ARROW
THE
VOLUME XXXI, ISSUE 4
Westlake High School
100 N. LAKEVIEW CANYON ROAD, WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA 91362
DECEMBER 17, 2008
Winter Gallery Sparks Art Appreciation TIFFANY LOH ASSISTANT COPY EDITOR
IN THIS
ISSUE
NEWS................................1-2 OPINION...............................3 FEATURE..........................4-5 CENTER............................6-7 ENTERTAINMENT.............8-9 SPORTS........................10-11
PHOTO BY JIMMY MOORE
The Winter Gallery, an exhibition of student art work, is on display for those who crave artistic inspiration. Hosted by the WHS Art Club, this 1st annual winter art show takes place in the library during the two weeks before winter break at lunch. The opening day was Dec. 8, and continues through the end of the week. “Everyone puts a lot of effort into this,” said Co-President Vivian Shi ’10. “It’s satisfying to be able to see people coming in to spend time looking at their artwork.” With weekly meetings during lunch and numerous hours of planning after school, members who participated in this event dedicated much time to the show. Since the beginning of the school year, the artists have refined paintings, distributed posters, and contributed to what Shi called “an extremely successful show.” The Art Club received approximately 75 submissions of artwork, including those from students who are not in the club. Such a high rate of participation fulfilled “our purpose of giving people a chance to express themselves artistically,” said Copresident Lucy Gao ’10. “We want to recognize students for their creative abilities. Just about any student can walk in and enjoy it.” This Winter Gallery was inspired from the success of the Art Club’s Spring Show of last year. While the Winter Gallery is a noncompetitive exhibition, the Spring Show was also a contest in which the top three winners received gift cards. The 150 students who came to see the show voted on the best paintings. Initially, some had been insecure about the potential success of such an event. “We didn’t know if it would attract attention,” said Shi. “But the large number of people who participated in the Spring Show made us more confident for the other shows this year.” This success prompted the library to ask the club if it could host this year’s Winter Gallery, “which we all thought was a good idea,” said Shi. With the large interest and support of WHS students for the Winter Gallery, the campus seems to be infused with a greater appreciation for the arts. “We hope that this show gives students a perspective of how much artistic talent there is in this school,” said Gao.
TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM: Coach Jim Benkert is recognized for having 164 wins, the most for a football coach in the Ventura County.
Benkert Scores as Winningest Coach JIMMY MOORE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
With his final victory in the 2008 season, Jim Benkert became the “winningest” high school football coach in Ventura County. On Nov. 21, the WHS football team defeated Oxnard to secure Benkert his 164th career victory, more than any other coach in the area. Earned under intense circumstances, the milestone came as the result of an electrifying comeback in the game’s final moments, as WHS rallied from a ninepoint deficit midway through the fourth quarter and scored a crucial touchdown guaranteeing victory with less than a minute remaining. “It was certainly one of my most gratifying wins,” said Benkert, reflecting on his team’s resilient performance against
Oxnard. With a career record of 164-70, Benkert surpassed previous record holder Jon Mack, who had 163 victories as head coach for St. Bonaventure. However, in the wake of his remarkable achievement, Benkert remains modest, crediting his success to the “excellent assistant coaches, administrators, and players” that he has worked with throughout his 20 years of coaching WHS’s football program. Since the beginning of his career, Benkert has remained loyal to WHS, declining several opportunities to coach at the college level and instead leading the Warriors to two state titles in 1999 and 2003. He considers these achievements to be just two of the many peaks that he has experienced throughout his experience coaching at WHS. Well-known and well-liked on and off
the football field, Benkert earns the respect of students and faculty members alike who are proud of his achievement. “Jim Benkert’s leadership and dedication to the students and players makes him a highly valued member of the staff. Not only is he a great football coach, but he cares about the kids and wants them all to be successful,” said Dean of Activities Nicole Funfar. “I’m extremely proud to be a part of Coach Benkert’s 164th win, but it was not just his; this was a great victory for the entire WHS football program,” said Michael Lorenzo ‘10. Although WHS was eliminated from the playoffs following a loss to Valencia on Nov. 28, Benkert chooses to look to the future with an optimistic attitude. “I’m going to prepare for the 2009 season exactly like I prepared for my first season in 1989,” said Benkert.
3 JSA Speakers Win at Fall State KYLIE BLABER OPINION EDITOR
Three WHS students won “Gavels,” or “Best Speaker Awards” at the Junior State of America (JSA) Fall State Convention held on Nov. 22-23 at LAX Airport Marriott. Club members Jesse Hu ‘11, Emilie Maddison ‘11, and Joe Sterphone ‘09 earned the recognitions by speaking on topics ranging from abortion to aid for Darfur. “You win by being voted by other people in the room,” said Sterphone. He has previously won this honor four times; Maddison has won twice. “I did win a gavel in a debate about environmental concerns trumping economic ones. It was very exciting. We were hoping for more awards, but we still did pretty well,” Maddison said. “We did more speaking than ever before,” said Club Advisor James
Azevedo. Fall State is one of three conventions that JSA attends each year. The next two will be Congress and Spring State. WHS, one of the larger schools attending, had 28 students at the convention which hosted approximately 900 students throughout Southern California. Before the convention, students chose which topics they wanted to include in this event and prepared ahead of time with full speeches and research. “I was truly amazed at how involved our JSA club was, signing up for almost 10 debate spots initially,” said Club President Adam Raudonis ‘11. In addition to being JSA chapter president, Raudonis was also elected Senator for Southern California. Every week, the club meets at lunch to discuss controversial topics or current events. Any student can join to voice his or her ideas and in turn develops speaking
skills. In the past few years, growing student interest has made JSA one of the largest clubs on campus. With such increased political activity, many rigorously prepared for the Fall State Convention. However, preparation for the event is supposed to be minimal. Planning is not required. Students can either participate, ask questions, be a main speaker, or just sit and watch. Beyond the issues debated, there were thought talks and workshops for improving speaking skills. JSA had the most participation it has ever experienced in this year’s convention. It gave students an opportunity to increase their talents. “JSA is very important because it provides the foundation for teenagers to take an active role in politics and world affairs,” Raudonis said.
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NEWS
IN BRIEF Alumni Return for “College Chat” The College and Career Center will be hosting their annual “college chat” where numerous WHS alumni will come to express their thoughts and outlooks on their college experiences so far. Alumni that will be attending on Friday, Dec. 19 are: Elana Langer (San Diego State), Katelyn Miller (Cal Lutheran), Brendan Nahmias (Chapman), Maha Syed (UCSB), Lia Woodward (USC), Sasha Yan (Washington University), and Laurel Yetter (Moorpark College). This program is reserved for seniors only and is to be held during 2nd and 3rd period. For more information, contact Cassie Urspringer, the Career Center technician.
