Cell policy changes Violations for electronic devices now roll over from previous years By Jackson Atwater Staff Writer
Rachael Garner
“Hips Don’t Lie:” Commissioner General Ben Lee and ASB members perform at the SAC Assembly on Sept. 9. For more coverage of the assembly and the Icebreaker Dance that night, see page 4.
New law eliminates most student fees By Meghan Roche Staff Writer A recent class-action lawsuit filed against the State of California by the ACLU has resulted in a new state bill banning California public schools from requiring students to pay certain fees. The lawsuit, which was filed in 2010 on behalf of parents from at least thirty different California school districts, alleged that schools would unfairly charge stu-
dents and their parents for materials and programs that should be available for everyone. “This changes the way school districts do business in a dramatic way,” said South Pasadena Superintendent of Schools Joel Shapiro. According to the California state constitution, “No school official may require students to pay fees for instructional materials or to participate in extracurricular activities.”
Revamped Fair Oaks lined with struggling businesses By Madison Amido Staff Writer The major phase of the Fair Oaks Avenue Improvement Project is complete, with only minor changes still to be made. The four-month endeavor irritated many in the community who were frustrated at the prolonged traffic congestion and inconvenient driving conditions. The project also resulted in many businesses suffering during construction. Those businesses are struggling to return to normalcy after an estimated 30-40% decrease in revenue during construction. Now, as the project approaches
its end, merchants are uncertain about the future. Wally Choi, owner of Union Bakery on the corner of Fair Oaks and Monterey, feels the project has not been as beneficial as the city intended. As for the possibility of business returning as the construction comes to an end, Choi says, “Hopefully, but it looks like the economy is weakening so we’re getting a double whammy.” Choi said, “I’m almost certain that the dollar amount that was spent on the construction project is outweighed by the lost revenues by the busiSee “Fair Oaks” on Page 2
At South Pasadena High School, classes like woodshop and art are no longer allowed to require students to pay a fee for materials used in class. “It would have been typical in the past for a student to be charged for a uniform, but now that has to be optional,” said Shapiro. Fees allowed by the education code include school camp programs and field trips, which now cannot be mandatory. HowSee “State law” on Page 2
District considers selling offices By Alex Tranquada Copy Editor It has been a long time since California’s education system was anything close to well-funded. The South Pasadena Unified School District, however, has been considering a new way to deal with financial hardship: renting out, or possibly selling, the district’s offices on Mission Street. The district is currently considering proposals from the South Pasadena-San Marino YMCA, Lambert Development Inc. & Creative Housing Associates, and
Businesses on Fair Oaks Ave. have reported a loss of 30-40% in revenue during the recent reconstruction of the roadway.
Legacy Partners Residential & GMP Architects. The proposal that will ultimately be accepted by the school board must bring in long-term revenue for the district, as well as respect the historical significance of the office building and the property it rests on. Efficient use of the building is also a must. The district first put out a request for proposals (RFP) on April 15. A conference for interested firms was held in June, with nine firms attending. A committee chosen by superintendent Joel Shapiro plans to meet in the next two weeks to
discuss the proposals. If none of them meet the necessary criteria, the district will send out another RFP; otherwise, the firms whose proposals the district is willing to consider will be called in for interviews. Shapiro estimates that the process will be completed by the end of October. “We did not anticipate that just one proposal would be recommended for consideration by the board. It could be one, could be more.... we deliberately left that open. It would depend on how the committee evaluated the proposals,” said Shapiro.
Kadletz teaching Grade 10 By Clair Fuller Staff Writer
Theo Mandin-Lee
An announcement noting a change in cell phone policy has been circulating in the daily bulletin. The memo says that the administration will now roll over cell phone offenses from previous years, and an offense will now count as if all previous strikes occurred in one year, instead of allowing students to start over with a clean slate at the beginning of each school year. Ordinarily, changes to school policy require the approval of the school board. However, the new cell phone policy was not presented to the board because, according to Assistant Principal of Student Services Mr. Terrance Dunn, “This is not a change in policy, this is simply a new interpretation of a policy that was already in existence.” Therefore, said Dunn, it was not necessary to seek the school board’s approval. Students will not be given leniency in regard to cell phone
offenses. “The rule hasn’t changed. To me, if the rule doesn’t change, and you’re aware of the rule, it doesn’t carry over, and you will be disciplined,” said Dunn. Principal Janet Anderson expressed a similar view. “Maybe we have not had a clear interpretation of that [the policy],” said Anderson. “It never dawned on me that you would ever get a chance to start over... I think this is just clarifying how we interpret it. It’s a clarification, but not a change. This is what I always thought, from the days of pagers.” Anderson stressed that this is not a major change to policy. “For most things that involve students, if we were going to make major changes, we would run it by the students,” said Anderson. Dunn said that students are “welcome to come in to the office at any time and verify the number of offenses they have so far.” “The policy is still exactly the same. The only change is that students do not start over,” said Dunn.
English teacher Mrs. Kimberly Kadletz is not teaching AP English Language for the first time since she started the program at SPHS in 2004. Kadletz, who has taught at the school for nine years, has replaced her AP Lang classes with sophomore honors English, in addition to her usual freshman English classes. Mrs. Lisa Greenhouse has taken over
AP Lang classes alongside fellow teacher Ms Diane Shires. Current AP Language students are being taught by Greenhouse’s long-term substitute, Ms. Schaller, during her maternity leave. Schaller taught civics during summer school, and the duration of her stay at SPHS is currently undetermined. Teachers are frequently asked what classes they would like to teach in the upcoming year, and See “Kadletz” on Page 2
Jennifer Kim
Kadletz started the AP Language program in 2004.
News 2
Tiger - Tuesday, September 13, 2011
News
Around Campus
Physical Education teacher Ms Elinor Charlton and the sophomore class officers will begin selling sock monkeys next month as a fundraiser. The monkeys will be sold at football and basketball games—$5 for an 8” monkey, $10 for a 20” monkey, and $15 for a sock monkey hat.
Food trucks face stricter enforcement
By Remeny White Staff Writer Food trucks finding business around South Pasadena have been receiving citations since the beginning of summer for violating the city’s ordinance 19.49. This says, “No person shall park a vehicle upon any roadway for the principal purpose of selling therefrom or therein any article, service or thing.” The ordinance has existed for over 30 years and applies to any individual selling his or her wares from a parked vehicle, but the South Pasadena Police Department only began to use it for food trucks after the recent boom in the industry. Exceptions to the ordinance only apply to trucks parked adjacent to the premises of a customer, defined by South Pasadena Chief of Police Joseph Payne as the “property under control of the purchaser.”
“Many cities are struggling with the regulation of mobile food trucks. Ordinances enacted to address only food trucks may be unconstitutional,” said Payne. Although the trucks bring business into the city and are popular among many consumers, some consider the trucks a nuisance. “The food merchants don’t like them because they take away business without the overhead costs. They also create a traffic hazard with limited visibility to motorists and pedestrians and encourage unsafe roadway pedestrian crossings,” said Payne. Chick Young, owner of the Paradise Ice Cream and Cookie food truck, receives a $48 ticket most Thursdays around 4:00 PM. He finds the
Courtesy of Paradise Cookies
Food trucks bring business into the City of South Pasadena, but some people consider them a nuisance. citations unjust. “If I felt I was truly breaking the law, I would have no problem paying the fines. But I really don’t believe that I’m doing anything wrong,” said Young. Controversy has sparked over the fact that the trucks have paid to receive a valid license to operate a business in South Pasadena, yet are being fined for oper-
ating said business. “I believe that if we file an injunction against the citations, we will win,” said Young. However, Young plans to continue conducting business in South Pasadena even if the citations continue. “This community has been very good to us. My
New classes added to reduce crowding Additions include freshman English, science, and Spanish classes By Zoey DuPont Staff Writer South Pasadena High School faculty members are working together to minimize class sizes and make the learning environment of SPHS classrooms more effective. They are adding classes for certain subjects such as Spanish, English, and Biology. “By adding these sections, we will be able to meet the needs
Continued from “Kadletz” on page 1 according to Kadletz, teachers often choose to vary their classes every five years or so. “I wanted to try something different,” she said. Kadletz added that she has always wanted to teach American Literature, the focus of junior year’s non-AP classes. Mr. Smith, however, asked Kadletz to take on sophomore honors. Kadletz says that teaching her sophomore classes gives her a chance to prepare them for the rigors of AP Lang, if they take the class. She plans to give her sophomores preAP work as part of a strategy called vertical teaming. Vertical teaming involves collaboration among teachers of the same subject at different grade levels. “From level to level to level, the teachers are very aware of what these kids need to know,” says Kadletz. Mrs. Kadletz says that she has been working hard on study guides, vocabulary lists, and other course materials for her new classes, and plans to continue teaching at the tenth grade level.
of more students while also bringing down class sizes in those subjects,” said Principal Ms Janet Anderson. Enrollment sheets for two additional freshman English classes, a Life Science class, a Biology 1/2 class, and two Spanish 1 classes are up and ready to be filled by students. “We were really fortunate that Ms Wendy Budd was able to add a (biology)
class to her schedule and still maintain the part-time status she needs. Also, Ms Maria Galano was helpful in her willingness to add two Spanish classes. “The high school is still looking for an English teacher, but we have some good leads to get us started,” said Anderson. By adding two freshman English classes, the high school will now be able to fulfill the district’s agreement with the
Teachers of South Pasadena (TASP) that every freshman English class should have a 20-1 student-teacher ratio. “The downside for students will be short term, in that it may necessitate a change in schedules, but teachers will work with the students to ease the transition,” said Anderson.
Romney visits South Pasadena By Devin Mitchell News Editor Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney was in South Pasadena last Thursday to hold a fundraiser at the home of Mario and Therese Molina. Pasadena Now incorrectly reported that the fundraiser was being at the home of Matthew Jubitz, who was formerly the Los Angeles Finance Director at Romney for President, Inc. According to senior Kevyn Fox, guests paid $1,000 - $2,500 each to have lunch with the former Massachusetts governor, who was in Southern California the night before, debating other Republican candidates at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. Fox said that about 80-85 people attended the fundraiser. Romney reportedly addressed a wide range of issues, from his experience in the Republican debates to his plans to repeal the Obama health care plan and lower taxes. Romney and Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, have emerged as the top two candidates in national polls of Republican primary voters. The two candidates have positioned themselves on opposite sides of the ideological divide within the GOP.
Mario Molina
Senior Kevyn Fox met former governor Mitt Romney at a fundraiser last Thursday.
