRADE

CYRUS EPPIE 11TH GRADE

HAILIE NASH 11TH GRADE

10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Katrina lee

TAKE TWO

Graphic designer showcases artwork on her website

Our Final Take Emily Jacobsson & Pauline Woodley A&E Editors

O

ver the past two years, we have been fortunate enough to have a platform to share our opinions with you on anything Arts & Entertainment related.

From topics as trivial as our favorite music videos to more serious conversations on the ethics of music streaming sites, we’ve been able to explore this section in more thoughtful ways, and we hope we have at some point shared something that has sparked your interest.

After our 16 columns, twice as many as any previous A&E editor has written (an achievement we are proud of), we have only barely scratched the surface of the entertainment world. Even then, with each issue, it sometimes feels nearly impossible to come up with an idea worthy to write about.

Each month we sit together and with the help of other members of the paper, spitball ideas about the topics of Take Two. After weeding out all the bad ideas, (and trust us, there are always a lot of bad ideas) we would come up with something we hope you enjoyed.

There were many ideas that never saw the light of day. At one point we even wanted to write about memes (yes, memes).

But in all honesty, the struggle is the best part and has transformed us into new people who are better in every way.

As journalists, we believe strongly in the exponential power of shared words. Being able to do so for the past two years has been an extremely rewarding experience for us.

You’ve read what we have had to say and we want to encourage you to put your opinions into the world as well (whether that be with a personal blog or a letter to the editor).

Next year, after we graduate and someone else takes over this column, we hope they will find their niche. After our very first column together, our advisor, Mr. List, left mostly positive comments. We will never forget that in the corner of the paper, he wrote in bright red, “Find your voice.”

It’s taken us nearly two years to find the voice of Take Two, which often has been one of complaining, but now we move on to continuing the pursuit of finding our individual voices. No matter where we go from here, we are thankful for everything A&E has given to us.

We both joined A&E already knowing that we held an interest and fascination with the topics it encompassed. But having to analyze a part of it each month has created a new, even stronger love and appreciation for A&E, faults and all. Each look into the industry has led us to new conclusions and given us an insight into a topic we’ve always loved.

It’s hard to believe that two years worth of Take Two is coming to an end.

We could do this one thousand more times, but truthfully, we are glad we don’t have to. It has been an honor continuing the tradition of the A&E editor column, and with peaceful hearts we leave this space in the hands of next year’s editor.

So, for joining us on our Arts and Entertainment journey until the end, thank you!

APRIL 25, 2018

THE BULL'S EYE

samyuktha vellaiyan staff writer Designing original artwork, ranging from the bold, vivid colors of anime characters to the delicacy of lavender flowers, Diamond Bar High School junior Katrina Lee has created a website showcasing her artwork along with entering competitions.

Her online portfolio, www.katrinamber.wixsite.com, features her vectors--art created using illustration software programs-along with logos, banners and flyers for clubs, photographs of nature and original works based on Japanese style.

“It was just last year that I picked up graphic design,” Lee said. “I was fascinated by combining my artwork to make it a bigger project.”

According to Lee, the website provides those who might offer her internships and job opportunities a reference to her work, which d e m o n strates her art capabilities.

“I want to the people to be able to recognize my work,” Lee said. “Every time I look at the website, it

is very satisfying to see how much I have grown as an artist, from the very beginning to now what I have become.”

Lee first became interested in art in the seventh grade when she began drawing in the style of anime. During her free time, she would sketch her favorite characters, which improved her artistic abilities. Fascinated by Japanese artwork, she turned her hobby into a more serious passion.

Currently, Lee is taking the computer graphics class offered at DBHS, where she has learned to use illustrator and other software programs. In addition, Lee has entered competitions and participated in projects suggested by computer teacher Alina Gallardo, providing her multiple opportunities to expand her artistic ability.

“Katrina is definitely a very talented and creative student I have in my class,” Gallardo said.

Her first competition was the Greeting Card Competition sponsored

by The Gallery collection.

According to Lee, her d e s i g n was inspired by the movie “Tangled” and incorporated intricate blue and

Photos courtesy of KATRINA LEE

Junior Katrina Lee uses her graphic design skills to make banners to advertise events for the DBHS eSports club, for which she is historian. white swirls into a Christmas tree.

Though she did not win the competition, she was shocked to have even been named a finalist.

“When I saw the results, I was like, ‘What? This can’t be true.’ I was really surprised because I did not expect to place,” Lee said.

Lee also competed in the Doodle for Google competition, for which she has not received the results for yet. For this contest, she combined the theme of nature with origami to show her longtime interest in Japanese culture.

In addition to entering graphic design competitions, Lee dedicates most of her time to the eSports

club at DBHS as historian. She has created multiple flyers and banners to promote the club.

“This club has inspired me to try harder when designing flyers because my first flyer was definitely not great,” Lee said. “I would say that this acted like motivation to make myself a better graphic designer.”

After exploring the field of graphic design, Lee said she plans to pursue it in college.

“I actually want to major in graphic design and minor in architectural design at UCLA. I just want to do the thing that I love doing in college too,” Lee said.

Spring musical is splashing success Drama brings a well-loved childhood fairytale to the stage in the most energetic way. emily jacobsson editor-in-chief The heavily copyrighted magic of Disney is often difficult to recreate. Even then, when the lights dimmed in the theater and Sebastian’s (Amelia Anijielo) voice announced a few guidelines before the play began, I was struck with the excitement of waiting in line for a ride at Disneyland.

