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Alternative Options for Spring Finals

By Alex Appelrouth, News Editor

Graduation, senior activities, college and summer vacation are all on the forefront of seniors’ minds, but final exams stand in the way of complete serenity.

Final exams typically involve intensive studying and review in order to prepare for the long tests, but this year, many seniors have found that a few classes will be ending with a twist.

These classes, which include CP Physics, CP Children’s Literature and AP Psychology, have offered alternatives to the stressful, grueling process of typical final exams.

As part of their finals, these classes have implemented projects or discussions that serve as valid substitutes.

The different final exams allow for teachers to effectively evaluate students’ progress and overall

Zack Shorts and foreign exchange student Rune Remiertez test their catapult during class, hoping to score a good grade.

knowledge in the respective course, while avoiding the tedious commonalities that come with standard tests.

This year at Oak Park High School, CP Physics students were presented the opportunity to demonstrate their overall knowledge and understanding of the subject through a unique, unorthodox final examination: the construc-

tion of a catapult.

This alternative final, offered by physics teacher Mr. Jones, allows students to effectively exhibit their abilities as well as to be liberated from extensive studying for an exam.

Mr. Jones recalls that the students “were quite keen on it” when he originally presented the idea of the project to the class.

Classic physics experiments have been developed to help students demonstrate critical concepts.

Of these, including “building bridges out of paper and scotch tape… cars out of mousetrap parts, or devices to drop an egg,” the catapult is known to be a prime example.

National Spanish Exam

Opportunities Abroad

Feature

Continued on page 10

By Jessica Ji and Irena Yang, Staff Writers

Events: e Seniors: Enjoy Senior Beach Day Tomorrow Magic Mountain on June 9th Graduation: 6 PM, June 11th

e Last Day of School June 12th

Spanish III students from Oak Park High School present their awards from the National Spanish Exam

By Ashwarya Srinivas, Staff Writer

On April 9th, Spanish students across the country, including those taking Spanish III Honors at Oak Park High School, took the National Spanish Exam.

The National Spanish Exam (NSE) is an online assessment given to measure

the proficiency and achievement of students studying Spanish.

On Friday, May 30th, all of the Oak Park winners received their awards and results from the test.

Oak Park High School received the largest amount of awards out of all of the schools in Southern California, reaching a total of 42 awards.

Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded, along with Honorable Mentions.

Of the students enrolled in the course, 91% earned a medal and 21 were rewarded with Honorable Mentions.

Credit must not only be given to the students, but also to all of the teachers in the Spanish department.

As the year comes to a close, most seniors at Oak Park High School are preparing for the next chapter of their life at a four-year university.

However, many have opted out of attending a university to pursue a different path and a different life experience. These college alternatives allow students to discover their passions before heading to a higher education.

Itamar Waksman is one of many students choosing a gap year after graduation.

Following graduation, Waksman plans to intern on an organic farm in Oregon or Hawaii. In November, he will travel to Mexico to work on farms, as the majority of US farms are Continued on page 10

News

2

June 2014

Rap Battle Rocks Rally

Speakers Pam Cysher (left) and Lloyd Wilkey (r ight) emphasize the impor tance of being an ally.

ADL Speaks Out on Bullying

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of the presentation.

“There was a big issue of anti-Semitism, but the presentation did not make it seem like there was a problem,” comments Brittany Trompetto, a senior. “It could have [been] more sophisticated, considering our age group.”

Lauren Camorlinga comments, “It was really good to make teenagers more aware of the seriousness of discrimination.”

She adds, “But I think the presentation was treated as a joke. I think there are more effective ways we can try and fight prejudice.”

At the end of the presentation, students were offered handouts and posters on how to deal with bullying and on “Being an Ally.”

The presentation concluded with an emphasis on standing up for those who may be victims of hateful words or violence.

Despite a weak reception, students still expressed optimism. “I think [the presentation] was a good start,” concludes Camorlinga.

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The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) visited Oak Park High School after a series of anti-Semitism events occurred in the Oak Park community, as well as the tragedy in Isla Vista.

The speakers discussed hatred and violence during a school-wide assembly on May 28th. Trainers Lloyd Wilkey and Pam Cysher led the presentation, and Anais Pellegrini, the Associate Regional Director of ADL-Santa Barbara, was also in attendance.

