High Tide Jan. 18, 2013 Edition

HIGH

TIDE Jan. 18, 2013 // Vol. XCIII // Edition 8 Redondo Beach, CA // Redondo Union High School

13 THINGS to look forward to

1

IN 2013

Pier Renovation:

Last summer the Redondo Beach Pier Landing was renovated, but that was only the beginning. The city acquired 15 acres of land on or around the pier area and will be the focus of future development efforts, according to Mayor Mike Gin. The city is working with CenterCal Properties and using city forums to allow citizens to collaborate on ideas for the development of the land. The site design is scheduled to come out in March 2013, with other, more refined designs and environmental reviews to follow. According to Gin, the 15 acres will become the “jewel [of ] our community.”

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p6-7//

Local pop/rock band Le Paige experiences the spotlight.

compiled by Joseph Bieschke, Ted Cavus, and Chance King.

p8-9//

Mrs. Yi’s class uses a teddy bear to share feelings and ideas.

p12-13 //

Students explore the businesses and history of the Redondo Beach Pier.

The

week in

STAR Testing to be replaced

photos

by Shawn Mallen

Archery.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEREMY SHAW

Bullseye. Junior Jeremy Shaw fires his compound bow at the 2012 Pacific Coast Championships Archery Tournament, where he placed first in the Men’s Cadet Compound category. Shaw is ranked first in California for the 2012 California Archery season and competes around eight times a year at the regional, state, and national level. Shaw hopes to try out for the U.S. National Team, where he would travel around the world to participate in international competition.

Wind Ensemble.

PHOTO BY DIANA LUNA

Winded. Juniors Max Sarafin, Ty Cetorelli, and Bryant Lozada play trumpets at the Wind Ensemble’s performance. This concert was held to improve musicianship among the students because many of the students have never performed a small or solo performance before. Wind Ensemble director Mark Aguero says that he has seen better musicianship after the musicians had practiced their pieces for three months.

Recess.

PHOTO BY DIANA LUNA

The good ‘ol days. ASB tries to relax and reduce stress during the week before finals by holding recess in Freshmen Circle during lunch on Thursday. Senior Kaleb Smith swings the rope and senior Debbie Johnson tries to jump Double Dutch. Meanwhile, senior Jonah Garcia prepares to join in with her as the rest of the crowd watches. In addition, there were other events besides jump roping like hula hooping and at the end, prizes were given to the participants.

2 HIGH TIDE . NEWS

It has been an obstacle at the end of every year since second grade. However, the STAR test that most students have known since they were young may be changing.

“Multiple-choice, fill-in-the-bubble tests alone simply cannot do the job anymore and it’s time for California to move forward with assessments that measure the realworld skills our students need to be ready for college and a career,” State Superintendent Tom Torlakson said.

According to the Saratoga Patch, Torlakson wants to move away from tests that emphasize memorization and recall.

Instead, he wants an end of the year test that focuses on critical thinking, analyzing data and problem solving.

If Torlakson’s plan is approved by state legislation, STAR testing would be suspended next year. The new test, which is still undetermined, would begin in the 2014-15 school year.

According to Assistant Principal Anthony Bridi, who oversees STAR testing, the current standardized testing is similar to what classrooms had when he was a high school student.

“I think its a good idea [to change the testing]. Times are changing and [we need to keep up],” Bridi said.

Bridi agrees that the testing should be changed to take advantage of the updated society that students live in today. However, Bridi still believes that reinforcing basic knowledge is essential to a students success because they need to use that knowledge to be able to solve problems and analyze information.

“At every level there is going to have

to be foundational knowledge. I believe that schools will still be able to teach foundational knowledge [in addition to the new tests],” Bridi said.

English teacher Emily Krueger supports the reinforcement and use of critical thinking, but is unsure how the standardized test would be more beneficial to students compared to a year-long teacher assesment.

“I understand that the need for [teacher] accountability, but I think those skills [should be] assessed throughout the year,” Krueger said. “I feel like teachers who have been with the students all year have a better understanding [of the students’ knowledge] than a test taken in one day would be able to measure.”

Although, Krueger isn’t very enthusiastic about standardized testing at the end of the year, she believes that the new test will be a good thing for students if the state finds a way to more accurately assess the student’s skills and knowledge.

Regardless of the changes on the test, Krueger thinks that the new test should not force the teachers to change the way that they teach, rather, it should reinforce what they already teach.

“The test should assess things that I’m already teaching. I don’t feel the need to teach toward things that are on the test,” Kruger said.

Regardless of what the the new test brings in 2014, Bridi believes that certain aspects of standardized testing should remain in the new test.

“The most important thing [for students] during the end of the year testing is to focus on doing your best and to truly find out how much you know about the subject.”

Bridi said.

Security increases after Newtown shooting

by Andrew Czuzak

Only a month has passed since the Newtown shooting, a month since Americans’s sense of security was shattered, and a month since the second deadliest school shooting in American history.

Now California State Senator Ted Lieu wants to introduce a school safety bill that would link school funding to an annual update of emergency response plans.

“It’s not a bad idea. You can’t put a price on safety,” Principal Nicole Wesley said. “If this is the way to ensure that the districts update their plans, why not?”

According to Wesley, RBUSD already requires that the schools set measurable safety goals that RBUSD must approve.

“RUHS is going to [update our security] either way, but other districts may not be so vigilant with their plans,” Wesley said.

Wesley also believes that Redondo was fortunate to have run a lockdown drill a week before the shooting, claiming that several teachers and students mentioned

things that may not have been mentioned if the shooting did not occur.

“After the shooting there was heightened awareness. Our campus advisors are more aware of people trying to get on the campus,” Wesley said. “If there’s one positive to draw from [the shooting], it’s a greater level of seriousness in facing the threat.”

School Resource Officer Lori Shimkus agrees with Wesley and says the Redondo Beach Police Department(RBPD) increased their presence especially at drop-off and pick-up zones.

“Increasing our presence at schools isn’t really a policy, but rather a courtesy. A lot of us have children and we wanted to [reassure other parents],” Shimkus said Wesley is grateful for the security that the RBPD provide, but still believes there is still more the school can do to improve safety.

“I think the plans RUHS have are sufficient, but we need to do a better job of sharing them with students,” Wesley said.

“If there was to be a lockdown drill during snack, would students know what to do?”

1.

3.

West meets East. 1. Seniors Madi Yagle and Erin South were approached by a Shanghai native who was curious about their hometown. After learning that they were from California, he threw up a shaka. 2. Seniors Emily Horowitz and South and the rest of the group attended a school for a half day where they visited the P.E. and art classes. 3. Senior Somtoya Arinze poses with two Chinese students at the farewell ceremony in Zhangjiagang.

In China, the group was often approached by strangers and had their photos taken. Photos

by Jenny Oetzell.

2.

China Sister City Program tries to gain members to travel to China

by Hana Ghanim

Digging a hole through the Earth’s core won’t get you to China, but the China Sister City Program will.

The program organizes fundraisers and student exchanges to and from Zhangjiagang, China.

As members of the China Sister City Committee, seniors Christian Grantz and Erin South help with the planning once a month with city officials. They also visited Zhangjiagang in the spring of 2011 and hosted students this past summer.

“China has a totally different culture and experience that anyone can treasure for a lifetime,” Grantz said.

Senior Emily Horowitz, who also went to Zhangjiagang with Grantz and South, goes beyond an ordinary trip to China.

“We got an experience that you can’t get from just traveling by yourself. We got to really be immersed in the culture by staying in [host families’] homes, going to classes at the school, getting special tours and other treatment tourists could never get on their own,” Horowitz said.

South agrees and believes the trip enlightened her by introducing her to a different way of life.

“I absolutely love to travel and see new places and try new things. I wouldn’t have known that about myself had I not gone on the trip,” she said. “New experiences are

very cool; they make you feel so small but so big at the same time.”

South, who will study International Studies and Chinese at UC San Diego next year, believes that the program impacted her future.

“Had I not joined that committee for my exchanges, I wouldn’t have realized that foreign relations is my calling,” South said. “I’d say it’s a successful and impacting program.”

In order to spread this opportunity to more people, the China Sister City Program has created a Facebook group called Redondo Beach Friends of China. Currently, they are trying to get more members for their March trip.

Horowitz agrees that the trip to China, among the other opportunities the China Sister City Program provides, was more eyeopening than she could have imagined.

“The biggest thing I took away from the trip was a better sense of the world and a desire to travel to more places,” Horowitz said. “If the mere week I spent in a small fraction of China could give me so many irreplaceable memories, I can’t even imagine what the rest of the world has to offer.”

To read more about their trip to China and the China Sister City Program or visit http:// hightideonline.org

Stern runs for Redondo Beach’s District Four City Council seat at age 18

by Jason Rochlin

Senior Julian Stern may be knocking on your door sometime soon, but he is not selling magazines. Instead, he is selling himself as a candidate for District Four City Council, running for Steve Diels’ vacant seat.

“I’ve always been involved in local politics, and I’ve always been interested in how the city runs,” Stern said. “I love the city, I love the residents, and I think I have a lot to bring in front of the council.”

Stern’s father, Randolph, says his son has

always been interested in politics, even from a young age.

“Eight years ago, when the District Four candidates came to speak at PTA, Julian was the only kid there. In seventh grade he was a write-in candidate for LA Superior Court Judge,” Randolph said.

According to Stern, he has an advantage over the other candidates because of his hometown roots. Stern went to Redondo schools for elementary and middle school, is a senior at Environmental Charter High School in Lawndale and also take classes at El Camino College.

“I’ve lived in the district all my life. I feel like I represent the future of Redondo Beach. Many of the issues being discussed will pertain to the future; my opinions should be heard,” he said.

Stern, who turns 18 on Jan. 19 feels that age has not been a factor in his campaign and, according to Stern, people tend to only view his youth in a beneficial manner.

“Most people don’t even bring up my age at all,” Stern said. “When they do, it usually tends to be positive comments.”

Stern has a very specific platform centered on business growth in North Redondo

which specifically targets Artesia Blvd.

“If the harbor and waterfront area is the heart of Redondo Beach, then Artesia Blvd. is the vein that carries life to it,” Stern said, “I’d like to make zoning and gaining permits easier to obtain.”

Stern hopes that people take his campaign seriously, citing the fact that he is being endorsed by three of the four mayoral candidates running.

“I think we have good chances of winning. It’s really exciting, and I’m hoping people will pick up on the excitement and help push me to victory,” Stern said.

3 HIGH TIDE . NEWS

Justin

Jabbers

“Teenagers are too young to be running for political office”

by Justin Lee

When one thinks of a high school student who likes politics, one thinks that he/ she volunteers from time to time for a campaign, or maybe, for the more active follower of politics, has an internship at the local congressional office.

But who ever thought about a high school student actually in office? It may soon become a reality.

Meet Julian Stern. He’s running to be a city councilman in Redondo Beach. Why is he important? Because he is 17. He is not even old enough to vote, yet he’s doing something that most people would rather pay to stay away from than embrace.

Stern is smart, but he seems to think he knows his community better than candidates who have lived in Redondo Beach longer than he’s been alive, like Steve Samamarco, who is running for the same seat.

Stern has worked on other campaigns like the Obama and No on Prop 8 campaigns in 2008 but that does not give him enough experience to lead a community.

He has plans; at a candidates’ forum he proposed raising revenue to help local businesses and said he would like to negotiate with AES, but still, would you rather choose a candidate in high school or one who owns an actual company?

Teenagers still in high school are too young to be running for any civil office other than, at most, being the student representative for the school board.

To trust a teenager to handle city operations and pass new ordinances is like trusting an intern to head the board of executives of a Fortune 500 company. It just doesn’t make sense.

This is not the prom committee in which students make decisions on which color streamer to use. This is a real community in which every decision can affect a lot of people’s lives.

The inexperience of any teenager still in high school is one of the problems. To think that a teenager has what it takes to run for office, know what his community wants, and be able to make rash decisions without worrying about what other people will think is a dream. Most likely, the average teenager will have had as much experience in leading a community as he or she has had in teaching a class or in leading a seminar.

And no, visiting city hall and sitting in one of the councilman’s seats does not count as experience, sorry.

A student should focus on himself and make sure that he has his life in order before trying get involved in others’. Yes, it is important to have goals and passions, but as a teenager in high school, running for public office may have stern consequences that could come back to bite him in the future.

