High Tide: October 28, 2011 Edition

High

TIDE Redondo Beach, CA // Redondo Union High School Oct. 28, 2011 // Vol. LMXXIV // Section 11 Hightideonline.org

SPOTLIGHT ON

YOU

As the lights dim and the fall play unfolds a radio coolly informs eight aristocrats that they will be systematically murdered before the night is over if they cannot outsmart the ninth guest, Death.

The Ninth Guest will play on Oct. 28, Nov. 3 and 4 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. the Ninth Guest “This play is a lot like Saw [set] in the 1930s.

They’re locked in a room, and they’re put to a test. The only way out is to either live through the night or kill yourself,” drama teacher and director Justin Baldridge said.

This performance is based on the mystery novel the Invisible Host (1930) written by Gwen Bristow and Bruce Manning.

“We’ve turned a melodramatic 1930’s mystery that was well-written for the time, and made it assessable to modern audiences” Senior Jordan Nicholson said.

Ticket will be sold at the door, in the ASB Finance office, or online at www.ruhsdrama.com. General seating will be $8 pre-sale and $10 at the door. Premium seating will be $12 pre-sale and $15 at the door.

[See more on page 12] PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

p12-13 //

Students pursue alternative sports such as go-karting.

p14-15 //

The Annenberg Space for Photography exhibits art on beauty.

p18-19

//

Football looks to continue winning streak against Leuzinger tonight.

2

NEWS // OCT. 28, 2011

School board votes 3-2 to approve use of drug sniffing dogs on campus

by Aly Peet-Lukes

At Tuesday’s school board meeting the school board decided 3-2 to implement drug sniffing dogs on campus to do random drug searches in lockers and other popular areas on campus.

School board member Laura Emdee believes that the drug sniffing dogs are an invasion of student privacy.

“I don’t think its going to solve the [drug] problem,” she said. “It is just a part of the entire plan to eliminate drugs on campus, which would include education, peer pressure, and creating an environment where [drug use] is not acceptable.”

Although she was opposed to the idea of drug-sniffing dogs, she still voted yes at the school board meeting.

“Administrators were for it and students seemed to be for it. Nobody spoke out against it. I couldn’t find anybody who so as against it as I was,” she said.

Emdee ultimately decided to vote in favor of it because the drug searches became very “watered- down”.

“I don’t think that it will be very intrusive now,” she said.

Emdee encourages students to attend school board meetings and to voice their

opinions about school policies.

“If the students find that there is a problem or [the drug searches] are really unfair or just not acceptable they need to let [the school board] know about it,” she said.

Student board representative senior Brooke O’Neil believes that the introduction of drug-sniffing dogs to the campus will act as a deterrent for students who bring drugs to school.

“I don’t think kids think [drug possession] is that serious. I think knowing that there will be random searches will keep drugs off school,” she said.

A poll was conducted on Sammy Seahawk’s Facebook page asking students if they would be okay with drug sniffing dogs who are allowed to sniff backpacks and students. The students who participated in the poll mainly voted that it was a “violation of privacy”.

However, another poll was conducted asking students if they would be okay with drug-sniffing dogs if they were only allowed to sniff lockers. The students who participated in the poll voted that it would not be an invasion of privacy. O’Neil used the outcomes of the poll as the deciding factor for

her vote.

“If students had voted against the drugsniffing dogs who were allowed to sniff lockers poll I would have voted no. Since I am a student representative I really wanted to do what students were in favor of. Since [the students who took the poll] were okay with [the drug-sniffing dogs] I was okay with it,” she said.

O’Neil’s vote of “yes” for the dogs swayed one other member of the school board to vote “yes” for the dogs, passing the amendment.

According to Principal Nicole Wesley, the dogs will not intrude on student privacy.

“The dogs will not go into classrooms and will never sniff a student. The dogs will only sniff lockers and common areas, and they do it while all students are in class. It is likely [students] will not see the dogs,” she said.

Wesley does not want students to feel like they are not trusted, but wants to keep the school as safe as possible.

“Students do bring drugs on our campus and expose others,” she said. “My daughter may come to RUHS one day, and I hope she is not exposed to drugs on campus.”

Pier-to-pier walk aims to raise money for education foundations This weekend’s charity walk will benefit both Friendship Circle and South Bay schools

by Shivaani Gandhi

The sun shines bright, the sky is a cloudless blue, and waves crash serenely on the shore at the Manhattan Beach Pier. Thousands of people are ready to begin their Sunday morning Sketchers Friendship Walk to the Hermosa Beach Pier.

The walk fund raises for the Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, El Segundo, and Torrance Education Foundations.

Principal Nicole Wesley believes that

the Friendship Walk is a great way to have fun, show Redondo’s presence in the community, and fund raise at the same time.

“We want to be present. Not just in numbers, but in energy. I want there to be a sea of red,” she said. “Everywhere you look, you’ll see Redondo.”

A portion of the funds raised by the walk will go straight towards the Redondo Beach Education Foundation (RBEF). The more money RBEF raises, the more money RUHS gets. (www.rbef. org) Wesley hopes to use the money for new educational approaches.

“We’re trying to bring more technology onto campus,” Wesley said. “Students will learn in a whole new way and be more in-

volved.”

Along with the education foundations, the walk fundraises for the Friendship Circle, an organization that allows special needs children to interact with teen volunteers. Jason Flentye, the director of the Friendship Circle, especially likes that the walk brings together people of all different ages and stages of life.

“Being an RUHS Alumni, class of 1999, I’m proud to say that of all the Friendship Circle school clubs around the South Bay, RUHS has the most dedicated members,” Flentye said.

Junior Ruqayya Ahmad, a member of the Teen Advisory Board for the walk, as well as of the Friendship Circle Club, wants to get more people to join by promoting it both

Frightening Fashion

“We will continue to enforce the dress code, even on Halloween. It is hard asking a student to change, knowing Halloween only comes once a year and students invest a lot of time (and sometimes money) into their costume. However, we have a dress code for a reason, and I am confident that our students can create or purchase an entertaining costume and still adhere to our dress code,”

Dr. Nicole Wesley [for more information on Halloween dress code rules check out redondounion.org or Infinite campus]

In 2010, the senior class raised thirteen hundred dollars by the end of the year.

Bringing in the

in school and around the city. According to Ahmad, RUHS has its own team that is registered to walk together.

“Team Redondo has raised over $1200 so far.” Ahmad said. “I’m really excited for the walk because I know that if our school alone has raised that much, then the total for all the schools is going to be so much more.”

Wesley feels that it is important for Redondo to be a part of the walk, as it promotes vitality and healthy living, and unites all the teachers, students, staff, and community members by joining together for a common cause.

“After you do it once, you want to do it next time because you know it’s for a good cause,” she said.

CA$H

So far, the senior class this year has raised eight thousand dollars.

8,000

1,300

2010

2011

NEWS // OCT. 28, 2011

3

Beach Cities Transit changes schedules

by Jason Rochlin

Beach Cities Transit (BCT) will be adding more buses and changing the bus schedules in the city of Redondo Beach, tentatively starting in April 2012 as a way to improve routes and time scheduling throughout the South Bay. .

City of Redondo Beach Transit Operations Manager Joyce Rooney and Brett Baum, General Manager for Transportation Concepts, held a community meeting at the North Branch Library on Oct. 6 to address the communities concerns.

A survey conducted in January 2011 by BCT officials to get a snapshot of the community ridership found that 25 percent of students use the bus to get to school during the week and 17.5 percent are age 17 and under.

“The first month of school has higher ridership than

the rest of the year. We have five buses running between the time school gets out and four p.m.,” Baum said.

Despite these buses, there are still lots of students waiting until 4:30p.m. to get on a bus home. Many of the changes are being considered to fix the overcrowded issue.

“The numbers show that one line in particular was seriously under performing, they just didn’t have the ridership. We’ve got to look at the overall picture and try to do what is best for the community as a whole, “City Councilman Matt Kilroy said.

BCT officials are hopeful the city council will approve the changes they are putting forth. If all goes well by April school commutes in both directions should be easier.

“I do believe the changes will benefit the service. By adding an extra bus, will certainly improve the service schedules,” Baum said.

New iPads aim to improve learning experience

by Kayla Maanum

In an effort to change the way students learn, 110 Apple iPads will arrive next month for both student and teacher use, according to Assistant Principal Jens Brandt. “[New iPads for the school are] going to get students more excited about lessons, about projects, [and] about learning,” Brandt said.

Math teacher Donna Williams has a similar opinion about how students will be affected by the new iPads. “[The use of iPads is] something new to spark interest in students who don’t necessarily find math [and other subjects] interesting,” Williams said. “Hopefully the use of iPads in school will help students enjoy learning math and other subjects and consequently help students be more motivated to apply what they have learned in school to

the real-world.”

Brandt believes that the iPads will promote student learning for different reasons. “[The use of iPads in school is] very interactive. It’s a lot more engaging to the students. It’s like an interactive textbook,” said Brandt.

Williams believes that the iPads will not only engage students, but help them academically as well.

“It’s hard to know [how the iPads will benefit students]. Research has shown that [the use of iPad-based learning] is very effective,” she said. “ Anytime students are engaged, they’re going to learn more and retain the information longer.”

