The Talon | Issue 5 | 12 Feb 2013

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201 Almond Ave. Los Altos, CA 94022 Los ALtos high school VOLUME XXVIII, Issue 5 February 12, 2013

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‘ANYTHING GOES’ The Talon Goes bEHIND THE SCENES OF THE recent LAHS Performing ARts Production David Wu Staff Writer The Performing Arts Department put on a spectacle that is the product of numerous early morning dance practices, day-long weekend rehearsals and hours of work for 47 students: the musical “Anything Goes.” From February 7 to February 9, these students have made huge time commitments— singing, dancing and acting from 3:30 to past 8 on school days, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and during lunches.

Revealed as this year’s musical in October and casted in late November, “Anything Goes” takes place aboard a ship headed from New York to London. Billy Crocker (senior Andrew

Leidenthal), a young broker and one of the main characters, is in love with Hope Harcourt (senior Ellie Robertson). But with Harcourt already engaged to the wealthy Lord Evelyn Oakleigh (senior Sam Gavenman), Crocker enlists the help of his two friends, Reno Sweeney (senior Alice Carli) and Moonface Martin (senior Mark Peng), to win her over.

“One of the main reasons we chose ‘Anything Goes’ is because a lot of the vocal parts fit the students that we have,” drama teacher Nancy Moran said. “It also incorporates a lot of acting and singing, and is a big dance show. The three of us (dance teacher April Oliver, Choral Department Director Mark Shaull and Moran) get to work on our disciplines very specifically, so it’s a fun show to do.”

ciera pasturel

Above, the cast practices a scene for the upcoming show. Sophomore Eddie Barnes (below, left) and senior Andrew Leidenthal (below, right) run lines during one of many rehearsals.

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The musical has a variety of roles, from an evangelist turned nightclub singer, Reno Sweeney, to a successful Ivy League Wall Street banker, Elisha Whitney (senior Anthony Mata). The uniqueness of each character has helped students discover and develop their on-stage personalities during rehearsals.

Sam, who is Lord Evelyn Oakleigh in the musical, sees his part as Hope Harcourt’s wealthy English fiancé as something interesting and refreshing because it sharply contrasts with his previous roles.

Compared to his most recent role in Broken Box’s “A Christmas Carol,” Ebenezer Scrooge, Sam’s character in “Anything Goes” calls for an entirely different set of acting skills.

“I enjoy being the comedic relief,” Sam said. “In all of the parts that I’ve played in [Broken Box] ... I play a character that is

a dark, serious character. It’s fun to step out of my usual boundaries and step into a new persona.”

Senior Ally Bakos plays another unique character named Erma, described in the script as a “sexy gangster’s moll” and Moonface Martin’s sidekick. Erma spends the majority of her time in the musical chasing and flirting with the ship’s sailors.

“My character is very out there and definitely makes a point of having fun on the ship,” Ally said. “I would say my favorite part about Erma is that although she's very flirty with the fellas, she makes it know that she's also high class in her song ‘Buddie Beware.”’

See Musical, page 9

School enhances curriculum, adds new science classes Hongyi Shi Copy/Content Editor

The school will be offering two new science courses in the 2013-2014 school year— Biotechnology and Health Science Careers II. Scheduling and teachers have not yet been determined, but Biotechnology will be taught in one of the old art rooms that are being remodeled into science classrooms.

The Biotechnology class will be a laboratory-centered class designed to help students develop the skills and knowledge needed in the biotechnology industry. It will be available to students in grades 10-12 who have completed Biology and Algebra I. The course will be based on an existing curriculum from San Mateo High School, including the textbook FEEDBACK

>> Send critiques about The Talon’s lahstalon.org to webeditor@ lahstalon.org

“Biotechnology: Science for the New Millennium.” The class will likely get UC “a-g” approval.

“We’re looking at what the industry is starting to produce in terms of [biotechnology kits for students],” Chemistry teacher Danielle Paige said.

“What we’re hoping to do is form some partnerships with local biotech companies to see if there’s any kind of citizen science we could do.”

Topics will include microbiology, biochemistry, molecular biology and the application of DNA technology to genetically engineer biological solutions for current problems. According to the course information sheet, students will also “develop laboratory, critical thinking and communication skills currently

used in the biotechnology industry while also exploring the bioethical issues surrounding such technologies.” Students interested in biotechnology can find more information from the Counseling Department.

“The Science Department has been talking about additions to the program for a couple of years,” Assistant Principal Galen Rosenberg said. “The new Health Science Careers class was the first new addition. The department believed a biotech course would address student interests and is also where a lot of science study is going in the future, so they’ve decided to make that the next addition to the curriculum.”

Poetry SLam>> Eagle Theatre Soup Spots >> pg. 15 Come check out the Performance today at Lunch. All are welcome.

Juliet Moore

Students in Thomas Budd’s Biology class (above) experiment during a lab. The school is adding more in-depth See New Courses, science courses next year, tailored to the needs of page 3 students who are intersted in careers in science.

EXPANDING

HORIZONS:

Bball/Blue Crew>> PG. 18

Find the Perfect Snack to Warm Up this Boys Basketball continues to roll winter at these Must-Eat spots with wild fans cheering them on

TALONONLINE >> Want more from The Talon? Sports scores, news and more updated everyday online at lahstalon.org

News

February 12, 2013

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Haiti Solidarity Club plans sixth trip to Haiti Eddie Sartor Senior Writer

The Haiti Solidarity Club is returning to sister school, SOPUDEP, in Haiti to continue in its efforts to assist in rebuilding the country. The club has planned to bolster the school’s impact on Haitian youth by introducing a supplemental curriculum which covers programs that might be taken for granted in America: science, sports and arts.

February 17 will mark the club’s sixth trip to Haiti, an annual venture funded solely by the students themselves. In addition, the club has raised more than $30,000 through open mic concerts, community outreach and a silent auction.

The money will be going directly toward teacher pay and materials for the sister school.

“I think the trip is what makes our club really unique,” club Copresident senior Devan Tormey said. “The point of it isn’t to just give a little money and then walk away, but solidarity. It’s important because it shows the Haitians that we really mean it, and that were willing to give up a week of our lives to work with them and show our support in person.”

In the past, the club has focused on rebuilding the school after the devastation of the earthquake, locating and rebuilding a new

site for the future of SOPUDEP, and providing essential amenities such as clean water for the students and the surrounding community. However, this year’s trip centers around expanding the existing curriculum that SOPUDEP students follow by providing necessities such as microscopes, art supplies and sports equipment.

“They only really have the core classes; they don’t have anything involving art, anything involving music, theater, all these electives that we have at our school,” club Co-president senior Louise Stephan said.

The club members will also be giving lessons on how to properly use the science equipment and water purification tablets.

This will be a daunting task given that a majority of the Haitian population speaks either French or Creole – a language based on a mix of French, English and various African dialects. The club has worked hard to translate the necessary instructions both into these languages and into a form of an easy-to-understand pictographic comic. They will be leaving pamphlets with future labs and lessons that can be carried out after the members have returned to the United States.

“We’re basically starting

Courtesy Taylor Peterson

From left to right senior Kendall Simon, Brianne Pho, ’12, and senior Taylor Peterson pose with a Haitian student during last year’s trip. The club will be visiting Haiti during Winter Break to help our sister school SOPUDEP. a program there that didn’t really exist before,” Devan said. “Hopefully we’re starting something that will last.”

Beyond just the club members, the surrounding community has taken action to provide for SOPUDEP as well. Accent Arts, located in Palo Alto, donated various art supplies that will be taken to Haiti, while West Valley music donated a case of 50 recorders that will be used to kickstart a music program at the school. The purchase of the

microscopes and lab tools was made possible by a grant from Los Altos Kiwanis, a non-profit group supporting education and goodwill. Several companies also donated goods to the club’s recent silent auction.

“We really have a great team this year,” club adviser Seth Donnelley said. “We’ve got some motivated students that have been really dedicated to what they’re doing.

A lot of new students have gotten involved... I’m very pleased with the entire team.”

In addition to the 24 club members participating in the trip, math teacher Jeanne Yu and Superintendent Dr. Barry Groves will be making the trip to Haiti.

“All the people we meet in Haiti are really passionate about what they do,” Louise said.

“Rea [Director and founder of SOPUDEP], the teachers at the elementary school, the political activists are really passionate, and I feel like that’s really contagious.

As the week goes on, you really begin to share that passion.”

Teachers purchase Chromebooks for classroom

Ciera PAsturel

Social studies teacher Stephanie Downey works on one of the Chromebooks she has purchased.

Both Downey and librarian Gordon Jack have recently bought these laptops for students to use.

David Wu Staff Writer Over the past few months, social studies teacher Stephanie Downey and school librarian Gordon Jack have been working toward providing students with computers. Downey decided several weeks ago to raise money to purchase Google Chromebooks to give her students to have more access to computing technology at school. She was able to raise the money for the first 4 computers with donations from various acquaintances, but hopes to eventually purchase a total of 15 Chromebooks, enough to account for students without their own laptops.

“I chipped in $100 myself, $450 came from parent constituents of the students that I currently have in my classroom, and the remaining $450 came from my family friend network that I’ve posted on Facebook,” Downey said.

While Downey has been busy fundraising to bring this technology to her social studies students, Chromebooks have also become a highly soughtafter commodity in the library.

Jack recently helped purchase Chromebooks with two separate fundraisers via crowdsourcing websites. His first fundraiser raised enough money to purchase three Chromebooks.

His second campaign, ending in early February, raised $7000,

enough to purchase a class set of 27 Chromebooks.

“This has made me feel really good about the Los Altos community and how they value the library and see it as an important resource–that is really exciting for me,” Jack said.

Jack got the idea to buy the computers for the school library after seeing Palo Alto Public Libraries check the laptops out to patrons and decided to buy them after realizing their practicality.

“They’re light, fast, and efficient, and they just seem really great,” Jack said. “It’s a great device for [students] to get work done on, like papers or presentations or things like that. It’s a really fast web browser, so as they’re doing web research or other things like

that, it’s really helpful.”

Downey invested in Chromebook laptops for a variety of reasons. The Chromebook has a solid-state hard drive, an eight-and-a-half hour long battery life and a webcam. Aside from the technical specifications of the machine, Downey found the versatility of the Chromebook and its ability to access various tools to be perfect for her classroom. Downey hopes to increase her students’ technological awareness and hone their computer skills.

“I wanted my students to have daily access to computing technology in school to work on things like 10-finger typing and just to increase everybody’s familiarity with computing technology,” Downey said. “I wanted my classroom to be a place where students continue to work on 21st century... skills that they’re going to use... regardless of what job they get. I hope to

increase student comfort with technology as a broad goal.”

Downey’s digital notebook system combined with access to her new laptops allows students to take full advantage of the lecture notes, documents and material that she has on her website.

“The Chromebooks are very versatile and easy to use in the classroom,” sophomore Brandon Choy said. “I really enjoy using them since Ms. Downey’s class is based on Google applications such as Google Docs. The speed of the computer and its simplicity of connectivity allows me to be active and involved in the class.”

Fundraising for the next set of laptops has already been set into motion, as Downey recently received another $500 donation from an anonymous parent, who is coincidentally a Google employee. Thanks to the parent, Google has also offered to match the donation.

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News

February 12, 2013

School plans new science Students compete in courses for upcoming year Los Gatos art contest CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

Biology planning

students sample DNA for to offer Biotechnology and

In addition to biotechnology, the school will be adding another class which will give students the opportunity to think about jobs in health and medicine. The Health Science Careers II course will be available to students who wish to explore careers in the health sciences and have already passed Health Science Careers and Algebra I. The Health Science Careers class was started this year and open to students who were having trouble in their Biology and Earth Science classes. Around 23 students are currently enrolled in the class, and about half may continue on next year. Health

Chase Eller Staff Writer

Juliet Moore

a lab. Next year, the school is Health Science Careers II classes.

Science Careers teacher Darren Dressen hopes some of these students can go on to nursing or medical technician programs at Foothill.

“A lot of these students need to get a life science credit and a physical science credit,” Dressen said. “The goal is to split [the class] up such that there are a few less modules [topics], and there would be more biology content—that would be the first year and they would get their bio credit.

The next year they would move on and do more chemistry and physics content.”

Health Science Careers II will be a continuation of the class started this year.

Topics in the new class will include forensics, clinical lab practices, sports medicine, pharmacology and biomedical engineering.

In addition, students will explore physical sciences related to health science careers, so the class will count as a physical class for high school graduation requirements.

“These are students that traditionally have not done very well in science class,” Dressen said. “The goal is twofold: maybe they will get in here and like science through a different route ... and they get better and go back to do Biology or Chemistry and get those UC-approved credits.”

The Los Gatos Museum of Art will host its Second Annual Santa Clara CountyWide High School Art Exhibition from April 25 to May 5. This year’s theme is “Art+Tech+Culture.” Artists must submit all their works

by March 22.

Along with an open gallery to the public, with works available for purchase, the exhibition is also a competition. Any student can submit work to the exhibit.

“They provide students with a topic and students create artworks to communicate their ideas,” art teacher Christine An said. “It is a county-wide juried art exhibit and a contest.”

The students participating in this exhibition are in Drawing II, Drawing III, AP Studio Art, Photo II and Digital Photo.

“It is a really cool experience because other people get to see your artwork and you get to see

other people’s artwork,” Photo II student sophomore Noah Tsao said. “You get to get your name out there and get to compete against other students, adding a competitive side as well as having fun with it.”

This exhibition gives students a glimpse of what it is like to be a professional artist.

“They find out about the gallery and create artworks related to a theme and write an artist statement,” An said.

Along with learning about the process, students can sell their works, as a professional artist would.

“Many of our students have not only won the contest in previous years but also sold their art works that are also published in a book,” An said. “It is a whole real-life experience package–a real working artist.”

All students who want and plan on participating in the exhibition will continue to prepare for the exhibition and perfect their work as they get ready to enter the contest and sell their works.

Jade Perry

The Los Gatos Museum displays various paintings. Beginning April 25 the museum will be hosting a display of local student art work.

Robotics team prepares for upcoming competition season Yuki Zaninovich Staff Writer The robotics team has started to prepare for its upcoming competition season. Ever since January 5, when the competition theme of “Ultimate Ascent” was announced, the team has been working on creating a robot that can perform specific tasks during the games.

Every year, there is a different game theme for the robotics competitions. The game this year, called “Ultimate Ascent,” combines the two games of Ultimate Frisbee and climbing and integrates them into a robotics environment.

The objective of the game is to have the competing robots complete two tasks: shoot frisbees into goals and climb as high as possible on a steel pyramid.

Due to the competition rules, teams only have six weeks to build a complete robot.

During sessions held from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m., members do everything from building the robot, to training new

members, to strategizing for individual matches.

“We have a lot of new members this year so these daily meetings are crucial for teaching them how to do basic robotics,” robotics team Co-captain senior Lucien Muller said.

At first, the team planned to make a robot that would efficiently carry out both tasks. However, they quickly realized that the robot would be too complicated to build. The team then had a scoring analysis session, which led them to concentrate more on

shooting the frisbees accurately rather than climbing up to a high level on the pyramid.

The robot has a pick-up device that can lift frisbees from the ground and store them into a hopper that is capable of holding four frisbees at a time. The

Juliet moore

Sophomore Benjamin Evans works on a wheel on the team’s test robot. The robotics team has begun planning and building its robot for this year’s competitions.

shooter then shoots the frisbees from the hopper.

The team predicts that the creation of this robot will be much more difficult than previous years. A new rule was added to the competition this year that restricts the size of competing robots. This year, the dimensions of the robot can be no bigger than 31 by 25 inches, as opposed to the previous restriction of 38 by 28 inch robots.

“We have a lot less space to work with this year, which is proving to be pretty difficult to deal with,” robotics team Cocaptain senior Adam Evard said.

However, the team has a lot of members this year who do robotics outside of the club and are expected to contribute to the club’s progress. Club membership has increased after the addition of a robotics class.

