El Toro October 2013 by John Alvarez

Toro

ASB’s Halloween costumes thrill and chill FEATURES Candyland Pages 4-5 Homecoming worth the work TARCC PAGE ONE merges page 1 science and tech

page 3

Student Newspaper of La Mirada High School

13520 Adelfa Drive, La Mirada, CA 90638

HOMECOMING SWEETHEARTS

CAROL EMMERLING/ELTORO

Volume 55 NO. 2 October 2013

EDUCATION

Top 15 Candyland Homecoming Court Top row: Ivette Marquez, Natalie Del Real, Audrey Gaines, Jenise Alvarenga, Samantha Scovel, Breana Guzman, Alexxis Coral, and Dominique Almuena. Bottom row: Sam Garcia, Brianna Hernandez, Jessica Gutierrez, Jaslin Rivas, Josefina Kalej, Alexis Meraz, and Justine Gutierrez .

CAROL EMMERLING/ELTORO

STRUTTING THEIR STUFF

CAROL EMMERLING/ELTORO

Ivette Marquez and Nick Patterson strike a pose at the Top 5 Rally. Alexis Meraz dances to “What Makes You Beautiful” during the Top 15 Dance.

CAROL EMMERLING/ELTORO

“Fun, time-consuming, and memorable. Even though it took a lot of time (music,choreography, planning) it was extremely fun and i got so close with all the girls and mad so many fun memories”

“My highlight of the halftime event was the golf cart rides around the track because we were all glad to be together”

“I was extremely nervous but not winning or loosing... I was more nervous about falling and messing up”

“The most surprising part about the homecoming event was actually getting voted. I was shocked that I made Top 15 and then Top 5 .”

“The most surprising thing about my homecoming experience was when I found out I won queen. I was so shocked and I still am. I am thankful andd happy”

Breana Guzman,’14

-Ivette Marquez ‘14

–Jessica Gutierrez, ’14

–SamGarcia,’14

–Samantha Scovel, ‘14

Candyland homecoming sweet success By Marcus Alvarado, Staff Writer The Candyland Homecoming festivities were kicked off on October 4th during a lunchtime rally in the gym. Attended by parents, teachers, staff, and over 200 students, all were treated to an amazing visual display transporting all on a journey to a fictional Candyland. The Candyland themed homecoming Top 15 Rally featured a well designed presentation created by our A.S.B.. A.S.B. spent considerable time preparing for and executing the homecoming festivities. Monica Carrick, ’15, explains the behind the scenes action A.S.B. goes

through to get Homecoming set up by saying, “To get homecoming ready we have to think of the theme and we make all of our props and we put them all together”. Under the guidance of experienced A.S.B. Director Michelle Lazalde, A.S.B. successfully created memories worth the hard work of over 48 A.S.B. members. The rally featured A.S.B. member Erica Ceballos, ’15 as Candyland King. Erica was assisted by junior A.S.B. member Devin Gooch as the Candyland King called forth the top 15 senior girls. The 2013 Candyland Homecoming Court members are

Dominique Almuena, Jenise Alvarenga, Alexxis Coral, Natalie Del Real, Audrey Gaines, Sam Garcia, Jessica Gutierrez, Justine Gutierrez , Breana Guzman, Brianna Hernandez, Josefina Kalej, Ivette Marquez, Alexis Meraz, Jaslin Rivas, and Samantha Scovel. As tradition calls for, and with only a weekend to practice, the Top 15 girls performed a choreographed dance cheered on by friends and family. The girls danced and rocked out in an effort to woe potential homecoming voters. The Candyland Spotlight Rally was held on October 11th. During the Spotlight Rally, each

court member was escorted by a significant other, or others. In the case of Audrey Gaines, she selected her sister Ashtyn Gaines to escort her. The Spotlight Rally concluded with the naming of the Candyland Top 5 Sweetheart Princesses; Sam Garcia, Jessica Guiterrez, Breana Guzman, Ivette Marquez, and Samantha Scovel. The height of the homecoming festivities was the Candyland coronation. During a halftime production featuring the Candyland Top 5 Sweetheart Princesses parading around the track in golf carts supported by parents and significant others A.S.B. readied to announce the new queen.

The 2013 Candyland Homecoming Queen was Samantha Scovel. With the coronation over and hard fought football game where our team lost to Mayfair, a day removed, Saturday brought a much needed change of pace. The homecoming dance is an evening where students can feel poised and tasteful; a night where they can cut loose and forget about the books just for the night. Madison Maglietto, ’14, seemed to enjoy the dance. “For being my last homecoming, I had a lot of fun that night, and I couldn’t have asked for a better homecoming.”

HOMECOMING DANCE The Candyland Homecoming dance was held on October 19th at the Chuck Jones Event Center. Attedance is high among seniors and juniors.