The iPads can be connected to LCD projectors on which teachers will be able to do presentations with the tablets. Among other uses for the iPads in the classroom are viewing and taking notes, writing papers, group discussions, and gathering research.

Textbooks and files can also be stored on the device.

Brandt believes the iPad is a “big part of the future of education”. Redondo will receive 40 iPads for staff use and two class sets of 35 iPads for student use.

As with any school property, there is a risk of the iPads being stolen or misused.

However, Brandt feels the likelihood of that risk is small.

“Of course there will be insurance required for the iPad. We are going to hope that students value them and appreciate the opportunity that [the iPads] provide,” said Brandt.

Though challenges with the iPads are few, Brandt is still concerned.

“The one challenge is the financial cost, and [the staff needs] to think of creative solutions to get as many iPads to as many students as possible,” Brandt said.

Williams believes that financial issues

might withhold the iPad’s teaching potential in another way.

“The question is trying to find the apps appropriate for each class without spending too much money,” Williams said.

As technology is “part of society”, Redondo is not the first school in the area to incorporate iPads into curriculum, Brandt said. In fact, Mira Costa High School has already begun to use the tablets in classrooms.

“We are competing with local schools in terms of moving forward with technology,” said Brandt.

Moving forward in the school year, expect to see teachers integrating the new iPads into teaching and students test-driving this new type of learning. “[As a staff] we’re excited to see what kind of effect it’s going to have on student learning. We know it’s going to be positive,” Brandt said.

4

OPINION // OCT. 28, 2011

Around

Redondo “Should unhealthy food be taxed more than healthy food?”

“No. All food should have the same tax, not just unhealthy food.”

10th

—Tate Crisfield

“No because people should be able to eat whatever they want. It’s their body.”

—Curtis

Paine

11th

“Yes, because [taxing junk food] would help the obesity problem in the U.S.”

9th

—Dominic Cangialosi

“Yes because it’s unhealthy.

It should be taxed .”

12th

—Kayla Patterson

“Yes, it should be taxed to an extent. People need to eat healthier.”

12th

—Johnny Rosario

Compiled by Colin Welch Photos by Erinn Middo

Pro

A federal tax on unhealthy food is a proposed answer to obesity. Will it solve or create a problem?

Fatty, greasy, unhealthy foods are killing thousands of people every day due to their availability and low cost. They are also costing us billions o f dollars in health care costs.

A food Tax would be a simple way to slow

by Benjamin McLaughlin the death rates and raise revenue for preventative research for obesity.

I know the reasons people choose unhealthy foods. They are more delicious, cheaper, and easier to prepare than their healthy alternatives.

Yet these same foods cause roughly 300,000 deaths per year in the Unites States and are the second highest cause of death in the United States after smoking.

All right, those last two are attributed to “poor diet and lack of exercise” (The New York Times), but the point is still clear. Fatty foods and unhealthy lifestyles lead to thousands of deaths, and people will not be motivated to stop eating them based on their own conscience alone.

The foods are too addictingly delicious and dirt cheap for people to stop eating them on their own.

Another adverse effect of cheap, fatty foods prevailing in our society is that poor people are often left with no other choice but to buy unhealthy food. According to a recent Gallup poll, people earning less than $36,000 per year are much more likely to be overweight than people who make more.

Low prices drive poor people to fatty foods like Fast Food, leading to a much fatter lower class. If a food tax were implemented, more poor people would move to other cheap foods like fruits and vegetables.

The implementation of a Fat Tax would make people pay extra for fattier foods based on the amount of fat present. This would not only promote healthier choices, it would also raise revenue. Fourteen percent of the money spent on health care for American men aged 50 to 69 was obesity related (The New York Times), and this number is on the rise. The fat tax would help pay for these costs as well as increase funding to researching other ways to keep Americans healthy.

A tax on unhealthy foods would benefit the American public greatly and help stop our addiction to fatty foods. It is a necessary step in making people healthy again. Thousands of Americans die every year because of unhealthy food habits and a tax is the only way to raise the costs of these foods and help to stop obesity at its source.

Con

Once again, the government believes that they must do everything for us.

Making our own choices has apparently proved too daunting of a task for the American people demonstrated by this new idea to curb obesity that waddles onto the floor.

They’re calling it the “fat tax”, and it’s just an- by Dan Furmansky other way for the government to make money. Yes, our country suffers from obesity on a large scale and things are being done to change this but higher taxes on unhealthy food will never be the answer. The reasoning behind this opinion is as follows. Taxes on unhealthy foods will not make healthy options cheaper; it will just make unhealthy food more expensive.

The bottom line is the American people will end up having to pay more to eat anything.

In these economically troubled times it is extremely ignorant to begin charging more for anything. Taxing unhealthy food in an attempt to curb bad eating habits is a luxury this country cannot afford.

The government’s job should never be to tell us what to eat. They can advise us and come up with however many food pyramids they want, but raising taxes to get us to change the way we consume is a complete invasion into the lives of its citizens.

There is no way to deny the evidence that states the initiative has proven effective in tackling the obesity problem. What is far more disturbing than obesity is the fact that choices are being made by the government and not by the people. Political participation is not what it used to be and in the near future we are going to lose what it means to have a voice in what goes on in this country. If the government can control what we put in our mouths, what else can they control?

People should be responsible for themselves.

It is not the responsibility of the government to worry about what we put in our mouths; it is to protect us from foreign and domestic issues that put our economic or physical security at risk. To reiterate the great words of Patrick Henry, “taxation without representation is tyranny”.

Even though this quote applied to a problem that was centuries old, history repeats itself.

OPINION // OCT. 28, 2011

We have money for iPads but none for music or the arts?

5

Shannon’s

Spooky Spells Halloween

Horrors

by Shannon Bowman

High Tide Staff Editor-in-Chief: Alison Peet-Lukes Managing Editors: Meglyn Huber; Madeline Perrault News Editors: Daniel Garzon; Jeremy Porr Opinion Editor: Shannon Bowman Features Editors: Taylor Ballard; Kimberly Chapman; Anacristina Gonzalez; Bethany Kawa; Tricia Light; Emma Uriarte Sports Editors: Tatiana Celentano; Julie Tran; Zach Zent Photo Editors: Erinn Middo; Jenny Oetzell Copy Editor: Camille Duong Cartoonist: Cooper Lovano Online Editor: Brianna Egan Staff Writers: Matthew Brancolini; Dylan Biggs; Taylor Brightwell; Torrey Bruger; Logan Collingwood; Andrew Czuzak; Navea Dasz; Camille Duong; Brandon Folkman; Dan Furmansky; Shivaani Gandhi; Hana Ghanim; Andrew Hazeltine; Cedric Hyon; Craig Ives; Ilana LaGraff; Cole Greenbaum; Vivian Lam; Anthony Leong; Cooper Lovano; Diana Luna; Kayla Maanum; LeAnn Maanum; Isaiah Madison; Kylie Martin; Benjamin McLaughlin; Hayley Meyers; Madison Mitchell; Rachael Orford; Cameron Paulson; Alegra Peelor; Alejandro Quevedo; Jason Rochlin; Nancy Silva; Jessica Shipley; Taylor Sorensen; Savannah Stern; Hannah Son; Claire Tsius; Colin Welch; Cody Williams Adviser: Mitch Ziegler The High Tide dedicates itself to producing a high-quality publication that both informs and entertains the entire student body.

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

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

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

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

Drug searches are a violation of rights Since 1971, the government has made it their mission to fight the “War on Drugs”, and since its inception, many neighborhoods and school districts have tried to replicate the same type of program calling it the “Zero Tolerance Policy”.

The Board of Education has decided to implement a “drugs bust” with the cooperation of the Redondo Beach Police Department.

The very fact that the Board is trying to use dogs to search lockers and patrol the school should already be an alarm that they are invading our privacy. Students have a right to keep private belongings in lockers with the protection of the Fourth Amendment which guards us from unreasonable searches and seizures.

Along with the Fourth Amendment comes a great deal of support through the United Nations with the passing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states, “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy”.

Why should all the students have to suffer through the torment of locker and backpack searches in the hopes of finding a few drug abusers? It would imply that all students are drug abusers and are guilty of it until proven otherwise. The Board and police should focus on targeting known abusers and delinquents,

Editorial

“ Wasting

not ordinary students.

Research shows that the “zero Tolerance Policy” does not to work inside of a school setting and that having police involvement in a school related issue, such as drug possession, makes for a bad relationship between students and police if the student does actually get caught doing drugs (www.educationworld. com).

The Board needs to focus on the education of kids and not what they do in their private lives. Wasting taxpayer dollars on a program that has already been proven to be a failure is not acceptable and the practice should be denounced immediately by all groups and organizations.

In 2010, state and local governments spent more than 25 billion dollars on drug programs according to the The Budgetary Impact of Drug Prohibition and yet the use of illegal drugs has actually risen among teenagers (www.cdc.gov).

Proponents of the drug searches claim that it is detrimental to the safety of the education for students, yet the effects of certain herbs such as medicinal marijuana or marijuana that has not been tainted with tetrahydrocannabinol can actually beneficial to one’s health according to certain researchers (http://www. cannabissearch.com).

