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OPHS: No Place for Hate

By Staff Writers

On May 5th, an anonymous e-mail which included both names of students and specific incidents pertaining to racial harassment and anti-Semitic behavior was distributed to the Oak Park and outlying community.

According to an all parent e-mail sent by the district, the administration has begun an investigation to determine the individuals involved. An e-mail from Oak Park Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Knight and Principal Kevin Buchanan explained, “Our investigation is extensive and becoming more complex as it progresses, and involves collaboration with law enforcement and our legal counsel.”

The racial harassment mentioned in the e-mail occurred in social media, specifically Twitter feeds, and apparent graffiti

The office displays a collection of art pieces created during Em(path)y Week to remind students to be empathetic.

in the campus environment.

Assistant Principal, Jason Meskis said, “This is not a true reflection of what the school is like, what our culture is like, and what our students are like.”

As of May 7th, a second anonymous e-mail has been sent with more allegations and names pertaining to harassment.

Confidentiality laws and individual privacy rights

prevent administration from disclosing individuals implicated, and also prevent them from discussing punishments. Principal Buchanan said, “Some discipline related to this issue has already been handed down and we’re currently determining the full extent of the issue and whether more will be necessary.”

According to Principal Buchanan, “Oak Park

High School does not tolerate any bullying, harassment, or intimidation of any kind, and will respond immediately to any issues brought to our attention.” Furthermore, Oak Park High School has programs in place, which actively work against this type of behavior, such as the Peer Counseling program and the Safe School Ambassadors program.

Continued on page 3

ASB Election Results Are In I s P r o m Feature

Attention: May 16-21 Minimum Days 7:20am-12:55pm e Senior Activities: May 19 Picnic June 4 Finals 0-1-3-5 June 5 Finals 0-2-4-6 June 6 Beach Day June 9 Magic Mountain

Worth the Price?

By Leah Katz, Art Director

This past month, Oak Park High School was covered with posters advertising candidates for the ASB elections.

Some posters aimed to make the voters laugh while others were straight to the point.

Students were able to vote for their representatives online on Naviance.

After viewing a video posted on Naviance, students voted for the representatives in their grade and the ASB office positions.

Although a number of students ran unopposed, some positions had numerous students competing.

Katie Randazzo, a freshman who lost the election for sophomore vice president to Claire Goldes, says that she is “happy to have competition in ASB so that the best people hold office.” And while she did not win, she is not defeated. She comments, “Maybe I’ll win

By Hailey Vlassis, Staff Writer

ASB: Michelle Velasquez, Monica Hennessy, Jake Speert and Abby Greenberg

next year.”

Although many positions were competitive, a few positions, such as sophomore site counsel, remain vacant. This gives those who lost another chance to be involved with ASB in the coming year.

The winners of the cabinet positions include Michelle Velasquez as ASB president, Monica Hennessy as vice president, Jake Speert as secretary and Abby

Greenberg as treasurer for the 2014-2015 school year.

They have big shoes to fill of the ASB alumni, who have gone outside the box in this past year with events such as the carnival and outdoor rally.

All of this year’s winners are sure to make a positive contribution to the school and the ASB program by bringing forth exciting new ideas for everyone to enjoy.

Prom-goers are attempting to determine whether or not their respective dates should pay for their ticket, and what the additional expenses could be.

The average Oak Park Prom ticket goes for a staggering $110; $120 without an ASB sticker.

Just as the prices are high, so is the number of underclassmen attending.

Although there are many people paying for their dates, a high number of students are paying for their individual ticket.

Senior Jillian Brown shares, “Prices are really high this year so I feel like paying for my own ticket is the right thing to do.”

Senior Trey Roche stands behind the act of purchasing a date’s ticket because he believes “tradition Continued on page 10

News

2

May 2014

OPUSD Weighs Jump Start Option

By Christopher Lee, Staff Writer

khanacademy.org

Khan Academy is partnering with the College Board to provide free SAT tutorials that will start in 2015.

New Partnership Provides Free Test Preparation

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The College Board recently announced a redesigned SAT coming in 2016, as well as a partnership with Khan Academy to provide free online SAT tutorials and practice tests.

Khan Academy is a non-profit website that offers free education worldwide. The website offers tutorial videos in hundreds of subjects ranging from remedial lessons to high-level learning.

Khan’s partnership with the College Board directly addresses one of the most prevalent inequalities associated with the SAT: those who can afford pricey test preparation are at an advantage.

“There is a perception that costly test preparation has made the ground uneven,” says David Coleman, President and CEO of the College Board. “The SAT should be about merit and hard work that’s equally available to all.”

Khan Academy will

videos and activities that are closely aligned to Common Core Standards. Teachers and students can track progress on the interactive lesson Dashboards. An interactive and comprehensive interface may help prepare students for the upcoming testing changes.

“Khan offers more visual learning rather than textbook learning,” says Oak Park High School technology teacher Mr. Amerikaner.

He adds, “So for those students who are more visual learners, it will be more beneficial.” Amerikaner believes that the only way to gauge the true effectiveness and success of the classes is to wait and compare the scores after the test is released in 2016.

The Common Core learning is starting out at the elementary level because Khan mostly provides education for basic understanding. Medea Creek Middle School and Oak Park High School may join the onlinetutoring bandwagon in the near future, depending on the effectiveness of the online-learning.

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By Zainab Pixler, Managing Editor

house thousands of practice problems released by the College Board as well as instructional videos that will be available free of charge to anyone with connection to the Internet.

The prep will be launched in the spring of 2015, a year before the launch of the new SAT.

