PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL 50 EMBARCADERO RD. PALO ALTO, CA 94301 NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAI D PALO ALTO PERMIT #44
The Campanile Palo Alto Senior High School
Since 1918
Vol. XCIV, No. 5
50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301 • http://palyvoice.com/campanile
Friday, February 3, 2012
The Campanile assesses current conditions of our education system at the local, state and national levels and attempts to decipher what they mean for us as students. By Brian Benton Editor in Chief
With additional reporting by Hannah Totte and Sidhanth Venkatasubramanian
About 15 minutes into his hourlong State of the Union address on Jan. 24, President Barack Obama first mentioned education. “We’ve convinced nearly every State in the country to raise their standards for teaching and learning,” Obama said. “But challenges remain.” Although 2012 may be only a month old, education is already emerging as a focal point. While many of President Obama’s points do directly relate to California, and more specifically, Palo Alto schools, there is much more going on regarding our education system that he was not able to address.
Possible Changes to the Budget “This year will be as uncertain as any year we have seen in the last decade,” California State Senator Joe Simitian said about the current state of the California education budget during his annual “Education Update” in Palo Alto on Jan. 28. The uncertainty comes in large part from the complexity of Governor Jerry Brown’s recent budget proposal. Brown’s plan calls for a halfcent sales tax boost, plus an income-tax surcharge on earners of over $250,000. If the budget passes in November, little extra funding will go towards schools despite the increase in taxes. Instead, the proceeds would go towards paying down state budget “deferrals” of recent years, essentially paying off a
debt. If the budget does not pass, schools could expect a tough five percent to six percent cut in state funding so the debts could still be paid off. “We’re in a position of a lot of risk,” Palo Alto Unified School District Superintendent Kevin Skelly said. “If the initiative passes, we’ll be in pretty good shape. If it doesn’t pass, then it’s a hit on our schools.” Right now, according to Skelly, it is unclear whether the proposal will be approved come November. “The cuts are unknown, but the uncertainty is definitely there,” Skelly said. Although schools would like to see the extra funds from the proposed taxes go directly towards helping students, more than half of the state’s $33 billion “‘wall of debt’ is essentially owed to public education,” Simitian said, so pay-
ing off debts is very important right now. Brown also is suggesting simplifying “categorical grants,” which could lead to less funding for the Palo Alto Unified School District. This change would save money for the state and favor districts with high numbers of students who are low-income or English learners but could be detrimental towards “basic aid” districts like PAUSD. Although the change would not be ideal, Brown’s hope to simplify is being well received. Simitian thinks the current plan is be a good start but would like to see it develop before the November decision. “There are some issues with [the Weighted Funding Formula], such as the fact that high tax-paying areas are getting the same amount of money as areas
that contribute relatively little tax money,” Simitian said. “But we’re trying to resolve the differences and get a working version of this out there for the coming years.”
The Effect on California Schools Even though Palo Alto schools may seem like they are in bubble, we are affected just as much as most schools by the state’s budget problems. “We’re spending about $1,000 a kid less as a district than we were four years ago,” Skelly said. “A lot of that has come out of class size.” This year, according to Palo Alto High School principal Phil Winston, Paly can expect to see that number lowered by an additional $30 per student. Paly is blessed though in the fact that it is located in an area where
See EDUCATION, page A3
cafés show club’s art Foreign Affairs Club creates Local Art club organizes exhibits at local venues magazine to inform students By Matt Morton Staff Writer
The Foreign Affairs Club has laid plans to create a foreign affairs magazine called Agora, intended to provide students at Palo Alto High School with a global perspective by creating a source of political news and opinions on global affairs directly accessible to students. The club hopes to have their first issue printed by March 9. “The Paly Foreign Affairs magazine is a place for students to publish opinions about what’s going on in the world,” senior President of Foreign Affairs Club Greg Dunn said. “Anyone at Paly who is interested can write for us. Not everyone who
wants to write about the subject goes to Foreign Affairs Club or is in [Foreign Policy]. We try to give those students something to work with.” Agora will provide an outlet for the For-
part, it’s for us, the Foreign Affairs Club. We have opinions we want to express, we want to practice our writing in this subject and we’d like to be more involved.” The motivation be-
Greg Dunn
Foreign Affairs Club President
“The Paly foreign affairs magazine is a place for students to publish opinions about what’s going on in the world.” eign Affairs Club, allowing members to express their ideas and write for an audience. “The purpose of the club is two-fold,” senior Alex Carter said. “In
hind its publication is to better educate the Paly student body on world events, something the other publications do not provide. “[Agora] also serves a function for the Pa-
ly community — it’s something really lacking in the current Paly publications,” Carter said. “Nobody really focuses on the big picture, the real world issues that are going on, which can be more important than the really local events that [the other publications] report, like the construction on campus.” Due to the nature of the publication, the articles in the Foreign Affairs magazine will need to undergo extra scrutiny. Carter and senior Sam Carilli act as fact checkers, doublechecking every statement made in the magazine to make sure it is correct.
See AGORA, page A3
Paly, Gunn libraries launch website to increase accessibility of e-Books By Jonathan Ziegler Staff Writer
The libraries at both Palo Alto High School and Henry M. Gunn High School will provide all students free access to over 600 ebooks in the next few weeks, according to Palo Alto High School librarian Rachel Kellerman. The service is called Overdrive and will be providing students with a new way to read books. “I believe that students shouldn’t have to make a choice between a traditional book or
INSIDE News...................................A1-A3 Opinion..........................A5-A9 Sports..............................A10-A12 Lifestyles...................................B1 Features.............................B2-B9 Spotlight...................................B6-B7 A&E...............................B10-B12
an e-Book,” Kellerman said. “I think that students should have everything available to them.” Students will be receiving library card numbers in their advisory class which will allow them to log in to the Overdrive website. Once logged in, students can search the site and rent books out just like they would rent a book in a traditional library. After a book is checked out, the reading period lasts for seven or 14 days depending on the book.
“The books that were placed on the site were chosen specifically for high school students,” Kellerman said. Test prep books, nonfiction, fiction and audio books will all be available on the site. Students can check out books more than once and can also request that new books be added to the site by asking a librarian. This new service will be available year round and was made possible by an $11,000 grant from PiE (Partners in Education).
Adam Mansour/campanile
Student artwork, compiled and distributed by the Art Club, will be on display in different Palo Alto cafés from early February to late March.
By Marie Ezran Staff Writer
Student art will be displayed by the Palo Alto High School Art Club in local cafés this spring as a way to expand their audience and share their skills with the community. Co-presidents and Paly juniors Elani Gitterman and Julia Lee are in the process of collecting art pieces and contacting cafés to set up the art show, which will be held from February to March. “We wanted to broaden the audience of our art display and cafes seemed like the best places to do so,” Gitterman said. According to Gitterman, many chain cafés are not allowed to put up art, but places like Philz Coffee wanted to contribute. “We did a lot of footwork to search for the potential venues to hold display the art and many of the smaller and independent cafés were very responsive to our ideas,” Lee said. Other places that will feature art include University Café and art supply store University Art, located in downtown Palo Alto. The club wanted residents of Palo Alto
to view more work made by Paly artists in places that are regularly visited, such as cafés. “We would like to give opportunities for the Paly artists to showcase their work with their peers, as well as for the Paly community [to] appreciate them,” Lee said. According to Gitterman, four to six art pieces ranging from framed photos, paintings and drawings will stay in each café for approximately a month, but will not be on sale. In addition to this new café project, the Paly Art Club has smaller exhibitions held in the library and an annual art show in May. The club’s May show is not associated with the one organized by the Palo Alto Unified School District art teachers in the spring at the District Office. “The main difference about our show from the ones the art teachers put up is that we don’t limit the works to things that have been made during or for art class,” Gitterman said. The club members founded it last year because they all have experience in art and wanted to share their appreciation for it.
NEWS
MASTER DEBATERS AT WORK Junior debaters reached the semifinal round at a local invitational tournament. Later, sophomore Travis Chen finished in the top 25 at a prestigious national tournament in Los Angeles. Anna Mcgarrigle/campanile
PAGE A3
Courtesy of Nina Kelty
Brian Benton/Campanile
Courtesy of Mia Polansky
CRAZY FOR HAZING
SPORTS
A&E
DRIBBLING TO VICTORY CHOMPS OF LIFE
Sports teams bond over annual underclassmen initiation.
Varsity girls’ basketball finishes season on a positive note.
Junior Mia Polansky photographs desserts on her blog.
SPORTS
PAGE A10
PAGE A12
PAGE B10
NEWS
A2 • February 3, 2012
Local candidate gets student perspectives
ASB Update
Ro Khanna answers questions regarding potential policies
By Jordan Smith Staff Writer
Recently, Palo Alto High School ASB officers have been working on a wide variety of projects. ASB organized the Post-Finals Cookies and Hot Cocoa in the Quad to help students relax and celebrate the end of first semester. Despite expectations, many Paly students attended the gathering. ASB has expressed concerned with the well-being of the student body at Paly due to overly excessive amounts of homework, which can cause extreme student fatigue and exhaustion. Officers have been communicating with the district office and are planning to have a discussion with a representative about reducing the homework load at Paly The most recent large-scale event ASB has organized is the execution of the Mytonomy launch. Mytonomy is a website in which current and alumni students can post videos that contain advice for future scholars. “We believe this [website] will be very helpful for many years to come,” Veerapan said. Lastly, ASB social commissioners have been working hard to organize the annual Sadie Hawkins Dance. The dance will take place on Friday, Feb. 10 from 7-10 p.m. in Paly’s small gym. The cost will be three dollars with an ASB Sticker, and five dollars without. Tickets can be bought at the door for five dollars.
School Board Update By Elena Pinsker Technology Editor
The Palo Alto Board of Education met on Jan. 10 to hear a presentation from Kendra Bischoff, Ph.D. regarding her studies on the Voluntary Transfer Program, more commonly referred to as the Tinsley Program. The program, created in 1986, aims to integrate students from the Ravenswood School District into the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) by providing 60 students with access to Palo Alto schools each year. The students are also given free transportation to and from school to facilitate their attendance. According to the PAUSD website, only “students of color” are eligible for the program. Bischoff aims to explore the social and emotional aspects of the Tinsley Program and how it affects the students in this manner. “In interviews [with current students and their parents] I explore non-cognitive, or social, outcomes such as friendship formation, feelings of institutional affiliation in their school and neighborhoods, and racial identity,” Bischoff said in her Stanford University profile. The Board also discussed the recent increase in elementary school enrollment through the Tinsley program. According to PAUSD Superintendent Dr. Kevin Skelly, a population increase of around 560 students can be expected in the next five years, a number equal in itself to the size of a small elementary school.
UpcomingEvents Feb. 10: Sadie Hawkins Dance
The dance will be held in the small gym. Tickets will be $3 for students with an ASB card and $5 for general admission.
Feb. 13: Choir Pops Concert
The Paly choir sings rock songs from some of America’s most popular musicals.
Feb. 14: Winter Rally
Come out to the biggest rally of the year, the student vs. staff basketball game.
Feb. 24: Club Day
Create a new club or recruit new members in this second semester Club Day.
March 1: Spring Play
Watch Much Ado About Nothing, with a musical score by junior Julian Hornik.
News Briefs NEW PALO ALTO MAYOR APPOINTED
Former Vice-Mayor Yiaway Yeh, 33 was selected as the next mayor of Palo Alto on Jan. 3 after a unanimous vote by the Palo Alto City Council. Yeh will replace former mayor Sid Espinosa. A Henry M. Gunn High School graduate, Yeh is Palo Alto’s first Chinese-American mayor. Yeh has extensive experience in auditing large government agencies in cities like San Francisco and Oakland, which gives him an analytical edge as the mayor of a smaller city, according to an article in Palo Alto Patch. This year, Yeh’s main focuses for the city will be on infrastructure and city services, making the repair of crumbling roads and bridges a top priority, according to Mercury News. “I do see 2012 as the year of infrastructure investment and renewal in our community,” Yeh said in an interview. In addition to improving the infrastructure of the city, Yeh plans to continue the city council’s plan for youth resiliency and wellbeing. “I think each leader has his own style and Yiaway’s is one where he will continue to have that quiet and yet strong leadership that we’ve seen from him throughout his four years on the council to date,” Palo Alto Councilman Pat Burt said in an interview with the Palo Alto Weekly. Yeh’s approach to education will not differ much from former Mayor Espino-
The Campanile
By Ben Hawthorne Staff Writer
Ro Khanna, who plans to run for Congress in California’s 13th congressional district, spoke to The Campanile students about his opinions on Jan. 13. Khanna’s main focus is job creation. He advocates less restrictions on corporations and more funds for education to boost U.S. competitiveness. “My number one priority is job creation,” Khanna said. “I propose that we first lower the corporate tax rate. Second, we must overcome the skills gap. Five million jobs are being offered that people [cannot] fill. Third, [I would] look at regulatory impediments to growth, such as the fifty different agencies you have to go through to start a business.” At the high school level, Khanna supports merit based compensation and fewer government issued tests. “I would decrease standardized
testing and bring in better teachers by paying teachers by merit,” Khanna said. Khanna supports regulatory bills that would halt over-speculation and issuance of risky loans by banks, such as the Dodd-Frank Act, which reduced bailout funds and created numerous oversight committees. “Dodd-Frank is onbalance necessary,” Khanna said. “The IPO [Initial Public Offering] requirements and the disincentivizing of reporting accurate information are excessive.” In addition, Khanna opposes drug effectiveness standards since, he believes, they make the United States uncompetitive. “Most of Europe only measures safety, but the FDA [Food and Drug Association] tests both safety and ef-
fectiveness, which is cumbersome,” Khanna said. “This causes most drug companies to go to Europe.” With respect to the budget deficit, Khanna supports the trimming of military spending and entitlements. “One of my professors [at the Uni-
Ro Khanna attorney
“My number one priority is job creation. I propose that we first lower the corporate tax rate. ” versity of Chicago] was running for Illinois State Senate and I decided to work for his campaign,” he said. “That professor was [President] Barack Obama.” In 2008, Obama appointed Khanna to Deputy Secretary of the Treasury.
Palo Alto rethinks Community Center lease
Cuts considered to benefit general upkeep of the city By Ryan Deslauriers Staff Writer
The lease of the Cubberly Community Center from the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) to the City of Palo Alto is up at the end of 2014. The city is trying to reassign $41.5 million to keep Palo Alto’s roads, sidewalks and bridges in good repair. To do this, the city is contemplating terminating the $7.5 million Cubberly lease. If the city does not renew the lease, they would be able to reallocate the $7.5 million that is currently invested in the Cubberly lease according to Deputy City Manager Steve Emslie. PAUSD currently owns 27 of Cubberly’s 35 acres and they lease out the land to the City of Palo Alto. By terminating the lease, Palo Alto would also free up $800,000 in maintenance costs, in addition to the lease, according to the Palo Alto Daily News. The recommendation to termi-
nate the lease is one of several ways described in a 171 page report on ways to gather $41.5 million. However, it may be problematic to the many community members who have come to rely on the childcare facilities, sports fields and other amenities offered by the center. “That facility is everything to us,” former Palo Alto Mayor Mike Cobb, who also runs the Palo Alto Girls Softball League, said in an interview with the Palo Alto Daily News. “We’d be out of business without it.” Unfortunately, the termination of the lease proposes very few positives for the school district. “There are no positives I can think of,” PAUSD Superintendent Dr. Kevin Skelly said. “We are very dependent on money from that lease. The lease makes up four to five percent of budget and trying to find four to five percent elsewhere would be difficult.”
Logan Mendenhall/Campanile
College students work at Cubberly Community Center. The community center’s lease is up at the end of 2014. Deputy City Manager Steve Emslie could not find many positives in the termination of this lease other than saving the city millions of dollars. “The city saves $7.5 million, downside is that many classes, and various users would no longer have a place to hold classes,” Emslie said. “That’s a problem. Also the issue of the playing fields. Where would we find places to replicate [the fields and courts].”
Former Palo Alto mayor Lanie Wheeler questioned whether the city could repurpose a utility user tax which was passed in 1983 to help fund the lease. Commission members said in the report that the tax was made to help fund the previously struggling PAUSD but now the city and PAUSD have traded positions with the school possibly eyeing to re-open the campus to cope with an increase of students.
Drought hurts environment, winter sports
Near record-low rainfall keeps Californians on edge By Jacob Zenger Staff Writer
These past three months have had some of the lowest precipitation rates in the history of Palo Alto. Typically the months of September, November and December receive around 5.5 inches of rain, but this year there has only been 1.92 inches of rain. This is not beneficial for a state that was in a three year long drought from 2008 until 2011. Despite recently ending the drought Governor Brown still urges people to continue to conserve water as if we are still in a drought. “While [previous] season’s storms have lifted us out of the drought, it’s critical that Californians continue to
sa’s. Yeh said he plans to continue the council’s efforts to create a comprehensive mental health plan for youth well-being, “including community-wide promotion of developmental assets for supporting our youth and building a culture of resiliency that brings together all of the generations in Palo Alto.” The council also appointed City Council Member Greg Scharff to serve as vice mayor in an unusually close vote. “[Scharff] moves us forward,” Espinosa said. “Meeting after meeting, he helps us come to decisions.”
—Gavin Chan
Staff Writer
FORD TO OPEN RESEARCH PLANT IN PALO ALTO Ford Motor Company recently announced that they will open a research center in Palo Alto in early 2012. The research center will employ 15 people and will focus on integrating Ford’s vehicles with new technologies, using car sensors to improve driver safety and coming up with traffic solutions for the large urban sprawls of developing countries. According to a spokesperson for the company, the size of the research center could increase to up to 50 employees in the future. The employees of the lab will not develop technologies on their own, but will scour Silicon Valley and the West Coast
watch their water use,” Brown said in an address to the state. “Drought or no drought, demand for water in California always outstrips supply. Continued conservation is key.” Because of the poor rainfall, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has had to call unusually many spare the air days. They have had to call 15 of these days since the winter air-quality season began on Nov. 1. There was a storm that began in January that has multiplied the rainfall level immensely. It has increased the water level in the creeks running through Palo Alto but the creeks are still only at below 50 percent capacity.
for potential business partners, investments and developers to help Ford prepare for the future. “Ford has an incredible heritage of driving innovation in the transportation and manufacturing sectors during the past 107 years,” Paul Mascarenas, Ford’s Chief Technical Officer and Vice President of Research and Innovation, said. “Now it’s time to prepare for the next 100 years, ushering in a new era of collaboration and finding new partners to help us transform what it means to be an automaker.” Mascarenas stated that it was natural for Ford to expand to the west coast, calling it “one of the most innovative communities in the world.” Ford is not the first automobile manufacturer to open up an office in Silicon Valley looking for new technology: BMW, Volkswagen, and General Motors also have research centers in Palo Alto.
—Alex Taussig
Staff Writer
LOCAL YOUTH ORGANIZATION HOLDS ANNUAL BONFIRE On Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. there was a community bonfire for Bay Area teens at the Boy Scouts’ outdoor fire pit in the Lucie Stern Community Center. The event was hosted by the organization Break Through The Static, a group dedicated to “[supporting] and [empowering] youth and their advocates who have been affected by suicide.”
This storm also caused a power outage for 1,200 people. Poor rainfall in Palo Alto is reflected by the lack of snow in Lake Tahoe. Tahoe has had one of the lowest levels of snowfall for the past 100 years. This poor snowfall forces ski resorts to create more man made snow which consumes a large amount of water. “My family took a trip out to Tahoe,” junior Christian Huard said. “I was shocked to see the lack of any snow while driving up and when I actually went skiing the snow was very icy. Also many of the lifts were not open so half of the slopes that I would have liked to ski on were closed due to lack of snow.”
The bonfire went until 10 p.m., and teens were able to participate in a game of chubby bunny, view live art from local artists and listen to a band called Eternal Downpour, which is made up of Bay Area teens. Break Through The Static is an organization founded in 2009 by Jade Chamness, whose father committed suicide when she was 17. The organization is based in San Fransisco and aims to help teens who have lost loved ones to suicide. It also hosts booths and presentations at many suicide prevention events and hosts events such as retreats, concerts, and other community events. Students from Bay Area schools are encouraged to participate and perform during events like the bonfire. Singer-songwriter and Castilleja junior Gaby Castro preformed at the bonfire on January. Other activities at the bonfire included a photo booth, s’mores, bingo games and a graffiti mural. There was also an area where teens could sign up for Break Through The Static programs. Adults and teachers were also welcome to enjoy the festivities. “I went to the bonfire in September which was like a launch event for Static and it was really cool,” junior Lindsay Sapigao said. “There were over 150 teens. It was just a very relaxed and fun vibe and there were a lot of people from different schools. It was a lot of fun to hang out and it’s really fun to see your peers perform.”
—Kelly Stern
Staff Writer
NEWS
The Campanile
EDUCATION, from A1 education is valued. That means that although the possible cuts will still affect Palo Alto schools, we have a supportive community that helps to offset the problems. While all California schools have Site Councils and Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSA) that provide funds in addition to the allotted budget, very few systems have the same dedication that Paly’s has. In addition to the involvement the Paly Site Council and PTSA have in our funding, Paly also has private groups that help provide extra donations. Partners in Education (PiE) provides Palo Alto schools with around $3 million a year. The extra funding, all of which comes from donations, has seen a trend of increasing annually, both because of the increasing need and because of the increasing emphasis that is put on the importance of education.
“[Over the past decade], we’ve seen an increase [of donations] every year,” Judy Logan, PiE’s Vice President, said. “I think it’s because the need is there. I think that when PiE was originally formed, people didn’t understand why we needed to have private funds for public schools.” Last year, PiE was able to donate $3.4 million dollars to PAUSD. The group talks directly with administrators and parents to decide where their funding should go (last year, for example, 38 percent of Paly’s portion of the funds went to the guidance department, 30 percent to the teacher advisor program and so on) and then donates their gift in March. “The thing to remember is that PiE is an important part of the solution, but it’s not the only part,” Logan said. “The state budget situation — the ongoing problem of being vastly underfunded — is not going away.” Although many school districts have programs similar to PiE, for
the many that do not the cuts can be hugely problematic. One of the most controversial parts of Brown’s proposal puts this gap in perspective. As a way to provide low income schools with more freedom as to how they distribute their funds, Brown wants to give California schools the option to eliminate a second year of science as a minimum requirement to graduate. In Palo Alto, this might seem unimaginable. Not only do we receive grants and donations to fund our science department (11 percent of PiE’s 2011 total donation went to funding directly funding classes, including science courses), but science is also viewed as one of the most important subjects to learn because of the increasing number of jobs in the field of technology. “The world operates on math and science,” Winston said. “You definitely have to have the ability to think through problems, which you gain [through science].” For some schools however, when it comes down to funding extra science courses or providing students with a bus to take to school, science begins to lose its value. “This is being put forward as a part of a broader proposal to provide school districts with greater flexibility and greater local control,” H. D. Palmer, spokesman for the California Department of Finance told Sonoma County’s
Popular Palo Alto stores move to new locations
By Anna Norimoto and Beth Yan Staff Writers
Fraiche Yogurt, Bloomingdale’s and the Apple Store, popular stores within the Palo Alto community, will be relocating to different parts of the city during the coming years. Apple and Fraiche, both located in downtown Palo Alto, plan to relocate to new locations near their previous stores. Bloomingdale’s, located at the Stanford Shopping Center, will also be moving to a smaller location in the same center. According to Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s parent company, the popular retail store plans to downsize to about half its current size in 2014. Bloomingdale’s will remain at its current location until the new building is complete. Apple is moving its flagship store in Palo Alto to a new location a few blocks down the street from its current location on University Avenue, replacing the former Z Gallerie. Apple’s $3.15 million project will completely change the store’s architectual design. Glass panels on the walls and ceilings of the building will allow for natural light and an open atmosphere. Fraiche Yogurt, which keeps its fans up to date via its Facebook and Twitter pages, announced over social media when it officially opened. The yogurt store was closed from Christmas Eve to after the new year as the business moved from
its original location on Emerson Street to the newly renovated store on Hamilton Avenue. Originally scheduled to open the week of January 9th, Fraiche’s grand opening at its new location was delayed to Friday, Jan. 20. Fraiche has taken over the old A.G Ferrari Foods location at 200 Hamilton Ave. This new location provides Fraiche with more room for indoor seating and a larger counter space, streamlining the ordering and paying process. At the new location, Fraiche will still have its classic flavors: original, chocolate, pomegranate and soy. In addition, it has added seasonal flavors to its menu. This season’s flavors include oreo cookie and a hibiscus grapefruit sorbet. Another new feature of the Fraiche menu is recommended combinations of yogurts and toppings. While the company originated as a yogurt shop, its change of location has also prompted additions to the menu, which include savory foods such as quinoa, soup and frittatas. Students at Palo Alto High School are looking forward to Fraiche’s new location and specialties. “Since the new location is closer to the center of downtown, I think it will be better for business as well as more accessible for students,” junior Serena Yee said. “I also think the oreo and hibiscus grapefruit flavors sound interesting and I want to try them soon.”
