The Lowell March 2012

Today

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fter much anticipation, the Student Body Council will be hosting the Class Clash Spring Rally today from 12:20 to 1:50 p.m. Don’t color outside the lines — class colors are red for seniors, juniors blue, sophomores green and freshmen yellow. Don’t let the other classes out-color yours!

Can’t afford a class shirt? Keep an eye out for SBC officers tossing free Lowell shirts! Fight the good fight by cheering for classic games like Catch the Cardinal. Blow out all that suppressed school spirit today so you won’t miss your second home too much over Spring Break!

What’s What’s

Inside

News

Pages

■ This summer to jumpstart

your career, whether by shoveling dung or slicing peaches for sampling, not at the same time!

Page 12

Backpage

Spotlight

Lowell High School, Cardinal Edition, Vol. 217 No. 3, March 23, 2012, www.thelowell.org

Lowell The

In the news In the news

Priceless pay-it-back

Scouting for fun

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— including English teacher Cathy oncerned school staff Innis and chair of the High School alerted the district to dis- Committee for the union and scicrepancies between teacher ence teacher Katherine Melvin — and district records of student atten- brought attention to the inconsistendance; the district is taking action to cies between the student attendance records for their classes and the fix the problem.

School Loop, a school-to-family attendance shown on their students’ first semeslinking site, ter final reincludes School Loop (has) been port cards. a tool for ome of San Franmarking excused absences “S the teachcisco Unified School as present in all schools e r s t h a t the D i s t r i c t ’s since the district started noticed problem attendance include system. using (it) in 2010.

Cathy InThe district nis, Staci records on School Loop have been marking Carney, Winifred Lo, Jonathan Fong excused absences as present in all and Michelle Winter,” Melvin said.

After each grading period, teachschools since the district started using School Loop in 2010, hence ers receive scholarship reports, only students’ unexcused absences which shows the grades and atare counted in the attendance totals tendance that appeared on the report cards. “I noticed that when on report cards.

At the monthly faculty meeting I compared the scholarship report See ATTENDANCE on Page 5 in early February, several teachers

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CHRIS LEE

Robotics Club members sophomores Justin Lee and Ofri Harlev carry their robot at the regional FIRST Robotics Competition on March 17. The team won the Rookie All-Star award.

Decrease in AP enrollment hurts budget

By Elena Bernick

for students.”

To make up for the deficit, the supplies budget, s a result of a drop in registrations for Advanced Placement exams and re- which includes items such as paper and computduced district funds, the school’s nearly ers, could be dramatically cut, according to SSC chair Tom Chambers. In $12 million budget is facing such a scenario, Ishibashi a deficit of $400,000 for next take the issue to the SSC year, leaving the task of makI’m looking at not will board, and they will vote on ing up the difference to parcutting staff and which areas of the supplies ent and alumni fundraising will suffer cuts. associations. not losing any pro- budget The decrease in the numPrincipal Andrew Ishiber of AP tests to be adminbashi proposed a budget grams.” istered this year accounts plan for the 2012-2013 school year at the March 5 ANDREW ISHIBASHI, for approximately $357,000 School Site Council meeting. principal out of the $400,000 deficit.

The drop in exam registraThe SSC approved Ishibashi’s proposed labor budget, which keeps all tion is the result of a decline in students signing current staff positions. “I’m looking at not cut- up for AP courses, according to AP coordinator ting staff and not losing any programs,” Ishibashi and counselor Ivan Yee. Yee said that this year said. “To me, that is the most important thing students are taking approximately 400 fewer AP

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■ Student advocates for state bill that would lower tuition of public colleges by two-thirds

classes than they did in the 2010-2011 school year. According to Chambers, around 3,500 tests were given last year. This year, the number has dropped to just over 3,100 tests.

Yee speculated that the drop in AP tests being given could be the result of the schools’ efforts to reduce stress on campus. “The school community has been talking about stress,” Yee said. “We think this has contributed to the decrease in the number of AP exams, because students haven’t been signing up for AP’s.”

The remaining $43,000 of the deficit is the result of decreased school funding from the district, which is based on the number of students attending the school this year. Although the number of students has risen this year, the formula (called the Weighted Student Formula) used to determine how much money a school receives per student was changed, leading to less See BUDGET on Page 6

Former class offerings will be reenacted

Array of vitamins

■ Teens enamored by wonders of Europe, from the Netherlands to Germany

Opinion

Page 24

By Kai Matsumoto-Hines

■ Varsity girls’ basketball team slaughters Eagles in AAA finals, get eliminated in state champs

Columns

you! Celebrate Girl Scouts’ centennial with each munch and crunch of your cookie.

SchoolLoop error ‘Robots in the sky’ causes inconsistent attendance records

■ School’s college center encourages applications to littleknown engineering schools ■ Artsy teens enamored by Korean pop culture express themselves through song and dance during auditions

Sports

■ Happy birthday to

GAVIN LI

Senior Frank Hu assists student volunteers handing out nutritious offerings of fruit during the annual Food and Fitness Fair during Mods 9-10 on March 2.

wo previously-offered classes will be reintegrated into the curriculum beginning next year.

The social studies department will be introducing a single-semester Advanced Placement Human Geography class, while the science department is bringing back Geology, although the year-long course will only be offered once every two years.

According to AP Economics teacher James Spellicy, who will be teaching Human Geography next semester, the AP class is designed to create more options for students. “It gives students another choice within the AP parameters of the school curriculum, especially since it’s only one semester,” Spellicy said. “While most students have been exposed to physical geography and history, they will now have the chance to explore population movements, similar to See NEW COURSES on Page 5

2 NEWS

March 23, 2012

NEWSBRIEFS

WASC report supports self-study Members of Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC), an organization that is responsible for accrediting educational institutions, were on campus from March 4-7 and reportedly gave the school a positive evaluation.

At the end of the WASC visit on March 7, WASC members read their evaluation of the school to the administration, teachers and others who chose to attend an optional staff meeting after school. They described Lowell as being a safe, orderly school with academic support and pointed out strengths, including valuing student input, accessible support services and an effective online site for the school to communicate to its community, according to Principal Andrew Ishibashi.

After the meeting, members of the school’s WASC Focus Groups — organized around the self-study topics — felt confident that the school exceeded the WASC expectations. “The meeting after school on Wednesday was relatively positive and they thought our Action Plan goals were appropriate,” WASC coordinator and Social Studies teacher Rebecca Johnson, said. Final results of the WASC evaluation will be released in June 2012.

The process of accreditation begins with a selfstudy conducted by a school’s Focus Groups, which recognize holistic strengths and weaknesses of the school. An Action Plan is then created. WASC evaluates the self-study and then visits to see if the school really knows their strengths and weaknesses, and if their Action Plan is appropriate. Lowell is not at risk of losing accreditation, according to Johnson. The Action Plan has a valid focus: increasing both attention on underperforming students and communication between staff and students. The report suggests that through more frequent use of School Loop and the Lowell High School website, (lhs-sfusd-ca.schoolloop. com), faculty members can provide additional support to underperforming and stressed-out students.

The school had prepped for the arrival of WASC members by replacing torn and used posters and enhancing bulletin board displays.

— KT Kelly

Special Education Prom is held

Parents hold college workshop

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By Campbell Gee and Melinda Leung

n March 15, parent volunteers hosted an engineering college and career workshop targeting juniors.

The event put on by volunteers Brigitte Smyth and Susan Fong Wong took place during Mods 15-17 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the VICCI Center. High demand from students for information about engineering and technical schools prompted an invitation from Lowell counselor Maria Aguirre to plan the presentation.

The two mothers aimed to encourage students to expand their college options by considering establishments other than the typical choices of University of California and California State University schools. “Since UC schools are harder to get into, students can highlight the possibility of lesser known schools,” Smyth said.

Smyth and Fong Wong want to shine a light on small and out-of-state colleges that specialize in engineering, such as Carnegie Mellon University in the Silicon Valley and the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts ­­–– a university with only 346 students and three majors.

According to Smyth, a Nov. 11, 2011 New York Times article titled “Why Science Majors Changed Their Minds (It’s Just So Darn Hard)” provided inspiration for the workshop. The article states that in the United States, 40 percent of college students majoring in science and engineering either fail to earn degrees or decide to switch majors. The article explains how

the nation is scaring off a portion of its science talent due to the expensive tuition and selectiveness of many universities.

The article and many educators are unsure of how to solve this problem, but a Notre Dame’s engineering dean, Peter Kilpatrick, plans to incorporate more design projects and lower the number of students in a lecture to improve the retention rates.

The VICCI Center presentation stressed the importance of finding a school suited for the students’ preferred style of learning. “I previously thought that engineers were people that liked to build things or invent things, such as civil or electrical engineering, but now I know that engineering in fact envelops different fields like sciences that can even be applied to medicine,” sophomore Robin Yee said. “The workshop definitely opened up new schools for me to look at because now I know there are plenty of other schools out there that truly want people to be interested in engineering and really try to nurture you, besides the UCs.” Besides discussing specific examples of these trade schools, Smyth and Fong Wong used vibrant poster boards to give the attendees an overview of the different types of engineering schools, including technical, public and private, to help students consider possible engineering education paths right for them. The presentation included statistical information, comparisons of tuition fees, the pros and cons of different colleges and data such as acceptants’ test scores and grade point averages. A version of this story first appeared on www.thelowell.org

Case closed: Mock Trial dominates

By Kayla Huynh

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he crime was murder! Now it is up to 18 Lowell students to dig out the truth and take the case to court.

On Feb. 23, for the first time in five years, Lowell’s Mock Trial team won the regional Constitutional Rights Foundation Mock Trial Competition, which is sponsored by the Bar Association of San Francisco. There were three preliminary matches before the finals. The team argued fiercely in the final round against the School of the Arts’, and the Cardinals emerged victorious. The team will be heading to Sacramento for the State Competition on March 23-25; they will compete against the winning teams from 32 other counties for a place at Nationals.

In September, each team is presented with an invented court case, along with evidence, including witness statements, case facts, and exhibits that they can use to argue their case.

Then they have until February to prepare for the competition.

According to junior Yelena Gankin, this year’s case revolved around a mysterious murder involving one friend who stood to lose $20 million if his or her (the characters are gender neutral) best friend turned him/her in for plagiarism — then the best friend showed up dead.

To start the process, students audition for the roles of attorney, witness, timekeeper or bailiff. After being accepted, the team is divided into two groups: prosecution and defense.

Although they are technically one team and practice together, they compete in different rounds. “It allows students to work individually and develop their own skills,” Gankin said. The team’s victory was a hard-fought struggle against the defending champions.“I think the pre-trial helped us win,” sophomore Isabel Boutiette, also a reporter for The Lowell, said. “The judge was being very hard on our teammate and was constantly questioning her, but she handled it really well.”

And even though students have individual responsibilities, they still need to collaborate. “I like it because it involves teamwork,” senior Sophia Rosenmoss said. “Every attorney, witness, timekeeper and bailiff brings something special to the team.”

According to Gankin, there are three adult judges, usually attorneys, who score all components on a scale from 1 to 5.

The categories include pre-trial, opening statements, direct examinations, cross-examinations, closing arguments, witness performances, bailiff/timekeeper performance and team participation.

However, certain aspects are weighed more heavily than others. For example, pre-trial gets a score from 1 to 5, but this score is multiplied by three while closing arguments are multiplied by two. For the final competition the system of scoring is the same but there are five judges.

The team meets for two hours every Wednesday at a downtown law firm called Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger where the team receives coaching from actual attorneys. The head coach of the team is Doris Cheng, a lawyer specializing in personal injury who is also a Lowell alumna and current teacher of trial advocacy to judges, attorneys and law students around the country and internationally. “These Lowell students are unquestionably some of the brightest young minds in the country — they are self-motivated, hard-working and intelligent,” Cheng said. “But most importantly, they are honest and kind-hearted. These characteristics are critical to developing a cadre of ethical and zealous professionals who will change the world.”

Being on the Mock Trial team definitely helps those who want to become lawyers. “Our program is based upon the type of advocacy training program that is utilized around the world by trial judges and lawyers,” said Cheng. “The Mock Trial students argue motions and try the case before real judges and legal giants — the successes and failures under these conditions are just like actual trial conditions.”

Mock Trial not only teaches students about law, but also gives them a chance to improve other skills. “I have learned so much about law and public speaking,” Rosenmoss said. “Before I joined the team, I didn’t want to go into law, but now I want to become a lawyer. It has opened many doors for me.”

The Lowell team’s individuality and distinctive style distinguished them from other teams. “Other schools tend to be pretty uniform, but we really try to keep this fun and add little touches that reveal our personalities,” Gankin said.

clubs

Every year, hundreds of Lowellites attend formals such as Winterball and prom, but perhaps you have not heard of another special starry-eyed night.

On March 17, the University of San Francisco’s Best Buddies chapter hosted a formal and invited the participation of local high school chapters; among the attendees was Lowell’s own Best Buddies chapter.

Held from 7 to 10 p.m., there was dancing, food, refreshments — the typical must-haves at dances.

Best Buddies co-president senior Samantha Lew said that thirty chapters were invited to the dance, and that fifteen members from Lowell’s Best Buddies Club attended the ball. However, this high school dance, in some ways so typical with formals and decorations, had one atypical detail — parents were allowed to stay, although they were seated in a separate room to give their children a more realistic high school experience.

Additionally, this dance was completely free. Quesadillas, dips and crackers, fruits, nuts and other foods were generously donated by anonymous funders and Best Buddies International.

Best Buddies vice president senior Michelle Willis emphasized the similarity of the ball to other high school dances. “It was just as much fun and stress-relieving as a high school dance,” she said.

“It was a good chance for all of the members from different chapters to get together and bond with one another.” Lew thought that the dance was two times as fun as your typical formal. “Everyone was very enthusiastic, and willing to break loose and go crazy because of the dance’s nurturing environment,” she said. Best Buddies is an international nonprofit organization that promotes friendship, leadership and activities involving special education students.

According to Lew, volunteering students are paired up for one year with a special education student, spending the time hanging out while providing support and friendship. The club meets every Friday, and aside from this dance, other events include picnics, parties, fundraisers, and more.

— Ashley Louie

Lowell High School

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photo courtesy of doris cheng

Mock Trial prosecution attorneys (from left) sophomore Natalie Kaliss, senior Jeremy Varon, senior Daffany Chan, and senior Emma Olswing prepare for their murder trial during a preliminary round against the School of the Arts Academy on Feb. 21.

CAMPUS

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Musical students prove Lowell’s got talent

By Ying Sham

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bring your own music,” Warren said. “I wasn’t sure if we were less of their talent. By the end of training, all participants are going to learn a combination or freestyle, so I didn’t prepare multilingual, speaking Korean, Chinese, Japanese and English. as much as people auditioning for singing would.” This was Warren’s interest in auditioning actually stemmed from Warren’s first audition for a major label. her mother’s love of Korean dramas. “I started learning more She currently studies dance at Lowell and about the pop culture and food, and once I started exploring participates in Dance Company. the Korean ‘world,’ I guess you could say, I found their pop For his audition, Wong decided to perform style and creativeness really different and appealing,” Warren an a cappella version of ‘Can’t Forget You,’ origi- said. “My inspiration was an appreciation for Korea and to try nally performed by Park Jin Young in something challenging just for fun.” the Korean drama, Dream High. “My To both Wong and Warren, the most appealing aspect of friend showed signing with the record comme the song,” pany is not the wealth and glory.

Wong said. “He My inspiration was an “S.M. sends their artists around thought that it the world during the company’s appreciation for Korea world tours,” Wong said. “I was w o u l d s h ow my range, so I looking forward to beand to try something especially agreed to sing it. ing on the different Korean variety I was pretty nerchallenging just for fun.” shows. Everyone in it seems very vous the whole time. close and they seem to have so I just kept practicing that much fun.” Warren, who has not sophia warren, song over and over again.” left the country since she was six, junior In the middle of his auadds that traveling would dition, Wong met an unexpected bump be an exciting experience. on the road to stardom. “The audition Wong’s interest in the culture has prompted him administrators had actually changed the to study Korean at school. Wong, who is ethnically rules during the audition for singers Chinese, goes above and beyond his class curriculum and said that we could only sing the by teaching himself the language through the means chorus or climax of our song,” Wong of song. “The song I auditioned with took me about a total of said. “That made it about ten times one week to memorize the melody and lyrics,” Wong said. “I harder for me, because singing the look up lyrics that give the pronunciation in English letters, verse would have helped me get the right and then I go from there.” key and show my range.”

Wong, who has had no vocal training outside of the school’s Even though the company is headed in Korea, choir and Birthday Grams, has big plans in the future for his S.M. welcomes people of all ages, nationalities and big voice. But for now, Wong has decided to take his singing genders to audition. They target the younger demographic career one step at a time. “I’m definitely going to do something however, in order to have time to put participants through with singing,” Wong said. “Right now my main focus is just to training. Results will be posted next month; those selected by do as best as I can in school and also learn my music for choir.”

S.M. Entertainment will be signed to an exclusive contract, and And Warren agrees, stating that for now, a career of dance all costs to debut as an entertainer will be sponsored by the will be put on the backburner. “I hope to travel as much as poscompany, according to their website (audition.smtown.com). sible and figure out what I really have a passion for, whether it The winners will have a major lifestyle change — the top Ko- be entertainment or not,” she said. But for now, Warren intends rean talent industries have been known to put potential artists on continuing dance as a hobby throughout high school. through rigorous training before debuting their new stars to Whether or not they make S.M. Entertainment’s top tier, the public, sometimes lasting for up to seven years. Trainees Warren and Wong can’t deny that auditioning was a great step go through vocal, dance, acting and language lessons, regard- in their love for the arts — and FUN!

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or over a decade now, the Korean pop fever has been taking the world of youth by storm. Last month, that storm landed in San Francisco and inflicted a few casualties at Lowell.

On Feb. 26 a handful of students, including juniors Zachary Wong and Sophia Warren, auditioned for a chance to be signed to one of Korea’s top three talent agencies, S.M. Entertainment. “I tried out for a special audition that S.M. does once a year,” Wong said. “It’s called their global audition, and they go around the world looking for talent.”

S.M. Entertainment is a prominent record label and talent agency that specializes in producing Korean pop music. From SHINee to BoA to Super Junior, S.M. Entertainment has produced its fair share of successful Korean idol groups and solo artists.