4 HIGH TIDE . OPINION

Common Core standards force students and teachers to fit a strict mold.

ILLUSTRATION BY COOPER LOVANO

EDITORIAL: California schools to adopt the

new Common Core standards for testing WHAT WE THINK

The Common Core standard’s pursuit of more logic-based classroom instruction is good in theory. However, they are being rushed into too quickly. The standards are too vague and would insufficiently prepare students for the jobs of the future, as those jobs will be radically different from jobs now.

Education was once meant to better prepare us for the future. That meaning will be useless in 2014 if California passes the “Common Core” standards that are to replace California’s current standards.

The Common Core’s mission statement states that it will try to make students “fully prepared for the future,” so that “our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.”

With that being said, what makes someone “globally competitive?” Essentially, there are two factors in deciding who to employ: quality and price.

If the Common Core’s mission statement is to have everyone be equally prepared for the global economy, then the price will be the deciding factor.

With our globally intertwined economy, jobs can be outsourced all across the world.

If someone in Turkey is willing to do the same job that we have “prepared for” for a lower price, then he would obviously still get the job over a “prepared” American. The only factor we would need to change is a

qualitative difference.

In today’s technological and informational revolutions, jobs are continuously being made in these new industries. If the Common Core is made to help us prepare for future jobs, what jobs are we preparing for? A standard job 10 years from now probably won’t be the same as the standard jobs of today, so how can students be prepared for a job that does not even exist yet?

With the new jobs that will be created, there will be a new need for creativity. The Common Core standards seem to support more logic based skills, rather than the creative skills that prepare students for jobs in

By the

numbers In favor Against

Views of editorial staff

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the fields that are currently growing.

With the continued growth of creativity via YouTube, Blogs, or independent websites, creativity has become more and more supported and integrated into our society. If we were to be truly “globally competitive,” shouldn’t the focus be on more creative skills, such as story telling, drawing, or creative thinking?

Another issue is that the attitude of the teachers and politicians seems to be that these changes will happen overnight. New

standards mean new ways of teaching and new ways of learning. However, with such a quick transition, what will become of that generation gap that is stuck in a guinea pig situation?

If the students aren’t “globally competitive” initially, as the government wants them to be, what will the government say? “Too bad, we were still experimenting?” If such a broad change has to happen, it needs to happen gradually and over time, they shouldn’t rush ito a new set of standards with such ready speed.

Also, the standards will be national ones, and Common Core will be the standard for every state. This means that states are no longer able to create standards that fit their states’ levels. While some states’ standards will be raised, the standards of many states will end up being lowered.

Another problem with the Common Core standards is that qualified, veteran teachers that have been teaching using current standards for an extremely long time will most likely quit rather than adjust to a new standard. Can you imagine if a high school loses an extremely well qualified teacher such as Linda Dillard because of new standards?

The standards should not change to help students become more “globally competitive.” With unknown jobs awaiting in the future and creativity becoming a global standard, why should we take an extremely fast-paced, extremely premature and extremely radical change to our curriculum?

PRO: Nicholas McCarthy

More help should be made available for those with mental health diseases.

He needed help. It was obvious, but no one responded and he struck back, making sure we would remember for the rest of our lives.

From the tragic shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., the hardest thing to grasp is why anyone would be moved to kill innocent six and seven-year-old children and the teachers who tried to protect them.

It is uncertain what was going through the mind of 20-year-old Adam Lanza during his three-minute shooting spree, but it is certain that it had not emerged overnight.

Lanza must have had some form of mental instability which was not treated and eventually caused him to crack.

Reports from his teachers stated Lanza was an intelligent kid, but he was very quiet and had very little social contact with any of his peers. He would bring a briefcase to school instead of a backpack and dressed like his father, a businessman who left him when he was young.

Lanza was displaying a cry for help; however, he was not recognized and counseled, and as a result, he lashed out against the society who ignored him.

Spending more to help the mentally ill is critical if the community wants to remain safe from brutal and tragic massacres. Think of how many lives could have been saved if Lanza had been counseled and treated for his mental illness.

The costs for a psychiatrist and medications are far less than, and cannot compare to, the priceless lost lives of the young children at Sandy Hook Elementary.

Lanza was not the only person who shot many people as a result of a mental breakdown. James Holmes, the shooter at the midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” at Aurora, Colo. was mentally ill as well. He was also intelligent, but his illness

went untreated for years, and as a result, he dropped out of school and eventually broke down.

In April 2007, at Virginia Tech at Blacksburg, Va., Seung-Hui Cho was diagnosed with severe depression and selective mutism, an anxiety disorder that inhibited him from speaking to certain groups of people.

He shot over 30 people on-campus making it the deadliest shooting incident by a single gunman in the United States.

As a nation, we need to change our attitude towards mental illness. When we see someone that is suffering, we should not look away. We need a better plan to give mental health care the same level of attention and emphasis as other medical care, like cancer treatment or heart disease. Improving access to interventions and therapy should be a national priority.

There is no reason for first or second grader to fear for their lives when they sit in a classroom. There is no reason for us to ignore the mentally ill. We should do our best to improve identification and treatment of those suffering from mental illness and have a safer and less sorrowful future.

Mental health Gun control? or

Of 159 students & and teachers polled

68% 33% felt that there is a lack of available resources for those with mental health condtions.

Ted Cavus

CON: Lack of gun control plays a bigger role in shootings than mental health.

In the United States, there are mentally ill people. Also in the United States, there are weapons that are capable of assisting mentally ill individuals to commit mass murder.

The issue is making sure the deranged people don’t have access to these weapons.

While mental health is certainly important, it is not the only factor involved in shootings like the one at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The primary problem isn’t a lack of available resources for those with mental health issues, it is the easy access these people have to weapons.

Guns do not necessarilly kill people, but they are the instruments of murderers. If a man walked into a school with a knife, he

felt that gun safety is the main problem and that gun control should be a priority.

would murder a handful of students, but if he walked into the school carrying a semiautomatic gun with hundreds of rounds, he would murder a vast number of students.

And anger is not pathological. The most rational person could also have the impulse to destroy. A gun is the most satisfying means to feeding that impulse.

Why should these guns be allowed in society? How could someone claim to carry an assault weapon that can unleash a ridiculous amount of bullets under the illusion of protecting his family? People are carrying around unnecessary and extreme weapons that can massacre hundreds of people under the impression that either the government will up rise up and attack society, or they are protecting their family. Last time I checked, people were not roaming around in packs of hundreds attacking and robbing houses.

Some people who are mentally unstable and will have murderous intentions, could easily persuade a friend to obtain a gun for them. Why make it that easy? Take the Columbine shooting for example. Minors Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold had a friend obtain guns for them which they used to

decimate multiple students. If they did not have these guns, they would have harmed far fewer students, but by possessing these weapons, they murdered 12 students, 1 teacher and injured 21 other students. Consider how easy it was for James Holmes to purchase ammunition online and slaughter the men, women, and children in Aurora.

Availability is the precursor to violence and public menace.

I understand why people would want armed guards—it’s for a sense of security.

However, The Columbine massacre and the Virginia Tech massacre occurred with armed guards on campus, and they are the two deadliest shootings in United States history.

“But there will be better guards!” one might argue, but one cannot not be too reassured.

Remember that as security gets better so do the attacks.

The NRA pictures America to be a perfect, law-abiding country, but there are rule-breakers out there who will not lock up their guns. How do you prevent someone from breaking into a house, stealing a gun, and murdering many civilians? By banning guns.

Letters to the

Editor If you have an opinion about one of the articles, we welcome letters 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

Editor-in-Chief: Julia Tran Managing Editor: Emma Uriarte Writing Director: Tricia Light Design Director: Taylor Ballard Sports Director: Tatiana Celentano News Editor: Andrew Czuzak Opinion Editor: Cedric Hyon; Mannal Haddad Features Editors: Taylor Brightwell; Shivaani Gandhi; Kylie Martin; Haley Meyers; Alejandro Quevedo Sports Editor: Allegra Peelor Photo Editors:Vitoria Magno-Baptista; Diana Luna Copy Editors: Hana Ghanim; Ilana LaGraff; Navikka Dasz Cartoonist: Cooper Lovano Online Editors: Vivian Lam; Kayla Maanum; LeAnn Maanum Staff Writers: Victoria Artaza; Alina Bieschke; Joseph Bieschke; Jewell Black; Kenneth Bowen; Kira Bowen; Kolbie Brightwell; Ted Cavus; Deborah Chang; Edwin Chavez; Caitlin Cochran; Yasmeen El-Hasan; Micah Ezzes; Zoe Ezzes; Anna Fauver; Stella Gianoukakis; Anacristina Gonzalez; Nageena Hamraz; Natalie Hardiman; Katie Hill; Haris Khan; Chance King; Angela Kim; Justin Lee; Daniel Loveland; Shawn Mallen; Nicholas McCarthy; Romy Moreno; Alida Newson; Kayla Nicholls; Susan Nieves; Rachael Orford; Lindsey Pannor; Cameron Paulson; Jene Price; Jason Rochlin; Molly Rood; Shelby Salerno; Beth Shallon; Laura Smith; Cole Stecyk; Savannah Stern; Karissa Taylor; Claire Tisius; Grace Zoerner Adviser: Mitch Ziegler The High Tide dedicates itself to producing a high-quality publication that both informs and entertains the entire student body.

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

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

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

. . OPINION 5 HIGH TIDE

MOVIE REVIEW

‘Struck by Lightning’ “I enjoyed that this film’s characters were relatable, but the plot was weak and, overall, performances weren’t as impressive as anticipated.” -ALLEGRA PEELOR

B

After speaking with the writer, Chris Colfer, in the last issue, High Tide’s Allegra Peelor sees the movie and judges it for herself.

rian Dannely and Chris Colfer’s new movie “Struck by Lightning” seems like the typical, modern-day coming-of-age movie: Carson Phillips, played

by Chris Colfer, is a misunderstood teenager who applies to a prestigious university to escape his run-down town by singlehandedly starting a literary magazine and running the school’s newspaper. The movie recounts the last few days of Carson’s life before he is literally struck by lightning and dies.

Carson, though very pessimistic and without any friends, never tries to change who he is,

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEWS BY ALLEGRA PEELOR Dermot Mulroney (Neal Phillips) Carson Phillips (Chris Colfer)

Daily Actor

“Phillip’s performance as the conceited and absent father is especially convincing in the revealing dinner scene when Carson storms out.”

6 HIGH TIDE . ENTERTAINMENT

IMDB

“Colfer seemed to play this depressing, yet relatable character effortlessly, especially since Carson is modeled after Colfer himself.”

which is why this movie stood out to me. These days, almost every movie about teens focuses on the “popular” crowd: the partiers, the athletes, the student council president, etc.

Instead, “Struck by Lightning” focuses on, according to Colfer, “kids, like us, that had dreams and goals and the things they had to deal with just for having the audacity to have those dreams and goals.”

This aspect of the movie appealed to me because I could relate to Carson, since I personally am not completely outgoing, and I have dreams and want to be successful in the future.

Like all coming-of-age movies, “Struck by Lightning” explores the meaning of friendship through the relationship between Carson and the only person at his high school that is on his side--a girl named Malerie, played by Rebel Wilson of “Pitch Perfect” and “Bridesmaids.”

Malerie provides the comic relief in the movie through witty oneliners. I was expecting the movie to be more funny or even heart-

Claire Mathews (Sarah Hyland)

Teen Vogue

“As a conceited, naive cheerleader Hyland did a good job playing a preppy girl who is actually just misunderstood and alone in the world.”

warming, so it did disappoint me in that way.

The other performances were also not very impressive.

Allison Janney’s performance as Carson’s drugged and drunk mom, Sheryl Philips, was decent, but at times I felt her performace was a bit forced and overdramatic. Christina Hendricks’ performance as the vulnerable pharmacist and Neal’s pregnant girlfriend wasn’t very convincing. As she typically plays the independent woman, this naive character didn’t seem to suit her.

Another thing that I did not like about “Struck by Lightning” was the end--a few days before graduation from high school, Carson is walking to his car and gets struck by lightning and dies. There are not very many movies in which the main character dies at the end, so that was interesting and unique, but there were too many loose ends that were never tied up--Carson never reached his one dream, which was to graduate from Northwestern and become editor of the “New Yorker” later in life. In addition, the audience never learns what happens with his parents or his father’s girlfriend, which was frustrating to me.

