HT
Redondo Union High School Redondo Beach, CA October 6, 2017 Vol. XCVIV Edition 2
High Tide
Page 3. Vegas shooting
Page 5. Taking a knee
Meet your Homecoming Court nominees
King:
Prince:
Queen:
Princess:
Malek Chamas Hunter Bode Bryan Cloutier Ethan Endicott Nick Webb Tim Ludwig
Camille Grace Anais Wilson Somer Boyd
Page 6. Homecoming Court
Grace Yagi Vida Luna Alanna Grogan
Page 10. Merz earns degree
Page 13. Brand Loyalty
Fading away...
With retail in decline, the Galleria looks to rennovate and remodel by Alex Dang and Miriam Farah
Vacant. The Galleria Mall is almost empty at noon on a Sunday. PHOTO BY BEN CHANG.
Across America, many shopping malls have become hollow giants — fluorescent light spills into lonely walkways as tired consumers drag one foot in front of the other. But the demise of one mall has been put on hold: recent revitalization projects are being considered for the Galleria Mall. QIC, an Australian-based development company, purchased eleven of Forest City Development’s malls in the United States on October 2 for $4 billion. Among the malls included in the purchase is the South Bay Galleria Mall, which Forest City has been working on revamping. The latest plan Forest City released focused on a push to increase the mall’s retail space to more than 1 million square feet. Renovation additions, including outdoor shopping and dining space, open-air promenades, a 150-room boutique hotel and a neighborhood park is emphasized in the plan to attract more customers and increase revenue.
[cont. on page 8]
Page 16. RUHS Alums
NEWS
2
NEWS | LOCAL | NATIONAL | GLOBAL
Fall musical gets interactive By Martha Farah
On Display. Relics capturing RUHS’s history stand on display. PHOTO BY VIDA LUNA
History Captured. Photos of past students sit in the new Alumni Building. PHOTO BY MIA WICKS
Memories of yesterday
Alumni reflect on time in RUHS as new Alumni Building opens By Sarah Flannery
From World War II to iPhones and everything in between, RUHS has seen it all. Pat Caldwell Ramsey, a class of 1943 RUHS graduate has seen each of her children and five grandchildren graduate from this school over the course of half a century. “I think that in the days that I was going to Redondo, the kids from Manhattan, Redondo, and Palos Verdes all went to RUHS,” Ramsey said. “It was the only high school around at the time, we’re talking the forties. That made it really wonderful because you knew everybody in the Bay Area and you were friends with everybody.” Ramsey, who has been working with the Alumni Association since it started in the 1990s, feels that both World War II and her roots in the South Bay have kept her here for all of these years. “I’ve always been connected to the high school I think mostly because I’ve always lived here. Because of the war, when everyone came home, we were just so happy to see them that the connection just never
Club Rush Presidents from first semester’s club rush dish in on what makes their clubs so special.
left, it goes way back,” Ramsey said. His son, Chris Anderson, a class of 1969 graduate, has worked with the Alumni Association since 2002 to try and improve interactiveness between alumni and the RUHS campus. Aside from working with the Alumni Association, he also shows support by going to the football games and other events open to the public at Redondo. “I just like being an alma mater and when I go to games where we all wear red and root for RUHS it takes me back to my days at [here]. Being a high school student is fun, actually, it’s full of all of the learning experiences and memories that stick with you,” Anderson said. RUHS is building a new alumni building, an entirely new way to incorporate the alumni onto the campus. Anderson hopes that it will continue to bring in past students to enjoy the campus and get to see how the school that they love has changed and grown with the help of the Alumni Association. “The social aspect of RUHS was so fun because there was never a shortage of people. The friendships and the mental growth that happened to me at RUHS is why I associate with it so
much,” Anderson said. Both Ramsey and Anderson have seen how the school has grown over the years, both socially and academically. While Anderson was attending, students were protesting the Vietnam War. w “While I was there, the Vietnam protests were happening and lots of things were going on as far as civil rights and distrusting the government. The students today are like three times brighter and more socially aware of things going on, which has to do with teachers and staff at Redondo allowing freedom of choice and freedom of information,” Anderson said. The newly constructed alumni building is generating plenty of excitement and honor for those who have graduated RUHS. “I’m very excited, I think I was the first person to make a donation because of how excited I was. I lost my head! It’s going to be wonderful because it’ll be different, it’s different than the bricks, which I’m in charge of,” Ramsey said. “The alumni house will be a whole new entity. It’s just wonderful and I love it.”
Welcome parents, students, staff and contestants to the The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. “The play follows all [the kids’] different backgrounds and what leads them to this final point where they are at the competition,” drama teacher Melissa Staab said. “It’s a comedy, it’s hilarious. I think everyone will really enjoy the show.” Held in the Black Box, the musical will be performed on October 12th through October 14th at 7:00 p.m. and October 15th at 2:00 p.m. The musical’s live improv and audience interaction adds a different flair to the production compared to typical musical productions. The actors will bring audience members to play the role of spelling bee contestants. Senior Ava Bergman, who plays newcomer Olive Ostrovsky in the spelling bee, believes that the show really happens because of the audience and their participation. “I am super excited because I’ve seen multiple versions of how this show plays out,” Bergman said. “As long as everyone is really into it as much as we are, it’s going to be a really good night.” Staab believes that the idea behind performing a musical in the Black Box is to make a production “smaller in scale and more intimate.” “In our Black Box space, the audience can get up close and personal with all of the actors,” Staab said.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Tickets: $10 (at the ASB office) When: October 12 and 14 (7pm)
October 15 (2pm) Where: Black Box (Room 1 by the auditorium)
Junior State of America What the club does: Junior State of America hosts debates, seminars, and thought talks. When and where they meet: Tuesdays at lunch in room 824 “JSA helps students achieve this level of understanding and tolerance in our troublesome political community.” -Lucas Simoes, senior
Refugee Awareness Club Edible Science What the club does: Edible Science experiments
with different ingredients and let’s you enjoy eating the outcome. When and where they meet: Mondays at lunch in the culinary arts room “I think my club is special because it’s a fun way to make foods while also learning the science behind it.” -Caroline Alley, freshman
What the club does: Refugee Awareness
Club focuses on raising money and supplies for refugees. When and where they meet: Every other Thursday at lunch, in room 204 “This club gives high school students the opportunity to give back to people who are forced to leave their homes. People should join because it will be an amazing experience to help other who are deeply in need.” -Elle Weber, junior
NEWS
OCT. 6, 2017 | HIGH TIDE
Teachers survive Las Vegas massacre
3
Watts and Roth escape the deadliest mass shooting in United States history By Angie Tait A Country Concert in the Desert When the rapid cracks first rang out in the background of Jason Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem”, many fans believed it was a pyrotechnics display, or a fireworks show. It wasn’t until Aldean, the closing act for the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival, sprinted offstage, that the crowd, including teachers Geoffrey Watts and Amanda Roth, realized that the sounds they could hear were not part of the show, but rather the beginning of a 10-minute shooting that left 59 people dead and 498 injured.
