High Tide: Oct. 30, 2015

IGH H

TIDE

Redondo Union High School Redondo Beach, CA Oct. 30, 2015 Vol. XCVI Edition 5

A most dangerous game?

Peninsula’s cancelation of the rest of their football season sparks debate [on pg. 24]

PHOTO BY GISELA PEDROZA

Inside

pg. 6

pg. 12

pg. 22

Editorial: ASB should provide an alternate fundraiser to the Red and White Carnival

Sophomore Jesse McBride has been spearfishing for the past ten years

Athlete of the issue: Senior Spencer Malone-White is second-year captain of water polo

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news

High Tide

Second spirit battle has larger crowd than first

by Austin Nunis A sea of students in a variety of brightly colored t-shirts flocked to the Student Union on Friday Oct. 23 to watch the second spirit battle of the school year.

Students of all grade levels competed in a lively game of “Witch’s Croquet”, where students had to hold a plank position while other players used brooms to sweep soccer balls underneath them.

Sophomore Angel Rading, who competed in the event, liked the idea of the spirit battles, but thought that they could be better if more students were involved.

“There was a lot of enthusiasm and the games were really challenging...but [ASB] should find more ways to incorporate spirit and engage students,” she said.

This is only the second spirit battle at RUHS, and ASB members junior Tori Santiago, and senior Micaela Enriquez, thought that there were more students and more spirit compared to the first spirit battle.

“I feel like the spirit battles are really working. Everyone was more excited and ready to play,” Enriquez said.

Though Santiago agrees, she believes that there are aspects of the spirit battles that need to be fixed, especially when it comes to crowd involvement.

“Even though a lot of people showed up, there are some things that we need to fix to

make it more fun. We need to include [the people in the crowd] too, not just the students playing the game,” Santiago said.

Overall, Enriquez and Santiago are happy with the way that the spirit battles are working out.

“We just want to increase class spirit and school spirit overall. [Over the] past few years, we noticed that school spirit had been lacking,” Enriquez said.

According to Santiago, the goal of the spirit battles is to get people excited about school.

“The whole point is to get more people pumped up and a part of school activities, and to be more excited about school in general.

Even if you aren’t involved in a school sport or an extracurricular activity, you can still be involved in spirit battles,” Santiago said.

After the spirit battle and the spirit rally, seniors are in the lead with the most points, juniors and sophomores are tied for second, and the freshmen are last with the fewest

points.

Senior Class President Marley Capper thinks that because this is their only shot at winning the yearlong class competition, the seniors will be the most enthusiastic and end the year with the trophy.

“We’re where we are because of the motivation of seniors on campus. I think that the label [of being] seniors comes with a lot of leadership and the yearning to be number one,” Capper said.

Capper hopes that the class of 2016 can maintain their lead in the competition.

“When [the students] think about spirit points and our rank, it will en-

courage them to participate [in the spirit battles] and be a little more involved on campus,” Capper said.

According to Capper and Enriquez, the ASB members are extremely happy with the the spirit battles are going, and hope that they fulfill their goal of engaging the students and increasing class spirit.

“They boost students’ spirit and morale, which is what we want,” Capper said.

PHOTOS BY KAREN VUONG

Ballin’. Students compete in Witch’s Croquet. Currently, seniors

are in the lead of the yearlong class competition, with 410 points.

Sophomores and juniors are tied for second with 380 points.

Freshmen are last with 250 points.

ILLUSTRATION BY LUMA WEGMAN

ASB holds Snapchat geofilter contest

by Wlliam Pournamdari ASB introduced an extra boost in school spirit in addition to rallies or class colors. It involves a new sense of school pride with Snapchat filters.

Because many students have asked about making a geofilter, ASB has taken the initiative to create a geofilter contest.

Most submissions focused on the school emblem and the beach aspects of Redondo.

“When students are on school campus they can add a Redondo filter over any of their Snapchat pictures, meaning they can add Redondo logos or themes to their photos,” ASB Vice President Ghattas Malki said. “Our goal is to increase school spirit through various means in order to make the school a more enjoyable place to be,” Malki said. “By participating in the contest and using these filters, we

hope that students will have more pride in going to the best high school in the South Bay.” ASB looks to promote school spirit through healthy competition.

“Snapchat is really popular so we were hoping to reach out to people who are not already involved on campus or very spirited in order to instill in them a greater sense of school

pride,” Malki said.

Students who participated in the geofilter contest were also given the opportunity to express their feelings towards RUHS. “As a Snapchat user I enjoyed creating school related filters to express my admiration for our school,” sophomore Cosco Matthews said.

ASB believes that the amusing and fun aspects of Snapchat filters will help involve more students in school.

“We were looking to bolster school unity and encourage the student body to show their passion for Redondo Union, and we think this is one of the best ways to accomplish that,” Malki said.

By: Alena Smith

By: Dana Focardi

By: Alena Smith

Filtering. These are the top four geofilter submis-

sions. ASB is voting on these geofilters today and the winners will be announced on Monday.

By: Jessi Chun

Oct. 30, 2015

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news

Teen Court has more underclassmen than last year Students hear

by Faith Petrie speaker from the Princeton Review

Court is in session again, only this year underclassmen enrollment has grown.

Teen Court is an alternative sentencing system for minors accused of misdemeanors.

Rather than attending juvenile court, the accused minors are questioned and judged by a jury of their peers. If found guilty, the jury sets the terms of the minor’s six-month probation.

The crime is erased from the minor’s record if he or she follows through with the probation.

Botchie says that Teen Court was composed mostly by upperclassmen last year.

“This year there’s more 9th graders involved. Last year it seemed to be heavily upperclass students and now it seems to be a lot of 9th and 10th graders, so that’s good. I don’t know if that’s because those are the teachers

who are offering credit or if they just seem to be more civic minded,” says Botchie.

Botchie believes that the students in Teen Court can empathize with the accused minors.

“Once students come to Teen Court they realize they actually like it and I think they’re able to put themselves into the accused minor’s place where they think, ‘If this was me, I would want other kids to come and be my jurors,’” said Teen Court advisor Marie Botchie.

Last Thursday students deliberated on two different cases. The first related to a minor who stole merchandise from several stores and was later caught, resulting in his arrest, and the second concerned the fate of a girl accused of assault because she threw a sandwich out of a moving car and hit a cyclist.

“This program is very important because it gives kids who have made simple mistakes an opportunity to correct them. Most of the cases in Teen Court are just kids who have made a bad decision and I totally agree that this is a very good program,” said probation officer Richard Rodriguez, who is involved with Teen Court at both RUHS and Peninsula.

Teen Court is not only an opportunity for offenders but also a chance for students to learn the ways of a court of law and what goes into sentencing those charged with crimes.

“I love the legal system. I am also a part of Mock Trial, so being able to see it play out with other people and ask questions is preparing me for a career in the judicial system,” said junior Brandi Coleman.

Order in the court.

Sophomore Alison Shafer asks the jury a question. “I think Teen Court is a really good system for minors because the majority of cases are just teemagers who made a bad decision and it is really a reality check for them. So instead of having their mistake go on their permanent record the can learn from their mistakes. I think it impacts both minors who are in court and also minors who are just watching the trial, because they realize there are consequences when you do the wrong thing,” Shafer says.

PHOTOS BY NITA VILLAS

APES presents plan to school board

by Ben Brill Over 1.25 million cigarette butts and 1 million water bottles were salvaged off the South Bay’s coastline during a beach clean up that the AP Environmental Science (APES) classes took part in. They decided that this was unacceptable and have taken initiative to reduce plastic waste.

On Tuesday, the APES classes presented a plan to reduce the plastic waste output from the school and to inform students on where waste goes to the school board.

The teacher of the APES course, Gillian Moberg, believes that it is vital to address marine pollution, even on just one school campus.

“Here on campus we have identified trash as being one of the things we would like to address,” Moberg said. “Not because we feel that we are in a bad campus but because trash in the neighborhood ends up as marine pollution. In a way we are tackling marine pollution.”

The plan being presented to the school board consists of every student at Redondo receiving one metal bottle. Moberg believes that it is a simple yet effective plan to reduce

plastic waste on campus.

“This plan was something we could definitely accomplish within one year,” Moberg said. “This is a definitely an action that this year’s class can complete start to finish so this year’s class can have a legacy. They’re the ones who implemented the plastic bottle plan.”

The class looked into plastic bottle usage on campus and found that 75 plastic bottles are being distributed at the snack shack each day and the vending machines are restocked each week with 300 plastic bottles.

“We are looking at these numbers and presenting metal water bottles as our answer to lowering those numbers,” Moberg said.

However, the plan does not come without a price. In order to implement the plan, the APES classes need to obtain the funds and support of the school board. Six students presented “Trash Talk,” a powerpoint informing board members about types of trash, where trash ends up locally, and current problems with trash. The school board has not yet decided whether to adopt the plan. A member of the APES class, Ghattas Malki, is confident that the board will accept the proposal.

“They seemed pretty interested because it’s a good cause,” Malki said. ¨Some of the board members already have metal water bottles and use the refill stations we have at school already. They can see the use and need for it on campus” Principal Nicole Wesley believes that the plan would bring long term change to not only the school, but the entire district.

“It’s a matter that they are aware of the efforts we’re making so that our other schools can be aware and take on the same cause. It’s bringing awareness to the district that this is a movement we are creating here at Redondo.”

Along with expanding the plan to other schools in the district, Malki hopes that everyone, student or not, will become more aware of trash and plastic usage through the plan.

“Hopefully the plan at our school will have a community-wide effect on plastic waste,” Malki said. “We hope that elementary and middle schools will enact change there. We can influence our friends and family to be more ecologically friendly and start a ripple effect for something that will be greater than just our school.”

Dr. Wesley leaves the stage and Robert Franek seizes the podium. Hundreds of students and parents look up to him as he explains the college process. Franek, a speaker from the Princeton Review, gave advice to help students find colleges that best fit them.

He first asked everyone in the room to raise their hand if they were concerned about getting into a good college. Nearly every person in the room raised their hand. Franek spoke about college acceptance, and asked everyone to write down three of their top schools.

Then he asked a series of questions designed to choose reasonable options. At the activity’s end, only 20 percent of the audience still had three schools on their list. The majority had none.

“Okay, let’s start here. Cross out any Ivy League schools,” said Franek. “The reason that college acceptance rates are so low is because everyone is applying to the same ten schools. Students need to think critically about the college that they fit into and choose wisely. Whether we move on to a great graduate school, professional school, or a great firsttime career after we graduate from college, hear my voice when I tell you, hear your full team here, hear our voices when we tell you that where you earn your college degree matters.”

Another issue he covered was college affordability. The Princeton Review had a little over 14,000 college-bound students and their parents complete a survey the past academic year and found that of those 14,000 participants, many agreed about what their biggest worry around the college process was.

“Their largest worry was that students would get into their first-choice schools, but families wouldn’t be able to pay for it,” said Franek. “89 percent of them said that financial aid was going to be ‘very or extremely necessary’ for them to afford college. And folks, if you take one thing away from our discussion together tonight, you need to know that that needn’t be the case for you. Without question, you have exceptional college guidance in your offices here at Redondo, as well as neighboring communities. You have awesome tools at your fingertips.”

His second question of the night, also to every college-bound student and their family, was to raise their hand if they were nervous about the college process. Nearly everyone who attended the talk rose their hand.

“You’re going to keep your hands raised, and you’re going to look around this room,” said Franek. “With absolute mathematical certainty, no matter how well educated, how well intentioned, how thoughtful we are around the college process, everyone is nervous.”

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High Tide

news

1

MCJROTC takes home awards on Sports Day

by Miriam Farah After winning team awards for sit-ups and pull-ups, Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (MCJROTC) students Emery Moberg, Jacob Segura, and Anna Rusth took home medals for their individual achievements on Sports Day in Chaparral High School in Temecula.

“Usually I feel good about the competition.

This year I wasn’t actually expecting any personal awards, so I’m really proud,” Cadet First Sergeant Moberg, and 3rd place winner for female push-ups said. “I felt really good when I won. This is the first year where I haven’t been that nervous. I was okay with most of my performance.”

Although the cadets did not prepare specifically for the competition, the skills they obtained during group workouts prepared them for the tournaments at the annual event, according to Chief Warrant Officer 3 Willoughby, the MCJROTC instructor.

Segura, 5th place winner of individual pullups, believes that his prior experience in wrestling and P.E. has indirectly prepared him for the competition.

“I honestly didn’t really prepare that much.

I mean I was in wrestling freshman and sophomore year, and that was challenging because of all the conditioning that we did,” Cadet Corporal Segura said. “I was also in P.E. before and we used to have a lot of endurance running, like three miles over the summer.”

