Tiger Newspaper Vol. XCVIII, No. V

ASB hosts annual food drive

Parents criticize math program at meeting

By Rhian Moore Assoc. Feature Editor December 15 marks the end of the holiday canned food drive at South Pasadena High School, a traditional competition between fourth-period classes to collect the most canned goods and other non-perishables. The drive began last Thursday, and was run by senior commissioners Brianna Loo and Michelle Ozaki.

“It’s the holidays, and we want to give canned goods to the less fortunate,” said Loo, the Commissioner of School and Community. Loo and Ozaki will bring the cans collected to the Holy Family Church’s Giving Bank.

The goal was to collect as many cans as possible; ASB had no specific target amount due to the short timeframe students were given to bring in cans.

“We were given about two days’ notice before starting to plan. The power outage took away time, too,” said Ozaki, Commissioner of Clubs. According to Ozaki, she and Loo had four class days to work on the canned food drive.

The fourth-period class that collects the most cans will be given free In-N-Out meals after winter break; no decision has been made as to whether the meals will come in the form of gift certificates or as lunches served during class.

Science teacher Mr. Paul Groves’s fourth period class often does well in such events. “I talk to the kids in class and ask, ‘do you want to make an impressive contribution?’” said Groves.

See “Canned food drive” on Page 2

By Harry Yadav Senior Staff Writer

Jennifer Kim

Virtual Business competes in Bakersfield: “Mistery” Chief Operating Officer senior Jessie Yen explains the product line to potential customers at the California International Trade Show. See page 2.

Drama department presents Bus Stop

Administration reinstates tardy sweeps

By Clem Witherall Assoc. Sports Editor

By Devin Mitchell News Editor Student tardies were down significantly in November, dropping from 201 in October to just 41 last month.

Assistant Principal for Student Services Mr. Terrance Dunn attributes the sharp decline to the reinstitution of tardy sweeps on November 9.

“In the month of October we had an alarming number of tardies, so I felt it was time to reinstate the sweeps,” said Dunn. “There was huge decline in tardies in November. It was dramatic to say the least.”

The news was not met with positive reviews from students, who questioned the side effects of See “Tardy sweeps” on Page 2

The South Pasadena Theatre Department presented its fall play, Bus Stop, over the past two weekends. The play is set in Kansas City, Missouri during the 1950s. A group of strangers are trapped inside a local diner due to a fierce snowstorm and the play follows the characters’ humorous but melancholy interactions.

South Pasadena itself was hit by a windstorm just two days before the first show, and SPHS was forced to cancel classes on December 1 and 2. The confusion over whether the show would go on was arguably responsible for the play’s lackluster attendance on opening night; only two-thirds of the 99 available seats were filled.

“I’m just glad that Saturday

night’s attendance was much better, because I think that the audience always affects the performances,” said director Mr. Daniel Enright.

Enright read over seventy scripts before eventually choosing Bus Stop, written by William Inge.

“The play has a lot of universal themes such as love and loneliness that are all part of our lives,” said Enright.

Seniors Sara Patterson and Joshua Roquemore starred as main characters Cherie and Bo. Other cast members include Robert Meza, David Yang, Ryan Stone, Ashley Allen, Ruby Muller, and Zoe Sokey.

“It was a great experience.

The whole cast grew together and it was nice to be able to mentor some of the new actors. I have had so much fun and the play was a great way to end my acting career here at SPHS,” said Patterson.

City sustains $1 million in damage due to storm

By Alex Tranquada Copy Editor A considerable amount of damage was done to South Pasadena after the San Gabriel Valley area was hit with hurricane-speed winds on the night of November 30. The city joined Los Angeles County in declaring a state of emergency following the storm.

According to estimates, approximately one million dollars will be required to restore the city to its previous state.

Over 200 homes were damaged, and many South Pasadena residents awoke on December 1 to find their cars crushed by fallen trees.

The South Pasadena Police Department received over 3,000 wind-related phone calls, 2,000 of which were to report property damage. South Pasadena firefighters made close to 100 fire runs both during and after the storm.

Although classes were canceled throughout the district for the two days immediately after the storm, no South Pasadena schools sustained lasting damage. SPUSD Assistant Superintendent Dr. Scott Price is in the process of obtaining state waivers that will prevent the district from having to tack the missed days onto the end of the school year.

Although all major prob-

lems, such as interruption of electricity and water service, have been resolved, the cleanup process is far from over.

“The city is working very hard to get things back to some normality. We are employing additional staff in our Public Works Department; there were eight people working there already, and we’ve hired fifteen additional workers to pick up all the debris,” said South Pasadena City Manager Sergio Gonzales. “We anticipate that it’s going to take a long time... it’ll most likely take a minimum of four weeks [to clear all of the remaining debris].”

Additional reporting by Heather Vaughan and Kelsey Hess.

Theo Mandin-Lee

Hundreds of South Pasadena trees were toppled by the high-speed winds.

What was planned to be an announcement of new common course standards in state mathematics devolved into a venting session for parents on December 6 in the SPHS library. Approximately one hundred people attended the meeting, which ran well past the scheduled 8:00 end time. SPHS math coach Jan Bryson led the presentation.

Principal Janet Anderson, Assistant Principal for Curriculum Jack Smith, Assistant Principal for Student Services Terrance Dunn, and all but one teacher from the math department were all present.

The meeting was meant to inform parents of the new standards, which require students to do more critical thinking and less memorizing of formulas. The new teaching style is intended to give teachers the ability to ensure that their students understand the material.

Bryson began the meeting with a sample math problem for parents. Each parent was given a whiteboard, a pen, and an eraser and asked to write, step by step, the solution to the problem. Smith then played a video highlighting the positives that the change in style would bring to the school.

According to Ms Anderson, the conversation became very pointed 45 minutes into the meeting. Many parents became frustrated and felt that the meeting was not addressing their concerns.

“When you have a high-performing district, and solid students are getting D’s, even though 70% of them are being tutored, that should raise a red flag to the district,” said Robert DeFulgentiis, a parent who was at the meeting.

“There is a discrepancy between what Ms Bryson says happens in the classroom and what actually happens,” said Ms Christina Vaughan, another concerned parent.

Anderson was eventually forced to end the meeting because it had strayed completely from its initial purpose.

“Administration recognizes the complaints of the parents and we are working to address and fix their concerns, but I had to honor the intention of the meeting and the work of Ms Bryson,” said Anderson. “We will be holding meetings after the start of the new year to hear the parents’ concerns.”

News 2

Tiger - Thursday, December 15, 2011

News

Around Campus

Virtual Business achieves Board success in Bakersfield endorses tax

By Clair Fuller Assoc. Opinion Editor

Rachael Garner

AND THEY’RE OFF: Runners leave the starting line at the annual Tiger Run. The road race benefits the SPHS Booster Club.

Hundreds participate in annual Tiger Run

By Max White Copy Editor Nearly 700 runners participated in the 2011 Tiger Run on December 3. The annual event, which featured both five-kilometer and ten-kilometer races, also included a 300-meter run for children ten and under.

The five-kilometer course began on Diamond Avenue and took runners in a mostly rectangular circuit along Monterey Road, down Garfield Avenue and back along Oak Street. The route was altered this year to cut through Oneonta Congregational Church, as a fallen tree was blocking part of the regular course.

The ten-kilometer run followed the same path but added an extra loop through the Monterey Hills. Both courses finished with a stretch on the South Pasadena High School track.

“The community was very supportive and tons of local resi-

dents showed up to run in spite of the recent windy weather,” said Commissioner of Athletics Kaylee Anderson, who helped to organize the event. “It was also a huge success in terms of fund raising; we made around $4,500 just from sponsors alone.”

Molina Healthcare, First Financial Credit Union, and Charles M. Treviño of the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District all made major contributions to the event.

Charlie Marquardt, 17, won the 5K race in 15:44. Ned Trim of Loyola High School placed first in the 10K with a time of 34:47.

SPHS junior Michael Heberlein, who ran in the 5K, was impressed with this year’s event.

“The Tiger Run was a lot of fun; seeing a lot the community out there running was great,” said Heberlein.

“It was really neat to experience the whole city coming together like that.”

Freshmen Movie Night will be held tonight in the library at 6:30 P.M. The event features the holiday movie Elf. Hot chocolate and holiday cookies will be served. Freshmen attending should wear holiday attire. Freshman Movie Night is sponsored by ASB. - Mike Hogan

All three of SPHS’s Virtual Business teams competed in the California International Trade Show on November 30 and December 1. The teams had been preparing for the event for the last several weeks.

The varsity team, Helios, qualified for the National Business Plan competition, to be held in New York City in late March. The junior varsity teams, Mistery and DuBass, also did well at the trade fair.

Helios entered a variety of events, ranging from mail-in competitions to those that required live presentations. The company won first place in the Human Resources Scenario and Marketing Plan competitions, each of which required presentations. They performed well in other events, placing in several and finishing third in the Business Plan category. The top five teams in that group are invited to compete at the New York contest.

“We’re going to try to take as many people as possible from the varsity team,” said Helios CEO Fedor Kossakovski of the New York competition.

Each team created a virtual

company and competed in several separate competitions at the trade fair. Helios marketed backpacks under Kossakovski, while Mistery sold umbrellas and duBass sold headphones. CEOs Jackie Duan and Alex Fung lead Mistery and DuBass, respectively.

“We were cohesive, practiced, and darn classy in our suits and skirts,” said Helios Vice President of Human Resources Yee-Lum Mak. This year’s Business Plan team consisted of seniors Kossakovski, Miranda Gontz, Sid Vyas, Alex Tranquada, Aashrita Mangu, junior Will Jones, and alternate Yee-Lum Mak. Positions on the team are highly sought after, and applicants must interview separately.

Junior varsity teams Mistery and DuBass had similarly strong showings, placing in several categories and earning many honorable mentions. However, since they elected not to compete in the Business Plan category, they did not have the chance to qualify for the national competition.

All three Virtual Business teams will now prepare for a competition in Oakland March 11-12. Helios will compete in New York on March 27-29.

Mike Hogan

Chief Helios officers Matt Wong, Miranda Gontz, Fedor Kossakovski, and Sid Vyas look forward to the March 2012 Oakland competition.

New city council members sworn in

By Madison Amido Staff Writer

Siria Medina

The food collected will be donated to Holy Family on Friday.

From “Canned food drive” on Page 1 When asked about how the drive could be changed to collect more cans, Groves replied, “Advertising it better would be helpful. You could also create a video to put faces on the people you are giving the food to.”

The canned food will be given to the Holy Family Church tomorrow afternoon.

Marina Khubesrian, Bob Joe, and Richard Schneider were all sworn in to office on December 7 in the South Pasadena Council Chambers. Mayor Mike Ten was not re-elected in last month’s election and left the council after eight years of service. David Sifuentes did not seek a second term.

“Thank you very much for the honor and I’ll try to do the best I can,” said Schneider, who was re-elected and will serve another term.

