Tiger Newspaper VOL. XCIX NO. 2

Junior officers Nielsen named plan Western county Teacher homecoming of the Year

Moon festival celebrates Chinese culture

By Brandon Kim Staff Writer The sidewalk outside of the South Pasadena Public Library Community Room was covered in activity booths and intricate chalk drawings on Saturday, October 6 for the annual Moon Festival.

Sponsored by the South Pasadena Chinese-American Club, the event attracted residents of a variety of ages and backgrounds in celebration of Chinese-American culture and the recent harvest moon.

“I think it was an amazing opportunity for many people to experience and become more familiar with the Chinese community and culture,” said sophomore Stanley Tan, who volunteered at the event.

Storyteller Barbara Wong narrated the Legend of the Moon Festival during the event and a group of eight South Pasadena High School Chinese Language students sang traditional Chinese songs.

“The performances were so exciting, and I loved how we were able to interact with children on stage,” said sophomore Tae Nam, one of the student performers.

Food trucks and booths served traditional Asian foods such as boba, moon cakes, and egg rolls.

An assortment of activities was offered for younger children, ranging from balloon sculptures to Chinese calligraphy. Senior citizens were taught how to make dragon beard candy and bonsai trees, and a table was set up for traditional Chinese board games like Mahjong and Chinese chess.

Attendees of all ages participated in a sidewalk chalk-drawing competition.

“The festival is a great, culturally educational experience for the younger generation,” said junior Yoon Lee. “I think our [community] needs more events like this one.”

By Shine Cho Assoc. News Editor

Rachael Garner

Seniors Dominique Amaya and Devna Desai cheer during the Color Day roll call in the gym on October 5. See Pages 8 and 9.

Students don orange and black for Color Day festivities

By Andrés García Staff Writer Students showcased their creativity and spirit by dressing in orange and black for Color Day on October 5. This year marks the 74th anniversary of the annual South Pasadena High School spirit day.

“I was really impressed with the costumes people wore this year, and it shows that South Pas never fails to express its Tiger pride,” said junior Victor Hidalgo. “The bar was set even higher for next year. Everyone truly went all out this year and tried their bests with all of the costumes.”

Commissioner of Assemblies senior Nick O’Brien and

Anastasia Velicescu

The South Pasadena Chinese-American Club hosted the annual Moon Festival on October 6 outside the library Community Room.

Commissioner of Spirit senior Lauren Riley conducted the Color Day assembly, which featured performances from pep and drumline and a dance by the SPHS teachers.

The Rio Hondo League rivalry was portrayed as an American Idol parody throughout the assembly.

“I thought it went really well,” said O’Brien. “I was very happy with everyone’s performances and the overall student involvement.”

The Homecoming court nominees and the winners of the grade-level Color Day costume and poster competitions were also announced.

“I was really shocked to see how many people went all out,” said freshman Seiji Sasaki.

“I wasn’t expecting to see so many people dress up.”

ASB was pleased with the demonstration of school spirit.

“The whole Color Day experience was really amazing this year. It was extremely exciting to see so many people dress up, especially freshmen,” said Riley.

“The great amount of school spirit really unified [SPHS]. It was the perfect way to conclude my last Color Day.” Visit tigernewspaper.com for a complete list of the 2012 Homecoming court nominees.

The junior class officers and the Junior Activities Committee are saddling up for this year’s Western-themed homecoming dance.

The dance is scheduled for Friday, October 26 and will be held in the main gym following the football game against Blair High School.

The juniors aim to revamp the traditional school dance by adding new elements to its casual atmosphere, such as carnival games surrounding the dance floor. ASB also intends the dance to be Sadie Hawkins, in which it is customary for the girls to ask the boys.

“The homecoming dance is very unique this year,” said junior class president Josh Ma. “The dance is more theme-centered than ever before and focuses on providing a fun and enjoyable atmosphere for everyone.”

Last year’s homecoming dance was held off-campus at the Pasadena Hilton Hotel for the first time in school history. The junior officers originally planned to find another off-site location for this year, but were unable to find an available venue because of previous reservations made by a horse race series the same weekend.

“Although we couldn’t find an off-site venue, I’m still looking forward to this year’s homecoming dance as a fun, exciting, and different experience,” said junior class treasurer Patricia San Pedro.

By Jason Wang Business Manager Ms Maryann Nielsen was honored on September 21 as one of sixteen Los Angeles County finalists in the California Teachers of the Year competition. The World History and Advanced Placement American Government teacher was selected as the South Pasadena High School Teacher of the Year last May. “I’m honored and a little embarrassed because we all work hard, and there are so many excellent teachers at our school,” said Nielsen. “The highest honor of all was being nominated by my colleagues.”

The competition process consisted of an extensive interview and application. Nielsen competed with 70 other teachers from across L.A. County.

“I literally had to sit down and write ten essays for the See “Nielsen” on Page 2

Rachael Garner

Nielsen was selected as one of the top 16 teachers in LA County.

Virtual business program prepares for competition

By Amber Laird Copy Editor Virtual business teams from throughout Southern California attended the Virtual Enterprise Student Leadership Training at South Pasadena High School on October 4. The eighth annual session served as a fundraiser for the SPHS virtual business program and instructed students on how to succeed in upcoming competitions.

Students visited three onehour workshop sessions over the course of the day. Presentations covered business-related topics such as the role of social responsibility in business, how to build a business case, and the legal aspect of

business.

The SPHS varsity and junior varsity Virtual Enterprise classes spent the majority of September electing officers and proposing business products. The varsity team selected eXpedition, a backpacking service for high school students, as its company. This is the first time in several years the program has chosen to market a service rather than a product.

“It’s not really like anything we’ve ever done before. There will definitely be a lot of new exposure and different challenges and experiences,” said eXpedition Chief Executive Officer senior Austin Kahn.

See “Virtual business” on Page 1

News 2

Tiger - Thursday, October 11, 2012

News

Around Campus

Two representatives from Shanghai Cao Yang #2, the South Pasadena High School sister school in China, will be touring the campus and visiting classes for the next five weeks. Chinese teacher Ms Winnie Ping and social economics teacher Ms June Tan observed the drama and journalism classes this week and hope to utilize SPHS teaching methods when they return to China. /Shine Cho

City council approves water rate increases

By Madison Amido Staff Writer Members of the South Pasadena City Council passed a motion to approve the proposed water rates at its October 3 meeting. The new rates include an 18% increase in 2013, another 18% increase in 2014, and a 4% increase in 2015 to pay off debt, and will go into effect by January 1, 2013.

“With the 18% increase you’re at 135% debt coverage for year one,” said Finance Director Chu Thai. “Year two, you’re still going down to 121% because of our debt payment schedule and a 4% rate increase in 2015 would bring us up to 136%.”

The proposed 2013 rates will continue according to the current rate model, referred to as a tiered by meter size model. The city has projected an efficiencybased water budget to begin in 2014. Over the course of 2013 alone, South Pasadena will take in an estimated $8 million in revenue.

The council also discussed a notice published about Propo-

sition 218. A group of South Pasadena citizens is backing a ballot proposition that requires a majority opposition to cancel the water rate increases in the form of 3,480 valid written protests. The city council scheduled a public hearing regarding water rates for December 5 in response.

Mayor Pro Tem Philip Putnam expressed his suggestions regarding the implementation of the water rates and emphasized the topic’s importance to the South Pasadena community.

“To me this is one of the most important issues we’ve had all year. Not just regarding finance, but in terms of what we’re doing to our residents and the feedback we’re getting on it. If people think this isn’t an important issue, I think they’re wrong,” said Putnam.

“My only suggestion is that we maybe implement a oneyear increase even if we have to do another Proposition 218 notice. I’d rather bear that cost and have some more study done to this because something is just not right here.”

Sophia Arriola

South Pasadena City Council members discuss water rates at the meeting on October 3. A public forum is set for December 5.

From “Nielsen” on Page 1 county application,” said Nielsen.

“The questions were all really arbitrary and required a ton of insight.”

In the classroom, Nielsen strives to bring out the best in each of her students. “[Ms Nielsen] is great at involving all the students in her class conversations,” said AP Government student Will Nader.

“She truly encourages freedom of speech.”

Science teacher Mr. Paul Groves was selected as a California state finalist in the Teacher of the Year competition two years ago, and was Nielsen’s summer school biology teacher when she was a student at South Pasadena High School.

“The process is very challenging and requires a great deal of writing,” said Groves. “I read through her essays recently and she’s a really great writer who communicates her ideas well.”

Rose Parade construction underway

By David Yang Staff Writer

Matt Winkel

Wendy Tsai, Kei Shao, Matthew Yeung, Gloria Kim and Shyam Senthilkumar are five of the six SPHS National Merit semifinalists.

2012-2013 National Merit semifinalists announced

By Pooja Vyas Staff Writer Seniors Matthew Yeung, Shyam Senthilkumar, David Liu, Gloria Kim, Kei Shao, and Wendy Tsai were selected as semifinalists in the 2012-2013 National Merit Scholarship Program. This scholarship organization honors students with high PSAT scores, SAT scores, and GPAs. Each of these students received a score of at least 220 out of 240 on the PSAT last October, the minimum California National Merit qualifying score.

The program also commended students who scored higher than a 200.

Around 16,000 high school students nationwide were recognized as National Merit semifinalists, and about 15,000 are expected to advance to the next round in February.

All semifinalists submitted an online application to the National Merit website on October 10 to be considered for the Finalist round. Selection committees will begin to review applications

by January 27, 2013, and finalists will be selected based on academic transcripts, teacher and faculty recommendations, SAT scores, and personal essays.

“The great thing about the National Merit Scholarship Program is that the scholarships actually do apply to private universities, unlike many others,” said Tsai. “That’s really good for me because I hope to go to MIT and pursue my interest in engineering.”

Many of the South Pasadena semifinalists attribute their success to consistent commitment to academics rather than short-term memorization.

“I never actually studied for the PSAT. I have just always read a lot ever since I was young, and I think that more than anything helped me get a high score, especially in the Critical Reading section,” said Yeung.

South Pasadena High School will be administering the PSAT this year on October 20. Current SPHS juniors are eligible to qualify for next year’s National Merit Scholarship Program.

Board of Education plans campus revisions

By Shine Cho Assoc. News Editor The South Pasadena Board of Education discussed plans for future small construction projects at the October 9 meeting. Board members planned revisions to the Monterey Hills Elementary

School and South Pasadena Middle School campuses.