Within the time they have contributed to the MCJROTC program, the three cadets have become comfortable with the routine and the students in the class.

“It’s pretty structured, and that’s nice because it’s really organized and I need that. But I have also made a lot of friends, and they’re fun to hang out with. We are like a big family,” Moberg said.

Additionally, the rankings in the program and workouts are what Segura admires about MCJROTC because it gives them specific goals to achieve.

“I mainly like the setup where you don’t

2 PHOTOS BY SANDER FINK

No flex zone. 1. Moberg and Rusth show off their push-up skills that helped them in the Sports Day

competitions. 2. Rusth appreciates the opportunities she has because of MCJROTC. “[MCJROTC] taught me to speak up more and be more confident around people I don’t know. It’s a really good program if you want to get a scholarship, and I think it’s easier than getting a scholarship than a sport,” Rusth said.

have to be committed to a sport, and you can also do exercise. Also, you go up in ranks, so it teaches you how to use your authority,” Segura said.

Though Moberg faced some challenges when he first joined ROTC, he believes that he has greatly improved.

“Some challenges were being assertive and taking charge of other people. There is also a lot of people you don’t get along with in the program, and you have to learn how to deal with them and keep a professional relationship with them,” Moberg said. “That was hard.”

Moberg’s expectations before joining MCJROTC were completely different from the reality of the program.

“I was expecting everyone to be super hard, everyone going into the military, and on me all the time for every little thing. I was expecting to be screamed at, honestly, like in the actual marine corps, but none of that happened and I’m really grateful,” Moberg said.

With Segura, MCJROTC became a place for him to become physically stronger, something he had trouble with in his past. The physical fitness award he received was a milestone for him, a proud moment and his best experience.

“You can do something if you try hard enough. Before I was really skinny and not strong. I couldn’t really do much.” Segura said.

When I moved to California and I started to

work out, I wasn’t super skinny anymore, I got stronger.”

Junior Cadet Corporal Anna Rusth, who placed in first for individual female sit-ups, has a unique perspective about joining the military.

“Something about the military is more unique and there is nothing really like it,” Rusth said.

Rusth’s experience in MCJROTC has lead her to recommend other students to join because the diverse people in the program.

“It’s a good way to get to know people at your school. There are different types of people you meet in ROTC and it’s cool to meet different people,” Rusth said.

According to Willoughby, they assign a person called the “Double Dog Pack Commander,” or physical fitness commander of the whole team and the commander puts together a team of cadets they take to Chaparral High School where they compete against 13 to 15 other schools. There are different MCJROTC groups around Southern California, and some of them are air force, army, navy, and a marine unit was there as well.

Although the cadets did not directly prepare for the competition, the skills they obtained in MCJROTC allowed them to perform well in the Sports Day competition but have also played a role in their personal lives as well, according to Segura.

“It taught me leadership because I was really immature before. Then, I matured, and I see a lot of the people who were childish [become] really mature in ROTC,” Segura said.

In addition, Moberg believes that ROTC has taught her values and impacted her life in a positive way.

“I have learned how important it is to set [an] example. I’m starting to figure out how to raise people’s morale. I’m not the best at being a motivational speaker, but I’m making progress,” Moberg said. “I have learned how important it is to be accountable for your actions. It has really made me stronger emotionally.”

Oct. 30, 2015

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news

Pier into the future

Centercal proposes to redevelop the Redondo Beach waterfront

by Malek Chamas

PHOTO BY ANIA WEBB

Walking on the waterfront. People enjoy the Redondo Beach Pier. In December 2016, construction and renovations will begin.

There is no end in sight to South Bay construction, and Redondo Beach’s waterfront could be one of the next major sites of it in coming years. In three years’ time, it could be completely transformed. Retail development company Centercal Properties, LLC, has proposed to redevelop the waterfront spanning from Portofino Way to Torrance Boulevard.

Centercal would demolish 220,000 square feet of existing development at the waterfront, or the pier and the area around it, and replace it with 524,000 square feet of new or renovated development, with retail area and open space.

About three years ago, the Redondo Beach City Council voted 4-1 to have Centercal as the waterfront redeveloper. City Councilman Bill Brand of District 2 was the only one who voted against Centercal. According to Aspel, Centercal has not submitted any plans to the city yet, and is still discussing ideas, including the construction of a luxury movie theater and a boutique hotel.

“The things on their website are just ideas.

Once they decide exactly what they want, they will submit the plans to the city,” Aspel said.

“They intend to put stores and restaurants there to attract tourists and locals. The Centercal project will have enough open areas where people can bike and hang out.”

In November, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be presented to the Redondo Beach Harbor Commission, examining the

environmental impact of redevelopment of the size Centercal has proposed, including whether or not there will be traffic increases Brand and others have feared. Centercal’s plan must be submitted to the city and passed by the Harbor Commission and City Council for construction to begin, as well as the EIR’s certification and financial agreement between Centercal and the city. Aspel hopes construction will begin in a year and a half.

“This is the city’s number one priority at this time. AES is extremely critical to the Redondo’s future, but that will be discussed for years. This could be done in about three years,” Aspel said. “It would give citizens a place to enjoy in our city, with stores and restaurants that will attract them. I want them to take friends and family to our city attractions and restaurants and not leave Redondo.”

However, Brand dislikes the project’s much larger size, which he says may cause traffic to increase “dramatically.” But Brand, like Aspel, thinks the waterfront needs redevelopment.

“Most people tell me they enjoy the waterfront’s small boat feeling and a lot of its recreational activities,” Brand said. “We need infrastructure upgrades for its long-term maintenance. But there are ways to revitalize it without more than doubling the development there. Many people are concerned with Centercal’s proposed level of development, because it would change our waterfront’s character and may increase traffic dramatically.”

Food regulations limit student events on campus

by Simrun Ursani Red and White Carnival was canceled due to new state and national health codes, resulting in less fundraising opportunities for clubs on campus and an end to a tradition decades old.

According to junior Brandi Coleman who was supposed to be in charge of this event, Red and White carnival was a fundraiser where clubs could either sell food or sell tickets to play games in order to make money for each individual club. Students would buy tickets and place them in jars for the club to get money.

According to ASB Vice President and senior Ghattas Malki, most clubs sold food at Red and White Carnival, but they now have to follow the new health codes.

RUHS follows the health codes set by the state that were slightly altered with the implementation of the Hunger-Free Kids Act that was passed. The act places new standards for school meals.

Malki said the school will receive a large fine if clubs or students sell foods on campus that do not follow the new health codes set by the state. The only way clubs could sell food beyond the health code requirements outside

of school hours.

As of now, clubs are going to get their fundraising opportunity three months from now at RU Ready Night. Malki, who is also the vice president of Semper, said fundraising will be tougher because clubs have to think of new ideas for funding.

“Last year Semper sold Greek fries and kabobs. It makes fundraising a little harder because now there is one fundraising less than what we had,” Malki said.

However, that does not mean clubs have to limit fundraising to after school hours only.

“Clubs are allowed to do fundraisers on their own, but they must be pre-approved by ASB. During the presidents’ meetings, they brainstorm for new fundraiser ideas not during school hours,” Malki said.

According to Coleman and Yoo, the Lounge is an alternative since it is available for any type of fundraising because it is after school.

Ms. Cox, who is in charge of the Lounge, encourages clubs to book fundraisers.

“As ASB, we are working on having something after school and on something where clubs can sell food, but it just has to be after school,” Coleman said. “The Lounge is a great place to do fundraisers for clubs because they

can do any fundraiser including food, movie night, games, or karaoke.”

Though Red and White Carnival was a tradition, it will be replaced with other opportunities for clubs to raise money for their clubs.

“It was a big thing and I know people will miss it, but we are trying to fill that spot. It is not like there will be an empty spot because we are trying to figure out how to replace Red and White Carnival,” Coleman said.

New Health Codes:

1. No outside food sales to students from midnight until after school each school day

2. There are four days per year (to be approved) when purchasing with-

out the use of Food Services are allowed under the following conditions:

a.The school district is responsible for ensuring that each organization that sells food and/or beverages maintains separate record that document compliance with the food and beverage nutrition requirements.

b. All items must be pre-approved by the governing board in advance.

c. Items cannot be prepared by student organization.

d. Categories sold cannot be the same as those sold in the food service program that day

3. The restriction does not include gifts to classrooms (i.e. pizza parties are not banned but are discouraged).

INFORMATION FROM CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

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opinion

High Tide

Around Save Red and White Carnival Redondo The Carnival should be transformed to continue to provide a fundraiser Should the number of remaining tickets to dancees be advertised?

Editorial

Compiled by Carmen Hamm Photos by Megan Contreras

“

They should’ve kept better track of how many tickets they had already sold.

”

-Julia Brand, 12

“

Yeah, people didn’t get to go who were planning on going.

”

-Keely Twitchell, 11

“

Lots of people bought dresses and wasted money--they should’ve told us.

”

-Julia Seth, 10

“

Yeah because lots of people waited a long time in line for no reason.

-Jennifer Bui

”

“

Yeah, my sister came home crying because she didn’t get a ticket and her boyfriend did.

-Daniel Garcia, 10

”

“

They couldn’t-the day before the dance they sold 400 tickets and the day of they sold 500.

”

-Ghattas Malki, 12

Red and White carnival used to be so fun — delicious food, entertaining games, and loud music. Now that food can essentially no longer be sold during school hours due to U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations, the carnival is no more, and clubs are left scrambling to find a way to fundraise. ASB should provide a fundraiser for clubs to replace the Red and White Carnival.

The Red and White Carnival was once a staple in our school’s culture. Initially, it was an actual carnival, and a fun one at that. In the early ‘90s, the event even consisted of pie fights. Over the years its importance on campus has diminished, but it, and the revenue it brings in for clubs, should not be lost.

Clubs must host at least one fundraiser per semester in order to be a considered official. Without the opportunity to sell food at the Carnival, they must look elsewhere to meet that requirement. For all the clubs that don’t need any money for activities, fundraising was already a nuisance. With the elimination of a school-organized fundraiser, it has become even more so.

The restrictions on what can be sold has little lasting effects on the health of a student. Does the food sold at a carnival actually make a change in the overall health of a student? Of course not. Healthy habits are developed by an individual and simply denying access to anything considered unhealthy for the school hours does little to change eating habits.

The Red and White Carnival should be replaced by something that can fill the void it has left on our school. Though ASB is doing all that it can, there has yet to be a realistic solution proposed, but here’s one: Replace food with games. The carnival can reinvent itself and become as culturally important as it once was. It doesn’t need food to be successful, and small carnival games can bring in the revenue clubs need, the spirit ASB strives for, and the fun day students want.

Editorial Board vote

Red and White Carnival should still be put on, just without food, to provide a fundraiser for clubs on campus.

Yes

7

No

0

ILLUSTRATION BY ALINA BIESCHKE

USDA School Food Nutrition Standards Serving Size: 1 total item served

Calories: snacks and side dishes ≤200 calories, entrées ≤350

Total Fats: ≤35% calories from total fat Saturated Fats: ≤10% calories from saturated fats Trans Fats: Zero grams Sodium: snack items ≤200mg, entrées ≤480 mg Sugars: ≤35% weight from total sugar Grains: 50% or more whole grains by weight Caffeine: Allowed at high schools *To be allowable, a competitive food item must meet all proposed competitive food nutrient standards; and be a grain product that contains 50% or more whole grains by weight or have whole grains as the first ingredient; or have as the first ingredient fruits, vegetables, dairy, or protein foods; or be a combination food that contains at least 1/4 cup fruit and/orvegetable.

COMPILED BY CHRISTOPHER PALUDI INFORMATION COURTESY OF UDSA.GOV

Oct. 30, 2015

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opinion

Letters to the

Editor

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Please keep letters to a maximum of 250 words. Longer guest opinions are also accepted.

High Tide

staff

Editors in Chief: Yasmeen El-Hasan; Stella Gianoukakis Managing Editor: Vaidehi Gandhi News Editor: Malek Chamas Opinion Editor: Christopher Paludi Features Editors: Lizzie Fauver; Zach Hatakeyama; Caterina Hyneman; Jon Mallen; Shaniya Markalanda; Samaya Rubio; Reema Saad; Sports Editors: Jessica Johnson; Adam Yorke Design Editors: Shawn Mallen; Grace Zoerner Writing Editors: Kayla Nicholls; Amanda Shaw Photo Editor: Ted Cavus Copy Editors: Micah Ezzes; Carmen Hamm Online Editors: Romy Moreno; Mylene Silver Illustrators: Alina Bieschke; Luma Wegman Staff Writers: Gianna Aquilina; Cass Anderson; Brittany Baker; Mia Berger; Ben Brill; Reem Chamas; Jasmine Dube; Micah Ezzes; Miriam Farah; Yasamin Fazeli; Jason Fong; Dina Ghanim; Kelly Harraka; Hannah Hastings; Patrick Henry; Kayla Hiken; Shyanne Landers; Gerika Macalino; Tanner McEveety; Eden Millan; Micky Munns; Davina Nguyen; Austin Nunis; Faith Petrie; Hayley O’Connor-Rigby; Luke Peterson;Justin Pioletti; Samaya Rubio; Summer Saad; Angie Tait; Simrun Ursani; Lulu Wegman; Kylie Yorke; Erika Zlatkin Photographers: Syd Alli; Samantha Bendall; Angel Blanquel; Megan Contreras; Elise DiPaola; Sander Fink; Hiroki Goto; Ilene Guerrero; Anam Khan; Serena Maanum; Gisela Pedroza; Faith Petrie; Laua’e Schweitzer; Keiko Shingu; Nita Villas; Karen Vuong; Ania Webb This is a wholly student-managed, designed, and written newspaper that focuses on the school and community..