February 3, 2012 • A3
Press Democrat. It gives “greater empowerment to local school districts to make local decisions,” he said. Although PAUSD has no plans to change its science requirements, according to Skelly, the cuts could affect us in other ways. $30 dollars per student would total about $57,000, according to Winston. His hope is that if the cuts are put into place, Palo Alto schools will be able to respond to them in ways that students will not notice. “We have to get pretty creative with how we use our money,” Winston said. Winston listed graduation, baccalaureate and other annual events, as well as classroom supplies and printing, as things that could possibly face scrutiny with increased cuts.
Beyond Just Money Although the budget is an inescapable issue when it comes to education, there is much more that Brown, Skelly and Winston have on their minds. One thing being debated is the value of our current system of testing. With No Child Left Behind, the act passed ten years ago by former president George W. Bush requiring schools to test students to track improvements and report results in order to receive funding, came an increased reliance on multiple choice tests. Kathryn Hanson, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of education non-profit A-Learn, has done research that she believes shows that multiple choice tests are not the most effective way to test students. “I think all the educators I’ve spoken with are very excited [about] moving away from multiple choice,” Hanson said. “However, the transformation to a whole new assessment system is going to be very complex and nobody currently has the answer.” Students throughout California can watch out for changes in testing techniques in years to come. Hanson stated 2014 as a goal for having a new, more accurate way to assess students. Palo Alto is also looking at the value of homework, Skelly said. A group is committed to talking with community members to see how much homework is too much, or if any is needed at all. “We have a group looking at the purpose and volume of homework,” Skelly said. “I think it’s a place to have conversation [and] to come up with a board policy about homework.”
Foreign Affairs club starts publication Magazine showcases students’ writing to provide global perspective
AGORA, from A1 “Anyone can write for [the magazine], but what they write needs to be factually correct,” Dunn said. “We’re going to be one of the few publications that uses a fact checker, and we’ll require citations even in opinion pieces.” Ultimately, the Foreign Affairs magazine is for the Paly student body. It will provide a
global perspective the other publications do not, and provide a magazine for the politically interested students at Paly. “We want to give Paly students a more global perspective, like what’s going on in the world and how we should address these issues,” Carter said. “We’ll try to give an introduction on how to address these real world events.”
The club plans to publish two issues of the Foreign Affairs magazine this semester, each about 25 pages long. Any students who are interested in participating in Agora are free to learn more by visiting the Foreign Affairs club, which meets on Thursdays at lunch, in room 305. More information can be found at their website, http://palyforeignaffairs.org/.
Debaters successful at local, national tournaments By Ben Cook Staff Writer
The Palo Alto High School debate team has been successful this past month in their most recent tournaments. On the weekend of Jan. 1, a tournament was held at College Preparatory School in Oakland, Calif. Debaters from all over the nation competed at the advanced tournament which is known for its abundance in fast talking, articulate speakers. The competitors battled it out on the topic of whether or not it is justified for victims of repeated domestic violence to use deadly force to defend themselves. Sophomore Travis Chen and junior Allen Zhang reached octafinals (the round of sixteen). Additionally, sophomore Anish Haris made it to the quarterfinals in junior varsity. “I could have been more clear in rebuttals and explained stuff better,” sophomore Travis Chen said. Another tournament also took place at Santa Clara University. This invitational consisted of people from all over California and Nevada. The judges at this tournament were less experienced than those in Oakland. Competitors debated if animal rights were necessary for justice. There, junior Meha Bakshi reached semifinals and took eighth place for Palo Alto High School. In addition, sophomore Addie McNamara and sophomore
Austin Zheng reached octafinals. “I had a bunch of rounds before in previous tournaments, so I was pretty ready going into this tournament [SCU] because I had a lot of practice debating this topic,” sophomore Anish Harris said. Santa Clara was a different style of debate then College Prep. At Santa Clara, debaters focused on persuading a parent that animals did or did not deserve animal rights. Both tournaments help debaters and are great experiences. Paly was also successful at the Victory Briefs Tournament, a highly technical competition held at University of California on Jan. 22 and 23. There, sophomore Travis Chen reached partial double octafinals (which is two rounds before quarter finals) and ended up placing 23rd. “I enjoyed the tournament and it was a good learning experience,” Chen said. “I could have explained argument interaction better.” Paly’s debate team has been consistently showing success in their latest tournaments and is a very competitive team locally and nationally. Despite the relative lack of recognition and support from the student body, the debate team continues to work hard. They practice three times per week from 7 P.M. until later in the night. The team pushes on in effort to pursue even more
Alex Lin/Campanile
Sophomore Alex Warner gives a speech during practice against sophomore Jonathan Mackris. Debate has been successful this month in local and national competitions.
Skelly says that, depending on what is decided, students can expect to see changes in their homework load and class by class work distribution by next year.
But What’s the Most Important?
Many students agree that as important as having an up-to-date curriculum and sufficiently funded classroom is, in the end their
ARne Duncan
United States Secretary of Education
“Great teachers [and] great principals make a huge difference in our nation’s children. We have to invest in them and we need to reward excellence.” opportunities can increase tenfold if they have a good teacher. Administrators realize this, and finding a way to hire only the best educators is becoming a big discussion point on both the national and local levels. “Great teachers [and] great principals make a huge difference in our nation’s children,” United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told The Morning Joe. “We have to invest in them and we need to reward excellence.” Skelly’s views of the importance of good teachers practically echoed Duncan’s. “If we’re going to get better as a school district, the most important thing we can do is hire fantastic teachers that are game-breaking, life changing and inspirational for our students,” Skelly said. The only problem is that finding a “great teacher” is not as simple as it may sound. It has long been argued that teachers are underpaid, making the profession less desirable than it once was. In addition, it is unreliable, especially for young teachers without tenure who could be let go any day because of cuts. To adjust for this, Duncan proposed that the starting salaries of teachers should double, up to $65,000 a year, and that “great teachers” should be able to make up to $150,000. Both would attract young, enthusiastic teachers that could fill in some of our system’s gaps. According to Duncan, endorsing strong teacher-student relationships can give students incentive to succeed in school. In the United States, only seven out of ten high school freshmen go on to graduate, which can be highly detrimental to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) and international competitiveness. President Obama proposed changing the dropout age from 16 to 18 as a way to lessen this rate, but simply hiring better teachers could be just as effective.
Looking to the Future It seems that almost everyone in the field of education has a different goal they want to focus on for the upcoming year, but in the end the common belief is that students can be getting better than they are right now. For the Obama administration, this means hiring the best teachers, paying them enough so they will want to keep their jobs as educators and keep inspiring students and finding new ways to improve classrooms to make teaching more effective. For Governor Brown, finding a way to maximize funding for the schools that need it most while also cutting down on the debt that we have acquired is a goal. Brown has been put in a tough place where he must choose the better of two evils — cutting education funding or letting our debt increase — and he is working towards developing a plan to help him limit both. Senator Simitian, who is in his final year as a State Senator due to term limits, is making his final pushes towards bettering education in California. He is trying to help students by reiterating the importance of education and reminding those that support education that their support matters. “The day we walk out, the bad guys win,” Simitian said. “If we all walk away, they are the ones who get to make all the decisions. We have to continue chugging along to do what is right for our society.” And at Paly, the one of the main goals is simply to provide as much support for each student, emotionally and academically. “We are continuing to secure how we support students on campus,” Winston said. “I think we’re constantly working at getting better at everything we do.”
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THE ASB POST
The Official Newsletter of the Palo Alto High School Associated Student Body
CABINET OFFICERS Uma Veerappan ASB President
Hey Paly! Over the past month, I have played a role in the success of the Mytonomy website launch at our school. For those of you unfamiliar with the site, its goal is to allow students to both receive and give input to current students via personal videos. If you would like more information, feel free to ask me! I am currently continuing my work on developing new ways for the ASB to successfully communicate with the student body. I have continued to oversee and help organize all ASBrun events, and would love to hear if you have any suggestions.
Maddie Kuppe
ASB Vice President
For the past few weeks, I’ve been working on prom details and helping coordinate the sports ceremonies. After voting on the design of the free volleyball T-shirts, I recently began setting the dates and deadlines for the newly-conceptualized second “Club Day”. This club day is an event ASB will hold this
year in hopes of aiding club leaders in their endeavors to maintain a strong group of members year-round.
Jared Swezey-Gleason ASB Secretary
Over the last month I have worked to keep accurate records of all of ASB’s financial transactions. In order for ASB to do the work and make the purchases it does someone must record where money is being used, what for and how much is being allocated. This year I hope to leave a legacy for how this process is done so that ASB Secretaries in the future will know the best practices for completing their role.
Tremaine Kirkman Josh Madej ASB Treasurers
Both of us have been working with Ms. Singh on learning the intricacies of our budget. After our training, we will find the most effective way to divide the treasurer duties.
Sophomore President Alex Hammer (center), Student Body President Uma Veerappan (left) and the rest of ASB handed out free t-shirts on the quad celebrating the Paly volleyball team’s State Championship.
COMMISSIONERS & REPRESENTATIVES
Mrs Diorio and have worked on publicizing events for ASB in general. I helped with the volleyball celebration, Mytonomy and more. Currently I am transitioning to an increased focus on social media and making ASB updates more meaningful. I have also lobbied in class for more money to go to clubs that will benefit the Paly community.
Lindsay Black, Scotty McComas, Amber Schlegel Kimmie Flather Tremaine Kirkman Spirit Commissioners
As Spirit Commissioners, we are in charge of organizing school wide events, and after Spirit Week, we are in charge of all rallies. Recently, we have been working hard on the Winter Rally, or as it is also known, the All School Rally. These preparations include ordering rally towels and 6th man shirts, organizing the performances (including the band and the cheer and dance teams) and recruiting members of the staff to participate.
Sophie Parker, Amber Schlegel Cheer Representatives
As cheer representatives, we strive to increase attendance at basketball games this season and increase overall crowd spirit. This entails increasing awareness about the games and rallies around the student body. Recently, the cheer team has been preparing for the Gunn game, where we performed last week. We have also been perfecting our competition routine for the nationals trip to Vegas, which will happen towards the end of February. We have been fundraising for this trip by selling Paly lanyards, which are available at the ASB store. We have also been preparing for our Winter Rally performance, which is one of our biggest performances of the year. By representing cheer in ASB, we hope to spread our enthusiasm about Paly athletics and spirit throughout the Paly community. Paly students were treated to free cookies and hot chocolate on the quad on the last day of first semester. The treats were provided as a way for students to celebrate the completion of their final exams.
Charlie Dulik
Communications
Recently, my job as Communications Officer has become much more logistics oriented. I helped plan the Mytonomy event with
Multicultural Commissioner
In the last month I have been working on several projects. Also, as multicultural commissioner, I have been working on a school-wide education and publicity campaign in regards to A-G alignment in PAUSD. I have drafted a resolution, which, if passed, will be presented to the school board. Finally, I have been reevaluating past approaches to Black History Month, and will present a schedule to ASB for consideration after finals.
Shannon Scheel, Josh Stabinsky, Sasha Robinson Sports Commissioners
We are currently working on the ordering and distribution of the 6-man t shirts. We are also working on the winter rally which is occurring later in this month. With the basketball season underway we are so excited to support our school and promote school spirit by throwing shirts and rally towels during the basketball games.
Elisabeth Black, Emma Ketchum, Tesha Shalon, Quinn Rockwell Social Commissioners
Hi Paly! As your social commissioners, we’re working on some fun activities. First off, the Sadies dance is coming up on Friday, February 10th. Be there! We’ll have the dance room and the chill room available for everyone. Remember, come in your couples costumes. You can come in a group or with a date (no pressure).
CLASS OFFICERS Sam Blake, Zora Singh
Alex Hammer, Curtis Wu
Hey everyone. The senior class officers have been hard at work, especially with the Mytonomy launch event. However, our main focus these past few weeks has been further planning prom. We recently met with our prom planner to finalize a lot of different details concerning prom, such as the menu to make sure a ton of delicious food will be served this year. We’re aiming to make sure all the food is also taste tested by the prom committee beforehand. We have also chosen our colors and some additional decorations that will make sure 2012 Prom is a fabulous experience for everyone. We hope the senior class is looking forward to Sadies, the winter rally and later on...prom!
Hey sophomores! In the past few weeks, we have been working with the freshmen class officers to plan the upcoming Frosh/Soph fundraiser. The surveys sent out lean towards a late-April Car Wash/Bake Sale fundraiser, so get pumped! The details and baking will be finalized soon, so let any of us know if you want to bake something. Anything is helpful. Also the Sadies Hawkins dance is approaching quickly, so, ladies, get your dates soon! Make sure to come out to the winter rally as well.
Senior President and Vice President
Junior President and Vice President
Hi juniors. We hope finals went well and that you enjoyed the cookies and hot chocolate social on the quad. Currently in ASB, both of us are working on the Mytonomy committee, which organized a huge launch event for students and alumni on January 5th. For those of you who don’t know what Mytonomy is, it is an online database of videos in which students give advice to other younger students about the college application process, courses to take, and choosing the right schools. Make sure you all attend Sadies and the Winter Rally to keep you guys from falling into third quarter slumps.
Sadie Hawkins In a change of roles, girls ask boys to this dance
2/10/12 Winter Rally Featuring the student vs. staff basketball game
2/14/12 Club Day 2
Students get a second chance to find clubs to join
4/24/12 Prom Paly s’ most attended dance
4/28/12
Claire Liu and Rick Takeuchi
Freshman President and Vice President
Jessica Tam, Soo Song
EVENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR
Sophomore President and Vice President
Hey freshmen! We hope you all did well on your finals. Recently, we have been planning the annual underclassmen fundraiser with the sophomore class officers. Instead of having the typical Pancake Breakfast this year, we decided we’d be open to fresh ideas and sent out multiple surveys to freshmen and sophomores. After looking over the results, we have concluded that a car wash and bake sale event is the most popular. Because such an event would require warm weather, we are aiming to have it late April in the afternoon. We want all your input and ideas during this planning process! Make sure to show your spirit in the next few weeks by heading out to the winter rally and Sadies too.
Do you have any comments or suggestions regarding any of these events that ASB has run or helped run this year? Post-Final Cookies n Cocoa Paly Volleyball Shout Out First Friday Rally Back to School Dance
Photo Day Spirit Week Mytonomy Launch (right) Dead Week library snacks
Let us know in person or through our Facebook, Formspring, or Twitter accounts!
The ASB Post Edition Three February 2012
Editor-in-Chief: Uma Veerappan Cabinet Editor: Jared Swezey-Gleason Class/Committee Editor: Soo Song Comm./Rep Editor: Charlie Dulik Design: Brian Benton
ASB helped host the launch of Mytonomy, a new college resource for students
The Campanile
OPINION
Friday, February 3, 2012 • A5
Editorials
Journalists, including students, should be “truth vigilantes”
There is a video that has been making its way around the internet of an AP reporter calling out GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney after he said that he did not “have lobbyists running my campaign.” “That is not true!” Glenn Johnson from the Associated Press responded from a front row seat. And so continues the debate as to whether or not it is the responsibility of journalists and members of the press to correct public figures when they make false or exaggerated claims. The Campanile sees no reason why not. When the Founding Fathers penned our Constitution and chose to include that “Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom...of the press,” their reasoning was so that publications could make sure that the fact’s of our country were known. The United States is a nation of liberty and truth, and freedom of the press, even if it means going lessening the reputation of a esteemed individual, is part of what makes our country all that it is. On Jan. 12, Arthur S. Brisbane, the Public Editor of the New York Times, wrote a blog post asking a simple question: should the New York Times be a truth vigilante? Brisbane received a resounding yes, but also was greeted with a series of readers who were shocked he even needed to ask such a question. While it may seem only logical that a publication always report the truth and alert their readers of falsities, the staff of The Campanile feels that it, along with fellow Palo Alto High School publications, have not done as much as we can to inform our school community of inaccuracies or incorrect statements made in our community. Paly publications have an enormous amount of press freedom, so let’s use it. In the past, we have felt reluctance to report on certain stories that we felt would be directly calling out an individual. While we do need to be extra careful that all the information we report is 100 percent accurate, trying to hide facts so we do not hurt other people’s feelings is not what a newspaper is for. Looking back, there are not many things that we avoided reporting on and that is something to be thankful for. Principal Phil Winston and the rest of the Paly staff has been very open and are more than willing to provide us with the information we desire, which we greatly appreciate. But the instant we hear something that crosses the line, we promise to stop being nice and become the true vigilantes we know we can be. Watch the Mitt Romney video at http://tinyurl.com/mittromneycalledout Read Arthur S. Brisbane’s article at http://tinyurl.com/truthvigilante
District should seek students’ opinions on where budget goes
While researching our front page story, we asked each of our sources how students could share their opinions on where our funding goes. The answer was identical from each. “Students can email me.” As wonderful as it is that our administrators encourage students to contact them via email, The Campanile would like to see a bigger effort put into hearing students’ opinions on our budget. No one knows what is needed in our schools more than students. Although students can attend School Board meetings and other discussions where education budget decisions are made, their opinions are often overlooked in favor of those from adults with “more expertise.” These adults undoubtedly do have expertise in our current budget situation, but students can provide a unique perspective that can only be gained from attending Palo Alto schools day after day. For example, an administrator might not know that Smart Boards are rarely used in classes, while 10-year old, falling apart Calculus textbooks are used every day. A School Board member might not notice that teachers have to ask students to print assignment sheets at home because the district does not provide them with the funding to print these vital documents out at school. Many students choose not to attend the meetings where budget decisions are made because they are unable to fit the time into their busy schedules or because they simply do not know that the meetings even exist. The district could embrace their goal of using more technology in schools by following the path of Palo Alto High School’s Associated Student Body. ASB chose this year to create a Facebook page, Twitter account and Formspring account. It may seem simple, but in doing so ASB was able to not only share what was going on around campus with the student body, but also hear the students’ opinions on the topics. A Palo Alto Unified School District page could act in the same way, sharing important points from meetings and giving students an easier, more accessable way to reach out to administrators. If the district wanted to hear even more student opinions, monthly or quarterly “student only meetings” could be held. The meetings could not only help students understand how exactly our budget is decided, but also be a great way for students to let administrators know what they thing really matters. By providing an incentive — free pizza, extra credit in certain classes for attending or community service hours, to name a few — the district would increase the number of attendees, which would make the meetings even more worth it. The Campanile appreciates all the time and effort that goes into deciding how our budget is spent and understands that it is a long and complex process. So let us help.
CCC should provide equal resources for all classes
The Palo Alto High School College and Career Center, also known as the CCC, is one of the most helpful tools our school offers to college-bound students. Not only does the CCC provide helpful information to students about which colleges they should apply to based on their test scores, GPA, interests, possible major and location, but the counselors also help push students in the right direction according to these factors. The Campanile, although thankful for the CCC, feels that the CCC could work toward accommodating students of all grade levels. Giving students the option to make CCC appointments at any point during their time at Paly would not only help students with stress, but also greatly lessen the work load on the counsellors themselves. Giving students the advantage of scheduling appointments throughout the entire year would spread the normal rush of second semester juniors between the months of August and June. As the junior class is typically the most concerned with college admissions they should be given priorty over underclassmen for any CCC appointments, but equal priority as seniors. If given the extra time, counsellors should also be open to having meetings with the freshmen and sophomores wishing to get a head start on their admissions. As college admission rates continue to rise, so does the competition to get into the limited number of universities in the country resulting in an increased number of payed college counsellors. It is no wonder that there is a strong correlation between income and college attendance as around 33 percent of white adults have college degrees while only 10 percent of Hispanics do. Despite these large discrepancies, 60 percent of parents regard education as something so important that they will do anything to ensure their child’s attendance to college. As a community overflowing with resources, both monetary and intellectual, it is our responsibility to make the college process as low cost, easy and stress free as we can for those who would be otherwise unable to afford such a critical portion of the college admission process. Forming a relationship from their freshmen year, college counselors would also be able to form more intimate bonds with students to get a better idea of the kinds of universities that would best match that specific student’s personality and preferences. By opening the CCC to students of all grades, freshmen would also be able to get help from the start of their high school career bettering their chances of getting into their target school, as by second semester junior year it can be too late to improve one’s GPA or get a high enough SAT score to become competitive for admission at that school. Although this suggestion would definitely add more work for guidance, it would ultimately help all students in the long run. Because most students cannot get this information from school itself, it would be best for all students to have equal opportunities to educate themselves in order to better their futures.
Letters to the Editors The following comments were posted in response to our recent stories on palyvoice.com
In response to Speech Team improves student improvisation, public speaking I am amazed to see my son coaching the Paly Speech team almost 40 years after I competed as a student at Paradise Valley High School. My score sheets are saved somewhere as I moved on with my life.
bread, not the cheap sandwich stuff) and mustard instead of mayo. You should also choose low fat lunch meats like turkey or ham that have been sliced lean. You can find low fat deli meats in your grocery store, or you can ask for the leaner cuts from the deli. — “Check health insurance”
— “Elyseann Barnett”
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--In response to Healthy, delicious foods easy to make To make this a super healthy lunch, use whole grain wheat bread (the kind where you can actually see the grains in the
In response to Junior places 12th at US Figure Skating Championships Fantastic job, Wilbur! What a multi-talented Paly student! — “Jenniesavage1”
News to Know
This edition, we decided to take President Obama’s advice on what news you should know. On Jan. 24, President Barack Obama addressed the United States with his annual State of the Union address. The speech is a update the president is required to give to Congress each year to inform them of his plans for the upcoming year. We analyzed the speech and chose the points that we felt were most relevant and important.
Budget Deficit
President Obama included in his speech that, when he came to office in January 2009, the deficit was more than $1 trillion and the projected deficits over a decade were $8 trillion. He said another $1 trillion was added to the national debt to prevent a second depression. Obama did not include specific details about how he would reduce the deficit, despite the fact that much of his speech was focused on our economy.
Education
“Teachers matter,” President Obama,” instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal.” President Obama emphasized not only the importance of good teachers, but school as a whole.
He encouraged states to either eliminate the ability for students to drop out of high school at 16 entirely, or to change the age to 18. Finally, the president addressed the rising costs of college. He said it was Congress’ responsibility to “stop the interest rates on student loans from doubling” and that there should be an increase of work-study opportunities for students to pay off their debts.
