SOUTH PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL 1401 FREMONT AVE, SOUTH PASADENA, CA 91030
VOLUME 104 ISSUE 8 MAY 30, 2018
SENIORS decorate the Tiger Patio with their college choices
LOOKING BACK ON THE YEAR AUGUST: School starts under an eclipse As the once-in-a-century total solar eclipse traversed the continental United States on August 21, SPHS students took a break from classes to gaze indirectly at the crescent-shaped sun. Although South Pasadena was not located within the total eclipse path, students took advantage of the partial eclipse visible from school. Physics teacher Mr. Dean Papadakis offered telescopes, viewing glasses, and pinhole projectors to help students see the astronomical wonder for themselves.
STORY COLE CAHILL & PETER WANG PHOTOS TIGER PHOTOGRAPHERS
JANUARY: Virtual Business excels at state competition in Bakersfield The SPHS Virtual Business teams excelled at the California State Virtual Business Competition in Bakersfield on January 17-18. Bloc, the varsity business plan team, was awarded second place, while Journey, the junior varsity group, garnered fifth place. Both teams qualified to compete at the national competition in New York City last April, where they both finished in the top 16 teams in the nation.
MARCH: Nationwide walkouts come to SP The February 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida prompted a nationwide school walkout on March 14 in support of gun control legislation. After weeks of organization, over 500 SPHS students gathered to rally outside of the campus for 17 minutes in memory of the 17 students and teachers killed in Parkland. Students then marched north on Fremont Avenue while chanting and carrying signs.
OCTOBER: Color Day excites campus Black and orange overflowed SPHS campus on October 6 as students and staff celebrated the 79th annual Color Day. The day began with a costume contest, featuring creations such a pair of fidget spinners, Neighborhoods of Los Angeles, and a group of principal Janet Andersons. In the packed gym, students were greeted with entertaining skits and performances, and later introduced to the Homecoming court nominees.
NOVEMBER: Homecoming brings school festivities Homecoming in South Pas is a triple threat: a clubcentered picnic, a football game, and a dance into the night. Diamond Avenue was closed to make way for clubs and musicians to entertain students before the Tiger football team faced San Marino. Senior Riley Segal was crowned “Royal Tiger” at halftime before students took the dance floor at “Nightmare on Diamond Street.”
THE QUIZLET ERA
Online Managing Editor Brandon Yung explores sharing knowledge in the digital age, and why cheating no longer means compromising integrity. Page 6
IN THE NEWS
MAY: Prom delights at the Gene Autry Months of anticipation and preparation for Prom culminated at the Gene Autry Museum of the American West on May 12, with the dance titled “Night at the Museum.” Although unfamiliar to some students, the venue proved to be a success, with a large dance floor and open exhibits. Other activities included two photo booths, a caricature station, Jenga, and Guitar Hero. Near the end of the dance, senior Reno Goudeau and junior Sage Pierone were crowned as Prom Kings, while senior Victoria Venardi and junior Rachel Lu were the winners for Prom Queen.
CLASS OF 2018
BADMINTON
Read Tiger’s annual post-graduation spread for the Class of 2018, featuring colleges, destinations, and future plans. Page 10
Despite finishing third in the Almont league, badminton upset a number of highly ranked schools to win its first CIF southern section title. Page 16
In the Farewell Assembly today, SPHS students said their goodbyes to the Class of 2018.
The Last Chance Dance will cap off the 2017-2018 school year this Friday, June 1.
TIGERNEWSPAPER.COM
Congresswoman Judy Chu will be speaking at Baccalaureate on Sunday, June 3.
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TIGER MAY 30, 2018
NEWS
NEWS
City addresses issue of discolored water STORY PETER WANG The City of South Pasadena is exploring various methods to resolve the issue of discolored water brought forth by residents this past March. Councilmembers outlined the causes, effects, and solutions to discoloration, and reassured residents of the water supply’s safety during the May 16 meeting. A total of 72 reports of discolored water had been filed by the time of the meeting. Reports began in March, but the rate of reports increased in April. The root of the issue is the switch to a new blend of water sources in compliance with a new state regulation that limits the amount of 1,2,3-trichloropropane — a suspected carcinogen –– in public water systems. The city needed to find a new water source to avoid a violation, because the water supply exceeded the limit imposed by the regulation. In March of this year, the city switched the main source of the water blend from the Wilson Reservoir to water purchased from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD). MWD’s water uses chloramine as a disinfectant, which may react with iron in pipes to form rust and cause discoloration ranging in color from redbrown to pale yellow. The reaction is most prevalent in galvanized pipes. The ‘dirty’ water was described by some residents as ‘smelling like a sewer.’ Cases across the city differ in severity, so the amount of flushing required to clear the discoloration varies. “I can run [the water] for hours and hours and it won’t turn to clear,” resident Charles Raggio said. “We don’t have any water to drink. Come take a look at the water [from pipe flushing] outside Bank Street. It’s brown.” Residents raised concerns and questions during the public comment session, especially pertaining to the health effects. The city stated that the water has been tested multiple times a week and that no harmful contaminants have been found. However, residents were told to not drink water that is not clear due to its unpleasant qualities. The proposed permanent solution is a treatment system that will reduce 1,2,3-TCP levels and allow the system to switch back to using the Wilson Reservoir as its main source; this system will cost $1.5 million. Additionally, purchasing water from the MWD will set the city back by another $1.3 million. The city promised that residents will not see a rate increase due to these costs.
FRAMING of the north side of the STEM building is underway. Construction is expected to be completed December 2018 and classes will move into the building during the next school year.
STEM building construction continues with framework STORY ISABELLA TSAI PHOTO ISAAC MARZIALI
T
he beginning stages of wooden framing for the new SPHS STEM building have been erected after months of demolition and utilities work. The construction, which began in November 2017, is expected to be completed by December 2018 and classes are slated to move into the new building in second semester of the next school year. The construction team has spent the last few months working on the building’s foundation, digging through the former tennis court grounds. One of the challenges faced was rerouting the existing sewer and water lines that run under the new building. Throughout the construction process, school administration and the construction team have committed to making the safety of students their first priority. Both parties have met weekly to discuss safety concerns in anticipation and planning around any construction processes that will affect students. The building will house math and science classes, equipped with four new lab rooms as well as six standard classrooms. The two-story structure will also include a new multi-
purpose room to serve as a meeting room or a potential space for a new engineering course. Seating, waterfilling stations, and new bleachers will be located in the courtyard that will face the softball field. These new additions are primarily funded by Measure SP, a measure allocating 98 million dollars in bonds, that was passed last fall. Funding for the science labs is not a part of this recent allotment. Rather, the measure makes it possible for the math and science buildings to be built together. Plans for improved SPHS physical education and athletic facilities are also being developed before they are submitted this summer to the Department of State Architects. Working blueprints include new tennis and outdoor basketball courts, updated bleachers in the main gym and on the visitors’ side of the track, as well as a new structure behind the visitors’ bleachers to house P.E. and Bingo equipment, as well as new sports medicine facilities. “We are excited to see the results of many years of planning,” SPUSD Superintendent Geoff Yantz’s office said. “Being able to provide a high-quality learning environment and responding to the need for more classrooms is extremely gratifying and rewarding.”
TIGER MAY 30, 2018
NEWS
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Senior Awards Night STORY RACHEL LU & DOMINIC MARZIALI
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRONSON PHOTOGRAPHY
The SPHS faculty and members of the South Pasadena community celebrated distinguished students at SPHS during Senior Awards Night — an annual event — Tuesday, May 29. Scholarships were awarded to members of the Class of 2018 who went above and beyond in their achievements during their time at SPHS. Scholarships awarded at the ceremony totaled more than $35,000 for outstanding students for
PAGE ELAINE YANG & KATE ROGERS
excellence in areas such as athletics, leadership, mathematics, and language. The scholarship committee — led by SPHS English teacher and scholarship chair Ms Denise Gill — consists of faculty and students who discuss and select several of the scholarship/award recipients. This committee, in addition to multiple organizations, presented the awards throughout the night.
THE WELDON AWARD
The prestigious Weldon Award honors six graduating seniors each year after the values of its namesake: SPHS teacher and SPUSD board president William H.R. Weldon. A committee of 25 SPHS students and faculty members identified the 2018 recipients for their demonstration of fair play and integrity throughout their high school careers. This year, Kate Ba, Will Hoadley-Brill, Alana Ballagh, David Seo, Tiffany Holmes, and Jae Jin Lee have been commended for their contributions to the South Pasadena school and community.
Art & Drama
Dickson Family Award
Becky Seo The Dickson Family Award for the Arts celebrates senior Becky Seo this year for her accomplishment in the arts. Seo –– an artist throughout her high school career and beyond –– has also been an illustrator for Copa De Oro. She will be continuing with illustration at the ArtCenter College of Design this fall.
Sports
Crary Sportsmanship Award
Cole Schroeder Senior Cole Schroeder receives the Kathryn Larkin Crary scholarship for his performance on the SPHS boys’ volleyball team. Schroeder has been a valued player on the varsityteam since his freshman year and will be attending the University of Southern California (USC) as a computer engineering and science major.
Maddie Saito This year’s Kathryn Larkin Crary scholarship is also awarded to Madison Saito for her continuous accomplishments on the girls’ volleyball team. Saito — an athlete in both club and SPHS volleyball — was also named MVP for the 2017-2018 season. She will be attending Arizona State University (ASU) in the fall with a major in communications.
Leadership
The Aydin Salek Award
Jae Jin Lee The Aydin Salek celebrates a student who demonstrates immense dedication to leadership both on- and off-campus. This year’s recipient — Jae Jin Lee — has served as this year’s Commissioner of Internal Affairs and student board member. Lee will be majoring in international development studies this fall at UCLA.
Pictured from left to right: Kate Ba will be pursuing pre-business this fall at UC Berkeley, Will Hoadley-Brill will be attending George Washington University as an international relations major, Alana Ballagh will be majoring in neuroscience/ psychology at Swarthmore College, David Seo will be joining the Oberlin College Class of 2022 with creative writing, Tiffany Holmes will be pursuing sociology at the University of San Francisco (USF), and Jae Jin Lee will be attending UCLA this fall as an international development studies major.
School & Community
Karen Offenhauser Award
Will Hoadley-Brill The Karen Offenhauser Outstanding Senior is the only award recognizing an individual voted for by the graduating senior class. The Class of 2018 commends Will Hoadley-Brill for his marks on and off the South Pasadena High School campus. Hoadley-Brill will be majoring in international relations this fall at George Washington University.
The Friends from ‘64 Emily Gruhn The Friends from ‘64 recognizes graduating senior Emily Gruhn for her reflections on the friendships she has made throughout the SPHS community. This scholarship recognizes the impact of connection on one’s pursuits and life. The selection committee includes a group of South Pasadena women whose friendships began in the schools and sustain today, years after their graduation in 1964. Gruhn will be attending UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) in fall of 2018.
Academics
The Helen Burr Scholarship
Natali Lelieur The Helen Burr Scholarship commends senior Natali Lelieur for her continuous commitment to learning the Spanish language. As a student of the SPHS Spanish program, the award recognizes Lelieur’s four years of excellence in the language. Lelieur will be joining the California Institute of Technology (CalTech) Class of 2022 as a chemistry major this fall.
The Afram Family Scholarship Wilson Tizon III On behalf of SPHS English teacher Mr. Mark Afram’s parents, the Afram Family Scholarship awards an individual who has exemplified high performance in mathematics. The 2018 award goes to senior Wilson Tizon for his accomplishments throughout the SPHS math department. Tizon will be attending CSU Los Angeles as a civil engineering major.
