March 11, 2011

B2: Media Arts teacher Matthew Sheehey poses with his daughter who has battled leukemia.

P7: Senior Travis Fishvogt pitches in a game against St. John Boscoe.

P6: Senior Julia Denny and junior Alina Mistuloff are buddies in lacrosse.

High Tide

Redondo Beach, CA Redondo Union High School

Mar. 11, 2011 vol.

LMXXIV

edition 10

]www.hightideonline.org ]

Dodgeball championships today at lunch

by Shannon Bowman

by Emma Uriarte

Every year, students look forward to the annual dodgeball tournament for a week of school spirit and competition between teachers and students.

ASB members senior Lauren Howard and senior Amanda Jahn were in charge of putting together this year’s tournament.

The dodgeball tournament is a unique event in our school because students are

able to see the competitive sides of their favorite teachers.

“The tournament brings a chance for students and teachers to break free from a strict learning environment and gives them a chance to see teachers outside of their usual element,” Howard said.

According to Howard, the dodgeball tournament brings spirit to our school because it gives students more than the usual loud and overcrowded rally to look forward to at lunch.

“The dodgeball tournament brings school spirit because you get to see your friends play,” Howard said. “It makes you more excited to be at school.”

The gym was packed with students cheering on their favorite teachers and friends as the players battled it out on the basketball court.

On Thursday teams Skittles and Saltines battled each other for a chance at the championship against the Sexies. At the end of the game, only senior Erik Abol-

moloki was on the Skittles’ side against three Saltines players. In a come back, he managed to catch two balls, bringing down the Saltines, while the Skittles hit the last Saltine, senior Brianna Newman, winning the game and earning a shot for the championship.

“My strategy was to taunt [the other team], because I have a bad shoulder and cant throw, and I would just catch the ball,” Abolmoloki said. “It felt really good to help the team advance on.”

Although the Saltine’s lost, Newman was content in knowing that her team did better than the previous year.

“I felt like we worked well together,” Newman said. “[The dodgeball tournament] helps students get involved, and it’s always a fun event.”

During the championships there will be a free raffle drawing with fun giveaways, so be sure to attend the dodgeball championships today at lunch for a fun match of the Skittles against the Sexies.

City rushes to dispose of millions of dead fish

Construction to continue into next year

When she measured the oxygen level in the harbor water on Tuesday, the reading was only Tuesday morning, boat owners discovered 0.7 ppm. And Wednesday, the reading was an enormous school of dead sardines covering even lower. the entire extent of King Harbor. While iniValderrama suspects that this incident will tially a mystery, those involved in the clean up affect other species that can sometimes be efforts believe that the fish died from a lack of found in the harbor, oxygen. such as opal eye and According to SEA conger eel.

Lab Facilities Coordi“I’m sure that nator Rowena Valderwhen they dig up rama, the large school all the sardines they of sardines very likely will find other spefound its way into the cies too,” she said. harbor because of a The SEA Lab perwindstorm that caused sonnel continue to high tide and waves.

—Rowena Valderrama play an active part in Once in the harbor, the clean up efforts. they were not able to find their way back out.

Work Crew Supervisor Denise Rivas has “What we think is that they came in for been coordinating with the City of Redondo shelter,” Valderrama said. “Just the sheer num- Beach for the past two days. ber of them used up all the oxygen in the harAccording to Rivas, the sardines will be bor.” used for fertilizer and it will take about a week According to Valderrama, certain tanks to collect them all from the harbor. The city that sustain sardines and mackerel at the SEA is and will continue to coordinate volunteers Lab maintain an 8.5 parts per million oxygen until the harbor is cleared. level.

by Danny Garzon

The city has been working to clean up over two million fish that were found dead in King Harbor on Tuesday.

Officials suspect the fish died of a lack of oxygen.

by Sophia Lykke

“What we think is that they came in for shelter.

Just the sheer number of [the sardines] used up all the oxygen in the harbor.”

PHOTOS BY EriNN MIDDO

There's something fishy about this. Volunteers work to clean up the millions of fish that died on Tuesday due to a lack of oxygen. Officials believe it may take several more days to clean up the remaining fish.

The musical ‘Anything Goes’ makes its debut next week

by Kyle Bittman

Redondo Union’s Drama Department will be performing its first musical in two years, Anything Goes, in the upcoming weeks. Directed by Justin Baldridge, the musical will run from March 18 until March 26.

Preceding the forthcoming debut, Baldridge and the cast of Anything Goes have undergone an extensive rehearsal process.

The cast started rehearsing in October, beginning with weekly tap classes to teach the tap dancing needed for the show. By February,

the cast had begun rehearsing after school five days a week. “[Rehearsing] has been very condensed, as there’s a lot happening in this show, but we didn’t have a lot of time to rehearse,” Baldridge said.

The lack of rehearsal has led Baldridge and his crew to be very swift with learning songs, dances, lines, and to be able to move from task to task without feeling rushed.

This is the first musical that Baldridge has directed at RUHS, as well as the first musical to be performed on the auditorium’s stage

since renovations were completed last year.

“The new black [floored] stage adds more professionalism to the stage, in comparison to the old hardwood stage of the old theater,” Baldridge said.

According to Baldridge, Anything Goes also has a classical feel to it, as where past musicals done at Redondo have had more of a modern tone. He feels the classical musical was a good choice for his first musical. “[I feel] proud, but very nervous, because as this is my first physical, it’s also my first impression and really determines how I’ll be seen

as a director,” Baldridge said.

Anything Goes covers the complex and contrived stories and love triangles of passengers on a cruise ship in the 1930’s. The show opens Friday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium. Tickets are $10 pre-sale and $15 at the door and can be purchased through the ASB finance office.

Senior Kieran Newton, who is in the play, is hopeful about the upcoming show.

“I feel we’re prepared, with a few things we still need to master, but when all is said done we won’t look bad out there,” Newton said.

AP Test deadline extended to ensure every student purchases a test

by Bethany Kawa

The deadline to pay for AP exams is extended until today. Though an extension has never been implemented before, Assistant Principal Erin Simon wanted 100 percent participation for AP testing.

“There is already about 95 percent of students who paid for their exams on time, but I want to make sure everybody pays. Ex-

tending the deadline is not a problem at all because we gave ourselves a huge amount of time to pay for the AP tests before the orders are due,” she said.

Simon hopes to ensure all AP students are able to pay for their exams by allowing students to either qualify for reduced prices or pay in monthly installments.

“We are very sensitive to those students whose families are struggling financial-

ly. For some students, we have a monthly installment plan that can be made if we are told [of their situation] ahead of time,” she said.

Simon attributes this high percentage of students who paid to the AP students as well as teachers.

“Teachers are doing a wonderful job promoting the AP test, and telling students that they are required to take the AP test. Paying

for the AP tests has never been a problem in the past, and in fact many more people paid this year than last year,” she said.

Simon is excited to see that the AP program is growing and is looking forward to high AP scores.

“AP testing can be very stressful and I want to make it as least stressful as it can be. Hopefully extending the deadline will ensure that all students will pay,” she said.

Measure C construction will continue into the next school year as renovations to the Cafeteria, Science Building, and old Administration Building will soon begin.

According to Assistant Principal John Newman, the renovations to the old Administration Building will begin as soon as next week. The old Administration Building will be converted into a special education building, with the psychologist, speech therapist, and special education clerk offices there.

The old Administration Building will also contain a classroom and meeting rooms.

“Everybody who is spread out around campus right now that have to do with special education will all be housed in the same building,” Newman said. “So that will be the special education wing.”

The Cafeteria will be torn down and completely renovated next year. Plans to accommodate food service include having more carts and more outside food brought in.

Plans are also in the works to renovate the A.L. Young building to make it more capable for serving a higher quantity of food.

The new Cafeteria will feature a rooftop deck and an outside stage and sound system for holding rallies.

Renovations to the Science Building will begin in September. Classrooms will be moved to the Chamber of Commerce building and into portable classrooms in the parking lot of the auditorium.

The interior of the Science Building will be torn out and classroom sizes will be changed, with plans for ten fully functioning science labs.

The exterior of the Science Building will be touched up, but no drastic changes will be made.

Renovations on the Big Gym have already begun and will continue into the next school year. Improvements to the Library will be made over summer and will be completed by the beginning of the next school year.

Newman feels that the renovations will benefit all students when completed.

“When it’s all done, it will benefit students because everything will be brand new,” Newman said. “As far as next year, it will mean a little bit more flexibility on everybody’s part without the Big Gym, without the Science Building, and without the Cafeteria.”

Opinion

2

p.

]March 11, 2011]

Imminent tax hikes necessary

Around

Redondo

“Are the Advanced Placement examination fees reasonable?”

“If they can sell some tests for $5, then they can’t really be worth that much.”

12th

— Allison Field

“Yes, because you’ll ultimately save a lot of money in college.”

12th

— Joshua Fogelson

Editorial: Drama deserves support

“Not really. It should be less difficult for us to qualify for fee waivers.”

12th ­— Hayley Lane

“You’re saving a lot in comparison to paying for the college course.”

11th

­— Patrick Borgerding

“They’re pretty high priced for the families with more than one kid taking APs”

11th

­— Alex Niebergall

“It’s not that bad for me, since I’m poor and get a fee waiver.”

10th

­— Charlene Vo

High Tide ]staff] Editor-in-Chief: Austin Pritzkat Managing Editors: Sophia Lykke, Julia Uriarte Editor of Design: Molly Simon News Editor: Kaitee Scheyer Opinion Editor: Josh Hillsburg Features Editors: Dylan Futrell, Kelsey Chung, Meglyn Huber, Christina Mehranbod, Ashley Pournamdari, Alison Peet-Lukes, Madeline Perrault Sports Editors: Adam Ammentorp, Jessica Cascio Photo Editor: Jonathan Martin Copy Editors: Shannon Bowman, Olivia Loveland, Melissa Rosero Cartoonists: Josh Hillsburg, Alex Curtis Online Editor: Brianna Egan Staff Writers: Vanessa Alarcon, Taylor Ballard, Kyle Bittman, Matthew Brancoli, Loren Brown, Laney Burke, Tati Celentano, Kimberly Chapman, Zachary Commins, Alexis Curtis-Olson, Camille Duong, Zack Elliott, Gianna Esposito, Dan Furmansky, Daniel Garzon, Allie Goldberg, Anacristina Gonzalez, Michelle Hough, Cedric Hyon, Bethany Kawa, David Kawa, Casey Lovano, Anthony Leong, Tricia Light, Cameron Paulson, Jeremy Porr, Melissa Rosero, Allison Salazar, Alyssa Sanchez, Joanie Schneider, Alex Shea, Jessi Shipley, Laura Shodall, Annica Stitch, Emma Uriarte, Zachary Zent Adviser: Mitch Ziegler The High Tide dedicates itself to producing a high-quality publication that both informs and entertains the entire student body.

This newspaper 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.

Advertising is $7.50 per column inch, $6.00 if paid in advance. For information call (310)798-8665 ext. 2210.

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

It’s that time of year again. Our wickedly cold winter (low much longer than usual. Even the budget is bigger, which sixties) is fading into a long-awaited spring (high sixties). means a bigger wardrobe and a massive, intricate set. With a Tulips are blooming. Grocery store aisles are being filled with whopping $10,000 at its disposal, the drama department has chocolate bunnies and marshmallow eggs. Spring Break is invested in an intricate, true-to-life cruise ship set. The cast just around the corner. And most importantly, the drama and crew have put a lot of work into this production and all program is gearing up to perform its new spring musical af- they ask from us is our patronage. ter being unable to do one last year.

All the students in Drama want to continue performing The Drama program has been through a lot in recent for our school, but to do that, they need money. With our years: previous drama teacher Sunee Foley’s ill health in economy in the tank, and the school budget being squeezed 2009 during Seussical, the crippling debt the department dry, art programs aren’t getting the funding they used to. was left with in 2010, and last year’s auditorium renovations, They are more and more dependent on donations and, most which meant that plays could not importantly, ticket sales. Without be performed for large audiences. “The cast and crew have those, there is no program.

Now, however, the hard-working ac- put a lot of work into this OK, so you’re not a big musical tors and crew, led by director Justin buff. You might think Bye Bye Birdie Baldridge, are getting ready to put production and all they ask is about some wayward sparrows or on their first musical in two years: from us is our patronage.”

