May 2015

NOW SHOWING

Embracing a new Identity feature 7

opinion 4

inside the issue

EARTHQUAKE READINESS

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OPINION

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F E AT U RE

Three classes select leaders

ATHLETE of the YEAR

PITCH PERFECT 2 a&e 10

the bull’s eye NEWS

sports 16

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May 20, 2015 Volume XXXIII, Issue IX ONLINE at dbbullseye.com

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

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S P O RT S

Next generation tours dbhs

The sophomore, junior, and senior class officers for next year were elected on April 30.

position.

“I take the fact that my peers have chosen to re-elect me really seriously. It shows me that I have their trust and confidence to do a good job next year and gives me the responsibility to make sure that I ingrid chan deliver,” she said via Facebook. staff writer Also having prior background with more than one officer position, Ameer Alameddin will be the A collection of experienced of- junior’s vice president once again. ficers and new faces were the win“At the start of freshman year, I ners of Diamond Bar High School’s knew that I wanted to take a leadApril 30 elections for the 2015-2016 ership position in my class and school year. participate in as much as I could.

This fall, the senior class of 2016 I really enjoyed holding these posiwill be led by newly-elected presi- tions as they gave me opportunities dent Samuel Chiang. to get involved with my class and “I look forward to working to- meet new people,” Alameddin said. gether so we The class’ seccan make our retary-treasurer senior year the will be Donje “... I have their trust and most memoraLee, with Vinay confidence to do a good ble experience Bhupathiraju as job next year...” ever. As the sesocial chairperMORGAN PAK nior president son, and Austin I will make Decambra as hissure that we torian. work together in order to improve Next year’s sophomores, the our class, our school, and our com- Class of 2018, will have Hampton munity,” Chiang said.

Douglas as their president. HampSupporting him will be Aakash ton was once again re-elected this Pathak, who has been the vice pres- year after holding the presidential ident of the 2016 class for two years position last year. and will be leading for a third term.

“My brother got me interested, “I never was really involved in so I ran my 8th grade and freshschool activities, and this bothered men year,” Douglas said about his me. So I thought the best way to brother Donald Douglas. make myself more involved was to Additionally, Danton Wong will run for class officer,” Pathak said be serving as the vice president, via Facebook.

Steven Liang as secretary-treasurPaul Lee will be serving as the er, Christian Park as social chairnew secretary-treasurer, with Sooji person, and Clarissa Hui will be Kim as the class’ social chairper- historian. son for the second time, and Denise “The experience I remember the Rebaya will be the new historian. most while running is making my Regarding the class of 2017, Mor- speech during lunch because I was gan Pak has already had two years pretty scared when I got up. But of previous experience acting as then everything was great because president, and is now going into all my friends were cheering,” her third consecutive term in the Wong said.

ANDREW CHOI

Incoming freshmen are welcomed to their future high school by USB, dance, cheer, drumline, and choir members.

Lordi steps down from IB Longtime coordinator Dena Lordi will giving up her position. frances wu news editor Diamond Bar High School has one of the nation’s most challenging curricula, yet some students take it further by participating in the International Baccalaureate program, headed by Dena Lordi.

However, after more than a decade of running IB, Lordi has decided to hand over her responsibilities to math teacher Margaret Ku. Lordi, who also teaches Algebra 2/Trigonometry Honors, started working on the program at DBHS

in 1999. It was later approved by the national organization in 2000, and has been operating since then.

This two year program is aimed at students from age 16 to 19, and consists of six different subject groups.

Each year, the students take three courses at a Standard Level, meaning they only study the subject for one year, and three courses at a Higher Level, meaning that the students will spend two years studying the subject. Additionally, there are three other basic requirements in the IB program: the Extended Essay, a Theory of Knowledge class, and “Creativity, action, service.”

The students are also tested every year through internal and external assessments. The external assessments consist of two or three exam papers written annually in

May, and the internal assessments vary from oral presentations to written work given by the teacher.

The IB program, widely regarded as a challenging and rigorous program, is ideal for students who want to go out of the country for college, and is accepted in around 75 countries and over 2000 universities.

Lordi will be exchanging her duties as IB coordinator for teaching Theory of Knowledge, a mandatory class for IB seniors, and four periods of math.

“I just needed a change. I think that happens a lot with people; they end up doing the same thing over and over again, and I was running out of new ideas. So this is good, I’m very excited about teaching,”

˃˃ IB COORDINATOR on p.3

Ivy Leagues to be new homes for six Several students will be heading off to top colleges this coming fall. michelle ki feature editor Harvard. Penn. Cornell. For many students, the very thought of attending such prestigious universities seems to be completely unrealistic and out of the question.

However, for seniors Sophia Deng, Naethin Herrera, Angela Huang, Michelle Lyu, Derek Peng and Ruben Reyes, these schools will become their homes for the next four years.

Starting this fall, Sophia Deng will be experiencing the rural part of New York in Ithaca where Cornell University is located. During high school, Deng served as vice

MICHELLE KI

Students (from left) Naethin Herrera, Sophia Deng, Michelle Lyu, Angela Huang, Ruben Reyes, Jr., and Derek Peng will be attending Ivy League schools after distinguishing themselves at DBHS. president of Red Cross, Captain of Robotics, interned for Boeing last summer, and more. Deng will be

majoring in Computer Science and will also be a Tanner Dean’s Scholar at Cornell’s College of Arts and

Sciences. Deng was also offered admission and scholarships to Dartmouth, UC Berkeley, UCLA, and

UC Irvine.

“I want to push myself beyond my comfort zones and really get involved with all the activities and classes offered on campus,” Deng said via Facebook.

Joining Deng at Cornell will be varsity soccer captain, Naethin Herrera. Inspired by the fact that his father, sister, and uncle all have the disease Psoriasis, Herrera was determined to find a cure for them, which led him to pursue a double major in Biological Engineering and Pre-med.

“Their skin would crack like chapped lips and it would make them really uncomfortable, and I told my dad when I was a kid that I would fix him,” he said.

Herrera was also accepted into UCSB, UCSD, University of Virginia, SMU, and Case Western Reserve. After college, he plans on ei-

˃˃ IVY LEAGUES on p.3

2

NEWS

MAY 20, 2015

THE BULL'S EYE

DBHS ranked highly in state

Teacher of the Year announced

The school was recently placed in the Top 100 in California by US News and World Report.

Howard Alcosser was awarded the title for the third time in his last year at DBHS.

To decide the placement for STEM – science, technology, engineering, and math – US News looked at the nation’s top 500 public schools from the “Best High School Rankings.” The website also took into account students’ ingrid chan skill and success through their staff writer scores in Advanced Placement science and math tests.

“US News & World Report rankDiamond Bar High School’s ings intend to reflect great high highly competitive educational schools that serve all of their stustandards have once again earned dents well, not just those who are the school a ranking among the college bound. These high schools best schools of 2015 in both the must be able to produce measurstate and nation. able academic outcomes to show According to US News & World how they are successfully educatReport, Diamond Bar High School ing their student body across a placed 65th in California alone. range of performance indicators,” Even more surReal said. prising is the These school fact that DBHS placements “Our rankings are a result is the only were deterof a partnership among school in the Top mined by the students, staff, parents...”

100 in the state performance of CATHERINE REAL that has over the school’s stu3,000 students dents compared enrolled. to the others in “Our rankings are a result of a the same state. partnership among students, staff, Additionally, the ranking meaparents, community members, and sured college readiness perforthe district office in supporting the mance by looking at the AP/IB balance provided by our foundaparticipation rate, the number of tions of the four A’s,” Principal seniors passing the AP/IB exams, Catherine Real said in an e-mail. and which school had the best colNationally, DBHS is ranked lege-level achievements for their 348th out of a total of around thirty students. thousand high schools, receiving “I’d like to take a moment to exgold medal status. press my gratitude for the commuIn last year’s rankings, DBHS nity effort it takes to achieve the did even better, finishing 40th in consistently high rankings that we the state and 230th in the nation. achieve,” Real said.

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

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

Opinion Editor Asst. Opinion Editor

Eric Hong Sarah Markiewicz

Feature Editor Asst. Feature Editors

Michelle Ki Vrinda Chauhan, Catherine Zhang Lilly Ball Emily Jacobsson, Pauline Villegas

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

Bernard Chen Ryan Chae, Emily Kim

Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editor

Eric Hong Calvin Ru

Hailed as the architect of Diamond Bar High School’s AP Calculus program, veteran teacher Howard Alcosser has become wellknown on campus. In his final year at DBHS, he was selected as the school’s 2015 Teacher of the Year by his colleagues for the third time, an unprecedented achievement.

Alcosser was nominated by math teachers for the title, along with Humanities teacher Chris Buccola and English teacher Denise Mesdjian. Alcosser was voted as overall Teacher of the Year by his coworkers during the Staff Appreciation Luncheon hosted by the Magnificent 7, a group of parent associations.

“It is a great honor, especially since there are so many awesome teachers at DBHS,”Alcosser said via e-mail.

Named as “Best in the World” in 2005 and “Best in the Nation” in 2007 by the College Board, Diamond Bar’s mathematics department is top-notch, thanks largely in part to Alcosser’s hard work. Alcosser is the advisor for the school’s Math Team and also hosts an annual event during which DBHS alumni give advice to current Calculus students about college.

“I think [my greatest accomplishment has been] being in on the beginning of building a successful AP Calculus program that has grown into one of the premier AP Calculus programs in the country,” Alcosser said.

As a College Board Endorsed Consultant, Alcosser has led Calculus workshops around the country, and has presented at AP Annual Conferences in Washington, D.C. In 2006, the College Board named him

BRIAN CHANG

Alcosser received a plaque for Teacher of the Year after competing against Denise Mesdjian and Chris Buccola.

EFFECTING CHANGE

Vrinda Chauhan Emily Jacobsson

Business Manager Asst. Business Manager

Gaby Dinh Tess Guan

Web Editor Asst. Web Editor Staff Writers

brian chang asst. news editor

as one of 20 Exemplary AP Teachers in the Western Region.

Alcosser has been with the school since its opening in 1982 when it was a small, new school created to accommodate the large influx of students enrolling at Walnut High School.

“The majority of the changes have been due to the number of students. The population more than doubled, which means more buildings and more teachers,” Alcosser said. “I feel very lucky to have [seen these changes].”

He is proud of what he has been able to accomplish in his 33-year career at the school and has high hopes for his successors. While this is his last year teaching, Alcosser said he wants to continue teaching Calculus to students around the country by visiting other schools.

“I’m the kind of person who is always trying to improve myself but I have to say that when I look at the AP Calculus program here and the teachers that will continue the program -- I’m happy,” Alcosser said.

Ingrid Chan, Sophia Kim, Pearl Lian

Advisor

Doug List

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

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

Photo courtesy of APES

Students in David Hong’s third period class preps the land for drought resistant plants by replacing grass and turf with mulch, which has since been completed.

SENIOR COLUMN

BY KATLYN LEE “High school will be the best years of your life.” Ever since I stepped foot onto this campus for an eighth grade orientation, too many adults and high school seniors have said this cliché, as a wave of nostalgia fall over their faces. They all then follow that trite statement with the same advice: to make most of your short time in high school, because it would be over before you even know it.

Of course, I felt nothing but exasperation every time, constantly dismissing their words as meaningless talk. And being the skeptical, slightly rebellious teenager I was—and still am— I resolved at the start of my freshman year to prove them wrong. My thought was to get stellar grades, various leadership positions, and admission to a top college; then maybe I’ll start my era of best years there.

So, in order to make high school the most mediocre, if not worst, years of my life, I started my Diamond Bar High School career by repeating Geometry and taking no honors classes. In an academically rigorous school like DB, you can imagine the weird looks I received from my friends, who all kicked off freshman year with three to four, if not all, higher level courses. I also left behind orchestra, which I joined in middle school for my friends, and jumped into Journalism I as my new elective, despite not knowing what the word even meant. In junior year, I made certain that I started every school day with some teenage bitterness and a Holden Caulfield attitude. Then to top it all off, I boldly stacked four AP classes into my senior schedule, with one of them being an AP Biology class (I’ve never felt more miserable in my life when I heard the 3 p.m. bell ring and the cheer team next to Mr. Sorenson’s room ecstatically leave campus). Countless times this past year, I spent time wondering why as a senior I was up at 4:30 a.m. finishing homework, and in this case, my final column for The Bull’s Eye. Despite my noble quest to debunk the first sentence of this quaint column, I’m not quite sure of its success. By taking classes that my friends didn’t take, I formed new friendships with classmates who I would have never met otherwise, and actually enjoyed learning without the early stress of advanced courses. Joining Journalism ended up being one of the best choices I’ve made in high school, and in various moments of my life, high school found moments to slip in its fond memories.

Now, as I approach my last days of school, I find myself grudgingly saying the same, predictable words that I had once so abhorred. I don’t think I have lived long enough to determine the best years of my life, but I can say that my seemingly long four years at DBHS flew by, leaving me with a deep feeling of ambivalence toward graduation.

So, although I couldn’t be any more excited about starting college in a few months, thank you high school for one heck of a journey.

Katlyn Lee was on The Bull’s Eye staff for three years and was previously Editorin-Chief.

SENIOR COLUMN

gaby dinh web editor

Everything begins with a decision; some are good, some are bad, some are absolutely unforgettable.

To be honest, I really don’t know what compelled me to join journalism. Maybe it was the prestigious feel of being part of a newspaper team, or maybe it was just the fact that I’m a completely random person who enjoys spontaneity. Whatever the reason, it’s a decision I will never, and cannot ever, forget.