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TIGER MAY 30, 2018
NEWS
Pearson honored with 2018 Hartsough Award The annual assembly recognized this year’s Hartsough, Most Inspirational, and Rookie of the Year STORY CHRISTINE MAO PHOTOS THOMAS FORMAN & RICHARD GOMEZ World History teacher Ms Annalee Pearson was announced as the 2018 recipient of the Hartsough Award during the annual assembly on Friday, May 18. This schoolwide assembly commemorates exceptional teachers nominated by SPHS students. Ms Pearson is a valued member of the Social Science Department at SPHS, teaching both honors and regular Modern World History for ten years. While instructing a rigorous class, she is always supporting and motivating her students, gaining a well-known reputation as “a loving mother to all her students,” as her introduction stated. “As I walked down the aisle, to hear so many students clapping and cheering for me was surreal and then to have had my sons on stage to present the award along with [my students] Caleb and Kenny was one of the most memorable experiences of my entire life,” Ms Pearson said. “I am in awe of the love and all of the students and staff that have so many gracious things to say to me since the Hartsough and that have taken the time to congratulate me.” ASB commissioners announced two awards prior to the Hartsough announcement. AP Environmental Science instructor Mr. Don Wielenga was given the Most Inspirational Teacher Award. This award is given to those who set a dynamic example for students through their actions, inspiring others push past obstacles and keep on working towards their goals.
presented with the Rookie of the Year Award. This recognizes Hoffa as a new individual who has made a tremendous impact on the school and its theater department, despite only having two years of experience at SPHS. In his time teaching, Hoffa has brought his drama students to the annual Fullerton Theatre Festival for competition. He also directed this year’s Almost, Maine and The Addams Family in collaboration with the choir and dance departments. ASB also gave special recognition to SPHS volunteer Ms Rhya Turovsky, who has worked in Ms Adriana Wiedermann’s English class for the past year. “[Turovsky] gives beyond what is necessary or even expected of her,” Commissioner of Finance Scott Na said. “She is described by students as ‘extraordinarily kind’ and ‘much more than just a teacher.’ ” The Hartsough Award honors former SPHS teacher, counselor, and administrator Harold Hartsough. Over his 28 years at SPHS, Hartsough established a reputation for his willingness to help students in every way possible and his dedication to the high school. ASB created the award to honor Hartsough after his retirement from SPHS in 1981. Each award recipient received a bouquet and plaque, marking their achievements in the 2017-2018 school year.
As I walked down the aisle, to hear so many students clapping and cheering for me was surreal and then to have had my sons on stage to present the award along with [my students]...was one of the most memorable experiences of my entire life.”
In addition to being an asset to the Science Department, Wielenga is widely known throughout school campus for overseeing the school’s compost pile as well as the vegetable and aquaponics gardens. His dedication also expands to the school’s track and cross-country teams and is the faculty advisor for multiple clubs. CTE Drama teacher Mr. Nick Hoffa was
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THREE NOTABLE TEACHERS were recognized for their immense contributions in and out of their respective SPHS classrooms. Pictured counterclockwise from top: Annalee Pearson, Nick Hoffa, and Don Wielenga.
TIGER MAY 30, 2018
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ST A F F ED IT OR IA L
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OPINION
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RILEY SEGAL MANAGING EDITORS COLE CAHILL, Print BRANDON YUNG, Online NEWS RACHEL LU, Editor ISABELLA TSAI, Associate OPINION OONA FOLEY, Editor PETER WANG, Associate FEATURE MAYA WILLIAMSON, Editor NOAH PARKER, Associate SPORTS MATT WAKUMOTO, Editor ALEX BETTS, Associate DESIGN ASHTON CARLESS, TRUMAN LESAK, Editors KATE ROGERS, ELAINE YANG, Associates PHOTOGRAPHY THOMAS FORMAN, Editor ALICIA ALDERETE, Associate COPY AMELIA ANTHONY ALINA MEHDI SENIOR STAFF WRITER SAMMY PARK STAFF WRITERS LILY AZAT, DASHIEL BOVE, BENJAMIN CLARK, SOFIE DRESKIN, CHRISTINE MAO, DOMINIC MARZIALI, LUKE QUEZADA, DAVID SEO, PRESTON SHARKEY PHOTOGRAPHERS HELENA FU, LUKE QUEZADA, RICHARD GOMEZ ILLUSTRATORS ISABELLA FRESCURA, GRAPHIC DESIGNER FINLEY MULLEN VIDEOGRAPHER ISAAC MARZIALI MANAGERS SAMANTHA ABELSON, Ads LAUREN TAN, Business WEBMASTER OLIVER CHANG FACULTY ADVISOR MIKE HOGAN VOL. 104 NO. 8 DISTRIBUTED ON MAY 30, 2018. DISTRIBUTION: 1489 STUDENTS; 70 COMMUNITY. 1600 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. ORIGINAL STORIES WILL CARRY BYLINES, ALTHOUGH STORIES REWRITTEN BY ANYONE OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL WRITER WILL NOT RECEIVE A BYLINE. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE BYLINES. 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’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.
KATE ROGERS
What we can take away from SPHS making Breitbart After SPHS circulated through the alt-right news sphere following a secret audio recording, the national political dynamic played out on a small stage.
D
uring brunch on May 2, junior Charles Li draped a flag on his back depicting the outline of an AR-15 captioned with the words “COME AND TAKE IT.” The gesture was meant to gather attention for a pro-Second Amendment walkout he had planned, following one in which hundreds of students walked out following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the deadliest school shooting in American history. What followed reached the headlines of some of the most viewed conservative news sites in the country. What played out mirrors dynamics on the national scale, showing that, as tensions rise alongside conservative fervor, only empathy can redeem political dialogue. That morning, Li was brought to administrators after students reported the flag as a violation of dress code (depictions of weapons are not allowed). Conscious of a school shooting plot at SPHS that nearly materialized only four years ago, school officials were concerned about how some might have interpreted the imagery on campus. After being called in, Li secretly recorded the conversation — California requires two party consent to record a conversation — with school administrators about whether the flag was acceptable on campus. Even though the flag was never confiscated, the audio was enough to spark controversy in a world unfamiliar to many in the South Pasadena community: the far-right media circuit. A week later, the recording was published on the conservative media outlet Campus Reform, and the story quickly spread to other similar publications. It was eventually picked up by Breitbart, a site which co-founder Steve Bannon has described the site as a “platform for the alt right.” Breitbart’s coverage posed the incident as a violation of Li’s freedom of speech with manipulative edited audio. The articles sought to use the story
as an example of liberal intolerance in public education. The vitriol started rolling in; a slew of feedback ranging from condemning “libtards” to accusing faculty of being agents of a government conspiracy theory filled the comment sections. Anonymous emails and phone calls from angry readers to school employees made the presence feel even more real. This extreme reaction parallels political discourse on the national scale: aggressive and intolerant. Freedom of speech is important and so is defending this right, but wearing a depiction of a gun that resembled the same one used to commit the Parkland shooter’s is objectively provocative, especially on a campus with a history of gun violence threats. In the struggle against bigoted viewpoints, a call out is not out of the question. But because it the response from outsiders lacks empathy, it is counterproductive in the long run, only further polarizing those on the other side of the discussion. South Pasadena needs to confront that this lack of empathy is not unique to the far-right media community. SPHS has an undeniable liberal culture that has pushes away conservative students who often don’t feel heard. In classroom discussions, eye rolls and sighs can ostracize those with dissenting views, leaving no room for productive political discourse. Starting on our own campus, we must practice tolerance and empathy for each others’ views and experiences, taking the time to listen and offer the benefit of the doubt to create a more inclusive and progressive society.
Boos & Bravos
Tiger ’s cheers and jeers for the month of May. BOOS
BRAVOS
BOO to all the returning college students trying out facial hair. Spoiler alert: it’s not working for you.
BRAVO to Solo for being the worst Star Wars movie since The Last Jedi.
BOO to the unexpected crashing of the grad seating website. We can’t believe that happened!
BRAVO South Pasadena for being part of the “deep state” now.
BOO again to the grad seating fiasco. #spreadsheet gang gang 5ever.
BRAVO to the Yosemite kids for pooping in the woods. You’re braver than any US Marine.
BOO to insert any retailer for honoring those who died in service with unabated capitalist greed.
BRAVO to Senior Awards Night. Congrats to all ten seniors who split the money of the 50+ awards given out.
TIGER
6 MAY 30, 2018
OPINION
Commmunal learning in the tech age STORY BRANDON YUNG ILLUSTRATION FINLEY MULLEN
I
t would be nearly impossible to find a high schooler that hasn’t cheated at least once. From an infraction as mundane as giving study pointers to students in other periods to sharing test answers, cheating — for most students — has even lost its negative ethical implication. Integrity is no longer on the line, as faculty members proddingly endorse, but rather risk. The ubiquity of academic cheating is too often diagnosed with frivolous moral explanations; in this cutthroat competitive college-oriented culture, kids often look to the shortcut to get ahead. It shouldn’t make sense then, why a straight-A, diligent student would risk the possibility of a disciplinary infraction to help a struggling classmate. The difference could be a single text message. The problem is in the deep schism in perception between teachers and the students. It’s long been realized that collaboration, as opposed to competition, is more beneficial. It’s even more true today now that students have grown up accustomed to free and instant access to information networks. Facebook study groups, Quizlets and group chats dedicated to academic collaboration are testament to this new group oriented approach to school. The individual-oriented classroom is a vestige of an education philosophy shaped by capitalism: students have been taught to think of "knowledge as power" and to regard learning to advance
material self-interest. Students who had Mr. Buhler in middle school still recall the infamous ranking chart, where kids were placed on a prominently displayed board: on the top were those with the highest grade percentages and on the bottom were the lowest. For an ambitious student, to follow the paved path would require a certain degree of callousness. This should not be how we nurture our youth, who will be faced with some of the largest challenges humankind has ever faced, problems that can only be solved with empathy and collaboration. In a system that feels as if arbitrary hurdles and luck (SAT and ACT scores largely correlate with socioeconomic background) have much more weight in educational success than actual diligence and merit, it is easy to understand how collaborative cheating can begin to seem like the obvious, empathic choice. The line between cheating and helping is indeed very blurry; the difference between discussing material a test or a specific question can be a permanent disciplinary mark. For many, not breaking the rules is less a moral decision than it is about risk and discipline. We are a generation that has grown up on the Internet, interacting in open, social networks where information is shared rather than hoarded. As we advance further into this open source approach to collaboration and learning, our education system strays increasingly away from fulfilling the goal of cultivating empathetic, civic-minded citizens.
Teen friendships: more than circumstance STORY LUKE QUEZADA ILLUSTRATION KATE ROGERS My best friend and I have been the “O.T.P.” of more people than I can count. Candid photos of us have appeared in countless group chats and not-so-subtle comments plaster most all photos we have on social media. All because she just happens to be female and, as fate would have it, I am a male. In our society, two close friends of opposite genders have to be secretly in love. Jim and Pam, Robin and Barney, Ross and Rachel, all so much more than friends... but we’re not. To me, the thought of sacrificing a valuable relationship for a shortlived relationship is absurd. Of course this dismissal of our relationship is indicative of the low value placed on genuine connections at this point in our lives. In the world of high school relationships, friendships slump to the bottom of our priorities. It is not just male and female relationships either, we consistently diminish the importance of valuable bonds in young people’s lives. Schoolwork, jobs, family matters all take precedence over our connections. In one of the most intense times in our lives, we often lack a solid support system. I’ve always said that high school friendships are a product of circumstance, and to a degree that holds true. A stranger can become your best friend when you’re stuck together for
AMELIA ANTHONY | ON BEING DRAMELIA
April Fools' queen retires When I think about high school or South Pasadena or the prospect of spending another three months waiting around before my new life can start, I feel a deep restlessness that grows in strength as the day I start classes gets closer. This restlessness has peeled me back from all the activities that once energized me: Tiger, Youth and Government, schoolwork. However, my utter frustration with the banality of everyday high school life — as despicably angsty as that sounds — has made me appreciate the pockets of humor and silliness within it so much more. I’ve definitely laughed more this year than any other year. When I reflect on two years of Tiger, what stands out are the April Fools issues. Breaking: fake news is way more fun than real news. Last year, I totally came out of the woodworks as a staff writer to claim three articles. Being able to lead the class
in brainstorms this year — along with Alina, who laughs so much she sounds like the background of a sitcom — reenergized me in a way that the real work hadn’t. From its beautiful cover (shoutout Truman for design and Isabella for idea) to its drumline coverage (shoutout Ashton), the April Fools issue sparkled this year. And of course I took selfish credit for everyone I saw laughing on the senior lawn. Normal Tiger is really hard work and sometimes I feel like we all take ourselves way too seriously. In the everyday Tiger-scape, I thank Alina and Thomas for a year of giggling with me while the entire classroom was silently working. We’re too good of a newspaper to not take a break and laugh! I never really caught the small-town news bug from my two years on Tiger. But I did catch some good memories. I’ll leave you with one: Peter Wang created an Instagram account to
three hours a day. Conversely, a bond that’s lasted since your kindergarten class can fizzle out without consistent contact. College seems to be an escape from this world, where we can all find the friends that we really like, not just people we are stuck with. For many years, I have anxiously awaited this milestone. Until then, however, we search for new people, who are so much better than the last ones and who truly understand us (but like, really this time). Each time we seek perfection, we are left with a new set of former acquaintances. We reduce former-best friends to the equivalent of a nice neighbor, leaving us with a wide network of weak bonds. I have 37 Snapchat streaks. Do I ever talk to the people from my freshman year French class? No. But I send them a picture of my cat every morning so we both know that we care about each other. When we move on and establish a new set of short-term friends to ride out the wave of high school with, we start from scratch. In our search for new and better friends, we devalue our existing relationships. High school is one of the most stressful times in life, and yet it is now that we brush off friendships as stepping stones to college. Maybe this too will change when I enter the emotionally mature world of college. Until then, I will keep scrolling past heart emojis on my Instagram posts while I look to make new acquaintances.