Ten, Sifuentes, Schneider, Michael Cacciotti, and Philip Putnam worked together on the Council as a group for the final time at the beginning of the meeting.

They discussed the damage caused by the recent windstorm, as well as the city’s reaction. Southern California Edison

regional manager Ronald Garcia was present to explain the company’s response to the natural disaster and Edison’s efforts to restore electricity to South Pasadena and neighboring cities.

After public comments, a photo montage featuring Ten’s achievements on the Council was shown.

A brief recess was then called for a farewell reception for Ten, Sifuentes, and outgoing City Treasurer Victor Robinette.

Michael Cacciotti reconvened the meeting after being sworn in as mayor. Joe, Khubesrian, Schneider, and treasurer Gary Pia then took their oaths of office.

Judge Ruth Kwan, a family friend of Joe, swore him in.

He emphasized the advice of his parents.

“They model for me the importance of community service,” said Joe. City Clerk Sally Kilby swore in Khubesrian. Her family

also attended the meeting, and she spoke briefly of her children before thanking her supporters and friends, who she said assisted her throughout the election process.

“I’m so grateful you have given me your vote of confidence,” said Khubesrian.

Rachael Garner

Marina Khubesrian was sworn into office on December 7.

measure

By Remeny White Assoc. News Editor The South Pasadena Board of Education announced its endorsement of Senate Constitutional Amendment (SCA) 5 on November 29. The amendment serves to lower the two-thirds super-majority currently needed to approve a parcel tax to a 55 percent majority.

The enactment of SCA 5 would allow communities to fund local projects with a more realistic level of voter support.

“A two-thirds majority seems unreasonably high, while 55 percent seems fair. The Board of Education wishes to lower the threshold to give the community more opportunities to support education,” said Superintendent of Schools Joel Shapiro.

South Pasadena approved a four-year parcel tax in 2009 with the required two-thirds majority under Measure S. The purpose of the parcel tax was to maintain a high standard of academic achievement, keep class sizes small, provide funding for various art and media programs and reduce SPUSD layoffs.

Chairperson of the Measure S Citizen’s Oversight Committee Brad Hudson is in favor of SCA 5, as its approval would allow for an easier renewal of Measure S. “Given the reduction in state funding SPUSD has received during the last couple of years, it’s crucial that we be able to easily renew the parcel tax. SCA 5 will allow us to do that,” said Hudson.

From “Tardy sweeps” on Page 1 the tardy sweeps. “[The sweeps] have a deterring effect, but they disturb class more than people coming a minute or to two late,” said junior Kyle Decker. “I would have random tardy sweeps. The fear of them would always be there, but the constant disruption would not.”

“In my first period, the same people get punished over and over,” said freshman Laurie Shrader.

Dunn said he was sensitive to the concerns of students, particularly the idea that the tardy sweeps forced students to miss more class than they otherwise would if they were merely late.

But he defended the validity of the sweeps.

“There are several people strategically stationed throughout,” said Dunn. “We understand and want to reduce the time missing class. The sweeps aren’t meant to be punitive, they are just meant to raise the level of awareness of time. Being on time is important skill.”

News

Thursday, December 15, 2011 - Tiger

3

Students save lives at fall blood drive

By Anne Kitchens Staff Writer

Matt Winkel

The South Pasadena Board of Education discussed the negative impact of the cuts on SPUSD at the Tuesday night meeting.

State budget cuts projected to hurt South Pasadena schools

By Alex Tranquada Copy Editor Governor Jerry Brown invoked trigger language in the California state budget on Tuesday, which specified millions of dollars in cuts to education funding if state revenue did not meet projections.

The state Department of Finance has predicted that California’s budget shortfall will reach $2.2 billion.

The South Pasadena Unified School District was expecting the trigger language to result in a loss of approximately $200 per student, as well as seven instructional days from the 2012-2013 school year.

However, K-12 education was less affected by the fund-

ing reduction than expected, and SPUSD will only have to cut $13.30 per pupil.

According to Superintendent Joel Shapiro, the cuts are expected to go into effect in February.

The UC system was hit hard by the shortfall, as Governor Brown announced $100 million in cuts to its budget.

However, the UC Office of the President will absorb the cuts in order to minimize their effects on individual campuses.

Additional trigger cuts are expected if voters do not approve Brown’s proposal for temporary increases in sales and income taxes, which will be on the ballot next November.

Fifty-five pints of blood were collected on November 30 at the SPHS Fall Blood Drive.

The drive attracted a fair number of students, especially considering that both virtual business and winter sports team members were unable to participate.

“We had a pretty good turnout, but we’re expecting even better results towards the end of the year when sports have wrapped up,” said Commissioner of School and Community Brianna Loo, who organized and ran the event.

According to the Red Cross, every viable pint of blood donated can potentially touch up to three lives in the greater Pasadena area.

“It’s our community responsibility,” said the Red Cross account manager. “Blood can’t be manufactured; it can only come from a human being.”

The Red Cross serves about 160 hospitals in Southern California, and tries to collect at least 1,100 units of blood each day.

Though SPHS is one of the smaller local high schools in the area, the school’s contribution will still touch approximately 165 individuals.

Though the donation process may seem daunting to some, many upperclassmen familiar with the process recommend contributing to the cause.

“It was my second time donating blood,” said junior Jessica Arroyo.

“Although the experience was a little shaky, I love giving back to my community for a good cause.”

“This is a great way for students to get involved in donating blood at such a young age, and they can continue with this as they move on to college and to the workplace,” said ASB member Trent Kajikawa.

Donors received a free shirt for their contribution. SPHS is planning a second blood drive this spring; Loo hopes for even more success for the blood drive in February.

“This time it’s going to be with Kaiser Permanente and we plan on advertising using Facebook, posters around school, and announcing the event in the bulletin,” said Loo.

Visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS to learn more about blood donation opportunities near you.

First-time donors can look over the eligibility requirements and learn about the donation process.

Rachael Garner

Junior Nathanael Joseph takes time out of class to donate blood. The Red Cross collected 55 pints of at the Fall Blood Drive on November 30.

4 Tiger - Thursday, December 15, 2011

Wind

Blown away: windstorm sweeps through South Pas Students enrolled in the South Pasadena Unified School District, as well as those in numerous surrounding districts, were given the first two days of December off from school after devastating winds left a majority of the San Gabriel Valley ravaged. The weather managed to uproot trees and break down telephone wires during the night, and a portion of South Pasadena was without water immediately following the storm. Two weeks later, the city has still not fully recovered. Power is restored, but felled trees and piles of leaves and debris can still be found on many South Pasadena streets. The information below features the numerous ways the winds affected the South Pasadena community.

Page by Libby Rainey, Photos by Theo Mandin-Lee

Your stories: how students and faculty coped with the storm and its aftermath

“I saw all the devastation and I didn’t know how I was going to get to work. I was driving to school and I couldn’t get down the street. I live on Linda Vista, and I had to keep getting out of my car to move branches. Once I was in South Pasadena, the road I take was blocked off with cones and I had to go drive down some alley near the tracks to even get to school. I really was surprised with my students, though. Most of my first period calculus class was here on time and ready to learn which is a lot to ask of them. I’m sure it must have been really hard for them to get here.”

- Mrs. Ruth Moonesinghe, Math Analysis & AP Calculus teacher

“My power was out for eighty hours. Because there were no generators left to buy nearby, my dad and I drove to Long Beach to buy them.

It was cold most of the week, which made it even more miserable.”

- Ryan Stone, Grade 11

“A tree fell over in our yard and crushed my mom’s car. It also took out a gate and all our power lines as well. There were so many other repairs around the city; we didn’t end up getting power for 7 days. It was stressful and it’s been nice having electricity again.”

- Anais Franco, Grade 9

“I live in the foothills, and we lost power for two days. A major road leading to our neighborhood was finally cleared after a week. The hardest part of the week was getting to school on Thursday morning.”

- Mr. Richard Martin, AP United States History and Honors United States History teacher

The storm in numbers: calls to Public Works Department: South Pasadena homes damaged:

250 $1,000,000 estimated damages from storm 200 3,000+ calls to the South Pas police department

South Pasadena businesses affected Stores had to adapt quickly to storm damages and subsequent customer needs

Mix n’ Munch cereal & grilled cheese cafe: “The windstorm didn’t really affect our business in any way. Our power was out at 11:00 on Thursday but we managed to restore electricity within the next hour.”

-Vanessa Vanvokanberg, Mix n’ Munch

Starbucks:

“We called off the morning service that Thursday and told our employees to resume work at 4:30 P.M. when we finally got electricity. There goes our morning revenue.”

-Starbucks employee

Buster’s Ice Cream & Coffee Stop: Palm trees fell on Fremont Avenue at the south entrance to South Pasadena High School.

Water supplies suffered: The city of South Pasadena was without water for about twelve hours following the windstorm on the night of November 30. Because several water mains were severed during the storm, water pressure fell in two elevated tanks, causing the town to lose water supply. Water Services went to work immediately to repair the water mains. The majority of the town had water back the following day, but residents north of Mission Street still did not have water back due to a major break that was eventually resolved later that day. Though water service was returned, pressure was still low and the water had slight discoloration. All problems were fully resolved by December 2.

“We are very lucky that the store suffered no external damage. We were closed on Wednesday night and reopened at noon on Thursday. Luckily, we had no significant revenue loss.”

-Renee Richards, Buster’s

Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH):

“All our chainsaws, generators, and batteries were sold out during our 24hour shift on Thursday. We managed to restore power on Thursday at 1:00.”

-Krystal Guzman, OSH News and quotes compiled by: Marcy Kuo, Michael Abelev, Shyam Senthilkumar, Josh Roquemore

Opinion

Thursday, December 15, 2011 - Tiger

5

Opinion B

A step forward and a look back

to the school’s censorware for blocking Google searches containing the word “gay.” No word as to whether this is unintentional, but we sure hope it is.

B

oo

to the epic quest that was yesterday’s senior class panoramic picture— having to scale the home bleachers because the gate was locked made it feel like such an adventure!

B

ravo

By Elizabeth Ford Rainey Editor-in-Chief

to Rick Perry for standing up for religious freedom in his campaign ads. Christians have been kept down long enough in this country. Especially the straight, white, upper-class ones. ravo

B

oo to Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey’s rendition of “All I Want for Christmas is You.” It’s catchy like the plague.

B

ravo to the cast and crew of Bus Stop.

Not even a massive windstorm could stop the fall play. “The show must go on!”

The Tiger Established 1913

CSPA Gold Medalist 2005 CSPA Gold Medalist 2006 CSPA Gold Medalist 2009 CSPA Gold Medalist 2010 CSPA Gold Medalist 2011 Editor-in-Chief Libby Rainey Managing Editor Jennifer Kim News Devin Mitchell, Editor Remeny White, Associate Opinion Carlton Lew, Editor Clair Fuller, Associate Feature Sofi Goode, Editor Rhian Moore, Associate Sports Jessica Moog, Editor Clem Witherall, Associate Copy Editors Alex Tranquada and Max White Photography Theo Mandin-Lee, Editor Kathryn Whitworth, Associate Photographers Rachael Garner, Siria Medina, Matthew Winkel Senior Staff Writer Harry Yadav Staff Writers Michael Abelev, Madison Amido, Jackson Atwater, Erin Chan, Matt DeFulgentiis, Kelsey Hess, Anne Kitchens, Marcy Kuo, Amber Laird, Natalie McLain, Christian Miyamae, Meghan Roche, Joshua Roquemore, Heather Vaughan

Daniel Willardson

A bureaucracy on the brink Staff Editorial California is facing a $13-billion shortfall over the next eighteen months.

The ongoing fiscal crisis that has engulfed the state has had a disastrous effect on the South Pasadena Unified School District, as close to 80% of funds for public schools are controlled by the state.

State funding, primarily the money given to the district by the State for students attending school, has been severely cut in the past few years. According to Superintendent Joel Shapiro, during the 2007-08 school year, unified school districts received $5,821 per pupil. Based on requirements mandated by Proposition 98 and additional cost-of-living adjustments, SPUSD should have received $6,386 per student last school year. In reality, they received $5,239 per pupil in 2010-11.

Even before the budget crisis, California schools districts spent significantly less on education than the national average.

This massive decrease in state funding has contributed to a structural deficit in South Pasadena. What is projected to be a $2.2-million deficit this year is expected to balloon to $5.3 million in the 2013-14 school year.

Senate Constitutional Amendment 5, endorsed by Superintendent Shapiro, aims to combat this. Currently, California state law requires cities and counties trying to impose additional taxes to garner the support of two-thirds of voters who would

Expecting the unexpected

Tiger Online Zoey Dupont, Rachel Newhall, Thomas von Bibra Staff Illustrators Rachael Lee andDaniel Willardson Managers Alexander Prescott, Ads Shyam Senthilkumar, Business Webmaster Makenna Sidle Faculty Advisor Mike Hogan

Tiger is produced by the advanced journalism newspaper class at South Pasadena High School, 1401 Fremont Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030. Layout and photo imaging are completed on-site. Printed

by American/Foothill Publishing Co., Inc., Tujunga, CA. Signed articles appearing in Tiger represent the writer’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff, student body, faculty or administration of SPHS. Contact the publications office at (626) 441-5820 ext. 2615 between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. for advertising rates and subscriptions. Tiger welcomes articles, letters or rebuttals for publication in the print and online editions. All letters must be signed and verifiable, but names will be witheld upon request.

Tiger is a forum for student free speech, in compliance with California Ed Code 48907.

be affected. This law makes California one of only eight states that requires more than a simple majority to raise taxes, and one of only three to require a two-thirds majority.

The amendment would lower that threshold to 55%, making it easier to raise revenue that is often used to help fund schools districts.

South Pasadena successfully levied a four-year parcel tax of their own in 2009 to raise additional funds for the district in the face of daunting budget cuts. The proposition, Measure S, passed with 67.26% of the vote, a decisive majority by most considerations. But had even 100 voters changed their minds, the measure would not have made it over the two-thirds hurdle.

Measure S expires in June 2013.

This and the possibility that Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to extend temporary taxes may not succeed, as well as agreements to lower class sizes, has the district facing crisis. Shapiro referred to these concerns in February as an “over-the-cliff phenomenon” for the 2013-14 school year.

Renewing the parcel tax is critical if the quality of education is to remain at the relatively high level enjoyed by South Pasadena students. But getting two-thirds of voters to approve the continuation of an elevated level of taxation will be a tall order. This amendment’s passage will make it much easier to save the district from an impending catastrophe.

It’s been a big week for Tiger. On December 11 we launched our new, revamped website; that same night Tiger Online hit 100,000 unique visitors.

It has been a long road to a fully-functioning website, and now, with our online presence at an all-time high, we want more. Specifically, we want you.

Tiger Online now features more photos, more featured articles, and more opportunities for reader feedback. In an effort to involve you, the reader, we have created suggestion boxes for our monthly Boos & Bravos and Overheard features.

There are also more opportunities to feature student activities and success online. Heard about a student admitted into college early decision? We’ll feature them on the new website.

Want to share your winter formal video on Tiger Online? We’ll link to it as our Youtube Clip of the Week.

A school publication is nothing without its students to fill its pages. And now, online, that space is limitless. So we encourage and urge you to engage.

Visit the website, contribute your ideas and opinions. We are eager to share your voice through Tiger.

This week we also remember what would have been former staff writer Aydin Salek’s 20 th birthday.

Two years after his untimely death, those who knew Aydin still feel his spirit every time they set foot in Room 615. His passion and drive, and sometimes irreverent humor, remain unspoken forces that drive the Tiger staff every day.

The progression of our paper stands on the shoulders of nearly 100 years of Tiger staffs.

And Aydin undoubtedly remains one of our most influential contributors.

100,000 hits is only the beginning. As we continue to progress, we can only hope that students will indulge us with their opinions and input. After all, Aydin always did.

By Devin Mitchell News Editor The howling Santa Ana winds that hit the San Gabriel Valley early morning on December 1 caused major disruptions in the lives of South Pasadena citizens. Perhaps the most disruptive occurrences were the hundreds of trees and power lines that collapsed throughout the valley. At one point, firefighters were being called every twelve seconds. Some households did not regain power until five days after the fact.

The problems caused by the storm were exacerbated by the shortage of Los Angeles County Department of Public Works employees available to help in the cleanup.

The county has made significant cuts to the Public Works Department in recent years in response to a budget shortfall. Southern Cali-

fornia Edison workers were unable to tend to downed power lines until trees were moved by the diminishing number of Public Works employees, prolonging the power outage.

To be fair, most local governments have been cut because of declining tax revenues and growing salaries for those in the public sector. But the fiscal austerity that solves short-term issues can have unintended consequences when the government is needed to solve big problems. The longer the debris remained on streets, the more damage it did.

Employing more people in Public Works would have alleviated this problem.

Granted, disasters on the scale of the windstorm are highly uncommon. While more government workers are needed on a regular basis, it would be wasteful for the city to be constantly staffed for such an irregular event. But having the option to call

on workers from unaffected public agencies in an emergency would be crucial. The general lack of preparedness for the storm crippled the recovery. Assemblyman Anthony Portantino has proposed an emergency planning bill that would mandate two-year reviews of disaster-preparedness procedures. This bill calls on the California Utilities Commission to use its regulatory authority to set standards for how government agencies would react to natural disasters.

The windstorm highlighted problems with the city and the areas that require the often-demonized government to solve. More people and more preparation are necessary ,even if it means higher taxes to pay for the public employees to execute these plans. In the short run, raising the additional revenue will hurt, but in the long run, avoiding a similar crisis is in everyone’s best interest.

6

Opinion

Tiger - Thursday, December 15, 2011

Hollywood’s mixed messages

By Natalie McLain Staff Writer They can be seen in every area of our lives. They smile and pout and laugh from the pages of glossy magazines. They illustrate for us just how marvelous our lives are not.

They are beautiful. They are enviable. They are skinny.

Models, who seem to define the culture and looks of every generation, are what many cite as the cause of anorexia and bulimia. At the same time, however, the media is surreptitiously promoting the very opposite of the long-held standard for weight.

In a gaping contrast to the aforementioned skinny culture, the media is also advertising an unhealthily overweight lifestyle.

One might argue that the comparison is flawed, that media doesn’t promote obesity as a desirable goal in the way it does slenderness. It does, however, create a strange kind

of fascination on behalf of the public over shows such as Mike and Molly. It makes an unhealthy state of obesity seem more normal and, consequently, more acceptable.

The cycle of confusing and contradictory messages begins with promoting slenderness. How to lose weight, what you should look like, and ways to simply be smaller sell hundreds of thousands of magazines every year. Then there are the media outlets which beg people to love themselves and the bodies they’re in. By promoting this kind of “selflove,” the media again makes a pretty penny, selling self-help books and magazines completely centered on building self-confidence.

Shows such as The Biggest Loser bring the cycle full circle, at first seeming to embrace and accept the overweight, but turning out to be thinly-veiled paths back to weight loss.

Conversely, Demi Moore seldom found her way onto tabloid covers until she hit a gaunt ninety pounds, causing a scramble to spew

out articles on her potential anorexia and the “battle” to make her eat. In this way, the media capitalizes on every point along the spectrum of weight—an issue they essentially created in the first place.

In the fashion world you are either plus-sized, or you are thin. There is no middle ground. No in-between. So it is a small wonder that an estimated eight million Americans have eating disorders; the so-called state of “normal weight” is simply the invisible gray area between unhealthily skinny and unhealthily overweight.

It is not the mere presence of slim actresses or plus-sized models which drive viewers towards eating disorders. It is the complete lack of any options between two intense extremes. There is too much of you, or there is not enough. Whatever the case, you are never perfect. After all, if you did not hate some essential part of yourself, the media would no longer have any use for you.

Rachael Lee

Privacy scandals that miss the point

By Kelsey Hess Staff Writer

By Mrs. Maryann Nielsen World History Honors and AP Government Dramatic scenes played out by well-rehearsed actors. Soaring choral music that lifts the heart and spirit.

Talented dancers in beautifully choreographed pieces moving in sync to explosive music. Shows that transport the audience to another place and time, reducing the stresses of everyday life and creating a sense of community among those who came for the experience.

While this might sound like a night out at the Walt Disney Concert Hall or the Ahmanson Theater, two of Los Angeles’ most prestigious—and expensive — cultural institutions, these experiences can also be discovered right here on our own school campus. There is a remarkable range of talent and cultural offerings at SPHS. As a bonus, students and teachers have the opportunity to see their own friends or students displaying their remarkable talents in ways beyond the everyday school experience.

So why do so few students and faculty members attend these events? Some students used to show up to performances due to the promise of extra credit. While this method would often help fill the auditorium or theater, not everyone was there for the right reasons. Performers who had worked for many months on their presentation were virtually ignored by a large portion of the audience. People who were there to enjoy the show were often interrupted by loud or distracting students sitting nearby. Disrespect was common in the audience.

Ending academic extra credit for attendance at school cultural events marks a positive step forward for our school. Even if the overall turnout is lower, those who attend are genuinely interested in the performance. They will watch the show out of interest, as they are not there to try to improve their grades.

Similarly, teachers are not paid to attend these afterhour events. With such heavy workloads and busy lives outside of school, it is hard for faculty members to make time to see their students perform. However, the benefits of seeing a student show are numerous. Busy teachers need more entertainment and relaxation, and prices are affordable enough to take the entire family out. And the value of seeing students in an entirely different light is immeasurable. They appreciate us being there and we appreciate them more when we’ve seen what they can do.

Los Angeles is a city flush with art and culture.