Fiddler on the Roof is about an adAnything Goes. venturous musician. And that’s OK. So maybe musicals aren’t your thing. Maybe you’re not You don’t need to be a Broadway buff to enjoy two hours of enticed by big musical numbers, choreographed dance your peers dancing, singing, acting, and showing off what moves, and sets and props that were painstakingly created they’ve been working so hard for. and decorated for your viewing pleasure. “Drama?” You may And they have definitely worked hard. With late night ask yourself. “Who cares about drama?” But considering rehearsals, strenuous dance practice and choreography, and how much time and passion are spent on these productions, the tedium of having to reach that high note night-afteryou should. night, the least we can do is support them and validate all Just from conversations with anyone involved in Anything of the hard work they’ve put into this production and the Goes, you can tell how excited they are. Just walking down program as a whole. the hallways or sitting in class you see posters declaring the As students, we are obligated to support our arts prodates of performances and ticket prices. Their enthusiasm is grams. We should feel privileged to have the opportunity to almost tangible — and rightly so. watch our fellow students doing what they love — and doAnything Goes is unlike any other Redondo musical. Cast- ing it well ­­— for a mere $10 (pre-sale, of course). More than ing began in October and rehearsals have been going on for anything, we should sit back and enjoy the show.

Countless veterans were hopelessly waiting for health care and welfare checks. Hundreds of thousands of passport applications were left unprocessed. Tobacco, alcohol, firearm, and explosive regulation enforcement

by Zac Commins was severely delayed. We may soon face such harsh realities, the likes of which have not been seen in 15 years.

Over a 21-day period in Dec. 1995 and Jan. 1996, gridlock between a Republican Congress and the Clinton Administration resulted in the catastrophic shutdown of several key government services. Now, the clash over the federal debt has left the country on the brink of another shutdown. Clearly, something needs to be done.

Last Wednesday, President Obama signed a two-week spending bill, funding the federal government through March 18 and cutting $4 billion from this year’s budget. But reaching an agreement before the next deadline could be difficult and costly for the American people.

Fearing an adverse effect on our already fragile economy, President Obama and Democratic Senate leaders have signaled opposition to the short-term continuing resolutions proposed by Republican Congressmen.

According to White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, short-term disputes are detrimental to national unity. “The focus needs to be on the longer-term deal so that we can come to an agreement and then put that in place so that we can focus on the longer-term issues that we all realize the nation faces — [issues] that the American people want us to grapple with,” he said at the press conference on March 1.

The Republican-controlled House, Democratic-controlled Senate, and the Obama Administration all have expressed dire need for a new, deficit-slashing budget by the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. While the parties agree on this front, the days ahead are apt to be extremely turbulent and the resulting compromise may come at a steep price for the American people.

While many deplore the cutback of social programs that millions rely on, something has got to give. We cannot expect to make it through this recession without giving up something in return, be it in the form of reduced welfare or, preferably, higher taxes.

In the end, the American people must understand that to effectively curtail the federal debt and avoid bankruptcy, they will have to face the tax hikes and service cutbacks agreed upon.

The federal government must cut unnecessary services from the budget and consider raising taxes to create a sensible plan to prevent bankruptcy.

AP exams save students time and money in long run Last Friday, Redondo students were scrambling all over campus to reach the ASB Finance Office to hand in substantial sums of money for AP Exams. Among

by Michelle Hough the many panicked voices of “How do I log into the Web Store?” and “Out of my way! I need to get there before the line gets too long!” were the indignant cries of “Yeesh, these are expensive. $87 each!”

The Advanced Placement program is a College Board sponsored program which offers high school students accelerated courses equivalent to undergraduate college courses. Each course has a final exam, which colleges assess to grant college credits. Because APs use college curricula, the courses are much more rigorous than other

non-AP courses. They require college level critical thinking, the passing of an agonizingly long test at the end of year, and on top of it all, a $87 fee for all the stress and suffering. But aside from the loss of sanity, the benefits far outweigh the cost.

The first reason a student might consider an AP is to skip general education classes in college, saving tuition and time.

Each college has its own grading system of accepting APs for credit, but most require scores of at least a 3 or 4 out of 5 to receive credit as an exemption from introductory coursework.

It is no secret that college is expensive.

On average per year, public 4-year colleges run $7,605 in tuition and fees, private nonprofit four-year colleges run $27,293, and even a 2-year public community college will cost you $2,713 (www.collegeboard.com). The average college student takes 4-6 classes a semester and earns at least 12 credits. Since AP courses are

worth 3-8 credits, taking them can potentially save an entire year of hard work and thousands of dollars.

But time and money are not the only reasons to take AP exams. A study from the University of Texas shows that AP students receive higher GPAs and have a better chance of graduating college (www. washingtonpost.com).

AP courses are also an enormous help to getting into college, which, as seniors know, is a tooth-and-nail struggle. Success in these difficult courses is a sure sign of college preparedness. Given the intense competition for universities nowadays, AP courses have basically become a prerequisite for acceptance.

APs help students acquire the critical thinking skills required of a college course, all in the comforting environment of a high school classroom. APs also assist students in identifying skills in certain subject areas, which can speed up the process

of picking a major. Taking APs also frees up time to take electives in college that are more fun and exploratory than those in high schools.

But the AP experience itself is the most beneficial aspect of these courses.

The students are hard-working, and being surrounded by vigor, resilience and camaraderie every day is simply inspiring.

The teachers are extremely supportive and want the students to do well. The classes are tight-knit and the students are often dependent on each other’s help nearly as much as the teachers.

However, APs are not for everyone. If you do not like witty and cheeky banter, the thrill of success on a difficult test, or if a challenging curriculum just hurts too much, then these classes aren’t for you. But if you would like to become a better reader, writer, speaker, or thinker, as our dear Mr. Ammentorp would say, I would join up. I promise you won’t regret it.

Features

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] March 11, 2011]

Christie and Holcombe dirt bike in the desert

by Loren Brown

It’s quiet. There’s nothing around except scattered shrubs, the glorious rocky mountains, and dirt. For miles the tanned ground continues with no sign of crowded highways, towering skyscrapers, or populated streets. The desert. The terrain that juniors Max Christie and Jessica Holcombe retreat to drag out their dirt bikes and roll.

Both Christie and Holcombe have immense passions for dirt biking and, according to Christie, it is something he has been doing since he was a kid.

“My father introduced me to [dirt biking].

The first time I tried it, it was a really odd feeling. It felt like a new place,” Christie said.

Christie believes that his odd feelings quickly faded away as he got deeper into the sport. He began dragging his friends along to the “dirt” as well.

“As soon as I started driving, I started going with my friends. Being with friends and being on a bike is what makes [dirt biking] fun,” he said.

For Holcombe, dirt biking is more of a family tradition.

“We go [dirt biking] four to eight times a year. It’s me, my dad and his side of the family. All of us like being in the open and away from the city,” Holcombe said.

According to Christie and Holcombe, dirt biking gets their adrenaline going. Although the bumps and obstacles nature provides are “energy boosters”, danger is always lurking around.

“I broke my arm when I was six,” she said. “I was riding around in the grass and got confused on where I was going and I hit a bump and fell. My arm broke in half.”

According to Christie, falling is all part of the sport.

“One of my favorite quotes is ‘Every rider knows you’re going to fall. It’s not if you get hurt, it’s when,’” Christie said. “That pretty much sums it up because you are going to fall.”

But of course, according to Holcombe, they dust themselves off and keep on riding.

“Being with friends and being on a bike is what makes [dirt biking] fun.”

—Max Christie “Just the fact that [dirt biking] is my passion and family related is what makes it so fun. It’s definitely something I’m going to pass on to my kids,” Holcombe said.

According to Holcombe, dirt biking is different than regular biking and driving.

“Driving is in streets that are organized.

Biking in the desert, it’s open and you can

1.

Back to the desert. 1.Holocombe believes that dirt biking is her passion, even though it involves falling and getting dirty. 2. Holocombe is able to go to the desert to ride with her family about four to eight times a year.

do whatever,” Holcombe said.

For both Christie and Holcombe, biking is being free and at peace.

“When you’re riding, you and the bike are one. It’s a good feeling,” Christie said.

GETTING

Guernsey and family rides horses despite the cleaning

DOWN

AND

by Cameron Paulson

Students participate in various activities, encountering dirt and grime along the way.

Ecology Club tests water quality with Heal the Bay

by Jermey Porr

Test tubes, chemical solutions, and lab work aren’t words that come to mind when one thinks of the beach, but for members of the Ecology Club its just another Sunday.

Ecology Club has began working with the Surfrider foundation for their next project which includes everything from beach clean-ups to testing our oceans water for pollution.

“I started Ecology because I really wanted to find a way to make a difference in the school and the community,” club president Joanie Schneider said.

According to Schneider, Ecology club has close to 60 active members. Every other Sunday members get together for a series of “teach and test” programs led by the Surfrider foundation.

“Everyone meets at a local beach to gather small water samples. Then we return to the sea lab to test our oceans salinity and pollution levels,” she said.

The club began its testing in September and is ending in late June. According to Schneider though, Ecology club has been a part of the “teach and test” programs far longer than that.

“We have remained active in beach clean-ups and water testing for a couple

2.

PHOTOS CURTESY OF JESSICA HOLOCOMBE

years now and its great because it really tells us about what kind of impact we have on our environment,” Schneider said.

Vice president Casey Lovano believes that the program is very important, and thinks that it is only fair that the people of the South Bay work hard to keep beaches clean.

“We live here, the beach is very much a part of our everyday lives so its important that we keep it clean,” she said.

Club sponsor Mary Simun agrees.

“One of the great things about this program is that it gets the students involved in authentic projects. It’s real science, the kids actually go out and do their own lab work,”

she said.

Simun usually attends the “teach and test” programs with club members, but is adamant about the fact that the students do all of the work themselves. She believes the program is beneficial to both students and the environment.

“Its important that we get this data so that we can work harder to stop [the pollution], our oceans support every living thing on this planet and if the oceans die, than so do we,” Simun said.

For further information on how you can get involved join Ecology Club, meetings are every Tuesday or visit the Surfrider Foundation’s website.

Soccer, swim, and softball are common after school activities but for sophomore Erin Guernsey, horseback riding is a usual pastime.

“I started when I was five or six,” Guernsey said. “My friend Courtney got me into it and I’ve always loved horses since I was little.”

Guernsey now has two horses, Aspen and Sammy and believes that owning them is a great responsibility.

“Cleaning the stalls takes about 30 minutes and you have to brush them and clean the saddles and bridles,” Guernsey said.

“Not to mention feeding them.”

Not only does the cleaning up take time but, so do the rides.

“The rides we take last about two hours and that would be considered a good ride,” Guernsey said.

According to Guernsey a lot of hard work is put in to maintain her horses however, the reward of riding in competitions is priceless.

“I’ve competed about three or four times but its more for fun the fun of it,” Guernsey says.

Guernsey also rides with her parents, Judy and Bill Guernsey and believes that it is a “good bonding time”.

“Me and my mom go up at least three or four times a week if my dad can’t go with us,” Erin said. “It’s actually pretty cool to ride with them. I have a lot of fun.”

Erin takes after her mom in that she started horseback riding at a young age.

“I’ve been horseback riding about 49 years,” Mrs. Guernsey said. “I had my first pony when I was four and my mom used to ride horses.”

Although it’s a hobby Erin loves, continuing to horseback ride as the years go by will be a challenge.

“I probably wont horseback ride through college but hopefully my parents will let me take [my horses],” Erin said, “If I can afford it when I’m an adult I’ll [still] have horses.”

According to Erin, no matter how old she gets or where she goes in life, horseback riding will always be a love of hers.

PHOTO CURTESY OF ERIN GUERNSEY

Saddle up. Guernsey with one of her horses, Aspen. She has been riding horses ever since she was 5 and believes it is her passion, despite the dirt.

Features

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] March 11, 2011 ]

AFTER

HOURS Our halls don’t close after the final bell has rung because activities and review sessions go late into the night.

Stafford and Phillips work as nighttime security guards

by Giana Esposito

They roam the school at night, opening and closing doors, moving tables, and delivering projectors. Keys jingle in their pockets and “walkie talkies” emit scratchy commands on their belts. After years of walking these halls day and night, seniors Jeffrey Stafford and Aaron Phillips know this campus is better than most.