Kaplan, Inc. and Newsweek magazine are sponsoring the annual “My Turn” essay contest, in which high school students write an original 500-1,000-word essay about a topic of choice. A student will be granted $5,000 for first-place, the second place winner will receive $2,000, and $1,000 will be awarded to eight additional students. All essays must be received by February 1, 2009. For more information and official rules, visit kaptest.com/essay.
Charity Event To Be Held at Sunrise Center A non-profit fundraiser, including a silent auction in benefit of World Vision International, will be held at Sunrise Senior Living on Dec. 20. Money donations for the silent auction will be warmly received. WHS students volunteering include Max Avruch ‘11, Neda Hajian ‘11, and Sarah Zou ‘11. This holiday program hopes to bring together the 96 senior residents, their families, and anyone in the community who would like to join the annual event.
College Financial Aid Information Night Rebecca Keenan from Cal Lutheran University will present information for seniors with questions about financial aid on Jan. 8 in the WHS library at 7:00 p.m. The night is designated for students and parents alike. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Job Shadow Applications Available for Juniors and Seniors WHS is offering a Job Shadow program for students interested in experiencing first-hand what happens during the dayto-day life of a professional in the field they would like to eventually explore. Students will visit a professional for a day on the job and gain valuable career information. Job Shadows take place during Feb. 2009, and sign-ups continue until Dec. 19 in the College and Career Center.
Music Department Celebrates Season The Westlake Instrumental Music Department showcased its three concert bands in the annual Winter Concert on Dec. 11. The evening began as the Symphonic Band opened with the piece, Carol of the Bells. Later, the Wind Symphony conjured Rush, a composition that showed its intricacies in speed and articulation. The Wind Ensemble concluded the night with Stars & Stripes for Christmas. The concert bands were under the direction of Brian Peter and Mike Gangemi. For upcoming performances, visit www.whsband.org.
Dance Team to Compete at WHS TORI SCOVILLE STAFF WRITER
tition is the category of improvisational dance solos. This category provides opportunities for the dancers to express their emotions, think of moves on the spot, and not practice any fixed routine beforehand. “WHS’s competition is a great way to start off the season because it is the best feeling to be close to friends and families while getting support from them,” said Kimberly Bielak ‘09. Competition dances include a character dance (Flamenco), two lyrical dances, with one using boxes as props (small), a quirky jazz dance (intermediate), a select few girls dancing (officers), and finally an all team dance (hiphop). “The dance team is talented, hard-working, and enjoyable to watch at rallies,” said Brian
The WHS dance team, last year’s National Grand Champions, will compete at the school for their 1st competition. Dance team’s coaches, Becky Alderson and Stephanie Dutcher, created this competitive dance organization, West Coast Elite Dance. The coaches hope to continue this competition event every year. WHS is hosting this dance competition to take place for the 2nd year in a row. The dance team has been working hard to get the dancers ready for their new season. “I’m excited for this season to begin because this team is smaller, but STEPPING IT UP: The WHS Dance team prepares for its first competition of the year the most talented team that will be held at WHS. I have had,” said Alderson. This team spends two to four hours Meade ’10. Johnsen ‘09. almost everyday preparing for their comThis dance team, unlike dance teams Ticket information will be provided by petitions. at other school , has already finished learn- Alderson closer to the competition date. “Dance requires hard work. We have ing choreography for this competition sea“This is a rewarding experience, beto practice often so we can grow as a team son. ing able to do what you love everyday,” and improve,” said team member Lindsay A new addition to this year’s compe- said Bielak. PHOTO BY LINDSAY GROSSMAN
“My Turn” Essay Contest Open to High Schoolers
December 17, 2008 • THE ARROW
Reflections Winners Go to District MAX AVRUCH NEWS EDITOR
Four WHS students won Excellence Awards at the Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center in the 2008-2009 Reflections program. This year’s theme is “Wow!” Adam Raudonis ’10, from Musical Composition, Gracie Canaan ’09 from Visual Arts, Zach Winters ’11 from Literature, and Lauren Prendergast ’11 from Dance Choreography all advanced to the next round of competition based on their Reflections performances. “It has been wonderful to see how talented WHS students are and be part of the PTSA at Westlake High where we support this program. Without PTSA volunteers, this program would not exist for the students,” said Joan Koss, the Reflections
chair and parent PTSA volunteer. Thirty-four students submitted their projects ranging from six different categories—Literature, Visual Arts, Photography, Musical Composition, Dance Choreography, and Film/Video Production. “I am pretty happy since I have entered since the 7th grade and this has been the farthest that I have gotten in this program,” said Raudonis. “I felt accomplished and surprised at winning. I didn’t expect to win,” said Canaan, who drew a graphite and color-pencil art piece for the Visual Arts category. Winters wrote his own original poem, for the Literature section, on choices in life and “liked what he wrote.” Prendergast danced lyrical style and was “really surprised about winning,” said the sophomore.
The first stage of Reflections is at the high school level, and ten winners advance to Council, which includes other winners from Thousand Oaks High. After WHS competes at Council, four students pass on to the Conejo Valley District level, and one entry is forwarded to the California State PTA. Once another selected winner is chosen from the California State PTA, that winner moves on to the National Reflections level, where one, final participant is chosen as that year’s Reflections winner. “I am looking forward to hopefully moving on to state level,” said Raudonis. Each year, students can choose the Reflections theme through the National PTA Reflections Program Theme Search. The chosen winner receives $100 and recognition for that year’s theme.
December 17, 2008 • THE ARROW
ROBERT’S REALITY: Talkin' Bout My Generation
Marching to the Beat of Their Own Drum A defense of P.E. credit for the band
ROBERT DILLON STAFF WRITER JARED ERMAN STAFF WRITER
In high school, students have many ways in which they can earn Physical Education credit. These include participation in sports, schooloffered P.E. classes, and independent study programs. However, students often debate whether or not participation in the Westlake Regiment deserves P.E. credit. Reference.com defines physical exercise as “bodily activity JUST MARCH: Band members exert more effort than meets the eye. that enhances or maintains physical Regiment is also a form of aerobic fitness and overall health.” Marching Band does exactly that. It encompasses exercise. A study conducted by the Drum all three categories of exercise, which Corps International, an organization of are flexibility, aerobic conditioning, and professional competitive marching bands, shows that drum-line members have the anaerobic exercise. Flexibility is a very important part same heart rate as marathon runners. of Regiment. “We need to maintain body Although percussionists are able to breathe control,” said mellophonist Tylar Nichols throughout the show, wind musicians do not have the freedom to do so and ‘11. Besides marching with their weight are, therefore, more aerobically strained. above their hips with perfectly straight Regiment, in addition to increasing lung spines, band members must also turn capacity, is a great test of stamina. “It’s like running a marathon for eight their upper bodies towards the football field’s press box no matter which direction minutes, but you’re constantly changing they are walking in. Band Director Brian direction and using different muscles,” Peter refers to this as the “human pretzel” added Peter. Members accomplish a significant because it requires such a flexible body.
