The Lowell March 2013 by The Lowell

Today

ET READY! We would say that SBC will be ending their annual Social Awareness Week today with a bang, but gun-influenced idioms are a no-no. SBC is hosting a keynote speaker in the Carol Channing Auditorium today during Mods 11-12. The speaker from the patron saint of animals — the SPCA — Brandy Kuentzel will raise awareness about cruelty to animals. Also, SBC will also be selling t-shirts along the catwalk this week from Mods 9-20 to 4 p.m. to spread awareness of fair treatment for farm animals, come get yours to make a stylish — as well as an informed — fashion statement.

8IBU T What’s

Inside

News

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Q Concern of a staph infection prompts closure of school weight room for days while equipment is cleaned Q Wellness Center teams up with SBC to encourage self-love during Valentine’s Day

Sports

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11-15

Q High school events like Battle of the Birds are training for the collegiate Big Game rivalry

Columns

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16-17

Q Sophomore doesn’t have to rely on a Pell Grant, but his baseball cards on eBay

Opinion

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18-19

Q Homophobic comments made by San Francisco 49ers are appalling and destructive

Q Clever (or not-so-

clever) upperclassmen have turned the school into a zoo or a forest or humor found on bathroom walls.

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Backpage

Spotlight

LOWELL HIGH SCHOOL, RED EDITION, VOL. 219 NO. 2, MARCH 1, 2013, www.thelowell.org

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*O UIF OFXT In the news

Pranks for the memories

Q Stop hanging out in

the cement courtyard during your free mods. The hills (read: campus) are alive with sourgrass and skunks.

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Four-footed friends School looks

to AP exams to alleviate budget woes By Elijah Alperin

KARA SCHERER

Senior Lorna Tu’ufuli leads a group of touring teachers to the catwalk during Mods 14-15 on Feb. 25, where Student Body Council events coordinator senior Hiromi Fujita talks to them about fair treatment for farm animals — the topic of this year’s Social Awareness Week.

HE ADMINISTRATION is requesting that students consider taking additional Advanced Placement exams in order to help alleviate a budget deficit of almost $375,000. The shortfall is caused by a decrease in the amount of funding the school receives per exam. Principal Andrew Ishibashi is encouraging students to self-study for exams they have a knowledge base for, such as languages they are already proficient in, even if they are not enrolled in the preparatory course. Ishibashi mainly appealed to juniors taking regular U.S. history and seniors taking an English elective in the hope that they will sign up for the AP United States History and AP Language and Composition See BUDGET on Page 5

Pop poll policy discourages biases Q The 2013 senior board changed a senior pop poll tradition to make it more inclusive for all students.

The Lowell’s editor-in-chief also won the “Best Friends” category with the English department. By Ashley Louie

community,” Wu said. “It also opens the floor for argument.” On the other hand, some seniors are conMONG THE changes to this year’s senior discussion, which can help the straight/cisgender pop polls, which include digitizing the community better understand the struggles the cerned with the changes. Yearbook staff member senior Lily Shouldice is nomination and voting forms, was the queer community faces, against the new policy. “It overturn of the tradition that mandates one boy particularly in the Lowell It was a tradition to was a tradition to have one environment.” and one girl to win each category. In response to Wu’s and one girl, and now it In January, shortly after the categories for the have one boy and boy isn’t as equal as we would’ve pop polls were released, senior Max Wu expressed post, the managers of the one girl, and now liked,” Shouldice said. “Havhis concerns about the one girl, one boy policy, pop polls, the senior class one person from each calling it “cissexist.” Cissexism is the belief that officers, changed the trait isn’t as equal as ing dition gender would represent the transgender individuals are f rom inferior to non-trans people. we would’ve liked.” boys more because there are Cissexism is the one girl usually more girls that are “It is problematic because and one it assumes that all people LILY SHOULDICE, nominated.” belief that trans- b oy to Shouldice added that she identify as either male or yearbook staff member senior does not think it accomgender invidiuals any two female, that those are the only “I think it’s good for plished the “fairness” and “equality” that they existing gender identities,” are inferior to non- people. people who don’t know which were going for. Wu said. gender to identify with,” senior In the end, Chong believes that pop polls are Rather than approaching trans people. class historian Constantine simply for people that are “curious” about what the creators of the pop polls Chong said. the majority of their peers think of each another. categories, the senior board, He does however, believe that it would have According to Chong, less than half of the senior Wu decided to voice his opinions on the senior class Facebook group, which consists of approxi- been better if Wu addressed the issue to the se- class — approximately 300 seniors — participated nior board privately rather than via a Facebook in this year’s pop polls. “It should be taken with mately 560 members out of 646 seniors. “The group on Facebook is a much more post. “It’s easier to get a better understanding of a grain of salt,” Chong commented. After all, the English department has been efficient way of not only addressing the issue to someone’s concerns when talking to him/her in the senior board but also raising awareness as to person,” Chong commented. “Through Facebook, voted in as a BFF, a first in yearbook history, how these microaggressions affect the LGBTQ it turned into less of a suggestion and more of an according to yearbook advisor Carolyn Nickels.

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Online test will Behind the scenes replace written standards test By Antonio Carmona

HE SCHOOL administration has decided to test drive an online standardized test known as the Smarter Balanced Pilot Test from April 1-12 this school year. The test is meant to replace the California Standards Test by spring 2015. The online assessment system provided by Smarter Balanced is intended to replace the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program in California by the 2014-2015 school year. With-

out a major change in law, students in California will still be required to pass the California High School Exit Examination to receive a high school diploma, according to the California Department of Education. According to assistant principal of curriculum Holly Giles, Smarter Balanced selected the two-week period of April 1-12 for the school to administer the assessment. The test will be administered in the various computer See TESTING on Page 5

GAVIN LI

Ballerinas freshman Amanda Ma, senior Sander Chu and sophomore Arina Romanova strike a pose while The Lowell staff members seniors Adriana Millar and Brian Nguyen help with the backdrop. See “Dancing with the Stars” on Pages 8-9.

March 1, 2013

2 NEWS

NEWSBRIEFS AP Chinese classes test drive exam On Jan. 30, students from all four AP Chinese classes took a multiple-choice exam as part of a pretest program for Educational Testing Service (ETS), which develops the SAT and the Advanced Placement exams for the College Board. AP Chinese teacher and language department head Xiaolin Chang agreed to administer a pre-test to her AP students after receiving an invitation from ETS to participate in a pre-test program that would play a role in the test development process of a future Chinese test. However, because of confidentiality, it was not disclosed which future test the pilot version was for, and teachers were not permitted to keep a copy of the test. The test lasted 45 minutes and consisted of two parts: one for listening and one for reading. Chang did not have sufficient time to review the test and students’ results or go over it with the class because she had to mail the materials immediately after completion of the testing session, in compliance with regulations. “It would have been more useful if we had more time,” Chang said. “I wish they had given me a day to go over the test, but there was no time given.” Due to the quick turnaround, the test did not serve the purpose Chang had hoped for. As a result, she does not intend to participate in the program again in the future. “It can be good practice, but if you can’t look at the results and discuss with students what mistakes they made, it won’t be that useful,” Chang said. — Eric Ye

Tech-savvy teens win competition

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

Graffiti disrupts Monday morn By Elazar Chertow and Sheyda Zebarjadian

N THE MORNING of Monday Jan. 21, a spray-painted image was discovered on the wall above the auditorium of the school’s front entrance area. The image depicted a penis with the numbers “2014” printed along its length. The graffiti caught the attention of many students when school started at 9:15 a.m, but it was painted over within an hour. Some students expressed they were not impressed. “It wasn’t very creative or unique,” senior Stephen Read said. “I don’t know who it was, and I don’t care because it wasn’t memorable or original.” The commotion regarding the graffiti affected teachers as well. “It’s juvenile but it’s not surprising,” English teacher Jennifer Moffitt said. “I think we all forget sometimes that there are teenagers out there that do these things.”

Although a substantial crowd that gathered outside, staff employees removed the graffiti by Mods 6-7 by painting over it, thereby reducing the excitement and distraction caused by students stopping to see it. “I know kids just want to have fun, but when you have to spend thousands of dollars to paint over it, especially when the school has been newly painted, it’s just not cool,” principal Andrew Ishibashi said. While the image was up for only a brief period of time, the administration has been vigilant in the effort to track down those responsible for it. On Jan. 29, Ishibashi made an announcement during registry over Radio Lowell. He offered a reward of 100 dollars and a free prom ticket to whoever had any information regarding the vandalism. “The dean asked me to put up a reward,” he said. “It’s his job to find out and investigate who did this.” According to Ray Cordoba,

Dean of Students, the reward was a way for students to anonymously tell the administration about the person responsible. “We did some brainstorming, and thought this was the best way to find the culprit, or culprits,” Cordoba said. Despite all efforts by the administration, the people responsible for the spray-painted image has not yet been identified, though the administration said they have some leads. “Someone has come forward with information, though we need an eyewitness,” Ishibashi said. “The worst thing you can do is accuse a student of something if you are not 100 percent sure.” If a student were caught for doing the graffiti, they could face legal charges. “You could turn yourself in, but what is worse is if you get caught because then we press full charges,” Ishibashi said. “If a student admits to it, we give more leniency.”

Senior street artist paints mural on social studies classroom wall By Michelle Wong

TREET ARTISTS PAINT their works throughout different walls of the city, but how often do you see a mural painted by a student inside a classroom? This year, senior Yun Li is single-handedly painting a mural that will stretch over an entire wall in social studies teacher Richard Girling’s classroom. Last semester, Girling recognized that Li was an artist whose works reflect a graffiti influence. He developed a plan with her to recreate a wall-sized mural modeled on one painted by Diego Rivera, an influential Mexican-American painter from the 1940s. “I like his work because it has nice, bright imagery but also expresses honor for labor and the people who grow and work for our food,” Girling said. L i’s mural will feature a group of farmers laboring and picking oranges in a field of fruit. “Mr. Girling gave me a choice of a few murals, and asked me which one I wanted to paint,” Li said. “He definitely wanted it to be about the economy and history, and I chose this one because it was very vibrant, an d a c a d e m i c friendly. When parents come into the classroom, it’s ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF YUN LI

something really organic that will show people working together.” Plans for the mural include bright colors to contribute to an overall radiant aura. “I’m going to put my own touch to it,” Li said. “It’s going to be very bold and I’m going to use a lot of blocking techniques and harsh lines.” Painting an entire mural may sound like a very time-consuming and difficult task for a senior who is also on the varsity softball team, but to Li, there is always time for art. “Honestly, this is just another mural for me,” Li said. “I’ve painted numerous murals; one of them was at AP Giannini when I painted Obama’s face. It’s probably going to take about three hours a day, but my goal is to finish it at the end of the softball season. Plus graduation is early this year, so I can always come back and work on it.” Li has singlehandedly painted several murals in her art career and finds enjoyment in painting them, charging no cost for her work. “Mr. Girling chose me to paint this for his classroom because I was a student of his last semester, and he knew I’ve done a lot of big projects and I’m really into art,” Li said. Li is flattered by the recognition of her work and has no other motives than to pursue her interests and passion for art. “It’s so humbling when someone asks you personally and they trust your skills,” Li said. “It’s such an honor already to paint a mural at school, and I find enjoyment in this, so why would I ask for money?” Li, who has been involved in art ever since she began drawing for fun as a young child, also uses her artistic ability to benefit charitable causes. “I’m having an art auction soon,” Li said. “The proceeds will go to my friend’s family, who has suffered from hardships battling breast cancer. They’ll use the money for a good cause and donate it to the appropriate charities helping people with breast cancer.” Girling appreciates Li’s vivacity and generosity. “She’s a sweetheart!” he said.

arts

Two students won scholarships after placing in a contest sponsored by Samsung last summer, where they had to design an application for Samsung tablets and mobile devices that would increase community involvement. Juniors Ofri Harlev and Sophia Li attended the Samsung Mobile Boot Camp at UC Berkeley, a summer camp for high school students who are interested in math and science. Samsung had professional app developers teach students how to conceptualize an app for the national market. At the end of the two-day camp, students submitted their app ideas, and Samsung employees and app developers voted on which was best. Li placed second with an idea for an app called ‘SoundUP’ that allows one phone to piggyback on the speaker of nearby enabled phones to provide a simultaneous listening environment. Harlev placed third, with ‘Karma Trader,’ an app that would help bring communities together by identifying and promoting individuals’ skill sets and turning community service into a online currency. “Conceptualizing apps with the camp leaders was a valuable experience,” Harlev said. “Apps are such a great way for people to communicate in an easy and simple way.” Along with the recognition, each student received a scholarship, Li with $10,000 and Harlev with $5,000. Both contestants also won a Samsung Galaxy Note II, a Samsung Tab 2 and an all expenses paid trip to Las Vegas to the prestigious Consumer Electronics Show, an annual convention where technology companies gather to showcase their latest products. “The chance to see people at work and the fantastic new products at CES was amazing,” Harlev said. Harlev and Li heard about the camp through computer programming teacher Arthur Simon. “Ofri has been a very promising student of mine, and I am sure that he has a future in the software design,” Simon said. “Even though I have never had Sophia as a student, her app design skills are impressive as well.” Both students are considering going into the technology field after they graduate. “After going to CES and meeting not only scientists but also marketing and communications people, I like the direction this opportunity has taken me,” Li said. “I’ve learned a lot about what I’m capable of and what my ideas could possibly do for the world.” — Samantha Wilcox

Lowell High School

Students meet ex-cabinet member By Joseph Kim

N ECONOMY teacher and three of his students went on an optional class trip to see a famous economist and former Cabinet Secretary of Labor speak at a hotel on February 13. Economics and AP World History teacher, Richard Girling was offered free tickets from the World Affairs Council to have the opportunity to listen to economist Robert Reich at the Marines’ Memorial Club. Reich, who is an author, professor and former Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton, discussed the important political issues in the United States involving the economy, inequality and the expectations for President Barack Obama’s second term. Reich also covered major topics such as unemployment, budget cuts and the distribution of income in the United States. “The talk was very interesting and in-depth, entertainingly discussing important issues that we see in the economy today,” Girling said. Reich specifically stressed the idea that the deficit was not the main problem in the economy, but rather the amount of unemployment in the

nation. “He said that the last thing that people should be doing is cutting government expenditures,” Girling said. “It is important that people are getting education and work.” Reich has achieved many accomplishments and awards, including the Vaclav Havel Vision Foundation Prize for his pioneering work in economic and social thought. In 2008, Time Magazine also named him one of the ten most successful cabinet secretaries of the century. Aside from the economy, Reich is also an author, having written twelve books. He wrote best sellers such as The Future of Success, Locked in the Cabinet and Work of Nations, which was translated into 22 different languages. In addition, Reich is the co-founding editor of The American Prospect Magazine. The three students found the talk very personable and informative, even funny at times. Having heard about him through other places, the students went with the hope of learning more about

curriculum

him and his insight into key economic topics. The students especially liked how Reich was able to explain clearly and be understandable to whoever was in the audience. “Even though economics are a bit of a confusing topic, he was able to say everything in a way that even those who know little about it could understand,” senior Aaron O’Hearn said. After delivering his talk, Reich opened up to questions from the audience. “I liked how he answered questions from the crowd,” senior Jacob Garson said. “I was even lucky enough to get my own question answered.” Having been asked about how raising the minimum wage would effect people, Reich answered that although there are many positives and negatives, the increase would be overall beneficial. “Reich explained that the rising minimum wage would put people onto a more level playing field so that there is an equal income to everyone.” Garson said. Girling currently has plans to take his AP World class to see an exhibit at the Asian Art Museum on the terracotta warriors on March 21.

