THE
ARROW
VOLUME XXXVI, ISSUE 6
100 N. LAKEVIEW CANYON ROAD, WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA 91362
MAY 30, 2014
Two faculty members make the grade
Aca Deca adviser recognized for dedication
Band Director earns accolade
Orly Greenberg Feature Editor
Connor Keller Staff Writer
When imagining a high school teacher, English teacher Joe Nigro isn’t what immediately comes to mind. Nigro is serious. He is firm and concise. He has both the physical appearance and demeanor of writer Edgar Allan Poe. His daily uniform consists of flannels, black skinny jeans, and Vans. He is, in other words, cool. Nigro also has the unique ability to captivate a classroom, to inspire a love for English in reluctant high school students, making him a recipient of the Teacher of the Month award. Nigro’s award winning teaching style, according to him, is “two cups of high expectations, one cup of awesomeness, and a dash of modesty.” When asked as to why his techniques are so successful, Nigro responded, “that’s hard to say. There are a lot of different teaching styles, and I think their effectiveness really depends on the personality of the teacher. I think my style is sort of an exaggerated version of my regular personality, and maybe that makes it more authentic.” So, as a teacher, what does Nigro believe an educator owes his or her students? “I do feel as though it is the responsibility of the teacher to have a constant awareness of what is going on in the classroom and to keep students on their toes—even if that means calling on them when they aren’t raising their hands!
Instrumental Music Department Chair Brian Peter received Teacher of the Month recognition for teaching band, wind ensemble, and jazz. Peter has been a part of the music department adding to its tremendous success for eight years. When Peter heard Superintendent Dr. Jeff Baarstad to announce the award recipient at the May 16 CPT meeting, Peter said, “I was proud to be recognized by the faculty, but embarrassed at the same time. So many teachers who I hold in high esteem have received this award PHOTO BY CONNOR KELLER over the years. I’m not one who celebrates accolades or trophies, so BRIAN PETER named Teacher of the Month. standing in front of our amazing faculty to receive this award, and have others cares for music, Langlois added. ”He is speak about me, was awkward. But, it’s al- very dedicated to the program and does all ways nice to hear the positive things others he can to help it.” think of your work.” Even though some people let awards The moment that stuck out most to Pe- go to their heads, Peter is certain that, ter this year was “watching the Regiment ”winning an award is not my motivation performance at WBA prelims in Fresno, the to be a better teacher. Seeing the students Studio Jazz I performance at the WHS Jazz learning to love music, and hopefully makfestival, and watching our older students ing music part of their lives after graduamentor our younger in music and life.” tion, is the ultimate goal.” Peter believes that the simple motto, Peter is looking forward to working ”Trying to be a little better each day” drove with the future musicians that will attend him to become the teacher he became. WHS and hopes to lead the band to future According to band member Lizzy success as well. Langlois ‘15, ”Mr. Peter is a great teacher The award is from the Westlake Viland I appreciate all that he has done for lage Chamber of Commerce in conjunction us.” Peter’s students know how much he with the CVUSD.
WHS Ranks 1st in County
Taylor Li Staff Writer
“America's Most Challenging High Schools 2014” list has once again ranked WHS as the top school in CVUSD and Ventura County. WHS was also placed 35th statewide and 294th nationwide. This is slightly lower from last year’s rankings where the school placed 260th in the nation. The ranking system created by Washington Post orders schools through a simple index formula: the number of tests offered to students (Advanced Placement/ International Baccalaureate) divided by the number of senior graduates that year. According to this formula, each school’s ranking improves as more students take APs with the ideal goal of reaching a 1.0 ratio with a test offered and taken by every graduate. Another ranking list, the “U.S. News & World Report Best High School,“ places WHS as 60th statewide and 311th nationally.
PHOTO BY ORLY GREENBERG
JOE NIGRO earns title of Teacher of the
Month.
I hated that as a student, but now that I’m a teacher, I get it.” While Nigro might be unsure as to why his teaching is so efficient, he knows with confidence what kind of student he enjoys teaching. “I like students who ask intriguing questions and who engage with the material on an analytical level—students who are motivated by sheer intellectual curiosity—and students who laugh at my jokes even when they aren’t funny.” Nigro advises the Academic Decathlon team that earned its third first place award in the Ventura County competition representing the county at the State level.
Arrow takes top award at Star competition The Arrow newspaper staff received seven awards at the Ventura County Star Best of Journalism competition, including First Place in General Excellence. Editor-in-chief Vivian Hu ‘14 collected the top honor on behalf of the entire staff along with Third Place in Design. Three seniors received First Place individual writing awards: Christian Coates in Sports, Orly Greenberg in Column, and Victoria Wang in Review. Hu, Pranav Kaygee ‘16, Ashwin Rangarajan ‘16, and Alex Shi ‘16 received Honorable Mention in Graphics. For their coverage of the implementation of the WISE program, Austin Eis ‘17, Rachel Finegold ‘16, Greenberg, Kimberly Magglos ‘17, Allison Weisenfeld ‘17, and Amanda Yao ‘17 won Second Place in Series.
in this issue Page 2 New NHS Members
Page 3 One Last Oh RealLY?
ARROW STAFF members show some of the awards they earned at the Ventura County Star Best of High School Journalism Competition. Pictured are Pranav Kaygee, Christian Coates, Vivian Hu, Allison Weisenfeld, and Amanda Yao.
Page 7 Retiring Staff
Page 8 Sports
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THE ARROW
NEWS
MAY 30, 2014
WHS holds tribute for Weiss Max Wang Staff Writer
WHS Choir to perform “Made in the USA” The WHS Choral Music Department will present “Made in the USA”, under the direction of Alan Rose on May 29. 30, and 31 at 7:30 p.m. in the Carpenter Family Theatre, with the exception of a Saturday matineee at 1:00 p.m. Tickets to the show are available in the Choir Room, and cost $8 with an ASG Card and $10 without. Tickets can also be ordered at 805-497-6711. COURTESY PHOTO
Thousand Oaks Library Teen Summer Reading Club WHS students are invited to participate in the Thousand Oaks Library’s Teen Summer Reading Club. “Spark a Reaction” is the theme of the program and runs from June 16 to Aug 10. Teens in middle school and high school are invited to join the club during that time by coming into the library or by signing up online on the library website. As teens read and submit online book rating forms for each book they read they will be entered in weekly drawings for chances to win gift card prizes.