Journalism I ended, and so began my journey, as a member of The Bull’s Eye. Sophomore year, Asst. Sports Editor I joined journalism at the most opportune time. Having Justin Park, Winston Cho, and Austin Kong, as such respectable seniors and mature older brothers to guide me through my first year was beyond a blessing. Blinded by such an amazing group of seniors, I thought to myself joining journalism was such an awesome decision, until the day they left.

Junior year, Sports Editor Here I am, at the lowest point in my journalism career. Alone with Andrew Choi with four pages, it was harder than I thought. Mixed with a lack of motivation, a demanding junior year, and consistent criticism from the Editor-inChiefs and the almighty Mr. List, quitting became a possible action I strongly considered.

I continued forward, another decision made. From winning at write-offs and becoming the new EIC in April, I knew joining and staying in journalism was the right decision.

Senior year, Editor-in-Chief This year was the most memorable and the pinnacle of my journalism expedition. Having the privilege to lead an amazing group of remarkable journalists and individuals is something to die for, learning so many intangibles along the way only journalism can offer.

From the crazy highs of doing the impossible at write-offs to transforming the paper into one of the best in the state, luckily and perfectly, all my decisions harmonized to be pleasantly worthwhile.

About to graduate, Contributing Writer It’s a special gift to have a unique experience, only understood by you, unfathomable to others. I’m content knowing that I’ll be leaving high school with this gift, a tailormade present, exclusively just for me and a couple other seniors, of having the opportunity to experience a breathtaking experience in The Bull’s Eye. I’m also grateful for meeting the best teacher, Mr. List, for the most talented and angelic EIC partner, Katlyn Lee, for my best friend, Emily Hwang, and for my brotherhood with Andrew, through journalism. I’m thankful for the friendships made and blessed for the wondrous ride.

Where would I be without journalism? I’ll never know.

“The hardest thing about the road not taken is that you never know where it might have led.”

– Lisa Wingate.

Joseph Park was on The Bull’s Eye staff for three years and was previously Editor-in-Chief.

3

Annual Vans graphic arts contest Teacher Jon Haprov’s students made it to the top ten in the yearly Custom Culture contest.

BY JOSEPH PARK

NEWS

THE BULL'S EYE

MAY 20, 2015

After being presented with a pair of plain white shoes, thousands of students across the nation created designs on the shoes for the annual Vans Custom Culture art contest.

Once again, five Diamond Bar High School students from Jon Haprov’s Graphic Arts class made it as a team to the Top Ten in the regional portion of the Vans Custom Culture contest.

Students Sophia Arnold, Connie Mach, Star Vasquez, Mary Zhou, and William Chen were all involved in making the designs for the shoes.

The Vans Custom Culture contest is a national high school competition in which each high school has to customize four pairs of blank Vans shoes around four themes: Art, Music, Action Sports, and Local Flavor.

The contest was originally created to encourage students’ creativity through art and design, and to raise awareness about the dwindling funds for arts education due to large budget cuts. The grand

prize winner will receive $50,000 for its high school’s art program and a possible chance to sell their designs in Vans’ stores.

The DBHS students did not advance to the top 5 finalists, however.

“I’m not sad or anything. It was a good experience and […] knowing that we still made it to top 50 is an accomplishment in its self to me,” Arnold said via Facebook. “I plan to be a part of this competition again next year now that I know what to expect.”

Haprov’s students entered the contest as a part of a class assignment. Each student was given a blank template and came up with two or three designs. Once the templates were turned in, Haprov selected a group of students to attend a meeting where they narrowed down the entries.

“After that [the students chosen] just put sticky notes on the ones we did like and left it up for the students in each period to vote for as well,” Mach said via Facebook.

One of the four designs chosen was modeled after the Day of the Dead holiday, created using a warm brown and orange color scheme.

Another design picked had a military theme, centered on the raising of the American flag.

The sports’ shoe revolved around surfing, and it had colors such as yellow, green, and red to decorate

Photos courtesy of DBHS.ORG

The participants created a variety of Vans shoe designs to fit the contest’s four major categories: art, music, action sports, and local flavor. the sides.

Then for music, the design focused on utilizing the piano and the gramophone, with music notes floating around the two objects. It also had a blue background, whereas the other three designs picked focused more on using their scenes for a backdrop.

The students’ designs made it to the top 50 finalists of the contest, where they competed against other schools’ designs from the California region. There were five regions in that round, and each region had 10 schools to choose from.

In this round, the top finalists were chosen based off public votes, so the high school with the most votes in each region was named one of the Top 5 finalists in determining the grand prize winner.

“The fact that we got this far is

Ku will be assuming Lordi’s role IB COORDINATOR from p.1 she said.

For Lordi, Ku was an obvious choice as her successor due to her enthusiasm for the program.

“It was a no brainer. She’s very excited about IB; she was a student in our very first class of IB diploma candidates in 2005, and when we hired her as a teacher about three years ago, it was an absolute perfect fit. It was a couple of years ago when I decided that I needed to move on, and so we asked her and she was excited about it,” Lordi said.

Much time has passed since planning for Lordi’s replacement has started, and Ku has successfully adjusted to the idea of acting

as IB coordinator.

“There was a lot of planning involved in the decision of me taking the position of IB coordinator so I am excited about this but I also had a chance to get used to the idea before the decision was confirmed,” Ku said via e-mail.

After around 15 years of heading the IB program, Lordi has learned much and can now reflect on things that she would have done differently in her beginning years.

“I used to stress out a lot about making sure that myself and the other IB teachers were doing everything exactly right according to the IB rules. I think if I had to do it over again, I would be less wor-

ried about all of that stuff because in the end, it’s working with the students that I like,” she explained.

And while Lordi isn’t leaving the school, there are still some things that she won’t be able to experience again. Her favorite part of the year is around May, because she can see how far the IB seniors have come since she first had them as math students their freshmen year. “[It’s amazing] to see them as seniors and they’re so articulate, they’re so ready to move on and ready to be people, out in the real world. And to see that, and to see how close they’re become as a group in the program; that’s the best part for me,” Lordi reflected.

Brahmas to head off to East Coast IVY LEAGUES from p.1 ther doing research as an engineer, getting involved in pharmacy due to his interests in development of treatments and cures, or becoming a doctor.

Joining Herrera on the East Coast will be Angela Huang at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School. Huang chose to be a business major due to her strong belief in social networks. During sophomore year, Huang founded a nonprofit organization focused on “expanding educational opportunities and empowering students in under resourced areas.” She was also involved in clubs like FBLA, Brahma Tech, Choir, French Club, and more.

Huang was accepted through early decision to Wharton. She believes that the competitive environment in DBHS “fueled [her]” to strive for success. As of right now, Huang wants to pursue either entrepreneurship or management; but ultimately, she wants to work for an organization that focuses on social responsibility.

“I chose to be a business major because I find it exciting that you can do so much with a business degree,” Huang said.

Also going to Penn is Michelle Lyu, who chose Penn because of

its “fantastic resources, great financial aid, exciting atmosphere, and thrilling location.” Lyu has held several leadership positions, including Editor-in-Chief of Yearbook, President of French Club, and Co-Vice President of CSF. “Penn isn’t my dream school, but that’s because I can honestly say I’ve never had a dream school,” Lyu said.

In addition to Penn, Lyu also got into prominent schools like North-

“...having people believe in you makes you want to succeed.”

RUBEN REYES, JR. western, Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, and USC. At Penn, Lyu will be majoring in Biological Basis of Behavior, “a blend of biology, psychology, and cognitive science.”

Derek Peng will be one of two Brahmas attending Harvard in the fall. At DBHS, Peng was the cocaptain of Water Polo, treasurer of Band, Vice President of Make-AWish, and had several other positions.

Although he was accepted into other top colleges, such as, Northwestern, Notre Dame, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Williams University, Peng ultimately went with Harvard due to its “resources and amazing cohort of hard working and intelligent students.” He will be majoring in economics.

“You don’t say ‘no’ to Harvard,” Peng joked. “But in all actuality, it was a tough choice. Berkeley really appealed to me with [the fact that it] has a school of business.”

The other Brahma attending Harvard is Ruben Reyes. As a high school student, he was mainly involved with Yearbook, Best Buddies, and Class Committee. Although he was also accepted to Stanford through restrictive early action back in December, as well as Williams College, UCLA, and UC Santa Barbara through regular admission, Ruben decided to attend Harvard after visiting the university and falling in love with the idea of being somewhere uncomfortable while being “surrounded by some of the nicest and smartest kids [I’d] ever meet.”

“People have always believed in me and having people who believe in you makes you want to succeed,” Reyes said.

quite an achievement. The shoes came out amazing but I was still surprised that we made it to top 10 in the region,” Chen, who helped design the Day of the Dead shoes, said via Facebook.

In order to help gain the students votes, the contest was posted on the main DBHS webpage and was also advertised on Facebook to garner votes.

Public voting ended on May 11 and the Top 5 finalists were announced the day after.

The Top 5 finalist groups were invited to fly out to NYC for the final event in the second week of June, where the winner will be announced.

Although they did not advance to the final round, the graphic students are now participating in a skateboard design competition.

Girl’s League college winners The club annouced its annual scholarship recipients on May 11. tess guan asst. web editor Girls’ League, a club at Diamond Bar High School advised by English teacher Lisa Pacheco, gave out its annual scholarship awards to graduating seniors last week. This year, the club gave three winners $500 prizes each.

Awards are given out to students who have contributed the most to our community, from dedicating their time to benefit others to showing the most commitment during their high school career. Saakib Akbany and Rae Lasko each won a $500 award while Adam Hsu won the other $500 as an award specifically made for the club’s officers.

Winners are not required to be a part of Girls League. Akbany, for example, does not have any prior experience with the club. However, he has spent over 400 hours volunteering at the St. Joseph Hospital in Orange County, the Council for American Islamic Relations, and the South Asian Parent Association.

“I feel what separated me from the other candidates was why I volunteer,” he said via Facebook. “My primary reason for volunteering and the driving force behind a lot of my life is my desire to make a lasting impact in the world.”

In addition to going through an interview, the applicants were required to submit a 300-500 word essay, student transcripts, a resume that reflects the candidate’s community service, a verification of an accepted university, and a letter of recommendation.

4 OPINION

THE BULL'S EYE

EYE EDITORS OF THE

SENIOR COLUMN

STUDENT GOVERNMENT: After entertaining their way to a win, class officers rarely promote legitimate change.

A

BY HANNA KANG In a week, the Holmes Memorial Stadium will be packed with the Class of 2015 graduates donning their caps and gowns, ready to take on life beyond the gates of Diamond Bar High School. Some of us will attend prestigious Ivy Leagues, some will study abroad, some will attend military academies and the rest of us will disperse to various public and private universities all over the country.

I hate to admit it, but I’m glad to be a part of this stellar group of graduates.

I’ve reached that conclusion after four long years.

My parents decided to move to Diamond Bar during the second semester of my eighth grade year because they wanted me to attend school in a more ambitious environment. I was devastated. I knew in my heart my parents only wished the best for me, but moving schools would mean waving goodbye to familiar faces, surroundings and routines and saying hello to a completely new way of life.

Regardless, I locked small pieces of my life, which were slipping through my fingers at a unimaginably fast rate, into a tiny chamber inside my heart. I promised myself with absolute conviction I would hate this arrangement to the very end. It seems dumb, I know, but for some reason or another, my overly dramatic 13-year-old self believed this to be the end of her life.

My pathetic conviction didn’t seem to be entirely out of the ballpark when I stepped foot in South Pointe Middle School. The environment was no joke and no one appeared reluctant to play hard ball.

Having previously attended a junior high school where everything and everyone were so laid-back, I was intimidated and had a hard time swimming with the tide.

By the time I entered DBHS, my fantasy of high school being just like High School Musical, where students randomly break into song in the cafeteria and somehow display impromptu, synchronized dancing, had shattered. I began putting more interest in my journalism class, which I signed up for convinced that I must join something in order to allay my academic stress. Upon learning that the class entailed a chance to partake in creating the monthly school newspaper, I was psyched.

Journalism taught me everything I possibly need to know about myself, at least for now. As I became more intimate with the road I was taking and with the lifelong friends who walked beside me, the layers of my personality began to peel away to reveal the very nucleus of my character.

Looking back at my high school career, I can only say it has been an unforgettable experience. I’m not going to say it was the best four years of my life, because honestly, I don’t believe that they were. High school, journalism in particular, was a path I needed to take in order to prepare myself for the best years to come.

Hanna Kang was on The Bull’s Eye staff for three years and was previously Opinion Editor.

MAY 20, 2015

t every school, the student body unites under the leadership of a few elected individuals. These individuals strive to give their peers a voice and improve the school as well as the class they represent. This does not appear to be the case at Diamond Bar High School, as over recent years our elected class officers seemingly put all their efforts into planning prom or painting posters for rallies.

As a leader, one should strive not only to manage different activities that the school has done in the past, but also to incite change. A class officer should not merely keep prom as their main source of work throughout the year. There’s plenty that the student body demands, such as better cafeteria food or an altered school schedule, and an officer’s job is to adhere to it and deliver.

However, officers lately have not only been ignoring the public, but also seem to have little intent on being leaders for their classes.

Many simply apply to be class officer to garnish their college application. This re-

sults in poor leadership at our school and little change in terms of policy, events, or any rising issues. Many students do not even realize such changes should be made by our student government, and thus they simply stifle their complaints and continue to embark on an unsatisfactory experience. In fact, an applicant even revealed that the only reason they ran was for their college application.

