VAN NUYS HIGH SCHOOL | VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA | VOLUME 105 | ISSUE 3 | DECEMBER 2018
The Mirror “Falalala la la la.” ’Tis the season for festivites. Discover the history behind December’s celebrations. PAGE 5
The impending doom of high school haunts all freshmen. Was it really justified? PAGE 11
A starlet shines on the Vietnamese version of the Voice: The young competitor’s story. PAGE 14
CURRENT EVENTS 2 REFLECTION 5 COMMENT & OPINION 10 ARTS ETCETERA 12 ATHLETICS 15
IDENTITY
Names we call ourselves, classifications crafted to bottle the essence of who we are. Identity, something so vast and deep we represent with but a few words. Girl or boy, white or black, straight or gay, Christian or Muslim, American or not. These are only a few words one could use to categorize themselves into an ever decreasing box. PAGE 7 THE MIRROR | PHOTOS BY KAYLA LEE
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[2] Current Events
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THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
BRIEFLY
SPEAKING
LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner’s plan might break the second largest school district in the country into 32 networks.
BEUTNER: .THE SUPERINTENDENT’S PLANS TO OVERHAUL LAUSD HAVE BEEN MET WITH OPPOSITION BY THE TEACHERS UNION.
Reconstructing
LAUSD
MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONVENES AT UCLA The Model United Nations (MUN) club participated in their first college conference of the year at UCLA on Nov. 3 and 4. Modeled after the United Nations, MUN gives students the opportunity to portray U.N. delegates and devise solutions to real-world problems. “This year, 24 people unexpectedly attended. Our overall performance was quite outstanding,” club President Christina Kwak said. Of the Van Nuys participants, Helen Kim and Daniel Woo represented South Korea and received Verbal Commendations. “I’m proud and excited to see what’s to come next semester,” Kwak said. n JANESSA BISARRA
BAND MARCHES TO CHAMPIONSHIPS
EDWARD HEADINGTON
By MHAR TENORIO THE MIRROR STAFF
W
hen Austin Beutner was selected as the LAUSD superintendent at the beginning of the school year, one of his main stage issues was reducing bureaucracy within the district and his recently uncovered proposals intend to address this issue. Beutner’s plans to decentralize the second largest school district in the country were revealed in the Los Angeles Times through anonymous sources. LAUSD currently operates under six regional district offices along with the central office downtown. Based on their geographic location, the proposal involves breaking down these districts into 32 networks of elementary, middle and high schools who will report under regional offices. Dr. David Baca, the administrator of instruction for LAUSD, explained that the proposal is composed of three key points: empowering school communities, moving resources closer, and increasing equity. Beutner’s proposal implies that decision making will allow each network to have more control of operations. The central office may also be reduced in size. “We want to make the big district feel
DIVIDED: LAUSD IS MADE UP OF SIX MINI-DISTRICTS.
more local and connected.” said Dr. Baca. “In doing so, we can talk with school leaders and make sure they feel empowered to make a change.” This will move resources closer to local leadership which, as claimed by Dr. Baca, will save money. Decentralization will also redistribute funds as the district hopes to achieve greater equity. The operation of the networks involve “making sure schools that are more needy get their fair share of the dollars.” He also claimed that this restructuring
will cater to the different needs of the diverse population of the district. “With a more personalized approach, the goal is to be more responsive on what students and school needs,” said Dr. Baca. When the superintendent is expected to announce the plan publicly is still unsure as details are still being laid out. However, before the plan can be implemented, the proposal needs to be approved by the Board of Education. Addressing the bureaucracy and decentralization issues dates back to 1993. While some failed, one proved to be successful. Ramon C. Cortines, superintendent in 2015, decentralized LAUSD, cutting it into six regional mini-districts, a structure still in place today. The regional districts are responsible for professional development sessions. They are also responsible for the Parent and Community Engagement Unit which is designed to get parents involved in local school policy. VNHS is in Local District Northeast. The proposal to further decentralize district operations comes as LAUSD and UTLA are battling over salary and contracts. UTLA expressed their disagreements with Beutner’s plan “Getting rid of central oversight and accountability would allow the unchecked spread of the worst of the charter sector abuses: not serving all students, financial scandals, misuse of public funds, and conflict-of-interest charges,” the press release stated.
LAUSD BY THE NUMBERS
6
LOCAL DISTRICTS
900
157
SCHOOLS
960
AREA IN SQUARE MILES
609,758 CURRENT STUDENT ENROLLMENT
PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS
ALAN TURKUS
63,576
FULL TIME EMPLOYEES
$7,590,000,000 2018 ANNUAL BUDGET
SOURCE: LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
The marching band placed third place at the LAUSD 44th Annual Marching Band and Drill Team Championships held at East Los Angeles College on Dec. 1. VNHS competed in Division 2A against San Pedro, Francis Polytechnic, Garfield, Roosevelt and Bell High School. Titled “The Conference of the Birds,” the show conveyed a Persian tale about birds and a Phoenix. Props were designed to include feather costumes and a backdrop painted by the marching band students themselves. Composed by Mr. Robert Eisenhart, the pieces were performed in the order of “Roya,” “Mountain Fanfare,” “Khalifa Dance,” “Khalifa Summit” and “Re-entry.” The Drill Team performed routines choreographed by Captain Ana Olalde, Alyssa Ortega and Isabella Mercado. “Regardless of the placement we got...we are happy to say that all these countless hours of preparing for this performance was all worth it,” senior Guillermo Mora said. n KASEY KIM
DANCING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND The Dance Department will be presenting a dance showcase titled “The Magic of Winter.” The performance will be held on Dec. 6 at 3:30 p.m. and Dec. 7 and 8 at 7 p.m. in the Donna Hubbard Auditorium. Presale tickets will be sold for $8 and tickets at the door will be sold for $10. “The showcase has a variety of performances and pieces that cater to different musical preferences,” dancer Gabbie Santos said. Choreographed by Ms. Reesa Partida and Ms. Diane Hula, the winter-themed performance will showcase ballet, tap, hip-hop, modern and contemporary alongside popular fairy tale characters, including Jack Frost and the Snow Queen. n KAITLYN JUNG
CLOSING OFF THE YEAR WITH HOLIDAY MUSIC The VNHS Vocal and Instrumental Department will be presenting the Holiday Concert on Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Donna Hubbard Auditorium. Pre-sale tickets will be sold for $6 to students and $8 to adults. Tickets at the door will be sold for $8 to students and $10 to adults. “The Holiday Concert is a great time in the year where all the musicians come together to celebrate all the wonderful things in this world,” choral teacher Ms. Brianne Arevalo said. Arranged by Ms. Arevalo and Mr. Robert Eisenhart, the concert will feature the Vannaires, Vocal Ensemble, Chamber Singers, Bella Voce, Rhythm Lab, Marching Band and Orchestra. The concert will feature holiday themed classical and jazz songs and songs in different languages, such as Latin and Hebrew. n JESSICA EUSEBIO
Current Events [3]
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THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
Modernizing the Wolves’ Den By MHAR TENORIO & ANI TUTUNJYAN THE MIRROR STAFF
WHERE ARE THE CHROMEBOOKS? As the semester comes to an end, many students are wondering when they will get Chromebooks, which still haven’t been delivered despite the announcement last year that each student would be receiving one. Principal Yolanda Gardea admitted that it’s still uncertain when the computers will be coming in. “I was told October. LAUSD is slow. Anything they do purchasing-wise is slow,” Ms. Gardea said. “Just keep in mind there are 650,000 [students] in this school district. It’s just so big, and it takes them forever to process things.” Due to the delay, the Instructional Leader Team (ILT) of VNHS decided that CHARGING CHROMEBOOKS. Chromebook carts will be in most classrooms with the exception of dance and computer classrooms, rather than each student receiving one. “The reason we got pushed back and went from a priority four [top] school to a priority three school is because we used some of that per pupil funding to buy 11 carts in the beginning of the year so now we 29 of our own. There are some schools that have one or none so we put ourselves behind a little.” The incoming Chromebook carts will be added to the 29 carts that the school already has in classrooms. If students do not own a home computer, they can still acquire a chromebook through a parent consent form. However, a majority of the students at Van Nuys High already own a computer. “About two-thirds of the students here have computers at
home,” Ms. Gardea said. “The kids who have something at home would leave them [Chromebooks] here so we wouldn’t have to worry about forgetting it or it’s not charged or all of the things happen, and they will always be available for the kids to use.” Despite the change of plans, Ms. Gardea assures that the oneto-one ratio between student and Chromebooks will be kept. Van Nuys High School was one of the first large high schools selected to receive chromebooks through the district’s Empowered Learning initiative.
“It’s for the kids to go up and ‘here come try this,’ and to be able to interact with the board.” Along with a lifetime of ten years and warranties included, the boards are also unbreakable, meaning that there will not be a major issue with students harming it. “They know it’s meant to be in a classroom. If a kid is carrying a chair and hits the board, it’s not gonna break it.” It also has an operating software that can be updated throughout its usage. “This is Smartboards on steroids,” Ms. Gardea said.
SMART BOARDS ON STEROIDS
WHERE IS THE NEW TECH COMING FROM?
Students will be able to tour the Louvre and explore the inner layers of the heart while being seated by their desks. The Promethean Boards are expected to arrive entirely at Van Nuys High before winter break with some classrooms having received them over Thanksgiving break. These boards can display equations, maps, diagrams, websites, videos and pictures with a 4K resolution display, which completely outclasses the quality of the school’s current projectors. The new boards also operate like a regular whiteboard; teachers and students can write on it, allowing up to ten people to do so simultaneously. They will also complement the integration of NEW PROMETHEAN BOARD. Chromebooks in the classrooms. The teacher can connect the board with the student’s chromebooks so that they can see the same display from a closer view, creating an interactive and engaging environment. “My goal is for kids not to sit in their seats and listen to the teachers talk and write on the projectors,” Ms. Gardea said.