The Diamond Bar High School Drama department’s productions have always been a highlight in my year and I will happily remember “The Little Mermaid,” fantastically recreated, as the last production I will be able to enjoy as a DBHS student.

As Ariel for three of the performances, freshman Allison Santogrossi was lovely. Her voice is elegant and could easily compete with that of an actual Disney princess. Though only in her third production at DBHS, Santogrossi held her ground in a cast of more experienced actors.

She perfectly replicated the amazement and wonder found in Ariel’s eyes and voice when she talked about the world above the water. In the male lead role, senior Luke Teerling was charming as Prince Eric. His vocal range reached lower than I expected,

making for pleasant duets with Santogrossi.

Even with Ursula’s unique costume, complete with a purple body suit and face makeup and tentacles, senior Pilar Alcazar stood out because of her skillful performance rather than her appearance. Alcazar’s relatively deep voice fit her role perfectly and she impressively belted out her evil plans.

Easily my favorite song in the

musical was “Under the Sea.” The stage was flooded with color as Sebastian tries to convince Ariel, in vain, that life below the surface of the water is better. The fantastic display of bright costumes and flags that some cast members danced with, accompanied by the energetic performance by Anijielo and the ensemble would have been enough to convince anyone, other than Ariel of course, of the truth behind the lyrics.

AMELIE LEE

Ursula (Pilar Alcazar) laments the fact her brother, King Triton, took her power and control of the ocean in a song entitled “Daddy’s Little Angel.”

The sets created for the musical, while rather simple, did their job.

A wisp of a cloud, somehow created by seemingly real water vapor, was omnipresent on the stage, adding a nice touch. The costumes in this production were more flashy than any DBHS production by far.

Ariel’s eight sisters wore beautiful monochromatic dresses, correlating with the color of their character’s tails in the movie, that sparkled magnificently.

A DBHS musical is never complete without the pit orchestra.

They were the main factor in creating the magical atmosphere and, as usual, delivered a professional-level performance. However, typical of opening night shows, there were a couple of issues with audio. During some songs, the accompanying singers overpowered the lead and what they were singing could not be heard at all.

“The Little Mermaid” does not hold the political weight of “In The Heights,” or the emotional intensity of “Les Miserables.” But, what it did better than any past drama musical production was create a feeling of intangible, childlike joy.

I am always impressed and grateful to be able to witness the professionalism and passion evident in our theater department performances, and “The Little Mermaid” was no exception.

THE BULL'S EYE

APRIL 25, 2018

Brahma makes music on his own accord

Ingrid Chan asst. Photo editor

I N VA S I O N O F P R I VAC Y In her debut album, Cardi B proves she doesn’t care about what her haters think josh chou contributing writer

INGRID CHAN

Dominic Correa shows off his accordion skills during commercial music class.

Not only is he the first in his family to take up the accordion, but Correa is also the only accordion player in the DBHS Commercial Music program. Having learned how to play the instrument over this winter break, Correa is not an expert yet, but he does have a musical background. He started playing the electric bass when he was in eighth grade and joined the Commercial Music program this year.

“I might want to do something related to music in the future since we’re learning how to produce music right now,” Correa said. “But

11

Tune in

DBHS sophomore taught himself to play an obscure folding instrument

Anyone hanging around the amphitheater lately may have witnessed an accordion player serenading other students. The one responsible for this unique lunchtime entertainment is sophomore Dominic Correa.

As the accordion is such an uncommon instrument to play in 2018, it’s no wonder people are fascinated with its appearance on the Diamond Bar High School campus. Correa normally has quite a crowd of curious listeners.

“When I was little, my family had gatherings where we would always play traditional hispanic music, Nortenos and Corridos [genres of Mexican music related to polka]. One of the instruments used in that music is the accordion,” Correa said. “So one day I thought: I want to play that.”

When he first saw his uncles play the drums, guitar, bass and keyboard, Correa knew he wanted to play alongside them. As a result, he saved up his allowance and celebration money in order to buy his own accordion. It cost him $500.

Correa is self-taught, having learned to navigate the instrument without any formal lessons or tutoring. He started out listening to music and trying to figure out the notes on the accordion. From there he proceeded to watch videos on YouTube to help familiarize himself with the instrument.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

I’m still thinking about it. For now it’s still a hobby.”

While deciding what to do with his musical talents, Correa has been juggling his academics along with baseball, cross country and commercial music. He plans on continuing to play the accordion and electric bass in the future, whether recreationally or professionally, and is considering picking up the saxophone.

“Right now, I’m just trying to get my music teacher to let me do a song with my accordion for one of our performances,” Correa said.

“She said she’d think about it.”

In a time when gender equality is being promoted more than ever, it feels like we’ve been waiting too long for a female rapper to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart with a solo track in a male-dominated genre.

Cardi B, however, has never been one to take the conventional route.

In her debut album, “Invasion of Privacy,” she displays what she’s fully capable of without fear of judgement.

“Invasion of Privacy” shows thoughtful effort and variety; Cardi B ruthlessly delivers blows as easily as she takes them. Although her rhymes may not be particularly complex, her attention-grabbing turn of phrase and flow more than make up for it. As she shuffles from ballads to trap to pop, her verses are constantly infused with impact, ranging from flat-out funny to insidiously clever.