The presenters led students in various participative activities such as discussing individual uniqueness in addition to discussing personalities of targets, aggressors, and bystanders.

A particular emphasis was put on being an “ally” to those who may be targeted.

Wilkey commented after the presentation, “It’s important to step up, just like the title says. It’s a call for everyone to step up to injustice. It’s on all of us to make the community a safer place.”

The hour-long

presentation included the “Pyramid of Hate,” which showed the different levels of hate from the smallest level of bias to the extreme top of the pyramid, genocide.

Also in the presentation were short public service announcements showing the effects of derogatory words.

While the presentation discussed hate-induced violence, the trainers did not touch upon the recent issues of anti-Semitism in Oak Park.

Pellegrini states, “Students need to know that they do have the power to be vocal in their community.”

She adds, “It’s hard to stand up. But they need to know that if they stand up, more people will stand up.”

Dr. Tony Knight, the superintendent, showed similar optimism: “We want to take every action we can to offer the proper education to our students,” to which he then started referencing various school programs that help diffuse hate and make the school a more accepting institution.

He adds, “I’m very optimistic and hopeful that our community will become more accepting.”

Some students, however, were not receptive

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By Min Kwon, Head of Photography

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News

June 2014

3

OPUSD Holds Leading Role in Educational Technology

By Nicholas Branigan, Staff Writer

A hallmark of the Oak Park Unified School District is the technology that pervades the classroom and shapes the learning environment.

OPUSD has held an edge in this domain, having begun its integration long before similar movements grew across other districts.

While technology has proven its value across a number of subjects, questions have arisen regarding its role in the classroom and its effect on the budget.

In some subjects teachers seem to agree that learning is enhanced by the various appendages of SMART Technologies: SMART Boards and SMART Response systems.

“For applied math and sciences, it keeps the students more focused,” says Mrs. Lac, a mathematics teacher.

“I would have a hard time living without [it],” comments Ms. Litten, the AP and Honors Biology teacher, further calling it “invaluable.”

Yet, in other subjects, some teachers find it to be of lesser importance.

“My classroom tends to be more discussion oriented,” says Mr. Kinberg, an English and History teacher.

He adds, “I feel that I connect better with students and the material in more of an old-school way, in discussing the text with students, and hearing their interpretations of it.”

Nonetheless, even Mr. Kinberg finds certain facets of technology valuable outside of the classroom.

He explains, “All of my assignments are online. I have a lot of different activities that can be accessed online, including videos. In my AP class, for instance, I have all my outlines online.”

Kinberg notes, however, that the power of technology varies greatly based on how effectively a teacher exploits the possibilities.

“I’ve seen technology used on this campus in very fascinating, exciting ways, that may not necessarily work for me, but it works for other teachers because that’s the tool they’re using to reach students,” adds Kinberg.

Despite the marked advances that have altered the ways in which classroom activities are conducted, some teachers mention that

there remains a strong traditional foundation underlying effective education.

“The old ways, paper and pencil still work,” says Mrs. Lac. Though, she did mention as an advantage the fact that technology possesses a quality of intimacy.

“If you learn, then you learn, but [technology] helps the student to go along with the time frame in which they are living; right now everything is technology.”

Generally, teachers mention that overall, despite the whiz-bang factor, technology must serve as a supplement to effective education, and cannot supersede the importance of the educator.

Ms. Litten explains, “I think that I was an effective teacher before I had the technology, and I think that I’m even more effective now because kids that are focused and motivated are going to pay attention no matter what, but some students really struggle [with focusing] their attention… so having the technology there helps.”

Arguably the best way to measure salient effects of technology is to consult those affected by it.

For the most part, students noted that technology was of significant educa-

tional value as long as reliance on it was not too great.

“It can make things much easier to express and understand,” says Kakeru Ogata.

Though he warns, while “it can be good and helpful, it can also cause distractions.”

Generally, students agreed that the classroom may have reached a level of technological satiation, as iPads were recently introduced.

“I think that the SmartBoard is fine, but I don’t really like the iPads because I just feel like it’s a distraction,” says Kevin Ha. “I would rather have students have their own textbooks than have an iPad.”