Fences will be installed in front of the Monterey Hills entrance in order to secure the campus, which is currently an open breezeway. Arrangements for leveling the sidewalk in front of the administration office were also

Anastasia Velicescu

The Board of Education discussed construction projects at the middle school and Monterey Hills Elementary Shool on October 9.

discussed.

At the middle school, fences will be constructed in between the buildings and will encompass the perimeter of the recently remodeled campus.

The instrument storage bins in the SPMS cafeteria will be removed and the current library media center will be transformed into a band room. The room will be divided into a main practice and storage area with a three-inch wall surrounding the building for sound purposes.

South Pasadena Unified School District Business Personnel Dr. Scott Price hopes to complete the projects on both campuses by the summer of 2013.

“We’re securing and improving our campuses, which would not have been possible without Measure M funds,” said Price. “For that, I’m grateful.”

The South Pasadena Rose Parade Committee completed the steel framework for the 2013 South Pasadena parade float on October 6. The entry in the “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” Rose Parade will now focus on minor detail fabrication and decoration.

Former South Pasadena High School student Matthew Whaling submitted this year’s float design concept, entitled “Sailing The Sea of Knowledge.” The float measures 55 feet wide by 18 feet long and will feature an animated ship cresting the pages of a book.

“It’s going well so far, and we’ve got all the internal structure done. Now it’s just going to be all about the external detail work,” said SPHS auditorium director Mr. James Jontz, a member of the South Pasadena Rose Parade Committee and the float construction crew.

This 2013 color scheme will rely more heavily on flowers and utilize fewer seeds and dry goods. According to Jontz, there will be more floral decoration on this year’s parade float than ever before.

Although the steel structure has been completed, the float will not be complete until December 31. Plywood boards must be overlaid on the frame and additional accessory structures need to be welded.

“We are making very nice progress this year. I think we have a good chance of earning another trophy,” said senior Michael Heberlein, a Rose Parade float volunteer.

The project will be accepting volunteers to help with detail decoration in December. Information regarding volunteer opportunities is available at http://www.sptor.com.

From “Virtual business” on Page 1 The junior varsity companies are still subject to change, but are currently Folio, which sells documentscanning tablets, and Cilk, which sells clothing derived from cow milk.

The first Virtual Enterprise competition is set for November 28 in Bakersfield, California.

Chief Executive Officer: Austin Kahn, senior Chief Operating Officer: Madeline Chin, senior Chief Financial Officer: Wendy Tsai, senior Chief Technical Officer: Thomas Chang, senior Chief Marketing Officer: William Jones, senior

News

Thursday, October 11, 2012 - Tiger

3

California Proposition 30 threatens education funding Student Perspectives “California is already at the bottom end in terms of funding and scores in the U.S., and the U.S. is globally towards the bottom as well.

This is sure to worsen our already precarious academic situation.”

- Jason Cheng, 11 “It’s pretty clear to me that at least one of these propositions needs to pass. Our schools won’t be able to maintain their wonderful programs and high standards of education without these funds.” - Hanna Crowley, 10

Recent Pollings As of July 30, 2012:

As of September 30, 2012:

8%

13%

51%

“I am extremely satisfied with the current number of people per class at the high school.

It allows individuals to interact with the teacher and be involved in class activities, and cutting down faculty would crush student and teacher relationship.” - Jennifer We, 10 “The consequence of not passing Proposition 30 would be staggering. While many of these cuts are to elementary school teachers and programs, it will adversely affect the rest of [elementary school students’] time in school.” - Jeffrey Xiong, 11

http://www.edsource.org

Proposition 30 is a state initiative proposed by California governor Jerry Brown. Officially known as the Schools and Local Public Safety Protection Act of 2012, this proposition will increase personal income tax on annual earnings over $250,000 for seven years and increase sales tax by one quarter of a cent for four years. The revenue raised from this will be split 89% to K-12 schools and 11% to community colleges. Schools would be prohibited from using this money for administrative costs but otherwise allowed to use it freely. In addition, public safety services would be guaranteed funding from state and local governments.

38%

51% of voters support Proposition 30, 36% oppose it, and 13% are undecided.

“The District will lose approximately $2 million in mid-year cuts if Proposition 30 does not pass, and we would lose about $2 million in each of the following few years as well. We have built our current budget based on the fact that we might lose a total of $4 million per year – $ 2 million if Proposition 30 does not pass and another $2 million if Measure S, the parcel tax set for renewal in June of 2013, is not renewed.”

If neither Proposition 30 nor Measure S pass, the following positions and programs would most likely be cut:

54%

36%

field.com

From the desk of Superintendent Shapiro

field.com

54% of voters support Proposition 30, 38% oppose it, and 13% are undecided.

“Coming from the perspective of a student in the Elementary [Education] class, [the proposition] would affect the students the most because going from a class size of 20 to 30 would mean that they would not have as much one-on-one time with a teacher. If a student needs help, they won’t be able to get it. This is crucial part of their education, when they are instilled with the idea of “Oh, I like learning.”

If they can’t get one-on-one time with the teachers they’ll end up not liking school and not being as well off as they could be and should be.”

- Chris Chew, 11

• • • • • • •

23 elementary school teachers 2 high school English teachers 2 elementary arts teachers and the elementary drama and music programs 3-4 counseling positions The middle school and high school academic coach The support staff who run the elementary libraries and computer labs The elementary counseling program

As a result of the teacher and faculty lay-offs: • • •

Kindergarten to third grade class sizes would increase from 20 to 30 students.

Freshmen English classes would increase from 20 students per class to 32 students.

ROP classes would most likely not be affected as they are seperately funded.

The South Pasadena Board of Education would have to approve specific lay-offs before any occur.

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4 Tiger - Thursday, October 11, 2012

Places You’ve Never Been

Hidden in plain sight: seven locations at SPHS you’ve never been 1 Science equipment room: Between

rooms 221 and 222, this is a “forbidden corridor.” Science teachers do not approve of student presence in the room. For faculty, this is a place to store class materials such as chemicals, light bulbs, telescopes, and even dynamic carts to demonstrate inertia.

Ever feel like a campus of over 1,500 students isn’t big enough? Maybe it’s your fourth year at South Pas and you’ve got all the building numbers memorized, but chances are you still haven’t managed to visit all of Tiger’s most exclusive spots. Here’s a map of school that reveals seven areas you might never be able to set foot in.

2 Cafeteria kitchen: Many go to the caf-

7

eteria to stay energized for classes, but few know where all that food comes from. In the kitchen, the cafeteria staff uses various ovens, a walk-in freezer, and even a giant kettle for pasta to cook up nutritious food for the students at the schools in the district.

“We feed about 800 students a day for brunch and lunch, and our staff consists of parents and students interested in making a career from nutrition.”

– Michelle Curry, Director of Child Nutrition.

3 Field box: The stadium box atop Ray Solari

1

4

Field is just an empty room for most of the year. During sports games, however, it is a center of information and stats. Perhaps most familiar with the box, former athletic director Ralph Punaro has for many years been the man behind the magical voice during halftime announcements and snack stand promos.

4 Textbook room: This room provides all of

the knowledge that a student will need for the rest of the school year. To keep this hidden maze of books organized requires year-round diligence on the part of the library staff and student volunteers.

“The most interesting thing about the textbook room are the things we find in-between the textbooks; gum, students notes and homework.”

-Elba Hernandez, Library Clerk

7

5 Baseball locker room: Known for be-

ing the nicest changing facility on campus, the recently repainted room has full-length lockers for the entire team, a couch, and speakers. The room also sports a pile of stuffed tigers.

6 Printing center: Nestled within Room

613, the glass room contains a large format printer for creating banners, and two sizes of laminators. Throughout the year, this equipment is utilized by Graphic Design and Tiger Nation students for printing, creating banners and providing lamination services.

“Tigers Ink is housed inside the glass room. If a student wants something printed, we can charge them to make programs and flyers.” -Cathy Mason, ROP teacher

7 Elevators: The school’s two elevators are per-

haps the most underused investment on our campus.

Added to the science, social studies, and language buildings, the elevators are an invaluable resource to those students who are faced with an injury or disability.

2 6

“Students with a note from their doctors may use them. Since the beginning of the school year both elevators have been used daily.”

-Alice Camacho-Espinoza, Health Clerk

Illustrations by Annie Lu Page by Jessica Moog Reporting by Brandon Kim, Andrew Schults, and Madison Amido

5 3

Opinion

Thursday, October 11, 2012 - Tiger

5

Opinion Yeah Boi

B

Be the change you wish to see

to the snail on Color Day for eating the Homecoming princess’ flowers. Well worth the $450 that was spent on the suit. ravo

B

oo to the three juniors who attempted to start a food fight yesterday at lunch.

This isn’t High School Musical.

By Sofi Goode Editor-in-Chief

B

ravo to the treasure hunters disguised as plumbers looking for the gas leak on campus all week. You may have administration fooled, but Tiger knows better.

B

oo to Ryan Stone for making Temple City look good on Color Day. How are we supposed to hate you when you have the voice of 1,000 harmonizing angels?

B

ravo to the Color Day Playboy bunnies

for avoiding getting dress coded. You should give some tips to the Hooters boys.

Rachael Lee

The Tiger Established 1913

CSPA Gold Medalist 2005 CSPA Gold Medalist 2006 CSPA Gold Medalist 2009 CSPA Gold Medalist 2010 CSPA Gold Medalist 2011 Editor-in-Chief Sofi Goode Managing Editor Jessica Moog News Remeny White, Editor Shine Cho, Associate Opinion Natalie McLain, Editor Kira Gabriel, Associate Feature Rhian Moore, Editor Sarah Stukan, Associate Sports Christian Miyamae, Co-editor Clem Witherall, Co-editor Copy Editors Amber Laird, Shyam Senthilkumar, and Heather Vaughan Photography Rachael Garner, Editor Matthew Winkel, Associate Photographers Sophia Arriola, Siria Medina, Anastasia Velicescu, Senior Staff Writer Kelsey Hess Staff Writers Madison Amido, Petra Barbu, Matt DeFulgentiis, Andrés García, Kea Hudson, Brandon Kim, Andrew Shults, Pooja Vyas, Jason Wang, Jenny Wang, Jordan Xiao, David Yang Tiger Online Writers Karen Hsueh, Talia Wun-Young Staff Illustrators Evan Davis, Rachael Lee, Annie Lu, Amanda Stewart Managers Marcy Kuo, Ads Jason Wang, Business Webmaster Michael Xu Faculty Advisor Mike Hogan

Tiger is produced by the advanced journalism newspaper class at South Pasadena High School, 1401 Fremont Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030. Layout and photo imaging are completed on-site. Printed by American/Foothill Publishing Co., Inc., Tujunga, CA. Signed articles appearing in Tiger represent the writer’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff, student body, faculty or administration of SPHS. Contact the publications office at (626) 441-5820 ext. 2615 between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. for advertising rates and subscriptions. Tiger welcomes articles, letters or rebuttals for publication in the print and online editions. All letters must be signed and verifiable, but names will be withheld upon request.