The Board of Education needs to understand when they are crossing the line of trust between a student’s school and private life. If a student is caught with drugs, it should be up to the parents to make the decisions best for

taxpayer dollars on a program that has already been proven to be a failure is unacceptable.

”

For kids, Halloween is about candy.

For teenagers, it seems Halloween has become more and more about partying and wearing provocative costumes.

Which may be fine for your Saturday nights – just not for school. However, Halloween provides a great opportunity to show some fun school spirit and make a normally mundane Monday a little more interesting.

The “new” dress code restricts how revealing clothes can be. For instance, girls’ shorts must reach past their thumbs and boys may not wear thin tank tops.

Bad news if you’re planning on being a guidette (à la Jersey Shore) or some sort of tiny tank top-wearing lifeguard. In fact, most clothes I came across on my costume crusade last weekend consisted of large amounts of sequins and taffeta but not much actual clothing. Which is fine; there’s no law that says you can’t be a Playboy Bunny or a naughty chemistry professor. Flaunt your puny peacock feathers or show off your teeny tiger stripes. Just not here.

Our dress code is in place for a reason, whether or not the student body largely agrees with it. But it’s not designed to deter students from dressing up. If anything, the school could benefit from students donning costumes this Monday and having a spooky start to our week.

Dress up in something funny, or cute, or even weird. Joke costumes are perfect for this Monday, even lazy last-minute ones that usually receive a few chuckles.

Don’t let dress code restrictions confine your imaginations. There’s a plethora of ideas that can still be bought or created in time for Halloween.

If you don’t want to dress up, black and orange accessories get the point across, too. Witches hats, elf ears, or any kind of spooky accessories are still a great way to participate and have a fun Halloween, even if you are at school.

Halloween is a fun holiday and its main focus is having a good time. Why not spread this “holiday cheer” into our school week?

Have a fun (and very, very safe) Halloween weekend. I wish everyone a lot of great memories and a lot of great candy.

And if you want to give me some candy, I wouldn’t object.

6

FEATURES // OCT. 28, 2011

Dealing with Death

Sweet memories. Paige Norris and her late friend Annamay Naef bonded when Norris lived in Palos Verdes.

Junior Paige Norris loses her friend in a fatal car accident

by Kimberly Chapman and Camille Duong

Junior Paige Norris was in denial when she received the text message during English. ‘Annamay died today, I’ll explain later.’ Junior Annamay Naef from Peninsula High School passed away on Oct. 5 in a fatal car accident. “Her boyfriend lost control of the car because of the weather,� Norris said. “Her side of the car hit a pole and she died instantly.�

Norris was not able to process the news until she went home. “I saw all of the facebook statuses and it became more real,� Norris said. “I missed the next day of school because it’s hard to beat school when you are sad.�

Norris struggles to cope with the recent death of her “good friend� and believes it would be easier to deal with the death if she was living in Palos Verdes. “Everyone up there was connected with her and they would understand what I was going through,� Norris said. “I’m kind of disconnected down here.�

Norris also feels that because she lives in Redondo now, she hasn’t been able to fully grasp Naef ’s passing. “I didn’t see her the day before she died so it still feels like

she’s still there,� Norris said. “It would have hit me more if I had consecutively not seen her after seeing her everyday at school.�

Norris spent time looking at their friendship on facebook and reminisced on all the good memories that they had shared. “All of the memories came back to me and I realized how good of friends we were. We always sat next to each other at lunch freshman year and would gossip about celebrities and our favorite television shows,� Norris said.

Naef was always able to put a smile on Norris’ face. “I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t laughing around her. She was the type of person that everyone loved and wanted to sit next to in class. She was always smiling and making other people happy. I loved that she was so outspoken. She never cared about what anyone thought of her and would do what she wanted when she wanted,� Norris said.

Norris and Naef loved to joke around with each other and had a very fun and sarcastic relationship, according to Norris. “Every time a substitute teacher would call her last name, I would repeat it in a weird voice. It was an inside joke we had with each other. We were comfortable with each other and being around her made me happy because our personalities are so similar, we just vibed,� Norris said.

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7

HEALTH// OCT. 28, 2011

Club F.I.T. works to fight cancer

by Manal Haddad

Bright and early at 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning, the high school track is filled with people joining together to raise money for a cause. The sea of purple shirts and bright faces cheer as cancer victims run past them. It is the “survivor’s lap” and they are running to celebrate being alive.

Seniors Jessica Baker and Maggie Gonzalez watch proudly as their best friend’s mother runs alongside other survivors.

The emotional fund raiser led them to making the Relay For Life an important part of their club: Club F.I.T. “Once we got involved, helping find a cure became our club’s biggest passion,” Gonzalez said.

The girls started doing the relay in honor of their best friend’s mother, a breast cancer survivor currently in remission.

“It was a really tough time, so we organized our team to support her,” Baker said. “She is a really close friend. She is just always there, so it became a tribute

The walk. Club F.I.T. participated in the Relay For Life walk in support of cancer survivors and in the search of the cure to cancer.

to her so we could help her like she helped us.”

According to Baker, she also taught them to appreciate what they have.

“She always said, ‘make sure you don’t take things for granted, bad things happen to the best of people.’

We take a lot of things for granted she opened our eyes to that,” Baker said.

However, Gonzalez claims their friend’s mom did more than just teach them a valuable lesson in being grateful; she inspired them to help other people as well.

“Once we saw her appreciation and just seeing how it made her cry you could see how hard it was for her and how strong she was through it,” Gonzales said. “It made me realize I can make such a big difference in such a small way.”

Males

A Healthier California Recently, Governor Jerry Brown signed a law which will allow minors 12 years and older to get the HPV vaccination without parental consent.

What problems can the HPV virus cause?

Generally the HPV virus is cured by the immune system without any further complications. However, in the event that it is not cleared, HPV infections can cause genital warts, warts in the throat, and even cervical or other cancers.

46% 54%

54

44

84% 84

Have you had the HPV 17% shot?

56

56% 44%

17

83%

There has been a clear link between the use of UV tanning beds and skin cancers. The FDA currently designates tanning beds as Class I medial devices. On average one million Americans visit tanning salons each day.

compiled by Logan Collingwood

46

16% Sophomores

Juniors

What are the dangers of using a tanning bed?

This new law is designed to reduce the damage inflicted to teenagers by the use of tanning beds by requiring parental consent. The proponents of this bill hope the new consent requirements will be a deterrent for kids looking to tan.

Freshmen

16

HPV is contracted through sexual intercourse. HPV can be spread without any of the participants even showing symptoms. It is rare that an infected person knows he or she is infected, and thus the likelihood of spreading the infection is high.

What is the purpose of this new law?

43

Females

yes

57

How does someone come in contact with HPV?

Brown also passed a law that makes tanning in tanning beds illegal for minors ages 14-17 without parental consent.

no

57% 43%

How many people does the HPV Virus affect?

Currently the United States, the HPV virus affects roughly 20 million individuals. An estimated 50% of sexually active people in the US will come in contact with the HPV virus at some point in their lives.

Baker does the relay to show her appreciation to cancer-survivors and to raise money to fund cancer research.

“I walk to support them. It’s a great experience. It’s a fun event for a good cause,” Baker said.

Yesterday, Club F.I.T passed around an envelope during SSR for students to donate to the relay and wore pink to spread awareness for breast cancer. All the proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society.

“We really want to raise money for research for cancer to find a cure or at least a treatment so that more people can live to tell their stories,” Baker said.

45% 55%

83

21

21% 79%

30

Seniors

30%

70% 70

79

8

FEATURES // OCT. 28, 2011

rm me fo o s d . to fin laims lined ve their c inous c n i om ro are ocha ort or disp saw an e house R d n a p th a h ured Hall ion to sup and Roc o c s d an all y lidat for an l of va e time, H e window e r e h h t al w e y On every thing,” H alk b Brook d w d r e o o k w o i w d loo , sen d any above shado dence. olling de an ble to fin al couch the attic gan C i i s o e v L a e n h i t y r b fo nt on by anorm rna m e r u o a d r y w f e l p e s r n e f s d e e u “W t we we restle awak arano ents o nt th es th bu incid in the p Lying rs a viole mediately approach , she , f w o e f o pr tion p, im elieve a hea usly had a ore Roch e jumps u he cautio r investiga ination. said. l has ot fully b l a ed m ce e H n e e g h S l n h a I S i t Wh he does her. uess oise. stan er im n fur here s e. I g clear cut ous n attic. Upo gment of h nvinced t , m y n i t i o v t m i a o o fi c r act ith ense to he was only a mbers are she ake s ome up w w mal. m o e door t n ’t i m k n nless s c s I y e u l e . n i d o e a r u s m c l d e hou “It re I my re h conc nd her fa attic. t sca in my draw on e befo id. er o aa c d h ally i n h n c k e n o i o e d d R ot re , I uld evi s l sa ing littl n o l e h a a c t w s e n H a e it,” es. tchy perie en I’m is som re once w zy, but h erienc e on ocha’s ex . s, th ething ske s p e x l e “The really cra cha said. m r v d R e ar ila ha om it’s h reaten nds 5 sim ted ,” Ro , or s nters scina t it sou ith crayon in over 1 al encou easy. She feels th feel like r a knock said. a f n e m a I n n e a w r e tha “If walls a has bee er parano her feel u ol. if I h ut,” Roch ds have b mmend y. t u B o h e reco Roc efrien of h tivit red. mad e sch ked o h all they have nce middl nd felt som it sca really frea a and her does not normal ac Ouija g u o h i Alt she och get ht a para less, and ces s h an harm e experien ep one nig n’t get up hile R currences, provoke aying wit he things ” , W t e k l been o t s e c t e could e blan as asl gest p mpt ese o d. know ad th has h brother w down. He im with th by th eople atte uldn’t sug ecessarily Rocha sai h y o p n ” m , g r w t i M ] “ okin othe efinitely s no ng h didn’t I did holdi one was ch , doe with d ven I to [when d I g e n “ n e e i s i h r u e t f ected , beca cha’s self in ke som board etting my ll, Ro s are conn felt li . a H g id ce on as I was she sa or Madis perien home. ere w x h e t i e d n Se er th se an r old . wheth or with he in her hou Hall said w o ” f , l e kn d e e s m atch of ti a her Roch ent a lot as being w p w “I s ing I a feel s y a alw

