SPHS 2013 National Merit semifinalists announced By Andrew Shults Staff Writer
Mike Hogan
College Board announces 2013 National Merit semifinalists. Front row L to R: Angela Zhao, Rhian Moore, Karinna Loo, Alison Farrar, Jenny Wang. Back row L to R: Principal Ms Janet Anderson, Ms Marylin Garcia, Ms Maria Long, Michael Chang, Samuel Chen, Jack Bishop, Michael Ruan, Jake Sim, Jason Wang, Jeffrey Xiong, Mrs. Olinda Cazares, Ms Tracy Ishimaru.
Board of Ed SPHS holds FBLA training discusses key agenda items By Madeline Hellwig Staff Writer
By Jason Wang Staff Writer Nearly fifty teachers crowded into the district office for the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday night in protest of the recent salary increase. The last district-wide raise occurred six years ago in 2008, causing many educators to object when the board offered a seemingly minimal 1% salary raise. Teacher’s Association of South Pasadena President Mr. David Miller led two dozen members in a verbal demonstration. Given the broad array of knowledge that teachers are required to understand in the 21st century – concepts ranging from technology and project management to common core standards – many of the TASP members felt that their salaries did not reflect their extra effort and dedication. Miller proposed that future negotiations occur for a greater increase in salary. Following visitor comments and designated reports from TASP and the South Pasadena Educational Foundation, the board approved a partnership with the Cosca Group. The educational consulting firm will facilitate the recruitment of a new superintendent set to take office following Mr. Joel Shapiro’s retirement in FebruSee “Board Meeting” on Page 2
The Future Business Leaders of America club at South Pasadena High School hosted its annual FBLA Officer and Advisor Training Day. On Saturday, September 14 at the Mary Ida Phair school library, over 100 delegates received training from SPHS students. Approximately twelve middle schools and high schools in the Mission Valley sent officers to the local section conference. Attendees participated in icebreaker activities and received individual position training for both sectional and state FBLA activities planned for the upcoming year. “The icebreaking activities were fun because I got to know a lot of people,” FBLA treasurer junior Joanna Wan said.
After a brief introduction of the Mission Valley officers subsequent to the icebreaker events, the attendees split up into their respective positions to receive further information about their duties. Secretaries learned the skills necessary for their role such as collecting minutes during each FBLA session, while presidents discovered more about their role as leaders. “My main priority [as chapter president] is leading my officer team so that my chapter is successful,” SPHS chapter president sophomore Jacob Benowitz said. “I also have to lead the goal setting for this year, one of which is to increase our membership.” 137 students signed up for FBLA during the first day of Club Rush, which is a huge improvement from last year’s forty or so active members, Benowitz said.
City council votes to raise water rates by 11% by 2014 By Jenna Giulioni Staff Writer The South Pasadena City Council Meeting on Wednesday concluded with a decision to raise water rates by 11%. This new increase will not be put into place until January 2014. The idea was presented at the regular September 18 meeting as a way to continue the repayment for a service debt of $4.9 million created in 2009. Because of the debts, the bank requires that 120% of the debt ratio be covered each year. The suggested rate increase covered that requirement, but a few board members had other ideas. City council member Mr. Philip Putnam suggested that instead of raising the price for water, the city borrow money from the general account and move it to the water fund to supplement the
5
Siria Medina
Senior Michael Ruan leads a business workshop on Saturday, September 14. Ruan is the state vice president of the Future Business Leaders of America.
The National Merit Scholarship committee announced the 2014 National Merit semifinalists last Thursday, September 12. Seniors Jack Bishop, Michael Chang, Samuel Chen, Alison Farrar, Karinna Loo, Rhian Moore, Michael Ruan, Jake Sim, Jenny Wang, Jason Wang, Jeffrey Xiong, and Angela Zhao qualified for this academic honor based upon their Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test score from October 2012. Each National Merit semifinalist scored 223 or higher out of 240 on the PSAT to obtain the semifinalist title. This year’s cutoff score for California is the highest in recent years, and was three points higher than last See “National Merit” on Page 2
required ratio. “We could put the money [from the city’s general fund] there, but we would not be spending it. I’m sure we could find a way to transfer it back,” Council member Putnam said. Many of his fellow council members agreed with him at first, but after extended discussion and comments from the public, council member Ms Marina Khubesrian finally motioned, with Mr. Michael Caccioti as a second, to approve the suggested rate increase. The few city members who spoke disagreed with the exchange of funds and wanted to have a more “clean” approach to settling the debts, even if it required paying more for water. The council cast their votes with the final tally being four to one in favor of the rate increased with Putnam as the only member opposed.
in this issue: Opinion:
“Grinding Away at Consent.” Addressing the issue of grinding at school dances and evaluating social norms when the lights dim and the music begins to boom. Is grinding really appropriate?
11
Feature:
Performance highlights of the 2013 iTunes Festival. Profiled artists include Rizzle Kicks, Lady Gaga, and Vampire Weekend; students who have seen the performers live comment on the concert series.
15
Sports:
Varsity girls golf breaks school record vs. Gabrielino High School; Football bounces back in home opener to blow past Hoover To r n a d o e s 2 1 - 7 .
News 2 Tiger - Friday, September 20, 2013
News
Around Campus
Virtual Enterprise of South Pasadena High School will host a Los Angeles regional student leadership one-day training on October 3 from 9:00 A.M. to 1:15 P.M. on campus. The conference is composed of a variety of workshops that focus on sales and marketing skills, human resources management, and teamwork. The cost is $10.00 per person and all proceeds will go toward the Virtual Business program. /Shine Cho
Seniors audition for 2014 Rose Court
By Madison Amido Staff Writer Students from the Pasadena area participated in the first round of Royal Court tryouts for the 2013-2014 Rose Parade at the Pasadena Tournament of Roses House. Women and men between the ages of 16 and 21 were given the opportunity to tryout for the esteemed Rose Queen and Princess positions as part of the Rose Parade’s annual tradition on September 14. Each contestant listened to former princesses speak about the tryout process and the responsibilities that accompany the duty of a Royal Court member. The 2012-2013 princesses also conducted a quick ques-
tion and answer session, which allowed the contestants to ask questions before being sent to the judging panel. In front of the panel of judges, contestants were given fifteen seconds to state why they want to be a part of the Royal Court. “I was really nervous about the interview but it was not as bad as I expected,” senior Naomi Broder said. “I wanted to try out because it is such a huge part of our community and I wanted to be a part of the tradition.” After the interview session, participants were escorted into the Wrigley Mansion to take professional photographs, and tour the local historical
landmark. Royal Court hopefuls had the chance to see the Grand Marshall Room and the Queen and Court dressing room, among others, during the tour. Before leaving the mansion every participant received two tickets to the Royal Ball, a semi-formal dance held at the Pasadena Convention Center specifically for candidates and one guest of their choice. “I would encourage the underclassmen to try out [in their senior year] because there really is no downside to this,” Senior Chelsea Hong said. “You get Royal Ball tickets, a tour of the mansion, and a good public speaking experience. It’s also a reason to get dressed up with your friends!”
Siria Medina
Potential Rose Court members received promotional posters and Royal Ball tickets at the conclusion of the Wrigley Mansion tour that followed the first round of Rose Court auditions. From “National Merit” on Page 1 year’s qualifying score of 220. “It wasn’t fun studying at first, but receiving National Merit status really paid off as many scholarship opportunities have opened up for me,” Sim said. “I feel very honored.” Of the roughly 16,000 students that are National Merit semifinalists each year, about 15,000 become finalists, who are announced in February of the following year. To achieve this goal, the semifinalists must complete an online application, provide grade point average transcripts, teacher recommendation letters, and personal essays before they are considered as finalists. “Walking into the main office and seeing the other semifinalists there was pretty amazing. I’ve known all of them for an extremely long time and I felt a powerful sense of camaraderie,” Bishop said. South Pasadena High School will administer the 2013 PSAT on October 19th, and current juniors are eligible to qualify for the 2015 National Merit award.
Sophia Arriola
South Pasadena residents contributed to the time capsule that will be opened in 2088 at the city’s bicentennial celebration.
South Pasadena time capsule buried by city’s Preservation Foundation By Emily Markese Business Manager In honor of South Pasadena’s 125th anniversary, the South Pasadena Preservation Foundation held a ceremony on September 14 to mark the burial of a time capsule. The time capsule, filled with special artifacts from life in South Pasadena today, will be sealed for 75 years and opened in 2088 at South Pasadena’s bicentennial celebration. Many prevalent members of the community spoke at the 6:00 P.M. ceremony in front of the South Pasadena Historical Museum. Preservation Foundation President Odom Stamps, School Board President David Adelstein, Mayor Richard Schneider, Councilman Bob Joe, Councilman Philip Putnam, and City Clerk Sally Kilby made speeches predicting the future of the city and comparing it to
South Pas residents attend Cruz’n for Roses event By Ross Lelieur Staff Writer The stretch of Mission Avenue between Buster’s and the Fair Oaks Pharmacy was closed off once again for the ninth annual Cruz’n for Roses Auto Show. The event took place on Sunday, September 15 and attracted attendees with its unique assortment of antique cars and helicopter displays. Over 400 vehicles were aligned, along with restored and original trailers and outdated farming tools for visitors to view. Food trucks and refreshments accompanied the attractions to take the edge off the afternoon heat. The five-hour event showcased cars of a variety of eras and styles, from a DeLorean inspired by Back to the Future to a military Humvee. “It’s really fascinating, for car people especially. There’s a lot of interesting stuff,” said senior Yumai Sone, who volunteered at the event. Cars were not the only attraction. The Pasadena Humane Soci-
ety and South Pasadena police set up booths. A police helicopter did a flyover of the area, and a police dog demonstrated a drug search. Some local businesses that were situated on Mission also opened up their doors to passer-bys. “[It’s] a great fundraising event for the city and extremely fun for the family,” Bakersfield resident Scott Burud said.