First Fire
“I was there with a couple of friends, and we were on the left side of the stage, just hanging out, listening to music and enjoying ourselves,” Watts said. “The first burst of gunshots, we kind of looked at each other and didn’t quite understand what it was, but then I saw people start to hurriedly walk away from the front, and the second round went off.” Once he realized what was happening, Watts proceeded to grab his friend, throw her against a barricade, and jump on top of her to protect her from the bullets. At the same time, Roth was also huddled against the rail at the front right of the stage, unaware of what was happening around her. “Since I was in front, it was hard to get down, so all I could do was squat down against the railing. At that point people were still yelling out and standing up, asking what was going on, and they were also very intoxicated, so I don’t think they were quite aware of what to do,” Roth said.
Shining in Sin City. The Mandalay Bay Hotel stands in the background of the welcome sign to Las Vegas. PHOTO BY WILLIAM BEAM
head home before I was able to just decom- The Aftermath press and process what had happened, so it Looking back on the events of the was a long night.” shooting, Watts concluded that his ultiWhile Watts escaped right away, Roth’s mate escape was thanks to the Run, Hide, group took more time to get back to their Fight training the school underwent last hotel, and were able to see a lot of the after- year. math that Paddock left behind. “I’m not a paranoid individual, but I Out in the Open “When we were running out, that’s like to be prepared for things, so I would Through the approximately 10 minutes when I started to see bodies on the ground, run through the process of what I would that 64 year-old gunman Stephen Paddock not moving, but I was so focused on getting do if we had an active shooter on campus, shot rounds from the broken window of out that I didn’t pay much attention to it. and how I could protect the kids I was in his suite on the 32nd floor of the Manda- I remember as I was leaving, I saw a cell charge of. So I played the scenario through lay Bay Hotel — a vantage point that gave phone, and the first thing I thought was my head dozens of times about what I’d him a clear shot of the concertgoers — Roth ‘Oh, whose phone is this? I should give it to do here, like getting kids to one side of the remained under the railing, helping those them,’ still in denial about everything. I told room, covering them, and doing whatevaround her leap over the front railing so myself to just leave it, but looking around I er I could to protect who was in front of they could escape under the stage. Mean- saw hats, phones, money, people’s belongme, and it’s exactly what I did in the first while, Watts was able to ings all across the field,” Roth moments of the shooting. I owe it to that quickly leave the premis“When we were said.Due to the absence of the training last year, in all honesty, because it es with his friends, thanks allowed me to react the way I did,” Watts to prior knowledge of the running out, that’s festival security, Roth also said. nearby entrances and exnoticed people had to help Both Watts and Roth also had a general when I started to each other escape and reits. feeling of luck that they did not see any“When the second see bodies on the turn to the grounds and steal one get shot, know anyone who was shot, burst of gunshots stopped, abandoned property. or even get shot themselves. ground.” I got up and said ‘We need “This one drunk man was “I had a lot of friends call and say they to go, we need to leave.’ -Amanda Roth wandering in the middle of knew someone who got shot in the leg, or I had realized that the the street with a bottle of got injured in some way. A lot of people shooter was at least on Jack Daniels that he had sto- had blood all over them too, and I believe the other side of the festilen from the bar. Then since the people next to me did get shot, so I was val from us; we didn’t realize that he was security was gone, the only people that had just very lucky to have experienced the elevated from where he was shooting at helped others to escape were other peowhole thing and not be hurt,” Roth said. us. My friend didn’t want to leave, she was ple at the concert. If you think about who Despite walking away physically una little bit scared to get up and go, but I fi- goes to a country concert, it’s veterans, it’s harmed, Watts has accepted that running nally got her up and crawled,” Watts said. police officers, and it’s from the sound of gun“It’s been thera“This was my third time going to the fes- cowboys, so these huge shots ringing off the stage tival, so I knew there was a VIP entrance men are in there trying peutic to be back at is something he will never just behind us, and I was able to get us to to direct everyone out,” to forget. go that way instead of through the mass of Roth said. school... it’s kind of a be able “It’s been therapeutic Keep Running Roth and her friends situation that I have to be back at school, rather Once out of the fairgrounds, Watts were also put on locksitting at home and to take moment to than and his friends kept running until they down once they redwelling on it, but I guess reached the MGM Grand Hotel. Even turned to their hotel it’s kind of a situation that moment.” there, though, misinformation spread, room, and, like Watts, I have to take moment -Geoffrey Watts and people continued to panic in fear were unable to sleep. to moment, because it’s of another attack. “It was two when been a wave of emotion “We were able to get away and get the police came on the loudspeaker again through the last couple days,” Watts said. “I to some safety, and none of us had been and said we were still on lockdown and can’t stop picturing what happened, it runs shot, so the first thing I did was call my couldn’t leave. At that point, it really sunk through my mind constantly, and I think mother while we were still running, in for me, and that’s when I started crying, I cried in the first hour and a half that I fiand she heard the gunshots through because in the hotel room I didn’t feel safe nally left, I cried most of last night, I cried the phone,” Watts said. “Afterwards, I at all,” Roth said. “I didn’t know what the this morning on my drive to school. I cried said we just needed to go back up to the attack was, so I was scared someone was during my zero period, I cried my first and room and figure out our situation from going to come into the hotel with a gun second periods, and I’m sure I’ll probably here, and we were put on lockdown or a bomb. I remember laying in bed, just cry a little more, but I’m just grateful to until 5:30 the next morning. None of us crying, thinking that this could be where it know that there’s so many people that can were able to sleep, and I didn’t want to might end, but I didn’t want it to end.” support me and help me.”
The Las Vegas Strip shooting At a Glance Where: Las Vegas Village When: October 1, from around 10:05-10:15 p.m.