VNHS received a sizable fund from LAUSD of $2.69 million in total for per pupil spending. “There’s a certain number of schools that were per pupil funded in the district and it has to do with having more of an ability of having more money to spend not just in categorical funds which are Title I or federal and state funded. I merely asked and we were funded.” These funds are used to acquire the Chromebook carts and Promethean Boards in VNHS classrooms. The total number of VNHS RECEIVES MILLIONS. boards will cost $450,000, and each Chromebook will cost about $200. The additional chromebook carts and chargers will cost about $12,000 each. Aside from the new technology, these funds are also used for other department materials, including new and updated textbooks. “It’s one of those ‘one in a lifetime’ thing to get the school technology up to the 21st century,” Ms. Gardea concluded.
(L TO R) CHROMEBOOKS & PROMETHEAN BOARD: KAYLA LEE; MONEY: THE BLACK PEARL
THE MIRROR | SEUNGYOUN KIM
STUDENT PROJECTS GET A
3RD DIMENSION
F
orget printing homework in the library. Van Nuys High School’s metal shop recently received a new batch of 3D printers, adding a new dimension to 2D projects. Compared to the school’s previous printers, these new additions are advanced, functioning quicker and more efficiently. “The initial setup is different. They provide more structure support, they’re more advanced,” says Eric Martinez, a student in Mr. Jose Castro’s metal shop. “You can manipulate the actual material a lot better,” Mr. Castro explained. “On the older models, the nozzles that would print would come off. Another issue was that the projects themselves would come off the plate because there was not enough grip or support.” Although the 3D printers are mainly used by the metal shop and Skills USA teams, who use them to build car parts, they are accessible to any student who has a background on TInkercad and is interested in learning how to use them. “The 3D printers will give anyone who knows how to use them a skill they may not have had before, like knowing how to create a part for solidworks, then converting it into a file that the 3D printer can make an actual print of,” Martinez said. Metal shop students are currently learning the 3D printer software and system mechanisms. “In the future, we will mainly be using them for projects. On Tinkercad, from 2D they jump into 3D so we want to learn how to generate those 3D models and kind of make them alive,” Mr. Castro added. The metal shop designs and builds a multitude of creations including everyday metal items such as a table or doorbell and other projects in which the 3D Printer will be very useful. n ANI TUTUNJYAN
‘‘
The 3D printers will give anyone who knows how to use them a skill they may not have had before, like knowing how to create a part for solidworks, then converting it into a file that the 3D printer can make an actual print of.
THE MIRROR | SEUNGYOUN KIM
THE MIRROR | SEUNGYOUN KIM
’’
A LION’S HEAD: STUDENTS BRING THEIR CREATIONS TO LIFE WITH THE NEW 3D PRINTERS.
[4] Current Events
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THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
CHONES
THE MIRROR | VINH NGUYEN
2018 AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
In the past year, Van Nuys High has been recognized for its achievements in many different programs. n National Magnet School of Excellence Top Five Magnet Program in Nation
Giving Students A Second Chance By ZOE RODRIGUEZ THE MIRROR STAFF
S
tudents file in one by one, taking their seats in the Lecture Hall. But this is not some meeting with a college admissions representative or a lecture from a visiting professor. The atmosphere is different. A line of four judges talk amongst themselves as the audience waits in hushed anticipation. The defendant is ushered in and, finally, it hits you. Teen Court isn’t some mock trial. It isn’t a pretend case meant as some PSA-style warning. This is someone’s life. A subset of the juvenile court system of Los Angeles, Teen Court gives students a second chance. The program allows first-time offenders under the age of 18 to have their cases heard before a jury comprised of students. In other words, it’s a court for teens by teens. With teens serving in every position except for judge, the students are able to have their case heard by a jury of their peers, people who better understand where they are coming from and would therefore be more empathetic in their deliberations. The latest session of the court held the trials of two students on Monday, Nov. 26. The jury heard the cases of students from Cleveland High School in Reseda and West Ranch High School in Stevenson Ranch (Santa Clarita). Both were charged with battery, with one being on school grounds. In one case, the student was absolved of the charge be-
n Actors in Action COURTROOM: RICHARD H. KIRSCHNER, SUPERVISING JUDGE OF THE TEEN COURT PROGRAM.
cause she was an immigrant, and a conviction could jeopardize her resident status. This case is a prime example of the intent to allow students to empathize with their peers in ways that adults might not. Crimes eligible for Teen Court are first-time, minor misdemeanors. Serious crimes are not eligible. The program also focuses on the teenager’s rehabilitation more than punishment. The accused select the option of Teen Court themselves. This self-selection means that most participants are already aware of the magnitude of their offense and are wishing to make amends. Ms. Mary Charlton, Van Nuys’ College and Career Counselor, is currently in charge of the program and is excited to be continuing its great work in the community. Before she took over, Ms. Emma Martinez, Van Nuys’ Bilingual Coordinator, ran Teen Court for nearly the past decade. She took charge of the program when her predecessor resigned in order to keep it on campus. She believes that much of the program’s value comes from its clear explanation of the consequences of the student’s offenses. “The students and the audience will understand the consequences of the law and the differences between a minor and an adult’s verdict,” she said. Adults are faced with harsher punishments than minors, meaning that an understanding of these differences could radically change the course of one’s life. This makes the Teen Court system invaluable to not only Van Nuys High School, but the surrounding community as a whole.
THE MIRROR | PHOTOS BY IVAN DELGADO
Shakespeare DTASC (Apr. 21) l 5th place awards in Wizarding World of Shakespeare and Costuming n Vocal Program Heritage Festival (Apr. 13-15) l Gold: Bella Voce, Vocal ensemble, and Vannaires l Silver: Mensemble l Four Trophies n Journalism National Scholastic Press Association l Pacemaker Finalist -1st week of Nov l 2nd place for Newsmagazine Page/ Spread l 5th place for Informational Graphic l 5th place Theresa Nguyen, photo editor, photojournalist of the year n Academic Decathlon State Competition l 3rd place team overall l Six Gold Medals l One Silver Medal l Five Bronze Medals n Marching Band State Competition (Dec. 1) l 3rd place team overall n Skills USA State Conference (Apr. 25-28) l 1st & 3rd place in Introductory Automotive Service Technology High School l 1st & 2nd place in CNC Technician l 1st place CNC Turning Specialist l 2nd place Diesel Equipment Technology. l 3rd place Mobile Electronics Technology l 3rd place Precision Machining Technology n JSA Fall State Convention l Best Speaker Award n JROTC Leadership & Academic Bowl Championships l 5th Place Winner - Academic Team l 5th Place Winner - Leadership Team Golden Bear West Coast Nationals l 7th Place in Unarmed Exhibition l 1st Place Armed Drill Solo Exhibition Orienteering Regional Competition l 1st Place Raiders Regional Competition l 1st Place n Model UN l Outstanding Delegate - Whitney HS l Research Award - Whitney HS l Excellence Award (Seven) - Cerritos HS l Commendation - Whitney HS l Verbal Commendation - BruinMUN
BLOOD DRIVE
Students from all walks of life entered and exited the small gym throughout the day on November 27. Most left with a little less blood in their systems and with the satisfaction of knowing they had done their part..
n Science Olympiad Regionals (Feb. 17) l 2nd Place Overall l Placed in 13 Individual Categories State l Placed in Three Individual Categories A GOOD SAMARITAN: JUNIOR VICTOR ROJAS WAITS ON A GURNEY AS HIS BLOOD IS DRAWN IN THE SMALL GYM.
Reflection [5]
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THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
Jolly Activities
2
PICK OUT A TREE
Winter season is fast approaching and Christmas is right around the corner. Three weeks of no school is a lot of time, so why not spend the break embracing the Christmas spirit? Here’s a list of activities to make your holidays full of cheer. By JULIA PFAU | THE MIRROR STAFF
1
HAVE A COZY NIGHT IN
Many people despise the cold weather. So why not gather friends and family for a movie night in the house? Curl up with cookies and hot chocolate, grab some fluffy blankets and watch some movies on our compiled list for the holiday season. Make a fort with blankets and chairs for a finishing touch to your cozy night.
There is no Christmas without the tree. Picking one out with family brings out plenty of fun and nostalgia—whether it’s real or fake. While a real tree is traditional and provides a lovely scent for the house, an artificial tree is cheaper and comes with fewer safety hazards. Santa & Sons Christmas Trees (12901 Burbank Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91401 ) is a local business that sells fresh trees, but Target is always a great option for a fake one!
3
DECORATE YOUR HOUSE
A Christmas tree is not enough for the holidays. Make red and green paper chains or invest in some tinsel for home. Install Christmas lights around the house and light up candles that smell like pine, peppermint or hot cocoa. Michael’s
and Jo-Ann stores are a few iconic places to pick up some festive decor. The Dollar Tree carries an inexpensive selection of decorations. By Christmas day, home will feel like a jolly wonderland.
5
4
BAKE
Take this opportunity to improve holiday cooking skills with friends and family. Spend some time baking and decorating sugar cookies or make the iconic gingerbread house. Other Christmas classics include cherry chip loaves, baked apples, peppermint bark and the nostalgic favorite, fruitcake. If you prefer to go somewhere rather than staying in your own kitchen, take a friend or relative to Duff’s Cakemix (8302 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90069) to decorate your own cake together.
GO SHOPPING
Shop at the local mall or order gifts online to surprise your friends and family—and don’t wait until the last minute. Think about something they would enjoy while taking in the lovely Christmas decorations put up in the stores. The Grove is the perfect place to shop, socialize and view beautiful Christmas decor.
6
HOLIDAY LIGHT TOUR
Have nothing to do but don’t want to stay at home? Take your friends or family and hit the road to the L.A. Zoo to view some festive Christmas lights. Although the animals may be fast asleep, there are glowing animal-like structures made up of neon lights accompanied with giant dazzling snowflakes that will greet viewers when night falls.
