//
p6-7
Students reflect on summer service.
//
p12-13
Teacher Gillian Moberg returns from abroad.
//
p20
Football looks for first win of the season.
THE
FACES OF
CHANGE Redondo welcomes the addition of new staff including a new vice principal and principal. See more on pages 10-11.
//
High
TIDE
Redondo Beach, CA // Redondo Union High School // April 1, 2011// Vol. XCII // Section 11
NEWS //
High tide
Around
Redondo //
“Did you like or dislike the first day?” “It was alright. It was too crowded and the new system was confusing.”
12th
—Alexis Garcia
“I liked the first day. It was an easy way to start and to get to know teachers.”
9th
—Dominque
Dodd
“I thought it was pointless. We should have just started and gotten it over with.”
PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL
Hands Up. Seniors celebrate at the Back to School Spirit Rally. According to Assistant principal Amy Golden, the celebration was a success.
New
11th
—Kevin Ahir
“The spirit assembly was a waste of time, especially for 10th, 11th, and 12th graders.”
10th
—Lisa Hurley
“The spirit assembly was fun, but the morning classes were pointless.”
9th
—Megan Fabio
-Compiled by: Daniel Garzon Photos by: Erinn Middo
NEWS // SEPT. 16, 2011 // 2
Faces New
Paces
by Taylor Ballard
A new first day schedule is put in place by administration to increase school spirit
For most students, the first day of school signifies the end of summer vacation and the start of a monotonous routine that is eventually ended by another glorious summer vacation. In order to raise school spirit and wash away back to school blues, Assistant Principal Amy Golden, ASB Advisor Sherie
Gross, and Teacher Catherine Horzen decided to host Redondo’s first Back to School Celebration. “When we heard about [the celebration] we thought it sounded really cool. Students don’t have as much spirit as we’d like them to [have] and we thought our teachers could use a boost as well,” Golden said. While attending the CATA conference Golden, Gross, and Horzen heard the idea of a Back to School Celebration from a school that hosts one for their students every year and decided to give it a try. “I was really happy with how it went. While I thought it went well, it’s not as good as it could be so we want to tweak it,”
Golden said. One change that will most likely be made is the material shown to each grade level. “I would like for each grade level to have differentiated programs. I also think we are looking into a different schedule so our speaker can have a longer period of time,” Gross said. While Gross believes the Celebration needs a few changes to be all it can be, she would not change the presentation on the A through G requirements. “I really liked going through the rules and the A-G’s because I feel like a lot of students don’t know [where] they are and that’s half the battle of getting kids to meet their goals,” Gross said. According to Golden, student and faculty surveys will be taken later on to decide whether or not the Celebration will happen again. “It was a big undertaking. I’m super glad we did it. I think it created some unity between the staff and hopefully it started the year off right for students because we care about [the students] and we want to do stuff that’s fun for [them] too,” Golden said.
Construction continues into new school year, new lockers added over summer by Daniel Garzon
Measure C construction will continue throughout the school year as renovations to the Cafeteria, Science Building, and Library be made . According to Assistant Principal John Newman, plans for the Cafeteria, Science Building, and Industrial Arts building are still pending approval by the Department of the State Architect (DSA). The current plan is to begin work on the Cafeteria in mid-tolate December and the Science Building and Industrial Arts Building in mid April. “We want the move out of the Science Building to coincide with Spring Break so that no instructional time will be impacted,” Newman said. Science classrooms will be moved to the Chamber of Commerce building and into portable classrooms in the parking lot of the auditorium. The interior of the Science Building will be torn out and classrooms will be rearranged with plans for ten fully functioning science laboratories. Since many of the planned projects came in under budget, Measure C made it possible for new lockers to be installed throughout campus. Plans for air conditioning in the 800s building are still on hold, but, according to Newman, they will happen. Renovations on the Old Administration Building are nearly complete; however, during the renovation, 50-year-old fire damage was discovered and plans to fix it are still
Poll: The High Tide polled its Facbook followers and found:
3%
Science Building: Library:
Start: December The bingo room is a temporary textbook room/computer lab
Start: April New classrooms and science labs
29%
39%
29%
39% of stu-
dents thought the first day activities were unnecessary.
3% of students
enjoyed it
29% did not
enjoy it at all
29%
thought it could have been better
Start: mid-to-late December Rooftop deck and stage area for rally
Large Gym:
End: mid March Spring sports will be able to enjoy the new gym.
—Illustration by Meglyn Huber
pending approval by the DSA. Currently, the scheduled move in to the Old Administration Building, which will house special education staff, in December. The Large Gym is scheduled to be completed in mid-March, and Newman hopes that the boy’s volleyball team will be able to
complete its season there. Improvements to the Library will begin in December, and in the meantime, the bingo room will serve as a computer lab and textbook storage room. Finally, according to Newman, the lack of a cafeteria has not impacted food service
too severely. More food carts and an additional line at the A.L. Young center have all eased the transition. “I think [students are coping with the renovations] pretty well,” Newman said. “The project managers have all done a good job at only taking up the space they need.”
New class colors, “senior sticker” aim to increase school spirit in students by Jeremy Porr
Cafeteria:
With a new school year comes new opportunities to increase school spirit. That is exactly what staff members and the seniors of ASB are working to provide. New class colors have been put in place: seniors have yellow, juniors have purple,sophomores have orange, and freshmen have blue. ASB Adviser Sherie Gross is excited about the change and feels optimistic about the upcoming school year. “The idea of the class color change has been tossed around for years now. The goal has always been to increase school spirit.” she said. According to Gross, the colors were chosen randomly by the class presidents in ASB. “We knew from the beginning that the colors we chose needed to be easy to find.” she said. Some seniors are upset about the change due to the fact that red will no longer be
their main class color. “You can’t always please everyone. To make up for the disappointment few seniors may have about that, we kept their class
“The
goal has always been to increase school spirit.
-Sherie Gross
”
shirts red,” Gross said. Class colors are not the only thing that will change this year. According to Senior Class President Madison Hall, a new Senior Sticker has been introduced so that students can purchase their tickets to both senior barbeque’s and the new senior pool party in advance.
248 students have already purchased the Senior Sticker, according to Hall. The senior pool party will also take place later this year, providing an afternoon full of music, food, swimming and a movie for students that attend. ASB President Nia Vidal is confident the event will run smoothly. “It’s the first time an event like this is happening, I’m really excited and it’s a great way to end the school year.” Vidal said. Assistant Principal Amy Golden proposed the idea to ASB members this past summer. “I’ve always thought that we could add more fun events for the seniors to make their year more special. We have an amazing pool facility and we should use it.” she said. As for behavioral issues, Golden isn’t worried. “I know that seniors will do the right thing. Even though its early, this year’s students are much more well behaved than last year.” she said.
NEWS // SEPT. 16, 2011 // 3
OPINION // High tide
Around
Redondo “How do you feel // about the stricter dress
code policy implemented this year?” “I think it’s pretty reasonable, but it doesn’t affect the school.”
10th
—Elijah Aquilina
“It makes people less individualistic. They aren’t able to express their personality.”
11th
—Nicole Pippard
“It’s fine. I think the thumb rule is too short. I think there should be more rules.”
9th
—Tiana Chung
“We need to be able to express ourselves with what we choose to wear.” —Tyler
12th
Clinton
“I don’t agree with it. The rules are too strict and it’s too harsh.” —Grant
10th
MacDonald
Compiled by Bethany Kawa Photos by Erinn Middo
OPINION // SEPT. 16, 2011// 4
Pro /
/ Con
CARTOON BY COOPER LOVANO
Are the new school spirit colors a positive change from the old ones?
For students, the grass always seems greener on the other side. After years of complaints, it is finally time for a change, but students are now questioning if that change is good. Redondo’s traditional school colors were changed from gray, black, white, and red to fun colors: yellow, purple, orange, and blue. This change was put in place primarily because of comby Cameron Paulson plaints from students. The old school colors were rather boring, so ASB decided to reimplement the old custom of fun class colors. One would think the student body of Redondo would be thrilled but instead of excitement there is only disappointment. Throughout the years the desire for new school colors has always been an issue. We were one of the only schools in the South Bay that had boring spirit colors that corresponded to our school colors and not the fun, vibrant ones we have now. We have rallies without much spirit and we don’t pay much attention to class colors to begin with. Administrators at Redondo gave the students what they wanted, so shouldn’t we be thankful, not resentful? Instead of complaining, all students at Redondo should embrace the new colors and look at them in a positive light. These colors will encourage the students at Redondo to become more involved and have more school spirit during rallys and other activities. Although some students will argue that the colors are not fit for school, this is what we’ve been asking for all along, isn’t it? We’ve been pestering ASB and the administration to acomodate us so whining about not having our class color in our wardrobe is a bit uncalled for. These colors will also still distinguish upperclassmen from lowerclassmen just in a way that all classes can enjoy. There will be more spirit throughout the school with class competitions and rallies being more enjoyable. This is what we’ve been asking for all along so students need to stop resenting these colors and embrace them. For those who don’t agree with these colors get used to because in the end, the new colors will end up bringing classes together and making activities around school more enjoyable.