Reform Needed in School Funding CONRAD WILTON STAFF WRITER
In the heat of the current economic crisis, California’s education has arguably suffered the most intense burns. Statewide, schools are surrendering extracurricular programs such as sports to survive the monetary drought. Some schools are even limiting the week to only four instructional days. Teachers are underpaid; per-pupil spending is ranked 46th in the nation; parents are beckoned to donate to their children’s schools, and according to the Los Angeles Times, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proposes a $4.8 billion cut in education funding this year and the next. Consequently, potential layoff notices have been issued to 20,000 teachers, librarians, nurses and other school employees. Teachers’ situations are so disheartening that newly designed shirts read “No Child or Teacher Left Behind” instead of “No Child Left Behind.” Foreign Language Department Chair Cheri Blackburn said, “restrictive funds limit any sort of professional development acquired from conferences.” Despite this, Blackburn claimed the department “has not suffered greatly; funds for paper and supplies are adequate if we are careful.” On a broader scale, Principal Ron Lipari said, “he is not sure how the shortfall will affect the school. However, all of the categorical funds are currently frozen.” According to Lipari, WHS will not have to forfeit any extracurricular programs or AP courses. According to the California Department of Finance, statewide school enrollment has dropped in recent years as
the demand for school funds has increased significantly. The presence of illegal immigration worsens an already reeling dilemma. A website created by UC Davis claims that 15% of California students are children of undocumented immigrants. Parents with unrecorded incomes are more than likely not paying taxes and thus, do not contribute to the cost of their child’s education. Essentially, the children of undocumented immigrants enjoy free education, courtesy of American taxpayers. The President of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, Dan Stein, said, “California’s addiction to ‘cheap’ illegal alien labor is posing enormous burdens on the state’s shrinking middle class tax base.” Illegal immigration is only one of the culprits. Superintendent David Brewer, the LAUSD chief, recently agreed to relinquish his status to avoid a potentially divisive battle with the school board. According to the Los Angeles Times, Brewer enjoys “$300,000 in salary, $45,000 a year for expenses, and a $3,000 monthly housing allowance.” The ultimate buyout Brewer is entitled to is estimated at $500,000. School board member Julie Korenstein claims the buyout was “ill-timed, ill-advised, and a dreadful misuse of public funds.” Throwing monetary subsidies at a growing education epidemic will not heal the disease. More attention should be paid to resourcefulness when handling school funds and whether competent teachers and quality schools are rewarded. When a school superintendent is receiving a $500,000 buyout while teachers are struggling with reduced pay, reformation is the answer.
amount of anaerobic, or isometric, exercise as well. Although the instruments may not seem heavy when lifted for only a few seconds, holding them up continuously at face-level for seven to ten minutes takes great arm strength and focus. Regiment also provides a mental challenge in addition to its physical requirements. “There are so many things you have to think about,” said Austin Asano ‘09. “You have to march, breathe, and maintain correct posture all while going really fast and staying in step.” Members must commit a lot of time to the band program. Not only do they have eight-hour summer practices for ten days, but they also participate in threehour practices three times a week, various Saturday practices, football games, and Field Competition days that can last from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Nichols added, “By the sheer effort that we put into it and the goal that it’s channeled towards, Regiment is just like any sport.” Anyone who thinks that band is just playing loudly and walking around the field has clearly been misinformed. CARTOON BY KABIR NAGARKATTI
For young people all over America, the election night of Barack Obama was a joyous occasion. Ecstatic youths shrieked at rallies and in front of television screens. Change had swept the country. Hope had overcome doubt. This was the culmination of their efforts. Like Barack said: this was their moment. On that night, no one wanted to say that maybe there wasn’t time for all this jubilation; maybe it was premature. Barack himself tried to remind the audience of all that still needed to be done and soon. But it seemed everyone was reluctant to take a reality check. Don’t get me wrong – Barack Obama shows a lot of promise, but it’s up to him to keep it. The reality is, despite the election, we live in exceedingly bleak times – especially for youth. There are innumerable problems that are afflicting the world and getting worse no matter who is in the White House. Rampant violence rages in the Middle East, Africa, and India. Americans are the enemies of much of the world. The economy of the richest nation in the world is taking a nosedive, while billionaires are being bailed out. These economic times are especially hard on youth: colleges are hard to get into and education is even harder to pay for. The environment is constantly being destroyed and the lives of people around the world will be jeopardized in the near future. That’s a term you hear a lot: “in the near future.” It’s rarely associated with something good. And problems of a different nature affect our personal lives. Electronic entertainment shortens our attention span and lets us escape from the pressing issues at hand. Electronic communication stretches thin our relationships with family and friends. Self-esteem is hard to muster in an increasingly judgmental society. If that wasn’t enough, an ancient Mayan calendar predicts that the world will end in 2012. Perhaps with the election of Sarah Palin. Dandy. 2012 – to paraphrase Thomas Hobbes, it looks like our generation’s time on this planet will not only be “brutish” but also “short.” But it may seem pointless and even obnoxious to rattle off the world’s problems. Aren’t we reminded of them everyday on the news, by our teachers, by our parents? Even when a problem dares to infringe on our lifestyle, we push it to the back of our minds. It’s understandable that the small and the short-term matters take precedence. That’s why I find it so selfish, so lazy when I hear someone say, “This is going to have to be solved by your generation.” “Maybe you could show some effort in the meantime, dude.” The burden of resolving all these issues like the national debt, social security, and the environment is too great for one generation, and it probably can’t wait that long. Those with power (usually old people) should not refuse to address the matters at this critical point and allow them to boil over while the youth does their best with what little power they have. This concept of each generation “inheriting” the world is fine if you’re over 60. When all the world’s crises are being shoved off on you, it’s not such a desirable inheritance. The current state of affairs definitely does not reflect the world I want to live in. The truth is someone will have to solve these problems, and it will very likely be us. I hope you all know what you’re doing, because I don’t have a clue.
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OPINION
THE WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL
ARROW
100 N. Lakeview Canyon Road Westlake Village, CA 91362 (805) 497-6711 ext. 4225 westlakearrow@yahoo.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jimmy Moore MANAGING EDITOR Soumya Karlamangla COPY EDITORS Jessica Kane, Carina Wolff ASSISTANT COPY EDITOR Tiffany Loh NEWS EDITOR Max Avruch OPINION EDITOR Kylie Blaber FEATURE EDITORS Dena Gallucci, Sofia Talarico ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Lisa Battaglia, Kelley Biggs, Wayne Huang SPORTS EDITORS Nikki Fay, Kayli Miletich CARTOONIST Kabir Nagarkatti ADVERTISING MANAGER Rachel Bernstein ADVISOR Caron Battaglia STAFF WRITERS Alexandra Biston, Robert Dillon, Jacob Cavanah, Frank Duan, Justin Edwards, Jared Erman, Hailey Gardiner, Annie Gerlach, Michael Italiano, Travis Rice, Tori Scoville, Sam Wexler, Conrad Wilton
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 www.whswarriors.com and click on Arrow under the Activites menu.