The show raises funds for the historic Rose Parade float of the city of South Pasadena, the oldest self-built float in the parade. This year’s parade theme is “Intergalactic Vacation.” As Cruz’n for Roses had no admission fees, the funds were acquired by asking vehicle owners to donate, charging vendors for spots, and striking sponsorship deals with businesses.
Matt Winkel
Attendees speculated the impressive showcase of classic cars at Cruz’n for Roses, an event to benefit the Tournament of Roses.
to what life in South Pasadena is like today. “This time capsule is such a great idea and it’s certainly time for it. I came to see what they’re putting in it,” Alice Harris, longtime resident of South Pasadena said. The time capsule was filled with many objects, such as the 2013 yearbooks from South Pasadena High School and Middle School, the June 2013 issue of Tiger Newspaper, every copy of the South Pasadena Review from 2013, and posters from the 125th anniversary, to commemorate 2013. In addition, an iPad, iPhone, various books about South Pasadena, anti710 freeway buttons and shirts, the original ordinance of South Pasadena, the current South Pasadena directory, Dodger tickets, art from numerous South Pasadena artists, and much more were included. “We hope this time capsule will be a snapshot in time of life in South Pasadena that future residents in 2088 will be able to look back at,” President Stamps said. From “Board Meeting” on Page 1 The key action was the final approval of the $6.1 million ten-classroom building, which will require the removal of one tennis court and six bungalows, but add a total of six classrooms and four science labs. Last-minute discussion arose over the possibility of a $5 million eight-classroom scheme, which would be constructed at the far end of the practice field. This alternative plan would save $1.1 million and produce a net gain of eight classrooms in addition to the six existing bungalows. Nonetheless, the long-term benefits of the ten-classroom building proved dominant. SPUSD currently owns three bungalows and leases the other three for $17,000 a year. As a result, the removal of the temporary bungalows has been a priority for administration over the past few years; the ten-classroom scheme constructs a permanent two-story building that would simultaneously save the practice field for athletic practices and community events. Given these positive aspects, the board officially approved the ten-classroom plan in a 4-1 vote.
Friday, September 20, 2013 - Tiger
News
3
new classes ‘13-‘14 Text by Andrew Shults, Asa Silverman, Heather Vaughan, Clem Witherall, and Jordan Xiao Photos by Sophia Arriola, Rachael Garner, and Matt Winkel
A.P. Computer Science
Speech and Debate
Teacher: Mr. Garrett Shorr
Teacher: Mr. Ben Arnold
Periods Taught: 1, 3, 5
Period Taught: 7
Course Description: The Advanced Placement Computer Science course takes place in the new computer lab, fully equipped with flip-up iMacs. The class works with the Java language on the program BlueJ. A.P. Comp Sci is one of the most popular classes on campus and has an extensive waitlist for students to enroll in the class.
Course Description: The speech and debate class is meant to prepare students for the National Forensics League, a nationwide competition for public speaking, by improving their writing, research, and presentation skills. For their first assignment, instructor Mr. Ben Arnold had students choose a controversial modern issue on which to give an expository speech.
Matt Winkel
Matt Winkel
Honors Chemistry
Calculus 1/2
Teacher: Ms Gigi Leung
Teachers: Mr. Paul Groves & Mr. Benjamin Ku
Teacher: Ms Jamie Deedler
Periods Taught: 3, 4, 5
Periods Taught: 3, 5
Course Description: Honors Chemistry is a stepping stone for students planning to take Advanced Placement Chemistry and offers a faster pace in the subject than that of regular Chemistry. This course can best be used to prepare for A.P. Chemistry and gauge the level of difficulty of the college-level course.
Course Description: Calculus 1/2 highlights the concepts of differential and integral calculus with an emphasize on real-world application. The new course is the first ever non Advanced Placement Calculus class offered at SPHS.
“ ” “ I like honors Chemistry because it challenges not only my science skills but also my math and literary skills.
-Mijin Kim, 10
A.P. Statistics Period Taught: 5 Course Description: Advanced Placement Statistics offers a more advanced version of the general statistics class by covering the regular statistics curriculum in more depth. The class has been offered in past years, and was recently revived due to an increased demand this year.
“ ” ”
The review we’ve done since school started has been helpful. I really appreciate that we are able to take regular Calculus this year because it helps to balance out my stressful schedule. -Corinne Marangi, 12
So far, A.P. Stats has been an interesting and straightfoward course. It’s a nice contrast from the stressful environment of A.P. Calc B.C. from last year.
-Chelsea Hong, 12
4 Tiger - Friday, September 20, 2013
New Teachers
Back To School:
Welcoming the newest Staff Members to the South Pasadena High School Family 4 3 2 1
HOMETOWN
Pasadena, California
MR. ARNOLD
subjects
US History & World History
COLLEGE
Cal State Los Angeles & Point Loma Nazarene University
WHat do you do outside of teaching? “I like to ride my bicycle. I don’t like running, but I like knitting. I knit, yes.” FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL FAD: “I had big hair. Big hair. I disliked breakdancing. I had moves.” 4
HOMETOWN
3 2 1
Lovelock, Nevada
COLLEGE
subjects
English & Speech and Debate
Cal State Marcos WORST DATE: “I went on a double date with my best friend, and by the end of the date, my date and him were hooking up. It was really bad; we were no longer best friends after that.” FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL FAD: “I used to have my barber carve things into the side of my head, like lines and lightning bolts. One season in basketball I had the Nike swish sign in my head.”
MR. LUNA
HOMETOWN Anza, California 1
COLLEGE
Cal Poly Pomona
HOMETOWN
MR. BLACKFORD
Chino, California
COLLEGE
4 3 2
subjects
Adv. Algebra 1/2 & Algebra 1
BEST HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY: “I never thought graduating high school was possible for me. I struggled so much in high school academically and my English teacher was so supportive. When time came to throw the caps, I totally forgot about it and made a beeline to my English teacher and we both cried.” STUDENT PET PEEVE: “Tapping fingers or feet repeatedly. Also putting your head on the desk. At least fake it, you know?”
WHat do you do outside of teaching? “I like to ride my bicycle, I
Cal State Fullerton don’t like running, but I like knitting. I knit, yes.”
FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL FAD: “When I
4 3 2 1
subjects
Calculus AB & Geometry
was in high school, it was the start of the bro movement. So I wore nothing but hats with their bills flipped up and I would wear shorts with long black socks.
MRS. LARKINS
MS PIRVU Hometown: Born in Romania
MS CHEYNE Hometown: North Hollywood
MS TILEM Hometown: La Cañada, California
MS CUTLER Hometown: Echo Park, California
MR. CHAN Hometown: Temple City, CA
MS DONOVAN Hometown: Monterey, California
Subject: Geometry College: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo & Cal State Dominguez Hills
Subject: Special Education College: Pitzer College
Subject: Algebra 1 & Applied Math College: UC Irvine
Subject: P.E. & Colorguard College: Cal State Los Angeles
Subject: ELD English & World Literature College: UCLA
Subject: Vocal Music College: Berklee College of Music
Opinion
Friday, September 20, 2013 - Tiger
Opinion
5
Yeah Boi
B B
ravo to Android, I mean Apple, for iOS7.
ravo to the Powerball Winner in South Carolina. Maybe you can use the money to move elsewhere.
B B B B
oo to Grand Theft Auto 5. Now I really won’t graduate. ravo Miley. Nuff
By Rachael Faye Garner Editor-in-Chief
said.
ravo to
Breaking Bad for teaching me all the recipies Food Network never did. ravo to
the Rose Court judges for affirming female beauty in a way self-confidence never could.
The Tiger Established 1913
CSPA Gold Medalist 2005 CSPA Gold Medalist 2006 CSPA Gold Medalist 2009 CSPA Gold Medalist 2010 CSPA Gold Medalist 2011 Editor-in-Chief Rachael Garner Managing Editors Rhian Moore, Print Remeny White, Online News Shine Cho, Editor Opinion David Yang, Editor Feature Sarah Stukan, Editor Sports Clem Witherall, Editor Copy Editors Leo Parker IV Jenny Wang Photography Matthew Winkel, Editor Photographers Sophia Arriola, Raj Jain, Stephanie Kim, Siria Medina Senior Staff Writer Heather Vaughan Staff Writers Madison Amido, Petra Barbu, Matthew DeFulgentiis, Kira Gabriel, Jenna Giulioni, Madeline Hellwig, Karen Hsueh, Kea Hudson, Somi Jun, Brandon Kim, Ross Lelieur, Julian Prime, Joey Shapiro, Andrew Shults, Asa Silverman, Jason Wang, Stanley Wu, Jordan Xiao Staff Illustrators Dylan Anselmo, Spenser Atlas, Annie Lu Managers Marcy Kuo, Ads Emily Markese, Business Webmaster Michael Xu Faculty Advisor Mike Hogan
Dylan Anselmo
Moving forward with communication Staff Editorial Face-to-face communication has always been a strength of the administration. Mrs. Anderson’s open-door policy towards students has fostered a corridor of dialogue between students and the administrative staff. The communication between students and administrators has always been “quality over quantity,” but the rise of new electronic tools gives administrators a novel mode of communicating with students that can potentially make a large positive impact on students. Conducting large-scale surveys during decision making processes or integrating student input early-on in the infancy outline of any new policy would help foster understanding between the students and the administration and help avoid vastly divergent points of views when decisions are made. Electronic polling tools like SurveyMonkey and certain tools on Facebook make mass-polls effortless to organize and simple to answer. These new tools allow the administration to not only consider the the nuanced ideas of a small but vocal minority, but whether the silent majority agrees as well. As important as it is to include students
Vol. C. No. I distributed on September, 20, 2013. Distribution: 1591 students; 70 community. 1700 copies printed. Distributed by Tiger staff free of charge. Tiger is produced by the advanced journalism newspaper class at South Pasadena High School, 1401 Fremont Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030. Layout and photo imaging are completed on-site. Printed by American/Foothill Publishing Co., Inc., Tujunga, CA. Signed articles appearing in Tiger represent the writer’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff, student body, faculty or administration of SPHS. Contact the publications office at (626) 441-5820 ext. 2615 between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. for advertising rates and subscriptions. Tiger welcomes articles, letters or rebuttals for publication in the print and online editions. All letters must be signed and verifiable, but names will be withheld upon request. Tiger Newspaper’s mission is to provide a reliable news outlet for SPHS and the local community. Through a variety of coverage, Tiger empowers/enables students to think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, solve problems, set and reach goals, and work cooperatively and independently as responsible citizens. Tiger is a forum for student free speech, in accordance with California Ed Code 48907. Visit www.tigernewspaper.com for additional content.