Economy
The speech, which is considered a populist appeal, focused mainly on the economy. President Obama emphasized his tax cuts for the middle class and businesses. However, he said that he would raise taxes on the wealthiest one percent. He said that 3.2 million jobs were created in the 22 months since his stimulus passed. Internationally, President Obama proposed fighting back against ostensibly unfair Chinese trade and currency policies by rewarding companies that create jobs here in the United States. He announced the creation of the Trade Enforcement Organization dedicated to investigating unfair trade policies and said that he had doubled
the amount of trade cases brought against China.
Health Care
The president encouraged Congress to continue work on his stalled health care reform, but also clarified that it would no longer be one of his main focuses. President Obama remained fairly unclear as to what exactly he would like to see done with health care in the United States, but make sure it was known that he was not forgetting about providing affordable health care for all.
Foreign Policy
Despite spending only six minutes of his speech on foreign policy, President Obama listed his accomplishments regarding terrorism and the Arab Spring. He focused mainly on his increased attacks against Al-Qaeda, bringing up his of killing Osama Bin-Laden. He referenced his successes against terrorists in Afghanistan, and noted that the withdrawal from Iraq allowed the U.S. to redouble its attacks against terrorists around the globe. President Obama also mentioned that he would continue to press Iran to prevent it from getting a nuclear weapon.
The Campanile Editors in Chief Michael Abrams • Brian Benton • Kirah Ingram Annabel Snow • Hannah Totte • Lauren Wong News Editor Layla Memar
Opinion Editor Meghan Byrd
Spotlight Editor Madeline Berger
Lifestyles Editor Nikki Whitson
Sports Editors Michael Augustine Mayssen Labidi
A&E Editor Clara Chang
Features Editors Bailey Cassidy Ben Krasnow
Advertising Managers Hannah Park Tanvi Varma
Tech Editors Gracie Fang Elena Pinsker
Photography Editors Alex Lin Riki Rattner
Staff Writers Kate Apostolou Joshua Arfin Charlotte Barry Isabel Benatar Elizabeth Bowman Josie Butler Brandon Byer Jillian Chacon Gavin Chan Chrissie Cheng Olivia Cole Benjamin Cook Olivia Cornfield Laura Cui
Chayla Cummings Ryan Deslauriers Samuel Dodson Charles Dulik Marie Ezran Rose Fitzgerald James Foug Yasna Haghdoost Ben Hawthorne Grace Keller Colin Kelly Jake Kerman William Kershner Alvin Kim
Nira Krasnow Caroline Martignetti Anna McGarrigle Logan Mendenhall Matthew Morton Anna Norimoto Sophie Parker Perri Pond Julia Poppy Weston Preising Emily Rosenthal Gina Scarpino Abha Sharma Wesley Shiau
Ashley Shin Jordan Smith Kelly Stern Kyle Stewart Alex Taussig Emily Tran Sidhanth Venkatasubramaniam Michael Wang Eric Wang Rachel Wilson Beth Yan Jacob Zenger Jonathan Ziegler
Photographers Charlotte Barry Chrissie Cheng Samuel Dodson
Adam Mansour Anna McGarrigle Logan Mendenhall
Yael Palmon Gina Scarpino Emily Tran
Advisor Esther Wojcicki Letters to the Editors: Email all letters to editors to campanile.opinion@gmail.com. The Campanile prints letters on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit submissions. The Campanile only prints signed letters. Advertisements: Advertisements with The Campanile are printed with signed contracts. For more information regarding advertisements in
The Campanile and their size options and prices, please contact The Campanile Business Managers by email at campanile.ads@gmail.com. Note: It is the policy of the Campanile to refrain from printing articles that misrepresent or alienate specific individuals within the Palo Alto community.
OPINION
A6 • February 3, 2012
The Campanile
Technology use in classroom can increase learning Implementation of tech devices could augment students’ quality of education The current world revolves around technology. Middle school students have smartphones and toddlers learn how to use tablet devices before they learn how to read. Palo Alto High School has been making a change to using technology as well, with classes integrating iPads and laptops more and more into their daily routines. The usage of technology in alvinkim classrooms is not only beneficial, in my opinion but should also be expanded to include the implementation of smartphones and other devices. Smartphones have multiple practical class uses and certain teachers have capitalized on their benefits. BC Calculus class teacher Judy Choy allows the use of smartphones. Students can take pictures of homework problems that have been shared to the class to post on Facebook for others to see and during classwork. Choy puts the problems sets on her website for students to access. Not only does she not have to print out the problems, but it is also easier for the students to work anywhere and at any time. But cellphones have many other functions that would help in the classroom environment. Many phones have recording apps that can be used to record vital lecture segments, they can store PDF files for students to reference and there are many applications on the stores that are good for schoolwork, such as formula applications and Wolfram Alpha. There are even studies showing cellphones’ benefits. Digital Millennial, a consulting firm, carried out a study in 2009 in which high school students were given cellphones for school use, one of the usages being recording videos of classmates solving problems and posting these videos on social media sites for everyone to see. The study showed that students with phones performed 25 percent better on an algebra test taken at the end of the year when compared to students without devices but in a similar classroom environment. Akshay Mata, a senior in Choy’s BC Calculus class, said that he believes the freedom Choy gives in using phones plays a positive effect on his learning. “I think it’s definitely useful because sometimes we don’t have time to go over all the homework problems and a lot of them are very challenging,” Mata said. “Taking videos and pictures help us work on it ourselves and understand the material.” A major concern would be the potential for texting and other similar distractions. However, the benefits of using the phones would be a deterrent to these inappropriate actions. The students that are determined to text will text regardless of whether or not they are allowed to. Meanwhile, the students that can use the phones to their maximum potential will stay focused and receive many advantages. As for those who repeatedly text and do not stay on task, their right to use phones can be taken away for a period of time, like as the punishment is now. With an increase of technology in classrooms might come an increase in cheating, as students can text one another or pull up solutions off the internet, but this problem can easily be circumvented.
Riki Rattner/campanile
Alex Lin/campanile
Students utilize technology, tablets and smartphones to enhance their learning experience in the classroom. A few classes have already begun to implement these devices, but technology should be more widely used throughout the school. Quite simply, these devices should not be allowed in any situation where cheating occurs, like on tests or quizzes. If smartphones are limited to classwork and other, similar activities, then there would not even be an opportunity to cheat. Teachers will dictate when students can use cell phones. Smart phones are not the only technological devices that are being used. Right now, classes such as AP Environmental Science (APES) are using iPads during class periods. Chengming Liu is a senior taking APES and he believes that using the iPads during class has been helpful so far. “There is an application that we use for expanding our knowledge,” Liu said. “There are many videos that can make you understand the concepts easier and better if you use it reasonably, like don’t use it for playing games. Taking notes with all the media they provide you for iPads is a really excellent learning source for expanding your knowledge.” As for the issue of staying on topic and not allowing the technology to be distracting, Liu said that while there are some people who fool around a majority of the people stay on track. “[Playing games] is not a problem,” Liu said. “Only some people do it. Most people will use [iPads] as a source of studying.”
As Liu said, the amount of people who get distracted and do not stay focused are in the minority. A majority of the students will instead use the technology to help further their learning. There is nothing to lose by attempting to integrate technology. All of the necessary equipment is abundant, and many students are already able to use it. While it may take a while for both students and teachers to adjust to a new classroom atmosphere, this adjustment will be a rapid process and the rewards will be high while the risk is minimal. The next steps that should be taken are first reestablishing school rules regarding usage of cellphones. Right now, they are banned from classes and can only be used with certain teachers’ approvals. Teachers from each department should meet and lay out guidelines for usage. For example, math teachers can agree that cell phones can be used to take pictures of homework explanations or for classwork. English teachers can decide that cellphone web-browsing features can be used to look up, relevant information before reading the book. Technology should not be viewed as a tool for cheating but rather as an opportunity for students to increase the quality of learning. Some teachers have already made steps toward integrating technology, as devices such as iPads and smartphones become increasingly prevalent, the usage of them in school will similarly become more rational, so it would be a worthwhile investment to start now.
Students should use right to protest to better our world Freedom of speech provides opportunities for increased positive progress Every American has heard the phrase: “I have a dream” at least once in his or her lifetime, whether it was when Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke these words in his famous speech or kirahingram from learning in my opinion about his actions. Although there may be people who do not agree with what Dr. King did to better the lives of many, he made a difference to all by inspiring people to speak their minds. The next generation of world-changers knows that fighting for what they believe in can, and will, make a ripple in the ocean of change. No matter how publicized the next generations’ beliefs are, what they fight for will make a difference in someone’s life. Through their actions, what they believe has a possibility of becoming a reality. Although not all people agree that Dr. King’s protests were effective, most can agree that his strides toward more equal treatment for all people demonstrated the
First Amendment in its purest form. The First Amendment states, in more modern language, that government authority figures — or any authority figures, for that matter — are not allowed to infringe upon peaceful protests or limit freedom of speech or media. It states that we, as Americans, have the right to petition the government in order to fight for what we believe to be the right thing to do or the right law by which to abide. What most people overlook in the First Amendment is our right to freedom of association, which means that we can associate with whomever we choose and have the right to form clubs and organizations that tie to whatever we choose. Recent protests, such as Occupy Wall Street, have been clogging up the media for months and as most can agree, the demonstrations made an impact on the nation, regardless if any legislation was changed because of the protests. People today know that they are the next generation for change — meaning that it is up to them if they want to see change in the future. Nevertheless, most have no idea what their rights as Americans do for them. We allowed to peacefully protest whatever we see fit, and we have the undeniable right
VERBATIM
to express our views wherever we choose — even at school. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), students have the right to organize protests at school, and only have to abide by the rules that the protests will not “substantially disrupt the orderly operation of the school or [will] create the immediate danger of causing students to commit an act that is unlawful or in violation of any school rules.” From what is stated in the ACLU’s “Know Your Rights,” students have the ability to bring to light whatever issues they support and oppose whatever issues they see as unjust. If students simply understand the rights given to them at birth and the rules surrounding protesting at school, or even outside of school, they are less likely to actually get arrested, suspended or even expelled. What the ACLU promotes is student awareness and action — it aims to empower students and show them that there are ways to get around what the government sets as rules to express their views or protest the government’s decisions. The ACLU states that California has some of the most extensive free speech rights for students in comparison to other states in the nation, which sets the state apart from others and, in turn, gives students even more freedoms
when it comes to journalism and their freedom of speech. In this sense, a “written” protest, as in a student article, gives students even more freedom to say what they feel; they should not be reluctant to write about the issues that matter not only to them, but to all. As stated in the 1969 U.S. Supreme Court case Tinker vs. Des Moines, neither “students [n]or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” We are not limited in what we think and students should not feel intimidated when expressing what they believe. Students should realize that they are not limited in their freedom of speech and there are not many restrictions holding them back from expressing their ideas with their communities. The First Amendment guarantees Americans’ right to freedom of speech, but it also protects them from being intimidated by the government. Students have even more freedom than adults when it comes to protesting through the written word. The thing holding students back may be that they think protesting, either through gatherings or written word, will not cause change. What they do not realize is that their actions will make an impact, and making an impact, no matter how big or how small, is change in itself.
What do you think about Valentine’s Day?
compiled by Sophie Parker and Rachel Wilson
“I think it sucks when you don’t have a lover.”
“I think it’s fun for people in a relationship.”
“Its a contrived holiday.”
“I think it’s a good excuse to eat chocolates.”
“It preaches the value of love.”
Michelle Yin
David Anhalt
Mr. Cronin
Nina Kelty
Conner Harden
sophomore
junior
history teacher
junior
freshman
OPINION
The Campanile
February 3, 2012 • A7
Guest speakers offer new, Need for English department to alternative lecture options develop standard essay scoring Real-life perspectives shared in classrooms
Uniform grading beneficial to students
ting what is being taught in the classroom into a realistic context. The real-life experiences and perspectives shared by the guest speaker would ultimately add another dimension to the classroom and allow students to realize the tangibility of the education they are obtaining: what we learn is being applied every day, by real people. Finding an impressive speaker should not be difficult, as we live among talented people. Silicon Valley is filled with professionals and interesting individuals who are incredibly enthusiastic about talking to high school students. Why not take advantage of the community we live in, where some of the most intriguing people are our neighbors? However, no matter how talented they may be, not all potential speakers can effectively communicate with teenagers. Teachers, beware: choosing a complete stranger who can entertain and engage a group of probably skeptical students is not an easy task — we’re a tough crowd. So, if teachers do invite a guest speaker to the classroom, they should be confident in the speaker’s ability to captivate students and bring relevant, interesting information that comes uniquely from the guest speaker. If not, there is no doubt that students will quickly lose interest. Thus, if a teacher carefully chooses an engaging guest speaker to present, the student’s learning experience can improve. Not only can the speaker change a possibly mundane classroom routine, but they can offer students a perspective and story that no textbook or worksheets can.
Bartlett. Tay- different English experiences going from lor. Shaw. Co- freshman to sophomore year. “[During freshman year] I wrote some hen. McNulty. Thomas. Hinton. [analytical essays], but they weren’t difficult, and we didn’t concentrate on the subSharp. What do of all ject at all,” she said. “Sophomore year Engof these names lish had a totally different focus — I felt have in common? at a disadvantage compared to those with These names are [other freshman English teachers].” And the learning gap is not exclusive but a small sampling of the nu- to the jump between freshman and sophoyasnahaghdoost merous ingredi- more year English. The discrepancy continents that create ues for some students as they enter Ameriin my opinion the eclectic cock- can Classics Honors. “I had pretty easy English classes freshtail often known as the Palo Alto High man and sophomore years, and this year School English Department. And it is quite the heady brew — elicit- I feel woefully unprepared for my Ameriing stress from students bent on accumu- can Classics class,” Ghadiyaram, who took lating the treasured red “A”s on their es- Critical Thinking I and II, said. “It seems says and anger from parents who criticize as though some of my friends’ writing abilthe use of readers in grading process. But ities have developed far beyond mine as in reality, the stress and the use of paid a result of their having harder teachers, while my own improvement has been limgraders is not the main problem. Rather, the issue at hand mainly re- ited or insignificant.” While Ghadiyaram confronts American volves around the enormous discrepancy between the grading standards of the in- Classics H this semester, others grimly andividual members within the English De- ticipate a difficult year ahead. An anonymous sophomore student curpartment. At the beginning of each year, as new rently in Critical Thinking II feels as schedules are handed out, students com- though he has been inadequately prepared pare their English teachers, with some for the junior Honors English class that he groaning about how they have gotten the plans to take next year. “In both of my years “hard teacher”, at Paly, I’ve had Engwhile others relish teachers who just joice at being give easy As to most of given a comparsophomore their students, whereatively easier pick. “I’ve had teachers as other people with “A lot of stuwho just give easy different teachers [in Critical Thinking II] dents had heard A’s. Other peoare complaining about things about cerple with different the workload and the tain teachers, so when they comteachers are com- difficulty in grading,” student said. “In pared schedules, plaining about the the the long run, those stumany students grading difficulty.” dents will benefit by befelt that they ing better equipped to had been dealt handle the more rigorthe short straw,” junior Sri Ghadiyaram said. “And for ous standards of American Classics, while I English, there is definitely a larger dis- feel disadvantaged.” An English education over the years crepancy in teachers’ grading standards should be fluid, cohesive, and should not be than in other classes.” The difficulty in having a similar set comprised of massive leaps and as a conof standards for scoring essays is under- sequence, glaring gaps in the way essay standable. English classes are variable, writing is taught. This is not, in any way, owing to the subjective nature of the meant to be an attempt to demonize, tarcoursework, unlike most other courses in- get or belittle Paly English teachers or to trivialize their hard work and dedication. volving math or science. However, the English department English essays are understandably difficult needs to create a uniform essay grading to assess, given their subjectivity and the rubric for each grade and course level sheer number that teachers have to read. Rather, this is a plea to the English so that students can smoothly integrate knowledge from their previous years of teachers to collaborate with each other to writing at Paly. This way, students can create a more cohesive set of writing stanprogress from year to year without wor- dards for students to follow as they comrying about having a teacher whose stan- plete their English classes. By doing so, dards are different and much higher than the English Department teachers at Paly would make their area of expertise a more those of the last instructor. One junior student, who wishes to re engaging, valuable, and less stressful expemain anonymous, contrasted her very rience for all students involved.
Eight hours a day for 175 days. This is the approximate amount of time the average student spends in a classroom per school year at Palo Alto High School. Depending on the teacher, these hours can either clarachang in my opinion be miserable or enlightening. As an innovative school in Silicon Valley, Paly emphasizes higher learning in as avant garde ways as possible. And indeed, most of the faculty manages to engage students academically by their methods of choice, although one of the simplest ways to attract students and bring something new to the classroom is often overlooked: inviting guest speakers. Students get excited by the prospects of a guest speaker rather than another lecture — to be honest, PowerPoints, worksheets and videos can get tiresome after a while — guest speakers are also a great academic component for teachers to integrate into the classroom. When teachers invite interesting guest speakers who can provide relevant and real-world perspectives to the curriculum, students benefit by gaining knowledge that cannot necessarily be taught by teachers. Teachers are generalists, which means they can only provide so much for a students’ education, most of which is quite broad. Learning from a guest speaker, who is preferably a specialist of some sort, would add to a student’s education by put-
ESTHER WOJCICKI/CAMPANILE
Two guest speakers discuss their eco-friendly gardening business. Guest speakers like these help provide students with relevant and real-world perspectives to their curriculum.
Anonymous
Tightening California’s teen driving laws will save lives
Extending required age for obtaining drivers license will keep roads safer
As we ring in a new year, the United States also welcomes some new laws to the books. Beginning Dec. 27, 2011, the State of Pennsylvania has tightened its driving restrictions for teenage drivers, including requiring additional hours of behind the wheel training and reducing the number of passengers a driver under 18 years old can carry during the first six months of driving, according to patch.com. baileycassidy This begs the question: should in my opinion California enforce stricter driving laws for teens? Although a similar law in California may cause moans and groans to be heard across the state, California needs to strengthen its driving laws, as doing so would save many lives each year. “I enjoy the freedom that a license brings, but teenagers are really impulsive and overestimate their reaction time so [it is] best to keep them off the road ‘til later,” senior AnaCena Zander said. According to saferoads4teens.org, California’s current Graduated Driver Licensing Law (GDL) includes the following components: a three-stage licensing system beginning at age 15 years and six months for a learner’s permit, age 16 years for the intermediate stage and age 17 years for full licensure, a minimum of 50 hours of supervised practice driving during the learner’s permit stage, a prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the first year, a passenger restriction prohibiting more than one passenger younger than age 20 for the first year, a restriction on cell phone use for drivers under 18 and a ban on texting for all drivers. The law does seem stringent; however, according to saferoads4teens.org, California does not enforce two elements of GDL: requiring teens to be 16 years of age in order to obtain a learner’s permit and extending restrictions on teen drivers until age 18. It is imperative that California enact these missing elements. According to KeeptheDrive.com, an estimated 2,000 lives per year can be saved if all states were to enact all of the elements of GDL. Although one would think that imposing even more driving restrictions on teens would not go over favorably, that is not true. In a recent survey by The Allstate Foundation, when teens were asked their opinions on “a single law that includes a learner period starting at age 16, limits on late night driving and passenger limits for new driv-
ers, prohibition of cell phones and texting, and 18 for a full, unrestricted license,” the great majority (74 percent) of teens approved, 34 percent strongly approving, 40 percent somewhat approving, 17 percent somewhat disapproving and only 9 percent strongly disapproving. At Palo Alto High School, some students are also in favor of stronger driving restrictions. “I believe that drivers should have restrictions until they turn 18, simply because some people need lots [of] practice until they are able to drive without second thoughts or passengers are able to drive with them without anxiety,” senior Felicity Short said. “I do recognize that some minors are able to drive responsibly and considerably well, but it would take too much effort to weed out the individuals who need more experience.” Although some teens may argue that waiting until age 18 for a completely unrestricted driver’s license seems un-
fair, the reality is that GDL is a licensing system that is fair to all citizens. It helps ensure that new drivers on the road are experienced before they earn a full, unrestricted license. GDL policies are less strict than other licensing systems, including laws for motorcycle and commercial truck drivers, according to KeeptheDrive.com. The bottom line is that teen driving crashes kill thousands of people and cost our nation billions of dollars each year. Enforcing stricter driving restrictions for teens is a fair solution that can reduce this negative impact, and many teens support it. Thus, California should extend the required age for obtaining a learner’s permit to 16 and the age for holding an unrestricted license to age 18 in order to enact the two components of GDL that it is currently lacking in order to keep all citizens safer.
OPINION
A8• February 3, 2012
English should include varied writing styles Students would benefit from learning creative, persuasive techniques Most English classes at Paly are essentially the same. Read a book, then write an essay. It does not matter what the course is called or what the material is; from Advanced Placemaddieberger ment English in my opinion to Exploratory Thinking 1, the basic structure of the classes only varies slightly. While some students may find this predictability comforting and easy, by the time high school students are in their junior and senior years, it would be better for English teachers to start shift ing away from the five-paragraph essay response and more towards college-style writing and creative essay formats. The five-paragraph essay is an excellent way to introduce students to analyzing and presenting arguments. Understandably, English classes need to practice that style of writing for the upcoming AP test in the spring. However, teachers should try to mix other writing
styles into their curriculum when they can.One style of writing that anyone can benefit from is persuasive writing. A five-paragraph literary analysis essay could arguably be seen as a persuasive piece. However, in college and as part of any career, being able to present an argument clearly and effectively on a current topic gives any student a huge advantage. From using those skills to outline why one is the best candidate for an internship to presenting a research idea to a professor, it is guaranteed that most Paly students will have to use persuasive writing in the future. Another type of writing that gives students skills necessary for the future is creative writing. Being able to write eloquently using the literary devices students spend so much time describing — but not using—in five-paragraph essays allows students to expand their horizons to think outside the box. Instead of writing another analytical essay for a book, students could try taking a different perspective while writing a more creative piece. For example, they could write a fictional short story in the same style of that author, helping them not only spot the motifs, symbols and themes needed for their analysis, but also use them in
their own context, giving students deeper insights into the book. They could write a poem using the voice of the main character, or describe a setting in the book using their own imagination. Regardless of the assignment, thinking of creative and original ideas is a skill that can help anyone surge ahead of competition in school and work. Creative and descriptive writing also comes in handy for a nearer future for many Paly students: college applications. Any senior applying to college this year can attest to the fact that describing oneself in a way that makes colleges notice that application takes a lot of creativity. Some schools, like Johns Hopkins University or Tufts University for example, post some of the admitted students’ essays online and reading them often feels like reading a intriguing fictional novel. Teachers may feel that creative assignments are too easy, as they allow students to do essentially whatever they want. But writing a piece that captures the assignment, sounds good and perhaps has an even deeper meaning than it might seem is a daunting yet helpful task for many students. Creative writing should of course not be the only style of writing used in an
The Campanile Would you prefer learning a different method of writing over five-paragraph essays? “Yes, I think that’s how it’s going to be like in college.” Uma Veerappan
senior
“[Yes, because] everybody is used to writing in the traditional style.” Chengming Liu
senior
“It’s good to experience different styles [of writing].” Addie McNamara
sophomore English class, but teachers may find that working one or two assignments in per semester will give students a new literary challenge and can be both fun and difficult, not to mention entertaining to grade for the teacher.