‘Tis the SEASON
WILLEE COLE PHOTOGRAPHY
Christmas Trivia 15 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know By INESA SARGSYAN | THE MIRROR STAFf 1. “X” is a Greek abbreviation for Christ, hence the term Xmas. 2. Many parts of the Christmas tree can be eaten; the needles are a good source of Vitamin C. 3. “Jingle Bells” was the first song broadcast from space. Gemini 6 astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra sang it on December 16,1965. 4. “Jingle Bells” was initially a
Thanksgiving song. Originally called “The One Horse Open Sleigh,” James Lord Pierpont composed it in 1850 for his Thanksgiving Sunday school class. 5. In Germany, Poland and Ukraine, finding a spider or a spider’s web on a Christmas tree is believed to be a harbinger of good luck. 6. Hanging stockings originates from the Dutch custom of leaving shoes packed with food for St. Nicholas’s don-
World Spirit
keys. In exchange, he leaves behind small gifts. 7. Some people celebrate Christmas with upside-down artificial trees to allow more gifts to be piled under. 8. People of the Czech Republic enjoy fish soup, eggs and carp for dinner on Christmas day. The number of people at the table must be even; otherwise, legend has it that the person without a partner will die in the coming year.
9. People in Japan spend their Christmas Eve eating at KFC. This tradition is so common that customers often book their seats two months in advance. 10. Apples are the earliest known Christmas tree decorations. People eventually transitioned to electric lights in 1895. 11. The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square is donated to the people of London every year by the people of
NORWAY
America celebrates Christmas with cookies, gingerbread houses and Santa Claus. But many other countries around the world have their own unique ways of celebrating the holiday season. By META ASTLES | THE MIRROR STAFF
PHILIPPINES
The Giant Lantern Festival is held each year on the Saturday before Christmas Eve. Eleven different villages take part in an intense competition of building elaborate lanterns. The lanterns can grow up to six meters and are designed in a pattern resembling a kaleidoscope lit by electric bulbs.
SALVADOR TELLEZ
The people of Norway follow a unique tradition of hiding their brooms every Christmas Eve. Dating back sometime around the 1700s, this practice was formed due to the belief that evil spirits and witches come out on Christmas Eve to steal people’s brooms and ride into the sky. Today, many people continue to hide their brooms in the safest place in the house.
CANADA
The annual Cavalcade of Lights is celebrated in Toronto to mark the start of the holiday season. The City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square are lit by more than 300,000 LED lights from dusk to 11 PM. Dazzling firework shows accompany the lights while a Christmas tree is also put on display in The Square. The tradition began in 1967 to illuminate City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square when it was newly constructed in the city.
Oslo, Norway in thanks for their assistance during World War II. 12. The most expensively dressed Christmas tree–valued at $11,026,900–was displayed in December 2010 at the Emirates Palace Hotel in the United Arab Emirates 13. Almost 28 LEGO sets are sold every second during Christmas season. 14. Santa has a real Canadian postal zip code: H0H 0H0.
Every year, millions of letters are addressed to Santa Claus from children all around the world. The postal workers at the Canadian Post Office take the time to answer some of these letters. 15. Santa Claus also has a phone number: (605) 313-4000. “Santa’s Hotline” asks callers to leave their Christmas wish lists, making the overall experience fun and exciting. The hotline is sponsored by FreeConferenceCall.com.
AUSTRIA
Rather than looking up to the jolly, old Santa Claus, Austria idolizes Krampus, a creature that wears chains and loud bells. The figure is believed to be St. Nicholas’ evil accomplice who roams the city streets and punishes naughty children during December. Many people in Austria currently walk around dressed up as Krampus to scare the children during the holidays.
VENEZUELA
In the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, the people follow a unique tradition to make Christmas even more exciting, of riding roller skates to church on Christmas Eve. The city roads are also closed off to cars to provide passage for the skaters. After their time at church, the people skate back home to celebrate the rest of their holidays with their loved ones.
[6] Reflection
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THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
THE MIRROR | SEUNGYOUN KIM
Through the Fire and Flames STEPHEN PARTIDA
LESSON: MR. ARONSON, A STUDENT TEACHER FROM CSUN, TEACHES FOURTH PERIOD ENGLISH. 9A.
LEARNING TO TEACH: A LESSON IN CHALLENGES By LUCAS SHIM | THE MIRROR STAFF
W
hich came first, the teacher, or the student? Though that question may be too complex to answer, a student teacher is soon to sprout his wings and leave the nest of Room 112. No, it’s not Mr. Ronald Goins. It’s Mr. Zach Aronson. Mr. Aronson is a student-teacher and a full-time college student who has been teaching English 9A this past semester. Currently enrolled in a credential program for a single subject at CSUN, he is required to instruct a high school class for one semester and a middle school class for the other. After his terms, Mr. Aronson will take the edTPA, an assessment that evaluates his teaching skills. By following these requirements, he would earn his credential in becoming an official English teacher. Mr. Aronson only teaches during fourth period, where he provides his students with grammar and rhetoric practice, writing assessments, text analysis and short stories. He sets up his lesson plans during third. Although he devotes his time to teach, Mr. Aronson continues to focus on his CSUN courses. He balances his work by completing his school assignments at home or during his break time at Van Nuys. After teaching at school, he goes directly to CSUN to attend his classes. “It’s a pretty demanding workload so it kinda cuts into the time that I would like to have for planning for this class,” Mr. Aronson said. But Mr. Aronson was not always planning on becoming a teacher. In fact, he thought he left the world of education behind after his high school and early college years. He initially majored in psychology to become a school psychologist; many of his college courses furthered his interest in the subject. However, after discussing his plan with many teachers and counselors, he learned that the job was very demanding and provided little benefits for him. He eventually switched his majors from Psychology to English to become a teacher. Although many teachers face issues with students and their inside jokes, Mr. Aronson believes that he relates with his pupils on a personal level, considering how he has been in their shoes not that long ago. However, keeping up with their culture still poses a challenge for him. Mr. Aronson has become interested in public education and the politics that are involved with the subject. He also wonders about how the United States is constantly falling behind in terms of national averages to other developed countries. “I think there’s kind of a renaissance in education right now in terms of how we address a really diverse student body, and I want to be a part of that,” he said. Noticing that students are reading less books and shifting towards technological activities, such as watching TV, Mr. Aronson considers the reasons behind this behavior. “We kind of value what’s quick and easy, what’s entertaining, and what’s educational,” he said. “I think that a lot of people think in the short term as opposed to the long term, and that leads them to devalue education and think that they can just become a Youtube star and not have to educate themselves.” The student-teacher does have a few plans in mind for the near future, one of them being an official teacher at Van Nuys High. Mr. Aronson believes that students who feel hesitant about majoring in English should not worry and don’t need plenty of experience. “Just start reading,” he said. “Get your hands on all types of information whether or not it’s entertaining. Don’t limit yourself to what’s quick and easy.”
CHARRED: LITTLE REMAINS OF MS. PARTIDA’S HOME IN AGOURA HILLS AFTER THE DESTRUCTIVE WOOLSEY FIRE.
The recent wildfire may have destroyed Ms. Reesa Partida’s home, but it didn’t break her spirit. A small team of students took to action to bring her support in a huge way. By INESA SARGSYAN THE MIRROR STAFF
B
y the time the Woolsey wildfire was 100 percent contained, it burned through 96,949 acres, destroyed over 1,500 structures and killed three people. It scorched a huge swath from Simi Valley to the beach in Malibu, destroying almost everything in its path. Dance teacher Ms. Reesa Partida and her husband, Stephen Partida, were given only an hour to pack up their belongings. They jumped in their car and and evacuated as the flames inched closer. “It was really scary listening to the wind and knowing that the fire was coming,” she recalls. “Thankfully I left before the fire jumped the 101 freeway so I was able to drive out quickly but seeing the flames that close on the left of the 101 was surreal.” Hours later she found out that the wind-driven inferno had destroyed her home. She was left “pretty numb, but not really surprised.”
ourselves. This is the most we can do.” “Our initial expectation was $500 but pushing for $1000. However, we passed our first goal which was $5,000 in less than 4 days and now we have reached our second goal $10,000,” said Talledo. “We did not expect it to be like this.” Ms. Partida didn’t even DOUGLASS MORISSON know about the GoFundMe The next day Partida came to school until she discovered the to teach her students. page through an Instagram post by dance She did not lose hope or optimism teacher Ms. Diane Hula. The gesture even after discovering that she had lost caused her to feel “overwhelming love.” almost everything in the conflagration. “Wrapping my head around what After students found that Mrs. Parhas actually happened is challenging,” tida’s home had been burnt down, four Partida said, still struggling to function students, Brandon Large, Chelsea Salwhen nothing feels real to her. dana, Madison Opalisky and Elizabeth Partida has found positivity and moTalledo, started a GoFund Me page titled tivation in seeing God’s love come out “Woolsey Fire Relief 4 Mrs. Partida.” through people. “The communities have “We [the students] love her and she surrounded fire victims and the outpourhas always been there for us,” said Talledo. ing of support is incredible. It’s a shame it “It was time to be there for her. She helped takes a tragedy to see the good in people us grow and be more confident with but it’s definitely there,” says Partida. Assistant Principal Marc Strassner, ELIZABETH TALLEDO as well as teachers Jennelle Song, David Cooper, Tanya Earp, Abbey Rickelmann and Priyanka Nirmal were also affected by the wildfires. “We will be okay,” Partida said, sympathizing with the staff and other victims of the tragedy. “Through the sadness and anger and pain there is still so much hope to be had,” she continued. “Love each other through this time and grow stronger from it.” DANCE TEAM: (L TO R) BRANDON LARGE, MADISON OPALISKY, MS. REESA PARTIDA, ELIZABETH TALLEDO AND CHELSEA SALDANA.
