04.23.10

the VOLUME XXXII, ISSUE 8

arrow Westlake High School

100 N. LAKEVIEW CANYON ROAD, WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA 91362

April 23, 2010

Memorial Garden and Dedication Honor Maki

PHOTO BY SAM WEXLER

A TEAM EFFORT: Carter Northrup, John Farmer, and Mr. Maki (Mike’s father) attend the dedication ceremony of the Maki Memorial Garden.

Sam Wexler Sports Editor

PHOTO BY SAM WEXLER

Teachers, students, friends, and family members of Mike Maki attended the dedication ceremony that both opened the memorial garden and remembered the beloved WHS math teacher who passed away October 2008.

“It is not one of the best occasions to come out, but in the same breath it is,” Assistant Principal Jason Branham said on Friday, April 16, at the dedication ceremony of the Mike Maki Memorial Garden. “[Mike] was a great brother, son, friend, teacher, and human being,” said Maki’s good friend and fellow math teacher Eric Shackelford in his heartfelt memorial speech.

The garden features a brick walkway, a giant mural of Maki, and a bicycle shaped flower planter atop a memorial plaque.

The ceremony also featured a speech

by Carter Northrup ’10, a former student of Maki’s who helped design and build the garden.

“Mr. Maki got on a personal level with all his students,” remembered Northrup.

Northrup volunteered for the project

when teacher Alan Grant offered it as a project to the students in his architecture class.

Northrup built the garden with help from fellow WHS students Kenny Cruz ‘11, Peter Hung ‘13, Josiah Yu ’12, Thousand Oaks student John Nagy, and other members of the community.

“We pretty much did everything except the mural and the bike,” said Northrup.

The mural of Maki was painted by Vocational Education Department Chair John Farmer. The black and white mural on the main wall of the garden captures Maki’s smiling face.

The other focal point of the garden is the bike planter filled with flowers and the plaque with Maki’s name on it. The planter and plaque were both donated by Thousand Oaks High School and the plot for the garden was designated by Principal Ron Lipari.

“Mike must be looking down on us right now with a smile,” said Shackelford. “I encourage you all to visit Mike’s garden from time to time.”

Though the community came together under difficult circumstances, the memorial recognizes Maki’s lasting legacy.

ASG Election Reveals Officers for 2010-11 School Year Katelyn Masket Opinion Editor

PHOTO BY SAM WEXLER

AP tests and finals are still on the agenda for this year, but for the newly elected ASG officers, the 2010-11 school year is already a major priority.

In the elections held in late March junior Nick Doder was voted ASG president with junior Sam Gilbert as his vice president. The student body elected junior Reid Glaser as treasurer and junior Caroline Hollister as secretary on the ASG board.

Upon hearing the news that he had won, Doder said, “I thought it would be a close outcome so when I got the news it was honestly a relief.”

The future president felt that his “ability to organize and delegate” makes him qualified to take over the position from graduating senior Miranda Fang ’10 next year.

Gilbert has already started“inspire” bracelets for seniors and said her main goal for next year is “to try new things,” such as a vice-themed winter dance. She is “ready to take control” and wants to raise the spirit level at Westlake, which

includes strengthening the Tribe. Gilbert’s duties next year will include planning the homecoming halftime and organizing student senate each month.

Hollister has been a member of ASG for three years and was junior class secretary this past year. She said she learned “so much about leadership and staying organized” through her experiences. She looks forward to preparing for the homecoming half-time with Gilbert and said, “We already have a lot of great ideas and cannot wait to start planning.”

Glaser, who was previously sophomore class treasurer, will assume responsibility for the budget in the year to come. When asked to describe his victory, Glaser joked, “The excitement made my blood pressure rise so much I almost had to go to the hospital.”

Doder is excited to work with his fellow officers in the upcoming year. “There is an equal representation of men and women,” he said. “We’re all hard workers, so I’m really looking forward to next year.”

“We are motivated and involved,” Hollister added. “I think the combination of all our ideas and interests will come together to make something really special.”

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: President-elect Nick Doder, Secretary Caroline Hollister, Treasurer Reid Glaser, and Vice-president Sam Gilbert will lead the WHS student body for the ‘10-’11 school year.

2

IN BRIEF

Earth Day

Campus Visits

Juniors are being given the opportunity to take a tour of the USC campus May 25 with the CCC. In addition, Moorpark College is set to visit the WHS campus on May 27 during period 4. Sophomores and juniors are welcome to visit the Cal State Channel Islands Campus on May 19. To attend any events, sign up on Naviance and print your confirmation. For more information on either of these events, visit Cassie Sandifer in the College & Career Center.

Literary Chronicles Accepting Entries

JSA Attends Spring State Convention

WHS’s Junior State of America chapter attended the Spring State Convention last weekend at the LAX Hilton. The club participated in a series of debates and elections.

Adam Raudonis ‘10 won three awards: a best speaker gavel, a lieutenant governor gavel, and an award for outstanding service.

Flag Presentation Recognizes America

WHS bookkeeper Pele Wyly received an American flag from her son Scott Wyly, a first lieutenant in the Army. Presented formally to both Wyly and the school, the flag will fly in the front of the campus. The flag previously flew from Camp Beurhing, Kuwait to Umm Qasr, Iraq in a UH-60L Black Hawk Helicopter on April 4, 2010 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Students Showcase Directing Skills

Feature directors like Jordan Myrick ‘11, Dylan Wakelin ‘12, and Max Nutkiewicz ‘11 will be showcasing their student one-act performances May 6, 7, and 8. The shows begin at 7 p.m. On May 8 there is a special afternoon performance at 2 p. m. Each night will feature two acts from both WHS and Newbury Park. Myrick’s showcase is about the vampire, Dracula, and his quest for love and a bride. WHS drama teacher Catherine Conti described the play: “In the ever tumultuous world of dating and failures, Dracula tries to find a bride.” Nutkiewicz’s show is a murder mystery set at a 1980s prom. Wakelin was given the tough task of creating a shortened spin-off of Alice In Wonderland.

Winter Guard Takes Home 10th at Championships Celine Flores News Editor When the WHS Winter Guard season began, the team of 13 had their goals set on strengthening their abilities, building team work, and getting the final show completed; despite numerous hindrances, the Guard met these goals after competing in the annual Championships held at Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga on April 17, in which they placed tenth of eleven high schools in the division.

It was not a perfect season, but all the members improved “so much,” said Instructor Danielle Boyenger. She is proud of the determination the team showed as they pursued those goals set months ago.“We always say the attitude is just as important as the skill,” commented Boyenger.

Championships brought the season to a close with a show that merged graceful dancing with flag and rifle tossing to a

cover of Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love.”

In addition to being marked highly in the Movement and Ensemble categories, the routine scored an overall of 74.3, placing the team in tenth place of the schools in the division.

“My goals were to do my best, and enjoy [the competition] to the fullest,” remarked Color Guard member Jasmine Saeidian THERE’S NO “I” IN TEAM: Color Guard competed at Los Osos High School under the ’11. “This year I direction of instructors Danielle Boyenger, Gabe Becerra, and Debbie Seeley. tried my hardest and memorized rain and other minor setbacks difficulties, and praised the every single count in the show.” derailed hopes that WHS’ Color team’s efforts, saying “There’s The year as a whole has Guard had for improving their a lot of character that’s shown been challenging; many valuable division ranking.

Boyenger here; nobody walked away when rehearsal hours were lost to the acknowledged the year’s things got tough.”

Alumna Honored with Hall of Fame Induction Sarah Gerlach Staff Writer Basketball and rowing: two sports that are not commonly paired up.

Yet one WHS graduate’s transition from a conventional sport to an unconventional one earned her a spot in the Rowing Hall of Fame.

Amy Fuller Kearney ‘86 played basketball during her days at WHS. “I was her basketball coach back in the ‘80s,” said science teacher Nancy Bowman. “She was the ultimate competitor; she had desire, drive, inner strength, and a Ford-tough mentality.”

After Kearney graduated in 1986, she went to UCSB and did not plan to continue her athletic career.

“She was very fortuitous that she did not continue basketball,” said Bowman. “Her strength was defense, but she was built for

rowing.” just watching the At UCSB, Olympics, I was a friend of always intrigued Kearney’s by the idea,” convinced Kearney said her to join to The Ventura the UCSB County Star. rowing team, Kearney then and when her continued rowing friend quit in 1990 and went two weeks on to win a silver later, Kearney medal at the 1992 decided to stay Olympics in the with the sport. women’s four.

“She was She also was very driven, JUST KEEP ROWING: Fullnamed the U.S. and her work er Kearney is inducted into Rowing Female ethic was the Rowing Hall of Fame.

Athlete of the unrivaled.

Year in 1993.

Nobody could “There are so match her intensity,” Bowman many great memories,” Kearney added. said. “The Olympic silver medal Although she had never was an awesome moment and the rowed before college, Kearney entire Olympic experience was immediately fell in love with incredible. It’s the most amazing the sport. thing I could imagine.”

“I grew up on a lake and had Kearney has also competed seen people rowing before, and in eight World Championships, COURTESY PHOTO

Literary Chronicles is now collecting submissions for the annual publication. Entries can include any creative work such as short stories, poems, drawings, or photos and can be turned into Peggy Schlehner, Room 42B or emailed to westlakeliterarychroni cles@gmail.com. The magazine is expected to come out in late May.

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

PHOTO BY CELINE FLORES

The Students for Solar Schools and Earth Club will be having a booth at the 13th Annual Earth Day on April 24 at the Conejo Creek Park. The Earth Day Event is a free community event and aims to promote a healthy and sustainable environment by highlighting planet-friendly activities, services and products.

The club’s booth will feature information about being green along with a raffle. The event is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

NEWS

Sophomore Takes Part in Famine to Increase Hunger Awareness Hanna Hong Staff Writer Danny Cotton ‘12 contributed to the World Vision cause by dedicating 30 hours of his time to fast, in an effort to increase awareness of the humanitarian group.

World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization that contributes to 100 million people in nearly 100 countries, is determined to help children, families, and their communities’ reach their full potential by focusing on the causes of poverty and injustice.

Firm believers in “God’s unconditional love for all people,” World Vision serves millions of people from earthquake survivors to children and communities struggling with AIDS. To raise awareness to prevent

the extreme poverty seen in the 840 million people in the world who lack food to eat and the 880 million people who live on less than one dollar a day (according to the World Vision website), World Vision participates in 30hour famines, donations, and sponsorships.

Cotton is one of the many members of World Vision promoting peace and supporting the less fortunate.

Cotton accomplished World Vision’s purpose: “to spread the word of Christ and his good works,” during his 30-hour famine.

He hoped to achieve a “closer connection to God” and the “true effects of hunger” while spreading awareness and influencing others.

Without these charitable supports, the 600 metric tons of emergency food that aid World Vision would diminish rapidly.

earning one gold medal and six silver medals (1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, and 1999).