Supporting the voice of reason Staff Editorial With over 1,500 students and their parents involved with South Pasadena High School, complaints and concerns are to be expected. However, because the administration can sometimes be difficult to contact, students are often forced to vie against each other to be heard. All too often, the voice of a hysterical student is heard over the voice of a calm, purposeful one.

Understandably, the administration cannot possibly address every concern of the student body. However, it becomes unreasonable when inflated and overly dramatic complaints are given more consideration than legitimate ones.

When issues are expressed through tears and shouts, the administration is pushed to respond as quickly as possible.

While immediate action calms students and parents, it lacks the forethought necessary to provide lasting solutions.

For example, last year, students frustrated with the workload of various classes made emotionally-fueled complaints to the administration, demanding changes to the courses. Because the administration was forced to make quick decisions based on protests, few of the changes made were effective. Many teachers were forced to alter their teaching methods to please the administration but slowly reverted back to their previous methods. Because they lacked planning and sustainability, the immediate changes did little to help students and were

incredibly frustrating for teachers.

In order to more effectively express reasonable concerns to the high school administration, a simple, straightforward system should be developed. An easily accessible system that could be used by students and parents alike would give administration a way to filter complaints and communicate efficiently.

An online system would allow students and parents to anonymously express their concerns and give input regarding school-related activities. Administrators would be able to easily keep track of students’ voices and eliminate favoritism. This would help avoid any potential outbursts from frustrated students who are struggling to have their voices heard.

A formal suggestion system would also provide an alternative to going through the lengthy process of setting up an appointment and waiting for potential follow-ups. This would not only clear up administrators’ schedules, but also force students and parents to submit careful and well thought-out responses, rather than heated words spurred by frustration.

Many problems, admittedly, do not require a formal process to be addressed.

However, some problems have the potential to hinder a student’s ability to gain a fair and enjoyable education. A new, online system would make the process of solving schoolrelated issues fair and efficient.

Democratic nominee Al Gore lost the popular vote in state of Florida—and subsequently the 2000 presidential election—by a margin of 495 votes. Thousands of people stayed home from the Floridian polls that day. If they had all cast a vote, Gore could very possibly have won the election and our country today would be a vastly different place.

There are a multitude of reasons why people don’t vote, but one of the most common is “I don’t like either candidate and the state of the country is terrible anyway.” Voting is the one time where every American is on an equal playing field, yet people constantly ignore their chance to facilitate change and instead choose to whine about how poorly the country is run.

Though students often criticize non-voters for their complacency, the exact same thing happens in high school. We complain constantly about the quality and location of dances, the lack of certain extracurricular activities, and the unhygienic condition of the school bathrooms.

Our local system is not as fair as a nationwide popular vote, but South Pasadena offers many opportunities to get involved and make changes in the community, the school, and individual lives. Simply talking about issues with friends is not going to solve them; people have to get involved in things that they are passionate about to effect change.

Of all the activities on campus, dances are perhaps the most criticized by students.

Every year, there are complaints about location, supervision, music, lighting, and side activities.

These same students have been given multiple opportunities to participate in planning these events through the Associated Student Body, suggestions, and voting processes, yet few take advantage of these openings.

Join a grade-level ASB committee or run for office. Attend School Board meetings and present a plan for a new extracurricular.

Start a club.

To borrow a phrase from Mahatma Ghandi, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” So instead of moping about Homecoming being held in the gym, find a way to help plan future dances that match up to your standards. For students, change begins on campus, and for adults, you have until October 22 to register to vote.

Stemming the deceptive cost of college

By Shyam Senthilkumar Copy Editor Harvard University’s 2012-2013 undergraduate tuition is currently set at $54,496, yet the school only earns $18,277 per student.

The roughly $30,000 difference is returned to students in the form of grants and scholarship aid. This process of overcharging and making deductions is a common trend throughout most colleges in the United States and creates the disorienting perception that college costs much more than it actually does.

From 1999 to 2009, the average tuition at public four-year universities rose 73% while the tuition at private colleges rose 34%. At the same time, the median family income fell by 7%. All these unfavorable statistics

have fueled the notion that most prestigious universities are financially out of reach to the average family. What most families don’t know, however, is that while these “sticker prices” have soared, the net price—the cost of admission minus the amount of money a student receives from grant and scholarship aid—has actually declined.

Universities need to remove this frivolous system of “net prices” by drastically cutting tuition fees and reducing scholarships and grants. Applicants would then be able to identify exactly how much they will have to spend to attend college, and plan accordingly.

The country is just barely beginning to climb out of the recent financial recession, and the inflated advertised fees create a terrible misconception among students

that many colleges are not worth applying to simply because of their high tuition. In reality, many of these schools are “need-blind” in their application process and provide all need-based financial aid. However, because students only receive the deductions at the end of the college application process, families are forced to plan out the finances of attending said colleges without knowing how much they will actually cost.

The final price tag has come to depend almost entirely on need-based financial aid formulas and is not released to a student until after they have been accepted and have little time to commit to a school. Students and their families should have access to the actual cost of college from the beginning of the application process, not just at its conclusion.

6 Tiger - Thursday, October 11, 2012

Opinion

Modesty Club for the preservation of integrity

By Saige Hatch Modesty Club President The Modesty Club has been started in pursuit to invite girls and boys all over the world, starting in our hometown of South Pasadena, to respect their bodies. This club is set up under the standard that we are not trying to be perfect; we are trying to be better today than we were yesterday. We support the honor, dignity, and beauty every person is entitled to.

We hope to bring remembrance to the word sacred and the power that word carries.

We hope to bring understanding to the purpose and wisdom behind the dress code. We hope to bring more options for clothing that reflect the highest quality of self esteem. We hope to help people find creative solutions to the modest shopping dilemma that we face. We hope to bring courage for those who want to join us in our cause and take the modesty challenge: Women have fought for their rights, liberty, and honor more in the past 200 years than in all recorded history. They have defended these rights with phenomenal strength and courage.

Victory has been theirs and unforeseen opportunity has been placed in their eager

When it comes to modesty, how far is too far?

hands. Since then, they have proven that the highest respect and honor is deserving in their names.

Yet, a shift is coming, sneaking through the literal fabric of our culture. Our bright heroic women are being made the fool. A fool to think that to be loved they must be naked.

To be noticed they must be sexualized. To be admired they must be objectified.

The wool has been slipped over their eyes, with only a thin veil of sheer to guard their last few layers of regard. Tell them they are lost, and they will deny it. Tell them of the dangerous spiral in which they are wound and their swift anger will come raging at your door.

Our noble women are blind to the eversilent war they believe they’ve already won. But still it plays on, now fighting them at the core.

Their virtue and honor are now walking on a thinner line than ever before.

We believe that we can win this war.

We believe that a code of modesty and virtue will heal our world like a two-edged sword.

It will improve our faith in good character, enhance our ability to guide our future, and most of all empower men and women, boys and girls to the highest quality of love, honor and self esteem.

By Vesta Javaheri SPHS Senior First it was the No Cussing Club, and now we have the Modesty Club. Both organizations were started in the hopes of making South Pasadena a more pure, wholesome environment. But how far is too far when it comes to criticizing the lifestyle choices of others?

The Modesty Club was started to promote the dress code and to help girls shop for clothes better suited to its guidelines.

The general consensus among the student population, however, seems to be that today’s most popular styles do not comply with the dress code and that it is unreasonably difficult to finding clothing that does comply.

In addition to the impracticality of the club’s goals, it also promotes archaic, sexist ideals. At Club Rush, the officers said that their goal was to encourage students to “dress how [they] want the world to perceive [them].” What this seems to imply, however, is the more skin a woman decides to show, the less deserving she is of respect. But why should a woman’s attire determine her

dignity? Why is it that if a woman chooses to wear sheer clothing or short shorts, we must all assume it’s because she lacks self-respect?

Modesty Club president Saige Hatch believes that “modesty shows who you truly are.” But women should not have to cover up in order to show their true personalities.

There is no reason people should be so distracted by another person’s skin that they feel that that person must cover up in order to show their personality.

This is the kind of sexualization and objectification we should be targeting.

We cannot keep touting the false idea that women must do everything in their power to avoiding tempting men.

We must instead teach women to be proud and confident in their own skin and that it is not our job to make sure others are comfortable with us. A woman’s body is not a sexual object, and it has become our job to teach society not to treat it as such. Whether it means covering up and being modest or wearing short skirts and sheer tank tops, women need to reclaim their bodies as their own instead of acting as though we are on display for all the world to stand and stare.

The science of school schedules

Especially furious are the members of the Parental Television Council, or PTC. Regardless of their affiliation, these parents share secondgoal: period, students’ brains are still trying to shield their impressionable school schedule makes it nearly impossible for

By Kira Gabriel Nothing outrages parents quite like a single to sleep, drastically decreasing content their ability from the inappropriate that to teens to combination get an adequate amount ofdrugs, sleep be- offspring Assoc. Opinion Editor the volatile of teenagers, focus. so unrealistically portrays. While those of a fewYet keyMTV’s biological of sleep Skins sex, cause and alcohol. newaspects show Skins, to a study conducted this sentiment should feel freebytothe hormones the human body. drama and adapted from the enormously who shareAccording The primary function of a high schoola teen Center forshow Applied the bothResearch publicly and and Educational privately, Teenage bodiesofproduce melatonin, series the same name, the criticize is to educate its students. It is difficult enoughpopular British Improvement, twentytheir percent of students have overstepped parental roles hormone that causes drowsiness,elements from 11:00 some this quartet of controversial for both pupils and teachers to focus for sevenblends through their firstthe two hours of taken steps to force program offschool. the until 8:00 A.M. scheduleaccount fails to take andsleep an exaggerated and The over-the-top hours a day, but it’s next to impossible whenintoP.M. thishigh intoschool account and students are expected to air.Sleeping students miss entire lessons and can lifestyle. school’s schedule is battling with the biologyof the frustrating for teachers.

