HIGH TIDE
Redondo Union High School Redondo Beach, CA June 16, 2017 Vol. XCVII Edition 16
Double
life Elizarrarez works as a custodian during the day while going to school to earn his degree at night [Story on pg. 36]
Inside:
pg. 2
pg. 4
pg. 34
Victoria Hamilton’s parents were at the scene of the 9/11 attacks
Fidget spinners: an aid to decrease stress or a distraction in the classroom?
Jason Hernandez uses digital concept art to express his imagination
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High Tide
news
Then and now. Philip talks about his and his wife Julie’s daily lives in New York before the events of 9/11 transpired and how everything changed for them after that day. PHOTO BY JON MALLEN
In the shadow of two towers
Philip and Julie Hamilton recall their experiences during the 9/11 attacks by Kayla Hiken It’s a typical Tuesday morning. She wakes up and gets dressed for her early morning meeting located in Tower 5. Her husband is already at work, so she drops her daughter off at daycare and heads to the subway to make her commute towards Grand Central Station. It’s 8:45 A.M. and she is running late. She still has to take one more subway to her final destination: the World Trade Center. This was supposed to be a typical day for Julie Hamilton, an attorney advisor for the city of Manhattan. However, walking through the streets that morning, there was a different feeling in the atmosphere. She looks up and sees a cloud of smoke coming from the direction she is headed, but disregards that and continues anyway. A nearby construction worker stops her and tells her not to walk any closer to the World Trade Center. Hamilton tries telling him that she needs to get there for work, but he responds by saying something along the lines of, “You don’t want to go over there. Something bad has just happened.” Hamilton decides to walk to her office building, located six blocks away, and call her husband Philip Hamilton, a New York police officer, to see if he knows where the smoke is coming from and why the city is so crowded. He answers the phone and updates her on the situation: the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center were just hit with commercial airplanes and that the country is un-
der attack. He also tells her that she needs to stay away from the World Trade Center, the subways, and Grand Central Station, all places she was just at or near, because they are potentially dangerous areas to be in. Lastly, he tells her that he is going down to the scene to do his job and that he loves her, and then hangs up the phone. “I never once had the feeling that my husband wasn’t going to come home from his job until after 9/11 happened,” Hamilton said. With no T.V.s or news source, she had no way of keeping up on the most recent news, so she continued on route to work. Eighteen short minutes later, just before her subway was suppose to reach the World Trade Center, the second plane hit the South Tower at 9:03 A.M. “It happened so fast,” Philip said. “As a first responder, police officer, or witness you just wanted to get there and do as much as you could to help.” The two buildings erupted into flames and eventually collapsed to the ground, with hundreds of people still stuck inside. There were people on the streets watching all this go down, as well as people running to get out of the ash and falling debri. “The streets were filled with people just walking, not knowing how long they were going to walk for, how they were going to get home, or what was going to happen next,” Hamilton said. “And the silence. The quiet-
ness of that many people was an eye-opening experience.” While all this was happening, Philip, along with other officers were on their way to the World Trade Center. Thinking back to the day, Philip recalls his most vivid memory. “For me it was the helplessness of not knowing exactly how many people were inside the two towers. Some of my coworkers and different people I have met throughout my entire career would be inside of those towers,” Philip said. “I was only five or six miles north of that, but there was nothing I could do.” During this time, many people had gone missing and their loved ones had not heard from them since 9/11. Posters were hung up all over the city of the people that never came home that day, and one of Philip’s jobs at the time was to help determine which of those missing people were victims of the attacks. Three days later, on Friday, September 14, 2011, Hamilton was required to begin working again. There was the fear of the unknown: whether or not another attack was going to take place, but her job was essential to the city. “The district attorney of Manhattan felt that it was important to make a statement that terrorists were not going to stop the city and that we were going to go back to business as usual. By going back to my job, we were not letting them affect our city,” Ham-
ilton said. Going back to both of their jobs was not only important for the rebuilding of their city, but for the people as well. “The court system has a clock. You have to follow that clock or otherwise people’s rights are violated. So for her, people that were arrested on September 10th, had to be prosecuted and brought before a judge,” Philip said. “More importantly, the system has to keep working because otherwise we would have never gotten up off of the deck, so to say, because New York is really a city that doesn’t sleep. It’s 24/7. It’s constantly moving, and to not have that functioning was something that was out of place. It was important to go back to work so that we can assume normal operations, as much as we could,” Philip said. Recently, they came to RUHS to speak in the AP U.S. history class of their daughter Victoria Hamilton, junior. It was their first time publicly speaking about their experience, so they hoped that they were able to cover everything they could recall from that day. “I was nervous. I hoped that students would find it valuable, but also that we’d find a way to share what it was really like to be there that day,” Hamilton said. “I also worried that it would be a little emotional for the students, but I hope they were able to find our story helpful.”
June 16, 2017
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news
Celebrating diversity
“Culture Shock” event held to encourage cultural awareness among students
by Austin Nunis The Culture Shock event was held during lunch on Wednesday May 24 in the Student Union to teach curious students about different cultures here at Redondo. The event, organized by seniors Kevin Martinez and Lili Rubio, was held in an effort to introduce greater cultural awareness within the student body. “We had different representatives from different cultures set up tables and have little activities for people to indulge in their culture,” Martinez said. “We also had performances from Salsa, the Hepcats, and Noelani, who did a Hawaiian dance.” The event was for both Martinez’s and Rubio’s senior projects and an assignment in their English class. “The overall goal was to open people’s minds to new cultures and make them less judgemental, and also just to have a fun day where people from different places in the world can be proud of what culture they come from,” Martinez said. Originally, only four groups had signed up to run booths, but as word of the event spread so did the number of participants. The event ended up hosting a total of eight booths: México, Sabor de Salsa, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Chinese, Hawaii, Arab, Jewish, and Filipino. Each booth presented items, games, and activities they thought best represented their culture.
“The Chinese Club taught you how to write your name in Chinese, the Jewish Club had a wheel of different kinds of religions and after you spun the wheel whatever it landed on that was the religion that you had to answer a few questions about, and the Fez Club had a fez photo booth, so they basically had Fez clothing and they just took pictures of people in the clothing,” Martinez said. Though the event “went smoothly”, Rubio was worried about the lack of communication with the participants beforehand. “We didn’t have any obstacles, it was just more kind of a skeptical thing because we never had a face to face meeting with the participants, it was all through email, so I was kind of worried about it, but everything went really well,” Rubio said. Martinez, who was the emcee for the day, was surprised by how many people enjoyed the event and even learned something from it. “I learned that a lot of people think they’re open minded but they’re not. What I mean by that is that they’ll say they’re open minded, but yet they’ll judge in a secretive way,” Martinez said. “But at the end we had a survey and we went around asking people if we helped open their mind and a lot of them said yes because the activities were fun and the people leading them were really friendly and open to any questions.”
In preparation for the event, the pair took about a month and half to plan out an agenda of key dates, submit a work order in for the tables, input the event into the school calendar, and receive approval from administration. Overall, both Martinez and Rubio agree that the event was a “total success”, and were happy to share more aspects of their respec-
tive cultures. “I just wish I had a little more time to enjoy everything, but the performances were great and everyone had smiles on their faces,” Martinez said. “We created a place where all cultures could come together, and I think a lot of people were really happy that we actually had an event where they could express their cultural backgrounds.”
Pride. Senior Reema Saad shares her Arab culture with friend Madison Bacon, senior, as the two both wear the traditional Levantine keffiyeh scarves during the event. PHOTO BY YOSEPH GHAZAL
Counseling changes its current system by Reem Chamas Changes have been made to the current RUHS counseling system, and are to be put into effect starting next school year. Students will no longer be organized to their counselor by grade level, but instead sorted by last name, which is where the system gets the term “alpha model.” As a result, students next year may receive a counselor different from the one they had worked with in their preceding years at RUHS. According to Assistant Principal Bryan Ines, the type of support students receive will not change, but only the the way students are organized. “The [students] are still going to be receiving a lot of the academic, social, emotional, and even college support they have already been receiving,” Ines said. “The only major difference is how students are going to be allocated to their counselors, so we’re not going by grade level anymore, we’re going by last name.” Ines believes that the new alpha system will benefit siblings the most because the counselor will be able to work with the family as a whole, rather than have different counselors work individually with each fam-
ily member. “The ultimate reason why was that we wanted to really work with siblings,” Ines said. “The counselor can specifically work with the siblings or with that family so we can actually get to know the students a little bit better and know a little bit more about the family dynamics and support the students so they can become successful.” Current sophomore counselor Tiffany Straight believes the new alpha model will allow counselors to build a unique connection with every family through the students, because every family is different and has a different background. “The new system is going to allow us to work with one family regardless of grade level, and I think that is huge because every family has their own story even though individual siblings are different,” Straight said. “Consistency working with one family and one counselor is huge.” However, according to Ines, the only potential difficulty that could come with this change is having the students adapt to the new model. “Ultimately with any change just adapt-
ing to it will be an obstacle, so it’s just a matter of getting used to it,” Ines said. “Whether it’s doing it by the alpha model or by grade level there is always going to be benefits and there’s going to be hurdles we have to cross.” Ines believes that with time students will adjust to the change and because they will continue to receive the same type of support. “I think after people get used to going to their counselor based on last name it is pretty much going to be the same thing, because the support is always going to be there it will just maybe be a different person who you will be working with,” Ines said. Other than having siblings together with the same counselor, the new alpha model also can allow counselors to stay updated with counseling information for all grades because they will be supporting people from each grade. “When a counselor works with all grade levels then they can support more students and they don’t have to relearn something rather than going by grade level,” Ines said. “What will happen now is that the counselors are always aware of what the demands are for every single grade level and it really
supports the students that way.” Straight agrees with Ines, also citing her belief that the alpha model is better for students overall. “We always look at where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going,” Straight said. “In the grade level model because you are so focused on your grade level your are not necessarily always aware of what is occurring in every other grade level.” Revisions are still being developed to the current registration system since the counselors are not split based on grade level. “We will make sure that when [the plans are] finalized we will share [the information] out because we don’t want anyone to be too confused,” Ines said. As students become more comfortable with their counselors, they will grow a connection that allows students to appreciate having only one counselor throughout high school. “That really makes it successful,” Ines said. “Counselors are one of the most relied on by students and [students] need consistency and I think this is a good way to hold that.”
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news
High Tide
Focusing in on
FIDGET SPINNERS
Students and teachers weigh in on the effectiveness of concentration gadgets
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course of the day. Human beings are not really designed to sit for long periods of time and focus their attention that long. So I think part of the problem is that people’s energy builds up during the day and needs to be relased,” Frederich said. Freshman Marcus Robinson owns a fidget spinner himself, and got one when he saw his math teacher using one. Even though he initially believed that the fidget spinners could be helpful, he has found them to be distracting. “After seeing them, I thought they were cool and might be helpful to focus. I currently own four, all at varying costs, that I got off of Amazon. However they are not necessary in class because people should be able to focus, and there are other ways than fidget spinners ILL U
As fidget spinners become more popular on campus, the controversy over their inclusion in the classroom has correspondingly increased. Teacher Joshua Friedrich says that the diversion presented by spinners outweighs any benefit that they might bring. “The noise that they make is distracting and annoying. If you could not see or hear them it would be one thing. If someone could spin a fidget spinner under their desk silently and that helped them, then that’s fine,” Friedrich said. “That is not the case. People have them out in plain view, and people see them and then they focus on them instead of what they are supposed to be doing.” Freshman Alex Bonfante believes that the use of fidget spinners in the classroom does not have a large impact on students during class, but there should be some form of regulation. He does not own a fidget spinner and would not buy one because he “does not have trouble focusing.” “If a student plans on using a fidget spinner during class they should check with their teacher beforehand because otherwise it could distract others. But if they use their fidget spinner without asking it might distract some people from what is going on in a classroom and affect them in a bad way,” Bonfante said. According to Friedrich, fidget spinners are similar to support animals and their impact on those around them. “If you had an emotional support dog, that’s great for you but what about the other people that want to pet the dog, are looking at the dog. If you have a distraction in the room, then it takes away from what a group is supposed to be doing as a whole and you just have to say no. It’s sad but true,” Friedrich said. Friedrich believes part of appeal of fidget spinners is to release energy that is often pent up during the school day. “Part of the problem is that we are designed to move around throughout the
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by Julian Quevedo and Ben Yepez
for someone to focus,” Robinson said. Another proposed solution t o fidgeting is standing desks. Already in use in a small number of classrooms on campus, standing desks offer a different approach to increasing students’ focus by allowing them to work on their feet, according to teacher Kerri Eastham. Due to the cost of the desks, each classroom that contain them only have a few. In Eastham’s classroom, students may ask to use them at any time, and “the answer is yes nine out of ten times.” “I think [standing desks] are great,” Eastham said. “Research shows that when kids with ADHD are allowed to move while they are processing new information, it ac-
tually goes into their working memory more efficiently. So I’m all for them.” According to Eastham, standing desks can help students learn throughout a two hour block period. “I think the block schedule is really, really hard,” Eastham said. “I love that it’s working well for the science department and for the vast majority of teachers here, but I think two hours is a long time to do anything, even if you like it.” While she wishes more students would use them, Eastham envisions the desks as an option for a student who learns most efficiently when standing up. “I see the desks as being a tool that kids can use once they’ve reflected on how they learn best. If they know that they learn best by moving a bit, then it’s a resource for them,” Eastham said. When it comes to fidget toys such as the spinners, Eastham favors other, non-spinning varieties. “I’m for the fidget cubes, and I’m all for other fidget toys. [But] I think spinners are just plain toys,” Eastham said. “But when kids hold them right up in front of their faces and then spin, it’s now a distraction to all of the kids sitting around them.” Robinson believes that although fidget spinners can be fun to use, they have no place in the classroom. “The bottom line is that they are distracting and do not help people to focus. I tried to bring one to class and it ended up distracting me and the people around me. I learned that day that fidget spinners are not educational tools,” Robinson said. According to Eastham, fidget spinners do not work because they preoccupy a student’s mind instead of allowing them to think about their classwork. “Any good fidget toy should be something someone can mindlessly do while they are processing other information,” Eastham said. “In my experience, when kids are using the spinners, they’re entirely focused on [them]. They are a problem.”
HIGH TIDE
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Redondo Union High School Redondo Beach, CA June 16, 2017 Vol. XCVII Edition 16
TOP 25 Seniors based on A-G GPA (in alphabetical order)
Jennie Bao Steven Barbee Peyton Bell Tyler Boyd Jaideep Chakladar Yasamin Fazeli
Jason Fong Namie Fotion Sara Furutani Yoshino Goto Andrew Graven Caterina Hyneman
Isabell Kassaye Alysa Kataoka Madison Kennel Stephanie Lai Trinity Leonard Sophia Maguy
Matthew Mercier Brooklyn Narvaez Julie Nguyen Adam Porter Bing Rethy Naima Rosenberg Amanda Shaw
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Down by the sea Saad reflects on her involvement in journalism and at the SEA Lab by Summer Saad
All I sea. Reema Saad tends to a sea hare on a typical day at the SEA Lab. PHOTO BY DANIEL LEE
features
High Tide
From volunteering at the SEA Lab, a local aquarium dedicated to rehabilitating marine life, and learning about the hardships others face through journalism, Reema Saad was able to ultimately realize that she wants to major in political science. “I want to represent people and make the world a better place. I want future generations to live comfortably without the fear that the world is going to end in some catastrophic way, whether it’s war, starvation, running out of water, or too much pollution ruining the ozone layer. We should stop thinking about ourselves and start thinking about the future,” Saad said. Saad, who initially wanted to pursue a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) career, never expected to choose political science as her college major. “I’ve been told for 13 years that the growing jobs are all STEM related, but I said no because I’m not going to pay for an education that I don’t want. I’m going to do what I want to do and be the best I can be in the field that I choose,” Saad said. Saad believes that volunteering at the aquarium and joining the High Tide staff influenced her career choice. “Joining journalism made me more aware of the world around me. The SEA Lab helped me in the way in
which I could be an advocate for animals who can’t speak for themselves,” Saad said. “On the other hand, I was able to stand up for students through journalism too by being on the editorial board and speaking out against hate by writing about issues that pertain to students.” Since Saad had initially focused on STEM-related subjects, she had no interest in joining journalism before freshman year. As a member of the High Tide staff, Saad was a writer, features editor, and Online Editor-in-Chief. According to Saad, writing often “gave [her] a glimpse at how rough some people’s lives can be.” “I wrote an article on a Syrian refugee, and it completely flipped my world upside down. I was aware of the situation because I am Lebanese, but it wasn’t until I had this interaction with this kid who was separated from his father, doing everything he could for his family, so they could be safe that I realized how awful life can be in other parts of the world,” Saad said. Thanks to working on “eye-opening” stories, Saad says she is able to fully comprehend her privilege living in Redondo Beach. “I realized I can’t take it for granted and how justice is not served on behalf of everyone, so now I want to do for people what they can’t do for
themselves because the system is set up against them,” Saad said. Since summer of 2014, Saad volunteered at the SEA Lab until May of her senior year. Once she moved on from simple tasks, like cleaning tanks and preparing food the animals, she began giving informational tours of the tanks, which is the highest position. “It’s important that you’re giving them correct information because they’ll always remember and tell other people, especially with little kids because you’re trying to teach them the importance of loving their community and loving the animals,” Saad said. According to Rebecca Fent, Saad’s volunteer coordinator, Saad had gradually invested more time, doing more than the average volunteer. “Reema is a great person to work with because she is on top of her duties but also fun to work with,” Fent said. “Reliability was her most important quality to me as a volunteer coordinator, but she has many great qualities that will help her in her future endeavors.” Saad’s first step will be at UC Irvine, where she will use her experiences and learned skills at the SEA Lab and High Tide. “You don’t have to be a doctor or a crazy smart mathematician to change the world,” Saad said. You can just use your voice to change the world.”
Kelly Harraka enjoys writing books, fanfiction and poetry by Shyanne Landers
Comments, favorites and table of contents are tabs always open on Kelly Harraka’s laptop browser, all of account for the numerous books she has written online. Ignoring the “negative stereotypes” towards fanfiction, Harraka created one with over 55,000 readers from around the world. She has published a sequel online and believes both to be successful. “I’ve written Safehouse Around the Diamond. It is about someone trying to break away from their past life. They moved out, and when they did, they moved to a house located around a baseball diamond,” Harraka
said. “Most plots and characters that I write about are roughly based on those in real life.” A common theme in Harraka’s novels, fanfictions and poems is being able to move on from the past. “No matter how difficult the circumstances, there are things in the future that can bring you back to the way that you want to be,” Harraka said. “The main character is trying to get over something that happened, and they’re using their friends and surroundings to do so.” There is a link between Harraka’s emotions and how often she writes.
