High Tide Oct. 5, 2012 Edition by High Tide

HIGH

TIDE Redondo Beach, CA // Redondo Union High School Oct. 5, 2012 // Vol. XCIII // Edition 3

[Hightideonline.org]

Behind the‘Doors’

by Navikka Dasz

She has been to several art exhibitions before, but this time is different. This time each painting has her name printed beside it. This time it’s not another artist’s soul, naked and exposed for the world to see. No, this time it’s hers. [story continued on back page]

p2-3//

Science teachers share their weirdest classroom posessions.

p6-7 //

Find out why you should spend that extra $5 to go to a car wash.

p10-11//

Staff reveal the top picks on their list of favorite museum exhibtions.

NEWS // OCT. 5, 2012

Grad Night cancelled By Jason Rochlin

1. 1. Leader of the Pack. RJ Ramirez leads a dance with fellow seniors, Matthew Riley and Taylor Brown to the song “Oppa Gangnam Style” at the Senior Barbeque. Photo by Brittany Nguyen.

2. Sticky Situation. Juniors Erika Marie and Dylan “Skippy” Balcarcel attempt to lick peanut butter off plexiglass in a competition against the other classes. However, they were unable to beat the senior class. Photo by Vitoria Magno.

Graduation comes with a variety of events planned to give seniors that last hurrah with their high school friends before they move on into the college world. This year, however, after experiencing issues with fundraising in the past, high cost, and student apathy, Grad Night will no longer be a part of these festivities. “I think at this point, there will be no more Grad Night as we knew it,” Principal Nicole Wesley said. Grad Night began many years ago when parents wanted to provide a safe, drug-free activity for seniors who had just graduated. “It has never been a school-sponsored event. It’s an activity [sponsored by parents] for students after graduation,” Wesley said. Although Wesley points out that Grad Night is not an official school function, she also recognizes that the school has tried to help with the success of the event in the past. “The school should have never gotten to the point where they were involved with the planning. I think, over time it just evolved that way,” Wesley said. “[Grad night] cannot be anything that looks like it’s school sponsored for liability reasons.” In addition, not enough students were attending to warrant more school participation. According to Wesley, only around 200

out of the graduating class of 570 attended. “I’ve heard that in the past it really wasn’t worth the money it costs to go,” senior Jacob Spear said. “I was thinking about going, but I honestly wasn’t sure.” One deterrent is the cost. In the past Grad Night has cost as much as $150 on top of other senior activities. “If Grad Night was cheaper, I would probably have considered going,” Spear said. According to Wesley, Senior Excursion promises to be a good alternative to Grad Night. “There’s talk of moving Senior Excursion to just after senior finals. I would like to promote events like this as Grad Night,” Wesley said. Senior Excursion, the annual senior trip to Disneyland, costs less than Grad Night, and has had a bigger student draw. “If they made another event like Senior Excursion as Grad Night, I would definitely go,” Spear said. With the barbeques, the pool party, Senior Excursion, and Prom, Wesley hopes to leave the graduates with positive memories of their time in high school. “Graduation is a very exciting day, one that students will never forget. I still hope parents or students will come up with an event to help celebrate this accomplishment; it just won’t be with school help.”

Prop

38 YES

A YES vote on this measure means an increase in income taxes. The tax revenue would be used for schools, child care, preschool, and state debt payments.

Prop 3. That’s the spirit. The senior and junior class put aside their rivalry to defeat the freshmen and sophomore classes at the rally. Junior Daniel Niko helped carry senior Alyssa Crenshaw on the raft to victory. Photo by Vitoria Magno.

The week in photos

30 YES

A YES vote on this measure means an increase in sales taxes and for high-income taxpayers.The taxes would be used to fund state budget programs, primarily education. http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/quick-reference-guide/ ILLUSTRATIONS BY COOPER LOVANO

NEWS // OCT. 5, 2012

Upcoming Events

PHOTO BY TAYLOR BRIGHTWELL

Pipe Dream. The Army Corps of Engineer’s crane installs pipes that pumps the sand on the beach from the dredging vessel, The Paula Lee.

Topaz dredging to finish by end of the week By Taylor Brightwell

Redondo Beach began growing outwards this summer as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started moving one million cubic yards of sand from the entrance channel of Marina del Rey to help replenish beaches in the South Bay. The sand was removed from the Marina del Rey Channel to improve navigational safety for area first-responders and boating traffic, according a U.S Army Corps of Engineers release. The project is part of a $13 million project that began in early April. About 520,000 cubic yards of sand have been placed onto barges for transportation to the Port of Long Beach for the Middle Harbor Redevelopment Project. Dutra Dredging Company deposited ad-

ditional clean sand on the Redondo Beach shore and Dockweiler State Beach. The beach between the Topaz and Ruby street intersections have received 75,000 cubic yards of clean sand and an additional 85,000 cubic yards will be placed off shore, for future replenishment needs. The sand being placed between Topaz and Ruby will widen the beach about 60 to 100 feet, making the sand level with the bike path. According to Greg Fuderer from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 36,000 cubic yards of the expected 75,000 cubic yards of sand has been placed on the beach, and 73,000 cubic yards of 85,000 cubic yards of the near shore placement area has been successfully positioned. “As of right now, the weather’s been pret-

ty good so we haven’t had much trouble,” Fuderer said. “There have been one or two equipment issues where we’ve had to delay some production while working on a pump or something. But right now it looks like, if nothing catastrophic happens, we should expect to finish placing the sand on Redondo at about the end of the first week of October.” After that, Fuderer expects it will take about another week to demobilize, finish moving the material around, and remove the equipment including the pipes, bulldozers, and barriers. “When all is said and done, the new sediment should provide some protection from winter storms that affect the beach and create more recreational areas for beach-goers,” Fuderer said.

Bag searches to be enforced at athletic events By Andrew Czuzak

If there is one word that Assistant Principal Jens Brandt would use to describe the underage drinking at the football game against Orange Lutheran, it would be disappointment. “I’m disappointed that a few students decided to [drink when] most students would not,” Brandt said. “It’s not what we expect of Redondo students.” After students managed to sneak alcohol into the game against Orange Lutheran, administration decided to remind students of the athletic event guidelines, which states that purses and bags are subject to search. “Checking bags acts as a deterrent to students. If students know that we are searching bags, they will be less likely to attempt to bring in alcohol,” Principal Nicole Wesley said. According to Brandt, searching bags has been a policy since before he arrived. How-

ever, due to a failure to communicate, the security officers were unaware that they were supposed to check bags and disallow backpacks. “The ladies at the front gate have been doing this for years, but unfortunately they could not be there that game. Unfortunately, we forgot to inform their replacements that they’re supposed to search bags,” Wesley said. Brandt agrees that even though the guards were unaware of their full responsibilities, the students are still responsible for their actions and should not have brought in alcohol. “The behavior was definitely selfish and also embarrassing to Redondo as a whole,” Brandt said. “We hope that when our students attend any future school activities they will do so safely and with proper school spirit.” In addition to the suspensions that occured at the game, Brandt reminds students

that any future events involving the usage or smuggling of alcohol and drugs will result in a suspension or possible expulsion. “The purpose of searching the bag is to ensure the students’ safety, not because we’re being mean. As a principal, it’s a very scary thing to see a student who is not in control of [his or her] actions, to say nothing of how the parents feel,” Wesley said. Wesley believes that a very small number of students perpetuated the drinking at the game. “It’s too bad when one percent of students ruin the game for everyone else,” Wesley said. With a more strongly enforced policy, Wesley believes that this will no longer be a problem. “Honestly, there is no need to have a backpack or purse at the game. Just bring some cash for a snack, tie a jacket around your waist, grab your I.D., and enjoy the game,” Wesley said.

Oct. 6 SAT Oct. 9 College Fair Red and White Carnival Oct. 11 Powder Puff game Oct. 12 Homecoming Game v. West Oct. 13 Powder Puff game College Visits*

Oct. 8 University of San Diego @ 2:15 p.m. Oct. 10 Stanford University @ 10:00 a.m. Oct. 12 Duke University @ 10:30 a.m. Oct. 15 Marymount College of Palos Verdes @ 8:15 a.m. Oct. 16 University of Puget Sound @ 10:30 a.m. Oct. 19 Pomona College @ 8:30 a.m. Brown University @ 11:30 a.m. *All college visits are held in ‘The Nest’ located on the second floor of the Administration building. Be sure to bring a college knowledge ticket signed by your teacher. College knowledge tickets can be found in your history teacher’s classroom or ‘The Nest.’

OPINION // OCT.5, 2012

Savannah

Says by Savannah Stern

“Students need to stop being a limitation and start being an extension of ASB.”

The countless hours painting banners, brainstorming themes, and designing games have all come down to a last run-through. The doors are finally open as ASB’s anticipated rally begins, and only a small corner of the bleachers is cheering while others are preoccupied with their phones or talking with friends. ASB works really hard to provide fun opportunities to show school spirit. Instead of feeling “too cool” to participate, the student body needs to recognize their hard work and support ASB by getting involved in the events. Working to accommodate the diverse students and faculty is a demanding job, but ASB makes it look easy. They try to think as the students would to get the maximum amount of participation and are always trying to find new ways to raise school spirit. If students are unhappy with ASB’s ideas, they should speak up and recommend new ways to make student participation more fun. According to ASB president Emily Su, ASB is willing to listen to suggestions to improve spirit days and other major ASB events. “School spirit is so important to us, and we’re always looking for new ways to boost it ,” Su said. “So when things don’t turn out as we anticipated, we always look back to see what we can improve on to make sure we are successful in positively affecting the student body [next time].” I know some spirit days and games seem silly or embarrassing, but they are just a way to have fun. Students need to realize it is okay to look dumb once in a while, especially if they are having fun. Who cares how silly you look with underwear over your pants for superhero day? At least you’ll go home with a fond memory. Although student participation is a major part of ASB, ASB Vice President Anjali Read feels the students are not a challenge but a limitation. “There are so many fun and cool things we would love to do for our student body, but it would only be fun if the whole student body was participating,” she said. Students need to support ASB and bring the spirit with them to every event. There are so many ways to get involved: cheering, dressing up, attending rallies, and participating in the games. It’s so easy to do. We as a student body need to stop being a limitation and start being an extension of ASB.