“I had more responsibilities than I had power, and specifically as junior class president, most of my responsibilities fell along the lines of prom. I had the power to schedule and cancel meetings, poster paintings, etc. I don’t really have the power to change administrative aspects,” junior Rachel Hwang said.

All in all, what comes of this is a stagnant and repetitive school year, and unless someone is willing to take charge and catalyze real changes at this school in the leadership position that they hold, DBHS will not be able to move forward and progress.

FROM THE BRAHMA PERSPECTIVE:

SAMUEL CHIANG (11)

JOYCE WU (9)

“We’re here to listen and change things that are happening in our class.”

“Student government is a good chance to let other students lead. However, not everyone, sad to say, is born a leader.”

ROBERT COVENTRY (9) “They only elect class officers to supply students with the feeling that their thoughts get to the school, which they don’t.

JEHAN YANG (12) “A lot of times we don’t have any representation in what we need to do, so the president should bring up the issues.”

Searching for earthquake security at DBHS In contrast to the situation in Nepal, many students at DBHS do not relalize how well the campus is prepared for future quakes.

victoria ly contributing writer

N

atural disasters striking at Diamond Bar High School are few and far between, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that we have more fire and earthquake drills than the actual emergencies themselves. But in light of Nepal’s recent earthquake, of which the death toll has risen to nearly 8,000 and injuries have escalated to more than twice that nu, students at DBHS can take their comfortable situation for granted.

We often forget how lucky we are to attend a school that provides us with such comfort and security—

an area where disaster drills are made necessary in our favors and an area where the staff takes great pride in keeping our students safe.

Unlike construction in Third World countries, such as Haiti or Nepal, buildings in the U.S. are made to withstand these natural disasters. But our classrooms, especially, are built beyond that of the earthquake standard.

According to Doug Mefford, the operations manager of DBHS, the durability of our building structures can endure up to 7.2 magnitude earthquakes.

Unfortunately, students at DBHS treat fire alarms as a laughing matter and use earthquakes as an excuse to bombard Facebook with status updates. This is a reflection of how lightly we take emergency

situations.

Since the last earthquake, which hit DBHS a little over a year ago, administration and custodians have ensured that heavy objects are securely fastened to the walls.

Classrooms that were found to have deficiencies were fixed and bookshelves have been mounted to the walls to ensure that nothing falls over.

As students go about their school day, they are unaware of how much work is put into their safety.

Though it goes unnoticed, DBHS is well prepared for emergency situations. Search and rescue teams were already formed before the school year started. The school also has designated areas for each teacher, student and staff member.

Locations of emergency triages

are predetermined and just about each and every staff member on campus has a job in place whether it be an evacuation, a lockdown, or an earthquake.

We take for granted of how prepared the DBHS campus is for a natural disaster. I would much rather be at school during an earthquake, where there is a set, structured plan in place to keep me safe rather than at home where I would be confused, lost, and maybe even alone. Of course, unexpected and large-scale emergency situations bring about uncertain outcomes. And it is inevitable that injuries will occur, but in the end, the school’s main goal is to reunite each and every student with their family and keep them safe until they do so.

GRAD NITE FUN

Cartoon courtesy of MEGAN LEE

OPINION

THE BULL'S EYE

MAY 20, 2015

COMMON CORE :

5

SENIOR COLUMN

OPTING OUT NOT AN OPTION?

bernard chen sports editor

PRO|

This past month, Common Core standardized tests arrived at schools and were administered to students as young as third grade. Parents have previously voiced concerns over the new Common Core curriculum, and now a frenzy of paranoia known as the opt-out movement is starting to grow in popularity. What worried parents fail to see, however, is that the opt-out movement is nothing but an obstacle to the furthering of U.S. education.

Eighty-five percent of American students are currently attending schools that have adopted the new Common Core curriculum. As opt-outs to the Common Core standardized testing increase, the tests become meaningless.

These tests, which include the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium were created with the intent of improving education by pushing students and giving appropriate reports on areas of weakness. However, with the widely spreading opt-out movement, it is becoming impossible to accurately measure children’s education and the effectiveness of the Common Core system itself.

New York superintendents have reported up to 70 percent of students sitting out for the tests. Such boycotting is only harmful to the

education of students and defeats the entire purpose for standardized testing. With results accounting for as little as 30 percent of students in schools, these tests do not reflect the academic standings at all.

In fact, federal funding for schools could be cut if more than five percent if students opt-out of the Common Core tests.

Here at Diamond Bar, tests are a dreaded subject to students. Yearround, they struggle to prepare for standardized tests, the SATs, ACTs, SAT IIs, APs… the list goes on. Still, tests are a necessary evil to ensure the success of our students.

Prior to the onset of Common Core, different states held different measures to compare student academic abilities. With the introduction of Common Core standardized tests, states are able to compare student scores with that of other states, nations even. The level of difficulty of the tests doesn’t matter as long as the tests are administered consistently throughout the system. Thus, educators would be able to compare academic ability from school to school and see where improvement is needed.

The outcry of parents and supporters of the opt-out movement is solely an act of avoiding change, and for students, an act of avoiding testing altogether. Even if the PARCC and SBAC assessments aren’t the most effective ways to test students, it certainly is the best measure we currently have. By implementing Common Core standardized tests, we gain the opportunity to push education toward change and improvement.

sarah markiewicz asst. opinion editor

CON|

Missing a test in school means flunking. Missing a state test like the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium has no effect on a student’s future, and could even be a relief in the midst of the thousands of tests that students take on average.

At Diamond Bar, there was little trace of the growing opt-out movement, which has spread to multiple districts in the country.

Although it’s likely that some of those who opted out were in advanced classes, this does not make them insusceptible to high-stakes testing stress.

Juniors in particular have AP and SAT tests to worry about, and would rather not spend class time completing one meaningless test, when they should be focusing on tests that are more significant to their own futures.

Already the testing schedule allots less instructional time for students in the midst of the AP season, and students and teachers alike must overcome challenging schedule changes in order to take the computerized tests.

But if other classes aren’t enough to worry about, the difficulty of the new Common Core tests will most likely cause even more anxiety for students. As opposed to state tests administered in the past, the Common-Core based tests are focus more on ana-

lytical skills.

If students have poor basic English or math skills to begin with on tests with more straightforward questions, these analysis-based questions become undoubtedly more difficult. For any student who has anxiety about taking this new test, it is only logical that they be allowed to skip it, since it is not even required by the government, which provides opt-out forms.

Many discourage parents to sign these forms, because they believe that the tests must be implemented in order to compare schools across the nation, and thereby root out which schools are not doing enough for their students.

However, parents should not listen, because they should know that individual students cannot become statistics or standards.

Besides, the system of comparison is bound to be faulty, because schools cannot always be accountable for the state testing scores of students, as many teachers have not been teaching this “standard” curriculum in the first place.

Instead of simply submitting to the tests, teachers should take the movement as a wake-up call to address Common Core standards with students, so they do not feel uncomfortable with the tests.

Students take tests as a way of life. On top of the thousands of tests critical to GPA’s, the SAT and AP exams that each student takes should have priority over tests like the SBAC, which will have no effect on each individual. Those who realize this inherently know that our students are not guinea pigs.

SERIOUSLY SATIRICAL frances wu news editor

D

ear Applicant:

After detailed review of your application by the Admissions Committee, I regret to inform you that we have decided not to offer you a spot in our class of 2015.

Please know that this does not reflect upon your abilities but instead the extremely large pool of applicants this year. Out of the 100,000 students who submitted applications, we selected a mere 2,400 students. We thank you for applying after being encouraged by one of the thousands of colorful pamphlets we sent out, knowing full well that 97.6 percent of students who received these letters never stood a chance.

Additionally, we are eternally grateful that students like you help keep our admissions percentage low, causing our school to appear selective and elite. It is this kind of recognition that results in the real applicants that we want: frequent Huffington Post and The New Yorker contributors, young five-time gold-medal winning Olympic athletes, and teenage sci-

PEARL LIAN entists who have earned world recognition for their revolutionary, inexpensive water cleaning device that could change the lives of millions in third-world countries.

Be assured that we reviewed your application carefully before making this difficult decision. We consider many factors when looking at applications, including (but not limited to) your academic record, your extracurricular involvement, and any supporting materials that you submitted, all of which were excellent—but nothing compared

to the young heirs and heiresses whose parents just donated a new multi-million dollar media center.

You may be wondering how your stellar academic record, your leadership positions in six different clubs, and your extensive volunteering profile did not gain you admission to our school, even though you are the perfect embodiment of the “well-rounded” student that our good-fornothing website said we wanted.

If attending our school remains your goal, we urge you to consider alternate ways in which you may

receive admission, like transferring from another school. This is an option that will give you hope, until you find out that our transfer student acceptance rate is just as low.

I wish you the best of luck in the future, and I’m extremely sure that you will reach your full potential at the mediocre state college you are forced to attend because it is one of the only schools in the world that is still accepting students based on merit.

Sincerely,

Dean of Admissions

BY SASHA RIVERA Change; this has been the theme most prominent in my mind throughout my senior year, in terms of both the past and future. I feel that I’ve become a different person since my freshman year due to all the knowledge and experiences I‘ve acquired. I’m proud of the person I’ve become and I’m excited to see how I will change in the next few years.

Many know me to be a passionate activist who is involved with social causes such as feminism, environmental sustainability, and fighting human trafficking. However, this key characteristic of mine did not develop until junior year. One class that perhaps contributed the most to my current mindset is AP Environmental Science. Taught by Angela Jensvold—an ardent activist herself—my mind was opened to the many problems in the world. Before then, I had been blissfully ignorant in the suburban bubble because I had never thought to care for something other than my grades. As I learned more about environmental issues, I developed a determined rage within my heart, prompting me to want to speak up about these issues and make the world more aware.

This fire was only strengthened as I learned more about feminism.

Like many other people, I thought it was an “angry feminazi” movement founded on bitterness. It’s hard to believe that I had this mindset. Yet, as I set my sights on Scripps College, I realized I could not go into such a strong, feminist school with such viewpoints. Therefore, I began to research the movement, and it consumed my life. I began to understand the endless battle for equality and full rights, realizing how it impacted my life as a woman. I absolutely had to speak out so I could quell the misconceptions about feminism, and help bring to light the struggles feminism was trying to cure.

Journalism gave me the opportunity to make my voice heard in this way. I had always enjoyed writing in my English classes, but now I was able to use that skill for a greater purpose. Joining Journalism 1 and becoming part of the Bull’s Eye staff was the best decision I have ever made. I’ve met an assortment of spectacular, passionate people who have helped me grow and improve, even in our disagreements. More importantly, I was given the chance to write articles that had an impact on others by dissipating misconceptions, such as my story about Sara Rodriguez. Journalism has given me purpose and satisfaction that has defined my high school career.

Looking back at everything, I am satisfied with my time in high school.

I became best friends with Sydney Lopez and Anthony Malatka, who I love dearly and would trust with my life. I also learned a lot about myself.

But more importantly, I’ve gained a purpose in life that has given me motivation and inspiration through activism. Of course I’ll be sad to leave behind this stage of my life, but I also feel excited and ready to face the future. I began high school with a whimper, but now I’m leaving it with a bang.

Sasha Rivera was on The Bull’s Eye staff for a year and was previously Asstistant Opinion Editor.

6

FEATURE

Restaurant Review

Elbows Mac n’ CHEESE

vrinda chauhan asst. feature editor Photo courtesy of KATIE KELLY

Future newlyweds Sean Swetnam and DBHS student-teacher Katie Kelly anticipate their upcoming wedding at the tropical island of Jamaica.

Couple wins national wedding contest sarah markiewicz asst. opinion editor Many couples can only dream of beginning their married lives on the tropical island of Jamaica, but this hope has become a reality for Diamond Bar High School student teacher and volleyball coach Katie Kelly, after winning a destination wedding through Brides Live Wedding, a competition held by Brides Magazine.

After holding a competition for a million-dollar wedding last year, Brides Live Wedding began an online contest that would award the couple with the most votes a wedding in Jamaica.

“The destination wedding is perfect for my fiancé and me because that is what we were planning anyways,” Kelly said via email. “We want to get married on the beach, so this is perfect— it will be in Jamaica on the sand.”

Kelly learned about the competition on Instagram, and she was encouraged by her mother, DBHS English teacher Shannon Kelly, to join. At first, Kelly was hesitant, but she and her fiancé, Sean Swetnam, joined the competition two hours before the deadline.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

“Thank God for a mom’s intuition,” Kelly said.

After answering questions and sending in a video to Brides Live Wedding, Kelly and Swetnam were selected as one of the final three couples. From there, the public cast in votes and the results were out on April 29.

“They called me right before I was going to teach to tell me the results of the voting,” Kelly said. “I was waiting, staring at my phone in anticipation of their call. Finally, my phone rang, and they told me the good news.”

From then on, as it is with any other wedding, it has taken a lot of planning, especially with the couple’s involvement with Brides Live Wedding. While the website allows people to vote for the physical aspects of the wedding like the cake and attire, Kelly and Swetnam are working on being the feature couple. This has included one week of filming in Los Angeles for a Brides Live Wedding web series.

“In the series, I got to try on dresses, test out makeup options, look at decor, and wander around Hollywood with Chelsea Briggs [a

˃˃ WEDDING on p.12

With its various and seemingly overwhelmingly delicious meal options, I truly believed that Elbows Mac n’ Cheese would be a cheeselover’s galore. While it wasn’t the least unpleasant, I found myself wondering if I was getting what I paid for.