The team hopes for a successful season with its new team and robot. It will be entering two regional competitions, the Davis and Silicon Valley competitions, for a chance to compete in the national tournament at St. Louis.

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February 12, 2013

News

Writers Weeks scheduled for early March

Talon archives

Dan Johnson discusses his writing career with an English class during last year’s Writer’s Week. This year, the event is scheduled to begin March 4.

Casey Pao Senior Writer Continuing the 28-yearold tradition, writers will be speaking to English classes and at a community reading during Writers Week, March 4 through 7. The community reading will be held on Thursday, March 7, at 7 p.m. in the Eagle Theater and is open to whoever would like to attend. This year, although the speakers for the English classes are not connected through a common theme, the community read is focused on poetry with a panel of four different poets attending.

During the same week, students will have a chance to participate in poetry slams, one specifically for the ninth grade students during lunch and one for the entire school.

The student that comes in first place at the schoolwide poetry slam will be presenting

alongside the four poets during the community read.

English teacher Lindsey Regoli has taken over Assistant Principal Galen Rosenberg’s position as the teacher in charge of Writers Week this year and has been working with a parent committee headed by Elena Shea to organize the event.

Rosenberg had to give up the position in order to manage his other duties but still attends the meetings and stays involved in the coordinating process.

“It was something that seems to be pretty popular among the teachers, so I just thought it would be a good way to get more involved in the school and the English Department,” Regoli said.

This parent committee has been contacting many of the writers in October and November. Some of the writers featured this year are returning to the school for another Writers Week presentation.

Teachers were surveyed last

year to see which writers were successful speakers and whether they should be invited back. Although the list has been mostly finalized and many writers have been officially slated to speak to students, there are still some last-minute confirmations to be made.

The four poets that will be present during the community read are Mario Chard, Paul Flores, Amy Glynn Greacen and Chinaka Hodge. All four are established poets with multiple published works. Journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, who graduated from Mountain View High School, is coming to speak at Writers Week again. An LAHS graduate, Dan McDermott, YEAR, is also slated to appear.

Writers Week is intended to be an opportunity for students to hear professional writers who have had real-world experience with publishing their work.

With a broad range of writers, from journalists to writers

who’ve worked on animated films, students learn about the different applications of English and writing skills.

“I think the students will be able to see that writing is a real, viable career... with all the focus on science and technology, that there’s really a place for writing and that creativity matters,” Regoli said.

She said that Writers Week allows students to see the various perspectives of different writers throughout the industry.

Last year, Justin Torres and Josh Foster made a lasting impression on Regoli because of their easy connection with students and the way in which they conveyed their varying experiences. “[They] break it down in a way that people don’t realize quite how the writing process works, to take something from an idea all the way to a book that you can hold in your hands,” Regoli said.

Junior Vincent Su said that Writers Week is beneficial to students because it allows them to explore past their boundaries and learn more about the real world experience of writing.

“Last year, there was this speaker who talked about how he wrote about his travels around the United States and how... he had to try different things,” Vincent said. “It inspired me to try new things as well.”

Even though many students will not study English later on in life, these writers show students that writing is valuable no matter what. During Writers Week, students gain a new perspective on writing and on those who write for their living.

“Whether or not someone becomes an engineer or a writer, to understand how writing happens is important because no matter what you do as a career, you would use writing as a skill,” English Department Coordinator Keren Robertson said.

News Briefs: Haiti Solidarity club hosts silent auction

The Students for Haiti Solidarity club held a silent auction on January 27, at First and Main Sports Bar in Los Altos.

The auction exceeded the club’s goal. Members from the club and their parents were greatly involved in contacting businesses in the Bay Area, and members even offered personal services such as tutoring and painting car rims.

Parents especially put in a lot of effort with contacts, as the sports bar was absolutely filled with clothing, sports memorabilia and even tours to Bay Area gardens. Donations from local businesses ranged from facials and manicures at beauty salons to tickets for sporting events.

All the money raised from the auction will be delivered to sister school in Port-Au-Prince, SOPUDEP, when club members go to visit over Winter Break.

School carries out CAHSEE testing

The school proctored the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) on February 5 and February 6.

The test aims to ensure that high school students graduate with satisfactory skills in reading, writing and mathematics. High school students start taking the test in their sophomore year and are required to pass the test to earn a high school diploma.

Those who fail the test the first time are given more opportunities in their junior and senior years.

Classroom listings for students taking the exam were posted on the glass display box near the administration building prior to the test.

–Compiled by Anthony Bello and David Wu

Freestyle program hosts exhibit of student work Alex Cortinas Staff Writer

The Freestyle Academy program hosted its annual art exhibition to celebrate the accomplishments of its students.

It was held at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View on Friday, February 8 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with free admission. The exhibition displayed student projects such as films, websites, poster art, CD art, illustrations, photography and writing.

“I think it’s really cool to see how all of the classes intertwine with one another,” Freestyle student junior Marissa Jakubowski said.

“It all just makes more sense and makes it both easier and more fun to learn. It’s also really cool to see how much talent everybody else has.”

Freestyle was founded in 2006 after former District Superintendent Rich Fischer envisioned a technology program where students could integrate their ideas about what they want to say with the world of art. The

exhibition began the same year Freestyle was established.

“We wanted to get [the students] to communicate their ideas to the world in lots of different mediums,” program coordinator Leo Florendo said. “We teach them how to communicate professionally. If you have something to say, come to us and we’ll teach you how to say it.”

Freestyle also serves as a platform to express and find one’s passion. The opportunities provided at Freestyle help students express themselves creatively.

“We sell Freestyle as an opportunity for you to find your passion,” Florendo said. “You should be passionate about what you do, no matter what you do.”

StudentsatFreestyleincorporate aspects of an English narrative assignment into a multitude of art forms using the skills they learn from the program.

From the narrative, students create a graphic novel, a diptych that conveys the climax of the narrative using Photoshop and an illustration that delivers the same message metaphorically.

“I think it’s really fun to get to use all three classes to creatively execute an idea such as the narrative,” junior Gabrielle Makower said. “It’s always fun to see not only your own work displayed, but your friends’

work, too.”

Freestyle students voted prior to the exhibition to select the best music videos, narrative films and senior profile films. The films were compiled together in a two hour show in the theater of the

Computer History museum.

“As the program director, it’s just beautiful to see all the work put together in one place,” Florendo said. “Normally you just see little bits and pieces, but to see it all in its total mass is very cool.”

Editorial

The Talon February 12, 2013

Teachers should use coordinated technology platforms in classroom Editorial Opinion of The Talon LAHS teachers are ushering their classes into the digital age, using everything from Turnitin to homework blogs. While teachers move to a more technology-based classroom, however, they should make sure that they’re moving forward together. At least on a department level, the school should try to coordinate in the platforms it uses.

Currently, teachers use a variety of platforms to help educate students. Some teachers use Edmodo, some use Google Docs, and still others have their students write blogs. The most coordinated use of learning technology is the universal use of Turnitin in the English Department, and even then, teachers use Turnitin in different ways.

English teacher Margaret Bennett uses Turnitin as a way for students to edit each other’s work.

Students can swap assignments they’ve turned in and make comments, which teachers can also see.

This use of educational platforms have clear benefits—students don’t have to worry about losing handouts, and teachers don’t have to worry about whether students actually turned assignments in on time.

They require less paper, thus saving money and resources. However,

they also require time (and in some cases, money) to introduce and master. Therefore, to minimize the amount of time students have to devote to learning the ins and outs of a new platform, teachers should choose one or two platforms to use on a departmental level.

Both Turnitin and Google Docs offer ways to share documents and edit online. Because most students are already using Turnitin and the services it offers are more suited to peer-editing and grading, it makes sense to standardize the use of Turnitin for virtual documents.

Beyond using platforms to turn in assignments, some teachers are trying to make their classrooms

entirely technology-based. For example, social studies teacher Stephanie Downey’s class is paperless, with the exception of tests. Downey, who uses Google Docs, wanted to get rid of heavy notebooks for her students and train them in technological skills.

However, not all teachers want to take their courses in this direction.

For instance, biology teacher Meghan Shuff said that using paper has certain advantages.

“You’re engaging a different part of your brain when you’re handwriting and your focus is changed,” Shuff said. “So there had been a number of studies that have been done ... that your

thumbs

concentration improves your cognitive abilities; your learning increases.”

There is some research to support the idea that handwriting has cognitive benefits over typing. Still, this doesn’t negate the efficiency and convenience that learning technologies bring to the table—in the end, teachers must weigh costs and benefits on their own.

Because using technology has both advantages and disadvantages, teachers should have freedom with how far they want to take using educational technology. But when they do use it, it should be standardized.

Letters to the Editor School should stop cancelling Tutorial

Thumbs down to inconsistent ticketing in the parking lot. Ticketing is an issue that affects a huge number of students on our campus. Therefore, it should be the school’s number one priority to make sure that the school lot is kept safe from congested traffic that makes exiting the parking lot a nightmare. All that is needed is consistent enforcement of the parking rules at school so that spots are kept open for people that paid for permits. Not only is this fair, but it also works to manage the amount of traffic and limit the chances of accidents in the lot.

Thumbs up to school spirit in recent weeks. The varsity boys basketball team has reinvented itself with a new attitude built on student spirit at home games. Branded the Blue Crew, students have been showing up in hordes to watch the team, cheering loudly and throwing the other team off its game. The eagerness to participate is what sets this club apart from other, similar organizations in the past. New coach Bob McFarland’s dedication to starting a grassroots program at the school by encouraging the students to get involved with fan giveaways and activities is unique and should be applauded.

It would be great to see this last even as the seasons change.

Dear Editor, I have been very disappointed with the lack of tutorial in recent weeks. Tutorial is a time that I and many other busy students greatly appreciate.

It is invaluable for making up tests and getting homework done, particularly for those without an extra free period. I find tutorial to be a very useful time most students take full advantage of, which is why I have been so disappointed to see it sacrificed for other, less educational, activities so frequently this year. Tutorial is a time many students rely on, and the school should be more mindful when deciding to override it.

Amelia Evard Senior The Talon welcomes letters to the editor.

E-mail letters to lahstalon@gmail.com or drop them off in room 409 or the box in the attendance office. If you have any questions, send an e-mail or call (650) 960-8877.

In the case of spelling or grammatical errors, obscenities, libelous or personal attacks, a letter may be edited or not run.

Letters must be signed, but a name may be withheld upon request. Letters may be published online, in print or both.

5 The Talon Los Altos High School

201 Almond Avenue Los Altos, California www.lahstalon.org February 12, 2013 Volume XXVIII, Issue 5

Editor-in-Chief Libbie Katsev Managing Editors Sarah Corner (Publication) Catherine Hua (Web) Mark Schreiber (Publication) News Editor Zoe Morgan Opinions Editor Rebecca Cohen Features Editor Christina Luk In-Depth Editor Ben Marimon Entertainment Editor Brenna Reid Sports Editor Josh Cohen Media Editor Ciera Pasturel Copy/Content Editors Shiktij Dave Jared Eng Dhruv Madhok Hongyi Shi Business Managers Emily Sims Jordan Stout

Senior Writers Anthony Bello, Paul Bergevin, Casey Pao, Ed Sartor, Sparsha Saxena, Shilpa Venigandla Staff Writers Maya Acharya, Riyana Basu, Robert Chin, Carly Cohen, Zach Cohen, Alex Cortinas, Cassidy Craford, Chang Cui, Chase Eller, Arman Khayyat, Sam Lisbonne, Ariel Machell, Joey Malgesini, John Naumovski, Tony Sun, David Wu, Yuki Zaninovich Photographers Chloe Arrouye, Juliet Moore, Jade Perry Graphic Artists Rebecca DeShetler, Taidy

Parmis

Videographers Nathan Becker, Anthony Bello, James Brewer, Mark Schreiber Web masters Jerry Liu, Kaitlin Mueller Adviser Michael Moul Los Altos High School’s Compositional Journalism class is solely responsible for The Talon, which is published eight times a year.

The Talon also updates its website, www.lahstalon.org, with full-time coverage. The Talon is a public forum for student expression.

The Editorial Board sets the policies of The Talon and crafts its editorials and thumbs. Its members are Josh Cohen, Rebecca Cohen, Sarah Corner, Catherine Hua, Libbie Katsev, Brenna Reid, Ed Sartor, Sparsha Saxena and Mark Schreiber. Please send subscription and advertisement inquiries to Emily Sims and Jordan Stout at lahstalon@gmail.com.

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Honorary Pulitzers Vivi Chan, Andy and Holly Cohen, Emily Goto, Kefeng Hua, Brett and Pam Lytle, Drew Lytle, Mary E. MacLellan, Ralph and Diana Marimon, Ken and Susan Sims, Shirley and Allan Solomon, Ratna and Tripura Venigandla, Bernard and Miriam Yenkin, Michael Zaninovich Silver Supporters Catriona Cooke, Big Skenny’s Fish and Chips, Victoria Johnson, Jacqueline and Geoge MacLellan, Claire and John Moore, Sungmin Park, The Pasturel Family, The Rigodanzo Family, Gail and Don Sims, Linda Taylor

The Talon Febuary 12, 2013

Entertainment

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Cafe Nur offers a taste of Mediterranean cuisine Paul Bergevin Senior Writer

Cafe Nur, located in downtown Los Altos where the Crepe Maker used to be, offers a simple taste of Mediterranean cuisine. In its first month in downtown Los Altos, it has established itself a quick, slightly latenight (10 pm weekends, 9 pm weekdays) cafe.

Cafe Nur is a small restaurant, only seating 20 inside and 12 outside, but waiting for a place to sit does not seem to be a problem.

The exemplary service was epitomized by the amiability of employees and the courtesy they showed to incoming customers. However, despite being one of the few people in the restaurant, the service seemed slow for a Cafe.

As an appetizer I got the Mediterranean Combination #9, which had small servings of hummus, baba ghanouj, eggplant salad, lobi, tzatziki, dolma, potato salad and tabouleh. Those who would rather play it safe should try the pita and hummus, but if

you want to seek more of an adventure, the dolma (grape leaves stuffed with rice, pine nut, raisin, assorted herbs and spices) might be preferable. All of the items on the combination were all vegetarian and it is enough food for a meal.

Cafe Nur offers wraps from $7 to $8.25, souvlaki meat plates with salad, rice and pita for $11 to $16 and other Mediterranean specialties.

It also has three kinds of mousaka (a layered dish of eggplant, potato and meat or veggie filling): chicken, veggie and ground beef. I tried some of the chicken gyro wrap and would not recommend it. There was simply too much bread in every bite which made it a little dry and underwhelming.

On the Souvlaki plates, the rice and Pita were both delicious, especially when the two were combined with whatever other meat you had. The Lamb and Beef Gyros plate was incredible, and its thinly sliced meat went perfectly with the marinate and the pita. Both the chicken and lamb kebab were flavourful and tasty. For dessert, the Baklava and the Kadayifi were

equally delicious. Baklava is a pastry filled with nuts and sweetened with honey, while Kadayifi has a similar nutty taste, but is stringy on the top rather than flakey.

The Cafe also serves breakfast foods with items like Greek yogurt with fruit and honey, waffles, pancakes, omelets and slices of salami with vegetables and fruit. As there are not too many places for breakfast downtown besides Rick’s Cafe and the Pancake House, this is a good option if you want to try Mediterranean style breakfast.

While the cafe does have a lot of great options for takeout, it could be a much better atmosphere to sit down and eat.

Cafe Nur is a small restaurant with walls that are practically empty. The restaurant is adequate for breakfast or lunch, but I would just get take-out if I were having it for dinner.

Overall, the Cafe has great meats and vegetarian appetizers in addition to friendly employees.

Cafe Nur is a good addition to downtown Los Altos and adds more international and unique dishes for people.

chloe arroye

Cafe Nur is located in downtown Los Altos on Main Street. They offer a wide variety of Medditeranean cuisine and vegetarian options.