Illustration by Cooper Lovano

Spirited schools are stronger schools Editorial Rallies, at the least, are a much needed break from fourth period and a chance to talk with friends and at the most, an opportunity for increasing schoool spirit and class rivalries. But after the rallies, students revert back to their apathetic ways. This is just one example of how students fail to take advantage of increasing spirit. But the administration and ASB take spirit seriously—and so should everyone else because spirit makes school more fun for everyone. Rallies should be seen as a way to become involved. Students who participate have the chance to represent the rest of their class, and even those who are too shy to put themselves in front of the entire student body can participate by cheering on their classmates. Along with rallies, spirit organizations

can get students more involved. The Flock gets students involved in sports they don’t even play. Cheering in a sea of red is fun whether or not we win or lose a football game and the memories of watching our team and being part of the crowd are the things that matter. Being in the crowd when the team wins makes the event all the more fun. School spirit goes hand in hand with pride. If students are proud of their school, they will want to come to class, get better grades, go to games, and be a part of extracurricular activities. More school spirit makes for an environment that is cooperative and encourages student involvement, making students more likely to achieve (www. educationalleaders.govt.nz/content/.../ cowan-sabbatical-05.pdf ). But spirit is not just up to the students. For spirit to be truly school wide, the fac-

ulty has to join in too. 96% of the teachers here believe school spirit is beneficial to a learning environment, and 95% of teachers say they participate in spirit days like wearing red on Fridays or dressing up for spirit weeks. Students and teachers who are in a spirited environment will be proud to come to school every day and to be a part of RUHS’s long history of achievements. For those students and teachers who don’t think we have enough spirit, get involved. As Gandhi would say, we need to be the change we wish to see. It doesn’t take too much effort to pick out a red shirt to wear on Friday. When you open your yearbook at the end of the year, there will be pictures of crowds at the football games, students in rallies, dances, and other spirited events. Keep up your spirit, and you might find yourself in one of those pictures.

31 91

School spirit numbers by the

percent of students believe that RUHS has the same or less amount of spirit than other schools

Out of 138 students polled and 62 teachers polled...

percent of teachers that believe that faculty should play an active role in fostering school spirit

OPINION // OCT. 5, 2012

Letters to the

Editor If you have an opinion about one of the articles published in the High Tide, we welcome letters to the editor. We reserve the right to edit them for content, grammar, and space contraints. Letters must be signed and are not guarenteed to be printed. Please bring signed letters to room 209.

HIGH TIDE

STAFF

Editor-in-Chief: Julie Tran Managing Editor: Emma Uriarte Writing Director: Tricia Light Design Director: Taylor Ballard News Editor: Andrew Czuzak Opinion Editor: Haley Meyers Features Editors: Taylor Brightwell; Shivaani Gandhi; Hana Ghanim; Anacristina Gonzalez; Mannal Haddad; Cedric Hyon; Kylie Martin Sports Editors: Tatiana Celentano; Allegra Peelor Photo Editors:Vitoria Magno-Baptista; Diana Luna Copy Editors: Hana Ghanim; Ilana LaGraff Cartoonist: Cooper Lovano Online Editors: Vivian Lam; Kayla Maanum; LeAnn Maanum Staff Writers: Victoria Artaza; Ilan Avineri; Alina Bieschke; Joseph Bieschke; Jewell Black; Kenneth Bowen; Kira Bowen; Kolbie Brightwell; Ted Cavus; Deborah Chang; Edwin Chavez; Caitlin Cochran; Navikka Dasz; Yasmeen El-Hasan; Micah Ezzes; Zoe Ezzes; Anna Fauver; Stella Gianoukakis; Nageena Hamraz; Natalie Hardiman; Katie Hill; Haris Khan; Chance King; Angela Kim; Justin Lee; Daniel Loveland; Shawn Mallen; Nicholas McCarthy; Romy Moreno; Alida Newson; Kayla Nicholls; Susan Nieves; Rachel Orford; Lindsey Pannor; Cameron Paulson; Jene Price; Alejandro Quevedo; Jason Rochlin; Molly Rood; Shelby Salerno; Beth Shallon; Laura Smith; Cole Stecyk; Savannah Stern; Karissa Taylor; Claire Tisius; Grace Zoerner Adviser: Mitch Ziegler The High Tide dedicates itself to producing a high-quality publication that both informs and entertains the entire student body. This is a wholly student managed, designed, and written newspaper that focuses on school and community events. The High Tide is published by the journalism class at Redondo Union High School, One Sea Hawk Way, Redondo Beach, CA 90277. Signed commentaries and editorial cartoons represent the opinions of the staff writer of cartoonist and in no way reflect the opinions of the High Tide staff.

Pro: Bag searches are necessary If you were at the football game against Orange Lutheran, you already saw what happened. An RUHS student smuggled alcohol into the game, got drunk, and vomited. If that isn’t a reason to search bags for alcohol or Andrew Czuzack drugs, I do not know what is. It happened because administration made a mistake, and the guards they had replacing the regulars did not know they were supposed to check bags, despite the school policy that states otherwise. It was a mistake that should not be repeated. According to the state constitution, every student deserves the right to a safe school environment. Whether it be during classes or any school-sponsored (including after school hours) event, students should not have to worry about their safety. Administration’s support for bag searches

at athletic events is the right move to protect students’ safety. In addition, there’s simply no reason to bring alcohol or drugs to the games. Supporting our Seahawks and socializing with friends are both great reasons to go to a football game. Going to a football game to get drunk is not. Administration is searching bags to protect us from a small portion of selfish students. Searches really should not be a problem for those who don’t bring in contraband. After the debacle at the football game, it should not come as a surprise to any student that administration is going to check bags. By searching bags and providing security at the gate, administration is simply doing what is best for the students’ safety. Letting them check our bags is a small price to pay for that.

Students sneaking in alcohol

Is administration justified in enforcing bag searches for all students after only a small percentage were caught in possesion of alcohol at the football team’s game against Orange Lutheran?

AROUND REDONDO Students debate whether or not they feel enforcing routine bag searches is necessary. “At the last football game a guy in front of me threw up on an innocent lady. It was gross and took the fun away from the game.” EMILY DUMAS, 9

“Without bag checks people bring in drugs and the football game should be civilized without kids acting crazy under the influence.” GARRETT STRIBLING, 10

“I don’t care about bag checks because I don’t bring a bag to the football games.” LEAH LANGFORD, 12

“Bags should be checked because people are bringing in drugs and alcohol and you can have fun without those things.” OLIVIA MANSOUR, 10

“The extra security doesn’t matter because people drink before the game and could still easily hide alcohol despite the checks.”

Con: Bag searches are unreasonable Friday night football games give students an opportunity to cheer on their team and show their school spirit while having fun with friends. Games, Savannah however, are about to get a Stern little less exciting as faculty enforces bag checks at football games. Bag searches are an invasion of students’ privacy and show an obvious lack of trust for the student body. Although football games are on school property, giving faculty the right to search bags is invasive and unreasonable considering, the majority of students are not involved with drugs, alcohol, or fighting. With no probable cause, students begin to feel mistrusted, lowering their desire to attend future games.

Checking every bag that is brought to the game can mean long lines, causing students to miss part of the game. Long lines can turn students off from going to future games, lowering attendance, which means less spirit and support for our Sea Hawks. Faculty wants to raise school spirit, so why not get rid of bag checks and let students cheer on their Sea Hawks without unreasonable and invasive bag searches? Although the bag checks are to make sure students aren’t bringing in illegal substances, faculty should realize most students are there to have fun and not get to into trouble. Instead of enforcing general bag checks, security should only search students who display probable cause. Student safety would be ensured without the students feeling invaded or distrusted for no good reason.

TYRA DUDLEY, 11

“I don’t think the bag checks are necessary since they are an invasion of privacy.” ZACH TURQUAND, 12

“It just helps to keep out anything that’s a threat to the student body.” BRIANA LANKTREE, 11 PHOTOS BY DIANA LUNA

FEATURES // OCT. 5, 2012

Wyman supports biogerontology through club by Alejandro Quevedo

Aging is a sensitive topic for many people, but with the help of biogerontology it could be stopped, or even reversed. Intrigued by the possibilities of lengthening life and helping humanity live more comfortably in old age, senior Spencer Wyman started Biogerontology Club. “I’ve always liked science, but I never really had a particular thing I wanted to rally behind,” Wyman said. “When I heard [about biogerontology], it was such a compelling idea that I wanted to find some way to support it.” The club will raise money for a research group in the field. “The SENS Foundation, the Biogerontology Research Foundation, and the Methuselah Foundation all have their pros and cons. We may choose to support one of those,” Wyman said. Because of his busy schedule, Wyman is unsure of how invested he can be. “I have school, band, and college to do, so it’s difficult to see what I can actually accomplish,” Wyman said. “It’ll definitely take a good amount of luck, though, since we’re competing with a lot of other worthwhile clubs.” Though the club was just started this year, Wyman’s personal goal is for it to become permanent. “At the moment, the club is really amorphous; what we can accomplish depends on how excited the other members are. Hopefully we can raise enough money for the club to gain enough relevance for it to carry on after I graduate,” Wyman said. “That’s probably my biggest goal.” According to Wyman, other members seem to enjoy the club, which will help the club build momentum. “I think the members seem to like it. Whenever I explain what biogerontology is, most people get pretty interested,” Wyman said. “Hopefully, interested enough to become really active members.” Members like senior Andrew Lew find the scientific possibilities that the club represents “immensely intriguing.” “It’s something that affects everyone, after all, and I think it’s amazing to try to study the aging process and help those afflicted with old age debilities live more fully and comfortably,” Lew said. “It is quite an exciting endeavor: organizing teenagers to think about such a long-term issue.” The Biogerontology Club meets in room 219 every Monday at lunch, and Wyman looks forward to leading it. “I feel pretty excited,”Wyman said. “This is a cause I really like. I’m looking forward to being able to promote it.”

