Field under renovations
Car wash fundraisers banned across campus BY SHANNON CHAI
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AUSTIN YU-EPIC
DIGGING IN| Principal Gail Davidson, ASB President Kevin Tu, Victor the Viking and other faculty ceremonially shovel the first heap of dirt out from the old field.
BY IRENE HSU & AUSTIN YU
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AUSTIN YU-EPIC
WELCOME ADDRESS| Principal Gail Davidson delivers the opening speech to the sea of spectators.
snapshot: 1965. The track, newly renovated with a base of concrete, layered with compressed dirt on the surface. The bleachers, facing the field, brightly painted blue and red to accommodate school colors. And another: 46 years later, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2011. Students, parents, and faculty members pile into the same bleachers, their colors long faded and wooden benches long worn. They chatter and clamber for the soaring packets of candy in the air, tossed by senior Chris Doi of the social committee and Victor, the Viking mascot. In front of the bleachers is the same dirt track which outlines the same grass field. But at the very front stands Principal Gail Davidson, representing the many parents, teachers, and staff who had pushed, three years, for a new landscape: “A new track, new field, new stadium,” said Davidson in her opening speech. Since 2008, Lynbrook High school, along with the various other schools of Fremont Union High School District, has been making strides towards improving its track and field as part of a Measure B bond, which is a grant of $198 million for the sole purpose of facilities renovation projects, such as upgrades in technology and buildings, in the Fremont Union High School District. Since 2010, it has met opposition from nearby
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AUSTIN YU-EPIC
HIGH HOPES| ASB President Kevin Tu and Victor the Viking release balloons into the open sky.
Lynbrook receives Intel School of Distinction Award at Gala BY GLORIA LIN
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he science departments of Lynbrook High School are exemplary, and the school is now able to prove this as it has been chosen out of 1,400 schools and 18 finalists nationwide as one of the six winners of the 2011 Intel School of Distinction award. On the evening of Sept. 20 in Washington, D.C., the Intel Foundation named Lynbrook a School of Distinction and would receive a $10,000 cash grant and $100,000 worth of development materials for teachers. Lynbrook is the only neighborhood public school to receive this title. To apply for the award, Lynbrook compiled data about student test scores, AP testing and college plans. In addition, Physiology teacher Amanda Alonzo worked on 10-12 essays about Lynbrook’s student life and technological infrastructure. She says, “When writing the application essays, I realized that I was really writing about what all
teachers do at Lynbrook, though I tried to focus on the science department at first.” Many aspects of Lynbrook’s science department stood out to
portunities within and beyond the classroom... provide multiple laboratory experiences for students each week, and extend learning outside the classroom,” as stated in the pamphlet listing the 2011 finalists. Principal Gail Davidson adds, “A researcher once told [us], ‘If your students don’t get credit [for the work they do outside of class, like the Intel Science Fair,] they won’t do it.’ I told him, ‘Well, that’s not true,’ because our mentors make sure students find their fire, that they do what they’re into. There’s a purity in the passion of our students.” Lynbrook will be hosting a celebration for receiving the award, sometime by the end of Dec., an event which GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY NOORSHER AHMED & JOEY LI members of the Intel Foundation, sponsors of the competition and the judges, like the fact that teachers “encourage politicians who met with the finalists in Washstudents to delve deeply into science through opington, D.C. will attend.
ake sales, Yogurtland socials, Food Club Days—it is clear that Lynbrook clubs have implemented many effective and creative fundraisers over the years. After several years of creative fundraising as a tradition, however, clubs will no longer be allowed to hold any car wash fundraisers on Lynbrook’s campus. This new rule was implemented due to the dangers that can arise from soap residue gathering in San Jose’s storm drains. After a routine inspection last year, a city inspector determined that in accordance with San Jose storm water pollution regulations, it is unsafe for Lynbrook to be hosting car washes on its campus. During car washes, the soapy water used can potentially contain harsh chemicals, detergents and metal pieces that are harmful to wildlife and the environment. Furthermore, the water that goes through storm drains flows directly into creeks and the bay, causing pollution that becomes even more widespread and creating effects that are detrimental to communities beyond that of the original car wash location. Despite efforts to work around the issue and allow car washes to remain a form of fundraising, they will still be banned on campus. Assistant Principal of Activities David Erwin says, “We planned to move the car washes further away from buildings and drains so the soapy water would dry on the pavement instead of flowing into the storm drains, but that is still not allowed.” The ban was greeted with mixed reviews from clubs that used to host annual car washes. Varsity cheerleader Trena Cai says, “Since we’re not allowed to have car washes anymore, it’s more of a hassle trying to come up with fundraising ideas that work. It’s a bummer because I feel like having car washes helps make our team bond.” Link Crew commissioner senior Jocelyn Chen, however, says, “We won’t be losing any money, but actually [be] saving three hours of each leader’s time on a Saturday. The only negative about this is we lose an event where the leaders can get together, have fun and work on something together.” In order to work around the ban, cheer and Link Crew are using different strategies to fund their usual expenses. Cai says, “Our team and coach had to find other ways to fundraise throughout the year, such as having lunch and dinner fundraisers at Willow Street, Chipotle and Pinkberry.” Meanwhile, Chen says, “In the years past, leaders were required to sell two five dollar car wash tickets. This year, we’re requiring the leaders to pay ten dollars directly, so we won’t be losing money.” Although car washes are prohibited on the Lynbrook campus, they are still allowed off campus. Clubs can continue to host car washes at a venue with proper water reclamation facilities, such as gas stations.