At its United States headquarters in Los Angeles, S.M. Entertainment holds weekly auditions for aspiring singers, actors, dancers, and even songwriters and models. On Jan. 7, it launched its 2012 S.M. Entertainment Global Auditions to scout for potential stars in Korea, Japan, China, Canada and the United States. “I did an online audition for S.M. once,” Wong said, referring to the company’s open mail auditions where individuals can send videos of themselves performing their talent. “Unfortunately, they almost never come to San Francisco, so this was probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance to audition in person. I could go to their L.A. headquarters for the weekly auditions, but that is probably unlikely for a couple of years.”

Along with an initial emailed application, the contenders were required to fill out forms with more personal information, including height and weight. To speed up the on-site audition process, they were brought in in groups. “About ten of us entered a room and stood on a white line,” Wong said. “Then we each took turns and performed our own skill; dancers danced to ‘Moves Like Jagger’ (by Maroon 5), singers sang a cappellas, and one girl next to me modeled poses.”

Warren auditioned with a freestyle to Maroon 5. “With the dance audition you’re not allowed to rren ia wa f soph

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March 23, 2012

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The Lowell

Seeds of change: innovative classes inspire students

Students reflect on how their Advanced Placement Environmental Science, Ethics of Eating and Health classes have encouraged them to change their lifestyles, altering perspectives and erradicating unhealthy habits.

By Zoe Kaiser

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he usual expectations when you sign up for a class are college credits, homework and more homework.

But some classes have had a further impact, altering student lifestyles.

One example is the new Literature and Philosophy course, Ethics of Eating. Some students joined the class because they were interested in the environmental texts that would be read, some joined because they were already interested in thinking hard about their eating choices, and some were just, “Hey, I like food!” according to English teacher Jennifer Moffitt, who designed and teaches the class.

Introduced this year, Ethics of Eating garnered high levels of student interest — more students signed up than the class could fit.

Moffitt explained she gives assignments with plenty of leeway for student originality, such as a creative writing piece inspired by a visit to a farmers’ market, for which students could choose to write a short story, poetry, song, feature story or personal essay. The class final is a research-based position paper on each student’s personal food philosophy.

Moffitt’s food preferences are eclectic; she said she eats everything, but favors food that is the product of sustainable and ethical farming.

She prefers vegetables to meat, and is beginning to question the ethics of eating seafood.

However, Moffitt does not want her personal food philosophy to determine that of her students. “I don’t want to influence them, I want the stuff they read to influence them,” she said.

The required reading for the class includes Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver, My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki, The Omnivore’s Dilemna by Michael Pollan, and Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. Moffitt feels the last book made a particularly strong impression

on her class. bined with no cooking experience leads them A number of students reported that the to resort to cheap, calorie-packed fast food. class had some influence on their dietary Another class that has made its own mark lifestyle. Senior Megan Hui stated in an email on student behavior is Health, a course reon Feb. 29, “After reading the book Eating quired for graduation that endeavors to teach Animals, I decided I’d become vegetarian. In life balance — managing responsibilities and factory farms, animals are … tortured in mul- physical, social and emotional health, accordtiple horrible ways. I always thought about go- ing to teacher Lisa Cole. She tries to create an ing vegetarian, but never was able to. I’m glad open environment in the classroom by stressthat I took this class because it opened my eyes ing confidentiality and acceptance. “I make it and helped me do what I always wanted to do.” clear respect goes for everybody,” Cole said.

Students may be concerned about makAccording to Cole, the importance of Health ing dramatic changes is to provide an to their eating habe nv i ron m e nt its, but the changes do I’m glad I took this class where students not need to be drascan consider because it opened my eyes the class lessons tic to have a positive environmental effect, then take and helped me do what I and according to Moffitt. steps towards a Minor choices, such healthier lifealways wanted to do.” as eating at restaurants style. “It’s one that provide informamegan hui, thing to have tion about the sources senior i n f or m at i on , of their meat or spendit’s another to ing a little more on buying pasteurized eggs, implement it,” she said. “What they learn might add up. Avoiding meat — if only for one day not apply now, but it will later.”

— can have a huge impact on meat industries Many of her students have returned after and fads like “Meatless Mondays” are gaining completing the class to speak with her, often support. asking about health resources within the comWhen students have made changes, it has munity. “We still talk about what I learned in often involved the meat vs. vegetable choice. health last semester,” sophomore Courtney “This class has made me go vegan,” senior Chriss Price, who is Ms. Cole’s teacher assisShannon Lehman said via email on Feb. 28. “I tant, said via email on March 9. “My knowledge cheat sometimes, but the class has given me that I gained from the topics in Health has so much information that if I didn’t change encouraged me to analyze situations and I can my eating habits I would just feel guilty all always talk to Ms. Cole with complete confithe time.” dence if I have a problem; she’s really helpful.”

As students are not in complete control of Health is a graduation requirement, and the food they eat at home, changes in their diet some students did not have high expectations can be difficult, but gaining an early awareness beyond receiving the necessary credit, but then of healthy eating is crucial, according to Mof- found the topic pertinent. “I actually found fitt. She also pointed out that the class really enjoyable,” sophomore Viviane when students leave for col- Nguyen said. “I learned how to keep myself safe lege, a lack of awareness com- and how to keep myself healthy. I learned most

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of all it’s important to keep a balance in life and not focus too much on one area.”

“Health class has influenced many of my decisions when it comes to drugs, alcohol, and sex,” Chriss-Price stated. “I learned about the seriousness of drugs and how bad they are; at our age it can really affect our brain development. Learning about depression impacted me too, I do not suffer from depression, but I learned what I can do to help out friends if they are.”

Other students feel that the class is not as useful in day-to-day high school life as in preparation for the challenge to come. “I haven’t much use for the knowledge gained,” sophomore Laura Jue said. “But I do see how it will help me in the future.”

Hoping to further the trend toward healthier lifestyles, the class will continue to educate.

“That’s why I’m here,” Cole said. “For the students.”

AP Environmental Science is a course that also has done its part — opening student’s eyes to the health of the natural world. “It made me aware of the harmful things we do to the planet,” junior Raisa Galustyan said.

Some students reacted to information on conserving waste by making small changes in their daily routine. “Before I didn’t know that keeping a charger plugged in takes energy,” junior Hazel Bowen said. “Now I monitor my energy output. For example, once we had to look at the Pacific Gas and Electric Company bill for an assignment. That made me curious and now I check it often. It wasn’t so much the books but Ms. Christensen’s attitude that affected me.”

But the messages of this class can hit close to home. “AP Environmental Science taught me the dangers of smoking in the unit on Air Pollutants,” senior Freda Hawver-Pachter said.

“We learned about indoor and outdoor pollutants and how they get from the environment to our bodies. So, now I want my dad to quit.”

4 NEWS

Lowell High School

March 23, 2012

Baseball team pitches Indian TV stars a fast ball Seniors on the school’s baseball team guest-starred on India’s popular reality TV show The Roadies, teaching contestants the basics of America’s favorite pastime.

By Campbell Gee

Max Barnes and pitcher Nicholas Tam acour varsity baseball players used companied by physical education teacher and their athletic prowess to deliver a hard- varsity baseball coach John Donohue, arrived hitting performance on a popular Indian at Balboa Park’s Sunberg baseball diamond, reality TV show in February. Strapping on on the chilly morning of Saturday Feb. 18 to their mitts and manning the bases, the athletes teach pitching, hitting and fielding skills to prepared to teach contestants from The Roadies their international visitors.

Though none of the ten Roadies contenders the basics of playing baseball.

The Roadies is a competitive, cash-prize had played much of America’s favorite pastelevision program airing on MTV (Music time before, many were familiar with cricket, Television) India currently in its ninth season. a similar sport that is popular in India and The show’s ten contestants from India embark other former British colonies. Meanwhile, the on a road trip within a given country — this four teammates were pleased that they need n o t e n c o u nt e r year the United States any complications — stopping along the I’ve never been around from a language way to partake in vari“Surprisous challenges with the so many cameras before, barrier. ingly the Indians elimination of one contestant at the end of evso it was interesting and did speak English, which made it easery episode. The 5 mileven crazier knowing ier for the four of lion viewers of MTV ” Tam said. “In Roadies 9: Everything that these guys were from us, addition we gave or Nothing — which premiered on Jan. 7 — halfway across the world.” them visual support by demonfollow the show’s parNICHOLAS TAM, strating little basic ticipants as they travel senior pitcher techniques such as the West Coast riding utilizing your legs Hero Karizma motor bikes. As Hero MotoCorp is one The Roadies’ and butt to help you maximize the velocity sponsors, the Karizma bikes have been a staple on your pitch.”

After an intense practice session, The on the show since the beginning, and are one of the snazzy prizes participants compete to win. Roadies’ newly discovered athletic abilities The competitors, whose recent assignments were put to the test as they found themselves have included dirt biking in Death Valley and pitching and batting against some of Lowell’s break dancing in Nevada, can now add know- star baseball players.

The Roadies cast broke up into three groups ing how to play baseball to their growing list and were judged on their abilities to hit off of of newly-acquired skills.

Seniors first baseman Max Lewin, second Tams’ pitches, pitch to Barnes at bat and act as baseman Nicholas Magyari, third baseman catcher. According to Donohue, the Roadies

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Across

1 Lost blood 5 Schmidt class 8 Show often starring Alec Baldwin 11 ___ horse to water 12 ___ Carter IV 13 The “w” of btw 14 2007 horror film 15 Gmail alternative 16 Google’s was $1.67 bil.

17 “Rain Man” (1988) actor 20 Sony, at the NYSE 21 Type of light 22 Gene carrier 25 Yell (out) 27 “The Persistence of Memory” painter 30 “Out of Sight” (1998) actress/pop star 34 SF art school 35 Spot 36 Alphabetical first name 37 Michael Cera role in “Superbad”

40 ___ Tour 42 “Fast Five” (2011) actor 48 Type of poison 49 ___ Jima 50 ___ lam (at large) 51 Eisenhower nickname 52 Civil Rights leader, for short 53 Actor Neeson and others 54 ___ se (by and in itself) 55 Consider 56 Lion homes

Down

1 Sweetheart 2 Rules 3 Reworks 4 Polymath Leonardo 5 Jazz locale 6 “Darn!”

7 ___ dozen 8 Go to the pool, say 9 Wine country 10 City on the Rhone

were able to win money each time they successfully hit a ball — including fouls — off of Tam’s pitches, although he was unsure of the amount of the cash prize. “It was all the components of baseball, but we didn’t play an actual game,” Tam said.

The competitors’ pitching speeds were compared to the speed of Tam’s — which according to Donohue usually averages about 65 to 75 miles per hour. And though the reality show contenders put up a good fight against the Lowell players, none of them found victory.

“If the Indian players pitched faster than that, then their team was safe,” Lewin said. “One of the contestants did pretty well as pitcher, but other than that they were not very good at baseball. I don’t think any of them actually won any money.”

But the contestants were not the only ones out of their element. “At first we were so starstruck,” Barnes said.

The film crew and production equipment added a twist to the experience. “I’ve never been around so many cameras before, so it was interesting and even crazier knowing that these guys were from halfway across the world,” Tam said. “The fact that they came to us and gave us an opportunity to work and film with them was quite extraordinary.”

Though most Americans will not be able to watch The Roadies on the big screen — the show is exclusive to MTV India’s network and website (www.mtv.in.com) — the four seniors eagerly await a recording of their TV appearance, which the show’s producers plan to mail them. “They’re going to send us a DVD of the episode we were in when it airs in about two months, so it’s pretty exciting,” Lewin said.

The Roadies, which follows a format similar

to American television shows like The Amazing Race, has been a hit among Indian youth since it first aired in 2003. The program pits competitors against each other as they perform mentally and physically daunting tasks, categorized into “money tasks,” “immunity tasks,” “Karizma tasks” and “advantage tasks,” according to MTV India’s website. During money tasks — such as playing baseball — the reality stars can earn anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000 in U.S. currency. These prize sums accumulate and only the last Roadie standing can keep the cash he or she won throughout the season. Winning “immunity tasks” prevents contestants from being voted out by other contenders at the end of that episode. A “Karizma task” allows the reality show cast to win the $1,500 to $3,000 Hero Karizma bikes while the “advantage tasks” give cast members an unexpected edge, such as gaining multiple votes during eliminations.

Although Donohue and the varsity baseball team did not walk away with thousands of dollars in cash prizes, they were awarded $750 collectively from the producers of The Roadies.

The money will go to the San Francisco Youth Sports Travel Fund, which financially supports Lowell’s baseball team and other school teams throughout the city. “Hopefully the money will go back to us and help pay for a varsity trip,” Donohue said. “We’re looking to go to Arizona for a three-game tournament in late March.”

Along with the money, Lewin, Magyari, Tam, Barnes and Donohue earned a complimentary meal and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “We were there for almost a good six hours,” Barnes said. “But they bought us free Indian food which made it all worth it.”

A version of this story first appeared on www.thelowell.org

11 ‘60s Acid 18 Type of toy gun 19 Common dog name 22 Music mixers, for short 23 “The Matrix” (1999) character 24 Termite terminator 26 “Sure” 28 Reason for a tennis delay 29 Tokyo peninsula 31 ___ blue 32 The result of falling behind, as in payments 33 Ballerina pose 38 Manga alternative 39 ___ weds 41 Photographer Leibovitz 42 Faucet problem 43 Boat trailer?

44 Gag 45 Randy’s son, in “South Park” 46 Resistance units 47 “Super Mario Bros.” console

Crossword courtesy of junior Francesco Trogu. (See “Wordsmith crafts clever puzzles,” The Lowell, Feb. 2012). For answers, please visit thelowell.org.

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March 23, 2012

The Lowell

NEWS

New version of Geology enrollment School Loop will fix ensures class offering attendance errors next school year From NEW COURSES on Page 1 those in APES, as well as aspects of cultural history, including the development of world religions.”

Although AP Human Geography will be a one-semester course, it will be offered in both the fall and the spring, according to Spellicy.

“Review sessions will be offered in late April for students enrolled in the fall semester as well as for current students,” Spellicy said. “This class is an experiment to see if we can make these type of classes work.”

The course was previously offered in 2010 as an eight-week set of Tuesday and Thursday afterschool cram sessions. “The pass rate for the experimental afterschool program was around 50 percent,” Spellicy said. “If we offered a real class with more time to work on the free response questions that weren’t covered in that program, the pass rate will probably rise.”

Initially available for sign-ups in the fall of 2009, the Geology course was intended to replace Earth Science, which failed to obtain approval as a University of California A-G laboratory science course. At that time, “Earth Science was mainly populated by freshmen and seniors coming from the Biology and Physiology classes that didn’t have space for them,” said physics teacher Scott Dickerman, who is slated to teach Geology next fall.

However, Geology was canceled for the following semester due to a lack of enrollment — only 19 students initially signed up for Geology — and a need to assign teachers to compensate for overenrolled classes in Biology and Physics, according to Dickerman.

The Geology course is both an expansion of subject offerings beyond biology, chemistry and physics in the science department and an inter-

est of Dickerman’s. “This is my personal project, something I really want to do,” Dickerman said, adding that the science department sees adding Geology as a chance to expand the science department’s offerings. “For the sake of a broad science education, we would like to offer students more than just variations on the same three subjects.”

The first three marking periods in the first semester will cover igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks respectively, according to Dickerman. The second semester will introduce landforms and the use of natural resources, as well as integrate plate tectonics and the history of California into the curriculum.

Students have expressed their interest for the alternative science course. “The first science I ever learned in middle school was earth science,” junior Yuna Choe, who is planning on enrolling in Geology next semester, said. “Ever since, I wanted to learn about the history of the earth and how it was formed. It would also be helpful to be exposed to the many different sciences offered here.”

The science department now plans to offer Geology every other year to ensure adequate enrollment. “Hopefully, there will be enough students in two successive graduating classes who would want to sign up to make it work on this schedule,” Dickerman said.

During the 2009 and 2010 course requests, the sign-up count — less than one class allotment of students — was “deemed insufficient” due to budget and staffing limitations, according to Dickerman.

However, the Geology class will now have enough students to make it to the master schedule in the fall. According to Dickerman, 27 students have signed up for the course as of March 15.

A version of this story first appeared on www.thelowell.org

From ATTENDANCE on Page 1 to my grade book, there was a difference between the number of absences shown,” Innis said.

The teachers brought up the issue at the staff meeting on Feb. 1, according to assistant principal of curriculum Holly Giles. “Ms. Melvin, along with assistant principal of student support services Michael Yi is bringing the problem to district members on behalf of Lowell,” Giles said.

The educational codes state that a teacher’s legal attendance records cannot be changed. “If a student were to be accused of a crime outside of school, teachers could prove that the student was present or absent at school by looking in their grade book,” Melvin said. “If the student’s report cards say something different than the teacher’s records, it confuses the whole investigation.”

This discrepancy could have become a stumbling block to communication between teachers and parents, “If we have a student who is absent a lot, it becomes a problem because it doesn’t show up on their report cards,” Innis said.

Teachers are concerned as excused absences, whether legitimate or not, still mean missed lessons, and parents need to be alerted. “I had a student that had five excused absences, but I found out that she was writing her own excuse notes for re-admits,” Innis said. “I gave her a U for citizenship, but because all of the absences had been excused, none of them showed up on her report card.”

The program the school uses, called Student Information System (SIS) had

the attendance reported correctly, but School Loop recorded the attendance incorrectly.

“School Loop takes the attendance records from SIS, the program used by counselors to see your grades and change your schedule,” science teacher and School Loop liaison Jonathan Fong said. “When School Loop took the attendance from SIS, they marked excused absences as present for report cards only.”

In the past, district records would reflect teacher records; however, when the School Loop system was set up, it handled the data differently. “We used to keep separate records for excused absences and unexcused absences, which made seeing the total number of absences more clear,” Innis said.

“The problem first started when in 2010 the school district adopted the School Loop program.” As School Loop is used district-wide, Innis expressed the belief that the issue impacted all the schools.

The district has recognized the source of the error and is taking action to fix the problem. “The district is changing the program in part because the Lowell teachers brought it to their attention, in part because they recognize that the problem needs solving,” Melvin said.

Adam Zabarte, who works for the district’s Information of Technology department, is rewriting the School Loop program, according to Melvin.

She stated that he will release the new program shortly.

A version of this story first appeared on www.thelowell.org

Star violinist wins big at city soloist competition

By Audrey Yu

H

daniel g

reen

ave you ever had to say words, “Sorry guys, I can’t hang out with you this weekend. I have to practice.”

Violinist junior Rebecca Jacobson knows this phrase all too well; but now she is reaping the rewards. On Feb. 4, Jacobson won second place in the San Francisco State University Youth Soloist Competition, along with partial scholarship to San Francisco State University.

