February 2020

INSIDE THE ISSUE

opinion 4

feature 8

a&e 10

the bull’s eye NEWS

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OPINION

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FEATURE

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FEBRUARY 19, 2020 VOLUME XXXVIII, ISSUE VI ONLINE AT DBBULLSEYE.COM

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

RACING INTO PERFORMING ARTS

anika yatawara asst. news editor

VICTORIA ARTALE

Diversifying the curriculum Several DBHS teachers offer unusual projects and activities for their students.

By elizabeth peng AND renee elefante Aside from the usual curriculum of tests and quizzes, some Diamond Bar High School teachers also assign out-of-the-box projects.

From putting on plays to showing kindness to creating videos, students are given the chance to show

skills that reveal how the concepts they’ve learned can be applied to history or beyond the classroom.

History teacher Lindsay Arnold has several unique projects for her AP and IB classes, including the Isms Tree Project for her AP European History class. In that project, students use trees as a metaphor to show how the Enlightenment and French Revolution led to ideas such as feminism and socialism and their effects on different countries.

In AP U.S. History, her and Anthony Poullard’s students write, direct and perform plays based on the Manifest Destiny. In IB History, students are separated into the

Axis Powers and Allied Powers to argue over who started World War II in a mock trial debate.

“I love doing projects in my classes, because one of my favorite things about being a teacher is getting out of my students’ way and letting them fly on their own with history stories I have told them,” Arnold said via email. “I am always astonished by what they create, and hopefully, they are memories and life lessons that they will remember beyond high school.”

Junior Samantha Mitchell said her favorite project was the APUSH

projects ON P. 2

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SPORTS

DBHS responds to coronavirus Precautionary measures taken as the epidemic grows worldwide.

Juniors Dillon Johnson and Attila Bionki compete against sophomores Gavin Han and Hannah Zhou at the Feb. 14 rally.

sports 16

The novel coronavirus has already affected over 73,000 people worldwide, with a death toll of almost 2,000 as of Feb. 18 since its emergence in December in China.

Several cases of the virus have been detected in California, with two in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Although few cases have been confirmed within the state, almost 200 citizens remain under quarantine. In an effort to contain the epidemic and prevent it from spreading further, China issued an official lockdown in the Hubei province on Jan. 23.

In reaction to the recent California outbreaks, Diamond Bar High School has also taken preventative measures. The school will not be hosting student visitors from China or Taiwan, an annual event, until the virus has died down, and DBHS has continued to update guidelines in accordance with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health during this time.

According to the Public Health Department schools are restricted from issuing quarantines of students. Those who are under mandatory quarantine will be excluded from school if they have visited Wuhan within 14 days and have experienced symptoms of the virus

as stated in an email sent out by Principal Reuben Jones. The school will support recent visitors of China undergoing self-quarantine as well. Operations manager Mike Bromberg said the school put most of their efforts into the sanitization of classrooms and water fountains. “[We] disinfect all the desktops and the hard surfaces and the doorknobs, [we are] just trying to keep everything disinfected and sanitized more than usual,” he said.

Despite the school’s endeavors toward handling the virus, many Brahmas have taken their own precautions by wearing protective clothing like face masks. Sophomore Emily Zhang expressed her thoughts on efforts in protecting herself from contracting the virus.

“At first when there was more mass panic about it [the virus] I would wear masks,” she said. “Although they don’t necessarily eliminate the chance of you [coming in] contact with the virus, it does help your immune system so you have less exposure.”

Zhang also said that the reason she felt she had to ensure her health was due to her family members.

“I’m young [and] I’m healthy, my immune system is good so I can fight off a virus, but if I do come in contact with a virus, I can pass it on to my other family members such as my grandparents,” she said.

Others were not as concerned with the virus’s impact. Junior James Wu said he felt that the virus was not as serious in the U.S. as the media has led people to believe.

OUTBREAK ON P. 3

Making politics appeal to younger readers Two Brahmas create a news website designed to raise political awareness among students.

suming.

With the current political landscape rapidly changing, he felt that it was important to provide high school students with accurate information.

“As the month of December passed and President Trump’s imjosh chou peachment progressed, many peoasst. a&E editor ple had questions like ‘I thought he just got impeached, why is he still After hearing fellow students in office?’” Wang said. completely misunderstand politics The experience inspired him to and current events, Diamond Bar create a website to make political High School juniors Derek Wang news consumable and relevant to and Taha Daud students. created the webAs he began “...We try to focus our site Poliquicks planning out his coverage in a manner News to cover operation, he to entertain and inform political news in turned to Daud people who wouldn’t a simple and comto help with the prehensive manworkload. usually read the New ner.

“I gave many York Times..."

When conductsuggestions to DEREK WANG ing research for help appeal to a a TEDx Talk last wider audience, year on political activism, Wang “ Daud said. “For instance, I profound that peers weren’t interested posed the short weekly videos and in keeping up with news because the terms glossary to attract viewthey found it boring and time-conership and ensure they would un-

TIFFANY LEE

Juniors Derek Wang, left, and Taha Daud started creating videos and publishing articles for Poliquicks News on Jan. 12. derstand.”

The duo uploaded their first news video and article on Jan. 12 and have continued to update their audience every week.

Each school week, they accumulate stories through a New York Times subscription. On the weekends, they write a script and produce the videos as well as draft weekly posts.

By 7 p.m. on Sunday, they are

ready to upload the posts and videos.

Recently, they’ve added a newsletter that’s published every Thursday due to their hectic schedules.

Altogether, it takes about 10 hours to produce a week’s worth of content.

“We hope to cover the entire spectrum of political news, including the White House and the presidency, upcoming elections, federal

and state legislation, foreign policy and the like,” Wang said. “However, we try to focus our coverage in a manner to entertain and inform people who wouldn’t usually read the New York Times or watch cable television.”

Currently, the site has logged over 1,200 views from over 250 unique visitors. Wang and Daud

poliquicks ON P. 3

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NEWS

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

FBLA advances to next level The group competed in many categories including economics and business. tiffany lee asst. photo editor Diamond Bar High School’s Future Business Leadership of America competed in the annual Speaking Section Conference held at Los Osos High School on Feb. 8.

Although most of the experienced members couldn’t participate in the competition, the team won fourth place in sweepstakes.

They will advance to the state competition, which will be held April 23-26.

“The most memorable moment was probably the awards ceremony, specifically the thrill of standing on that stage waiting,” junior treasurer Erin Zhou said. “I get more excited and anxious the longer we stand there.”

The team competed in the Inland Section, which consists of Walnut, Los Osos and Centennial high schools.

The competition includes three different events: 100-question objective tests, role play and performance events consisting of impromptu speaking and mock job interviews. Only the top six in objective tests, top two in performance and top four in team can move up to the state competition.

The members choose their sections a couple of months in ad-

vance, and they also implement the mentor system, where members who were previous state qualifiers are divided into small groups with a specific topic such as economics, business calc and business communication in hand. To prepare, they find the materials needed to study for their small group.

“Right before our events, we had our heads buried in practice tests and textbooks cramming information as a last minute attempt to get information in for our tests,” George said.

Before the team went to the competition, they held another meeting to review their topics which were economics, public speaking, busi-

News Editors Asst. News Editor

A&E Editors Asst. A&E Editor

Photo courtesy of ERIN ZHOU

DBHS FBLA club placed fourth in their Inland Section Conference on Feb. 8.

Antarctica experienced its highest-ever temperature recording on Feb. 9 at 69.35 degrees Fahrenheit, an increase from Feb. 6’s 64.9.

That same day, its Pine Island Glacier lost a chunk of ice almost the size of Atlanta.

WASHINGTON POST

Four prosecutors, who recommended a 7-9 year prison sentence for Trump’s ally Roger Stone on Feb. 10, withdrew from the legal case the next day when the Department of Justice planned to reduce the sentence. This action raised questions about whether the independent law institution could be influenced by political decisions.

Teachers expand their content Maggie Liu, Elizabeth Peng Renee Elefante, Elizabeth Peng Anika Yatawara Grace Lee Reyna Wan Kate Zheng Somiya Jajieh, Emily Koh Josh Kim, Maggie Liu Josh Chou Ryan Lam, Johnny Wang Victoria Artale, Alex Chun

Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editors

Victoria Artale Abigail Hong, Tiffany Lee

Business Manager Asst. Business Manager

Staff Writers

GLOBAL WARMING HEATS UP ANTARTICA GLACIERS

OVERRULE RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT IMPARTIALITY

Sports Editors Asst. Sports Editors

Web Editors Asst. Web Editor

Due to an increasing popularity in online shopping, many stores are closing their physical doors while keeping their digital ones open. According to Business Insider, at least 2,200 stores are closing, less than 2019’s 9,300 closures. Pier 1 Imports and Gap are closing 450 and 230 stores, respectively. Papyrus will close all 254 stores after it filed for bankruptcy in January, and Macy will close 31 stores.

Li Wenliang, a 34-year-old Chinese ophthalmologist among the first coronavirus whistleblowers, passed away from the disease on Feb. 7. He warned his colleagues in December and was reprimanded by local authorities for spreading false information before China announced the outbreak.

Opinion Editor Asst. Opinion Editor Feature Editor Asst. Feature Editors

‘RETAIL APOCALYPSE’ CONTINUES ITS REIGN IN 2020

DOCTOR WHO WARNED ABOUT VIRUS PASSES AWAY

the staff Editors-in-Chief

ness communications and business ethics.

During the competition, senior president Courtney Chan competed in the public speaking and business plan events. She placed second in the public speaking event which allowed her to move to the state competition. She also placed third in the impromptu speaking event.

Another contestant junior Akash George placed first in Intro to Business Procedures and fifth in his team event.

“After my test, I was concerned that I missed some of the computer application questions as I haven’t taken computer systems, but it turned out fine,” George said.

Nia Mitchell Ryan Chan Renee Elefante, Josh Kim Reyna Wan Connor Cho, Camille McCurry, Vera Wang

Adviser

Doug List

contact us Diamond Bar High School, Room 459 21400 Pathfinder Road Diamond Bar, CA 91765 Phone: (909) 594-1405 x33459 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 459 or submit them online at dbbullseye.com.

projects FROM P. 1 play because she enjoyed seeing her classmates collaborate on their “Narnia”-themed production, where the four main characters time-traveled to the West and became famous historical figures like social activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton and President James. K Polk.

“It [the play] was also something I could pour myself into: learning my lines and trying to act,” she said via text. “I think my classmates also had a lot of fun acting and finding ways to make it funny.”

For years, Calculus BC teachers show their students a video in which the late motivational speaker Leo Buscaglia talks about the importance of expressing affection in everyday life. Then, students tell their parents “I love you” and watch their reactions. Last year, Michelle Hansen came up with the idea of including a non-calculus homework assignment every month.

“We [Calculus BC teachers] felt that if we could do something that would help students be happier and healthier, that it was sort of our responsibility to do so,” Jeff Brose said.

Some assignments that students who have Hansen, Brose and Jimmy Kuo do include performing random acts of kindness, answering the question “If you could be any fictional character, who would you be?” along with completing the “I’m Thankful For” project and designing a “New Year” poster.

“My favorite one was the New Year’s Resolution, because I feel like that really allowed me to look back on 2019 and see the memories I made. I also enjoyed it the most because it made me think about my goals going into 2020,” senior Harold Mo said.

On Feb. 24, Calculus BC and Math HL classes will participate in an “Unplugged” challenge, where students cannot use technology for entertainment for 24 hours. Some exceptions include using the com-

puter for homework and making phone calls.

Other classes that have unique projects are Digital Video Production, ROP Graphic Arts/Multimedia and Advanced Digital Media Production, which are taught by Mario Enriquez. His projects are designed to help his students understand topics like camera angles, audio, dialogue and acting. Students in all three levels of the class create silent films, music videos, commercials/public service announcements, documentaries and more.

“The curriculum and the projects that we work on are consistently gravitating toward high levels of industry standards,” Enriquez said via email. “In addition, we’re working to create assignments and content that are driven by the artists and their individual visions.”

Senior Anna Bachman has taken the video classes for three years and is currently working on a documentary focusing on DBHS artists and their processes.

“The documentary has definitely

been my favorite, because I’ve really been able to talk to the people that we’re focusing on,” Bachman said. “I like to think that we’re closer friends now because a lot of them I didn’t know before.”