Cover Story [7]
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THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
IDENTITY N
ames we call ourselves; classifications crafted to bottle the essence of who we are. Identity, something so vast and deep we represent with but a few words. Girl or boy, white or black, straight or gay, Christian or Muslim, American or not. These are only a few words one could use to categorize themselves into an ever decreasing box. However, no matter how many labels one sticks onto themselves, much more is needed to truly know someone. Everyday the students of Van Nuys spend six hours around thousands of other kids, those of which they’ll come to know maybe 50 well, and even that’s a stretch. The Mirror has dedicated itself to trying to scratch the surface on the identity of Van Nuys’ very own. Aside from doing profiles regularly, The Mirror has taken this issue to focus on identity more in depth.
DIGITAL STORM
13 Years a Rebel: Bahar Ghandehari By JANESSA BISARRA THE MIRROR STAFF
I
ran is infamous for its roiling political turmoil, Islamic fundamentalism and extreme gender inequality. Under the Islamic regime, restrictions are constantly placed on women, making their lives almost unimaginable to Westerners. The women of Iran are plagued by systematic pressure across the board. In public, constricting dress codes are enforced. An
Iranian man can ban his wife from working if he believes this would be “incompatible with the interests of the family or with his or his wife’s dignity.” In many universities, women are banned from studying certain fields such as STEM, entirely. At the age of nine, an Iranian girl is considered a woman and must follow strict rules like wearing a hijab, wearing loose fitting clothing that covers the skin and marrying at a young age. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. The Basij, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ paramilitary organization,
arrests women everyday for not following Islamic custom. The Basij typically targeted young girls for painting their nails, wearing bright colors, showing too much hair, wearing their hijab improperly, walking on the streets with a significant other or anything that would “provoke” men sexually. But a young girl from Isfahan, south of the capital, Tehran, stood up for her rights. She wouldn’t be silenced by the Basij. She wasn’t afraid. “Their job is basically to dehumanize CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 x
[8] Cover Story THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
IDENTITY COURTESY OF BAHAR GHANDEHARI
13 Years a Rebel CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
people in any way possible,” said Bahar Ghandehari. “One day they even entered our apartment building to throw down every satellite dish from the roof, making sure people are not influenced by the ‘evil’ western world.” Ghandehari attended an all-girls public religious school in Isfahan. Students took religion classes and were expected to read the Qur’an, the central religious text of Islam, daily. They were also expected to recite the Namaz, the daily prayers, in the school’s prayer room at noon. After classes, she studied English with a private tutor. As she grew up experiencing these inequalities over the 13 years she lived in Iran, Ghandehari knew that she had to rebel against these standards. She stood by her liberal family teachings and spoke up for herself and other women. “Thankfully, I was raised in an open-minded family where I learned to stand up for myself,” Ghandehari said. “But that only meant that I would have to put myself in dangerous situations.” Unafraid of the consequences of her actions, Ghandehari would talk back to the Basij, and rebel against the hijab. She even cut her hair short to resemble a boy to show the superficiality of gender. During her leisure time, Ghandehari enjoyed dancing and swimming. Such hobbies in Iran are executed in a completely foreign manner to what the average Westerner might expect. Ghandehari had no choice but to dance underground because it is prohibited in Islam, Due to the conservative practice of keeping most public places segregated, her male family members never even saw her swim. She also participated in the Green Movement—a political movement that swept urban areas after the 2009 Iranian presidential election. Protesters demanded that Islamic authorities remove President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from office for supposedly stealing the election from the moderate candidate, Mir-Hossein Mousavi. Mousavi promised the people that if he was elected, he would amend rights in favor of women, subsiding the inequality between men and women. “I witnessed people get beaten up, shot, arrested and even disappear for supporting a candidate who promised them more freedom,” Ghandehari recalled. Ghandehari’s passion for law and politics was sparked by the Green Movement, but Iranian society limited her opportunities and the chances of achieving her goals. When her parents to move to the United States for a better future, she took it, even though she knew she would leave her family behind.. “Like any other immigrant, freedom is what I was looking for when I decided to move to the states,” she said. “Here I have the opportunity to turn my dreams into reality.” Now living here, Ghandehari appreciates watching her fellow students come together to form a community regardless of their sexuality, beliefs or ethnicity. She particularly admires having freedom to express herself here, whereas in Iran, the wrong words could get a person arrested even tortured to death. Exercising basic human rights was a subversive activity. “The experiences I gained in these 13 years of living in Iran allows me to look at everything from a very different perspective and appreciate every little opportunity that I know many of my friends won’t get to experience,” Ghandehari said.
POLYNESIAN PR POLYNESIANS C
UNAPOLOGETIC RODRIGUEZ IS U
STANDING TALL: BAHAR GHANDEHARI, IRANIAN IMMIGRANT, PROUDLY STANDS BESIDE THE URBAN LIGHTS SCULPTURE OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART.
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THE MIRROR | SEUNGYOUN KIM
By GWEN LANGI THE MIRROR STAFF
I
am Polynesian. I am proud of my Polynesian heritage. I am content with my people’s accomplishments and attempts to influence younger Polynesians to aim higher
RIDE: LANGI CONSIDERS THE ISSUES THAT CONTINUE TO FACE IN THE PRESENT DAY.
C: STEMMING FROM MIXED ROOTS, UNASHAMED OF HER ANCESTORY.
Society has us wrong: We are not rude, violent, and criminal. But I am proud of my Polynesian Heritage.
COURTESY OF ZOE RODRIQUEZ
in life. The U.S. Census Bureau currently estimates that Polynesians (Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders) make up only 0.5 percent of the population. Although we are a miniscule 1.5 million out of the 325 million people of this country, Polynesians still make a heavy impact. Dominating football, Polynesians put themselves in front of the most watched American show—the Super Bowl. Polynesians have invented various different advanced fishing techniques, and even binary math. Furthermore, American owned Polynesian territories bring in revenue from tourism and expand the U.S.’s exclusive economic zone. Over several decades, over 200 Polynesians have played professionally for the NFL and CFL. As part of America’s fastest growing demographic, we have the potential to aim higher than our current status. But somehow, Polynesians are still slipping through the cracks. Society negatively perceives Islanders: they’re in gangs, commit violence, are obese, are alcoholics or are arrogant. What the media portrays as a “typical Polynesian” further affects us. No matter how well Polynesians do or how we act, our image remains the same. Islanders still face stereotypes despite the famous Polynesian public figures, such as NFL player Marcus Mariota and actor Dwayne Johnson. According to Forbes, Samoa dominates the NFL. Over 70 NFL players are of Polynesian descent; a Samoan male is 56 times more likely to play in the NFL than an American nonSamoan, which increases the likelihood of a Samoan being drafted relative to an American. It’s not uncommon to hear of a Polynesian dominating in
the athletic field, but that seems to be the only positive representation the media displays of my culture. This makes it near impossible to break our stereotypes which keeps us down as a minority group in America. Fellow Polynesian Angela Ma’u, a senior at Van Nuys High School, believes it has to do with society’s failure to acknowledge Polynesians as a separate ethnicity and instead categorizing them in other groups. “We aren’t even really noticed by everyone, and there are little arguments that come between distinguishing Asians and Polynesians,” Ma’u said. “We’re different, but people just seem to merge us together. I don’t find that fair at all. We are our own people, and we are unique and different from Asians.” Soana Manu, another VNHS senior, faced being the only Polynesian in her school throughout her childhood. “Besides when I went to school with my siblings and cousins, I have been the only Pacific Islander in one place,” Manu said. “It felt weird to see none of my people and I hated it. I often was taken for Hawaiian and I used to just agree. But it wasn’t until I got a little older I wouldn’t settle for being called Hawaiian. I am Tongan in which I take much pride in being.” Misclassification of Pacific Islanders is not only offensive, but it heavily affects those who apply for scholarships. Using the terms “Asian American” and “Pacific Islander” interchangeably is common within scholarship organizations. This leaves Pacific Islanders more prone to being denied scholarships because they make up such a small proportion of a vastly larger group. Statistics from The Chronicle of Higher Education show that Asians are more than three times as likely as Pacific Islanders to hold a bachelor’s degree. Because they are commonly misclassified, Pacific Islanders are denied access to equal resources and other education opportunities. Setting good examples for our younger generations will help break our negative stereotypes and false labels placed on our culture. My heritage is important as much as anybody else’s. Despite the misidentification and stereotyping of our people, my Polynesian heritage makes me who I am today, and I keep my culture in mind with everything that I do.
I am White. I am Hispanic. I am Mixed. What exactly that means to me depends on the day. By ZOE RODRIGUEZ THE MIRROR STAFF
M
y mom used to call me a “mutt.” Like a dog. She didn’t mean it to be demeaning. She just meant to say that I was mixed. She even called herself a “mutt.” But the difference between me and my mom is that my mom is mixed European. She’s Scottish, French and German. By extension, I’m all of those things too, but I’m also half Mexican. Now I know someone reading this is going to furrow their brow and look back at my picture in confusion. I would like to then direct this reader to my byline, which clearly spells out my last name, Rodriguez, or, in other words, the only visual proof I have of my ethnicity besides my eyebrows. But back to my mom. Like I said, she meant no harm by calling me a “mutt.” But what happened as a result was that I struggle to this day to find and feel comfortable in my own ethnic identity. This is essentially because I never learned that being Mexican meant something different than being Scottish or German or French. On the surface level, these are all the same. They are each a slice of the pie chart of my identity. Take out society and this model works. That’s how my mom always pictured it. She never really understood that no one can simply remove the societal connotation of who they come from.