Kearney then decided to focus her career on coaching. She first started at her alma mater, UCSB, for the women’s novice program. Then in 1992 Kearney became the head coach of the women’s team.

In 2000, Kearney began coaching rowing at Stanford. She left a year later to coach at UCLA. Since then, Kearney turned the Bruins into national competitors.

In three consecutive seasons, from 2005-2007, Kearney sent a varsity eight crew to the NCAA Championships. They placed 15th in 2005, 12th in 2006, and 14th in 2007.

Kearney currently lives in Santa Clarita with her husband, Joe, and her daughter, Shannon.

She was recently inducted into the National Rowing Hall of Fame at the Mystic Seaport in Connecticut on March 23, 2010.

TESTING SCHEDULE STAR BELL SCHEDULE Grades 9-11* Tuesday, April 27 STAR English Language Arts 8:15 to 11:30 a.m.

Lunch (No off-campus passes) 11:30-12:10 p.m.

STAR Science (EOC) Part I 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Dismissal 1:15 p.m. *Senior Seminar in Gym 9:00 a.m.

Wednesday, April 28 STAR Science (EOC) Part II 8:15-9:15 a.m.

STAR Mathematics Part I 9:15-10:45 a.m.

Lunch (No off-campus passes) 10:45-11:25 a.m.

STAR Mathematics Part II 11:31-1:15 p.m.

Dismissal 1:15 p.m. *Senior Picnic - Meet in Staff Parking Lot at 8:30 a.m.

Thursday, April 29 Period 1* STAR History - 10th and 11th only Student Break Period 2 Period 3 Period 4 Period 5 Lunch Period 6 Period 7

7:15-7:45 a.m.

8:00-10:00 a.m.

10:00-10:15 a.m.

10:20-10:50 a.m.

10:56-11:26 a.m.

11:32-12:02 12:08-12:38 p.m.

12:38-1:18 p.m.

1:24-1:54 p.m.

2:00-2:30 p.m.

AP testing will occur from May 3-14.

TEDx Conejo Showcases Informative Students

3

NEWS

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

Outstanding Math Students Awarded Laptops Hanna Hong Staff Writer

Zak Kukoff Feature Editor

PHOTO BY HANNA HONG

GOOGLE PRODIGIES: Tony Jin, Joyce Shi, Carmella Ettaro, Max Avruch, and Lucy Gao (not pictured), received laptops from Google for their outstanding achievements in mathematics.

3 Juniors Participate in Day of Silence Protest “I consider myself a member of the human rights cause,” Thompson said.

Thompson felt a connection to High school students are the cause of promoting tolerance frequently told to find a cause to be based on sexual orientation because passionate about and pursue it to she knows people who have faced make a difference. harassment.

On Fri., April 16, three juniors Ton found out about the day of did just that. silence on Facebook, and recruited Katrina Ton, Jenn Petersen, and her two friends to join her in Michaela Thompson all partcipated participating. in the nation-wide Day of Silence The three girls felt passionate protest to recognize the adversity about building awareness to facing the lesbian, gay, bisexual and address the social injustice and transgender (LGBT) community. harassment of members of the “We all feel a personal NO H8: Juniors Michaela Thompson, Katrina Ton, and Jenn LGBT community. connection to the cause,” Ton Petersen listen to the sound of silence in the nationwide “We want to spread the word said. “We hope tolerance and demonstration. people shouldn’t judge others based understanding will come out of on orientation or anything else. We this.” she also protested against Prop 8 last year Ton is an active participant in the and wrote an article in the Thousand Oaks should accept people for who they are and their personalities,” Petersen said. cause to expand gay rights. In addition, Acorn.

Becky Sadwick Staff Writer

PHOTO BY BECKY SADWICK

Thinkers, students, and teachers gathered at the Civic Arts Plaza for the sold-out TEDx Conejo conference on March 27.

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, which were the three overall topics for the conference.

The local TEDx Conejo conference was independently organized from the larger TED conference held yearly in Long Beach.

WHS student Adam Raudonis ’10 was among the speakers at the conference.

Raudonis spoke about Students for Solar Schools, his organization.

The group recently installed its first solar panel at Oak Hill Elementary School, and plans to install a second at WHS in the near future.

Other student speakers included Emily Zolfaghari, a senior at La Reina high school, Hogan Fulton, a freshman at TOHS, and Hans Gao, a senior at Newbury Park.

Zolfaghari spoke about her research on ovarian cancer, Fulton danced, and Gao played piano.

Crowd-favorites at the conference included Steen Strand and Mark Waldman. Strand was from ICON Aircraft, which designs and manufactures planes that double as boats. The planes are modeled on the design cues of a Lexus and focus on simplicity.

Waldman spoke about the way the brain processes big ideas, specifically the changes to the brain that result from meditation.

Waldman’s research has shown that meditiation can improve brain function.

The crowd at the event appreciated that his presentation had practical applications.

Jamie Oliver spoke at the TEDx Conejo conference via pre-recorded video about his new food revolution show and about the obesity crises that he confronts daily in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Oliver spoke passionately about a subject that he obviously cares about.

Mario Contini, the district superintendent, introduced the conference and set the tone for the entire event.

Laurie Looker, School-toCareer coordinator, helped plan and execute the event, which was the brainchild of Don Levy.

Lucy Gao ’10, Tony Jin ’10, Max Avruch ’11, and Joyce Shi ’11—all four standout math students—were awarded IBM Lenovo laptops last Friday for their remarkable mathematic skills.

Through a Google high school outreach program, Google targeted WHS last year and granted the math department five new laptops—one for the math department chair, Carmella Ettaro, and four for the top ranked students in the school.

Analyzing each student’s GPA, CST, SAT scores, all the math classes taken, and much more, a committee headed by Ettaro narrowed the students down and chose these four deserving students last fall.

According to Ettaro, WHS “goes way over the standards and prepares the students well for college.” The students were surprised when they reported to the principal’s office for the recognition.

Loneliness Proves Detrimental to Psychological Well-Being Lisa Battaglia News Editor Psychologists have long researched the effects of loneliness and isolation on the body and mind.

Because people have evolved to depend on one another, those who fail to connect with other people will have mental and physical problems being alone.

Sciencedaily.com states that solitary confinement can be responsible for psychological effects such as anxiety, aggression, and memory impairment.

Scientists looked into neurons in mice for changes in the levels of a brain hormone, allopregnanolone that reduces stress.

USA Today claimed that lonely people tend to have high blood pressure, weaker immune systems, and active gene inflammation.

People need people to survive. The desire for companionship or the fear of

being alone helps people behave. Solitary confinement causes stress to the body and mind along with other physical problems.

As shown with studies, when people are isolated for a long period of time, and then immediately exposed to the real world, they can experience anxiety attacks or aggression.

John Cacioppo, director of the University of Chicago’s Center for Cognitive and Neuroscience stated in USA Today that the motivation to avoid being alone is almost as strong to alleviate hunger and pain.

Usually when one posts something on Twitter or Facebook talking about their bad day, they usually end up with comments wishing them well by the end of the day; such interactions make them feel less alone.

Teenagers, while their brains are still developing, need more attention for survival. When going through

rough times regarding school or friends, teenagers like to feel comfort when others are experiencing the same situations.

The pain of loneliness is caused less by being alone than by feeling alone. The effects of solitary confinement takes its toll on prisoners especially.

Out of the thousands of prisoners in the United States, 2% are living in locked, small, windowless cells, claimed Serendip’s Exchange.

They also have no access to recreational or educational activities, which causes their depression.

Isolation can lead to other psychological problems such as schizophrenia, social phobias, anxiety disorders, and extreme depression.

The effects of isolation for a long period of time can be very harmful but rebuilding connections through social networking and reconnecting with nature will help loneliness.

4

OPINION

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

Israel Demonstrates Morality During Wartime

Kayla Greenberg Staff Writer Sharp criticism of Israel has appeared on college campuses over the past few weeks—in the media, and even from the Obama administration. College students have been making posters with slogans such as “Jewish Nazis” and “Genocide!” even though Israel provides more aid to Gaza and the West Bank than any other country in the world. Chat rooms condemn Israel’s assassination of the “paraplegic and nearly blind” Sheikh Ahmen Yassin,

ignoring his responsibility for hundreds of homicidal attacks on innocent Israelis in pizza parlors, night clubs, and school buses. President Obama and Hilary Clinton demand the cessation of Israeli construction in Northern Jerusalem, even though it is Israel’s capital. Either the world has gone crazy, or critics of Israel know nothing about it.

Israel demonstrates more morality in war than any other nation. In 2008, the Israeli Defense Force went into Gaza because an estimated 7,000 missiles were launched into Israel. Gaza had been

COURTESY PHOTO

ISRAELI PRINCIPLES: An IDF soldier gives food to an elderly Palestinian woman.

unoccupied by Israel for the past three years, and yet there had not been a single attempt to establish a Palestinian state; instead, the Palestinian people were continuing to terrorize the Israelis. According to the IDF, before going into Gaza, Israel dropped over 1,000,000 leaflets, made over 100,000 phone calls, and sent countless text messages warning the Palestinians to evacuate. No other country has done anything close to this. When moving into Gaza, Israel would stop fighting for three hours daily to bring in medical supplies and transport injured Palestinian civilians to Israeli hospitals.

The IDF is confronted with situations college students, the media, and our government cannot even imagine. At the 2010 American Israeli Political Action Committee Policy Conference, Major Roy Levy from the IDF recalled a horrifying but common scenario in Gaza: a terrorist set up a qassam rocket to shoot into Israel, while surrounded by 200 children because he knew that Israeli soldiers could not risk hurting the children. The use of these people as shields has been a huge dilemma for Israel.

Hamas, Gaza’s controlling political party, stores weapons in apartment buildings, mosques, and even elementary schools.

Before bombing an arms storage, Israeli soldiers call the building and tell its inhabitants to leave. The Israeli soldiers give the Palestinians the exact time and

Vegetarianism:�Hip or High Minded?

Marika Price Staff Writer The recent influx of vegetarian options on restaurant menus and rapidly increasing number of teenagers identifying themselves as vegetarians or vegans, begs the question: Is this sudden interest in new eating habits a healthy trend for those who want to take a stand against unethical treatment towards animals or is it, in reality, causing more health risks from a lack of key food sources and important nutrients?

Most vegetarians advocate animal rights and have reasons for making the conscious effort to change their daily food consumption. Whether it is the high energy used to process and transport the meat, the transmissible health risks from the animal, or simply the treatment of the living being itself is their main influence, many vegetarians eat this way out of their own

convictions.

In a society filled with pressure to fulfill a specific image, however, vegetarianism can be an excuse for self-conscious teens to construct their daily diets around celery and carrots. Disregarding the importance of finding alternatives to protein and iron packed meat sources, teens often fail to adjust their diet properly.

According to the United States Health Service Association (USHSA), vegetarians are 70% more likely to be anemic (iron deficient) and 65% more prone to osteoporosis.