Alex Shi
WHS held a memorial service which took place on May 26 in remembrance of WHS alumna Veronika Weiss ‘13 at the pool. Hundreds of people gathered to honor Weiss’ memory and to remember her positive impact on the school and community. Several of Weiss’ friends and family members, along with her former water polo coach Todd Irmas and Principal Ron Lipari spoke at the memorial about Weiss’ influence on those around her. She was attending UCSB before she was killed by Santa Barbara City College student Elliot Rodger. His violent rampage took the lives of six students as well as his
own and injured 13 other students. The shooting took place at 9:30 p.m. on May 23 in front of the Alpha Phi sorority house. While attending WHS, Weiss participated in multiple sports including water polo and softball, while still taking AP and Honors classes, graduating with a 4.3 GPA. Weiss’s mother and grandmother had both belonged to the Tri-Delta sorority at UCSB, so she joined as well. Those who attended the memorial described her as a “beautiful young woman.” Weiss’s father, Bob Weiss, described her as “mature,” and a “strong girl.” Weiss’ Tri-Delta sorority sisters encouraged attendees to “live the life that she’s not going to get to live.”
UC acceptance rate decreases
Feature Editor As students continue to compete in the battle for college admission, the drop in UC school acceptance rates is proving to be an overwhelming problem. In 2013, the overall acceptance rate for the UC system dropped from 59.2% to 58.4%. Amidst a change in the admission process, UC Berkeley acceptance rates have dropped 3.5 percent. Despite a record of 73,771 applicants, 1,300 fewer students were admitted than last year. In the fall of 2013, UCLA had a total of
80,552 applications; however, only a total of 16,448 students were accepted. In 2014, the number of applicants increased to 86,537 and 15,778 students were admitted. This is the first time that admission rates for UCLA and UC Berkeley have fallen below 20 percent. Nicholas B. Dirks, the UC Berkeley Chancellor, addressed the drop in admission rates by writing a letter to the campus community. Dirks claims that “the discrepancy is simply a reflection of changes in our admissions and enrollment process,” and that previously, “the university admitted more students in the spring
and would up with more commitments to attend than it was prepared for.” Dirk claims that Berkeley will initially accept a smaller number of students, but fill the rest of its freshman class with the waiting list. In 2013, UC San Diego had an admission rate of 36.8%, accepting a total of 24,782 students out of 67,407; however, this year, UCSD received 73,437 applications and accepted 24,553. This shoes a 3.4 percent decrease to 33.4%. With each passing year, colleges are increasingly difficult to get into. Because of this, students have to work harder each year to be admitted into college.
NCL recognizes debutantes The Conejo Valley chapter of the National Charity League Inc. introduced its 2014 Debutantes as part of its annual Announcement Tea and Senior Ticktocker Recognition. NCL is a nonprofit, mother-daughter organization supporting local community agencies and philanthropies in the Conejo Vally area. This years debutantes and seniors have more than 6,500 cumulative hours with their time. Members include Morgan Arnett, Victoria Doder, Maya Rosen, Clare Rosenkranz, Julia Mannisto, Becca Simpson, Brittany Jacobs.
Final Exam Bell Schedule Tuesday, June 10, 2014 6:54 Passing Bell 7:00-9:00 Period 1 Exam 9:07-9:51 Period 2 9:58-10:42 Period 3 10:49-11:33 Period 4 11:40-12:24 Period 5 12:24-1:04 Lunch 1:10-1:54 Period 6 2:01-2:45 Period 7 Wednesday, June 11, 2014 7:54 Passing Bell 8:00-10:00 Period 2 Exam 10:00-10:14 Break/Passing Time 10:20-12:20 Period 3 Exam 12:20 Dismissal Thursday, June 12, 2014 7:54 Passing Bell 8:00-10:00 Period 4 Exam 10:00-10:14 Break/Passing Time 10:20-12:20 Period 5 Exam 12:20 Dismissal Friday, June 13, 2014 7:54 Passing Bell 8:00-10:00 Period 6 Exam 10:00-10:14 Break/Passing Time 10:20-12:20 Period 7 Exam 12:20 Dismissal
PHOTO BY LAUREN CHIN
NHS inducts new members Max Wang Staff Writer
The Warrior Chapter of National Honor Society inducted 41 new members from the Class of 2015 on May 20. Founded in 1921, the National Honors Society recognizes students who contribute positively to their school and community. Acceptance in the National Honor Society is one of the highest honors a high school student can receive. The current National Honor Society for the Class of 2014 consisted of 39 seniors, led by president Kishan Desai. The following juniors were inducted. The ceremony, beginning at 6:00, opened with a speech by Principal Lipari. It continued with a Candlelight Ceremony for the new members, led by the departing NHS Officers of the Class of 2014.