But in reality, there is no way to escape the hateful rhetoric that condemns Mexicans as worthless. There is no way to ignore the fact that Hispanics make up 18.1 percent of the total U.S. population and yet a quarter of Ivy League Schools have Hispanic populations below 10 percent. Being Scottish does not mean that my racial group is underrepresented in higher education, one of the few opportunities that has been shown to be a socioeconomic equalizer. Even my (Mexican) grandparents knew this. They were both born and raised in America and received no more than an elementary school education. My grandmother learned to drive at 40 just to take my dad to private schools so that he could get the education they were denied. Through their hard work and relentless determination, they have allowed my brother and I to have opportunities in life they only dreamed of. To say that I am simply white is to say that their sacrifice, their achievement of the American Dream, is lost forever because their descendants happen to look a little different. I may never have a good answer to the dreaded “What are you” question. But one thing I know is that I am not a “mutt.” I am not some designer dog breed that was genetically crafted to, as my friend likes to say, “be the perfect balance of ‘non-threatening white girl’ and ‘able to check the Hispanic/ Latino/a box.’” I am white. I am hispanic. I am mixed. What exactly that means to me depends on the day. But I don’t know who I would be if I never had to figure it out. And honestly, I wouldn’t want to.
[10] Comment&Opinion
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THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
Tvnhsmirror.com he Mirror EXECUTIVE EDITOR
MARGARITA HOVSEPYAN PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LUCAS SHIM
ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JACK BECKMAN-SMITH LAYOUT EDITOR
STEFANIE TYO CURRENT EVENTS EDITOR
ZOE RODRIGUEZ
REFLECTION EDITOR
GINA KIM
COMMENT & OPINION EDITOR
HOLDEN MANDELL
C. MADERTHONER
Go Ahead, Pick Up a Book America isn’t reading. According to The Huffington Post, literacy rates have not been improving in the last decade despite the advancement of education systems. The National Assessment of Adult Literacy states that 14 percent of American adults perform at a “below basic” reading level, and 29 percent read at the “basic” level. Before Netflix, Youtube, and iPhones, society enjoyed books—now a dying phenomenon. For centuries prior to the digital age, books were popular forms of entertainment, expression and knowledge. But lately and especially among young people, books have come to represent more of a dreaded requirement rather than an entertainment source. Young people today typically choose their phones and videogames over books. As the internet continues to expand and entertainment choices widen, the ancient scripts are falling further behind. Many students would rather spend their free time using new technology rather than picking up an archaic book. Even in school, students do everything they can to avoid the often-resented task of reading. When a teacher assigns a book, many students use websites like SparkNotes and Shmoop to read a summary of the reading assignments, as well as get an analysis of the book’s deeper connotations of the work—all in less than thirty minutes of online reading. With this power at their fingertips, some students can pass book-based quizzes, tests and homework assignments without ever even opening the book. Movies and audiobooks are also tantalizing alternatives to oldfashioned reading. Many prefer for the story to play out before their eyes as they sit back, watch and listen. Such alternatives could be playing a role in the decreasing attention spans of the younger generations. With the continuous development of the internet, adolescents can gain immediate satisfaction
Seungyoun
Kim
and access information without having to embark on the journey of actually reading a book. A study by Microsoft Corporation in 2015 found that people’s attention spans—the amount of time spent on tasks without being distracted—have reduced from 12 seconds to eight seconds due to the digital technology that surrounds us today. Less time spent reading and more time spent texting is deteriorating American minds. It has become simpler to filter out unnecessary information compared to heavy encyclopedic methods. Students are capable of searching key terms and quickly getting answers without any work. Leisure time dedicated to reading has decreased severely. The Washington Post reports that 28 percent of Americans read by choice in 2004; today the percentage lies at 19 percent. Whether the story is fiction or nonfiction, reading about other people’s lives and experiences provide deep insight to our own lives. Many children, teenagers and even adults underestimate the significance of reading books. Books furnish the reader with the freedom to imagine, customized to the reader’s vision, while movies consist of a fixed setting visually projected on the screen. Books give people options to imagine and experience the lives of the characters even living their lives. A reader can use their imagination to experience rich stories and different time periods, in essence becoming lost in the story. Historical, futuristic and dystopian novels place readers inside new worlds limited only by imagination. The lack of exploring our imaginations through reading has deteriorated creativity Ultimately we could lose the ability to even “think outside of the box” because of this continuing creative decay, eventually leading to the extinction of creativity. As America reads less, American minds rot. So before reading completely dies out, it’s important that Americans pick up some books and start reading again.
OUR TAKE ON... MIGRANT CARAVAN
Beginning in Honduras in March, the migrant caravan has reached the U.S-Mexico border. Although the migrants are taking action to pursue better lives for themselves and their families, the caravan isn’t seeing any success. Violence and poor conditions among the migrants rally the U.S.’s anti-immigrant population and ruin further chances of Hispanic immigrants from entering the states. Ultimately, caravaners will not be granted asylum; instead, they will remain displaced in Mexico.
ALL-TIME HIGH VOTER TURNOUT The trend in voter turnout is taking a new upward turn. In the recent midterms it was at 49.3 percent, the highest since 1914. Driving the high voter turnout is President Trump, who has split America into two groups: Trump haters and lovers. The trend is important for democracy, allowing each citizen’s voice to be heard. If certain groups do not turn out, there is no way to politically advocate for themselves. The increasing voter turnout reflects the growing investment Americans are putting into their politics.
BREXIT DEAL SHAKE-UP
The proposed Brexit deal between the U.K. and the EU has left British Prime Minister Theresa May receiving extreme backlash. In the process of leaving the EU, the U.K. must go through the transition period, where trade deals are negotiated as businesses prepare for the departure. During this transition period, the U.K. will be faced with the EU’s rules and regulations without having a vote in the EU parliament. It is important for May to step down and allow Brexiteers to renegotiate an agreement that retains U.K. sovereignty.
CREDITS (L TO R) WOTANCITO; ROB BOUDON; THELEADER.INFO
ARTS ETC. EDITOR
JESSICA EUSEBIO ATHLETICS EDITOR
DEVIN TSE
PHOTO EDITOR
KAYLA LEE
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
GINA KIM
ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITORS
META ASTLES IVAN DELGADO SEUNGYOUN KIM VINH NGUYEN
STAFF WRITERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS
META ASTLES JANESSA BISARRA JOSEPH HERNANDEZ KAITLYN JUNG TRISHA KHAOWNIMON KASEY KIM SEUNGYOUN KIM GWENDOLYN LANGI KAYLA LEE VINH NGUYEN JULIA PFAU DANIEL REYES INESA SARGSYAN PILAR SIMS MHAR TENORIO CHAU TRAN ANI TUTUNJYAN JOSHUA UPDEGRAPH CHRISTIAN WALSH LAYLA WILLIAMS SPECIAL CONSULTANT
MR. MARIO RODRIGUEZ JOURNALISM ADVISER
MR. RON GOINS
ABOUT US The Mirror is the student newspaper of Van Nuys Senior High School in Van Nuys, California, a district of Los Angeles. It is published six times per year. The opinions expressed in bylined commentary articles and columns represent the views of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Mirror or the Editorial Board. DISTRIBUTION Copies are free of charge to students, faculty and staff and are available in Room 112, Second Floor, Main Building. READER PARTICIPATION Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the Editorial Board. Letters to the Editor may be delivered to Room 112 or mailed to The Mirror, 6535 Cedros Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91411. Letters must be signed and may be edited for space to conform to The Mirror style and format. ADVERTISING Advertising questions may be directed to Gina Kim at gkim0039@mymail.lausd.net, or by telephoning (818) 788-6800. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or the school. MEMBERSHIPS: Member of National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) and Southern California Journalism Educators Association (SCJEA).
Comment&Opinion [11]
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THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
My Middle School Teachers Lied to Me
I
n my final year at Millikan Middle School, I felt like a king. As an 8th grader, I expected to have full control over the peasantry of the 6th graders and be a mentor to the 7th graders. I couldn’t wait to move on to the prestigious aweinspiring world of high school. I was fearless. My teachers destroyed that feeling. Instead of having the chance to feel confident and rule the world in 8th grade; I was told that high school and the following years will be hell. My teachers declared that to prepare me for hell, my 8th grade year would be it. My middle school teachers warned of high school horrors: turning in late homework will not be accepted, using the bathroom during class will never happen, talking in class will result in severe punishment and teachers will be stone cold mean. Unsubmitted homework would be met with fierce yells, and worst of all, even the substitute teachers would be strict and cruel. They also warned that the upperclassmen would be cold, broken souls ready to make life miserable. To prepare us for these harsh rules, 8th grade consisted of all of the above. However, the warnings that high school would be hell was a lie. Let me explain. When I was a freshman sitting alone during lunch on my first day, two random seniors sat with me, and even talked to me. Contrary to the warnings of my middle school teachers, random acts of kindness were clearly evident in high school. In reality, high school is a relaxed atmosphere only made miserable by struggling with too many APs or being notably disruptive to the point where students and teachers dislike you. Using the bathroom during class is no big deal—to most teachers. There are times when most of the students leave without taking the pass or even asking for permission. High school teachers understand that students can make the choice to use the bathroom whenever they please. Students are expected to understand the consequences of missing class time and instruction. While it varies among the teachers, there are a few who accept late homework. If no work is turned in, many teachers will only give you a “silent” zero and move on—rather than screaming at you in front of the
class. Missing assignments is merely the students’ problem, not theirs. Again, it’s the student’s choice. My middle school had a lawn where only 8th graders were allowed to eat lunch. Unlike middle school, which was socially stratified, high school is not socially integrated. High schoolers of all grades give each other tips to make each other’s lives easier. Lower classmen are warned by the upperclassmen about their future teachers. They are also connected with cheap review book offers for the AP, SAT and ACT tests. Many classes in high school are made up of students from different grade My middle school levels. My AP European History class consists of 9th teachers warned to 12th graders. Instead of of high school fearing upperclassmen, it is horrors: turning in late homework more likely that lowerclassmen will be sad to see their will not be acolder friends graduate in the cepted, using the upcoming years. bathroom during Bluntly speaking, high class will never school substitute teachers happen, talking know their place as an adult in class will result to sit in the room—because in severe punishthere has to be an adult there. Most won’t pretend to be real ment and teachteachers but honor their role ers will be stone as a substitute. They will call cold mean. roll, say a few words and mind their own business. Middle school teachers warned of a world where substitutes were no different from the actual teachers in terms of authority. But in reality, they are relaxed, and students can rely on a free period. The high school environment is not what middle school teachers fear-mongered it to be: a military training camp. Instead, it is a relaxed environment. The fact that students are treated as intelligent and adult-like establishes a mutual respect between teachers and themselves. Students who do not care about the class understand that teachers focus their attention on the ones who do care. Contrary to the words of my middle school teachers, the majority of teacher–student and student–student relationships in high school are peaceable; the atmosphere is calm and productive—not austere and gloomy. High school is not a madhouse, it’s a state of normalcy. There is no fear—just freedom.
