High Tide Apr. 25, 2014

HIGH

TIDE Redondo Beach, CA // Redondo Union High School April 25, 2014 // Vol. XCIV // Edition 15

Once there was Mother Earth.... and She loved Her people.

And every day the people would come and they would gather Her trees and make them into houses and build high towers.

They would slowly ruin Her with pollution and smog over all the city sky lines.

So what did Her people give Her?

ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH BIESCHKE INSPIRED BY “THE GIVING TREE” BY SHEL SILVERSTEEN

club puts on beach cleanups and about the various fandoms Lacy has found her calling p. 18 // Jenna p.10-11 // Learn p. 8 // Ecology other events to help the environment. students belong to. volunteering for children.

Photos of the Week RBEF Art Auction Fundraiser

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Inspring through art. Artists Al Satterwhite (right) and Anthony Friedken (left) in front of Friedken’s work. “Al Satterwhite has art hanging in LACMA, and the other artist was Anthony Friedchen. This is the third year that we’ve done this auction and they both have donated art for the past three years,” RBEF board member David Coe said. 2. The crowd at the fundraiser. About 270 people RSVP’d to the event. “ART 90266 is an art auction where local artists auction off their work. All the funds are being donated to the RBEF to send all the 2nd and 3rd graders to LACMA for a day. There’s gonna be curriculum involved and prep before they go to museums, and we’re using art to expose these kids. Hopefully they find a passion and we can help with their potential as artists which will also help with their school work,” Coe said.

“The goal is fundraising. We’re here to raise money to support the arts. A lot of people in the south bay agree that the arts are underfunded and throughout the schools, so we’re here to raise funds to hopefully bolster up the arts in Redondo Beach.”

RUHS implementing measures to “go green”

by Caitlyn Catubig

RUHS has put in place many “green projects” around campus throughout the past several years that all work together to benefit the environment.

A recent project, the building of solar panels, will begin to allow RUHS to generate its own power several weeks from now.

“It’s pretty exceptional in a couple of different ways. First of all, it’s going to save our district about three quarters of a million dollars a year so that money can be redirected

When you’re done reading the issue, if you are not going to hang onto it, please either leave it in your classroom or recycle the paper.

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NEWS

into hiring more teachers and getting more classroom supplies. However, the district deems those resources. There’s also the environmental impact in terms of lessening our carbon footprint,” assistant principal Jens Brandt said. “The more natural resources we use, such as natural energy like solar energy, wind energy, water energy, benefits us all in terms of less cars on the road, more trees, better air quality, and more. Solar panels are a great thing and I’m proud to be part

ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH BIESCHKE

of a district that is very progressive when it comes to that sort of investment.”

The school also holds more than 40 recycling cans on campus to promote the use of recycling.

“Judging by how quickly the cans fill up, our students are good at using them. I’m happy about that,” Brandt said. “We certainly have a culture that promotes the use of recycling on campus.”

Efforts by staff and students alike help improve the school’s overall effort to do its best to be “eco-friendly.”

“We have staff members who are buying hybrid and electric cars, biking or walking to school, which all help reduce the school’s carbon footprint. We also have clubs on campus that make the environment the focus of their work. We’re a very progressive community when it comes to thinking consciously about our environment,” Brandt said.

One club, Ecology Club, works to improve the environment by doing activities such as recycling bottles and cans to collect money for environmental organizations like “Heal the Bay” or by holding fundraisers at restaurants that sell healthier, more organic food.

“A nice way to start making a change is to join a group of people like-minded. One of the hardest things I’ve found with being environmentally aware and conscious it to have to do it alone,” geoscience teacher

Mary Simun said. “One person can only pick up so much trash. Twenty people, on the other hand, can pick more twenty times as more trash than one person. It’s rewarding in a lot of ways.”

According to Simun, through her work, she wants people to see “the big picture of the world” and to be more thoughtful when they make decisions about their behavior.

“People say, ‘Drive me to the store.’ Well, it’s two blocks away; ride your bike, ride your skateboard,” Simun said. “This planet is unique, there is no other like it we know of. It’s gorgeous, magnificent, and irreplaceable. We stomp all over Mother Earth’s face any chance we have and I think we need to stop stomping on her face and recognize that we’re part of her, and we need to take care of her.”

One of the goals is for the school to widen the outreach of being “green” to not only students, but to parents as well.

“It can start from doing a better job of celebrating Earth Day, or having monthly conversations on campus on what we can do to improve our environment. It’s really best when it comes from within, whether it be student or teacher driven,” Brandt said.

“There are creative ways to make our world a better amd cleaner place to live in. We have to remember to not take anything for granted by seeing how we impact the world, locally and globally, in our environmental decisions.”

RBUSD schools contribute to Green Week efforts

by Eli Jarmel and Stephanie Lai

Across the district, Redondo schools are taking steps to encourage students to recycle and conserve natural resources while raising awareness for the environmental issues affecting the planet.

According to Principal Nicole Wesley, since the beginning of the Redondo Union’s modernization back in 2008, the school is finding ways to try to conserve its water usage.

“When the student services building was built, they made sure to plant drought resistant plants outside the building, which require very little water as opposed to grass that used to be there which require water almost every single day,” Wesley said. “Our AP environmental science students were responsible planting an ocean friendly garden which had a variety of drought resistant plants. We’re always looking for opportunities to replace grass with drought resistant plants [because] we know that’s going to result in conserving water and also saving the district money.”

Wesley and the administration teams want to emphasize the importance of conserving water to the entire student body.

“Water is certainly a resource we all need to thrive on. However, it’s going to become a rare commodity if we don’t all take measures to reduce our water usage on a daily basis,” Wesley said. “The school will do what we can and hopefully students will do what they can at home and at school.”

At Beryl Elementary School, students are involved in a program through the organization Grades of Green. This program encour-

ages Beryl’s staff and students to reduce their trash usage while educating students about the importance of recycling. According to Green coordinator Linda Buck, Beryl has reduced their trash usage significantly since entering the program two years ago through a Trash Free Tuesday program.

“We have [a program called] Trash Free Tuesdays. We choose volunteer student ambassadors who hand out tickets to kids who bring a trash free lunch. Every month or so we have a prize drawing using the tickets,”

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PHOTOS BY CEDRIC HYON

Environmental awareness. 1. Beryl elementary’s bins vary in content from materials like food to plastics and cans. 2. Redondo’s parking lot solar panels are finished constructing. 3.

Parras middle school has a rally to celebrate winning the Trash Free Lunch Challenge.

Benefits of going green for schools Facts Compiled by Jason Rochlin

Buck said. “Through Trash Free Tuesdays we went from 17 bags of trash to two bags of trash for lunch.”

Buck states that the program’s purpose is not only to reduce trash consumption, but to educate students on how to sort trash for themselves.

“We educate our students on how to sort through trash and recycling to make sure nothing is wasted,” Buck said. “At the beginning students had trouble differentiating between trash and recycling, but our pro-

gram has helped them learn the difference.”

At Parras Middle School, Grades of Green challenged students to participate in the Trash Free Lunch Challenge, similar to the program Beryl had participated in. At an assembly held on Tuesday, Grades of Green announced that Parras had won the competition, reducing the amount of trash used by students during lunch by the most significant margin of any of the 24 competing schools.

In a video demonstrating Parras’ effort in the contest Nygren expressed his appreciation for how students have responded to the Grades of Green initiative.

“The enthusiasm that has been built up just around trash and compost has been amazing. I never thought I’d see kids so excited about recycling and composting,” Nygren said. “When we first started this program it was challenging. A lot of kids would leave trash on the lunch tables. Over time, we’ve built a nice culture of [recycling and cleaning up trash].”

Nygren spoke in the video about the drastic decrease in trash that the program has caused at Parras.

“With the commitment of our students we have seen the amount of trash bags go down from 30-40 all the way to three or four bags of trash,” Nygren said. “It’s amazing to see the kind of transformation that has gone on here. It wouldn’t have happened without the kids who are involved with Grades of Green and without the support of the staff here at the school. They’ve done a tremendous job.”

• “Green Building”projects support 7.9 million U.S. jobs.

• As of March 2013, 7.1 million kids under 18 suffered

from asthma, leading to 14 million absentee days each

year.

• Green schools use 33% less energy and 32% less

water then conventional schools.

• On average, green schools save $100,000 on

operating and utility costs.

• A study from 2005 showed that property

values increased in 87% of places that had

schools who invested in green projects.

INFORMATION FROM USGBC.ORG AND AIA.ORG

ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH BIESCHKE

NEWS . 3

CODY’S CORNER

CODY WILLIAMS

“International cooperation is essential in preserving and protecting the earth.”

Being in the 21st century, it is a well known fact that the environment and Earth’s climate are changing due to increased human activity brought about by the industrial age and increased reliance on fossil fuels as our primary energy source.

Gradual increases in areas such as carbon dioxide emissions, water usage, and energy consumption can cause great harm to our planet, crippling industries such as fishing and agriculture, and ultimately depriving Mother Earth of her bountiful beauty.

In 1990, the Clean Air Act was passed by the United States, one of the nations leading the charge in environmental reform. The Clean Air Act successfully cut the nation’s sulfur dioxide emissions through the establishment of what is known as a “Cap-AndTrade” system, which involves the allocation of allowances of a given pollutant.

The reduction of sulfur dioxide through cap-and-trade also led to a reduction in environmental consequences associated with acid rain and helped the United States avoid international conflict with Canada over the issue of water pollution.

The successful implementation of this program has led many, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, to call for the expansion of this system by the federal government, bringing the program to encompass several more gasses known to contribute to climate change (Greenhouse Gasses).

Like the Clean Air Act of 1990, the larger cap-and-trade program would achieve its goal through allowance allocation and the taxing and monitoring the emissions of businesses both big and small.