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FEATURE
December 17, 2008 • THE ARROW
Hamm Breaks the Ice
RACHEL BERNSTEIN ADVERTISING MANAGER
COURTESY PHOTO
From the slap shots to the hat tricks, Gregory Hamm ‘10, has spent much of his life living and breathing the game of hockey. Hamm first began ice skating when he learned how to walk at age two. Then at age five, he started playing roller hockey. Even before he could actually play, Hamm frequently went to LA Kings hockey games as a baby. Hamm has been to numerous competitions, but one of his favorites was the Stampede Tournament in Calgary, Canada in 2005. He has also been to several state tournaments. Hamm said that his biggest accomplishment came when he won number one goalie throughout California in the category of 1991 births, last year. His ice hockey team won the state tournament last year STRETCH TO THE EXTREME: Gregory Hamm pushes it to the limit to save a point. as well. “Team X is number one,” division. locations such as Toronto, Calgary, Hamm said. In 2005, his roller hockey During hockey season, Hamm travels Vancouver, Saskatchewan. team won State Wars, in which every team to several states, including Nevada, As for injuries, Hamm has suffered in the nation competed. His team beat Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts, New Achilles tendinitis, bruised ribs, and a every other team in the 1991 birth year York, and Minnesota, as well as Canadian fractured pinky.
Today, Hamm is still playing hockey and is currently playing during ice hockey season by playing for a team called Heat. On game days, he must follow a specific diet. The night before a game, he eats pasta. In the morning before, he either eats nothing at all, or something light such as a piece of fruit, and before an afternoon game, he must eat chicken for protein. Hamm practices twice a week with two hours of regular practice in the rink and on dry land, while conditioning on foot. On weekends, he has games which can vary anywhere in number from one to five. Besides hockey, Hamm enjoys playing lacrosse for the Westlake team and paintballing. Even though he likes to participate in these activities, he does not have much time for them because “it’s pretty much all about hockey,” said Hamm. Hamm summed up his feelings about hockey by saying, “the greatest part about hockey is having the whole team coming together to achieve a common goal.”
Williams Bends over Backwards
He is part of the Southern California State All-Star Team, which picks kids out of Hawaii, California, Nevada, and Arizona The pressure of the crowd, the and takes them on trips to Australia to train support of teammates, and the loud with other gymnasts. thumping heartbeat within his chest spark The previous year, Williams competed the emotions of a committed and driven with another team and landed 3rd in the gymnast. nation. Last year, he placed 2nd on the Brendan Williams ‘10 first became rings in the state. involved with gymnastics at six years old Currently, Williams is working on when his parents signed him up, and a six routines. The difficulty of the stunt coach saw depends on him and the event, recognized a c c o rd i n g h i s to Williams. potential. For the Since floor event, then, he has a roundtraveled off back all around handspring the United to a backStates, flip and one including and a halfHawaii, twists into Oklahoma a double City, Las back-flip Vegas, and is one of Michigan. the harder This movements year he he is will be EXTENSION AND FLEXION: Brendan Williams holds a postilearning competing tion to impress the judges. at the to join moment. a team that will enable him to travel to Most people hear these terms Israel. combined in one sentence and find it Williams also will be traveling to confusing, but for Williams and his friends Phoenix and Cincinnati, with the addition at the gym, it is common gymnastics of the yearly Stanford trip. jargon. Williams practices five days a week, When he is not practicing in the gym, four hours a day from 5-9 p.m. “It takes Williams enjoys other sports, such as up a lot of my time” said Williams. football, but also focuses immensely on Although there is no specific diet that studying in order to maintain good grades he has to follow, he loads up on an all for his junior year. carbohydrate diet before meets. The hardest part about gymnastics is When it comes to suffering any the work ethic. To be there every day for injuries, “I’ve been pretty lucky in that long periods of time takes a lot of effort area,” said Williams. His injuries have and commitment, which can become been minor—sprained fingers and bruises. exhausting after a while. Last year, Williams placed 13th Williams feels that he works extremely out of 800 people in the Pommelhorse hard and “not that many people are there Competition. to appreciate it.” SOFIA TALARICO FEATURE EDITOR
Though gymnastics takes an immense amount of practice and work, it does not conjure the crowds that Williams would
determine to be satisfactory. Despite these obstacles that Williams faces, he works hard and loves his sport.
COURTESY PHOTO
December 17, 2008 • THE ARROW
FEATURE
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Attention All Shoppers...
Gift Cards — Not the Gift to Give RACHEL BERNSTEIN ADVERTISING MANAGER
Brookestone, have begun offering similar merchandise. In recent years, the company began relying on the sales of its air purification devices and massage chairs. At the same time, its overall product mix has included
As the holiday season approaches, people scatter left to right to find the perfect gifts for family and friends. To avoid the hectic rush of frantic consumers a sharp increase in the sale of toys. and the stress of finding the right present, Sharper Image Corporation stopped many people resort selling its own gift to purchasing gift cards on Feb. 19 “Sharper Image used to this year, the day cards. This year, with electronics chain be my favorite store, and the the economy at an filed for Chapter all time low, gift I had five gift cards that I 11 bankruptcy. cards will not be a This stuck Sharper plausible solution to was saving to buy a mas- Image customers the yearly dilemma sage chair, but then the with $43 million of the ideal gift. in outstanding gift Considering the store closed, and now I cards. persistent economic can’t use them.” Accountants downturns, a treat gift cards as phenomenon is loans until they are Zech Manos ‘10 redeemed. looming on the Once horizon. Retail a retailer files for chains often retrench protection from by scaling back expansion plans, delaying creditors, people holding gift cards get the openings of new stores, and closing in the back of the line at bankruptcy court underperforming or redundant outlets. with unsecured creditors waiting for There is an increasing number of stores the unlikely event of a payoff. In a press closing around the nation. release, the company recommended that This winter season, retailers have card and certificate holders file a proof of announced that either they are going out of claim form with the bankruptcy court. business or closing many of their locations, “Sharper Image used to be my such as Circuit City, Ann Taylor (177 stores favorite store, and I had five gift cards nationwide), Eddie Bauer (27 stores after that I was saving for a massage chair, but January), Cache, Talbots, Disney, Bombay, then the store closed, and now I can’t use GAP (85), Zales (105 after January), Pacific them,” Zech Manos ‘10. Sunware Clothing, Sharper Image, Sprint/ It is inadvisable to purchase a gift Nextel (133), and Footlocker (140). The card. Taking a little extra time and stores listed are only a selective few that exerting more effort are more practical in are closing. these rough economic times. Sharper Image, once known for the Buying gift cards could very well be uniqueness of its product assortments, has a waste of the customer’s money because been struggling with declining sales and of the possibility that the recipient will profitability for several years as insurgent end up with nothing for a present but an multichannel competitors, such as inactive card.