Although the acting in the movie was poor and the storyline fell apart at the end, I still enjoyed “Struck by Lightning” and would recommend seeing it because of its relatable characters and realistic focus.

The Principal (Brad William Henke)

TV Rage

“Henke did a good job portraying the ruthless and power-hungry Principal who is not concerned with the good of the students.”

Le Paige goes to all lengths for fame

by Mannal Haddad and Shivaani Gandhi

34

1

3 PHOTOS AND LOGO COURTESY OF LE PAIGE

Making their way to the top. 1. Le Paige plays at their favorite Los Angeles venue, AmplyFI. Le Paige is scheduled to play here again on January 26th. 2. A close-up of Le Paige’s feature in Music Connection’s Hot 100 Live Unsigned Artists. 3. The band participates in a shoot and posts promotion photos, including this one with the headline, “Just a group of cool guys”, on their website, lepaigeband.com prior to their Warped Tour performance. 4. The band takes promotion photos, including this one, to promote themselves as a “Hollywood pop/rock band”, hoping to expand their fan-base to “south bay natives”.

2

The screams of the crowd fill their ears, the stage lights build beads of sweat on their foreheads, and the blood pumps to their faces as they stand in a circle, playfully slapping each other. This is a pre-show ritual for pop/rock band Le Paige, which strives to put on energetic performances.

“It gets us where we need to be for a show,” guitarist Adrian Padua, 20, said. “We are really high-energy and crazy on stage.”

Music began as a way to pick up girls, but eventually grew into a way to relieve stress.

“We love music because it keeps our minds at ease. I keep myself sane with my music career,” Garner said.

Their “crazy” journey began when the four

members met at The Musician’s Institute in Hollywood.

Padua and Luke Denney, the band’s 20-year-old drummer, knew each other in high school, both having attended Torrance High.

Once they met Garner and Nick Banaszak, also 20, the band formed easily.

Things began to pick up speed after they played at the House of Blues in October 2011.

They played about 15 consecutive shows in the few months following, which helped them pick up a solid fan-base. Their “big break,” however, came when they played at the 2012 Warped Tour.

“It was really mind-blowing and eye-opening. It [felt] like all the hard work that we’ve

been doing for the past few years is really paying off,” Padua said.

After Warped Tour, they needed to raise money for their new EP, “Goodnight to Midnight.” As part of a 30-day fundraising campaign, they put up a video of them dancing to “Gangnam Style” on Kickstarter, an online funding platform for creative projects. The band was able to raise nearly $10,000.

With the money, the band recorded their new EP with Lee Dyess, who has produced albums with bands such as “I Set My Friends on Fire,” “From First to Last,” and one of the band’s biggest influences, “Mayday Parade.”

However, they faced criticism when they first emerged in the form of a “scathing” review

from Music Connection.

“We worked on everything when we read the first review said and excelled to the reviewer’s opinion,” Padua said. “Taking criticism is one of the best things you can do. If you never listen to criticisms, you’ll stay bad,” Garner said.

They practiced five to six hours daily for the six days leading up to their next show. Their “hard work” paid off and Music Connection gave another more positive review.

The boys of Le Paige hope to continue to improve their sound and performances in the future.

“We want to write in a really positive way to enrich people’s lives,” Garner said.

Nguyen regularly attends concerts for enjoyment and to build networks

by Jewell Black

Photo courtesy of Brittany Nguyen

Friends in high places.

Junior Brittany Nguyen joins Ross Lynch, singer from “R5” and actor from Disney Channel’s, “Austin and Ally” at the Qualcomm Show.

The lights go dark, the masses buzz with anticipation, and when the main performer comes onstage, the whole crowd goes wild.

Junior Brittany Nguyen enjoys going to concerts on a monthly basis so she can experience this scene with her friends.

“The energy at concerts is pretty sick. People are always hyped and excited and you can meet the coolest people there,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen has been to concerts featuring The Script, Hot Chelle Rae, Neon Trees, Electric Touch, Taylor Swift,

and R5.

“I like all types of music including classical, rock, pop, rap, and techno. My music taste jumps around frequently, so I don’t stick to a specific genre,” she said.

Nguyen appreciates concerts because she feels this social and creative setting has made her more outgoing and open to meet new people.

“I used to be less excitable and talkative than I am now, and my life is definitely more interesting,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen aspires to be a screenwriter in the future and her experiences at concerts

have led her to make new friendships and connections in the entertainment industry.

“I have friends who are actors and musicians so they give me advice about the business and the things I have to accomplish to have a future screenwriting,” she said.

Nguyen’s friend Natanya Nguyen knows that Nguyen has actually met another screenwriter through a concert and believes that Nguyen’s connections in addition to her personality will guide her to her dream job.

“Brittany is very determined and hardworking, so

if she really sets her mind to something, she’ll accomplish it. Those qualities will be very helpful to her when moving up in the world,” Natanya said.

Nguyen met actor and musician Ross Lynch at a concert for his band R5 and has since become close with to him and his family.

“I spend time with Ross and his family at events and other concerts. I even went to The Script concert with them and we had a really great time,” Nguyen said On several occasions, she has been to television tapings

for Lynch’s TV show, “Austin and Ally,” on Disney Channel.

“I go to tapings to support Ross and being able to see the production process is really cool. I love watching the development of putting something on paper and bringing it to life,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen wants to be able to change people’s perspective through her screenwriting.

“The entertainment industry has always interested me because of its ability to change lives on a grand scale by sending a message through music, film, or television,” she said.

7 HIGH TIDE . ENTERTAINMENT

The brain during slumber compiled by Angela Kim

With finals coming up, the choice comes down to two options: to sleep, or to study. The short answer is “sleep.” The brain cannot function well without sleep, so staying up to cram will not help. Here’s some info from physiology teacher Stephen Brown on what happens when one is sleep-deprived: Certain parts of the brain like the cerebral cortex, which is related to the processing of speech, are affected by the lack of sleep. Without enough sleep for a prolonged time, speech may, though not often, become slurred.

“Sleep does not affect physical growth. Sleep actually affects brain function,” Brown said.

Students with sleep deprivation usually experience the effects in the frontal lobe, which is related to both speech and imagination.

Students should also get an adequate amount of sleep, especially with finals approaching.

“Lack of memory is one of the most important effects of lack of sleep, which obviously is important when [students] are taking a test,” Brown said.

So students preparing for final exams should always get eight to ten hours of sleep a night.

“Sleep is a necessary requirement for the brain to go through its processing. It is necessary to establish or reestablish the normal base of opportunity for its total systems. And a lack of sleep interferes with that attempt to go back to balance. So if [students] cannot

get that length of sleep, they need a nap during the day,” Brown said.

Because of this, without sleep, students cannot function correctly and will experience the side effects of the lack of sleep. “[The effects of the lack of sleep] are the inability to concentrate, mood swings, frustration, diminished memory and social skills,” Brown said.

Flu season strikes school in the worst epidemic in history

by Yasmeen El-Hasan

The fevers, coughs, sore throats, and headaches are coming back strong with the start of the 2012-2013 flu season.

This is the earliest beginning since the 2003-2004 season, which was considered to be “moderately severe” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The predominant flu virus strain circulating is H3N2.

Based on past experience, doctors have predicted that the virus will have stronger symptoms and spread easier and quicker than usual.

“The last time that that kind of a strain was the predominant strain was back in the 2003-2004 flu season, which turned out to

8 HIGH TIDE . HEALTH

be a particularly nasty year,” NPR science desk correspondent Rob Stein said on a December 12 NPR Public Radio Broadcast.

Although the virus will affect more people, it is preventable through the flu vaccination, which health officials create specially every year depending on which strains of the virus are most prevalent.

“A lot of times [the vaccine and the circulating strain] doesn’t quite match, and many times it does,” Stein said. “This year it looks like they’re a good match.”

The CDC recommends that everyone ages six months and older get a flu vaccination each year.

“Getting vaccinated reduces your risk [of getting the virus]. It also reduces other people’s risk, and that’s a reasonable thing to

do,” Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of CDC, said on the same radio broadcast as Stein.

Around 40 percent of Americans receive the flu vaccine every year. Those that do not get vaccinated pose a risk of passing the virus to others, especially in confined areas such as classrooms.

“The biggest impact that it will have on [Redondo] is that it will cause students and staff to miss school as they recover, and the recovery time will be longer [because of the stronger strain],” biology teacher Mark Rubke said.

The fact that flu season peaks during the winter months becomes an issue for students.

“Flu season comes at the end of the semester, when people try to catch up [with

school work], so presenteeism becomes an issue,” Rubke said.

Presenteeism is when students or employees attend school or work when they are sick, often resulting in less productivity.

“It’s always great that the attitude of a student is that they want to be at school [even when they are sick], but it compromises the health of others and their own,” Rubke said.

There are simple ways to fight the spreading of the flu.

“In order to prevent [the flu] from spreading to more students and staff while at school, everyone needs to get their vaccines as soon as possible. If they’re sick, they should stay at home. Wash your hands a lot.

Stay healthy,” Rubke said.

Yi’s class’s teddy bear helps reduce stress and anxiety

by Haris Kahn

A stuffed animal can provide personal warmth, happiness, and heartfelt love all with one fulfilling hug. It can also bring a classroom together. English teacher Angie Yi’s third and fifth period Expository Reading and Writing classes recently began using a teddy bear to relieve stress, bring about emotional storytelling, and open class discussions.

It started in the fall during a project in which a teddy bear was donated to the class.

Third period students wanted to use the bear to highlight an individual student once a week.

“Throughout the week, we can ask the student questions. It can be as random as ‘What’s your favorite fruit?’ Or it can be as serious and meaningful as ‘What do you think about life?’” Yi said.

According to Yi, this activity allows students to have the opportunity to participate more with classmates or possibly relieve stress from school.

“It’s really just a way for the students to feel like they are members of the classroom.

It [helps] them to understand that we care,”

Yi said.

By taking those few minutes to see how everyone in the class is feeling improves participation and the overall attitudes of the students, according to Yi. “I really admired my students for coming up with [student of the week]. I think that it shows a lot of their maturity and understanding that school is more than just school,” Yi said.

On Fridays, when it is the last day to become student of the week, everyone in the class say why they appreciate the chosen student.

“I have teared up on nearly every occasion. The students are capable of saying some of the sweetest things to one another.

It makes [me] feel like we are part of a family,” Yi said.

Students talking in class about their own personal issues inspires their classmates and ultimately brings the classroom closer together.

“It’s about relationships formed. It’s about the kind of experiences we want to have,” Yi said.

Third period student junior Caleb Walker who accidentally started the bear of the

Stress takes an emotional toll on people. They can feel exceedingly moody, irritable, angry, lonely, and/or depressed.

Some symptoms that may signify stress are memory loss, pessimism, and worrying.

week through a class discussion just wanted to make the class more fun.

“The class has always been open, united, and fun. The bear of the week just felt like a natural progression of our class’ love,” Walker said.

Walker did not expect much of the bear; he just wanted the class to be more interesting.

“My attitude hasn’t changed at all about class. I love going to English; it’s like walking into a family reunion every other day,” Walker said.

2.

1.

Where best friends are made. 1. According to students in the class, the bear’s name is “Bearemy.” 2. The class listens to the student of the week, Caleb Walker. 3. The owner of the bear, Caleb Walker, talks as student of the week.

Many do not realize the presence and the effects stress has on them.

Some other symptoms are the lack of judgement and the inability to focus.

MIND EMOTIONAL

Because of discussions that have been described as “emotional,” students participate more because of the trust and security they have built with their classmates.

“Even if we are only with each other for one period a day for one year, the students are so capable of making such a huge impact and so, for me, it has been quite a meaningful experience,” Yi said.

STRESS SYMPTOMS

3.

PHOTOS BY ALIDA NEWSON

When stressed, some people respond by reacting angrily and overly emotionally. They then take out the anger on others.

BEHAVIORAL

compiled by Angela Kim

Others may act depressed or even apathetic by zoning out and showing little interest in anything.

Got

stress?

Information compiled by Angela Kim

Brace yourselves; finals are coming.

Here are some study tips from pyschology teacher Chris Hyduke so that your stress can be minimized for the upcoming week.

BODY Muscle aches, soreness around the neck and shoulders, chest pains, stomach cramps, and lowerback pain.

