High Tide: Nov. 8, 2013

HIGH

TIDE Redondo Beach, CA // Redondo Union High School Nov. 8, 2013 // Vol. XCIV // Edition 3

Riding the limit

Senior Daniel Witteman is a motorcross racer, which has impacted his career choice.

by Caitlyn Catubig

Dirt and wheels flew past him as he landed on the ground, dislocatining his shoulder. Senior Daniel Witteman decided to get back up on his motorcycle and rode

into the finish in 3rd place.

Witteman races and ride as a motocross rider. Motocross is a form of cross-country

[cont. on p. 20] PHOTO BY JUSTIN LEE

p. 7 //

Leong and Hsu share their love of food with the food club.

p. 10-11 //

Student Union Food Reviews.

p. 12 //

Coach Duncan Avery has surfed all over the world.

Photos of the week

TED Talks

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PHOTOS BY JUSTIN LEE

Asking the big question. Students were asked “the big question” on Oct. 31: what are the biggest problems facing the world? TED talks hosted the event outside the Student Union.

Dia de los muertos Satiating spirits. 1. Spanish classes prepare ofrendas alongside day of the dead offerings in a compilation of projects for students and adults to enjoy. 2. Ofrendas are collections of traditional Spanish symbols, such as sugar skulls and flowers like marigolds. They also offer personal artifacts and symbols entailed to the person they represent.

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PHOTOS BY LINDSAY CALLAHAN

2 . HIGH TIDE . NEWS

Mock Trial wins first case

by Cedric Hyon

Having gotten high scores on Monday’s first trial, the mock trial team is currently preparing its prosecution team for next Tuesday’s competition.

Team coach Michael Henges thought the team did very well for their first time competing.

“Our kids were nervous and had never done it before, but I had a good feeling that we were going to win the verdict,” Henges said. “I felt that the students really stepped up and gave their best performance.”

However, the team still needs the prosecution score to know if it will advance.

“We’re caught right in the middle. After we do both cases, we’ll know if we can move forward [to the next round],” Henges said.

Therefore, the team is preparing for the prosecution competition on Tuesday.

“Because our defense did so well, our prosecution team will probably be matched up with a team that also did really well,” Henges said. “Our prosecution has a large challenge because of it.”

The team met yesterday for two hours, as opposed to the regular hour, preparing everything possible.

“We just wanted to make sure the kids were ready and confident that they did everything they could,” Henges said.

Senior Eli Jarmel, who received an MVP award for his role as the team’s defense at-

torney, believes that the prosecution will do well.

“I have a lot of confidence in our prosecution. They’ve been working really hard and I’m really proud of the work they do,” Jarmel said. “Everyone has the potential to give an MVP performance.”

Winning MVP made Jarmel feel “proud” of his judicial skills.

“I was really happy, [and the recognition] spoke as a testament about the work I put into Mock Trial,” Jarmel said. “Winning MVP was nice and proved to be a justification for the work I put in. It made me feel like a law career was something I could someday pursue.”

Henges thinks that the extra week will be advantageous for the team.

“I think our prosecution is going to do well. The other advantage they have is that they can watch the other teams, see their roles, and learn from what the other teams did well and didn’t do well,” Henges said.

“Even if we’re facing another opponent, they know exactly what to expect.”

Jarmel has really enjoyed mock trial so far and encourages others to try it.

“Everyone interested in law should give it a shot. We’ve never had it before at this school but it’s a really great program,” Jarmel said. “It really has a great team atmosphere and it was exhilarating to get up in front of people and give that final speech.”

Dr. Keller’s Dream School

Costa Nerd Day

The superintendent’s part-time experience provides him some insight into the life of being a high school principal

by Allegra Peelor

PHOTOS BY JUSTIN LEE

Showing some spirit. Redondo students dressed in green and donned their pocket protectors, broken glasses, fanny packs and more to mock Mira Costa students.

RBUSD Superintendent Dr. Steven Keller has been on an unscripted TV show this past year called Dream School, which is executive produced by Jamie Oliver and Curtis Jackson and airs on Monday nights on the Sundance Channel.

The show’s aim is to have a group of celebrity teachers, including Suze Orman, Oliver Stone, David Arquette and more, change the course of some of America’s “toughest” high school dropouts’ lives.

“These were kids who dropped out,” Keller said. “Something disconnected them from the school they [previously] attended.”

Over the course of six weeks, the teenagers, who have dropped out of high school for reasons from pregnancy to bullying, have a chance to turn their lives around by earning enough credits to either graduate or re-enter school where they left off (sundancechannel.com).

Keller, who only filmed the show dur-

ing his vacation time and on the weekends, took up the opportunity, not only because he wanted to try something new, but also because he believes in “giving kids a second chance.”

“It sounded fun; it was something I had never done and it was something different to try,” Keller said. “I believe that sometimes you have to throw curve balls at kids to reengage them.”

Keller believes that the show was successful in reaching its goals as well as being a fulfilling experience for himself. “[My favorite part was] watching the kids grow and come back every day,” Keller said.

“This is an example of how well kids can perform if you give them a chance.”

Although he says that Dream School did not necessarily change every single kid’s life, Keller still believes that it was a worthwhile experiment.

“I wouldn’t say the school was successful for each kid at the same level, but each kid got something out of it,” Keller said.

Baldridge and drama prepare for their play The Diviners

by Roxanne Labat

After a month of set design and weeks of rehearsal, the drama department finishes for the release of The Diviners.

“The Diviners is about a preacher who wants to leave the church and, in doing so, walks into a town that [lacks the religion it wants],” Justin Baldridge, drama teacher and director of the play, said. “This conflict builds up into a very dramatic ending where religion and nonreligion collide.”

Although religion plays a role in The Diviners, Baldridge does not want the audience to misunderstand the theme.

“I don’t want people to get the impression that ‘Oh my gosh! This play is going to be religion, religion, religion.’ It’s not.

It’s the undercurrent of how religion affects people,” Baldridge said.

However, because of its strong religious overtones, Baldrige understands that people may not want to see the play.

“We can’t always pick the popular shows that everyone knows, since there are a wide expanse of plays the general public doesn’t know about,” Baldridge said. “Therefore, people have to just trust the program and hope that they’ll be coming to see a good show.”

Being a part of the play has allowed the actors to experience walking in someone else’s shoes.

“There’s always a trend with actors: when they first start, it’s very rough. They’re not quite sure what’s going on with their characters. But it’s usually [around] week five or

six that they start to learn more about their characters,” Baldridge said.

Opening night was last night. Later showings will be throughout November.

“On November 8, we are going to have a game against Mira Costa, so students can come to the show at four o’clock and then go to the game,” Baldridge said.

The Diviners is not like any other production the drama department has done; students will have the opportunity to sit on stage while the actors perform.

“The Diviners is going to [have] a different atmosphere than what people are used to,” Baldridge said.

In order to allow audience members to sit on stage, only 180 students will be admitted per show, meaning that tickets are limited.

“Plan ahead,” Baldridge said. “Don’t always count on going to the door. Buy tickets ahead of time, if possible.”

Aaron Morgan, the theatre manager and technical director of the drama department, commented on the different seating arrangement of the play’s audience.

“At the very least, it will create a different atmosphere, a more close-in, intimate look at the play,” Morgan said.

Morgan hopes that the amount of dedication that was put into the play will show.

“I would like to give the audience the complete package to tell them the story of the play as best as we can,” Morgan said.

“I always like an audience to walk out of a school show [feeling] like they saw a polished, professional production. Or at least to the extent that we can make it.”

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New show on the block. 1. Jennie Mae (played by Alexis Lapp) helps her brother Buddy (played by Chris Ward) tie his shoes.

2. Mae reprimands Buddy for dumping out all of the preacher’s items. 3. Dewey (played by Duke Robinson), Melvin (played by Alec Johnson), and Basil (played by Paolo Ragusa) dig for water that was divined by Buddy.

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PHOTOS BY TYLER EISENHART

3 . HIGH TIDE . NEWS

ELI’S CORNER Why there could be another government shutdown and what it means for us.

EDITORIAL: Is the protection Sprigeo.com provides against bullying worth the risk of student exploitation?

WHAT WE THINK Despite its flaws, Sprigeo should be kept because it has the potential to prevent and protect against bullying.

10 Yes, spirgeo.com is worth the risk to protect against bullying.

By the numbers

Editorial

4 No, there are better ways to prevent and protect against bullying.

Like all great ideas, there is always a “rough draft.” A first step towards something greater that still needs some kinks worked out of it. In order to be a truly efficient idea worthy of its user’s time, the idea must be able to adapt to potential problems and overcome obstacles.

Such is the case with Sprigeo, a website dedicated to helping students cope with bullying. The site offers a “report an incident” tool, designed for informing appro-

priate authorities about bullying incidents via reports written by victimized students.

Such reports can be for incidents on school campus, at home, or anywhere the victim feels the incident occurred.

However, like with any tool that utilizes user submission, some students have been taking advantage of this important tool in fighting bullying. There have been students that falsely reported incidents that never happened, and some have been reporting their friends as practical jokes.

Despite this shortcoming, the website is ultimately worth the risk of exploitation by its users. Firstly, it is worth noting that 99% of reports of bullying reported to Sprigeo are true (sprigeo.com). Even though the one percent of false reports can lead to problems this is not the website’s fault, but rather the fault of a select few students.

On top of this, the good ultimately outweighs the bad. No matter where this service is made available, there will be people who will abuse it, but it is not worth stopping the service altogether when there are innocent students being bullied who are seeking help.

According to sprigeo.com, more than 160,000 students skip school every day because they do not feel safe. That number is simply too high, and if a website such as

AROUND REDONDO

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I could care less, but people really shouldn’t be bringing drugs on campus.

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– KRISTIN HANSON, 11

Sprigeo is working to make those children feel comfortable at school, it is worth it to keep it running, despite user abuse. In fighting bullying, every little step matters, and Sprigeo should not be forced to compromise its primary function because a few immature kids were trying to mess with their friends.

That said, there are things that will need to be fixed in order for Sprigeo to keep doing what it does best. The primary concept Sprigeo needs to get across is realistic education on bullying and bullying prevention, such as a classroom course that teaches students to identify and react accordingly to bullying incidents.

If Sprigeo reaches out to the kids before they write the false reports, the number of false reports will continue to decline. Education is key in stopping any form of bullying, and Sprigeo needs to recognize that in order to maintain the functionality of the site itself.