Talon Book Review: Toni Morrison’s ‘Home’ A tale of memory and family from the author of ‘Beloved” Carly Cohen Staff Writer Frank Money, a 24-year old war veteran from Korea struggles to find the meaning of home as he drifts from one place to the next. However, when his sister is need of help, Money must make a journey that will unravel a past that continues to haunt him and, in the process, help him find his true place in life.

Toni Morrison continues her writing on human tragedy through “Home” as she tells the story of a man who struggles to find a true definition of the word after returning from war. “Home” focuses on AfricanAmerican characters as it follows Money through his suffering with gambling and drinking problems as he is haunted by his past.

After learning that his sister, Cee, is in need of help, Money realizes he must go to her to provide assistance to his only close family member. As Money travels back to his childhood residence, he must relive memories of harsh goodbyes and growing up as his sister’s only protector.

The story, in a similar style to Morrison’s “Beloved,” is filled with past memories which jump from different perspectives as well as different times, flashing back to childhood and wartime memories from both the perspectives of Money, his past girlfriend and his sister.

On his journey to his sister, Money tells a story from war about a little Korean girl who is shot by another member of the military after approaching him inappropriately. The fear of being corrupt drives the man to shoot the girl, despite the harsh reality of death. This memory seems to haunt Money along with other skewed memories from his childhood and war.

Later, however, Money must face the truth of what really happened in Korea to the girl and the realities of his time at war and their impact on his life.

Morrison ends the novel similarly to her other pieces of literature such as “Beloved”: in a community setting. She brings her characters together to mend some of the tragedies that they have faced. Morrison’s unique writing style shines once again as she uses rich vocabulary and changing perspectives to convey her message about the importance of community.

Morrison uses her writing style to portray different sides of the story. However, if one is not paying attention, she easily confuses the reader with a

Juliet Moore

“Home”, Toni Morrisons latest novel, tells the story of a Korean War veteran’s ordeal and his atempts to find the meaning of ‘home’. The novel follows Morrison’s previous themes of memories and struggles. continuous change in perspectives. With her at times confusing writing style and discussion of tragedy that most are not familiar with, “Home” is somewhat hard to relate to despite the reality of its words.

This is in part due to the fact that most readers were not Korean war veterans, nor so harshly discriminated against because of the color of their skin. Despite this, even if one underwent these hardships, the severity of each tragedy is brought to the surface in Morrison’s novel, presenting readers with the challenge of fully understanding the motivations of each character in such difficult times.

Due to its complexity and discussion of hardships unfamiliar to most readers, “Home” does not stray far from Morrison’s other novels and would be best

recommended for those with the purpose of bookanalysis in mind. That being said, it does offer a good story that entertains and keeps readers on their toes.

Money’s journey to his sister presents tragedies mixed with everyday life events such as new jobs, love and at times, feeling completely lost. This makes the story realistic in that it does not simply state tragedies, once again proving the complexity of Morrison’s writing.

If you have never read one of Morrison’s novels before, keep in mind that they would not be considered light or breezy pleasure reads, nor is “Home” a thrill read. However, the hardships that occur within the book are deeply moving, making it unique and definitely a worth-your-while read.

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Entertainment

Febuary 12, 2013

Talon Top 5: Soup Spots to Warm the Soul Joey Malgesini Yuki Zaninovich Staff Writers

Whether because of the weather, for a cold or due to some spontaneous craving, there is sure to be a soup that will satisfy your needs. Throughout the many restaurants in the Mountain View and Los Altos area, there are a plethora of soups to get you through any cold winter day. To save you the trouble of googling the best ones, we’ve made a list of the top 5 soup restaurants in the area.

1. Chicken Tortilla Soup – Main Street Cafe If I ever go to Downtown Los Altos for lunch on any winter day, I would run down to the Main Street Cafe without exception. Their Chicken Tortilla soup is the perfect medium to warm you up on any occasion. Combined with various vegetables and broth, this soup truly elicits the taste of chicken. The spice level is mild enough that one would not have to burn their tongue while enjoying this classic soup. The cafe atmosphere is exemplary for appreciating the soup, with welcoming employees and a clock that dances every hour.

No matter how bad of a day you had, Main Street Cafe’s chicken tortilla soup is sure to “spice” up your day.

2.Maruichi-Kuro Ramen The scene at Maruichi represents that of a traditional ramen house. It is always very busy, but the service is so quick that customers have the option of getting in and out quickly. The menu offers many types of ramen, many of which include bean

sprouts, eggs and pork. The Kuro Ramen option has a tar-like appearance due to the black garlic, but a very savory broth.

In addition to the warm soup that they serve, customers often add a side of California Rolls, rice, fried chicken, pot stickers or others. The large porcelain bowl is to be gulped down with chop sticks, a maneuver quickly performed by the more skilled of noodle eaters. Maruichi makes its own noodles in the restaurant for all to see. These homemade noodles in combination with the tender pork and flavorful broth makes this restaurant a terrific soup option. Many of the types of ramen offer similar components and so one of the main decisions is which broth to order. Choose yours and enjoy a delicious bowl of Japanese cuisine.

3. Meatball Noodle Soup with Steak - Pho Garden You don’t have to be a noodle-eating champion to appreciate Pho Garden’s various dishes (although if you are, I recommend doing their Pho Challenge). Whether it be curry, fish or noodles, Pho Garden provides a huge selection of Vietnamese cuisine to choose from. I found their signature meatball noodle soup to be the most appealing. For $6, you are served a bowl full of Vietnamese noodles saturated with pho broth and topped with Asian meatballs (you can always upgrade to a large if you are especially hungry).

Although the meatballs are nothing short of scrumptious, the noodles are irreplaceable. They fuse perfectly with the broth and are even better with a dash of sriracha hot sauce. With a few spring rolls on the side, you have yourself an extremely filling Vietnamese meal.

photos by chloe arroye

Pho Garden and A.G. Ferrari Foods are among the best places to get soup in Mountain View and Los Altos. Both offer unique and interesting lunch options, 4. LeBoulanger Clam Chowder LeBoulanger offers a variety of soups, many of which are more generic than a lot of these cultural bowls. Served with bread on the side, both the warm clam chowder or the creme of tomato soups are very simple but appetizing options.

The clam chowder is always a favorite during the cold weather with its heavy and rich broth over small bits of fish.

The creme of tomato is a sweet and consistent cold weather alternative if clams don’t appeal to you. A nice option in the center of downtown, LeBoulanger provides any soup from a small cup to a large bread bowl. The service is very quick for the soup is already prepared, making LeBoulanger a practical as well

as satisfying option.

5. AG Ferrari Tuscan Bean AG Ferrari is known more for its sandwiches and European goods, but it also offers nutritious soup options.

Although only one soup option is offered at a time, it tends to have a variety of ingredients slightly more adventurous than usual soup options. The Tuscan bean contained lots of vegetables, bits of pasta and, of course, beans. This makes it one of the more filling, solid soups. It is not nearly as brothy as many of these others. And although the presentation of the soup is very mediocre, served in a paper cup, the actual meal is a wholehearted and warm meal served with slices of bread.

‘Warm Bodies’: A Lifeless Story of (Literally) Lifeless Individuals

Jonathan Wenk/Summit Entertainment

‘Warm Bodies’, which came out on Feburary 2, is the story of a zombie who falls in love with a girl who (litterally) warms his heart. It stars Nicholas Hoult as the main character, R. Zach Cohen Staff Writer Those who weren’t satisfied with the mediocrity of the Twilight saga will surely find their fix in this year’s first zombie apocalypse movie, “Warm Bodies.”

Directed by Jonathan Levine, “Warm Bodies” tells a Romeo and Juliet-esque love story between a young girl, Juliet (Teresa Palmer) and a recently zombified teen, R (Nicholas Hoult). The unlikely couple bonds when R imprisons Juliet in the airport where the zombies congregate and shows her tenderness. From there, R and Juliet fight against the odds and find love in a world

without acceptance.

This charming rendition of the old boy meets girl love story slowly loses its edge of creativity.

The viewers are bombarded with mundane performances and shamelessly dull minded plot development. The lack of chemistry between R and Juliet makes the audience question why exactly the Juliet risks everything for the lifeless corpse.

To avoid bad press (or good press, depending on your entertainment preferences), “Warm Bodies” has tried to avoid the obvious connection that viewers draw between it and the “Twilight” saga. However, when Palmer’s performance is a near carbon copy of Kristen Stewart’s emotionless damsel in distress, lumping the two movies together

seems the logical next step.

Where this movie deserves credit is in its well devised and fitting soundtrack. Mixing pop hits, alternative grooves and vintage rock, the viewer experiences this coming of age love story maybe not through the movie itself, but through the tunes it incorporates.

Additionally, the vast panoramic sweeps of a desolate city ravaged by disease and warfare perfectly set the tone of death. Complemented by the campy soundtrack, the effects produce a warm but eerie feel that suits the story very well.

Hoult’s performance as the zombified young adult is funny and entertaining. His exasperated grunts when trying to express complex human emotion add a tone of humor to the story that helps to distract from the

otherwise insipid plot. And, while Palmer’s performance may have been atrocious and withheld, John Malkovich’s performance as the leader of the human resistance against the zombies is, as expected, well done and masterfully controlled. For the five minutes that Juliet’s former boyfriend, Perry (Dave Franco) is on screen, he gives a slightly above-average rendition of a boy blinded by love and controlled by expectation.

However, if this movie deserves any accolade, it might as well be 2013’s first nomination for the Razzie’s. Other than that, I see this movie slowly disappearing out of sight, and out of mind.

Then, maybe we can forget

about the attempt to assimilate the zombie apocalypse with Shakespearean poetry.

Jokes and criticisms aside, this movie is a bit charming, and it does provide the necessary “escape” that many seek in film.

“Warm Bodies” is a good movie to ease people off the Oscar-hype and back into the new year of movies.

Hopefully, this movie keeps your expectations low so that future releases are that much more entertaining. If “Warm Bodies” offers any foresight into the quality of 2013 from a cinematic perspective, though, my hope for the future of film will have less life than the stars of this film.

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Entertainment

Febuary 12, 2013

By: Rebecca Cohen Opinions Editor | Shilpa Vendiganla Senior W

Since there are only a limited number of spaces for nominations in each category for the Academy Awards, each year, movies, directors, screenplays, etc. are considered “snubbed” from the list, or left out when their spot is well deserved.

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow - It’s always a bit strange when a strong nomination for Best Picture doesn’t also grab a nomination for Best Director, but it has happened before. That said, Bigelow’s direction of “Zero Dark Thirty” is nothing short of miraculous, professional, and if not deserving of winning an Academy Award, certainly deserving of a nomination.

Best Director: Ben Affleck - ‘‘Argo’’ seems to be in the same boat as “Zero Dark Thirty” with a nomination for Best Picture and a nomination for Best Director. With a win for Best Picture at the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards and for best direction at the Golden Globes, it’s odd that Affleck hasn’t even received a nod for best direction.

Best Director: Quentin Tarantino - Perhaps the decision to leave Tarantino from this category stems from the incredible amounts of controversy that “Django Unchained” has inspired.

That said, for a movie that has garnered a nomination for Best Picture, and that won a nomination for Best Director in the Golden Globes, “Django Unchained” certainly deserves a nod for Best Director in the Academy Awards, especially when the job is as spectacular as Tarantino’s in “Django Unchained.”

Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio - Despite the fact that DiCaprio gets nominated for just about everything and wins almost nothing, he seems to have not even qualified for a best supporting actor nomination in his role as Calvin Candie in “Django Unchained.” Christoph Waltz got the nod, instead. However, DiCaprio received a nomination for the Golden Globes, so it’s a little strange that he’s been left out of the Oscar fun.

Amour: “Amour” is a French film written and directed by Michael Haneke, an Australian filmmaker. It tells the story of an elderly couple, Anne and Georges, played by Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant. Both are retired music teachers. One day, Anne has a stroke, and the couple’s love for each other is severely tested.

Anne’s surgery goes horribly wrong and she is partially paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. The film follows Georges as he tries to take care of Anne, who refuses to go back to the hospital.

“Amour” tells a heartbreaking and riveting story that will capture the full attention of any viewer.

Argo: “Argo” is a suspenseful thriller about a CIA agent’s unprecedented means of extracting a team of United States embassy workers from Iran. The movie stars Ben Affleck who plays Tony Mendez, a CIA service agent who is tasked with the seemingly impossible mission of safely transporting a group of captured embassy workers from a Canadian safehouse to the US. Instead of the tired methods of the past, Mendez attempts to rescue the captives by creating a fake movie as a facade for moving the citizens out of the foreign country.

Even though many may know the end of the story, as the movie is based on a true story, “Argo” is sure to have you on the edge of your seat, begging to know the eventual fate of the american embassy members.

Beasts of the Southern Wild: “Beasts of the Southern Wild” tells the story of a group of people living in a remote community called “The Bathtub” in an estuary beyond the levees on the Louisiana coast. Six year old Hushpuppy, played by Quvenzhane Wallis, lives with her father, Wink, but when her father’s deteriorating health coincides with the coming of a giant storm, Huspuppy’s world starts to spiral out of control. Director Behn Zetlin skillfully blends themes of harsh reality with magical realism in a way that shouldn’t work but results in a triumphant masterpiece of determination and independence. “Beasts of the Southern Wild” brilliantly captures the essence of family in a surreal world that one could only imagine living in.

While this is a night to recognize the film industry’s best, there are typically a few shoutouts to musicians throughout the evening.

Two of the nominees for the Best Original Song category will be performing. Norah Jones will be performing “Everybody Needs a Best Friend” from Seth McFarlane’s Django Unchained: In “Django Unchained,” a retired German dentist, Dr. King Ted. Adele will perform “Skyfall,” the song she wrote for Sam Mendes’s movie Schultz, played by Christopher Waltz, buys the freedom of the slave, Django (Jamie of the same title.

Foxx). Schultz trains Django in the art of bounty hunting, hoping to employ him as his Barbara Streisand will also take the stage, marking her first time singing deputy hunter. Django agrees to work for Schultz on the condition that he assists Django on the show in 36 years. in freeing his wife from the ruthless plantation owner, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Catherine Zeta-Jones will present a tribute to movie musicals.

In this absurdist creation by Quentin Tarantino, the tides are turned on the white plantation owners as they meet their fate at the hands of the unchained slave, Django.

Bradley Cooper - “Silver Linings Playbook”: In his role as Pat Solitano, recently released from a mental institution and diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Bradley Cooper effectively captures the audience’s heart, being a man whom they not only sympathize with, but root for. Cooper shows wide depth in the pace of his acting, as the film quickly moves from comedy to tragedy within minutes. As Solitano trains for a dance competition and begins to leave behind some of his struggles, his character becomes one the audience can’t help but wish only the best for, even though they are painfully aware of his shortcomings. This is perhaps Cooper’s best performance to date.

Daniel Day Lewis - “Lincoln”: As the most celebrated president in American history, Daniel Day-Lewis completely loses himself in this role. Known for his vigourous ‘method acting,’ Day-Lewis as Lincoln captures all of the nuance and mannerisms of the Civil War hero. Day-Lewis has said in interviews that his method acting extended even so far into texting his co-stars as Lincoln, and the dedication he gave to his role paid off. Beautifully portraying the complex ethical issues Lincoln had to face, at the helm of continuing or ending a way, passing a bill or letting it lie dormant until the next election, DayLewis deserves this nomination and all of the critical praise he has received. If he wins the award, he will be the first actor to ever win three awards in this category.

Les Mis: In Tom Hooper’s update of the 1980’s musical based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, the three hour long musical is brought to life on film. The story follows wrongfully incriminated Jean Valjean, played by Hugh Jackman, and his pursuit by the virtuous police officer Javert (Russell Crowe), beginning in 1815 and continuing into the French revolutionary period in 1832. Throughout Valjean’s life, he encounters a diverse cast of characters, from the seamstress turned prostitute Fantine, played

by Anne Hathaway, to the child he adopts as his own, Cosette (Amanda Seyfried). As they all try to navigate the tumultuous time, they encounter death. tragedy and eventually, redemption.