People throughout the area are lucky and privileged to have such opportunites. So are we right here at SPHS. So go see a school play. Watch an Advanced Dance show. Attend a band, orchestra or choir concert. Relax and be entertained. Enjoy the talent that surrounds us and that our school nurtures. Celebrate the cultural richness of our environment and find yourself reinvigorated to face the next week or even the rest of the school year.

Privacy is a rapidly disappearing commodity. Consumers have recently expressed outrage about Carrier IQ, a piece of software preinstalled on many modern smartphones.

The software, ostensibly designed to provide cell phone carriers with information about network strength and dropped calls, was discovered to be logging keystrokes and transmitting personal information without the consent of end users.

Lawsuits have been filed against Carrier IQ, accusing the company of violating federal wiretap laws and claiming that Carrier IQ’s database of user information is illegal under California’s Invasion of Privacy Act, which protects citizens

from the release of private information.

It may be disconcerting to some that private companies could gain access to every conversation and picture on a phone. However, these privacy issues have been overblown, considering that there has been no proof of plans to release the information.

In the modern world, new technologies are emerging daily and privacy levels are quickly decreasing as a result. Technology is created to make lives easier, to give users an advantage when completing timeconsuming tasks, and to simplify commitments.

In this day and age, such luxuries are only possible with access to private information. Anything that has an on/off switch and connects to a tower can potentially leak in-

formation. Investors must trust the integrity of these companies—just because they have access to private information doesn’t mean that it will be leaked.

For cell phone owners who are alarmed that their device ultimately remembers everything, it’s time to accept that privacy is undoubtedly a thing of the past; there is no reason to feel violated. Carrier IQ cannot be the only company keeping such a history of activity on consumer products.

The widely-expressed outrage is an overreaction, especially considering that no one’s privacy has been exploited. Those that use smartphones need to think about the numerous advantages their devices provide, not the unused ability of phone companies to track their largely uninteresting personal histories.

Correlation, causation, and AIDS

By Erin Chan Staff Writer

World AIDS Day was December 1.

Yet in the event’s sixteenth year, misconceptions preaching that the virus is a “gay disease” are still disturbingly prevalent.

In the backlash from this widespread negligence, homosexuals are not the only ones who suffer.

In the 80’s and 90’s, the whirlwind of the initial storm of gay men diagnosed with the disease ignited the misconception that HIV/ AIDS was something that only happened to homosexuals. But in every year since 1999, the majority of new diagnoses of HIV/AIDS have been through heterosexual contact.

This indicates that the widely held notion that AIDS is simply a “gay disease” has given the heterosexual population a false sense of security, boosting the number of transmissions worldwide.

It should be universally known that anyone of any sexual orientation, age, race, or gender can be infected with the virus, and the only specific at-risk groups are those who engage in unprotected sex or use intravenous drugs.

The Red Cross blood drive recently held on campus shed light on current misconceptions that are encouraged by public organizations. A donor who is “…a male who has had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977,” cannot donate blood, as mandated by the Red Cross.

This essentially denies gay males, as well as those who have experimented

with the same sex, the ability to donate blood. Based on the association between the two, the Red Cross is falsely assigning a causal relationship between being a gay man and being infected with HIV/AIDS. Yes, gay men have been and are current carriers of the disease. But the same is true of lesbians, straight men, straight women, and minors. And yet they aren’t banned from donating blood.

“If we exclude one group, we would have to exclude many groups,” said SPHS drama director Mr. Daniel Enright.

It would be necessary to blanket the entire population in order to cover all the groups that have been associated with the disease in the past.

If the organization believes it to be a legitimate precautionary measure to maintain a restriction on gay blood donations, it would only be fair to hold that same restriction over an infinite number of subgroups that have been associated with the disease – making blood donations no longer feasible.

The Red Cross is at fault. And as a result, gay males are not only unreasonably and hurtAmber Laird fully discriminated against, but the dwindling supply in blood banks is causing suffering worldwide.

Ultimately, in the year 2011, HIV/ AIDS should not be an issue about which the public is commonly misinformed. Antiquated and unrevised misconceptions about HIV/AIDS make people negligent and exponentially more susceptible to the disease – and only feed the growing pandemic.

Opinion

7 When it comes to teen pregnancy, turning a blind eye helps no one Thursday, December 15, 2011 - Tiger

By Clair Fuller Assoc. Opinion Editor

Christian Miyamae

Ads and education: a delicate balance

By Shyam Senthilkumar Business Manager Schools walk a fine line between consumerism and education. Many have appeared to overstep this boundary in recent years, and have subsequently been met with criticism.

At some schools, placing banners and products from private companies throughout campus has become the norm. This advertising can bring in an enormous profit for schools.

When companies strike a deal with a school, they have the opportunity to announce new products, test sales, and advertise around campus. In return, schools gain an enormous amount of revenue. Given the country’s current economic state, particularly when it comes to education, public schools cannot afford to pass up on such offers when they present themselves.

In 1997, three Colorado Springs school districts signed a $27.7 million, ten-year contract with Coca-Cola. District 11 specifically was guaranteed a three-million-dollar bonus if they could sell 70,000 cases of Coca-Cola products at school.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public elementary schools spent

an average of $8,765 per student in the 1999-2000 school year. Imagine the difference $27.7 million dollars made for those Colorado school districts.

Now imagine the difference $27.7 million dollars or more could make for the South Pasadena school district. Money of that quantity could not only fight the statewide deficit and budget cuts, it would also allow room to improve the standards of teachers and classrooms.

Of course, advertising will always come at a cost. Schools are condemned for making advertising deals for a number of reasons. Some claim that advertising in schools potentially opens the floodgates of consumerism, and that schools are no longer a safe haven with the sole purpose of educating students when advertisements litter the school space. Campus advertising has also been branded unethical.

However, critics overlook the long-term benefits of these advertising arrangements.

Advertisements and consumer influences are everywhere, but money is not. Schools need to take advantage of opportunities to bring in revenue whenever possible. Negative effects of on-campus advertising are negligible when compared to the harm massive budget cuts cause to education.

drugstore shelves ignores the scientific consensus that Plan B is safe and effective for “all America is a country sorely in need of women of child-bearing potential.” Instead, a reality check. According to recent studies, it falls back on the weak argument made by almost half of all pregnancies are unplanned, President Obama: that ten- and eleven-year-old and 46% of high school-aged teenagers girls should not be able to purchase a medicahave had sex. Amongst this demographic of tion that could be dangerous if used incorrectly sexually active teens, those that don’t use any “alongside bubble gum and batteries.”

The President’s argument and the HHS form of contraception- have a 90% chance of becoming pregnant in one year’s time. These decision fail to hold water. Their verdict ignores statistics, and many others like them, make it the fact that very few ten- and eleven-year-olds clear that American teens need more access are sexually active, and that some medications that children of such an age to sexual protection and can already purchase freely contraceptives—not less. can and are used to make It makes sense, When the hypothetical meth. then, that the FDA recsex lives of When the hypothetiommended last week elementary schoolers cal sex lives of elementary that Plan B One Step, are invoked, it couldn’t schoolers are invoked, it an emergency contracepbe more obvious that couldn’t be more obvious tive colloquially known the point has been that the point has been thoras the “morning after thoroughly missed. oughly missed. This decipill,” be made available sion does real harm to the without a prescription to sexually active teens that women and girls under the age of seventeen. The pill, which prevents are supposedly not mature enough to read and pregnancy when taken soon after unprotected follow directions on a box, but can apparently sex, is available to those seventeen and older be expected to carry an unplanned pregnancy upon request. Anyone under seventeen wishing to term and subsequently raise the child. It also to purchase the pill must obtain a prescription hurts the older women who, upon requesting from their doctor, potentially decreasing the Plan B from their pharmacist, are refused the efficacy of the pill, which is more effective the medication on “moral grounds.” And when was the last time our president speculated sooner it is taken.

Despite the urgings of the FDA, U.S. about the sexual habits of ten- and elevenSecretary of Health and Human Services year-old boys? Are teenage men required to (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius overruled the recom- see their family doctor about a prescription for mendation with the support of historically pro- condoms? Hardly.

Teenage sexuality is and has always been choice President Barack Obama. In a strange reversal, the administraiton now finds itself a reality. It’s one that may be uncomfortable for lauded by anti-choice groups and condemned adult parents to face—but this squeamishness pales in comparison to the devastating effects an by womens’ organizations.

This decision to keep Plan B off of unplanned pregnancy can have on a teen’s life.

Tiger Newspaper Asks: The holidays are sometimes called the “season of giving.” However, generosity during this time is often encouraged, both by social expectations and direct incentives. The winners of this year’s canned food drive, for example, will receive food from In-N-Out. In your opinion, do such incentives cheapen the “spirit of giving?” Can charity be genuine when it is being directly rewarded?

Tori Kause, Grade 12 Giving to charity is an act of goodness and selflessness and putting others first. By adding incentives into the mix, such as winning In-N-Out, it takes away from the rewarding experience of giving to people in need. When someone donates to a charity, it is supposed to be out of the goodness of their heart, not so they may receive a free lunch. It’s almost like paying your children to have good grades.

When we do random acts of kindness, we are putting others’ needs above our own. Donations are a good way to help others; you reap the benefit of knowing you have helped somebody in need.

Isabelle Rosenthal, Grade 12 It does not matter whether people give to charity out of the goodness of their hearts or because they want a free ice cream and a reputation as a nice person. Asking whether charity is genuine or not depending on the giver’s motivations misses the entire point of charity—to help those in need.

Charity may be ‘cheapened’ by offering incentives, but that does not make the money raised any less valuable to the people who need it. If people truly are donating to charity because of self-benefiting

reason, the bottom line is still that money is being donated. Those who frown upon such practices forget that the point of charity is to help a good cause—whether or not it is given with a ‘pure heart’ is irrelevant.

Wendy Tsai, Grade 11 Charity, by definition, is supposed to be fueled by the desire to give back, either to a particular person or to the community in general. The point of charity isn’t about reaping a reward or being motivated to donate for a prize. Such incentives as winning free In-N-Out demean the purpose of charity and taint the pure motives of giving out of care and kindness.

There shouldn’t be social expectations to give to charity, and people shouldn’t donate just because their friends are donating. They should donate because they feel that it’s the right thing to do. Motivations like social pressure and potential “prizes” contradict the purpose of charity.

Ryan Stone, Grade 11 Charities need money, and they use the holiday season to invoke the emotions (and the wallets) of the people that are better off by using gimmicks and prizes so that people pay attention. It’s not cheapening charity, because charity will always be needed. If rewarding In-N-Out is

enough incentive for a student to raid their pantry for cans, then that isn’t cheapening charity, it’s greatening it. Charities need every last dime, every last can and every last item of clothing to help people, so if some incentive helps people give more freely, there is no problem. Just because there is a prize doesn’t mean that charity doesn’t exist anymore.

It simply grabs people’s attention so more will be given. There have been silent auctions for charity for years, so a prize is just like the item being auctioned; it goes to the person who gives the most.