Bio Med offers a new, unique experience by Anacristina Gonzalez

Principles of Biomedical Science (PBS) offers fresh curriculum that turns the conventional biology class into a hands-on experience for students. PBS was developed by Project Lead the Way, a national non-profit educational program that promotes the integration of science and engineering in high-school classrooms. The course deals with the investigation of human body systems, several health conditions, and research methods. Biology teacher Ann Bhare is excited to introduce this class to RUHS. Since there is no textbook for the course, she enjoys seeing students learn the material through an independent approach. “Students are in charge of their learning and have to find their own answers. [I like] the fact that it is so activity based, hands on, and student centered. I monitor and guide, but I don’t do the work for them,” Bhare said. Physiology teacher Karin DeCollibus is also enthused to be able to bring in a new science course that deals with the real-world application of concepts learned in other science classes. “You don’t walk into our PBS classes and see us lecturing like you might in a biology class. Students work using laptops to determine the cause of death of a fictitious person. The rest of the year is spent learning the

PHOTO BY CLAIRE TISIUS

New direction. Bio Med students ask Mrs. Bhare a question. Principles of Biomedical Science offers students a new independent approach. Although Bio Med is a new class to RUHS, the teachers are confident that the program will grow.

medical issues this person was faced with,” DeCollibus said. Activities to be done in class range from creating diagrams of all the body systems to performing dissections. Junior Alex DeBry is enjoying what the class has to offer so far. He looks forward to exploring the biological world further as the year progresses. “We’re fortunate to have the program since it gives us the opportunity to learn about the different careers involved in the medical field,” DeBry said. Although junior Newton Nguyen plans on pursuing a career in psychology, he is in-

terested in learning about the biological aspect of the course and how brain functions interact with the rest of the body. “I’d like to find out how the different body systems work together and also the different professions that deal with the class,” Nguyen said. Although there are only two periods of PBS offered this year, Bhare hopes to expand the program next year and in the future. “At this point the plan is to offer not only PBS, but the second course HBS (Human Body Systems), also. If you can fit it into your schedule, you should take the class,” Bhare said.

Mad SCIENCE

A look inside RUHS science classrooms.

PHOTO BY DIANA LUNA

PHOTO BY CLAIRE TISIUS

The Unusual. 1. A stick bug crawls in the sun in Ms. Simun’s class. Simun has several stick bugs of all different ages and sizes. 2. Dr. Brown keeps jars of kitten fetuses from all the pregnant cats his physiology class dissects. Dr. Brown has been dissecting cats for 27 years. His class does not dissect the kittens because they are not physically mature enough. 3. Brown displays jars containing pig and kitten fetuses by the door of his room.

PHOTO BY CLAIRE TISIUS

FEATURES // OCT. 5, 2012

Be clean,

be green Implement these earth-conscious practices and help maintain a healthy environment.

Composting organics by Cameron Paulson

When thinking of what to do with trash, most people throw everything in a trash can and even less recycle. But for teacher Mary Simun, composting should be a vital part of everyone’s life. “When I lived in the mountains when I was a child, I was always composting,” Simun said. “My siblings and I were always burying our extra trash in our house above the mountains.” Since Simun has been young, her family

has always been environmentally aware, influenced her to compost as an adult. “Composting is extremely easy and everyone can do it,” Simun said. “It’s just a matter of throwing your waste in a trash can or using a green bin.” Green bins are all over the community. People csn put their trash in these bins and have the city compost it for them. “By enriching the soul and increasing development of microorganisms we’re not benefiting the environment but benefiting ourselves,” Simun said.

Eco-friendly car washes by Ilana LaGraff

2. PHOTOS BY LAURA SMITH

Green clean. 1. Green Clean Xpress in Torrance washes cars both quickly and ecologically. 2. Green Clean car washes offer automatic and manual washing options.

Many people opt to wash their cars in their own driveways rather than spend money on a machine that washes it for them, but car washes are actually the more eco-friendly option. In fact, washing cars at home is one of the most environmentally unfriendly chores. The water isn’t sent to treatment centers, but rather goes straight to the storm drains and into the ocean--along with gasoline, oil, residue from exhaust fumes, and all the harsh

detergents used while washing. On the other hand, car washes are required by law to send their water to sewer systems to be treated, and they regulate the amount of water being used. According to a study by the International Carwash Association, commercial car washes use less than half of the water that the average homeowner uses when washing. Those who must wash their cars at home should use biodegradable soap and wash the car over the lawn or dirt so that the chemicals can absorbed and neutralized.

Environmentally-approved products GE 26-watt Energy Smart CFL bulbs 2 pack Replaces 100 watt bulbs $19.99 on Amazon.com

Aladdin Transform Travel Mug 16 oz BPA free Made of 97% recycled material Recyclable $9.99 at Target

Sanuk Yoga Mat sandals Made out of recycled yoga mats $30.00 on Sanuk.com

Aladdin To-Go Tumbler 20 oz BPA free Sweat-proof $13.49 at Target

PHOTOS BY LAURA SMITH

FEATURES // OCT. 5, 2012

Broese builds computers by Katie Hill

When most people find themselves with a broken computer, at first, they may put in a small effort, they may try turning it on and off, or try calling the computer repair service, but when none of this works the computer is usually given up on and replaced with a new one. For senior Nick Broese, this was not the case. Over the summer his computer broke, and Broese built an new one. “By building a computer, I saved some money and was able to get a computer that was tailored to my needs,” Broese said. Another aspect that sets Broese apart from most other computer owners is how quickly he was able to put the computer to-

gether. “It took me a couple weeks to analyze what parts I wanted and were the best value for what I needed,” Broese said. “But actually putting it together probably took four hours.” Broese’s quick assembly of the computer was undoubtedly impressive, but it was not unexpected from him. Broese is no novice when it comes to technology, having fixed and built many different types of technology before. “When I built my brother’s computer using some parts from old computers, it only took me an hour or two to decide on the parts and two to three hours to put it together because I already had a good idea what I was doing,” Broese said.

Broese has had an interest in technology since childhood. While he had mainly pursued this interest because it was just something he thought was interesting, he was also encouraged by his relatives. “Since before elementary school, I was fairly interested in computers,” Broese said. “I have two uncles that are electrical engineers, so I would always enjoy hearing their tech stories or about what they were working on.” Broese’s mother has watched his interest in technology grow throughout his life. She remembers Broese’s acute awareness for all things technological since he was just barely passed being a toddler. “He had an extremely large repertoire of software by the time he started kinder-

garten,” his mother said. “He was able to launch his own programs and install them by age four.” Broese is known by many of his friends and family to be skilled in technology and is always open to help any of them with their technological needs. “I’m glad to help any friend [who needs a new computer] save some money by finding the best computer for their needs, or by teaching and helping them build a computer or even building one for them,” he said. Building his computer over the summer has only furthered Broese’s interest in technology. “I’ve always had an average interest in technology,” Broese said. “But I got really interested in it when I built my computer.”

Power Supply:

Optic Drive:

The computer’s bat tery. Provides power for all the computer’s parts.

Where CDs and DVDs are inserted.

Mother Board:

What everything connects to. Makes everything able to work together.

CPU heat sink:

Keeps the CPU cool so that it doesn’t overheat.

CPU: Central

Graphics Card:

processing unit. Runs all the processes. The brain of the computer.

Processes data and generates graphics. Used in gaming and video rendering.

System Fans:

Hard Drive:

Keep the system from overheating. Keep all the internal parts cool.

Where all the data is stored when not in

use.

Technological Age by Mannal Haddad

Students sit in teacher, Matthew Keye’s digital electronics class. Eager to return to their projects, their feet tap impatiently against the floor and their fingers drum against their desks. For Keye, who is teaching the class for the first time this year, the class has been “really great” thanks to the dedication of the students. “[The students are] really interested, and it helps to have a group that is really interested in electronics,” he said.

Despite the students’ passion for electronics making the class more entertaining, even students who don’t know about electronics benefit from the classroom’s unique atmosphere, according to Keye. “It’s really project based and is a lot of hands-on stuff. We just walk into the class and start building,” Keye said. Senior Christian Bissett, who is a student in the class, agrees. He believes the class is more fun because it doesn’t revolve around lectures. “It’s all hands-on. You’re not just sitting there writing,” he said.

Students in Keye’s Digital Electronics class learn design, processing, and programming. As of right now, the class is focusing on just learning the basics of digital electronics. However, at the end of the year the students will be building a robot that navigates a maze on its own using the programming the students create. Bissett, who is an aspiring engineer, hopes to use the skills he learns in this class in his own life so he can build his own electronics. “We’re just learning the fundamentals, and it’s going to help us make our own stuff later on,” he said. According to Keye, the material the stu-

dents are learning in the class helps them develop problem-solving skills they can use in the future. “You’re going to have challenges and problems to solve, and this class is honing that ability,” he said. In addition to developing skills for life, Keye hopes that the students will take what they are learning beyond the classroom and apply it to real life situations. “I really want them to extend the knowledge that I’m giving them, and they want to do that, but first we have to build the skills,” he said.

FEATURES // OCT. 5, 2012

ASB Bonding by Claire Tisius

PHOTOS BY DIANA LUNA

Repairmen. 1. Senior Giovanni Partida learned how to fix damaged iPhones from online videos. He fixes phones for free and only charges for the parts. 2. Senior Danny Bradshaw rebuilds a broken iPhone at his work, Mor Wireless.