Constipation or diarrhea.

Take extra steps ahead of time and avoid cramming. “[Students] should not cram. What it does is it puts information in front of other information when the students get ready to recall what they have learned, and this is called interference. So [students] should space out their studying.

They should study a little bit every night, about 15 or 20 minutes each night.”

Blood pressure and heart rate increase The immune system becomes weaker.

Lack of sleep or appetite, grinding of teeth in their sleep, isolation, disregard for responsibilities, exhibit nervous behavior, or substance abuse.

Get at least eight to ten hours a sleep a night.

Watch what you’re eating the night before.

“[Students] have to get enough sleep because what happens in sleep cycles if they move out of their normal paths of their sleep cycles, they don’t have their rim. The rim is where [people] have consolidation of information and that is where the neurons make new connections, which become memory.”

“Do not eat meat. 24 to 48 hours prior to the exam, eat vegetables and fruits. Meat takes longer to digest, so it takes more blood away from the brain.

Meat drains the blood from the brain in order to digest the food. So if [students] can eat healthy, it will keep the brain flowing and keep them awake.”

9 HIGH TIDE . HEALTH

Family

by Natalie Hardiman

For 42 years and over 300,000 miles, a GMC half-ton pickup truck has been passed down through junior McKenzie Jeffery’s family. Now it is Jeffery’s turn to carry on the tradition.

“It is an honor to drive this [truck] because it has a lot of history in the family,” he said.

Jeffery thinks the truck has brought his family closer together because they all work on the mechanics of the GMC together.

“It is pretty cool that we can all understand each other when we are talking about cars in general and about certain tips on getting more horsepower out of a engine or how to make it work just better,” he said.

In fact, passing down the knowledge of

Car

1.

Junior Mckenzie Jeffery owns a 1970 GMC pick up truck that has been in his family for 42 years.

mechanics is becoming another tradition in the Jeffery family, which Jeffery is especially happy about since RUHS does not have a mechanics class.

“I wish RUHS had auto shop because it really applies to life,” he said, “Luckily I am fortunate to have a grandpa and dad that knows all about mechanical knowledge on vehicles because I am learning from it and hope to pass it on myself.”

Since the three of them all have their share of mechanical knowledge, the family truck has had only a couple of mechanical issues, including needing to replace the entire engine in the late 1980’s.

2.

Classic Car. 1. Junior Mckenzie Jeffery sits behind the wheel of his 1970 GMC pick up truck. 2. Jeffery was given the truck about a year ago by his father. 3. Jeffery drives away in his truck that has been in his family for 42 years. He hopes to keep the truck in the family for many years to come. Photos by Vitoria Magno.

10 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

3.

“It is just awesome to drive something like this truck because it tells a story how vehicles back then were made to last,” he said.

Although Jeffery thinks that the truck is sturdy, Jeffery works on the GMC as often as he can on weekends and over holiday breaks to try to prevent future mechanical problems.

“It is a privilege to have, work and drive this truck, because it is a hobby,” he said.

Still, Jeffery works to keep his truck in good condition often, he is still impressed by how long it has lasted.

“I am proud in owning my truck because owning these trucks are so reliable that you can trust them anytime,” he said.

This truck was first bought in 1970, brand new, by Jeffery’s grandfather, Jerry Jeffery Sr. “I always liked the style and color [of the GMC], so I purchased one from Beach Cities GM Motor Co. that was on PCH and Torrance Blvd,” Jeffery Sr. said.

Fifteen years later, Jeffery Sr. passed down the truck to his son because Jeffery Sr. wanted to buy a van and Jeffery Jr. needed the truck for towing the family boat.

“It was great getting the truck from my parents, even though my dad made me a

deal. I could have it. But I couldn’t sell it,” Jeffery Jr. said.

For four years, Jeffery Jr. drove the GMC before returning it to Jeffery Sr. since Jeffery Sr. did not want the truck to be sold.

“I just really did not want to get rid of my favorite truck,” he said.

Last spring, Jeffery was surprised to be the given the truck, thinking that he would have had to wait a couple years before owning it.

“I feel very grateful that my family thinks that I am responsible enough to have this truck,” he said.

Jeffery is very happy with his truck and thinks that it is better than getting a new car.

“I do not like many of the new cars because they are more complex when working on them,” he said, “I also had a goal; my grandpa and I made a deal in my first year of middle school that if I maintain good grades from then to the first, second or third years of high school and continue to get them and passed my driving examine, then I can have the truck.”

In addition to these reasons, Jeffery also likes having this the vehicle so he gets to participate in the tradition of keeping the truck in his family.

“I feel I have take care of [the truck] more, but that is my passion. And knowing the history of it and how I like these trucks and other classics, it is one percent worth my time,” he said.

Jeffery’s grandfather and father completely support his decision of wanting to keep the truck.

“My family agrees one percent on my views on keeping the truck as long as possible, because it is part of our family and it would be awesome to see it go through the generations just like it has.” Jeffery said, “Also it is an iconic symbol you just cannot buy because of its part in our family for 42 years and more.”

Collection

MORE THAN A

by Kayla Nicholls

Various items are scattered on top of tables, lining a driveway at a garage sale. An old camera lies under the many other jumbled objects strewn on the clustered table.

He grabs it and buys it, spending $10 on a camera worth $100. This Polaroid 800 land camera, made in 1959, became the first of five cameras in his old-fashioned camera collection.

This Polaroid camera helped senior Kenny Bowen start enjoying photography.

“I saw old photos and they just looked so classic, very artistic. I became interested, so I started reading about [photography] and [the book] said that you had to start with film photography. You have to appreciate film photography to really like photography,” Bowen said.

In addition to his Polaroid camera, Bowen’s dad, Ron Bowen, also encouraged Bowen to take photographs.

“I encouraged him. He started to get into the film aspect of photography and I told him ‘you seem to really be enjoying this, so keep going with it.’ I’m definitely a fan of his,” PHOTO BY VITORIA MAGNO Mr. Bowen said.

Picturesque. Senior Kenny Bowen shows off his vintage camers colBowen takes photographs with lection. His Polaroid 800 camera helped him start enjoying photography.

The Art of “Thrifting”

by Kolbie Brightwell

They enter Goodwill in the early morning, prepared to search the racks for various unique items throughout the day. Freshmen Jamie Buell and Savanna Navarro spend their weekends thrifting. Thrifting is the process of shopping at thrift stores for low prices.

“When I think of thrifting, I think of getting really unique clothes for a cheap price,” Buell said.

For many people, price is a large issue when shopping. Through thrifting, Buell and Navarro find good deals, like a suede cross-body bag, priced normally around $100, for around six dollars, a leather jacket for two dollars, and True Religion jeans for six dollars.

“I usually come out empty-handed at the mall because things are too expensive or I don’t find anything I like, but at Goodwill I usually leave with around five or six things. I keep in mind what I need but I usually just get whatever I like, as long as it’s in my price range,” Buell said.

Buell stops most often at Goodwill, but

she also looks in Forever 21 and H&M. “I don’t shop in malls because I don’t find anything appealing, the last time I shopped at another store that wasn’t Goodwill was in fourth grade. We don’t shop at Goodwill because we think it’s cool, we shop there because we can’t find things at other stores,” Navarro said.

Navarro and Buell both think their styles are undefined.

“I don’t think of it as a style, I just think of it as wearing the things I like, despite what anyone else thinks,” Buell said.

Buell and Navarro think the most important thing to keep in mind when thrifting is to be patient. Navarro shops for at least two hours at a time and her longest trip lasted six hours.

“When you’re thrifting, patience is really important. I’ve been going to Goodwill with my mom ever since I was little, so I don’t find it to be a problem,”Buell said.

When thrifing, shoppers must keep open minds.

“You have to go in without something specific in mind because you never know

Senior Kenny Bowen’s collection of vintage cameras has helped him realize his love for photography. the old cameras in his collection because of his love for film.

“I love digital photography, but there is just something about film that digital can’t touch at all, that digital doesn’t even come close to. It just makes you think more,” Bowen said.

Besides being untouchable, Bowen believes that film allows for more creativity.

“It gives you such a hands-on experience. You appreciate every photo. You learn from your mistakes.

Most importantly, you have to use your imagination,” Bowen said.

Bowen appreciates the need for “imagination,”so he develops his own film and adds orange juice to enhance the colors and Vaseline to get a vignette effect, or the purposeful blurring or dimming of the edges of a picture to draw attention to the center or focus of a picture.

“I develop myself because you can be more artistic, more expressive,” Bowen said.

Self-developing his pictures saves Bowen money.

“The first time ever getting my pictures developed, it was eight rolls that came out to be $90 and I only had $10 in my pocket with me. I told the people at Walgreens and they said they would have to keep

negatives, so I lost all of my pictures,” Bowen said.

Older cameras tend to be more durable because they are made of metal.

“I have seen cameras from 1912 that are still fine and usable because they were made out of metal. They are more mechanical than digital.

You could even shoot in the rain if you wanted to,” Bowen said.

In addition to using old-fashioned cameras because they use film, Bowen uses them for their durability.

“They are really big cameras, and I like cameras that are big because they are more durable. Digitals break really easily, but film lasts,” Bowen said.

Mr. Bowen supports his son’s interest in photography and the job opportunity it presents.

“The best thing in life is if you love to do you something and you can make a career out of it. I told him, go for it,” Mr. Bowen said.

However, the most motivational part of film photography is his desire to keep it alive.

“I don’t want [film photography] to die out. Its like vinyl records: they always have their dedicated followers, and I am definitely a lover of film,” Bowen said.

Freshmen Savanna Navarro and Jamie Buell buy their clothes from thrift shops. what you’re going to find. When you thrift, you’re hoping to stumble upon something you like. People who donate clothes either don’t want them because they grew out of them, or they simply don’t like them anymore,” Navarro said. “When people donate, they want others to make use of the items they had instead of wasting them; that’s why when you go thrifting: you have to go through all the bad things to find something good.”

1.

2.

Getting thrifty. 1. Freshman Savanna Navarro looks through dresses at Good Will. 2. Freshman Jamie Buell looks through skirts at Good Will. Photos by Diana Luna.

11 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

DOWN BY THE

BEACH

TONY’S AN EATERY THAT STANDS THE TEST OF TIME

CHURNING OUT FUN SINCE 1973

BY CHANCE KING

THE BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE ON THE REDONDO BEACH PIER ADD TO THE RICH HISTORY IT HARBORS

1.

BY NAVIKKA DASZ & ILANA LAGRAFF After over 25 missions as the lead navigator for the Allied Forces in World War II, Tony Trutanich settled in Redondo Beach, and in 1952, he opened a small fish stand that would one day become a local landmark.

Tony’s, often fondly referred to as “Old” Tony’s, is a family-owned-and-operated restaurant and is now the oldest establishment on the Redondo Pier, garnering a loyal group of regulars along the way—some of whom have been going there for over 50 years.

The building has two floors: downstairs is the restaurant and upstairs the bar. With windows taking up most of the wall space and a boat themed decor, it’s as if you are actually at sea while within Tony’s.

According to bartender Sebastian Catalano, who has been working at Tony’s for 33 years, Trutanich took over an existing building to set up his fish stand and later expanded it into a restaurant. Then, in the sixties, he “went upstairs” and built a bar called “Top O’ Tony’s.”

Unique to this establishment, the walls that lead up to the “Top O’ Tony’s” are lined with photographs of celebrities ranging from singer and actress Barbara Streisand to former Steeler’s quarterback Terry Bradshaw to the 40th president, Ronald Reagan, all of whom have been to Tony’s at one time or another.

Mike Curtis, another employee, recommends Tony’s as a good place to catch dinner before prom or for “just hanging out” and recommends the seafood alfredo to anyone who dines in.

Both Catalano and Curtis love their jobs at “Old Tony’s,” and according to Catalano, “[working at Tony’s] isn’t work, it is play.”

FUN FACTORY

Alain Castonguay 2.

“When [I was] asked where I wanted to go for work, I said I want to go to paradise. I live in Montreal, Canada, [and I’m] spending a half work half vacation here between January 7th and January 25th. I come to the pier to look around and think because the pier is so beautiful.”

1.

3.

Age-old tradition. 1. Sebastian Catalano talks to customers. 2. Tony’s has walls filled with photos of celebrities who have vistited the restauraunt. 3. Regular customers enjoy a drink while talking to their favorite bartender.