The Project Lead the Way engineering pathway teaches students fundamentals, including learning how to 3D model and print toys and build solar cars, to becoming well-rounded engineers.

In Engineering Design and Development, the fourth year of PLTW, students choose a problem, research and develop a marketable product that solves the problem.

Seniors Jessica Yen, Logan Tang and Kallista Tantiga are working together to create a VEX parts sorter for the parts that students use to prototype and build machines.

“What happens at the end of the year is that we use up so many parts and we have to take around a week or a few days to sort it and it becomes really troublesome, and we believed that by solving this problem we would be able to save a lot of time,” Yen said.

Photo courtesy of MARIO ENRIQUEZ

Seniors AJ Soriano, Jolie Prudencio, Justin Choi and Anna Bachman, from left, prepare for their documentary project in advanced Digital Video Productions.

THE BULL'S EYE

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

NEWS

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Breaking down relevant news issues poliquicks FROM P. 1

RENEE ELEFANTE

Freshman Max Buchanan and juniors Samuel Lee, Brandon Kwon and Nathan Anuran, from left, play “Lover Boy” by Phum Viphurit during Kindness week.

A week devoted to compassion

The event featured vaping prevention, climate change displays. somiya jajieh asst. feature editor To promote a positive atmosphere among Diamond Bar High School students, the Wellness Center staff offered various games and activities, such as solving an escape room and painting rocks, during Kindness Week, the last week of January.

This year’s theme was “Mission: Possible,” expressing kindness as an achievable goal. Senior wellness intern and consultant Sameha El Amoudi worked in the escape room.

She came up with this idea because she enjoys escape rooms herself and wanted to give other students the opportunity to try one.

“It was a wellness project I had to present to Ms. [Sandy] Davis, and everybody really liked the idea,” El

Amoudi said via Messenger. “It’s definitely one of the more engaging activities, I would say, and it was a lot of fun.”

The planning process took her two weeks. For the activity, each clue included a fact about wellness or kindness for the participants to learn while they figured out the puzzle.

In the escape room, participants ran into a man, Agent P. Ositive, who promised to give them a valuable object if they could break into his archnemesis’ lair and figure out what he needs. To solve the puzzle, students had six minutes to find slips of paper that pieced together a message: “Kindness is key.”

“My favorite part was putting the clues together and thinking of creative ways to make them work and flow together and see the people trying to solve them,” El Amoudi said. “You learn about the different types of problem solving ways [by] watching people and how they interact.”

Junior Anna Chen ran a booth where students could write or draw

on painted rocks. After students were finished designing their rocks, the wellness interns covered them in Mod Podge and decorated the school with them if students didn’t want to keep their rocks. “[Students] gave them to friends or kept the rocks themselves to brighten up their houses or their rooms, but the most important part was that they had fun making them in the moment,” Chen said via Messenger.

Junior Sara Jew attended Kindness Week to see the different kinds of arts and crafts the wellness staff had to offer. Through making a friendship bracelet, she said Kindness Week has made her realize that there are many ways to show the people around you that you appreciate them.

“It helps you as a person think of what your friends might like and treat them [to] a bracelet,” Jew said.

During Kindness Week, sophomore Sydney Tagarao had the opportunity to make bracelets, create badges and watch dance and Commercial Music perform.

Math cheaters caught again DBHS staff members react to another incident of academic dishonesty. josh kim a&E editor The Diamond Bar High School math department experienced yet another incident of cheating when a Calculus AB student took pictures of a test and sent it to students in other periods a few weeks ago.

The incident was uncovered when students came to calculus teacher Brian Wiencek concerning the leaked pictures.

“I think it’s disappointing and sad,” Wiencek said. “Theoretically we should be able to write one version of one test, and then we could have the solutions posted...so that they could see exactly which problem they missed and how they missed it. But again, we don’t have time to do that now because we have to write several versions of every exam.”

The consequences of the cheating have ranged from making it difficult to write positive letters of recommendation to giving more free-response question tests.

Tired of having to deal with cheating, Wiencek and other calculus teachers have decided to approach the problem from different angles.

“We’re going to write multiple

versions of every test,” he said.

“Maybe every period we’ll have a different test. We’re going to have to do less multiple choice and more free response and show all your work.”

As a result, Wiencek has had to dedicate much of his time grading tests instead of finding better ways to improve learning in the classroom.

“The time that we spent rewriting these exams could be better spent to better uses,” Wiencek

“We’re spending more and more time trying to combat cheating than can be spent helping students.”

BRIAN WIENCEK said. “We could make more worksheets, spend more time doing other things. I’ve got roughly 150 students; if it takes me a minute per student to grade them [tests], then that’s two and a half hours of work that I could be doing other things.”

In light of the incident, Instructional Dean Nicole Cabase said that cheating also hurts teachers.

“I can look back to when I was a teacher, and any time I would catch someone cheating, whether it was on something as simple as homework, that maybe they didn’t really see as something that mattered,” Cabase said. “Teachers

take it personally. We pour a lot of our time that we don’t get paid for into the classroom, into trying to make learning fun, into trying to help, into trying to help make high school a good experience, and it’s like a slap in the face when you catch a student cheating.”

Last semester, students took pictures of tests in Peter Kottke’s Trigonometry class after they diverted the attention of a substitute teacher and then shared them with others.

Last school year, it was revealed that tutoring centers had copies of the school’s math tests and were sharing them with its students.

“I think it’s gotten much much worse as the years have passed,” Wiencek said. “I know that some of the local tutoring centers copy our homework or pay students to get our tests. We’re spending more and more time trying to combat cheating than can be spent helping students.”

Tackling the problem head on, Cabase said she believes that the whole school should take action and look for positive ways to stop cheating.

“I think this is really a schoolwide thing that as a staff, we always look to address and improve on,” Cabase said. “The bottom line is, we need to have people without smart watches and phones during a test...

There are things we’ve implemented and will continue to try to implement, [but] maybe a more positive take on the resolution instead of such a negative one.”

“My favorite part was being able to see all the therapy dogs because it brought so many people to the upper quad,” Tagarao said via Instagram. “It was just a lot of energy and happiness that came out of everyone. The smallest things can change someone’s day completely, so it’s important to be aware of all the small things and what you present to others.”

Another activity students could do was writing notes with positive messages on them, which would later be hung on a trellis.

The Australian Red Cross and Guide Dogs of America fundraisers had booths set up for the entire week to raise awareness about the fires in Australia and to point out how costly guide dogs are for the Americans that need them.

In addition, the Pet Prescriptions team also brought in service dogs. Meanwhile, students had the opportunity to take a New York Times quiz to determine if their meal choices helped improve the environment at a climate change display.

1. Maintain proper sanitization

Remembering to frequently wash your hands prevents germs from spreading easily.

also said they hope to expand their audience primarily through their weekly newsletter. Additionally, they’ve added a feature called Polipinion, where readers can submit articles expressing their views on various issues.

“In terms of long-term readership and audience, we don’t see ourselves using advertisements anytime soon but are looking at other alternatives,” Wang said.

Meanwhile, for his own future goals, Wang is looking to study political science in higher education.

“I not only find the legislative aspect of politics extremely enticing as it provides me a way to impact the lives of many, but I am also intrigued by the prospect of helping to run a campaign,” he said.

Wang notes that running the Poliquicks News website and social media acounts has some parallels with maintaining a political campaign. As he reviews the responses from his readership on various articles, he can gauge their interest in certain issues, similar to how a campaign manager processes and analyzes feedback for a political candidate. Meanwhile, Daud is looking into fields related to law and political science for a possible career. For the time being, he appreciates how running the website allows him to more fully comprehend current political issues.

“Although I understand the issues, writing about them helps me develop a stance,” Daud said.

Something he hopes his audience does as well.

2. Practice respiratory hygiene Covering coughs or sneezing into tissues stops particles from spreading from person to person.

Steering clear of the virus 3. Wear a mask

Although they aren’t the best measure to take, nanofiber masks offer the most protection.

4. Seek medical care

If you experience any flu-like symptoms, be sure to consult your doctor ahead of time.

info from: who.int ANIKA YATAWARA

Global panic prompts response from district outbreak FROM P. 1 “I think that this widespread panic is undeserved and I believe that people do not need to worry as much about the coronavirus as it appears to be, whatnot with all the cough masks,” he said.

Wu said he thought masks were not an effective method to avoid the coronavirus and believed that people had overreacted about the epidemic’s effect in California.

Contrary to the reaction of many, Wu said that he chose to educate himself on the virus rather than take extra precautions.

“If anything I just stayed more current with the news,” he said.

Despite his personal outlook on the virus, Wu said he actually agreed with the school’s efforts in

containing the virus.

“Although I disagree that the virus is really as widespread as people make it out to be, I completely support the [school’s] distribution of information about it,” he said.

“I think it’s important for people to stay informed about the progress of the virus as well as the symptoms, the effects [and] how it’s transmitted from person to person.”

Common symptoms of coronavirus include coughing, shortness of breath and fevers. The virus transmits person to person via respiratory droplets produced when infected individuals cough or sneeze. These droplets can land in the mouth, nose or even be inhaled by people within a six-foot radius. Studies surrounding how easily coronavirus is spread remain ongoing.

4

OPINION

EYE EDITORS

W

ith the 59th presidential election just around the corner, high schoolers who are turning 18 before Nov. 3 can finally have their voices heard.

However, in California, primaries are a different story. It is unreasonable that 17-year-olds, including many seniors at Diamond Bar High School, cannot vote in the state primaries even if they will be 18 by the general election.

In primaries or any equivalent events, voters in each state choose the presidential candidate they want on the November ballot.

This November, voters may get to decide whether to approve an amendment to the state constitution that will reverse this. California should join the 17 other states that have put 17-year-old primary

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

voting into practice and bring the state’s younger generation into the political arena. The amendment is still being debated by legislative committees.

Today, many high school teens are filled with political passion and knowledge about civics and the current government. A study conducted by the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science discovered that on measures of “civic knowledge, political skills, political efficacy, and tolerance,” teens as young as 16 are earning scores competitive to those of adults. Although opposers may believe that teens in this gray zone are not knowledgeable enough to have a say in this subject, teens with a genuine interest in politics demonstrate a mindset

- OPINION -

Seventeen year olds should be allowed to vote in the primaries if they will be 18 by the 2020 presidential election.

well-developed enough to make an informed decision for their ideal future country.

Allowing these teens to access the primary polls will give a younger voice to the overall election.

Giving teens the chance to start voting in the preliminary rounds could potentially create a healthy, lifelong habit of voting. This encourages the younger generation to take the time and effort to be politically aware since they know they can make a change.

As their votes support certain policies and leaders, remembering to take a trip to the polls every time election dates roll around will only further strengthen representation for young adults in America.

In addition, prohibiting this demographic from choosing a can-

didate in the primaries would also discourage them from voting in the main elections since the chosen presidential candidate’s ideas and values may not be representative of those of the entire voting population in the general election.

It is important that students learn early on the importance of participating in building a nation they can trust and respect in the future.

According to CBS News, youth voters, ages 18-29, have become a large part of the voting force in the 21st century, as 52 percent of participants in the 2008 election were that under-30 group of voters.

However, the youth voter turnout in the 2016 election dramatically decreased to 31 percent. Yet it is only a matter of time before Gen-

eration Z becomes the largest, and most influential, group of voters.

Starting these teens early at the polls will increase their knowledge and experience in weighing in on issues that could affect their lives for years to come.

Although it may sound cliche, every vote does count, and preventing 17-year-olds with birthdays before the general election date from voting in the primaries is inefficient.

With the support and interest of the younger teen population of voters, America will be able to flourish and become a more diverse, equal and accepting land of opportunity; therefore, the state’s amendment that would allows 17-year-olds to vote in the primary should be put into practice.

Combating the current college debt crisis

E

Renee Elefante News Editor

very year, more and more American college graduates find themselves feeling trapped in one of our country’s biggest prisons: student loan debt.

According to Forbes Magazine, 44.7 million American college graduates in 2019 accumulated debt totaling $1.56 trillion. In response, the 2020 presidential election candidates on both sides have proposed solutions to the financial epidemic, including canceling all or part of the debt and making college free.

While these solutions would

alleviate stress for many current and future graduates, Americans need to remember that the money to execute these programs can’t be pulled out of thin air—we will have to pay taxes to fund this. In addition, clearing graduate students’ debt may not teach them how to be financially responsible if they don’t have to pay, or repay, a dime for college.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren has proposed her Ultra-Millionaire Tax on the wealthy as a possible source for the funds to wipe out student debt.