Life of Pi: Based on Yann Martel’s best-selling novel, “Life of Pi” tells the story of Pi

Hugh Jackman - “Les Mis”: Bringing to life the stage character of the virtuous Jean Valjean, Hugh Jackman plays his part in complete sincerity. The task of playing a lead in this film, as all actors live recorded while filming (as opposed to singing the tracks in a recording studio and laying them down on top of the footage), was certainly daunting, but Jackman was up to the challenge. His extensive experience as both a stage and film actor was undoubtedly helpful, and while his voice may quiver at the near death of his son-in-law, his performance never wavers.

Joaquin Phoenix - “The Master”: In his role as a veteran of World War II, Joaquin Phoenix plays the misguided Freddie Quell, who falls into a dangerous bout of alcoholism. His addiction, though, leads him to stow away on a party boat, of which one man, played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, is a passenger. This charismatic man introduces Freddie to The Cause, a quasi-religious movement that leads Freddie on the path of redemption to reconcile with his complicated past. Phoenix holds incredible control over his character, almost making the audience uncomfortable with his perpetual half grimace and continuously vulgar acts. The visceral attachment that the audience member creates with Phoenix while watching ‘The Master’ makes this movie shine among the rest as presenting one of the best performances of the year.

Denzel Washington - “Flight”: Playing the semi-heroic pilot Whip Whitaker, Denzel Washington once again shows us his prowess in acting. His emotional and moving performance gives him his sixth Academy Award nomination. Put through the stress of a National Transportation Safety Board investigation, he plays the role of a distressed alcoholic without flaw, expressing the enormity of his problem and its consequences. As usual, Washington plays an intricate role and brings out the subtle qualities of his character, placing him in the nominations for yet another Academy Award.

Febuary 12, 2013

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Entertainment

Writer | Zach Cohen Staff Writer | Stephen Cui Staff Writer

Patel (Suraj Sharma), the son of a zookeeper in India. His life is turned upside-down when his family decides to move to Canada, forcing him to leave India behind. After boarding a freighter with the zoo animals, a shipwreck occurs, and Pi finds himself stranded at sea on a lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. As he struggles to survive in his very dangerous surroundings, Pi shows the importance of hope and faith. However, the ending is not what it seems, as the movie forces viewers to choose: reality or faith?

Best Actor:

Nominees: Bradley Cooper - “Silver Linings Playbook,” Daniel Day Lewis - “Lincoln,” Hugh Jackman - “Les Mis,” Joaquin Phoenix - “The Master,” Denzel Washington - “Flight” Will win: Daniel Day Lewis - “Lincoln” Could win: Joaquin Phoenix - “The Master” Should win: Daniel Day Lewis - “Lincoln”

Lincoln: Set in the final days of the Civil War in 1865, “Lincoln” follows President Abraham Lincoln, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, as he tries to obtain passage through Congress for the Thirteenth In the past, the SAG Awards have generally been premonitions of the outcome of some of the categories Amendment, which would formally abolish slavery in the country. in the Oscars. In this case, it’s extremely likely that Daniel Day Lewis, coming off his win at the SAGs, Though Lincoln had passed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, will snatch the award for best actor here, too. His flawless portrayal of Honest Abe beats all of the other he was worried that the courts would strike it out once the war was over, performers in the category by a considerable amount. That said, Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of the and needed a concrete amendment to the constitution to prevent former misguided Freddie Quell stands out against the others as one of the most painfully gritty and thoughtslaves from being enslaved once again. As always is the case with politics, it provoking performances of the year. In the end, though, Day Lewis deserves the award due to his is challenging for Lincoln to get support for the amendment, and so the plot performance and professional command of his role. follows him in trying to rack up the votes to support the amendment. With strong performances from Sally Fields, playing Mary Lincoln, and Tommy Lee Jones, playing Republican party founder Francis Preston Blair, “Lincoln” is a story whose moral is still relevant today: compromise is a method for a Nominees: Jessica Chastain - “Zero Dark Thirty,” Jennifer Lawrence - “Silver brighter future.

Best Actress:

Linings Playbook,” Emmanuelle Riva - “Amour,” Quvenzhane Wallis - “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” Naomi Watts - “The Impossible” institution by his mother, Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) tries to re-acclimate Will win: Jennifer Lawrence - “Silver Linings Playbook” himself to a society that abandoned him following an intense expression of rage toward the man with whom his wife was having an affair. In his quest to maintain Could win: Emmanuelle Riva - “Amour” good fitness to impress the ex-wife he wants to win back, he runs into Tiffany Should win: Quvenzhane Wallis - “Beasts of the Southern Wild”

Silver Linings Playbook: After being released from a remote mental

(Jennifer Lawrence), a mysterious girl with a complicated past. The two team up to participate in a dance competition and create a strong bond in the process. “Silver Linings Playbook” tells an age-old story of love and friendship, weaving into it the difficuluties of reaclimatizing to society and the rigidity of peoples’ expectations.

This has been the year of “Silver Linings Playbook,” specifically one of the co-stars of the movie: Jennifer Lawrence. After claiming the Golden Globe’s award and the SAG Award for best actress, the next obvious step is for her to receive the highest accolade of her career, thus far. Lawrence’s portrayal of the insane but helplessly vulnerable Tiffany is nothing short of incredible, and it is an example of Lawrence’s versatility and prowess as an actress. However, few performances Zero Dark Thirty: After the devastation of 9/11, the CIA became entirely fixated on are as eerie and beautiful as Emmanuelle Riva’s in “Amour.” Her poise and elegance while the war on terror in the Middle East, and disabling the terrorist group, al-Qaeda. Following a maintaining the demeanour of a woman descending into madness is magnificent, and it is young but brilliant officer, Maya, played by Jessica Chastain, the movie dramatizes the search certainly deserving of acclaim. Quvenzhane Wallis’ portrayal of Hushpuppy in “Beasts and capture of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden. From commentary on torture methods used of the Southern Wild” is simply magical and speaks to the fact that age in no way in the early days of the conflict to the ethical dilemmas and tragic losses associated with the CIA correlates directly with ability. Wallis leads the cast of “Beasts of the Southern Wild” action, “Zero Dark Thirty” presents a compelling story about the nature of terrorism, the actions of with skill and makes it almost seem effortless to put on an Academy Award worthy a country and the place where humanity must exist in an ever changing ethical world. performance.

Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty: The ensemble of “Zero Dark Thirty” is one of the main reasons for its nomination as best picture; and, as the leader of the cast, Jessica Chastain, delivers one of the best performances of her career. As the CIA agent Maya, the hunger she holds for capturing bin Laden seeps through her skin, enveloping the audience in her quest to avenge those she’s lost in the Nominees:“Amour,”“Argo,”“BeastsoftheSouthern hunt for the infamous terrorist. Watching Maya develop from an innocent recruit to a bloodthirsty hunter to a Wild,” “Django Unchained,” “Les Mis,” “Life of Pi,” desperate risk taker is a journey that Chastain takes us on with incredible skill and finesse, making her craft seem “Lincoln,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Zero Dark Thirty.” almost effortless.

Will win: “Lincoln” Jennifer Lawrence - “Silver Linings Playbook”: It should be hard to find charm in a woman who is initially Could win: “Beasts of the Southern Wild” presented as unstable and abrasive, but by the end of the movie the audience has found an abundance of empathy Should win: “Zero Dark Thirty” for Jennifer Lawrence’s character, Tiffany, in “Silver Linings Playbook.” In this story of love and loss, Lawrence “Lincoln” seems like the obvious choice, having the biggest shines as a beacon of skill and eloquence, helping lead the cast in its impressive tour de force. Her expert handling edge of the best director category. Only three films in Oscars of the complex character that is Tiffany leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind that this nomination is well deserved. history have won best picture without winning best director.

Emmanuelle Riva - “Amour”: Giving a performance that is tragically beautiful and miraculously fantastic, That said, while “Lincoln” is considered most likely to win Emmanuelle Riva proves that with age, comes wisdom in her role as Anne, a retired musician who suffers a best director, Affleck’s “Argo” has been claiming the best devastating stroke. Because it is presented with such skill and accuracy, the eeriness as Anne sinks into delirium direction in the past award ceremonies (Golden Globes, SAG after her stroke is painful to watch.

Awards, Critic’s Choice and PGA’s), so it’s entirely possible Quvenzhane Wallis - “Beasts of the Southern Wild”: Quvenzhane Wallis’ performance in “Beasts of the for “Lincoln” could go down in history as the fourth film to Southern Wild” is nothing short of sensational. It’s not enough that she brings mature emotion and complexity to win best picture without winning best director. “Beasts of her character, but she does it at the young age of seven. Wallis is the youngest actress in the history of the Academy the Southern Wild” certainly has a chance of snatching the to be nominated for best actress, the supreme accolade for all Hollywood actresses. Her performance is not in any award considering its outlandish qualities, which generally way a relative measurement based on her age, but rather, her prowess surpasses the abilities of actors many years give any film an edge in the Academy. Originality is an her senior, making her nomination an obvious choice. admirable quality, and of all the nominees, “Beasts of the Naomi Watts - “The Impossible”: Playing the role of a injured and distressed mother in the middle of a natural Southern Wild” is by far the most original in terms of story disaster, Naomi Watts takes on the incredibly difficult and complex role of Maria Bennett. Set in Thailand during the and presentation. The competition for best picture, this December 26, 2004 tsunami, this story puts to the test the bonds between a family. Naomi rises to her role magnificently, year, is an extremely close race, which should see “Zero putting on a heartfelt and moving performance.

Dark Thirty” come out on top. Composed of action, suspense and overall incredible performances, ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ is the best combination of cohesive story and wonderful acting.

Best Picture:

Features

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February 12, 2013

New teachers join school at the start of second semester

By Arman Khayyat Staff Writer With the beginning of second semester, our school welcomed three new teachers. After teachers Susan Friedeberg, Robert Freeman and Kathy Chang took leaves of absence at the end of the first semester, the school opened up job offers for teachers to cover their classes.

Now, these new teachers are a part of our faculty and community.

Christopher Moylan After Friedeberg left, Christopher Moylan took over as an interim substitute for her Geometry and Algebra II classes.

Moylan, who studied at Princeton University and got his Ph.D from Stanford University in chemistry, taught for five years at Stanford, UC Santa Cruz and also briefly at San Jose State. While teaching,

Moylan worked at a company called Serious Energy, but left his job as a scientist after the company crashed.

Moylan received his substitute teaching credential and began teaching soon after. Moylan enjoys sharing his knowledge with students and getting them ready for college and their futures.

“For quite a while I have been thinking of going into teaching, and I already hold a substitute credential,” Moylan said. “I have been doing a lot of substitute work in a couple of districts. Then this district asked if I would be willing to do a long-term job.”

Since Friedeberg is taking the semester off, Moylan was chosen to cover as a long-term substitute.

“They needed a substitute who knew how to teach effectively math for that long,” Moylan said.

“Given my background in math, I would be able to effectively teach the students the subject matter over the entire semester.”

Moylan, like the other two teachers who joined midyear, was faced with some challenges and is still in the process of adjusting.

“As a substitute, I don’t have access to the web tools that teachers have, so I can’t enter my grades or post notes so students can see them online,” Moylan said.

“It’s a little hard on my students and a challenge for me not having the full resources of a teacher, and so far I have been keeping track of grades on my own.”

Moylan said that he has had a great time so far with our school, and really enjoys working with students and faculty. During his time outside of school, Moylan serves on the Sunnyvale City Council, where he has been working on local legislation

PHOTOS BY CHLOE ARROUYE

Christopher Moylan (left), Grace Ting (center) and Sarah Michelet (right) are three teachers who have entered the school midyear. These teachers replaced teachers Susan Friedeberg, Kathy Chang and Robert Freeman who left at the end of first semester.

‘Anything Goes’: A Look Backstage CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

By David Wu Staff Writer The combination of acting, dancing and singing that the musical requires has given students the chance to explore different forms of performing arts that they otherwise would not have been able to delve into.

“I think that because a lot of our students focus on one discipline specifically, [the musical] exposes them to [all three performing arts],” Moran said. “If they’re not taking a class in one those disciplines, they’re not going to get that. So this gives them an opportunity to broaden their artistic horizons.”

Regardless of background, experience or role, every student in the production has had to put forth an incredible amount of time and effort over the past month.

Since the end of the Holiday Break, students have been rehearsing six days a week. Rehearsal has gradually grown from three hours a day to six or seven hours.

During tech week (January 28 – February 6), students rehearsed seven hours or more every day.

“I’d say the pace that we have to go at [is the most difficult],” Sam said. “We do it in less than a month, so we just keep moving and putting things together really quickly.”

For some, rehearsals haven’t been limited to after school and on the weekends. Freshman Ryan Norton had a role that forced him to perfect and practice his part outside of his normal rehearsal times as well.

“I began to struggle with the dancing,” Ryan said. “I would have to get up around the start of zero period just to make sure

since 2005. During his free time, Moylan enjoys spending time with his wife and children. Moylan has also participated in community theater for many years, and hopes to get back to acting once he finds the free time.

“I hope when I get done with education classes and city council term I can go back to acting,” Moylan said. “I enjoy acting, that’s why I like [Assistant Principal Cristy Dawson] and her theater talents that we hear in the announcements every morning.”

Grace Ting Another new teacher we have this semester is Grace Ting, who teaches the Mandarin classes that were previously taught by Chang. Before coming to Los Altos, Ting taught Chinese at a bilingual elementary school for 10 years after getting her teaching credential at San Jose State.

Chang, who is a friend of Ting, informed her about the job at our school, since she would be leaving for second semester.

Since Ting already had experience teaching Mandarin, she decided to continue her teaching here.

“One thing I know about Los Altos is that it is a great teaching environment,” Ting said. “I really like to teach high school students, and enjoy the experience of learning a lot back from them.”

Ting has enjoyed her experience here thus far and appreciates the active learning environment.

Despite students coming in with different levels of fluency in Mandarin, she has adjusted the class to fit all her students.

“It is kind of a challenge because some students have a stronger foundation than others,” Ting said. “What I try to do is pair native speakers with beginner-level students so that they can collaborate and learn from each other.”

Ting found the transition to be manageable.

“So far everything has been great since I followed through from the previous teacher’s rubric and criteria,” Ting said.

“I don’t want to change so that the class stays consistent and students are not confused.”

Outside class, Ting enjoys spending time with her kids, taking them to parks and museums and hiking with her kids.

Ting hopes to continue teaching Mandarin and eventually teach different levels of Mandarin classes here at Los Altos. Her long-term goal as a teacher is for the school to have an AP Mandarin class for higher-level students.

Sarah Michelet Sarah Michelet is the third new teacher at the school this semester. Since Freeman left, Michelet now covers his former World Studies and Economics classes this semester.

Before working at the school, Michelet worked in customer service while finishing her teaching credential. She also taught at a Chinese Learning Center, teaching English to young students.

“After getting my credential I was really excited to start teaching,” Michelet said. “I had heard great things about the Los Altos High community, students and faculty, and felt that it would be a great place to teach.”

Michelet says she has really enjoyed her experience at the school thus far, and has been working to adjust to the new semester. Unlike the other teachers, her Economics class also started this new semester, so her students don’t have teacher changes, but rather a new class. However, this is not the same for Michelet’s World Studies class.

“Coming in the new semester is tough,” Michelet said. “You only have a few days to prepare and set up. Teaching the freshman World Studies class is different because it takes a while for the students to adjust to a new teacher, but for the Economics class it is a new start for all of us.”

Outside of teaching her classes, Michelet also takes a class at San Jose State focused on various forms of teaching methods. Despite having little free time, Michelet enjoys the teaching environment.