Although the expansion of this program is intended to maintain the beauty and well being of this great nation, doing so on such a large scale leaves too much room for error. By increasing regulation on businesses through allowance monitoring and taxes, the federal government would force big time employers to downsize in personnel in order to compensate for their economic losses In order to be effective, the cap-andtrade system would have to be adopted on a global scale, requiring participation by the pollution giants known as China and India, to see the improvements desired.

So how will Mother Earth be ultimately cured of her illnesses? The answer is we simply do not know. However through international cooperation and leadership from a new and enthusiastic generation of environmentalists and environmental scientists, definitive answers to these problems can be reached. In the meantime, it is our job to be ambitious in our conversation efforts and responsible in our consumption.

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OPINION

EDITORIAL: NOW IS THE TIME TO BECOME A GREENER PLANET, NOT TO FIGHT, BICKER AND DEBATE. Whether or not global warming exists or humanity is destroying the planet, investing in green energy and protecting natural resources are things that everyone should begin to support.

Debating about the causes of climate change and bickering over the utility of clean energy does nothing but waste time.

As humanity grows and technology advances, resources and land become more precious and if nothing is done now to protect what is most important the world could be faced by major crises in the near future.

Even though there are still pockets of the population that are skeptical about climate change, protecting the environment should not be an opinion. Universal acceptance of recycling, renewable energy and green establishments should be a goal the whole world strives to achieve.

Being right or wrong is irrelevant. The point is that the earth is a planet that can only sustain so much abuse and so many people. To not be part of the solution is to be part of the problem, and the problem is lethargy.

Laziness is the biggest threat to environment. Simple things like throwing plastic in the trash in the presence of recycling cans or littering can impact the environment in a big way. Every little thing leaves a mark on planet earth.

Although climate change may not be a clear-cut issue, human waste is an undeni-

Letter to the Editor:

A response to the editorial “A Man’s World,” an opinion piece which was published in the previous issue.

Redondo Union has made it a tradition to hold the “Battle of the Sexes” rally each year during second semester. The idea is to foster school spirit with friendly competition.

The problem is, these rallies often do the exact opposite. This became obvious at the last school rally on Wednesday, March 12th.

Many shouted out sexist jokes before it even began, with calls to “get back in the kitchen” and “repeal the 19th” being most common.

During the rally itself, several people held up on signs the boys’ side of the gym. Including: “Nudes?” “Repeal the 19th,” “My

ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH BIESCHKE

able threat to the well-being of almost every ecosystem on earth. Garbage that accumulates in the worlds’ oceans kills wildlife and threatens the quality of life and economy of countries all across the world.

The solution: being conscious of waste and the things that are destroyed as a result of it. One need only look at the devastation of the coral reefs or the eerie mutations of fish in the Gulf of Mexico to understand the extent of our affects on marine wildlife and the world in general.

A changing climate may not be within our control, but how we deal with the things we destroy is.

Before it is too late, the world needs to realize that protecting the world is the most

important duty of the human race. Before it’s too late, America and every country with the power to make a difference need to make a conscious choice to be on the side of preservation and not exploitation.

Before it’s too late, the natural resources that are essential to sustaining human life need to be seen as the precious, vital and finite gifts they are.

It’s not too late.

laundry is still dirty,” “The floor isn’t gonna mop itself,” “Get back in the kitchen,” and “No mayo on my sandwich.”These signs are not what school spirit is supposed to be about. The fact of the matter is that this issue is more serious than it might at first appear.

The common excuse—that such things “are just a joke”—fails to realize how women have been treated throughout history.

Society has come a long way, for example, with women finally being allowed to vote, (in a world they comprise slightly more than half of ), but women still face challenges.

Considering women continue to have lower paychecks and less influence than men on society, it’s understandable why such comments are upsetting.

By making the issue a joke, the problem is belittled and no real progress can be made.

And the issue goes beyond offensive signs, which can be easily taken down.

Even if nothing insulting were to be done on either side, it means each sex is represented by stereotypical “feminine” or “mas-

culine” things, which do not stand for the entire gender.

Not all girls like pink, or tiaras, or makeup; not all boys like sports.

After all, men shouldn’t be expected to take all leadership roles, whereas women shouldn’t be expected to be quiet, passive housewives.

There should not be so much pressure on gender roles, especially considering the amount of girls and boys who enjoy things typically associated with the other gender.

It’s true that some people do enjoy the rally. But even if the majority of students never noticed a problem, a significant number of students are affected.

For them, it goes beyond simply disliking the theme. After all, just because something can be fun doesn’t mean it is a good idea.

If I wanted to punch you in the face for fun, would you really let me? With inequality as a serious current issue, separating based on gender leads to inevitable division and highly inappropriate and offensive behavior.

FINAL TALLY:

AGREE

EDITORIAL STAFF VOTE

DISAGREE

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PRO:

Letters to the Editor If you have an opinion about one of the articles, letters can be sent to the editor at hightideonline@gmail.com.

We reserve the right to edit them for content, grammar, and space constraints. Letters must be signed and are not guaranteed to be printed.

HIGH TIDE

STAFF

Editors in Chief: Cedric Hyon; Allegra

Peelor Managing Editor: Alejandro Quevedo News Editors: Stella Gianoukakis; Ja-

son Rochlin

Opinion Editor: Chance King Features Editors: Yasmeen El-Hasan;

Shawn Mallen; Grace Zoerner Sports Editors: Kira Bowen; Micah Ezzes Photo Editors: Tyler Eisenhart; Justin Lee Photographers: Ted Cavus; Lauren Diethelm; Laura Smith Copy Editors: Deborah Chang; Angela Kim; Romy Moreno; Chris Paludi Illustrators: Joseph Bieschke; Angela Kim; Luma Wegman Online Editor: Vivian Lam Staff Writers: Lauryn Alejo; Joseph Blakely; Jennie Bao; Caitlyn Catubig; Jason Clebowicz; Caitlin Cochran; Shaw Coneybeare; Lauren Diethelm; Jason Fong; Vaidehi Gandhi; Nina Gomez; Kelly Harraka; Caterina Hyneman; Eli Jarmel; Roxanne Labat; Stephanie Lai; Sophie Maguy; Shaniya Markalanda; Marie Ona; Chris Paludi; Phoebe Reneau; Jené Price; Amanda Ramos; Chandler Ross; Sophia Ruffo; Reema Saad; Amanda Shaw; Laura Smith; John Webb; Luma Wegman; Cody Williams The High Tide dedicates itself to producing a high-quality publication that both informs and entertains the entire student body.

This is a wholly student managed, designed, and written newspaper that focuses on school and community events.

The High Tide is published by the journalism class at Redondo Union High School, One Sea Hawk Way, Redondo Beach, CA 90277.

Signed commentaries and editorial cartoons represent the opinions of the staff writer or cartoonist and in no way reflect the opinions of the other members of the High Tide staff.

Phoebe Reneau

“The ecological future of the planet relies on the environmental activism of the people and making sure future generations are active as well.”

Currently, Environmental Activism is a main focus in today’s society. Many things are being done to help conserve the environment and influence the Environmental Policy of the United States.

Unfortunately, certain measures taken by these organizations are not always effective enough to create the significant amount of change needed to enforce global activism.

Without specific laws enforced, there is a large number of people who are not influenced enough by only activism, and will only strive for change when provided with more knowledge and involvement.

When attempting to implement such activism, we must begin with teaching the younger generation. Environmental activism will only be effective if the younger generation

is properly educated on environmental pollution. Often times, schools teach environmental education and enforce the student’s understanding of the material, but there is no motivation or change of behavior encouraging the students to give something up to benefit the environment.

Children should not only be taught the problem at hand, but the reason behind the problem and how that problem can affect their everyday life. For example, chemicals released in the air can cause health conditions.

Deforestation causes soil erosions which causes air pollution, leading to people developing respiratory issues. Learning these negative effects of environmental pollution is a first step to informing and presenting.

Mem-

PRO CON

CON:

Eli Jarmel

“Environmental activism is not enough to repair the damage done, but green technology is not economically viable.”

The effects of pollution on our planet cannot be ignored. As population grows, human consumption of natural resources has grown as well. We are drawing from finite resources that can conceivably run out in the not-so-distant future.

Progressive activists and select politicians are making a major point of encouraging green initiatives across the globe. These efforts are not in vain, but they will never be enough on their own. The unfortunate reality is that until green technology is financially advantageous to the general population, our society will not make a significant push towards protecting our planet.

As of this moment, there are 7,228,719,000 people living on Earth (worldometers.org). That number is rising steadily and that trend won’t stop unless we are faced with a global catastrophe on the scale of the Black Plague.

Each person on this planet consumes natural resources in their daily lives. Even

individuals who devote their lives to being “green” cannot avoid the constructs of human civilization that rely on irreplaceable natural resources.

Green technology is in development but is expensive in most cases. Even if everyone in the United States could afford an electric car (they can’t) the majority of the planet would still be nowhere near being able to make the switch to clean energy anytime soon.

Solar panels and other clean energy production technologies are much more expensive than traditional sources.

Hope for our planet lies in technological research and ultimately, development of clean energy. Until green technology is as cheap or cheaper than the next alternative, the majority of people on Earth will continue to use and consume resources that are hurting our world.

Money poured into research on how to produce green technology and clean energy would ultimately result in a cheaper method

bers of the younger generation often are indirectly affected by pollution of the environment, although they are fully aware of it.

Most are busy with their own concerns and responsibilities. And although many may state clearly that they care for the environment, they do little to nothing to promote environmental activism, or take part in conservation activities. There has been a common trend of blatantly stating one’s devotion to being environmentally friendly, and not following through with this statement.

While educating kids on the importance of caring for the environment, a hands-on approach should be used to give the younger generation a better understanding of the positive effect that being environmentally friendly can influence.

This way, members of the younger generation feel more connected,and are directly exposed to how much the environment depends on them.

Until certain aspects of how we influence our youth are changed, Environmental activism will not yet be enough to Environmental activism is not yet effective enough to engage and inspire the majority of today’s youth.

of production for electric cars, solar panels and other sources and consumers of renewable energy. The day a hybrid vehicle is cheaper than a gas-guzzler, the day solar panels are cheaper than electric bills, the day being green is financially feasible in addition to being morally feasible, is the day that our planet can be truly protected and ultimately saved.