Other risks include a lack of protein, calcium, and Vitamin B. Some beginning vegetarians even face a reverse effect and gain weight because of increased consumption of junk foods, dairy, and sugars.

Discovering the “right” foods to replace is the hardest part, but once one gets in the habit searching for sufficient meat substitutes—tofu, beans, and edamame—

the result can be extremely positive. According to The National Restaurant Association, with nearly 35% of teenagers claiming to be vegetarians and 27% more adults ordering more vegetarian type meals, healthiness is clearly taking priority.

Avoiding foods like fried chicken, greasy hamburgers, and juicy ribs is a healthy step in the right direction, away from our obesity epidemic. USHSA reported that vegetarians are more likely to be leaner and have better eating habits in general than those who include animal products in their daily diets. The World Cancer Research Fund supports living a vegetarian lifestyle because all fruits and vegetables provide significant protection against cancer at many sites.

Taking into account all the benefits, it is crucial for every vegetarian to note certain foods that need to be consumed and tips that will improve healthfulness:

Can Religious Groups Justly Exclude Members?

Charlotte Gibson Staff Writer Do official student organizations at public universities have the right to exclude students based on their religious views?

In 2004, The Christian Legal Society (CLS), at the University of California Hastings College of Law, requested recognition as an official student organization, in which it would be entitled to benefits, financial support, and meeting space. CLS is a national association of lawyers, judges, law professors, and law students with chapters across the country in numerous universities.

However, the UC refused CLS recognition as an official student organization, saying that it violated its nondiscrimination policies by denying membership to practicing homosexuals and anyone who refuses to sign the group’s “statement of faith.”

According to PARADE magazine, Ethan Schulman, a lawyer representing the school, said, “Religious groups on campus have a choice: if they want to be

eligible to receive public funds and access to facilities, they cannot discriminate in selecting members and officers. If they wish to discriminate, they can continue to meet, but without the benefit of public funds and support.”

As a result of this issue, any student may attend CLS meetings and activities.

On the contrary, all leaders and voting members must promise to abstain from all sexual activity outside of heterosexual marriage and adhere to a set of religious principles the society outlines.

So where is the line drawn between accepting a discriminatory religious student organization and supporting a discriminatory religious organization at a public university?

A religious student organization has the right to establish a set criteria to accept members based upon the morals and ethics of that certain religion. To have to accept students who do not adhere to those values compromises the standards for the basis of the association.

A religion-based group should follow the guidelines of that religion. Those not following that faith do not have a place in

that student association on campus. With a wide variety of beliefs available in each religion, students can adopt the certain beliefs that the group encourages and takes pride in.

On the other hand, signing the association’s “statement of faith” forces students to feel as if they are giving their lives to the association and completely falling under the jurisdiction of the group’s total values and beliefs.

A student can be of a certain religion without agreeing with the values as those with the same religion.

For example, to not allow homosexuals into a student association based on Christian values seems to contradict the fundamental value of loving God’s children. Although the Bible states that a man and woman should marry, accepting all people as equals and children of God is also a main point of the Christian faith.

If student associations are unable to make accommodations for certain interests of group members according to alternative lifestyles and beliefs, then the associations should not be awarded the approval of the university to gain benefits.

date of their intended raid. Instead of evacuating, the Palestinians call their friends and family to be in the building with them. They stay in the arms storage, holding their babies in their arms, knowing that they are sentencing their children to death by not evacuating. They are proud to die as heroes.

This has been so traumatic to the Israeli soldiers that they now set off smoke bombs, evacuate the arms storage of its occupants, and then destroy it.

And the Israelis are called Nazis?

How can they possibly be committing genocide when they try harder than any other army in the world to avoid harming civilians, send aid to the Palestinian people daily, and care about Palestinian lives more than Hamas does? Israel even sends cement for the Palestinians to rebuild their towns after a battle.

Colonel Richard Kemp, former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, tried to emulate Israel’s military ethics, but admitted he could not come close. He concluded that there has “never been a time in the history of warfare when any army has made more efforts to reduce civilian casualties and the deaths of innocent people than the IDF is doing in Gaza today.”

People who condemn Israel and support the current Palestinian leadership, who strap bombs to women, children, the elderly, the sick, the mentally retarded, and the handicapped are simply ignorant about the reality of the situation.

Kayla Greenberg ‘10 attended the AIPAC Policy Conf. held in Wash., D.C. in March.

1. Eat a dark green vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli) at least three times a week.

2. Make it a goal to have a handful of raw vegetables or fruit every day.

3. Take a vitamin supplement that contains B12 daily.

4. Drink a lot of water.

Regardless of one’s viewpoints on vegetarianism, advocating animal rights and executing a plan to live healthier is commendable.

THE WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL

ARROW

100 N. Lakeview Canyon Road Westlake Village, CA 91362 (805) 497-6711 ext. 4225 whsarrow.webs.com westlakearrow@yahoo.com EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Tiffany Loh, Iris Yan COPY EDITORS Max Avruch NEWS EDITORS Lisa Battaglia, Celine Flores, Katie Roughan OPINION EDITOR Jared Erman, Jamie Mark, Katelyn Masket FEATURE EDITORS Brian Chang, Sophia Chen, Yimeng Han, Zak Kukoff, Julia Model, Karisma Nagarkatti SPORTS EDITORS Sam Wexler, Dashiell Young-Saver CARTOONIST Kabir Nagarkatti ADVERTISING MANAGER Rachel Bernstein ADVISOR Caron Battaglia STAFF WRITERS Jacob Cavanah, Meini Cheng, Celine Decker, Aaron Demsetz, Jose Ermac, Grant Geiselman, Annie Gerlach, Sarah Gerlach, Charlotte Gibson, Kayla Greenberg, Tucker Higgins, Hanna Hong, Michelle Noyes, Steven Paro, Haley Pearson, Marika Price, Becky Sadwick, David Samuels, Julia Shi, Sofia Talarico, Christina Vasiliou, Delaney West The Arrow is written, designed and run by the students of the Advanced Journalism and Journalism 1CP classes at Westlake High School and is published monthly. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, Westlake High School administration, faculty, or student body. We welcome feedback. Letters must be signed by the writer, though names can be withheld by request in the publication. Please send submissions to Mrs. Battaglia’s box in the main office or to Room 42E. For The Arrow online, visit whswarriors.com and click on Activities menu.

Prestige or

Career Interest?

How Students Choose a College Jose Ermac Staff Writer

By May 1, all WHS seniors will have to make an important, life-altering decision: where to attend college.

For some, the choice is clear and simple; for others, it requires hours of research, campus tours, and comparisons between different universities.

But how does this whole process of applying to college even begin? Why do students choose apply to certain schools and quickly reject others? Is there a method to all this college application madness?

Some students decide on a particular college because they want to pursue specific career interests. “Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has an amazing materials engineering program and I can get my Masters degree in five years,” said Lauren Noyes ’10, of her college choice.

According to the College Board, one of the top reasons students consider the schools they do includes expansion of knowledge and skills. This means certain students pick institutions because they feel these schools offer majors and programs that students take an interest in. Also, students want to increase their understanding of the world, the community, and themselves.

Most people see college as a time to discover oneself, and to see how he or she can interact with the ‘real world.’

A survey conducted at Westlake High School revealed that for many students, applications were numerous.

Some applied to as many as 21 schools.

“Most students do not do their homework and apply to schools with big names,” said Counselor Susan Wilson. “While they are good schools, often it is not the right match for the student. All students should apply more leg work before applying anywhere.”

“In my opinion, students tend to use both prestige and general name recognition as their top factors in the selection process,” said Counselor Melissa Kukta. “I try to get students to expand their research to include schools that they may not have heard of before.

There is more out there than UCLA and USC.” There are certain guidelines that Counselor John Lisowski stressed when he compiled the College Handbook on the WHS Warriors website: “Let’s start with a reality check: 3,350 of the 3,500 colleges in the nation do not turn down more applicants than they accept. So does it make sense to limit yourself to the stressful, hardball game of highly selective college admissions? Only you can answer that.”

Students shouldn’t desperately cling to that unrealistic Ivy League dream when an education at a reputable state or public school can help them achieve the same career and personal goals.

“Ideally, you will have a range of colleges on your list, based not only upon selectivity, but also upon environment, academic programs, faculty, and diversity around the campus. In the field of college counseling, we call this the right match.”

The best piece of advice listed in the WHS College Handbook though, is to Honestly Assess Your Profile. Carefully examine your “academic personal strengths and weaknesses,” and evaluate what you want in a college education.

“A good, clear self-evaluation will help you understand what to look for in your selection of prospective schools.”

5

OPINION

April 23, 2010• THE ARROW

A Positive Spin on a College Rejection Jamie Mark Opinion Editor After waiting about five months to hear from colleges, the time has come when students begin to receive their longawaited letters. The acceptance letters are desired, while the rejection letters are dreaded.

When students receive the rejection letter, it feels like the end of the world; but sometimes being rejected will affect the students positively later in life.

Both Warren Buffett and Meredith Vieira, host of the Today Show, were rejected

by Harvard University, their top choice for college, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal. Even though Buffett and Vieira were devastated, the rejection actually helped them later on. Buffett ended up attending Columbia business graduate school, where he learned many important lessons about investing that contributed to his success.

Meredith Vieira was also rejected by Harvard University when she applied as a senior in high school, so she attended Tufts University that year. While attending Tufts, she worked with a mentor who offered her a journalism internship that sparked her interest in the field. Vieira doubts she would have ever entered the field if she had not been rejected by Harvard.

With the ever-changing requirements and expectations from colleges, it is rare that students get accepted to everywhere they apply. WHS alumna Heather Higgins ‘07 did not get accepted to USC, her top choice. However, when she did not get accepted, Higgins chose to attend the University of Michigan.

“Experiencing a different part of the country—one with actual seasons—has definitely molded me into a more wellrounded person than if I had stayed in California,” she said.

Higgins’ experiences in Michigan also taught her important lessons: “I learned how to live on my own. I don’t have the

HANDLING REJECTION: Sometimes, getting a college rejection letter may lead to a better path.

ability to drive home whenever I want, either, even just for my mom to do my laundry.”

Dr. Varmus, president of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, advises students who have been re-

jected “to immerse yourself in life at a college that welcomes you,” he said. “The differences between colleges that seem so important before you get there will seem a lot less important once you arrive at one that offered you a place.”

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO The Art of Ending a Friendship

Katelyn Masket Opinion Editor Dear Best Friend, I have been thinking, and I feel it is time that you and I break up. I don’t really feel like talking right now; all I know is that I don’t want to see you anymore. I guess this is goodbye.

Xoxo, Your former bff “It’s not you, it’s me”—an ever dependable line for times when the heat fizzles out of a relationship. Countless movies document ‘the break-up.’ The Graduate, for example, goes so far as to provide an example of how to end a relationship with a much older adulteress, but how does one go about breaking up with a friend?