The Lowell

March 1, 2013

CAMPUS

Religous clubs provide inclusive communities By Whitney C. Lim

Matthew Wong said. “We’re also just bonding with them and finding commonalities.” While Agape opens its doors to anybody, their focus is on religion. “I think our overall goal is to get new people interested in the Gospel and the Bible,” Wong said. “For people who are already believers, we want to strengthen their faith. But we don’t want to push people into believing. The club is for more people to connect, even if it’s not on a Christian level.” If you are interested in joining Agape, do not hesitate to attend a meeting after school on Wednesday in Room 71. “Go ahead, we’re open to everybody and want to get to know you,” Greenhill said. “It’s not high commitment; you can come when you have time.”

joined [Agape] to see “ Ifaces of other Chris-

to ski, snowboard and sled while spending time together to better get to know each other. If you feel like you missed out, there is always next year’s trip. Rafalovich said in an email on Feb. 18, “I hope we’ll to do it again. It’s a lot of fun and an opportunity for our wide range of ages and grades to form bonds and come together.” Jew Crew works with the San Francisco Teen Outreach Program, which provides support and connects them to other public schools’ Jewish clubs in the city. Like SFTOP, one of Jew Crew’s goals is to be accessible to busy high school students. “Jew Crew’s existence is proof of the goal that Lowell is a community supporting of all peoples, including Jews,” Rafalovich said. Like Agape, Jew Crew welcomes any interested students to join them, on Friday afternoons in Room SANNA RAFALOVICH, 214. “You don’t have to be senior Jewish; we’re all about acceptance and everyone’s welcome to check it out — welcome to any meeting, any time,” Rafalovich said. Seniors might remember that Agape, Jew Crew and the Gay Straight Alliance teamed up to counter-protest the Westboro Baptist Church in Jan. 2010. “I’ll never forget everyone making and wearing pink and purple origami kippahs [hats], regardless of whether or not they were Jewish, and dancing the Hora [circle dance] in the courtyard as a sign of unity and tolerance,” Rafalovich said. Agape and Jew Crew continue to exist in harmony as Lowell’s two religious clubs.

clubs

ITH OVER 60 CLUBS at our school, two represent religion –– Agape and Jew Crew. Both clubs make a point of being welcoming communities where anyone can find a safe haven and fun group to escape the busy Lowell life, hence members do not have to be Christian or Jewish to join. Similarities between the two clubs end there, as the religions have different beliefs, traditions — even meeting days.

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Agape If you look into the band room on a certain afternoon, you will not just see trumpets and snare drums, Jew Crew but the Christian club gathMeanwhile, Jew Crew celebrates ering to plan for an upcomtraditions with food, including ing recruiting activity. JULIAN GREENHILL, cookies shaped like a hat. “When Agape, Greek for “selfsophomore there are holidays, I like to celebrate less love,” will take part with activities that appeal to teens, in Greek Week this April. Since the event only happens every three years, it will be new especially with food and fun,” Jew Crew president to most students. “Participants wear bright shirts with a Greek senior Sanna Rafalovich said. “For example, for word on them,” sophomore Julian Greenhill said. “They’re sup- Purim [a story in the Bible that commemorates posed to draw people’s attention, and they might ask what they the Jewish people’s deliverance from the tyrant Haman], we mean. We tell them, and it’s a way to connect with people and dressed up in costumes and acted out the story of Purim. Everyone participated with noise makers and we ate the traditional invite them to Agape.” Agape meets for fellowship, singing, prayer and occasion- Hamentashen cookies.” Members of the club who are not Jewish said they feel ally games, small groups or Bible study. “I joined to see faces of other Christians and to know that they’re on the same road included when Jewish traditions and holidays are celebrated. “I think they’re really interesting,” senior Hazel Bowen said. “I as I’m on,” Greenhill said. Because community is key to the Christian faith, Agape is like learning about the history of cultures and it’s cool to learn partnering with other schools around the Bay Area for Greek about holidays still being celebrated from thousands of years Week. “Right now, we’re meeting with the other clubs to figure ago, since Judaism is an old religion.” Jew Crew drove up to Tahoe over Presidents’ Day weekend out what messages we want to bring, cost and our goal,” junior

tians and to know that they’re on the same road as I’m on.”

You don’t have to be Jewish; we’re all about acceptance and everyone’s welcome to check it out.”

Grassroots groups win free youth MUNI passes

By Madelyn Chen & Gisela Kottmeier O-COST CLIPPER CARDS will now be offered to financially struggling youth under the Free Muni for Youth Pilot Program, beginning March 1. The program will provide qualifying low to middle-income youth with access to public transportation. The pilot program will last for 16 months, from March 2013 to June 2014, and then city supervisors will decide on whether to continue the program. Applications for the program are now being accepted. The reaction from students was overall pleased, with many supporting the program and others questioning some aspects. “As long as it helps the students in the city, I think the free Muni pass is a great idea,” sophomore Danae Kimble said. Others were more skeptical due to priorities, including junior Calvin Chau. “This was probably not a good investment for the city,” Chau said. “They probably could have invested the money in more important things, such as fixing the buses and improving MUNI services but it’s nice that they were thinking about us.” Students 17 and under with a gross an-

nual family income at or below the Bay Area median income level — which ranges from $82,400-135,950 based on family size — are eligible for the program, according to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Eligibility for free or reduced lunch cannot be used to determine eligibility because the requirements for school lunch and free Muni passes are slightly different, according to a December 2012 article in the San Francisco Bay Guardian (www.sfbg.com). Once deemed eligible, a student will be enrolled in the pilot program for its duration, or until the student’s eighteenth birthday, whichever comes first. There is ongoing enrollment throughout the program so applications are accepted at any time. The clipper card will come by mail if the student is deemed eligible. The program’s objective is to give financially struggling youth, ages five to 17, access to public transit. Over 40 percent of middle and high school students in San Francisco depend on Muni to get to school in the morning and almost 60 percent take it home, according to the San Francisco Examiner. However, in the past two years, the price of Muni’s monthly

youth pass has more than doubled and the SFUSD has cut its free transportation service by over 13 percent, according to a September 2011 article in the San Francisco Examiner. (www.sfexaminer.com) In 2009 the youth pass was $10 and now it is $22 according to a November 19, 2012 KTVU article. (www.ktvu. com) “Since the passes are so expensive I will now be able to use the money for something else,” Kimble said. The Free Muni program is the result of negotiations between the SFMTA’s board of directors, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and youth organizations who worked to make this opportunity possible. In 2011, they held a similar pilot program but it was closed due to the demand exceeding the supply, according to a September 20, 2011 article in San Francisco Streets Blog. (www. sfstreeetsblog.org) Youth organizations, such as People Organized to Win Employment Rights (POWER), Chinatown Community Development Center, and the San Francisco Youth Commission played a pivotal role in working to help make Muni free for low-income youth, according to senior Mia Shackelford, who

“Back to Square One” Across 1 LeBron’s league 4 Request 7 FBI agents, informally 11 Author Wiesel, who wrote “Night” 13 “Welll...” 14 Killer whale 15 Edmunds favorite confection, from “The Chronicles of Narnia” 18 Large bird 19 Pirate’s growl 20 2008 Christopher Nolan film 26 Japanese currency 27 “No kidding!” 28 Place to park 30 ___ thai 31 English assignment 34 Armstrong’s drug 35 Wall-E’s love interest 36 Special deg. under a master’s 37 Fall month. Abbr. 38 “The Cask of Amontillado” author

is on the San Francisco Youth Commission. “This program wouldn’t have been possible without grassroots organizations,” Juana Tello, a POWER organizer and Lowell alumna, said. The battle is not over yet. Both Tello and Shackelford explained that their organizations are looking for independent ways to sustain the program long-term. As it is presently, the program is funded from a $6.7 million grant from the MTC. While the majority of the money will go towards repairs and maintenance to improve system performance, $1.6 million will be spent on the Free Muni program. Muni has an annual budget of around $800 million, and “within this $800 million budget this program will cost only about 1 percent ($8 million) so there is no reason they should not be able to provide this program,” Tello said. POWER is working to pressure the MTA to prioritize the issue and extend the program with support from the community, according to Tello. Students agreed on the key goal of the program. “If you can’t afford public transportation you should still be able to take it without harsh consequences,” freshman Mason Hawksley said.

Crossword courtesy of Francesco Trogu and Grant Paul 43 Pub offering 44 From ___ Z 45 Inconsistently applied judgement for a particular situation 52 A certain metric foot 53 Rapper Dr. ___ 54 Hot 55 Implore 56 Woody’s evil neighbor, of “Toy Story” 57 Small Down 1 Fisherman’s tool 2 ___-ray 3 Broadcast 4 Guaranteed 5 ___ cah toa 6 Important camera manufacturer 7 ___ apparatus 8 Medical tool. Abbr. 9 Medical tool. Abbr. 10 “Nope”

12 ___ out a living 16 Reputation 17 North or south suffix 20 Kind 21 Chuck 22 Finished 23 “Tik Tok” singer 24 Harvest 25 Get to a higher level? 29 Ghana neighbor 32 Eroded 33 Big Three Conference 39 Gymnast ___ Douglas 40 Everything 41 Orchestra section 42 Ages 45 Dunk 46 Paddle 47 Actress Thurman, of “Pulp Fiction 48 ___ Lanka 49 Morning condensation 50 Chop down 51 Bread grain

For us, the most exciting thing is hearing that students who never wanted to eat school lunch are not eating it.”

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breakfast and lunch. eating habits, according to its website (www.revfoods. After losing out on a renewed contract, Preferred com). “We want to change the way America eats overMeal Systems filed a lawsuit against the SFUSD. Ac- all by introducing better ways of eating,” Revolution cording to the San Francisco Examiner, Preferred Meal Foods cofounder and Chief Impact Officer Kirsten Systems claimed Revolution Foods did not have the Tobey said. “We want people to realize healthy eating resources to supply the SFUSD meal needs. In January, is not a chore.” a San Francisco judge ruled Every bite is promised to in favor of Revolution Foods have natural ingredients withand declared the Board of out high fructose corn syrup or Education had a right to apartificial trans-fat, and they use prove the contract. milk and meats that are horTransitioning to Revolumone and antibiotic free, action Foods was a hefty task cording to Revolution Foods’s because of changing the website. services over winter break The food, which can vary instead of over the summer. from spaghetti and meatballs District officials had only to chicken and waffles, comes the two weeks before school in a black tray and has “freshly started on Jan. 7 to usher in KIRSTEN TOBEY, made” proudly stamped on a change that might typiRevolution Foods co-founder and the front. “It’s a good imcally take a couple months, Chief Impact Officer provement,” Lowell cooking according to Reicker. “I’m manager Dole Reclosado said. really proud of how well it “It’s more presentable and aphas gone,” Reicker said. “Overall the response from the pealing.” community and the students, who are most important, The Revolution Foods meals appeal to a wide arhas been overwhelmingly positive.” ray of students. “As a vegetarian, there are many more A Revolutionary Concept options to choose from,” sophomore Sumedha Kumar Revolution Foods, founded in 2005, has their head- said. “Before, there was mac and cheese, and grilled quarters in Oakland, California, and strives to bring cheese sandwiches, there were just a lot of cheese nutritious food to schools across the United States. involved. But now there is more protein.” Meals are prepared in Oakland and are sent to SFUSD The number of served meals has boosted since the schools through a distribution center in San Bruno, according to Tobey. The produce for the school lunches is shipped directly to the distribution center. Revolution Foods serves its purpose by promoting nutritional values that encourage smarter, healthier

change of lunch program. According to Reclosado, last semester 650 lunch meals on average were served each day. That number has jumped to about 730 on average each day. The new menu has attracted new customers, and changed the opinions of many Lowell students. “For us, the most exciting thing is hearing that students who never wanted to eat school lunch are now eating it,” Tobey said. Serve It Up! Students may have noticed a few more innovations in the cafeteria. Food comes in a variety of serving methods — the staple brown trays have been replaced with white trays with three sections for food. However, if the cafeteria runs low on white trays, students are given brown trays or the Cardinal-style red-and-white nachos trays, which are borrowed from the main vendor’s beanery neighbor, Bi-Rite Company. Besides the trays there are bags as the Lowell beanery is not the only place that tries to reduce the paper used in food trays; both Washington and Galileo high schools use classic brown bags for grab-and-go breakfast. Students who desire to voice their opinions on the school lunch offerings can step into action by filling in a feedback form at a district website (www.sfusdfood.org). The school’s food services are well-used, with almost a third of the student population paying a visit to the lunch line daily. “It definitely tastes healthier,” senior John Pham said. “The portion size is larger.”

Wh at ©s f o r Lun c h ?