However, in an interview with NBC News, economist Jonathan Gruber cited his study of the country’s tax system which found that for every 0.1 percent increase on wealth taxes, the total wealth these citizens reported to the government dropped by 3.5 percent. Instead, the government can offer the wealthier population a tax incentive for donations that set up scholarships for students who have demonstrated the ability and motivation to pur-

sue higher education but lack the money for college.

One of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ proposals is to eradicate all of the student debt. However, this won’t teach financial responsibility if these individuals don’t have to repay their loans. Not holding someone responsible for their debt seems as irresponsible as incurring exorbitant amounts in the first place. A solution to this could be President Donald Trump’s idea of streamlining the existing repayment plans and adjusting payments based on a person’s income, capping them at a certain percentage and forgiving the loan after a specified number of payments.

In terms of a free college education, Sen. Amy Klobuchar wants to make two-year but not four-year colleges free while Sanders wants to make public colleges and uni-

versities, community colleges and more free with his College For All Act. Automatically providing tuition-free education for four-year universities would be overwhelmingly expensive, especially without any incentive to complete the bachelor’s degree. Providing two years of community college is a great start, but perhaps, tuition at an affordable public four-year university could be reduced but only after completion of the free twoyear degree.

Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden wants those with student debt to have the option to file bankruptcy. But, ironically, he was one of the supporters for the 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act, according to GQ Magazine. This law made it impossible for one to get rid of their student debt. Coupled with the financial crisis of 2008, that change in the bankruptcy law helped worsen the student loan debt situation.

Donald Trump

Elizabeth Warren

President Trump wants to eliminate the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program for borrowers after July 1. The program states that borrowers’ loans will be forgiven if they work for the government or nonprofit organizations and have made 120 payments for 10 years.

Instead of the PSLF, Trump will cap undergraduate students at a 12.5 percent income, regardless of one’s career, and forgive them after 15 years of monthly payments. Graduate students will have the same cap, but their loans will be gone after 30 years.

Another proposition he has made is streamlining the four income-driven repayment plans, all of which lower payments, into a single plan. Because each plan currently has different qualifications, Trump hoping to make the process less confusing.

Trump also wants to get rid of subsidized student loans for low-income students, where undergraduate students don’t accrue interest while they are still in school. Instead of the government paying interest, he wants the students to pay. He also wants to limit the amount of federal aid that graduate students and parents can borrow.

Pete Buttigieg wants families earning less than $100,000 to attend public colleges without student loans. In this way, each family’s expected family contribution would be considered a more accurate reflection of what people would actually end up paying.

There’s no denying that the student loan crisis has grown worse over the years and will continue to head downhill unless change happens. While education should be made available for everyone, that doesn’t necessarily mean it should be free, which would diminish its value, creating a sense of entitlement.

There are some good ideas on the table to alleviate the existing debt, but perhaps the best ideas can be taken to create sensible and financially responsible programs, and Klobuchar’s and Buttigieg’s policies are the best courses of action because they strive to make education affordable for Americans without stripping away its value.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren has proposed making public twoyear and four-year colleges free for all American students, and she also wants to make college more accessible for black and Latino students who come from low-income households.

She has also proposed an Ultra-Millionaire Tax that would require an annual 2 percent tax on households earning at least $50 million and a 6 percent tax on those earning at least $1 billion or more.

Pete Buttigieg Pete Buttigieg believes that families earning up to $100,000 as well as middle-income ones with several children should be able to attend public college without student loans.

He wants to add $120 billion to the Pell Grant program over 10 years and increase the maximum award by $1,000.

Buttigieg also wants to lower interest rates on existing student loans.

Joe Biden

BErnie SAnders

Former Vice President Joe Biden wants Americans to have the opportunity to declare bankruptcy for student loans.

Sen. Bernie Sanders wants to completely cancel student debt and put a cap at 1.88 percent for interest rates.

He wants to make community college free and have the federal government pay 75 percent of the cost while states make up the rest.

Sanders has proposed his College For All Act, giving $48 billion to public colleges and universities, historically black colleges and universities, community colleges, trade schools and more to make them tuition-free. He also wants to give private, non-profit HCBUs $1.3 billion annually.

He also wants to give $70 billion to historically black colleges and universities and other minorityserving institutions.

She wants to cancel up to $50,000 for over 95 percent of the 42 million Americans buried in debt, and she also wants to eradicate the debt for over 75 percent of Americans. This won’t be taxed as income.

THE BULL'S EYE

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

OPINION

‘Unplugged’ event has better solution

The price of help

CAMILLE MCCURRY Staff writer

CAMILLE MCCURRY

Fair game for SAT and ACT gracenotes

I

Grace Lee opinion editor

t’s an age-old debate: should the SAT and ACT be a part of the college admissions process?

Many have supported and opposed the highly controversial tests, and some selective colleges have even removed them from their admissions processes. However, it may be too early to issue an ultimatum on the fate of standardized testing.

Earlier this month, the University of California system released data showing that enrollment of students who are socioeconomically disadvantaged may actually be improved by factoring in standardized testing. This is because admissions officers evaluate the scores based on the applicants’ backgrounds.

Opponents of standardized testing often cite the unfair advantages and opportunities, such as practicing at testing prep centers, that more affluent students have.

However, the newly released data shows that this is not true—at least in a public school system.

According to the Los Angeles Times, students’ scores are compared to others at the same high school to ensure that even if a student did not have access to many resources, their efforts would

“...at least the SAT and ACT provide a basis of comparison for applicants across the nation...” still be recognized. It is true that this adds a layer of variability to a “standardized” score, but it addresses the main problem with the SAT and ACT that opponents call out.

And for schools in the UC system that already place a heavy emphasis on GPA, there is a need for the SAT or ACT in order to compare applicants using a score with fewer variables than GPA. Grades at one school could mean something completely different at another school.

At private high schools, there

might even be grade inflation, which gives an unfair advantage to more affluent students. Even in the same school, teachers have different standards and grading rubrics, each reflecting a student’s academic proficiency differently.

Although standardized testing is just one test that an applicant is evaluated on, at least the SAT and ACT provide a basis of comparison for applicants across the nation, unlike GPA. In addition, there are free resources available online, such as Khan Academy, that students can take advantage of.

Of course, it’s not that only standardized tests should be considered for admission; a score from a test shouldn’t determine whether a student is accepted in a school. The rigor of courses, extracurricular activities, personal essays and letters of recommendation provide a more complete picture of the applicant and show who the student is as a person Standardized testing is not perfect—no matter what, there will always be a few affluent applicants who will find a way to gain an advantage. However, comparing students’ standardized test scores in the context of their socioeconomic statuses seems to be a better indicator of their prospects for success than just comparing grades.

W

ith the rise of cellphone usage among teenagers, many studies have shown that one’s mental capabilities and health are impeded by excessive amounts of social media and technology exposure.

To bring awareness to this fact and help students learn more about their own reliance on their phones, Calculus AB and BC and Math HL classes at Diamond Bar High School will have their “Unplugged” event on Feb. 24 in which students are asked to forego using their phones for the whole day.

However, the way this event is conducted wastes a valuable opportunity to teach students about healthier phone usage.

As it stands, students are taught about the damaging effects of social media, phone usage and technology in general in the days leading up to the “Unplugged” event.

Students are shown statistics that demonstrate that phone usage can harm one’s posture and eyesight.

However, the key problems—attention span, memory and anxiety, among several others—are related more to social media and other applications, not the device itself.

This means that when students stop using their phones for the day, the key issue of social media usage goes unaddressed.

There are some benefits to not using one’s phone for a day, though. For one, students will be able to see how much they rely on their phones during the downtime.

As a result, they will spend more time thinking about how to fill that space with activities other than mindlessly swiping away on their phones. For the most part, though,

10 minutes of wellness before more stress just relax: let my mind wander, listen to the music and copy the homework from the person next to me.

At the beginning of class, instead of opening up my textbook, I sit with my face down on my desk for 10 minutes to meditate. When I finally wake up, everyone is stressing out over the lesson that my teacher apparently taught while I Victoria Artale was asleep.

Photo Editor I didn’t understand why this was a big deal because you can’t just have wellness without oncerned about the immense stress. amount of stress high school It’s nice to see teachers truly carstudents are under, teachers ing about students’ wellness. Along have begun implementing relaxwith the wellness exercises we do, ation activities into the daily class I feel the love, even more, when schedule. Some of these activities they supplement include stretchmeditation with ing, meditation “I didn’t understand 50 math problems and a period of why this was a big or a three-page quiet time. deal because you essay with a day’s These activities notice. serve as a great can’t just have When I get time to find my inwellness without home, I try to ner peace before I stress.” implement the start cramming wellness exercises before I start for math tests, reading half a novhomework to ward the stress away. el for English and understanding However, I wish more teachers alEinstein’s theory of relativity by lowed time to relieve stress in class the end of lunch. because those 10 minutes of medMeditation makes me realize itation help me better understand that I should do whatever I can to

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how to do my homework.

Sadly, not every student is on board with doing these activities, claiming that they are pointless.

Sure, everyone’s idea of relaxation is different, but if you don’t like the activity, then you can just go on your phone!

It’s so relaxing to listen to calming music when I get frustrated after losing an eight-ball match against one of my friends across

the benefits stop there. Instead of this activity, which hardly addresses the problems presented in class, teachers should try a different approach to solve the crux of the problem: social media addiction.

In reality, it would be much more realistic and have many more lasting benefits if students were taught how to use social media wisely. For example, teachers could instruct students to limit their social media usage to an hour less than they normally do every day, at least for a week. Just like going on a diet, it is important that people are eased into changes if they wish to stick to them for a long period of time.

By teaching students in this way, teachers will be able to create lasting good habits in their students that could stay with them past the assignment and even high school.

Especially because, as it stands, going from glued to their phones to not using them at all is so difficult a change for many high schoolers that it causes many to fake the assignment, pretending to have gone phone-less rather than write a paper explaining why they chose to opt-out.

There are other flaws to the current “unplugged” method, too.

Teachers are quick to demonize phones, objects that teenagers are clearly reliant on, which creates an initial opposition from the students.

If teachers were to recognize and point out that it is social media’s addictive qualities that are attracting students and taking advantage of their impressionability rather than blaming students for liking their phones too much, they would likely receive a much more positive response from students.

In fact, some teachers have gotten into arguments with students who mistakenly felt attacked by the way the lesson was presented.

However, as it stands, it isn’t likely that teachers are going to change how they present “Unplugged,” nor how they conduct the actual event because, in the end, it’s easier for everyone to give up their phones for just one day than to change how they use them forever.

SATIRICAL

the classroom. Some other activities that you can do during wellness time include playing video games, sleeping or homework.

Students need to understand that some people truly do need time to relax—everyone does at some point.

For example, the 10 minutes of relaxation boosted my happiness that I was able to relax instead of stressing about how I didn’t under-

s t re s s f ull y

stand the lesson at all.

What I appreciate most about these activities is that they create realistic expectations of how the world outside of high school operates.

Most companies encourage workers to meditate when the stress becomes too much, right?

Our classroom wellness exercises are setting us up for success in the real world.

C

Cartoon courtesy of SARAH SEIF

6

FEATURE

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

Scout paints pathway to success Camille’s Cookbook

How to bake: candy cupcakes

I

t’s five days post-Valentine’s, and already grocery store aisles are making way for the Easter candy line-up with massive discounts on every heart shaped candy: conversation hearts, heartshaped Reese’s, heart gummies…

The list goes on and so do the baking opportunities. The best way to make the most out of that leftover candy? These cupcakes, which have a place for almost every candy you could imagine!

INGREDIENTS: Cake Dry Ingredients 1 cup flour, 1 ¼ cup sugar, ½ cup cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda and ½ tsp salt OR 1 (15.25 oz) box of chocolate cake mix, if you’re pressed for time Wet Ingredients 3 eggs, ¾ cup milk, whole milk preferred, ¼ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup sour cream and 2 tsp vanilla extract Frosting 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, ½ cup cocoa powder and ¼ cup milk Toppings and Mix-Ins 24 of any “mini” chocolate candy, such as Reese’s or Snickers INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, then prepare two cupcake pans by lining them with cupcake liners and greasing the liners with vegetable oil.