What happened:
-Stephen Paddock, a 64-yearold retiree shot at a crowd of concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest Festival -Paddock shot from the broken window of his suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel -Casualties: 59 dead, 498 injured
Aftermath:
-Federal officials and the police are still uncertain of Paddock’s motives -ISIS, the radical Islamic terrorist group, claimed responsibility for the attack. There is no evidence to verify the claim
What you can do to help Donate:
- Financial donations are being accepted on a GoFundMe page set up by Clark City Commission Chair Steve Sisolak - The fund has raised more than $9.5 million of its $15 million goal - The funds will be used to provide relief and financial support to the victims and families of the shooting
OPINION
STAFF
4
Editors-in-Chief
GUN CONTROL | NORTH KOREA | PROTESTS
Ben Brill, Elizabeth Fauver, Kylie Yorke
Editorial In response to a national tragedy
News Editor: Alex Dang
Opinion Editor: Jon Mallen
Features Editors:
Reem Chamas, Miriam Farah, Summer Saad, Angie Tait, Ben Yepez
Entertainment:
Mia Berger, Justin Pioletti
Sports Editor: ILLUSTRATION BY BRENNAN HICKEY
Luke Peterson
Photo Editor: Eden Milan
Illustrators:
Makena Frias, Brennan Hickey
Copy Editor: Erika Zlatkin
Multimedia Editor: Samaya Rubio
Staff Writers:
military and police force are capable of not that simple. Time and time again, an American city protecting us as well. Americans have rights guaranteed to suffers a damaging blow to its people in The answer is yes, as hard as it may them in the Constitution’s Bill of Rights. the form of a mass-shooting. Time and come to those who would see guns One of them is the right to bear arms, extime again, we’re shocked anyone could plicitly guaranteed by the Second Amend- removed from civilian possession. People commit such a heinous act. And yet, nothmust remember that the Second Amendment. It’s pretty hard to get around that ing changes. The amount of mass civilian ment was put in place for the purpose when drafting legislation to limit people’s shootings in recent years far exceeds any of protecting the people from their own ability to use guns. other western nation, and it’s a result government, not only foreign powers. The immediate argument of those of deep-rooted problems in American As well as this, rescinding on a conwho favor gun control is that the Second society. stitutional amendment sets a dangerous Amendment was written for an earlier No one can deny that a large state of precedent. If one part of the Bill of Rights time, when the nation was at war with unrest exists within the nation. The ingoes, what comes next? Of all amendthe strongest world power at the time: dividual finds himself facing inescapable ments that could be removed, none would Great Britain. The oncoming British army problems in life, and begins attributing bring a positive result and all would was largely held off by civilian soldiers. these problems to the fault of others. The infringe on the people’s freedom. However, do the citizens the United individual is drawn to violence, having We reserve the freedom to bear arms, States, now itself being the strongest nothing else left in life but to bring an end just as we reserve freedom of speech, world power and not having a war fought to the lives of others. All it takes is a gun, religion, and assembly. We could give up on U.S. soil since the Civil War, still need and an unsuspecting crowd. The indithese rights, and perhaps there would these guns as protection? Surely, the vidual opens fire, and the people fall. We indeed be greater safety mourn. We cry. We fear. and stability. Perhaps We live in unrest once the U.S. government more. We are right back would gain an uncomwhere we started, only fortable amount of this time, our loved ones While greater gun control could reduce the risk of control over its citizens, lost. It seems like a cycle but at least they would doomed to repeat itself. gun-related violence, it could lead to an infringement be safe from the danger The weapons used in on the rights of Americans. of a mass-shooting. mass-shootings are, of In reality, we pay a course, guns. Wouldn’t price for our freedoms. the obvious solution We pay a price for our be to have greater gun freedom of speech that control and greater we may be verbally asrules on who can own saulted by someone of guns? That’s just it. It’s
Editorial Board Vote
YES: 3
NO: 4
Aaya Jhaveri, Adam Sayad, Alex Laureano, Alexis Mesa, Analise Asaro, Austin Nunis, Camille Grace, Christina Owen, Christopher J. Snyder, Danny Parhizi, Eduardo Rosales, Emerson Owens, Ethan Park, Ivanica Skalko, Jade Rona, Jenna Edwards, Joshua, Juninho Paniouchkine, Kaden Kaczmarczyk, Kate Ripley, Kiera Patterson, Liam Barrett, Lorraina Scolaro, Maia Ward, Martha Farah, Michael Solimando, Molly Co-chran, Nicholas White, Ophelia Winslett, Rukhaa Kamran, Sabrina Kim, Sangjun Lee, Sarah Falahahwazi, Sarah Flannery, Shyanne Landers, Sophie Fleming, Sydney Nguyen, William Pournamdari
Photographers:
Shuaib Ahmad, Elise DiPaola, Danielle Sestak, Mia Wicks, Kierin Wooldridge
an opposing viewpoint without he or she experiencing any legal consequences. We pay a price for our right to bear arms that we can hold them to protect ourselves, but understand that a time may come when someone uses this right they hold for evil. Time and time again, we experience the national crisis of a mass-shooting. And time and time again, there are those who call for changes to the system, to take away U.S. citizens’ right to bear arms for the good and safety of its people. We must be careful when we listen to these voices. Some have good intentions. Some are dangerous. Totalitarian regimes have risen to power by capitalizing on the fears and concerns of the people. The United States must not let itself succumb to this fate.
Why the U.S. should not go to war with North Korea
By Ethan Park There has been global disarray as a result from North Korea’s recent nuclear missile tests, and their threats against Guam, a prominent U.S. ally. However, the Korean peninsula needs to live up to it’s namesake of “The Land of the Morning Calm.” The United States and subsequent UN countries need to avoid war with the communist Korean state at all costs and pursue a purely diplomatic plan of action. The geopolitical tension on the Korean peninsula has caused many people to cry for arms, especially now that North Korea has in possession an ICBM, or interconti-
nental ballistic missile, capable of storing a nuclear warhead. For as long as it has been in existence as a nation, North Korea has touted an anti-U.S. foreign policy. After all, it was originally brought to existence as a Soviet puppet state in the seizing of the Korean peninsula from Japan during World War II. Nonetheless, war is not the answer to this precarious situation. Yes, North Korea presents a considerable threat to the global community, primarily the U.S. and its allies. However, a preemptive or reactionary military attack on the North would result in hundreds of thousands of deaths in South Korea almost immediately. Of concern as well is a North Korean strike on a large city in Japan such as Tokyo. Not many people realize how close the geographic proximity of Seoul, the South Korean capital, is to the Northern border. The DMZ, or Demilitarized Zone, separating the two countries is only thirty five miles from the city, well within the range of North Korean propulsion weapons. While the installation of THAAD, a
missile defense system installed in Seoul this year, can defend against the threat of North Korean missiles, there is nothing that can defend from conventional artillery. South Korea reports that the North has set up over two-thousand artillery pieces around the border, set to demolish Seoul should war ever be declared. Experts predict that hundreds of thousands of civilians would be killed within the first day. With recent intelligence, explosive armaments are not only the major concern for South Korea. With their assassination of Kim Jong Nam, Kim Jong Un’s more liberal brother, they have revealed to the world that they possess extremely dangerous chemical weapons. It’s shuddering to imagine what these weapons could do to Seoul’s bustling populace, should war ever be declared. If the prospective total casualties of the war with North Korea numbering in the millions aren’t inciting enough, the U.S. could lose a major economic ally. South Korea, which is a huge trading partner with the U.S., would be economically dev-
astated by a war with the North. Loss of infrastructure and life caused by the war would reduce South Korea to a fraction of its former economic strength. Even if the war was short and decisive, the South would have to financially take care of the millions of North Korean residents and refugees who are now under their jurisdiction. A similar situation occurred in Germany, when the East needed to modernize to the standards of the West. Compared to East Germany, North Korea is in a state of even more disrepair, with a crumbling infrastructure, lack of technology, and brain-washed populace. The industrial potential of Korean factories and strength of a unified Korean economy just would not be enough for the prospective Korea to experience as quick a recovery as did a unified Germany. It is understandable to want to pursue a militarist approach to North Korea. However, the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives and the fall of South Korea as an economic power should be incentive enough to pursue a more diplomatic approach.
