The Lowell October 2012

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ant to feel the rush of narrowly avoiding capture from a knight?

Or the buzz in sending out your loyal pawns to protect your royalty from unexpected doom? Experience all of this in Chess Club!

It’s not often that stars visit Lowell, so join Chess Club today while world-famous International Grandmaster and three-time U.S. National Champion Nick De Firmian plays 30 simultaneous games of chess. See the best of Lowell’s chess team challenge each other and themselves attempting to defeat grandmaster De Firmian. Have fun trying to outwit the master after school at 3:45 in Room 114.

■ Genetically modified

foods hide from consumers in grocery store by way of no labeling laws in U.S.

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Former student raises money to fund new, ‘green’ water fountains

By KT Kelly

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■ Slacker finds motivation in required workouts, flaunts nonexistent bicep muscles

Opinion

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■ Chaperone policy at dances would be unnecessary, Lowell students don’t need babysitters

vertically instead of at an angle. “I used to ew eco-friendly water fountains walk past water fountains all the time at were installed on campus after a re- school, and on too many occasions I saw cent alumna raised enough money students attempting to refill their water bottles unsuccessfully,” to buy the appliances.

Gee Takahashi said. “I Class of ’12 alumGlobalTap makes am sure I am not the only na Leah Gee Takaone who thought it was hashi set a goal to earn refilling a water frustrating to refill water her Gold Award. This highest achievement bottle so much bottles with normal water fountains. GlobalTap in Girl Scouts involves easier — effortless makes refilling a water exercising leadership bottle so much easier — in the community. really.” effortless really.”

As nowadays many Gee Takahashi apstudents carry water LEAH GEE TAKAHASHI, proached environmenbottles in their backclass of 2012 alumna tally conscious groups packs, she and her troop decided to fund the installment of during the spring 2012 for their input. three GlobalTap water fountains on campus. Environmental Science teacher Kathy GlobalTap is a newer type of water Melvin and the Protect the Bay club were See GLOBALTAP on Page 5 fountain where the water flows into a bottle

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■ Girls’ varsity tennis dominates the AAA with fierce forehand, going 4-0 in league play

Columns

Francisco’s darker edges, from downtown to Golden Gate Park. Explore their haunted pasts.

ver the summer the district upgraded the school’s Internet service, but in the process technicians discovered that in some classrooms private servers were being used as hubs for a bank of computers, a practice the district discourages.

The district also put in new switches so that when multiple computers accessed the servers, they would shut down to prevent violations of this rule.

According to the San Francisco Unified School District’s Chief Technology Officer Matthew Kinzie, the purpose of the upgraded network that connected Lowell to the Internet was to “increase performance and reliability of the network.” Some of the technology set up was outdated. “Equipment that was 5-10 years old was replaced with brand-new, world-class equipment,” Kinzie said.

“The upgrades were made possible by funds from the Quality Teacher Education Act, passed by San Francisco voters as Proposition A in 2008. Without these funds, it would have cost approximately huimin zhang $50-60,000 in equipment and approximately Senior Reed Haubenstock (right) looks at a computer in Room S202 during a Physics Club meeting on Oct. 4. Physics classrooms relied on mini-servers to connect to the Internet in the past. $10,000 in labor to repair damaged cabling.”

To support his curriculum, physics teacher Richard Shapiro had set up an unauthorized I could totally control the access to it,” Shapiro every school year due to Wi-Fi routers unauairport. Shapiro was said. “I didn’t have to thorized by the SFUSD Information Technology deeply impacted by the worry about anything office. “Over several days, the unmanaged traffic Now, if there is any happening that might coming from these Wi-Fi routers would progresupgrades, as his own mini-server was a critior take down sively slow down the entire school network until problem in the network disrupt cal teaching tool. “On the network, either for it stopped working,” Kinzie said. “Schools would the first day of school of the school then my five minutes or half a be down for days as SFUSD IT staff attempted to my lab didn’t work,” day.” Shapiro pointed find the Wi-Fi router and shut it off.” classes are down — not out the difficulty of relyShapiro said. “I couldn’t The use of private servers was a growing trend figure out why, and just Internet, but the ing on the district-wide in science classrooms. “There is an additional since then, I’ve been gosystem. “Now, if there is downside,” Shapiro said. “Grants have come in to classes — and I can’t any problem in the net- set up science labs, mostly with MacBook Airs, ing crazy over this situation. For many years work of the school then because that is what teachers want. So after evfunction.”

I’ve had something set my classes are down — erything is set up, all the teacher has to do is plug up so that I could run a not just Internet, but in the AirPort, have the kids go get out the Airs, RICHARD SHAPIRO, physics lab without dothe classes — and I can’t and everybody’s online, everybody’s attached to physics teacher ing an insane amount of the printer. The teacher can communicate with function.” extra work as the computers do the work for me.”

Kinzie considered the upgrades as a safety everybody and doesn’t have to do any extra work Shapiro’s system had freed his classes from precaution that would prevent the very issues in setup, they just plug it in. And now all the dependency on the school system. “All the com- teachers fear. With the previous setup, several AirPorts are dead.” Grants awarded to the science puters in my room went through one airport and SFUSD schools would be down for several days See WIFI on Page 5

■ Girl hit by car after school, sole injury is broken ankle ■ AP Psych teachers offer students extra help after school ■ Club members have time to hit books and donate time to help disadvantaged

Sports

■ Ghosts pervade San

By Ashley Louie

Inside Pages

No need for haunted houses

District upgrades Internet, irks teachers with shutdowns of their personal miniservers connecting lessons, labs, printers

What’s What’s

News

Backpage

Spotlight

Lowell High School, Red Edition, Vol. 218 No. 2, October 12, 2012, www.thelowell.org

Lowell The

In the news In the news

GMOs scare the nation

photo courtesy of cooper logan

Senior Anderson Huang refills his water bottle using a standard water fountain instead of a nearby GlobalTap fountain during Mods 14-15 on Oct. 5.

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October 12, 2012

NEWSBRIEFS

Student struck by parent vehicle

A student was struck by a car in front of the school on Friday, Sept. 21 shortly after the school day ended.

Sophomore Katherine Davey was hit by a car while crossing Eucalyptus Drive at 26th Avenue — a T-intersection with stop signs in all directions — as she left the school grounds to greet the parent of a friend, who was driving her home that day. “I saw my friend’s mom across the street, I looked both ways, and I crossed the street in the crosswalk,” Davey said.

However, another parent was heading west on Eucalyptus and struck Davey. “I saw the car coming, but I couldn’t move in time,” Davey said. “It hit me on my right side and my bags cushioned my fall, but apparently my foot went under the wheel.”

The only injury Davey sustained was a broken ankle. “I was only on the ground for a few seconds before my friend and her mom helped me up to the curb,” Davey said. “The driver who hit me called the paramedics.”

Davey was transported to the San Francisco General Hospital in an ambulance. She was able to return to school the next Monday. She said she had no contact with the driver who hit her since the accident.

Part of the issue is the careless walking and driving that takes place during the busy mornings and afternoons, according to dean Ray Cordoba.

—Cooper Logan

Couple caught trespassing, cutting

f o r t h e c o m p l e t e v e r s i o n s of stories, please visit

The Lowell on the Web

www.thelowell.org

SEPTEMBER Corrections Box •In the article, “Locker assignment disorganized, doubles work” on page 8, Shaylene Liao is listed as a senior in the photo caption. She is actually a sophomore.

•In the standalone photo of the XC runners on page 14, Kathleen Kanaley’s last name was misspelled.

•For the caption of the photo essay “Konnichiwa, Japan!” on page 6, Debbie Lum’s first name was misspelled.

•In the masthead on page 19, Huimin Zhang’s last name was misspelled.

•In the article, “Sports enthusiast shares athletic spirit with his PE students” on page 17, Catrice Washington is listed as a freshman. She is actually a sophomore.

•In the crossword “courtesy of” on page 9, senior Francesco Trogu was incorrectly identified as a junior.

Social studies department offers psych group tutoring

By Campbell Gee

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he Advanced Placement psychology teachers are attempting to get their students’ frontal lobes working overtime by making after-school group tutoring available to those enrolled in the class.

Psychology teachers Alice KwongBallard, Steve Shimmon, Adam Michels and Nader Jazayeri are holding review sessions after-school Monday through Thursday to give students a chance to review confusing content or strengthen what they have learned from class. The four teachers have opted to individually lead tutoring one school day a week.

During the sessions, teachers aim to go over confusing psychology concepts as well as challenging test components, such as how to properly write a free-response question and how to master multiplechoice exams. Since its inception in mid-September, the review sessions have already become popular, drawing in roughly 40-50 students a day. “In the session I attended, we were given pretend situations and we had to explain how a particular hormone or neurotransmitter applied to it,” junior Katya Kha said.

The teachers hope that an additional benefit will be students being exposed to a variety of teachers. “I think it is important that we give our students the opportunity to explore different teaching styles,” Jazayeri said.

Shimmon thinks that he and other instructors can also benefit from the group effort. “Teachers can work and collaborate together to help students,” he said. “It’s a good model for teachers with similar subjects or teaching methods.”

Those who score under 70 percent on a recent test are required to attend one session but Shimmon pointed out that even students who are doing well in the class can always amp up their knowledge.

“Even for students who are not getting low scores in the class, there is always value in reinforcing material,” he said.

And although some students may

GAVIN LI

Advanced Placement Psychology teacher Steve Shimmon shows students a video about the human eye during an after-school tutoring session on Oct. 4.

not feel a great need to attend any of the tutoring classes, Michels noted the advantages inherent in students finding out what learning styles work for them. “If a student is having difficulty learning the concepts, being exposed to the material in different ways may certainly be helpful because some students respond well to my use of visuals and mnemonics, while others may respond to better methods.”

Students who attended the afterschool tutoring had positive feedback towards how informative it was, but wished the meetings were a little more personal. “Tutoring really helped me understand the concepts more clearly since we reviewed topics we had went through in class,” junior Gaby Villalta said. “The tutoring session was as large as a normal class, so I feel that getting individual review would be more helpful so that there aren’t any distractions.”

Kha also gained knowledge from tutoring, but would have also preferred a more intimate class size. “I thought the session would be one-on-one, but it

turned out to be a large group of people,” she said. “I was able to review some vocabulary terms, but people had side conversations so it was hard to hear my teacher.”

Michels thinks that tutoring will assist students to better learn the material, but is not convinced the sessions need to be as regular. “I think it is still in an experimental stage, but I would be interested in hearing from students whether the review sessions are helpful,” he said.

Michels also points out that the review sessions impose an added burden on the teachers.

“It is exciting and rewarding but also a bit stressful for me to teach students from other classes and come up with a new way to present the material.”

Those interested in attending can use the Acetylcholine in their neurons and walk over to Room 257 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.

curriculum

Two students were charged with trespassing while in a compromising position during the school day on Oct. 2.

The two students were caught behind the mall theatre, which is an off-limits part of mall property, according to dean Ray Cordoba. The students’ names were withheld due to privacy concerns.

The two Lowell students were initially sighted while engaged in sexual activity and picked up by Stonestown security for trespassing, according to a security official at Stonestown. At school, they were then turned over to the dean and reprimanded for missing classes. “Stonestown security caught them for trespassing, and as a result, cutting classes,” Cordoba said. “They are in trouble for that. In the past there have been car accidents when students were cutting classes or rallies. The school doesn’t want to be liable.”

The police were not involved. “The students were not arrested,” Cordoba said. “Once they were cleaned up, security transported them back to the school, which is their protocol.”

Cordoba stressed that the school administration does not have jurisdiction over activities that are not breaking school rules due to occurring off-site. “Our only involvement is that they were cutting,” he said.

The 92-degree heat may have played a role in their irresponsibility, Cordoba believes. “Stonestown security caught them doing the hanky-panky or whatever, it was a hot day, so they could have had their shirts on or off,” he speculated.

—Cooper Logan

Lowell High School

Student band spreads its wings, rocks its first club performance

By Eric Ye

we are all happy with it,” Zak Langford-Do said.

On Oct. 3, Spotted Botanists appeared live on Mutiny Radio, ou might have heard this student band at the Lowell Talent Show; now you can attend their entire a pirate radio station for independent music, arts, news, and culture in San Francisco. “We told the host about our songs performance and even hear them on the radio!