Percentoffreshmenattendingdance CAROL EMMERLING/ELTORO

SWEETHEART PRINCESSES Newly minted Candyland court; Jessica Gutierrez,

Ivette Marquez, Samantha Scovel, Breana Guzman, and Sam Garcia.

LILY YOO/ELTORO

“I had a pretty good time at homecoming, the music was good and I had a great time dancing.”

“I enjoyed homecoming, I thought that everyone did a good job on it.”

“I had a lot of fun at homecoming, especially since I’m a senior. It was a really great way to spend homecoming.”

-Timothy Coyle, ’14

-Nia Halaire, ’15

-MadisonMaglietto, ’14 -Christopher Lee, ’15

“Homecoming was a very good experience for me, the music was good and hanging out with friends was a blast.”

02 NEWS October 30, 2013

El Toro

IN BRIEF

Theater department prepares for Rumors

Dreaming for an Extra Hour

By Brinana Pineda, Staff Writer

On November 3rd, daylight saving time will end. Remember to set your clocks to “fall back” and sleep in an extra hour, or choose a constructive way to use the hour you have been afforded.

Who done it? Have you heard the rumors? Well, they are true! LMHS’s theater department is in fact preparing for their first show of the year, the comedy Rumors by Neil Simon, which runs November 15th, 16th, 22nd and 23rd. We got the inside scoop on the show from both cast members Dana Richards, ’14, and Tim Coyle, ‘14, as well as faculty director, Mr. Lou Trumbo. When asked for the basic premises of the play, Mr. Trumbo explained, “A wealthy couple, Myra and Charley, are having a dinner party to celebrate their tenth anniversary with their clos-

-Erin Klansek

LMprov-A Laugh a Minute Friday, October 25th, The LMprov hosted their opening night. The drama department hosts a night show once a month along with their regularly scheduled shows every Friday, at lunch, here on the LMHS campus. The cost is $2, for the night show, while the lunch shows are free. Improv is filled with hilarious games, and there is never a dull moment. The players in LMprov have their work cut out for them. Players are constantly having to exercise their quick wit and manifest the physical demands of acting on cue.

-Erin Klansek

Welding aims to participate in Skills USA competition Exciting things are happening behind the doors of room 763. The students who are involved in welding are crafting many exciting new items. At the moment, welding students are building a motorcycle, a fire pit, and a smoker. Not only are they building things here on campus, many of the welding students are planning to attend the SkillsUSA competitions in 2014. “We take students to regional and state competitions… across California and potentially even the nation,” said Ryan Cooper, the SkillsUSA California High School President. If you are interested in participating in welding please see your counselor or Mr. Tuttle, ROP welding instructor.

-Erin Klansek

A.S.B. Senate slated to begin This year, A.S.B. has decided that the students of LMHS need to be better informed of their school’s activities, and events. In order to accomplish this, the A.S.B. has decided to implement a student senate. The way that this senate will work is through representatives. Every 4th period class will elect a representative who will attend these meetings and then report back to the class. The purpose of this senate is to keep students updated on things happening at school, such as spirit days, and rallies.

-Erin Klansek

“

Rumors is just loads of fun and has so many great jokes and a story that is something you don’t want to miss. .

”

-Dana Richards, ‘15 est friends, four couples who are on their way. As we open, something wacky has happened, and the couple first to arrive is left to deal with it. As they attempt to hide the problem, a cover-up develops as the rest of the couples arrive. Wackiness ensues as the problems each couple is having that night interfere with the simple dinner party.” With such a wacky story line, it’s safe to say there’s quite a bit of humor. Dana Richards, who

plays the back-spasm prone, cooking show host Cookie, said, “The whole show is full of laughs and who doesn’t love to laugh?” Tim Coyle, playing the eccentric and rather sarcastic I.R.S. agent Lenard Ganz, said, “Rumors is just loads of fun and has so many great jokes and a story that is something you don’t want to miss”. With only weeks to go before the production’s opening, we asked all three how they felt the

show was coming along so far. All agreed the cast has had rough rehearsals, struggled with memorization and comedic timing, but “on the whole, we are right where we need to be. The set went up easily, we have costumes squared away, and they are mostly off book. We will be able to correct the minor items in the coming weeks, and bring a great show to those who come to see us” says Trumbo. This unique cast of four couples and two police officers, one of which is rather eccentric himself, is sure to bring in a large crowd, anxious for surprises and laughs. You don’t want to miss it. After all, don’t you want to know who done it?