Discussing foreign policy from male, female perspectives will benefit students This semester, Palo Alto High School history teacher Adam Yonkers’ Foreign P o l i c y class has about a 5:1 male hannahtotte to female in my opinion ratio. The newly formed Foreign Affairs Club only has two females out of 20 total members. When Fellow for Conflict Prevention and foreign affairs expert Micah Zinko conducted a study on the number of women involved in foreign policy in Washington, he found that the highest percentage of women in policy-related roles was capped at 28 percent. The arena of foreign policy has remained male-dominated and
demonstrated interest in foreign affairs from young women here at Paly is limited. While taking into consideration the progress that the United States has made in terms of gender equality, girls should be encouraging each other to expand their knowledge of global current events and hold fast to their opinions at school. Over the past 50 years, the United States has become markedly less misogynistic. Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright said in an interview that her granddaughter, who has grown up watching women hold the position of Secretary of State, could not understand why Albright’s experience raised so much hype. Women are also at the forefront of political media: current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama are well-known role models to the country. However, the reputation of these women has not drastical-
ly affected the amount of women involved in international relations politics. Zinko’s study showed that the percentages of women in leadership roles in the Pentagon, State Department and agencies hover around 30 percent. Zinko proposed that women are more willing to discuss the concept of “soft” power policy, instead of the “hard” power policies that men sometimes favor. Men, Zinko predicted, are more willing to hire male colleagues. Time commitment is an issue for women, many hope to be or are the leading caretaker of the home. The Foreign Policy class can help combat students’ ignorance regarding world issues, but the full benefits of the course are not exploited with a lack of girls in the class. Fundamental differences between girls and boys, such as hormonal and behavioral distinctions, lead to distinct viewpoints and various tendencies
regarding political opinion. For example, men have been shown to be more prone to violence for centuries because of of a combination between genetics and societal makeup. “One reason is clearly biological, resting on men’s advantage in upper body strength — an undeniable plus when the weapons of war are heavy swords, spears, pikes, maces, or clubs,” author and lecturer Barbara Ehrenreich published in a Foreign Affairs article. Recognizing that these differences exist without stereotyping and attacking the other side enhances understanding and productivity. Balancing the views of both young men and young women in a classroom setting provides a learning environment that is enriching for both genders. Learning and paying attention to those who may think differently than us and striving for understanding and compromise
is a fundamental aspect of foreign policy and should be reflected by the class’s gender balance, and by that of Washington itself. Acknowledging gender inequalities such as these by number should not discredit the progress that the United States has made regarding women in politics. The conversation should then be centered around the importance of girls’ experience thinking about and discussing foreign policy. Time will tell if this semester’s foreign policy class’ conversations are imbalanced. Opening up the mind to problems bigger than those in the sphere of Palo Alto is healthy to all students, male and female, but participating with and listening to the ideas and leanings of both genders without degrading the other side will teach students skills that can be applied to virtually every problem, whether it be local, national or global.
The Campanile
OPINION
February 3, 2012 • A9
Schools offering rewards for student academic success Incentives ultimately detract from motivation in classroom For every 3, 4 or 5 on an AP test in history, English or math, students in Virginia Beach public high schools receive $100. While the Palo Alto Unified School District does not engage in similar bribery, it is berachelwilson coming more acin my opinion ceptable in other high schools and amongst individual parents to reward students for their grades and test scores with money. Offering incentives for their academic or extracurricular success is dangerous. While receiving money for academic success may seem like a good deal to a number of students, several important studies have proven that the long-term effects of these actions can be detrimental to students’ motivation. “The over-justification effect is when something that is intrinsically motivating to you, something that you like to do just because you like to do it: that motivation gets replaced by an external reward,” Paly Advanced Placement Psychology teacher Melinda Mattes said. Psychologists Mark Lepper, David Greene and Richard Nisbett conducted a well-established study of preschoolers in 1973 that showed this phenomenon by testing the theory of over-justification. Lepper, Greene and Nisbett’s study consisted of a group of preschool children, divided into three groups. One group of kids agreed to draw pictures for a specified reward, while the second group drew the pictures and were surprised by the reward at
the end. The final group of children did not expect a reward and were not given one. The first group of children, who expected and received rewards, were much less interested in drawing later on than the other two groups of children who did not expect a reward. This experiment showed that the overjustification effect can be observed in situations in which the children have intrinsic motivation before being offered the extrinsic reward. It can often lead to the development of a harmful mindset. “It’s really dangerous, because when the money goes away, where’s the motivation?” Mattes said. “Also, what we find is that external rewards lose their ‘umph’ over time.” Bribing students who already possess motivation to succeed with an external reward for their achievements often undermines their self-generated motivation. When, in college or later in life, the student is faced with a challenge, according to the over-justification effect theory, he or she will not be motivated to put forth the effort needed to succeed without the expectation of a reward. However, offering rewards for work is by no means a decisive formula indicating failure and loss of internal motivation, sometimes the rewards have even proved helpful. “It doesn’t always happen, it’s not a formula, but that is the danger of falling victim to the over-justification effect,” Mattes said. The best form of motivation is one which stems from within, however, as children grow up they often lose their inherent desire to learn for many different reasons. Many students who have difficulty with learning to succeed in academic endeavors often struggle with a loss of motivation for learning. With this loss comes the be-
ginning of failure to succeed in school. For students who are no longer self-motivated, external rewards may in fact enable the student to succeed by rekindling their interest in learning and success. Harvard University economist Roland Fryer performed a thorough experiment of financial rewards for school achievement in impoverished public schools. The students he used as subjects were mostly students who did not perform well academically, and seemingly had a lack of interest in learning and school. Fryer’s experiment came up with results that demonstrated the occasional failure of the idea of the over-justification effect. The students tested showed mixed results, but overall as previous studies ought to sug-
gest. Rewarding students for good grades may be beneficial if students have no intrinsic motivation to learn. It is better for students to have external motivation than no motivation whatsoever, payment for grades could be detrimental and drastically hurt a student’s ability to be motivated once the rewards are abandoned. In a highperforming district like Palo Alto Unified School District, many of the students are already motivated to succeed, whether by other external forces, such as grades, or by internal forces such as a love of learning. “I think a lot of students do learn because they like to learn, but college is also an incentive,” Mattes said. “Some external incentive is not bad, you just have to be careful.”
Coaches should recognize academics Teachers assigned large amounts of as student athletes’ priority over sports work on “dead week,” causing stress For junior Joshua Oh it was his high school swim coach. For junior Eilon Tzur it was his high school basketball coach. For you, it could be your high school baseball coach. Whoever it is, almost every wesleyshiau in my opinion student athlete has come across that coach who believes his or her sport should be the first priority in their young athlete’s life. Even though the students looked at their sports as a productive way to exercise, to their coach attending practice was a matter of life or death and he expected everyone to feel the same way by coming to practice four times a week. This level of commitment sometimes makes students sacrifice other responsibilities and passions.
Which is a better path to success: an academic approach or an athletic approach? “[Academic] because you can’t play sports if you don’t have good grades.” Justin Rittman sophomore
“Either is good.”
Claire Lui freshman
“Both, because sports are a good way to learn [other] skills classroom.” Sean Harvey junior
“Academic, because [sports] can only take you so far.” Olivia Johnson freshman
“You should focus on athletics, but keep your grades up as well.” Maddie Kuppe senior
Although it is important to have dreams and something to work towards, at the end of the day people have to come back down to Earth and realize that the chances of anyone making it to the pros straight out of high school are low at best. Students trying to make it big in their sport should always remember to have a back up plan. Based off the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) study of “Estimated Probability of Competing in Athletics Beyond the High School Interscholastic Level” on five major high school men’s sports, only 4,073 of the 2,089,548 students that participate in those five sports made it straight to the pros out of high school. That is less than 0.2 percent of students. For the vast majority of students, professional sports will not be the key to success, instead earning a college degree would be a much smarter and more reliable approach. Tertiary education opens doors to many opportunities and for any student that wants to go to a respectable university, grades are more important. The average Major League Baseball (MLB) player makes about $2.5 million a year, but there are only about 1,200 players in the MLB thus, chances of making it into the big leagues are slim. A college degree would be a smarter alternative; once out of college one can find a job with a decent salary as the starting median salary for a Ivy League graduate is over $50,000. According to a study made by CBS, around 0.4 percent of students go to an Ivy League school and while that may not seem like much more than the 0.2 percent of students that reach the professional level after high school, if you compare the actual numbers, there are 40 times more students that attend Ivies than high school athletes that become professionals. If you do not think you can make it in the sport itself and instead wish to work in a field related to sports you still wouldn’t make as much money as Gates. The highest paid coach in sports is Turkey’s national football team coach Cuus Hiddink who only makes $7.6 million. In other words, Gates makes 1,026 times more money than he does. Now if you are interested in going to college, sports are important to some degree; as colleges don’t want to only accept a 4.0 GPA, 2400 SAT student as there are about 1.3 billion people that fill those requirements. Colleges want people who are multitalented as can be seen by the number of Paly students that have been recruited for sports, but also have good grades. Going to Paly helps because its grade point average requirement deems students ineligible to play a school sport if their GPA is less than a 2.0, so students applying to NCAA Division I or II schools do not have to worry about not satisfying their minimum GPA requirement. Living a balanced life is always crucial to one’s health, but given the choice between sports and grades, grades are usually the more important factor. Missing a week of practice will have fewer repercussions than getting an F on a test because you got home at eleven after a soccer tournament in Washington and could not finish your final project on time.
graciefang/emilytran in our opinion
Some teachers are known for assigning large amounts of work on a regular basis, or are known for being harsh graders, but we feel that they should be more lenient during “Dead Week.” Dead Week, the week before finals where students are supposed to have little to no work, should be a time for students to prepare for final exams, but some teachers are not taking the stress level of Palo Alto High School students and continue to assign large amounts of work. While Dead Week is not explicitly enforced in Palo Alto High School’s school policy, the majority of teachers respect this week. The purpose of Dead Week is to relieve finals stress by giving students less work and more time to study for their exams. Many students rely on this week to catch up on topics that they are not too familiar with; sometimes they are faced with new material and even more work than they receive during a regular week. “In my history class, I’ve had two quizzes and a huge project due during dead week and we had just finished learning new material today,” Phil, a junior whose name has been changed, said. To Phil, Dead Week is especially stressful because multiple teachers are have given new assignments on top of studying for finals before the weekend. “My science class is also giving me work that prevents me from studying for finals,” Phil said. “In my science class, we have to complete an entire lab in our notebooks and complete a post lab that is due at the end of the week.”
dents. Moreover, teachers do not realize the amount of time and effort students put into their work, thus inequitably grading some assignments. Certain teachers even resort to grading based on quantity, and not on the quality of the work, making the time and effort that the student put into the assignment mean almost nothing. It is a teacher’s decision to assign a certain number of assignments, therefore it is their responsibility to fairly grade the assignment and not to brisk through the assignment, as it is unfair to students. Some teachers assign a number of assignments consecutively, which do not allow them enough time to grade the assignment, thus prohibiting the student to see his or her area of improvement. They should only assign based on how much grading they can handle. If teachers choose to give a multitude of assignments, then they should grade these assignments, or not assign a good deal of work at all. “My English teacher would assign essays one after the other, but because he takes so long to grade, our last three of six essays weren’t given back for improvement, and Paly student we were on“A lot of my classes have been ly actualgiving me, not just work, but ly told how to improve [have also introduced] new maour essays terial [during dead week].” only a few days before have assigned large review the semester ended,” Johnprojects during this week ny said. Teachers may not feel thinking that it would in fact help students but in ac- like they are giving a lot of tuality has allowed them to homework, but if they multiply it by a factor of five, fall under more pressure. “We are receiving proj- the amount of work can be ects and review projects overwhelming. Certain teachers have eithat are overall not helpful for helping us study for the ther assigned an immense final,” Johnny said. “These amount of schoolwork or projects are actually mak- have graded certain projing us more stressed out ects or assignments under exceptionally unfair than they should be.” Instead of trying to circumstances. They need cram new material on the to understand that stuweek prior to finals, teach- dents put in a tremendous ers should consider remov- amount of effort into their ing assignments and proj- schoolwork and they should ects such as “About Me” know that Paly students’ projects at the beginning lives do not revolve around of the year and replacing just that one class. Stuthem with the material giv- dents have other classes en during Dead Week. This they need to study for too, would move teachers’ plans as well as activities and a week back, allowing them commitments outside of to fully use Dead Week to school that makes them the review for final exams as it well-rounded students that would be beneficial to stu- Paly strives to be. Phil acknowledges that teachers do need to assign work, but believes that they should take into consideration the needs of the student, especially during such a crucial time. According to another junior, the substantial load of work prevented him from being able to prepare for his final exams. “A lot of my classes have been giving me, not just work, but [have also introduced] new material [during dead week] which I find unfair because it’s dead week and it prevents us from studying for finals,” Johnny, a junior who’s name has also been changed, said. Seniors are also assigned rigorous homework and are given quizzes the week before finals. “Our AP English teacher not only gave us excessive homework over dead week, which deprives us of the time we need to study for finals,” an anonymous senior said. “But she also gave us a quiz on the last day of dead week, which we all agreed in my class to be borderline abusive and didn’t give us enough time to adequately study for finals.” Dead Week is meant for only studying for final exams, but other teachers
Anonymous
S P ORT S
A10 • February 3, 2012
Gym Behavior For Dummies
The Campanile
Varsity sports have new take on hazing Soccer, football teams find friendly ways to initiate players By Mayssen Labidi and Kyle Stewart Sports Editor and Staff Writer
kellystern Many people fail to realize that it is important to mind your manners wherever you go, including the gym. Some seem to forget that the gym is a public place (I’m talking to you, old men in short shorts!). While there are certainly many who practice proper gym etiquette, there are a large number of people who need to learn a few manners. For all of you who frequently visit the gym, here are some tips so that you don’t anger any of your fellow gym-goers. Rule number one: When using machines such as the treadmill, elliptical and stair-master, DO NOT continuously peek over at the screen of the person next to you. I do not know or care if you’re just comparing how fast you’re going or how many calories you’ve burned or whatever, its unnerving, and weird. Please focus on your own workout. Rule number two: Avoid pants that are too small. The combo of baggy short shorts and crunches never amounts to anything good. You do realize that while you’re on your back your shorts slide downright? I’ve seen way too much thigh on way too many men. If your shorts are sliding down to the point where we can see your underwear, (this happens more frequently than most might imagine) please go home and change. Rule number three: To all of those trying to follow New Year’s resolutions, please stop! If you know you’re not going to keep up with your workout routines, just make a different resolution. Every January the gym parking lot fills completely up, making us who go to the gym regularly very frustrated, and it’s even worse when we step inside and just see a bunch of people wearing yoga pants standing in a circle listening to funky reggae music not doing anything. If you’re going to take a parking space, at least use the gym. There are so many other, better places to socialize. Rule number four: Don’t hog a machine.You are not the only person at the gym, and you are probably not the only person who wants to use that machine. Please be considerate of others! Nothing makes us gym regulars more mad than a sweaty weirdo spending hours on the treadmill. While I encourage you to get your full workout, no one needs to be using a machine for multiple hours on a crowded day. Rule number five: Let’s flip that last situation. Say you want to use a machine that someone else is using. It may seem obvious, but please avoid staring at them. When people do this I’m never really sure if it’s an attempt at intimidation or if it’s supposed to be some sort of sign that you want to use that machine, but it doesn’t come off as either. It just makes you look creepy. Please wait patiently or use another machine until the one you originally wanted to use is open. If the person on the machine disobeys rule number four and is on there for a while, then and ONLY then can you go up to them, tap them on the shoulder, and politely remind them that there are other people (namely yourself) who want to use that machine. This might be awkward at first, but it works and it sure beats glaring at someone for half an hour. Rule number six: Keep your music down. Not everyone wants to hear some second-rate rapper yelling about getting paper and ladies. In fact I’m sure no one wants to hear that crap. Use headphones! Rule number seven: If you’re sweaty and using a machine that you sit on, please wipe off your sweat when you are done. Most gyms provide towels for this purpose. I cannot begin to describe how nasty it is to sit down on a machine and feel someone else’s wet and sticky sweat under your bum. Would you enjoy sitting on someone else’s bodily fluid? I hope not. With these seven rules in mind, enjoy your next trip to the gym. And remember folks: only YOU can prevent a bad workout experience.
Palo Alto High School athletes look to the administration to determine the fine line between friendly team initiation and hazing. As an underclassman on a Palo Alto varsity sports team, one might participate in a form of the controversial ritual known as “hazing.” This year, the Paly varsity soccer and football teams took on this tradition in a less controversial manner than most might imagine. With the addition of sophomores Keller Chryst, Andrew Frick and Malcolm Davis to the varsity football team this year, the upperclassmen on the utilized what they considered a light type of hazing as a way of initiating the new players onto the team. “It was the first year we had three sophomores on varsity and we wanted to give them a warm welcome onto the football team,” senior lineman Michael Lyzwa said. This year, all three sophomores had to alternate wearing a pink princess backpack, which was heavily decorated by the upperclassman players. On game day, the sophomores had to wear this backpack to school as well as fill it with of candy and pregame snacks. Though the sophomores were not content with wearing the backpacks at the beginning, as time went on, they got used to it and became more comfortable with it. “At first they were a little uncomfortable because they did not want to be the people wearing the pink backpacks to school, but then they just warmed up to it and took it pretty well,” Lyzwa said. Davis did not mind wearing the backpack itself, but was not enthusiastic about bringing snacks for the upperclassmen. “I did not like bringing the upperclassmen candy and food because we had to pay for it, but other than [that], wearing the backpack was not bad,” Davis said. Junior teammate Matt Tolbert believes this activity was not a form of the often controversial act of hazing because of the upperclassmen’s lack of pressure on the sophomores. “The underclassmen did not have to wear them if they did not want to,” Tolbert said.
courtesy of Katie Foug
Girls’ varsity soccer underclassmen dress up in costumes. These new hazing techniques helps illustrate the new and growing trend of implementing lighthearted team bonding activities. “We did not force them in any way [to participate in the initiation].” Although the team was comfortable with this light form of hazing, Head Coach Earl Hansen believes any type of hazing is inappropriate and that this tradition does not unify in any way. “[Hazing] certainly does not unite,” Hansen said. “It’s a waste of time, and I don’t like big kids picking on little kids.” The Paly girls’ varsity soccer team also participated in light hazing this year. The upperclassmen assembled recycled costumes from previous years and had the five new freshmen and three new sophomores on the varsity team wear them. The underclassmen also had to wear signs that said “varsity soccer underclassman.” Before having the new team members wear these costumes to school, all upperclassmen made sure their fellow underclassmen teammates were all comfortable with it. “While at the team pasta feed the night before, we made sure everyone felt comfortable
Instructional Supervisor balances work with ultramarathon passion By James Foug
Tokheim has participated in about ten long distance events, from 2005 to Most people have not heard of ul- 2008. tramarathons. They can range from Since coming to Paly, she has had 30 miles to as long as 100 miles, little time to stay engaged in running, sometimes taking multiple days. especially since becoming the head of These races can be run on roads or the English Department. cross-country style on trails. “I haven’t had the time to train English Department Instruction- since I started working at Paly and al Supervisor and teacher Shirley also since I’m now at school much latTokheim started running marathons er most days than I was when I was and ultramarathons in 2005 after a teacher,” Tokheim said. “For me, she picked up longtraining for even distance running in a 50k would mean “Training for even a 50k 2004. over ten hours a She has complet- would mean over ten hours week of running. I ed multiple 50-plus a week of running. I hope hope to resume runmile events, includning in events withing 70 miles of the that by next fall I’ll be able in the next year. I San Diego 100-mile to run another event.” hope that by next Endurance Run. fall I’ll be able to run That distance can be another event. One English Dept. Instructional event I’ve run in the compared to running Supervisor past that is on my from San Francisco to Gilroy. As one list of possibilities is might imagine, preparing for such Firetrails 50, a 50-mile race.” events requires an immense amount Tokheim has continued running of training. even though she is not competing in “When I’m training for an event, races. my long run will increase to about 22 Her busy schedule and other comto 26 miles,” Tokheim said. “Ideally, mitments with her job have forced to my total for a week will then increase cut back on her regular running and to about 45 miles. I do 99 percent of training. my running on trails. I currently run “I generally run at least one ten to in Wunderlich or in the East Bay 12-mile run a week and sometimes parks [such as] Tilden, Sibley and a sneak in another seven-mile run if I few others. My runs range from one have time,” Tokheim said. “During and a half to four and a half hours.” the winter, I don’t run as often beAs one might expect, running these cause it gets dark early, and I don’t races is extremely grueling and stren- feel comfortable out alone with the uous and requires a recovery period mountain lions. It’s also important to to rehabilitate. give my body a break from the stress “It does usually take me a few days of running. In the spring my running to recover, especially for runs that go will increase...I do most of my long through the night,” Tokheim said. training during the summer.”
Staff Writer
Shirley Tokheim
courtesy of shirley tokheim
English teacher Shirley Tokheim finishes a run on a sunny day with a supporter by her side. Even though she has cut down on her long runs after becoming the instructional supervisor of Palo Alto High School’s English Department, she still manages to incorporate her running into her busy school schedule.
with their costumes,” senior midfielder Lily Seedman said. While this type of tradition might be referred to as hazing by some athletes, many of the soccer girls do not recognize it as such because they make sure to check that the underclassmen are comfortable. “Although a lot of people see it as hazing, we make sure that everybody feels comfortable with it, and we make sure to do it in a harmless manner,” Seedman said. “It’s more a tradition from previous years.” Goalkeeper Erin Chang also found this tradition to be uniting for the members of the team. “I think it’s a good team bonding thing,” Chang said. “We do silly stuff every year, and this kind of fun bonds all of the underclassmen together.” Freshmen defender Olivia Musil agrees with these positive views on hazing. “I had a really fun time doing this,” Musil said. “I loved the idea of it as well as the team spirit.”
Boys’ tennis squad hopeful about season By Elizabeth Bowman and Alex Taussig Staff Writers
Coming off a tough loss to Serra High School in the first round of last season’s Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs, the Palo Alto High School boys’ varsity tennis team is currently preparing for the upcoming season. Coach Andy Harader said that this season he will focus primarily on helping rebuild the team and staying in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) De Anza Division. According to Harader, many athletes on the team found it hard to win matches because they had very little time to practice between many of their meets and were further discouraged by the lack of a strong senior presence at the beginning of last year. “We lost four seniors [which will] definitely affect the team,” sophomore singles player Austin Leung said. The team did not expect to do particularly well last year because eight seniors left the team. Even so, senior Justin Wang was pleased with last year’s results. “Last year we were just working on improving, but we stayed in [the De Anza division], which is good and we got to CCS,” Wang said.” Leung expressed similar sentiments. “We didn’t expect to make CCS [last year], but we played a pretty good season,” Leung said. “We beat [Henry M. Gunn High School] at the end and were able to make it to CCS but ended up losing in the first round.” According to Leung, it may be tough to reach CCS this year because three seniors have graduated last year, but he hopes the team will do well this season. “We’re a very deep team, and we have a lot of good solid players the whole time,” Leung said. “Our doubles are very strong, but our singles might have to step it up because last year we lost a lot of singles matches.” Senior Will Lichtenger believes that the team will go on to the Division III Tournament in Fresno and win. “We won the Division III Tournament last year, and a lot of the same guys are coming back [this year], so [the team is] going to be improved,” Lichtenger said. “I hope we can beat Gunn both times.” Wang hopes the team will do well this year and that new players will strengthen the team. “We’re going to have to get people from [junior varsity] and, hopefully, they’ll be a good addition to the team,” Wang said. Lichtenger notes the team’s weakness in singles, and he hopes that the team will improve. Wang plans to work on coming close to the net to hit and for communicating with his team,especially with Lichtenger, his doubles partner. According to Wang, Leung is also putting in effort to improve for the new season. “We have Austin Leung, but he’s pretty young, so he’ll be working harder [in] the off season,” Wang said. The team’s current strengths are mostly the ability to adjust to different situations and star player Nicky Hu as well as great back-up players down the line-up. Wang plans to be co-captain this new season and hopes the team will benefit from its cohesiveness as well as new leadership. “We like each other and I feel like we’re pretty close,” Wang said. “Our best time is when we go to Fresno for a tennis tournament, which is a lot of fun.” Leung agrees that team members work well together. “Tennis is an individual sport, but our team definitely does get together [to make tennis] a team sport,” Leung said. “We know each other well, and we are a good team.” The varsity tennis team’s first match will be against Aragon High School on Feb. 23.