Located on Birch Street in Brea, Elbows comes across as a hole in the wall, but with a orange and yellow macaroni colored theme, the restaurant certainly made me do a double take. As the warm, cheesy aroma of the food inside made their way in my direction on a cold day, I was excited. Everything about the place screamed toasty, cozy comfort food.

I ordered a combo, which included half a melt and a soup, and I decided to get the “Signature Four Cheese Melt” and the “Tomato Basil Soup.” Someone from my party ordered the “Living Fajita Loca,” a Mexican-themed macaroni bowl, while someone else of my party ordered a “Fun Guy,” a macaroni bowl with mushrooms and chicken.

We also shared an order of “Truffle

Fries.” Our piping-hot orders arrived in less than 10 minutes.

Upon arrival, my order did not look very appetizing. It was a small, brittle sandwich with little substance between the slices of bread.

Essentially, it was a grilled cheese with tomato soup. My sandwich was as appetizing as it looked.

My melt had little flavor, and most of the cheese was dripping out of the sandwich. My soup was sour and full of flavor, but had a light, creamy taste that was quite impressive to me.

The fries were extremely savory, with sprinkles of garlic and butter throughout. However, I was most delighted by the “Fun Guy,” which was creamy and hot and almost too good on the cold, rainy day. The sizes were reasonable, with just enough food to quench my hunger. The “Living Fajita Loca” was a close second, with a rather spicy cheddar flavor that was complimented by fajitas in the dish.

All in all, I felt that Elbows had a lot of potential, but it didn’t seem to want to make the effort to deliver.

Though a promising premise, I was less than happy with the overall quality of the food.

VRINDA CHAUHAN

The signature Four Cheese Melt combo is served at Elbows Mac n’ Cheese.

FROM Tech enthusiasT TO

business leader

michelle ki feature editor Most, if not, all high school students have probably thought about majoring in business at one point in their lives. However, many do not end up pursuing it due to the fact that business is one of the most competitive and risky fields.

Diamond Bar High School alumna John Buccola, however, defied expectations as he found huge success, climbing his way to the top as the Chief Information Officer of WASH Laundry, a billion dollar outsourced laundry service company. It currently has over 70,000 locations and 500,000 machines.

A few months ago, Buccola was awarded Microsoft’s Visionary Award at their annual conference in Atlanta. He spoke to an audience of 12,000 people in Times Square.

Microsoft employees start nominating companies that use technology in the most innovative ways.

With over 500 companies in the running, Buccola felt “surprised and humbled” at the same time.

“Speaking to such a large amount of people is energizing and gives you an incredible natural high; I prepared and practiced many, many hours for just a few minutes. I’m fortunate to work for a company that pushes the limits of how technology can be used to help it reach its full potential,”

MAY 20, 2015

THE BULL'S EYE

Photo courtesy of JOHN BUCCOLA

DBHS alumni John Buccola is CIO of billion-dollar laundry soap, WASH Laundry.

Buccola said via email.

As a freshman in high school, Buccola served as USB’s first ever commissioner of technology. He was responsible for USB’s student database and held fundraisers so that USB could have their first ever laser printer, the most cost effective option at the time. He graduated from DBHS in 1995, and moved on to pursue a major in Business Administration at the University of La Verne. Buccola earned a Bachelor’s degree in 2004 and a Master’s degree in 2006.

“Looking back, it was a taste of things to come in my professional

life,” Buccola said.

As a college student eager to get into the workforce, Buccola didn’t take college all that seriously. However, without a degree, he realized he would not be able to take the next step in his career.

Eventually, he married and found himself working with no degrees. In order to pursue his dreams of becoming a business man, Buccola went back to the University of La Verne and earned degrees in Associates of Arts, Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration— “three degrees in 10 years.”

“It turned out to be one of the best things I had ever done; there’s no way I would have landed at my two recent jobs without my education,” he said.

Buccola was previously CIO of Panavision, the world’s largest camera and lens provider to the motion picture industry before he began working for WASH Laundry.

John Buccola also happens to be the son of a DBHS Spanish teacher, Chris Buccola, who will be retiring after this school year.

“She taught me Spanish one year. She showed no mercy on me— perhaps my hardest class ever, and one that taught me life lessons beyond just another language. Mr. Favier, the Activities Director, was also outstanding. He really challenged all of us to become better people,” Buccola said.

In the future, Buccola would eventually like to teach at a community college. He spent many years in the community college system, which led him to become a firm believer in the system’s “value to society.” Buccola advises students to pursue something that “challenges and interests [them], and not something others have told [them] to pursue.”

“I grew up in a large family with loving parents who provided a safe environment for me to explore my independence. They taught me so many virtues—hard work, honesty and humility,” Buccola said.

SENIOR COLUMN

BY EMIILY LEUNG I remember the night “High School Musical” premiered on Disney Channel. I was in fourth grade, and I begged my parents to let me “stay up” and watch the Disney Channel Original Movie. I just had to find out what high school was like.

The next five years went by very fast. Before I knew it, I was a freshman ready for the start of something new, which quite frankly terrified me. I felt like Gabriella on her first day, minus the fact that I wasn’t gifted with remarkable math skills. “High School Musical” didn’t tell me that almost everyone would be taller than me, that my locker would barely fit my dozens of heavy textbooks, and that taking four AP classes was “the norm.”

But there was one thing that I couldn’t get off my mind, and that was the question of what I was truly passionate about. I was scared because it seemed like all my friends had found their niche, but I was stuck in some weird limbo.

Luckily, I decided to give mock trial a chance, and for the first time, I finally found a passion of mine. My years of talking in a slightly louder than normal voice, rambling on for hours about who knows what, and objecting to my parents’ every claim had all served their purpose.

I found a niche of like-minded people who I could spend two hours with everyday afterschool, analyzing anything from stolen paintings to blue pima cotton fibers.

However, I thought sticking to the status quo was a bit overrated.

Just because I was an (intellectual) jock with my mock trial varsity letter didn’t mean I couldn’t love to write (okay, I’m taking it a bit overboard here but bear with me). I am still unsure how my better half, fittingly named Emily as well, and I decided on signing up for journalism. But sometimes, random decisions work themselves out in fascinating ways. I had a “Gabriella meets Troy while singing karaoke on New Year’s Eve” type of moment.

Simply put, being a part of journalism has taken every passion I’ve ever had and bundled it into one magnificent package. I have been able to practice my love for writing, design, and business every day for the past two years. I am usually able to come up with ten thousand things to say to define what I’m talking about, but there is simply no way for me to describe the sheer amount of joy, pride, and fulfillment journalism has brought to me. I knew I found my passion when I became so invested that I couldn’t help but feel frustrated, happy, and maybe just a bit confused at the same time. The everchanging environment (gloriously cheerful and stressed to the point of borderline anxiety), father-like adviser, understatedly funny assistants, and the three musketeers all encompass what I know and love about journalism.

I am not a Wildcat, I can’t sing in tune (though I do quite a snazzy rendition of “Shake it Off”), and I have yet to find my Troy Bolton.

But I have found what I love.

Emily Leung was on The Bull’s Eye staff for two years and was previously Feature Editor.

SENIOR COLUMN

FEATURE

THE BULL'S EYE

MAY 20, 2015

Transgender Teen Opens U p emily wong contributing writer

BY VICTORIA LY What constantly irks me about writing is that the words written down are always meant for someone else to read—for someone else to analyze, take into their own hands and judge freely. This, perhaps, is the reason I refrained from joining journalism earlier.

It wasn’t so much the scrutiny that I tried to avoid, but the fact that I had so few opinions, so little to say and such a small voice to say it with. All these aspects collectively worked against me; convincing me that nothing I could ever say or do would possibly be deemed worthy of judgment. But of course, I eventually proved myself wrong; otherwise I wouldn’t be here typing up what seems to be the last piece I will ever write for the Bull’s Eye. And since I’m forced to write so often, I’ve come to appreciate words and how we have the ability to play with them—structure them into cohesive sentences that, when expressed in the form of a voice, can impart a long-lasting message.

Sadly, the impact of words are often times underestimated. But at just a mere whisper of a phrase, words can awaken emotions and thoughts within us. And this compels me to ponder at the complexity of humans—how we’re able to understand this language—to convey its every meaning.

Our perpetual desire to communicate stems from the creation of words. It’s what forces our thoughts to be in constant motion.

We conjure up ideas and develop something to say in return. But, in the end, it’s simply a matter of choosing to speak up.

Where I fell short to express myself verbally, I searched for a voice through writing for either this newspaper, or on a personal blog.

But it never seems like enough.

There are too many thoughts—too many emotions constantly streaming within me, that no matter how hard I try to capture the very essence of their existence, I will never succeed. I am not capable of writing everything down. But I will continue to write anyways. And that’s the beauty of it. We write because words are a leeway into the masses of facts and opinions that shape how we think and influence where we find our identity.

And as I write this on a Sunday morning, the deadline I had to meet was two days ago on Friday. It doesn’t matter now, though. Deadlines are just illusions—mere fabrications of cut-off dates that confine and reduce us to a time limit. And according to an essential theory of physics, all time is relative. Time is given to everyone, but how we spend our time is what matters most. However, if there’s one thing I’d admit to being afraid of, it would have to be the scarcity of time.

It seems as though there are never enough hours in the day to say what’s on my mind. And for as long as I can remember, I have always let words linger at the tip of my tongue, never allowing them to find their way into the ears of those who need to hear it most.

I’m still trying to find my voice and the search for it has yet to end.

Victoria Ly was on The Bull’s Eye staff for one year and was previously Asst.

Feature Editor.

7

Though most high school students look forward to college after high school, junior Nikki Young is looking for something even more profound, a chance to finally be in the body she feels right in.

Previously known as Dean Falanai, Nikki Young was born male but now identifies herself as a straight transgender woman. She chose the name Nikki after looking through names with her mom. They discovered “Nicole,” and its nickname, “Nikki,” which they thought had a nice ring to it.

Though she initially identified herself as gay, Young felt that she had always known she was not in the right body, especially during the uncomfortable changes throughout puberty.

“That’s kind of when it clicked in my head that I was transgender,” Young said.

At first, the junior found it difficult to come to terms with her identity as a transgender. Fearing the reaction of her family and peers, Young kept her identity to herself for a while.

“For a long time I felt uncomfortable with myself and I didn’t know how to tell myself or others what I really feel. So I kind of kept it away for a long time until high school,” Young said. However, Young’s fam-

STAFF SPOTLIGHT

ERIC HONG

DBHS Junior Nikki Young embraces her new identity as a transgender female.

ily and friends have been incredigay. bly supportive after she revealed to “When Nikki made this revthem how she truly felt about her elation to me, I knew what was to g e n d e r. come, but “For a long time I felt Her most I didn’t uncomfortable with myself and I adamant h i d e didn’t know how to tell myself or supporter in deis her nial, nor others what I really feel.” mom, who shame for NIKKI YOUNG has been the sake behind her of pride throughout her transition. Nikki’s within my family, church or comsister is lesbian and her brother is munity. In turn, I embraced my

child, Nikki, to give comfort and full support just as I did 17 years ago when she entered my life. At the end of the day, nobody should ever sway or compromise your unconditional love for your child,” Florence Young, Nikki’s mother, said.

Despite Young’s early struggle with confidence, she has now learned to accept herself and began dressing more feminine during sophomore year, with outfits including fake nails and dresses.

To avoid problems surrounding the use of restrooms, she uses the nurse’s restroom.

Young is currently complying with her doctor’s orders to refrain from undergoing any surgery or hormone therapy until she is fully developed, around the age of 21.

“I wish I could get it sooner but they highly advised to get it at 21,” Young said.

Many transgenders face bullying from their peers and are shunned by their parents, such as last year’s case with Leelah Alcorn, a transgender girl whose suicide garnered national attention.

Young, too, has faced teasing and bullying, especially through elementary and middle school, but has learned to ignore the stares and name-calling.

“I never really let it get to me. I kind of just tried to stay positive

˃˃ TRANSGENDER on p.12

Prepping for PROM the Future E X P E R I E N C E sasha rivera contributing writer

VRINDA CHAUHAN

Career College Counselor Gyasmine Williams helps students plan their futures.

catherine zhang asst. feature editor Hidden in a room next to Diamond Bar High School’s Library, a friendly face eagerly awaits any students who need help making decisions regarding their college or scholarships.

Gyasmine Williams was hired last September as the school’s first College and Career Counselor.

Though this is her first year on staff, she has coached DBHS’s girls’ basketball and substituted at the school various times.

Since being hired as a counselor, the DBHS alumni has worked tirelessly to get out information to the students. Williams efficiently distributes information that multiple colleges send her. If there is a workshop that day, she puts up flyers, emails, and even sends the staff reminders.

She also writes transcripts for the students and helps them get the information they need for preparation for tests, work permits, career preparation, and scholarships.

“I love it because there [are] kids that are able to get scholarships or even learn about different classes or schools that they wouldn’t have known about. I really love helping

the students get to college and have a good time here at Diamond Bar,” Williams said.

After graduating from DBHS in 2000, Williams moved on to study at Cal State Los Angeles. She then attended graduate school at the University of La Verne to get her master’s degree in multi-cultural services.

Once she received her master’s degree, Williams returned to DBHS where she co-coached girls’ basketball. While instructing the studentathletes, Williams realized how much she loved helping her team to improve.

Determined to aid other students in receiving scholarships, Williams then decided to return to La Verne to gain her Pupil Personnel Services, which is a credential required to counsel and work with kids from grades K-12.

“The Career Center has been revamped to where it is student friendly,” Senior GLC Richard Gonzales said.

Despite having William available for almost an entire school year, some students are unaware there is a career and college counselor at school.