Are there problems with Sprigeo that need to be worked out? Certainly. But in the meantime, we can not stand idly by while children are victimized by bullies. In the end, 99 successful reports of bullying that are resolved greatly outweigh the one false report that some wise-guy wrote to spite an enemy, or joke with a friend.

What do you think about drug dogs being allowed in classrooms?

Covered by Cody Williams

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It’s really stupid and I don’t think it’s necessary for them to bring the dogs on campus.

– JUDAH ROOD, 10

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4 . HIGH TIDE . OPINION

ILLUSTRATION BY JOSPEH BIESCHKE

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I like the idea because it makes people think twice before bringing those things to school.

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The nation breathed a collective sigh of relief as the government shutdown ended on Oct. 17. The 16 day crisis came to a close with a bill signed by President Obama agreeing to a compromise proposed and accepted by both the Republican-led House of Representatives and the Democratic-led Senate.

But what has been heralded as a permanent end to the Congressional turmoil is simply a bandage placed over a vast divide between the interests of Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

While the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) is now in full effect, the issue of the debt ceiling still looms over Washington. The compromise passed on Oct. 16, and raised the debt ceiling to accommodate for government spending. However, the compromise also set a new deadline, Feb. 7, for Congress to hammer out a permanent solution to the country’s debt issues. Legislators will have to compromise before this deadline.

If the government fails to decide on a new budget and debt ceiling by mid-January, the government will shut down again.

Given the many aggressive personalities in both the Senate and House of Representatives it is very plausible that a permanent compromise on the government budget could be difficult to create. A government shutdown and default would devastate the economy. Any financial aid given by the government to schools, businesses and defense contractors would stop (www.reuters. com). Billions of dollars could be ripped from economic circulation in mere days.

But as high school students, this default won’t affect us, right? Well, besides the general negative effects of a crippled economy, the FAFSA government financial aid program would shut down in the face of a default. This would leave college-bound high school students without the $150 billion typically offered per year in student loans and grants. (www.fafsa.org) Many student’s college hopes and dreams could die if FAFSA shuts down. A government default would affect everyone, but especially students that depend on scholarships and grants to pay for college education.

It is in the best interest of the entire population of the United States for both Republican and Democrat legislators to come together before Feb. 7 with a long-term compromise. There is a point where party politics have to take a backseat to the survival of the nation. It falls on the men and women who earned the American trust in their various campaigns and elections to do what is best for their electorate, not themselves. If there ever were a time for American unity, that time is now.

– NICOLETTA SCHIAPPA, 10

PHOTOS BY JASON CLEBOWICZ

Letters

PRO:

to the

Editor

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

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

HIGH TIDE

STAFF

Editors in Chief: Cedric Hyon; Allegra

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

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

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

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

Phoebe Reneau

Posting armed Guards in schools would provide protection for students and provide peace of mind to parents and teachers.

The decision of whether or not to implement armed guards into schools as extra security has been largely controversial lately.

The thought of allowing armed people on a campus with children alarms some people; however, after numerous school shootings it may be necessary to heighten security to such an extent. These incidents, along with many others, advocate for increased security measures of schools across the nation, to protect students and teachers from dangerous situations in the educational department.

Providing these guards with guns and allowing them to guard the schools could be a risky security measure and many argue that in this case, a guard could possibly misread a student’s behavior as dangerous, and take serious action against an innocent prank or action with no harm actually intended. However, this can be easily avoided, providing that these guards are extremely well trained and professional, not just average citizens or teachers. Extremely detailed background checks could be performed upon theses individuals, as well as a modeled training program.

It is also strongly argued that the use of armed guards could expose children to gun-use and cause them to believe that carrying a gun is acceptable. Many also worry that students may be able to overpower a guard, if motivated, and obtain the weapon, leading to malicious actions. However, this can be avoided by using the weaponry inconspicuously, so that it is neither obvious to students, nor easily accessible, except for use in emergencies for trained officials only. In order for the students’ to not be completely focused or agitated by the guard and their firearm, these guards could interact and get to know them, therefore humanizing their role and placing the focus on the humanity of the guard, rather than them appearing as a stone-cold officer with a weapon and imposing stress upon the students.

Armed guards may also serve as protectors against bullying and fighting among schoolchildren. Besides protecting schools from potential threats, they could also solve hostility among students, without wielding a firearm. [Any reports of aggression or depressed children, likely to take dangerous action could be reported to parents by these guards, keeping parents more informed and have more of an understanding, being able to help their children and prevent against any dangerous action in the future.]

Students will have stronger access to help when in distress.

They could call for a guard to help with a bullying situation or report any dangerous weapons. Students are often the first to notice hazardous situations even before teachers or other school officials, so everyone could be aware of a situation that isn’t safe if need be. These guards could also be used to improve alarm and surveillance systems.

No security is one hundred percent safe, but it is much safer than having no security at all. Armed guards could provide security to schools and protect them against serious attacks that put students, teachers and peace of mind at risk.

CON:

Arming school guards with guns will create a tense learning environment and does not combat the real problem.

Shaw Coneybeare

Lately many politicians have been claiming that in order to deter school violence armed guards should be posted inside schools.

These guards would supposedly safeguard the lives and safety of students and allow them to continue learning in a secure environment.

Ignoring the Orwellian implications of such a concept, the very logic behind it is flawed on a common as well as statistical level. According to a report by the National Association of School Psychologists there is no connection between level of security and school violence and that over-emphasizing such conditions can prove to be detrimental to the intent of such measures.

General increased security does not create a noticeable difference on school violence and only creates problems among students who have to organize themselves around new security measures and remain silent when in the presence of guards.

RUHS already makes use of the Redondo Beach Police Department for drug searches and employs security cameras to deal with theft and defacement of school property. By including around-theclock armed guards at the school it creates an environment that makes the students, and by extension, their parents feel unwelcome. Nobody can enjoy a game of soccer while being watched by a guard armed with a 9mm.

The reason any of the measures are being proposed is based off of a false belief: the idea that teenagers have gotten more violent in recent years. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) youth violence declined by 7.7 violent deaths per 100,000 students aged 10-24 between 1994 and 2010. In fact the total violent crime rate for all ages of 2010 was 1/3 of what is was in 1994 by FBI statistics.

The problem that needs attention is not how to deter these individuals acting out in violent ways. The real problem that needs to be addressed is the state of mind that causes such actions, and stop the danger at the source. Mental health standards have been declining for years now in the United States as evidenced both by complaints by psychologists as well as rising teen suicide rates.

Given this fact it is unlikely that adding security will make a difference in the mind of a disturbed individual. More likely is that they will see the guards as a form of depraved challenge. There are many behavioral psychologists who have written about how attempting preventative measures against school violence only substantiates the violence, contrary to popular belief, and that could very easily be the case here.

The thing that needs to be done to prevent school violence is to address mental health standards and the accessibility of therapy and support for disturbed youths. Redondo is in no immediate danger of student violence so the school’s concentratin should be on long-term prevention, ensuring a safe, secure and welcoming school environment.

ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH BIESCHKE

5 . HIGH TIDE . OPINION

Fun food facts compiled by Vaidehi Gandhi

Garlic contains chemicals that are so strong that you may receive severe burns as a result of simply placing a clove of garlic on your skin. The antibacterial and antiviral properties garlic possesses can potentially destroy human skin cells. It is perfectly safe to eat raw or cooked garlic, however, if the garlic is directly placed on human skin, it can cause second or third degree burns.

A common ingredient used in baked goods, the amino acid L-cysteine, is made from either human hair, chicken feathers, duck feathers, cow horns, or petroleum byproducts. It is added in as a dough conditioner and used to speed up industrial processing.

ILLUSTRATION BY STEPHANIE LAI

6 . HIGH TIDE . HEALTH

Cavendish bananas, the types that are normally sold in grocery stores, are all genetically identical. Since 1950, these bananas are allowed only to reproduce asexually so that their ”distinctive properties” are preserved.

When being heated, microwave popcorn gives off a lung-damaging toxic chemical known as diacetyl. Some who work in popcorn factories have developed bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as “popcorn lung.”

This disease is most commonly contracted when come into contact with at an industrial level, although excessive consumption may cause it as well.

The seed inside of peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots and almonds contain an almond-like nut which contains an anti-cancer chemical known as laetrile.

Research has suggested that laetrile induces programmed cell death in cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone.

Claimed to be ineffective and toxic laetrile was banned in 1971.

Cherries have been found to reduce inflammation, body fat, cholesterol levels, arthritis and may also help you fall asleep. Cherries of the tart variety have been tested and have been found to have the above listed effects.

Shellac is an ingredient commonly used in the glazed coating (“Confectioners Glaze”) candy and pills. This ingredient is a chemical found in the feces of female Laccifer lacca beetles.

The red coloring in strawberry and raspberry flavored food products may come from the dried bodies of female cochineal insects.

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Cooking up some fun. 1. One of the Food Club co-presidents, Bella Hsu, smells a container that is filled to the brim with some pumpkin scraps while club advisor Ms. Moon washes a dish for the club. 2. Hsu and Leong begin their meeting by talking to all of the Food CLub members. 3. The other co-president, Jasmine Leong, sprinkles some sugar on top of the boiling pumpkin scraps. 4. Leong pokes a fork into the pumpkin in order to test whether or not it is completed. She does this because it is important to make sure it is entirely completed boiling. “Cooking is an art,” Leong said. 5. Both Leong and Hsu open their respective pots of boiling pumpkin scraps. and steam from the boiling pumpkin rises directly into Hsu’s face. The girls have fun with each other, bringing together people from many different groups.

Om nom nom!

by Chris Paludi

As the batter begins to coagulate, students run up to flip the pancakes, some for the first time in their lives. Food Club CoPresidents and seniors Jasmine Leong and Bella Hsu have started a new club based upon their love for food.

“I think Food Club is a great thing to have. When you’re cooking food and you’re with your friends, you’re going to laugh and enjoy yourself,” one member, Adonis Okuda, said.

His feelings are exactly why Leong and Hsu created Food Club.

“We thought that it would be great if we could share this amazing feeling we get from food with other people and get them excited,” Hsu said.

Food Club had over 100 students initially sign up, though the number of attendees has fallen. Despite the drop, the club still has over 40-members in its Facebook group.

“It was kind of overwhelming at first, having so many people sign up,” Leong said. “I think it was a mistake to call it Food

Club, because people thought that they would just show up and eat food. It’s not just about eating; we want to cook, teach and have events.”