Companies have been pressured by at school and as attentive for the that day’sSkins lectures be extremely it comes no surprise of students’ bodies. Teenagers need around be So Lacktoofcancel sleep can also lead to depresadvertisements.

As a melatonin hasopposition even stopped being faced considerable from pro-pro- angry parents nine hours of sleep to properly focus and func-has before sion,atsocial and increased probabilleast difficulty, nine major sponsors—includduced.

Essentially, of first and result, moms and dadsthrough all overmost the country. tion. The 8:00 A.M. start time of the currenttective of drug alcohol use. It alsoand lowers ingity Taco Bell, or Wrigley Gum, GM, Sub-the immune refused system’stoefficiency, which during increases way—have air commercials absences.

Absences takeallegedly away entire days Skins.

Also, the PTC has asked theof lessons, and inconvenience students, staff government to conduct a childthe pornography and teachers.as 17-year-old Jesse Carere investigation, If shown schoolnaked started atbehind nine, in students was briefly from last would learn more effectively simply because Monday’s episode. of the their hormones are released.

Thisway endeavor to terminate Skins The is current starting hour compromises education, both ridiculous and counter-productive.

The andhas thenosleep-deprived state others of the from student PTC right to prevent body begs forsimply administration open a watching Skins because to itscrack members biology textbook, take notes, andthe change have a personal vendetta against show.the schedule accordingly. of Skins don’t Theschool parents who disapprove

By Max White Staff Writer

Amanda Stewart

Heeding the community’s desire to be green

By David Yang Staff Writer South Pasadena High School square dances with being environmentally friendly.

We take a step forward, then a step back, and ultimately end up right where we started.

Considering that water-free urinals, energy-saving fluorescent lights, and treefriendly thin toilet paper are already in use, it makes sense to continue to eliminate the use of wasteful resources from the campus. The fact that we continue to cool our classrooms to frigid extremes and use conventional chemicals to clean our bathrooms conveys a disregard for the environment that clashes with the school-wide push to be environmentally friendly.

With approximately 200 students enrolled in the Advanced Placement Environmental Science class and two environmental

clubs on campus, students clearly have an interest in our school’s environmental standing.

At present, the temperature controls for SPHS’s air conditioning units are electronically managed and remotely controlled from offsite facilities. As a result of this system based primarily on non-human control interfaces, the temperature in classrooms does not accurately reflect the preferences of staff and students. This discrepancy between the internal climate created by the automatic thermostat and the desired room temperature leads teachers to open doors in an effort to moderate the excess of cold or hot air in their rooms.

Consequently, the school not only wastes energy excessively cooling rooms, but the air conditioning is working incessantly to cool rooms that teachers are trying to warm.

Investing in an alternate system that allows each room’s temperature to be adjusted individually could potentially save SPHS thou-

sands of dollars in energy bills.

When it comes to the bathrooms at SPHS, our facilities fall short of being environmentally conscientious because of conventional cleaning chemicals. Although the sanitation chemicals currently used do not pose any reported risk to human health, there is a better alternative found in a “green” line of cleaning agents offered by the same manufacturer. Pairing “green” urinals with “green” cleaning agents is a decision that SPHS must make to be a truly environmentally friendly organization.

However, it is ultimately the student mentality that will determine a large majority of our school’s environmental footprint. Our constant and collective efforts to close doors, recycle, and reuse old handouts as scratch paper is as much a part of the solution as changing cleaning chemicals and air conditioning systems.

By Kelsey Hess Senior Staff Writer 70,000,000 households watched the first presidential debate on October 3. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was sharp and engaged. President Barack Obama, on the other hand, seemed distant and unprepared. The University of Denver placed two podiums on the stage for the national candidates—one for Obama, one for Romney. Where were the other two podiums?

Here’s a surprise: there are actually four national candidates for President in the 2012 election.In addition to Obama and Romney, Dr. Jill Stein and former New Mexico Governor Garry Johnson also running, for Green and Libertarian parties respectively.Stein is a physician who pledges to add 25 million green jobs to the work force. She wants to eliminate gender pay differences, and promises to reject all cuts to Medicare and Social Security. She also wants to provide a tuition-free education for K-college.

Governor Johnson was known as the most fiscally conservative governor in the country. He used his veto power 750 times while in office, cut taxes 14 times, and completely balanced New Mexico’s budget. Johnson wants to simplify the immigration process, and supports legalizing marijuana to reduce drug-related border crimes.

Although Stein and Johnson represent less than 5% of voters, they should be invited to the debates. Citizens should not be forced to cast a vote without a comprehensive understanding of all of the national presidential candidates and their platforms. There are four national candidates are on the ballot, and they should all receive equal treatment and opportunity in the presidential race.

Opinion

Thursday, October 11, 2012 - Tiger

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Anti-bullying suggestion box fails to address real issue

By Petra Barbu Staff Writer

Amada Stewart

Seniority should not trump quality

By Amber Laird Staff Writer It has almost become a joke among students that seniors are expected to win absolutely every school competition. The first place award for the Color Day banner goes to the seniors. The Powder Puff game is rigged in the seniors’ favor. The seniors emerge triumphant from the spirit competition. It’s the same every single year.

This stems from the idea that, because seniors have tolerated being at the bottom of the social food chain for so long, their time has come to enjoy a lazy ascent to the top. Apparently, a set of special privileges comes with the accomplishment of nothing more than surviving high school.

This unwritten law teaches students the false lesson that oldest is best. Even if the seniors deserve to lose, they know that they’ll win because it’s become a tradition.

Even though the judging is subjective, most would probably agree that the freshman Color Day banner was the most impressive

of the four this year. Yet, the seniors got the gold as expected, accompanied by some loud cheering from solely the senior quadrant of the bleachers.

Even in objective competitions, the seniors win when they lose. Last year’s Powder Puff game was clearly a victory for the juniors. Yet after the game ended, the scoreboard was changed in the seniors’ favor.

Over time, students have accepted this as simply the way that things are. The seniors love to celebrate themselves and the rest of the school plays along, but this practice encourages laziness on everyone’s part.

Seniors know they can win either way, so they aren’t motivated to do their best work.

Underclassmen feel like their efforts are fruitless because they’ll never get a win even when they deserve it.

Competitions would be much more engaging if the judging were actually honest.

If seniors couldn’t just coast through to a win regardless of their performance, everyone might try a little harder, and have a little more fun in the process.

“Remember that SPHS is a NO BULLY ZONE. Everyone deserves to be treated with the civility and dignity they deserve regardless of differences, real or perceived,” declares the school bulletin.

Yet, so far, the “proactive measures” that the school has taken have been more to promote the image of change rather than actually affecting it.

The “anti-bullying box” in the library is a prevalent example of these inefficencies. Anonymous notes akin to “crime tips” are supposed to inform administration about bullying problems without endangering the witnesses. However, if the accused denies the complaints, the discussion is dropped. This renders the box pointless, as all a bully has to do is deny their guilt and get off after only a simple “conversation” about the problem.

“The box sparks a conversation with the student. Although some students just need to vent, it helps to get if off their chest,” said Assistant Principal of Student Services Mr. Terrance Dunn.

In addition to its inadequate investigation process, the box has seen remarkably low participation.

Only one report has been submitted this year and only a handful were turned in the entire 2011-2012 school year.

However, the “anti-bullying box” does not even touch the real problem. If someone has a genuine concern, simply talking isn’t enough. While superficial attempts at fixing the problem are conve-

nient, a suggestion box does not take the necessary steps to combat a serious issue.

In the past, anti-bullying measures have fallen flat, often because they are well-intended, but misguided. The school needs to put time and money into opportunities that would help the school flourish and become an overall more excepting environment. For example, putting more funds into the arts around school or into club funding could give students a closer bond with the school and with each other.

Finding common interests could inspire a more united school spirit. This would encourage a sense of a community at SPHS and arguably would do more for bullying situations than an anonymous complaint box that gets virtually no use.

Rachael Lee

Tiger Newspaper Asks: Student/faculty relations are a vital part of creating an effective learning environment. Do you feel that students can efficiently communicate with administrators to express their concerns? What is the most practical way to make a point to the administration?

Do you feel that these concerns are adequately addressed? Why or why not?

Iszzy Sun, Grade 10 I think that students can efficiently communicate with administrators as the year goes on, but when school starts everything is so hectic that they ignore you most of the time. I think the most practical way to make a point to the administration is to keep visiting them, because then they will know you are serious about your concern.

Jaydon Krooss, Grade 9 I believe that students can efficiently communicate with administrators when they believe that the administrators actually have the ability to help them with their concerns. That belief could also be diminished by the fear of approaching an adult, which is primarily based on the self-esteem of the student. I believe the administration can be extremely helpful to the student, and the best way to bring that out would be to continue to emphasize and encourage interaction. Based on personal experience, I have seen people go to adults for help and I’ve also seen people who have avoided them.

Sonny An, Grade 11 Having been a part of South Pasadena High School, I know firsthand that communication between students and faculty provides opportunities to express concerns. The administration, however,

is often put to blame for their negligence to respond. This is arguably untrue, as many members of the faculty can be found on-campus. If they are unavailable in-person, many can be contacted via e-mail.

Arian Nazarian, Grade 9 I feel that students can efficiently communicate with administrators to express thoughts and concerns. The best/most practical way of doing this would probably be by going into the office and directly speaking with a staff member that could, in theory, help you with your situation. Although it is easy to express concerns, they are not necessarily dealt with properly. In fact most concerns are ignored until multiple students bring the issue to attention.

Susannah Mitchell, Grade 11 My experiences with the administration have been pretty positive. When you go into the office, they can direct you to who or where you need to get. I think if you’re direct about what you want, they can pretty much answer your concerns.

Pablo Centeno, Grade 12 Contacting the administration is easy, communicating is the tough part. I think the best way to make a point to admin-

istration is to make sure they know who you are and what you need help with.

Whatever the problem is, people are people and even though we disagree with rules and don’t like some of the staff I feel they do their best to help us get to where we want to be.

Roy Lee, Grade 11 Well I sent an email to an administrator for an appointment concerning something, but she still hasn’t responded and it’s been a week. Other than that unfortunate event, whenever I go into the office I can always talk to Fonseca when I need to talk to one of the administrators.