Her single “Bodak Yellow” is the first track in 20 years, since Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop “That Thing),” to become a Billboard No. 1 hit by a female rapper.

Through this song and her other breakthrough single “Bartier Cardi,” the Bronx-born rapper introduces her aggressive messages of overcoming obstacles and having an honest work ethic.

But “Be Careful,” the fourth track in her debut album swerves away from the heavy, gloomy

beats. The tone is gentler and subtler, more of a malicious wink than a full-throated yell. Cardi B still raps with tenacity, but steps carefully as if walking on her own heart. The delicate rawness not only makes “Be Careful” a highlight of the album, it also showcases Cardi B’s emotional versatility.

No song in this album is boring or easily overlooked, but a few definitely stand out. “Get Up 10” sets the tone as the first track.

Cardi B shows no mercy to haters and announces shamelessly that she was once a stripper but is now conquering life.

“I Like It” may be a revision of Paul Rodriguez’s classic “I Like It Like That,” but along with J Balvin and Bad Bunny, Cardi B breathes new life into it. The reggae party anthem is refreshing with a bilingual and feminist spin.

“Invasion of Privacy” is stacked with top names in R&B and hip hop: Chance the Rapper, SZA, Migos, YG and Kehlani are all featured. Yet Cardi B still makes her own mark with relentless energy and transparency of her rags to riches journey. She stays true to the spirit of hip-hop with words that are always loaded with double meanings. Having no interest in appeasing haters, she would rather prove them wrong.

Cardi B’s debut album clearly states that she’s on a roll and nowhere near stopping. And her message rings loud and clear: bet against her at your own risk.

Performing arts groups take home trophies justin prakaiphetkul asst. Sport Editor With all eyes on center stage, both the Diamond Bar High School Wind Ensemble and Choir Department excelled under the spotlight on their recent trips. Wind Ensemble took home first prize over the spring break, while Solitaire placed fifth and Marquis finished sixth last week in competitions.

On April 6, the DBHS Wind Ensemble placed first at the President’s Cup National Concert Band Invitational. The competition was held at the Hylton Performing Arts Center at George Mason University in Manassas, Virginia.

“I think as a whole, we worked really well as a team,” senior Rachel Kim said. “Once we stepped on the stage, I could feel the energy from everyone just really vibrating and as soon as we played the first note of our first piece, it really resonated throughout the hall.”

At the competition, Wind Ensemble performed “Shine” by Julie Giroux, “Bells for Stokowski” by Michael Daugherty and “Solid Men to the Front” by John Philip Sousa.

The Wind Ensemble students prepared for the competition through daily rehearsals. The students also performed in two festivals throughout the course of the year, held at UCLA and CSU Fullerton. DBHS

band director Steven Acciani said that the students participated at the festivals in preparation for the Invitational.

“We approach all of our rehearsals the same,” Acciani said. “The idea is to try to do the best we can to match the intent of the composer.”

Meanwhile, on April 14, the DBHS choir department competed in the John Burroughs Music Showcase at Burroughs High School in Burbank.

“For our last competition, it was a really fun experience for everyone,” senior Megan Mach said. “It was a good experience for us to watch a lot of other choirs and to close out the season on a good note.”

Solitaire performed their “New York” set, which included songs such as Taylor Swift’s “Welcome to New York” and Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York.” Meanwhile, Marquis showcased their “Hercules” set, as they sang songs that were related to the movie’s theme, such as “Go The Distance” from the movie itself and “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” by Shawn Mendes.

Earlier in the season, on March 24, Solitaire and Marquis both finished second at the Katella King of Champions competition.

“They have come a long way,” DBHS choir director Vince O’Connell said. “I’ve only been able to look at them for a month, but the strides they have made in that month are phenomenal.”

Photo courtesy of KAITLYN LEE

Marquis poses after their final competition at Burroughs High School, where they placed sixth.

Photo courtesy of JOHANNAH CHUNG

World line, the varsity drumline group, rehearses for their final competition in the ampitheater.

Christina liu staff writer With competition season coming to a close, each Diamond Bar High School performing arts group has enjoyed varying levels of success.

Dance finished their competition season strong, winning two state championships and placing in the Top 5 in all categories at the California Association of Dance/Drill Team Directors held in Long Beach.

Both Small Female Hip-Hop and Small Co-ed Hip-Hop won state championships.

The girls’ group used throwback songs paired with a “hype” dance style while the co-ed group went with the theme of the “Magic School Bus,” using the theme song in the beginning before transitioning to hiphop songs.

Prior to the Long Beach competition, the DBHS dance team competed at nationals in Florida at the Contest of Champions, as well as the West Coast Elite Dance at Esperanza High School.

“Each competition prepares them for the next one because we get feedback from the judges—we grow, we change, we progress— and that prepares us for the next one,” Simonson said.

Color guard also recently competed at

Circuit Championships, with varsity winning in its division.

During competition season, the team competed at the WGI World Championships at Dayton, Ohio. Color guard performed to the theme “Red Riding Hood,” but from the perspective of the wolf.

Overall the team placed 21st, almost making it to the finals.

“I’m really proud because half of the team is new to varsity,” junior Nia Ignacio said. “It was kind of iffy at first, because there were so many new people, but in the end we had a really good season.”

In the music department, Drumline had a solid season, with World Line advancing to the finals round and placing in the Top 8 in the state.