Now that the number of members is smaller, which allows Leong and Hsu to start work with their club.

“We’re excited but also a little nervous,” Hsu said.

This is a new experience for both members.

“It’s weird having this thing that you’re in charge of, where you can do anything,” Leong said.

Although the club is a new endeavour for its co-presidents, they “have a dream.”

“The idea is, we want to teach techniques and we want to take people who are from all of these different backgrounds because some kids are really good cooks and some kids can’t even scramble an egg, but enjoy eating.

So we [plan to] take all of those kids and see how we can include everyone,” Leong said.

They already have some ideas on how to accomplish this.

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PHOTOS BY JUSTIN LEE

Leong and Hsu share their love for cooking by creating the Food Club.

“Anything they want to learn or any recipes they want to try, we want to do. We’re going to get people more involved with what they eat,” Leong said.

Their aspirations for the club include not only teaching its members about matters of food, but also establishing a group of friends.

“I wanted to go up to all of the people sitting alone at lunch and invite them to a meeting. You don’t have to be cool to like food,” Hsu said.

Leong also thinks that friendship is an important part of what their club can accomplish.

“We want to have a food family,” Leong said. “We want to become a community of food lovers.”

As far as a “food family” goes, Hsu has prior experience. Her family owns the restaurant Top Wok, and her upbringing has always been associated with food.

“I definitely come from a food family; my dad loves cooking and I was just raised with it. It was basically, ‘if you want it, you

make it.’ So if I wanted a chocolate cake, I’d come home and make a chocolate cake.”

Leong also believes that making food for yourself is important.

“If you want to eat good food, you have to make it yourself,” Leong said.

Leong and Hsu will try to incorporate that philosophy into Food Club’s Wednesday meetings.

“We’re going to do themed months, and obviously it’s fall right now so we were thinking of doing pumpkin pancakes. We want to teach people to make food, and then eat it,” Leong said.

Okuda thinks that its members are thankful for food club.

“People want to learn; people really have an appreciation for it,” Okuda said. “I learn a lot.”

Their advisor, Kris Moon, also thinks that the club’s members are responding well to Leong and Hsu’s ideas.

“People were excited and were actually learning something, which is awesome,” Moon said.

7 . HIGH TIDE . HEALTH

Read it, watch it House of Hades: Rick Riordan

by Lauren Diethelm

PHOTO BY JUSTIN LEE

THE

FIFTH ESTATE

Of all of Riordan’s books, House of Hades might be the most widely and eagerly anticipated, and at a surface level, he doesn’t disappoint; the book is filled with the usual snarky humor and monsters drawn straight from mythology itself, but the plot developments and relationships between characters suffer as a result.

The individual characters develop beautifully in this novel, but their relationships with each other and their interactions with other outside characters don’t. Leo, Piper, Hazel and Frank all grow into themselves, becoming more mature and more confident in their own abilities, and in coming out Nico makes himself vulnerable and grows up a lot as a result.

Independently, the character development is well done, but their interaction with each other is limited to necessity—battle plans and the like—and we learn nothing about how the relationships and friendships formed in the last books have changed under the strain of war, or Tartarus, in Percy and Annabeth’s case. The interactions be-

PHOTO BY DEBORAH CHANG

8 . HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

by Shaw Conneybeare

The Fifth Estate released this October after two years of production complications and controversy, but given it’s current state, it would have been better if this film been kept in production. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Julian Assange, the creator and head of the internet publishing organization called Wikileaks. Assange and his partner Daniel Domscheit-Berg (played by Daniel Brühl) turn the website Wikileaks from an obscure news source into a journalistic monolith.

The Fifth Estate lacks consistency in artistic vision as well as political opinion, with many contradictory scenes. For example, there is an entire sequence regarding people’s horror at Assanges determination to release documents potentially endangering American spies and personnel, yet the following scene has one of the same characters who previously expressed hatred for Assanges actions praising him for beginning a new journalistic revolution. In addition to this dramatic shift of character allegiances, the motivations of each are never fully explored.

The film never questions why Assange decides to pursue uncensored publication with, such a passion nor Daniel Doms-

tween the different pairs are so close to the rest that they become empty and basically meaningless.

One of Riordan’s trademarks is sarcasm and banter, and he does it well. When faced with an opponent they can’t beat with strength, his characters turn to their wit and somehow trick and defeat the monster. In House of Hades, I thought he did this too much; it became a pattern, and belittled both the challenger and opponent. These are ancient creatures that have existed for centuries; some of them are gods, or at least demigods, and I found it hard to believe they could be confused and outsmarted by a desperate teenager. To their credit, the scenes were well-written and humorous, but the tactic was overused and became expected.

I had mixed feelings on the overall plot of the novel. On one hand, Percy and Annabeth’s story line dragged a little bit. I got the impression that Riordan had too much space allotted for them and couldn’t fill it. The ac-

cheit-Bergs reasons for joining him in the first place. The film is torn between being a political or character drama and thinks that blending the two will create a perfect synthesis rather than diluted fragments of each genre that the audience is presented with.

There are also large amounts of two-dimensional characters that only act as plot devices to attack Assange. Daniel’s girlfriend, for example, is given no chemistry with him beyond sex, yet she is supposed to be the first point of contention between Daniel and Assange as Wikileaks keeps him from spending time with her. Had the film shown them exploring their relationship this plot point may have had some effect but presented as it is seems somewhat immature in its approach to romance.

Unfortunately there is no character development and no emotional attachment to Assange other than giving him a family, which is one of the cheapest ways to foster sympathy from the audience and he and his family survive in the end and escape to Egypt so the “damage” caused by the information leak is never shown onscreen. There is also Assanges advocate from The Guardian who claims that Assange is standing up for free speech, but fails to elaborate or convey the importance of such a right in a mature manner-bordering refusal to analyze the merits of Wikileaks.

The acting in the film ranges from medi-

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANGELA KIM

tion scenes that take place in Tartarus are genuinely creepy and extremely well done, but they are sparingly placed between lots of walking. Conversely, the crew of the Argo II almost had too much action; they had a lot of subplots in their individual chapters, drawing away from the main plot of the war with Gaea, which hardly progressed at all.

At the end of the novel, the only main development is that Percy and Annabeth have made it out of Tartarus; Gaea is still preparing to rise without actually having done so yet, and they still need to fight her but they still have time to prepare for it.

Overall, I wasn’t necessarily disappointed, but I wasn’t blown away, either. The novel was well written and entertaining, but it lacked development in some areas that, had they been explored in more depth, would have lifted the novel from just okay to noteworthy and enjoyable.

ocre to excellent. Fans of Benedict Cumberbatch will be pleased to see a good delivery of dialogue. He even introduces a few proAssange moments into the film, reflecting his own opinion of the events portrayed.

Despite the nature of his role and being in the center of attention, Daniel Brühl is a decent actor. None of the other actors really stand out except for Alexander Siddig and Laura Linney as the Libyan defector and the White House cabinet member respectively.

Both characters give overacted performances and sub-par emotional attempts, cliché writing or not.

This film doesn’t offer much whether you agree or disagree with Wikileaks. Half of it is a personal attack on Assange, the other a glorification of his deeds. Had it chosen one side and stuck with it, it would have been a much better experience, for both sides of the issue. By trying to appeal to both opinions The Fifth Estate will likely be forgotten by the end of the year. Had it been given time to settle the problems with the script, it could have been more effective, but instead it was rushed to premiere for Oscar Season.

There are much better movies currently in theatres, such as12 Years a Slave or Captain Philips, but this one is simply not worth the price of admission, regardless of personal genre preference.

#zombies

Sophomore Alex Holmes expresses her appreciation for theThe Walking Dead with her Instagram fan page that has more than 2,000 followers

by Luma Wegman

PHOTOS CORTESY OF ALEX HOLMES

Instagram apocalypse. 1. A compilation of fan art, photos and memes from Holmes’ Instagram page, each photo receiving hundreds of likes and comments

With a press of the refresh button, sophomore Alex Holmes can watch her notifications box flood with new followers, likes and comments. Her Instagram, “dawalkingdead,” is a 2,374 follower fan page.

AMC’s show The Walking Dead is about a Sheriff’s Deputy who lives outside Atlanta, Georgia, Rick Grimes, and how he and his group survive in the new zombie-infested world. Holmes considers herself a superfan zombie lover ; she has zombie pajamas, tee shirts, socks and trinkets.

“When I first started watching the show, I didn't start with the first season, but when I got into it I finished the seasons really quickly, and that’s when I made my fan page,” Holmes said.

The special effects are one element that draw her to the show.

“The makeup is one of the coolest parts of the show; it’s so realistic and I like the special effects. The plot and characters are also really developed,” Holmes said.

Holmes had been a fan of the show until

From the stage to the screen

her friend showed her a way to take the fandom to the next level.

“One of my friends who is obsessed with ‘One Direction’ made a fan page so I thought I could do one because I Iike The Walking Dead,” Holmes said.

In between seasons, Holmes finds it difficult to keep the account active.

“I haven't been that active but now that the new season has started I'm gonna go ‘ham’,” Holmes said.

Her parents also recently surprised her with tickets to PaleyFest, a live event where The Walking Dead’s actors discuss the show in a panel. Holmes’s twelve year old sister, Liza attempted a photo with one of The Walking Dead actors.

“I can’t wait to see the crazy zombies they come up with this season.” she said, “once you start watching it, you’ll go ham! You’ll get into it, it’s so amazing.”

As far as her Instagram fanpage “dawalkingdead” goes Holmes said, “We’ll just see what the future holds.”

Junior Sophie Lewis adjusts to television-acting with her role in the new FOX show Rake

by Chandler Ross

She rehearses her lines as she paces the studio floor. She can feel the bright, hot lights hanging over her, and the cameras observe her every move. Then she hears the director calling “Lights, camera, action!”

Junior Sophie Lewis has acted in many plays since the age of five, but has transitioned to the TV industry when she moved to California before sophomore year. Lewis has since worked on the upcoming comedydrama, Rake, on FOX. “I transitioned when I moved here because I always wanted to do [TV], but I didn’t have the opportunity because I was in Ohio,” Lewis said.

Lewis has noticed many differences between acting in TV and acting in plays since her move to California.

“On the stage you have to be big and

make sure every little detail isn’t a little detail, it has to be huge,” Lewis said. “On film the camera is right in front of you, so everything you do gets picked up.”

Lewis prefers acting for TV over acting for plays.