Every Monday and Wednesday from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m., Stafford and Phillips work as student aid security guards for the South Bay Adult School. Their job has allowed them to truly become familiar with all sides of Redondo.

“At nighttime [the school’s] a little more eerie,” Stafford said. “It’s not as friendly as it is in the daytime. It’s sunny and beautiful when you look around the campus [during the day]. [But] at night you kind of see the other side of campus.”

However, through their job, Phillips and Stafford have gained a greater appreciation for the amount of work required to maintain the school.

“I see things differently during the day.

Like I’ll see the tables in the cafeteria and think, ‘I set that up,’” Phillips said.

Stafford especially respects the custodians’ hard work now and wishes other students could do the same. “[Students] should know that a lot of work does go into the upkeep of the school and they should take better care of it,” Stafford said. “[The custodians] put in a lot of work keeping classrooms clean — don’t take what you have for granted.”

According to Stafford, the two boys first found out about the job when Stafford overheard science teacher and South Bay Adult

School night supervisor, Alvin Fletcher, talking to two applicants. Stafford got “nosy” about the job and Fletcher said that he could have the job if the other two applicants didn’t “work out.” And when they didn’t, Stafford told Phillips about the job. They applied and were hired. After training during the summer before their sophomore year, they started work.

From spending time on campus at night, Stafford and Phillips also see the “creatures” that make up Redondo’s very own wildlife.

According to Phillips, there are raccoons, skunks, and crickets “everywhere” at night.

Stafford even had a run-in with a skunk.

“I was standing around Science Hall looking for students in need of help when I felt something brushing against my leg. I looked down and it was a skunk, but luckily I did not move,” Stafford said.

However, custodians aren’t the only ones that visit Redondo at night. Redondo is also home to adult classes, club sports practices, review sessions, and performances. And part of their job as student aid security guards is to lock and unlock the facilities needed for these events. “[We do] things that would be hard or take a long time for one person to do by themselves, like put all the chairs and tables up in the cafeteria or take off the pool covers or help teachers who have a lot of things to carry,” Phillips said.

Because of the nature of their duties, Stafford and Phillips believe themselves to be more like student aids than security guards.

“It’s mostly just helping other people do stuff,” Stafford said. “I’m usually the one that’s told to be in a certain place. I don’t really have any authority.”

PHOTO BY JONATHAN MARTIN

Securing the school. Seniors Aaron Phillips and Jeffrey Stafford have become good friends by working together as nighttime security guards.

Phillips, however, has had to demonstrate authority on a few occasions.

“One time a Spanish teacher couldn’t make it [to teach adult school] and there were about 30 adults waiting outside for her and I had to explain that the teacher wasn’t coming,” Phillips said. “They got pretty upset about that. But I told them I was just the messenger and if they wanted to talk to

Review sessions prove essential for AP classes

power of the key that “opens everything,” but is now accustomed to and proud of that power.

“We take a certain amount of pride in our job,” Phillips said. “We don’t want to make the [South Bay] Adult School or our boss, Donna, look bad because she’s very nice to us. So we try to be as professional with the students as possible.”

Nighttime custodians keep campus clean

by Cedric Hyon

by Anthony Leong

School at night: it’s a hellish sounding prospect to most of us, but for AP students, it’s a necessary reality because nighttime review sessions help students prepare for AP exams. Junior Chris Lew has a hectic schedule, having taken four AP courses on top of tennis and Academic Decathlon, but finds review sessions necessary.

“It’s a lot of sacrificing of sleep, but I’m hoping [the hard work] will pay off,” Lew said.

Although review sessions keep him at school a few extra hours, Lew has no resentment for them.

“I think that review sessions are actually necessary if you want to get high grades on AP tests,” he said. “They’re not really impractical; they only take a couple hours out of your schedule.”

In addition, Lew feels that review sessions are more relaxed than actual school.

History teacher Phillip Comito also feels that review sessions are more easy going.

“Everybody’s here voluntarily and as

someone, they could go to the office.”

Phillips believes that working together has “played a huge role” in the two becoming closer as friends. “[We became closer] simply because we spent so much time together,” Phillips said.

They’ve not only developed their friendship together, but also a sense of responsibility. Phillips was also surprised at first at the

PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO

Let's Review. AP U.S. history teacher Phil Comito conducts his first review session of the year. such, it’s a little more relaxed,” Comito said.

Comito sees review sessions as a different kind of learning than typical class time.

“There’s a more cooperative learning,” he said. “People are with their friends.”

As a first-time AP U.S. history teacher Amber Keller is conducting review sessions for the first time. She feels that while review sessions may not be necessary for English or science courses, they are for history.

“With history you have [to have review sessions] because there’s so much information,” Keller said. “Often times what students learn at the beginning of the year

they forget by the end.”

In spite of the extra work it entails, Keller enjoys being an AP teacher.

“It’s challenging. I like the students — they’re definitely more involved,” she said.

“They have a lot invested in this class because they get college credit for it. It’s more challenging but it’s more rewarding.”

Lew recognizes that review sessions are a necessary part of many AP courses and is able to see their value.

“Obviously, I wouldn’t rather go to review sessions than have free time, but if you want to get the high grade it’s what you have to do,” he said.

Noises intensify. Shadows lurk within the hallways. Custodians denounce the darkness and carry out their job, cleaning up the campus.

The custodians work in a and dark setting to help keep our campus clean every night.

However, it can get lonely for them, according to custodian John Smith*.

“You’re really just by yourself, just doing your job,” Smith said.

The RUHS custodians experience an eerie setting, creepy hallways, dark shadows and many loud noises. Sometimes the crew can get “really frightened,” according to Smith.

“You hear noises, bangs, kids running around,” Smith said.

With about 2,400 kids on campus, during the day it’s easy to see why it could get so messy.

“Everyday is a little different. You get good days and bad days,” Smith said.

Custodians get annoyed by the kids who never clean up after themselves during lunch and snack.

“Just put [trash] in the trash can. Clean it up after you’re done with everything. This is your future, and your place. The budget’s just going to get more slim. We [won’t be able] pay $200 to get graffiti off a wall,”

Smith said.

The night custodian’s schedule usually runs from 3:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., which gets in the way of seeing their family. They only get to see their family on the weekends.

Night custodians have also changed their sleeping and eating times. However, most have become quite used to it.

“I have to clean the technology building, all of the gyms, and the cafeteria after everything’s done,” head night custodian Alex Molineios said.

Custodians have trouble with the kids that trespass school property at night as well. They have to chase them out so that they won’t vandalize school property, among other things.

“Most of the time it’s quiet. Sometimes skateboarders come around and knock stuff over. You just have to chase [the skateboarders] out,” Smith said.

A number of custodians feel overworked and underappreciated most of the time.

“There is one [custodian]. Every night, he has to clean the whole outside area of this campus at night. He does that all on his own.

There’s no magical fairy to clean up,” Jeff Cracknell, an RUHS security guard said. *Subject chose to remain anonymous; the name has been changed.

Features

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]March 11, 2011]

Displaying her faith by covering up

Cutting hair for a good cause

by Nicolas Cruz

by Melissa Rosero

Waking up unusually early, junior Norhan Tawil feels a sudden shift in her life. She decides today’s the day, walks into her mom’s closet, picks one from the pile and has her sister wrap it around her face.

Tawil deepens her Islamic faith by deciding to wear a hijab, a head covering commonly worn by Islamic women.

Such a drastic change was not done without careful consideration. Even more, Tawil felt completely indifferent to the entire idea only two years earlier, when she was a freshman.

“I didn’t know much about my religion at the time and I just asked myself, if everyone else is wearing it, should I wear it too?” Tawil said.

Her sophomore year was not spent around her friends, but living with her family in Egypt, where she learned more about Islamic religion.

“I asked a lot of questions. I even went to go talk to a sheikh [an Islamic scholar] so he could tell me the most accurate version,” Tawil said.

Her talk with the sheikh was especially influential.

“The hijab is about covering up everything beautiful about yourself, not so that you look ugly, but so you aren’t flashing yourself,” Tawil said.

For Tawil, the most important aspect of the hijab is the respect from the opposite gender.

“To me personally, I feel like I respect myself so much more when I’m covered. I feel like I’m a different person when I’m wearing shorts than when I wear the hijab,” she said.

Not only does the hijab allow Tawil to respect herself more, but it also brings her more respect.

“I feel like when a guy talks to me, its because of me, not because of my body,” Tawil said.

Now that Tawil has chosen to wear the hijab, she also has to adapt to the rules that follow it. One rule is that she can have no physical contact with the opposite sex.

“I like it when guys have their limits with me. And now that I feel like a lady, I like that guys can’t just treat me like one of their guy friends,” Tawil said.

Being one of the only students who wears a hijab, Tawil does not feel out of place, rather, she feels special.

“When someone really believes in something, and you believe what your doing is right, then you don’t care about what other people think,” Tawil said.

PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO

Proud. Junior Norhan Tawil believes her hijab shows individuality along with displaying her Islamic faith. The hijab also represents respect to Tawil.

DOWN

TO THE

ROOTS Students show their culture through their hairstyles, donate their hair for those in need, and pursue careers in hair styling.

Ahluwalia has never cut her hair because of her Sikh faith

by Brianna Egan

The sun glints down on her rippling hair. Setting her bag down to take a seat, she gathers the cascading locks in her hands and folds them underneath her.

Senior Anchal Ahluwalia has never cut her hair.

Hanging just below her waist, her wavy, deep-brown hair is more than just a statement — it is an emblem of her Sikh faith.

According to Ahluwalia, Sikhism, a religion of her native, India, teaches tolerance and respect.

“It’s about respecting your own faith, but then respecting everyone else’s faith as well. It’s kind of typical: be respectful, avoid doing bad things when you can,” she said.

According to Sikh tradition, men and women alike are instructed not to cut their hair, though many Sikhs do.

“Technically you’re not supposed to cut it, but a lot of Sikhs

cut their hair. I do have a lot of family members that cut their hair, and [doing so] is completely fine,” Ahluwalia said.

Her mother and younger sister do not cut their hair, and she explains that their purpose as a family, in keeping with their beliefs, lies mainly in creating an identity and respecting nature.

“The reason [for keeping your hair long] is supposed to be to give you an identity as a Sikh,” Ahluwalia said. “It’s also partly out of respect — because that’s how God made you.”

Taking pride in her culture, Ahluwalia finds the distinctiveness of her hair to be, besides a conversation-starter, part of her identity. “[My long hair] is not the most common thing; people ask me about it. A lot of people don’t know about Sikhism, and so [my hair helps] show my religion,” she said.

Having been used to maintaining long hair for her entire life, Ahluwalia sees her hair care as standard, even “normal,” and contrary to what one may think, not annoying.

“People always ask me how I take care of my hair,” she said.

“It’s been this length for a while, so I’ve gotten used to it.

Ahluwalia does not believe that the length of her hair causes her to take care of it any differently than anyone else.

“I don’t take five-hour showers or anything, it’s pretty much the same routine as anyone else. I just have more hair to wash and shampoo,” she said.

No special products, no horror stories of getting strands caught, and no hours spent untangling her hair, bent over the blow-dryer.

“Everyone thinks it’s really hard to deal with such long hair, but I’m used to it. It’s not a big deal or a big hassle for me,” Ahluwalia said.

PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO

Whip your hair. Senior Anchal Ahluwalia, along with her mother and sister, do not cut their hair as a way of preserving their faith. It is a part of her Sikh tradition to leave it uncut.

She looked at herself in the mirror. The reflection was strange. It felt like it wasn’t her own. It was weird to look at herself with almost all of her hair gone. However, despite this alteration, sophomore Zoe Ezzes was proud of her decision.

Ezzes’ decision to donate her hair in the sixth grade was an effort to give to the community and help those less fortunate than her.

“I wanted to help other people,” Ezzes said. “I didn’t expect anything in return.”

She feels fortunate because her hair grows faster than others which made donating easier. When she was younger, Ezzes wanted to use her gift and give her hair to charities like Locks of Love and Wigs for Kids.

Ezzes was unaware at the time that donating her hair could help people with cancer like her mother.

“I wanted to contribute [and] I was glad to help out. I didn’t know about it [at the time],” Ezzes said.

