The Pinion Vol. 91 No. 2

The Pini

n

President William McKinley High School

Vol. 91 No. 2

McKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

October 31, 2012

Students study leadership

by Anthony Lee Anyone can be a leader, but there are special skills one must learn to become a great leader, and this was what the leadership conference on September 7 was all about. The leadership conference was held to teach students how and why they can be leaders. The day consisted of important guest speakers and two breakout learning sessions about all aspects of leadership. The leadership conference came about as part of Student Activities Coordinator April Nakamura’s vision for the student leaders at McKinley.

The day started off like any other, but instead of certain students going to school, they arrived at the Hilton Hawaii Village. Walking into the hotel and arriving at Tapa Room 3, Dressed for Success captains, ambassadors, and officers of student groups and organizations suddenly found themselves immersed in a formal place, almost like in a business meeting with friends. To heighten the professional experience, every student was given a nametag with their leadership position, a bag with the title of the leadership conference, a McKinley-

branded notepad and pen, and a few snacks. The students individually knew why they came. It was not just an excursion from school; it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most people. For the very first time, a leadership conference was held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel. The name of the conference was “E Alaka’i Pono” or in English, “Be a righteous leader.” The theme was being a good role model.

Please see LEADERSHIP, page 2

Presidential elections coming November 6

by Ariana Makasiale

On the left, Barack Obama, and above, Mit Romney, are running for president.

The election will be November 6. Photo of Obama by Chuck Liddy Raleigh News & Observer/MCT and photo of Romney by Olivier Douliery Abaca Press MCT.

This November marks America’s 57th presidential election where President Barack Obama is running against Mitt Romney. Political ads dominate television and no matter where you go, there are tons of posters telling you who you should vote for. But why should higher schoolers, most of whom cannot vote yet, care? This presidential election affects students more than they think. Whoever is voted president this year will be president when this year’s sophomores, juniors and seniors go off to college. That means whatever position the future president takes on college and scholarship funding will affect them.

And as for the freshmen? Even though they will just graduate by the time the 2016 presidential election is held, the

Please see ELECTION, page 3

RS 13-0440

2 THE PINION October 31, 2012

LEADERSHIP: Wilcox and Chang teach life lessons

Continued from page 1

Before the conference began, the students just spoke with one another about their anticipation for the day. Jessica Zhan (11), the junior class secretary, was excited about learning the different roles in a leader and knowing how to improve on them. She preferred the leadership conference in the Hilton rather than in McKinley because of the more businesslike feel. She also said that the school would not have enough space for a leadership conference of 300 people.

The seating was assigned because Nakamura wanted students to have experience being able to talk to each other with those they don’t know. They think and get out of their comfort zone, which is a leadership skill (leadership skills even in the seating arrangement).

The leadership conference began with wise words from the well-known local reporter, Leslie Wilcox. She spoke with power as everyone understood the point she was making, such as being yourself, making proper connections, and figuring out who you are.

The conference then divided into two breakout sessions where students first learned about their leadership role (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, captain, ambassador, and advisor) and then learned about a self-chosen strategy

to improve leadership skills (Becoming Tech Savvy, Effective Communication, Community Service/Social Events/Fundraising, Public Speaking, Building Relationships as a Leader, and Building an A Team/What’s your Leadership Style?).

The breakout sessions were held in the Honolulu and Iolani Suites.

Both students and teachers alike attended these sessions in order to learn successful leadership methods from experienced leaders, including Jennifer

“You are McKinley High School.” --April Nakamura, Student activities coordinator

Asato, Lisa Panquites, Jenny Taufa, Kyle Hiranaga, Bob Morikuni, Neal Takimori, Katie Chang, Cheri Kishimoto, Gwen Maeda, Dee Ann Murakami, Eddie Sariol, Tam Nyugen, Bryan Gusman and Elijah Yip. The students then enjoyed a special lunch of a crouton salad and a meaty mozzarella pasta dish. Not only was this a time to enjoy a delicious lunch, but also for each of the student leaders to discuss what went on during their breakout sessions. With so many exciting stories being told about each breakout session, it

was almost as if everyone had attended all the other breakout sessions. With chatter and askings for refills and platter seconds, everywhere in sight were maturing leaders.