“Come to me and we’ll give you some information. You’re never too young and you’re never too late to come see me,” Williams said.

caricature artists, and a few photo booths, but that was about it in terms of “fun” activities. Oh, and I couldn’t possibly leave out the two dingy foosball tables. In previous years there were many entertainment opportunities that for a variety of personalities and tastes; this year the choices were quite basic.

After partaking in the provided activities during the first couple hours, I was bored for the rest of the time with nothing much else to do other than mill about the venue and munch on snacks.

To my dismay, even the food was on the plain side, with fewer options than usual; the potato chips were the only thing worth sampling.

I was tempted to leave early. as I struggled to find something to do.

Honestly, I had more fun getting dressed up and hanging out with my friends than participating in the event itself. ​Overall, the prom was quite unimpressive, leaving me very disappointed since this was my senior prom.

In terms of dances, it went out not with a bang, but a whimper.

For the money I spent on my ticket, I was expecting something a bit more spectacular, at least comparable to last year.

It would have been better if funds had been used on a smaller venue, but with more entertainment, as was the case with last year’s prom.

At the very least, more attractive decorations would have improved the atmosphere. Even though I’ll already be gone, I hope that the Class of 2017 does a better job n e x t year.

​In my review of last year’s prom, I excitedly predicted that my senior prom would be memorable, beautiful, and possibly even better than those of past years. Unfortunately, such was not the case. Instead, this prom was filled with boredom, headaches, and a lackluster ambiance. ​Usually when people claim that proms are overrated, I feel defensive and argue against such statements due to my lovely experiences at the events in 2013 and 2014.

However, after May 16, I too find myself agreeing with these claims.

It is a slight shame that my friends and I, since I went stag, spent weeks building up excitement and preparation, only to be faced with a night that did not meet our high expectations.

After the announcement that ​ it would take place on the Queen Mary, I had high hopes for a large, stunning venue that would exceed even the beauty of the Richard Nixon Library. Instead, I was met with plain white walls adorned with an occasional, nautical photograph and dark pipes on the ceiling.

The lighting was nice, with soft, cool colors and water patterns, but it did little to help. The interior was very spacious however, which was one of the few positive qualities in that there was more room to avoid excessive crowds or cramped corners occupied by people with dates.

Despite this, the dance floor was still packed, as if being trapped in a can of sardines. ​ E ntertainmentwise, the prom was even more boring than homecoming.

There was a large dancefloor, a couple Photo Courtesy of voicefromeden.blogspot.com

8 FEATURE

MAY 20, 2015

THE BULL'S EYE

“Most of the students don’t really know who I am. The saddest part of my job is that you kind of lose the ability to connect very closely with the students, which is why we even go in the job in the first place.”

gabriel aguilar, instructional dean

“They’re my favorite people in the world.”

richard teran, brianna rengifo, marissa gomar, freshmen

“No you can’t interview me ‘cause I don’t have my makeup on today!”

jeffrey siu, junior

HUMANS + StUDENTS of DBHS “In my life, I’ve made a lot of mistakes.

Because of my experiences, I want to be a criminal justice lawyer. I know what it means to take accountability of my actions and I’ve learned from my mistakes.“

“If we give up our rights to bear arms and give up a piece of ourselves, America will just be another country that is controlled by an opressive government.”

darian johnson, junior

“Mr. Wiencek married my daughter. We had a party for IB at my house and my daughter was living with us at that time.

I have a photograph we took, and none of us realized it that on that day, but the two of them were already in the background talking.That was the first time they met each other.

chris buccola. spanish teacher Scan the QR code to view more portraits on Students + Humans of DBHS Tumblr.

andrew montez, sophomore

An Action-Filled Summer Starts Now

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Movie buffs and students everywhere can rejoice— summer has arrived at last, and with it comes the biggest box office hits of the year. Hollywood has certainly saved its A-game for the hottest season, serving up a promising line up of both animated and action-packed films that should satisfy viewers of all ages.

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10 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SENIOR COLUMN

MAY 20, 2015

THE BULL'S EYE

Now Showing:

The sequel outshines the orginal, with celebrity cameos, new musical number, and the return of the original stars.

BY EVON HUNG Restrooms were my haven.

It wasn’t so much how well they served as “hangouts” for girl gossip that attracted me. Rather, they provided safety, a cave to recede into.

In middle school, I spent my mornings, breaks, and lunches tucked away in this “hideout.” Any situation in which I felt awkward around people, restrooms were always welcoming. By the end of middle school, I had spent more time consumed by social anxiety than confronting it.

Summer before freshman year of high school, I vowed to change.

Four years forward, I have nothing to do with restrooms. Instead of avoiding people, I am spending the last days of high school squeezing as much time as possible to spend with so many wonderful individuals. Throughout my high school journey, I chose to embrace every chance to meet new people and get to know those around me. Now with single digits dictating how many days I have left until my new journey commences, I am frantically squeezing in my last words as a high schooler.

You hear that high school is a time of growth and memories – an irreplaceable moment of our lives.

Cliché as it is, these four years and onwards really are what you make of them. However, there is no one right passageway or decision that will secure success. Simply put, mistakes turned out to be best things that happened to me.

So, I’ve just told you my secret: the untold snippet of my life. This would be the time to make a pinky promise with you to ensure that you keep my secret. But that would defeat the point.

It is the beauty of being able to experience, of learning through mistakes and successes, and of enjoying life’s curveballs that makes this world an interesting place – to be able to share it is invaluable. Instead of remembering stress from that one test or the endless stream of sleepless nights, we remember impactful memories. We remember all friend hangouts, when the organization you were involved in bonded over Starbucks, when you got your first award from that competition and realized you were actually good at something. We recall the agony from our first heartbreak, that time when that one project went horribly wrong, or the first time we were called to the GLC. And then from there, we tell of our own stories.

I’m glad middle school Evon relied on restrooms. So much has changed since then, and the vow I took to better myself, has paved one hell of a ride. My story changed drastically throughout the years and I’m ready to continue my library, page by page, word by word.

The highs and lows are what we remember – that’s high school.

That’s what it’s about. It’s that feeling, when you’re hovering at the highest peak of a rollercoaster, that sliver of hesitation and exhilaration and anticipation. Right now, nothing else matters. Let go. Enjoy the ride.

Evon Hung was on The Bull’s Eye staff for one year and was previously an assistant web editor.

pauline villegas asst. a&e editor The Bella’s are finally back, and they are better than ever. “Pitch Perfect 2” kicks off the summer season while proving that not all sequels are a bad idea. Although the plot may seem kind of predictable, the overall mood of the movie is cute, and the songs will make you want to hop out of your seat and dance and sing along.

After a completely humiliating performance at the Lincoln Center for the president, the Barden Bella’s are forced to enter the International Acapella Competition in order to regain their status as champions and appeal their suspension at Barden University.

When they are told that no American group has ever won the competition, they realize they have to bring their A-game to justify their spot in the Acapella world. In the beginning of the movie, when they find out that winning will be virtually impossible, the group learn they must work together as a team to prove everyone wrong.

While practicing for the big competition, they realize that they have lost their classic Bella sound. In order to get their beat back, they have to call in a few favors from some past Bella members. This is when they really begin to work, shown in

Photo courtesy of WWW.SLASHFILM.COM

The Barden Bellas belt out a song at the International Acapella Competition. a montage that is full of hilarious trust exercises.

Directed by actress Elizabeth Banks, “Pitch Perfect 2” is a crowdpleaser. Banks also has a special part in the movie. Alongside John Michael Higgins, the two play hosts at the competitions that the Bella’s compete in, adding a touch of comedy to the film. Banks brings a feminine taste to the movie, with songs like “Run the World” by Beyonce setting the tone for themes of girlpower and gaining confidence.

Many familiar faces return for

Tune In:

Mumford and Sons’

Wilder Mind

evon hung contributing writer Forget all that you associate with Mumford & Sons, whether it be their distinguished rendition of the folk genre or Winston Marshall’s tasteful banjo strums.

It’s not surprising when artists take a 180 degree turn on their style to experiment and expand their dynamics as performers. However, new isn’t always the best change.

In their gamble, Mumford & Sons have lost more than they have gained.

The band’s campaign of their third album, “Wilder Mind,” pushes forth a face-lift as the concept: acoustic, folk-country-indie hybrid vibes no more. Welcome a radio friendly, rocked out Mumford & Sons. A new album, a new style.

“Wilder Mind” has the band donning leather jackets and slick pairs of pants, casting aside straw hats and overalls. All traces of indie-folk and endearing banjo strums have been eliminated. In its place, electronica and synthesizers brought by producers James Ford (Artic Monkeys) and Aaron Dessner (the National) play up the alternative rock. A new approach aside, the British ensemble continues to channel an Americana vibe that is more prominent than ever.

It is commendable how well Mumford & Sons have adapted to this stylistic change. The album opens up with a statement—electric guitar riffs, bass on blast, and solid percussions and synths screaming alternative rock. As de-

lightful as a box of Belgian truffles, Mumford’s vocals are of a buttery smoothness, husky and immaculate in his country drawls.

As the album progresses, tracks remain consistent in sound—so much so that it gets increasingly difficult to distinguish one song from the other. This could be attributed to the basic formula that nearly all tracks on the record follow: electric guitar chords as the base, synth plinks lightly layered in the background, and drums encasing the song with rhythmic percussions, all tied together with similar beats and rhythms.

Somehow, producers Ford and Dessner manage to make it work – they find a good balance. The same effect resonates with little splashes of their signature folk such as in “Just Smoke” and a warm delicacy presented in “Wilder Mind.”

Moreover, the album as a whole fails in its sequential organization of tracks. It’s as if the band decided to sprint a marathon half-heartedly, then gave up halfway.

The first seven songs hold true to the rock band appeal, hyped by the multiple layers of instruments, but the latter half of slow ballads brings the mood to a lull. “Wilder Mind” is an admirable endeavor in switching up the style of Mumford & Sons.

The album takes on alternative rock by the horns and expresses a definite change. While fans may miss the gentle, acoustic feel, this album isn’t too far-fetched that fan bases will completely reject it. Success or not, the record is still a baby step.

the sequel, such as Anna Kendrick who plays Becca, the ring-leader who is famous for her catchy rendition of the “Cups” song, and fanfavorite, Fat Amy, played by Rebel Wilson. Along with these original cast members comes a whole new generation of Bella’s. The new characters Emily (Hailee Steinfeld) and Flo (Chrissie Fit) add a sense of reality to the movie, something the film needs considering that one of the main leaders Chloe (Brittany Snow) is still a Bella after 3 years of being a senior in college.

In the middle of the somewhat racist and sexist jokes comes a unique sense of humor that hasn’t been seen since classics like “Mean Girls.” However, unlike the first movie, “Pitch Perfect 2” doesn’t have as much singing. The only time you really get to see The Bella’s sing is in performances. I kept waiting to hear them break into song, which they only did once or twice.

Adding to the sequel are the numerous cameos by celebrities like Snoop Dogg, members of the Green Bay Packers, and Jimmy Kimmel.

Although some may not have been necessary, others brought their comedic sense and truly added to the vibe of the movie.

Although the first movie had much more of an original plot, the new film is not as disappointing as many fans thought it would be.

The horizon truly broadened when the Bella’s go up against a German group instead of competing with the American teams they went up against in the last movie.

Overall, the film gives audiences everything they remember from the first movie.

It includes comedic aspects, new and old love interests, and a soundtrack that includes newschool and old-school music that is sure to make you want to dance and sing.

The Moves and Melodies of DBHS pauline villegas asst. a&e editor Put away all your winter clothes and take out your bathing suits because the Diamond Bar High School Choir and Dance Departments have brought in the heat.

The final choir concert was held on May 7 and 8 in the DBHS Theatre, and included a number of summer themed songs and showstopping numbers. Performances were made by the Chamber Singers, the Diamondtones, Solitaire, and Marquis, who all performed the song “Summertime is Here,” to kick off the show.

Each song had its own vibe, from the cheerful solo “Kokomo,” sung by Kassie Craft, to the soulful “Hit Me With a Hot Note,” sung by Ariana Gonzalez.

The seniors from every department got together near the end of the performance to sing “Seasons of Love,” an emotional song that celebrated their last choir concert at DBHS.

The concert ended with a bang when all the choir groups got together to perform the summertime hit “Hot, Hot, Hot.” “My favorite part of the whole concert was definitely the finale because everyone got to be apart of it and it was the senior’s last song,” junior Nicolas Zhou said.

A week after choir’s performance, the dance department energized audiences with their dramatic theme, “Evoke.” The concert was full of fun-filled dances and dramatic group numbers.

A variety of dance styles filled the show. Hip-hop moves could be seen in the performance set to the song “Out of My Mind” by B.o.B. Choir members Jakie Aluning, Jillian Aluning, and Yasi Hekmat contributed by singing “Kaleidoscope Heart” while dancers gave a touching performance.

Present at the concert were many student choreographers, such as Jonathan Estrada who choreographed the number “500 miles.” The concert also contained many classic hits like “All That Jazz” and “Greased Lightening.”

ERIC HONG

Senior Jennifer King sings the song “Where The Boys Are” at the choir concert.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE BULL'S EYE

MAY 20, 2015

11

Show Review:

The Sounds of Summer hannah lee asst. news editor With the craze of K-pop spreading overseas, Nickelodeon has welcomed the trend with open arms.

“Make It Pop” is Nickelodeon’s newest typical tween show, with a twist of K-pop. The plot is pretty standard; three girls make their way through high school life with a passion for music. They clash with the typical mean preppy girls and overly cocky, yet charming, pretty boy jock.