Photos by Vitoria Magno.

BACKGROUND PHOTO KENNY BOWEN

FISHERMAN’S MARKET

Craig Reidt

FRESH CATCH FROM YOUR BACKYARD

“I was part of the pier community even before I began working [at my hot dog stand]. My father first owned Craig’s Hot Dog on a Stick back in 1962, and then I bought it in 1979 and I’ve been working here ever since. It’s a fun job.”

PHOTOS VITORIA MAGNO

BY ZOE EZZES AND VICTORIA ARTAZA

HATS & THINGS

2.

A SPOT FOR ALL YOUR TOURIST NEEDS

BY NAVIKKA DASZ & ILANA LAGRAFF

1.

12 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

2.

Situated next to Tony’s, Hats & Things sells— you guessed it—hats and things.

This unassuming, purple-colored store has been around for about sixty years, opened by Tony Trutanich, the founder of Tony’s. The windows display a various assortment of hats that are “mostly modern, not vintage,” according to Mariam Deris, who has

been the manager for two years but has worked there for three.

Although the hats aren’t geared towards teenagers, they are popular among the older crowd and perfect as a gift for parents and grandparents.

“Hat-wise, I don’t think teenagers are going to be into the stuff here,” Deris said. “[But] we have great sunglasses, and they

are usually a best-seller-especially when it comes to teenagers.”

The Hawaiian shirts, which are made in Hawaii, are top selling items among tourists. However, according to Deris, customers, along with sales, have slowly dwindled down since it has gotten colder.

“During the summer time, yes, [we get a lot of business], but now that

it’s fall and winter, not so much,” Deris said.

Although most of the customers are summer tourists or people from the older generation, Hats & Things has a few regulars due to their shared hallway with “Old” Tony’s and is planning on keeping their place along the pier for years to come.

Hats galore.

1. Hats and Things sells a lot of tourist clothing. 2.

According to Mariam Deris the shop sells a lot of hats for older people.

Photos by Vitoria Magno

3.

In the almost ninety years that the Redondo Beach Pier has been open to the public, many things, both expected and unexpected, have changed its face. Long-standing landmarks like the Fun Factory and the fisherman’s market however, remind residents of how important tradition is.

Steve Shoemaker, the owner of the Fun Factory, has seen the pier go through many changes throughout the years, changes that have little affected the arcade.

“The games are new, but the Fun Factory is pretty much the same,” Shoemaker said.

In 1973, Shoemaker built the Fun Factory and has been its owner and operator ever since. Shoemaker has seen the pier go through its ups and downs including the fire in 1988 which, according to Shoemaker, “affected them a great deal.”

Shoemaker takes great pride in his establishment, managing, fixing and even inventing many of the arcade’s games. Shoemaker boasts about forty patents on games and is dedicated to making the Fun Factory live up to its name.

“People come to the pier to have fun and the Fun Factory is one of the only places that you can have fun here,” Shoemaker said.

Shoemaker’s dedication to maintaining the arcade has brought back people for years and has turned the Fun Factory into a popular destination for families of all ages.

“People come in and bring their kids, and we get grandparents bringing in their grandchildren,” Shoemaker said.

Shoemaker sees the Fun Factory remaining on the pier for many more years to come and takes pride in being able to see many generations grow up enjoying his arcade. “ It’s been here a long time, and it really is a family thing,” Shoemaker said.

Just outside the doors of the Fun Factory is the pier’s fish market which for years has provided fresh seafood for the people of Redondo. One of the market’s managers Cindy Gonzalez has recently become a part of this tradition.

“I’ve only been a manager since November, but I have been here for about seven years,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez runs a small section of the market, which stretches around the far corner of the pier.

Being so close to the ocean, the market provides a clear view of what to expect from the market.

“The market offers a variety of fresh fish. Everyone sells different things,” Gonzalez said.

Even though Gonzalez has only been manager for a few months, she sees the importance of its tradition and what it means to the people that frequent it. Many of her employees, like shellfish expert John Collards, have worked in and experienced the market for years.

“I’ve been here since 1985, and I’ve seen kids grow up coming here. I’ve seen a lot of that,” Collards said.

The market, like the Fun Factory, have seen many generations and families come back throughout the years. Like the pier itself, the tradition of these establishments is what keeps them coming back.

“A lot of people come here to spend family time.

A lot of families have been coming here for many years,” Gonzalez said.

Just like old times. 1. Steve Shoemaker selling coins in his Fun Factory. 2. A loyal employee restocks the fish. 3. Shellfish expert John Collards talks to a customer. Photo 1, 3 by Diana Luna and photo 2 by Jenny Oetzell.

13 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

(noun): enthusiasm or vigor VERVE

Three seniors attempt to persuade others to invest in Verve, an energy drink.

by Nageena Hamraz

With every word he spoke, he feared being ridiculed.

His heart beat faster and faster. Slowly gathering the courage to speak, he took a deep breath. Hands clammy in his pockets and thoughts clear, he began to speak.

With his new job, Senior Chris Valcarcel improves his public speaking and takes pride in being his own boss.

“I actually got the guts to speak up front from what I learned. [My new job] has helped me communicate with other people publicly, without being scared or frightened that I would get booed offstage or not knowing what I’m saying,” Valcarcel said.

Valcarcel began investing in Verve, a nutritional energy drink. Since he started this job, he has been speaking to people all around the South Bay in order to convince them to become investors.

“The main objective is to get investors. How to get investors is by talking, being a leader, explaining the product to people, and holding meetings at your house,” Valcarcel said. “All of that helps me be more independent, talk in public, and be more confident about myself.”

Along with being more independent, Valcarcel has learned to be more responsible as well.

“With this new responsibility, I feel like I shouldn’t waste time. Whenever I have free time, I feel like I should spend it doing this,” Valcarcel said. “You have to work your way to the top if you want to be good. You have to practice.”

Recently, Valcarcel managed to convince Senior Josh Herrera into joining the business.

“He messaged me on facebook and just told me about it,” Herrera said. “I thought it was pretty cool. It seemed interesting, and I just wanted to be a part of it.”

Herrera agreed to join the business more readily than senior Florian Pal, but Valcarcel was determined.

by Cameron Paulson

to his ears

Countless drives and week after week sitting in the traffic of LA, all to hear the beats in the studio, sophomore Miles Gaines knows this routine all too well as just another part of being an aspiring musical engineer.

“A musical engineer is the person behind the panels,” he said. “When someone is in the studio, I’m the guy recording them and tuning the sounds.”

Although he is only 15 years old, he is already working his way into the music world.

“I’m signed with Universal Label as a recording artist,” he said. “I also have an internship mixing for Casey Veggies and recently did a mix tape for them.”

Gaines discovered his passion for the music business about five years ago.

“I’ve always been interested in playing instruments and singing and rapping,” he said. “I’m an artist myself and when I started I had no place to record or learn, so I started my own setup [to make beats] and I taught myself.”

As Gaines acquired more skills, his desire to record pushed his career into full swing.

“I drive up to the studio in LA three times a week, plus

14 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

“At first, I was very skeptical to invest in a business I knew so little about, so I said ‘no.’ Of course it sounded very tempting, so I did some research about the project myself to see if it’s legit,” Pal said. “Chris told me to come to a meeting where they would talk more in detail about the legitimacy of it. I went there, listened to the presentation, and saw that it would be a good idea.”

Valcarcel only spends an hour a day looking for investors. He is much happier about being self-motivated to work by himself than being told what to do for 8 hours.

“I feel empowered because I can do whatever I want. I don’t take orders, and I work for myself. I don’t have somebody that is telling me what to do,” Valcarcel said. “Why settle for $8 an hour, when I can be making $20 an hour?”

This new power has led Valcarcel to realize that he wants to be self-employed in his future career as a computer software engineer.

“I want to be my own boss. I want to be able to teach other people what I know. I want to be able to expand my knowledge,” Valcarcel said. “I don’t want to be told what to do, and I want to make my own projects and build my own stuff.”

Although his job as an investor is not giving him the experience he needs for his major, he is making a lot of money, and “it’s good to have money in the bank.”

Valcarcel does not like to sit back and watch things happen. Instead, he prefers to “make things happen.”

“I like getting credit for my actions. I watched my friend do it, and it just inspired me to not just 2. watch him make money, but partner up with him and learn the whole business,” Valcarcel said. “If I see my friends being successful at something I could be successful in, then why not try it instead of just watching them?”

1.

Drink up. 1.

Senior Josh Herrera takes a sip of Verve, the energy drink that he invests in. His job is to persuade PHOTOS BY DIANA LUNA people to invest in the drink. 2. Verve provides the highest antioxidant value of any energy drink, revitalizes energy levels and supports a healthy lifestyle, without the empty calories or jitters, according to the Verve website.

Sophomore Miles Gaines aspires to become a musical engineer.

weekends,” Gaines said. “It’s pretty hectic and hard with school but my family and friends are really supportive.”

His mother, Naomi Reyna, drives with him each time he goes to the studio and keeps up with his busy schedule.

“It’s tough, but we know it’s what he loves and is passionate about,” Reyna said. “We make it work.”

Reyna believes that Gaines knows what he wants to do in the future, and “support[s] him 100%.”

“After high school I plan to go to LA Recording School and get a degree,” he said. “My number one goal is to be a successful recording artist and an audio engineer.”

2.

PHOTOS BY DIANA LUNA

1.

Push play. 1. Sophomore Miles Gaines works at Faith Studios in Los Angeles. 2. He enjoys many aspects of music, including recording and playing.

All about

MCJROTC

Senior PJ Williamson reflects on his experiences in the program.

by Grac

e Zoern

TZ E OE Y NN JE BY PH OT O

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15 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

Reading the signs

Freshman Dominic Soufl recovers from crashing into a parked car while skateboarding, an accidnet which damaged his kidney.

by Yasmeen El-Hasan

He woke up in a hospital bed with a tube sticking out of his back. Nurses droned and machines beeped around him as an overwhelming sense of pain shot through his body. Blurred faces surrounded him, assuring him that he would make it through. It was at that moment that freshman Dominic Soufl realized how close he had been to death.

Soufl fell off of his longboard on Dec. 15 after running a stop sign and he crashed into a parked car while skating down Vincent Hill. He was rushed to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where doctors treated him for internal bleeding, laceration of his liver and spleen and the destruction of his left kidney. After completing a CT scan, doctors discovered that there was a large amount of blood around his kidney. Soufl was taken into surgery to insert a stent in his ureter to attempt to stop the obstruction of urine flow from his kidney to his bladder.

“I was really nervous and scared. It was my first surgery, and a lot more invasive than most because they were putting tools inside of me. The thought alone freaked me out,” Soufl said.

The surgery was unsuccessful, and doctors discovered that fluids were still leaking from his kidney. As a result, Soufl underwent another surgery to install a tube into his back to drain blood and urine leaking from his ruptured kidney.

“I actually wasn’t too scared for the second surgery. It was fairly minor, and I knew what to expect going into it,” Soufl said.

The next day, doctors realized that since the top half of Soufl’s kidney was still intact and producing urine and the bottom half was destroyed, urine was leaking into his body.

On Dec. 22, he went into surgery to remove his left kidney and adrenal gland.

“It really gets to me that they cut me open and took my organs out, and then just put it all back in after removing a kidney,” Soufl said. “It’s a really trippy thought that their hands were inside of my stomach, digging around.”

Doctors later found a pool of leaked blood and urine around his kidney, so Soufl went into his fourth surgical procedure to drain the fluids. The surgeons allowed him to watch the procedure as it happened.

“For that surgery, I refused to be sedated. I just went under local anesthesia because after four surgeries, I was curious what the doctors were doing,” Soufl said.

The surgery was successful and doctors were able to drain the fluids out. Soufl was released from the hospital on Dec. 29 and was instructed to avoid strenuous physical activities for six months.

“Not being able to compete in any sports really worries me. It feels like I’m falling behind. I miss it a lot: the rush of adrenaline and the joy that they bring me,” Soufl said, who participated in soccer, jiu jitsu, boxing and wrestling. “I can never box again because of punches to my kidney.”

Not only is Soufl still trying to recover physically from the accident, but he is also trying to recover mentally.