Signed commentaries and editorial cartoons represent the opinions of the staff writer or cartoonist.

The king speaks

The number of tickets remaining should be advertised for all dances, not just prom

Micah Ezzes The line for tickets to the homecoming dance on the final day of sales was a mess. This is understandable, and honestly, I wouldn’t have expected any differently. However, the sudden announcement that the event was sold out came as a bit of a surprise, and tons of students stood in line for nothing.

This is merely a symptom of the problem that nobody pays any attention to anything. I know, I know, I’ve complained about the apathy of the student body before, but this time, it lends itself to a self-fulfilling prophecy. Students don’t know what’s going on, but they don’t listen to the morning announcements; as such, they continue to not know about school events and important information.

Granted, we will always have people who don’t pay any attention to such things. The PA system might not be the best way to convey information in this regard. In fact, some of the classrooms have rather shoddy intercoms that make it difficult to hear what is being said, especially down in the science building.

Perhaps some system of getting ASB members into classrooms to give morning announcements would improve the retention of the information. Obviously that is too great a task and there aren’t enough ASB members to talk to every classroom on campus in a reasonable amount of time, but something like it could work. Maybe assigning each classroom a delegate to receive the morning announcements for the day, as is done with the House of Representatives program, would aid in this regard.

For the most part, I see the representatives from House of Representatives conveying information to their classes in an understandable way; why can’t something similar be done with the morning announcements? An actual person speaking is harder to ignore than an intercom, especially when it’s someone known by everyone in the class. Plus, an actual person can receive and answer questions, something an intercom cannot do. Perhaps something like this could lead to more knowledge

of school events. This doesn’t mean that participation would increase, but at least the word would be out in a more efficient way.

However, no system would have helped in regards to the number of homecoming tickets, because nothing was said at all. Of course, students were reminded constantly to get their tickets early, and the school can only do so much to beat this into students’ heads. But a system that’s already been in place for years could have been utilized to at least give students a fair warning.

Every year, prom tickets are closely monitored and counted, and when tickets are close to being sold out, word gets out relatively quickly. Why couldn’t the same be done with homecoming? I understand that the onus is ultimately on the students to not procrastinate, but something could have been done to alert students to the lack of tickets.

What they were left with was a line full of disappointed students and misdirected anger.

Taking the fun out of Halloween

Girls should have more varied options at costume stores Vaidehi Gandhi Halloween is a time for fun, friends, candy, and more candy. To keep with tradition, it also is a time for fun costumes and frolicking in the streets with pillow cases filled with sweets.

Every Halloween costume store flaunts their variety of costumes, but this variety for those other than boys only extends to girls under the age of ten.

A Red Riding Hood costume for ages 13+ should not have net stockings, a miniskirt, and a corset top with a cloak that barely reaches thirteen-year-old’s back. And if she doesn’t want to dress this way, she has no choice but to make her own costume, which entails hours at the sewing machine.

The selection for girls’ costumes is narrow, and while some girls are comfortable wearing revealing clothing, they are still frequently shamed. They are shamed for being confident in their bodies and others are called “slutty”

for wearing costumes that were the easiest to find or the only ones still available. Even women shame other women for dressing provocatively, and this characteristic can be attributed to oversexualizing females.

Our society perpetuates discrimination with the stark differences between what is sold to men and what is sold to women at Halloween stores. The mens’ aisle is straightforward— all costumes serve the practical purpose of accompanying the playful spirit of Halloween, and all costumes cover their bodies.

The women’s aisle is complex, focuses on looking “sexy” rather than playful and the lack of cloth makes it easier to freeze on Halloween night. Women are limited not only in the style of clothes but also characters to portray. Even if a version of the Red Riding Hood costume is revealing, why is there not another for the girls who prefer to cover themselves, who prefer to

be comfortable?

Even further, making such clothes the easiest to find for thirteen-year-olds teaches them that it is acceptable for them to be sexualized, it is acceptable for costume stores to assume that these are the clothes people want to wear.

Men do not walk around in stockings, so why should young girls be encouraged to?

Halloween stops being fun for everyone when girls are limited in costumes and either must dress provocatively or must labor to make their own, and put extra effort into a holiday that is supposed to be a release from stress, not a cause for it. The fun and carefree nature of Halloween is lost when there are insults thrown, names called, and “sluttiness” thrown in everyone’s faces. Being confident in whichever costumes girls choose to wear is just as important as allowing these girls to be confident in these choices.

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Breaking the Mould

by Dina Ghanim

As she faces her opponent, she wonders how her 5-foot-1 self can take down someone who looked to be nearly twice her size. She swallows her fear and steps into the ring. It’s time for junior Anna Rusth to prove herself to everyone who doubted her.

“The reason why I wrestle is because I want to fight in the UFC. I guess Ronda Rousey is my inspiration, but I don’t really want to be like her. I just want to be number one,” Rusth said.

Rusth enjoys participating in aggressive sports, some of which include wrestling, Mixed Martial Arts, and football. After playing football for nearly six years, Rusth decided to take up wrestling and has been doing so for about a year and a half.

“I’m not going to lie, what keeps me motivated is probably winning. I just enjoy aggressive sports,” Rusth said.

After moving to California from Washington two summers ago, Rusth took a class at the UFC gym and decided to try something new.

“I was playing football before, so I was into aggressive sports. A professional fighter at the UFC said that he could tell that I was strong, so I thought that I should take up something that I’m good at,” Rusth said.

Rusth believes that she continues to defy stereotypes about women and how they can only participate in sports that wouldn’t challenge them.

“When it comes to weightlifting, I used to think that I can’t get too buff because then I would look like a man. Girls realistically don’t do things out of the ordinary when it comes to being an athlete. They don’t really want to be strong because they think that it’s ugly,” Rusth said.

Junior Thuy Linh Turek also joined the wrestling team in her freshman year. She participated competitively in judo and was convinced to start wrestling.

“When I was younger I thought that wrestling was dirty and a boy’s sport, but then I came in freshmen year and Coach Schonberg tried to recruit me. When I came to watch a practice once, I liked it and started wrestling,” Turek said.

Although some people consider it strange for a girl to compete in wrestling, Turek does not share their point of view.

“I’ve been in judo since I was young as well so I’m used to [aggressive sports]. At school it’s very different because I’m seen as the one girl on wrestling so in a way I am breaking stereotypes, but that’s just the rest of the world,” Turek said. “It’s normal to me, so I don’t see it that way.”

Turek also reflected on how she views herself on the team.

“I think that if you enjoy something enough

High Tide

features

Juniors Anna Rusth and Thuylinh Turek participate in wrestling, breaking gender stereotypes for girls in sports

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No more gender stereotypes. 1. Turek

lightly spars with her partner at her judo studio. 2. Turek participates in a duel meet at West High School with the wrestling team; after getting the pin, the referee called the match and Turek won.

3. The wrstling team poses for a photo while at the league finals held at Beverly Hills High. From left to right: sophomore Daniel Navarez, junior Patrick Garnica, sophomore Nick Webb, Turek and junior Jason Fong. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THUYLINH TUREK

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and you go after it it becomes normal to you because that’s just what you do on a daily basis,” Rusth said. “I have certain days when I’m on the mat and I look around and I realize that I’m the only girl there, but for the most part I don’t notice because those are teammates and my family.”

Turek is thankful for her mother’s support despite the criticism that she often hears from other family members.

“My mom is super supportive of everything that I do because she believes that it builds character, and I show a lot of dedication, but my male family members, especially my uncles, would always ask why I wrestle saying that it’s so easy for me to get hurt and that I should be playing volleyball,” Turek said.

Rusth also receives support from her mother despite the comments that are made by her male relatives.

“My dad was against me playing football for like my whole life, and my mom was the only one who would take me to practice,” said Rusth. “She was the only one who was helping me.”

Despite her view that society lacks respect for women who participate in aggressive sports, Rusth also aspires to begin playing football again, this time without complications. “[My goal is] to play football again next year. Freshman year I played football and the coaches were kind of sexist. I don’t like saying

3.

that, but it’s true. Next year I actually want to play varsity,” Rusth said.

Rusth also believes that society causes women to undermine themselves in relation to sports.

“There are some girls that can handle [wrestling] but they don’t try. I think society is the reason why women aren’t like that. I don’t like it because society is the blame for why girls don’t want to participate in aggressive sports for the most part,” Rusth said.

In addition to the thrill of the fight, one of Ruth’s favorite aspects of wrestling is seeing progress in people.

“Honestly, I just like to fight, but I also like

seeing others improve. If at first they suck but then they eventually build up and get better, their self-esteem builds up. I like to see that in other people.”

Despite her views, Rusth does not identify as a feminist.

“I don’t really consider myself a feminist, I just support women and I’m totally against certain stereotypes,” Rusth said.

Rusth encourages anyone who has a dream to disregard what people say and pursue it.

“It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks, just be yourself,” Rusth said. “I’m doing these things because I like it. I don’t care if people are against it, I’m just going to do it.”

Oct. 30, 2015

features

Across the ocean

German exchange student senior Paul Gaiser hopes to learn more about American culture

by Kayla Hiken

He walks out the door, says good-bye, and looks at his family for the last time in a year.

The next time he will hear their voices he will be 5,641 miles away, in a new country.

Over the summer, senior Paul Gaiser moved to the United States from Germany as a foreign exchange student. He moved in hopes of learning about a new culture and experiencing a different lifestyle.

“I was interested in coming to the United States because it’s a big country and there is a lot of opportunity here. In Germany we watch the American news and a lot of Ameri-

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Deutschland. 1.

Gaiser stretches with his cross country teammates before beginning a workout. 2. Gaiser poses with friend Elijah Tallman after finishing a workout. “He’s funny, he’s a nice person and he’s easy going,” Tallman said. “I’m like his go-to guy.; he always tells me everything and we always text and hangout after school.” 3. Gaiser poses with the CongressBundestag administrators after getting accepted for the scholarship. “In Germany we look at the United States as the big brother for Germany,” Gaiser said. “I wanted to experience living that life I had seen in the movies, as well as learn English better, learn about a different culture, and meet new people.” PHOTOS 1 AND 2

BY SANDER FINK, PHOTO 3 COURTESY OF PAUL GAISER

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can movies, and we look at the United States as the big brother for Germany,” Gaiser said.

“I wanted to experience living that life I had seen in the movies, as well as learn English better, learn about a different culture, and meet new people.”

Gaiser got a scholarship that paid for his trip to the United States from the CongressBundestag (CBYX) Program. This program is for high school students in either the United States or Germany. The United States Congress pays for Germans to go the United States and the Bundestag, a German legislation, pays for Americans to go to Germany.

After Gaiser applied for the scholarship, the program contacted him and invited him to attend the first meeting where he joined with the other potential CBYX scholars. They went to a language camp in Schwarzwald, which means Black Forest, and learned more about the English language and culture.

Upon returning from camp, the students received the results from their representative.

“Out of the ten students from my area that applied for the scholarship, two of us got it,” Gaiser said. “During the application process I didn’t think I was going to get it, so when I found out I was very surprised.”

When Gaiser and his family found out about the scholarship, his parents were thrilled.

“I was very proud of him. He managed basically the whole procedure by himself, starting with the idea and the wish. He was driving this to the end and ended up being the lucky guy who made it into that program,” Hans Gaiser, Gaiser’s dad, said.

At the end of summer, Gaiser moved to the United States alone and now lives with a housefather.

While Gaiser is here, he is required to be in school for a year, involve himself in the community to adapt to American culture, and participate in activities, like beach clean ups. At the end of the year, all the CBYX students from Germany go to Washington D.C. where they get a small tour of all the major buildings, see the capitol and the white house, and possibly meet the president.

To involve himself in the community and meet new people, Gaiser chose to join the cross country team, where he has met a lot of new friends, including senior Elijah Tallman. Tallman believes that Gaiser is adapting well and has made friends easily.