Jacobson, who has been playing the violin for 11 years, competed against talented high school musicians from San Francisco ranging from juniors to seniors. To get an official audition in the competition Jacobson had to pay a fee of $15 and submit a recording of her playing a piece that has a wind band or orchestra accompaniment. “I decided to play Max Bruch’s Concerto No. 1 because I’ve been practicing it for a long time — even before I found out about the competition,” Jacobson said. “It was written in a romantic era so it is a

romantic song. It starts off big, bold and triumphant and then it ends pretty and sweet.”

Once qualified, she had to try-out. On the day of the audition Jacobson felt the pre-audition jitters. “I was definitely nervous before the performance,” Jacobson said. “Sometimes, I try to put myself in the zone and I don’t talk to anyone for a while. But after I play, I just feel so relieved, especially after this particular performance.”

Auditions were held at San Francisco State University’s music room, “I performed both Bruch’s Concerto No. 1 again, as well as Johann Sebastian Bach’s Sonata No. 1: The First Movement,” Jacobson said. “I was at San Francisco State in this dumpy room, but with really good acoustics which made me less nervous.”

After playing, Jacobson went on with her regular violin practices and daily school work, but later she was pleasantly surprised by a phone call from SF State. “After I sent in my tape, I didn’t think I would get a call back so I stopped practicing the piece,” Jacobson said. “But once I received the email from SF State saying I qualified, I had to prepare the piece in less than a week!”

Jacobson was first exposed to music by her friend when she was younger. “I saw my friend playing and so I started. He quit a while ago, but I’m still playing!” Jacobson did not always get nervous. “When I was little, I was fearless,” she said. “I never really cared what people thought.”

However, gradually Jacobson became more self-conscious during her performances. “My teacher told m y p a r - ents that once they hit the ages of nine to ten, the students st ar t to notice the audience,” Jacobson said.

Additionally at the age of six, Jacobson played the wrong piece at a recital. “I practiced with my dad for so long but I don’t know what got over me,” she said. “I was just so nervous and played Bach’s No. 2 instead of 1. Both pieces started off at the same note. I was so mortified!”

Despite the angst of stage performance, Jacobson is learning to handle it. “I have really bad stage fright when I’m

5

on an elevated stage. I tend to have memory slips and stuff, but I’m working on my performance right now,” Jacobson said.

“Both my parents are performers; my mom is an actress and my dad is a musician. They both help me improve my performance.

My mom especially always tries to reassure me.”

Jacobson heard about the competition through her orchestra teacher and music director Michelle Winter. “I thought I would give it a shot because extra performing and auditioning is good experience,” she said. “I’ve entered into other competitions before, like the Prometheus Concerto Competition and Fremont Competition, although I never placed in any until now.”

Using her skills gained with the orchestra for song and background music, Jacobson has performed in the school’s musicals and plays such as “As You Like It,” “Servant of Two Masters” and “Romeo and Juliet.” Jacobson especially enjoyed her first Lowell production. “My favorite would have to be ‘As You Like It.’ I performed in a group called ‘The Moon Shine River Band,’” Jacobson said. “If I were to decide which musical would be performed next year, I would totally suggest Joseph Stein’s ‘Fiddler on the Roof.’ It’s my dream. I love theater and it would be awesome to accompany the drama department.”

Since the age of five, Jacobson has been playing the violin and has many musical inspirations such a violinists Hillary Hahn and Sarah Chang. “They are such an inspiration to me because even if they are performing individually, their talents and instruments stand out so much — they can fill the whole room.” Jacobson also admired their phrasing. “Phrasing is a form of expression and conveys a story through music. Hahn and Chang have great techniques and channel their expressions so well.”

Because of her commitment to the violin, Jacobson had to sacrifice some of her social life as well. “I missed a birthday party last year and a bunch of other social events but if I miss a day of training, it would not be great.”

Jacobson, who has attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for five years, spends her time constantly playing. “She practices three hours a day,” fellow violinist and classmate junior Sophie Goldman said. “It’s crazy. She is incredibly hardworking, skilled and dedicated.”

Goldman introduced Jacobson to chamber music at the Conservatory. “We were in the same chamber trio, which consists of a piano, a violin and a cello player,” Goldman said.

“Since we were in the same group, it was really hard finding a piece that had two violin parts but it was still fun working with Rebecca.”

A version of this story first appeared on www.thelowell.org

6 NEWS

March 23, 2012

Lowell High School

Environmental club wins SF Bay-themed short film contest, encourages restoration

Six members of the Protect the Bay club won first place in the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival’s first annual student film competition and received the award on March 10

By Michelle Hwang

was only going to be $100 or less! We want hat does the bay mean to spend the money on our end-of-the-year to you?” Members of the kayaking trip, club t-shirts and another film Protect the Bay club posed project next year.”

The film’s title, “The Mermaid – A Story of this question to five people during their fiveminute film about the San Francisco Bay, Restoration,” reflected the bay’s mermaid-like focusing on the delicacy of its ecosystem and form, according to Sean Fitzhoward. “We use the importance of taking action to preserve it. time-lapse animation, poetry, live-action film In February, the club placed first in the SF and interviews to share the beauty of the bay Ocean Film Festival’s student film competition. with the audience, and also to emphasize the The film carried the message that the bay can importance of protecting it,” she said.

The students entering the contest were be revitalized with care and effort. The winning entry was a collaborative effort ­between juniors required to submit a thirty-second to fiveAshoka Alvarez, Nadia Kozyr, Vannessa Oli- minute ocean-themed film. Potential subtopics vares, Louise Prescott and twins Maeve and included marine environments, wildlife sciSean FitzHoward. “I was so happy and excited ence, cultures, or sports, according to the SF to know we won,” Maeve FitzHoward said. Ocean Film Festival’s website (www.oceanfilmfest.org). This is “Besides the first year just knowWe use time-lapse animation, for this coming that we which were able to poetry, live-action film and petition, welcomed subput this film together on interviews to share the beauty missions from elementary our own, of the bay with the audience. through high it was also students, amazing it and also to emphasize the im- school starting from was awardNov. 13, 2011. worthy. All portance of protecting it.”

“L ast March our hard we went to the work had SEAN FITZHOWARD, film festival as a paid off; we junior club field trip, so were going when we heard to be recognized not only for our film, but also for the that they were having a student contest, we knew we had to enter!” Sean FitzHoward said. work we do in Protect the Bay Club.”

On March 10, 2012 the club attended the “Also, we thought it would be a great way to awards ceremony at Pier 39, which was hosted document what we have been doing as a club by the SF Ocean Film Festival. They watched for the past two years.”

The film included animation that faded into the screening of their movie for the Saturday a picture of the Bay, taken at Pier 94, a wetland night festival program along with three others, according to Sean FitzHoward. “We were site the club does restoration work at. “We awarded $1,000 for the Saturday night festival wanted to combine elements of documentary program –– a huge surprise and a thrill for with artistic representations of the Bay,” Maeve us!” Sean FitzHoward said. “We thought it FitzHoward said. “The opening scene shows

“W

“

W

Photo courtesy of sean fitzhoward

Juniors Ashoka Alvarez, Nadia Kozyr, Vannessa Olivares, Louise Prescott, Maeve Fitzhoward and Sean Fitzhoward receive their first place award of $1,000 on March 10 at Pier 39.

the blue bay in the distance, past all of the gray buildings of San Francisco. We thought this would be a good way to open, to show that although the bay can be overshadowed by the city, it’s still there.”

Two student-written poems; “As I Walk” by Kozyr and “I am” by Sean FitzHoward, were recited by the writers as background audio to the slides. “I focused on trying to spread a message that people should not trash the bay.

They should help plant plants and get rid of all the plastic because it’s a home for many endangered species,” Kozyr said.

The amateur filmmakers used their iPhones to record and iMovie to edit the film. Due to limited technology, there were complications with compiling the footage. Additionally, the group faced time constraints. “We had a 30-minute clip that we filmed on an iPhone, and it was too large to upload to a computer,”

Sean FitzHoward said. “Eventually we were able to condense the 30 minute clip into a 40-second time lapse of our drawing.”

Biology and Advanced Placement Environmental Science teacher and Protect the Bay sponsor Catherine Christensen expressed joy for the club. “I’m proud of them for creating the film, producing the film and winning an award for their film,” she said. “They had to express their knowledge of the bay in a creative and interesting way.”

Alvarez liked the numerous opinions she heard about the bay when she interviewed people. “Since this is the first time we had worked on a project like this, I didn’t really know what would happen,” she said. “I didn’t want to have really high hopes, just in case we didn’t win. I feel like this really shows what our club can accomplish.”

A version of this story first appeared on www.thelowell.org

PTSA and LAA SBC hosts Social Awareness Week, highlights trafficking may cover $400K deficit D

By Daffany Chan

From BUDGET on Page 1 money for districts and schools from the state for 2012-2013.

To make up the deficit, Ishibashi plans to ask the Lowell Alumni Association and the Parent Teacher Student Association to split the cost.

At its March 7 meeting, the PTSA voted to contribute $200,000. The LAA has yet to agree to cover the rest of the deficit, but the association will vote on the issue at their meeting in late April.

The school is also at risk of losing an additional $100,000, not included in the projected deficit, due to the increase in the AP fee for low-income students qualifying for a partial fee-waiver.

For their first, second and third AP exams, students receiving the waiver will have to pay $15 per test, instead of the original $5. After their third AP exam, students will be required to pay $53 per test.

Almost a third of the students at the school who signed up for an AP exam qualify for the fee waiver, and approximately 160 of those students are taking more than three AP’s.

As a result of the fee increase, many, if not most, of these students could opt out of taking the test instead of paying the higher fees. Since the school receives the equivalent of $715 in funding for each exam taken, the losses could add up to over $100,000.

To prevent such a situation, the LAA voted to use $6,000 to cover the costs of AP tests for students qualifying for a fee waiver and taking more than three AP tests. The PTSA has also agreed to set aside additional funds for students who will be affected by the fee increase.

A version of this story first appeared on www.thelowell.org

o you know who made your new pair of shoes, or farmed the cocoa beans used to make your last chocolate bar? They could have been produced by modern day slaves.

The Student Body Council held its annual Social Awareness Week from Feb. 27 to March 2 on the theme of human trafficking.

SBC’s week of t-shirt sales and informative posters culminated in a presentation by Ethan Batstone, the campaign coordinator for Not For Sale. The Not For Sale organization aims to increase awareness of modern-day slavery.

Batstone spoke during Mods 6-7 and 14-15 in the Carol Channing Theatre, focusing specifically on child labor in the chocolate and cotton industries.

Forced labor in the chocolate industry occurs frequently on chocolate farms in the Ivory Coast, where children often have workdays up to 12 hours long without pay, according to Not for Sale. Because of boycotts in Europe, the European chocolate industry has shifted toward ensuring that imported cocoa is from slavery-free plantations in order to meet the demands of consumers. Batstone called for action from American consumers and wants to see American companies join the boycott.

Batstone compared modern day abolitionism with green technology, citing the once uncommon movement that is now mainstream. He hopes that combatting human trafficking will one day be the status quo.

Most trafficked victims return to slavery because they are unable to acclimate into society. Batstone spoke about a development project they conducted in Thailand where they put survivors of human trafficking back to work by forming large farms and contracting European chain stores to purchase produce from them.

Not for Sale also provides an application for smartphones called Free2Work, which provides ratings for most major companies, such as Hanes and Timberland, which both

received A- grades in terms of labor trafficking. Free2Work also runs a blog that regularly updates on the global slave trade and supply chains.

“The presentation changed the way I think about how brands value labor rights,” senior Calvin Hu said. “I was surprised to see that large companies like Nike received a grade of F — not involved with fair labor practices.”

SBC posted flyers and posters to highlight various forms of trafficking, such as sex trafficking, child labor, debt bondage, and indentured servitude.

According to Free the Slaves (www.freetheslaves.net), an organization that conducts research about modern day slavery, there are currently a record 27 million slaves globally.

“Our goal was to help people realize that there are more slaves now than in anytime in history,” said SBC Community Liason senior Michelle Chan, who organized the event. “We wanted to inform others that human trafficking is not contained in countries far away but actually exists in the US and even in San Francisco.”

Human trafficking occurs through prostitution in San Francisco, where minors are often forced into the industry.

According to the Advocates For Human Rights, 78 percent of prostitutes had their first experience in sex trafficking as a juvenile.

SBC members sold “Free Them” t-shirts for $5 and stickers for 25 cents throughout the week. “I bought a t-shirt so that I could do my part in bringing awareness of human trafficking,” senior Jasmyne Pierson said. Through these sales, SBC raised over $750 for the Polaris Project, a non-profit organization shedding light on human trafficking through media campaigns and providing social services to victims. This direct aid to victims encouraged SBC to make the Polaris Project its beneficiary, according to SBC President Michelle Willis.

SBC hopes to expand its campaign and is in the process of creating a Public Service announcement using photos taken throughout the week of students holding “We can free them” signs.

A version of this story first appeared on www.thelowell.org

The Lowell

March 23, 2012

NEWS

New fitness test standards cause increase in retakes

D

By Melinda Leung and Easter Polar ue to heightened standards for the state’s physical fitness test — a requirement for all students — many sophomores who originally passed the test last semester had to retake it.

California changed the passing requirements for the one-mile run and the Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement — both assessments within the FITNESSGRAM test — in response to rising childhood obesity rates, according to physical education department head and teacher Sascha TaylorRay. “Being healthy is really important,” Taylor-Ray said. “The fitness test, like other standardized tests, is useful, because it is a benchmark. It gives students an idea of how well they are performing in physical education.” Although passing the fitness test is not a graduation requirement, students are required to take physical education classes until they pass the test.

The FITNESSGRAM consists of six subtests: mile run, push-ups, curl-ups, BMI, trunk lift, and sit and reach. According to the state law Senate Bill 601, students in California must pass five out of the six physical fitness tests. Previously, the criteria for passing the mile run was adjusted for a student’s gender and age group; as students got older, they were awarded less and less time to complete the mile, with boys being given less time than girls. However, the Cooper Institute, the organization that sets the standards for the FITNESSGRAM physical education test, discovered that there was a relationship between BMI, a measure of body fat based on height and weight, and aerobic capacity, the maximum amount of oxygen a body can use in exercise, according to the California Department of Education website (www.cde. ca.gov), thus prompting a change in how the mile run’s passing rates will be determined.

Some sophomores feel that the changes are unfair and that the new measurement should not affect the class of 2014. “Last year, I passed the test, only failing the BMI section of the test,” sophomore Stephanie Wong said.

“I am angry because the BMI is connected to the mile; the higher the BMI, the faster you must run the mile. I have to retake both the BMI and the mile run sections in order to pass the PE fitness test.”

Rather than just looking at the running time, the mile run will now be measured in Volume Oxygen Maximum (VO₂ Max), which “reflects the maximum rate that oxygen can be taken up and utilized by the body during exercise,” according to the CDE, effectively measuring the body’s ability to provide energy to the muscles. VO₂ Max is determined by your height, weight and mile time and can be computed using an equation: VO₂ Max equals (.21 x age x gender: 1 for males and 0 for females) – (.84 x BMI) – (8.41 x mile time) + (.34 x mile time x mile time) + 108.94, according to the CDE. Higher numbers reflect a more physically fit body.

The variation in gender criteria is done for physical reasons and had been in place for the mile run also. In this case, figures for VO₂ Max typically increase for boys as they get older since they gain more muscle, and decrease for girls as they get older since they gain more fat. The healthy fitness zones for a girl, depending on her age, is around 38.539.7 while for a boy, it is around 41.1- 44.3.

By pinpointing students with high BMI and low VO₂ Max, the new standards help identify those at risk for diseases related to physical inactivity such as metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors including high fasting glucose, large waist circumference, high triglycerides, low-high density lipoprotein cholesterol and high blood pressure. The information could be used determine current or future health risks like a stroke, type 2 diabetes or coronary artery disease, according to the CDE. Calculating a student’s number for the VO₂ Max is based on a combination of the BMI and mile run. As the BMI section of the fitness test has tightened its range, last year’s highest allowable passing BMI of 27.8 has been lowered to 25.1. For example, for a 15-year-old female to pass last year’s fitness test, her BMI needed to range between 25-16. Now, to pass the test, the student’s BMI must range between 23.5-16.4. To pass the one-mile run before, all girls of the same age had one passing time.

Now, each passing rate for the mile run is individualized, depending on the individual’s BMI. An average 15-year-old female should achieve at least a VO₂ Max of at least 39.1 or more to pass after the mile run. For a 15-yearold male, the VO₂ Max must be at least 43.6

7

Gavin Li

PE teacher Michael Prutz and freshman Seric Kaewkan watch as students perform curl-ups for one of six sections of the state-required physical fitness test, FITNESSGRAM.

and the BMI should range between 22.9-16.6.

To ensure that as many students as possible can pass, a BMI calculator and a VO₂ Max calculator was posted on School Loop under the Physical Education department page. To use the VO₂ Max calculator, the students must input their BMI and their mile time into the program and the VO₂ Max will be computed.

Students can play around with the calculator, imputing different mile times until they arrive at the mile time they need to pass the test. This allows students to target a running speed and better prepare for the test. “We are working with freshmen and informing them about the requirements,” Taylor-Ray said.

“Also, freshmen teachers have been counseling sophomores as well, informing them of how the VO₂ Max works.”

Although some sophomores are unhappy with the change forcing a retake, many freshmen are not as concerned about the new passing requirement since they had not yet been tested in high school. “It’s just like any other test — good because it allows students to know if they are physically fit.” freshman Megan Cheung said. “My teacher had our class practice for the past few weeks. We ran the mile several times and we all know the standards to pass the test.”

The school has been administering the fitness test since March 1. In preparation for the test, many students have been actively preparing to reach the necessary fitness. “My teacher has been helpful and gave us tips on how to practice and advice to pass the tests,” Wong said.

8 ADVERTISEMENT

March 23, 2012

Lowell High School

The Lowell

March 23, 2012

NEWS

9

Got talent?

All photos contributed by Huimin Zhang

Clockwise from top: (Top) Sophomore Yu Ling Wu keeps the crowd laughing. (Right) Senior Nick Alter does a flip.

(Bottom right) Junior Kimberly Verzano and freshman Arina Romanova perform a dance routine. (Bottom left) Senior Kendrik Kwok dances to a Britney Spears medley.

(Left) Senior Tom Ebergen rocks out on bass.

10 NEWS

March 23, 2012

Lowell High School

New marquee will keep students The perfect fit in the loop with a splash of color

By Michelle Hwang

A

student contest is being held to design a new school name panel above the incoming new LED marquee for the school.