Nothing will make this drastic change possible except an increase in research and competition within the industry to drive clean energy and green technology prices down so the entire world can realistically access them.

Is it worth it to promote recycling and green energy in our communities? Of course, even marginal improvements and improvements nonetheless. Teaching children that pollution is a legitimate problem is a no-brainer and resources should be spent within education to raise environmental awareness.

But this cannot be the main focus of green activists and environmentally focused politicians.

We have to make clean energy more affordable before we can even begin to hope for a significant push to save our planet from the inevitable doom of human consumption.

OPINION

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Practice what you teach Biology teacher Mary Simun sets an eco-friendly example for her students and encourages them to positively contribute to the environment

by Joseph Blakely

PHOTO BY JORDAN ALEJO

Above and beyond. Ms. Simun works hard to be ecologically friendly.

Roses are red, violets are blue, the earth is green and so is biology teacher Mary Simun.

Simun’s actions can be expressed as “reuse, reuse, reuse, recycle,” a rendition of the ever-popular “reduce, reuse, recycle.”

Simun is dedicated to protecting Earth and does so in several different ways such as driving a Prius “infrequently,” walking to work, producing little landfill waste, and growing fruits and vegetables at home and sharing them with the neighbors.

“I live on the gorgeous planet Earth, the beautiful blue orb in the universe, the only one with life as we know it,” Simun said. “I take these steps to decrease my footprint on the Earth.”

Simun also tries hard to integrate environmental awareness through her job at RUHS. “I teach science and weave environmental awareness into my lessons and activities,” Simun said. “I also encourage and assist

students in volunteer activities, jobs, careers and schooling related to science.”

Simun believes that by “practicing what she preaches” she can benefit the environment and reap additional benefits.

“I just do what I think is right, and I feel good about it,” Simun said.

The trash around campus is a frequently discussed issue and Simun has taken steps to reduce it by picking trash up with her classes. “[I’ve helped] students plant and maintain two gardens on campus: an ocean friendly garden and an herb garden on the roof,” Simun said.

Simun has taken additional steps at home by ripping out the lawn from her house and letting the natural Gazania grow.

Simun encourages students to become proactive and work towards fixing our “beautiful” environment.

“Students can get involved by making

small changes: walking to school, carrying a reusable water bottle, picking up trash on the street and on campus,” Simun said.

“There are big ways too such as campaigning or getting a science degree, but never give up and never stop trying.”

Senior Kelly Vanbilliard experienced Simun’s dedication to the environment firsthand.

“I was in her AP Environmental Science class and she really used herself as an example of being eco-friendly and taught the class ways they can contribute to helping the environment,” Vanbilliard said.

Although some may be discouraged by taking steps and not seeing immediate results, one must always remember the grand scheme.

“We are part of this vast system of Earth, not separate from it. We can, individually and collectively, make a difference,” Simun said. “One person can change the world.”

How students can be more environmentally friendly Compiled by Lauryn Alejo; information from 50waystohelp.com

· · · · · · · · · · · ·

• Use fluorescent bulbs instead of regular (incandescent) light bulbs • Turn off computers at night instead of putting them on sleep mode • Hang dry your clothes on a clothesline instead of using a dryer • Use a reusable thermos instead of plastic water bottles • Brush your teeth with the water off • Plant a tree • Always turn off the lights when leaving a room • Recycle your old cell phones • Reuse clothing hangers from clothes you buy • Recycle your aluminum, plastic, and glass bottles and cans • Donate your old clothes or any possibly reusable items to charity

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FEATURES

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANGELA KIM

Saving the Earth one club at a time

Ecology Club attempts to better the environment by informing the public and beach clean ups

by Christopher Paludi

Ecology Club works tirelessly against environmental deterioration.

Senior and club president Chance King believes in the value of Ecology Club for the community.

“The general misconception about clubs at RUHS is that they don’t do anything; first of all, I think that’s wrong, and second of all, I think that kind of mindset stems from ignorance and laziness,” said King. “Ecology Club is very integral in the beach communities and our work is not only published by major universities but also used by everyday people to make their lives safer.”

Ecology Club works with the Sea Lab and the Surfrider Foundation to collect data on the amount of pollution at local beaches.

“Universities use this data in environmental studies that both graduate and undergraduate students use. Water sportsmen use it to determine whether or not it’s safe for them to go into the water,” said King.

Ecology Club also performs regular beach cleanups, but is often discouraged by the temporary help it gives.

“The people in Ecology Club think that what we’re doing is important,” King said.

“The problem is there is a large sense of discouragement that you get when you see a great amount of trash on a beach just a week after you’ve cleaned it up and tested it; it feels like we can’t win.”

Despite the daunting task, people in Ecology Club feel a drive to help the environment.

“We know what we do is important to a

lot of people and that it’s our duty to perform this service,” King said. “Although the task is discouraging, we continue to do our duty. We may not be able to stop the problem alone, but as a club we would rather be part of the solution.”

Although he values the work Ecology Club does, King would rather not have the club’s work be needed.

“The most important thing is that everyone needs to help,” said King. “If everyone in this school recycled, if everyone in Redondo Beach recycled, if everyone in the world recycled, there would be no purpose for Ecology Club-and we would gladly live in a world where Ecology Club was not needed. But because there is waste and there is ignorance there is purpose to what we do.”

King feels that people often do not take responsibility for their everyday actions that can be harmful to the environment.

“I feel that this generation is more environmentally conscious than its predecessors.

However, there are people who still don’t believe that climate change is real and who still don’t think about it when they throw plastic in the garbage,” said King. “The things that we produce do not go away the same way natural things do.”

Junior Nina Gomez believes one of Ecology Club’s biggest responsibilities is education people about the disasters happening to the environment.

“The club can educate people and inform them through our experiences,” Gomez said. “One of the main things we can do is

Earth Day facts

to try to make people understand what’s being done to our environment.”

King also feels that one of the most important aspects of progress is widespread knowledge of the problem.

“I’d like to think that spreading the word about the problems in the environment is as easy as telling people,” King said. “But unfortunately, you need to force people to understand the terrible things that are happening: it’s about fear. I think if more people knew the scope of what is happening to marine wildlife and the ocean they would be very afraid. If Ecology Club had any sort of mission statement I think it would be ‘you can’t hide from what you destroy.’”

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PHOTOS BY TED CAVUS

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Ecofriends. 1. Ecology Club in its natural habitat. 2. Senior Chance King leading and instructing Ecology Club in Ms. Simon’s room.

Earth Day is a commonly-forgotten international holiday celebrated on April 22

compiled by Kira Bowen information from examiner.com and dosomething.org

-Earth Day was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson on April 22, 1970.

-Celebrated in over 192 out of the 196 countries in the world including Afghanistan, Kenya, and Mexico -On the very first Earth Day, 20 million people gathered in the streets of America to protest the industrial revolution. An environmental movement was born as a result.

-Earth Day was renamed officially by the UN in 2009 as International Mother Earth Day. -In an Earth Day celebration in 2011, 28 million trees were planted in Afghanistan by the Earth Day Network.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH BIESCHKE

98% of countries recognize Earth Day as a national holiday

FEATURES

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Swinging into action

Seniors Rosolowski and Blackman are swing dancing partners

by Marie Ona

PHOTO COURTESY OF RACHEL ROSLOWSKI

Tiny dancers. Blackman and Rosolowski swing dance together at Disneyland earlier this year in January.

When junior Rachel Rosolowski and senior Ashlee Blackman go to Disneyland, they do not go on the rides. Instead, they enjoy swing dancing.

Blackman accompanies Rosolowski to her trips to Disneyland occasionally. Rosolowski swing dances every Saturday in Disneyland and does not find it difficult.

“I like it because it’s easy. I’m a synchronized swimmer so I’m not coordinated on land. It’s not my thing, but with swing dancing I feel like I can do it and I am coordinated,” Rosolowski said.

Roskalini, however, used to have difficulty learning.

“I struggled at first. It’s a process. I slowly get better, but it’s just being able to just try, and people are okay if I mess up,” she said.

Swing dancing is plain and simple, with little skills needed to be applied.

“You don’t need to be flexible to do it.

You don’t really need to know what you’re doing,” Blackman said. “You can just follow what the other person is doing.”

Both Rosolowski and Blackman enjoy spending their time swing dancing.

“It’s one of those things that we both love. I’m a dancer and she found love in dance so we both just bonded over that,” Blackman said.

Rosolowski and Blackman found swing dancing as a new hobby they can do together.

“We were close before, but this is something else we could do besides just going to Disneyland. It’s just something specific where we can be together,” Rosolowski said.

At Disneyland, swing dancers range from ages 15-80.

“My favorite person to dance with besides Ashlee is this guy named Joe, and he’s 45. He ends every song with a dip. It’s so much fun,” Rosolowski said.

Rosolowski looks forward to swing dancing in the future.

“For me it’s all stress relieving,” Rosolowski said. “I’m looking at colleges for it because it is stress relieving and because we can go and have a good time together. It’s something unique and different. It makes me happy.”

Through swing dancing, Rosolowski has developed a passion for the dance.

“She’s not the nicest person when she doesn’t go swing dancing. I actually make her go swing dancing with me when she’s irritated,” Blackman said.

Rosolowski and Blackman have the best times while dancing together.

“The era of swing dancing is just so in-

teresting. When you think about it, swing dancing came around in the 20’s, in the depression. That’s how they found entertainment, and that’s how we find our entertainment now. It’s no different,” Blackman said.

Despite initially dancing with Blackman, Rosolowski is comfortable dancing with random people now.

“When I dance with somebody, it’s a connection with somebody but it’s not a physical connection. It’s just being able to dance together and not having any worries about being able to be close to somebody without it being weird,” Rosolowski said.

They have bonded with their dance partners.