The problem with this awkward situation is that unlike ending a relationship with a boyfriend or girlfriend, there are no societal rules or a trusted handbook to follow when dumping a friend. It is inevitable that old pals often grow apart, but is one ever ready for an abrupt and total split?

Sarah Smith ’11* admitted that she has been on the receiving end of a friendship break-up. She was accused of spreading rumors about a close friend and her boyfriend, which was a false rumor in itself. After Smith’s friend confronted her on the issue, they stopped talking and have not been friends since.

More commonly, friends gradually

realize that the growing distance between them is simply too great to overcome, and they separate amicably. With sports, homework, and all the other duties of teenage life, friendships become an afterthought, left to die slowly of neglect. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, psychologist Irene S. Levine, a professor at New York University, explained why friendships are not always a top priority, saying, “Friendships are relationships of choice, so we tend to overlook them.”

But for those nasty friendship divorces spawning out of rumors, lies, and fights, there is no lawyer present to expedite an agreement, or a counselor to smooth things over as in a troubled marriage.

What’s more, in a world of tweets and status updates, the challenge of escaping an ex-friend is nearly impossible. Where is the satisfaction of unfriending someone on Facebook, just to be reminded of their presence through comments on posts of mutual friends? During the pre-technology age of Paul McCartney and John Lennon it may have been as simple as forgetting the other’s number, but bonds between close pals are not as easily broken in today’s cyber world.

Aside from social networking sites, texting also poses a means of slowly drawing the life out of a friendship. Nothing sends a better message than one word answers, or better yet, no response at all.

Break-ups are also different in the eyes of males and females. While men are less inclined to hold grudges, women

are known to turn catty when relationship trouble strikes. But whether it is Call of Duty or the mall that replaces a lost friend, there comes a time when shopping or playing video games no longer evokes that warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

So how should one break up with a friend? It is not always the best idea to completely cut off all connections. In an article for msnbc.com, psychotherapist Robi Ludwig cautioned, “Once you burn that bridge it makes it very hard to go back.

And this may mean missing out on someone who actually has a unique place in your constantly changing life.”

Sage Johnson ’11* shared about her relationship with her former best friend and explained, “We basically did everything together. I felt like her only friend, but by the middle of freshman year I felt like her mother.” This constant clinging prevented Johnson from spending time with other friends, and once the strain was too much, Johnson just began to ignore her.

She confessed that “It’s one of the most selfish things I have ever done…to this day it still saddens me.”

Ending a companionship calmly is hard to do since to break up with a friend can turn into an awkward situation, but ending the relationship with class and respect can mitigate the discomfort.

So good luck in any future endeavors, for as Neil Sedaka so often preached, “Breaking up is hard to do.” * Names have been changed

6

FEATURE

April 23,2010 • THE ARROW

School Lunch Crunch A How To Guide: Understanding Nutrition Labels When reading a label, focus on those nutrients that are important to staying healthy.

Julia Shi

Staff Writer Stereotypical school food has always been a source of complaint and dissatisfaction for the students who eat it.

At the same time, it’s often a financial help to those facing monetary troubles.

The School Lunch Initiative, a program implemented at public schools in Berkeley, California, is able to perform a balancing act like no other: healthy and affordable food at school.

According to the SLI website, lunch prices hover around three to four dollars, depending on grade level, and reduced price lunches are forty cents.

The Initiative serves fresh, organic foods, as opposed to the frozen meals offered at many other schools. It provides free breakfasts to all students, and includes amenities like salad bars and rice bowl stations.

Needless to say, it’s rare to find meals of variety as well as quality at public schools. Despite obvious benefits, few schools have chosen to follow the footsteps of Berkeley public schools.

The apparent reluctance to jump on board is understandable.

While there’s no doubt the meals sound and probably taste better than your average school lunch, there is no substantial evidence that rates of obesity and diabetes have declined since the program’s implementation.

And as with any other new concept, the School Lunch Initiative has received its share of criticism.

Social critic Caitlin Flanagan took aim at the Edible Schoolyard, a program similar to the School Lunch Initiative. She expressed her doubts that the well-meaning lunch program will boost academic performance.

Clearly, the nation’s growing health problems will not just disappear. A report by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) revealed that the percentage of overweight children is at or above 30% in 30 states.

Recently, there have been numerous attempts to promote healthy eating.

In addition to the School Lunch Initiative, ABC’s new hit TV show Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution aired to help give a community in West Virginia healthy eating tips.

Oliver strives to change the mindset that kids have about nutritional foods.

Learning how to eat wisely is an important lesson for students of all ages.

By getting them involved in the steps of preparing a healthy meal, programs like the School Lunch Initiative, the Edible Schoolyard, and Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution give kids an experience that will help them make healthy choices throughout their entire lives.

WHS has undergone continual improvements in school food. For example, Pick-Up-Stix meals have begun to use brown rice.

“It’s up to the students in how healthy that meal becomes,” CVUSD Food Service Director Joe Cook said.

While meals that contain a proper mix of flavor and nutritional value are offered, the food choices students make heavily impact the benefits they will gain from the food.

To offer suggestions, email the Child Nutrition inbox at childnutrit ion@conejo.k12.ca.us.

IRON: The body needs iron to transport oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Iron helps in the formation of hemoglobin, which is the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body.

SERVING SIZE/SERVINGS PER CONTAINER: A guide that helps people understand how much food they’re eating.

CALORIES: This number tells you the amount of energy in the food. A calorie is a unit of energy that measures how much energy your body could get from it.

SUGAR: Sugar is used in cookies, cakes, ice cream, alcohol, and many other foods.

Types of sugar include raw sugar, brown sugar, molasses, honey, maple syrup, and corn syrup. Sugar provides 16 calories per teaspoon and provides no vitamins and minerals, so it’s a good idea to use it in moderation.

FAT: Fat is an important nutrient that your body uses for growth and development, but you don’t want to eat too much.

VITAMIN A: This vitamin plays a big part in eyesight. Vitamin A helps you see at night in color, grow properly, and develop healthy skin. Milk, orange-colored fruits and vegetables, and dark leafy greens are rich in this essential vitamin.

SATURATED FAT: These fats are found in meat and other animal products, such as butter, cheese, and all milk except skim. Eating too much saturated fat can raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.

TRANS FAT: Trans fats are found in butter, margarine, snack foods, baked goods, and fried foods.

When you see the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils on an ingredient list, the food contains trans fats.

Like saturated fats, trans fats can raise cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease.

CHOLESTEROL: Meat, fish, eggs, butter, cheese, and whole or low-fat milk all have cholesterol in them.This can clog the blood vessels and keep blood from moving freely the way it’s supposed to. It can also trigger a heart attack or stroke.

SODIUM: The sodium in a food refers to the salt content. Sodium intake should be limited to no more than 2300 mg per day.

VITAMIN C: This vitamin is important for keeping body tissues, such as gums and muscles in good shape. Vitamin C is key if you get a cut or wound because it helps you heal while also helping your body resist infection. Oranges, cantaloupe, strawberries,tomatoes,broccoli, cabbage, kiwi fruit, and sweet red peppers are rich in Vitamic C.

CARBOHYDRATES: There are two major types of carbohydrates in foods: simple and complex. Simple carbs are the refined sugars and complex carbs are grain products such as bread, crackers, and pasta. Carbohydrates break down into simple sugars — the major source of energy for the body.

PROTEIN: Protein builds up, maintains, and replaces the tissues in your body. The best sources are beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, and legumes like black beans and lentils.

CALCIUM: This mineral helps build strong bones and build helathy teeth.

Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt, leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli, calcium-fortified foods — from orange juice to cereals and crackers are all rich in calcium.

FIBER: Fiber helps you feel full, so you are less likely to overeat. Unrefined grains are rich in fiber, which helps your digestive system work well. nutritional info from kidshealth.org

Breakfast Foods for Thought Eating a healthy, well-balanced breakfast will provide the body with the energy it needs to display good academic performance throughout the day.

WHOLE WHEAT PANCAKES What you’ll need: * 1 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour * 2 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder * 1/4 teaspoon of salt * 1 egg * 1 1/4 cup of skim milk * non stick vegetable spray

BERRY MUFFINS * * * * * * * * * * * *

3 cups of all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups of sugar 4 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon 3 teaspoons of baking powder 1/2 teaspoon of salt 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda 2 eggs 1 1/4 cups milk 1 cup melted butter 1 cup fresh blueberries 1/2 cup fresh raspberries 1/2 cup chopped fresh strawberries

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Beat together egg and milk and stir into flour mixture to a form lumpy batter. Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Drop by spoonfuls to make 4 inch pancakes.

Reduce heat to low and cook until bubbles begin to form on the cakes.

Turn and cook on other side until the cakes turn golden brown.

What you’ll need: *1 cup of light vanilla yogurt *1 cup of chopped fresh fruit (include berries, sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, or any other fruits of your choice) *1/4 cup of low-fat granola

Top with strawberries, bananas, rasperries, blueberries and blackberries for a fruity twist!

Layer the yogurt and fruit in a glass or a parfait dish. Make at least two layers, then top with the granola.

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, beat the eggs, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients until moistened. Fold in berries. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 mintues and serve.

8 servings - 87 calories each

1 serving- 253 calories

1-1/2 dozen servings- 257 calories each

YOGURT, FRUIT AND GRANOLA PARFAIT

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

FEATURE

7

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE MONTH

Senior Finds Inspiration in Stieglitz Photo Sam Wexler Sports Editor

Saving the Environment One Parka at a Time

Companies like Levi and Patagonia recommend ways to conserve natural resources in place of discarding used clothing.

Meini Cheng Staff Writer

Americans have been purchasing and discarding clothing and apparel with unprecedented speed. The average American discards 54 pounds of clothes, shoes, and other accessories each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

With a 27% increase in the past eight years, nine million tons of manufactured clothing are thrown into the waste stream.

Instead of filling up landfills, old and undesirable clothing items are now being transformed into a variety of new, usable items.

Charities such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army send donated clothing and shoes to Third World countries. Clothing considered unwanted in American society can become useful in their new destinations.

Defective clothing is shipped to textile recyclers, or “de-manufacturers,” who remake the material into carpet padding, cleaning rags, or even rubberized playgrounds.

According to the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textile Association, 45% of recycled clothing is sent to other countries, 30% is remade into cleaning rags, and 25% is turned into stuffing and insulation.

In a study of the environmental effect of a pair of 501s, Levis discovered that the amount of water used to grow the cotton for the jeans is rivaled by the amount that buyers use to wash the jeans.

This discovery resulted in Levi’s Care Tag for Our Planet, which advises buyers to wash the jeans in cold water, to air dry instead of machine dry, and to donate old jeans instead of discarding them in the trash.

The Gap recently held a ten-day-blue-

jean-recycling event, which accumulated approximately a quarter of a million jeans to be remade into insulation.