“I typically write when I am not okay with what is going on around me. If I am anxious or discontent with something, I am able to knock out 5,000 words in a few minutes. In the end, it helps me be happier all the same,” Harraka said. When unsure of what to write about, she grabs the closest photo album and looks at the pictures for inspiration. “When I do get writer’s block, it does make it more difficult for me to compose a piece of writing. If it is for long periods of time, it’s very frustrating because I have all of the energy to write, but I don’t have any of
Advice for Freshmen
Future Plans
“I’m going to Temple University. I’m looking forward to completely focusing on learning things that will be applicable to my career. “
“My favorite high school memory was getting to dance in the Dance Showcase with my group of friends. I’ve never really had the courage to dance with them until this year.”
MARIE ONA
Future Plans
“Grades aren’t everything. They’re not the only thing that’s going to get you into college.”
the ideas to be able to do so,” Harraka said. Harraka’s preferred genre of writing is fiction because she believes there are infinite possibilities about what to write about, enabling her to expand her imagination. “I don’t feel like I’ll ever be satisfied with myself as writer. I’m in no way a professional novelist. I write for fun, and I still make simple grammatical errors from time to time,” Harraka said. “Still, I feel like I am very creative, and I could make a story out of anything thrown my way. So in that aspect, I am confident, but stylistically, I feel I could greatly improve.”
Greatest Accomplishment
JARRAH MAY
“I won an art scholarship through this state department art contest. I got the second place prize, which was $1,000.”
June 16, 2017
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features
Cat of all trades
Hyneman’s varied participation molded her career choice by Miriam Farah Not allowing stereotypes to limit her from pursuing her interests, Caterina Hyneman has been greatly involved in dance, Taekwondo and journalism. Her interest in politics, influenced by her involvement with High Tide and Easy Reader, have shaped her decision to devote her life to make change. Between seventh and 11th grade, Hyneman practiced Taekwondo, enabling her to fuse the sport and her dance routines. With the help of her dance teacher, Hyneman incorporated her Taekwondo skills to create one of her dance solos, “Malika.” “My signature move is a jumping turning roundhouse kick. Who else at a dance competition is going to flying Taekwondo kick in the middle of the routine? It’s different, it’s surprising and it’s me,” Hyneman said. For her other solo, a contemporary dance piece choreographed by Tara Babajtis, her dance teacher, Hyneman chose the song “Rise Up.” “It’s a beautiful piece about being stronger than you physically and mentally can be,” Babajtis said. “It shows her journey of becoming the young woman she is today.” Despite Hyneman’s Hispanic background, she has not practiced Spanish dancing. She hopes to join cultural dance groups in college to connect with her heritage. Instead, Hyneman has connected with her heritage through Cervantes, a school club for advanced Spanish speakers. “My favorite event was Día de los Muertos. My Mexican family lives far away, so I’m not as connected to that part of my culture. It was so beautiful to be immersed in all the different traditions, and teach others about my heritage,” Hyneman said. Hyneman was also a reporter and designer for Easy Reader News. She covered Redondo Beach City Council meetings, learning about the city’s political system. “It’s interesting to see how it works on a local level and how you could literally just
go up and talk to your councilman and influence the decisions which could possibly change your city forever,” Hyneman said. Hyneman’s experience with journalism and her Hispanic background significantly influenced her future plans. She will be attending Dartmouth College and majoring in Government and Hispanic Studies. “I want to be the voice for the people., especially for Latinos and women,” Hyneman said. “I want our policies to take care of Americans. We have to realize that we’re all one America and take care of each other no matter what color you are, what gender you are or who you love; we have to love each other.” In all that she has participated in, Hyneman wishes to continue learning and expanding her horizons. She believes that labeling people can hinder a person from reaching their full potential. “I aim to be versatile, so you can’t put me in a box. You think I’m really strong? I dance too. I’m athletic, but also smart,” Hyneman said. “Obviously, I’m not perfect. I’m horrible at basketball, and I can’t cook to save my life. But I am confident in who I am; that’s what I learned in high school. Be confident in yourself to the point where you just don’t care what people think or say.”
2.
Loud and Proud.
1. Caterina Hyneman jumps into a Taekwondo kick. 2. “It’s allowed me to explore different sides of myself because when I express myself through dance, I can be graceful or tough,” Hyneman said. “It has helped me explore different styles and personas and helped me realize who I am and who I’m not.” 3. Proud of her Hispanic background, Hyneman poses with a flag of Spain wrapped around her. PHOTO 2
3.
“All the years that I played basketball were the best times; all my friends and I were on the team together and it was just a lot of fun.”
“My greatest accomplishment of high school is knowing what I want to do with my life, which is writing and designing.”
Future Plans
PATRICK COCHRAN
1.
Greatest Accomplishment
Favorite Memory
“I’m going to be an economics major. I’m going to El Camino for two years, and then I hope to transfer to either UC Berkeley, UCLA or Santa Barbara.”
COURTESY OF CATERINA HYNEMAN AND PHOTO 1 BY JARRAH MAY AND PHOTO 3 BY DANIELLE SESTAK
Advice for Freshmen
BRITTANY BAKER
“My biggest regret is not being more involved with things that matter. I joined journalism my junior year, and I wish that I had been in it longer. “
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Giving thanks
High Tide
features Helping hands. Shaniya
Markalanda does volunteer work in Sri Lanka
Markalanda gives stuffed animals and school supplies to children in need when she travels to Sri Lanka. PHOTO BY EDEN MILAN
by Miriam Farah As a Sri Lankan American, Shaniya Markalanda knew that improving the lives of the Sri Lankan people would be a driving force in choosing her career path after a tsunami occurred, which killed about 30,900 people, left thousands of others homeless and many children as orphans in 2004. Markalanda has been working with organizations such as the Sri Lanka Medical Association of North America (SLMANA) and Tsunami Relief Fund to help those affected. “When I was little, I attended a fundraiser for tsunami orphans in Sri Lanka, and I saw pictures of the kids affected. It was then that I really understood the effects that the tsunami had on other kids who were around my age. Even in 2007, which was years after the tsunami hit, Sri Lanka was still facing the consequences of the natural disaster. Some parts of the country were destroyed, and I wanted to do something for them. I fundraised by making cards and jewelry,” Markalanda said. “I feel like that was the first time I felt that connection to Sri Lanka because it was such a big event. That’s when I first asked myself what I could do.” Markalanda sang the American and Sri Lankan national anthems at fundraising events and gatherings at her temple since she was seven years old. Proud of her Sri Lankan roots, Markalanda views singing both national anthems as a way to mix her American and Sri Lankan backgrounds together. “Born in American and originally from Sri Lanka, singing the National Anthems allow me to bring everything together and feel pride for both countries at the same time,” Markalanda said. “When I’m onstage and I can see both flags, it makes me feel so proud to come from a country like the United States. I feel so privileged to be born here and to have the opportunity to give back to Sri Lanka.” Markalanda’s first performance was at the Redondo Beach Community Center, where she also sold “Shaniya Greetings,” which are cards with pictures of flowers and stuffed animals to fundraise money for Sri Lanka. “Seeing everyone stand up for the national anthems and share that moment together is really special,” Markalanda said. “The money is usually given to the orphans for their basic necessities, like transportation and food, but now that most of them have grown up, and some are attending college, they use it pursue their education. I love that the money directly supports the tsunami victims. There isn’t an intermediate organization that takes a fraction of the money. Every penny is used for the orphans’, by the orphans. And the best part is that they’re using the money to better their lives and get an education that many other orphans, or even many
other kids, don’t have the opportunity to have.” When Markalanda visits Sri Lanka every few years, her family packs stuffed animals and school supplies to hand out to poor children as they drive through rural areas. “I love seeing their faces because they’re so happy,” Markalanda said. “Sometimes their parents tear up, and it makes me feel grateful for what I have. It makes you realize how much you can do for other people. These stuffed animals that I don’t even use anymore and pick up dust in my room are appreciated by them. It’s probably one of the only toys they have.” During her visits to Sri Lanka’s impoverished countryside, Markalanda recalls a time when her family witnessed a 17-yearold pregnant woman living in a tent, which was too small to fit her whole body inside. “We took our lunch, some school supplies, money and whatever else we had in the car, and we gave them to that girl,” Markalanda said. “I don’t know how she was supporting herself. She was grateful, and it was in that moment we realized some people literally have nothing. We live in these great houses, and she lived in this tiny tent. It was just a black trash bag on sticks.” To aid poor orphans in Sri Lanka, Markalanda created the Breakfast Club, a school club in which students make cards and jewelry to sell and afterwards, they donate the profit, which provides the children breakfast each morning. According to Markalanda, when the tsunami occurred in Sri Lanka, an ongoing civil war made it more difficult for the country to recover from the tsunami’s disastrous effects. Sri Lanka’s political unrest and social tensions led Markalanda to become more grateful for living in the U.S.. “I don’t think people realize how privileged they are. We are so lucky to be in the United States. Everyone should try their best to do something. I think it’s important for people to recognize that there’s always something you can do no matter how little you have. There’s always something you can give to someone else, even if it’s just a smile or a really small act of kindness,” Markalanda said. While Markalanda is attending the University of Pitts-
burgh, she plans to continue making cards and jewelry to fundraise for Sri Lankan organizations. After earning her degree in Biology and securing a job as a doctor, she wishes to join Doctors Without Borders, an organization for volunteer doctors to provide medical assistance to people in war-torn regions and countries affected by endemic diseases. “I think it would be cool to be a part of that organization and live in third world countries, help them out and provide people with the medical help they require. Even if I can’t do it through the organization, I just want to somehow help people in these countries and put myself in the same surroundings. I want to understand what they have to deal with, where they come from and try to help solve their problems,” Markalanda said. Markalanda wishes to devote her life to providing support for unprivileged children in Sri Lanka and experience Sri Lankan culture firsthand. “[Doctors Without Borders] moved on from Sri Lanka because it’s not considered a high need country anymore,” Markalanda said. “I still want to live there, immerse into their culture, experience the same difficulties they experience and help in any way that I can.”
Advice for Freshmen
Greatest Accomplishment
“Though academic standing is important, never equate your class rank with your self worth.”
“My greatest accomplishment was interning with Thale Blanc, which is a high end purse company.”
Greatest Accomplishment
DINA GHANIM
“Getting accepted to UC Berkeley with minimal breakdowns in the process.”
Advice for Freshmen
MARYAM BACALONI
“Try to get involved in school clubs and work as hard as you can, but don’t forget to have a good time.”
June 16, 2017
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Friends forever
Fazeli and Shaw and are best friends that spend most of their time together by Alexander Dang With an inseparability like that of milk and honey, Amanda Shaw and Yasi Fazeli enjoy and do almost everything together: they both binge watch the same TV shows, have the same sense of humor, and they try to match outfits when they can. On top of all of those things, the duo also play the same sports together. Fazeli and Shaw have been teammates on track and field since junior year; they compete in the same events: the 100 meter and 300 meter hurdles. Despite the competitive nature of the sport, Fazeli believes that their mutualistic relationship does not stop on the track. “It is nice to have someone on the team who knows you better than anyone else, someone who knows exactly what to say and how to cheer you on the right way,” Fazeli said. “If I am upset, or if I had a bad meet, Amanda is the person I go to because I know that she will say the right thing.” According to Shaw, the mutual dependency she shares with Fazeli provides her with reassurance and encouragement amidst the “pressure” of track. “Knowing that you have someone else on your team who is genuinely rooting for you, who is going to be there when you mess up, it is a comforting feeling,” Shaw said. Although they remain faithful friends, Fazeli and Shaw have also developed new relationships with other members of the hurdling team. According to Fazeli, having Shaw by her side helped her warm up to the hurdling squad. “I’m not the most outgoing person — not the kind of person who says hi to everyone in the hall,” Fazeli said. “But when Amanda and I are together, I feel like I am more excited, more fun and expressive, which I think allowed me to meet new people on track.” However, the two were not always leaping over hurdles together. It was only after their gymnastics gym closed during their sophomore year did they decide to join the track team. As Fazeli recalled it, they were chatting over the phone while studying for a chemistry final when a flash of “spontaneity” came over them. According to Shaw, it was much easier for her to join hurdling and to take on the new and “challenging” training with a friend by her side. “When we joined, a lot of people in track had been in the program for two years and knew each other,” Shaw said. Going in alone would have been a lot more daunting because trying to make new friends and figure out the sport at the
same time would have been more difficult.” zeli said. Before the duo moved on from doing cartwheels and Despite the vast expanse of land that will be wedged bebackflips in the gym, they departed with their first sport in tween the two come this fall and for at least the next four elementary school. Introduced to one another as members years, Shaw does not believe that they will grow apart. of not a sports team, but of a table group in the first grade, “Most people say that the friends you have in high school, Fazeli and Shaw did not know what to make of each other. Ac- you won’t have ten years from now. I don’t think that is true — cording to Fazeli, it was ice skating which acted as the cata- we have already been friends for a decade now — I think that lyst for their friendship. the reason that people grow apart is because they find differ“We showed up to the ice skating rink wearing the same ent interests,” Shaw said. “But we pretty much do everything exact outfit. I think that was where it really all started,” Fazeli together, we are like the same person; I think that it is really said. “As a first grader, I was not really trying to learn the unique to find someone like that.” deep personality traits of another person, but I was just trying to feel more comfortable with them and ice skating did just that for Amanda and I.” As they spent more time together ice skating and doing gymnastics, they began to spend more time outside of sports together: shopping at the mall and going out to eat — California fish tacos are endeared by the two — among other activities. Shaw believes that being able to experience the same things nurtured a sense of empathy between the two. “When you do everything together, you experience the same things. That way, it is easier to understand each other better,” Shaw said. They will be attending colleges on separate coasts in the fall; Fazeli will be attending UC Irvine, and Shaw has enrolled at New York University. Fazeli believes that a friendship as strong as theirs is not worth being hurt because of trivial things or even a long distance between them. In fact, the pair plan on visiting other during their college breaks. “I think that once you have found that Yasi Special bond. Amanda Shaw andalism , journ really special friendship, do not let dumb in , team track the on are li Faze ther. toge es class of rity majo and have a little things get in the way. Always keep in PHOTO COURTESY OF YASI FAZELI mind the big picture that they are someone who you really want to have around for the rest of your life, with you, supporting you and sharing memories with you,” Fa-
Favorite Memory
Greatest Accomplishment
I backpacked through parts of South America the summer after junior year. I spent a month there meeting travelers from around the world.”
“Surviving AP Physics; I was dying internally, so when the class was over and when I passed the AP test, I was so happy.”
Greatest Accomplishment
MICHAEL CHANG
“Moving to the United States alone in my sophomore year; I learned to cope with loneliness and grow independent as a person.”
Biggest Regret
HIROKI GOTO
“Not taking certain classes that I could’ve done earlier on so I could have gotten AP credits.”
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Worth the weight
Yonemura strives to maintain his weight after losing twenty pounds
by Martha Farah
By running with friends and family, training and watching people on YouTube weight lifting for making him want to be “jacked like them,” Matthew Yonemura gained confidence in himself when he lost 20 pounds in five months, making him 170 pounds. To maintain his weight, Yonemura limits his intake of junk food and keeps exercising.
1.
Go figure. 1. “Don’t beat yourself
up too much and seeing results is a good motivation,” Yonemura said. “It’s not something you could just do instantly. Just stick with it and trust the process of it.” 2. “Every time he would talk about his progress and how much [weight] he’s lost, I’m always there to congratulate him and tell him that he’s doing a good job’” Ghazal said. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MADDY BACON AND MATTHEW YONEMURA
However, Yonemura did not stop when he accomplished his goal to be 175 pounds but instead kept training to lose weight. “When I finally hit 175, I was happy, but I knew that if I just gave up at that point, I would just put the weight back on. I would get out of shape, and my hard work would go to waste instantly,” Yonemura said. “[Seeing progress] was just more motivation for me to keep going and to keep working on it.” For motivation, Yonemura would take note of the progress he was making from time to time. “As conceited as I felt doing it, taking shirtless mirror pictures to see the progress was helpful because then I could compare one month to the next month,” Yonemura said. “It was what kept me motivated. If I didn’t see any progress at all, it probably would have been hard to stick with it.” Yonemura started at 2,700 calories, and now he is currently eating 2,400 calories each day. Even though Yonemura did not enjoy running, he trained for the St. Patrick’s day 5K. The greatest challenge Yonemura faced was refusing food when he reached his limit. “Basically, limiting myself when I know I’m full, telling myself, ‘Hey, chill’ and refusing to get a shake or something at In-n-Out is so difficult,” Yonemura said. At times, Yonemura found it hard to stay motivated to lose weight. “Sometimes, if you’re going out to dinner with family or friends, it’s kind of unavoidable that you are going to eat more than you 2. typically would,” Yonemura said.
Favorite Memory
LEYNA DUONG
“The whole time, I was motivated by a goal of cutting a certain amount of weight by a certain time period, so I just wanted to stay on track for that.” To help him stay motivated to lose weight, Yonemura started giving himself “a cheat day.” “Instead of being super set on a calorie intake every single day, I let myself go wild for a day every week,” Yonemura said. Since he does not play a competitive high school sport, Yonemura became interested in fitness and losing weight. “I’ve always been kind of chunky, but I’ve always been into fitness since I quit the boys frosh/soph basketball,” Yonemura said. “Weight training and health became a relevant thing for me, but [I got] really serious about losing weight January of this year.” As of now, Yonemura is more confident with himself, even if insecurity was a recurring problem for him before he lost weight. “Before, it was always insecurity,” Yonemura said. “Playful friends would have playful back and forth [teasing], but then when it became about my weight, it kind of hurt a bit more than the other jokes.” Yonemura’s friend, Yoseph Ghazal, would support and help Yonemura by running with him. Also, Ghazal believes that Yonemura is also going to reach his new goals through his dedication and hard work. “He was motivated to run almost every single day. Outside of him running, he goes to the gym everyday. He sees a goal and he works toward it; that’s how I know he has that dedication for losing weight, gaining muscle and trying to become a fit person,” Ghazal said. From this experience, Yonemura learned to be patient when having a goal. “[Losing weight] taught me to set goals. It helped me understand that accomplishing something might take a long time,” Yonemura said.
Future Plans
“In French one my freshman year, someone said “I love the smell of gophers in the morning. The french word for waffles is gaufres.”
“I’d like to start a more affordable and eco-friendly business to raise awareness of environmental consciousness.”
Future Plans
Biggest Regret
“I want live in a really cute studio apartment and aiming for a minimalist life.”
CELINE OH
“Saying no to myself and saying yes to others.”
