May 2016 by The Bull's Eye

inside the issue

CANDIDATE OVERVIEW

feature 8

a&e 10

SENIOR COLUMNS

opinion 5

SUMMER ENTERTAINMENT

sports 13

the bull’s eye NEWS

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OPINION

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F E AT U RE

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BRAHMA RIDER

may 18, 2016 Volume XXXIV, Issue VIIiI ONLINE at dbbullseye.com

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

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S P O RT S

A prominent face returns to campus Former DBHS teacher Reuben Jones will return to take over as principal starting this summer. emily jacobsson a&e editor Over the years, Diamond Bar High School has upheld a tradition of excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts. As new Principal Reuben Jones begins to re-familiarize himself with the school he last worked at in 1999, he has expressed his hope to maintain the school’s legacy. Jones began his career as a history teacher and an assistant basketball coach, never envisioning at that time that he would one day become a principal. “I love working with students, I love teaching and learning and coaching, so that was my primary focus at the time. As you do in any job as you grow in the job you start to see other things and if opportunities present themselves then you definitely will pur-

sue them,” Jones said. Math teacher Kent Neil worked with Jones while he was at DBHS. He looks optimistically toward Jones beginning his time as principal. “I’m sure he’s going to be a plus on not only the academic side because he’s really knowledgeable in a lot of different areas in curriculum, but also in athletics. With his enthusiasm and spirit and knowing Diamond Bar I think he’s going to be a really good fit for the school,” Neil said. Since Jones last worked at DBHS, the school has undergone many changes, from the addition of the pool to the new buildings. He plans on continuing to change the school for the benefit of the student body, whether that be the addition of new equipment or the creation of new classes. Jones attributes DBHS’ success to the staff and the quality of teaching offered, as well as to the students that take opportunities presented to them, most recently demonstrated to him through the school’s production of “Les Miserables.” Through working with staff and students,

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Former Centennial High School assistant principal Reuben Jones joins the DBHS staff as principal. Jones hopes to pinpoint what it is that they pride themselves on and work to continue pushing that forward. “So many people see Diamond Bar and

see national awards and see top AP scores and all these things that we have but I don’t

PRINCIPAL on p.3

Next semester’s student leaders elected digitally

Seniors move on to East Coast

Class officer votes are in, and results were announced after a runoff election.

Seven DBHS seniors will be attending Ivy League schools in the fall semester.

calvin ru photo editor brian chang news editor Cut-out faces and puns plastered over every available inch of the upper quad pillars can signal only one thing: class elections. For the first time, students were able to log on to their school-made Google accounts and vote for their desired officers for the upcoming

school year. This process was implemented after the incident that occurred during the beginning of the year during the USB elections, in which ballots were altered. Despite the new election system, only about 200 students voted in the general election. For the class of 2017, Paul Bang defeated three-time president Morgan Pak, after a tie-breaking revote (other offices also required a re-vote). “It was definitely bittersweet because it has been such a huge part in my high school experience. All good things come to an end and now is the time to move on to bigger and better things,” Pak said. Joining Bang as next year’s se-

nior class officers will be Ameer Alameddin, Donje Lee, Austin DeCambra, and Vinay Bhupathiraju as vice president, secretary, historian, and social chairperson respectively. For the class of 2018, Hampton Douglas will be returning as president for the third year in a row with his catchphrase: “I came, I saw, I conquered.” “My friends didn’t have the ability to promote for me on social media but they sure did help in person. They got my name out there and they were always there when I was in a state of doubt or anxiety. My opponents had great sportsmanship and integrity while going

officers on p.3

a Paws-ITIVE EXPERIENCE

Students interact with a returning therapy dog during the dogs’ second visit to DBHS at lunch on April 28.

ERIC HONG

michelle ki editor-in-chief Every year, Diamond Bar High School produces a handful of stand-out students who strive toward extraordinary heights both in academics and extracurriculars. Soon-to-be graduates Felix Lien, April Song, Charlene Hsu, Alana Zhang, Yunxuan Li, Betty Kim, and Shana Roan will be heading off to Ivy League schools in the fall. Lien will be attending Columbia University in New York, having been named a C. Prescott Davis Scholar. Although not a scholarship, the position will inflate Lien’s grants and will waive his workstudy requirements for his first two years. He plans on pursuing materials science and engineering or finance in the future. “I’m motivated by the prospect of using what I learn to help our society in some way or form. Not making the most of my time in school would be a waste,” he said. Joining Lien in New York is April Song, who will be attending Cornell University. She will be majoring in hotel management after participating in related activities through FBLA. “I’m excited to intern at different businesses and hotels, firms, and different events not available for me here in the West Coast. I hope to mark my place there,” Song said. Charlene Hsu will also be attending Cornell, majoring in chemistry and chemical biology. Hsu aspires

SCHOOLS on p.3

DS A R G HE RS DB T BY MBE NU

2015 PRIVATE OUT 66DB GRADS OF STATE 48

PRIVATE IN STATE

141 MT SAC 116 CAL STATE 154 UC 6

IVY

MILITARY

OUT OF COUNTRY

BASED ON 592 RESPONSES FROM 722 GRADS Graphic by HANNAH LEE

NEWS

MAY 18, 2016

THE BULL'S EYE

UC applications New forensic science class to be implemented get personal State schools are making changes to the application process for the class of 2017. brian chang news editor As more and more students jostle to find a way into top colleges and the number of coveted acceptance letters dwindles with each passing year, the college application process becomes increasingly focused on achievements and extracurriculars. In order to place more emphasis on each student’s personality, the University of California’s system is revamping a large portion of its application. The current application consists of two essays with a word count of 1,000 words shared between the two essays. These questions have been replaced by eight new ones, four of which aspiring seniors will need to respond to, with a word count of 350 each. Transfer students will need to explain how they prepared for their desired major. “Anything that can be done by institutions to give them more information about the students applying to their school, to help them select the students that they feel best fit their campus, I think is positive. I believe the UC’s feel that the change in the essay prompts is going to help them make better, more accurate decisions, on students

that apply to their schools,” said Kevin Patterson, one of two GLC’s for the class of 2017. The changes will be implemented in the fall for the class of 2017 and are aimed toward allowing college admissions officers “to know [the applicant’s] personality, background, interests and achievements in [the applicant’s] own unique voice,” according to the official UC website. The school system states that the questions will allow for a greater expression and reduce the possibility of students reusing essays they have written for other schools. The website states that the change, the first since 2008, is due to the increased applicant pool. “With record-high numbers of applications and increased selectivity throughout the system, we felt it critical to ensure that the written responses received from our applicants truly provided the type of reflective and personal insights we value so greatly,” the website reads. All of the new questions will be given equal consideration by UC admissions officers and students are encouraged to choose those that they can most relate to and best describe themselves. “The prompts will allow students to share more with the UC’s about what makes each individual student tick. I’ve always told students that the personal statement is their opportunity to express to the admissions counselors who they are,” Patterson said. “The prompts will allow them to do that.”

DBHS adds new science classes to its curriculum, to be implemented soon. tess guan web editor Adding to Diamond Bar High School’s already prestigious STEM program, a career-oriented science class will be offered. Forensic science, the science revolving around investigations at crime scenes, will be taught by environmental science teacher Leonard Romero starting in the fall semester. Though it can be taken instead of a non-AP Chemistry class, it will be based specifically on using the scientific method to gather information. Content will focus on teaching the methd developed and used in criminal investigations. “There’s so many different types of scientific units within a crime,” Romero, who had worked as a forensic scientist for 25 years, said. Romero, who was recently appointed to the LA Superior Court Expert panel as an expert in ballistics, works for the LAPD Crime organization. As a forensic scientist, he start-

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Forensics teacher Leonardo Romero instructs an environmental science class. ed his own forensic firearms unit and worked for several crime labs. This is his second year teaching at DBHS. “It will give the students a chance to see how chemistry is used in the industry,” Romero said. “With all the background you have in chemistry and biology, it will show you that in depth, how it’s used, how science is used in physical crimes.” Although students will be expected to learn the basic ideas and foundations of chemistry, the forensic science class will stray away from the in-depth ideas of chemistry. Instead of traditional labs, most experiments will focus on learning about collecting and analyzing evidence from crime scenes.

“I’ll show students the techniques to analyzing different types of physical evidence, teach them what they’re used for, and the background of the method we’re using,” Romero said. According to GLC Jenna Brummet, the course will be available to students who have completed biology and chemistry with a grade of a C or higher. Students must also have completed geometry. “I hope to give the students a good background on the different aspects of science by showing them how science is applied in the resolution of crimes,” Romero said, “It’s a great career to be a criminalist or a forensic scientist.”

and the nominees are...

the staff Editors-in-Chief

Bernard Chen, Michelle Ki

News Editors Asst. News Editor

Brian Chang, Hannah Lee Angela Yang

Opinion Editor Asst. Opinion Editors

Eric Hong Stuart Kusdono, Noor Naji

Feature Editors Asst. Feature Editor

Michelle Ki, Catherine Zhang Amelie Lee Emily Jacobsson, Pauline Villegas Amy Miyahara

A&E Editors Asst. A&E Editor

Ryan Chae, Emily Kim Sophia Kim

Sports Editors Asst. Sports Editor

Eric Hong, Calvin Ru

Photo Editors

Emily Jacobsson Tess Guan

Business Manager Asst. Business Manager Web Editors

Bernard Chen, Tess Guan

Staff Writers

Ingrid Chan, Cindy Liu

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.

Prom King and Queen Brian Ho and Betty Kim aim to shoot down water bottle targets d uring lunch on May 9.

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Claiming her place in DB history AP History teacher Emily Clark was announced as Teacher of the Year. sophia kim asst. sports editor Emily Clark, having taught for 20 years at Diamond Bar High School, was selected as DBHS’ Teacher of the Year for 2016. Each year, teachers in the three academic divisions vote for a teacher to represent their division, and amongst the three, one is voted on by the entire staff. Since September 1996, Clark has taught AP European History and IB History at DBHS. She has been a class advisor for the 2011 and 2015, as well as a Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Provider for 10 years. On top of being an academic teacher, class advisor, and mentor, she also coached girls soccer during her first years at DBHS. “The community of teachers, parents, and students is enormously unique at Diamond Bar, and it’s just a special place to be,” she said.

Clark majored in history at UC Davis and received her master’s degree at Cal State Fullerton, in U.S. and European History. Though she is known for teaching AP Euro, her initial focus was on U.S. history. It wasn’t until she lived in Hungary as an exchange teacher that she grew passionate about European history. “I was always going to be a history teacher,” Clark said. “In 5th grade, I would teach my stuffed animals about history.” Clark continues to serve as a BTSA support provider, mentoring new teachers and offering advice and ideas with them. Though she gives helpful tips, Clark learns from new teachers and their unique teaching style. Clark said she attempts to make a personal connection with all her students. As AP Euro is typically a difficult subject for most sophomores, Clark understands her students’ struggles and sacrifices her lunch break to give additional help with the class. During AP testing season, Clark clears her schedule to give her students help before, during, and after school. She said

she envisions her class to be a welcoming place for students and not a place students want to avoid. To further help her students understand the subject, Clark implements unique projects to help the students engage in the topic. She has assigned projects such as Cold War Talk Shows, an Industrial Revolution Magazine, and Enlightenment Speed Dating to help students learn more outside of the textbook.

Photo courtesy to DBHS.ORG

DB seniors headed to prestigious schools schools from p.1 to be a biochemist and would like to conduct stem cell research. “My motivation was ... the need to get a full scholarship. I wouldn’t have been able to go to college if I hadn’t gotten a substantial amount of financial aid,” Hsu said. Cornell will have the most DB alumni of the bunch, as Alana Zhang will also be attending the school. She is currently intending on majoring in Biology with an emphasis on Cell Biology, as it was her favorite subject in high school. The last senior who will be attending Cornell is Yuxuan Li, majoring in philosophy after years of listening to his parents’ moral stories. Additionally, Li plans to pursue business, writing, or art performance in the future. New Hampshire will be Betty Kim’s home in a couple of months, as she will be attending Dartmouth College. Kim chose Dartmouth because it has all the elements she’s looking for in a liberal arts school, while having the feel of a large pri-

NEWS

THE BULL'S EYE

MAY 18, 2016

vate institution. “I think that people often undervalue the power of humanistic studies and I’m going to take it upon myself to become an expert and prove them wrong,” she said. Joining the others on the East Coast is Shana Roan, who will be attending the University of Pennsylvania, having specifically chosen this school due to its wellknown nursing program. Other seniors who are heading off to other prominent private schools are Julia Chen, Isabelle Jiang and Margaret Wang, who will all be attending Rice University; Pansy Tseng, who will be attending Duke; Claire Yang attending Georgetown; and Miriam Sun, who will be attending Caltech. Alenta Demissew, Crystal Chang and Jeff Chow will all go to MIT; Karen Sun will be attending Johns Hopkins University; and Letitia So, Nicholas Zhou, David Cho, Ashley Lee, Sooji Kim and Han Chen, among others, will be attending USC.