Michael Chang, Grade 10 Directly rewarding the donation to charity may spoil the “spirit of giving;” however, there are a plethora of reasons why someone may donate to charity and those are completely the donor’s business. Let’s be honest, those who receive the goods that charity gives them, in this case cans, don’t receive the feelings that come with the donated things. I’m sure the last thing on their mind is whether or not their next meal is provided benevolently or because In-N-Out was an incentive for the donor.

In a school environment, I’m sure there are plenty of people who would selflessly donate to charity, and while providing an incentive may make donating seem cheaper, if they were

really giving for the “spirit of giving” then it shouldn’t be a big deal to them.

I don’t think whether or not cheapening the “spirit of giving” is going to stop any organization from feeding a family. Sure, direct incentives may cheapen the “spirit of giving,” but that shouldn’t hinder anyone from donating to a good cause.

Yee-Lum Mak, Grade 12 Just because an incentive is offered doesn’t mean it serves as the main motivation for all givers. Some people don’t mind the extra bonus along with the warm fuzzy feeling, but that doesn’t make their contribution less valid. I’m sure the people who actually have need of the things given don’t care about what motivated people to give them; it’s simply not important in the grand scheme of things. If the end result is that people eat one more meal, then anything that may have encouraged that donation, whether it is social expectations or material incentives, seems alright by me.

Haseeb Khan, Grade 12 Providing an incentive for donations can cause people to donate simply for the incentive, and this does ruin the “spirit of giving” for those people.

However, the money will still go to benefit someone, and we should look at the people being helped.

8 Tiger - Thursday, December 15, 2011 page by jennifer kim

TIGER

online

tigernewspaper.com The famous microblogging website Tumblr has become the template for many quickly growing blogging hosts, as people of all ages join to create personal domains for expression. Whether it’s frenzied reblogging, posting original art and photography, discussing topics of interest, or talking about personal lives, these bloggers are quickly expanding our online world. Featured below are a few of SPHS’s notable bloggers.

yolitical.com

shine cho

It’s not often you find a political activist in high school, but freshman Shine Cho takes raising awareness to the next level on Yolitical, her blog for the “Young and Political.”

Cho created the website a year ago with the intention of informing others of her age group with political commentary. “People are often uninterested because the information is ‘too long’. I started off just breaking it down, but now I also write my own opinion pieces,” said Cho. Currently, her most popular post is one on Occupy Wall Street. Although Cho does not open up email subscriptions, fans of Yolitical can “like” its Facebook page and follow the site on Twitter to be informed of the latest updates.

Evelyn Ashleigh reblogged your photo

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sunshineparticles.tumblr.com illustration --- by daniel willardson text --- by rhian moore & madison amido photos --- by rachael garner

wen zeng

Follow Tiger staff Makenna Sidle

cakescakescakes.tumblr.com

wenzengphotography.com Junior Wen Zeng’s passion for photography can be seen on her artistic website, which features photos she has taken herself. Zeng carries her camera around her neck at all times, snapping photos for pure fun. “I enjoy taking photos because it has made me more observant. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own minds that we forget to appreciate the little things. I’ve learned to recognize the subtle beauty of seemingly ordinary objects and situations,” Zeng said.

Rachael Garner

rachaelgarnerphotography.tumblr.com Siria Medina

siriamedina.tumblr.com

welikemeowcatz.tumblr.com kimi low & janelle li

Matt Winkel

The URL says it all for the collaborative Tumblr created by seniors Janelle Li and Kimi Low, fellow cat lovers who have been blogging since last year and started their cat blog in October. Both Li and Low happen to be allergic to cats (Li owns one anyway), but that doesn’t stop the duo from reblogging them, whether it’s a house cat, cheetah, or tiger. We Like Meow Catz was created as a Tumblr for the two to archive the cat pictures they frequently send each other. While most posts are reblogs, at times Li and Low post their own photography.

mattwinkelphotography.tumblr.com Katie Whitworth

itskatesphotography.tumblr.com Sofi Goode

piecesofprongs.tumblr.com Theo Mandin-Lee

Jenny Wang liked your post - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

reachingthealtar.tumblr.com

theoml.tumblr.com Jessica Moog

Miranda Gontz and Sidney Gerst started following you -

5mediocreteenagers.tumblr.com

littlebluelookbook.tumblr.com Heather Vaughan

eliteinflorescence.tumblr.com

musicbear.tumblr.com aritra bhattacharya

Senior Aritra Bhattacharya shares his favorite music on his Tumblr.

Bhattacharya said, “I wanted a place to share all of the music that I like. I do that on Facebook sometimes, but on Tumblr, I have a gathering of followers that love the same music that I do.” Bhattacharya’s Tumblr has developed over the course of the year and currently has 251 followers. “My blog started off as solely a music blog where I posted new music that I found and some of my favorite tunes,” he said.

Rhian Moore

nonsensicalparanoia.tumblr.com Alexander Prescott

pay-dirt.tumblr.com Jennifer Kim

artinscience.tumblr.com

yee-lum mak

Halcyon Tartle Frission Petrichor Scintilla

other-wordly.tumblr.com Senior Yee-Lum Mak’s new Tumblr defines unusual words that go beyond everyday vocabulary. Mak said, “The name ‘other-wordly’ comes from ‘otherworldly,’ something strange and lovely. The blog is about strange and lovely words. Sometimes these are words from other languages that can’t be translated.” Among these words is “cafuné,” which is currently Mak’s favorite post.

“It’s a Portuguese word that’s basically impossible to translate into English, and it means, ‘to run your fingers through your lover’s hair,’” she said. Consider Mak’s blog a quirky dictionary for when you’re looking to sound particularly smart.

Feature

Feature

Tiger - Thursday, December 15, 2011

9

Out and About The Arroyo Seco Ensemble is caroling today in the downtown Los Angeles area. The group carols annually, and sings at the Los Angeles Public Library, among other venues. / Sofi Goode

SPHS music groups delight at winter concert

By Shyam Senthilkumar Business Manager

Matt Winkel

Seniors Josh Roquemore and Sara Bus Stop opened on December 2,

Patterson take center stage and closed its six-show run

in the fall play. on December 10.

Bus Stop cast puts on phenomenal show 4/5

By Heather Vaughan Staff Writer The SPHS Drama Department, led by director Mr. Daniel Enright, presented a professional and powerful rendition of Bus Stop in the Little Theater last weekend.

Senior Sara Patterson played a nightclub singer named Cherie. She starred alongside senior Joshua Roquemore, who portrayed an immature but forceful cowboy named Bo. Bo kidnaps Cherie with the intention of marrying her but the duo ends up stranded at a diner due to inclement weather. While they wait, the pair mingles with the other stranded passengers and residents of the small town where their bus has stopped. Needless to say, complications ensue.

Patterson charmed the crowd with

her flirty Southern charisma, projecting her turmoil upon the audience as she fretted over her dismal situation. Patterson’s acting was effortless. Her sweetness was matched by the brash self-confidence of Roquemore, who managed to transform into a “tender” gentleman by the end of the play.

Sophomore David Yang’s portrayal of the cynical, self-depricating Dr. Lyman was perhaps the most authentic of the show. His ridiculous performance bordered on disturbing when the drunken Lyman attempted to woo Elma, a teenaged employee of the diner, played by sophomore Ruby Muller.

The unconventional interactions between Elma and Lyman started as friendly, but quickly became disconcerting. Yang shared the amusing, albeit personally depressing, musings of his thrice-divorced character, and his dark ramblings were per-

fectly counterpointed by Muller’s childlike innocence. Her character truly appeared completely unaware of her new friend’s less-than-honorable intentions. Their chemistry both shocked and enthralled the audience as they controversially and comically ignored social boundaries.

The playful flirtation between diner proprietor Grace, played by freshman Zoe Sokey, and bus driver Carl, played by junior Ryan Stone, added humor and intrigue.

Senior Robert Meza, who portrayed Bo’s friend and mentor Virgil, was equally impressive, especially as a selfprofessed drama “rookie.” Junior Ashley Allen adapted to her part well, and tackled her role as the sheriff with ease despite the fact that her part was originally written for a male actor.

A talented cast and a moving, humorous plotline made Bus Stop a success.

Personality Profile: Joyce Alexander

By Natalie McLain Staff Writer Joyce Alexander may be the only girl on campus who can rock a mohawk.

She sports a charmingly skeptical demeanor and eyebrow piercing to match. And no, she won’t be removing the piercing for college interviews.

The senior’s personality and interests are even more dynamic than her look.

She is most widely known as the Commissioner of Noontime Activities, but Alexander is also an under-the-radar activist.

She has walked for AIDS and women’s rights, protested and observed at Occupy Los Angeles, worked with the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, and advocated for the LGBT movement as a whole. Alexander regularly canvasses neighborhoods to spread awareness of issues concerning the LGBT community.

This job includes handing out pamphlets, explaining objectives, and generally spreading word of the group’s political goals.

“Last year there would be a canvas every two weeks… It could be rough… especially in conservative neighborhoods,” said Alexander. “I like to consider myself a political activist, though.”

Her purpose-driven mindset is also paired with an innate interest in people’s beliefs. Just this month, Alexander drove herself down to Los Angeles City Hall in the dead of night when the Occupy L.A. movement was being shut down. There she not only observed political history unfold, she also showed her support for the occupiers and their various causes.

When she isn’t crusading in the political world, Alexander maintains a budding collection of vinyl records, regularly attends concerts, and runs the stereo system at lunch. She has a prominent account

on the music-sharing website 8tracks, and has garnered 413 subscribers to date.

Somewhere amidst the long hours of volunteer work and music-hunting, Alexander still finds time for serious schoolwork.

“Despite my piercing and my kindof-mohawk, I actually do really well in school and I take school seriously,” said Alexander.

The music lover has a 4.0 GPA, and took AP Calculus BC as a junior. She recently sent an application to Harvard and a number of other top-tier universities.

So don’t let her punk, laidback vibe deceive you; Alexander can integrate a multivariable function, compile a classic playlist for her next noontime slot, and write a letter advocating gaylesbian rights, all within the time it takes a normal student to complete their nightly course load.

The SPHS band and orchestra held their annual instrumental holiday concert on Thursday, December 8, in the high school auditorium.

The show highlighted a combination of jazz and classical music, as well as the classic “Christmas Eve” by Bob Phillips.

The night opened with the combined Concert and Symphonic Band, which were followed by Jazz Band and Orchestra.

Concert and Symphonic Band played a variety of songs, including “Fanfare and Flourishes,” “Clash,” and “First Suite in E Flat for Military Band.”

Conductor Howard Crawford said, “I think the concert went great. It was really fantastic - nothing for me to complain about.”

Jazz Band followed the concert band with “Bling,” “Oop Bop Sh’Bam,” “When I Fall in Love,” “Sky Dive,” and “Hit the Bricks.”

Junior Abe Song, who attended the concert, had nothing but praise for the music.