TIGER MAY 30, 2018
SENIOR PORTFOLIO
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ISAAC MARZIALI
RICHARD GOMEZ
To say that Tiger has been an incredibly important experience in my life would be a severe understatement. Tiger was much more than a responsibility. It allowed me time and a reason to develop my photographic and cinematographic style. Over the past year, I’ve had an environment where I could make mistakes (and learn to avoid them). I could figure out what I enjoyed shooting (and what I disliked). The experience I’ve gained has allowed me to clarify my post-high school direction. Perhaps this is a cliché, but my sole regret is not having more years to spend on the Tiger staff.
I’ve always had a passion for photography, but I felt I just needed the right platform to showcase it. Because of Tiger, I was able to achieve this and much more in just one short year. When I met Isaac, I never thought we’d become so close, but in room 615, you never really know what to expect. I don’t know what I would do without him; he taught me everything there is to know about Lightroom. I can’t thank Thomas, Brandon, Truman, Mr. Hogan, and Isaac enough for being my friends and sources of inspiration. Tiger, thanks for being more than just a platform for me.
SENIOR PORTFOLIOS SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS LEAVE TIGER WITH A SELECTION OF THEIR FAVORITE WORK THOMAS FORMAN I didn’t always feel comfortable around my peers. I often felt intimidated in room 615 as I thought the class was made up of the smartest kids on campus. That’s still true — Tiger is filled with some of the most brilliant and special people ever. Until the end of the last year, I was pretty quiet in Tiger but great friends of mine like Brandon, Cole, Amelia, Oona, Alina, Ashton, Truman, and Matt really forced me out of my bubble in the back of the room. I’m glad I’ve done that because I’ve gotten to know some of the sweetest souls this year. I’m very thankful for Tiger.
HELENA FU I joined Tiger as a motivator to attend more events while also pursuing a passion for storytelling through a lens. Through Tiger, my camera has taught me how to thrive in uncomfortable situations. It was with me when I was stuck in a courthouse with intimidating news anchors and camera operators waiting for an arraignment hearing. It was with me when I backpacked up Yosemite Falls in the battering rain. Beyond photography, Tiger has also granted me lifelong friendships. David and Isabella, I love you both. Luke, Kate, Elaine, Rachel, Sam, and Alicia, I can’t wait to hear about all your accomplishments next year.
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TIGER MAY 30, 2018
NEWS
A CHANGE OF SCENERY: SENIORS EXPLORE YOSEMITE TEXT RACHEL LU & ISABELLA TSAI PHOTOS THOMAS FORMAN & HELENA FU PAGE KATE ROGERS, ELAINE YANG, & COLE CAHILL Sixty SPHS seniors and five faculty members embarked on the annual Yosemite trip from May 20-25. The groups, led by campground guides, logged over 20 miles while hiking during their five days in Yosemite National Park. The highly-anticipated trip originated 39 years ago with former SPHS science teacher Greg Ring. Adding to the mileage and weather conditions, the seniors must also carry their belongings — clothing, tents, food, water, supplies — in 65-liter backpacks. To prepare themselves for the arduous journey, participants underwent a five-week training process before the trip and were sectioned into five teacher-led groups in April. The Yosemite trip ultimately gives the seniors an opportunity to reflect in a truly natural environment away from the stresses of academic life. Tiger photographers captured the journey depicted in this photo gallery.
THROUGH THE FOREST, the seniors continue their hike.
SENIOR JACOB WIELENGA poses with Ms Jaroch. A TASTE OF NATURE: senior Alana Ballagh takes a “bite” of snow.
KING OF THE MOUNTAIN: senior Craig Parker stands atop a rock.
SENIOR JONNY HUGHEY contemplates, taking in the sight.
SENIOR HENRY MAIN unpacks his belongings and lounges in the forest.
THE GREAT GREY OWLS pose, ready to traverse the day’s trails. PACIFIC FISHERS follow Ms Jaroch through a fallen tree.
AN IDEAL BACKDROP: the seniors smile over a scenic outlook.
TIGER MAY 30, 2018
MEET THE CANDIDATES
9
Meet the Candidates
California holds its primary elections for Governor and U.S. Senator next Tuesday, June 5. Tiger breaks down what you need to know about the frontrunners before heading to the polls.
Governor Candidates
STORY COLE CAHILL ILLUSTRATIONS ELAINE YANG
ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA Party: Democratic Experience: Villaraigosa served as the first Latino
mayor of Los Angeles from 2005 to 2013 and Speaker of the State Assembly from 1998 to 2000. He graduated from UCLA and People’s College of Law. Policy Record: As mayor of LA, Villaraigosa led the campaign for Measure R, a $35-billion package to develop Los Angeles County’s public transportation network. He also expanded the Los Angeles Police Department to its largest size in the city’s history in an effort to reduce crime. Villaraigosa unsuccessfully attempted to gain control of Los Angeles Unified School District, but faced significant backlash from the school board and teachers’ union. Controversy: Villaraigosa had an extramarital affair with a television reporter while mayor. His campaign is primarily funded by large donors and a Super PAC.
JOHN COX
GAVIN NEWSOM Party: Democratic Experience: Newsom currently serves as California’s
Party: Republican Experience: Cox founded multiple companies
Lieutenant Governor and was mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011. He graduated from Santa Clara University with a Political Science degree, and was a founding member of PlumpJack Associates L.P. Policy Record: Newsom garnered national attention when he issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples as mayor of San Francisco in 2004. He launched a universal healthcare initiative in San Francisco and supports a statewide single-payer system. He promoted a homelessness reduction program which cut county general assistance and replaced them with housing and other forms of service. Controversy: Newsom had an extramarital affair with his campaign manager’s wife while mayor of San Francisco. He has received contributions from healthcare provider Blue Shield of California and billionaire Peter Thiel, who supported Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
specializing in corporate law, investment counseling, and apartment rental management. He graduated from University of Illinois, Chicago and Illinois Institute of Technology College of Law. He served on Rep. Jack Kemp’s steering committee in 1987 and has unsuccessfully ran for public office three times in Illinois. Policy Record: Cox’s campaign has focused on repealing Governor Jerry Brown’s “sanctuary state” policy and gas tax increases. He advocates for smaller legislative districts in California and significant cuts to income taxes and government spending. Cox did not vote for president Donald Trump, but now says he fully supports Trump’s presidency. Controversy: Cox has never held political office and has spent the majority of his life and conducted business primarily in the Chicago area.
STORY DAVID SEO & COLE CAHILL ILLUSTRATIONS ELAINE YANG
Senate Candidates
DIANNE FEINSTEIN
´ KEVIN DE LEON
Party: Democratic Experience: Feinstein’s was elected to the San Francisco
Party: Democratic Experience: De León represented the 45th
Board of Supervisors in 1970, and later became the city’s first female mayor. In 1992, Feinstein won a special election to become one of the two first female California senators alongside Barbara Boxer. She has served in the U.S. Senate ever since. Policy Record: Feinstein has held a rather centrist stance on most political issues, despite her Democratic party allegiance. As California has become increasingly progressive throughout Feinstein’s terms, she has been viewed as becoming more and more out of touch with her voter base. Controversy: Feinstein failed to gain the California Democrats’ endorsement of her re-election campaign, despite representing the state for over a quarter-century.
district in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2010. He was then elected into the California State Senate in 2010, then became President pro Tempore in 2014. Policy Record: De León has championed gun control, environmental issues, and immigrant rights throughout his career. In 2016, during his time in the State Senate, de León notably presided over the passage of eleven bills intended to prevent gun violence. Controversy: De León is involved in a sexual harassment scandal levied against his housemate and fellow State Senator Tony Mendoza, though de León himself has not received any allegations.
ROCKY DE LA FUENTE Party: Republican Experience: De La Fuenta is a real estate
developer and businessman, owning 11 currency exchanges, three banks, and multiple assisted living facilities. He graduated from Instituto Patria and Anahuac University in Mexico. He has ran unsuccessfully for public office in numerous states and political parties. Policy Record: De La Fuente prioritizes climate change, education, gun control, immigration, and healthcare issues in his campaign. Controversy: De La Fuente has never held a public position. He has attempted to run for Mayor of New York City without residency and has filed to run for Senate in Florida, Washington, and Wyoming in addition to California.
TIGER
10 MAY 30, 2018
last first name name
TIGER MAY 30, 2018
CLASS OF 2018
college after school plans
Cole
Elsner
Maddy
Engelsman
Andrew
Escobar
Emily Ann
Espinoza
Pasadena City College
Alexa
Evans
Alvarez
Pasadena City College
Teimur
Evrenos
Alvarez
University of Illinois at Chicago
Adam T.