By Elena Bernick, Joseph Wang and Lucy Wu

HE SPRING SEMESTER greeted students with a new year, new classes and a new lunch menu. The district switched meal providers this semester, opting for a fresh start with Revolution Foods. The change upset Lowell’s former meal provider Preferred Meal Systems, who went to court with an unsuccessful lawsuit against the district, claiming that Revolution Foods did not have the means to supply San Francisco Unified School District schools with enough meals. Trouble Ahead Preferred Meal Systems is based in Berkeley, Illinois and in 2003 had signed a nine-year contract with the district to provide food for its schools. Once their contract expired in October 2012, the district put a new $9 million contract up for bidding. Revolution Foods placed a bid $370,000 lower than Preferred Meal Systems, according to a Jan. 3 article in the San Francisco Examiner. A company’s bid states how much it will charge the hiring organization to do a job, in this case the cost of the labor and food produced, hence, a lower bid means Revolution Foods would cost the district less money. To secure the contract, Revolution Foods also had to meet certain requirements and pass district evaluations, including a taste test. As a part of the new contract, the district required that food designated for students be prepared no more than twenty-four hours in advance, according to assistant director of Student Nutrition Services Zetta Reicker. In December, the contract with Revolution Foods was finalized by the San Francisco Board of Education, according to a Jan. 6 article in the San Francisco Examiner, and they have joined Bi-Rite, the school’s beanery provider since 2011, to provide the school’s

March 1, 2013 Page 4

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MONICA CASTRO

March 1, 2013

The Lowell

Debate tourney argues for success By Luming Yuan

HILE SPORTS games test physical ability and math competitions are particularly taxing on the brain, a debate tournament is a battlefield where participants do not have anything other than their words to use as defensive weapons and logic to use as a shield. On Feb. 2, the members of the Forensic Society took part in the third and final regular league Golden Gate Speech Association tournament of the year. They participated in two events: parliamentary debate and student

congress. Approximately two weeks prior to the tournament, Speech and Debate Coach Terence Abad determined that there would be a slight change of plans due to the number of participants. “It was too large to be held solely at Lowell, so a portion of it was moved to Washington [High School],” Abad said. “500 people stayed at Lowell while 250 people went to Washington.” This included a total of 32 team members competing at Lowell and 12 at Washington. Out of the 16 parliamentary teams that participated, eight were victorious, including

four teams that went undefeated. Overall, the parliamentary teams had 42 wins and 22 losses. “We had a lot of winners!” Abad said. Parliamentar y President junior Marc Cunningham expressed his favorite aspect of debates. “Since we are assigned our topic and side, I often find myself arguing in sides that I don’t necessarily agree with personally,” he stated in an e-mail on Feb. 14. “But I think debate has helped me to see that there are wellsupported and logical arguments on either side of current issues. It’s helped make me a more openminded person.”

Staph scare calls for intensive clean up By Joseph Kim

HE WEIGHT room was closed for cleaning from February 4-15, as there was a risk of a contagious staphylococcus infection in the room. According to the school nurse, Maryann Rainey, the athletic department is reported to have taken care of the situation and are now following up with the regular sanitation schedule for the room and the equipment with special care. “They are making sure that the monthly cleaning is being carried out thoroughly and well,” Rainey said. “They have it under control.” An e-mail was sent out to all sports coaches by the athletic department regarding the situation. According to junior Noah Penick, who was told about the weight room closure by his track coach, “They could have closed the room for precaution, in case that the weight room was the source,” Penick said. Staphylococcus, also known as staph, is an infection that can cause a variety of different skin infections, including boils, bumps and blisters, ac-

cording to Rainey. The staph bacterium is common and can be found on the noses or skin of many healthy individuals. “It only becomes a problem upon entering the body, typically through a cut on the skin,” Rainey said. Due to the bacterium’s common presence, most gyms also follow a cleaning regiment. “We have custodians cleaning the weight room throughout the day and at night,” Crissie Ponciano, health and wellness director from the Richmond District YMCA. “We also had a possible case of staph last year when a member thought that he had the infection.” Students should be worry-free about using the gym, according to Rainey. However, the cleaning should not stop at the weight room. Rainey urges students to remember to maintain good personal hygiene. She added that to prevent infections of this sort from spreading, students should make sure to wash and clean any open cuts and keep them covered up. Sharing of athletic gear should also be avoided. VISIT WWW.THELOWELL.ORG FOR A COMPLETE VERSION OF ALL STORIES

NEWS

AP exam fees help budget From BUDGET on Page 1 exams, respectively. After discussing the plan with department heads, these non-AP classes were identified as courses that give students a strong step towards taking the exam, according to Ishibashi. In order for juniors in U.S. History and seniors in regular English to pass or perform well on an AP exam, some teachers in the social studies and English department believe the students will need to go beyond the class curriculum and work to familiarize themselves with the structure of the exam. “There are definitely some extraordinarily intelligent students in regular USH who could get a five on the AP exam, but many students need additional preparation in respect to writing essays and analyzing documents,” APUSH and AP European history teacher Alexander Schwarz said. “Lowell students are good at multiple choice test-taking, but their ability to tie all the pieces together will translate in the essay.” This year the school is on track to

administer 3,360 AP exams, according to AP co-coordinator Steve Granucci. As of Feb. 22, 26 students from regular U.S. History and no students from regular senior English have signed up to take the exam. Ishibashi also said he wanted to emphasize that he only wants students to take an exam if they can handle it comfortably. “I did receive some negative publicity for this from people who think I am trying to pressure them into more APs,” he said. “Stressing you guys out is the last thing I want.” To ensure that no students are prevented from taking an exam for financial reasons and to encourage more sign-ups, the administration will pay the entire exam fee for students who qualify for free and reduced lunch, according to Ishibashi. The plea is a last-ditch attempt to avoid cuts for next school year, according to Ishibashi. “If we don’t try to think out of the box, we are going to have to make cuts,” he said. “I felt I needed to do something, so that if I have to go to teachers with bad news I know we did our best.”

Math classes will pilot test

From TESTING on Page 1 labs around the school during students’ math classes. According to Giles, schools taking part in the Smarter Balanced Pilot Test will not be receiving the results of the assessment. The test is going to be taken by 22 sophomore math classes, and 22 junior math classes, fewer than originally planned. This is approximately 50 percent of both the 10th and 11th grade. “We are limited in how many students we can test at one time because of the limited amount of hardware we have access to that can support the technology-based Smarter Balanced Assessment,” Giles said.

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Elite 2400 Club Aaron Chi Mission San Jose High

Julia Ni Webb School

Justin Su Capistrano Valley High

Adrija Darsha American High

Justin Su Capistrano Valley High Jamie Suk Foothill High School

Kevin Kyumin Lee University High

Bobbie Chen Walnut High Brandon Hsia University High Brian Ng Beckman High Christine Xu Amador Valley High Christine Zhang Dougherty Valley High

Janel Lee Amador Valley High Jennifer Franke Foothill High School Jenny Li Mount Carmel High Jonathan Fu Northwood High

This October, Elite students earned not one, not two, but TWENTY-FOUR perfect 2400 scores on the SAT! And that's not all! Dozens of our students scored over 2100 and hundreds improved their SAT scores significantly. Congratulations to all on your hard work and success! Since 1987, Elite has been using an exceptional curriculum, expert instructors, and personalized counseling to help students acheive their academic goals. Our students' results speak for themselves.

Maya Srinivasan Saratoga High Shilpa Krish Amador Valley High Shreyas Behave Monte Vista High Tandy Yuan Amador Valley High Trina Sarka University High

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Love is in the Air

By Natalia Arguello-Inglis

TUDENT government teamed up with the Wellness Center to promote self-love at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Rally during Mods 11-15 on Feb. 14. Wellness Center staff member Natasha Jaipaul created the Follow Your Heart Campaign in order to promote teens caring for themselves on a holiday that may leave some students feeling unhappy and dejected. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes, I feel unfulfilled on Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day because I feel like somethingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s missing from my life,â&#x20AC;? junior Derek King said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seeing all these happy couples at school makes me feel sad and lonely.â&#x20AC;? The Wellness Center wanted to introduce to students the idea of taking time to reflect, begin listening to their inner voice and connect with themselves. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted students to really critically think about what they can do in their life to make themselves happy,â&#x20AC;? Wellness Center coordinator Carol Chao Herring said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Students are so focused on academics and productivity here; we wanted them to think about how they

1(:6

ALL PHOTOS BY CATE STERN

could pause in their crazy days to be happy.â&#x20AC;? Wellness Center staff and teachers assistants monitored the booth and set up an activity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Students came by the table on the catwalk and wrote how they will or have been following their hearts on little paper hearts,â&#x20AC;? Wellness Center Community Health Outreach worker Lauren Reyes said. After students had written their message, they posted their individual hearts on one large cardboard heart, which is currently on display in the library. Reyes estimates more than 100 students participated in the activity. The papers include an array of heartfelt expressions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Students interpreted the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;follow your heartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; prompt in different ways,â&#x20AC;? Herring said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some were lighthearted, like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I want to be a unicorn.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; And some were more emotional and thoughtful, like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I will respect myself more.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? The Wellness Center always wanted to work with SBC, according to Reyes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I told SBC they had the sizzle we needed.â&#x20AC;? Herring said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They had music, games and activities for students and we wanted to capitalize on

what was already going on.â&#x20AC;? According to Wellness Center staff, they plan to bring another Wellness-flavored twist to next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rally. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to do it again next year,â&#x20AC;? Herring said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People always think about romantic love on Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day; we want to promote loving yourself and having good relationships with friends, family, yourself, etc. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;follow your heartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; specifically next year, but it will probably be something like it.â&#x20AC;? In addition to the Follow Your Heart board, SBC led their own rendition of the Newlywed Game, where pairs of students could test how well they know each other. Participants were asked questions like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What is one thing your partner has too much of?â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where would your partner grab food in Stonestown or Lakeshore?â&#x20AC;? All participants were awarded balloons as prizes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I thought it was tons of fun and Hiromi was a great host,â&#x20AC;? senior Reed Haubenstock said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It should definitely be a tradition at Lowell and more people should feel encouraged to play it, with friends or with significant others.â&#x20AC;?

Students enjoyed themselves at the Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Rally on Feb. 14, which was held by the Wellness Center and the SBC. (Top) Senior Hiromi Fujita envelopes senior Jesse Hannawalt with his metallic red, inflatable love. (Middle right) Freshmen Luke Haubenstock and Adri DenBroeder play SBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rendition of the Newlywed Game. (Bottom left) Sophomore Brienne Hong explains to another student how to participate in the Wellness Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Follow your Heartâ&#x20AC;? activity.

8 PROFILES

March 1, 2013

Lowell High School

Dancing With “The Fab Five” stay en pointe

Amanda Ma

she said. “Usually the teacher will recommend you and suggest you do a certain dance, but you don’t have to.” Of course, every journey has its rough patches, and Ma hit hers fairly early on. “In the beginning, I wanted to quit because I wasn’t interested,” she said. “But later I looked up a bunch of different ballerinas and watched their videos online, and I immediately got inspired. I wanted to be like them. My personal favorites are Svetlana Zakharova, Yuan Yuan Tan, and Misty Copeland.” Dancing, of course, is not without its sacrifices. “One of the big ones is that dancers have to maintain their bodies. Some dancers have to watch their weight, so they can’t eat a whole lot, and some people might not like that,” Ma said. “Dancing does take a toll on your body. My least favorite part is that sometimes I get scrapes or scratches from going en pointe too much.” Although ballet may seem a daunting task to anyone who wishes to undertake it, Ma highly recommends to it anyone who’s interested. “Rehearsing and performing is such a thrill,” she said.

in ev D

By Emily Fong irouettes, plies and pointe work — all in a day’s work for freshman Amanda Ma, a ballerina at Ming Hai Wu Ballet School. Ma started dancing around the age of seven, although it wasn’t originally her choice. “My mom’s friend invited her to a show,” she said. “I wasn’t interested at first, but since she was really inspired by the choreography, she decided to send me to classes.” Ma attends classes on Fridays and Saturdays at Ming Hai Wu, where she is at the third and highest level, but also practices at home daily for around an hour. “I’m not on the road to becoming a professional or anything, as my school is more for just teaching rather than training professionals,” she said. “But if you really cherish something, like I cherish ballet, you’ll want to practice a lot and work harder and improve.” Ma also does extra practice other than what she learns at school. “To improve myself, I often self-teach from other people’s ballet videos online. I’m interested in professional training, but my parents think it would disrupt my schoolwork,” she said. “Especially now that I’m older, it might be too late for me to join a company like San Francisco Ballet.” Ma doesn’t take part in productions, as her school is not a large company, but performs solos at her school’s annual showcase. “Most people get to perform,”

By Madelyn Chen While she loves ballet, Romanova admitted that she wasn’t quite interested etween jotting down notes and cramming for tests, sophomore in pursuing a professional career as a ballerina. “To become a professional Arina Romanova pirouettes across the stage, leaping into the air with ballet dancer I would have to be the best, and that’s really hard,” she explained. grand jetés and flying into arabesques. Romanova has been dancing However, the possibility of joining a professional dance company in the future for about nine years, as a student at Marina Classical is still a consideration of hers. “I train not only for the love of ballet, but also to maybe get into a professional company when I’m older,” Romanova said. Ballet and as a dancer with Lowell Dance Company. With her straight posture and grace, she looks and “I’m not very sure where I want to go with my ballet career,” she said. “I’m acts the part of an accomplished ballerina, having enjoying it while it lasts but I hope I don’t stop dancing.” danced in multiple ballet performances. “Ballet is a For now, Romanova remains a Lowell student by day and a ballet dancer very challenging type of dance,” Romanova explained. by afternoon, trying to balance the two worlds. “I honestly don’t know how I balance everything,” she said. “It gets really hard sometimes.” Her busy ac“I feel like it fits my personality. You can’t compare ballet to any sport. It’s fun and beautiful.” Russian by birth ademic life has forced her and having lived in Russia for four years, Romanova is to cut down on some proud to be part of a culture and society renowned for the art ballet classes, from five classes a week to four of ballet and famed for producing talented ballerinas. “A dream of mine,” she said, “would be to go back to Russia and perform.” now, though she wishes she could do more. Ballet Dance has been a part of Romanova’s life since she was seven, calms her, and helps her wind when her mother noticed her flexibility and energy and enrolled her in ballet. Her ballet career began in Tracy, California, at a school down, according to Romanova. “It lets me relax and not be so stressed out that “offered a lot of stretching and not a lot of technique,” according to Romanova. “When I moved to San Francisco, my mom found a about grades or life,” she said. Russian school with an amazing Russian teacher and I’ve been dancAlong with ballet classes, Romanova is a ing with her for about seven years now,” Romanova said. She credits her member of Lowell Dance Company, where she performs modern, contemporary, and hip-hop styles instructor, Maryna Drazdova, at Marina Classical Ballet, for helping her improve her technique and learn to dance ballet. “She has taught me everything of dance. “I’ve tried many dance classes, from hip-hop to I know about ballet.” modern to contemporary. Ballet is still my favorite,” she says. Although she loves ballet for its classicality, the new moves help Performances figure prominently into Romanova’s career as a dancer, giving her an opportunity to bring her ballet lessons from the studio to the stage. “The her loosen up, and provide a contrast to ballet. “[In ballet] every best feeling about performing is knowing that when you go up on that stage movement has to be perfect and at the same time very graceful you show all your hard work,” she said. “The dance might be two minutes long but strong,” Romanova said. but people can tell that you worked really hard to achieve it.” Though ballet has its challenges, its lessons have stretched Though ballet looks graceful on the outside, it involves a lot of hard work and beyond the ballet studio. “I have to give 100 percent in the ballet studio and it teaches me to give 100 percent in my life,” she challenges. According to Romanova, “the technique itself is just so challenging sometimes. Dancing en pointe is hard. If you have a character dance, you said. “It teaches me to persevere and reach my goals. Ballet has have to be a whole different person.” The carefully learned steps are rewarding taught me not to give up in anything I do.” as well, however. “I love fuettes, pirouettes, any movement that has me spin Dancing is Romanova’s message to the world, and a vehicle to ning,” Romanova said. “Grand jetés are so much fun, that’s when you jump convey her art. “My goals in dance are just to use the time I have and split your legs into the air.” Romanova views dance as a creative outlet that while I can still move to create art,” she said. “Dance is a chance I allows her to enjoy and express herself. “When I dance I have all this energy,” have to show the world what I can bring, and just to make family Romanova said. “It just makes me happy because it’s so fun.” and friends proud.”