New members of NHS: Rita Abed Emilyn Ahmed Basit Akmal Adrish Anand Rony Barahona Leah Chavez Ryan Chen Annie Cheng Hannah Chi Sung Chung Julia Cohen Nia Farrell Matthew Franklin Zachary Garelik Fariha Hameed Ziming He Jordan Hurless Avinash Iyer Nikita Iyer Sumant Iyer
Kayla Johari Sydney Johnson Kritin Karkare Ryan Kurohara Ashley LaBrune Joshua LaFianza Meisha Lamb-Bell Ryan Lederer Frances Ling Sophie Piao Rutu Shah Katherine Sham Alexa Ship Hannah Ship Simrah Siddiqui Jennifer Thorburn Benjamin Tran Baron Wilton Alisha Yan Dan Zeng Colin Zwicker
OPINION
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THE ARROW
MAY 30, 2014
Oh, RealLY? Absolutely promposterous Orly Greenberg Feature Editor
Michelle Choi
In defense of gamer girls
Opinion Editor
Video games have always been there for me. Middle school girl drama dissolved as I entered the world of Portal, navigating through the endless array of mazes in Aperture Science Laboratories as Chell. She was strong, independent, didn’t need no man. Chell fought oppression without violence and aggression. All for science. She was the perfect role model for a blossoming feminist. It became an obsession. Every day after school, I would run to my computer patiently waiting for me on the table. It winked seductively at me and whispered, “turn me on.” Weak willed, I would comply; the laptop sang with excitement as I pressed its buttons. Seconds, minutes, hours passed by. Suddenly 3:00 p.m. became 3:00 a.m. Shaking from the deadly combination of Mountain Dew, Hot Pockets and sleep deprivation, I would pry myself from the computer, heart breaking a little as I went to bed.
I started playing the hugely popular MMO League of Legends in spite of my older brother. Strangers, friends of friends and even family members marvelled at his extremely high ranking in the game. Being the competitive younger sister, I vowed to reach and surpass him. I was spending more time researching builds and runes than studying for school. League was the shepherd and I, along with the 27 million other daily players, was its mindless sheep. Despite my wholehearted obsession with the game, however, there was animosity regarding my gender. “You can’t be a real gamer,” said my League teammates through their Turtle Beach headphones, “you’re a girl. Besides, you’re just one of those ‘gamer girls’ playing for attention.” I felt violated. My faith had been questioned by bigots. This fueled the feminist fire within my soul and I vowed to avenge all women who had ever been wronged by single-handedly carrying the team to victory.
The benefits of video games Max Wang Staff Writer
Contrary to popular belief, video games have actually been proven to have massive benefits. Even video games not labeled as educational can lead to better spatial perception, reasoning, and memory. Video games of different genres lead to legitimate benefits to frequent players. In 2007, a team of scientists discovered that surgeons that played video games for more than three hours per week had 37% fewer errors and 27% faster completion times than non-gamers. First person shooter games were discovered in 2013 to increase spacial visualization, regardless of their violent content. Role-playing games, such as “League of Legends”, were also shown to help cultivate problem solving skills. Although professional gamers don’t always have a stable or high-paying career, those who have a respectable reputation in the industry earn a decent salary. “League of Legends” and “Starcraft II” professionals have earned up to $11 million each in recent years. Professional players can earn over $200,000 at a single prestigious tournament, and can supplement their salary through sponsorships and online streaming. Gamers are also better at real-world tasks. In 2008, the University of Washington released a game called “Foldit.” Players
help design new proteins and determine how the primary structure of a protein turns into a functioning three-dimensional structure. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the “Foldit” community, top players have assisted researchers to solve the crystal structure of a monkey virus related to AIDS by using unique strategies that are computationally demanding. Although video games might lead to health problems if played for hours on end, they also have positive impacts on people’s health. The American Pain Society indicated that playing some video games helps to reduce pain and anxiety from medical treatment. Also, the University of Rochester also concluded that people that played first person shooter games, such as “Call of Duty” experienced an increase in “contrast sensitivity function”, or the ability to quickly discern subtle changes in lighting. Video games have harmful effects on people who play hours upon hours without food, water or bathroom breaks, but the benefits they provide are too plentiful to ignore. Instead of focusing on the dark side of video games, people should take more action and play more. Maybe one day, the school board will unblock computer games on the school computers and integrate video games into the curriculum, boosting the grades of students everywhere.
Contrary to popular belief, “gamer girls” don’t play for attention. We just happen to be the minority in the gaming community. There’s a minority of guys who participate in the scrap booking community, but they are not accused of pining for attention. I can’t wait for the day when prejudice in the gaming community is replaced with equality and justice. Where girls can play games without being forced to play as support, a world where modern warfare isn’t marketed purely towards men. But in the meantime, I’ll stick to defending my gamer girl title.
ARROW
THE
I opened my front door. At first, a sharp gasp, and then a quizzical look towards the figure before me. “Since when,” I mused, “has the Greenberg family owned a pony?” The horse looked at me with its deep trusting eyes; I swam in their golden pools, a gaze filled with knowledge and wisdom. In that instant, I knew what I had to do. I climbed on top of the animal, using the softly worn leather saddle for guidance. “Charleston,” I whispered. “Charleston the horse. Of course.” Charleston trotted towards the door, gently pawing at the exit until I released both of us. From there, we rode. For how long, I can’t say. I can’t remember much of the ride, only that I clung to Charleston’s rich chestnut mane while he expertly navigated through at least a dozen prairies, forests, and densely populated freeways. At last we arrived. I hopped off, whispered my good-byes to Charleston, and headed towards the large castle before me. With some trepidation, I tiptoed past several oblivious guards before approaching my final destination: the dungeons. After slaying what must have been four dragons, I could truly appreciate the chamber for what it was. The floor was covered with gold coins, heaps of rubies and diamonds littered the ground, and there were several never-before-seen episodes of “Breaking Bad” strategically placed throughout the room. A treasure trove, in other words. Then, Dave Franco emerged from a heap of emeralds, dressed only in a loin cloth and reciting Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 18.” So anyway, that’s how I always imagined getting asked to prom. A prom proposal, to me, is one of the most important moments of someone’s life, mostly because prom is one of the most important moments of someone’s life. A dance in fancy long dresses with other people in fancy long dresses? A dream in and of itself. So maybe my dream prom proposal didn’t quite pan out. Instead of a floor heaped with piles of countless jewels, I got a hallway delicately sprinkled with rose pedals and a bedroom filled with six dozen balloons. Instead of Charleston the pony, I got my dog joyfully jumping at me with a “PROM” balloon attached to her. Instead of Dave Franco in a loin cloth, I got something better: a young man in a polo bashfully offering me flowers and a request for my company at prom. But honestly, I could have done without any romantic gesture. What prom really means to me is spending time with people I value in my life, and with my date and wonderful friends as company, I am doing just that. Although a noble steed would’ve been cool too. SIDE NOTE: This is my last ever “Oh Really?” column for The Arrow. Next year I will be off to college, wishing for the days I could spend more than 400 words on a nonsensical hyperbole. Thank you all, so much, for putting up with my mediocre jokes and multiple (mostly failed) attempts at a deeper meaning in any of my work. I’ve loved this column and the opportunities it’s given me more than I can say.