OPINION
OCT. 6, 2017 | HIGH TIDE
5
Kneeling during the anthem:
Professional athletes’ protesting does not initiate progress
By Luke Peterson Dissention towards authority has once again seized national headlines as athletes across America decided to protest the national anthem before games. Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was the first one to spur headlines last year, citing police brutality against African Americans as his reason to protest. Today, this trend has not only spread across the NFL, but is now being seen across professional basketball and baseball as well.
The players should protest about the issues that concern them, but their efforts are futile unless they can get a conversation going on the issues. The athletes have the right to kneel or link arms during the anthem, and they should if they feel it necessary. The flag they happen to be protesting represents the right for them to do or say things that others may disagree with. Ingrained in the fabric of the United States and its people is the protection of the minority and the right to express his or her opinion. That’s what freedom means in America. However, there is no point in protesting if the way the athletes go about doing it obstructs any potential dialogue concerning issues like police brutality or abuse of authority. The truth of the matter is that the protests are still yet to achieve any lasting change. Protests only work when there are changes that eventually follow them, but these protesters are not encouraging such
change. When basketball star LeBron James tweets that the president is a ‘bum’ and when football star Odell Beckham Jr. mocks Trump by making obscene gestures after a touchdown, no one can expect the other side to seriously consider what the athletes are saying, regardless of how pressing their cause is. Besides the argument’s lack of decorum, sports are not the most appropriate platform for political commentary. It may be difficult to conjure, but there still people in this country who don’t place politics or social activism at the center of their lives. There are still people who spend a week’s wage to go to a sports game to escape the tumult of their lives, and when political argument oozes into this entertainment platform, it becomes less enjoyable for them. They deserve a place in this conversation too. I am not saying that issues such as police brutality are unimportant; they are. But as a fan of sports, it makes me
uncomfortable that politics influences the commentary after the game instead of the performance of the athletes. In a world where everything seems politicized, why should sports fall victim to this politicizations too? The NFL certainly hasn’t been the epitome of proper moral conduct given the crimes of domestic violence, among other infractions, from some of its players. An altruistic message coming from a league made infamous by these ordeals will not be received as seriously as the issues warrant. This holds true for other sports, and although the protesting athletes are still people who hold their share of opinions, but their tainted credibility will do more harm for their argument than good. The players lost their potential to make a real change when they gave in to the negligence for discussion that prodded them into action, and the nature of their professions impedes any positive results that may come from their protests.
It is a necessary step to draw attention to important issues Cheerleaders Grace Yagi, Shyanne Landers, and Hannah Nemeth will kneel during today’s homecoming game. “We are continuing the protest begun by Colin Kaepernick in order to bring attention to the fact that people of color in America have legitimate concerns that are being ignored and have been ignored for years. As cheerleaders, we have the platform to be a part of this protest and we feel that it would be selfish not to take advantage of the opportunity.”
- Grace Yagi, 11
“People should not only display their beliefs on a public platform, but also go the extra step in making a difference. However, some teens with conservative parents may be limited in the extent of how they can take action. I plan to kneel at the game because it’s not a protest against the flag, but to bring awareness to the pressing matter of police brutality.
- Shyanne Landers, 11
“It’s a highly controversial topic that a lot of people disagree with. I’m sure there is going to be a lot of criticism. But I think people need to realize that it isn’t a protest against the flag or purposely disrespectful action. The other girls on cheer and myself are trying to show our support for the cause and bring more attention to some of the problems our country is facing.”
- Hannah Nemeth, 10
FEATURES
6
FEATURES | PERSONAL INTEREST | HOBBIES
Homecoming Court
Nominees for Queen
“
I never thought I would be nominated, but now that I am I am glad I am able to represent our senior class and take part in a once in a lifetime opportunity.
— Somer Boyd
“
I want to win because I think it would be a cool honor from the school.
— Camille Grace
“
I thought it would be fun for my last year of high school to be homecoming queen.
— Anaïs Wilson
Nominees for King
“
I think it would be a cool memory to have when I look back on my high school experience, and also it would make all my friends who voted for me really happy.
”
— Malek Chamas
“
I want to be homecoming king because I like representing class and having fun, and I think this is a great way to do it.
”
— Bryan Cloutier
“
I want to be homecoming king because I think I accurately represent the student population.
”
— Nick Webb
” ” ”
PHOTOS BY EDEN MILAN
Nominees for Princess
“
Getting ready with my friends is one of the best parts because it is fun to get dressed up for the night.
— Alanna Grogan
“
I want to be Homecoming Princess because I believe it should represent the positive aspects of the Junior class.
— Vida Luna
“
Nominees for Prince
“ ”
— Hunter Bode
“ ”
— Grace Yagi
”
Becoming homecoming prince has been my whole aspiration since I’ve entered high school.
— Ethan Endicott
“ I think it would be a jolly good time.
I did not expect to be nominated, so it would be cool to win.
This year homecoming is more about the community, and I feel I’m involved in the community, so it would be really cool to win.
— Tim Ludwig
”
”
”
FEATURES
OCT. 6, 2017 | HIGH TIDE
Waking up for makeup
Martinez is a certified makeup artist and cosmetology student by Martha Farah 1,600 hours of instruction of everything involved with cosmetology such as curling hair, which she is required to do for 150 hours. Her class starts at 12:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. “[The class] is long and I get really tired, but it’s rewarding because you’re doing something productive,” Martinez said. “It takes a lot of discipline because you have to stay for six hours there.” Martinez does makeup for events such as weddings, dances and photoshoots. She uses her website and Instagram to get known; her website is TrueBeautySolutions.com and her Instagram is @truebeautysolutions. According to Martinez, she has always enjoyed doing makeup, so she has never felt stressed when doing it. “It’s a little therapeutic and it’s a part of the day where you get to do art. Sometimes you’re overwhelmed with school-work and you don’t get to really do art all the time,” Martinez said. “I think a few minutes a day I get to create something.” Martinez considers herself to be a perfectionist, so at times it is difficult for her to do makeup. Another struggle she faces as a makeup artist is the amount of respect she receives from people. “I want to do everything really well, it’s my struggle where I get frustrated sometimes, but I don’t give,” Martinez said. “Also,
I don’t get as much respect for doing makeup because people are just like, ‘Oh, so you just play with hair,’ but it really takes a lot of discipline and focus.” Martinez has not yet decided on whether to completely pursue cosmetology in the future, but she wants to have it as a side option and open her own business eventually. Also, she w a n t s to continue with her education by doing business in college. To others who are interested in makeup, Martinez suggests to practice, talk to people, watch makeup tutorials and do research on makeup. “One should do as much research as they can because the more informed you are, the better you get and the more you know about things,” Martinez said. From her experience as a makeup artist and a cosmetology student, Martinez learned to be open to new ideas. “There’s always going to be new trends and products that you can use, so it’s a learning experience,” Martinez said. “You have to always continue learning and not limit yourself.”