Their show was about struggling with inner demons, fighting them and eventually conquering them.

“We were still really close to a lot of the middle tier class of drumline and I think we can improve from next year,” junior Brenton Cai said.

CORRECTION Last issue, in the spring musical preview, Jacob Kaitz was incorrecly identified as the new theater director. His brother, Jared Kaitz, is the new director; Jacob Kaitz is the stagecraft teacher and stage manager.

12 BUSINESS

THE BULL'S EYE

March for a cause MARCH FROM P. 7 other people who feel the same way I do,” Chen said.

All three stressed the necessity of placing pressure on lawmakers and politicians to make a change to keep the issue alive.

They plan to continue attending these types of events and constantly staying in support of the issue.

“The government is supposed to reflect the opinion of the people they’re in charge of. By letting them hear our voice during these types of protests, it’s an opportunity to have the government hear us and change their policies,” Chen said.

Jensvold has taken another step in demanding change from those in authority.

“I’ve called both my senators, my congresswomen, my state senators and even my state assembly members just begging them to do something,” Jensvold said.

Other than staying on the phone, Jensvold has also resolved to only shop in places that refuse to support the NRA financially and encouraged students to preregister to vote, as well as donate and campaign for politicians they support.

“We have to figure out if children have the right to stay safe in our classrooms. That’s what this issue is about,” Jensvold said.

Photo courtesy of VIOLET HUANG

Thousands of protestors in LA gather to speak out against current gun laws.

APRIL 25, 2018

THE BULL'S EYE

APRIL 25, 2018

The Voice of DB ‘Minorities’ Tera Evans, Sophomore “I don’t really think the racial makeup is an issue.

I feel a bit out of place in some of my classes but it doesn’t really bother me. I feel like the Asian population tends to be a bit smarter, so DBHS definitely pushes me to try a little harder.”

NEWS

13

Amelia Anijielo, Senior “When you’re the minority and have the right answer, the majority doubts you. They don’t think you can be right.

I found myself always wanting to prove everyone else wrong, so I find myself always going above and beyond.”

sydney robinson, sophomore Samantha Hersh, Junior

“I used to go to a Catholic school, so there weren’t many Asians there. There’s a lot of differences between the two schools. Socially, the kids at this school tend to group up with people and form cliques with their own race. The Asians on campus are especially cliquey.”

Madelynn Po, Sophomore “In my opinion, I’ve become too comfortable having so many Asians around me versus in the real world where Asians are the minority.”

“In my orchestra class, my stand partner and I are the only white people in a class of 80 people. I feel like we can’t really relate to a lot of people in that class, and that shapes who we hang out with in that class.”

Rami Naji, Junior

“It’s harder to identify with people and understand some of the jokes that only certain cultures can understand. When I first came to the school, I was more reserved because I was the minority, so I felt like I had to act like it.”

johannah chung, junior

Tatiana Rivas, Sophomore “There’s always that stereotype that since it’s an all Asian school, you have to be smarter. It makes me feel like I don’t fit in. Before, I definitely felt the bias, but not now.

All of my close friends are Asian so I can see their point of view. So now, it doesn’t matter.”

“I’m curious about other races. I want to go to a more diverse school, but I would be more comfortable at a school like DBHS. But, I want to push myself out of my comfort zone to find out more about other races.”

Design by Emily Kim

14

SPORTS

APRIL 25, 2018

THE BULL'S EYE

Brahmas set for rally BOYS TENNIS With a 10-8 loss to Claremont, the team must win the rest of its games to win league.

Catherine Zhang Editor-In-Chief INGRID CHAN

Senior Hanson Gao is one of the top mixed doubles players on the team.

Doubles smash way through league BADMINTON The team opens the season with two dominant wins.

Cindy Liu Asst. News Editor With hopes of adding another title to their six-peat CIF championship streak, the Diamond Bar High School badminton team powered into their first league games with a smash.

In their second league match against The Webb Schools, the team saw overwhelming victories in mixed doubles, women’s singles and women’s doubles, winning the overall match 17-4.

“We just started, so there aren’t really any truly competitive ones we played yet,” senior badminton captain Jasmine Huang said.

Additionally, in their league opener against Chino Hills, there were similar strong performances in mixed doubles, women’s singles and women’s doubles. The Brahmas took home a 19-2 win against the Huskies. In the women’s doubles match, senior Crystal Wai and Huang dominated their competition, sweeping their matches with scores of 21-2 and 21-1.

In particular, head coach Kemp Wells points to Huang—who hasn’t lost a match this season—and the mixed doubles team of freshman

Claire Wang and senior Hanson Gao as some of the team’s top players. In the match against The Webb Schools, Huang and sophomore Brandon Zhou earned a 21-16 victory in mixed doubles.

“We’ve had a lot of players step up and play well,” Wells said. “In our last match against Webb, one team that isn’t normally one of our stronger mixed doubles team that we put together—Claire Wang and Hanson Gao—took both points and did very well; they won both points easily.”

Prior to the start of league, the team defeated Mira Costa High School 13-8.

According to Wells, this year’s mixed doubles players have been the strongest aspect of the team.

“Our mixed doubles is probably what’s been carrying us,” Wells said.

Both Wells and Huang predict that the team will face off against their biggest rival, Arcadia High School, in the league finals. While Arcadia had been practicing extensively over the past summer and DBHS had to deal with the loss of several top graduating seniors, Wells is still confident that the team can pull off a seventh consecutive CIF title.