Sift your dry ingredients or boxed cake mix into a large bowl, whisking to combine.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, vegetable oil and sour cream into a smooth liquid. The addition of sour cream improves the texture by adding fat and moisture without affecting the flavor.

Add the egg mixture to your dry ingredients and whisk to combine.

Scrape the sides of the bowl for any remaining dry ingredients before giving it one final mixing.

Fill each liner in the prepared pans with batter slightly more than halfway, then place one candy in the center of each cupcake and press it down slightly so that the top of the chocolate is level with the batter.

Bake your cupcakes in the oven for 15 minutes, adding time based on doneness. To check doneness, insert a toothpick into the cupcake slightly off-center (to avoid poking the candy). They are done when the toothpick emerges clean.

While the cupcakes are in the oven, prepare your frosting: Place the stick of butter in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and beat until fluffy. Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, and add two tablespoons of milk, then continue to whisk until incorporated. Add up to two more tablespoons of milk.

Place a piping bag or quart sizedbag, corner-down, into a tall drinking glass and fold the ends over the rim of the cup. This allows you to use both hands to fill your piping bag with buttercream.

Fill it two thirds of the way using a clean rubber spatula. Remove from the cup when you’re ready to frost and twist the top of the bag to seal.

After the cupcakes have finished baking, allow them to cool until the tops are no longer warm to the touch before you begin frosting.

Josh Chou ASST. a&E editor As she painted in the final shapes on her sensory pathway, senior Madison Thayer was also completing the last leg of her journey to receiving the Gold Award.

As the most prestigious achievement a Girl Scout can obtain, the Gold Award requires several prerequisites, which includes a project that benefits the local community. For her project, Thayer created a painted path that circles the blacktop at Walnut Elementary School.

“The pathway is for kids to play on at the playground; it’s supposed to help kids release their energy [and] release their stress at school,” Thayer said.

The sensory path-

way consists of various shapes and symbols that match Walnut Elementary School’s “Wild West” theme, including horseshoes, cowboy hats, butterflies, rope and a river with stepping stones that students can pretend to cross.

Thayer began her process in October 2018 when she planned out the big picture of what her project would look like.

After she submitted paperwork and filled out a report with her adviser, Troop No. 2944 leader Michelle Myers, she was interviewed by the local Girl Scouts council and her plan was approved for March 2019. Afterwards, she had to coordinate certain project details with Walnut Elementary School principal Robert Chang and learning specialist Jill Takayama before she could begin

working on the project.

She now has to wait until May of Along with the support from this year to receive her Gold Award her family and the members of pin. her troop, Thayer finished the maRegardless, Thayer is still able jority of the sketching, stenciling to participate in opportunities that and painting the Gold Award in three twelve provides for Girl -hour time periScouts. ods over spring “Recently I "The Gold Award is break. got invited to atdefinitely a highlight...

In the followtend an event at it’s one of the coolest ing two weeks, UCLA; it was a things I’ve ever done.” she went back women’s conferMADISON THAYER to the school at ence with inspivarious times rational speakto complete it. ers,” Thayer With leftover said. “There’ll paint, she also drew four-squares be even more stuff I can do later (a square court for various games) this year.” on the playground blacktop.

Thayer has been in Girl Scouts “The project took 88 hours tosince she was eight years old and tal—all the planning, the driving, she says that completing the Gold the shopping, the painting going to Award project has been a peak of meetings,” Thayer said. her career.

“The requirement is supposed “The Gold Award is definitely to take 80 hours but mine took lona highlight, and in general, it’s ger.” one of the coolest things I’ve ever Her final interview after the done,” she said. project took place a week after Despite it marking the end of the Gold Award ceremony in 2019, her own pathway as a Girl Scout, meaning that Thayer missed the Thayer said the experience will be deadline by mere days. something she remembers.

Using henna to support charities Emily Koh ASST. feature editor Henna, a way of temporarily tattooing one’s skin with intricate designs, has been brought to the Diamond Bar High School campus.

The club, Henna With A Heart, is using this form of art as a way to support charities and teach the skill of henna to others.

“We decided to name the club Henna With A Heart because it really envelopes the main purpose of the club to do henna for a greater purpose, to help those in need,” junior co-president Anoushka Bhat said via Instagram.

The club was founded by juniors Sriya Ponnaganti and Bhat during the second semester of their sophomore year. They have both learned henna at home through the help of family members and the internet.

“My favorite part about henna is that it’s calming and requires patience,” Ponnaganti said. “It’s one thing that I can focus on and I don’t need to worry about anything else.”

Bhat was inspired to start the club after attending a cultural event, where she witnessed people having henna done, noticing how happy they were with the finished product. Bhat and Ponnaganti both wanted to educate others on the culture of henna while also helping local nonprofit organizations.

One event the club has attended so far was the Back to School Night at Evergreen Elementary School.

The club had a table where people could come and pay to receive hen-

na tattoos. When giving others henna, club members use a henna cone filled with dye made from a plant, and the design lasts from one to three weeks.

The club also served as hosts of an event once a month at DBHS during which students can get hennas. They charge $3 for one design and $5 for two. All of the proceeds go toward local charities such as St. Jude.

The club is currently looking into attending football games, senior nights and the Diamond Bar city birthday party.

Henna With A Heart also hosts meetings for members to learn how to draw different designs and further develop their skills. They practice with henna cones, purchased from local Indian stores, and pieces of paper, focusing on traditional patterns such as flowers or paisleys.

“My favorite part of the club is that the experience is so rewarding,” Bhat said. “Members who had never tried henna before are now learning to do more complicated designs and their progression is amazing.”

Although the club has only been around for about a year, both Ponnaganti and Bhat hope that it will continue to teach others and raise money for important causes even after they’ve graduated. They also hope to gain more members and branch out to more events.

“I want others to have an appreciation for henna and learn more about it, and for people to donate to local charities and have a heart,” Ponnaganti said.

TIFFANY LEE

Henna With A Heart club officers, top from left to right, Cindy Chen, Katelyn Hsu, Salma Rashad; bottom from left to right, Anoushka Bhat and Sriya Ponnaganti.

Photo courtesy of TIMOTHY RO

Kobe Gyukatsu is a new restaurant that serves self-grilled pork and beef cutlets.

A new twist on Asian cuisine Timothy Ro contributing writer Kobe Gyukatsu, a new restaurant located in Rowland Heights, captures the essence of both Japanese and Korean cuisine, specializing in beef and pork cutlets with a twist: these dishes are self-grilled by the customers.

There is an option to either get the meat, whether it is beef or pork, raw or cooked. The raw meat costs more because of the unique experience and personal stovetop that comes with it.

The first thing I noticed was the comfortable atmosphere of the restaurant. The hanging lights added a very cozy feel to the interior’s environment, while the energetic music improved the lively ambience.

The menu offered many choices and was easy to follow. We ordered the pork cutlet with udon ($16.95), buckwheat soba noodles ($9.95), beef cutlet combo ($21.95) and two Calpicos ($2).

I expected to wait a while for all the food to come out, since the restaurant was quite busy, but my party only had to wait for around 15 minutes before our meal arrived.

First, our personal stovetop came, which was much smaller than I expected. Then, the raw beef arrived shortly after in two large rows with a bowl of rice, miso soup, salad, pickles, radish and three different types of sauce.

The personal stovetop acts like a regular grill, where you place the meat on the grill and watch it cook.

The meat itself had a crunchy exterior with a juicy interior. The meat

was so tender that it melted in my mouth like butter.

Similarly, the pork cutlet came with its own katsu sauce, salad and a small portion of pickles, radish and corn. The dish had a nicely fried, crispy exterior. The meat itself was on the chewier side, but it was cooked perfectly. On the downside, the pork was a bit salty, but the flavor was saved by the sweet and tangy katsu sauce that complimented the dish. The salad was noticeably fresh and crisp, served with a dressing that was excellent.

The bowl of udon, that came with the pork cutlet combo, had many traditional ingredients: green onions, fish cake and tempura shrimp. Although I am not usually a big fan of udon, this dish was a clear exception as the noodles had a perfectly chewy consistency.

On the other hand, the buckwheat soba noodles were disappointing. The portion of buckwheat soba noodles was reasonable for its price; however, the small amount of sauce that came with the soba was not proportionate to the amount of noodles. Additionally, the noodles were room temperature, even though they are supposed to be served cold. The soba lacked balance in terms of its flavor because its saltiness overpowered the entire dish.

Overall, I would say that my experience at Kobe Gyukatsu was a positive one. The service was above-par, as the waiters were extremely helpful and patient. Even though the restaurant is a little expensive, the high-quality food makes the price worthwhile. Kobe Gyukatsu exceeded my expectations and I would definitely return.

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FEATURE

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

2008 grad seeks justice for the elderly Connor Cho staff writer

ABIGAIL HONG

Senior Jacob Pisetsky has always dreamed of working with cars in the industry.

RACING INTO A FUTURE OF CAR MAINTENANCE victoria artale photo editor The loud roar of a race car making its way around the curve of a track is a familiar sound to senior Jacob Pisetsky.

Since attending his first race at the age of three, he has dreamed of one day working in the car industry, and now he is going to Pomona Fairplex Center for Automotive Arts twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays learning the ins and outs of automobiles.

The class of 11 students focuses on skills such as changing oil and performing maintenance on vehicles that come in for free repairs.

Once he is done with the introductory course this semester, Pisetsky will advance to the other levels of the program.

Pisetsky discovered Fairplex’s program last year through alumni Nick Shafer, who participated in the program during high school.

After hearing about what Shafer learned, he decided that the program was just for him.

Pisetsky credits his father as one of the reasons why he developed an interest in cars at an early age.

His father used to work on a variety of cars as a hobby, such as Jeeps, Datsuns and motorcycles.

With cars being a staple in his house, Pisetsky has always been interested in what happens on the track as well as how the cars operate.

“I went to see a kind of junior NASCAR race over at Irwindale Speedway, and I always had Hot Wheels when I was a kid,” Pisetsky said. “So, I’ve kind of always been interested in that kind of stuff and now I’m a very big Formula One fan.”

Although Pisetsky has looked up to various race car drivers throughout his life, his favorite competitor is Ayrton Senna.

“He would push the car to boundaries that no one here really thought of and introduce all new kinds of thoughts for how much downforce could affect the car,” Pisetsky said. “Which is like being able to take a car to a corner with the most amount of speed possible.”

Pisetsky also has gone to the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles with his grandfather to learn about different types of automobiles and their functions. When at the museum, Pisetsky gets to see both new and old race cars.

He has also seen cars that have recently raced and some that have been featured in old and new movies.

In the future, he hopes to pursue a profession that allows him to work with cars and possibly work with race cars.

After high school, Pisetsky plans to continue his education at a community college such as Mt. SAC in tandem with participating in other programs similar to the one at Pomona Fairplex.

It wasn’t until she became a teenage mother that her perspective of the world shifted and she developed a passion in helping others to create a better future for her children.

Diamond Bar High School class of 2008 alumna Rosalie Baladejo worked through law school while taking care of her children to reach where she is today as a plaintiff attorney.

As an attorney specializing in Elder Abuse Law, Baladejo’s goal is to assist and provide a voice for elders and dependent adults who were abused and taken advantage of.

“Elders are such a vulnerable class of individuals that are often overlooked or ignored, and I love being a part of giving the elderly their voice back,” Baladejo said via email.

After graduating from DBHS, Baladejo couldn’t envision herself being too far away from her family.

As a result, she attended Cal State Fullerton, where she majored in criminal justice.

During her undergrad years of college, Baladejo participated in an internship with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, where she spent time speaking with different deputies and reading different case files.

She also interned with detectives to observe the roles of a district

attorney. But it wasn’t until her pregnancy at the age of 18 that she wanted to become an attorney.

“I got pregnant at 18, which opened my eyes to changes I wanted to see in the world for my child and future children,” Baladejo said. “I had my first child my second year of undergrad, so it definitely changed my perspective and goals as well, so I decided becoming an attorney would be the way I would help as many people as I could.”

Although she was pregnant during her sophomore year of college, this only prompted Baladejo to work harder in order to graduate in four years. After taking the Law School Admission Test in her senior year, she finished school, with a child who was now almost two years old.

Having to decide between law school and law enforcement, Baladejo ended up choosing law because she had a passion in arguing and advocating for others.

Baladejo attended Western State College of Law while pregnant with another child in her last semester. Between law school and her graduation ceremony, Baladejo also studied for her California Bar exam.