Partida, Bradshaw repair iPhones by Nageena Hamraz

They stare at the cracked screen and prepare themselves for the challenge they’re about to face. The phones are taken apart. After the phones are repaired they are carefully put back together, screw by screw. Senior Gio Partida and junior Danny Bradshaw repairs phones because of the selfsatisfaction of doing something good for other people. “I definitely love the look on someone’s face when they have a destroyed iPhone or they dropped it in the toilet, and I just hand them back a brand new phone,” Bradshaw said. “It makes my day to see them happy.” As repairmen, the hardest part of repairing phones is the fear of losing any screws. In order to repair the phones without making mistakes, Bradshaw must stay focused on inserting 15 to 20 screws of different sizes back into the phone. “It’s more of a process where I just get in the zone. If I forget or misplace one screw,

and I put the phone back together and it does not work properly, I know I have to get right back into the zone and figure out what I did wrong,” Bradshaw said. Partida agrees with Bradshaw. “I don’t really think about anything; I just try not to lose any screws,” Partida said. Bradshaw knows how to place the screws correctly because he was taught by the owner of Mor Wireless, a store located on 5th street in Hermosa Beach. Unlike Bradshaw, Partida learned how to fix phones by watching video tutorials on YouTube. After showcasing his talents to the owner, the owner offered Bradshaw a job. “It’s a fantastic job. A lot of people don’t know how to do it, [so] it’s special,” Bradshaw said. Partida also finds happiness in fixing phones, but as of right now, it is only a hobby. “I enjoy taking [phones] apart and putting them back together,” Partida said.

Partida’s hobby consists of fixing phones in his house by ordering the parts online. “I haven’t charged yet. [I’m] just being a good citizen. I just have people pay me whatever the screen or back cost[s],” Partida said. Although Bradshaw currently works as a phone repairman, he does not necessarily plan on continuing this career. He does, however, plan on pursuing a career that makes people happy. “I feel happy when people get a fixed phone, and I just cut their bill in half,” he said. “If someone comes to me with a problem, I like to make them happy with a good deal.” In addition to making people happy, Bradshaw enjoys the knowledge he receives in repairing phones. “I’m always learning new stuff about phones, which keeps me interested,” Bradshaw said. “There’s always a new phone coming out, and there is always going to be someone that breaks it.”

Garzon, Mcmillen design clothing by Allegra Peelor

“Artsy-fartsy” is not usually used to describe teenage girls, but it describes sophomores Natalia Garzon and Lani McMillen perfectly. Garzon and McMillen started making shorts, shirts, and hair bows about a month ago thinking it would be “cool” to make custom clothes. “Lani and I are really creative and love to make things,” Garzon said. “We don’t consider it work; we consider it creativity because we can make it into whatever we want it to be.” McMillen has been customizing her own clothes since she was in seventh grade. “My mom wouldn’t buy me a pair of shorts so I told her that I would make them

myself,” McMillen said. Garzon mainly makes the bows while McMillen sews the shirts and distresses and tie-dyes the shorts. “Not a lot of people know about our business so we’re trying to make it bigger,” Garzon said. “We’re really dedicated to it because we don’t want it to turn into one of those trends that only lasts a month.” One reason why Garzon wants to make their business, Nat + Kai, bigger is because making bows is hard work: five bows may take upwards of an hour to make, since she must wash, cut, paste, and iron the fabric together. “The bows are a lot of work but I put love into them so people will get a good bow,” Garzon said. McMillen feels that even though making

customized clothes is a lot of work, it is still fun because “it’s good to save money and make your own cute stuff.” “Lani has always been very creative,” McMillen’s mother, Kellie McMillen, said. “I’ve always noticed a huge artistic flair as far as with her makeup and hair and she’s always been into fashion.” Although both Garzon and McMillen are very creative, neither one wants to become a fashion designer in the future. Garzon would like to be an artist, and although McMillen is undecided about her future, she wants to do something more with her life than just designing clothes. “I think that being a fashion designer is superficial,” McMillen said. “I’d rather do something more deep and inspiring to people that changes their lives.”

Some teachers may see a classroom as a family, but most of the time students don’t act like it is. However, ASB does. ASB students become closer as a family through bonding nights, which allow them to get to know each other better. ASB Vice President Anjali Read plans the bonding nights, which occur one Saturday every month. At the bonding nights, ASB students eat, talk, listen to music, and play games together so they can get to know one another and become closer. “We all get to know one another, and it’s easier to work with someone that you know, [rather than] someone you don’t know,” Read said. According to sophomore Isaac Portillo, bonding nights build trust among ASB in addition to allowing them to get to know one another. “The responsibilities that we have stress us out, and [bonding nights] ease our mindsets and [allow us to] trust other people,” he said. Even though ASB has their own bonding nights, they also have big bonding nights, known as mixers, where they get involved with the other high schools in the South Bay area. At the mixers, all the schools go to the school who’s hosting the mixer, and there is a theme for the mixer as well as sub themes for each individual school. The schools play games where all the schools get mixed up with each other. “It’s nice because it’s almost like a mini conference that isn’t a conference because we all eat, play games, and have fun,” Read said. The mixers are also a great way for ASB to get ideas. All the schools can communicate about what has worked in the past and about what they hope to start doing in the future. The bouncing around of ideas between schools has helped ASB come up with events for Redondo students. “We also get fresh ideas and feedback from other schools, like what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to planning,” Read said. These bonding parties allow students to team-build by getting to know each other, which helps them communicate in ASB and get to know one another outside of ASB. “Bonding nights help us get closer to one another,” Read said. Read believes in the importance of being a cohesive team. “It’s a good way for us to get to know each other better, because in ASB we have to be a family,” she said.

The 10

OCT. 5, 2012

museum

L4ist

Of our favorite local

museums The complete museum guide

TAM

3320 Civic Center Drive, Torrance

LACMA

5905 Wilshire Blvd., LA

OCT 5, 2012

The Getty Villa by Cameron Paulson PHOTOS VITORIA MAGNO

ith beautiful gardens, Roman-inspired architecture, and a magnificent view of the coast, the Getty Villa in Malibu is a museum hot spot destination. The Getty Villa has over 1200 Roman, Greek, and Etruscan works in 23 galleries. From paintings, to sculptures and blown glass, there is something new to look at in every room. The Getty Villa exhibits many antiquities arranged by theme, including the current exhibit on Gods and Goddesses and changing exhibitions. Between now and January 7, the Getty Villa’s changing exhibition is The Last Days of Pompeii. This exhibit includes paintings, sculptures and info on the eruption of Mount Vesuveus in 79 AD, which destroyed Pompeii and other cities that were destroyed. Another main attraction to the Getty Villa is its Roman inspired gardens and architecture. The museum offers tours throughout the day to deeper explain into the Villa’s beauty. The admission to get into the Villa is free, but $15 parking is required and a reservation must be made ahead of time. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Monday and

includes a cafe. The Getty Villa is definitely a great museum to visit. It’s most beautiful on a nice day when the sun is shining and the clouds are out of the sky to showcase the most alluring views Malibu has to offer.

Annenberg Space for Photography. ‘Who Shot Rock & Roll’

Rolling Stones everyone knows. One thing I definitely suggest is watching the film at the end of the exhibit. If you don’t understand the photographers by the end of your walk though, you will after watching this film. You understand from the photographers perspective how and why the photos are important to his tory. Overall the “Who Shot Rock & Roll” exhibit is a nice gallery. If you are interested in photography, you should go. If you are into rock, you should go. It’s not just for art fans.

The Torrance Art Museum (TAM) by Vitoria Magno PHOTOS: VITORIA MAGNO

AM’s latest exhibit, “Subterraneans”, is a modern art exhibit geered towards today’s yputh. The art on display is current, colorful, and strange. I would not sug-gest the exhibit for those uninterested in contemporary art but I

LACMA

by Alida Newson PHOTOS: ALIDA NEWSON

os Angeles County Muesem of Art ( LACMA) contains several works of art from around the world, LACMA has grown in popularity over the years and appeals to every age group. Most exhibits are used to divide certain themes (abstract art, ancient art, sketches, etc.) and certain artists or countries the art came from. On

by Jenny Oetzell PHOTOS: JENNY OETZELL

he Annenberg, while more intimate than other mueseums like LACMA, is very informative. From the pictures in the “Who Shot Rock & Roll” exhibit I learned not only about the artists, but the photographers as well. It is an inside look at the photographers and their interactions with bands through backstage and “quiet moment” shots. Being a photographer, the abundance of photos was refreshing and the intamate atmosphere matched with intimate photos heightened my experience. The photos are progressive. At the beginning of the exhibit, for example, the Rolling Stones look really out of place and throughout the gallery you see how they found their style and sound and became the

2. liked that I was able to relate to the pieces hanging on the wall. Unlike some of the works at LACMA or the Getty Villa the art was created in this century. When I went it wasn’t crowded at all it has an underground feel, which I thought was fun. It appears to be a hidden gem amongst overcrowded exhibits across the local area. If your love of art is deep you should go.

certain occasions, there are shortterm exhibits available for the museum goers to visit, such as the Tim Burton exhibit (Burton’s childhood drawings and art/sculptures from his movies) and “The Clock”, a 24-hour long film that consists of several movie scenes., corresponding with the exact time the viewer is watching. LACMA has a wide selection of art, giving the visitor many options and variety for their specific liking. Transportation, parking, and fee are the best perks of visiting LACMA. Parking is available on the street (street meters) for one dollar per hour. LACMA provides a couple small cafes on museum grounds, as well as gift shops with various books, trinkets, and souvenirs. It is a very relaxing museum to visit on the weekends for the whole family. I believe the location is a nice area and that affects the museum in a way. It has a very much relaxed, but classic vibe, ensuring the visitor is comfortable in a clean and artistic environment. A favorite sculpture of mine that is outside the museum is the rows/ columns of several light posts, organized so precisely, it is somewhat an illusion, attracting visitors or even street walkers to stop and take pictures. The only unenjoyable thing about LACMA is the fact that taking photos of the some of the artwork is prohibited, which is understandable, but a little disappointing. I have been to LACMA a few times before, and I would definitely return again. New exhibits are always presented at the museum, but they come and go quickly so it’s best to get a good experience out of them whenever possible.