Patagonia, an outdoor apparel company, says that their program Common Threads has gathered approximately 13,000 pounds of clothes since 1995. The old clothing is remade into new Patagonia apparel, such as rain parkas and other outerwear. Using recycled cloth instead of raw materials saves about 76% in CO2 emissions and 72% in energy costs.

Recently, Patagonia and other companies have even used old shower curtains, polyester signs, and discarded cloth scraps to manufacture new products.

The recycled supplies are broken down to the molecular level, spun into threads, woven into textiles and made into goods that bear no resemblance to the materials they are composed of.

Sanuk, a company that crafts casual footwear, is integrating used yoga mats, recycled water bottles, and old tires in the material for the shoe soles. The old tires are found within 100 miles of the manufacturing plant in China.

Reusing resources also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The Natural Resources Defense Council claims that recycling plastic used in textiles saves 57% of the energy used to make them from virgin materials, which is equal to saving one ton of CO2 emissions for every ton that is recycled.

To make a single cotton T-shirt, 569 gallons of water are used. To make a pair of blue jeans, 2,866 gallons are used, according to the Dutch environmental group Water Footprint.

The next time a pair of jeans becomes too small or a shirt is out of style, donate it to a charity or organization, instead of simply throwing unwanted clothing away to fill up another landfill.

PHOTO BY AMANDA KOLODNEY

This featured photograph selected by art teacher Nancy Opitz was taken by Amanda Kolodney ‘10 for her Emulating a Master assignment. For this assignment, student photographers select a favorite artist to imitate his or her work.

“This is based on one of [Alfred Stieglitz’s] photos he took of Georgia O’Keeffe,” said Kolodney about her photo, where Kolodney’s younger sister, Sedona is substituted for O’Keeffe.

While researching the assignment, Kolodney found this photo and thought that the image was interesting and that Stieglitz would be someone she would enjoy emulating.

Although she found black and white photography frustrating at first, it is now her favorite kind to do, and portraits are her favorite style of photography.

“I never thought I’d like portraits, but I’ve had the most fun with those assignments that involve shooting people,” said Kolodney.

Another of Kolodney’s inspirations is photographer Ansel Adams because Kolodney’s family has some of Adams’ photography displayed around their house.

In fact, one of Kolodney’s photographic goals is to go to all the places where Adams took pictures and photograph the places herself.

Kolodney chose to take photography because her father does landscape photography as a hobby.

She also uses her father’s old camera when she does black and white photography.

EMULATING A MASTER: Sedona Kolodney poses as a model to imitate an Alfred Stieglitz portrait of Georgia O’Keeffe (inset).

Music to Our Ears

8

FEATURE

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

As WHS jazz bands travel to compete at the Reno Jazz Festival this weekend,

The Arrow takes a look at the department’s improvements this year.

Students Jazzin’ It Up Steven Paro Staff Writer

PHOTO BY BRIAN CHANG

Celine Decker Staff Writer

I

COURTESY PHOTO

FINE TUNING: (from left) Trumpet players Andrew Gurewitz, Jeremy Delahanty, Ethan Walker, and Maddi Embrey of the Wind Symphony, trombonist Julia Farfan in the Wind Symphony, the WHS Studio Jazz I Ensemble at the Holiday Jazz Concert hosted by Thousand Oaks High School, and violinist Lauren Diaz-Yi in the Chamber Orchestra

PHOTO BY SAM WEXLER

t’s a few minutes into practice, and the student musicians of the Chamber Orchestra are tuned and ready to play. Rehearsal begins and the music swells and fills the band room.

It sounds perfect, but there’s a surprising interruption: Elizabeth Blake, the orchestra director, announces to the students they’re a little off pitch.

This is the kind of perfection that enables many of these students to play at the professional level. It is the goal of all three orchestras to eventually play with this class.

The Concert Orchestra is one level below Chamber and the Strings Orchestra is the first level.

Many of these students have spent years, even a decade or more playing their instrument and their dedication is matched only by their drive to excel.

This level of commitment is rewarded with the orchestra’s great success in competition.

“We’ve had several terrific performances this year,” said Blake. “At our ratings festival at TOHS in March, all three groups got higher scores from the judges than ever before, with Concert and Chamber Orchestras receiving the top “superior” designation.”

The orchestra has more scheduled performances on May 19 at Los Cerritos Middle School, and on May 27, when the Chamber Orchestra will perform with the Wind Ensemble for the gala WHS theater opening.

Events such as these require

hours of preparation beforehand.

Chamber orchestra violinist Karen Tsai ’10 doesn’t mind putting in the practice time.

“At first playing an instrument is really hard, but after a while you learn how. Then playing music is fun,” she said.

Tsai has been playing with the school orchestra for the four years she’s been attending WHS. During that time period the number of students in these classes has increased significantly.

From last year to this year alone, the number of students has increased by almost 30%.

The orchestra has definitely seen a dramatic increase in size since its beginning. “It was started 12 years ago with only 5 students, under former Band Director Kyle Luck,” said Blake.

“This year we have 92 students enrolled in three class levels, and hope to grow more next year.”

The orchestra program itself has also seen growth over the past 12 years. For instance, this year marks the birth of a new chamber music program. In this program quartets are put together with professional coaches.

All of this growth, practice, and dedication are designed primarily to allow students to have fun with music. “It’s fun,” said Blake. “ I look around at my students, and I think that we’ve forgotten how to let our kids be kids. They need that fun, and there’s a reason that ultimately it’s called ‘playing an instrument,’ not ‘working an instrument.’ We need to play more.”

PHOTO BY BRIAN CHANG

ORCHESTRA: Practice Makes Pitch Perfect

WHS jazz program has been thriving all year. The five jazz bands (Studio I, Lab II, Concert III, Combo I, and Combo II), have participated in multiple occasions and performances.

Each band has a different competitive division that they are in, (Studio in “Heavy”, Lab in “Intermediate”, Combo I in “Advanced Combo”, and Combo II in “Intermediate Combo”) and they compete within their own division.

“I expect all of our Studio Jazz students to perform at a college level, as the music that they play is college literature,” said Peter.

The Studio Jazz Ensemble, being the top ensemble out of all five, has gone beyond what was expected.

On March 26, all jazz ensembles received awards, including Studio receiving second, Lab fifth, Combo I third, and Combo II second overall.

Another festival that the ensembles participated in was the Newbury Park High School festival. Studio, Lab, and Combo I all received first place, and Combo II earned third place.

A large portion of the bands’ success goes to the great skill in

improvisation during their solos.

Jazz, unlike different types of instrumental music such as band or orchestra, includes solos that are not written down on paper, but made in an impromptu fashion.

“All each soloist has is a general harmonic guideline, so every student’s solo is different each time he or she plays,” said Peter.

In the Newbury Park High School competition, Josh Komie ’10 received the most outstanding soloist award of the entire festival.

The band is now getting ready for their next competition in Reno. The Reno Jazz Festival is the largest competition for jazz in the Western United States. Approximately 7,000 students from 350 ensembles will be participating, with students from Washington, New Mexico, Arizona, and many more places.

The competition starts on Friday and continues through Sunday.

Studio, Lab and both Combos will be participating.

“We’re putting in a lot of hard work and trying to learn the pieces as quickly and efficiently as possible,” says tenor saxophone player Rachael Klavir ’11.

“He expects us to put in our best effort into rehearsal… as long as we thought we did well [in performance], our scores don’t matter.”

9

FEATURE

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

Shakespeare on the Screen As Teens Like It Christina Vasiliou Staff Writer

F

or almost 450 years, Shakespeare has continued to be regarded as the greatest playwright who ever lived. Many people have echoed the words of Shakespeare’s colleague, Ben Jonson, that Shakespeare is “not of an age, but of all time.” But why do Shakespeare’s centuries old plays continue to be so widely popular among so many people?

Shakespeare’s works articulate universal and unchanging themes of human nature such as love, loss, desire, greed, guilt, remorse, desolation, and humor. His plays are easily adapted to new and more modern situations and the themes transcend time and place without losing any significance.

Modern filmmakers have realized how relevant Shakespeare’s work is to current day, and his universal themes have been adapted into many popular and well known movies.

COURTESY PHOTO

This late 90’s teen comedy starring Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew. Set in Seattle, a high school student, Cameron James, is head over heels in love with popular Bianca Stratford who is not allowed to date until her bitter, older sister Katerina, played by Stiles, does. James concocts a plan to bribe bad boy Patrick Verona, played by Ledger, to go out with Katerina. Strange and unexpected relationships ensue as Kat’s bitter outlook on high school relationships changes and the “shrew” is “tamed.”

meets and develops a crush on teammate Duke, played by Tatum. Confusing and intertwining relationships between all the characters adapted from Shakespeare’s original play form a highly involved and entertaining plot.

She’s the Man (‘06) This teen comedy, starring Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum, is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Viola, played by Bynes, is a soccer loving tomboy who wants to try out for the team at her school but is denied the chance because she is a girl. To prove her abilities she dresses up as her twin brother, Sebastian, attends his boarding school, and tries out for their soccer team, where she

Karisma Nagarkatti Feature Editor

COURTESY PHOTO

10 Things I Hate About You (‘99)

daughter Desi, the adapted Desdemona played by Julia Stiles, brings out feeling of jealousy from his teammate Hugo, the adapted Iago played by Josh Hartnett.

West Side Story (‘61) One of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, Romeo and Juliet, was transferred to urban New York’s Upper West Side in this film version of the original musical.

The area’s slums are plagued by the racial tensions between two rival gangs—the Puerto Rican Sharks and the Caucasian Jets. Maria, played by Natalie Wood, the sister of the leader of the Sharks, falls in love with Tony, played by Richard Beymer, a former member of the Jets.

O (‘01) Another high school version of a Shakespeare classic, O, is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Othello” set in a modern-day all white private school in Charleston, South Carolina. Odin, the adapted Othello played by Mekhi Phifer, is an African-American basketball star whose relationship with the headmaster’s

Much Ado About the Bard

STAGE TO SCREEN: (from left) She’s the Man (2006), and West Side Story (1961)

Debate over Cobbe Portrait Continues

Brian Chang

this painting is 400 years old, during Shakespeare’s lifetime.

One of the most promAccording to Wells and inent and attention-rousseveral other scientists, the ing issues in the history of conditions of the painting are literature is the face of Wiljust too much of a coincidence liam Shakespeare. Ironicalto be a different person. ly, this famous playwright However, opposing scihas had no known portrait entists argue that this paintof himself. ing cannot be the Bard.