The second guest speaker was Katie Chang, the director of the Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders. She also headed the second breakout session for Creating an A-Team/Leadership Styles and her leadership-promoting words were similar to Wilcox’s. She discussed vision and why it’s important, as without a vision it is difficult to go anywhere.

Ronalyn Acelador (12) liked Katie Chang’s presentation and said that she helped her realize “in order to follow a path, you need to have your own vision and goals in life.”

Each of the clubs and organizations then created their own vision for their groups through thorough discussion of what their vision was, the ways they could achieve that vision, and small activities that would make those visions possible and realistic.

The last speaker was the student activities coordinator, April Nakamura.

She finalized the conference by discussing why the students came to the conference and how “You are McKinley High School.” She said that, although the school has the staff, the facilities, and the administration, nothing could be possible without the student’s involvement in the school’s activities.

Some Breakout Sessions: Community Service/Social Events/Fundraising: Ronalyn Acelador (12) - “The presenters broke down the process into pieces on how to organize an event which helped me plan ... with the Hispanic club.”

Public speaking: Asami Kobayashi (12) “...thought it was interesting because he (Elijah Wip) taught us various techniques of speaking to a large group of people.”

After Leslie Wilcox’s powerful speech, students head toward their breakout sessions in order to learn different methods of improving leadership skills. Photo by Marissa Chang.

October 31, 2012 THE PINION 3

ELECTIONS: Results will impact everybody Continued from page 1

next president voted decides how much money goes towards education and what should happen with testing in the schools.

As students, you might not have a say in who will be president.

However, their decisions have a direct impact on you.

Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, is the Republican presidential nominee. He believes that a good teacher equals a good student. Romney stated in a speech, “We looked at what drives good education in our state. What we found is the best thing for education is great teachers. Hire the very best and brightest to be teachers, pay them properly, make sure that you have school choice, test your kids to see if they are meeting the standards that need to be met, and make sure that you put the parents in charge…” Romney also believes in testing the teachers to make sure they are doing their jobs. “…We should insist that teachers get evaluated and that schools have the opportunity to see which teachers are exceeding and which ones are failing and that teachers that are not successful are removed from the classroom...” He also had opinions on school performance testing. “States must provide a simple-to-read and widely available public report card that evaluates each school. These report cards will provide accurate and easy-to-understand information about student and school performance. States will continue to design their own standards and tests, but the report cards will provide information that parents can use to make informed choices.”

Finally, Romney wants to help students who are trying to gain a higher education. “Students must have access to a wide variety of options that will give them the skills they need for successful careers. We must stop fueling skyrocketing tuition prices that put higher education out of reach for some and leave others with crushing debt.”

Barack Obama, the current president, is the Democratic nominee. He believes in supporting good teachers. In a speech he said, “… In South Korea, teachers are known as ‘nation builders.’ Here in America, it’s time we treated the people who educate our children with the same level of respect. We want to reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones.”

He also added that future generations should consider teaching, letting them know that, “If you want to make a difference in the life of our nation; if you want to make a difference in the life of a child-- become a teacher.” He wants to better the instruction of children from preschool through college until they have careers. He wants to make sure children stay in school until they are eighteen and raise standards in schools so that American children can get the best out of their education. Obama wants to work on changing low-performance schools so that children are actually prepared for college. He signed a new law that makes it easier for students to pay back their federal college loans. Starting in 2014, new borrowers will pay no more that 10 percent of their disposable income, and he recently proposed accelerating this benefit for current students. Plans are also being made to make college more affordable by eliminating the middlemen from the college-loan programs. He finally wants to invest in competitive grants to reform community colleges to help provide pathways to good jobs. As president, he has already created a new Community College-to-Career Fund to build on

that. “Getting the best possible education has never been more important than it is right now. And that’s because in today’s world, a good job requires a good education. I travel all across the country, I go into factories, and I go into companies. And it doesn’t matter where you are working, if you do not have a good education, you are not going to be able to succeed.”