“I find the Smart-

Boards to be helpful, but putting iPads to what we use them for – it’s not that they’re bad – but for their expense, it is not worth what they actually give students, which is not very much,” says Carlo Cruz-Albrecht, admitting that it can be distracting “when you start drawing things on the iPads because you know that what’s on the SmartBoard is not as interesting.”

Regardless of how technology is utilized in the classroom, as Ms. Litten explains, “It is just another tool in my toolbox. The ultimate person is me, running the classroom, organizing the material in an appropriate way.”

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School Life

4

June 2014

Oak Park Bids Farewell to Padretti and Leber

Academic Scholarships Presented to Seniors

By Brittany Jones, Co-Editor-in-Chief

By Min Kwon, Head of Photography

Dr. Leber’s teaching career is far from over as she intends to teach for several more years to come. She plans to move to Utah and continue teaching Physics.

She also hopes to be able to teach Earth Science if possible.

Dr. Leber replaced Mr. Dave Nelson, who retired last year as an AP Physics and AP Chemistry teacher. She has worked with neutrinos in her collegiate education and has worked with ninth grade students as an assistant teacher.

“I’m sad to leave Oak Park,” comments Leber, who has called her year “a dream job.” When asked about teaching seniors, she states, “It’s very different. But it was still exciting to see all the students discuss and decide where they will be going next [in their lives].”

Leber hopes to teach for at least the next ten years, after which she aspires to engage in other fields, such as environmental research.

Mrs. Patty Pedretti hopes to continue working with students with special needs in the future. At the age of 16, Pedretti began volunteering in the field of special needs. She received her credentials after her children enrolled in elementary school.

“I had a son born with special needs, so I became a board member for a group that helps parents of students with visual impairment,” states Pedretti, in an email interview. She adds, “[I] have never regretted any of my decisions.”

Pedretti comments on the enjoyable 18 years of teaching, but states that she could not “stand the paperwork involved,” adding that other teachers should “get to know [their] students!”

Regarding Oak Park, Pedretti calls it “an amazing and sometimes challenging place to work.”

She also adds that she is very grateful for her colleagues as well as students.

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Net Neutrality Proposal

By Ashley Siavoshi, Entertainment Editor

On Thursday, May 15th, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 3-2 to open a four-month public review period of new draft rules to preserve net neutrality.

Net neutrality is the idea that all Internet traffic must be treated the same, regardless of its source or destination.

However, within the new proposal is a controversial clause that could potentially enable Internet Service Providers (ISPs), such as Verizon or Comcast, to charge companies higher prices in order to have their content reach users more quickly.

This can create a “fast-lane,” which many believe is against the principles of net neutrality.

Net neutrality began in 1996 with the Telecommunications Act, which gave the FCC rights to govern communication networks.

The first Internet services were over the phone, therefore, they were classified as Title II telecommunication services and all data had to be treated equally.

When broadband residential Internet service was introduced in 2002, the FCC reclassified the Internet as a Title I information service.

In 2010, the FCC moved to codify the net neutrality guidelines to ensure that all Internet data was to be treated the same.

Verizon filed a lawsuit, arguing that Title I ser-

vices were free from FCC limitations.

In January 2014, the court of appeals ruled in favor of Verizon, stating that Title II rules could not be applied to Title I services.

The ruling essentially stated that the Internet was an information service, not a telecommunication service. ISPs can charge companies such as Netflix, YouTube or PBS to stream their data quickly, as well as consumers.

Many free Internet activists believe that this stratification of Internet services will ultimately damage the open egalitarian power of the Internet.

Online startups will fail because of their inability to pay for premium streaming speeds. Most of the Internet will be controlled by a small group of powerful corporations. Stratification will also create inequality among data users.

In order to maintain net neutrality, the FCC needs to reclassify broadband Internet service as a Title II telecommunication service, which is one of the proposed results of the fourmonth review period.

The FCC is now asking for public comments to be addressed during the review period, which can be sent from their website.