“If I had known, it would have definitely played a factor.”

Because of her mother’s cancer, Ezzes feels motivated to help out this cause.

“I definitely have more of a connection with the people that had cancer,” she said.

Even though she feels this way, Ezzes doesn’t plan on donating her hair again.

According to Ezzes, the time and trouble to grow her hair knee length again to donate is too troublesome.

“It’s a lot to take care of, “she said. “Since I already donated my hair twice, it would be enough.”

Despite this, she plans on doing more activities like volunteer runs and walks to raise awareness about people with cancer to help them in different ways.

“It would definitely be a good way to raise awareness and donate money” Ezzes said.

Ezzes feels that donating her hair was just a small step in helping out.

“There’s not a lot you can do for a cancer patient except support them,” she said.

Sophomore Hailey Newman also believes donating her hair to Locks of Love will help people suffering with cancer.

Newman plans on donating her hair to a charity to give something people take for granted to someone who needs it. She became inspired after her friend donated her hair last year.

“I would be helping a child suffering from long term medical hair loss,” Newman said. “[My hair] is really long right now. I thought it would be a good thing to do.”

In about two weeks, Newman plans on donating her hair to a charity like Locks of Love.

“I want to make a change in a child’s life,” she said.

Learning the skills for a future of cutting hair and doing makeup

by Kimberly Chapman

Looking down on the floor you see freshly cut hair. You look back up and you notice that the hair you cut is uneven, so you cut more. The doll’s hair keeps getting shorter and shorter, and you are relieved that it is not a person’s hair.

Senior Sacha Holt and juniors Nicole Pike and Kayla Horry play with this consequence at the SCROC Cosmetology School almost every day.

The girls enjoy going to cosmetology school because they can pursue interests that are not taught at a regular high school.

“I would not have learned how to cut hair with confidence in a typical high school class. I’ve learned that I have to be patient with cutting hair because you’re not going to be per-

fect the first time,” Pike said.

Holt’s first experience cutting her sister’s hair was successful and has kept her motivated to pursue hairdressing as her career.

“Seeing my sister really happy about the results after I cut her hair gave me a positive attitude and made me think that I can do this for the rest of my life,” Holt said.

The hands-on experience the class provides is valuable according to Horry.

“In class we work on doll heads but on Thursdays we can choose to bring people in to work on. I just bleached a girl’s hair the other day, the experience is extremely important,” Horry said.

Holt enjoys seeing the transformation hair goes through after it has been styled.

“I love seeing a before and after.

It’s worth all the work you put into it after seeing a successful finished product,” Holt said.

“There are so many different types of hair and it’s cool to see what you can do to it. It’s art.”

—Nicole Pike According to Pike, hair is exciting to work with because of the variety of styles it has.

“You can choose to keep it long or cut it short. There are so many different types of hair and it’s cool to see what you can do to it. It’s

art,” Pike said.

Holt believes her main attraction to hair is the self-expression people can portray through it.

“There are so many things you can do with hair and I think that how you wear your hair says who you are,” Holt said.

Horry believes the class has prepared her for the future.

“The class is a good opportunity to see if cosmetology is the right career path for me. It has made me think about the future a lot and has shown me that I want to pursue this,” Horry said.

Holt believes the things she learns in class will help her to get a cosmetology license.

“I like how we learn stuff that allows us to become more confident about getting our licenses,” Holt said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SACHA HOLT

Snip it good. Senior Sacha Holt, left, shown in Halloween makeup. Holt, Horry, and Pike attend SCROC Cosmetology school where they learn different makeup techniques and how to cut hair using dolls and volunteers.

With cosmetology as her future career, Holt hopes to make a difference in how people view themselves.

“I just want people to be more comfortable in their own skin.

When I was younger I hated my hair, but after cosmetology class I learned how to do my hair in certain ways and it has made me feel a lot more confident about myself,” Holt said.

Sports

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] March 11, 2010 ]

Going to the green With multiple scrimmage wins under its belt, boys’ golf looks forward to beginning its season in League.

By Nicolas Cruz

Tennis

Boys’ golf ends its off-season preparations with its practice game against North winning 193-195 and adding to their many victories in scrimmage matches.

These victories include a previous victory against North 189-211. Redondo scored their best score in this game.

Takes THE

WIN

Boys’ tennis uses conditioning to prepare for future matches

by David Kawa

Boys’ tennis defeated Bishop Montgomery yesterday 14-4. Currently 3-2 in nonleague matches, the team sets its sights on the upcoming match against Torrance.

Senior Sebastian Mendoza claims a slow start motivated the team to pick up the intensity.

“In the first round it was close and we were afraid we might lose. It made us try harder for the next two rounds and then everyone started winning,” he said.

Junior Derek Levchenko feels that Redondo was the overall “better team.”

“We are in better shape because we do running during practices. And I’d say we are more skilled too,” he said.

Coach Jessica Seibert agrees that Redondo is a higher quality team than Bishop.

“Our players have more competitive experience. We are in a tougher league than

they are. We are used to seeing stronger competition,” she said.

According to senior Paul Levchenko, practicing volleys and serves helps the team perfect fundamentals. The team has also put an emphasis on conditioning.

“We have been doing more running and conditioning to make sure we are at 100 percent for all the sets we have to play,” he said.

The team is committed to win, but also takes time to enjoy the game.

“Our team is pretty easy-going, but we all want to win and I can see that every match. Everybody fights for every point, even though a lot of us still want to have fun,” Paul said.

Mendoza seconds this view.

“We push our hardest to win all the game we can, but we remember that it’s just a game,” he said.

The team looks inward for support.

“It’s a group effort this season. They all band together and work together. Ultimately it builds us because we know how to push and motivate each other. It’s strong to have the whole team involved,” Seibert said.

The team anticipates the match against Torrance on Monday.

“We haven’t played them in years, so we don’t really know their team,” Derek said.

Seibert is requiring a weekend practice, verified with a parent note, to ensure that the team stays focused.

“I’m just making sure they are ready for Torrance,” she said.

According to Seibert, the team is preparing for the unexpected in their game against Torrance.

“I can’t remember the last time we played them on the boys’ side. We don’t know what to expect. We are a little bit worried because we just don’t know what they are going to bring out,” she said.

“We have the best team we’ve ever had.”

that his team will perform well this season.

He has faith not only in his senior players, but also the junior and sophomore players as well.

“These five [juniors and sophomores] are so strong,” Burke said.

Burke coaches without worry about next year’s team, even though he will be losing some of his key players.

“We are going to be even stronger next year,” he said.

– John Burke With such a close score in yesterday’s match, senior Jack Yates was disappointed about the game in comparison to previous victories.

“We didn’t do quite as [well] as we could have done,” he said.

Despite this close game, the varsity boys’ golf team is much better than previous years, according to Yates.

“We have definitely been much better than we have ever been,” he said. “We are hoping to maintain the winning streak and win more games.”

With wins under his belt, coach John Burke has high hopes for this season.

“We have the best team we’ve ever had,” Burke said.

Although he is confident about Redondo’s team, Burke is only worried about one match.

“South will be our strongest competitor,” he said.

According to Burke, the team’s victories can be credited to former coach Loreen Trevino, who has been injured and cannot coach the team this year.

“Loreen Trevino built up [our team] for the last five years,” he said. “I feel like I’m taking all the credit for what she did.”

According to Burke, he has no doubt

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL Putting for Pride. Sophomore Ray Malazo putts the ball in the game against North.

Caponpon conducts study on knee injury prevention

by Emma Uriarte

One snap. One pop. Just one wrong step and senior Ashiana Antar was out of basketball for six months with a torn ACL. Now Antar is back in the game, but she knows just how devastating a knee injury can be for an athlete.

Athletic trainer June Caponpon has been studying torn ACLs, especially in women. He has attended classes about knee injuries and has gained with valuable knowledge about injuries and the importance of preventing them.

According to Caponpon, “most people overdo it” and athletes should progress in increments, rather than exert-

PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO Preventive Path. Athletic Trainer June Caponpon instructs on how to treat knee injuries. After noticing an increase in knee injuries among student athletes, Caponpon is committed to teaching students.

ing all their force and risking injury.

Caponpon conducted a study on athletes and the level of agility and strength an athlete needs. During their off-season, the girls’ soccer team participated in the study and each girl was put through a series of short tests to assess their strengths and weaknesses.

“We were trying to get a norm of what people rely on and set what is considered a norm for certain exercises like leg strength and balance,” Caponpon said. “We plotted people on a graph and wanted to see how many people filtered into the norm and to see where people should be. I’ve learned that different age groups and different genders show different strengths and weaknesses.”

He used the research from his studies to draw conclusions about injuries, especially torn ACLs. “There is a core relation between leg strength and ACL tears,” Caponpon said. “When you stress ligaments with resistance they get stronger and help [prevent injury].”

According to Antar, having such a serious injury was extremely discouraging. “[Tearing my ACL] was bad, because I felt like I was improving my basketball game and then I tore it,” she said. “I felt like it was the end of the world.”

Even though Antar recovered and was mentally ready to play in sixth months, it was a struggle getting back into the movement of her sport to play at her peak performance.

“Strengthening [my knee] was tough because after surgery you have to regain muscle, plus all of the pain that comes with it,” she said.

According to Caponpon, injuries come hand-in-hand

with playing sports, and not all injuries can be prevented.

The key for a fast recovery is to treat injuries within 24 hours, when the recovery rate is faster.

“It is very hard to prevent injuries because of the difficulties of different sports that are involved, but you can reduce the severity [of an injury] by keeping your muscles strong to minimize risk, and when it does happen, you want to treat it right away,” he said.

Preventing injuries is more important now than it ever was because people are starting to play sports at younger ages, according to Caponpon.

Serious injuries become more dangerous in younger children because their bodies are still growing and most surgeries cannot fix something that has not finished growing.

“Researchers are seeing injuries at a younger age. Kids are doing too much too soon and overtraining,” he said.

Although Caponpon only included girls’ soccer in his study, he hopes to continue his research and expand it to all of the sports teams at Redondo.

“We have this great new facility to use, and we want to get more people to participate,” he said.

Caponpon encourages athletes to take actions to prevent serious injuries because he believes uninjured athletes are much more valuable than those who are held back by their body’s limits.

“Your goal is to maximize biomechanics, and when you injure a body part and the more you irritate it, the less you can perform,” he said. “You prevent injuries in order to excel at your sport.”

Big buddies build bonds with JV players

by Anacristina Gonzalez

She tries to steady her nerves as she warms up. She throws the ball, and the game starts. The shouts and cheers from her big buddy on the sideline fill her with the confidence to win.

The girls’ lacrosse teams use the “buddy system” in order to bridge the gap between the varsity and JV teams.

This system partners each JV girl with a varsity player to guide and cheer them on throughout the lacrosse season.

“We make each other a bag of snacks that [we each] like and an inspirational note before games,” varsity captain Julia Denney said.

According to Denney, having this system brings the girls on both JV and varsity closer. The girls get to know each other and develop bonds with their buddies. “[The buddy system] brings us together by giving the younger players someone to look up to,” Denney said.

Girls’ lacrosse coach Tom Borgia enjoys witnessing the bonds that this system forms between the players. These relationships are carried with the girls throughout their

high school years.

“I think [the buddy system] helps the girls focus on the game. They grow a real bond with their buddies by giving inspirational cards to each other. It’s great to see new friendships develop because of this buddy program,” Borgia said.

The girls on lacrosse find that having buddies to encourage them before and during games give them the drive and determination to succeed.

“You kind of look forward to getting your buddy’s gift every week. It motivates you to do your best,” Denney said.

The younger girls on the team benefit from this system by having a more experienced player on the team to go to for advice whenever they have questions about their techinque.

“I was worried that I was going to be really bad, but the [older] girls on the team have a really good attitude and they are really helpful. They try to include you all the time,” junior Alina Mistuloff said.

The system is also helpful to the older girls on the team

by providing them with someone to observe during the season.

“The bigger buddy can learn from the younger buddy’s growth as a lacrosse player through the season,” Denney said.

Mistuloff believes the buddy system is successful in bridging the gap between the different team levels in girls’ lacrosse, thus instilling a sense of comfort and friendliness among the players.

“I think the buddy system really works. If I ever do have any questions, I definitely will go to my buddy [as] opposed to anyone else,” Mistuloff said.