“The music pieces Mr. Crawford chose were very nice; Jazz Band did really great. ‘Oop Bop Sh’Bam’ was a refreshing piece and was fun to listen to,” said Song.

While Orchestra and Jazz Band have been preparing since September, the concert band began work on the performance two weeks ago and was working near-nonstop up until last Thursday.

Sophomore percussionist Hee Jin Yim was very pleased with the success of the concert and glad that band’s work paid off.

“We have been working very hard so it was great to see the night turn out so well. It’s also a relief that it’s finally done,” said Yim. Crawford agreed with Yim that the concert had gone well, and shared his relief.

“The workload was, of course, stressful, but that’s always going to be part of the process. We had just finished Marching Band, but we had to get right back to work,” said Crawford.

“All of the after-school and weekend practices prepared us well. We were ready and everything came together really nicely that night,” said junior Corey Young, a viola player in the orchestra.

Orchestra closed the concert with “Overture to Castor Et Pollux,” “Christmas Eve,” “Marche Miltaire Francaise,” and the classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

See page 10 for instrumental music concert pictures.

Siria Medina

Alexander can often be seen driving her beloved minivan, decked out with wind chimes and makeshift speakers.

10 Tiger - Thursday, December 15, 2011

Personality Profile

Feature

Michael De la Torre

Sweet Old World plays in South Pas

By Matthew DeFulgentiis Staff Writer

Katie Whitworth

De la Torre hopes to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and become a commerical airline pilot.

By Madison Amido Staff Writer In his perfect world, Michael De la Torre would be thousands of feet in the air, sitting in a plane’s cockpit as a commercial pilot. To make this dream a reality, the senior has applied to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a school that specializes in aviation.

Fear of flying is fairly common, but De la Torre has never viewed being a pilot as a danger.

“I have no fear of flying. I don’t think there’s much risk,” he said.

In the future, De la Torre wants to work for a major airline as a pilot. Although he only travels once or twice each year, the flight enthusiast would like to travel all around the globe someday.

“I’d really like to go to Alaska and spend a month out in the wilderness. The freedom of just openness and some alone time away from everything would be interesting,” he said.

Although he has a focused plan for the future, De la Torre explored a variety of interests while in high school.

He is an active member in model legislature and court program Youth and Government since his freshman year. He is also a two-year member of SPHS Virtual Business.

In addition to these extracurricular activities, De la Torre has challenged himself with rigorous courses.

Among many difficult classes, he took AP United States History last year, and is currently enrolled in AP Government and Politics.

He has a definite interest in politics, and as a young Republican, De la Torre stands out among his many liberally-minded peers. He believes in small government, freemarket capitalism, and traditional American values. And he’s not afraid to show it.

Said AP Government teacher Ms Maryann Nielsen, “He’s a charming and very bright young man who we can always count on for his conservative point of view. He enlivens class discussion.”

De la Torre also worked over the summer at the South Coast Air Quality Management District and is a six-year volunteer at the Crescenta-Cañada YMCA’s summer program for children.

Despite his packed schedule, the senior still finds time to grab Hawaiian barbeque with friends during lunch and cruise around town in his 2007 Ford Mustang.

Said close friend and fellow senior Aidan Louie, “His opinions, his willingness to stand by them, his sense of humor, and his stand-up-guy status all contribute to his interesting personality and quality as a friend.”

Sweet Old World, a documentary film by South Pasadena resident David Zeiger, was screened in the SPHS auditorium on Sunday, December 4. The film attracted a diverse audience including students, parents, cast members, and SPHS band members.

The premiere started off with a performance by the SPHS drumline, followed by a brief speech from Zeiger and producer Evangeline Griego. The film was then screened on a projector to give the event a theater-like feel.

Afterwards, there were refreshments and a meet-and-greet with the cast and crew.

Sweet Old World is a film about a single father, Brian, and his teenage son Ethan, with whom his relationship has become cold and strained in the years since Ethan’s brother Michael was killed in an accident. Father and son find themselves on the brink of disaster when Michael’s best friend returns for the first time since the accident and tries to befriend Ethan.

Sweet Old World stars SPHS alumnus Jacques Colimon as son Ethan Hinkle, and John Nielsen as father Brian Hinkle. Eric Peter-Kaiser, winner of the Best Actor award at the Chicago Horror Film Festival, plays Michael’s best friend Jimmy.

The film was shot during the summer of 2010 in the Pasadena area. It has been in post-production for the last year and a half; the screening on December 4 was the first time it was available for public viewing. “[The screening was] incredible,” said Colimon. “I had only seen a couple of scenes prior to this. [It] was the first time I’d seen it on the projector screen... It blew my mind, coming straight out of high school into something like this.”

The film has been sent to about 25 film festivals and was selected to appear in the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2012. The crew had hoped to enter Sweet Old World in the Sundance Festival, but was unable to secure a spot.

These film festivals are opportunities for Sweet Old World to be purchased by a major distributor. From there, it has the potential to go into theaters across the United States.

“It’s something I’ve dreamed about for the longest time,” Colimon said. “It’s surreal.”

Instrumental Music concert delights audience

Photos by Jennifer Kim

Starting from left clockwise: (1) Senior Daniel Ruatta plays trumpet with the jazz band. (2) Band director Howard Crawford conducts the combined concert and symphonic band in “First Suite in E flat.” (3) Bass players in orchestra play “Home for the Holidays. (4) Senior Stephen Cummings plays baritone saxophone in the jazz band.

Feature

Tiger - Thursday, December 15, 2011

Christmas has traditional feel 4/5

By Josh Roquemore Staff Writer The holiday season is in full swing.

This means decorations, shopping, and, of course, festive music. Michael Bublé’s Christmas is among one of the most memorable of seasonal albums, as evidenced by its No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart, which it has held for over two weeks.

Bublé released his album in the United States on October 25. The album can be heard playing in stores and households across the country, and with good reason.

Christmas has a classical feel and the majority of the tracks feature both an orchestra and Bublé’s band. Bublé has done a sensational job, adding sophistication to the numbers with his suave and nearlyflawless vocals.

This is Bublé’s fifth studio album, and it only improves his already-stellar reputation. The album has fifteen songs and features artists such as Shania Twain and Thalía.

The majority of the songs are classics and carols, including “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and “Silent Night.” There are also several more upbeat and modern holiday songs such as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You,” to which Bublé brings a new and exciting feeling.

Along with traditional holiday favorites, Christmas also features an original song, co-written by Bublé and Alan Chang, entitled “Cold December Night.” The song is very catchy and has a pleasant, wintry, vibe. It holds up even next to Christmas classics.

It is no surprise that this album has risen to the top. Bublé seems to have a deep personal connection to each song, but manages to keep the cheerful Christmas tone.

The album has a good variety of tempos, but many of the songs are slower renditions of typically upbeat numbers.

While this makes for an enjoyable album, people looking for more contemporary songs will find few in Christmas.

The mix of modern and classic Christmas songs, the angelic sounds of orchestra instruments and the crisp and soothing vocals of Michael Bublé combine to create an album that fully embodies the spirit of the holidays.

radiohannibal.com

SPHS students shine in live performance week

By Heather Vaughan Staff Writer Live Music Week once again took over SPHS’s Tiger Patio this month, and due to the windstorm and an overload of student performers the event was broken up over two separate weeks. Students gave a diverse variety of lunchtime performances for their peers to enjoy.

Conceived by former Commissioner of Noontime Activities Aaron Childs two years ago, Live Music Week gives artistic students the chance to show off their skills and serenade peers at lunchtime.

Current Commissioner of Noontime Activities Joyce Alexander coordinated the performances, along with other members of ASB. Performances sampled everything from acoustic ballads to lively hip hop dancing. The lineup included senior Avery Millard, the advanced dance crew, seniors Libby Rainey and Audrey Ford, junior Erini Katopodis, and sophomore Sophie Negrini.

“Live Music Week is a way to show-

case student talent and bring people together,” said Alexander. “It shows us a side we might never have seen of our peers.”

Sophomore Sophie Negrini—who has performed in other SPHS live music showcases—performed early last week.

“It’s exciting, and it feels more real as opposed to what noontime is usually like,” said Negrini. “I like the rawness of the live performances versus the recorded tracks. It’s also a great opportunity for students like me to get to perform for their friends and classmates.”

The performances generated student interest in performing at lunch. Because of this, Alexander extended live performances to this week as well.

Senior Anthony Brocatto performed three of his original songs at noontime on Tuesday.

This was Brocatto’s first time performing on an SPHS stage, but he expressed high hopes for participating in other lunchtime performances.

Alexander will host another Live Music Week during second semester.

Typical By Daniel Willardson

worldcelebrity.onsugar.com

Anton Yelchin

11

Theo Mandin-Lee

Sean Ehrlich

Holmes brings classic wit 3.5/5

By Erin Chan Staff Writer Renowned British director Guy Ritchie returns this winter with Warner Brothers’ highly anticipated sequel to his 2009 mystery-action-comedy-thriller hit with Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

Robert Downey Jr. (Holmes) and Jude Law (Dr. Watson) unite with perfect onscreen chemistry once again as cunning detective and trusty sidekick, joining forces against new archenemy Professor Moriarty, played by Jared Harris.

The film dives directly into the plot when the Crown Prince of Austria is pronounced dead. Local police report the death as a suicide, but Holmes’s investigations reveal otherwise. He discovers that the prince was murdered as part of a larger scheme by Moriarty to gain power.

Holmes and Watson are then led to the villain’s next target: a gypsy fortune teller named Sim, played by rising star Noomi Rapace. Holmes barely manages to save her life, and Sim repays him by grudgingly agreeing to help solve his latest mystery.

Ruffled by unforeseeable deaths, deteriorating leads, perpetual explosions, and bursts of physical comedy, the trio tears across

Europe in hopes of catching Moriarty, who is always five steps ahead.

Fans of Ritchie’s first Holmes movie will appreciate the deliberately decelerated portions of the film, focused to showcase Holmes’s extraordinary mental ability. Those less familiar with the style, however, may find that the introspective portions of the movie seem to lag, and consequently take a toll on their attention spans.

The movie suffers from a slow start, but compensates with exceptionally commendable performances from each of its leads. Downey Jr. and Law perform their roles with brilliance and ease, but the new faces in the cast are what ultimately resonate with audiences.

Actor Jared Harris, of the hit show Mad Men, shines as sociopathic villain Professor Moriarty, successfully weaving a web of seemingly inescapable chaos for Holmes and his team. Brit Stephen Fry provides additional physical and perfectly-timed comedic relief as Sherlock’s older brother Mycroft, and Swedish actress Rapace adds needed depth, mystery, charisma, and feminine energy to the otherwise male-dominated film.

The second movie of the Holmes saga will be a definite hit with veteran and new enthusiasts. An intriguing plot, unexpected strokes of comedic genius, and the undeniable magnetism of a talented cast make the movie a must-see for the holiday season.

Rachael Garner

Senior Anthony Brocatto performs during Live Music Week on Tuesday, December 13.