The Parent Teacher Student Association hosted a contest because there was a need for someone to update the design of the school name panel that is above the activities announcement, according to assistant principal of administration Ellen Reller. “I think the PTSA wanted an LED for some time,” Reller said. “The PTSA is really good at looking at our needs.”

A LED (Light Emitting Diode) displays information and messages electronically using lights to form letters and figures. According to Reller, the letters on the marquee will be able to be changed through a wireless connection with a computer in the office.

The current marquee is the tall sign in the front of the school with interchangeable letters used to announce current activities. The school’s current marquee is outdated, according to Lewin. SBC changes the letters manually at a minimum of every two months, depending on activities, according to SBC supervisor and choir teacher, Jason Chan. “We need a new marquee with LED so that we can instantaneously update activities,” Lewin stated in an email on Feb. 28.

How many people does it take to change an oldstyle marquee? Four, according to Reller: two people to hold the ladder, one person to climb up and change the letters, and one person to find and hand up needed letters. “There is also an issue of convenience and safety because no one will have to drag a ladder out to change the current marquee and the marquee can be changed immediately to reflect current events,” Lewin said in an email on March 4. “Safety in that anyone who climbs a ladder is always at some sort of risk.”

The LED display will be placed underneath the school name panel replacing the interchangeable letters. “We will turn it off at night so it won’t bother the neighbors,” Reller said.

The PTSA hosted a contest so students can offer

their input in the redesign; the deadline was March 2. “A contest makes things more interesting and may be motivation to get more students involved,” PTSA president Jamie Lewin stated in an email on Feb. 28.

“The real reason for the contest is just to generate participation and excitement.”

The PTSA and Reller had encouraged students to be as creative or simple as they would like with the design.

“It should say ‘Lowell High School,’ and they are free to put whatever they want on the design,” Reller said.

According to Lewin, the winner of the design contest will receive a $500 savings bond. As of press date March 19, the winner was not yet chosen; see website (thelowell.org) for an update when available.

The PTSA is allocating $15,000 to the marquee’s redesign budget; the new marquee will be purchased with funds that alumni from the Class of 2002 donated. “The current marquee sign will essentially be refurbished with a completely new LED cabinet attached,” Lewin stated in an email on Feb. 24, “The LED sign that will be attached will be full color.”

Chan explained how much more convenient a new LED display would be. “I want a new marquee because it’s easier and more attractive,” he said. “We run out of letters sometimes and if we want to change the letters, it depends on the weather. We want something more up-to-date.”

Some students believe that a new marquee is unnecessary. “I think that they should spend more on something that we can use in the classroom that could help us learn such as more LCD projector carts, smartboards, science lab equipment or up-to-date textbooks,” sophomore Sarah Wang said. “Because some of our textbooks are older than we are, so I think we should start updating everything since we’re living in the technology age.”

Other students can see the benefits, although with a bit of nostalgia. “I think it’d be more colorful, catchy and attractive,” freshman Katrina Lau said. “But in a way, I like the old-fashioned marquee sign. It looks more classic.” A version of this story first appeared on www.thelowell.org

all photos by Daniel Green

(Top) Seniors Mia Shaw, playing the role of Cinderella, and Eli Diamond, as the prince, stare lovingly into each other’s eyes at the beginning of their “happily ever after.” (Bottom) Sophomore Selena Saad, senior Nicole Shapiro and sophomore Lauren Taylor reminisce over the excitement of the ball in the school’s recent production of the musical Cinderella, which ran from Feb. 30 to March 2.

~ ~

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Lowell High School

March 23, 2012

Profiles

11

Flamboyant star juggles theaters “A

By Audrey Yu

ll the world’s a stage, and all men and women merely players. They have their exits and entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts,” wrote renowned poet and playwright William Shakespeare. Senior Elijah Diamond can certainly attest to that, accept that he is no “mere player.” Diamond has graced the Carol Channing theater over eight times during his high school drama career. In early March, he shared the role of Prince Charming with fellow actor junior Aaron O’Hearn in the Visual Performing Arts Department’s production of Cinderella.

Cinderella, being Diamond’s last high school musical, was tough for him both physically and mentally due to the lack of rest and his workload in multiple productions at that time. “I entered into the musical last minute because I was still working on Cabaret playing the Emcee, another musical for an outside music production,” Diamond said. “It was hard having to perform two different musicals at the same time.”

Along with Lowell drama productions, Diamond has been part of the Young People’s Teen Musical Theatre Company, located at the Randall Museum, for two years. “The YPTMTC gives me more freedom on the stage and they let me improvise on stage as opposed to Lowell theater, where some things are censored,” Diamond said. There, he’s participated in many iconic musicals such as Grease and Rent.

Despite his love for Lowell theater, Diamond was initially reluctant to join the cast of Cinderella. “I didn’t think that it would be a wise decision for me to do both, but Mr. Chan advised me to think it over, considering I’m going to be attending a drama school next semester,” Diamond said. “In the end, I think that it was great practice. In the real world, I will probably be put under more pressure so this was definitely a learning experience,” he said.

Diamond originally auditioned to play the selfcentered stepsister in Cinderella and auditioned with the Broadway musical Kiss of the Spiderwoman’s song ‘She’s a Woman.’ “It was a very basic audition,” he said.

“I chose that song because it was really fun and I used it to audition for NYU and other music colleges I N EE L GR IE applied to.” Diamond pursued the opposite gender N DA role to push himself as an actor, as well as to push the envelope. “I auditioned for the humorous response, as well as the fact that I have never played a drag queen before,” he said.

Diamond was exposed to the arts early on by his parents. “They used to bring me to shows on Broadway every year. I remember seeing Man of

La Mancha on Broadway and thinking that the lead actor was absolutely phenomenal,” he said.

Diamond, who maintained his passion for acting since first treading the boards in 4th grade, has a background in tap, jazz and modern dance.

“I participated in a couple small companies in middle school but took a break 7th and 8th grade because my dancing conflicted.” He also utilizes his high baritone in his classical and musical theater repertoire, useful for those roles. “Singing and dancing for musicals is a much more physical process, and at least for me, requires as much of a commitment as acting.

Honestly, if it wasn’t for my singing voice, I’d probably end up smoking,” Diamond jokingly said.

At Lowell, Diamond decided to renew his acting chops, so he enrolled in the Drama Department. “I joined drama as a freshman, remembering how I used to like doing it in middle school, and I decided to audition for The Crucible that year as well. And it just sort of stuck,” he said.

For Diamond, acting is a useful tool in expressing himself. “It’s just kind of an exploration for me,” Diamond said. “Different characters teach me how to access different emotions; how I personally feel when put in those places. This works far more when I’m performing dramatically. When I’m performing in a comedy, it’s way more about delivery and character. Less about emotion.”

Diamond credits the aid of his family and friends for helping him achieve thus far. “My friends and family have been incredibly supportive when it comes to theater by coming to my shows. Then again, most of my friends I’ve made through theater.”

Diamond also gets inspiration and help from the VPA department head and drama teacher Teresa Bookwalter. “(Bookwalter) is open to us having our own interpretations, yet critical enough to see that we’re able to portray our interpretations accurately,” said Diamond.

In December 2011, Diamond was accepted to the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. “It felt pretty great finding out! I was actually at rehearsal for Lowell’s Shakespeare Competition during our first semester finals,” Diamond said. At NYU, Diamond prepares to definitely continue performing arts. “I plan to major in either musical theater or just regular theater. I’m debating right now whether to double major in mechanical engineering,” Diamond said.

Once graduated from college, Diamond has big plans in store for himself.

“Directing and play-writing have been giant goals for me. It’s definitely something I would like to try in the future,” Diamond said. “Although, I’m also a giant cinephile and play video games. Surprise! There’s more to me than theater.”

Despite the difficulty of entering into show business, Diamond aspires to break the threshold. “I’m hoping to be able to make a living off of theater — whether it be film, stage or television. Though, I’m not going to lie: Broadway would be a great thing to do eventually.”

Look out for this upcoming actor — he will surely make a splash on Broadway and be the next Neil Patrick Harris!

Quirky English teacher adds pizzazz to curriculum

By Daffany Chan

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himself drawn to the stage. His acting teacher compared Hereford’s spark to Edwin Booth, an 18th century Shakespearean actor, who inspired Hereford to act in plays such as Jack and the Bean Stalk, PO8, Black Bart and the Ghost Hour. Hereford regularly visited elementary schools with his crew to perform — it was his first taste of storytelling to children, and he loved the spotlight.

While performing at Luther Burbank Middle School, Hereford stumbled onto a classroom decorated with painted portraits of the students. According to Hereford, the classroom felt like a home, and in that moment, he decided that he wanted to teach in a classroom of his own.

Though Hereford continued to pursue acting, he branched into teaching, earning his English teaching credential at National University and becoming a substitute teacher for local schools such as John O’Connell High School and Everett Middle School. Soon he taught full time at O’Connell, where he became known for helping students craft their personal statements.

Because of the passion with which he discussed writing, his students coined the term “crying time” for the writer’s workshops sessions when he scrutinized their essays.

Hereford’s specialty is communicating with his students, something he integrates into his class. “Mr. Hereford’s vivid stories helped keep me attentive and interested in learning,” freshmen Clarissa Wong said.

According to Hereford, there are two things that can transcend cultures: storytelling and love. Hereford attributes the mantra of love to principal Andrew Ishibashi, whom he admires. He applies this philosophy to his classes by giving encouragement to every one of his students. “To be a successful teacher, I’m not allowed to hate anyone,” Hereford joked. “It’s most difficult for students to learn if they believe the teacher dislikes them.”

Hereford hopes to always keep students interested through narrative, while meeting the rigorous and prestigious academic reputation of the school. Sit tight, because Hereford’s show has just begun.

NICholas FO NG

ith a buffet of bagels and a booming voice entertaining his teenage audience, English teacher David Hereford runs his class like a nourishing play.

Hereford’s classes get a front seat view of his passions—whether anecdotes about Shakespeare or tales from his childhood, Hereford’s narratives supplement anthology-driven grammar lessons. “Storytelling is the backbone of my teaching,” Hereford said. “My students love stories. Who doesn’t?” Hereford, who teaches underclassmen but shared his high school prom story at the senior class meeting, never misses the chance to make a dramatic appearance.

Hereford has nurtured his storytelling ability since his childhood. Born in North Carolina, where his father was stationed in the Marine Corps, he moved to the Bay Area with his mother.

In Hereford’s case, it was “like-mother-like-son,” as his mother was also a passionate storyteller, once even acting out every character in Kipling’s Jungle Book on a road trip. “My mother read to me everyday as a kid,” Hereford recalled. “For that, I am eternally grateful.”

Hereford continued to find inspiration from stories throughout his adolescence. Hereford attended Redwood High School across the bay in Marin where, despite a veracious love of the literary arts, he was by no means an all-star student. “I was just an average student who loved to write,” Hereford said.

Reading Ernest Hemingway novels sparked an idea to write his own story using imagery about running away from home. To his surprise, one day his English teacher turned off the classroom lights and began reading Hereford’s story to the class.

“I’ll never forget that moment,” Hereford said. “It showed the power of a teacher on your life — that day, I didn’t fade into the background.”

With his knack for writing, Hereford enrolled in California State University-San Jose for journalism, but instead found

VOLUNTARY VARIABILITY Diverse public service opportunities develop students’ future careers

By Campbell Gee

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LTHOUGH San Francisco offers many do-good and feel-great opportunities to be an unpaid contributor at marathons, food banks and beach cleanups, many teen philanthropists crave volunteering that sparks their more specific future career choices and or hobbies. High school students who dream to cook organically like Jamie Oliver, aid wildlife like Jane Goodall or paint like Andy Warhol will be glad to hear that unique local volunteer opportunities can give them both personal excitement and warm fuzzy feelings.

Fresh Food Fun

For foodies doubling as good Samaritans, take a break from watching Iron Chef reruns and try volunteering at San Francisco’s Ferry Plaza farmer’s market. Run by the Center for Urban Education of Sustainable Agriculture, the volunteer program is open to localorganic-food-loving people of all ages. Your slot should entail doing jobs such as helping with culinary demonstrations, working the information booth or taking pictures at CUESA events at the weekly farmer’s markets held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Volunteers not only do good for their community, but learn in depth about local food and are able to distinguish labels like “free range” and “organic.” “Farmer’s markets are a great place to learn about sustainable and seasonal food, and if you want to learn how to cook something, it’s a great place to ask questions and look through resources,” information booth coordinator Michelle Venetucci Harvey said. “The farmers and shoppers all have their own tips for preparing food.”

Sophomore Kavin Lam became interested in locally grown and organic food after watching documentaries like Supersize Me and Fast Food Nation that revealed health and corruption issues within the food industry. He then used his interest in cuisine to begin volunteering at the Ferry Building

farmer’s market information booth last summer. “I help visitors find various stalls depending on what kind of produce they are looking for and what foods are in season,” Lam said.

Along with learning valuable people skills — and receiving occasional free food from vendors like Acme Bread, Blue Bottle Coffee and Cowgirl Creamery — volunteers learn the differences between grocery store and farmer’s market produce. “At the market you get to see how the produce changes throughout the year,” Venetucci Harvey explained.

“For instance, we counted at least 48 different apple varieties in the farmer’s market over the course of a year, while I count maybe five varieties at grocery stores.”

After working at the market, Lam expressed feeling closer to his food sources and seasons; and his knowledge has changed his daily eating habits. “I’ve learned how you really can raise food sustainably at a good price,” Lam said. “Now I don’t expect to buy things when they’re not in season, like strawberries in December. I’m more conscious about buying foods that are healthy for me and things I know will taste better according to the time of year.”

Visit the CUESA website (www.cuesa.org) for more information on volunteering.

Aspiring Animal Activists

Teens who consider themselves animal lovers should be glad to hear that the city is flourishing with ways to help their furry friends.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals requires a prerequisite to volunteering that costs $90, purr-fect for high school students looking to care for sheltered animals. The program ­— which is broken up into cat and dog training courses ­— entails three weekly two-hour classes. There, along with their compassion and dedication, students learn the skills to become a full-time volunteer.

Self-proclaimed dog-fanatic junior Emma Beuerman — who has worked at the SPCA since sixth grade — started as a camper during their summer program, then worked as a

dog volunteer before she earned her current in February, selected teens can start over the position as a junior counselor. “I help kids at summer as guides on the nature trail, learnthe SPCA camp interact with animals they ing how to handle small animals like birds, may have never worked with before,” Beuer- amphibians and rodents and being taught to man said. “Junior counselors also clean cages give informative talks to zoo visitors. From of classroom pets, but my favorite part is there, volunteers can work their way up getting to hang out with the animals.” Other to a year-round junior zoologist position, jobs like volunteering with dogs include handling more “advanced” animals, such as responsibilities like walking and playing hawks. “I used to be so scared of reptiles, but with “man’s best friend” while the work of a when started working at the zoo in seventh cat volunteer entails feeding and socializing grade I learned how gentle and loveable they with more timid cats. are,” sophomore Joshua Roa said. Volunteers Animal altruists not only learn how to feed, walk and clean creatures like African care for their four-legged friends but also pick hedgehogs, ball pythons and chinchillas.

To find out ways to delve into up vital skills in other areas. “We get a good work ethic and learn how to take responsibil- the San Francisco Zoo’s youth volunity, ” Beuerman said. “Since young kids and teer program — which includes summer shelter animals don’t always get along well, it’s jobs with applications due in April — really important that we are always paying at- check out their website (www.sfzoo.org). tention to the needs Artsy Advocates of the kids High school stuGiving back to the commu- dents and the 16 and older animals.” with a precocious apnity is so rewarding, and it B e u r preciation for visual can even help you figure out arts, Asian culture or man also shared of the what you want to be when atwocombination h ow h e r can try their hand work at volunteering at the you grow up.” the SPCA Asian Art Museum. has warEMMA BEUERMAN Teens have the chance r ante d a Junior to work at the museum younger store — helping cusgeneration tomers with merchanto also plan to get involved. “A few years ago, dise and manning the cash register — and a seven-year-old camper came up to me and at the information desk and coat check told me that she wanted to be just like me by where they may answer visitors’ questions helping animals,” she said. “It was so sweet about museum exhibits and places around and it felt great to inspire someone.” the neighborhood. The vast collection of art In addition, Beuerman finds volunteering at the museum — which covers 6,000 years at the SPCA personally encouraging and is of Asian history — is a reason in itself to considering a veterinarian career. “It’s an volunteer there, according to Paula Rampe, amazing feeling when an animal you’ve been manager of volunteer programs. “The art is a working with gets picked to go home with tangible display of the richness of the human a loving family,” she said. “Giving back to spirit,” she said. “It lends a wider perspective the community is so rewarding, and it can to our everyday lives.” For a summer voluneven help you figure out what you want to teering opportunity during the “Phantoms be when you grow up.” To learn more about of Asia: Contemporary Awakens the Past” opportunities with fellow animalia, visit the exhibit, check the Asian Art Museum website SPCA website (www.spcasf.org). (www.asianart.org) to see application details.

Take a walk on the wild side and try the Whether it be related to food, art, furry or San Francisco Zoo’s teen volunteer program. exotic fauna or philanthropy, San Francisco After an application and acceptance process is a mecca of opportunities for teenage dogooders to give back to their community, while also receiving the pleasure of pursuing their own personal passions.

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The Lowell Spotlight March 23, 2012

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Reporter follows career of rising star Jeremy Lin.

Lowell High School March 23, 2012

Page 17

Page 13

Cardinals blow competition out of water

Junior Dylan Westover swims the butterfly on March 2 against Wallenberg. Both varsity teams beat the Bulldogs 25-0 at Sava Pool. Both the JV boys and girls won, 129-6, 128-13.

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By Samantha Wilcox he starting gun signaled the passionate cheering from spectators as swimmers launched off the blocks and began to power through the water. With hearts pounding to the rhythm of the swimmers’ rapid strokes and jagged breaths, the Cardinals proudly plunged into their new season.

Over 30 JV and varsity swimmers returned to the team this season, so the Cardinals are boasting a 61-man team. This is massive compared to other schools in the Academic Athletic Association, such as the Wallenberg Bulldogs, who only have a 13-man team of JV swimmers.

The Cardinals routed the Galileo Lions with ease on March 15. With Varsity boys and girls winning 144-25 and 128-0, this is just another standout victory for the Cardinals. JV girls and boys also blew the Lions out of the water 123-31 and 125-15.

After dominating the first meet of the season over the Wallenberg Bulldogs on March 2, when confronting the Balboa Buccaneers on March 9 the Cardinals took home the win for all divisions. Varsity boys went home with a shut-out with 25-0, while varsity girls took home a massive win of 25-6. JV boys and girls also joined in the festivities with scores of 99-58

and 113-43.