Five DBHS students rewarded for service Girl’s League distributes the club’s annual merit scholarship awards to select DBHS students. stuart kusdono asst. opinion editor Over the past 15 years, Girls League has been granting scholarships to graduating seniors, having given over $17,000. This year, the club added $1200 to that amount, awarding seniors Garrett Masuda and Kathy Tong with $500 each and Katie Desmond and Alexandra Ornelas with $100 each. “The Girls League Merit Scholarship Award was started by myself and I felt compassionate about

giving money to students because I received scholarships when I was in college and I greatly appreciated them,” club advisor Lisa Pacheco said. The scholarship is funded by toy and food sales and other means, and is given to students who have been actively involved in community service throughout their high school years. Additionally, students must undergo an application process, which involves writing essay and being interviewed. “We interview them before a panel of Girls Leagues officers, members, and myself,” Pacheco said, “We put them on the hot seat and we grill them and ask them questions and then we rank them based on their answers.” Applicants are given a score from one to five based on the qual-

ity and sincerity of the responses. The scores are then added up to determine the winners. Masuda was able to stand out with his active involvement in various clubs. Examples include being the chairman of DB4Youth, copresident of CSF, co-president of Easter Seals, and founder of Stomp Out Hunger. In addition, he plans on joining service clubs in college that appeal to him once he has settled into his college life. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure that I would win the award. I knew I had a good chance, but I also knew that the other applicants are just as highly qualified,” Masuda said. “I was very happy and humbled when I heard that I won. I have to thank Girls League for offering this scholarship and taking time to consider me as an applicant.”

Newly hired DBHS principal worked in Walnut, Corona principal from p.1

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Ivy League-bound seniors Yunxuan Li, April Song, Shana Roan, Charlene Hsu, Felix Lien, Betty Kim, and Alana Zhang pose in their university gear.

think people see how it’s so great and why it’s so great,” Jones said. At Walnut High School, Jones worked as the summer school principal for four years. This position helped to introduce him to and train him for the responsibilities of a full time principal. “[My previous jobs] helped me take responsibility for the thing

that are most important, which are student learning and teaching,” Jones said. He has also worked as an instructional dean, a GLC, and most recently, an assistant principal at Centennial High School in Corona. He will be the fifth principal in the 34 year history of DBHS, following Walt Homes, Bob Cokrum, Denis Paul, and Catherine Real.

Although he will not begin his duties as principal until July 1, Jones has already begun visiting Diamond Bar High School and working alongside staff to immerse himself in school life. “He’s a great communicator,” Neil said. “I think he works really well with students, he’ll work really well with the staff, and he’ll work really well with the parents.”

Students have chance to make opinion count As presidential elections draw closer, students planning to vote can register online. hannah lee news editor With Election Day fast approaching, there has been a growing buzz around the presidential candidates on social media among young Americans. Despite the popularity of the candidates on the internet, it is anticipated that half of this year’s 18 to 24 year old voters will not take part in the presidential election in November, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2008, over 40 percent of young

voters did not register to vote, the lowest in 40 years. According to the Campus Vote Project, 1.7 million of eligible 18 to 24 year olds said that they were not registered to vote because of missing the deadline to register or not knowing how to. During the 2012 presidential elections, the number of registered young voters only increased by one percent. The California primary election is set for June 7, with local, state and the presidential candidates up for consideration. For any eligible 18 year old, voting begins with registration. Students with a state-issued ID card or a driver’s license can go through the registration process online at www.registertovote.ca.gov up to 15 days before Election Day.

In California, students also have the option of providing the last four digits of their social security number as a valid form of identification.

ERIC HONG

Students sit in a lecture on voter registration for the 2016 presidential elections.

New class leaders elected digitally amid controversy among seniors officers from p.1 into the race,” Douglas said. In addition, fellow sophomoresDanton Wong, Steven Liang, Clarissa Hui, and Kevin Lew will join Douglas as vice president, secretary, historian, and social chairperson, respectively. Finally, for the class of 2019, Megan Young will be taking the position as the new class president and will be joined by classmates Victor Chai, Andy Tsai, Patrick Ma, and Austin Kim as vice president, secretary, historian, and social chairperson, respectively. “It was definitely fun. The overall process was a competitive atmosphere but most of all it was memorable and there were tense

Students can register and vote under any location considered “home,” such as college or a parent or guardian’s address, as long as residency has not been claimed

elsewhere. After the registration process, students can choose to either vote through mail or in person. To be a mail-in voter, an application process is needed. However, once an applicant is approved, a ballot will automatically be mailed to them for future elections, as one becomes a permanent mail-in voter. A PDF version of the mail-in voter application can be found at www.sos.ca.gov. After the application is completed, it can be either hand delivered or mailed to the county election’s office up to seven days before Election Day. After successfully becoming a registered voter, students can locate polling places at www.sos. ca.gov/elections/polling-place.

MORE ON

THE WEB: DBHS RANKED HIGHLY

moments but the excitement took over everything,” Bang said. However, for some candidates, the competitive environment was taken too far.

“...It was memorable and there were tense moments but the excitement took over everything,” PAUL BANG While running for reelection, Pak faced threats and accusations against her integrity. These culminated in a direct confrontation during lunch with an opponent

and spurred Pak to respond via a Facebook post, in which she crafted an open letter addressing those who use such methods to win. She claimed those people were creating an issue “that looks to destroy the sacredness of our school as a place of development and learning” and one that “dismantles the core of our community.” Pak said these allegations were made via social networking sites in the past but had recently been directed at her at school. She said it “was something starting from freshman year that’s built up and escalated to this year, where it’s more confrontational, direct, and in-person.”

DBHS was recently named a gold medal school by the U.S. News and World Report.

NEW LAW IN NORTH CAROLINA

The newly implemented law in North Carolina prohibiting transgenders from using the restrooms of their gender is a violation of civil rights.

COACH AND FUTURE OLYMPIAN?

DBHS high jump coach Jill Schmide is trying out to represent the U.S. at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

VISIT DBBULLSEYE.COM

4 OPINION

MAY 18, 2016

THE BULL'S EYE

EYE EDITORS OF THE

TO THE PRINCIPAL: The Bull’s Eye lays out several issues facing the DBHS campus.

fter an entire school year without a permanent principal, Diamond Bar High School has a new leader. While student voice is limited on campus and students rarely are allowed the opportunity of offering suggestions on how to improve the school, the editors of the Bull’s Eye would like to offer a few suggestions for our new principal. As Reuben Jones steps in, it is vital that he address the following student concerns. Consistent curriculum: No two teachers teach the same way, and it seems that, at DBHS, no two teachers teach the same material across all subjects. English teachers cannot even agree on what books to teach, and science teachers are not able to coordinate lessons, instead choosing to instruct at wildly different paces. A uniform curriculum would do wonders in terms of preparing students equally for AP tests and for college classes. It is unfair for the AP score and grade of a student to be altered because of

different teachers and their willingness to teach specific subject material. More career-oriented classes: On the topic of education, DBHS needs more of it. Not in terms of more APs, but in terms of more career-oriented courses. The current ROP pathways offered at DBHS do not cover a broad enough spectrum and limit students to a small variety of career paths they can sample in high school. Careers in education, hospitality, marketing, and medicine are severely underrepresented by current school ROPs, and in order to truly prepare students for their futures, such classes should be offered. Equal enforcement of school policy: Long forgotten are the school’s dress code and cell-phone policy. It seems that school officials are more concerned with what kind of hat a student chooses to wear rather than about whether flesh and undergarments are properly concealed. As for cell phones, school policy states that they are not to be

used during passing period or rallies, rules blatantly disregarded by students and staff members alike. Equal enforcement of standard rules in all classrooms across the board would be a major step toward creating a consistent school policy. Stopping mandatory club donations: The 2012 bill AB 1575 mandates that it is illegal in California to require students from a public school system to pay to participate in any activity or club on campus. With lax enforcement and even laxer punishment, however, many clubs and organizations on campus continue to pressure students into paying membership fees, and teachers continue to offer extra credit for attending school events. Our new principal needs to ensure that the execution of AB 1575 is consistent and puts an end to the flagrant disregard of these regulations across the campus. These are just a few of the issues that many students feel should be on the priority list for Jones for the upcoming school year.

With Bernie or Bust, the Dems are dust

eric hong opinion editor

t this point in the race for the White House, there are some concessions that need to be made across the board. One, Hillary Clinton is set to be the Democratic nominee. Two, there is a formidable enemy and his name is Donald Trump. In both Oregon and California, Sanders is trailing Clinton by at least 10 points, according to recent polling by multiple research groups. Without victories in these two states, a superdelegate turnover is out of the question and so is his presidency. However, in protest, waves of Sanders supporters too massive for comfort have decided not to vote for Clinton, should she win the nomination. Instead, they plan on voting

for Green Party candidate Jill Stein, writing in Sanders’ name on the ballot, or simply staying home. The movement, called “Bernie or Bust,” has been trending online since June of last year and has claimed a quarter to a third of Sanders’ nearly 10 million voters. At the core of “Bernie or Bust” is the widespread skepticism of Clinton’s judgment for leftist policies, a thorn that’s been lodged in her side since the beginning of her campaign. Millions of voters say they cannot bring themselves to cast a ballot for a candidate they view as untrustworthy, with a foreign policy more hawkish and a history on trade more corporatist than the rest of her party. Also drawing criticism on the trust factor, whether her supporters like it or not, Clinton is under investigation by the FBI about her private email server and faces the possibility (as small as it is) of indictment. Sanders supporters see their champion, on the other hand, as a candidate who upholds the value of integrity and ideological consistency. The only problem is this champi-

on will likely not be running in two months, and they will have to decide whether or not their attachment to an obsolete candidate is worth more than putting a Democrat in the White House and a liberal on the Supreme Court. It basically comes down to who’s more reliable: Hillary or a pro-torture sadist? Gee, that’s hard one. Yet, this realization doesn’t seem to be sinking in. The Bernie or Bust idea is a frightening one to the establishment in this anti-establishment race. But it shouldn’t be worrisome just for party old-timers--it’s reason for anyone on the political left to fret. With House Speaker Paul Ryan and Trump “totally committed to working together,” there is more conversation among GOP officials about party unity than about a third party bid, meaning the final stretches of the race will not be getting any easier for the Democratic nominee, presumably Clinton. Clinton and Trump are neck and neck in the most contested swing states—Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania— according to a recent Quinnipiac general election poll. In both Florida and Pennsylvania, Clinton

leads Trump with a single point, and trails him by four in Ohio. This is a no-brainer: Clinton needs to get all the votes she can in these battleground states and the way the numbers are now, there is little room to breathe. Any loss of base supporters spells asphyxiation. For ardent Sanders supporters, what is offered as political pragmatism may very well resonate as plain defeatism. But take it from someone who just last month said Clinton was one person who should never come near the Oval Office. Sanders’ weak surge and likely defeat does not necessarily make Clinton more appealing as a candidate, but it’s time to get practical. Sanders has already done his job in this election, and it wasn’t about claiming the nomination or the presidency. Sanders’ goal was to inspire a generation of progressive voters to move America forward, doing away with corporate plagues killing the middle class. This was finished a long time ago. Now it’s on his voters to carry his momentum into the general election and into a Clinton presidency, which will be far from perfect.

SELECTING A PRESIDENT...