17985 PCH, Pacific Palisades

THE ANNENBERG SPACE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY 200 Ave. of the Stare #1000, LA

5. 1.

TAM

Tues- Sat 11a.m.- 5p.m. Free admission and parking on Civic Center campus

LACMA

Mon, Tues, Thur 11a.m.- 5p.m. Fri 11a.m.- 8p.m. Sat- Sun 10a.m.- 7p.m. Self park $10; free after 7p.m.

GETTY VILLA

Mon, Wed- Sun 10a.m.- 5p.m. Parking $15 and must be reserved

THE ANNENBERG SPACE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY Wed- Fri 11a.m.- 6p.m. Sat 11a.m.- 9p.m. Sun 11a.m.- 6p.m. Parking $3.50 in self-park underground garage at Century Park

GETTY VILLA

Arts & Crafs. 1. Classical statues at the Getty Villa. 2. A piece of art at TAM. 3. A contemporary work at TAM featuring push pins in a mold of toast. 4. A piece of artwork from LACMA. 5. Campbell’s Soup Can by Andy Warhol (1964). This is a painting from one of Warhol’s most famous collections.

FEATURES // OCT. 5, 2012

that AWKWARD

MOMENTwhen...

students share their cringe-worthy encounters for your enjoyment.

LOST AND FOUND

DRAMA-RAMA

Submitted by Charlene Vo

Submitted by Noelle Graham

On the first day of junior year, I made sure I memorized my schedule and mapped out my route for the day. I’m super paranoid about making mistakes and embarrassing myself that I have to mentally go over everything twice or ten million times. After first period, I made sure to go to my second period: Ms. Mata’s AP psychology class. When I entered the classroom, the walls were lined with US history-related posters and decorations, which made me nervous. More people started coming into the classroom, some of which I knew and am acquainted with. One of my friends asked, “Hey Charlene, you’re in this class, too?” and I replied, “Yeah!” To double-check, I peeked at my schedule and realized the horror: I’m supposed to go to Ms. Mata’s class for fifth period. I felt red like a tomato and sunk into my seat when the bell rang. Ms. Mata spoke with a booming voice when she said, “Good morning class! Hopefully you’re all here for second period CP US history. If you’re in the wrong class, please leave now.” I took that as my cue, got out of my seat, and walked as quickly as I could, without making any eye contact. I felt the entire class watching me leave. It was so embarrassing. About a week later, I got my schedule changed (I switched some classes around), and I ended up having Ms. Mata for history and Mr. Hyduke for psychology. On the first day of my new classes, I walked into Ms. Mata’s class and she smiled at me. When I gave her my updated schedule, she said, “Looks like you’re in the right class.”

My freshman year, my friend Vicky Artaza and I performed a scene from The Importance of Being Ernest for Dessert Theatre and during opening night Vicky forgot one of the lines near the end of the scene (she claims that I skipped a line and that that confused her, but I don’t remember). At that time, neither of us had much drama experience so we had no idea what to do and we ended up pausing for a really long time until Vicky came up with some awkward, out-of-place line and I responded with an equally awkward line and walked off stage to end the scene. It went something like this: “Do you allude to me, Miss Cardew, as an entanglement? You are presumptuous. On an occasion of this kind, it becomes more than a moral duty to speak one’s mind. It becomes a pleasure.” Really awkward pause and confused facial expressions. “...Well, I guess we have a problem then...” Another awkward pause and more surprised looks. “...I suppose we do...” Walk off stage very quickly. It was a train wreck, but since then neither of us have forgotten any lines, and we have learned the invaluable skill of improv.

PHOTO BY VITORIA MAGNO

STALKER ALERT Submitted by Kaitlyn Alsobrook

When I was in elementary school, my best friend and I had a little crush on a kid that lived nearby. The kid was way older than us, and I had known him from my neighbors as well, since they were friends. When my best friend and I were at her house and heard skateboards riding by, we would run outside to see the kids (because one of them was the guy we liked, lets just call him Steven). Fast forward, I don’t know, like seven years. I find out that my boyfriend works with Steven. I find this amusing and I don’t know why, but I decide to tell my boyfriend this story. A couple of weeks ago, we go to bring his co-workers Jamba Juice and when we walk in, Steven is there next to them. No big deal, right? Well, my loving boyfriend decides to say, “Hey, Steven, this is your stalker!” I refused to make eye contact with anybody and I had to stand there quietly with a red face for, like, 15 minutes until my boyfriend was ready to leave. I was so mad and embarrassed and I couldn’t believe my boyfriend just did that to me. AWKWARD! PHOTO BY VITORIA MAGNO

PHOTO BY DIANA LUNA

FEATURES // OCT. 5, 2012

that AWKWARD

MOMENTwhen...

students share their cringe-worthy encounters for your enjoyment.

LOST AND FOUND

DRAMA-RAMA

Submitted by Charlene Vo

Submitted by Noelle Graham

PHOTO BY VITORIA MAGNO

STALKER ALERT Submitted by Kaitlyn Alsobrook

PHOTO BY DIANA LUNA

FEATURES // OCT. 5, 2012

Just dance

Senior Vivian Pascual leads an all girls dance group that enters competitions. by Ilana LaGraff

The crowd surges with energy; the lights flash all around; the music pulses throughout the room; she gets chills as her choreography finally comes to life. This is what senior Vivian Pascual loves most about performing. After joining Salsa Club her freshman year, Pascual was captivated by dancing and decided to create her own group. “Salsa was entering a competition, and I thought it would be fun if me and my friends did it, too. I needed a team name to sign up, and the first thing that I thought of was Simply Beautiful,” Pascual said. “It was very spur of the moment; I didn’t even have a piece choreographed yet.” As the competition got closer, Pascual got started on choreographing her group’s routine all by herself. “On my first day of choreographing, there was really no technique. I would put the music on, dance to it, [and] record myself,” she said. “I would just freestyle it and then put it together.” According to Pascual, all their hard work paid off when they won third place in the small group Latin division. “When they called us up [for third place], I had some tears in my eyes. I was super happy,” she said. “Performances, for me, are amazing. If I could, I’d do it everyday.” Being the president and choreographer is very stressful, according to Pascual, but she can always rely on her “savior” Barbie Aguilar, one of Simply Beautiful’s original members, for support. “Vivian has several other things happen-

ing in her life, and she can’t juggle it all. I help her by coordinating some meetings, reminding Vivian of things that need to be done, and taking care of the outfits and the money situation. I make sure that we always have a back-up if anything goes wrong and try to do as much as possible,” Aguilar said. “There is nothing that I wouldn’t do for Vivian.” They won third place again this year, thanks to all their hard work, and although Pascual’s responsibilities were stressful, it was a “fun stress.” “It’s a big load, and it’s a lot of stress because I’m the only one running it. But I know all the hard work is for the greater good. And I do love practices [because] they are so fun,” she said. “I love practicing with the girls.” According to Aguilar, the girls also love Pascual, because of her ingenuity and upbeat attitude. “Vivian is an incredible leader. She’s not afraid to tell it how it is, but she has a positive tone and is never judgemental,” Aguilar said. “Sometimes she has ridiculous ideas, but that’s what makes her a great choreographer for Simply Beautiful.” Pascual and her group members have speculated about future prospects for the group. “My dream is to go to college in New York, and I’ve been thinking that it would be amazing to start a Simply Beautiful: New York,” she said. “I would love to expand the group, and that’s why I want to minor in dance.” Although she doesn’t have any plans at the moment, Pascual hopes Simply Beauti-

PHOTO BY BRITTANY NGUYEN

In the spotlight. Seniors Vivian Pascual and Jaymi Rae perform with Simply Beautiful at the annual Dance Showcase. “I didn’t care if I turned the wrong way or if my hair was in my face the entire time. It [was] the most liberating feeling,” Rae said. “It felt absolutely amazing.”

ful will continue to grow after graduation. “Initially, I thought it was only going to be for the four years of high school, but after living it for the past three years, I just

can’t let it go,” she said. “Simply Beautiful started out as just for fun, then it became a hobby, then it became a passion, and then it became a priority.”

Himmelrich struggles with anxiety disorder by Hana Ghanim

She glances at the volume on the radio. It is fifteen. Fifteen is odd. She reaches over and turns it to sixteen. Sixteen is even. Sixteen is a much more comfortable number. Senior Jacqueline Himmelrich has Anxiety Disorder NOS (Not Otherwise Specified) with tendencies of O.C.D. “I’m not a [dysfunctional] person; it is just that when things are out of order and things aren’t on a schedule, I start to get very anxious, and I freak out,” she said. Almost every aspect of Himmelrich’s life is affected by her condition. “If things aren’t perfect, I will go out of

my way to make them perfect,” she said. “I’m so anal-retentive [that] sometimes it just consumes my entire life.” Himmelrich began having anxiety and depression, as well as obsessive compulsive tendencies, after an accident at cheer tryouts in the eigth grade. Since then she hasn’t been able to pursue athletics competitively. “My dreams of ever playing a sport [disappeared],” she said. “I had been pursuing cheer since sixth grade but the chronic pain just made my depression skyrocket. There was just this big cloud of negativity.” Although she has been experiencing effects for four years, she only began taking medication her sophomore year. According

to Himmelrich, when she doesn’t take her medication, she gets physically sick and cannot function properly. “Medication is a very difficult thing, especially for someone who doesn’t like being on medication,” she said. “[However,] when I wasn’t on medication, I used to get really bad anxiety attacks to the point where I would have anxiety attacks in my sleep. I would wake up not breathing because I hyperventilate.” When something is out of order or uneven, it causes her to lose focus, especially in the classroom. “Things being disorganized in teachers’ classrooms drive me bananas,” Himmelrich

said. “I have literally gotten out of my seat in class and moved a border up because I just fixate and end up staring at it. It is all [I] can think about.” In spite of her condition, Himmelrich believes her compulsive behavior actually helps her stay on track with studying and schoolwork. The only thing that she has trouble with is sculpture class because “things are not perfect.” “I’m a very organized person because of [my condition], which is a good thing, because in high school you need to be organized,” she said. “There are ups and downs, but you just get over it after a while.”