The team’s head coach, Jonathan Riley — better known to swimmers as “Jo-Jo” — is expecting a great season for the team.

“I’ve coached for the Cardinals for five years,” Riley said. “I started swimming at Sava at 10 years old and while at Riordan.”

The Cardinals work hard for their reputation in the world of AAA swimming. “Junior varsity teams are divided into two groups, each practicing three times a week,” freshman JV swimmer Eva Heyert said. “We typically swim about 4,000 yards each practice.” Four-thousand yards are 160 laps. Varsity swimmers practice five days a week at Sava Pool, as well. Their practices are similar to the JV team practices, but the intervals are accelerated. Intervals are the time given for swimmers to complete a set.

Practices are long and tiring, but worth it to the teammates.

“Although the practices are hard, I know that they are making me a better swimmer overall,” Heyert said.

Clocking in numerous hours a week at Sava Pool, swimmers have improved immensely thanks to intense work and dedication. “I’ve been swimming for eight years,” freshman JV swimmer Jordan Jiang said. “My goal for this season would be to get a time under 24 seconds on my 50-yard freestyle.” A

Chris Lee

50-yard freestyle is two lengths of the pool.

Although the Cardinals had many successes, each group does not always win the championship, hence the teams have stepped up their efforts.

Last year, varsity boys, girls and JV girls all took home the win in their divisions, with only the JV boys losing to the Lincoln Mustangs. “There is some stiff competition in the AAA this season,” Riley said. “Lincoln and Washington are both great competitors, and in those upcoming meets, we need to make sure our lineups are set properly to score as many points as possible.”

The Cardinals are always looking to improve on their skills.

“We have been working on our “under-waters” quite a bit this season to gain more speed off of our starts and turns.” Riley said. “Our goal every season is to improve with faster times at Championships, to win all AAA divisions, hopefully break a few records and most importantly, to have a safe season.”

The Cardinals are very proud of their accomplishments as a team. “Our strengths this season are our team unity and senior leadership,” Riley said.

Bring your school spirit today at 3:30 p.m. at Sava Pool to see the Cardinals face off against the Lincoln Mustangs.

A version of this story first www.thelowell.org

Wrestling takes third

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By Sean Wang fter months of determination, hard work and relentless drilling, the wrestling season has finally ended, with mixed, but gratifying, results.

On Feb. 25, the Cardinals placed third overall at the annual Athletic Academic Association All-City championship at Lincoln High School. Five Lowell wrestlers were amongst the top three finishers in their weight classes, four of which made the finals. Senior captain Taylor Takao and sophomore Rostyslav Tolochko were crowned All-City champions in the 145 and 220-pound weight classes, respectively. “Compared to last year we did much better, and we’re a sophomore- heavy team, which means we’re in great shape for the future,” senior co-captain Emilio Wise said, who placed third in the 132-pound weight class. (See “The Logistics of Wrestling” for weight class explanation, The Lowell, Jan. 2012).

The team’s champions, Takao and Tolochko, went on to Bakersfield during the weekend of March 9-10, but did not place in the State finals.

Two female wrestlers, senior captain Ivy Ouyang, a competitor in the 146-pound weight class, and junior Alondra Barajas from the 132-pound weight class, advanced on to their own State Invitational Championships, held at Lemoore High School in Lemoore from Feb. 24-25. Because the AAA section for girls is so small, the California Interscholastic Federation required female wrestlers from San Francisco to compete at the Central Coast Section Championships.

There Ouyang took the wrestling title and Barajas placed fourth in their respective

Joe Fiorello

Taylor “TK” Takao wins the 145-pound All-City Championship on Feb. 25 at Lincoln High School.

See WRESTLING on Page 18

14 Lowell High School

March 23, 2012

SPORTS

Boys’ volleyball fired up for new season

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By Reilly Fitzpatrick ACK IN 2011, the playoffs looked like an ace for the boys’ varsity volleyball team. With their dominant 8-2 record, the players had the confidence and energy usually associated with AAA champions. However, the tables abruptly turned when they faced the Lincoln Mustangs in the playoffs.

After winning the first two games of the match, the Cardinals’ intense focus began to crumble, causing the team to lose the third and fourth set. In a final, gut-wrenching game, after a start that made the most indifferent spectator stand up and cheer, the boys suffered a heartbreaking loss of 16-14, abolishing all hope of continuing on to the championship.

This season the boys are not going to settle for third place.

With daily aggressive conditioning and avid workouts, they have started the year right. “I think our team is a lot stronger now compared to where we were last year,” junior setter Enders Ng said, who started on varsity as a sophomore. “Our sophomores from last year have really developed due to playing on club teams. We are a lot more solid in every aspect.”

Consistency is essential for the Cardinals. Last year the team dominated in defense with senior libero Jeffrey Wong, who is also an assistant editor for The Lowell, leading the team with 234 digs and 182 serve receives, according to the Max Preps sports website (www.maxpreps.com). However, a lack of consistency led them to lose the championship. “It wasn’t that we weren’t delivering offensively,” Wong said. “Our setting and hitting just weren’t consistent enough for us to be one-hundred-percent confident in beating the good teams in our league.”

Wesley is confident that the team’s improvements in volleyball IQ will take them far. “I’m working mostly on the mental aspects of the game, in particular avoiding over-thinking,” he said. “Focusing on the task at hand will increase our consistency which was a significant problem for us last year.”

Wesley has managed to secure the boys a spot in the championships in four out of the five years he has been coaching.

“Steven pushes us really hard,” Ng said. “It’s all about tough love with him.”

Part of Wesley’s plan to increase the boys’ athleticism has been to have the team hit the weight room. “We workout before our practices about three times a week,” Wong said. “We mostly work on legs and arms, for more explosive hitting and a higher vertical.” Wong said that he has already seen some improvement with the team’s playing, especially in their first pre-season game against Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory.

The Cardinals played the Irish on Feb. 23 in a disappointing 4-set match. The Cardinals won their first game (26-24), but came up short in the last three games of the match (25-23, 25-16, 25-16). “We played really well at first,” Ng said.

“Then we lost focus and got tired both physically and mentally.”

It appears that Wesley’s emphasis on consistency and focus is working. “I think it’s crucial that we start from here, since it was our main flaw last year,” Wesley said. Both the JV and Varsity teams were victorious against Palo Alto’s Eastside High Panthers. Varsity swept the Panthers, winning in three (25-21, 25-23, 25-17). “I think we had a certain amount of confidence and concentration that we lacked going into SH,” Wesley said. “We pushed through and delivered, especially in our defense.”

Nonetheless, the Cardinals aren’t even close to being satisfied. “The win feels great,” Wong said. “If anything, it has increased our team’s desire to keep COURTESY OF ANTHONY LEE working hard so we can win league and eventually Senior center Tenny Zeng bounds up to hit the ball into Eastside territory. championships.”

Coach Wesley believes that the Galileo Lions “Whether we win or lose, I want to make sure each person feels present the biggest competition this season. “Based on what like they had a successful season. That’s what it means to win.”

I’ve seen, I expect our game against Galileo to be the most The Cardinals will be playing today at 6:30 p.m. in San Jose challenging. They won the championship last year and almost against Harker High. If San Jose is too far a trek, you can catch all of their team consists of returning players,” Wesley said. them at 4 p.m. on April 4 in the Neff gymnasium as they face However, Wesley has faith in the Cardinals and their abilities. off against the Washington Eagles.

A version of this story first www.thelowell.org

Tennis prepares for tougher competition ahead

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By Pasha Stone and Ian James HE LOWELL boys’ tennis team aims to cause a racket this year.

Since the Academic Athletic Association league was founded in 1937, the Cardinals have won a total of 62 out of the 74 team championships. In the last two decades the Cardinals have also dominated, winning 20 out of 21 annual championships since 1990. This season the Cardinals are struggling to live up to this tradition.

This year, the team of 14 athletes is in a heavy rebuilding state due to the loss of eight out of ten starters from last season. “We had a mostly senior lineup last year, so we lost a lot of good players,” senior player Calvin Chung said. “We also needed to figure out who was going to play what, which players were comfortable in singles or doubles, for example.”

Lowell will have to rely largely on their seniors to mentor the three newcomers and young players. “Our key players are definitely our seniors: Ben Fischer, Calvin Chung, Ben Rushakoff, Sean Wang, Gordan Bradaric and Andus Kong,” coach Bryan Lee said.

In past seasons, the Cardinals have not things around. “Those were really tough been heavily contested, last year, however, matches for us,” Chung said. “Even though we Lowell barely beat out the Lincoln Mustangs lost, I believe these games helped us prepare for the regular at the champiseason; whether onship, winning that was learn4-3. “I’d say our biggest compeBut our greatest weakness ing where we tition this year were in terms of is over-thinking. We tend to match strength is still Lincoln,” a team, or Lee said. be too analytical, and that as how much we Despite Lincoln’s threat the puts a great deal of pressure need to work on in match play.” season’s proson ourselves.”

T he C ard s pects still have a level of unprew i l l put t h i s BRYAN LEE assessment to dictability. “Linhead coach good use and coln was good are hoping to c o mp e t i t i o n , but like us, they too lost a lot of good play- improve as the season progresses. “We have ers and I feel like they might not have as good a very intelligent team that wants to learn replacements,” Chung said. “Washington also and improve,” Lee said. “But our greatest has talent and Balboa [is] good as well, the weakness is over-thinking. We tend to be too analytical, and that puts a great deal of league is very competitive this year.”

After losing both preseason games — pressure on ourselves.”

Two freshmen players, David Mai and Saint Ignatius and Sacred Heart — with the same low score 6-1, Lowell aims to turn Jonathan Chen have been added to this sea-

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son’s team, along with junior Max Endicott after foregoing his freshman and sophomore tennis season. “I was surprised that that so many newcomers showed up and how dedicated they are,” Chung said. “They usually come to practice earlier than the veterans and they work hard.”

These new players are trying hard to stake their place in the team. “I consider the new players very brave,” Chung said. “I remember being scared of embarrassing myself and how honored I felt when varsity players asked me to hit. I try and encourage the newcomers to keep playing and make their first year as fun [and] as memorable as they can.”

The team’s practices usually start with warm up laps and stretches. Then they work on their technique with drills like cross-court shots. The team usually finishes it off by playing friendly matches.

Lee is also impressed with the new players. “We have a pretty inexperienced — yet strong — team,” he said.

Jog down to the tennis courts to see the Cardinals at 3:30 p.m. on April 2, as they take on the Bay Breakers.

A version of this story first www.thelowell.org

AAA teams, no match for girls’ soccer

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Daniel Green

Senior forward Alejandra Sanchez sprints for the ball.

By Ian James and Kai Matsumato-Hines HE GIRLS’ varsity soccer team has a long history of dominance in the Academic Athletic Association; this season is no different for the reigning champions.

In the girls’ most recent games, they played a tight game, defeating non-league opponent Lick-Wilmerding by scores of 2-0 and 2-1. In the varsity game senior forward Taryn Estebez had a cool finish from within the twelve-yard box to win the game after Lick equalized sophomore forward Mikela Waldmen’s early strike in the first half.

The Cardinals’ most recent defeat was two seasons ago, a forfeit to Balboa on April 6, 2010. Besides forfeits, the girls have remained undefeated for the past 10 years in league play.

The team started this season in their usual style, winning their first two games by a collective 14-point lead. Their 6-0 demolition of the Washington Eagles on March 1 marked the girls’ 50th consecutive league win.

The majority of last year’s line up has returned for this year’s campaign, including star2 forwards senior Alejandra Sanchez and sophomore Mikela Waldman, senior midfielder Deedee Pearce and sophomore goalkeeper Jenny Kallenberg. “Almost all of the starters from last year haven’t graduated so we have a very experienced squad,” assistant coach Gene Vrana said. “There are also many other players that hone a high level of skill. It creates a good mix of core, experienced players, and players with the ability and desire to challenge them for their starting spots.”

Despite their impressive play, the girls are still looking for improvement. “The team is missing some coherence between the midfielders and forwards,” Vrana said. “Especially between the two forwards, where we have the skill but lack the communication and understanding to play at our peak.”

The forwards are not the only players who are working on their game. “We are working

on ball movement up the field and speeding up the pace of play,” sophomore midfielder Tia Doherty said.

Given their 101-2 collective scorring record from last season AAA oponents, the girls seek tougher competition from outside the AAA. Lowell suffered a 1-0 loss to Marin Catholic on Feb. 16 and narrowly captured a 1-0 win over Branson on March 2. “We have a long history of dominance and due to it, we sometimes lose focus and sharpness as the season progresses,” Vrana said. “We put in friendlies against teams like Tamalpais and Lick-Wilmerding to increase our competitive nature and stay on our toes.”

Holding their heads high, they are careful not to become too cocky. “All of us know we have competition and we aren’t the best out there,” freshman midfielder Maetal Kogan said.

See the possible 56th win when the Cardinals take on the International Jaguars at 4 p.m. on April 2 at the Lowell stadium.

A version of this story first www.thelowell.org

The Lowell

March 23, 2012

SPORTS

Nationally-ranked track star continues to rise

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By Jeffrey Wong HENEVER senior Melanie Speech gets on the track or prepares for a field event, it is not her speed or power that impresses, as much as her composure and athleticism. Speech has a far more disciplined mentality than most track athletes, and one can only watch her steady demeanor — even while she’s in the midst of flying far in the air into the sand pit for her Long Jump event — with amazement. Earning a total of nine first place medals at All-City Finals in her high school career and awarded the title of 2011 Academic Athletic Association Track Athlete of the Meet at All-City Finals, Speech is a force to be reckoned with on the track.

Initially Speech, like many people, judged track as a less exciting sport for young athletes — then she fell in love with it. “As a child, I never wanted to do track,” Speech said. “But my mom wanted me to stay involved and active.

It wasn’t until I moved to a team, City Track, with mostly high school kids when I was 6 years old — that inspired me to run faster and competitively.”

Player Info:

Height: 5’5” Years on Varsity: 4 Events and Personal Records: • • • • •

Shot put (38’3”) 100 m. Dash (12.21 s.)

200 M. Dash (25.88 s.)

Long Jump (18’3.25”) Javelin (125’7”)

Even before her birth, the “Speech” name was well-established at Lowell in the sport — her aunt was a shot put and discus thrower at Lowell. Currently her brother, Michael Speech, is the assistant sprint coach.

“I have grown up always being around Lowell,” Melanie said. “When I was younger, I used to watch my brother’s track meets and cheer for the Lowell track athletes at All City.”

According to Melanie, the San Francisco League of the Academic Athletic Association is not strong in comparison to other sections of the state, yet Melanie finds ways to stay competitive and reach her potential. “Since freshman year, I was able to practice with the guys since the coaches didn’t mind,” Melanie said. “They are usually a little faster than me, but I can keep up with them which pushes me to run harder.

It keeps me humble, knowing that there are better athletes than me — but I’m determined to be as good as them.”

As the defending champion in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and Long Jump, Melanie will follow in her family’s tradition to leave a legacy here at Lowell. According to head track coach Andy Leong, who has coached the track team since 1988, Melanie is second on the all-time Lowell record list in the 100-meter dash, Long Jump and Shot Put. “Melanie is our stud, and by far one of the best athletes I have come across and probably the best female track athlete right now in the city — both private and public,” Leong said. “I have known Melanie since she was four, through her aunt and older brother, and I think she will certainly accomplish great things in college, whether that be in track or not.”

But the track season has just started, and Speech plans to primarily focus on events coming up in the next few months, rather than on the distant future. “This year, my goals are to qualify for Arcadia, a very competitive meet that athletes qualify for by doing well at outof-city meets; break three of the school records; make it to the state meet finals in Long Jump; and dedicate all of my events to Nelson Ho, who graduated last year,” Melanie said. The track team mourned the death of Nelson Ho due to leukemia. The team brings his jersey to every track meet as a reminder of his impact on the team. “I wrote Nelson’s name on my left jump shoe to remind myself of what an amazing athlete he was and how much I appreciate the time he helped me in jumps,” Melanie said.

“When I get ready to jump, I’m not jumping for myself, I’m jumping for Nelson. He is my motivation.”

Fast as she is, she never feels fast enough.

Melanie’s life revolves around getting stronger, faster and mentally tougher. In the fall and winter, Speech does a lot of independent conditioning; in the summer, she constantly practices with her coaches and prospective Division I teammates from San Jose to prepare for the USA Track Junior Olympics, which she has qualified for every summer since she was eight, and the AAU Junior Olympics. Melanie does especially well in the field event Javelin, where athletes throw a spear-like object as far as they can. According to Elite Youth — the national youth ranking system — Melanie ranks first in California and 22nd in the nation for this event. This event though, is not usually competed in by high schoolers. But her favorite event is heptathalon — a seven-event sport of long jump, shot put, javelin, high jump, 200 meter dash, 800-meter and 100-meter hurdles.

“I would love the opportunity to compete in the 2016 Olympics for the Heptathalon,”

15

will scharffenberger

Senior Melanie Speech launches herself into the sand pit on a rainy day.

Speech said. “This is my dream, and since I made it this far, I don’t see anything stopping me from continuing to move forward.”

Melanie has been offered college recruiting letters and scholarships from a few Division I schools, from Sacramento State to Arizona State University. However she has chosen University of California-Irvine. “[Irvine is] Division I in track,” Melanie said. “I also really wanted to be close to my family.”

For Melanie, part of her gratification is in competing against herself. “Apart from the pleasure of getting to see new places and meet new people, track is a sport where winning isn’t everything,” Speech said. “Times and marks are all that matters, and when I am competing, I only remember one thing — ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me’ - Phil 4:13.”

16 SPORTS

March 23, 2012

Lowell High School

all photos by nicholas fong

the madness ensues!

Senior class registries battle each other in the annual March Madness basketball event which will last from March 19-23.

Clockwise: (Top Left) Robert Harlin (1202) goes for a contested layup while fending off Camilo Grabowski (1203). (Top Middle) Rachel Nghe (1202) searches for a familiar face as she tries to pass the ball inbound against Chris Lau (1203). (Top Right) Nino Wy (1202) passes Ismail Yahya (1203) and sprints towards the hoop. (Bottom Right) Harvey Yu (1202) drives the ball down court.

(Bottom Left) Ezekiel Wald (1213) looks to pass on the ball to an open registry mate.