SPORTS
The Campanile
February 3, 2012•A11
BJ Boyd shines in football, baseball Boys’ soccer Senior hopes to play professional baseball after high school Counter clockwise from far left: Senior running back/wide receiver BJ Boyd outmaneuvers the defending team to make a quick run towards the endzone, showing his athletic ability. The senior makes a fast break away from pressure to carry the ball down the field. Boyd throws the ball in preparation for the upcoming baseball season this spring. Kirah ingram/Campanile
MARC HAVLIK/CAMPANILE
By James Foug Staff Writer
Not many teenagers get to say that they have the option of playing both Division I football and Division I baseball, nor do many have the option to play minor league baseball right after their senior season. Senior BJ Boyd, on the other hand, may be playing professional baseball while many students at Palo Alto High School are playing fantasy baseball. This past fall Boyd started the year as a running back, the same position he played and excelled at last year on Paly’s state championship football team. After a few games, Head Coach and Athletic Department Director Earl Hansen decided to move Boyd from running back to wide receiver, which was one of the team’s weakest positions. Boyd’s athleticism allowed him to exceed at just about every position he played on the football field. Whether it was running back, wide receiver or kickoff returner, Boyd made an impact on every play. Numerous times this year, Boyd made plays that made it seem like he was playing against the junior varsity team. Against Henry M. Gunn High School, Boyd ran a wide receiver screen pass 70 yards for a touchdown after shredding the
defenders’ ankles. Later in the game he recovered an onside kick and ran it 58 yards for a touchdown. Against Homestead Boyd ran down an opposing player from 20 yards behind to make a touchdown saving tackle. Boyd also elevated and reached over and in front of a Leland High School defender to catch the ball for a touchdown, saving an interception “He has tremendous athletic ability,” Hansen said. “He was strongest on kickoff returns with seven [touchdowns], most being very difficult. He seems faster when he is carrying the ball, and his ability to change directions is what makes him special.” Anyone who has witnessed a Paly varsity football game this year has seen just how athletically gifted Boyd is; however, football is Boyd’s second sport. Baseball remains his primary sport as of now and probably will remain so in the future. As a junior last year, he hit leadoff and played center field for the Vikings, playing a major role and leading the team to its Division I Central Coast Section (CCS) championship. “I am better at baseball, and I have played it my whole life,” Boyd said. “Hopefully after high school I can go live my
Matt Ersted/Paly voice
dream and play professional baseball.” Boyd’s uncle, David Jefferson, was drafted into Minor League Baseball out of Paly, and Boyd looks to follow in his footsteps. He will be one of the leaders on this year’s varsity baseball team which is trying to repeat its CCS championship run. Boyd will also try to build off his phenomenal momentum last year when he had a batting average of .462 with 20 stolen bases and an immense amount of extra-base hits. Boyd’s strength and speed allow him to hit for power and average, not to mention his exceptional range in center field, tracking balls down in the left-center and right-center field gaps. Juggling Division I football with baseball offers and the possibility of being drafted by a professional baseball team after high school is not a decision many athletes get the pleasure of dealing with. Two years ago Paly class of 2010 alumni Joc Pederson decided to play professional baseball after being drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers, rather than choosing to play college baseball or football at the University of Southern California. Boyd may be found in the same situation come June, and do not be surprised if he decides to play baseball at the major league level.
continues with winless season By Wesley Shiau and Colin Kelly Staff Writers
The Palo Alto High School boys’ soccer team continued its disappointing season after a 2-0 loss to Mountain View High School at home. The team has not be able to win a single game the entire season with a record of 0-16-4. The Vikings played the Spartans on Friday, Jan. 27 at home. The Vikings were outmatched from the start with the Spartans dominating the game as Paly struggled to get the ball out of their defensive end. In the 18th minute Mountain View managed to score a goal from outside the goal box with a lucky shot that rolled under sophomore goalkeeper Tony Maharaj. Maharaj managed to keep the score the same for the rest of the half as he made two critical saves in the 38th minute of play. Paly struggled to create any kind of offensive play as Mountain View continued to pressure the Vikings. The Vikings managed to hold off the Spartans’ relentless attacks until the end of the first half with a score of 1-0. The second half was much like the first as the Vikings continued to struggle to keep up with the Spartans’ superior play. It also didn’t help Palo Alto’s performance when junior Paul Stefanski yelled at freshman forward Wesley Woo, a move that forced junior captain Kirby Gee to intervene to keep the team focused on winning the game. In the 80th minute, Mountain View scored another goal after Paly’s defense failed to properly clear the ball, sending it straight to a Spartan midfielder. The midfielder was then in a perfect position to cross the ball. “With Mountain View being the number one team in the league we put up a good fight,” junior Christian Huard said. “Our team needs to work on scoring more goals if we want to get some wins.” If the Vikings place in one of the bottom two spots of their division, they will be relegated to the lower division.
BOYS SOCCER Recent Scores @ Homestead Jan. 25, Not reported vs. Mountain View Jan. 27, L 0-2
Upcoming Games @ Los Altos Feb. 10, 3:30 p.m. vs. Milpitas Feb. 15, 3:30 p.m.
Many athletes balance academics, Girls’ varsity soccer faces sports when recruited by colleges tough season after losses By Brandon Byer Staff Writer
At Palo Alto High School, student athletes who are applying to colleges must deal with the pressure of maintaining excellence both in the classroom and on the field. While colleges are recruiting players by sending scouts to watch games, college acceptances and applications are looming over the heads of these students, challenging them to balance academics and athletics. Paly Class of 2011 student Kevin Anderson, who helped Paly win a football state championship last year, recently finished his first season at Stanford, while 2011 Paly graduates TJ Braff and Drake Swezey, who led Paly to a baseball CCS championship last year, are both attending Santa Clara University. Now, a new crop of athletes and students are getting offers from Division III to Division I programs. Senior Tory Prati, who plays varsity football and basketball, is likely to attend Johns Hopkins University next fall for football. “My personal experience in the [recruiting process] was overall positive,” Prati said, “I think the process is tedious since you need to self-market yourself and then stay in contact with all the schools you’re interested in.” Because athletes are participating in sports almost every day after school, and some of the athletes participate in two to three seasons of sports, it can make it tough for players to jump right in to a different sport. For Prati, playing a brutal sport like football and then moving straight to basketball can make it tough to rapidly transition to another sport. “Being a student athlete at Paly is challenging because you need to manage your time be-
tween sports and academics,” PraDo you think athletes have an ti said. “I have eneasier time getting into college? joyed my experience doing both.” “Yes, because athletLearning how each school handles ics draws attention student athletes to the athlete.” has been an interesting experience for Prati. Ethan Look “All the places sophomore I’ve applied to still hold me at the same “No, because of all standards to get acthe time in practice cepted as any other student applying,” for sports takes away Prati said. from school.” Senior NichoJason Brigel las Hu is expecting to attend Harvard junior University to play tennis. Hu has been “If you’re good, working diligently because it gives colto accomplish sucleges something else cess both in tennis and in the classto look at.” room. Hu spends Gabe Landa many hours pracsenior ticing tennis and studying for his classes; however, he says that in the beginning it tennis,” Hu said. “Any kids that was not easy for him to handle put in those extra two hours of the pressure of succeeding both work into school earn a better grade and have the right to be at school and on the court. “The atmosphere was very considered for a prestigious unitough early on,” Hu said. “On- versity.” However, Hu admits that in ly in junior year did I begin to succeed in managing my grades his recruitment he was given while still playing an appropri- some academic leeway. “[During my recruitment] I ate amount of tennis.” Throughout his recruiting was held to a slightly lower stanprocess, Hu’s family, friends dard academically than other and coaches supported him in non-athletes,” Hu said. While Prati was held to the his decision to attend the school he wanted. Attending Harvard same standards when applywill be academically demanding ing to Johns Hopkins, Hu was for Hu when he arrives in Cam- held to lower standards when applying to Harvard. In the bridge, Mass. next fall. “As for getting into college, end it comes down to what each I think it’s very unfair to say it school’s standards are and how was ‘easier’ to get into because of they choose to address the issue.
By Will Kershner and Marie Ezran Staff Writers
Since the varsity girls’ Palo Alto Winter Classic run to the finals, the Lady Vikes have had a mediocre season at best. The Vikings’ Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) De Anza season kicked off after the Winter Classic with an away match at Monta Vista High School on Jan. 1. The Matadors scored early on in the first half, but Paly came back rejuvenated in the second half to tie the game up 1-1. The game finished in a tie with a goal from senior Lily Seedman and an assist from freshman Katie Foug. The Mountain View High School Spartans, who were atop the SCVAL De Anza Division at the time, traveled to Palo Alto on Jan. 3 to take on the Vikings in their second league match. This game was scoreless until the second half when Mountain View scored two goals, while Paly was only able to come up with one. Senior Emily Brown scored the goal after an assist from junior Jordan Smith. This marked Palo Alto’s first league loss. Next Paly traveled to play crosstown rival Henry M. Gunn High School on Jan. 11. The Titans outlasted the Vikings, scoring three goals to Paly’s one. Seedman’s solo goal was not enough to keep Palo Alto in the game as Gunn sent Paly home empty-handed. The Vikings dropped to a 2-3 overall record with the loss. Palo Alto edged out Saratoga High School 1-0 in its first league win at home on Jan. 12. A Saratoga attacker ran up to Paly goalkeeper junior Erin Chang, who had come out for a ball and slid forward with her cleats up. The player earned herself a red card and was sent off the field. The Saratoga coach, Kim Anzalone, objected to the call and argued until
she was also thrown off with two yellow cards. Aided by the absence of a coach and star forward, Paly was able to make the connection in stoppage time and take the victory from Saratoga with a goal from junior Nina Kelty. On Jan. 20, the Vikings then faced the Los Altos High School Eagles, who had beaten them a month before. The league game was closely competitive as the first half ended 0-0 with no time left on the clock. The Vikings, unable to seek revenge on the Eagles, wound up with a 1-2-2 league record after the game. Palo Alto faced top-of-the-division Los Gatos High School on Jan. 23. The game was close throughout, but the Wildcats squeezed out the one goal victory to stay atop the league. Paly’s next challenges will come in a flurry of games in the upcoming week against opponents Mountain View, Saratoga, and Gunn. Also included is a non-conference matchup against visiting Gilroy High School. The Vikings hope to improve their record throughout the next week with quick wins and revitalized mentality.
GIRLS SOCCER Recent Scores @ Mountain View Jan. 27, L 0-2 vs. Gilroy Jan. 30, W 2-1
Upcoming Games vs. Los Altos Feb. 10, 3:30pm. @ Los Gatos Feb. 15, 3:30 p.m.
A12 • February 3, 2012
SPORTS
Wrestling ranked first in De Anza League
The Campanile
Varsity team sets sights on CSS and State Tournaments after strong start to season (Left) Senior Nick Ortiz wrestles during the Wilcox meet in January. Ortiz won his match, helping the Vikings defeat the Chargers 58-13.(Right) Senior Kalen Gans attempts a pin with a half nelson. Paly wrestling is currently undefeated in the De Anza league and ranked number one in their division. Key players include Nick Ortiz, Kalen Gans, Ryan Oshima and Joey Christopherson. Upcoming tests for the Palo Alto High School wrestling team include Gilroy High School and Henry M. Gunn High School in Central Coast Sectionals.
BRIAN BENTON/CAMPANILE
By Alvin Kim and Kelly Stern Staff Writers
After only losing one senior last year, the Palo Alto High School varsity wrestling team is looking to have another successful season after winning the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) title last year. The team is currently undefeated in league play and is ranked 4-1 overall. The team beat San Benito High School 44 -24 but lost to Saint Francis High School 33-27; both games took place on Dec. 23, 2011. Paly won a close match on Jan. 5th over Henry M. Gunn High School 36-31, while easily beating Saratoga 75-6 on Jan. 12th. Paly won its last game against Cupertino High School 45-30 on Jan. 19th. Additionally, the team participated in several tournaments such as the Peninsula tournament at Half Moon Bay on Dec. 3 in which the team placed sixth,
and the Fremont tournament on Dec. 10 where the team placed first. Senior Kalen Gans placed fourth in the Sierra Nevada tournament in Reno that had one hundred schools from seven different states, while Senior Nick Ortiz finished sixth in the same tournament. The team placed sixth overall at the Apple Cider tournament in Watsonville and ninth at the Gilroy tournament, where Ortiz and Gans placed second. Head coach David Duran holds high hopes for the team this year. His goal for the team are to improve on the previous year’s excellent season. One of these goals is to place second in the Central Coast Section tournament (CCS). “Last year our goal was to win the duals, win the tournaments, and finish in top four in CCS,” Duran said. “We were second in duals. We did win the league tournament, but we finished seventh in CCS, so our goals this year are
BRIAN BENTON/CAMPANILE
pretty much the same. We still want to win the duals, also to win the league tournament, and we do want to finish in the top of CCS. If we wrestle really well, we can finish second.” The high expectations are partly due to many returning players, having only lost one player from last season. “We have four returning section placers,” Duran said. “Kalen Gans was a state qualifier last year, Ryan Oshima finished fourth, Nick Ortiz finished fifth, and Joey Christopherson finished sixth.” Senior Ryan Oshima also believes that the team has the potential to improve even more this year. “Our team’s really similar to last year, so we’ll have a really strong team,” Oshima said. Oshima said that so far his teammates have been off to a great start, placing in high positions in tournaments throughout
the season. Ortiz believes that this year’s team is the strongest that he has been on since freshmen year. “This is a very good year for Paly wrestling,” Ortiz said. “We’re doing much better than the previous four years since I’ve been here. We’re ranked top five in CCS.” The league recognizes Paly’s four core senior wrestlers for their respective weight classes in CCS. Gans and Ortiz are ranked first. Oshima is ranked second, and Christopherson is ranked seventh. The wrestling team is also made up of many other important players. “We have quite a few other guys like [senior] Tanner [Marshall], [junior] Trent Marshall, and [junior] Erik Anderson,” Duran said. “They’re supposed to score a lot of points for us. They’re coming along. We can get this done.” Duran recognizes Gunn as the team’s league rival and Gilroy
High School as the team they’ll need to beat in CCS to win the title. “The school that everyone chases is Gilroy,” Duran said. “They won nine section titles in a row. Probably the best teams in the league right now are us and Gunn. Whoever wins a dual will be us or Gunn, and we’re up right now because we beat them. Whoever wins the league tournament will be us or Gunn.”
WRESTLING Recent Scores vs. Gunn W 36-31 @Saratoga W 75-6
Upcoming Matches vs. Los Gatos Feb. 2, 5:30 p.m. @ Los Altos Feb. 6, 5:30 p.m.
Paly varsity basketball teams continue winning streak Lady Vikes 5-1 in league this year
Vikings hope to win De Anza League title By Brandon Byer and Emily Tran Staff Writers
BRIAN BENTON/CAMPANILE
Sophomore Danielle Palmer drives baseline on a Titan defender in the clobbering of their arch-rivals from Gunn. The Lady Vikes are in second place in the De Anza League. Susco credits much of the girls’ success against Gunn to teammate senior Emilee Osagiede. Staff Writers “[Osagiede] definitely shined during the The Palo Alto High School girls’ varsity basketball team kicked off its season with Gunn game and stepped up.” Susco said. Osagiede’s performance reflected her a bang, beating Lynbrook High School (4742), Mountain View High School (60-47), preparedness and the energy of her team. “I was ready to play,” Osagiede said. Henry M. Gunn High School (65-49), Los Gatos High School (56-47) and Milpitas “Before the game I was nervous because I usually get a little scared before big High School (70-38). With only one close loss against Wil- games. But during the game I was having cox High School (54-51), the team shows a lot of fun and was truly enjoying playing with my team.” promise for another great season. So far in the season, the girls’ towerThe girls enjoyed a decisive victory against their crosstown and former Cen- ing defense and numerous offensive retral Coast Section (CCS) Championship ri- bounds have helped their game; however, the team still has areas in which they can val Gunn on Wednesday, Jan. 11. improve. “Gunn’s “Slowa very good ing it team, and down and senior we wantrunning ed to pre“During the game I was having a a halfpare well,” lot of fun and was truly enjoying court ofhead coach playing with my team.” fense realScott Peters ly isn’t our said. “The girls were working really hard before, so thing,” Susco said. “I think we should work we had a good level of confidence going in. more on transitioning because we’re a fast We played our game, and good things hap- team. We’re doing really well, but we have to keep working hard to get better. We defpened.” initely have improved since preseason.” Fans from both sides filled the gym. “It was great having so many fans out there, cheering with so much energy,” PeGIRL’S ters said. “I was happy for the girls. We BASKETBALL played with joy. It was a great experience.” Junior shooting guard Annie Susco Recent Scores played in her first varsity game against vs. Milpitas Gunn and recalled her excitement going W 70-38 vs. Mountain View in. W 62-46 “Beating [Gunn] three times last year [put us under] a lot of pressure, and [we Upcoming Game get] really excited because it’s the best vs. Wilcox game to play in,” Susco said. “But [we also Feb. 3, 6:15 p.m. get] nervous, so it’s a really good feeling.”
By Kate Apostolou and Matt Morton
Emilee Osagiede
The Palo Alto High School boys’ varsity basketball team is continuing their strong season as De Anza League play begins to dominate their schedule. The 16-2 Vikings have played well throughout this season, despite suffering an early league defeat against the Mountain View High School Spartans. “We just had one of those days where the shots don’t fall, and they were hitting everything,” forward EJ Floreal said. “I don’t think we had the right gameplan, but everything that could have gone wrong went wrong.” Paly has rebounded strongly with two blowout victories against Menlo-Atherton High School and Henry M. Gunn High School. The Vikings turned out a strong performance against their crosstown rival as the Vikings dominated every facet of the game. “I think we have rebounded as well as we could have,” junior guard Mathias Schmutz said. “There was no really carry over effect on our games after [the Mountain View] loss.” Senior small forward Israel Hakim, junior power forward EJ Floreal and junior small forward Aubrey Dawkins have been the main play makers so far this year for the Vikings. Combined, the trio makes up over 60 percent of the team’s points per game. Floreal has taken his game to the next level this year by scoring his team 13.6 points per game, shooting 60 percent from the field and 7.8 rebounds per game. After transferring to Paly this year, Dawkins has made an immediate impact this season averaging 12.1 points per game and shooting 45 percent from the field. Hakim has been the most consistent player from last year’s season to this year’s season, averaging around 13.2 points per game and shooting 52 percent from the field. These three players have led the Vikings so far this season
BRIAN BENTON/CAMPANILE
Junior Mathias Schmutz shoots a layup over an opposing player in Paly’s 56-38 triumph over their crosstown rival. and look to continue their run towards their main goal: a Central Coast Sectionals (CCS) championship. Paly’s DeAnza league championship bid got much stronger with a big victory over Mountain View Just a few days ago as Paly beat the Spartans with a final score of 51-48. Even without forward Aubrey Dawkins, EJ Floreal and Israel Hakim stepped up and combined for 35 of the Vikings 51 points. The Vikings defense slowed Mountain View’s top two scorers and were just able to hold off the Spartans from getting their second win against Paly this year. With this victory the Vikings are in first place in the DeAnza league, but Mountain View and Cupertino are still in the hunt to try and pry away the title from the grasp of the green and white. If the Vikings want to maintain their shot for a CCS championship, it all starts with winning the DeAnza League and tak-
ing that momentum into the CCS playoffs. The Vikings are heading into the back stretch of their league schedule and looking towards the playoffs. “I’m looking forward to our second matchup with Cupertino, which should be tough because they always play well against us,” Schmutz said. An important nonleague game on the schedule features Burlingame High School, led by sophomore point guard Frankie Ferrari and junior sharpshooter Connor Haupt, as they come to Palo Alto on Feb. 4 for a highly anticipated contest.
BOY’S BASKETBALL Recent Scores
@ Milpitas W 68-47 vs. Mountain View
W 51-48 Upcoming Games vs. Cupertino Feb. 3, 7:45 pm vs. Burlingame Feb.4, 6:00 pm
Lifest yles It’s Tebow Time!
Features • A&E • People
PALY PRIMARY
THE
The Campanile
By KATE APOSTOLOU Staff Writer
Friday, February 3, 2012
We asked Paly students what their political identities were and regardless of their party identity which of the four GOP candidates they would vote for. Here are the results:
jakekerman Famous athletes taking America by storm on a large scale is not something new. Michael Jordan wowed us with his high flying acrobatics, and we all bought his sneakers as a result. Muhammad Ali captivated us with his fearlessness towards competitors, and we all hyped him to be a better boxer than he ever was. Jackie Robinson impressed us with his ability to not strike back at his detractors, and we became more accepting of multiracial athletes. All these men transcended the roles of their fellow competitors by making their presence felt outside of the sporting world. However, only one athlete in the history of sport has ever convinced half of America that God is on his side, aiding him in his daily athletic endeavors. 43 percent. That’s the figure that a national telephone survey came up with that states what percentage of Americans think divine intervention occurs whenever Tim Tebow takes the field in a Broncos uniform. Admittedly, something supposedly touched by God has never looked so ungraceful (Tebow’s throwing motion makes all quarterback coaches cringe) and Tebow’s actual accomplishments on the NFL field, while admirable, are of a small sample size. Never has an athlete generated so much buzz who has achieved so little. But the public simply doesn’t care that Tebow’s accolades are not up to par with those of elite athletes that he shares the spotlight with. They are instead transfixed by his uncanny style of play and the way he wins games when it matters most. They react strongly, positively and negatively, to the outward displays of religious devotion he displays before, during and after games. The fans’ hearts melt at the modesty that he displays during press conferences: as Tebow once said, “I am not better than anyone else just because I play football.” And mostly, they lap up the fact that he is a model human being, unlike so many other of our professional athletes today. The simple truth is that Tim Tebow the human being garners more attention than Tim Tebow the football player. Not all the attention is positive, to be sure. Many are turned off by Tebow because he openly displays his Christian beliefs while in the eye of the media, whether it be painting Bible verses everywhere or starring himself in an anti abortion ad. (Tebow is a poster boy for the anti-abortion cause, narrowly missing termination before his mother decided to go ahead with the pregnancy). Atheist groups have labeled Tebow as “full of crap,” claiming he is infiltrating athletics with the Christian doctrine. But the reality is, whether or not people love or hate Tim Tebow, they simply can’t get enough of him. He is too unique and too transfixing to be left alone. Even if the public wanted to forget about Tebow, they couldn’t do so that easily. He has become a permanent fixture in the world of sports. ESPN recently featured 160 Tebow references in an hour of Sportscenter. Hundreds of college athletes have started “Tebowing” before games, kneeling with their right elbow rested on their knee with a fist to the forehead. Tim Tebow has become more than an athlete; he has become an athlete’s way of life. Whether you love or hate Tim Tebow, he is not going to go away. The man has been the topic of both too much love and hate to become a memory. If Tebow improves as a football player, maybe someday he will become celebrated for his on field prowess, like most other athletes. Until that moment comes, his character and attitude towards life will have to be conversation piece enough. And maybe people will improve their opinion of America’s most polarizing athlete during that time. After all, you don’t need to believe in God to believe in Tim Tebow.