“When I close my eyes, I see all that went wrong, what could have happened. So much more should have happened. I see it all, replayed in my mind again and again,” Soufl said. “I realize now that my life is more delicate than I had ever imagined. The body can easily go from completely healthy to absolutely destroyed in an instant.”

The collision also affected Ms. Soufl, and she put aside her own feelings to be strong for her son.

“I tried not to be fearful. Where there is fear, there is no faith. I chose to have faith, and believed that he would be okay,” Ms. Soufl said.

Ms. Soufl sees this as an “eye-opener” for her son.

“He kind of thought he was invincible, but he now realizes how vulnerable he is,” she said. “He’s only fifteen, and he has such a resilient spirit. This is something for him to learn and grow from.”

The ordeal has changed Soufl’s outlook on life.

“I have amazing people to share my life with and they make me happy everyday,” Soufl said. “They cheer me up and remind me that I always have so much to look forward to, as I am alive and well. It’s hard not to be grateful that nothing worse happened. I’ll always have a better appreciation of life.”

16 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

PHOTOS BY DIANA LUNA

Tello, Vivas at mall during stabbing AROUND REDONDO

by Susan Nieves

Among the Christmas wreaths, the large ornaments, and the gargantuan Christmas tree located on the first floor, a not so merry mood crept into the South Bay Galleria Mall on Dec. 29.

People were locked inside the mall to later find out that two minors had been stabbed. Seniors Arrion Vivas and Valeria Tello recall how “bad” the whole situation was.

“I was really confused,” Vivas said. “I don’t think anyone could have seen this coming, especially those kids.”

Vivas, an employee at Kohls, was about to take a break when her manager notified her about the stabbing and instructed her to close the entrance between the mall and Kohls.

Unlike Vivas, Tello, an employee at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, did not hear about the incident through her manager; she walked into it.

“I wasn’t working [that day]; I was in the movie theaters, and when I got out, I saw a puddle of blood right next to Champ Sports,” Tello said. “It shocked me.”

Since the incident, Vivas cannot help but to question her safety.

“What kind of people would do that in public to two small kids?” She said. “I’m nervous that some random per-

son can walk in with a gun or knife and hurt one of my co-workers or myself.”

Tello, on the other hand, does not reciprocate the same feelings Vivas does towards her job.

“I have become more aware of the people that come in and out of the store, and I look out for anything suspicious,” Tello said. “But in the store I work at, I feel really safe.”

Tello’s manager has recently installed cameras and will be installing a panic alarm in the store to ensure the safety of her employees. Tello and Vivas both noted that the number of security guards has increased since the incident.

To ensure her own safety, Tello has collected the numbers of the security guards that work in the mall to call in case of an emergency. Similarly, Vivas has taken measures to guarantee her safety. She makes sure that she does not have to walk home alone after work and always gets a ride from her manager, co-workers, or friends.

Vivas hopes that the man who stabbed the minors gets caught by the authorities.

“When I heard that two 13-year-olds had been stabbed, I kept thinking about how it could’ve been anyone,” Vivas said. “[I hope] that these kids can walk away from this.”

Students share whether or not they feel safe in their community after the recent school shootings and stabbing at the South Bay Galleria mall.

“I feel safe, but I am more aware of my surroundings now.”

ASHLEY SAAS, 11

“I live by the South Bay Galleria mall and I question whether or not certain places are safe now.”

JOSHUA CAMPBELL, 10

Radi gets hit by car at XC practice

“I used to feel really safe, but now I take precautions and make sure I am with my mom more when I go out.”

by Stella Gianoukakis

As he looks both ways and crosses the street, he is violently knocked onto the ground, landing face down. Painful cries are heard as blood spreads and covers his face and legs.

He is rushed to the hospital by an ambulance. A few weeks ago, freshman Raymone Radi was hit by a car on Catalina Ave. and Torrance Blvd. while running during cross country practice.

At the hospital, Radi learned that he had broken his fibula and kneecap and that he had multiple minor fractures near his eyes.

“I was very lucky to be able to return home after only spending two days in the hospital. During those days I was thankful to be alive, but also depressed. I didn’t want to stay in the hospital, but I always tried to stay positive,” Radi said.

Even though he left the hospital after a short period of time, he knew he would have to face more obstacles. He got his cast off but will not be able to run for another three to six months.

“I am extremely sad that I cannot run for months because in sports like track and cross country, it is very difficult to come back after not running for a while,” Radi said.

However, he is not alone and looks to his family to help him through his recovery.

“My parents have been extremely supportive throughout

Playing it

safe

DRIVING SAFETY TIPS

this experience and through all of my challenges. They are also very happy to see me getting better and super thankful and gracious that nothing severe happened,” Radi said.

“Multiple friends have been very kind to me and even took time out of their day to visit me in the hospital, which was far.”

According to Radi, his experience has taught him to be thankful for what he has and to always double check for cars before crossing the street.

According to Radi’s friend, freshman Ghattas Malki, who is also in cross country, the team has become more cautious after the accident and the coaches are strictly enforcing safety rules for practice in order to prevent future injuries.

“Everyone has been more careful after what happened and people look out for each other more,” Malki said.

According to Radi, he has not changed as a person.

Friend, freshman Harrison Fox, agrees.

“He is still a lot of fun and likes to make jokes,” Fox said.

According to Fox, although Radi’s fun-loving nature has stayed intact, his views on life have altered.

“Everything is more valuable to me now that I know I could have lost my life. I am thankful that my parents did not have to go through losing a son and grateful that I still get to live my life and fulfill my life goals,” Radi said.

For pedestrains:

1. Be mindful of turning vehicles. They may not see you while you are in the street.

2. Be mindful of when cars block the view of other drivers.

3. Pay attention to your surroundings when walking in parking lots.

4. Only cross when the proper signal appears.

5. Be careful walking into the street from behind parked cars. Cars driving

on the road may not see you.

6. Check for vehicles backing out when walking across driveways.

7. Be especially careful around drivers that are distracted or have low visibility due to factors like fog.

8. Be mindful that drivers could break traffic rules and advance, even when they are not supposed to.

9. When there is no sidewalk, walk facing towards traffic.

MADDY MACLELLAN, 9

“I definitely feel safe. I honestly don’t understand why people get so worked up about something that can happen anywhere.”

CAMERON LINDQUIST, 12

“In general, I feel safe. These things are random and they don’t normally happen in our community.”

ANA GAUITTIO, 10 compiled by Claire Tisuis

For drivers:

1. Make complete stops at stop signs.

2. Avoid distractions, like talking on the phone.

3. Expect pedestrians and yield to them.

4. Slow down; 5 mph can make a huge difference between life and death if you hit someone.

5. Do not block crosswalks, it causes pedestrians to walk into traffic.

6. Be aware of local speed limits.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/Pedestrians

17 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

Sea shredder

Sophomore Jared Wallach has been racing boats competitively since he was nine.

by Anacristina Gonzalez

After his dad’s 35 years, it was his turn to take the wheel.

Sophomore Jared Wallach has been racing boats since the age of nine. He inherited his passion from his father, Ross Wallach, who retired from racing 11 years ago and is now a race director.

“I grew up in the racing world and have made it my livelihood so it’s pretty much 24/7 around the house. He was at his first race when he was less than three months old and hasn’t missed very many since. I think given my involvement and him being around it from the time he was born has fueled his passion for it,” Ross said.

In his six years of racing, Wallach has grown and progressed through both his father’s guidance and his personal experience. When he first started racing, he ran into obstacles but continued to learn.

“I remember my first race in Arizona. I actually crashed

1.

2.

Shredding sea 1. Sophomore Jared Wallach races against another boat during the Puddingstone 2010 tournament. 2. Wallach tests out his boat before a race. 3. Wallach particapates in a race in Long Beach.

3.

into the buoy and got towed in, and I got really sad,” Wallach said.

He has gained some of his strategies through observing other races and taking mental notes on “what to do and what not to do.” “[Before a race] I never eat because my stomach’s [filled with] butterflies. I just pay attention, look at the course, and think of what I can do to help myself out,” Wallach said.

Ross notices Wallach’s drive and enthusiasm towards the sport and feels proud that his son is continuously “improving his skills”.

“He’s learned to be disciplined as boat racing is a finesse sport. He continues to improve and each race he learns something. At nine years old, when he started racing, like all boat racers, you learn by doing and learn very quickly what not to do. At 15, he can race against seasoned veterans and hold his own,” Ross said.

In a sport where factors such as wind are always changing and waters are constantly rough, Wallach has to maintain focus in order to remain competitive.

“You need to pay attention to the competitors around you as well as the wind, so understanding the limits of your boat and pushing the boat to that limit without going over is the line all racers try to master. He’s doing a great job and I see his progress each time he puts on the life jacket and helmet,” Ross said.

Though he constantly aims to improve his personal records, Wallach enjoys the close-knit bonds he shares with fellow racers.

“Racing is really individual, but we’re not really fighting for the win. It’s all a big family and a great community to be in,” Wallach said.

Photos courtesy of Jared Wallach

Drama produces two student-run plays While drama teacher Justin Baldridge is busy with Grease, students produce The Laramie Project and Murder Mystery Dinner.

by Daniel Loveland

Soon this year, the advanced drama class will be putting on two student run productions, the first being The Laramie Project, and the second, the Murder Mystery Dinner.

The Laramie Project will be on the 25th of January and it will be held at the RUHS auditorium. It takes place in Laramie, Wyo., 1998, and is about the reactions of the people in the town after Matthew Shepard, an openly gay college student, is killed for his sexuality.

“Theater is a great way to attack social issues, [and] it is a relevant play to our modern culture,” drama teacher Justin Baldridge said.

The project was written by Moisés Kaufman and the script itself is made from the interviews that the Members of the Tectonic Theatre Company had with the people in the town and the people involved in the murder.

The production is also entirely student run, with three student directors, two stage managers, and sixteen student actors.

“An important part of a theater program is to have student run events [and] to give them a sense of of responsibility,” Baldridge said.

18 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

Each character is played by two actors, which according to senior Hannah Bentii helps add depth to the characters and shows how they change as time progresses through the play.

“There are only eight characters, but [they’re played by] 16 actors, which helps show a change in character personality,” Bentti said.

The actual production takes place after the killing of Matthew Shepard and mainly focuses on the trials of the killers, and the reactions of the people involved in the killing and the people who lived in the town.

“The Laramie Project shows [the story] through the viewpoints of the people involved in the killing [and helps show that] the theme is tolerance and acceptance,” senior Jacob Harris said.

The second production, the Murder Mystery Dinner, will be an improvised performance and will be held at the bingo room on Friday, March 1st. Like the Laramie project, the Murder Mystery Dinner is an entirely student produced play.

The production will involve a lot of improvisation and spontaneous acting because of the involvement of the audi-

ence.

“People will come for dinner [and] a murder happens.

[The actors will] try to investigate the murder and interact with the audience,” Baldridge said.

Both the Murder Mystery Dinner and The Laramie Project are not the only productions that the Advanced Drama Class is making this year. There will be more to come in the future, including the musical Grease, which will be on March 15,16, 21, 22, and 23.

In Grease, Baldridge hopes to use the arrangement of the stage to make it relatable to most people and form a deeper connection with the audience.

“I want the stage to look like a huge yearbook collage.

I want to add a level of depth to the show and the idea of a yearbook is relatable to everyone. No matter how old, people reminisce on their school years,” Baldridge said.

This year drama is aiming to provide a production for all types of people, so everyone will have something to enjoy.

“No matter what type of performance you enjoy, regular acting, improvisation, or musical acting, there is something for everyone to enjoy this quarter,” Baldridge said.

Haunting home

by Kira Bowen

Visiting a haunted house once or twice for Halloween may be a thrill, but for Senior Arianna Takis living in one every day can be a real nightmare.

For over a decade Takis’s house has been haunted with what she says is a spirit.

“The haunting started when I was in elementary school.

Most of the time I felt afraid to be alone because I was young and never experienced haunting before. Over the years I have learned to deal with it, but sometimes when I’m home alone and I hear strange noises at night I still feel a little spooked,” she said.

Since she has lived with her haunted house for so many years she tries to stay calm, but it’s not always easy.

“I try to ignore it because I’m so used to it happening. I try to keep my cool, even though I’m freaking out inside,” she said.

According to Takis, things that the spirit does include turning on the lights and faucets, opening doors, and moving around objects in the house; with the occasional knocking in the walls and footsteps at night.