“Paul is being accepted really well because he joined cross country. We are all one happy family and we are always nice and kind,” Tallman said. “I didn’t really know him, but I always like meeting new people so I was friendly with him, and I’m half German and he’s full German, so I wanted to get to know him.”

A setback for Gaiser is that when he returns to Germany, he will be held back a year.

“This school year in America is not important to my German education because it doesn’t count; I still have two more years when

page 9 I go back to Germany. Before I came to the United States, I had finished my 11th year in school. This year I am taking my 12th year, but when I go back to Germany I still have year 12 and 13 left of school,” Gaiser said.

Although Gaiser will be behind when he returns to Germany, he believes this is a chance to learn about new topics that aren’t taught in there.

“I’m learning a lot that will be useful in life.

I’m not only learning about the culture and how to speak English better, but I’m learning about new subjects that we don’t learn in Germany. Also, some of the subjects I’m taking will definitely be able to help me with my classes in Germany,” Gaiser said.

Besides the differences in the school systems, the only other problem he has faced is staying in contact with his family.

“The biggest change for me so far has been living only with a housefather and not seeing my family. It’s hard for me to talk with them in Germany because the time difference is nine hours, so it’s hard to find the right time to speak with them. Although this has been a problem, I have been able to talk to them on some weekends,” Gaiser said.

His family in Germany has felt his absence, but they know he is enjoying himself while still improving his education.

“The usage of media like Skype and Whatsapp calls are very useful and nice to keep in touch, and it’s also reducing the feeling that Paul is far away. What I do miss is his smile and laughing in the house. I know he is coming back and that helps me a lot because I know he is having a great time with the hosts in the United States,” Mr. Gaiser said.

Gaiser has grown in his time in America.

Living without his family for these past months has taught Gaiser a lot about himself.

“I have learned to organize my life better, how to live on my own and learn about a whole new country,” Gaiser said. “I like the opportunities here and how friendly the people are.”

Both Gaiser and his family believe that his trip to the United States will have a positive impact on him later in life.

“I believe it will help him in many cases, and maybe not only Paul. First of all, he can really get a deep impression about another culture. It’s different if you do a two-week vacation or live abroad for a while, so it will widen his view on a lot of things,” Mr. Gaiser said.

Mr. Gaiser hopes that this trip will inspire Paul to travel more.

“He also has the advantage [of becoming] familiar with the language, and he will also be a small part of intercultural understanding between the U.S.A. and Germany, which I personally think is very important,” Mr. Gaiser said. “I hope this will be a start of a lot of visits in both directions until he is an old man.”

Gaiser looks forward to his time here and believes he will take away a lot from his trip.

“I think coming here will help me in the future because I will have connections with people from the other side of the world, and I can speak the language better,” Gasier said.

“In the future, I want to definitely come back to the United States, and possibly do a year of college here.”

page 10

High Tide

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Manufacturing Machinery

Robert Valenzuela builds and customizes personal computers

by Luke Peterson

Intricate computer pieces made of precious metals and other materials lay across a broad desk among minute screws. These pieces are intended for the assembly of a custommade computer.

According to freshman Robert Valenzuela, the fascination many people have with technology is associated with the possibilities it offers.

“Technology is a new thing,” Valenzuela said. “Everyday it gets more and more advanced and people can get curious and very interested in all kinds of things involved in technology.”

Valenzuela specializes in building personalized computers.

“The type of computer I make is usually very expensive and flashy,” Valenzuela said.

“The reason why they’re expensive is because I focus on the quality and performance of the ones I make.”

The types of computers that Valenzuela builds are called PCs, or personal computers.

The general cost for buying the pieces for and assembling them ranges from a few hundred dollars to more than a thousand, depending on the quality of the computer.

Freshman Joshua Winters works with Valenzuela in regards to making and using computers.

“He’s enthusiastic when it comes to computers, and sometimes he’ll get excited when he gets a computer part or when he finds something that he really wants,” Winters said.

Valenzuela’s father, Mr. Valenzuela, has given him the ability to work with technology from an early age.

“He’s always shown a sort of aptitude for this sort of thing,” Mr. Valenzuela said. “He started working with computers when he was 3 or 3 and a half. At first, he was just interested at what he was looking at. Now he’s involved with how it works.”

Valenzuela ties his admiration for creating these machines to a much simpler activity from the past.

“It reminds me of putting together legos,” Valenzuela said. “I used to love building with legos because they let you put together anything you wanted, and that’s what I’m doing with my computers.”

Winters believes that he and Valenzuela have benefited from working together.

“It allows us to learn what we like in re-

gards to computers and to learn more about each other,” Winters said.

The efficiency of a computer determines the price of its parts, so a high-performance computer would cost much more than a regular one.

“What I wanted was a very high-performance computer, so I had to save a lot more money than most others would,” Valenzuela said.

Valenzuela had to save $1300 to buy the parts for his computer, and he describes the process of saving that money as tedious.

“I didn’t really have an allowance, so I had to find some ways to get money,” Valenzuela said. “Then I had to save that money and try not to spend it. I also had to save some money for food and things like that.”

According to Valenzuela, the cost of making his own computers is worth the effort that needs to be given.

“I’d say saving money for it makes it satisfying because when you do finally build it, it’s your creation and you can use it,” Valenzuela said.

Valenzuela began building computers last year for recreational purposes.

“Originally, I made my computers because I wanted to play really nice looking games on them,” Valenzuela said. “That requires really high-performance computers, so I just built my own.”

Valenzuela considers his father as an influential factor in how he makes his computers.

“My dad used to work on everything in electronics. He actually used to operate my old computers,” Valenzuela said. “Because of him, I started to find out ways to build my own and it just grew from there.”

Valenzuela’s father, Robert Valenzuela, believes that he has grown closer to his son over their common hobby.

“We’ve been sharing time; wanting to do things together is the best thing. Beyond that, we just want to spend more time together; we have something in common that we can both enjoy,” Mr. Valenzuela said.

Valenzuela also believes that making computers has the power to bring people together.

“Computer building, like most other things, can strengthen relationships with not only people you know,” Valenzuela said. “But you can also create relationships with people you don’t know.”

The hardware inside CPU

Memory

The CPU carries out programs and Computer memory is a temporary processes and executes inputs from storage area that houses information the user. Valenzuela’s CPU is an AMD that is “waiting” to be processed by brand 4.0GHz 8-core processor. the CPU. Programs that are in use are loaded from storage into the memory for the CPU to use directly. Valenzuala’s PC has 16 gigabytes of memory.

The motherboard houses and connects the CPU, memory, and ports for input and output devices.

Motherboard Hard Drive

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT VALENZUELA

Price tag. Valenzuela’s computer costed roughly $1300 to build.

CPU Cooler

Video Card

A video card processes the images that show up on the monitor. It houses a GPU, its own memory, and its own cooler. A video card works in a similar fashion to how the CPU and the memory works, but the video card only dals with images.Valenzuela’s PC has a Gigabyte GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB video card.

Power Supply

The power supply converts power CPUs can become hot when they are from an outlet into lower voltage All data from the computer is stored processing a lot of information at once. on the hard drive while it is “waiting” The CPU cooler’s function is to prevent power that can be used by the the CPU from overheating. CPU coolers computer. to be accessed. Valenzuela has one terabyte of internal hard drive space are typically either fans or water.

Valenzuela’s PC uses a fan. and a second terabyte of external INFORMATION FROM STUDY.COM , NMBTC.COM , AND TOMSHARDWARE.COM storage.

Oct. 16, 2015

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features 1.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF MONICA MALLET

Field day.

1. The annual event is optional for all players and most ‘gladly’ volunteer. 2. The players enjoy interacting with the students, according to Aaron Rosado. “I would come back and do it again,” Ryan Armalin said.

Becoming part of the brotherhood Football holds annual event inviting ILS students to practice

by Brittany Baker

RUHS’s varsity football team punted, passed and kicked with the Independent Living Skills (ILS) students, introducing each of them to their daily practice routine. During the event, varsity football players mentored ILS students, inviting them into their “brotherhood” and helping them experience the bond that makes them all “bleed red and white’” According to senior Ryan Armalin, the mentorship helps form a bond between the student athletes and the ILS students participating each year it comes around. Varsity players volunteer to develop a positive and inspiring atmosphere not just between the players and students, but among their team as a whole.

“Athletic teams reach out to other students that aren’t as privileged as them so they can

help mentor and make them feel a part of something bigger,” Wide Receiver Coach Steven Kelly said. “It makes them feel a part of the team and maybe it’s for one day or maybe it’s for the rest of the season,” Kelly said.

ILS is a class designed to teach students with special needs functional academics to develop the skills needed to live an independent life. The students in the class participate in interactive activities everyday such as, cooking, washing clothes, hygiene, safety in mobility training, social skills, recycling, and functional math and ELA learning.

On Tuesday afternoon, after the players took their team pictures, they held the annual event and invited the ILS students to experience the “Redondo football brotherhood”.

“We support them and they support us,”

Armalin said. “The purpose is to let them know we aren’t strangers.”

In addition to benefitting ILS, the mentorship also proved to be advantageous for the team, enabling players to sharpen their leadership skills.

“They gained organizational skills, skills in having empathy and skills with inclusion,” Kelly said.

Redondo’s players interacted with the ILS students through activities as if they were apart of the team on the field.

“It felt good knowing that we as a brotherhood helped them and made them feel like they are one of us,” junior Aaron Rosado said.

According to Armalin and Rosado, the students involved and the team players became closer through this experience.

“It’s fun seeing them enjoying themselves.

Most of them aren’t privileged enough to play football, so to see them out there getting that experience and enjoying it makes us feel good that we got to help them,” Armalin said.

Team building is the main focus of the day to further everyone as teammates, peers, and individuals, according to Kelly.

“We focus on team building things, we form a huddle like how we normally do at practice, we let them run the ball, we play catch and sometimes we do obstacle courses or run actual plays so that they can get the feel of what it is like to be on the field with us,” Kelly said.

The ILS students and student athletes performed as a team during the interactive drills.

“We let them run the ball against us, they scored every time,” Armalin said.

Araujo starts heavy metal band, Inside Job

by Gerika Macalino

PHOTO BY MITCH ZIEGLER

Peanut butter and jam. Araujo has been playing guitar for four years

For some, music is just another way to pass the time. It’s the synchronous soundtrack to the daily bustle of life or mood music for running errands. For senior Erich Araujo, it is his creative outlet for dealing with depression.

“Music is an escape from reality and creative outlet for me. It really reflects how I feel deep down. I tend to pick up my guitar and forget the problems around me,” said Araujo.

He started the heavy metal band Inside Job in June after being approached by fellow senior Ben Moses. The two practice in their drummer’s garage often, polishing their original songs or practicing with covers.

“I love music. I love playing instruments and I thought it’d be a good idea [to start a

band]. Music is really one of the few ways I can actually express myself,” said Araujo.

Between the two, they have over twelve years​​of musical experience. Araujo previously played in Slayer 2.0 with junior Isaac Vizkarra. There he met a drummer, and suddenly, his dream was becoming a tangible reality.

“I really wanted to try my own musical style. Ben called me up and I thought he was really good,” Araujo said.

Araujo finds inspiration from other bands like Slayer, Metallica, and Trivium. He also credits his uncle, who is a lead guitarist in a heavy metal band in Brazil.

Araujo struggles with depression, but finds solace in music. According to the British Jour-

nal of Psychiatry, music therapy can improve the mental health of people with depression, because the act of playing musical instruments requires “purposeful physical movement” that alleviate some of its effects.

“I look at all the bands that I love and they’re all out touring, and I see that they just have a great time.” Araujo said.

Inside Job has written three songs so far that they plan on playing at the Battle of the Bands. Ultimately, they want to record three albums.

“That’s all I want to do. I want to make heavy metal and contribute to the scene. I want people to hear our music and go insane,” Araujo said.

page 12

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H

e takes a deep breath and dives into the water. For the next minute, he focuses on catching fish and is surrounded by the “exciting” underwater world.

Sophomore Jesse McBride has enjoyed fishing for the past ten years of his life, but has recently decided to begin spear-fishing as well.

“It’s a good way of getting in touch with your instincts,” McBride said. “I’ve always been interested in doing stuff in the water. I surf and I really like the beach. I saw a video of [spear-fishing] on YouTube and I thought it looked really cool, and I decided to try it out.

A few years later, I started diving and practicing holding my breath, and a year after I started diving I got my first gun.”

His hobby allows him to relax and “appreciate all that the ocean has to offer.”

“It’s really calming to be in the ocean. When you do a big dive, you have to relax yourself, which relieves a lot of stress. You just sit there and look at the water and all this fish, and it just puts you in a sense of wonder,” McBride said.