“Its speaking without speaking. You’re communicating with someone and creating a relationship with someone without even using words. You’re creating that trust that they’re not going to lead you into something terrible. They know what you’re capable of,” Blackman said Blackman and Rosolowski have met many people who they relate to.

“We’ve made so many friends because of it,” Blackman said. “We have two friends that are girls that are just like us. We love them. They’re identical to us, and it’s the strangest thing.”

Back on track Humber copes with the death of her grandmother

by Vaidehi Gandhi

She sees the trembling lips. She feels the pressure from the weak hand that she holds.

As she speaks without any response, she is well aware of the inevitable end. Senior Chelsea Humber worked to overcome her depression caused by the death of her grandmother, and get back on track with school.

Humber found that she started to “shut the door” on the people around her after her grandmother’s death in the summer of last year.

“Everything just seemed to hit me at once which was hard to handle. I was sad, lonely and felt like I was worthless because I couldn’t do anything to stop her death,” Humber said.

Humber did not know how to cope with her loss and would isolate herself in her room.

“This was the first death that I had experienced. There was nothing but sadness on my mind,” she said.

She then moved to Las Vegas to live with

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her sister to try and overcome her depression.

“My sister helped a lot in motivating me. Being away from everything was relieving. I got into counseling and had someone to talk to,” Humber said.

2.

Later on, Humber did not enjoy Vegas and de- Moving on. 1. Humber feels that her cided to move back to Re- life is back on track. 2. Humber’s grandma “always talked about flowers, and dondo Beach this year.

“The fact that I wasn’t roses were her favorite,” she said. “I got 1.

PHOTO 1 COURTESY OF CHELSEA HUMBER, PHOTO 2 BY JENE PRICE going to be able to gradu- a rose tattoo dedicated to her.” ate with my class affected me. I had friends the house and get her to go to school, but I and glad that she improved,” she said. there, but they weren’t the same as my would come back from work and get calls From her struggles, Humber has learned friends here,” she said. from the school saying she hadn’t gone that problems cannot simply be avoided, and Humber’s mother, Marva Humber, is day,” Marva said. they have to be faced. proud of her daughter for making a comeWhen Humber started attending school “I’ve learned to not take things for grantback and improving in school. and bringing her grades up, she was no lon- ed because you never know when the end is “After my mother died, she would be ger concerned. and that you can’t run away from people,” in her room all the time, and I was really “Chelsea is determined, and she was able Humber said. “You can’t just run away from worried about her. I tried to get her out of to get back on track. I’m very proud of her things.”

Put your record on

by Nina Gomez

Record collectors junior Eris Heim (H), senior Bennett Perault (P) and Mr. Keye (K) share their stories about their shared passions.

Q: Why do you continue to collect records?

A: P: It’s pretty cheap, it’s fun, and it’s re-

ILLUSTRATION BY LUMA WEGMAN

Q: When did your interest in vinyl records begin?

A: P: I just passed my 2-year anniversary.

I got my first record, M83, for Easter two years ago.

H: For me it’s been a little over one year, I got my record player and a couple other vinyls from my dad for Christmas because he knew how much I love music and he thought I would enjoy it.

K: I’ve always been into music. I play musical instruments, and it’s always been a big part of my life, so I started to get into records specifically when I was younger. I’m old enough to where records were still in the house but we were shifting to a new medium, so I always thought they were kind of cool, and as I got older, I wanted to go back and rediscover that format. I found that I enjoyed the format of the record as oppose to what I normally listen to music on like CD’s or tapes because it was just interesting.

ally cool sometimes because the oldest thing I own is an original The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan ,which is one of my favorite albums.

It’s just cool that what you’re holding is from 1963. And when you listen to a record it’s the weirdest, warmest feeling in the whole universe, but it’s a great. There’s no reason to do anything, but you might as well, you’ll enjoy it. And it’s one of my favorite things to go to the record store and finding something that you really wanted.

H: Obviously I’m a huge fan of music and I love records just because they’re different and the quality’s actually better than most CD’s.

K: It’s physical and there’s limitations to it that are interesting and makes you slow down a little more so it’s a different experience with music where today we have iPods and mp3s and you could create a thousand song playlist and I’ve done that and that’s fine but I like the restrictive ideas of the records because of the way it makes you listen to music in a different way. Also you can get music on records that you can’t really find on other formats.

Q: Is collecting vinyl an expensive hobby?

A: P: The most I’ve ever spent on a record is

probably 40 or 50 dollars on a Hendrix live album. I got it shipped to me from Holland.

Other than that, I don’t spend a lot of money at all. Recently, the most expensive one I’ve bought is 15 dollars. I go to the Goodwill a lot and the majority of the time I find stuff more than I don’t. And even if you find something you kind of know about, you get it because it’s just a dollar. I mean, I don’t just go and buy anything but I’ll go and find something I sort of like and then I’ll buy it. I wouldn’t spend $20 on an Abbey Road that’s not original from Urban Outfitters if I could look online and buy one for $5. The thing is, the used ones look pretty beat up but as long as the record still works it’s fine.

H: A reason I like them is because they’re so cheap and the most I’ve spent is 50 euros on records from London and Paris. My favorite ones are the old used ones, like I found a Buddy Miles record the other day for a dollar at Amoeba in the used section.

Q: What do you think makes vinyl records so unique?

A: P: Having the album artwork, it’s like

an inch by an inch on your ipod and there’s always like a little message. Today on Ziggy Stardust it said “To be played at maximum volume” H: Especially with an old one you’re just like ‘Wow, I wonder who had this’ and you kind of wish you were friends with them because they obviously have the same music taste that you do and that’s cool. And when you find other people that have records and share that passion with you, you just get so excited. And I don’t mean like buying records from like Urban Outfitters, I mean like the good old stuff that not a lot of people listen to.

K: If you have a really good sound system and you’ve got the jazz records from the 50’s and 60’s and you put those on a really good sound system it literally sounds like there’s a jazz band in your house, it is so sonically amazing that when you have that experience you realize why records are still around.

Q: What kind of music do Q: What do you think of the recent revival of vinyl reyou collect?

A: K: Jazz, specifically jazz from the 50’s A: cords?

K: I think it’s cool. Some people might or 60’s like bebop music or hard bop, and classical music. There’s so much amazing classical music that you get on records, very amazing recordings of all the classic classical pieces that are harder to find on other formats. and blues, old blues, Mississippi John Hurt, Mississippi Fred McDowe and all those other blues musicians that started way back in the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.

That’s really hard to find other than on record. And classic and modern rock. But really jazz, classical, blues, and rock.

like it because of the novelty because of how different it is. I think it’s good and it’s bad, it’s a double edged sword. It’s good because people are perhaps interacting with music they might not otherwise interacted with but it’s bad because certain things as trends when they happen you might not be informed about the benefits of such a medium and you might just be doing it because it’s cool but if you really get into it for the reasons of the actual music I think it can be really cool for you.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIS HEIM

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GAME

OF

FANDOMS

ILLUSTRATION BY ANGELA KIM

Fandoms may have started as early as the 1890s with Sherlock Holmes, but with the rise of social media it has become even easier for fans to organize and share their love of movie, book, and television series

Roman ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ fanatic

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PHOTOS BY LAUREN DIETHELM

Trekkin’. 1. Hamm has an iPhone case that has a picture of Spock’s ear. 2. Hamm’s love of Star Trek has helped her make new friends in yearbook especially. Hamm prefers the original series over the new one. “Next Gen kind of had another version of most characters on the original series with a few differences, and as cool as that is, it feels like copying, like the writers of Next Gen were trying to revive the original hype of the show,” she said.

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‘Star Trek’ beams her up Sophomore Carmen Hamm was introduced to the series by her mother and it eventually helped her make new friends

by Lauren Diethelm

“Space: The final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.”

It’s late at night as these words sound from sophomore Carmen Hamm’s computer, and her room is dark except for the episode playing and the shadows it casts in the room. What started as humouring her mom has since transformed into genuine enjoyment of the show that arguably started fandom: Star Trek.

“When I was in middle school my mom and I used to watch an episode of a tv show or a movie every night and one night she just suggested Star Trek,” Hamm said.

Hamm feels like her relationship with her mother has strengthened since they started watching Star Trek.

“My mom and I have gotten a little closer. Like this one time we were watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture and it was like three hours long. We both fell asleep for probably

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half an hour and we could still follow the plot when we woke up, it was awful. It’s just experiences like that that we share and conversations we have now that we couldn’t if we both didn’t watch the show,” she said.

Hamm’s mom, Jennifer Hamm, agrees.

“I think it brings us closer because it gives us a common ground where we can share our passion for science fiction,” she said.

In addition to her mom, Hamm has bonded over Star Trek with her friend, junior Kamila Aouragh.

“We definitely bonded over it in yearbook last year,” Aouragh said. “I dont think we would have been friends as fast as we were. You don’t meet many kids who like Star Trek in yearbook. It was kind of an oddity, so we kind of clicked in our nerdy-ness.”

According to Hamm, Star Trek was the “catalyst” of her and Aouragh’s relationship.

“Star Trek provided a topic of conversation sufficiently more engaging than school or figuring out people we both knew and stuff like that, so it led to a greater desire to

talk to each other,” Hamm said.

When asked to choose an “absolute favorite” from the original series or Next Generation, Hamm favored the original series.

“I don’t really know how to explain it; there’s just something about the first thing in a series--books, tv, movies, whatever--that is really comforting, I guess,” Hamm said.

Although Hamm “loves” the show now, she didn’t initially.

“It took a while to grow on me. Once I realized that there was more than one series and lots of movies, though, I got more interested, because I like the idea of having a whole world to explore,” she said.

This “whole world” is what kept Hamm engaged in the show; her appreciation of its quality came later.

“The canon has expanded so far that you basically never run out of material to watch, it’s great. It’s full of ridiculous and overly dramatic acting, which I love, and it always has a creative, if somewhat unrealistic, plot line,” she said.