The College Board and Khan Academy are committing to tutorials that will not just be an alternative to costly classes, but a worldclass education that will be equivalent to the higher costing materials.

This new and unexpected partnership plans to disprove the idea that pricey test prep is the only way to score well on the SAT by providing in-depth preparation that is accessible to anyone on the Internet.

Oak Park Unified School District is also adapting to the online tutoring craze.

OPUSD teachers will soon have the opportunity to set up their own accounts on Khan Academy and create classes into which their students can join. Students will have access to

Advanced Placement students across the nation feel the relief of the end of a strenuous year as Advanced Placement (AP) exams reach completion.

Leaving little to do for the remaining month of school, some believe that these few weeks can be used to further prepare for AP exams by moving the school year forward.

Oak Park High School senior Sunny Tsai says, “I guess it would be good. You would get to fit in more information before AP exams. Also, you would get to end earlier, which is what a lot of schools are doing now.”

Still on edge about whether to move the school year forward, problems such as a sizzling summer start, poses many challenges.

Air conditioning prices may soar and families with planned vacations might be out of luck.

Oak Park Unified School District Board Member Barbara Laifman states, “We need to assess not only how it would impact high school students, but also how it would affect the elementary and middle school students and their families.”

A major problem students encounter is the stress level endured over winter break. Because finals fall two weeks after winter break, many students claim that winter break does not feel like an actual hiatus from school.

Junior Maya Halthore comments, “Winter break should not be for studying. It should be for spending time with family.

It would definitely relieve

stress.”

The Challenge Success Survey conducted by Stanford University claims to have the most up-to-date research on the stress level of high-achieving students across the country, from preschoolers to college students.

Oak Park High School implemented this survey this school year, supporting students and staff in their effort to relieve schoolrelated stress. The results indicate that many Oak Park students experience little sleep, high academic stress and increasing homework loads. If Oak Park High School really wants to reduce stress, some feel a school year moved forward may be a solution.

Other students disagree that changing the school year would be beneficial, as freshman Rithik Kumar explains. “With finals after winter break you get time to review. Also, not all people take AP exams; you would have to study for those classes along with your AP classes.”

Additionally, with the striking summer heat during the middle of August, the first few weeks of school might be excruciating and air conditioning costs might dip too far into the already strained district budget.

All problems taken into account, the Oak Park Unified School District strives to do what is best for the over 4,000 students who attend its public schools.

Laifman ensures, “The OPUSD Board of Education and district administration are highly aware of the pressure that students are undergoing, have goals in place to address this very important concern, and are actively working to make change in this regard.”

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News

3

The Flipped Classroom: A New Way to Learn?

By Varsha Sarveshwar, Staff Writer

Nationwide, the increasing use of technology and the easier technological access to families is accompanied by a new trend in education: the flipped classroom.

The idea of a flipped classroom began in 2007, when two high school teachers in Colorado recorded their lectures and posted them online for students who missed class.

In a flipped classroom, curriculum is learned outside of class through online lectures, while homework, as well as clarification of the curriculum, is done within class.

The point of this system is to change classrooms from one that is teacher-centric, in which students are passively listening, to one that is student-centric, where students are actively participating in their own learning.

Though flipped classrooms are becoming more popular, the debate over their effectiveness still continues.

Supporters say that flipped classrooms reach students who are not paying attention in a normal classroom.

On the other hand, opponents worry that making students

coolinfographics.com The infograph above explains how a flipped classroom focuses on participation in class, allowing students to get clarification and work on homework.

learn the material out of class increases student workload without making much of a difference in student education.

At Oak Park High School, teachers are adopting more elements of the flipped classroom as technology, specifically iPads, is integrated into the classroom.

Jan Willis, an English teacher at Oak Park High School, points out that English classes naturally

consist of flipped elements, saying, “The base is at home, because [the students] have to have read and done some work… and then we come and add to that in the classroom, either [with] the teachers leading or the students doing seminars.”

Erik Amerikaner, Oak Park High School’s computer technology instructor, supports the use of flipped classrooms. He explains, “For students who are not able to

keep up with the pace of a lecture, it allows them to stop the lecture and go back… It also allows the teacher in the classroom to work with small groups or individually.”

With student access to the Internet and increasing technological presence in the classroom, it seems inevitable that, at Oak Park High School, classrooms will be adopting at least some of the flipped classroom model.

No Hate in Oak Park Continued from page 1

Oak Park High School has been a member of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for fifteen years, which tries to secure fair treatment to all races and the ADL’s Santa Barbara region No Place for Hate initiative.

This program encourages schools to advocate acceptance among races.

The ADL has released a press release explaining their disappointment in “the number and frequency of anti-Semitic and racial tweets” stemming from Oak Park High School students.

According to Principal Buchanan, “We are currently working with the Conejo Valley Jewish community and the ADL to conduct an assembly and ongoing educational programs to continue our work in this area.”

Vice Principal Mr. Meskis describes the recent events as “disappointing because we just had our Empathy Week and this is the exact behavior we do not want to see taking place on our campus.”

Many Oak Park students were unaware of this alleged harassment prior to the e-mail. Buchanan explained, “It is critical that if students feel they are being harassed for any reason, they bring their concerns to a trusted staff member, counselor or to the administration.”

Jake, a student attending

OPHS, said, “I didn’t know what was happening besides seeing a swastika on a table. Then I read the e-mail and was shocked to see the hatred.”