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FEATURES // OCT. 28, 2011

DESK of A

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CHAMPION Administrative assistant, Clara Kahan helps students schedule appointments.

by Hana Ghanim

From taking phone calls from frantic parents, to scheduling appointments with counselors, administrative assistant Clara Kahan balances work with her social life.

“It could be stressful sometimes; you just have to know how to juggle things around,” Kahan said.

Kahan oversees all new enrollments to the school; she clears about 200 new students a year. Kahan also assists counselors. She sets up meetings with parents and students who need to see their counselors.

According to Kahan, having so many responsibilities can be overwhelming.

Choosing priorities wisely is important in staying organized and relaxed.

“You may be working on one project and the next minute somebody is going to come in and say, ‘Clara, I need this done right now,’ so it’s just part of the job,” she said.

Although her job is difficult at times, Kahan loves working with her colleagues.

“I enjoy coming to work,” she said. “I don’t get frustrated at all. I come to work everyday with a great attitude. I actually don’t mind getting out of bed everyday.”

According to Kahan, the most enjoyable part is dealing with the students. “[Students] will come in with emergencies they want to see the counselor about, and actually sometimes just want to sit down with me and tell me some of their issues. Obviously, I try to guide them as much as I can,” she said. “So if they just want to come in and talk to somebody and their counselor is not available at that time, I enjoy that. I know that they trust me.”

Kahan is a former student, graduating with the class of 1995 as the class president. She has also been a princess for both homecoming and prom.

“I had a good time in my high school years and when I found this opportunity, I said, ‘Why not?’” Kahan said.

In high school, Kahan was very in-

JOB

ON THE

PHOTO BY ANDREW HAZELTINE

Balancing Act. Kahan balances work with spending time with her husband and two kids.

volved with the student body.

“I always wanted to do as much as I could during my high school years,” she said. “Being in journalism, cross-country, and ASB. I just liked being involved and I still do. It was a fun time for me.”

She also likes to see the “familiar faces” that once taught her.

“I just wanted to come back and give back to my own high school,” she said. “I find it very rewarding that I am able to come back and still see some of my teachers that taught me.”

Other than the constructional improvements, Kahan believes the school and the people have not changed.

“Things are just the same, it’s just another generation. [The kids] have always been beachy; the flip-flops and the shorts, the tank tops and bathing suits under-

neath the clothes,” she said.

Outside of her school life, Kahan spends a lot of time with her husband and two kids. She loves waterskiing, snowboarding, scuba diving, running, dancing, and shopping.

“It’s all about my kids. Whatever they want to do from the time we get out to the end. I don’t have much time for myself. It’s just about the two little ones I have,” she said.

Kahan is satisfied with how her life is falling into place, even though she didn’t plan for it this way.

“Things just fell in to place, and it was easy at the time to take this job. You just get comfortable and you like coming into work everyday and not being stressed, although the job could be stressful. I love it here,” Kahan said.

Secretaries in the front office show that they care for the student body by assisting them.

Frith enjoys working with fellow staff

by Navea Dasz

Vice Principal secretary Linda Frith forms close bonds with the staff members of the school administration, students, and her family.

After 14 years working as a secretary, she has built close relationships with the staff: both the former and current staff.

“I have close friendships with other staff and have over the years. Some of the people are not even here that I met 14 years ago when I first started working here. I’m still friends with them and I still keep in contact,” she said.

According to Frith, when she first started working as secretary, substituting for another person for several months, her former staff members really “helped [her] pick up the work after [19] years at home.” “[The staff] saved me and helped me get through the beginning,” Frith said.

Just as the staff helped her when she first started working, Frith feels that she should do the same for other new members of the staff.

“There are always new people coming in.

And that’s just part of our job, as secretaries here, because some of us have been here so long that we’re always helping out someone else get the start up again,” she said.

Currently Frith attends to two vice principals and she “does just about anything that is needed”.

According to Frith, the most enjoyable aspect of her job is the people she works with. She likes working with both the administration and the other secretaries in the office.

“We have a really great group here and we work well together,” Frith said.

She loves to work in the school not only because of the administration, but also because of the high school students. However, she admits that initially, before working as secretary, she wanted to work with elementary students rather than high school students.

“I came here and I discovered that high school kids are really nice people,” she said.

“I love working around students.”

Frith established close connections not only with people of the administration, but also with many students.

“I’m here because of the students. And, those who let me, I get to be mom to 2,000 students,” Frith said.

In addition to her close bonds with her staff members and students, Frith sustains an affectionate relationship with her two married children, husband, and grandchildren. “[My grand-kids] are a big deal right now.

There is nothing like being a grandma,” she said.

She loves spending time with her family, in particular, traveling with them.

Frith travels with her husband in their RV. When her children were younger, they went on many trips across California.

“We’re just a very close family; always have been,” Frith said.

According to Frith, she wouldn’t compare her relationships with students to her family connections.

However, for her, friendships with other staff members is one of the big perks of working here.

“We all work together to make RUHS the super school it is,” she said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LINDA FRITH

Family time. Frith and her husband, Bill, on vacation at Yosemite.

10

COVER STORY

OCT. 28, 2011 RYAN COLESCOTT, 11 DR. REID Q: What’s your favorite part of playing your character?

A: It’s fun to play an unpredictable character. He can remain very calm and mature and at the next moment he can be screaming at someone.

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OVERHEARD The drama department shares their thoughts on the play, theater, and more.

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Stage crew pulls strings

2.

4.

PHOTOS BY VITORIA MAGNO

Drama, drama, and more drama. 1. Freshman Alexis Lapp practices applying her makeup the week before opening night. 2. Director Justin Baldridge has worked to give students “a professional experience.” 3. The stage crew spent extra time preparing the opening set, the lobby. 4. The play is centered around eight guests trying to live through the night. “There’s a lot in the subtext, like the way you treat other people completely affects the story,” freshman Paolo Ragusa said. “All the relationships between characters are a big deal.”

3.

1.

Actors bond over high pressure and long rehearsals

by Ilana Lagraff

After weeks of planning and rehearsing, the pressure is on for the cast of The Ninth Guest to put on a performance worthy of a standing ovation.

“I think pressure always does something positive for the performance. It drives me to be better because I want to impress people. I don’t want to let them down,” Junior Ryan Colescott said.

Junior Morgan Druitt also hopes to do her best and make her performance believable to the audience.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself because I want to do well.

Even if someone else says it’s good, it’s still not good enough for me,” Druitt said.

The pressure to perform well can be “intimidating”, but freshman Alexis Lapp isn’t too worried.

“I’m kind of nervous [about performing in front of an audience], but I know once I get up there I’ll be totally fine. [On

“You’re never perfect. That’s a thing that people really have to understand with theater, because imperfection is the joy of live theater. If you go opening night and then again towards the end of the run you’ll see two different shows.”

—Justin Baldridge, Director

stage] is where I belong,” Lapp said.

Feelings of anxiety and pressure began at tryouts for many of the cast members.

“I tried not to get too emotional about it. If I got the part, then I was meant to have it. If I didn’t, then it was meant for someone else,” Walker said.

Not only is drama mentally consuming, but it also requires a large time commitment.

“The cast is like my family, but I do miss having a little more extracurricular time,” Walker said.

The sacrifices are worth the opportunity to act, according to Druitt.

“Acting is really important to me. It’s my passion. When I’m standing on stage, the lights are on me, and I’m in costume, in character, I feel like I’m in control. It feels exhilarating,” Druitt said.

“I was on cross country and I got injured and it would’ve been a six week recovery, so I tried out for the play, and I got the part. I’m currently in offseason track, but I’m thinking about quitting to do the musical. I’ve decided that I like this better.”

—Austin Stark, 11

Like Druitt, senior Alessandra Ragusa is passionate about her acting and her career.

“Since I’m a senior, I have to prioritize, and I decided that drama was going to be more important in my life than things like taking AP classes,” said Ragusa.