To end with, the year is 2012. This means another year and another presidential election. As young teens, many have not really taken notice of the political “drama.” However, as high school students approach adulthood, it is plain to see where a politician’s decision can affect your life. This election, for some, can mean the difference between getting a scholarship or not and even going to college or not. Even if you cannot vote yet, pay attention to learn about what these politicians can do for you. And if you can vote, vote.

On education issues Where the presidential candidates stand:

Romney

Obama

Pell grants

Restrict only to poorest GOP students; no details on how much he would cut

Increased spending from Dems $16 billion to $36 billion, grants are bigger, more students receive them; says expansion paid for with savings from moving student loans from private banks to Dept. of Education

Federal role

Would want Congress to revise the education law to eliminate the federally required steps that failing schools must take to improve; instead, he’d require that states grade the schools so parents could easily tell how they are doing

School choice

Would allow parents of low-income and special-needs children to decide how tax dollars for their children’s educations should be spent

Has used money and waivers from 2002 No Child Left Behind law to provide incentives to states to do such things as raise standards, reward good teachers and remove poor ones; says costs are less than 1 percent of total U.S. education spending Supports school choice within the public school system; has encouraged investments in public charter schools but opposes vouchers

Cost of college

Wants to return student lending to private banks

© 2012 MCT Source: McClatchy Washington Bureau Graphic: Judy Treible, Robert Dorrell

Wants student borrowers to be able to cap loan payments at 10 percent of income; started tax credit for low-, middle-income families paying for college; wants incentive plan to get colleges to hold down costs

4 THE PINION October 31, 2012

finds kids “Super 8” is must-see DVD Study ain’t writing

by Sydney Pederson

Do you ever get bored at home and don’t know what to do? How about watching a movie? “Super 8” is a good film about a group of teenagers in a small town in 1979 filming their own Super 8 movie for a local film contest.

While they are practicing for their scenes by an old train station, a train crashes, releasing a terrifying and dangerous creature. Then it gets real serious when people start disappearing. This science-fiction thriller is a must-see.

“Super 8” was released in theaters in Summer 2011. The film got good reviews for its nostalgia, visual effects, musical score, and the performances of its young actors. Starring in this film

are Elle Fanning and Joel Courtney. You can find this movie at Netflix, Redbox, or any video store. You will not regret watching this movie and it could very well become one of your favorites.

Art by My Lu (10)

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, I really agree with what you write about Hanging with Friends, that “Hangout spots make memories to last a lifetime,” because for me, hanging out with my friends is the best memory you can’t forget with them. They are your second family; they are there to support you.

Wayne Montero (9)

Dear Editor, I really enjoyed the article on “Dis n Dat Goo ‘Dez”, because it talks about food and it’s the very important thing in my life. Without it, all of us will die of hunger. What I really like about that article is that you mentioned all the food and drinks that can be seen in that shop, so it makes me hungry and want to go there sometimes. And, oh! You mentioned the address, too, of the shop. Thanks for that, so I can find it!

All in all, the article was good and continue writing stuff about food.

Dominic Gonzales (10)

Dear Editor, I really enjoyed the article on “Fresh starts lead to new beginnings.” I enjoyed this because I found it really helpful for me, especially because I sometimes think about the past, mostly about the mistakes and the choices that I made. I do this especially when I play tennis. Each time I make a mistake, I always think about that mistake. However, after playing for a long time, I noticed that thinking about the past won’t lead anywhere, so I’ve decided that if I make a mistake, that’s that and just move on.

Yuki Sugawa (10)

so good today

Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer (MCT) Spell check doesn’t help.

Even with the aid of word processing technology, only about a fourth of American eighth- and 12th-graders can be considered reasonably conversant with Mother English.

So goes a bleak assessment of U.S. students’ writing skills by the National Assessment Governing Board, which issues the annual “Nation’s Report Card.”

According to the report, a whopping 24 percent of students in those grades in 2011 could write coherent essays with proper grammar and usage.

Twenty-four percent: That’s an “F” on any curve.

What makes the report especially troubling is that students who took last year’s National Assessment of Educational Progress writing test were allowed to use computers with spell check and thesaurus.

But as Cornelia Orr, executive director of the National Assessment Board, pointed out to the Associated Press, most students in American schools today have such technology at their disposal already - at school, if not at home. Yet without the basic skills of organized thinking and proficiency in language, the tools don’t really help: “It’s as if years ago we had given them a pencil to write the essay and took away the eraser.”