Sophomore Zak Langford-Do and his rock band Spotted and played some too,” Zak Langford-Do said. “We also told Botanists performed their first club show with two guest bands, some stories about experiences that we have encountered in Von De Qua and Twelve Stories, on Sept. 29 at SUB/Mission, a the band, like from starting the band, to playing our first gig, local art gallery in the Mission district. Their performance fea- to the band name, to how we wrote our first song, and on and tured guitarist Zak Langford-Do, drummer Kai Langford-Do, on. I was uncomfortable at first—I’ve never been on the radio before, but I was just myself when I got vocalist Max Mercier and guest bassist on the radio.”

Braden Rigling. Zak Langford-Do is What started as a hobby has become the only band member who attends much more. “The band means everyLowell. “It was a super show, and we Personally, the band thing,” Kai Langford-Do said. “It’s one of all are proud of the performance,” Zak has a special place in those big things that’s part of me now.”

Langford-Do said. “The show went as Zak Langford-Do also feels a huge planned, and we did better than we my heart, and I put connection to the band. “Personally, the thought we would do. All the songs sounded awesome and perfect.” my heart and soul band has a special place in my heart, and I put my heart and soul into it.” Zak Spotted Botanists played five original into it.”

Langford-Do said. and seven cover songs, including “Stay The band formed in Feb. 2011 and is with Me” by Faces, “Going Down” by ZAK LANGFORD-DO, part of the San Francisco Rock Project, a Freddie King and “My Generation” sophomore nonprofit foundation that provides music

by The Who. The band used to only lessons and performance opportunities perform covers, but is now focusing more on original work and has written eight songs in total. The for young musicians in the Bay Area. “[The program] is how band’s first song, “Uptown Sweet,” is a special favorite among its we all met each other in the first place through playing in a members. “It’s one of the cores of the band,” Kai Langford-Do show,” Zak Langford-Do said. The members of the band share similar tastes in music and find inspiration from a range of said. “It’s what got our band started, really.”

Their song-writing is a group effort and a largely experimen- artists including Queen, The Beatles, The Clash, Black Sabbath, tal process. A member introduces melodic material, which the Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Hendrix and the Faces.

They aspire to become famous one day. “I feel that we have band develops by trying out different possibilities. Then they mass potential,” Zak Langford-Do said. “It would be a add lyrics, and Kai creates a fitting drumbeat, with dream if that were to happen. But if we keep working feedback from other members. “Songs can always towards our goal and keep improving — you never change or evolve, so the song could be in a different know what might happen.” form later on, but we always get it good enough that

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The Lowell

October 12, 2012

photo courtesy of anna highsmith

CAMPUS

photo courtesy of anna highsmith

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photo courtesy of TIM LEW

Helping the Homeless member senior Darryl Mar (left) helps a girl make festive holiday wreaths during the club’s annual Treasure Island Child Development center event on Oct. 8. At the same event, freshman Lucy Wu and senior Randy Low (middle) help the children make necklaces with Cheerio cereal pieces. Jubilee president and creator junior Tim Lew (right) holds up a sign to help raise awareness for world hunger.

Plethora of volunteer clubs benefit others

By Elena Bernick

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number of hours.”

Helping the Homeless meets on Mondays after school at 3:45 p.m. in Room 339.

Jubilee meets every Monday after school at 3:45 p.m. in Room 337.

Key Club Jubilee One of the most popular volunteer clubs is Can’t decide what cause you want to con- Key Club. Like HIM, Key Club is a division of a tribute to? Jubilee might be the perfect club to larger global organization called Kiwanis. Key join. Like other clubs, Jubilee has roots growing Club came to Lowell around six years ago, and beyond our hallways. The club is modeled after has since garnered a sizeable following of about a global organization called Jubilee and was 50 members. “Key Club is an international created this year by junior Tim Lew after he student-led club organization which provides watched a YouTube video by the parent club. its members with opportunities to provide ser“Our club picks out a new awareness topic ev- vice, build character and develop leadership,” ery month and we raise said Key Club president awareness, fundraise senior Rachel Hsu, who More than anything, is an advertising manand volunteer to help the cause,” Lew said. At for The Key Club is about ager the end of each month, Lowell. “That’s Jubilee creates a video finding joy through what sets Key to post on YouTube Club apar t, volunteering.” concerning the topic it is not just to heighten viewers’ about service.”

RACHEL HSU, knowledge on a larger While Key scale. senior Club of fers As the club’s socialmembers an array of change focus switches monthly, Jubilee’s mem- events, such as an annual gathering in Santa bers can expect events and activities to change. Clara for all the Key Club divisions from NeJubilee spotlighted the issue of ending world vada, California and Hawaii, the overall goal hunger last month, but members can antici- of the club is clear. “More than anything, Key pate a new focus in October. “[In September] Club is about finding joy through volunteerwe had people take pictures with a sign to ing,” Hsu said. “We help at marathons, food help raise awareness,” Lew said. “Upcoming banks and we also attend conferences and in October, our topic will shift to leukemia conventions outside of the Bay Area.” awareness, and we will be volunteering at the If you’re interested in unlocking a year of Nike Women’s Marathon to help the cause.” community service, the key is going to Key While volunteering is a key component Club meetings held in Room 238 on Tuesdays of Jubilee, what separates it from other clubs at 3:45 p.m. is its focus on increasing knowledge of each issue. “Not many people know what the Nike While all the clubs mentioned have differWomen’s Marathon is for, although many ent spotlights and opportunities, they all have volunteer at it,” Lew said. Jubilee would like a common purpose: to help. If you decide to to inform volunteers and the general public join a volunteer club, you can sleep easy knowabout the cause behind the race, which sup- ing your efforts will be greatly valued by those ports leukemia research. whom you are helping.

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Helping the Homeless Helping the Homeless, formerly known as We’re in it for the Kids, was established last year by senior Ashley Louie, who is also a reporter for The Lowell. As the name suggests, the club’s focus is on helping individuals, specifically San Francisco youth, who are homeless or extremely low-income. “We focus on improving the lives of the homeless through service and donations, like books to centers that provide daycare service,” Louie said.

As WIIFTK was too long, Louie decided to rename the club Helping the Homeless.

Heart In Motion A recent startup is Heart In Motion, The name change indicated a new direction which has a parent club of the same name. for the club.

Now, the alternate focus is not just limited Senior Paulina Kang was a part of the HIM club outside of Lowell, and she and senior to children, or even to people. “We’ve gone Melanie Wong brought the club to the school. from helping homeless kids to helping home“I thought volunteering was convenient and less people and pets as well,” Louie said. “We have events to help a good way to meet homeless pets. We people,” Kang said.

“We’re a branch of the We’ve gone from help- went to volunteer at the Rocket Dog adoporiginal HIM.” ing homeless kids to tion event at Petco.

A club true to this members got to age of technology, helping homeless peo- Our walk and play with HIM is a volunteer dogs all day.” club that is based ple and pets as well.”

Members can exmostly online. Members can check the ASHLEY LOUIE, pect plenty of opporHIM website (www. senior tunities to help the community through heartinmotion.org) volunteer events.

“Some of our members to keep updated on events, which include Bay to Breakers and the Ghirardelli Chocolate volunteered at a Treasure Island Child Development Center that provides childcare to Festival.

HIM also lets members be more inde- incredibly low-income preschoolers where pendent about where and when they want to we lead story time and arts and crafts,” Louie said. “Last year we volunteered at races events volunteer, but they provide important help.

“We let our members know what events such as the Nike Women’s Marathon and the there are and make it easier for them to vol- Mermaid Run. This year we planned plenty of unteer,” Kang said. “We also keep track of soup kitchen events on the weekends.”

Students are encouraged to join Helping the volunteer hours.”

If you have a heart, go to Room 241 after Homeless, but for the right reasons. “We want school on the first Thursday of every month members to go to events they are passionate about,” Louie said. “We don’t require a certain and join HIM. s most Lowell kids know, there are loads of clubs at Lowell, ranging from the Bike for Life Club to the Harry Potter Club. One of the most popular types of club is the volunteer club, as indicated by the number of them, approximately a bakers dozen. Among so many volunteer clubs with a seemingly identical raison d’être, it is hard to know what sets them apart — and which one to join.

Wildlife near bungalows bewilders sensitive noses

By Brian Nguyen and Samantha Wilcox

“It’s nice to be so close to nature out here, yet unfortunately kunks living under the bungalows are a persistent nature smells,” Lo said.

Meanwhile, classes and grade reports continue, as most — and smelly — problem.

Skunks have set up a colony around and under the students in the bungalows do not notice the perbungalows, according to English teachers Winifred Lo and sistent odor. “I have my Reg in the T’s every morning, and I’ve never noticed David Hereford, whose classrooms are in the area.

The teachers reported the odor to the administration last any smell,” senior Reed Haubenstock said. spring.

Though the plates installed over the Over the summer the district installed mesh plates over summer have not the air vent openings to the bungalows deterred the skunks, in order to prevent skunks from crawlwere probably ing under the bungalows, but according It’s nice to be so close they the most cost efto Hereford, teachers have noted that the mesh plates have not deterred the skunks. to nature out here, fective and humane deterrent Some students still recognize the yet unfortunately possible. rather pungent yet distinctive odor. “I According have lunch after my class in the T’s, and nature smells.” to the San the skunks aren’t exactly good for my apFrancisco petite,” senior Lawrence Leung said.

WINIFRED LO, Rescued OrAlthough some students and teachers English teacher phan Mamhave noticed the odor, no one has actually seen the skunks. Several teachers have discussed theories as to mal Program’s website (www. the source of the recent influx of the black and white mammals. sfromp.org), “Trapping is inLo proposed that skunks may be crossing Lake Merced Road discriminate and expensive.

Animals that have done and settling in under the bungalows.

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nothing to bother you may be trapped and killed at your expense.”

In addition, the site maintains that trapping would be ineffective because there is a reason the animals are attracted to the area.

“Attractants are usually food related, but may be a hole in a structure that provides an attractive place for an animal to sleep or keep their young safe when they are small and vulnerable.”

Furthermore, trapping the smelly rodents would also entail killing them on school grounds in order to comply with T 14 CCR Sect. 465.5, a piece of state legislation which mandates that, “A trapper must either euthanize a trapped animal or release it immediately on site,” according to the SF ROMP website. The air vent covers are a better alternative to more drastic actions.

Advanced Placement and regular environmental science teacher Katherine Melvin explained that the problem goes in cycles.

“Lowell is a messy school, and the skunks thrive off of school lunches and the shelter of the T’s,” Melvin said.

4 The Lowell

October 12, 2012

2012 Board of Education Candidates

NEWS

By Elena Bernick and Ian James Come Nov. 6, voters will decide which four candidates they want to see sit on the Board of Education. There are 11 candidates running, including three incumbents. The candidates have focused much of their campaigns around important issues, such as closing the achievement gap, dealing with our budget crisis and lowering the truancy rate.

Shamann Walton

Shamann Walton has experience working with students, having been the executive Director at Young Community Developers, working in summer and school-year tutorial and job training programs. “Throughout my career, I have been working hard to ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn and be successful,” Walton said. “I have spent my entire adult life working with students, families, teachers and public school personnel on creating and supporting programs within the schools that carve pathways to success.”

Walton’s heart is set on creating an equal playing field for all students. This includes getting each student to continue on to college. “I am extremely passionate about the achievement gap that affects minority students in SFUSD,” Walton said. “Parity and equity are important and the value of specialization should be provided to as many students as possible.”

Another focal point for Walton is working on the budget. Walton also has extensive experience dealing with money, having worked with non-profit organizations such as the Economic Opportunity Council of San Francisco and the Young Community Developers, Inc. “My main focus will be to increase revenue for the district and leverage alternative funding sources outside of the typical state funding,” Walton said.

Sandra Fewer

Sandra Fewer is currently on the Board of Education. In the past, Fewer served as PTSA president for 12 terms and PTSA vice-president for 10 terms, two of which were for our school’s PTSA. For eight years, Fewer was director of Parent Organizing and Education Policy at Coleman Advocates, where she wrote the first ever Education Equity Platform in San Francisco. Four generations of her family have gone through the San Francisco public school system, including her husband and three children.

A pressing issue for Fewer is fixing the achievement gap and urging students to go on to college or a living wage job after high school. “We need to stay on course with our strategic plan goals, change the infrastructure to be more equitable, budget with equity in mind, focus on achievement rates of Latino, African American and Pacific Islander students and provide support,” Fewer said.

Fewer also wants to raise the morale of students. “We need to change the way we teach so the goal is that students understand what they have been taught,” Fewer said. “Which means we give students more than one chance to get it right and build their self confidence and resiliency.”