“With all the time here and the class at San Jose State, I spend a lot of time in the classroom,” Michelet said. “It takes a lot of time but I really enjoy teaching, and so it makes the experience much more interactive.”

Michelet hopes to teach at LAHS long-term, and expand her classes.

I had everything down and work privately with the teachers in charge of the show. It put tremendous pressure on me because I began to realize that everyone could be completely ready even without me.”

Despite the challenge of having hours of rehearsal and learning new disciplines, many students have found the production process to be a memorable and valuable experience. For many, the experience of bonding and meeting with new people has been the most enjoyable.

“It’s the first time that I have ever gone out for anything like acting and it’s really been such an amazing experience so far,” Ryan said.

“Everyone is just so fun to work with and be around. Practicing for the musical has been really interesting because when you’re working with a full production of very talented individuals, the magic of broadway sweeps you off your feet.”

Students put together the series of challenging dance numbers, unique instrumental arrangements and demanding song numbers on February 7, during the opening night of “Anything Goes” in the school’s Eagle Theatre.

“This is the momentous converging of the entire Performing Arts Department here at Los Altos,” Sam said. “All four departments are coming together and we put on something that is absolutely spectacular. We pour CIERA PASTUREL our hearts into it for a month, The cast of “Anything Goes” rehearses on stage in Eagle Theatre. Students and it’s a great experience.” had the opportunity to act, dance and sing in the school’s musical.

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Features

February 12, 2013

Debut members learn the fashion trade

By Casey Pao Senior Writer

Rustles and whispered voices are heard from backstage and suddenly, a foot steps out from the shadows. A slim body struts down the white walkway and cameras start to flash from all sides, casting an even brighter glow on the model. High school students stand behind one of these cameras, experiencing the fashion world up close. These students are members of Debut.

Debut President senior Janna Wang, alongside Vice President sophomore Michelle Deng, began Debut last year, establishing themselves as the first fashion club on campus. They welcomed anyone with a passion for anything related to fashion, whether it is photography, design or blogging. Throughout the year, their club has grown to accommodate a wide spectrum of students, each equipped with their own talents.

“We had a handful of friends and some ideas,” Janna said. “Debut is being created as we go along.”

Debut differs from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) club mainly in its formation. While FIDM club gains support from the institute to promote related activities, Debut started out from scratch. They had to learn how to reach out to strangers for opportunities and events through email and telephone, creating networks from past connections to find new ones.

“We thought that having a fashion club organization seemed more credible and... we could prove that we are more than just another high schooler interested in fashion or arts,” Janna said.

Because they started out with little, members needed

to the fact that members have to work around their schedules as the club is an extracurricular.

That isn’t to say members haven’t been busy with Debut; members have been experiencing the ways of the fashion world alongside experienced artists and boutiques. They’ve taken part in events such as the Palo Alto Green Light Festival in which Janna and senior Megan Feroglia entered a documentary titled “Redefining Wires” and just recently decided to pair up with the Green Team to work on a new project.

“I want to encourage underclassmen students to... continue to work with the great people in Green Team later this year, focusing on an innovative, ‘greener’ fashion,” Janna said.

Another current event opened new doors into the industry for Debut. Apricot Lane, a clothing boutique in downtown Los Altos, offered members an opportunity to participate in a contest to create outfits for the mannequins placed in the windows. Senior Jennifer Helguera and sophomore Elise Hu joined Janna and Michelle to take part in the contest.

“It was the first year Apricot Lane held something like this [so] a lot of the logistics were figured out as we went along,” Janna said.

Although a club at Gunn High School initially planned on participating alongside Debut, they were ultimately disqualified, so the four members needed to change their original concepts to suit the extra window that they were given. It was already a tough enuogh task to translate their ideas from paper to reality for the first time without having to alter their original plans.

However, they managed to continue the contest once everything was settled and the students had their plans to

“ CIERA

PASTUREL

Senior Janna Wang (top) and sophomore Elise Hu (right) stand with the outfits they designed for Apricot Lane Boutique. Debut members worked independently to dress mannequins over the span of four weeks. to fundraise in order to gain funds. They staffed booths at the Holiday Faire and the Valentine’s Day Faire, selling small items like heart-shaped sushi. Michelle said it ended up being a great bonding time between the members.

“At the same time, having no outside guidance allows Debut to go along with member interests,” Michelle said. “We... like to go with the flow.”

The members try to stay as active as they can throughout the school year by participating in any event they can afford. There isn’t a set goal for each school year due

work off of. Eight windows were decorated in total over the span of four weeks, with each team of two members in charge of a window each week. The members still worked independently to design and dress their mannequins in outfits they thought the consumers would be able to imagine themselves in.

“It was really rewarding when I saw this woman walk into the boutique asking for the reddish black sweater on the mannequin,” Elise said.

In addition to testing different outfits on the mannequins every

GRAPHIC BY REBECCA DESHETLER PHOTOS BY CIERA PASTUREL AND COURTESY JANNA WANG

Sophomore Kristen Liu (top) modeled the winning outfit designed by sophomore Elise Hu (right) during the Apricot Lane design contest. Both Kristen and Elise are part of Debut, the fashion club that senior Janna Wang (center) started last year. week to see what looked best, Apricot Lane and Debut hosted photoshoots with a live model, often a friend or students from the school. Apricot Lane updated their Facebook page throughout the contest with the contest news.

When the contest ended, Debut members not only successfully pulled off their first window design event but received multiple opportunities to further explore the fashion industry. Elise emerged as the winner of the four members and the Los Altos Town Crier featured her win and experience with the contest. Michelle was offered a photography internship by the local boutique when her photographs caught the attention of the owner.

Due to their participation at the contest, Debut members had the chance to accompany the representatives of Apricot Lane to the San Francisco leg of the Contemporary Association of Los Angeles (CALA) Apparel Trade Show on February 4.

Clothing vendors presented their new clothing and accessories at the trade show to several boutique businesses, who will then select clothing for the seasons to come.

“I think that it [is] a great experience to see what companies look for when selecting next season’s clothing and also get a peek into fashion marketing,” Elise said.

Trade shows, like the CALA Apparel Trade Show, remain closed to the public. Only company representatives and members of the press are allowed in. As the Debut members the few high school students who attended, they were able to

offer their opinions on pieces produced by design companies and businesses from a consumer point of view, and they will be able to help Apricot Lane choose their upcoming line.

“It is an extremely fortunate opportunity for us to have this insight into professional fashion industry,” Janna said. “For the average consumer, the buying process is not very easily explored.”

Even though this year has turned out extremely well for Debut, one of their biggest events has yet to be undertaken. Debut will be hosting a fashion show of their own creations later on in the year. Neither the venue nor the exact date for the show has been confirmed yet, but Janna hopes that it will be in the next few months. The show will be in collaboration with the outfits that the members make themselves and possibly clothing sponsored

by Apricot Lane.

“There are two teams... each has a different theme and in those teams, every person is to design one to two pieces or outfits,”

Debut member junior Amanda Choy said. “We are planning on actually making those outfits and once they come to life, we can have members model them.”

Although nothing can be certain in the future, Janna still hopes the next year will be even better. But as it is her senior year, Janna will no longer be the leading force behind the club and remains conflicted about the club’s future.

“While I do think it is a great accomplishment, I feel vulnerable when thinking of the future of the club,” Janna said.

But Debut members stay optimistic as the year goes on and maintain that Janna has done an exceptional job getting Debut up and off to a running start. With true passion for fashion, the students work together as a team to pursue their interests.

“It’s as if we individually play an important role in a fashion editorial team for a magazine like ‘Vogue Italia,’ except we’re just high schoolers with wild dreams and inspirations,” Amanda said.

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Features

February 12, 2013

Junior interns at local hospital’s morgue Junior Sarah Jacobs (below) does more than the average student volunteering at a neighborhood hospital; she has the special opportunity to conduct autopsies at a local morgue, located on the hospital’s fourth floor. Sarah received this unique internship the summer after her freshman year, and has worked 40 hours a week during the summer and 4 hours a week during the school year ever since.

After taking Biology Honors her freshman year, Sarah was interested in pursuing a career in science. In particular, she hoped to gain work experience through an internship at a hospital.

However, Sarah knew she wanted to do much more than the average

REBECCA DESHETLER

high school volunteer.

“A lot of the [volunteer] jobs are like giving out cookies, or taking them from place to place,” Sarah said. “They are all important jobs but I really wanted to do something more interactive. And obviously because of liability you can’t have any live patient interaction.”

Sarah’s job is similar to a pathology technician, which means she has the responsibility of helping with autopsy procedures while supervised. Although some of her work includes filling out paperwork and sterilizing instruments and surfaces, Sarah also has the opportunity to work on the open body.

“We don’t actually do the dissection of the individual organs, but we remove them [to] find out what caused them to die,” Sarah said. “When we do an autopsy, it will not be due to criminal involvement— those cases go to a coroner. We will get a lot of cases when we are not sure what went wrong... These people now have passed, so if the doctors can glean anything to help people who are alive right now, I think that’s awesome.”

The process of removing organs requires the use of a variety of different instruments.

In order to extract these organs, Sarah and her partners open up the body by cutting up the first barrier: the skin.

“We remove all the internal organs from the chest cavity, the brain as well,” Sarah said. “To get out your heart and lungs, we have to take out the rib cage. So we use a bone saw. First you remove all the tissue from the rib bones and then use the bone saw to cut the bones out.”

As an intern in a necropsy program, a program which focuses on the analyzation

of the dead body, Sarah was at first uneasy adjusted to the initial shock of conducting about her work. The whole process was an autopsy. This came with experience very much foreign to her, and terrified her and the long hours devoted in the morgue overseeing these dead bodies. As a result of during her first operation.

“The first time I did an autopsy, I still sacrificing much of her time in the hospital, thought of the body as a human being she has had several memorable experiences, which frightened me,” Sarah said. “It was including accidents in the laboratory.

Along with making many close friends the process of understanding that the other person is dead. Autopsies are meant with her co-workers, she has also learned much about the career to give a sense of she dreams of pursuing closure and so in the future. for me I was like, The first time I did an “I don’t believe I want ‘They have passed autopsy, I still thought to be a pathologist,” and now we are of the body as a human being, Sarah said. “After letting them give a which frightened me. It was working in a hospital gift to the scientific the process of understanding for almost 700 hours, community to help that the other person is dead.

I want to work in a people that are Autopsies are meant to give hospital. I love the alive.’” feeling [and] the Initially, Sarah a sense of closure... They atmosphere...

I really hadn’t ever seen have passed and now we are enjoy the procedures, a dead body; her letting them give a gift to the so I think that I want grandfather who scientific community to help to be a surgeon. The passed away a year people that are alive. biggest thing I have ago had a closedtaken away from this casket ceremony.

- JUNIOR SARAH JACOBS experience is probably Since she lacked coping with death and this exposure, learning so much. I now know so it was an obstacle for her to become accustomed to working with and much about gross anatomy.”

However, Sarah doesn’t want to be operating on the corpses.

“Death kind of freaks you out a little bit, known just as the girl affliated with death, just as a concept,” Sarah said. “When you but instead the student with a strong work with dead bodies for 40 hours a week, passion for science.

“I’ve told people about my job before,” you kind of learn ... that there’s a difference between a body and a person. And so that Sarah said. “And some people respond realization didn’t really come to me [until by saying, ‘Oh my gosh, you must love I started interning]. But whatever you dead people.’ But that’s not the case. believe happens when you die, I can tell I respect the dead and I find my job fascinating. I have a scientific love for you the person is no longer there.”

Over the past two years Sarah has pathology, not a morbid one.”

“

“

By Jared Eng Copy/Content Editor

Student travels to Vietnam to do research for her new club

By Emily Sims Business Manager

Imagine traveling to a completely foreign country to help strangers, all on your own. While most kids join clubs at the school, most club activities happen during school hours. However, for junior Michelle Albright, her club became an intense reality. Over Holiday Break, Michelle traveled to the other side of the world to gather research for her club.

Michelle recently started a club at the school called A Step in the Right Direction. The club is focused on giving monetary support to a group of mostly local podiatrists (from San Francisco, Chicago and Israel). The podiatrists have been taking trips to Vietnam for the last 14 years helping people who are unable to afford fixing their foot problems. The podiatrists choose to work in Vietnam because of the high need for surgeries. Local Vietnamese doctors are not able to perform certain surgeries while the podiatrists are able to operate and teach the local doctors better techniques. The club supports the International Extremity Project, which helps people of all ages with their foot problems, but focuses mainly on helping children.

Michelle was inspired by her dad, who is friends with the podiatrists and has already participated in multiple fundraising events for the cause. Since Los Altos is so far away from Vietnam, it is hard for Michelle and her club to do much for the cause besides fundraising. Therefore, this Holiday Break, Michelle had the opportunity to go with her dad to Vietnam and participate hands on with the project, while researching for her club back here in Los Altos.

“We flew from San Francisco to Taiwan... then we flew from Taiwan to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, which took three hours, and then we drove from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho which took like four-and-a-half to five hours,” Michelle said. “So it was a solid 24 hours of travel.”

On her first day in Can Tho, Vietnam, Michelle and the rest of her group went into a hospital at around eight in the morning to begin the screening process of the patients; people with severe foot problems. Michelle participated by taking pictures of the patients, taking videos of how they walked and inputting information into the computers while the doctors examined the patients’ feet.

“We had the doctors look at them to decide whether they should have surgery, rehab, if they need to go see a child therapist or if we just couldn’t do anything,” Michelle said.

Overall, the group screened 86 patients in 2 days and signed 34 of them up for surgery. Michelle was able to see how successful the project was, after seeing the improvement of patients over two years.

COURTESY MICHELLE ALBRIGHT

Junior Michelle Albright (right) traveled to Vietnam during Holiday Break to do research for her club, A Step in the Right Direction. Before her trip, Michelle established the club, which mainly helps children with foot problems.

“There was one person in particular who came in last time,” Michelle said. “He couldn’t even walk; his parents had to carry him in. They didn’t think that they could do much but they put him in surgery, just to see if they could fix something. [After the surgery] he came in walking all by himself. The doctor started crying... it was great to see.”

Although Michelle did not partake in the actual procedures, she observed them from the inside of the operating room.

“The first day was probably the hardest because it’s such a big thing to experience for the first time,” Michelle said.

“Just cause seeming them prepping for surgery got me a little nauseated. But on the second day when we did more surgeries it was a bit easier on my stomach.”

After her trip to Vietnam, Michelle plans on continuing to help the cause by using her experiences from her trip to inspire others and raise awareness. Although her club

started after club day, the club now has around 10 people that are focused on the goal and are planning on getting more involved.

“I think we’re just going to focus on fundraising right now,” Michelle said. “That’s a big part of what we can do, because you know we don’t have the experience to actually help with the procedures or since it’s such a foreign country that’s hard to get to, it’d be hard to get kids to go there, at least in the early stages of this club.”

Michelle’s trip to Vietnam was an eye-opening experience that has given her a new perspective on her everyday life.

“It was just a really humbling experience to know that you don’t have a lot of problems,” Michelle said.

“When you think of the people there who are taking life as it is. They can’t walk but they’re still smiling after everything.”

February 12, 2013

LGBTQ

by Alex Cortinas, Staff Writer | Ariel Machell, Staff Writer | Brenna Reid, Entertainment Editor | Maya Acharya, Staff Writer | Zach Cohen, Staff Writer | Zoe Morgan, News Editor

Coming out & Homophobia He came out during a school assembly, and then later that day to his parents. While the entire process went rather smoothly, there are difficulties with expressing a sexual orientation not prevalent in society.

This student, who wishes to remain anonymous, identifies as gay. While he has never been physically bullied, he is still frustrated with how prevalent homophobia can be in society today.

“There've been times when people have talked behind my back, saying how they're like scared of me ... but I’ve never been confronted or actually been bullied by anyone,” he said. “I've been called a ‘faggot’ and stuff, on the street.”