The girls on lacrosse enjoy having this program because it brings an overall fun element to the team.

“I know the girls love the buddy system. Some of the cards are really fantastic and a lot of thought goes into the cards and small gifts. Don’t get me wrong — there are plenty of silly, little gifts too, but that helps keep the girls loose. I believe we play better when we are relaxed and loose and having fun. We just roll into the game ready to play,” Borgia said.

PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO Palling Around. Big buddy Julia Denney gives advice to her younger buddy Alina Mistuloff, to help develop her lacrosse skills.

Sports

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]March 11, 2011]

Honed in. Senior Travis Fischvogt pitches during the opening game of the season against St. John Boscoe. The team looks to use the El Segundo Tournament to develop their skills and depth.

PHOTOS BY ASHLEY MAULDIN

Lookin for some mo’

by Zach Zent

The baseball team began tournament play last night with a 5-4 loss against Bishop Montgomery High.

Bishop came out quick, and wracked up the runs on the seahawks. However the team nearly came back from a 5-1 defecit.

“It was a nail biter up until the very end,” Bradshaw said. “This game was tough because it just slipped through our grasp.”

Although the loss was dissapointing for them, the boys are looking forward to this weekends tournament as a chance to “get some wins under their belts” and to develop some momentum going into league play.

“Sure this loss was bad, like any loss, but we’ve got to look past this and keep focused on our goal — ­ winning,” Bradshaw said.

According to Bradshaw, the team came out too slow and was unable to recover from such a slow start.

“We weren’t able to capitalize early in the game and that definitely got us started on the wrong foot,” Bradshaw said.

Although they lost, the team was proud of their effort towards the end of the game.

“We showed some grit out there. We were fighting, but we still didn’t come out on top,” Bradshaw said.

Junior Cameron Bennett believes that the team did not start off the season the way

Baseball looks to turn things around in the second half of the 43rd annual El Segundo Tournament taking place at Redondo this weekend.

they had hoped to but believes that things are now “looking up.”

“We started the season off shaky with two straight losses, but i think we are now

“We’ve got to look past this and keep focused on our ultimate goal — winning,” – Hunter Bradshaw picking up momentum with our win against Carson. However, we still have some things to work out,” Bennett said.

Bouncing Back Mater Dei’s JV team was no match for Redondo. But it was a different story for the varsity.

The boys’ volleyball team experienced their first lost to Mater Dei, 28-30, 24-26, 25-23, 25-22, 15-17, Tuesday. They will compete in the Best of West tournament this weekend in San Diego.

“This tournament will be a real test for us because it really is all of the best teams,” senior Ryan Olson said.

Olson believes that the outcome of this tournament will determine how the team performs against Harvard-Westlake next Tuesday.

“I know we can compete well with any team out there,“ Olson said. “There’s no doubt about that, but we definitely got a wake up call

PHOTO BY RJ MUSHANEY

Going for the kill. Senior Trevor Butler spikes the ball in Tuesdays match against Mater Dei. The team lost its first match of the season, but look ahead to the Best of the West Tournament.

when we went against Mater Dei.” Although Redondo is currently ranked fifth in CIF Division 1, Olson believes the loss to Mater Dei proved that they cannot underestimate any other teams.

“The loss against Mater Dei was good because now we know what it’s like to lose,” Olson said.

According to head coach Duncan Avery, senior Ryan Mather had the best match with 19 kills and 10 blocks, while junior Kevin Fender had 27 digs.

Louis Richard, the newest and youngest addition to the team, is the best freshman volleyball player in the nation and was subbed in for senior Trevor Butler several times. He was put in to slow the game down.

“The substitution definitely caused Mater Dei to lose momentum,” Olson said. “His serve is deadly.

Senior Brandon Hiehle also got playtime after being out for 5 days due to strep throat.

Both senior Greg Evans and Olson agree that the other major contributions to the loss were the numerous net and service errors.

However, as the match progressed, errors were cut down and the intensity picked up which took them to a fifth game.

“We were playing as individuals the first 2 sets and finally came together as one unit the last three,” Avery said.

At the end, every player’s face displayed heavy disappointment.

“We beat ourselves in this match from too many errors on our side of the net,” Avery said.

The feeling came unwelcome, according to Evans. However, it was only a pre-season match so Evans, and the rest of the team remain relatively positive.

“We’re all the talk among other schools,” Evans said. “Redondo is going to be the team to beat this year in Bay League.”

stack on a couple of runs and maintain a comfortable lead, it will take pressure off of the defense and the pitchers, while also taking the wind out of the other team’s sails,” Bennett said.

Focus and intensity have been areas of concern for the team as they begin tournament play.

“In order to win tournaments, we need focus and maintain intensity both on and off the field. Lots of tiny teams have these bunt plays and delay steals that throw our infield off-guard. Focus needs to always be there, to prevent these little plays from turning into big innings for the other team,” Bennett said.

Lacrosse puts up the good fight

After losing to Mater Dei Tuesday, boys volleyball hopes to improve this weekend.

by Julie Tran

The team, once again, is looking to their pitchers to perform up to the high expectations set by coach Baumback. Solid pitching will lead to victories in upcoming tournaments, according to Bennett.

“In the upcoming tournaments, I expect us to be successful,” Bennett said. “We need to rely on our relief pitchers a bit more than usual, in order to conserve our two-way starters. But at the time being, our pitching is strong so we shouldn’t have to worry about that too much.”

Offensive execution is also vital to the team’s success, according to Bennett.

“The key to winning tournaments is offensive execution. If, inning by inning, we

by Camille Duong

PHOTO BY CELESTE MANAGULAN

D-Pole. Junior Zach Zent goes after a player from Pacific Palisades. The team lost 9-2 but put up a “good fight.”

Last night the Boys’ Lacrosse lost to Palisades Charter 9-2.

Even though the team lost, their offense improved from the last game against Loyola according to coach Phil Comito.

“Offense took more shots, there was good possession, and moved cleaner,” said Comito.

The team also did better on winning face-offs.

“Max Christy and Tyler Clinton did a good job, and we won a lot more that Monday night’s game,” Comito said.

One of the two goals scored last night was from junior Joey Lopez.

According to Lopez offense used what they learned in practice during the game.

“We moved well and we took

A great day on the hill

by Tati Calentano

Yesterday in their first Bay League meet, the swim team was defeated

by PV. Redondo dove in knowing it would be a hard race, but performed much better than expected.

“Based on practice I was concerned for the meet but after I was a little reassured by what I saw. The swimmers used proper technique and preformed with a high level of intensity,” coach Rubke said.

According to senior Jonathan Diaz, PV is very strong in all strokes.

But the absence of PV’s Michael Hudspith helped Redondo dominate in the relays.

“Relays make you want to swim faster because you want to win for your team. It’s all about the team effort. It was exciting to snatch a couple of the relays from them,” junior John Portis said.

The team needs to work on transitions for relays, according to senior Hogan Inscore.

“We were taking off too late, which didn’t affect us too much but

this needs to be perfected as the season goes on,” Inscore said.

Over all, Rubke was pleased with the meet.

“Every swimmer could have done better, that is always easy to say. The effort could have been better for some swimmers and others the effort shown was what I was hoping to see,” Rubke said.

Redondo hasn’t been this close to beating PV in years. But halfway through the meet Redondo was only down about five points down.

“We were shocked when we heard the score at the end,” Inscore said. “It felt pretty great knowing we got that close.”

According to Rubke the top Redondo girl swimmer of the meet was senior Jaycee Baldus. She preformed strongly in all four of her freestyle events, including the 50, 100, 200 and 500.

“Best freestyle meet Jaycee Baldus has ever had,” Rubke said.

According to Baldus, achieving this gives her the confidence to

more shots,” Lopez said.

A big problem offense faced was the Palisades goalie who was a junior All-American, according to Comito.

“The key to [Palisades] win was their goalie,” Lopez said. “There was no stopping him.”

There was also improvement in the defense last night as well according to senior Jordan Anderson.

“We did a better job communicating, sliding and we worked harder,” Anderson said. “There was a greater team effort.”

The defense was “tough” and settled the ball more according to Comito but there is room for improvement.

“We played poorly and made mistakes on fast breaks,” he said.

Comito looks to clean up both defense and offense for their next

game tomorrow against Viewpoint.

“We have to spend time going over unsettled balls, and clean up sides,” Comito said.

According to Anderson the offense needs to take more shots. “[Offense] needs to position themselves quicker, and take advantage of shooting opportunities,” he said.

Comito agrees with Anderson.

“We have to recognize opportunities on the backside like last night,” he said. “We have to recognize this as players and coaches.”

According to Comito, the number one goal for the team is to improve.

“We played Loyola and Palisades to prepare for Bay League and I feel that we are ready,” he said. “I am encouraged by the toughness of the team and their work ethic.”

Boys’ swim lost by only four points to PV yesterday, while the girls continue to improve. know she can continue to improve and gets her excited to get back to practice and compete hard in the next meet.

According to Rubke next weeks meet against Brentwood is a not a league meet so it will give the swimmers the opportunity to swim different events. In the upcoming six weeks as the team moves into

midseason, the practices will become more demanding to prepare for Brentwood and other upcoming league meets.

“Through ups and downs we have to keep going. The boys were so close to PV and if we keep pushing no matter what we can accomplish personal and team goals,” Baldus said.

PHOTO BY JON MARTIN

Pushing. Senior Hogan Inscore swims the breast stroke in the 200 IM. He won the event, as well as the 100 Breast.

Sports

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]March 11, 2011]

Starting off strong

Athleteof theIssue Declan Andrew

by Allie Goldberg

2.

PHOTOS BY MOLLY SIMON

1.

Lax for life. 1. Junior Jaden Braunworth rolls the crease during yesterday’s game against Palisades Charter High School. 2. Junior Micayla Kotzbach retrieves a ground ball. Redondo won 12-1.

Girls’ lacrosse continues their domination in Bay League, defeating Palisades, 12-1.

by David Kawa

Girls’ lacrosse beat Palisades Charter last night, 12-1, and is focused on their first Bay League game against Mira Costa next week.

“We went out and played our hardest.

We were able to keep it settled and run a lot of our plays and it gave us a chance to play everyone,” senior co-captain Allison Field said.

Seniors Julia Denney and Allison Fields both had two goals, along with sophomore Allison Kotzbach.

“Our goalie, Heather Czech, saved a lot of great goals, our defense worked together and communicated and our offense had good passes and scored some great goals,” co-captain Ava Elsner said.

The team is currently ranked 12th in Southern California (www.laxpower.com) and rival Mira Costa ranks 13th.

“We are giving our all in every practice and running hard. We are a well condi-

tioned team and are hoping for a win on who had 5 goals in the game against Corona Costa’s field,” Field said.

Del Mar. The girls also beat Palisades Charter 8-3 “Our strength this year is our drive to last week at the Rose Bowl Jamboree pre- succeed and that we are really fast at almost season tournament . every position. We have some very aggressive At the Rose Bowl the girls lost to Beck- girls that go for every ball. Everyone hustles, man, ranked second so we will never be at the end of last out hustled in a year, and beat Corogame,” Borgia said. na Del Mar in their Also in the mix last game of the day. are senior Bailey “[Corona Del Czech and junior Mar] beat us last Micayla Kotzbach year and we really who, according to took it to them this Borgia, both shoot year. We were up and pass with great 9-2 before we startaccuracy and will – Ava Elsner ed subbing and they spearhead the team’s are one of the top teams in Orange County, attack. so I was very pleased with that win,” Borgia The team has also improved their defense said. according to Borgia with goalie, sophomore The team is confident in their lead scor- Heather Czech, and senior Ava Elsner who ers, seniors Julia Denny who had 6 goals at is considered one of the best defenders in the Rose Bowl tournament and Allison Field Southern California (www.westsidelax.com.)

“Our goalie... saved a lot of great goals, our defense worked together and communicated and our offense had good passes and scored some great goals”

On

2 strikes, you’re out!

track

Track ran to success and beat personal record times in yesterday’s trimeet, competing against Santa Monica and Torrance.

“[Czech] played every minute of every game last year as a freshman. And we have the best defender in LA County in Ava Elsner--her stick skills are fantastic and her lacrosse smarts make it like we have another coach on the field,” Borgia said.

The team’s main goal is to win a third straight Bay League Championship as well as another undefeated Bay League season, according to Borgia.