Wendy Tsai, Grade 12 I went in to talk to an administrator about getting a class form signed. I couldn’t find her for about two weeks; every time I went into her office she wasn’t there, and I had to talk to her secretary. I got in contact with her eventually, and she completed the class request form pretty quickly. She was efficient, it was just hard to get to her. I hardly ever see Ms. Anderson. I don’t think I’ve ever actually spoken to her.

But, overall I think the administration is starting to settle in now. I know it is pretty new, so they had an adjustment

period, but I do think its getting better.

Joanna Wan, Grade 10 I do not think students can efficiently communicate with administrators to express their concerns because, first, we barely see them.

For most of us, the best way and the most practical way is just to walk into the office and ask them questions. However, they are usually not present due to staff meetings and other events. Second, if we get to see them and express our concerns, not all of the concerns adequately addressed. For example, if we have a personal concern, either towards our friend or family, it is hard for us to speak it out to an adult that we barely know. For the sake of creating an effective learning environment, the voices of students are not heard.

Students’ ideas toward improvment are often being restricted by the already existing rules.

Tyler Alfaro, Grade 12 I guess it is fairly easy to contact them. I haven’t had any problems with it, being a new student and all.

They do respond a little late sometimes, but you can just ask around and find someone pretty easily.

C O L O R D A Y

8 Tiger - Thursday, October 11, 2012

Thursday, October 11, 2012 - Tiger

S

outh Pasadena students, normally characterized by their diversity, are united one day each year by just two colors: orange and black. The annual South Pasadena High School Color Day, traditionally held on the day of the first league football game of the season, was a tremendous show of school spirit as stu-

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dents and faculty donned orange and black costumes.

From the cast of the Batman movies, to Power Rangers, to roller derby to cupcakes, students showed up on October 5 fully decked out in a seemingly endless display of imagination in the cute, creepy, and creative costumes that students hand-made to show their Tiger Pride and

participate in the annual costume competition, separated by grade level. Students jammed into the main gym for the hour-long Color Day assembly, which featured singing, cheerleading, drumming, and “Gangnam Style” dancing in a sea of orange and black.

Page by Rachael Garner, Photos by Tiger photographers, Text by Amber Laird

2012 COSTUME CONTEST 5

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SENIOR WINNERS: (1) Star Trek (2) Disney villains (3) The Nightmare Before Christmas

UNDERCLASSMEN WINNERS: (4) Junior: Three Musketeers (5) Sophomore: Piñatas (6) Freshman: Cupcakes

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10 Tiger - Thursday, October 11, 2012

Feature

Feature

Out and About Sixteen cultural institutions in Pasadena will be participating in this year’s ArtNight tomorrow from 6 to 10 P.M. Walk into locations such as the Armory Center and Side Street Projects to appreciate free art, music, and entertainment. /Rhian Moore

Advanced dance prepares for “Basics”

By Emily Markese Staff Writer As clubs and classes are returning to a rhythm of activities, the members of advanced dance have been busy getting into the beat of music to prepare for their first performance.

Instructor Maria Del Bagno will lead advanced dance in its first concert of the year, entitled “Step into the Basics,” on December 20.

Both the advanced and beginning dance classes as well as the after school advanced dance club will participate in the showcase. The first half of the show will feature basic dances that showcase the students’ individual techniques. After an intermission, the dances will include more dynamic student-choreographed pieces in a variety of styles, from contemporary to hip-hop to jazz.

Twenty-two students were accepted into advanced dance after a series of tryouts last month.

Each student was asked to present a self-choreographed piece and several performed an improvised dance routine. Rehearsals for the showcase began the following week.

Advanced dance vice president junior Emma Bross has been participating in the program since second semester of her freshman year. She is currently preparing a large group piece as well as a duet with junior Nina Parson for the December concert.

“This year we have an especially diligent, eager group of dancers,” said Bross. “So far everyone has been picking up what we teach very quickly, and I’m excited to see how the group will continue to develop.”

In addition to the December performance, advanced dance has a second concert scheduled for the spring season and will be performing in assemblies throughout the year and occasionally during lunch on the Tiger Patio.

“This season is really exciting because our executive team is probably the best we’ve ever had, and we have a strong base of dancers,” said Del Bagno.

“We also have great newcomers and I feel the enthusiasm for dance is as high as it’s ever been.”

Matt Winkel

Cast members freshman Jake Swayze and junior David Yang read over lines for this year’s fall play, which is about two men, Jack and Algernon, who both pretend to be named “Ernest” in order to impress two different women.

Students rehearse for The Importance of Being Earnest

By Clem Witherall Co-Sports Editor Although two months remain until opening night, the cast of The Importance of Being Earnest has already plunged into intensive rehearsals to

prepare for its December 8 premiere.

Since the cast was announced two weeks ago, the production has been practicing five times a week.

The Importance of Being Earnest is centered around a mistaken identity and the chaos that ensues. Written in

CAST LIST FOR FALL PLAY Jack Worthing - Jake Swayze Algernon Moncrieff - David Yang Rev. Canon Chasuble - Winston Hibler Merriman - Ryan DeLucia

Lady Bracknell - Colleen Berry Gwendolen Fairfax - Sophie Negrini

Lane - Andrew Zableckis

Cecily Cardew - Ruby Muller Miss Prism - Ashley Allen

Assistant Director - Evin Robles

1895 by Oscar Wilde, the piece also pokes fun at the social expectations of the Victorian era.

Freshman Jake Swayze is filling the lead role of Jack Worthing. Junior David Yang will perform as Algernon, the other major male lead.

Junior Ruby Muller will portray the character of Cecily, Algernon’s love interest, and junior Sophie Negrini will play Jack’s fiancée, Gwendolyn.

Drama director Mr. Daniel Enright hopes that audiences will appreciate not just the surface comedy in the play but also some of the piece’s social critiques.

“I’m just a huge fan of Oscar Wilde and all of his works,” said Enright. “It is a well-crafted play overall, and hysterically funny.”

Personality Profile: Romeal Strong

By Kea Hudson Staff Writer

Siria Medina

Sophomore Romeal Strong interns at a music production company and has his own turntables to create music.

When curly-haired, blue-eyed sophomore Romeal Strong walked into A.P. Spanish as a fluent speaker, many students exchanged similar looks of bewilderment—what country is this kid from, and how does he talk so fast?

Yet Strong has always lived in the United States. Growing up in Redmond, a small town near Seattle, Washington, he took a less conventional route to master the language.

He attended a Spanish immersion elementary school called Puesta del Sol, where all of his classes except for English were conducted in Spanish.

Strong moved to California last year, and despite the rough transition, he has become fond of Los Angeles’s metropolitan city life.

“What I really, really love about L.A. is that there’s so much going on,” said Strong. “There’s a concert every other week that I dig.

It’s pretty cool.”

Los Angeles is a hub for great music, which tailors very well to Strong’s striking musical capacity. It took him several attempts to count off all of the instruments he plays— the guitar, bass, piano, drums, and trumpet.

Strong interns at Robot Repair, a bicoastal music production company that designs music and sound for television and film with “a non-commercial approach to music for commercials.”

He also enjoys jamming with his friends from school in a punk/ jazz style, and produces his own hip-hop music electronically with his computer and turntables.

“My dad introduced me to a lot of music,” he says. “When I was a kid, Outkast had this one song called ‘Two Dope Boys (In a Cadillac),’ and my dad had this Cadillac. He’d play that song while we were driving across the freeway—it’s probably one of my favorite memories from my childhood.”

Beyond Romeal’s passion for music, he is an avid science enthusi-

ast who is best distinguished by his particularly analytical nature.

“I would describe Romeal as very inquisitive,” said science teacher Mr. Ben Ku. “He’s always asking questions I can’t answer. It makes me look like a bad teacher.”

Strong’s fascination for the subject translates to his love for science-related video games, and he is in the process of learning C++, a coding language that will allow him to write his own games.

“I guess I’d like to be remembered as someone who did many things,” said Strong.

Strong is considering majoring in theoretical physics in college, but beyond that, he doesn’t have anything set in stone.

He does not strive to necessarily be the “best,” but seeks happiness in whatever he chooses to pursue.

“I think I just want to be happy in my life,” said Strong. “That’s the main thing. I don’t need to achieve anything huge.”

Feature

Apple continues to captivate customers

Tiger - Thursday, October 11, 2012

11

Personality Profile: Phoebe Ou-Yang

By Amber Laird Copy Editor

By Jenny Wang Staff Writer Long before its release, the much-awaited iPhone 5 had already won over the hearts of millions of people worldwide. Even almost four weeks after it became widely available, enthusiasts continue to line up outside Apple Stores to purchase the new iPhone.

Junior Clement Kwong, who lined up on the first day of the phone’s release, purchased the iPhone 5 primarily for its 4G LTE Internet speed.

“My favorite [feature is] the new camera because of the crystal clear and vibrant pictures, as well as the panorama mode,” said Kwong.

The iPhone 5’s 8-megapixel iSight camera features a sapphire crystal lens cover. This makes it more durable and able to produce high quality and panoramic images.

Senior Moises Aguierre, though not currently an owner of an iPhone 5, agrees with Kwong regarding the new camera capabilities. Though he appreciates the new features, his favorite update is the gun-metal design on the black version of the phone.

Said Aguierre, “[The apps] are nothing special, but the design of the phone just makes it irresistible.”

The iPhone 5’s refined appearance and new camera abilities have caused it to become the fastest selling AT&T phone in history.

comparing the tech specs iPhone 5

iPhone 4S

Height: 4.87 in.

Weight: 3.95 oz.

Camera: 1.2 mp photo & 720p hd video Display: 4-in.

Height: 4.50 in.

Weight: 4.90 oz.

Camera: VGA-res photos & video Display: 3.5-in.

There’s a special place in senior Phoebe Ou-Yang’s heart for little treasures that are old, weird, and imperfect. She has a dream of being an interior designer, but to her, design is about finding new places for old, forgotten items.

As a child, Ou-Yang and her mother had a hobby of antique shopping. These days, she spends her time in thrift stores, searching for treasures. There she will find anything from candleholders to jars, and Sophia Arriola she puts these items to use, as both Senior Phoebe Ou-Yang aspires to become an interior designer, a goal she has had since she began decorating her room with thrift shop treasures. décor and storage, in her room.

Ou-Yang’s style is self-described as simple, modern, and some- the experimenter, she often substi- own way and isn’t afraid of bewhat dark. It’s easily visible in the tutes a standard flavor with what ing different. All talents and quirks decoration of her bedroom, which has she calls a “trippy ingredient,” such aside, at her core she is a kind and caring spirit with a ready smile and a black, white, gold, and silver color as watermelon.