ILLUSTRATIONS BY MAKENA FRIAS
Junior Zoë Martinez’s love for makeup existed since second grade, leading her to be a certified makeup artist and cosmetology student. Martinez believes that doing makeup is a way for her to express herself and her clients’ personalities. “I view makeup as painting someone’s face, so everyone is a blank canvas for me. I really enjoy making people feel confident about themselves,” Martinez said. Because of her dad’s encouragement and her mom’s interest in makeup, Martinez was influenced to become a certified makeup artist. She took a course to learn about the makeup industry and how to apply makeup on different types of people. “My dad said, ‘If you want to do makeup, then learn how to do it well,’ so he signed me up for my makeup class,” Martinez said. “I decided to pursue cosmetology because I wanted to learn more aspects of [makeup, skin and hair].” Becoming a cosmetology student sophomore year helped Martinez learn many aspects of cosmetics such as hair coloring and cutting, nail art, facials, and makeup. At the Southern California Regional Occupational Center, Martinez is trying to qualify to get her license by getting
SEMPER gives behind-the-scenes look at Homecoming by Summer Saad Every year students count down the days until homecoming and every year SEMPER is responsible for the creation of homecoming. According to SEMPER’s president, Phoebe Gentner, SEMPER has a core board of six members. In May, these core members began discussing and collaborating with ASB on what this year’s homecoming theme would be. The winning theme was Havana Nights. SEMPER meetings with all the participants began in the beginning of this school year. SEMPER’s vice president, Ally Will, says their ideas regarding the theme were “all over the place” before they settled for Havana Nights. “We’ve thought about having a carnival theme with games and circus theme. But everyone wanted a semi-formal dance, so we thought if we do a Spanish [theme] we could do semi-formal and then we’re also incorporating salsa into it to make it different this year,” Will said. Gentner says the homecoming budget always depends on how much money was profited from the previous homecoming. Since SEMPER is not given any additional money, they often have to work with what they already have. “With ticket sales, we make more than we spend. We have a bank account that’s continous,” Gentner said. “We have a lot of connections and get a lot of discounts on decorations and stuff like that. Also, we
have a lot of decorations we reuse.” According to Gentner, the remaining thirty or forty people in the committee help with set up before homecoming, coat check, and clean up afterward. “The Friday before homecoming we stay after school until the game. Then we come in Saturday at 8 am until at least 2 pm,” Will said. “Then we go home and get ready fast and go back to the dance.” A number of students at RUHS have been discussing whether or not there should be a certain amount of homecoming tickets available to each class. Will expresses her opinion on the issue of ticket distribution. “I liked the idea of it being divided by all grades so it’s not just all freshman going because we want everyone to be able to come. Also so it’s not just one grade dominating the dance and so everyone participates and everyone has a fair change,” Will said. “Seniors normally wait until the last minute but freshman are on it. [I feel] that it’s more important for the seniors because it’s their last year and them and their friends are on the court.” According to Will, the traditional making of homecoming floats will not be featured in this year’s homecoming game. Instead, the nominees of homecoming court will walk down a red carpet with their family. “ASB is putting on the game and they’re announcing court there,” said Will.
The winners will be crowned during both the homecoming game and at Homecoming.
Homecoming will take place in the big gym because of its higher capacity, allowing the school to sell about
200 more tickets
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FEATURES
OCT. 6, 2017 | HIGH TIDE
Connecting in Catalina
Scott Mueller volunteers as a counselor at Camp Fox Catalina
by Danny Parhizi and Summer Saad For a few years now senior Scott Mueller has been working on becoming a camp counselor and this past summer he finally achieved his goal. Working with a total of twenty students Mueller helped young kids boost their confidence and come face to face with issues many of them had. “Since this is my first time being a counselor it was really interesting to see the mindset of every individual child from ages eight to twelve,” Mueller said. “To see how they all interact with each other and how different their views are on life was really interesting to me.” According to Mueller the overall experience helped him see how kids from all over the world interact with each other in a diverse setting. “I had a foreign exchange student in my room. I’ve had students come from the ghetto, from rich families, from poor families, everyone comes from different cities,” Mueller said. “You never know what a child’s back story is, and that’s the interesting part.” Although these kids come from such different backgrounds, according to Mueller, by the end of the camp they embody its three components: spirit, unity and teamwork. “There’s these kids that cuss, and some of them are more physical and you have all these different qualities. By the end of the week they’re so adapted to who they're spending all their time with so they become a team. That’s what’s really unique,” Mueller said. “It’s about how they can go to camp, find something, take it for granted, and really be able to learn something about themselves that they’ve never seen before.” For Mueller, this was not the first time being introduced to this type of setting. “I went as a camper about four years ago and then I was a CIT counselor in training for one year and then I decided to take the next step which was helping little kids,” Mueller said. “There was something that just kept pulling me back to camp. My second year I had such a nice counselor. He made me wanna become a counselor in the sense that he helped me go through one of my awkward stages in life.” When Mueller first went to this camp, his counselor was “not the best” and never really motivated the students to push themselves out of their comfort zone. He decided to make a promise that he would always encourage the
students he worked with by helping them build up their confidence. “My very first year I had a counselor that wasn’t the best influence and just didn’t take that extra step and didn’t really help me learn anything about life,” Mueller said. To Mueller, volunteering at the camp was a way he could give back to kids what he received in his second year as a child at the camp. “I knew in my mind that I wanted to make sure that kids who have never been to the camp have the best experience possible and I just wanted that for everybody,” Mueller said. This past summer, Mueller was able to make a connection with a child that reminded him of himself when he was younger. “It’s the kids that are different that make camp so special. I have one kid that I easily connected to. He has ADHD and it’s very obvious,” Mueller said. “It’s one of those things where I saw a younger version of myself and I would just help him and focus on him. He was doing a lot of the stupid stuff that I would do when I was younger so I really just wanted to help him and be a guide for him.” Mueller’s experience at the camp has helped him finalize what he would like to do in his future. “I love theatre and I love children. It kind of finalized my decision that I want to be a drama teacher and I want to help children grow. I want to make sure everybody grows up feeling like they have some support with them. [These kids] don’t get that support from home. It’s an escape from wherever they come from, if they have divorced parents an escape from that. It’s just one week away from all of that.” Mueller said. He plans to continue attending the camp as a counselor during his vacation time when he is older. “There’s something special about it every year and you get to get so close [to the children] and make so many bonds you would never make with anybody,” Mueller said. “I made a bond with this one kid at camp in one week that I think is impossible for a teacher to make with a student in an entire year.” Mueller says the camp is a place that has changed his life and would “destroy him” if it were ever taken away from him.