This student views homophobia as an ungrounded fear that makes incorrect assumptions about the characteristics of

people who identify as LGBTQ. “I think people have this tacit fear that a gay person of their same gender will automatically be attracted to them just because they're gay,” he said. “And it's ridiculous. If a guy was straight and a girl was straight that doesn't mean they're going to be attracted to you. That's an expectation that everyone seems to have no matter how accepting they are.”

In addition, senior Dennis Saenz, who identifies as bisexual, believes that using LGBTQ terms as insults associates them with an unfair, negative connotation.

This, in turn, can help to propagate other prejudices and stereotypes against the LGBTQ community.

“I think it’s appropriate to use LGBTQ terms when describing yourself or when

THE RIDDLE SCALE The Riddle scale, depicted below, is a psychometric scale that measures the degrees to which an individual is or is not homophobic.

POSITIVE

1 NURTURANCE

2 APPRECIATION These people value the diversity of being LGBTQ as a valid part of society and are willing to combat homophobia in others.

Those identifying as LGBTQ are indispensable in our society and should be viewed with genuine affection and delight.

These people are willing to be advocates and allies.

3 ADMIRATION

4

SUPPORT Individuals at this level are aware of homophobia and the irrational unfairness, but may be uncomfortable themselves.

People acknowledge that being lesbian/gay in our society takes strength and are willing to examine their own homophobic attitudes.

NEGATIVE

5 ACCEPTANCE

This implies there is something to accept, such that one needs to make accomodations for another’s differences. For example, “That’s fine with me as long as you don’t flaunt it!”

7

10

In-Depth

PITY

Heterosexuality is considered more mature and preferred. The idea of becoming or being straight is favored and this “normal behavior” should be reinforced.

6

Lesbian. Gay. Bisexual. Transgender. There are many identities encompassed in the LGBTQ spectrum, and those identifying as LGBTQ can have differing definitions of what each one truly means. While there has been progress toward sexual and gender equality, problems still exist for those who identify outside of typical heterosexual, male-female gender system.

Now, with new legislation relating to LGBTQ rights and the Supreme Court debating on Proposition 8, the several upcoming months could be either a giant step forward or back in this struggle. So, what does it mean to be a part of the LGBTQ community at this time? identifying yourself as LGBTQ,” Dennis said. “But when such terms are used to diminish something or someone, that’s not appropriate. Gay does not act as a substitute for ‘stupid’ or any other derogatory words.

Gay is simply not a derogatory term.”

Aaron Schneider, a sophomore at Woodside High School, identifies as gay.

He considers himself lucky for not having faced anything near the horror stories of gay teen bullying nationwide; however, his steps towards to gender equality have been arduous.

“Before I came out people would constantly bother and sometimes bully me because they thought I was gay,” Aaron said.

Aaron believes that having a supportive adult who has gone through the same struggles as him can help.

“One of my favorite middle school teachers showed me that it was possible to have a happy life as an openly gay person,” Aaron said.

In addition to supporting LGBTQ youth, it is also important to educate students about homophobic tendencies or actions. When PE teacher Kiernan Raffo hears students using LGBTQ terms in inappropriate ways, she attempts to shed some light on students’ actions.

“If I hear my students say it, then I call them out on it every time,” Raffo said. “I make them aware. Sometimes, I’ll hear it used more than once and I’m like ‘Wow, clearly you feel strongly that you don’t like this population of people.’ I get sarcastic with them … and it kind of zooms into perspective for them … so I can prove to them, you know, there’s really no difference.”

Yet even with this support, the process of coming out for Aaron,

while not harmful, was still challenging.

“I decided to tell my parents before I became open about it, and that didn't go as well,” Aaron said. “They said they ‘accepted me’ and maybe they did but they just seemed surprised and didn't know how to picture their own son being gay. There was a lot of tension and unspoken thoughts for about six months.”

While there has been some progress toward social equality, their issue is still far from being resolved. In practice, the divisions caused by gender and sexual discrimination are still present in local high schools.

“I don't find my school to be overall accepting,” Aaron said. “I never have problems with people giving me trouble but I can sense that some people become uncomfortable. Like at most schools I would assume that a guy calling another guy ‘gay’ is still an insult, I hear it at least ten times a day, never directed at me, but still as if being gay is a horrible thing.”

The Gender Binary Often a textbook description of what it means to be a part of the LGBTQ community does not suffice. While terms such as bisexual and queer may have specific definitions in some minds, identifying as LGBTQ can mean something different to each individual.

Sophomore Sasha Sobol, identifies as genderqueer.

“Basically, it means that I identify outside of the gender binary,” Sasha said.

The gender binary is the idea that there are two genders: male and female. As a result, identifying as genderqueer is often

Did you know that each color on the rainbow associated with a different quality? From re representing life to indigo meaning spirit, this ic symbol not only represents the LGBTQ movem across the globe, but also the flag’s origin: Cali While there have arguably been some steps b and others forward in the LGBTQ movement, nation continues to keep its eye on the Bay Are California as a pivotal area for the LGBTQ move Here’s why.

TOLERANCE

Homosexuality is seen as a adolescent developmental phase that many go through and most grow out of. Thus, people identifying with these groups are considered less mature and should be treated differently.

8

REPULSION

Homosexuality is seen as a crime against nature and anything is justified to change them, such as hospitalization or behavior therapy.

1971 - The first Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco is held. This event has been described as “the largest gathering of LGBTQ people and their allies in the nation”

1972 one State rights

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February 12, 2013

In-Depth

defined as something slightly different by each individual.

“The thick of it is, I don't have a concrete connection to my own gender,” sophomore Annie said. “I am more concerned with how people view me and I would much rather be called a boy than a girl, officially, but all my life I've felt gender was simply not something on my mind. My subconscious never thought of me as a boy or girl, but rather 'it,' 'me,' or 'them.’”

The use of gender-neutral pronouns is common among those who identify as genderqueer, meaning that they prefer to be referred to with words such as “they” or “ze” instead of “he” or “she.” However, Sasha believes the concept of gender binary is a big influence in preventing students from using these types of pronouns. “[The school] is definitely not unsafe,

but the whole idea of there being two and only two genders is very much developed here,” Sasha said.

Annie, along with other individuals who identify as genderqueer, often find that they have a hard time fitting themselves into a ‘female’ or ‘male’ category. Annie started to realize that she might not fit into one of the two strictly defined genders when she was 13.

“I just thought being masculine was something girls dealt with and eventually got over, really. Or they became ‘dykes,’” Annie said. “I didn't know that large groups of non-binary genders and trans* people existed, or that there was even a word for it.”

Just like Annie, college sophomore West has had similar experiences with being genderqueer.

“I think one reason [being genderqueer] never crossed my mind is because while I never really fit in as a girl, I also didn't fit into ‘boy,’” college sophomore West said. “I didn't have any other vocabulary for gender, or knowledge about gender. I didn't know that gender was so malleable, or that trans* was such a wide umbrella.”

Both West and Annie have experimented with how they present themselves to reflect their gender identity.

“My expression tends to the masculine or androgynous side,” West said.

“However I've been embracing my feminine side as well, and discovering that I can be both at the same time, and that I can paint my nails or wear lipstick and still not be a girl. When I first started being about being non-binary I presented very masculine because I felt that people

would not take my gender seriously if I still looked feminine.”

However, Sasha is not dissatisfied with people’s adherence to the gender binary.

“Obviously, they’re not used to it,” Sasha said. “It’s not something that people really know what to do with.

It’s something that most people don’t know about.”

Not recognizing or understandning about this gender binary system ultimately contributes to making it difficult to identify outside of the genderbinary system.

“When I move through public spaces I have to be one or the other,” West said.

“It's hard to … constantly wonder what gender people are attributing to you, or to get misgendered by well-meaning people with a ‘Have a good day ma'am.’”

What is next for LGBTQ rights advocates?

Gay Marriage

Defense of marriage Act

Currently, only nine states have legalized marriage between same sex couples. The Supreme Court will be hearing a case dealing with California’s gay marriage legislation during their current session. They will begin hearing arguments March 26.

In 2008, California passed Proposition 8 which outlawed gay marriage; however, this has since been overturned by the courts.

The Supreme Court now has the power to decide the fate of gay marriage and there are many possible outcomes. The court could potentially find in favor of Proposition 8, leaving the door open to more anti-same sex marriage legislation.

On the flip side, the court could find the law is unconstitutional, which would have the potential to set precedent for the overturn of other anti-same sex marriage laws.

While more of the general public now supports the right of the LGBTQ community to marry, what the courts decide is equally important.

However, beyond simply dealing with the issue of gay marriage on a state-bystate level, the Supreme Court is also hearing a case on section 3 of the Defence of Marriage Act (DOMA).

“For me though I think the most important thing is that section 3 of DOMA has to be found to be unconstitutional,” local gay rights activist Kathy Levinson said.

This section of the law makes it so that gay couples, despite being married legally in their states, still aren’t given the federal benefits afforded to heterosexual spouses.

With section 3 on the books, gay couples would not receive many of the tax benefits that straight couples do. For the purposes of the federal government, the couple is considered effectively unmarried.

In the case that the Supreme Court is hearing, an elderly woman was charged in excess of $300,000 in taxes on the estate of her late wife. These taxes

flag is ed conic ment ifornia. back , the ea and ement.

2 - San Francisco becomes of the first cities in the United es to pass a homosexual s ordinance

would not have been incurred if the estate had been transfered to a spouse, but in the eyes of the federal tax system, they were unmarried.

Along with state-by-state gay marriage laws, repealing DOMA has become a priority for many gay rights activists, because many of the benefits married couples receive are dealt with at a federal level.

Anti-Discrimination Legislation However, even if married couples were afforded the same legal rights, there is still the issue of the way people identifyin as LGBTQ are treated in society. Many gay rights activists, including Levinson, are making the passage of antidiscrimination legislation a priority.

“We’ve seen the elimination of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, so that’s the largest employer in the United States but I would say many of those gains are mitigated by the absence of federal regulation,” Levinson said. “So, for example, in 29 states it’s still legal to fire somebody for

being gay.”

Additionally, in 35 states gay people can be denied housing on the basis of their sexuality. This lack of anti-discrimination legislation can cause widespread problems for those identifying as LGBTQ. While in California, these issues are not as prevalent as in other states, this is still a strong focus point for LGBTQ activists.

In an effort to combat this discrimination, many want to pass a Federal Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA), which would ensure that gay workers are treated equally. This legislation has been considered since the 1990s, when DOMA was originally passed, but ENDA has never garnered enough support for passage.

Along the same lines, Levinson, along with many others, is working toward increased anti-bullying legislation. In many cases, students who are bullied because of their sexual orientation are traumatized by the experience. Offering stronger criminal penalties for bullying is seen as a way to disincentivize the behavior.

Last names have been ommitted in some instances to protect annonymity or at the student’s request.

2004 - San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom issues the first same-sex marriage certificates in the United States

2010 - Perry v. Schwarzenegger case in Federal District Court, Proposition 8 is repealed by United States District Chief Judge Vaughn Walker 2008 - Proposition 8 bans same-sex marriage in California with 52.24% yes votes against 47.76% no votes

Data compiled by Alex Cortinas from Public Broadcasting Service, Time Magazine, www.infoplease.com, Wikipedia, Gallup Polls and the 2010 Census data on people identifying as LGBT

1977 - Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to hold public office in the United States

1978 - In celebration of the Gay Freedom Day Parade in San Francisco, Gilbert Baker designed the ionic rainbow flag that is frequently used to represent the LGBTQ community

Opinions

The Talon February 12, 2013

6

Students should use librarian’s resources Anthony Bello Senior Writer

A man dressed inconspicuously plays his violin in a crowded Washington D.C. subway. More than 1000 people walk past him, failing to recognize the harmonic melody projected from his several million dollar violin. At the end of the day, the world famous violinist Joshua Bell collected $32 worth of unrecognized pity.

A man goes similarly unnoticed at our high school. His name is Gordon Jack, and he is quietly revolutionizing the functionality of the library. For the amount of work Jack is putting into the library, most students do not use the resources he provides.

The solution: Students must be aware of the library’s multipurpose potential, and should communicate what kind of help they want so Jack can adjust to their needs.

Jack’s mission for his work at LAHS is summed up in three words: Read, Research, and Create. Over the summer he redesigned the library website, helping students become familiar with the internet and finding sources that are actually credible, not Wikipedia, for example.

“I think too often people stereotype the library as being a place where you go to just find books,” Jack said. “And I think that’s true—that’s one of its missions, to connect readers with booksBut especially for a school library, we have to do much more than that, especially given how important information literacy is now, how more and more information that was traditionally held in a book

is now on the web.”

And the library website, full of book suggestions, credible databases, presentation tools and more, has proven to be helpful for students. Jack has presented to senior English classes around the school, teaching them how to use the various source to aggregate websites. Students are already increasing use, and teachers highly encourage the use of these resources for senior projects.

Yet though the Read and Research parts of the library have been successes, it has been hard for Jack to tailor the Create space to what students want, simply because he hasn’t received enough student input. With so many different opportunities, students can create anything they desire, but they first need to tell Jack exactly what that is.

“When we first created this ‘make space,’ and I had people come and put ideas for what they’d use this space for, they had ideas like test prep and study and sleep, but they weren’t really ideas like, ‘I’d like to learn how to use Photoshop,’” Jack said. “That would be a cool thing to offer as a tutorial.”

With technology becoming more ubiquitous each year, being savvy with media is becoming a necessity instead of an option, and knowing Photoshop skills and video-editing skills can be essential to creating a comprehensive presentation.

Previously working at Freestyle Academy, Jack’s first project for the Create section was the green screen, which, to his disappointment, did not attract as much student

Ciera pasturel

Gordon Jack demonstrates green screen technology designed to help students incorporate creativity. Students should help Jack select improvements for the library by submitting ideas. attention as he anticipated.

“I guess what I need to know from the students is, ‘What are the things that are not being taught that you want to learn?”’

Jack said. “If I had that list, then I could start to say, ‘Okay, let’s move in order from most popular to least popular.’”

Senior Jacqueline Liu sees the library as a place to socialize and hang out, rather than learn and

study. In her eyes, Jack needs to change the perception of library even more drastically.

“If he made it more of an environment for studying and learning, then I think more of the students who are interested in learning would come,” Jacqueline said.

It is difficult to change how students perceive the library, but the Create space has a lot

of potential to restructure the library’s functions. The Create space can be a place within the library that fosters a brand new skillset within the students— there just needs to be a little bit of student initiative for the library to reach its utmost potential, the same initiative that started the various groups and organizations on campus that make this school so vibrant.

SIS over Holiday Break: School must compromise Riyana Basu Staff Writer

SIS possesses a considerable amount of significance for the average high school student. Just logging in to the Aeries system can strike a nervous chord. So you would think that an SIS-free break would be great for everyone, right? Wrong. Over the weeks of finals and holiday break, the lack of SIS kept many students pacing by their computers, hoping everything was turned in and wondering how finals went.

“I personally did not like it because after having just taken finals, I just wanted to know my final grades,” junior Alec Aaron said. “I didn’t like the long, suspenseful wait from the first day of finals to the first day of school almost three weeks later.”

Finals, and the work turned in immediately before them, have the potential to make or break a student’s grade, thus making it a little bit harder for everyone to sit still during the holidays.

“Basically, knowing my grades after taking all those tests would have given me a better sense of closure to first semester than just waiting around for a couple of weeks,” junior Katherine Liu said.

Despite some stress from not knowing their semester grade, many enjoyed the break from wondering about their academic fate. Winter Break provided a welcome reprieve from the challenging school work week, giving students some much deserved down time.

“I thought shutting down over Holiday Break was good because it allowed me to take a break from the busy environment at

school,” sophomore Michelle Deng said. “For me, relaxing every once in a while is crucial for sustainable productivity. My favorite part of getting a break is sleeping, which is really relaxing. I refuse to do anything that requires a brain during break.”