Today we are obsessed with change. We change our possessions, style, opinions, friends, goals and taste in music. Change can be a beautiful and productive thing. It can open your eyes to new and different points of view on life. But why change something when it works? What’s wrong with a tradition no one has a problem with? This year has already started off with many changes but by Dan Furmansky are they for the best? Our class colors used to mean something. They used to be worn proudly. The sudden change in class colors has caused controversy, especially for the seniors, who have had the traditional red replaced with the wildly unpopular yellow. From colors coordinating with the school (red, grey, white, and black) we have adopted the seemingly random and meaningless yellow, purple, orange, and blue. The change was an attempt to increase school spirit. Judging from less than favorable responses on Facebook and poor participation at registration, support for the new class colors seems to have fizzled out before the school year has even begun. Students feel an increasing distance between themselves and the school. ASB should have made an effort to include the entire school in this decision. Certainly a majority vote would have done away with any sort of complaints about class colors. In fact, participation would have increased if we would have been able to vote for the color changes we wanted (if any). Some may argue that class colors are not a big deal and many students would be inclined to agree. The problem is that in attempting to increase school spirit, the school instead succeeded in squandering it further. When class colors are literally picked out of a hat it’s hard not to feel like our elected officials in ASB aren’t listening to us. This is not meant to be an attack; it is a question as to how this whole school spirit concept is being run. What we’re asking for is a little more time and effort. A little more representation of the student body through class surveys. Maybe some more common sense so issues like this are not left to chance. Redondo is willing to have school spirit this year, don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be.
Editorial: More activities needed to increase spirit Everyone knows the usual first day of school routine: pick up your schedule at the cafeteria before school, try fitting all of your books into your tiny locker, and trudge to all of your classes while trying not to daydream about the carefree times of summer just a day before. But in an attempt to raise school spirit, this year the staff and ASB came together to start school off differently with a day they called the “Back to School Celebration.” Instead of going directly to the cafeteria, students went to “spirit groups” for powerpoints on rules and regulations, to pick up schedules, and to play team-building games. Instead of going from period to period, students went to the auditorium to hear a motivational speaker and then marched down to the football stadium to watch ASB and teachers preform fun skits. The best part of the day was probably the end, where classes were a mere ten minutes, just enough to collect summer assignments and do a quick introduction. The Back to School Celebration was an at-
High Tide // Staff Editor-in-Chief: Alison Peet-Lukes Managing Editors: Meglyn Huber; Madeline Perrault News Editors: Matthew Brancolini; Daniel Garzon Opinion Editor: Shannon Bowman Features Editors: Taylor Ballard; Kimberly Chapman; Anachristina Gonzalez; Bethany Kawa; Tricia Light; Emma Uriarte Sports Editors: Tatiana Celentano; Julie Tran; Zach Zent Photo Editors: Erinn Middo, Jenny Oetzell Copy Editors: Camille Duong, Jeremy Porr Cartoonist: Cooper Lovano Online Editor: Brianna Egan Staff Writers: Taylor Brightwell; Torrey Bruger; Claire Chiara, Logan Collingwood; Navea Dasz; Mckenna Duffy; Camille Duong; Brandon Folkman; Dan Furmansky; Shivaani Gandhi; Hana Ghanim; Andrew Hazeltine; Cedric Hyon; Craig Ives; Llana LaGraff; Vivian Lam; Anthony Leong; Cooper Lovano; Kayla Maanum; LeAnn Maanum; Isaiah Madison; Kylie Martin; Benjamin McLaughin; Hayley Meyers; Madison Mitchell; Rachael Orford; Cameron Paulson; Alegra Peelor; Alejandro Quevedo; Jason Rochlin; Nancy Silva; Jessica Shipley; Taylor Sorensen; Hannah Son; Jeremy Porr; Cody Williams Adviser: Mitch Ziegler The High Tide dedicates itself to producing a highquality publication that both informs and entertains the entire student body. This newspaper is wholly student managed, designed, and written newspaper that focuses on school and community events. The High Tide is published by the journalism class at Redondo Union High School, One Sea Hawk Way, Redondo Beach, CA 90277. Advertising is $7.50 per column inch, $6.00 if paid in advance. For information call (310)798-8665 ext. 2210. Signed commentaries and editorial cartoons represent the opinions of the staff writer of cartoonist and in no way reflect the opinions of the High Tide staff.
tempt to raise school spirit and provide a fun and effective transition into the new school year. Although some students thought the rally was a refreshing way to begin a brand new school year, others felt that the rally and all of the other first day antics were a waste of time. Bored, tired faces met the inspirational speaker during his speech and yawned their way through the teachers’ “Saved by the Bell” relay race. For people who just want to come to school and get their day over with as quickly as possible, the first day was simply an annoyance. The dark auditorium was just a place to catch some extra Z’s. The “spirit groups” were a place to catch up with your friends and share crazy summer stories. The rally was crowded and unorganized, and the speakers were hard to hear over the chattering of 2,000 teenagers. The attempt to make students more spirited backfired; instead, students were already fed up with school and not looking forward to the coming week. Whose fault was this? Maybe in the poor
execution of a positive change. But mostly, the fault was with the students who were too cool to even play along. Without student participation, how does the staff and ASB plan to raise school spirit for the rest of the year? They can’t force spirit onto students who don’t want it or onto students who come to school purely because it is compulsory or just want to graduate, go to college, and get far, far away. Redondo has had a long history of lackluster spirit. Participation in fun activities and spirit days is usually low; many schools put us to shame when they cheer louder than us at our home football games. Unless we as a student body become more involved, we can’t expect perfection in the spirit days ASB and the administration provide for us. The effort put into the first day is admirable and the idea of a more spirited school is a great one, but the truth is students can’t become more spirited in just one day. It will take a lot more spirit days to convince the entire student body to become more spirited.
Dress code policy disquiets students by Anthony Leong
female thighs could be seen everywhere–total chaos. In other words, an environment that must have been impeditive of our education. However, last year Redondo’s CST scores showed more improvement than any other school in the South Bay. AP Chemistry didn’t just maintain its famous 100% pass rate, not one person got below a three on the AP test. In this light it seems evident that education requires no dress code to improve. Education can improve in spite of “inappropriate” dress. It seems evident, however, that “inappropriate” isn’t the same for everyone, nor do all agree that dress interferes with education. Senior Kevin Lofgren unwittingly exemplified this idea on that first morning: “Honestly, I find the guys that dress like they’re in the ‘60s more distracting than shortshorts,” he said. And thus we come to the crux of the argument: Who decides what’s “inappropriate?” And, once that is decided, whose version of reality should everyone be forced to abide by? If you’re a student, part of the supermajority whose compliance is mandatory, the answer is an unfortunate “not yours” –– and that is what I see as the real problem.
During my summer, a number of people asked me which year of high school I would be starting. When I answered, “Senior,” almost invariably the response would be something like, “Oh! Are you excited?” Oddly enough, I never said yes, and I now feel those summertime premonitions may not have been amiss. In that all too familiar morning stupor on the first day of school, I sat down in my “spirit group” of that much anticipated senior year and at once I found myself watching a PowerPoint regarding the dress code, which explained how it would be enforced more than past years and that consequences would be much more serious. In time we would become acquainted with our new food items, our new lockers, and our new staff members, but first and foremost: the new dress code. This was my first impression of the new school year. “This,” the situation seemed to suggest, “is more important than anything else.” So maybe the dress code isn’t new. What is new is the notion that dress is a highly consequential potential threat to the integrity of our education. After the dress code PowerPoint, Mr. Theodorou explained that for the school, education is job number one. “If anything interferes with student learning,” he said, “it becomes a concern.” Student attire, it seems, became one of those concerns for our administration who clearly felt compelled to do something about it. But to what degree does dress impact our education? Let’s take a look at last year, a year PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO utterly saturated with dress code violations (hundreds upon hundreds each day, I have Busted. A student poses in a shirt that is givno doubt.) Lower backs, bare shoulders and en to those who wear inappropriate clothing.
Shannon’s Shenanigans Welcome
Back
by Shannon Bowman
Welcome to your 2011-2012 school year everyone. Some of you may have jumped out of bed on the first day of school, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Some of you (and by that I mean me) may have slept past the blaring alarm clock and arrived late to your zero period. But, whether or not you were ready, here the first day came. A lot of changes seem to have happened over night and plenty of people have raised concerns. Maybe “raised concerns” isn’t the right wording; “whined a lot” would be more appropriate. I’m including myself in this group of whiners (“Yellow is a Costa color!!”) who have focused too much on all of the little changes and not the big picture. When it comes down to it, high school is about one thing: preparing you for your future. Whether you leave these halls in four years or eight months, the time you spent here will shape you for the rest of your life. Slightly terrified? I know I am. But don’t stress out too much. At the risk of sounding contradictory, keep in mind that high school isn’t everything. Your life isn’t decided before you can even vote, but the memories you create here will last a lifetime. If we’re lucky, our lives are really just beginning. Some of us may march off to college or begin a career. Some of us might not have any direction at all, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing: “Not all those who wander are lost,” said author J.R.R. Tolkien. Find what you want to do and do it. Or just do everything and anything you want. These opportunities are fleeting: You’ll never go to your first freshman basketball game ever again. You’ll never be able to take that pre-calc test again. You’ll never be who you are at this moment ever again. No matter if you’re the youngest freshman or oldest senior, there are a thousand things you will never be able to do again if you don’t take advantage of the opportunities in front of you right now. The last day of school is in 273 days. Make this more than just another school year. Take advantage of your opportunities. Even if you decide to wander, be careful you don’t get lost.