“All of the stronger Bay league teams like Costa, Peninsula and PV will be gunning for us because we have gone 21-1 the last 2 years in league play,” Borgia said.

Monday the girls play at Beverly Hills, a game they’re confident in winning based on their status at the Rose Bowl tournament.

But the bigger game will be against Costa next week who are ranked 13th, just below Redondo.

“On paper we are the superior team but in ‘rival’ games, anything can happen and we will be focused on Costa as soon as the Beverly Hills game is over,” Borgia said.

The softball team is off to a slow start after losing a double header to Camarillo High School, 9-7, 9-1.

by Jessica Shipley

PHOTO BY NOUR KABANI

Pack. Sophomore Evan Malone and senior Dezhan Bland and Nick Harold running in a pack at yesterday’s meet.

by Matthew Brancolini

Redondo “dominated” Santa Monica and Torrance High last night in the first trimeet of the season.

“We basically destroyed them in every event,” coach Julie Ferron said. “We had runners putting up spectacular times all over the place. Four of the boy milers set a new personal record today. It’s great. Really the only reason people didn’t do as well as they could of is because of injuries and missing practice.”

Junior Danielle Hazeltine, who placed fourth in the half mile, attributes a recent injury to her worse than usual performance.

“For having just come off of an injury, I did well but in general,” Hazeltine said.

“Having to come back from this slowed me down more than I’d like it to but that’s just part of the sport.”

However, Hazeltine remains optimistic towards the rest of the season.

“I need to increase my speed and endurance if I want to have the kind of season that I think I’m capable of,” Hazeltine said.

“For endurance, I’m going to work harder on my long distance runs and for speed I’m going to work on my form and making sure that I’m leaning forward on the balls of my feet.”

Junior Kris Martin, who placed fourth in the 400 meter dash, believes that the training he missed while playing soccer has put

him “behind where [he] should be.”

“I’m happy with placing first in my meet but I definitely could do better. Because of soccer I missed the early conditioning but I’m glad to be back in track again and I’m excited for the season,” Martin said.

Martin plans to improve upon his time by focusing on improving his leg strength.

“I definitely need to work on my legs because that’s where all your speed comes from.

I plan on doing a lot of clean and jerks, jump squats, and power cleans,” Martin said.

Senior Jeremy Solorzano, who placed fifth in the shot put, plans on taking practice seriously in order to improve his throwing distance.

“I did okay but I know that I could do a whole lot better in the future,” Solorzano said, “I had a rough week with my handling technique and I haven’t been doing as well as I should. I need practice my technique more and work on handling the disc as well as I handle the ball.”

Although the team had an “extremely” good outing last night, Ferron believes the team has a lot that they need to work on if they want to be an elite level team.

“We still need our hurdlers to work on their form because we focus on getting them in shape before we work on their form,” Ferron said. “Also, we need to work on our relay handoffs but that’s stuff that will all take time. This was our first tri-meet and it’s great to see us compete and do so well.”

The softball team lost a pair of games (9-7, 9-1) to Camarillo High School in a double header on Wednesday.

The softball team enters the season with high expectations. Excellent talent and a brand new field have inspired excitement for the program. These two losses haven’t put a damper on that enthusiasm, according to coach Jennifer Desert.

The Camarillo team got off to a strong start in the first game, leading to a sizeable lead. Redondo made an attempt to come back but were unable to make a big

PHOTO BY ASHLEY MAULDIN

Batter up. Senior Jessica Cotton bats during Wednesday’s game. Redondo lost 9-7, 9-1, in a double header.

enough comeback to win.

Redondo still played a good game, with freshman Katrina Cohen and senior Linda Park hit back-to-back home runs, helping Redondo catch up.

Unfortunately, each home run was hit with no one on base. During the second game, the only score came from a home run by senior Cindy Zamudio.

After the two defeats, the team analyzed their performance and looked for lessons learned that will help them improve in upcoming games. Even with the losses, the softball team still wants to remain focused.

“We need to stay positive and not beat ourselves up when we miss a ball. Something we are good at is never giving up and staying in the game. That is what will help us win our next game,” Cohen said.

Desert was satisfied with her team’s determination.

“We never gave up in the first game and we were just out matched in the second game. We had a lot of good hits.

Last year our team would have sat back, but this year these girls trust each other enough not to give up. We can’t sit back and take it easy because we think a play will be easy. We have to play it hard no matter what the play is,” Desert said.

The girls and the coach are optimistic about the season.

“I believe we can win league,” Desert said.

The varsity softball team will resume this weekend for tournament play. They hope to reach their goals.

“We need to focus and keep our heads in the game. If we want to win our next game, we need to keep our heads up and not get tired too easily. We have to play hard to the end if we want to win,” Park said.

He has swam thousands of yards, twice a day, for the past ten years. Senior Declan Andrew is just one short second away from school history in both the 100-meter butterfly and 100 meter backstroke.

Andrew was born in New Zealand and moved to Australia when he was seven. He then moved here due to a transfer in his father’s job. He has always loved swimming.

“I started swimming when I was three,” he said. “My teacher said I was a natural so I stuck with it, and now I’ve been swimming competitively since I was like ten.”

Andrew believes that swim is a unique sport that requires a lot of mental strength.

“It’s not like a lot of team sports.

It’s all about you and you have nobody to blame but yourself when things go wrong,” he said.

Although Andrew likes swim, he sometimes feels that swim’s repetitiveness makes it difficult to stay motivated.

“It sometimes gets pretty boring,” he said. “When I’m working hard everyday after school and at club practices at 5:30 in the morning, and my times aren’t improving, sometimes I get sick of it.”

Senior Jonathan Diaz swims in the first lane with Andrew at school as well as on his year round club team.

“He’s really funny and makes practices more bearable,” he said. “We’ve definitely been through hell and back together.”

Coach Mark Rubke describes Andrew as a very “technical” swimmer.

“He has great form,” he said. “He’s a year round swimmer and that is the main source of his progress and improvement.”

According to Rubke, Andrew has shown improvement since his freshman year, and has made a surprising recovery after an injury his sophomore year.

“He came back significantly fast.

He had amazing times in his first meet back against Costa, and kept it up into CIF. I think that this was due to his club training,” he said.

Rubke believes that Andrew has an excellent opportunity in making school history for both the 100 fly and 100 backstroke.

“I think he’s already done it with his club team, but he needs to do it in a high school meet for it to count,” he said.

Rubke believes that Andrew’s teammates enjoy watching him compete.

“Declan is one of three guys on the team who has an opportunity to win events no matter who he is up against,” he said.

The team is going for school records in both the 100 freestyle relay and the medley relay this year, according to Rubke, “[Andrew] is really going to be key.

He had outstanding backstroke times last year and he’s leadoff so he sets the tone,” he said.

For Andrew, swimming can be very mentally and physically exhausting.

“Sometimes I’ll just think about different things or I’ll have songs stuck in my head or I’ll just space out and go with it.

Wanting to beat other people in practice always helps too,” he said.

H o w e v e r, Andrew hopes swimming will provide him with a promising future.

“I hope to get some sort of scholarship because if I don’t I’ll probably move back to Australia or New Zealand for college,” he said.

PHOTO BY MOLLY SIMON

Order Up

PHOTO BY JAKE COLLINS

by Alyssa Sanchez

He stands in front of the frying pan and the aroma of lemon zested salmon fills the kitchen. He waits in anticipation to taste and enjoy his meal. While senior Reo Yumiba is currently learning how to prepare a variety of different dishes, he soon hopes to master the techniques of Japanese cooking.

Ever since Yumiba began to taste and experience the food of different cultures, his favorite being Japanese, he became inspired to become a chef.

Every time Yumiba visited his family from Japan, he was fascinated by the many dishes the country had to offer. After conversations with chefs in Japan, he realized that he wanted to become a chef and prepare Japanese food. [continued on back]

the March 11, 2011 Features Magazine

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March 11, 2011

LIFE

A DAY IN THE

by Alex Curtis

After school, senior Joe Villicana rolls up his sleeves and sets about a task that occasionally takes past midnight, a task that has taught him life lessons and brought him closer to his mother.

Villicana works part-time cleaning houses with his mother, who insisted he work in order to learn the value of a dollar. “[My mom] wanted me to know that money doesn’t grow on trees and that you have to work to get what you want,” Villicana said.

He works part-time during the school year, averaging two houses a week, and full-time during the summer. Villicana believes that while many of his peers also have jobs, few can say they work alongside their parent, in the same small place, doing the same work.

“It can be a bit rough sometimes. Sometimes I do things one way, and she wants them done another way, but that’s what family is like. Little conflicts, but you resolve them,” he said.

Through working with his mother, Villicana has not only learned about what it takes to be a part of the work force, but he has also had the opportunity to connect with and become closer to his mother.

Senior Joe Villicana cleans houses alongside his mother, trying to balance work load and school in the process.

“She has been there for me, and I’m always going to be there for her,” Villicana said.

While Villicana is comfortable working alongside his mother, there are other aspects of his job that he is not so comfortable with. For one, his job involves tiptoeing around his clients’ lives.

“We try to keep [looking into other’s private lives] to a minimum. We try to respect that that’s their private life and we have no right to go there,” he said.

Aside from this aspect of house clean-

“[My mom] wanted me to know that money doesn’t grow on trees and that you have to work hard to get what you want.”

—Joe Villicana ing, Villicana also finds himself juggling his schoolwork and his job, because on top of house keeping with his mother, he is also taking five AP classes.

Though he sometimes feels overwhelmed, he has never felt as though he has taken on an impossible task.

“There’s no such thing as ‘I can’t do it.’ There’s always a way to get around the problem and do what you need to do,” Villicana said.

In order to prevent his job from taking up too much of his time and overshadowing his school work, Villicana adjusts his work schedule during the school year to be lighter than it is in the summer. “[I don’t house clean] every day, so it’s not a daily prob-

lem,” he said.

Villicana hopes to go onto college and major in either engineering or chemistry, He ultimately wants to pursue a career in pharmaceuticals.

A part of his drive to go to college comes from his experience working with his mother.

“It has made me want to aspire to do more,” he said.

According to Villicana, people mistake his working for financial hardship, but he believes that he is actually financially secure.

“People can think what they want. The job in general is not too bad. It actually pays pretty well. You have to work really hard, but in the end, it’s worth it,” he said.

Villicana says he took this job for the experience it would bring him.

He believes that the job has instilled within him a strong sense of teamwork and dedication. He also hopes that it will prepare him for the future as he goes onto college.

“In college you really need that work ethic to get things done. I think this is going to help me in the future because already I’m learning about work ethic and being committed to something,” Villicana said.

March 11, 2011

Staying strong when the times are hard Media arts teacher Matthew Sheehey copes with his daughter’s struggle with Leukemia.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MATTHEW SHEEHEY

Staying strong. Media Arts teacher Matthew Sheehey and his daughter, Cookie, wear fatherdaughter t-shirts. While Cookie’s Leukemia has been a struggle, the family has stayed strong through it.

by Allison Salazar

She had just turned two-years-old, but something wasn’t right. As she lay sleeping in her crib, unaware of her condition, her parents finally received a call from her doctor. He told them to immediately rush her to the Miller Children’s Hospital.

Upon her arrival the doctors performed a bone marrow biopsy. When the results came back, Madyson Cookie Sheehey was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia—her life would never be the same. For media arts teacher, Matthew Sheehey, finding out his daughter had leukemia was life changing.

“We were so overwhelmed with shock that we couldn’t move. There she was sleeping in her crib, so beautiful, so innocent, and so sweet. I couldn’t understand why it was happening to her,” he said.

Sheehey was frightened by the fact that Cookie, now 14, was so young and hadn’t had the chance to experience her life. Although he felt he had no way of controlling the situation, he has learned to accept it.

“Living with circumstances that are out of your control is a life lesson,” he said. “It is difficult knowing that Cookie never got to be a kid. She was cheated out of her childhood and there’s nothing that can replace it. We don’t dwell on it but the fact is, she never got to enjoy the freedom and joy of being a child.”

Sheehey and his wife spoke to professionals and researched as much as they could to understand the leukemia and to help Cookie cope with it.

“We pulled together as a family and went forward. We overcame our shock and replaced it with determination to get our little girl well and keep her happy,” he said.