By Kira Gabriel Staff Writer
in the decision-making process, it’s equally important to effectively report the decisions. Here too, technology should (in theory) simplify the job of the administration but it hasn’t been used effectively. Electronic notices should be given shortly after decisions are made, to give students time to react and plan according to the circumstances. Longterms decisions like the implementation of a mandatory second period home study ought to be announced early enough so that students can rearrange schedules or take summer school classes without suffering lastminute anxiety. Similarly, the announcements of school dances, absences, and Saturday school announcements notifications should all be made via texts messages and email as opposed to the slower or scattershot methods of snail mail and recorded telephone calls. C o m mu n i c a t i o n h a s b e c o m e a common buzzword at SPHS, but the core of idea is very simple: talk to people. The administration should utilize the full potential to make full use of the wonders available due to the “modern age” and realize that when trying to get make decisions incorporating the zeitgeist of more than a thousand students kids, the answer is in asking the questions.
Each year of high school seems to begin the same way. Students return to school to find the same senior baseball shirts, SAC assembly, and editor’s column. Despite the reoccurring pattern, how do the students of South Pasadena manage to make each year so distinct? Many of you have probably forgotten that the first assembly of the year aims to encourage SAC card sales, but I doubt that any of you have forgotten Commissioner of Assemblies Marcy Kuo’s impressive performance of “Fergalicious.” She took a risk, and from the tumultuous applause I heard from backstage, I know that it paid off. Each year is characterized by the risks we take. The times we remember most are often those in which we step out of our comfort zone and attempt to see the world from a different point of view. Many know Marcy as the wildly entertaining performer we saw just a few weeks ago, but it’s doubtful that we would know how talented she is had she not taken a risk and faced possible judgment and scrutiny of her peers. So today I humbly write to you as a photographer. As a girl who can do much more with Photoshop than with a red pen, I’ve spent hours struggling to cut my many thoughts into 340 words. This may seem simple enough, but stepping out from my home behind the lens does not come naturally. One hundred years ago a group of students took the risk of starting a forum for student speech. In 1913, Tiger Newspaper began its pursuit of excellence, aiming to unite the community by engaging students and families through journalism. Following in the footsteps of my predecessors, I warmly welcome you to Tiger. Whether you have spent years meticulously marking up our issues as a copy editor or you are seeing Tiger for the first time, I encourage you to engage in what the 2013-2014 staff has to offer. With each new article, in print and online, we will strive to maintain the excellence that students put forward one hundred years ago as we delve ever deeper into the issues most important to our school and community. I encourage you to follow our lead and take a risk. Ask that boy or girl to homecoming, participate in NaNoWriMo, be a guest DJ at lunch, and share your opinions with Tiger. Continue to take the risks that make SPHS such a special place.
Grinding away at consent
The annual Icebreaker dance was a sea of raging teenage hormones: a giant grindfest. Grinding is a type of over tly sexual dancing in which opportunities for consent or rejection arise only after personal contact has already been made. The casual and intimate physical connection that grinding provides is perfectly acceptable, especially in a high school setting, but only so long as both parties consent to it.
The act of grinding itself is not tasteless; however, its informal and impromptu nature creates an atmosphere in which consent is implied rather than explicit. This “gyrate first, ask questions later” approach may leave behind a lingering feeling of violation due to the unwanted physical contact. Grinding also encourages nameless and faceless dancing. It is commonplace for a high school boy at a dance to approach a girl from behind—unaware of who she
is or what she looks like—and simply start dancing. This added factor of anonymity further blurs the line between consent and non-consent. New students may not be aware of the implied consent that serves as the unspoken rule of Icebreaker. The dance is widely publicized across campus, but nowhere is it advertised as the giant mass of sweaty, hormonal, hip-swiveling teenagers that it inevitably turns into. This understandable naivety renders spur-of-the-moment grinding
without defined consent. Consent is vitally important to all aspects of socially acceptable behavior outside of the high school gym. While dancing, however, contact is made whether or not both parties have approved of it ahead of time. Explicit permission should always come before, not during or after, physical contact, and this standard needs to be upheld at high school dances. No matter how casual the situation, consent always comes before contact.
6 Tiger - Friday, September 20, 2013
Opinion
Seeing the bigger picture By David Yang Opinion Editor Whether or not the more-or-less mandatory second period home study is truly a beneficial policy must be considered systemically rather than individually. Seniors who gripe about being denied their desired course loads fail to understand that the net schoolwide benefits of having a second period home study far outweigh the anomalous conflicts. The clearest benefit of the second period home study is that seniors who have it will now be able to attend informational college application sessions during the second period time slot. However, the full benefits of having second period home study lay beyond the readily perceptible individual benefits. Second period college presentations have the additional effect of alleviating the need for counselors to disrupt English classes during the school day. The disruptions to Senior classes were estimated to be roughly 300 minutes per period that were unjustly snatched away from the language arts department. Discerning readers will realize that the picture painted so far seems to seethe with the irony that a year’s worth of second period instruction has apparently been cut to save 300 minutes of English instruction time. However, to assume that the benefits only amount to several hours of saved time would be a mistake as well. The third benefit
Sleeping in is not worth it
is systemic in the truest sense. Reviving AP Statistics and adding new classes like Calculus (non-AP) and AP Computer Science this year resulted in added complexity to the scheduling system. With more classes to fit students into, a second period home study helps to help smooth out scheduling conflicts to make other classes possible. It’s regrettable that several students
By Brandon Kim Staff Writer
weren’t able to get every class they wanted as a result of second period scheduling, but the fault is clearly by no means due to scheduling. Scheduling is just another form of economization. Given the circumstances, second period home study offers a fantastic three-fold benefit for the small price of a few scheduling conflicts.
time. The reasoning behind this is that the administration found that over seventy to seventy-five percent of the class of 2013 had a home study during second period last year. Though statistics demonstrated high demand for a home study last year, the large number of requests does not equate to imposing a class on all students.
The addition of new classes adds complexity to scheduling that has not been solved by this home study, therefore making it unnecessary. More effective solutions would include an increase in the number of instructors or flexibility with locked classes. These alternatives would allow for a smoother scheduling process that would not burden students with an empty period that could otherwise be filled with an academic course. B e f o r e t h i s n ew system, information regarding seniors had been presented during English classes, which are mandatory for seniors. The concerns from English teachers losing class time was another important factor for the home study decision. Yet this seems like a strange choice, considering that the burden on English classes could be shared with the equally mandatory social studies classes that all sophomores, juniors, and seniors must take . The second period home study seems more like a quick fix rather than Annie Lu a long-term solution. At the end of the the day, second period home studies mask a lack of teachers to teach the courses offered. The greatest irony is that this period that has supposedly been set aside for college sessions may in fact be a detriment to Seniors’ applications.
Seniors at South Pasadena High School who are accustomed to taking six or seven classes now have a second period home study in their schedules, provided they do not need the period for graduation credit or classes only offered during that
Tiger Newspaper Asks: Second period home study has been scheduled as mandatory for most seniors who don’t need to take a graduation-required class (Economics, PE, etc.). What are your thoughts on the new scheduling system? Has it affected you? Isaac Huh, Grade 12 Second period homestudy is awesome! The extra one hour and forty minutes in the morning ensures that I can finish all of my assignments in the afternoon without having a horrid, sleepy class period in the following morning. Also, the second period homestudy is great for the counselors and seniors to talk about college applications, when in past years, appointments were not as easily scheduled. Not to mention, almost all of the seniors now have another period to hang out. The school, in my opinion, put a positive and interesting spin to my last year in high school. Mariela Carrillo, Grade 11 I don’t think home study should be mandatory, but it should be optional. Although home study may seem like a nice thing to have in the mornings for most seniors, I believe there are still a few seniors who would want to fill up their schedule with an elective class or by becoming an academic coach. Personally, the mandatory home study
scheduling hasn’t affected me, but it might be affecting classes who need senior academic coaches and/or TA’s in the morning.
the student works to a teacher who might not be as good....
Michelle Gin, Grade 12
The new scheduling system doesn’t seem too bad from my perspective. After all, I haven’t been affected by this recent improvement, but I have seen this affect some of my fellow peers. I guess you could say they suffered from scheduling hiccups as a result of this change in the system. But, they managed to sort things out with their counselors in no time, and they’re doing well now. Otherwise, this whole new process seems fine. I’m sure some seniors wouldn’t mind having home study instead of any other academic class. In the future, when I’m a senior, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t mind having home study for second period. Based on my understanding, it seems like it wouldn’t be a problem. I’m sure I would enjoy it. It would be nice to get away from school for a little while.
I think that the intention behind creating the second period homestudy was good. However, I don’t that it is very helpful, especially considering how it affected people’s schedules. Luckily, it did not affect mine, but I know many seniors who were forced to either not take a class they could fit in their schedule or take it at an inconvenient time because the they were required to have a second period homestudy. While it prevents students from missing out on a class when going to certain workshops, they would only be once in a while and would not really affect the student or class significantly. Clayton Kabealo, Grade 10 I find this new rule rather unfair because I know a few people who have automatically been switched from a teacher that actually understands how
Angelica Navarro, Grade 9
Victoria Gao, Grade 11
I’m surprised that they let seniors decide if they take a graduation required class at all I mean it’s for their own benefit, so if they don’t want to I guess it wouldn’t harm anyone besides themselves. Jeffrey Xiong, Grade 12 The administration may have had good intentions by scheduling a universal senior study hall, but I don’t think they considered the variety of circumstances behind most high schoolers. Our academics, and the classes we want to take,should take precedent. While personally I was not too affected, I have many friends that were unable to take certain classes, or had to take a unwanted 0 period or independent study - both potentially detrimental to both grades, understanding of course material, and sleep. The new scheduling systemdefinitely has much room for improvement. Better communication between theadministration and counselors, teachers, and students would be a nice start.