What political party do you identify with?
DEMOCRATS
SOURCE
45.5%
An anonymous online survey was given out to 150 students. The sample of students was selected randomly by numbering each person in the student directory and then using a random integer generator to select 150 numbers.
18.2% republican 27.3% independent 09.1% no identity
RICK PERRY
2.2%
(Dropped out of race in January)
The corresponding students were then contacted and those willing to participate answered the questions in the survey.
JON HUNTSMAN
6.5%
(Dropped out of race in January)
RICK SANTORUM
4.7%
2.3%
OTHER/ NO OPINION
37.8%
A
ccording to an anonymous online survey conducted by The Campanile, most Palo Alto High School students who claim political identities consider themselves Democrats and will support Barack Obama in the 2012 election. The survey targeted a small group by assigning numbers to students listed in the Paly directory and then using a random integer generator to compile names. In the survey results, 45.5 percent of students said they consider themselves Democrats, 18.2 said Republican, 27.3 percent said Independent and 9.1 expressed no political identity. The survey also polled preferences for current Republican candidates. Among all of the students with varying party affiliations, 30.2 percent showed support for Mitt Romney, 2.3 percent for Newt Gingrich, 4.7 percent for Rick Santorum, 16.3 percent for Ron Paul and 37.8 percent chose other or were undecided. Lastly, the students were asked whether they would vote Democratic, Republican or for a third party candidate in the general election if given the opportunity. 68.2 percent of stu-
NEWT GINGRICH
MITT ROMNEY
30.2%
dents answered Democratic, 27.9 percent answered Republican, and 9.3 percent answered third party. The survey allowed students to anonymously express their views for the purpose of honesty and accuracy; however, Paly students who did not participate in the survey also had opinions about the election. Senior Alex Lenail predicted Mitt Romney will win the Republican nomination but not the general election. “Romney [is] going to win the primary just because he’s more radical than Huntsman, but he doesn’t have the potential to beat Obama,” Lenail said. “The only candidates who really have the potential to beat Obama are both Huntsman and perhaps Paul because Paul could probably get the backing of the entire Republican party. Mitt Romney is doomed to fail because even his own party doesn’t like him.” Senior William Hall, however, thought that Romney will be successful in this election and supports Romney’s campaign over the campaigns of the other Republicans. “I think Mitt Romney is definitely the best choice for the Republicans,” Hall said. “He seems
A&E
RON PAUL
16.3%
like a person who could handle candidates have much to them,” himself well in the office. He Carilli said. “Romney flip flops a has good executive experience lot. Ron Paul is just crazy.” Junior Esha Datta, who will and he’s said that he’s going to run the presidency like a busi- not be old enough to vote in the election, ness, which expressed I think is distaste for something “I’m definitely voting for the that we Obama because I’m a Demo- both Democratneed for ic and the the country crat and none of these ReRepublican — someone publican candidates have parties. who focuses “I’m exon the econ- much to them.” t r omy.” Sam Carilli l i beemr aell, y” Hall will senior Datta said. turn 18 be“I feel the fore the general election and plans to Democratic Party has made a vote, but has not yet decided for lot of concessions to the conservative and middle voters, which which party. “So far I’m not very happy doesn’t make me happy. For Rewith Obama’s presidency,” Hall publicans, a lot of them have resaid. “I disagree with Obama’s sorted to fear-mongering and decision to cut the defense sys- hateful views of politics. They’re tem. I think there are better more exclusionary and more ways to save money, but [my like, ‘We have to get them before vote] will depend on who gets they get us,’ rather than actualnominated [as the Republican ly focusing on things that need to be fixed.” candidate].” The survey indicated that Senior Sam Carilli will also be of voting age in Novem- 27.3 percent of students plan to ber and plans on supporting follow the election, 61.4 percent will keep up if they have time, Obama. “I’m definitely voting for 2.3 percent are unsure and 9.1 Obama because I’m a Democrat percent will not invest their atand none of these Republican tention towards the process.
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The Campanile
February 3, 2012 • B3
Palo Alto High School juniors Emma Sameroynina and Daria Godorozha are both graduating early from Palo Alto High School and moving to London with their families. By Lauren Wong Editor in Chief
Most of Palo Alto High School’s 463 juniors entered second semester looking forward to SATs, Advanced Placement exams, the beginning of the infamous, painstaking, mind-bogglingly enjoyable college application process and the elusive light at the end of the tunnel known by the name of senior year. However, as their peers are awaiting the quintessential rites of passage of an American high school student, juniors Emma Sameroynina and Daria Godorozha are preparing to embark on a different path. While to many of their classmates this coming June signifies the month they will take the SAT, to Sameroynina and Godorozha June signifies the month they will graduate from Paly.
School Systems Both Sameroynina and Godorozha are graduating a year early because their families are moving to England next year, where the school system is, according to Sameroynina, “completely different.” In England, teenagers ages 16 to 18 typically enroll in Sixth Form, the optional, final two years of their secondary education that are used to prepare for the Advanced Level General Certificate of Education exams (A-levels). A-levels are the culmination of this two-year curriculum, and are often compared to AP exams. They are used to assess the suitability of applicants for British universities, which is why a Britannica blog post describes them as “the most important day of a British 18-year-old’s academic career...[a critical point] their entire education has been leading up to.” Understandably, this intimidating system did not appeal to either of the two, so they decided to pursue the alternative of finishing their high school educations ahead of schedule. “I might as well get my diploma because the [British] school system is based on tests, not on actual school,” Godorozha said. “If I
don’t get my diploma before I move, then I just won’t have any diploma.” More simply, Sameroynina preferred not to deal with the hassle. “Their school system is really weird, so I decided I don’t want to go there,” Sameroynina said.
The Process Although both Sameroynina and Godorozha graduated early out of necessity rather than preference, the two took different approaches in completing the Paly curriculum a year early. Sameroynina has been planning her early graduation since the end of sophomore year, and says the process was fairly easy to organize. “I had to meet with the counselors and get all my credits done and do summer school, and that was basically it,” Sameroynina said. While Sameroynina began the process solely to accommodate her parents’ decision to move to England, Godorozha’s personal and academic motivation enabled her to take initiative and enroll in extra classes throughout her freshman and sophomore years, making it much easier for her to complete the requirements far ahead of schedule. “I’m the type of person that likes to do a lot of stuff,” Godorozha said. “I just took more classes that I wanted. Last year and before last year I didn’t have a lot of homework, so I did Stage Tech and Advanced Problem Solving, and I do Robotics. That’s three extra classes, so they gave me nine extra credits. I found out that I had all my credits this year and the counselor was like, ‘Why don’t you graduate early?’ So I did it.” For students hoping to graduate early, be it at the end of their junior year or the first semes-
ter of their senior year, Sameroynina recommends getting the hardest classes over with during the summer and especially staying organized throughout the process. “Make sure that all your credits are done and all the classes you need are fulfilled so you’re not freaking out at the last minute,” Sameroynina said. Godorozha does not recommend the process to everyone; rather, she advocates graduating early only for certain types of people. “I’d say that if you want to go the traditional route [in high school] and just rely on your hard work and stuff, then don’t do it,” Godorozha said. “But if you’re looking to take your own route toward a career and in life or you want to get to work earlier, then do it.”
Junior Year Schedule As a result of Godorozha’s unique drive, her situation is different from most students who may be hoping to graduate early; she completed almost all of the required credits before her junior year. Consequently, her first semester course load was lighter than that of many a second semester senior, and especially so for someone who plans to graduate ahead of schedule. “I [had] two Independent Study classes and four classes [total, with] first, second and third preps,” Godorozha said. “[This] semester, I have ten [classes].” Godorzha’s accelerated schedule has created a different, distinguished high school experience for her. She has not had trouble adjusting to it, though. “There’s no really hard part [of grad-
uating early], there really isn’t,” Godorozha said. “I kind of feel like I’m not in high school, I feel like I’m in college, because I have my own schedule and I have classes with seniors, and one class with sophomores and then juniors.” Like Godorozha, Sameroynina has found that the course load has not been too difficult to handle, and says the added work has had no impact on her social life. “Other than taking seven classes, it’s not that bad,” Sameroynina said. “The hardest part is probably the amount of class work that I have and taking senior classes [like] Econ and Psych [and] World Classics.”
Future Plans In response to the theory that colleges generally prefer not to accept students who apply as juniors due to the belief that they are not as mature as their older, presumably more experienced peers, Godorozha had a mixed opinion. “That’s definitely a thing, I think, but college acceptance is really weird, there’s no perfect candidate,” Godorozha said. “I think they just look for people who show qualities that they look for and I think if you have those qualities a year early then you can get accepted.” As of now, Godorozha has no official plans for college, but says she hopes to study law in London. However, while Godorozha has yet to decide where she will
“I’m the type of person that likes to do a lot . . . I had all my credits this year and the counselor was like, ‘Why don’t you graduate early?’ So I did it.” Daria Godorozha Graduating Junior
spend the next four years, Sameroynina completed the college application process alongside the senior class of 2012. She applied to a few California State University schools as well as several schools in the New York City area, including New York University, her top choice. So far, she has been admitted to Stony Brook University, Binghamton University and “some other New York state schools.” “I’m excited to study the stuff I’m interested in and [for] starting a new chapter in my life,” Sameroynina said. “And moving out, obviously.”
Living abroad rewards participants with positive values
Students experience cultural exchange programs by hosting, traveling By Olivia Cole Staff Writer
Have you ever thought about moving to another country? Have you ever wanted to experience life in a different part of the world? Students across the world have matched these curiosities with actions and taken part in an exchange program. By taking a year abroad, they gained perspective on their life, culture and country. Spending time in a foreign country is a beneficial experience that has changed the lives of teenagers and families worldwide. Groups such as American Field Service (AFS) Intercultural Programs allow teenagers to live for set periods of time in foreign countries. AFS offers exchange programs for students in over 75 countries. Senior Thaddeus Claassen traveled to Argentina with AFS in 2010 for all of his junior year. He decided to go due to his own mother’s incredible experience as an exchange student. In Argentina, he was able to take some classes to make up for the ones he was missing at Paly.
“I was in an Argentine high school, and I took all the classes I took [at Paly] but only a couple I got credits for,” Claassen said. “But enough to still pass this year without ever taking summer school.” Claassen’s school schedule in Argentina was drastically different from what he had experienced at Palo Alto schools. “I’d wake up at like 6:30,” Claassen said. “[I would] take a shower, get dressed [and] go to school. School ended at around 12:50, so I’d be back at home at 1. [My host family and I] would eat lunch, then I’d take a three-hour nap, and then get up...eat dinner and go to bed.” Overall, Claassen was incredibly happy with his experience in Argentina and would recommend the exchange experience to anyone. “I was one of the few who didn’t end up changes host families, which was really great,” Claassen said. “I really got to know them.” Exchange programs such as Claassen’s have the potential to be very rewarding, whether one is traveling or hosting.
Both students and their host families are given the opportunity to connect with different people from around the world. Unlike Claassen, senior Kelsey Trisler did not travel to a foreign country to gain her exposure to an international culture. Instead, she played host for an exchange program when French teenager Pierre Jasnin came to live her
family for two weeks. “We [took in] Pierre five years ago for the first time,” Trisler said. “He stayed for about two weeks. He decided that he wanted to get better at English because he wanted to go into business. [My family] decided it would be fun to have a foreign exchange student.” According to Trisler, her family had an amazing experience host-
COURTESY OF KELSEY TRISLER
ing and bonding with Pierre. A few years later, the Trislers even visited Pierre at his home in France. “Just having a foreign exchange student was a rewarding experience, because everyone learned [from it],” Trisler said. “In addition to him learning English, we learned some French from him. We learned a lot more about each others cultures.”
COURTESY OF THADDEUS CLAASSEN
(Left) French foreign exchange student Pierre Jasnin visits Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk during his two-week stay with senior Kelsey Trisler. (Right) Senior Thaddeus Claassen attends an AFS-USA reunion after his junior year exchange trip where he stayed in Argentina for a year.
B4 • February 3, 2012
F E AT U R E S
The Campanile
Senior participates in statewide beauty pageant
Miss Teen California USA provides unique experience for teens By Annabel Snow Editor in Chief
They say that California girls are undeniable, with Daisy Dukes and bikinis on top. For one Palo Alto High School senior, these words are much more than just an overplayed pop song. In fact, they’re a reality. From Jan. 6-8, the 2011 Miss California Teen USA pageant featured one of Paly’s own, senior Kimmie Flather. Held at the Indian Wells Resort in Palm Springs, California, the pageant presented 130 girls from across California to represent different counties and cities and compete for the title of Miss California Teen USA. Girls from all over California, including Kimmie, applied for a position in the pageant months prior, and those called back had the opportunity to be interviewed for a spot. “[To be involved] you can go find a local pageant that represents Santa Clara County ... and compete for that,” Kimmie said. “Personally, I saw an ad in the summer for [the pageant] and I was like ‘why not, I should send in an application, it doesn’t matter. Then they called me back and said they were going to be in the East Bay interviewing people and they said I could do it.” After being interviewed, Kimmie was sent to Palm Springs and was given a number to be interviewed for the first portion of the event. The interviews were brief, only allowing each girl about two minutes due to the large group the judges had to evaluate. The next day, the girls were judged in the final two sections of the pageant, first in bathing suits and next in evening gowns. Not only did the girls have to look their best in both outfits, but they also had to display confidence to qualify in the pageant. “I was taken aback when she was on stage because it was such a different side of Kimmie to see,” Kimmie’s mother Gabby Flather said. “She had to learn to walk and talk confidently and gracefully both on stage and in her interviews.” After the last portion of the pageant, the judges chose 20 out of the 130 girls to be featured in the competition the next day. Though Kimmie did not place in the top 20, she found the experience extremely rewarding and plans to keep in contact with the girls she met during her trip. “I didn’t know what to expect,” Kimmie said. “I thought all of the girls were going to be stuck up, but they were all super nice and in the same position as me. I’ll probably stay friends with them for a while because we’re really similar and they all live really close.” Though she did not know what to expect from such an experience, Kimmie said that it was a memorable one, referring to it as one of the best experiences of her life. “This experience gave [Kimmie] the confidence that she never knew that she had,” Gabby said. In order to even be involved in such a pageant, each girl had to fulfill many qualifications, including involvement in programs such as ones promoting community service. “You have to have a platform where you do community service in a certain area or you’re really involved in something,” Kimmie said, “For lacrosse, [my team] did
Would you like to be a sponsor for
Courtesy of Kimmie Flather
Teenage girls from every county in the state arrived in Palm Springs on the weekend of Jan. 6 to begin the competition. The girls were interviewed then scored in the categories of bathing suits and evening gowns by a judges panel. [the Lacrosse & Learn program], and I was also involved in the 49ers Academy,” Kimmie said. According to Gabby, the judges took a large amount of interest in Kimmie’s athletic experience in lacrosse because athletes rarely compete in pageants. This made her stick out to them as a valuable addition to the event. Not only did Kimmie need to get in shape and look fit for the pageant, but she also had to take a large amount of time aside to prepare for the event as a whole. “She had to sacrifice so much time and energy to prepare, and it was a challenge, so just the mere fact that she set a goal and achieved personal success was an accomplishment for her,” Gabby said. “She wanted to do it as a personal challenge to herself and to keep herself motivated and focused on working out.” Kimmie’s parents supported her decision to enter the pageant, especially considering her mother’s past in the pageant world. While attending Paly, Gabby was involved in the Junior Miss Pageant and later on competed in the Miss Cal-
ifornia Teen USA Pageant. Kimmie wanted to follow her mother’s footsteps. “Like so many girls, I chose to participate because it was so different than anything that I had ever done. It motivated me to do something positive and it was fun,” Gabby said. “Plus, the contestants were given a lot of nice goodies from the sponsors.” The Flathers experienced something completely different and made many new friends along the way who were enduring the same. Though Kimmie did not place in the top 20, she maintained a positive attitude and valued the opportunity she was given. “When the winner was announced and the pageant came to a close, so many participants were left crying and upset,” Gabby said. “Not Kimmie, she was smiling away. That’s Kimmie for you. In my eyes, Kimmie won so much more than a crown or title from this experience,” Gabby said. “She went into it with the right attitude and that was to learn everything that she could from this experience, give it her best shot and have fun the entire time.”
CHARLENE S. CHANG (Ching-Ning S. Chang)
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The Campanile
Study like the Amish
F E AT U R E S Robotics Rising
February 3, 2012 • B5
Student team prepares for high tech competition By Elena Pinsker
michaelwang/ericwang Many of us are used to finding last minute ways to cram that extra something into our brains so that we may do well on final exams. It’s especially important to those of us with borderline grades. Since we are in a highly competitive academic environment, there are some of us who think it’s okay to get that extra edge. As Montgomery Burns from The Simpsons once said, “Cheating is the gift man gives himself!” Right? Wrong. Whether it’s through sneaking in an answer sheet, taking Adderall to stay up later or managing to get the final off a test bank, cheating is the wrong thing to do. Consequences to doing something like that range from getting a zero on your final, to a mark on your academic record, to trouble with the cops. No one wants any of that. Luckily there are plenty of ways to get the most out of your time that are legal. Here at The Campanile, we’ve found a number of ways that have been proven over time as effective.
CAFFEINE
The classic example of caffeine is of course coffee. This dark, acidic drink comes from the beans of the coffee plant and has been the staple drink used to wake people up since the ninth century. Though some new customers may be at first repulsed by its bitter taste, they cannot deny the drink’s ability to keep them awake. Beethoven himself drank over ten cups of coffee a day, and he meticulously counted 60 beans into each brew. Modern research has shown that he was onto something. Caffeine has been shown to increase dopamine levels in the brain, which imparts a mild euphoria while also increasing circulation. Caffeine also activates the adrenal glands, which further increase circulation to the brain. It happens to increase activity in the frontal cortex of your brain, which is an area that is essential to critical thinking.
Meditate
Research shows that meditation has profound effects on the way the mind reacts and learns. Chanting and quiet meditation have been shown to promote delta waves in the brain, which aid in calming and restoring the mind and body. It is an effective way to clear out the clutter in your mind. Even a couple minutes a day helps drastically reduce stress and helps focus the mind.
the annual FIRST Robotics Competition. Technology Editor The robot has a long way The Pato go before it is ready to lo Alto High compete; right now, the maSchool Robotchine is only an idea. ics team has But within the next few begun prepamonths, the team hopes to rations for this build a fully functioning, year’s For Inready-to-compete masterspiration and piece. Recognition Lead by the team’s capof Science and tain, senior Max Najork, Technology (FIRST) competithe team has just six weeks tion. Throughout the team’s to design, build and perfect six-week journey, The Camtheir robot for the three-day panile will follow Team 8 in competition. a series of feature installThere they will put their ments as they design, build building skills to the test and compete with their robot. with the hopes of taking the first place title. But that mo*** Tucked away in a back ment, should it come, will be corner of Paly’s machine the result of days of competishop is a darkened classtion and months of prepararoom filled with computers, tion. home to a team of builders. “[The first day] is a big They make up Paly’s robottesting day for the teams,” ics team, known as Team 8, Najork said. “It’s when [we] and although they do not baltry to make everything that ance on high beams or shoot may have broken in transit basketballs, what they are or that didn’t function bedesigning will. Built entirefore [we] shipped the robot ly by the students, the robot [works]. Thursday is also the being created will compete at day that teams get their robot inspected — a prerequisite Max Najork, senior for competing.” The next “A robotics com- two days are heavy with petition is kind competitions, of like one of beginning with the qualificathe largest high tion rounds on Friday school sporting c o n c l u d iand ng events you’ve with the anncement ever seen, albe- nofo uthe winner it with far fewer late Saturday night. athletically gifted “There’s a individuals.” lot of pressure, a lot of disap-
pointment and a lot of fun,” team Programming Captain junior Matthew Plant said. As Programming Captain, his job is to handle the software aspects of the robot, making sure it performs to the team’s standards. Because the competition is held in a gymnasium-type setting, a crowd of 3,000 spectators is not uncommon. “A robotics competition is kind of like one of the largest high school sporting events you’ve ever seen, albeit with far fewer athletically gifted individuals,” Najork said. The team must configure their robot to not only respond to a set of controls during the competition, but also to move and shoot basketballs entirely on its own. During this period of the competition, called the “Hybrid Period,” extra points are awarded for any baskets the independently-controlled robot makes. Next, the team must control their robot and continue scoring baskets. Finally, the robot must balance on different surfaces to gain more points. “The best part about any competition is the bonding that happens between team members,” Plant said. “Also, it’s really a joy to see one of your creations work properly in front of a large group of people you don’t know.” According to Najork, this aspect is the most difficult since there is no way to see if the robot works before the competition takes place.
The team will have to overcome that handicap to ensure that their robot functions perfectly on the day of the challenge. However, Plant says that the FIRST software is one of the more challenging parts, as it works “far from perfectly.” What sets Paly’s team apart from others is what Najork calls “Paly Robotics’ core philosophy.” While other, usually successful teams have their robot built by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center in Moffet Field, Paly’s machine is entirely studentbuilt. “[Being student-built] has led to some inconsistencies in our performance over the years,” Najork said. “But this year I’m hopeful that we’ll be up there toward the top, along with all the other bigname teams.” Over the course of the next month, the team will create a digital version of the machine, which will later become a reality. Through a lot of time, mentoring and trial-and-error, a robot will be designed, created and tested, which the team hopes will lead Paly to victory. “We have six weeks to build the robot,” Najork said. “So a month and a half from now we should have a beautiful completed product to show.”
Program teaches students to think globally
International Baccalaureate contributes to holistic learning
Eliminate Distractions
Sometimes not taking any drugs to study is best. For some, the rush provided by energy drinks and coffee may simply be too much, making them lose concentration and drift away from the textbooks in front of them. Well, not exactly. It is still easy to get distracted when you get bombarded by Facebook messages while studying for that final. And many teens are probably unable to force themselves to focus on work when they access to the internet. But having the willpower to get rid of pesky distractions is often enough for a good study session. Forget about relying on some cheap pills or that answer sheet. Force yourself to study and put some effort into it. Turn off the computer for a couple hours and hide your various electronics somewhere. Set some goals, like letting yourself check Facebook if you manage to finish a history chapter. It will be tough at first, but at the end of the day, you’d have saved time and effort by completely figuring out that physics problem without blasting music from your iPod.
Sleep
The person who said “sleep is for the weak” is tragically misinformed. Studies show that individuals who get poor sleep suffer from poor grades and those who have decent nights of sleep score higher. It makes sense; after all, when you’re tired it becomes harder to concentrate, especially if the subject at hand is boring. Consecutive sleepless nights will ultimately build up on the poor student, and if you’re studying on just a few hours of sleep, it is likely that you’re missing out on a lot of the material.
Don’t Procrastinate
Though this advice seems lame and almost impossible for the typical high school student, it is always best to start early. Take advantage of the fact that the dates for finals are always given ahead of time. I know, when school’s out you just want to have fun and party your troubles away, however it is still important to keep those finals dates in mind. Try revisiting notes, chapters, and topics occasionally during vacation. When you’re not out and about, it isn’t a bad idea to look at some of your classwork. That’s not to say that one should spend two full weeks of freedom locked up inside their room practicing algebra. The point of a vacation is to escape from stress, so go out and enjoy the break!