Cartoon courtesy of MEGAN LEE

Seniors: To vote or not to vote?

noor naji asst. opinion editor

ith the upcoming primary election, young voters are faced with the hardest of choices: should they vote for a complete outsider who’s obsessed with creating walls, a “radical” democratic socialist, or someone known for her infamous emails. Unfortunately, even when there seems to be no benefit, the youth think that their votes aren’t going to make a difference, but it does. Teen voices matter and they should vote, but they should choose their desired candidate based on what they’ve researched and analyzed on each candidate’s policies. In a random campus survey, the majority of seniors said they plan to restrain from voting, stating that the election is a “joke” and that it’s simply a game choosing the “most sane out of all candidates.” What seniors don’t realize is the importance of their vote. There are currently 49 million eligible voters from ages 18-29 according to the Center for Information and Research. It’s the youth who will pay college tuition and debt, need jobs, and fight wars. For such a large demographic, it’s absolutely important that they vote. One of these candidates will become the president of the United States, and their policies will affect us-- especially the seniors who plan to attend college. Furthermore, unlike underclassmen, seniors are directly granted a platform that allows them to stand up for issues that they are passionate about. However, the majority of seniors on campus, even if they plan to vote, don’t know much about the candidate or their policies. For example, some seniors voting for Donald Trump believe that he would be the best candidate to improve the economy. However, the supporters on campus failed to mention what they know of Trump’s economic plan. Moreover, many seniors mentioned that they would be voting for Bernie Sanders because he’ll provide “financial opportunities for lower-class citizens” and “make college free.” However, the same supporters judged the candidate’s policies in terms of college or taxes and aren’t aware of his stances on other important issues such as abortion or immigration. The election process might seem like choosing between the lesser of two evils, but you are choosing the “lesser” evil by voting. Seniors should educate themselves on each candidate, research about their policies and stances on significant issues, and vote for the one that they agree with most. Seniors aren’t kids anymore. As they exit high school and enter the “real world,” they should have opinions on controversial issues along with being politically aware. It’s about time seniors stop complaining about the country’s problems, and become part of the solution.

OPINION

THE BULL'S EYE

MAY 18, 2016

ON THE ISSUES DONALD TRUMP

summaries by:

noor naji stuart kusdono asst. opinion editors

1,134/1,237 PLEDGED DELEGATES

With the U.S. under a $19 trillion debt, Donald Trump has voiced opposition to providing military support in European countries while receiving nothing in return. He does, however, want to dismantle Iran’s global terror network and send 30,000 combat troops to wipe out ISIS troops. Following a mostly conservative agenda, Trump wants to continue military defense spending, but desires to focus his efforts on terrorism rather than on a missile defense system. Trump plans on reworking trade deals and agreements with Euro-

pean countries in hopes of negotiating terms for reimbursement. The controversial candidate is especially concerned with the recently signed Trans-Pacific Partnership, an agreement among 12 countries to advocate free trade by eliminating tariffs. Trump views the trade deal as an opportunity for foreign manufacturers to dominate the world market, which would cause many Americans in manufacturing businesses to lose their jobs. More specifically, Trump fears the joining of China into the partnership, a country that he believes already

has stolen much of America’s money and jobs. Trump then proposes to raise tariffs in order to protect American industries. As for domestic policies, he wants to lower taxes but acknowledges it is unfair that the extremely wealthy are paying virtually no taxes. Trump, as with all the other candidates, is especially worried with the seemingly unpayable federal debt, which very soon may exceed $20 trillion. To stem the increase of the debt, Trump plans on cutting down government spending significantly.

One of the most consistent aspects in Trump’s campaign is his stance on immigration. Besides proposing the securing of the border between the U.S. and Mexico, he believes that all 11 million undocumented immigrants should be deported back to their countries of origin. The candidate also associates immigration with jobs, as he claims that he will bring jobs back when illegal immigrants are deported. He has also opposed birthright citizenship to the children of these illegal immigrants.

HILLARY CLINTON 1,716/2,383 PLEDGED DELEGATES

As the former Secretary of State, Clinton is arguably the most experienced in dealing with foreign affairs. Clinton is very focused with the war against ISIS. Differing herself from candidate Bernie Sanders, Clinton wants increased involvement in the war, more specifically wanting America to more heavily support and arm partners to defeat terrorism. Similar to Trump, Clinton wants to increase military spending to “maintain the best-trained, bestequipped, and strongest military the world has ever known” in or-

der to establish America’s leadership in the world. Also, like Trump, Clinton is very opposed to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Although she was an advocate of the plan at first, she later became disillusioned upon seeing the potential consequences of the agreement. Clinton doesn’t believe that American manufacturers and industries have enough protection to compete with foreign competition. As to her view on China, Clinton sees the relationship as very complex and challenging. She is

cautious about giving China any opportunity to exploit trade agreements. Clinton proposes to keep the tax system and rates the same with an addition to tax cuts for the middle class. Just like Sanders, she believes that big corporations pay too little taxes and are not paying their fair share. She then proposes to eliminate tax loopholes for the wealthy and plans to implement free community college and a “debt-free” four year college. Clinton has strongly stated that she would not deport any immi-

grants in the U.S. back to Mexico if she were to be elected president. She has also proposed that undocumented residents should be able to become naturalized citizens. Moreover, the candidate would also allow undocumented immigrants to “buy into Obamacare” and would also create the “first ever Office of Immigration Affairs.” Clinton has encouraged to continue to enforce what Obama has done in regard to his executive actions on immigration.

BERNIE SANDERS 1,473/2,383 PLEDGED DELEGATES

Unlike Clinton, Bernie Sanders believes that only a coalition can stop ISIS, but that America should not take the lead in the war. He is especially concerned that the war on ISIS would have similar consequences to the war on Iraq. Sanders would pursue a policy of diplomacy, and would enter war only as a last resort. He encourages communicating with enemies, such as Iran, and wishes to negotiate peace between the Saudis and Iran. Sanders is opposed to overthrowing dictators, warning of the consequences that would follow. Fur-

thermore, Sanders will continue the NATO alliance and wants to strengthen forces against Russian aggression. In regards to trade, Sanders takes a stronger stance than his competitors against the TransPacific Partnership, which he believes would destroy American manufacturers. In addition, Sanders wishes to develop completely new policies in dealing with China. Like his competitors, Sanders sees China as a very detrimental trade partner that has already cost millions of American jobs. Wanting to create a more eco-

nomically stable middle and lower class, Sanders wishes to break up big banks, which he sees as overrun with greed and power. His plan also involves a graduated income tax, proposing to significantly raise taxes on the rich. More specifically, he plans to increase the tax rate of people who make over 10 million annually to a staggering 52 percent. He also plans to create an increase of 2.2 percent to all tax brackets in our current system. With this tax plan, Sanders hopes to garner enough revenue to fund social programs, like uni-

versal health care, and to pay for public colleges. Sanders, like Clinton, proposes a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S. The candidate has also previously encouraged President Obama’s plan about deportation relief. Unlike his opponent, however, Sanders plans to expand on what Obama has done in relation to immigration, instead of just enforcing it. He has also called himself an advocate in “uniting people’s families and not dividing them,” in terms of immigration.

FEATURE

MAY 18, 2016

THE BULL'S EYE

Defending the nation

SEEING DOUBLE

hannah lee news editor

catherine zhang feature editor Stepping into the car, Diamond Bar High School sophomore Patrick Pribadi was astounded to discover that he and his brother, Philip, are once again dressed in similar outfits—a black Nike jacket and a fitted white t-shirt. These occurrences happen almost on a weekly basis, which shouldn’t be shocking since the two are identical twins. The Pribadi brothers are not the only set of twins attending DBHS; among the others are freshmen Catherine and Christina Liu and Angela and Vivian Hung. Even though the brothers have similar appearances, they consider their personalities to be contrasting. Patrick describes himself as more outgoing and tries to help Philip, the calmer and more collected twin, reach out to others. Like the Pribadi brothers, the identical Liu twins also have very similar features and interests, while the Hungs, fraternal twins, consider themselves as two completely different individuals. “With a twin, I feel like you have a constant companion. If you have something you really enjoy and want to share the passion with someone, you have a twin to share it with,” Catherine said. In movies and television shows, twins finishing each other’s sentences may seem like a cliché, but for the Liu sisters, it happens on a frequent basis. “People find it funny when we end our sentences together. Sometimes, we would be in a conversation and we would either say the

ERIC HONG

DBHS twins Vivian and Angela Hung, Christina and Catherine Liu, and Philip and Patrick Pribadi (left to right) speak of the struggles and benefits they experience. same thing at the same time or finish each other’s sentences. People get so weirded out,” Christina said. Despite the various perks of having a fellow companion who shares the same common interests, most people don’t realize the hardships twins endure. “Some people think we have the same personality, or they don’t refer to us as singular people. It’s nice to be an individual, but we tend to hang out together a lot, which causes them to think that,” Catherine said. In order to prevent others from categorizing them as a set, Angela and Vivian prefer differentiating themselves and expressing themselves independently. The two dress in contrasting styles and hang out with a different group of friends. In addition, the duo has vastly different interests; Angela is an avid fan of basketball, while Vivian describes herself as

more girly. “We don’t want people grouping us together like we are the same person, so we try to differentiate ourselves. Even though we are twins, I would describe our relationship as two different people in a house,” Vivian said. The sisters view being compared to each other as a burden, as others criticize the two merely based on the preconceived notion that they should act in a similar fashion. However, despite the difficulties, Catherine views having a twin as a positive aspect, since she and Christina have developed a closer bond as the result. “When I see other people wanting a twin, I think it’s a hassle to have a twin. But at the same time, it’s also cool since no one else has someone who looks exactly the same, like they may have a sister but they wouldn’t have the same bond twins have,” Catherine said.

As the school year draws to a close, DBHS seniors Brian Shi and Andy Shin have decided to follow different paths to similar futures as they both plan to enter the military after graduation. Shi has always had a passion for physical therapy and law enforcement and planned to direct his future toward either field. However, after a recruiter visited his administration of justice class to discuss the various benefits of serving in the Marine Corps, Shi realized that pursuing a career in the military had the potential to change his life. “I felt that becoming a Marine was going to change who I was and make me a better person than I already am… I want to take advantage of all the programs they have and definitely just become close with the people that I’ll become brothers with, sisters with,” Shi said. After deciding to pursue this

path, he initially struggled to gain his family’s support. However, after seeing Shi’s determination to pursue the career, his family soon supported his goal to serve as a Marine Corps officer. “It’s a big decision and it’s very scary because regular people think that the military [means] you go off to Afghanistan and fight, get killed, but in reality it’s very different,” Shi said. Shi will attend boot camp and basic Marine training during the summer at the Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton. He will then be stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, located in Twentynine Palms, where he will be stationed for eight months, learning his Marine Corps’s Military Occupational Specialty. After 20 years of serving in the Marine Corps, he plans to attend school and pursue his dream of working as a physical therapist. As of right now, he is training at the Marine Corps office in Pomona,

military students on p.12

Photo courtesy of BRIAN SHI

DBHS senior Brian Shi (right), pictured next to Staff Sergeant Wilcox, enrolled in the U.S. Marine Corps at the recruiting office located in Pomona.

stress relief Officer interviews, AP tests, CIF championships, finals. With an increase in the number of activities toward the end of the school year, stress is bound to become a burden to high school students. Here are some tips for how to control excess stress: Take a break. Stuck on a difficult problem or concept? Stop thinking about

brian chang news editor

whatever it is that stymies you, and seek comfort by watching your favorite sports team or rewatching your favorite movie for the fiftieth time. Return to the problem in a few minutes and by then, you might have a fresh approach.

Plan. The best way to deal with pressure is preventing or minimizing it. Start off by creating a list of tasks that need to be completed by the end of the day and rank them by importance.

Eat. If you just can’t figure out how to begin your poetry explication of

Finish the vital things first, worry about the small details later.

“Where the Sidewalk Ends,” go munch on a snack or sip on your favorite soft drink. Food helps stimulate your brain, as your body takes up the nutrients, while a drink of water can clear up that headache you didn’t realize you were developing.

Work together. Studying with friends is often more fun and effective compared to sitting alone in

Get some fresh air. Spending hours cooped up in

your room attempting to cram a whole year’s worth

your room can lead to fuzzy thinking and sleepiness.

of Psychology vocabulary in one sitting. Other people

Get up and get moving. Chat with some neighbors or

have different studying methods and by reviewing to-

walk your dog. By stimulating blood flow to your brain,

gether, you can take some of the mental burden of

you can help your brain start working more efficiently.

re-learning material off your shoulders.

33%

FEEL EXTREME PRESSURE IN THEIR DAILY LIFE

77%

EXPERIENCE PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

73%

SUFFER FROM PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

Statistics courtesy of statisticbrain.com

FEATURE

THE BULL'S EYE

MAY 18, 2016

PROM LOOKBOOK

At the Oscar-themed prom held just a few days ago, these were a few of the commonly seen prom dress trends attendees were sporting. The photos were taken at the lunch-time prom fashion show.

White Dress White, the color of sophistication and timeless beauty. To avoid looking wedding-esque, match this classic piece with a splash of color or a set of dazzling jewels for a classic yet modern look.

High Neckline Don a dress with a higher neckline for an elegant yet modest look. For this look, avoid wearing highly suspended necklaces as it clashes with the elevated neckline; simply wearing a minimalistic pair of earrings will suffice.