Editor-in-chief
Vivian Hu
News Editors Heidi Chiu, Frances Ling
Opinion Editors Orly Greenberg, Michelle Choi
Feature Editors Ryan Cheng, Emily Demsetz, Rachel Finegold, Ariana Haider, Hanyi Huang, Kallyn Hobmann, Pranav Kaygee, Simone Moscovitch, Ashwin Rangarajan, Alex Shi, Erik Steinman, Victoria Wang, Vivian Xu
Sports Editors Christian Coates, Matt Donovan, Rachel Finegold, Tara Spencer
Advertising Managers Nicolette Blatt, Lauren Chin, Kelli Da Rin
Staff Writers Danielle Cortes, Dylan Craig, Austin Eis, Joseph Flatt, Bridget Flynn, Zander Galvin, Bo Jelinek, Connor Keller, Taylor Li, Jaisen Lim, Tallulah Lund Sidi, Kimberly Magglos, Laura Marcus, Noah O’Cain, Alisa Orlowsky, Mara Rothbard, Helen Shi, Ari Sidman, Audrey Speicher, Steven Taylor, Quinn Todd, Max Wang, Allison Weisenfeld, Amanda Yao, Vallia Yu
Adviser Caron Battaglia
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. Please send submissions to Mrs. Battaglia’s box in the main office or to Room 42E.
100 N. Lakeview Canyon Road Westlake Village, CA 91362 (805) 497-6711 ext. 4225
CONTACT US!
Scan the link to find us on Facebook, or email us at: westlakearrow@gmail.com
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FEATURE MAY 30, 2014
Avoiding the watchful “i” of the internet Creating a secure password
Information is everywhere
Amanda Yao Tallulah Lund-Sidi
Quinn Todd
Staff Writers
Staff Writer
In the present day it’s extremely important to protect your online identity and accounts. To do this, you need a strong password for every website you visit and to store them in a secured document. We here at the Arrow have created a convenient and strong password generator just for you. Once you create your password it is worth checking howsecureismypassword.net to see how long it would take for an average computer to hack your password. The test passwords we created took between a year to trillions of years to hack. Keep your personal information personal.
Pick something personal (capitalized) Pet name Grandparent’s name Middle name Nickname Best friend’s name Birthplace Favorite sport Favorite book Favorite movie Favorite color Favorite place Favorite food Favorite animals Favorite Sports Team
Pick your first initial in the phonetic alphabet Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot Golf Hotel India Juliet Kilo Lima Mike
November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whiskey X-Ray Yankee Zulu
146 students surveyed
Survey conducted by Jaisen Lim and Ari Sidman
Socializing on the cybersphere Jaisen Lim Ari Sidman Staff Writers
Facebook and other social media sites are not only being used for social implications, but are increasingly used by college admission officers to scout out the background of their potential study. A study done by University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2011 revealed that 87% of colleges use Facebook to recruit students. In addition, 66% of admission officers use Youtube as a recruitment source. “The question is no longer about whether colleges use social media, but which sites they will choose and how they will use them,” Grant Greenwood, an admissions counselor at Hardin-Simmons University said. Students use social media sites to flaunt
their skills and ideas not only to friends, but to colleges as well. For example, Everbrook Zhou ’17 said, “I spread my art to hopefully attract art schools or just usually please others.” Monica Weber, a former student of the College of the Holy Cross, used Facebook to meet and converse with professional groups. “They’re a great way to band together not only with your same interests, but advisers as well. It’s a great outlet for college students,” she stated. However, unlike Weber, for others social media sites are only being used to their disadvantage. Jeff Olson, the head of research for Kaplan’s test-prep division, said that one student was rejected from a university because the student trashed it online after visiting the campus. Bowdoin College claimed that a high school senior posted negative comments
about other people who attended a presentation, and they promptly rejected her application. Some high school students believe that they cannot only show off their skills using social networks, but they can also cover up their flaws. They manipulate their social media profiles to fool college admission officers. “Why say you went to a party on a Friday night when you can say you volunteered at a soup kitchen? Why say you spent the weekend playing Xbox when you can talk about the new art opening at the museum?” said Brent Busboom, an English teacher at Reno High School in Nevada. Clearly, social media can be used as a beneficial tool to get into college, if not used properly, it can ruin the your chances of acceptance. Now go and delete that picture. Yes, that one.
Pick a personal number Birthday Lucky number Street address Zip code Phone number Phone area code Graduation year Family members’ birthday Pet’s birthday Anniversary SAT Score GPA Weight SOURCE: INTERNET LIVE STATS (ELABORATION OF DATA BY INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION (ITU) AND UNITED NATIONS POPULATION DIVISION)
Imagine if every time you opened up Candy Crush, a string of personal information floated into space and landed in the open palm of an app developer. Students may be surprised to find out that mobile apps and games secretly collect personal data that is then shared with marketers and other third parties. However, the issue isn’t only the fact that the information is shared with other groups; the first and foremost problem to address is how apps are taking personal data without consent in the first place. This is proving to be a serious issue, concerning children privacy in particular. In a world where children are playing on their parents’ phones at an early age, parents have a reason to be alarmed that their child’s privacy is at a serious risk. Federal regulators are investigating mobile apps. These actions aer being taken because transmitting this data without parental knowledge or permission violates children privacy laws. According to investigative results, about 60% of apps don’t give any indication that a user’s data is being collected and transmitted. In 1998, the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, instigated the Children’s Online Privacy Act that requires
companies to get parental permission before collecting any information about kids under thirteen. The FTC is considering strengthening the act because more people are becoming more aware about how their privacy is at a more serious risk. Companies can easily extract data including age and gender. For example, by just downloading the game, Angry Birds can determine a user’s age, location, marital status and political opinion. Mobile apps collecting personal information is just one facet of the numerous ways our privacy is being invaded in ways that we are completely unaware of. The government has the ability to see an individual’s “private” life through social networking and can pirate a person’s personal information. Although the government and app makers claim to collect information from “only the bad guys”, everyone’s information is being collected in one way or another. The scarier thing to think about is the day that our information is let out of the floodgates. How much “private” information has been collected? More importantly, how will it be used? Being more aware of how our supposedly private lives are becoming more and more accessible to people who could potentially use our information for malicious purposes is important; but it is even more urgent to begin taking measures to protect ourselves.