“I like having the camera on me. And if I mess up then we can just ‘retake’ or ‘do it over’, where as on stage if you mess up, it ruins everything,” Lewis said.

Lewis also enjoys TV-acting due to how it presents itself to the audience and viewers.

“I like how for TV, everybody can see it from different angles and you can show the really important things so everybody can see them,” Lewis said.

Lewis also says that the processes for both TV and plays are very different.

“For plays you audition and then you

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANGELA KIM

get the part. Then you go to rehearsals and you work on the beginning of it. Then, you just keep going and re-doing everything.

Then, you get the costumes ready and you do the play,” Lewis said, “TV is basically you show up and they have the cameras and the set already and you go in, do what you are supposed to do, do another take, do it again, and then you leave,” In terms of difficulty Lewis says the two media are equal but in several different ways.

“There’s no one that’s harder, they’re just very different. I think that a play is much more stressful, and on TV it’s more laid back, but still difficult and you still do have to do things right, you can’t just keep mess-

ing up,” Lewis said.

Lewis’s love for acting comes from her ability to portray different personas.

“I like acting because you can experiment with different people and I like being in front of the camera. And I like all the different things and scenarios that would never happen to you in your real life,” Lewis said.

Two role models that Lewis looks up to are Jennifer Lawrence and Audrey Hepburn.

“I like Jennifer Lawrence because she’s very relatable and Audrey Hepburn because she’s a classic actress,” Lewis said.

Lewis believes that the support she gets from her mother, Tracey Lewis, has helped her succeed in acting.

“Because Sophie is a minor, I have to be with her on set. Luckily, I have a flexible schedule so I am usually available to accompany her,” Tracey said.

Tracey is also very proud of her daughter, but does worry about her success in that industry.

“I am happy that she has something she is passionate about, but I know it is hard to ‘make it’ in the industry. I worry that she may work hard and not get what she wants from it. It’s a mom’s job to worry,” Tracey said.

Overall, Lewis feels great when she’s acting and feels like her problems and worries can fade away.

“I feel really happy and relaxed and if I’m ever having trouble and then I go and act, I can kind of step out of that,” Lewis said.

9 . HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

Wet Burrito with Brown RIce When I first heard the term “wet burrito” while trying to decide what to eat for lunch, I immediately thought of a burrito floating in a toilet bowl, so, naturally, I had to try one out. As it turns out, a wet burrito is not just a burrito that is wet; in fact, it might not even be wet at all. The wet burrito I had was smothered in enchilada sauce that had formed a nice crust by the time I picked it up, which made the burrito harder to chew, but added a much-needed flavor all the same. The beef inside the burrito tasted good, too, and overall, the wet burrito was a nice and relatively satisfactory lunch, despite the dry, flavorless brown rice that came with it.

-AP

Ham and Cheese Panini

Lean Grilled Burger When I got in line to purchase the Lean Grilled Burger, I did not expect much. In the end, my low expectations were filled to the letter. Already cramped from waiting in the overextended line, I was sorely disappointed by the weak burger presented to me. The sandwich itself was dry and inedible without condiments. The patty, the centerpiece to any burger, was much too thin to satisfy anyone’s hunger, and not nearly juicy enough to be truly called a “burger”. The additional toppings were decent, but were still not enough to save the meal. Overall, it was not enough to satisfy my hunger and not worth the four dollars I spent.

-AQ

Chicken Taquitos

Though seemingly appealing with its toasty bread that appears to be grilled to perfection, the painini’s bread is too tough to be eaten comfortably. That, combined with its overly-thick slabs of ham mingling with tomato, makes it impossible to eat without having to choke it down. It was not hot and moist as a panini should be, but instead dry and lukewarm. In the end, this sandwich was a disappointment to eat.

Taquitos, a delicacy whose best form is usually only found on the shelves of Costco, have always ranked among my favorite foods, and the sticks of gooey heaven sold on Tuesdays in the South of the Border area of the Student Union did not disappoint. I picked up the Taquitos not expecting much, since they came in a paper sack labeled “Tornadoes,” but once I bit into the not-too-crunchy, not-too-soft tortilla and tasted the chicken, cheese, and God-only-knows what else inside, I found myself craving more. The magical rod also known as “taquito” is definitely worth the $3.75 I spent-- I would absolutely recommend it to anybody who enjoys eating.

-AP

Calzone

-AQ

Student Union

FOOD REVIEWS

From the outside, a calzone doesn’t look like much, just a mass of doughy bread; however, they generally have some kind of meat inside along with cheese.The bread and the cheese weren’t bad, and the sauce that comes with it complements the calzone well. Overall, the calzone is not a poor choice for a lunchtime meal.

by Allegra Peelor, Chris Paludi, Alejandro Quevedo, Cody Williams; photos by Justin Lee

-CP

Frozen Yogurt On a hot day, there’s nothing better than ice cream. And let me tell you, this cup of deliciousness was just what I needed. The contrasting swirls of chocolate and vanilla blend together to form a picturesque treat.

The amount of ice cream served was unexpectedly large, and I dug in with high expectations. This gift from the freezer did not dissapoint, and my entire day was made better upon one spoonful.

-CP

The cafeteria offers a variety of meals in their four sections: Asian, Italian, South of the Border, and The Grill. According to the RBUSD website, all meals meet USDA Dietary Guidelines. All the meals include lean proteins, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Vegetarian, low-fat and reduced sodium options are also available.

The meals aim to enhance the diets of students with the larger selection of nutritious meals.

Pizza Teriyaki Chicken with Brown Rice Although my expectations were already at an all-time low upon entering the cafeteria to purchase my meal, they somehow failed to be met. After paying a ridiculous $3.75 for a small serving, I hurriedly exited the crowded and noisy cafeteria, anticipating the “deliciousness” that would come forth from the greasy package. I immediately indulged in the chewy chicken, drenched in teriyaki sauce in attempt to cover up its mediocrity. These morsels fit for the gods, of course, were served over brown rice as dry as Death Valley, requiring several packets of soy sauce to be choked down. My experience with the Asian section of the cafeteria was definitely sub-par.

10 . HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

-CW

The pizza slice I picked up after waiting far too long was average. After growing up seeing horror stories of cafeteria food on television, the pizza I received after making my way through a Black Friday-esque crowd of people in line was adequate at best, and not really worth the trouble it took to get it. Putting the universally hated cafeteria experience to the side for now, pizza is hard to screw up. It’s hardly Chuck-E-Cheese good, but it’s not the worst I’ve ever had. It doesn’t taste bad, but it’s hardly worth the wait.

-CP

Spicy Chicken Sandwich The spicy chicken sandwich, which at its most basic level is a chicken patty on a bun, was a decent meal. The sandwich as a whole was pretty dry, but that was easily remedied by the addition of condiments. Another issue I found was that when I wanted other additions to the sandwich, such as lettuce, tomato, and pickles, they were presented to me in a plastic bag. While the additions themselves tasted fine, the fact that they were given to me in a bag greatly reduced how appetizing such additions would be. Simply placing them in the sandwich beforehand would suffice, rather than giving me plastic waste that I would sooner choke a dolphin with than unwrap to get my lettuce out of. Overall: decent sandwich, but still not worth the trouble to buy.

-AQ

Buffalo Wings with Muffin The quality of the buffalo wings genuinely surprised me. I expected it to be dry and poorly seasoned like other meals I have had at the cafeteria, but my expectations were happily misplaced. The wings were deliciously juicy and the seasoning, though not as spicy and tangy as I prefer, was very good as well. I may just be a sucker for wings, but this meal was a high step above most other cafeteria lunches I have eaten. Even the muffin that accompanied it was soft and deliciously fluffy, albeit a bit crumbly. This meal was well worth the money I spent, and is one that I look forward to eating again.

-AQ

11 . HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

Ecology and marine biology clubs make waves

by John Webb

From some places on campus, students can get a view of the beautiful nearby ocean.

Two school clubs, the Ecology Club and Marine Biology Club, want to make sure that the ocean stays beautiful and that people know more about it.

“We do a lot of beach clean-ups, because our club is really about the ocean,” Phoebe Mather, president of the Ecology Club, said.

The club volunteers at the Sea Lab every other Sunday. They pick up trash at the beach for about fifteen minutes to see how much they can help and take water samples from three places in the area.

“A lot of what we do is for the community,” Mather said. “After it rains, we test the bacteria levels of the water and see if it’s clean enough to swim in.”

Even though the club is not new this year, it still needs more members to fill up its meetings and it needs more people to help out with cleaning the shore.

“We don’t have a lot of people right now, so we always want new members,” Mather said. “If someone has a passion for the ocean and wants to help keep it clean, they should join.”

In comparison, the brand new Marine Biology Club has about 45 members.

“We already have a good amount of people in the club, but we always want people to take interest in marine life and learn more about the ocean,” club vice president Hailey Smith said.

Smith and her co-president, Addi Castillo, try to teach the club members as much as possible about the marine life.

“I like that the students in the club are interested in learning about the ocean and helping out with our goals,” Smith said.

Though these clubs are different, they have similar goals: to teach the students of RUHS about the ocean and its inhabitants and to help keep it clean.

“I have a passion for the ocean. Without the ocean I would be lost, and I think it’s really important to keep the ocean clean so other people can enjoy it as much as I do,” Mather said.

Smith has similar passions.

“Since we live so close to the ocean I feel like [the South Bay community] can make a large difference in how polluted the ocean is. It’s such a beautiful thing, and we are blessed to live so close that it would be a shame for us to abuse that privilege,” said Smith.

12 . HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

2.

1.

Surf’s up. 1. Among other places around the world, Avery has surfed in Bali, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. 2. Avery rides the waves of La Barra, Nicaragua.

Avery surfs around the world PHOTOS COURTESY OF DUNCAN AVERY

by Sophia Ruffo

He travels from California, to Hawaii, to Bali searching for a new set of waves. Surf coach Duncan Avery travels around the globe to find the perfect waves.

“Locally, it never gets too big, but when you travel the waves tend to be a little bigger and have better shape,” Avery said.

The biggest wave Avery surfed was 15 ft in two places: Bali and Barbados.

“Your heart races and it’s a very exhilarating experience. It’s really fun but it’s also really scary, ” Avery said.

When surfing big waves there are many risks. Common injuries include broken limbs, concussions, and serious puncture wounds. Avery has had little experience in

that aspect of surfing, but he has had some near misses.

“It was double overhead in Bali and my wife was with me. I wasn’t scared for myself, I was scared for her. I was just nervous to get her back to shore safely. It’s been a pretty long time since I’ve felt danger while surfing,” Avery said.