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Caitlyn Catubig develops her passion for music through band by Collin Paludi Caitlyn Catubig has marched her way from not being able to read music to being one of the leaders of the band program. While music was a part of her life starting at an early age, Catubig was never taught anything “legitimate.” “My sister taught me piano, but it was always ‘Oh this note is C or this note is E.’ I never really learned what Major chords or key signatures were at that time,” Catubig said. According to Catubig, these experiences growing up had been her only practice with music leading into high school. Despite this, she made the decision to take the leap and join band. “I joined the summer of freshman year. I didn’t know anything. I was really scared I was worried that they would think I’m horrible for not knowing how to play an instrument because all these people are so advanced and ahead of me,” Catubig said. Catubig found a place for her hands at a xylophone after some testing of waters of a different instrument. “I went to Yahoo Answers searching for
‘What is the easiest marching band instrument to learn?’ They said snare, so I came in and said I wanted to play the snare, which ended up being the hardest one. They said it was filled and asked if I knew anything else. I said I played a little bit of piano, so they put me on the xylophone,” Catubig said. As time went on, Catubig learned more and more about music and gradually came to not only understand, but also speak, the “gibberish” that intimidated her in her first days. She did this with little help, coming from one of her leaders, Michael Hessseltine, who graduated in 2014. “A lot of [help] came
from my section leader, Michael. I see him as my mentor basically. It was especially hard because
we didn’t have a band director at the time, so Michael ended up teaching me a lot of things,” Catubig said. There was also much Catubig had to learn on her own. “I ended up having to look up a lot of things on my own. At that time, I thought of it as just a means of survival to get through the program,” Catubig said. Catubig has gone on to assume even more leadership roles in band. She is currently the front ensemble section leader in the fall season and and percussion co-captain in the spring indoor season.
Leader. “It came to a point where they needed
leadership for the next year.The girl that tried out against me was a sophomore, and I was just a shy little freshman. I ended up getting it,” Catubig said.
“Now I am the one teaching. Now that I have all this responsibility, I have to make sure that I am ahead of the game to teach myself and at the same time be able to teach others what I’m learning.” Catubif belives music has had a positive impact on Catubig’s life. “Music for me is a way to relax and to get out of things. Music has really taught me how to come out of my shell and be more responsible, as cliché as it sounds. I’ve learned how to be more responsible, how to manage my time, how to interact with people, and to be a leader,” Catubig said. Catubig will be attending UC Irvine and hopes to major in business information management. While Catubig does not plan on pursuing music as her main passion in the future, she does hope to continue playing music on the side. “It’s definitely something I want to continue on the side, even if it’s not in a band situation. I’d like to play marimba on my own. It’s an instrument I like now,” Catubig said.
PHOTO BY SAM LEKSUNTHON
Jocelyn Lee finds new talents in joining yearbook by Maya Groark
Managing Editor of the Pilot Jocelyn Lee has seen herself grow after three years of working for the yearbook staff. “When I came in my sophomore year, I knew nothing about yearbook and they were just like ‘Here, design this page!’ They told me to take it my own direction,” Lee said. But after she gained some experience in designing the yearbook, she became more skilled. “I definitely grew in design. My first spread was ugly and I knew it was bad, but I like how I didn’t stay there. I grew and every year I could see myself getting better,” Lee said. Lee is grateful she joined yearbook because it allowed her to learn something about herself. “I learned design and that was something I knew nothing about before and I’ve never considered myself an artsy person. But I also learned more than that,” Lee said. “It’s not just a story that conveys the message. It’s the combination of
the photos and the design that tell the story. You really need to work with each other. I’ve learned how to help others and teach others, it’s a really good skill to learn.” Another member of the yearbook staff, Alysa Kataoka, has also seen Lee’s abilities grow. “When we gave her the position of our Managing Editor, I saw that this year she really grew as what I would like to describe as a quiet leader. She took a lot of responsibility and she fully completed whatever task we gave her and went above and beyond our expectations as EIC’s. I know all the editors really like Jocelyn because she was able to work with all the editors individually. I think that’s something not only the EIC’s appreciate but all the editors, too,” Kataoka said. Lee has found a way to tie her experiences in yearbook to her plans for the future. “I want to be an occupational therapist, and you would
think that that has nothing to do with yearbook design or whatever, but one thing I learned through yearbook is a lot of things don’t work out the way you want it to,” Lee said. “That’s where yearbook has really helped me because it’s all about creativity. And with the job I want, you need to think of new ways to do things, and you have to adjust the way you want it to be, but in the end it could be so much better.” Being on the yearbook staff left Lee with a lot of long lasting memories. One of her favorites were deadline nights. “I love deadline nights. It’s so tiring and stressful and your head hurts because you’ve been working so much. We have to look at the computer for so long,” Lee said. Lee describes her time in yearbook as a “once in a lifetime opportunity,” and she is very glad she was a part of it. “It was great,” Lee said. “I love yearbook so much and I’m going to miss it so much.”
Favorite Memory
Advice for Freshmen
“Being a part of the salsa team was definitely a high point. I got to meet a lot of cool new people and learned a lot of cool new things.”
“Talk to everyone around you and don’t be afraid to speak to others. It’s really nice getting to know others that aren’t in your friend groups.”
KEELY TWITCHELL
Greatest Accomplishment
“Not being as involved in yearbook as I should have in the past two years.”
Greatest Accomplishment
ANNALISE CORTEZ
“Raising my GPA by a huge amount was definitely an accomplishment. I had a wake up call and I was able to raise my GPA.”
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What’s shakin’ Bacon Maddy Bacon has organized many events throughout her two years in ASB by Ben Brill
Partyplanner.
1. Senior Maddy Bacon and freshman Hannah Nemeth smile and pose together in front of the cafateria wearing their class of 2017 spirit shirts. 2. Maddy Bacon and Brandi Coleman smile for a photo during a spirit rally. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MADDY BACON
1.
F
2.
rom organizing homecoming halftime to running a successful blood drive and orchestrating the entirety of the cabinet elections, Maddy Bacon has been one of the reliable and essential forces behind the scenes in constructing a multitude of ASB events. For two years, as Fundraising Commissioner and then School Relations Commissioner, Bacon believes her participation in ASB has provided her with an entertaining high school experience as well as skills needed to enter college and the work force. “I have made some of my closest friends, especially this
year, through ASB. It’s made high school a lot more fun always having a good group of friends to be with,” Bacon said. “It’s definitely been one of the most beneficial activities I’ve done during high school. I’ve learned good communication, teamwork, and organization, and that will be useful in the future.” Jumping into ASB in her junior year, Bacon was immediately faced with unexpected challenges, including organizing the annual Color Run, an event which gathers around 300 participants annually. “Color run was during my first year in ASB, so it was extremely challenging,” Bacon said. “It took us probably the whole year to fix every little detail and have it run smoothly. There’s definitely more to what goes on behind the scenes than what most people would think. It was good to see it pay off because you see how well you did, especially doing something well for your first time ever doing it.” Bacon eyes the end result of her events that she coordinates and sees the adversity in planning the events as a normal part of the job. She has organized many different kinds of events throughout her years in ASB. “What’s really cool about these events is that it may be stressful when you’re planning them, but it’s so satisfying when it goes well. In the end, it’s all worth it,” Bacon said. Along with imparting valuable life skills, ASB been an impetus for Bacon to form inseparable bonds and friendships with her fellow ASB peers. “I’ve made a lot of my best friends through ASB. After you work together so much, you realize you have something in common. Obviously, if you’re in ASB, you probably have something in common because you all want to be a leader and help,” Bacon said. “It’s special because you put on these really huge events that you all spend a ton of time work-
Co-commissioner Brianna Henderson,” Bacon said. “You guys are in it together. It’s not an individual single minded process, everyone helps out everywhere. It takes a lot to get with the system, especially with the small details, but the support really helps you push through.” Looking back on her first interview to be appointed to an ASB position, Bacon realized the importance of perseverance in pursuing her goals in life. “I was really nervous going in to interview for ASB but now I can’t imagine what it would be like if I chickened out of that interview,” Bacon said. “I’m really glad that I pushed through. Advocate for yourself and put yourself out there.” Bacon, who will attend Pennsylvania State University this fall, is unsure whether student council will be the appropriate path for her there but will continue leadership in another form through her participation in Lion Scouts, a program similar to Link Crew which acquaints new students to the campus, allowing her to put the skills she has gain from ASB to use. Nonetheless, Bacon will take her ASB experiences into account in her decision. Bacon will not forget the role RUSH had in creating “fun” times in her past, but also in molding her future. “I love Redondo. I’m really thankful for all that Redondo has given me,” Bacon said. “I’m excited for the future, but I won’t forget the place Redondo has in my life.”
Favorite Memory
Advice for Freshmen
“I can’t really choose one favorite memory because there are so many, but my favorite moments would definitely be laughing with my friends.”
“Try to not freak out about not getting accepted into college; no matter what, you are bound to get in somewhere.”
Biggest Regret
Advice for Freshmen
KELSEY KIRKPATRICK
ing on. It takes a lot of commitment from everyone so that really makes us closer together.” For Bacon, the collaborative ASB environment is key in cultivating ideas to design rallies, contests, and other events. “Everyone is really supportive of each other, from the cabinet to Ms. Mata, to my
“Always join in on activities, whether they be clubs or school spirit events organized by ASB.”
TORI SANTIAGO
“I regret not opening myself up to different things that were outside of my comfort zone.”
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It takes two
Cho and Yoo have grown closer over their years in ASB by Samaya Rubio
Teen spirit. Hannah Cho and Rebecca Yoo pose together on the football field wearing their senior spirit shirts. PHOTOS COURTESY OF HANNAH CHO
H
annah Cho and Rebecca Yoo have been friends for years through their involvement in ASB. From the Boys Versus Girls Rally to the recent color run, these girls have seen the ups and downs of the ASB program through their two and three years in the program, respectively. Cho took on the role of ASB Vice President and Yoo stepped up to the position of ASB Secretary/Treasurer.
Cho joined because she wanted to get involved in a program at her school, and her older brother, who was in ASB, encouraged her to join. Hearing about Cho’s experiences in ASB convinced Yoo to join a year later. “I joined ASB because I thought I was kind of wasting my high school years away, and I wasn’t really being productive or involved,” Yoo said. “It was also because [Hannah] joined sophomore year, and she encour-
aged me to join as well.” Cho and Yoo both enjoyed ASB because it gave them the opportunity to give back to RUHS and the community as a whole. “I just love serving people, and I think serving our school and giving back to the students and the school is a very enjoyable thing,” Cho said. “I love seeing how people respond in such a positive way, and it makes me happy that people enjoy what we plan for and work for.” For Yoo, ASB has given her insight into what she wants to do with her life after high school. She is going to Pepperdine University and is studying business administration. She hopes to use the skills she has learned from her leadership role in the ASB cabinet and apply them to her future. “ASB kind of shaped who I want to be when I’m older, and it is what made me want
to join marketing. I like planning events and I like meeting new people and talking to adults. I like directing people where to go,” Yoo said. ASB has provided Cho with a sense of “serving people and helping anyone [she] can in [her] life,” but she plans to go into a field that has “nothing to do with [ASB].” She has been interested in pharmacy since the end of eighth grade, and she plans to study it at Chapman University. “Being in cabinet taught me who I really was, like my characteristics, my personality, and how I am as a person and what I want to do,” Yoo said. “It has shown me more of who I am.” Though the two may seem very different on paper, they are similar in their connections to their church and the crowded room on the second floor of the office.
ASB has helped Ghazal branch out of his comfort zone by Daphnie Fulton After seeing a sign in his English class that said “You are here,” he adopted the catchphrase for senior year. Yoseph Ghazal decided to take advantage of any opportunities presented to him and “live for the moment.” With his new perspective, he was able to better understand himself as a person. “The beginning of high school, I was kind of an awkward weird guy trying to figure himself out. I didn’t know who I belonged with,” Ghazal said. “It was a whole new start for me, and I didn’t know what kind of person I wanted to become.” This year, Ghazal has also taken up new activities in order to expand his skill set and continue his new outlook on people and how to treat life. Joining ASB was “definitely the best decision” he has made in high school.
“I’ve gotten to know new people, including some of my best friends. Through all of the activities, I have really had to learn time management skills and life skills in general,” Ghazal said. Also through ASB, he believes he has developed as a person and has opened up to others. “I’ve come out of my shell. Before ASB, I was not into school spirit. This year, I went to all the sporting events for basketball and football. I am willing to do crazier things because I’ve come out of my shell,” Ghazal said. According to Ghazal, he has “developed [his] skill set and [his] personality.” One skill he focuses on is connecting with people on a personal level, which is something he has picked up on throughout his high school career.
“If you are the kind of person who can make a connection with anyone, I feel like that shows a lot about your character, and I want to develop that reputation as someone who is friendly and someone who you can come and talk to,” Ghazal said. Ghazal tries to relate to everyone he speaks to on a personal level. “When you are with people, try to understand them more than just from a shallow perspective. Know that if someone is in a bad mood, they are probably dealing with something. If someone seems aggressive, they are probably going through something,” Ghazal said. “If someone seems really excited about something, that is what they are passionate about. Show some interest because they are happy to talk about it.”
Future Plans
LAUREN TSUNEISHI
Advice for Freshmen
“I plan on playing basketball at Westmont College and working towards my bachelors in Kinesiology and my Masters in Nutrition.”
“Make the most out of your time in high school because it goes by quickly.”
Greatest Accomplishment
“My favorite memory in high school is from my first rally, the glow-in-the-dark rally. It was definitely a lot of work in ASB, but it was worth it because it was so much fun.”
“Winning the Girls Basketball CIF Championship in 2015 was amazing.”
Favorite Memory
BRIANA HENDERSON
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features
Immersed in drama
Bruckner looks to continue acting after four years in drama by Erika Zlatkin After spending four years on the high school stage, Alex Bruckner has used her experiences to shape her goals and dreams of starring in plays and musicals in the future. “My main contribution to RUHS is definitely in the theater arts department,” Brucker said. “I participate in all of the plays and musicals, and I am on board in the school club.” Since freshman year, Bruckner has used drama to increase her influence in the theater arts department through her lead roles and presence on board. “Being involved in drama has been the one class that I have looked forward to,” Bruckner said. “It is a great environment due to all the people in the club, and it is great working with my little sister that is a freshman this year.” Bruckner enjoys being a role model for her sister and encouraging her to pursue her passions, even if they might not be in the same direction as Bruckner’s. “From being in the shows, I have made some of the closest friends,” Bruckner said. “When I go down to the theater, I know everyone by name and what they like and dislike. Even if I’m not best friends with everyone, I feel as though I am in a warm environment where I can be safe and myself.” The relationships Bruckner has formed in drama department is one of the many reasons she loves the overall environment. She believes that the welcoming atmosphere is always “encouraging” and “open” to other people. “Drama has taught me that everyone is different with a different mindset,” Bruckner said. “I think that is really interesting because even though we are all in the theater department, we all have different lives and
Seeing Green.
Senior Alex Bruckner performs as Fiona in Shrek The Musical. Bruckner looks to continue her acting and pursue it as a career PHOTO BY CELINE OH
Advice for Freshmen
Greatest Accomplishment
“High school isn’t as bad as the it is made out to be. There isn’t really a school bully.”
“Either getting on varsity waterpolo sophmor year or getting the lead role in the musical without knowing ho to sing.”
Biggest Regret
Advice for Freshman
IKAIKA NAPOHAKU
“Freshman, stay involved in as many things as you can.”
goals. So being able to talk to people and know how their mind works is something really fun.” The Black Box is one of Bruckner’s favorite places to be because of the positive memories she has, and the overall “good feeling” of the building itself. “I think being able to walk into the theater and feeling like it is my home in school is something I will really miss in high school,” Bruckner said. “It is hard to pinpoint a certain moment that I cherish the most because I will miss a combination of the people, the atmosphere, and the fun moments we all shared together.” When Bruckner performs, she hopes to connect with the audience through her character as a way to strengthen her performance. “My favorite thing about drama is knowing that my performance was able to touch people in the audience,” Bruckner said. “Whether they cry or laugh, if I am able to draw any form of emotion from the crowd then I know I am doing a good job.” Bruckner’s main reason for acting is the “rush” she feels when she performs. “Being on stage is like a complete feeling of satisfaction and joy,” Bruckner said. “Every part of me mentally, physically and emotionally is invested into one character and having a good time.” Maintaining her passion for performing, Bruckner is excited for her future and “everything it has to offer.” “I have not been more ready to leave for college ever,” Bruckner said. “I feel like my whole life has been building up to this breaking moment and it is going to be a lot of responsibility on me. But finally, I will have the freedom to study what I love, do what I love and live, in New York, where I love.”
TEAGAN BEVINS
“My senior year, I branched out a lot and met new people and went out a lot more. I went to parties and concerts and and had the time of my life.”
June 16, 2017
page 15
features
Drama queen Quevedo- Capizzi reflects on her time in the drama program by Elizabeth Fauver audition for Macbeth her sophomore year. Since then, she has worked her way up to become Vice President of the entire department. “I was very nervous coming into this program,” Quevedo Seeing Gren. Senior Alex Bruckner performs as Fiona in this year’s Shrek The Musical. PHOTO BY CELINE OH Capizzi said. “Everyone was really welcoming though, and I was One Acts. Senior Isadora Quevedo- Capizzi performs in the One- Act Anna Alone. PHOTO COURTESY OF RUHS DRAMA extremely fortunate to to have a wonderful first production and experience. This prompted me to become sadora Quevedo- Capizzi can’t seem had that stereotypical feeling of just falling more involved and I audition for a board.” in love with doing productions,” Quevedoto avoid drama. Quevedo- Capizzi enjoys being Vice After participating in a production when Capizzi said. “I have always loved acting and President because she is able to make an imshe was in eighth grade, Quevedo- Capizzi being over the top, so it was a great fit. After pact in the department. was inspired to continue theater arts into that production, I knew that it was something “Normally, the Vice President just plans I wanted to get more involved in during high high school. the banquet, but this year is different,” Que“After I joined Parras Middle School’s school.” vedo- Capizzi said. “Our banquet is very over Quevedo- Capizzi made the decision to production of Thoroughly Modern Millie, I
I
the top, with a theme and awards and the whole stage is transformed. Now, I am also in charge of taking photos at all the drama events. I make monthly photo boards for the black box and make a drama yearbook through shutterfly with my committee.” Through her three years in the Drama Department, Quevedo- Capizzi feels like she has experienced an immense amount of individual growth. “You really go from a follower to a leader in this program,” Quevedo- Capizzi said. “At the beginning, you come in wanting to discover who you really are, and through the years, I have learned so much about myself. It is a maturing experience, and I now want to be able to set examples for others and be someone who others are truly able to look up to. This really is like my second home.”
Manos volunteers with children at the Pediatric Therapy Network by Grace McGonigle The sight of a smile. The hug of a child. The expression of gratitude. These three things compel Stacey Manos to carry out her volunteer work and help children with special needs. For three years, Manos has dedicated her time once a month to volunteering at the Pediatric Therapy Network, or PTN. “I started my volunteer work freshman year. Through a youth group program at my church, I got the opportunity to volunteer at different places, like the Pediatric Therapy Network that works with kids with special needs. I started going there as a once
in awhile sort of thing and it escalated from there,” Manos said. Her mother, Kim Manos, thinks Manos’ work shows a lot about her character. “As her mom, I’m really proud of the things she does outside the home, especially to help others,” Kim said. “I think she shows a lot of empathy when she volunteers, and it means a lot to her.” Manos volunteers for the opportunity to inspire others and spread kindness. “I love the idea that I can help someone and they can take it with them and maybe help someone else in the future,” Manos said.