All love. I’ve gone for so long. It’s so cliche when you say ‘oh my goodness this island is home to me’ but it’s so true because every single year, no matter what, I always look forward to summer just so I can go to this camp. It means so much to me in so many ways. It’s something that is unexplainable.,” Mueller said. PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT MUELLER “We have people coming in from out of the country to go to this camp. Even if you don’t believe in God, people are coming to this camp,” Mueller said. It doesn’t matter who you are, what your religion is, what your sexuality is, it’s all love at this camp, it’s all genuine.”
Christina Merz gives a tutorial on how she will earn her PhD
by Lauren Kim
Objective: Chemistry and Principles of Engineering teacher Christina Merz decided to stop putting off getting her degree and pursue her passion. Merz is earning her PhD in Sustainability Education to achieve her goal of establishing a program for high school students that incorporates both science and sustainability of the environemnt.
Dr. Merz. “Environmental and social justice in terms of education, [is] my passion, and what I’m all about is bringing sustainability into education,” Merz said. PHOTO BY BEN CHENG
Step 2 She applied to Prescott College last year, designing her own syllabus and projects so the course is centered around what she wants to achieve and learn.
Step 1 Merz chose Prescott College because it suits her PhD needs the best. The program is limited resdiency, meaning she only has to be on campus for three weeks out of the entire year.
Step 4
Step 3 Merz balances teaching chemistry and principles of engineering, and earning her PhD. She is ready to spend the next four to five years of her life keeping up with both responsibilities.
Step 5 In Merz’s second year, she will present some dissertation proposals and choose her research question. In her third year, she will present and defnd her disseration.
She is taking three classes a semester her first year, one being connected learning where she can connect what she learns at school to her job teaching.
Step 6 After she gets her PhD, she plans to establish a program that brings sustainability into education, allowing students to help their communities.
FEATURES
OCT. 6, 2017 | HIGH TIDE
11
WHAT’S YOUR CAREER TYPE? Yes!
I’m a people person
Do you like working with people?
You’re a
Helper
Now which job sounds more appealing? Kindergarten Teacher
I like my space
You’re a
Good for you!
Career Ideas include: Nurse Teacher Personal Trainer Social Worker Counselor
Eh,
Persuader Career Ideas include: Financial Advisor Attorney Real Estate Agent PR Specialist
Company Executive
They both sound awful.
Yes!
You’re
Do you like working with machines or tools?
You’re a
Hands-on
Creator Career Ideas include: Carpenter Police Officer Pilot Firefighter Forester
You guessed it!
You’re an
Not if I can help it.
Do you have a thing for spreadsheets and filing systems?
Are you artistic or creative?
I can’t even draw a stick figure
Career Ideas include: Graphic Designer Freelance Writer Photographer Musician Architect
Um, no.
You’re a
Organizer Career Ideas include: Office Manager Programmer Accountant Paralegal Librarian
That’s okay, I’ll marry rich
Yes!
Back to top!
Thinker Okay, then do you like science?
It’s the best!
Career Ideas include: Physician Engineer Social Scientist College Professor Market Researcher
Science is for nerds. Alright, well it seems you don’t like to do anything that could actually earn you money
Bummer, guess I’ll try again.
ENTERTAINMENT
12
ENTERTAINMENT | FOOD | MUSIC | MOVIES
IT ANDRÉS MUSCHIETTI
“You’ll float too.” In Andres Muschietti’s horror yet also cynical remake of Steven King’s “It”, Pennywise the clown terrorizes and kills children in the small town of Derry, New Hampshire. ILLUSTRATION BY MAKENA FRIAS
“It” returns once again: Review of Andres Muschietti’s “It” by Analise Asaro
Many are talking about “It”, the 2017 horror remake of Stephen King’s classic, and how compared to other horror movies, it just wasn’t that scary. However, it cannot be denied that the excellent storyline, acting, and effects combined with the hilarious yet terrifying humor, is what makes “It” very good and worth watching. It, a demonic creature who primarily takes the form of Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgard), arrives from the Sewer as it does every 27 years.This time he victimizes a group of awkward young pre-teens, a group who call themselves The Losers Club. Bill Denborough (Jaeden Lieberher), is obsessed with finding his missing brother Georgie, who in fact is not missing but was consumed by It. Denborough, the leader of the Losers, drags his friends into a hunt to find his brother during their summer vacation. After each Loser has an individual en-
counter with It, every time taking a different form to adapt to the unique fears of each child, Bill convinces his friends to take on the demonic clown on their own. With only a 30 million dollar budget, director Andres Muschietti utilizes his budget well with terrifying visual graphics, enhancing the few jump scares throughout the movie. However, the movie’s fear factor relies primarily on jump scares. The plot felt more like a thriller adventure movie than that of a horror movie. The back and forth action in the Losers quest to defeat Pennywise fills most of the movie, not allowing a place for any gut wrenching scenes which build up a lasting sense of fear in the viewer, not just short spikes of terror. In comparison to the 1990 version of “It,” the 2017 version definitely surpassed it in terms of fear level and effects, as well as excelling in the makeup department. Starting with Pennywise, the remake made him look considerably scar-
ier than before. Instead of just looking like an actor with makeup on, he looked more like a porcelain doll than a human. Skarsgard’s performance as the iconic demonic clown is especially terrifying, even in spite of the lack of scary scenes in the movie, his lanky, tall figure towering over the children and his demonic laugh creates an iconic horror character among the likes of Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers. All the child actors did a fantastic job as well, selling their terrified countenances and their youthful dialogue as genuine, even with many of the scares relying on computer graphics. Despite the horror movie title, the comedic relief is a highlight of the movie. Richie Tozier (Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard) and Eddie Kasprak (Jack Dylan Grazer) form a dynamic duo together, bantering about each others moms and personalities. In fact, the tight camaraderie among the Losers creates an emotional resound-
ing effect, with the likes of classic 1980s coming of age movies like “Stand by Me.” More suspense was also added to a few more scenes in the remake, like when Georgie goes down into the basement to retrieve the wax in order to make his toy boat. In the original, all he had to do was run down a few stairs, but in the remake, the basement scene is dragged out for a few extra minutes. Although at times the tension seemed a bit over the top, it gave the viewer reason to keep watching, or not watching because they covered their eyes. The hype of the movie before it came out from the trailer led to many wanting to see it, earning $187.9 million. With such popularity and revenue, it’s safe to assume Pennywise will be returning to theaters in the near future. Overall the combination of excellent acting, directing, special-effects and a good storyline has created a well-done remake of King’s “It.”