Fagenson
Alex
Fonseca
Thomas
Forman
Harper
Fox
Shawn
Adams
Santa Barbara City College
Andrew
Alegria
Isabella Nic Marisa
Amaya
Youbin
An
Elizabeth
Anderson
Amelia
Anthony
Katrina
Aracic
Lauren
Arismendez
Isabelle
Arroyo
Eric
Au
Thomas
Avila
Kate
Ba
Nicholas
Baer
Albert
Bai
University of Oregon Pasadena City College California State University, Channel Islands
University of California, Los Angeles University of Southern California
Jasper
Lee
Occidental College
Joy
Lee
California State University, San Bernardino
Natali
Lelieur
Pasadena City College
Truman
Lesak
Rhode Island School of Design
Sonoma State University
William
Leung
California State University, Los Angeles
Glen
Levstik
Taicheng
Li
Kelsey
Lih
Jayce
Lilly
Andres
Limon
California State University, Los Angeles
Pasadena City College University of California Santa Barbara California State University, Long Beach University of Southern California University of Alabama
California State University, Long Beach
Isabella
Frescura
Laguna College of Art and Design
Caroline
Liu
Frommer
Northeastern University
HaoNan
Liu
Pasadena City College
Helena
Fu
University of California, Santa Cruz
Matthew
Liu
University of California, Davis
Pablo
Gaeta
University of California, Santa Cruz
Zhuo
Liu
University of California, Merced
Jack
Gallagher
Jennifer
Lopez
Pasadena City College
Alexander
Gallardo
U.S. Marine Corps
Candace
Louie
University of San Francisco
University of California, San Diego
California State University, Los Angeles
Employment
University of La Verne
Ariana
Love
Jared
Low
Pasadena City College
Career Education
Chloe
Lucas
University of San Diego
New York University
Isaac
Luevano
Sidney
Luna-Long
Jackie
Lutz-Hibbard
Sarah Lawrence College
Veronica
Lutz-Hibbard
Cornish College of the Arts
Alexander
Lyahovsky
Allan
Ma
University of Puget Sound
Derron
Ma
University of California, Davis
Seong Kyoo
Maeng
Henry
Main
Ameen
Makanvand
Pasadena City College
Diana
Maldonado
Pasadena City College
Viviana
Maradiaga
Benny
Martinez
University of Colorado Boulder
Maya
Martinez
University of California, Irvine
Nathaniel
Martinez
East Los Angeles College
Isaac
Marziali
Nestore
Mastromatteo
Theodore
Matsusaka
Galluzzi
Ashley
Gao
University of California, Riverside
Edwin
Garcia
Jared
Gee
Zoe
Gerst
Oregon State University University of California, Los Angeles
Maryam
Bakhshi
California State University, Long Beach
Alana
Ballagh
Swarthmore College
Derian
Barillas
Pasadena City College
Mahima
Girish
George
Barnes
Pasadena City College
Grace
Goldman
Ixehteotl
Barraza
Pasadena City College
Richard
Gomez
George
Barrone
San Francisco State University
Isabella
Gonzalez-Mosqueda
Stephanie Kate
Bautista
Kanak
Belgaum
Sophia
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Irvine
Dawson
Pasadena City College
University of California, Berkeley
Pasadena City College University of San Francisco Pasadena City College
Citrus College Culver-Stockton College
Pasadena City College
Oregon Coast Community College
Trudy
Goodstein
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Reno
Goudeau
Benzoni
San Francisco State University
Emily
Gruhn
Morgan
BeVard
Pasadena City College
Lauren
Guevara
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Amanda
Bishop
Crafton Hills College
Sydney
Gutierrez
Sonoma State University
Michael
Blanco
Adam
Hamden
University of Southern California
Isabel
Bluml
Jack
Hamilton
Illinois Institute of Technology
Benjamin
Bonk
Pasadena City College
Jeffrey
Han
Natalie
Botros
University of San Diego
Ke Arri
Hardiamon
Dashiel
Bove
Gap Year
Dexter
Hawes
Jack
Brown
Hofstra University
Claudia
Hernandez
California State University, Los Angeles
Randy
Bruner
Santa Monica College
Devyn
Hernandez
Mount Saint Mary’s University (Los Angeles)
Noah
Hernandez
University of California, Berkeley
Dayne
Mayers
Will
Hoadley-Brill
George Washington University
Harper
McCallie
Abigail
Hogge
Alina
Mehdi
Martin
Mendez
Miles
Mendoza
Mount Saint Mary’s University
Pasadena City College University of Southern California
Daniella
Buenrostro
Chandler
Bullock
University of San Francisco De Anza College
Elana
Burnett
Pasadena City College
Cole
Cahill
Sidney
Cam
Lachlan
Campbell
Ashton
Carless
Hayden
Carlson
George Washington University
Owen
Carlson
University of California, Santa Cruz
Richard
Castillo Jr
Sebastian
Centrone-Castro
San Francisco Cooking School Pasadena City College University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Southern California Pasadena City College American University
Pasadena City College
Sanchez Sargsyan
Moore
Pasadena City College
Ashley
Sato
Mora
Pasadena City College
Joshua
Saucedo
Harvey Mudd College
Thomas
Sawano
Cole
Schroeder
Montemayor
Harry
Huang
University of California, San Diego
Trevor
Gabriel
Huerta
Lewis & Clark College
Aaron
Jonny
Hughey
University of Oregon
Aaron
Murdock
Andrew
Hunt
Scott
Na
Ahmet
Hussein
Pasadena City College
Nomar
Na
Pasadena City College
Cheolmin
Hwang
University of California, San Diego
Joshua
Nahm
University of Washington
Madaline
Inclan
Oregon Coast Community College
Michael
Nelson III
Sophia
Ismail
Pasadena City College
Josh
Ng
Chabot
Jiheng
Chai
Vanderbilt University
Christian
Chan
Oliver
Chang
Skyler
Chavira
Amanda
Chen
Fordham University
Bethany
Chen
University of Southern California
Casey
Chen
University of California, Santa Barbara
Jessica
Chen
University of Southern California
Jackie
Chen
University of California, Santa Barbara
Tiffany
Chen
Jazzy
Cheng
University of California, Los Angeles
Max
Cheng
University of California, San Diego
Ari
Chew
Georgetown Universty
Gavin
Chi
University of La Verne
Emma
Childers
Sebastian
Chinen
Connie
Ching
Pasadena City College
Seong Hyun
Cho
Pasadena City College
Sarah
Choi
Mills College
SungHyun
Choi
University of California, Riverside
Justin
Chong
Rosemary
Chou
Daniel
Chun
Aaron
Chung
Ben
Pomona College New York Film Academy
University of California, Berkeley
University of Oregon California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pasadena City College
Allen
Nathaniel
Katie
Lewis & Clark College University of Southern California
Logan
Mikalonis
University of California, San Diego
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College
Vincent
Hsu
Career Education
Kalamazoo College University of Southern California
Pasadena City College
Howorth
William
Glendale Community College
Chapman University
Samudio
Zachary
Saint Mary’s College of California
De Anza College
Salcedo
Holmes Hong
Gap Year
University of California, Davis California College of the Arts, San Francisco
Sevilla
Matthew
Walker
Purdue University
Lauren
Sharkey
Case Western Reserve University
Alexa
Wang
University of California, Irvine
Loyola University Chicago
Jeremy
Sharp
Cornell University
Elaine
Wang
California State University, Los Angeles
Theodore
Shin
Kenneth
Wang
Arizona State University
Jessica
Shou
Pasadena City College
Ricky
Wang
Citrus College
Armando
Sibrian
California State University, Los Angeles
Cathy
Wang
University of Southern California
Alex
Sickels
Southern Oregon University
Kaili
Ward Adams
Pasadena City College
Valeriya
Smaliy
University of California, Santa Cruz
Dalton
Wendt
Pasadena City College
Kevin
Sohn
Drexel University
Skyler
Wendt
Pasadena City College
Nick
Song
University of California, Santa Barbara
Cayley
Whitman
Pasadena City College
Young
Song
University of the Pacific
Jacob
Wielenga
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Fernando
Sornoso
Max
Wilder-Smith
Lily
Sortino
Archer
Willems
Juchan
Oh
Biola University
Timothy
Okitsu
Hongyi
Jiang
Pasadena City College
Kiernan
O’Neal-Hotchkiss
George Washington University
Madalyn
Orozco
Allison
Ou
Veronica
Pallares
Jaylen
Park
California State University, Los Angeles
Sammy
Park
Brandeis University
Younggeon
Park
N/A
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Craig
Parker
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Brian
Parkinson
Madison
Hyun Young
Kang
Zoe
Kaplan
Bella
Kaufman
Syracuse University
San José State University
San Francisco State University University of California, Santa Cruz University of Southern California New York University California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo University of Southern California University of La Verne
Purdue University
Ellis
Spellerberg
Pasadena City College
Nicole
Srisutham
Pearson
Lafayette College
Simon
Stans
San Francisco State University
Tufts University
Gap Year
Northern Arizona University California Sate University, Channel Islands University of Utah
University of South Carolina American University of Paris, USC Transfer Program
University of California, Berkeley
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona University of California, Santa Cruz
Andrew
Wong
University of California, Berkeley
Annabelle
Wong
Pasadena Community College
University of California, Davis
Madeleine
Wong
University of California, Berkeley
Anders
Keith
The Juilliard School
Jacob
Pedroza
Manlai
Sukhbaatar
Pasadena City College
Kyle
Woo
Kent
Chapman University
Irvin
Perez
Pasadena City College
Ryan
Summers
Santa Clara University
Bailey
Wu
Pasadena City College
Daniel
Kim
University of California, Berkeley
Matthew
Pham
N/A
Kevin
Sun
Berklee College of Music
Preston
Wun-Young
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Haeun
Kim
Pasadena City College
Grace
Piehl
Gap Year
Halle
Sunabe
University of California, Santa Cruz
Michael
Wynne
Pasadena City College The New School, Parsons School of Design
Santa Barbara City College
Northeastern University
Intae
Kim
University of California, Riverside
Ava
Planer
University of San Francisco
Anuprash
Sunuwar
Pasadena City College
Naoki
Yamaguchi
Pasadena City College
Jane
Kim
University of California, Riverside
Gabriela
Poloni
Pasadena City College
Julissa
Talamante
Pasadena City College
Chenming
Yan
Pasadena City College
Clark
Chapman University
Josh
Kim
University of California, Riverside
Owen
Pratt
Pasadena City College
Lauren
Tan
Jane
Yang
University of California, San Diego
Santa Barbara City College
Kunnam
Kim
California State University, Fullerton
Jacob
Pullano
St. John’s College
Natalie
Terhune
University of California, Irvine
Susan
Yang
University of California, Irvine
Kyumin
Kim
Gap Year
Valentina
Quinonez
Nicholas
Terrone
Pasadena City College
Brandon
Yee
Pasadena City College
Nolan
Kim
University of California, Los Angeles
Hank
Rainey
University of Southern California
Philip
Tetreault Jr
James
Yee
University of California, Irvine
Christopher
Reinoso
Pasadena City College
Mattie
Thomas
Jack
Renken
New York University
Lucy
Tian
Oregon State University
Victoria
Resendiz
University of San Francisco
Wilson
Tizon III
University of Washington
Amber
Claro
Riley
Collins
Pasadena City College
Nick
Corvino
Northwestern University
Jakob
Cronkhite
Phoebe
Kim
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Franny
Cross
Northern Arizona University
Yohan
Kim
University of California, Riverside
Gabriel
Davison
University of San Francisco
Dakotah
Kiser
Samantha
De La Cruz
Amaey
Konkar
Lily
DeFulgentiis
Ken
Koyama
Markenson
Delkhaste
Pasadena City College
Naomi
Kruzic
Joshua
DesBrisay
California State University, Fullerton
Claire
Kucera
Mateo
Diez
California State University, Chico
Grace
Lacovara
Exely
Dillingham
University of California, Santa Cruz
Maxton
Lam
Queenie
Don
University of California, Santa Cruz
Chloe
Lancaster
Niki
Dumitrescu
Cate
Latting
Emily
Dunn
University California, Los Angeles
Andrew
Lee
Unites States Air Force Academy
Jay
Ebata
California State Polytechnic, Pomona
Hannah
Lee
California State University, Fullerton
Stephanie
Ehrlich
Irene
Lee
University of San Francisco
Ben
Elbaum
Jacey
Lee
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Lucy
Eller
Jae Jin
Lee
University of California, Los Angeles
Pasadena City College
San Francisco State University Lewis & Clark College
Pasadena City College
University of Kentucky University of San Francisco Emerson College
Pasadena City College
Sophie
Reynolds
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Danny
Rios
California State University, Long Beach
Kaitlyn
Rodriguez
University of California, Irvine
Susan Jula
The New School, Parsons School of Design
California State University, Los Angeles Bowdoin College
Evan
Yerian
Lewis & Clark College
University of Pennsylvania
Andrew
Yonami
Pasadena City College
California State University, Los Angeles
Christy
Yu
New York University
Yun
Brandon
Yung
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Sofia
Tomanov
New York University
Diego
Zavala
Portland State University
Rodriguez
Boston University
Sofia
Tomasevic
American University of Paris, USC Transfer Program
Eileen
Zenas
University of California, Santa Cruz
Rosenbluh
Colorado School of Mines
Josiah
Topping
Pasadena City College
Euan
Zhang
Northeastern University
Mani
Roshandel
Sarah Lawrence College
Dorian
Torres
Pasadena City College
Justin
Zhang
University of California, Irvine
Pasadena City College
Bailey
Roudani
Les Roches Marbella Intl. School of Hotel Management
Jackson
Totleben
University of Washington
Kathy
Zhao
Northeastern University
Molly
Round
University of Colorado Boulder
Brandon
Zhu
Daniel
Rubio
Sumiko
Rudisky
Ashley
Rusch
Kenny
Ryu
Maddie
Saito
Tran
Nikolas
Tripodis
Los Angeles Valley College
Jasmine
Tse
Sharav-Ish
Tsogtgerel
Katie
Tsui
Lily
Turner-Kipke
University of California, Santa Barbara Pepperdine University Arizona State University
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City 78 @College University of 20 @Southern California University of 11 @California, Irvine University of 10 @California, Berkeley
South Carolina
10
@ California Poly Pomona
Washington
10
@ California State Los Angeles
Maine Minnesota Rhode Island Indiana Michigan Georgia Massachusetts Illinois
TOP ATTENDED STATES
211 16 13 9 5
California New York Oregon Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
Colorado New York Pennsylvania Arizona
PUBLIC or PRIVATE? 122 PRIVATE
Tennessee Wisconsin Missouri Ohio
Nevada
Kenneth
University of California Riverside
Thomas
Washington D.C.
Oregon
San Francisco State University
Tom
Santa Barbara City College
Utah
Gap Year
Tom
Kevin
University of California, Santa Barbara
Alabama
University of California, Berkeley
Jonathan
Pasadena City College
University of California, Riverside
Maryland
University of Washington
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
University of Southern California
California
Willamette University
San Diego State University
Ben
TOP ATTENDED INSTITUTES
University of California, Berkeley
Drew
University of California, Riverside
Jhun
Kalaw
California State University, Long Beach
Wakabayashi
Jeshion-Nelson
Chris
Venardi
Noah
Matthew
Pasadena City College
Vaughan
Victoria
Art Center College of Design
Kian
Jou
Brandon
University of Southern California
Seo
Nouriani
Brandon
University of California, Santa Cruz
Pasadena City College City College of San Francisco
Becky
Nick
Carleton College
Vara
Arizona State University
Jerebets
University of Southern California
Vansadia
Esteban
Vu
Marta
Johnson
Dhruv
Glendale Community College
VerKuilen
Nieto Amaya
Jin
University of Southern California
KEY
Pasadena City College University of Southern California
Venus
Ng
Tate
Valenzuela-Peterson
Haley
Celeste
Rachelle
Valencia
Ciena
University of California, Los Angeles
Samuel
Pasadena City College
Natalia
California State University, Los Angeles
San Diego State University California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences
University of California, Riverside
Jiang
Ugalde
Seo
University of California, Los Angeles
Jin
Uemura
Damian
Segal
Jang
Olivia
U.S. Marine Corps
Noah
David
Jang
Elisa
Pasadena City College
Riley
Abby
University of Colorado Boulder
Mount Saint Mary’s University (Chalon)
Pasadena City College
Hanna
Georgetown University
SOUTH PASADENA
Michael
Tiffany Audrey
Seattle Pacific University
Pasadena City College California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Christina
Emory University University of California, Riverside
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
University of San Francisco
PAGE ASHTON CARLESS, TRUMAN LESAK, & RILEY SEGAL
Cuyamaca College Santa Monica College
Joaquin
N/A
Tiger Newspaper’s annual After SPHS survey yielded responses from 377 graduating seniors regarding their plans for life after high school. Beside each name is the institution of higher education each student will be attending or post graduation pursuits.