Because she has spent at least 250 hours a year volunteering, Manos has earned the gold President’s Volunteer Service Award three years in a row. “The first time I won I was really happy because I felt like the things I had been doing, although they felt good and I didn’t need the award, were recognized and it did feel good. I would’ve done everything either way though,” Manos said. Kim thinks people can learn from Manos and her passion for volunteering. “I think we can all learn from each other, but I definitely think people can learn from
Future Plans
Biggest Regret
“I am trying to go into a BA in theater in college, which includes singing. And I definitely would like to continue it.”
“Being too boy crazy and not studious.”
Advice for Freshmen
Favorite Memory
SARAJANE BRADFORD
“I got to help direct the fall play The Dining Room alongside Ms. Staab.”
her like she’s learned from her friends and family members,” Kim said. Manos wants it to be her career because it’s not only beneficial to her, but to other people. “I think the reason I want this to be my career or a part of my life is because I think it really does have a purpose, it makes other people happy besides myself,” Manos said. I think you do have to do what makes you happy, but I think in that process if I could somehow make other people happy, it’s a win win. That’s something else I love about volunteering, other people get to benefit.”
KIMI FUNABASHI
“Trust yourself and instincts. Understand high school is this magical time that you will look back on later in life.”
page 16
High Tide
features
Danny Zimmerman: a future University of Michigan Wolverine by Tessa Biscaldi Danny Zimmerman’s passion for baseball started at the age of five when he started playing at Alta Vista Park with his dad as his coach. “As a kid, I really played every sport. I don’t exactly remember who got me into playing baseball because I was so young, but it was probably my dad. I really loved it,” Zimmerman said. His dad and brother were both big influences in Zimmerman’s decision to play. “We used to just go out there all the time and play baseball. My older brother played as well, so we just practiced together a lot. It was just my favorite thing to do even when I was younger,” Zimmerman said. “The way it feels to play” is Zimmerman’s favorite part of baseball. “I love that when I play baseball, I feel really relaxed,” Zimmerman said. “I really like that you can just go out and play with your
friends and how it helps to create friendships.” For Zimmerman, his baseball career really began when he started playing travel baseball, which earned him invitations to bigger events and tournaments. “I got invited to play in U-17 USA Baseball Team over the summer, and then the summer after that I was asked to go to the U-18 tryouts, where they only pick 100 people to go. This last summer, I went to Area Codes which is the hardest competition to get into and I played for the Southern California team,” Zimmerman said. Next year, Zimmerman will be playing baseball for University of Michigan. “I chose Michigan because it’s a great school for baseball and academics,” Zimmerman said. “I really wanted to go somewhere that I couldn’t get into without baseball. Zimmerman has been committed to play-
ing baseball for University of Michigan since sophomore year. “During sophomore year, schools started offering me scholarships to play baseball in college, and during that year I verbally committed to playing for Michigan,” Zimmerman said. After college, Zimmerman hopes to play baseball professionally. “I’m hoping that once college is over, I can play professional baseball,” Zimmerman said. “I want to get drafted and eventually make it on a major Sprinting home. Danny Zimmerman runs into home plate, scoring a run league team.” for Redondo. PHOTO BY MATTHEW YOON
Kennel reaches for nothing but the best by Adam Yorke
Shooting for goals. Madi Kennel dribbles the ball toward the goal, looking for an opening to shoot. PHOTO BY MATTHEW YOON
Playing college soccer is not easy. Playing division 1 college soccer is even harder. And playing Big 10 college soccer is near impossible. But Madi Kennel loves to be exceptional. She has claimed Most Outstanding Athlete at RUHS every year since her start in 2013. Her club team has won the last three consecutive state cups and went so far as the national championship last year. As a sophomore, Kennel committed to Northwestern University, a college that only accepts 10% of the most qualified applicants in the world and
hosts a women’s soccer team that is consistently ranked in the top 25. It is easy to see why Northwestern would want Kennel. Her strength, speed, vision, and touch make her a steady power in the middle of the field. She can rob a sprinting attacker at the top of her box, play it wide, and make an 80 yard run to score in a matter of seconds. On the sidelines one can often hear biology teacher Mr. Lewis telling the boys soccer team that Kennel could “knock them on their [butts].” “She’s just an overall great player. She holds down the middle better than anyone I know. She can do it on both ends of the field, offensive and defensive,” teammate Kara Simones said. Like any freshman on a varsity team, Kennel was shy. That same year Redondo finished 5th in Bay League with a 3-7-0 record. But her central role required a leader, and
Greatest Accomplishment
Advice for Freshmen Try not to get caught up in juvenile drama because that causes a lot of unnecessary stress.
Getting into Wellesly college and winning Bay League all four years I’ve played.
Favorite Memory
Future Plans
LANE ARKANGEL
My future plans are to go to Wellesley College, go to graduate school, and become a successful doctor.
by Kennel’s junior year she was a captain. This year, RUHS finished preseason 16-21 and placed second in Bay League after a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to Palos Verdes high school. The dramatic improvement can be attributed to a range of reasons, but no doubt one of them is number 21 in the middle. “You can see a difference in the way everyone plays when Madi is on the field. We all become more confident knowing that she is there for us. She doesn’t just score goals, she makes everyone around her better,” Simones said. But Kennel is more than just a soccer player. She has maintained a 4.3+ GPA throughout high school and is an active member of student council. Kennel walks with confidence. She dominates on the field and in the classroom. To her, exceptional is normal, it’s all she has ever known.
TEA LEKSUNTHON
My favorite memory is winning the first place championsuip in marching band my junior year.
June 16, 2017
page 17
features
Cheers to a great season Three friends end high school cheering together by Sarah Flannery
To close out their senior year, Brooklyn Narvaez, Anna Kurisaki and Lauryn Alejo were not only close friends, but co-captains of the varsity cheerleading team. The three credit their strong communication skills with being close friends which makes it easier to support and confide each other. “Being captains with my close friends was so fun, it made everything easier. We always hung out and got along really well. There were never really any hard feelings, we weren’t afraid to disagree and we got really good at finding things that we don’t agree on and meeting halfway which was really important,” Narvaez said. Kurisaki also noted that being in a group that was very dynamic and flexible helped them cooperate with each other well. “We understand each other so there’s a lot of honesty, it wasn’t super difficult finding what worked and what didn’t because we were all kind of in tune. We weren’t afraid to say anything to each other,” Kurisaki said. While the captains had a more enjoyable time leading because of their friendship, there were unexpected responsibilies and more workload than anticipated. “Last year when I was nominated I just expected to do the usual telling people how their hair is supposed to be and what to wear but I didn’t expect to be choreographing and running practices and putting in more time than I expected,” Alejo said. If Alejo had known about all the time and commitment being captain took, she would have had a very different senior year.
“If I knew how much responsibility I’d be taking on I wouldn’t have had taken on as many things at school because I took four APs and my position in the yearbook would’ve been different. It was so rough; everyone says senior year is the easiest but I took on so many things and being captain was a lot of pressure,” Alejo said. Due to the strong bonds each captain had with each other, conflict resolution was normally an easy task because of their willingness to communicate. “Being friends made everything so much easier, it always lightened the mood and when there was conflict we could just talk
it out, we were this great support system. When things got tough, we had each other to help and being in the same friend group helped a ton with communication and was a lot easier to work with what we had,” Alejo said. Narvaez also agreed that being a captain came with unexpected stress and responsibility, which included time-consuming practices, and teaching or creating dances that she underestimated. “I wouldn’t take it back but it was hard and it wasn’t exactly how I wanted my senior year of cheer to go. We had so much more responsibility than I thought we would and it
Gooooo Sea Hawks. Alejo, Kurisaki and Narvaez
pose with Andy Saltsman. Each of them wear lays and sashes to represent them being seniors. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RUHS CHEER TEAM
Advice for Freshmen
Future Plans
Freshman year actually does count for a lot when applying to colleges. They see it all, so don’t think that you can slack off freshman year.
I plan on going to El-Co for two years and then transfering to Long Beach to study kinesiology.
Advice for Freshmen
Future Plans
CALEIGH RANJO
In the future, I plan on continuing to play lacrosse at DePauw University in Indiana, and study Spanish and Art History.
took up so much time. It was definitely more than we signed up for but I wouldn’t take it back,” Narvaez said. Despite the stress and the ups and downs the captains faced, they are also thankful for the fun that they had bringing the team closer and the things that kept them grounded, which they each responded to differently. “I think this year was definitely a surprise for all of us, we did not expect for our situation to be the way it was but it definitely turned out really well, the team was so bonded and we felt like because there was a change in coach it was going to be kind of the team against the captains but it definitely wasn’t the case,” Alejo said. “We all got closer and I’m really happy with the friendships that we’ve all made and I’m just really glad that the team has maintained the skill level too,” Kurisaki continues. “There were definitely a lot of little things that we didn’t expect would be as helpful as they were in terms of our friendship. We had a successful season and I think a lot of it had to do with how well everyone worked together and how bonded we were as a team, it helped us stay sane,” Narvaez said. While the season required a lot of commitment, these captains have no regrets and are overall happy with the way the year turned out. “While is was difficult, I wouldn’t change it,” Narvaez said. “I learned so much this year and we worked super hard. Looking back, while it was a lot of stress, it was a lot of fun. I spent it with an amazing group of people and in the end, I had a good time.”
MATT THORNE
I would tell future freshmen to not be lazy and to try not to let seniorites hit early. Also, if you decide to go somewhere like El Camino, try hard no matter what.
Art Institute of Orange County
Yesenia Castillo Nicholas Vishek Johannes Van Rosmalen Tatiana Ellzey
Cal Poly Pomona CSU East Bay Nnaji Ideozu Taylor Fulks
Kira Marshall Saffi Yapp
Cal Poly San Luis CSU Fullerton Joel Gelotin Obispo Sara Furutani Chineme Maduno Timothy Ewing Haley Winn Emma Waldinger Ethan Comeaux Emma Marco
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Chapman University Hannah Cho Roxana Cociu
Concorde Career College (North Hollywood) John Atherton
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El Camino College
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Teagan Bevins Mateo Hamm
CSU Long Beach Robyn Mendoza Tina Hayati Jordan Bellamy Brandon Chun Madeline McCaw Fayth Ryn
CSU Los Angeles Natalie Lopez
CSU Maritime Academy Thomas Clay Emi Stephanoff
CSU Northridge Cerena Gonzalez Corliss Liang Kalena Cienfuegos Chyna Turntine
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Cypress College Munierath Ky
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Gregory VanSciver Owen English Freya Start Conrad Rogers Joseph Martelli Joe Klahr Kevin Ho Omed Mirafshan Sebastian Bongiovanni Lorenzo Dumas Zachary Cline Julio Cruz Laith Diab Dartagnan Carratala Joseph Simpson Elyssa Gilbert Austin Gutierrez Mabel Gamino Nicole St. Clair Dylana Wagorn Danica MonsantoGonzalez Solee Scarlet Nicole Zambros Sarah Zeitzew Azuma Sugahara Sydney Shockley Lilian Rubio
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Recording Connection Audio Institute Zaida Cobb
Rio Hondo College
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Southern California Institute of Technology Frank Volk
Stanford University
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UC Berkeley Fashion Institute Noah Martin Tate Curran of Design and Merchandising Sacramento State Dina Ghanim Lydia Sayad Nadirah Abdur-Rahim University Grossmont College Naomi Leilua
Irvine Valley College Lana Momani
LA Trade Technical College Kameron Howard Kevin Nakamoto Victoria Hernandez
LA Harbor College
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Long Beach City College Analise Maldonado Ben Carpenter
Loyola Marymount University
CSU San Francisco Bridgette Flint Courtney Van den Eikhof Patricia Hernandez Michelle Ho Joshua Kano Hayley O’Connor-Rigby Cameron Bright Amanda Leavitt
Pepperdine University
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Marymount California University Payton Cahalan
Norco College Catrina Kassab
Shyann Martinez Ethan Noell Blake Madison Ruddy Goingco Rafael Hoffman Isaam Khan Adrian Craciun Starla Perez Ryzer Hendricks Logan Tahlier Alexis Salcedo Patrick Cochran Izack Saucedo Eric Mazor Jada Morris Nija Lawoye Cameron Hegedusch Brittany Baker Dayan Zivkovic Jalen Dawson Jenoah Nelson Santi Watson Shannon Sherman
Darien Womack Kai Osagie
Jennie Bao Matthew Mercier
San Diego City College
UC Irvine
Sarah Russell
San Diego Culinary Institute Kadence Hedges
San Diego State University Savannah Leslie Salma Michel Brenan Knott Tyler Springman Sage Strusser Haley Huffman Kennedy Williams Mackenna Denton Kaitlin Heri
Santa Barbara City College
Christina Crane Ardyn Wallo Colin Crowe Natalie Haan Cassandra Gonzalez
Santa Monica College
Joshua Ciup Nadia Wardlaw-Roberts Devonte Carter Claudia Vasquez-Solis Kelly Sen Kayla Sen Jessica Koopman Xavier Cojulun Bailey Sarria Katty Diaz de Leon Erick Hidalgo Luma Wegman Jasmine Manithip Aaron Gill Elizabeth Guerrero Farrah Heaslet Adam Simon Anthony Camacho Sami El-Saheb Jorey Nickelberry Marco Bran Melanie Carrillo Farhana El Taha Aidan Dinnie James Tyler Madison Spadaro Jacob Segura Alex Lopez Makenna Peneueta Kyron O’Gilvie Anton Lam Griffin Harbridge
Reema Saad Sanad El-Khatib Yoseph Ghazal Hiroki Goto Leyna Duong Gordon Lobins Andrei Savulescu Caitlyn Catubig Anthony Nguyen Justice Segura Amanda Ramos Grant Tsuji Thomas Ecklund Yasamin Fazeli Maegan Daley Sarajane Bradford Faith Gray Karra Ideozu Teà Leksunthon Jocelyn Sfetcu Stacey Manos Gabriela Marquez Aditya Nair Tianhong Jiang Marie Ona Tianhao Yan Andrez Stauring Ely Khatib Emily Coan Alexander Le Nicole Yu
Amelia Moberg
UC Riverside
Samuel Higuera Eric Rothenberger
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UC Santa Barbara
Naima Rosenberg Kara Simones Pierson Wodzynski
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University of San Francisco Tori Santiago Kyle Ealy Ashley Humphrey
University of Southern California Jocelyn Lee Cameron Miles Hali Honea
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Gonzaga University Celine Oh
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Portland State
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Seattle Pacific University
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Pacific University
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George Fox University
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Andrea Rodriguez Andrea Chung Amaya Nellum Griffin Keith Ben Estefania Lucy Bayle
University of Arizona Kaleigh Hanley Khadijah Alali Brendan Boyle Tyler Klepper
Western Arizona College Xavier Lawrence
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Victoria Petz
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Zach Boesen Sophia Schuman Briana Henderson
Trevor Bowens Kayla Vandermark
Matthew Yonemura Athena Eskenazi
Illinois Institute of Technology Cinjun Coe
Loyola University Chicago Patricia Pano
Northern Illinois University Sydney Hopkins
Keely Twitchell Sean Thiltgen Mira Elhindi Sabrina DierickxGamboa
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Joe Landers IV
University of Colorado, Denver Madilynn Goldberg
Ikaika Alluin Hailey Evans Sean Ferns Mohammad Qureashi Anthony Mendez Andrea Beckley Eric Filishtiner Aaron Rosado Anna Gastelum Ariella Filishtiner Spencer Coneybeare Nikolas Fortune Cloe Craciun Ben Caceres Mia Young Ryan Chomenko Luis Lopez Dana Lopez
Oliver Escalante
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Royal Holloway University of London (U.K.)