Said another way, even the best calculator won’t enable somebody with no math skills to comprehend laws of physics or geometry.

More than a half-century ago, the Soviet Union’s successful launch of the Sputnik satellite spurred the U.S. into a focus on science and technology that resulted in some of our most dazzling achievements -- one of which the recent death of astronaut Neil Armstrong evoked.

Maybe it’s time for another national intellectual challenge. This one should focus on mastery of the most indispensable tool we have - the ability to communicate coherently with one another.

October 31, 2012 THE PINION 5

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Book Review

Classic with a twist!

by Kelsey David What happens when you mix one of the world’s most cherished classics with... zombies?

“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” that’s what.

I first read “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen in the sixth grade. I’m not sure why, since I was rather intellectually incapable of understanding such a complex story at that age. However, I understood enough to want to read it again a few years later. It was then I fell in love with Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.

So when I heard what Seth GrahameSmith had done with the beloved novel, I picked up a copy right away. And I absolutely loved it. Grahame-Smith really took the time to weave a bit of zombie fun into Austen’s original storyline. Elizabeth is still prejudiced, and Mr. Darcy is just as proud as ever. Except this time, there may be a little blood stained onto their collars and petticoats.

Whoever said the classics were boring, anyway? “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” is action-packed, bloody, and a bit romantic, if you ask me. So if you’re a fan of guts and gore, as well as classic British literature, this is definitely the book for you.

Have a

6 THE PINION October 31, 2012

Demon Boyfriend

by Anna Marie Manog Three a.m. is when the demons come into the human world to capture and overtake a human body. A demon can only overtake a body if a human wakes up at exactly three a.m.

Their objective is to populate the human world with their kind.

Natasha and Du were high school sweethearts. Du was every girl’s dream boy. Students at Lakeside High School said that Natasha and Du’s relationship was perfect, but between them, Natasha wondered about Du and who he was.

Late one night, Natasha followed Du. She reached a dark alley where whispers came to her ears. She could feel the presence of someone. As she took a step closer, she got goosebumps that ran from her legs up to her neck. “Hello. Is anyone there?” Natasha called out. Bats flew out as fast as lightning.

She ran straight forward and saw a shadow that looked like Du. He was tearing his skin off like a snake shedding its skin.

“I see horns. I see red. I see a creature I’ve never seen before, scary, ugly and disgusting.” All these thoughts ran through Natasha’s head.

The creature grabbed Natasha’s hand. She started to yell.

“Why did you follow me?” yelled Du in a low, hard voice.

“You’re a monster!” Natasha screamed.

Du was filled with anger. He slapped Natasha across her face, but Natasha got up and ran, trying to follow her footsteps the way she had entered. Natasha heard something cutting through the wind, something spinning. Natasha turned around. A knife struck her face. Blood splattered everywhere and she fell down.

Du shook her and yelled, “If you hadn’t followed me, you wouldn’t be dead!”

That was the last of Natasha.

Art by Dominic Gonzales (10)

Art by Caihong Ding (9)

That One Night

by Angelika Marie Remigio Santiago When I was nine, I went to the Philippines for the first time. That trip included one night that I will always remember. What happened was I was asleep with my mom beside me. A light right outside my room woke me up. The next thing I knew, there were these loud footsteps outside my room. At first I thought it was my grandpa. I yelled out, “Paping?” But there was no answer. I yelled out again, “Paping?!” This time the footsteps got faster and faster, then louder and louder, then slower and slower. When I looked at the door, I could tell there was someone standing right in front of the door. Next thing I knew, the door started to open, and I said one last time, “Paping?”

When the door opened, it was my grandpa and he answered, “Yes anako?” I replied, “Oh, never mind.” He closed the door and I let out a sigh of relief. But once he closed the door, a noise came from under my bed. I slowly peeked under my bed and saw... nothing!

I turned to my mom. But hold up! My mom doesn’t have long black hair and, why is she wearing this dirty ripped gown?! I was confused. “Squeak...” I heard the door opening again and when I looked... it was my mom!