FEATURES // OCT. 5, 2012

Getting Personal

Seniors open up and share excerpts of their personal statements for college apps.

Ives builds motorcycles with father Sumbitted by Craig Ives

H2 project. Senior Craig Ives shows off the H2 motorcycle he made with his dad over the course of a year and half. Photo by Diana Luna

I have always been surrounded by cars and motorcycles. Growing up, there have always been at least four cars and five motorcycles filling the garage and d r i v e w a y. In particular, there a r e three motorc y cles buri e d deep in one of the garages

that I rarely got to see as a kid. Covered in dust, with round headlights peering out of the darkness, they would pique my curiosity anytime I caught a glimpse of them. I would ask Dad about them, and as with anyone’s buried treasure, he would regale me with stories from his youth, when he used to ride those motorcycles everywhere. He told me that in its time, the 1972 Kawasaki H2 “Widowmaker” was an unbeatable racing machine–legendary for both its performance and terrible handling. The mysterious motorcycles in the garage began attracting my thoughts more and more, and I made the goal that one day, those H2’s would once again feel the light of day, and I would be there to see it. The H2 project began as a pipe dream in the back of my mind freshman year. I wanted to see those motorcycles, and I wanted to feel the fury of their infamous seven hundred and fifty cubic centimeter, two-stroke, three-cylinder engines. I prodded my dad with the idea of pulling one out of the garage, even just once, but we were surrounded by other projects that required attention; the tree fort, the ’67 Ford Falcon, and several other motorcycles had priority. As the days passed Dad mentioned that he had enough parts stored away to build a standalone H2, an idea I immediately acted upon. I laid out my proposal for building an H2, and with no negative reaction from Dad I labeled the plan a roaring success and began pushing forward. It was a long and drawn out process, but the motorcycle

slowly began coming together. At every step of the way I was learning how every part worked, inside and out, and how it fit into the motorcycle. I was even learning the physics of motorcycling–how seventy percent of braking power comes from the front brakes due to the inertia of the motorcycle, how motorcycles pop wheelies when the torque at the rear wheel overcomes the weight of the motorcycle and rider, and how the position of the rider affects the turning radius. When the momentous time came to fire up the H2, a year and a half after the project began, I felt incredibly accomplished–more so than any other achievement at home or school. As I sat on the H2 after starting it for the first time, I realized I knew how the air and fuel mixed in the carburetor; I knew how the piston furiously pumped up and down and spun the crankshaft; and I knew exactly how twisting the throttle generated the intense acceleration that transformed my surroundings into a nondescript blur. Ever since the end of the H2 project, I have tried my hardest to make the most of the opportunities I have been given. In my case, it’s been the chance to spend my life working on cars and motorcycles with Dad. I’ve since graduated to bigger and faster motorcycles, both in my repair work and in riding on the street. And I have no intention of stopping my explorations. They will continue for the rest of my life, right alongside of, and because of, my experiences with the H2 project.

Ketting balances school and motherhood Sumbitted by Kelsey Ketting

The moment when a mother first sets eyes on her child, the world is quiet and calm. All light has shed on that one moment and forever her life is changed. January 6th, 2012, my life and I were changed for the better. 9:59 PM, my beautiful son was born. Everything in the world stood still for that moment and his cries were more like music. His crinkled, pruned fingers wrapped around my finger and his eyes as deep as ocean, at last, met mine. “Elias,” I quietly whispered and smiled. As tears of joy fell from my eyes onto his untouched skin, I knew from that day on I would be the best person I could possibly be, for me and for him. Having this pure innocent soul in my arms, made me realize that I would have to step up and show my son what hard work will allow you to achieve. The following six weeks, I had to transition from a regular teenager to an official mother. Every night I woke up and fed my son every two hours. I never second-guessed getting up because I wanted to be the best mother I could be. For an hour every weekday, my home hospital teacher would come to my house and bring my tests and homework over. Although I was not considered a student at Redondo Union high school, I still continued doing the same work: AP Calculus, AP US History, Honors Chemistry, Spanish 3, etc. It was hard being my own teacher, especially for my AP classes, but I persevered. I knew my six week home hospital stay would soon end, so I prepared myself as best as I could to switch back. The end of six weeks finally came and transitioning back into school was anything but easy. My teachers welcomed me

with open arms, yet it was inevitable that I would struggle. I had an extremely hard time understanding work, due to the fact that I taught myself from a book, but somehow I found a way to get through it. My grades took a dip then rose again and I finished my junior year with a weighted GPA of 3.8. Even with those six weeks gone out of my school year and a constant struggle to keep good grades while raising a newborn baby, I began to set high goals for myself. I would prove to everyone that anything is possible. People still question my success. How did I do it? Even though my son hardly knows single syllable words, he has taught me more than I ever imagined I could learn. I never gave up because of him. I’m not going to be that mom working a 9 to 5 job and struggling to put food on the table. I’m not going to be that mom that didn’t go to college because she dropped out of high school. I’m not going to be that mom that breaks down because she can’t handle being a single mother. I’m going to be that mom that her son looks up to because she single handedly raised her son while successfully finishing high school, got accepted to a UC school, completed 10 years of college to become a doctor, and all the while giving her son the best life he could possibly have. I am an independent and strong woman. With the support of my family and friends, I was able to pursue what almost no single mother or teenager could achieve. There is still so much more I can achieve and will achieve. My determination will get me through all my dreams and aspirations. I will graduate college and become a pediatrician. I am a dreamer, yet far more a pursuer.

PHOTO BY ALIDA NEWSON

Mother and son. Senior Kelsey Ketting holds her nine-month-old baby, Elias, at her house. Ketting found out about her pregnancy at the end of her sophomore year and was unsure of how it would affect her life. However, she was sure that she would persist despite being a teenage mother.

Worth a thousand words

FEATURES // OCT. 5, 2012

Students share the different dimmensions of their lives by posting pictures on Instagram.

Living faith. Senior Sarah Finch shows her faith by making a cross out of her and her friends’ hands at a Christian camp in Cedar Lake Forrest.

#Tbt. Senior Kayla Steele posts a picture of herself when she was five-years-old for “Through-back-Thursday.”

High-five. Senior Dani Hatlen shows how she procrastinates while she is attempting to complete her AP Calculus homework.

“Sharing this photo was important to me because I got to share my faith with my friends and show them how much fun I was having at my church retreat. We got to do exciting things like climbing ropes courses.” –Sarah Finch

“I posted this picture because it was a good childhood memory. I was really happy because I was at Six Flags with my family and my mom got me a huge rainbow lollipop, which was my favorite candy.” –Kayla Steele

“I thought this was really funny and worth posting because

Rocket power. Senior Debbie Johnson shares a photo while she is at Los Arboles Park in Torrance

Spirited away. Senior Kait Ritter shows her school spirit by posing in her senior class shirt.

Food fanatic. Senior Sierra Kaufman posts a picture of the hamburger she ordered from the Standing Room.

“I posted this picture because it is a special memory to me. I took it on the day before my boyfriend, Jesse Connor, left to go to college at UC Santa Cruz because we had our first date at ‘Rocketship’ Park. I also think Instagram is a good way to document those special moments.” –Debbie Johnson

“Instagram is a great way to spread school spirit. I wanted to show the pride I have for my school because it’s my senior year and I think that all the seniors need to participate in everything that they can. It’s our last year to be a part of what our school has to offer.” –Sarah Finch

“This is the ‘Napoleon’ burger from the Standing Room. It consists of half a pound of beef, a slice of lamb, truffle fries, a fried egg, salad, and a grilled onion. I had to share this with everyone because the burger was so delicious and more people should know about it.” –Sierra Kaufman

it is creative and entertaining. I am a procrastinator so I am always coming up with interesting ways to pass the time and this was my latest distraction.” –Dani Hatlen

FEATURES// Oct. 5, 2012

Behind the scenes. 1. Eusufzai records his piano tutorial. “I record one or two takes for each section, depending on the quality of the take. 2. Eusufzai plays the piano for his next video. “I learn the songs a day earlier, usually in about half an hour. The songs aren’t incredibly complicated, and I’m sure most pianists could do it just as easily if they tried,” Eusufzai said.3. Eusufzai edits his work online to post onto YouTube. “I add video clips, cut out excess foootage, and add titles to show the notes,” Eusufzai said.

Eusufzai gives piano tutorials on YouTube by Shivaani Gandhi

Music tutorials on YouTube can be complicated and hard to follow. Senior Mahir Eusufzai recognizes that and makes his own piano tutorials because he believes that he can make them better. “I originally made them to become famous on YouTube, [but] it’s rewarding when people say ‘I watched your videos and [they] really helped me,’” Eusufzai said. In order to choose which songs he uses, Eusufzai looks at the top 10 songs on iTunes charts and decides which one would be most popular with his viewers. “Pop songs are pretty basic, so I just learn them by ear,” he said. His friend, senior Brandon Wong, finds Eusufzai’s skill at learning songs by ear “ingenius.”

“His ability to take a song almost everyone enjoys and simplify it so everyone can play it is amazing,” Wong said. Eusufzai finds it relatively easy to make songs simple enough to learn. “My audience is mainly beginners, so if I use notes that are too hard to play, then people get frustrated,” he said. “So I try to make the song easier without sacrificing too much of the quality.” Part of the ease of simplifying these songs is due to the fact that pop songs aren’t as complicated as classical songs, according to Eusufzai. “[Pop songs] have basic chord progressions and repetitive melodies, which makes them easy,” he said. Even though Wong has been playing piano for nine years, he plays music from Eusufzai’s tutorials from time to time.