Aside from encouraging students in the classroom, Fewer also supports initiatives to encourage ethnic studies. “I authored resolutions to have restorative practices as part of our discipline policy, to institute ethnic studies in our high schools, to create a parent engagement plan that takes us from a model of dependency to one of empowerment and to recommit to the anti-discrimination of our LGBTQQ youth,” Fewer said.

Beverly Popek

Beverly Popek is an active public school parent with two children currently enrolled in district schools. She is a graduate of the San Francisco public school system and a professor at Skyline College. She has also worked with non-profit organizations. Popek believes this experience will help her have a successful career on the school board. “I’m not from a political world,” Popek said. “I want to bring balance and perspective back to the school board.”

To Popek, a vital resource lies within public-private partnerships. These partnerships are between a private corporation and a public institution, where the corporation provides funding for a public service. “We need more money; that’s really apparent,” Popek said. “There are a lot of tech industries in the city for these public-private partnerships, but we haven’t put our name out there. I know how to do that.”

As a teacher, Popek knows how important it is to keep resources in the schools. “We need to cut away from the classroom,” Popek said. “We can keep programs like the arts with these public-private partnerships.”

Popek is also a strong supporter of our school. “There are board members who think Lowell is getting too much money, but we can’t keep taking money away from students who want to be challenged,” Popek said. “We don’t want to lose students.”

Kim Garcia-Meza

Matt Haney

Matt Haney is not only a graduate of Bay Area public schools, he is also the Executive Director of the University of California Student Association, working directly with over 200,000 students in the UC system. Haney is also the co-founder and chair of Citizen Hope, a Bay Area organization that promotes civic engagement and community service. Like most candidates, Haney believes closing the achievement gap is an important part of improving the quality of our schools.

Haney wants to bring the student viewpoint to the Board. “I understand the perspective of students and the challenges that students face,” Haney said. “I’ll listen to students, work with students and advocate for the needs of students.”

Haney would like to divert more funding to education to provide valuable resources. “I am strongly supportive of efforts to raise taxes on the most wealthy in our city and beyond in order to fund public education and shore up our budget deficit,” Haney said. “It is unacceptable that we live in a city with as many resources as San Francisco, yet our schools continue to cut the length of the school year, increase class sizes, and slash professional development.”

Gladys Soto

Gladys Soto is a mother of two children, including a current Lowell student. As an immigrant to the United States, she describes her journey as “the American dream.” She hopes to give a voice to her community. “I am a mother of two students in San Francisco’s public schools and a product of San Francisco State University. English is my second language,” Soto said. “I have always represented communities and public school students who need the most help, so this election is extremely personal.”

Soto is a firm believer of bringing equal education to schools across the city. In addition to closing the achievement gap in high schools, Soto would also like to see more funds go towards helping the next generation. “I would like to see more resources and funding for K-3 reading programs,” Soto said. “Kids need a stronger foundation at the grammar school level, to give them the best chance to succeed in middle and high school.”

To Soto, an urgent issue regarding the budget is making it more transparent to the public.

“We need to make the budget more transparent,” Soto said. “This will allow unions, parents, and school site communities to make better decisions regarding how money should be allocated.”

Rachel Norton

Rachel Norton has served on the Board of Education since January 2009 and is the current vice-president. She graduated from Berkeley High School and currently has two children attending Roosevelt Middle School.

Norton believes she has unique experiences that set her apart from her fellow candidates, especially in the area of special education. “My experience as a parent of a child with a disability and as an advocate for students with disabilities really sets me apart,” Norton said. “I have worked hard to push through special education reforms in my four years on the Board; we are not done yet but we are making progress in improving the quality of our programs and services for students with disabilities.”

Norton is planning to widen her scope of focus if she is re-elected however. She wants to improve the infrastructure and train additional staff needed to improve school meals. “With upgraded infrastructure, we could cook meals with fresh local ingredients and improve the quality of our school lunches and breakfasts,” she said. “The quality of meals served at school has long been a major concern of students and I think the time is finally right to tackle this issue.”

Victoria Lo

Although Victoria Lo is a first-time candidate who currently works as a clinical researcher at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, but she also has experience working in education. “Over the past decade, I have served in the capacity of an adviser, educator, mentor, and organizer for various educational initiatives,” Lo said. “I also serve on the Board of Directors and oversee financial policy for Lyon-Martin Health Services.”

Lo is very committed to student involvement, especially in academic courses. “Because the heart of the US economy depends on science, technology, engineering and math jobs, there has never been a more crucial time to strengthen our education in these areas,” Lo said. “Increasing opportunities for high achieving students may solve SFUSD’s declining enrollment problem.”

Along with increasing choices for students, Lo would also like to encourage companies to support budding science programs in schools. “I will work with both public and private science and technology organizations to enhance STEM education in our schools,” Lo said. “By recruiting science professionals as volunteers, we will increase the support for teachers in the classroom.”

Kim Garcia-Meza has spent ten years in the Mission district serving as a bilingual elementary school teacher.

She is a mother of three with one child at Flynn Elementary School and two at the San Francisco Friends School. She was also co-chair of the SFUSD’s Bilingual Community Council for two years.

Garcia-Meza cites her experience as one of her main adJill Wynns vantages. “I have the experience of being both a parent and a Jill Wynns, president of the California School Board associateacher in San Francisco public schools,” she said. “I am also tion, has been on the school board for 20 years. She is running a bilingual early childhood educator who understands the intricacies and complications of for her 6th term. An important issue for Wynns is a topic that the enrollment process, which needs much improvement, and regularly works with families has been increasingly relevant in recent times. “The most imto stand up for themselves and their children to get what they need from their schools. I have portant thing is improving the instructional program for every real experience successfully developing and moving policy in SFUSD.” student and closing the achievement gap,” Wynns said. “We’re Garcia-Meza also has a plan for dealing with the district budget problems. “It is very immaking a lot of progress.” portant to advocate at the state level for an increase in school funding by closing the corporate As a veteran of the school board, Wynns says she brings loopholes in Prop 13 and fulfilling the promise of Prop 98,” she said. “At the local level I believe important budgeting expertise, which will help the district we have to do better by our students and teachers with the resources we do have. This means balance the budget. Wynns believes the key to dealing with an increase in transparency, more community involvement in determining budget priorities the budget is raising revenue. “We need to work on local funding measures and state funding and getting more funding to the classrooms. I will prioritize spending money on the classroom measures,” Wynns said. and youth directly first and using what remains to cover administrative cost.” Proposition 13 Besides supporting the growth of equal education opportunities for every student, Wynns also limits the taxes on real estate and Proposition 98 requires a minimum percentage of the state has an interest in improving student nutrition and arts programs. budget to be spent on K-12 education.

Candidates Sam Rodriguez and Paul Robertson did not send replies by the time the paper went to press.

All photos courtesy of candidate websites

October 12, 2012

The Lowell

NEWS

District works on resolving network issue From WIFI on Page 1 department teachers included money from the Lowell Alumni Assocation.

The district upgrades were intended to enhance systems by adding more network ports, according to Kinzie. “The SFUSD did not actively or intentionally disable any network access at Lowell,” Kinzie said. “In fact, access to the SFUSD network was increased by enabling many more of the network ports on the walls that had not previously been working.”

Physics teacher Bryan Cooley also experienced difficulties with the physics personal network. “My computer has not worked very well with the District’s campus-

wide wireless network. It is not as reliable as the AirPorts; my computer detects the wireless network, but I have to reboot it every time I want to use it,” Cooley said.

As students use computers at school, the district has access and usage rules. Hence, any teacher’s personal AirPort raises concerns with the district IT office. According to Kinzie, “any unauthorized network that extends access using equipment that cannot be managed by SFUSD IT to ensure the same high levels of security and operability becomes a liability to both the school as well as the entire district at large.”

Shapiro is adamant that his AirPort system was well monitored. “It was more secure

Girl Scout sells scrumptious treats to fund purchase From GLOBALTAP on Page 1 very supportive of the project, according to Gee Takahashi. “I think anything that gets people using reusable water bottles rather than plastic is a good thing,” Melvin said. “I like to encourage people to use tap water instead of bottled water. I also like that it reduces waste.”

Each of the GlobalTap stations costs $1,000. After selling 1,000 boxes of Girl Scouts cookies over three years, her troop had enough money to buy two of the GlobalTaps for the school. “But even with my troop’s donation, my budget would have been set at $2,000, which would have only covered two stations,” Gee Takahashi said. She contacted GlobalTap CEO and founder Dan H. Whitman, who donated an additional GlobalTap station to Lowell. One is located outside of the gym, one outside of the administration office and one on the second floor near the math wing.

than students going onto the school network because I could control who had access to the network and simultaneously see what everyone was doing,” he said. “In the case of what I was doing, no-way, no-how, under no circumstances is it a security risk. In fact, it’s an added level of security.”

According to Kinzie, the district is willing to resolve Shapiro’s network problems. “The district is committed to finding a solution that meets Mr. Shapiro’s instructional needs currently met by the network he constructed,” Kinzie said.

However, according to Shapiro, “In practice, it (the district) only put in a new school-wide router,” Shapiro said. He says that

5

the new router is not as functional and quick as his personal airport had been. During a brief demonstration in Shapiro’s office, he still could monitor students’ computers with the district network, according to Shapiro, the system took much longer than it used to.

The SFUSD IT met with principal Andrew Ishibashi on Sept. 13 to discuss this issue and assured him they would check with other teachers to see if the upgraded school network could meet their instructional needs. “We are committed to finding a solution that meets the instructional needs of all teachers as long as they are within Board Policy and meet all legal and funding requirements,” Kinzie said.

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

Group confronts stress issue

By Whitney C. Lim and Michelle Wong

A

Peer Resources Coordinator is ready to tackle stress issues at the school as the newest leader of the stress relief committee.

The committee, called Challenge Success, is associated with Stanford University and addresses educational challenges by having seminars with guest speakers and workshops for teachers, students and parents regarding methods of helping students handle a high-pressure environment. “The program works with high schools around the country to help them assess stresses at their schools and then make changes to reduce or eliminate them,” Peer Resources Coordinator Adee Horn said. “Stanford also provides a coach such as a professor or specialist to come work with us.”

The goal of the committee is to

recognize the tension that can arise for students and make changes to reduce it.

“The plan is that we’ll make recommendations as a committee that will go to Mr. Ishibashi,” Horn said. “Mr. Ishibashi said he welcomes our recommendations. As principal, he is key to making changes here at Lowell.”

The specific changes CS will recommend are forthcoming. “We will be exploring ideas for change as we meet throughout the school year — thus it is too early to comment on recommendations at this time,” Horn said.

The first CS conference of the year was on Sept. 29. “We discovered that Lowell’s block scheduling is good for reducing stress,” sophomore Marisa Li said. “It gives students more time to do their homework during the day.”

Community Health Outreach Worker Lauren Reyes, who works in the Wellness

Center, also attended the CS conference.

“The most valuable thing I took away was hearing about other schools and what they’re doing,” she said. “Such things like not having homework on a weekend made a world of difference for students in reducing stress and making time for other interests.”

Horn knows that pressure is part of the school culture, but she expressed her assurance that through Peer Resources, students can find ways to develop their personality as a whole, in addition to doing well in academics. “Often when we get stressed, we put on blinders and can’t see the other areas of our lives,” she said.

“Students focus on your homework, tests and college, but academic classes work primarily on your IQ. Peer Resources helps develop other parts of students, such as their leadership and ‘emotional intelligence.’”

6 NEWS

Lowell High School

October 12, 2012

Voter identification laws cause controversy

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By Zoe Kaiser

the effects of the new policy and make sure he years following the election “no voter disenfranchisement” is occurring, of Barack Obama in 2008 have brought according to a New York Times Sept. 18 article a rash of new voter identification laws. “Judge Is Told to Examine Effect of Law on VotRepublicans have urged these laws on with er ID” (www.nytimes.com). The court stressed the stated intent of limiting voter fraud. Op- that it would block the law if evidence of voter ponents of the laws worry that the laws will disenfranchisement was found. On Oct. 2 the disenfranchise voters like the poor, minorities state judge released his new ruling: he deterand students — coincidentally left-leaning mined that authorities had not done enough groups. Yet several states, including California, to insure voters have access to the photo IDs have implemented voting practices designed to and therefore he delayed full implementation of the law. Voters in Pennsylvania will still be increase voter accessibility.

Voter ID laws of varying strictness have requested to show the specific IDs, but will be recently been passed in thirty-three states. The able to vote without them.