Diamonds in the Rough: Spencer Bagga, Ciera Cutler, Jack Kernochan, BreeAnna Palacios, Kelly Runge, Emma Ballas, Ziv Haikin, Yalan McCullough, Samantha Rosas, David Zaitlen Agoura Youth Basketball Association: Collin Dion, Brooke Harrington U.S. Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence: Dante Gigliotti “Semper Fidelis” Award for Music Excellence: Vincent Chang Distinguished Athlete Awards: Brandon Myden, Kendall Engelhardt U.S. Army Reserve National Scholar Athletes: Sahm Bazargan, Courtney Wing National Charity League of the Conejo Valley: Catherine Shi Baha’i of Oak Park Community: Martin Barylak U.S. Air Force Academy Commissioning: Chandler Whitbord Alpha Kappa Alpha: Anissa Hewett Conejo Chinese Cultural Association: Dorinda Fong, Cathy Sun, Catherine Shi, Sunny Tsai Oak Hills Elementary School: Gabriela Ojalvo Democratic Women’s Council of the Conejo Valley: Laura CruzAlbrecht Westminster Free Clinic: Keun Hee Lee, Wendy Xiao Oak Park Agoura Sports Fitness Camp (C.I.T.): Stephen Bernstein OPHS Athletic Booster Club: Dante Gigliotti, Jake Lam OPHS Choir Booster: Charlotte Peters, Jordan Schneider OPHS Classified Association: Sarah Heeney OPHS Instrumental Music Senior Award: Tessa Lim Oak Park Performing Arts Alliance Senior Scholarship in Memory of Rick Rhodes: Sarah Heeney, Jordan Schneider, Charlotte Peters OPHS Parent Faculty Club: Martin Barylak, Collin Dion, Dorinda Fong, Ahnaf Faiyaz Khan, Laura Cruz-Albrecht, Jordyn Ex, Melissa Gutterman, Catherine Shi OPHS PFC Senior Art: Diana Lerner, Wendy Xiao, Taylor Bray OPHS Comedy Sports: Libby Block, Ziv Haikin, Charlotte Peters, Jordan Schneider, Colin Tanner, Ashlee Ford, Kyle Kawamoto, Lili Rubenstein, Kyra Stevens Oak Park Teachers Association: Josh Shapiro, Sarah Bregman Rotary Club of Westlake Village: Sarah Langley The Taylor Messina Butterfly Award: Alexa Frisch The Marie Panec Memorial for Integrity and Advocacy: Sarah Heeney Brian Wolverton: Patrick Quinn Westlake Women’s Club: Jake Lam Thousand Oaks Elk Lodge #2477: Melissa Gutterman Friends of Westlake Village Library: Dorinda Fong Ventura County Community Foundation: Dorinda Fong, Cathy Sun, Jane Waldron, Matthew Dods, Sarah Heeney Senior Awards Night Program Design Recognition: Brittany Jones

School Life

June 2014

Senior Spotlights

By Brittany Jones, Co-Editor-in-Chief Q: What can you tell me about Rebel Without a Cause?

A: Oh gosh, that’s a good question. So I ran with the show Rebel Without a Cause a few months ago. It’s a movie and we found the stage adaptation and we edited it.

It was really stressful. I was extremely busy. I virtually had no free time. But at the end, it was extremely worth it. I was so proud of the cast and crew. They worked so hard - a lot harder than they have ever had to do in the past. I am really happy with the show that we put on.

Q: Was there a deciding factor in joining the drama department?

A: I mean, my dad is an actor. I couldn’t help but fall in love with the industry. I came into high school and a close family friend had been in choir so that was the first thing I got into. I don’t even know how she talked me into it, but she did, and I’m

glad she did. Then I tried out for the Comedy Sportz team and that was what really got me into it. That’s my favorite thing I have done in high school, or probably in life. I love it so much. I’m happy I took that risk.

Q: What’s so great about Comedy Sportz?

A: It was the first thing that really made me come out of my shell. Coming into high school, I was very shy, very self-aware. I don’t even know how I got the courage to try out to be honest. It was just something I knew I would regret if I didn’t at least try and do it. I love the philosophy behind it. A lot of people think Comedy Sportz is just about getting on stage and being funny. And that’s not it at all. It’s about telling a story. It’s [also] about making your teammates look good.

Q: Do you have a motto that you live by?

A: I would like to be better at not passing judgment onto people because it gets in the way of actually getting to know people for who they

Shane Bracken Q: Which college are you going to?

A: Cal Maritime Academy.

It’s a Merchant Marine academy in Vallejo.

Q: Merchant Marines?

A: Merchant Marines is an off-shoot of the Navy. It’s non-armsbearing. All they really do is ship goods back and forth.