Although he must be relaxed before his dives, McBride is careful to keep in mind that a lot could go wrong. Shallow water blackout, for example, can occur at the end of a dive when a person’s oxygen supply runs low. He or she may not feel the need to breathe, and suddenly becomes unconscious.

“I know my limits and I usually try to dive as safely as I can. I always dive with a buddy too,” McBride said.

Although McBride and sophomore Ethan Harvey, who spear-fishes with him almost every weekend, take many precautions before a dive, both of them have gotten sick while in the ocean.

“You always eat and drink a lot before a dive,” Harvey said. “You can get dehydrated and get really sick or have a nosebleed while you’re out there. It’s happened to both of us before.”

He generally does not meet too many interesting people while out on his dives, but McBride appreciates when he does have the opportunity to meet someone who can give him advice.

“I was spear-fishing by the break wall and I saw this other guy who was spear-fishing down there too and he told me about this spot that no one really goes to,” McBride said. “He showed

me this big, square, metal pipe with rocks surrounding it and there were a ton of fish there. It’s in the middle of the sand, and I would have never even guessed it was there.”

He usually sticks with Harvey and does not try to interact with others in the area.

“Most of the people aren’t very nice.

You go out there and if you’re in someone’s spot they tell you to get out,” McBride said.

In addition to simply getting in touch with nature, he appreciates that spearfishing is a method of sustainable fishing.

“You know exactly what you’re getting. Normally, when commercial boats go fishing, they target a certain type of fish and bring up all of that type of fish in a certain area. Most of the fish they do catch are too small to keep. When you’re down there you know what you’re looking for and see what you’re catching as you do it,” McBride said.

Both McBride and Harvey have been trying to spread the word about how “great” their hobby is.

“We’re always trying to get new people to try it out. Lots of kids ask us about it, so we usually try to take them along with us and teach them what we know. We want to expand the community of spear-fishers,” Harvey said.

Both McBride and Harvey plan to continue spear-fishing throughout the rest of high school and hope they can make time in college as well.

“It’s a weird feeling to go under the water and stay there for so long,” McBride said. “It’s really cool to see the underwater landscape and what it’s like down there. You see these pictures online of the ocean and it can give you a little sense of it, but actually going out there, spear-fishing, and seeing everything there is a whole new experience.”

Oct. 30, 2015

Go

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features

Where in the world is Gene Simon? 1. Simon met a group of nuns

Fish

while on his trip. 2. Simon climbs a tree in Tahiti, where he and O’Grady spent a total of six weeks. They had originally planned to stay only five days. 3. Simon and O’Grady enjoyed their stay in the South Pacific. “We slept on the beach, we ate popcorn and beer,” O’Grady said.

“It only cost us a few dollars a day. It was very fun because we had no place to be.

We just took it one day at a time.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GENE SIMON

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Sophomore Jesse McBride spears fish as a hobby

by Yasi Fazeli

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Health teacher Gene Simon traveled around the world

by Erika Zlatkin

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1.

Fish kabob. 1. McBride holds up a recent catch. “It’s suspenseful before you take the

shot, because it’s hard to tell whether or not you’re going to hit the fish,” he said. “After you hit it, it’s really exciting.” 2. McBride and Harvey pose after a dive. McBride shows off the fish that they recently caught, and Harvey holds the special gun that they use to go spear-fishing. PHOTOS COURTESY OF JESSE MCBRIDE

He rummages through his backpack, sorting away socks, pants, and shirts in order to find the plane ticket to take him to his next destination.

From September 1982 to July 1983, health teacher Gene Simon visited 18 countries, including Tahiti, Australia, Philippines, Italy, and Greece. At 24 years old, Simon had decided to buy an around-the-world plane ticket west with his close friend, Jim O’Grady.

“You have a formal education that you get in school, and then it’s time to educate yourself in the practicalities of life,” Simon said. “To me, that meant going to see how other people live, and what they deal with every day.”

To Simon, being in historic places where he saw the rudiments of civilization provided him a different education than what he learned in school.

“We have many good memories of the trip, and what it did for us in viewing

the world. It helped us realize that the United States isn’t the world’s center.

We’re just part of it, not the most important part,” O’Grady said.

Compared to the American lifestyle he is used to, Simon found the living conditions in Nepal and India very poor. He remembers sick and crippled people flooding the street.

“To me, that was a tremendous eye opener — how people need so little to be happy and really want basic things, the same things you want to be happy.

It made me a lot less materialistic and more spiritual,” Simon said.

Simon’s sleeping arrangements were “very rough.” Often times, he would not know where he would be sleeping that day or would have to set up camp in the morning. He slept at friend’s houses, in hotels, tents, or on the street.

“You had to keep your eyes open all the time from getting ripped off, and

you had to be smart,” Simon said, “You couldn’t let your guard down and go out and party because you’d expose yourself to too much. I was always very serious about where I was and what I was thinking about.”

Although Simon had a few bad nights and days, he still enjoyed the trip and has no regrets. He had learned and taken so much insight from the world he lives in to further his understanding of it. Simon encourages anyone who is capable to go and travel the world and appreciate everything that comes their way.

“The thing I’d like to tell RUHS0 kids is stay curious about the world,.

Go and explore it, and the relationships and friendships you make will last a lifetime,” Simon said. “There’s no price you could put on that and [the wonderful friends I’ve made] have been such a huge advantage in my life.”

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF MAXINE MINTZ

2

#TeamMaxine: 1. Mintz poses with her supporters, her brother and

cousins, after finishing a 10 mile long bike race, the Tour de Cure, in Napa Valley. This event raised funds toward research for type 1 diabetes. “It felt so great to have them there supporting me; it was exhilarating,” said Mintz.

2. Mintz carries her younger brother on her back during a Knotts Berry farm walk which attempted to raise awareness for the disease. “The Knotts Berry farm walk was really fun, but super crowded, and I do not care for crowds,” Mintz said.

1

Fighting for a cure:

Maxine Mintz participates in events to raise money and awareness for type 1 diabetes

by Cass Anderson and Caterina Hyneman She pedals hard on her bike, feeling no soreness or pain. She speeds past beautiful trees decorated in red and brown, people talking and laughing and she catches a wiff of barbeque as she whirres by. She rides on a bike alongside people of all different shapes, ethnicities, and religions, but they are all united by one cause: finding a cure for type 1 diabetes.

Mintz was first diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the end of her second grade year. Immediately after being diagnosed, she and her parents found and participated in different events to raise money and awareness for the disease.

“I was drawn to advocating because I love helping kids my age and under to better realize that diabetes shouldn’t stop you from achieving your dreams,” Mintz said.

These events help raise money for research to find the cure for diabetes. They also give

people with the disease a chance to meet each other and discuss their experiences.

“We started attending these events because my family was searching for people like me. We made some really great friends,” Mintz said. “It’s really great to have people know what you’re going through and get new ideas for handling the disease better.”

Mintz has attended several events, including baseball games organized to meet other campaigners, and a camp for young diabetics to meet at Lake Arrowhead. She was also named a youth ambassador for the American Diabetes Association last year.

“I was proud of myself for accepting the position of youth ambassador because usually, I hate being around crowds,” Mintz said. “But when over 500 people were listening to my story, I really felt good. The youth ambassador is a person who reminds kids that diabetes

shouldn’t conquer you and ruin your life, and that you’re just as cool as anyone else.”

Mintz and her family attended the Tour de Cure, an event where participants raise money for research while riding their bikes for 10 to 75 miles. Her dad has rode a full 75 miles, but Mintz and the rest of her family rode a total of ten.

“It was really crowded and I didn’t know anyone there because it was in Napa Valley, but I felt really at home, like I belonged there because I know the people there are going through what I was going through,” Mintz said. “When I was riding, I didn’t feel like I was captivated with the disease. I could do whatever I wanted, with limits of course, but those limits seemed so far away, like I could practically ignore them; it was really great.”

According to Mintz, she doesn’t feel limited by her disease day-to-day either. Often

times, those around her treat her with caution because of her condition.

“A lot of times, if I were to eat cake at a birthday party, the parents would watch me eat to make sure everything was okay,” Mintz said. “When people first find out that I have diabetes, they’ll pester me with questions.

‘Can you eat anything?’, ‘Can you not eat anything?’, ‘What can we give you?’, ‘Are you okay?’, ‘What’s wrong with you?” But I’m fine.

I’m normal.”

Through advocating for this disease, Mintz hopes to educate people about the disease, and also learns about herself.

“I learned that I really enjoy helping people. I also learned so much about the diabetes itself. I’m fully aware of the side effects of not properly taking care of the disease now. Every five years they say a cure is just around the corner, but I’m optimistic. Why not?” Mintz said.

Oct. 30, 2015

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Diabetes on the rise among teens

by Reem Chamas Nearly ten percent of the entire U.S. population suffers from an insulin deficiency, commonly known as diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the pancreas, a gland responsible for secreting enzymes and hormones, produces little to no insulin. Insulin is a key hormone in the body responsible for the absorption of glucose and adenosine triphosphate, or cellular energy, into cells.

There are two different types of diabetes. The first is type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin dependent diabetes. It is the more severe form, and usually appears in people under the age of 35. It is caused when the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas are damaged, usually as a result of an immune response to an illness in a patient’s early childhood, and as a result almost no insulin is produced.

If the cells do not obtain the insulin they need, the cells will not be able to function. (http://ndep.nih.gov) The more frequent form of diabetes is non-insulin dependent, or type 2. It is more commonly found in people who are overweight due to the body’s inability to produce enough insulin to regulate high blood sugar levels. However, there is no definite cause of type 2 diabetes.

“We really don’t know exactly what the cause of type 2 diabetes is. There are things that have been identified that are associated with type 2 diabetes, namely that the body is resistant to the insulin working, so it doesn’t work as well because the body is resisting,” endocrinologist Andrew G. Gianoukakis, M.D. said.

“So, the body needs to make more insulin than usual for it to work, and that can lead to the cells that make the insulin to get tired and not be able to keep up, and

make as much insulin as the body needs.

So we don’t know what exactly causes type 2 diabetes.”

Of all diabetes cases, about 90-95% of patients are suffering from type 2, This is due to the increase in childhood obesity caused by inactivity.

“The abundance of cheap food with low nutritional value in the Western diet has wreaked havoc on our health; in America, one third of children and two thirds of adults are overweight or obese and are more likely to develop diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” Helen Gustafson, US Representative of the UN World Food Programme, said.

People who have a high calorie intake with low physical activity develop this disease more readily because they form an insulin resistance, causing the cells to resist the hormone (www.diabetes.org).

“Exercising and eating right to beat the genetics [is important] because a lot of times it’s family habits,” RUHS health clerk Laura Pease said.

Being overweight is not the only contributor to the chances of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Gender can also play a role as studies have shown that girls are more likely to develop this disorder. Genetics can also determine whether or not a person is at risk; if a relative was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, there is more of a likelihood for their kin to be diagnosed as well. (www.webmd.com/diabetes). Weight reduction and medication are two forms of treatment in place to help keep type 2 diabetes under control.

With an estimated 29.1 million suffering from diabetes in the United States, research continues in the effort to understand, diagnose, prevent, and find a cure for this progressive and possibly fatal disease.

Symptoms and effects of diabetes Increased chance of developing infections

Increased thirst

Blurred vision

Severely dry skin

Risk of heart attack and stroke

High blood pressure and cholesterol

Increased chance of kidney damage

Extreme hunger

High blood sugar

Problems with digestion

Structure and function of the pancreas • •

•

•

Six inch-long flattened gland that lies deep within the abdomen, between the stomach and the spine.

Produces the correct chemicals, such as enzymes and hormones, in the proper quantities and at the right times to digest foods Maintains the body’s blood glucose level (blood sugar) by producing hormones, most notably insulin and glucagon, both of which regulate blood sugar Problems in the production or regulation of pancreatic hormones will cause complications related to an imbalance in blood sugar

Fatigue

Frequent need to urinate Gallbladder

Pancreas

Nerve damage, tingling or pain in the hands, feet, or legs Slow healing sores

INFORMATION COMPILED FROM NYTIMES.COM, NIM.NIH.COM, DIABETES.CO.UK AND ENDOCRINEWEB.COM, ILLUSTRATIONS BY LUMA WEGMAN

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Sail on

Belton, Stuckey, Stephanoff and Tiernan bond through sailing

by Simrun Ursani With their feet strapped and their bodies flat above the cool ocean water, seniors Daniel Belton and Angela Stuckey, along with junior Emi Stephanoff and sophomore Calvin Tiernan, sail with the rest of the RUHS sailing team. They are currently preparing for future races in order to improve their individual scores from the Shadden series race in Marina del Rey on Oct. 4.