Oh, Lord

by Shaw Coneybeare

RUHS is home to a diverse assortment of literary interests and junior Alanah Roman is one of many students who have found entertainment and intrigue in the medieval-fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire.

“A Song of Ice and Fire is a series with no equal,” Roman said. “It doesn’t even fall in a certain genre. It can be historical fiction because so much of the plot is based on real events in medieval times but it can be also fantasy, for it’s not set in our world and it has fantastical creatures and people.”

According to Roman, the socio-political intrigue of the novels are one of the more fascinating elements of the franchise, most of which hinges on the outcome of a power struggle for the throne of the continent of Westeros.

“You can definitely tell between a book-reader and a show-watcher and there is often some conflict between the two,” Roman said.

Within the fan community there are often disagreements and arguments over the differences between the books and the television series Game of Thrones on HBO, which is based on the franchise.

“Details are different in the book than in the show,” Roman said. “Sometimes it’s hard for each side to really connect with each other because of that, but with those who both watch and read there is a usually a healthy respect for both sides.”

Beorn to be wild. Senior Christopher Eskilson owns all of Tolkien’s works and even a chess set with some of his characters. One of the main reasons Eskilson enjoys The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings is because they are more peaceful than more modern young adult novels, especially The Hobbit. “I really like the Hobbit because it’s just very peaceful compared to like today we have books like the Hunger Games and Divergent,” he said. “I’m not going to say that they are good or bad, but they are really violent and they’re very different than the Hobbit.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER ESKILSON

Senior Christopher Eskilson has formed a bond with his family over their shared love of J. R. R. Tolkien

by Mandy Ramos

PHOTO BY TYLER EISENHART

Game of Fans. Junior Alanah Roman is a Game Of Thrones fanatic. She has read the whole A Song of Ice and Fire book series and believes it is “a series with no equal.” According to Roman, one of the reasons she loves the books so much is because each book is told from a different, sequential perpective and they each change dramatic focus. In addition, the fanbase for A Song of Ice and FIre is strong worldwide. “The fandom is so large that there are fans all over the globe,” Roman said. However, sometimes disagreements between those who read the books and those who watch the show occur.

Since he was a kid, elves, dwarves, and hobbits are topics he has been hearing around the house. Not only is senior Chris Eskilson a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, but he has been a fan of Tolkien since he was little because of his family’s influence.

When he was too young to read most of the books, Eskilson heard about them from his dad.

“When I was too young to read the books, I was told about it and heard about it, and I thought that the stories were really cool. I started reading The Hobbit when I was young so we read it together,” he said. “My dad would tell me the stories from the book that he remembered and conveyed them to me in a way that made me grasp on to them, which made me find them interesting.”

Eskilson feels that Tolkien has helped him connect to his parents better.

“I feel like you can connect to your parents better

when you have something that you can talk to them about. It can make talking about other things that are much more difficult in real life easier,” he said.

Eskilson believes that Tolkien’s stories have played a huge influence into his interest in history.

“I really like history and I’m really interested in studying it and learning it. I feel like Tolkien helped me a lot with it,” he said.“I think that in terms of affecting me is that I think my appreciation from history comes from liking Lord of the Rings.”

Learning the history and background of Tolkien’s novels has helped Eskilson understand history well.

“Since I was exposed to it at such a young age and that whole idea behind fantasy and mythology behind learning the history of a world, it kind of pushed me towards history in a way of appreciating a story whether the story is real or fake,” he said. “With Tolkien I was exposed to different names and different languages.”

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Say what? Come again?

Junior Kris Patterson is deaf in his right ear due to meningitis

by Reema Saad

A screaming 18 month old Kris Patterson was held down by five people as a spinal tap was inserted into his back: the only way the doctors could test and find out what was causing a fatal infection in Patterson’s head. If he hadn’t remained still, he could have been paralyzed for life.

What started as an ear infection turned into bacterial meningitis and caused him to become deaf in one ear at 18 months old.

PHOTO BY LAUREN DIETHELM

Can you hear me now? At 18 months, Patterson nearly died from bacterial meningitis, which has caused him to be deaf in his right ear.

What is meningitis? compiled by Yasmeen El-Hasan compiled from http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/index.html

Meningitis is a disease caused by the inflammation of meninges, which are the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. The inflammation is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Meningitis is usually caused by bacteria or viruses but can also be caused by physical injury, cancer, certain and drugs.

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Part of the reason that he is deaf is because of the meningitis, but it is also because of all the antibiotics he had to take. If he hadn’t taken the antibiotics, however, the bacterial meningitis would have been lifethreatening.

“If I hadn’t gotten the antibiotics then I probably would’ve died. So it’s good that I’m deaf in one ear and still alive,” Patterson said.

His situation has caused slight difficulty in school in terms of paying attention in class.

“Each grade, my mom tells my teachers that I need to be sitting in the front and be on the right side of the class so I can pay attention and hear. It didn’t really affect me that badly but during school I would sit in the front even though I didn’t really like it and now I just get used to it,” Patterson said.

His mother, Tanya Patterson, said that they didn’t know he was deaf until they saw he had difficulty with speech.

“Initially, Kristopher had a hard time in the learning process. Especially before we really knew he couldn’t hear out of one ear.

His whole academic maturity was stalled until we understood the hearing loss,” Tanya said.

When they found out that Patterson was deaf in his right ear, they figured a hearing aid could be used to help him, but the nerve in his right ear had been destroyed.

“Later we would come to understand that Kristopher’s delay in talking and trouble enunciating was a result of his early hearing loss. We had him tested for several years and asked about hearing aids but since the nerve in his right ear is completely severed, there’s nothing that can be done,” Tanya said.

When playing football, it is difficult for

him to hear the plays unless he is positioned on the right side of the field.

“When I played football for a couple years I was a wide receiver so I was all the way on the outside. If I’m on the right side of the field I can hear the plays and how the ball gets snapped, but if I’m on the left side I need to turn my head sometimes to hear what my teammates are saying,” Patterson said.

Despite the difficulties that his condition has caused him, being deaf in one ear does not affect his life too much. Most people are unaware that Patterson cannot hear through his right ear.

“A lot of people don’t know I’m half deaf.

Sometimes they don’t believe me and they’ll have to check or whatever. When people talk to me sometimes and I don’t hear what they say they’ll ask ‘Are you deaf?’ and I’ll be like ‘Yeah, out of my right ear,’” Patterson said.

Patterson has never received special treatment due to his deafness, only slight accommodations in class and sports. Otherwise, people still treat him the same.

“I don’t think anyone has treated me differently for it. I get the same treatment as everyone else. No one really made fun of me for it and I wasn’t bullied for it because that would be messed up,” Patterson said.

He once had an opportunity to possibly regain his hearing, but Patterson decided not to because there was only a chance, not a guarantee that he would regain it.

“There was one time I went to the doctor for a checkup and they said it was possible to hear out of my right ear but I would have to get a hearing aid surgically implanted into my ear drum. It was possible that it might work but I didn’t go through with it,” Patterson said.

There are five types of meningitis:

-Bacterial meningitis: caused by bacteria; life-threatening; contagious

-Viral meningitis: caused by viruses; serious but not fatal; contagious

-Parasitic meningitis: caused by parasites; fatal

-Fungal meningitis: caused by fungi;

-Non-infectious meningitis: caused by cancer, lupus, certain

drugs, head injury, and brain surgery Symptoms include sudden high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, vomiting or nausea with headache, confusion or difficulty concentrating, seizures, sleepiness or difficulty waking up, sensitivity to light, lack of interest in drinking and eating, and skin rash.

Locks of love

Junior Jessica Hebert cut her hair short in honor of her aunt with cancer

by Shaniya Markalanda

Odd looks and stares, all a result of a haircut. Junior Jessica Hebert got her hair cut short when her aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Although Hebert’s hair used to be shoulder length and is currently shaved on the sides, she does not really miss her old hair.

“I actually don’t miss my hair as much as I thought I would. I love my hair now and I think it makes a statement,” Hebert said.

Although she “loves” her hair, Hebert feels the haircut has brought more attention to her.

“When I go to the grocery store, people turn and look at me. People at school, they didn’t know me before, they know me now,” Hebert said. “The attention isn’t something that I really worry about, because I don’t worry about other people’s opinions unless it’s someone that I love and care about.”

Disregarding other people’s opinions, Hebert feels the haircut has made her a more confident person.

“Before, my hair used to hide my face, so I didn’t really have to look at anyone, making my self esteem levels pretty low,” Hebert said. “Since my hair is short, I’m basically forced to look someone in the eye now, and I like it. It not only boosts my confidence, but helps me stand taller while walking down the hallways.”

When her aunt was diagnosed with cancer, Hebert decided to cut her hair and donate it so her aunt could have a wig.

“My aunt had called my grandmother the night before and she told her that her

cancer was back. I didn’t really tell my grandma that I was going to cut my hair, I just texted my friends, ‘Guys, I’m going to shave my head,’” Hebert said. “After that I said, ‘she needs this more than I do’ in the first place, so my grandma shipped it off like a week later.’”

Hebert asked her friend, junior Delaney Biel, to shave her hair.

“I feel like it was a great idea because she wanted something different and it’s a really cool haircut. I love it. Alternative haircuts are very unique and different,” Biel said.

Although Hebert was a “little hesitant in the beginning,” she is “very happy” with how it turned out.

“I really, really wanted this hairstyle, but I also knew what came with it, along with judgment and having everybody turn and look and stare sometimes, but I’m really happy I made this decision.” Hebert said.

Hebert feels that donating her hair was beneficial for both her and her aunt, “I am definitely happy about donating my hair. I think that it was good for both of us, because she gets her hair, or my hair, and my confidence levels have boosted since I cut my hair,” Hebert said.

Hebert’s aunt, Pat Hall, is “really happy” with the wig from Hebert’s donated hair.