After hearing of the harassment alleged in the e-mails, multiple students felt scared to come to school. One student, Sarah, said, “Once I read the e-mail, I was scared because I’m openly Jewish and I was afraid it could happen to me.”

The Counselors and Advanced Peer Counselors will be holding an open forum meeting today, May 9th, during lunch in G-9. In addition, Oak Park High School will be holding an all-school assembly on Wednesday, May 28th with a presentation from the ADL.

The OPHS Counseling Department concludes, “We are saddened to hear that members of our community feel as though this is the only way they could address their concerns. We continue to encourage students and their families to contact us whenever they have a concern no matter how big or small.”

According to Principal Buchanan, administration has “requested increased police presence on campus” and would like to assure all students that after they further investigate these alleged harassments, they will take immediate and appropriate action. They are confident that OPHS will remain a peaceful and accepting campus.

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School Life

4

May 2014

LGBT in OP:

An Insider’s Perspective

By Brittany Jones, Co-Editor-in-Chief

For junior Tyler, there was not really a first time he noticed his gender preference. He had crushes on girls before, dated, but as he explains, “nothing ever felt amazing, like the movietype amazing.” It was only when he met his boyfriend, Nick, that he “truly found what love is like.”

Coming out was not a simple thing to do. He says that he “had to consider how his friends and friends of friends would react, how his family and family friends would feel, and even how strangers would feel.”

Although he has been lucky and has not faced a lot of harassment, according to Tyler, there have been a situations where they have been asked to stop hugging or holding hands because they had been doing it enough at that moment.

Tyler’s advice for coming out is: “The opportunity will present itself, whether it’s in a week, month, year, or even a few. It is not something that needs to be rushed.”

Serena, an openly bisexual student, originally held back from coming out because, as she explains, she thought homosexuality “wasn’t normal. But when [she] started to understand it more, [she] accepted it.”

She wishes that others would understand that people do not choose to be homosexual. She explains, “People are born with it and there is nothing wrong with that. Love is love.”

Her biggest advice to others is to not care what people think. She adds, “The only people who really matter are people who accept you for YOU. No one else.

And don’t rush it!”

Nick was originally fearful of “rumors and whispers…and that others would judge [him].” When he came out, people would go up to his friends and ask if he was gay.

However, coming out has opened doors for Nick. He explains, “Before coming out, it seemed like I was hiding behind a mask, but now…I can be who I am.” He now has the confidence to stand up against “cruel people.”

One thing he wishes others would realize about homosexuality is that “being gay is not the definition of a person’s character. Gay people are just like everyone else. They just love who they want to love without caring what the rest of the world thinks.”

Need advice on homosexuality? Visit these websites:

www.itgetsbetter.org www.homosexuals-anonymous.com www.thetrevorproject.org

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“Judge Me By My Size, Do You?” shirts can be seen on everyday appearal, as well as pet products.

Body Image:

“Judge me by my size, do you?”

By Adella Katz, Co-Editor-in-Chief, Zainab Pixler, Managing Editor

Once spoken by the great Jedi master, Yoda, in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, these words now occupy trendy, scoop neck t-shirts.

Though Yoda was referring to his below-average height, the new shirts suggest a slant towards weight.

Weight has been synonymous to beauty for centuries. America’s modern culture sets a high standard for women and men with regards to weight. In order to be “beautiful,” women must be small-waisted and bigbreasted, and men must be perfectly toned.

According to Oak Park High School counselor Ms. Fries, “Teenagers just in general have a very, sort of,

hyper sense about how others perceive them. It’s just indigenous developmentally where teenagers are at… a perception that everyone is looking at them. Interesting thing about that is that everybody else thinks the same thing. It’s a paradox.”

She adds, “I think [adolescence] can be especially painful when it comes to how we look. No matter how much we try to say it’s not what you look like, it’s who you are that’s important, we really try to build self-confidence and leadership abilities… learning how to celebrate parts of yourself that are maybe sort of quietly in there that haven’t had a chance to evolve yet.”

A goal of Oak Park’s Physical Health and Education department is to get students to “develop and maintain a positive self-image.”

The school hopes that by instilling healthy workouts and eating habits

into the students, students will learn to not only take care of their bodies but love their bodies as well. Rather than shaming themselves into unhealthy rituals to change their bodies, students are encouraged to be proud of their healthy choices and healthy bodies.

“I’ve always been encouraged to pursue any sport -no matter what my size,” says sophomore Chloe Weigel, “Amazing things come in all packages.”

“We always run up against this body image thing. It’s like the elephant in the room. It’s always there,” concludes Fries.

Need advice on body image?

Visit these websites: www.something-fishy.org/ reach/bodyimage www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/10-steps-positivebody-image

Positive Outcome for Fashion Show

By Ashley Siavoshi, Staff Writer

On May 1, 2014, eight students modeled for the first annual FIDM Fashion Club fashion show.

The charity show was a great success with over $500 donated to the St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital.

The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Fashion Club, founded this year by Annabelle Bartsch, worked hard to put together the show.

Bartsch commented on the process, saying,

“There were definitely a lot of stressful days, but we just knew the end piece would be worth it all.”

The Boutique in Simi Valley, Frenzy in Westlake Village, and Le Fashion Truck all loaned outfits for the show. Le Fashion Truck was also on campus before the show for pre-show shopping. A percentage of all sales were donated to St. Jude’s and the school.

Many Oak Park students and community members attended the show, making it a very successful debut.

Bartsch and the entire fashion club received positive feedback and comments.

Club member Alexa Hamel commented, “My favorite part was hearing everyone’s reactions when each model came out on stage. You could tell they really enjoyed the show and all the clothes we showed.”