Arina Romanova

March 1, 2013

The Lowell

PROFILES

the Stars

with school and ballet

n ha C

By Joseph Wang he light movements of the body start, the legs are in position, and the pirouette of a young ballerino unfolds. For sophomore Devin Chan, ballet is a passion. He invests a great amount of time and effort into ballet. Chan has a tight school schedule with no lunch mods and he manages to squeeze in 14 hours of practice each week, six days a week. It’s a wonder how Chan can balance his school academics and being a dancer. “School always comes first,” Chan said. “I try to commit to ballet and school equally, but if I have to skip a day of ballet practice to study for a bunch of tests I have the next day, I will.” It all began when Chan was in elementary school and he learned that there was a ballet program at his school that provided scholarships to individuals to grow their interest in dance. Encouraged and supported by his parents, Chan took a liking to ballet which turned into something he loves. “My passion for ballet grew over the years, but only recently did I realize what I could become as a dancer,” Chan said. He continued at San Francisco Ballet School, a school known for its training, for the next eight years. “When you watch other ballet students from around the world, you can tell they haven’t received the exceptional training from San Francisco Ballet School,” Chan said. “San Francisco Ballet School has such a diverse group of teachers that give you all types of tips and critique.” Through practice and diligence, Chan has participated in two well-known ballet productions over the years. He has been in The Nutcracker for seven years, dancing the positions of a mouse, page, dragon and a party boy, and also in Swan Lake, playing the positions of an aristocrat, peasant and an assistant. He has danced as Don Quixote as well as in the annual student showcase that the San Francisco Ballet School holds at Yerba Buena. “When doing ballet, I feel like I can do anything,” Chan said. “There is just something really magical about it.”

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By Lucy Wu atching a dancer stepping to the mash-ups of plies and pops, you can quickly spot senior Sander Chu among 14 other female dancers in the Lowell Dance Company. Having been a ballerino for 11 years, Chu recalls toddling into the YMCA Creative Movements class as a four year-old, chasseing into San Francisco Ballet School as a seven year-old, and glissading into The Ballet Studio as a thirteen year-old. “I feel that joining the company is a good way to branch out to different dance styles,” Chu said. “Most other dance styles are drawn from the techniques and variations of ballet.” Regardless, “[Interacting] with a diverse group of girls that aren’t solely ballet trained brings a fresh perspective into dancing.” Chu said. As a ballerino, Chu’s specialty is jumps and tricks. “I rely more on my strength than flexibility, for that reason my jumps has become an integral component of my dancing career.” He said. Carlos Acosta, a ballerino noted for his 540 jumps (a 540-degree rotation in the air) and double-figure pirouettes, is the inspiration for Chu. “I tried to emulate what he is famous for, but in the end companies look for dancers that bring their own style and technique into the mix.” Chu said. Chu realizes that ballet is excessively particular about what looks pretty and what one’s body type is. Although Chu has a petite build, he is very strong. “What I lack in my body type, I compensate with my expression and musicality,” he said. In addition to his long-term expertise in ballet, Chu explores hip-hop, contemporary and jazz styles through the Lowell Dance Company and other organizations. That’s not all — he can execute runs and kicks beyond dance, as he is a former pianist and soccer player. “Piano helps with my musicality, which complemented my ballet,” he said. “Ballet helps with my coordination, which complemented my soccer. It also kept me in shape during the off-season.” Chu’s life revolves around arts and sports — after all, dance is a combination of both. “For most it’s an art, but the physical requirements of it, and the competition for getting the role makes it a sport.” Being a ballet dancer has influenced Chu both as a person and as a Lowell student. “I’m better at managing my time, working under pressure, and am more self-motivated,” he said. He currently teaches dance classes for children on Saturdays and adults on Sundays, filling up his weekends with lessons at the YMCA — back at his first home for ballet. “I’d like to share my talents with my community, [as a way] to introduce them to the movements of the art world, and hopefully inspire them to join,” Chu said.

Sander Chu

By Elena Bernick ballet friends are consumed too, so it’s f you see a girl easy to hang out with them.” doing a pirouette It takes more than a love of tutus to bedown the halls, come a ballerina. The glamorous tutus that do not be alarmed — are the standard for any ballerina look our school is not bebeautiful, but they can weigh a dancer ing invaded by sugar down — literally. “The costumes plum fairies from the weigh you a ton when you jump,” Nutcracker. Rather, it Critchfield said. “You definitely might be sophomore have to practice with the tutu on Aria Critchfield, who has because it feels really different.” been a ballerina since she Being a ballerina can also was just out of diapers. put a strain on one’s physical At the age of three, health. It is a demanding art, Critchfield was given an and Critchfield can testify exclusive pass to the glamto those risks. orous world of professional Last year, she ballet. Her babysitter at the was diagtime, a family friend taking nosed with leave from her ballet gig, took os trigonum synCritchfield behind the scenes drome. This means she has of a production. This exclusive an extra bone in her foot, look at the life of a dancer incalled an os trigonum, which spired the soon-to-be ballerina can become inflamed after to take up dance lessons, and she repeated flexing of the foot. The has not stopped since. condition is permanent, and while After years of dedication, Critchit was a bump in the road, it did field has reached the final level of her not stop her from dancing. “It’s ballet school, the pre-professional really common in soccer players level. However, this is not the last and dancers,” Critchfield said. “It stop for the ballerina. Critchfield prevented me from dancing for a hopes to make a career out of her couple weeks last year. I ice it almost art, in high school and beyond. every night.” “Senior year I will audition for a The long hours and physical strain companies and apprenticeships,” that Critchfield and her fellow balshe said. “Hopefully companies lerinas endure are not just to keep will accept me.” their skills sharp. Her ballet school also Critchfield puts in countless performs seasonal productions. She was hours a week to stay on point. She cast as a white swan in the fall production dances four hours a day Monday of Swan Lake. through Friday and a two-hour This Feburary, Critchfield traveled to class on Saturday. Usually, CrtichMoscow, Russia with her ballet school to field has rehearsal for an upcomsee the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet coming production on Saturday and pany. While the oldest girls at her Sunday. school were auditioning for Bolshoi, Critchfield’s hectic schedule can Critchfield and younger dancers mean her social life suffers, but that were shadowing the academy. “I does not stop her from being a normal teen. would definitely consider going there if my “It’s really time consuming,” Critchfield parents and teachers saw it as an option,” said. “I do normal teenage things like hang Critchfield said. out, go shopping and eat food, but all of my

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Reporters dig through the annals of Low-‐ ell records to expose pranks that made some laugh and left others in shock By Elena Bernick and Ashley Louie

omewhere among seniors’ priorities including submitting endless supplements for colleges, scouring the VICCI Center for scholarships and embracing the euphoric feeling of senioritis is the yearning to get a little laugh out of their peers. From filling a freshman hallway with water-filled Dixie cups to create a “domino effect” to flooding a swimming pool with gelatin and turning it into Jell-O, senior pranks have become a tradition — sometimes creative and sometimes not, but often costly — at high schools all over the country and even here at our alma mater.

Senior Pranks Gone Bad

Graffiti plastered on the front of the school or flamingos splattered across the front lawn can appear to be harmless pranks committed by rambunctious hooligans, but some incidents are not as innocent. Students can take this senior ritual to destructive — and sometimes dangerous — levels. Last March, seniors exploded two chemical-filled bottles at Craigmont High School in Memphis, Tennessee. The 18-year-old instigators were charged as adults with aggravated assault, felony reckless endangerment and possession of a prohibited weapon. The explosions not only put the school’s property at risk, but also endangered the students and faculty. An assistant principal was taken to the hospital after the smoke from the explosions caused his asthma to act up, according to the Huffington Post (http:// www.huffingtonpost.com). In May 2011, students at Western High School in Baltimore, Maryland, also took their senior pranks too seriously. The plethora of shenanigans pulled by these pranksters included tainting the drinking water with laxatives and bleach and covering floors in slippery substances, which endangered their peers and damaged school property,

according to the Baltimore Sun ( w w w. baltimoresun.com). The jokes only escalated, with students destroying school computers and amassing tens of thousands of dollars of destruction. Western High School cancelled two senior events and threatened to cancel the prom and senior graduation, though the perpetrators remain anonymous. Pranks can provide comical relief for students who have labored for four years to walk across the stage and receive their diploma, but seniors should take heed: there is a fine line between harmless and hazardous and even funny and tasteless.

2007 CONNIE CHUNG

Trees Gone Wild

While teachers sometimes ask students to rearrange desks in a classroom before an exam, some students went out of their way to rearrange other objects around school without orders from a teacher. According to a reputable source, 1988 Lowell graduate and former football player James Lee (whose coach was none other than the renowned P.E. teacher Milton Axt), “Jocks stacked the courtyard tables into a pyramid as part of the class’s senior prank.” Almost two decades later in 2006, students repeated the prank by stacking courtyard tables and wooden benches in a pyramid configuration (how unoriginal). The prank was then repeated in 2007.

Two years later in 2008, students deviated from creating a Pyramid of Giza in the courtyard and instead stacked computer chairs, desks and courtyard tables on the roof over the cafeteria, according to Galang. Before that, in Jan. 2007, among the tables, trees and shrubs in the courtyard were fragrant, pine-smelling Christmas trees. According to a February 7, 2007 The Lowell article, class of 2007 pranksters spent three hours the night before decorating the courtyard with discarded Christmas trees and hanging wreaths in front of the building. Needless to say, there was no need for any air fresheners around campus that day. What holiday decor will surprise us next? Courtyard tables and computer chairs and Christmas trees, oh my!

The Lowell Spotlight 3-1-13

ALL ILLUSTRATIONS BY HOI LEUNG

2006 BRIAN HO

WHO LET THE CHICKS OUT?

Many students familiarized themselves with different species of animals via visits to the zoo during elementary school, but some came face to face with these creatures at school. According to “Seniors Turn to Livestock for Pranks” in the Nov. 2000 issue of The Lowell, on Oct. 10, 2000 former assistant principal John Mahoney discovered chickens and unfertilized eggs in the middle of the courtyard. The chickens had supposedly been released from lockers as part of a senior prank. The chickens were eventually adopted by Marin Humane Society Behavior Training Department staff member Charlie Reinhart and moved to a five-acre plot of land in Petaluma. English teacher Jennifer Moffitt remembers having mixed feelings about the incident. “I thought it was very funny, and then I started thinking about all the poor chickens and what they [administration] were going to do with them now,” Moffitt commented. The school turned into more of a zoo as time passed. On November 1, 2000,

former dean Janet Tse spotted goldfish in a wading pool by the flagpole. Former science teacher Jim Carmack’s students adopted some of the fishes. A couple of years later, an animal from the San Francisco Zoo visited Lowell illegally. According to Lowell alumnus and assistant track and field coach Michael Speech, in 2002 a student stole a goat from the San Francisco Zoo and chained it to a tree in the courtyard. “Walking in at 7 o’clock in the morning and seeing that goat was kind of odd,” Speech said. Neither the chicken, goldfish nor goat pranks created as big a “stink” among the students as the infamous fish incident in 2005. According to an April 2005 article in The Lowell, students placed two dead fish in vacant lockers: one in an emergency locker in the second floor math wing and one in a cross country locker near the gym. “It started stinking and it was disgusting,” English teacher Lorna Galang commented. With an abundance of “helpful” students making things more convenient by bringing the zoo to school, it is easy to study biology, if nothing else.

Cold winter sports’ MVPs keep it hot

Lowell High School March 1, 2013

Page 11

Boys’ FS basketball knocked from championship

By Sam Tick-Raker

N FRONT OF A FULL HOUSE and lively crowd, the boys’ froshsoph basketball team suffered a difficult 52-47 semi-final loss to the Mission Bears on Feb. 20, ending the team’s season. After a thrilling second quarter the Cardinals had a slim 37-35 lead. But with a back and forth second half, the Bears edged out the Cards. The Cardinals’ field goal percentage was 45%, making 19 out of 42 shots. Sophomore shooting guard Soren Carpenter lead the team with 16 points. Sophomore guard Joshua Yu added 12, sophomore center Bruce Quan had 9 and sophomore forward Antonio Hughes had 8. The main problems the Cards had were giving up too many offensive rebounds, not getting enough defensive rebounds and turning the ball over too much. “It was a tough loss,” head coach Travis Hom said. “We played well. We needed to slow the ball down a bit more and in the fourth we let it slip away.” The Cardinals won every game of the regular season except for the Battle of the Birds, culminating in a 7-1 record and a second-place finish highlighted by key wins against Galileo, Lincoln and Mission. The Cardinals opened the regular season with a 49-43 overtime victory against the Galileo Lions on Jan. 11. Their next big game was away against Lincoln, where they dominated the Mustangs to a tune of 42-33. Their only loss of the year came against the Washington Eagles at Kezar on Feb. 1. With a game tying three pointer at the buzzer, the Eagles sent the game into two overtimes, where they eventually defeated the Cardinals 48-45. This was the most disappointing game by far for the coaches and players. “They didn’t beat us, we beat ourselves,” Carpenter said. “Our biggest challenge this season was probably Washington, who were totally beatable and the only team we lost to this season.” Though there are a lot of positives that can be taken from the season, there is one thing that the team struggled with — free throws. Before the season, Hom said that the team was working on this critical part of the game. Still, the Cardinals’ free throw deficiency did have a role in the loss to Washington, where the Cardinals only managed a 55 percent free throw rate. Once this percentage increases, the Cardinals could be unstoppable. Finally, they faced the third-place Mission Bears who had eliminated Lowell last year in the semi-finals, and defeated them 61-47 on Feb. 6. The Cardinals’ new style contributed to this turnaround. With new coach Hom, the team has adopted a faster paced game, creating more space and opening up shots. The Cardinals overall had an excellent season, being successful on both sides of the ball. Offensively they were indestructible. “Scoring for us isn’t a problem,” Carpenter said. On defense the team did what they had to do to keep them in the game. “Our defense is strong and aggressive, creating stops and steals,” he said.