Univesity of Arlington, Texas
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Jaden Allen
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain)
University of Texas, Dallas
Kym Sastre
Keely Fillman
University of Toronto (Canada)
Hawaii Pacific University
University of Victoria (Canada)
University of Hawaii, Hilo
Jake Wolf
Michael Vela
Thomas Ramirez
Rachel Willard
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Eastern University
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Franklin & Marshall College Alexandra Hickey
Pennsylvania State University
Essie Bonney
Cornell University Andrew Graven
Fordham University
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University of Colorado, Boulder
University of New Mexico
Caterina Hyneman
Northwestern University
Gavin Scouton
Rhine-Wall University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Johnson and Wales University
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Colorado State University, Pueblo
Callie Hokanson Zachary Kester Jade Gonzalez Naomi Rodriguez Priscilla Pech Isaac Vizcarra Jenna Stackpole Jacob Negrete Kyle Beatty Andrew Collins Joseph Le Carlos Sique Anne-Elyse Peterson Chris Guirguis Alexis Sanchez Ali Omrani Leah Carey Cesar Gonzalez Kyler Howell Trevor Ferdinand Elijah Cazares Harmony Forsythe Zoila Aki
Dartmouth College
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Philadelphia University
Chason Williams Tyson Williams
Taylor Jastram Aaliah Khan Ethan Parker Desiree Paquette Jennifer Gutierrez Robert Khlasky Ryan Huggins Mehrad Nahreini Gregory Clark Justin Coyle Gina Barragan Erica Bergado Drake Brown Tyler Trejo Sarah Chase Katrina Schaeffer Lyndon Jones Chris Rennie Stephanie Contreras Khalid Gabr Justin Barteky Tristan Gallardo Trevor Anderson
Danny Zimmerman
Wellesley College
Thuy Linh Turek
Hinds Community College
Spencer Coneybeare Arianna Deutschman Bruce Huynh Savannah Liedke Jonas Kilker Rebecca Mallen Leonel Nobote Kevin Martinez Carrisa Orellana Brandon Craciun Garrick Hernandez Cartier Jarveaux Lauren Houghton Davis Turk Hewell Ibarra Ayesha Munawar Kaylee Wright Jose Nieves Susana Villegas Cole Arakawa Mario Peralta Sara Reedy Carina Laguna
University of Michigan
Amy Martin Shota Kobayashi
University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign
Madison Kennel
Namie Fotion Yoshino Goto Alexander Fuqua Alysa Kataoka Dona Trinity Leonard Kaila Daniels
Brooklyn Narvaez Kierra Damone
Boston University
Madison Bacon David Munoz
Stephanie Lai
Basiliki Gianoukakis
UC Los Angeles
Alex Connoy Noah Rosenthal Adrian Gavrila Aidan Bell Elizabeth Chu Jessica Sanchez Amanda Chau Isaiah Tyler Nicholas Zaragosa Jessica Villania Frank Orosco Mary Hindle Josue Leiva Alexandre De Araujo Peres Cora Eden Cosmo Wegman Elena Hernandez Alexander Ruybalid Rosa Sciortino Brandon Putman Sarah Osman Matthew Thorne
Sophia Ruffo
Michigan State University
University of Northern Colorado
Elizabeth Anderson Carmel Mabry Marielle Waller Logan Kerby
University of Nebraska, Lincoln Matthew Davidson
Hofstra University Marist College
Temple University
Katelin Harris
University of Pittsburgh
Beau McBride
Jarrah May
Isabell Kassaye Shaniya Markalanda
Nazareth College New York University Amanda Shaw Lauren Schwartzer
DePauw University
Pratt Institute
Caleigh Ranjo
Michael Yoon
Indiana University Bloomington
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Cuyahoga Community College, Ohio
Queens College, CUNY
Ten-Kai Chang
Chase Watson
Miami University, Oxford Nicolas Hamm
Rider University Kelly Harraka
Xavier University of Louisiana Nicole Swift
Morehouse College Jaland Green
Savannah College of Art and Design Kate Lux
Oklahoma Baptist University
Allison Douglas
Nicolo Catalano
Syracuse University Aaqilah Wright Clarke Brown
Georgetown University Brandi Coleman
Wesleyan University
Jason Fong
Yale University Steven Barbee
Broward College Jeremy Rivera
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida Jaymie Bettger
Steve Pineda
United States Army Vincent Finnochio Xavier Macias
United States Marine Corps Jesse Rubio Bryce Clomera Kevin Ordonez Kevin O’Toole Anthony Gulino
United States Navy Jon Trammell Rodrigo Ruezga
Art Institute of Orange County
Yesenia Castillo Nicholas Vishek Johannes Van Rosmalen Tatiana Ellzey
Cal Poly Pomona CSU East Bay Nnaji Ideozu Taylor Fulks
Kira Marshall Saffi Yapp
Cal Poly San Luis CSU Fullerton Joel Gelotin Obispo Sara Furutani Chineme Maduno Timothy Ewing Haley Winn Emma Waldinger Ethan Comeaux Emma Marco
Kimberly Funabashi Madison Martin Skylar Klembith Farzeen Alam Kyanie Lopez Isadora QuevedoCapizzi
Cerritos College
CSU Humboldt
Annalise Cortez
Chapman University Hannah Cho Roxana Cociu
Concorde Career College (North Hollywood) John Atherton
Concordia University Irvine Logan Glave
CSU Channel Islands
Brandon Castillo Emilie Chaumillon Tyler Nguyen
CSU Chico
Rachel Arrigo Charlotte Torquato Melanie Paiz Kelsey Smith Kyle Callahan Jacob Ernst
CSU Dominguez Hills Justin Barsoum Cameron Graziano Abraham Azzam Melissa Loza Karen Castillo Chantelle Sinkler Bryce Curtis
El Camino College
Eben Cowley Kaiya Brown Terry Cruz Chaz DeCrescenzo Lena Mukhalian Diego Balcarcel Briggitta Tatar-Raiford Maryam Bacaloni Logan Chaves Davina Nguyen Steven Rosero Kyle Thorne Maksym Lushch Daylan Bonner Tanner Broese Melanie Meas Christopher Redmond Natalie Mitter Brianna Dunlop Kylie Komori
Teagan Bevins Mateo Hamm
CSU Long Beach Robyn Mendoza Tina Hayati Jordan Bellamy Brandon Chun Madeline McCaw Fayth Ryn
CSU Los Angeles Natalie Lopez
CSU Maritime Academy Thomas Clay Emi Stephanoff
CSU Northridge Cerena Gonzalez Corliss Liang Kalena Cienfuegos Chyna Turntine
CSU Sonoma
Nick Giorgio Alexis Johnson Isabel Alba Mia Furman Samantha Horowitz Codie Williams Chanel Ruiz
Cypress College Munierath Ky
CSU San Jose
Gregory VanSciver Owen English Freya Start Conrad Rogers Joseph Martelli Joe Klahr Kevin Ho Omed Mirafshan Sebastian Bongiovanni Lorenzo Dumas Zachary Cline Julio Cruz Laith Diab Dartagnan Carratala Joseph Simpson Elyssa Gilbert Austin Gutierrez Mabel Gamino Nicole St. Clair Dylana Wagorn Danica MonsantoGonzalez Solee Scarlet Nicole Zambros Sarah Zeitzew Azuma Sugahara Sydney Shockley Lilian Rubio
Rebecca Yoo Dylan Allen
Recording Connection Audio Institute Zaida Cobb
Rio Hondo College
Grace Bulson
Southern California Institute of Technology Frank Volk
Stanford University
Sophia Maguy
UC Berkeley Fashion Institute Noah Martin Tate Curran of Design and Merchandising Sacramento State Dina Ghanim Lydia Sayad Nadirah Abdur-Rahim University Grossmont College Naomi Leilua
Irvine Valley College Lana Momani
LA Trade Technical College Kameron Howard Kevin Nakamoto Victoria Hernandez
LA Harbor College
Jessica Chavarria Samantha Sapien
Long Beach City College Analise Maldonado Ben Carpenter
Loyola Marymount University
CSU San Francisco Bridgette Flint Courtney Van den Eikhof Patricia Hernandez Michelle Ho Joshua Kano Hayley O’Connor-Rigby Cameron Bright Amanda Leavitt
Pepperdine University
Jana Jones Nathaniel Salvini Kayden Haas Ryse Williams
Marymount California University Payton Cahalan
Norco College Catrina Kassab
Shyann Martinez Ethan Noell Blake Madison Ruddy Goingco Rafael Hoffman Isaam Khan Adrian Craciun Starla Perez Ryzer Hendricks Logan Tahlier Alexis Salcedo Patrick Cochran Izack Saucedo Eric Mazor Jada Morris Nija Lawoye Cameron Hegedusch Brittany Baker Dayan Zivkovic Jalen Dawson Jenoah Nelson Santi Watson Shannon Sherman
Darien Womack Kai Osagie
Jennie Bao Matthew Mercier
San Diego City College
UC Irvine
Sarah Russell
San Diego Culinary Institute Kadence Hedges
San Diego State University Savannah Leslie Salma Michel Brenan Knott Tyler Springman Sage Strusser Haley Huffman Kennedy Williams Mackenna Denton Kaitlin Heri
Santa Barbara City College
Christina Crane Ardyn Wallo Colin Crowe Natalie Haan Cassandra Gonzalez
Santa Monica College
Joshua Ciup Nadia Wardlaw-Roberts Devonte Carter Claudia Vasquez-Solis Kelly Sen Kayla Sen Jessica Koopman Xavier Cojulun Bailey Sarria Katty Diaz de Leon Erick Hidalgo Luma Wegman Jasmine Manithip Aaron Gill Elizabeth Guerrero Farrah Heaslet Adam Simon Anthony Camacho Sami El-Saheb Jorey Nickelberry Marco Bran Melanie Carrillo Farhana El Taha Aidan Dinnie James Tyler Madison Spadaro Jacob Segura Alex Lopez Makenna Peneueta Kyron O’Gilvie Anton Lam Griffin Harbridge
Reema Saad Sanad El-Khatib Yoseph Ghazal Hiroki Goto Leyna Duong Gordon Lobins Andrei Savulescu Caitlyn Catubig Anthony Nguyen Justice Segura Amanda Ramos Grant Tsuji Thomas Ecklund Yasamin Fazeli Maegan Daley Sarajane Bradford Faith Gray Karra Ideozu Teà Leksunthon Jocelyn Sfetcu Stacey Manos Gabriela Marquez Aditya Nair Tianhong Jiang Marie Ona Tianhao Yan Andrez Stauring Ely Khatib Emily Coan Alexander Le Nicole Yu
Amelia Moberg
UC Riverside
Samuel Higuera Eric Rothenberger
UC San Diego Jaideep Chakladar Julie Nguyen Adam Porter Etienne Doidic Kathryn Doyle Bing Rethy
UC Santa Barbara
Naima Rosenberg Kara Simones Pierson Wodzynski
UC Santa Cruz Todd Sanders Bradford Tarwater Oasys Okubo Ian Pizzuti Sabrina Ng Benjamin Douglas
Peyton Bell Elliot Lewis Gabriel Quevedo
University of San Francisco Tori Santiago Kyle Ealy Ashley Humphrey
University of Southern California Jocelyn Lee Cameron Miles Hali Honea
Vanguard University
Krystle Costea
Westmont College
Lauren Tsuneishi
Gonzaga University Celine Oh
Western Washington University Jacob Bolt
Washington State University
Oregon State
Arizona State University
DePaul University
Janiya Sistrunk
Tyler Murell
Cooper Lash Kelsey Kirkpatrick
Portland State
Leila Nasrallah Adrianna D’Agostino
University of Oregon Myella Primmer Kimberly Green
Amanda Young
Boise State University
Jacqueline Schneider
Columbia College, Chicago
Zachariah Rodriguez
Seattle Pacific University
University of Montana, Missoula
Arizona Christian Northern Arizona University University
Pacific University
Ryan Bender Sara Holland Lauryn Alejo Megan Binegar Shelby Oyape
Malaya Wade Henry Bakalay
George Fox University
Neal Sullivan Jayna Fedor-Kameda Lauren da Fonseca Mark Fraser Jillian Ayers
Grand Canyon University
Madison Relaz
Andrea Rodriguez Andrea Chung Amaya Nellum Griffin Keith Ben Estefania Lucy Bayle
University of Arizona Kaleigh Hanley Khadijah Alali Brendan Boyle Tyler Klepper
Western Arizona College Xavier Lawrence
University of Portland
University of Utah Utah State University Tua’au Laolagi
Victoria Petz
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Zach Boesen Sophia Schuman Briana Henderson
Trevor Bowens Kayla Vandermark
Matthew Yonemura Athena Eskenazi
Illinois Institute of Technology Cinjun Coe
Loyola University Chicago Patricia Pano
Northern Illinois University Sydney Hopkins
Keely Twitchell Sean Thiltgen Mira Elhindi Sabrina DierickxGamboa
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Joe Landers IV
University of Colorado, Denver Madilynn Goldberg
Ikaika Alluin Hailey Evans Sean Ferns Mohammad Qureashi Anthony Mendez Andrea Beckley Eric Filishtiner Aaron Rosado Anna Gastelum Ariella Filishtiner Spencer Coneybeare Nikolas Fortune Cloe Craciun Ben Caceres Mia Young Ryan Chomenko Luis Lopez Dana Lopez
Oliver Escalante
Joseph Washington
Royal Holloway University of London (U.K.)
Univesity of Arlington, Texas
Bridget Corkos
Jaden Allen
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain)
University of Texas, Dallas
Kym Sastre
Keely Fillman
University of Toronto (Canada)
Hawaii Pacific University
University of Victoria (Canada)
University of Hawaii, Hilo
Jake Wolf
Michael Vela
Thomas Ramirez
Rachel Willard
Ignacio Caceres
Eastern University
Binghamton University
Ryker LaFranchi
Franklin & Marshall College Alexandra Hickey
Pennsylvania State University
Essie Bonney
Cornell University Andrew Graven
Fordham University
Noelani Montas
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of New Mexico
Caterina Hyneman
Northwestern University
Gavin Scouton
Rhine-Wall University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
Johnson and Wales University
Alex Bruckner
Colorado State University, Pueblo
Callie Hokanson Zachary Kester Jade Gonzalez Naomi Rodriguez Priscilla Pech Isaac Vizcarra Jenna Stackpole Jacob Negrete Kyle Beatty Andrew Collins Joseph Le Carlos Sique Anne-Elyse Peterson Chris Guirguis Alexis Sanchez Ali Omrani Leah Carey Cesar Gonzalez Kyler Howell Trevor Ferdinand Elijah Cazares Harmony Forsythe Zoila Aki
Dartmouth College
Lane Arkangel
Philadelphia University
Chason Williams Tyson Williams
Taylor Jastram Aaliah Khan Ethan Parker Desiree Paquette Jennifer Gutierrez Robert Khlasky Ryan Huggins Mehrad Nahreini Gregory Clark Justin Coyle Gina Barragan Erica Bergado Drake Brown Tyler Trejo Sarah Chase Katrina Schaeffer Lyndon Jones Chris Rennie Stephanie Contreras Khalid Gabr Justin Barteky Tristan Gallardo Trevor Anderson
Danny Zimmerman
Wellesley College
Thuy Linh Turek
Hinds Community College
Spencer Coneybeare Arianna Deutschman Bruce Huynh Savannah Liedke Jonas Kilker Rebecca Mallen Leonel Nobote Kevin Martinez Carrisa Orellana Brandon Craciun Garrick Hernandez Cartier Jarveaux Lauren Houghton Davis Turk Hewell Ibarra Ayesha Munawar Kaylee Wright Jose Nieves Susana Villegas Cole Arakawa Mario Peralta Sara Reedy Carina Laguna
University of Michigan
Amy Martin Shota Kobayashi
University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign
Madison Kennel
Namie Fotion Yoshino Goto Alexander Fuqua Alysa Kataoka Dona Trinity Leonard Kaila Daniels
Brooklyn Narvaez Kierra Damone
Boston University
Madison Bacon David Munoz
Stephanie Lai
Basiliki Gianoukakis
UC Los Angeles
Alex Connoy Noah Rosenthal Adrian Gavrila Aidan Bell Elizabeth Chu Jessica Sanchez Amanda Chau Isaiah Tyler Nicholas Zaragosa Jessica Villania Frank Orosco Mary Hindle Josue Leiva Alexandre De Araujo Peres Cora Eden Cosmo Wegman Elena Hernandez Alexander Ruybalid Rosa Sciortino Brandon Putman Sarah Osman Matthew Thorne
Sophia Ruffo
Michigan State University
University of Northern Colorado
Elizabeth Anderson Carmel Mabry Marielle Waller Logan Kerby
University of Nebraska, Lincoln Matthew Davidson
Hofstra University Marist College
Temple University
Katelin Harris
University of Pittsburgh
Beau McBride
Jarrah May
Isabell Kassaye Shaniya Markalanda
Nazareth College New York University Amanda Shaw Lauren Schwartzer
DePauw University
Pratt Institute
Caleigh Ranjo
Michael Yoon
Indiana University Bloomington
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Cuyahoga Community College, Ohio
Queens College, CUNY
Ten-Kai Chang
Chase Watson
Miami University, Oxford Nicolas Hamm
Rider University Kelly Harraka
Xavier University of Louisiana Nicole Swift
Morehouse College Jaland Green
Savannah College of Art and Design Kate Lux
Oklahoma Baptist University
Allison Douglas
Nicolo Catalano
Syracuse University Aaqilah Wright Clarke Brown
Georgetown University Brandi Coleman
Wesleyan University
Jason Fong
Yale University Steven Barbee
Broward College Jeremy Rivera
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida Jaymie Bettger
Steve Pineda
United States Army Vincent Finnochio Xavier Macias
United States Marine Corps Jesse Rubio Bryce Clomera Kevin Ordonez Kevin O’Toole Anthony Gulino
United States Navy Jon Trammell Rodrigo Ruezga
page 20
High Tide
features
All hands on deck
McCaw reflects on memories made and lessons learned within waterpolo community If you like it, put a ring on it. Girls water polo shows off their new CIF championship rings. PHOTO COURTESY OF MADDIE MCCAW by Angie Tait With a new CIF ring to claim and acceptance into a Division 1 college, Maddie McCaw’s water polo career has continued to shape her life since she began playing at age 12. “I was a synchronized swimmer at the time and had been for a few years, but I was getting tired of all the crazy costumes and makeup you had to wear for competition, and it was just super stressful,” McCaw said After a friend suggested she switch into water polo, due to the similarities in skills needed in either sport, McCaw was “immediately hooked” after watching a high school game, and soon after convinced her parents to sign her up for a club. “I’ve stuck with it over all these years because I love the competition and how the water polo community is pretty small and tightknit, and I’ve made so many friends from other schools and all over California because of water polo and have stayed in contact with them over the years,” McCaw said. Originally, McCaw was meant to attend South Torrance High School, but decided to switch to RUHS in order to play water polo. She believes the program is defined by the motivation of their coaches and athletes alike. “The polo program at Redondo has grown
so much since I was a freshman, and I think it’ll only keep getting better. We consistently get good freshmen coming in every year and the coaching is amazing,” McCaw said. “They taught me that it’s okay to have confidence in yourself and believe that you’re a talented player, and that water polo isn’t all physical, it’s a mental game that teaches you a lot about your own strength and resilience.” Aside from in-school coaching, McCaw has utilized outside conditioning, club teams, and general knowledge of the sport to strengthen and fortify her skill set. “When I got to high school I started doing both swim team and water polo, which helps with speed, and I also started lifting weights which made me a lot stronger,” McCaw said. “Also, years of watching other games such as other high schools, colleges, and Olympic Games has helped me gain a lot of knowledge for the game, and has pushed me to model myself after the higher-level players.” With six years of playing experience under her belt, McCaw’s dedication to improving her capabilities proved worthwhile on Feb. 25, when Redondo took home its first CIF title in the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 championship. “Not only was the championship game one of the best experiences of my life, but
the lead up to it and the fight we put up to get there was the highlight of my polo career. The win was very emotional for me, because it was my final high school game, and when we won I broke down in tears because I knew we literally built the program from the bottom to the top in only 4 years.” McCaw said. “The whole CIF experience was amazing, too, because it brought me closer to my teammates than I had ever been before, and I feel so lucky that I got to go through it with them.” With the ups and downs of the season, McCaw also believes her teammates helped shape her into a better, smarter team player. “I didn’t personally have the season of my life that I thought I would this past year, but it taught me so much and I’ll definitely carry this season with me for the rest of my polo career,” McCaw said. One mutually and especially proud teammate is senior Sophie Maguy, who has played with Maddie in and out of school since freshman year. “We have played on the same club teams and Olympic Development teams since I began playing water polo four years ago, and I’ve been fortunate enough to watch her grow as a player. Maddie has improved a lot since I first met her; she was a very experi-
Future Plans
Greatest Accomplishment
I will be studying undeclared engineering at UCLA.
Winning the volleyball state beach championship in freshman and junior year.
Favorite Memory
YOSHINO GOTO
Getting dinner with some of my favorite English teachers and close friends at Redondo Beach Cafe.
enced player our freshman year, and she was one of the driving forces in helping make the Redondo team what it is today,” Maguy said. Both girls are pursuing water polo in college, with Maguy at Stanford and McCaw at Cal State Long Beach, and despite their individual skills as players, acknowledge that being on separate teams for the first time will be a hard shift to get used to. “For me, it seems as though I’ve only ever played water polo with her, so the next four years will be really different for me at Stanford without her,” Maguy said. “She’s a great teammate and a great friend, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her in the future.” McCaw is equally excited to have the opportunity to join Long Beach’s team, which is currently ranked ninth in NCAA standings, and ultimately thankful for the lessons learned and relationships formed during her time at RUHS. “I have four long years at Long Beach to become stronger and smarter, and hopefully to contribute to the team,” McCaw said. “I’ve been planning on playing in college since I started water polo, so knowing I’m going to a high ranked D1 school is really rewarding- it feels like all the blood, sweat, and tears I’ve shed over the past 6 years has all been worth it.”