The FIDM Fashtion Club hopes to make this show an annual tradition and, according to Bartsch, “have the students more involved in clubs and arts.”

School Life

May 2014

Senior Spotlight

By Alex Appelrouth, News Editor, Brittany Jones, Co-Editor-in-Chief

T: Tell us about the dance scholarship you received a few months ago.

B: I went to a convention and I was recognized as receiving a scholarship to be able to go next year for free. So it wasn’t that I got so many thousands of dollars.

T: How do you feel about attending UCLA next year?

B: Well, my parents both went there so I’ve been spirited about it for my whole life. It’s exciting to get into my dream school, but I’m still excited for summer to happen before that. I feel like people are very college driven and not the summer first.

T: Why do you want summer first? Do you have any set plans?

B: Well I have nationals for dance and we’re going to South Carolina but I’m just ready for some relaxing before school starts again.

T: What are you majoring in?

B: Biology T: What are your plans for the future?

B: Med school. Hopefully ER doctor or some kind.

Keep it exciting.

T: Do you have any other extracurricular activities besides dance?

B: Well there’s a volunteer group with my dance studio. It’s like the same team but the volunteering comes from that and I assist a dance class. I volunteer an hour a week to be the second teacher. (laughs) Everything kind of stems out of dance.

T: In what ways have your parents influenced your decision for UCLA? B: They went for undergrad.

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Brittany Trompetto

That’s where they met. I’ve just been a Bruin baby my whole life. But like I want to go to this school. It’s not like, “You have to go to this school.”

T: What attracted you to UCLA? B: I’m really excited to go to a school that’s a lot bigger than this bubble. And, I want to be in a big city. I want to be far enough away where I can be independent and live by myself. There’s a lot of opportunities there and a lot of school spirit. It’s just an impressive school.

T: Do you plan on attending any clubs while at UCLA? B: I’m hoping to have a dance minor and join the company they have there and take recreational classes to still keep up with dance.

T: What is your cultural background?

B: My mom’s family is Cuban. They had to escape because communism was tak-

“If you work hard for something, you’ll achieve it.” ing over. My abuelo was the head engineer of Cuba. My grandparents had to come here with ten dollars and start over. He had to work three jobs. I don’t speak Spanish but my whole family

does. And my abuelo doesn’t speak English well but what he’ll convey to me every time I see him is that education is so important and that you need to have it. That’s been very influential.

Future Business Leaders of America

By Tushar Jois, Layout Editor, Justin Liu, Staff Writer

The Oak Park High School Future Business Leaders of America, otherwise known as FBLA, team made great strides at the State Conference, outperforming every other school in the Gold Coast Section.

In a three-day sojourn to Ontario, California, the Oak Park High School team won a total of ten awards. Four people attended the Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

With winners in such disparate topics, such as Public Speaking and Accounting, club president Alex Pai could not be more proud of the fledgling club he started merely two years ago.

Pai comments, “This being our second year going to State Leadership Conference, I am really happy with all the progress we’ve

Oak Park High School’s Future Business Leaders of America team did exceptionally well this year at the State Conference, pictured here with their awards.

made as a club.”

Although there were many awards that were handed out to Oak Park students, it was the social experience of the State Leadership Conference that was particularly memorable.

Pai adds, “The ability to network with other students is one of FBLA’s hallmark benefits and I feel that many of our members

felt that connection at SLC.”

In addition to the competitive events and awards ceremony, the State Leadership Conference included a variety of different social events.

These social events ranged from workshops to dances and allowed for the competitors to relax and meet new people from across California.

Arav Batra, one of the many participants of the conference, had “the time of [his] life at the amusement park, Scandia.”

Scandia, the main event after competition, was a small, Scandianvaininfluenced amusement park located in the center of Ontario.

The success of Oak Park students at this year’s

State Leadership Conference highlights the growing involvement of the student body in a club that promotes the integration of all people in all professions.

Those interested in joining the club can contact Alex Pai or attend the club meetings in Mr. Winkler’s Room, R-3 on alternating Fridays at lunch.

Feature

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May 2014

Healthier Menu - A Can Oak Park cope

probably eat 21. So, how can we make those the most healthy,

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We’re responsible for basically five meals a week. Most students the most environmentally friendly and sensitive and the best possible for our kids?

- Superintendent Dr. Tony Knight

May 2014

Feature

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Alternative Choices with the new changes?

By Adella Katz, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Over eight years ago, Oak Park Unified School District removed beef from the school menu. This measure was implemented for health reasons as, according to Dr. Knight, cows were and still are a significant contributor to methane gases that deplete the ozone layer. For environmental reasons, the beef option was stripped away. Additionally, says Dr. Knight,“We haven’t served pork, lamb or fish in our schools for more than ten years.”

This measure of removing animal products from the school menus began a district-wide attempt to improve the health and wellness of its students.

Dr. Knight comments, “We have a health crisis in this country and a lot of that is related to the food that we’re eating. We’ve gone further away from eating a whole food diet, if you will, and whether that be vegetarian or animal products, that probably is the big crux of the matter.”

This past year, the School Board, with Dr. Knight as the most prominent advocate, discussed the possibility of changing the district’s schools’ menus to a more plant-based diet among other changes such as replacing dairy products to the Oak Park Unified School District’s Health Policy. At first, the idea of an exclusively vegetarian and vegan menu was proposed, but according to Dr. Knight, that idea was not “practical.”

The original idea of a shift to a heavily plant-based menu caught the attention of Oak Park High School’s Associated Student Body.