Although many states are pursuing stricter strictness is determined by what form of tesvoter IDs, a numtimony is accepted ber of states have at the voting booth — whether or not We call those ‘poll taxes’” not joined in with the crop of voter ID the law requires vot— meaning that anylaws, including Caliers to show a photo which has ID, and if they take thing that connects a fee fornia, implemented online a different method of voter registration to to voting is suspect. verification, accordmake the process ing to The National Conference of State ERIC HOLDER simpler and easier.

Legislatures website attorney general “This is an incredibly exciting day for (www.ncsl.org).

California and for T h e s t at e s o f Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Penn- our democracy,” the bill’s author, Sen. Leland sylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Yee (D-San Francisco) stated in a press release Wisconsin have all passed strict photo ID laws. cited in the Huffington Post Sept. 19 article These laws require prospective voters to show “California Registration Goes Online, Increasspecific forms of government-issued photo ing Accessibility.” Yee continued, “While some identification. Depending on the laws of the states are suppressing the rights of voters, state, a driver’s license, valid passport, college here in California we are proudly increasing student ID, government employee ID, military participation.”

These laws tend to have a serious impact on ID or ID that has both the owner’s current address, current name and a photo suffices. But young adults and college students. A national these state-based laws can lead to confusion as survey sponsored by the Brennan Center for there is not a consistent practice — in some of Justice at NYU School of Law (www.brenthese states gun or hunting licenses are viable; nancenter.org) found that 11 percent of US citizens (over 21 million people) do not posin some states student IDs are not.

However, if a prospective voter does not sess government-issued photo identification, possess the correct ID in a strict photo ID with certain groups — elderly, low-income, state, he or she may cast a provisional ballot. minority and student voters — being less The provisional ballot will be counted provided likely to have the necessary identification. The that the voter returns within a few days after survey also found that 18 percent of young, Election Day with acceptable ID, though the mobile citizens ages 18-24 — approximately inclusion of their vote is not guaranteed. Eight 4.5 million citizens — do not have photo IDs other states require photo IDs but offer more that display their current address and name.

Critics of the voter ID laws argue that the ID options to voters who come without one.

Some legal authorities have raised the requirements are actually intended to suppress concern that states are not doing enough to voters who tend towards voting Democratic, make the voting process accessible to voters. In the same demographics found less likely to September, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court have proper IDs. The Brennan Center for gave the state judge who had recently decided Justice survey found that twenty-five percent to uphold the laws a two-week period to review of African-American citizens eligible to vote

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do not have current government-issued photo ID, in comparison with eight percent of white voters lacking IDs. Republicans, the main advocates of the laws, have come under scrutiny for remarks indicating intentional discrimination in the voter laws. The speaker of the New Hampshire State House William O’Brien, a Republican, was taped during a speech to the Rochester 9-12 group by a Democratic Party staffer, who posted the video to www.youtube.com. In the speech O’Brien explained to his audience that new laws will limit voting by college students.

O’Brien admitted this result was intended, because students would be “basically doing what I did when I was a kid and foolish: voting as a liberal. That’s what kids do, lacking life experience they just vote their feelings.” O’Brien’s office released a statement to clarify his intent.

“This is not an idea targeting any particular political party or ideology — it’s simply about getting back to the basic principles of ensuring residency and protecting integrity of our ballot system,” the release stated.

Critics also point to evidence that voter ID fraud is a non-issue. National data show that in the 2002 and 2004 presidential elections the percentage of illegal votes cast out of 197 million amounted to a statistical zero, according to Dr. Lorraine C. Minnite, who has written a book on the issue: The Myth of Voter Fraud.

T h e Un i t e d States has an inglorious history of restrictive voting laws, including the grandfather clause, literacy tests, and poll taxes. What have become known as “grandfather clause” acts said that a man could only vote if he or an ancestor of his had voted in 1867. In 1867, however, many African-Americans who would have been eligible to vote were unjustly barred from voting. Officials during the time also took literacy tests to absurd extremes, often giving unreasonable tests or turning away African American voters who clearly demonstrated literacy. In 1964 the 24th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, prohibiting poll taxes (fees required to vote). Still, it wasn’t until the case Harper v. Virginia State Board of

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“

Elections in 1966 that poll taxes were finally fully eliminated. The court ruled all such taxes unconstitutional: “A state violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution whenever it makes the affluence of the voter or payment of any fee an electoral standard. Voter qualifications have no relation to wealth,” the court stated.

Some worry that these anti-democratic laws are not a thing of the past. Attorney General Eric Holder deviated off-script in a speech to the NAACP in Houston on his opposition to the new voter ID law passed in Texas, objecting, “We call those ‘poll taxes,’” — meaning that anything that connects a fee to voting is suspect — according to a Huffington Post July 10 article “Eric Holder: Voter ID Laws Are ‘Poll Taxes’” (www.huffingtonpost.com) and an ABC News July 12 article “Voter ID: Poll Tax or Common Sense” (abcnews.go.com). This claim may be based on the fact that while citizens can get hold of some photo IDs for free, many types of photo IDs cost money and time to obtain.

Certain documents must be presented first to prove identity, such as a birth certificate. Not all voters have immediate access to their birth certificate, and to receive another, a fee of up to 25 dollars must be paid. As a consequence, access to voting is no longer completely free.

Concerns for students voters are real in the upcoming election, according to a Huffington Post September 22 article “Voter ID Laws LELAND YEE Take Aim at Colsenator lege Student Voters.” Deion Jordan, a 17-year-old high school senior and Philadelphia youth commissioner worried about the impact the state’s new voter ID law will have on younger voters. “It’ll hinder them,” he said.

“They’re not politically literate. They don’t know about this law.” His concern was echoed

by David Kaiser-Jones, a junior at the University of Pennsylvania. “A lot of students might show up on Election Day, and for the first time in their life, be disenfranchised,” he said.

While some states are suppressing the rights of voters, here in California we are proudly increasing participation.”

For the complete version of this story, please visit www.thelowell.org.

Octobrer 12, 2012

The Lowell

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7

rc e d n U in a c i r e Am

By Ashley Louie

N

supposedly “safe” weed killer called Roundup, inserted in some genes of G.M.O. foods, “resulted in the development of mammary tumors and severe liver and kidney damage in rats.”

Despite the health concerns G.M.O.s pose, food com-

01

ILLUSTRATIONS BY KIMBERLY LI

panies make such foods hard to recognize. According to a Sept. 15 New York Times opinion piece by Mark Bittman, the FDA and the United States Department of Agriculture do not require any products to be labeled as “genetically engineered” out of fear that these items might be considered “different” and threaten sales. However, our counterparts in Europe are required to label products containing more than 0.9 percent of G.M.O.s.

The G.M.O.-paranoid in our sunny state of California will have the opportunity to rid this state of unlabeled G.M.O.s by means of one act — Proposition 37 — in the upcoming elections. According to Bittman, Prop 37 would require the labeling of G.M.O. foods, and prohibit the labeling of such foods as natural. Polls show that the proposition has been popular, with “roughly 65 percent for to 20 percent against, with 15 percent undecided.” Some are adamantly against the proposition.

The Yes on Prop 37 web page listed a 2012 study that weighed the economic impact of Prop 37 on food prices. Emory University professor Joanna Shepherd found that labeling G.M.O.s would not have a large impact on farmers. Shepherd explained that the average grocery bill would increase by a “one-time annual cost of $1.27.”

Katherine Melvin, the AP and Regular Environmental Science teacher, concurs. “I think G.M.O. food should be labeled; this is an application of what’s called a precautionary principle, meaning that if we don’t know if it’s a problem, we should be careful,” Melvin said.

Melvin also mentioned the fact that besides health risks, G.M.O.s lessen variation among species by increasing susceptibility to diseases. “Pollen can also escape and affect non-targets like adult Monarch butterflies and honey bees.”

Melvin does, however, see the benefit of inserting other genes into produce. “The good thing about inserting the insecticide bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is that less pesticides are blown into natural areas.” According to Melvin, 90-95 percent of the sprayed pesticides are lost and do not remain on the plants.

English teacher Jennifer Moffitt, who teaches a course called Ethics of Eating, agrees with the proposition. “I think that G.M.O. companies should be able to provide information to the public to calm their fears [about G.M.O.s],” Moffitt said.

On the contrary, the No on Prop 37 website (http:// www.noprop37.com) stated that Prop 37 would either force farmers and food companies to spend billions implementing costly new operations such as packaging, or force them to switch to expensive non-G.M.O. ingredients, like organics.

The organization said that the increase in costs would increase food prices by hundreds of dollars a year, hurting seniors and low-income families.

Currently, you have several ways to find out what is in your food. For example, Whole Foods Markets have made shopping for ingredients easier than ever by labeling their organic products through their partnership with the Non-GMO Project. You can also check out the Right to Know website at carighttoknow.org for more resources pertaining to G.M.O.s, their effects on the health of mankind, the environment, etc. and Proposition 37.

Still want that corn on the cob?

The Lowe l g i h l spo t l t Oct .

1 2, 2

OTHING TASTES BETTER than a charbroiled corn on the cob with butter, how would it taste if you knew that the sweet and sa- vory treat contained an insecticide?

Nearly 85 percent of US grown corn is genetically modified, meaning that its DNA has been altered with genes from plants, animals and or bacteria to produce variations of the food, according to the Yes on Prop 37 organization.

The controversy over corn and other genetically modified organisms has progressed from a scientific discovery to an incredible controversy.

Scientist Paul Berg introduced genetic engineering in 1972. According to the Nobel Prize website, (www.nobelprize.org), Berg and his colleagues developed a means of joining two strains of DNA, enabling so the search for new ways to combine genes began. In 1982, according to the American Radio Works, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first genetically engineered d r u g , i ns u l i n , creat e d with DNA from E. Coli bacteria.

Since then, mankind has greatl y evolved from the caveman period of G.M.O.s.

Presently, according to the Center for Food Safety, approximately 70 percent of processed foods and 91 percent of soybeans at grocery stores contain genetically engineered ingredients.

Why care about the bioengineered ingredients in your food? According to a 2011 LiveStrong article, (http://www.livestrong.com), modified organisms have the potential to transfer antibiotic resistance markers or cause significant allergic reactions. This can make prescribed antibiotics less effective. Unknown allergic reactions may occur due to the placing of an allergen’s gene in a seemingly allergen-free organism.

On the other hand, G.M.O.s do have ardent supporters.

According to the Human Genome Project web page, (http:// www.ornl.gov), bioengineering can enhance the taste, quality and resistance to diseases, create new products and growing techniques, and shorten the maturation time of organisms.

Some of these factors are seen in a Sept. 3 study by UC Davis professors Julian Alston and Daniel Sumner.

According to Alston and Sumner, monetary benefits include insecticide and herbicide-tolerant strains that would lower farmers’ cost of tillage, bringing short-run gains in profit. Other benefits include convenience and improved safety for the farmers who handle the herbicides. In other words, Jefferson’s beloved yeoman farmers could harvest more and profit more with the help of G.M.O.s.

Despite the potential harmful effects of G.M.O.s, they are often not tested for meeting safety regulations. According to a Pro-G.M.O. labeling webpage (www.labelgmos.org), the “substantial equivalence” concept proposed in 1996 and later adopted, has permitted companies to sell and distribute their genetically engineered food without any toxicology tests as long as the products are similar in chemical composition to those already on the market.

Remember that corn?

Growing corn requires large amounts of fertilizer and pesticides. However, according to Sep. 19 Examiner article, a UK study found that feeding rats with even the smallest amounts of a

engineered by scientists go unlabeled. Proposition 37 aims to amend this, but controversy over GMOs sparks debate: frankenstein fruit or an end to world hunger?

2

ly l a c i t Genedified Mo sms: i n a g r O over

In the U.S., organisms

Te n n i s re m a i n s undefeated in league play with a 4-0 record

Lowell High School October 12, 2012

Page 9

JV football competes with brand new team

HUIMIN ZHANG

Sophomore Quarterback Johann Leffler avoids two tackles, rushing for a first down during a 37-0 defeat to Mission on Sept. 29 at School of the Arts.

By Pasha Stone

A

T THE END OF SUMMER conditioning this year, the Lowell JV football team had no head coach, and only three returning sophomores out of seven players. Now, going into their next season they have 28 players, including 11 sophomores, and two head coaches — an optimistic outlook to accompany this quickly developing team.

The inexperience of the players provides a challenge for the coaches. “They’re a really young team this year, so the other coaches and I focus more on the basics, like technique,” co-head coach Ronald Ng said, who leads the Cardinals with former Lowell teammate Jabbes Rivera.