Until now, says the Charlotte Higgins of Guardian. the Guardian states that the Last year, a stunportrait was painted in 1610, ning drawing of what is but doctored in the 1770’s believed to be William to make it look like ShakeShakespeare’s portrait speare. was unveiled by the Irish As the Folger Shakeresidents of the Cobbe speare Library points out family, after 300 years of (the owner of the Janssen being kept in secret by the portrait): “This makes it the family. earliest proven example of BARD OR NOT THE BARD?: The subject of the Cobbe Portrait is thought to According to the be Shakespeare himself. a genuine portrait altered to Guardian, “New research look like Shakespeare.” revealed yesterday contends that the only Higgins continued to say that, “In Regardless, many are sure that the portrait of Shakespeare painted in his life- portrait represents the Bard. A CNN inter- other words, unless there is new evitime has been found. view with Wells showed his opinion about dence about the sitter, it is the portrait of Debates about the real image of the authenticity of the portrait. some random Jacobean chap which was Shakespeare often get mired in compli“I think it’s plausible as a portrait as later altered to be passed off as a portrait cated, art historical detail, but Professor a good listener, of somebody who would of Shakespeare.”

Stanley Wells, one of the world’s leading have been capable of writing the plays, The argument is that assumptions Shakespeare experts, announced in Lon- clearly the face of a man of high intelli- cannot disprove coincidence, and so there don he was 90% certain the portrait is that gence,” he said. is insufficient evidence to prove the truthof the playwright.”

More importantly, Wells explains that fulness of the painting. However, despite However, there are doubts about because there are many distributed copies the doubts that some scientists raise, the whether the portrait is really Shakespeare. of the portrait shows that it is more prob- portrait is almost completely confirmed to After numerous false alarms of sup- able that a famous man such as Shake- be the real portrait of Shakespeare himself. posed Shakespeare images including the speare is the likely person to be in such a It is doubtful that anyone can confirm Chandos portrait in the National Portrait painting. the identity of the painted individual.

Gallery, many question the real identity of Additionally, X-ray dating with tree However, many are sure that the man in the man in the painting. rings prove that the approximate date of the portrait is the Bard himself.

Feature Ediitor

COURTESY PHOTO

As the world celebrates Shakespeare’s 446th birthday, it is important not only to reflect on the significance of his literary works, but also to question its relevance to today’s society.

Despite the reluctance a majority of students feel towards studying the 400year-old texts, countless schools require students to read at least three of Shakespeare’s plays in their high school curriculum. Recently, Katy Russel of helium.com wrote a column that argued schools teach Shakespeare at a premature age, firmly stating, “Shakespeare is associated with Queen Elizabeth and the 16th century, not Queen Elizabeth II and the 21st century.

Teens won’t fully understand his teachings.” Russel believes that schools should not require the study of Shakespearean text, supporting the idea that “Shakespeare is not a valuable life skill.”

However, the sad truth is that Shakespeare teaches us more about us than we know about ourselves. He uncovers the truths of society in his plays by inputing witty remarks from characters and making plots accessible to any reader, whether it is the tragic outcome of unchecked greed and ambition, an unrelenting desire for revenge, or the pursuit of love. His representation of human nature is just as real and relevant as it has been throughout the centuries.

It is true some students initially deem studying Shakespeare’s works of literature to be a burdensome task. However, after working through the words and attempting to decipher the text, students admit to appreciating the plays written by the prolific writer. “Shakespeare’s ingenious pieces of work have touched me because of the messages he portrays with feelings such as love. Love, one of my favorite topics in plays, really touches me as it does many others,” said Akshaya Sekhar ‘12.

Though a little dated, Shakespeare includes jokes and irony to get an important point across in a humorous way giving his readers entertainment. The reality is he knew how to craft a good story, it came from his understanding of the audiences need to escape. Shakespeare purposefully wrote his plays for a wide range of viewers, allowing the most morose of parts to be easily accessible to the people. Teenagers like Sara Macleod ‘13, agree that “Shakespeare is a literary genius. He accomplishes the task of portraying the illogical side of human conditions while staying relevant.”

Shakespeare has not only observed the way society acts in terrible circumstances; he has in many ways taught us how to behave. Without Shakespeare’s literary works we would not be where we are today in terms of media and social behavior.

5 Facts About Shakespeare 1. Today, April 23rd, is both his birthday and day of death.

2. His family was illiterate.

3. The play Cardenio—presumably cowritten by John Fletcher and known to have been performed in 1613—has never been found.

4. Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets.

5. He is buried in Stratford-on-Avon.

10

FEATURE

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

The Future of computers Yimeng Han Feature Editor

A technological revolution took place during the 1970s, and home computers soon became faster and smaller.

Unlike their slow, expensive ancestors, they were relatively powerful and affordable for regular people. A few years later, the core of modern Internet was created at Stanford, based on the technology of that time.

Fast-forward a couple of decades, and computers and the internet have advanced exponentially, becoming an inseparable part of our daily lives. Both have undergone many changes, and evolved far beyond their original purposes. However, a new generation of computers and software is in the horizon, built upon our modern internet.

This concept is known as “cloud computing” and may become widely commercialized as early as this year.

The “cloud” is a metaphor for the internet. Imagine a computer with most of its programs and applications accessible online. Such devices are useless without the internet, and are designed for people who primarily use their computers to surf the web. Luckily, cloud computing has many benefits. Computers utilizing it could accomplish much

more with less power, and start up very quickly.

Personal files would be saved in servers far away, so they could be saved if your computer breaks down. Many viruses would not work, because no information is actually stored. Given all its advantages, cloud computing could change the way we interact with the Internet.

An operating system, or OS, is the software that enables you to connect with your computer, like Windows 7 or Mac OSX. Operating systems that use cloud computing have been around for a few years, but most of them are small, unpopular Linux distributions. This will likely change when Google releases its free operating system, Google Chrome OS, this year. The OS is built upon the company’s Chrome web browser and features a simple minimalist interface. It’s so simple, the only application that inhabits it is the web browser. To use other applications (such as Photoshop or Microsoft office), one must click on an icon in the software tab, which takes you to the web-based program.

Computer manufacturers are eager to partake in the new experiment, and many electronics companies are designing hardware for the operating system. If successful, Chrome OS could pave the road for a new era of computing.

COURTESY PHOTOS

AUTOMATIC AUTOS: Stanford’s self-driving Audi TTS relies on a GPS sensor for navigation.

FAST AND THE DRIVERLESS Grant Geiselman Yimeng Han Staff Writer Feature Editor Auto safety has come a long way, but accidents are still as common as ever. With ever-growing traffic, clogged highways, and reckless drivers, we put our lives at risk every time we get behind the wheel. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that a car accident occurs every ten seconds, and over 30,000 people die each year from auto-related incidents.

The driverless vehicle is an advancement in both safety and technology, and may provide the answers to turn around those statistics. These intelligent cars have the potential to alter the transportation industry by virtually eliminating accidents and the hassles of driving. Although the technology is not fully mature, many institutions have developed prototypes for testing on a broader scale.

Stanford University’s driverless Audi TTS is just one of the most recent examples portraying the concept in action. Nicknamed “Shelley,” the 2009 TTS is a sport-tuned version of the standard Audi TT, and its self-navigating technology is developed by a professor and his team of graduate students.

The artificial intelligence gear located in Shelley’s trunk uses a surprisingly low amount of computer power. An obsolete Pentium 3 CPU sends commands to separate boards that control and oversee braking, steering, and acceleration.

Unlike other autonomous autos,

Shelley doesn’t use external sensors to sense its surroundings. Instead, it uses a GPS and inertial sensor to know where it is, and how to steer. For more practical uses of the technology, a future safety system may use the GPS sensor to look for curves and obstructions in the road ahead. If you are approaching the curve too fast, the car might flash a warning to start braking, or even take over steering to bring the car safely through the turn.

Shelley’s unique configuration and software enables it to drive like a human would, with care and compassion.

However, the technology is far from perfect. After a few high-speed laps, Shelly’s sensors lose track of the location, and the car begins to scrape into the grass among the road.

Other driverless cars use different techniques to navigate themselves. Most of them rely on external sensors, like video cameras, infrared beams, and a GPS, to calculate routes.

Some cars even synchronize data with traffic networks, so they know exactly when the traffic light changes red, or the state of congestion on a road.

Many auto companies are excited about intelligent cars. Audi is currently developing a method for vehicles to communicate through Wi-Fi, and Lexus already has an automatic parallel parking system available for select models.

Technological advancements in automobiles could prevent many collisions and accidents, and save countless lives. If self-driving cars ever become a reality, then the face of personal transportation would be forever changed.

BYE BYE CONTROLLER: Microsoft’s Project Natal may be the future of gaming technology.

Project Natal Takes Control

Karisma Nagarkatti Feature Editor

When the Nintendo Wii was released in 2006, it was considered to be the greatest innovation the gaming world had ever seen, using advanced motion sensor technology to revolutionize the way people play games. It was so successful, it broke the record for best-selling console in a single month.

After years of trial and error, Microsoft announced in June 2009, during the annual E3 gaming convention in Los Angeles, that they were in the process of creating an add-on for the Xbox 360 console.

The new concept, called Project Natal, promises to take technology to a whole new level by letting players interact with the onscreen environment through movement and speech without a physical controller.

This is achieved through a sensor about nine inches in width that consists of an infrared projector combined with a monochrome CMOS sensor.

Utilizing this adaptation, the Xbox console is able to track actions in a three dimensional format. The advanced software detects movement and transfers it to the game, although there is a noticeable one tenth-of-a-second lag.

Project Natal has inevitably drawn comparisons to Nintendo’s motionsensitive Wii, but the two are based on entirely different technologies. The Wii

changed the traditional game controller, whereas Project Natal enables its players to become the controller. Microsoft also emphasizes that Project Natal is fully compatible with the Xbox 360. However, it only works with new Natal-enabled games.

Previews of Project Natal have impressed many gadget bloggers. Matt Buchanan of Gizmodo wrote, “Project Natal is the vision of gaming that’s danced through people’s heads for decades—gaming without the abstraction of controllers, using your body and natural movements—which came more sharply into focus when Nintendo announced the Wii a few years ago.” He exclaimed, “I haven’t been quite this blown away by a tech demo in a long time. It looked neat onstage at Microsoft’s keynote. Seeing it, feeling it in person, makes me want to believe that this is what the future of gaming looks like—no buttons, no joysticks, no wands. The only thing left to get rid of is the screen, and even that will happen soon enough.”

Project Natal is a revolution in gaming and features technology years ahead of its competition. It will change the way people think about gaming and become the cornerstone of a new generation of gaming devices.

When Microsoft’s new gadget launches during Christmas this year, Sony and Nintendo have better watch their backs.

Westlake’s Hottest Phones

A wide variety of phones exists, and their individual designs suit different types of people. Touchscreen phones are fun and versatile, while keyboard phones cater to the texters in the world. For many people, an average, less-featured phone is more than enough for basic calling. There are some who do not have phones. The Arrow surveyed 200 people about the type and brands of phones they have.

GRAPH DESIGNED BY YIMENG HAN AND SOPHIA CHEN

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

ADVERTISEMENT

11

12

BOOK REVIEWS

Hush, Hush Quiets Critics Jose Ermac Staff Writer

Tired of all the vampire fanaticism of such hit series as Twilight, True Blood, and Vampire Diaries?