In the Shadden race, Stephanoff placed in 14th while Stuckey tied for 21st out of 50 boats.

“We had a couple new kids that moved up a bit, but overall we did alright as a team,” Stephanoff said. “There wasn’t a lot of wind and the conditions were pretty bad.”

The team competes in two events called regattas and shaddens. Last year, Redondo made it to the Pacific Coast Championship.

The school’s sailing team participated in their first shadden of the season two weeks ago, using boats called Flying Juniors (FJs).

This year, the sailing team continues to compete in Gold Division, the equivalent of a varsity league.

According to Tiernan, sailing with the Redondo team has been a positive experience, especially during practices when the coach is managing the team.

“I have met a lot of friends on the team and I now know a lot more people from Redondo,”

Tiernan said. “Our coach, Abby Featherstone, is really good, too. She does drills that help us a lot in races and she knows how to manage the team by putting the right skippers with the right crew.”

A number of sailors on the team sail separately as well. They each have their own favorite boat to sail.

“I have a boat called an A Class Catamaran and that’s my favorite because it is fast and advanced, and it’s so fun. What’s cool about it is that the boat will do something and by the time you have been able to process what it has just done, it’s already moved on to something else. It’s that fast,” Belton said.

Belton loves sailing for the challenge sailing brings and the physical demanding work it requires.

“My favorite thing about it is that it’s challenging, and I also like the fact that you can go out on a boat and go sailing and it doesn’t have to be work, and there is a sense of freedom that you get,” Belton said.

Belton believes that sailing in the high winds is difficult.

“To describe sailing aptly, when it is windy, it’s like taking a cold shower while doing sit ups and getting punched in the stomach.”

According to Belton, sailing is physically demanding and involves much thinking like

“chess on water.” The position a sailor is in while sailing can prevent the boat from flipping or capsizing.

“You are hiking over the side [sitting on the boat leaning over the side] of the boat and your feet are under a strap and the lower half of your body is on the boat while the rest of you is flat over the side to keep the boat from flipping over,” Belton said.

Both Stuckey and Stephanoff appreciate the experience of being with the team before and during a race. “[The team has fun] not just on the water but off the water as well. We get to stay in hotels and we just all hang out and it’s super fun,” Stuckey said. “My favorite regatta I have done was from Santa Barbara to King Harbor over the summer because it was perfect conditions.

It’s just a different ride and I sail on it outside of high school sailing so it doesn’t really have to do with Dinghy racing.”

Belton and Stephanoff both like sailing because it is so unique and different than any other sport. According to Belton, “you can do it forever” and continue to improve each time.

“None of the conditions are ever the same.

The wind [and the water] are always different,” Stephanoff said.

The Redondo team bonds due to the fact that they only have one boat.

“At high school Regattas, we only bring one boat for the entire team because we have to rotate it so a lot of the time you’re just sitting on the dock and waiting for your rotation.

You just joke around and have snacks with your friends. That is just as much fun as doing the race itself,” Stephanoff said.

Stuckey enjoys sailing both smaller boats like the FJs and larger boats like the J 111 during competitions.

“On smaller boats you have many more jobs, like driving, controlling the sail and do tactics, but when you’re on bigger boats there are more people to split up the work,” Stuckey said. “I like both because I do both equally.

There are sometimes when I like to just focus on one thing, but while on smaller boats, I like having that much control of the boat.”

Stephanoff’s favorite part about being on the sailing team is the bond that each sailor has and hopes that it’ll last a lifetime. “[My favorite part of being on the team is] the relationships you build because you really grow with these kids because if they really love sailing they’ll stick with it for all four years. You travel with them and spend half of the week with them in the afternoons. You just build really good relationships with them that I hope will last for the rest of my life,” Stephanoff said.

Shadden

Regatta

Skipper

Crew

A sailing event in which anyone can participate

J111

A sailing event for only high school teams

A fast 36-foot long boat, often used for cruises

Dinghy

An open boat with a mast and sails, used for recreation

Drivers of FJs, trims the main sail

Workers on a boat, as well as controllers of the other sail

FJ

A 14-foot long boat that fits two people

Catamaran

An 18-foot boat the fits one person

ILLUSTRATION BY LULU WEGMAN

Oct. 30, 2015

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features

Montas and friends hula dance

by Gianna Aquilina Swaying their hips and singing in Hawaiian, they dance across the stage with ease.

Juniors Noelani Montas, Emilie Chaumillon, and Ikaika Napohaku have all been hula dancing from a very young age.

Montas has been hula dancing for as long as she can remember, first learning from her grandmother, who learned from hers.

“I love hula dancing because it’s really cool to have something that everyone in your family does. We all are connected to it,” Montas said.

Montas started learning how to hula dance because of her family, who has been dancing for years.

Chaumillon started her hula dancing a few years later than Montas. However, like Montas, Chaumillon’s entire family hula dances and embraces the culture.

“We would always go to watch my cousins perform and I wanted to take part in it too, in order to have that special family connection,” she said.

Her mother has been a hula dancing teacher for almost thirty years and teaches Chaumillon.

“I like working with my mom because she helps me a lot and she treats me the same as her other students. I feel like it’s more special to me because I am learning from my mother.

I like that I am not getting special treatment,” Chaumillon said. “We work so hard on the choreography for the dances to have it perfect and when we perform it just feels like all our hard work is paid off.”

Napohahu also started dancing at a young age, dancing for five years then taking a break.

“High school started and I just got too busy so I had to stop hula dancing for a while,” he said. “I was upset that I had to stop so I just decided to start hula dancing again three months ago.”

When she was in sixth and seventh grade,

PHOTO COURTESY OF NOELANI MONTAS

1,2 Step. Montas, along with her friend Alyssa Paglinawan, has been hula dancing since a young age and has strengthened relationships in the process.. “Hula is the reason I am so close to my grandmother. It is a strong family cultural bond that we cherish together.

Montas would practice cardio and rehearsals for over ten hours a week with her team. Now she only practices for two hours a week.

“Every Sunday I wake up and I drive an hour to my teachers house and practice for a few hours,” she said.

Montas would compete at competitions with her group yearly. One of the bigger competitions is the Merrie Monarch, a festival that is a week long where many hula groups come to compete.

Napohahu and his dancing group got into the competition this year so he looks forward to going to Hawaii to compete.

“We’ve been practicing a lot and I hope all

the hard work pays off,” he said.

Many hula dancers go to Merrie Monarch to try and win for group or solo dances.

“For a while my number one goal was to be Miss Aloha Hula, which is the ultimate competition for girl dancers,” Montas said.

Chaumillon does not like to compete because of the pressure to win. Instead, she performs mostly at weddings and festivals. Occasionally she plays at sports games in large stadiums, like Rockies Stadium.

“My favorite memory was when I was about twelve years old I had a solo. It’s a big deal to have a solo in hula because you are competing with all of your team for that one spot. I

danced to my favorite song in front of so many people. It was one of the happiest times of my life because I really felt like I earned the right to dance,” she said.

Montas spends a lot of time with her grandmother and learns about hula dancing all the time.

“When we go to Hawaii my grandmother likes to take us to places we have done Hula dances about. She takes us so we can actually learn about the history of the place we dance about,” Montas said.

Haleiwa, a city in Hawaii, is one of the places she was taken.

“We would go through the town and she would tell us the history of it and who the monarch was at one time. We would learn what was important and why there was a song written about it,” Montas said.

Hula dancing is very important to Montas, Napohahu and Chauillon. Much of their life revolves around their practises.

“Hula dancing is important to me because it represents a lot of my culture and my family traditions,” Chaumillon said.

Hula dancing has brought Hawaiians together for centuries.

“It’s so fun to see everyone celebrating the language and culture all together,” Montas said. “If you go to another Hawaiian families house it’s totally normal for them to just tell you to start dancing,” Napohahu loves Hula dancing because of how old it is and that it’s part of his culture.

“It’s amazing to meet all different kinds of people in different parts of their life but we all have hula dancing in common.”

Montas, Chaumillon, and Napohahu think that Hula is a great way to remember and honor the past.

“Hawaiian is not a spoken language anymore so Hula is the only way for us to connect and be a part of the culture,” Montas said.

Sestak twins rock climb competitively

by Tanner McEveety

Suspended by a stiff rope, she looks up at the wall of multicolored hand and foot holds.

Freshman Danielle Sestak stretches toward a hold above her, but her sweaty hand slips. She reaches into the chalk bag around her waist, and tries again. She is focused on only one thing: going up.

“It’s my passion,” she said. “I really enjoy that it’s not just a physical sport, you have to think of the best decisions to make.”

She and her twin brother, freshman Dylan Sestak, have been rock climbing since childhood. They have been indoor rock climbing competitively for the past four years.

Dylan is competing in the Climb It Classic, and is currently in first place. The Climb-It Classic Bouldering Series is a series of eight

bouldering–climbing on a small wall without a harness–competitions in Southern California that span the course of five months.

They agree rock climbing requires them to leave their comfort zones.

“When you get out of your comfort zone you do a lot better,” Danielle said.

Dylan believes that rock climbing is more mentally demanding than physical.

“If you have the wrong mindset, and tell yourself it’s too hard, you’re not going to succeed,” Dylan said.

His sister agrees.

“Climbers are very logical thinkers, because they want to figure out the best way to do [a climb],” Danielle said.

The siblings do most of their practicing at

Hangar 18, a local climbing gym. They practice different climbing techniques seasonally, such as top-roping, lead climbing, and bouldering. They are currently practicing bouldering.

“I like that rock climbing techniques aren’t required in other sports,” Dylan said.

The twins and their family occasionally visit Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua Tree offers more than 400 climbing formations and 8,000 climbing routes for all levels of climbing ability. A popular climbing spot for the Sestaks is “The Buttermilks.”

“I have my own pair of climbing shoes just for Joshua Tree. The rocks there can tear through the rubber in your shoe,” Danielle said. “But in some places, like the Buttermilks,

the rock is really smooth.”

According to Danielle, climbing in a natural environment is not concerning or scary.

But, she admits to occasionally feeling scared when she is on the climbing wall.

“I just have to tell myself that fear isn’t an option. I can wimp out, or I can finish the climb,” Danielle said.

According to The American Alpine Club, 1 in 320,000 rock climbs are fatal. For Dylan, overcoming the fear of falling is one of the most important parts of climbing.

“If you fall once, some people just automatically think they’re incapable. But if you think you can’t do it, you’re just bringing yourself down,” Dylan said. “You have to try again and again.”

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What is El Niño?

- A natural cycle that causes waters in the eastern equatorial pacific to be warmer than usual - Occurring for the first time in 30 years

High Tide

features Normal Year

Equatorial winds gather warm water pools toward the west.

Cold water along South American coast

What are some effects of El Niño?

- Two mile closure on Newport Beach - Animals are more common at beaches, including hammerhead sharks and venomous sea snakes, because the warmer waters allow them to swim, hunt and reproduce easily in these warmer waters .

El Niño Year

Warmer winter.

What is predicted to happen as a result of El Niño?

- Sand on Southern California’s beaches may disappear - Erosion of shoreline - Floods (Venice, San Pedro and Wilmington most at risk)

Easterly winds weaken. Warm water to move eastward.

Information compiled from ceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/, www.healthebay.org, www.huffingtonpost.com

Oct. 30, 2015

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the Kansas City Royals’ scout, Murphy Su’a, and Riverside College baseball coach, Bob Boetto. opped “We look for kids who are coachable, have strong off the plane at character, and know how to utilize feedback to make Sydney Airport with them better, smarter players. All the players that we took fit his baseball dream and the bill quite well,” Su’a said. newfound friends. Freshman Thau and 12 other boys selected from around the country travJake Thau was recruited to eled to Sydney, Australia to play against Australian teams. host play for the Goodwill Series According to Thau, the exposure of playing families has and compete against some of against a high level Australian team is important helped introduce the

by Eden Millan Australia’s best youth teams. because it brings him closer to achieving his players to different ways “I’ve had this goal since I goals. of life in Australia. started baseball in first or second “Everything besides school and family “They got to see how they grade to play at the highest level revolves around baseball,” Thau said. “I’m the live day-to-day there. The boys and I’ll do anything to get there. only one in my family who plays baseball, so it were able to see different customs. I It’s easier to play a baseball lets my goals of doing something big be mine mean, it’s not everyday when you see game five in the morning and not someone else’s.” a koala or kangaroo in your backyard,” than it is to wake up for The team’s first set of games was played in Su’a said. school. It’s something I Adelaide, where Thau scored the first home run Although baseball is not as popular actually want to do,” of the opening game. The team continued touring in Australia, the fans were still excited Thau said.

Australia on a winning streak. and supportive.