For senior Jordan Nicholson, the time away from friends makes it more “special” when he is free to hang out, but in the meantime he makes up for his “lacking social life” by making new friends in the drama department.

“I didn’t know most of the people here [before I joined the play], but now I’m such good friends with them. We’re like a family,” Lapp said.

Colescott agrees that it is easy for the drama department to connect due to their shared love for theater.

“It’s sort of ridiculous to think about how strong of a bond can form over just a few weeks,” Colescott said.

“[There’s a lot of pressure] to keep everything intact like not forgetting blocking, lines, and cues.

There are certain actions that must be portrayed and certain moods that must be set in order for this play to really function well.”

—Paolo Ragusa, 10

From perfecting the lighting and music cues to transforming a regular high school student into a 1930s aristocrat, a handful of people, all dressed in black, rush to bring the play to life.

While the actors memorize lines, the stage crew works to make the rest of the play function. Junior Kimia Yazdi, the drama turgy lead, has worked for hours preparing the lobby set.

“It’s the first thing people see. I have a lot of pressure to make it look absolutely perfect,” she said.

Another equally crucial element of the play is the music according to junior Noelle Graham.

“I like feeling important and like I contribute to the play,” Graham said. “A lot of people don’t know the amount of work that goes into [things like the music].”

Junior Emil Shallon, lighting technician, also feels that behind the scenes work is vital.

“If you don’t have lighting, you can’t see the actors, and if you can’t see the actors, you can’t have a play,” Shallon said.

Senior Celine Altamura and sophomore Irene Isham are in charge of the actors’ makeup, but they also help the actors with their costumes and by calming their nerves.

“We keep [the actors] calm and are ready to do things here and there. We’re the extra hands,” Altamura said. “I like seeing the show from a different angle.”

Alongside the make-up artists, the costume crew works to help reduce the chaos in the dressing room.

“I sit behind the stage with safety pins in case anything rips, and make sure that everyone has the right clothes,” freshman Oliver Garcia said. “I have a passion for just being a part of [drama].”

Junior Kasey Mandelbaum, prop lead, was previously in drama as an actress before transitioning to backstage work.

“In some ways, [stage crew] is more stressful than acting, because you have to remember your cues,” she said. “It is a growing change because before I only got to see the acting side [of drama].”

Stage crew may not have a chance to be in the limelight, but their contributions are “just as important” to the play as the actors.

“We’re all like one big machine. If one thing stops, it all falls apart,” Altamura said.

“I thought I was too cool for drama last year, [but] this year I’m in the play and I realize just how much work goes into it. It’s so much more than just a school play in a lot of senses. When people don’t take it seriously it really is offensive.”

—Ryan Colescott, 11

11

Paolo Ragusa, 10 Henry Abbott Q: What’s your favorite part of playing your character?

A: He’s younger than the other characters, which makes him more relatable. I like playing a character with such a strong personality.

Caleb Ian Walker, 10 Jason Osgood Q: How do you get into character?

A: I take a moment to think about my back story. I draw inspiration from my life. I need to find my snobby self playing a character with such a strong personality.

by Navikka Dasz

JORDAN NICHOLSON, 12 PETER DAILY Q: What is your favorite part of being in the play?

A: My favorite part of being in the play is growing as an actor with all the other cast. Everyday you learn something new with all the cast members.

JOHN WEBB, 9 HAWKINS Q: Are you planning on making acting your future career?

A: Most likely not, there are other things that I want to do, like writing and baking.

S

THE NINTH GUEST

MORGAN DRUITT, 11 MARGRET CRISHOLM Q: How do you get into character?

A: I research stuff about the time era [so that I can] get an idea of where she comes from. I get into the mode of her, the way she thinks and walks.

Alexis Lapp, 9 Jean Trent Q: Do you have a pre show ritual?

A: Before I perform I drink a cup of tea and listen to my favorite band, The Wild Beasts, to get me pumped.

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OCT. 28, 2011

ALESSANDRA RAGUSA, 12 SYLVIA INGLESBY Q: What is your favorite part of being in the play?

A: [The best part is] the people and being backstage. It’s so fun to see the progress. I love how the play goes from nothing to completely amazing.

AUSTIN STARK, 11 TIM SALMON Q: Do you have a pre-show ritual?

A: Right before I go on stage I jump around behind the curtain.

AIDEN BRENDT, 11 THE RADIO Q: Are you planning to make acting your future career?

A: Yes I do, it’s fun. I enjoy being able to read my lines in different ways with many different voices.

Compiled by Taylor Brightwell

PHOTOS BY VITORIA MAGNO

“The kids are doing such an incredible job; not just the actors, but also the stage crew. I’ve been doing this for a [long time, but] I’ve never seen a stage crew as self-disciplined as this group.

They’re very talented and very committed.”

—Karl Stenske, Technical Director

12

FEATURES // OCT. 28, 2011

ALTERNATIVE

Staying in synch

Rosolowski participates in synchronized swimming

by LeAnn Manuum

Moving through the crisp, cool water, feeling the penetrating stares of the judges, freshman Rachel Rosolowski executes a routine containing the strength, flexibility, and grace required in synchronized swimming.

Rosolowski’s passion for synchronized swimming has existed

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZEL

since she was a little kid. In her ninth year as a member of the Los Angeles Synchro swim club, this passion only continues to grow.

“I really love to do it. I have grown a love for it because I have done it for so long,” Rosolowski said.

Rosolowski travels to Sherman Oaks four to five times a week to perfect her routines. Although the practices can be “difficult,” Rosolowski has never thought of giving up synchronized swimming. “[Synchronized swimming] is kind of my lifeline, but there are times when I come home [from practice] and I’m just like, ‘I’m done,’ but then I realize I’m not done. I want to keep doing this,” she said.

Performing in front of a panel of judges is not new for Rosolowski. She has been competing since she was six years old. Her interest for the sport stemmed from watching her mom do it.

“When I was little my mom would go to practice all the time and I would go with her, so I decided to try it,” she said.

Rosolowski’s mom, who was always her coach, says she is able to coach her better because she knows her so well. Mrs. Rosolowski believes her daughter’s dedication to synchronized swimming makes her a great competitor.

“You will not find anyone as passionate about the sport,” Mrs. Rosolowski said, “She is always willing to help and coach others.

She has even helped and coached me”

Synch or swim. 1. Rosolowski balances synchronized swimming and waterpolo.

According to Rosolowski, her parents have supported her since she started competing and will continue to support her wherever synchronized swimming takes her.

“If I decide I want to [join the] national team, they’ll help me get there. Whatever I decide they are definitely there to support me the whole time,” she said.

Former teammate, Grace Loewen, believes that Rosolowski will be able to advance to a national level.

“If Rachel wanted to make the Olympic Team, or the Senior National Team, she could definitely accomplish that because of her discipline, perseverance, and hard work,” she said.

In her years of competing, Rosolowski has gone to the national championship four times.

Last year, she earned ninth place while competing against 50 other people.

“She has the heart of a champion,” Loewen said. “If her heart wasn’t in it, then I don’t think she would be where she is today.”

According to Rosolowski , she wouldn’t be able to imagine life without synchronyzed swimming.

“I can’t imagine not doing it,” she said. “Synchro is part of my life, and I think I’ll probably do it forever.”

By the numbers: People to a team: 8 Number of judges: 5 Routines per season: 3 Length of routines: 2-3 min.

Practice length: 3-5 hours Practice pre week: 4-5

By the numbers:

People to a team: 26

Competitions he’s placed

Competitions to-date: 13

in: 7

Cost of training: $1000 up

Years he’s snowboarded: 3

Barr is dedicated to snowboarding

by Cody Williams and Dylan Biggs

The entire face of the mountain is frozen. The snow begins to fall.

The only thing sophomore Scott Barr can think about is shredding up the freshly fallen powder and getting paid to do what he loves, snowboarding.

The coaches of his team are the ones that instructed him on how to snowboard competitively. “[The coaches] teach you the fundamentals and help you get [snowboarding] down,” Barr said.

The coaches are prepping him for the competitions that happen on his mountain every couple weeks with training for his ankles and landing techniques.

The competitions he competes in give him money so he can pay for his gear.

“I’m lucky enough to have won in some of the competitions I’ve been in,” he said.

Barr has competed in 13 competitions and has had great success. He placed in seven of the competitions and is looking forward to more upcoming events.

“I hope to go to the Winter Olympics to compete,” Barr said.

Success in many competitions has raised his self-confidence.

“I can get really proud of myself,” Barr said.

Not only has snowboarding made him more self-confident but it also made him an outdoors men.

As a result of snowboarding, Barr has become more in touch with the wilderness in general, especially the mountains he snow

boards on.

“I am more outdoor loving now.” Barr said.

Barr’s love of being in the mountains comes from the feeling he gets when snowboarding.

“It’s almost indescribable.” he said.

Not only has he become wild but also more organized.

So now he has gotten good at snowboarding he plans to try to compete at even bigger competitions.