So who was in my bed? I jumped up and ran as fast as I could, screaming at the top of my lungs, never ever to take a single step in that room again.

Haunted Halloween

October 31, 2012 THE PINION 7

Noises At Schofield

by Allerie Skilling One regular Saturday night, my friends and I were in the Schofield Barracks in our friend’s house. We were spending the night. It all started when my friend Malia started talking about the dead, and about the old couple who used to live in that house. While she was still talking, we heard a scratching noise at the garage door. We all jumped up and thought it was someone paying a joke on us. Then all of a sudden, the TV started turning on and off on its own when the remote was on the ground with no hands near it!

I was so terrified. I decided to go upstairs, but while I was walking to go upstairs, I saw the shape of a body behind the curtain and I laughed because I realized that it was one of our friends who was doing these things the whole time. But when I went to pull the curtain and reveal who was behind it, there was nobody there! I was scared to death! I ran into the bathroom, and in the mirror was an old woman’s face. She had white hair and a wrinkly face. I ran out of the house and called my mom to pick me up. I never went back there again and I never told my friends what I saw that night.

Art by Shan Lin (10)

The Arm

by Colt Dante My grandparents live up in Waimanalo. Their home is really, really old. My brother and I used to go regularly to spend a day or two with them and, each time, the same thing would happen to us.

Each night, my brother and I would wake at the same time in the middle of the night, both startled by a noise, a noise that still haunts my ears today. It started with a stomping sound, followed with a muffled, dragging noise as something squeaked against the hardwood floors of my grandparents’ home. One night, my brother and I became so agitated by this noise that we decided to investigate.

The sound was always in the hallway, so we knew where to look. As we slowly creaked our bedroom door open, we were appalled with what we saw. We saw an arm, an arm that was dragging itself back and forth continuously in the hallway. It only went as far as the shoulder and coming out of the back was blood, a continuous trail of blood that poured out the back of the arm.

My grandparents never did believe my brother and I. They just told us that the darkness and shadows were playing tricks. But since then, my brother and I never slept at our grandparents’ old home again.

Art by Nathaniel Mamuad (10)

Check out myhsj.org/pinion to read English teacher Irene Tanaka’s spooky tale, which was a runner-up in last year’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser Halloween Fiction Contest.

Ababa learns about finance

8 THE PINION October 31, 2012

by Briana Rabillia-Ramones Debbie Ababa (12) spent her summer learning about economics. She attended the Hawaii Council Economic Education program, a six-week program held at Maryknoll High School.

Any student may sign up for this program but it costs $600 per student and has an application process. Whoever signs up earlier has a higher chance of getting in since they go by first come, first serve. Ababa was lucky enough to get a scholarship from HCEE. Ababa got to go on a field trip at least once a week. These field trips helped her get an idea of economic companies and

how they work. She toured a $6-milliondollar home located on Black Point. She also hiked the Board of Water Supply trail that is exclusive from the public.

Ababa went to businesses in downtown to visit tax people, with names such as E. Abuc and Morgan Stanley Smith. Lastly, she visited the Hawaiian Host factory and got free chocolate. After going through many experiences Ababa said that any company, small or big, has the same way of realizing their ideas The program provides life changing knowledge on the way Ababa looks at things. After taking this course, “I realized that I like economics... I got a broader knowledge on financial concepts,” Ababa said. She has only been in the Academy of Finance for two years and, after attending this program, she decided that finance was what she wanted to do for the future.

A quote attributed to Arctic explorer Knud Rasmussen Give me winter, give me dogs, and you can have the rest.

MHS students addressed the same topic.

Leo Lee (9) Give me time, give me peace, and you can have the rest.

Johnny Zhou (10) Give me a book, give me a pillow, and you can have the rest.

Yuki Sugawa (10) Give me a racquet, give me a ball, and you can have the rest.

Jinling Yan and Sarah Moninger (10) Give me family, give me friends, and you can have the rest.

Benjamin Ngo (10) Give me freedom, give me joy, and you can have the rest.

Take our Twitter survey and tell us what two things you need to be happy. Find the survey @mhspinion on Twitter or enter the URL: http://mhspinion.polldaddy.com/s/happiness

Follow the Pinion on Twitter @mhspinion.