Future Plans
LOGAN GLAVE
Playing D1 volleyball at Concordia University Irvine, and continuing to be on the USA Beach National Volleyball Team.
June 16, 2016
In it to win it
page 21
features
Murrell looks back on journey from spectator to star
by Keana Sterling Admiring and studying plays from NBA player Russell Westbrook was not enough. With hard work and dedication, Tyler Murrell decided to turn his dream into reality. During Murrell’s early youth he played multiple sports such as baseball, football and soccer, but always gravitated towards basketball. ¨My whole life I have been around basketball through my family and friends. I started the sport when I was around six years old and since then I stuck to it,¨ Murrell said. According to Murrell, with his parents’ and siblings’ support, he was able to overcome any obstacles and advance to varsity basketball as a junior. ¨I came to [RUHS] my junior year and overall we played good that season. There were a few things I thought we could’ve done better but I was satisfied with my performance,¨Murrell said. Transitioning from junior to senior, teammate Jailen Moore believes Murrell has im-
proved ¨greatly” as a player. ¨Because there was not many seniors on the team it was very hard to line up, but this year he took the initiative of being a point guard and co-captain as well. He did a great job with that,¨ Moore said. Moore explains that on the court, Murrell’s attitude is always positive and that his performance is an outstanding aspect in the achievements of both himself and the team. ¨He is a hard worker, one of the hardest working [player] on this team. He will shoot before games and in the morning before practice. He has a high work ethic and a good competitor, definitely someone you want to be around¨ Moore said. Murrell also believes that teammate and captain Ryse Williams contributed to his growth. “Ryse is captain of the team and everyday in practice I go hard at him and guard him to improve my skills” Murrell said. ¨My last season was good overall. Although I feel like
Tee time: by Danny Parhizi
Out fore victory. Rodriguez tees off during a match. PHOTO BY JARRAH MAY
I could’ve done better to help my team win CIF championship,¨ Murrell said. As senior year for Murrell comes to an end, he explains how his basketball career will continue after high school. ¨Since the season ended I have been playing club basketball for a few months and was recently received an offer from Colorado Christian University. I have applied and am planning on attending there next year,¨ Murrell said. Murrell feels that over the past years he has grown a lot as player and person. He mainly accredits his success to his coaches and teammates. “I feel like I have learned tremendously at [RUHS] for the years that I have been here,” Murrell said. “I have learned a lot more than what I’ve been taught throughout my basketball career. Because of the lifestyle and environment I am in, I feel like the support from my coaches and teammates helped me grow.”
As his golf career comes to an end at Redondo Union, senior Zach Rodriguez has been awarded Player of the Year, and has been offered not one, but two scholarships. “The Player of the Year award was given to me on May 24, the day of the banquet,” Rodriguez said. “It was for when I made it to second team CIF for golf, because I was the only player on my team to have made it that far.” Rodriguez received one school scholarship and one memorial scholarship, which is provided by a family, foundation, or company to honor the student and help them pursue a certain career path. “I had no idea I was getting the Whitsons Memorial Scholarship,” Rodriguez said. “These scholarships can be used for any-
thing but I’m going to use them for college considering that’s what they are meant for.” When choosing his colleges, Rodriguez focused on places where he could really connect to all the students, and not be on a campus with thousands of kids he would never meet, which led him to choosing Pacific University in Oregon. “Pacific University is a small liberal arts school, it’s only got around a 1500 students and I feel like it would be really nice to be there instead of a larger university where I wouldn’t know as many people,” Rodriguez said. “I think that since this school is smaller I would get to know everyone better, and it also helps that I’m playing golf there.” Rodriguez’s teammate, junior Daniel Nevarez, believes that Rodriguez’s hard work al-
Making the second allleague team for Girls Soccer.
TYLER MURRELL
lowed both he and his team to improve. “I think that Zach was a great member of the team and he really deserves the award and scholarships,” Nevarez said. “Practicing is key to becoming a good golfer, so you can see the hard work really paid off for him.” According to Rodriguez, even though this is his last year playing for RUHS, he’s very excited to be leaving and know that college is waiting for him. “I feel like I have accomplished what I needed to and I’ve done everything I could have this year,” Rodriguez said. “I couldn’t be more thankful for the scholarships, since they are really going to help me through college, and I just really want to thank my coaches for having inspired me to constantly improve my game and become the player that I am.”
Future Plans
Even though people say freshman year doesn’t count, they should still try because as you get closer to senior year, your motivation to do work declines.
ESSIE BONNEY
the Ridgeview game on March 8. PHOTO COURTESY OF
Rodriguez receives two scholarships for achievements in academic and athletic performance
Advice for Freshmen
Greatest Accomplishment
Shooting hoops. Murrell shoots a free throw at
I plan to play football for the University of Utah.
Advice for Freshmen
ZACH BOESEN
Freshmen should join a club or a team to be a part of something, and to meet people that will end up being your friends for the rest of your life.
page 22
High Tide
features
Artistic expression
Wegman spends high school drawing her problems away by Kylie Yorke Pen, paper and a purpose. Artist Lulu Wegman uses her cartoonish drawing style as a way to express her feelings, cope with the stresses of high school and bond with her family. Planning on transferring to an art college after two years at El Camino, Wegman looks forward to “actually doing something that [she] wants to do with [her] life” after graduation. Wegman often finds herself so consumed in her art that she focuses more on the doodles she draws on her homework than the homework itself. “Art has really helped me cope throughout high school. Even just taking five seconds to doodle something in the corner of my paper while i’m doing work helps me feel better,” Wegman said. “When I realized I was doing terrible in chemistry, I would just draw pictures and think, ‘Well, at least I’m not going to be a chemist.’” Wegman plans on pursuing a career in art, although she doesn’t want to get her “hopes up” about any one career path. Being an illustrator for the school newspaper has forced her to draw subjects that she wasn’t as familiar drawing, helping her prepare for a similar career. “I used to draw only dogs and wolves. Every day after school I would sit for hours looking at old books for reference, trying to draw them exactly right,” Wegman said. “Being in Journalism helped me to stop obsessing over that one subject, because I was forced to draw other things and it pushed me out of my comfort zone. I’ve become more confident in drawing so many different things, which prepared me for a real job where that’s what I’ll have to be doing.”
Wegman gets inspired by people and events in everyday life “because so much happens in the world around you, and some things you don’t even notice.” “You hear stories about artists who were the only creative ones in their family and their parents would punish them by taking away their art supplies, but with my family, they have always just been really understanding about that. They push me to take opportunities I never would have taken and they influence me to do things I would have never done if I was the only [artist] in the family,” Wegman said. Having a family full of equally talented artists, including Wegman’s six year old sister who already “draws amazingly,” sparks some healthy competition, especially between her and her twin brother, Cosmo. According to Cosmo, the pair “try to help one another whenever they can”, and are always supportive of each other’s art. “I’ve watched Lulu grow her talent since we were both little kids, and we would draw stick figures together. I’ve been here the whole time to watch her evolve from there, and create the amazing art she makes today,” Cosmo said. “I believe her art is better than mine, and she believes the opposite, but at the end of the day we are all our own worst critics.” Art has been a part of Wegman’s life for “longer than [she] can remember”, and can’t picture herself doing anything else in the future. “It’s just something I’ve always done,” Wegman said. “Sometimes I think, ‘Oh shoot, what if I don’t want to do art’, but then I just think, well, it’s too late now, I might as well just go with it and see what happens’”.
The dark side of the soul. Wegman she normally draws scenes with wolves and other subjects that evoke a similar feeling.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LULU WEGMAN
Favorite Memory
Advice for Freshmen
It has to be performing for BBoy in the school-wide rally this year.
Keep pushing, keep working hard because it will all pay off and if you put in the time and effort you will accomplish your dreams.
Greatest Accomplishment Being eligible to graduate and walk out with my class.
ERIC ROTHENBERGER
Biggest Regret
SOPHIA MAGUY
Missing out on water polo my sophomore year because I broke my thumb.
June 16, 2017
page 23
features
Green finds value in athletics by Mia Berger
Overcoming obstacles. The RUHS track team has won Bay League both years that Green has been a part of the team. Many of Green’s greatest performances came when the team needed it to win against Costa; his personal best in the 110 meter hurdles and 300 meter hurdles came in these meets. PHOTOS BY JARRAH MAY
Jaland Green will be attending Morehouse College after four years of tedious work in academics and athletics, culminating in what he considers a successful time in high school. Morehouse College was founded two years after the Civil War in the South and is a highly ranked historically black college and university [HBCU]; Green feels that his transformation through high school has been similar to the origins of the college. “I really have become a different person over my years at Redondo, but after I graduate I will be going to Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia which is a very prestigious HBCU. I’m intending to be a kinesiology major because I have always been interested in sports medicine,” Green said. After college, Green wants to become either an Orthopedic Surgeon or a Primary Care Physician specializing in sports medicine. “I’ve always been interested in sports medicine. My brother [Leland Green] played on Redondo Basketball for four years and my sister plays volleyball for Redondo, so my entire family is athletes including myself,” Green said. Although his brother played basketball on the school’s team for his entire high school career, Green started his high school athletic career running track at Rancho Dominguez Preparatory School and slowly worked his way up. He then moved to RUHS junior year. “There was a new track program at [RDPS] which wasn’t really established so I didn’t really enjoy track then and I didn’t perform to my best ability,” Green said. “My tenth grade year I improved a little more but I really hit my peak when I transferred to Redondo my junior year.” Green would never have even tried track
Advice for Freshmen
AMANDA YOUNG
in the first place if it wasn’t for his mom, Letitia Green, who ran track in high school and introduced him to the sport as well as supported him in both his athletics and in his life. “My mom always has had a lot of faith in me. Even when I was doing bad in school, she still believed in me,” Green said. “I think that’s one of the things that made me believe I could really do something with my life.” Green used this support from those around him to grow and improve as an athlete and as a respectable person; his progress is apparent through his athletic achievements. In the past track season, Green came within two seconds off of the school record and qualified with his relay team for CIF. In addition, he received his CPR and Basic Life Support Certification this year, as well as getting an Internship with All Sports Medical Services. “I’m so blessed to have the internship. I was so motivated to get internship because I was so interested in sports medicine that it actually helped my grades to gradually improve. I’m hoping to finish the year with a 4.0,” Green said. Green got his internship by “networking” and gaining contacts with appropriate . Currently, All Sports Medical Services works strictly with basketball, but soon they hope to expand to different types of sports. Green views the developments in his life as a result of a learning curve based off of general experience and knowledge. “I basically got the internship by just being able to talk my way through it and show how much I wanted it,” Green said. “I’ve learned through this journey that everything is based off of who you know and that if you really want something, you can get it.”
Future Plans
Surround yourself with people who make you the happiest because high school’s too short to deal with unnecessary drama.
I’ll go to El Camino College, while surfing every chance I get. From there I’ll try and transfer to a university to study business.”
Greatest Accomplishment
Advice for Freshmen
Just remaining pretty consistently motivated academically each year.
KYLE BEATTY
Enjoy every minute of high school and to make friends with as many people as possible.
page 24
High Tide
features
On the road again
Wright takes two hour commute to school every day by Rubab Quraishi
Aaqilah Wright commutes two hours to get to school in order to give herself a better education that she wouldn’t otherwise be able to get. Wright currently lives in south central Los Angeles and takes the bus every day to getto school. “Freshman year, I was overzealous and motivated and excited to be going to Redondo. It was my dream school and I tried my best, so I did everything I was supposed to do. Now that it’s my senior year, I really am drained from commuting from another city, but, it’s not anything bad because it’s a decision I made to create a better education for myself, and that’s what matters the most to me,” Wright said. Coming from South Central, Wright appreciates her current school environment because it is a better alternative to her hometown education system. “Getting an education here is one of my best decisions I’ve made. I don’t regret it, regardless of how early I have to wake up. It’s such an amazing feeling knowing that, at the end of the day, I got an education I know I wouldn’t be able to get at my home school,” Wright said. Wright leaves her home around six in the morning and usually gets to school on time. She takes the bus everyday to LAX Transit Center to school. “It’s extremely draining that by the end of the day, I don’t have any energy left. I just want to sleep, but it’s not necessarily hard to wake up because of how early I go to bed,” Wright said. Wright has experienced many unfortunate occurrences like buses not arriving on time or being late to the transit center. “At a point of time, I started to wonder if Patiently Waiting. Aaquilah Wright waits at a bus stop for her bus ride home, which can often take up to two hours due to the afternoon traffic. “I think Redondo is a great school. I might be biased but no other school, it was really worth waking up early to comeven in the South Bay, can compare.,” Wright said. “We all work for our grades and work really hard. Coming from mute all the way here. The one bad thing is south central Los Angeles just makes me want a little bit more but still makes every accomplishment a little bit that any morning I’m late, it usually results more victorious.” PHOTO COURTESY OF JARRAH MAY
Advice for Freshmen
Future Plans
Greatest Accomplishment
Biggest Regret
“Realize how important grades are for their future. Even before sports and a social life, grades have to be a first priority.”
IAN PIZZUTI
in an unexcused absence, and it is what it is. I know I could go to school that’s closer to me where I can get up later, but, I chose to come to Redondo instead. There’s something I just really love about this school,” Wright said. Wright “consciously” made the decision of commuting to RUHS even though she knew that she could have finished high school at her home school. “I know what it’s like not to have a good education, and people should respect the fact that they have the opportunity to one here at Redondo,” Wright said. “I honestly just do it for me. I don’t tell people about how I commute because I don’t think they should have an opinion on my lifestyle. I know that I’m a smart kid and that I want more for myself, and getting a good education is a step on the right path for me, even if it means going through a treacherous morning. I know that it’ll all be worth it in the end.” Wright believes that some schools offer a more variety of classes than others. “I definitely think people take education for granted. Over here, it’s a different kind of taking it for granted than for the people where I live. The people where I live don’t really know that there’s anything better for them, they just go to school. Whereas people here are used to getting such a good education that it seems normal to them. Students at RUHS don’t really realize that they have things that people who live just ten miles away wouldn’t have,” Wright said. Wright believes that her education is the foundation to a good life. “I have no regrets at all. I love Redondo,” Wright said. “I don’t think I would be who I am without it. I’m walking away from high school knowing who I want to be, knowing what I stand for, what I love and that I am passionate about my experiences here.”
“Being to a delegate in the Boys State Program made me realize my potential for helping others.”
“I’m going to UCLA for undergrad and hopefully graduate school too. My goal is to pursue a career in the STEM field.”
KAILA DANIELS
“Stressing too much and not having enough fun. There have been too many late nights crying at 3:00 a.m. over SGQs.”
June 16, 2017
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One last putt
Shota Kobayashi finds his passion in playing golf for RUHS by Brian Adler
Shota Kobayashi began high school without a “real passion” for any activity. After joining a few different teams, he was able to find a sport that he became truly interested in. “I got cut from the baseball team my freshman year because I got hurt and I couldn’t play the last couple games of the season,” Kobayashi said. “I tried some other sports, and I was probably the third slowest guy in cross country.” Despite setbacks in other sports, Kobayashi didn’t give up on trying out new teams and eventually tried out for golf. “Being able to move on to golf has allowed me to make memories with some of my best teammates and having a lot of fun,” Kobayashi said. “I was given the opportunity to play division one golf at George Washington college, which I probably wouldn’t have gotten through baseball.” Kobayashi enjoys golf most because of the members of the team and the attitudes that they have with each other. “We started this thing from my sophomore year, in the
Take a swing.
Shota Kobayashi plays against Penn on April 18 with the RUHS golf team. “The kids on the team are really unique and they really care a lot about the team. We mess around a lot and have a great sense of humor,” Kobayashi said. Especially in comparison to other bay league teams, we’re definitely the most social out there.” PHOTO BY SAMANTHA ALDOVER
Greatest Accomplishment
Favorite Memory “Hanging out with my best friend, Brittany Baker, because she is awesome, talented and funny.”
JOSEPH WASHINGTON
vans that we get for transportation there are these airways for the air conditioning and heating where you can remove the cover. Ever since sophomore year in every van we’ve been in we’ve put in an object in the hole every time we got into the van,” Kobayashi said. These van rides helped Kobayashi and his teammates become closer and gave them things to look forward to. “That was definitely a lot of fun, and of course we’d remove it afterwards, but just coming up with ideas and discussing with my teammates what we’d put up in the van next was super fun. It was really great for us because it allowed us to relax and have fun before big tournaments and matches,” Kobayashi said. Kobayashi will attend Boston University and plans on majoring in business andf, ollowing the pre-med track yet is not totally sure what career he wants to pursue. “After university maybe I’ll be a doctor, maybe I’ll be a lawyer, maybe I’ll be a businessman, maybe I’ll be a billionaire, but I’m not sure yet what I want to do,” Kobayashi said Kobayashi is excited to experience a new location, and despite the social environment being similar to California, is looking forward to meeting new people and cultures. “I’m going to be in the same bubble. We live in liberal, Southern California and I’m moving to a liberal Boston, but it’s still people from across the world so I want to go experience something different,” Kobayashi said. “I know I’m going to live [in Southern California] the rest of my life. My whole mentality in choosing Boston University was to try to experience life on the east coast and enjoy meeting different types of people. I know no matter what happens I’m going to come down to Southern California.”
“Getting a huge scholarship that could make my four years of undergrad cheap for my family, if not free.”
Future Plans
Advice for Freshmen
“I plan to attend the University of New Mexico to study Radiological Science.”
“Make the most of every resource and opportunity while doing well academically and have fun.”
BING RETHY
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Dancing until the end Huynh and Lopez “break” together by Justin Pioletti Alone or with others, seniors Luigi Lopez and Bruce Huynh are used to showing off their moves together on stage. The two members of the B-Boy Club have spent their time at RUHS breaking, a contemporary style of street dance that has given the boys freedom to express themselves. “The feeling when I dance is incredible. To hit certain beats is really satisfying, and based on the music I feel a lot of different emotions,” Huynh said. “Whenever I get mad or upset, I just take it out on the floor.” Huynh got involved with breaking in eighth grade, and his early involvement with the dance influenced many of the current members to join. “In freshman year, me and Bruce had the same English class, and one time I saw him breaking, and it just made me really want to start doing it,” Lopez said. “I learned it’s really hard when you start, but you get good as
you keep doing it.” Lopez’s love of breaking helped develop the relationship between him and Huynh, and the two went from “duo to actual friends.” “When I first met Bruce, I thought he was just some emo kid. But now I consider him my brother. We do practically everything together: we dance together, we take pictures together, we hang out together and we eat together,” Lopez said. “He’s practically the brother I never had, and dance was a big part of us getting to know each other.” Huynh became president of B-Boy Club his senior year, and he has dedicated himself to improving the club since then. For individuals interested in joining, Huynh provided insight on what to expect. “B-boys really requires a lot of time, and people in the club can’t be afraid to try new things. The most important thing is to be open minded,” Huynh said. “Just dancing
with your friends and going out to competitions is really what it’s all about.” According to Lopez, many assume that B-boys hold various stereotypes, specifically that members need to be Asian or already know how to perform well. However, he stresses that this is not the case. “When people look at B-boys, people think there’s an Asian bias, but we are open to everyone,” Lopez said. “I came into the program not knowing how to dance whatsoever, but after practicing enough, eventually I got good.” While Huynh and Lopez do not look to continue their careers in breaking professionally, they plan to dance in clubs throughout college. “I don’t see myself going professional or anything after high school,” Huynh said. “I’m just going to use B-boys as a hobby, because it’s still really big in my life.”