Defending against scams Mara Rothbard Staff Writer
Multiple times I have logged onto my email only to find another scam threatening me for my information. These emails usually include some sort of deadline telling me to “do this before tomorrow or else we will lose all of your information!” This is a prime example of how they get you to fill those evil things out. Very often, a person is so caught off guard by this forceful and urgent comment that they instantaneously click on the link provided or send over his or her information, infecting their computer with viruses or handing over valuable information such as a social security number. Here are a few tips to avoid falling into a similar situation: The first thing to check for is the origin of the email. Always make sure it’s from a reputable source. Even then, check the email address online on the supposed company’s website to confirm you’re not the victim of a scam. To check if the email is genuine, one can easily contact the actual business that supposedly sent the email. A good thing to re-
member is if anything seems too good to be true, it most likely is. These scams aren’t always over email; the perpetrators may also contact you over the phone. A very common trick is to target the elderly demographic, as they are often more susceptible. The conversation would consist of a “favorite grandson” who is in a financially difficult situation and needs money. My grandmother was a victim of this and almost fell for it, until she realized the man’s voice was not that of her grandson. Warn your family members of this risk, or they may be targeted by these scams. Nowadays, these occurrences are happening more and more frequently. If you find yourself stuck in a situation where you can’t seem to figure out whether you’re being fooled or not, remember these four points. First, check the email address to see if it is accurate. Second, contact the business to confirm that they sent it. Third, if you feel pressured to act quickly, hang up or ignore the email. Finally, don’t fall for what seems like an amazing opportunity. Remember to always be aware of these scams so you don’t become a victim.
How to evade Big Brother
Bo Jelinek Steve Taylor Staff Writers
Colleges have started to look at incoming or applying students’ social media websites, Since 2008, the amount of colleges that look at social media websites have gone up about 21%; however, not all schools have time to go through everyone’s social pages. “Out of the thousands of applications we receive, we don’t look at every student’s Facebook page or read their Twitter,” said Glenn Dillard, assistant vice-president of enrollment at Harding University as stated by KATV. “But if we read in a reference that there may be something questionable we will.” While colleges looking at Facebook could be a bad thing, it can also work in the applicants’ favors. They can post pictures of awards they received or trophies won. Also, they should be careful about what they post because that could affect them drastically when colleges look their page. “We like to get the same information from every candidate,” says Christoph Guttentag, the dean of undergraduate admissions at Duke University as stated by the Time Magazine. “What one might find [on Facebook] would be close to random. There’s no guarantee that we would be getting the same kind of information between two applicants.”
Since colleges have started to look at students Facebook and other sites, students have rethought what they should post or what they should keep on. Around 21.6% change their searchable name to something colleges are less likely to find. 21.9% have changed their profile pictures. 26.4% have untagged themselves from pictures that would have been detrimental to their college prospects. Around 12.1% of the people have deleted their social media altogether, according to ABC News. Some good tips for cleaning up a Facebook page are setting profile pages and picture albums to private. This would make it so only their friends will be able to see it. Also people should restrict friends from tagging them in pictures, so they don’t risk the chance of being in an inappropriate picture and everyone else being able to see it. Users might also want to consider to stop uploading albums. Lastly, people should restrict a public search, so they can send but not receive friend requests Most students are starting to realize how important it is to not post anything which could hurt them because colleges and even when applying for jobs they look at what in on Facebook and other social media’s the applicant made. Even though they don’t always look at Facebook, it is still important to keep a clean Facebook, because you never know who is going to look at it.
GRAPHIC TAKEN FROM HTTP://SOCIALBUREAUCRAT.BLOGSPOT.COM
Conceal your profile Connor Keller Staff Writer
Internet privacy concerns have become a topic of national debate over the last few years, and Facebook has been the center of attention. The social media site received large amounts of criticism for offering a low amount of privacy options. In response to the ongoing criticism, Facebook has introduced a few new profile settings that allow users to adjust privacy to suit their needs. There are three quick steps to maximize the privacy settings on your Facebook account. The first step is to go to the privacy tab under settings and choose “only friends” for every option shown. Choosing “only friends” will allow you to determine who can access the different parts of your profile, such as pictures or post. Choosing any other option might allow people you do not know or want to view your profile. The second step is to alter the search privacy settings so no one can find you on the Facebook search. To do this, make your way to the search tab under settings. Four
options will appear, including: friends only, friends of friends, my networks and friends of friends, and everyone. The option that will best protect your account is “friends only,” but this option will also prevent all incoming friend requests. The last step is to restrict certain applications on Facebook from accessing your information, including e-mails, phone numbers, and address. These apps can send your information to other companies, possibly resulting in mass spam to your email. To prevent yourself from receiving this information, go to the applications option under settings. There, you will have the choice to control what your apps can see about you and even what your friends’ apps can see about you, choose the options that limit these apps abilities the most. Having these privacy settings will make your profile “invisible” to everyone but your friends,which is helpful to hide your private life from bosses or colleges. Although these settings might limit your social life on Facebook, they are the best available settings the website has to offer in securing your privacy.