Matthew Lee and Kaitleen Wong

Ian Campbell and Lauren Maiershofer

Mermaid Dress For a sleek, streamlined look, don a figure hugging mermaid dress, which flares out starting at the knees or mid-thigh, giving the individual a more feminine and curvy appearance. For this statement piece, opt for simple accessories to emphasize the added volume; avoid over accessorizing as the dress style is already eye catching enough.

Jewels and Sequins Sporting a bodice sparkling with dazzling jewels and sequins is sure to attract the attention of everyone in the room. This flashy dress can be paired with a basic pair of heels to accentuate the embroidery on the bodice.

Ulf Wong and Jillian Aluning

Brandon Parent and Alley Ornelas

Poke showdown tess guan web editor Although eating raw fish may not seem appetizing to some, when it’s sided with toppings like avocado and crab meat and further coated with a spicy mayo sauce, it becomes tempting. Poke, a Hawaiian-Japanese fusion fish salad, includes scoops of fish ranging from salmon to octopus and is seasoned with toppings and sauces of your choice.

felt soft and mushy. Furthermore, since my rice wasn’t dressed with any sauces, it was also quite bland. In comparison to the other stores, the bowl I received at Oke Poke was much smaller, so it wasn’t as filling. However, once I thoroughly mixed my bowl, the flavors mixed together and I enjoyed my meal enough for a potential future visit.

Oke Poke: 3277 Grand Ave #2, Chino Hills, CA 91709 Oke Poke offers a regular-sized bowl, which includes three scoops of fish, for $8.95 and a large sized bowl, with five scoops of fish, for $10.95. Since the restaurant didn’t offer as many topping choices, I was left with a rather simple bowl of brown rice containing cucumbers, fish eggs, oke crab, and avocado as my toppings with salmon, spicy tuna, and ahi tuna as my fish choices in oke sauce. The employee mixed my fish and sauces in a separate metal bowl, so when she added them into my poke bowl, only my fish was seasoned. I found the sauces to be salty, and they masked the flavors of the fish. In addition, the fish mixture also

Photo courtesy of YELP

Poke Ave: 860 W Imperial Hwy, Brea, CA 9282 A bit more on the pricey side, Poke Ave offers three scoops of fish for $8.99 and five scoops for $11.99. I ordered a bowl with brown rice, avocado, mild crab meat, cucumber, seaweed salad, pineapple, edamame, and three scoops of fish. Despite ordering a regular sized bowl, the employee mistakenly told me I could choose five scoops of fish. I was a bit overwhelmed, as I could barely recognize the choices of fish on display. In the end, I decided to get salmon, spicy salmon, tuna, spicy tuna, and cooked shrimp. Overall, I found that this bowl was the most filling out of the three; not only because I received more choices of fish, but also because of the larger rice and topping portions. I enjoyed my bowl without the need to mix it and found that the spicy mayo sauce definitely flavored things.

Furthermore, my toppings and fish tasted fresher than the ones I received from Oke Poke. With my Poke Ave stamp card, I will be visiting again.

Poki Monster: 105 W Lambert Rd, Brea, CA 92821 My bowl from Poki Monster was just as filling as my bowl from Poke Ave; however, taste-wise, it wasn’t as pleasant. Poki Monster offers three scoops of fish for $8.95 and five scoops of fish for $11.95. I ordered a brown rice bowl with crab meat, masago, avocado, pineapples, seaweed salad, and cucumber. I chose salmon, spicy salmon, and tuna as my fish. I topped it off with sesame oil and spicy mayo with nori and sesame seeds. The pineapple chunks given were too sweet, with hints of tartness, and gave me the impression that they were straight from a can. The cucumbers tasted too pickled. However, I thoroughly enjoyed eating the rest of my poke bowl, although I was careful not to mix my toppings around so I could avoid spreading the tartness around. I believe I’ve found a love for these new “DIY bowl” places; with their cheap prices, overall atmospheres, short lines, and free avocado, they’ve definitely become favorites for me.

Photo courtesy of YELP

Breaking away from summer traditions amelie lee asst. feature editor

“We’ll be spending most our time in rural areas, specifically areas that have been disenfranchised by each respective government. I will As summer break rapidly apthen be studying the social, politiproaches, most Diamond Bar High cal, and economic needs of these School students are ecstatic for the people,” Dong said via Facebook. three months of rest and relaxTraveling with about 20 other ation. Without the constant stress people, Dong and his team will visit of school, students are free to set the capitals of both countries. They out to accomplish their personal hope to learn why certain areas are goals. Some of these students have ignored by the government and very ambitious summer plans. plan to raise the issues with local For junior William Loo, the sum- leaders. mer will mean working, as Loo will “I hope to better understand intern at the Boeing Corporation politically inflicted poverty based this summer. on marginalization, and receive a Loo plans to pursue a job in the more global view that would enrich engineering field my perspective in the future and as to what I want ““I hope to [...] receive hopes that this into do with my a more global view ternship will give life.” that would enrich my him more experiOn the other perspective as to what I ence. hand, sophowant to do with my life.” “I applied bemore Anne Shen cause I hoped to plans on using BRYAN DONG find a way to apher summer ply my current break for relaxtoolkit of engineering knowledge ation and exploration. She plans to to something that matters, while visit Vancouver with her mom and gaining more experience in the meet a friend she met online. process,” Loo said via Facebook. After creating a Instagram Juniors in the DBHS Brahma fan account for a celebrity, Shen Tech program are required to reg- caught the attention of another ister for an internship over the fan. After commenting on each othsummer. Workshops provided by er’s pictures, the two began talking the school covered the steps in cre- and discovered that they had variating a professional application. ous common interests. “I hope this internship will give Since then, the duo have talked me a glimpse into what working in on the phone numerous times. And a large corporation is like, along agreed that they would meet up. with the hope that I can contrib“I’m pretty excited to meet her ute actively to the development in real life. She’s about the same process by constantly bringing in age as me, and I think it’ll be really fresh ideas for the innovative profun,” Shen said. cess,” Loo said. Other than meeting up with Other students are looking to her friend, Shen plans to spend make a difference in the world her time in Vancouver going on a by spending their summer break cruise, trying new types of foods, volunteering. Junior Bryan Dong and unwinding with her mom. plans to travel to Thailand and “I can’t wait to unstress, I’m reBurma in hopes of helping the unally looking forward to this sumderprivileged. mer.”

FEATURE

THE LAST CHAPTER lilly ball F

orty published articles. 19346 words. Three years spent in room 563. Three years ago, I finally found something that I excelled at (although, that is debatable). High school was not at all what Troy Bolton had promised me, and I was drowning in a sea of extraordinary students, who, for some reason, actually knew what they were doing. Everyone at DBHS was either a violin prodigy or a mathematical genius. While I had books and a strange obsession with period dramas. The only thing I had ever been known for, tragically enough, was being blonde. Come sophomore year, and enter Mr. List. I had signed up for J1 without knowing that DBHS even had a student newspaper. Mr. List managed to charm me with his dry humor and monotone voice within the first week. But along with a new friend, there was this form of writing that I was unused to as well. All I did was write a practice article about a fictitious WW2 soldier who traded a ring for a bar of chocolate. It was probably awful, but suddenly I realized that I could actually create a story. It was like the gates to some journalistic haven had opened up to me, with a congratulatory message of “Hey, you’re really good at a craft that no one will care for in about five years!” I then joined The Bull’s Eye staff despite my mother’s concerns, landing a spot in the A&E Section (which, really, is the best section.) As Asst. A&E editor during my junior year, I made yet another discovery, that I only feel truly alive when I am writing a film review. As soon as the credits roll, my mind begins to write my lead. When I go to type, my fingers move automatically, and words organize themselves in front of my eyes. It’s the most wondrous thing that I have, and once I realized that, I proceeded to hog the majority of the “Now Showing” bylines. Then, suddenly, I was Editor in Chief. Though I was still blonde, it was no longer my singular identity. I had a title, and I adored it more than probably I should have. With every issue, every “Lilly Pad,” and every single article that I had to edit, my love for The Bull’s Eye grew. I actually looked forward to spending six consecutive hours in that little room with my twenty other staff members on deadline nights. I cannot express how much I will miss the feeling of unity, when we were all exhausted and tired of staring at computer screens. I have poured so much of myself into this newspaper, and it has been so rewarding, so much so that I am setting off to college in hopes of doing it all over again. Journalism may be viewed as one of those “useless” majors, but I wouldn’t be happy with anything else, my heart belongs to newsprint. Lilly Ball was on the staff for two years and was previously A&E Editor and Editor-in-Chief.

AUGUST 2012:

MAY 18, 2016

THE BULL'S EYE

frances wu

’m a perpetually angry person: anyone who knows me at all can tell you this. From loud neighbors to Meghan Trainor’s attempt to become a “good girl gone wild,” I’ve ranted about it all. Yet, the one thing that bothered me the most was the one thing that I’ve never truly managed to express my anger at: the absolute indifference with which people treat The Bull’s Eye. It’s safe to say that joining Journalism is one of the best decisions I’ve made in my four years at DBHS—through it, I’ve learned to express my anger fluently and eloquently through the written word. I’ve read countless editorials from professional publications, wishing that I could someday achieve the same level of cool, polished anger, and it seems that even now, in my last column, I still won’t fulfill my goal. Because this one thing that I’ve agonized over every time someone joked about my being in “Yearbook” or asked why we even bother writing stories, when no one reads what we go through so much effort to produce, I will never truly communicate. For most people, The Bull’s Eye is 16 pages of pretty pictures, or an ancient artifact, or a mere waste of paper. But without such publications, what’s left of written communication but the pixels of Facebook or Twitter? Student complaints resonate through DBHS’ hallways on a daily basis—some complain about long bathroom lines, while others discuss serious topics, whether it be politics or student safety. The paper is an outlet for all that: while administrators may disregard individual complaints, it’s a tad harder ignore 1500 copies of an argument distributed throughout the school. But regardless of whether or not it means anything to you, know that it means the world to me (and, hopefully, the rest of the staff). From yelling at people for late drafts, to dying inside as Mr. List launched into a round of edits, I’ve come to love going to room 563 every day. I can’t imagine school without Journalism; even being kicked out of the room at lunch for 15 minutes is shocking to my system. For some, 12 point, double-spaced, Times New Roman type symbolizes school essays and suffering. I, however, think of piles of drafts with red edits, of flipping frantically through the freshly printed pages the Tuesday before publication to make sure News looks good, and of grey-hair-inducing Deadline Nights. So here’s to The Bull’s Eye for teaching me the purpose of rewriting and the insanity of aligning boxes. Here’s to Mr. List for eating a banana and yogurt every day at lunch in the corner of the room and being unafraid to scrap things and start over. And here’s to the staff for being a bold little army of wordsmiths, relentless even in the face of public criticism. The Bull’s Eye isn’t just a symbol of the olden days—it represents articulate opinion, intelligent discussion, and the power of the pen, so to speak. And if you can’t understand that, well, you’re missing out.

THE SENIORS OF THE BULL’S EYE REFLECT ON THEIR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES, DISCUSSING THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF DIAMOND BAR LIFE, IN THEIR LAST ARTICLES.

vrinda chauhan

he trouble with words is that I can never quite spit them out. Those who know me well would beg to differ; I can talk about restaurants and songs and movies and even politics quite a bit, but the things that matter to me remain inside. Even now, writing this, I know that this senior column will not be one of my best pieces because it’s coiled so tightly around me. Part of the problem is that words do not truly do their subjects justice. Concepts, images, ideas, abstracted and far away carry the call of the siren but bite when I try to fit them into little boxes of grammar and sentences. But truly, what sentences can convey the sentiments toward my entire four years—the most impactful phase in my life thus far? What words can capture my fascination during my first rally or Branding Iron game? Or my excitement upon stepping onto a college for the first time for a Model UN conference? Or even little things, like waiting in line to get lunch with my friends? What words can adequately even hope to encompass these experiences without dimming them down until they seem mundane and unremarkable? Much easier to say nothing at all, but too often, this too is a flaw. Expression and communication are colossally important, especially at this stage of life. If I never express how I feel to the people that matter to me, they will never know, and that would be much worse than presenting a degraded version of it. And here, as my time and word count presses me to get to the point, I find myself at the same crossroads: to speak or not to speak? But maybe I do not always need perfect words. Maybe I can simply say it and be done with. There is no one truly placing this pressure on me for perfection besides me. As my word count grows and my thoughts grow more abstract, I can wring out only the following paragraph to sum up my senior column: My time at DBHS has been tumultuous and turbulent. Nights of doing chemistry homework until 3, chatting with Facebook friends under the same situation, walking to Starbucks after school in the SoCal heat, meeting new people because of the newspaper, cheering at rallies, eating spaghetti during Mock Trial; all memories that may not even be positive, but all that fill me with a sense of familiarity as I reminisce about the gestalt that is high school. It has been agonizing and then euphoric, depressing and then exciting, and sometimes all of it at once. Never have I ever (or as I fear, will I ever) feel this alive, with all of my senses buzzing with that teenage blood. These words can only evoke a distant feeling that my experiences are being reduced to, but that, I think, is alright too.

sarah markiewicz

gaby dinh

Sarah Markiewicz was on the staff for two years and was previously Asst. Opinion Editor.