The main character, Sun Hi, played by the K-pop star Megan Lee, is the irritatingly bubbly, stereotypical “cute Asian girl.” She begs for the spotlight and will stop at nothing to get it. Sun Hi regularly video blogs her life for her nonexistent fans, and is constantly on a high horse.

Sun Hi gets paired with Jodi, played by Louriza Tronco, as roommates for their freshmen year. Jodi is your fiery fashionista who constantly designs clothes, and is Sun Hi’s sidekick in their relationship.

Not long after Sun Hi and Jodi arrive to their boarding school, they find out that they will be having an additional roommate, Corki (Erika Tham). Corki completely

contrasts with the flashy Sun Hi, always shying away from attention and is extremely conservative.

The three start their high school life alongside Caleb (Dale Whibley), an aspiring DJ. They come together and form a band, immediately becoming popular on the internet and their school.

Despite the show’s claim that it follows three girls balancing out their high school life with their Kpop stardom, the only thing close to being K-pop on this show is the main character being Korean.

Sun Hi radiates with the stereotyped K-pop style, dressing with “cute” outfits that many associate K-pop with. Her overly caffeinated personality gets irritating quickly, and is almost enough to make you to change the channel.

It was brave of Nickelodeon to try out a new concept like K-pop for a show. Not only do they have to worry about the number of viewers, but also K-pop already had a large fan base waiting to attack or praise the show for how they portrayed their music style. Younger girls might enjoy this show for the stereotypical story and bursts of song and dance. However, for high school students, “Make It Pop” is just another sitcom to ridicule.

Photo courtesy of WWW.NYTIMES.COM

Lee, Tronco, and Tham, the girls of XO-IQ, shine in Nickelodean’s new show.

emily jacobsson asst. a&e editor Summer break is just around the corner, and with it comes three months to fill with as much musical excitement as possible. While some people may be content with loading up their phones with their summer playlist, others may be looking for a musical experience that goes beyond their screens.

Luckily for them, Southern California is crowded with entertainment options for the summer, from outdoor festivals to cultural conventions.

Make Music Pasadena is the only free music festival hosted in California that features both new and known artists of all genres.

The festival, which is entering its fourth year, brings around 55,000 attendants of all ages to Downtown Pasadena each year. Among this year’s line up of 150 featured artists are Caroline Smith, Hidden Charms, and Pasadena’s Symphony & Pops. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on June 6.

For two days at the Hollywood Bowl, Ed Sheeran will be bringing back his simple acoustic style with his “Multiply” Tour. Rising British Boyband Rixton, known for their hit “Me and My Broken Heart,” will be his opening act. With ticket prices ranging from around $20 to over $100, this concert kills two popular birds with one stone. Sheeran will be performing on June 24 and 25.

Imagine Dragons will be taking over Southern California on July 20 and 24 for their “Smoke + Mirrors” Tour. The band from Las Vegas, famous for their hits “Radioactive” and “Demons,” will bring their rock sound to the Honda Center in

Anaheim and The Forum in Inglewood. Performing as the opening act for Imagine Dragon’s second tour is Halsey, an up-and-coming alternative artist, and the lesser known Canadian band, Metric.

Vans brings its popular “Warped Tour” to the Pomona Fairplex on June 19. Though the “Warped Tour” focuses mainly on bringing unknown bands to the public’s attention, members of the wellknown punk rock band Pierce the Veil have announced that they will be performing. Tickets are around $40 for general admission, and $50 for a 3D Collectors ticket. With over a hundred bands, all with a similar alternative sound, the Warped Tour offers attendants a chance to expose themselves to wide variety of music.

For the avid K-pop fan, KCON is returning for its fourth year at the Staples Center from July 31 to August 1. Popular K-pop groups, such as Infinite, Sistar, and Got7 come from South Korea to perform and offer fans a chance to meet them during a three-day convention.

KCON is more than just a concert; it brings together fans and performers through many exciting activities like panels and workshops.

KCON hosts around 42,000 attendants each year, and centers on all things Korean, from music to food.

The Forum hosts a second popular group this summer with Mumford & Sons, the popular British alternative rock group, on their “Wilder Mind” tour. Mumford & Sons will be performing on Aug. 17-18. Rock group The Vaccines, and solo artist Jack Garratt will be their opening act. The set list includes popular songs like “The Cave” and “The Little Lion Man.”

Student Spotlight Amelia Anijielo catherine zhang asst. feature editor For some people, performing on a flashy stage with hundreds of people attentively watching in the audience may seem like an unreachable dream. However, for Diamond Bar High School freshman Amelia Anijielo, this fantasy is a reality.

Growing up, Anijielo participated in various musicals in elementary and middle school. In elementary school, she was forced to participate in the plays put on by each grade level, so her interest didn’t spark until middle school.

However, once she was a part of Chaparral’s version of “Grease” and “High School Musical,” her passion for the performing arts developed.

As a student in the beginning drama class, Anijielo decided to try out for the role of the Witch in the production of “Into the Woods,” after hearing the Witch’s rap. Although Anijielo was at first hesitant to join, she eventually tried out for the part, due to encouragement from friends.

“I thought I was going to be an extra, which I would have loved, but I actually got the part I wanted.

It was an amazing experience and a day I would never forget,” Anijielo said via Facebook.

Of course, performing isn’t as easy as it seems. At first, Anijielo

struggled as a result of not knowing the terms, monologue, and history of theater.

“I thought you just get up on stage and act. I had to learn all these fun and crazy new things before I stepped on the stage. Until now, I’m still learning and it’s like a new world or door opens up every day,” Anijielo said.

Since Anijielo started performing, she has made many memories, which include singing with her older sister, Felicitas, at Apollo Night.

“It was a great moment since it was our first time singing together in front of a live audience.

I loved every second up there with h e r, ” Anijielo said.

I n addition, Anijielo loves

performing because she gets to “become” the character while trying new things along the way.

“My favorite part about performing would be how you get to be the character and try all these new things that you normally wouldn’t try,” Anijielo said.

Despite having many unforgettable memories, Anijielo’s favorite aspect about being in drama are the people working alongside her to bring out the best in the musical.

“They will accept you no matter what.

Sure it’ll take time to get to know them, but when you do, they’re amazing people,” Anijielo said.

“They all h a v e t h e i r o w n personalities because you have amazing singers, artists, fantastic actors, fashionistas, and everything. It just amazes me how each individual really does care about you

and will be there for you for anything. They really do become your family,” Anijielo said.

In addition, the theater arts teacher, Beatrice Casagran, had been a huge influence to Anijielo.

“I love how she makes sure you’re doing the best you can, how she encourages you to try new things, and just how to show the audience all of what you got so they leave saying that was an amazing show. A great show is made possible because of her helping and encouragement. She makes you feel like a great actor or actress,” Anijielo said.

In turn, Casagran also has nothing but praise for Anijielo.

“She’s a conscientious person.

She is always responsible and communicates whenever she can’t do something. I think her work speaks for itself, she works really hard on the role of the Witch. It was a bit of a challenge for her, vocally. But… [I would] give her a note, and she’d bring it back and incorporated it to make it better,” Casagran said.

Anijielo is also very active outside of the program. The drama student volunteers at the Rowland Heights library once every other week. In addition, she is a participant in Girls’ League and Black Student Union. With her sister, she started A Place for Smiles, a club that raises awareness for depression, mental illness, and self-harm in teens.

SENIOR COLUMN

BY EMILY WONG At the start of my freshman year, I thought my dream career was set, math was my favorite subject, and extracurricular activities would be fruitless. I was so wrong.

My high school career has been a rough rollercoaster full of laughter, tears, self-destructive procrastination, and identity crises. Yet, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for Mr. Roubian’s thoughtprovoking journal entries, Mrs. Mesdjian’s daily grammar lessons, Mr. Marquez’s godly teaching skills, Mrs. Thomas’s stimulating life lessons, Mrs. Hewit’s eyeopening curriculum, and Mr. List’s life-changing “class.” All of these underappreciated—and underpaid—people have shown me that teachers should be at the top of the hierarchy of importance.

However, it was during my senior year when I was really tested.

Anybody who knows me knows I am a planner. I hate change. I’ve always known what I’m going to do with my life, how many kids I’m going to have, and the plan B’s for all of my plan A’s—that was, until I reached a period in my life I termed “my teenage mid-life crisis,” when everything I thought I knew about myself disintegrated before me.

Since I was born, I thought being a doctor was my destiny, catalyzed not by an idea implanted by my parents but by my own desire.

Yet, right before college application season, I came to the earth-shattering conclusion that I wasn’t meant to be a doctor. And just like that, all the guidelines I’ve set for myself were gone. I felt lost.

I came into high school as timid, self-conscious freshmeat—not a far stretch of how I’ve secretly felt my entire life. I remember being so angry that I had no talent because everyone I knew found their place in a sport or performing arts while I had nothing. I remember being so ashamed of who I was and wasn’t that I actually convinced myself I would never be anything more than a drop in a sea.

And then I got over myself. Sick of my dormant behavior, I applied for things that challenged my shy nature and were out of my comfort zone. I explored paths I never thought were possible. I would have never thought I would be in talking in front of a hundred peers leading a club—and loving it. I would have never in a million years expected to join the school newspaper and in the process, find a burning passion for writing. Suddenly, I wasn’t the self-conscious, uninvolved person I thought I was stuck with. Finally, I found my niche. I found my confidence. I found my voice.

Something I hadn’t realized as a freshman was that, throughout high school, I would find my way by being lost. Goals are great but sometimes, as cheesy as it sounds, the essence really is in the journey.

I’ve never felt so liberated by not limiting myself to a certain pursuit and I am so excited for the self-discovery I will be doing in college.

I don’t know what my future holds. And that’s okay.

“Not all who wander are lost.”

Emi;y Wong was on The Bull’s Eye staff for two years and was previously the Arts and Entertainment editor.

12

FEATURE

MAY 20, 2015

THE BULL'S EYE

Young stays positive through change DBHS student embraces true self, hopes to inspire others

Young said. “Having her support really helped me with my whole transition because she made me realize I shouldn’t be hiding from myself and that I should be showing the world who I really am.”

Young also joined Peer Counseling after her sister shared her posiTRANSGENDER from p.7 tive experiences with the organization. Hearing about this, Young with my life because there really is wanted to find a safe place to feel no need for all that,” she said. comfortable in.

T h o u g h The junior society’s atadvises others titude toward going through ““I definitely do want to see more acceptance transgenders similar situabecause I know a lot of has been in the tions to have problems is transphobic spotlight lately confidence people in the world ...” with a transand to prepare NIKKI YOUNG gender charthemselves acter on Netfmentally for lix’s “Orange what is to is the New Black” and ex-Olymcome. Young also opposes those pian Bruce Jenner’s revelations, who claim transgenderism is a Young’s biggest role model is not in choice. the media; it’s her mom.

“Why would I choose to make my “She is a very accepting mother life harder? Why would I choose to and understands how hard it is to have people hate me?” she asked. live our lives just the way we want,” After her doctor asked her to

VRINDA CHAUHAN

Young encourages her peers to be more open-minded when dealing with people who identify as transgender. share her story at an upcoming seminar for transgenders, Young hopes to be more involved in the LGBTQ community.

“I definitely do want to see more acceptance because I know a lot of problems is transphobic people in the world and a lot of times, they

just don’t understand where we come from. They should be more understanding and there should be more openness,” Young said.

Student teacher wins dream wedding WEDDING from p.6

famous YouTube user],” Kelly said.

This will be featured on the web series’ third episode, which will become available on June 3. The wedding itself will take place on June 14, and will be shown in another episode.

“I have never been to Jamaica before, but I am so excited,” Kelly said. “We will be there for four nights, and then honeymoon at another Caribbean island for six nights right after.”

Kelly first met Swetnam while

they were in college. Both having is a U.S. Army veteran,” Kelly said. been involved in athletic teams, “We wanted to be able to help the they became returned solgood friends and diers who suffer “This is what we were their relationwith physical or planning anyway...We ship developed. mental injuries want to get married Now that they on their journey on the beach, so this is have won the to recovery.” perfect...” contest, they All of the KATIE KELLY are not only enthings that have sured a dream happened to wedding in JaKelly and her maica but also a chance to help fiancé with this contest have others, since the winners donate to occurred in a whirlwind of a a charity of their choice. couple of weeks, but one deci“We chose the Wounded Warsion has facilitated a dream riors Project because my brother wedding.

Visit dbbullseye.com for exclusive online articles.

SPORTS

THE BULL'S EYE

MAY 20, 2015

Brahmas win fourth consecutive CIF title BADMINTON The undefeated Brahmas finish their season as CIF champions. emily kim asst. sports editor The Diamond Bar High School badminton team earned their fourth consecutive CIF title after defeating Long Beach Polytechnic High School 16–5 on May 9. The win wrapped up the team’s undefeated season.

The badminton team participated in the title match for their sixth consecutive year. The team played two close matches against Wilson and Loma Linda, however, the team prevailed and moved on to the final match.

“It felt very good. The team played very well. We got off to a huge lead and I didn’t think we’d get out to such a wide margin so early but they all played so well that it became academic they were going to win the match,” head coach Kemp Wells said.

According to Wells, seniors Tim

ERIC HONG

Sophomores Megan Tsui and Justin Lam prepare to return the birdie in the first round of the CIF tournament Chui and Jonah Perea, sophomores Vincent Chui and Justin Lam are four of this year’s top boys on the team while, seniors Ivorine Do and Claire Chen, sophomores Megan Tsui and Gwen Wang, and freshman Jasmine Huang led the girl’s side.