“This year could be a little difficult,” Wells said. “We’re probably not as deep as we were last year or the year before, but as long as we stay healthy, we’re as strong as we’ve been in the past.”

With ten returning players, the Diamond Bar High School boys tennis team continues its run of success, with a league record of 7-1 as the team aims to once again win the Palomares League and reach CIF. “It’s a pleasant surprise because I wasn’t sure how strong our team would be this year, considering we lost a couple of players from last year. But, it looks like we’re headed in the right direction,” captain Nicholas Wong said.

Prior to the April 11 match against Claremont, the team was placed in a stressful situation.

Winning the match would have clinched the league title, whether it be shared with Claremont later or solely the Brahmas.

“The match is one of the most important of this season. The Claremont game will be a tall-tale of how our team acts under a lot of pressure. Every game, every match, every point, there will always be pressure,” Wong said.

“But this one is just magnified.

As long as we can be confident in how we play and in each other, we should be good.”

Ultimately, the team lost 10-8 in the match, although the team keeps its hopes high for its next few league games against South Hills and Claremont.

“Yesterday’s match was a tough loss, but we know that Claremont was a tougher opponent. We know we have to play them one more time for league, so we get to know how they play and next time we’ll be more prepared,” junior singles player Aadarsh Belliganud said.

The Brahmas’ match against Ayala, which they won 10-8, was especially important, as they realized extent of which other teams were

dramatically improving.

“It was just surprising because in the past, they were not particularly strong. It caught us off guard but it was really important because if we lost that, it wouldn’t be looking that great for us right now.”

Wong said.

Despite the team working to improve their skills and plays, spring break negatively impacted the team’s performance as half of the team was out for college visits, sickness and vacations.

With the opportunity to face off Claremont again in the season on April 24, head coach Carl Flint expressed confidence in the Brahmas as the two rivals are neckand-neck. In the team’s next game against the Wolfpack, the Brahmas have an advantage of playing with home field advantage, a factor that Flint deems as beneficial for the team.

“Every year, they’re our rivals and we’re their rivals. So last year, we split, and we were co-tied for number one in league. Since we already lost to Claremont at their place, we’re hoping to pull out a win at our place with the home field advantage,” Flint said.

Due to the close nature of the sport and the 10-8 loss, Flint said that the team may make a few minor changes in its line-up, but ultimately, the Brahmas are “capable” and “each player knows what he has to do.”

“A couple of changes possibly, but the guys know what they have to do to win against Claremont. It’s similar mindset, but having been through the last game, they’re stronger and they know exactly where to be. It’s mostly in their heads, I don’t really need to say anything to varsity, they know what they need to do,” Flint said.

AMELIE LEE

Senior Nicholas Wong rallies back and forth in a 14-4 win against Glendora.

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH KELLY CHENG Finding her passion at six, the senior has set multiple school records throughout her DB career.

AMELIE LEE Asst. Feature Editor After learning to swim when she was six, Diamond Bar High School senior Kelly Cheng has butterflied her way into an education at Northeastern University next fall.

She set multiple record times in her four years on varsity swim and competed at Junior Nationals in 2016 and 2017 with club team Brea

Aquatics.

Competing primarily in the 100 Meters butterfly and the 200 Meters freestyle, Cheng has become an important part of DB’s team, both as a competitor and leader.

“She is a great example of what it takes to just go in there and get it done. She always show good sportsmanship and respect to her competitors not only by the effort that she gives but all around,” head coach Darlys Ankeny said via

Photo courtesy of KELLY CHENG

Senior Kelly Cheng will continue her swimming career at Northeastern University.

email. “I consider Kelly a role model to all the other swimmers.”

Cheng began swimming competitively when she was eight, and has been on Brea Aquatics for seven years, gaining the opportunity to swim at Junior Nationals in Idaho and Texas in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

“It was my goal for a couple of years, and I missed the time limit the first year I wanted to go, but you always have to get back on your feet. I was really excited when I finally made it,” Cheng said.

Cheng has also competed with Brea Aquatics at the Stanford Futures Championships in 2016, and has recently placed first at the Meet of Champions at Mt. SAC. During a competitive and successful 2017 season, Cheng helped the DBHS team place at CIF, placing sixth in both the 100 Butterfly and 200 Medley Relay.

Cheng also currently holds the individual school record for the girls 200 Freestyle at 1:53:52, and has broken multiple school records before.

“I cannot tell you how many times she has broken her own re-

cord over and over again each year.

She does not settle for just beating a particular swimmer at any given meet, but gives the best that she has every time,” Ankeny said.

After years of success in swim, Cheng said that her teammates are her motivation to continue swimming and working her hardest—both at school and on her club team.

“I think I’ve definitely gained a lot of experience and grown a lot. Just talking to other coaches and swimmers has made a huge difference, especially this past year,” Cheng said.

Last October, Cheng made her verbal commit-

ment to Northeastern University after they accepted her into their swim program.

Cheng said the choice was easy— seeing that their academic programs matched her career goals to become a pharmacist.

Currently practicing 14 hours a week, Cheng said that she hopes to continue motivate her teammates through her actions and dedication to staying fit and active.

“She always brings a smile to the team.

After her races, I know we will get a big smile from her every time.”

Ankeny said.