Opinion
Friday, September 20, 2013 -Tiger
7
Clearing the air with e-hookahs E-hookahs lack regulation and quality standards
By Ross Lelieur Staff Writer The electronic hookah is a battery-powered device that emits flavored vapor and mimics the act of smoking. Serving as an unconventional alternative to traditional tobacco carriers such as cigarettes, cigars, and hookahs, the e-hookah functions in the same manner as e-cigarettes and is often marketed as safe due to its no-nicotine label. However, this absence of nicotine should not brand e-hookahs as harmless substitutes to actual smoking. All the advertised dangers of ecigarettes apply to e-hookahs, and the e-hookah trend is too new to identify all potential risks. E-hookahs venture into new territory, lacking regulation and quality standards. The potential risks of
using e-hookahs are not well-documented, lacking any sort of rigorous scientific research completed on the long-term effects of the ingredients used. Given the hazardous chemicals present in the liquid cartridges and the absence of governmental legislation, dangerous health risks are a looming possibility. A primary ingredient of the liquid inside the electronic hookah is propylene glycol, a controversial dog food, cosmetic product, and antifreeze additive. Although propylene glycol is approved by the Federal Drug Administration, it is a potentially dangerous toxin that could threaten internal organs. The most concerning aspect of e-hookahs is their crude marketing strategy geared towards younger people. As hookah pens become increasingly available in a wider variety
of flavors, ranging from cinnamon to cool mint to peach, they are drawing a growing crowd of teenagers. This increased exposure to the act of smoking desensitizes the public, and eases the transition from purportedly harmless e-hookahs to more serious products that do contain nicotine and tobacco. In essence, the e-hookah is a potentially dangerous tool, especially to those who perceive it as a “harmless” bit of forbidden fun. Although in theory the e-hookah simply provides flavored puffs of vapor without the addictive presence of nicotine and tobacco, this all-fun, no-risk attitude belies its possibly detrimental effects. The thrill of blowing fruity vapor out of an electronic stick is simply is not worth the risk given the plethora of unknown dangers. Dylan Anselmo
Air-condition the auditorium By Madeline Hellwig Staff Writer Middle class children in America really only need four things to survive: food, water, shelter, and air conditioning. Despite panicked hullabaloo about climate change, the SPHS auditorium is one of the few places where the shifting of Antarctic weather patterns up north would probably do some good. Students who have experienced the auditorium in the summer heat quickly realize that the building needs to be retrofitted with air conditioning. Consequently, assembly performers are also negatively affected as the audience is unable to appreciate their hard work and showmanship. Installing air conditioning is the simple solution to this multibranched problem. During the summer, the auditorium also serves as a revenue source for the school by acting as an entertainment venue. Many organizations often call up to rent the auditorium, as it is the only facility of its caliber in the South Pasadena area. This past summer, a theater company expressed interest in renting the auditorium for a production but quickly disbanded the idea after personally experiencing the lack of ventilation in the auditorium. By Spenser Atlas
making the stage appealing for summer usage, the facility has the potential to pay for its own expenses, and possibly bring in profits. One of the reasons for not installing AC with donations lies in the amount of funding needed just to operate the air conditioner after installation. The fund, however, can be minimized by efficiently using the cooling system. For example, AC is not necessary unless a large crowd is present. To achieve this plan for renovation, we need the students’ and parents’ cooperation. One possibility is to have South Pasadena Educational Foundation (SPEF), a parent-based program supporting student education and improvement in school conditions, prioritize these renovations above other plans for construction. Additionally, fundraising to improve the auditorium is not out of the question with the collective effort of parents, students, and teachers. All in all, there is no reason to oppose the installment of air conditioning in the auditorium. It is clear that the marginal benefits outweigh any potential complications or costs, but more important than that, investing in this improvement is investing in the enhancement of SPHS as a home for current and future Tigers.
d
Achieving mutual respect in athletics By Heather Vaughan Senior Staff Writer As the fall sports season gains momentum, student athletes at South Pasadena are constantly reminded by the administration that no form of hazing is acceptable: a meeting was held in the gym explaining the hazing ban and each athlete was required to return a signed slip to his or her coach pledging to not participate in hazing. This fact is so fervently emphasized that the idea of “hazing” has nearly become a joke amongst peers. However, the immense amount of regulation around athlete-to-athlete respect is not enforced on a coachto-athlete level. Some coaches inadvertently bully their athletes and create a toxic atmosphere that degrades and demoralizes them. Varsity sports are, by nature, intense, and coaches must reflect that intensity to keep their players serious. A healthy dose of yelling is necessary for teams to remain competitive, and players need to
understand that constructive criticism can sometimes hurt. However, this criticism must be helpful rather than humiliating; if a coach’s comments cause a player more grief than improvement on a regular basis, that player is likely to develop negative feelings towards the sport and the coach. The pressure that is inherently linked with many varsity sports can cause athletes to feel trapped in this culture of disrespect. If a student speaks out to the school administration about his or her discomfort with the coach’s behavior, whatever it may be, the athlete may believe that he or she risks being cut from the team, or jeopardizing the team’s chances of success by potentially getting the coach in trouble. Even if the athlete’s situation is unfavorable, he or she may choose to remain silent rather than hold the coach accountable for his or her actions. Although the coach is at fault for his or her unacceptable behavior, it becomes the responsibility
of the player to take action when a coach is treating players unfairly – in the same way that one would speak out about one player bullying another. Because the administration is the final judge of whether or not a concern merits disciplinary action, the student should give him or herself the benefit of the doubt and go with a gut feeling of discomfort. If several players approach the administration together, this not only strengthens their argument, but it also greatly reduces the likeliness of the coach singling one player out. This voiced concern does not have to result in a coach’s termination; rather, it can lead to positive changes, a better relationship between team members and coaches, and a more successful season. There is no excuse for a coach to bully an athlete. However, the responsibility lies with the athletes to speak out and change this culture of mutual disrespect. With clear communication, both athletes and coaches can feel safe and comfortable together.
Students sound off on the little things that make their skin crawl, give them the heebie jeebies, and just plain drive them insane. Did your pet peeves make the list? “I guess I’m kinda peeved that nobody is taking my billion dollar idea seriously. I intend to create an edible jacket made out of beef jerky.” -Derek Wang, 12th “I hate when people say ‘ATM machines’ when ATM stands for Automated Teller Machine. It’s not an automated teller machine machine. ” -Hermes Ip, 11th “I dislike when the cinematography of the comedic entrance or ASB left things to be desired such as the camerawork, audio quality, video quality, post processing. I liked the script, though.” -Matt Chan, 12th “I’m pissed about how underavlued sincerity is today in this day ‘n age.” -Charlotte Foley, 12th “The sound people make when eating a banana perhaps the most repulsive sound a human being could possibly make. It sounds like the feet of a hundred Sicilian women mashing grapes.” -Lily Round, 10th
8 Tiger - Friday, September 20, 2013
Club Rush 2013
Brooms, bludgers, and bright yellow snitches will soon be commonplace at South Pasadena High School with the addition of the Quidditch Club. Founded by self-proclaimed Harry Potter fanatics president senior Mariya Rybak and vice president senior Samantha Zavala, the club serves as a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between Muggles and magic folk through an adapted version of the famous wizard sport, Quidditch. The club officers hope to bring together enthusiastic students from SPHS to start a team and eventually form a Quidditch league with other high schools and participate in tournaments.
Quidditch
FBLA
CLUB 20
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is one of the more competitive clubs at the high school. Members prepare for sectional business competitions in February, where those placed in the top five advance to the state competition level. The club’s first project of the year is Operation Walking Shield. Last year, students managed to fill over fifty backpacks with full sets of customized school supplies for American Indian children, and they hope to repeat their success this October. Page by Rachael Garner
Photos by Tiger Photographers
The Tiger Patio buzzed with excitement on Tuesd bied for signups during this year’s Club Rush. As smiled, and bubbles floated through the air, vario prospective members as possible. From the large, and Red Cross, to smaller clubs just starting out, th to explore. Wide-eyed freshmen scampered hurri while upperclassmen nonchalantly strolled throu final Club Rush. A steady beat pumping out of th event, and was equally as loud as the booming sho tered aftermath of the lawn was a sign of a successf While some clubs dedicate their time and resources to community service or athletics teams, Tiger Lily will be self-producing an entire literary magazine. Club members will build the magazine up from scratch under the watchful eye of club supervisor English teacher Mrs. Kim Kadletz. Each issue will have a distinct theme and include corresponding poems, stories, essays, and art that have been carefully constructed and revised. Club members will utilize meeting time to brainstorm ideas for future issues, discuss magazine progress, and plan methods of fundraising for the publication.
Tiger Lily
Club Rush 2013
RUSH 013
Friday, September 20, 2013 - Tiger
According to the newly instated Coding Club Co-President junior Brooke Drury, 1.4 million new jobs in coding spring up every year, but only 400,000 college students majoring in the computer sciences burst into the job market to claim them. The new club, which welcomes well-versed coders and newbies alike, aims to bring awareness to the world of coding due to its high demand in modern society. Officers and members will work alongside the coding website Code Academy to learn the ins and outs of writing in HTML, Python, and JAVA as well as practicing coding’s real life applications.
Coding
Key Club
Key Club, the high school branch of Kiwanis International, is one of the largest service clubs at SPHS. Members take part in volunteer events that range from feeding the homeless to taking part in clean-ups all around the greater Los Angeles Area. At the end of the year, they get to celebrate their hard work in serving their communities at conventions such as the highly anticipated Key Club International convention in Anaheim. The first Text by Heather Vaughan, Rhian Moore, and meeting is tentatively set for next Thursday in Room 123. Remeny White
day and Wednesday as 79 SPHS organizations lobs giant, colorful flags waved above, painted faces ous clubs bombarded students to attract as many , firmly established institutions, such as Key Club here was an immense range of choices for students iedly to enlist in every club that caught their eyes, ugh, nostalgically absorbing the clamor of their he speakers served as the musical backdrop to the outs and creative songs of the club officers. The litful congregation of SPHS’s most involved students. The ambitious members of the People to People International Club are looking beyond the scope of South Pasadena and setting their sights on worldwide issues. With an emphasis on promoting peace, cultural understanding, and humanitarianism, PTPI plans to change the world little by little through beach cleanups, poems for peace, fundraising, and a Global Youth Forum in Washington D.C. According to the club petition, the members will strive to enhance international understanding and to exchange ideas and experiences directly among people of different countries and diverse cultures.