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THE ARROW
Europe Marcela De los Rios ʻ16 Q: Where are you headed this summer? A: I’m going to Europe --Paris and some places in Italy, like Venice and Florence! Q: Why did you decide to travel to all of those European states? A: My sister is graduating this year, so our whole family is celebrating with this trip! She is going to Berkeley this fall. Q: What are you most excited for? Is there anything in particular that you think will be enjoyable? A: I’m really pumped for a bunch of foreign foods, like baguettes in Paris. Q: France and Italy are two of the most popular places to visit! Do you think this vacation will be better than ones you’ve had in the past? A: Yes. I’ve only been out of the country once before, and it was so much fun!
AROUND THE WORLD IN 76 DAYS
The Caribbean Colin Zwicker ʻ15 Q: Where are you headed this summer? A: I’m going to the Caribbean! Q: Why did you decide to travel to the Caribbean? A: Well, it wasn’t really my decision. I guess my parents decided that we’d go, so we’re all headed there! Q: What are you most excited for? Is there anything in particular that you think will be enjoyable? A: Oh my goodness. The trip to Caribbean will be the ultimate journey of selfdiscovery, you know? Q: The Caribbean is a pretty incredible destination. Do you think this vacation will be better than ones you’ve had in the past? A: Yes. One hundred percent yes. It’s going to blow my socks off!
Kenya Jamie Turnbull ʻ15 Q: Where are you headed this summer? A: I’m going to Kenya. Q: Why did you decide to travel to Kenya? A: I’m going to Kenya on a mission trip. Q: What are you most excited for? Is there anything in particular that you think will be enjoyable? A: In Kenya, the culture is obviously much different from the one we have here. I’m excited to see all the customs as well as to meet new people while I am there. Q: Do you think that the mission trip will exceed vacations you’ve taken in the past? A: Well, probably not. Honestly, I’ve had some pretty amazing vacations before! But I’m sure I’ll have a really great time there, and I’m glad that I have the opportunity.
FEATURE MAY 30, 2014
China Clara Liu ʻ16 Q: Where are you headed this summer? A: I’m going to China this summer. Q: Why did you decide to travel to China? A: There was an opportunity for me to visit a rural village and help teach some of the children there English. Q: What are you most excited for? Is there anything in particular that you think will be enjoyable? A: I’m mostly really grateful for the chance to do something like this. The helping and volunteering aspect is definitely best part. Q: That’s amazing! With this opportunity, will this vacation be better than ones you’ve had in the past? A: Probably. I think that it will mostly be incredibly rewarding, and I’ll always remember the experiences that I had there.
FEATURE MAY 30, 2014
7
THE ARROW
Three retiring Warriors say farewell Lisowski plans for the future Kallyn Hobmann Feature Editor
After dedicating ten years to WHS, college counselor John Lisowski has decided to retire. Beginning his career in 1975, Lisowski taught English until 1983, when he decided to become a college counselor. He worked 11 years in Detroit Public Schools, 15 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District, and seven years at Beverly Hills High School before coming to WHS. He typically works around seven years at each school so he doesn’t get “stale and stagnant” in the job, he explained; however, he knew he would retire following his career at WHS. Lisowski’s favorite part of working as a college counselor is the student interaction. His enjoyment at work primarily originates from “talking to students.” “[I’d] rather have students around me
all the time,” said Lisowski. From helping low-level students to seeing people go off to college and finding careers, he will always remember helping his students find successful futures. Something he will not miss is waking up at 4:30 a.m. to make the 45-minute drive from his home in Venice to work at WHS until 7 or 8 p.m. each day. Looking into the future, Lisowski plans to continue living here in California as his wife is still working as a teacher. There is a possibility that she will work at Venice High School next year; the same school Lisowski hopes to volunteer at throughout his retirement. There is currently only one college counselor at Venice High School, so he plans to assist the counselor and to continue helping high school students. He also plans to volunteer at a community organization that offers college counseling to those who cannot afford it. The part of retirement he is the most
PHOTO BY KALLYN HOBMANN
LOOKING AHEAD: Lisowski will continue to help students even when he is retired.
excited for is the amount of free time he will gain. He is looking forward to playing more beach volleyball with his friends, being able to bring his wife lunch when she is at work, and relaxing with his two cats at
home. Lisowski plans to do some very productive and meaningful work during his retirement, keeping his memories of WHS close to heart as he moves on to his next adventure.
Ewbank moves forward Kallyn Hobmann Feature Editor
PHOTO BY KALLYN HOBMANN
MEMORIES MADE: Ewbank knows she will always keep the memories of WHS with her.
Fifteen years ago, Cathy Ewbank became the secretary of WHS, just three months before Ronald Lipari became principal. Now in her 27th year of working, Ewbank has confirmed she is retiring. Before joining the WHS staff, Ewbank worked at Cypress Elementary as an intermediate clerk typist. After 11 years, she took the secretary’s test and was hired with previous school principal, Curt Luft. She prefers working at WHS because of the vast amount of student and staff interaction. Her office is in an open area so it is more social than her previous jobs at other schools. “This is a very warm, friendly place, and I like that... This is just a wonderful place to be... It’s very unusual. It doesn’t [always] happen like that,” said Ewbank. Her favorite part of working as the
school secretary has been seeing the students grow from, “short little freshmen to off to college and so excited.” She will mostly miss all the teachers and staff and the fun they have had together in the family-like environment of the office. The only thing she will not miss is waking up at 5:30 a.m. every morning. Although she has loved her career, Ewbank knew that this was the year to retire. “It just felt right. One day you wake up and you realize, ‘I can afford to retire.’” She plans to continue living here in California and hopes to completely reorganize her house. Traveling and camping with her husband is on her to-do list, along with volunteering more and taking some community college classes. “It’s going to be an adventure,” said Ewbank. “I [hope] it will be good. It’s such an unknown territory. [It] makes you nervous; this is a really big step. I don’t want to become a couch potato!”