Athlete of the Month: By Andrew Pearce

HUIMIN ZHANG

Sophomore guard Soren Carpenter releases the ball during the Cardinals’ 52-47 semi-final loss to Mission on Feb. 20.

Nathaniel Jee

“

STER

practices consistently and I have confidence that he will improve,” Lee said. Lee has seen how Jee inspires the team with his actions and commitment level. “He leads by example and his qualities of commitment and dedication to the team are contagious,” Lee said. Jee is very proud of the Cardinals winning the team championship four years in a row at Golden Gate Park. Although tennis is mostly an individual sport, Jee cares very much about the team as a whole. “In Nor-Cal’s last year, he was an alternate and didn’t get to play, but he supported the team with much enthusiasm,” Lee said. Besides his father, many other of Jee’s family members have gone to this school and played on the tennis team, including his two uncles and his mom’s cousin. Jee is proud that he can be part of such a dynasty and be the current face of his family at Lowell. “They were all prominent in their time,” Jee said.

CATE

Novice Doubles with Nick Haddad that season. Even though Jee’s experience gave him a head Following a long family tradition, junior Nathaniel Jee is rallying against his opponents in start, Lee has seen him improve tremendously his third season on the tennis team, making his since he was first on the team. “He’s gotten a lot family proud, not with personal trophies, but with more consistent and patient, and his serves and footwork have gotten better,” Lee said. integrity, attitude, and commitment. Throughout his years at Lowell, Jee has Jee started seriously playing tennis in seventh grown in his knowledge of grade. His father, Mark the game and also taken Jee, former Lowell tennis player and winner of He leads by example life lessons away from the sport. He has overcome the three straight All-City and his qualities of setbacks that come with Championships, has game. “Learning to lose been crucial to his tencommitment and ded- the makes you more mature,” Jee nis career, as he introduced the sport to Jee. ication to the team are said. “Coach Bryan showed me how to get the most out “My dad was the one contagious.” of losing matches and how who taught me how to to learn from them.” play and he still teaches BRYAN LEE, Jee is especially intrigued me,” Nathaniel Jee said. head coach by the mental aspect of the “I usually play with him game and how players are on the weekends. He has basically done almost everything to help me.” Ac- affected by it. “During a match a player may cording to Jee, his father stresses the importance find that he’s battling with himself a lot,” Jee said. of moving around the court and helps him with “When I’m nervous, I try my best to relax and take deep breaths.” his footwork. Jee upholds a high commitment level on the Even as a freshman, Jee carried a certain amount of knowledge from years past. “When team and he works very hard to improve. Accordhe came in, he already had great technique and I ing to Lee, Jee is always the last one remaining at could tell he had promise,” head coach Bryan Lee practice, and he practices in the off-season to keep said. Jee ended up placing fourth in the All-City up his game. “Sometimes he starts slow, but he

12 SPORTS

Lowell High School

March 1, 2013

JESSICA HUANG

Battle of the Birds to the Big Game, The Lowell’s reporters investigate the ups and downs, ins and outs and blood and guts of some of the biggest rivalries in Bay Area sports. O From

By Dylan Anderson and Sam Tick-Raker

S EVERY GIANTS fan knows, few experiences are more riveting than participating in a “Beat L.A” chant as it resonates throughout AT&T Park and into McCovey Cove. The extraordinary experience of shouting these three syllables exemplifies the glory in sports rivalries. In sports, rivalries give every team and their fans another purpose, in addition to winning their league titles. Rivalry games act as mini-championships and allow even the most dismal teams to salvage some respect and sense of accomplishment from an otherwise uneventful season. Along with our passionate dislike for the fans from smoggy “So-Cal,” the Bay Area plays host to some other intense rivalries from the high school level to the big leagues.

Cal Berkeley vs

HE BEARS VERSUS the Cardinal. The Blue and Gold against The Red and White. This rivalry began when the first “Big Game,” the annual football matchup between the two, took place in 1892. The competition has only gotten fiercer since then and has led to a historic series of riveting pranks and amazing games. From dropping anti-Cal flyers to stealing mascots, the two teams have had a rich rivalry since day one. In 1938 Stanford students burned a huge “S” into the ground of Berkeley’s Memorial Stadium. In 1984 Cal students released blue and gold mice into one of Stanford’s libraries. And then of course there is arguably the most famous event between the two schools: The Play. At the Big Game in 1982 Stanford led 20-19 with 4 seconds left in the game after a miraculous last minute drive. After

Stanford they kicked off to Cal, members of the Cardinal band rushed onto the field, thinking that they had won the game. The Bears, however, had a different idea. With five laterals and a lot of dodging, they scored a touchdown on the kickoff return, winning the game 25-20. In response to the victory, Stanford journalists printed thousands of fake copies of the Daily Cal with the headline: “NCAA Reverses Outcome of Big Game.” The Big Game has always been exciting, as it is the most popular college football event in the Bay Area. Stanford leads the series 58-46-11 and has won the past three meetings. Since 1933 the winner of the game has received the Stanford Axe. Both teams have stolen the axe from each other multiple times. The Stanford-Cal rivalry is one of the greatest college football rivalries of all time.

Rivalry Records Stanford wins:58 Cal wins:46 Ties:11

Giants wins:1190 Dodgers wins:1166

Battle of the Birds

LTHOUGH LOWELL IS best known for its excellent academic reputation, we Cardinals still take pride in our key rivalry: Battle of the Birds. Every team’s biggest regular season game is played against the Eagles from George Washington High School. What these games lack in hostility, they more than make up with intensity. The Eagles and Cardinals are traditionally two of the best teams in the Academic Athletic Association (AAA). Often players compete against other players who were their teammates on their middle school and club teams. Both the basketball and football games draw the largest crowds. The football game is the only night game played in the AAA each year at Kezar Stadium, the former home of the San Francisco 49ers. In boy’s varsity basketball, Washington has gone 3-2 in the past five years. The Eagles are also 3-2 in the five most recent varsity football games. As one of the fiercest high school rivalries in the city, Lowell-Wash games are always exciting and intense.

Lowell AAA Championships:518 Washington AAA Championships:211

San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

HEN THE MOST heated rivalry in baseball history began, Chester A. Arthur was the President of the United States and the Brooklyn Bridge had just been completed. The first game between the present-day San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers was played in 1884 in New York. The rivalry has endured 128 years, over 2,000 games and almost 6,000 miles of relocation. The all time series between the two teams was much less intense originally, as the Giants dominated every decade through the 1940s. Then, before the 1958 season, the Brooklyn Dodgers relocated to Los Angeles. The New York Giants, who at the time were considering relocating to Minnesota, moved

to San Francisco to preserve the rivalry. Thus a cross-city rivalry became a cross-state rivalry and the California chapter of this famed series began. The competition has had its fair share of nail biters, as 699 of the contests have been decided by just one run. While the Dodgers have won 350 of these close games to the Giants’ 349, the Giants lead the all-time series by a tally of 1190-1166-17. But perhaps most importantly, the Giants lead the Dodgers in World-Series victories, 7-6, thanks to their recent championships in 2010 and 2012. The two teams have had more than their fair share of fights and bad blood. In 1965 Giant’s pitcher Juan Marichal hit the Dodger’s catcher, Johnny Roseboro, in the head with his

bat, sending the bloody Los Angeles backstop to the hospital where he needed 14 stitches. The incident started when Marichal was batting, and Roseboro’s toss back to the pitcher almost hit Marichal in the head. More recently, after a Giants-Dodgers game on March 31, 2011, a Giants fan named Bryan Stow was critically injured by two Dodgers fans. Stow suffered serious brain damage and went into a coma. While rivalries are exciting and make us feel proud to be fans of our favorite teams, we have to remember to not lose control of our emotions. At the first Dodgers at Giants game after the Stow incident this message was spoken on the field before the game by players from both teams.

Rewards of Rivalries Rivalries in sports are sometimes what fuel us to continue rooting for our teams. Even in dismal years when everything is going wrong, there is always a big game. Whether it be at China Basin, Memorial Stadium or even Kezar, true fans will always support their clubs no matter the season record. So go out and sport your orange and black, your blue and gold or cardinal red and white. Scream and shout and dance and cheer and jump; let yourself go a little crazy. That is what sports are all about.

SPORTS

March 1, 2013

The Lowell

Lady Cards swoop title with strong championship victory

Cards fall in final to Lions

By Patricia Nguy

By Rayming Liang

N FEB. 25, THE Girls JV basketball team defeated the Washington Eagles 41-23 in their championship game The Cards had their playoff game against the Galileo Lions. With a victory against the opposing team already in their pockets, the Lowellites easily defeated the Lions 54-25. The top dogs this season were no doubt the Cardinals, who went 12-0 in the district. With Lincoln and Washington as the main sources of competition against Lowell in the girls’ JV section history, the Cardinals’ 57-22 victory over the Eagles at the Battle of the Birds on Feb. 1 sealed the deal for another championship, according to www.cifsf.org. The team’s continued work on communication under pressure left other teams in shock at their unity. “We use positive comments, and we focus on the parts that our teammates need help with and help them improve,” sophomore guard and forward Karina Tom said. The impressive moves seen during the championship can trace back to earlier “freshman sparks” — the new level of energy, enthusiasm and team spirit that the freshman bring. “Usually I don’t play with people who are taller than me, so I’ve really learned how to box out,” sophomore forward and center Sabina Wildman. “We all work up to each others’ level, like during practice when we’re scrimmaging.” The coaches have also made a lasting impression on those that will carry on into varsity’s next season. “They’ve become more mature,” coach Christine Hosoda said. “They understand the system, and they’ve become leaders. Their basketball IQs are higher, and their skills have certainly improved all around.”

ALL PHOTOS BY KARA SCHERER

Clockwise (Top): Sophomore guard Allyson Lui launches off a pass; (Bottom Right) Sophomore guard Karina Garzona wins the jump ball; (Bottom Left) Garzona leaps

powerfully past opponents.

LTHOUGH THE LOWELL wrestling team lost by half a point to the Galileo Lions during the All City Boys’ Wrestling Championship on Feb. 23, this has been one of the closest matches in AAA wrestling history and the best performance seen by the Cardinals. The wrestling team had struggled, sweating in an effort to pin the opponent on the mat, making their way to this season’s record of 6 wins and 1 loss by Feb. 19, putting hem in first place with the Galileo Lions and Balboa Buccaneers. Coach Michael Wise is content with how the season played out, although the flu season had an impact. “This is exactly where I wanted to be,” he said. “The only setback was the health issues.” Of all the meets this season, Wise found wrestling Balboa to be the most important match, which ended with a 36-30 victory for Lowell. “We saw them as the team to beat,” he said. “If we can beat Balboa, we can beat any team in the city, and we did.” In the past four years, the Washington Eagles dominated three out of the four championships, only losing once to Galileo by one point. Washington suffered a downslide this season, resulting in season match results of 4-3, but Wise still shows respect towards the Eagles. “They have had the well-deserved reputation as the SF power in wrestling for quite some time,” Wise said. “This is largely due to efforts of a fabulous coach, Mike Meneses, who understands how a wrestling team should train and compete.” Despite having a smaller team this season with three holes in the line-up, Wise was not worried about having enough wrestlers. “I would rather have 17 wrestlers who are at practice every day working hard to reach the team’s goals as well as their individual goals, than have 30 wrestlers, many of whom treat it more like a club than a sport,” he said.

March 1, 2013

14 SPORTS

Lowell High School

ALL PHOTOS BY KARA SCHERER

Sophomore Andrew Le flies through the pool during the teams’ sweep against Lincoln on Feb. 22. The Cards won JV girls 93-59, JV boys 116-30, varsity girls 135-19 and varsity boys 95-66.

Swimmers dive into another great season Q

With a new school of swimmers, the team looks to repeat last year’s championship season with strength and speed training.

By Samantha Wilcox

N THE HEELS of their undefeated 2012 season, the Cardinals plan on maintaining their dominance in the pool this year. With a massive number of new swimmers and several returning veterans, they are optimistic that this season is going to be one of their best. With a sigh of relief, last year the JV boys reclaimed their Academic Athletic Association title from rivals, the Lincoln Mustangs. The JV boys had not earned the title in both the 2010 and 2008 seasons, so this win is even more significant for the team. The JV boys title meant the Cardinals swept their competition, claiming top honors for both the varsity and JV teams. “Last season, we dedicated a lot of time to perfecting our strokes and dropping our times,” sophomore JV swimmer Aaron Chow said. “We are going to keep training smart this year, so we don’t lose the title again.”

Despite their supremacy in the pool, the team is always looking to improve. “We mainly focus on strength and speed training,” sophomore JV swimmer Greer Williams said. “We do a mix of sprint and endurance sets, so that we are ready for whatever comes at us over the duration of the season.” This year coach Jonathan Riley plans to continue with his emphasis on sprints and stroke technique and intense threshold sets, where swimmers swim fast sets with very little rest. “If you don’t have your technique perfected, there is no way that you can improve,” sophomore JV swimmer Lori Zadoorian said. “Once you have the technique down, you can begin to see improvements in your time and performance.” As the Cardinals built a strong reputation, over a score of new swimmers joined for the season, and the 20 new teammates were welcomed, according to Riley. “This was one of the biggest turn

Cardinals overpower Lincoln Mustangs with sweep in season opener At their first meet of the season, the Lowell Cardinals started off right by winning all varsity and JV sections against team rivals Lincoln Mustangs on Feb 22. The Cardinals took home the win with JV girls 93-59, JV boys 116-30, varsity girls 135-19 and varsity boys 95-66. Lowell’s domination in the pool was partly due to the large team. “Lincoln is definitely a strong competitor this year, but we have the advantage in numbers,” sophomore varsity swimmer Elizabeth Wong said. “We pulled through this meet, and hopefully, we’ll be able to keep up our win streak.” The Cardinals have a major leg-up on the Mustangs in size. “The varsity girls team for Lincoln only has four girls,” sophomore varsity swimmer Ingrid Adams said. “Although all four girls are extremely good, they cannot compete against such a large team.”

outs that we’ve ever had as a team, that I can remember,” varsity junior swimmer Jessica Weiss said. New swimmers this year will help boost the JV teams to about 30 swimmers per team, which is the largest in the AAA. The team’s winning record was a prime reason for the large amount of interest. “I joined the team this year because I wanted to be a part of a successful part of Lowell Athletics,” Williams said. “As new JV swimmers, we especially focus on form before we move on to work to drop our times.” The Cardinals are more excited than ever to see their training pay off for their first meet. “Our competitors are a year older and a year better, but we have the ability to keep our place on the podium if we give it our all in practice and keep a positive attitude in the pool,” senior varsity swimmer Leslie Fung said. The Cardinals will race against the Galileo Lions on March 8.