OPINION // SEPT. 16, 2011 // 5
FEATURES // High tide
SUMMER Egan, Niebergall help provide medical care by Tricia Light
In the cardboard village of Rio Blanco, a group of young children play a game of tag. Some of them have nothing to eat but garbage, nothing to drink but contaminated water, and nowhere to sleep but under roofs made out of trash bags. Nonetheless, the children smile, laugh, and play with their new American friends. Seniors Alex Niebergall and Brianna Egan visited Honduras with a group from a San Diego church that helps give medical care to impoverished children. “It was shocking just to see the different levels of poverty that go beyond what you see in the US,” Niebergall said. “They live in conditions that I can’t even imagine living under, but are still so positive.” In just eight days they established meaningful connections with many of the children. “The most rewarding thing was just seeing the kids smile. It was beautiful and heart-warming. They barely had anything, but they had each other. The children were so full of love. It broke our hearts to say goodbye,” Egan said. On their first day in Hunduras they helped lead song-a longs, craft time, and prayers with children in the only public hospital in San Pedro Sula, the second largest city in the country.
2. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALEX NIEBERGALL
1.
All Smiles. 1. Egan plays with children in Rio Blanco. 2. Many of the children live in poverty.
“Kids die of things that would be curable here in the US due to a lack of supplies and medical care,” Niebergall said. They then continued on to the village of Rio Blanco, where the children were seen by doctors and received medication. “This is the only medical care they [will] ever get, once a year. Kids have colds, parasites, and infections because of the poverty they live in,” Niebergall said. Niebergall and the other teenagers helped entertain the children while they were being seen by doctors. “The kids are really incredible. They are all very independent and help each other out,” she said. “We would see six year old girls carrying their baby brothers around.”
Their last stop was the Pena Blanca Orphanage, a home for orphans and children whose families are too poor to care for them. “The kids in the orphanage were mainly healthy, but just needed to be loved,” she said. “What was most moving was how open and friendly they were, they gave to others [what little they had].” Egan feels that the experience was “priceless”. “It’s so important to be in a situation where you are humbled and can learn how to love,” she said. “The whole community is a family. All they have is each other. It was amazing to be a part of that.”
Lew does missionary work by Kimberly Chapman
Senior Chris Lew visited Thailand to not only make a difference in the natives’ lives, but to introduce them to Christianity, which was previously unknown to some of them. Lew traveled with a church organization called Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF). Lew spent two weeks running a children’s program for children in long-term missionaries in Southeast Asia. “I wanted to go because I’m thinking about working as a long-term medical missionary after I finish Medical School. I wanted to see the needs of the natives and hear from people that have experience working there,” Lew said. The natives Lew worked with had not been exposed to Christianity, as most of the population is Buddhist. “Our mission mentor told us that on average, a person in
FEATURES // SEP. 16, 2011 // 6
Thailand hears the gospel only once in their lifetime. Many of them had not heard the word of God before we came to teach them,” Lew said. Lew enjoyed experiencing first hand how people in Thailand live. “I liked the second week of the trip better because that was the week where we stayed in a small village and we were able to interact and bond with [the natives] more,” Lew said. After visiting Thailand and witnessing the hardships that the natives faced, Lew is now more appreciative of the life he lives here in Redondo. “Hopefully we made a difference in their lives and they will remember what we have taught them for years to come,” Lew said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS LEW
Spreading the word. Lew visits Thailand with the Overseas Missionary Fellowship.
SERVICE Currie siblings volunteer in Coarsegold by Emma Uriarte
Sweat on their brows, sun on their backs, and the noises of power tools in their ears: this is how junior Kristen Currie and her sister, sophomore Kelsie Currie, spent one week of their summer. They repaired homes for the Chukchansi tribe in Coarsegold, Ca, through the Sierra Service Project (SSP). They braved 90 degree weather and ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for one week straight, building additions to houses for families in need. But, according to Kelsie, the drawbacks of SSP
didn’t matter. “The physical labor was hard, but knowing I was helping someone made it all worthwhile,” she said. This is their second summer working with SSP through their church’s youth group. Kristen enjoys the sense of accomplishment she gets when members of the Chukchansi Tribe see the finished work. “The kids that live there made us necklaces because they were so appreciative of [being given] a better place to live,” Kristen said. Kristen and Kelsie’s church was joined by two other churches. From living in tents to sharing meals and out-
door showers with the other churches, the Currie sisters were forced to take off their “cool jackets” and to put on their “social sweaters.” “Everyone gets together as a community,” Kristen said. “It doesn’t matter how you look or how you dress. There is just a feeling of unity.” According to Kelsie, that unity is what inspires her to keep coming back to volunteer with the SSP every summer. “My favorite part is that you can get together with people and make friends you will keep for a lifetime,” she said.
Peet- Lukes taught in Thailand by Alison Peet- Lukes
I stepped on to the plane, unsure of what the next three weeks would bring me. I remember I woke up really nervous that day. I threw on my blue Rustic Pathways T-shirt and shook off the nerves. “Everyone will love you!,” my mother told me as we said our good byes at the airport. The plane ride to Thailand was a long, awkward 34 hours. I jumped from plane to plane and endured layovers in Tokyo, Singapore, and Bangkok. Finally, I landed in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I met the other people who would accompany me on my trip to the Rustic Pathways Children’s Home and instantly felt at ease. They were just like me. I also met the goofy and friendly David Elbot, essentially the man that makes all of what I was about to do possible. After a four hour drive through winding streets in the pitch black night, we finally arrived in Mae Sariang and settled into our new home. I almost instantly clicked with all of the western students at the home the next day. We weren’t going to meet the Thai students until later that night because they were at school, so we got acquainted with the Eastern and Western staff. That day we visited the school that we would be teaching at for the next two weeks. The kids were very excited and eager to see us and interact with us. The Thai education system is very different from the western education system, and the teachers often have very little interest in their students. Most of the time, they are taught by repetition. For example, they would be forced to say and write the word “cat” 10 times, but would never really understand what it means. Throughout the week we did numerous service projects, including building a library in the Ban Rai Lo village, teaching the students at the school, and planting rice in the rice
1.
fields. Everything we did was an amazing and enriching experience that I could never classify as “work.” One of the most important things to remember when doing service oversees is to embrace the culture of the people, not try to change them or make them more American. They have a beautiful and unique culture that should be preserved, not changed. My experience in Thailand was very different from what I would call a “summer vacation”. I was taking cold showers, eating rice for every meal, and enduring 90 degree heat. However, I would pass up any tropical paradise vacation for an experience like I had at the Children’s Home. The students at the home not only inspired me to be a happier, more humble person, but they challenged me to be content with a simpler life. If I learned one thing from this experience, it is to build relationships with every person I meet, because once we die and our souls drift away from our body and all our possessions, the only thing that we have left is the memory of the impact we made on other’s lives. Now I live my life by this philosophy, and I believe that it has changed me forever.
2.
3. PHOTO COURTESY OF ALI PEET- LUKES
Service Abroad. 1. Peet- Lukes spent three weeks in Thailand. 2. She teaches at a school near the Rustic Pathways Children Home. 3. Their classes provide a more practical instruction in English.
FEATURES // SEP. 16, 2011 // 7
FEATURES // High tide
Studying
Abroad
Kosnoff in Hong Kong by Taylor Ballard
Going from a school population of 600 to one of about 3000, freshman Kyle Kosnoff tries to adjust to life back in the United States but does not forget the lessons he learned while overseas in Hong Kong. “It was amazing [to live there]. A lot of people understood my situation because ex-patriots come and go all the time in Hong Kong,” Cosnoff said. Kyle’s father is a patriot, which is someone who leaves their native country in order to live in a new one. When Kosnoff was informed by his parents that he would be moving again–the fifth time since he started kindergarden–he was less than thrilled. “My initial reaction was ‘why is this happening again?’ I was scared, but I thought it would be an interesting experience to go to a new country,” Kosnoff said. While he was not originally fond of the idea of moving, Kos-
noff grew to like his new home in Hong Kong. “Living in Hong Kong inspired me to be more into service. It was really eye opening to see the poverty on the mainland,” Kosnoff said. After discovering the poverty within a nation that seemed so prosperous, Kosnoff decided to participate in two trips to a school to give clothes and food to the homeless. Now that Kosnoff is back in the U.S. he misses the friends he made in Hong Kong but plans to continue his services. “I was upset because I wasn’t looking forward to leaving the friends I had made, and I was scared because I was going from a school with 600 kids to one with 3000. As for services, I’m looking into St. Baldridge right now. I’ve already done it three times and it helps fund cancer research,” Kosnoff said.