Student reception to SIS’s closing is mixed: Many think it is wrong, but still others think it is exactly what students need. It may have initially seemed unfair to have the SIS shut down this year to block grades, but it is important to remember that students are not the only people affected by the Aeries system.

Teachers are usually subject to countless emails regarding test scores and rounding. Shutting down SIS takes away the student’s ability to see any updates, therefore taking away the subject of inquiry, and giving teachers their vacation, too.

“I don’t want 69 phone calls over break,” math teacher Carol Evans said. “I don’t want tons of emails. I want to be able to put in grades completely, and not just halfway before

rebecca deshetler

students see them. All the teachers’ grades should be put in before a student can see any of them.”

Despite the stress caused by the shutdown, closing SIS actually had the potential to provide advantages for all involved. However, it is not beneficial for students to have SIS closed the week of finals, preventing them from checking missing assignments and borderline grades as teachers enter in the final few scores.

“I can see that there would be a middle ground here,” social studies teacher Seth Donnelly said. “Toward the end of the semester there’s a lot of entry and recalibration where it might be helpful to have it closed for a brief period of time because when students log on there would be changing all the time. It’s like a moving target. But it seems like it was closed for a long time, so maybe we can make some adjustments.”

By creating a situation in which students do not wait from the first day of finals to the last day of break and teachers have ample time to grade, everyone is satisfied.

Students should be able to view grades the week of finals to check for missing or misentered work, but then a break for both faculty and student body is reasonable.

Opening SIS a few days earlier, without interfering with staff vacation, could help students see their grades once they’ve returned after break with enough time to fix any unprecedented problems. In order to cater to everyone’s needs, whether they be relaxation or closure, a compromise is definitely the best answer.

Opinions

February 12, 2013

7

Fight paranoia, focus on perfecting safety Dhruv Madhok Shiktij Dave Copy/Content Editors

When Principal Wynne Satterwhite’s voice came through the overhead speakers about the Code Blue emergency two weeks ago, one thought of panic flashed through students’ minds.

“I feared something like Newtown was happening again,” junior Alex Barreira said. “When I talked to other students about it, they said they felt the same way.”

After the recent, alarming shooting incidents across the nation (at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, Taft High School in California and a movie theater in Colorado), that feeling of momentary dread was certainly justifiable.

This fears reflect that students, for a single moment, recognized that Los Altos is not isolated from this sort of violence. Students should not recognize this for a single moment, however, and be conscious that Los Altos, because of its affluence, is not immune from from the events in Connecticut, Southern California and Colorado.

In fact, situations like this are taking place in the surrounding community. In December 2012, San Jose City College was shut down due to the threat of a potential gunman on the campus and Monta Vista High School was evacuated as a result of a potential bomb threat on campus. Both threats, ultimately determined to be hoaxes, fed off of the societal paranoia and the media’s sensationalistic depiction of shooting incidents.

“When there’s a major incident, it rises to people’s consciousness,” Assistant Principal Galen Rosenberg said.

The way to respond to these incidents is not by making LAHS a closed campus or by arming security guards at the campus. Such choices would only reinforce a sense of paranoia and fear at LAHS. “I don’t think it’s a good thing to reinforce a sense of fear and lack of safety, especially if it’s done because people are afraid,” Rosenberg said. “In our society, we need to address the sources of violence. But the sources of violence that are threatening the American people

aren’t the kinds of things that Los Altos High School will change by adding security cameras or life-guards or fencing the campus.”

There was an armed security guard at Columbine High School during the 1999 massacre which claimed the lives of 15 students and members of faculty. The presence of the guard didn’t serve as a deterrent for the crime to occur as the two students carried on with the crime that they had planned.

“The problem is if that there’s a person is going to do a terrible act like that and they’re armed, they’re going be able to do a certain amount of damage regardless,” Rosenberg said. “There might be a fortunate accident where a security guard is able to respond quickly enough, but I don’t think anyone wants to have a school where there’s an armed guard on campus.”

Instead, LAHS should continue to ensure that both staff and students have an appropriate understanding of the Code Red drill so that they can respond appropriately and efficiently should a shooter appear on campus.

“If there’s a good thing at all that comes out of these incidents, is that the staff and students are more willing to take it seriously,” Rosenberg said. “I always feel that when we do the drills here, we’re not just making Los Altos safer, we’re training all of us how to respond appropriately if we’re in a mall, a sporting event, or other kinds of circumstances where people can either respond appropriately or not.”

Additionally, emotionally distraught or concerned students should seek out the resources offered to them by the school. Many students are not aware of the two school psychologists, CHAC (Community Health

Awareness Council) counselors and therapists available on campus.

“We are very fortunate at LAHS to be a part of a community of caring and talented professionals,” school psychologist Madeline Ettin said. “Many students who are in need of support turn to a teacher, counselor or other trusted adult with whom they have established a close and trusting relationship.”

Provided that more students take the initiative, the school is seeking to bolster their program to assist more students in need of help.

“It is important for students to know that there are additional resources on campus that are available to everyone,” Ettin said.

“These include our CHAC counselors who are currently providing therapeutic support for approximately 75 students. There is also the Health Van which provides a wide range of services to student and additional therapeutic support provided by a therapist connected with El Camino hospital. In all instances, students can seek out support on their own and expect to be treated in a compassionate and professional manner.”

Through greater preparation in drills and consulting available resources to decrease emotional distress, both students and staff at LAHS will decrease the chance of an incident occuring and be more prepared should one occur.

Outside courses present options for students to consider Several years ago, the state of California authorized online physical education courses for students. This decision seemed destined to raise some eyebrows.

Is there a problem with the education system when the words physical and online appear in the same course title?

Taking more academic courses outside of high school can produce the same reaction, but students should not be so quick to dismiss this alternate avenue for education. Students should recognize that everyone’s academic experience is unique, and that taking a course outside of the school can have both benefits and consequences, depending on their situation— the experience is not completely one-sided. As with many decisions, there are negatives and positives that should be evaluated together. The fact that these drawbacks exist should not deter students from even considering the possibility.

To begin with, common services for those interested in online courses are Brigham Young University (BYU) or Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY), which is offered through Stanford University. In particular, many students elect to take health through BYU in order to finish the course quickly and open up more room in their schedules. Even though the health class at the high school could be equally as good as or better than the one taught through BYU, senior

Amanda Klein found the online when you’re taking courses version more accommodating online. Suddenly, you don’t have for her situation. anyone to ask questions about “I had to … finish taking the the homework or to discuss class because I was applying about the class with.”

Early Decision to the University The important takeaway for of Puget Sound, and if I got in my students is to not be initially first semester score report would discouraged with the idea of need to be sent in,” Amanda said. outside classes; as Stephen “I knew I had to work quickly … shows, there are positives In fact, I sat down and did the amongst negatives. In addition entire course the cost of in four hours not only one Saturday.

E P G Y The biggest advantage I could work at but other was freedom. It was very my own pace, programs self-directed; you chose which is fast, can be high what pace to go at and how and not have as well, yet to study. to worry about students completing any -Senior Stephen song s h o u l d ‘busy-work,’ still not let or homework, this aspect worksheets, discussions or make the decision. group work.”

“Another disadvantage for EPGY, on the other hand, is some people may be the cost,” commonly used to pursue more Stephen said. “Yes, these things academic credits online, such as do cost money … and for what the Trigonometry course Stephen it was, knowledge I could learn Song took there. online for free should not cost “The biggest advantage was hundreds of dollars, yet that’s freedom,” Stephen said. “It was the price to pay in order to get very self-directed; you chose my credits for my transcript.” what pace to go at and how On the other side of the to study. Because the main spectrum, schools such as course material was made up Saint Francis or the School of lectures, I could go back and for Independent Learners rewatch some things if I didn’t (SIL) provide students with understand them, and then [use] the opportunity to take classes Khan Academy or textbook for outside of LAHS while still whatever I didn’t understand maintaining a classroom afterwards.” environment. Similarly though, At the same time, this there are both benefits and freedom from the classroom drawbacks to pursuing these can be a hindrance. alternatives. Over her 8th “The biggest disadvantage was grade-freshman summer, … the self-direction that came senior Jacqueline Liu chose to with it,” Stephen said. “You lose take Geometry at Saint Francis. the classroom environment “The major drawback was

“

“

Ben Marimon In-Depth Editor

the quality of the course,” senior Jacqueline Liu said.

“Since most students in the class had flunked it the first time around, the material was made really easy. The teacher also didn’t have much control over things, and didn’t seem to be very knowledgeable.”

However, while this particular course may not have been of the same quality of the same one at the high school, Jacqueline believes there are still these long term benefits in this decision.

“After I started high school, I realized it was also useful to be ahead a year in math because it allowed me to take more classes, like Statistics and Multivariable Calculus, that I’m really interested in,” Jacqueline said.

Junior Matt Nero, who took Trigonometry/Math Analysis Honors at SIL, believes from his experience is not only possible to maintain this classroom environment, but possibly

enhance it as well.

“It was a nice change from the normal high school environment to be in a class of five rather than 25,” Matt said. “I think the course taught the material very well and very efficiently … I haven’t taken Calculus yet, but I feel like [the course] prepared me well.”

From preparation to course quality, when evaluating whether or not to take courses outside the high school, it is important to consider every variable. While hearing of positive or negative experiences from peers can be valuable, choices should not be based solely off these anecdotes–their situation may be different.

Students should take a careful evaluation of their own situation before making a decision. Above all though, it is important to undergo this evaluation process instead of rejecting the idea of taking classes outside the high school immediately.

8

Opinions

Sam-antics:

By Sam Lisbonne January 29 was the bloodiest day in Syria’s violent two-year old Civil War when it claimed the lives of 397 citizens.

Across Syria, clashes between rebels and government forces resulted in heavy casualties for both civilian and military populations. It is still unknown how many innocent children died—the news sources either couldn’t determine an exact figure or didn’t report it.

On December 14, Adam Lanza shot and killed 20 children and 6 adults in an abominable demonstration of violence, prompting national debate about gun control and school safety. Images from the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, as it came to be known, circulated for weeks as the aftermath was covered extensively, from funerals for the deceased to interviews of the survivors.

While comparisons between the two incidents are impossible to make, when taken together the events provide for evidence a subtle but definitive skew in the media’s coverage of deadly acts. When shootings occur in the United States, every medium is used to cover the

Finals: John Naumovski Staff Writer

Americans must keep domestic, international affairs in perspective

incident and its aftermath.

Newspapers, websites and television shows all provide their own perspective; in doing so the atrocity is exposed and opened for analysis. This system is effective because of sensationalism—no one could have avoided reading about the event or seeing images of the victims. When the Sandy Hook Elementary news first broke, the focus centered on controlling the situation and providing accurate—if limited—information about victims and the shooter. And while rumor filtering wasn’t perfect, the method succeeded in informing the public about the event in real time. As the weeks progressed, however, the focus quietly shifted to the significance of the event and its future ramifications. Laws were revisited, and questions arose regarding school safety and children’s security. In making this transition, the media connected emotion to what would otherwise feel like a distant, remote horror.

These connections establish the foundations for proactive action, as demonstrated by new gun control legislation proposed by various Congress representatives in the following weeks.

The coverage of international incidents differs greatly from incidents in the United States.

Often short articles—scarcely a body count and summary— are the only way of knowing what happened. These articles commonly go unnoticed,

Do

Now that the dust has cleared from the turbulent time we call finals week, it may be time to examine the utility of these dreaded exams. Students constantly assert that finals do not accurately reflect their knowledge, and more importantly, can have a significant impact on their futures.

“I feel that finals don’t always test your overall knowledge,” junior Konrad Niemic said. “You can be a really bright person but bomb a test.”

Or, vice versa. Certain academic subjects are more suited for finalstype examination than others. The proper construction of finals is also an issue that arises. However, as long as these factors are taken into consideration, final exams can be a assessment of an individual’s knowledge of a subject.

Some subjects are simply not as suited for ideal exams as others.

This is not something under our control, but it is due to the inherent nature of such subjects. Subjects such as math and science are clearly subjects in which a student’s knowledge can be objectively assessed by testing. For the most part, there is no gray area in these subjects, but instead there is a clear right and wrong.

“Some subjects are a little more straightforward,” English teacher Lindsey Regoli said. “In math, for example, you can give a test that covers how ever many units you’ve covered in

February 12, 2013

they

because the attention is drawn away from international incidents. This skew is perhaps most apparent in the absence of coverage regarding the Syrian Civil War. According to CNN News, since March of 2011, an estimated 60,000 militants and civilians have been killed. Every month almost 3,000 Syrians are killed. In other words, approximately 4.8 Sandy Hook shootings every day.

But what news is ever published about the conflict?

In the first weeks, as the rose bud of revolution opened toward full-fledged war, the New York Times published between three and five articles every day about the conflict.

Descriptions of strategies, leaders, factions and battlegrounds swarmed the media. As time progressed, however, the nation moved on. Between December 18 of 2012 and January 1 of 2012, when the conflict drastically escalated, not a single article was published by the New York T i m e s about

the war, even as military action increased across the nation.

The reasons for an absence of news are both varied and justified, but the most important reason is an overwhelming disconnection from what is seen by many as a distant, foreign war. Empathy for people across an ocean and in a situation radically different from our own is understandably difficult.

But, United States information sources should attach a similar emotional connection to international incidents. They must ask probing questions about the role of the United States in international affairs, or prompt vocal protest against tyrannical governments. In return, the

general public should make an effort to learn about the issues outside of our borders, and have consideration for what is happening on a global level.

Even we, as students, can be aware of these issues and follow them through these sources.

A dedicated United States can accomplish astonishing things. We are capable of more than we know—new gun control laws are proof of that.

If we as a national community focus equally on international and domestic incidents, we may be able to advocate for change as a way to silence the guns in Syria alongside those in the United States.

Parmis Taidy

really

test

knowledge?

score, history is generally not a subject that should be broken down into such objective terms, unless it is presented in its simplest form.

“Even though I give massive multiple choice tests as finals, I think that multiple choice tests are almost the lowest common denominator,” Social Studies teacher Pete Bjorklund said. “But they are a necessary evil because of standardized testing. I try to cover as much as I can in the final, and I can get at so many different facets, that it’s a decent, but not the best, evaluation of knowledge.”

The next question regards the appropriate construction of final exams: All multiple choice? Essay or written portions? All written?

Once again, this is entirely dependent on the subject. In order Parmis Taidy to accurately assess a over the year,” Regoli said. “But that’s student’s knowledge, a final exam must not necessarily encompassing all of be constructed in a comprehensive yet the themes and content that have balanced way, determined by the subject in question. For many subjects, a written been presented.”

Though history classes typically give portion is an invaluable assessment of a multiple choice examinations, history student’s knowledge.

“I like to give a writing component,” is inherently an interpretive subject– essentially a matter of perspective. Bjorklund said. “Any time you have And though it is important to have to take and synthesize information multiple choice components count and put it into writing shows toward a student’s grade or AP test understanding much better than a

a semester.”

However, more interpretive subjects such as history or English are substantially less clear-cut, with more subjectivity.

“On the one hand we’re evaluating their overall growth throughout the year, and at the same time we can use the final to evaluate how their writing has grown

multiple choice test.”

Students also share this same sentiment.

“I think finals should be more about how you apply the information instead of simply how well you can retain it,” junior Kimberlyn Tilley said.

Provided that finals are adequately structured and appropriate to the course subject, they can be an effective tool in assessing one’s knowledge.

Sometimes the amount of information required for success on a final is considered excessively demanding, but in reality, a final is meant to assess a student’s knowledge at the end of a term or course. As such, it is within the realm of reason to provide a comprehensive examination in order to truly assess what information a student has retained. In addition, the hallmark of true knowledge is to actually be able to work with it, to call it forth at a moment’s notice, and that is definitely similar to what is required from students throughout finals week.

Students constantly gripe about finals; that is a known fact. But if finals are put into the context of the future, do they still seem as unreasonable? In a way, finals test more than knowledge.