National Honor Society inducts new members By Rebecka Diller, Contributing Writer The National Honor Society held an induction ceremony on Tuesday October 22nd in our MPR. Mrs. Julia Hernandez, NHS advisor, said of the evening’s program, “NHS’s Induction Ceremony was beautiful and elegant. The National Honor Society students received well-deserved recognition for their scholarship, leadership, and community service.” Attending the event were Principal Mr. Seals, Assisstint Principal Mr. Powers, Dean of Students Mr. Lynch, Assistant superintendent Dr. Al Clegg, and school board member, Mrs. Karen Morrison. The speeches were inspirational and there were wonderful musical selections from Roland Ferrer on harp, Trent Beauchamp-Sanchez on guitar, and MUSIAC, an ensemble that performs at assisted living facilities and charitable events. The members of MUSIAC include Brandon Eng, Evy Najarian, Joshua Kim, Robyn Jimenez, Miso

Jang, and Jizelle Vilela. Many students and staff members contributed to the success of this annual event. NHS is a national society for excelling students across the nation to take part in service. Broken into specific “community chapters”, members of a commit themselves to the welfare of their community. As a part of the La Mirada chapter, NHS participates in the donation of decorative pillowcases to pediatric cancer patients and distribution of coupons to military families. The LMHS NHS is also looking forward to the creative results of individual service projects performed single handedly by every member. All current juniors and sophomores interested in joining National Honor Society are encouraged to apply with Mrs. Hernandez. To apply, you need to have an above average GPA, and an array of positive teacher recommendations.

Disaster awareness stressed during drill By Erin Klansek, Copy Editor On Thursday, October 17th, all across America, disaster drills were being held for the Great American Shakeout. In La Mirada, the community, schools, and city banded together in order to carry out these drills successfully. One such way that they banded together was through the disaster drill at Landmark in La Mirada, a Senior Active Community. Several students from La Mirada

High School volunteered for this drill, and played the part of victim. CERT volunteers from the community were part of the response team for the drill, while several firemen also took part in this drill, supplementing CERT and helping to explain the process of the drill. Landmark provided both a location and leaders for this drill. Jyzmin Cordova was the Incident Commander, who assigned roles and oversaw the drill. The student volunteers played the

parts of victims and were used to practice both search and rescue and first aid. In order to effectively play their role, the students were covered in fake blood and make-up. The CERT volunteers spearheaded the rescue and first-aid station. These volunteers joined not only to assist Landmark, but also to increase their learning about disaster preparedness from others. The firemen, although they were few in number, quickly assumed leadership positions, helping Cor-

dova manage the drill. They also gave information regarding the drill; how people should act and so on. This drill is demonstrative of all drills throughout California in that it unites people and educates them about disasters and how you should react to them. Student Ryan Poff, ’14, stated that “…the disaster drill really prepared me for ‘the big one’ and I feel like I could help and assist the community in case an earthquake hits.

earthquake to the aggravated gunman. The latter, in particular, strikes an emotional chord as Americans still grieve over the 2012 Sandy Hook incident, or even the 1999 Columbine shooting. When incidents like these happen, even though we hope that they do not, it is important to know how to react in order to avoid harm to yourself and others. After speaking to Lieutenant Les Rune of the San Marino Police Department, he gave a few tips for high school students to follow in an emergency situation:

1. “Know your school’s procedures for evacuations and emergencies,” Lt. Rune explains. Knowing what to do may save your life. Listen to teachers and other staff members. 2. “Never be a hero,” he said. “Run at every opportunity.” As harsh as this may sound, trying to be a hero is likely to create an even bigger problem than in the first place. 3. “Learn and practice first aid in the event a fellow student is injured and/or wounded,” Rune states. However, if you must help someone, make

sure you are not putting yourself or others in further danger. 4. “Be a good witness.” Emergency workers arriving at the scene of a disaster will need instant and accurate information to help them do their job. Try to pay attention to what is happening. The littlest details can make a big difference. 5. Last but not least, “if you hear anything from other students about a possible [attack], let a teacher or law enforcement know.” Many events, he said, are talked about before they are carried out.

By Ryan Cooper, Contributing Writer When you hear the fire alarm go off, what is the first thought that hits you? For most, it is probably along the lines of, “It’s just a false alarm.” This became obvious a few days after La Mirada High School’s 2013 Great Shakeout drill, when the school’s fire alarm system was accidentally activated. It was shocking when some teachers told students to stay in their seats, and checked outside to see what others were doing. Disasters come in all kinds of different forms, from the 7.0

EDUCATION October 30, 2013 03

El Toro

TARC targets success in 2014 competition By Grace Spirescu, Staff Writer

CINDY SAGASTUME/ELTORO

TARGET ACQUIRED Team America Rocketry Challenge Club Co-President Nick Pattison, ’14 proudly displays a rocket which will be used in competition in Spring 2014.