Q: What made you decide that?

A: I wanted to do Navy ROTC but Ms. Hawkins actually told me about this school. I just went up and looked one day and it was where I wanted to go.

Q: What’s your major?

A: International business.

But it’s geared towards shipping and logistics.

Q: What helped you decide your major?

A: I just decided that between either marine transportation, which is like

learning how to drive a ship, or being the business side of it. I decided to go the business side of it. When I become a commissioned officer, I will learn how to drive the ship anyway. I can knock out both.

Q: How long have you been playing lacrosse?

A: Seven years.

Q: What got you into lacrosse?

A: Hunter Jamison’s dad made a team so I decided to play.

Q: Are you able to play lacrosse at Martime?

A: I’m not going to. I’m going to play rugby instead.

Q: Have you played rugby before?

A: I played for a little bit. I haven’t played in a league or anything but just like pickup games.

Q: Why rugby over lacrosse?

5

Charlotte Peters

are. And I would like to just be less self-aware in general.

Just being comfortable with who I am, not because of how other people see me.

Q: What are your plans for the future?

A: I am…(pause). You know, I don’t really have that many concrete plans to be honest.

Lately, I’ve been secondguessing everything. But I guess that kind of comes with the territory of being a senior and graduating. I am going to Chapman next year for screen-writing. I guess my one doubt with that is that I don’t want to go to school just for that because it is unreliable. So I’d like to have a backup plan.

Q: Do you plan on joining any other clubs?

A: It depends on what they offer. Maybe I’d want to be in other student productions or any of the musical groups like for the accordion or whatever.

Q: Oh, do you play the accordion?

A: I do. I shouldn’t have

Charlotte Peters was the spotlight director of Rebel Without a Cause.

said that (laughs). It’s so geeky! It’s an instrument that people either really like the sound or really hate it. My brother hates the sound. He’s nice about it. He says that he thinks I’m good at it but he just hates the sound. I feel bad when I practice.

Q: Do you have a last piece of advice?

A: Take risks and try things because I know a lot of peo-

ple think, “Oh, I’m never going to get that part. I’m never going to get that whatever.” You’re definitely not if you don’t at least try. There’s probably a good chance you won’t accomplish whatever you want to accomplish.

That sounds really pessimistic (laughs). There’s also a really good chance you will!

But there’s also no chance you will if you don’t apply or try or whatever.

A: I’ve been playing lacrosse for a while. I just feel like going on a break. I’ll probably regret it next year but I don’t know. Both my parents are from Ireland (they used to live there), so I grew up watching rugby all the time and playing it a little bit so I just want to try it.

Q: Your parents are from Ireland? Talk about your family heritage.

A: Pretty much my whole family lives in Ireland. My parents moved out here in like 1985 or something like that. I was actually back in Ireland last week. I was born here and we moved back [to Ireland] in 2000. Then we moved back here for 2nd grade. I was about 7. Every time I go there I don’t do anything. I just stay with everyone. I like it. I’d like to live there for a little bit but I like here as well. It’s really hard to compare each other.

Q: Are you and Alexa (his girlfriend) going to try to stay together?

A: Yeah, we’re going to stay together. The school I’m going to is 83% guys so…. And it’s really focused so I’m not

Shane Bracken will be attending California Maritime Academy.

really going to be partying or have free time.

Q: How long have you guys been together now?

A: Over two and a half years.

Q: Any plans for summer?

A: Eh, not really. Going to get a job and work. That’s about it. I might do construction with my friend’s dad. I don’t know. Something to get money.

Q: What’s a piece of advice you’d give to underclassmen?

A: Study hard. Freshman

and sophomore year are what screwed me over for college, so study hard.

Q: What’s your best memory of high school?

A: Just lacrosse in general.

Being with everyone. We had a really good run this year and it was fun playing.

We had the same group of fourteen people that I’ve played with since like 6th grade. We all came here to play and we stayed the whole way. It was nice.