Need someone besides a cold, evil, decades-old vampire and a perpetually-shirtless teen werewolf to daydream about?

Hush, Hush, the first novel by Colorado resident Becca Fitzpatrick, provides a fresh approach to the fantasy-romance genre that has been taken over by the bloodsucking and caninetransforming kinds.

The novel centers on high school sophomore Nora Grey, who, by the looks of it, is the archetype of every high school’s straight-A honor student. Until the beginning of the novel, she was never really attracted to boys and she never really had a boyfriend.

But when her biology teacher assigns new lab partners for the semester, she ends up being paired with the school’s bad boy senior, Patch, who embodies everything Nora thought she was against.

Their relationship is awkward at first.

Patch seems to know everything there is to know about Nora, leading her to become afraid and weary toward his many, sometimes scary advances.

It’s not until she learns he is her

guardian angel, banished from heaven for something out of his control, that she finally opens up to him and a caring relationship blossoms between the two.

A fantasy-romance would not be complete without some action sequences, and Hush, Hush seeks to deliver. When Nora learns she is a descendent of the halfangel, half-human race called Nephilim, she is catapulted into an ancient battle between her race and the incensed faction of fallen angels that Patch belongs to.

Patch, though, is willing to protect his beloved Nora from anything and anyone

that tries to harm her in an effort to earn back his angel-wings.

The novel is a quick read, although there is really no indication as to why the novel is titled what it is.

The book itself is currently in the Top 10 on the New York Times bestseller list, an impressive and surprising feat, considering that this is Fitzpatrick’s first attempt to break into the teennovel scene that has been dominated by Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series.

If you read this book looking for vampires and wolves, you’ll be disappointed, but if dark yet charming bad-boy angels are your thing, then Hush, Hush is the read for you.

The relationship between the two main characters is more modern-day and realistic in that Nora’s single parent actually is involved in the story and school is a major setting in the plot.

In addition, the dialogue is not so cliché-ridden as that found in the Twilight saga.

Eager fans are currently awaiting the sequel Crescendo, which comes out in November 2010, but for those wanting something fresh, exciting, and new to read, Hush, Hush will be the perfect pick to satisfy the teen-romantic in all of us.

Dessen Takes Us Along for the Ride in Latest Book Meini Cheng Staff Writer

Novelist Sarah Dessen has written nine novels, in which she weaves intricate stories about the lives of nine unique girls. Dessen captivates readers with her intriguing stories that teenage girls can relate to.

In her most recent novel, Along For the Ride, a young girl, Auden, escapes her demanding mother to spend a relaxing summer with her father and his new family. Auden stays in a beachside town, where she meets new friends and an attractive, mysterious young man.

With her signature style, Dessen tells a story about a lonely boy and girl learning to connect with each other.

At the core of all Dessen’s novels, there is a recurring theme of a teenage girl trying to overcome an obstacle in her life.

Auden is a good girl who excels in school but only just begins learning how to have fun in life. In Just Listen, Anabel is a girl who has everything but is hiding a deep secret of her own.

In Dreamland, Caitlin is a cheerleader who experiences serious problems with

an abusive boyfriend. In The Truth About Forever, Macy is a typical 16-year-old girl looking for excitement to liven up a boring summer. Though some characters are more relatable than others, each novel provides a captivating and well-woven story.

A critically acclaimed author of bestselling novels, Dessen said, “I’ve

found that writing for teens suits me. I do short stories, and other novels, that are for an older audience, but again and again I am brought back to the stories of high school.”

If ever in need of an enjoyable narrative with insightful characters, pick up a Dessen novel.

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

My Sister’s Keeper Touches Readers Karisma Nagarkatti Staff Writer As frivolous love stories become the norm, teen readers desire a genre that contradicts the status quo and provokes spirited debate among people of all ages.

My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult, has surpassed these requirements with its storyline and variety of characters.

Daily News [New York] best describes the book by stating that it “has the emotional tenacity to fuel tears and talk.”

My Sister’s Keeper tells the story of the Fitzgeralds—Sara, a stay-at-home mom, and Brian the kind-hearted firefighter—who have the perfect suburban family until their two-year-old daughter Kate is diagnosed with a subgroup of myeloid leukemia.

Desperate to save their daughter, Brian and Sara genetically develop “the perfect donor baby,” with the help of doctors.

The story really begins when Kate, now 16, suddenly requires a kidney from her sister, Anna. Though she is a healthy 13-year-old girl, Anna has undergone numerous surgeries, transfusions and doctor examinations, all for the sake of Kate.

Never questioning any aspect of her life, Anna begins to contemplate everything she’s ever known. Unable to go through with the surgery, Anna enlists the help of a lawyer to own the rights to her body.

The plot follows the family through the challenges they face with keeping Kate alive and the lawsuit brought up by their younger daughter.

My Sister’s Keeper was a New York Times bestseller not because of its storyline alone but because of the way each character is illustrated with a realistic personality, allowing anyone to relate to the obstacles the family attempts to surpass.

Readers who want to avoid cliché romance novels and experience a more poignant story should definitely check this book out the next time they visit the library.

Sweet Occasions for Westlake High G r ad u a t i o n s , Weddings, Birthdays, Baby & Bridal Showers, Office Events, Team Parties, Holidays, Fundraisers or … Just for Fun! Limited Time Offer* $10.00 off order of $50.00 or more!!

Consultations & Tastings by Appointment 960 South Westlake Blvd., #4 Westlake Village, CA 91361 805-373-7373 *Offer Available on Pre-Orders Only Cannot be combined with other offers

Hours: Mon – Sat 10am – 7pm Sunday Closed

SweetArleens.com

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

ADVERTISEMENT

13

14

SPORTS

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

COLLISION COURSE: Dangers of Athletic Concussions Tucker Higgins Staff Writer

PHOTO BY SAM WEXLER

THROWING FOR DISTANCE: Slade Rheaume ‘10 winds up to throw the discus at a league meet against Royal and Thousand Oaks High Schools.

Track and Field Stars Lead Team to Victories Jacob Cavanah Staff Writer WHS track and field is keeping its reputation, with the help of star athletes like Sam DeMello ’10, Slade Rheaume ’10, Dylan Rios ’10, Brian Brousseau ’11, Tavior Mowry ’11, and Adam Augustyn ’12.

“I have been impressed with all of our athletes this year. Rios continues to be one of our outstanding sprinters, and will be a valuable asset. Brousseau, a returning CIF High Jumper, has already jumped 6’1” and is on track for another trip to CIF. Rheaume had already bested last year’s shot put (personal record) by almost 5 feet, and last year’s discus (personal record) by over 20 feet.

Augustyn, being only a sophomore, has the fastest 110 high hurdles mark, the furthest triple jump mark, and the second longest mark in the long jump,” explained Coach Chad Scott.

The athletes push each other to do their absolute best. “The pressure we put on each other

then becomes pressure we put on ourselves to work harder,” stated Rios.

Since the Warrior track and field team has a lot of depth, it is good practice for when tough opponents come up in the schedule.

Rios’s speedy 11.45 time in the 100m dash leads the event.

“Since I started [track] at WHS, I have improved the most on my sprinting. I run a few events but my best event, also showing the most improvement, is the 100m dash,” said the senior. This dedication has turned him into a solid competitor Another star runner is DeMello, who specializes in the long distance runs. He ran the 400m dash in 52.49 and maintains a three-second advantage over the next fastest runner. His 1600m dash time is a 4:26.33, and he runs the 800m dash in 1:59.79.

“DeMello is probably the person who has improved the most,” explained Scott. “With another year of cross country under his belt, we are looking forward to seeing how much Sam can

drop his time and advance in the post season.”

Rheaume leads the shot put and discus events. He has a 119’09.00’’ in the discus event, and leads the shot put with a 40’11.00’’.

Rheaume beat his best mark in the shot put event last year by five feet and his discus event by 20 feet.

CIF high jumper Brousseau is on track to competing at CIF again. Since he was a freshman, his jump has continually improved. “I’ve probably improved most at high jump though because when I was an incoming freshman, my personal record was 5’7, and now I am currently jumping 6’2,” said Brousseau.

Mowry runs the 200m dash in 23.49, with Rios on his tail with a 23.76 in the same event. Their incredibly close times is an example of the competition within the team.

Mowry, who was named to the Marmonte 2nd team offensive backfield this past season in football, is another weapon the War-

riors have on the running events.

The star sophomore of the team, Augustyn, competes in the 110m hurdles, the high jump, and his specialty, the triple jump. His triple jump is a 40-04, which leads the team.

“While all of our athletes are assets to their events, and therefore the team as a whole, I think Adam Augustyn exemplifies a well-rounded athlete. Our team is very fortunate to have such a versatile athlete who can be called upon in a pinch,” said Scott.

The teammates on the WHS track and field team are pushing constantly to improve; the versatile athletes, the depth in all of the events, and the confidence they have is what makes them the team they are.

“We have one of the most athletically diverse teams I have ever been on, and I know we all believe we can keep up this streak. Having such a selection allowed us to put together the team we have, and it is directly responsible for how good we are,” said Rios.

Boys Volleyball Remains Undefeated Despite Injuries Sofia Talarico Feature Editor

PHOTO BY SAM WEXLER

FINESSE: Nick Weaver serves against Agoura High School’s team at a match last Wednesday.

The undefeated Westlake boys volleyball team may have suffered some minor injury setbacks, but these hindrances have not stopped them from continuing the successful season.

According to Coach Doug Magorien, “We have a very young team this year. [There is] only one senior.”

Despite this fact, Coach Magorien has three returning varsity players from last year’s CIF championship team; there will be 15 players on varsity this year.

Magorien also commented that experienced leadership is something that the team is working on. “[We need] someone the team turns to when things are going rough,” he said.

The leaders of the team this year are Keats Stanley ‘11, Nick Weaver ‘10, and team captain Travis Magorien ‘11.

Leading the team in kills, with a spike that no one on the opposing team touches, is Stanley.

Travis leads the team in aces.

Coach Magorien also said,

“The TO games will be very important. They may be the biggest competition this year.”

Nagging injuries will be another obstacle that the team has to overcome: Stanley has a bad knee, and Weaver has an injured ankle; however he was only out for a few games.

“It’s hard having one of our top players being injured, but we’re trying to continue on,” said Coach Magorien.

Travis is confident that the team will make it to the play-offs but stated that they will have to give their best effort to get to the finals.

“The team is very happy about our progress and is looking forward to the second half of the season,” he said.

“We have a lot of potential, and we are trying to take one game at a time and get that league title,” stated Travis.

He said that his biggest accomplishment was being made team captain.

He also said, “Our biggest accomplishment as a team would be beating TO.” The boys will continue to hang on to their undefeated season and go for the CIF title.

Concussions are known to be detrimental to the human body, in particular the brain, but studies are beginning to prove that such collisions are the cause of death among athletes, both young and old.

Because of the inherent physicality of the sport, many professional football players undergo numerous concussions throughout their time in the league.