Lowell currently stands at 1-1 in league, and 2-2 overall.

Their sole league win is due to a forfeit by the Thurgood Marshall Phoenix on Oct. 6, which will count as a victory in the JV standings.

The Cardinals kicked off their AAA season on Sept. 29,

against the Mission Bears, at SOTA. Lowell couldn’t handle the Bears’ defensive force and offensive attack in a 42-0 rout.

The Cardinals were unsuccessful in finding the confidence they showed in their previous game against Jefferson on Sept. 21, which was a 28-14 win.

The young team started off their preseason slowly, with a 4812 loss against Tennyson. “The Tennyson game was a wake-up call for the team,” Ng said. “About 80 percent of the team have never played football in their life. Tennyson had more experience and better technique than us, we got beat by a better team.”

The team has increased its number of freshmen from 10 last year to 17 this year, and the Cards attribute this to improved recruitment. “It’s hard to convince people to join football, because it’s such a tough sport; it’s not for most people,” Sophomore defensive captain Abdul Alaudi said, “But when school started, the people who were ready for the challenge showed up.

We had to work hard to recruit kids though, talking to a lot of

Athlete of the Month:

Amorelle Applin

By Elazar Chertow

The squeak of shoes against the gym floor. The whistle of a referee. The roaring cheer of devoted fans. At this time of the year, these can only mean one thing: the girls’ varsity volleyball season is in full swing.

As usual, junior Amorelle Applin is at the center of it. Applin, who at 5’9 stands well above average, is in her second year on the varsity team, playing as a middle hitter.

Joining the varsity team as a sophomore, Applin felt pressure to prove to the team what a dynamic player she was. “It was good pressure, and it helped motivate me to improve through the year,” Applin said.

Almost as soon as the season started, she had an immediate impact, aiding the team with her signature move, the “slide-hit,” a serve in which she jumps off one foot and slams the ball across the net. Her statistics show that she has improved as a middle hitter, having a 480 kill rate, which means 48% of the time her hits were not returned during a Sept. 22 game against Balboa.

The Cardinals made it to the championship last year, and although they did not bring home a title, Applin — as well as the team as a whole — are excited and eager to finish what they started during the 2011 season. “I expect us all to grow with the competition,” Applin said. “We can make it to the championship, and beyond.”

In addition to being a solid individual athlete, Applin is a team player. “Every time we huddle up she has something nice and encouraging to say,” junior Jaela Caston said.

Applin, who started playing volleyball in fourth grade, and joined SF Juniors club team in fifth grade, still feels that there is room for improvement in her game. “This year I hope to improve my defense and all aspects of my game.”

When she is not helping Lowell win games or perfecting her signature move, the “slide-hit,” when she’s on the court, Applin spends most of her timing hanging out with friends, proving that even the best athletes are nothing but regular teenagers.

freshman, and we eventually had more than enough for a team.”

After last year’s coach, Jessie Raskin, left the team this offseason, the athletic department and JV team needed to find a coach. The result was that the two coordinators from last year have stepped into shared coaching roles, along with fellow Lowell alum Kent Tran. “All three of us coaches on the JV team this year all graduated in 2010; we all played together so we have a lot of chemistry,” Ng said. We know how this football program is supposed to be. Coach Rivera does the defense while I do offense. Coach Tran helps us out on both.”

The new coaches are confident despite being rookies. “Having just graduated three years ago, everything is still pretty fresh in our minds,” Ng said. “All the technique and schemes we did that made our class so successful, we are now passing down to the JV team.”

Go down to the football field at 3 p.m. to see the Cardinals take on the Balboa Buccaneers on Friday, Oct. 19.

Dragon boat flies past competition at race

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEC FONG

The Boys’ Dragon Boat team, the Cardinal Crewzers, went on to win the CBS 5 High School Boys’ Championship, on Sept. 16. The Girls’ team also came in first in their division.

10 SPORTS

October 12, 2012

LOWELL HIGH SCHOOL

Girls’ Tennis Defeats Balboa in Impressive Sweep

Clockwise From Top: Senior Kitty Kwan gets low to return a tough shot (Top Left), Junior Adrianne Pan jumps up to knock the ball back to her opponent (Top Right), Senior Raisa Gaslustyan comes in swinging (Middle Right), Junior Suzanna Tom gets ready to hit a clean forehand shot, (Bottom Right), Senior Suzanne Tsai prepares to hit a volley (Bottom Center), Senior Eva Morgenstein focuses in on smashing a serve (Bottom Left).

Varsity Tennis Results Sept. 11

University 5-2 Lowell

Sept. 12

Lowell 6-1 Galileo

Sept. 24

Saint Ignatius 5-2 Lowell

Sept. 26

Lowell 7-0 Balboa

Sept. 28

Lowell 5-2 Wallenberg

Oct. 3

Lowell 5-2 Lincoln

All Photos by

The Lowell

SPORTS

October 12, 2012

Girls’ Golf aims to reclaim championship

11

PHOTO COURTESY OF SALLY MA

Senior varsity golfer Josephine Cormier hits the ball out of the rough during a 228-238 victory over the Washington Eagles on Sept. 11.

By Andrew Pearce and Joey Wong

T

HE VARSITY GIRLS’ golf team is ready to outplay, outpractice, and out-spirit its competition this year. Having placed second to their main rival, the Lincoln Mustangs in the league last year, this season the girls’ golf team hopes to come out victorious.

So far this season, the Cardinals have achieved a 4-0 record as of Oct. 5, defeating the Balboa Buccaneers 203-230.

In last season’s playoffs, Lowell defeated Washington 230257, advancing to the championships only to be shot down 606-689 by the Mustangs — the only team who had defeated them during the season.

Despite losing five seniors who graduated last year, leaving the team with only three seniors this year, senior veteran Paulina Kang is optimistic. Last season the two best players on

the Mustangs’ team finished first and second individually, but one of them has now graduated, giving Lowell a better chance of outplaying them this year.

Besides the weekly matches, the team practices Monday through Wednesday at Harding Park. The team has regular rest days once or twice a week to avoid injuries. “Too much practice can hurt your back,” head coach Robert Ray said.

Players take practices very seriously. “You need commitment to the sport,” freshman Alexa Jan said. “You have to practice, you can’t just walk into a game.”

Ray encourages his players to practice on their own in their free time. He recommends that his players join First Tee, an organization that introduces the game of golf and offers lessons on weekdays to youths at Harding Park, for more practice. “It’s a team sport but it’s also really individual,” Ray said.

The team is taking advantage of the new chipping range at Harding Park, the golf course that they practice on. This gives them practice of both chipping and putting plus practicing their aim. “It’s really helpful because chipping and putting is the most important aspect of the game to improve on,” Kang said.

Golf is a social game. The girls can combine competing and getting to know players from different schools. “You can talk to other people while you’re playing,” Kang said.

According to Kang, golf requires integrity and honesty.

“You can apply goals of golf to life,” Kang said, referring to the situations where the player is relied upon to tell the truth about the number of strokes. The team members have taken all these qualities and applied them to their matches with success.

Their next match is at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 at Lincoln Park against their rivals, the Lincoln Mustangs.

Girls’ FS Volleyball has high hopes with new team

By Dylan Anderson and Sam Tick-Raker

S

HOUTS OF INSTRUCTIONS and encouragement echo against the walls of the gym, balls fly over the net and bumps, sets and spikes are hit as the Frosh/Soph girl’s volleyball team charges into another exciting season.

Despite a successful preseason, winning a tournament in Watsonville, and winning ten of their first eleven games overall, head coach Steven Wesley reminds the team there is

always room for improvement. “I keep reassuring them that no one is perfect. I need to change their mentality,” he said.

He believes the 25-17, 25-18 win against Balboa in their first regular season game on Sept. 21 was an important lesson for the team as they needed to strive to win. “It was a wake up call for the girls and to be successful they need a little more than the basics.” The team has proved that they learned the lesson by recently defeating Burton 25-2, 25-7.

sports opinion

Dirt track dusts up football field

HOI LEUNG

Last year the Cardinals went undefeated, going 9-0 in the regular season. In their playoff run, they beat Galileo in the semi-final on their way to defeating Balboa in the final, 25-21, 25-15.

The team, however, has changed since last year’s perfect season. The majority of the team is freshmen, with only two returning sophomores: outside hitter Kiersten Cheung and right side hitter Jasmine Gomez. These more experienced players have a unique role as veterans on the team. “We have responsibility, there’s pressure on us,” Cheung said.

“We have to set an example for the freshmen and we are expected to know more. Steven asks us questions about volleyball during practice and he will deliberately call on me or Jasmine.”

According to the new players, Cheung and Gomez have fulfilled their leadership roles well. “They are really helpful and guide us,” freshman middle blocker Kris Hui said. “They carry us since we are all new.” The players seek guidance from assistant coach Jackie Su as well as head coach Wesley, and described both coaches as “really funny and disciplined.”

As the Cardinals journey through this season, Wesley says winning games is not his only goal. “I want to make sure the girls learned something,” he said. “They have to enjoy it. It would be pointless to go undefeated if they hadn’t learned anything.”

The girls face a new set of challenges because of last season’s success. “There is the pressure of being the best.

It adds one extra element. It forces the team to lose focus,” Wesley said. “It makes them want to try to be perfect, and they’ll usually fail because no one is perfect.”

So far, Wesley is happy with the ladies’ performance in practice and in the games. “This is the strongest freshmen team in a long time,” Wesley said. “Their passion is different and the level of dedication is higher. They play as often as possible.”

So come out and cheer on your Lady Cardinals this Friday, Oct. 12, at Wallenberg at 3:45 p.m.

12 COLUMNS

Lowell High School

October 12, 2012

Disenchanted Halloweener goes low key

By KT Kelly

I

’m the type of person who decides exactly what I want to be for Halloween three months in advance, but then puts together a hasty costume the night before. I wasn’t always this way, though. There was a time when I was fully prepared to trick-or-treat, or brag about the maze of fake spider-web that decorated my doorway during the week leading up to the thrilling night.

My earliest Halloween nights were spent being carried around by my mom and dad in a pumpkin outfit that my mom made from the orange scraps she found in a discount store on Clement Street. Those crazy nights ended around 8 p.m, and my parents snacked on the candy that my gums couldn’t chew.

When I finally grew my teeth and started taking toddler steps, I realized the significance of a night where I could collect enough candy to munch on until Christmas. I took Halloween very seriously, strategically picking out the best Disney princess costume that matched my favorite princess of the year, whether it be Rapunzel or Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

On the fateful night, my brother and I would proudly walk down our sidewalk, only occasionally tripping on the train of fabric bundled at my feet, greeting each opened door

with: “Trick-or-treat!”

To add to the stress of choosing a costume and collecting candy, I also had to make sure that I made an impression in school. And let me tell you, the competition for the best princess dress in kindergarten was fierce.

Whoever had the best dress would definitely be talked about for ages, which for a six-yearold is equivalent to about a day in high school time. Because Halloween was the only day of the year we were allowed to wear make-up to school, I went all out. Glitter, powder and neon-colored eye shadow were just some of the many cheap cosmetics that I painted on my face during my personal Princess Era, and during our Halloween parades, I thought I looked awesome (disclaimer: I didn’t).

Around third or fourth grade, the feminist inside of me would not allow me to spend another year playing the damsel in distress. Being the creative person I was, I would throw on the craziest clothes in my basement, don a purple witch hat and then label myself accordingly. I have been everything from a “teenage-singer/ songwriter-witch” to “pop star-wannabe-hippie-witch.” The great thing about these outfits was that they were extremely versatile. I could take off the witch hat and BAM! Suddenly I was just a “teenage-singer/songwriter,” and in the same way, I could take off my hippie glasses

and instantly become a “pop star-wannabe-witch.”