Hilly is staying in the house Kallyn Hobmann Feature Editor
Two weeks ago, Charles Hilly made a deal with the district office that as long as he can go back and forth between his retirement and working at schools, he will continue to be a substitute teacher. Following the passing of both his parents, Hilly knew he would need to, “take care of [their] estate [and] settle the affairs.” Unsure of how long it will take, from six months to a year, he knew he would have to find a way to make time for this new responsibility. The staff and students of WHS have provided him with immense support that have kept him strong through a difficult time in his life. “This campus, these kids, faculty, staff, administration... [they] have saved my life. I didn’t have time to grieve or mourn; I just hit the bricks running and here I am still.” Hilly has mostly worked at WHS during his career, so even when he is retired, he will continue to spend the majority of his substituting time here. He explained how he has even been considered a part of the actual WHS staff because of how often he is here.
Helping students “understand life” is Hilly’s favorite part of his job. “I still know and understand that it’s tough being a kid... [and] this is a cool place to hang.” Whether it is educational or personal, Hilly uses his time to help his students through any problems that they have. Hilly knows that he will eventually leave the work field of education, though he does not know when. Keeping his options open is the most important at the moment because he has no specific vision of what his future looks like. With his wife and daughter major parts of his life, he plans to figure out what they want to do as well before making any future decisions on his career and plans for his life as he enters retirement. “I’ve got kids saying [to] write cook books and put them on the e-book or something like that. That is a possibility. I’m keeping options open.” Although he will still be working for awhile, he knows that something he will miss the most is, “not having the contact with fine young ladies and gentleman. [The] way I look at it, all in all, is I can look back at all these kids I have had contact with and I ask the question, ‘[Did] I make a difference in someone’s life?’ and the answer is a resounding yes. ”
PHOTO BY RACHEL FINEGOLD
HILLY IN THE HOUSE: Hilly continues to help students learn as he substitutes at WHS.
8
SPORTS
THE ARROW
MAY 30, 2014
Crocker, Soosman lead Softball makes E NTERTAINMENT T HE A RROW golf team into fi nals 4 surge playoff APRIL 1, 2014
T h e N e t f l i x r e b o u n d
Team forces extra innings against top-seeded Mission Viejo
Christian Coates Sports Editor
WHS boys golfand team left content. Thanks to the popularity of the company’s original productions, Netflix has recently dominated the entertainment industry with The its affordable rates varied the Mission Lakes Country Club such as House of Cards and Arrested Development, networks have granted Netflix the rights to countless well-known television shows in the past few years. Although Meehra Nelson ‘15, junior Tallulah Lund Sidi most WHS students were too young to watch the followingvictorious. shows when they premiered, these complete, long-running series are now available for instant streaming. pitcher struck out 14 of the 16 The Warriors won the CIFStaff Writer batters of the opposing team. Southern Section title even Nelson also powered a two- though they did not play to their Warrior girls softball, in run double in the fifth inning. full ability. USC-bound Sean the surprise story of the season, finished CIF play May 24, making Junior offense player Taylor Crocker ‘14 shot a 4-under 67 it all the way to the quarterfinals Spence ‘15 went 2-for-3 with under to lead the way for WHS. After a let down of a finish but losing by one run against the three runs and three stolen bases. “We’re pumped and excited,” last year, WHS’ first place success dominant Mission Viejo team. This is the first time in many said Nelson, as quoted by the has given them confidence COURTESY PHOTO seasons that the WHS softball Thousand Oaks Acorn. “Everyone heading into the regionals in IN THE SWING: Brandon Jacobs hits his ball out of the sand during CIF playcame ready to play.” Long Beach on June 2. team has made playoffs. Softball The girls’ season continued “If everyone plays well, then offs entered the Division 2 CIF-SS playoffs as a wildcard against after a 2-0 win with eight innings we know we’re capable of making The boys defeated rival Oaks Fillmore. WHS won in a dominant against Cerritos, the Suburban it to state. Last year, we just got talking.” This year’s CIF Northern Christian, along with La Canada, League champs. ahead of ourselves. We came in five inning performance, 10-0. COURTESY PHOTOS champion Spencer Harvard-Westlake, The team A BREAK: Michael and Fionasoftball rest before takingfinished LIFE wayOFtoo and FAMOUS: it cost us,” THEcocky RICH AND Serena Division and Blair STALKING HIS PREY: Dexter seeks out hisRedlands, next victim CoSarah Ho TAKING ‘14, senior catcher helped gaze. on their next mission. rona Santiago, Tesoro, Diamond around a murderous Crocker toldtheir the mansion. Daily News. “This Soosman ‘16, whowithhas and team captain ended the with a 19-7 record and played lounge game with a three-run home run into the quarterfinals but lost to time we came in here humble and carry the team all season, was Bar, Beckman and Golden Valley High. Mission Viejo 1-0 in extra innings. quiet and let our scores do the under the weather, shooting a 76. bringing home a win.