“She will be a real joy and asset to Northeastern University Swimming next year, and will be greatly missed at Diamond Bar.”

THE BULL'S EYE

APRIL 25, 2018

SPORTS

Boys on deck for playoffs BASEBALL With a 5-3-1 record, the Brahmas are third in the Palomares League.

Amy Miyahara Asst. A&E Editor Playing with a more experienced roster and a newfound confidence, the Diamond Bar High School baseball team are off to a good start with a 5-3-1 league record.

The Brahmas opened league play with a three-game winning streak, defeating Bonita, 4-1, Glendora, 5-3, and Ayala, 7-3. The streak, however, ended when the boys lost to South Hills, 1-0, but were able to rebound in strong fashion, defeating Claremont in a high scoring bout, 10-4. In the following games, the team played back-to-back matches to Bonita where they lost the first outing, 2-0, but won the second, 5-4.

The team’s second attempt at a win streak was ended when Glendora blew out the Brahmas, 12-0, although they were able to tie Glendora 7-7 in their following game.

Head coach Jon Hurst attributes the team’s success to the fact that this year’s players have had more experience and have picked up momentum and confidence as a result of their victories.

“The fact that [the players] are now really comfortable with what our coaching staff is trying to do, they’ve been able to have some success,” he said. “With that success has come a lot of confidence, and now because they’re confident, they’re able to repeat their performances.”

According to Hurst, the performances of sophomore shortstop Alonzo Fuller, senior second baseman Fabian Moran and senior catcher Christian Killian have contributed to the team’s success.

All three players have batting averages above .300, with Fuller and Killian leading the team with .357.

Junior Sean Martin and seniors Richard Teran, Jairemy Pulido and Cruz Rivas round out the rotation as the team’s primary pitchers. According to Hurst, Teran typically starts one of the two league games each week, but that the rotation depends on the opposing team’s strengths and weaknesses. He ac-

THIS JUST-IN...

I

knowledged the high number of capable pitchers as a major factor to the team’s success.

The team has luckily not been plagued with any major injuries other than Rivas having an elbow injury back in November, which he was able to come back from in time for league play.

“It’s been difficult considering you can’t lift weights and stuff like that to a certain extent, but overall, you just learn to get over it through stretching and stuff like that,” Rivas said. “It’s difficult when you want to go out 100 percent but you really can’t.”

Hurst said that the team is also focused on executing well in all of the details of the game, as this is what will allow them to find success both in league and at CIF. “We have very high expectations. We expect to go to CIF, and once we get there, then we’ll re establish some goals, but we want to make sure that we get there first,” he said. “Once we do get to CIF, it will be important that we...continue to do the little parts of the game right, because that’s what’s going to allow us to play as long as we can.”

with Justin Prakaiphetkul

The Next Great Laker

n six out of eight decades since the dawn of the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers have always had at least one superstar carry the team to glory. Whether it was with the late great George Mikan, Magic and Kareem, or Shaq and Kobe, the Lakers have remained relevant through the years, missing the playoffs only ten times in their illustrious history.

Although the current Lakers feature a young core of talented players, for the first time since 1992, they have found themselves without a clear-cut superstar for an extended period of time. Though the team plans to pursue two top-level players this summer, there is no guarantee that they will be able to sign even one.

With that said, the Lakers currently have three players who I believe have the potential to fill the team’s superstar void down the line: Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma.

The player who I believe has the most potential to become the face of the Lakers is Ingram. Comparing Ingram’s play this year to his inaugural season, it is clear that he has improved in every facet of his game. He has grown the most in terms of his ability to score in the

Brandon Ingram led the Lakers with 5.6 assists in the month of February.

paint, as well as his playmaking.

Despite the fact that Ingram’s physique is the equivalent of a toothpick, he has been much better at finishing with contact. His lengthy wingspan allows him to score over many players and put back misses with relative ease. He’s also improved his isolation game, which should allow him to flourish on a consistent basis in his prime.

Additionally, his ability to read the floor as a passer, for a second-year small forward, is remarkable. With Ball suffering a knee injury in mid-January, the team’s point guard duties were relegated to Ingram. Luckily, he showed he was more than capable of directing the team’s offense and led the team to a 9-7 record in Ball’s absence.

Another potential face of the Lakers is the aforementioned Ball.

If you ignore his horrific shooting percentages, Ball has been impressive as a rookie.

Lonzo’s court vision is without a doubt his strongest strength, as his knack for setting up his teammates for open looks is rare for a player of his age. Ball’s ability to grab rebounds and play solid defense for a player with his frame is also impressive. These three aspects of his game make it seem as though he is

Lonzo Ball finished the year with a team high 7.2 assists and 1.7 steals.

involved in every play on the floor.

If Ingram and Ball find their touch on the perimeter and gain more strength, the two should be able to become perennial all-stars.

Kuzma also deserves to have his name in the conversation as to who will be Kobe Bryant’s successor.

Kuzma’s scoring prowess has been nothing short of impressive. He has an array of moves, including a running skyhook and a smooth post fadeaway, that would make Kareem and Kobe proud.

Unlike Ingram and Ball, the man behind Kuzmania has proven that he can knockdown perimeter shots on a consistent basis. Kuzma’s offensive game gives him the potential to be a deadly threat on that end of the floor. If Kuzma can continue to improve his shot selection and defense, he will be an unstoppable force for the purple and gold.