“I wake up early and have all my stuff ready so I can get to the slopes,” Barr said.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA RITCHIE

Snowed in. Barr snowboards competitively

ATHLETICS

FEATURES // OCT. 28, 2011

13

Finch overcomes fears of falling

by Allegra Peelor

Sweat dripping down her cheeks, staring up the rock wall into the bright sun, junior Sarah Finch realizes she only has two more clips to go until she is at the top. But after looking down and seeing all the slack from the rope, she starts to “freak out.”

Although this particular climb in Maple Canyon, Utah, wasn’t too difficult for Finch, the sheer fact that she was lead climbing-where the only thing preventing you from falling is a balayer on the ground-- took away much of her self-confidence.

“Lead climbing is really scary,” Finch said. “My legs were shaking and they wouldn’t stop.”

According to Finch, part of what makes lead climbing “scary” is the amount of slack in the rope holding you up.

“In some parts,” she said, “it can’t catch you right away so you fall a little.”

However, Finch’s godmother, Deanna Quesada, was balaying her and, according to Finch, kept her from completely losing her cool.

“She was like, ‘C’mon, you can do it, it’s not that hard!’”

Finch said. “She really helped me.”

Quesada, who used to be the owner of Finch’s rock gym, Hangar 18 in Manhattan Beach, believes she doesn’t need to worry about Finch falling because she has been rock climbing for so long and knows what she is doing.

“I’m confident in her abilities,” Quesada said. “She’s grown up with that.”

According to Quesada, Finch learning how to lead-climb was an important milestone in her rock climbing career.

“For her to give up her fear of falling... it was a big step,” she said. “You pretty much have

someone else’s life in your hands while you’re balaying them.”

Although Finch finds lead climbing “scary,” she still loves rock climbing and has always been somewhat of a “daredevil.”

“I’ve always been climbing trees and jumping off things,” she said. “I’m not scared to do things.”

However, according to Finch, she will have to cut down on her rock climbing when she starts college in a few years.

“I’ll try to get in the gym as much as I can,” she said. “It’s just an amazing sport and I’ll never give it up.”

Highest climb: 1000+ ft.

Highest ranking in a competion: 3rd

By the numbers: Farthest she’s traveled: 1,035 Hours she climbs: 7 hours per week miles (Denver, CO)

PHOTO BY DIANA LUNA

Rock on. Finch owns her own climbing gear

Stanovich races go-karts for thrills

by Alejandro Queredo

He presses down the gas peddle, and the engine roars to life. The go-kart lurches forward at a breathtaking 70 mph, and time slows as adrenaline floods his mind. This is just any other weekend for junior Robby Stanovich.

Stanovich picked up go-kart racing as an alternative to racing dirt bikes, which he had

to drop because his dad felt it was too dangerous. He soon developed a strong passion for his new sport, and races at the California Speedway in Fontana nearly every weekend.

“For the most part, the adrenaline is what keeps me coming back to it,” Stanovich said. “I’ve always enjoyed the speed of dirt bikes, and after I started go-karts it allowed me to continue the fun of going fast.”

During a race, Stanovich tunes

PHOTOS BY JENNY OETZEL

Go for the gold. When he races, Stanovich wears his racing jumpsuit (left) and drives his custom go-kart (right).

all outside influences out, focusing on his go-kart and the race.

“Its kind of like floating at a high speed, but at the same time it’s as if time has slowed down, because of the intense concentration,” Stanovich said.

Stanovich’s kart pulls three G’s with every turn and can break ribs without a protective guard in place.

“It takes a lot out of your body both mentally and physically,” Stanovich said. “It’s definitely a dangerous sport.”

Keziah Wilhelm, Stanovich’s friend, observes the inherent danger on the course, but still supports his love of the sport.

“In the future I know it will get more dangerous, and that’s what scares me, but I’m really proud of him because he has succeeded in his dreams,” Wilhelm said.

According to Stanovich, his biggest agitation is how many people see go-kart racing as a hobby rather than an actual sport.

“It’s definitely a sport,” Stanovich said. “People misjudge

it, thinking it’s merely a hobby, even though it takes a great deal of effort, skill and time to master.”

Stanovich is set to be on a professional team in 2012, and hopes to rise up through their ranks. His deep love of the sport is what has carried him as far as he’s come.

“I would definitely recommend it.” Stanovich said. “It’s a hard sport, but the exhilaration will keep you craving more.”

By the numbers: Fastest speed: 90-95 mph Average mile time: 5.32 seconds States he’s raced in: 2 Highest ranking: 1st place His go-kart number: 4 Competitions to-date: 20

14

FEATURES // OCT. 28, 2011

Castillo finds the courage to step back into the goal

Despite a life changing injury, Castillo still pursues his passion for soccer and plays on the school team

by Andrew Czuzak

Branden Castillo, junior, dove for the ball and felt the opposing player’s foot crash into his chest and hot pain immediately surged through him.

“I could tell something was wrong with my arm [so] I got off the field. I couldn’t play for the rest of the game,” Branden said.

Castillo soon learned he had suffered muscle and nerve damage in his right arm.

Castillo has gone from goalkeeper for the Chivas USA under 16 soccer team and having a good chance at playing pro to playing on the school team.

“I’m indifferent to where I play. As long as I can still play, I’m fine with that,” he said.

Although Castillo is content to play on the school team, Mario Castillo, Branden’s father, is disappointed Branden can’t play anymore. Mario was once sure Branden could play at a professional level, but now he believes it would be extremely hard for his son to play professional soccer.

“He has incredible potential, but I think he is afraid to try and make it work again,” Mario said.

Mario, who once played professional soccer in El Salvador, strongly encouraged

Branden to play soccer at a young age. Since age four, Branden has dedicated countless hours practicing soccer “It was frustrating, I was literally spending all day, every day playing soccer. I had no time for anything else,” Branden said.

Branden is frustrated with the injury that forced him to turn away from competitive soccer and towards the school team.

While he misses filling his time with soccer Castillo admits he now has time take more rigorous academic courses, which he is enjoying.

“Although I had come to terms with my injury and am content with my life, I realized I had to do something else,” Branden said.

Despite Branden’s injuries he’s never afraid to step back on the field. He now plays at a lower level.

“I hadn’t planned on going back to playing, but that made me confident that I could play at a lower level of competition,” he said.

Branden believes that playing on the school team will be a great experience.

“My excitement to play soccer and love for the game is what pushes me to keep playing,” Castillo said.

PHOTO BY Erinn Middo

Staring down defeat. After dedicating his life to playing pro soccer Castillo will never play higher than the school level.

Burke learns to juggle his home life, teaching, and coaching golf

by Madison Mitchell and Hannah Son

He leaves his house in the dark with graded essays and golf clubs in the back of his car. John Burke, English teacher, is ready to take on the many changes that come his way.

Burke has been teaching for 20 years and this is the most overwhelming year he’s had so far, at home, and on the golf course.

“This year is a big year for changes. I got married, I have a new home, new classroom, new principal, new schedule and now I am in charge of golf,” Burke said.

Assistant coaches and golf players applaud Burke for what he has done for the team during his first season as head coach.

“He has done well. He had to take things from scratch and redo this whole program.

He did a great job organizing everything this year,” assistant coach Jim Burschinger, said.

Megan Cormier, senior, feels that Burke has made sure everything runs smoothly in golf.

“He is doing a lot better than what other people expected, knowing him personally, he has exceeded my expectations,” Cormier said.

A day in the life

PHOTO BY Jenny Oetzell

New experiences all around. Burke is still learning how to balance his life with a new wife and new position as head golf coach.

Although the changes have been challenging, Burke remains positive and committed to the golf program.

“I like the kids, the competition and the fact that we get better every year,” Burke said.

Burke leaves his house at 5:30 a.m. and does not get home until around 7 p.m. after a long day on the golf course.

“I get up and go to the gym everyday because I am training for a half marathon that the school set up. I run for an hour on the treadmill and then get ready for my first period class,” Burke said.

For Burke who has taken on a new lifestyle, his love for trivia has remained the same. He makes sure he has time to watch Jeopardy every night.

“I’m addicted to trivia so I watch a lot of game shows, do a lot of crossword puzzles and read a lot of true crime,” said Burke.

Burke admits he loves teaching, even though it keeps him very busy.

“I love Redondo I feel like every person has a calling. And [golf ] is mine and I’m glad that I finally found it. It took me a while. I would never want to teach anywhere else but Redondo,” Burke said.

FEATURES // OCT. 28, 2011

15

Art in your backyard From galleries to power plants, art exists all over the South Bay

A change in scenery.

Local artists displayed their art in an annual art show called The Power of Art. The show was displayed in the AES power plant.

Mediums ranged from photography to sculptures.

PHOTOS BY Jenny Oetzell

Enhance your art experience with these tips

Observing the Power of Art

by Anthony Leong

To my eye much of the art displayed at the sixth annual “Power of Art” show at the AES Power Plant depicts precisely the same awe. A deep appreciation of being able to live in such a gorgeous, wonderful place.

I must admit the power plant is a rather unorthodox place to have an art show and the massive, industrial machinery that lies behind the many canvases and photographs is hard to ignore. However, the enormous space in the power plant does have the advantage of being able to house a large exhibit, and the curators have taken advantage of every inch of the space.

Unlike a typical show in which art might be displayed on the walls in a large room, the display at the power plant was built around the power plant’s massive, dormant industrial machines. The large space made for a pleasant surprise because the exhibits seemed to be everlasting.