These crazy characters followed me into the awkward years of middle school — those years that you are too old to trickor-treat, but too young to go to parties. Luckily that solution was quickly solved, as I just so happened to have a five-yearold brother with five-yearPhoto Courtesy of KT Kelly old friends who needed to Junior KT Kelly (left) in a pumpkin costume when she was three and be chaperoned going door (right) dressed as a princess at her Halloween parade in first grade. to door up and down our block. I selflessly volunthe preteen years. At first I wanted to relive my teered to accompany my helpless brother trick- glory days, and I followed my now seven-yearor-treating, and to reward myself, I may have old brother around the neighborhood for a grabbed candy from the full bowls of Starburst couple of minutes before I admitted to myself and Hershey’s chocolate bars. that my trick-or-treating days were over. As Along with the wisdom of high school came sad as I was, I also felt a weight being lifted the sad reality that Halloween was no longer off my shoulders. I didn’t have to worry about about filling up a pillowcase with candy and my costume being hip or cool, or calculate the hiding it from your siblings under your bed, or amount of candy I could have each day so that going to purchase a Halloween costume at the it could last until Thanksgiving weekend, or infamous Spirit store. The holiday has become getting the spray-on washable hair dye off my an occasion to draw a cat nose and whiskers on sensitive scalp. So instead of stressing out on my face during my morning make-up routine Halloween, I tie a bandana on my head, call and Halloween night has become a time to myself “Rosie the Riveter,” hang out with my hang out with my friends and an excuse not to friends, and see if some family feels generous finish my homework. At first, I was horrified enough to donate a couple of Almond Joys for to know that a night that I used to spend so a night out on All Hallows’ Eve. much time thinking about means nothing after

Part-time Aussie citizen embraces his inner koala

By Sam Tick-Raker

“G

’ day a n d w e l come to Sydney. It’s a beautiful day outside, around 12 degrees Celsius. Enjoy your stay,” the pilot said in a broad Australian accent. Our plane pulls into the gate and I am home, though it’s the first time I have ever been to the country.

This past summer, my family and I went “Down Under” and I travelled on my Australian passport. Yep, you heard me. I am an Australian citizen.

How? Well, it’s a long story and it begins in Germany in the 1930s.

My grandmother’s family had lived in Germany for a long, long time. Then Adolf Hitler came to power and Jews across the country began to flee. Some had no idea what was going on. Her family, after Kristallnacht, when Nazis came into her house and destroyed things, decided it was time to go. They ap-

plied for visas all across the world, and the first one they got was from Australia. Brazil was second, and if Australia had not let them in, I might be speaking Portuguese now.

But they went to Australia, and my grandmother grew up there. My mom was born in Sydney and lived there for three years, b e fore m ov i ng to San Francisco.

While living in the States, she visited her birthplace a few times with her family. The only things I knew about Australia were from stories from my family’s history. I always thought of it as a faraway land with kangaroos and koalas. These images mostly came from Australian storybooks that my

parents read to me as a kid. I had eaten Vegemite, a salty, yeast extract that only Aussies enjoy, but that was about it.

Last spring my family decided that it would be cool if I were to get an Australian passport and cit izenship.

It wou l d b e something fun to have, and would also give me another option for the future. Since my mom was born there, I qualified for one because I am her descendant. The process was quite simple, since getting a dual citizenship is not difficult and the Australian consulate was not that busy.

After a few months, I received my

passport just in time for my threeweek expedition to Australia in July.

On our trip we visited our relatives, staying with my mom’s first cousins in a suburb of Sydney called West Pymble. We lived in their house, ate dinner with them, and talked with them at length. We borrowed their car and drove around Sydney (on the other side of the road). Because we stayed with family, it felt like we lived there, and we were not just tourists.

Of course, being a huge sports fanatic, I wanted to learn about their most popular game called Australian Rules Football, a sport similar to rugby. There is a fair amount of contact in the game, but they do not wear helmets or padding, unlike us “wimpy” Yanks. My dad and I went to an Aussie Rules Game, as they say, and I was amazed at the athleticism of the players and how strong they were. I was expecting the players

to be athletic, but these guys were bigger and more muscular than my imagination came up with and they made some incredible plays.

The game is fast paced and exciting; play never stops, unlike American football. I loved it so much that I bought a “footy,” an Aussie Rules ball, which I play with at home with my sister, cousins and friends.

Along with souvenirs, I also brought home some new vocabulary, such as “queue” instead of line, and “loads” and “heaps” instead of a lot.

“No worries” and “Mate” are common sayings as well. Though they are fun to say and use, not many Americans understand this “foreign language.”

Going to the country that saved my family was a touching experience. Australia will always be a special part of me. Who knows? I could be living there soon, especially if Mitt Romney wins the election…

Baseballer sings: ‘Take me back to the weightroom!’

By Spencer Thirtyacre

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ifting weights pushes you both mentally and physically. As a baseball player, I’ve never been entirely dedicated to putting in the extra time to work out even though I know it could improve my performance. Last year, I thought of playing in the fall league as a relaxing way to ease into the intensity of the regular season. Workouts were optional, and practices were few and far between.

When I joined the Lowell baseball team two years ago, I really had no idea what to expect, but I soon found that Lowell baseball is a yearlong commitment. The regular season begins in late Feb-

ruary, and lasts until mid-May, when we start the summer league. When that ends, we play in a fall league almost until the beginning of the regular season and the cycle begins all over.

I’ve attempted to start a strict workout regimen for myself a few times in the past, but time and time again, I have carelessly given up on it, causing me to fall short of my maximum potential. My most recent attempt was last fall, when I decided to get fit by attending some of the voluntary weight room sessions. Initially I was really excited to improve my game, but there was something missing —a sense of direction. I walked in without knowing quite what I was doing. The seniors were all lifting weights heavier than myself, while I stood there with my wimpy ten-pound dumbbells, feeling pretty foolish. Still I muscled through it, but I wasn’t very comfortable, and the exercises I had chosen for myself were doing very little to improve my playing ability. Eventually I lost interest and I stopped going. During the regular season, I felt the effects of being out of shape, as I was overly

exhausted during the first couple weeks of conditioning. As soon as I got back into the rhythm of regular practice, I was able to keep up, but I was still missing the strength that would have helped me perform my best.

The team has recently gone through a dramatic change, as last spring we got a new head coach, Tom Ledda, who implemented a strong work ethic that we’ve taken to heart. Now we look to explode into the regular season. We are busy, we are organized, and we are working hard six days a week. Tuesdays and Thursdays are practices, and the week finishes with doubleheader games on Saturdays. I am in the weight room three days a week, for an hour and a half per day, as workouts no longer are optional — they’re mandatory. The daily workouts are grueling — a schedule of weight lifting, leg exercises, and cores.

Still, I look forward to them. Each time I walk into the weight room, I feel like I’m a part of the team, all of us working ruthlessly toward the same goal. It’s truly a great feeling. As an upperclassman, I feel that I have matured, and gained discipline, in my studies, and life in general. Weightlifting is no longer a chore; it is a privilege to be able to use the resources available to make myself a better ball player. The structure and organization are what allow me to push myself. The drive and passion to get things done, not just in the weight room, but also my schoolwork, and life in general come from setting goals for myself. I can use the goals I set forth to keep from straying off the path I’ve chosen. It is with boundaries that I can shape how I want to live, and so create a life of discipline and success.

Now I just have to keep focused. The workouts are only worth as much as the effort I put into them, and right now they’re worth their weight in gold.

The Lowell

13

October 12, 2012

PROFILES

Intensity inspires young driller to join squad

By KT Kelly and Tyler Perkins

W

ith movements as sharp as the creases in their uniforms, the Boys’ Drill Team spins their guidons, or flags, in complete synchronic rhythm. You wouldn’t even notice the ponytail that is concealed under the beret of junior Danielle Chen, currently the only girl participating in the Boys’ Drill team.

Chen was attracted to the intensity of the Boys’ Drill Team’s performance when she saw them spinning their guidons during her freshman orientation and joined the team the second week of her freshman year. “When I first saw them, the thing that stood out most to me was the sense of unity,” Chen said in an email sent on Sept. 20. “To have a chance to become a part of that? There is no club or sports team that can even come close.”

Despite being female, Chen is considered just like every other member on the team. “I would be pretty angry if they gave

me any different treatment just because of my gender,” Chen said. “Tryouts and team experiences should be the same, regardless of any differences the person may have.”

Although they seem similar, the Boys’ and Gi rl s’ D r i l l Teams are separated by much more than just gender. “While both teams use precise movements, the Girls’ Drill Team depends only on themselves, while the Boys’ Drill Team employs the use of guidons,” Chen said.

“The Girls’ Drill Team grabs the audiences’ sense of sight and hearing with their singing and stomping, but the Boys’ Drill team can only engage the audiences’ sense of sight. And when they do, everyone becomes quiet.”

Chen had no interest in the Girls’ Drill Team and was more attracted to the boys’ routine. “It didn’t matter to me that the team consisted entirely of guys,” Chen said.

“I learned later that I wasn’t the first girl on the team.”

Although the team includes both genders, it is still ­called the Boy’s Drill Team. “Officially, we’re labeled as the Silent Drill Team or the Flag Drill Team, but everyone knows us as the Lowell Boys’ Drill Team,” Chen said. “It’s tradition and there’s no reason to change that just because one girl is on it.”

The decision to join the drill team has paid off in the greatest way possible.

“There are times, when drilling, that the entire team gives off an aura of intensity so strong that the pride I have in being part of the team is indescribable,” Chen said.

With four to five practices a week, Chen knows that the skills she has learned from Boys’ Drill Team will accompany her, hopefully to the United States Naval Academy. “You learn how to manage your time efficiently and how to improve your confidence, Chen said.

“There are a thousand other things that drill team teaches us, but one of the most important ones is how to get back up when you fall.”

courtesy of Mitchell Fong

Junior Danielle Chen (right) marches in the 2011 Veterans’ Day parade with teammate senior Gian Nepacena

Dedicated lax ladies advocate for sport they love

By Samantha Wilcox

a team of their own,” Finnegan said.

Finnegan has played lacrosse for eight owell High School has 104 sections of Advanced Placement classes, 86 clubs years. “I’ve played for Bearlax, teams in Marin and 27 sports represented by 32 sports and Burlingame, and I was on the NorCal teams. However, we do not have a lacrosse team,” Finnegan said. “I was raised to be very active and I played a lot of sports growing up, team. Two girls have set out to change that.

Sophomore Lauren Finnegan and ju- but lacrosse stood out to me because not many girls played it.” nior Jackie McDonMcDonald ald played with the and Finnegan Washington Eagles have taken their girls’ lacrosse team for love for the game one season last year, on a qu e st to and hoped to bring bring it to Lowell. lacrosse to Lowell this Initially the goal year. Currently, Washwas to bring laington High School is crosse to Lowell the only SFUSD school for the upcoming that has boys’ and spring semester, girls’ lacrosse teams. though more time The Eagles compete Sophomore Lauren Finnegan (left) and junior may be needed against private club Jackie McDonald (right) to work out the teams because there are no other SFUSD schools to compete against. “I thought bringing details. Last year, they posted multiple sign-up a lacrosse team to Lowell would not only raise sheets around the school where girls who were awareness to girls’ lacrosse around the city, but interested in playing lacrosse for a Lowell team hopefully other public high schools will create could sign up for further information. “About

L

30 girls showed interest,” Finnegan said.

When you have players, you also need a place to practice and equipment to practice with. Lacrosse for Life is the organization that helped to fund equipment and other costs for the Washington Eagles, and they are dedicated to bringing the sport of lacrosse to more cities.

“I’ve talked to Lacrosse for Life and can get all the sticks donated for girls who are interested,” Finnegan said. Students who participate on a Lacrosse for Life team must maintain certain behavior and grade standards, and they must help fundraise for their team. However, participation on the team is free.

Out of the 30 prospective players who have signed up, not all of them have played lacrosse, and would benefit from some training before joining a team. Although prior experience with lacrosse is preferred, many people can start playing without any, as McDonald did. “When I was a sophomore I was really interested in playing a sport,” McDonald said. “Lauren had mentioned to me that the Eagles needed girls and no prior experience was necessary, so I decided to try playing lacrosse with her. I love lacrosse because of the uniqueness of it as well

as the team feeling.”

Since Finnegan and McDonald sent out a call for interested girls last spring, Finnegan has been on the hunt for field spaces and possible coaches. “I know a fair amount of coaches who would be willing to help out with coaching the team,” Finnegan said. Her extensive lacrosse history and wealth of contacts within the sport have helped her navigate the challenge of starting up lacrosse. “The main struggle I have had is finding field space and receiving verification from our athletics department to start a team,” Finnegan said.

Finnegan and McDonald are working to get all their ducks in a row. “The team isn’t anywhere near finalized,” Finnegan said. “The lacrosse team would have to be next year since the club signups were already due. I’d love to have some clinics this year but I’m really just trying to get support from Lowell Athletics first,” Finnegan said.

Although their dream of Cardinal Lacrosse is not yet complete, Finnegan and McDonald are on the brink of bringing something new to Lowell. America’s fastest growing sport could soon be in our own backyard.