‘‘
Holden Mandell
’’ HARO NATSU KOBO
PHOTOS BY THE MIRROR STAFF
YOUR VIEW Should race play a role in college admissions?
ALEXA ABREGO
“It shouldn’t matter if you’re black, white, asian. If you have the right education, you deserve that particular college. You get into the college because of your knowledge, nothing else. You are there to learn not because of your race or create diversity. Nothing should touch on race. If you are smart enough, then you should have the right to attend that college.”
AUSTIN LEE
“My whole opinion on this is that the acceptance into college should not be based on race. It should be based purely on merit, personality, and how the person actually acts.”
STEVEN GALICIA
“I believe race does affect college admissions, but I think it shouldn’t because [stereotypes] about your race cannot determine your capabilities or knowledge. Anyone can be as smart as another person. Just because one kid is black and one kid is white, it doesn’t mean that the white kid is smarter.”
STEPHANIE GUERRA
“I think it should play a role because immigrants came [to the United States] with a disadvantage. People who were born here know how the country is and works. As for immigrants, they come from different customs so they should have an equal playing field because they [native borns] already have those advantages so other people of different races have an equal chance.”
ISAAC SUAZO “You could get scholarships being a certain race, and it’s kind of cool having that opportunity because you’re representing your culture.”
KIMBERLY GABRIEL
“It shouldn’t be an option in any college application to say what your race is because it shouldn’t matter. We are all humans, and l want to learn equally.”
MARQUIS FOWLER
“No because I don’t think they should be judged on their race but on their academics instead.”
[12] Arts Etc.
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THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
THE MIRROR | THERESA NGUYEN
THE MIRROR | THERESA NGUYEN
‘‘ ’’
“Going into the audition is fun, nerve-wracking and stressful all at the same time.”
THE MIRROR | KAYLA LEE
DANCE SHOWCASE: MOLDER PERFORMS WITH HIS CLASSMATES ON THE STAGE.
Meet Jakob Molder, who moved across the country to pursue his acting career in high school By JESSICA EUSEBIO THE MIRROR STAFF
H
e traveled 3,000 miles to chase his dream. In his early childhood, Jakob Molder invested his time in watching movies and TV shows--only to find his inner passion. Coping with his insecurity about his weight, Molder became fascinated by many different actors and their ability to portray diverse characters. Since then, the senior has gained his confidence and developed a strong passion for acting. Born and raised in Connecticut, Molder moved to California with his father and two siblings in 2015 to pursue a career as an actor. “My family—while very wary of the audacity of the plan—was very supportive and even helped get things in order,” he said. “Once they saw just how determined and how serious I was about my dream, they backed me up 100 percent.” Molder and his family spent many days
Dancing with the Moscow Ballet By CHAU TRAN
THE MIRROR STAFF
I
driving across the country from the East Coast to the West Coast. However, in the midst of their travel, they faced housing problems due to people backing out on their housing deals. During the first two weeks in California, they had no choice but to live in a Motel 6 in Canoga with their moving truck parked outside their room. But the aspiring actor quickly adapted to his new environment. “It was hard at first, being completely uprooted and going to where you know no one and feel all alone,” he said. “The people here were so friendly and accepting that I actually started to feel like this is my home pretty quickly.” Eventually, one of his father’s friends was able to provide connections to rent a home in Lake Balboa. Molder enrolled in the VNHS Performing Arts Magnet as a freshman to kickoff his high school career. His peers and teachers warmly welcomed him to the school and the Performing Arts Program. “I generally feel good when I’m here. The people are cool and just the aura around school puts me at ease,” he said. “If it wasn’t
t wouldn’t be the holiday season without the Russian ballet “The Nutcracker.” This year, three Dance students, senior Gabbie Santos, junior Emma Berman and sophomore Sophia Ortner have been chosen to perform with the Moscow Ballet in a special production of an adaptation titled “Great Russian Nutcracker.” As part of the Moscow Ballet’s touring schedule, the dance troupe will perform at the Wiltern Theatre in Koreatown and the Soraya Performing Arts Center on the California State University Northridge campus. The Moscow Ballet is a ballet company composed of Russian dancers who train in the Russian Vaganova ballet method. They tour North America and perform various ballet pieces, including “Swan Lake,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “Cinderella.” Santos will be performing two shows on Dec. 15 at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Ange-
for the friends that took me in right away, I don’t know if I would have made it.” Throughout his high school career, Molder has starred in three school productions: “Sweet Charity,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Lord of the Flies.” Outside of school, he has also auditioned for commercials, such as Xfinity, with the help of his commercial agent and manager. To prepare for his auditions, Molder reads a character description, including personality traits and outfit requirements sent by his agent. “Going into the audition is fun, nervewracking and stressful all at the same time,” he reminisced. “If the people in the room like you, then you’ll get a callback. If you get lucky and you get it, then you get an email from your agent telling you when and where to go.
Thinking about his future career in Hollywood, Molder wishes to play a villainous character. “I’ve heard stories of actors who’ve played such convincing bad guys in TV and film that people would send them hate mail directed at their character,” he said. “To be so good at acting that someone actually believed that you were a bad person is amazing.” Inspired by Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman, who began his acting career at the age of 52, Molder learned that a late start can still be impactful. He was also inspired by Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr., who was able to create a name for himself despite experiencing a rocky past. Although many of the actors he grew up admiring are getting closer to their retirement ages, Molder hopes that someday, he will be able to work with them. Not only has Molder grown as an actor, but as a person as well. “I definitely think acting has helped me mature and grow as a person because when you’re on set you have to have only the best of manners with everyone,” he said. “You won’t get hired again if people don’t want to work with you.” In his final year of high school, Molder plans to pursue a major in engineering and a minor in drama in college.
COURTESY OF EMMA BERMAN
BALLET TRIO: SANTOS (LEFT), ORTNER (CENTER) AND BERMAN (RIGHT) PRACTICE FOR HOLIDAY PERFORMANCES OF MOSCOW BALLET’S “NUTCRACKER.”
les. Berman and Ortner will be performing in single shows on Dec. 14 at the Wiltern and Dec. 19 at the Soraya. Both Santos and Berman will play Snow Sprites—with Santos performing the Chinese Variation and Berman performing the Russian Variation. Ortner will perform as the Snow Maiden in the Chinese Variation. Based on the E.T.A Hoffmann’s “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” the ballet revolves around the story of a girl named Masha Stahlbaum, who receives a wooden nutcracker as a present for Christmas. However, the nutcracker comes to life and battle against the evil Mouse King to defend Masha from an army of mice. Before Santos and Berman auditioned for the show, they had the opportunity to take a master class with the audition director, a soloist from the Moscow Ballet. The Moscow Ballet has a program called
“Dance With Us” that holds auditions with dance studios, such as the Los Angeles Dance Academy and Sherman Oaks Dance Academy. Young dancers audition to play minor roles on stage with the professional dancers. “It’s an awesome program that lets us experience performing on a professional stage alongside professional dancers in front of a large audience,” Berman said. Audition director Olena Pedan and a soloist from the Moscow Ballet divides potential dancers into three groups by age during the auditioning process. Dancers are asked to perform various segments of the roles they wish to play—Snow Sprite, Russian variation, Chinese variation and Snow Maiden. Dancers were evaluated based on their skills and sizes due to the limited amount of costumes available.
Arts Etc. [13]
vnhsmirror.com
Ms. Osman’s Recommended Winter Reading List Here are the school librarian’s suggestions for books to pick out over the holiday break.
Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
A Musical Prodigy By CHAU TRAN
THE MIRROR STAFF
A
t school, she’s a hardworking student. Outside of school, she’s a talented musician. Aaliyah Ali-Khan has an array of musical abilities, ranging from singing and conducting to playing the piano and violin. In fifth grade, Ali-Khan was selected to be part of the Summer Encounter program, a music and theater program for elementary school students at Colburn School of Performing Arts. She was offered the Summer Encounter scholarship for her middle school and gladly accepted the offer. After auditioning, she also received the Herbert Zipper Scholarship, which provided full coverage for private instruction.
Ali-Khan is a member of Master Chorale, a competitive chorale where only 30 top auditionees are selected in California. The selected group is invited to community centers to perform pop and classical songs. In honor of Spanish Heritage Month, they performed a show at Huntington Park. She also sings worship songs with the United States Monumental Choir, occasionally travelling and performing in countries like Mexico, Columbia and Europe. “It’s a great experience because you get to network and see different types of affluent societies,” Ali-Khan said. “We get to bring it all together through our love for music.” For two consecutive years, she has also directed and conducted the choir at Church of the Living. She instructs three choir groups: the Children Choir, the Youth Choir and the Adult COURTESY OF AALIYAH ALI-KHAN
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
BOWING THE STRINGS: SENIOR AALIYAH ALI-KHAN SHOWS HER MUSICAL TALENTS.
Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard
HOLIDAY CINEMA
Choir. She also teaches private piano lessons for children, including her cousins. Her music teacher, Ms. Kathy Sawada, once said to her, “The day you don’t eat, you don’t rehearse.” Driven by her teacher’s words, she aims to rehearse for at least three hours every single day. At a young age, Ali-Khan’s love for music was sparked after her father left the family, iwhich left her feeling unstable until she discovered that music helped ground her. Her opportunities at the Colburn School made her feel welcomed as she was surrounded by people who shared her interests. Dedicating part of each day to her music, Ali-Khan practices musical pieces assigned by her teachers and various compositions of her favorite composers on the piano. During the evening, she does music theory homework from her class at the Colburn school, vocal warm ups in the morning and afternoon and instructs choir groups Monday, Tuesday and Saturday evenings. Ali-Khan also performs at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Dolby Theatre and many other renowned theaters each year. Her most memorable moment was her first time performing at the Dolby Theatre. Her inspiration is her church apostle, Naason Joaquin Garcia, who inspires her religiously and academically as she struggles to balance school, music and church. Contrary to others who discouraged her from pursuing music and claimed that there were few job opportunities for musicians, her apostle insisted that she follow her passion and pursue music. Ali-Khan’s best advice for aspiring musicians is to remain persistent. As she plans on majoring in business law and minoring in music, Ali-Khan hopes to apply her musical knowledge into her side career as a composer.
AQUAMAN:
MOVIES TO CATCH OVER THE BREAK By TRISHA KHAOWNIMON | THE MIRROR STAFF
ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL
Deadpool returns for the holidays to retell “Deadpool 2” in PG-13. Deadpool kidnaps Fred Savage and reads the censored version of the sequel’s story, where the Merc with the Mouth protects a mutant kid from a time-traveling cyborg. Release Date: Dec. 12
JASON MOMOA AND AMBER HEARD STAR IN THE DC COMICS ADAPTATION.
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE Scythe
by Neal Shusterman
Wildcard
by Marie Lu
Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
A Map of Days: The Fourth Novel of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
MARY POPPINS
After crossing parallel dimensions, an old Peter Parker (Jake Johnson) mentors high school student Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) to become the next Spider-Man. In the midst of stopping a threat, the Spider-Men enlist the help of other web-slingers from different universes. Release Date: Dec. 14
MARY POPPINS RETURNS When the Banks family suffers and loses all hope, Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt), the siblings’ former nanny, returns to help the family rediscover their happiness through music and magic. Release Date: Dec. 19
BUMBLEBEE Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) learns that there is more than meets the eye to her new car. As Charlie and Bumblebee develop a close bond, they get caught in the midst of a Decepticon invasion. Release Date: Dec. 21
AQUAMAN Half-Atlantean and half-human Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) is heir to the throne of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. As Arthur claims his title as king, he must face his brother, Orm Marius (Patrick Wilson), for the throne.
Release Date: Dec. 21
DEADPOOL
BUMBLEBEE
SPIDER-VERSE
PHOTO CREDITS (L to R): WALT DISNEY PICTURES; 20TH CENTURY FOX; PARAMOUNT PICTURES; SONY PICTURES; WARNER BROS. PICTURES
[14] Arts Etc.
vnhsmirror.com
THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
V
STAR
May Nguyen: An American Voice for Vietnam
By HOLDEN MANDELL & JESSICA EUSEBIO THE MIRROR STAFF
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he 14 contestants rushed onto the stage for the final round. Facing the cameras and the roaring audience, there she stood ready to sing. At the age of five, May Nguyen took the stage at her local Vietnamese Evangelical Church. Since then, the senior’s passion for singing and music has only grown stronger. Nguyen traces her musical passion back to her earliest childhood memories: karaoke with her family. “I’ve just always been singing,” Nguyen said. “Every week my parents would have a bunch of friends over, and they would always sing karaoke. Since I was always surrounded by music, I fell in love with it.” Nguyen’s passion for music intensified after singing in church, school and even creating a five-membered rock band with her friends. After composing, songwriting and arranging music, Nguyen’s musical talent was ready to be put to the test. Eventually, at the age of 14 in 2015, she entered season one I’ve always had a of “Vstar Kids,” a Vietnamese singing passion for music, competition where children ages 4-15 but from this com- compete for a $10,000 prize. But Nguyen’s early elimination in petition, I realized “Vstar Kids” was a severe shortcomthis is what I want ing that left her disillusioned. to do in life as a “It was a Vietnamese show, but career and not just I sang in English and I didn’t do as well as I could have because I didn’t a hobby. practice,” she said. “It was on TV and it is always going to be there. It is a very low point in my singing career. I only made it to the quarterfinals.” Seeking redemption at the age of 17, Nguyen auditioned to compete in season five of “Vstar,” a Vietnamese singing competition for anyone ages 16 and up who can sing in Vietnamese. A people’s choice winner and a judges choice winner are selected; winning a $10,000 prize, and a two-year contract with Thúy Nga, respectively. One contestant may win both. After learning about the competition two days before the online deadline, Nguyen sent in her audition tape. With the odds against Nguyen, she was nervous and unsure that she would be accepted. “I wasn’t sure if I had enough experience to even make it through the audition,” Nguyen said. “A lot of people have been performing for so many years, while others sang professionally in Vietnamese.” Advancing to the final round of auditions, Nguyen performed live a capella in front of four popular Vietnamese singers and judges: Nguyên Hong Nhung, Tran Thu Hà, Thái Châu and Minh Tuyet. After receiving four yeses, Nguyen was officially a contestant on Vstar Season Five. Her competition consisted of professional vocalists and older people with far more experience. As the youngest competitor and only accepted applicant born in the United States, Nguyen was happily surprised to be accepted into “Vstar” and ready to give it her all. In preparation for the show, Nguyen practiced an hour every day, worked with her vocal coach, Vu Quang Trung, for an hour every Saturday and improved
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her pronunciation and accent for the intricate tonal language. A shy performer, Nguyen was at first intimidated by the cameras, but stepping out of her comfort zone helped her overcome her fears and doubts. The comments and criticism from the judges were valuable advice that helped her become an even better performer. As a Vietnamese-American, Nguyen also embraced her heritage through “Vstar,” and improved her knowledge of the Vietnamese language through the show’s atmosphere and by carefully practicing the pronunciations and comprehension of Vietnamese with the help of her parents. “If I change an accent on a word, it changes the word completely,” she said. “I sang in the North Vietnamese dialect. The southerners change the sounds of words from their actual sounds, but the northerners say it as is.” By singing in Vietnamese instead of English, Nguyen expressed her cultural pride. “The judges said I am a role model to the younger Vietnamese-Americans because as a VietnameseAmerican, I’m not abandoning my heritage and becoming fully American. Participating in the show encourages other Vietnamese-Americans to become interested in their culture and not fully Americanize. I’m keeping my culture by speaking Vietnamese in English-speaking America.” Round after round and vote after vote, the judges advanced Nguyen all the way to the final round. Out of the 600 contestants, Nguyen sang her way to the top nine. While staying competitive on the show, Nguyen appreciates the welcoming and helpful atmosphere of “Vstar.” Being the youngest member of the whole show, her competitors gave her tips, took her out for food with her family and taught her how to record songs and operate a studio. A month after the show, Nguyen keeps in touch with her past competitors and is thankful for the friends she made from the experience. Most importantly to Nguyen, “Vstar” helped her develop her musical passion from a hobby to a career path. “I’ve always had a passion for music, but from this competition, I realized this is what I want to do in life as a career and not just a hobby,” Nguyen said. Her most memorable moment from “Vstar” was when her name was called upon to advance towards the semifinals. “I didn’t think I was gonna make it into the semifinals because of my placement in ‘Vstar Kids’,” she reminisced. “I redeemed myself by getting into the semifinals.” On her journey through “Vstar,” Nguyen struggled to balance “Vstar” and school. “Vstar” conflicted with her schedule due to numerous practices, rehearsals, meetings and sound checks that required her to miss almost two full weeks of school in October. But despite these troubles, she made her way to the top. Nguyen’s advice to aspiring performers is to just go for it. “If it is your passion, you should really go for it and not let fear hold you back,” she said. “If you are scared, you can’t help it, but if you are passionate about it, give it your all. If it is your dream, you have to forget about being scared and give it your all.” “I took a lot from this experience. I’m happy I faced my fears of being on stage and performing; and I’m really thankful for everyone who supported me,” Nguyen concluded. LINGUISTIC MELODY: NGUYEN POSES FOR “VSTAR” AS ONE OF THE FINALISTS.
BENSON TRAN
Athletics [15]
vnhsmirror.com
THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
DESPITE THE EARLY SEASON STRUGGLES, THE LAKERS HAVE FOUND THEIR STRIDE After a dismal start, the LeBron led Lakers have seemed to have found their magic. The red-hot Lakers have won ten of their last thirteen games with their latest a 121113 win against the San Antonio Spurs. Now the Lakers are ranked 10th in scoring as the offense has clicked lately. Most notably was a 44-point outing by James on Nov.14 which resulted in a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Four days later, James dropped a season high 51 points against his former team, the Miami Heat. Besides his scoring heroics, James has remained his usual team play, as he averages 6.7 assists and 7.7 rebounds. The recent buzz has placed him third in the 2019 KIA MVP Race, just behind Milwaukee Bucks Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia 76ers Center Joel Embiid. Meshing the young nucleus of Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, and Lonzo Ball took some time but as of late, the young studs have proven they can perform under the lights. Ingram, the Lakers’ hopeful young forward, has proven to fit in a starring role by averaging 15.7 points per game along with 4.2 rebounds. The team’s other young pieces Point Guard Ball and Forward Kuzma The Lakers have been without a bonafide leader since the retirement of Lakers Legend Kobe Bryant, but with the presence of James, the young Lakers can learn how to succeed. Over time the team will improve as they all benefited from James’s unselfish and dynamic style of play. Aside from getting accustomed to LeBron, liabilities from the offseason contributed to the Lakers’ questionable start. Their main problems were defense and three-point shooting. The team seemed to have solved their defensive problems with the acquisition of Tyson Chandler in the third week of the season. In the nine game span that Chandler has played, the team improved from 23rd to 10th in leaguewide defensive ratings. The remaining problem for the Lakers is their shooting from behind the arc, with second-year guard Josh Hart being the only efficient shooter on the team. The lack of shooting power can be raising concern as in today’s league, all of the NBA teams are living or dying from the three-point shot. Lack of efficiency from downtown prevents the Lakers from spacing the floor and allows their opponents to concentrate within the paint. With simple acquisition shooters or some lineup experiments, it could provide a much-needed spark to the team’s three-point field percentage. Despite the slow start to the season, the Lakers are now currently 15-9 and now two games back behind the Denver Nuggets for the first seed in the Western Conference. With their next four games against San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, and Houston Rockets it allows the Lakers a chance to rise in the standings. With all of these teams struggling except for the Grizzlies, the Lakers are in ideal shape to add on to their winning streak.