Regarding the issue of food sales at lunch with this new menu, Miles Morrow, Senior Class President, states, “I feel that students vote with their dollars, and that if they truly dislike this new policy and the food in the cafeteria, they will choose

to bring their own lunches. If there is a noticeable change in cafeteria sales, there will be new changes in the menu.”

However, Dr. Knight emphasized that in this new health policy, which will be presented to the School Board on May 20 for approval, the additives, artificial flavors and excessive salt content of certain food and snacks that the district’s schools serve, will be removed.

Knight remarks, “According to this policy we would continue to [serve poultry], but here’s the caveat with it – we want the chicken and turkey to be pastureraised and third party humanely certified.

Our goal is not to serve factory or industrial farmed poultry, however, conventional poultry may be required due to budgetary concerns. That’s something we’re going to have to feel our way through.”

When asked if the school board is working with nutritionists on this matter, Knight responds, “We have a partnership with the California Health and Longevity Center, and they’ve worked with us on recipes before and they’re aware of what we’re doing.”

Concerning the already implemented Meatless Monday, Morrow remarks, “I am not aware of any losses of school revenue from Meatless Monday, but I know that Meatless Monday is not a popular day from many regular cafeteria consumers.”

To compromise and address the concerns of the School Board and the Oak Park schools’ students, Dr. Tony Knight, Jennifer von Schneidau, Lindsay Stanton, and Miles Morrow are writing a survey which tries to omit the most bias as possible for both sides of the argument.

Morrow comments, “The survey must be reviewed by Mr. Micek [Oak Park High School’s Statistics teacher] and be approved by both Dr. Knight and the Associated Student Body.”

This survey will be given to underclassmen and possibly juniors near the

“Meat” the Facts: The American Cancer Society’s most recent nutrition guidelines recommend eating a balanced diet with an emphasis on plant sources, which includes: * 5 or more servings of vegetables and fruit each day * choosing whole grains over processed and refined grains * limiting processed meats and red meats * balancing calorie intake with physical activity to get to or stay at a healthy weight * limiting alcohol intake

http://static-vegetariantimes.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/go-veg-458x326.jpg

end of the school year. It will include questions regarding cost of food, types of food, possible food substitutes and environmental concerns.

“We don’t want this to cost the district money. We just want to breakeven. Many students may think that we’re trying to make money on [the food program], but we’re not. Every dollar that we take in, we put right back in the program – you get better quality stuff,” says Knight.

News

8

May 2014

SoCal Shaking: Earthquake Preparedness

By Sean Khoury, Staff Writer

California experiences hundreds of small earthquakes everyday, most of which are hardly felt.

However, in recent weeks, there have been more earthquakes in and around Oak Park than usual. As California has not experienced a large-scale earthquake in quite some time, it would seem that it is due for one.

It is imperative that every Oak Park resident have some sort of earthquake safety precautions set in place in their homes.

Junior Ben Baraghimian says, “In my house, we have one week’s supply of food and water and all of our beds are kept away from the windows so that we aren’t near broken glass if an earthquake were to hit at night. I also have a safety kit that includes gloves, a radio, and a flashlight.”

Ben is a shining example of what a prepared Oak Park resident looks like; however, not all students are

globalpost.com The image above captures the destruction caused in the aftermath of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake of March 2011 and subsequent tsunami in Japan.

as prepared as he is.

When asked what type of safety precautions she has in place in her home, sophomore Jordyn Bradbury replied, “I have a flashlight and a whistle in a drawer next to my bed.” When asked why she had the whistle Bradbury replied, “I don’t

know it just seemed necessary.”

The structures of Oak Park homes, schools and other buildings have been built with earthquake safety kept closely in mind so that all structures would hold together in the event of a large earthquake.

For the purpose of avoiding any fatalities in a quake, here is a list of the necessary items to keep close at hand: food and water (a gallon a day per person), a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher suitable for all types of fires, flashlights, a portable radio, extra batteries, blan-

kets, clothes, shoes, money and a whistle (optional).

Oak Park residents should implement these safety precautions into their households as soon as possible because the San Andreas Fault, about forty miles from Oak Park, is due for a larger scale earthquake at any time.

Sports

May 2014

9

Coach of the Year: Aaron Shaw

By Matt Byer, Guest Writer

Pictured above: (from left to right) Alex Wenker, Zach Fowler, Zack Shorts, Jake Chesson, Ryan Helfand, Hunter Jamison, Jake Lam, Brendon Jasso, Matt Johnson, Tyler Chandler, Marc Goodnough, Shane Bracken, Stephen Bernstein, and Taylor Bray.

Lax or Die: Boys Reach Playoffs

By Stephen Bernstein, Guest Writer

In 2011, the Oak Park Eagles Lacrosse team had an undefeated season, going 17-0. Four years later, a team consisting of mostly seniors has put together another great year. The team consists of 14 seniors, all of whom contribute to the success of the team.

Whether it is Goalie Shane Bracken and Defensemen Marc Goodnough playing great defense, or Midfielders Hunter Jamison, Matt Johnson and Tyler Chandler putting up goals, the team is well rounded.

The Oak Park Lacrosse team is poised for a deep playoff run after going

12-5 during the regular season with big wins over Los Alamitos and Palos Verdes in overtime.

Senior Tyler Chandler believes that “hardwork” and “dedication” will help the team make it to Championships.

He adds, “We’re going to have to come together as a team and stick to the system instead of being individualistic.”