March 23, 2012

SPORTS

Bay Area-born pointguard breaks the glass backboard:

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The Lowell

17

Lin-Sanity

By Sean Wang Donnie Nelson, the general manager of the Dallas Mavess than two months ago, New York Knicks ericks, to the NBA tryouts and the NBA Summer League. point guard Jeremy Lin had just returned from the Lin ended up with a contract with his favorite hometown D-League, had just been waived by both the Golden team from his youth, the Golden State Warriors. However, State Warriors and Houston Rockets and was struggling for a he only played garbage minutes, never getting the chance spot on the third-string of the New York Knicks, seeming just to prove himself. days from being cut by the Knicks as Following this season was the NBA lockout, which shortwell. Miraculously, after his break- ened the season by nearly two months. After the lockout out game against the New Jersey ended, Lin was immediately waived by the Warriors and Nets on Feb. 4, he has become then the Houston Rockets, but was picked up by the Knicks, the starting point guard and has where he finally got the opportunity to shine. led his team from an 8-15 record In a sport dominated mostly by African-Americans and to 18-24 as of March 14. He is the Caucasians, Lin has faced racial roadblocks since the beginfirst NBA player to score at least 20 ning of his career — even in high school. When he went points and have seven assists to a Pro-Am game at Kezar Pavillion, he recalls someone in each of his first five starts. telling him, “Sorry, sir, there’s no volleyball here tonight,” So now, due to his meteoric according to a July 22, 2010 article by Gwen Knapp in the rise, Lin has made the front San Francisco Chronicle. cover of Sports Illustrated During his college career, he was regularly jeered at not only once, but twice, games with insults such as “sweet and sour pork,” “go back and captured the whole to China,” or some form of Chinese gibberish. Even in the world’s attention with the NBA now, he has faced some racial issues already: ESPN “Linsanity” craze. used a racial slur “Chink in the Armor” in a headline after On Feb. 4, the turning the Knicks’ loss to the New Orleans Hornets, the game point of Lin’s career, the that ended their 7-game winning streak. Boxer Floyd MayKnicks were struggling weather Jr. tweeted, “Jeremy Lin is a good player but all the against the New Jersey hype is because he’s Asian. Black players do what he does Nets without key guards every night and don’t get the same praise.” According to a Baron Davis and Iman Dec. 31, 2009 article in Time magazine, Lin doesn’t mind Shumpert, who were both it much. “Honestly, now, I don’t react to it,” he said. “I out with injuries. During expect it, I’m used to it, it is what it is.” halftime, Lin’s teammate, Last year, however, as an Asian player on the Golden All-Star small forward State Warriors, he appeared to have a cult following Carmelo Anthony, sug- within the Bay Area’s large Asian-American populagested to head coach tion. Loud ovations exploded locally whenever he Mike D’Antoni that he entered the game. He expressed, however, that this put play Lin more during too much pressure on him. “When I’m on the road, I the second half, accord- don’t feel like the spotlight is on me,” Lin admitted, ing to an article by the according to a Nov. 9, 2010 article by Rusty Simmons San Jose Mercury News on in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Feb. 13. Lin embraced this Fortunately at the SFUSD basketball games opportunity to shine and the Cardinals attend, even though there are ended up dominating the insults thrown around between the fans game with 25 points, five of opposing schools, the slurs do not rebounds and seven as- tend to be racially-based. “As far as sists, outplaying the I’m concerned, no one really calls us Nets All-Star guard anything racist,” senior Jorell CacaDeron Williams. tian said, who plays point guard on Lin had his first game as a starting point guard the Lowell basketball team. on Feb. 6, and led the team to victory against the Utah Jazz.

Lin is also a devout evangelical Later in the week, on Feb. 10, he destroyed the Los Angeles Christian who often credits God Lakers with a career-high 38 points and seven assists and led with his NBA success. According the team to another win — that started the “Linsanity” hype. to a Feb. 13 article by Marcus As a player of Asian descent, Lin has transcended stereo- Thompson II of the Mercury types, yet sports fans also relate to his position as a former News, Lin discussed his struggles underdog. Lin did not receive any college scholarships; he with his faith during his rocky graduated from Harvard without being drafted by the NBA; rookie years. Regardless, he kept and was shuffled around to several different teams until praying and trusted that God had a suddenly, in late January due to team injuries, Lin got his plan for him, and now as a star, he still opportunity. To the sports world, he seemed to come out continues to think about how he can trust of nowhere to revitalize the Knicks. “I’ve been following God more. He hopes one day to be a pastor.

Jeremy Lin ever since his high school state championship “I want people to see who I am and what God has game, and it’s just amazing to see him suddenly dominate done in my life,” Lin said, according to Thompson. in the NBA,” senior Calvin Chung said.

Lin has become an inspiration for Asian-Americans, Lin grew up in Palo Alto, which is a 45-minute drive Christians, and basketball players of all races and from San Francisco. He attended Palo Alto High School beliefs. His athletic prowess has shattered the stereoand played high school basketball. During his senior year type of Asian Americans as nerdy bookworms that in 2005-2006, he was the captain of the team, leading the don’t excel at sports. Similar to other Asian athletes team to a 32-1 record and upsetting the and icons such as martial nationally ranked Mater Dei, 51-47, artist Bruce Lee, figure skater In a sport dominated Michelle Kwan and boxer Manny to win the California Interscholastic Federation Division II state title. In his Lin has shown that mostly by African- Pacquaio, senior year, he averaged 15.1 points, Asians can be successful in areas 7.1 assists, 6.2 rebounds and five steals Americans, Lin has other than academics. “The way per game. he gets the crowd going at Madison faced racial roadblocks Square Garden is unbelievable, Despite Lin’s impact on his high school team, most college coaches since the beginning of he’s completely turned the team and scouts did not really accredit his around,” Cacatian said. his career. talent. The only college interested Ever since his breakout game, was Harvard, although at first sight Lin has become a media darling, Harvard assistant coach Bill Holden enhanced by the endless number of was not impressed with Lin’s on-court abilities. “I think he’s puns with “Lin” created by fans all around the world. Lin’s a Division III player,” Holden said, according to a Feb. 11 jersey has also become extremely popular as the best-selling article by Kevin Armstrong from the New York Daily News. jersey in the NBA since February. According to ESPN’s Bill However, later that week he saw Lin play in a competitive Simmons’ podcast with Obama on March 1, even President game, where according to Holden, Lin drove to the basket Barack Obama has been following the Linsanity. “I’ve been at every opportunity with killer instincts. The young athlete on the Jeremy Lin bandwagon for a while,” Obama said. proved that he was not to be underestimated and Holden Lin’s rise in the NBA has broken stereotypes and shown changed his mind. Lin ended up playing for Harvard and that Asian-Americans and underdogs can, with determinamade the All-Ivy League First Team in his junior and senior tion, talent and a little luck, play alongside the best in the year. After college, he was not drafted, but was invited by sports world.

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illustrations by vivian tong

18 SPORTS

March 23, 2012

Girls’ bball takes AAA title, upset by Gunn at State Finals

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By Sean Wang fter months of practice, determination and hard work, the second-seeded Cardinals were knocked out by seventh seed Gunn High School of Palo Alto in the second round of the Division I state tournament on March 10, a week after Lowell defeated the Washington Eagles in the Academic Athletic Association championships.

Lowell just wasn’t able to put the ball in the hoop, shooting only 10 percent from the 3-point range and 24 percent from the field. Although Lowell was off to a good start making the first two shots, they ended the first quarter down 11 to 6, and were never able to get back on top, trailing 29 to 19 heading into the fourth quarter despite multiple Gunn turnovers. The height of Gunn’s players also proved a significant advantage as they out-rebounded Lowell. “We started missing open layups, which I think brought our confidence down,” senior guard Rachel Nghe said.

However, the girls still have their third consecutive Academic Athletic Association championship title to show for their determination and hard work this season. On March 2, the Lowell girls’ basketball team defeated the Washington Eagles by 12 points to top off their undefeated season with the trophy.

The Cardinals twice trumped the Eagles, coincidentally with the same score of 47-35, first at the Battle of the Birds game on Jan. 27, then once again when they met the Eagles at Kezar Pavilion for the championship game.

At the AAA finals, Lowell ended the first quarter leading 13 to 9. At halftime they continued to lead, 22-19, though most of the key post players were in foul trouble. However, after halftime, the Cardinals started an impressive run and never looked back, extending their lead to 11 points by the end of the third, 38-27.

“After our run in the third quarter, we were pretty sure we’d win,” Lum said.

In the fourth quarter, junior guard Katarina Lum hit a 3-pointer to give Lowell a 41-29 lead, virtually securing their victory. Lum had a game-high of 14 points, as Washington senior guard Raelyn

Cheung-Sutton led her team with 13 points, though she struggled with multiple turnovers. “The turnovers definitely killed them; it gave us more chances to score,” Lum said.

Head coach Aki Kuwada had instructed the team to focus on defense, a continued goal for improvement, during the championship game. “Aki said it wasn’t our offense that won us the game, it was our defense; we shut down some of their key players by putting strong defensive players on them,” Nghe said. “Wash is the type of team dependent on certain players, and since we shut them down, we forced a lot of turnovers and they couldn't really do much.”

A version of this story first www.thelowell.org

Most Valuable Player:

The Lowell’s choice for the girls’ varsity basketball team’s most valuable player is junior guard Katarina Lum. Lum dominated the scoreboard as she led the team to victories.

“She always finds her shot and knows exactly what play to set up to get open,” junior center Lorna Tu’ufuli said.

In key games like the Battle of the Birds, this year’s championship game and even last year’s championship game against the Eagles, Lum has always brought her A-game to the court. “I feel like she makes really intelligent decisions as a point guard and you can always trust her with the ball,” Nghe said.

Next season, Lum hopes to lead the team to its fourth consecutive championship title, and with key players like junior centers Taylor Sui and Tu’ufuli, junior guard Angie Ng, they have a great shot at doing so. “Next season, I definitely see our team going even further than this season,” Tu’ufuli said. “We’re going to demand the championship and fight for it.”

Lowell High School

Boys’ bball MVP

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By Elijah Alperin he Lowell’s choice for most valuable player is senior guard Avery Nicastro-Aikman.

The 6-foot playmaker was the t e a m’s l e a d i n g s corer, averaging 12 points per game in 17 league starts, including an impressive 16 points in the semifinal loss to the Mission Bears. Although quite capable of knocking down deep court jumpers and three-point shots, Nicastro-Aikman was most impressive during his electrifying drives into the paint where he converted contested layups and drew fouls. “We knew could rely on Avery to make big shots and play solid defense,” senior guard Bryan Robinson said.

In addition to his on-court prowess, NicastroAikman was a model of perseverance and commitment, according to junior guard Jonathan Li. “He plays hard every second of the game, even when he’s on the bench, he leads the team,” Li said.

Robinson shares Li’s views on Nicastro-Aikman’s exemplary dedication. “What made him stand out was that no matter what the situation was, Avery would put everything he had out on the court,” he said.

Li says that Nicastro-Aikman’s leadership will be felt long after his talents have moved on. “He’s an inspiration to me for next year,” Li said. “Hopefully the sophomores who watched him play will absorb some of his mentality as well.”

Wrestling team sends four to State Finals From BOYS’ BBALL on Page 16 weight classes, thus earning their invitation to State.

While they did not place at the state championships, they gained valuable experience. “I enjoyed it a lot,” Ouyang said. “It was a good experience, and being at State, you could expect to see good matches and have good competition.”

With the team sending two girls and two boys to State and placing third at the All-City Finals, the Cardinals fared much better than last year, according to head coach Colin Ikeda. Last year, the team placed sixth, sending only one girl to state, while no boys won at All-City. “I’d say we improved a lot,” Ikeda said.

This season, the team set a goal to enter a full squad of 14 weight classes, and send three girls and three boys to the state championships. The team ended up filling 13 of the 14 weight classes for the section finals tournament, lacking a wrestler in the 285-pound weight class.

“Overall, we got extremely close to hitting the goals we set at the beginning of the season,” Ikeda said.

Ikeda believes that one of the keys to being successful in wrestling is to train in the off-season by attending wrestling camps, lifting weights and wrestling freestyle.

“The wrestlers who train during the off-season are always the ones who win more matches,” Ikeda said.

“Being strong and possessing stamina are part of being successful, but having the will and determination to continue in the off-season will propel a wrestler to A version of this story first www.thelowell.org higher levels.”

Most Valuable Player

The Lowell’s choice for this season’s most valuable player is senior co-captain wrestler Emilio Wise. As a wrestler on the team since freshman year, Wise brings a lot of experience to the table and helps the less experienced wrestlers improve their techniques.

His teammates view him as a role model and respect his commitment to wrestling meets and practices. “He’s really dedicated and gives great advice and tips,” senior Vivian Leung said.

Despite facing setbacks due to injury, Wise persevered and wrestled through the regular season, going undefeated until All-City. He played a key role in helping the team place third at finals by winning his first few match-ups, though he ended up losing in the semifinals.

Although the team has already improved significantly this year, Wise believes that the team will continue to excel next season since the majority of the team are sophomores who now have another season of experience. “We’ll definitely be contenders for the top two spots at All-City,” Wise said.

all photos by joe fiorello

Senior Taylor Takao faced Washington in a nail-biting match, regaining the advantage in its final seconds to take the title. Takao advanced to State but did not make it to the final round.

The Lowell

COLUMNS

March 23, 2012

19

Letters from Abroad Amsterdam — wish you were here! Frankfurt — wish I was there!

Germany

Amsterdam, The Netherlands All

by ions

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n to

vivia

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illu

Europe migrator sees checkerboard perspective

By Samantha Wilcox

S

ome people long to travel to see the storybook villages, cobblestone squares and romantic streets of Europe. When I was four years old, I was thousands of feet above the icy Atlantic, on a plane with all of my belongings following me to a small farming town in the fields of southeast Germany, miles away from any city. I was about to begin living the dream of most footloose people and I didn’t even know it.

After my mom was offered the great opportunity to work at Adidas, a German-based sports apparel company, my family was quickly whisked away to Herzogenaurach.

Upon touching down at the Nuremberg Airport, shock met me. My young brain was not used to all of the foreign babbling I heard around me. I was sad that I had lost my friends. I just wanted to crawl into a little hole and magically go home to San Francisco, where the Golden Gate would greet me with open arms.

The overwhelming differences between America and Germany didn’t stop at the language. At times, European people were not exactly friendly, as I learned first-hand as a young child. I started kindergarten at the Franconian International School; a new school seemed daunting, I was surrounded by expatriates; however, the children were mostly from England, so I stuck out like a sore thumb with my California “accent.” I quickly adopted a faux-British intonation between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., hoping to better fit in.

Once I overcame the initial shock of living in a new country,

I began to realize that not everything was different and scary.

My crisp school uniform melded me in and helped me feel that I belonged, which helped me begin to make new friends. I took on ballet and learned to swim, proud of my newfound ability to swim sans-floaties.

Fairly quickly I was just like any other fiveyear-old girl, eating schnitzle and singing pop songs by Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne.

However, all good things eventually come to an end. Mexx – a company based in Amsterdam – hired my mom, a call to my family to once again pack up and move.

I was sad to say goodbye to the hills of Germany I had newly grown to adore, and say hello to a large and bustling city.

I began attending the British School of Amsterdam in second grade, and now, more easily acclimatized, quickly fell in love with all that Amsterdam had to offer. Laced with canals and historic buildings with picturesque gables, the city is romantic and beautiful. The major form of transportation in the city is two-wheeled; everybody has a bike and there is even a large black market for stolen bicycles. I navigated my way around the red cobblestone streets on a bright green bike with a yellow seat. I also loved going to local fast-food chain — Febo exotic to my seven-year-old mind was getting french fries and sandwiches from a vending machine in the wall, a novelty in California.

I quickly picked up continental habits, using my fork and knife like the natives. Some Americans choose to use the same

hand to maneuver both their fork and knife, but Europeans grasp utensils in both hands, keeping their arms above the table at all times. This “skill” has stayed with me to this day, and can sometimes serve as a conversation starter.

Amsterdam is famous, or infamous, for more lax laws — at the still oblivious age of seven, I hadn’t been aware that Amsterdam boasted a policy of legal prostitution. However, once my dad took a “wrong turn” on a jog with me in tow into the notorious Red Light District, I quickly figured out, as I glanced in apartment windows overhead that the women dancing in bikinis were not having a dance party.

Similarities outweigh differences in my two homes; both societies are on the leading edge in all facets of life; medicine, technology and beyond. But the cultural differences can be edifying; besides, if the world were all the same, we would no longer find it as enticing. Us loud and proud Americans believe that bigger is truly better; however, Europeans believe in quality over quantity. For example, I find that subway sandwich shops in Europe do not sell “five-dollar foot-longs,” a hugely popular item on the Subway menu in San Francisco. Instead, they feature smaller six-inch sandwiches, favorites being Chicken Fajita and Veggie Pattie subs – since Amsterdammers find humongous sandwiches gek — “crazy.”

From the quirky eating habits of Europeans (fried and breaded cheese, washed down with ice-cold milk) to the historic squares and villages of Europe, my time there meant I could embrace the diverse cultures of California in a new light.

San Francisco celebrates a melting-pot of people, and when I returned from Amsterdam four years ago, my city embraced me and my checkerboard perspective on the world.

Deutschland obsessive’s heart ‘Beats’ for wanderlust

By Amy Char

“G

erman love / I will give it to you / Give it to you, give it to you,” STRFKR frontman Josh Hodges sings about aloof fräuleins rejecting his affections, repeating the refrain over the looping layers of his band’s synth-pop hit, appropriately titled “German Love.” However, the similarities between my love of all things German and STRFKR’s romantic angst end here.

My fascination for Deutschland has its roots in my great-aunt’s tradition of sending greeting cards wishing my family “Fröhliche Weihnachten!” each December. My great-aunt immigrated to Frankfurt, Germany in 1970.

Since then, she has kept in touch with my family through regular flimsy, blue airmail envelopes and irregular phone calls. As a curious six-year-old, I was enthralled by the strange alphabet the return address on her envelopes used — why were those dots hovering above letters? — and the foreign lilt of her voicemail.

I longed to learn more about Germany in an attempt to get to know my yipo (the Mandarin Chinese term for one’s maternal grandmother’s sister) better, although she was 5,900 miles away from me and nine hours ahead of San Francisco.

In the letters she wrote to my grandmother, my great-aunt described frequenting a tranquil spot hidden in a nook and cranny of Frankfurt.

Germany is home to several forest districts, of

which the Frankfurt City Forest, or Frankfurter Stadtwald, is her favorite. I imagined her sitting under green foliage sipping strong milky tea, as I clambered on a bus, excited about my urban adventure. As a San Francisco native, a normal agenda might include these excursions: sampling tasty entreés at trendy cafés I read about on Yelp or hitting up a concert performed by one of my favorite bands at the Great American Music Hall. As much as I enjoy the hectic metropolitan life, the city kid inside me cries out for a different kind of sustenance — Mother Nature.