Thau was “Jake is gifted,” Su’a said. “He’s been blessed with “The [fans] have so much more energy recruited tremendous tools and gifts, size being one of them, and over there [in Australia]. They’re exby along with that he has a tremendous arm, a great hit and tremely loud and cheer for everyone and plays good defense. everything during the game. They even By the end of the Australian tour, the team had finished with a had cheers prepared,” Thau said. record of ten wins to one loss.

One major difference that “It was interesting to see how baseball works down there and forced the team to approach the just the general living,” Thau said. “Over there, everyone is game differently was the really outdoorsy, so we were always outside either swimming, well roundedness of the hiking or hunting.

Australian players.

For his stay in Australia, Thau and the rest of his “It seemed team filled out a personal profile that would assign Batter Up. 1. Freshman like every Jake Thau (left) bats thing. them to a host family. poses with the other Either a According to Thau, living with players selected from around the nation to kid hits really well play in Australia. 2. or pitches well, but down According to Thau (left), there everyone knew how to do traveling to Australia will bring him closer to everything. The big kid knew how to pitch well and his future goals. the smallest kid could pitch as well,” Thau said.

Despite the challenges, Thau believes that trip was beneficial.

“The experience has made me more grateful for what I have,” said Thau. “This is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

H

Party in the AU Jake Thau was selected to travel to Australia to play baseball

1 PHOTO COURTESY OF JAKE THAU

2

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Taking what’s ours

Football hopes to take the win tonight after Palos Verde’s 27 game winning streak

by Romy Moreno With a win handed to them last week by a forfeit from Peninsula High School, the team is sure to not expect the same from Palos Verdes High School in today’s game.

“Penn canceling last week was good and bad for us. Good, because it gave us another week to prepare for PV,” senior Jay Jackson said. “We are more eager to play this game now especially since we haven’t had a competitive game since league started.”

Most of the team agrees that this break was vital for other reasons.

“We had lot of players banged up, so the extra time to take precaution and get our team healed came in handy,” senior Ryan Armalin said. “We got an extra week to focus on what we need to get done in order to win this game.”

According to the team, this break could not have come at a more crucial time.

“Throughout the summer and season we have always had some focus on PV and what it takes to beat them. We know PV is going to be one of the teams in our way to what we want to accomplish this season,” Jackson said. “For the past few seasons PV has been beating us but we’ve been one of the few teams to challenge them.”

The boys agree that PV is one of the teams in their way because, “They’re well coached and highly disciplined,” senior Pablo Gonza-

lez said.

In addition, PV is currently undefeated in Bay League as well.

“They have never been better than us, they have always just executed their jobs better,” Jackson said. “While we would have blown plays or had penalties costing us yards and chances to score, they would have very few letting them convert on plays usually resulting in big plays or touchdowns.”

Armalin has similar thoughts.

“We all need to do our jobs; It all starts with us and the bad plays come from our mistakes,” Armalin said.

Amalin goes on to specifically explain what he plans to eliminate from the game.

“A key is to limit mental mistakes. Getting beat because someone is bigger, stronger or more athletic than you is acceptable. This team is none of those, so if we eliminatie the mental mistakes there is no doubt in my mind that we’ll win,” Armalin said.

Overall, the boys have high aspirations for today’s game.

“We are working to be the first team in the league to beat PV in 27 games,” senior Jacob Silvera said. “As Ballard has been telling us all week, ‘to be the man, you have to beat the man,’ and that’s our mentality, to go into their place and take the championship from them.”

1

2

PHOTOS BY TED CAVUS

The blind side. 1. Senior Malik Spencer starts off the homecoming game by running on the field. 2. Sophomore Jemar Jefferson runs the ball down the field for a touchdown.

Girls tennis looks toward CIF

by Angie Tait

PHOTO BY LAUA”E SCHWEITZER

Love means nothing.

Senior Emily Zargham hits against Bishop player for a point.

As the seasons close for most fall sports, the girls’ tennis team is gearing up for their biggest challenge yet: CIF. The girls are hoping to improve after the two rounds varsity played in at CIF last season.

“I don’t have any set expectations, but I know we are very strong this year. Compared to last year, we’ve strengthened our doubles a lot, and I can tell we’ll be prepared to play,” senior Isabella Guzman said.

With only five losses within their 21 games this season, the team agrees that that handful of losses won’t greatly impact how they play at CIF. “I’m not sure about the team’s upcoming performance in CIF relative to our loss against Costa. It had been a mess without our best players on the court. Now that everyone’s back, we can play our best cards all at once,” sophomore Alena Smith said.

The team is also happy to have Alyssa Grijalva, their top singles player, back for the tournament.

“Our number two player, [senior] Emily Zargham, had a couple of problems with injuries.

She couldn’t play in the Costa match, but she’s back, along with Alyssa, so it should go back to normal,” said Smith.

With their 5-13 loss against Costa on Oct. 26, the girls will continue practicing the way they have all season, planning to focus on “consistency and placement.” Even then, the girls are still feeling the pressure of having the best teams in southern California to compete with.

“We are still sort of weak when it comes to playing the teams that can overpower us, and some of the players can be really intimidating.

We go in not necessarily looking for a win, but hoping to prove ourselves and represent our-

selves positively,” Zargham said.

Smith had similar thoughts.

“Our game against Costa wasn’t the best, but it had been a mess without our best players on the court. Now that everyone’s back, we can play our best cards all at once, so at this point, it’s an unpredictable match until we get there,” Smith said.

For some of the top players on varsity, including Guzman, Grijalva, and Zargham, this CIF will be their last. They are hoping that the team, will be able to pull through and make this year end on a high note.

“With the three seniors that left last year, the rest of the team has gotten closer and stronger,” said Guzman. “I think the Costa match didn’t discourage anyone; we knew it was going to be tough. We’re going to brush off that loss, and put our all into the CIF match.”

Oct. 30, 2015

sports

page 21

Dominate or drown Boys water polo prepares for their game against Mira Costa on Tuesday after facing a tough loss against Palos Verdes

by Justin Pioletti With the season in its final quarter, boys water polo lost to Palos Verdes 12-9, a discouraging loss in a vital game, yet one to learn from nonetheless, according to the team.

“We really need to minimize our mistakes,” senior Chris Kirchner said. “If we run a play and the other team’s holding a tough defense, we should still be able to get the ball in the net.”

While the boys are confident to shoot, successfully scoring on offense has become tough to grasp among the players.

“The team seriously needs to learn to finish on offense, or get the ball in the net whenever we can,” senior Blaze Bird said. “Last game we played against Costa, nearly all our goals came from shots that had been executed time after time during practice.”

RUHS is scheduled to play Mira Costa this upcoming Tuesday, keeping in mind that their potential can only be reached by analyzing their past games.

“The entire team knows what Costa has to bring, and what it will take to beat them,” senior Daniel McKeown said. “There’s never going to be a game against them that is easy, but our chances are much higher than those of previous years.”

According to senior August Brookwell, team development throughout the season has become evident.

“Last year’s season was really anyone’s game.

It was more of an offensive tester season than anything, trying to find who’s good at what,“ Brookwell said. “Now, not only do we know where we excel, but where we need to improve.”

Throughout the season, the boys have improved their offensive by strictly evaluating the capabilities of each player.

“We have our big guys who can really bring the ball in at set. But more importantly, we know the abilities of each of our players,” McKeown said. “Who’s a faster swimmer, has a better arm, or even can get around another player quickly. Each of us have expectations and responsibilities to live up to.”

Along with their offensive tactics, the team looks to improve their defensive plays.

“Practice has helped us execute our defensive plays not only quicker, but with a lot less confusion,” McKeown said. “Our team chem-

PHOTO BY LLENE GUERRERO

Swimming in the fast lane.

Senior Chris Kirchner passes the ball to a teammate in the game against Palos Verdes while dodging the opposing team’s player. The team lost 12-9.

istry has really helped our awareness as well.”

The boys agree that their team bond has become a major aspect in their success, which is due to joining a club team together during last year’s off season.

“We all got together and played for the same club during off season last year, in order to stay in shape and keep our chemistry,” Bird said “Because of this, we all started hanging outside of water polo, doing team bonding activities and dinners.”

Throughout the season, team captain Spencer Malone-White has contributed to the team’s overall chemistry.

“Spencer knows the game better than any of us,” Brookwell said. “He’s been starting for three years now, and really brings a special

bond to the team.”

Bird agrees with Malone-White’s importance to the team.

“Spencer’s definitely gotten a lot louder with directing us where to go,” Bird said. “He isn’t shy anymore about what we need to improve on, and if he annoys us sometimes, so be it.”

The boys qualified for CIF for the first time in two years, where Malone-White’s leadership abilities will become evident.

“Every game [in CIF] is going to be a challenge. A large portion of the team has never played in CIF, so it’s a new experience for all of us,” Brookwell said. “No matter what seed we’re put in, we plan to put one hundred percent into each game.”

Girls golf season ends short

by Mia Berger

As another fall season comes to a close, girls golf will not be going to CIF, leaving the last match of the season against Mira Costa.

Although many of the girls will be on the team once again next year, this was the last high school golf season for seniors Carlin Liang and Molly Jimenez.

“There was a such a nice atmosphere this year. Of course, I still love my teammates from years past, but this year was different. We mixed so much better and I’m going to miss them next year,” Liang said.

Despite being a senior, this was Jimenez’s first year playing golf.

“It was absolutely amazing playing this year.

I enjoyed myself so much. I was really nervous to transition from soccer to golf, but I made so many new friends and had such a great time this year,” Jimenez said.

Liang has been playing golf for six years now, and played both JV and Varsity freshmen year because of low enrollment.

“I learned how to manage my time. I was playing four matches a week, which was really difficult to do, and at the same time keepimg up with my academics,” Liang said.

Although the team did not make it to CIF, this was a very good year, according to Coach John Burke.

“This was my favorite season to coach. It was

really positive and it was definitely the most solidified team. I think that it really comes from great leadership skills on Carlin’s part and Marie-Victoria Baker who improved immensely on her game,” Burke said.

According to the team, golf is more mentally than physically challenging.

“A lot of people underestimate golf, but it’s a lot harder than you would think. It takes a lot of focus. Becasue of golf I have learned to trust myself more and have confidence in myself,” Jimenez said.

After playing on the varsity team for four years, Liang has seen a common trait in firsttime varsity players.

“They always go into their first matches with high expectations that they usually don’t fulfill.

I remember getting so frustrated after my first couple games. But the thing is, JV courses are a lot easier and a lot shorter so it’s a hard adjustment,” Liang said.

It is the last year for the two seniors; however the juniors and sophomores on the team will have the next few years together.

“I want the girls to remember that this isn’t their last year playing,” Liang said. “They have the next few years to improve and get better, so they shouldn’t get caught up on one moment thatthey didn’t do well, rather think about the future moments when they will do well.”

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High Tide

sports

Athlete of the Issue: Spencer Malone-White

He’s a keeper Stretched out.

Senior Spencer Malone-White blocks a shot againt Chadwick on Sept. 4. Redondo went on to win the game 9-4.

PHOTO BY Ilene Guerrero

Senior Spencer Malone-White is second-year captain of water polo, leading the team from the goal

by Kylie Yorke Four years ago, senior Spencer MaloneWhite was just a freshman wanting to try out a new sport, but now he’s a two-time varsity water polo co-captain, and as a goalie, is an “essential” part of the team.

“I didn’t really know about it a lot back then,” he said. “It seemed really interesting and now it’s a big part of my life.”

As a freshman, he was a field player, and only switched to goalie as a sophomore once both the team’s goalies quit.

“I just started messing around and playing goalie,” he said. “I wasn’t bad so the coach asked me to play.”

Malone-White may not have been bad, but he says he “had to improve a lot,” and coach Chris Murin agrees.

“He has excelled and improved in almost every aspect of being a goalie,” Murin said.

“He’s also improved in terms of his understanding and knowledge of the game.”

As goalie a lot of his training is individual, and Malone-White admits he misses his old position.

“I miss being a field player everyday,” he said. “I miss scoring and helping the team on the offensive end.”

Although Malone-White misses being able to help on offense, Murinsays that a strong defense is really what helps them succeed.

“Defense wins games in my mind,” Murin said. “He’s a good last stand, and has an insane amount of blocks.”

Once he settled into his position, MaloneWhite took responsibility as a team leader.

“I think even when I wasn’t captain I still tried to lead the team, because I still have to command the defense regardless if I’m captain or not,” he said.

According to Murin, Malone-White’s leadership comes naturally, and “stands out” on defense.

“He has a natural ability to lead,” Murin said. “Because he’s in charge of the defense, he’s almost like a coach in the water.”

While coaches can sometimes have trouble getting through to their players, MaloneWhite’s communication skills are also what helps him be a good captain.

“He’s really helpful because he’s able to give his teammates constructive criticism in a positive way,” Murin said.