With many fun and educational clubs at La Mirada High School, Rocket Club is one of the most challenging. It is being supervised by Physics teacher Mr. James Gallardo, and it was inspired when some students discovered a national competition in Virginia two years ago. Once they had seen and learned the requirements of the competition, they made a decision, found an advisor, and Rocket Club was formed. So, what are the requirements to be part of the national competition? Well, you have to build a rocket capable of launching hundreds of feet in the air and then have the rocket land in one piece. Last year La Mirada High

School’s Rocket Club went to the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) where they were one of the top finalists. They continued building and revising their rocket until it was time to go to Nationals. At Nationals, LMHS placed 13th out of 300 schools. This year, Rocket Club plans to achieve their goal of going back to Virginia in May of 2014. They hope to compete in TARC once again, where they will go up against 100 other top teams. Their goal is to place within the top ten. Not only is this club fun and educational but it is also at your fingertips. This club is extremely accessible. The Club is advised by Physics teacher Mr. James Gallardo. Gallardo states, “I think

science and technology is an important part of education, and it’s a fun project where you can see results right away, since your actually producing something and seeing it before your eyes.” Students are able to witness physics in action. The dynamics of launching a rocket poses several risks. For safety reasons, test launches of the rockets, are held off campus at the Santa Fe recreational center. If you are interested in joining the club, you need not be a physics student or meet any prerequisites. The only requirement for this club is that you are willing to work in a team and build model rockets. Meetings are held every Thursday in room 907.

Working alongside children key in APPLE career pathway By Claudia Cocoba, Staff Writer The APPLE Academy is an academy on campus that especially interests students that want to work with children. For those who are most interested in becoming a teacher, this academy is well suited to prepare you for the rigors of such a career. The academy pathway begins with sophomore year and continues through graduation. To become a member one must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher. The APPLE Academy offers Child

Development, Topics in Education, as well as other academy specific courses. For the juniors enrolled in it, the Academy gives them the chance to visit schools such as La Pluma and Eastwood to work with children. Viviana Robles said, “The APPLE academy has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone which has helped me grow as a person.” The seniors enrolled in the Academy are able to be a teacher assistant for an entire class. Jocelyn Garcia, ’15, a member of the Apple Acade-

my and said that, “For me, the apple academy is learning how to understand kids, also with hands on experience, by going and working with the kids.” Through the Academy, students are able to help the kids with their homework. I asked softball player Erika Romero, ’15 says, “My favorite thing [about the Academy] is that I get to work with kids and learn certain things about them and I like that because when I grow up, the job I want to have deals with kids.” All around campus you hear about this amazing academy

that really helps La Mirada High School students learn more about kids and get more of an idea of what their careers will look like in the future. Seniors intern with a teacher of choice at Eastwood or La Pluma elementary school for two hours on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursdays. On Wednesday and Friday senior APPLE students enrolled in the Topics in Education course study lesson plan strategies, educational and behavioral theories as well as classroom management techniques to better serve the students in

their intern classroom. At La Mirada High school students are frequently stressing about future careers. I asked Jocelyn Garcia said “I think it [the Apple Academy] will help me because I want to specialize in dentistry for kids, and I believe these skills now will help me in the future.” The Apple Academy has helped prepare many students for the future, not only in the teaching fields but in all areas of work that have to with children. If you are interested in joinning APPLE contact Mrs. Wood in room 175.

CINDY SAGASTUME/ELTORO

Matadores of the Month CINDY SAGASTUME/ELTORO

CINDY SAGASTUME/ELTORO

Kayla Harrell

Alexis Ibarra

Prescilla Cobain

Austin Watkins

Alyssa Ong

FAVORITE TEACHER:

LMHS INVOLVEMENT:

CAREER OBJECTIVE:

FAVORITE SUBJECT:

Current GPA: 3.20

Ms. Mead because I’ve had her since freshman year and shes just a wonderful teacher who is always building your self-esteem

WHY YOU LOVE LMHS:

La Mirada is an excellent school and has tons of opportunities to get involved with something to make memories.

CAREER OBJECTIVE:

I look forward to being a lawyer and as a hobby a musician.

Current GPA: 3.80

Current GPA: 4.20

Mr. Grago is an amazing teacher that gives great advice and is always supporting the school.

I’ve participated in Christian Club and student senate. Both activities I enjoy because I get to speak my ideas.

SUCCESSFUL SUBJECT:

ROLE MODEL:

My most successful subject is math as I am taking trigonometry and going all the way to A.P. Statistics.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT:

My highlight is being involved in school spirit supporting all sports as well as making friends as time flies by.

My mom and Ellen Degeneres are my role models. Both do amazing things and make me laugh.

FAVORITE TEACHER:

Mr. Jaen has really challenged me this year. I thought Spanish was going to be an easy “A” but he really challenged me and showed me that it takes work to be successful.

Current GPA: 3.80

To become a firefighter.

LMHS INVOLVEMENT:

Football, Soccer , and F.C.A.

FAVORITE TEACHER:

Mr. Walker was my favorite teacher because he was nice, helpful, funny, and outgoing.