People to People International
9
10 Tiger - Friday, September 20, 2013
Feature
Feature
Out and About Auditions for the drama department’s fall production of “Yellow” by Del Shores will take place today in the Little Theater. Any questions should be directed to drama director Mr. Daniel Enright in Room 316./Brandon Kim
Students take prizes at LA County Fair By Mike Hogan Tiger Advisor
Raj Jain
Band members participate in a rigorous practice session for their brand new field show, Castle in the Sky. Based on Hayao Miyazaki’s film of the same name, the performance will incorporate anime themed props.
Band preps Castle in the Sky themed field show By Jordan Xiao Staff Writer The South Pasadena High School marching band’s fall field show this year is sure to please any fans of Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli’s movies. Band director Howard Crawford has confirmed that the four-movement show will be based on Castle in the Sky, Ghibli’s film about a young boy and girl’s search for a mythical floating castle. The decision comes after the immensely successful spring concert that featured music from various Miyazaki movies. The performance, held in May, exposed many community members to the stunning scores of composer Joe Hisaishi for the first time. “We’re especially excited for this year’s show because everyone knows the music really well. Last year’s theme was kind of
abstract, but this time it should be more straightforward because it’s based on such a beloved movie,” junior trumpeter Ryan Chase said. In addition to the soundtrack from Castle in the Sky, music from Howl’s Moving Castle, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and Princess Mononoke will also be featured. Parent volunteers have prepared a number of props, including a scaled-down flying castle complete with walls and parapets. The band has especially high expectations for performances this year due to the recent hiring of several technical instructors who aid band students during practices by improving technique and building discipline. Despite the minor setback of sheet music arriving late because of copyright issues, confidence is high for the upcoming marching season.
“I honestly think this is the strongest senior class we’ve had in the last ten years. We have high levels of commitment, plenty of dedication, and definitely enough talent to do well this year,” senior baritone saxophonist Zach Freeman said. Last year was a historic one for the SPHS marchers, who broke eighty points on an objective scale for the first time in several years and are now nationally ranked in Bands of America. Members have been working hard to top their former performance, completing two weeks of summer band camp and beginning rigorous weekday practices. Those who wish to see the culmination of the band department’s hard work should make plans to attend the Homecoming football game, where Castle in the Sky will be brought to life in a fashion distinctive to South Pasadena.
South Pasadena High School graphic arts and woodworking students earned several awards in the America’s Kids competition at the 91st annual Los Angeles County Fair, which is held at the Fairplex in Pomona. According to fair coordinator Nancy Bates, nearly 8500 students participated in the competition this year. Animation students submitted DVDs of their projects for judging by a three-person panel. Senior Dakota Hatch won the Sweepstakes Award and a first place ribbon for his stop motion animation titled “The Lost Spaceman.” Fellow senior Ali Raad won the Sweepstakes Award and a first place ribbon in the video production category for his short subject, “Operation Mongoose.” Senior Vionna Lau’s Flash animation took second place. Graphic arts students created silk screen designs that were printed on t-shirts. Junior Suki Sekula took first place for her t-shirt design named “Printed Magic” and senior Linda Lau’s “Chanel #5” design also won first place. SPHS 2013 graduates Kevin Ryu and Jessica Santos also nabbed first place ribbons in t-shirt design. Woodworking students also placed well in competition. 2013 graduate Emily Joe won first place for a carved wooden plate called “Mockingjay.” Sophomore Lina Maeng won first place for creating a hardwood table with a stone top, while fellow sophomore Zachary Mackey was awarded a second place ribbon for his wooden plate. Junior Django Schermerhorn took second place for his wooden two-door cabinet. The L.A. County Fair is the largest fair of its kind in North America, and runs through the end of September.
Mike Hogan
Student woodwork, photography, and graphic design projects are featured in an L.A. County Fair display.
Personality Profile: Kara Hur By Somi Jun Staff Writer Sophomore Kara Hur has had experiences with vicious dog attacks and dining on horsemeat. Undisturbed, she assures us that the dog attack only left scars, and that horsemeat is simply too delicious to miss. Hur describes these scenarios as though they are perfectly ordinary to her. Indeed, they might be considered commonplace in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, from which Hur has recently returned after a four-year stay. Before her life in Mongolia, Hur grew up in South Pasadena until the end of fifth grade, when her parents finalized their plans to move to Mongolia as part of their missionary work. Hur and her two younger sisters accompanied their parents, well aware it would mean staying in Mongolia Siria Medina until adulthood. Sophomore Kara Hur is adjusting to high school’s traditional Every four years, the family academic classes after a four-year stay in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. is allowed a one-year reprieve to
spend wherever they like. “I was very sad to leave [South Pasadena], but at the same time, I was excited because I didn’t know what to expect,” Hur said. “It was similar to leaving Mongolia and coming here.” Ulan Bator is the coldest capital city in the world and one of the most polluted. Many residents burn toxic materials, such as rubber and plastic, for warmth. Spending one year in the city is roughly equivalent to living at home with someone who smokes sixty cigarettes a day. Despite these obvious dangers, Hur, the antithesis of “drama-queen,” counters her situation with a surprisingly positive outlook. The Hur family’s frequent indoor residence built strong relationships between them that are seldom witnessed among teenagers and their parents. “I spent a lot of time with my family because I didn’t re-
ally have much else to do,” Hur said. “So I barely experienced [thoughts] like, ‘My parents don’t understand me,’ or ‘My sisters are so annoying.’ That doesn’t really happen in my family.” After years of homeschooling in Mongolia, Hur was plesantly surprised by the size of South Pasadena High School’s student body. SPHS hosts almost 1600 students, while her former group of home schooled friends numbered less than 20. Hur worries about her friends, who came to Mongolia from abroad and have now all returned to their native nations. For the moment, however, she will enjoy her sophomore year in the town where she grew up. “I plan on soaking up as much as I can here,” Hur said. “I want to do things I can’t do in Mongolia and just try to get involved in anything that comes up. I don’t want to be quick to say no. I want to try new things.”
Feature
Friday, September 20, 2013 - Tiger
Personality Profile: Péter Erdei By Heather Vaughan and Kira Gabriel Tiger Staff Senior Péter Erdei’s chlorinebleached hair and slight accent are a couple of obvious characteristics that reveal two exceptional parts of who he is: a committed water polo player and a native Hungarian. Although many students are familiar with Erdei’s zeal for water polo, his drive to come to the United States didn’t stem solely from this passion; he also faced a tumultuous political atmosphere in his native country. As Erdei and his family practice Judaism, they felt uncomfortable with the growing presence of a rightwing, anti-Semitic political group in Hungary. Erdei seized the opportunity to come to America when his former water polo coach offered him the chance to spend a portion of his senior year in South Pasadena. In order to officially attend school in the United States, senior Cameron Lee and his family legally adopted Erdei, who now lives with the Lee family. “The people here are always smiling,” Erdei said. “It’s not like that in Hungary. It’s easier here to make friends.” Erdei’s unwavering dedication to his sport is clear: upon his arrival in America for the first time in June 2013, he went straight to his first water polo practice, despite just getting off a fourteen-hour flight. Throughout
the summer, he trained with the varsity team, and continues to participate in every workout. “Peter’s arm is a cannon,” senior teammate Derrick Kwok said. “He’s really talented.” Even with his water polo skills, CIF regulations prevent Erdei from playing on the varsity team. If he does not obtain a student Visa, his current tourist Visa will prompt him to return to Hungary in October. Aside from water polo, Erdei’s second love is cars. Without a moment’s hesitation, he quickly notes the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 as his favorite model. Erdei and his father bonded over watching rally car
races, and even participated in a race together. Now that two continents and an ocean separate Erdei and his parents, he treasures these memories with an even greater appreciation. Erdei hopes to return to America to continue his higher education in California and pursue a career in law. Even though he doesn’t plan on playing water polo in the future, he is grateful for the opportunity this experience has given him to expand his horizons. “Peter came here to obtain opportunities that he wouldn’t have been able to get in Hungary,” head water polo coach Mr. Michael Gonzales said. “Above all, he came here to make lasting friendships, which he has.”
Matt Winkel
Senior Péter Erdei’s love for water polo facilitated his overseas move to the United States from his homeland, Hungary, several months ago.
11
SPARC Lab hosts artist panel By Madeline Hellwig Staff Writer A humble circle of art aficionados amassed inconspicuously on a quiet Sunday evening in the Fremont Centre Theatre for a lengthy discussion about an artist’s circumstances. The South Pasadena Arts Council hosted the first of SPARC Lab, a series of bimonthly meetings, on September 15. Conductor Yvette Devereaux, art director Valerio Ventura, Dutch dancer Fiona Lummis, documentary photographer Kathleen L. McLaughlin, and playwright Paul Kikuchi were all members of a panel of local artists that the organization introduced. The two-hour gathering focused on the panel’s personal obstacles throughout their artistic careers. For example, Ventura, who has worked with renowned institutions such as Walt Disney Company and Universal Studios, discussed the volatile fads of filmmaking as an impediment to his lasting success. Conductor and musician Devereaux shared her inspiring mindset with the audience as she detailed her past insecurities as a developing artist. “In the end, it’s about what I believed in,” Devereaux said. “No matter who was doing what, it didn’t matter to me because I had always been competing with no one but myself.” The Arts Council has planned studio tours, art publications, and visual arts activities for future SPARC Lab meetings. It plans to raise money for the events through fundraisers such as the Theater of Terror haunted house, which will be held the week of Halloween. The Lab is SPARC’s celebration of South Pasadena’s prolific cultural community, and an excellent way for locals to explore the influence of the arts on the evolution of the city.