The Lakers’ front office will certainly try their hardest to bring in two all-stars this summer. If they are able to do so, the team should be set to compete for a Top 5 seed in the wild West. However, if the team is unable to bring in such talent, Lakers fans should not be upset, as they can continue to watch Ingram, Ball and Kuzma grow into future stars.

Photos courtesy of LAKERS.COM

In the final two months of the season, Kyle Kuzma averaged 18.5 points.

15

HANNAH LEE

Senior Richard Teran pitches in a 5-4 win against the Bonita Bearcats.

Teeing up for tenth straight BOYS GOLF The Brahmas have excelled in league play with a 9-0 record.

Justin Prakaiphetkul Asst. Sports Editor With a 9-0 record in league, the Diamond Bar High School boys golf team looks poised to win its tenth straight league title. “[The other teams] know that we were undefeated for like the past years, and they want to bring their A game, but we have a lot of momentum going into those games.

We have a lot of skill for our team, a lot of potential,” junior co-captain Sam Cho said.

Although the Brahmas have yet to lose, head coach Tony McCabe said that the team did not play up to their usual standards at the start of the season. McCabe also said that the Palomares League has been much stronger than he expected.

“We’re starting to get into the form that we expect,” McCabe said.

The boys extended their league winning streak to nine matches with two wins against Claremont.

The boys won their seventh league match against Wilson with a score of 208-238. Junior Bryan Chiu earned medalist honors by shooting a 37, and senior co-captain Thomas Lee shot a 38.

In their sixth league match, the boys blew out Wilson, 197-278. Cho led the way with a career low of 33, which was one off of the school record, according to McCabe, and freshman Derrick Wang also contributed in the win, finishing with a score of 39. According to Cho, two JV golfers–Wang and junior Kyle Lam–played in the match.

“Our JV players shot very good scores, so it looks good for next year,” Cho said.

Prior to their match against Wilson, the Brahmas faced off against South Hills twice in late March.

On March 27 at the South Hills Country Club, the Brahmas defeated the Huskies with a score of 192-242. Sophomore Leo Lu led the team with a score of 36, while soph-

omore Ethan Thomas and freshman Wisley Lynn both shot 38.

According to McCabe, the team set a DB boys golf record for the lowest points scored at the South Hills Country Club.

“It’s such a hard course; it’s a private course [with] very strict rules,” McCabe said.

On March 29 at the DB Golf Course, the Brahmas dominated the Huskies, 191-278.

McCabe pointed out the boys’ ability to work with one another in matches as one of the reasons as to why the team has been successful.

Typically, the duo of Lu and Thomas open matches for the Brahmas, while Cho and Chiu play in the middle group. Lee and Lynn serve as the team’s closers.

In order to finish league strong, McCabe said that the team must concentrate on hitting fairways, as well as improving their short game.

“It has really gotten us back down to where we should be. We kind of lost a little focus on those two things,” McCabe said.

Cho said that McCabe and assistant coach Jason Tuck have helped lead the team throughout league play. Cho stated that Tuck prepares the team well for away matches, while McCabe dedicates much of his time to guiding the players toward success.

“When it comes to coaching, [McCabe] wants to do what’s best for us. In the matches, he would keep us updated and we’ll keep him updated. I think coach Tuck and coach McCabe are really good coaches,” Cho said.

CORRECTIONS In the March issue of The Bull's Eye, junior Sam Cho’s last name was spelled incorrectly in the boys golf story.

Senior Vanessa Do was mistakenly named co-captain in the badminton story.

Senior Sam Blazek was mistakenly named the pole vault and discus captain in the track and field story.

Blazek is actually the shotput and discus captain.

16

SPORTS

APRIL 25, 2018

THE BULL'S EYE

Team hurdles over the competition TRACK AND FIELD Off to a strong start, the team has put last year’s struggles behind them.

Brian Chang News Editor After ending last season squarely in last place, the Diamond Bar High School track and field team is off to a blistering start, with the boys side winning its first two league matches before stumbling against the Ayala Bulldogs.

“The boys team has really improved since last year,” head coach Malinalli Cooke said. “We’re doing way better than we were last year.

We never came close to winning any meets.”

The boys closed out victories against Glendora and Bonita by 10 points and four points, respectively, while the girls dropped both meets. However, neither side was able to stand up to Ayala, with the boys losing 108-28 and the girls falling 109-27. Cooke said she expected the loss, as Ayala and Claremont are the best two teams in league.

Cooke attributes the team’s initial success to more consistent coaching. The events with full-time coaches have been doing significantly better, with Cooke citing the long jump and triple jump teams as ones that have improved in leaps and bounds. As Cooke heads into her second year at the helm, she has also made some changes to the composition of the team.

“I also made a concerted effort this year to make sure the kids who joined the team were actually there to do track, and not just there to get out of P.E. or conditioning,” Cooke said. “Track especially, has been treated so long as a dumping ground for kids who don’t want to do anything else, so it’s just chang-

N

o matter the circumstances, people always look to the future, wondering what 10 years down the line could look like.

In most situations, it’s impossible to trust a prediction like “Back to the Future Part II,” which claimed flying cars would arrive in 2000.

However, in the world of sports, the future is easier to envision.

The year is 2028, and the major leagues of sports have shifted in America. The NFL no longer stands supreme as the dominant corporation. After years of concussion reports, political issues and the retirement of the current generation, the NFL loses its market and future.