ROLE MODEL:

My grandpa , an honored war hero in WWII.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT:

Playing varsity football my freshman year.

Current GPA: 4.20 AP & Honors Biology because the classes were both fun and enjoyable and I learned things that are geared to my career goal.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT:

Participating in Powder Puff in my junior year because we won!

LMHS INVOLVEMENT:

Red Cross Club, Filipino Culture Club, NHS, Key Club, Global Operations, Basketball, and Rotary Interact

04 FEATURE October 30, 2013

El Toro

Halloween Havoc By Jaxyn Henderson, Contributing Writer and Jaquelinne Gomez, Staff Writer

It is that time of the year when almost everybody is asked the same question: what are you going to be for Halloween? La Mirada is notorious for their school spirit, especially when it comes to holiday excitement throughout the campus. Students have come up with clever and memorable costumes over the past few years. Sydnie Bennett, ’15, shares a favorite among many students’ variety of costumes last year, “One of the most creative costumes was when the basketball team dressed up as Pac Man and chased each other around the campus.”

JAQUELINNE GOMEZ /ELTORO

Ghouls and goblins, superheroes and bunnies; Halloween is one of those holidays that many look forward to. Robert Santos, ’15, describes what the key points were in his process for preparing for his costume, stating, “I usually start weeks before to figure out what I want to be, but the maximum I would spend is forty dollars.” It all starts with the perfect costume. But at times, the “perfect costume” may result in teens displaying themselves provocatively. La Mirada High School certainly has a wide perspective on it’s costumes, ranging from cats to cops, witches to wizards, each student had their choice for what they wanted to be this Halloween. Nathan Machado dressed from a show of his favorite, Reno 911. He states, “Personally, I thought it would be funny. I like the show Reno 911, I thought it fit me well.” As did John Bales, ’14 costume, who came to school from the hit TV series Duck Dynasty. “I love the show for it is fabulous.” Many students buy their costume in pieces and build it from scratch to show their personal touch on an idea, whether it be from the past as a 70’s disco dancer or something that everyone knows nowadays such as Travis Newsom, ’15, who came to school as Ron Weasley from Harry Potter, shouting “Expecto patronum!”

JAQUELINNE GOMEZ /ELTORO

“I HAD A GROOVY DAY IN MY HIPPY GET UP.” -Gracie Gama, ’15

JAQUELINNE GOMEZ /ELTORO

“EXPECTO PATRONUM.” -Travis Newsom, ‘15 LILY YOO/ELTORO

THEME PARK THRILLS

FEATURE

El Toro

CHOICE SELECTIONS

By Mindy Sandoval,Editor in Chief

The month of October has arrived and everyone loves getting into the Halloween spirit. Many teenagers look forward to the frights and scares the season has to offer. Attractions all over L.A. and Orange County hold special events once a year for the occasion, but which ones are really worth spending money on? It’s clear that the two most popular choices around are Knott’s Scary Farm and Universal Horror Nights, but some say there are major differences between the two even though both theme parks include mazes, rides, and shows which are all catered to the Halloween theme. Universal Horror Nights is famous for their great special effects and overly realistic props, while Knott’s Scary Farm is known for being one of the first haunted attractions in Southern California. However, Knott’s Scary Farm has ten mazes, while Universal only has six. Is quality better than quantity? When asked what mazes were most likely to make you jump out of your shoes students agreed The Walking Dead Tram is the scariest ride because you walk through a forest trail where there is more to see and more to scare you. Niah states, “Both theme parks are equally frightening and have monsters that jump out at you when you’re walking, and the decorations throughout the mazes are over the top”. What many people do not know is that there are other lessknown attractions that also get you into the Halloween spirit, and at a cheaper price. The Haunted Hayride, located at The Griffith Park, is only $25 and is claimed to make you shiver in fear. Madison Thompson, ‘15, describes it as, “…really disturbing! Rather than walking through the mazes, you pull into scenes that are more realistic compared to Knott’s Scary Farm and Universal.” So next year, if you are in the mood to get scared, these attractions are sure to get the job done and are highly recommended.

COSTUMES IN and OUT

Every Halloween at La Mirada High School, students dress up to celebrate the holiday. Some dress in costumes with their group of friends while others just dress on their own. Many prepare their costumes months before and some think of ideas the night before Halloween. There are costumes that are repeated year after year that students are used to seeing but there are also the costumes that really grab your attention. Erika Romero, ’15, and Sergio Barajas, ’15, discussed what costumes they had seen repeated in recent years. “People are always dressing up as cats cause it’s easy and if it’s last minute they can put it together quickly” said Erika. “The guys dressing up as girls, a lot of guys do that” said Sergio. While discussing what celebrities she would like to see represented on our campus, Erika said, “I would like to see people dress as the new Miley Cyrus”. This is not too surprising, given Miley’s performance for the Video Music Awards this year that seemed highly provocative to people not only in La Mirada High School but all over the world. We will all have to wait and see which costumes are a big hit this year, but we are sure to see some old favorites, and some new ones.