On Tuesday, May 6th, the Eagles won their first-round playoff game, beating the Oaks Christian Lions 10-9 in a nail biter.

The Eagles played an all around better game compared to their 10-6 loss to the Lions a week earlier.

Goalie Shane Bracken was one of the keys to this win as he made numerous

saves.

Senior Jake Lam, who committed to UCSB to play lacrosse, scored the 10th and final goal by using a hat trick.

The Eagles then took on the Newbury Park Panthers on Thursday night.

The Eagles lost to the Panthers 6-5 during the regular season.

Senior Brendon Jasso, a Long Stick Mid-fielder, comments, “This has been one of the toughest, yet most fun seasons I’ve ever had.

We are going to keep going as hard as possible to hopefully advance as far as we can in the playoffs as a team and as a family.”

With a team of 14 seniors, many are not ready to end their high school careers with anything less than

success.

Seniors on the team include Zack Shorts, Shane Bracken, Brendon Jasso, Stephen Bernstein, Marc Goodnough, Tyler Chandler, Ryan Helfand, Hunter Jamison, Taylor Bray, Matt Johnson, Alex Wenker, Zach Fowler, Jake Chesson and Jake Lam.

According to Coach Tari Ergin, “Playoffs are about survival. Every playoff team, save one, will end their season with a loss and every playoff team is a very good team. Our goal is to play the best Lacrosse we are capable of as a team, making the fewest mistakes, and playing to our maximum effort at every moment. Then, regardless of outcome, we can feel satisfied that we gave our best and the best team won.”

Surf Team Excels at State Championships

By Brittany Jones, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Of the over 80 Southern Californian high schools with surf teams, Oak Park High School was one of 21 schools to compete in the State Championships in Oceanside on Sunday, April 6th.

Although the boys’ shortboard and longboard teams did not advance beyond the first round, the bodyboard team, consisting of Kyle Martinelli and Scott McIntosh, advanced to the quarter-finals.

According to Coach David Kinberg, “the stars of the day were from our girls’ team,” which con-

sisted of Vienna Werner, Katy Rupp and Natalie Balen.

They advanced to the semi-finals in shortboard and the finals in longboard.

They ended up 4th in shortboard and took home the 2nd place trophy in longboard.

In addition to its attendance at the State Championships, the Oak Eighteen Eagles achieved rankings in the LA-Santa Barbara region Park Surf Team picked up its endWerner, a sophomore, ended

The Men’s and of-the-season awards. up #1 in Women’s ShortWomen’s Longboard teams

This year, the team board and #3 in Women’s both finished #1 in league, had 18 Eagles achieve rankLongboard. and the Women’s Shortboard ings.

Aaron Kinberg, a juended as #2.

In the LA-Santa nior, picked up the 4th place

The Varsity team Barbara region (13 schools, trophy for Men’s Longboard took 2nd place overall in the almost 200 surfers), Vienna and Alex Ungar took 6th.

2nd Division.

Going into the 2013-2014 season, the Oak Park boys’ Varsity Basketball team did not have any returning starters. Not only had it lost its whole starting line up, it lost a total of nine seniors. The outcome of the upcoming season was unknown.

There are usually two things that a team can do in this situation: 1) Use this as an excuse and treat it as a rebuilding year for the future of the squad or 2) Accept the challenge and come together as a team to carry on the tradition of Oak Park Basketball.

The Eagle’s chose to carry on the tradition.

Lead by Coach Aaron Shaw, the Eagle’s won their first CIF Division 3A championship. The Los Angeles Times named Coach Shaw the Boy’s Basketball Coach of the Year “for being able to rebuild and reload a team without relying on transfer students.”

After a 22-11 win/ loss ratio during the regular season and finishing second place in the Tri-Valley League (behind Oaks Christian), Oak Park morphed into a new team in playoffs.

A number 4 seed in the playoff bracket, the Eagle’s defeated Covina, Huntington Beach Ocean View, Lompoc Cabrillo, Santa Barbara, and La Canada St. Francis during its CIF championship run.

Coach Shaw stated in The Los Angeles Times, “We struggled early in the season and it took us a little bit of time to figure out our roles, but we were able to capitalize on playing our best during playoffs.”

Shaw was able to rally his team together behind captains senior Cole Micek and junior Mikey Alvarez. The team’s chemistry and heart was a key asset to their success.

Coach Shaw gained respect not only from receiving this award, but also from his players who found that they could accomplish anything with hard work and dedication.

Entertainment

10

May 2014

A Magical Experience for the Oak Park Choir

By Juliana Furgala, Staff Writer, Ashley Siavoshi, Entertainment Editor

In mid-April, Oak Park High School’s Choir performed at Carnegie Hall in New York.

The students, under the guidance and supervision of choir teacher Heidi Cissell, toured New York for several days, saw Broadway shows such as Les Miserables, Chicago and Once, and performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall.

Rather than performing a typical repertoire of songs, the Oak Park High School Choir performed composer Christopher Tin’s “Calling All Dawns” and movements of his world premiere work entitled “The Drop That Contained the Sea” on April 13, according to Mrs. Cissell.

The “50-page piece,” commented junior choir member Polina Davydov,

was made up of a “variety of languages ranging from Polish to Japanese, to the native language of New Zealand, Māori.” The twelvelanguage, twelve-song cycle tells the tale of the cycle of life. The students performed alongside a live orchestra and multiple famous soloists.

In order to raise funds to go to New York for their performance, the choir reached out to the community. All raised funds went towards transportation and participation costs for the trip.