Fierce freshmen girls tackle new sport head on

By Pasha Stone

coach Ronald Ng felt that linebacker/fullback reshmen Iris Buchelman and would be a good fit for Buchelman, and deOlivia Scott came to Lowell on Aug. fensive back for Scott based on their size and 17 with over 400 other freshman girls. athleticism. Buchelman hopes to fit into her However, instead of joining basketball or soc- new position well. “I’m not very short for our cer, they chose to do something only a handful team and I hope to get stronger during summer of girls in the entire state do each year: join conditioning and off-season weightlifting,” Buchelman said. their school football team.

Currently neither are starting; however, Buchelman and Scott, who have been they are gaining experifriends ever since they met in an ence everyday. “I want to all city band performance in eighth be a starter, but everyone grade, joined the JV Cardinals does,” Scott said. “This together early this school year. year I just want to im“I played some flag football in prove, and become the middle school, and it was a lot of best player I can be.” fun, so I decided to try out playAlthough both girls ing real football in high school,” have plenty of athletic Buchelman said. She is playing experience, picking up football as a continuation of a long a new contact sport is sports career, including baseball, no easy task. The girls volleyball, track and tae-kwon-do. Freshman Olivia Scott rely on their coaches to Football is more of a new exhelp them out. “I really like perience for Scott. “I haven’t played a lot of football before, Scott said. “All I need how Coach Tran keeps everything simple,” to have fun is to move around, so I thought Buchelman said, “It makes it easier to underfootball would be a great fit.” Scott also had a stand, because it’s my first year, and I have a very active middle school sports career, playing lot to learn.”

Buchelman is happy to just be on the team for both a baseball and a soccer team.

Due to their smaller size, most girls in this year. “It’s enough for me to be on the team,” football either play wide receiver or kicker. she said. “Not starting is just another reason However the JV Cardinals’ offense (and most for me to work harder.”

Buchelman does not mind being surof the AAA) seldom kick or pass. Co-head

F

rounded by male teammates. “I don’t really for me.” Buchelman can still count on the enfeel that out of place. My teammates treat me couragement of her friends. “Whenever I tell like one of the guys,” she said. Buchelman and my friends that I’m playing football, they get Scott are the only two in the girls’ locker room really excited for me,” she said.

Scott experienced a similar reaction when after practice.

The separate locker rooms do pose a logisti- telling people about her new sport. “At first cal issue for the girls. “It’s definitely weird, be- most of my friends and family were a little bit ing left out of team meetings [held in the boys’ shocked I’m playing football, but now they locker room], and being padded up in the boys’ back me 100 percent,” Scott said. “My grandma told my mom I shouldn’t play, locker room is never norbut my mom trusts that I can be mal,” Scott said. Being fitted for pads happens only once as safe as possible,” Scott said.

Both girls have taken the in a while, while on a daily basis a teammate retrieves higher risk of injuries for girls in football into consideration.

Scott and Buchelman’s pads “I think about getting injured before practice. “It’s only a little bit,” Scott said. “It’s a something I’ll have to deal dangerous sport, but I keep it in with once year, so it’s a small price to pay to play the back of my mind. If you do everything right, the injury risk the sport,” Scott said.

B oth girls received Freshman Iris Buchelman really isn’t that major.” mixed reactions when tellBuchelman also understands ing their parents about footthe dangers of the sport. “I know it’s ball. “When I told my parents I wanted to play there; I could get injured at anytime, but you football, my dad said he supports me if that’s just have to not think about it and play the what I want to do,” Buchelman said. However, game,” she said.

The girls are not afraid to show their comher other parent wasn’t as pleased. “My mom freaked out when I told her, but she did let me mitment for the sport. “My goal for this season play,” Buchelman said. “She just wants me to is just to try my hardest and get better. Football be as safe as possible when I play, and keep up is a lot of fun, and it’s a great sport for anyone my grades, which I’ll try to do. I still haven’t who is willing to work for it,” Buchelman said. told my grandparents; they might be too afraid

14 OPINION

October 12, 2012

Lowell High School

Reporter disenchanted with politics of today, cites campaign finance laws as source of anger

By Spencer Thirtyacre

Given the chance, would you vote Republican or Democrat?

Why? For most of us, it is because that’s how we were raised.

Very few of us have actually formulated our own thoughts on politics.

At a young age, I had little interest in what went on outside of my school, friends and sports teams. I thought of politics as “those boring radio shows my dad listens to.”

I remember the first time my awareness was piqued at the world of Washington politics when my family sat in front of the television, watching the results of the 2004 presidential election. I had given my unwavering support to John Kerry for the sole reason that he was not George Bush. My dad really liked Independent, Ralph Nader, though I didn’t understand his reasoning. We watched and watched, and it seemed really close, but they eventually called it: George W. Bush was reelected as president of the United States of America, narrowly defeating John Kerry. We turned off the TV, and I was very sad, though I did not really know why. All my naïve self knew was that Bush had been a bad president and would ruin our country over the next four years. This was how I was raised to think of politics.

This was not only my parents’ fault. It was also my lack of interest in knowing the specifics of political issues. I grew up with children, who like me had a strong liberal perspective, only knowing what their parents told them.

As I matured, my interest in politics increased, and I was more inclined to find out about the state of my country.

I learned what each party stood for, but I was still bounded by the fundamental views of the Republican Party that I absorbed when I was younger. To this day I immediately cringe at anything that I hear the Republicans want to do, even if, in actuality, it is a good idea.

This is how many people in the United States have grown up, with a biased and unwavering point of view of each party. The parties are becoming more extreme,

as very few politicians run as moderates.

Those who do, such as former republican presidential candidate, Jon Huntsman, get next to no votes, because they appeal to the select few that keep an open mind on what politicians say. The ones who attract the most votes are those with ideas on either extreme.

People are no longer voting for a candidate’s views or policies, but instead for the political party they represent. This is what has spiked such a divide between the Republican and Democratic Parties and their supporters.

What is wrong with the democracy of our country today is that those with the most money use their fiscal advantage to voice their opinions in broad-scale, propaganda-like television shows, such as FOX News or MSNBC. These shows deliver their news in a very biased way, taking advantage of the fact that their viewers like to have opinions on hot topic issues by repeating their own views over and over.

Successful corporate contributors are able to force-feed their opinions to the American public due to the 2010 Supreme Court’s Citizen’s United vs. Federal Elections Commission ruling, which stated that corporations had the same First Amendment rights as people, and were therefore open to unlimited spending on the campaign trail. These corporations have taken

full advantage of this misguided ruling, and according to the Sunlight Foundation (reporting.sunlightfoundation. com), a record-breaking $365 million spent by individuals outside the campaign towards the election can be directly attributed to the Citizen’s United ruling. Super Political Action Committees contributed $272 million of these donations. These super PACs are able to receive unlimited funding from individual contributors, as long as they do not donate it directly to candidates or political parties. Super PACs have gotten around this by spending millions on television advertisements with the intention of crushing the opponent.

It’s depressing to think that average hard working people no longer have a voice in politics anymore. Two years from now, when I am able to vote, I would like to think that the elected representatives I vote for would reflect the values and opinions of the community they are supposed to represent. Too often these Washington politicians accept donations in return for looking out for the interests of major corporations, and turn their backs on the very people that voted them into office. The Declaration of Independence states that, “all men are created equal.” If this is true, money should not make one person’s voice and political influence stronger than another’s.

Elections are no longer about who has the best policies; they are about who can make their opponent look Hoi Leung worse in the eyes of voters by spending the most money. This is not the way our founding fathers pictured democracy. This has got to change.

Student urges peers to take first step in curbing climate change, not rely on others for solutions

By Elazar Chertow

Visualize our planet wearing sunglasses, lounging in a lawn chair on the beach and sipping a tall glass of lemonade. Foolish, p erhaps, but when such obscure concepts as polar ice melt and glacial retreat were first introduced as evidence of increased global temperatures, what would you expect a person to think?

My image of climate change has matured, slowly evolving from a simple cartoon of a factory’s smoke plume to graphs of carbon dioxide emissions that I’m sure even real scientists have difficulty understanding. And as all high school students know, when problems get complex, it is easier to just put them off rather than actually grapple with them, because they seem too removed or foreign to be worth any real time and attention.

This has happened not only to me, but to the majority of our convenienceobsessed generation of teenagers. We may see a statistic on the news about how New York City may be submerged underwater in 2050 due to current trends in warming-induced sea level rise. Crazy, right? But then we get a text from a friend, or the microwave beep goes off, or it may even dawn on us that there is a math test tomorrow, and just like that, any sense of urgency, any sense of responsibility, goes up in smoke.

I admit, I really am no different. On www.footprintnetwork.org I took a test to calculate my carbon footprint, and despite

the f a c t that I am a vegetarian and I take the bus everyday, if everyone in the world were to live as I do, it would still take more than four Earth’s worth of resources to sustain my quality of life. That is a shocking statistic, but it still did not stop me from begging my dad to give me a ride to a friend’s house, which I could have easily biked to.

This lack of action on our part is what has to change. We are not only the next generation of leaders, but we are, more importantly, the next generation of people that has to deal with the effects of climate change, or face the consequences. Most of the burden will lie with our generation, and those of the future. According to NASA’s climate website, (www.climate. nasa.gov) when it comes to climate change, Americans alone emit 7.6 billion pounds of carbon dioxide per day.

The production and burning of just one

Hoi Leung

gallon of gasoline yields 19 pounds of carbon dioxide. These are staggering facts, but we cannot see them directly. However, we can all feel the burn of the sun during an uncommonly warm San Francisco summer.

The bottom line is that climate change is not an issue that we can just put aside and hope that politicians, both on a local and federal level, will find a solution. In fact, President Obama proposed a solution to curbing greenhouse gas emissions, though it has not been instituted nationally, and may never be. The policy is a cap and trade system, where Congress would set a limit on how much emissions can be produced by an energy provider, and if a provider is below the limit, they can sell the “extra” carbon credits to another company that may be over the limit, according to www.epa.gov/capandtrade. Although cap and trade is a good idea because it gives companies economic incentives to lower emissions, it is clearly not among President Obama’s top priorities. His opponent, Mitt Romney, has not offered solutions to the climate change problem.

Although the average American believes that climate change is real, and an important domestic issue that needs to be addressed, politicians on both sides of the aisle have done nothing but bicker and argue about strict definitions and subsidies to different energy sectors. With so much inaction at the highest levels, it is imperative for all Americans to make responsible choices, because it’s one thing to act “green” because it’s cool, while it’s another to do it because it is right.

Editors-in-Chief Amy Char • Adriana Millar Cooper Logan • Eva Morgenstein News Amy Char, Deidre Foley, Cooper Logan Sports Henry Hammel, Ian James Features Kai Matsumoto-Hines, Eva Morgenstein Columns & Profiles KT Kelly, Adriana Millar Opinion Elazar Chertow Reporters Dylan Anderson, Elijah Alperin, Elena Bernick, Antonio

Carmona, Celena Chang, Gideon Fox, Campbell Gee, Zoe Kaiser, KT Kelly, Joseph Kim, Raymond Lang, Rayming Liang, Whitney C. Lim, Cooper Logan, Ashley Louie, Patricia Nguy, Brian Nguyen, Andrew Pearce, Tyler Perkins, Pasha Stone, Sam Tick-Raker, Samantha Wilcox, Joey Wong, Michelle Wong, Eric Ye, Luming Yuan, Sheyda Zebarjadian Art Editor Hoi Leung Illustrator Kimberly Li

Photo Editor Gavin Li Photographer Cate Stern Kara Scherer Huimin Zhang Multimedia Editor: Monica Castro

Web/Tech Editor-in-Chief Gavin Li Business Managers Martin Costa, Rachel Hsu, Sophie Solomon, Gabe Schumm

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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.

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October 12, 2012

EDITORIALS

The Lowell

EDITORIALS Proposed dance policy would be unnecessary, overly intrusive

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OWELL DANCES ARE OFTEN the talk of the school for days before and after the actual event, who wore what, who danced with whom. However, because of a newfound determination of administrators to crack down on dirty dancing, the topic of conversation come Monday morning may be about who got kicked out of the dance for dancing inappropriately.

School administrators are concerned about students at school dances dancing in a sexually inappropriate manner. They are planning to increase their vigilance and enforce the already-established rule by threatening to kick students out of the dance if they are warned about their dancing a certain amount of times, according to principal Andrew Ishibashi. “We are currently discussing with the Student Body Council ways to prevent students from freaking at school dances,” Ishibashi said. “We are considering implementing a ‘time out’ rule, where students who are caught dancing inappropriately will have to leave the dance floor for 15 minutes. If they are caught dancing in a similar manner again, they may be asked to leave the dance and be picked up by their parents.”