Only Seventies’ Kids Will Remember This. Bruce Huynh and Luigi Lopez perform
together at ASB’s Decades Rally on March 10. PHOTO BY CELINE OH
Alexis Johnson involved in “Teach and Test” by Yasmine Elahihaghighi Senior Alexis Johnson has worked almost nine months in the Surfrider’s Teach and Test Program to remove small bacteria that little kids and adults do not see when they are playing or swimming in the ocean. Although this is the program’s main goal, their work has “no impact unless people visit their website and see what they find.” “If people are concerned about the beach they plan to go to, they can see if the water is safe or not on our website. It usually is not after rain because everything is being flushed down there,” Johnson said. All students in the program go down to visit the Sea Lab, Hermosa Beach Pier and Neptune Beach to obtain water samples to test.
MARIELLE WALLER
“All sorts of things are being dumped into the water, even pollutants, or you can even have people dumping hormones in there from pharmaceuticals. It becomes a mix of natural and unnatural things that you would not want near your body,” Johnson said. Johnson believes that kids or teens, as welll as adults, should “be aware” of contaminants in seawater. “I feel like the real impact of the program is made on younger participants because they’re seeing this first hand when they go out to the beach to swim or play around,” Johnson said. The program also works with students to clean up any trash that is on the beach so it does not harm people or animals.
“Sorting through all this garbage helps me see how much there really is hidden in the sand. We’ll find styrofoam pellets in the sand, and we count them one by one to see exactly how much is out there, and it’s crazy to me,” Johnson said. Johnson explains that she enjoys the reduction of stress that comes with participating in the program. “It has a set period of time and does not run on forever. It is easy to handle so it is not as big of a commitment, and not many people know about it, so there is always room for new people to join in,” Johnson said. Ecology Club President Taylor Rose, who works with the Surfrider foundation, explains how anyone interested in the environment
would love the program like she does. “I love working with the foundation through my club because they are so kind and helpful. Through the RB Sea Lab and the foundation, I have been able to learn a lot more about the ocean than I would have if I did not participate in their program,” Rose said. Although she is going to college, Johnson hopes to eventually return and help the Surfrider program again. “Over the course of the years, I’ve learned a lot more, and I feel more passionate about it. It provides a community service so I feel like that’s probably the most important part of it. We provide data for the community to actually see and act off of,” Johnson said.
Favorite Memory
Advice for Freshmen
“My favorite high school memory would have to be during our production of Shrek when Ms. Staab came into the black box and told us that we had sold over 700 tickets and beaten the house record. I was really happy and so grateful. I mean, it was my last show at RUHS, so why not break some records?”
“I want to become an astrophysicist, work for NASA and learn about the universe. The universe is so mysterious, and I would like to figure it out.”
Biggest Regret
BENJAMIN DOUGLAS
“Try new things. High school is there for you to try things out. Do what you want.”
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features
Leaving on a high note Faith Gray set to sing the national anthem at graduation by Analise Asaro Singing has, and still is taking Faith Gray on a journey from when she started at six years old. Music has helped her through difficult times and given her many opportunities. “Music is a really big influence in my life,” Gray said. “There’s just no boundaries to singing. You can’t leave and you can’t move. It’s just there.” Gray began her singing career during eighth grade when when she joined Amazing Grace Conservatory (AGC), a non-profit performing arts and theatrical institute. “It’s in the inner city, and is more for the inner city kids who don’t have an outlet and need a place just to let themselves go. You can be whoever you want to be and do whatever you want to do without being judged.” Gray said. “They just hit 20 years, and for an institute to hit that milestone has such a big impact in our community.” Gray works at AGC in a summer job so that she can build her craft, but is also “gaining work experience and soaking up everything there.” Gray says she takes her love of music into everything she does to have fun and stay motivated. “I just incorporate singing into everything I do,” Gray said. “It’s always incorporated somehow either through band, AGC or even in school. I need something to keep me motivated, so that’s definitely one of the driving forces.” Gray believes that she is a “different” singer than many of the other theatre performers at RUHS. “I’m just so versatile, and they’re more traditional singing. They’re more classical and contemporary, and I’m more soulful and R&B,” Gray said. “There’s definitely a difference between the texture of my voice and everyone else’s. I look at the paper, but then I’ll add my own flavor to it. I’m more free with
“You thought I was worth saving, so you came to change my life.” Gray sings at Disneyland Celebrate Gospel 2016, an annual gospel event held at Disneyland, along with other members of the Amazing Grace Conservatory. PHOTO COURTESY OF FAITH GRAY
the way I sing and I don’t sing as high, but I’m stronger when I’m singing lower.” Gray has had the opportunity to sing with Stevie Wonder and John Legend for the opening act at the House of Toys benefit concert last summer. “[Wonder] was looking for people in choir and a couple soloists. We had to go through a lot of auditions for his management team, but then I ended up landing the gig,” Gray said. “It was a really crazy experience because I’ve always thought singing was something I could do on the side for fun, but I can actually do something with it.” Gray hopes to keep singing with her throughout college by taking singing classes and possibly pursuing a career involving music. “I’m going to UC Irvine, and I’m going to major in Computer Engineering, but I’m also going to double major in music composition or vocal performance,” Gray said. “Singing is something that I love to do, and I feel like it
would definitely be easy to pursue a career in that if I chose to.” Gray had to attend three different high schools, making it difficult for her to maintain a social life. However, Gray used singing as her “escape” to help her through those tough times. “At nutrition, lunch and after school, I would just write songs or sing my favorite artists, and that’s just the way that I wasn’t alone. When I was listening to my music, I was so captivated by that,” Gray said. “Between singing, playing the saxophone, doing mini scholarship opportunities on the weekend and doing college stuff, there was no way I would have been able to get through highschool [without music].” Gray is singing the national anthem at this year’s graduation ceremony. At first, Gray was unsure about auditioning because of the short time that she has been at RUHS for, but she was encouraged by her friends. “It’s time to let people know and express
Favorite Memory
ALEX CONNOY
my gift with everyone else instead of just sitting there and going with everyone else,” Gray said. “I wanted to sing the national anthem because I felt like at Redondo I was just blending into the crowd. There’s a lot of people here in general, and I’ve never really had a chance to stand out and experience things.” Senior Nicole Swift is among the friends who convinced Gray to sing the national anthem, and she thinks Gray is “well-qualified.” “I think that she sings from her heart and that’s what really makes it special, because some people just sing because they can. She sings because she loves it, and it’s something that she really enjoys,” Swift said. “All that matters is that she goes up there and she sings it excellently. I think she’ll be perfect.” Swift describes Gray’s voice as “soulful” and “really good.” “It always makes me want to dance, and it gets me into the songs,” Swift said. “It has a lot of soul to it, and when she sings, you can feel the music. She sings with passion. She sings from her heart.” Gray is “nervous” for the upcoming performance, but nevertheless, she is looking forward to it. “To be honest I don’t get nervous [while performing], but I’m nervous now because it’s harder to sing in front of people you know than people you don’t know,” Gray said. “I’m really nervous, not about messing up or anything, but just being that vulnerable while everybody who I go to school with is looking at me. It’s a little nerve wracking, but it should be a really fun experience.” Gray’s love for singing is expressed throughout her life. “Any problems that I may have had at home or just life in general I knew that it was just something I could do to relieve stress and help me push through anything,” Gray said.
Future Plans
“My favorite part of high school was being able to meet some amazing people that I’m able to call some of my best friends.”
“I’m going to Cal State Long Beach so I can pursue my goal in becoming a biomedical engineer.”
Greatest Accomplishment
“My biggest regret is not taking a STEM class because I didn’t want a zero period. If you want to go into a science major in college I recommend taking STEM.”
“I want to graduate college without debt and work my way up at Trader Joe’s.”
Advice for Freshmen
JORDAN BELLAMY
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notables
Senior Notables biggest high school acDo not slack and procras“ My “ complishment was probtinate. Do your homework ably pulling a 5 on the AP calculus exam even though I had a D- in the class.
whenever you can. After college I plan to become a firefighter.
-Brandon Putman
-Keely Filman
”
“ My
greatest accomplishment is probably playing four years of varsity lacrosse.
-Gavin Scouton
”
”
biggest regret is not get“ My ting involved in more clubs.
I feel like I would have been more outgoing if I had gotten into a club earlier.
-Kira Marshall
”
I plan to go pre-med at biggest accomplish“ “ My UCI and become an ER ment is getting to meet the best culinary arts teacher, Ms. Byers.
-Jimmy Tyler
”
surgeon or an anesthesiologist someday. That’s my ultimate goal.
-Milad Goodarzi
”
a career in “ My favorite memories are “ Ifilmplanandto have when Haley, Isadora, Teacinematography and then try to transfer out of El Camino to a four year college.
gan and I go to Pho Show late then drive around doing absolutely nothing.
-Jonas Kilker
-Myella Primmer
”
”
been an amazing four “ My favorite memory was “ It’s years, but I have to say that one of the best memories would have to be representing RUHS in The Flock.
-Justice Segura
”
winning two CIF Championships with my baseball team in 2015 and 2016.
-Neal Sullivan
”
June 16, 2017
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notables
These are seniors who deserve recognition but may or may not have been written about in the High Tide or Pilot is not going to just give “ Appreciate the freedom “ Life you a straight path to sucthat you have where you’re cess, there is going to be some detours so just be prepared .
independent but your parents still take care of you.
-Nnaji Ideozu
-Stephanie Lai
”
”
favorite memory of high I don’t have a regrets. I’ve “ My “ school is getting involved gone through my fair share in the drama program and being a part of ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie.’
of drama and mistakes in high school , but I would never take it back.
-Noelani Montas
-Susana Villegas
”
”
greatest accomplishMy biggest regret is not “ My “ ment was taking the El speaking out more often. Camino Computer Science class. My favorite memory was senior excursion.
I’ve always been afraid of failure but I wish I didn’t let that hold me back.
-Peyton Bell
-Tina Hayati
”
”
favorite memory is the “ My “ Just do your thing, get infirst Mock Trial competition when we all went to the courthouse and had no idea what we were doing.
-Sara Holland
”
volved, don’t let anyone hold you back and have as much fun as you can.
-Todd Sander
”
“ My advice to freshmen is “ My favorite memory would don’t behave like an idiot, work hard. You get out what you put in.
probably have to be joining ASB and making friends with the right people.
-Spencer Coneybeare
-Vicky Petz
”
”
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notables
Senior Notables choosMy greatest accomplish“ Iinghighlyyourrecommend “ friends wisely. ment was getting a five Make friends with people with goals and ambitions to motivate you
on my AP Language test, which I was not expecting
-Adi Nair
-Elliot Lewis
”
”
biggest accomplishDon’t feel pressured to do “ My “ ment is getting to meet the something miserable just best culinary arts teacher, Ms. Byers
- Adrianna D’Agnostino
”
for the sake of getting into a certain college
- Jennie Bao
”
advice is to go and do I am going to Cornell to “ My “ something. You can always study mathematics stop if you decide it’s not your thing, but you can learn somethig from it
- Alex Fuqua
”
-Andrew Graven
”
greatest accomplishI will be attending George“ My “ ment would be developing town University this fall in art and finding my style. I really learned more about myself
majoring in International Politics
- Adrian Craciun
-Brandi Coleman
”
”
plan for the future is to My greatest memory was “ My “ go to San Francisco State winning Bay League this for 4 years and try to get a job in the music industry.
year
- Cameron Bright
-Azuma Sugahara
”
”
June 16, 2017
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notables
These are seniors who deserve recognition but may or may not have been written about in the High Tide or Pilot will be attending the UniMy favorite memory was “ Iversity “ of Southern Calidancing with my youngest fornia in the fall of 2017. I can’t wait to start the next chapter of my life
sister at a dance showcase
-Hali Honea
- Emily Coan
”
”
My advice would be to do My greatest accomplish“ something “ that interests ment was taking a SCROC you, not something that all your friends are doing
- Cole Arakawa
”
class senior year. Because of it, I am now a certified Dental Assistant
-Chase Watson
”
mind what My favorite memory was “ Ifyouyouwantkeepto do,in high “ school being able to play music will be much easier and less stressful
with my best friends in Lasko and jazz band
- Jaideep Chakladar
-Gabriel Quevedo
”
”
greatest accomplishInstead of going to college “ My “ met was learning to keep like most kids, I am going things in perespective which took a long time to work out
to be taking a gap year and traveling
- Alexander Ruybalid
-Katie Katayama
”
”
greatest accomplishMy biggest regret is that I “ My “ ment was having a saudidn’t have the chance to sage link eating contest with myself during cross country training camp
practice more photography
-David Munoz
- Allison Douglas
”
”
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features
Top of the line Kataoka describes laid back path to Valedictorian
Nguyen reflects on journey to Salutatorian
by Luke Peterson
by Julian Quevedo
T
hink of the word ‘valedictorian’. One conjures an image of a stately senior who walks around with an attitude demonstrative of unmatched academic accomplishment, with a talk that says that same. One meeting with Alysa Kataoka, however, might blow that image out thw window. “I don’t think of myself as a smart person; I think I just do what I’m told and it usually earns me good marks, although sometimes I don’t, which isn’t always a good thing,” Kataoka said. “There are many things that go into being smart; having good grades is one thing and having common sense is another.” Kataoka says she has remained indifferent in the heat of academic competition throughout her four highschool years. “I don’t see myself as a competitive person. People know that I’m pretty laid back when it comes to most things, especially academics. I’ll help people study before tests and everything, but if someone does better on a test than me, then I’m not mad; good for them, they studied hard, they deserve it. I’m not really for comparing myself to other people because it makes you a bitter person,” Kataoka said. This focus has allowed Kataoka to concentrate on maintaining straight A’s at RUHS. However, this dedication to academic excellency hasn’t remained absolute over Kataoka’s four years at the school. “I think taking care of yourself is the most important thing and getting good grades is second to that. I’d rather be happy and healthy and have decent grades than be an emotional wreck with no sleep,” Kataoka said. “I have quite a few missing homework assignments, which I’m sure my teachers know, but I like to prioritize, and sleep is more important to me.” Kataoka’s favorite subjects in high school have been math and science, and she will be leaving high school with plans of becoming an engineer. Besides fields such as these, Kataoka has built a strong lineup of extracurricular activities that involve playing the piano for her church, tutoring in math and English. One of Kataoka’s more daunting experiences as a student came as an Editor in Chief for the yearbook; she recalls nights where it was necessary to stay after school
W
hile many students may think that pure intellect is what it takes to be salutatorian, senior Julie Nguyen sees it differently. She says that for her, it came down her level of devotion. “I think it’s more of a measure of how dedicated you are to school,” Nguyen said. “I’m not the type where I’ll just see it once in class and then show up the week of the test and know what I’m doing. I think it’s about committing to your classes and keeping up with everything.” Reflecting on her past high school years, Nguyen felt like she wasn’t as happy as she could have been during that time. “I think I spent a lot of high school not doing what I wanted to do, and kind of doing what other people expected me to do,” Nguyen said. “It was towards the end of junior year where I decided to do what I want and to not really let people hold me back.” According to Nguyen, it was not “a breeze” to reach where she is today. It took a lot of hard work and effort, but, with support from family and friends, she made it, to her own surprise.
late into the night. “When I was coming home late because of yearbook I was spending ten hours in the yearbook room, which was almost double the amount of time I slept,” Kataoka said. “We had deadlines to meet, and if you couldn’t meet a deadline, then the yearbook wouldn’t come out on time. So I would go home I would try to sleep, but my heart would keep beating so hard that I couldn’t sleep.” Nonetheless, Kataoka remains humble after four successful years at RUHS. “I know I’ve been named Valedictorian, but there’s so many people in my grade and over the past four years that make me think how a high schooler can be this smart or creative. It’s an honor working with people at my grade and I’m so grateful go to Redondo and working with not only the smart kids but everyone who’s funny, nice and athletic,” Kataoka said. “There’s a lot of deserving kids of the title valedictorian or salutatorian, and that’s what makes it such a huge honor because it was given to me.”
Picture perfect.
Alysa Kataoka and Julie Nguyen, Valedictorian and Salutatorian. respectively, pose. PHOTOS BY JARRAH MAY
“My family is really supportive. They kept up with my grades and made sure I wasn’t failing, but there wasn’t that big pressure to perform really well,” Nguyen said. “As for my friends, they’re really supportive too. My support system is really strong.” Nguyen stands out because of her hardworking attitude and kindness, according to senior Sara Furutani, a friend of Ngyuyens’s “Julie is one of the most hardworking people that I know here,” Furutani said. “She’s always thinking; her brain does not stop. She’s always looking for logical explanations and she finds a lot of things fascinating. She is also really kind and won’t hesitate to help you with anything that you’re having problems with.” This year, Nguyen was the captain of the Academic Decathlon’s A team. She says her proudest moment was at the Acadec regionals banquet. It was a “crazy moment” when she was awarded a gold medal in economics, as she had been studying the subject and working for the achievement for an entire year. “I think what separates Acadec from other extracurriculars is the fact that you’re studying extra,” Nguyen said. “It was mainly battling time management and trying to handle the stress. I felt like there were expectations placed on me and, personally, I don’t like letting people down. That took a toll on me a little bit mentally, but in the end it turned out okay.” Nguyen’s biggest motivation for achievements is her dad, whose life has changed her perspective on her own life. “Growing up, my dad had a really hard life. He was raised in Vietnam, and he faced a lot of struggles. He fought in the war, and then had to come here and learn a new language and all that,” Nguyen said. “He taught me to be grateful for what I have and to keep fighting no matter what life hands you.” All in all, the most important thing Nguyen learned was the real power of determination and perseverance. “This is kind of cheesy, ultimately but I learned just to never give up,” Nguyen said. “For any goal, it’s the journey that people talk about, not the end result. It’s the struggle that you had to face to reach it. Don’t give up on your dreams.”