The alumna took the exam while she was seven months pregnant, but unfortunately did not pass until her second attempt at taking the test. Baladejo became a licensed attorney in 2017. She participated in

Photo courtesy of ROSALIE BALADEJO

Baladejo, third from right, at the L.A. Sheriff Department volunteer graduation.

Photo courtesy of ROSALIE BALADEJO

Alumna Rosalie Baladejo is an attorney who works in Elder Law Abuse. three internships while attending law school, with her ultimate goal to become a district attorney. While waiting for open applications, she worked at the Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino and applied with a temp agency.

Eventually, Baladejo found a job at the law firm of Garcia and Artigliere.

“I ended up enjoying the job so much, when the firm offered me a permanent position, I said yes. I am still with the same firm to this day,” Baladejo said.

Baladejo was mostly inspired to work harder by her family and friends that supported her along the way.

“My support system was everything, I could not have done it without them,” Baladejo said. “Because of my support system, my dream of being an attorney became a reality despite being a teen mom, having a baby during law school and having my third baby by the time I was 28.”

Baladejo said that the road to becoming an attorney was difficult.

It took self discipline, sacrifice and determination. The alumna had to juggle the responsibilities of studying in law school while also balancing her time with her family.

However, Baladejo stated that she enjoys where she is today as an attorney.

“When I get to step into a courtroom and advocate for my client who was wronged, it lights a fire inside me,” Baladejo said. “Winning for my client and getting to play a small part in making families feel whole again or feel a sense of justice is an amazing feeling.”

Student specializes in breeding, selling coral ryan chan ASST. business manager Initially caring for freshwater and saltwater fish, junior Russell Chang finally found his calling when he started growing corals.

This activity has become both a hobby and a business for Chang.

“From [saltwater fish], I jumped into corals and became more fascinated [with corals] compared to fish and just focused on them,” Chang said. “Many people think that they are plants, but they are actually very calm and complex animals.”

After starting by raising a few corals a year ago, Chang’s collection has grown quite large. The three main kinds of corals Chang owns are soft tissue corals, large polyp stony corals (LPS) and small polyp stony corals (SPS).

“Soft tissue corals are the easiest and fastest type of coral to grow,” Chang said. “LPS corals are large and expand in water, whereas SPS corals are harder to take care of and more expensive.”

The process of growing corals is complicated, as various steps and

tasks need to be completed before wrasse, which help keep the tank the coral can flourish. Chang starts clean by eating excess algae. Chang off the coral-growing process by received lots of help from others in running the tank’s water through the beginning and reached out to a nitrogen cycle in order to make many people in the coral commuthe water less toxic for the sensinity. tive organisms.

Since then he has created his He also uses special LED lights, own Instagram account @reeflng called AI Primes, to help the corand has also amassed over a thoual grow. The lights are for a type sand followers. He logs and shares of algae called his coral growzooxanthellae, ing progress on which serve this account.

"I think it’s really the purpose of “Every single fascinating that I’m giving nutriweek I would able to grow such a ents to the corspend at least unique animal in my als. thirty minutes own house...”

Chang’s favorto an hour [doRUSSELL CHANG ite type of coral ing] daily mainis the euphyllia tenance, like coral, a type of cleaning off the LPS. He enjoys growing this type glass,” Chang said. “But after three of coral due to its vibrant colors weeks I’ll do a full dedicated two and the way they wave under the hour maintenance, just to clean the water. water or if any corals have fallen In addition to preparing the wadown off the rocks or anything bad ter and lights, Chang makes sure that I need to fix.” the water temperature, salinity, pH Chang sells his corals on an app and trace element levels are corcalled Offer Up, a general selling rect. These factors all contribute to app. The convenience of the app the health of the corals. allows Chang to meet up with cusThe junior also utilizes special tomers locally, usually around his kinds of fish, such as the six line house or somewhere nearby. On

occasion, he also trades some of his corals.

Chang sells his corals for many different prices, ranging from $5 to $400. Since some corals are more difficult to grow, he sells certain corals based on the level of experience each of the customers have.

“I enjoy growing corals and learning about them, as well as seeing their development,” Chang said. “When the time comes I can

frag them, which means we’re fragmenting and cutting the coral to sell to others.”

Chang said that he usually doesn’t sell the entire colony. Instead, he sells the fragmented pieces while keeping the original coral.

He stores the corals that he sells in Meet Fresh cups.

“I think it’s really fascinating that I’m able to grow such an unique animal in my own house as a hobby,” Chang said.

Photo courtesy of RUSSELL CHANG

Junior Russell Chang sells his corals on Offer Up; prices range from $5 to $400.

8

FEATURE

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

Walking through the decades in style As the trends of each decade come and go, shoes remain the most important part of any outfit. They represent an individual’s personal style and can turn even the simplest of outfits into a bold statement. Oftentimes, the shoes today mimic styles from the past. Let’s take a look at where the footsteps from the last forty years have led us:

penny loafers

1980

While the 1980s are mostly associated with bright and bold clothing pieces, another genre of style called “prep” was popular, featuring collared shirts and tailored pants. Loafers from the brand Bass Weejun were styled by men and women alike in very similar ways. Utilizing brands such as Izod, these shoes were paired with polo tops and khakis to create a clean-cut, conservative look.

1990

Doc Martens Along with ripped jeans and flannel shirts, combat boots were an essential part of ‘90s grunge fashion. Much like today, these shoes were often paired with dresses to juxtapose a traditionally feminine piece of clothing with something edgier and traditionally masculine. Alternatively, pairing the boots with stonewashed jeans and an oversized band tee was also a go-to look for both men and women.

kitten heels

2000

These shoes were the go-to for finishing off the popular minimal silhouette of the early 2000s. With their low heels and dainty straps, these shoes are both easy and comfortable to walk in. This made it a versatile piece that could be worn with a variety of outfits—including some sort of low waisted bottom and a cropped shirt—to more professional attire for work. While black was a more classic option, neon colored heels were also popular.

2010 Converse No casual outfit was complete without throwing on a basic pair of sneakers. The high top version of these classic shoes were paired primarily with skinny jeans, while the low tops are easier to style. They were worn from season to season since their fit is generally looser around the ankle and didn’t cut one’s leg off at an awkward place if worn with shorts.

Nike Air Force 1s

2020

A more timeless alternative to the ultra-chunky dad shoes from this year has been white Nike Air Force 1s. The shoe’s platform provides height, which elongates the legs while still being very comfortable. From pairing them with basic jeans and a sweater to using them to dress down the girliness of a midi skirt, they are a versatile pair of shoes that can be worn with any outfit. Its neutral white color makes it easy to match with anything.

Story by: Somiya Jajieh

THE BULL'S EYE

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Distortions in Reality Despite its name, reality television is far from genuine. This genre

of entertainment has emerged to satisfy the human disposition to lust after gossip and drama. Our alarming obsession over these highly produced and edited shows has led to many pernicious series becoming popular.

Here are some of the worst of the worst reality shows in recent years. story by Maggie Liu, design by Josh Chou

Toddlers and Tiaras Wide smiles perfected by “flippers” and perfectly manicured hands wave

Love It or List It This popular home renovation show follows homeowners who are unhappy with their current living situation. “Love It or List It” has two main hosts: real estate agent David Visentin and home renovator Hilary Farr. Families get to decide whether to stay in their renovated home designed

by Farr or find a new house with Visentin. This beloved series’s image was tainted by a lawsuit from Deena Murphy and Timothy Sullivan, the North Carolina couple

This modeling competition began its 24 season run nearly two decades ago in 2003. Each cycle begins with around 10-16 contestants who compete every week for the final prize of a modeling contract, thousands of dollars and a feature in

A hallmark of the TLC channel, this series chronicles the 12-month journey of obese individulas undergoing gastric bypass surgery.

The stars of “My 600-lb Life” have to move to Houston to get treatment from Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, known on the show as Dr. Now. Although TLC covers the cost of surgery and provides a flat rate of $1,500 for appearing on the show, many past participants and their families have had to turn to crowdfunding sites such as GoFundMe to cover the high costs of relocation.

The show often depicts the morbidly obese individuals in a freakshow-esque fashion - the fan favorite being bathing. This exploits the vulnerable leads of the series rather than aiding them in leading an improved, healthier life, which is supposed to be the crux of “My 600-lb Life.”

The popularity of this show has led the producers of TLC to create multiple other series based on obese people such as “My Big Fat Fabulous Life,” “1000-lb Sisters” and “Hot and Heavy.”

HGTV

featured on the show in 2015.

The pair sued Big Coat TV, the producers of “Love It or List It,” and Aaron Fitz Construction, the contractor, for “irreparably damaged” floors and other “low quality” renovations to their home. Even though this lawsuit was settled, it puts into question the integrity of this series and others like it.

Although many aspects of reality television are in fact fabricated, this case highlights the very tangible ramifications that may result from them.

America’s Next Top Model

THE CW

TLC

to a panel of judges. This is a typical scene of the child pageant competitions featured on TLC’s “Toddlers and Tiaras.” This show is notorious for its overly controlling parents and questionable measures they go to make sure their child secures the Grand Supreme title.

Toddlers as young as a couple months old are put through intense training and transformations. They endure spray tans, heavy makeup and uncomfortable dresses, which are all age inappropriate to say the least. These toddlers often dance provocatively in skimpy outfits under the guise of a “cute” performance. The series’ focal point is the meltdowns and anxiety attacks of its young stars.

It is clear from the mental distress that the children display that this show is beyond problematic.

Paper Magazine. The Tyra Banks led series was infamous for the transformative makeovers that it made the models endure - often ending in a sea of tears. This seemingly benign aspect of “America’s Next Top Model” caused irreparable mental harm, however, according to Cycle 24 contestent Jeana Turner.

Since the age of 10, the 26-yearold was diagnosed with alopecia, causing her to lose the majority of her hair. She was forced to stop wearing wigs as a part of her “new look.” In a social media post, the former contestant complained about this as well as other allegations of mistreatment by the show-runners and Banks herself.

Turner’s experience and outcry point to the secretive and unglamorous behind the scenes workings of not only “America’s Next Top Model” but other similar shows as well.

My 600-lb Life

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

NOW SHOWING

VIBE CHECK

Cliché plot stretches too far To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You

Devolution of hip-hop

Reyna Wan Asst. Opinion Editor As someone who fell in love with Lara Jean Covey and Peter Kavinsky in the first “To All Boys I’ve Loved Before,” my high expectations were left unfulfilled in the second installment of the trilogy, “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You.” Though the movie was adorable in many ways, the predictability and weak plot line made the movie fall well short of the first one.

While the first movie follows the swoonworthy cliche of girl meets boy, girl falls in love with boy, highlighted by the natural chemistry between actors Lana Condor and Noah Centineo, the sequel feels more like the filmmakers were stretching a story that was already over. The only parts that made the movie worth the watch was the competing love interest John Ambrose McLaren (Jordan Fisher) and the relatable personalities of Lara Jean (Condor) and Peter Kavinsky (Centineo).

Based on the trilogy by Jenny Han, the series focuses on the plain life of Lara Jean Covey, which is turned upside down in the first film after her younger sister, Kitty (Anna Cathcart), secretly sends out Lara Jean’s most sacred love letters. After being confronted by the fourth receiver of her letters, Peter Kavinsky, she begins a whirlwind romance with him that blossoms when they pretended to date.

The second movie picks up with Lara Jean accepting Peter as her real boyfriend. Everything seems perfect until she receives a reply from her sixth grade crush and

Josh Kim A&E Editor Hip-hop is arguably the most popular genre among the last two generations of teens. Since its inception in the Bronx in the 1970’s, hip-hop has evolved drastically.

In the lead up to a DJ’s appearance, MC’s, or masters of ceremonies, would find ways to pump up the crowd. MC’s would get creative in the way they introduced DJ’s with witty wordplay and rhyming, hence giving birth to the idea of rap. As rapping became more popular, MC’s would eventually have lengthy verses that had producers looking for ways to record their performances.

The first hip-hop track was recorded and put out in 1979 by The Sugarhill Gang, a group comprised of MC’s. Their song, “Rapper’s Delight,” paved the way for thousands of artists, making rappers the new face of hip-hop.

Since then, hip-hop has gone through two phases. Leading up until the 2000s, rap had a heavy emphasis on lyrics and storytelling regarding African American culture.