By Perri Pond Staff Writer
Living in Palo Alto, where the founders of various major Silicon Valley companies such as Google and Apple reside, is another reminder to the high school students here that they live in an unusual town. The width of El Camino Real acts as the only obstacle separating Stanford University from the Palo Alto High School campus, giving Paly students access to amazing resources with only a skip across the street. Unfortunately, not all public schools in the United States have the same resources as Paly students, but they do strive to attain the same prestige and high level of education. For some of these schools, the International Baccalaureate (IB) program provides an equally rigorous curriculum to the one that Paly provides. IB is an international program that is devoted to spreading high quality education across the globe. According to the International Baccalaureate program website, the IB mission statement says it aims to “develop inquiring [and caring young people who help create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.” The website also states that there are,“3,324 schools in 141 countries” that are developing and offering their three programmes to “990,000 students aged three to 19 years.” A total of three programs make up the basic structure of the program. The first program, The Primary Years Programme (PYP), begins students at the elementary level, where the focus is on “development
of the whole child in the classroom and in the world outside.” The next level is the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the beginning of challenging academia where students learn harder concepts to prepare for the third program, The Diploma Programme (DP). DYP is the highest level, where high school students take college preparatory classes. DYP on a pure education level is equal in difficulty to Paly; the core subjects of mathematics, social sciences, lab sciences, the humanities and the arts are central at both schools. Nonetheless, IB incorporates the ideas of “international understanding” and treating the student as an “interpreter,” not a “recipient,” according to the section “The IB Diploma Programme” on their website. An assignment called the Extended Essay is one that all DYP students must complete in order to receive a diploma. Each student chooses an IB subject that interests them, and writes an extensive essay, learning how to research, forming a question around the subject and finally analyzing their ideas on the topic. Many associate the extended essay with a small thesis or a doctorate. At Paly there are no graduation requirements similar to the Extended Essay. However, in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, research essays are often assigned so students can expand on the core material. The IB program requires that students take the course titled “Theory of Knowledge.” This class helps students learn about what kind of thinker and learner they are. This holistic approach shows
how students can lend different skills to all subjects, resulting in students thinking at a university-type level. According to “The IB Diploma Programme” on the IB website,“[This course is] designed to encourage each student to reflect on the nature of knowledge by critically examining different ways of knowing and different kinds of knowledge.” At Paly, Humanities is available for juniors and seniors as an English elective. This class studies metaphysics, various philosophers and religion, making it similar to the philosophy requirement of the IB program. The DYP program encourages students to pursue creative outlets while contributing back to their community through service. Similarly, the President’s Service Award is available at Paly, and is an award given to students who complete 100 or more hours of community service. Although it is not mandated that students receive this award, in Living Skills a minimum 15 hour community service requirement is needed to pass the class. Lastly, Paly students must complete one year of a visual or performing arts elective, but many continue to take art classes and explore their creativity. A wide variety of art classes are offered at Paly, including photography, glassblowing, sculpture, ceramics and painting, as well as a plethora of musical classes. The IB Program is a great alternative for students who do no have access to the same resources that Paly students have by providing students with a holistic and rounded education that focuses on allowing them to reach their full potential.
B6•February 3, 2012
SPOTLIGHT
The Campanile
senior
e
(cost of attending Paly) By Madeline Berger, Elena Pinsker and Logan Mendenhall
k = freshman
$120 transportation $1200 food $900 property $900 taxes books $80 activities $1500 donations $1000 supplies pens, pencils, notebooks,
paper, binders, backpacks
gas, parking pass, car insurance, repairs
lunch snacks
45% goes to education
workbooks, copies of books for annotating
O team fees, materials, private instruction, travel for competitions
sports boosters, PIE, suggested donations at the beginning of the year
T
0 0 7 5
: L A T O
$
(Per Year)
While some Paly students have yet to endure the long lines at the DMV to get their licenses, the cost of self-transportation to school is still significant for most families. Parking permits at Paly are required if a student is to drive him or herself to school every day, adding another $100 every year to transportation costs. “[One pays] approximately $1,100 for [car] insurance [and] $200 for repairs,” senior Anne Hildebrand said. The cost of gas makes up a large portion of transportation costs as well. With gas prices around $3.50 per gallon, a full tank can cost upwards of $60, and, according to Hildebrand, one can pay close to $700 for gas each year. For those who have long commutes, the cost may be even higher.
Food expenses can also add up at Paly. The average lunch bought either at Paly or across the street at Town & Country Village costs $5, and with roughly 180 school days, the cost can be as high as $900 for one student each year. Junior Maggie Schoenholtz says that she spends $5 a day at Town & Country Village, and occasionally even more than that at certain restaurants. While many students bring lunch, students often feel that the added cost of purchasing lunch is easier to endure than having to go grocery shopping and make their lunches every day.
According to the Santa Clara County website, 45 percent of property taxes are put towards education. The median home price in Palo Alto as of Jan. 8, is $2,166,950 according to Altos Research, a real estate research firm. Property taxes in Palo Alto are limited to one percent according to Jai P. Singh, Santa Clara County’s tax collector. Thus the average Paly family pays $9,751.28 in taxes to send a child to Paly.
While classes lend copies of the necessary textbooks to students, many students choose to purchase their own copies of different textbooks and companion books. Junior Simon Fox owns his own copies of many textbooks and junior Justin Zhang purchased an SAT prep book to help him in his physics class. “I bought [the SAT Prep book] because I was told by my teachers that the physics final would be very, very hard,” Zhang said. “I thought it was pretty helpful — I did pretty well on my final.” The cost of books can be anywhere from $30, in Zhang’s case, to over $100 for some class textbooks, which prompted Apple to start offering less expensive digital textbooks on iBooks 2. Most Paly sports require the athletes to purchase their own gear, uniforms and swag, and coupled with the suggested $400 donation to the sports booster program, the total cost amounts to around $600 each year. “There’s the cost of running gear [which] I’m going to say [costs] $200,” junior Esha Datta said. Many other school clubs also request donations to fund their activities, and without these donations, such club events would not be possible. “For debate, if you include travel tournaments, [it’s] $1,500 to $2,000 a year,” junior Esha Datta said.
Classes at Paly require a host of different school supplies. It is not uncommon to hear a teacher insist on separate binders and notebooks for each class and, according to Paly students Paul Mewes and Will Mendenhall, the cost usually ranges from $100 to $120 each year. With prices of backpacks from popular manufacturers like The North Face and Longchamp often climbing above $100, the price of school supplies is significant to a student’s yearly fees at Paly.
SPOTLIGHT
The Campanile
February 3, 2012 • B7
What happens after Paly? In high school, students tend to divide their budget between food, clothes and gas. But when students are in college, without parents to cover the big things like health insurance and
Room & Board
Entertainment
school fees, their budgets change significantly. Here is a breakdown of the average college student’s budget. Compared to high school students, college students spend a lot less money on transportation (many campuses have free shuttles and access to bike paths), and a lot more on school-related costs, like tuition (this
Transportation
graph only takes into account what the student contributes to tuition). One thing that doesn’t seem to change is students’ spending on en-
Tuition & Fees
tertainment: 40 percent of the average college budget is spent on travel, music and apparel.
VERBATIM “I think when you break [lunch
“If
Other
Books & Supplies
data compiled by Westwood College
WHAT DO STUDENTS AND THE ADMINISTRATION THINK ABOUT PALY’S SPENDING HABITS?
you’re within easy biking dis-
“I don’t necessarily see [the pres-
“I think people need to learn
costs] down on a day-to-day
tance, it’s probably not worth the
sure to spend money on food
how to manage their money
basis, it’s no big deal. But when
gas money [to drive to school].”
and gas] being any different at
better because it’s better to
you look at the [cost] over a
Paly than at other schools. In
start breaking bad habits now
month or over a whole year, it
my high school it was the same
[rather than when] they get into
turns into a lot of money.”
deal — you were uncool if you
college and don’t really have
didn’t drive and you never ate at
that much money to spend.”
school.” —Jerry Berkson, Assistant Principal
—Chloe Zilliac, sophomore
—Alec Wong, senior
—Melinda Mattes, teacher
HOW TO $AVE As students get their licenses, begin a new sports season or even just walk across the street to Town & Country Village, they inevitably have to spend money. Whether they purchase gas, gear or food, hidden costs abound in many aspects of life at Paly. Each year, the cost of being a student in Palo Alto can reach a surprisingly high sum. While the occasional splurge is normal, there are easy ways to cut down on costs every single day, while still enjoying the same freedoms students come to love while attending Paly.
1.DIGITIZE YOUR BOOKS A lost textbook can be a financial disaster, so taking good care of school books is the easiest way to avoid the expensive replacement fees. However, many students prefer to own a copy of their textbooks, but the price is often a deterrent. Finally, the price of textbooks is an expense that can easily be avoided. Sources like iBooks and Amazon sell digital copies of many school textbooks, often at an extremely low price compared to the physical books.
N
4.SHOP OFF SEASON
2.MAKE YOUR LUNCH
A huge cost that most students overlook is how expensive it is to buy lunch at Town & Country. Though many restaurants offer a student discount, the total yearly cost of lunch can reach almost $1000 if it is purchased every day. Though it is easier to buy a sandwich or pizza, the simplest way to save money is to make one’s lunch a few times each week. The cost of groceries ends up being much less than eating out every day.
There are also easy ways to cut costs of school supplies; it all depends on where and when a student shops. Stores often increase their prices during the fall, so purchasing supplies “off-season” is the best way to find sales and discounts on school supplies. Investing in quality products is also important; while it might seem like common sense to overlook places that charge seemingly-ridiculous prices for backpacks and purses, investing in a bag that will last years is more cost-effective than having to replace a backpack every six months. However, if this is out of reach for some students, there are many thrift stores and inexpensive clothing stores that sell bags at discounts. These places sell quality products for a fraction of their normal price, and one can sport a nice bag without spending too much money.
3.CARPOOL
When students turn 16, they usually begin to get their licenses. Suddenly, a huge cost becomes apparent: gas money. With the price of gas just under $4 per gallon, a full tank can sometimes cost upwards of $60, adding up to around $700 a year just by driving to and from school every day. A simple way to cut the cost of gas by a huge amount is to carpool with friends; by splitting the cost of gas for just one car, each person pays half as much, while also enjoying the ride to school. Also, on a nice day, try biking!
C
F E AT U R E S
B8 •February 3, 2012
The Campanile
Stereotype threat phenomenon examined at Paly
Societal, racial assumptions negatively affect teenagers’ academic performance
By Layla Memar News Editor
John, an African-American student, has just sat down to take a test. On the front page, he is asked to bubble in his race. As he carefully shades in the respective circle, false stereotypes regarding his race as academically inferior subconsciously come to mind. His focus has switched from the test material to worrying about being judged for his color. As a result, he performs poorly. Jennifer, one of five girls in her Calculus course, is preparing to take an exam. On the front page she is required to mark her gender. Suddenly, Jennifer becomes consumed by the incorrect stereotype that women are worse than men at math. This shift in attention causes her to perform at a lower level. Although John’s and Jennifer’s stories are fictionalized, their experiences are examples of the very real phenomenon of stereotype threat. “Stereotype threat is when we’re made aware of a negative stereotype that works against our group, and because of that awareness, we actually inadvertently confirm the stereotype by performing poorly or performing to the stereotype,” Advanced Placement Psychology teacher Melinda Mattes said.
“We have to continue to be honest and we have to push all students the same way, and nobody should be treated differently,” Winston said. “People are different, but we need to have the same high standards for everybody.” Mattes, who is aware of stereotype threat, tries not to single any one out based on race, gender or ethnicity. “[The Paly staff has] all been trained in [stereotype threat], and on it, and around it,” Winston said. “It’s something that you have to remind folks about every now and then.” Though teachers at Paly may already be aware of stereotype threat, the phenomenon is now becoming more widespread. “I do think more and more teachers do know about [stereotype threat] because it’s becoming more and more mainstream, [and] it’s being talked about more in education programs [and] psychology programs,” Mattes said. Furthermore, there were articles about stereotype threat published in The New York Times and The Atlantic Monthly. An article in The Atlantic Monthly written by Claude M. Steele presented stereotype threat as “the threat of being viewed through the lens of a negative stereotype.” There are actions being taken to reduce the effects of stereotype threat. Since the idea of stereotype threat was only introduced about 17 years ago, relatively little data has been collected on the topic. Some researchers are looking to find ways to intervene early on to reduce the effects of stereotype threat. “A lot of [the intervention studies] have to do with individuals confirming their self concept and what’s important to them— that they actually are good at stuff before being put into a stereotype threat situation,” Mattes said. “They find that that might buffer people a little bit.” One potential issue, though, is that if students are aware that they are doing an exercise to combat stereotype threat, it may not be as effective. “If kids know that that’s why they’re doing an exercise — to buffer stereotype threat — it doesn’t work,” Mattes said. “You kind of have to be a little sneaky about it.” In our local community, Paly students are working to help their fellow peers veer away from negative stereotypes. Paly senior Tremaine Kirkman, founder and president of the Student Equity Action Network (S.E.A.N.), is working to close the achievement gap through tutoring, remedial work, and advocacy at the district level.
Stereotype threat distracts people from the task at hand and instead directs their attention to a negative stereotype that may pertain to them. Many people, students especially, have experienced stereotype threat without even being aware of it and its effects. “[Stereotype threat] doesn’t have to be super overt, but sometimes it’s really subtle and so you don’t even necessarily recognize it,” Mattes said. According to Mattes, no education environments, Palo Alto High School included, are free of stereotype threat. Principal Phil Winston agrees. “I think that society itself perpetuates stereotype threat, and for me to say it’s nonexistent at Paly is probably not accurate,” Winston said. A performance divide among students can likely be attributed in part to the negative effects of stereotype threat. “When you do have a class where it’s relatively homogeneous and you have one or two people who are a different ethnicity, race, or gender, even if the teacher doesn’t do something, it’s still a subtle cue that might induce stereotype threat,” Mattes said. Winston maintains that equality in classrooms can help mitigate the effects of stereotype threat.
To what extent does stereotype threat affect academic performance? “Does it?”
Corso Rosati senior
“The teachers here are really professional so there isn’t biased grading.” Jason Brigel junior
“I think it affects people and how they grow academically.” Lindsay Black senior
“I think the teachers do a very good job eliminating stereotyping.” Aaron Slipper sophomore
“A lot of students don’t succeed because they’ve kind of fallen into a place where they’re fulfilling where they think they’re supposed to be and perpetuating the stereotype,” Kirkman said. The S.E.A.N. program differs from other tutoring programs in the area. This program asks the students who are in involved in S.E.A.N. and are receiving tutoring to tutor other students as well. “By taking on more of a leadership role the idea is that they get away form the stereotype and actually start to fulfill their potential,” Kirkman said. While stereotype threat undoubtedly exists in all academic environments, educating people on the matter will hopefully aid its mitigation.
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F E AT U R E S
The Campanile
February 3, 2012 • B9
Choir program debuts new a cappella groups “Vikappella,” “Folk Yes” showcase eclectic music, vocal harmony By Emily Rosenthal Staff Writer
There has always been a wide variety of opportunities available at Palo Alto High School for singers interested in harmonizing with others. From Concert Choir 1 to the advanced Madrigals group, there is something for every singer at Paly. Traditionally, there has always been one a cappella group at Paly, an all female four-part group called the Heartbeats. Now, there are two new groups joining the Paly music scene. A cappella is a style of music, specifically referring to either solo or group singing with no musical accompaniment. The role of a cappella groups at Paly has gradually been expanding, and Choir Director Michael Najar has plans to create more groups in the next few years. This year there are two new groups, a mixed pop group called “Vikappella” and an all female group tentatively named “Folk Yes.” Vikappella hopes to create an indie rock sound, singing songs by artists such as MGMT, Mika and Franz Ferdinand. Currently they are working on the songs “We Are Young” by Fun. and Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know.” Folk Yes plans to cover the work of singers such as Jason Mraz, Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens and Fleet Foxes. “A couple of years ago they added an all-female one, called the Heartbeats,” Grace Barry, a senior involved in Folk Yes, said. “It is now Mr. Najar’s dream to create this whole expanding empire, if you will, of a cappella groups. He wants there to be five [groups] eventually, he just added two this year.” Both groups are very new and have only been meeting since the beginning of January. Auditions for the groups were held before winter break, after which Najar placed students in the appropriate groups. “We haven’t really done much yet, since we still have to come up with song ideas,” junior Annie Vainshtein, a member of Folk Yes, said. “We have a Facebook group where we’ve been listing songs we like and want [to try].” These groups present a different style than a typical concert choir class, creating a distinct sound. Vainshtein is looking forward to seeing how the new groups will work out. “I really like the people in it and [the new group] is a different alternative approach to a cappella groups,” Vain-
Anna mcgarrigle/Campanile
Choir director Michael Najar’s a cappella groups have expanded into different ensembles including “Vikappella” and “Folk Yes.” They will all be performing at the annual Pops concert this February. shtein said. “It’s more of a folk sound rather than a pop sound.” In his plans to create many groups, Mr. Najar has kept the groups small — there are only eight people per group, each of which have their own distinct sound. “[Mr. Najar] knows that a lot of us have different voices, we have different sounds, and he thought it would be cool to do different groups that showcase different kinds of voices and different kinds of personalities,” Barry said. Keeping the groups small also creates a tight-knit environment, bringing the singers closer together. For some, this was one of the main appeals of the group. “I’m in Madrigals, and that’s smaller than concert choir, and I really like the dynamic of a small group,” senior Gabe Wolf said. “It’s more intimate, and this is an even smaller groups so you get the [same feeling]. It’s just a group of dedicated musicians.” Another advantage to the a cappella group is the opportunity for students to arrange their own music.
Anna mcgarrigle/Campanile
“We get to arrange our own music which is cool,” Wolf said. “It’s a unique experience from other choir groups.” The a cappella groups also offer much more freedom to the singers than the classes at Paly generally do. “They’re overseen by Mr. Najar but we are going to be running our own meetings, arranging our own music and rehearsing on our own,” Barry said. Both groups are performing at the Pops concert, which takes place Monday, Feb. 13 and Tuesday, Feb. 14 in the Haymarket Theater. In addition, Folk Yes is considering a performance at an open mic night at the Palo Alto Children’s Theater later this year. The event would try to attract both students and their families alike.
Student-run magazine Calliope Bullying high on school agenda focuses on various literary arts PAUSD plans to combat prevalent issue By Jacob Zenger Staff Writer
Charlotte Barry/Campanile
Calliope allows students to express themselves by submitting poetry, photography, literature and artwork. The publication plans to distribute winter and spring issues.
By Charlotte Barry Staff Writer
Palo Alto High School is typically known for its six publications: The Campanile, Viking, The Paly Voice, Verde, InFocus and [proof]. However, many students fail to recognize Paly’s seventh publication: Calliope, a completely student-run magazine which operates mostly outside of school. The literary arts magazine, created in the early 1980s, showcases work from poetry and short stories to photography and artwork, all contributed by Paly students. “We feature a diverse range [of work] because we really want Calliope to be the publication where students can showcase their creativity,” senior Kevin Lee, one of Calliope’s three Editors in Chief, said. “The other publications specialize in other mediums like news writing and sports coverage. [Calliope’s] niche is creative arts.” Calliope has usually been an annual publication in recent years, but according to senior Editor in Chief Jen Lin, they want to start publishing two issues a year. “We had a spring issue last year but no winter issue,” Lin said. “But more often than not, Calliope comes out biannually.” Calliope receives all of its submissions from Paly students. One way students can submit their work is by dropping it in the submissions box in the library. However, most students choose to email their work to calliope.paly@gmail.com or submit their work through the editors themselves. Students can choose to have their work be published anonymously or signed off with their name. “Calliope is just an outlet for [Palo Alto High School] students who are interested in taking their creativity to the next level by publishing it [through our publication],” Lin said. Staff members come in after school when needed to help compile and design
the magazine in the computer lab. The Editors in Chief try to meet Thursday during lunchtime in English teacher Kevin Sharp’s room as often as they can. “One of the minor things we have to deal with is not really having a publication week of our own, so we often piggyback on Verde’s production week so we have time and can access the lab,” Lee said. The publication consists of 20 to 30 staff members, ranging from freshmen to seniors. Most of the staff is composed of juniors and sophomores. “We don’t really pay attention to grades, just who’s willing to work and design the magazine,” Lee said. Calliope is always interested in recruiting new members to join their staff at anytime of the year. “[Any] grade can help,” Lee said. “We don’t pay attention to grades, just whoever is willing to work and help design the magazine.” The Editors in Chief are trying to advertise Calliope through InFocus, Facebook and various other forms of social media. They created a Facebook page a month before the deadline to let students know when to submit by. Junior Soo Song helped advertise the event by asking interested students from each grade to submit. “16 individual people submitted poetry and fiction [to the email] and around the same number submitted artwork,” Lin said. They received more than 50 pieces of artwork and 37 short stories and poetry pieces, which, according to Lin, is the normal amount they receive. According to Lin, Calliope’s winter issue will be coming out in the middle of February. The staff will be giving out copies for $5 each. Not only can it be purchased through the staff members, but copies will also be sold in Sharp’s classroom, Room 219.
What would you do if your friend was being bullied?
All three of the Palo Alto Unified School District middle schools have adopted new programs to build camaraderie between the students in an effort to eliminate all forms of physical and emotional bullying in “I would come over the schools. These schools have shifted their foand try to help out cus for the 2011-2012 school year from atand tell the other tempting to change the actions of the bulperson to back off.” lies to emphasizing the victims of bullies to prevent any bullying from ever happening Jessie Khron on campus. freshman “There’s been a lot of research that’s been done in sort of shifting the philosophy “I would support towards the consequence model towards a them and listen to more of a focus not on the bully so much as on the recipient of the bully to try to their problems.” change their behavior to stop the bullying from happening in the first place,” David Alex Warner Starr Jordan Middle School principal Gregsophomore ory Barnes said. “A lot of programs are sort of based in “I would punch the a consequence model where there’s an incident of bullying there’s usually a recipibully.” ent of bullying and then there’s the bully themselves,” Barnes said. “In most cases, historically, the bully would get a consequence and that would be it. It didn’t do a Scotty McComas really good job of sort of stopping the bulsenior lying. Research would show that it would sort of continue after that point.” “I would stand up This new approach tries to deal with for them and tell both the bullies and the victims to elimisomeone if they nate bullying. The bullies are encouraged to set goals for themselves to improve their needed help.” previously negative actions towards the Sara Billman people they bully. The victims are shown junior things that people enjoy about them to lift their spirits and also are shown the reasons why people are picking on them. This They focus on building personal confidence entire program uses student research to and raising the self-esteem of the students. One example is in their English classes better itself as it goes along. “The main idea is to prevent bullying, they write “I poems” which state who they but it is not [limited to] bullying,” Terman are and what they stand for. In eighth grade, the emphasis is more Middle School principal Katherine Baker said. “It is teaching empathy and leader- on leadership because the students are ship and getting kids to be leaders so they the oldest on campus. A group of about 60 stand up to bullying and anything that is eighth graders volunteers to become part of not fair at school. We called it our social TASK (Tigers Achieving Social Kindness), kindness program, and has been evolving and they are the leaders of the school and especially for the younger students. They for about three or four years.” Each grade level has its own emphasis are the students that are setting examples for the year. For sixth graders, the main for the other students about how to act and point is transition from elementary school react in certain situations. This program always has room for imto middle school. Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School provement and the administration of the and Terman have programs that serve as middle schools are constantly trying to find an introduction to middle school for the in- the best system for their students. The setup is always changing dependcoming sixth graders. The first week of school for sixth grad- ing on the needs and wants of the students. ers is like a boot camp for middle school, In addition to the students influencing the system parents are showing the sixth gradable to state their opiners that middle school These schools have shifted their ions on how this prois not a harsh environ- focus for the 2011-2012 school year gram should be run. ment and that the old- from attempting to change the ac“It’s completely difer students are kind. tions of the bullies to emphasizing the They participate in victims of bullies to prevent any bully- ferent from its original year in terms of the team building activi- ing from ever happening on campus. character-education ties that get them adcomponent,” JLS prinjusted to middle school before they actually do academic work. Jor- cipal Sharon Ofek said. “Every aspect is redan plans to adopt a similar program to vised based on surveys of students, parents and staff.” this. The Palo Alto schools will look to take At Terman, in seventh grade they tie their “social kindness” program to actu- this data into account and form a better al content and curriculum in the classes. plan moving forward.