“I think that it was a noble thing of her to

do. Although I would’ve been happy with just a scarf, she went the extra mile and gave me her hair,” Hall said. “It amazes me what guts it must’ve taken for her to do something like that. It brings tears to my eyes every time I look at this wig, it makes me proud to say ‘my niece donated this hair.’”

anymore but tries to talk on the phone with her. Now, Witzenburg and her sister live with their stepmother, Kristie Greenleaf. “[Our biological mother] has been in and out of the mental hospital and, for a while, we were afraid she was going to come after us and bother us, but she didn’t. Now, we have visits with her, but I don’t go to them because I have to stay away from her because I have so much empathy for her because she’s alone, but I started talking on the phone with her,” Witzenburg said.

Greenleaf finds that there are many challenges that come with single parenting, but the happiness outweighs the difficulties.

“Parenthood is a 24/7 job--there is never a day off. With a partner you can schedule breaks, cover for each other, and talk through all the challenges--teenagers by nature bring quite a few. Even though being a same-sex single parent brings challenges, I celebrate having the children in my life every day. It’s

something I’ve always wanted years ago people told me I couldn’t have because I was gay,” Greenleaf said.

Witzenburg’s biological mother’s behavior has led Witzenburg to have some self-esteem issues.

“I felt horrible. No matter how much you try not to believe these things--I knew she was wrong and that she didn’t mean them and that there was something wrong with her--it still got to me. I had such low self-esteem and I was cutting myself,” Witzenburg said.

PHOTO COURESTY OF JANE WITZENBURG Witzenburg, however, does not Stepmotherly love.

Witzenburg and Greenleaf enhave regrets and believes that the joy the marry-go-round when Witzenburg was young. adversities in her life have made her more independent.

“Regretting anything would just make and I act. I wouldn’t be able to write songs me unhappy with the life I’ve been given. if I didn’t go through the things I did and I I’m happy I’m alive. I love to sing, write mu- wouldn’t be the independent person I am,” sic, play the guitar, the piano, the drums, Witzenburg said.

Stepmother the hero of Witzenburg’s story

PHOTO BY LAUREN DIETHELM

by Chandler Ross

A yell. A scream. A pound on the door.

All routine for senior Jane Witzenburg, whose biological mother abused her since birth until she moved in with her stepmother.

“Postpartum depression changed her from the moment I was born. It sucked because it sounded like it was my fault. It progressively got worse. A lot of times it was mostly verbal. She told me that I wouldn’t amount to anything,” Witzenburg said.

She recalls one night where her mother’s violent behavior led Witzenburg to take matters in her own hands.

“That day, she called me a whore, threw vodka at me, and tried to get into my room by pushing the door on me and it hit my knee. She came in with a screwdriver because she was going to take the door off and I was so scared. That’s why I reported her. I didn’t feel safe anymore,” Witzenburg said.

Witzenburg does not see her mother

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In the back of his mind Conversion disorder triggered memory loss in Dylan Allen

by Reema Saad

Amnesia. Allen could not remember anything before the point he woke up in the hospital.

PHOTO BY LAUREN DIETHELM

Even six months after it happened, freshman Dylan Allen can’t seem to grasp memory of his past.

Allen was diagnosed with conversion disorder, which means his nervous system cannot respond to certain things normally, which can trigger memory loss. In Allen’s case, this is exactly what happened.

Allen can not remember anything before the day that he first passed out and went to the hospital.

“I knew who my mom, dad, and brother were. I didn’t know where I was, how I got there, or what had happened--ever,” Allen said.

One of the biggest things that he could not remember was his former girlfriend, freshman Alexis Widmann.

“That was the

hardest part for me. I have this picture of her that was my wallpaper on my phone and I would turn on my phone and I would see it and I wouldn’t know who the girl with me was. It would scare me because I was in the picture with her and she was obviously important,” Allen said.

Even though Allen said she was important, he would still forget who she was.

“I would ask my mom and she would tell me she was my girlfriend. I would forget because I would forget anything anyone told me at the time, even minutes later,” Allen said.

Not knowing who she was only made Allen feel like he really did, because he said she looked important.

“I didn’t know who she was but at the same time I felt like I did know her, she was important. She made me feel good at a time where I didn’t feel good about anything,” Allen said.

Wildman said that she was there to support him throughout because Allen needed someone he could confide in.

“He really needed someone to talk to. I mean, everyone does, but it was on a deeper level, like how he feels about the whole thing and keeping his spirits up because he was really unhappy,” Alexis said.

Allen also didn’t remember most of his friends and others at school when he returned to attending classes.

“Everyone knew who I was and I didn’t know them. That was hard, having to tell people that I didn’t know who they were,”

Allen said.

As tough as it might have been though, he’s glad to be back at school and being able to do something productive.

“It’s so much better than before, than being at home all the time. I just love going to real school now,” Allen said.

Not only did his memory loss affect the relationships he had with people, but Allen can no longer play football because doctors believe it may have been a factor in his memory loss.

“I really want to play football because I enjoy it but I just have to accept that I can’t.

I have to lose something that I enjoyed and move on,” Allen said.

Another challenge he has come across is learning to deal with what had happened and moving forward from it.

“I was just trying to find a reason beyond the medical ones on why it happened. It was too hard for me to accept for a long time and I still haven’t even accepted it. Right now I’m learning to accept that it happened, and I can’t change it right now,” Allen said.

Allen still keeps positive thoughts though and hopes his situation will improve with time.

“I wanted to remember so bad that I tried everything but nothing really happened for awhile. I just have to hope that one day it will change and my memory will come back. But not being able to remember things in my past is really hard, like my childhood and growing up. That’s not easy,” Allen said.

Memory Loss Facts of Conversion Disorder Compiled by Reema Saad

• Conversion disorder is a mental health condition that is characterized by blindness, paralysis, or other nervous system (neurologic) symptoms that cannot be explained by medical evaluation • It’s often difficult to diagnose • Symptoms usually start after a stressful experience or psychological conflict • Signs of the disorder include a debilitating symptom that begins suddenly, history of a psychological problem that gets better after the symptom appears, and lack of concern that usually occurs with a severe symptom • Talk therapy and stress management are a couple ways to reduce symptoms

14 . FEATURES

Hahn improves with her improv

by Reema Saad

Senior Lindsay Hahn got into improv because she doesn’t have time for drama-acting drama, that is.

Hahn decided to join an improv troupe when she felt overwhelmed with participating in the school play and not having time for other senior activities. But she doesn’t mind because improv has helped her in other aspects of her life.

“Improv has helped me become a better speaker for interviews like ASB and Link Crew. I feel like the reason why I was successful in those interviews was because I have confidence from it and I’m more comfortable with speaking. It also just teaches you to enunciate your words better because the audience has to hear you,” Hahn said.

Her sister, freshman Lauren Hahn who is also a part of the troupe, agrees that improv helps with her speaking in class. “ I’m better at public speaking and I’m more confident. I’m more comfortable with class presentations and socratic seminars,” Lauren said.

These characteristics from improv also helped Hahn get a job.

“I got hired at AdventurePlex because they liked my energy and confidence and

thought I would work well with kids,” Hahn said.

In terms of schoolwork, improv has helped Hahn study material better.

“Acting helps with memorization. If you can memorize your lines a week before the show or when you need to be off book then it helps with learning your stuff with classes,” Hahn said.

Hahn also finds herself using improv in plays, especially because many younger kids also participate in the plays she does.

“You get a lot of younger kids and usually they’ll forget their lines the day of and get really nervous. Of course us older kids have to improvise on stage in front of this huge audience in order to make the play continue because if you skip their line and try to say yours it doesn’t make sense and everyone gets confused,” Hahn said.

She still gets nervous before shows though, but as soon as she’s on the stage her nerves go away.

“I get a little nervous leading up to the show, but you get more comfortable with it as it goes on. Once you’re on stage, your body takes over and it goes by quickly,” Hahn said.

1.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JENNA LACY

Gross learns from volunteering

by Sophie Maguy 2.

Happy Camper. 1. Gross poses with Caroline, a counselor at the camp. 2. Children at the camp came from “difficult” home lives.

Volunteering for children at Camp Max Straus over the course of two summers and four winters has transformed senior Jenna Gross into a new and different person.

“The camp made my self esteem go up a

PHOTO COURTESY OF LINDSAY HAHN

Think fast. Senior Lindsay Hahn decided to join an improv troupe this year and has learned that it has helped improve her public speaking skills in addition to helping her feel more comfortable with speaking in general. Her sister Lauren Hahn is also part of the troupe and agrees that it has helped with public speaking skills.

The improv troupe is like a team said Hahn, so they have to know each others personalities to be effective on stage together.

“We’ve all been acting together for at least three or four years. You just have to trust each other and you know what everyone’s knowledge is. You have to know who leans towards taking the lead and be the one to step back and learn each other’s style. You have the ones who are really into being crazy

so you step back and be the more serious one,” Hahn said.

Lauren agreed that trust is a part of being a team and becoming closer as a group.

“Improv has caused us to trust each other and be more comfortable with each other because we depend on each other on stage.

We have become like a little family,” Lauren said.

lot. I’m not particularly sure why it boosted my self esteem, but it was just really fun for me,” she said. “Middle school was kind of terrible for me. I would wear all black and stuff like that and a lot of eyeliner and it was weird. Helping them helped me figure myself out.”

The camp is for children with difficult home lives-with a single parent or adopted.

It is also Jewish, and going at an older age allowed Gross to appreciate more about her religion.

“I wasn’t very religious before, so winter camp gave me some insight about my culture,” she said.

Along with experiencing cultural renewal, Gross also made numerous new friends at the camp.

“It’s just really great to meet all the people. It is like a group of counselors in training and you guys hang out and stuff. You go and get yogurt and stuff like that and it’s so fun because they are your age,” she said.

As she trains to become a counselor with her friends, Gross aspires to be as inspiring as Randi, her former counselor when she attended the camp years ago.

“When I went there as a camper, my last counselor was so cool. When I became a counselor in training, Randi would help me out and she was so cool,” Gross said. “She was really fun, had a lot of energy, and she was so nice. She’s awesome.”