(ABOVE) Junior Lissa Dechakul rises for a breath while swimming breaststroke. (BELOW) Freshman Brandon Chiu slices through the water with freestyle.

SPORTS

March 1, 2013

The Lowell

WINTER SPORTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS

he Lowell has chosen the winter sports MVPs for this year. These players have lead their teams both on and off the field, both through their actions and their words. In addition each of them has extraordinary amounts of dedication to their sports, which has set them apart in teams that are full of very talented athletes. These are the players who can single-handedly change the fortunes of their teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seasons with a single moment of inspiration â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that is why they are winners regardless of the score.

Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; varsity basketball: senior guard Jon Li

Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; varsity basketball: senior guard Angie Ng and senior center Lorna Tuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ufuli By Ray Lang

By Elijah Alperin

As one of the few members of the team who saw significant varsity minutes last year, senior guard Jonathan Liâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience has been a boon to his game and leadership. A sharpshooting three-point maestro, Li played a key part in the Cardinalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unique offensive game plan. After rotating the ball in a signature Lowell possession, Li was consistently on the end of a move to drain difficult shots from beyond the arc. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a huge relief for us as a team knowing we can pass to Jon from anywhere on the court and he can hit a shot,â&#x20AC;? junior guard Aaron Wong said. Li averaged almost nine points a game, including 18 points against Galileo on Feb. 11, and 22 points in each of the preseason matchups with Piedmont and Jefferson. When he is not topping the court in stats, Li turns provider, creating opportunities for teammates. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He gets everyone involved,â&#x20AC;? Wong said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He balances taking his shots and getting other people shots very well.â&#x20AC;? Li also leads the team emotionally, according to Wong. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always been one of our more vocal leaders,â&#x20AC;? Wong said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He constantly cheers for and encourages his teammates, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not afraid to call them out to give constructive criticism.â&#x20AC;? On the other side of the court, Liâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s height and tenacity made him a valuable defender, frequently adding rebounds and steals and orchestrating the tight Cardinal defense. When asked about his Lowell career, Li was quick to acknowledge the Cardinal program and his teammates. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am truly blessed to have played under this organization,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t thank the guys on the team, the coaching staff, and the fans who came to support us enough.â&#x20AC;? Leaving behind the program as he looks ahead to graduation and his freshman year of college, Li said his Cardinal memories will stick with him forever. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moments like cracking jokes, chilling in the locker room after games, and even when we yell at each other define our family,â&#x20AC;? Li said. Although Liâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoes will be difficult to fill on the court next season, his talent and leadership will leave next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team with plenty to emulate.

When it comes to girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; varsity basketball, there is no shortage of talent, skill, or ability. Each girl contributes to the overall success of the team, a success that clearly shows itself in an undefeated 14-0 season. But the team is not without its stars, two of which shine br ig hter t han the rest â&#x20AC;&#x201D; senior guard Angie Ng and senior center Lorna Tuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ufuli. Tuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ufuli does it all. Not only does Tuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ufuli lead the team in points with an average of 8.3 points per game according to (www.maxpreps.com), she is also the second in rebounding, close behind senior center Hana Murphy. Tuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ufuli is one of three captains of the team, she takes it upon herself

to encourage and inspire. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had huge nerves before games the four years Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve played on varsity, and I know exactly how they all feel,â&#x20AC;? Tuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ufuli said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are all capable of doing so much that the most I can do as captain is to encourage them always, and to try to lead them the right way.â&#x20AC;? Ng, a player who prides herself with her unparalleled defense and strong fortitude, makes sure her presence is felt on the court. Ng has been playing since her 6th grade days in Cornerstone Academy and has gone on to play club basketball for the San Francisco Flying Eagles for six years. Second on the team in assists, Ng makes the plays happens. She steals, she shoots, she scores.

Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; JV basketball: sophomore guard Allyson Lui By Patricia Nguy

The Wallenberg Bulldogs had just returned to their side of the court when sophomore guard Allyson Lui launched a stunning turnover â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a roar went up. Of course, the girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; JV basketball team shouts out praise for teammates constantly, but for once in basketball ethics, a turnover alone won the applause of all the spectators. Lui had a decent chunk of basketball experience before she joined the Lowell team. She was a guard on the Catholic Youth Organization team of Saint Monica Catholic School from third to eighth grade and played on three other teams before high school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was always a guard,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was never tall enough to play anything else. I just had to work with what I had.â&#x20AC;? Lui has been admired for being a

â&#x20AC;&#x153;well-rounded playerâ&#x20AC;? by her teammates. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good at handling the ball, at passing, at shooting,â&#x20AC;? coach Matthew Magsanay said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It would be unfair to just say one thing. And sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a leader on the team, too.â&#x20AC;? Lui combines her skill and leadership both on and off the court to help her teammates. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I have a turnover or when I make a different decision from what I should have done, she tells me what I couldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done differently to make it better,â&#x20AC;? freshman guard Sarah Chow said. For a ny o n e interested in basketball or any competitive sport, Lui wants to leave some advice before she moves on to varsity next season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make sure that you stay in the moment,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think about the score or how much youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re winning by.â&#x20AC;?

Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; froshsoph basketball: sophomore center Antonio Hughes

By Sam Tick-Raker

Six-Âfoot Â two Â sophomore Â center Â Antonio Â Hughes Â has Â consistently Â contributed Â points Â and Â rebounds Â for Â the Â Cardinals Â in Â every Â game. Â His Â speed, Â height Â and Â ability Â to Â drive Â in Â the Â key Â made Â him Â a Â top Â player Â who Â was Â successful Â on Â both Â offense Â and Â defense. Offensively, Â Hughes Â is Â always Â one Â of Â the Â top Â scorers Â on Â the Â team, Â especially Â in Â big Â games. Â In Â the Â Cardinalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Â season Â opener Â against Â Galileo, Â Hughes Â scored Â 16 Â points, Â the Â teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Â second Â highest Â that Â night, Â helping Â the Â Cardinals Â beat Â the Â Lions Â in Â overtime. Â Against Â Lincoln, Â the Â center Â was Â back Â at Â it Â again Â on Â offense, Â leading Â the Â team Â in Â scoring Â â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Â this Â time Â with Â 14 Â points. Â And Â in Â arguably Â the Â biggest Â game Â of Â the Â year Â â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Â the Â Battle Â of Â the Â Birds Â that Â culminated Â in Â a Â double-Âovertime Â loss Â to Â the Â Washington Â Eagles Â â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Â Hughes Â was Â right Â in Â the Â thick Â of Â the Â game, Â DGGLQJ SRLQWV ÂżQLVKLQJ VHFRQG LQ VFRULQJ He Â averaged Â an Â excellent Â 13 Â points Â in Â these Â three Â key Â games. Hughes Â also Â shines Â as Â one Â of Â the Â teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Â leaders Â in Â defensive Â rebounds. Â In Â the Â game Â against Â Galileo, Â Hughes Â had Â 15 Â rebounds. Â That Â means Â he Â had Â what Â is Â called Â a Â double-Âdouble, Â where Â a Â player Â scores Â double Â digits Â in Â two Â stat Â categories. Â Obviously Â scoring Â double Â digits Â in Â points Â is Â going Â to Â help Â the Â team, Â but Â rebounds Â play Â another Â critical Â role. Â â&#x20AC;&#x153;Defensive Â rebounds Â are Â important Â so Â the Â other Â team Â wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Â have Â a Â second Â chance Â on Â putting Â up Â another Â shot,â&#x20AC;? Â sophomore Â shooting Â guard Â Soren Â Carpenter Â said. Â â&#x20AC;&#x153;It Â leads Â to Â our Â offense.â&#x20AC;? Â In Â addition Â to Â Hughesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Â skills, Â being Â over Â six Â feet Â tall Â is Â another Â advantage. Â â&#x20AC;&#x153;Height Â helps Â so Â much Â because Â Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Â able Â to Â get Â rebounds Â and Â ÂżQLVK DW WKH EDVNHW ZLWKRXW JHWWLQJ EORFNHG Â´ he Â said. Hughes Â is Â also Â a Â great Â leader. Â â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Â try Â to Â help Â the Â guys Â by Â letting Â them Â know Â their Â mistakes, Â like Â taking Â their Â time Â on Â free Â throws Â or Â telling Â them Â not Â to Â rush Â while Â weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Â getting Â pressured Â by Â other Â teams,â&#x20AC;? Â Hughes Â said. Â But Â the Â road Â does Â not Â stop Â here Â for Â Hughes. Â â&#x20AC;&#x153;My Â plans Â are Â to Â get Â better Â and Â better Â at Â playing Â basketball Â and Â win Â multiple Â championships;Íž Â I Â hope Â to Â play Â basketball Â in Â college,â&#x20AC;? Â Hughes Â said.

Wrestling: seniors Lorenzo Pesino and Alondra Barajas By Rayming Liang

Lorenzo Pesino had a rough start when he first started wrestling. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a love-hate relationship for me: there were times when quitting crossed my mind my first year,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wrestling takes so much out of you if you are taking the necessary steps for success.â&#x20AC;? Apart from being one of the most hardworking wrestlers on the team, Pesino is also a leader through his actions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He sets high goals for himself, which is important in any sport,â&#x20AC;? coach Michael Wise said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He leads by the example of his work ethic. This has put him on track to reach his goals and influenced the rest of the team to reach theirs.â&#x20AC;? During his off-season, Pesino also plays football. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Football

really complemented my wrestling by making me more aggressive and giving me strong mental endurance,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In football, everyone is bigger than me. But in wrestling, I get to wrestle people my own size and weight. I tell myself, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If I can tackle and break away from 200 plus pounders, these 122 pounders should be nothing.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? To Alondra Barajas, wrestling was a fun activity while growing up â&#x20AC;&#x201D; she enjoyed mock wrestling matches with family member. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is a sport that changed my life,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It made me healthier and more aware of my diet.â&#x20AC;? Being the only girl on the team, Barajas has to practice

with boys, which gave her an advantage over other female wrestlers as she is used to heavy-duty competition. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wrestling with guys makes me tougher, because it prepares me for challenging and unexpected matches against wrestlers stronger than usual,â&#x20AC;? she said. Recently, Barajas lost a family member, but wrestling helped her handle the loss. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thanks to my teammates, they helped me overcome it and helped me to be more determined,â&#x20AC;? she said. She now uses the memory of her relative as a motivation to continue wrestling. Barajas plans to wrestle in college, but also wants to participate in soccer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although I plan to wrestle more, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve played soccer since I was a kid and I currently play for Jamestown Soccer,â&#x20AC;? she said.

16 COLUMNS

March 1, 2013

Lowell High School

Hapa finds self-happiness Putting a face on Facebook

By Campbell Gee

CIA

O SOME, HAPA HAOLE may sound like a rare genetic disease or a spicy Asian condiment. But to me, the words are a reminder of one aspect of my identity that I have only recently began to embrace. To elaborate, hapa haole is a Hawaiian term that describes a person of Caucasian and Asian descent. Literally, hapa means “a fragment or part of something,” while other definitions of haole refer to foreigners. Despite the indisputable fact that I am ethnically hapa, I have also struggled with the phrase’s “partly foreigner” connotation. Put simply, I have always felt too Asian for the white crowd, and too white for the Asian group. One of my first brushes with this divide occurred at the park when I was a toddler, as a fellow white parent exclaimed to my blonde, blue-eyed mom that she “adopted a baby girl from China too!” Mortified, my mom could only correct the woman by clarifying that I — despite my dark hair and hazel eyes — was in fact “homegrown.” Other less comedic instances include the glares my immediate family still receives from judgmental old Asian ladies while shopping for produce at our local Sunset Super and the numerous times I have been given a fork during formal banquets at Chinese restaurants, despite my veteran chopstick skills. The exclusion I experienced from both halves of my ethnicity manifested itself into somewhat of an identity crisis that nagged at me as I ventured into elementary and middle school. While filling out the informational sections on standardized tests and lengthy high school applications, I would take an extra minute to decide whether I wanted to bubble myself in as Asian, white or — out of frustration — “other” under questions pertaining to ethnicity. Most of the time, it was decided by my parents that I was to be labeled as Caucasian to better my chances of getting into predominantly Asian high schools like Lowell. After I successfully landed a spot at Lowell,

the differences between Asian and Caucasian cultures became even more apparent and the urge to identify with a single ethnicity to fit in grew stronger. Immediate conversations regularly included a question along the lines of “So, like...what are you?” — a vague and surprisingly deep question I often asked myself. Coming from biracial parents, I was unable to sympathize with my full Chinese friends when they complained of the rigorous SAT classes, but also found it hard to relate to my white friends when they expressed their dad’s relaxed views on dating. An inner tug-of-war formed within me where I couldn’t embrace one side of my ethnicity without feeling like I was abandoning the other. It wasn’t until I confided in the many other Eurasian students in my classes and during Hapa Club — where hapa students of all combinations congregate over food and personal stories — about this identity crisis, that I began to realize that though our Asian and European sides usually differ, we are all part of an emerging community that is much bigger than ourselves. Through bonding with my hapa friends who represent unique mixes such as German-Japanese, Filipino-Italian and Chinese-French, I have found myself lucky to be a part of three enriching cultures and no longer feel like I have to choose a singular preference between Asian and white. With hapa culture recently starting to gain popularity in the culinary world and modern media, I have discovered the wonderful world of Asian Fusion cuisine (my favorite being Hapa Ramen at the Ferry building) and I even look up to Eurasian celebrities like actor Darren Criss, fashion model Devon Aoki and singer Sean Lennon. To eloquently quote lyrical genius Hannah Montana, taking pride in being hapa has allowed me to see that I “get the best of both worlds.” For the complete version of this story please visit www.thelowell.org