Frankfurter Stadtwald is a 48 square-kilometer forest — when I mentally (okay, with my calculator) convert from the metric system to the incompatible measurement system we Americans use, this turns out to be a whopping 18 square miles, making Golden Gate Park’s acreage of approximately 1.6 square miles pale in comparison.

Captivated by my great-aunt’s anecdotes about life in Frankfurt and Munich, I began researching German culture. I quickly learned basic German phrases, throwing in a “danke” at the end of a text after my friend helped me with a particularly tricky homework problem,

or texting “auf wiedersehen” or “gute nacht” at the end of a conversation. My extremely limited knowledge of the German language only extends to a general recognition of words — my pathetic imitations of guttural vowels butcher the pronunciation, only producing puzzled looks.

Listening to music dominates my daily life, so I was ecstatic when some bands in Germany’s music scene caught my fancy. Musical talent is universal, and not restrained by language barriers. Thirty seconds into the German indie band Beat!Beat!Beat!’s song “We Are Waves,” I realized how similar the band sounded to some of my favorite Englishspeaking bands, such as Two Door Cinema Club and Foals. Of course, Germany’s musical contributions have spanned centuries, hence the classical music of composer Johann Sebastian Bach has found its worthy place in my iTunes library. Where other than the 1700s can you find a harmonious musical composition entitled “Sheep May Safely Graze”?

My great-aunt’s German citizenship has helped me see the shining light of hope

through the thick pollution of American ignorance. As I learned earlier this semester in my Advanced Placement U.S. History class, the U.S. was extremely jingoistic during the early twentieth century; many of our politicians’ rhetoric at that time indicated a belief that we were superior to other countries in the world. Present-day, some of my peers are no better. Truth is stranger than fiction: a few of my friends think that Egypt is a country in Europe and are unable to locate Italy on a map of Europe (should they be booted out of Lowell for such a heinous crime?). But both my wanderlust and my family connection encourage me to learn more about Germany.

So during history classes, I’m fascinated with how the country’s discontent with the Treaty of Versailles was a major cause of World War II and interested in Germany’s role in the current Eurozone crisis.

Now, I recognize those unfamiliar dots above vowels as umlauts, and can successfully distinguish “guten tag” from the rest of my great-aunt’s voicemail. I’m still trying to convince my parents to plan a summer trip to Germany this summer, but alas, to no avail — yet. Maybe we can even make a pit stop at Wisconsin on the way. (See “Whimsical girl enamored with the wonders of Wisconsin,” The Lowell, Feb. 2011) And in Europe, I’ll try to catch a STRFKR concert to see if Hodges has had any more luck with the ladies.

20 COLUMNS

Lowell High School

March 23, 2012

Girl sprints from one high school to another

By Ashley Louie

“H

where athletics are not a leisurely pastime. As a Lowellite, I’ve befriended a whole new group of friends, and now have the cheering of both Lowell and Gal students at track meets!

I am proud to say that I have been able to attend two of the city’s finest schools — Galileo and Lowell. As a Cardinal, “I’m gonna celebrate and live my life, saying Ayo, Galileo!”

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the flurry of students giving hugs and warm greetings to friends they had missed over the summer; I had just spent the year those teens had spent befriending Lowellites — at Gal! Also, I was intimidated by the huge campus, teachers asking for summer homework I had not been aware of and the confusing mod schedule. Despite the jumble, I finally found something to look forward to — the track season.

Although Lowell track practice is significantly more intense than that of my freshman year, part of the motivation I had to continue showing up to long practices was the chance to see Gal friends at meets. I’d be the one screaming and running to them and giving hugs to friends I hadn’t seen in over a year.

I’d even be the odd one cheering both Lowell and Gal runners. The furry Lion pride hasn’t quite rubbed off.

Transferring to Lowell has given me a broader glimpse of the real world — one where the student population has some ethnic variety — despite its reputation — one where you actually have to spend more than ten minutes studying for a test, one

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sleeping schedules were shortened.

As a sprint enthusiast, when the track season began I couldn’t have been more excited. I was always thrilled to show up to practice and socialize with fellow runners.

There were some downsides. Having spent nine years at what I consider an almost 99 percent Chinese school, I was ready to breakaway from that isolationist atmosphere, but Gal was not the place to do so. According to a 2009 SFUSD Study, approximately 60 percent of Gal’s student population is Chinese, compared to approximately 52 percent at Lowell.

That winter, when transfer applications became available, my parents encouraged me to apply to Lowell. In late July, I received a surprising letter — my spot at Gal had been dropped as I had been accepted to Lowell. I was overwhelmed with mixed feelings — ecstatic that I had made it into an elite high school, but afraid that the year I had spent assimilating into Gal’s laid-back school life, the friendships I had developed and the hominess of Gal would all be lost in a foreign-to-me school. My Gal friends were furious with me for transferring, with dire warnings that my grades would surely plummet.

On my first day at Lowell, I was daunted by

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ey G-House! Can you make it to the next invitational?”

Lowell Track and Field coach Andy Leong would ask me. Yes, G-House is a nickname for Galileo Academy, and no, it’s not a misnomer — I once was a Lion.

As the story goes for many San Franciscan families, children are expected to excel in middle school and attend one of the city’s most elite high schools – our very own Lowell High.

March of my eighth grade year, disaster struck. I couldn’t imagine myself attending any other school, so when I saw Galileo Academy on my school assignment, I was devastated. I was just a point shy from the required total to get into Lowell.

Like most first days at a new school, mine was definitely overwhelming. However, as the year wore on, I fell into the rhythm of the everyday life of a lion, and soon fell in love with the school.

I loved the lax atmosphere of Galileo; very rarely were there students completely fixated on their grades. I was able to balance my social and academic life. While my honors classes at Gal went so well that my old bed time of 12 a.m. moved up to 10 p.m, many Lowellites’

Once ‘stuck-up,’ girl embraces peer differences

By Izzy Boutiette

T

he other night at dinner, a family friend asked my dad how Lowell was in comparison to my old K-12 private school. He said that I had been craving a huge environment, and that’s why I have been so happy in high school.

Although I usually argue with my dad just for the sake of arguing, this was different. His response got me thinking: was it just a larger environment that I had been seeking — a class of 700 opposed to 40?

Although I had appreciated the comfort of being in a grade with a small group of people that I knew inside and out, two years ago I was utterly convinced that I was ready to be challenged through new people, teaching styles and, in particular, the new melting pot of ideas.

Before high school, the only teacher-student relationship I had known was more of an older sibling-younger sibling dynamic. Students would hug teachers, confessing their deepest-darkest secrets, actions unknown (thankfully) to the halls of Lowell.

While I was glad kids had an additional outlet for their problems, teachers would be morassed in all of the petty middle school drama.

When I was a fourth grader, my two best friends and I were constantly fighting about petty matters. Eventually my teacher got involved and made us design a communal “nice” contract — which, like the small arguments, was forgotten the next day. Teacher interaction did speed up the problem-resolution process. However, problems students had were resolved almost

too quickly, and when our teachers did not hold our hands, we were lost.

The same ultra-supportive mentality was expressed in academics. If a student received a bad grade on a lab, we could redo it. And if we failed to turn in the assignment at all, we could easily talk our way into turning it in late. Though the lack of academic discipline provided a less stressful environment, we learned being lazy was an option, which contributed to my habit of waiting to study the night — or sometimes even the mod before a test in my earliest days of high school.

Needless to say, nine years of my home-awayfrom-home private school had ill-prepared me for my first semester freshman year. I thought I could neglect studying for geometry tests, but after a few tests on proofs I had failed to memorize, I realized that I was missing out, not only on the grade I was used to, but also on reaching my full potential. I started to understand the height of Lowell’s academic standard. I began to work.

That freshman fall, not only were my personal academic standards not nearly up to par (no more automatic As based on Bambi eyes), but the different socioeconomic backgrounds, priorities and quirks of students shocked me. Some of my friends put friends over school and still got As, and some of them put school over friends and got Cs. Some did absolutely nothing extracurricular-wise after the last bell rang. Others were all-stars on parliamentary debate, played varsity baseball, danced in the chorus for the musical, and still got home in time to finish up homework for their seven classes and get to bed

at 11. Because I was used to one type of person in my middle class — family-oriented, private school crew — I lacked understanding and would raise my eyebrows and turn my back on my new classmates quickly. Just as rapidly, I earned a reputation for being stuck-up. Every day my middle school friend and I would leave our lunch group early and walk back to school by ourselves, confiding to each other how out of place we felt because our friends no longer agreed with everything we said.

Then one day it hit me: to enjoy high school and be happy, I would have to throw away my defensive fences. If I only chose my friends as mirror images of myself, I would end up having none. This thought scared me at first, but the next day I began talking to people I had rejected before. I made amends with one boy I had ignored for months by starting a semi-awkward conversation. While talking to him, my new perspective was confirmed: I had in fact absolutely missed out due to my narrow criteria. Not only did I really enjoy talking to him, I found that we also had a lot in common. I began to make close friends because I appreciated them for both their similarities and differences from me. For example, I had disliked a girl because I judged her as not my type — too confident and loud. Now, she’s one of my closest friends — fun and energetic.

The person I am was developed in middle school, but I am more conscious of the changes from high school. Thinking back to that dinner with my dad, maybe it wasn’t just the idea of a school with 2,600 classmates that fascinated me, but the new ways of thinking inside and out of the classroom, that turned me inside out. I’m only an under-classman and know that there are more challenges and epiphanies to come, but for now, these two years of self-discovery seem like an exceptionally good start.

Young author enchants Internet with fan fiction

By Zoe Kaiser

I

magine a hapless Harry Potter fan searching the web, when one of the links leads to this: “Voldemort fell off his broom and started to scream. I felt bad for him even though I’m a sadist so I stopped. ‘Ebony,’ he yelled. ‘Thou must kill Vampire Potter!’”

Confused? So was everyone else on fanfiction.net, a site where people post original stories that utilize characters and situations of a published, usually highly popular work.

This excerpt is from “My Immortal,” a story by an author who went by the pen name XXXbloodywrists666XXX before deleting her account. Her fic (slang for fan fiction piece) is proudly acknowledged within this venue as the worst fan fiction ever.

Welcome to the wonderful world of fanfiction, where the motto derived from a quote by scientist Theodore Sturgeon: “90 percent of everything is [awful]” almost certainly applies. The list of horrors ranges from “crack fics” – stories with premises so ridiculous the author must have been on drugs – to “Mary Sues” – the name for characters so perfect they become one-dimensional. These Mary Sues are often author-inserts — characters that are basically an idealized version of an author who

is pursuing wish-fulfillment.

Fan “fics” are normally written within a “fandom,” which is basically the community that surrounds a book/movie/ television show, etc. I write in the fandoms of Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Pokemon.

Fan fiction has helped me grow as an aspiring writer, provided a space for me to express my imagination and even raised my awareness of the importance of grammar!

I didn’t start out looking for a writing outlet; I first stumbled onto this world of fan-girlishness and creativity last year as a reader. I spent months sifting through fics at a rapid pace, building the base of what is now a goliath collection of nearly 900 stories on my favorites list. Last April I finally summoned up the courage to post my very first fic, a short humorous tale in which the Marauders from Harry Potter accuse each other of pulling a prank, giving Professor McGonagall a headache. I had been nervous to put my story out on the web, but the reviews I got made me smile. “Brilliant, this is so funny,” one reviewer said. “I have a massive grin plastered

all over my face and am laughing really hard.”

Once I began publishing my own stories, I realized that fanfiction wasn’t just a place for stories on the web; it has spawned a whole online community. All stories are open to reviews, giving people a chance to comment on and critique your story. I’ve received positive reviews from an author I admire, “stitched zombie.” This author wrote, “You really have a knack for poetry. I can’t write it, much less this good. Keep it up. *applause*” While others my age long to get an autograph from J. K. Rowling or Lady Gaga, I would like nothing more than to meet fan fic writer Farla. A search of the word “Farla” on Urban Dictionary reveals her fame: “A girl from fanfiction.net that goes around being grammar Nazi on everyone’s page,” referring to her fanaticism about the intricacies of grammar. Indeed, Farla, whom I encountered in the Pokemon fandom, has made enemies with her harsh reviews. In response, she has created a forum solely for people to complain about her. Farla braves the worst bad fic of the Pokemon fandom (and trust me, there’s a lot of it!), giving critical advice in the hope the category as a

whole will improve. “I subscribe to the idea that one can change social dynamics through persistent effort, because people’s behavior is largely picked up by viewing others,” Farla wrote in her NaRe Review FAQ thread. “I want to read good writing. This [reviewing] seems like the best way to accomplish this.”

The more of her heated opinions I read online, the more I agreed with her. Prior to encountering fanfiction.net I freely flouted grammar rules, ignoring the advice of my English-professor parents. My work always consisted of run-on sentences and fragments galore. However, my admiration for Farla and my horror at stories that ignored basic grammatical rules made me re-examine the subject, and I realized that sticking to the guidelines actually improved my writing. Now I compulsively correct “your” and “you’re” mistakes and pay attention to my use of semi-colons. I’m not an expert yet, but I’m no longer afraid of the grammar police.

In the end, I think that’s the best of fan fiction, growing as a writer until another writer’s world seems too narrow and the urge builds to create your own. One reviewer has told me, “If you one day write a book, send me a message or something and I’ll buy it. :)” One day I just might.

The Lowell

March 23, 2012

OPINION

Proposed state bill to cut middle-class costs will make state universities affordable again

By Cooper Logan

A

s tuition escalates at California public schools, middle-class students who once could afford to attend California’s public universities are being defacto shouldered out of educational opportunities at state schools. But a new state assembly bill could reverse these detrimental cuts on the education budget by reducing tuition by up to two-thirds. This reduction would apply to middle-class students who can not qualify for financial aid in, providing essential relief after the recent tuition hikes.

The Middle Class Scholarship Act, proposed by State Assembly Speaker John Perez, Democrat, would cut tuition for families with an annual income of less than $150,000, which recently has become too little to finance a college education, but often too much to qualify for the financial aid targeted at low-income students. “There are a lot of families in that range,” junior Jenna Fiorello said. “Middle-class families are often overlooked because they meet certain criteria, but they don’t necessarily make enough money to afford state schooling, which is pretty messed up.”

This legislation could help hundreds of thousands of students pay for higher education in California, a benefit to Lowell students and students across the state because it would dramatically improve their opportunity to receive a higher education.

In total, the tuition cuts would amount to about $4,000 less in tuition for California State University students and $8,000 less for University of California students, bringing tuition costs down from the current cost of around $5,500 and $12,000 respectively.

These cuts are predicted to affect close to 200,000 California students, including many graduating Lowell students, according to a Feb. 8 article “Calif. Speaker Pérez wants to cut college costs” on the San Francisco Chronicle website (www.sfgate.com).

After repeated tuition hikes in past years due to the California budget crisis, the bill would bring relief for families. CSU tuition has more than tripled since 2003, according to a Nov. 17 article “CSU trustees raise tuition 9 percent as students protest” on the San Francisco Chronicle website. The UC system has experienced similar increases in tuition. In July, UC Regents approved a 9 1/2 percent increase in tuition to take effect next fall. This follows an earlier 8 percent tuition hike that was already set to take effect this past fall, according to a July 15 article “Regents approve UC tuition hike” on the Los Angeles Times website (www.latimes.com).

According to the Middle Class Scholarship Act, the roughly $1 billion dollars needed to fund the bill will come from ending a 2009 tax cut for large corporations that are based out-of-state; the cut had allowed them to choose the cheaper of two methods for calculating California state tax on their in-state operations.

However, the possibility of political rivalries obstructing the bill from passing the two-thirds majority needed in the State Senate exists, due to many Republicans’ voiced disapproval, according to the Feb. 8 Chronicle article. The tax increase had been a key Democratic concession in the 2009 budget compromise, so Republicans are probably

21

not going to give it up easily.

Such high costs for the education that thousands of California students rely on is destroying the future for the next generation. Rather than break down into political squabbling, the parties need to put aside their differences for the sake of an educated citizenship.

As a student, you can let dubious politicians know that you care about this bill, either directly or via the Middle Class Scholarship Act petition, available at the California State Assembly website for the Democratic Caucus (asmdc.org).

Over a thousand Lowell alumni form the pool of possible beneficiaries of the Act at California four-year public college next year. Compromising the educational opportunities of students just because they lack the financial means to pay for a private college or the full tuition of a state university is unfair to these students and the potential that their future holds.

Public education is meant to provide an opportunity for students who hope to achieve, without the exorbitant fees of private colleges or distance from home. “Too many families are getting squeezed out of higher education,” Perez said in a video on the Democratic Caucus website.

infographic by michelle wan, Data from: 0www.asmdc.org, www.calstate.edu, www.registrar.ucla.edu

22 EDITORIALS

March 23, 2012

Lowell High School

EDITORIALS Teens should be aware of companies’ tactics to exploit private information

W

e teens spend so much time online that we have become the biggest target for web advertisers. Companies are willing to do anything to reach us through the Internet, including exploiting our personal information.

Google has always been known for optimizing web ads with Google searches, but their newest innovation takes targeted marketing even farther. Google’s new privacy policy, which went into effect on March 1, piles all Google account members’ data into individual “personal dossiers.” Google culls the data to suggest links that match a customer’s personal interests. For example, people who use Google to search up skateboards will immediately receive suggestions for skateboard videos when they log into YouTube.

Unsurprisingly, many Americans do not want companies to know too much about them. According to a recent survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 68 percent of those interviewed said they would disapprove of an online search engine keeping track of their queries for the purpose of providing personalized search options in the future.

Like Google, Facebook also helps its advertisers reach their target audiences by generating a unique set of ads for users based on their previous actions on the site. Other companies like Apple and various other web-based developers have similar practices.

While some appreciate targeted ads, others fear the risk of companies expanding their research into our confidential information, such as medical conditions, political and religious affiliations, and even private relationships. Such in-depth snooping can have serious consequences. Last year, Gawker reported that a high-level Google engineer had been using user information to stalk four underage teens through the Internet. Not only was he able to tap Google Voice conversations, but he was even able to access their contact lists. He was fired in July 2010 after his actions were discovered.

However, some argue that when users consent to Terms of Service agreements, they give companies like Google the authority to dig through their personal information.

Unfortunately, the average Terms of Service agreement is simply too long. A typical Apple agreement has over 15,000 words. These agreements are not only too long to read, but also often riddled with confusing legal jargon and can change without any advanced notice.