His wife, Nohea Avery, expressed that whenever there has been a really rough day or dangerous waves, she can usually get through it with Avery’s help.

“There were a couple instances where I was nervous because there were larger waves then I was used to,” Nohea said.

“Duncan is a more experienced and better surfer than I am. There have been times

where I did feel a little uncomfortable and a little outside of my zone, and Duncan knows that. He’ll help me a little bit.”

A common problem for surfers is hitting the reef, which Avery has done several times.

“It cuts you up immediately when you’re surfing, and if you hit the reef it immediately breaks skin. And if you hit the reef the coral stays inside of you, so you have to cut it out,” Avery said.

Surfing also has an appeal to Avery because he can travel to the most exotic places for not only the view, but also the culture and new experiences.

“The best part of traveling is meeting new people and seeing the cultures they live in,” Avery said. “It’s just amazing whenever I get to go see how people live in the world.”

Waving hello to a new country

by Jason Clebowicz

Every day she wakes up, 8,000 miles away from home. The only person Warisara Watanawongworakula knows in this adopted land is junior Susannah Nevarez, who is her guide and housing during her time in America.

Nevarez is part of an exchange student program called CETUSA (Council for Educational Travel United States of America), in which she and her family hosts foreign exchange student for one year.

“I don’t have a sibling, so it’s like having a sister,” Nevarez said.

Watanawongworakula is from Thailand, but she is also part of the Mormon religion.

It has been a steady part of her life, and she practices her religion despite being so far away from her home.

“She doesn’t drink alcohol or Thai tea, and never wears shorts. She also always goes to Church every Sunday. I don’t practice all of the same traditions, but it hasn’t affected me since she has come here,” Nevarez said.

Besides her religion, she also knows four languages. This plays a role in easing communication between her and Nevarez and the courses she takes at school.

“I speak to people in English, but I know a lot of languages including Spanish, Chinese, English, and Thai. I am taking Spanish 1 and Chinese 2 in school this year,” Watanawongworakula said.

Since Watanawongworakula is staying for a full year, she is not treated like a regular guest. She has duties around the house just like any typical high school student.

“While I stay with Susannah I clean the bathroom, vacuum around the house, and cook,” Watanawongworakula said.

Not only do they have similar sibling responsibilities, the girls feel as if they are actually sisters. The time Watanawongworakula has spent with Nevarez has made them close, forming an extremely strong bond.

“I feel like she is my real sister. We spend a lot of time together and we get along really well. It’s cool having someone with you everyday to spend your time with,” said Ne-

varez.

Having an extra person in the house has created many changes, but over time this allocation has become a normal policy in her daily routine.

“I have to share my room, bathroom, and food with Warisara. I’m not used to that because I’m a single child, but I’ve gotten used to it over time,” Susannah said.

However, Nevarez mostly recalls positive memories she has shared while having Watanawongworakula in her home.

“It been a very positive experience having Warisara with me. I think my fondest memory with Warisara so far has been when we got into a water balloon fight at church camp together,” said Nevarez.

Being part of the CETUSA program has been a powerful experience for Nevarez and provided a notably positive experience for her.

“It has been a great experience for me.

Having an exchange student is really fun, and it is just like having a sibling to take with me everywhere,” said Nevarez.

Riding Beatty

finds s o

by Lauryn Alejo

Peaceful. Calming. Spiritual. These are the feelings freshman Kyle Beatty has learned to love through his surfing travels around the world.

“It’s a very patient sport,” Beatty said.

“You’re not going against people, you’re just doing it for yourself.”

Beatty considers surfing to be a “getaway spot,” as well as his favorite sport.

“Whenever I have problems, I surf. With surfing, I never have problems,” Beatty said.

Since Beatty enjoys the peacefulness of surfing, he finds it more “relaxing” when he’s alone.

“When there’s nobody out there and I’m on a nice good wave, it’s calm and I can do whatever I want,” he said.

He also likes the feeling of knowing there’s no one around him.

“Sometimes it’s nerve-wracking and annoying when there are other people with you trying to get all your waves, but most of the time it’s just good vibes out there,” he said.

He also enjoys surfing because it has a “spiritual vibe” to it.

“I always feel free when I surf. It’s just you and the ocean,” he said.

Beatty not only loves how tranquil surfing is, but he loves the excitement.

“I enjoy both the peacefulness and the thrill because it mixes. It comes together in one and becomes a big ball of perfectness,” he said.

Since Beatty loves surfing, he has gone to

lace in

the Wav es

surfing in t

many of what are considered the best surf spots in the world. He has gone to Australia, Mexico, El Salvador and Hawaii.

“There were some of the biggest waves of my life,” Beatty said.

The waves he surfed reached up to 15 feet.

“I was really scared. I didn’t really want to look at the waves because every time one broke, I didn’t want to catch it. I just wanted to sit out there,” Beatty said.

On his trips to El Salvador, he went with “a good group of surfers” who pushed him a lot.

“I had to compete with them over the big waves because there were a lot of photographers on the beach, so whoever got the better, bigger wave, the better the picture,” Beatty said.

Even though he’s fifteen years old, he has already found his “perfect” wave.

“I found the perfect wave in Mexico,” he said. “It wasn’t that big, but I timed it, and it was a minute long.”

Out of all the places he has been, he finds Mexico to be the best.

“In Mexico, I don’t have to impress anyone because I don’t know anyone there, so I can do anything I want,” he said.

In the future, he hopes to go to Indonesia and Nicaragua because his brother, Conor Beatty, has been there.

“I’d love to go [to Indonesia and Nicaragua] because my brother told me those were the best waves of his life,” Beatty said.

ernationally

Beatty’s brother has greatly influenced his surfing.

“My brother has inspired me to surf bigger waves, to surf better and to be a better person,” he said.

Thanks to his brother, Beatty is now sponsored by Body Glove.

“A while ago my brother was sponsored

by Body Glove and he told me to call his team manager, so I did. His manager told me to send him a video of me surfing and then I was on the secondary team!” he said.

Now, he gets wetsuits for free and is also sponsored by Dive n’ Surf and Spyder. Beatty has also been featured in a magazine.

“I got to be interviewed by an old surfer, Mike Purpus, and he put me in the Easy Reader,” he said.

Not only has his brother influenced him, but the rest of his family has as well.

“My family taught me to surf for one thing. They’ve taken me to surf spots around the world, they’ve coached me and helped me progress in my surfing,” Beatty said.

His dad was the one that taught him to surf and was the reason he went to El Salvador.

“My dad told me the first wave I ever caught was with him in Hawaii at Waikiki when I was three,” he said.

Within two years, Beatty started surfing every day and his parents would watch him.

“All I remember is that I wasn’t good, but I was always excited when I stood up and went straight,” Beatty said.

Since he started at a young age, Beatty

has made it his one and only sport. “[Surfing] is just the best feeling in the world, better than any other sport I’ve ever played. That’s why I quit soccer,” he said.

Beatty surfs with a young group of surfers at Torrance Beach who got him introduced him to Western Surfing Association (WSA) competitions.

“They were all doing WSA contests, so I decided to do it with them. I felt like I had to step up to the plate with them,” he said.

WSA competitions are very competitive and the highest Beatty has placed is fifth, while in South Bay Boardriders Contests he’s placed first.

“Whenever I did a WSA series, I would get good results, but I wasn’t having fun, so I just do local contests and surf for the surf team now,” Beatty said.

Beatty has found that he only loves surfing when he is not competing. “[Competing] becomes too serious and I get too serious with it. I begin to not like surfing because I get frustrated, which changes my surfing,” he said.

Since he doesn’t see any major competing in his future, Beatty hopes to become a professional free surfer.

“I just want to have fun and go out on a couple of big days, but probably no contests,” he said.

Beatty is into surfing for the fun and he does not want it any other way.

“I love surfing in perfect blue waters with a couple of my good friends and my brother,” Beatty said. “I just want us to catch good waves and to have fun.”

PHOTO BY JUSTIN LEE

13 . HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

ROLLPUNCHES

Freshman Thuy Linh Turek competes in regional judo tournaments

WITH THE

by Jennie Bao

She sits alone, listening to the strained conversations between the other competitors. Different strategies race through her head as she forms her game plan. A loudspeaker suddenly projects its voice, signaling that it’s her turn. She then takes a deep breath to calm her anxiety and nerves.

Masking the fear on her face, she stares at her opponent, and steps onto the mat, ready.

Freshman Thuy Linh Turek spends her time training to compete in regional judo tournaments. She is currently a purple belt, the third to highest ranking.

“I like judo because I love the environment I am in and the feeling of accomplishment I get when I win. I also like the support I get and give to all of my teammates,” Turek said.

Judo is a modern martial art that is a mix of wrestling and jiu jitsu. The objective is to throw the opponent to the ground and pin them there for 15 to 35 seconds.

“I don’t really find it fun to hurt people.

I would feel bad if I hurt them, but my number one goal is to just get them on the ground so I can win. The pleasure of winning is nice, but hurting them not so much,” Turek said.

Turek, however, admits that she is not always as forgiving when fighting on the mat.

“Sometimes if a person hurts me first , then I will try to hurt them back by slamming them really hard on to the ground. I don’t hurt them too badly, it’s just payback,” Turek said.

According to Turek, the atmosphere before and during the tournament is completely different.

“There’s a lot of tension in the room.

When you are on the mat it’s intimidating

1.

and scary fighting each other but when the tournament is over, everybody’s friends and cool with one another,” Turek said.

Before a tournament, Turek often has to go on a strict diet in order to get an advantage from the other competitors.

“The day before [a tournament] I usually don’t really eat that much. You don’t want to get put in a higher weight division, so you starve yourself and then you eat a whole lot after you weigh in,” Turek said.

Right before a match, Turek often strategizes and goes through her game plan.

“I usually feel how they grip and how they fight first. Then I try to strategize how I am going to get them on the ground. I will usually use a lighter throw so I can get them on the ground. Once they’re on the ground ,I’ll pin them or choke them because I’d rather do the groundwork,” Turek said.

Due to judo being a direct contact sport,

2.

PHOTO BY TYLER EISENHART

many participants could get hurt. In a past tournament, Turek suffered a great loss that resulted with a dislocated jaw.

“There was this girl. When I fought her she locked her arm around my head, which you aren’t supposed to do, but the referees didn’t catch it. She wrapped it around my head and twisted it. I fell on the ground and she tried to pin me but it didn’t really work out and I dislocated my jaw,” Turek said.