“It leaves a very satisfying sense of accomplishment. To know that our team has not lost one game in four years is just amazing,” senior varsity captain Tim Chui said via Facebook.

Chui credits the team’s success to the amount of training members

have put in. Several team members including Justin Lam and Megan Tsui are part of the Global Badminton Academy in Pomona, which helps them with training outside of school practice.

While they are not part of a league due to lack of surrounding schools with badminton teams, the Brahmas continue to work hard and strive to advance with its undefeated streak. But the team played far fewer games because it isn’t in a league.

“It [not being in a league] gave

us far fewer games this year, which kind of hurts because we have such a large team I would like to rotate people in matches and try to use very single person we have if possible,” the coach said. “I haven’t had an opportunity to put some players in as many games as I would normally like to. It also restricts us from not having league finals.”

Getting into a league will be a one of Wells’ main priorities next year. Continuing to reinforce what they have been doing for the past few years will help with strengthening the team as well.

“Only one team has done that more than five times. It would be nice to eclipse that six straight championships won by Villa Park,” Wells said.

Several team members also participated in the CIF individuals on May 14 and 15. Freshman Jasmine Huang and Sophomore Gwen Wang placed second in women’s doubles. Sophomore Vincent Chiu and Freshman Ambrose So placed first in men’s doubles while Senior Tim Chiu and Sophomore Justin Lam placed second. Vincent and Wang took first place for mixed doubles and So and Huang placed second.

Big men looking to dominate NBA draft Basketball fans once again anticipate the annual draft that will take place after the postseason.

ERIC HONG

Freshman Ellen Lasko prepares to throw the ball to a teammate during a game against the Claremont Wolfpack.

Girls make pitch for future wins SOFTBALL Lady Brahmas end the season with disappointing losses, but high hopes ingrid chan staff writer Despite the fact that Diamond Bar High School is now participating in a considerably more difficult league than before, the varsity softball team is not far behind the other schools with a 3-6 record, placing fourth in the league this season.

In its first year participating in the Palomares League, the team has been keeping up with the new league’s competitiveness despite several losses.

According to head coach Roberta Garcia Uyemura, the team’s steady performance was thanks to the large number of competitive young members who joined this year.

Many were already skilled in the sport and had improved when they began practicing with the more experienced players.

“The incoming freshman are pretty good, and we definitely have a lot of them,” senior captain Danielle Cornejo said.

The team had a rough start to the preseason, suffering two losses against both Redondo Union High School and South High School. The Lady Brahmas’ score against RUHS was a discouraging 9-0. In the team’s second loss, the girls were defeated in a close 5-4 game.

Just one week after its second loss, the softball team continued its preseason with four consecutive wins against San Pedro, Bishop

Montgomery, Norwalk, and Western High Schools before it was defeated by West Covina 5-4.

Following the end of the preseason, the Lady Brahmas’ started off their season with a 7-0 loss against South Hills.

However, they quickly climbed back to their feet and won the next two games against Claremont and Bonita.

“The Palomares League is so competitive that our team needs to bring their ‘A’ game every time they set foot on the softball field.

Every team is very competitive, and we are competing with these teams. We have won some close games, lost a few close ones too,” coach Garcia said via email.

With each game, the Brahmas steadily progressed as a team throughout the season. In early April, they had a comeback win against Claremont 9-6.

“I believe our team has been doing better than last year, even if we’re in a different league,” sophomore captain Rebecca Winder commented.

After the Claremont match, the girls continued to have scattered results with their defeats outnumbering their victories, though not by very much.

“We came into the Palomares League thinking we weren’t going to do well,” captain Ruth Munoz said.

The last league game of the season at Ayala was canceled after the first inning due to the rain on May 14. There are currently no plans of making up the game.

ryan chae asst. sports editor After the NBA playoffs end in a few weeks, fans and teams are left with one thing to look forward to – the NBA Draft.

For 65 years, the draft has been an annual event in which the 30 teams in the NBA can select eligible players from colleges or foreign countries. These players can improve or worsen a team’s status, depending on the selection.

However, in the last few years, there has not been a draft class that changed the shape of the NBA as the 2003 draft class did, which featured LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. Whether the problem is a personal issue, maturity, or just overwhelming expectations, recent drafted players have not had the same impact as they did years ago.

Yet, this year’s draft has the ability to change this cycle of disappointment.

With freshmen big men KarlAnthony Towns of Kentucky and Jahlil Okafor of Duke in the draft, there should be no question as to why this draft may change the NBA. The potential of these two players draws comparison to the first two selections in the 1992 NBA draft, legendary centers Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning The draft also contains more potential stars who could remold the NBA into its former glory.

Shifting from the centers in the

draft, we have freshman guard D’Angleo Russell of Ohio State.

Russell was an extremely productive and crafty player in his lone year at Ohio State as he carried his team into the National Tournament. In today’s NBA, Russell would fit in perfectly with his sweet shooting touch, but he could also bring back the passing point guard breed.

Another player who could help bring excitement into the league is freshman forward Justise Winslow of Duke. With his athleticism, improved shooting, and defense, Winslow has all the tools needed to easily succeed in the NBA. Winslow’s game is similar to that of Chicago Bulls all-star shooting guard Jimmy Butler. His intensity on the floor could give the league another dynamic player to watch out for.

Although this year’s draft may look like an improvement, there are many more changes that must be made to bring back the draft’s reputation as a dominant factor for teams of the league.

The NBA could eliminate the rule that forces players to stay in college for a minimum of one year.

High school draftees have shown great success in the league. This group of past draftees includes future Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant, James, and Kevin Garnett.

Nonetheless, something has to be changed with the entire draft process, or else the league will face further decline from future players who fail to make the jump from amateur to professional.

College freshmen D’Angelo Russell, Jahlil Okafor, and Karl-Anthony Towns (from left to right) are among the top prospects for the NBA draft.

13

SENIOR COLUMN

BY NADIA LEE So that’s it? After four dreadful years of trying to stay awake during meaningless lectures and doing my best to survive so-called friendships, I have only one question; why can’t I just graduate right now and leave? No more useless high school drama, no more attending irrelevant classes, and most importantly, no more strings attached.

As a freshman, I messed up a lot and frequently got in trouble because of my grades. The following year, I was a hopeless sophomore who constantly went through the motions, lost, not knowing what to do. But everything began to change when I first walked into my English class, only to be greeted by a teacher who described himself as “just a white old man.”

Mr. List, if it weren’t for you, I would’ve been a lonely student for three years wandering around campus with no purpose. Having you as my teacher since sophomore year has been a blessing, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. After sitting through countless conversations about the Bull’s Eye, I finally decided to join journalism junior year, not knowing how big of an impact it was going to have on me. You gave me this opportunity to start something new for once in my life and allowed me to experience what it’s like to be a part of not only a newspaper staff, but also a family: an amazing, close knit family.

Though I must admit, it was awkward for me when I began to work with this staff. I had this feeling that I didn’t belong here and that my writing could never be as elegant as Katlyn Lee’s or as sophisticated as Hanna Kang’s; trust me, it’s still not. But as weeks passed, I not only began to understand the style of writing for each section, but was also able to get closer to each and every one of the Bull’s Eye staff. Never have I been a part of a school-related group that treated each other like family.

As I’m writing this, I can’t help but have this feeling that when I finally do graduate, I’ll be leaving something precious behind. It was then when I realized that that “something” was the Bull’s Eye staff. It didn’t matter how many times I desperately wanted to leave, because in the end, my heart will just ache even more for the people I will miss.

No words can describe how much I’ll miss casually talking to the humorous, yet sarcastic, Mr. List as well as the late night conversations I had with the prudent Sarah Markiewicz. I will never forget the laughs I had with sassy Frances Wu, or the time when Victoria Ly helped me get a prom date.

Not even the moments when the free-spirited Calvin Ru annoyed the heck out of me. I would finally like to thank Evon Hung for allowing me to be her friend.

My journey as a Bull’s Eye staff writer has sadly come to an end, but the memories I have created with them will forever stay with me.

Nadia Lee was on The Bull’s Eye staff for one year and was previously a Staff Writer.

14 SPORTS

MAY 20, 2015

THE BULL'S EYE

League champs tee off to playoffs

SENIOR COLUMN

GOLF The boys look to end their successful season with a CIF victory. sophia kim staff writer

BY ANDREW CHOI Thank goodness high school is coming to an end. There’s finally no more of waking up at 6 am just to get ready for zero period, no more staying up late doing articles for journalism, and of course no more trying to stay awake in every class, which is probably still the hardest thing to accomplish in my life. DBHS was definitely a rollercoaster ride and it’s going to be bittersweet when graduation day comes around. Since I’m a few days from officially becoming an alumni, here are some tips you annoying underclassmen should listen to.

Try to avoid being called up to your GLC First things first: stay out of trouble. Honestly, it’s pretty hard to get in trouble and receive a referral.

GLCs hate giving out referrals since they have to do paperwork afterwards. They already have enough on their shoulders. I hope I don’t jinx it by saying this, but I have never received a single referral or a SWAP even though I sleep in every single class. The dumbest way to get called up is being tardy multiple times. I don’t get what’s so hard about walking to your next class in six minutes. There’s plenty of time to use your locker and talk with friends during passing period. It’s not a good thing if the GLCs refer you as a troublemaker since they are going to be writing your college recommendation letters. If you’re going to do something that’s against the rules, just don’t get caught.

Make sure your grades are above average Like my Math Analysis/ Trigonometry teacher, Mrs. Chu said “ Do your homework every day. Keep those D’s and F’s away.” It’s always important to keep one’s grades up since this is the main factor in college decisions. Do your homework everyday since these are easy points for one’s grade. Honestly, homework takes at most a couple hours.

Don’t make the mistake of joining an arduous AP class just to end up barely passing with a C. Balance your schedule out with easy classes and with a few honor classes. I made the mistake of trying to do more than I could handle and this regret came back once my rejection letters came flying in my mail.

Try new things and have fun I’m not saying or implying that you should go out and do every crazy activity around. However, I’m just stating that people should go out of their comfort zone to actually experience something. Senior year may be the last year you can hangout with your close friends so why not try to make it the best high school experience ever. I do regret not reaching out to others in my first two years at DBHS. However, once I started to take initiative in hanging out with my friends, my junior and senior year consisted of many late night adventures and unforgettable memories.

High school did have some fun and crazy nights. I’m glad to say that I spent the last four years making memories with some unforgettable people.

Andrew Choi was on The Bull’s Eye staff for three years and was previously Sports Editor and Photo Editor..

Junior Russell Chen backhands a serve against the Ayala Bulldogs.

ERIC HONG

Swinging for perfection at CIF TENNIS The Brahmas look to continue their untouched record in the postseason. ryan chae asst. sports editor Transitioning into a new league has not stopped the Diamond Bar High School boys varsity tennis team from excelling, as the team rides into the CIF playoffs with a dominating record of 10-0.

In the Palomares League, the Brahmas had to compete against opposing teams from Bonita, South Hills, Claremont, Ayala, and Glendora.

“We didn’t know what to expect in this league. We always knew that some schools had the history of being a strong team. When you don’t know what your competition is going to be like, you focus on preparing for the strongest competition,” head coach David Hamel said.

Throughout the season, the Brahmas defeated their opponents by an average of seven points. The team had their largest win of the year in their final league match against Ayala, 17-1.

The Brahmas finished the season with the league title, and had

the opportunity to obtain the singles and doubles title at the league finals.

However, the Brahmas could not attain the titles, as sophomore Neil Tengbumroong lost in the singles final, 6-2, 6-1, and the doubles team, comprised of seniors Roger Yang and Daniel Chai, was defeated in the semifinals, 6-2, 6-4.

Yet the team’s year is not over, as the CIF playoffs are right around the corner, and hopes are high for this year’s team after the Brahmas exited the second round in last year’s postseason. Coming off this year’s undefeated season, the Brahmas are looking to perform at an even higher level in the postseason. The team hopes that its winning momentum will carry them far and look to finish its perfect season as CIF champions.

“We want to peak at this time of year. A lot depends on the draw as far as who we face and how difficult it’s going to be. So we just continue to do what we’ve been doing since the beginning of the year: just preparing for the toughest teams,” Hamel said.

As the No.6 seed, the Brahmas defeated Arcadia and Villa Park, 13-5 and 80-72, in the first two rounds. The team moved on to face No.3 seed San Clemente on Monday.

A late season push the by Diamond Bar High School varsity golf team successfully carried the Brahmas from second place to coleague champions, tying with Glendora. The team now enters CIF, looking to win its second championship since 2013.

“We are league champs,” head coach Tony McCabe said. “We want to be CIF champs.”

The team has kept their position as league champs for the past 15 years. Under the guidance of coach Ty Watkins, the boys were able to win CIF once in 2013, and were recognized as a runner-up in 2003.

“I think this year we have a high chance,” senior co-captain William Yang said. “If everyone does their best, I’m positive that we will win.”

During the two day league final on April 30 and May 5, senior Jefferson Kao took first place and the Most Valuable Player title. Yang and senior Sean Hsu have also been placed in the top eight, allow-

ing them to compete in the CIF individuals along with Kao. “These guys are good,” McCabe said. “We got players that could play.”

Kao had a score of 143, after shooting a two under par during the first 18 holes and a two over par at the second match. Yang shot 145 and Hsu shot 155.

Aside from individual CIFs, the Brahmas began the team CIF playoffs at the Los Serrano Country Club on Monday.

The boy’s golf team had a tough season this year adjusting to its new coach and balancing out its players. The team was in second place throughout the season as they edged out the other teams by just a couple of strokes in each match.