Gaby Dinh was on the staff for three years and was previously Web Editor.

ear friend: Hello. How are you? Hopefully you’re feeling okay and you enjoy this paper, and if you’re an underclassman I hope you’ll follow up on later articles, because next year’s staff is going to make the Bull’s Eye better than it ever was. And because I can’t form any other solid judgments about you I guess it’s time to talk about my so-called “experience” at DBHS. I hated high school long before the first day. Coming to the end of my eighth grade year, I was a prospective Hogwarts student, whose owl had been hit by a bus, landing me in a very academically-focused Muggle high school. Huzzah… But I had my best friend with me, who was also a Hogwarts reject, so that was okay. I think that she told me that I kind of reminded her of Charlie from “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” but at first I thought she meant Charlie from “Flowers for Algernon” and I was kind of confused. It wasn’t until my sophomore year that I caught on to what she meant, and even if the comparison doesn’t really hold true, it filled me up a bit. On a more serious note, it’s better for me to skim over my freshman year, because that was before journalism and before I became somewhat closer to being a human. Still, throughout the past few years I didn’t really put as much out as I could have, especially for having so much support from great friends and stellar teachers. And because I do not have the emotional/social courage to say it to their faces, I want to acknowledge teachers such as Mrs. Sorensen, Mrs. Clark, Mr. Moran, even though they might not read this. Thank you for fixing my heart as much as you fixed my cranium. Mr. Moran would likely gag if he read this drivel. Thank you also to my senior year teachers for helping me gain strength through the year. And of course I would like to thank Mr. List for encouraging me to join journalism. I was on the border line of continuing high school without journalism, which would have aborted the priceless friendships I made with some of the best people I’ve ever met. And the connections didn’t stop there. Because of journalism, I had a chance to speak to countless faculty members, talented student actors, singers, and student athletes, as well as find a common love of writing with aspiring fiction writers and even my family doctor. Plus, the opinion section has put the fantastic current events test practice into good use, by helping me learn more about the world outside of AP tests and anime. In spite of never attending a high school dance or going to graduation in a few weeks, I’d say that the Bull’s Eye has given me all the spirit I need.

The Class of 2016 makes its debut, sitting timidly at the first rally, and the four-year adventure officially begins.

DECEMBER 2013:

The Denis R. Paul Aquatic Center is unveiled with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and DBHS student performances.

yusheng xia

Vrinda Chauhan was on the staff for three years and was previously Business Manager.

Frances Wu was on the staff for two years and was previously News Editor.

tepping onto campus for the first and last time as a student at Diamond Bar High School is not the same experience; I have changed, and so has the school. The first time I came to campus, I thought the school was huge and I believed I’d never become familiar with it. Four years later, I have seen everything in DBHS and I am ready to take my last steps. My freshman year was the year when Alex Morgan scored the winning goal at the Olympics, Gangnam Style had become a worldwide phenomenon, and the supposed “Dooms Day” was to occur. (It did not happen.) When Alex Morgan visited DBHS to show her medal, I sat in the journalism room at lunch, clueless about public school. I had undergone eight years of Catholic School, and DBHS intimidated me. That was when we still signed up for AP classes through an application. But journalism was familiar, and though I only ate there for a month before Vrinda Chauhan came to get me, those year’s intimidating seniors remain ingrained in my memory. It was my sophomore year that the swimming pool was completed and the classroom numbers of school changed. To this day, I still do not know the current classroom numbers. But in particular, sophomore year is special, because my older sister was a senior, so I still can recall what the themes of homecoming (Circus) and prom (Gatsby) were. That year I joined Girl Scouts, read “Pride and Prejudice” (among other things), and became friends with Lilly Ball. As for my first year on the paper, I was more of an abstract concept than a real person, but I’ll always remember that year’s senior girls and their friends, because it was after their year Mr. List banned outsiders from coming in during class. My junior year, the year our school had an Open House, was the year I dubbed “meeting people.” I took a lot of AP classes and befriended Sarah Markiewicz and Evon, and I returned to the journalism room to eat there and became active with the staff and seniors. I vividly remember telling Mr. List about my classes and long sagas about Catholic School. Senior year was the year of the unexpected: a new principal, a new dean, presidential elections, getting injured during the journalism banquet. I honestly did not expect senior year for what it was, but as I look around me and see unfamiliar faces after I had spent four years trying to familiarize myself, I can say that I am ready to leave. My high school generation has passed, and I salute you, underclassmen, for the future. So much can happen in four years—just as the school gained a new building, I gained memorable experiences. Thank you everyone (staff, teachers, classmates, friends) for making my time here memorable.

SEPTEMBER 2014:

DBHS brings home Branding Iron for the fourth year in a row, marking the Class of 2015’s dominance in the DB-Walnut rivalry.

AUGUST 2015:

Former Principal Catherine Real announces her departure, and the 10-month search for a new head of DBHS begins.

hroughout the past four years, I have heard many people say how they couldn’t wait for high school to be over. For me however, I have never really hated this time. It makes sense to despise these years. As developing individuals, high school is that horrendous period where you are too old to constantly have fun and enjoy the innocence of youth, yet too young to experience the wonders of freedom and independence. Pressure builds up when you realize that your childhood is over and how the results that come about from these years can have a major impact on your future as an adult. Plus, there are all those additional negativities (stress eating, bullying, teenage drama, horrible teachers, young love) that added together explain why high school teenagers are considered the worst possible people known to mankind. But in case you are questioning whether or not you read my second sentence correctly, I repeat: I have never really hated high school. In fact, I loved it. Back in eighth grade, I was asked whether or not I looked forward to high school. My answer at the time was “Yes, I’m looking forward to high school. It’s a bigger challenge.” It was a simple statement from a simpler me, but looking back, it was 100 percent accurate. Meeting new people as a freshmen, developing a healthy work habit as a sophomore, trying not to die as a junior, and maintaining my blood pressure during college applications as a senior; every year brought out a new challenging aspect that has built me into the kind of person I am today. And now that I’ve reached the end, I can’t help but feel thankful for everything that has contributed to my wonderful positive experience. I am thankful for the teachers, who put up with us monstrous students and put faith in us despite our lack of integrity. I am thankful for my friends who are loyal to a fault and would stick by my side throughout all my failures. I am thankful for the campus that has given me so many wonderful memories (some for the wrong reasons) and for the opportunities presented to me that has opened up the world as I see it today. Most of all, I am thankful for high school teaching me that life is not fair. I guess that is the result of coming out of such a competitive high school. You learn that equality and success cannot coexist, as for every person’s success comes another’s failure. Sometimes, cheaters come up on top undeservingly while those who give it their all don’t get the recognition they deserve. Sometimes, but not always. I have given up questioning the judgment of others and instead focused on myself. I guess that is the one thing that truly is fair. In the end, no one decides the life you want to live other than yourself.

Yusheng Xia was on the staff for three years and was previously Editor-in-Chief.

MAY 2016:

Eight days are left until the Class of 2016 graduates at the Holmes Memorial Stadium on May 26, at 7:00 P.M.

10 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MAY 18, 2016

THE BULL'S EYE

Choir, ‘Like, Totally,’ Brings Back 80’s emily jacobsson a&e editor With the end of another school year approaching and seniors preparing to graduate, going back in time is a popular wish. During Choir Department’s final concert on May 5-6, Marquis, Solitaire, Chamber, and Diamond Tones granted this wish, bringing the audience back to the 1980’s. The concert began with a soulful solo of “Out Here on My Own,” performed by junior Allyson Cantimbuhan. As Cantimbuhan held her final note, the stage was flooded with the bright, neon colors of Chamber. As a deviation from their usual classical singing, they began their set with “The Best of Times,” which led into the other choirs joining them on stage for “Walking on Sunshine.” A series of upbeat medleys

followed, performed by the individual choirs. With the mood set and the audience in high spirits, several soloists performed. Most notable were senior Nicholas Zhou with “Faith” and sophomore Katelyn Duenas singing “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Duenas’ smooth voice fit the song perfectly, and her relaxing solo was much appreciated by the anxious AP students in the audience. Solitaire and the girls of Diamond Tones joined together for a performance of “Material Girl.” Immediately following was a mashup of “Flashdance” and “Fame” performed by Chamber and Marquis. The performances from the four groups were a true testimony to the show choirs’ excellence, also seen through their multiple awards from their national competition last month. Slower, heartfelt solos followed,

Photos by ERIC HONG

Erin Bordenave and other memebers of Marquis performing the songs of the 80’s at their final concert of the year. including sophomore Larry Chen with “Every Breath You Take,” and sophomore Emily Tran’s performance of “Eternal Flame.” Chamber and Marquis returned to stage shortly after to lift the mood again, with a feel-good performance of “Comin’ to America.” The girls of Marquis and Diamond Tones then took the stage to perform “Mickey,” which possibly had the best choreography of the

night. The boys from all the choirs came together in their performance of “Crazy Little Thing Called Loved,” and then cleared the stage for the girls who sang “Always Something There to Remind Me.” Both performances were playful and had the audience bobbing their heads to the beat. After several more solos, the finale began with “Enough is

Enough,” sung by Solitaire and the girls of Marquis. All the choirs returned to the stage again for the last song of the 80’s theme, “Shake Your Groove Thing.” After cheers from the audience, the underclassmen faded into the background as the seniors stepped forward to sing “In My Life,” an annual tradition for choir. With teary-eyed smiles, the seniors ended their final concert with a bang.

140 DBHS Students Picked Their Favorites

Ariana Grande

Morgan Matson

“Finding Dory”

J. K. Rowling “Now You See Me”

music

Various Authors

books

movies “Me Before You”

Mike Posner Nick Jonas

“Suicide Squad”

Entertainment to heat up your Summer pauline villegas a&e editor At Night, Alone. Mike Posner has jumped back onto the music scene, hoping to make his comeback in the dance genre instead with his previous pop sound. The album dropped on May 6, just in time for his songs to hit the charts at the start of summer. His techno-like beats and smooth voice are sure to help him sell records and earn repeated play on the radio. His song “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” is already charttopping and perfect for summer activities.

Dangerous Woman

“Dangerous Woman” by Ariana Grande is set to debut on May 20. She has already released a couple

frances wu contributing writer The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson (May 31): Known for her chick-lit contemporary novels, Matson tells the story of Andie, a politician’s daughter, and the struggles she faces in her perfectly planned life amidst a political scandal. Though summer is a time for relaxation, Andie’s summer is less than ideal, as her mother has died and she and her father have drifted apart—though the premise seems depressing, this novel is sure to feature mushy moments of friendship and Andie’s inevitable, adorably uplifting summer romance alongside the drama and chaos of everyday teenage life.

of singles such as “Dangerous Woman” and “Be Alright” that are both upbeat and true to the original “Ariana Grande” sound. Her impressive vocal range and soul in each song will help bring an emotional aspect to the album, but is expected to remain lighthearted due to the upcoming summer season. Being her third studio album, it is predicted that it will feature a handful of collaborations with familiar voices that work well with that of Grande’s. Listeners have seen this happen previously with artists such as Mac Miller, The Weeknd, and Nicki Minaj.

ble song lyrics and smooth vocals. His new songs are predicted to have a similar sound of recent pop and R&B albums such as ZAYN’s “Mind of Mine.” This can be heard in his single “Close” featuring Tove Lo. Hopefully, we will see similar vocals and hypnotic beats in the new album, which is expected to be released on June 10. When all is said and done “Last Year Was Complicated” will scream summer relaxation.

Last Year Was Complicated

As Nick Jonas makes his return to mainstream radio, he has already provided us with many catchy singles. His new album is sure to do the same with memora-

Summer Days & Summer Nights by Various Authors (May 17): This summer anthology consists of 12 love stories written by bestselling young adult authors like Veronica Roth and Cassandra Clare, and was edited by fellow author Stephanie Perkins. This book follows “My True Love Gave to Me,” its winter counterpart. Though the summer heat may make it hard for readers to concentrate, these short stories will have readers “dreaming of sunset strolls.” And hey—if you can’t have it, you might as well read about it and sigh wistfully, right?