“His method of creating the videos makes learning much easier,” Wong said. Music is a “significant aspect” of Eusufzai’s life so he is happy to be able to help others enjoy it as well. “He [shares] his passion for the piano with everyone, especially for those who are [beginners] and are determined to learn,” Wong said. Eusufzai took piano lessons for four years before he quit and started making the tutorial videos. He releases one video every month and even makes money doing it. “I have ads, so I make between $100 and $500 every month,” he said. However, the money is secondary to the feeling he gets when he receives positive feedback. “It’s cool to be able to empower people from my bedroom,” Eusufzai said. “It makes

me feel good inside [because] I’m helping people.” Ultimately, he wants to make sure that his videos are received by a wide audience. “If I did tutorials that weren’t popularly demanded, I wouldn’t be reaching any people,” he said. “If I didn’t reach any people, the videos would be pretty pointless.”

YouTube.com/pianoplayinboy Subscribers: 7,901 Video views: 5,794,641 Uploads: 44 Featured video: How to Play Gangnam Style on piano

Sea Hawk Band continues to prepare after West High competition by Allegra Peelor

Marching band placed second in their division in the first tournament of the year on Saturday at West High, coming in behind Lynwood but scoring better than El Segundo. Band teacher Mark Aguero believes that the musicians did well because they have always been close in ability level with El Segundo. “We have had a bit of a rivalry with El Segundo for the past few years with the two groups edging out each other from competition to competition,” Aguero said. According to Aguero, the band did especially well in the visual aspect of the performance, which includes marching, dance and flags, design, and choreography. “The band was really poised and relaxed throughout the day,” Aguero said. “Their performance was relaxed and confident.” Co-Drum Major junior Matt O’Connell believes that another reason the band did

well is because when all the band members are focused, their practice is very productive. “We’re really good at working together, and when we’re actually focused we can get things done,” O’Connel said. And, according to O’Connel, the band will preform well in public if they keep that focus. “We’ll sound spectacular music-wise, and it’ll look phenomenal marching-wise and visual-wise,” O’Connell said. “We just have to keep that focus there.” Sophomore Alisa Ide agrees that focus is the main weakness of the band when it comes to practice there are more people in the band and therefore “more distractions.” However, she believes that there are benefits to having a bigger band. “We have many more people this year so we have many more distractions, but we also have more potential,” Ide said. However, Aguero believes that the band’s main weakness is their overall musicianship. “The demand placed on the musicians is

high,” Aguero said. “We need to continue to develop our playing.” Marching band has practices after school on Mondays, which are devoted mostly to music, and Wednesdays, which are used to work on marching technique. In addition, the band has Saturday “rehearse-a-thons” twice per season, which is a practice that lasts from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and they also practice every zero period.

According to Ide, the band is “not together all of the time,” and they only improve when everybody is focused and stays on-task. “When we can get that focus, we can do amazing things, sound amazing, and do things we wouldn’t be able to do otherwise,” O’Connell said. “The only problem is that there are a lot of times when there are drifts with the practice that don’t allow us to move as fast as we would like to.”

Pitch Perfect Flutes. 1. Leader Spencer Wyman and his section await orders. “The flutes are, I think, one of the best sections here. Leading them is great,” Wyman said. 2. The flute section plays at the halt.

FEATURES// Oct. 5, 2012

Conley currently writing a four movement symphony for winds by LeAnn Maanum

He sits at his piano, eyes closed, trying to replay the notes that have filled his head the entire day. As the music slowly come to him, he desperately tries to write all of the notes down on paper before he can forget. Once completed, this grand compilation of notes will be freshman Shane Conley’s first symphony. According to Conley, a symphony is a large work for orchestra or wind ensemble, usually consisting of four movements. A symphony can be between 20 minutes to two hours long. Conley does not know how long his symphony will be, but all the “sketches” are done for three out of his four movements. “The entire piece has been done in my head for months. As far as what is written down, the first movement should be done in a week,” he said. “I have sketches for the second and the fourth. The third isn’t entirely formulated yet.” Conley’s passion was not sudden; he has wanted to compose his own symphony since the sixth grade. “I always wanted to compose, even before I got into classical music. It was just a progress of learning all the theory behind music until you kind of reach a point where

you can actually formulate your ideas onto paper,” he said. Conley’s middle school band teacher, Scott Sutherland, was the one who inspired Conley to compose the symphony. “[Sutherland] showed me a video of Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the San Francisco symphony, and they did Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. It just kind of stuck with me,” he said. Sutherland was not surprised when Conley told him that he wanted to compose his own symphony. “Over the past two years, I’ve watched [Conley] take to music as quickly as any music teacher could ever hope to” Sutherland said. “To find a student so willing to take the plunge into music as a career at a young age is nearly unheard of and truly awe inspiring.” Sutherland has also assisted Conley in composing the symphony. “[Sutherland] was a huge mentor for me. I still work with him on theory. The conductor of the L.A. youth orchestra, Russell Steinberg, has also done a lot of work with me on theory and composition,” Conley said. While Conley’s other pieces had inspirations, his first symphony, called “Symphony No. 1 for Wind Ensemble,” does not.

“For this specific piece, I don’t actually have a specific motivation behind it. It’s more of a demonstration; my first symphony to show what my style is like,” he said. According to Conley, composing his own symphony is not a simple process. “The most difficult part is transferring the ideas from your head to paper. You can formulate an entire piece, but sitting at the piano and figuring things out is very difficult,” he said. Once Conley is finished with the symphony, he has to orchestrate it. “Orchestrating” means he has to separate all the parts of the music out for an entire wind ensemble. Conley plans on finishing the piece, in six

months. After that, he hopes his symphony will be performed by the Santa Monica College wind ensemble since he is a member and the director, Kevin McKeown, likes to premiere new works. “I haven’t actually said anything to him yet, but when [the symphony] is done, I’m going to see what he thinks,” he said. “If he thinks it’s a good piece, then he’ll premiere it and they’ll play it.” According to Steve Conley, Conley’s father, Conley is very committed to composing his symphony. “I have never seen a kid so self-motivated and have such a passion for something at his age,” he said. Let the horns play. Conley also holds a talent for playing the French Horn. “When I heard the San Francisco Symphony playing Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, the awesome horn fanfare in the opening made me want to play horn.” Conley said. “My favorite thing about playing French Horn is that a composer uses the horns to drive an idea.”

Dance Guard strives to perform at the highest degree by Allegra Peelor

In their first competition of the year, dance guard arabesque’d, plié’ed, couru’ed, and elevé’d their way into a second place finish. The team placed behind El Segundo but did better than Lynwood. Coach Sarah Slemmons is “pleased” with their performance, given the conditions. “The wind picked up pretty strong as we were getting ready,” Slemmons said. “They handled the wind very well considering how strong it was, and I was pretty pleased with their performance quality. They were smiling and connecting with the judges, and there were audience responses to the tosses.” According to Slemmons, the judge noted that their “dance technique and body movement is strong, and they are well trained in ballet.” “[The judge] liked how beautiful our show was,” Slemmons said. “Our show is based on Firebird, which was written by Stravinsky as a ballet, so I tried to channel that idea and utilize our dance abilities.” Co-captain senior Kara Buettgenbach notes that the girls’ past experiences on the team is one of the main factors that led to their success. “We do have 12 returning members, and that hasn’t happened before,” Buettgenbach said. “We have a lot more experience, we are

more productive, and we can do more difficult choreography.” Co-captain senior Kiana Sakamoto agrees that the returning dancers have helped the team perform to their potential. “Last year we only had five returning people, so now we kind of know the system. It really makes the team stronger,” Sakamoto said. One returning dancer who stands out, according to Buettgenbach, is senior Xinxi Li. “Xinxi has a lot of experience and knows how to stay on beat and add a lot of information and feeling into her movement,” Buettgenbach said. According to Assistant Captain Ashlee Blackman, Li can “take the highest jump you have ever seen.” However, she also recognizes sophomore Meghan Lee as an outstanding dancer on the team. “You can tell Meghan the counts once, and she will know it,” Blackman said. “You can even ask her the counts from our field show last year, and she will remember it.” However, Buettgenbach believes that the dance guard has some room for improvement. “Our weaknesses are staying focused and retaining information,” Buettgenbach said. “It’s not necessarily a weakness that can’t be fixed, we just need to work on it.”

One area that Slemmons believes the girls need to improve on is timing. “It’s really hard when we’re spread out across that whole field because sometimes you can’t see the drum major’s hands, so you have to listen to the band,” Slemmons said. “And what you hear is not processed as fast as what you see.” Although Blackman agrees that there are some areas where the team needs to improve, she is still “excited” for the upcoming season. “We make the show come to life,” Blackman said.

The A-Team. 1. According to Buettegenbach, the three captains work really well together. “We’re determined to do our best and help make dance guard a force to be reckoned with,” Buettgenbach said. 2. The guard hits their “back attitude” position during the opener.

SPORTS // OCT. 5, 2012

Volleyball beats Peninsula in close match Despite an overheated gym and an injured player, girls’ volleyball managed to pull out a win against Peninsula in their Bay League opener. by Alejandro Quevedo

The girls’ volleyball team recovered from a difficult third set this Tuesday, sweeping Peninsula 25-20, 25-17, and 28-26 in their first Bay League match. The team built off of a strong start, gaining quick points and building momentum throughout the first and second sets. But in the third set they fell behind 8 points, trailing Peninsula 16-8. “They’re a solid team, so we did expect some good strong hits and defense and had to play smart because of that,” senior Hannah Mosebar said. “At the end of the game, we were exhausted and wanted to finish the game fast, which caused some of the issues in the third set, but we managed to gather our strength to recover and win.” The team was able to pull themselves out of the deficit at 21-20 and from then on it was a constant battle, neck-in-neck with Peninsula until settling at the final 28-26 score. “I think we did really well,” senior Skylar Dykstra said. “In the beginning we gave up a couple points, but we came back with next-play focus like Chaffins always says. It was a difficult match but overall a really good game.” The heat of the gym and senior Sade Mendez’s injury during warm up before the match both contributed to the rockiness of the match. “We looked tired and our opponent was playing well and put a lot of stress on us,” Chaffins said. “There are no easy matches in the Bay League, and Peninsula is always a tough place for us to play at.” Dykstra led with 16 kills and 18 digs, followed by junior Brianna Lanktree with 11 kills and 4 digs, Mosebar with 8 kills, and freshman Norene Iosia with 23 assists and 8 digs. “Hannah Mosebar keeps getting better and better, and Norene played really well too,” Dykstra said. “ Peninsula is a good team and we looked a little tired, but we managed to pull through it all.” The team’s next match is a home game on Thursday against PV, and looks forward to winning their first home Bay league match. “We’ve been practicing hard every day,” Mosebar said. “Most of the team are seniors, so we’re working hard to make sure our last season is a winning one.”