Mrs. Cissell proudly stated that the Oak Park choir students stood out during the rehearsals. Sarah Bochan and Akshay Rao assisted in pronunciation for some movements of the piece, working directly with the composer and director.

This experience left the choir members with many fond memories. Junior Noah Finn elaborates, “I learned how to operate in a professional setting and

The OPHS Choir experienced a once in a lifetime opportunity by performing at Carnegie Hall in New York.

what it is like to work with professional mentors and composers.”

Senior Samantha LeQuesne summed up the experience, stating that, “The process of learning all the songs was a bit difficult

and tedious, but when all of the choir groups came together: magic happened.”

However, this is not the end of Oak Park choir’s magical experience. According to Mrs. Cissell, Christopher Tin, whose piece the

Oak Park Welcomes Christopher Tin

By Adella Katz, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Art Show Winners

By Nicole Schwartz, Staff Writer

Oak Park students recently entered their work into the Westlake Village Art Guild show. There were 403 entries from 147 Conejo Valley High School students.

The criteria included composition, technical execution, creativity and overall visual impact. Three jurors evaluated the entries on a scale from one to ten.

The jurors’ scores were added together and the entries with the highest score in each category were invited to exhibit their piece and com-

pete for awards.

The Awards Ceremony and Opening Reception took place on Friday, April 11th. There were 78 art pieces from 55 different students.

Sophomore Caitlin Takeda, who entered her piece “Girl in Water,” comments, “It was a really neat experience getting to meet other kids from the area who also have an appreciation for art and seeing such diversity in style among budding artists.”

Congratulations to students whose entries were exhibited in this year’s Westlake Village Art Guild show.

Christopher Tin, a two-time Grammy award winner, made his official debut in 2009 with “Calling All Dawns.” According to Mrs. Cissell, “[Tin’s] work covers diverse terrain: from thrilling fusions of orchestral and world music, to brooding reinventions of 90’s electronica, to award-winning scores for film, video games, and commercials.”

He attended Stanford and Oxford University. While attending the latter, Tin won the Fulbright Scholarship and continued his studies at the “elite Royal College of Music in London,” states Cissell. He graduated with the highest marks and won the Horowitz Composition Prize.

Additionally, states Cissell, “His music has been performed live by many distinguished orchestras, including the National Symphony Orchestra, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Philharmonia, Metropole

Orchestra, and hundreds of amateurs’ ensembles around the world.”

Tin has also composed music for movies and video games such as Civilization IV and X-Men United.

In recognition of his educational work, the city of Mt. Vernon, Indiana declared May 4th to be Christopher Tin Day, separate from the pun-riddled “may the fourth be with you” day.

On Friday, May 30 at 7 p.m. in the Oak Park High School Pavilion, the Oak Park High School Choir will have their annual Spring Concert, which Christopher Tin will graciously attend.

According to Mrs. Cissell, “[they] will have thirteen adults and five OPHS students performing” in the choir as well as in Chamber Orchestra to present six movements of Tin’s composition of “Calling All Dawns.”

Come support Oak Park Choir and Chamber Orchestra on May 30. Tickets will be on sale at the door for $5 for students and $10 for adults.

choir performed at New York, is attending the upcoming Choir Spring Concert on May 30th, where the choir will sing part of Tin’s recent composition, among other musical pieces.

Prom Discussions Continued from page 1 and chivalry are not dead.”

Pertaining to the high volume of underclassmen attendance, Dayna Rosenthal, a junior, shares, “I think the senior to [underclassmen] ratio is more equal than previous years. Even though it’s a junior-senior Prom, it’s always been a senior thing.”

Overall, many seniors seem to be put off by the high level of underclassmen. Senior Alyssa Wilson explains, “Prom should be about the senior grade, and seniors connecting with each other for the last time before graduation. Having non-seniors there takes that bonding effect away.”

Other expenses include purchasing a dress or tux, renting a party bus, and/or getting one’s hair and makeup done professionally.

Senior Leah Chasin comments, “The price of additional amenities is annoying, but it is also inevitable.”

Despite the uncharacteristic number of underclassmen and the high costs, it is bound to be a night that will not be forgotten.

Editorial

May 2014

11

Dress Code: Uneven Enforcement

By Hannah Exler, Staff Writer

It is apparent that students are unsatisfied with the dress code, as many fashion trends are deemed “disruptive,” “distracting,” or “not permissible” for school.

Though the dress code applies to both guys and girls, many students feel it is more strictly enforced for the latter.

Students have either found ways to skirt the dress code or have been asked by staff to change clothing to more appropriate wear.

Senior Jordan Weber was given a “warning” his freshman year when he arrived to school in a tank top. However, he claims, “I have worn tank tops thousands of times since” and “have never been dress coded.”

Although the dress code forbids low-rise pants that “drop below the waistband of their undergarments,” boys that do so are simply told to pull their pants up. No stronger ac-

tion seems to be taken, and once out of view of administration, it is likely that the targeted boy will once again wear his pants low.

Another student who has been able to work his way around the dress code is junior Sean Cooper.

He has occasionally been dress coded for wearing tank tops, but he still wears them and “get[s] away with it.”

Cooper believes “the dress code is much harder on girls” because certain parts of their bodies, “such as shoulders and backs,” are sexualized when they should not be. Furthermore, he believes backless shirts for girls should not “distract or hinder anyone’s education” to the point of enforcing dress code about it.

In addition to the seemingly blurry standards set by the dress code, students (especially female) feel that the administration goes too far in enforcing the said code.

Senior Alexa Frisch feels violated under the view of one campus supervisor.