To protect their privacy, users can utilize several options on their computers. Internet browsers like Mozilla Firefox offer privacy options that prevent third party websites from tracking Internet usage. Users can also disable tracking cookies (small files that websites store on home computers that document browsing activity). However, these are only temporary solutions that do not completely protect you from nosy marketers.

Many legislators are taking action to regulate the activities of such companies. After authorities discovered an Apple-approved mobile collecting information from customers without their permission, the California Department of Justice oversaw an accord promising that app developers would disclose how they would use private data before customers download their apps.

The American Civil Liberties Union offers an online petition urging companies like Google, Apple and Facebook to respect users’ privacy.

Students can also urge state representatives to devise and propose Internet privacy legislation in Congress. The Obama administration has already unveiled an Internet Privacy Bill of Rights, which would require Internet companies to make their rules easier to understand and limit the amount of data websites can gather.

Teens should be concerned for their privacy because as children of the Facebook generation, a lot of minors’ personal information is involuntarily surrendered to websites. Without our clear consent, corporations are invading our privacy merely for economic gain. It is time to tell Google and other companies that as customers, our rights come first.

Hoi leung

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Student proposes changes to school lunch system to help hungry students Dear Editor, You know what grinds my gears? Our school lunch system. I don’t care that the food usually sucks.

What really annoys me is that not everyone gets free lunch and that the students that do have to pay are sometimes left starving. This issue became apparent to me when I, not eligible for free lunch, forgot my lunch money one day and was denied food. I usually eat during Mods 9-10 and so, by my 14-15 class, I was dying. I already skip breakfast because I do not have the time to eat in the morning like many of my fellow peers and missing another meal left me unable to focus in class. Luckily, a friend of mine just happened to bring his own lunch that day and since he is eligible for free lunch, he offered his free lunch to me.

This got me thinking. Why can’t everyone that has free lunch give their meal to someone else if they don’t need it that day? They should get whatever lunch is being served and place it on the cart of reject foods. If someone forgot their money or a student is not full after five pathetic chicken nuggets, he or she can go over to the little cart and grab another lunch. Eventually someone will eat it. The school cannot complain because the food will not be wasted.

— Erin Wong, Reg. 1305

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You can submit your letter to the editor to lowellopinion@gmail.com. You can also deliver it in person to the envelope outside of S107.

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Editors-in-Chief Caitriona Smyth • Nancy Wu Amy Char • Natasha Khan

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News Amy Char, Yosha Huang, Natasha Khan, Caitriona Smyth Sports Joseph Fiorello, Nancy Wu Features Jenna Rose Fiorello, Eva Morgenstein Columns & Profiles Adriana Millar, Grace Sun Opinion Michelle Wan Reporters Elijah Alperin, Lina Anderson, Elena Bernick, Isabel

Boutiette, Adam Chac, Daffany Chan, Elazar Chertow, Reilly Fitzpatrick, Deidre Foley, Campbell Gee, Henry Hammel, Michelle Hwang, Kayla Huynh, Ian James, Zoe Kaiser, Nadine Kahney, KT Kelly, Melinda Leung, Rachel Levin, Cooper Logan, Ashley Louie, Kai Matsumoto-Hines, Adriana Millar, Eva Morgenstein, Arlen Pan, Easter Polar, Edmond Quan, Ying Sham, Pasha Stone, Sean Wang, Samantha Wilcox, Jeffrey Wong, Mara Woods-Robinson, Audrey Yu

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Published every four weeks by the journalism classes of Lowell High School, Room S108, 1101 Eucalyptus Drive, San Francisco, CA 94132 Phone: (415) 759-2730 Internet: thelowellads@yahoo.com; http://www. thelowell.org. All contents copyright Lowell High School journalism classes. All rights reserved.

The Lowell and The Lowell on the Web strive to inform the public and to use their opinion sections as open forums for debate. All unsigned editorials are the opinions of the staff.

The Lowell welcomes comments on school-related issues from students, faculty and community members. Send letters to lowellopinion@gmail. com. Letters must be signed. Names will be withheld upon request. We reserve the right to edit letters before publication.

2011 NSPA All-American 2011 NSPA Online Pacemaker 2009 NSPA First Class Honors 2007 NSPA All-American 2007 NSPA Web Pacemaker

2007 CSPA Gold Crown 2006 NSPA Pacemaker 2006 NSPA All-American 2005 CSPA Gold Crown

2004 CSPA Silver Crown

Politicians on public stage must be held to higher moral standards

“N

ew Leadership for a Safer San Francisco” became a familiar slogan with the city’s voters this past November, as former District 5 Supervisor and soon-to-be elected Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi’s bright yellow and black campaign posters sprouted all over the city, littering the streets with his now ironic promise.

Mirkarimi was arrested on Jan. 13 for an incident that occurred on Dec. 31 when he allegedly grabbed his wife Eliana Lopez, bruising her arm during an argument in which he allegedly threatened a custody battle over their two-year-old son Theo. He was officially charged with one misdemeanor each of domestic violence battery, child endangerment and dissuading a witness from testifying, though on March 13 he negotiated pleading guilty to false imprisonment, garnering three years of probation and one year of domestic violence counseling.

The irony of Mirkarimi’s legal trouble is the fact that the citizens of San Francisco elected Mirkarimi to run the county prison system that keeps us safe, as well as aid the District Attorney’s office in prosecuting criminals, not to become one himself. Whether running for office or holding a political post, politicians must know that every

action they take will be viewed with the utmost scrutiny, and they need to hold themselves to even higher standards of action than they would if they were not in a position of public service. The City Charter of San Francisco states that official misconduct constitutes actions that are “below the standard of decency, good faith and right action impliedly required of all public officers,” and Mirkarimi’s actions are clearly a fall from grace.

When officials allow themselves to do wrong, they cause a rift in the social fabric. Mirkarimi stated that his department is running smoothly, but with the allegations against him, maintaining the confidence of his subordinates, and more importantly the general public, must be virtually impossible.

Mirkarimi’s so-called new leadership may be new, but it will likely be short-lived, considering that most political scandals may be overcome, but few are forgotten. Once personal matters disrupt a public official’s duty to effectively serve the people who elected him, it is everyone’s business.

Such is the case with politicians such as Elliot Spitzer and Rod Blagojevich, who have both been involved in illegal charges, leading many to question whether or not the city’s

and nation’s leaders can serve as role models for youth when the news is filled with scandals involving supposedly upstanding and honorable politicians.

While addressing supporters at Herbst Theatre on Jan. 9 during his inauguration ceremony, Mirkarimi referred to his questionable incident as “a private matter, a family matter,” according to a Jan.12 article in The San Francisco Examiner. Although Mirkarimi tried to keep the incident a private matter, we, the citizens of San Francisco, had the right to know what happened on New Year’s Eve, whether or not Mirkarimi wanted us to, and whether or not the scandal was allowed to drag out for two months.

A politician’s right to privacy, even if arguably deserved as a part of a normal life, is no longer a shield in this era of public disclosure when their decision-making skills are impaired by the distractions of such a scandal. So long that the public demands that politicians uphold the same moral codes that they do, citizens can expect a moderate amount of protection from deceptive officials. Students are expected to hold to codes of conduct both at home and in the classroom, so why should not adults, and especially elected officials, be held to the same?

The Lowell

March 23, 2012

23

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OPINION

Social networkers can be misled with sketchy sources, should look for reliable news outlets

By Mara Woods-Robinson

was released on YouTube and Vimeo by n this thriving Internet era, teens Invisible Children Inc., a non-profit organiare getting most of their news from zation focused on drawing attention to the social media websites: viral videos on crimes committed by the Lord’s Resistance YouTube, picture and text posts on Tumblr, Army in Uganda and its leader Joseph Kony, friends’ statuses on Facebook, and trending including murder, rape, kidnapping and topics on Twitter. In a 2011 study by the enslavement. The video, which calls for a Knight Foundation, 76 percent of surveyed movement to “make Kony famous” and urges high school students reported using online international intervention to help capture the social networking to get their news and in- war criminal, went viral almost immediately, formation every day or several days a week. clocking over 50 million views on YouTube Only 34 percent reporting that they believed just a few days after its release, and topping information on social networking sites to be the worldwide Twitter trending topics with tags such as “#MakeKonyFamous” and somewhat or very truthful.

The social networker’s approach to news “#stopkony2012.”

Of the millions of Internet users who and politics provides teens with a limited — if even accurate — snapshot of the political watched and immediately shared the video, and social landscape of our times. If teens it is improbable that most further researched don’t seek out information on current events Kony and the LRA, or even Invisible Chilfor themselves, only the most hyped issues dren, before passing the video and their will come to their attention — such as the support of the campaign without context on anti-piracy SOPA and PIPA bills in Janu- to friends and followers. For the most part, research would ar y — leaving have vindicated them unaware the video’s claims: of other, equally Kony is the Interimportant issues.

Exposure to brief, biased national CrimiFurthermore, exreports and sound bites ... nal Court’s most posure to brief, wanted war crimbiased reports can constrict teens’ ability inal, and “stands and sound bites — which tend to to develop their own ideas. accused of kidnapping countpresent a portion less children in of the facts rather northern Uganda than fully flesh out the issue — can constrict teens’ ability to and neighboring countries, turning the girls develop their own ideas and opinions about into sex slaves and the boys into prepubesthe material, and instead encourages them to cent killers,” according to a New York Times seek confirmation of their preexisting views profile last updated on March 9.

But since the video’s viral outbreak, a or adopt poorly informed stances.

On March 5, a video titled “KONY 2012” critical backlash against “KONY 2012” and

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Invisible Children has garnered much atten- vantage of all the Internet has to offer instead tion in the social media. Non-profit charity of allowing it to constrict their perspectives. finances evaluator Charity Navigator gave the If print newspapers aren’t for you, you can organization a two-out-of-five-star rating for find reports from variety of news sources on “accountability and transparency.” Foreign the Internet — conservative, moderate and Affairs magaliberal — and zine stated in form your own a November opinions based We shouldn’t blindly trust 2011 article on w h at y ou that the orgaand what everything we come across on read nization and you agree with. others like it the Internet, however worthy The Internet has “have manipumade it so much lated facts for easier to follow the cause or sentimental the strategic purstories and trace presentation seems. poses, exagthem back to gerating the original sources. scale of LRA For instance, if abductions and murders and emphasiz- a quote from another source pops up in a ing the LRA’s use of innocent children as new story, all it takes is a copy-and-paste on soldiers.” The Washington Post reported on Google to find the original article or source March 9 Ugandan criticism that the organi- documents. News aggregator websites such zation has oversimplified a complex situa- as The Atlantic Wire (www.theatlanticwire. tion — or “misrepresent[ed] the complicated com) compile news on a variety of topics history of Africa’s longest-running conflict.” from a variety of sources. Even within the International Business Times reported on social networking sphere, you can follow March 12 further accusations that the video news publications on Twitter, read stories incites a “neo-colonial campaign that in- on Facebook news applications and even dicates that Africans are powerless to help subscribe to text updates for breaking news. themselves.” Such information would likely In a democratic society like the U.S., we make many think twice before donating to have a responsibility to ourselves and our Invisible Children — as would the knowl- country to inform ourselves about the issues edge that only 37 percent of the charity’s of the day — from political candidates to expenditures go directly toward programs in local happenings, from upcoming votes to central Africa — so those wishing to involve foreign affairs — to ensure that we make the themselves in the issue should be aware of it. right decisions with our money and at the The point is, we shouldn’t blindly trust ballot box. All it takes is a little extra effort everything we come across on the Internet, to understand what’s really going on in the however worthy the cause or sentimental the world, and we can give ourselves the chance presentation seems. Teens should take ad- to make a difference.

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The Lowell Backpage march 23, 2012

By Deidre Foley

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Na t i o n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n c e l e b r a t e s c e n t e n n i a l , p r o v i n g i t ’ s m o r e t h a n j u s t c o o k i e s

s you walked through the somewhat chilly streets of the

Inner Sunset this past month, you probably noticed the same people dashing like Olympian runners to catch the 44 or the same bearded man playing The Proclaimers’ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” on the guitar at the corner of 9th Avenue and Irving. You may have paused at the more uncommon (but by no means unfamiliar) sight of girls, ages five to seventeen, sitting behind tables stacked high with brightly colored boxes. These girls sport different vests, sashes or even tunics in a cornucopia of colors, but are all united by one organization — Girl Scouts.

It all started with a phone call

You may think there is a ’70s feminism to the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, but the Girl Scouts have been around for a century. After meeting Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides abroad, a not-so-spooky-woman born on All Hallows’ Eve decided to bring back the experience to girls in the United States. After returning home to Savannah, Georgia, Juliette Gordon Low called a friend and said, “I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we’re going to start it tonight!” according to the Girl Scouts website (www. girlscouts.org). On March 12, 1912, she founded the first troop of American Girl Guides, and in 1913, the name was officially changed to the one familiar today, Girl Scouts of the United States of America, according to the website.

Many other organizations at that time rejected differences, whether cultural, economic class , disabilities, etc. But Low did not discriminate; the organization accepted girls of all backgrounds and nationalities. The idea of acceptance seemed natural to Low, a determined woman who never let her various health problems hinder her participation in life.

GSUSA is just one of 145 organizations in the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, according to the WAGGS website (www.waggsworld.org). WAGGS was founded by Baden-Powell and his wife under the name International Council in 1919. Today, the world-wide organization aims to provide programs and opportunities to girls to discover their values and learn other leadership skills.

One hundred candles on the cake

This year, you are invited to celebrate GSUSA’s 100th birthday with hundreds of thousands of others across the country. GSUSA announced 2012 to be “Year of the Girl,” intending to connect girls around the countr y and world.

A large celebration in Northern California is the “One Hundred, Fun Hundred!” event at the Alameda fairgrounds on the weekend

of May 5. There will be over one hundred different activities such as camping overnight at the fairgrounds, fireworks, sing-a-longs, rock walls and even performances by singers such as Manika. Thousands of girls from over 20 states are expected to attend, according to the Girl Scouts of Northern California’s website (www.girlscoutsnorcal.org), which also has information on how to join. Friends and family of scouts are welcome to partake in the fun at One Hundred, Fun Hundred!

Daisies and Brownies and Juniors — oh my!

Girls identify with different levels of membership, depending on their grade level. From youngest to oldest there are Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors. Some troops will only have one level of girls, but others have scouts of all ages.

“I started in kindergarten, in the very beginning,” senior level Girl Scout sophomore Kelly Eshima said. “My mom just kind of put me in it, but a lot of my friends were doing it, too. I remember getting all the little flower petals [Daisy badges] and memorizing the Girl Scout Promise and Law.” Though life already seems like a circus act in high school, juggling academics, friends, extracurricular activities and more, Girl Scouts is worth keeping in the mix. “As an older Girl Scout, I love the freedom you have in what areas of Girl Scouting that you want to take part in,” senior level Girl Scout sophomore Annastasia Wong said.

“There are so many choices available; you name it, Girl Scouts have programs to help you develop your interests. Marine biology, business, entrepreneurship, foreign affairs, environmental conservation, math, engineering, politics...there are so many

options as what you can do! However, many girls drop out by middle or high school; we’re trying to bring them back.

Girl Scouting is an experience for all girls, ever ywhere.”

Other girls agree, and even use Girl Scouts as a way to relieve the burdens of school. “It’s a fun organization that never judges you and will do what it can to help you make a difference,” ambassador level Girl Scout junior Julie Oatfield said. “It’s been awesome to have around during high school, like when my troop suggests a stress-busting weekend ski-trip or a return to our six-year-old selves with a few arts and crafts projects! You can get great connections and discounts traveling to other countries, and things like Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards look great on transcripts and resumés.” The Gold Award is the Girl Scout equivalent of the Boy Scouts’ Eagle Scout Award.

How the cookie crumbles

When you think of Girl Scouts, your first thought is probably a scrumdiddlyumptious, home-made snickerdoodle. The earliest report of Girl Scouts’ cookie sales was in 1917 to raise money for troop activities, just five years after the group was founded, according to the GSUSA website. In the late 1930s, “the national organization began the process to license for the first commercial baker to produce cookies that would be sold by girls in Girl Scout councils,” according to the website, beginning the era of cookies we have come to know and love.

Eight different types of cookies are available to tempt your taste buds, with one Photo illustrations by Eva Morgenstein and Daniel Green

new box every year. In San Francisco, people enjoyed Do-Si-Dos (peanut butter sandwich-type cookies), Tagalongs (peanut butter patties with chocolate), Samoas (chocolate, coconut and caramel), Trefoils (shortbread), Dulce de Leches (caramel cookies with caramel chips), Thank U Berry Munches (oatmeal with cranberries), Thin Mints (mint-flavored chocolate) and this year’s new concoction in honor of the 100th anniversary, Savannah Smiles (lemon-flavored cookies with powdered sugar). However, if you venture to other parts of the countries, these cookies might go by a different name, such as Caramel deLites (Samoas), Peanut Butter Patties (Tagalongs) or Peanut Butter Sandwiches (Do-Si-Dos). Futhermore, you may see a few different flavors in other regions (Thanks-A-Lots, Shout Outs and Lemonades).

Differences in names and varieties occur because there are two different bakers that make Girl Scout cookies, ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers — in Northern California, you eat cookies made by the latter.

Though selling cookies is most troops’ main money-maker, such is not true of all troops. “My troop does craft projects and whatever is convenient, like we made yarn leis and sold them around graduation,” Eshima said. “We do it because it has a bigger profit margin than cookies. We have an account for the money, and we spend it on things like the patches we earn, for our fun end-of-year trip and badge workshops. We also save a certain amount for our gold projects.”

Girls with a mission

GSUSA’s mission is to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place, according to their website.

Wong fully agrees with GSUSA’s mission. “Through Girl Scouts, I have learned to voice my opinions and stand firm on what I believe,” Wong said. “It has strengthened my confidence, and continually inspires me to do everything to help make the world a better place.”

Girl Scouts is a great way to learn by experience, according to Eshima. “It isn’t the same as learning at school; it forces you to do service projects and you get to meet new people,” she said. “I became closer with my troop and there’s lots of team building activities.

Girl Scouts has been good for me and it’s kept me in my community, since my troop meets at a Buddhist church in Japantown.”

Being a Girl Scout is about acceptance, strength and community, according to Ambassador level Girl Scout senior Karissa Tom. “It’s about discovering who you are and learning about the world of opportunities for the woman that you can become,” Tom said. “It teaches girls how to become strong, independent women that can hold their own in the 21st century. My troop is basically my family — the group of girls who I know will always have my back and who are some of my best friends, even if we don’t see each other for long periods of time.”