Artists like Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., Ice Cube and many others forefronted music charts weaving stories about their upbringing and life as a gangster. The flow and rhyming in these songs seriously showed how talented these artists were, and older hip-hop fans regard rap during this time as “classics.”

Hip-hop has certainly fallen from grace since then. While times have certainly changed, hip-hop has collectively taken a turn for the worse. The phase we currently are in lacks lyrical talent, offering minimal song content.

“Mumble rap,” which makes up most of the hip-hop genre now, relies on catchy beats and, in return, pointless lyrics. Almost every contemporary rap song is focused on making money, doing drugs and objectifying women. While this certainly existed in the “golden age” of hip-hop as well, it wasn’t to this extent. Artists like Lil Pump and YoungBoy Never Broke Again have no lyrical talent at all, with their songs only talking about their “ice” and “racks.”

Despite the major degradation in talent in hip-hop, there are still artists with genuine talent--Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$ and A$AP Rocky, to name a few. However, the scarcity of good artists in comparison to those with little talent is alarming. They can’t make up for the amount of trash that has surfaced. Hip-hop legends have spoken on the issue as well, agreeing that for the most part rap has degenerated.

As a result, there is an ongoing battle between the new and old generation of hip-hop. Constantly stating that “rap isn’t what it used to be,” allows the new generation of artists to ignore this criticism.

Calling the old generation “oldheads,” they continue to go about doing what they do best: creating subpar lyrics. At the end of the day, these so called “rappers” will eventually fall off but new ones will rise to take their place. The future doesn’t seem bright for hip-hop.

Josh Kim writes the Arts & Entertainment column every other issue.

third receiver of her letters, John Ambrose. Instead of introducing new sceneries and showing different perspectives, the movie was too similar to the original.

Starting from the beginning date scenes to the ending kiss scene, the movie felt like a continuation of the second portion of the first movie where Peter and Lara Jean were still fake dating. Though the chemistry between the two main leads remained strong, the worn out plot line of their romance made the relationship between Lara Jean and competing John Ambrose more exciting and, what I would consider, the primary positive of the film.

With Condor’s character being Asian-American and Fisher’s John Ambrose African-American, the movie also brought a level of diversity not found in most romantic comedies. The altruistic and lovable traits of John Ambrose made him a viable contrast to the stubborn and headstrong personality of Peter. With both competing for the affection of the oblivious Lara Jean, this aspect of the plot sustained the film’s likability.

The positives of the film also lie in the jokes and side conversations of supporting characters Chris and Lucas, best friends to Lara Jean.

Even the briefly touched on relationship between Chris and Peter’s best friend Trevor (Ross Butler) offered a comedic aspect necessary in every romantic cliche.

The movie may not have met my expectations after the blockbuster of the original, but the diverse characters and distinctive backgrounds made me excited to watch the third and final installment of the franchise.

Senior succeeds in dance industry Grace Lee Opinion Editor In chasing her passion for dancing, Diamond Bar High School senior Rachel Kim went so far as to switch high schools. Her persistence has led her to many professional opportunities, such as working with a celebrity.

Kim said she was inspired to start dancing after watching a school talent show in fifth grade.

Following her enthusiasm for dance, Kim transferred to DBHS from South Hills High School starting her sophomore year solely to participate in the DBHS Dance Company.

“I heard about the dance team, and I watched YouTube videos of their performances. I wanted to be a part of them,” Kim said.

Of the nine groups, Kim partic-

ipates in Small Female Hip Hop, portunity to work with them and Medium Co-ed Hip Hop, Small Coasked me if I wanted to work with ed and Small Contemporary. It was them as well,” Kim said. “At first, I through the DBHS dance program didn’t know it was going to be with that she was able to learn about Jackson Wang. I really didn’t want gigs outside of school. to disappoint any of the artists or DBHS All Male and Co-ed team the team or my coach.” coach Jason Lin introduced Kim to Unfortunately, Wang pulled out an opportunity of the 88Risto perform with ing festival rapper Jackson amidst tensions “I feel joy when I work Wang. In July over the Hong with other people and 2019, Kim joined Kong protests. when I direct them eight others to Though Kim and guide them.” prepare for the never got to RACHEL KIM concert at the perform at the “Head In The concert, she said Clouds II” music she was grateful festival in Los An- geles, learning for the opportunity to attend the choreography to “Fendiman,” rehearsals and to “get to know him “Okay,” “Papillon” and “Face.” and the choreography.”

Because she was initially worried “It was very fast-paced because about her skills, Kim said that she my coach had to teach us, finworked hard to keep up. ish the choreo within two weeks. “[My coach] basically got an op[Jackson] also has his own style of

Kim, second from right, performing with Diamond Bar Dance Company’s Medium Co-Ed hip hop team in the Golden Hawk Championship.

performing. So he was asking us to party, have fun and even splash water on the audience,” Kim said.

“It was really fun, and it was also tough because I had to match and follow what they wanted.”

Another opportunity came through Eileen Kim, the coach for All Female and Small Co-ed. The coach introduced Kim to a hair fashion show held in October with the company J Beverly Hills. While wearing hair pieces by hair stylist Nikola Pavlickova, Kim performed Blackpink’s “DDU-DU DDU-DU” and “Kill This Love.”

Kim plans to continue dancing in college and professionally. Besides performing and creating choreography, Kim said that she wants to lead a team, possibly someday at DBHS. “I feel joy when I work with other people and when I direct them and guide them,” Kim said.

Photo courtesy of CUONG NGUYEN

Kim, center, is the co-captain of Dance Company’s All-Female hip hop team.

THE BULL'S EYE

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Unable to create meaningful sound In his latest album, “The Slow Rush,” Tame Impala continues their psychedelic style but fails to produce memorable tracks.

Josh chou A&E Asst. Editor As an artist who pushes the limits of alternative rock, Tame Impala’s musical style is already an acquired taste for many. On their latest album “The Slow Rush,” they may have pushed too far with overly distorted production that I found unappealing.

Kevin Parker--songwriter, singer and producer behind Tame Impala--is well known for his psychedelic sound; his previous album, “Currents,” was shaped by his experience listening to the Bee Gees while he was high.

On his l a t e s t album, however, I felt that over half of the

12 tracks intensified the psychedelic feel of “Currents,” but made it far less palatable. With several songs spanning six or seven minutes, I was bored for most of the album from repetitive drum beats and the unsatisfying production that seemed to never end. Many of the songs also feature clashing melodies and instrumentals that lacked direction. For the most part, tracks melded into one another without much variation, making many songs sound too similar.

In stark contrast to the other lackluster tracks, three songs, “It Might Be Time,” “Lost In Yesterday,” and “Borderline” redeem the album.

The third track, “Borderline,” pleasantly surprised me because of its distinct retro style. While I could tell that other songs tried to borrow elements from dance music of the past few decades, “Borderline” was one of the few that did it well due to the smooth balance of vocals and instrumentals. The laidback drum beats and catchy melody also added to grooves that I could

INTERSCOPE RECORDS

Tame Impala is a psychedelic rock music group led by Australian singer-songwriter Kevin Parker (second from the left). easily dance to.

Meanwhile, the eighth song, “Lost In Yesterday,” stood out for its upbeat and dynamic sounds. It maintains a dreamlike quality due to the carefully layered vocals and synth harmonies. I also really liked the complexity of the bass and percussion beats, as well as the electric guitar riffs that separated different verses.

Lastly, the tenth song, “It Might

Be Time,” opened with 80’s electric keyboard that transitioned into clean vocals with minimalistic retro inspired production. As the song progressed, however, each line of melody became infused with more energy. Interestingly, I could feel faint traces of modern dance music being combined with the retro themes that Tame Impala used so generously throughout the album.

Due to the engaging production that made use of different dynam-

ics and articulation, “It Might Be Time” was one of my favorite tracks.

As with many alternative artists, Tame Impala doesn’t focus on mass appeal. Regardless, I still found “The Slow Rush” a regression from past Tame Impala albums, like “Currents,” or the 2019 single “Patience.” While I have no doubt in Parker’s songwriting ability or musicality, I’ll wait to see if their future work suits my tastes better.

Finding the next Brahma star Anika Yatawara Asst. News Editor In hopes of raising extra funds for their upcoming competition season, the Diamond Bar High School choir department hosted their first ever karaoke competition, Brahma Idol, on Feb. 9.

The event was organized by the Choir Parent Association and choir instructor Richard Langham.

Senior co-president of the choir department Stephanie Shih said the event was partially inspired by last year’s spaghetti dinner but with a twist.

“We did a spaghetti dinner last year, and this year [we] wanted to add something to make people want to attend the event,” Shih said

via Instagram. aters. Although the competition Shih said the choir board decidwas among only choir members ed on including karaoke to their this year, Shih said the department usual dinner afhopes to open ter overhearing the opportunimembers of the ty to the entire “I really enjoyed choir departschool in the fugetting to see all of ment’s desire for ture. them...break out of a karaoke com“The idea their shells and blow petition. is [that] peoall of us away.”

The songs ple who attend JOLIE PRUDENCIO sung throughout the spaghetti the event com[dinner] will be prised of pieces able to vote for the choir would be performing for the winner of the karaoke upcoming com- petitions. Shih said competition,” she said. “The winthat the audience had the chance to ner will get a plaque with their win prizes as well. Prizes included name on it that will be hung on a two night stay for four people at the school’s wall.” To calculate the Mammoth Lakes in Colorado or a votes, an online voting system was dinner and movie night at Buffalo set up for audience members to Wild Wings and Regal the scan a qr code that directed them to a list of contestants. From there, they were able to vote for their favorite performances to keep in the competition. Freshman Daniel Illingworth, who won first place in the competition, decided to participate to develop more performing experience, and he received much support from his family and friends.

“I was nervous and I was trying to calm myself down by practicing [but] I wanted to win it [Brahma idol],” Illingworth said.

The competition held two rounds, with the second round only between the remaining five participants. Among these remaining five contestants was senior Jolie Prudencio who placed top three in the event. “[I] didn’t want to be one of the finalists, it just happened,” she said. “But I really enjoyed getting to see all of them [choir members], especially the freshmen, break out of their shells and blow all of us away.”

CORRECTIONS Photos courtesy of JOLIE PRUDENCIO

Juniors Jillian Swartout and Jordan Jacoby both competed in the Brahma Idol.

The January issue movie review on “Dolittle” misspelled the title.

CJ ENTERTAINMENT Bong Joon Ho won the Academy Award for Best Director, Original Screenplay and Picture.

"Parasite" brings out pride in Korean students Josh Kim A&E Editor By winning best picture in addition to three other Oscars at the 2019 Academy Awards, “Parasite” not only made its mark in the movie industry but in South Korean history as well.

Following the film’s success as the first foreign-language film to win best picture, Korean students at Diamond Bar High School were thrilled at the idea of a South Korean film winning such an award.

“I believe that Parasite winning best picture is genuinely a historic moment,” Senior Hana Cho said.

“Not only was it the first Asian film to win, but it represented not only the Korean people, but all of Asia.

It just comes to prove how far we’ve come through portraying stories and real life issues through films and art.”

It brought out feelings of pride for many students of Korean background at DBHS. “Finding out that Parasite won best picture and being the first foreign film in history to do so was incredible and I felt very proud to be Korean,” Senior Annika Lee said.

Despite all this, Cho and Senior Nicole Han believe that recognition for South Korean movies as a whole is well overdue.

“South Korean movies, unlike American movies, portray a lot more emotion and tackle issues that are related to many topics that many people refuse to talk about,” Cho said. “Although every movie industry has their highs and lows, I believe that South Korean directors not only engage their audiences through interesting story lines, but also through the deep meaning the moral of the movie conveys.”

“Parasite” follows the relationship between the wealthy Park family and poverty-stricken Kim Family. Under the theme of differences between economic classes, the Kim family slowly plants themselves under the work of the Park family, kicking out previous workers as they do so.

“I’m not a super avid movie watcher, but the few Korean movies I have seen were great. They have very different feelings to them that you don’t see in Western movies,” Lee said.

As a result of critically acclaimed movies like “Parasite” and “Train To Busan,” the Korean students believe that more is yet to come from South Korean studios.

“Parasite brings out the diversity in talent that South Korea has in relation to multimedia/film,” Han said. “I think South Korean movies are very underrated and not necessarily talked about enough.”