Ou-Yang’s taste for the original an easy-going attitude. scheme. She likes solid colors and preShe’s an active member of the fers to ornament them with grainy tex- is reflected not just in what she cretures, natural wood, and surfaces that ates, but also in what she enjoys. She Autism Awareness Club, and is just as prefers music that is somewhat indie empathetic with her personal relationare jagged and imperfect.

A single unexpected item often or has heavy beats. Some of her favor- ships. Though she can sometimes be ite artists include Lana Del Rey and a little quiet around new people, Ouinspires an entire design scheme.

“If I see something I like, I Lady Gaga. When it comes to tele- Yang is not afraid to be goofy with her want it to be displayed, so I add more vision, she likes watching American close friends. “[Phoebe and I] used to be Horror Story, Sherlock, and Doctor Who. around it,” she said.

“She’s really friendly and un- neighbors and we would make faces Beyond that, her creative proderstanding, so you can talk to her at each other,” said junior Michael cess is a mystery even to her.

Though Ou-Yang loves inte- about literally anything.” said senior Chang. “[She] has this quirkiness; I can’t really explain it, but it makes me rior design, she’s not defined by it. Sara Kang, a friend of Ou-Yang’s.

Ou-Yang definitely finds her very comfortable around her.”

She also likes to cook and bake. Ever

¡Uno! fails to meet expectations

By Andrés García Staff Writer 2/5

Homecoming is going to the Wild West on October 26. Girls, lasso your cowboys with these creative ideas on how to ask him to Sadie’s.

Kill two birds with one stone and introduce yourself to your date’s parents as you ask him. Knock on the front door and ask his parents if you can replace the clothes in his closet with Western attire. Wait until he comes home, then pop out of the closet, sing a verse of “I Walk the Line,” and ask.

Nothing tops home-baked goods. Bake a large, cylindrical cake and shave some off into the shape of a cowboy hat. Decorate and write “HC?” on the front, and you have a delicious Western-themed take on the traditional date-asking strategy. And if he says no, you still have the cake shavings to eat for comfort!

Why not ask your date Toy Story style with a traditional Woody doll? Buy a “record your own message” card at the supermarket and place it inside the doll, hooking the sound mechanism to the string. Wrap Woody up and give him to your date as a gift.

Be sure to slip your phone number into the box and wait for a phone call.

Set up a scavenger hunt to give your date a themed costume to wear to the dance. Start with an anonymous letter that gives him hints to lead him from his house to Garfield Park with several stops along the way. Leave a different part of a traditional cowboy outfit at each location. Finally, lead him to the park where you’ll be waiting with a sign. Don’t forget to wear your cowgirl costume!

Text by Sofi Goode

Illustrations by Evan Davis & Amanda Stewart

Green Day’s ninth studio album, ¡Uno!, is a commercially overproduced reminder that the band needs a change of musical style.

Contrary to American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, ¡Uno! drives away from political themes and goes back to basics, addressing love, lust, and seizing the day.

While ¡Uno! returns to the band’s rebellious punk origins and offers a break from politically-charged anger, it fails to live up to the hype of earlier works. ¡Uno!’s opening songs “Nuclear Family” and “Stay The Night” are reminders that drummer Tré Cool and bassist Mike Dirnt have not lost their talent over the years.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong delivers powerful riffs with incessant energy. “Carpe Diem,” a song about the inconvenient realization that life is short and must not be wasted, is lyrically the best song on the album.

While the album falls short of Green Day’s usual standards, it still has a few exceptional tracks.

“Sweet 16” packs a punch of much-needed emotion and “Rusty James” stands out from the generic punk rock tunes. “Oh Love,” ¡Uno!’s hit single, is a simple rock ballad that is irresistibly catchy.

What should have been ¡Uno!’s core is the most disappointing part of the album. “Troublemaker” and “Angel Blue” are meaningless, sloppy album fillers that mirror old songs almost exactly. “Kill The DJ,” an embarrassing effort made to mock dance music, will be remembered as perhaps one of the worst songs in the Green Day catalog. “Fell For You” is a simple love song that the band pulls off better than usual, but it is not enough to save the album.

Forced singing and mindless generic songs will leave Green Day fans disappointed with ¡Uno!. This album is the first of three to be released by Green Day in a span of four months, but until the remaining two are released, ¡Uno! will remain Green Day’s most disposable and forgettable work.

12 Tiger - Thursday, October 11, 2012

Feature

Won’t Back Down fails to connect Fall marks the season premieres of many television shows. Check out what shows your fellow classmates are watching.

Josh Thomas, Senior

Favorite TV show?

How I Met Your Mother.

What’s a great underrated show?

Teletubbies.

Favorite TV show?

Dexter.

What show do you watch every week?

Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

Alex Nakagawa, Freshman

Mariela Carrillo, Sophomore

Favorite TV show?

The Voice.

What show are you most excited for?

Breaking Bad. Photos by Anastasia Velicescu Illustration by Amanda Stewart

By Petra Barbu Staff Writer 3/5

“Have you heard about those mothers that lift one ton trucks off their babies? They’re nothing compared to me,” spits out Maggie Gyllenhaal in Won’t Back Down. If this passion had been carried over into the rest of the movie, the flick could have been truly moving rather than a film that neither Gyllenhaal nor Oscar-nominated actress Viola Davis managed to save.

The movie focuses on two women’s attempt to turn their school into a place where learning and inspiration take precedence. Frustrated with their school’s inability to perform and the school’s lack of care towards the students and their futures, they take action to apply for a charter to take control of the school. Jumping through hoops and dodging obstacles are all in a day’s work for the two mothers as they try to take their children’s futures in their own hands.

The plotline ended up flat, predictable, and unrealistic although it was meant to inspire and move the audience. The glossy “inspirational” moments intended to inspire hope quickly turned staged and stale. The movie trudged along, hindered by a slow pace and an outcome that was so predictable and corny it belonged at the end of a Disney movie.

The acting was one of the few highlights of the film. Davis shined as a

The Mark of Athena is highly entertaining

wbdtoolkit.com

Though aided by talented acting, Won’t Back Down remained lackluster. concerned mother and teacher, and Gyllenhaal was passionate and believable as a struggling single mother. Oscar Isaac, who plays a love interest, also added some relief, offering a down-to-earth view on the school “takeover.” Although the characters were rigid and left no room for development, the exceptional performances helped soften the clichéd archetypes.

While Won’t Back Down wasn’t spectacular, it addressed a serious problem that is of great relevance today: the educational system is suffering major budget cuts in all the wrong areas. Although it could have been done more efficiently and stylistically, taking on the feat of discussing today’s upset educational climate was impressive. Unfortunately, Won’t Back Down did not make the grade.

Tiger explores the lesser known parts of the greater Los Angeles area.

By Karen Hsueh Tiger Online Writer 4.5/5

Best-selling author Rick Riordan strays from his usual children’s literature to a more sophisticated spin-off in his latest book, The Mark of Athena.

The third installment of Riordan’s “Heroes of Olympus” series follows Percy Jackson and six other demigods on a quest to find the Doors of Death. Gaea, the Titan of the Earth, is attempting to open the doors, which prevent the dead from coming back to life. Meanwhile, Annabeth Chase, one of the members of the quest, is haunted by her mother’s demand to find the “mark of Athena” to avenge her.

The seven main characters are children of Greek or Roman gods and have inherited special abilities. Riordan artfully manages to provide the kids with superhuman powers without giving them a get-out-of-jail-free card.

The group faces difficulties from which no godly power can instantly free them, and the characters maintain individual human weaknesses that keep the plot from becoming a repetitive show of the supernatural.

Loaded with Greek and Roman mythology, The Mark of Athena entertains the reader with action-packed fight scenes and witty comic relief. In a style differing from Riordan’s earlier works, it is told from four rotating points of view and has a collection of smaller story lines that culminate in one final quest.

As the story constantly switches points of view and the characters experience non-stop adventure, there is rarely a dull moment. The end of one quest usually marks the beginning of another. Unlike Riordan’s previous series, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” the reader is given insight into other characters’ thoughts instead of being limited to Percy’s often biased perspective. This new style not only gives the reader a better understanding of the story, but also allows the characters to blossom as autonomous people with complex emotions and points of view not usually found in children’s literature.

The Mark of Athena shines with fantastic character development and a suspenseful plot. Though it has the simplistic style of a children’s book, it is a gripping story for those who enjoy romance, action, or mythology.

By Jessica Moog Managing Editor Sunday is a day for relaxing, watching football, finishing homework, or heading to church. Sunday is also for catching the metro and heading into the open streets of downtown Los Angeles.

October 7 marked the fifth annual CicLAvia event held in the boulevards of Downtown, Little Tokyo, MacArthur Park, and Mariachi Plaza, among several other destinations. The event calls for the clearing of a route along main roadways to make space for walkers and bikers to traverse the city of Los Angeles.

We decided to investigate the largest clearing of our city’s streets on foot.

Our thirty-minute Metro ride down to Chinatown Station was far from comfortable, with each stop an unfortunate, clumsy dance between boarding families and exiting cyclists.

We began our on-foot adventure by wandering the passageways of Chinatown’s outdoor clothing stalls and

spice shops. The music of live bands stationed along the route kept us entertained as we inspected packaged roots being sold for their “energy properties,” and dragon-handled machetes for a reasonable price of $12.99.

A line of side-alley food trucks serving a Belgian-waffles-and-garlicfries combo seemed alluring at first, but we opted to continue our exploration of the route for a more familiar downtown meal.

After moving into Little Tokyo we witnessed a woman swinging away at a tribal drum on a bicycledrawn stage. Her family, also perched on bikes, trailed the peculiar musician, playing flutes and the tambourine. The symphony on wheels stopped us long enough to settle on Señor Fish for a quick burrito fix.

Our burritos turned out to be the biggest splurge of the day, as after another half-hour of inspecting tricycles, Mopeds, and Fixies galore, we decided it was time for a change in scenery.

Back on the metro we returned northward to the Lincoln station stop, again fighting our way out of the gridlock of tires and helmets. We breathed in the murky air of Murdoch Street, tramped over the L.A. river, and cut through a graffiti-filled parking lot to reach the Goodwill that had caught our eye from the tracks.

After an hour of scrambling through bins of quinceañera-type gowns and herringbone slacks, desperate for some second-hand duds, we finally settled on a printed sweater, a fleece hunting jacket, a camouflage beanie, and neon bike pin for the grand total of just four dollars.