Like this comic? View it in full color at tigernewspaper.com.

Food festival visits Armory Center

By Kelsey Hess Staff Writer Los Angeles’s finest local edibles shops set up booths at the Armory Center in Pasadena for the Artisanal L.A. Holiday Pop-Up Shop on December 11. The event sold everything from lemon meringue cake pops to an exquisite balsamic barbeque sauce.

One of the many booths lining the walls of the Armory was called “Kings Road Apothecary.” Rebecca Altman started Kings Road eight years ago. “I love all of the people that come to these events, and having a booth is a great for small companies to live their dream,” said Altman.

The Spring Pop-Up Shop will be held on April 16, 2012 in Santa Monica.

12 Tiger - Thursday, December 15, 2011

New Year’s Eve utterly fails to entertain 0.5/5

By Meghan Roche Staff Writer Anyone who saw Valentine’s Day, last year’s disastrously bad blockbuster directed and written by the same team as New Year’s Eve, will know what they’re in for when they shell out twelve bucks to see this catastrophe.

The plot (if you can even call it one) is comprised of eight separate storylines, each duller and somehow more irritating and clichéd than the last.

Ashton Kutcher and Lea Michelle get trapped in an elevator. Abigail Breslin sneaks out to go to a party, and her mother, Sarah Jessia Parker, chases her all over town. Katherine Heigl slaps her ex, Jon Bon Jovi. Et cetera, et cetera.

With all of the high-paid Hollywood talent—even with Oscar winners like Robert DeNiro and SPHS alumna Hilary Swank—gracing the screen, not a single actor in the extensive cast manages to make his or her poorly-written character anything beyond one-dimensional.

And, with such limited screen time, who can blame them?

It’s a classic case of the Hollywood rom-com— take a handful of good-looking, high-profile performers and a cutesy script with a manufactured feel-good ending, and rake in the money. Times eight. Unfortunately, where the formula at least occasionally offers the audience a few opportunities to be sincerely entertained, New Year’s Eve didn’t even come close to pulling it off. Perhaps this is to be expected when you try to jam eight stories and their half-baked connections into two hours, but that hardly makes it okay.

Dozens of downright embarrassing gags trying to pass as comedy only make the situation worse.

When the theater laughs most when Seth Meyers yells, “You’re a really charming guy. Where do you work, the DMV?” you know there’s really just no hope left.

Bottom line? Unless you’re purposefully looking for a way to kill 117 minutes in a manner barely more entertaining than sleep, don’t waste your money on New Year’s Eve.

Feature

By Sofi Goode Feature Editor Houses all over South Pasadena are adorned with festive lights to celebrate the holiday season. But eager for more extravagant Christmas cheer, we set out on a rainy Monday evening to find Los Angeles’s most renowned light displays.

Armed with (inevitably inadequate) directions, we drove down the 210 towards Altadena and our first destination in Hastings Ranch.

Joy-seekers be warned, the cluster of elaborately decorated houses is hidden away in a remote neighborhood and can be almost impossibly difficult to find. In fact, our journey took so much extra time that we had to stop at Starbucks to refuel.

Peppermint hot chocolate in hand, we finally arrived at the Hastings Ranch lighting show. Assuming the homeowners were used to obnoxious sightseers, we ran around the neighborhood taking pictures with inflatable snowmen and reindeer.

The rain began to pour, so we piled back into the car and headed for the Ballan House. Located just east of the intersection between Allen and Mendocino, the Ballan House is an extravagant mansion known for its indescribable Christmas décor. The owners hang over

Photos by Rachael Garner

10,000 lights on the house every year. Unfortunately, the house was dark because the rain, but its beauty is near legend in the Altadena area.

We blasted Frank Sinatra to shake off our disappointment, and made for Christmas Tree Lane. This section of Santa Rosa Avenue has dozens of Christmacy trees covered in colored lights. It’s simple, but a great local attraction.

Iz, Short for Izz By Amber Laird

Our final destination was much closer to home. St. Albans Street in San Marino is lined with hundred-foot deodar pine trees that hold lights year-round.

It was a perfect end to our night of holiday bliss.

Take an evening over winter break to cram into a car and head to these local sights. It is a perfect and easy way to spread Christmas cheer.

Like this comic? View it in full color at tigernewspaper.com.

Thursday, December 15, 2011 - Tiger

13

Page by Jennifer Kim Illustration by Rachael Lee

’tis the season: Gift Guide High school students often have trouble coming up with the cash to buy loved ones presents for the holidays.

As a present to you, Tiger has put together a gift guide for those scrambling to get perfect last-minute presents wrapped up and put under the tree just in time for the big day! Whether you’re shopping for your best friend or your grandpa, with no money or with $20, we’ve got you covered. ~ Meghan Roche ~ Rachael Garner, Rachael Lee & Marcy Kuo

For...

Parents & grandparents

Friends

$5: scented candle $10: cute mug (personalize according to taste) $20: pajamas $30: buy a scrapbook and fill with family photos

$5: burn them a CD and buy them cute earbuds $10: your favorite book $20: map to mark where you and your friends want to travel $30: sweatshirt from their favorite sports team or college

Siblings

Significant others

$5: Mexican candy $10: sunglasses(fake Raybans) $20: string of decorative lights to brighten up their room $30: three disposable cameras & photo album, along with a list of activities to do together

$5: scarf $10: comfy tee-shirt in their favorite color $20: necklace with their initials $30: frame a poster of their favorite band

Priceless presents

www.urbanoutfitters.com

The holidays are a time for giving, whether it is through love and appreciation or a homemade gift. In tough economic times, gifts can get expensive. Here are some cheap and homemade ideas to give to your friends and family to help spread the holiday cheer! ~ Kelsey Hess Rudolph the LED Reindeer (Ornament) Turn a burnt-out lightbulb into an ornament! Start by holding it upside down and painting it brown. Once it dries, stick googley eyes on the lightbulb, and glue a red pom-pom on the bottom to be the red nose.

Tie the wire around the end of the lightbulb and give it away to hang on a Christmas tree!

What you need: • Wire • One light bulb • Sticky googley eyes • Brown paint • Red mini pom-pom

Christmas Cactus

What you need: • Small cactus • Doll’s hat • 3 inches of fabric • Flour

DIY Coupons

Take a small cactus and pretend it’s a snowman. Wrap the fabric around the cactus as though it’s a scarf, and place the doll hat on top. Sprinkle flour over the dirt to look like snow, and give it away!

If you’re feeling exceptionally artsy this Christmas, the certificates below may be the perfect solution to an economical and thoughtful Christmas gift for any one of your family members. Whether it’s doing house chores for a week or baking a warm plate of macadamia-nut cookies, these certificates mean more than just a piece of paper this holiday season. ~ Marcy Kuo

14 Tiger - Thursday, December 15, 2011 Girls basketball works to improve in tournament play

By Heather Vaughan Staff Writer With a solid 7-4-1 preseason record and a senior-heavy roster this year, the South Pasadena girls varsity basketball team is ready to take on league and dominate their Rio Hondo opponents.

The team is currently involved in a tournament at El Segundo High School, and has started strong with two wins. They began play on Monday, December 12 with a 57-42 win against Alhambra High School, and continued with a 49-23 victory against the Artesia Pioneers.

The Tigers were fairly successful in their first non-league games as well. Despite an initial 56-31 loss in the season opener against Burbank on November 22, they pulled off three consecutive wins in the days following, beating Sacred Heart of Jesus 51-17 on the 23rd, El Segundo 54-47 on the 25th, and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy 42-35 on the 26th.

Senior captain Kelsey Nakamura shone in every game, contributing an impressive 36 points throughout the three wins.

This streak was ended by two losses.

The Tigers were barely overcome by Arcadia on November 28 in a painfully close 38-37 loss. They also lost to Pasadena Poly on December 7 with a score of 43-32.

“We’ve had a bit of a rough start,”

12/12 SPHS v.

Alhambra 57-42 W

12/13 SPHS

v. Artesia

49-23 W

said Nakamura. “We have six seniors, but other than that, we’re a pretty young team.”

The Tigers also took part in a fourday-long tournament last week at Pasadena Poly. They came out with two wins and two losses, and placed fourth out of ten teams.

The team initially fell to Poly 43-32 on Thursday, December 8, but managed to dominate on Friday against Holy Martyrs Armenian with an effortless 47-15 win. They lost their momentum on Saturday, however, and fell to Immaculate Heart 56-43. They got back on track on Sunday and finished strong, pulling off a 56-43 win against Los Angeles Baptist. The girls were led by freshman Sophia Hathaway, who scored 17 points.

“The tournament went alright, but we could have done better,” said junior Wen Zeng.

Zeng contributed sixteen points throughout the tournament, but had hoped to reach a higher standard, both personally and as a team.

“We’re not very big physically, so what we’re focusing on now is our defense and using our speed to counter attack quickly,” said Nakamura.

She also noted that the team has gained strong freshmen, especially Hathaway, who is currently one of the team’s top scorers with a total of 87 points so far. Freshman Elise Takahama has also contributed heavily on offense, totaling seventy points for the Tigers.

The Tigers will conclude the El Segundo tournament this weekend with games today, Friday, and Saturday.

For coverage of the tournament visit Tiger Online.

Sports

Boys soccer on four-game winning streak One, because it was an early goal and it set us off on the right track. And two, it was a nice, cheeky play that we worked on over South Pasadena boys soccer added and over at practice. All the hard work paid to its winning streak with a solid 5-0 win off, so it was pleasing,” he said.

The boys won three straight games on Tuesday against the Alhambra Moors.

The victory was the Tigers’ fourth in last week. They outscored their opponents a row, bringing the team to a 4-1-1 record. eleven goals to one.

On December 9, the Tigers defeated South Pas plans to carry its momentum into league play, which begins on Janu- Burroughs High School in a close 2-1 game.

Senior Raymond ary 6 against the Yonami and Gomez Monrovia Wildscored the two goals; cats. They hope both were made in to improve from the first half. their first-round T h e d ay b e CIF exit last year. fore, South Pas triCaptain seu m p h e d 3 - 1 ove r n i o r M a t h e wo s Duarte. Sophomores Ghebrekristos led Robert Hernandez the team against and Danny Zurita Alhambra with each had a goal. three goals and an Senior Cody assist.

Dunn added a third Sophomore Siria Medina goal late in the Zachary Dunn assisted GhebrekrisSophomore Zachary Dunn touches the ball match to help the Tigers clinch the victos with the first past a Burroughs High School defender. tory. goal, and fellow The Tigers will face local Pasadena sophomore Heven Gomez provided the Polytechnic today at home at 3:30. This second.

Ghebrekristos completed his hat trick will be the boys’ second-to-last game before with a stunning free kick from 25 yards out. league play begins.

South Pasadena will conclude its preGomez and junior Christopher Mejia also contributed with a goal each. season with an away match against Charter Daniel Ruatta maintained the shutout for Oak on January 4.

South Pasadena with five saves.

Ghebrekristos currently leads the 12/13 12/9 team in goals, with five in the last six SPHS SPHS games. He also ranks first in assists with v. Alhambra v. Burroughs an impressive five.

5-0 W 2-1 W “My favorite [goal] was the first one.

By Christian Miyamae Staff Writer

Sports

Tiger - Thursday, December 15, 2011

15

Wrestling prepares for league with dual meets

By Harry Yadav Staff Writer

Jennifer Kim

Sophomore Liza Echeverria sends a ball toward the goal despite tight defense from Crescenta Valley. The Tigers fell 14-8.

Girls water polo loses focus against CV

By Matt DeFulgentiis Staff Writer The SPHS girls water polo team is off to a promising start with a preseason record of 3-2 and a bronze medal at the Los Altos Conquerors tournament.

The girls continued this success on Monday in a close win against the Polytechnic Panthers. They tied the game up in the last six seconds of regulation play, and went on to play two quarters of overtime. Senior Rachel Clauss scored the winning goal to end the game 7-6.

Tuesday brought less success; the Tigers came out slow and distracted, which resulted in a 14-8 loss against the Crescenta Valley Falcons at home.

“We missed a lot of shot opportunities,” said senior Cody Bartlett. “We

need to work on our ball movement… the communication was awful.”

“The girls lacked confidence,” said coach Robert Echeverria of the game.

The girls’ very first preseason game was at home against St. Lucy’s Priory High School on November 30.

This was the first time these two teams had met since St. Lucy’s knocked South Pas out of CIF play in last year’s semifinals. Despite the Tigers’ desire for revenge, the team fell 9-7.

However, South Pas came out strong in their next two games. They beat Whittier 14-4 and Alhambra 19-4.

This past weekend, the girls water polo team placed third in the fifth annual Los Altos Conquerors tournament. They placed second in the tournament the year before.

The Tigers came away from the tournament with three wins and two losses after an intense two days of play.

Although the girls didn’t perform their best at the tournament, Echeverria is confident that with thorough training during the break, the girls will be ready to dominate in league.

“I’m going to work them out harder than I have been and just get back to the basics,” said Echeverria.

The girls will play their first league game against Monrovia on January 5th at home.

12/12 SPHS v. Poly 7-6 W

12/13 SPHS v. CV 14-8 L

Wrestling season is in full swing at SPHS; the Tigers look to repeat last year’s success by dominating league and sending multiple individuals deep into CIF. With its first tournament under its belt, the South Pasadena High School wrestling team is looking to gain more experience before Rio Hondo League competition begins in January.

The team headed to Glendora High School last Friday for the two-day tournament, in which the Tigers competed in nine head-tohead style matches.

Although the team finished 3-6 on the weekend, head coach Al Shuton was pleased with what he saw.

Standout senior captain Ned Estrada took home a second place medal after going 8-1 at the tournament.

“It was a solid tournament for this early in the year. We have a long way to go before league and a lot

of improvements to make,” said Estrada.

The Tigers’ one weakness this season will be a lack of a heavyweight wrestler.

The only way they can overcome the points they will automatically lose will be to dominate in every other weight class.

“We did about as well as I expected,” Shuton said. “Our team is ver y very young, with very little experience, so it’s good to get mat time.”

The Tigers’ fitness is at an all time high, according to senior captain Sean Ehrlich. “ We d o c r o s s f i t training in practice and it gets us in great shape,” he said.

“We’re working really hard this year for a league title and we hope it will pay off,” added senior Gus Shuttleroe, who will be competing in the 180- to 190-pound weight class.

The Tigers will face Beverly Hills High School in their first dual meet on Saturday. The team will once again compete away from home.

Jevon Shields He was the leading scorer on the varsity team last year, and is defending that title this season. He joined the varsity squad Senior Jevon Shields can glide down as a sophomore, and each year proves to be the court, stop and pop a three-pointer, a consistent and key player on the court.

Shields’s love of basketball started at and drive hard to the basket — every game.

Shields’s unique playing style and aggressive age four when his dad and uncle got him “want-to-win” attitude capture the eyes of interested in the sport.

SPHS boys basketball fans every time he “I had a little hoop that I would play steps onto the court. on all the time,” said Shields.

Famous basketball player Michael An average game for Shields usually consists of multiple assists, steals, drives and Jordan was one of Shields’ biggest role twenty-plus points. models growing up.

Shields’s hardline personality, somewhat inspired by Jordan, is a reason why he is one of the most successful players to come through SPHS. “Being competitive is a big reason why I play. I like to win,” said Shields. “I just like playing, it’s fun. It lets me be me.”

Shields’s most memorable game at SPHS took place last year against South Hills, when he scored a personal-best 39 points and led the team to victory.

The senior plans to attend La Jolla Prep Basketball Academy for one year after high school to improve and tweak his basketball skills. He then plans to transfer to a four-year college.

In the meantime, he plays for a club team called Southeast Elite and remains a standout contributor to the SPHS basketball squad.

Shields’s competitive spirit Katie Whitworth and commendable talent will be Senior Jevon “JJ” Shields drives towards the basket missed by the varsity squad next against Maranatha High School opponent. year.

By Matt Defulgentiis Staff Writer

Theo Mandin-Lee

Senior captain Taylor Colliau has signed a letter of intent to Division 1 Valparaiso University for soccer.

By Erin Chan Staff Writer

Taylor Colliau

“I literally just play soccer and sleep,” joked senior Taylor Colliau.

Though the upbeat varsity athlete is nonchalant about her devotion to soccer, her athletic achievements are nothing short of exceptional. Colliau is already set with a scholarship to attend Valparaiso University next fall, an NCAA Division I school where she will continue her soccer career.

The two-year varsity captain was named Second Team All-CIF her sophomore year and First Team All- League last year. Her slew of awards stems not only from natural athletic ability, exemplified by her additional varsity letters in softball and track, but also from consistent commitment to her sport.

She started playing soccer when she was four years old, and has played

for both AYSO and club teams ever since.

“For club, I practice four times a week for two hours, and for school, two hours every day,” said Colliau.

The round-the-clock athlete clearly loves the sport, but she also loves the team bonding that comes with long hours of practice and games.

“The best part about soccer is being with the team,” she declares.

Teammate and fellow soccer captain Jennifer Suh said of Colliau, “We mess around at practice all the time. We wouldn’t have friends if people knew how we acted around each other.”

Soccer has been the focus of Colliau’s high school career, but she is positive that college will be her last stop with the sport. The ambitious seventeenyear-old plans to major in business at Valparaiso, and even has her eyes set on pursuing a law degree.

16

Sports Tiger - Thursday, December 15, 2011

Sports

Upcoming games 12/15 - Boys Varsity Soccer vs. Poly 12/20 - Girls Varsity Soccer @ Alhambra 12/27 & 12/28 - South Pasadena Wrestling Tournament

Fall All-League Awards Football First Team: Sean Magill, Justin Cornford, Miguel Lagunas Second Team: Nico Sullivan, Gus Shettleroe, Joey Harmon

Girls Volleyball First Team: Claire Kieffer-Wright Second Team: Samantha Figueroa

Theo Mandin-Lee

Sophomore defender Lenja Suey prepares to play a long ball during the Tigers’ 3-0 victory against Glendale High

Girls soccer impressive in preseason The Tigers go to 5-2-1 and continue to win with dominate performances

By Kelsey Hess Staff Writer G i r l s va r s i t y s o c c e r once again proved itself to be a team to watch on Tuesday, December 13. The team handily finished off Glendale High School 5-0.

T h e T i ge r s a s s e r t e d themselves early in the match; by the end of the first half, the team was ahead 3-0. The game ended after senior captain Taylor Colliau scored the fifth and final goal.

“We have a young team but we are only getting better and better as the season

continues…This group of girls could be one of the best teams in league this year,” said Colliau.

The Tigers played Westridge School at home on Monday, December 12. The game ended with a 3-1 win for South Pas. The Tigers completed their two pool play games in the annual Torrance High School Tournament last weekend. South Pasadena defeated Beverly Hills High School 2-0 in an effort to qualify for the gold bracket of the tournament.

They then faced last

year’s tournament champions, Marymount High. The game ended in a 0-0 tie that forced the teams into penalty kicks, which led to an unlucky South Pasadena defeat.

The loss against Marymount means that the Tigers will continue tournament play this Saturday in the consolation bracket.

“Our team is mostly new, but we are doing surprisingly well for so early in the season,” said Colliau.

“Overall we have done well in the season.”

The team’s first loss of the season came on November

29 against Burroughs High School. The final score was 2-1; Burroughs scored the winning goal in the last seconds of the game.

The Tigers came back the following week with a 12-0 win against San Gabriel on December 5.

They finished off the week by beating Ramona High School 4-0 for the first time in four years.

“We hope that our winning streak will continue and bring us the league championship and hopefully, a CIF title,” said junior captain and goalkeeper Angelique Ulmer.

Boys basketball struggles early in season

By Carlton Lew Opition Editor Varsity basketball has started its season with some significant changes. With a new coach, a new lineup, and many player absences, the boys are still attempting to function as a team.

On Monday, the boys played the first game of the Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary Tournament. They opened the tournament with a 55-45 win over Whittier Christian.

Senior Harry Yadav led the team with fifteen points. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Tigers.

Despite a 3-4 start to the season, new head coach Tim Brown remains optimistic about his team.

“We are fast and furious,” said Brown. “Our style of play is aggressive, and I am excited to see what these guys can do on the court [when] they’re really focused.”

As a result of injuries and player absences, the Tiger’s games in Crescenta Valley Tournament, held last week, had an unfavorable outcome. They ended the

tournament with three losses and a win.

“The tour nament didn’t go how we wanted it to, but I’m really proud of the effort we gave and how we supported each other,” said senior captain James Kawakami. “Missing a few key players did have an effect on us, but it also gave our other guys a chance to step up and show their talent as well.”

The squad is now midway through the fivegame Cantwell Tournament; Katie Whitworth they played their second tournament game yester- Senior James Kawakami attempts to split the defense day against Cantwell after during the Tigers’ game against Maranatha on 12/2. press time. Their tournament “We have a long tournament this games will continue through Saturday.

Although the boys are not meeting week,” said senior captain Zachary Lintheir preseason expectations, they remain decamp. “I’m excited to see what we can do against some more quality opponents.” hopeful for success.

Boys Water Polo First Team: Martin Lis, Pierce Deamer Second Team: Will Renken, Adrian Suarez Boys Cross Country First Team: Max White, Alex Tranquada, Paul Messana, Cullen Irvine Second Team: Tyler Armstrong

Girls Cross Country First Team: Helena Van Loan, Anika Renken, Cece Zhu Second Team: Kaylee Anderson

Girls Golf First Team: Katie Rosenberg, Victoria Carlos, Melody Sue For a complete list of all fall awards, visit tigernewspaper.com.

[inside] page 15

Jennifer Kim

Read about girls water polo’s last-minute victory over Poly.