Ways to Give Back for the Holidays RACHEL BERNSTEIN ADVERTISING MANAGER
As people start to look into their wallets and their hearts during tough economic times, there are still many meaningful ways to give back to the community this holiday season. During a recession it can be hard to find money in a budget to donate to charities, but there are many other ways to give back that allow people to support charitable causes throughout the year. “Every holiday season I give back, and every year I go to sing at local senior centers, because I like the warm feeling I get from helping people,” said Kelly Deneny ‘10. The holiday season is a time when people get many invitations from loved ones to come over to their homes to enjoy holiday festivities and food. Holiday entertainment includes singing Christmas carols, going to the movies, and ice skating. In addition to all of these activities, the holiday season is the time when people purchase many gifts for their friends, family, and co-workers. However, even though the holiday season is about receiving gifts and enjoying the pleasure of great food, people can also get into the spirit of giving during the holiday season. Getting into the spirit during the holidays is easy because there are many charities that people can give their money or their time in order to help others who are less fortunate. Some stores donate a portion of their holiday sales to charity to increase the impact of holiday giving while benefiting the community. One way to help others is to donate to charities in lieu of giving gifts. When people choose to do so, the charity may give the person a tax receipt for their donation.
Many companies and organizations make volunteering part of their work culture, such as Foresters, a leading fraternal benefit society that provides members with innovative life insurance products and benefits of membership. Foresters’ customers are known as members and get together locally for such projects as Habitat for Humanity homebuilds and to refurbish Ronald McDonald Houses. Last year Foresters’ members donated 950,000 hours to help more than 400 charities. Some people might be surprised at the number of items they have at home that could have tremendous value for a needy organization. Clothing and shoes are almost always needed—especially for children and women. School clothes, coats, coldweather accessories, along with furniture, are constantly in high demand. These types of donations should be clean and undamaged. Also, donating non-perishable food items that are just collecting dust in the pantry is highly appreciated to most charities. Recycling old cell phones, PDAs and even iPods, can help out a charity at the same time. One of the easiest ways is through Recycling for Charities, a nonprofit organization that allows people to donate these items for a price to be paid to the charity of their choice. A person’s old gadget is either refurbished or cleanly disposed. If a person has other electronics, such as a computer that he or she wants to donate, Goodwill and other similar organizations may take it. Volunteering for a good cause enables non-profits to handle increased demand for services, and also allows people to give back in a very personal way. No matter how much time people have to give, they will always be welcomed with open arms by those in need.
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5 1. Headphone speakers for $60 at fredflare.com 2. Ultimate Band for $49.99 at Target. 3. AT&Tʼs Blackberry Bold for $299.99. 4. Clarisonic Facial Cleanser for $199.99 at Sephora. 5. Wii Controllers for $36.99 at consolesource.com. 6. New releases The Dark Night, Step Brothers, and Mamma Mia! for $14.99 at Target.
1. Footie Pajamas for $39.99 at bigfeetpjs.com. 2. Wrap style leather watch at Urban Outfitters for $110. 3. Scarf and hood at Urban Outfitters for $38. 4. Twilight keyring/bagclip at amazon.com for $9.99. 5. Peace sign cuff bracelet for $38 at Lucky Bran Jeans. 6. Wire Letters $15 each at Pottery Barn.
Unwrapping the True Meaning of Christmas MAX AVRUCH NEWS EDITOR Millions of dollars flow into stores every year as people purpur chase Christmas gifts, ranging from a two-disc special edition Harry Potter DVD to multiple gift-certificates from commercial, brandname stores. People worry over how many gifts to buy and whom to give them to. With the emergence of more retail and commercial stores opening at extraordinary rates each year, consumerism takes a high toll on Americans. According to MSN, Americans will plan to spend about over $400 this holiday season, just on Christmas gifts. “Christmas to me definitely has a celebratory, religious aspect. I mean, it’s a time to look at the pretty Christmas lights and be with family, but there’s nothing wrong with the capitalist aspect of it,” said Patrick Nutter ’11. CNN, which brought in emails from concerned citizens across the country, asked for people’s opinions whether or not consumer consumerism is ruining the true meaning of Christmas. “I’m planning a meal to share with those I love, and am giving up shopping in honor of the true meaning of the season, peace on Earth,” said one concerned citizen, Marilyn Alexander. While there are those who believe that Christmas should be spent with family without the overwhelming number of material gifts, others feel that the gift-giving is a means of showing love. “I feel that Christmas is about gift-giving, family, and good goodness expressed through the holiday season. The whole holiday dis display with beautiful lights and Christmas trees is all part of the ex ex-
perience,” said Casey Levitt ’10. Each year, people find the balance between religion and consumerism. The economy’s current state will cause a different approach to Christmas shopping. “The best solution for a consumer right now is to buy more. It’s unrealistic to expect that, but they need to spend more money in an effort to get the economy more stable. Not many people will do this and it’s a lot to ask for, but it may be the only way to boost the economy,” said Nutter. Yet many who are fearful of spending their money, close their wallets and avoid the malls in an effort to curb spending. Financial expert Farnoosh Torabi told CNN that there are a number of ways to save amidst the Christmas shopping season. “Avoid buyer’s remorse by doing a lap before making a purchase, ask for a discount or free delivery even if the store doesn’t offer it outright, pay with cash, and shop on websites with free shipping and returns,” said Torabi. Looking for alternatives to spending, families should be attempting to modernize Christmas with their own traditions instead of focusing on the gifts. “People should keep doing whatever they are doing. If they have money, go for it, but if they don’t have enough money to spend, then do not spend the money. It’s pretty simple, for it is the person’s choice. It’s the liberty of this country,” said Levitt. Whatever the current trend or economic situation, Christmas relays a number of meanings to people. Whoever feels comfortable with what they do—whether it be gift giving, family time, mass gatherings, or all of the above, people will still enjoy the comforts that Christmas brings each holiday season.
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1. Donations from $10-$1000 to purchase an acre at www.nature.org. 2. Fruit-powered clock for $18 at Urban Outfitters. 3. Chia Pets at kaboodle.com for $17.95. 4. Solar-powered cell phone charger for $34 at Urban Outfitters. 5. Eco-usable water bottles for $14.99 at ecousable.com. 6. Reusable grocery bags for $4 bringyourown.org.
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4 1. Shu Iami ruffled shirt $48, Niki Biki black leather jacket $76 and gray Pink skinny jeans $39 at Soto. 2. Nothing Bundt Cakes $18.50 for 8-inch, $28.50 for 10-inch, and $3.99 for bundlets. 3. Air Force 1 Low Supreme for $635 at Tradition. 4. Purple purse at Frenzy for $46.