Over the years, he has built strong relationships with his teammates, and it’s helped the team respect him as a leader.

“I’m really good friends with everyone on the team,” Malone-White said. “It’s fun spending a lot of time with those guys.”

He has also started using his teammates for motivation, and has changed his mindset during games.

“I started to play more for the team than for myself,” he said.

Senior Jordan Abrams, a close friend of Malone-White, believes it’s his personality and confidence that has lead him to success.

“A lot of people, like his friends, look up to him a lot,” she said. “He’s gotten way more confident in himself and it leads him to bigger accomplishments.”

According to Abrams, he’s “pretty relaxed.”

“He’s an all around calm guy and has a strong humor,” she said, “and he can always calm me down.”

According to Murin, however, once he’s in the pool, it’s a different story.

“Spencer’s almost too serious at times,” he said. “He’s really into it, and I thrive on people

like that. I can get pumped off of his behavior or his intensity during practice.”

During the game, Malone-White sets high standards for himself, and tries to stop every ball that comes his way.

“I try to take it by each quarter while having no goals scored,” he said “If that can happen for four quarters straight then I feel like I did a good job, but if not then I did a bad job.”

His intensity shows in every game, and proves he can be as good on offense as he is on defense.

“He had an insane amount of blocks [last thursday],” Murin said. “He also scored a full length goal, which is pretty hard to do. It rarely ever happens in this game.”

Scoring may be rare for most goalies, but this is Malone-White’s second goal of the season, and his accuracy is only getting better.

“His passing is on really well right now,” Murin said. “He’s like the quarterback for our team.”

Like a quarterback, he has to make a lot of important decisions on the field, and according to Murin, Malone-White has “taken the responsibility well.”

“He’s got a lot of things to think about, and he’s really on fire right now with his decisions.”

Murin said.

Murin believes that his ability to make good decisions stems from his ability to read the game.

“He’s able to dictate exactly what he wants on defense, and that can be based off of the personell other team, or personnel of or defense,” Murin said.

He also has to make decisions outside of the pool, and has decided against continuing water polo to play in college.

“It’s really competitive [in college],” he said.

“There’s not a lot of schools that have water polo, so it’s a lot more serious.”

According to Murin, Malone-White has a very important role, and has helped bring his team to the playoffs.

“Spencer’s an integral part of this team. If we didn’t have him we wouldn’t be going to the playoffs,” Murin said. “He brings leadership, and he brings an outstanding defense.

He’s in charge of 50% of what we do every game.”

His value to the team has grown more evident as time goes by, and Murin knows he will be missed after graduation.

“He’s probably the most important piece of the puzzle for us,” Murin said. “He will be surely missed when he leaves next year.”

PHOTO BY SAM BENDALL

Picture Perfect. Spencer Malone-White poses for a portrait outside of the pool.

Oct. 30, 2015

sports

page 23

Redondo sweeps Palos Verdes Redondo: 25-20, 25-22, 25-13

Palos Verdes: 0

by Davina Nguyen Six points up and three aces straight, Redondo started the game against PV strong and never looked back in their 25-20, 25-23, 2516 sweep last night.

“This was a great match played by both teams and it really brought out a competitiveness that we have not used in a while. Palos Verdes pushed us too and we responded in a sweep,” senior Sophia Loiola said.

The team is determined to build on their momentum for tomorrow’s Redondo Power Classic Tournament.

“I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we’re excited and confident. We’ve had really good practices and have taken care of the other teams in our league. I have a good feeling about this and feel like we can win it all,” Marin said.

According to senior Norene Iosia, the team’s determination is rooted in their resilience and consistent optimism.

“Our team’s confidence stems from our demeanor to not give up. Our attitude is also always positive on the court so it helps us through times of adversity,” Iosia said.

Tsao echoes Iosia’s sentiment, saying that their optimism and confidence allows the team to improve its mental and physical skills.

“Our team has demonstrated that we can compete with the toughest teams in the country and that our experience, hard work, and mental strength can beat any physical advantage other teams might have,” Tsao said.

The team’s mental strength has shown to be a constant factor in their success, as any losses this season have served as a “learning experience,” rather a setback for the team.

“I think that any losses would only strengthen our team and give us greater motivation to compete and be the best we possibly can be.

But if we play to our full potential, we will not lose any games,” Tsao said.

Rice believes that the team is mentally

tougher than letting a loss affect them.

“When we played Costa, we were ready for the super loud crowd and didn’t let them bother us,” Rice said.

Not only is mental fortitude the key to the team’s victories, but it also serves as motivation for the girls to fulfill the expectations from last year’s graduating players.

“Mental toughness is going to be huge if we want to fill out the expectations set before us, so I think the importance of it cannot be stressed enough, especially since we are at a more physical disadvantage than last year regarding height,” Marin said.

Along with Marin, Tsao believes that despite the team’s shortcomings at the beginning of the season, the girls have grown to become determined and skilled, explaining their confidence for the upcoming tournament.

“After such a successful season last year, it was sometimes hard to have confidence that our team could do just as well again this year.

But over these past few months, the confidence I have in my team has continued to grow as we developed stronger team chemistry,” she said.

With this confidence, the girls express their excitement to play against Marymount High School in tomorrow’s tournament.

Last year, Redondo beat Marymount in the finals in a very close game.

Despite winning in three sets, Marymount always provides tough competition.

“Every year we look forward to competing with Marymount because they always bring a good game, so I’m looking forward to that,” Marin said.

Tsao believes that this tournament will be beneficial for the team in the long run.

“Our team will gain more confidence from this tournament since we should come out with a lot of wins,” Tsao said. “This tournament should help us gain experience that will improve our overall execution for future games.”

PHOTO BY TED CAVUS

Get a broom. Senior Megan Rice spikes the ball over PV’s Jenna Greenberg in Redondo’s sweep over P.V.

Mountainclimbers: Cross country raced at Mt. SAC

by Hayley O’Connor-Rigby

Cross country competed at the Mount SAC invitational last weekend and placed high among many of their competitors. Both boys and girls earned top spots against more than 30 schools at the meet.

Boys and girls varsity competed in and won the Division 1 sweeps.

“They are really running well and I couldn’t be more proud.” Coach Bob Leetch said.

The teams will compete at Bay League Finals on the Palos Verdes cross country course next Thursday, Nov. 5.

Leetch believes that the runners will be prepared to compete at the next meet because of their success throughout the season so far.

“The girls have won the last league meet.

They have won the Clovis invitational Division 1 race and the Woodbridge invitational so they are really on a good role. And for the boys they are excellent too, putting in a lot of energy into their meets, so yeah they are great too. I am positive and know the team will have no problem next week,” Leetch said.

Leetch thinks the team’s good streak this season will prepare them, and the runners’ hard training and preparation for the past couple of weeks will benefit and improve their performance at the upcoming competition.

“We are training them pretty heavily for finals. It’s not like a sport such as football when

season record prepares you for the end of the year; from this point forward it’s only league finals and CIF,. Every meet at the beginning of the season doesn’t matter,- so now it really only matters how well the runners do at the end of the year. ” Leetch said.

According to junior Etienne Doidic, the training has definitely helped out all the runners with preparing them for future courses they will run, including the one at next week’s Bay League finals.

“The course we are competing on next is sort of a novelty course. It has a huge hill and it’s about 2.8 miles, so it’s a course we aren’t really used to, but I think our teams will do just

fine from all the experience and training we have been getting from the past month. We have been training on a lot of hills so I think that will come in handy when running next week,” Doidic said.

The team feels confident and hopes to perform to the best of their abilities.

“I think everybody generally is in a really good position right now physically, and I have high hopes for the next event. All the runners will push themselves through the course that we have been constantly preparing for,” Doidic said. “We as a team have high hopes for winning over Palos Verdes and a lot of confidence to beat the course.”

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High Tide

news

Varsity blues

Peninsula’s cancelation of the rest of their football season sparks debate

by Jason Fong In the wake of Peninsula High School’s recent decision to drop their varsity program and forfeit the rest of the season, there has been a large outcry among parents and players. With seven deaths nationwide caused by high school football so far this season alone, many believe that the risks of playing outweigh the benefits. Despite the fact that nearly 40 percent of injuries from high school sports are caused by the physical demands of football alone, football teams across the nation continue to play on.

According to senior Jacob Silvera, despite the health risks, the players should be allowed to play despite the possible consequences, because it is their responsibility to deal with the potential injuries.

“I 100 percent believe that [Peninsula] should be allowed to finish the season. It should be up to the players who actually play on the field whether they play or not, not people who watch the games and have never played football before. The players are the ones risking injuries and who have spent many hours working hard at something they love, not the administration,” Silvera said.

According to junior Chase Watson, the Peninsula administration has “unfairly” ended the team’s season. By cancelling their season, Watson believes that they are depriving the players, who are aware of the potential risk of injury, of their chance to play.

“The players are made very aware of the risk of injury by the coaches since the first day they sign up to play. It’s not fair to the

seniors who have been playing for three to four years and expect to play four years of football and be able to finish out their senior season. They’ve earned the right to finish it,” Watson said.

Peninsula coach Guy Gardner believes that the low numbers that forced the them to cancel their season are due in part to the risk of concussions.

“I think there are probably multiple reasons for the low numbers these days on the Hill. Concussions may be part of it, but you can’t tell me that soccer and lacrosse escape that risk,” Gardner said in a Daily Breeze interview. “I think another challenge is that more kids and parents are specializing in only one sport” According to football coach Matt Ballard, CIF and other high school football organizations around the nation recognize the risk and are attempting to make the sport safer for its players.

“The athletic handbook that our parents have to sign off on for every sport has information on injuries and prevention.

Although football has a reputation for having a high risk of injury, I’d argue that other sports like soccer have higher rates of ACL and ankle tears. CIF is taking the issue of concussions seriously, as they have updated their concussion protocol. The offseason training, injury prevention workouts, and understanding of injuries is much better today than they had when I was playing,” Ballard said.

Ballard does not, however, believe that football poses any outstanding risks of injuries relative to other high school sports.

“I personally don’t think that there is that great a risk of injury. Many former players get through the sport with only the bruises and bumps that you’d expect from any sport.

However, injuries are to be expected, as it’s just the nature of the game. It’s a very physical sport. Like any other sport, freak accidents can happen,” Ballard said.

He notes that the football culture has changed over time to be less aggressive now.

“Fans and people outside the sport used to think that you had to be wild and aggressive to win, and loved seeing hard-hitting tackles. Most people don’t realize that controlled aggression is what the players need.

We personally teach the head outside tackling style, which is safer,” Ballard said. “The NFL used to have highlight reels full of big hits. They don’t show that anymore, as more emphasis is placed on making solid plays, which is what makes football, football.”

Silvera believes that the team plays for reasons other than just winning.

“I think they continue to play because of all the hard work that they have put in towards this season and how fun football is.

They all want to experience playing in varsity games, and that’s something that they all deserve, especially the seniors who haven’t started before,” Silvera said.

According to Watson, football gives him

a unique chance to express himself on the field.

“I love football because I get to take my emotions, good or bad, onto the field and get recognized for it, in front of a large crowd under the lights. I’m allowed to hit someone as hard as I want and not be criticized for it.

It’s definitely worth the risk,” Watson said.

Silvera believes that the gap in skill is mainly due to the “different types of kids” who attend the various schools.

“The type of kids that go to the school that make it a good football team or not creates the gap.” Silvera said.

According to Watson, the lack of players is the main factor that has hindered the Peninsula team’s success.

“The fact that they had such a small number of players to begin with definitely hurt them. When some of their more experienced players got hurt, many players were transitioning in and out of various positions. They had to compete against bigger and tougher opponents, and they weren’t able to get used to playing together consistently as a team,” Watson said.

Ultimately, according to Silvera, Penninsula High School’s forfeit of last Friday’s game gave the RUHS team an unexpected edge.

“While Senior Night could’ve been a great memory with teammates, this gave us more time to prepare for the actual games, and our upcoming one against PV,” Silvera said.

Symptoms of brain injury to the...

ILLUSTRATION BY LULU WEGMAN INFORMATION COURTESY OF WWW.ALLENANDALLEN.COM

Frontal lobe

Parietal lobe

-Difficulty with problem solving -Behavior and personality changes -Inability to focus on a task

-Difficulty with hand-eye coordination -Inability to name objects -Problems with reading and writing

Temporal lobe

Occipital lobe

-Difficulty understanding spoken words -Short- and long-term memory loss -Aggression

-Defects in vision -Difficulty identifying colors -Inability to recognize words

Brain stem

Cerebellum

-Difficulty swallowing -Dizziness and nausea -Problems with balance and movement

-Loss of coordination -Inability to walk -Tremors, dizziness, and slurred speech