ENTERTAINMENT
Battle of the brands
Athletic
OCT. 6, 2017 | HIGH TIDE
13
Compiled by Summer Saad
Street
VS Vans
Nike “Nike and Lululemon have nice products that look good and perform well.” -Kendra Manz, junior
“I like the shoes from Vans and there are some cute dresses at Billa Bong.” -Sara Shor, junior
“The quality of Nike, Lululemon, and Adidas are super good and they last for a really long time.” -Ayana Jackson, freshman
“I love how Vans fit my feet and they go with everything.” -Ryan Cartee, junior
1. Represent. Juniors Lauren Kim (1) and Max Zamaripa (2) represent the top athletic brand (Nike) and streetwear (Vans). PHOTOS BY EDEN MILLAN
Nike Adidas Other
94 (87%) 61 (56.5)
47(43.1%) Underarmor 33 (30.6%)
Lululemon 27 (24.8%)
2.
Vans
108 Responses
Nike
72 (66.1%)
57 (52.3%)
Adidas 43 Freshmen 47 (43.1%) 22 Sophomores Billabong 26 Juniors 36 (33%) 17 Seniors
Other (Spyder, RVCA, etc.)
93 (85.4)
Reviews
by Amanda Ban
by Justin Pioletti
True to the spirit of the South Bay, the new healthy food restaurant Rabano combines fresh flavors with nutritious ingredients. The menu is great for people who like to change up their meals, and try new things. There are a lot of options and they allow you to change almost all the elements of the meals so there is room to make it your own. The customer can choose from white rice, brown rice, or ancient grains and allowing the health level to be customized along with the flavor. The protein options include pork, beef, chicken and seasoned tofu. I think it’s nice that they make it so easy to modify your meal because everybody has different preferences and they take that into consideration here. A lot of restaurants don’t offer vegetarian entrees or if they do they use ‘fake meat’— usually soy chicken — but Rabano doesn’t do this. The many vegetarian options take advantage of the vegetables and tofu without trying to pretend that they’re meat. In sandwiches they usually use mushrooms or tofu in place of meat but they season it really well and use it as a focal point of the meal rather than trying to hide the absence of meat like a lot of other restaurants. I think the restaurant strikes a nice balance between casual and high-end. Although they get a lot of to go orders and there is communal seating it still manages to maintain a high quality feeling. The atmosphere is relaxed and has a farm-to-table theme. The menu is displayed on a chalkboard wall and is updated seasonally. Although the monitors are the main way people order here there are still a lot of friendly staff members around and the owners are usually there checking up on people. If you get a simple salad the meal will be pretty affordable, but if you opt for a more filling meal with a drink or appetizer the price can creep up. RABANO 2516 PACIFIC COAST HWY It’s good quality, filling food so in my opinion the prices are justified. Overall the food is great and the laid back, beachy vibe PHOTO BY AMANDA BAN is perfect for Hermosa Beach.
Five years since their last studio album, The Killers’s “Wonderful Wonderful” is boilerplate mediocrity. Each song seems like a desperate attempt at a festival closer that reflect lead singer Brandon Flowers’s severe case of writer’s block. Even before releasing the album, The Killers faced an uphill battle. It has been well over a decade since their last hit, and whether it’s “Mr. Brightside” or “Somebody Told Me,” their subsequent tracks have had minimal popular acclaim. In addition, Flowers’s wife has been struggling with PTSD for the past three years, and various members of the group have decided to retire from touring to pursue other opportunities. Yet “Wonderful Wonderful’s” failure lies within itself; a tangible flow between tracks is absent alongside the poorly developed recurring message, which when deciphered, reveals that shame is something everyone endures. This is best displayed in the track “Tyson vs Douglas,” which narrates boxing’s legendary upset when underdog Buster Douglas knocked out the undefeated Mike Tyson. Flowers doesn’t put himself in the gloves of Douglas however, rather Tyson, explaining his fear of his own fans seeing him defeated and put to shame. He’s aware that The Killers are past their prime, and every subpar track furthers their irrelevance. Granted, this brutally honest self-awareness has the potential to cultivate into an impressive song, yet their half hearted attempts at “ridiculous” song lyrics sabotages its effectiveness. Ranging from “USDA certified lean” to “You got the soul of a truck,” the lyrics are about as stale and out of character as the band itself. Thankfully, their saving grace lies in the instrumentals. While the opening track on the album sounds like a synthesized tribal horn, Flowers recovers in “Life To Come,” which provides an audibly pleasing electric-rock mix that hints at old Killers’s tracks. WONDERFUL WONDERFUL “Wonderful Wonderful” is The THE KILLERS Killers album nobody asked for. While it isn’t detrimental enough to ruin the band’s reputation, it demonstrated that The Killers are far past their peak. PHOTO BY WIKIMEDIA.COM VIA CRE-
ATIVE COMMONS
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OCT. 6, 2017 | HIGH TIDE
SPORTS
SPORTS
14
NEWS | FOOTBALL | WATER POLO | GOLF
Sea Hawk sports round-up Cross Country Last race:
Nike Portland XC Invitational Girls: 8th place Boys: 2nd place
Next race:
Central Park Invitational 1.
Girls Volleyball Oct. 4: RUHS def. PV, 3-0
Soaring high. 1. Junior Aidan Goldfield runs the ball through Sierra Canyon’s defense on Sept. 22, a game RUHS lost 38-3. 2. Senior Brooklyn Schrimer celebrates after RUHS sweeps PV in three sets to one on Wednesday. 3. Junior Ben Tait leads the pack at the Woodbridge Invitational. The varsity girls team won their race, and the varsity boys team came in third place. 2. PHOTOS BY JACOB ALTHER AND MIA WICKS
Set 1: 25-21 Set 2: 25-21 Set 3: 25-16
Girls Golf Last match:
De Bell Tournament
Best score: Maria Victoria scored the best at 44 for RUHS
3.
Girls golf reflects on underwhelming season by Samaya Rubio Girls golf is winding its season down with their matches against PV this week. Even though the team took two losses, 206 to 251 and 204 to 266, they are “keeping positive.” “I am happy with how everybody played against PV and over the course of the season. This is one of the toughest courses we play during our season and my team mates exceeded my expectations,” captain senior Maria Victoria Baker said. “At the end of the day I’d say this was a win for the team even though we lost.” The team is proud of its improvement. “This year we have had the best chemistry ever and I think that contributes to the scores that have continued to drop throughout the season,” captain senior Samaya
Rubio said. “I consider myself very lucky to spend my time playing with these girls and get to watch them grow as people and players.” The team has players from all grades who have had to assimilate with each other over the course of the entire season. Freshman Briana Dunbar has felt “welcomed” by the girls on the team and has thrived with their support. “Even though we lost, it was a lot of fun to play [this week],” freshman Briana Dunbar said. “Everyone tried their absolute hardest, and some even beat their personal best. We are getting better everyday and I can’t wait for our team to continue to strengthen.” As for the team companionship, it has been “the most
fun” year for many of the girls on the team, including junior Sofia Haskel. “This is the first year that we have had a team that has been solid in our relationships. We’ve all bonded, and to us, it doesn’t matter if we win or lose. We are out on the course to have fun,” Haskel said. This season may be close to being finished, but this will not stop the team from looking for ways to get better. “We had a tough match, but we tried to make the most out of it. The course was absolutely beautiful, and even though we lost, it was a lot of fun to play,” Dunbar said. “Everyone tried their absolute hardest, and some even beat their personal best. We are getting better everyday and I cannot wait for our team to continue to strengthen.”