June 16, 2017
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news
Hands in the sand
Moberg takes APES classes to the beach to sample microplastics
Down and dirty. “I loved it, as I felt like I was making a difference.” Junior Alexys Berman said. “It felt good to tackle such an important issue.” PHOTO COURTESY OF GILLIAN MOBERG
by Ethan Park The AP Environmental Science classes went to King’s Harbor at the Redondo Beach pier to sample for microplastics, which are minute pieces of plastic debris in the environment, on Tuesday, May 23. “It was a fun and educational trip.” Se-
nior Dylan Allen said. “I felt like I learned a lot more about microplastics after this field study.” Microplastics result from industrial waste and the breakdown of consumer products. Unlike other environmental beach surveys,
that focus mostly on surveying solid plastics, the APES class placed an emphasis on studying microplastics. “We’ve already, as an APES class, studied large scale plastics, and we already know about them and their effects on the environment,” APES teacher Gillian Moberg said. “However, the dangers of microplastics are not very well understood, and over the past few years there has been a lot more research done on the effects of microplastics.” Junior Alexys Berman learned the effects of microplastics after studying them in APES. “These tiny pieces of plastic can bioaccumulate up the food chain until it reaches us, so it is very important that we research more about them.” Berman said. The process of studying and cleaning beaches for microplastics is a first for Moberg’s APES class. “When we take students out for beach cleanup, we gravitate more to the large pieces as we always assume that they are the most dangerous.” Moberg said. “We do not realize that these microscopic pieces of plastic are actually the biggest health risk of all.” The results of the survey went as Moberg expected; the data coincided with results from 42 other surveys, with most of the plastics found being polystyrene and polyeth-
ylene, two of the seven types of plastic. “While the trip was certainly eye opening, it was nice to know that our data was consistent with data conducted by other scientists.” Moberg said. The APES class routinely has teaching opportunities at local elementary schools, so it was important for students, like senior Thomas Clay, to learn as much as possible. “Our field-based study was conducted so that us APES students would have first hand knowledge of microplastics in our local environment, which is especially important when we have to teach the younger students in our district about the potential dangers of microplastics.” Clay said. For Berman, the field study was a good hands-on experience. “I loved it, as I felt like I was making a difference.” Berman said. “I’m a big environmentalist at heart, so it felt good to tackle such an important issue that endangers our aquatic ecosystem.” Moberg enjoyed spending the day with her APES classes. “I these APES students are an excellent group to work with.” Moberg said. “I love the students who take this class, they are all interested in making a difference, changing behavior for the positive, and promoting a sustainable world.”
deserving,” Bruckner said. Staab believes that the recognition the cast received is far greater than being able to win the awards themselves. “My favorite award we were nominated for was Best Ensemble, because that meant that our whole cast would earn that award together,” Staab said. “That just really stood out to me that someone else who’s a professional in the industry recognized all of our hard work.”
Bruckner feels that it was the cast especially that made this year special for her and the most successful in being nominated for awards through the cast’s diverse membership. “It’s very interesting to see the different talent,” Brucker said. “Some people are better dancers, some people are better singers or better actors, and it’s just all spread out. It was the different personalities and how we all came to work together.”
Drama honored for Shrek: the Musical production by Jon Mallen
In what was the first RUHS performance of “Shrek: the Musical,” and the first school musical directed by Drama teacher Melisa Staab, the Drama program received multiple nominations at both the John Raitt Awards for Youth (JRAYs) and Jerry Herman Awards. The two high school musical theatre festivals featured presentations of the winners among those nominated for awards, as well as performances by the Drama departments of some of the different high schools present. “It’s basically like the Oscars or Tony Awards, but for high schools,” Staab said, “It’s really fun because it’s a way that theatre kids can actually be recognized and awarded for their work that they spend three-plus months and hundreds of hours working on.” The JRAYs, held on May 20, featured schools nominated from among both Los Angeles and Orange County. Senior Alex Bruckner received the nomination for Best Actress, sophomore Quinn Robinson for Best Actor, junior Scott Mueller for Best Supporting Actor, senior Ikaika Napohaku for Best Comedian, junior Chloe Little for Best Cameo, Staab for Best Choreography, and the entire cast for Best Ensemble. “Being our first year at the JRAYs, and getting seven nominations for a show that I actually thought wasn’t gonna do as great as
people said it did is really interesting,” Napohaku said. Though Napohaku did not receive the award for Best Comedian, he still felt proud to have been nominated. “To be nominated for being the best comedic actor from among all of the schools that have enough funding to focus on that is really humbling, ” Napohaku said. In addition, senior Sam Higuera, the stage manager for the production, received a $1,000 scholarship, being picked out of only seven contestants chosen from the entire pool of schools. This being the only RUHS victory at JRAYs, Staab still feels honored to have been present. The Jerry Herman Awards, held later on June 5, featured only schools within Los Angeles. The cast received the nomination for Best Lighting Design, Bruckner for Best Actress, and Napohaku for Best Actor. Bruckner feels that the highlight of being nominated wasn’t the night of the awards itself, but the connections she made during the auditions. “I met a lot of fun and also very talented people. The three finalists they chose, I actually cried when they announced them because I was so excited for them because they were the ones that were so humble and so
Awards Night.
“My favorite award we were nominated for was Best Ensemble, because that meant that our whole cast would earn that award together,” teacher Melisa Staab said. “That just really stood out to me that someone else who’s a professional in the industry recognized all of our hard work.” PHOTO COURTESY OF MELISA STAAB
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Getting sketchy
Hernandez uses concept art to express his imagination by William Pournamdari
Junior Jason Hernandez explores his creativity through concept art by creating digital sketches of his imagination. “I get to be the most creative and imaginative while drawing, it allows me to escape for a short period of time and only focus on the idea in my head,” Hernandez said. “Having an active imagination, as weird as it sounds, helps me create surreal ideas and stories out of everyday life which I can use later in my next piece.” According to Hernandez, his passion for concept art allows him to unwind while expressing his creativity. “When working on the painting portion of the art I’m usually the most relaxed after the slight stress of producing a design it’s always nice to see it fall together brush stroke by brush stroke,” Hernandez said. Since exploring concept art, Hernandez has been eager to improve his artwork by practicing drawing. “After discovering concept art I became a lot more motivated to improve my skills in drawing, which meant I’d have to begin doing drawing studies and filling my sketchbook again,” Hernandez said. Hernandez believes that digital concept art offers a different experience from traditional artwork, making it more enjoyable. “I think it’s especially great for me. I’ve always loved the design in film and games so to take all of that and combine it into my own original ideas is really refreshing. I’m not the most traditional of artists, and it’s not the most traditional art form,” Hernandez said.
Despite being busy with school work, Hernandez has learned to manage his time and incorporate his interest for art in his daily life. “While it was tough at times to fit time into practice into busy weeks, I worked hard in not only improving my drawing ability, but also eventually improving my design ability,” Hernandez said. Although Hernandez has recently begun creating his own concept art he is determined to improve his skills on his own. “It was not until this year that I really picked up digital artwork. I knew that if I wanted to progress at a professional level I’d have to master the same tools that they used and I spent a lot of my time experimenting, trying to get a better grasp on digital art on my own,” Hernandez said. According to Hernandez, AP Art Studio introduced him to harsh deadlines and high expectations which helped him strive for improving his art. “AP Studio Art was just fast paced enough to be considered stressful, but at the same stress that kept me on the edge with projects is what helped me grow as an artist,” Hernandez said. “When you’re working on several large projects at once with a deadline, it requires a bit of creativity and timemanagement which helped me juggle schoolwork with art.” Hernandez was inspired to pursue concept art while admiring the work of other designers, such as the imagination and aesthetics of the Star Wars films. “The same love for other people’s artwork is the thing that keeps me motivated to keep producing and improving my art today,” Hernandez said. Similar to the illustrators he has enjoyed watching, Hernandez would like
to pursue concept art as a possible career choice. “It’s both exciting and scary to look too far ahead into the future but I’m looking forward to pursuing concept art as a career and hopefully all goes well,” Hernandez said. Hernandez believes his experiences and progress have helped stay him productive and he encourages others to integrate concept art into their lives. “Even if you don’t want to pursue the hobby as a career, sitting down with a pencil and paper and sketching out an idea is always a great way to waste time, have fun, or destress,” Hernandez said.
Digital Art.
“When I work digitally I try to work in the same way I would traditionally to start out, a lot of blocking out shapes and throwing in splashes of color. Once I have an image I like I can finally get into the fun part, and begin to truly visualize the idea.” ILLUSTRATION BY JASON HERNANDEZ
Letter to the Editor This is a hard letter to write because I don’t know the situation that arose that inspired Mr. Yonemura to write his letter. All I can respond to is what was published and how he told his story. Firstly, I am sorry that you felt like you were not taken care of the way you thought you should have been. When you put your trust in adults who are supposed to be on your side and when you feel like you were not supported, the hurt and disappointment you feel is certainly justified. Let me offer a teacher’s side: students’ mental and physical well-being is our priority. Every meeting I’ve ever attended is about you: how can we motivate you? How can we keep you safe? How can we best support you? How can we educate ourselves to best cater to you? The reason we went into this profession is because of you. The reason we stay is because of you. The reason we, too, have bouts of depression and anxiety and lack of sleep is because we don’t want to fail you. The reason I’ve had arguments with other teachers is because we were arguing about best practices for you. Teachers fight on all levels to the best we can with the resources that are available. We are incredibly lucky to work at a school where you all work hard, try hard, and give us so much. We are thankful, and you continue to inspire us to do our best. No other job has made me laugh and cry so much. But let’s not discount teachers who fight not just at our school, but who travel across
Los Angeles and California to take meetings with political leaders to get your voices heard. Let’s not forget administrators, counselors, and teachers who take on additional duties so that our school can have dances, scholarship nights, parent nights, sports, music, and diverse clubs. Let’s certainly not forget teachers who have cried with you (or secretly in their classrooms) because they didn’t know how else to help you but their hearts broke anyway. In the end, maybe you are right, maybe we are failing. We do have an adult perspective, so we are acutely aware that what you are going through now will pass and that you will learn how to deal with them because you are resilient. Because we’ve all been through an iteration of what you all are going through, and we’ve survived just as you will survive and we know you will be stronger as a result of it. It’s easy to point fingers at us or generalize an incident, but we also want you to empower yourself and learn how to deal with situations with grace, wisdom, and responsibility. I want to thank you for sharing your perspective; I know that we all, myself especially, can do a better job of helping our students. I would like to end with your last point: Your life is your life -- it’s wonderfully, beautifully, weirdly, colorfully, emphatically yours. No one can take that away from you. It. Is. Yours. Angie Yi English Department
June 16, 2017
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Prideful. Junior Kaita Pannor holds out the rainbow ribbons she hands out to make the LGBTQ community feel comfortable at RUHS. PHOTO BY EDEN MILLAN
Gay is okay
Kaita Pannor hands out ribbons supporting the LGBTQ community by Summer Saad
Junior Kaita Pannor hands out LGBTQ ribbons to those supporting the LGBT community at RUHS. Pannor’s goal in handing out these ribbons is to help LGBTQ community feel more welcomed and accepted. “Basically, the goal is to help LGBTQ people feel more comfortable at school and just feel more comfortable having the opportunity to be themselves. Especially people who aren’t necessarily completely out or just considering. If people who aren’t completely out were to see the ribbons, that would help them feel more welcome,” Pannor said. “The big goal is that just little things like [these ribbons] can help a lot, and I think the allies in this month can help in this way.” Pannor first started making these ribbons for herself, then began handing them out to those who asked for one. Many of her friends take several ribbons to hand out to others and their other group of friends. “I didn’t even go around and offer them to people. It’s often people coming up to me asking for them, and I was very surprised by how many people were allies that were totally eager to help,” Pannor said. Pannor’s friend, Laila Digras, helps her spread these ribbons around school.
“She asked me if I know anyone who wanted one, so I talked to my friends and asked them, and then I got them from her and gave them to other people,” Digras said. “There’s also so many people who reach out to her on Instagram saying that they want one.” According to Pannor, her friends play a big role in allowing her to do this effectively. “I have a lot of friends who are also LGBTQ, and they’re all extremely open. Like I said, they’ve been helping me give [the ribbons] to other people too. They are all very sweet about it, and they are the most I could hope for, honestly,” Pannor said. “I originally just planned to give them to my friends and then I decided that if I had more that I would keep passing out ribbons.” Digras, who is bisexual, feels that these ribbons give her support from her peers. “I’ll be walking around school, and I’ll see somebody with one on their backpack, so I think, ‘Oh somebody supports me.’ I think little things that show support, like these or pencils, bring people together.” Digras said. Although Pannor passes out ribbons to spread LGBTQ pride, she has never attended a march. “I’ve actually never been to a parade or march. I’m planning on it very soon,” Pan-
nor said. “I could see myself giving out other pride stuff at marches.” Pannor first came out as gay to her friend who later helped her feel better and more comfortable with coming out. “I first came out to one of my friends in eighth grade, and I think his reaction and his help was a big reason why it wasn’t too difficult for me to come out to other people,” Pannor said. “Going back to why I started handing out the ribbons, I know that not everybody has that friend.” Pannor fully came out as gay her sophomore year. “I kind of started coming out my freshman year, only to some people, and in my sophomore year I had a story on my sexuality in the yearbook, so I was kind of out to the entire school,” Pannor said. Pannor feels that RUHS has been very accepting of her and other LGBTQ students. “I enjoy doing it. It’s been nice to see how many people there are around school that are willing to support us, and we have an incredibly supportive and open minded student body, so that’s nice to see,” Pannor said. Eventually, not only were Pannor’s friends and peers at school accepting, but her family was as well.
“Most of my family was supportive, but a little bit of my family took a while to adjust. They have always been supportive, and my friends have always been really good,” Pannor said. June is pride month, filled with parades and marches, but Pannor also sees people not part of the LGBTQ community supporting it. “It’s a time for people who are LGBTQ to show their pride, and I think the ribbons that I’m giving can be a way to do that for the LGBTQ community. I’m also giving them to a lot of my friends who I know are straight which is, honestly, the coolest part to me,” Pannor said. “I know I’ve given them to dozens of people who are straight and are wearing them around just to support LGBTQ people.” Pannor feels that she could not have passed out ribbons if she had not been accepting of herself and openly comfortable being who she is. “I think a big part of it is that I’m comfortable with myself, and it’s taken years to get here,” Pannor said. “Now I’m able to help other people get to the place I’m at, and I think that’s something I would like to be able to do.”
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[cont. from cover]
Hitting the books. “I like taking classes during
the night because it works really well with my work schedule, and I still meet really interesting people” Elizarrazez said. PHOTO BY JARRAH MAY
Nicknamed “Junior” by his coworkers, he runs the behind the scenes of keeping the campus clean for the students while balancing his time of being a student himself. Custodian Pedro Elizarrarez works during the day at RUHS while taking night classes at El Camino Community College everyday Monday through Thursday. After leaving UC Berkeley at the age of 19, he continues working toward earning his degree. “My whole goal is to earn a degree in biology and then try to get into a school where I can get an MD in biology,” Elizarrarez said. Elizarrarez plans on majoring in biology and continuing his goal of finding a cure for STDs, HIV and other infectious diseases “I would like a job that mentally challenges me in the future,” Elizarrarez said. “I am kind of a puzzle guy so I like putting pieces together in order to find a final solution, similar to finding a cure for diseases.” Elizarrarez believes that he has a passion for studying life, such as the processes of the body and how the cell works in order to combat diseases. “I invest a lot of time into the courses that I’m taking,” Elizarrarez said. “After devoting so much time into it, I don’t want to quit while I’m ahead. I figured that this investment will benefit my future which also motivates me not to drop the courses that I’m taking.” In addition to going to school four hours a day, he works as a custodian every day, even going in on the weekends when his job demands that he work overtime. “Sometimes I have to take a day off in order to study because I only get a little bit of study time,” Elizarrarez said. “My schedule limits the amount of time I have to study in addition to the amount of classes I can take.” While working and going to school was hectic initially, Elizarrarez managed to find a healthy balance between the two in order to continue his interests of studying biology. “A lot of professionals say that working forty hours per week is a lot, but at the same time I can’t really say no to the money either,” Elizarrarez said. “The only discouragement I’ve really face is that I work too much, but it’s worth it in order to pay for the things I need in order to focus on my education.” Elizarrarez enjoys taking classes at night because the campus is more “calm” during the night. “The campus isn’t as active at night,” Elizarrarez said. “I still get the opportunity to meet many interesting students, just as I would if I took classes during the day. The nighttime environment doesn’t have as many differences from the day as one would think.” Before becoming a custodian, Elizarrarez was a tutor in order to pay off his student debt, but later quit because the extensive traveling by car “wasted” gas. “I would have never expected to be in the situation I am now, working a day job and
still getting my education,” Elizarrarez. “Five years ago I would have thought that I would have already graduated school, but things happen and I just had to go with the flow.” Although he would have never predicted being a custodian, Elizarrarez enjoys his work because of the “great” atmosphere. “I love the people at this job. The kids here always make my day when I’m feeling down so that’s a real benefit of working here,” Elizarrarez said. “They like to joke around and everyone is friendly here so there are so many positive vibes.” Being a custodian has not only helped Elizarrarez socially, but also financially. He took the custodial job initially to pay off his student debt from UC Berkeley, but now continues working in order to save up money in order to obtain his MD. Before attending El Camino, Elizarrarez majored in math when he was eighteen at UC Berkeley, but stopped going at the age of nineteen due to a family emergency. “One of the hardships that I have had to overcome on my journey getting to where I am now is leaving UC Berkeley because my aunt had died,” Elizarrarez said. “I was really close with her and she was one of the first people that I had ever loved and lost, so I was devastated when she had passed away.” After her death, Elizarrarez became “discouraged” and “heartbroken” and decided to leave UC Berkeley “I have learned how to pick myself up from being at an all time low in my life after my aunt died,” Elizarrarez said. “I became motivated by telling myself that life goes on and that the world keeps turning, so I have to keep up with it and never fall behind.” During the time of his aunt’s death, Elizarrarez leaned on his family to be his main “support system” throughout the entirety of this “hardship.” He says they have encouraged him to continue going to school and have helped him get “back on his feet.” “I think that right now I am in a good place in my life where I can balance studying and working,” Elizarrarez said. “I don’t think I’m at a low anymore and I have been super focused on being focused on my end goal of finishing school.” He has learned to have a better outlook and believes that the “bad” days motivate him to overcome the obstacles that he faces. “As a result, I have become a stronger person, but I’m still only 23 so I have more mistakes to make and learn from so my learning process isn’t done yet,” Elizarrarez said. Elizarrarez believes that the struggles he has been through have helped shape him into the “happier” person he is currently. “I learned to not quit on myself, not give up ,and to persevere through whatever hardships I endure,” Elizarrarez said. “I know the light comes eventually and life works in funny ways. I’m investing in myself, my future, and a better tomorrow.”
Hard work pays off. “I have learned to become
more social and talk to more people, which is another great thing about this environment,” Elizarrazez PHOTO BY JARRAH MAY