If Schaefer could be any celebrity for one day, she would be Michelle Obama

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Panther Prowler • Feb. 8, 2019 Students shred Australian waves

Emily Augustine News Editor

Over the course of the holiday season, fi ve CVUSD students traveled to Australia to take part in a surf lifesaving program. On Dec. 27, the Leo Carrillo Junior Lifeguards Lifesaving Team based in California departed for the Maroochydore Surf Lifesaving Club in Maroochydore, Australia.

Th e team consisted of Sam Manzano, Hudson Eskigian, Cameron Habib, Miller Meinhart and Mason Meinhart. Th ey home-stayed at several family homes of members from the Maroochydore team giving them the opportunity to bond with their friends from the Australia team and visit the local tourist attractions.

Tim Harvey, director of the Leo Carrillo Junior Lifeguard Program, planned the trip and helped chaperone the kids attending. Although the trip was an opportunity for the team to gain experience in the water, the cultural diff erences between California and Australia were present.

“Th e Australians have a much deeper cultural tradition in surf lifesaving, so they tend to train more at an earlier age. Th ey then aspire to greater success as they get older, oft en training year round for the summer surf lifesaving season. We simply don’t have as strong a cultural tradition and tend to put our kids in other sports at an earlier age,” Harvey said.

An itinerary was made so each member of the team was upto-date on their day-to-day schedule. Sam Manzano, freshman, has been surfi ng since he was four years old.

“If I could describe my trip to Australia in one word, the word would be independent...because throughout my trip I had to be able to get myself to the trainings and fi gure out all my fl ights and be responsible for myself,” Manzano said.

5things you did not know about

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Marissa Schaefer

Carter Castillo Staff Writer

Schaefer became a teacher to inspire students and help them grow not only academically, but also by pushing them beyond their boundaries.

Schaefer does not have a lot of free time, but when she does, she wants to explore the beauty of California.

If Schaefer could be any celebrity for one day, she would be Michelle Obama.

Schaefer’s spirit animal would probably be either a unicorn or a hippopotamus.

Manzano also learned some valuable lessons about what motivates him to pursue surf lifesaving.

“I have learned that you really, no matter how sick or sore you might feel, still have to show up to practice even if you’re not getting in the water...and it’s all about perseverance and teamwork,” Manzano said.

Although they had the opportunity to experience Australia, the trip took a large portion of time away from the team members’ education. Hudson Eskigian, junior at Century Academy High School, missed three weeks of school and had to keep up with her make-up work.

“I missed heaps of school, actually. I didn’t do any school for three weeks,” Eskigian said.

Th e trip challenged the students to practice surf lifesaving in conditions rougher than they are used to. Th e team pushed through and was able to get used to the surf by the second week of their stay.

“Every day we had diff erent training sessions. Sometimes it would be going in and out of the surf constantly for an hour, just learning from the kids that have been there for years and what their strengths are. Th eir surfs are so much diff erent than ours -- it’s a lot heavier -- and the currents are just so diff erent, being in diff erent conditions and learning how to deal with that,” Eskigian said.

Th e teams experienced the diff erences and similarities between Australian teams and their team. “My favorite part about the Australia trip was being able to see how the Australians work in the water and being able to become more adaptive in the ocean,” Manzano said.

Find out more information about Th e Leo Carrillo Junior Lifeguards Lifesaving Team on their Instagram page: @leocarrilloexchangeteam.

Other side of the worldther side of the world- After their trip to Australia for a surf lifeguard program over winter break, five CVUSD students from the Leo Carrillo Lifeguards program pose for a photo as they remember their journey to the other side of the world. Hudson Eskigian, center and junior at Century Academy, thoroughly enjoyed their trip. “It’s a wonderful place to go and visit, just from the people you find, and the weather is amazing, the water is super warm and the surf is super good,” Eskigian said. The team was able to stay with friends and family members, allowing them to be able to see the sights of Australia in addition to their long days of training. Emily Nagamoto/Prowler

Asian Culture Club celebrates Chinese New Yearsian Culture Club celebrates Chinese New Year

Aditya Vunnum Sports Editor

Some of us run away from our culture, some of us are ignorant of our culture and some of us throw chow mein parties. Every other week, the Asian Culture Club meets to promote their culture with food and games.

On Feb. 6, the club invited students to celebrate the Chinese New Year with free chow mein and rice for anyone who came to the meeting.

Th e event started off with a presentation, including an informational video about the signifi cance of the lunar calendar and announcements of upcoming events, such as the annual Civic Arts Plaza Chinese New Year performance.

Aft er weeks of planning, Tiff any Hsu, junior and president, was thrilled by the outcome of the event: “Th e meeting was very successful. Our club had great energy all throughout the meeting and had a fun celebration,” Hsu said. “Th e turnout at the event was amazing with over 60 people showing up. Lots of members of the club -- old and new -- joined our celebration of the new year.”

Nikki Usares, junior and vice president, plans to build off of the success they had and hold more events to celebrate the new year. “We plan on volunteering at Chinese events at the Civic Arts Plaza because there’s going to be a lot in the coming weeks where we can help.”

Th e club was founded by several students in the Chinese language program, including Stephen Liu, junior, aft er they realized that there were currently no clubs that represented what they were looking for.

“What we want to do in this club is to acknowledge and promote the many aspects and quirks of Asian culture in our school, as the name implies. We want to bring together as many people as possible in a culturally rich environment,” Liu said.

Th e club is certainly not exclusive to the Asian community either. Of the 25 regular members in the club, there are several who aren’t Asian, including a Hispanic board member.

Yum- Janice Guzman, junior (left), and Melanie Masson, junior (right), fill their plates with chow mein in celebration of Chinese New Year in B-11. “Our primary goal is to celebrate the different Asian cultures, because it seems like Asian cultures are almost the same but they’re not. There’s actually a lot of diversity and we want to spread the knowledge about it,” Usares said. The club meets every other week in room B-11. Maya Chari/ Prowler

“If you think the club is exclusive to only Asians, you misunderstand our message and our goals. Yes, while our focus is primarily Asian, we encourage people of all races, nationalities and ethnicities to come by and celebrate the culture with us. If you want to join the club, you’re always welcome to,” Liu said.

For updates and additional information regarding the club, visit their instagram @npacc2019.

“To any student not in Asian Culture Club and is curious to learn about Asian culture or eat yummy foods, come.” Hsu said. “You won’t regret it.”