Pasadena City College University of California, Irvine
Brown University
California State University, Northridge
after sphs: class of 2018
California Institute of Technology
United States Navy Recruiter Gap Year
11
Kentucky
PUBLIC
233
FARTHEST DISTANCE
Out of country
7234 miles
Other plans
from South Pasadena to Hong Kong Baptist University.
Bucknell University
Belmont University Hong Kong Baptist University Pasadena City College Loyola Marymount University University of San Francisco
TOTAL :
377 GRADUATING SENIORS
TIGER
12 MAY 30, 2018
FEATURE
FEATURE
PARKS AND WRECKED SAMMY PARK To my beloved South Pasadangerous A second semester senior has striking similarities to an actual elderly person. We watch a nearly-gross amount of television, we have an unconventional eating schedule, and we are constantly talking about how we are so different from today’s youth. And like an old person, I am wondering left wondering what my legacy (on this campus) will be. The question of how I made a difference on this campus has never been answered with “because I am in ASB” or “because I am a club president” because I’m not in ASB and I frequently forget that I’m the Current Events Club President.
Mediocrity: a Star Wars story STORY DASHIEL BOVE ILLUSTRATION ELAINE YANG
SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY
I
f you ever hear that Ron Howard has been brought on as a director halfway through a movie’s filming — know that is as ill an omen as possible. With that tangle of red headed male-pattern baldness comes one big scary word: mediocre. And they did it to Star Wars.
director
Ron Howard
genre
Action/Science Fiction
rating
PG-13
Solo: A Star Wars Story is a film that embodies the phrase “middle of the road.” It is a movie that has no real soul, run time 2 hrs 15 mins no sense of personality — one which illustrates a perfect lack of any liveliness in its production and execution. Above all else, cash-grab is the best description Solo has. yet his acting reveals that Mr. Glover either didn’t care about who he was playing or is unable to properly emote; With that said — what is Solo about? On the surface and Paul Bettany is the only actor in the entire movie who Solo is the biography of Han Solo, one of the most iconic seems to be enjoying himself — portraying Dryden Vos characters in American cinematic canon. The film with a delightfully downbeat madness. illustrates Han’s early years as a street urchin hustling in the back alleys of a slum world, before taking audiences The rather mediocre to poor performances are somewhat on a cruise through his intensely unfocused and poorly- cushioned by the signature Star Wars technical written life. A life full of plot convenience and lazy qualities: good special effects and ok-to-pretty-ok action contrivance omits any of the collective efforts of over 40 choreography and battle scenes. There’s nothing to write years of writing in the extended universe, instead opting home about, but at least it’s mostly passable. for the approach that Disney has been taking to the Star Wars canon ever since The Force Awakens: remove any Yet even the signature Star Wars staples are a undermined. possibly three-dimensional elements and replace them Solo, for whatever reason, is shot in such a manner that with Disney characters. nearly every scene (even ones out in open sunny spaces) is incredibly darkly lit. On the rare occasion where the Alden Ehrenreich stars as the titular Han Solo, Emilia camera decides to light the screen even slightly, rest Clarke as Han’s love interest Qi’ra, Woody Harrelson as assured that the image presented will be some sort of dark Han’s mentor Becket, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, blue or green. An upbeat action-adventure story should and Paul Bettany as Dryden Vos — the head of the Crimson never look like Christopher Nolan was allowed to control Dawn crime syndicate. Ehrenreich’s performance as Solo the color spectrum. lacks charisma, energy, and any personality, resulting in an utterly bland and unmemorable performance. Clarke is Yet none of these factors really makes Solo bad. It’s like serviceable, if a bit boring; Harrelson is about as invested eating a sandwich with nothing but bread and mayo — in his role as a dead stockbroker; Glover’s Lando looks and bland with one or two speckles of flavor. moves like the fantastic and lovable rogue seen in Empire,
Out & About
My answer to the question of how I made a difference on this campus has always been, and will always be, Tiger. In sophomore year, I came through our windowless room with Riley, Brandon, Cole, Thomas, and Isabella. Through my three years, I have learned that Riley is more than just that girl who plays soccer, she’s also the best driver. Brandon is a MOCA Teen curator with a passion for fashion (he helped choose my prom dress). Cole is the best person to split a Lyft (not Uber, because we’re both painfully woke) with, even when he’s on crutches. Thomas is always a good sport when being roasted for drinking milk or eating cream cheese out of the container. And Isabella and I share everything from our love of Bon Appétit’s video recipes to our thoughts about social media trends. I have always rejected the belief that high school is the peak of one’s life: I believed that this was for sure going to be the worst part of my life. But looking back, I realize that high school wasn’t that bad. Yes, the actual school part was probably a six out of ten. But brunch, lunch, and the lull periods of noninstruction made high school more than bearable, and almost kind of enjoyable. My future has yet to be realized. I have yet to bear East Coast winters or midterms, but I do not fear the popping of my South Pas bubble. I will undoubtedly miss my afternoons and nights spent working on the print issue while eating baguettes from Pavilions and whatever snacks someone’s family rejected, but I am ready to move on.
Tiger’s take on local eats and activities. Take one of our suggestions for a fun summer outing.
STORY PETER WANG
SPARC Check out the South Pasadena Arts Council’s 11th annual South Pasadena High School Exhibition, featuring art from South Pasadena High School students at the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. The exhibition will run from June 2 to 22.
ARROYO SECO From June 23 to 24, Brookside Golf Course will host the Arroyo Seco Weekend. The star-studded lineup of the music festival features Jack White, Neil Young, Jeff Goldblum, and many more. Passes start at $150 for one day, parking included. Food and drinks are also available.
RIVER RIDE Bicyclists of all ages can enjoy the 18th annual River Ride on June 3, a collection of rides ranging from 2 to 100 miles. Most rides will depart from and return to the Autry Museum of the American West. Kids’ tickets are free, with family and adults’ tickets starting at $30.
TIGER 13 MAY 30, 2018
FEATURE
PERSONALITY PROFILES PABLO GAETA: MUSIC MEETS COMP SCI STORY OONA FOLEY PHOTO THOMAS FORMAN
“It’s complicated at first but it’s really interesting” says Gaeta.
Pablo Gaeta and I became friends during my freshman year at the Santa Ana Observatory’s Beach Goth, a two day music festival featuring our favorite artists of 2015. The weekend perfectly reflects our cliche 15 year old interests: we moshed so hard at FIDLAR and Die Antwoord that Pablo broke his camera and soaked through his overalls with sweat. My favorite part was when he and I broke from our group to catch Badbadnotgood and Sir Mix-a-lot, despite having just met the day before. Though he intimidated me at the time, we were able to connect over music in such a way that we have remained best friends ever since.
Independently, Gaeta experiments with coding and computer science in combination with music. He recently designed a couple javascript programs, one of which functioned as a keyboard and the other simulated semi random sequences to create its own songs. He was originally inspired by coders on YouTube and decided to take AP Computer Science this year, leading him to learn how to make software. His goal is to create programs that can assist musicians to make music they can’t physically generate with an instrument. In the future, he hopes to work in the field of computer science and create programs to help expose young, specifically Hispanic, kids to coding and music making.
Music is one of Gaeta’s greatest talents. He began playing piano at the age of four when his parents enrolled him in piano and music theory classes at the Colburn School. Freshman year, he began writing his own classical songs on the piano. Now, he can play guitar, drums, and, as he says, “the triangle, maybe... I’ve never tried.”
MIXING MEDIAS to cultivate a community within music is one of senior Pablo Gaeta’s greatest talents. His band, DiPT, will be playing at 8 p.m. June 26 at Union Nightclub for $7 presale and $10 at the door.
For Gaeta, community is the most important part of music. Gaeta currently plays the keyboard in a band called DiPT featuring senior Nestore Mastromatteo on the drums and SPHS alum Miles Knight on guitar. They specialize in songs based on polyrhythms, different time signatures for each instrument that are synced to all end each measure at the same time.
“You can make whatever you want. Even if its simulated you can make anything that comes to your imagination,” says Gaeta about coding. Gaeta enjoys both the creative and logical aspects of coding. He finds that it is a combination of the creative energy of music as well as the more logical elements of math, another of his interests. An excellent student, Gaeta will be attending UC Santa Cruz in the fall where he hopes to continue coding and making music. As for music, Gaeta plans to drop an independent album on June 1. Check out his bandcamp: pablogaeta.bandcamp.com.
VICTORIA RESENDIZ: MOVING UP STORY AMELIA ANTHONY PHOTO THOMAS FORMAN Most seniors have some degree of existential panic at the prospect of going away to college. Complete independence — financially, academically, and socially — can seem daunting when one has relied on their parents for 18 years. But senior Victoria Resendiz has practiced this independence her whole life. As a middle child of four, Resendiz could have easily slipped into shyness. Her parents have never pressured her to perform. Instead, Resendiz’s motivation to succeed comes wholly from within. She moved to Palmdale in the third grade from Monterey Hills, spending her formative middle school years in a totally different environment — a “boring” desert town very different than South Pas.
to squeeze in volunteering at The Huntington Memorial Hospital weekly as well. There, she escorts, discharges, and admits people, and runs general errands like bringing flowers and smiles to patients. A 25-30 hour work week is unheard of for most high schoolers, but Resendiz juggles working, volunteering, and schoolwork with ease and grace, zipping from place to place in her signature Volvo. The schedule takes way more work than she will ever let on, she barely sleeps and is a self-described “crazy coffee drinker.” Her humility and goofiness are just as remarkable as her hard work. Resendiz’s demanding daily schedule isn’t wellknown because she brags or complains about it. Instead, her friends talk about her hustle with respect and admiration. Her big grin and contagious laugh come easily around friends.
“Because the move happened so fast, I was expected to adapt really quickly and move on, even though I was so little and I loved the friends I had here,” Resendiz said.
“One time we were driving on the freeway and her car broke down, as it always does,” senior Lily Turner-Kipke said. “Instead of getting upset, Victoria just started laughing hysterically.”
She returned to South Pasadena freshman year, the first and only girl with a nose piercing, and experienced a kindof “culture shock” upon reconnecting. What was especially different was the great amount of privilege students here possessed relative to her old school.
Resendiz, who will attend University of San Francisco in the fall, is a firstgeneration college student. She completed all of her applications for schools and financial aid on her own, a spectacular achievement that may go unnoticed in a community where many are coddled from cradle to college. She picked USF because of its renowned medical programs, diversity, and city location. Resendiz plans to major in biology and attend medical school with aspirations toward pediatrics, foreseeing her future to be just as busy, if not more, than her current life.
She secured a job behind the counter at PokeMix by Flour + Tea on South Lake Avenue during her sophomore year. Quickly she moved up in the small joint; within six months she was a supervisor. Her job takes up a majority of her free time, but she manages
SELF SUFFICIENT: Senior Victoria Resendiz is known around campus for her incredible work ethic. Her experience working long hours for her job and volunteering are bound to translate well into life at USF.
TIGER
14 MAY 30, 2018
SPORTS
SPRING MVP: MAXTON LAM How the senior led his squad to a four-way tie for first in the Rio Hondo League
Boys’ volleyball had a mixed season, gaining triumphant victories and harrowing defeats alike, but ultimately fell short of its goal of reaching CIF. The season’s challenges were tough, but thanks to the leadership and skill of senior Maxton Lam, the Tigers were more than ready to face them. On offense, Lam was a force of nature, quickly racking up impressive kills in every game that he played in. Alongside his natural athleticism, Lam was one of the team’s four captains and a confident leader.