Gross is enthusiastic about being a role model to the children attending the camp

as Randi was to her when she was a camper.

“I just really love working with the kids and I made friends. I was their role model and it was just really fun,” Gross said.

Camp Max Straus takes place in the winter and the summer, including a variety of activities ranging from cooking to horseback riding.

“There are these courses and all kinds of things including hiking, arts and crafts, swimming, sports, nature and drama,” Gross said. “‘Ranch’ I think is my favorite.

It’s basically playing with the animals: goats, chickens, bunnies, et cetera.”

She has been involved with this camp for all of high school and looks forward to the day when she will be promoted to the title of “counselor.”

“Freshman year I was a counselor in training and as I kept going each year they gave me more responsibilities. I am an ‘almost counselor,’” she said.

Ever since she realized that she could be further involved in this camp, she took initiative to stay active in the program.

“Since I went there when I was little, my mom told me about it. But I got myself the interview, filled out the application, and emailed the lady and she was like ‘Yea, do this’ and I was like ‘Okay!’” Gross said.

Although she is currently anticipating that she will be attending San Francisco State next year, Gross is going to find time to participate once more in the camp before going off to college.

FEATURES

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15

Upping the competition The girls lacrosse team faces stiff competition in their upcoming game against Mater Dei, ranked the fourth-best team in the state

by Amanda Shaw

With a strong victory against Palos Verdes on will double team all over the field,” Borgia said.

Wednesday, the girls’ varsity lacrosse team is preparing Although Mater Dei is ranked #4 in California, Borgia for a tough match against Mater Dei on Saturday. is confident that the team will do well if they play their best “Our offense worked really well on Wednesday. PV game. was focused on stopping our leading scorer Maddie “I expect a really close game against Mater Dei. We are Farmer. We just ran our plays and had a lot of girls get certainly capable of winning if we play to our potential,” open for some great shots. Our goalie Rachel Payne was Borgia said. “Our offense has a lot of weapons and Mater on fire with 13 saves,” Coach Tom Borgia said.

Dei will key on Maddie Farmer and Allison Shamir but they After struggling in the first half, the team was able to can’t be stopped by one or two players, so if we move the ball pull themselves together and improve with a much more quickly on offense and we are successful in clearing the ball successful performance in the second half. we will do well.”

“The game against PV went according to plan, winning 17-9, after we beat them 14-5 in our first game. We had a big lead early but we were a little sloppy and careless with the ball and gave up a few easy goals in transition. But we got back on track in the second half. We had 8 girls score, led by Caitie Lowkeen with 4 goals, Hailey Vorndran with 3 goals and Allison Shamir with 2 goals and 3 assists. Allie Tsuji and Kayla Manuum had 2 goals each,” Borgia said.

“The highlights from the PV game were our balanced offense, superior goalie play by Rachel Payne and really tough defense played by Kelsie Currie, Paige Hansen and super sophomore Allie Vorndran. Allie has stepped in to the starting lineup to replace our best defensive player Hailey Thatcher, who broke her finger and Allie has turned into a star,” Borgia said.

With a win against Palos Verdes behind them, the team is focusing on preparing for what should be a very close game against Mater Dei that will call upon more skill and focus than previous games.

“Our game against Mater Dei, ranked # 4 in Southern California , while we are #11, will be a real battle.

We have won our league games by an average of 8 goals a game and the game vs Mater Dei will be tight the entire game. They will be a lot rougher than the Bay League PHOTO BY TED CAVUS teams and depending on who is reffing, it may help us if the refs call it tight. We need to work on clearing the ball Ball movement. 1. Sophomore Allie Vorndran maintains possession of the ball, shielding it from a Mira Costa defender. 2. Junior out of our defensive end with quick passes because they Maddie Farmer carries the ball in front of the Mira Costa goalpost during a game earlier this season, and the girls went on to win.

Volleyball eyes championship run

by Jene Price

PHOTO BY JUSTIN LEE

Set to win. Junior Tanner Smith sets middle blocker Dominic Cangialosi, junior, in yesterday’s match against PV. RUHS swept the Sea Kings.

16 . SPORTS

After beating West 25-10, 25-18, 25-13 and Palos Verdes 25-16, 2515, 25-16, the boys volleyball team is hoping for a clean sweep over Mira Costa next Thursday for the Bay League title.

“Playing them at home will be a lot tougher because they have a bigger crowd and it will be harder to focus and listen to coach and each other,” senior Tyler Bird said.

Beating them at home for the first time since 2006 has given the team more confidence going into CIF. “Being a Redondo alumni beating

Costa is always a goal and this is the first time as a head coach that I have done that and it is a great accomplishment,” coach Avery said.

Senior Devon Burki has been out with an injury and this week has been his first week back, contributing to the wins over West and Palos Verdes.

“Having Devon back is a good feeling. He’s excellent to have on offense and a great contributer to the team,” senior Vincent Pizutti said.

The boys know they still have to stay focused when they play Costa.

“Beating them at home was good

but if we are able to beat them in their house it’s even better,” senior Louis Richards said.

According to Pizutti, he is not worried about playing Mira Costa again.

“I feel that my team is ready and we have been preparing for this the last couple of weeks,” Pizutti said.

Coach Avery strives to keep the boys working hard and is not worried about any over confidence coming from them.

“I make sure we are never satisfied,” Avery said. “We strive to be better everyday and stay humble.”

More on their mind The softball team defeats Leuzinger 20-0, but faces a greater challenge in Mira Costa today

by Romy Moreno

Batter up!

Kathryn Ung winds up for a pitch, and a teammate takes a swing in a game against Narbonne earlier this season.

The girls were able to beat Leuzinger high school, 20-0, making them 2-1 in league, and are hoping to continue their winning streak against Mira Costa high school in their game today.

“With our win over Leuzinger just a few days ago definitely puts us in the mindset to do whatever we need to in order to keep winning,” junior Brigid Antonelli said.

According to the girls the game against Leuzinger was not challenging, but still taught them some valuable skills that they will be able to use in todays’ game.

“The game was really slow compared to others, but I truly think that it taught us all to be patient,” Antonelli said. “We were forced to wait for a good pitch which enforced harsh plate discipline which will come in handy.”

Antonelli is not the only player that believes this.

“It gave us good batting practice because we had to capitalize when a good pitch came and required a great amount of patience,” junior Haley Reed said.

Even though some of the members on the team saw some benefits out of the game, others had opposite beliefs.

“I feel like the Leuzinger game did not prepare us at all for today’s game,” senior Ta-

leigh Williams said. “Playing against them brought our overall intensity down and leaves us with nothing to learn or gain from the win.”

However, the girls do not think that they will let that affect them for today’s game.

“We were able to have an efficient and high energy practice yesterday which is why I do not think the Leuzinger game will affect us in our game today,” Williams said.

Last year the team was unable to beat Mira Costa in their first game, but plan to come out strong against them from the start this year.

“We have been preparing at practice all week by focusing and increasing our amount of confidence specifically for this game,” Reed said.

The girls plan to play just as they did the second time they faced Mira Costa last year.

“We played with a lot of energy,” Williams said. “We came out strong in the first inning and the rest followed, we just have to get ahead of them quickly.”

The team hopes to come out victorious and add on to their winning streak.

“We will be able to get the win just as long as we get runs early on in the game, which I know we are more than capable of,” Antonelli said.

Girls track takes Bay League title

by Jennie Bao

In the Mira Costa Dual Meet yesterday, the girls were crowned Bay League champions.

Even though the boys lost the 4x400, they still tied for first in Bay League with Mira Costa.

There was no more information available at print time.

Both the girls and boys also won at the Palos Verdes meet.

“The season’s been going pretty well,” Nicole Pederson said. “We don’t really focus on our times as much as we focus on the way we perform.”

As a team they scored big points in distance races, sprints, hurdles, and the field events.

“Individually everyone is doing well and everyone’s times are getting lower,” Pederson said.

Both Pederson and Heri did well in their meet and are still

looking to improve.

“Pole vaulting makes me feel like I’m flying. I’m happy that as a freshman I can get to twelve feet and it makes me wonder how much higher I can get,” Heri said.

Pederson is already looking at the upcoming meet with Costa and has faith in Redondo.

“Everyone’s fitness is really good at this time. Costa is our biggest competitor so we are getting ready to make sure we will do well,” Pederson said.

Heri is excited to play Costa and can’t wait for another meet.

“I think that if we really focus then we will succeed in the upcoming meets. I feel like everyone just thinks that we run but in track we don’t just win because we are fast, we win because our coaches help us do better,” she said.

PHOTO BY KAMILA AOURAGH

High flyer. Senior Keanu Capper jumps over the pole marker in the high jump event at the track meet.

SPORTS . 17

Recovering from the slump Baseball works to come back from their loss against PV in order to place in Bay League.

by Jason Fong

The team lost 0-2 to Palos Verdes on Wednesday due to a hitting slump.

According to senior Cassius Hamm, the team needs to improve their hitting to be a contender in the race for a Bay League champion team.

“We definitely need to work on our hitting. Yesterday, we went out there and scored no runs, which is never where you want to be. You can’t win any games by scoring no runs. When we’re hitting as a team, we do really well. But right now, we’re in a big slump and need to work together as a team to change that,” Hamm said.

According to Hamm, the team has walked away from the loss “energized” and “ready to work hard”.

He believes the team still has chance to be Bay League Champions and qualify for the playoffs.

“Losing this game has definitely made placing well in league a lot harder. We need other teams to defeat PV and Peninsula, but we’re not out of the running yet.We’re definitely capable of placing and getting to the playoffs, but we have to prove it. We have to

PHOTO BY TYLER EISENHART

take each game one at time and go out there and play well in each one,” Hamm said.

According to Hamm, the team has the same skill level and ability as Palos Verdes.

“PV’s in the same boat that we are in.

They lost their first two games to Penninsula, so after our loss to them, they’re 1-2. This was our first loss in league after winning our first two games.” Hamm said.