According to Frisch, when she wore a tank top that re-

vealed a small portion of her bandeau (something that counts as “underwear, undershirts, or other forms of undergarments”), she was told she needed to “cover up” because what she was wearing “wasn’t classy.” According to Frisch, the campus supervisor then explained, “Girls should be recognized for their brains.”

This scolding came off much more harshly compared to Weber’s simple warning. According to Frisch, to conclude this conversation, the campus supervisor asked for Frisch’s full name and stated that she would “be keeping an eye” on her.

Frisch states that this confrontation did more than just implement the dress code. She “felt talked down to” and “disrespected.”

Though the school’s administration’s job is keeping certain wardrobe choices under control, Frisch believes this campus supervisor crossed a line in reprimand.

The campus supervisors declined to comment instead directing the reporter to ask the administration.

Photo illustration depicting poor dress choices that can result in a violation.

Mr. Buchanan, however, commented that the reason more girls are dress coded than boys is simply because “more girls break the dress code than boys.”

He also adds that the dress code should not be so controversial due to the “clearly articulated” rules in the student handbook.

Granted, it is very

difficult to change a dress code. Whether the student body is happy with it or not, rules are rules and the dress code is there for a reason.

Though boundaries of the dress code can be tricky and rules usually cannot be compromised, one idea remains clear: a dress code is much more respected when it is equally enforced.

M A R K E X L E R D . D . S . , F. A . C . P. PRACTICE LIMITED TO PROSTHODONTICS

Proud Supporter of OPHS Women’s

Volleyball

“Go Eagles” BOARD CERTIFIED SPECIALIST CARING FOR YOUR SIMPLE TO COMPLEX DENTAL NEEDS 818-501-0663/16311 VENTURA BLVD., SUITE 530 ENCINO, CA 91436

About the Talon

TALON Mission Statement

12 The Talon, produced by OPHS Journalism Club students, strives to bring attention to and to discuss current events through a student forum.

The paper aims to inform the student body in a reliable and relevant manner.

If you would like to contact the Talon with comments or questions regarding advertising, please e-mail the newspaper at: talon@ oakparkusd.org

May 2014

Letter from the Editor

Dear Readers,

In light of recent events, the Counselors and Advanced Peer Counselors will be holding an open forum meeting today, Friday, May 9th, during lunch in G-9. This meeting will allow students the opportunity to openly discuss how they have been impacted or affected. In addition, Oak Park High School will be holding an all school assembly on Wednesday, May 28th, with a presentation from the Anti Defamation League (ADL). I encourage all students to attend one or both events.

On a lighter note, there is one more week of AP testing and Prom is exactly a week away. Please make sure to purchase your Prom tickets at the Student Store. They are sold until May 13th, so plan accordingly. Tickets are $110 with an ASB sticker, and $120 without. Don’t forget to bring your Student ID card with you!

Attention ladies attending Prom:

1. Make your hair and make-up appointments now if you have not already done so. Keep in mind that May

16th is also Senior Must-Do day, where we must be at school from 8:30am to 10:30am.

2. Practice walking around the house while donning your heals to ensure a safe and confident walk.

3. Stand in front of the mirror practicing your pose for Prom pictures.

4. Ask your significant other (or maybe your date is a stranger) if he/she would like a boutonniere.

Attention gents attending Prom:

1. Make sure to stop by your local flower shop to purchase the much anticipated (and expensive) corsage.

2. Smell good.

-Brittany Jones

The Talon Staff Editorial Staff

Staff Writers

Brittany Jones is a senior who has been writing for the Talon for three years. She is on the Varsity basketball team.

Varsha Sarveshwar is in her first year writing for the paper. She loves reading about and discussing current events and politics.

Adella Katz is a senior at OPHS. She enjoys writing for the Talon and obsessively watches her favorite TV shows New Girl and SVU.

Hannah Exler is a senior embarking on her second year of journalism. She also plays on the volleyball team and drives a Scion in her free time.

Alex Appelrouth is a senior at Oak Park who loves music and fast food. He enjoys being active and plays Varsity baseball.

Tushar Jois is a junior at Oak Park who enjoys writing and layout. He is a typophile and hopes you like the new layout.

Leah Katz is a senior at Oak Park and she likes taking pictures and watching ridiculous sitcoms. She also plays soccer in her free time.

Min Kwon is a senior at OPHS. He enjoys writing for the Talon and listening to K-Pop in his free time.

Ashley Siavoshi is a junior and has been writing for the Talon since her freshman year. Her hobbies include poetry, maths, and the Big Bang Theory.

Zainab Pixler is a senior at OPHS and this is her second year writing for the Talon. She loves The Huntington Library and National Geographic.

Juliana Furgala is a junior and she has always been, and will continue to be, an avid reader. Her favorite subjects are history and art.

Hailey Vlassis is a senior who loves to make other laugh, has a passion for her volleyball teammates. And most of all, loves to write.

Matt Byer is a senior, three-sport athlete at Oak Park High School.

He is headed to Brown University next year to play football in the Ivy League.

Stephen Bernstein is a senior lacrosse player at Oak Park High School. He is headed to Indiana University where he is a direct admit to the Kelley School of Business. He plans to study finance.

Also included in this issue: Nicole Schwartz, Christopher Lee, Justin Liu and Sean Khoury

Interested in joining the Talon staff?

Whether you are interested in journalism, photography or layout, we have a place for you. ~ Locate Brittany Jones or Adella Katz, or stop by a club meeting. Meetings take place every other Tuesday at lunch in H-9.