As mentioned, much of the art depicts the beach, the ocean, piers, and the goldenblue waves, macro photography featuring tropical flowers, and dreamlike, colorful abstractions. While the content was similar it

Take time to look at the art because sometimes the art means more than what meets the eye.

PHOTO BY Jenny Oetzell

did not lack variety. There were many different mediums of art: photography, oil paintings, quilts, jewelry, and glass works just to name a few.

While noticing the numerous mediums that graced the art show I could not help but also notice the numerous environmental pieces gracing the industrial power plant. I must say, it was an ironic twist. Notable environmental pieces include Environmental Transgressions and Going Green.

With its environmentalist themes, its colorful, dreamy pieces and the sheer variety of it all, the Power of Art show did not disappoint.

Stand a good distance away from the art in order to get a better feel for the whole piece.

Ask yourself questions like: What do you see? What does it remind you of? What colors and shapes do you see? How do you think the artist made this?

And remember, visit the exhibit with an open mind.

Tips courtesy of www.mfa.org

A look inside The Annenberg Space for Photography

by Torrey Brugger

Located in Century City, the Annenberg Space for Photography is an enjoyable place to spend an afternoon.

From May 21st to November 27th, The Annenberg will be hosting an exhibit on Beauty Culture.

The exhibit features the work of over a hundred iconic beauty, fashion, and fine art photographers. The photographs on display all come together to reveal conventional and unconventional definitions of beauty.

The photographers use what they capture to express their image of beautiful, and raise questions such as “what color is beauty?”, and, “what size is beauty?”.

The photographers also explore what it costs to be deemed “beautiful”. While the exhibit is relatively small, accompanying the photos is an optional thirty minute documentary which contains insight from the exhibits’ featured photographers.

Whether going to get an insight on the social influence of beauty, or just into photography, the Annenberg’s “Beauty Culture” exhibit is an interesting place to visit.

16

SPORTS // OCt. 28, 2011

To Hell and back

by Kylie Martin

Approaching the finish line, she is right there, but it seems so far away, as if the end is also running away from her.

Pushing to win, she crosses and grasps the best feeling she knows, accomplishment. This is the moment they have been training for all season. It is the meet they practiced hours for, suffered “5 minutes of Hell” for, and ran on Saturday for. It is the peak of their season.

“When we are in the height of our training, we have extremely hard workouts,” junior Cara Ulizio said, “Sometimes we don’t feel like running, but we know that we have to keep working.”

Cross country coaches Bob Leetch and Julie Ferron train runners on a “peak and taper” system, so they will perform their best at the most important races such as CIF and state meets.

Pre-season practice consists

of higher mileage runs and aerobic training. Then as season starts, the mileage drops to more anaerobic training.

A week before an important meet, practices are “tapered” to allow our runners’ to rest so they can perform at their peak level.

Leetch and Ferron start every practice with a two-lap warm-up, stretches, and core exercises before having runners plunge into an eight to ten mile run.

“Those are just the easy practices,” Ulizio said.

The more strenuous ones consist of a six-mile run at a fast tempo, followed by a slower 2 mile run.

“We also experience five minutes of Hell with core workouts,” Ulizio said, According to Ulizio, core workouts are an essential part of being a successful runner because it keeps their bodies strong and stabilized.

“Doing core exercises helps

BOYS’ WATER POLO

strengthen our abs and tighten our mid-core, which drastically improves our form and structure,” Ulizio said. “A strong core is something that helps runners perform well during races.”

Along with intense practices, runners must also maintain a balanced diet. A nutritionist even comes to stress the importance of good nutrition for an athlete’s body to the runners.

“When you’re pushing yourself as hard as you can, and accumulating so many miles, food is fuel for your body,” Leetch said, “And when your body burns fuel, you need to get stronger by eating right.”

According to Ferron, they limit their sugar intake and, for the most part, would not even touch a soda, though Gatorade is a team favorite.

“When you join cross country your diet changes dramati-

PHOTO BY JULIE D’EATH

Overall standings: 9-12 Bay League standings: 1-5

cally,” senior Tyler Caracoza said.

Leetch believes that the better prepared the food, the less residual waste; The less residual waste, the better run-

ners feel; The better runners feel, the better they perform.

The team must eat healthily every day because they run every day.

“We train year-round to

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

Next meet: Bay League finals at West High School

Hitting the high notes. The brass section awaits start signal.

Next competition: Capo Valley Field Tournament tomorrow as last year’s defending champions.

Status: Sending sophomore Robynn Ree to CIF playoffs.

“ Yesterday was one of “ We placed first in many “ I absolutely our best games so far even though we lost as a result of superior swimming speed outside shooting from PV. -Mark Rubke

”

of our races at Mt. Sac. We’re looking forward to the next meet, the start of the championship season.

-Evan Malone-White

”

200

BAND

Hole in one. Senior Megan Cormier hits a ball out of the sand trap in match against Peninsula.

Going for the gold. Sophomore Cara Ulizio running toward the finish on Agony Hill.

over

consumed at one practice

GIRLS’ GOLF

PHOTO BY ANDREW HAZELTINE

be an effective and competitive program,” Ferron said, “Cross country requires a year-round dedication and commitment.”

This dedication is exemplified thier rank. Girls are third in Division II which, according to Ferron, is the toughest division in the state.

“We live in a world of instant gratification,” Leetch said. “But in distance running, there are no quick rewards.”

=

1

CROSS COUNTRY

Sinking. Senior Adam Rudow Peak passes the ball from the outside. The team lost against Palos Verdes yesterday, 10-15.

For the cross country team, hours of intense practice and a strict diet are vital for success.

believe Robynn [Ree] deserves to go to CIF because she had a 37 stroke average, one of the lowest in the league. -John Burke

”

“ “We’re looking for-

ward to winning and we’re doing all we can [at the next competition]. We want victory.”

-Clay Attig

”

SPORTS // OCT. 28, 2011

17

Coming back strong.

Senior Deon Williams stepped up his game and inspired his teammates after an ACL tear last season.

by Julie Tran and Isaiah Madison

He planted his foot to cut and it stayed in the turf. A defender from the other team tackled him down and then it was like he was paralyzed. He laid there for exactly seven minutes; Senior Deon Williams counted the seconds he couldn’t feel anything. 600 until the pain arrived.

“I just thought it was a bruise or something,” Williams said.

Little did he know, that “bruise” would leave him in the sidelines for the rest of last season.

“We were all shocked because he had a great season,” teammate, senior Eric Brown said. “He looked like he was going to be an All-Bay League running back, but then he got hit.”

When the pain set in, he realized it was more serious; Williams tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). He was confined mostly to physical therapy and the sidelines.

“A lot of people told me it’d be hard to come back from an ACL tear, but I knew if I put my mind to it I could make it happen,” he said.

More often than not, in the middle of a session, a weariness fell on Williams.

“There were a lot of times when I felt like I wouldn’t be able to do it, make a come back,” Williams said. “A lot of the time, I felt like giving up.”

Coach Gene Simon was confident Williams would return, and he did; He returned better than before.

“His hard work truly paid off. He made a full recovery and improved his skills,” Simon said.

Williams believed tearing his ACL enabled him to improve his performance.

“It did help me on the field in a way,” Williams said. “Most of the time, I’m not careful when I’m running with the ball. I just do it.”

His injury shaped him into a more serious, solid player, according to Simon. Though opposing teams tended to take him lightly due to his stature, he surprised everyone out on the field coming back.

“He’s not a big guy, but he’s really strong and quick,” Brown said. “He can slip past people on the outside and take full advantage of people who underestimate.”

As team captain, Williams often tries to lead by example. His determination to play again inspired many of the players.

“He’s a quiet guy, but his actions speak louder than his words,” Brown said.

athlete of the issue

PHOTO BY MATT MARDESICH

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears occur at the knee when bones of the leg twist in opposeite directions under full body weight. (http://www.youcanbefit.com/ACL.html)

. .

women are 10 times more like to suffer from an ACL tear than men (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2003-06-24-acl-cover_x.htm)

over 5.5 million people see a doctor for sports related knee injuries (http://static.cnhi.zope.net/)

DRAWING BY MIRIAM WANG

18

SPORTS // OCT. 28, 2011

Close, but not close enough

by Diana Luna

After a 7-11 loss against West, the girls’ tennis team lost their chance at qualifying for CIF. It wasn’t the best game of the season, considering it was one of the most important games to win.

“We were off to a little bit of a slow start,” Senior Joy Ohiomoba said, “but we picked up momentum.”

According to Ohiomoba, they were getting a lot of good points but West was more aggressive, which left them with the win.

“We just need to remember that we are strong and that we need to incorporate the same effort we have at practices into the game.” Ohiomoba said.

The team has been working hard to ensure a victory that would lead them to CIF. However their efforts were crushed and many players felt that West’s cheating was the primary reason for their win.

“I played a lot better than I normally did, it’s just a bummer that people feel the need to cheat,” Sophomore Jenn Doung said.

Junior Julia Tang was called out to line judge three times in one match, which is extremely rare. According to Tang, West is a team that is known to cheat.