STORY BEN CLARK PHOTO ALICIA ALDERETE
Lam’s energy is clearly visible in every game. Whether he is leading the surge against opponents or congratulating his teammates on their good plays, he always makes his presence known on the court. Almost every time that Lam gains a kill, his reactions invigorate the squad and build momentum to put his team back in the game, an intangible ability that far surpasses his already exceptional stats. “[Maxton is] definitely a great leader and makes sure to keep everyone’s spirits up,” says fellow senior Kanak Belgaum. The two seniors have played together ever since Lam began his volleyball career in eighth grade.
An aggressive opposite hitter, Lam boasts the highest number of kills of anyone on the team, averaging approximately eight kills per game and even reaching a total of 17 on certain occasions. The secret to the powerful outside’s play is his positioning; Lam consistently places himself to execute powerful, precise spikes that finish the point. On defense, Lam is no pushover either: the six-foot senior’s average number of blocks per game is also more than double the national average, thanks to his constant energy and aggressive playstyle.
Lam has proved to be a strong asset to his team on many occasions throughout the year. In one match earlier in the season, the Tigers found themselves falling behind the Spartans, but Lam was able to push his team to turn the game around. Another saw him gain both eight kills and eight blocks to help sweep the Rams. Lam has, without a doubt, left an impression on the volleyball team for years to come.
Lam first discovered volleyball in middle school when he decided to join the team following his introduction to it during eighth grade P.E. Now, after four years and three coaching changes, he remains one of the most influential and inspiring players on the team. Possessing the dedication to maintain team morale, Lam aims to motivate his teammates to succeed on and off the field.
Following last year’s league title, the Tigers found themselves struggling in the beginning of the season due to the departure of several key seniors. In the face of a potentially disastrous year, Lam and his fellow seniors stepped up and turned their season around. The Tigers soon found themselves holding the exact same record as La Cañada, Temple City, and San Marino. Unfortunately, the Tigers were not allowed to advance to CIF after a heartbreaking loss to the Spartans, but thanks to the leadership of Lam and the other captains –– Cole Schroeder, Fernando Sornoso, and Kyle Woo –– they had the opportunity to earn a CIF berth.
“The volleyball program has historically been pretty strong,” says Lam, “so I wanted to maintain that reputation by inspiring others, especially the underclassmen, to be driven to win.” Maintaining this reputation was a daunting task for Lam. Last year saw the departure of two key offensive players, Gunther Vaden and Matt Scholtz, who constantly contributed to the team’s success. However, Lam did not surrender to the difficulty of rebuilding his team. Instead, he worked tirelessly to fill the shoes of his predecessors and has successfully sphs_ad.pdf 5/17/18 become a major asset and inspiring mentor 1 for the team.
RISING TO SPIKE, senior MVP Maxton Lam prepares to hurl the ball into his opponent’s reception. He averaged eight kills per game and had twice the national average in blocks 5:02 PM per game.
The spring sports season at South Pasadena High School featured a number of talented athletes, like sophomore Tianhao Wei who broke the school triple jump record. Though many athletes proved to be incredibly talented, it is Lam’s dedication to his team alongside his exceptional skill which makes him Tiger’s Spring MVP.
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TIGER 15 MAY 30, 2018
SPORTS
CIF: where spring teams finished STORY NOAH PARKER PHOTO LUKE QUEZADA
B
aseball: Baseball completed its season with a winless league record in 12 games. Despite its low win total over the year, the team fought hard throughout the season, losing narrowly against some of the top Rio Hondo teams. A coaching change for next year might be the difference between close defeats and victories. Softball: Softball also struggled in its season, finishing 0-12 in league. Despite the rough season, the girls maintained a positive attitude and played hard every game. With an older, more experienced team and a new coach, softball is primed to turn the program around in 2019. Boys’ volleyball: Boys’ volleyball suffered from an unlucky turn of events to eliminate the boys from postseason contention. Following a four-way tie for first place between South Pas, Temple City, La Cañada, and San Marino, the league went into a play-off to decide who went to CIF playoffs. A coin flip then put South Pas and La Cañada into a tiebreaker, in which the Tigers fell to the Spartans. Badminton: Badminton captured the only CIF-SS championship of South Pas’ spring season, defeating Cypress to win the Division I title. The championship win ended a long, dominant run for the Tigers, who came into the tournament as the number one seed. In just its third year of existence, the team finished third in the talent-packed Almonte League behind Arcadia and San Marino. Swimming: Three Tigers qualified for CIF preliminaries in swimming: juniors Jaden Mullin and Kyra Angkasa and freshman Maya Villasenor. Mullin competed in the 200 meter individual medley and 100 meter backstroke,
IN CIF PRELIMINARIES, swim moved only one of its three athletes to the next round. and Angkasa swam in the 100 yard backstroke. Though both faired admirably, the two failed to qualify for future competitions. Villasenor enjoyed the most success at prelims, qualifying for CIF Finals with a 16th place finish in 100 meter freestyle. In finals, Villasenor finished 18th in the same event. Track and field: South Pasadena’s track and field teams had a strong showing in CIF playoffs, sending seven individual athletes and two relay teams to the finals at
El Camino College. Sophomore Tianhao Wei found the most success at the meet, posting a personal best of 45’07” in the triple jump. Along with qualifying for CIF Masters, the leap ranked second best in the state for his class. Junior Kai Dettman and sophomore Gianna Beasley also faired well in their respective 800 meter races, but fell just short of qualifying. The 4x400 relay team of Beasley, juniors Christina Taylor and Ashley Hugasian, and senior Cayley Whitman placed fifth in their event, which again put them just short of a qualification.
South Pasadena sports on the rise STORY ALEX BETTS PHOTO RICHARD GOMEZ Boys’ water polo: 2017 Division IV CIF semifinalists. A second-place Rio Hondo finish. Losing five seniors. On the surface, a more successful season in 2018 would seem unlikely, if not impossible. But deeper analysis reveals that the 2017 turn-around from a disappointing 2016 season was driven in significant part by several incoming players who will return next season. The loss of seniors Jasper Lee and Owen Carlson will hurt when South Pas’ back faces the goal, but stalwart defender Anthony Felix and goalie Liam Markus are more than capable of shouldering the load. Offensively, three of the squad’s primary weapons will return in southpaw Eddie Lane-Flanigan and rocketlauncher Evan Kowal. Leadership will also take a hit, but the experience gained from the incredible CIF run should be enough to compensate. All in all, the tide at the SPHS pool next year may propel boys’ water polo to surpass the achievements of the 2017 season.
IN THE FALL, girls’ tennis will return with all of their singles starters under a new coach.
Tennis: Success is on the horizon for boys’ and girls’ tennis, both of which watched early preseason momentum wither in league play this past year. Fortunately, next year will act as a reset for the young squads: they will be helmed by a new coach, Karina Akhmedova, and united under a common, focused mindset. Girls’ tennis will return all three singles’ starters: juniors Shannon Huang and Deanna Als and freshman Carissa Park. Only the senior duo of Sofia Tomasevic and Ashley Sato, the second doubles pair, are part of this year’s graduating class, so depth should be no issue. This valuable asset is shared on the boys’ side of
the court; current sophomores Desmond Chan and Ben Pestana are likely to return as No. 1 and No. 2 singles, respectively. Their seeding in this year’s Rio Hondo League tournament, in addition to that of sophomores Sigmund Goodstein and Evan Strittmatter, the No. 1 doubles pair, portends future victories against Rio Hondo opponents. Badmiton: Disregarding a tough draw in the Rio Hondo tournament, badminton has encountered few bumps en route to a 12-3 record. Alhambra, Mark Keppel, Mayfield, and San Gabriel presented little challenge, but momentum was halted by consecutive losses to San Marino and Arcadia. Those defeats marked a turning point for the squad: badminton proceeded to finish its season on a 10-1 match run and six-game winning streak. With the exception of captain Steven Wu, a junior, underclassmen were the stars. Sophomores Emily and Joan Choi dominated in singles and doubles; sophomore Charles Liu and freshman Jonathan Ng were consistent, dynamic players; and Wu and sophomore Jamilah Hah reigned victorious in numerous mixed doubles matches. The squad’s prowess and grit was on full display throughout the Division I CIF tournament, as the Tigers pulled through in clutch moments to gain narrow victories. More notably, the depth of the squad is outstanding: in the absence of Hah, sophomore Garima Chand stepped up and delivered as a doubles partner. Without her performance, the team likely would not be crowned the Division I champion. Although the team has obviously had a phenomenal season, there is room for even more success next year, with wins against San Marino and Arcadia and a run in the CIF Open Division tournament.
TIGER
16 MAY 30, 2018
SPORTS
Oliver Chang The real webmaster: ‘Google’ ILLUSTRATION TRUMAN LESAK
OF THE ATHLETES, senior Benny Martinez is the only person playing in a power five conference.
Beyond SPHS athletics STORY PRESTON SHARKEY PHOTO RICHARD GOMEZ
tournament and excel in academics to pursue a career in the front office of a sports team.
W
hile senior night signifies the end of most high school athletes’ competitive careers, six seniors from SPHS will be continuing to compete in their respective sports at the collegiate level. Following Tuesday’s graduation, soon-to-be freshmen Hayden Carlson, Jasper Lee, Oliver Chang, Ben Martinez, Jack Renken, and Sidney Luna-Long will all be taking their talents to their future colleges.
Martinez, an offensive lineman, will play football as a preferred walk-on at the University of Colorado Boulder. Despite being injured for most of his senior year, he aims to become a starter on the line for the Buffs in the competitive PAC 12 conference. Off of the gridiron, Martinez intends on majoring in environmental science, while also getting involved on campus through Greek life and volunteering.
At George Washington University, Carlson plans on majoring in international affairs while playing water polo in the nation’s capital. Carlson will focus on balancing her time between academics and water polo, but most importantly she hopes to have fun and enjoy her experience as a Division 1 athlete.
Another future college football player, Luna-Long will be attending Culver-Stockton University in Missouri. He will be playing wide receiver for the Wildcats, who compete in the NAIA division. He has goals of being an All-American and a four-year starter. In the classroom, Luna-Long will major in business management.
While Carlson will be traveling across the country to join her new team, Lee will make the 15 minute journey from SPHS to Occidental College, where he will play Division 3 water polo while majoring in physics.
Standout cross country and track runner Chang will be running for Pomona-Pitzer’s cross country team and attending Pomona College in the fall. He is currently undeclared, but plans on majoring in something in the STEM field. Chang aims to run in nationals for his team and also post a sub 15 minute time in the 5k race.
Renken plans on majoring in sports management, and will bring his goal-scoring abilities on the soccer field to the urban campus of NYU. The All-Rio Hondo League Offensive MVP striker scored 23 goals in 21 games played as a senior. He hopes to win a game in the NCAA
After graduation, these six athletes will make the transition from being the best players in the RHL to going against stiff collegiate competition, while also hoping to balance academics with their athletic experiences.
Badminton claims a CIF title In just three seasons, South Pasadena’s badminton team has gone from obscurity to local powerhouse. The relatively unknown squad at SPHS has thrown itself into the spotlight with a CIF championship in just its third year as a team.
ship had begun, the Tigers arrived at the biggest stage. The badminton team prides itself on the players’ ability to work together; and that’s just what they did on championship day. Sophomores Emily Choi –– the Almonte League girls’ singles champion –– and Charles Liu secured each two wins in their solo bouts. With split decisions in the other four single matches, the Tigers led the Centurions by a score of 6-2 heading in to doubles play.
Although the win may come as a surprise to the majority of the student body at SPHS, to the team it was a culmination of all its hard work. The Tigers have been practicing since March, and the players have spent countless hours in the gym refining their skills. Competing in the dominant Almonte League, tshe Tigers finished third behind established programs Arcadia and San Marino.
Cypress closed the gap between the two teams in the first games of doubles play, taking three of four to bring the score to 7-5. Junior Steven Wu attempted to keep the Centurion comeback at bay, taking three games with partners junior Jiamin Xu and sophomore Garima Chand. However, Cypress managed to tie the game at ten wins apiece, setting up a match-deciding final game.
South Pasadena began its postseason journey on May 7 in a bout against Baldwin Park. As the number one seed in the 16-team tournament, the Tigers were the heavy favorite to win their opening matchup as well as their following games. South Pasadena delivered, striking a 15-6 victory against Baldwin Park, before defeating Loma Linda 14-7. In the semifinals, the Tigers scored a close 12-9 win over fourth-seeded Wilson, setting up a matchup between the two best teams in Division I badminton: South Pasadena and Cypress.
The Tigers sent Chand and freshman Sophia Chung against the girls’ double from Cypress. The big stage didn’t faze the underclassmen, who snatched a narrow victory from the Centurions in dramatic fashion. With the two set wins (21-19, 21-17), the Tigers had completed the match with a 11-10 victory.