According to Hamm, the team plays

Tag! Senior Cain Castor tags out a Torrance player during their game on March 25th.

their best game when they are focused on winning and working together.

“We definitely try to come out in our games with a lot of energy and carry things over from practice, like getting our plays right. We mainly just try to come out and work hard together as a team.” Hamm said.

The next game for the team is an away

game today at 3:15 against Peninsula..

Hamm is confident in the team’s chances of defeating Peninsula.

“We definitely can beat PV. They’re not better than we are, and we have similar playing styles. We just have to go out there and play well. We’re ready to go out and get them” Hamm said.

Boys lacrosse trains for match against PV

by Sophia Ruffo

PHOTO BY JUSTIN LEE

He’s got whip. Senior Dominic Peluso evades Bevery Hills players during their game in March.

18. SPORTS

The lacrosse team “crushed” Downey on Wednesday with a score of 22- 2. During the Downy game the team played consistently.

“We played very consistently and sharp throughout the whole game,” John Langford said.

They hope to beat Palos Verdes today at 3:00, but but after previous losses to PV, the team will have a “tough” match.

“PV is a big game because we’ve never beat them before, so the guys are eager to make history,” Langford said.

Senior Harrison Faecher agrees that the upcoming game will be hard for the boys to beat, adding that the game will be a challenge.

“They will be tough. We’ve never beaten them before, so it should be a good game,” Faecher said.

The guys are working hard together to play as a unified team and figure out their strategy.

“I think the team will do very well.

Coaches and players have been banding together and explaining how we want to play more as a team. We showed that Wednesday night, and everyone was excited,” Langford said.

The team is working on scenario drills to practice for the game on Friday.

“We will be practicing fast breaks and double team mechanics. We have three attack men with three defenders on them, and the coach rolls out a ball. A mid-fielder runs to the goal in hope of drawing a defender, and then moving it to the next guy who goes through the same process until we get a goal.” Langford said.

Langford is confident that the team will win the upcoming match against PV, and believes that the team’s progression has helped them bond.

“The team is very excited to play. We have progressed very much in terms of comradery and overall gameplay,” Langord said.

Swim prepares for Bay League

by Chris Paludi

After falling to Mira Costa, the swim team is now focusing on Bay League.

“I think that we all did fairly well,” sophomore Anna Faveur said. “Some of the people got their personal records, and I’m really proud of all of them for that. Our girls lost by only two points; compared that to last year, that’s amazing. This meet is really in preparation for the bay league finals which are only two weeks away, so I think that it was nice to use this meet as practice for bay league finals, and it is helping people realize how fast they could potentially go after tapering.”

Tapering is when swim training gets less intense to recuperate the swimmers’ bodies in preparation for a big meet.

“I think the team is all looking forward to tapering because we know how important it is to perform well at league,” Faveur said. “The shorter practices will allow our bodies to rest so that we won’t be tired for league, and therefore we can perform our best. Also, I think that tapering puts us in the right mindset going into the next two weeks.”

In the next two weeks, the team will have dual meets and then the Bay League finals.

“Bay League finals is the final test to show how you’ve improved,” sophomore Rodrigo Gutierrez said.

As the preparation for their “final test” begins in earnest, expectations are beginning to rise in many swimmers.

“I’m speaking for the girls team, but we’re really excited going into league,” Faveur said. “I know that last year we got last place at league, but at the Mira Costa invitational, we got second. We tied with West Torrance, whom we beat last week. So this year, we really think we have a chance to show how much we’ve improved. Things are really looking up for us going into league this year.”

2.

3.

PHOTOS BY TED CAVUS

While expectations and anticipation build, the swim team draws closer together.

“I think that the whole team should be really proud of themselves, regardless of whether or not we win league in two weeks,” Faveur said. “We put in so much effort in order to get to where we are. Almost every-

1.

Backing it up. 1. Junior Jack Bradford swims during the swim team’s meet against Costa yesterday. 2. Coach Rubke and junior coach Chris Stolba celebrate after the team gains “crucial points” during the girls 50 meter backstroke. 3. Bradford swims during the boys 100 meter backstroke.

one has gotten personal records multiple times throughout the year, and when you do, everyone is genuinely proud of you because we all want each other to do the best that we can.”

Because of their teamwork and effort, Faveur believes this season is a success for

that alone.

“I think that no matter what happens in the Bay League finals, we should be proud of ourselves because have worked so hard to be competitive with the other teams, and we’ve improved immensely from last year,” Faveur said.

Boys tennis works to recover from loss against Bishop

by Caterina Hyneman

PHOTO BY KAMILA AOURAGH

Focus. Junior Boris Tsetsorin plays against a PV player during their game on the 2nd.

After losing to Palos Verdes on Monday, boys varsity tennis is training hard to make a comeback for their upcoming game against Bishop Montgomery.

“I think we need to work on our consistency because our team has had some great matches, but we don’t always bring that same consistency to every game. The lineup has changed around a lot because of this,” said senior Sean Mitchell.

Andy Chen feels that the team did pretty well considering the circumstances.

“I think we did the same as the last time we played them, pretty good given the matchup,”

said Chen. “I think the doubles teams need to work on approaching the net more and being more consistent. I think singles are doing pretty good and are winning games.”

The team is hopeful going into their next game against Bishop.

“Their doubles lineup is weak and inexperienced,” said Chen. “Last time we faced them we beat them, and since then we have improved.”

“The team is fairly confident,” said Mitchell. “Bishop is definitely an easier opponent than our most recent matches, and we beat them the last time we played them.”

SPORTS . 19

PHOTO 1 BY JUSTIN LEE, PHOTO 2 BY KAMILLA AOUROGH

Better. Stronger. Faster. Taller. 1. Pizzuti’s and Bird’s friendship have developed them into a formidable duo on the court. 2. Pizzuti prepares to spike the ball.

athletes of the issue: Vincent Pizzuti and Tyler Bird

Unstoppable forces in perfect harmony

Seniors Vincent Pizzuti and Tyler Bird dominate the volleyball courts with their chemistry

by Jason Clebowicz

Dig, set, spike; the repeated motions of volleyball run through seniors Tyler Bird and Vincent Pizzuti’s head as they compete on the court together for the fourth straight year.

It isn’t by coincidence that Bird and Pizzuti play the same sport: each is more than six feet tall, which makes them over qualified for their positions: libero and outside hitter, respectively.

“I am 6’3 and 170 pounds,” Pizzuti said.

On the other hand, Bird stated he was “6’2 and 165 pounds.”

Not only are they a physical force, they make sure to have a strong mental approach when playing together on the court. They like use defensive techniques and focus on their skillset instead of brute force.

“Being from California, I do have a certain style of play. Compared to most midwest teams whose players all very big and tall, they bring a much more offensive game.

Because we aren’t as tall we focus a lot more on ball control and defense,” Pizzuti said.

Playing beach volleyball together has helped improve their indoor game, according to Bird.

“Especially playing with Vincent on the beach we notice some skills we use primarily on the beach show up in our indoor play and it makes us better skilled players,” Bird said.

20 . SPORTS

Both Bird and Pizzuti have committed to playing volleyball at Div. I universitites.

Only 4.1 percent of high school volleyball players get this opportunity. (http://www. scholarshipstats.com).

“One big achievement I will never forget is committing to Cal State Long Beach with my best bud Louis Richard,” Pizzuti said.

Bird committed to UC San Diego.

Both players consider unfaltering energy and leadership under pressure to be strengths.

“My biggest strength is being able to keep everyone level headed. As captain of the team I have to stay calm and make sure we keep executing even in high pressure situations,” Bird said.

Pizzuti believes his biggest strength is “the energy I bring to the team during every match. I love seeing my teammates play well and get very excited when the excel.”

For Pizzuti, the road to becoming a Div. I player wasn’t always easy. He recalls a time where getting playing time was difficult and he even had thoughts of quitting volleyball altogether.

“During my freshman year, I was on a very prestigious club team and found it very hard to get playing time on the court. There was a time where I even wanted to quit. But as the tournaments passed, I battled hard to earn my spot and was able to start in the

most important game of the season. We ended up winning the match and earning a bronze medal in the open division of Junior Olympics,” Pizzuti said.

Bird went through a completely different struggle, being pulled in different directions by two other sports also having to balance a tough course load.

“I did soccer and cross country freshman and sophomore year so it was hard to keep my grades at the high level I wanted. I had to be extra motivated in order to keep my grades up and play,” Bird said.

Both always make sure to communicate with each other on the court, and that has created an “effective” partnership.

“We work together by communicating a lot on who goes for the ball on defense and serve-receive. We kind of have this ‘Pizzuti Bird’ mental connection on the court. We know where the other person is going to be during each play, so we know what each of us are covering. It’s weird to think about but is very beneficial during the games,” Pizzuti said.

“Having so many reps together we know exactly which balls each of us is responsible for and after working out some kinks our first two years together, this year we have been cohesive in serve reception,” Bird said.

The teamwork qualities Bird and Pizzuti possess have rubbed off on other members

of the team, and junior Daniel Ziegler looks up to them as role models.

“It’s crazy to see how well they work and play together on the court. It really is something special and cool to see and I wish to have a teammate connection like that in the future. They are great teammates to me and are two of the biggest leaders on the team,” Ziegler said.

According to Pizzuti and Bird, playing together has been a life experience that has helped them grow as volleyball players and furthered their relationship on and off the court.

“Playing with Vinny for all four years at Redondo, we play really well together and given our friendship off the volleyball court we help each other be the best players we can be. I have so much trust in Vinny to come in clutch when our team needs a kill or a block and our defense together is really good,” Bird said.

Pizzuti agrees that playing with Bird has been one of his favorite parts of high school.

“I have no doubt he is one of the top 5 liberos in the country. We have great chemistry so we know where each other will be on the court which makes it that much harder for other teams to get kills. I am always confident when a ball goes to him because I know he will make something happen out of it,” Pizzuti said.