Feature

6

June 2014

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However, so a r u e l e a r s C w e e n ll. ter me student to bring to s s may be wo chool. Oak P ndering w ark graduate year, Mr. M Becca Langf hat non-standard items icek handed ord explains out a list “of that was “fu that in her things to re ll of a lot of senior m e h m e b lp er and do in year” at Ba ful reminder ylor Univers c s ollege” that influenc ity. Her mom ed me durin school with a a n g d her brothe my first lot of [her r drove with ] stuff,” b she needed u h t er “out to th once she sa s w the set-up he “bought more thing e “sweatpants s ” of her dorm she thought and snuggies r oom w people that packed journ ill become your best frie . Langford adds that als with them nds.” She als are not alwa o knew a lot to college as ys the most of well. Howeve important t school. “The r, physical it hings one m most impor ems ust bring wh tant because you en starting ’ll meet so m thing,” Langford states a new , “is to bring any differen ences.” t people and an open min d (have) so ma ny new expe ri-

News

8

June 2014

Digital Media: An Issue of Free

Speech and Privacy

By Varsha Sarveshwar and Benjamin Porat, Staff Writers

In light of recent events at Oak Park High School, students have a question on their minds: what rights do students have in today’s technological world?

Before the Internet Age, the rights regarding students’ freedom of speech, as well as their personal privacy, was relatively clear-cut.

In Bethel School District v.

Fraser (1986), the Supreme Court ruled that school officials have the ability to limit speech that is deemed as inappropriate.

Two years later, in Hazelwood vs. Kuhlmeier, the Supreme Court decided that school districts have the ability to limit any speech that is perceived to violate other students’ rights or cause a campus disruption.

However, high school students’ Fourth

Amendment Rights were equally clear-cut.

In the landmark case New Jersey v. T.L.O., the Supreme Court stated that because schools are obligated to maintain a safe environment, they have the ability to search a student on “reasonable suspicion” - a warrant was no longer necessary.

There are essentially no laws or rules to prevent an individual, who is not a school official, from disclosing the names of minors except for standard laws concerning slander, the intentionally speaking lies, or libel, which is the intentional printing of lies.

Dr. Tony Knight, Superintendent of OPUSD, said in a press release that all students proven to be involved faced some form of discipline.

He justified such discipline by stating, “The Education Code allows

Photo Illustration: Students wonder about the boundaries between free speech and personal privacy.

schools to discipline students who engage in an online activity that results in any form of harassment, threats or intimidation creating an intimidating or hostile educational environment. This means that the

action does not have to take place at school.”

Dr. Knight also warned, “Students should also recognize that most of their online activity on social media is public or can become public.”

Despite the gray area concerning students’ rights, Oak Park Unified School District is willing to take proper disciplinary action to ensure the safety of all students.

Sports

June 2014

OPHS Seniors’ Excel in Athletic Excellence The following Oak Park High School seniors of the graduating class of 2014 received scholarships for their excellence in athletics:

9

Boys’ Tennis Ends With an Exciting Finish

By Christopher Lee, Staff Writer

Sarah Langley—Sonoma State University Softball Athletic Scholarship Matthew Byer—Brown University Football Scholarship Ventura County Hall of Fame Ventura County Star Scholar Athlete National Football Foundation, Hall of Fame

Rebecca Kubena CIF Student Athlete of the Year

Brandon Myden—University of Pennsylvania Athletic Scholarship

Hunter Jamison CIF Student Athlete of the Year

Justin Green—California State University, Fresno Fresno State Athletic Scholarship

The Oak Park Varsity Tennis team has had a remarkable season. With an 11-5 overall record, the team was seeded 6th in the Division 3 CIF Playoff bracket this last May.

After advancing to the second round of CIF playoffs, the team faced a hard loss against San Louis Obispo, seeded 4th overall.

Doubles team Jack Berner and Bobby Yang placed 3rd overall at the TriValley League tournament.

Additionally, singles player David Goulak finished the season with an amazing 11-1 record, placing 3rd at the tournament.

Other scores included singles players Aaron Lin 1412, Bobby Yang 10-8 and Jack Berner 15-16.

The doubles team of Aakash Jha and Bobby Yang finished the season with a 7-1 record and the doubles team of Trent Lee and Chris Lee finished 7-3.

The team, which consists of around twenty players, consists of mostly freshmen and sophomores.

Freshman Bobby Yang comments on the team’s success: “I think we did well overall and it was a good season.

“Matches were always fun and just being a team was a great experience.”

As the team continues to grow stronger mentally and physically, it hopes for an even better season next spring.

Senior Co-Captain Aakash Jha concludes, “We did well and I’m proud of our team.