STORY ALEX BETTS PHOTO THOMAS FORMAN
On May 12, just five days after the road to the champion-
The championship represents a change in the culture and attitude surrounding the badminton team as the under appreciated squad has gained much deserved school recognition. Now, looking towards the future, the team looks for more success in its league and beyond.
Call me weird, but I have emotional connection to tigernewspaper.com. In fact, I actually consider the website like my own child. When I first started on Tiger, the website was in dire need of a complete makeover and it had very little web traffic. Thankfully, the two web editors I worked with, Tucker and Brandon, have been proactive in improving the website, and they helped set up goals for me to achieve which would improve the website. From accidentally deleting the website to implementing local ads, it has been quite the journey. One of my first big projects for the website was to change the template. As a novice web developer at the time, I felt intimidated, but the trust and encouragement the other staff members gave me helped me persevere. Thankfully, I stumbled upon God’s gift to humanity: StackOverflow.com, a forum that answers any coding related problem. Seriously, without StackOverflow, the website wouldn’t look like the way it dos right now. This was a difficult project, but it was also the most rewarding challenge. I learned how to use WordPress, but more importantly, I learned how to utilize Google’s resources to become a more selfreliant developer. For a long time I didn’t know how to apply my computer skills in a practical way. However, when I discovered how my contributions to the website improved our web traffic I felt a sense of gratification. While Google may have the answer to almost everything, it certainly cannot offer the camaraderie Tiger offered, and that is an aspect of Tiger I will dearly miss. I have to give my thanks to Brandon for being the driving force behind ideas, which motivated me to push Tiger to the next level. Tiger will always be an outlet for creative problem solving; people might use a canvas and brush to express creativity, but for me, tigernewspaper.com is my canvas and code and creative minds are the tools on which I build upon. Unfortunately, my time as webmaster is about to end but I am glad I am leaving knowing I made a difference on Tiger, and I am looking forward to seeing awesome, new features the new webmaster will add to the website. Until next time, farewell Tiger. Thanks for all the memories.
DESPITE FINISHING THIRD IN LEAGUE, the team upset the number one seeded CIF team.
TIGER 17 MAY 30, 2018
FAREWELLS
As per tradition, the final issue of the year includes the bittersweet farewells, in which graduating staff members reflect on their past year(s) on Tiger and in SPHS.
Learning to ask the right questions STORY & ILLUSTRATION BRANDON YUNG I have always been the kid who asks too many questions. I probably owe an apology to teachers who I’ve interrupted, constantly raising my hand with interjections, trying to be funny or honestly, excessively curious. Often times, it felt like it was because things just couldn’t quite sit the way they were supposed to. I joined Tiger my sophomore year, wanting to find a place at school that felt like I didn’t need to conform to a mould in order to do well. I felt as if I were handed a piece of paper and a pencil and told, “see how far you can go.” In the flourish of the early teenage angst and pessimism about the world around me, I found an outlet by which I sought to break through the sanitized version of our community. That year, I fell in love with truth. I wrote about prescription adderall abuse, an issue running beneath the surface of the high scores and pressure of SPHS. I began to wonder why we had it so good in the first place, and learned about exclusionary zoning codes designed to maintain elitism in many cities. I began to find my place. What I found myself doing ceased feeling reactionary, and began to feel necessary. I took to heart the old platitude that the purpose of journalism is to ‘afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.’ Around that time, many of my close friends didn’t make it through at SPHS, getting into trouble or getting priced out of South Pasadena. It all
happened so silently, making me realize the importance of giving voice to the narratives that too often go overlooked. Next year, on March 15, there was a small piece of paper taped on to the front door of my apartment. We had 60 days to go, and there was nothing we could do about it. I was furious, and it wasn’t clear whether I would be able to stay in the high school. I ended up writing an article which feels like one of the most important things I’ve ever done. Rent increases around the city led to a short lived campaign for rent control. Although the momentum was lost, I was able to learn from my peers about their similar stories, most of which went unheard. That article was 2000 words, just enough to tell the story fairly. Out of all the stories I have written, those I’ve had the pleasure to read or help out with in my Tiger family, I realize this the last that will have my byline. However, there is no word count that can do a fair job illustrating how much love I have for this newspaper, how formative it has been in my life, and how important each and every person involved is. If there’s one last thing I could hope to have impressed upon those carrying Tiger forward, it is that sense of excitement, that what you are doing is important, actually crucial to the larger world. That there is an intense, beautiful human drama underlying every story you could possibly tell or read is something that I hope will continue on with the rigorous calibur of this newspaper, which will continue to shape those who pass through it.
Kaldi & ‘Tiger’ & the bureaucracy STORY ASHTON CARLESS ILLUSTRATION TRUMAN LESAK I am going far away in four months. I am going to a place I have only visited twice, leaving everything that I have known my entire life: my friends, my family, and the familiarity of home. In South Pasadena I can’t walk down my block without being stopped by a family friend or schoolmate. New York City is different. There, I could see millions of people in a day and not know a single one; I will be a stranger in their lives as they will be in mine, another face that they register, then quickly forget as they go about their day. This scares me more than anything else when I think about leaving home. Nowhere in South Pasadena encapsulates the “small town vibes,” the familiarity, more than Kaldi Coffee. I can sit outside of Kaldi, at any time of day, and see someone I know. I can sit at Kaldi and after an hour, four people have joined me and are all enjoying each others’ company. I can sit at Kaldi and a lifelong friend walks by and stops for a chat. Kaldi Coffee sits on the corner of Diamond and El Centro; on the El Centro side sits two newspaper boxes. One is for the Pasadena Star News, the other for the Los Angeles Times. Soon, hopefully, a third box will join them: a Tiger Newspaper box that my fellow design editor Truman Lesak designed. I think, for me, the best part of being the design editor is seeing the effortlessness with which
peoples eyes run down the pages of the newspaper. Seeing them jump from story to story, page to page, not knowingly consuminge the design elements, yet nonetheless being led by them through every month’s issue. Soon I will sit and watch the patrons of Kaldi open our box and reach in for an issue, the final product of the blood, sweat, and tears spilled by those in Room 615. I feel that Kaldi and Tiger Newspaper are linked in some way. Perhaps it is because many of my closest friends are on Tiger and when we get a coffee at Kaldi it always seems to be a topic of conversation. Brandon, Amelia, Cole, Truman, Thomas, and Sammy are always reliable coffee friends; if I need some company when I’m feeling down I can almost always call on them. Perhaps it’s because every pseudoinvestigative piece that Cole and I have co-written was always conceived over a cup of coffee at Kaldi. Or perhaps it’s because the high-functioning, high-strung individuals on Tiger are simply caffeine addicts. This innocuous intersection has been a major source of my happiness for the past two years. I am sad to leave the beautiful brick building behind, but I am more sad to leave behind the friendships that Kaldi helped to facilitate. In the same way I am sad to leave the place I have known for 18 years behind, South Pasadena, but I am more sad to leave behind the friends that have made my 18 years here meaningful. I’m also real sad that our newspaper box hasn’t been installed yet. Damn bureaucracy.
TIGER
18 MAY 30, 2018
FAREWELLS
Back to the Future with Ben Clark & Marty McFly STORY BEN CLARK ILLUSTRATION ELAINE YANG Unless you’ve been living in the depths of space with no contact with the outside world since 1984, you’ve probably seen or at least heard of Back to the Future. But for anyone who hasn’t, Back to the Future is a crazy time-travel adventure flick that’s about as scientifically accurate as fire is cold. In the movie, a high schooler named Marty McFly travels back to the 1950s and accidently stops his parents from meeting, almost erasing himself from existence as a result. Now at this point, I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m rambling about a movie that was made 33 years ago, and I understand that. I’m not reviewing Back to the Future; after all, this is supposed to be a farewell. But don’t worry, it will all make sense soon. You see, recently I was wondering what would happen if I accidentally erased a key moment in my life, specifically joining Tiger. Let me say right off the bat that, without Tiger, this year would have been easy. If I wasn’t running around from game to game and covering every story that no one else wanted, I would have had the time to, you know, relax and enjoy my second semester of senior year. But, to be honest, where’s the fun in that?
Maybe I’m crazy, but I actually enjoyed the constant work that I put into this paper. Every article I wrote was something new and exciting. From trying to listen to a speech through the back door of the library to staying up until three in the morning watching Oscar-nominated movies with other staff members who are just as crazy as I am, I have opened myself to everything that being a student journalist has thrown at me. As someone whose first year on Tiger is also my last, I honestly didn’t expect to be as connected to the Tiger staff as I am, so I was pleasantly surprised to find myself so readily accepted. I wish that I had found Tiger earlier than I did, because one year is far too short a time to spend among all of the fantastic people who help to make this paper a reality. If I could continue to be a member of the newspaper without severely damaging my prospects of having a successful life, I most certainly would. I’m sure you can see now that I’m incredibly glad that I never wound up like Marty McFly and accidentally erased my time on Tiger from existence. Writing for Tiger has turned out to be an unforgettable experience for me and, while I wish that I did not have to say goodbye yet, I am grateful to have spent even one year in such a fantastic organization.
Bye from the business side STORY LAUREN TAN ILLUSTRATION ELAINE YANG I never thought that I’d have this much trouble writing my farewell. Maybe it’s because this is the first and last article I’ll have written for Tiger, or because I never imagined for it to be this difficult to say goodbye. To be completely honest, I originally had no intention of joining Tiger. I had always pictured myself on ASB or on the yearbook staff. But of my time at the middle and high school combined, I’ve tried to be a part of ASB a total of six times and all those times, it hasn’t quite worked out for me. Similar to my experience with ASB, I was rejected from yearbook… twice, actually. I always try to put a positive spin on my misfortunes, but with rejection after rejection, it was difficult at times to keep my head up and move forward. However, I’m glad I did because all those setbacks led me to apply to Tiger. Sophomore year, I decided to apply as a Business Manager and an Ads Manager. After being interviewed
by Olivia, Faye, and Tucker (the top three editors last year) –– which by the way, was the most intimidating interview I have ever been to in my life –– I was offered the Business Manager position. Ever since then, I’ve been a part of the best and most talented staff anyone could ask for, and I could not be more grateful for that. Hands down, I can easily say that applying for Tiger was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Despite my past defeats, I don’t regret anything I’ve gotten myself into. From planning fundraisers to our annual Thanksgiving get-togethers to me practically strangling people to volunteer for Bingo, it’s been a wild ride and I’ve enjoyed every second of it. Room 615 has been my home on campus for the past two years, which is why I’ve been dreading the day when I actually had to face the inevitable and say goodbye to this beloved publication. But, that day has officially come, so here it goes: thank you Tiger for everything. Thank you for the countless laughs, new friendships, and everlasting memories. It’s been real. I’ll miss you.
Reviews unwritten — some unstated opinions STORY DASHIEL BOVE ILLUSTRATION KATE ROGERS I remember the day I went in for my Tiger interview. I sat down in the glass room and looked at the panel of editors who were to decide my fate. Following a few introductory questions, I was asked, “What’s your favorite movie?”
with reviews, as well as provide commentaries on films and television I wished I had had the chance to review (or at least review without being told to tone it down):
Anyway, my position as the unofficial Tiger Film Critic has been one that I have relished and, given that the occasion arose, defended like a wild hillbilly with his stash of squirrel meat. Although sometimes I have had the thought that I was brought on solely for the purpose of writing the reviews so that the best staffers could focus on more important articles –– and part of me resents my editors for that.
1. Ladybird is trash and is an example of why the indie-lite and mumblecore genres needs to die in a fire. If you want a good indie film about family and life that doesn’t have two intensely dislikeable leads who never learn to change and are, in fact, utterly terrible human beings, go watch The Meyerowitz Stories. 2. The It remake is a disappointment whose sole reason for existing is because a studio wanted to make something to capitalize off the Stranger Things craze. 3. Stranger Things was created to prey on 80s nostalgia and is, at its core, nothing more than an edgy remake of The Goonies with some D&D stuff thrown in there to be “charming.” Go watch an actual 80s movie instead. 4. The Last Jedi is perhaps the most disappointing film of my entire life thus far, and I hope every executive at Disney and Rian Johnson suffers for their mutilation of my childhood. (It made me appreciate the Prequels, let that sink in.) 5. A few thoughts in regards to the MCU: Black Panther is a boring slog with uninteresting and undeveloped “quirky” characters whose only strength is its stellar villain and Thor: Ragnarok was just unfunny and flat.
With that off my chest, I feel I should voice myself in a more direct fashion than I have in the past
And so, with that, I bid you all adieu. It has been a pleasure.