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (July 31):

Devoted Harry Potter fans, left devastated after the final installment of the original series, can finally rejoice as Harry makes his

debut on stage. Just as “Deathly Hallows” marked the end of an era, “The Cursed Child” represents a new age, as Harry is demoted to role of “overworked father” and his son Albus struggles to live up to his father’s legacy at Hogwarts. The production is currently only scheduled to run in London, but fans worldwide can dive back into the Wizarding World through the script’s print edition.

emily jacobsson a&e editor Finding Dory (June 27) With Nemo back home safe, it’s now Dory’s turn to take the big screen. In “Finding Dory,” the widely loved blue fish, voiced by Ellen DeGeneres, goes on a journey in search of the parents she just remembered she had. Nemo, Marlin, and new characters like Bailey the beluga whale (Ty Burrell) j o i n D o r y on her challengi n g sw i m from Au s tralia to C a l i f o rnia. With lessons about family, friendship, and accepting flaws, “Finding Dory” is the perfect feel-good movie.

10)

Now You See Me: The Second Act (June

As Danny Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), leader of magic group The Four Horsemen, told us in “Now You See Me,” the first rule of magic is to always be the smartest in the room. In “Now You See Me: The Second Act,” Danny’s superior intelligence is challenged by Walter Mabry (Daniel Radcliffe), a

tech prodigy who is blackmailing The Four Horsemen into carrying out a heist for him. The original cast, including Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo and Dave Franco, return for the second, and possibly final act.

Me Before You (June 3)

For a movie that will tug at your heartstrings and have you in search of your own summer romance, “Me Before You” is the perfect choice for the season. Louise Clark (Emilia Clarke) is a quirky young woman who knows two essential truths: she likes her current job and she doesn’t love her boyfriend. When she loses her job, she is thrown into the world of Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), a golden boy who lost his will to live after a motorcycle accident. As Lou works as his caretaker, she begins to bring color back into his dull daily routine, and they each begin to change each other’s lives.

Suicide Squad (August 5)

To end the summer with a kick, “Suicide Squad” provides enough action to distract you from any thoughts of school beginning. Think the Justice League, only lacking in morals and a good reputation. The Suicide Squad is a special task force created by U.S. Intelligence officer Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) to be used as a weapon by the government. The group, consisting of the most infamous villains like Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and Deadshot (Will Smith), executes tasks too dangerous for the normal person in exchange for a shortened prison sentence. However, as they work together toward their freedom, they soon realize that it’s more likely that they’ll die trying.

THE BULL'S EYE

MAY 18, 2016

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Now Showing:

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

In Marvel’s most star-studded film yet, heroes go head to head while dealing with personal demons, such as Captain America’s childhood friend, which threaten to overthrow the foundation of the Avengers. lilly ball contributing writer By the time that “Captain America: Civil War” had introduced itself to the world through its overwhelming trailer, it had already caused quite the stir. Marvel fans and cinema addicts alike were thrilled at the concept of a film featuring so many of the universe’s most popular heroes.

Entrusted with a $250 million budget, directors Anthony and Joe Russo managed to overcome the confusion that accompanies such a large cast, and create a film as riveting as it is moving, allowing raw emotion to take center stage. “Civil War” begins exactly one year after the events of “The Avengers: Age of Ultron,” (in which The Avengers unintentionally destroyed the fictitious country of Sokovia in their attempts

Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios

Spiderman (Tom Holland) makes his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

DANCE EXPRESSES THEIR ART ON CANVAS pauline villegas a&e editor With summer around the corner and finals almost here, DBHS Dance Company decided to motivate students by showcasing their artistic abilities in the last dance concert of the year. Their annual spring concert, themed “Canvas,” was held on May 12-13 in the theater. Throughout the night, students from the DBHS Dance Company, Advanced and Intermediate Ensemble, and Beginning Dance showcased their talent in routines that were self-choreographed by many of the dancers themselves. To open the show, Dance Team seniors performed a soulful dance titled “One Last Time.” This per-

ERIC HONG

Dance Company Students perform their self-choreographed routine in their final concert of the year.

formance, choreographed by seniors Mckenna Acciani, Nicole Chang, Shani Chen and Melissa Lee, allowed the dancers to exhibit their skills with technical choreography. In Act One, pieces such as “Pass the Torch” and “Dream Catcher” caught the audience’s attention with sharp choreography and music that perfectly matched the serious tone of the performances. The Coed Hip-Hop competition team performed their piece “Weight in Gold” to open up the second act of the night. This performance reintroduced the energy that had dimmed down after the short intermission. Next, Jonathan Estrada and Avery Maroj, enchanted the crowd with a moving self-choreographed piece titled “Falling.” With hypnotizing movements and theme-appropriate costumes, this dance was easily one of the most impressive of the night. As the concert came to a close, the performances became more uplifting and energizing. In one of the closing numbers, “Goodbye,” members of the dance company brought the show to a finale. In the last dance of the night, titled “Acapella,” the much loved All Male Dance Crew closed the show with an exciting number that left the crowd wanting more. After the finale, all of the dancers came out for a final bow as the seniors waved goodbye to their last dance concert at DBHS.

to defeat the evil Ultron) in Lagos, Nigeria. The Avengers are once again fighting off evil, this time in the form of Brock Rumlow, who is attempting to steal a biological weapon. In the disarray resulting from the fight, tragedy occurs, and civilians are killed as Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olson) accidentally destroys a building. This being a reference to the popular comic book of the same name. After the events in Lagos, the United Nations has grown tired of the disorder that follows all of the Avenger’s victories. The UN proposes the “Sokovia Accords,” a plan to form a panel that will guide and control the Avengers, but the proposition is met with mixed emotions. Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man (Robert Downy Jr.), supports the accords in hopes that they will calm his guilty conscience, while Steve Rogers, who is Captain America (Chris Evans), strongly disagrees. As tensions rise between the two, the rest of the Avengers debate their stances.

Days later, a UN conference meant to ratify the accords is bombed, presumably by Bucky Barnes, (Sebastian Stan) Rogers’ oldest friend. As Rogers attempts to retrieve Barnes himself to ensure his safety, the opposing sides are solidified, and it appears that the Avengers are doomed to succumb to their egos. As easy as it would have been to fill the two hour long running time with tedious action scenes, much of the film focuses on the power play between Iron Man and Captain America, and the integrity of the Avengers as a whole. Caught up in the seemingly limitlessness of their own power, the Avengers fail to see the carnage left behind each of their battles, until it is shoved in their faces. Suddenly, they are no longer heroes, but rather unwanted vigilantes, lacking the support of the public and each other. “Civil War” is bold enough to question the point of it all, giving those who were lost in the chaos a voice. Such a stimulating film could not have succeeded without the

support of a sound screenplay, and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely have once again impressed me. With “Captain America: Winter Soldier,” it was clear that the franchise was moving past their attempts to cover up flimsy plots with violence, and “Civil War” demonstrates the perfect balance between action and character development. Downey is finally able to portray emotions beyond impudence as Tony Stark, revealing how deeply his character was affected by his parent’s death. He still embodies the self-titled “genius billionaire playboy philanthropist” in every possible way, but it appears as if Stark finally has some regrets. Marketed for its new additions to the Avenger family, “Captain America: Winter Soldier” is much more than an introductory film, but rather the biggest cinematic feat Marvel has attempted yet. The film is an important stepping stone for the franchise, as it evolves its genre from generic fantasy, to drama, questioning the sanctity of its heroes along the way.

Students compose their futures amy miyahara asst. a&e editor Every student has a different idea of what it means to be successful. Some might see it as going to an Ivy League school, becoming a doctor or lawyer, or making tons of money. However, three Diamond Bar High School students are finding their own path to success by majoring in performing arts in college, in hopes of pursuing a career in the field. Annabel Park, a French horn player who is a member of the DBHS wind ensemble, marching band and symphony orchestra, plans to pursue a career in music. She will study music at UCLA. Park’s dream job would be to perform in a well-known orchestra, such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, but she is also considering working as a horn instructor or freelance performer. “I find more interest in music as opposed to more academic subjects because it’s something I can make from myself, it has more emotion and intensity than doing something like math problems.” Park said via email. “I’m passionate about music because it’s apart of me; I believe without music, I wouldn’t be doing anything I love with my time and effort.” Children worldwide idolize cartoon characters, and senior Austin Mooney hopes to be the one behind one of these childhood heroes by

CALVIN RU

Three DBHS seniors are hoping to pursue careers in the performing arts industry. pursuing a career in voice acting. “It’s just been my continuing dream to be what I was watching as a kid, and to hopefully be someone’s hero,” Mooney said. Mooney will attend Citrus College to pursue an Associate’s Degree in theater before working to get his Bachelor’s Degree. He plans on taking theater and voice classes, as well as looking for opportunities to further his career as a voice actor. Mooney is a part of the DBHS drama department and performed as part of the ensemble in DBHS’ production of “Les Misérables.” Jonah Martinez is another senior who plans on working toward a career in the entertainment industry. In the future, he hopes to direct major motion pictures. Martinez plans on attending Mt. SAC before hoping to transfer to UCLA to complete his college edu-

cation. “I want to major in film [...] so that I can bring my vision of the world to people, so that they can enjoy and learn something from it,” he said. “I’ve always loved telling stories, writing, acting, and being people that I could never be on a daily basis.” Martinez is also part of the DBHS drama department. In their latest production of “Les Misérables,” he took on the roles of Brujon and the Foreman. “Jonah’s a strong actor, he has grown a great deal as an actor, and his characterizations are quite strong,” said drama teacher Beatrice Casagran. “If you have a creative side and it’s what you enjoy doing and what you love doing, then you need to do it. I don’t think it’s bad for people who are artistic to pursue art, and I think [Jonah’s] going to be happy in the long run.”

12 FEATURE

THE BULL'S EYE

Students begin preparing to Serve in the Military

MAY 18, 2016 Advertisement

MILITARY STUDENTS from p.6 preparing for the physical and mental challenges that he will face during boot camp. “There’s always the sense of fear because of the unknown... it’s the same thing for me because I don’t know what’s going to happen. It is kind of a fear but at the same time, it’s something to look forward to for me,” Shi said. For Shin, his reason to serve was a bit different from Shi’s. After leaving his home in South Korea and moving to America six years ago, Shin realized that serving in the military would be one of the only options for his future. The South Korean citizen is required to serve in the South Korean military. From a young age, Shin’s interest has always gravitated toward the medical field. As a longtime Leo Club member, he developed a connection with advisor Jack Tanaka and was influenced by Tanaka’s experiences as a health care specialist during the Vietnam War. “He didn’t actually go to Vietnam, but I’ve seen him, heard stories... I know it’s cliché, but [it’s about] just helping people out,” Shin said. After serving as a combat medic, he plans to work as a registered nurse and pursue a career as a doctor, psychologist, or specialize in medicine, depend-

ing on his experience in the field. “I am a Korean citizen...This is one of my only options, I can’t have the luxury of going to college like other kids... Korean army doesn’t really give you anything, but the American army on the other side, they pay you more, more vacations, better working conditions, preparing for future, free education, housing, all that kind of stuff, the benefits are just amazing. So I just decided to do it, everybody likes it, everybody supports it,” Shin said. Shin plans to receive his basic training in South Carolina and Texas, then will be stationed where his service is needed. After fulfilling these duties, Shin will achieve his goal of serving for four years as a fulltime combat medic, working in the field with infantry soldiers. He plans to use this experience to enter the medical field as a civilian. During his time serving in the military, he hopes to involve himself in a Green to Gold program, which guides soldiers toward becoming an officer. In addition, he hopes to serve as a doctor in the army and aspires to earn the title of a colonel, major, or possibly general. Shin is currently participating in physical training alongside Shi and educating himself regarding his plans for the future.