Besides the disadvantages of getting injured, Turek was able to learn many important life skills from judo.

“To do judo you have to have a lot of mindset and determination. There’s a lot of training and hard work, but you do it because you want to get better and in the end it’s worth it,” Turek said.

Turek’s mother, Jan Turek also believes

Everybody was judo fighting. 1. Turek demonstrates a seoinage in which the opponent is thrown to the floor. 2. Turek practices a kesa gatame which is when she pins an opponent to the ground.

that judo will be beneficial later on in Turek’s life.

“The discipline that she has to put in to work on it all of these years and the confidence, strength and skills to hold her ground are good skills to carry throughout her life,” Jan said.

Turek is hoping she will later be able to influence younger kids in judo.

“It’s taught me to respect people who earn the respect and to be self disciplined. I want to go as long as I can and reach a black belt. I also want to help younger kids later on and help them accomplish their goals,” Turek said.

Thatcher is hooked on fishing

by Marie Ona

Go fish. Thatcher poses with two salmon groupers after a successful day of fishing.

14 . HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

The fight begins. He is dragged under and over fishermen around the boat. He spots it down in the water, excited with its size. He wins, catching his biggest fish, a 25-pound white sea bass.

According to junior Payton Thatcher, he fishes mainly during the summer as a hobby and is out to enjoy the peace and quiet.

“It’s a nice stress reliever. I get away from all the stress at home,” Thatcher said. “I just fish to have fun and I’m having a good time.”

Thatcher began fishing when he was seven years old, when his father introduced it to him. He and his family used to fish together in the freshwaters of Canada.

“My dad used to take us out on yearly fishing trips in Canada,” he said. “It was fun because the fishing was good. We caught 20 fish each, everyday we were there.”

Thatcher continued fishing, even though his family stopped once they moved to the United States.

“Where we went fishing in Canada, there were pretty good lakes. Here, not so much because it’s more crowded. So we never got back in freshwater,” he said. “I finally decided to try saltwater about three or four years ago and I’ve got hooked into it. It’s that one thing I have that is my own.”

From freshwater to saltwater, Thatcher catches a variety of fish and he takes the fish home from time to time.

Sister junior Haylie Thatcher, unlike Pay-

ton, is not a fan of seafood or the smell of the fish, but supports her brother’s hobby.

“I love that he has his own hobby outside of school but I hate how he smells like fish when I pick him up from the pier,” Haylie said.“I think it’s great that he stayed into a hobby that reminds him of home. He’s more independent since he fishes alone.”

According to Thatcher, through fishing, he has learned to be more patient with himself and would like to continue the hobby.

“You’ll have days when you go up there and nothing bites. That can be frustrating, but over time I kind of learned to just go with it and not get upset,” Thatcher said.

“I’m not going to flip out if I don’t catch the biggest fish.”

Blades of glory

by Shaniya Markalanda

She steps onto the ice, feeling the crisp cold air against her exposed skin. She stands there nervously, waiting to hear what song will play. Tango music fills the rink, as she begins to dance. Though she only had a week to prepare, freshman Jillian Ayers wins first place for her ice dancing tango.

Ice dancing is a style of dance where skaters must focus on tempo, understand the music and be accurate in their steps.

“Ice dancing is definitely a thinking sport, so I like to look at it like a brain teaser.

It’s the best feeling in the world,” Ayers said.

Ayers started ice skating at the age of three, but only began ice dancing a year and a half ago when her coach suggested it to her. “[My coach] said, ‘we’re going to try this’ and when I did, it was so much fun,” Ayers said.

According to Ayers she enjoys ice dancing more since it does not involve as many spins or jumps as figure skating does.

“Jumps and spins are scary as heck,” Ayers said. “So I was was super siked that they wouldn’t be a requirement anymore.”

She also takes part in ice dancing competitions.

“You’re just standing there and everyone is just staring at you until the music comes on,” Ayers said. “You’re doing something

now. You’re not just standing there. It’s so much fun because then you are just an entertainer. Your sole purpose is to entertain,” Ayers said.

According to Ayers, one of her favorite parts of ice dancing is the crowd’s reactions.

“I think the most fun part is having that relationship with the audience,” Ayers said.

“They start to react to what you’re doing so they’re not just staring at you. They’re laughing, they’re clapping or they’re yelling encouraging things.”

The audience’s support makes her want to work harder.

“It makes you want to give 200% and never stop,” Ayers said. “When the crowd is yelling and cheering, you know it’s all for you. It makes you want to give them and the ice everything you’ve got.”

Like the audience, Ayers’ family provides her with a lot of encouragement.

“I can hear my mother sitting at the top and she is so loud that I can hear her screaming ‘Go Jillian’ no matter where I am in the rink,” Ayers said.

Her father, Doug Ayers, believes ice dancing is beneficial to her in many ways.

“It keeps her out of trouble and is good for her health,”Doug said.“It helps her think. She enjoys it and her mood greatly improves after she gets off the ice.”

Ayers agrees that she has a happier attitude after ice dancing.

UP UP AND AWAY

by Amanda Shaw

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS HEREDIA

The sky is the limit. “I can’t wait to get in the air, Heredia said. “I love flying.”

Chris Heredia trains to get his pilot license Senior Chris Heredia is in the process of getting his license. This license is not a typical driver’s license, however, it is a private pilot’s license. “[Steering a plane] is like when you’re riding a roller coaster, and you go up and down. You get that feeling in your stomach,

especially when you get to maneuver the airplane. It’s a thrill,” Heredia said.

Aviation captured his interest when he was younger, and his passion for it has grown stronger as he has grown older.

“Ever since middle school I was always really interested in airplanes because my dad

Freshman Jillian Ayers uses ice dancing as an emotional outlet “I’m a lot happier when I get off the ice. I go from being angry to being like a little angel,” Ayers said. “I can take out my anger on the ice instead of on other people.”

According to Ayers, ice dancing has affected her behavior off the ice.

“It definitely has helped me organize my time, and it makes me a happier person,” said Ayers.

“I also tend to feel like it makes me see more of the beauty in things, along with making me a complete perfectionist in a lot of things.”

Ice dancing has helped her create many long lasting relationships.

“We’re one big family at the rink. Anyone that’s an ice dancer is a family, in short. And our coach is like our mother,” Ayers said.

Ayers believes this is just the beginning of her ice dancing career.

“I’m definitely not going to stop doing it any time in the near future,” Ayers said. “When I get on the rink, there’s no place I’d rather be.” works at the airport in Los Angeles, and he’s my main inspiration for becoming a pilot.

When I was younger he used to take me with him in his truck and we would go inside the airport and look at all the planes, and over the years they got my interest,” Heredia said.

When it comes to his aviation career, Heredia is focused on his goals for the future such as obtaining the 40 hours of flying required to become a private pilot.

“I made the decision [to become a pilot] when I entered high school, and I committed myself to studying. It’s all about working your way up and building those hours until eventually you get your commercial pilot’s license,” Heredia said.

While controlling an airplane can be difficult, and stressful at times, Heredia always remembers to appreciate the nature right outside the plane window.

“You’re looking at the world from a different perspective. I think that’s what I like the most [about flying], all the houses and the buildings, and especially the ocean. You never really know what to expect. There’s a lot of mother nature out there that’s nice to see,” Heredia said.

In addition to gaining an appreciation for the natural world, Heredia has gained everyday skills through the discipline that

Ayers on ice. Ayers performs her ice dancing routine at a competition.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JILLIAN AYERS

pilot training requires.

“With being a pilot comes a lot of responsibility, taking care of the passengers and all. Now that I’m starting young, I’m getting the experience, and I think it’ll help me get the skills that I need, [such as] being responsible and being a role model. The more you do it, the more you get better at it,” said Heredia.

Right by his side throughout the entire process, Heredia’s main inspiration, Antonio Heredia, Chris Heredia’s father, sees just how driven he is to become a pilot.

“As a dad, I’ll be so proud of him for becoming a pilot. It’s one of his dreams, and it is my dream [for him] as well. Whatever he decides to do, I will always be behind him to support him with anything he needs. I’m going to do as much as I can to help him realize his dream,” Antonio said Although he is only 17 years old, Heredia already knows that working his way up in the field of aviation until he is a commercial pilot is the career path he wants to follow.

“I want to be a part of safely transporting people from Point A to Point B. You know, flying people to Europe, going to Asia, just taking them safely to their destination,” Heredia said. “It’s all about going to new places, meeting new people and experiencing new things. I want to be a part of that.”

15 . HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

Athlete of the Issue

Davy Thomas swims to the top of his game

Being on the water polo team has helped bring senior Davy Thomas closer to the game and his teammates.

by Joseph Blakely

Fast, reliable, strong: these words have all been used to describe senior Davy Thomas and his accomplishments as an “inspirational” varsity water polo player.

Thomas is competitive and “[takes] water polo very seriously,” according to his teammate senior Jonathan Ortiz.

“I’m very competitive and I hate the feeling of losing to a team that I know we could have beaten,” Thomas said.

His teammates also notice his hard work ethic and follow the strong example he sets.

“What sets Davy apart from the team is his motivation and drive; he’s always working as hard as he can,” Ortiz said. “Everyone looks up to him.”

According to his coach, Mark Rubke, one of Thomas’ attributes that make him a good player is his speed in the pool, which allows him to be a versatile player.

“He creates a lot of openings for us because of his speed,” Rubke said. “He also uses that speed to come back and help us on defense.”

Ortiz believes that Thomas is “really fast” because of the hard work that he has put into the sport.

“He is so fast since he works really hard all the time because he wants to be the best,” Ortiz said.

Due to his competitiveness, he also works

very hard in order to win.

“I know my teammates are relying on me, and I have to be able to play well in order for the team as a whole to be successful,” Thomas said. “[I like] being able to play against and beat tough teams.”

Thomas says that he has had to put in “a lot of hard work” at first, after a “late” start to water polo.

“I started sophomore year after trying to run in cross country as a freshman and realizing that I wasn’t a very good runner,” Thomas said. “The biggest challenge at first was learning the sport. I remember it was really confusing and complicated at first but now I completely understand the game.”

Rubke sees Thomas as a “focused competitor.”

“He doesn’t quit, he just keeps going and going, and that’s something else that sort of rubs off on his teammates,” Rubke said.

Thomas says that he has learned through water polo that “communication with your team is very important” and the sport has brought him and his teammates closer.