Hastings learns in Singapore by Julie Tran
All year nasty glances were cast her way. When she would meet their glances, their eyes would fall to the ground. Though she had the highest marks in many of her classes, the students spread vicious rumors about her. Junior Natasha Hastings felt a sense of superiority coming from her classmates at her old school in Singapore. “I was the odd one out,” Hastings said. “They had the idea that I would have such a hard time because Americans were viewed as not the most intellectual kind of people, but to their surprise, I was among the smartest kids there, in the highest classes.” Though the opportunity for Hasting’s father to work for Star Wars creator George Lucas’s company prompted her family to move to Singapore in the first place, the prejudices were the main factor in her family’s decision to move back to the United State in February. “Singapore was one of those countries that claimed to be heavily influenced by western culture, but when it came to accepting westerners, or rather outsiders, they were not welcoming,” Hastings said. Another factor in their decision to move back was the major differences between American schools and Singaporean schools. “They spoke English and they had block scheduling, but the similarities ended there,” Hastings said.
FEATURES // SEPT. 16, 2012 // 8
At St. Anthony’s, her school in singapore, modest uniforms were required. Students were expected to wake up at 5:00 a.m. and be at school at 6:45 a.m. “It was sad and boring. And afterwards, you couldn’t just leave. There were mandatory extracurriculars. I had to [practice] basketball for 6 hours after school,” she said. “The Singaporean schools stayed true to their Asian culture by being more conservative and strict. It was the worst. The only element she truly enjoyed was the Singaporean attitude toward friendship, which, according to Hastings, was a stark difference from the cliques at Redondo. “There wasn’t any separation by cliques or anything along those lines,” Hastings said. “Any lines of social distinctions simply blurred. And if there were groups, then I didn’t know about them because they weren’t so shockingly obvious like they [are here].” Despite her unfavorable experiences in Singapore, Hastings believes that moving has allowed her to develop mentally and has sparked her desire to travel to more foreign countries in the future. “I went through a phase where I was acting immature. I didn’t want to be there, but I came to accept it,” Hastings said. “I got over myself and realized I got a lot more out of living in a variety of places than I thought. It’s funny how things work out.”
Neibergall twins abroad in Paris by Anthony Leong
For seniors Max and Alex Niebergall, a pass under the Eiffel Tower was simply a part of their daily walk to school during their eighth grade year spent in Paris. The two attended a small international school with 600 students spread out over the 13 grades. “It’s a completely different education system,” Max said. And to accompany this very different education system were some radically different proportions of students. Rather than a total class size of 600 students, there were 600 students K-12, according to Max. Having attended an international school, the two were able to experience a variety of cultures. “There was a wide range of cultures,” he said. “It broadened my outlook on the world.” Alex had similar sentiments. “When you leave America and you live in a different country, you see things a little bit differently,” she said. Alex felt that the experience provided a valuable, different point of view. “It gave me more of a view than the typical American view I grew up with,” she said. “It’s interesting to see the different ways
Paris.
that people live.” In spite of their cultural enrichment, the twins have different feelings about their school of preference. Max prefers Redondo. “It’s hot in Paris in the summer and cold in the winter,” he said. “There weren’t sports there. I also like AP much better than IB. AP is much more straight forward.” Alex feels less decisive. “They’re collectively my two favorite places on Earth,” she said. “I couldn’t pick [a country].” For Max the positive aspects were less complicated. Max relished in being able to walk under the Eiffel Tower every day on the way to school. For Alex the pleasure ran deeper. “Paris is gorgeous. It’s a really beautiful city and the culture is incredible,” she said. In spite of Paris’s overall dreaminess, Alex still has ties that keep her anchored at home. “It’s the best place on Earth with the weather and the beach,” she said. For Alex, at least, the experience made it worth returning. “It was an awesome experience, I would definitely do it again,” she said.
The Neibergall twins, Alex and Max, spent their eighth grade year studying in Paris,
France.
FEATURES // SEPT. 16, 2012 // 9
NEW NEW year
staff
y e l s e W e l o c D r. N i
M r. J e n s B r a n d t
ause I’m really into good fit for me just bec catch me riding my sports,” he said. “You can weekends.” running on the strand on A s s i s t a n t bike or t spanish at the PuAfter college, Brandt taugh s Jen l ipa nc pri rtugese he learned ou school in Hawaii. The po nah ed liv s ha dt an Br in college more zil helped him learn Spanish Bra in in t gh tau and very similar. ly because the languages are ick qu tic exo many ool in Watts for Brandt also taught at a sch s of the kids in . places throughout his life y and moved to egypt six years. Seeing the situation ulenced his life. “I was born in German to the states when Watts has greatly inf ved mo I n ly picture the e, fiv s wa I when azil for ve] hard lives. You can on Br [ha to ids ved “K mo I en “Th d. I was 10,” he sai appreciate school bethe kids there; they really high school.” d. sports backround. cause it’s a safe place,” he sai He also has a prominent tts is very diffrent Brandt recognizes that Wa , volleyball, and basHe participated in soccer preciates every opperd continued playing from this school, and ap an l oo sch h hig in l bal ket ted here. experience has influ- tunity he has been presen st pa is Th e. leg col in cer soc t from good old “[Watts] is quite differen Brandt. to ing ord acc , job his enced letics is a really Redondo,” he said. “Being the overseer of ath by Maddy Perrault
FEATURES // SEPT. 16, 2011// 10
Fast facts on Dr. Wesley
by Cedric Hyon
1
“I have been to over thirty countries including India, Peru, Vietnam, and Egypt. I loves to travel.”
have a 16 2 “Imonth old baby.”
Principal
s, so I recogschool level. es the size as Adam is clear that tim e re th ’s do on ed it “R e challenging, but by Anacristina that it will be morre dedicated to meeting the needs ze ni z Gonzale esley said. e is an eager staff he s on the first therstudents and that’s what excites me,” Ws to our school pu m ca y pt em e th h of ing positive change As she walks througes to steady her nerves. Although Wesley hopes to br distinctive character. tri e od sh flo , a ol d ho ile sc ta s it’ y en day of while maintaining y things about the school that I hope al before, her first da an she’s been a princip m create e ar e er “Th However, I hope tolop new ld unr. fie n ve re io at fo e uc m ed of emotions. sa e e th us to deve will stay th perience in With 14 years of ex le Wesley is taking on the role of a plan with our staff that will allowe our students to be ar ico N ep en r. pr be D s ultimately ars, she ha der her belt, courses which will working world,” Wesley said. For the past three ye e athth our new principal. ams Middle School. in e iv competit s to support the principal at Ad e school principal was a great expe-principal, Wesley aim activities, and motiw ne r ou As tracurricular “Being a middl portunity to work with an amaz ics, participate in ex the best they can be. let op er e th all d sm ha a s I wa be e it rience. vate our students toe students to advocate for themselves p programs becaus ing staff and develo . “I encourage th school,” Wesley said enjoyed working with middle school in a respectful way,” Wesley said. Although Wesley iastic about moving up to the high us students, she is enth
FACTS
M s . A n g i e Yi
students, so hopefully the y get a lot out of it this year,” Yi said. Angie Yi is a Yi alread ne w honors english RUHS and y has a great first impression of teacher from Whit- throughout hopes that it will stay consistent the entire year. tier that is teaching “It seems like a really spe cial place. I feel 9th and 10th grad- like we get ers this year. She is kinds of stu a really good collection of all dents here. All of my stu attracted to Redon- great at comm dents are do because of all of ally open to unicating with me and are relearning all ne w kinds of its things,” Yi said. “I came to this school be great energy. cau se it’s ver y Yi dials o verse in multiple ways has high expectations for an the year is great energy here tha d I feel like there and is excited for what this schoo l year has in t I can contribute to. store for her. The staff has been am azi “I think it’s going to be students have been really ng so far and the gre a really great energy co a great year. I feel The English Dept. has at,” Yi said. mi we lco me d Yi pri wi ncipal and the ne w assng from the ne w th open arms. so we’ll see what the yea istant principal, “I know that I can grow as a tea cher and there’s a lot of great thi r holds. I feel like I’ve already learned a lot ngs that are done. I’m already creati from what they’ve happen for Redondo and I’m exc going to ited to take ng ne w ideas for the part in it,” said.