“I hope the team will be able to practice even more to do better next year.”

Entertainment

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June 2014

Oak Park Seniors Take Alternative Paths From page 1

closed during the winter.

Waksman will return home in late July to prepare himself to attend college that fall.

“Farming itself is not what I’ve always wanted to do, but I’ve always had a love for sustainable living, fresh foods and growing food,” Waksman explains.

He asserts that “the farming is more about [him] getting back to the land and taking some time to relax and really reflect on [his] life and where [he’s] going with it.”

Waksman concludes: “I just don’t feel like I’m ready to tackle college with all of my will and I need time for an education that you can’t get in a classroom.”

Taking a gap year allows students to develop invaluable skills and true interests after immersing themselves in a new cultural, social or economic environment.

Because college students typically change their

majors several times before graduation, students with gap year experience are able to take full advantage of their time in college.

Similarly, graduating senior Mendel Siegel has chosen to forgo college for a few years.

He plans to move with 25 others from America to Israel to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

Joining the Army and serving his home country has always been his dream.

Siegel explains, “In Israel, everyone has to go to the army.” Since he is an Israeli citizen, enlisting feels like the right thing to do.

After graduation, he will sign on for at least three years as a combat/infantry soldier, risking his life to defend his country.

While he prepares for the army, Siegel says that college still remains in the picture: “I’ll go to college after the army, maybe in Israel, maybe in America.”

Siegel ultimately believes that high school has

shown him the need for a change in his life and an experience away from school next year.

These exciting possibilities have already inspired some underclassmen to pursue the different options available.

Junior Carina Pallant is inspired to see others pursue gap years and is thinking of interning at a visual media studio to explore her interests.

She states that “experience in a studio would be great.”

Pallant also adds, “I really want to know and understand what I want to do next year.”

With all these opportunities, it is no surprise more students are leaving the conventional paths of learning and creating their own unique educational experiences.

Seniors Experience Non-Traditional Finals From page 1

“Physics teachers,” explains Mr. Jones, “quite often [use] a building project for students to have fun mak-

ing something and making it work.” The crucial reality for the students to recognize is that knowledge can be demonstrated through numerous mediums.

Chris Khacherian practices shooting his catapult.

CP Physics students this year are privileged to experience firsthand the truth of this observation.

Mr. Jones affirms the reasoning behind this project: “The philosophy is that science is about more than just learning stuff; it’s about what you can make it do for you. In making an artifact, we are trying to put into practice the stuff that they learned.”

On the day of the exam, students’ catapults launched ping-pong balls across the classroom into a trash-can three meters away.

Mr. Jones describes the grading of the final explaining, “the main component is the accuracy of the device…

They get fewer points if they get it close, but not in.”

While the accuracy of the catapult is the main part, students also must submit a short outline, including equations and explanations, “to show that they understood the principles of the physics that was involved.”

Additionally, the students will be judged on “aesthetics and basic design principles” of the catapults.

In CP Children’s Literature, Mrs. Fowler developed a discussion-oriented final as an alternative to administering a test. For the course’s final, students chose to read a book from a selection of pre-approved young adult novels. Then, the students formed small groups where discussion of the book took place. They also keep a journal of discussions, ending the course with a class-wide Socratic seminar, discussing all of the novels.

Senior Chris Khacherian notes that “there is a lot less stress and a lot more room for interpretation of free-flowing ideas; there is not a set answer so you can present what’s interesting to you.” Khacherian, along with the majority of his Children’s Literature classmates, agree that this alternative is a much better way to implement a final examination.

Mrs. Fowler explains she loves this final is because the students’ responses are “authentic because they are based on personal interest.”

The final allows students to connect on a personal level

with the material and express their own interests and interpretations.

In AP Psychology, Dr. Appell has implemented a final project for his end-ofthe-year examination. This group project requires students to create a personality theory and present it to the class in an informative and entertaining fashion. While the project incorporates personalities and behaviors, a comprehensive knowledge of the subject is necessary to achieve success.

After presenting, Dr. Appell fires questions at the theorists, which could involve anything included in the course. He explains that administering this type of final “generates creativity and provides less stress for students,” and it has proved to be a good way to end the course.