“You can’t win a game without being able to rely on your teammates,” Thomas said.

“Water polo has brought me and my teammates really close. They’ve all become my really good friends and I rely on them in and out of the pool.”

Thomas’ continued dedication has allowed him to become a varsity athlete, and

1.

2.

PHOTO 1 BY LINDSEY PANNOR; PHOTO 2 BY AHMAD KABBANI

Swimming to Success. 1. Senior Davy Thomas completes a pass to his teammate. 2.

Thomas prepares to shoot against an El Seguno Defender.

he hopes to attend a division one college and be on the swim team. Thomas also says it has taught him to be open to new experiences.

“I’m more open to trying new things, because water polo was something new that I tried and ended up becoming my life,” Thomas said.

Boys cross country falls short in last Bay League meet

The cross country team went into yesterday’s final Bay League meet at Palos Verdes hoping to win so that they could earn the Bay League title, but fell short due to Palos Verdes’ strong performance.

by Jason Fong

PHOTO BY MATT MARDESICH

Crossing lines. Junior Carlos Suarez approaches the finish line in yesterday’s Bay League meet at Palos Verdes.

16 . HIGH TIDE . SPORTS

After a narrow loss to Palos Verdes in the Bay League finals last year, boys cross country had the chance to avenge the loss but was unable to do so yesterday.

According to junior Carlos Suarez, the team performed slightly under par this year and lost by a few points to a Palos Verdes team that ran “the best race of their lives.”

“We still ran pretty well as a whole. I still think that we could have won,” Suarez said.

With three of the team’s five runners placing in the top 10, Suarez doesn’t attribute the loss to any runners in particular.

“It wasn’t anyone’s fault; the only way we could’ve won was if our three, four and five men placed a bit higher,” Suarez said.

Suarez and senior Will Tait placed first and second, respectively.

Since the team lost the first meet and won the second of this season, this final meet was crucial in determining the year’s Bay League Champion.

The team was placed in a similar situation last year when they “won the first race against PV, lost the second, and tied the third meet, but ultimately ended up taking second because of the score of our sixth runner,” Suarez said.

Motivated by the loss,the team had been “working hard” this season to take the Bay League Finals and avenge their loss to PV. “Our training leading up to Bay League Finals had been really insane; it was full of high intensity work at an extremely fast pace,” Suarez said.

Suarez admits that team morale

is a little low after this year’s loss to PV. “We are a little bit disappointed, but we are not going to let this get to us,” Suarez said.

Also, instead of looking to next year to bring victory, the team has remained firmly focused on the rest of their season.

“I honestly haven’t thought about next year much. The team and I still have a lot of work to do this season,” Suarez said.

The team has set their sights on the upcoming CIF finals.

“We are going to continue to train hard so that we can do well in CIF,” Suarez said.

Suarez is still confident in the chances of the team for success, and believes that they can do well if small adjustments are made.

“If we can fine tune everything and work out all of the kinks, we can go far in state,” Suarez said.

Girls tennis fails to beat University in last match of the season After a season full of ups and downs, the girls tennis team lost in the first round of CIF.

by Romy Moreno

After a season filled with injuries, “unbreakable” team bonds and “hard-fought” matches, the girls tennis team ended their season with a loss to University High School on Wednesday 17-1.

“Wednesday’s match was super rough but we tried our absolute best and that’s all you can ask for,” senior Erin Shy said.

Sophomore Emily Zargham believes that the team competed well while fighting through the setbacks that especially affected them in their most recent match.

“Although we lost to University, we fought hard despite the various injuries and setbacks we faced,” Zargham said.

According to the girls, their results were pretty similar to past years, with a record of 12-8.

“Bay league is one of the toughest leagues in Southern California, and I think fourth place is pretty good,” Zargham said.

Zargham also credits the returning varsity players for the successes of the team this year.

“We did not get many new players but basically everybody on the team had varsity experience already, which really helped in times of need,” she said.

According to Shy, the team’s record was commendable, considering the many misfortunes the team faced throughout the sea-

son.

“We had a lot of setbacks this season because of injuries and things, but we still gave our full effort in every match,” Shy said.

“We played a lot of tough teams but still made it to CIF and played our very best.”

Coach Jessica Seibert believes that the team showed great character in the face of adversity.

“I have to say that I am really proud of all the effort the girls put forth and the results the girls were able to reach this season,” Seibert said. “All of the setbacks we faced were beyond our control and I truly believe that we did absolutely everything we could that was within our control.”

Shy believes that along with the team’s success, the players became closer to each other.

“Tennis is an individual sport, so it’s hard to really bond with your team, but this year we became really close and were super supportive of each other through everything,” Shy said. “By becoming closer to one another we were able to work extremely well together.”

According to Seibert, the team’s success this season was due to the team’s experience.

“This season the younger players were able to rise to the occasion. In particular Alyssa Grijalva had a great season and came out of each match with great results,” Seib-

PHOTO BY LINDSAY CALLAHAN

Making a racket. Senior Sierra Foshe hits a backhand in a match earlier in the season.

ert said. “In addition, our older players, especially Erin Shy, provided an anchor for the team and brought a handful of experience to the table.”

In the end, the team and coach believe

that they had a solid season.

“Overall I am more than happy with the way the team performed and I could not have asked for a better group of girls,” Seibert said.

Boys water polo loses to Mira Costa

by Sophie Maguy

PHOTO BY TED CAVUS

The deep end. Senior Nicolas Guterriez passes the ball, while being defended, to his teammate in a game earlier this season.

This Tuesday, boys water polo lost to Mira Costa 14-8 in what was described as a “promising” game, according to coach Mark Rubke.

“We played well enough [against Costa] to play our starting unit versus their starting unit, and I think that was a big step,” Rubke said.

Although it was a “close” game, Rubke believes that the boys could have played even better.

“We came within inches on three separate occasions of preventing a goal that would have been scored,” Rubke said.

In order to reach such an outcome against Mira Costa, Rubke has been training the boys for the past week to improve the boys’ level of intensity.

“We played stronger than usual,” senior Tanner Childs said. “Especially because they limited the amount of passes to our 2-meter man Jonathan Ortiz, so other players had to step up.”

The 2-meter man in water polo is usually the main source of points for a team, since it is the closest position to the goal.

Usually, teams work to give the ball to the

2-meter man to shoot the ball, but Mira Costa prevented many passes from going to Redondo’s 2-meter man.

The team will begin CIF playoffs this Wednesday and aim to make it through the first round of games. They believe that this game against Mira Costa will prepare them for upcoming playoff games.

“This game is a pretty good confidence builder because Costa is one of the best teams in our division of CIF. We know that whomever we are going to face is not going to be as good as them,” senior Lucas Duffy said.

The boys have lost to Mira Costa multiple times, but this was their best game according to Rubke.

“I thought that was our best performance against them,” Rubke said.

Rubke has high expectations for next Wednesday’s game, based on their performance against Mira Costa.

Redondo hopes to use the momentum from its play in Tuesday’s game to make it through the first round of playoffs against a similarly ranked team next week.

“We lost, so I wouldn’t consider this a success for the team, but I would consider it as a step in the right direction,” Rubke said.

17 . HIGH TIDE . SPORTS

Football pushed to the brink after loss The team loses to Palos Verdes, and qualifying for playoffs all comes down to today’s game against Mira Costa.

by Eli Jarmel

Football fell last Friday 24-14 to Palos Verdes, a team ranked #1 in the CIF Northern Division.

A “strong” first half with Redondo on both sides of the ball led to a 14-10 halftime lead for the road team. Despite the eventual loss,

senior Harr y Whitson found a silver lining in the Sea Hawk’s first half performance.

“Going up 14-10 at halftime shows that we can beat a team like PV that is ranked [first] in our CIF division,” Whitson said. “It shows we [could] go far in the playoffs.”

Palos Verdes came back in the second half, sealing PHOTO BY MATT MARDSICH their victory on a touchdown late in the 4th quarter on a trick Breaking Tackles. play. The loss knocked Redondo Junior Micah Welch evades a Leuzinger player out of contention for the Bay League title. during their game two “After the game we were devastated [because] weeks ago. we lost the chance to win Bay League our senior

year,” Whitson said.

Today, football will face off against Mira Costa in a rivalry game that will determine whether Redondo qualifies for the playoffs.

“We have to win at all costs,” Whitson said. “[We have to] do whatever it takes to win and leave everything out on the field.”

The Mira Costa game is widely regarded as the most important regular season game for both teams by players because of the long-standing rivalry between the two schools. Senior Chris Chu stressed the significance of the game with a playoff berth on the line.

“We’ve been working since last December in preparation for this game,” Chu said. “The importance of this game escalated last week when we lost. If we don’t win this game, we’re done.”

Whitson also emphasized the magnitude of this game for the teams’ coaches and the community.

“It’s going to be an emotional game. When you’re surrounded by coaches that have played at Redondo, they know the importance of playing against Costa and how much it affects us and the community and the high school,” Whitson said.

“If there’s one game that you have to win, it’s [the game against] Costa.”

A loss tonight against Costa would most likely mean the end of the season for Redondo and the

end of the high school football careers of both Chu and Whitson.

“This game is big for a lot of people, because it could potentially be the last game for a lot of the [senior] players,” Chu said.

Whitson spoke of how the team approached practice with the knowledge that their season could be ended Friday night. “[We’ve said] every day that this might be our last Monday, might be our last Tuesday, might be our last Wednesday,” Whitson said. “We’re going into a game where there is already so much hype, so much intensity about one single game. [We know] that if [we] make a mistake it could change the outcome [of our season].”

With a potential final game looming, Chu reflected on the past four years of football.

“There’s a lot I’ll take away from football.

There’s the life lessons: to always work hard and to always be tenacious,” Chu said. “[I’ll always have] the memories we’ve had with our brothers. It’s been four years of hard work, four years of complete dedication. I’ll definitely remember the little moments of football.”

Whitson agreed that his teammates have grown to be like brothers to him and discussed how football will leave a lasting impact on his life.

“Being in battle with your brothers is always something that you’ll never forget. Going through hardships is what builds a team. Losing tough games against West, PV and Santa Monica has made us stronger,” Whitson said. “I’ll never forget the friends I’ve made in football. I’ll never forget the coaches. I’ll never forget the memories.”

Band marches its way to second place Band placed second at their most recent competition, showing steady improvement.

by Jason Fong

PHOTO BY TYLER EISENHART

Tuned in. Band preforms during their competition at Newport Harbor High School two weeks ago.