Joseph
Hernandez
NEWS VIDEOS
From the Bar to Berkeley Gymnastics phenom Noah Sano is ready to take it to the collegiate level By DEVIN TSE
THE MIRROR STAFF
E
nergetic since his childhood, gymnastics was the ideal sport for Noah Sano. Taking inspiration from his parents and older siblings, Sano has been highly motivated to become a stellar gymnast. Throughout his short career, his accolades drove him to compete with the best in country and now has offered him a chance to perform at the collegiate level. For Sano, competing in a total of six events force him to have different skills and strengths to execute his routines. Each competition event is graded on an
National Gymnastics Team. “Practicing with professional and even Olympian gymnasts was a life changing experience,” Sano said. Recently, he has garnered interest from college recruiters, receiving scholarship offers from the University of Iowa, University of Nebraska and UC Berkeley. On Nov 14, Sano officially committed to UC Berkeley, ultimately drawn to the academic and gymnastics opportunities the school offers. “Since my brother was the former captain of the UC Berkeley Gymnastics Team and I want to pursue a major in business, it is the perfect situation for my future,” Sano said. With his collegiate career drawing closer, Sano’s expectations are soaring as well. He is striving to compete at the NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championships and hopes to place first in any of the events. “I am thankful for the support from my family, coaches, and friends and excited for this new chapter in my career,” Sano said. COURTESY OF NOAH SANO
GYMNAST OF TALENT: SANO SHOWS HIS UPPER BODY STRENGTH ON THE POMMEL HORSE IN THE 2018 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Twiddle, Twirl, Topspin By DEVIN TSE
THE MIRROR STAFF
P LEADING TO SUCCESS: LEBRON JAMES CARRIES THE TEAM AS HE AIMS THE BALL TOWARDS THE HOOP.
“A-I” difficulty scale with the higher letter representing greater difficulty. In terms of Sano’s strengths, he excels on the pommel horse and still rings. His signature move for the Still Rings event would be the “Azarian,” weighted as a “D” level move. While on the pommel horse, his highest personal score would be an “F” level move for performing the “Busnari”. Since his training regimens prioritize his upper body, his legs are left undertrained. This weakness causes Sano to underachieve in the vault and floor exercises. “Increasing my leg strength and practicing more in my weaker events is key for me,” Sano said. After competing in the Junior Olympics three times and being awarded the Southern California State Champion for pommel horse from 2015-2017, Sano received an offer, along with several other team members to travel to Hungary during the summer of 2017 to train with the Hungarian Men’s
ing, pong, rally’s on! The table tennis journey for Kiara Gebert began at the age of seven after she was inspired by her parents and older brother, who also play. Since the beginning, her father has guided Gebert, teaching her by demonstrating his skills. Her competition with her brother made her an even stronger player. “I would practice for six hours a day with him and eventually,
I got really competitive,” Gebert said. She began practicing the fundamentals. With her father’s support, she improved her technique, footwork, and the formations of her swings. Soon her hand-eye coordination and reaction time also improved. In her matches, Gebert’s quick serves and ball placement makes her opponents lose balance. Taking advantage of sloppy returns, she smashes the ball with her powerful forehand. Her backhand is just as deadly in defensive play, as it halts incoming attacks and sharply transitions into offensive hits. Being observant is a key skill as she analyzes the rotations on the ball, which allows her to set up her counterattacks. Despite winning numerous doubles tournaments, her biggest accomplishment has been winning silver for Team USA at the 2015 INC Unity Games which
COURTESY OF KIARA GEBERT
TABLE OF INTENSITY: GEBERT PREPARES TO SLAM THE BALL.
were held in the Philippines. “Playing in a different country and on a grander stage was overwhelming but in the end it was still table tennis and an experience like this just motivated me to perform at a higher level,” Gebert said.
Despite her successes, Gebert believes that there is more to ping-pong than just the intense rallies. “With each player comes a different style of play,” Gebert said. “Every player has a different method of attacking and defending which makes every match unique. It is not only about smashing the ball but reading your opponent.” In the future, Gebert wants to play at the collegiate level. Since table tennis has been such a huge part of her childhood, she plans on continuing to enter competitions and tournaments. Besides table tennis, Gebert feels strongly about excelling in school as she emphasizes a balance between her education and table tennis. “Focusing on school is important. Playing table tennis on the weekends and after my studies assures the best for both worlds,” Gebert said.
[16] Athletics
vnhsmirror.com
THE MIRROR | DECEMBER 2018
THE MIRROR | IVAN DELGADO
Back to the Mat By JOSEPH HERNANDEZ & VINH NGUYEN THE MIRROR STAFF
A
s the first semester comes to a close, the Van Nuys High School Wrestling Team strives for a slamming season. The team has continued its vigorous season training, ranging from weight lifting and conditioning to live action wrestling. Training is a year round process for the wrestling team as the competitors grind throughout both the spring and fall semester in order to better their abilities on the mat. Aside from the traditional practices here on campus, the team has furthered their preparation through recent preseason tournaments here at Van Nuys. The wolves have already faced Grant, Birmingham and Liberty. Though the tournament was an exhibition, it still served as good practice for this year’s team. This years roster consist of returning members and hopeful new faces. One new face is dual sport athlete Andrew Flores. Flores will be joining the current heavyweight class of the Van Nuys wrestling team. Aside from wrestling, Flores played tackle and center for the school’s football team
throughout his four years here at Van Nuys. Flores is ecstatic about finally competing on the mat this year. “I’ve been on and off about wrestling for about 3 years now. This will be my first official season and I’m really excited,” the senior said. “It’s a really fun sport and we have a good coaching staff.” Along being eager to finally showcase his skills on the mat, the former offensive lineman has high hopes on the potential of this years roster. “We have a lot of skilled young wrestlers that are only in their sophomore year,” Flores stated. “I think they can take the program all the way to the top.” A new season brings a new chance for the wrestling team to once again bring glory to the Van Nuys name. Senior standout Jaylen Mason is anxious for the opportunity to once again improve in the sport thrives in. In the previous season, the standout athlete ranked #1 in the CIF city wrestling rankings. To Mason, this season is nothing more than learning and improving on one’s established skillset. “Each new season has to come with something new. When you go in every season, there has to be a different mindset for the season,” the former rugby player stated. “You have to take what you learned from the past seasons and use it to your advantage.” Mason hopes this is the case for everyone as the team right now is just testing the waters, specifically the new faces on the team. This years team has only had a taste what
THE MIRROR | PJ RATTAPITAK
comes with a rough wrestling season as they have not gotten to the pinnacle of the season yet, “ I expect that we will improve on the way the season started. The beginning of the season was rough as people were getting their feel for the sport.” Mason said in regards to the team’s outlook. The Van Nuys wrestling program, led by coach and English teacher Mr.Tovar, has experienced its fair share of successes. This year, the long time coach is expecting nothing short of success once again. “Im hoping for a top ten finish in city, state and possibly a state championship,” said Tovar. The former wrestler fully expects his team to be capable of accomplishing this feat. Aside from simply believing in his team, Tovar stated this year’s team has separated themselves from his pasts teams. The chemistry and talent within this years team has made them unique and deadly. “They’ve developed a good relationship. The experienced coaching on this years team has helped this team standout as well,” the English teacher stated. “We also now have a Jiu-Jitsu champion and a state qualifier on the years roster. We’re gonna do a lot of pounding this year.” TUMBLING: WRESTLER ANDRE DAVANCENS SPRAWLS ON THE MAT, EVADING HIS OPPONENT’S OFFENSE.
Cross Country: Here They Come By DANIEL REYES THE MIRROR STAFF
M GASPING FOR BREATH: HOVSEPYAN IN THE HEAT OF THE 3-MILE RACE AT PIERCE COLLEGE.
aking strong strides this season, the VNHS Cross Country Team has the underclassmen to thank this season for most of their
successes. A total of 14 runners from the Boys and Girls Teams competed in the CIFLACS (California Interscholastic Federation Los Angeles City Section) Championship Meet on Nov. 17 at Pierce College. “It is a credit to their hard work and commitment to themselves and the program,” said Coach Fernando Fernandez. “They improve bit by bit every day and they are humble about it.” In the Men’s Three Miles Division I Meet, Stepan Hovsepyan led the Wolves running a respectable 17:46:42. Hovsepyan placed 73rd in the
race, followed by sophomores Holden Daddario, Moises Velasquez and Jason Espinoza. Since his first year in the team, Hovsepyan improved his runtime in the 5,000 meter run from 20:50 to 18:41. With two more seasons left in his high school career, he hopes to place higher in the coming years. “It makes you mentally disciplined and dedicated to taking care of your body,” according to Hovsepyan. “With that said, I am confident that our team will strive for greater success in the years to come.” Another standout runner has been sophomore Arianna Villalobos. In her freshman year she ran the 3-mile in a 26:16 time, picking up her pace in the following year. This season, Villalobos recorded a 20:39 time in the 3-mile run, her time progressing faster with each run. In upcoming seasons, the VNHS Cross Country is poised for the long run.