Team Spirit. 1. Senior Skylar Dykstra and teammates celebrate after winning a point in game against Marymount on Monday. 2. Junior Marissa Mitter blocks ball from opposing team. 3. Player tips ball over in game against Marymount. 4. Dykstra, spiking the ball, has already committed to UCLA and will graduate early in order to play for them.

4. PHOTOS BY JENNY OETZELL

BOYS’ WATERPOLO

CROSS COUNTRY

by Alejandro Quevedo

by Kylie Martin

On their loss to Peninsula 7-9 today...

Girls’ cross country placed second and the boys placed fourth in Minnesota in a varsityonly meet.

“ We

played very well, but we couldn’t finish. They’re a good team and we’re a good team and I think next time we stand a good chance at beating them. -Nicholas Gutierrez

”

“ We

PHOTO BY LINDSAY CALLAHAN

Catcher in the pool. Junior Nicholas Gutierrez catches a ball in game against Torrance.

were a little disappointed because we wanted to place in the top three, but I think we’ll achieve our goal of placing at our second League meet. -Garrett Klatte

”

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

Home stretch. Senior Alexis Thibodeau races in the first Bay League meet of the season.

SPORTS // OCT. 5, 2012

Shy, Zargham prove powerful under pressure

Girls’ tennis’s top doubles team, freshman Emily Zargham and junior Erin Shy, swept against Mira Costa, beating all three of the doubles teams, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1. by Kayla Maanum

PHOTO BY JORDAN ALEJO

Double trouble. Freshman Emily Zargham and junior Erin Shy watch a teammate’s match against West. “We were communicating really well and working together to beat the West players,” Zargham said. The two won all three of their matches against West, extending their record to 25-2.

Set point. She tosses the bright green ball up in the air. The ball whizzes past her partner and over the net. Pop- the ball hits the racket, sending it the other direction. One moment later and the sidelines erupt in cheers. After being down 1-4, number one doubles team junior Erin Shy and freshman Emily Zargham came back to win their match against Mira Costa’s number one team yesterday. “It was hands-down the best match I’ve seen this season. They really just fired it up and just started being aggressive and really got it done,” coach Jessica Seibert said. Though they played aggressively, Shy believes their fundamentals during the first match could have improved. “We just weren’t moving our feet enough. We were hitting too flat and we just needed to get our rhythm going,” Shy said. In order to pick up their rhythm, Seibert consulted with Shy and Zargham during the match. “I pulled them aside and said ‘You need to be aggressive and need to play the game you know how to play,’” Seibert said. They started to play their own game and won the next 5 games to defeat Costa in the first set. Shy knew her opponent well since they go to the same workouts outside of school, so Shy was able to make decisions on the court. “I knew she was a really good doubles player going into the match. It helped to know not

FOOTBALL

GIRLS’ GOLF

by Alejandro Quevedo

by Kylie Martin

Coach Ballard on their first league game of the season versus Peninsula tonight...

Coach Burke on beating West 228 to 227 on Wednesday...

“ It came down to our

“ I expect Peninsula to be

a running team that plays tough defense. It’s a new beginning, and we need to make a statement of the kind of team we want to be. -Matt Ballard

”

to hit to her too much and mix up the shots,” Shy said. This technique paid off and Shy and Zargham hope to continue their success against Torrance next Monday and throughout the season. “Last time we played [Torrance] we didn’t lose a game so we’re pretty confident we can [have the same result],” Zargham said. Seibert is also confident in Shy and Zargham’s abilities but hopes the doubles teams can improve as a whole. “I’m really just looking to see if our doubles can improve by the end of the season. We just really need to strengthen somewhere,” Seibert said. Shy and Zargham went on to win their next two matches, improving their personal records and sweeping their three matches against Costa. Overall the team lost in a 9-9 tie with Costa winning at 67-81 in games; the team is currently in fourth in league. “I’m hoping these losses can get everyone ready to capture that second position. I know that they’re capable of being a second place team,” Seibert said. Though she wants the team to strive for and achieve second place, Seibert praises the entire team for their efforts against the tough Costa team. “It’s the best score I’ve seen against Mira Costa in years. It really says a lot about the strength of our team this year,” Seibert said.

last two girls. We were just really lucky since West’s number one player was gone. It should have been their match.

PHOTO BY MATT MARDESICH

Run the ball. Junior Adam Basaca escapes the grasp of Orange Lutheran player.

-John Burke

”

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

Swingin’ away. Sophomore Robynn Ree hits ball in match versus West on Wednesday.

20 FEATURES / OCT. 5, 2012

Ever Art Gallery 23900 Hawthorne Blvd. Suite 100 Torrance, CA 90505 [story continued from front page] This time, senior Miriam Wang is showcasing her solo exhibition “Doors” until Oct. 9 at Ever Art Gallery. “I chose the theme ‘Doors’ because I wanted to highlight the optimistic, hopeful doors that were opened for me and that have yet to be opened,” she said. “Out of hardship, I was able to gain hope and have an optimistic outlook. And that’s reflected through ‘Doors.’” Wang used doors to represent the opportunities that arise in life. “The doors in my paintings show optimistic ideas that contrast with the negative ideas in the background because that was how my life was until I opened the door that held God’s countless graceful promises,” she said. “I want to be a door of hope for other people who are suffering like I once was.” In fact, each painting is a piece of her past experiences, her present beliefs, and her future aspirations. Her most formative experience was as a freshman. Her mom was diagnosed with stage two ovarian cancer. “She went to Korea to get treatment for a whole year,” Wang said. “It was hard [for me] because I was separated from my mom for so long. I would only receives calls from Korea saying that my mom was losing a handful of hair during shower, swelling up like a balloon, struggling to even get out of her bed, and crying in pain every night.” Knowing her mother was suffering and not having her around to ask for advice and to comfort her brought Wang even more stress. She felt lost and vulnerable, but found an outlet through her art. With each stroke of her brush, her stress is slowly eased away. “When I paint or draw, all of my stress and worries disappear, and my mind and my heart are only focused on art. It also relaxes and soothes my emotions. It calms me and, in a way, heals me,” she said. Wang’s close art school friend, Gina Park, understands the importance of art to reduce her stress. “I’ve noticed that whenever she has a bad day or isn’t in the mood of socializing, she’s very focused on painting. When Miriam wants to do art she does it and she makes it clear that she wants to be focused on finishing what she has to do,” she said. While painting, Wang is completely focused on her art in order to fully achieve what she hopes to convey in her paintings. “[When I paint,] I think about how other people will perceive the meaning of my artwork and I try to be careful about how I express myself because little elements of an artwork can easily change the mood of the person who is looking at it,” she said. Her paintings also have several references to the

1. Bible and Christianity because her faith played a big role in helping her through her adversities. “I was able to fight through my adversities because I had faith that God was there for me. I knew I was too weak to do anything about my problems, and I had to turn to God for help,” she said. “I was reassured that I was not alone or abandoned by the world. I was reassured that God had a great plan for me.” This reaffirmation inspired Wang to create the paintings for “Doors.” “I’ve been preparing for the last two years, beginning when God began playing a central role in my life,” Wang said. She drew for six days a week for about 5 hours a day. “Through God, I was filled with hope and this is the way I wanted to glorify, to thank him. I wanted to reflect my personal experiences and my emotional and spiritual maturity through my art,” she said. Her paintings reveal who she is as a person, according to her youth group pastor, Arvin Kim. One such painting is a self-portrait, “Key to Freedom,” that contains a door-shaped hole and a key on her body. “The doorway is the answer to getting to know Miriam. The key is in the center because if you don’t know her from the inside-out then you don’t really know her,” Kim said. While Wang’s work considers her art very intimate and personal, she is happy to be able to display it to the public and get her work known. “This [exhibition] helps me [for the future] because I’m a more experienced artist. Wherever I go, I always know that I’ve had my own exhibition. People can appreciate that,” she said. The exhibition is also the first step in Wang’s dream to one day open and direct her own art gallery. “When I have my own art gallery, I want to display different types of art, but I don’t want any art that reflects violence or anything negative,” she said. “I want to display paintings that [people] can get hope from. [I want people to] leave happy after looking at art, not leave depressed.” Art has helped her express her individuality and her emotions, and she knows it will always be a vital part of her life. “Art is something I can never get sick of because it never comes to an end. I’m always excited about what I can express on an empty canvas,” she said. Ultimately, though, Wang hopes that that her art will help others in their times of need. “I’m not painting for myself or for my success but for others and their healing. I hope people can walk away with joy and comfort after they look at my art,” she said. “My paintings show how I found light in the midst of my darkness, and I want my art to symbolixe hope for other people who are suffering like I once was.”

4. Beautythroughpain.1. Senior Miriam Wang’s friends and family attend the opening of her first private art exhibition, “Doors.” 2. The painting entitled “His Mercy and Grace” is Christ’s crown of thorns. The door in this picture leads to the new future for which he died. 3. The turtle wishes it could fly, but the door opens to its reality, the ocean. “‘Swimming in the Sky’ means that you should never give up on your dreams in spite of how impossible they seem,” Wang said. 4. In “Desire”, the boy wishes for everything the world can offer, which like Miriam believes everyone should wish for. Photos courtesy of Miriam Wang