“I CHOSE TO DRESS UP AS A CAT FOR HALLOWEEN BECAUSE IT WAS SIMPLE TO CREATE WITH BASIC BLACK MAKEUP AND BLACK CLOTHING “ -Lizette Montoya, ‘16

October 30, 2013

06 COMMUNITY October 30, 2013

El Toro

CITY OF LA MIRADA /WITH PERMISSION

LILY YOO/ELTORO

CLASS OF 2017 CABINET The freshmen election took place in October and the newly elected officers took to the work of A.S.B. soon after. FAMILIAR TERRITORY The city of La Mirada appointed Jeff Boynton to city manager earlier Top row; Vanessa Gonzales, Derek Ruiz, Daisy Flores. Bottom row; Miriam Adhonom, Class of 2014 President and Kati Pineda.

this year. Boynton, has worked for the city of La Mirada for the past twelve years.

Class of 2017 elects officers Boynton to take By Emily Whitley, Staff Writer The students of the graduating class of 2017 recently held elections on the La Mirada High School campus. It was a stiff completion to determine the student body officials for the ‘13’14 academic school year. Many students ran hoping to be victorious. This years winners from the freshman elections were Miriam Adhanom as president, Vanessa Gonzales as vice president, Derek Ruiz as secretary, Dasie Flores

for activity director, Gabriella Hurtado for spirit coordinator and Kati Pineda as treasurer. In addition to requisites for running, there are also many qualities required of a candidate who is successful in attaining a position, qualities that are influential on voters choice in the present and the future. One of the most important qualities is leadership as it ensures success and productivity in the community and in our school. Responsibility is another

key characteristic desired in an officer because being in A.S.B. requires a lot of hard work and dedication throughout an officers entire term. A reliable officer always comes through on their promises and puts in the necessary time and then some. Newly elected freshman treasurer, Kati Pineda, shared, “Being a new freshmen in A.S.B. was intimidating first, but at the same time exciting. It is fun to see all the hard work put into helping the student body pay off!”

Redevelopment bring new homes By Aaron De Leon, Staff Writer This coming fall La Mirada’s very own Brandywine Homes are going to be open. The vacant lot on Alondra Blvd. from Escalona Rd. to Dalmatian Ave. is being transformed into beautiful two story homes. The new homes are being built in five different models. La Mirada’s community development manager Alison Moore says “The Orchards community will provide home

buyers the opportunity to purchase a high quality new home in a well established neighborhood.” Model one is a three bedroom, two 1/2 bath with a 1,271 sq ft lot. Model two is also a three bedroom and a two 1/2 bath, on a 1,593 sq ft lot: model three sits on a 1,704 sq ft lot with three bedrooms and two 1/2 baths. The final offering is a four bedroom, three bathroom, with a loft. The only difference between these two

models are the lot size, Model 4 sitting on a 1,956 sq. ft. and Model 5 on a 2,036 sq. ft. lot. Each home offers unique styling of its own. The builder of Brandywine Homes had a family focus towards his work. Brandywine Homes create communities that are a combination of small town friendliness, convenient and beautiful locations, big city luxury, and modern conveniences. Models are now open for perspective buyers.

helm of city reins By Courtney Polk, Staff Writer

The City of La Mirada appointed Jeff Boynton to succeed Tom Robinson as city manager. Boynton succeeded former City Manager Tom Robinson who retired after 41 years of public service including 28 with La Mirada. Boynton officially began his duties on September 16th. The city council decided to hire a 12 year employee and Deputy City Manager Jeff Boynton. The city council had considered a number of alternatives for the position, but ultimately decided to hire within the organization. Boynton said, “I’m honored to be selected. La Mirada for many years has been a wellrun community and I look forward to continuing in that tradition”. Prior to his appointment as city manager, Boynton served the City of La Mirada for 12 years in various capacities including deputy city manager, assistant to the city manager and administrative aide in the Public Safety Department. Earlier in his career in municipal government, Boynton held positions with the cities of Cypress and Lakewood. Boynton says as the new city manager, he’s responsible for all city operations and personnel. He will work to ensure the city’s council’s policies and goals are implemented, and that the city operates within its budget. Some of the city’s top priorities are to continue La Mirada’s record of safety, update La Mirada’s infrastructure, and continue working with key businesses and developers to

improve La Mirada’s shopping centers and industrial area. Boynton stated, “Public safety will always be the City’s top priority. Updating the infrastructure is also a high priority”. Over 66% of La Mirada voters approved Measure I a year ago, and the City is using these funds to complete necessary neighborhood street repairs and other capital projects throughout the community. As of right now, several shopping centers are currently undergoing improvements, and several new stores have recently opened up in La Mirada. Boynton said, “City staff will continue to encourage private investment in the community and provide an attractive, business-friendly location to operate”. Boynton is a recent resident of La Mirada. His family, wife Katie and two children moved from Garden Grove. Boynton has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Finance from Cal State Fullerton. Two qualities Boynton believes are required of a leader are values and vision He believes a true values-based foundation is a prerequisite for effective leadership. Vision is also an important quality because leaders need to see the big picture, set the direction and stay the course. Without sound and vision, the organization would be stuck. Boynton states, “Right now I want to continue the course that has been set. That means fulfilling a lot of the promises to the community and the goals the council sets”.