Cookie did not understand what was happening to her after her diagnosis. Despite the chemotherapy and other procedures she had to undergo to treat the leukemia, she fought for her life.

“No matter what she had to endure, she did it with bravery and dignity, even at two-years-old.

She understood that she was ill but she knew we were going to take good care of her no matter what,” Sheehey said.

The leukemia helped keep their family strong and united. They found comfort in support groups at the hospital and became proactive in their fight against the deadly disease by getting involved with organizations offered by the hospital.

“We learned to perfect the ‘brave face.’ Alone at night we could voice our fears and let our guard down but during the day we went forward, stayed busy, took care of business, laughed and loved each

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other,” Sheehey said.

Cookie was in recovery and had been getting better but she relapsed with leukemia when she was five-years-old. Her brother Parker, now nine, was three weeks old during this time, but Sheehey and his wife managed to pull their family together.

Sheehey believes Cookie has gained strength because of what she has experienced.

“Cookie is a very intelligent, gentle soul and is wise beyond her years. She has a great sense of humor and she is loving and beautiful, inside and out,” he said.

Cookie has spent most of her life battling cancer. She’s undergone several bouts of chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries. She’s lost her hair too many times to count. She has been in intensive care twice. She has lung scarring and issues with her heart and skin due to all of the treatment she’s received. But leukemia has not broken her spirit.

Because there is the possibility of Cookie’s cancer relapsing, the Sheehey family cherishes their time together and their close relationships with one another despite the tension and financial stress the leukemia has brought upon.

“We always strive to maintain a ‘normal’ environment. However, we’ve discovered that our normal certainly isn’t the same as anyone else’s. As a parent, the most important aspect is to make sure your children always feel safe and loved,” he said.

Cookie’s last cancer diagnosis was on Nov., 2010. It was the first time Parker really understood and dealt with the situation. However, he was overwhelmed with the realization of her condition and was home schooled for the remainder of fourth grade so that he could spend more time with his sister.

“Life has its twists and turns and we have no explanation for them. Watching our child suffer and endure the unspeakable has been the most difficult thing anyone in this family has had to do” Sheehey said.

When she was seven-years-old, Cookie began giving speeches to local schools for the Leukemia Society in order to help other students understand the disease and appreciate their lives. Seven years later, she continues her fight against the deadly disease with the support of her family.

“Telling the story helps put things in perspective and I think it helps others,” Sheehey said. “I think that children that are fighting for their very lives have a very deep appreciation of what life is about. They think deeper and more seriously, and they are more open to trying new things and exploring their worlds. They want to learn all there is and know all that they possibly can.”

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March 11, 2010

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Hardy dedicates herself to the dance

On

Point.

Whether gracefully turning on ballet toes, documenting friends snowboarding with a Nikon D300, or balancing an intense academic schedule with an equally hectic after-school life, students exemplify what it means to stay on point.

Point and Shoot

Schwartzer documents his life and sports through photography

by Annica Stitch

He closes one eye and with his other eye, he sees his friends snowboarding, his parents laughing and the snow shimmering in the sun — all through the lens of his Nikon D300 camera. Through the viewfinder of his camera, senior Matt Schwartzer documents each moment in his life.

Whether he has a busy schedule or an empty agenda, Schwartzer always takes photos. Although he prefers to take photos of people snowboarding, Schwartzer takes photos every day, regardless of the subject in front of him.

“Being a photographer is one of the reasons I have something to do every day. Even when I feel like there’s nothing to do, I can always pick up my camera and go take pictures. It’s like having a third eye, a pause button, and a vivid visual memory all in one,” he said.

Before finding a film camera in the crawl space of his house, Schwartzer took photos on his camera phone. Later, he saved up for a digital camera with a single-lens reflex, a mechanism that allows photographers to see what they’re capturing through a viewfinder. He has taken thousands of photos

since.

“I like just observing life and being able to go back on things. Even if I’m about to delete a picture or throw out a picture [I think] ‘Why did I take that in the first place? What made me take that picture,’” he said.

Even when he didn’t have his current camera, Schwartzer borrowed cameras from friends and used the cameras on his laptop and phone to chronicle events in his life.

“It’s like having a third eye, a pause button, and a vivid visual memory all in one.”

– Matt Schwartzer “It’s just something really simple that I can see all the time by taking a lot of picture [and] it’s just a little confidence booster every time I get a really nice shot,” Schwartzer said.

Schwartzer’s photography is not only a hobby. He sold some of his photos to the Mountain High Winter Resort after he took photos of “The Richter Scale,” a one-

of-a-kind 10 foot quarter pipe. A “Transworld Snowboarding” article also featured his photo.

“I was stoked to hear that at least someone other than my close friends and family acknowledged my photography,” Schwartzer said.

Senior Cody Moran spends a lot of time with Schwartzer and enjoys being documented in the photographs.

“It feels good to be documented because [the photos appeal] to my personal interests,” he said.

Moran believes Schwartzer can turn his hobby into a profession.

“Those who know him explain his perseverance [in the professional photography world] in terms of his desire to succeed and [his need to] express his natural talents,” Moran said.

Schwartzer enjoys reminiscing while looking at his photos.

“You always feel just a little bit of the emotion you were feeling at the time you took the picture, no matter what it was. As soon as you see a picture you’ll remember exactly where you were [and] every little detail about what was going on,” he said.

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by Laura Shodall

She hears the familiar pattern of the piano and anticipates the end of the music. The throbbing pain in her feet worsens, but she fights the urge to collapse through one last agonizing turn, and the music subsides.

The nine-year-old girl swiftly sits and unwraps her pastel point shoes carefully, to reveal beneath the beautiful pastel tutus and the glamour of ballet, a bloody struggle. Though junior Erin Hardy achieved her dream and went en pointe at nine-years-old, she learned that it took dedication and a tolerance for pain.

En pointe is a classic ballet technique meaning “on the tips of the toes”.

Hardy has been dancing ballet for a total of 14 years, seven of which have been en pointe.

“Ballet is the only dance I’ve ever done, from the time I was two up until now,” she said. “And when I was younger, being en pointe was the biggest thing for me. But then again, what ballerina doesn’t [want that]?”

Ballet students normally do not go en pointe until they are between 12 and 13 years old, but because her class progressed as a unit, she had to start at a younger age.

“Going en pointe at nine was hard,” Hardy said. “When you’re nine, your feet aren’t developed all the way yet, but luckily for me, I had a lot of strength.”

The journey leading up to being en pointe is very painful and requires determination.

“The worst part is the calluses that builds up

photos courtesy of Erin Hardy

Swan. Junior Erin Hardy has been en pointe since she was nine-years-old. She dedicates hours of her time practicing ballet, as well as being a key member on the dance guard.

on your feet because you have to have blisters first,” she said. “There would be times when I would bleed right through my pointe shoes.”

Hardy compares the pain to “being jabbed with needles.”

“Being en pointe is a completely different type of pain than any other,” she said. “You are putting all of your weight on some of the tiniest bones in your body, throwing off your center of gravity.”

Sophomore Lily Tehrani, who danced for six years before going en pointe, also acknowledges the challenges.

“It feels the same as walking in heels for four or five hours, except doubled,” she said.

“It’s also a psychological challenge because you need to get in the right mind set and get over your fears of falling or rolling your ankles.”

Because of the strain of being en pointe on her ankles, Tehrani had to take a break after one year.

“It was a little depressing because my

pointe shoes were brand new and I was so excited, but I had to stop,” she said. “Yes, it’s frustrating but it has made me determined to train more to go back en pointe and be better than I was before.”

According to Tehrani, she’s more determined than ever to get back en pointe.

“Taking a break because of my ankle makes me want to try harder,” she said. “I go and dance six days a week now.”

Like Tehrani, Hardy devoted time every day in order to prepare.

“I took dance classes five days a week and two classes on Saturday and Sunday each,” she said. “I was always in the studio. Now I take some classes on the side in order to keep up with my dancing.”

According to Hardy, having dedication to get through the immense pain was worth it.

“If you are dedicated and dancing ballet is truly what you love to do, then the whole experience is a dream.”

Tang balances extracarriculars and academics

by Tricia Light

photos courtesy of Matt Schwartzer

Halfpipe. This photo of “The Richter Scale,” which is a one-of-a kind 10 foot quarter pipe, was bought by the Mountain High Winter resort and featured in the snowboarding magazine “Transworld Snowboarding.”

Taking notes in English, solving chemistry problems, and evaluating calculus functionsher day has only just begun.

Lunch is spent leading other students in volunteer work as Key club co-president.

A few hours later, she is at a tennis match, focusing solely on getting the next point.

Next, she practices classical music; she has been playing the piano for over a decade.

After all of the hours of studying, homework awaits her.

Whether she is at a varsity tennis practice or watching the minutes tick away during an AP Calculus exam, sophomore Julia Tang seems to be “driven to perform” in all that she does.

“I have certain results I expect from myself, and I always want to reach those standards,” Tang said.

She has no particular college or career in

mind, but feels that her “challenging” schedule fulfills her.

“I’m really competitive,” she said. “I like it when there is pressure. It adds incentive to do well.”

Tang has earned A’s in many accelerated courses.

“As teenagers we spend the majority [of our time] in school,” she said. “I feel like if I do anything I should put in the effort to do it well.”

She is dedicated and hard working according to her friend and teammate, Junior Chris Lew. “She has the same work ethic in tennis as she does in school,” Lew said. “Her motivation keeps her going. She just pushes herself to be the best that she can be.”

Tang spends around six hours per night on homework, sometimes working until 2 a.m.

“There are times when I want to slow down

and not take so many classes and risk burning out,” she said. “However, it seems like a waste to give up all this work.”

She took Pre-Calculus/ Trigonometry over the summer, allowing her to take AP Calculus as a sophomore.

“Calculus is really challenging, especially during tennis season, but I love the people and the teacher [Mrs. Williams]. She makes the subject interesting,” she said.

Her parents feel that she pressures herself too much, according to Tang.

“They instilled in me the desire to do well and put in effort, but they are trying to convince me to relax more,” she said.

While her many commitments require her to sacrifice sleep and time with her friends, she feels happy with everything she does. “[It is important] to do what interests you,” she said. “Life is short, but still long enough for regret.”

b.

6

Mar. 11, 2011

Journeying

across

LA’s

Museum Row

Petersen Auto Museum

by Laney Burke

I began my six-hour day of museum-ing with the Petersen Auto Museum. I assumed that this museum would be the dreariest of the three, because I contain two X chromosomes. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was not the case. While the museum is a mecca for auto enthusiasts, it is also entertaining for those dumbfounded by engines and horsepower and propulsion systems, like myself. The first floor focuses on the detailed history of the car, with cars in diorama-like scenes respective of their decade. There is also a section dedicated to Hollywood with the 1989 Batmobile and Black Beauty from this year’s Green Hornet. The second floor has a jazzy Hot Wheels exhibit and an in-depth look at alternative fuel sources from 1901 to now. The third floor is primarily for kids, with a playroom and wooden derby track race.

How interesting can a car museum really get? How many cars before you get bored? The Petersen Auto Museum has just enough bling and pizzazz to keep you interested, no matter how much of a car aficionado you are. And just $5 for students with I.D., the museum is a good deal for spending two hours entertained on a lazy Sunday.

Tackling LA’s “museum row”—the Petersen Auto Museum, La Brea Tar Pits, and the Los Angeles County —all in one day can be overwhelming, but the close proximity of each makes it tempting to try all three in one sitting. Nevertheless, it is a fun experience that none should miss out on.