According to dean of students Ray Cordoba, students attend school dances to dance without being made to feel uncomfortable.

“Students who come to Lowell dances come to have fun,” Cordoba said. “Students come to dance, not to make out.”

Despite what the administrators think, Lowell students are not in need of babysitting. Although certain dance moves may be deemed inappropriate or taboo by teachers and parents, they are the norm for students.

The new policy is not without student backlash. “SBC understands and respects that administrators want to put a limit on the dancing, but we think it’s a little too strict and unreasonable,” Student Body Council dance coordinator senior Rachell Hsu, (who is also a business manager for The Lowell) said.

Although instances of inappropriate dancing do occur at Lowell, numerous dances outside of Lowell have much more risque dancing. “Students may be encouraged to go to other functions where things become far more inappropriate than at Lowell,” Hsu said.

If dance chaperones watch students like hawks, students may decide to stop attending Lowell dances.

Fewer students at Lowell dances means less funds for the Lowell Student Association. “Dances are fundraisers for LSA boards,” Hsu said. “If our dances gain a reputation of not being fun and it drives people away, ticket sales may decrease, which only hurts the boards.”

Students at Lowell have stacks of things to worry about daily − whether or not they have finished their homework, will they have time to study for a test, or two, or three and more. Dances are a great time for students to loosen up and have fun with their friends in a safe environment; they do not need to be constantly checking over their shoulder to make sure the eyes of chaperones and administrators are watching for inappropriate dancing.

Want to have your opinions printed in the next issue of The Lowell?

You can now submit your letters to the editor by email to lowellopinion@gmail.com or deliver it outside S107

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, You can find me constantly muttering to myself about the value of education to our government today and the skimpy amount of funds we’re allocated to pay for everything our school needs–salaries, new computers, paint, and golf carts amongst a multitude of other things students at more traditionally “rich” schools often take for granted. Because of this, I was appalled to discover that in March, 2012, Lowell’s PTSA donated $20,000 to the school to pay for the installation of automated bleachers in the school gym, Though I whole-heartedly support the PTSA and think it is fabulous that they do so much for us, I had to wonder why on earth they would be spending such a huge chunk of money on something so frivolous.

My cynicism towards the government led me to believe that there is probably some law somewhere in the state that requires all San Franciscan schools to have bleachers that set themselves up; somone probably once sued a school district for an injury that occurred while setting up bleachers the (not-so) old fashioned way. This is America.

My findings, however, proved me wrong. On the CA Department of General Service’s webpage for the Office of Public School Construction, I read this: “SB Bill 550 (2004) modified EC Section 17070.75(e), which requires that school districts or county offices of education participating in the SFP or DMP after July 1, 2005 establish a Facilities Inspection System (FIS). The requirements of the FIS are not defined in law other than to state the system should ensure that each school of the district or county office of education

KIMBERLY LI

is maintained in good repair.”

Good repair is an extremely vague term and I don’t understand how they intend on enforcing this law.

Nonetheless, I think that our bleachers are meeting this standard by anyone’s definition.

While I, on a daily basis, hear complaints from my peers about physical attributes of the school from lockers to the distance between the Ts and the main building, I have never once in my four years at Lowell heard anyone complain about the school bleachers.

A 1999-2000 WASC report that can be found on Lowell’s old website explains that bleachers are one of many “long standing maintenance repair items.” I can understand that we may want new bleachers in the future. We may even want nice ones that are comfortable to sit on. But nobody at this school is going to have a substantially better life just because we have automated bleachers. If someone wants me to come and set up bleachers before a game, I will happily do it. The value of five minutes of my time every so often is not quite as high as $20,000 that could be put to multiple better uses throughout our school.

I sincerely hope that the PTSA this year can make more logical decisions with their hard earned budget and put the money to better use. Even if $20,000 wouldn’t make a dent on a furlough day, it could still be put to use repairing our lockers, making sure the tiles on the ceiling aren’t falling down, or providing a two dollar clock to every classroom.

-Ema Barnes (Reg. 1303)

Should parents chaperone school dances? The Lowell community weighs in

“I don’t go to dances that often, but I don’t think many parents would want to come chaperone and watch their children and their peers get down... it would make everyone a little uncomfortable.” -Senior Quinn Francis

“It’d be good to make sure kids aren’t acting inappropriately.” - Sherwin Karunungan, parent

“I think it might encourage some kids who might not attend to feel safer to attend.”

- Camilla Digennaro, parent

“I think kids should have their own time to unwind.” - Francisco Rosales, math teacher PHOTOS BY HUIMIN ZHANG

Voter ID laws infringe on basic civil rights, do not further voting equality

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UR COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED on the early days of our country when only the ideal that citizens have a say in white male property owners could vote. our government. According to the example, the nation made a big step Voter ID laws tar- For Constitution, it is our right to vote if we are a towards equality when Congress passed U.S. citizen and above 18 years of age. So why get specific demo- the Voting Rights Act of 1965, drafted to are people still being stripped of their rights? the 15th Amendment, stating graphics and make reinforce Voter ID laws target specific demographics that people of any race or color can vote. it harder for people The last thing we need is the government and make it harder for people in them to vote.

Minority groups, the elderly, the economically taking away a people’s right to vote in them to vote. disadvantaged and students will not be able and having them protest in disgust. to vote in some states without a valid ID. For It is the responsibility of the states to some people, getting an ID can be very difficult for various not only make voting accessible, but also to encourage its reasons, such as the expense or the complicated process citizens to become voters. Giving citizens voting options not of applying for one. The government should not reduce only gets more people to vote, but also makes the situation the number of people voting, but rather should encourage equal for everybody. That is how a democracy is supposed people to do so by helping them attain identification. to work. The beauty of California is that it protects the Taking a step back in voter equality is like going towards people’s right to vote by allowing people to vote, even if

they do not have a driver's license or social security number, by assigning them a unique number used only for voting.

Voter ID laws have become more prominent in the last few years as part of a concerted effort by Republicans to make sure no voting fraud occurs. But are these new laws really to protect us from voting fraud, or are they a big cover up for something else? Pennsylvania Republican House majority leader Mike Turzai recently explained this point in a speech on June 23 to the state’s Republican Committee as seen on YouTube, “Voter ID, which is gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done.” Busted. The Republicans want to sway the vote this November in the presidential elections. It’s important for everyone, not just Californians, to know what their state requires when it comes to IDs for voting, because some states are still creating voter ID laws that are intended to deny a basic right to many American citizens.

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By Campbell Gee and Spencer Thirtyacre

Moss Beach Distillery

an Francisco is the origin of countless ghost stories and urban legends that you’ll find more frightening than taking the SAT. The city’s multicultural and centuries-old history has bred many myths about wandering spirits, haunted buildings and more. Whether these twisted tales are factual or simply scary, pull up a blanket, turn down the lights and be spooked just in time for Halloween.

The Queen Anne Hotel

When most travelers check into a hotel, usually they do not consider the possibilitiy of there being a more permanent, not-so-human guest residing with them in their vacationer’s suite. The Queen Anne Hotel in Pacific Heights falls into this category, with its extensive history and a female ghost that supposedly wanders the hotel at all hours of the day.

Before becoming a hotel in the the late 1900s, the Victorian style mansion functioned as Miss Mary Lake’s School For Girls in the 1890s. Guests have reported seeing Lake, who ran

Sutro Baths at Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach, at the western end of San Francisco, is home to family outings, volleyball games and … poltergeists? Visitors have sighted supernatural events at the Sutro Baths, an old, privately-owned set of swimming pools in the northwestern corner of Ocean Beach. An unnerving cave right next to the baths is home to reported paranormal activities. The cave is pitch dark at night, but it is said that if you go there and light a candle towards the end of the cave, someone will rush up from behind a rock and throw the candle into the waters below. According to S.F. Heart (sfheart.com), the cave was apparently once used for sacrifices, and perhaps is still haunted by the angered spirits.

the boarding school, watching over what was once her beloved establishment. The ghostly headmistress has been seen roaming the hallways and staircases and grooming herself in a second floor mirror. Others have described feeling nauseous or unexplainably cold while in certain areas of the building and seeing the elevator move up and down floors as if someone were playing with it. This ghostly activity is nothing compared to the most spooky spot in the hotel, suite 410, which used to be Ms. Mary Lake’s office. Those who have stayed in room 410 have experienced mysterious tapping sounds, objects being

Over 70 years ago, the Moss Beach Distillery, a cliff side restaurant located in Moss Beach, California hosted the Lady in Blue, otherwise known as Mary Ellen. She had visited the distillery several times, and had fallen in love with John Contina, the pianist who played there. One moonlit night, the lovers were walking on the beach when they were assaulted by a deranged

moved around and doors slamming.

The Queen Anne’s aged décor is composed of vintage china dolls, crystal chandeliers and old wooden claw foot chairs, which adds to the hotel’s creepy history.

For those brave enough to spend a night in room 410 or another suite in the hotel, the lobby is also the nightly meeting place for the San Francisco Ghost Hunt, a fascinating history filled walking tour of the surrounding Pacific Heights area held from Wednesdays to Sundays at seven p.m. Find out more information about the ghost hunt at their website (www.sfghosthunt.com).

The Ghoul of Golden Gate Park

Although scenic and peaceful during the day, when the sun goes down, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park becomes the eerie setting for several ghostly tales.

The most famous myth is that of the “Stow Lake Ghost.” A mysterious female spirit roams through Golden Gate Park’s Stow Lake in search of her child who is said to have drowned in the water. Many accounts tell of the woman’s ghost rising out of the lake and asking nighttime parkgoers, “Have you seen my baby?”

According to the park’s website (www. golden-gate-park.com), a woman was taking her infant to the lake in a stroller.

While the mother chatted with an ac-

quaintance on a park bench, the stroller with the baby inside, rolled into the lake and the careless lady failed to realize her mistake before the baby perished in the water. The woman never ceased to look for her child and soon she was never seen again.

Want to give yourself a scare and channel your inner ghost hunter? Dare to say the words “White lady, white lady, I have your baby” three times, which according to online accounts, will summon the spirit woman of the lake. But be wary, those who deny knowing the whereabouts of the ghost’s child may suffer deathly consequences.

man, and she was killed. Contina survived, haunted by the Lady in Blue, who could never be with him. According to the Moss Beach Distillery (www.mossbeachdistillery.com), since then, strange sightings and unexplained activities, such as floating checkbooks and doors locked from the inside, without a back exit, continue to occur. Could the Lady in Blue be still angrily and desperately searching for her lover?

Flora’s Ghost

Amidst the bustling traffic and steep narrow streets of San Francisco’s Nob Hill area, a lost soul can be seen on some nights trying to find her way back home.

As the legend goes, in 1876 a wealthy young lady named Flora Sommerton was forced into an arranged marriage with an older man and pressured by her parents to fulfill her duties as a Victorian housewife. On the night of her engagement party, Flora fled the gathering wearing a white ball gown and proceeded to traipse around California Street only to vanish completely.

USS Squando

The myth, which can be found at (www.ghostinmysuitcase.com), increases in intensity, claiming Flora wasn’t seen again until 1926 when her dead body was found in a motel in Butte, Montana, wearing none other than the white dress she had worn when escaping from San Francisco.

Flora’s body was sent back to her hometown, and people have reported seeing a supernatural woman in white meandering the streets of the neighborhood at night, wearing the identical dress and same somber look on her face that she did when she left the city.

Through the wisps of fog that cover San Francisco Bay, a ghostly ship can be spotted sailing through the cold waters. According to Weird California (weirdca.com), the ship, identified as the USS Squando, was built in the 19th century, during which an accident occurred and several construction workers died. The widow of one of the construction workers, stricken with grief, cursed the ship and committed suicide to insure the curse stuck. Many years later, the Squando docked in San Francisco in 1890. During this time, the first

mate of the ship had become involved in a romantic affair with the captain’s wife. Distraught and angered by this betrayal, the captain arranged to murder his first mate.

One night, he snuck up behind him and chopped his mate’s head off with an axe. The first mate is not alone. Throughout the history of Squando, many captains and first mates suffered some very mysterious deaths, and people believed the boat to be cursed. In 1901, weary of the plagued ship, the owners demolished it. But to this day people still claim to see the Squando drifting through the bay.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY HOI LEUNG