With the decline of youth football in 2018, the effects are noticeable by 2028, as less and less intriguing prospects come into the world of football. By this time, the

ing that mindset.”

Both Cooke and Ru indicated Senior Clara Ru agreed with that mentality was the biggest hurCooke, citing returning coaches dle for the team. Compared to other and more organization as strengths schools like Ayala and Claremont, of the team. who have historically had strong “We’re doing teams, Cooke a lot better. Out said it is difficult “Out of the four years of the four years to recruit talentthat I’ve ran, ed runners, as that I’ve ran, this this is maybe track in general is maybe our best our best team,” is not seen as a team.”

Ru said. “It’s major sport at CLARA RU definitely a lot DBHS. more organized.

Cooke expects The coaches are at least one more experienced, because they’ve more loss on the team’s record behad one year to iron out mistakes. fore the end of the season, as they The team is a lot more condensed will be racing Claremont for their too, so the coaches know exactly final home meet of the season this what kind of runners they want.” week.

HANNAH LEE

Senior Ryan Vargas practices his shotput in preparation for their final meet.

SAMYUKTHA VELLAIYAN

Senior Sophia Ramos swims in the 200 meter IM against South Hills.

Two Brahmas set swim records SWIM Cheng, Vargas lead team at Spring High School meet.

Tess Guan Web Editor Despite defeating rival Walnut earlier in the season, the Diamond Bar High School swim team still has yet to finish the race. With bigger matches, including league and CIF finals, coming up, the team continues to tread through the Palomares League.

Currently, the boys are undefeated while the girls are 3-2 after losing to Ayala and Glendora, 104-66 and 93-77.

Both teams have increased their number of captains, hoping the boosting leadership will bring change to the organization and attendance of swim events.

“Another thing we’re trying to improve upon is for swimmers to keep track of the meet and make sure they aren’t missing their events,” senior Ashley To said.

“Last year, that was a pretty big problem because absent swimmers caused the team to lose a lot of points.”

Along with additional practices, the team has been working on increasing morale and staying positive during races.

“A lot of fast seniors graduated the last few years, so our numbers are down from three or four years ago,” senior Brian Li said.

The team has one more dual meet before league finals, which is set for May 2, and will include all schools competing in the Palomares League.

In addition, the team recently competed at the annual Mt. SAC swim meet, where they were named the Overall Combined Team Champions. The boys won the Spring High School Swim Meet Champions title for the first time in history while the girls placed eighth.

Seniors Kelly Cheng and David Wang placed first in their events while senior Kelsey Lloyd and junior Kevin Vargas placed first and second in two events.

Moreover, two new school records were set at the meet, with Cheng breaking her own record for the 200 Freestyle, and Vargas breaking Wang’s record for the 200 IM. The meet was an opportunity to maximize the swimmers’ chances of making individual CIF cuts, hoping that the event will allow more swimmers to place for CIF times.

“Practices are getting a little tougher as the coaches are trying to get more swimmers to make the CIF cuts before CIF comes, and since we have only about three more meets, time is running out,” To said.

a look into the future NFL loses its top dog spot to a less controversial and more influential league: the NBA. Following the retirement of LeBron James, the competition level of the NBA has skyrocketed. For much of the decade, the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers fight for supremacy in the East. In the West, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers have battled for the No.1 seed with the T-Wolves duo of Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins meeting the Showtime big three of Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball in the Western Conference Finals many times.

While the Conferences have been battlegrounds for the NBA, the world has been a developmental league. By this time, the One-andDone rule is terminated, and play-

ers are directly entering the draft from high school, again. Foreign basketball organizations like the EuroLeague and NBL garner global attention for their prospects. In ten years, the world of basketball becomes stronger than ever with foreign superstars like Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis paving the way for the future.

Speaking of foreign development, the MLB still continues to be one of America’s pastimes in 2028, but the ever growing crop of minority players has become majority of the MLB. As America’s youth slowly lose interest in baseball, more players from countries like Japan, Cuba and the Dominican Republic take advantage and take over the MLB. Players like Angels’ Japanese two-way player Shohei Otani and Astros’ Venezuelan AL

MVP Jose Altuve will become faces of the MLB, showing the world the potential that minorities can have in the sport that has been dominated by Americans for so long.

After the disastrous 2017 season and the underwhelming years before, the U.S. Men’s Soccer Team spends the next ten years attempting to develop into a powerhouse to compete with its foreign counterparts. With Christian Pulisic leading the way, the U.S. has slowly climbed up the ranks, qualifying for the 2022 and 2026 World Cup. The country has rediscovered their love for soccer as the MLS also earns more attention after stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic come to the states. As football begins to drop from its position as one of the big three sports in 2028, soccer makes its way into that spot.

Yet, there is one that finds a

dramatic boom unlike any other: eSports. The world of gaming has fully taken on the sports world. In 2018, NBA 2K had a draft, sponsored by the NBA, and set up a league for gamers. Competitive team games like League of Legends and Overwatch have been covered by major sports publications like ESPN and Bleacher Report while also earning major sponsorships and millions of dollars. By 2028, eSports will become an Olympic sport after years of debate. In another ten years, and eSports may become the biggest sport in the world.

From injuries and trades to controversies and championships, the world of sports is unpredictable.

Anything can happen, and that’s what makes sports so beautiful. It pushes fans to look into the future and fantasize the infinite possibilities.