THE UPDATE October 30, 2013 07

El Toro

Toro El

EDITOR IN CHIEF Mindy Sandoval

MANAGING EDITOR Emily Whitley

THE UPDATE OCTOBER

MOVIES

COPY EDITOR Erin Klansek

By Emily Whitley, Staff Writer

Grace Spirescu

ATHLETICS EDITOR COMMUNITY EDITOR Courtney Polk

FRONT PAGE & FEATURES EDITOR Marcus Alvarado

NEWS EDITOR Erin Klansek

THE UPDATE EDITOR Sara Salas Sarmiento

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Cindy Sagastume

El Toro Staff Marcus Alvarado, Claudia Cocoba, Aaron De Leon, Jaquelinne Gomez, Erin Klansek, Joshua Mill Parong, Antonio Ortega, Brianna Pineda, Courtney Polk, Aaron Puga, Jacob Rosales, Cindy Sagastume, Sara Salas Sarmiento, Mindy Sandoval, Grace Spirescu, Jacob Stuart, Emily Whitley, Lily Yoo

Advisor Mr. John Alvarez El Toro dedicates itself to producing a high-quality publication that both informs and entertains the entire student body. This is a wholly student managed, designed, and written newspaper that focuses on school and community events. El Toro is a student newspaper published monthly. La Mirada High School, 13520 Adelfa Drive, La Mirada, California, 90638 Telephone (562) 868-0431 ext. 3170.

Editorial Policy The editorial content of El Toro expresses the views of the newspaper and not necessarily of the administration, faculty, staff, or the NLMUSD. Bylined editorial content is the writer’s opinion and not necessarily of the administration, faculty, staff, or the NLMUSD. If you believe an error has been made or wish to have your opinion expressed in El Toro, please contact us via mail or email. Letters sent become the sole property of El Toro and can be edited for length, clarity, or accuracy. El Toro editorial board reserves the right to accept or reject any ad in accordance with its advertising policy. Contact El Toro El Toro Newspaper 13520 Adelfa Drive La Mirada, CA 90638 eltoro.lmhs@gmail.com Twitter @eltorolmhs

BOOKS Paper Towns

Academics Editor

Antonio Otega

“I didn’t need you, you idiot. I Picked you. And then you picked me back.”

Carrie

By Sara Salas Sarmiento, Staff Writer Remake or mistake? When people think of the name Carrie, they think of a horrifying, classic film. In the late 70s, Brian De Palma’s (director of Scarface and Mission Impossible) adaptation of Stephen King’s bone chilling novel Carrie, hit theaters with a huge critical tidal wave. De Palma cast a mind spell on critics making the film into an instant horror classic. But in the world of Hollywood and rapidly evolving technology, Hollywood wants to take a jab at recreating the terrifying film that cast a fright on millions. Many were skeptical about Hollywood remaking such a beloved classic, but with director Kimberly Pierce (of Boys

MUSIC Radioactive

Paper Towns is author John Greene’s third award-winning, young adult novel. It is the story of young Quentin Jacobson. Quentin has loved the girl next door, Margo Roth Spiegelman, his entire life. He admits that it is cliché, but that does not stop his admiration

Don’t Cry) attached along with Academy award nominee Julian Moore, and rising star Chloe Grace Moretz, fans were somewhat reassured. For those who are still on the fence about going to the movie, give it a chance. Although Carrie is vastly different from the original, it is a nice update. Rather than focusing on the crazy religious mother aspect, as in De Palma’s film, Pierce focuses on the bullying aspect.

FITNESS

for her. However his fear of rejection keeps him at bay. Then one night, only a few weeks before their high school graduation, Margo arrives at Quentin’s window asking for help on a mission of revenge against her cheating boyfriend. She leads Quentin through a whirlwind of tricks and secrets during which he discovers a new side of Margo that he never knew before.

Throughout the film you feel sorry for Carrie (played by Moretz). She is just a girl who wants to fit in and be normal, but who knows she cannot. [What the girls do is just horrendous, so it is fun to see a fresh new take on this film?]. Pierce captures the social media era so perfectly, along with solid acting to help Carrie’s story, you really feel for these characters. It is also great to see a lot

of blood in the new and improved prom scene, the special effects are amazing and it gives the film a whole new style, and a whole new tone. The film may have not been scary as the original, but if you think about it, high school is a scary place. So if you are not sure if you want to see this film, go check it out. And for fun, rent the original De Palma version on Netflix to see the difference yourself.