They transcend the capabilities of a typical exam. They are highly reflective of life–unyielding pressure, no second chances, split second decisions. Finals essentially test both the person and their knowledge. Life does too, so we might as well get used to the evil we know today as final examinations.

18

Sports

February 12, 2013

Boys volleyball prepares for its inaugural season at LAHS Carly Cohen Staff Writer

This semester brings with it a new team seeking to assert its presence in Eagles athletics: the varsity boys volleyball team. After persistent efforts by parents and students, the administration is joining other nearby schools in supporting a boys volleyball team in addition to a girls team. The Los Altos team will face up against

other teams such as Mountain View and Cupertino.

One of the final steps in getting the team at Los Altos was picking a coach. Leading the team will be coach Dave Radford. Radford has played volleyball along with a multitude of other sports since elementary school, and has been coaching various sports since 2001. Radford is hopeful that this year’s team will be just as successful as teams he has

previously coached.

“My expectations for the team this year are wide open,” Radford said. “This is our first year having a program so it is going to be fun to see what happens. I look forward to LAHS developing a culture of boys volleyball and seeing where it goes.”

To get the boys ready, team meetings and open gyms have been held for all interested players. Following these meetings,

all Eagle sporting events. They have already had an unprecedented effect on the boys basketball games.

“This year we're making a big effort to get more fans in the stands,” senior basketball captain and leader of Blue Crew Kieran Stolorz said.

“One way we want to increase fan presence and noise is with the Blue Crew.”

Blue Crew has helped increase fan attendance at the game and created a much more exciting atmosphere at “The Nest.” The Blue Crew started with a commercial promoting boys basketball and introducing many giveaways and benefits for students who attend the home games.

“Another new addition this year is a halftime giveaway,” Kieran said.

“At each home game we are giving away things like blue crew t-shirts, and coupons to local restaurants.

All things have made a noticeable difference in attendance.”

The increase in fans has had a huge impact. The Eagles have been in tight games as of late and the new exciting atmosphere helps to heighten the intensity. The long term goal is to increase attendance at all Eagle sporting events and hopefully create an atmosphere that resembles big time colleges and sports teams.

“We hope these half-time events can be an incentive for more people in the community to come and support us at our games,” Kieran said. “We know this will be a process but we hope that one day our home crowd can be something like the Cameron Crazies at Duke, and that our fans can actually have an impact on the game, giving us a true home court advantage.”

Boys basketball and Blue Crew rule over El Camino Chase Eller Staff Writer

Eagles basketball is soaring to new heights this year. With a new coach and mindset and younger players, the team has begun the season with a string of victories.

With a league record of 7-0, the Eagles are the front runners for the SCVAL El Camino Division Title. This year, the team has found success, not only in their performance alone but also with the creation of the Blue Crew to bolster student support.

The Blue Crew was started this year as an improved version of the Sixth Man Club. Coach Bob McFarlane of the boys basketball team wanted to create this club to help create more attendance for not only basketball games, but for

Chloe Arrouye

Forward junior Steven Garverick (above) stares down his competition before taking a free throw. He and his teammates are riding a seven-game league win streak as of print time, with the Blue Crew (below) rowdily cheering them on along the way.

courtesy Glenda Vargas

tryouts were held the weeks of January 28 and February 4.

Tryouts, which began with basic conditioning and progressed to more core volleyball skills, lasted over a period of two weeks. This allowed winter sports athletes to still tryout and participate in this new team.

“The boys are gelling [well] and improving as every tryout and practice goes on,” Radford said. “I look forward to when the team is officially established and we can hit the court hard developing an advanced offense, an impressive scrappy defense and the desire to compete and win against our opponents.”

Although the team has not yet had much practice together, it is preparing for its first match on February 26 against Lynbrook.

Following several more away matches, the boys are hoping

A few Remarks

By Mark Schreiber Now that the Super Bowl is over, Bay Area sports fans can wake up from their daydream and face the pressing realities of our time. The Jim Harbaugh, Colin Kaepernick saga was compelling, but it’s time to let it go. The euphoric haze has faded and now we Bay Area residents must face the facts. In case you may have missed it, American sports are growing more and more indefensible as we speak.

Let’s recap what we missed.

A performance-enhancing drug scandal implicating a number of baseball stars, the sudden jump in searches on Google for “deer antler spray,” and a Lance Armstrong confession to Oprah that comes after 16 years of lying.

All are seemingly unrelated. All, however, reveal the saddening defects in the structure of American sports.

Another set of steroid allegations, ones that bring back memories of BALCO and Barry Bonds, has once again shaken the morals of baseball to the core.

The biggest name on the list, Alex Rodriguez, the once-apologetic “former steroid user,” has been linked to an illegal anti-aging clinic in South Florida that was notorious for supplying clients with performance-enhancing drugs. Obviously Major League Baseball, despite its efforts to expand its drug testing program, cannot keep up with the chemicals that are shaping the shadowy side of America’s pastime.

The culture of American sports is to blame. Nowadays, the money and fame of professional athletics is enough to make people feel the need to pursue all avenues and take whatever pill they feel will keep them a step ahead of the competition.

Armstrong’s trivial appearance on Oprah was a step in the right direction for the ex-cycler, but was it enough? Is our society at

for a big turnout at their first home match on March 20 against Wilcox.

“I’m pretty excited for this team and I hope the school comes out to support us,” senior John Dai said.

John, like many of the boys who tried out, played volleyball in middle school and club and is excited to have the opportunity to play on a team again. Some players including John continued the sport through club teams.

However, this new team offers them the opportunity to play during the off-season and bring home victories for the school.

Daily sports updates and photos online at lahstalon.org the point where one televised intervention is enough to cleanse the wicked? Lance’s work for cancer treatment is special, but we cannot set a precedent that the ends justify the means.

His system of corruption and cronyism is an inexcusable stain on sports history. We can’t paint Armstrong as a fallen angel just because of his charity. Livestrong was powered by fraud. He’s a cheater, a liar and used his “miracle” as a means to pull himself into the center of the sports universe.

The extent Armstrong went to cover his blood doping up was probably the most disheartening component of the entire scandal and establishes the precedent to never believe any accused athlete when he or she says that they never doped. The intricacies of the steroid market in America have proven to be a barrier that lawmakers can’t get past and any dedicated cheater can avoid being caught so long as they play the game right. The loopholes available for indicted cheaters to jump through are numerous. No professional athlete can be taken for his word anymore, no matter how low the probability that they cheated is.

It is no wonder this is happening in this country, of all places. America is a country of movers and shakers. We are industrious, innovative people.

We feed on opportunity. Perhaps even too much. The sports world has felt the ramifications of this, shown by athletes tireless pursuit of success at all costs. Science be damned, recently retired Baltimore Ravens’ linebacker Ray Lewis even reportedly turned to deer antler spray for the sake of the Super Bowl. I can run off an entire list of strange supplements that are on the market, waiting to be abused in athletic events everywhere. American athletes’ willingness to do whatever it takes is outwardly admirable, but this character has perpetuated a culture that is disregarding health, safety and ethics for the sake of a game.

This is madness. As a country and as a people we need to take a look in the mirror and ask ourselves where we are going with sports before it’s too late.

Maybe it’s time to look past the dollar signs and see the monster our love for sports has created.

February 12, 2013

Sports

19

Footballtutorials.com

The physicality of football is evident at all levels of the game and takes its toll on those who play the most. The repetive head trauma football players endure leaves them vulnerable to one of the most misunderstood medical conditions: concussions. New research shows that former deceased NFL players, such as Junior Seau (right), show signs of CTE, a type of chronic brain damage linked to a number of mental illnesses, including dementia and depression. Seau himself committed suicide last spring.

Football, the brain and the future of high impact collisions in the NFL Paul Bergevin Senior Writer

As evidence of the damage that repetitive hits to the head has on the brain piles high in football, many questions are arising about where the NFL will have to go to create a safer game. President Barack Obama recently said he’s a football fan, but that if he had a son, he would think long and hard before allowing his son to play. High school parents should now consider the dangers of football before they allow their kids to play.

Football players have often been compared to modernday gladiators, for good reason—USC’s stadium is called the Coliseum, after all. What fans love about the NFL is the incredibly violent nature of the game. Many fans remember the segment “Jacked Up,” on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown, which glorified the biggest and most gruesome hits from the previous day on the gridiron.

Even video games such as Madden got caught up in this violent culture with the invention of the “hit stick,” where the defender would launch up high for a huge tackle. Today, all of these hits in the game would result in 15 yard penalties and fines from the league.

But in 2013, with over 4,000 former players suing the NFL in the federal court and alleging that the league ignored and denied the link between football and brain damage, the league has been forced to take a stronger stance on head trauma in the NFL. Commissioner Roger Goodell has taken on the role of being the “sheriff” of the NFL, policing helmet-to-helmet hits and implementing new rules about hitting defenseless receivers or even touching the quarterback. He moved the kickoff line from the 30 yard line to the 35 to prevent more kickoff returns, the most dangerous and exciting play in football.

Goodell has also implemented a new system on concussions to protect athletes from themselves. The first step to test a concussion is to have the athlete evaluated by a team medical staff. Then the team medical staff has to decide if the player is able to return in the current game, and if he cannot return, a team medical staff and independent consultant must both sign off. Goodell has stressed “player safety,” as the reason for all of these rule changes, but they were essentially made to protect himself against the lawsuits piling up against the NFL. While the rule changes are a step in the right direction for the NFL, and the number of concussions has been reduced by 12.5 percent since implementing the system in 2009, heads do collide on every single play in football.

Junior Seau committed suicide last year, but he shot himself in the chest to allow his brain to be examined.

It was revealed about a month ago that Seau suffered from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a neurodegenerative disease linked to dementia, memory loss and depression. What makes this even scarier for parents and football players is that Seau was never diagnosed with a concussion in his entire football career, yet he developed severe CTE. More and more news has been coming out about CTE, a disease which 34 former NFL players have been

diagnosed with. A recent study at UCLA was able to diagnose CTE in five former NFL players, a huge breakthrough because CTE was once thought to only be seen in an autopsy. While this was just an experiment and not totally a proven practice, it is a step that could lead to creating a safer game.

But being able to see CTE in current NFL players will also create some hairy situations if players are forced to test themselves to see if they will get a disease that could cause them to kill themselves.

“I feel effects from it ... Some days, I wake up and I’m like, ‘Where did my memory go?’ But I signed up for it,” Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed said.

The problem that could arise with mandatory testing is that some athletes would not want to know if they are developing a disease from the sport they love, and they would not want to be forced to retire from a sport they love without leaving on their own terms.

Angulo Otimo

Safety Bernard Pollard of the Baltimore Ravens recently stated that he didn’t think football would be around anymore in 30 years due to the rule changes and safety problems surrounding the league. Pollard also said that he would not want his son to play football even though it has been so good to him. It is ironic that one of the hardest hitters in the league, a player nicknamed “The Patriot Killer” for his notoriously violent hits on New England Patriots stars over the years, would take this stance on concussions.

If Pollard has this stance as a parent, what stances will parents take when their kid wants to play football their freshman year? Which leads to another one of Pollard’s questions: will football be around in the next 30 years?

When parents allow their kids to play football, they have to understand that their son breaking a bone is not the only thing they should be afraid of; they should also consider the possible long-term effects of concussions.

Ciera Pasturel

20

Sports

February 12, 2013

Girls soccer surges to top of league with young talent Steven Cui Staff Writer The girls soccer team has found success this year with excellent young players. The team is 6-1-1 in the league, suffering only one league loss to Saratoga. It is currently second place in the league standings, with only Los Gatos standing in the way of a league championship.

The Eagles have played Los Gatos two times thus far, once in the Palo Alto Winter Classic Tournament and once in the league. They fell 0-1 to the Wildcats in the tournament, but they overwhelmed them 1-0 in the league game. The Eagles have another league game against the Wildcats on Wednesday, February 13. They hope to qualify for CCS with their outstanding league record and their overall record of 9-2-3.

“We’ve had a great season so far, but we need to keep up our hard work and not lose our focus,” sophomore Allie Crum said. “Our chances of making CCS are very good as of now, but anything can happen.”

The team has overcome many obstacles to reach where it is now. It lost some seniors from last year, who had chosen not to join the team for various reasons. As a result, several young players have stepped up to a

G

irls basketball entered league play as a young team, expecting a rebuilding season. In the past months of play, however, they have shattered expectations. The team began their season with a preseason record of 7-5. Although the team finished in a solid third place last year, nearly half of that team graduated. The majority of players on this year’s team are either freshmen or sophomores. Despite these reasons that may have caused other teams to overlook them, the Eagles have surged to the top of their league with an undefeated record of 7-1.

The Eagles have emphasized an uptempo style, defense, rebounding and teamwork. With youth often times comes inexperience, lack of leadership and time needed for rebuilding. This has not been the case with this young Los Altos team, who currently stands atop league standings.

“We have been very fortunate that all 15 girls work very well together and like one another,” head coach Kevin Lee said. “Our

Senior Ideen Seyed #13 Guard 12.1 points/game

Varsity Season Totals 6 goals, 13 points Allie Crum ‘15 Stephanie Kouvelas ‘16 4 goals, 11 points Tess Wendelken ‘16 3 goals, 6 points Carrie Wendelken ‘16 38 saves, 3 GA

more competitive level. The team has managed to turn this seemingly large weakness into an advantage.

The Eagles currently have 11 underclassmen out of its 22 player roster.

The three leading goal scorers on the team are all underclassmen: Allie tops the list with six goals, followed by freshman Stephanie Kouvelas with four goals and freshman Tess Wendelken with three goals.

The team’s starting goalkeeper is freshman Carrie Wendelken, who has only allowed three goals the entire season.

“Last year we had great players who led the team, and the whole team relied on them,” Allie said. “Since they are gone this year, different people had to step up...It really makes a difference that the team has come together.”

Though the team is having a great season, no team is completely unstoppable. The team will still have to contend with both Mountain View and the league leader Los Gatos.

“We proved we can handle the teams in our league,” Allie said. “Even so, any of the teams can have a great game and surprise us, so we always have to be ready and not overconfident.”

LEADING

Lady Eagles Basketball

by Joey Malgesini, Staff Writer

younger players have stepped up and are playing like juniors and seniors. All of our players have bonded on and off the court.

We have a happy family.”

Freshman Meg Enthoven is already the second leading scorer, averaging 8.8 points per game. She specializes in a midrange spot along the baseline. She will be a critical component of the team this year as well as three to come. Other underclassmen including freshman Katie Munro and

sophomore Rebecca Andrews have stepped up to become critical members of the team. Rebecca has become a huge defensive presence, especially during the Lady Eagles’ signature full court pressure.

This pressure was a major component of their upset over Mountain View.

The team has been led by sharp-shooting senior Ideen Seyed who is leading in points with 12.1 per game. After Ideen’s impressive season last year, much was

Junior Kelly Hamamoto #11 Guard 3.8 steals/game

THE

WAY:

Sophomore Allie Crum (far left) and senior Audrey Mays (left) set the tone for the young Eagles, who are contending for the league title. expected of her. She has not let anyone down. In addition to her scoring, Ideen has come to share the ball more with her teammates. This contributes to Lee’s emphasis on “team.” The Eagles’ team mentality is one of their great secrets to success.

“We have gelled really well together this year, which has been a huge factor in our success,” junior Meghan McDermott said.

“Since we have such great chemistry, on offense we are really able to move the ball around, which has created a fairly even distribution of points throughout the season for our team.”

Now that the Eagles have proven their dominance, especially by defeating tough teams such as rival Mountain View and Homestead, hopes have risen for what the end of league may bring and what might happen after.

“We would like to see similar success in the second half of league like we have in the first,” Lee said. “We cannot look beyond league until and unless we qualify for CCS. That goal becomes more realistic with each game we win.”

Junior Meghan McDermott #3 Center 7.7 Rebounds/game