“Almost every court had a line judge, “ Tang said, “It was really dragging down the spirits of our girl’s.”

Although next week’s match against Costa will not have any impact on their qualifications to CIF, they are still determined to beat them.

“We definitely are going to practice on our consistency,” Junior Lia Quilty said, “we’re going to practice this weekend so we can do our best against Costa.”

PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO

Over the net. Sophomore Erin Shy returns a serve.

PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO

Spike of doom. Senior Devon Bogart spikes the ball as West fails in attempt to block. According to Chaffins, Bogart had no hitting errors.

Volleyball falls too short for Bay League

by Haley Meyers

Despite temporary loss of setter Olivia Bustamante to a concussion, girls’ volleyball shows strength and prepares for Classic Tournament in a three game win against West Torrance. The team beat West 25-12, 25-11, and 25-18 as a result of strong serving.

“The cornerstones of serving and passing determines the winners of the game,” junior Hannah Mosebar said.

Sophomore Petra Grutzik consecutively served 8 times against West, leading to successful execution for Redondo.

“This game against West revealed our need to improve on hitting different spots and being smart with our attack lines for the upcoming classic tournament,” Mosebar said.

The upcoming Redondo Classic Tournament is the last opportunity for the girls to prepare before their last league game against Costa and more significantly, playoffs.

“We are going to face challenges all weekend when facing teams ranked high in CIF,” coach Tommy Chaffins said.

The team skill wise is planning to more consistently execute the ball and staying emotionally stable in order to play to their potential against teams such as North Torrance and Mira Costa

in the Classic Tournament. ‘”Playing without Olivia Bustamante is difficult because there is a lack of familiarity with new setters in the game situation. Sometimes we struggle to adjust to new setters [Andrea Gonzales and Petra Grutzik] because all setters set differently,” Mosebar said.

Bustamante hopes to play in the upcoming last Bay League game against Mira Costa, and according to Mosebar, the team will emphasize passing straight on target to assist her comeback.

“Unfortunately, we are out of the race for winning Bay League, but tonight got us off to a great start to go into playoffs and fighting our rival Costa next week,” senior Devon Bogart said.

With two losses in league to Mira Costa and Palos Verdes in comparison to Mira Costa’s undefeated season record, Redondo is hoping to win second in Bay League, but more importantly be successful in playoffs.

“If we play as a cohesive unit, we will prove to be a truly competitive team,” Chaffins said.

SPORTS // OCT. 28, 2011

eality or eality CHECK?

19

Hoping to win their third straight league game tonight against Leuzinger,

the real questions begin next week when they face Palos Verdes and Mira Costa.

by Brandon Folkman

Good ol’ Goodall to Simon Receptions: 7 Average: 28.3 According Most recieving yards in a single Yards: 198 Touchdowns: 3 game since 1996 PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL

Neck-to-neck. Senior Davion Goodall celebrates a close game after his game-winning touchdown.

With less than five minutes to go senior Davion Goodall scored a late touchdown pulling the team to a 45-38 victory against West last Friday.

Going into tonight’s game, the boys are confident, but cautious as they face a winless Leuzinger team.

“I was excited to make the game winning touchdown, the game was on the line and I helped get us the victory,” senior Davion Goodall said.

According to local newspapers Redondo is favored to win, however according to senior Hunter Bradshaw, they must be careful not to be too certain.

“We know what it feels like to be the underdog. Newspapers said we weren’t favored to win the last two games but pulled though, so we are confident but can’t get too cocky,” Bradshaw said.

Junior Christian Fernandez adds that the Leuzinger game is the teams’ last opportunity to improve before playing Palos Verdes and Mira Costa whom are the two strongest teams in the league.

“Leuzinger hasn’t been doing too well, but we still have to come out and play a great game,” Fernandez said.

Coach Gene Simon agrees that the team needs to give it their all to win.

“Our goal is to make fewer mistakes than ever. We are trying to be flawless,” Simon said.

Senior Brandon Kim also feels that the team has some aspects that need improvement.

“We’re looking to get both our run and pass game better on offense. We need to work on exactly who to block and we’ve been progressivly getting better as each week goes by,” said Kim. “On defense these next few weeks our goal is to really stop the run. Everyone in the Bay League runs the ball well and our defense is looking forward to playing these next few teams.”

According to sophomore Harrison Faecher, the team’s undefeated Bay League record allows them to forget about their preseason losses.

“It’s all about the Bay League, and entering the third game two and zero gives us the momentum we need to get another win,” Faecher said.

To the team and especially the seniors this game carries much importance.

“Depending on how playoffs go, Leuzinger could be the last home game for the seniors, so we are definitely trying to go all out and play a great game.”

20

SPORTS // OCT. 28, 2011

Sophomore Bubba Robinson is lucky to be alive. He underwent open heart surgery in first grade to repair his enlarged heart. Although the surgery went well, his heart condition still prevents him from playing contact sports.

HEART:

ON THE LINE

by Julie Tran

He traces the raised skin spanning exactly a foot across his chest.

The scar, ridged at all its edges, is a reminder of how lucky sophomore Bubba Robinson is to be here, how lucky he is to be alive, how lucky he is that it wasn’t too late.

“When he first had it, he thought it was really cool because I used to tell him that was a sign he was superman and he thought he was,” his mom, Heather Robinson said. “Now, I just remind him that girls dig scars and that kind of appeases him for awhile.”

This is the first year sophomore Robinson did not have to get a specialized screening for his heart since his surgery eight years ago.

“Every February I’d be real scared to go to the doctor’s,” Robinson said. “I was afraid I’d leave with more problems with my heart.”

Robinson’s severe heart problems were discovered at a simple check-up to enter the first grade.

“The doctor said he could hear a murmur,” Robinson said. “I didn’t know what that meant. I just knew my mom was scared.”

The echo gram showed not one, but two holes in his heart. For his parents their seven-year old son needing open heart surgery was overwhelmingly shocking.

Robinson had to wait ten months before his surgery.

“That was a huge struggle, waiting and worrying because those months were terrifying,” Mrs. Robinson said. “However, his sur-

gery was scheduled for the day of his great grandmother’s birthday and that was a good sign if we ever saw one.”

The surgery was only supposed to take four to five hours.

“We were waiting and waiting,” Mrs. Robinson said. “Four hours passed, then five, then six. I was a nervous wreck when he came out because he was pink as could be and had a bandage dressing from his collarbone to his belly button.”

When the doctors were performing the atrial septal defect surgery to close the holes, they noticed his major arteries and veins were going in the wrong direction.

He only had two arteries on the left side of his heart that fed clean, oxygen-rich blood into his body. There were six arteries and veins total flooding the right side of his heart with carbon-dioxide and waste-filled blood.

“The right side of his heart was working harder and pumping in more harmful blood than his body could handle,” Mrs. Robinson said.

This resulted in a cardiomelgy, or an enlarged heart. The doctor was able to build a canal using skin cells from the heart to reroute his veins so he had four going both ways.

“At first, I was praying to God: Why?” Mrs. Robinson said. “Why my son? Why us? But, in reality, thank God because we were lucky they caught that when they did.”

Robinson was back on his feet

1.

Battle Wounds. 1. Sophomore Bubba Robinson begina his life, free of a life-threatening heart problems but also free of football. 2. Robinson required open heart surgery when he was seven to fix the two holes in his heart. His scar stretches about a foot down his chest and reminds him of his near-death situation.

in no time after a remarkably fast recovery.

“I was only there for two days, which was the fastest anyone has left but I was bed ridden for the rest of the summer,” he said.

After that summer, his surgery never hindered him physically. He played baseball and basketball, and ran cross country.

While his parents were fairly lenient in raising him despite his cardiomelagy and heart murmurs, the one sport his parents never let him play was football.

“My mom’s afraid; She’s afraid that I’ll risk my heart,” he said.

“She’s afraid I’ll be one of the kids who just collapse on the field in the middle of a game because their heart conditions were discovered too late.”

Her fears, however, are understandable. She cannot justify him playing a contact sport like football, even though logically he could get injured doing anything.

2.

“Football is definitely my biggest hang up; I’ll never let him play it. I would never be able to forgive myself if something did happen,” she said. “He wants me to let him play football and maybe he’ll get mad at me from time to time because my stance on this is unwavering, but at least I can sleep at night knowing he is safe.”

DANGEROUS BEATS

1. Turn your left hand palmside up, then place the first two fingers of your right hand along the outer edge of your left wrist just below where your wrist and thumb meet.

2. Slide your fingers toward the center of your wrist. You should feel the pulse between the wrist bone and the tendon.

Mrs. Robinson always often worries that he would be one of those healthy athletes that collapse on the field out of nowhere.

“That would have been him because there were no symptoms, and his heart condition never slowed him down,” Mrs. Robinson said. “No one would have ever known.”

Knowing how to monitor your hearbeat can be help prevent and detect heart problems.

3. Press down with our fingers until you feel your pulse. Do not press too hard, or you will not be able to feel the pulsation. Count for one minuite.

4. Concentrate on whether the beats are evenly spaced, or whether they are erratic, with missed beats, extra beats, or beats that are too close together.

Compiled from www.strokeheart.org.