7
THE
FEATURES // High tide
1st Sgt.Steve Mick
by Dan Furmansky
down the prog here and conti ram, he decided to take the nue doing wha job As 1st Serg t he “I Steve Mick reeant away live in Ontario which is ab loved. the names from ads becausfrom here and I make the dr out 56 miles roll sheet alouhis school e I enjoy the community ive ever y day here and the administrat he is greeted d, According to thion,” Mick said. by loud and coor e Sergeant, is very gracious and he loves ththe faculty here nated replies di“T e “Here, Sir!” fr of pus tohe faculty has really openedhospitality. the ROTC clas om up the cams. m e,” Mick tions to the staf He is one of the new ad It’s easy to see said. dif here at Redon Mick has 27 do Union. is happy to be that 1st Sergeant Steve M here, even thou ick ed States Mar years of active duty in the U jokes gh is a veteran ofine Corps under his belt. Mnit- betterthat the Mexican food in Pic he playfully Storm making the Vietnam War and Desick makes. He admits that one of th o Rivera was knowledge for him a goldmine of real w er t excite him proud to work here is e things that orld th m the students in gram. the ROTC pro- programent and motivation shown toe degree of wards the by th e st Before com “I’m looking udents. fo Mick was an ing to Redondo Beach, St rward to w ‘Gun High School inROTC instructor at El Ran eve facu ner’ Willoughby and being orking with lt a pa ch y Pico Rivera. A fter they closedo Mick sahear at Redondo Union Hig rt of the h School,” id.
“I loves sushi and everything Asian, especially their culture, clothes, and food.”
3
4
“I like bike riding. I used to do a hundred-mile bike rides for MS.” “I ran track and cross country in High School and made it to state every year. I had a record in the 4x400 at my school.”
5
6
“I love peanut M&M’s.”
7
“I was ASB president in High School.”
COMPILED BY ALY PEET-LUKES AND MEGLYN HUBER
Not pictured: Mr. Robert Vanden Eikhof.
FEATURES// SEPT. 16, 2011 // 11
FEATURES // High tide
Change
A Body Concious Change
By Bethany Kawa
Photo by Erinn Middo
Senior Tess Wainwright stands at her locker thinking about what book she needs for her next class. Foreign words suddenly disrupt her thoughts as senior
Jasmine Freeman shouts, “Hey skinny minny,” from down the hall. Wainwright does not turn around, knowing that Freeman was probably not talking to her. But as she hears footsteps coming towards her, Freeman says, “Hey Tess, you look great.” “I couldn’t believe she was talking to me. It was the first day of school and it was a boost in my step,” Wainwright said. Along with a new locker, new books and new classes for the school year, Wainwright also has a new slimmer figure. She decided to lose weight starting in June because she was tired of carrying extra weight on her body. “I think my body was ready to lose the weight. No human body wants to be heavy. I don’t want this when I’m older, so I figured I would lose weight now,” she said. Wainwright never felt completely comfortable in her skin. “I never felt like looking in the mirror. When I did, I wasn’t looking at my body because I didn’t want to see it. I knew what I looked like and I kept it real,” she said. Wainwright chose to lose weight the “healthy way” by slowly incorporating exercise into her summer routine and eating healthy. “I exercised everyday in summer for 20 minutes. I walked, jogged, and then did a combination of both. I was trying to get comfortable exercising,” she said. To achieve weight loss, Wainwright stopped “bored eating”, cut bread out of her diet completely and con-
trolled her portions. “I’m never going back to the weight I was. It’s a guarantee to myself,” she said. A couple of years ago, Wainwright tried to lose weight to fit in. But because she was losing weight for other people, she did not see any results. “If you want to lose weight, do it for yourself or else it won’t work,” she said. Wainwright’s weight loss has not only had a physical effect, but also an internal one. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt this great. Mentally I feel good and I’ve even started dressing a little differently,” she said. Wainwright has gained more confidence through her weight loss and now wears more fitted clothing instead of the over-sized t-shirts she used to wear daily. “Now I wear jackets with tank tops and I love wearing that stuff. To everybody, it’s everyday clothing, but before I wasn’t comfortable wearing things like that,” she said. Wainwright has lost 23-30 pounds so far and plans to continue losing weight. “I haven’t rushed losing weight. If I were to rush it, I would get sick of it. Right now, it’s a process,” she said. Although she does not see a change in her body, others have noticed her weight loss. “People have told me that I look better. I really appreciate when people say, ‘you look good,’ but I don’t expect people to notice. But let’s be honest, I like it,” she said.
Changing the World, One Plastic Bottle At a Time By Joy Ohiomoba
She’s an everyday superhero- balancing her rigorous academic classes, serving as co-founder of Animal Rescue Club, volunteering at the Sea Lab, and still creating time to teach her peers about environmental awareness. Her dedication led senior Charlotte Kim to hosting a free public event on August 13th called Plastic Day in order to educate the public about ocean pollution. “It’s actually something I came up with at the Brown Environmental Leadership Lab which was a program I did in July. They have a task there for everyone in the program to come up with something called an action plan to do something small and enFEATURES // SEPT. 16, 2012 // 12 v i r o n -
mental related in your community,” she said. “Some people chose to make an organic garden or something like that. But I wanted to do something that was about educating the public about trash, specifically plastic waste.” Kim feels that it is important for the public to be conscious about trash and other forms of waste that are not properly disposed. “It’s really important for people to know that plastic is not biodegradable. There’s something called the Pacific Trash Island. It’s an island of trash that has been circulating in the ocean and finally the currents take it to someplace in the Pacific Ocean,” she said. “Scientists say it’s twice the size of Texas or more.”
According to Kim, animals are often victims in this unfortunate situation of ocean pollution. “It’s especially bad for animals when they get suffocated by plastic. Near the islands of Hawaii, there are albatrosses on their island, Midway. The babies ingest all this waste. Scientists have uncovered dead bodies with the innards that are exposed and you can actually see pictures of where their stomachs are literally filled with bottle caps, asthma inhalers, or even children’s toys,” she said Kim wants to educate students at Redondo as well as the public about how to preserve the oceans and wildlife that depend on the ocean for survival. “I want them to learn that anything
that they throw away will never go away. The trash never really biodegrades. Even things that are supposed to biodegrade don’t biodegrade for years.” Kim also wants to students to be aware about preserving energy and just taking care of their personal worlds. “I think that anyone can make small changes such as walking to school or unplugging their cell phones. Small changes can go a long way,” she said. “[Ocean pollution] is something that people don’t think about enough. You hear about people ‘going green’ but they don’t actually know why. I’m hoping that Plastic Day was a way for people to learn the consequences of their actions environmentally wise.”
1.
2.
A Change of Scenery 3.
By Jeremy Porr
4.
Moberg gains a sense of global community in Africa with her family while teaching science to local students. While many students spent this past summer traveling across the country to visit friends and family, science teacher Gillian Moberg spent time doing charity work and getting to know the local villagers of Lome, West Africa. “The reason for the trip was the need for adventure. [My husband and I] wanted to have a different life experience and to show my daughter that it is possible, even exciting, to leave the comfort of your home and immerse yourself in another culture,” Moberg said. During her year-long stay, Moberg encountered many cultural differences. Togo, the small village where she stayed, is populated by mostly Christian and Muslim denominations. “It was especially hard for me to adjust to the way women are viewed. Females were expected to be modestly dressed. I had to keep my shorts and halter tops in the suitcase the entire time,” Moberg said. The food took some getting used to as well: Moberg stayed away from such cultural delicacies like bat kebabs and rodent stews. Despite the strange dishes, most food was fresh and available for those who could afford it. “Every day women would come down the street selling baguettes, fresh fish and eggs. On the corners you could find fried yams, plantains, porridge and sweets. We bought most of our fruits and vegetables at the roadside stalls,” she said. While in West Africa, Moberg developed a science program at the American International School of Lome. “The students at the school loved life, they were eager to learn about the United States. They carried themselves with pride and tried to create a sense of family at the school,” she said. According to Moberg, creating a close family with the students at the school was not hard seeing as there were only 94 students that attended. “I tried to encourage the students to join the worldwide environmentalist movement. I organized community cleanups and ran litter education campaigns,” she said
Moberg had her middle school students carry out water quality tests at a local lake in hopes that it would demonstrate the need for public toilets and sanitation improvement. “So many countries in Africa lack the infrastructure to deliver clean, safe water to communities. While in Africa I finally realized what the term ’food security’ really means, and I am now more aware of water rights,” Moberg said. The current famine in Somalia upsets Moberg, especially after seeing most of the food problems in Africa first hand. “The drought in Somalia effects the rural communities more because they depend largely on the rain for irrigation, not reservoirs or large scale irrigation systems. To make matters worst, the political unrest is preventing the emergency relief of food, water and health care from reaching the people who need it most,” Moberg said. Although the students at the school were bilingual, English was most often their weakest language. “I had to learn to speak more slowly, enunciate clearly, and use more language oriented activities in my class,” Moberg said. According to Moberg, these are skills she can also apply in the classroom. “Some of our students here are second language learners too. I have gained tremendous respect for students who have the ability to speak more than one language,” she said. The official languages of Lome are French and Ewe (a Niger-Congo language native to Africa), and while Moberg said she had made some progress with her French while staying there she now says that it is already “slipping away”. Despite the many cultural differences she came across, Moberg feels as though living in Africa for a year was a nice change and strongly recommends travel to anyone. “I would recommend living abroad to everyone. Travel truly is the best teacher. Immerse yourself in a different way of life. You’ll be glad you did,” Moberg said.