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this month in
Pop Culture
movies Shepard & Dark (9/25) Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (9/27) Gravity (10/4) Captain Phillips (10/11)
concerts Little Boots at the Troubadour (9/22 and 9/23) The Lumineers at the Greek Theatre (9/27) Jake Bugg at The Fonda Theatre (10/1)
albums Birdy: Fire Within (9/23) Icona Pop: This Is... (9/24) Anneke van Giersbergen: Drive (9/27)
Upcoming Performances:
Text: Madison Amido, Emily Markese, & Karen Hsueh Photos: Siria Medina
Lady Gaga- September 1
Genre: Pop, Dance, Electronic
Hit Singles: “Bad Romance,” “Poker Face,” “Paparazzi,” “Born This Way” Performance Highlight: Gaga performed her new song “Swine” adorned in a pink, bedazzled snout mask. Complete with stellar singing and keyboard playing, Gaga captivated the audience with songs from her album ARTPOP. For fans of: Ke$ha, Rihanna, Christina Aguilera
The iTunes Festival is an annual, month-long concert series held at The Roundhouse in London. Each September performance can be streamed live, free of charge and is avaliable for limited viewing on iTunes. Read on to learn more about this year’s lineup of artists and highlight moments.
Ellie Goulding & Laura Welsh- September 22 Tinie Tempah & Naughty Boy- September 26 Justin Timberlake & Mikky Ekko- September 29 Katy Perry with Iggy Azalea & Icona Pop- September 30 Simone Rozen (11): “I’ve been a fan of them for a while so I was already very excited for this. Both of them are incredibly talented and even more, they just seem like excellent guys and with great personalities.” Genre: Alternative hip hop
igossip.com
Erin Jones (12): “Seeing her live didn’t disappoint. Her overall performance was good, but her voice was the highlight; it was electrifying and definitely a unique experience.”
Bio: Boasting an infectious beat and boundless energy, Rizzle Kicks is a British band composed of Jordan Stevens and Harley Alexander-Sule. The duo collaborated with Olly Murs and Ed Sheeran after their debut album and have now released their second studio album, The Roaring 20s.
Performance Highlight: Their upbeat rendition of “Down with the Trumpets” had the audience on their feet and concluded the concert with a strong finale.
For fans of: B.o.B, Ed Sheeran, Azealia Banks
Rizzle Kicks- September 5
ITUNES FESTIVAL
2013
Vampire Weekend- September 15 Bio: Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio, Rostam Batmanglij, and Chris Tomson established Vampire Weekend in early 2006 as students at Columbia University. Their popularity has steadily grown with the release of three studio albums.
Genre: Indie-pop For Fans of: Phoenix, The Strokes, Two Door Cinema Club Performance Highlight: The crowd counted down from 10 to kick off the concert.
thekey.xpn.org
Bella Sullivan (11): “I was very excited [for] the concert, because in the 7th grade [Vampire Weekend] was my favorite band. The crowd was literally all kinds of people, not just teenage girls. They were very good live and the quality of the sound was really nice.”
12 Tiger - Friday, September 20, 2013
Feature
Riddick is clichéd and unimaginative sci-fi By Joey Shapiro Staff Writer 2/5
Despite its large special effects budget and high-profile lead actor, Riddick is an unexceptional science fiction sequel that’s too uneven to be enjoyable. Riddick makes it clear that even with a script that incorporates a few entertaining scenes, the premise of a lone man fighting for survival in space has lost much of its novelty. Richard Riddick (Vin Diesel) is a former soldier and convicted murderer who is left stranded on a desolate desert planet and forced to rely solely on his predatory instincts to survive. After two ships of mercenaries arrive to claim a bounty on Riddick, he hatches a plan to kill them and steal one of their ships to escape the planet. This soon becomes a greater challenge when vicious, scorpi-
on-like creatures pose a threat to both Riddick and the bounty hunters. Diesel’s performance as Riddick is fairly bland, due in part to his underdeveloped character. Riddick is silent for much of the movie, and demonstrates minimal depth even when he speaks; this lack of personality creates a very dull and shallow protagonist. The supporting cast also suffers from unconvincing performances. Former Battlestar Galactica actress Katee Sackhoff ’s role as the rugged female mercenary Dahl is lackluster, and she delivers her lines with a distinct lack of subtlety. But with a script as weak as Riddick’s, it’s understandable that the actors encounter difficulty making their characters believable. The most frustrating aspect of the movie is the poorly written, unnatural dialogue. Whether or not the makers of Riddick intended it to be taken seriously is debatable; the
script is almost comically cheesy, constructed entirely of throwaway lines. The otherwise humorless Riddick is at its best when it embraces its absurdity and aims to be as over-thetop as possible. In one highlight scene, Diesel violently kills a mercenary while chained up in a ship. As the ill-fated soldier charges at Riddick with a blade, Riddick disarms and decapitates him using only his feet, much to the shock of the other mercenaries. Preposterous yet darkly funny scenes like this are a welcome relief from the otherwise serious tone of the movie. Even with these laughably excessive scenes, Riddick is only sporadically successful. It’s not always entertaining, and the script borders on becoming a parody of itself. Vin Diesel launched his career playing Richard Riddick, but Riddick’s mediocrity suggests that it is time for Diesel to move onto worthier roles.
Raj Jain
Josh Wilson,senior
jeffraymond.net
Frozone,The Incredibles
See an uncanny resemblance between a student and a celebrity? Let us know at tigernewspaper.com.
I Declare War is EOVER vivid and unusual
heard
Illustrations by Dylan Anselmo
By Ross Lelieur Staff Writer 4/5
By Julian Prime Staff Writer The Leadership Experience Opprotunity (LEO) Club is not as commonly recognized for its community service efforts as South Pasadena High School frontrunners such as Key Club and Red Cross Club. Nonetheless, it provides students with the unique opportunity to reach out to citizens, focusing on those with disabilities. The club is a subdivision of Lions International, the largest community service organization in the world. Since its creation in 2001, LEO Club has been dedicated to improving the community’s health, education, and way of life. Earlier this year, the club assisted with the Mutt Strut 2K and 5K run/ walk in La Crescenta, which benefited
the California Council of the Blind. At the event, members helped guide blind participants through the course. LEO Club also collected and measured prescriptions of used eyeglasses, cleaned Camp Teresita Pines for blind and deaf children, and built the Lions International Rose Parade float. “What I really like about LEO Club is that it gives students the opportunity to learn about the importance
Rachael Garner
LEO Club members Taryn Kato and Natalie Song enthusiastically greet and recruit potential new members Wednesday at Club Rush.
of participating in serving their community at large while having fun and making lifelong friends in the process,” club advisor Mr. Oliver Valcorza said. “When I was in high school, I started the LA-Global LEO Club and served as its charter president, so I really believe in this organization.” LEO Club is currently assisting people with vision impairments around the world by establishing eyeglass donation boxes in local optometry offices. “This is a good program because we can reduce [the] waste of old glasses while solving healthcare problems,” club president junior Glenda Chen said. In the coming year, LEO Club is looking forward to gaining more members and encouraging a greater number of students to volunteer. Future events include revisiting Camp Teresita Pines and entertaining patients at a carnival held by Rancho Los Amigos Children’s Hospital in December. The club is also searching for a blind or deaf children’s center to personally interact with the lives they impact through their service.
Sticks are assault rifles, trees become forts, and kids are transformed into soldiers. Simultaneously exciting and chilling, I Declare War is a unique film that blurs the lines of morality and plainly reveals the darkness of humanity. I Declare War is set in a densely forested valley that’s turned into a bloody battlefield by a group of imaginative young children, led by PK (Gage Munroe) and Skinner (Michael Friend). This area is the stage for the group’s frequent and intense capture the flag games. Despite its childishness, this naïve and callow game gradually takes a more sinister tone as with each “death,” the players become more vicious, and more blood, both real and imaginary, is spilled. Though the performances of both main actors were realistic, Friend’s performance far outdoes that of Munroe’s, whose acting ability was not stretched beyond peppering people with bullets and profanity. Friend, on the other hand, did an incredible job playing a deranged, cruel, and very dangerous maniac. PK and Skinner are the two heads of the teams, whose constituents possess a diverse range of personalities. Most of these less prominent actors also gave strong performances, with the exception of Jess (Mackenzie Munro), the free agent. Her attempts to appear catty and cunning are part of the reason that her non-sequitur subplot feels out of place and pointless. The best portrayal came from Caleb (Kolton Stewart), the stoic “scout” of PK’s team, whose tacit understanding of the battlefield was clearly expressed through his subtle and effective acting. Regrettably, the tension and excitement of the engrossing storyline and Friend’s brilliant acting are wasted in the final minutes of the movie. The concluding scene is so laughably absurd that it can only be assumed that the budget must have run out. This final sequence attempts to wrap up all the loose ends and impart a number of unrelated themes simultaneously, resulting in a jumbled finish. What the gritty and thrilling film I Declare War lacks in acting and closure it makes up for in tension and thought-provoking purpose. Its graphic sequences ensure that the audience is never bored, and a mature tone that is interesting and welldeveloped makes for a unique and fascinating film.
shockya.com
Michael Friend stars as Skinner in I Declare War, an independent film that explores childhood imagination.
Feature
Friday, September 20, 2013 - Tiger
AM is vintage Monkeys with a West Coast vibe
How to get to UCB:
1. Take the 110 Freeway and exit on Gower St. 2. Turn right onto North Beachwood Dr. 3. Turn right on Franklin Ave. 4. Destination will be on the left.