B10 • February 3, 2012
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The Campanile
Junior Mia Polansky startswww.chompsoflife.com food blog
By Rachel Wilson Staff Writer
An enticing smell wafts through the air as junior Mia Polansky puts the final touches on a delectably silky chocolate pudding pie. She carefully arranges the dish using a piece of cloth for a background and some simple props before capturing the professional images that she will soon publish on her blog. Polansky’s food photography unites her love for baking with her love for photography, allowing her to practice both hobbies simultaneously. She says she bakes because she loves to, not just for photography’s sake. “If baking wasn’t something I enjoyed, I probably would never have started taking pictures of my creations,” Polansky said. Yet her passions for both have lead to the creation of her food blog, titled Chomps of Life. Polansky developed a blog because when she was a beginning cook, she used food blogs to choose recipes to prepare. Once she felt her baking was up to par, she began publishing the photographs that she had captured of her creations as well as the recipes and a short blurb about each dish. “I was naturally drawn to the gorgeous, mouthwatering photographs on so many blogs, and since at that point baking was a daily activity for me, documenting my food adventures visually seemed a natural route to take,” Polansky said. While most of the recipes on her blog are desserts, Polansky does enjoy cooking savory dishes as
well, though she does not think that she will continue with it. “I do hope to be a better savory cook, and perhaps try taking pictures of more entree-style dishes, but cooking is hard for me because most savory food, unlike desserts, have very limited room for error,” Polansky said. According to Polansky, practice is key to becoming a better baker and photographer. She cites her first baking experiment as a batch of cupcakes which her friend’s father “declared inedible”. “An embarrassing amount of my food experiments are icky, but I’m definitely much better than when I started, and in time I will be even better than I am right now,” Polansky said. Along with practice, she suggests using natural lighting for food photography because indoor lighting and flash do not make food look as appetizing. “Taking pictures in soft sunlight tends to be best,” Polansky said. “However, while sunlight is the best lighting, food ought to be photographed in the shade, because direct sunlight creates harsh, undesirable shadows.” Yet baking is not the only part of blogging that Polansky enjoys, as photography is an integral part of her life as well. Along with fellow junior Elani Gitterman, she created an informal photography company called Bokehlicious Co. in order to practice portrait photography. “I find photographing humans a lot of fun too, mostly because of the additional challenge that comes with a living subject,” Polansky said.
Dried Blueberry Studded Cornf lake Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 tbsp. vanilla extract 1 cup crushed cornflakes (not powdered, merely crushed) 1/2 cup pecans, chopped 1/2 cup dried blueberries 1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
3 1/2 cups flour 1 tbsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt
Directions:
1.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Cream together the butter, sugar, oil and molasses. Whisk in the vanilla and egg. In another bowl, whisk together the crushed cornflakes, pecans, dried blueberries, oatmeal, flour, baking soda and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ones, until a dough forms. Chill the dough for an hour. Scoop out 2 tbsp. sized portions of dough onto a greased cookie pan. Pat the dough into disks. Bake for about 8-10 minutes at 350° F, or until the edges are golden brown. Since the recipe makes so many cookies, experiment with baking times to get the exact texture desired. Enjoy with a glass of milk!
Adapted from Polansky’s original recipe
O Sushi House serves lackluster Japanese Cuisine New addition to downtown disappoints with overpriced, mediocre dishes By Clara Chang
empty and food came out promptly, merely ten minutes after ordering. The waitress In the heart of downtown Palo Alto on was friendly and honest, alerting us when the corner of Waverley and University Ave. she believed we had ordered enough. sits O Sushi House, a recently opened JapO Sushi House’s menu could be found in anese restaurant. O Sushi House replaced any typical Japanese restaurant. It is very Abbey’s Hamburgers, a popular burger abundant, offering an assortment of over joint which went out of business earlier last 50 “Special Rolls.” year. Although the presentation was impresThose who are familiar with Taxi’s sive, the Dragon Roll (8 pieces for $10.95) Hamburgers or Abbey’s (Taxi’s name was was nothing special. The crab and avocachanged to Abbey’s in 2009) will imme- do sushi topped with eel was edible, but diately recognize the interior of O Sushi lacked distinct flavors; the avocado and crHouse, which has primarily dressed up ab were blended into one mushy bite with Taxi’s old setup into a more posh and fan- bland-tasting eel on top. cy one. Dim lighting and Given its higher pricdark furnishings crees (from $3.95 to $11.95 ate a clean and classy for five to eight rolls), the ambiance, allowing rolls simply were not exO SUSHI HOUSE customers to feel at ease traordinary, especially 403 University Ave and maybe even elegant when compared to those Palo Alto, CA 94301 while dining. found at Miyake, anothThe cafeteria-styled er, cheaper, popular Jap$3.50-$11.95 tables and booths, howanese food destination ever, far more resemble down the street. those found in a burger The restaurant’s joint rather than those menu, however, appeals in a Japanese restauto the reader by displayrant and dampen the place’s trendy vibe. ing mouth watering pictures of various Large windows with views down Universi- rolls, making what to order a tough decity Ave. border the room and make for ide- sion. According to our waitress, the Super al seats in the restaurant. For sports fans, Philly Roll (8 pieces for $11.95) is a favortwo impressive flat screen televisions are ite among customers with its unique comon opposite sides of the room. bination of salmon, avocado, cream cheeseThe Campanile visited O Sushi House on topped salmon and lemon — perfect for a Monday night at 6 p.m. when there were more adventurous diners. only three other tables occupied. Service For the more conservative eaters, O Suwas great. Water glasses were never left shi House offers many options of tradition-
A&E Editor
al nigiri, or sushi with sashimi ($2.95 to $7.94), vegetarian rolls ($2.95 to $10.95) and hand rolls ($3.50 to $7.95). Lunch and dinner options include over 50 choices, varying from salads to sashimi to bento boxes. O Sushi House’s selection of sashimi starts at $14.95 for nine pieces of tuna, salmon or hamachi and goes up to $39 for the “Chef’s Special Sashimi Combo.” The classic bento box with three options and served with sides of soup, salad and rice ($9.95 for lunch and $11.95 for dinner) was more impressive than the Dragon Roll. The Chicken Teriyaki, Tempura and Sashimi combination was satisfying for the most part; the soup and salad were a good start, but again, nothing stood out. The shrimp and vegetable tempura was a highlight with its perfect texture: crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Unfortunately, the chicken was average with its sub-par teriyaki sauce, and the
portion was quite skimpy. The Nabe Udon ($9.95) with vegetables and tempura was a pleasant surprise with a great, flavorful broth and an abundance of noodles and vegetables. The soft, thick noodles were slightly addicting and a good dinner choice. Whether or not O Sushi House is a worthwhile destination is highly debatable. If one is willing to settle for expensive and mediocre Japanese food in an enjoyable new setting, they will not be let down at O Sushi House. However, if one is looking for higher quality and authenticity of Japanese food, their time may be wasted here.
O Sushi House in downtown Palo Alto provides excellent service and a wide variety of Japanese dishes but the quality of food is not exceptional. Diners may to want consider a different Japanese restaurant. CLARA CHANG/CAMPANILE
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The Campanile
February 3, 2012 • B11
Yoga provides exercise, eases school-related stress
Local studio helps students mentally, physically through meditation By Anna McGarrigle Staff Writer
Many strategies exist to avoid the perils of school stress, but one unique and effective tactic is gaining popularity among Palo Alto High School students. Yoga has existed for centuries and its practice has increased dramatically in the past 30 years. Approximately 16 million Americans practice yoga today, according to a study by the Yoga Journal. Palo Alto boasts a number of yoga studios, but Avalon Art & Yoga Center on California Ave. has opened its doors for a free weekly yoga class for teenage girls. The class on Thursdays has become a weekly relaxation ritual for several Paly students. The health benefits are endless, but include stress and anxiety relief, increased flexibility and strength, according to the Avalon studio. For certain students, yoga class is a break from their busy school week. “It’s a really good stress reliever, especially since it’s before Friday and the weekend, it’s a time to relax,” sophomore Sydney Mignola said. Meditation is also incorporated into the class, and consists of focused breathing patterns to center the body.
“It helps you to get your mind off things which is nice,” sophomore Kristina Savvateeva said. The level of the class is elementary, which welcomes a wide range of ages. “It’s for teenage girls, but we see middle schoolers and we’ve actually seen some elementary school girls,” Savvateeva said. “But it’s really a class for any girl who’s interested in yoga.” Because it is a free class, the teacher rotates every week based on availability. “Some teachers are really hard and kind of intense, but overall the class is pretty simple so anyone could do it,” Mignola said. Experiencing different teachers can be very beneficial for students. “We get to see a variety of different stretches with different teachers,” Mignola said. Professional athletes use yoga as a therapy for stretching and relaxation, in addition to regular workouts. MignoAnna McGarrigle/Campanile la also recommends yoga as a supplemental activity for Paly athletes. Sophomores Kristina Savvateeva and Sydney Mignola “I’ve gotten way more flexible since I’ve been doing it,” stretch during their yoga class, performing the warrior pose. Mignola, a member of the track team, said.
Paly student writes songs based on personal experiences Junior Julian Hornik channels musical creativity into his own compositions By Chrissie Cheng Staff Writer
“Time is only moving forward, so stick around and see, and anything that told you otherwise is now but memory,” Julian Hornik says, reciting his own lyrics from his favorite and self-produced song, “It Gets Better.” Hornik, a junior at Palo Alto High School, is someone you can say has easily accomplished and experienced more things musical than most teenagers. From singing to acting, Hornik has done it all. At the age of five, Hornik burst into his musical and theatrical career, landing the role of Madame Butterfly’s son. “Being in [Madame Butterfly] kind of initiated my love of the theater,” Hornik said. Upon joining the theater scene, Hornik began participating in numerous theater companies. “By third grade, I was doing a lot of shows in Peninsula Youth Theater, Theater Works, Palo Alto Children’s Theater and American Music Theater in San Jose,” Hornik said. Since then, Hornik has been in more than 30 musicals. However, during a year abroad as a freshman at Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA., Hornik decided that his acting started to fade while his passion for writing for music began to increase. “I majored in theater [while] studying abroad and realized that I was gravitating more towards the writing side of theater
composition than the performance side,” Hornik said. With his passion of theater composition, Hornik since has written numerous songs for the theater, but also has taken a different route — writing pop songs. Inspired by The Beatles, Norah Jones, Elton John, Peter Gabriel and Regina Spector, Hornik has composed multiple singles in his spare time and uploaded them on his Facebook band page. Hornik describes his music as “pop realm with an occasional hint of musical theater,” writing songs about everyday life, whether they are serious or plain random. “I usually write about something that pops into my head,” Hornik said. “So I start with a pop melody and chord structure and go along with the idea, and then write lyrics simultaneously.” Writing from five hours to two weeks, Hornik writes and composes his own songs in his home recording studio. With the help of his keyboard, piano, couple of microphones and Facebook Band page, Hornik has been able to release six songs each with its own style and message.
“COUNTING SECONDS”
Despite the funky and catchy tune, “Counting Seconds” has one of Hornik’s most melancholy messages. Hornik writes, “I spend my days counting the seconds due to the minute renouncing the fear,” describing his time away from home while at boarding school.
“I realize that while I was at boarding school rather than focusing on things that are happening I was focusing on how soon were going to end,” Hornik said. “And how soon the next awesome things [would happen].” After writing the song, Hornik somehow felt better about the entire situation. “After I wrote the song I kind of got over my habit of counting seconds,” Hornik said.
“SUNGLASSES”
From a pop standpoint, Hornik’s “Sunglasses” happens to be one of his most random, yet it is his favorite song of his. Hornik was inspired to write the song after a stressful round of sunglass shopping in hopes to find a pair that he would like. “I was literally annoyed that sunglasses didn’t fit my face,” Hornik said. This 80’s pop song will get you dancing and bopping, with his upbeat melody. “It’s cheesy 80’s because it’s a cheesy song,” Hornik said.
“IT GETS BETTER”
One of Hornik’s favorite songs, “It Gets Better” is a response to the It Gets Better YouTube campaign designed to reach LGBT Youth. “I wrote it as a response to the recent teen suicides and to tell LGBT that it does get better,” Hornik said. With it’s harmonious tune, Hornik wrote the song with influence from Elton John and Peter Gabriel.
“I wrote it after listening to Elton John and Peter Gabriel CDs, with a John-esque piano ballad and Gabriel influence,” Hornik said. Like one of Hornik’s inspirations — Lady Gaga — Hornik believes that writing music for a greater good and with a purpose is the exact job of being an artist. “[It Gets Better is] one of my favorite from a structural stand point,” Hornik said. “And also because of what it stands for.”
“PROLOGUE”
A demo for Paly’s “Much Ado About Nothing” production, Hornik incorporates his lyrics to open the show. Because the play is set in the 60’s, Hornik bases his song off the classic Beatles song “Hey Jude.” His lyrics describe the plot of the play with a hint of musical theater. Looking towards the future, Hornik is not currently sure of whether or not he will be releasing a complete, full-length CD of his songs. As for now, he enjoys the singles format, allowing him to release songs whenever he wants, letting listeners buy it for free. As for a record deal or college, Hornik’s first choice is college, majoring in art history. “I plan to major in art history, but I definitely am planning on focusing on writing music [also],” Hornik said. “I’ll let college inspire music rather than teach music.”
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B12 • February 3, 2012
Chocolate shop aims to make positive impact By Gina Scarpino Staff Writer
The mission of the chocolate garage in downtown Palo Alto is to help teach people about delicious chocolates that have a positive impact on the making of the chocolate. Sunita de Tourreil is the Founder of The Chocolate Garage, as well as an advocate for “happy chocolate.” The Chocolate Garage is different than most chocolate stores; it is unique because it only sells what de Tourreil considers “happy chocolates.” De Tourreil screens for three different things when searching for happy chocolates — one, the chocolate needs to have a positive impact on the farmers and the supply chain it comes from. Two, it must have a positive effect on the planet and three, the chocolate must be delicious. “Happy chocolate” is a term that I invented to describe the kind of chocolate that The Chocolate Garage carries and celebrates,” de Tourreil said. She feels that people often become overwhelmed by problems around the world, but people buy things from all over all the time. By selling “happy chocolates” and educating her customers, de Tourreil feels that it will make others think about
making changes in the products they buy. “If we inform ourselves and make purchases that are having positive impacts on local and international communities, each day we can help effect positive change in our world,” de Tourreil said. “It is up to us and we can help shape our future world.” The chocolates that de Tourreil has for sale at the garage come from all different origins — some of the bars originate from Haiti, Madagascar, Venezuela, and a number of other countries. Some of the bars sold at The Chocolate Garage have cinnamon, chili, or even a very distinct citrus-like flavor. There are also some bars that have cacáo nibs in them — nibs are parts of the actual beans that come from a cacáo pod. Along with taste, every chocolate bar has a different texture. De Tourreil started The Chocolate Garage with the intention of improving the lives of farming communities in the non-industrialized world. She experienced this first hand in Ecuador and thought that good wages for cocáo farmers could have a positive impact on small communities — which is what inspired her to bring this idea
Staff Writer
The sound of mats hitting the floor echoes throughout the entire gymnasium at the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple as Sensei, the formal term for a martial arts teacher, hurries to set up for the regular Tuesday evening Judo session. Cal Kitaura, Head Sensei of Palo Alto Judo Club (PAJC), swiftly walks across the floor barefoot wearing a white robe-like shirt and pants tightened with a black belt around his waist. “We start at 7 p.m. and we set up mats and right after that we bow in,” Kitaura said. PAJC teaches Kodokan Judo, a form of martial arts created by professor Jigoro Kano in 1882. Kano combined jujitsu with many of his own ideas and inspirations to create a softer form of martial arts. “[Judo is] mostly throwing and grappling type things,” Kitaura said. PAJC began its first sessions nearly 60 years ago at JLS Middle School when Kitaura’s father, Tamo Kitaura, and his father’s friend, Sam Hamai, were encouraged by Yoshihiro Uchida, a well revered and very well known sensei for Judo. “It has become important to the community because a lot of people really like it,” Kitaura said. As many as 55 people with all ranges of experience and age come regularly to the Tuesday and Thursday sessions. “We get people who come here who know zero and that’s how they start,” Kitaura said. “And then there are people like myself who have been in Judo for 50 some years.”
in
1950
JENSEN HSIAO/CAMPANILE
The Chocolate Garage offers tasters “happy chocolate” in a quiet escape from the busy roads of Palo Alto’s downtown. of happy chocolates and The Chocolate Garage back to the United States. “The idea came initially from attending a conference in Boulder, Colorado called Sustainable Resources,” de Tourreil said. “I met a man who was doing amazing work in Ecuador who writes for a blog named Yachana Gourmet and wanted to help him be more effective and bring his product to the U.S. market.” De Tourreil said that she has thought about expanding her business to have the opportunity to educate more people about chocolate, the industry and to encourage others to buy more happy
chocolate. Also, expanding the business gives the chance for more small farming communities to be impacted. “I do want to keep the business small in the sense of creating a strong sense of community and I hope to use new technology to foster this,” de Tourreil said. The Chocolate Garage also hosts private chocolate tastings that can be set up by appointment. The tastings help people learn about chocolate from de Tourreil, while they eat a fair share of chocolate that is not only good for the small farming communities but also makes ones stomach happy.
Palo Alto Judo Club offers affordable classes By Olivia Cornfield
1
The Campanile
Since all the senseis are volunteers, there is only a $35 per month membership fee. “Once you start Judo, you get a lot more out of it than just having a job and working for money,” Kituara said. “It’s like a religion it makes you feel good.” Andrew Lou, a freshman at Palo Alto High School, has taken Judo at the PAJC for several years and describes Judo as a versatile sport. “You can take the sport into many directions,” Lou said. “You can go for competition, overall fitness and you can use it for just plain training as well.” PAJC has trained award winning competitors that go on to compete on a nationwide scale. PAJC students begin with competing in tournaments all over the bay area and go on to compete in cities around the country. In order to qualify for the Pan American Games, an annual national tournament, Judo competitors must collect as many points as possible by winning matches in their division. “I get satisfaction when the students learn and go out there and actually practice at the tournaments,” Kituara said. The practice of Judo grants students with various life lessons emphasizing the importance of discipline, mental strength, patience and community. “There’s a lot of respect in Judo, there’s a lot of comradeship, a lot of friendship, it becomes like a family,” Kituara said. “We teach it for free because we love it and once we get people that join and love it, that’s how it carries on.”
ALEX LIN/CAMPANILE
Cal Kituara, the Head Sensei of the Palo Alto Judo Club demonstrates martial arts moves to a group of his students. The PAJC welcomes community members of all ages to try out judo or continue to develop their skills. Membership is only $35 per month.
iEdit By Riki Rattner and Alex Lin Photography Editors From the casual iPhone snapshot to the most carefully composed DSLR take, sometimes a picture seems like it needs a little something more before being deemed Mobile Upload-worthy. The latest trending app at Paly called Instagram allows students to express their creativity through 16 colorful, vintage photo effects. Users can “follow” their fellow peers as well as “like” photos that other users upload. Now, instead of posting a status, users can capture a moment, frame it and share their creativity with others around the world: there is nothing more trendy than that.
This edition featuring
Zoe Tierney with The Campanile’s own Brian Benton, Olivia Cole, Charlie Dulik and Jonathan Ziegler The Campanile: Can you tell us more about yourself? Who are you? Zoe Tierney: My name is Zoe. I’m a freshman. And I’m on JV. TC: (5 second pause) Soccer? ZT: Yeah! And umm I’m really cool. I have a little brother and a little sister. Yeah! TC: Can we talk about your video called ‘Labels’? (Labels is a video Zoe made about not judging other people or labeling them. You can find it on Vimeo.) ZT: Oh yeah! How do you know about that? TC: We did research. ZT: I’m really famous, and my godmom is like the CEO of Facebook and so she posted it on her wall and then it like got a lot of views. It’s about girls, about the labels society gives girls and how it affects people. Like fat and depressed. TC: Did you make it by choice, or for a class? ZT: It was for Photo. TC: You say that your godmom is the CEO of Facebook. Did you know that Mark Zuckerberg is the CEO of Facebook? ZT: No, my godmom is! TC: Is your godmom Mark Zuckerberg? ZT: No! No! I mean like the COO. The C-something. TC: So, she’s the COO, not the CEO. ZT: Okay, yeah, sorry, she’s the COO. TC: Why’d you upload [Labels] to Vimeo instead of YouTube? ZT: Because I don’t know how to make a YouTube account. I already had a Vimeo account. TC: Did you make this before or after you made your video to “Lazy Song?” ZT: I made that this summer. That’s embarrassing, actually. TC: How would you label yourself? ZT: Pretty swag. TC: Swag? Okay, so how would you label Paly? ZT: I’d label it as dramatic. There’s a lot of drama going on here. TC: How would you label freshman girls? ZT: I would label them as nice. TC: How would you label freshman boys? ZT: I would label them as nice. TC: Why don’t you ever say “hi” to me [Brian] during prep? ZT: I don’t know. I will now. TC: Do you always wear a bow? ZT: Umm...almost always. And then people make fun of me for wearing it. TC: Is it a fashion statement? ZT: It’s just something I do. Why are you [Jonathan] wearing a blue sweater? TC: Because it was cold outside. TC: How’s soccer? TC: What do you play? ZT: I play everything. Mostly defense, but sometimes he puts me as forward. TC: Are you a team player? Or do you consider yourself more of a ball hog? ZT: I consider myself a team player. TC: So, you think everyone should get a piece of the ball. ZT: Yeah! Because it’s a team sport! TC: Do you have a boyfriend? ZT: I did, but I don’t now. TC: What was his name? Wait, I know this. It’s Kevin Mullen. What grade is he in? ZT: He’s in 9th grade. TC: Why did you separate? ZT: It’s kinda complicated. I told his friend I didn’t like him, then the friend told him. He broke up with me over voicemail on somebody else’s phone. TC: Why do you think we chose you for 1 in 1950? ZT: I don’t know. I thought you guys just picked me out of a hat. TC: A hat with 2,000 names in it? Who in your grade has the best sense of style? ZT: I’d say the best is Cairo [Kim]. TC: How do you feel about seniors dating freshmen? Would you date a senior? ZT: Oh, so there’s like one senior. He has dreadlocks. TC: Lucas Brooks? ZT: Oh, yeah him! He’s gorgeous! And he has a twin. TC: Describe your style. ZT: Sometimes I wear sweatpants, but other days I wear cool stuff. TC: What’s up with your sweater? ZT: It’s from South Africa. I mean South America. TC: How does it feel to be a second semester freshman? ZT: It kinda sucks. TC: Three words to describe yourself that start with a “S.” ZT: Swag. TC: Stylish and sexy. Let’s just finish this. Hottest guy from each grade? ZT: Lucas Brooks, Josh Totte. I don’t know any juniors. TC: You know one. (Charlie looks angry.) ZT: Okay, him.