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BUSINESS

THE BULL'S EYE

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

SPORTS

13

Boys playoff run ends with first round loss Suffering a 66-53 loss to Crean Lutheran, boys basketball ends their season 8-2 in league.

ALEX CHUN ASST. SPORTS EDITOR In spite of falling one game short of repeating as league champions, Diamond Bar High School boys basketball finished the regular season with an impressive 8-2 record and competed in the first round of CIF. After suffering an early first round exit with a 66-53 loss against Crean Lutheran, the boys’ season ended with an overall record of 1316.

“One of the most impressive things with this team is that they work extremely hard and are coachable,” head coach Henry Frierson said. “We’ve been really proud of the way they’ve tried to apply things on the fly with a limited amount of experience, while learning what Coach wants.”

The Brahmas’ offensive production has drastically increased within the last three consecutive league wins, featuring an efficient zone offense predicated on penetrating the middle of the paint. After attacking the driving lanes, Diamond Bar finds open kickouts on the perimeter or inside passes for layups.

“At the beginning of the year, we just weren’t quite ready for the zone defense we saw the entire time during league,” Frierson said.

“We’ve gotten much more comfortable with our zone offense and now the players know exactly what the coaches want; they aren’t necessarily thinking about the plays but they’re playing basketball and find-

Senior Ace Greene aims to pass the ball to his teammate against Chaffey. ing their spots like second nature.”

Another prominent factor behind the Brahmas’ league success was the return of senior captain Noah Del Campo. According to Frierson, Del Campo is one of the few returning athletes on the varsity roster and is well composed when directing inexperienced players to their proper positions.

“He’s [Del Campo] the most important person on the team even before he was injured, because his presence on the floor settles everyone down,” he said. “In addition to that, we always want to play a tempo game and he’s one of the fastest guys on our team; he’s our glue guy, and we’re glad to have him back.”

Due to the fact that the Brahmas have seven freshmen and four sophomores, a limited number of players have glimpses of postseason experience. However, Diamond Bar’s goal remains unchanged.“Our expectations have always been one, to win league and two, to win a CIF ring: the goals never change from

season to season,” Frierson said.

“As long as we put the correct work and effort in, I’m okay with falling short of our goals.”

Especially for the younger players on the team this season, Frierson explained how the correct mindset needs to be established before the start of CIF. “One of our sayings is ‘never too high on a make, never too low on a miss,” Frierson said. “I don’t want us to be over exuberant or being too calm before the games; we should be even-keeled and approach the game with the correct attitude. We’re always going to play hard and to the best of our ability.”

Throughout the course of league, Frierson praised senior captain Mark Wu for his consistent improvement and court presence as a veteran.

“Mark was absolutely a standout for us,” he said. “Although he had a slight low during the middle of the season, he’s been our catalyst from the beginning to the tail end of league and had a great year.”

Photos by TIFFANY LEE

Senior Noah Del Campo fires up a three pointer in the win against Chaffey.

Before playing against Crean Lutheran High School last Wednesday, Frierson described some essential goals the Brahmas needed to achieve before the big game.

“We need to get ready to face a man-to-man defense, which the team [Crean Lutheran] we’re going up against specializes in,” he said.

“Irregardless of whether there is one or two games left, we need to be more fundamentally sound and keep getting better during every practice.”

Unlike their first matchup, the Brahmas thoroughly picked apart the Ontario Jaguars in every facet of the game, blowing them out by 41 points on their home floor. After outscoring Ontario by double-digit points in the first and third quarters of the match, Diamond Bar easily cruised past the Jaguars for their sixth win.

During the festivities of senior night, the Brahmas swept the sea-

son series against the Chaffey Tigers, resulting in another double-digit blowout at home. With Del Campo dishing and penetrating inside the feeble Tigers’ zone defense, the senior captain was the main offensive force behind Diamond Bar’s final home win.

The last league game highlighted a nail-biter against the Don Lugo Conquistadors. The Brahmas got off to a quick start within the first half of the last league game, jumping out to an 11-point lead at the break.

However, the Conquistadors bounced back during the third quarter of the game, scoring 23 points in the period to cut the Brahma lead in half. With single-digit differences featured in every quarter, Diamond Bar was able to maintain their lead to secure their runner-up spot in league competition, winning by five points at the end of the season.

Senior leaves DBHS waters with records under belt The February Athlete of the Month led the girls water polo team to two consecutive trips to CIF. EMILY KOH ASST. FEATURE EDITOR With no experience before playing for Diamond Bar High School, senior Katelyn Arauz found her passion for water polo during her sophomore year and has been dedicated to it ever since. She uses water polo as an escape from the school environment and academic work.

“I’m the kind of person who will just stress over my schoolwork if I don’t have something to do, and water polo has been a place where I can take time for myself without focusing on schoolwork so much,” Arauz said.

When looking for a sport to play at Diamond Bar, she decided to follow her older brother’s footsteps and join the water polo team.

Even though at first Arauz had no knowledge of how to play the game, she made varsity since there were no tryouts at the time.

Along with playing for DBHS, Arauz also plays for a club team, the Chino Hills Aquatic Water Polo Club. She was introduced to the club by her coach Alexander Matal who suggested that those who wanted more of a challenge should join a club team.

The environment is very different, according to Arauz, who said that the coaches at DBHS are very motivational while those at the club who constantly yell at the players to motivate them to play better. When Arauz first joined, she was intimidated by the other play-

first few games which was disappointing but we started winning games and ended up getting first place in the bronze division by one point,” Arauz said.

However, the awards and medals aren’t Arauz’s favorite part about the sport.

She loves creating plays during the game, working with her team and scoring goals. Arauz said she has come to love the sport over the past three years and looking back on when she first started, a lot has changed for her.

“If I could give a piece of advice to my past self, I would tell her to stop worrying about how I’m playing or what other people think of me because I have grown so much in water polo,” Arauz said.

Water polo stands out among other sports for Arauz because not only do players have to swim the TIFFANY LEE entire time but there’s also much Senior Katelyn Arauz competed at the Junior Olympics and won a league title after starting water polo in 10th grade. physical contact that comes with some of her awards and accomthe sport. Arauz injured her knee plishments include DBHS MVP in while playing and had to wear a her frosh season, Offensive Playbrace for a month, during which er of the Year, she continued Coach’s Award to practice and for DBHS and compete. Along "If I could give a the USA All with the physipiece of advice American Accal aspect, playto my past self, I ademic Award ers also have to would tell her to two years in a strategize how stop worrying.” row for the Chito score goals no Hills club. during a game.

KATELYN ARAUZ She contribut“I think it’s ed to Diamond that three punch Bar’s semi-fifactor of swimnals finish at CIF in 2018 and led ming, physical contact and stratethe team to CIF for the past two gy that a lot of sports lack or don’t VICTORIA ARTALE seasons. have,” Arauz said.

Arauz is planning on competing at the college or club level after she graduates.

Arauz has also led the team to Arauz is planning to compete in ers since she was just starting out short time and play with them althe Mt. Baldy League title this water polo in college on either the with little experience. lowed me to grow my confidence,” season. One of the biggest compeschool team or a club team close to “I was super nervous and scared Arauz said. titions she has attended was the Jucampus. because I had just started playing Arauz has attended countless nior Olympics at San Jose in 2018.

Among the schools she is conthat year, so I think just learning tournaments with the DBHS team “Overall it was such a great exsidering is Chapman University in to value my progression in such a and her club team. Individually, perience; we lost all three of our Orange.

GIRLS WATER POLO

- Offensive player of the year - Junior Olympics 2018

-All American Academic Award

FEB. AOTM: KATELYN ARAUZ

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SPORTS

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

ON THE SIDELINE

WITH: RYAN & JOHNNY

XFL to imitate its failure from 2001

Senior Kaylee Robles handles the ball in round one of CIF; which the Brahmas won 7-5 against Upland.

VICTORIA ARTALE

Girls water polo wins league title The Lady Brahmas finish their CIF run after Burbank breaks their nine-game winning streak.

VICTORIA ARTALE photo editor Last year, Diamond Bar girls water polo had to settle with tying Montclair for the Mt. Baldy League title and ending their season in round one of CIF. This year’s team has surpassed last year’s achievements and ended their season in the second round of CIF losing 11-7 to Burbank.

“I felt so glad and relieved we won,” senior Katelyn Arauz said.

“I personally felt I did not play the best that I could because I was a little bit nervous having lost the first round last year...but I was so happy that we were able to pull through and get the win.”

On Feb. 11, the Brahmas went up against Upland in the first CIF

match and won 7-5 after being tied nerve-racking since [scoring] 10 5-5 in the third quarter. The team’s goals doesn’t sound like a lot but goalie, senior Victoria Condon, it’s actually really hard,” Arauz showed impressive defense against said.

Upland’s shots. Also, freshman JuBesides the team’s latest win, lianna Longoria had many assists the girls have had other victories, primarily to including beating Arauz, who Montclair 11-5. has helped carSince Diamond "It felt great, but ry the team the Bar was already it was kind of entire season. undefeated and nerve-racking since “So I hope won by a large [scoring] 10 goals...it’s we can make point gap when actually really hard." it past the first going up against KATELYN ARAUZ one and hopeschools like Don fully to the secLugo or Chaffey, ond round beMontclair was the cause I know we can get pretty far only team in the Brahmas’ way to from what we have already accomwin the league title. The Cavaliers plished this season,” junior Marisa previously tied with DBHS last seaRuiz said before the contest. son and were considered this year’s In their last league game against biggest rival for the Brahmas.

Don Lugo, the Brahmas won 15-3.

“We had already known that During the game, Arauz broke the we’re going to win it either way, beschool record of most points in a cause like we had played Don Lugo game by making 10 goals. Arauz and we knew that we were the previously came close to breakbetter team,” Arauz said. “Techniing the record earlier this season, cally, if we lost that game, we still missing by only two points. would have won the league because “It felt great, but it was kind of we already beat Montclair.”

A

fter a massive failure with the XFL (X Football League) in 2001 due to low television ratings and little fan interest, owner Vince McMahon has decided to revive the American football league yet again.

Featuring a 10-week regular season after the NFL season and eight teams in major cities throughout the country, the addition of another football league to cater to football fans who can’t wait for the NFL season to begin is a good idea.

Although the XFL offers a new kickoff rule and a variety of options for points after touchdown, the league lacks many certain aspects that the NFL offers, which led to their downfall in 2001 and will ultimately lead to their downfall again.

One of the biggest differences of the XFL is the severe gap in talent compared to the NFL. While the league features many ex-NFL players such as Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Landry Jones and one-time Lions quarterback Matt McGloin, a majority of the XFL players are former undrafted college athletes who failed to earn a job on an NFL roster.

As a result, the new league will be unable to attract a big dedicated fan base to begin with, and it will struggle to maintain viewership and stadium attendance as weeks

go on.

Another obstacle the XFL will face are the college conference games and annual sports tournaments that take place during the season.

Some big name events that the XFL will be competing for viewership with include the ever-so popular March Madness basketball tournament and the NBA AllStar game that happened this past weekend. Although watching the XFL might be interesting for the first few minutes, secondary talent does not provide more entertainment than the best competing with the best, and viewers would probably switch to other channels.

Despite franchising XFL teams (Los Angeles, New York and Dallas) in populated cities with major sports interest, the placement of these teams are a double-edged sword. Though this may encourage more curious fans to buy tickets and experience the XFL games live, football will be competing with other sports, such as basketball and hockey, to fill up the stands in the stadium during the weekends.

If the XFL hopes to outlive its previous one-season duration, the league will need to present reasons for new watchers and fans to continue supporting the league, rather than attracting fans for curiosity and intrigue.

Wrestlers move on to CIF Individuals Failing to compete at team meets, some Brahmas qualify for the postseason. johnny wang sports EDITOR Despite being undermanned, the Diamond Bar High School wrestling team has had several individuals who climbed to the top of their league weight class.

Though the team hasn’t been able to compete at its usual meets, many of the wrestlers achieved individual feats.

“Season has been tougher since we are a young team. Coach has been trying to keep everyone’s attitude and mindset positive while tapering down on intense practices in preparation for CIF,” senior Dylan Wong said.

Sophomore Ryan Wong won league finals in the 113 weight class, and senior captain Wong and sophomore Marcus Tan both were runner-ups in their weight class 132 pounds and 145 pounds, respectively.

By claiming several top spots in their league, the boys received the chance to wrestle at CIF Southern Section Individuals last Friday.