It was a surprise when they were able to find their way to becoming co-league champs. With McCabe encouraging his team, the Brahmas were able to get everything together and on track.

“We are finally connecting as a team,” Jefferson Kao said. “We are just finally doing well.”

Gaining confidence in the boys, coach McCabe hopes that the team will win state and bring home the golden trophy.

“If we continue to move forward, and we come ready to play, we have a good chance to win,” McCabe said.

Photo courtesy of DBHS GOLF

Senior Alex Lee practices his swing in an upcoming CIF match.

New expectations lead to success

ERIC HONG

Sophomore Preston Li competes in a breastroke event during league prelims.

SWIM With the addition of a new coach, swimmers finished the season as undefeated league champions. eric hong opinion editor A “belief barrier,” as coined by coach Darlys Ankeny at the beginning of the season, was broken at the Palomares League finals at Mt. SAC on May 7, when the varsity boys swim team took the championship title and girls took third.

Despite a more competitive league and abrupt changes in “culture” brought upon by the new coach, the team pulled through and sur-

passed its expectations.

This year, Ankeny has started to lay down stricter rules, demanding consistent effort and greater expectations for every swimmer.

The new organizational system is something many swimmers, especially the upperclassmen of the team, are not accustomed to yet, according senior co-captain Isabelle Cheng.

“I think it will take a few more years to change the environment from my freshman/sophomore year when we had coach Murphy,

coach Wilston, and coach Jose,” carry us,” Cheng said. she said.

Of the 51 girls and 94 boys in Regardless of the change in varsity, eight girls and nine boys atmosphere, the team saw an unmade it to CIF. With girls placprecedented first place victory for ing 10th and boys 20th, the team the boys in league finals and third finished 11th overall in the finals for the girls, who lost their first Saturday at Riverside. Girls came place streak after switching to the in eighth in the 200 medley relay new league. The boys and JV had and sixth in the 200 free relay, and an undefeated record at the end of eight swimmers placed individufinals, with varsity breaking a total ally (four boys, four girls). of five records. The girls set new “It was better than what I was records for the 200-and 400-yard expecting since all the divisions free relays and were redone boys broke the this year. So, 200-medley reconsidering “I think it will take a few lay. Junior Jenwe had sevmore years to change the na Lloyd broke eral swimmers environment” the 50-free and place and mulISABELLE CHANG the 100-breast tiple relays in records; both the top nine, were her own it was a pretty records that she had previously good meet for us,” senior co-capheld. tain Vanessa Cheng said via Face“I see a big improvement in my book. personal performance since last Although the team is currently year. Recently, I was top three at in a transitional stage and faces the recent Mt. SAC meet, and I was some complications with the new really far from that before,” Lloyd demands from coach Ankeny, a said. strong underclassman team and Both captains cite the freshmen the results from league and CIF boys as an integral part in the suggest an optimistic future. team’s successes in the league and “We are a great team right now CIF. and it’s because of the individuals “The freshmen are a really that made it successful,” Isabelle strong team. They really helped Cheng said via Facebook.

SPORTS

THE BULL'S EYE

MAY 20, 2015

Racing to the end of the season TRACK AND FIELD Despite the Brahmas’ losses, they look forward to their future. calvin ru asst. photo editor Diamond Bar High School’s track team competed in its final meet on April 28 against the Ayala Bulldogs with boys track losing 70-60. Girls track also lost against the Bulldogs 80-56. While the boys ended the season with a 2-5 record, the girls finished their season without a win.

“We got excited seeing the boys so far ahead and the girls tied with points,” sophomore track member Jessica Au said. “But after jumps scores were added at the very end of the meet, we ended up losing.

[It] was a very sad experience for everyone because it was our last meet of the year and we wanted to do well.”

Despite a heartbreaking final loss against Ayala and a disappointing league season for the track and field team, the members continued to push their limits, as nine Brahmas qualified for eight events at the CIF preliminary rounds.

“We’re in a much harder league this year, so this season has been a lot about individual improvements,” senior captain Jeannie Huang said via Facebook. “League ranking wise, girls are pretty much bottom. Guys I believe are about

halfway up the league, but there are definitely individuals who are really excelling.”

After the league preliminary rounds on May 4, roughly half of varsity track qualified to compete in league finals, which occurred on May 6. Only the best were chosen to enter, and DB’s track team was able to send a handful of runners to participate in CIF prelims.

On May 16, the 4x100 relay team, which consisted of seniors Austin Warrington and Austin Cox, and juniors Ryan Gan and Marcus Hunt, represented Diamond Bar at the CIF prelims. In addition to being in the relay team, Warrington also sprinted in both the 100 meter and the 200 meter, while junior Sophia Arnold bolted in the 100 meter and freshman Britta Liggins ran the 400 meter. Senior Isaiah Austin

raced the 110 meter hurdles and senior Jesse Dickens dashed the 300 meter hurdles while junior Chris Geere vaulted as the only qualifying pole vault member from DB’s track team.

Since Austin and Warrington were able to enter CIF finals, the

“We still have a lot to go, there’s a lot to improve, but we are off to a good start...”

SALLY JARVIS outlook for the team is still positive and has high hopes for improvement. The new head coaches, Sally Jarvis and Joseph Beaudion, and assistant coach Melinda Corral, have ramped up the difficulty of the team’s workouts, in hopes of

SENIOR COLUMN

rising up in the Palomares League.

“There are a lot of things we need to iron out. We have a lot of sophomores on our team, which is great because if they are doing really well during their sophomore year, then I can’t wait until their senior year,” head coach Sally Jarvis said.

With many new athletes, the track team hopes to continue building a stronger foundation for the future. Although the season did not go as planned, the Brahmas are focused on their strengths as a young team with a dedicated coaching staff helping to pull them through the league.

“The team overall has been very successful. We still have a lot to go, there’s a lot to improve, but we are off to a good start for the beginning of the next season,” Jarvis said.

Senior Allen Chen pole vaults in the Ayala meet while sophomore Paul Abdo races ahead of the Ayala runners.

CALVIN RU

Athletes score scholarships Multiple Brahmas signed with various colleges thanks to their performance in athletics and academics. vrinda chauhan asst. feature editor As far as college admissions go, it’s generally agreed that academic diligence can be fruitful. However, a handful of Diamond Bar senior athletes this year proved that beyond academics, athletic dedication can be rewarding as well. Thirteen athletes this year received scholarships to play their sports at colleges across the country.

Diamond Bar High School varsity player Marissa Favela will continue to play soccer at Cal State Northridge for the next four years.

Additionally, Joan Park will attend Cal State San Marcos, and Bethany Wu will be playing at UCLA, both for golf.

Jefferson Kao is going to attend UCI for golf, while four varsity golfers received scholarships. Sahith Theegala received a full scholarship to Pepperdine.

“Our team is incredibly excited

for Sahith and Jefferson, and we know the Pepperdine community of Malibu and the Irvine community will benefit because these two wonderful men.The Varsity Boys Golf team has been riding on the coat tails of these two extraordinary young men,” Coach Ty Watkins said.

William Yang, who had aimed throughout high school to get a scholarship at a California college, received an 80 percent scholarship to Cal State Dominguez Hills after serving as a two year DB varsity player.

“My family, especially my two sisters that also played golf, encouraged me to get a scholarship and with the help of Coach McCabe and Coach Watkins, I made varsity and got this scholarship,” Yang said.

Farther from home will be Jessica Pierce, who received a 75 percent scholarship to Beloit College in Wisconsin for volleyball.

“I really like the feeling of just

ANDREW CHOI

Photo courtesy of TYLER PETERSON

Senior Tyler Peterson was awarded a scholarship to Dixie State University. playing, and it’s an exciting sport.

I’m glad I joined because I made a lot of new friends,” Pierce said.

Jordan Rosas also received a generous scholarship to Notre Dame College in Ohio, and will be

Photo courtesy of BETHANY WU

Senior Antonio Hull (left) will attend the University of Wyoming and play defensive back while senior Bethany Wu (left) earned a scholarship to the University of California Los Angeles.

15

playing rugby there. “[At Notre Dame] I will be playing on the same team as my brother and I’m really excited about that,” Rosas said.

Tyler Peterson, the star quarterback of DBHS’ varsity football team, will continue to make history as an athlete at Dixie State University. Joining Peterson at Dixie State is Isaiah Thompson, who also received a scholarship. “[Getting a scholarship] was my overall goal, but I mainly played football because it was fun. I met most of my friends though it,” Peterson said.

Also for football, Antonio Hull committed to the University of Wyoming earlier this year after starring for the Diamond Bar High School varsity team for two years.

He will be playing defensive back and return kicks for the Division I football team. Additionally, Austin Cox will also continue to play football at Briar Cliff University after receiving a scholarship. Kevin Kueter also received a scholarship to University of Redlands for football.

BY JAMES KIL It’s been a wild journey with many ups and downs here at DBHS, but I never stopped to think about what I’ve learned at Diamond Bar. So, here are the things I’ve learned throughout my high school career.

Freshman year, I learned that trying new things can be a positive experience. I was a timid, shy, and clueless boy on campus who clearly didn’t know what to do with his life. However, my friend somehow convinced me to join football saying, “Come on! It’ll be fun James!”

Although I hardly contributed to the team effort, I will never forget the people I met and the experiences I gained. Trying something new not only helps you create memories you won’t forget, but it also helps you grow. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

Sophomore year, I learned that the opinions of others do not matter. I remember being so self-conscious of how I looked and what others thought of me. I know I’m not the only one, but maybe it’s because everyone has this fear that they’ll be bullied for being different. Who cares if you enjoy something that others don’t. You do it because you enjoy it and that’s what’s important. The only people who should matter are your family and friends. You do you.

Junior year, I learned that finding a balance between hanging out with friends and school is essential. I just wanted to sit at home and do nothing but watch Netflix or just browse the Internet. Either that, or I wanted to go out and do something with my friends. I never wanted to do homework or study, but I had to.

Homework and studying was more of an obstacle I had to finish in order to hang out with my friends.

It took me a while to realize that I should be putting school at the top of my priorities list because it’ll help increase the chance of having a successful career. Many people, including myself, take the free education that we receive for granted.

Make the most out it because there are people in the world who would love to take your place. Work hard, play hard.

Senior year, I learned that it doesn’t matter what college you end up attending; people don’t really care, except your parents.

College is what you make of it, so make it count. The last thing I learned is to have fun. You spend most of your life preparing for college applications, but now it’s over. You have nothing to worry about except keeping your grades up. This is when senior year starts.

Hang out with your friends past midnight, not only on weekends, but on weekdays too. Do things you never thought you would do. You’ll never have a chance like this again: spending most of your time with your closest friends, without having to worry about a thing. Carpe diem.

I’m not the perfect person to be giving out advice, but Bill Cosby once said, “A word to the wise ain’t necessary – it’s the stupid ones that need the advice.”

James Kil was on The Bull’s Eye staff for one year and was previously Assistant Sports Editor.

16 SPORTS

MAY 20, 2015

THE BULL'S EYE

Athletes of the months OCTOBER

ashley Bell

AMBERLY CHENG

MARCH

APRIL

ARIANA INFANTE

Guy horcasitas

FEBRUARY

Jeffrey Lin

Bethany wu Kenneth Thai

JANUARY

DECEMBER

NOVEMBER

Tyler peterson

SEPTEMBER

Jason Kim

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Jason of all trades theresa guan asst. web editor Throughout the years, Diamond Bar High School has featured countless athletes who have greatly excelled at his or her respective sport. However, the mastery of a single sport isn’t enough for senior Jason Kim, who in his four years as a Brahma has taken part in four different sport teams at DBHS. Spending time on the junior varsity basketball team, junior varsity golf team, varsity track team, and varsity football team, Kim has been selected as the Bull’s Eye Athlete of the Year for his versatility in a wide variety of sports.

Kim began at an early age, after being inspired by his father to be more active in school sports.

As a freshman, he started playing football for the first time at school, joining the junior varsity team. After much practice and personal improvement, Kim made it onto the school’s varsity team as a sophomore, where he would continue playing for the next three years.

“It was hard to play twice a week but it got me better for junior and senior year,” Kim said. “Sophomore year was an experience that

made me the defensive player I was.”

For the past two years, Kim has also been selected for second team All-League. Although Kim was disappointed he only made second team this year, he had a good season with 48 tackles and six sacks, the most for any defensive lineman.

“My most memorable moment was getting two and a half sacks during the Branding Iron game

“It was the hardest decision because I could have played collegiate football” SENIOR JASON KIM [this year] and hearing my name on the intercom. I also had three fumble recoveries and four swatted passes,” he said.

Also in his freshman year, Kim became a member of the junior varsity golf team, which won the league in 2012. Despite the team’s success, Kim decided against rejoining the team the following season in order to improve and get stronger for his next football season.

Along with golf and football, Kim also played basketball as a

freshman. However, he had to quit after two years due to time commitment issues after he joined USB. Kim participated in three years of track, after becoming part of the varsity track team as a sophomore. This year, Kim, as a shot put and discus thrower, has placed first in every meet except one, in which he placed second.

“In the new league it has been very tough, especially for the throwers, but I think he still did a great job competing,” said head track coach Joseph Beaudion.

Kim received offers to play football at Chapman University and Claremont McKenna College. However, he will be attending USC, where he will major in economics and minor in accounting, rather than pursuing an athletic career.

“I couldn’t turn it down. It was the hardest decision because I could have played collegiate football in college. My parents were lenient enough to let me do different activities, so it’s nice to feel like I did enough in school and got to be involved outside of the classroom,” Kim said.