We exited the store humming hip-hop artist Macklemore’s appropriately catchy “Thrift Shop” and feeling sufficiently more alternative. A long day’s journey through the open streets of downtown Los Angeles proved to be even more nifty and thrifty on foot than it ever would have been on four wheels.

Photos by Matt Winkel

Feature

Pitch Perfect’s originality impresses

By Kira Gabriel Assoc. Opinion Editor 4/5

From Glee to Sparkle, films and shows of high school and college students in fight-to-the-death singing competitions are certainly nothing new. Yet director Jason Moore has successfully put a hilarious twist on a familiar story in his latest movie, Pitch Perfect, which had audience members humming tunes as they walked out of the theater.

Pitch Perfect follows an edgy, al-

fanpop.com

Jason Moore’s take on a typical singing competition is creative and refreshing.

EOVER heard Illustrations by Amanda Stewart

ternative college freshman named Beca (Anna Kendrick) who is forced to join an a cappella singing group. Initially, she despises the controlling leader and the entire idea of singing, preferring to DJ and be alone, despite being an asset to the group.

However, she soon grows fond of the quirky group.

Each member of the singing group embodies a different stereotype of a college girl, like Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson), who is rowdy and hilarious, and Lilly (Hana Mae Lee), a deceivingly quiet character.

The seemingly tired competition storyline takes new life with cleverly composed a cappella songs, mash-ups, and beautifully simple choreography. While the lively cast kept the audience interested and engaged with quirky character traits, Rebel Wilson stole the show with perfectly timed jokes, from clever one-liners to elaborate and developed witticisms. Although some of the humor is crass and cheap, the quips suited the movie.

Despite not being the most original story, Pitch Perfect was bolstered by a talented cast and is easy to watch and enjoy.

Tiger - Thursday, October 11, 2012

Cooking by the numbers

13

By David Yang Staff Writer Mrs. Ruth Moonesinghe’s hands flew like a rapper’s wild gestures as she flung spice after spice into the sizzling oil. She had agreed to show me how to make a traditional Sri Lankan prawn curry, but the complexity of the spices she laid out before me had me slightly concerned that I had encountered a foreign spin-off of Breaking Bad. Sri Lankan curries are generally intricately spiced, slowly cooked, coconut-milk-based dishes. The mildness of a curry largely depends on the quantity of chili powder used. Curries can range from being a bland and mildly sweet experience to the spicy beginnings of an intense taste-bud rave.

Though Sri Lankan dishes follow a basic structure, most of the cuisine is improvisational.

Sofi Goode

Mrs. Ruth Moonesinghe’s prawn curry is complicated to make, but the final result is a delicious explosion of flavors.

When I questioned why she was putting so much tomato into the dish, Mrs. Moonesinghe blithely remarked, “You can never hurt anyone with too much tomato.”

Her unconventional cooking methods, and indeed the cooking style of traditional Sri Lankan cuisine at large, reflect the way that recipes are passed from mother to daughter.

To Mrs. Moonesinghe, cooking holds a personal significance beyond cultural tradition.

Her spice container—a round urn holding a variety of spices—was passed down to her by her mother. Although there are newer models of similar containers, she refuses to purchase them and continues to use her mother’s container instead.

“Whenever I cook, I re-

member my mother,” she said.

The finished pot of prawn curry was seasoned with salt and sprinkled with fresh limejuice. The last spices to be added reflect Sri Lankan food’s basic flavor dynamic.

“The thing about our cooking is that we have to have the right amount of salty and the right amount of sour,” said Mrs. Moonesinghe.

The curry was then served over rice from a traditional clay Sri Lankan serving platter. Keeping with the cultural norm of Sri Lanka, Mrs. Moonesinghe ate the meal with her hands. The curry was mildly spicy with a savory initial taste, and then a small spicy kick a second later.

After seeing her prepare Sri Lankan food, I have no doubt in my mind that Mrs. Moonesinghe is the only true Spice Girl.

14 Tiger - Thursday, October 11, 2012

Sports

Ryan McCarthy

By Madison Amido Staff Writer Senior Ryan McCarthy’s quiet and laidback demeanor on campus may fool students, but once in the pool with the varsity water polo team, McCarthy is a force to be reckoned with.

McCarthy entered South Pasadena High School as a junior and joined the team to help ease the transition.

“I grew up in Downey, but water polo helped a lot with changing schools. I had already been playing and I practiced with the South Pas team over the summer and made friends, so it made it a lot easier coming to South Pas,” said McCarthy.

Now in his senior year, McCarthy serves as the captain of the varsity squad. His goals for the team this season include becoming league champions and qualifying for CIF.

McCarthy knows that his goals and expectations are high, but he has never been shy about tackling challenges.

“Ryan has worked extremely hard this past year in the off-season. He went from a JV player to a starter on the varsity team,” said teammate Nick O’Brien. “[He] definitely has the work ethic to have a future in water polo.

If he continues to improve he’ll definitely be a candidate for collegiate water polo.”

McCarthy hopes to pursue the sport at either UC San Diego or UC Berkeley. Despite impressive achievements and hard work, he knows that he still has room to grow before playing at the college level.

“The biggest thing I still have to overcome is my mentality,” he said. “Playing focused and [confidently] is always what I try to improve, I’ve learned that hard work can get you anywhere.”

Siria Medina

Senior Ryan McCarthy prepares to take a shot against San Marino last Thursday.

Jessica Hitchcock

By Heather Vaughan Copy Editor

Senior Jessica Hitchcock has always been a runner. Ever since her first-place win in Marengo Elementary School’s jog-a-thon seven years ago, Hitchcock has unfalteringly succeeded in her athletic endeavors. Now, in her third year on South Pasadena High School’s varsity cross country team and as one of its captains, Hitchcock is ready to propel the team into a season full of victory.

Hitchcock began running cross country as a freshman, more for enjoyment than ambition. However, in the past few years, she has evolved into a dedicated and fiercely competitive athlete, and has developed a passion for the team.

“It’s such a great energy and it’s never boring; I never dread practice,” she said. “The people are amazing, and I also like to run, as weird as that sounds.”

Hitchcock’s love of the sport is obvious in her achievements. Her current personal record for the standard three-mile race is an impressive 19:38, and she is intent on bettering it.

“I care so much about how I do,” said an ever-competitive Hitchcock. “One of the most rewarding parts of cross country is getting faster… and winning. Winning’s good.”

In addition to her personal goals, Hitchcock hopes the team will be able to defeat rivals La Cañada for the Rio Hondo league title and advance to CIF finals for the third year in a

Sophia Arriola

Hitchcock ran a three mile time of 21:11 at the Clovis Invitational last Saturday. row. As a captain, she takes it upon herself to motivate and encourage the team to ensure success throughout the season.

“She’s always really friendly and keeps everyone on the team really positive,” said fellow team captain Anika Renken. “Even outside of cross country, people love her and she’s always got a great attitude.”

Although her competitive running career will most likely end upon her high school graduation, Hitchcock is positive that running will remain her passion throughout her life.

“I will run,” she said confidently. “When you’re a runner, you’re a runner for life.”

Sports

Thursday, October 11, 2012 - Tiger

15

Girls tennis loses three straight; looks to prepare for future

By Shyam Senthilkumar Copy Editor The South Pasadena High School girls varsity tennis team lost 11-7 to rival Temple City High School this past Tuesday at home.

Despite the loss, the Tigers showed great spirit and managed to stay competitive throughout the game.

South Pas received strong play from its doubles lineup and was able to take five of the nine possible doubles sets. The number one team of junior captain Jennifer Orr and sophomore Katherine Shinno won two of its three sets both with a score of 6-2. The number two team of junior Karinna Loo and senior An Le won two matches as well by

10/04 SPHS v.

San Marino 18-0 L

10/08 SPHS v.

Arcadia 18-0 L

10/09 SPHS v.

TC 11-7 L

scores of 6-4 and 7-6.

The Tigers’ ultimate downfall was their inability to perform in singles. South Pas took only two of the nine sets, with both wins coming from freshman Symona Stans.

“It was a good game. It stayed competitive but we really needed to have come out stronger in the first round,” said Orr. On Monday, the Tigers experienced an embarrassing 18-0 defeat against Arcadia High School. The team was unable to gain ground in both singles and doubles. Stans, who has been providing consistent results for South Pas thus far, could not crack the Apaches’ imposing singles lineup.

South Pas’s number one doubles team of Loo and Shinno had the best results in the doubles play, but still lost 6-1, 6-2, 6-3.

“We were playing [ourselves] out of a hole the entire time, which is something we just cannot afford to do,” said head coach Jim Asher.

The Tigers took on their other league

Anastasia Velicescu

Junior Karinna Loo drives a forehand in Tuesday’s 7-11 loss against the Rams. rival, San Marino, last Thursday, which ended in another disappointing 18-0 loss.

Despite his team’s struggles, Asher hopes the girls will gain valuable experience from the upcoming games.

“We’re aiming to get as much experience as we can this year with next year in

Boys water polo stunned by Rams

By Heather Vaughan Copy Editor The South Pasadena boys water polo team was defeated by Temple City on Tuesday in an agonizingly close game that left the Tigers just short of a victory. Despite an initial lead, the boys were unable to overcome the resilient Rams and lost the game 14-13.

Siria Medina

Junior Brandon Huff fires the ball into the visiting Titans’ cage in a 17-7 SPHS victory.

The Tigers came out stronger than the Rams, with junior Adrian Suarez and senior Wyatt Bukowksi making two strong shots within the first three minutes, but the boys quickly lost their lead and could not regain it. They frustratingly ended the period down 4-3.

The two teams stayed close throughout the second quarter as well.

However, despite a goal off of a penalty shot by junior Pierce Deamer and two quick Tiger shots within the last thirty seconds, South Pas was losing 8-7 at halftime.

The team outscored the Rams during the fourth quarter, putting in four goals to match Temple City’s three, and tying the score at 11-11.

Unfortunately, this was not enough to earn the Tigers a victory, and the game concluded with a final score of 14-13, an upset victory for the Rams.

“We didn’t trust each other enough,” said Suarez. “There was no communication, and we didn’t look out for each other.”

Assistant coach Michael Gonzales shared similar sentiments.

“The game was a collective let-

down,” said Gonzales. “There was a lack of continuity; the boys weren’t working as a unit. These are mistakes we’re beyond.”

The loss was additionally surprising to the team as the boys won their first league game against the San Marino Titans in an overwhelming 16-7 victory. Goals from junior Cameron Lee contributed to the October 4 success, as well as shots taken by Deamer, Suarez, and Bukowski.