The Season To Be Green
HAILEY GARDINER STAFF WRITER
As the holidays swiftly approach, developing ecofriendly habits may not be the first thing on everyone’s minds. Unfortunately, the waste produced during the festive season increases by 25%, piling our landfills and oceans with waste from gift wrap, cards and decorations which all could have been recycled. It is time we implemented the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle to our decisions made during the holidays. When buying gifts for friends and family, opting for green products is more cost-efficient as well as creative. Approximately 2.5 million plastic water bottles are thrown away every hour in the United States. According to the Container Recycling Institute, eight out of ten plastic water bottles become garbage or end up in a landfill. More than one billion plastic water bottles end up in landfills each year, taking over 1,000 years to biodegrade. Replace plastic with stainless steel water bottles that are inert, toxin free, easy to clean, and most importantly 100% recyclable. Stylish and affordable reusable water bottles are available through ecousable.com, where you can customize them with design covers for prices ranging from $12.49$18.49. Another way to help the environment during the holiday season is to replace plastic bags with cloth or reusable bags. Our landfills are not overflowing with plastic bags because most of them end up in the ocean. According to the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation, over 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die every year from eating or getting entangled in plastic bags.
Plastic does not biodegrade unless it is incinerated so it floats on the surface of the water, trapping turtles or other sea life as they mistake it for food. The ubiquitous shopping bags were not marketed to grocery stores until the early 80s, and the oil-based products are endangering sea life and polluting our oceans. Countries around the world, such as Ireland, South Africa, Thailand, and Australia are taking an environmental stand on this issue by banning plastic bags from stores or placing an expensive tax on them. Ikea, the Swedish furniture store, charges five cents per bag, and Whole Foods is advertising their version of “BYOB”: Bring Your Own Bag. San Francisco and Oakland have also replaced plastic shopping bags with paper and reusable ones. Anna Cummins makes reusable produce bags from vintage t-shirts for $4, available at bringyourown.com. Trader Joe’s offers reusable grocery bags, which are spacious as well as convenient, and Whole foods sells similar cloth bags starting at $2. To reduce the amount of energy used through flashy holiday decorations and lights, consider switching out the tangled lights in the garage for LED lights. These lights are offered in a variety of colors and use as little as 1/160th the energy as traditional Christmas lights. LED lights are available through Target. Solar powered lights are another option, but require a slightly higher initial price. Choose to give environmentally safe products for unique and useful gifts, while assisting in making the world a little bit cleaner, one plastic bottle at a time.
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ENTERTAINMENT
December 17, 2008 • THE ARROW
Now Entering the Twilight Zone
JESSICA KANE COPY EDITOR
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The eagerly awaited film adaptation of Twilight finally hit theaters Nov. 21 and created a buzz of conflicting reviews from the fans of the multi-volume book series. After making approximately $70.5 million in its opening weekend alone, the movie rang up as the fourth-highest November opening weekend of all time. Summit Entertainment was pleasantly surprised since they estimated a profit of $35-$60 million for the first weekend for the film that cost just $37 million to produce and announced the next day that the sequel, New Moon, is now currently in production. Twilight tells the story of young Bella Swan, who has just moved away from Phoenix to live with her police officer father in the small town of Forks, Washington. However, her world is completely flipped upside down after meeting and eventually falling in love with Edward Cullen, a member of a local family of “vegetarian” vampires. Even though they know they are caught in a forbidden and dangerous romance, they cannot control the forces that seem to direct them to be together. The Romeo and Juliet-type plot between the dreamy, mesmerizing vampire, Edward, and the love-struck misfit, Bella, captivated its readers through Stephenie
HE HOLDS LOVE IN HIS FANGS: Twilight captivated audiences with the enticing romance.
Meyer’s novels, and the fans were counting the days until the movie interpretation would finally appear on the big screen. Unfortunately, disappointment hit those who hoped for the film to accurately depict the swooning romance that Meyer so eloquently illustrated through her series. “I’m so in love with the books, but I
thought the movie completely slaughtered the series,” said Bre Vergess ‘09. However, realistically her fans should have predicted that the movie could not descriptively recreate the exact chapters from the books, and that actors simply cannot be the virtual clones of what every individual fan imagined them to be.
Students, Critics Choose Dark Knight as Best Movie of the Year LISA BATTAGLIA ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
has critics even using the Oscar buzz word, an unusual recognition for an action film or actor. The film is also now available in BluRay for anyone who has not contributed to
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If the downturn in the economy has affected people’s spending, the movie industry has not yet felt the effects. Recent releases such as Twilight and Four Christmases are presently at the top of the box office, but neither was voted the top film of 2008, according to a recent poll of 370 WHS students. That recognition goes to Dark Knight. Released on DVD last week, this Batman sequel has become the second biggest money-maker of all time after Titanic. “With nonstop action and an incredible story line of pure good vs. evil, what is there not to like about The WHY SO SERIOUS?: Heath Ledger takes the role Dark Knight?” said Valerie Lee ’12. The film has now become famous Joker in the 2008 movie of the year, The Dark Knight. for Heath Ledger’s legendary last performance as the havoc-wreaking Joker. the $500 million that the film earned. “The unexpected keeps you on your Nominated for a Gloden Globe in the Supporting Actor category, Ledger is expected feet,” said Alexa Lucas ’12. In a tie for second place are Wall-E and to win one of the very few awards given to an action film. With his menacing appear- Step Brothers, both also big money-makers ance, Ledger not only stole the show but and now available on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Wall-E is America’s favorite animation of this year. When all of mankind had to leave the Earth, the last one left standing was a sweet, caring robot whose job was to recycle leftover garbage. The New York Times declared Wall-E as a “Grated, cartoon vision” of our possible extinction. These critics also said that Wall-E has “surely broken new grounds” by making $223 million. Wall-E is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray for the whole family to enjoy for the approaching holidays. Though the critics panned the next favorite film selected, WHS students found the right mix of escape and laughter when John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell became step of the brothers. Although some critics declared Step Brothers as an absurd comedy, they also found that Will Ferrell can make America laugh no matter what role he takes. Rounding off the WHS students’ favorites are Twilight, Madagascar 2, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Pineapple Express.
The representation was a toss up; certain scenes were almost identical to the way they were written—for example, the Cullen’s version of a baseball game—while others were altered, like the newer, modern Cullen home, or just completely removed all together, such as the nurse scene where Bella cuts her finger. Smaller but somewhat significant details, such as Jasper’s power or Carlisle’s history with the Volturi, were completely overlooked and not even added into the dialogue. “It wasn’t as good as I expected it to be because it didn’t have the details described in the book, but overall I still liked it and Robert Pattinson is beautiful,” said Emily Zelden ‘09. Kristen Stewart, though fitting Bella’s description extremely well, portrayed a conspicuous lack of emotion and was not entirely believable as the curious and dazzled 17-year-old character from the books. Pattinson, on the other hand, was half the reason for the enormous box office income; with his mysterious mannerisms, dark amber eyes, and charming, crooked smile, he instantly became the audience’s Edward icon. Whether or not someone is a fan of the novels, this movie is clearly one to sink one’s fangs into, but be prepared to hear the high-pitched voices of the packs of girls screaming each time their favorite character appears on screen.