Pinion Staff

Adviser: Cynthia Reves Editor: Anthony Lee Assistant Editor: Chanel Joy Alarca Reporters: Ariana Makasiale, Annie Lien, Briana Ribillia-Ramones

Publication Information

Seniors Rea Sanchez and Rafael Sanchez, members of the Filipino Club, paint a curb by D Building on Sept. 8 for School Beautification Day. Many clubs spent the morning working on campus. Filipino Club president, Irene Manuel (12), said the time went fast because “we were all working together.” Photo by Irene Manuel.

THE PINION is published by the Newswriting Staff and printed by the Reprographics Learning Center.

The Pinion McKinley High School 1039 South King Street Honolulu, HI 96814 Email comments or questions to mhspinion@gmail.com

The Culinary I class has been hard at work learning about and applying baking techniques. This quarter we will be running our very own bakery!

We will be open to teachers at lunch and students/teachers after school on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Please come by C-105 to see what we have. (entry is by the C-building garden).

Each week we will be making a larger selection of items.

October 31, 2012 THE PINION 9

Stemworks students are planning two blood drives this year, one per semester. The first drive is scheduled for Monday, November 19. Please save this day to give the gift of life. Donors have to be at least 17 years old, at least 110 pounds, and have had no tattoos or piercings for the last year. See Alan Sekiguchi for more information.

Jodi Akasaki, culinary teacher

Band and Orchestra spend fun week in California touring sites

by Natalie Owen McKinley’s Band and Orchestra program is active from football season to commencement ceremony. The program is one of the many traditions, keeping the spirit and pride of the school by playing at events such as assemblies, Lighting of the M and concerts. Imagine a football game without the band. Empty, right?

The Band and Orchestra practice long hours during the entire week to get ready for each performance, whether at feeder schools or Awards Night. Each performance is equally important. Along with their practices and performances, the officers organize monthly activities to give the band and orchestra students a chance to have fun and bond.

The program also holds fundraisers, where the student has a chance to raise money for their own credit account to pay for instrument equipment or activities such as Band Banquet. The main reason for these fundraisers, however, is to help fund a band trip. Band trips are held every three years. This summer, the program visited Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

Day 1 At the Hollywood Walk of Fame,

students walked the long sidewalk with famous people’s names on each star with an icon of what they did to become famous. After strolling through Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and Kodak Theatre, the McKinley Band and Orchestra enjoyed an exclusive buffet at Hard Rock Café.

Following the breakfast treat, students had free time in Universal Studios.

Day 2 In a tour of University of Southern California, students saw displays of USC’s achieving sports teams and the Avengers’ suits. While touring the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles (Walt Disney Hall), students learned how the building was built to produce better sound than any other stage room or auditorium. Before attending the LA Philharmonic, the students stopped at Original Farmers Market. The night was completed when Dudames finished his last piece of Mozart. The musicians were informally dressed, as it was a casual Friday.

Day 3 Finally, something the students had been waiting for… Disneyland! From the morning, the students were allowed six hours of free time within the amusement park until the Magic Music Days

workshop, where they got to experience what it was like to record Disney music like professionals. The night ended with a live Disney show called “Fantasmic” at Rivers of America within Disneyland.

Day 4 After visiting Knott’s Berry Farm, America’s first theme park, the McKinley Band and Orchestra went to California State University to attend the Los Angeles Pierce Symphonic Winds Performance “Salute to the Red, White, and Blue” at Plaza del Sol Auditorium.

A surprise came when the last piece of music was conducted by McKinley’s very own conductor, Mr. Thomas Hesch.

The day ended with more fun at Knott’s Berry Farm Day 5 There were more adventures at Disney’s California Adventure Park. The day was spent riding spectacular, thrilling rides and buying souvenirs and gifts for families and friends. An unforgettable evening water show called World of Color was held at Paradise Bay. Day 6 A lot of ground was covered on this six-day trip, leaving the McKinley Band and Orchestra members with a once-in-alifetime memory.

10 THE PINION October 31, 2012

JROTC helps the community

by Queenie Kiluwe The JROTC Tiger Battalion busies themselves during the weekends through competition and community service. On August 11, the JROTC cadets did community service at the Primary Elections and American Heart Association Heart Walk. At Heart Walk, the cadets helped out by giving water to the participants.