While they are both very similar in practice, Romney has positioned himself as the business-friendly, establishment candidate, while Perry has appealed to more conservative, Tea Party voters.
employees live here, and it is an ideal place for them to work. The residents of South Pas have offered us their support and seem to really like our food,” said Young. Chief Payne says that exemptions to the ordinance may be considered by the City Council, and that it is being discussed at the city staff level.
Continued from “Fair Oaks” on page 1 nesses along the construction corridor. In fact, it was actually economically destructive locally.” In similar agreement, Jennifer Ho of Ken’s Shoes addressed the efforts to bring back customers by the South Pasadena City Chamber of Commerce. “According to the South Pasadena Review, the Chamber will put more funds into marketing to promote more customers to come. But we’re just crossing our fingers,” said Ho. The project may be nearly complete, but the road to recovery for the businesses negatively affected looks to be longer than Fair Oaks, renovated though it may be.
Continued from “State law” on page 1 ever, the code also states that pupils cannot be denied the opportunity to participate because they cannot pay. Basically, anything necessary for participation in a school-sponsored program or activity cannot be legally charged for. “We’ve come to a culture here where most students will go out and buy the books anyway,” said AP Literature teacher Mr. Asher, whose department is known for long assigned reading lists. “We have ordered the books ourselves so they can be checked out, and we can’t make students annotate books anymore, but overall it’s little things that can be easily changed.” Fortunately for South Pasadena families, many parents already actively fundraise, and booster programs help raise money to keep costs low for various sports and arts programs. “This is basically what we’ve been doing all along,” said ROP Graphic Design and Animation teacher Ms. Matson-Fennell. “If a student has not been able to afford a field trip, for example, we have found ways to provide the opportunity for them to go anyway.”
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 - Tiger
News
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SAC Assembly celebrates new school year By Kelsey Hess Staff Writer
Matt Winkel
The new locker room is just one element of the new middle school construction.
A new middle school opens By Anne Kitchens Staff Writer Gleaming, shiny, polished, and innovative. These words would be the last things the minds of students who have previously attended South Pasadena Middle School. They would probably describe the local middle school campus as outdated and grungy. However, the middle school has undergone a dramatic makeover that was showcased in a grand opening event at SPMS this Saturday. The school hosted tours of the newly constructed campus and held a pancake breakfast for all those who attended. After three years and almost $20 million spent on the reconstruction, the middle school boasts state of the art facilities with amenities from hearing and visually impaired lockers to a brand new library. SPMS principal Mr. Dave Kubela has been overseeing this massive project since its inception. Kubela is both relieved and excited for the winding down of this overwhelming project. However, the construction has not fully come to a close. “We aren’t done — we still have
more things we want to do with the school like build a new music room and re-do the old gym and make improvements to the auditorium,” reported Kubela. Perhaps the most impressive features of the renovated campus are the spacious new administration building and the indoor gym, which has multiple basketball courts and volleyball courts, as well as around 300 stadium stands. Mr. Schlomo Nitzani, a notoriously sarcastic and beloved physical education teacher at the middle school, reported that he is even more excited than his students are about their brand new gym. He has been at the school for over thirty years, and stated that the facilities are nicer now than ever before. Both Vice Principal Robert Yim and Nitzani stated that the middle school gym is far superior to the high school athletic facilities, placing high expectations on their young students. Hopefully the novelty of this six-year endeavor will not fade and generations of students will be able to benefit from their up-to-date, inspiring new campus.
Lee Miyauchi debuted as Commissioner of Assemblies on Friday, hosting the annual gathering to promote the SAC card, a discount card students can purchase to get free admittance into football games, get reduced prices at school dances, and receive other rewards throughout the year. ASB created multiple videos advertising the card with the help of long-time volunteer Miranda Gontz. The senior has helped ASB with the videos they present at assemblies, serving as a teacher’s assistant in ASB, but doubling as the unofficial ASB videographer. “We were really happy with how the videos turned out. Miranda Gontz did a spectacular job,” said sophomore treasurer Julius Lam. The assembly also advertised the annual Icebreaker Dance, which took place Friday evening. The Pep squads, the Arroyo Seco Choir, ASB, and senior Avery Millard also performed in the assembly. “I thought it was fun performing on stage, and I really liked the assembly overall,” said sophomore Diana Spiegel, who performed in the Arroyo Seco Choir. The performers in the assembly had been preparing for weeks, including Pep, which has been practicing twice a week for this season’s events. “I think that this first assembly really
started off the year on a good foot. The pep squads are working hard to continue good performances, and we can’t wait for the next assembly,” said junior Ashley Meek, a member of Varsity Yell. ASB members seemed to be satisfied with the result of the SAC Assembly. “We also hope that the sock monkey sales go well,” said senior treasurer Phillip Kim, speaking about a new fundraising idea that ASB announced during the assembly. Kim believes students reacted well to the videos, and said that there would be even more in upcoming assemblies.
Rachael Garner
Commissioner Lee Miyauchi dressed as a SAC Card in his premier assembly.
visit Tiger Online at
tigernewspaper.com changing the way south pasadena get the news
Theo Mandin-Lee
Power outages disrupted sections of the City of South Pasadena last Thursday and early Friday. The power outages occurred due to equipment damage caused by extreme heat.
New cyberbullying policy addresses all social media By Kelsey Hess Staff Writer A state law banning bullying in public schools went into effect after a clause about electronic harassment was added. The law is referred to as AB746 and was written by Assemblywoman Nora Compos. According to the legislature, “The original cyber-bullying law targeted instant messages, text messages and e-mails sent to individuals. It did not apply to comments or pictures posted on social networking sites.” The expanded law now includes cyber-bullying. The law was passed and implemented July of this year, and SPHS has been warning students in the daily bulletin. According to the education code, students engaging in electronic bullying face severe consequences, including suspension and possible expulsion. According to the California Department of Education, it is at the discretion of the school administrators to conclude whether or not behavior is threatening to the integrity of the school. From there, they decide on appropriate consequences. Terrance Dunn, SPHS Assistant Prin-
cipal of Student Services, expects enforcing the law to go smoothly. “As with any other wrongdoing, we would investigate the situation. If we feel as though it would create substantial harm, we would treat it very seriously,” said Dunn. Cyberbullying includes excessive text messaging, threats, sexting, and more. For example, if a high school student sexts a student an inappropriate picture, the sender is subject to suspension and possible expulsion, not to mention being listed as a registered sex offender. Junior Alia Elboushi understands the ramifications of cyber-bullying, but sees a blurry line separating playfulness and harassment. “I feel like it’s reasonable if the person is being bullied or harassed. If its just kids harmlessly joking with each other, I don’t think it’s necessary at all,” she said. This law is an expanded section of the Interagency School Safety Demonstration Act of 1985, which states that bullying of all sorts is not tolerated in the school environment. The law was originally intended for cyberbullying within Facebook only, but was extended due to technological advances.
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News
Tiger - Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Page by Jennifer Kim
S A C Assembly
Icebreaker Dance
Photos by Rachael Garner, Jennifer Kim, Siria
Opinion
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 - Tiger
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Opinion Yeah Boi
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Our words, your stories
ravo to the tunes at Icebreaker. Music for four out of every five minutes is all we ever wanted.
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to Lee Miyauchi for calling 9/11 an “accident” during the SAC Assembly. Let’s try to keep future assemblies accident-free.
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oo
By Elizabeth Ford Rainey Editor in Chief
to Edmond Mandin-Lee for sacrificing his homework time to work on Tiger. You’re a hero to us all. ravo
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oo to the lunchtime DJs. Blasting indie music at lunch is so mainstream.
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to the renovations in the weight room. We like all of the improvements, but what is a “glute ham bench?” ravo
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oo to the cancellation of Saturday School this week. We really wanted to do our homework for a change.
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to Selena Gomez for getting a tattoo of Justin Bieber’s name. If there’s one thing in this world that lasts forever, it’s celebrity relationships. ravo
Rachel Lee
The Tiger
Open enrollment: ineffective and unrealistic Staff Editorial
Established 1913
CSPA Gold Medalist 2005 CSPA Gold Medalist 2006 CSPA Gold Medalist 2009 CSPA Gold Medalist 2010 Editor in Chief Libby Rainey Managing Editor Jennifer Kim News Devin Mitchell, Editor Opinion Carlton Lew, Editor Feature Sofi Goode, Editor Sports Jessica Moog, Editor Copy Editors Alex Tranquada and Max White Photography Edmond Mandin-Lee, Editor Kathryn Whitworth, Associate Photographers Rachael Garner, Siria Medina, Matthew Winkel Staff Writers Michael Abelev, Madison Amido, Jackson Atwater, Erin Chan, Matt DeFulgentiis, Clair Fuller, Kelsey Hess, Anne Kitchens, Marcy Kuo, Amber Laird, Natalie McLain, Christian Miyamae, Rhian Moore, Meghan Roche, Joshua Roquemore, Shyam Senthilkumar, Heather Vaughan, Remeny White, Clem Witherall Tiger Online Staff Writers Wyatt Bukowski, Zoey DuPont, Rachel Newhall, Thomas Von Bibra Illustrators Rachael Lee, Daniel Willardson Managers Alex Prescott, Ads Angela Jang, Business Webmaster Makenna Sidle Faculty Advisor Mike Hogan
Tiger is produced by the 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. Tiger is a forum for student free speech, in accordance with CA Education Code 48907. 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. All letters must be signed and verifiable, but names will be witheld upon request.
For most high schoolers choosing academic courses, one concern trumps the rest: college. This is a fact universally acknowledged by students, as demanding classes are a necessity when attempting to gain admittance into a top-tier university. AP and honors classes are ideal for students that excel in certain subjects; however, the overwhelming number of students that enroll in them without having the intellectual and disciplinary capacity to succeed is a growing problem at SPHS. This gaping problem stems from the school’s policy of open enrollment. Ideally every student should have an equal opportunity to take the classes they want to, but allowing everyone to do so can cause serious problems. Classes quickly become full, and because of the SPHS class size limit of 36 students, schedule changes become increasingly difficult. Stagnant schedules often cause fully qualified students to drop classes or take regular level courses. For example, junior Anika Renken’s conflicting schedule forced her to choose between dropping virtual business or her math class. “When it comes to important classes, it really shouldn’t be a matter of luck whether or not you get in,” said Renken. When advanced courses aren’t made up
of the most motivated and qualified students, efficiency levels and quality of work drastically drop. Some students struggle in AP courses, while others who couldn’t get in sit unchallenged with a regular-level courseload. While the most logical solution to this problem would be to add more classes to accommodate high demand, lack of funding and teachers makes this impossible. Adding prerequisites or placement tests to the signup process is one possible solution. No doubt there would be cries of unfair treatment if this solution was implemented. However, limitations on class admittance don’t cut students off from an opportunity to challenge themselves. In fact, students that want to reach their full potential in an advanced class would be encouraged to succeed both in class and on CST tests in order to guarantee admittance into the courses of their choice. Getting into an upper level course should be the first challenge to students who aren’t entirely sure whether they are ready for a college level class. If implemented tactfully, eligibility requirements and limitations on admission to courses could make a significant difference for students in South Pasadena.
High school can feel like living the same year four times in a row. SAC Assembly, Color Day, Homecoming, Thanksgiving break, winter break, finals, Winter Formal, Powderpuff, ASB elections, STAR testing, AP testing, prom, finals, graduation. Fill in personal extracurriculars and activities. Lunch every day from 11:40 to 12:20. Back to school at 8:00 the next day. Even, odd, even, odd. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. So what’s left to report? A lot, as it turns out. Zoom in on these landmarks and you find numerous intricacies and details unique to each school year. In October 2008, a drunken man was apprehended on the SPHS campus. In May 2009, a group of junior and senior boys implemented an unauthorized on-campus water balloon fight that set a precedent for the years to come. In December 2009, one of Tiger’s own, senior Aydin Salek, tragically passed away. These are the moments that define each year as entirely its own. It’s not every day presidential candidate Mitt Romney visits a home in South Pasadena. It’s not every year classrooms face severe overcrowding and cell phone policy is tightened. What stories will enrich this year? This is what Tiger strives to find and explore. And luckily for us, these stories are everywhere. So welcome to the Tiger staff of 20112012. Every day on our online publication, and with each print issue, we push to discover more, share more, and draw more of our readers into the most interesting part of South Pasadena High School and the community surrounding it: the details. These details don’t form themselves. SPHS students and faculty members and the community at large create the news; Tiger only attempts to put it into words. We will be sharing your stories daily. Our website is a constantly running, updated source for community news between our print editions. We posted over sixty articles this summer, and Tiger Online is about to break 70,000 unique hits; we expect to only keep growing throughout the year. Our print edition will attempt to delve deeper, entertain, and grow more progressive as our online presence develops. We will be working non-stop for our readers. Reporting, writing, editing, investigating, exploring. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
District should consider mandatory flu shots By Jackson Atwater Staff Writer School has started. Classes are in session, students are studying, sports seasons are gearing up, and flu season approaches. Every year, hundreds of students in the South Pasadena Unified School District come down with the flu. When this happens, they have two options: either tough it out and suffer through one to two weeks of complete misery, or stay home, make a complete recovery, and return to school. Any student who has taken the second option knows that,
while it sounds more enticing than the first, taking this option can result in complete disaster. South Pasadena High School has an absolutely merciless policy when it comes to makeup work. Students must make up all of the assignments that they missed during the time they were out of school due to sickness, in addition to doing all of the work that is assigned while they are in school. This means that students who have just recovered from sickness are struggling under a workload that is twice the usual. For students with coursework that already pushes them to their maximum capacity, this amount
of work is almost completely impossible to manage. One might argue that the administration should change its policy on makeup work, but this is a solution that is far too difficult to implement. It’s impossible to argue that missing work will not be detrimental to education-- if a student does not do his or her work, they won’t understand the concepts. A viable solution to this problem is, however, available. This year, all students were required to get a vaccination that combated whooping cough before they registered for school. The
decision to mandate a shot that combats influenza remains an option. A plan that mandates a flu shot is easy to implement, and the cost to students and their families as compared to the benefit is quite small. It is also small compared to the amount of money the district loses from average daily attendance. The district owes it to students and teachers alike to implement this plan. It’s a cost-effective, healthy, and practical solution to a problem that plagues students-and teachers-- every flu season.
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Tiger - Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Opinion
New law contradicts goal of public education By Amber Laird Staff Writer California law states that schools are no longer allowed to require, or even suggest, that students buy supplies in order to supplement their education or fund school programs. The principle is that public schools should be completely free. Students should be able to receive a quality education without paying a dime. Ideologically, that sounds excellent. Practically, not so much. This law has come at the wrong time. Funding for public education has been cut drastically in recent years, so California schools are struggling as it is. The new law forces schools and individual teachers to make critical choices. Should they wiggle around the law and suggest that, if a student wanted to en-
hance his or her learning experience, he or she might consider purchasing a certain item for personal use? Should they disregard the law altogether? Should they try to squeeze money out of the already severely limited school budget to supply students with essential items? Or should they cut students’ education short, simply not using materials that were used in the past? The impact of this law at SPHS has not gone unnoticed. The band used to suggest that each student pay a fee, or “donation,” of $230. Students who were unable to do so were not cut from the program, but this is where the bulk of its funding came from. This year, band isn’t allowed to suggest a donation at all. Students must come up with the idea on their own and, if they do, donate however much they decide to. It goes without saying that this approach brings in far less money.
In mathematics classes, teachers are faced with a dilemma. No longer can they require students to purchase a calculator, but in a math class having one is essential. Yes, public education should, in theory, be free. However, this approach has come in the midst of a budget crisis. If schools were receiving enough funding, then sure, they could be expected to supply students with all of their materials. But the fact is that this expectation, at this time, is unreasonable. Schools should be allowed to require students to have certain essential materials, and those who cannot afford to purchase them should be supplied with financial aid. That way, in a community where most families are affluent enough to buy their own materials, the school will save both crucial funds and the quality of its education.
tive light? The answer is simple; many classes, especially AP courses, have decided to overwhelm students with an excessive amount of summer work. While this is necessary in classes like APUSH and AP Bio, where the sheer volume of material is simply too much to be covered during the school year, it is overkill for most courses. It would require incredible effort to legitimately do this coursework – effort that few students will put in when they know that they can blow off a majority of the assignment’s directions and score equally as high as those who meticulously finished it all. If summer assignments were Rachel Lee shortened and streamlined, this problem would essentially be negated. A geometry student is much less likely to lose focus and start making up answers if there are half inspired – simply skim the rest of the novel. as many questions in their math packet. And who can blame them, when they think And if an English assignment only requires that the teacher will barely glance at the students to read a book or two rather than an entire list, they might be able to go in finished product? The consensus among students is depth with their analysis and gain a deeper that summer assignments are, for the most understanding of each novel. Not to menpart, unnecessarily long and tedious. And tion that the teacher might then be able to when one considers how little they seem grade the responses with some degree of to matter once the school year starts, they thoroughness. Currently, students are overwhelmed enter a realm of pointlessness that is almost by the daunting spectrum of summer ascriminal. But how did a system that was signments and, as a result, are not taking conceived with such a positive goal – to them seriously. If the workload were lessprepare students for the upcoming school ened, students would find themselves with year – come to be regarded in such a nega- more incentive to work hard on what they
Summer assignments: necessary but flawed By Max White Copy Editor It is a week before school starts and seniors across South Pas are pulling out brand-new copies of John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany in order to start their summer reading for AP Lit. Two hours later and fifty pages into the book, their eyes have glazed over and all will to continue reading has been permanently lost. So they do what any student would do: consult the Internet, enlist the help of a friend (and their already completed assignment), or – if they are feeling particularly
Costly SPMS renovation overlooks needs of fellow schools By Erin Chan Staff Writer Any person who spends time at SPHS can admit that their happiness meter drops from an adequate 7 down to 0.5 the second after setting foot in a bungalow. Characterized by the overall aura of a prison of many browns, equipped with zombie lighting and temperature extremes, bungalows are known as the bane of our school’s existence. The only reason bungalows seemed even slightly acceptable was because for the past few years it seemed like the school district wasn’t spending any more money on campus improvements. Then the middle school was renovated to resemble a modern university. The SPMS project was funded by Measure M, which was intended for the renovation
of the entire school district. It’s cated 29 million dollars for the not that the classroom renova- middle school project, a large tion of the middle school wasn’t amount of which was spent redonecessary, because the school ing the athletic facilities that are was home to some classes in des- now superior in quality to the perate need of remodeling. Their high school’s. The logic behind bungalow arsenal was much spending extensively on middle more substantial than the high school sports does not make school’s, with sense. Intramultiple rows mural sports of bungalow are pleasant, The middle school heaven where but is it really was renovated to a sports field necessary for resemble a modern used to be. our 6th graduniversity. H oweve r, e r s t o h ave that is the exstate-of-thetent to which ar t facilities the middle school renovation to play them in? The money should have extended. Bunga- spent renovating the gym, locker lows remain at both SPHS and rooms, and fields could have Monterey Hills Elementary, been spent building crucial propwhile the middle school has er classrooms for other SPUSD been redone far beyond these schools. Other less important renovations. additions like the beautiful new The school district allo- parking lot, media center, and
electronic marquee (none of which are even listed on the district description of the measure), emphasize the excessive nature of the project. Ultimately, instead of building up funds to pour generously on a single renovation, why not start by spreading funds equally to each school in the district with the same needs? Why not make bungalows what they were intended to be – transitional buildings – and benefit a greater number of students and teachers with actual classrooms? Why not use funds to make noticeable changes in multiple schools, instead of just one? A swift re-organization of priorities is needed for the school district, which should recognize that future projects should be budgeted with each school equally in mind.
Daniel Willardson
Lack of tables leaves upperclassmen standing By Christian Miyamae Staff Writer Becoming an upperclassman implies higher expectations for school both academically and socially. These expectations include the responsibility of representing the school and wielding greater authority on campus. This “greater authority” comes with many advantages, including, theoretically, a table at lunch. Although perhaps thought of as a petty tradition, the issue of tables at lunch is important to the students of SPHS. After two years of standing and sitting on the ground, many juniors look forward to the opportunity to sit at the tables as they cross the bridge from under- to upperclassmen. However, the tradition of tables going exclusively to juniors and seniors is fading as more underclassmen claim tables. Some upperclassmen have even turned to bringing their own tables to set up during lunch to save themselves from standing. The ability to solve these table disputes lies with the administration. Our school needs more lunch tables, and addition of tables requires administrative initiative. Students should not have to fight to be comfortable during lunch. And if they are going to be subject to such struggles for lunchtime spots, students should not be so strictly prohibited from moving tables that are in a poor location. “I love the underclassmen, but not enough to give them the tables. I think that we, as the upperclassmen, deserve the tables that are being taken by the underclassmen. We didn’t sit on tables our freshman and sophomore year. It’s something you earn as you progress up the high school hierarchy. Tables are like senior privilege cards, they are privileges. And we upperclassmen, having been here longer, deserve it,” said junior Ashim Shrestha. Over the past four years, the tables have become a growing problem not just because of broken traditions, but also the increase in size of the student body. Since the 2008-2009 school year, the number of students has gone up by five percent. Since 2009-2010, the freshman class size has increased by twenty percent. The increase in student population cannot be ignored by administration. Simply put, more students means higher demand for spots to eat lunch. Higher demand cannot be ignored; it must be responded to. Administration needs to acknowledge the students’ increased needs. As the size of the student body increases and students grow increasingly wary of standing at lunch, the school should provide enough lunch tables to accommodate them.