“Yoga is a good way to clear your mind without too much effort, plus you get one good nap afterwards” -Andrea Del Castillo ‘15

By Jaxyn Henderson, Contributing Writer Imagine Dragons’ debut album has made an intense impact on listeners in the world of music. Their hit single “Radioactive” is a song full of emotion and a loud chorus that displays lead singer Dan Reynolds’ melodic voice. Reynolds’ states “I think we try to write music that takes the listener through a whole range of emotions.” He said. “We want to connect with the listener through the only means of communication we understand - art.” This band has been on their way in just a few years time from their start in Utah as a band that “feels free to pull in a violin, a cello, or an ensemble of acoustic guitars, even a synthesizer, if the song calls for something different.”

Yoga and Healthy Eating By Cindy Sagastume, Staff Writer

Are you looking for a workout plan that is easy to learn, requires barely any equipment, and soothes while toning your body? Then the exercise that suits you is Yoga. You may think Yoga is the hot new trend but actually, Yoga has been around for about 3,000 years. If you are new to Yoga, you might want

to start with some basic poses as shown to the side. It may look simple, but Yoga is an intensive training situation when you get to it. But do not think that doing Yoga and eating junk food will give you results. You have to change your eating habits too. It is especially important for teens to eat healthy and stay active because their bodies need energy and nutrients from food to grow and work

properly. A healthy diet means eating the right foods and the right number of calories for how active you are. You can get started by never skipping breakfast and aiming to eat at least 5 portions of different fruits and vegetables a day. And do not forget that when snack time comes around, swap foods and drinks that have really high sugar levels, like candy and juice, for healthier choices.

08 SPORTS

October 30, 2013

El Toro

MATADOR ATHLETICS PLAYER PROFILE • PLAYER PROFILE • PLAYER PROFILE • PLAYER PROFILE • PLAYER PROFILE VARSITY TENNIS Position: Singles

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

Sharapova because even though she fails she gets back up and never gives up.

KYURI LEE

By Jacob Rosales, Staff Writer

WORST INJURY?

Never had an injury

STRONGEST MOTIVATION?

I listen to motivational music and I cheer the team on to not give up even though you lost a game. I tell them “keep trying and it will get better”

CHALLENGING OPPONENT?

Norwalk is out biggest rival.

La Mirada High School’s tennis team is passionate, skilled, and they play to win. After interviewing a few players, it is easy to see that the team bonds like a close family. The team captain, Kyuri Lee,’14, keeps her players positive and hungry to become better tennis players. Olivia Pulido,’15, states, “she [Kyuri]always says that tennis should never be just about winning but about having fun and making memories.” Team encouragement is a vital trait to have, especially if you are a leader. Jizelle Vilela,’15, states, “she [Kyuri] has great strategy skills while playing. She knows where to place the ball and she tries her best to hit it back one more time than her opponent.” Kyuri is especially passionate about tennis, even inviting her team over to her house so that they could practice hitting. She helps her teammates become better players in many ways. Especially after a tough loss, she does her best to cheer up the team, and makes sure that they do not take losing to seriously, so that they can come back and play even harder the next time around. CINDY SAGASTUME/ELTORO

VARSITY X-COUNTRY Position: Runner

STEVEN LAZANO By Antonio Ortega, Athletics Editor

NICKNAME? Boat

WORST INJURY?

Never had an injury.

WHO INSPIRES YOU?

David Beckhan because I admire his hard work.

GREATEST TIP FOR TIME MANAGEMENT?

Do the most important things first. Cross-Country is one of the sports that requires full concentration of the individual, pure dedication, endurance, and mental strength. They face the challenge of their rivals through tough courses and rough seasons. Athlete Steven Lozano represents one of the strongholds of the team. Steven has been an active runner for 4 years. Steven Lozano manages to outrun the most difficult courses such as “La Mirada’s Regional park” the most steep hills. Cross country runner Nestor Guerrero states, Steven is a symbol of a hard working teammate and Without the “backbone” of the team, the runners would be affected in a negative way”. Teammates Mason MacDougal and Ed Vaca also stated that Steven Lozano could be viewed as not only a team player but also a friend and a respected player”. La Mirada’s current Cross-Country athletes leave a great impact on future students, motivating them to push their goals farther and rather more advanced along with keeping up academics. Student athlete Steven Lozano seeks motivation from the most simple features which include the type of shoe he wears “Nike”, the diet he maintains, the music he hears, and the water Fiji. With that said, athlete Steven Lozano maintains a beneficial type of social order between his teammates.