READ NOW AT DBBULLSEYE.COM

A VIEW FROM THE CORNER

Photo courtesy of ANDY SHIN

Andy Shin (right) attends his brother’s graduation from Ft. Jackson in South Carolina, where Shin plans to attend next year for Medical training.

bullseyeblogs

SPORTS

THE BULL'S EYE

MAY 18, 2016

Brahma rides the bulls Taking on the bull soon after his first steps, junior Alexander Ramirez participates in “the most dangerous eight seconds” in sports. cindy liu staff writer Instead of spending time on a typical sports field like most other Diamond Bar High school athletes, junior Alexander Ramirez practices his sport at a rodeo on the back of a bucking bull. He rode his first horse soon after he took his first steps, starting a lifelong passion for the rodeo. Ramirez focused his interests on bull riding after his father and un-

ERIC HONG

Junior Alexander Ramirez received a scar on his hand in his first rodeo.

cle introduced him to the sport. He attended his first competition when he was thirteen, a year after he rode his first bull. In preparation for his events, he trained with a coach, Wolf Hopen, and rode practice bulls and bucking barrels to simulate riding a real bull. A few years later, he won first place at a county fair. “You have to have confidence. You also have to know that you are going to get hit. It’s not a matter of if. It’s a matter of when and how bad you’re going to get hit. You just have to be mad enough to overcome and say you still want to do this,” Ramirez said. Hopen described Ramirez as a student who has shown rapid improvement in the years he spent coaching him. They are currently working on improving his balance and reaction timing. In their time together, Hopen nicknamed Ramirez as the “Gambler” because of his spurs and his daring behavior in the rodeo. Ramirez rode his first bull at his uncle’s ranch, the same place where he learned to ride horses. His most recent competition was at a rodeo in Mira Loma, where he was disqualified after being bucked off at 4.5 seconds. Currently, he aims to compete in the Industry Hills Expo Rodeo. Bull riders are judged on their balance and control on a bull as

well as the wildness of the animal. Riders hold onto a rope secured around the bull and are required to stay on for at least eight seconds. If they are bucked off before the eight seconds are up or touch the bull or themselves with their free hand, they are disqualified and do not earn any points. “It’s attitude, flat out attitude. That is what separates the really good riders from the others. But you also need to accept the fact that sooner or later, you will get knocked down hard,” Ramirez said. Bull riding is infamously referred to as “the most dangerous eight seconds” in sports, with its high number of injuries and casualties. Ramirez is not an exception. He earned a scar on his hand during his first ride. Later, he received his worst injury when a bull swung at his chest while he was tangled in his rope. His safety equipment prevented serious damage. Ramirez is well aware of the potential dangers in bull riding, but he still continues because of his passion for the sport. The adrenaline rush he feels on the back of a bull is what he loves most about bull riding. He compares it to the feeling of plunging down a rollercoaster. “When I am on the back of that bull and when they open that gate, I feel nothing but power all over me,” he said via email, “I feel a great deal of confidence when the ride is over, because I would say to myself, ‘I’ve done it, I rode that wild animal.’

SCHOLARSHIPS Josephine Chang Kentucky Jenna Lloyd San Jose Keola Viloria Antelope Valley Dimaggio Rico Jamestown Tony di Donato San Bernardino

Lackluster year brings experience SOFTBALL Despite a five game losing streak, the Lady Brahmas were able to finish their last four games with two wins and two losses. ryan chae sports editor While missing the CIF playoffs, the Diamond Bar softball team finished the season with a league record of 3-7 and an overall record of 10-14-2. “It has been a season of ups and downs as we have played really well against tough teams and have lost really close games to teams that we feel that our team could’ve beaten,” head coach Roberta Garcia said via email. The team finished the preseason, 8-7-2, participating in multiple tournaments such as the Brea Olinda Tournament and the Mark Takkinen Memorial Classic. Notable wins in the tourneys included 10-2 wins over Rowland and Ontario and a 3-1 victory over El Dorado. The Lady Brahmas actually had their first league win in the middle of preseason when they defeated the Glendora Tartans, 4-1. Garcia labeled this match as the most memorable game of the year as the Tartans. That victory would be the only one in six games as the Lady Brahmas went on a five-game losing streak, which would end with a 5-4 win over Ayala on April 29. Garcia pointed to the team’s hitting inconsistency as an area that was hurting the team. “We need to feel comfortable in tight situations when they are up at the plate,” Garcia said. In their final match, the Lady Brahmas took a win away from the Bonita Bearcats, 5-2. DB had six to-

tal hits in the match. With the end of the season comes the loss of seniors Andrea Gonzalez, Breena Harold and Pamela Wang. Harold was third in the team in runs with 15 and led in stolen bases with four while pitcher Gonzalez had 37 strikeouts. The departure of the seniors will leave a hole to fill, but Garcia is confident that the team will be able to step up in their absence. “We are hoping that there will be some [junior varsity] players that can fill some of the empty roster spots or some of the new incoming freshmen if they are ready to compete at the varsity level,” Garcia said. Other than incoming players, Garcia also looks to juniors Ruth Munoz and Becky Winder to lead the team next season. Munoz led the team with 18 runs while having the second best batting average. Winder had the most extra base hits with seven and was also the team’s leader in wins (8) and strikeouts (44). Another standout player for the team was sophomore Lizzi Wilson. Wilson led in hits (26), RBIs (15), and batting average (.325). As the season ends, the Lady Brahmas don’t plan to stop working and improving during the offseason in order to compete with the rest of the league. “The Palomares League is a really strong league. We hope that our players will play in some type of summer softball to get more experience that will help our teams next season,” Garcia said.

Freshman Kai Smith leaps over the high jump bar at a meet against Glendora Tartans.

CALVIN RU

Ending a record setting year TRACK AND FIELD Although the Diamond Bar track and field team did not finish in one of the top spots, many individuals set records and qualified for league. calvin ru photo editor With the Diamond Bar High School varsity track and field season coming to a close, the Brahmas are finishing strong, having set six new school records and 33 league finals qualifications. “All the students individually excelled. We are not one of the best teams but all our students beat their personal records and that’s what success means,” head coach Sally Jarvis said. Seniors Annabelle Cheng, Sophia Arnold, and Papa Midley, and juniors Dylan Kinney, Paul Abdo, and Ahmad Abu Nasra set school records for multiple events. Cheng broke the previous record of 800 meters at the Palomares League Finals with a time of 2:22.46 minutes,

while Arnold set the new record of the 60 meter dash at 8.41 seconds. Meanwhile, Midley, Kinney, Abdo, and Nasra broke the previous record for the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:34.12 minutes as a team. In addition, Midley, Kinney, and Abdo each set records of their own: 300 meters at 37.99 seconds, 600 meters at 89.70 seconds, and 1600 meters at 4:35.41 minutes respectively. At the league finals, 15 Brahmas placed out of the 33 who qualified by finishing in the top five for their individual events. Arnold and senior Ryan Gan placed third and fifth, respectively, in the 100 meters sprint. Cheng placed fifth in the 800 meters and junior Justin Ofori placed third in the 300 meter hurdles. The boys relay team placed fourth in the 4x100 relay and fifth in the 4x400 relay, while girls re-

lay team placed fifth in the 4x100 relay and fourth in the4x400 relay. Senior Nicholas Naverrete and sophomore Michael Blazek placed second and third in shot put and freshman Paula Williams placed fourth in the high jump. Seniors Christopher Geere and Eric Chen placed fourth and fifth in pole vault while Ripley and junior Chase Langi placed second and fourth in long jump. “It’s good to know that you have kids accomplish their goals throughout the season, especially those who mark and place in finals and qualify to go to CIF Prelims. It’s good to see the success and hardwork pay off,” head coach Joseph Beaudion said. Brahmas Arnold and Ripley qualified to compete in the CIF-SS Division 1 Prelims last Saturday. Unfortunately, Arnold sustained a turf toe and right hamstring injury which prevented her from competing in the Prelims while Ripley failed to jump before a regulation line resulting in the cancellation of his scores.

14 SPORTS

MAY 18, 2016

THE BULL'S EYE

Seniors drive to another title GOLF Senior captains Josh Song and Dylan Stone lead the young team to winning the league title. The five varsity players won 11 games in a row. sophia kim asst. sports editor

contributing greatly to the team’s wins this season. Always shooting a steady low score for the team, Lee has only benefitted the team, Led by senior captains Josh Song according to McCabe. In addition, and Dylan Stone, Diamond Bar freshmen Sam Cho and Brian Chiu have been in the Top 10 of league High School’s boys golf team once again won the Palomares League scoring leaders, according to McCabe. title, with a record of 11-1. The “[Lee] played the best golf team clinched the title in its meet against toughest team, which is against the Glendora Tartans, 199what you want to see and don’t ex206, on April 27. Starting off the season with 11 pect out of young players,” McCabe straight wins, the team continued to said. With five strong core players in score low, and won against all odds. Defeating tough teams in the league the varsity team, the Brahmas have like Glendora and Bonita, the team been among the best teams from the start, according to McCabe. Dehad a successful season, according feating Bonita at their home course to coach Tony McCabe. Despite loswas a great accomplishment for the ing its senior golfers from last year, Brahmas this the team season, as the was able to boys were stay strong “Dylan closes out the match able to win t h ro u g h o u t and closes the game out, despite their the season like a great point guard in unfamiland win its tibasketball” iarity with tle as league COACH TONY MCCABE the course. champs. DBHS’ boy’s Song and golf team Stone have been guiding the young team in the beat Bonita with a score of 192. Although the boys were underight direction since the start of the feated in league, the team took season. While Song has been teeing off with the first group to lead the eighth place in the Knabe Cup, as many of the best high school golf boys, Stone has been playing in the teams across California shot well. last group to help the team’s youngSong, Stone, and Lee shot a 78, er players. According to Mccabe, while Cho shot a 79. both captains on the team have Cho, Song, and Stone have qualities of a leader, as they know how to handle situations with their qualified for CIF league individuals with Song taking second in knowledge of the rules. league, Stone third, and Cho plac“Dylan closes out the match and closes the game out, like a great ing. On May 9, the CIF individuals took place at the Indian Canyon in point guard in basketball,” McCabe Palms Springs but none of the playsaid. Sophomore Thomas Lee, a re- ers made the cut of 75. On Monday, the team played team divisionals at turning varsity golfer from last Los Serranos. year, has been playing well, and

ERIC HONG

Senior Jordan Chavez bats in a game against the South Hills Huskies after a up-and-down season.

Brahmas to lose nine players BASEBALL Despite a quick start, the boys were unable to play consistently and fell to fifth place in league. ingrid chan staff writer Last Friday, Diamond Bar High School’s baseball team competed in its last game of the season, finishing with a record of 12-14 and fifth in league. ”A couple things come to mind in regards to improving. Over the course of the year, our defense became a little lackluster at times, so that did hurt us in a few ways,” head coach Jon Hurst said. Earlier this year, the DBHS baseball team kicked off its season with a great start; only a month into league, the team’s wins nearly doubled its losses with nine wins and five losses. “We did a very good job pitching and hitting, since some of our competition was so good that our play-

ers had to be extremely talented,” Hurst said. But the Brahmas hit a slight slump soon after, with five consecutive losses in April. The most recent five weeks have seen the boys competing against different schools twice every week, those being Ayala, South Hills, Claremont, Bonita, and Glendora. The Brahmas lost against Ayala with scores of 10-5 and 6-2. Not long after that, the Brahmas were hit with further losses after playing against South Hills, also losing both games and finishing with 10-5 and 13-3. Things began to look up for the Brahmas again after winning both games against Claremont, 10-2 and 4-3. ”I think that we definitely took a step in the right direction as far as the program is concerned. Our

league is very, very talented and very competitive. It’s just that our league is so good, that we, unfortunately, can’t afford to make any mistakes if we want to perform well,” Hurst said. The Brahmas also made a few changes to their overall team structure this year with a group of nine captains. According to Hurst, there were many seniors on the team who played the leadership role well. This led to the tight knit communal leadership they have now, a group of players that Hurst believes has helped support the team throughout the season. With the end of the season, Hurst has reflected on his first year of coaching the team. ”I loved it, it was awesome and I can’t wait to do it for a long, long time. It was fun getting the opportunity to come in and try to change the culture of the program a little bit and work on different aspects of it from the ground up.”

A bittersweet end to a hopeful season TENNIS The Diamond Bar tennis team ended the season in second place in league with a record of 8-2. The year came to an end with a CIF playoff loss. stuart kusdono asst. opinion editor The Diamond Bar boys varsity tennis team smashed their way into the CIF playoffs and won its first game in the postseason, but was stopped in the third round.

Following the end of the regular season, the team did not have to participate in the wildcard round of the playoffs as they were ranked higher than the lower half of the bracket. Last Wednesday, the Brahmas defeated Charter Oak in the second round of CIF, dominating 18-0.

Senior Austin Chiang is the number two doubles player for the Brahmas.