5.
6.
8.
7.
9. Photos Courtesy of Gillian Moberg
A Better Nation Through Education: 1. One of Mobergs students shows off the water she just learned how to test. 2. Students sit and listen to announcements at a morning assembly. 3-4. Moberg does a clean up project. 5-6. Students listen actively in Moberg’s class. 7. Moberg shops for produce in one of Lome’s many street markets. 8. Moberg stands with her husband and former students. 9. Moberg’s students take notes in a small classroom.
FEATURES //SEPT. 16, 2012 // 13
FEATURES // High tide
Remembering
9/11
Students and teachers recount the day that changed America for the rest of their lives.
by Anacristina Gonzalez
PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO
Reflecting. History teacher Philip Comito reflects on 9/11, playing back the events in his head. He has taken a new persepective of life because of his experience.
FEATURES // // SEPT. SEPT. 16, 16, 2011 2011 // // 14 14 FEATURES
Their entire bodies trembled as they spent the longest hour of their lives waiting to find out what had just happened. While trying to look outside, all they managed to see was a black cloud of smoke consuming the streets. Muffled screams were heard from every direction. Although ten years have passed since 9/11, it is still fresh in the minds of U.S. citizens. Philip Comito, AP U.S. History teacher and boys’ lacrosse coach, had been living and working at an investment bank in New York in 2001. He was working in a building that was 50 stories high and about a mile away from the World Trade Center. Comito vividly remembers the look of the city after the attack on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. “I saw the darkest, thickest, blackest smoke and I thought our building was on fire. I didn’t know what was going on,” Comito said. Immediately following the first plane crash into the towers, no one knew what to think of the situation. “It was an incredibly scary experience. Nobody really knew what was going on or what else would happen. Initially, people questioned whether the first [plane crash] was an accident,” Comito said. Despite the uncertainty of others, Comito says that he knew right away that what had happened was no accident. “It was the clearest, most beautiful day. Out of all the buildings you could avoid, [the Twin Towers] were the most avoidable,” Comito said. Senior Claire Chiara’s experience differed from that of Comito’s. At the age of seven, she could not fully comprehend what was going on as her elementary school was being evacuated. “Everyone was sent home or picked up by their parents as quickly as possible. They were totally freaked out and panicking because they didn’t know where the next attack could or would be,” Chiara said. Although Chiara was placed amid this chaos, she did not know why people around her were panicking. “I didn’t see any of the attacks or witness anything because my dad refused to let me see the television. I literally had no idea what was going on at the time. In hindsight, it was for the better. I was too young to understand and it would’ve been too emotional,” Chiara said. Chiara’s mother worked for a company in
New Jersey that had held a meeting on the 97th floor of the World Trade Center on the morning on September 11. Luckily, her attendance was called off last minute. “My dad didn’t know she wasn’t at the meeting, so as soon as he heard about the first plane hitting, he immediately assumed she was dead. All he told me was that my mom was ‘missing’ and that everything was going to be okay,” Chiara said. Chiara had known several people who had lost their lives on 9/11 through her mother’s job. “My mom sat me down and tried to talk me through it, saying, ‘Remember so-and-so? He’s gone now.’ I had no idea what she was talking about and it wasn’t until years later that I realized I knew 30 people who were slaughtered on that day,” Chiara said. Senior Brian Frew’s family experienced a tremendous amount of fear when they heard of the attack on the Pentagon, the same place where his father was scheduled to have a meeting on that very day. Frew’s father, who is in the air force, did not have any contact with the family for hours following the attack. “My mom was freaking out. She was crying a lot and was really worried,” Frew said. A friend of Frew’s father pulled him out of class later that day to let him know that his father was all right. However, his father could not leave Washington, DC for a week. A couple of months after the attack on the Pentagon, Frew’s family moved to Washington DC. Frew then witnessed first-hand the destruction that had taken place. “It was unbelievable because the Pentagon is huge. When you see the whole chunk missing, you realize that there were people who had worked there every day,” Frew said. Reflecting on the events that took place on September 11, 2001, Chiara feels deeply emotional and saddened. “It’s so horrible to think that this happened to our country. It was the worst thing that I’ve witnessed in my lifetime and everyone I know from the east coast says the same thing,” Chiara said. After seeing the devastation that the terrorist attacks caused on 9/11, Comito has taken on a new perspective of life. “Just about every year at this time I put myself through those events again. It still feels surreal. It made me stop taking life, health, and safety for granted,” Comito said.
PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO
Recollecting. Senior Claire Chiara keeps the memories of the 9/11 victims alive. Many of her mother’s co-workers died in the attack.
TALL STANDING
Senior Emily Honnell wants to raise awareness for Rheumatoid Arthritis
by Joy Ohiomoba
Her alarm rings at 6:00 a.m., waking her up for zero period. She lies in bed and tries to block the pain of her sore muscles. She musters up the strength to get out of bed and get ready for school. She puts a smile on her face and gets ready to take on her day despite her sore and painful joints. Senior Emily Honnell is one of the 50,000 kids in the United States that is affected with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). “When I got my booster shot when I was two years old, the liquid in the vaccine had a false reaction with my body and I developed arthritis,” she said. “That’s the only excuse we can find so far. It’s not hereditary and I’m the only one with arthritis in my family.” According to [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov], JRA is a type of arthritis that affects children 16 or younger. It causes joint swelling, stiffness, and sometimes reduced motion. Honnell says that people often do not understand her illness and tend to judge or bully her without getting to know her. “When people see me, they think I’m either anorexic or that I have some kind of mental disorder. I’ve gotten a range of different things that people thought I had,” she said. “But when I tell them I have arthritis, their automatic response is that they thought only old people get arthritis and I tell them that kids can get it, too.” Honnell admits that she sometimes feels excluded socially due to her illness. “When we go to the Farmer’s Market
for P.E. I have to say ‘Okay guys, I have to take it slow because I can’t walk for long distances.’ Or when we sit on the floor in class to do activities, that’s hard because I can’t sit on the floor that easily,” she said. “Things like that are hard because that’s when I feel excluded. Guys even look at me a whole different way. They don’t understand [arthritis] so they want to find someone who is normal.” Honnell also understands how hard it is for her parents to have a child with arthritis. “My mom especially is afraid for me to do things like go to parties and go to the
“ It gives me a level of maturity that a lot of other kids don’t have.
-Emily Honnell
” mall. She’s afraid for my safety,” she said. “I try to tell her that arthritis doesn’t mean that I can’t handle myself. It doesn’t mean that I can’t do things like other kids my age.” Honnell believes that part of her positivity about her illness is due to the support
of her family and friends. “Most of my closest friends have arthritis too. I go to conferences for it and I even participate in the arthritis walk in Santa Monica. This summer, I went to a camp for teens with arthritis called ‘Camp Esperanza’ in Big Bear,” she said. Honnell cannot imagine her life without arthritis despite the pain she often suffers. “I probably would not be the same person I am today. If I didn’t have arthritis, I wouldn’t be as unique. I wouldn’t be able to relate to more people, especially older people. I think having it gives me a level of maturity that a lot of other kids don’t have,” she said. Despite her struggles with arthritis, Honnell remains optimistic and excited for the future. She wants to continue educating other kids about JRA as she moves on in life. “My main thing is to teach that kids get arthritis too. It is not just an ‘old people’s’ disease,” she said. “I’m looking at a junior college right now. I really want to become an arthritis foundation representative and hopefully become a camp director.”
Camp Esperanza. 1. Honnell (left) with camp director, Jennifer Ziegler (right). 2. Honnell (left) with camp friends Lydia Grabowski (middle) and Katie Giertz (right). 3. Honnell (left) with camp friend Lydia Grabowski (right) at a high ropes course.
PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO
COURTESY OF EMILY HONNELL
FEATURES // SEPT. 16, 2011 // 15
SPORTS // High tide
, Pressure pressure, &more pressure
Fall sports athletes feel the pressure to bring home victory
Football, water polo practice to win by Matt Brancolini
Building the champion physique of a Redondo athlete takes countless hours of practice. The intense end-of-summer workout known fondly as “Hell Week” were meant to increase the strength and agility of athletes, but often left them too tired for anything else. This past August, the boys’ water polo and football players practiced longer and harder than ever before in preparation for the fall season. During Hell Week, football practiced three times every day. “The real work starts in the off-season,” head coach Gene Simon said. “We pretty much have Hell Spring and Hell Summer before Hell week. Most of the extra practice time working on conditioning and strength training, on weightlifting, circuits, and sprints. “The coaches wanted us to be perfectly conditioned so that we would be able to play our best in the fourth quarter,” senior Michael Dulay said. The extra practices are meant to help the team handle tougher, more competitive opponents, and to win Bay League. “The long practices gave us a better work ethic,” Dulay said. “We have a tougher schedule this year and we’re looking forward to see our hard work pay off.” The boys’ water polo team took to the same philosophy as well. “Seven hours a day of water polo seems like a lot but we practice so we can be competitive,” senior Skylar Ulrich said.
PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO
Water polo, unlike football, spent their extra time working on its offensive and defensive play. “We’ve been working a lot on playing tight and counter-attacking on offense,” Ulrich said. “We’re also focusing on getting set up quicker on offense and scoring earlier in the shot clock.” The team has been practicing more during the season as well. “Now our practices are two and a half hours and we have 3 mandatory morning practices,” senior Adam Rudow said. “We get most of our conditioning done in the morning so we have more practice time in the afternoon.” Head coach Mark Rubke believes that the new facilities have provided extra conditioning and fitness opportunities. “We started training in the weight room this summer,” Rubke said. “We also practice in a 25 meter pool, which is the longest high school pool you can play in. Since its all deep, they are continuously conditioning throughout practice. It’s been great for us.” Despite the long hours of practice, the team is still enthusiastic about the upcoming season. “This is a really enjoyable team,” Rubke said. “They have a good attitude and they always come to practice. I doubt anyone likes [the extra practices] but they show up motivated and its caused improvement across the board.” Even though the practices are long and grueling, the team feels it will all be worth it when the season starts. “No one really hates the practices because we know it makes us better,” Ulrich said. “Sure, we could practice less but then we wouldn’t be as good. Why not try to do your best? Going for the gold. 1. Senior Spencer Peak is ready to score the goal. 2. Senior Hunter Bradshaw tackled down by North. 3. Senior Adam Rudow goes for the ball against El Segundo.
1.
2.
PHOTO BY JULIE D’EATH
PHOTO BY JENNY OETZELL
SPORTS // SEPT. 16, 2011 // 16
3.
PHOTO BY JULIE D’EATH
Hazeltine perseveres despite injury by Maddy Perrault
The dull ache grows in her leg with every step as her dreams of the perfect college fades away with the cross country season. Senior Danielle Hazeltine saw her future jepoardize when she was inflicted with a running-induced stress fracture. According to Hazeltine, this season was supposed to be the determining factor in where she would attend college next fall. “Depending on how fast I run, the more options I will have when it comes to picking one,” she said. “The better colleges, like the UC’s usually have fast teams, so I’m going to
have to run faster times.” To avoid the strain on her leg and stay in shape, she does pool workouts and trains on a stationary bike or elliptical. “It’s harder to stay in shape with the injury, but I’ve been working out really hard so hopefully my endurance stays the same,” she said. Hazeltine plans to go to college for track, so she hopes this injury will not affect her running. “It’s a little scary if I don’t reach my full potential by track season,” she said. Teammate, senior Rachel Bush, believes her hard work will enable Hazeltine to per-
form well this season. “She never gives up,” Bush said. “Even though she is injured, she fights through and finds alternatives so she can compete later.” Hazeltine hopes to be able to compete towards the end of the cross country season. “I miss my teammates so much,” she said. “They’re like my family. For Hazeltine, the most challenging part of staying in shape is the lack of her teammates’ presence. “When I’m running with my friends they support me, but when I’m on my own its more of a challenge,” she said.
PHOTO BY JAKE COLLINS
Passing the torch. Senior Danielle Hazeltine passes off the baton to former teammate Pamela Sherman.
Smith biked to practice from Long Beach by Zach Zent
Senior Tony Smith was not about to let his last season of football fall victim to apathy. Smith’s motivation and self-disclipline were the driving force that enabled him to bike to practice under the unrelenting August sun. “I [rode my bike to practice] because I want to be the best football player I can be,” Smith said. “I try to perservere through all the obstacles that stand in my way so I can look back and say I did what I could and however I end up was entirely up to me.” The varsity linebacker has a dedication rarely seen in high school students, according to teammate, senior Ryan Spiwak. “If I have a love for something, I will find a way to participate in it anywhere, anytime,” Smith said. But it wasn’t always a smooth ride for Smith. Just as Tony encounters adversity on the football field, he encountered adversity on the daunting ride to practice, such as waking up late and taking a hard fall from time to time. “My handles broke one time and I had to walk after I had fallen and hurt myself,” he said. “I rubbed some dirt on it and went to
practice. It’s all about getting back up.” Spiwak developed a great amount of respect for Smith after realizing what he puts himself through in order to get to practice every single day.
“ I rubbed some dirt on it
and went to practice. It’s all about getting back up.
”
-Tony Smith
mitment to make it to practice, Spiwak now feels more comfortable with Smith playing at his side. “Tony has earned his spot, in my eyes,” Spiwak said. “I know I couldn’t have made the trip to practice every day like he did, and his dedication has shown results in his play.” Although Smith could have easily made excuses not to practice hard, he showed no weakness or desire to take the easy way out. “There are no excuses,” Smith said. “I did what I had to do and I worked for my spot. Yeah, it took a lot of energy, but I dont care. It was my way of
“Riding his bike from Long Beach every morning just to get to practice shows how dedicated he is and how much love he has for the game,” Spiwak said. Smith’s persistence in being punctual has delivered results. He now starts on the team’s imposing defense, which was a side of the football he did not see much playing time on last year. Due to Smith’s relentless effort and com-
getting to the thing I love and I would do it all over again. Smith views being able to attend Redondo Union as a blessing and he does not take it for granted. “I will forever strive to be better,” Smith said. “Just give me the chance and I will make the best out of my opportunity. That’s why I’m grateful for coming to Redondo, because my chances of going places and doing things has broadened. I am sincerely grateful.”
PHOTO BY ERINN MIDDO
Multiple ACL tears put end Johnson’s soccer career by Maddy Perrault
The pain shoots through her leg as she suddenly collapses to the turf and all she can think is “Oh no, not again.” Senior Amanda Johnson tore her ACL and meniscus for a second time. “I knew how it felt because of the first time,” she said. “It was so devastating.” During a soccer game, she jumped into a tackle with a straight leg and a girl on the
opposing team hit Johnson’s knee from behind, injuring her. “I did the exact same thing in my other knee before, but this time I shredded the ACL and my meniscus tear was worse,” she said. “They had to stitch the meniscus instead of just cutting off the torn portion like they did in the left knee.” Johnson had to undergo surgery for the second time. Because there is an estimated
six month recovery period from the surgery, she had to be on crutches for two weeks and wearing a knee brace for another four weeks. “I have to do a lot of physical therapy so I can rebuild the muscles that atrophied in the surgery,” she said. Although Johnson will make a full recovery, she does not plan on playing soccer anymore.
“I’m really going to miss playing, but my body has had too many injuries to keep going,” she said. Johnson attributes her teammates for helping her through her injuries. “[My teammates] were so supportive and such good friends no matter what was going on,” she said. “They really helped me return from the first ACL tear and they’re still there for me after this one.”
SPORTS // SEPT. 16, 2011 // 17
Golf seeks to continue improvement
SPORTS // High tide
by Tatiana Celentano
photo by Jenny Oetzell
Preparation Path. Freshmen Mackenzie Jeffrey hitting in match against Costa.
Yesterday girls’ golf lost to Mira Costa 233-191. “Costa had good drives and amazing putting,” junior Brittany Shankar said. “Overall, they are a really strong team and we gave it our best effort. Senior Megan Cormier believes the dynamics of Costa’s team is, in part, the reason for their win. “They have 5 solid players which in, comparison to our players, doesn’t match up,” Cormier said. Freshman Mackenzie Jeffrey believes that each teammate helped the others keep going. “Even though we didn’t play the best that we can, we kept encouraging each other to work hard and focus to improve on the next shot,” Jeffrey said. According to coach Jim Burschunger, freshmen Robyn Ree was MVP with a score
of 38. “Robyn drives really well, they are always long and straight,” Burschunger said. Individually the girls want to improve their focus and mental thinking during their games. “I don’t always play as good as I should because I let others get in my head. I need to work on keeping focus and keeping control of my mental thought process,” Cormier said. Shankar also wants to work on her mental focus. “I need to work on concentrating and getting the put and drive off the tee in the hole,” Shankar said. Next week, the team goes up against Peninsula. “We need to improve and work on our short game, especially our putting and chipping,” Burschunger said.