In an article in The New York Times.com a poll was taken of 1,090 former NFL players.

Of these athletes 60% suffered at least one and 26% had totaled more than three concussions in the duration of their career.

Although many believe such collisions leave only temporary consequences, recent studies are beginning to prove otherwise.

In recent years, new medical findings are showing that professional football players are suffering from a disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a term that literally means disease of the brain.

The retired players who have been diagnosed with the illness suffer from symptoms such as sleep loss, depression, mental fatigue, memory loss, and even death.

As illustrated by the age of these athletes, the symptoms of CTE and other head trauma-related diseases do not set in until the players have retired.

This fact must be recognized if the athletes of today are expecting a bright future off the field.

Considering that the outright prevention of helmet cracking collisions in the sport of football is unavoidable, sports gear companies must strive for damage control.

As concussions continue to increase in the world of athletics, sports gear companies are utilizing new materials in helmet designs and mouth pieces to help insure the safety of the players who wear their gear.

So if CTE is an immensely damaging disease, why has it only recently been discovered as a killer among retired athletes?

One explanation is central to a larger issue that is changing professional sports as we know them—anabolic steroids.

Although football companies like Riddel are constantly stepping up their concussion protection technology, they cannot compete with the expanding usage of steroids among players.

Not only are these drugs contraband in the NFL, but they give athletes an unnatural amount of muscle mas—and stronger players means harder hits.

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

15

SPORTS

Swim Team Places 3rd at Clovis Invitational

Michelle Noyes Staff Writer

PHOTO BY SAM WEXLER

SMOOTH STROKES: Hunter Householter competed in the 100 meter breast stroke.

Although there have been only three league meets, the girls are first in the standings while the boys are a close second. The girls have dominated Calabasas, Newbury Park, and Agoura so far, posting excellent times.

Varsity Coach Todd Irmas explained the goals he would like the team to accomplish before the end of the season: “I would like for the boys to win the league championship, for everyone to have their fastest time, and for the girls to win CIF championship again.”

Last year, the girls took the CIF championship and the team hopes to win it for both girls and boys this year.

Savannah Miller ‘12 said, “I am preparing for league finals by attending as many practices as I can. I am going into league finals with very high expectations.”

Golf Team Tees Up for League Finals Charlotte Gibson Staff Writer

With another impressive showing in league competition, the boys golf team will enter league finals starting Monday, April 26 at Los Robles Green Golf Course.

The 19-0 overall and 12-0 in Marmonte League team will compete in the four-day league tournament. The scores that the team posts at this competition will account for 75% of the final league standings.

The other days of the tournament will be played at Tierra Rejada Golf Club on April 28, Simi Hills Golf Course on May 4, and Sunset Hills Country Club on May 6. Whoever wins the four-day tournament

will win the Marmonte League title.

With 17 of the 26 players rotating in the varsity roster for the season, the boys will play the best six for the league tournament in order to win the league.

“We should be heavily favored, and if we continue to play as well as we have until now, we should win,” said Coach Dave Costley.

The team leads the way in Marmonte League with Calabasas and Thousand Oaks trailing behind and are frontrunners for the league final tournament, and if the boys continue to post low scores as they did during the season they will have a chance to go as far as the team last year to CIF.

The plan for the WHS boys golf team is to win the league title, move on to the CIF finals and possibly to the SCGA. In order to do well in CIF, Costley said, “We have the talent to go back to the State match, but we will have to play well at every level. I call it ‘the curse of the one day tournament,’ play well or go home.”

With Chris Doyle ‘10, Jake Katz ‘10, Tim Snyder ‘11, Brandon Shaw ‘12, and Brock Drogosch ‘13, the WHS boys’ golf team has the ability to compete just as well as last year’s team in league finals, CIF, and SCGA. As long as all six players play to their capabilities, WHS should bring home another championship.

the final games of the season.

Even after a five-loss stretch, including the no-hitter by Royal’s Cody Buckel, the team’s steady rise to the win against Notre Dame has continued to encourage Westlake to reach for the second place title.

“We feel as a team that we are playing really good baseball now,” explained Coach Miller.

Unfortunately, due to bases loaded with Mayfair High School during the 6th and 7th innings, the game marked a loss for WHS and distanced the team further from placing second in the league.

After spring break the team caught

Agoura off-guard with outstanding batting, defense, and pitching, proving they had the potential.

Recognizing the need for improved performances for the final games of the season, experienced veterans continue to push the team forward to make both themselves and the team better as a whole.

“We know we control our own destiny as it pertains to the playoffs, “ Coach Miller said. The fate of the team will undoubtedly be tested during the final games of the season and determination, tenacity, and practice will be the key to achieving the desired end result.

Baseball Hopes to Clinch 2nd Place in League

Haley Pearson Staff Writer

As the WHS Varsity baseball team enters the second round of the season, their current goal is to secure second place behind Royal, who stands at 6-0 as of Friday.

Pitching, a clear advantage for the team, has helped them achieve an overall record of 7-9 and a league record of 2-4.

One game away from second place, Coach Zachary Miller hopes that with outstanding defense their victory will not falter. The Warriors’ recent win against Moorpark (who holds second place now) has set a confident and optimistic tone for

Softball Aims for Post-League Playoff Spot Charlotte Gibson Staff Writer WHS girls’ softball team is still in the fight for the league title as they post a record of 4-10 overall and 3-3 in league. With the team’s defense reigning supreme and the improvement of their offense, the girls’ softball team may be a valid contender in the Marmonte League.

Currently in 4th place with Royal, Simi and Agoura tied for first at 4-1, the girls have struggled with batting; however, Coach Lynn Baum said that they “have managed to score the runs when it counts in the last few games.”

Kylie McNutt ‘11 continues to be the most consistent hitter on the team, while Allie Martin ‘11 going 3 for 3 in her first game back after dislocating her elbow.

For the softball team, a normal prac-

tice consists of fielding fundamentals, defensive and offense situations and a lot of hitting. With numerous hours dedicated to improving their game, the girls’ softball team is passionate about proving themselves as a contender in the Marmonte League. After the win against Thousand Oaks, the team atmosphere has greatly improved.

“The girls played with fire and enthusiasm in that game and if they continue to do that we have a shot at making the playoffs,” said Coach Baum Senior captains Caylin Campbell and Rebecca Esquivel help lead the team with rituals before the game and pep talks between innings. “[As catcher] I have to take control of the field and make sure everyone is prepared each pitch and keeps their head in the game,” said Esquivel.

The captains agreed that “reminding everyone of the little things—such as ‘score early,’ ‘be aggressive every pitch,’ and ‘we need base hits, hard on the ground’—helps step up the team’s game.”

The team consists mostly of juniors and sophomores this year with only three seniors; however, Esquivel said, “The team is very close, the closest it has been in my four years on varsity.”

With this kind of team camaraderie, the girls never allow each other to give up during games.

The team atmosphere will play a big part in the quest for winning games in Marmonte League and playing in the finals.

The cohesiveness of the team proves itself on the field as the girls continue to claim more wins in league.

“So far both teams have surpassed my expectations. It is still a bit early to tell. I am very happy with the team right now,” said Irmas.

WHS faces long-time rival Thousand Oaks High School Wed. April 28. It will be a fierce meet for all the swimmers.

The varsity team traveled to Clovis for the April 17 weekend to compete against other teams from all over California. Both the varsity girls and boys came in fourth, while overall the team placed third.

“I swam the 100 free and got my fastest time ever,” said Miller of her performance at Clovis.

“Lots of swimmers got their season and lifetime best,” added Irmas.

Throughout the season all the swimmers have been working hard to accomplish their own personal goals, but winning the CIF championship would be the ultimate award for all of their practice and dedication.

WHS Alumni

Come Home

to Coach Aaron Demsetz Staff Writer

High school and college are continually referenced as the best time of a person’s life. Many alumni reminisce about their experiences in high school, whether it is about the stress endured, memorable friends, or life lessons taken from everyday challenges. But some alumni find satisfaction in reliving the “glory days” from a different vantage point.

At WHS, several alumni continue to be an influence on students, returning to their alma mater—to coach athletics.

For alumni, coaching a sports team can be a way of paying back their school for all those good times they had in their teenage years. According to water polo coach Matt McLean, “It feels great to be giving back to such a great school.”

Coaching also allows some to relive their teenage lives as adults.

Opportunities that many students may take for granted might really only happen once in a lifetime.

“Life tends to be filled with experiences that we do not fully grasp while in the moment; and it is rare that one can relive memories through the experiences of others,” said Defensive Pass Coordinator and Back Football Coach Kamran Salem.

The value of these coaches often passes under the radar. Players do not always realize that these coaches have shared almost identical experiences with the students that they teach.

In addition, both the athletes and the coach have important values to share with one another. While the coach passes on his or her knowledge about the sport to the student, the student reminds the coach of what it was like back in the good old days.

“I grew up with these kids, as a coach and a mentor, over the course of the last four years of my life, and only recently have I gathered that throughout our arduous and adventurous journey together on the football field, they were, in fact, the teachers and I the student,” said Salem.

16

FEATURE

April 23, 2010 • THE ARROW

SENIOR SHOWCASE

They’ve Got the Moves Charlotte Gibson Staff Writer Performances from the ABCD Club, the XYZ Crew, and the Little Drummer Boys II Men were just some of the Senior Showcase acts that garnered much excitement from the audience. The annual show was held last week at TOHS. The show began with a comical introduction from emcees Dante Goglia and Hayden Fongheiser, followed by multiple performances showcasing the superb talents from the Class of 2010. Many senior girls, including Hayley Sherman, Chelsea Sykora, Brittany Perry, and Jess White, exhibited their musical talents.

A Class Act boys performed the song “Moondance.” Duo Karina Lopez and

Kevin Kaproff stunned the crowd with their rendition of the song “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here” by She and Him. In addition, couple Tim Witwer and McAuley Cahill serenaded each other with the song “First Day of My Life.“ The showcase ended on a high note with a captivating, humorous performance from 5 Star Hustle and Plez Biz, bands that feature Robert Dillon, Michael Italiano, Paul Green, Colin Fan, Wesley Tsang, Abhi Jairam, and Tim Yi. “I think this year’s performances were phenomenal. The kids did an incredible job.

Hayden and Dante were great emcees. We couldn’t have asked for a better performance,” said Dean of Activities Brandy LaRue. Revenue collected from Senior Showcase is used to offset prom expenses.

FUTURE IDOLS?: (Clockwise from top left) Brittany Perry serenades the audience. Jesse Hu breaks it down during a dance routine. McAuley Cahill and Tim Witwer perform “First Day of my Life.” Colin Fan and Abhi Jairam perform an Indian dance. Alan Ng and Daniel Phounsavan rock out on guitar and bass. The XYZ Crew girls dance for the audience. Katherine Pincus, Avi Soor, and Amanda Ribbers enjoy performing on stage.

Designed by Jared Erman and Iris Yan Photographs by Sam Wexler