Foul Christmases SAM WEXLER STAFF WRITER
Four Christmases, a film about a couple forced to visit all four of their families on Christmas Day, is a movie Santa would not even waste on the naughty kids. The movie follows Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon), a couple who has to stay with their families due to their cancelled flight to Fiji. As the couple visits from family to family, they realize that they know very little about each other and slowly drift apart. The movie is funny, but these moments are so few and scattered that the humor becomes awkward and forced. The majority of the jokes are just snappy one-liners or Brad’s older semi-pro fighters, portrayed by Jon Favreau and Tim McGraw, beating him down. Not even a cast of four high profile stars—Jon Voight, Mary Steenburgen, Robert Duvall , and Reese Witherspoon—can make this movie worth seeing. Vaughn plays himself with the sarcastic air that accompanies him in all his films. Witherspoon’s character is more annoying than funny, and the couple’s chemistry, like the movie, is par at best.
The Best Is Yet To Come For 2008 KELLEY BIGGS ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Dog lovers will enjoy Marley and Me. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston play a couple forced to deal with a troublesome Labrador retriever. Later they realize that the dog makes this family whole. This heart-warming movie will open Dec. 25. Revolutionary Road (Dec. 26) deals with a young couple trying to find fulfullment in an age of conformity. Trapped in a world of encoded conventions, they dream without faith, as lies and self-deceptions build to explosive consequences. Defiance is about four Jewish brothers who escape the Nazi camps. After fleeing to a remote forest, the brothers join the ranks of the Russian resistance fighters, who take up arms to help set other Jews free from the Nazi regime of imprisonment, torture and murder. This World War II drama can be seen Dec. 31.
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Shopping for gifts or packing to get on an airplane are not the only ways to celebrate Christmas. Listed below are some movie hits coming out during winter break, some of which are now nominated for Academy Awards. Seven Pounds (Dec. 19) is about Ben Thomas (Will Smith), who due to a tragic accident in his past, sets out to redeem himself through his interactions with seven strangers. This movie is an honest and emotional story. Jim Carrey is back at the box office on Dec. 19 as the star of this new comedy Yes Man. The movie is about a guy whose life is going nowhere—the operative word being
“no”—until he signs up for a self-help program based on one simple covenant: say “yes” to everything and anything. This soon turns his life around with a promotion at work and a new love life, but this opportunity just might be too much of a good thing. Benjamin Button (played by Brad Pitt) is a man born in his 80s. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Dec. 25) is a tale of a notso-ordinary man who encounters diverse people and places, while discovering along the way, love, joy, sadness, and lasting experiences. Bedtime Stories (Dec. 25) is about a worrisome architect (Adam Sandler) who gradually begins to realize that the imaginative bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew are somehow beginning to manifest themselves in the real world.
WORST DOG EVER?: Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston share a walk on the with their dog, Marley.
December 17, 2008 • THE ARROW
ENTERTAINMENT
Killers Enter a New Day & Age ANNIE GERLACH STAFF WRITER
Britney Puts On a Show CARINA WOLFF COPY EDITOR
The Queen of Pop has returned, and this time she seems to have made a full recovery from her string of bizarre emotional breakdowns. Britney blends her trendy techno tunes with sounds similar to those on her earlier CD’s. The new release is reminiscent of the day when Britney Spears, basking in her fame and success, was a household name, famous for her stunningly shocking performances and coyly played innocence. THE RINGLEADER: Britney returns with a modern spin on her In contrast to her beloved pop sound. previous album, Blackout, this one has many more soft sounding ballads with surprisingly Those who enjoy softer ballads similar touching lyrics, which are especially easy to her previous hit “Everytime” will be to relate to given the background of her enticed by her unique love songs such recent turmoil. However, Britney does as “Unusual You” and “Blur,” creative not fail to balance loud dance numbers mixes of gentle singing and electronically with retro softies, all strung together with synthesized background beats. innovative pop-sounding electric beats and It is clear that Britney’s voice is synthetic instrumentals. intensely edited, synthesized, and repaired With her single “Womanizer” already in every way possible, but this is pop a number one hit, Britney’s other dance music in its prime. Those crazy Spice Girl club tracks on her album are sure to please and Backstreet Boy fans who grew up in her diehard fans. ”If You Seek Amy” and the peak of 90’s pop will be sure to love “Circus” are addictive electro tunes created this CD, as it is a more modern, mature for those music blasting teenage girls who version of the pop that Britney first entered first rocked out to “Baby One More Time” the scene with. Those who enjoy her CD and have musically matured with age, in should also look to getting tickets to her the pop world, that is. 2009 Circus tour.
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In a world of bubble-gum pop, Disney tween idols, and lip-syncing has-beens desperately trying to stage a comeback, it is refreshing to know that rock and roll is still prevalent. Namely, it lives on through the unique sounds of Las Vegas quartet The Killers, who released their fourth album, Day & Age, on Nov. 24. The album’s first single, “Human,” achieved instant success effortlessly, already landing a spot on VH1’s “Top 20 Video Countdown” and circulating nonstop on numerous radio stations. “Human” is a prime example of what The Killers do best—synthesized, nostalgic ‘80s pop-rock songs that undoubtedly remain hits on dance floors across America. Lead singer Brandon Flowers stated that the album is a “continuation” of 2006’s Sam’s Town, saying “It’s like looking at Sam’s Town from Mars.” Day & Age is obviously a throwback as well to 2004’s Hot Fuss, the album which put the band on the road to superstardom with iconic singles such as “Mr. Brightside” and “Somebody Told Me.” Its newest album also combines influences such as David Bowie, Elton John, and New Wave music to produce a mesh of different experiments that are just plain addictive. Day & Age starts out incredibly strong. The first four songs (“Losing
Touch,” “Human,” “Spaceman,” and “Joy Ride”), with their techno-electronic undertones, complement each other perfectly and set the bar extremely high for the remaining tracks. But the fact that the album has little cohesion, save the band mates recording it, becomes apparent with the first few bars of “This is Your Life,” a song that startles and even annoys with its tribal-dance vibes and ridiculous chanting. A band’s worst nightmare, the dreaded mid-album lull, thus begins, but The Killers are mercifully saved with “Neon Tiger” and “The World We Live In.” While these two fail to rekindle the in-your-face perfectionism of the first few tracks, they leave one eager to press ‘repeat.’ “Goodnight, Travel Well” completes the album; the title is fitting for a final song since the haunting tune stays with the listener long after it finishes, but not necessarily in a good way. Overall, the album is one of The Killers’ better experiments. Some songs probably should have been saved for another album, but a substantial amount of dance-floor-thumping beats make up for it in the end. Day & Age fails to live up to the splendor that was Hot Fuss—but then again, that first album had a lot to live up to. Still, there is plenty of talent left in The Killers, and they will continue to parade the rock and roll banner with pride and originality for many more albums to come.