On that same day, the cadets that were 16 and older volunteered at the Primary Elections by assisting voters through the voting process.

Through competitions, the cadets of the Tiger Battalion competed in a

Joint JROTC field day, sponsored by the Hawai’i National Guard, called Organizational Day. Organizational Day is when all the JROTC of Oahu high school cadets come together and compete against each other in events like Humvee Pull, Tug-ofWar, and Coconut Tree Climb. The Tiger Battalion placed first in JumpPush-Curl, Inverted Crab Walk and 4-Man Litter Carry. They placed second in Coconut Tree Climb. If you are interested in being part of these fun events, come down to the Tiger Battalion on the Diamond Head side of A-Building.

Members of the JROTC Tiger Battalion who went to Organizational Day at Bellows National Guard had lots of fun. Photo by Queenie Li (12).

Above left: Allyssa (12) and Kayla Reyes (12) of Red Varsity use teamwork as their strategy against Kalani.

Above right: Allyssa Koki (12), Avery Kurahashi (12), and Kiana Grady (12) were given leis to celebrate Senior Night.

Below: Otilia Savea (9), Kiana Grady (12), and Dayna Ai-Spencer (11) are ready to win the point against Kalani.

Photos by Maiki Kaneko (10)

HSA MATH Nov. 1 and 2 through math classes. All grade 10 students will be affected.

This includes 10Rs but not 9Rs.

Sports

October 31, 2012 THE PINION 11

Bowlers assert bowling is a sport: skilled, competitive

by Derek Kekona Haugen II

Is bowling really a sport?

Dictionary.com defines sport as “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature,” so let’s take a look at McKinley’s Boys Bowling Team. All bowlers have skills and are very competitive.

Bowling is a very competitive sport.

With over 120 boys trying to make it into the top 30 spots, there is no room for low averages. Bowlers’ averages range from 150 to 225 in the top 30. It is every bower’s dream to make it to the State Championships. However, they must first qualify in the OIA Divisional Championships (East vs. West). Only the top 30 bowlers make it to the OIA Championships and the top two schools with the highest pin falls (per division) are allowed to take their teams to the OIA. In the OIA, the top 30 bowlers (which includes 15 slots for team bowlers and 15 slots for individual bowlers) from the Eastern and Western Divisions with the highest pin falls get to go to States. States this year is held on Kauai on November 1 and 2.

Every team member plays a big part in this sport. McKinley’s Coach JoAnn Hee’s approach is to bowl every boy on the team. This year there are 11 boys on McKinley’s roster. Since only eight are allowed on the score sheet during a game, no bowler knows who will play each week. Therefore, all the boys need to attend practices and have a uniform,

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a completed grade check with a 2.0 or Newcomers Justice Yokoyama, Filamhigher and no F’s and their bowling er Doronio, Jullian Pascua, Kevin Trangequipment. Every bowler puts a lot of Tran, Jonathan Kanno and Bryce Takeffort into this sport. They practice 2-3 enaka gave various reasons they joined times a week. Although bowlers have to the bowling team. The main things were pay for everything out of their own pockthat it was fun, they were good at it, and ets, it doesn’t discourage them. Bowling that it was something to do. lane fees for practice range from $6.75 – $7.50 per practice and bowlers have to pay for their own uniforms, balls, shoes, bags and first aid supplies.

This can range from $350 up.

Senior Landon Akau said one of the reasons he bowls is because it is fun and he gets to socialize with other classmates.

Senior Bryce Takaki-Magdadaro said he Front row (L-R): Jonathan Kanno (9), Bryce Takenaka (9), Coach Kaitlin. is proud that Middle Row with chairs (L-R): Derek Haugen II (11), Kevin Trang-Tran (11) no one can beat (sitting), Bryce Takaki-Magdadaro (12) (sitting). Last Row (L-R) Leon Laroya (10), Jullian Pascua (10), Landon Akau (Shaka) (12), Justice Yokoyama (11), him on a one vs. one match. Filamer Doronio (10). Standing: Devin Smith (12)

Entertainment books on sale Buy “the gift that keeps on giving,” the 2013 ENTERTAINMENT BOOK. It costs $30 and is filled with 2 for 1 discounts on dining, shopping, movies, hotels, cruises and other events. See Neal Takamori in A-109 before December 20. $6.00 from the sale of each book will benefit the Athletic Department with transportation costs for the teams.