“I definitely feel that there is a spirit in the house though because it is such an old house,” she said.

She even started to research information about the supernautural, and went ghost hunting with her brother in a hotel known for being haunted.

“After walking around the hotel for a couple hours, we didn’t find anything worthy of a haunting, just a really

Senior Ariana Takis believes her house has been haunted by what she has called a “spirit” since elementary school.

old, creepy hotel; I actually want to go ghost hunting at the Queen Mary in Long Beach because I heard it is really haunted and I think it would be an interesting experience,” she said.

Though Takis takes interest in the spirits she does not enjoy when they harass her at home.

“I get the chills every time something strange happens.

Even though I’m used to it happening, I still feel weird and creeped out knowing that there is a spirit present,” she said.

Takis wants the spirits to go away but she has not been able to come up with a productive solution yet.

“I feel that if I try to do something to stop it then the spirit might get angry and the haunting [will] get worse,” she said. “I think it’s better not to mess with it and just let it be.”

Her mother wishes an end to the haunting but has adapted like other family members.

“Its been weird living here to be honest. But it has definitely been an interesting experience,” said Mrs. Takis.

The haunting of her house affects not only her daily life but her sleep as well.

“Most of the hauntings occur when I am awake, but sometimes when I hear footsteps and I know it’s not one of my family members, it wakes me up but I just go back to sleep and try not to think about it,” she said.

Although Takis has gone through many scary moments she has grown and takes it as a unique experience.

“I used to be really scared of ghosts and now that I have experienced it, I actually think its kind of cool,” she said.

1.

2.

Getting on track

by Savannah Stern

1.

2.

Training for the train. 1. Senior Deric Ryan reaches for one of the model trains he collects on his shelf.

2. Ryan poses in front of a train. 3. Ryan maintains a collection of trains and other models.

3.

Photos taken by claire tisius

The click-clack of the wheels on the tracks are rhythmic as the scenery blurs by. The sun peers in the window and he thinks of when he will be conducting a train. Being a train conductor is what senior Deric Ryan has his heart set on.

After graduating high school, Ryan plans on becoming a freight conductor. A conductor directs the train crew and oversees all of the functions that keep the train running smoothly which he feels is one of the most important jobs for a railroad.

“It would be a great job. The [conductors] do move America. They transport the country’s goods and help build up the economy and I want to do that,” he said.

Although the educational requirements for being a conductor are minimal, a high school diploma or equivalent, the job itself requires the ability to carry at least 50 pounds and work in small or awkward spaces. However challenging the job may be, Ryan is prepared for all of it.

“You don’t really get days off and you have to work with a lot of heavy equipment, but I think it’s all worth it to be a conductor and be on the freight train,” he said.

Ryan’s decision to become a conductor was mainly inspired by his grandfather and great-grandfather, who both worked for the Penn Station in the 1950’s. They were conductors for passenger cars.

“My family has worked on the railroads since the 50’s and I would be the third generation to work on them,” he said. “It’s our family legacy and it’s in my blood.”

Although Ryan’s father Kevin Ryan does not work with the railroads, he is fully supportive of his son’s decision to become a conductor.

Photos taken by Vitoria magno

Local haunt.

1. Senior Ariana Takis’s house has been haunted ever since she was in elementary school. 2. A flight of stairs where some of the hauntings take place.

Sometimes footsteps can be heard going up and down the stairs when no one can be seen there.

Senior Deric Ryan plans to become a train conductor after high school.

“I think it’s great [that] he has a passion for trains and becoming a conductor and I hope he accomplishes his dream,” he said.

Ryan hopes to keep the railroad legacy alive in his family while one day living on the East Coast.

“I want to be on the East Coast because I love the conditions. I would be able to work in the mountains and snow and the sights would be awesome,” he said.

His family, however, was not his only inspiration. Ryan feels the scenery experienced while on a train is the best part of riding one.

“When you’re in a plane on a three foot seat looking out of a tiny window thousands of feet in the air, well that’s not a great way to see America,” he said. “On a train, you see the beautiful cities and wide oceans and it’s a much better way to see the country. Plus it’s cheaper.”

All of the scenery and the trains themselves have inspired Ryan in another way. He photographs the different places he visits and even sells some of his photos to his fellow train enthusiasts.

“I have a huge collection of train photographs that I’ve taken and I just love to show the trains and the scenery I’ve experienced along the way,” he said.

Although he has enjoyed all of his train and photography trips, his most memorable moment on a train was being able to ride in the locomotive, or the head of the train, which has further influenced his dream of being a conductor.

“It was awesome because I was able to experience what I’ll be doing in the future as a train conductor,” he said. “I even got to hang off the side of it. I mean I was wearing safety gear but it was a lot of fun.”

19 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

athlete of the issue: sarah logan

by Beth Shallon

With three APs in her senior year and practices up to an hour away, she tries to get her work done whenever she can. Sports do not take priority and neither do academics.

Although sports and water polo are important to her, she begins to switch her focus to her academic career.

Senior Sarah Logan began playing water polo with the Los Angeles Water Polo Club when she was in the seventh grade. After two years, she switched to Huntington Beach Water Polo Club where she currently plays. Coach Mitch Yamamoto has taken chances with Logan as the goalie.

“Sarah is the anchor of our defense. We can take chances in the field, being confident that she will prevent a goal from being scored,” Yamamoto said.

Yamamoto uses Logan’s skills as a chance to try plays in the field. Logan enjoys knowing that when she stops a goal, it not only helps her, but it also helps the team win the game.

“For [the] goalie, it’s the satisfaction of blocking someone’s shot, knowing that you just prevented them from scoring feels amazing,” Logan said.

Logan tried out for the Olympic Development Program, a program in which a player tries out within their region for the chance to get a spot on the Junior National Team. There were three eight hour training sessions before any cuts were made. She made the fourth round of cuts and will now be competing in a tournament in March in which the players’ skills will be continually evaluated.

“Working with the Olympic Development program will only make her stronger, as each player she faces is a top player in the game,” Yamamoto said.

Last year, Logan received Outstanding Player of the Bay League and Most Valuable for RUHS. In her freshman and sophomore year, she got 2nd Team All Bay League. Al-

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

though she has gotten MVPs for her goalie skills, Logan knows where her limits are. “[My] strengths would be one on nobodies- when it is just me and an offensive shooter,” Logan said. “[My] weaknesses would definitely be lobs because lobs are so slow and I’m used to the fast shot.”

Logan plans to continue playing next year when she goes to University of Hawaii at Manoa to major in kinesiology.

“Going to University of Hawaii will give Sarah the opportunity to possibly play in her freshman year,” Yamamoto said. “Historically, the University of Hawaii has been ranked in the top ten of the NCAA.”

PHOTO BY AHMAD KABBANI

Swim like a fish, play like champ. 1. Senior Sarah Logan shoots in a game against El Segundo High School in the pre-league games earlier this year. 2. Logan plays goalie in game against Peninsula High School and successfully blocks shot by an offensive player.

Girls’ soccer attempts to turn over a new leaf After their victory over West Torrance, the team hopes to develop a winning streak in today’s game against Palos Verdes.

by Romy Moreno

Despite what the girls’ soccer team identifies as “poor” calls in the first half, they were able to score in the second half and defeat West Torrance 1-0.

“We felt confident and ready to win.

Coming off of two losses is tough but we tried our best to come into this game with a positive mind set,” sophomore Kristina Williamson said.

Junior Sharon Lee agrees that the team just needed to make confidence and atti-

20 HIGH TIDE . SPORTS

tude adjustments going into the game.

“It was a hard fought game because we were trying to come back from a couple of tough losses. It was really a matter of mentally being ready to play and having the right attitude and effort going into the game.”

The team had trouble in the first half, according to senior Tonya Gonzalez.

“In the beginning we just couldn’t get a shot in and we gave a few corners away,” Gonzalez said, “But that didn’t stop us. We pushed ourselves as hard as we could and ended up scoring in the last minute.”

Williamson agrees that the team played a better game in the second half.

“When the second half came around we all just relaxed and played for each other. We all wanted to win and we didn’t stop until we did,” Williamson said.

This victory was extremely important to the team for multiple reasons.

“It was a relief to finally breakthrough and play at the level we knew we can,” senior Dani Hatlen said.

Junior Katrina Cohen believes that the results will go their way if they play as a team.

“It definitely proved that we have the ability to win every game and that we have the capability to lay out our opponents,” Cohen said.

Redondo plans on taking the key components as to why they won the game against West Torrance into their game today against Palos Verdes.

“Although a lot of our players are injured, I think this win has brought chemistry back to the team and we are definitely determined to give it our all against PV in our game,” Hatlen said.

WARRIOR TAKE DOWN The basketball team defeated West Torrance High School and are heading into tonight’s game against Palos Verdes.

by Caitlin Cochran

With a small crowd and a low scoring first half, the boys’ basketball team took time to get going but eventually defeated West Torrance 54-47.

In the first half neither team scored a significant amount, which according to senior Christopher Henderson, was because they “underestimated” West Torrance.

“Our team came out slow and just expected that West would let us win, rather than realizing that no team will just give us a game,” Henderson said.

According to coach Reggie Morris the team did eventually find their rhythm it was due to contributions from every player.

“The other team did a good job on keying in on [senior Derek] Biale and [junior Ian] Fox,” Morris said. “It took us awhile to get going so other players had to step up and make contributions.”

Although junior Ian Fox was frustrated by the defense of West Torrance he was proud of their victory.

“The opposing teams game plan was to not let me score, forcing the rest of the team to make up for it,” Fox said. “It was frustrating but we got the win so I am proud of my team for adjusting to the circumstance.”

The leading scorer of the game was senior Derek Biale finishing with thirteen points.

“I thought Derek stayed patient and took advantage of when his time came to be aggressive,” Morris said.

Following Biale, senior Darrien Touchstone scored eleven points and Henderson scored eight.

“I thought guys like Darrien, Chris,

REDONDO V. COSTA:

Redondo routed the school’s rival The wrestling team routed school rival, Mira Costa High School in last night’s match.

by Cole Stecyk

The crowd screamed and stood up to celebrate as the boys’ varsity wrestling team defeated Mira Costa High School, 71-12.

According to freshman Justin Williamson, the team did an “awesome” job. He

and [senior Sebastian] Lindner gave us very solid contributions down the stretch on the glass and from the free throw line,” Morris said.

The team will face Palos Verdes tonight who is 0-3 in Bay League. According to sophomore Jeremiah Headley there plan is to improve on playing together.

“We just need to go out there, play hard and play together and everything else will follow, thanks to the good coaching staff,” sophomore Jeremiah Headley said.

The team is looking to make a statement tonight and show what they can do, according to sophomore Cameron High.

“Going into Friday’s game we are looking to make a statement and show that we are the best team in Bay League,” High said.

PHOTOS BY JENNY OETZELL

Fired up. Senior Chris Henderson shoots in game against West. Senior Darrien Touchstone drives the ball down the court up against West defender.

also believes that he put in a “great” effort.

“We really all did a great job today wrestling our rivaling school, Mira Costa,” Williamson said. “I was just happy I won in my weight class. I stayed focused and made sure I was on top of my opponent for a majority of the match.”

Senior Izzy Del Real believes that the varsity team did really “well” against Mira Costa and believes that he contributed to the teams’ victory by winning his own match.

“I know that we did really well tonight because we gave it our all,” Del Real said.

“We weren’t at our prime at the beginning of the season, but we have improved and we have done great things.”

According to senior Julian Rodriguez, his match was “tough” but, in the end he “pushed through” to show the team that

anything is possible.

“My main goal tonight was to keep the team’s spirits up by not giving up my match and by getting our team enough points that we needed to win our match,” Rodriguez said. “I believe I helped the team get ready for their matches by letting some of them practice their moves on me before they wrestled. I hope I taught the team to be the best they can be and leave everything on the mat.”

Junior Kevin James believes that the team did an “awesome” job today because of the “huge” lead they ended with Mira Costa. Also, James believes he did a lot “better” than he usually does.

“This match, in particular, I did a lot better because I was really focused,” James said. “My weight is right and my technique is good. The only thing I have to worry about is my mind.”

PHOTO BY LAURA SMITH

Man down. Junior Julian Rodriguez flips Penninsula wrestler in a match earlier this season.