By Rhian Moore Print Managing Editor 4.5/5
Alex Turner appears on the black-and-white music video for “R U Mine?” in a black shirt and sunglasses as he sits in the passenger seat of a car and sings to the camera at night. Since the Arctic Monkeys debuted in 2005 with “I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor,” lead singer Turner has traded in his sweatshirts for leather jackets, and his previous floppy hair has been cropped short and slicked back. The transformed image accurately portrays the mood of the Arctic Monkeys’s fifth studio album, AM. Reminiscent of the delirious haze and lusty desire that trickle in during the early hours of the morning, AM is an accomplished arrangement of songs that successfully combines the hard garage rock synonymous with the Arctic Monkeys with a new, sultry west coast feel. The Arctic Monkeys have established themselves in the music world with past hit singles such as “Fluorescent Adolescent” and “Crying Lightning.” Tracks such as “Do I Wanna Know?” and “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?” have joined the band’s ranks as some of their best songs, and the year that the Arctic Monkeys spent in California is clearly evident in the album’s hip-hop influences and palpably different sound. Of course, no Arctic Monkeys album comes without a selection of remarkable ballads, and AM is no exception. Turner croons about his willing devotion in “I Wanna Be Yours,” and demonstrates his lyrical genius in the ironically titled “No. 1 Party Anthem.” The slower-paced tracks are balanced by livelier gems such as “Snap Out Of It” and “Arabella,” which leave listeners breathless with the band’s irresistible guitar riffs and soaring falsettos. The Arctic Monkeys strike a perfect balance between addictive glam rock and sensual urban with AM, giving their old sound a satisfying evolved feel. This next step has proven just as impressive as the English band’s first album eight years ago.
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By Kea Hudson Staff Writer Emily, Sophia, and I were in need of a girls’ night out after the painful reality that was the first full week of the school year. Fatigued and overworked, we were more than ready for some quality entertainment, food, and people watching. Sophia created an itinerary to make us feel sufficiently hipster on our adventure through West Hollywood on a warm Friday evening. We piled into Emily’s bright red twodoor Honda and hit the 110 freeway. Despite Sophia’s and my lack of driving expertise, we navigated the road smoothly and arrived in about twenty minutes.
As Nat King Cole’s “L-OV-E” blasted on the stereo, we rolled up to the valet parking in front of our first destination: the Upright Citizens Brigade. The exterior of the small comedy theatre, which consists of a simple walkway and a plain sign, goes unnoticed among the other restaurants and stores on the block. Despite the theatre’s humble appearance, many UCB performers go on to become successful actors and comedians for shows like Saturday Night Live. At its two locations, one in Los Angeles and the other in New York, UCB puts on a variety of improv, sketch, and standup comedy shows that are both hilarious and affordable. Sophia had reserved tickets for Setlist, an improv stand-up show. As we waited outside, we observed the crowd of hip twenty-somethings, keeping count of the number of ombré hairstyles in line. The hour-long performance featured five comedians that stood on stage as a “setlist” of topics was projected on a screen above them. The comedians were to seamlessly improvise material based on outrageous, strange, and nonsensical combinations of words.
Sophia Arriola
Some noteworthy topics in the show we attended included “I’m not leaving until I build a WalMart right here” and “Free Range Grandmas.” There was no age requirement for audience members, but clearly, viewers were generally comfortable with mature material. After the 8:00 show, perhaps from laughing so much, we were ravenous. We walked down the block, past the fist-pumping music blasting from a party at the Church of Scientology, to a small Thai restaurant called Pimai. The three of us shared a steaming bowl of chicken curry and a savory plate of Pad Thai. The warm dishes were a tasty and satisfying conclusion to a wonderful evening. If you’re looking to step out of your weekend comfort zone, the Upright Citizens Brigade is an excellent destination and a unique alternative to the movie theater.
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Tiger - Friday, September 20, 2013
By David Yang Opinion Editor
Sports
Jennifer Orr
Robert Rush
With an imposing frame and intense gaze, it is easy to see why senior Robert Rush is the captain of the South Pasadena High School football team. A member of the program since freshman year, Rush has risen in the ranks to become one of the three starting seniors on the varsity squad. Rush is not the stereotypical macho football leader. The senior juggles his football life with AP Chemistry, AP Calculus, and AP Literature, and is able to remain empathetic and
Siria Medina
Senior captain Robert Rush has led his squad to a 1-1 record in preseason.
considerate even on the unforgiving gridiron. “One thing about leadership is that you have to know the people around you and what their situation is, their strengths and weaknesses, and how to make them a better player,” Rush said. Rush’s dedication to the sport has yielded rewards off the field as well. “[Football] helped me out a lot with relationships because you get to know a lot of people from football and everybody becomes friends with each other,” Rush said. “Even though I’m not the best leader, I’ve learned a lot.” In the last game against Hoover High School, Rush showed his dedication by being at the heart of a game-changing play. Fellow senior Heven Gomez had split a pair of tackles and was on his way to a brilliant touchdown run when the ball was stripped out of his hands. Chaos ensued as numerous players leaped for the loose ball, but Rush, who had valiantly chased behind his speedy running back, came out of the mass of bodies with the football. The momentum-shifting play ended with the Tigers scoring a touchdown to take the lead and South Pas went on to win the game 21-7. Though football is a passion for Robert, he has had to make sacrifices for the sport. He relays his romantic stoicism with a crooked smile. “I don’t really care about getting the ladies because the only thing I care about is doing my best for the football team. I usually care about women after the season.”
Matt Winkel
Senior Jennifer Orr has been a varsity member for the Tigers since freshman year. By Kea Hudson Staff Writer It is incredible that senior Jennifer Orr has time to fit tennis into her schedule, given her exceptionally heavy academic course load and numerous leadership commitments. But for Orr, the sport acts as a stress reliever. Tennis helps her cope with her draining daily routine by diverting her attention from her taxing responsibilities to focus on the game. “Tennis allows you to free your mind and stop thinking about everything,” Orr said. “If you practice enough, everything becomes natural. And if you’ve got confidence in yourself, you know you have what it takes.” Orr started playing tennis recreationally in first grade, but did not begin taking formal lessons until the middle of eighth grade. Despite a fairly late start in competitive training, Orr proved herself to be a dexterous
player when she clinched a spot on the South Pasadena varsity squad her freshman year. Even as an underclassman, Orr was a force to be reckoned with on the court. At just fourteen, she won the championship at the 2010 Ramada Junior Novice Tournament held for sixteen-year-old players. “I wasn’t entered to play, but someone needed a partner for doubles,” Orr said. “I was partnered with a stranger, but we ended up taking the championship.” Orr, now a two-year team captain, is responsible for arranging team uniforms, games, and schedules. But above all, Orr shines as a role model for her teammates. “Jennifer is so important to our team’s success,” senior co-captain Karinna Loo said. “You’ll never see her alone during games; she’s always supporting and cheering on her teammates. She’s a great player, but she’s an even better leader.”
Sports
Friday, September 20, 2013 - Tiger
15
Football bounces back in home opener, evens record at 1-1 By Andrew Shults Staff Writer The South Pasadena High School football team avenged a disappointing season opening loss to Eagle Rock with an explosive win at Herbert Hoover High School on September 13. The Tigers’ exceptional defense and powerful running game proved to be the deciding factor in the 21-7 victory. Defense shined for both South Pasadena and Hoover in the first quarter of the afternoon match, keeping the game scoreless. The Tornadoes broke the deadlock by running for eight yards on the first play of the second quarter to score a touchdown. The Tigers responded with a long drive that resulted in a touchdown by senior Heven Gomez, who also kicked the extra point to tie the game at seven points apiece. The Tigers were first to strike in the second half with a 42-yard touchdown run by
junior Matt Ayala, putting them up by seven. South Pasadena’s defense continued to impress as the Tigers stuffed a fourth and goal Tornado attempt. This important stand swung the momentum back to the home team. Gomez ran for a touchdown once more in the dying minutes of the game to round out the score to 21-7 in favor of the Tigers. “I had a great game but I’ve got to thank my offensive line and defensive line,” Gomez said. “My o-line provided me with holes for me to run through and my d-line held them back and kept the score [low].” South Pasadena travels to Glendale High School next week for its third game of the season. The Nitros are looking to rebound after a 39-7 loss last year against the Tigers. “We just keep telling them to keep your eye on the prize, keep looking forward and keep working everyday,” head coach Marty Konrad said.
Matt Winkel
Senior running back Heven Gomez rushes past a Hoover HS defender in the Tigers’ 21-7 victory over the Tornadoes. Gomez scored two touchdowns in the game.
Girls cross country looks to rebound By Jason Wang Staff Writer The girls cross country team has worked hard all summer to ensure a quick rebound and a successful 2013-14 season, after last year’s disappointing league performance. Intense strength training, eight-mile runs, and afternoon practices in scorching heat have become daily routine for the squad as they prepare for tonight’s Woodbridge Cross Country Classic at Estancia High School. “This year, the girls cross country team has an extremely strong underclassmen showing,” sophomore
Fiona Bock said. “Despite being young, we definitely have the ambition and potential to win the league title.” According to the National High School Coaches Association, the South Pasadena girls team is currently unranked. Nonetheless, there is hope that the Tigers can prove their critics wrong given the outstanding display of talent from the underclassmen. The biggest challenge for the varsity girls squad is filling the gap left by last years’ senior co-captains Anika Renken and Jessica Hitchcock. The Tigers will look to senior Helena Van Loan and sophomore Emily Ye to lead the squad.
“We lost of couple of key athletes,” head coach Patrick McGrail said. “There are some big shoes to fill both on and off the field. But it’s all part of the sport. Sometimes people don’t reach their full potential until they have an opportunity, a shoe to fill.” The first of three league meets will take place at Santa Fe Dam in Irwindale on Wednesday, September 25. “We expect to win league, but the only way to do so is by taking small, consistent strides towards our goals,” senior Van Loan said. “All the practices we’ve undergone will finally pay off over the next few months.”