12THE PINION October 31, 2012

Stress must be managed

by Annie Lien Stress is something we have all dealt with. There are two types of stress: good stress and bad stress. However, you are probably more familiar with bad stress.

It is always good to have an equal balance of everything. This also includes stress. If you were to live a dull, stressfree life, you may become bored. If you suffer from too much stress, you may become overwhelmed and lose a lot of energy. Therefore, everything in moderation is perfect. A benefit of stress is that it motivates you to do your best. It also keeps you focused and alert. When you are alert, you can react to emergency situations quickly. An example would be completing a big assignment the day before it is due. The bad thing about stress is it can damage your body because you lose sleep, which leads to memory loss.

You can also get headaches and mood swings and develop allergies. When bad stress happens, you need to find ways to reduce the amount of stress you are dealing with.

I remember dealing with a lot of stress my sophomore year. Meeting deadlines for all my classes was very difficult because I was given too many assignments at once. This caused me to procrastinate often because the thought of an overload of work scared me. Furthermore, I slept very late to get my

homework completed. When I woke up, I was lethargic and had a hard time concentrating in school. I am not the only one dealing with stress everyday. Ismael Membrere (11) said “school, family, and relationship problems” gives him stress.

He said he manages these problems by talking to someone he trusts. When he is stressed he “can’t enjoy anything.” These stressful situations leave him feeling irritated and distracted so he tries to forget about them by listening to music, going to sleep, playing video games, going on the computer or working out.

Another McKinley student dealing with stress is Meriam Salameh (12). ”I get really lost, I start forgetting things, and I get frustrated,” Salameh said. The cause of her stress is having too much to think about. To cope with her problems, she relaxes and tries to have a positive attitude about everything. Also Salameh said, “I try to organize my planner to focus and see what I need to do.” The most stressful situations she has dealt with were having a lot of projects, attending club events and going to work. Mary Mae Garay (11) said that school and “surprisingly, friends” give her stress so she manages it by taking her “anger out on tennis,” blasting her speakers to rock music and ranting on paper. It is hard dealing with stress because Garay said, “It affects my sleep.” Then, she wakes up feeling cranky.

Interesting Facts About Stress -Stress can make acne worse and researchers say it causes more acne than a rise in sebum -Stress can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pain, and an irregular heartbeat -Laughing lowers stress hormones and strengthens the immune system by releasing health-enhancing hormones -Stress makes blood “stickier,” which can result in a blood clot -Dark chocolate reduces stress hormones because cocoa is rich in flavonoids (antioxidant) -The top three stressful cities in America are Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; and New York, New York http://facts.randomhistory.com/stress-facts. html

Art by Mitchel Joy Dela Cruz (10)

Here are eight tips to help you manage stress • Identify what causes your stress. Examples could be school, work, or family situations.

• Look at the way you already manage or cope with your stress. Ask yourself if it is healthy or unhealthy. For example, watching TV or going on the computer are considered unhealthy ways to cope with your problems. They take away many hours that could be spent on better activities and make it hard for you to fall asleep.

You could change that habit by listening to music or taking a walk along the beach instead.

• Talk about your problems with someone you trust. If you bottle your feelings, your situation will likely remain the same.

Telling your feelings to someone will allow them to help you mediate your problems.

• Organize your time if you are stressing over deadlines . Maybe it helps to create a time chart so you know what you have planned for the day.

• Be optimistic. Although it is hard, you will definitely be more confident and happy. Let go of any anger and resentment and learn to forgive. It will take a lot of stress off your back.

• Make room during your day for some free time. Allow yourself to relax and do things you enjoy.

• Eat right! Foods can affect the way a person acts and feels.

• Sleep early by managing your time right. This is probably the greatest challenge for high students because many of us procrastinate when it comes to doing work. If you have a project, get started on it earlier.

This will give you more time to work on it before the deadline.