However, the Brahmas’ playoff hopes ended in the third round last Friday with a 13-5 loss against Crean Lutheran High School. The team also participated in the Palomares League Individuals Tournament which determined who would move on to CIF individuals. In doubles, senior David Chee and sophomore Michael Tran finished third and junior Neil Tengbumroong swept the league finals, winning the final round 7-6 and 6-2, thus becoming the league champion. He will move on to CIF individuals. In addition, Tengbumroong played in the prestigious Ojai tournament. In a close and tough first round match, Tengbumroong ultimately lost but hopes to participate in the tournament again next year. This season, the team came just short of winning the Palomares League title after losing a crucial match against the Claremont Wolfpack, 11-7, finishing with an 8-2 record and taking second in the league. The other loss also was against the Wolfpack, 10-8. “It was a really close match. All of the guys gave it their all, but in the end, we didn’t get the W,” senior captain Masuda said, regarding the match against Claremont on March 21. The team’s final league match was a dominating victory against the Glendora Tartans, 15-3, on

Photos by CALVIN RU

Junior Vinay Bhupathiraju returns a serve against the Bonita Bearcats. April 28. This season, the team had to adapt to the coaching methods and style of new head coach Carl Flint, who brought in more interactive game and match play. “For doubles, it’s mainly about practice, practice, practice,” Masuda said. “For singles, it’s mostly a mental game from here. Physically, we’re at the point we want to be, so we’re discussing strategies.” The Diamond Bar boys varsity

tennis team will be facing additional changes next season as its top playing seniors leave for college. Notably, No. 1 doubles player David Chee, No. 2 doubles player Austin Chang, and No. 1 singles player Masuda will be leaving. “A lot of guys from JV will have to step up,” Masuda said. “The guys that are on the bench right now in varsity will have to fill up the top positions.”

SPORTS

THE BULL'S EYE

MAY 18, 2016

Swim breaks school record SWIM After finishing second in league, the team competed at CIF Prelims last Friday.

Fifth straight CIF title BADMINTON With another title under their belt, the Brahmas are ready to defend it.

ingrid chan staff writer

The Diamond Bar High School varsity swim team has continued to hold onto its top spots in the Palomares League. Finishing their season off strongly, with both girls and boys varsity achieving first place, the Brahmas have pulled far ahead of the competition. Of the students who were able to make it to CIFs, there were a handful who competed in multiple events for DBHS. Girls varsity sophomores Kelly Cheng and Kelsey Lloyd, junior Kathleen Gani, and senior Jenna Lloyd participated in five different CIF events each. The varsity boys who competed in just as many events include sophomores William Huang, Michael Lee, Brian Li, and freshman Kevin Vargas. On Friday, the relay team of Lee, Huang, Li and junior Preston Li broke the school record for the Men’s 400 Free Relay. However, they were still unable to place in the top 16, placing them in the alternatives. At the CIF Finals, the Girls 200 Medley Relay team placed second while Gani also placed third in the Girls 200 IM Finals. In that same event, Kelsey Lloyd placed tenth. Vargas placed fourth in the Boys 200 IM. Jenna Lloyd also placed seventh in the Girls 50 Free. In the Girls 100 Butterfly, Cheng placed

emily kim sports editor

Senior Lauren Ong competes in the individual medley as the Brahmas finished first in league. eighth. The swimmers competed in six different relays at last week’s CIF meet at Ayala High School; Varsity Girls Women Senior 200 Medley, Varsity Boys Men Senior 200 Medley, Varsity Girls Women Senior 200 Free, Varsity Boys Men Senior 200 Free, Varsity Girls Women Senior 400 Free, and Varsity Boys Men 400 Free. ”I’m especially proud of the people who we were able to take back to league finals. With a hundred and thirty kids going into league

finals in prelims, we got to take around a hundred kids back,” head coach Darlys Ankeny said. According to Ankeny, the Glendora Tartans were the girls’ biggest competitor, while the Ayala Bulldogs were the boys’ strongest opposing team. However, both the boys and girls teams finished quite well in league, with the boys being 442 points ahead of the second place team and the girls finishing with 192 points more than the second place team behind them. This year’s newly introduced

CALVIN RU

weekly rotation of captains will continue to be used within the swim team next year as well, since Ankeny stated that it worked out well for the students. ”I’m also trying to form our own dive team here, though I don’t know whether or not I’ll be successful. We’d first have to find a place that actually has diving boards that our students can use,” Ankeny said. Ankeny mentioned sophomores Ashley To and Derek Su as well as freshmen Annie Wu and Grace Ge as other swimmers who stood out.

Opening pitch of mlb stories With the NBA in its final weeks of the postseason and the NFL draft behind us, there’s only one of the big three sports left in season play: the MLB. Now, I’m going to be honest here, I wasn’t a follower of baseball until a year and a half ago. Since then, I’ve been as interested in the sport as I have been with basketball and football. With that said, here are some of the most intriguing stories in the MLB’s first month and a half. What An Opening Story If you told me that a rookie shortstop, who only won a spot on the team due to the legal issues of veteran Jose Reyes, would hit six home runs in his first four games, then you’re out of your mind. Somehow, Colorado Rockies’ shortstop Trevor Story was able to do the incredible and hit seven dingers over his first eight games, even having two multi-HR games. Now, Story is leading all shortstops in HRs and is in third place in all of baseball. Considering that he had to fill the spot of superstar shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who was traded from the team

last year, Story has done a good job of switching the focus of the Rockies into the future and not on the past struggles. Story, of course, slowed down his flurry of HRs, but it’s still historical nonetheless. Houston, we have a problem Coming into the season with fully adjusted Carlos Gomez, rising star Jose Altuve, last season’s AL Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel, and preseason AL MVP candidate Carlos Correa, this year’s Houston Astros looked to build off of the success from last season’s short yet optimistic end. Now, the Astros are one of the bottom five teams in baseball, fighting the LA Angels to stay in fourth place of the AL West. Keuchel is 2-5 with an earned run average that’s over five, Gomez has yet to even hit a home run, Correa’s numbers are underwhelming, and Altuve has been one of the few bright spots in the team’s dismal season. On the positive side, they have a chance at winning the number one pick next year. Chicago After winning 97 games last year

and playing in the NL Championships, (before being swept by my Mets) the Chicago Cubs showed the world that they were back. It also helped that the Cubs signed second baseman Ben Zobrist and three-time Gold Glove winner Jason Heyward. With a stacked offense and strong defense, the Cubs were expected to be the top team of the NL, but no one expected the other team in Chicago to be the No. 1 team of the AL. The Chicago White Sox were coming into the season after a 76-win 2015 and, following the Adam LaRoche locker room situation, rankings didn’t even have these guys in the Top 15. With the pitching trio of Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, and Mat Latos and a supporting bullpen, the Sox have been able to reach the top of the league. Third baseman Todd Frazier is having a strong season, raking in over 30 RBIs and ten HRs. However, I don’t see it continuing, so for now, let’s cherish history as it’s been almost 43 years since Chicago has had two teams leading the MLB. Marlins: Can they do any-

thing right? The last time the Miami Marlins made the playoffs, they were known as the Florida Marlins and they won the World Series. The price for such success has led to over 12 years of failures and no postseason appearances. It seemed like every year, the Marlins have faced some form of pain whether it was the Tommy John injury of ace Jose Fernandez or slugger Giancarlo Stanton’s hand injury that took him out last season. This year, bad luck rained upon the Marlins once again when it was announced that last year’s NL batting champion and leadoff hitter Dee Gordon was suspended for 80 games for taking PEDs. Losing their most consistent hitter in the NL East, a division that has some of the best pitching staffs, could not be any more ill timed. Now, the team only has the occasional mammoth HRs of Stanton, a recovering Fernandez, and the up-and-down year of new manager Don Mattingly. Oh well, at least the team has a chance at third against the rebuilding Philadelphia Phillies.

Claiming the CIF title for the fifth year in a row and remaining undefeated in league, the Diamond Bar High School varsity badminton team has continued its legacy of domination. The Brahmas faced off against Mira Costa High School on May 7 in the final round of the championship series, winning 19-2. The team’s margin of victory in the title game was even larger this season compared to last year’s 16-5 win against Long Beach Polytechnic High School. “It’s very rewarding to see our players’ hard work actually come to fruition,” head coach Kemp Wells said. “It just shows how hard the players work, not necessarily how hard I work cause they’ve got to go out on the court.” According to Wells, the vast amount of strong players on both the boys and girls side of the team contributed greatly to clinching the title. Although the Brahmas lost some games, they would be able to make up the lost points in other matches. “We can all play every single event really, so if we have someone who is not performing well that day or isn’t prepared we can always replace them with someone else,” junior captain Justin Lam said. The Brahmas maintained an impressive track record leading up to the final round, defeating Cypress High School in the semifinals 17-4 and Garr 20-1 in the quarterfinals. The team lost a only seven matches throughout its four playoff games. “This was by far the best score we’ve put up. 19-2 is pretty impressive,” Wells said. Despite what the scores look like, the games were still close. With individual sports not reflecting scores the same way as team sports, the scores are deceptive of how competitive the matches truly are, according to Wells. Regardless of the seniors leaving the team, Wells does not foresee any major decline in strength, as the current lineup in the championship games includes only three senior players out of 12. Wells hopes to split the team in half for the next spring season to give more players time on the court. This will allow Diamond Bar to be more competitive and possibly place both first and second in league. According to Wells, using a substitution rule similar to tennis would also allow for more Brahmas to play since no switches on the starting lineup can be made during badminton matches. Both captains of the team, senior Jonah Perea and Lam, were standout players this season, with Perea scoring two victories and Lam scoring four in CIF. Sophomore Ambrose So also stood out on the boys side, according to Wells. Freshmen Angela Zhang and Mirabelle Huang as well as sophomore Jasmine Huang also made major contributions to the team.

CORRECTIONS Last issue, a photo accompanying the article on the track and field team misnamed freshman Andy Tsai as freshman Dylan Ang.

16 SPORTS

MAY 18, 2016

THE BULL'S EYE

Athletes of the months OCTOBER: DIMAGGIO RICO FEBRUARY: DESTINEE GARR

NOVEMBER: JOSEPHINE CHANG SEPTEMBER: BLAKE GOODMAN APRIL: JOSEPH KIM

DECEMBER: ANTHONY VASQUEZ

MARCH: JONAH PEREA

JANUARY: SABRINA MAY

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH catherine zhang feature editor When Joshua Song was ten years old, his father introduced him to golf as a way to remain active. After hitting a few shots, Song quickly found himself developing a passion for the sport that stuck with him throughout his high school experience. “Golf interests me because it taught me a lot about patience and

self-discipline as well as high morals and respect of others, as in integrity and you can’t do anything wrong since you are being watched by other people,” Song said. Serving as a valuable asset to the varsity boys golf, the Diamond Bar High School senior has led the Brahmas through another undefeated season and a Palomares League title. “He helps with everything, especially because we have so many young players, and I’m always say-

Photo courtesy of JOSH SONG

Senior captain Josh Song has been a member of the team for three years.

Joshua Song

ing ‘Be like Josh’. It’s a great thing to have someone like that on the team. He’s really improved these past few years, and he’s going to be a solid college golfer,” head coach Tony McCabe said. Since joining varsity in his sophomore year, Song has steadily improved and now serves as captain. However, with the new leadership position, Song discovered the difficulty of balancing concern about his teammates’ performances and his own scores. “Since golf is an individual sport, you can’t think about what other people do but rather how you’re doing yourself, like your scores. This year, I was worrying too much about how other people were doing instead of worrying about my own game. It’s a good point as a captain, but as an individual, it was a bit troublesome,” Song said. During his junior year, Song advanced to CIF, placing in the second team, and placed this year as league runner up, placing him in the first team finish. “In golf, it’s difficult to get a win. It’s not like any other sport, where you can win with a team. It takes time and patience. I value consistency in every tournament, rather than trying to win every tourna-

ment I play in,” Song said. As a member of American Junior Golf Association, Song regularly competes in national tournaments. The matches are held every month at varying locations nationwide. Song typically places in the Top 15, usually hitting around even par. “It gives me new experiences of playing national tournaments and seeing the various types of venues. I’m averaging as a scratch golfer; that’s not enough to win, but it’s enough to place high enough. I’m not looking to win, but rather consistency,” Song said. Despite finishing in the Top 5 at local tournaments and Top 15 at national tournaments, Song’s golfing career has not always been easy. In his junior year, Song struggled after not reaching his expectations with his game. “I was vulnerable in the

ways that I didn’t know if I should keep going and push on. Because of that, I was discussing with various friends, family members, and golfers and my coach and they helped me convert that negativity to positivity into playing and it helped me start to go up and up,” Song said. The senior plans on continuing to play the sport in college, but his participation will be affected by his performance and his family’s wishes. “I’ll see how it plans out and see how far I can go with it,” Song said. However, the sport has taught Song many life lessons which resonate with him even outside of playing golf. “Inspiration wise, I wanted to pursue something I loved, and it just gave me the ambition to never give up, even after a bad hole. It gave me the motivation to succeed mentally and physically in golf, it changed me not only as a golfer but also a person,” Song said.