With those boys duking it out in the postseason, only two wrestlers placed within their weight class.

In the 132 weight class, Dylan impressively placed eighth amongst the top athletes from other high schools.

“I tried my best and did everything I could to perform the best...

I’m disappointed I’m not advancing to the CIF Masters Meet,” Dylan Wong said. “The greatest thing about wrestling is that it is the most unforgiving sport. No matter how hard you work you have to stay mentally in check. A single negative thought before a match can flip the entire outcome.”

On the other hand, his brother, Ryan, found his way into the Top 3, placing 3rd in his 113 weight class.

With a 5-1 record in CIF, Ryan Wong will be the only wrestler from DBHS to move onto the Masters Meet.

With an emphasis on attitude, head coach Andre Bonafe prepared the Brahmas by establishing the correct mindset going into the playoffs. Also, he held intense conditioning practices to make sure the athletes weren’t getting beat due to stamina.

“I had to dig really deep in my matches because as I got closer to first place in the tournament, the matches got harder. I had to use my will power to fight through the challenge and the hard work from Coach Andre made me mentally strong,” Ryan Wong said.

Though the boys won’t have their veterans for the next season, the members already have improvements to make, since not many wrestlers placed at CIF. “We need more people to join and to stick with it instead of quitting,” Dylan Wong said. “The future of DBHS wrestling has some hope, but we need more leadership among the younger guys. They just look at us for something instead of thinking on their own.”

Photos by ABIGAIL HONG

Sophomore Isabella Montelongo, left, and defender Shantell Luna handle the ball in the 6-1 win against Don Lugo.

Progressing to quarterfinals After two consecutive league titles, the girls soccer team look forward to a deep postseason run.

ABIGAIL HONG ASST. photo editor After winning the league for the second year in a row, Diamond Bar High School girls soccer team has made it past the second round of the CIF championships.

“I feel like we have a really good shot at going far in CIF if we stay focused and play as a team,” senior team captain Marissa Vasquez said. “We just need to play our game.”

During the first round of CIF, the Brahmas defeated Eastside 3-0 with sophomores Isabella Montelongo and Alexis Fuller and senior Mad-

ison Bernardino scoring a goal each. Montelongo also assisted a goal while senior Marissa Vasquez assisted the other two.

With a score 2-0, DBHS won against Oak Park in the second round of CIF. Bernardino and Vasquez were the scorers while Lisak and Bernardino assisted.

Today, they will be playing the quarterfinals against Chaminade Prep High School.

“Main thing I want the girls to do is be healthy for CIF,” coach Matt Franco said. “There isn’t anything special I need them to learn other than to continue to play with confidence and work together. That’s what got us to this point and we want to stick with it.”

On Jan. 30, the girls defeated Ontario, 5-3. Montelongo, Fuller and Vasquez scored one goal while Bernardino was one short of a hat trick. Freshman Janel Wilson, junior Emily Le and Bernardino as-

sisted the goals.

In their next game, the Brahmas came out strong, winning 3-0 against Chaffey on Feb. 4. Fuller, Vasquez and Bernardino once again pulled through, with each scoring a goal. The goals were assisted by Montelongo and Fuller.

In the team’s final regular season game, on Feb. 6, Diamond Bar defeated Don Lugo, 6-1.Vasquez and Fuller both scored two goals along with Montelongo and senior Alyssa Ramos scoring one. Vasquez, Fuller and sophomores Alina Valdez and Samantha Marcello each assisted one goal while Montelongo assisted two.

“Winning league feels like redemption from last year,” sophomore defender Shantell Luna said.

“We did lose one game against Ontario [last year] and to come out as undefeated feels like we accomplished something we have been seeking for.”

THE BULL'S EYE

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

SPORTS

15

Girls hit stride at end of tough season Coach McCabe sees progress and improvements despite a 3-6 league record.

Reyna wan ASST. opinion Editor Making the final shots of the season, Diamond Bar High School girls basketball finished fourth in the Mt. Baldy League with a 3-6 record, failing to qualify for CIF playoffs.

Though the ladies may have not met their goals, the second half of the season was filled with improvements and stronger communication.

“We finished the year playing the best basketball we played all year,” head coach Tony McCabe said.

In the final games of the season, the Lady Brahmas lost against Montclair, 62-53, and Chino, 52-39, but defeated Ontario 57-29. Senior night against league champ Don Lugo, however, showed indications that the team had improved.

After losing to Don Lugo by a 40-point margin earlier in the season, the Brahmas came back stronger the second time as Don Lugo edged Diamond Bar in overtime, 44-39. The Brahmas took an early lead after senior Amanda Vasquez hit two long threes, making the score 6-0. Continuing to hit threes and playing strong defense, the ladies managed to obtain a lead.

In the second half, the Conquistadors fought back harder, equating the playing field during the second half to a 34-32 lead. With eight seconds left in the game, senior Karen Shao, after being fouled twice, made two free throws to tie the game and force the game into overtime, where the Brahmas eventually lost.

“We were even and got going the entire game but, as champs do, they fought back hard and made great plays,” McCabe said. “They beat you in a close game or they lose in a close game; overall, it was a fantastic show.”

The strength of the team, beyond consecutive practices and dedicated players, was the strong leadership found in senior captains Shao, Vasquez, Juliana Callasan and Charlotte Tu. “I’ve always thought that team captains, especially seniors, are in charge of the environment of the team as much or more than the coach because they’re there,” McCabe said. “It’s not that they’re perfect, but the other kids watch and if they do what they do, it should all be great.”

Though replacing the leaders may be hard, according to McCabe, the underclassmen on this seasons team, especially the freshmen, bring a new level of athleticism that will be necessary as the Brahmas switch to the Hacienda League next season.

With Diamond Bar moving into the Hacienda League next year, joining schools Walnut, Wilson, South Hills and Rowland Heights, McCabe hopes it will ignite the old rivalries that will pack the gyms with huge crowds.

“It’s not that we don’t like you, we just want you to lose all your games,” McCabe said. “Rivals just make the whole game more exciting and take it to a whole other level.”

Despite the season concluding with a poor record, McCabe was pleased by the improvements made by the Lady Brahmas throughout the season compared to their staus at the beginning.

“When you lose by 50 or 40 and you have to get up, you almost have that beat, and it just shows heart,” McCabe said.

Photos by TIFFANY LEE

Sophomore Gizell Lien wrestles the ball away from two Don Lugo defenders; the girls lost 44-39 to the league champions.

Senior Juliana Callasan backs up a Don Lugo defender during the team’s senior night; Callasan was one of the captains.

Boys gain momentum a little too late Soccer finished with an overall record of 3-5-2 after struggling at the beginning of the year.

RYAN CHAN ASST. Buisiness Editor Although Diamond Bar High School boys varsity soccer had a shaky start at the beginning of the season, they were able to have a satisfying end to their season. They ended with a league record of 3-5-2 and an overall record of 4-9-4.

They tied with Don Lugo 1-1 in their last league game and won 2-0 against Ontario and Chaffey.

“We won that game [against On-

tario] 2-0 from goals from me and junior Justin Bortis,” sophomore Thomas Gomez said via Instagram. “That game, we all played really well and everyone was ready to step on the field and give it their all.”

The tied game against Don Lugo was tough compared to the others and was the deciding factor on whether or not the team would make it to CIF as a wildcard. Sophomore Jackson Haynes scored one point for the Brahmas.

“The first half of the season was challenging because…there were a lot of different distractions that we had, as we were trying to build a cohesive unit,” head coach Pete Orosco said. “But in the middle of the season the boys absolutely turned it around, and I was very excited to see them play at that level of soc-

cer.”

The team also had insufficient time to prepare for the new season and work with their new coach.

With four weeks to prepare, some of the things they accomplished during this short amount of time were distributing positions among the teammates as well as position numbers. The coaches also took time to teach the Brahmas how to transition into new systems of play.

“I thought the team did really well even with having a new coach this season,” senior Ethan Lu said via Instagram. “We had little time to work with the new coach, and I am really pleased to where we ended up as a team.”

Team captains juniors AJ McElera and Bortis both demonstrated good defensive skills as well as leadership skills.

“They were the chosen team captains because we wanted to have young men who could lead by example,” Orosco said. “AJ did an exceptional job running defense and making sure that teammates were communicating and defending well.”

Some other players who did well this season include Haynes and se-

nior Thomas Avila. Both Haynes and Avila excelled as midfielders throughout league.

“Haynes was one of the bigger surprises with me with his defensive skills and his position that I put him to play which was holding midfielder,” Orsoco said. “Seniors like Hani Baba and Thomas Avila also had some exceptional games.”

Junior AJ McElrea led the Brahmas’ defensive front during this season.

CORRECTIONS Photos by ABIGAIL HONG

Senior Jesse Ibarra breaks a defender’s tackle in the 1-1 tie against Don Lugo; the team was unable to qualify for CIF.

In the January issue, a caption in the girls soccer story misspelled junior Emily Le’s last name.

16

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

THE BULL'S EYE

Kobe Bryant

Story by: Alex Chun Design by: Victoria Artale

1996

Drafted round one, Pick 13 by the Charlotte Hornets, and was later traded to the Lakers for Became the Vlade Divac. youngest All-Star starter in NBA history.

1998

2000

Photo courtesy of DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP IMAGES

Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020 in Calabasas, along with nine other victims, including his daughter Gianna.

A

lthough it’s already been three weeks since the tragic nightmare occurred, I still haven’t woken up from this horrific dream. It seemed like yesterday I interacted with you when throwing a plastic bottle toward the recycle bin while yelling “Kobe” or biting my shirt to emulate the moments when you bit your jersey in the clutch.

Your absence remains surreal not only to the citizens of Los Angeles but all your fans across the world; from star athletes you had exclusive, personal relationships with to random outsiders like me who reached you through television monitors and highlights on YouTube. Your impact was much bigger than basketball: the Mamba Mentality was a global phenomenon that could be applied to every facet of life, and the number of lives your knowledge touched is unquantifiable.

I remember incessantly watching videos about stories of your draft night, the big move by then Lakers General Manager Jerry West to trade Vlade Divac, one of the more dominant centers at the time, for an 18-year-old kid from Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia. Because of your instantaneous rise to stardom in the basketball world by becoming the youngest player to ever start in a professional game, you set a new standard in the National Basketball Association and forever changed the complexion of the league, as star players like LeBron James and Dwight Howard followed your footsteps in becoming draft-eligible players straight out of high school.

Your blunt and obstinate personality you established since the beginning of your quest to become the best to ever play basketball turned eyes toward your fiery passion and commitment in becoming legendary, captivating and encouraging the younger generation to pick up basketballs and chase your excellence.

Of course, who could forget your dominance with Shaquille O’ Neal. The endless feuds between two future Hall of Famers ultimately produced a three-peat dynasty that hasn’t been replicated within the past two decades, an elite standard only achieved by greats such as Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in the modern basketball era. Your dynamic duo with O’ Neal reminded all of us of the old Showtime Lakers, bringing back the winning culture to Los Angeles and offering flashy highlights hinting at signs of greatness along the road.

But you persisted to exceed your already established greatness. While carrying the Lakers organization for another decade following O’Neal’s departure, you scored 81 points in a game (the second highest in league history), made first team All-NBA for eight consecutive seasons and carried the Lakers to back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010. The footprints you made in the NBA history books left indelible marks and will never be forgotten.

“I want to die young. I want to be immortalized.”

These are the words you once told to Tracy McGrady, explaining how you desired this after having a better career than Michael Jordan. Well, I won’t be the only one believing that you accomplished this feat, and I hope you rest easy up in the heavens with Gianna. Rest in peace, Kobe.

Won his first of five NBA championships after beating the Indiana Pacers in six games.

2008

TIFFANY LEE

Three DBHS seniors honored Bryant’s impact in the world of sports.

Won his only regular season MVP award after averaging 28 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.

2006

Scored 81 points in a game, second most in NBA history, against the Toronto Raptors.

2014

Surpassed Michael Jordan to become third-leading scorer in NBA Scored 60 history (curpoints in his rently fourth, last game as surpassed

by LeBron a Laker on James).

April 13, the most points scored in the final game of Won an an athlete’s Academy career.

Award for his basketball documentary called “Dear Basketball.”

2016

2018

Photo courtesy of DON RYAN/AP IMAGES

For the 2020 All-Star game, the MVP trophy was named after Bryant.