SPORTS
OCT. 6, 2017 | HIGH TIDE
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Football begins Bay League with Morningside by Adam Yorke
Driving through the lines. Junior Deontay Mccray eludes Sierra Canyon and carries the ball past the opposition. RUHS expects to put on a show and get its season back on track in the Homecoming game against Morningside. PHOTO BY MIA WICKS
Tonight, RUHS begins its Bay League title campaign with the Homecoming game against Morningside. “We just really want to go out there and get on top from the start and not slow down until the game is over. Like [Thor Reneau] said, we are like a train and right now, and going into Bay League we need to be at top speed,” Beeson said. Football ended its preseason with 2-3 record after a 38-3 loss against reigning state champions, Sierra Canyon. “That was a tough loss, especially with it being a home game,” senior Omar Rodriguez said. “[The game] was actually a lot closer than it looked, there were just a few key plays that Sierra Canyon won that completely changed the game.” Two of those plays were blocked punts inside of RUHS’s twenty yard line. In both instances, Sierra Canyon recovered the ball and finished the drive with seven points. With a minute left in the first half, RUHS’s Adam Yorke hit a 41-yard field goal to make the score 7-3, but in the next play Sierra Canyon returned the kickoff for a touchdown. “They gave us a look against our punt team that we hadn’t seen before and they were able to block those punts because of it. For kick return we just need to stay in our lanes and keep the edge to force the returner back inside. It’s the little things that changed the game,” Rodriguez said. Last week was a bye week for the Sea Hawks, and the coaches took advantage with strenuous conditioning then three days of rest. They spent the preseason preparing for Bay League play. “During preseason we really grew as a team. We got closer and more in sync but there are still a lot of things we need to work on. The Sierra Canyon game, even though we lost, helped us see what we need work the most on,” senior Brett Beeson said. Top speed means not repeating the same mistakes twice. “On offense we are mostly concerned with everyone doing their job properly and executing. Too many times we have left points on the table because we did not finish the play, stay on our routes, hit the holes, or do our assignments,” senior Alex Saak said. Over the summer RUHS acquired Dawson Pierre, a wide-receiver transfer from Canada. He was ineligible for first five games of the season, making Morningside his first game with the team. Despite not playing in a game yet, he has already earned the respect of his teammates and coaches. He was even awarded scout player of the week. “Dawson is a great player and I’m really excited to see him tear up Morningside and whoever else we play,” Rodriguez said. Pierre has been practicing on both sides of the ball, hoping to improve an already solid defense. “Our defense has really come in clutch for us against West and in other games, but we still need to tighten up,” Beeson said. Morningside may be the immediate issue, but the players’ sights are already set on bigger goals. “I think that this will be a great way to start the league and a great homecoming game,” Saak said. “I’m just excited for when we get to beat PV and Costa at their home fields.”
Water polo seeks Bay League redemption by Camille Grace Varsity boys water polo players look to improve its team ranking after losses to Peninsula, Mira Costa, and most recently, Palos Verdes. The team lost to PV 15-6 on Monday, Oct. 2. “The fact that we didn’t know how to handle a high press [contributed to the loss]. We couldn’t move on offense so no one got to the ball,” sophomore Gavin Pierce said. Along with offensive mistakes, the team says its mentality going into the game wasn’t adequate to what was needed to match up against the opposition. “We have yet to beat them and our mindset going [in] was that this team is better so we didn’t play our best game. I don’t think they were better than us. We know what their game plan is and and we prepare for it in practice, but in the game we just didn’t bring it,” senior, Andrew Holmes said. The team will keep the losses in mind while practicing for its next game as motivation to work harder and improve. “Our practices are looking better and we are playing cohesively. We have the talent already. So in practice we have been working on having everyone on the same page doing the same game plan and just smoothing out the little mistakes,” Holmes said. The team gets a chance to play the Bay League teams again to hopefully redeem their losses, making up ground in the standings and reassuring the players’ minds. “We have confidence that we can come back from our losses and beat Costa, PV, and Peninsula,” Pierce said. Besides Bay League, the team is looking down the stretch for a good ranking in CIF so they can be in the best position possible. “We have already played and beaten several of the teams ranked in the top 10, not including Peninsula. The next step now is getting into CIF, where we either beat Peninsula from here on out or gain entrance as a wildcard team,” Holmes said. The team looks forward to the rest of their season and improving on their mistakes. “Every loss is disappointing and frustrating of course but we came out of it pretty fast,” Holmes said.
Left out to dry. Boys water polo currently has a Bay League record of 1-3, but has a 17-7 record overall. PHOTO BY SAM SLATCHER
16
FEATURES
OCT. 6, 2017 | HIGH TIDE
Remembering RUHS alumni IN HONOR OF THE OPENING OF THE Alumni House, High Tide takes a look at RUHS alumni who created a distinguished name from themselves after graduation.
Jack Gaunt ‘43 Worked as a photographer for the Los Angeles Times, winning the Pulitzer prize for his photo “Tragedy by the sea,” in 1955.
Rex Hughes ‘58 Coached the Sacramento Kings and the San Antonia Spurs of the NBA
Tom ‘55 and Dick Smothers ‘57 Musicians and variety comedians. Hosted The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour from 1967 to 1669 on CBS. The show was known for its sharp political satire, stirring contreversy throughout its run.
Jeannie Myers Morris ‘54 First woman to do play by play sports. Wrote a book, “Brian’s Song,” which was adapted to T.V. The T.V. Film adpatiation won 4 emmys
Ted Stevens ‘34
Served as a U.S. Senator for Alaska from 1968 to 2009, serving as President Pro Tempore of 2003 to 2007. He also played an important role in the statehood of Alaska.
Morgan Ensberg ‘94
Played for the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres and the New York Yankees of the MLB between 2000 and 2008. In 2005, Ensberg played for the National League All Star Team in 2005.
Tom Killefer ‘36 Served a as Chairman of the United States Trust corporation, Vice Chairman of the Export-Import Bank for three presidential administrations and Executive Vice President of the Chrysler Corporation from 2000 and 2008. PHOTOS FROM 2005 HIGH TIDE AND CREATIVE COMMONS
Iris Cummings Critchell ‘37 Swam for the United States in the Berlin Olympics in 1936. She was one of the first selected for USC’s civilian flight school and fought in World War II as a part of the Women Airforce Service Pilots.