“Apocalypse Now,” I said, and went off on a minute or so long tangent devoted to the movie. Even now, two years, 17 movie reviews, and two Oscar articles later, I still hold onto that opinion. Apocalypse Now is indeed my favorite movie –– there, for all four of you who consistently read my sometimes good, most-of-the-time mediocre and overly pretentious reviews, you now know that Apocalypse Now is the standard by which I measure all other films and the thing that has ensured that I have never once submitted a 5-star review.
TIGER 19 MAY 30, 2018
FAREWELLS
Finnessing my way up ‘Tiger’ STORY ALINA MEHDI ILLUSTRATION ASHTON CARLESS By 5:15 p.m. on deadline nights, I usually feel like I’m going insane. The words on the paper start to blend together as I read the same line of the same article for the seventh time. Some deadline days I’ll have spent more time in Room 615 than anywhere else. Grueling as it may be, it’s always worth seeing our hard work freshly printed the next day for everyone to see. But the reason why deadlines have become such a memorable part of Tiger for me, is that they bring out a silliness and sense of humor that only our staff can appreciate. The smallest of typos or the most ridiculous of illustrations sends us all (mainly just me and Amelia) spiraling into laughter. The sources of our amusement aren’t actually all that funny, but the long hours make almost anything hilarious. Whether it’s Ashton’s insane visual of the state of Georgia, boos and bravos that are a little too savage, or another feature article beginning with “nestled in between,” these random, little things are the best parts of Tiger. Besides these memories, I do appreciate the
wide range of everything else Tiger has given me. When I first came to the publication as ads manager (after I was rejected the year before xD), it was nothing like I had ever been a part of. I made connections and learned the Photoshop skills necessary to make Jack from State Farm a decent ad. Once I somehow finessed my way to a copy editor position, its responsibilities made me feel like I was a part of every inch of the newspaper. But my different positions have all given me one thing: pride. I am immensely proud of my work on this newspaper. Tiger always lies at the top of my resume as I shamelessly plug all my articles on Facebook. Every month I am amazed by our staff ’s talent and the issues we create. There is really no denying that we’re good at what we do and I am so thankful to have been a part of it. When I first walked into 615, I was small, quiet, and unsure of my voice and my passions. Largely due to Tiger, this no longer holds true — except maybe the small part. I’m still five feet. I love you all, especially my glassroom folks <3. Peace out Tiger.
I’m working on it right now STORY DAVID SEO ILLUSTRATION ISABELLA FRESCURA Getting a flip phone was the best thing to happen to me in high school. At the time, I was completely devastated; after a gigantic fight with my mother, my precious smartphone was reduced to a shattered block of glass and metal. To keep in contact, I was given a clunky slab of plastic. Naturally, I was pretty unhappy with such a severe downgrade. But, as I played around with my new gadget, I quickly noticed how incredible this tiny wonder was. At first, there were the obvious benefits — the phone’s indestructibility despite my clumsy hands, the satisfaction of slamming it closed after a call, an excuse to actively avoid Facebook messages from Tiger editors (I love you all). This unwieldy device also thankfully severed the omnipresent tie I had with the Internet and social media. Yet, the quality I fell most in love with was the phone’s teensy 1.3 megapixel camera. All the pictures I take on my flip phone take on a dream-like quality: cloudy and blurry while at the same time saccharine-sweet. I’ve relished in capturing my senior year experience through this cheerful lens. What I have discerned throughout this past year is that I’m not all that different from this camera of mine: I’m small, I’m childish, and I
never take myself too seriously. Many of these characteristics translate to how I am as a newspaper writer; I’m perpetually late with all my work, but with every article, having fun while I wrote was always my top priority. I like to think I have shared interesting perspectives through my writing, albeit oftentimes indistinct or foggy. Obviously, there were downsides to my approach to this newspaper position. Once the novelty of a subpar camera wears off, you begin to realize it’s simply subpar. I do sincerely apologize for the stress my tardiness as a writer has caused (even up until this last deadline). But, further contextualized by my shortcomings, I’ve come to understand how extraordinary my peers are. I am constantly impressed by Sammy’s sassy-yet-poignant columns, Brandon’s passionate investigative journalism, and Isabella’s remarkable humor fashioned into illustration. During my two seasons covering girls’ soccer, I was directly involved with Riley’s renaissance woman capabilities, Matt’s incredible vision as an editor, and Helena’s surprisingly good photography. I am absolutely honored to be considered a contemporary among the luminaries that compose such an awesome high school newspaper.
Four years in the making STORY & ILLUSTRATION ISABELLA FRESCURA Eighth-grade stands out like a sore thumb in my life. Some weird mix of adolescence and serial procrastination left me promoting from SPMS with a D in Science (I never turned in my science fair project) and a slew of truancies (I refused to go to my drama class every other morning). The expectations I had for the next four years were simultaneously very low and very high despite what my middle school experience turned out to be. I wanted to lay low and get the minimum graduation requirements, but I also predicted I’d be taking AP Bio my senior year in my fouryear-plan (I instead spent it with two morning home studies and two academic classes). I cemented this plan of action in my brain well into my freshman year, until Tiger Newspaper applications opened up that next semester. I never planned to join any extracurriculars or invest my time in the community — I signed up for Art Reach at Club Rush and went to zero meetings — but somehow, 15-year-old Isabella resonated with the idea of illustrating for the newspaper. And I have to say, Tiger has been such a blast to be a part of. From participating in brainstorms to helping my writer friends think of synonyms for their articles,
seeing the culmination of everyone’s hard work at the end of each month leaves me feeling so much pride for our staff. The illustrations for next year are undoubtedly in good hands, but I find it bittersweet to leave my unofficial position as the Overheard illustrator. My phone is the home of over 2,000 words worth of overheard phrases, and that never would have started without drawing those overheards for Tiger. I’ve grown so attached to that decently sized rectangle in the Feature section these past three years, it feels like I’m sending a child off to college (oh wait…). By all means, this anecdotal farewell isn’t meant to be a profound message of “I changed for the better! So can you!” Because in reality, the only thing that has changed about me are my grades. I’d like to thank the three years worth of editors for their… patience as I send in my illustrations at final deadlines, and I’m forever grateful for my friends in Tiger, graduated and about to, for letting me be the goofy enabler to their own procrastination (ahem... David and Helena). I’m proud to say that I’ll be forever indebted to the entirety of staff for turning my high school career into something that eighth-grade Isabella could never predict.
TIGER
20 MAY 30, 2018
FAREWELLS
Lorem Ipsum STORY TRUMAN LESAK ILLUSTRATION FINLEY MULLEN As my time on Tiger comes to a close, I’ve been forced to become aware of an unfortunate truth. Though in my consciousness I wanted to refuse that it existed, it was my reality that I never had any idea of what I was doing. Every time I was approached to approve illustrations or fix pages, I was met with flashes of heat and awkward pauses as I stared off into the depths of space in uncertainty. I didn’t know what I was doing. I’ve always been desperate for outlets for creativity: learning Photoshop in summer school with Jack Sanders’ dad, Gochenour’s middle school yearbook, and eventually Tiger. Although I was assured of my abilities, I would set unrealistic expectations regarding my artistic visions, which were usually shut down out of common sense. I didn’t know what I was doing. Tiger needed me to work outside of my home comforts. However, I suffer from an ironic disorder of fruitless procrastination. I say with honesty that I understood my importance to Tiger, but put off work as it was in my nature to approaching anything. It wasn’t until I was met with Cole’s pleads and Ashton’s screams that I would start my work. I didn’t know what I was doing. As a design editor, I have found no sentimentality to page design, as my role was birthed out of necessity. However, despite my recurring thoughts of incapability, I am incredibly grateful to have been able to serve any purpose for Tiger. Acknowledging my appreciation, along with the fleeting time of being a highschooler, I came to a different conclusion of what my reality was. I may have never known what I was doing, but I understood where I was: Mr. Hogan’s room, 615, in Tiger. Tiger was filled with days in which I would attempt to become reclusive in order to get my work done, but constantly distracted by the fact that I was happy. I was surrounded by friends with ridiculous stories, in a room maintaining histories of past student journalists, a room containing the means for me to be creative. All words seem silly. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I knew where I was and that made me happy. That is really the beginning and end of it.
A Segal’s swan song STORY RILEY SEGAL ILLUSTRATION ELAINE YANG My years on Tiger have been interjected with nervousness. I was nervous during my interview and waiting for the letters, and worried I wouldn’t make friends once I got on staff. I was nervous writing my first major news story when I got a call to cover a carjacking with the then-Editor in Chief one Wednesday evening. We spent the night interviewing officers and sneaking through caution-taped streets illuminated by flashing cop cars, only to find the vehicle itself outside of Vons boasting a smashed window and the marks of a forensics team. I was nervous applying for leadership positions, the feeling growing stronger with the suspense of waiting for results. I was nervous I wouldn’t have any friends on Tiger this year because my closest ones graduated and it seemed that everyone else had their friends set. The thought that I wouldn’t live up to the expectations of Editor in Chief was the most unsettling. I’m still apprehensive about college and everything that comes with the future’s unpredictability, but I am not nervous about where this paper is headed. Even though everything I was afraid of ended smoothly (and turned into some of the best of my high school memories), the success of this paper isn’t something I’ve doubted. While there’ll be rough patches, the talent and fervor so clear in the faces of those I leave behind is more than enough to thrive next year.
Matt has the vision, Rachel has the passion, Oona has the drive, and all three are beyond capable of leading Tiger to its full potential. It’s crazy that my time on Tiger is coming to a close three years, three positions, and 100+ articles later. In those years, I’ve found a home and a family in Room 615. Articles I’ve written may fade from memory, but I won’t forget Kevin and the Sports Pod, playing nose goes with Matt and Noah over posting articles, or Rachel screaming in a New York subway station after seeing my UCLA acceptance. I won’t forget the countless deadlines or the seniors I’ve gotten to know better, like Alina or Sammy or even Thomas, who I only talked to for the first time this year despite having gone to school with him since Marengo. I won’t forget the faces people make when I voluntell them to cover something (sorry) or those I’ve had the honor of working with, especially this year. Each and every person is truly, truly talented and I’d mention all of them if space permitted. I was actually nervous to write this farewell, wanting to avoid the cliché of a reflective, sappy farewell full of fairly personal anecdotes and goodbyes, but it appears that I’ve fallen into that trap anyways. But that, like being nervous, is OK. So thank you, Tiger, for everything you’ve given me. And to the staff, thank you for rounding out this journey — I hope I’ve been as good to you as you’ve been to me.
‘Tiger’ was my life, and I’m OK with that STORY COLE CAHILL
ILLUSTRATION KATE ROGERS I was in P.E. class freshman year when I received the letter informing me that I got a spot as a writer for Tiger. My heart raced as I opened the letter, and I was overjoyed as I read the congratulatory message. I didn’t have very many friends in that class, so I told an acquaintance my exciting news. She looked at me, made a face, and said “What’s Tiger?” My heart deflated as I was stung by that reality check. It’s a shame that she, like many other students at this school, was missing out on the most relevant content this side of the Arroyo Seco (hey, we can’t all have good taste), but her lack of awareness made me consider what this publication really meant to me and to the school and community that it serves. Tiger became part of my life exactly when I needed it. I entered sophomore year with few, if any, close friends, and Room 615 was my sanctuary. It was the one place I knew that I had people — Faye, Olivia, Isabel, Vaughn, Declan to name a few — with whom I could feel comfortable. More than any group I’ve been part of, Tiger provided me with a unique sense of belonging when I needed it most.
No other job I’ve held has brought me to the kinds of absurd tasks that Tiger has. I’ve been yelled at over the phone by a furious Italian woman for attempting to investigate the Nonna’s vs Mamma’s feud, confronted SPUSD administration about blatant academic tracking of students, and taken a ride on a sailboat while making a poorly executed Buzzfeed video ripoff. I’ve learned how to recover when I’ve failed to meet personal goals, gotten over any fears of asking questions to strangers, and spent a week in New York City with my vice principal and seven of my closest friends. I like to describe Tiger as an avenue to change the South Pasadena community and participate in an authentic journalistic process, which I think is really true. I take pride in our coverage of important issues in our community, and the professionalism that leads us to publish one of the best high school newspapers in the nation. But Tiger is also, in the best way possible, very high school. The parts of high school that people feel nostalgia for: laughing hysterically over nothing, forming close, valuable relationships, and being part of something you can truly feel proud of. Thank you, Tiger, for making my time in high school worthwhile.
BUT WAIT
There’s more: ONLINE
YOUTUBE
tigernewspaper.com
tiger.newspaper
@tigernewspaper
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