By Nicholas Weisenburger

HAT IS THE BEST website to go on when you aren’t in the mood to talk to people face to face, procrastinate on homework or ignore your parents, “Do the dishes! Walk the dog!”? But have you ever wondered what actually goes on behind the screen? Well, I didn’t think of that until I was invited to the Facebook headquarters. So, how does a 15-year-old with little to no luck or social life get an invite to Facebook’s headquarters? I was bestowed with this amazing opportunity by a message on Facebook late one night while contemplating whether or not to actually study for my Physics final. It was from my friend Adam, someone I had met at an internship at outLoud radio, an LGBTQ youth/elders program where youth interns interview and record senior citizens within the gay community about LGBTQ related topics. As my eyes scanned the message, I felt my heart beating faster. Adam’s family friend had been hired to revamp the Facebook emoticons, and wanted Adam and some other interns to participate as the “LGBTQ youth focus group.” At this point, my Physics final wasn’t my top priority. On our way to the Facebook headquarters, I began to think about what to expect. I always pictured the Facebook headquarters as a modern, very liberal and unbusiness-like building with huge glass walls and solar panels. As Adam, two of his friends from school and I stepped off the Pacific Turing Shuttle Bus we looked at each other in confusion. We approached a building with a cement outer structure, painted a light orange-brown color, which shattered my perception of Facebook, from being the crazy office building I thought it might be. We walked in to find footage from an earlier visit of Oprah Winfrey played on the lobby flat screen TV, which added to our confusion. A very peppy woman, who later gave us our exclusive tour of Facebook, came over and told us to sign in, with, of course, a touch screen system. While being somewhat surprised with their up-to-date technology I

began to remember where I was. We entered a conference room with around 30 Facebook employees, and sat in front of two video cameras. We started to talk about what we liked about Facebook, then moved on to those aspects we disliked, finally talking a little about being LGBTQ youth on Facebook. We emphasized that the website does not support those who are questioning or transgender. We ended the Panel with an intense conversation about cyberbullying and that Facebook is the biggest online contributor, “the source of cyberbullying.” We talked in detail about how we dealt with cyberbullying when we were personally confronted with it. Adam, Amanda and Audre all agreed the victims should disconnect from the bully by unfriending, blocking or just ignoring them. I completely disagreed. I believe that if we ignore or block bullies, the problem will not go away. We, the victims, have to confront these individuals who are ruining not only Facebook, but other online social networks as well. However Adam made his rebuttal saying, if you try to defend the victim the bully will most likely come after you and you must block that person from acting out towards you. I considered Adam’s comment, but I still believe that if you or someone else confronts the attacker, that’s one step for anti-bullying. If you block this person you can no longer see what they are saying, but they could still be talking about you online. What I can say is that the Facebook staff loved us. When the panel was over everyone wanted to get a word in with us, telling us we were great and thanking us for being there. After having our fun at Facebook it was time to leave. Looking back at that experience, I now feel a connection to the website and to the people of Facebook. Even though Facebook wasn’t the way I expected, it was pretty close. The environment, atmosphere, the social connection and the sense that everyone is on the same page socially and politically makes it the true ideal working environment — it’s the social network. For the complete version of this story please visit www.thelowell.org

COLUMNS

March 1, 2013

The Lowell

Hobby turns into a source of income for collector By Tyler Perkins

HEN I HOLD an old baseball card, I feel a certain energy connecting my life with the lives of all the people that led to this card ending up in my hands. It starts with the player, whose picture is on the front and career achievements on the back, then the companies and workers who manufactured the card. Finally, the string of previous owners who bought and sold the card at the perfect times, allowing it to be in my possession at this particular second. When I was in elementary school my dad revolutionized my life by giving me a binder with sheet protectors to begin a baseball card collection. Every time I stepped into Target or Big Five with my parents, I would spend my allowance on a pack of baseball cards, tearing the plastic off on the car ride home to pick out the treasures. As my obsession grew, so did my collection, from one binder to three. One Christmas, my grandpa gave me four shoeboxes filled with baseball cards that he bought at a garage sale, and a book that tells the value of any card before 2006. That winter I looked up the value of each of the 5,000 cards in my collection. The oldest were from the 80s, but even the rarest were only worth a couple dollars. Most of the cards were worth a few cents, but it was fascinating to me that these little strips of cardboard might someday make me over 100 dollars. As I grew up, my love of baseball cards soared out of the ballpark and I learned about the industry. Before the 70s, a pack of baseball cards only cost a few cents and they had no real value. In the late 70s collectors began seeking the old cards, making some rare ones’ values skyrocket to thousands of dollars. As baseball

cards became more popular, companies began mass-producing them, making the common card virtually valueless. All of my cards were printed after 1980 and generally had no value, so I began searching for older cards at garage sales. I bought a few here and there, but I had yet to score any huge finds. One weekend in October 2012, a man was moving hundreds of boxes of cards outside a house near ours. He said that he was giving them away because he was moving and I could have them. My dad drove me to the house and we folded down the car’s seats, stacking the boxes to the roof. Only about half of the boxes fit in our car and we let another collector take the rest. We offered the man money, but he wouldn’t accept any. I had to walk home, because there was no space in the car. When I got there, we unloaded the hundreds of boxes. There were over a quarter million baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and superhero cards and they took up all the space in our garage. My parents ended up parking in the driveway for the next few months, while I sorted through box after box. Every free second I had, I would bring boxes upstairs to the living room, where I would look through them for any cards before 1974, or any notable players. Then I would bring the searched boxes to a storage room behind our garage, and shelve them based on the type of card. This process was repeated for months, until finally most of the cards were in the storage room, and the valuable ones were in the living room. I then began checking the values of the older cards in my baseball card book. I found

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KT KELLY

The columnist Tyler Perkins is displayed in his favorite baseball card, a 1960 Bob Gibson Topps.

that my collection now extended back to 1955, including cards of Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Ted Williams, Pete Rose, Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan and many other greats. Together, the valuable cards are worth almost $2,000 and my total collection much more, but as the cards get older, the price will only grow. I am very attached to all of my cards, but I do have my favorites. At the bottom of one of the boxes I found a 1964 Topps, Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda duo card. Although it isn’t the most valuable one in my collection, having two Giant’s Hall Of Famers in one card makes it priceless in my eyes. I also have a few team cards from the 50s anwd early 60s. These cards tend to be very valuable and it is

very interesting seeing players who played the game 40 years before I was born. Baseball uniforms were a lot different back then and these cards show how styles have changed over the years. Perhaps my favorite treasure is a 1960 Topps, Bob Gibson. Gibson was one of the best pitchers to ever play the game and LW LVQ·W YHU\ RIWHQ WKDW \RX ÀQG D FDUG WKDW ROG in perfect condition. Through this experience, I have become a baseball card expert. If given any card after 1950, I can instantly give you the year, and usually guess the value within a few dollars of the actual price. After analyzing tens of thousands of cards, in the span of a few months, I now even dream about baseball cards.

Feathery friends frighten young Cardinal By Whitney C. Lim

ERN E ST CAT

three years old, I have been terrified of the feathery creatures. Looking back, I suppose I might have been so utterly frightened because these forlorn birds in our courtyard were my first encounters with death. It wasn’t until elementary school that I became familiar with a live bird and its digestive system. In fourth grade, a bird pooped on a classmate’s head during recess. Lo and behold, the teacher asked me, out of 24 students in my class, to clean it off of him. I guess I should be grateful the bird hadn’t pooped on my head. It had been a narrow escape –– we’d been standing near each other in line to go back into the classroom. Since that day, I harbor a fear that a bird will poop on my head every time I’m outside and seagulls or crows are flying around. You can never get away from birds. They are everywhere in the world, from freezing Antarctica to tropical Hawaii, from crowded cities to tranquil rainforests. This past summer, my family visited relatives in Minnesota. My aunt, two young cousins, my brother and I decided to go to the zoo. We ended up attending a bird show, much to my surprise and dismay. Huge

squawking parrots and feather-shedding parakeets flew around the small indoor theater, nearly lopping off taller people’s heads as they dived and swooped, baring their wiry claws. Of course, I couldn’t just walk out of the show and leave my aunt alone with three kids –– plus, the possibility of an unexpected curious cockatoo crossing my escape route was by no means appealing to me. After this dreadful half hour of my life, I realized that birds symbolize unsafe entrapment, the complete opposite of freedom. I can hardly believe that some of my friends would choose to own pet birds. Whenever I visit their houses, I have to ask them to put their bird in the cage. Just being in the same room with a bird gives me shivers. I don’t want to touch them, hear them or even look at them. What’s worse is that birds can always sense my fear, which makes them scared of me –– so the whole thing is cyclical and might even be a little funny if I weren’t so afraid. I learned just how scared both the bird and I were the hard way. A few months ago, I was watching television with family friends who own a cockatiel and the bird started flying around in circles, searching for a shoulder to perch on. I tried to sit stone still and not draw the bird’s attention, but my stillness was misread and attracted the bird to me. When the bird’s feathers and claws made contact, I screamed and covered my face with both my hands, startling the bird further. While the bird was squawking and flapping frantically, one of my friends finally came over and took the bird away, acting like it was no big deal. So I can definitely tell you what birds don’t symbolize: me.

ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF KT KELLY

I’

M PROUD TO BE A student at Lowell, but I can’t call myself a Cardinal. My fear of birds is too great for me to identify with the colorful creatures. I’m not into Woodstock from Peanuts, Big Bird of Sesame Street, or even Twitter. Maybe birds symbolize peace or freedom to some people, but they’re just not my thing. Ever since I can remember, birds have occasionally died in my family’s courtyard. Our living room has two walls entirely composed of windows, and apparently birds think they can fly right through the house from the courtyard to the back garden. Of course they can’t, so they crash into the window with terrible results and it is possible that I will wake up or come home to a dead bird. Because of this, since I was

18 OPINION

March 1, 2013

Lowell High School

Censorship sinks school spirit at big games By Sheyda Zebarjadian

HE BATTLE OF THE BIRDS basketball game is special – a traditional shout out to school spirit. It is one of the nights where Lowell students can be proud of their school for something beyond their academic abilities. Over the years, however, some students have escalated their spirit to whole new levels, often conflicting with the rules of both Lowell and the San Francisco Unified School District. Because students have taken their spirited ideas too far, the administration has increased its security presence and the amount of rules and regulations. Consequently, the vigilant enforcement has made the famous rivalry a dull and overly regulated event that saps our school spirit. Generations of Battle of the Birds games have intensified the competition tremendously. With so much excitement and tension on display at Kezar Stadium, at times teenagers tend to go over-board with their spirit. As a result, situations may occur that could result in fights, injuries, and complaints from concerned parents. “It was mentioned in Radio Lowell that these rules will be implemented in order to have more respect between the two teams because things were getting out of control,” assistant principal of curriculum Holly Giles said. The by-laws of California Interscholastic Federation and SFUSD Academic Athletic Association (AAA) have three full pages of rules on sportsmanship that students are obliged to follow when attending high school sporting events. “We were provided documentation on athletic spectator code of conduct for which we were asked to follow the guidelines,” Giles said. “We are only following the district’s rules.” According to the AAA by-laws, in Section 1 of the Sportsmanship Expectations, chants or signs should not be negative or derogatory (signs must be approved by an administrator prior to the game) and students should remain in their own school’s rooting section during the game. The rules range from general requirements such as “Banners and signs are to be perceived as positive

and supportive,” to specific ones such as “… Parents, spectators, associated study body leaders, and all auxiliary groups have a duty to honor the traditions of the sport and treat other participants with respect.” These rules are only a few of the rules listed in the document; there is no section of sportsmanship expectations, however, that includes anything about what students can wear. While it is understandable that there are rules to regulate liquids brought in and out of the stadium due to underage drinking concerns, the restrictions on signs and chants are hard to comprehend. Sporting events are designed to be competitive. Furthermore, regulating every message spoken and written interferes with our first amendment rights to free speech and press. I agree with the district and the administration that it is important to keep a friendly and positive atmosphere during sporting events, because otherwise people may be offended or physically hurt. Is it fair, however, to ban what people say or write when that is part of the spirit of the event? Beyond the signs and chants, another issue arose at Battle of the Birds on Feb. 1 when five male seniors showed up in morph suits. A morph suit is a skin-tight, spandex suit that covers the body from head to toe. While two seniors that arrived early were let in (later they were prompted to change into normal street clothes), the other three were stopped

HOI LEUNG

before they could enter. “The morph suits accentuated parts of their bodies that shouldn’t have been shown,” Giles said. Eventually, the three students waiting outside covered themselves up from the waists down. After buying their tickets and attempting to gain entrance again, they were told to leave again by two policemen monitoring the game. “We were now wearing appropriate attire and there was no indecent exposure, not that we believed there was any to begin with, but still we weren’t allowed in and we weren’t told why,” Werth said. The AAA regulations, however, do not say anything about a dress code. The students’ morph suits were completely plain, and contained no offensive or profane language. Their morph suits may have been an unusual spirit outfit, but the three seniors argue that they are not any more revealing than what some girls wear. “We thought we were treated unfairly compared to other people that were allowed in, such as girls who wear low cut shirts, short skirts, etc,” senior Josh Vaughan said. “Even cheerleaders can go to games to cheer on Lowell while showing their bodies and they are supported for what they do, while we cannot express ourselves and show off our spirit with what we wear.” In my four years at Lowell, Battle of the Birds – as well as other school events – has been losing its excitement and spirit due to the overwhelming emphasis on security and regulations. Even dances have been decreasing in popularity because of the time-outs from “inappropriate dancing.” I do understand the importance of having rules and security to maintain safety and respect.Lowell has always been a respectful school and it is the administration, security, and student’s job to keep it that way; however, at what point does the censorship begin to take away from the spirit and pride of the students? Overall, Lowell students are hardworking individuals that respect the administration and campus rules, but they will find creative ways around rules without necessarily breaking any. Administrators should realize that students’ hearts are in the right place as they embrace the fun side to rivalries. They should respect Lowell students for the passionate and creative people they are.

Students need to come by free lunch with honesty By Michelle Wong

OR ALL THE YEARS of my school life, school lunch has been something to look forward to — plump chicken nuggets, warm cheese quesadillas and icy pineapple chunks have been a highlight of my years growing up, and are still a timeless part of my life at school. The regulations of how students are qualified for this free, and in my opinion, delicious lunch, however, are unfair. This year, Revolution Foods signed on to provide schools in the San Francisco Unified School District with even better-looking food than the past. From buffalo wings to alfredo noodles, the new school lunch has been making mouths water even more than before, and, as a result, students are more desirous of qualifying for free lunch. “The new chicken alfredo pasta brings my soul to Olive Garden,” sophomore Lana Zheng said. Even though school lunch is now more appealing than in the past, the application process that determines whether students

qualify for free or reduced lunch or not is still the same, and still unfair. “Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals,” assistant director of Student Nutrition Services Zetta Reicker said. “For the period July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2013, 130 percent of the poverty level is $29,965 for a family of four; 185 percent is $42,643. Children from families with incomes over 185 percent of poverty pay a full price, though their meals are still subsidized to some extent.” One reason why the free or reduced lunch regulations are unfair is that some students lie about their income when filling out the application to qualify for free lunch but do not get caught for it. Although the influence of the tricksters who don’t get caught and the temptation to be easily qualified for free lunch by lying about household income exist, many students like me might feelthat lying to the district is unethical and just plain wrong.

To insure that the information submitted is accurate however, the SFUSD does have a system of verifying the applications sent in. “Every year, the State requires us to verify 3 percent of the applications submitted,” Reicker said. “The families are randomly selected and must provide documentation, such as a paycheck, confirming what they submitted on the application for free meals. If the documentation shows different information than what was submitted and if the confirmed amounts are above the threshold, the family is no longer eligible for benefits.” Administrative assistant Rhonda Schmidt, who is in charge of collecting school lunch applications at the beginning of the year, hopes that a sense of honesty prohibits students from lying on their applications. “Some people fudge on the figures for whatever reason,” she said, “but I would like to believe that people will fill out the forms honestly and to their best ability.” According to the manager of the cafeteria

Dole Reclosado, most of the leftover food that cannot be preserved for the next day such as pastas, and meat lunches is simply dumped out. “People can come and get it around 1 p.m., but most of the time we just compost the leftovers,” said Reclosado. This is wasted food, so why not give the food to people who actually want the lunch? If more students were given the opportunity to have free lunch, more lunches would be consumed and less would be wasted and dumped away. Every student, no matter their income, deserves a nutricious, warm lunch in the midst of their day. After all, books are heavy, tests are tough and we need that energy. Speaking of books, if we do not pay for textbooks, why do we have to pay for lunch? Textbooks are more than an important part of a good education at a school, and students do not need to pay for them. Why then, are students required to pay for school lunches, which are also crucial parts of success in school? It is just not fair.

The Lowell

EDITORIAL Niner’s anti-gay words discouraging to athletes

March 1, 2013

Editorial

THE LOL

ll across the country the issues of gay rights are becoming controversial topics of discussion. Many cases of bullying and discrimination have sparked conversation. Same-sex marriage has been an up-and-coming issue, as more and more states have made it legal. In contrast, some associations are not as accepting of gay members. The Boy Scouts of America recently said on their application for employment that they would not hire gays for their organization. Even the National Football League is now involved in the discussion of gay rights. On Jan. 29, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver ignited national discussion of openly gay athletes after spewing several homophobic remarks to the press the week before the entire country watched him take center stage in Super Bowl XLVII. Culliver, 24, and in his second year in the NFL, stated that gay players would not be welcome on the team or in the 49er locker room. “I don’t do the gay guys, man. I don’t do that,” Culliver said, according to ESPN (www.espn.go.com). “Ain’t got no gay people on the team. They gotta get up outta here if they do. Can’t be with that sweet stuff.” Ironically, the 49ers were the first NFL team to make an “It Gets Better” video, an anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender bullying campaign. After Culliver’s statements, however, linebacker Ahmad Brooks and nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga, two of the players who were part of the video, denied their participation in the video, according to Querty (www.queerty.com). It is embarrassing that San Francisco’s football team, our team, would even be involved with any controversy concerning this topic. The players should represent the tolerance that this city stands for. To see these homophobic comments coming from SF’s players is sad. Though most NFL players have not spoken out against the LGBT community and same-sex marriage, only a few are supporting and advocating for gay rights. The leaders of this movement are punter Chris Kluwe of the Minnesota Vikings and Super Bowl champions Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo. Both have openly said they support same-sex marriage. “I’d say 50 percent of [NFL players] think like Culliver, 25 percent of the people think like me, 25 percent don’t necessarily agree with all the things I agree with but they’re accepting,” Ayanbadejo said, in response to Culliver’s statement. “It’s a fight. It’s an uphill battle. But we went from 95 percent who think like Culliver, so we’re winning the fight,” according to CBS Sports (cbssports.com). One way that Kluwe and Ayanbadejo are voicing their opinions is through a group called Athlete Ally, where they are ambassadors. According to their website (www.athleteally.com), this organization supports openly gay and lesbian athletes participating in sports and wants others involved in sports, such as players and coaches, to do the same. It is quite inspiring to see players like Kluwe and Ayanbadejo step up and fight for something they believe in. It is quite disappointing, however, not to see this being done by 49ers players, since San Francisco has a strong and diverse LGBT community. Taking a stand may seem easy, but it takes a lot of guts to take a stance on a controversial issue. Especially as an NFL player and a public figure in our community. Despite the support from several outspoken players, there are still no openly-gay players in the NFL. What is stopping a player from coming out? Is it taunting in the locker room? Is it because of the stereotypes associated with football? Is it because the NFL has not taken a stand supporting gay players? Or is it because other players feel uncomfortable about having an openly gay player on their team? All of these things probably contribute to the reasons that no current football players have stepped out of the closet. When a well-known player publicly says homophobic comments to national media, it is bound to make a strong impact. What makes Culliver’s comments especially harmful is that many young athletes who are gay or lesbian are not pursuing careers in professional sports because they see players like Culliver in the NFL saying he would not welcome gays into the locker room. This makes professional football much less appealing to LGBT athletes because they may feel that they would not be welcome and could be discriminated against. For their part, the 49ers came out with a statement addressing and rejecting the comments made by Culliver. “There is no place for discrimination within our organization at any level. We have and always will proudly support the LGBT community,” it read, according to ESPN (www.espn.go.com). Now that he has apologized for what he said, presently, Culliver is planning to start working with The Trevor Project, an LGBT youth suicide prevention organization, according to his public relations representative, Theodore Palmer (www.espn.go.com). After this incident, the NFL and its players have to start looking forward and accept the LGBT communities that major sports organizations have ignored for years. According to the San Francisco Chronicle (www.sfgate.com), 49ers owner, Jed York and head coach Jim Harbaugh want Culliver to learn from this experience. “I hope that Chris will live up to his comments of wanting to expand his horizons, wanting to get to know the LGBT community,” York said. “Being truly sorry for it. And I think if that happens, you truly have something that could have been a negative, intolerant, hateful situation turn into something where you see a football player that had an uninformed opinion.”

Hoi Leung Hoi Leung

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, I am writing concerning an incident that occurred at this year’s Battle of the Birds basketball game. My two friends and I were denied access into the game because we were wearing tight fitting “morph suits” that were “too revealing.” I am upset at the administration’s enforcement of rules which were carried out hypocritically, arbitrarily and capriciously. While waiting outside of the game for two hours, we saw a countless number of women enter the gymnasium in skin tight leggings or low cut tank tops with push up bras. These women were leaving much less to the imagination and showing much more skin than our full body suits. On top of that, the girls on the Lowell cheer squad, which is in fact a direct representation of Lowell, parade themselves in front of our fans in miniskirts revealing half of their, for lack of a better word, bottoms. So why then, when three guys wear tight fitting suits, are they turned away? The gross hypocrisy displayed there was quite startling to me. Once we were turned away the first time, we put on jackets and tied our capes around our

waists as makeshift skirts. Now I understand at this point we looked ridiculous — three teenage boys in skirts in lady’s jackets — but nontheless we had covered up anything that could possibly be “revealing.” Yet when we went to enter for a second time, we were again turned away. Another main rule for the game was that no bags were to be allowed in. Yet during the game this rule was blatantly ignored. If we were allowed to bring bags in from the get-go, we would have been able to bring a normal change of clothes with us to change into. Since when was it all right to pick and choose the rules you tend to enforce? It is both arbitrary and inconsistent. Ultimately what this decision did was deny my friends and I the opportunity to view the last Battle of the Birds game of our high school experience. A tradition built on the same school spirit we brought that night. I encourage the school to reevaluate its implementation of rules at other school sponsored events like this in the future, because kicking positive, enthusiastic, spirited fans out of events like this helps no one. ~Ryan Werth, Reg 1303 Business Managers Martin Costa, Rachel Hsu, Gabe Schumm, Sophie Solomon

Editors-in-Chief Deidre Foley • Henry Hammel Amy Char • Cooper Logan News Amy Char, Deidre Foley, Cooper

Logan

Sports Henry Hammel, Ian James Features Jenna Fiorello, Kai Matsumoto-Hines, Eva Morgenstein

Columns & Profiles KT Kelly,

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The wounds from the Super bowl are beginning to heal and San Francisco can forgive Culliver for his statements, but the discussion of gays in professional sports will continue. Now the question becomes: When will we see an openly active gay player in the NFL? Five years? 10 years? 20? The answer to this question is unknown but the NFL has to take charge and take a stance on the matter. The NFL can’t pressure gay players to come out while playing, but must support them if they choose to do so. The new generation of young football players, however, supports gay athletes. According to Lowell JV quarterback, Johann Leffler, Culliver’s statements weren’t a fair reflection of what most athletes think and the Cardinals would not have a problem with a gay player on the team. “The team is like a brotherhood, all that matters is being a good teammate and performing well,” Leffler said. “If someone came out, everyone would be behind him.” Although few, there have been openly gay athletes active and retired in professional American sports. Glenn Burke, who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics from 1976-1979, was the first and only openly gay Major League Baseball player to come out to his team and coaches and he faced opposition. Retired Tennessee Titans player Wade

Red Cathy Innis Cardinal Sharn Matusek

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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. 2012 NSPA Print Pacemaker 2011 NSPA All-American 2011 NSPA Online Pacemaker 2009 NSPA First Class Honors

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Davis came out in 2012 that he was gay, although he regrets not coming out earlier. “If I could do it all over again, I would come out while I was playing,” Davis said, according to ThinkProgress (www.thinkprogress. org). “I now understand the impact that would have had.” The NFL has to prove the point that Davis was trying to make: gay athletes need to be welcomed into professional sports. The NFL needs to fine players who discriminate against the LGBT community. If they can fine players for not having their socks pulled up during a game or not wearing their team’s hat during an interview, they can penalize them for discrimination. This would not be restricting freedom of speech; it would be protecting the feelings of gay players. The league needs to come out and make an official statement, similar to that of the 49ers, that supports the LGBT community, making it clear to all homosexual football players, whether they are currently in the NFL or not, that the league would be tolerant of openly gay players on the teams. Although Culliver has apologized for his statements and is planning on helping out in the gay community, the NFL has to take responsibility and convince the whole nation that they accept and welcome everyone, no matter their sexual, racial or religious orientation.

By Patricia Nguy and Michelle Wong

HILE WALKING TOWARDS the 28 and the M bus stops, some may wonder why the street the school resides on is named after a tree. As you walk towards the renowned gate shortcut that students use to easily access the freedom of Stonestown, you will see a crowd of these forest friends, with their long green fingers hanging down in cascading bunches and layering the dirt bed with colors from pink to gold. According to Elizabeth Reiff of Aim High Environmental Home, there are more than 700 species of eucalyptus, the majority of them native to Australia. The Australians introduced them to California during the Gold Rush, and the species was then mass planted for timber. Today the tree is infamous in California for competing with native plants, leaving many native animals without resources and shelter. The oil that is extracted from the tree is highly flammable. Ignited trees are known to explode! But when doled out in safe quantities, the oil is extremely popular among aroma therapists. Eucalpytus globulus can be inhaled to relieve deep bronchial infections or massaged to ease muscular aches, sluggish circulation, and arthritic complaints, according to Simplers Botanicals, an aromatherapy website (www.simplers.com).

Have you ever wondered what those flourishing bouquets of small yellow flowers growing in mobs around the campus are? This common yellow flower has a very pungent smell, similar to wild onions. Their vascular fluids are also unusually acidic, so it is known amongst many schoolchildren as “sourgrass.” “My friend said it tasted really good, but I didn’t want to try it at first because it smelled like grass,” sophomore Vani Fatimah said. “It tastes like lemon.” The species oxalis stricta L. is the plant that grows in all areas of the campus and the bay and thrives as a non-native flower throughout the wet months. School gardener Don Thomas, says that it is his favorite plant because of its easy controllability. “I don’t have to do much with them; they look fine around the school and it dies out during the summer, so my job would be easy if the whole school was growing with them!” he said with a laugh.

Look no lower for these non-native beauties, for these tall purple stalks just keep growing up and up! You can find these flowers at the perimeter of the Rolph-Nicol playground, with their innocent pale violet flowers peaking out of the prickly core. The echium wildpretti is often mistaken for the native purple variety of lupinus flowers for their vibrant violet hues, according to biology teacher Dacotah Swett.

Snowy plover -February 2013 Red-tailed hawk -January 2013 Great Horned Owl -April 2012 Coyote -April 2012 Snowy egret -February 2012 Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill -November 2011 Mallard ducks -October 2011 Domesticated cat -March 2010 PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGIA ENGLISH

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Forgot to get something for your Valentine this year? Why not a bright pink bouquet of California Currant flowers as a late apology? This shrub, with many hanging pink flower clusters, thrives in the shade of the monstrous eucalyptus trunks in Rolph-Nicol Playground, according to elective teacher Norman Nager. Since the California Currant survives without much sunlight, it is able to live next to one of the hugest non-native species on the campus, the eucalyptus tree. Also, once the ribes sanguineum glutinosum itself has been established in the ground, it does not need any of the summer waters and is able to live in shady and dry areas, according to Berkeley Garden Coach, an online gardening coach site (berkeleygardencoach. com). There are many varieties of currants, but this one is especially native to north and central California, according to Yerba Buena Nursery, a botanical website (www.yerbabuenanursery.com). Hummingbirds love its snowy pink flowers and it smells great, too.

The city is home to many wild critters such as screeching cats, ratty raccoons and curious coyotes, and the school is no different. Six years ago, gardener Mr. Thomas experienced a real life deerin-headlights moment. A wild “un-identified flying” deer was spotted running around the courtyard in a panic, desperately trying to run away from its surroundings. “It kept trying to jump up over the steps in the courtyard, and it fell,” Thomas said. “It then ran around the front lawn and it started running all around Sloat Boulevard.” Deer are not the only non-studious animals that have been spotted on campus. Possums usually do not bother students during the daytime, because they are nocturnal creatures. Nonetheless, it’s pretty scary to see a pair of squinty eyes staring up at you from the inside of a garbage can in the morning, according to Mr. Thomas. “They’re these little creatures with little paws,” Thomas said, “but possums are cute compared to raccoons!”