Opinion
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 - Tiger
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Facebook: How much is too much? Finding the balance between social interaction and academics on the web
photos and chatting with friends, allowing the site to aid in procrastination and lack of focus on academic assignments. Students are becoming habitual proWith over 750 million international subscribers uploading photos of their recent crastinators. High schoolers are fostering vacation or sharing random thoughts with a culture where “stalking” individuals and friends, Facebook has made a name for itself. updating their profile pictures are more imInfamous? Not quite, but definitely portant than developing lasting study habits and preparing for a crucial exam. controversial. This idea starts with procrastination, There is no doubt that the social networking site affects students’ grades in but it leads to more severe damage: academic school. This is not just a culturally shared deterioration. The language that students assumption; it has been proven through re- use on Facebook is drastically different than search. Dutch psychiatrist Paul Kirshchnera what is being taught in school. Phrases like, “If I was…” or “Imma conducted a study at Ohio beast” are frequently used State University in 2009 while communicating focusing on how the use Those who use with friends on Facebook. of Facebook results in Facebook excessively There is significant danlower grades. He and his typically obtain a GPA ger of Internet language team concluded that those integrating with proper who use Facebook exof 3.0-3.5. English. To speak well in cessively typically obtain casual conversation and a GPA of 3.0-3.5 while non-Facebook users achieve a 3.5-4.0 GPA. while online translates to formal speeches This study and common opinion agree: and essays, as does speaking poorly. Frequent the real controversy does not involve the mere Facebook usage is encouraging poor convenusage of Facebook, but the exorbitant time tions and vocabulary choice, and this will inevitably affect students’ grades and intellect. these students spend on it. It is obvious to students that education A large factor contributing to low performance in school is the substantial amount is important. But that level of importance is of distraction Facebook creates. Because not significant enough to make young people most teachers require students to type their want to reduce the time spent on Facebook work, students are already frequently using and focus more exclusively on academics. The ultimate decision to draw the computers. Instead of productively researching for academics, students often log on to fine line between excessive and proportional Facebook first to check for the latest updates usage of Facebook lies within the students’ on their page. They spend hours exploring hands. By Marcy Kuo Staff Writer
Daniel Willardson
Cynicism kills school spirit Many students treat school like fast food. They attempt to get what they need as quickly as possible and get out. They are forced to attend classes and assemblies, and forced to get good grades to get into college. This mindset of viewing school as simply a conduit for knowledge benefits no one. Yes, students attend school to learn, but just as important as learning calculus or biology is learning camaraderie and gaining social skills. High school should be socially and emotionally meaningful, not just a learning experience. Sporting events, dances, and assemblies should all be special memories gathered from our high school experience. High school is what you make it. There will always be opportunities to criticize events and people. However, if students remain optimistic and enthusiastic about school, it will be a memorable four years. Every aspect of school becomes more enjoyable when everyone is excited as opposed to critical. For the sake of our school culture, students must practice school spirit.
By Josh Roquemore Staff Writer “Too cool for school” is an unrealistic description; few students would exchange their education for a better reputation. Instead; students across campus should be described as “too cool for school spirit.” If a person has any doubts about of the existence of cynicism, they should attend a high school assembly or sporting event. An array of boos and sarcastic remarks regarding the presentation can be heard just as easily as cheers. Ideally, the audience should attempt to encourage performers with support and enthusiasm. However, many students seem to be waiting for any opportunity to criticize mistakes. This article is not trying to convey that school events should be lame, boring, or sloppy. In fact, support from peers should push performers to excel and uphold their reputation. It is the “reward vs. punishment” theory. The more positive the reaction, the better pep, athletes, or assembly commissioners will perform.
Tiger Newspaper Asks: Open enrollment at South Pasadena High School gives any student the opportunity to register for Advanced Placement classes. What are your thoughts about this policy? Michael Amerine, Grade 11
Freddy Tsao, Grade 12
I think open enrollment may be okay with classes, such as math and science which present the student with questions that may be answered by pure memorization. However, classes that require the student to link events together and find similarities and patterns, such as APUSH, should require the student to prove that he/she is capable of doing it. However, many students choose their AP classes not based on their actual skill level but merely based on the fact that it’s an AP course, or because of the wishes of their parents, who may not understand what the course entails.
The solution to all things schedulerelated would be to add more classes. But since that isn’t a feasible idea anymore due to budget cuts and the state of our economy, someone has to take the fall. While seniority should be considered, it is more important for someone who needs to take a class to have that opportunity than to have a student (senior or otherwise) who won’t commit be admitted while other students are pushed onto the waiting list. While I agree with the slew of comments supporting the “students can think for themselves” position, there needs to be a system to weed out students who won’t devote themselves to the class. The system doesn’t need to be harsh, as excessive demand for a subject would lead to an additional period being added. The teacher recommendation forms issued out prior to signing up for A.P. classes would be an acceptable way of dealing with such an issue (that is, if both teachers and counselors put thought into these forms); otherwise, eliminating those with inadequate grades on their transcripts in the subject can also be somewhat effective.
Jenny Wang, Grade 10 Open enrollment is an opportunity for all students to take initiative in their education, which has been highly encouraged by educators worldwide. Although some may beg to differ about a student’s ability to keep up in an AP course, it is ultimately the students who know themselves best, not a transcript. Whether or not they pass the course is their sole responsibility. By preventing a student from taking an AP course, the school is taking away important decision-making opportunities from its students, something students will have to do every day for the rest of their lives. Open enrollment helps emphasize good judgment and self-reflection and is a definite benefit to the students.
Julius Lam, Grade 10 Open enrollment is a beneficial addition to school policy. While it does encourage and allow more students to access and learn AP material, it also allows for the creation of general opportunities for students to challenge and improve themselves. Most importantly, the adoption of a policy
that enables students to use their own judgment to make decisions fosters, and perhaps eventually necessitates, the development of the knowledge of a student’s own abilities and limitations. Self-knowledge is an asset all people must acquire in life, and thus its promotion would surely be helpful to the balanced growth of a student’s sense of both self-confidence and self-restraint. Ryan Smith, Grade 11 I feel that the dilemma here is finding a balance between fairness and practicality. Obviously, a student who believes that he/she is capable of handling an AP course should have the right to enroll in it. But, if every naïve hopeful was allowed to join, classes would be severely overcrowded and dragged down in terms of efficiency. Perhaps students enrolling in AP courses who appear unqualified should have to enroll in a pre-AP summer school class in order to test their resolve and desire. Based on the students’ performance in summer school, the AP teacher would then be able to decide who makes the cut. Sashko Stubailo, SPHS Class of 2010 Open enrollment is, without doubt, the best policy. The student is the only person who knows what they can and cannot handle, and it is not the counselor’s nor the administration’s place to limit a student’s ability to grow and advance. Even if a particular student has done poorly in the past, maybe an AP class is the best place for them to
really show their worth. The best thing you can give a high school student is a good challenge. Henry Sue, Grade 10 Open enrollment allows a student to choose classes based on their own needs. If a student believes that they can take the class and pass, then they should be allowed to enroll in the class without restriction. Students should be aware of their own personal needs and abilities. Most Advanced Placement teachers also offer extra practice sessions to both students who need help catching up and for students who want to better understand the class’s material. I believe open enrollment is a good way to allow for students to choose their own future. Of course, before students choose higher level classes, they should be warned of the difficulty in order to allow them to make a correct decision. Jessie Yen, Grade 12 Open enrollment is undoubtedly the best policy when it comes to advanced classes. A few letters shouldn’t be able to represent whether or not a student will do well in a class. Students know their limits better than their teachers or counselors. Therefore, students should be the ones who decide which classes to take. If they are confident in their ability to succeed, then let them prove it.
8 Tiger - Tuesday, September 13, 2011 DJANGO SCHERLNERHORN
Q: How do you like the school? A: It’s amazing.
Q: How do you like the school? A: It’s pretty good. I like the lunch, it’s a lot better than at the middle school. The classes are nice, I like being able to choose.
Q: What do you want to get involved in at school? A: Soccer and track.
Q: What is your favorite class? A: Architecture. Q: If you were a breakfast food, what would you be? A: A waffle. Q: Fun fact? A: I was born in NYC, moved to LA at age four, and go to France every year for prime sailing.
Q: Do the seniors scare you? A: No, my cousin (Nancy Lai) is a senior! Q: What do you dislike about the school? A: I have to walk a lot. Q: What are you looking forward to getting involved in? A: No Cussing Club.
ELIZABETH YU Q: Hobbies? A: Gymnastics.
Q: If you were a side dish, what would you be? A: If I were a side dish I would be.... I don’t know, maybe kimchi. Could be kimchi.
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SPHS welcomes new freshmen and teachers
As the 2011-2012 school year kicks off, SPHS welcomes the usual crop of freshfaced 9th graders, as well as several new teachers, to the Tiger community. As the freshman learn their way around the school and grow accustomed to the seniors’ dominating presence on campus, new teachers struggle with roll call and take sides in the ongoing Regan-Martin battle. Tiger Newspaper gives you a glimpse into our school’s newcomers—from twins to sailors to returned alumni.
Q: If you were a breakfast food, what would you be? A: Waffles, because waffles are good. Q: Fun fact? A: I have done gymnastics since age six. I practice every day.
JESSICA MEIER
MADISON MEIER
Q: How do you like the school? A: I like it, it’s good.
Q: How do you like the school? A: It’s good. I like that it’s block schedule.
Q: If you were a breakfast food, what would you be? A: Waffles.
Q: What are your hobbies? A: Not too many; I’m kind of boring. I like to read - I do read a lot - and I like to spend time with my family and my wife.
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Q: How do you like the school? A: It’s really nice and big.
Q: Hobbies? A: I play on the soccer team with my twin, Madison.
Q: Have you made any friends among the teachers? A: I have! This group of bungalows is really all math teachers and one social studies teacher, Ms. Muntz, and we’ve all gotten along. We have our Thursday brunches; every Thursday someone brings snacks, donuts, pizza, something like that.
New kids on the block
PEARL LAI
Q: Do the seniors scare you? A: Nope.
Q: What was your first impression of the high school? A: My first thought of the school? Beautiful campus. It has great staff, great students, and I was very excited.
Q: Hobbies? A: I can sail, I like outdoor activities… hiking, climbing, that kind of stuff.
Q: If you were a breakfast food, what would you be? A: Bacon, because bacon is crispy!
MR. ANDREW MCGOUGH Mathematics
Q: Hobbies? A: Soccer— I’m on the school team. Q: Favorite class? A: English.
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Q: If you were a breakfast food, what would you be? A: Pancakes.
KHALIL ELLAMS Q: Hobbies? A: Sleeping, eating, playing football, golf, watching Adventure Time. Q: What do you dislike about the school? A: It’s crowded and the music is always played by the senior area. Q: What breakfast food would you be? A: Cornbread.
MS MARIA GALANO - Spanish
Q: What was your first impression of the high school? A: My first impression was that the buildings were very nice. Also, the students - I’ve seen that they are motivated and disciplined. Everyone on staff was very nice and gave me a warm welcome.
Q: If you could teach a different subject, what would it be? A: I would like to teach psychology, because I received my B.A. in psychology, so I have a strong knowledge in it. Q: If you were a side dish, what would you be? A: Empanadas. I’m from Argentina, so empanadas would be my side dish.
MR. GREG BUSHIN - Mathematics Q: Did you teach before you came here? Where and how long? A: I taught 7th grade math for a year in Santa Monica. Before that, I worked in a continuation school, teaching 10th through 12th grade math, and I was teaching adult school at the same time. That was cool, because I taught a lot of different math levels and had interesting experiences. Q: What are your hobbies? A: Surfing. I also like to watch movies, mostly classics, but also some modern films as well. Q: If you could teach a different subject, what would it be? A: Probably English. I actually also have a credential in English. I like Shakespeare and many contemporary novels, so I think it would be really interesting to have class discussions on those things. Q: Mr. Regan and Mr. Martin are at a fight club. Who do you bet on? A: I’m going to give the answer Mr. Regan. He sees the patterns in history of how fights go, and maybe he can use some of that knowledge in his fight.
MR. BEN KU - Science
Q: What was your first impression of the high school? A: Oh, it was beautiful. I loved the little garden out here. Also, I loved all the tiger objects in the window when you walk in the office.
Q: Did you teach before you came here? Where and how long? A: I’m actually an alumnus of South Pasadena, graduate class of ’96. I studied chemistry at UCLA afterward, spent about eight years tutoring in math and science, and I got my teaching credential at UC Irvine. This is my first full-time position.
Q: What about South Pasadena High School attracted you? A: I had gone online and looked at the school website, and the Color Day pictures were up. It seemed like there was a lot of school spirit. I also looked at the SARC scores, which shows how well the school is doing, and they were really top notch. It seemed like a very cool place to work.
Page by Jennifer Kim Pictures by Rachael Garner and Jennifer Kim Text by Clair Fuller and Rhian Moore
Q: What about South Pasadena High School attracted you? A: Even though I have to travel many miles a day to come here, I really like the community; that was one of my first attractions.
MS WENDY BUDD - Science
Q: Have you made any friends among the teachers? A: Of course! Ms. Athalye is awesome. She’s been helping me out. The whole science department is great.
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JORDAN JACKMAN
Q: Hobbies? A: Sleep, watch TV, play soccer.
Q: Do the seniors scare you? A: A little bit.
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011 - Tiger
Q: What was your first impression of the high school? A: My first impression was that it has changed since I’ve been here. I felt like it was good to be home, but that it was new at the same time. Everyone was really helpful and it was a smooth transition. Q: If you could teach a different subject, what would it be? A: I have a credential in math, so I can teach up to calculus. Actually, if you’re in AP Chemistry, and you go to Chemmybear, there’s a link that says ‘Everything You Need to Know for the AP Chem Test But Do Not Know Yet’. That was my AP Chemistry project in 1994.
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Feature Tiger - Tuesday, September 13, 2010
Feature
Culture Music Art Books Movies Fashion
JaminVlogs reaches 100 days By Rhian Moore Staff Writer
Theo Mandin Lee
Drumline performs with SPHS Tiger Marching Band at an SPHS football game after playing at a Nike press event.
SPHS drumline performs with Nike By Clem Witherall Staff Writer Fourteen current and former South Pasadena drumline members performed at Nike’s anticipated “Gear Up or Shut Up” event in Hollywood on August 27. Nike put on the show to unveil a new line of high school football uniforms. The drumline opened the event at Hollywood’s Ricardo Montalban Theatre and performed multiple times throughout the evening. “We got to play the intro, the actual announcement of the new uniforms, and we played with the cheerleaders from the other high schools in a remix of LMFAO’s ‘Party Rock Anthem,’” explained band member HeeJin Yim. South Pasadena’s drumline was the only squad invited to participate in the event. SPHS played for Nike last
year, which prompted the invitation to last Saturday’s event. Eight current members and six alumni drummed during the two-hour show. The evening was capped when the captains of multiple high school teams entered the building modeling Nike’s new uniforms. The squad was given free Nike T-shirts and shoes for their performance. Drummer Andrew Wong has enjoyed the opportunities drumline has provided. “These events aren’t the reason why I joined but they make drumline that much more fun,” said Wong. The squad members were excited by the opportunity to be part of the sportswear company’s festivities. “The highlight of the experience was probably being able to perform in front of a different crowd,” said Christina Yang. “We usually play for school
assemblies and some local stores in South Pasadena. It was cool to be able to perform for a much larger company.” Cymbal player Matt Chan appreciated the crowd at the event. “The highlight was the chance to play for Nike and the hot cheerleaders that were performing there,” said Chan.
“I like sharing my life with others who don’t necessarily have to respond to what I say. It’s like a reality show, but I get to control it,” says Ben Hillman on his motivation to create videos on YouTube. The SPHS senior recently reached his goal of uploading one video a day for one hundred days on his YouTube channel, JaminVlogs. His new aim is to continue vlogging every day for a year. Hillman began making videos with his friends in 2007, in a group called AwesomePictures. His friends introduced him to daily vloggers on YouTube, and this inspired him to begin producing personal videos this year. Although there aren’t many special effects in his videos, the process is still a lengthy one. Hillman starts off his day by recording a greeting. When other people create introductions for his video, he includes something to lead in to the introduction in his greeting. Throughout the day, he starts recording whenever he has something funny to say or an interesting event to talk about. He edits in the evening and posts the video the day after. Hillman also attended this year’s VidCon, a convention for videomakers. His stream of VidCon videos was his favorite series to make. “It was a surreal experience to see these people who didn’t know who I was, but I had a pretty good understanding of who they were,” said Hillman. See “JaminVlogs” on pg. 12
Rachael Garner
Hillman uses his Flip camera to vlog from his signature spot.
Personality Profile: Montane Silverman By Max White Staff Writer Montane Silverman may not look the part, but he is the golden boy of charity work. While his muscular frame may be more reminiscent of a football player than a humanitarian, Montane is far from the typical high school jock; his community service log fills more pages than a typical AP Literature essay. The South Pas senior aspires to work as an M.D. in an emergency room – a goal that is evident in his most recent philanthropic endeavor. This past summer he spent five weeks as a volunteer at a free clinic in Cusco, Peru. He performed basic medical services, like giving shots and taking blood, for residents too poor to afford conventional healthcare. Montane even helped out with some minor surgeries: he had to remove a woman’s infected toenail without anesthetic. “Before the operation, she couldn’t even take a step normally,” said Silverman. “The surgery was a really tough thing to do, especially since she didn’t have much painkiller, but it was worth it to see her walk out of the clinic.” Some of his most memorable experi-
ences, however, are from outside the city of president of his temple youth group and Cusco. Montane took a day trip to the ruins the co-president of South Pasadena High of Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan site that School’s Red Cross Club. He holds monthly looms eight thousand feet above sea level. He events with his youth group, and will help also traveled periodically into the Peruvian to organize the high school’s Thanksgiving canned food drive this November. countryside to treat rural patients. Silverman knows more about the medMontane’s previous experience working in the forests of Northern California and ical field than he learned as a first responder Oregon might have prepared him for this more rugged variety of house call. Before his junior year, Montane gave up half his summer to build and repair trails in the Pacific Northwest. Once a week, his group would pack up camp and hike to the next campsite. They would work on clearing brush from the recreational trails in their new location for five days, and then move on again. While most would find this exhausting labor a grueling punishment, Montane enjoyed the experience. Most of his extracurricular activities affect areas closer to home. Montane is a member of a Los Angeles County Fire Explorer Post. Through the program, he participates in ride-alongs with fire trucks on actual emergency calls. The shifts range from 12 to 24 hours long and are physically and emotionally taxing. Silverman stands in the shell of a building A natural leader, Montane is the
on the scene of car crashes and heart attacks. He took sports medicine at school as a sophomore, and shadowed an ER doctor on the night shift. “I love medicine, and it is really rewarding to help people who really need it,” said Silverman. “That is why I want to be a doctor so badly.”
Matt Winkel
as part of the Fire Explorer Post.
Feature
Tiger - Tuesday, September 13, 2011
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Masses gathered at the Los Angeles Historic State Park on Labor Day Weekend for the F*** Yeah Fest, an annual music festival frequented by local hipsters, LACHSA students, and a few brave SPHSers each year. Hosted on a scorching Saturday from 12 P.M. to 12 A.M., the event showcased nearly forty bands at multiple outdoor venues. Below are reviews of some of the highlights of the all-day music fest from SPHS seniors. Aritra Bhattacharya
Aritra Bhattacharya
BAND REVIEWS
Touché Amoré: With high energy and an
almost fanatical crowd, Touché Amoré tore up the stage for arguably the most rowdy 30 minutes of FYF. Not quite screamo, and not quite hardcore, they provided the perfect environment for a constant flow of crowd surfers (including Touché’s very own vocalist Jeremy Bolm). To sum it up in one word: intense.
Fool’s Gold: The gorgeous tropical
Afropop rhythm of Fool’s Gold was a perfect start to a day at FYF. The group is an enigma: almost Latin-y beats, clearly African based melodies, Hebrew vocals and a even a saxophone in some songs. Fool’s Gold is definitely moving to the top of my list.
Joyce Alexander, Senior
Lilian Coie, Senior
Girls: Girls was wonderful. To the surprise of most, Girls’ 6 song
No Age: L.A.’s own punk duo No Age
began their 6 P.M. set with a slight hiccup as guitarist Randy broke a string on the first song. This wasn’t enough to stop them, however, as they ripped into a spirited rendition of “Teen Creeps” and burned through the rest of their 35 minute set, leaving the crowd bruised, dirtied, and smiling.
Eren Cameron, Senior
Four Tet: With enough bass to blow an army away, electronic producer
Four Tet began his DJ set, which lasted approximately 40 minutes. Every song meshed into the next and every single member of the crowd nodded their heads to the hypnotizing beats. Unlike most producers, Four Tet recreated his tracks almost from scratch. Watching him live was truly an unforgettable experience.
Aritra Bhattacharya, Senior
“FYF is Los Angeles at its best.”- Sophomore Charlotte Foley
set, (with one encore song) consisted of mainly to-be hit tracks off their upcoming album, “Father, Sun, and Holy Ghost,” although the crowd did get to sing along to a couple old favorites including, “Lust for Life” and “Heartbreaker.” Although they may not have been the loudest or most energetic band on the ballot for FYF, Girls’ playfulness and interaction with their audience made for a truly memorable show.
Michael Christian Allen, Senior
“My favorite part of FYF was the free water.”- Freshman Sam Benzoni
Fall fashion inspired by retro
www.chictopia.com
By Erin Chan Staff Writer
EOVER heard
Iz, Short for Izz
By Amber Laird
As autumn approaches, fashion is transitioning back to the retro favorites for their sheer comfort, classic flair, and undeniable versatility. The prolonged days of California summer will boost the popularity of Ray Ban-inspired wayfarer and aviator sunglasses. Warmer weather is bringing back the hippie-chic era of the 60’s. Bohemian maxi dresses, denim cutoffs, floral patterns, flowy tops, and intricate sandals direct the trends of feminine wear. Casual wear borrows more from the 70’s, including corduroy in earthy mustard and rust. The 50’s high-waisted trend returns in wardrobe staples such as shorts, pants and skirts, worn with another 50’s classic: the crop top. For colder days, edgier retro styles are making a comeback. At the forefront of these returning trends is military surplus; durable army green is becoming a go-to color for fall. The camo colors are worn with Doc Martens from the 80’s grunge phase. Classic combat boots in general are inspiring similar lace-up trends. Chronically under-appreciated animal prints also make an appearance
in subtle, dark shades. Traditional vintage styles dominate jacket choices; fitted versions of denim and leather classics can be everyday pieces, providing just enough warmth to get by. Oversized pocket cardigans in solid and striped designs make ideal, hassle-free throw-on pieces. Retro glitter and sparkle are providing inspiration for accessory style, influencing scarf, hair, and shoe trends. 20’s flapper-inspired feathers are finding their way into jewelry and hair extensions. Even the long-sock trends of the 80’s are returning, worn over classic nylons and scrunched with other socks. A modern, layered look effortlessly ties together any of these looks and is ideal for changing weather. The key to bringing back retro fashion is to do so subtly and to blend vintage inspiration with up-to-date refinement.
12 Tiger - Tuesday, September 13, 2011 Taylor Swift wows on concert tour
Feature
Personality Profile By Harry Yadav Senior Staff Writer
By Anne Kitchens Staff Writer It should come as no surprise to anyone even remotely connected to the media that Taylor Swift’s “Speak Now” world tour has been a huge success. It also shouldn’t come as a surprise that she managed to sell out a total of four consecutive shows at the Los Angeles Staples Center. Women and children ranging from toddlers to senior citizens were bustling frantically around the venue on opening night, trying to find their seats before the show began and waiting in tremendously long lines hoping to obtain any and all Swift paraphernalia they could get their hands on, all the while fixing their ironcurled hair and stomping around in absurd cowboy boots. After a less-than-impressive opening act, Taylor Swift emerged from underground like a phoenix being reborn. Swift was wearing an extravagant dress covered in glitter and shiny objects, and immediately dove into her headlining song, “Sparks Fly”. Once finished, she took about two full minutes to fully “soak in” the crowd’s overwhelming, high-pitched screams and finally skipped off to continue playing her set. After rolling out the piano and having fake snow fall for her slower, more sentimental song, “Back to December,” Swift promptly jumped up and made her way through the crowd. Once she had made her way over to her makeshift stage, Swift whipped out classics from songwriters that emerged in Los Angeles. Among the songs performed were “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys, and “Sweet Escape” by Gwen Stefani. Swift then proceeded to address the crowd and revealed, “I fall under the category of ‘hopeless romantics’ and I’m sure you do too, or you wouldn’t be here.” This is one of Swift’s hallmark qualities: she knows how to connect with her audience. She then admitted that although writing songs started out as an after school activity, it has morphed into something she has considered absolutely necessary to obtain her mental health and stay sane. The real crowd-pleaser occurred during the encore. There was a looming balcony hanging from the ceiling; Swift was slowly lifted throughout the venue just above crazed fans’ heads, completing the interactive concert experience and successfully engaging the crowd. Though Swift’s concerts leave some wondering if her awe-stricken attitude is feigned, others don’t doubt that her innocent, goodhearted outlook is not just a façade.
www.ticketsallconcerts.com
Typical
Evelyn Ashleigh
Katie Witworth
Evelyn Ashleigh poses with her sewing machine, ready to stitch a new fashion design.
Most people probably know senior Evelyn Ashleigh as the girl who never stops smiling. In fact, there aren’t many people who possess even a fraction of her energy. That’s why many may be surprised to learn that Evelyn spent a large part of her senior summer sitting at her house sewing. “I have a secret passion for designing clothes, and this past summer it kind of became an obsession,” revealed Ashleigh. The process of designing goes something like this: she begins with an idea for a design and makes a sketch of her vision. Then she picks and chooses from different fabrics until she finds the perfect fit. When she has collected all of the materials she needs, Ashleigh is ready to stitch the fabrics together. While this may seem like a tedious process to some, Evelyn cherishes
http://thefilmstage.com/
Paul Rudman stars as Ned in a heartwarming new comedy.
My Idiot Brother is true comedy 4/5
By Kelsey Hess Staff Writer “I won most cooperative inmate - four months running!” says a scrappy Paul Rudd as Ned in the newest feel-good film, My Idiot Brother. With a charismatic grin and tattered cargo shorts, Ned, the happy-go-lucky realist, returns to normal civilian life after a stint in jail for selling marijuana to a uniformed cop. The misguided character returns to his home only to be dumped by his feisty long-time girlfriend. As if heartbreak isn’t enough, his dog and best friend, Willie Nelson (yes, after the decrepit country star), is lost to his ex-girlfriend in their unofficial custody battle, and he is now homeless. The film follows his journey after surviving these tragedies, living off of his three sisters. Emily Mortimer plays his first sister, the naïve Liz. She is oblivious to her cheating husband,
By Daniel Willardson
played by a slimy Steve Coogan. The middle sister is Miranda (Elizabeth Banks), an aspiring writer who would manipulate and cheat her way into any column one story. Zooey Deschanel plays the last sister, Natalie. She is a sexually confused lesbian and a failing stand-up comedian. Throughout the movie, Ned changes the lives of his sisters, and the audience learns a bit about the benefits of good intentions and faith in one’s family. After walking in with low expectations, My Idiot Brother was a breath of fresh air with an honest sense of humor and a heart-warming story. Paul Rudd showed a whole new dimension of depth, posing as an oblivious man with a keen sense of right and wrong. “I think if you give people the benefit of the doubt, they’re going to want to live up to your expectations,” said Rudd’s character in the film. The actors were inspiring and the story was solid, making it undoubtedly one of the best movies of the season.
every part of it. Eventually, she hopes to transform this passion into a job as a Roxy designer. Though she enjoys sitting at home and sewing, Evelyn is outdoorsy at heart. She swims for SPHS and loves to surf in her free time. “You can tell that I spend a lot of time in the water because my hair wasn’t blonde when I moved to California,” said Ashleigh, who moved from Pennsylvania when she was in 7th grade. Perhaps her most impressive attribute is her ability to recite entire raps a cappella. When asked who her favorite rapper is, Evelyn responded, “Biggie Smalls is so good; he’s definitely up there.” One thing’s for sure: everybody who knows Evelyn surely agrees with senior Telanto Harvey’s succinct statement, “Evelyn’s so positive she brightens everyone’s day.”
Continued from page 10 Hillman compares producing personal videos to a reality show that he is able to control. “I just like sharing with people. There’s some sort of fascination,” Hillman said. BennyHillmanTV is Hillman’s main YouTube channel. While JaminVlogs are daily and personal, videos on BennyHillmanTV are more formal, with written scripts and purpose. Inspiration is the most difficult part of making videos for Hillman. He often starts with an idea and realizes that he no longer wants to pursue it. “It’s really hard to find that drive to create something. What I’ve learned is that there are original takes on previously done ideas.” Hillman plans to go to film school, and continue making YouTube videos. “I was originally just curious, but now, I’ve started to realize the media and business aspects of YouTube. Making videos is an interesting and fun career choice.”
Night Shades is predictable 4/5
By Heather Vaughan Staff Writer Complete with throbbing beats, metallic vocals, and catchy verses, Cobra Starship’s fourth album, Night Shades, embodies everything that an electronic pop album should, living up to the expectations the group has held since its conception. Following their successful album Hot Mess, Night Shades provides a generically upbeat sound without attempts to push their boundaries. The album’s most successful single, “You Make Me Feel,” which quickly scaled to iTunes’ top ten downloaded songs after the album’s August 29th release, is one of Night Shades’ multiple club-bound anthems. The tune exemplifies Cobra Starship’s nonchalant party attitude with an energizing rhythm. “Fool Like Me” provides a comical intervention with witty lyrics and a sweet prechorus. “Disaster Boy” takes an interesting turn, featuring vocals by Victoria Asher. “You Belong to Me” and “Anything for Love,” two of the album’s tamer tracks, muse the sorrows of lost love. Night Shades is worth a listen for fans and new listeners Cobra Starship alike.
9/11 Remembered
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 - Tiger
13
September 11, ten years later: 2,819 perished on the fateful day of September 11 ten years ago. The tragedy defined the nation SPHS students grew up in, and redefined the America the SPHS teachers and community knew forever. Featured are five members of the South Pasadena High School community with statements on their thoughts on 9/11. These students and teachers are only a representation of the numerous ways the tragedy ten years ago affected individuals all over the United States and the world.
Remembering 9/11/01 in South Pasadena
“I remember coming home and seeing my parents crying in front of the TV. We weren’t very religious but I remember saying a prayer for the families.” -Chloe Acebo, Senior “Well, my dad is in the navy... That day he was called to training down in San Diego... Two months later he left for two years in Afghanistan.” - Paulina Darret, Sophomore
What was scariest and most upsetting to me was knowing that along with all of the lives lost that one day, there would be many, many more deaths in the retaliation that would follow. - Ms Maryann Nielsen “My wife and I went to New York to celebrate our wedding anniversary. It was a surreal experience to see Ground Zero up close. Walls throughout the city were blanketed with pictures, notes and memorials of missing loved ones. It was a devastated city, but a strong city.” - Mr. Sean Regan, Teacher
“I still keep the victims in my prayers.” – Christian Cotaya, Freshman
1984 SPHS alumna Sue Kim Hanson and her husband and two 1/2 year-old daughter were passengers on Flight 175, which was the second plane to crash into the World Trade Center on 9/11. Sue was an active member of the South Pasadena community; she was ads manager on Copa de Oro and junior class secretary among other distinctions. She was honored by the City of South Pasadena during a memorial ceremony on Sunday, 9/11 at City Hall. A bronze plaque bearing the Korean symbol of life will be installed at the high school in her memory. Page by Theo Mandin-Lee, Quotes compiled by Marcy Kuo, Natalie McLain, Harry Yadav, Photos by Katie Whitworth and Siria Medina Text by Libby Rainey
14 Tiger - Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Sports
Cross Country shows promise By Clem Witherall Staff Writer Expectations are high for South Pasadena’s varsity cross country squads as the league season quickly approaches. Coaches and team members believe they will surpass their accomplishments from last year, not an easy task after the team won league in every division and both varsity girls and boys gained CIF Finals berths. “There is a desire to repeat with this squad,” said head coach Patrick McGrail. “It would be nice for both boys and girls to qualify for CIF, and hopefully State.” It isn’t very far out of reach for the ambitious team to qualify for the state championships, as both the varsity girls and boys are currently ranked in the top ten of the CIF Southern Section. “It feels great to be in with the top ten teams of Division 3. All the hard work from this summer will definitely pay off in our accomplishments this season,” said sophomore Tyler Gershman. The team tested their abilities in a time trial on September 8 after over three months of grueling summer training. Senior Alex Tranquada, junior Paul Messana, and defending frosh-soph league champion Josh Wilson all finished together with an impressive time of 15:59. They were followed closely by senior Max White, who clocked in at 16:19. The girls team was led by sophomore Helena Van Loan, 18:43, and senior Kaylee Anderson, 20:26. Junior Anika Renken, who was just a few seconds off from breaking the girls cross country school record last season, was out with an injury. The Tigers will compete in the Woodbridge Invitational on September 16-17, followed shortly after by their first league meet at Lacy Park on September 22.
Katie Whitworth
Senior Martin Lis looks to pass in the preseason opener against Santa Monica High. The team’s next game will be on 9/13.
Varsity boys water polo flounders early By Heather Vaughan Staff Writer Despite their 0-2 season record, the South Pasadena boys water polo team is staying optimistic, believing that they can improve and capture a league title this year after finishing second in league last year. The team fell short to Santa Monica High School on Thursday, September 1, in a grippingly close game that ended 8-6. Having just finished their ten-day-long hell week, this was the boys’ first game of the new season, and, according to coach Robert Echeverria, it was an indicator as to what the team’s greatest strengths and weaknesses will be during the season.
“This is a new era, and a brand new team,” said Echeverria. “What I saw today was guys getting comfortable with each other. Overall I was not disappointed, I was able to see what we need to fix. We had really strong defense, but these guys need to learn to trust each other.” Sophomore Adrian Suarez, who is entering his second year on varsity, assisted in numerous goals and plays during the Santa Monica game. “Although we had a disappointing first game, we are going to train harder to get ready for our upcoming games,” said Suarez. The Tigers were also missing one of their key players, senior
Martin Lis, who was not able to attend the game. Said Echeverria, “Martin does make a difference, and with only nine players, we weren’t playing at the level that I know we can play at.” The Tigers’ second game, against Polytechnic High School, also ended in a loss, with the final score of 16-3. Even with the return of Lis, the Tigers were not able to overcome the Panthers. “Our guys played their hardest against a strong team, and we’re going to keep up our efforts to be the best that we can this season,” said Echeverria.
Girls Tennis By Christian Miyamae Staff Writer In their first four preseason games, girls tennis has posted an even 2-2 record. In their most recent match-up last Thursday, the Tigers defeated Alhambra 13- 5. Senior Tiffany Ten was a standout, beating Alhambra’s number one with ease. Also impressive was sophomore Jordan Cruz, who won two out of three games in her varsity singles debut. “We continue to improve,” Coach Asher said. “We’ve got a good group of girls. But they need to play more aggressively. They are a little passive. They need to go out of their comfort zone or else they won’t make anything happen. Take initiative.” Preceding the Alhambra game, South Pasadena obtained its first victory on Tuesday, September 6, against La Salle. La Salle proved to be no match for South Pasadena, who out-played their opponents in a 14-4 win.
The victories followed on the heels of a 4-14 loss in the Tigers’ second game against San Gabriel. The disappointing score did not convey the Tigers’ actual effort. “It was very close. We just need to get some of the 4-6 losses to turn in our favor,” said Coach Asher of the defeat. With the regular season approaching, the girls will prepare themselves with a game today against Schurr. Next, they will look to improve their preseason record against Pasadena Poly. Their Jennifer Kim first official league game is against Monrovia Sophomore Karinna Loo stays calm and keeps her eye on the ball on the 29th. With five seniors carrying CIF experience under “We lost a lot of seniors last year, but our team has a lot of potential and we are hoping for a great season,” their belts and a slew of impressive underclassmen, the girls have a balance of depth and experience that could said sophomore Karinna Loo. make for an exciting season. The girls will prepare to compete for CIF.
The SPHS athletics coaching carousel
A Tiger sports analysis: programs come under scrutiny as another head coach By Madison Amido Staff Writer It can be difficult to maintain head coaches for long periods of time, as seen countless times at SPHS. Coaches come and go for numerous reasons, often negatively impacting the teams they leave in the process. This trend is especially prevalent in the girls volleyball program. The team has had ten changes in coaching staff in the past twenty years, two over this summer alone. Inconsistency in coaching can damage players’ efforts to continue developing season after season. This becomes an issue when players’ focus shifts from athletic goals to the uncertainty of who may become the next head coach. Athletes’ chief concern should be
skill development and competition, not who may be coaching them from year to year. Junior Ella Hardy has experienced four head coaching changes in her three years of volleyball at SPHS. Said Hardy, “Once we’ve become comfortable with a coach, he or she knows our strengths and weaknesses. It’s difficult to continuously try out for someone we’ve never met before.” Athletic Director Ralph Punaro understands the lasting effect on teams. Said Punaro, “You obviously need a coach to be here for several years to keep the continuity. Any time you get a new coach, it’s like going to back to square one.” Former boys volleyball coach Todd Terzian said of the girls who experienced multiple changes in coaching, “They
couldn’t make any consistent skill progress, get a feel for the program, or work their way up in a position. For those who feel that changing the coach is the way to go, the evidence proves otherwise.” This coaching inconsistency extends farther than just girls volleyball, but most recently has also been seen in boys basketball and boys football. Principal Ms Janet Anderson said, “It just so happens that this year we did have a lot of changes, more than we usually have at one time. Almost all of our coaches are walk-ons, and so when you have that situation it certainly lends itself to more instability.” Coaching changes can wreak havoc on the stability of a successful program. Coaches that stay to watch a program build, willingly put in extra hours, and
take pride in coaching Tigers, are precious. With one glance at stable programs such as cross-country and aquatics, it’s evident that steadiness in coaches is priceless. To the girls volleyball team’s credit, new head coach Ben Diaz has, with less than a month’s worth of coaching under his belt, seen the team to a 2-0 record for the preseason. Hopefully Diaz can stick with the program and help it grow. Players, parents, and fans alike are hopeful that these endings to coaching eras mean new and improved directions for programs, and perhaps these coaches will be able to lead teams to the elusive next CIF title for the Tigers. After all, the key to the coaching carousel is not who steps off, but who gets on, and stays on, for the benefit of our sports programs.
Sports
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 - Tiger
Girls golf tees up for league
TIFFANY TEN Senior co-captain Tiffany Ten plays with an intense focus, powerful serves and smashing overheads. Her athletic prowess combined with valuable varsity tennis experience makes Ten a dominant force on the court. Ten’s passion for tennis developed at the early age of five and has been influenced by her father, Mike Ten. Experienced in both doubles and singles, Ten recalls a match in freshman year with then-sophomore Elaine Horng as a defining point in her early high school career. “I realized how passionate I was for tennis when I was a freshman after my double’s partner, Elaine, and I beat San Marino’s number one double’s team 8-2,” said Ten. Jennifer Kim Her past success can be accredited to Ten stands ready to return a serve. her mental fortitude. Prior to a match, Ten
SEAN MAGILL As senior Sean Magill enters the room, you’re surprised he fit through the doorframe. The 6’2”, 210-pound fullback and linebacker is a towering force in the classroom, on the sidewalk, and especially on the field. Athleticism is in his genes. Sean’s father, Peter, currently competes as a Masters athlete and is the fastest man in the world for his age. Sean’s mother Jean was also very athletic in high school. “[She’s] where I get a lot of my competitiveness from,” said Magill. The violent aspect of football is what most attracts Sean to the sport and is an element
listens to songs to help her calm her nerves. “Actually, I usually think of a song before a match. The song replays in my head during the match, it sort of helps me keep a rhythm,” she says. Although Ten doesn’t see herself continuing to play tennis at the collegiate level, she will always value the friendships she has formed within the team. “We would always help each other out with tennis, school, or sometimes even personal things. It taught me how to work well with others,” said Ten. Ten appreciates the dedication of her teammates, adding that they have greatly improved over the course of summer training. Tennis season has begun, and the countdown to CIF begins with Ten. ~ Madison Amido
of the game that he shall forever love. “I think the mentality’s just the fight-or-flight mentality, like, it’s like you’re in a fight, and if you don’t hit someone back, you’re gonna get clocked yourself. Which is very adrenaline-filled. But at the same time you also have to control your emotions or you end up always getting hit,” he said. His plans for college are still up in the air, since he hasn’t received a lot of attention from recruiters, but Magill hopes that a successful senior year will open many doors. For now, all that matters to Sean is putting everything he has to give into the game of football and achieving nothing less than victory for his school, his team, and his brothers. ~Michael Abelev For more of this article and a video interview with Sean, visit Tiger Online.
15
Theo Mandin-Lee
Magill at his home away from home.
By Harry Yadav Senior Staff Writer The 2011 season is bound to be bittersweet for the South Pasadena girls golf program, as they say goodbye to the five girls who established the program as freshmen. The Tigers return this season as last year’s Mountain View league champions with high yet realistic aspirations. “Our goal is to go undefeated in league for the second consecutive year and send seven girls to CIF,” said senior co-captain Victoria Carlos. But so far in the preseason the Tigers have looked only mediocre. The team began in solid fashion by defeating Burbank at Debell Golf Course by a score of 231 to 249, led by senior co-captain Melody Sue’s 39 and Carlos’s 40. Their fortunes took a turn for the worse as they suffered two consecutive losses to the La Cañada Spartans. The first loss was a heartbreaker as the Tigers lost a 219-217 decision on their home course, despite a strong 38 from Sue. Their second match was not so close as they fell 242-224. The Tigers bounced back and closed out the preseason with a 209 to 239 victory over Burbank, which featured a standout performance from freshman Katie Rosenberg, who shot a one-under 35. “We’re especially excited about having Katie Rosenberg. She’s our secret weapon. Our program is so thankful that she’ll be leading next year’s squad,” said Carlos. “We are looking strong this year with five returning seniors. We’ll be ready for league,” added senior Samantha Ramos. The Tigers season began yesterday but the results came in after press time.
JV water polo snags third in tournament By Heather Vaughan Staff Writer The SPHS JV boys water polo team has started off the 2011 season on a strong note, with a 2-0 record and a third-place finish in a pre-league tournament this past week. Faring better than their varsity counterparts, the JV team managed wins against Santa Monica and Polytechnic in the first two games of the season. “They have been able to see what works and just kept doing it,” said coach Robert Echeverria. “Their wins have been because of their teamwork and their defense.” Also coaching the JV team this year are SPHS alumni Dominique Tache and Sean Grab. The annual JV tournament that South Pas recently participated in proved to be both a challenge and a learning experience for the team. Hosted at San Marino High School, this tournament assembled twelve local JV teams in a series of matches that spanned three days. The Tigers had no trouble claiming two consecutive victories over Burbank and Mark Keppel High School. Sophomore Alex Zoueihed helped bring the team a win, scoring five of the latter game’s thirteen goals. Fellow sophomore Derrick Kwok also played exemplary defense, managing an impressive six steals throughout the course of the Mark Keppel game. On the second day of the tournament, the Tigers faced El Segundo High School. They suffered their first defeat of the season in a close match that ended 3-5. This put the Tigers in line to play their final match against San Marino, whom they effortlessly overcame for an 11-4 victory and a third-place finish. “I was impressed with their performance at the tournament and what I saw was a lot of potential for the season. I can tell that they don’t want to lose,” said Echeverria.
Rachael Garner
New equipment for the SPHS weight room, including ten combo benches, arrived last Saturday.
Weight room renovations revealed
By Shyam Senthilkumar Staff Writer South Pasadena High School’s weight room is reaching the final stages of its renovation after many athletes stressed the necessity of a new facility. Football coach Martin Konrad was the first to bring up the issue of the outdated weight room. Coach Konrad himself developed the design for the new room. The plan was presented to the South Pasadena Booster Club, who agreed to work on the renovations. Members of the Booster Club agreed on a fundraising plan with the Fresco Community Market. Robert Chavez, the assistant store manager of Fresco, stated that 2% of the store’s profit will go directly towards renovating South Pasadena High School’s weight room. It’s been many years since the weight room was last refurbished. When asked, Athletic Director Ralph Punaro said, “I don’t even remember when we last had any major work done to the room. It was built the same time we made
the practice gym, so it’s been a really long time.” The room did have minor work done, including reupholstering as well as applying new cables to the electrical work, but even that was done eight years ago. The room is not complete, but the first load of equipment arrived this past Saturday. The entire football team met at the school to unload the equipment off the delivery trucks and set it up. The room includes four new Double Sided Safety racks, ten Combo Benches, four 8’ x 6’ Olympic Platforms, and five Bumper Dish Racks. The plan also includes four new Glut Ham Benches as well as a new set of dumbbells, but these additions have not arrived yet. Despite the room’s unfinished state, it is now open to SPHS athletes. Most of the football team gave their approval to the new facility. Junior Brent Valdez commented, “It’s great, it’s a huge improvement, but it still needs a lot of work. Hopefully when the next set of equipment comes in, it’ll be even better.”
16 Tiger - Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Sports
Sports
Upcoming games:
Today - Varsity boys water polo vs. La Serna at home 9/15 - Varsity Football Vs. Hoover at home 9/16 - Varsity Cross Country at Woodbridge invitational
[inside]
Matt Winkel
page 14
The coaching carousel of girls volleyball.
page 15
Rachael Garner
Get a look at SPHS’s new weight room.
Theo Mandin-Lee
Senior Yihai Han, #7, rushes the ball against opponent San Gabriel in the Tigers’ first home game on Friday night.
Football struggles against SG
Despite new coaches and uniforms, the Tigers feel the pressure in home opener By Michael Abelev Staff Writer After an off-season full of new additions and ambitions, South Pasadena High School’s varsity football team walked onto Roosevelt Field on September 9 for the season opener, ready to show their stripes. Yet, after failing to convert on downs and allowing San Gabriel big plays on third, they fell short of expectations. The game ended 10-27 with the Tigers losing to San Gabriel High School. The Tigers began the game with promise, receiving the opening kickoff and showing off the new wing-T offense.
With sophomore quarterback Joey Harmon getting his snaps, the Tigers concentrated on their running game because of their ample number of running backs. Senior running back Yihai Han received the majority of touches in the first half, rotating with junior Nathan Lee. Han collected a total of 64 yards on seven carries and pulled off several good plays that kept the chains moving The Matadors were able to lock down senior fullback Sean Magill early in the game. Later in the game, Magill was able to find running room and plowed through the defense for good yardage. He finished
the night with 104 yards on 12 carries but only one touchdown to his credit. Seemingly nervous about testing their young talent, the Tigers chose to use Harmon sparingly in the first half, only making a couple of throws. The coaching staff appeared to switch up the play calls as the Tigers started the second half down 7-14. As the second half continued, Harmon became more involved, but struggled to connect with receivers. Though he threw nine completions out of 22 passes, he threw no interceptions, a promising sign for a rookie who would be expected to feel Friday night’s pressure.
Harmon ended the night throwing for 107 yards and with a one-yard run for a touchdown. Though the night ended with a loss, head coach Martin Konrad credits the game as a learning experience for the young team. “We have a young offensive line and a young quarterback. It’s gonna take some time for these guys to adjust... We had a lot of competing going on, the young guys were competing and we did some good things on offense. We have to build on what we did well today and try to move forward and get ready for Hoover,” said Coach Konrad.
Girls volleyball starts season strong By Matt DeFulgentis Staff Writer It looked like it was going to be a slow start for the girls volleyball team this season, largely due to the constant uncertainty regarding coaches in the previous months. Much to everyone’s surprise, however, the team was able to come out victorious in its first two matches, beating Schurr 3-1 and Pasadena 3-0. None of this was much of a surprise to Coach Diaz who previously stated that this team “definitely has the potential to be in the above-.500 club.” In the first match of the year, the girls lost their first game to an eager Schurr team. They came back strong, though, and won three straight games. When asked about the team’s performance in its first real game together, Diaz stated, “It was an iffy game. It wasn’t very constant. We missed a lot of serves, but we ended up getting in a good rhythm…I expected this, we’ve only been practicing together for two weeks. I know
what we have to do to improve, and it’s probably going to take two more weeks to do so.” In the first match against Schurr, the girls seemed hesitant, but in their second match against Pasadena they came out much more aggressively and won the first three games. As expected, varsity captain Claire KiefferWright played a big role in both of these matches. Matt Winkel Dominating the other team with a combination of con- Sophomore Claire Kieffer-Wright smashes the ball sistently perfect serves and past her PHS oppponents as the Tigers go 2-0. spikes, she stood out in game against Pasadena. Thursday’s game against Pasadena. Looking forward to their next “We have a lot of energy and we were loud throughout the game. We just matchup against Rosemead tomorrow, have to work on our communication and the girls hope to keep the momentum try to cut down on the silly mistakes we’re going and make it three straight wins to still making”, Diaz said in response to the start off the Tigers’ season.
Speaking of
Sports
Jackson Atwater Staff Writer
Football’s identity crisis Fans are hyped up for another exciting season of college football, thinking about prospects for the season for their favorite teams and players. Here comes another season of delusion. College football fills a strange niche in American culture. It is a niche with an identity crisis. As millions of American students walk onto their campuses for the first time, thousands of soon-to-be professional football players do the same. They will spend four years on that campus, attending the same classes as students, going to the same parties-- they will spend four years pretending to be students. They will lead a double life; while the majority of the student body spends extra time studying, this odd subculture hits the gridiron, turning their bodies and minds into tools honed specifically for the task of playing football. These “student-athletes” are professionals in every aspect besides formal recognition as such. This creates a bizarre discrepancy, one that could be solved with an alternate career path for athletes aiming for the NFL. A system similar to the MLB’s minor leagues could be implemented, where players go directly into programs for their sport and are able to focus completely on focusing their skills. College football is far too time consuming for those who are serious about their sports careers to be true students. This is evidenced in a study conducted by the Atlanta JournalConstitution, in which football players scored an average of 220 SAT points lower than their more academically oriented peers. This discrepancy in how the NCAA claims its “student-athletes” should behave and how they actually behave is especially strong in the case of USC’s punishment for Reggie Bush’s acceptance of improper benefits. But were they really improper? He went on to play for the New Orleans Saints-- and while technically an amateur at USC, he was in most regards a professional. College football needs to acknowledge that it has issues. This bizarre situation wherein semi-pro football players are touted as students should not continue--for the sake of the students, for the sake of the fans, and for the sake of the players.