La Brea Tar Pits Next on my list was the La Brea Tar Pits. Just down the block and across the street from the Petersen, the tar pits are fascinating, albeit a bit smelly. There is a lot to see for free outside the museum—massive elephant sculptures stuck in tar and grassy hills perfect for lounging or picnicking. Just watch out for children flinging tar with sticks. Inside the building are a really neat gift shop and the Page Museum, which costs $4.50 for students with I.D. The museum, a small, simple exhibit that takes about 20 minutes to go through and has displays of fossilized bones and a giant fully-preserved mammoth skeleton. The corny films in the mini theaters were stuck in the 50s, and the fish-bowl lab that was supposed to show real scientists examining fossils was empty. The Page Museum is not worth the money, but the outdoor tar pits are rare and definitely worth a visit.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art Last but not least is my favorite of the three museums: the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Right next door to La Brea, the LACMA is free for ages 17 and under, and $8 for students over 18 with I.D. A fantastic deal for access to all eight buildings. There is simply not enough time in the day to explore all that LACMA has to offer. I made it to the Atmanson Building (European art), the Art of Americas Building (Diego Rivera, etc.), the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (self-explanatory), and the Resnick Pavilion (200 year old European fashion) all in three hours. The Hammer Building (Korean art) and the Pavilion for Japanese Art (duh) require a second visit to LACMA. My favorite of the buildings is the Broad Contemporary Art Museum. It has a cool, giant elevator, several Warhol paintings, a Michael Jackson statue, and Jeff Koons’ blue “balloon” dogs that are actually made of stainless steel. Throughout my journey I saw a few Picassos, Monets, and Cezannes among Roman artifacts, Dutch still life paintings, and short French films—all part of LACMA’s permanent collection. Visiting special exhibitions costs extra, but it may be worth it when Tim Burton’s exhibit comes on May 29th, showcasing the director’s paintings, costumes, puppets, and other art of his pet projects. The Plaza Café is a delicious lunch place, with Paninis, burgers, and pizza. On weekdays, food trucks line Wilshire Boulevard, just across the street from LACMA. Although several exhibits—African, Chinese, and Ancient Art and Costumes & Textiles—are currently closed due to renovations, LACMA has more than enough to keep you occupied.

ALL PHOTOS ACQUIRED FROM WIKICOMMONS

It’s a sin to live in LA and to have never been to any of these three museums, so if you haven’t, pick a weekend and hit the 405.

I recommend going to two museums in one day. Although it’s extremely convenient to have three great museums all on one block, you will be wiped out after spending hours at each.

Mar. 11, 2011

b.

Scratch

Cooking from

7

by Dylan Futrell and Jonathan Martin

Ex-executive chef begins anew at The Standing Room, a restaurant nestled in the back of Catalina Liquor off of Diamond Street and Catalina Avenue that provides excellent food at a reasonable price.

Thomas Kim has all the credentials of an accomplished chef.

He has studied under a Michelin star chef, worked as an executive chef in restaurants throughout California, and was integral in opening Roy’s in Pasadena. His new gig, however, is much smaller than expected.

Kim’s new restaurant, aptly named The Standing Room, is located in the back of a small liquor store.

Despite its humble location –– Catalina Liquor –– The Standing Room delivers high-quality cuisine worthy of Kim’s history.

The story of how the restaurant came about is as interesting and unique as its dishes.

Kim never expected to be a cook. After getting a degree in film, he realized that his passions lied in cooking.

“I was in a rut. I had no direction; I lost all goals and motivation. Working in the film industry wasn’t what I wanted to do,” he said. “Cooking put me on the right track.”

Kim trained under renowned chef Jin Suzuki for 3 years, who drove him “like a slave” while teaching him the Kaiseki style of cooking. “[Suzuki] is zen-like. He inspired me to do better,” he said.

The technique, which stresses using only the ingredients one

1.

needs, translates into Kim’s philosophy at The Standing Room.

“My training has definitely influenced me to look away from one set menu,” he said.

After his training, Kim “forced” his way into a job at Roy’s Restaurant; he finally got the job after “bombarding” the staff with his resumes.

Kim admired Roy’s style, but soon enough he realized that his time with them had to end.

“The company was kind of changing; the old guard was gone,” he said. “[Moving on] was a tough choice, but it was something I had to do.”

An opportunity arose when his aunt, looking for a way to bolster slumping sales, decided to offer Kim a place to put his food on display.

“It all happened at once, [my aunt] kind of got the ball rolling,” he said.

Within weeks the restaurant was up and running, with Kim and cousin Lowell Bakke working kitchen and counter duties.

As for the food itself, the restaurant’s dishes can best be described as Californian fast food fare with an Asian twist. The eclectic menu includes burgers, fish and chicken sandwiches, chili, and vegetables.

All ingredients are delivered daily from local sources, showing

2.

1.

4.

3.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JON MARTIN

2.

those who don’t know what kimchi is, it’s a fermented napa cabbage, soaked in spicy herbs and seared in a pan.

But nothing compares to Kim’s soft-shell crab sandwich.

The crab is fried in a thin batter, full of seasoning, and served complete on a sliced bun.

The sandwich is then topped with finely chopped red onion and adorned with fresh cubes of avocado.

One of The Standing Room’s most popular dishes, their parmesan truffle oil french fries, are wallet-friendly and addictive.

The local community, especially the high Napoleonic Complex.

The restaurant’s most intimi- school crowd, has taken dating dish is “The Napoleon,” a liking to them. a monstrosity of a burger. 1 “A large segment of and 2. With a 1/2 pound of the community has albeef, gruyere cheese, a fried ready embraced us,” egg, short ribs, cheddar, Kim said. caramelized onions and lettuce topped with an order of “But the younger truffle parmesan fries. 3. The community has helped behemoth needs a skewer to immensely.” hold it all together. “It started In fact, with little as a joke: we were putting as formal advertising stratmany things as we could on there,” Kim said. “It’s exces- egies, the restaurant has sive, but good.” survived due to con-

Kim’s Kaiseki training. In a world where frozen, processed food is consumed daily, it’s refreshing to see a restaurant not willing to compromise quality for profit.

And there is an abundance of quality. Instead of smothering his pulled pork sandwich in heavy BBQ sauce, Kim takes an entirely different approach. Using a light savory sauce, Kim does not overcrowd the sandwich. His sliced brioche bread perfectly compliments the tender pork that sits upon it.

Did we mention Kim puts kimchi on a quesadilla? For

3.

Standing room only. 1. The exterior, located on Diamond Street and Catalina Avenue. All paintings were done by Kim himself. 2. Kim prepares a serving of chili cheese fries.

The parmesan variant is one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes. 3.

Kim prepares the “K-Dilla,” a quesadilla with shredded pork, two cheeses, avocado and kimchi. 4. Kim’s cousin, Lowell Bakke helps around the kitchen. He and Kim comprise the restaurant’s entire staff.

sistent customers spreading the word and bringing in new diners.

“I honestly credit word-ofmouth to the fact that we’re growing as much as we are,” he said.

With his new audience, Kim plans to expand consumers’ palettes and introduce new, exciting dishes.

“As a chef, the question crosses my mind every day: ‘What can I do to change people’s perspective?’” he said. “If the trade-off is that I don’t make as much money as I did, but I’m providing good food, I’m okay with that.”

As for the future, Kim hopes to make The Standing Room an obsolete name and open a formal, sit down restaurant, while Bakke hopes to open his own wine bar.

“There are not many times in my life where I’ve believed in something so much,” Kim said.

And Kim’s beliefs are well placed. With great food and fresh ingredients, The Standing Room provides a worthwhile, cheap, and uniquely Californian dining experience.

b.

8

stepbystep The culinary arts class makes a giant burrito spread

sprinkle

scoop

Yumiba’s culture inspires him to become a chef [continued from front]

Every time Yumiba visited his family from Japan, he was fascinated by the many dishes the country had to offer. After conversations with chefs in Japan, he realized that he wanted to become a chef and prepare Japanese food.

“The chefs in Japan have such an amazing energy level. They love their jobs, and have a great time cooking,” Yumiba said.

Yumiba hopes to blend his Japanese heritage and American culture together in his food.

“I would enjoy creating my own Japanese recipes that would be well suited to the American culture and since I have spent a lot of time in Japan, I feel like I could produce the perfect meals for daily customers,” he said.

He wants to join the two cultures together by incorporating his hobbies into his restaurants with the help of his older brother Issey Yumiba, the “brains of the operation.”

“I want something completely different for my restaurant. I would love to have a skater theme in my restaurant, kind of like chronic tacos with a five-star restaurant feeling,” Reo said.

To achieve this goal, he is currently tak-

ing a class at SCROC called Hotel and Restaurant. He has had the opportunity to work in the kitchen at the Marriott Hotel in Torrance.

“When I first started working with the chef’s at the Marriott Hotel, the chefs expected me to know everything and would mess around with me if I ever made a mistake, but they were very impressed with how many questions I had and was willing to ask,” he said.

Reo is always grateful for the experiences and opportunities he is given to work in the kitchen.

“It is amazing to be given the opportunity to cook and work with the chefs and I look forward to the new experiences I will have in the future,” he said.

Issey is proud of his brothers achievements.

“I feel that my brother’s current achievements are great because he is doing this all on his own without my parents pushing him, taking responsibility, and doing what he can to pursue his dreams,” Issey said.

When Reo finishes his class at SCROC, he will still continue to pursue his dreams and continue working.

“After finishing I will try to find a job

working for a sushi restaurant and go to culinary school so that it can help me learn and expand the way I think about cooking food, but for now I will continue working my way up from being a busboy to actually cooking at the Ham Supreme,” Reo said.

Reo has set high goals for himself for the future and whenever he is in the kitchen he becomes more motivated to become a chef and learn how to cook.

Issey believes in his brother’s current talent and enjoys watching his brother’s journey in the kitchen.

“My brother has so much potential.

Whenever he cooks he is very clean and organized, takes his time preparing each dish, and pays attention to every detail. I believe my brother will go far because it is what he likes to do,” Issey said.

Reo has set high goals for himself and looks forward to his future in the culinary arts.

“If I can find other chefs in Japan who would be willing to migrate to the United States to work in a restaurant that I own, I know I have achieved my dream, and I will take all the necessary steps to make it there,” he said.

Royer focuses love of art into food and cooking

by Dan Furmansky

top

garnish

cut

The smells of spices and melting cheese fill the room as she carefully prepares the ingredients for that night’s dinner. For senior Alexiana Royer, the kitchen is a canvas where food creates possibilities for artistic expression and creativity.

“I can express myself through cooking, because it’s fun and making food pretty is cool,” she said. “I just love creating things. The colors and shapes. The taste and the texture. It’s pretty cool, like making a sculpture.”

Royer has enjoyed cooking ever since she was young, often cooking with her grandmother, one of her major inspirations.

Right now, Royer is exploring the wonders of cooking Mediterranean food and especially enjoys preparing a special dish called spanakopita, which is a Greek spinach pie.

“The hardest thing I’ve cooked from complete scratch was butternut squash ravioli. I made the pasta and the filling all by myself,” she said.

Royer also has a strong passion for Asian cuisine and eventually wants to specialize in these types of dishes.

“I’m not sure what part of Asia yet, but I definitely want to create Asian food for a living,” Royer said.

She also hopes to one day operate her own market where people can buy healthy organic food.

Culinary arts familiarizes students with the kitchen

by Vanessa Alarcon

enjoy

“[My grandma] is an amazing chef. She made it exciting to cook with her when I was little,” she said.

Royer chose cooking because it allows her artistic expression without the “unpredictable” and “economically unreliable” lifestyle of an artist. She believes that the common artist is forced to succumb to a tremendous amount of instability in life and she would prefer to pursue a more consistent career.

Royer is able to cook and bake a variety of meals thanks to her grandmother. Her specialties include cookies, pies, and entire dinners that come from varying ethnic backgrounds.

Royer has also been working on her own in order to perfect her craft, and has already been accepted into many different culinary schools.

From cookies to entire meals, the culinary arts class teaches students how to become more independent and responsible while also teaching students to cook.

Senior Sydney Moody already knew how to follow a recipe and had some experience cooking, but she was still able to learn something from the class.

“I learned a bunch of organizational skills,” Moody said.

Culinary Arts teacher Kris Moon teaches nutrition, proper methods and techniques for using equipment and following standardized recipes.

“You’d be surprised how many kids don’t know how to put the stopper in the sink,” Moon said.

In addition to teaching how to follow recipes and use equipment properly, Moon believes the class is a good way to show responsibility.

“It’s a wonderful way for students to show parents that they are capable of taking on responsibilities around the house,” Moon said.

The class is not just about the food, but also the kitchen, and etiquette. Moon also believes that the class gives students job skills. “[They learn] teamwork, cooperation, and collaboration,” Moon said.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY MAULDIN

hands-on. Culinary Arts teacher Kris Moon assists students as they wrap a giant burrito.

Overall, Moon hopes to make all students familiar with and at ease in the kitchen.

“I want them to be comfortable working in the kitchen,” Moon said.