Water polo defeated by Chadwick by Camille Duong
Last Tuesday, the boy’s water polo team lost to Chadwick 9-7, despite being tied for most of the game. According to senior Adam Rudow, the team did well overall. “Overall, we had pretty good defense and took several good shots,” Rudow said. Coach Mark Rubke agrees. “For the first three quarters, there were a good number of defensive stops,” Rubke said. Both Rubke and Rudow believe that the offense did well on counterattacks. “Our counter-attack has been getting better, so we were able to utilize that more,” Rudow said. Senior Skyler Ulrich believes that the team did a good job finding the open man. “We were able to put away some goals,” Ulrich said. Rubke also believes that there was
SPORTS // SEP. 16, 2011 // 18
strong play from senior Jacob Melendez. “[ Jacob] had good stops, and did a good job ‘quarterbacking’ the counter attacking,” he said. Ulrich agrees with Rubke. “Jacob was able to block some really hard shots,” Ulrich said. The team went into halftime with the game tied 4-4, but unfortunately made some mistakes that “costed them the game,” according to Rubke. According to Rudow, big mistakes were made concerning mismatches. “We let Chadwick’s two best players match up against some of our less experienced ones,” Rudow said. “We should have had our better defenders on them at all times.” Problems the team faced included kick outs. According to coach Rubke, too many players were kicked out. “Players continued to get kicked out and they didn’t make the defensive adjustments they
were asked to,” Rubke said. Ulrich believes that the team wasn’t able to utilize open man situations. “We hesitated too long and by that time [the players] were no longer open,” Ulrich said. The team hopes to improve for its upcoming home game against Beverly Hills next Tuesday. “We need to keep working on our swim speed, our counter-attack, and make sure that everybody knows what they are doing,” Rudow said. Rubke thinks that the offense needs to play as a unit. “We need to play as a more cohesive set offense. We were too random [Tuesday],” Rubke said. According to Ulrich, the team needs to focus on setting up offense. Rubke hopes that the team will learn from its mistakes for the future. “I expect that players realize the mistakes made and will minimize mistakes in upcoming games,” he said.
photo by Julie D’Eath
Pass of Success. Sophomore Jonathan Ortiz passes ball to team-mate in match against Chadwick.
2. photo by Max Pittman
Determination. 1. Girl’s’ Volleyball team celebrates successful play. 2. Junior Katie Rotondo serves the ball over to Bishop. 3. Junior Skylar Dykstra and junior Hannah Mosebar block hit from Bishop.
1. photo by Max Pittman
Volleyball shuts down Bishop by Tatiana Celentano
Last Tuesday, volleyball won 3-2 against Bishop Montgomery. According to Senior Devon Bogart, the team was surprised by Bishop’s improvement. “We need to treat each opponent the same and not judge them according to how they played last season. We need to always bring our all,” Bogart said. According to Senior Tiffany Morales, Bishop improved in many aspects. “Bishop played very well and put pressure on us with serving. Our defensive effort wasn’t always up to how they were attacking,” Morales said. According to Bogart, the team lacked a strong start. “We came out to a slow start and expected a strong run. We were too confident and it took two games off of us,” Bogart said. Morales believes the team could have performed better. “We played a C+, game compared to what I’ve seen out of our players. This includes myself because it wasn’t a good or average game for me,” Morales said. “Communication was our main problem, but we were being aggressive and tactically smart, which led us to our win.” Bogart feels that the team collabo-
rated well for their win. “We had great next play focus, and at times of adversity we came together and fought back,” Bogart said. According to Coach Tommy Chaffins, junior Skylar Dykstra was MVP of the game. “Skylar had 25 kills and made a
“ We came out to
a slow start and expected a strong run. We were too confident and it took two games off of us.
-Devon Bogart
”
lot of big plays in the fifth game,” Chaffins said. Junior Sade Mendez recognized junior Olivia Bustamante for her performance. “Olivia improved her setting and helped move the ball around a lot,” Mendez said.
Kevin Norman, the current Bishop coach, has an advantage of assisting Chaffins for the past seven years. “Kevin knows this team pretty well, much more than I know about the Bishop team, which gives him a nice advantage,” Chaffins said. While still reflecting on this game, the team will be heading to Las Vegas for a tournament this weekend. “We need to work on our serving because we missed a lot. We also need to work on blocking because we definitely will need a strong block for the tournament,” Bogart said. According to Chaffins, the team is excited to compete in one of the toughest tournaments in the country. “I feel good about this weekend and I think if we put how hard we work at practice into games we should do well,” Morales said. “I’m not sure if we will take first because I haven’t seen the teams but we definitely have the potential to be in the top 10 or top 5.” Dykstra has confidence her team will perform with success in the tournament. “[Tuesday was] a good win to go into the tournament with, it gives us confidence that this win will carry over to this weekend,” Dykstra said.
3. photo by Max Pittman
SPORTS // SEP. 16, 2011 // 19
SPORTS
// High tide
HUNGRY FOR
VICTORY
football is seeking its first win // At 0-2,against Millikan tonight.
by Matthew Branclini
Football remains optimistic despite their past two losses. The team is 0-2 after losing to Serra High School 21-0 last Friday night in a non-league match up. The team had a hard time keeping up with a tough opponent, according to head coach Gene Simon. “I think Serra’s basic speed and strength was too much,” Simon said. “We got a little overpowered and they were certainly faster than we were. Plus, we’re a little inexperienced in some positions.” Despite the apparently lopsided score, the defense was solid according to sophomore quarterback Harrison Faecher. “It was all about the defense,” said Faecher. “Holding Serra to 14 points is a huge accomplishment. Now we’re trying to get a spark on offense.” The offensive woes are mostly the result of offensive inexperience on the offensive line
A New Era. New quarterback Harrison Feacher throws a pass to a reciever. Feacher hopes to lead the team in a win agains Miliken tonight. O
1DD
O OT
BY
M INN
ER
PH
and at quarterback. “Our offense is really young but we’re getting better,” Faecher said. “We have no returning offensive lineman and I only had one off season to learn the offense.” The team has welcomed their new quarterback with open arms, according to senior wide receiver Davion Goodall. “[Faecher] is doing a great job. Everyone is encouraging him and not letting him get down on himself,” Goodall said. In an attempt to improve offensive output, the team has been getting back to the basics. “We’re going back to the basic plays and working our way up to the harder stuff,” said Faecher. “We’re focusing a lot on the fundamentals,” he said. The team also plans to establish the run game in order to take some pressure off of Faecher. “Its important [to run the ball well] because it keeps the defense by the line of scrimmage and opens up the passing game for Harrison.” Since both of the teams lost their first games, Simon expects a close game. “Millikan is currently 0-2 also so they’re desperate and searching for some wins,” Simon said. “Our guys are hungry for victory. We’re going to have to be better than them-play better, compete better and execute better.”
Tennis holds high expectations by Kimberly Chapman
Girl’s varsity tennis is preparing for an “amazing” season as they begin a strenuous practice regime, according to senior Christie Goodman. Goodman has a lot of faith in her team and believes that they are already headed in the right direction. “We have been practicing everyday after school since school started. Our coach has been preparing us really well for this season and everyone has been working
extremely hard,” Goodman said. Although Goodman is hoping that the team has a chance to compete in CIF again, she really wants to make sure that her true focus is to just enjoy playing the sport. “I want to just have a fun tennis season and just play my best every single match,” Goodman said. Goodman wants to focus on herself before she worries about who she is playing. “Instead of just focusing on winning tournaments, I am going to focus more on my mental
SPORTS // SEP. 16, 2011 // 20
toughness. During some matches, that is what determines whether I play well or not,” Goodman said. Goodman wants to beat Costa and Peninsula this year. “I am nervous for the league matches, especially against Peninsula since they are number one in our league,” Goodman said. Excitement is the first word that comes to mind when Goodman thinks of this season. “I’ve always looked forward to being a senior on the team because I am someone who can be looked up to because of the many years of experience,” Goodman said.
Tennis. Senior Christie Good-
man serves in a match against Bishop. As Varsity Captain, Goodman is “excited” to jump into the season.
XC starting off strong by Julie Tran
Last Saturday, the boys’ and girl’s cross country teams raced at the Cerritos’ Cow Run against 30 other teams. They placed fourth and first, respectively. Tomorrow, they will be competing in the first Bay League meet of the season against Peninsula, Palos Verdes, Mira Costa, and West. According to junior Evan Malone-White, the average time at the Cow Run was faster than last year for the boys, enabling them to place fourth . Key scorers for the boys were senior Tyler Caracoza, juniors Evan Malone-White and Garrett Klatte, and sophomores Dustin Herold and Will Tait. The weather conditions were less than perfect for running, according to Malone-White. The terrain was muddy due to rain and hail twenty minutes prior to their race. “The one moment that really hindered us was going down hill,” Malone-White said. “It was so slippery. One kid even fell.” Despite the soft terrain, the boys performed extremely well as a pack, according to coach Julie Ferron. She also believes there is a lot of talent in the boys’ team, but they are going against a tough league. “Its gonna be a fight through the whole season, but we have great depth and incredible talent,” Ferron said. The girls won first place by over a hundred points on the runner up. The top five scorers were seniors Lyndsey Mull and Rachel Bush, and juniors Cara Ulizio, Kayla Ferron, and Alexis Thibodeau. “Our top four are some of the top girls in the state and are going to continue to dominate through the entire season,” Ferron said. Ulizio attributes the success of the team to constant, hard work all summer. She believes they will carry their success into the first Bay League meet of the season, having won Bay League one and two last season. “We were really focused and discussed before hand what we need to individually,” Ulizio said. Ulizio believes that both teams are well-prepared for Bay League, but sees Costa and Palos Verdes as their best competitors. “I’m excited to get out there and show the rest of the teams what we’re made of,” Ulizio said.