Girls tennis powers past the Pandas By Brandon Kim Staff Writer The varsity girls tennis team dominated against the first-year squad from Immaculate Heart High School, soundly defeating the Pandas with a score of 18-0. The singles players only allowed four points total to their opponents. Freshman Donna Kim won all three of her sets in emphatic 6-0 fashion. Doubles players also impressed by triumphStephanie Kim ing in all nine of their sets. “I think we gained Freshman Ashley Huang returns a a lot of experience during serve against Immaculate Heart. preseason, and we hope to
improve even more during the season,” senior Katie Donovan said. It was a completely different story on on Tuesday, September 17, when the Tigers faced a tough Pasadena Polytechnic squad and lost the match 15-3. The defeat brought the squad’s overall preseason record to 5-3. The singles players struggled against their opponents and only managed to score fourteen points total. The only win came from sophomore captain Symona Stans who narrowly won with a score of 7-5. The doubles pairs
fared slightly better, although they only won two sets total. The duo of senior captain Karinna Loo and junior Katherine Shinno dominated its opponents with a score of 6-0, the only set in which Poly didn’t manage to earn a point. The second and last victory came from a set won by the pair of senior Rebeecca Bu and freshman Anya Nicolaides. “I think we’re doing pretty well and I’m happy with how we’re playing,” Bu said. “A team goal would be just doing the best we can do in the game and knowing that we did that.”
Girls golf makes history By Madeline Hellwig Staff Writer After opening the Montview League season with a victory, South Pasadena varsity girls golf extended its winning streak with a historic 195-221 win over Gabrilieno High School at the Almansor Golf Course yesterday. “We played really well today,” senior captain Megan Srisutham said. “We broke the school’s record for the lowest team score in history with the 195. The girls worked really hard over summer and it is just a really good day today.” Junior captain Katie Rosenberg shot a day best of 33 with Srisutham and junior Amy Chong close behind at 38 and 39. Freshmen Caitlyn Yamashita with 42 came next on the scoreboard with junior Alyssa Carlos’ 44 rounding out the top five. In the first match against the Eagles, the Tigers won by over 30 strokes and ended up on top, 203-237. “Gabrielino High School is a very solid team,” head golf coach Richard Goto said. “It was a good test for our ladies.” The Tigers wrapped up the preseason play on Wednesday, September 11 with another impressive performance against Alhambra High School at the Almansor Golf Course. Although the Alhambra Moors, with only four participants, were disqualified, South Pas pulled together a solid 212 score overall.
9/24 SPHS v. Mayfield
10/01 9/26 SPHS v. SPHS v. Mayfield Azusa HS
Boys XC hopes to retain Rio Hondo crown in 2013-14 By Stanley Wu Staff Writer The boys cross country team is back on its feet and ready to defend its 20122013 Rio Hondo League title, following a year of successe. Dedicating themselves to a summer of grueling morning practices, team members have shown their commitment to another excellent season, and are ready to earn another trip to CIF. The squad will greatly miss last year’s star Paul Messana, but will rely on an experienced squad to carry the weight. The senior quartet of Josh Wilson, Tyler Gershman, Thomas Steele and Victor
Hidalgo, along with junior Cullen Irvine, will likely make up the Tigers’ scoring five. Team captain Wilson is optimistic that last year’s success can be repeated. “We’ve trained hard throughout the summer,“ Wilson said. “We’re looking forward to starting our season strong and making it further than last year.” Despite losing a number of graduating seniors, the squad remains confident in its ability and prowess. Last year the team placed first at the varsity, junior varsity, and frosh/soph levels at Rio Hondo, yet barely missed qualifying into CIF finals. “Of course, we have a lot of pres-
sure, being three-time league champions,” head coach Patrick McGrail said. “But we believe we can defend our title and potentially make CIF finals.” The cross country team will kick off its season tomorrow at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic at Estancia High School. In five days the Tigers will travel to Irwindale for the first of three Rio Hondo league meets. ”We are ranked 94th in the state, so at Woodbridge we definitely want to come in the top seven for the division three heat,” Gershman said. “ If we stay injury-free and consistently perform [well] we should have a really good season.”
Raj Jain
Seniors Josh Wilson and Victor Hidalgo prepare for the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic that will take place September 21.
16 Tiger - Friday, September 20, 2013
Sports
Sports
Upcoming sports games Today: Football @ Glendale @ 7:00 PM Tomorrow: Cross Country Classic @ Woodbridge Thursday 9/26: Water polo vs Claremont @ 3:30 PM
And then there were three Clem Witherall Sports Editor
Matt Winkel
Senior Pierce Deamer rises out of the water and shoots the ball in the Tigers’ 17-12 defeat against Martin Luther King High School. South Pas has worked incredibly hard in the past two months to prepare for league.
Water polo drops back-to-back games By Asa Silverman and Julian Prime Tiger Staff For the second time this preseason, the South Pasadena High School water polo team came up short against a strong opponent. In the Tigers’ Thursday matchup against Montebello High School, the squad was truly tested physically and ended up losing by a score of 13-7. The Tigers lacked their usual drive and came up short on opportunities. The disappointing defeat against the Oilers was tough on the Tigers as South Pas came into the game with only one defeat on their preseason record, which had come just one day earlier against Martin Luther King High School. Although the Tigers scored a whopping 12 goals, South Pas couldn’t
keep up with King’s fiery offense, allowing 17 goals, and let the game slip through their fingers. Last year, the Wolves were CIF Division III champions and knocked out South Pasadena in the semifinals. “This was the best team we faced so far, and we knew it was going to be a physical game,” senior co-captain Adrian Suarez said. “It’s not shocking that we lost, but we can’t let them score as much as they did.” Junior goalkeeper Will Renken ended the week with two very strong performances and made crucial saves in both games. Junior Ryan Rodriguez and senior Cameron Lee also impressed for the Tigers, providing strong offense in the game against Montebello. “It was tough losing both games
this week,” co-captain Pierce Deamer said. “This has showed us what we need to work on; it is a mid-season wake up call.” The Tigers next take on Claremont High School on September 26 before opening league season against bitter rival La Cañada on October 8. South Pasadena boasts an experienced squad this year with ten seniors leading the way. The Tigers are excited for this year’s matchup with La Cañada and are optimistic that a league crown is within grasp. “The game against the Spartans is definitely going to be tough,” Suarez said. “We need to keep practicing and work on the defense. We lost both games against La Cañada last year but hopefully we will turn the tables on them.”
Volleyball swept by Flintridge Sacred Heart Clem Witherall & Matt DeFulgentiis Tiger Staff The South Pasadena girls volleyball squad ran into a roadblock on September 19 as they were swept in straight sets against a powerful Flintridge Sacred
Sophia Arriola
Seniors Claire Kieffer-Wright and Samantha Figueroa combine for a block.
Heart team. South Pas lost the three sets by scores of 25-16, 25-20, and 25-22 against the Tologs, who came into the matchup ranked number nine in Division I-A. Even before entering the match, the Tigers were aware of the strength of their opponents. “FSHA is deinitely the best competition that we’ll see until CIF playoffs,” senior captain Claire Kieffer-Wright said, noting that the team’s caliber was similar to that of a first round CIF team. “It was great to see them in the preseason, though, because it gets us ready to dominate in league.” The Tigers got off to a slow start as Sacred Heart jumped out to a devastatingly quick 7-1 lead. South Pas struggled throughout the first set and lost by nine points. The score could have been worse as more than half of the Tigers’ points were the result of unforced errors. South Pas regrouped and came into the second game with much more intensity. Kieffer-Wright and freshman Kate Kutzer combined to provide a sensational
block that brought the Tigers within a single point as the scoreboard read 1110. However, the Tologs rebounded and were able to gain separation as they led 19-13 late in the second set. South Pas attempted to come back and halved Sacred Heart’s lead but were unable to resist the Tolog’s momentum and lost 25-20. After two exhausting defeats, the Tigers could have easily given up, but the third set proved to be the closest of the game. South Pas took the advantage at 15-14 but the Tologs were relentless and tied the exhilarating set at 16s. Ultimately, Sacred Heart proved its class by scoring seven straight points to take a 23-16 advantage. On the verge of defeat, the Tigers roared back and found themselves down by two with the score at 24-22. Unfortunately, a Sacred Heart spike ended the Tigers’ comeback and the game. “In the last set, I saw the freshmen maturing to the level of varsity players,” said Kieffer-Wright of the Tigers’ near comeback. “We have a lot of work to do still, but we’re starting on that road now.”
Many teams boast a dozen or more senior starters on their football squads. South Pasadena has a grand total of three. Heven Gomez, Robert Rush, and Nathan Lee know they are role models for the squad and need to be resilient leaders in what is expected to be a tough rebuilding season. But the trio has already demonstrated that they aren’t ones to throw in the towel and are prepared to carry the young team on their backs as they confront tougher, older opponents along with the Tigers’ own inexperience. For a team that spends less time in the air than the Wright brothers’ first flight attempt (look it up), the trio is essential to the Tigers’ run-dominant offense. Offensive linemen Rush and Lee are responsible for creating the holes in the defense for running back Gomez to take advantage of. Last week, the squad rebounded from a tough opening loss to Eagle Rock by clinching a 21-7 victory over Herbert Hoover High School. The trio was at the heart of the Tigers victory as Gomez scored two of the three touchdowns. “I absolutely have a bond with both Heven and Robert,” Lee said. “They have been on the squad with me since freshman year and I respect them a great deal for sticking with the team even when so many others left.” The “Big Three” gave multiple reasons for the lack of seniors on the squad. Some of the former players quit, allegedly due to conflicts with head coach Martin Konrad’s coaching style, while others had issues with grades and transferred to other schools. Yet the trio seemed to agree that fears of a dismal 2013-14 season also factored in the many seniors’ decision to quit the program. “Some knew that we had a really young squad and they thought we were going to be really bad and so they just gave up,” Gomez said. Regardless of the uphill battle that the South Pasadena football program faces, the three starting seniors acknowledge that this year will be an emotional one as it is the last time that they will represent the high school on the gridiron. “I’m going to miss the memories and all the guys I’ve played with,” Gomez added. “You recognize that there will not be a next year so you have to give it all you got when you’re out there.” There will likely be no trophies for the team this year. A winning record is questionable as well. But when the young Tigers mature two or three years down the road, and victories become more regular, don’t forget the trio that started the rebirth of the football program.
[inside]
Matt Winkel
Pg. 15: Read about football’s impressive 21-7 win over Herbert Hoover.