Burn Notice
Erik Steinman
Gossip Girl
Ariana Haider
Dexter
Erik Steinman
Baseball swings but misses Entertainment Editor
Staff Writer
Entertainment Editor
Swim Awards
Die-hard Michael Westen fans can finally rejoice. In a society where wealth and popularity are the Dexter Morgan is a blood splatter analyst with After six long months, Netflix has officially released status quo, the Upper East-Siders of Manhattan still a big secret. Scarred by traumatizing events in his the seventh (and final) season of Burn Notice for manage to live unhappy lives.. The Gossip Girl series childhood, he was left with a lack of human emotion instant streaming. is based on the novels written by Cecily Von Ziegesar. and an insatiable desire to kill. Dexter must now Kallyn Hobmann The series follows ex- international spy, Michael Fans of the series on Netflix have six seasons to look learn to hide his true self and conform with the social Sports Editor Westen (Jeffrey Donovan), after he is mysteriously forward to watching. This means sitting around all standards set by the lively society of Miami, Florida. discharged, “burned,” from the CIA. Deserted in weekend and watching episodes non stop. The show On the bright side, Dexter follows a set of Finishing with a 7-7 or league the heart of Miami, Florida with no identity or money, stars Blake Lively, Ed Westwick, Chace Crawford, unwritten moral laws (created by his father) that record and an overall record of Westen remains determined to identify the people Leighton Meester and Penn Badgley. prevent him from murdering the entire city. Dexter’s 15-12, the WHS baseball team’s who burned him and regain his esteemed position. Gossip Girl is a notorious online blog controlled top two rules demand that he never get caught, and season came to an end after losing Elena England To help realize his goals, Michael unites with by an anonymous spectator who takes over the lives of only kill those who deserve it. In effect, he becomes a to Agoura on May 14, 10-3. Division 1 100 Backstroke his old friends, Fiona Glenanne (Gabrielle Anwar) the elite with the click of a button. Gossip Girl does this serial killer who only kills guilty criminals who were Although they did not make Division 1 400 Freestyle Relay and Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell), in order to sell by publishing hurtful gossip and scandalous pictures falsely acquitted. it to playoffs, the Warriors their Specialfought Ops expertise to locals for cash and of the local high school elites. When Serena Van Der Dexter approaches the horror genre from an throughout theinformation. season. TheyAnd won in traditional action-adventure Clarke Woodson (daughter of a well-known wealthy family innovative, unique Lauren angle. As viewers, we are meant against Calabasas School Division 1 400 Freestyle Relay style, High they make plenty of friends and enemies along in Manhattan) comes back to town after a secret leave to sympathize with the killer, and often find ourselves twice with finalthe scores Carina Fasano way. of 1-0 and to boarding school, Gossip Girl does not hesitate to rationalizing Dexter’s horrifi c crimes. The effect is 7-1. The next week,Many they dropped Division 1 400 that Freestyle categorize Burn Notice as primarily a crime spread the word. a disturbing, thrilling adventure forcesRelay us to their first game to Agoura 4-1,the show surprisingly excels in the or action series, but On the other hand, Blair Waldorf (daughter of question our own morals integrity. Sarahand Procter department. a well known fashion designer), is a sophisticated Although Showtime adapted hit series from before falling laugh in their seasonSupporting actors Bruce Campbell Division 1 400the Freestyle Relay and Sharon Gless provide much needed comedic and deceitfully mature 16-year-old who thrives on the Darkly Dreaming Dexter novels by Jeff Lindsay, finale. breaks fromtogether the heart-stopping action sequences. blackmailing others to get what she wants. Blair and there are many major andPuczkowski minor plot changes that “We had a good team David Fans of suspenseful mysteries, intricate story Serena were high school best friends until Serena make the program worth for even the when we decided to show up but Divisionwatching 1 100 Backstroke clever did the unthinkable. After Serena’s betrayal, Blair biggest fans of the books. the underlyinglines, factand was thatbanter it should definitely take the time Division 1 200 Medley Relay check out Burn continues her blackmailing (with the help of Gossip As a testament to its success, the long-running came down totoscoring runs andNotice. However, viewers should be cautious—this series is extremely addicting, and Girl) to destroy her ex-best friend. The drama spirals show has been nominated for over 130 awards and that didn’t happen for us. Our Ryan Lee Netflix offers weeks worth of content to view in one out of control after the very first episode and only won 37 of them. Some of its accolades include a biggest competition was clearly Division 1 100 Butterfly convenient location. continues to get intense along the way. Golden Globe for “Best Performance by an Actor Agoura who swept us.having Theyover 100 episodes, the series never Division 1 200 Medley Relay for Despite Fashionistas will enjoy watching their favorite in a Television Series Drama” and an Emmy are the reason runs we did not make low on content or exciting plot twists. Westen’s characters sport high fashion trends all season long. “Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.” playoffs,” saidgoal Emery Johnson Kim amount of campy to discover the cause of his burn notice unites Once the show became a success, many famous Dexter deliversYubin the perfect ‘14. 1 200 Medley Relay all seven seasons under an overarching theme, while designers, such as Oscar De La Renta, Dior, and horror, mystery, andDivision drama that leave viewers dying “I hope next will episode go eachseason individual focuses on minor missions Jenny Packham, had their clothes featured in several for more. However, as Dexter is broadcast on a private well. Since I am senior I will Parker Jadwin andadeveloping relationships. episodes. The fashion stylings of the Upper East-Siders network, the show contains a fair amount of violence, not be there to see for myself, butand popular six year run, Burn After a long created major buzz and a fashion revolution among graphic language, and some nudity, and should only Division 1 200 Medley Relay Notice creator Matt Nix wrapped the series in school-age teenagers. be seen by mature audiences. I trust and hope that the players September of last year. Fortunately, interested viewers When you are ready to be engulfed by an addicting Each episode is approximately an hour long and will continue to play at the high PHOTO BY RACHEL FINEGOLD and returning fansatstill have the opportunity to relive Netflix series, keep your eyes open for the drama filled every season has 12 episodes. The complete series is level that Westlake has played IN THE BOX: First baseman Dean McMillan takes a pitchGirl. below his knees against Agoura High School now available for instant streaming on Netflix. allJohnson. seven seasons online. world of Gossip in the past,” said
Netflix top three 10 sports score as Marmonte champs SPRING SEASON CHAMPIONS: Boys Golf- Also the CIF Northern Division Champions Boys Swimming Girls Swimming Boys Tennis Boys Track- Has two events competing for the State Championship WINTER SEASON CHAMPIONS: Boys Basketball- Co-Champions and CIF Runner-up Girls Soccer- Co-Champions FALL SEASON CHAMPIONS: Football Girls Tennis Girls Volleyball MENTIONABLE PLAYOFF RUN: Boys Volleyball- The team made a strong run in the playoffs, beating Beckham 3-2 in the first round, then beating Santa Margarita 2-1 in the second round. In the third round they were matched up against the number one team in the nation, Huntington Beach. WHS put up good fight but lost 3-0 in the quarter-finals. Softball- After making playoffs for the first time in years the team surprised everyone by making it all the way to the quarterfinals. *According to IMDB ratings.