The boys closed preseason play last Tuesday, October 2, with a victory against Flintridge Preparatory that ended 11-6 for the Tigers.

Suarez played exceptionally on both offense and defense, marking numerous goals against the Rebels and earning a number of counterattacks as the Tigers’ set guard. Again, the boys’ teamwork helped them win, according to Gonzales.

The team’s next matchup will be against Monrovia High School today.

The boys will then partake in a tournament at Servite High School this Friday and Saturday, where they will play five games against a series of local teams.

Girls volleyball in close race for first

By Matt DeFulgentiis Staff Writer The girls volleyball team defended its home court on Tuesday with a victory over Temple City High School. The Tigers were victorious over the Rams in three straight games.

Despite winning the first two games, South Pasadena came into the match looking lackadaisical and sluggish.

The Tigers’ lack of intensity resulted in numerous self-induced errors. In the second game alone, Temple City earned 17 points from simple Tiger mistakes.

However, the girls were able to get their game together at the start of the third game, mostly thanks to sophomore Sophia Hathaway, who helped the team regroup. During a timeout, head coach

10/4 SPHS v.

San Marino 3-1 W

10/9 SPHS v.

Temple City 3-0 W

Ben Diaz told the girls that they’d be punished with strenuous drills for every point over ten that the Rams scored. Sure enough, the Tigers came out strong and took the third game with a score of 2510.

“We did okay. It was a pretty slow match, but we got the win,” said coach Diaz. “We stepped up at the end of the match with authority and just overwhelmed them. Towards the third game, we started to put the ball away and limit our mistakes.”

The Tigers came into the match after a big win in the fiercely contested four-game match against the San Marino Titans last Thursday.

The Titans defeated the Tigers twice last year.

The Temple City win propels the Tigers’ team record to 8-3 overall and 3-1 in league. This puts them in second place in the Rio Hondo League, behind the La Cañada Spartans, the same team that took a last-minute win against the Tigers two weeks ago.

The girls play their next match against the Monrovia Wildcats today at home.

“We’re definately much stronger mentally and physically, and everyone’s mindset is much better this season,” said junior Hailey Leach.

Matt Winkel

Sophomore Rowan Leddy spikes the ball for a South Pasadena point agaisnt San Marino.

mind, because we can’t make it to CIF at this point,” said Asher.

These two losses against Temple City and San Marino leave the Tigers with a 2-4 league record. The team will take on Monrovia High School in another league match today at home.

Girls golf stays undefeated in league

By Sarah Stukan Assoc. Feature Editor The girls golf team continued their success with a slim 233-238 victory in the first of two matches against Westridge yesterday.

The win allowed the Tigers to keep their undefeated league record.

The Tigers received strong play from sophomore co-captain Katie Rosenberg, who shot a 39. Sophomore Amy Chong delivered with a 44, and junior Marcy Kuo finished with a 46 in the 18 rounds. Sophomore Alyssa Carlos shot a 51, and senior co-captain Alyssa Naritoku rounded out the top five with a 53.

Last week the Tigers captured two consecutive victories against Azusa High School. South Pas achieved the pair of wins thanks to an Azusa forfeit due to lack of players. Despite the forfeit, the Tigers still played the Aztecs for statistical purposes, winning the second match with a 237 point total.

The top scores included Rosenberg’s 43, Chong’s 44, and Carlos’s 46. Kuo shot a 46, and junior Megan Srisutham closed with a 58.

In South Pasadena’s first match against Azusa, the Tigers won 220-336, marking their tenth win of the season. The team was led by Rosenberg’s 40 and Chong’s 44. Close behind were Naritoku’s 45, Carlos’s 45, and Kuo’s 46. The 106-shot difference between the two teams was the Tigers’ largest margin of victory thus far this season.

“We are not surprised by the fact that we won by over 100 points. Azusa’s team is very young and some have only begun to play golf three weeks ago,” said Naritoku. “Golf is one of those sports that no one can be good at just by picking up the clubs for the first time.”

Despite its success in the league season, the team is still working to improve its scoring consistency and overcome mental barriers.

“Even though our season is almost over, we are still practicing hard to prepare for the upcoming Montview League Prelims,” said Rosenberg. “I am confident all six of our main team members can advance to finals.”

Naritoku is confident but maintains that focus is the team’s biggest pitfall.

“We cannot have any ‘I could have done better’ or ‘I just hit those couple of strokes poorly’ comments,’” said Naritoku.

“Every putt, every swing, every drive will count.”

16

Sports Tiger - Thursday, October 11, 2012

Sports

South Pas Stars Claire Kieffer-Wright (Girls volleyball,11th) Had 13 kills to lead the Tigers to a 3-1 win against Temple City.

Pierce Deamer (Boys water polo, 11th)

Katie Rosenberg (Girls golf, 10th) Shot a 39 against Westridge and is the Tigers’ top scorer.

Scored 4 goals despite a 14-13 loss to Temple City.

Speaking of

Sports

By Matt DeFulgentiis Staff Writer

Rachael Garner

Senior Nathan Lee weaves past the Monrovia defense. The Tigers lost 54-14 in their league opener at home.

Football loses opener, looks to improve With league play underway, the Tigers prepare to go on the hunt for a CIF spot ByAndrew Shults Staff Writer The South Pasadena varsity football team was hoping to get off to a fast start in league, but was soundly defeated by the reigning Rio Hondo champion, Monrovia High School. In front of a boisterous home crowd, the Tigers were crushed 54-14 last Friday in their first league game.

“We’ve just got to bounce back, put this game behind us and get ready for Temple City next week,” said head coach Marty Konrad.

Monrovia dominated both sides of the ball in the first half, scoring 20 points while the

Tigers remained scoreless. Monrovia converted two more TDs in the second half before South Pasadena’s Hector Fernandez was able to put South Pas on the board after receiving a pass from quarterback David Madrid.

The Wildcats scored shortly after, giving the Tigers little hope for a comeback. Rudy Murillo added another seven points early in the fourth quarter, but Monrovia scored two more touchdowns to seal the win and increase their overall record to 4-2. “[We] just didn’t execute on both sides of the ball,” said sophomore Darren Tom. The week before, South

Pasadena defeated the Beverly Hills Normans in a 37-19 victory.

The Tigers started off slow and Beverly Hills gained a quick 7-0 lead. The Tigers responded with a touchdown of their own, but were unable to execute in key plays and made some crucial mistakes. The Tigers ended up behind 22-17 at the end of the first half.

With renewed energy, South Pasadena was able to dominate the second half, outscoring Beverly Hills 20-6. Senior running back Nathan Lee was able to score twice in the final period and secure the Tiger victory.

South Pasadena will face off against Temple City (3-3) tomorrow night at home. The Rams will be looking to maintain their momentum after a dominant 48-0 win over Blair.

The pressure is on the Tigers, as South Pasadena (4-2) will have to win the rest of its league games if the team wants a guaranteed spot in the CIF tournament.

“Our chances of making CIF are very good. Our team performs very well, and Monrovia simply outplayed us,” said senior center Ryan Stone.

“Tiger football is ready to bring it all out on the field in order to make it to the playoffs.”

Cross Country hot heading into league Jason Wang Business Manager

Rachael Garner

Juniors Victor Hidalgo and Thomas Steele run in tandum at the Clovis Invitational last weekend.

Fourteen varsity cross country athletes traveled to Fresno on last Friday to compete in the annual Clovis Invitational at Woodward Park. The 3-mile race took place on Saturday, October 6.

Races began promptly at 7:30 AM. The top scorer for the girls team was junior Helena Van Loan, who placed 13th out of 167 with a time of 18:57. Senior captain Anika Renken ran impressively as well and followed half a minute behind at 19:26, finishing in 27th place. Freshmen Emily Ye took third place on the team and 60th overall in her second varsity race.

Ye also broke her previous personal record with a time of 19:55.

Medals were given to the top 30 individuals. The sole boy to medal was junior Josh Wilson in 19th place, who nearly broke 16 minutes, a milestone for high school athletes. Sophomore Cullen Irvine was second for the Ti-

gers with a time of 16:52, placing 77th.

Juniors Victor Hidalgo and Thomas Steele finished within two seconds of each other, at times of 17:29 and 17:31 respectively.

Freshmen Animesh Mangu, competing his first varsity race, finished at 17:50.

“Animesh has a lot of potential, and could be racing with varsity by the end of the season,” said Steele.

The boys placed 20th as a team, despite losing two prominent seniors to the SAT on the same day as the race.

The girls team fared a little better, and placed 15th.

“I am really proud of everyone.

People performed as expected or better,” said assistant coach José Soto.

Cross country has high expectations for the season. The boys are the reigning Rio Hondo champions and the girls narrowly lost to La Cañada for the league title last season. The Tigers will compete in their first league race at Lacy Park this Thursday, October 10.

If you were a teenager playing sports a generation ago, you were competing on your high school sports team. There was no alternative.

Today, unless you’re a serious high school athlete playing in a Division 1 level program, it’s easy to assume that you are never going to get noticed by scouts or blossom as a player unless you join a club team. This new mentality is driving better athletes away from high school teams and diminishing, if not destroying, high school sports programs.

In addition to students leaving for greener pastures, high school coaches that involve themselves in private club programs are another factor of this destruction that is not as widely seen or understood. Coaches that engage themselves with local teams make more money operating their clubs than they do coaching their high school programs. In many cases, the high school athletes are not even given a chance to play with a club that their own coach is affiliated with. What message does this send to the high school players?

Even more ironic is that these coaches tend to use their status as a high school coach to attract players to their club.

Some parents feel that club sports provide an increased focus or specialization in a sport at a young age, and that this specialization paves the way for their child to receive a college scholarship. In actuality, a very small percentage of students earn athletic scholarships, and the overwhelming majority will spend more money on club sports than they will ever recoup in college tuition costs.

Most important, there is the issue of time and community. Club participation requires an incredible commitment to traveling and outside practice. Club participants are pulled away from their neighbors and friends to pursue an athletic strategy that emphasizes a purely personal agenda. There is little or no sense of being part of a local team, or representing the community in their athletics. But sports club sponsors, coaches, and student participants seem to have no regard for the sense of community that sports can foster, and favor cut-throat competition to a team camaraderie.

[inside] Girls tennis loses shot at CIF. Anastasia Velicescu

Girls volleyball continues chase for first.

Matt Winkel