21 HIGH TIDE . SPORTS

ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

by Micah Ezzes

T

Tuesday, ending the ir B ay L ea g ue

ak. stre ing los

Sweet satisfaction

Bo ys’ so cc

n st o We ats be er

he boys’ soccer team was able to pull out of its first Bay League win on Tuesday, defeating West Torrance 2-0.

Senior David Alexander is satisfied with the win, especially after their seasonopening loss to Peninsula and tie with Mira Costa last week.

“It feels really good to have gotten over that hump and to start getting wins,” he said.

Alexander credits the win to both strong defensive and offensive play.

“We were able to finish our opportunities while maintaining a strong defense,” he said.

Junior Shane Staudle is also appreciative of the defensive efforts put forth in the game.

“The defense played solid,” he said. “[freshman] Trenton Klatte, [junior] Michael O’Neill and [senior] Senna de la Cruz had strong games.”

One of the goals came from about 25 yards away by Pamungkas, and the other was scored by Alexander.

The team’s offense finally came through against West Torrance, after starting the season without a goal in the first two games.

“We stuck to our style of [play] and it worked,” Staudle said. “We just finished our chances and shot when given the opportunity.”

While the team is happy with the win, there are still challenges ahead. They now look to their next game against Palos Verdes on Friday and Leuzinger next week.

“We’re glad we got the win,” Staudle said, “and we hope the confidence [from the win] will stick with us against our next two opponents, who are both top ten in California.”

Palos Verdes and RUHS have already met this year, when they faced off in the South Holiday Tournament in pre-season. In that meeting, RUHS came away with a 1-0 win.

“We’ve already won against PV,” Alexander said. “We’re just going to give it our all and hopefully come out with the same result.”

Goal. The soccer team beat West on Tuesday 2-0. Photos by Tyler Eisenhart.

After defeating West, the girls’ basketball team looks forward to their next game against Palos Verdes.

by Alina Bieschke

PHOTO BY VITORIA MAGNO

Run the ball. Freshman Micaela Enriquez runs the offense in the game against West on Tuesday.

22 HIGH TIDE . SPORTS

The girls’ basketball team beat West Torrance High 45-41 on Tuesday.

Although their energy was “a little down” in the first half, the girls’ halftime meeting caused a change in attitude.

“At halftime, we discussed all the things we needed to improve and then started pumping each other up by chanting ‘Our house!’ It really was a great spark for the second half of the game,” junior Natalie Sisto said.

This communication off the court led to improved performance on the court, according to senior Alex Mohr.

“Communication is always a key factor for us,” Mohr said. “We were a little quiet in the first half, but we came out more talkative in the second half and it paid off.”

Not only did the defense excel, but according to Sisto, the entire team “stepped up.”

Being ranked #11 and beating the team ranked #2 gave the team a boost of confidence towards their next game against Palos Verdes on Jan. 18.

“This win has brought us new life,” Mohr said. “[It has] really helped us let go of the past games and just focus on winning the Bay League championship now that we

know it is possible.”

Sisto is also excited for the rest of the girls’ season and is confident that they will do well based on their game against West.

“It just goes to show how good we could be if we play hungry, aggressive and smart each game and come out with a lot of energy,” she said.

Sisto hopes the team’s focus will transfer into their next game. “[We have to] come in with the same mindset we established at halftime of this game, but [instead] from the beginning of the game when we play [Palos Verdes],” Sisto said.

Washing away Warriors. Junior Bridgette Schneider and sophomores Lexi Kleen and Dinah Aiad play in game against West. Photos by Mitchell Yonemura.

Water polo defeats West despite slow start

by Anna Fauver

The girls’ water polo team beat West 9-5 at Wednesday’s home game. After recent losses to Palos Verdes and Peninsula, this was their first Bay League win.

“I think we played well,” junior Sara Curran said. “We beat them, so I can’t complain, but I think there is also room for improvement.”

Junior Bridgette Schneider thought that the team could have started off stronger.

“We started off rough, but we pulled ourselves together by the second quarter,” she said.

Coach Mitch Yamamoto agrees with Schneider in that the team did not start the game off playing their best.

“I think we played at their level at the

start of the game, but after a while we got the engines going,” Yamamoto said. “I think that we started playing how we should play.”

The team expected to beat West, who did not win a game last year, but Yamamoto was disappointed in the team’s slow start.

“The first quarter or half was much closer than it should’ve been. I didn’t expect that,” he said. “Once they started getting excited about the game and getting goals in, then everything opened up for us.”

According to Curran, to get to CIF the team needs to focus mostly on the next game against Peninsula.

“We are really hopeful that we will make it into CIF,” Curran said, “but it really depends on how we play in our next game against Penn.”

After losing to Penn the first time around,

it will be hard to beat them. Curran, however, is confident that even though it will be tough, the girls can pull through.

“It won’t be easy, and we will have to work hard, but I do think that we can win,” she said.

To be good enough to beat Penn, the girls will have to work better as a team, a skill they are struggling with right now, according to Schneider.

“Right now we aren’t playing that well together,” she said. “We aren’t seeing girls open on the drives, people will let an open opponent swim right past them, and girls are shooting right over the heads of their open teammates.”

Yamamoto is trying to fix these problems by making the practices focus more around team playing.

“We have actually run some drills where basically everybody has to be involved,” he said. “We’re learning to press by using our team to make short, safe passes instead of the long home run passes that we usually have trouble with.”

These type of drills will help the team connect more in the water, but outside of the water, the team members are already good friends.

“We are pretty close,” Schneider said. “A lot of the girls even sit together at lunch.”

Curran believes that this group of girls is very close, and she really enjoys playing with them and spending time with them.

“I love my team, and we are such a family on water polo,” she said.

Their next game is at home against Mira Costa on Jan. 21.

Cheering away Surf loses to Palos Verdes

by Beth Shallon

The cheer team placed first in their first competition in Long Beach on Jan. 13.

Coach Karen Bustillos tallied how the odds were against them: not having the music in time, girls leaving the team, injuries a few days before, and last-minute routine changes. However, when the girls scored 3.00% above the next team, she knew the practices paid off.

“Winning validated all the blood, sweat, and years they put into it,” Bustillos said.

The girls came out with “so much energy it was contagious,” according to freshman Tairyn Montgomery.

“I didn’t even think we would place.

After we were done performing, my mom told me the other teams were good as well, which scared me a little,” Montgomery said.

Before the girls go to the Jamz Championships in Las Vegas on Feb. 8, they have a competition on Jan. 20 at Brea Olinda High School.

by Lindsey Pannor

Surf lost to Palos Verdes 85-77 this Monday, adding yet another failure to the team’s repertoire of losses against the group in the past five years. According to coach Duncan Avery, the Palos Verdes surf team has “more depth and talent” than Redondo, a characteristic that proves hard to beat.

“PV had some really great surfers pulling big moves,” junior Michael Okuda said.

“Even though we didn’t win, Redondo did very well. It’s the closest we’ve come to beating PV in a while.”

Sophomore Luke Meyers agrees with the fact that the team has been improving and is competing much better than in the past.

“We’ve surfed against PV before but have gotten smoked practically every time,” Meyers said. “This time was definitely a lot better than in the past, even though the waves [on Monday] were not good at all.”

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

Shoot for the stars. Sophomore Trevor LaShure rides a wave in a meet earlier in the team’s season.

Despite Palos Verdes’ “talent” advantage, Monday’s small surf resulted in a closer score.

“Sometimes smaller surf [helps to ensure] that the better surfers win-- no one is able to get lucky on a big wave,” Avery said.

Some of the RUHS surfers believe they did well individually during the competition.

“I was able to get all the waves I wanted, but because the average swell was only one

foot tall I really couldn’t do much,” Okuda said.

Okuda also believes that RUHS did considerably well, but has some small things the team needs to work on to improve for Bay League Finals. “[RUHS] did really well in things like riding each wave to its fullest, but we need to work more on the little things like cutbacks.” Okuda said.

23 HIGH TIDE . SPORTS

2.

Obama’s second inauguration

3.

GREAT GATSBY’

‘the

This adaption of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel is scheduled to come out on May 10.

The movie follows the story of Nick Carroway (Tobey Maguire) as he moves to New York from the midwest and befriends his neighbor Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). As Carroway learns to survive in Gatsby’s lavish lifestyle, he also learns that people are not always what they appear to be. According to John Sharp of thehollywoodnews.com, the movie promises “visual flair” characteristic of director Baz Luhrmann.

Although President Barack Obama’s second inauguration will be on Jan. 21, the entire event is from Jan. 1522. The theme of his Presidential welcoming is “Faith in America’s Future.” Television stations such as CBS, NBC, and ABC will air the event live.

5.

Leap Motion, a device set to debut in 2013, is USBsized and allows anyone to click, drag, and scroll without laying a finger on a mouse or screen. Leap Motion uses responsive gesture control technology, using two small cameras and infared LED lights that, according to cofounder and CEO Micheal Buckwald, can track the motion of a person’s fingers to the accuracy of 100th of a millimeter.

4.

PLANS FOR STUDENT UNION GRAND OPENING

World Baseball Classic

This international baseball tournament, featuring professional players from around the globe, will run from March 2-19. The competitors include Australia, China, the Dominican Republic, Italy, the United States, Japan, and teams from many other countries.

The first playoffs in America will be held in Phoenix, Arizona, while The AT&T Park in San Francisco will hold the finals.

7.

8.

‘Hobbit’ sequel ‘Desolation of Smog’ The Desolation of Smog is a continuation of the first hobbit movie. It follows the journey of Bilbo “Burglar” Baggins and his company of Dwarves so he can at last fulfill his burglar contract, find the hide away of Smog, and reclaim the Dwarves homeland before he can return to his little hobbit hole in the ground.

Comet “ISON”

Leap Motion technology debuts

10.

The comet will pass on Nov. 28 at 3:15 pm eastern time. It will travel at a speed of 425,000 mph only 732,000 miles from the sun’s surface, resulting in a comet that, according to astronomer Guy Ottewell, the comet will reach “the brightness of the full moon.”

13.

‘Hunger Games:

Britney Spear’s & 9.Justin Timberlake’s new albums

Catching Fire’

11.

Ecology Club Going Green Night

6.

On March 4th, the new cafeteria, called the Student Union, will be completed. A grand opening ceremony has been planned for about a week after construction is finished. The administration staff is planning to bring in guest speakers and notable chefs to help introduce the school to its latest addition. The cafeteria will be two stories with eating areas on both floors and a patio area that overlooks Redondo’s campus. The interior design was student provided with collaborators from all grade levels. The RUHS staff is hoping that the new Student Union will become a focal point for students.

Spear’s rep confirmed that she is working with several producers, including Hit-Boy, the producer behind Kanye West and Jay-Z’s “N—-s in Paris,” A$AP Rocky’s “Goldie,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Backseat Freestyle,” and other major 2012 songs. According to Rolling Stones, “Suit and Tie”, the first single from Timberlake’s new album “The 20/20 Experience”, is estimated to greatly surpasses his last hit, 2006’s “SexyBack.”

Catching Fire is the second movie in a series of movies to be made out of the young adult series

by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games. In this sequel, out on May 10, audiences will be able to find out what happpens to Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) after her experiences as a tribute in the Hunger Games.

After school on Feb. 19 in the small gym, representatives from the Surfrider Foundation and the Algalita Research Project will give presentations alongside members of the ecology club to promote nature conservation and eco-friendly living. Teachers, students, parents, and community members are encouraged to come to learn about ways they can help reduce waste and keep beaches and waterways clean.

12.

Amazon Kindle Phone

Riding a wave of success from their e-reader, the Amazon Kindle, Amazon is now designing a phone to compete with Microsoft’s “Surface” tablet. The phone will be roughly the size of a smartphone and is rumored to be released sometime in 2013.

RUHS spring musical: ‘Grease’

24 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

The Redondo theatre’s production of Grease will open March 15, starring junior Chris Ward as Danny and freshman Serenity Robb as Sandy. Unique to this production is its “Yearbook” art direction and the song “Yuck,” sung by cheerleader Patty Simcox (Nicole Chau). The song was omitted from the movie and the original musical. Director and drama teacher Justin Baldridge will “mix” up the show by altering several musical numbers to achieve a more dramatic depth.

The show dates are March 15, 16, 21-23.

Hopelessly devoted. The cast of Grease rehearses songs in preparation for their spring performance.

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL