HIGH
TIDE Redondo Beach, CA // Redondo Union High School Oct. 4, 2013 2013 / Vol. XCIV // Edition 3
E-cigarette use is increasing. Marijuana has been legalized in two states. Hallucinogens, narcotics, stimulants, and depressants are more common than ever. What do you need to know about legal and illegal drugs? Should marijuana be legalized?
p. 5 //
Senior Chance King finds a positive influence through bowling.
good and and bad about the p. 12 // What’s p. 22// construction? Students give their opinion.
Boys’ cross country loses in a close meet.
Photos of the week Redondo Pier Clean-up
1
PHOTO BY JUSTIN LEE
A Fresh Beginning. Henges instructs the new students on the mock trial team on what skills
they will need to know for the upcoming competition.
2 PHOTOS BY GILLIAN MOBERG
TakingtheInitiative.1.Astrangecollection of garbage that was collected during the Ecology and Grades of Green clubs’ beach clean-up: including glass jars, paper plates, food wrappers and even metal eating utensils. 2. Students gather after a long day of collecting garbage at the Redondo Beach Pier to show off their hard work. 3. Clubs campaigning to gain new members to join their respective causes, whether it be for Anime club, China Care, Polynesian club or many of the other student run clubs RUHS offers. 4. A congregation of students assemble in the Student Union Plaza to find their ways around the club sign-up booths.
Club Sign-up Day 3
4
PHOTOS BY TYLER EISENHART
Senior Picnic
1
2 PHOTOS BY JASON CLEBOWICZ
2 HIGH TIDE . NEWS
SeniorPride.1.Seniors enjoying Chipotle on the field near the auditorium at their first senior event of the year. 2. Spirited seniors coordinated T-shirts for the annual senior class panoramic photo.
New mock trial team starts by Cedric Hyon
RUHS’s first mock trial team is underway for its competitive season. Social science teachers Michael Henges and James Costello are sponsoring the program. The team trains both a prosecution and a defense team split among 30 students. They send their best team to the competitions in November. “They release the case and they give you sometimes special circumstances in the case,” Henges said. “We have a prosecution team and a defense team and so what we’ll do is right before the day of the competition, we will decide on which team we will send, and we’ll argue cases against other schools.” The mock trial works their cases in the fall and pushes for the November competition. “Nov. 4 and 14 are the days that are guaranteed. It’s a sprint to get to November. That’s the challenge, making sure that everyone is prepared,” Henges said. The team had trouble getting a foot out the door because of the lack of sponsors, so they could not compete before. “There’s been people asking about it for the past couple of years. There hasn’t been any teachers to sponsor it until this year. Ms. Cochran also used to coordinate Mock Trial at her old school, so it was a combination of things coordinating together that started it,” Henges said. Henges believes that the process was simple to start the team. “You have to register with the Constitutional Rights foundation, which sponsors the program,” Henges said. “They put out the case that the students work on. Once you turn it in by a deadline, you’re pretty much in. After that, we have a final deadline for our final team.” Costello sees potential in the team based on the culture of the first year being created.
“As [Henges] would say, To build a program, the first year is really important and it already looks like we have some strong leaders so hopefully everyone picks it up,” Costello said. Costello has participated in the mock trial in high school and wants the other students to experience it as well. “When I was in high school, I participated in the mock trial; I was a witness and a lawyer for both years. I still look back and really enjoyed it and I was contemplating a career in law so it was a pretty realistic taste of it,” Costello said. Costello has high aspirations for the team. “My expectations for this year are always to win. I’ve coached sports in the past and my goal is always to do our best at it,” Costello said. At their first formal practice on Monday, the players assumed their roles to practice for the case. “We’ve had two and a half informal meetings just to get to know the case, the circumstances, and the incident. Next Monday is when we’ll start our real practice and our players will assume their roles in more formal practices.” Costello sees a lot of potential in the group. “We have a really good group of people to choose from and we’ll have a decent amount of hard working students out of that group of 30,” he said. Henges does not know what to predict for the mock trial team, but his goal is for the students to have a good experience. “I didn’t predict that more than 30 students would be participating, so I don’t know what to expect,” Henges said. “If the students learn the judicial process well, I don’t think it matters. If we do well, it would be amazing for our first year, since a lot of schools have been doing this forever. Our goal is basically just to get our feet wet.”
Teen usage of E-cigarettes on increase
Murphy and Administration comments on the danger to student health Malki National Merit Scholar semi-finalists by Angela Kim
According to a study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among high school students has increased from 4.7% in 2011 to 10% in 2012. The study also showed that in 2012, the total number of both middle and high school students who had tried these battery-run cigarettes was 1.8 million. These cigarettes supply the users with a dose of nicotine without the smoke. Users sometimes prefer these over conventional cigarettes because they are often flavored and the flavoring of traditional cigarettes was banned in 2009. “I would also say e-cigarettes are becoming more popular in the adult world, so this is trickling down to teenagers,” Asst. Principal Jens Brandt said. Although still under FDA investigation, these e-cigarettes are still and can be as detrimental to the body as regular cigarettes. “Students should not be so quick to try something without looking into it and researching it. [They should know] that
nicotine is highly addictive, even in small doses. By experimenting, they could be setting themselves up for an addiction to cigarettes,” Principal Nicole Wesley said. Still, the growth in these cigarettes continues to increase. “I still think that there is some connotation of smoking being ‘cool,’ even though you don’t see it in advertisements like I did when it was legal to advertise cigarettes. Students smoke socially, they succumb to peer pressure and some don’t know how to say no. Others may be ignorant to cigarettes’ effects and the level of addiction,” Wesley said. Though both Wesley and Brandt agree that the national statistics cannot be applied to RUHS with certainty, they believe education is essential in prevention. “We also have to focus on students’ abilities to self-advocate when faced by peer groups who choose to smoke,” Brandt said. Administration will also treat the e-cigarettes as any other tobacco drug and use disciplinary action against any underage user. According to Brandt, students are fully ca-
pable of using their own judgment in choosing whether to smoke. “It’s all about choosing who you respect and who you want to socialize with. I hope teenagers choose to hang out with those who make sensible and healthy choices,” Brandt said. Wesley supports the idea of independence. “Students are smart enough to know that [smoking] is in no way beneficial to their health,” Wesley said. According to Brandt, smoking should in no way be a social outlet or stress reliever. “Relieving stress at the cost of slowly killing oneself with tobacco is counterproductive. Going to the gym, riding a skateboard, or simply going on a walk or a run, are all clearly better choices,” Brandt said. According to Brandt, although students should be held responsible for their actions, he also believes their role models should also live healthy life-styles. “We [would like to] applaud our adults, both on and off campus, who model healthy lifestyles,” Brandt said.
E-cigarette usage spanning 2011 to 2013 INFORMATION COMPILED BY JASON ROCHLIN
Among middle school students:
2011: 2012: 2013:
1.4% E-cigarette use
2.7% E-cigarette use From 0.6% to 1.1% E-cigarette use
Among high school students:
2011: 2012: 2013:
20.3%
of middle school students reported never using conventional cigarettes
7.2%
of high school students reported never using conventional cigarettes
4.7% E-cigarette use 10.0% E-cigarette use From 1.5% to 2.8% E-cigarette use
COURTESY OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
by Kayla Nicholls
Seniors Luke Murphy and Fuad Malki have been selected by the National Merit Scholarship Program to be semi-finalists out of 1.5 million entrants. Murphy was notified of his accomplishment via text from his girlfriend, who found out through the schools newsletter e-mail. “I was happy, but I know it isn’t the end of the process yet; I still have some work to do,” Murphy said. In order to become a National Merit Scholar, students must have excellent SAT scores, complete an application, and write an essay. “Hopefully I will advance to the next round. Then I can get one of the many different scholarships that will be awarded at school,” Murphy said. The money that may be presented to Murphy if he achieves the honor of becoming a National Merit Scholar was neither planned nor prepared for. “I took the practice and knew that I was adequately prepared because I usually just study on my own. It was not a huge deal to me, however I always had it in the back of my mind,” Murphy said. Malki, on the other hand, did prepare for the PSAT by taking many SAT preparatory courses. “I like seeing the kinds of questions I will be asked and being able to know the correct answer to all the questions,” Malki said. Murphy wants to use the possible scholarship money to help finance his collegiate career. He aspires to attend MIT and plans to apply for early decision. “I want to study genetics to work in the genetic engineering field, or maybe be [in] some sort of biomedical science field,” Murphy said. Malki hopes that the potential recognition he will gain will be beneficial in enabling him to become an engineer in the future. “It is a nice honor that will always help me in my future,” Malki said. “My whole family has been engineers, therefore I have always been drawn to sciences and math.” Murphy wants to pursue genetics because of the “interesting” possibilities it provides. “It is so interesting because you can change the coding of a living thing so that it changes its overall appearance,” Murphy siad. “You are making plants and animals, and in the future even get rid of genetic disorders in humans.”
3 HIGH TIDE . NEWS
Pro/Con: Should marijuana be legalized in California? PRO: Caitlin Cochran
Legalizing marajuana in the U.S is benficial financially and medically.
75,000 people die by alcohol abuse every year. Legal prescription drugs kill 100,000 people a year. Marijuana kills zero. So why is Marijuana illegal? There are many reasons why marijuana should be legalized and the concept is not just supported by the “potheads”. This subject is so controversial while the facts show legalization is a no-brainer.
CON:
Jené Price
Legalizing marajuana will negatively affect public health and drug culture in the U.S.
Recently, there has been an increase in discussion for the legalization of marijuana in the Obama Administration. Certain states like Colorado and Washington have it legalized already and in states such as California there is legal use of medical marijuana. The legalization of marijuana can be harmful to ourselves and the people around us. Considering the fact that no one has ever
4 HIGH TIDE . OPINION
ILLUSTRATION BY JOSPEH BIESCHKE
Starting with just the statistics, marijuana is not nearly as harmful as alcohol and legal drugs. The truth is that not one death has been linked to marijuana. It is not an addictive drug and it is impossible to die from an overdose. In fact marijuana has actually healed symptoms of Glaucoma, cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis. Of course pharmaceutical companies do not support marijuana legalization because it takes away from the amount of money they make on prescription drugs. Marijuana is a natural drug rather than other antidepressants and it helps people relax without taking potentially harmful prescription drugs. The greatest risk of using marijuana is the fact that they will get arrested, not that they will be harmed. Second of all, the war on marijuana costs over 7.7 billion dollars every year. If marijuana was taxed like most consumer goods, it would actually produce tax revenues of
about 2.4 billion dollars every year. If it was taxed the same amount as tobacco products are, it would pay almost 6.2 billion dollars. When the country attempted alcohol prohibition, it caused much more crime than existed before the alcohol restrictions were placed. Because people are going to continue to sell, distribute, and smoke marijuana, they are forced to do it illegally. The government arrests over 700,000 people a year for marijuana, turning innocent people into hardened criminals. Legalizing marijuana would decrease the amount of American money that goes to international gangs. Because marijuana is illegal, people send so much money oversees to smuggle it into America. Moreover, the Mexican cartels that control the exportion and importation of marijuana would take a severe blow. Another reason marijuana should be legalized is the fact that minorities are being
disproportionately targeted. Black people are 57 times more likely than any other group to be arrested for drugs. A white person is much less likely to go to jail, although 83.5 percent are charged. Marijuana being illegal causes more harm than good. People are incarcerated and turned into criminals over a small offense that is not harmful, but rather can be helpful. More people are being discriminated against and the country is spending billions of dollars try to fight it. Additionally, billions of dollars are spent every year in California to people in prison for marajuana posession. People are going to keep fighting to get marijuana legalized, no matter the threat of arrest. They will keep fighting forever. Just because marijuana is illegal, does not mean people will happily obey and comply with these rules. Eventually marijuana will be legalized and it is just a matter of time.
died or overdosed from the use of marijuana, and the conflict it causes between people and police officers, why not legalize the use of marijuana, correct? The facts are that legalizing marijuana will increase the use among smokers. Studies have shown chronic smokers are more at risk for experiencing anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and schizophrenia which are amongs the top causes of death, especially for teenagers. Keeping marijuana illegal helps keep the price of marijuana higher, making it harder to get. If it is legalized the prices will drop and that will make it easier to attain, which could lead to the misuse of the drug even when restrictions are in place. Legalization of marijuana would also further burden the criminal justice system. With legalization of the drug will come more arrests for driving under the influence
and public intoxication, both of which are punishable with jail time. Overall, the legalization of marajuana will lead to public usage, which according to the proposed legislation, isn’t legal. Marijuana is about seven times more harmful to the body than smoking cigarettes is. A marijuana cigarette(joint) contains 50%-100% more tar than that of tobacco. Smoking one joint is equal to smoking 7-10 cigarettes. Moreover, the inhalation of this tar and hot smoke increase the risk of cancer and multiple diseases of the lung. New harvesting methods have made marijuana 20 times more effective than it was 30 years ago. It can be laced with other drugs and the smoker won’t even know. Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may experience the same respiratory problems that tobacco smokers have. Legalization also does nothing to curb
the current drug violence that occurs within the United States and among teens especially. The use of marijuana amongst teens has steadily increased meaning fewer teens see the drug as harmful. Only 22.7 percent of high school student see smoking marijuana as harmful according to The Monitoring the Future Study conducted by the University of Michigan in 2011. Marijuana can be a gateway drug, which means it can lead to the use of many other harmful drugs. Children ages 12-17 are 85 times more likely to use cocaine after using marijuana. If marijuana was legalized it would also not deter human trafficking, drug distribution, and other groups from operating. Overall, marijuana should not be legal because it will create an unhealthy and potentially dangerous society for everyone, especially teenagers and young adults.
Letters to the
Editor
If you have an opinion about one of the articles, letters can be sent to the editor at hightideonline@gmail.com. We reserve the right to edit them for content, grammar, and space constraints. Letters must be signed and are not guaranteed to be printed.
HIGH TIDE
STAFF
Editors in Chief: Cedric Hyon; Allegra
Peelor Managing Editor: Alejandro Quevedo News Director: Jason Rochlin Health & Entertainment Director: Alejandro Quevedo Features Director: Cedric Hyon Sports Director: Allegra Peelor News Editor: Jason Rochlin Opinion Editor: Yasmeen El-Hasan Features Editors: Catlin Cochran; Grace Zoerner; Jené Price; Kayla Nicholls; Kira Bowen; Shawn Mallen; Stella Gianoukakis Sports Editors: Ted Cavus; Micah Ezzes Photo Editors: Tyler Eisenhart; Justin Lee Copy Editors Deborah Chang; Angela Kim; Romy Moreno Illustrator: Joseph Bieschke Online Editors: Vivian Lam; Kayla Maanum Staff Writers: Lauryn Alejo; Joseph Blakely; Jennie Bao; Caitlyn Catubig; Jason Clebowicz; Lauren Diethelm; Jason Fong; Vaidehi Gandhi; Nina Gomez; Kelly Harraka; Caterina Hyneman; Eli Jarmel; Stephanie Lai; Sophie Maguy; Shaniya Markalanda; Marie Ona; Chris Paludi; Phoebe Reneau; 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 commenatries and editorial cartoons prepresent the opinions of the staff writer or cartoonist and in no way reflect the opinions of the High Tide staff.
ILLUSTRATION BY JOSPEH BIESCHKE
EDITORIAL
Should the cheer team be required to give gifts to football? The crowd sees the cheerleaders’ stunts and cheers. They see the obvious enthusiasm and the lively expressions prominent through even the most difficult tricks. What many do not see is what happens off the field. Each season, RUHS cheerleaders have been required to buy gifts for the football players. This demeaning practice places the cheerleaders in a subordinate position and reinforces traditional gender roles. The idea of cheerleaders giving presents to football players with the only expectation of reward being the football players’ success degrades them to mere objects. It implies that their sole purpose is to glorify the football players. In reality, the cheerleaders work tirelessly perfecting their sport. The gift-giving strips them of the dignity that comes with being an athlete, making them subservient to the football players. The cheerleaders are expected, not without reason, to support the sports teams. That’s their job and they take pride in it. In theory, this practice makes sense. It is an extension of the cheerleader’s role to support and boost the morale of the team, which is exactly what this does. Receiving gifts helps the football players maintain a positive
WHAT WE THINK The cheer team should not force cheerleaders to give gifts to football players.
mindset and an awareness of how much the others care for them. This results in a better performance on the field by the individual football players and thus a better football team as a whole. This longtime tradition of gift-giving, however, takes that expectation too far. Not only are they obligated to spend money out of their own pockets on these tokens, but also they often feel “unappreciated” by the football team. The football players have come to expect these gifts and their only form of reciprocation is playing well on the field. Not all of the football players are like this; many do appreciate the cheerleaders’ gesture. They are also required to give the cheerleaders a rose at the end of the season. But that is not enough. The cheerleaders play a significant role in boosting the crowd’s enthusiasm because of their constant interaction with the crowd that keeps spirits high. According to many football players, this inspires the team to work harder. The cheerleaders are not getting proper respect and recognition for their role. Just as football players train and work hard, cheerleaders train and work hard to get the crowd into game. Without cheerleaders, football players would not perform as well because
0
vote yes, the cheer team’s gift-giving tradition is fair and should be continued.
of the lack of support. This tradition also reinforces the popular notion that football players are “kings of the school.” More than any other high school sport, football traditionally brings the school together in a communal event. It is no surprise then that cheerleaders give gifts to no other sports team but football. The boys basketball team, who won state championships last year, does not receive any presents. Yet, some cheerleaders feel as if the basketball team is “more appreciative” of them, despite not receiving these gifts. This brings up the point that perhaps it is not necessary for the team to receive gifts in order to do well. This gift-giving tradition has been around for too long. It is time for a change; the school should abolish the practice altogether. Tradition does not need to die, however. If the school wants to keep this tradition, fine. But it needs to be freshened up. To make this equitable, cheerleaders should should be receiving gifts as well. If cheerleaders are going to be buying gifts for football players, the football players should be buying gifts for cheerleaders. It’s only fair.
By the numbers Editorial Staff Vote
17 vote no, the cheer team should not be forced to give gifts to football players.
5 HIGH TIDE . OPINION
k c e h gC
u r D compiled by Yasmeen El-Hasan illustrations by Joseph Bieschke
Narcotics t Definition: Usually illegal psychoactive drugs tha
Stimulants elDefinition: Psychoactive drugs that temporarily
alter mood and behavior and induce sleep
and inevate mood, increase feelings of well-being, crease energy and alertness
Examples: Opium, morphine, heroin, codeine, hy-
tExamples: Cocaine, methamphetamine, amphe
, tradrocodone, fentanyl, meperidine, oxycodone hone, madol, nalbuphine, pentazocine, hydromorp methodone the cartem; negative effects on vision, hearing, and death diovascular system; overdose may result in
Effects: Highly addictive; damage the nervous sys
Depressants Definition: Drugs that lower arousal levels and reduces functional or nervous activity Examples: Alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, gamma-Hydroxybutyrate, rohyphol
n gement, in motor skills; slurred speech; impaired jud psyhallucinations; paranoia; impaired memory; gue chotic episodes; altered eyesight; chronic fati
Effects: Physical dependence; loss of coordinatio
y, cafamines, methylphenidate, nicotine, ecstas feine, khat
Effects: Highly addictive; exhaustion, apathy, and
ulated depression after the sensation of being stim dangerwears off; feelings of hostility or paranoia; rtbeat; ously high body temperatures; irregular hea sleep deprivation; lack of appetite
Hallucinogens Definition: Drugs that causes hallucinogens ns, mescyclidine (PCP), ketamine, magic mushroom n, maricaline, ecstasy, K2/spice, peyote, psilocybi juana/cannabis, steroids, inhalants
Examples: Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), Phe
nt Effects: Intense sensory experiences; detachme ion
from body; damaged memory and concentrat
(www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/factsheets.shtml)
6 HIGH TIDE . HEALTH
E-cigarettes and vape by Allegra Peelor and Alejandro Quevedo
He breathes in deeply. The water vapor and flavoring fill his throat and calm him down. He removes the e-cigarette from his mouth and sighs with satisfaction. “Vaping” is when a small amount of flavored liquid is vaporized by a small batterypowered atomizer to create flavored water vapor that, when inhaled, mimics the sensation of smoking. E-cigarettes are made when nicotine is added to the liquid (grimmgreen.com). Although the vape pen was first created for adults to use as an alternative to smoking, many teenagers now use it in addition to the hookah. Hookah is another, less obtrusive alternative that uses tobacco and provides a distraction from the many stresses of both school and work without the added worry of getting high and the lingering smell that is typical of traditional cigarettes. “I like smoking without getting high,” a hookah smoker said. “It smells good so no one knows you are smoking unless they see it. It’s just something to do when you are bored.” Many teens, including those who attend
RUHS, believe that vape pens are healthier alternatives to smoking. “I use a vape because I used to smoke and this is a much healthier alternative,”one vape user said. “I find them to be very safe since they are just water vapor and flavoring, and they have absolutely no smell. I have also learned that it is the most effective way to quit smoking.” Another student also believes that the vape pens are healthier and less detrimental to their health. Therefore, the user also chooses to use vape pens over the customary cigarette. “It’s a healthier alternative to smoking straight up because it virtually eliminates the smoke,” a vape pen consumer said. Yet another vape pen user agrees with the healthiness of the vape pens. He claims that vape pen use is less damaging to his lungs. “When you smoke a lot straight out of a bong, the smoke can cause damage to your lungs, but this way, it’s a lot healthier and you won’t cough up tar like a regular smoker,” a previously nicotine smoker said. Other users of vape pens converted from the traditional cigarette use to the “safer”
E-cigarettes and vape pens become more popular in high-schoolers.
vape pens. This is because many smokers feel vape pens are instrumental in their ability to quit smoking. This belief holds some truth, because the vape pens have a smaller quantity of niccotine. Therefore, the user’s level of dependence slowly decreases (http:// vapes.sobevaporizers.com/portable/quitsmoking-start-vaping-portable-e-liquidvaporizers). Vape pens are also less obtrusive to the general populace. One smoker agrees with this idea and justifies his usage with it. “I decided to quit smoking because it was a filthy habit. I didn’t want to use Eecigarettes because they still have nicotine, and a vape just has water vapor,” he said. Despite the common belief, however, both vape pens and e-cigarettes have potentially harmful side effects. In 2009, the FDA tested nineteen different varieties of e-cigarettes and found certain chemicals that are known to cause cancer in some of the cartridges. In addition to the harmful chemicals, the FDA discouraged the use of e-cigarettes because they are frequently marketed to minors without appropriate and sufficient health warnings prior to the sale
(au.ibtimes.com). However, one vape user feels that he has not had any negative side effects as a result of his usage. In addition, he finds the alternative a beneficial distraction from the hectic nature of his life. “I use a vape because I like the taste and and it helps calm me down by being a distraction,” a vape pen user said. “If I have a ton of work or studying I just relax and try to learn smoke tricks and then after that I can get back to work.” Vape pens are also very cheap, which contributes to the use of vape pens despite FDA warnings. “[If you] spend thirty dollars you’ll be set for a week or two,” a smoker said. “On the other hand, if you smoke it too much, it will raise your tolerance to the point [where] you’ll never be able to get high anymore. It all depends.” The “harmless” smoke of vape pens combined with the affordability impacts the number of users greatly. “Also, the vape smoke is harmless, unlike cigarettes’, and it’s a lot cheaper in the long run,” a vape pen user said.
illustrations by Joseph Bieschke
COMMON
DRUGS Legal
Illegal Caffeine:
Tobacco:
a compound that stimulates the central nervous system
dried nicotine leaves fermented for smoking and chewing
Alcohol:
a drink and psychoactive drug containing ethyl alcohol
Meth:
Marijuana:
(Methamphetamine) psycho-stimulant with long-lasting effects
(Cannabis) prepared for use as medicine or psychoactive drug
Cocaine:
an addictive stimulant that is derived from the coca plant compiled by Yasmeen ElHasan and Kayla Nicholls
7 HIGH TIDE . HEALTH
Açai Bowls
by Micah Ezzes
Walking into Beach Bowls is not a high-profile experience. It’s located on pacific coast highway, yet in the shadow of a bank and crammed in between multiple businesses. A sign on the top of the building signals its location, which is helpful considering it would be rather difficult to find otherwise. Beach Bowls comes off as unassuming, inside and out. The interior is sparsely decorated with pictures of tropical life, indicating at the Brazilian roots of the acai itself, giving the place a relaxed, natural feel. Other than that, the shop is mostly open space, with various tables and booths scattered around making up the forefront of the restaurant. The açai itself? A completely different story. I got a “tropical bowl,” the generic acai bowl, and I have to say it was fantastic. The chopped granola added texture to an otherwise smoothie-like mush. The açai blend, normally overpowering in taste, is neutralized by a sweet combination of sliced bananas and strawberries. Allowed a
>> Acai bowls have become popular recently so we reviewed the top two Acai places around Redondo
free topping, I also added mangos, a move that I would recommend, as it did wonders for the overall taste of the bowl. The service itself was rather nice as well, despite only two employees in the shop during the time I was there. Recognizing my lack of knowledge in the subject of acai, the girl behind the counter enlightened me on their roots and flavor. Not only that, she also informed me of which flavors were most popular. She was knowledgeable and proved well capable of helping me make a decision on what to get. It was pretty nice to see an employee who wasn’t just another mindless zombie behind a cash register. On top of this, the shop also sells its own acai blend in individual bottles at a set price. With it, anyone can make any combination of acai and fruit out of their own home. I found it to be a rather generous that the shop owners would sell the raw acai blend and help the customer be more independent and free to make whatever they want, if they so chose. What lies within this low-key açai shop is an excellent combination of aboveaverage taste, surprisingly good customer service, and an all-around relaxed environment. You won’t regret paying Beach Bowls a visit.
Rainforest Açai Smoothie
300 calories “The smoothie was very light and fresh”
by Shawn Mallen
Paradise Bowls, for me, was an incredible acai experience not to be missed. It is in a great location near the Manhattan Beach pier and is very accessible. The atmosphere of the place is great. There are paintings and pictures on the wall that reflect beach and surf culture, complemented by a light blue paint that creates a really laid back beach vibes. There was a sign on the wall that referenced the name of the place: “Just another day in paradise”. The sign couldn’t have been more spot on, this place is paradise. The kitchen is open and you can see the employees blending and chopping up all of the fresh fruits right in front of you, which I really enjoyed. The cashier was very friendly and helpful to me when I ordered and seemed to know what he was talking about when he explained the different types of bowls the place served to the customers. I ordered what seemed like a standard acai bowl, titled “The Gaucho Bowl”. This acai bowl was anything but standard; It
was truly an incredible experience. The way all of the flavors of the acai bowl worked together and complimented each other completely blew me away. The bowl was made of two main components, the acai blend and the toppings. The acai blend was a bold, dark purple which looked, felt, and tasted like a really thick berry smoothie. In the bowl I ordered, the blend contained acai, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, and apple juice. If the delicious blend of berry goodness wasn’t enough, the toppings slammed it home. The bowl was topped with granola, which was both crunchy and crispy at the same time, bananas, strawberries, chewy Goji berries, blueberries, and honey. Interestingly enough, the icing on the acai cake was the Goji berries. Everything worked together perfectly in the bowl, and the Goji berries gave an unexpected interesting texture to add to the experience. All of the different textures of the bowl blended in harmony; the crunchy granola, the smooth acai blend, the soft bananas and berries, and the chewy Goji come together to form an unforgettable, perfect combination.
Small Bowl with strawberries
350 calories “Simply amazing and very filling too” PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURA SMITH
8 HIGH TIDE . ENTERTAINMENT
Rush Will Make Your Emotions Flutter by Cedric Hyon
Based off of the 1976 Formula One Season and the rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda, Rush delivers a dramatic, awe-inspiring film. Director Ron Howard gave some of the best casting choices for the film and an even better screenplay. On top of that, it keeps a very historically accurate film. The film doesn’t follow the typical B-movie route but instead takes it on a more serious, intense cinematography that keeps the viewers intrigued the whole movie. Chris Hemsworth, who plays James Hunt, and Daniel Bruhl, who plays Niki Lauda, both give fantastic performances that leave the reader on the edge of their seats every time. The film progresses through the 1976 Formula One Season and the tragedy that Niki Lauda faced when his car crashed and ignited during the German Grand Prix. The film is interesting throughout but when Lauda’s character faces recovery, the movie takes a great turn and brings a heartwarming experience. Although many movies based on a true story face a chance of being dramatized excessively, Lauda himself has stated, surprisingly, that the movie gave an accurate representation and that there were no Hollywood stretches. However, the cinematography sometimes does not know what to do with itself, which is a miss for the film. The film sometimes tries to take an “artsy” approach which leaves the audience confused on what the film is trying to accomplish. Also, much like other dramatic movies, the film doesn’t
seem to have a shot filmed for more than 2 seconds. In 5 minutes alone there must have been over 100 different cuts, which personally annoyed me as a viewer. The emotion that the film gives off, however, is more than enough to redeem this movie. It gives an experience that makes you love and hate both characters in the film and, in the end, support them for who they are. Rush delivers at high speed a slick, intense view that is sure to leave the audience full of fluttering emotions.
ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF JOSEPH BISCHEKE
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 is both cute and punny by Cole Greenbaun
With animation becoming more and more advanced, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is a visual standout amongst other animated films, bursting with color and details at every turn, but lacking in the story department. Directed by Cody Cameron, the film is a sequel to the 2009 success and begins right where the first film left off. The residents of Swallow Falls leave their food– covered island after the food storm to be cleaned up by Chester V, the CEO of Live Corp. who offers Flint Lockwood, voiced by Bill Hader, his dream job inventing at Live Corp. After 6 months, Flint is recruited by Chester V to find Flint’s food creating invention, the FLDSMDFR which has been creating food animal hybrids all
over the island. With the help of his friends and his father, Flint sets off to find his invention and end the food madness once and for all. The best part of this movie was the animation. The landscape of the food covered island was extremely colorful and detailed with a “breakfast bog” and a “big rock candy mountain” adding to the detail the animators took with the food aspect of almost everything on the island. Along with the landscape, the “foodimals” were both stunning and clever with names like “mosquitoast,” “shrimpanzees,” and “bananostriches” all of which seem straight out of a child’s imagination. And best of all, throughout the movie there are food puns galore (the island being “a disaster of epic portions” being my favorite), some obvious and some cleverly hidden leaving the viewer hungry for more. But even with the amazing animation and puns, the film lacks in its storytelling. The film chaotically switches from event to
event, and it’s hard to determine what’s going on as the film shifts between Flint and his friends, his father who is left behind on the boat, and Chester V’s hidden intentions. The dialogue between the characters is weak and simple, and other than the puns, most of the jokes are lame. One thing is for certain, the film is definitely meant for children. From the start you know this movie is all about friendship as Flint becomes torn between his hero Chester V and his friends who came to help him, making it a little too childish for an older audience to get invested in. Lots of the film’s jokes make kids scream with laughter, but to which older audiences will merely chuckle. Overall the film, while being a buffet of beautiful animation and serving up puns at every chance, is bogged down by its story and is directed mainly towards children, making it an adequate yet pleasant movie.
9 HIGH TIDE . ENTERTAINMENT
On a roll
Pinning it down. King practices at the bowling alley around twice a week.
Logan participates on a roller derby team. by Kayla Maanum
Two minutes left. Skates rolling on the wooden track. One minute left. She makes her way around the rink, weaving through her opponents’ lunging arms. She musters enough energy to pass the last girl. Her team has won, and with only a couple of seconds to spare. As a “jammer,” junior Cassidy Logan’s job on her roller derby team is to overlap her 5-7 opponents on the track to earn points for her team. The objective of the other team is to prevent jammers from overlapping by pushing them down. Logan enjoys this physicality and believes that it has made her a stronger person. “[During derby competitions], you have to be prepared for whatever comes at you. It’s pretty intense,” Logan said. Though Logan enjoys the roughness of the sport, her father, Beau Logan, was “concerned” and a “little scared” to let her join the roller derby team at first. Despite her father’s initial concern, Logan joined her cousin Emma’s roller derby team, the West Coast Derby Knockouts, and quickly fell in love with the sport. She also bonded with her cousin through derby. “We became closer. We hang out and talk more about [roller derby]. We normally go roller skating,” Logan said. Mr. Logan has also noticed positive changes in Cassidy’s personality since starting roller derby three years ago. “[Cassidy] used to be shy and quiet. Now she is more outgoing,” Mr. Logan said. Logan spends every other weekend in the rink. To her, the best part about roller derby is being part of a team and helping them reach a common goal: to win. “The best part about roller derby is trying [to] go faster every week, and not falling behind the group and letting them down. It’s about having fun and getting better at skating,” Logan said. Not only is roller derby an activity she plans to continue in her future, but Logan also believes she has learned skills from competing that will benefit her in the future. “[I have learned] not to be so scared of things that come at you and to be prepared for anything that hits you,” Logan said. Mr. Logan also believes that Cassidy has learned valuable lessons from the sport. “[Roller derby] taught her teamwork and has tested her physical strength. Also, [it taught] that bigger isn’t [always] better, and you don’t always win,” he said. Mr. Logan’s support for his daughter’s participation in the sport to reflects his support for all of her goals in life. “I support Cassidy in anything she wants to do, and I want her to know that she is capable of achieving her dreams,” he said.
10 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES
PHOTO BY JUSTIN LEE
King of the bowling alley Senior Chance King’s hobby keeps him out of the gutter. first person by Chance King
I take bowling very seriously. For a sport (although some may hesitate to call it a sport) whose heroes are all pasty, awkward, often overweight men, the art of bowling and bowling well has always had a strange allure for me. There are no multi million dollar contracts. No brand name sponsorships and celebrity endorsements. It’s a sport for average joes who simply have a great competitive spirit and a love for the game. I’m not saying that I wouldn’t sell out for big figures, and I’m about as far away from “The Dude” as humanly possible, but my pursuit of mastering bowling’s simple dynamics has paralleled and aided in my struggle with myself and those around me, with more than a few curses being uttered in between. Bowling was always around when I was growing up. My father, brother and I would often go on the weekends, using the bumpers and tossing balls down the lane like barbarians discovering their own strength. My family insisted on us continuing bowling, despite how angry it made me and my brother. For a while it was gutter, after gutter, after gutter, until my spirit waned and I gave up. As I got older I began to appreciate the time and technique the professionals put into their form, and decided I would give it another shot. I bought my own ball and a pair of bowling shoes and went back to the alleys, determined to become the bowler I always dreamt I could be. My score was a whopping 97, and needless to say, I was disheartened. Around this time, it seemed like everything in my life was going against me: long time friends seemed distant, visits to the doctor illuminated many illnesses but gave few explanations, and school suddenly be-
came a challenge. I was drowning, and in my scramble for dry land, many people and things got left behind. It wasn’t until I was forced to step back up to the lane that things began to change, and bowling quickly became the only place where I could have control and solitude. As luck would have it, my first major opportunity to reclaim normality came at a group bowling event. I was quickly recognized for my talent, and in the months that followed, bowling brought me together with the best friends I would ever know, helped me open up and pulled me out of the gutter, so to speak. Since then, bowling has held a very special place for me. Every time I finish a game, I know to be proud of my score, but also to
iILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH BIESHKE
take responsibility for the mistakes that I made that prevented me from doing better. Although it is easy to blame the noise, the ball, or the wind for a bad performance, the only person really to blame is yourself. Every time I go I get better. I’m one step closer to reaching that bowling nirvana that sits golden on the horizon of my imagination, knowing that it’s a testament not only to my mastery of the lazy-man’s art, but also the mastery of my own life. It’s a work in progress, and I know that I’ll have plenty of time to mess up along the way, but I’ll always be working for that next frame, working to achieve a deeper understanding, and dreaming of the day I finally bowl that perfect game.
New construction Renovated facilities give the campus an updated, modern feel. complied by Jason Clebowicz
Administration Building
Student Union
PHOTO BY TYLER EISENHART
PHOTO BY JUSTIN LEE
In the fall of 2010, the ASB classroom, College Career Centre, The cafeteria was rebuilt from the ground up in one year. It now Counseling Offices, Student Records Room, Attendance Office, has six television sets, a full kitchen and an upstairs eating area. Student Store, Teacher Workroom and Lounge were added. It took $8.5 million dollars to build and was dedicated March 2013.
Science Building
Industrial Arts Building
PHOTO BY JUSTIN LEE
PHOTO BY JUSTIN LEE
Construction started in the fall of 2012 and ended in the sum- New projectors, windows, flooring, ceilings, skylights, lab desks, mer of 2013. Now there are new projectors, windows, flooring, cabinetry, electrical wiring and a Macintosh and PC Lab were ventilation system, lab desks and cabinetry. added. Renovation started in the fall of 2012 and was completed summer of 2013.
Sea Hawk Pavilion/Small Gym
Aquatic Center
PHOTO BY TYLER EISENHART
PHOTO BY TYLER EISENHART
It was built from the ground up with a full scoreboard, heating Both gyms are less than two years old and were finished in system, cleaning system and locker room. Construction ended March 2012. They feature new wood floors, stands and basketduring fall of 2011. ball hoops.
11 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES
R
enovated
1.
Administration Building
Hits “
“
I love the view from the Nest. The build“ ing is, overall, a really nice face for the school.
– Nicole Pederson, 11
PHOTO 1 BY JUSTIN LEE, 2 BY TYLER EISENHART
Misses
It’s well organized, since all the counselors, principals, and secretaries are easy to find in their respective areas.
– Mitchell Winn, 11
2.
After the completion of the school’s new facilities over the summer, students point out hits and misses of these state-of-the-art buildings.
PHOTOS BY JUSTIN LEE
Hits
– Steven Bell-Nixon, 11
“
“
Science Building
1.
Sea Hawk Pavilion and Small Gym
2.
Misses
“I like the lobby of the big gym. Its open “I think the design is cool but I think they windows give the opening a sense of lightness and hope.
– Luke Murphy, 12
Industrial Arts
“
Hits
– Alyssa Grijalva, 10
“
Misses
“
I love how we’ve doubled the amount of “workspace for us to work with and are now
able to utilize this space for photography purposes, though some of the rooms we are currently using for editing are cramped and left less remodeled.
– Jordan Alejo, 12
“
way. I always have to go around it.
– Chance King, 12
Misses
to eat in.
“
small so it doesn’t feel like there’s a lot of room to actually be in the cafeteria.
It is a nice place to unwind and even though I am not a senior, I enjoy having the privilege of saying we have a rooftop cafeteria with an ocean view.
I really enjoy the building itself and the “ interior design, but the food does not seem
– Sam Pickup, 12
“
– Allison Denton, 11
“
It’s really open and has a lot of seating. “I like it because it’s a brand new build- “I don’t like the railing in front of the sci- “ The paint job is also a lot better than at Ading. Students can use these new rooms and equipment to learn better.
– Katherine Chang, 11
“
ence building, it slows down the traffic.
– Amanda Toniolo, 10
“
ams.
– Joshua Kano, 9
“The science building is very modern and “The only problem is the ramp thing beclean which makes a very good learning environment.
– Kyle Ealy, 9
“
– Sam Pickup, 12
to have improved from last year.
– James Lee, 11
“
“
“
cause there’s so many kids going in at once to the building.
– Fareshta Nazif, 11
“
Aquatic Center
room is a lot bigger and “ It takes a lot of time to get to the main “it’s Themuch[yearbook] more spacious. The other room entrance because the flower bed is in the
– Brittany Nguyen, 12
PHOTO BY CODY WILLIAMS
should decorate it more with things on the walls such as Sea Hawks, which would show school spirit.
Misses
was pretty crammed, but here it’s less congested and has more of a chill vibe.
PHOTO BY CODY WILLIAMS
Hits
PHOTO1 BY CODY WILLIAMS, 2 BY ALEJANDRO QUEVEDO
Hits
“
Student Union
It’s nice with the TVs; it feels more like “It was nice in the old cafeteria that there “ a restaurant rather than just an old building was a lot more room, but now it’s really
locked so I have to go around to get upstairs, and the hallways are so small. When I’m waiting for my counselor, there’s always like three people in my way and I have to wait for them to move.
very modern. After three years it’s still looking new. It really represents our school in the sense that it looks clean, professional, but at the same time, very modest and efficient.
12 HIGH TIDE . SPORTS
BACKGROUND PHOTO BY ALEJANDRO QUEVEDO
“I don’t like how the side doors are always
“Well it’s clean. I mean, it’s streamline, – Aaron Kemp, 12
compiled by Cedric Hyon, Allegra Peelor, and Alejandro Quevedo
“
“There’s poor ventilation so it gets stuffy in the computer room. “ – Allegra Peelor, 11
Hits
Misses
ed. Also, the chlorine levels are good, and I don’t really have to get eyedrops or anything to ease the pain.
wet and it has given me athletes’ foot in the past.
The one thing I have a problem with is “It’s nice and big, so it never gets crowd- “ the locker room floor, because it is always
– Perry Corkos, 11
“
“I like how big it is because a lot of other
– Blaze Bird, 10
“
pools we go to are just plain small, it helps a lot with the practices.
– Sanjay Mahoobani, 12
“
PHOTOS BY TYLER EISENHART
13 HIGH TIDE . SPORTS
k What do the teachers think of the new buildings? PHOTOS BY TYLER EISENHART AND JUSTIN LEE
Administration Building “ I like the technology available in the building. -Brooke Mata
“
Hits
Misses
The old building had everyone closer together, the hallways were wide, and “I think it was more user friendly. Everyone seems to get lost when they come to the new building. I never see people on the other side of the hallway and I wish that this building would have a hallway in the center to the other side, so the staff can be closer together.
“
-Kathy Burling
Pool
Hits
players a lot better. Bigger pools are bet“ Itterhasto made condition in because they’re intimidating at first glance, but when the swimers get the hang of it, they swim a lot better. They’ve have gained confidence. It is a huge plus mentally and physically.
-Mitch Yanamoto
“
Cafeteria (Student Union)
Industrial Arts Building
Hits
a lot of places for students to sit and eat. The booths work “ IwellloveandthatI'vetherereallyareenjoyed watching the students respect [the cafeteria]. “ -Amber Keller
“
Hits
It’s a wonderful opportunity to condense, modify, and make some alterations where needed and I have spent a lot of time doing that. Because of the way the room was built, I am coming up with some improvements in the system. I am thrilled with the new building.
-Kris Moon
“
Science “
Hit
I like that every science teacher has a lab classroom now. That gives every science teacher a chance to run a solid lab program.
-Linda Dillard
14 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES
“
“
Miss
I have a huge collection ranging from fossils, rocks and animals that I can’t display. In my old room, there was ample space and I used [the fossils] all the time to teach. But since there’s no room, I can’t show my students whenever they ask.
-Mary Simun
“
A walk down memory lane 1905 - 1915 PHOTOS COURTESY OF 1993 RUHS YEARBOOK
Back to the future. 1. It is sn octagon-shaped
building which served until 1915 as the origional school. 2. The building is neo-classical face of the old auditorium along with the surrounding builidings which is located at the corner of Diamond and Pacific Coast Highway. 3. The building is the auditorium in 2013.
1.
1970 - current
3.
A scholarly bond by Kayla Nicholls
The giant white pillars that were scattered around campus and the embellished street lamps lining the streets turn into modern buildings that are newly renovated. This change demonstrates the transition from the Redondo of senior Petra Grutzik’s great grandparents’ generation to the Redondo of her generation. “Sometimes it is fun to imagine what it was like back then,” Grutzik said. “It is such a contrast to our school now, where everything on campus is brand new.” Both of Grutzik’s great grandparents attended RUHS. Her great grandfather graduated in 1920 and her great grandmother graduated in 1921. Their shared school is a crucial part of her family’s history. “It’s fun to know that RUHS is part of my family heritage and that my great grandmother was once the same age as I was, living in the same space,” Grutzik said. In addition to attending the same school, her great grandparents lived locally on Emerald street. “Being able to drive through town and
1916 - 1969
2.
Grutzik found that she could bond with her great grandparents by having the opportunity to attend the same school as them
see a house that your great grandpa lived in and that your great great grandpa built reinforces the sense of belonging,” Grutzik’s mother, Cindy Grutzik said. “It is really fun to come back ‘home’ and go through the full cycle of generations.” Grutzik thinks that this “surprise opportunity” of her family relocating back to Redondo Beach has resulted in her being closer to both her great grandfather, who passed away in 2003, and her great grandmother, who passed away before Grutzik was born. “Unfortunately, [my great grandmother] passed away before I was born, but it was super fun hearing stories from my great grandpa,” Grutzik said. Mrs. Grutzik also enjoyed the relationship her grandpa and daughter were able to form through these stories. “He used to tell us this story about a flagpole that used to be in front of the high school that had a cone shaped slope around it,” Mrs. Grutzik said. “He took his old Model-T and drove it around and around and around up the slope until the car crashed.” Grutzik also thinks that she and her great grandfather have formed a special bond as a
PHOTOS COURTESY OF PETRA GRUTZIK
Old fashioned. 1. Grutzik’s Great Grandma poses in 1922 on the old RUHS campus. 2. Half of Grutzik’s great grandpa’s graduating class of 1922. Hhe is circled on the bottom row.
result of attending the same school. She feels that this bond would not have been formed under different circumstances. “I think we formed a bond because while the campus is completely different now, we talked about the same type of experiences,” she said. “If I had gone to a different school,
I don’t think I would have had the chance to hear his stories about when he was in high school.” As a result of the prominence RUHS has in her family heritage, Grutzik feels that she has more school spirit. “It makes me proud to be a Sea Hawk,” Grutzik said. Mrs. Grutzik is also grateful for this opportunity for her daughter. “Everybody enjoys a sense of belonging somewhere and I think that them attending the same school reinforces that sense of belonging in a town and being part of a com-
15 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES
Pirouette to perfection
Zoerner shares her experience with the stress and the high expectations of a ballerina
by Grace Zoerner
The broken toenails don’t bother me. Neither do the blisters from my tightly laced ballet shoes. The bruises, the knots worked into my back, the persistent soreness residing in my hip sockets -- these things are fleeting. I may complain, but I deal with it. I soak my feet in epsom salt. I bandage and
rebandage my toes. I take scalding showers to alleviate the pain saturating my muscles. This is simply the life I have chosen as a ballerina, and I have long since accepted these things. I am only aggravated by the public’s obliviousness towards them. Most people do not understand that
Hip-Hop connections by Chance King
Dancing has the power to bring people together, and to communicate emotion through a language that is universal and without pretense. Seniors Eliza Gray and Caitie Lowkeen, whom have been dancing since they were children, understand this power better than most. Lowkeen has been involved in dancing since the age of six and feels her passion has always been with her. “I've always just had a love for dance since I was little. My mom would tell me that whenever I heard music, I would just start dancing.” Gray and Lowkeen are both very active in hip-hop dance teams such as New Era Kids, and have performed and competed in front of audiences both at school and abroad, bringing them face to face with many of their dancing idols. Gray also performs other forms of dance, such as interpretive dance, but although the style of these two girls are different, neither can deny the energy and emotion they get from dancing. “I am always nervous at first, but when the crowds in the stands start clapping, the
16 HIGH TIDE . FEATURES
butterflies go away and the adrenaline rush hits. I cannot describe how amazing performing feels,” Gray said. “My blood starts pumping and my heart beats faster. The feeling is exactly the same every performance, and I will never forget the first time I felt it. In my eyes, that is what makes dancing so fun, it channels that rush of emotions going through your body,” Dancing is more than just their own personal thrill, and it has brought Gray and Lowkeen close to the people that they dance with and opened them up to new experiences. The girls agree that transmitting themselves through their dancing is what forms tight bonds between dancers as well as the connection between them and the audience. “When people connect through dance, it is like everyone unites their energy and forms one giant connection; because although all dancers have a different styles, when they come together, they look united as one,” Gray said. It’s this unity that Gray and Lowkeen believe is what makes dancing such a passion for them. Both girls have formed special bonds with their dance partners that make
when a ballet dancer is onstage, she only tells you lies. She cloaks the literal blood, sweat, and tears put into her performance with sequined tulle. She is a credible bluff of perfection, simply because the alternative would horrify her audience. Let me enlighten you: Her leg does not simply float beside her head. Her leaps do not naturally reach such heights. She has spent countless hours in the ballet studio manipulating her body to move in the most unnatural ways -- and believe me, that is even less pleasant than it sounds. But she wouldn’t dare show you any of this. Do not believe the tranquil, effortless look painted on her face; beneath it lies more pain than most could imagine. Ballet idolizes perfection. As a ballet dancer, I have had it drilled into my head from childhood that I cannot be anything less than perfect. Any of my flaws must be smoothed out, and banished. As a result, I look in the mirror and I only see the imperfections. People wonder why the stereotypical ballerina is manifested through a prissy girl with her shoulders thrown back and her eyes raised to the sky. We just cannot afford to look down. The minute I dedicated my life to ballet, I sold my soul to the long, taxing, arduous effort of becoming a professional ballet dancer. I attempt to be more perfect than
the thousands of other perfect girls (and boys) competing for the same position in the same ballet company. Success means glory and bragging rights, the two most important things to any ballet dancer, and failure is simply not an option. I’ve known this since I was seven years old, and yet I have pursued this career my entire life. Frankly, I’m either delusional -- though adults like to call it “dedicated” -- or there is some underlying cause that prompted me, along with so many other aspiring ballerinas, to believe that I alone have a chance. I’d like to think it’s the latter, and anyone who has ever been onstage would agree with me. I live for my ballet performances. Under the harsh stage lights I can truly let go, surrender myself to the music, and dance from within. Performances from this special, one2. of-a-kind connection between dancer and onlooker that is indescribable. The stage is full of energy. It is rejuvenating. It makes me hopeful. So when I am onstage, I will gladly tell those aforementioned lies. I will adorn myself with sequins and smiles if it means that I do not let my audience down. What do a few blisters on my toes matter? If my dancing can communicate happiness and joy to hundreds of people, even for just a moment, then that is my priority.
Gray and Lowkeen are passionate about dancing and it brings them closer together them like a “second family” and have the utmost respect and admiration for them. “Well, through dancing, I've met some of my closest friends, as well as the people who I look up to in the dance community. Everyone is so close with each other because we spend so much time together at practices , we all bond and we become really close,” Lowkeen said. On a larger scale, Gray and Lowkeen think that dance is a way for people to be happy and to express happiness. They believe that their dancing allows them to forget stress and worry, and neither is about to give it up any time soon. “I hope to continue dancing for the rest of my life because dance has been such a big part of my life so to just give it up at some point in my life would be like I'm missing a piece of me,” Lowkeen said. Gray and Lowkeen have found themselves through the art of dance, which undoubtedly has taught them how to be happy and successful in their lives. “Dance connects people and many of my friends I have met through dance. I like that each dancer has their own style and no dancer has a groove exactly the same as an-
PHOTO COURTESEY OF ELIZA GRAY
Dancing Queens. During rehearsal the New Era dance club does not hesitate strike a pose and showcase their moves.
other. In my eyes, that is what makes dance so beautiful and powerful,” Gray said. The bonds and experiences that Gray and Lowkeen have gained through dance is as uplifting and as universal as movement. “[Dancing] allows people to spend time and have fun with others. It's also a way to form new friendships with others because they will share an interest,” Lowkeen said. “ Basically, I think dance just makes people feel happy and open to things in life so it brings them together,”
by Laura Smith
Twins are often thought of as a unit. No differences, individual personalities or appearances. Two siblings with extremely similar personas form unique bond from birth. However, the Bodkin twins, Elena and Emily, kicked this stereotype to the side and gave “twins” a whole new meaning, being completely unique instead. Although they have very similar appearances, Emily finds that her relationship with her sister does not fit the twin stereotype. “People usually stereotype twins into guys or girls that have the same eyes, the same hair and the same personality and are totally creepy like the ones in The Shining movie,” Emily said. “We like totally different things. Elena likes dance and I love music” They’re quite different in all aspects of their lives, including fashion. At school Emily is a member in marching band and Elena is a part of the dance guard team. “I always want to dress nicely for school and wear something cute that expresses my style while Emily just throws on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt” Elena said. According to Elena, she and Emily have serious differences in their characteristics as well. “I’m a little more organized and Emily is an explosion” Elena said. “I always have all my homework neatly piled on my dresser in separate files for each class. Emily has hers everywhere around the house.” Emily agrees that personality-wise they have a lot of differences. “We’re different in how we act around people. While I am more crazy and social
1.
2. PHOTOS BY CEDRIC HYON
Talented Twins. 1. Elena at dance guard with a practice saber to strengthn her skills and flexibility 2. Emily at band practice rehearsing for the next performance with her piccolo.
with people, Elena is usually shy and reserved,” Emily said. To the Bodkin twins, being different yet identical definitely has its benefits. “We love being different from each other. Since siblings are constantly compared
with each other anyway, being twins makes it even worse,” Emily said. “By having our own sets of friends, different classes and different styles, it’s less stressful and stops our teachers and friends from comparing us.” Elena finds that it’s important for twins
too be seen as individuals rather than a unit. “We do like being different because instead of being just “the twins” and called without our names, we are our own person and people recognize us by our personalities rather than our looks,” Elena said. Elena also finds that being a twin has specific benefits that other siblings would not have the privilege to. “Because of our differences we have become a lot closer than “normal” sisters would be. I can talk to her about anything and she won’t push me aside and say ‘you’re too young to ask me this’ or be too young to understand anything,” Elena said. As identical twins, the girls have some unique advantages most siblings don’t have. “Advantages to having a twin is you can make her put an outfit on and automatically see how it will look on you, getting help with homework questions, and always having them there when you need her”. Elena said. Thier differences however, do not take away the unique bond that all twins share. “Just because we have different preferences doesn’t mean that we cut each other off completely,” Emily said. “We are each other’s own best friend. We are always there for each other.” Elena strongly agrees that being a twin rather than just a sister makes her relationship with Emily even closer. “She helps comfort and console me, and knows how to help me because she knows everything about me, like what my favorite tea is or my favorite tv show and other things like those.”
17 HIGH TIDE
.
Best of both worlds
Bodkins break identical twin stereotypes with their unique styles and extra curricular activities
FEATURES
Sail Away by Kayla Maanum
1. Smooth sailing. 1. Smith and Stephanoff competing in one of the many races of the year. 2. Stephanoff and Smith spend “almost 90 percent of [their] time together” when they are not sailing. PHOTO 1 COURTESY OF HAILEY SMITH. PHOTO 2 BY DEBORAH CHANG.
2.
“3,2,1, roll!” freshman Emi Stephanoff shouts. She and her teammate, junior Hailey Smith, lean on the boat’s rails, then simultaneously jump to the other side, performing what is called “roll tacking” as the cool wind buffets the sails. Their effective communication comes naturally, as hours on and off the water has formed a strong bond between each other, and the rest of their teammates. “On the water it’s pretty serious, and then off the water, we spend so much time together [we’ve become] a family,” Smith said. Schuman agrees that the team members are like “brothers and sisters.” This relationship also helps the team’s performances in regattas, or races. “The way we communicate we get to know each other a lot better, so it makes communication easier [on the water]. If Emi and I are in the boat, she can say ‘do the thing’ and I’ll know exactly what she’s talking about,” Smith said.
Emi Stephanoff and Hailey Smith form strong bonds through sail team.
Throughout the year, the team races in five competitions, travelling as far as San Francisco and San Diego. Their weekend-long competitions allow them to bond, but also show the physical demands of the sport. Their teammate, sophomore Angela Stuckey, knows how taxing sailing is. “I play softball and we do hard workouts three days a week. Sailing regatta is way more tiring. It’s such a bigger workout,” Stuckey said. Smith also dismissed the view that sailing is a “leisurely activity” and characterizes the sport as unique because of the different experience each presents. “[Each race] is never the same situation. Every location is different. The conditions- the wind and the currentare always different,” Smith said. Because every sail on the water is different, the two teammates on the boat must be able to fully trust each other during the 15-30 minute regattas against 30 other schools. Stuckey added that, unlike other sports, sailing requires more independent and strategic thinking when sail-
ing on the 13-foot Flying Junior (FJ) boats. “You learn all these skills, and in these regattas, that’s when you have to use your knowledge. It’s not somebody telling you how the wind is coming. You have to figure it out yourself,” she said. The team, which started in 2003 and consists of 15 members, hopes to demonstrate the progress they’ve made at their next competition in Monterey. In addition to being a sport she enjoys during the school year, Stuckey says that the people and being out on the ocean can make it a lifelong obsession. “[Sailing] is a whole different world compared to other sports. [It’s something] you can do until you die,” Stuckey said. Stephanoff and Smith are dedicated to their sailing team, and agree that the bonds they have formed through the sport is worth the time spent. “I’m closer with the people on my team than with anybody else, It’s much different than anything else,” Smith said.
Katie Blann finds her passion in rowing by Micah Ezzes
As the team rows through the water, oars beating in rhythmic harmony, junior Katie Blann feels like she could do this forever. Blann rows for the Marina Aquatic Center, or MAC. While there are teams of various sizes and various styles, the rowing technique is usually the same, according to Blann. “It’s basically like doing a squat over and over again, but with a lot of technique,” she said. “A lot of people think that [a rower] rows with just [his or her] arms, but the arms are used very little in comparison to the legs.” A sport like rowing is very team-oriented, according to Blann. Each rower needs to work in rhythm in order to maximize speed in races that can be up to six kilometers. As a result, the team is very tight-knit, says Blann. “You have to be able to trust everyone in your boat so when race time comes, everyone will have each other’s back and be willing to pull as hard as they can,” she said,
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“We are all very close. [The members of my team] are my best friends, and I know that I can trust them to have my back.” Blann first got the idea to begin rowing last year after moving to California from Wyoming, which are “two completely different places.” She initially was looking for an alternative sport to skiing, which she often did in Wyoming. “You need a lot of leg muscles for both rowing and skiing, so they are similar in that way,” she said. “We have a family friend who rows for UCLA, so she was the one who suggested that me and my sister should try it.” Blann discovered rowing just within the last year, but she has already gone to nationals in a doubles boat, a boat shared by two people. “It was a surreal experience, but I had a lot of fun,” Blann Said. She also has made the junior national development team, which she spent a third of her summer rowing for in Connecticut. She intends to make “worlds”, or the world tournament for rowing, by next year. She appreciates the recognition she is getting for
PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK
Perfect synch. Blann (first oar), rows with her Marine Aquatic Center team.
her success. “It feels good to put in all that work and get recognition for it,” she said. Throughout the year, Blann has become increasingly dedicated to her work. “I have never worked as hard for any-
thing as I have for rowing, but I love it,” Blann said. Through it all, Blann has learned a lot about herself and others as well. “I’ve learned respect for the sport and the people who do it. I love it [all], and it makes me want to work harder,” Blann said.
Going against the flow Perry Corkos and Hali Honea are dedicated to outrigger canoeing.
by Kira Bowen
She makes a successful tight, quick turn through the water and wins her first canoe race and it is the most “all around-rad” feeling. Sophomore Hali Honea puts herself to the ultimate test of teamwork and coordination while canoeing with the Lanakila Outrigger Canoe Club (LOCC) along with junior Perry Corkos. According to Honea cooperating with teammates and being in synchronization is the best way to achieve the common goal of victory. “I learned that you really have to trust your other crew members and believe in them. Otherwise it won’t be a fun experience and you might not do very well in races,” she said. Corkos also acknowledges the importance of teamwork in order to make the race go as quickly and swiftly as possible. “Teamwork is a big thing because we are always working together, if just one guy is off, everyone is thrown off,” he said. To Honea, it is not only easy to work together with canoers on her team, but she also enjoys her experience because of the strong bond she shares with her teammates. “ I had a lot of fun with [LOCC] because I was doing it with many of my friends like Emma Waldinger and Keely Fillman,” Honea said. “I’m just glad that my friends persuaded me to do it and that I got to experience true teamwork.” Corkos feels that in the water within the action of racing is the best time for bonding with his teammates. “It’s just a lot of fun because in the races,
I feel closest with all the guys in the boat,” he said. Canoeing has made Honea and Corkos physically and mentally stronger, especially upper body strength, because of the amount of work it takes to be an affective canoer. “It really builds arm strength. Practice can get tiring, but overall it’s a great experience,” Honea said. “Canoeing was a good summer sport for me [in addition to] surfing and Junior Guards. It definitely kept my arms in check.” Since the workload for the athletes is so demanding Corkos recognizes the importance of keeping himself and his teammates on top of each other because in this sport every individual is dependent on his teammates. “We work as a team by making sure we’re all training and making sure we’re all paddling on time with each other,” he said. “We go to practices two to three times a week that are about two hours long and on the side I do pushups and situps” Though Honea is beyond willing to put in her full effort, she doubted her ability in her first race because of her lack of experience with canoeing. “Prior to it I was super nervous because I’d never done one before and most people in my crew were pretty experienced. Once we went around the first of three turns I started to feel extra confident that we could win.” Honea was torn between canoeing and the sport that she loves: surfing. Ultimately, Honea decided to stick with canoeing. “I didn’t think that I could choose. I have been surfing for many years now, and I’ve
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Row,row,row. 1. Corkos (front) competing in a local outrigger race. 2. Honea (left) and Corkos (right) posing with one of their paddles. PHOTO 1 COURTESY OF PERRY CORKOS. PHOTO 2 BY DEBORAH CHANG.
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only done Lanakila for one, but they’re both rewarding in their own ways. I just love being on the ocean as much as I can,” she said. Corkos is a little more experienced, being with the group for about two years, but he still takes pride of his team’s many successes and feels that it is beyond worth it. “Winning feels like everything you’ve been working for pays off and it feels really good,” Corkos said. With perseverance and hard work the Lanakila team managed to win many competitions, including two in Long Beach and Santa Barbara. Though Honea is satisfied with her achievements she wishes to travel with the team. “It is mostly for fun, but now that I think about it, it would be totally rad for me and my crew to travel to Hawaii for some races
like the adults [of the team],” she said. Honea has realized how much canoeing has benefitted her life, and how much she has learned being on the water. “I have been able to experience true teamwork. I also learned that you really have to trust your other crew members and believe in them. It’s quite rewarding though, when you make a successfully tight, quick turn or win your first race. It was all-around rad,” Honea said. To Honea,the combination of the ocean, her friends, and canoeing is nothing but bliss. “I like being with my friends and being out on the water. It’s so crazy that I can workout on the water with my friends. I’m already looking forward to next season,” Honea said.
Playing In the sand Abril Bustamante commits to play beach volleyball for USC. by Jené Price
With the option to play beach or indoor volleyball at many colleges, junior Abril Bustamante has made a decision that most juniors haven’t: where she is going to college. This summer Bustamante committed to playing sand volleyball for USC. “USC has always been my dream school,” Bustamante said.”When I started looking
1. A day at the beach. 1. Bustamante serving at a local beach volleyball tournment. 2. Bustamante focuses and saves a ball. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ABRIL BUSTAMANTE.
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into it I thought about different colleges like Pepperdine, but when I took my visit to USC I fell in love with it.” On the morning of her 16th birthday Abril found out that USC was officially accpeting her, and her club coach, Joy Fuerbringer told her to call the USC coach. Bustamante became overwhelmed with happiness. “I almost cried,” Bustamante said. “It was my birthday and my coach told me to call the USC coach and when I did she offered me a scholarship. I was so happy.” When Bustamante’s mother, Mireia Bustamante, found out, she too was very emotional. “I was very excited and happy for her. We got a little emotional,” Mrs. Bustamante said. Bustamante has been playing indoor volleyball for a while now but is making the decision to not play club this year in order to
be more prepared for the upcoming beach volleyball season. Depspite this, Bustamante still feels strong for the upcoming school season. “I just want to focus on getting better and stronger for beach. I am still playing high school,” Bustamante said. Bustamante’s coach is saddened that they are losing Abril in indoor volleyball, but they are excited that she is going to get to play for USC. “Abril is a very good indoor player and we will be losing her from our club team but I believe beach is the right fit for her,” Feurbringer said. Bustamante is happy that all of her hard work payed off and that she gets to go to the school of her dreams. “I just want to thank everybody that helped me with my recruiting process and I am so excited to go to the school of my dreams,” Bustamante said.
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Running through it all
Senior Will Tait sees his commitment to cross country as a fight for his teammates. by Laura Smith
PHOTOS BY JUSTIN LEE
No pain, no gain. 1.Senior Will Tait runs full speed ahead at the Great Cow Run. 2. Tait leads the pack while climbing a hill during the first Bay League meet this year, at PV.
He’s gasping for breath, pushing through the pain, exhaustion creeping in, but never stopping until the heels of his feet cross the finish line. For four years now, senior Will Tait has dedicated his time and energy to Redondo’s cross country and track team. He has found the motivation to keep running from many places. “My two biggest sources of inspiration are my competitors and my teammates,” Tait said. “I always remind myself that there are plenty of people working just as hard as I am to run the times I want, so I can never let up on training if I want to stay ahead.” This season Tait was chosen by coach Bob Leetch to be one of the cross country captains, because of his positive influence and dedication to the team. “He’s a cheerleader and just wants to inspire everybody,” Leetch said.
Tait has had several accomplishments throughout his running career in high school. “My proudest accomplishment was at the first race of my junior year, where I ran a 14:57 [3 mile] at the first meet of our season,” Tait said. “It was a great opener to a breakthrough season where I helped the team to a 3rd place finish at the state meet.” Tait sees cross country as a vigorous and intense sport, despite false perceptions. “People like to bag on cross country because it’s “just running” but it’s so much more than that. It’s mathematical, strategic, passionate, and hard as hell,” Tait said. No matter the amount of pain he’s put through, Tait continues to persist and keeps on running. “I’ll be honest: I feel terrible when I race. No matter how fit you are, breaking a 5-minute mile 3 times in a row is very, very painful,” Tait said. “But that’s the key part of the sport. Success is measured by who can
hurt the most and still run the fastest.” Besides his persistent attitude and determination, Tait is described as having the “whole package”. “He’s constantly trying to uplift everyone around him. Through the way he acts, the way he conducts himself, I think he rubs off on people”. Leetch said. Coach Bob Leetch has watched Will Tait mature over the four years on the team and is very proud of his progress. “He’s matured into not just a defined student, but a fine athlete,” Leetch said. Tait plans to end the season on a very positive note, by using his teammates as his reason to keep on running. “When I remember those other guys are working just as hard as I am for the team, it really gives me something to fight for,” Tait said. “If you think I’m going to train for months and race to exhaustion for 3 miles just for you to pass me in the last half-mile, you’d better be Dustin Herold.”
golf takes a toll after facing against improved and stronger Girls golf loses to West Girls players from West. by Romy Moreno
In this past Tuesday’s match, the girls fell short and were unable to beat West High School, falling 19 points behind. “The West players improved tremendously compared to last year,” sophomore Carlin Liang said. “Even though we did do much better than usual, our abilities were slightly lower than the West players. “ Junior Yasmine Ghazvini has similar thoughts. “We heard that West got a new player that is supposed to be extremely good and a player that has drastically improved, so we were not expecting an automatic win, but we were going to try our best and see what happened,” Ghazvini said. According to some of the players, not executing some of their putts and shots was the most exasperating factor of Tuesday’s match. “Missing putts and shots really frustrated
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some of us,” Liang said. “If we would have just stayed calm and focused, our mistakes definitely would not have affected us nearly as much as it actually did.” However, the girls still feel as if they had a highly respectable game. “Our team was highly competitive and had a decent day, but West High just had players that were shooting lower [better] than us which gave them the overall advantage,” Ghazvini said. Since golf is a sport based solely on an individual’s sole performance, the girls each have their own personal goals for the upcoming match against Chadwick High School on Tuesday Oct. 8th. Liang plans on merely constantly shooting in the 40’s, as she has been this past week to further better her game and just like the rest of the team has high hopes for there upcoming match. “We are going to play very well in our upcoming match, especially because we al-
PHOTO BY JUSTIN LEE
ways improving and I truly think that all of our hard work is going to pay off,” junior Mamika Toyoshima said.
Lead-in. Junior Yasmine Ghazvini sets up a shot at West last Tuesday. The girls believed that they played better than they usually do, but they still lost to West by nineteer points.
The comeback kids
The football team sealed a late rally in the fourth quarter with an interception to steal a 25-24 victory from San Pedro. by Eli Jarmel
PHOTO BY MATT MARDESICH
Keep the play alive. Senior quarterback Harrison Faecher scrambles against San Pedro.
The football team rallied from a 12 point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat San Pedro 25-24 last Friday night. Down 17-7 at half-time, the team realized they had to play with more discipline and effort to come back in the second half. “We didn’t know what to expect from San Pedro,” senior quarterback Harrison Faecher said. “At half time we realized [that] we have to fight against [San Pedro to get the win].” A safety forced by sophomore defensive end Cedric Muzik in the third quarter provided a lift for the team’s defensive unit and ended up being the difference in the one point victory. “The safety by Cedric Muzik was the turning point in the game,” senior defensive lineman Harry Whitson said. “After that, the defense started doing their jobs instead of trying to make plays.” A touchdown by San Pedro and a Redondo field goal set the stage for the fourth quarter comeback. As San Pedro shifted their focus to stopping Redondo’s running backs, Faecher took advantage with two touchdowns on quarterback runs, including the 25-yard game-winning touchdown with 3:46 left in the game. “Our offense is designed for an athletic quarterback to take advantage when teams focus in on the running backs,” Faecher said regarding his two fourth quarter touch-
downs. The next San Pedro drive stalled with about a minute to go as defensive back Salesi Fifita intercepted a desperation pass on 4th and 10 to seal the comeback victory for Redondo. “It was a great win.” Faecher said. “It was one of the greatest [wins] of my career.” The team will now take the momentum from last Friday’s win into Bay League games, beginning next week when Peninsula (2-2) comes to Sea Hawk Bowl for Homecoming. “It was good to get momentum going into the bye week and Bay League [season],” Whitson said. “Knowing we can beat a team like San Pedro that plays like Palos Verdes and Mira Costa gives me confidence.” With a 4-1 record, expectations are high for Bay League and a potential CIF playoff berth. “The whole team’s goal is to ultimately win CIF but first we have to win Bay League,” Faecher said. “We have the best 22 [starters] in Bay League. We just have to keep doing what we do.” Faecher credited the offensive line with his success in Redondo’s 4-1 start. “[The offensive line] has been great all year only giving up one sack in five games. They don’t get a lot of the credit and attention they deserve,” Faecher said. Whitson has confidence that his team has the ability and chemistry to take the Bay League crown.
Girls’ volleyball wins, tends to old wounds They get a win against South, and now has time to recuperate from injuries for their next match. by Caitlin Cochran
The girls’ volleyball team swept South Torrance High School on Tuesday, winning 25-19, 25-12, and 25-11. “Going into the game we knew it was their first home game so we wanted it to be a good game,” senior Marissa Mitter said. “I think we did really well as a team and everyone got a chance to play.” Junior Abril Bustamante missed a few games due to an abdominal tear which was a big loss for the team, but she came back in this game ready to play. “We love having her on the court,” Mitter said. “She motivates us with her competitive attitude.” The girls havs been working hard in preparation for League according to junior Hayes Honea. “We have started each game really well and we have really picked up our defense, which we have been practicing a lot,” she
said. The team was able to consistently keep the lead from the beginning, according to ustamante. “I’m extremely happy with the teams performance,” Bustamante said. “We came out very strong from point one and did not let up the whole game. Junior Yazzie Bedart-Ghani has been sitting out because of transfer eligibility reasons but she will play in their next game against Palos Verdes Peninsula high school on Tuesday. “We are really excited that Yazzie will be playing with us in the next game after sitting out for a while,” Mitter said. Senior Leilani Martinez is currently out due to a possible labrum tear in her hip so it is unclear when she will return. The team is very excited to start league and they are ready to win despite past injuries, according to Mitter. “We are really excited to get our season
PHOTO BY DANIEL ZIEGLER
Keep the play alive. Senior Abril Bustamante dives for a ball earlier this year at Mater Dei.
going in league and we are excited to have most of our players back and ready to play,” Mitter said. The team is also looking toward the future and know that if they tackle the challenge of winning league they will be on their
way to accomplishing their goals for this season, according to Bustamante. “I am so excited for league to start,” Bustamante said. “We all want to win league so bad because it will make us one step closer winning CIF and the state championship.”
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Boys’ XC runs hard but cannot pull win Boys’ cross country lost in a close race at Palos Verdes last week, despite hard work all season. by Ted Cavus
Last Friday, boys’ cross country fell short in close meet at Palos Verdes 40-40 in their Bay League course near the high school, but their sixth man fell short to PV’s man. The loss did not affect their mental stature. “Initially we were upset but it’s really a learning experience. The next [meets] are more important. If we can get our team together and run together we’ll be able to do greater things,” junior Carlos Suarez said. The course had an effect on the runners and it “mentally psyched out our team,” according to Suarez. “The loss is more mental. If you let the mentality get to you, the course gets to you,” Suarez said. The course contained hills, which did not help, but their main weakness was not running in a pack. “We all came in together but our players fell behind,” Suarez said. The team plans to rebound at the next meet. “Mentally we still need to get tougher and trust our fitness. We need to remain in packs. If you run in a pack it motivates you. If you have your teammates around you it motivates you,” Suarez said. The team has big goals for this season. “The team is looking good. We want
PHOTO BY TYLER EINSENHART
to win league and hopefully win state. We probably have the best team in Redondo’s history,” Suarez said. Seniors Dustin Herold and Will Tait ran well in the race. “Will and I held the race for the first two miles, but then our team fell apart,” Tait said. Herold has similar opinions about the race. “I think our top three ran to their potential and fourth and fifth didn’t run to their potential. I think we could’ve won if our team ran correctly. Our fourth and fifth guys
should’ve been more up. They could’ve performed better than they did,” Herold said. Similar to Suarez, he believes pack-running is a problem. “I feel like our strength is that we run well as a team, but our weakness is we fall apart sometimes and fall behind,” Herold said. Herold plans to keep “training hard and racing [and start] winning every race.” This race didn’t affect him too much. “We were pretty disappointed with the loss but knowing our team didn’t run to our
Working hard. The boys’ cross country team runs in their first Bay League race.
potential, I know we can come back,” Herold said. Their upcoming race is in Arizona at the Desert Twilight meet. Herold calls it a “make it or break it meet” and hopes to pull out with a win in Arizona. After the Desert Twilight meet, boys’ cross country has the Fresno Clovis Invitational next Saturday.
Tennis loses to Palos Verdes after struggling with injuries Girls’ tennis handles their loss after setbacks from injured starting player sophomore Emily Zargham. by Romy Moreno
In yesterday’s match against Palos Verdes, the girls’ tennis team lost 12-6. Due to the fact that sophomore Emily Zargham, who was on the number one doubles team is now injuried, number two singles player, junior Allegra Peelor, had to step up and play on the number one doubles team alongside senior Erin Shy. “We definitely are not as strong without Emily due to the fact that the lineup had to change a lot,” sophomore Isabella Guzman said. Senior Sarah Antilla had similar thoughts as well. “We are definitely weaker without Emily but I still feel as if we are doing fine even with the changes,” Antilla said. One of the changes includes having junior Katherine Chang play number three singles. “Considering that these players had to rise to the occasion, I feel that they did perfectly fine,” senior Deborah Chang said. However, going into the match, the play-
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ers did not have the highest of hopes. “Bay League is one of the best leagues around so we weren’t exactly expecting to win,” Chang said, “but we actually were expecting to lose by a large margin due to the fact that the schools on the hill always play extremely well.” Since the team did not end up losing by a large amount, the girls were happy with their results. “We were still pleased with our outcome because we did not lose by nearly much as we were expecting,” Antilla said. According to the girls, Palos Verdes was a lot better than previous years and their team consisted of upperclassen, which gave them an advantage. “I believe that the P.V. team has more upperclassmen on their roster, which means they are more experienced but at the end of the day, we just need to work harder,” Guzman said. The team is hoping to improve for their upcoming game against North Torrance. “We’re still working out our kinks due to the changes but everyone is very supportive,
PHOTO BY DEBORAH CHANG
Hard ball. Sophomore Kate Rourke hits a forehand in a game against Peninsula on Tuesday.
flexible and its great that everyone is contributing,” Chang said. The team hopes that they will be able to
pull out a win against North on Monday despite having some starters out with injuries.
Boys’ waterpolo keeps head high The team loses to Palos Verdes, but remains in high hopes after what they consider a strong week. by Micah Ezzes
The boys’ water polo team lost to Palos Verdes on Wednesday 13-8. Prior to the game, senior Sanjay Mahboobani believed that this would be a mental game as much as it would be a physical one. It would also be a game in which the team would “have to stick to the game plan.” “A lot of this game is going to be mental,” he said before the start of the game. “We need to have a competitive attitude. If we show true grit and character, we’ll be able to pull out a win.” The loss puts the team’s record at 10-2. Senior Jonathan Ortiz thinks that the team still played well despite the loss. “A lot of of my teammates stepped up on offense, since I was double-teamed,” he said, “but [Palos Verdes is] a very good team and we couldn’t quite pull through.” Although the team did well overall, there is still room for improvement, though, says senior Lucas Duffy. “Our offense seemed a little frustrated because they weren’t getting the ball much,” he said. “We also lacked the confidence to finish some of our shots.” The loss has put no damper on the team’s
motivation, says Ortiz. He believes that an emotional win in overtime on Tuesday against El Segundo has kept the team in high hopes. “The loss [today] doesn’t take away from [Tuesday’s win] at all,” Ortiz said. “We worked really hard for that win and it was really big for our team. We had opportunities [on Wednesday], but didn’t execute as well as we wanted to.” During the game against El Segundo, the team had two goals called back, and managed to come back and win in overtime. The team’s combined effort was what got them the win, and Mahboobani believes that the team’s ability to work together has kept them strong. “We showed great character during the game [on Tuesday], especially when the there was an error at the officials box,” he said. As for PV, the team expects to be more prepared for the next time they play each other, says senior Lucas Duffy. “The game may have hurt our confidence a little bit,” he said, “but we got some insight into how to beat them next time.” The team’s next game will be against Culver City at home, on Monday, Oct. 7.
PHOTO BY LINDSEY PANNOR
Splish Splash. An RUHS player guards the PV player as he attempts to make a pass to his teammate on Wedensday.
Dance Guard earns fourth place at West competition
Dance Guard placed fourth in their competition on Saturday at West. The team is happy about their performance but hopes to keep improving throughout the outdoor competition season, according to the coach and team members. by Stella Gianoukakis
Dance guard leapt and twirled into fourth place at Saturday’s competition at West. The dance guard coach Sarah Slemmons believes it was an “excellent performance” by the team for their first competition, but there were definitely aspects of the show that could be improved upon. “We marched an incomplete show, meaning there were parts where band played but Dance Guard didn’t have choreography there, so that doesn’t help towards to overall score,” Slemmons said. She, however, was quite pleased with the team’s execution. “This is the first year in my five years as the coach that I have had a team perform with such precision and look as polished as they did at their first competition,” Slemmons said. Captain Jullianna Kadel agrees that the team performed well and says that she can really see the team achieving great things later on in the season. They, however, need to continue practicing and improving their timing. “We just need to keep working on our
synchronicity, which will come with more practice,” Kadel said. Slemmons acknowledges that improvements can be made, including working on timing, but the team also definitely has strengths that will help them be successful. “Their strength is their dance technique and movement abilities. It’s far beyond a lot of the schools we see in this competition circuit,” Slemmons said. “Their dance strengths are definitely showcased in the Ballad, the second movement of the show, where the girls dance with their flamenco skirts.” Kadel is “mostly concerned with [the team] continually progressing upwards” with their scores and has high goals for the season. “I really want to prove that in this bigger division our smaller team is just as capable or even stronger than those with 30 or more members. Also, scoring high in championships would be fantastic,” Kadel said. Slemmons also has expectations from the team and specific goals. “My goals for the team this season are to continue to build upon their score so that every competition we see the score reflect
their improvements on the show, to be confident going into every performance and to get the bid to championships in November,” Slemmons said. Kadel feels that the team has some work to do to get better. “I’m mostly concerned with us just continually progressing upwards with our scores
from where we are today, and eventually landing first place is for sure a goal that I have for us. I just really want to prove that in this bigger division our smaller team is just as capable or even stronger than those with 30 or more members. Also, scoring high in championships would be fantastic,” Kadel said.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN LEE
Power of dance. Dance Guard performs at Redondo’s football game agianst San Pedro.
23 HIGH TIDE . SPORTS
Pound for pound by Jason Clebowicz
Four foot eleven. Seventy-two point six pounds. Not what you expect from a highly competitive Tae Kwon Do black belt. Freshman Luigi Lopez is anything but your ordinary RUHS student. Lopez has been practicing Tae Kwon Do since a young age, and has continuously gorwn as he grew older. “I started practicing because my sister did Tae Kwon Do, but never thought much about it. I just stuck with it and became more and more competitive. Now it’s my passion,” Lopez said. Luigi competed in the 2013 national championships in Chicago and earned a silver medal. “I went through a series of difficult fights until I reached the finals. Unfortunately, in the second round of my final fight, I was knocked down with a hard blow in my right eye,” he said. “Even though it wasn’t the result I was expecting, I used it as boost and motivation to learn from my mistakes and to train even harder.” Lopez’s passion for Tae Kwon Do runs in the family. His father was a coach at Salim in Carson, where he first started to practice. Lopez considers his dad his biggest inspiration and fan. “I am constantly inspired by my dad. He is my coach as well as my father. He’s been training me in and out of the dojo for eight years now. We’ve done almost everything together,” Lopez said. Every day after school he drives over to
Inspired by his family, freshman Luigi Lopez constantly improves his character and physique through Tae Kwon Do.
Quest, a dojo in Redondo Beach. He always looking to improve his game. “Everyday after school I could be watching television or lying in bed, but I choose to practice Tae Kwon Do. I think that’s what separates a committed athlete from a student who does a sport twice a week for P.E. credit,” Lopez said. Lopez’s favorite part is racking up as many points as he can during his matches. “While I’m fighting the most fun part is getting as much points as I can by striking either in the body or face. You get two points for a body kick and three points for a head kick, so I try to get as much as I can,” Lopez said. Lopez uses his weight to his advantage. He competes in the Fin class of Tae Kwon Do, which is the lightest weight class. “I’m somewhat taller than people in my class, but I’m still short. I’d rather compete in the lighter class. That way, I have a slight height supremacy while still being agile and energy efficient,” Lopez said. Lopez is influenced by his sport and religion. He prays on a daily basis and before his fights for good luck. “Every night before I go to bed I pray for a good school day and a good day of training. I also pray before matches for a good fight and for strength to win,” Lopez said. Tae Kwon Do has a strong foundation of morals, which Lopez follows faithfully. “I believe in a lot of morals like self – confidence, modesty, indomitable spirit,and etiquette,” Lopez said. “These morals make me who I am.”
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Work hard, play hard. 1. Lopez practices a block in the miror to make sure his form is correct. 2, 3. Lopez works at his dojo, Quest, in Redondo Beach. 4. Lopez competes in a 2013 national competition held in Chicago. Photos 1,2,3 by Cedric Hyon. Photo 4 courtesy of Luigi Lopez.
Spicker continues passion in gymnastics
by Cedric Hyon
As she waits by her beam, her nerves wrack and her hands sweat. She takes a deep breath, lands on the hard mat and salutes the judges. Sophomore Sara Spicker does competitive gymnastics at different competition levels. “I had a lot of energy when I was younger, so my grandma said I should go into gymnastics and use that energy. They put me into gymnastics and I fell in love with it,” Spicker said. Spicker felt accomplished as a child, but has grown to take ownership for the sport. “When I was younger, I liked being able to do the flips. As I grew up, I liked it because it was my own and no one in my family did it. It was cool to have something that was mine,” Spicker said. She trains for bars, vault, pole and floor for hours every day. “We train four to five days a week and an average of 16-20 hours a week. We do stretching and conditioning on top of everything else,” Spicker said.
24 . HIGH TIDE . FEATURES
Now that she has recovered from her injuries, she’s ready to start the season again. “In the past two years between starting high school and getting injured in my back and ankle, it was really stressful and nerve wrecking because school starts right at competition season,” Spicker said. Even though it is time-consuming, she still does gymnastics because she loves it. “The fact that it’s mine and that no one else does it and that it’s special to me is what keeps me coming back, even if it takes up a lot of time,” she said. Spicker enjoys doing gymnastics in many places because she can show people her abilities. “A lot of it comes from our own body skills so it’s something you can take with you everywhere. You can tell someone ‘I’m a gymanst’ and do a cool trick,” Spicker said. Spicker also enjoys gymnastics because of the sense of accomplishment after a routine. “I do remember a long time ago, once I was done, I got off the floor and I knew it was really good and that I did a good job. It was the last event so it made it really special. I felt relieved when I was done and then
a sense of accomplishment and ‘Wow, I’m proud of what I did,” she said. “Once you see your score flash on the board along with everyone else’s, it proves that you did the best you could do.”
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Around we go. 1. Spicker does a flip at the beach. 2. Spicker trains to compete. 3. Spicker does a flip at Palos Verdes. “Gymnastics is cool because I don’t need a ball to do it.”