18 . HIGH TIDE . SPORTS

Marching band placed 2nd in a competitive division last Saturday, with nearly a ten point improvement since their last competition.

“The last competition we scored around 55, which is decent, but this Saturday marching band scored 64.7, which is really good,” Drum Major Matthew O’Connell said.

The SCSBOA (Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association) weighs the scores around the mid 50s.

“It was a phenomenal improvement. We did even better than we had expected to,” O’Connell said.

The band has just moved up to the larger and more competitive Division 4A in the SCSBOA. “We are trying to establish ourselves as a force to be reckoned with,” Drum Major Adam Betancourt said.

The band has been faced up with some formidable opponents this season, especially in the last competition.

“We were faced up against a band that

is well known for being one of the top five competitors in championships every year,” O’Connell said.

The band is working hard to improve and compete well.

“We put in a lot of hard work and many hours of rehearsal,” band director Erik Plantiko said. Plantiko cites the time on the field as the other main key to their success.

“We try to make the most of our time on the field,” Betancourt said. “It’s the key to our success.”

However, O’Connell says that something else has changed in the mentality of the band.

“This week, something has really sparked inside the band and made us work even harder,” O’Connell said.

According to O’Connell, this was due to the band’s desire to prove themselves to the judges.

“After the practice, we watched ourselves on video and were really frustrated,” O’Connell said. “We really wanted to show the judges how good we really are.”

According to Betancourt, the band’s lack of mental preparation needs work.

“It takes us a lot of effort to get into the competition zone, but when we finally do, we really show our true colors,” Betancourt said.

According to Betancourt, other improvements have also been made this week.

“We’ve taken another big step this week by increasing our focus and seriousness,” Betancourt said. “Everyone’s been more locked in mentally.”

With State Band Championships approaching, the band hopes to score high enough in their upcoming competitions to qualify.

“Our main goal is to keep pushing, and hopefully score into the 70s. This is extremely possible and would reflect well in our performance in the championships.”

O’Connell said.

The Marching Band’s next competition is this Saturday, at Ramona High School in Riverside. Betancourt is confident in the team’s chances for success.

“We’re definitely going to do even better than we’ve been doing in the last couple of competitions, especially after all of the improvements we’ve made,” he said.

Volleyball tops Costa

by Amanda Ramos

The girls’ volleyball team beat Mira Costa on Tuesday, winning 25-20, 25-19, and 2523.

“We were expecting to have a very good team, so we were just focusing on this match and to one game at a time and on one play at a time.” senior Petra Grutzik said.

Junior Yaazi Bedart-Ghani stepped up and was “nice to have in the game”, according to coach Tony Chaffins.

“We won the first two games and the third one was back and forth. We made a nice dig and Yazzie bounced one and stuffed it,” he said.

Chaffins also appreciates how the team gave its best effort in each set.

“I liked the way that we fought in every play,” he said.

The team had went through a “phenomenal” practice before the game, according the Chaffins.

“It was probably one of the best practices of our year. It was only an hour and five minutes, but we had a great practice,” he said.

Senior Brianna Lanktree said the team’s

mental preparation has helped them win.

“We were mentally prepared by going in there with a lot of confidence with positive self talk,” she said.

The girls had been practicing hard for Mira Costa, and are now preparing for Bay League playoffs on Tuesday.

“Our girls are excited as they should be, but we also talked about that. We’ve got to get better for next week and continue on the path that we’re on,” Chaffins said.

Lanktree hopes to win the Bay League playoffs and has high confidence in the team.

“I think we have a great chance of going far,” she said. “We’re expecting to win everything, go all the way to the finals, and go the state. I think with this team, we have a great chance of doing that. I hope it all comes together and works out.”

Grutzik has similar thoughts about winning the playoffs.

“We want to go all the way,” she said.

Even though the girls are hoping to win the playoffs, Chaffins also hopes to see a strong effort and a positive mindset.

“We need to take one play at a time,” he said. “We don’t worry about the big picture,

Golf’s Ree heads to CIF

by Nina Gomez

PHOTO BY MATT MARDESICH

Bump, set... Senior Brianna Lanktree prepares to spike the ball during the team’s match against Mira Costa last Tuesday.

we just worry about us getting better.”

According to Chaffins, the team’s main focus is not on the other teams, but themselves.

“We need to focus on us,” he said. “We can’t worry about things we can’t control, because that’s not the right mind set.”

Junior Robynn Ree took a step closer to her goal of making it to State after tying for eighth in a CIF match on Thursday. She had four birdies and four bogeys, finishing with a score of 71.

“Robynn had a couple of short putts and some bad breaks, so she could’ve been better but not a whole lot,” head coach John Burke said.

Only 28 girls are going on to the final round before State on Nov. 14 out of the 150 that competed on Thursday. Ree was the only one to advance from her round that consisted of four girls.

“The match was incredibly slow, almost six hours long. All in all, Robynn did well for the circumstances, so we’re pretty confident in her ability to make it to State despite her history [in playoffs],” Burke said.

Both Burke and Ree are apprehensive for next Thursday’s match because of Ree’s history of not making it past this round.

“She got knocked out of this round her freshman and sophomore year, but we’re very positive for this year. She just can’t make any big mistakes,” Burke said.

Just short of success

Girls cross country takes third against Palos Verdes.

by Jené Price

Yesterday in the girls cross country Bay League meet, as the girls awaited the results from the meet they had a pretty good feeling about the results.

“We ran a pretty strong race and accomplished what we wanted,” junior Paige Sullivan said.

Sullivan just came off of an injury of having stressed

fractures in her shins.

“I believe I did well coming back from an injury,” Sullivan said.

The team ran against Bay League schools Mira Costa, West Torrance, Peninsula and Palos Verdes.

They ran yesterday afternoon at Palos Verdes, and according to Sullivan the conditions weren’t the best.

“They weren’t the best conditions. It was really dry up on PV today but we were amped and did pretty well considering,” she said.

According to Sullivan the team had some tough competition especially from rivals Mira Costa.

They had some tough runners which made the meet a little harder.

“Abby Hong for Mira Costa

PHOTOS BY JUSTIN LEE

Going the extra mile.

Juniors Paige Sullivan and Anevay Hiehle run against PV in a meet earlier this year.

has been running really well lately and gave us some tough competition,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan adds that the team was a little disappointed about the place they took.

“We were in the top 3 and we were a little disappointed but wanted to come back. We were really amped up,” Sullivan said.

The team was a little sad it wasn’t able to win but they were able to pack up in the front.

“It was a tough race but I think we packed up well in the front. We came in 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th place packing up front,” junior Anevay Hiehle said.

According to Hiehle, it was a lot closer race this time around than the last time the Bay League race was held in PV. The team expects to take 3rd place in the race. They are getting ready for CIF starting

next week.

“I think by the time CIF comes around, the team will be stronger and our team will pack up together and we will really execute as a whole,” Hiehle said.

Junior Amber Gore believes she had a decent race.

“I was hoping for better but I had breathing troubles during the race,” Gore said.

The team knows what they need to work on for CIF. “We need to respond better to the competition and stay mentally tough,” Gore said “we hope to win CIF and advance to the state meet.”

19 . HIGH TIDE . SPORTS

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2.

[cont. from p. 1] racing that takes place on closed, off-road circuits. “[I love] the thrill. The challenge. The adrenaline. [There is] a big mixture of feelings when I ride,” Witteman said.

“When you jump you feel like you’re flying. At the same time it tires out your body a lot.”

Witteman has been biking ever since he got his first motorcycle when he was four.

“My parents got me a motorcycle at that time,” Witteman said. “I started riding it and ever since then, [riding has] been something that I really enjoy doing.”

Witteman rides motocross “whenever [he] can” mostly on his weekends at Milestone MX in Riverside.

According to Witteman, a person has to be “100% alert and focused to ride motocross.”

“There is so much going on to ride around a track quickly, like shifting the bike at the right time, braking, passing other riders and being passed, riding through ruts and finding different racing lines,” Witteman said. “The slightest lapse in attention or even a bit of bad luck can lead to disaster when riding on the edge.”

“

I love the thrill. The challenge. The adrenaline. There is a big mixture of feelings when I ride. When you jump you feel like you’re flying. At the same tme it tires out your body a lot.

“

– DANIEL WITTEMAN

Injuries from crashes on his motorcycle often stop him from riding; when injured, he may have to wait weeks or months

20 . HIGH TIDE . FEATURES

3.

Bite the dust. 1. Witteman poses with his bike. “It’s a Honda 2005 CR250. It hasa big motor and it feels good on the road. My mom works for Honda so I also get cheap parts for it.“ 2. Witteman sticks a landing while racing. “If you land perfectly, it should feel really smooth. If you go far, there’s a big shock because it’s flat. You can right back up on the gas and get a fist full of throttle.” 3. Witteman adjusts the suspension on his bike. “Changing the suspension makes the bike ride differently on the track, so you make changes based off the track.” 4. Witteman continues racing on the track. “When I ride, I think ‘ride the best that I can.’ I won’t go too far above my ability level to ride because it can lead to crashing.”

before he can get back on his bike.

“Injuries like my sprained knee still give me some pain,” Witteman said. “I used to [get nervous]. I had a reason because I’d crash a lot and get injured. Lately, it seems the more I crash, the more I’ve been feeling like I’m not scared of jumps just because I feel like I’m going to crash anyways. So, I might as well enjoy riding when I’m not injured.”

Daniel’s father, Steve Witteman, supports his son’s activities and believes that with preparation, skill, and practice, the dangers of riding and with anything can

“adjust the danger level down.” “[Daniel] realizes that the decisions he makes in the moment can have very severe consequences,” Steve said. “Motocross itself takes a lot of concentration and work. It’s like a metaphor for life.”

For Witteman, riding is something he “constantly thinks about” and has made him “more brave as a person”. It has also gotten him interested in engineering, which he plans to major in at college.

“I’ve been doing it since I was a freshman. I work on my own bikes and build

4.

PHOTOS BY JUSTIN LEE

my own motors.” he said. “I tinker with my bikes- like taking them apart and putting them back together now. ” According to Witteman, he keeps coming back because it’s addicting.

“It’s the single most fun thing in the universe and extremely addicting,” Witteman said.

Witteman plans to continue his riding as a hobby as he gets older.

“I want to ride as much as I can,” he said. “ Motocross is really about taking your motorcycle, your body, and your mind to the limit.”