The final alternatives have proved to be useful and less stressful in their makeup. Allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge of course content with a test alternative provides for a final exam that both teachers and students prefer.

Editorial

June 2014

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Senior Marriage Project Explored Ethically

By Jordan Berns, Staff Writer

Students at Oak Park High School get their first taste of marriage in Dr. Appell’s Marriage and Family unit of the Life Skills Class. This assignment involves meeting the spouse’s parents, filling out taxes and taking care of a simulation baby for 24 hours. Forgoing the complicated rituals often associated with finding the right spouse, one must merely pick another student and sign up.

While there are obviously many differences between a real marriage and these month-long projects, for this assignment, students must choose someone of the opposite gender unless they confirm they are gay in real life, a double-standard that requires gay students, not straight students, to state their sexuality.

Recently, two boys at Oak Park High School worked together on the project and according to one of the boys who wished to remain anonymous, were, “giv-

en half credit and told [they] could make it up and turn it in on [‘Senior Must Do’ day] for full credit.” While both boys are straight, their plight illustrates the difficult situation that schools must negotiate.

Although it would be easy to view the issue as unconstitutional and perhaps immoral, schools must balance the right of equality with that of potential bullying.

According to Dr. Appell, “This policy was instituted because many male students in the past thought it would be funny to work with other male students as a gay couple. Though they were not directly mocking gays, they did not realize that by acting as a gay couple in jest, they would be doing just that – mocking the gay individual.”

Some may argue that this rule does more harm than good, putting pressure on gay students to be out in a more public light than perhaps they would appreciate.

Dr. Appell understands the problem, commenting, “At first glance this

Oak Park High School’s Life Skills Marriage Project is explored from an ethical perspective.

may appear to be the case.

But the benefit outweighs the double standard. Two straight males pretending to be a gay couple for the fun of it and for the laughs is simply unacceptable. Additionally, it cheapens the value of any kind of marriage or union all the way around.”

What confuses the issue at Oak Park is that there has not been a single

occurrence of a gay couple working together to complete this assignment, and it’s unclear if the rule governing those who decide to become a couple is partially responsible for this.

While Dr. Appell notes that, “some gay individuals who learned about the rule . . . confidentially confided in me that they appreciated the rule,” it still is

problematic that such stipulations would still be in the syllabus when they are no longer restrictions in real life.

While life outside high school has become more accepting, schools unfortunately have to take precautionary measures to thwart bullying and bigotry, sometimes overriding a student’s personal freedoms.

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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

June 2014

Letter from the Editor

Dear Readers,

For the final time this year, we give you the news. This school year has been filled with so many strange and amazing events, tears and smiles, drama and bore. From tampons to prom to bullying, we have covered it all. You students are our motivation and we thank you for sticking with us and giving us things to write about.

And so, with much excitement, we hand the journalistic baton off to the Talon’s new Editor-in-Chief, Tushar Jois.

With next year’s new Journalism classes in full swing, as well as the Journalism Club, the Talon will be revitalized into a tangible, visual and audible source of school news and entertainment as athletic games will hopefully be broadcast over the school website.

Congratulations, first and foremost, to all the amazing seniors graduating this year. You have so many opportunities in your grasp, especially because of the education and programs provided to you by this school. Granted, high school certainly wasn’t the greatest time for everyone, but it opened up a plethora of opportunities and relationships that, perhaps, will stay with you or affect you for the rest of your lives. Once again, congratulations. After four long, hard years, it’s time to move on. We made it!

For those of you who have several years to go, the rest will go by quickly and college will come much too soon. The idea of college is exciting, I know, but enjoy the rest of high school – socialize, take interesting classes, join some clubs and don’t slack off. This is the time to start finding yourselves.

Farewell, Oak Park High School; you will be missed. And remember, from the words of Anchorman Ron Burgundy, “Stay classy, [Oak Park].”

- Brittany Jones and Adella Katz, Co-Editors-in-Chief

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.

Nicholas Branigan is a sophomore at OPHS. Among his interests are writing, mountain biking, and lamenting his lack of free time.

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

Jordan Berns is in her third year writing for the paper. She is a senior. She likes the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Ashwarya Srinivas is a sophomore at Oak Park High School. She enjoys reading, drawing, technology and tennis.

Also included in this issue: Christopher Lee, Jessica Ji, and Irena Yang

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.