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SPORTS
December 17, 2008 • THE ARROW
Band of Brothers Closes Season in 2nd Playoff Round NIKKI FAY SPORTS EDITOR
PHOTO BY NATALYA SIVASHOV
WHAT TO DO?:The Band of Brothers looks to Coach Benkert for direction during their last playoff game against Valencia High School.
After a season that would test any team’s strength and focus, WHS ended its football season with a loss to Valencia. In the first round of the playoffs, the Band of Brothers came out with a narrow win against Oxnard High School taking the game by only one point with a score of 36-35. During the Warriors’ home game against Valencia, they were defeated 55-26 which kicked them out of the playoffs. “I was mostly sorry for the seniors,” said varsity quarterback Nick Isham ‘11, “It was their last chance to be on the football field during high school.” While the Warriors will have this year’s successful tailback Tavior Mowry ‘11 to rely on for points next year, they will be losing their main receiver, James De La Cerna ‘09. “The game against Valencia was a rough game to play and to watch,” said De La Cerna, who has been Westlake’s main scorer this
season. “It was a hard way for us seniors to end our season at Westlake.” De La Cerna, who has been on varsity since his junior year, ends this season excited to move on with his football career but reluctant to leave his team. “This year was really fun, but I am definitely going to miss my team. It’s hard to think that I won’t be playing with them anymore,” said De La Cerna. “For most of us, this was where we started playing football, so it is definitely hard to leave.” De La Cerna plans to continue his football career at the University of San Diego or Hawaii. “Even though the year is over, we will always be the Band of Brothers,” said De La Cerna, “I wish the best of luck to the guys next year, I know that they will do really well.” Though WHS will be losing many of its starting seniors, it will not be left without a strong, athletic football team next year. “I expect to go even farther next year than we did this year,” said Isham. “It’s unfortunate that we are losing all of the seniors, but there will be a lot of athletic sophomores and big freshmen who are going to play next year, so I think that we will do well.”
Boys Cross Country Crosses State Finish Line in 6th Place ROBERT DILLON STAFF WRITER
WHS boys’ cross-country cemented its successful season with a 6th place finish at State Finals in Fresno on November 29. The varsity boys competed against 23 other teams in their Division II race at the 5K Woodward Park course where temperatures were cool and conditions were ideal. On the relatively flat course, Garret Drogosch ’09 led the squad with a time of 16:06 and an overall finish of 45th place, followed in order by Sam Demello ’10, Marcus Lam ’10, Jonny Miller ’11, Scott McAfee ’09, Tim Witwer ’10, and Tim Snyder ’11. A significant factor in their success was that many of the athletes cut their times by between 20 and 30 seconds. The runners also tightened their pack with an 18-second time gap between the first and fifth runners and a 49-second time gap between the 1st and 7th runners. These improvements led to a team time of 1:21:16 and an average of 16:16.
James McAfee ’10, a teammate and potential varsity followed by a 3rd overall finish at Section Finals. runner, accompanied the team to Fresno and enjoyed Entering State Finals, the team was ranked 4th in the watching them race. State, but the 6th place finish was “It’s a great experience and by no means disappointing. now we know what we have to “It’s a great experience and “We were all very pleased do to come back next year,” said with the way things turned out,” McAfee. Runner Witwer valued now we know what we have said Coach Snyder. the chance “to compete with some to do to come back next The last time the WHS boys of the best athletes in the state.” made their way to Fresno was in But reaching the State meet year.” 2004 when the team finished 5th. was not simple. The Marmonte Though they scored one place League and Southern Section are James McAfee ‘10 better, that year’s team time was some of the most competitive about one minute slower than this in the state and this season was year’s, showing a general increase “one of the toughest I’ve seen in years,” noted Coach Joe in the level of competition locally and statewide. Snyder. In Coach Snyder’s eyes, there is a bright future for the At League Finals, the team finished 3rd, one spot program. ahead of the cutoff to progress to Section Prelims. At “We have five guys from this team returning and that meet, they beat Simi Valley, a team they had lost to several others we have high hopes for next year,” said earlier in the season. At Prelims, WHS earned 4th overall Snyder.
Sibling Rivalry Brings Heat to Soccer Field
PHOTO BY CARINA WOLFF
He hopes to continue playing with the National Team and aspires to play on Division I College teams at UCLA or UCSB, Cory Miller ‘12, arrived on the WHS some of the elite Western schools. He’s working on graduating with all scene attempting to earn a spot on the boys’ varsity soccer team during his first honors and hoping to receive a scholarship. year. His pursuit paid off, and he is now Getting on the Westlake Varsity Soccer team is the first step in achieving his goal. the only freshH i s man on the biggest chalboys varsity lenge this year soccer team. is facing opMiller has ponents who played socoverpower cer for about him in size seven years. and strength, Throughout but working his soccer caaround this reer, he has problem is just played with another way the Real Sothat Miller disCal, U.S. Naplays his soccer tional Team, expertise. the Olympic "I need to Development have a quick Program, Rementality in gion IV, and YOUNG GUN: Cory Miller joins boys varsity soccer as a order to exis now on the freshman. cel and overWHS varsity come chalsoccer team. lenges like size “My life is built around soccer,” said and weight." Miller explained. Miller. Miller wishes to go to Europe because Although Miller’s soccer career takes up much of his time, he still maintains his of the significantly higher level of play and competition. education as an honor student. Miller takes few rests in order to acMiller’s Real SoCal soccer team is going to Development Academy. Playing on complish his many goals. “I eat, sleep, and breathe soccer,” said the team means that he will be playing at a higher level, and this new system may Miller. "The easiest part of the game is when prevent Miller from playing high school the whole team is on the same page and we play well with each other," Miller said. soccer. FRANK DUAN STAFF WRITER
PHOTO BY CARINA WOLFF
with teammates four years older than she is. “I’m getting used to the aspect of it,” Riazi replied. At first, she did not believe that she Bianca Riazi ’12 will join sister Sara Riazi ’10 this year on the girls varsity was good enough to make varsity as a soccer team. She is one of three freshman freshman. The level of competition that Riazi will girls who made experience this the team. year is much For as long higher than she as Bianca has has previously been playing played in. soccer, which The pressure has been since to perform will she was four undoubtedly years old, she test her and Sara have confidence always been level, but Riazi extremely feels extremely competitive, welcomed by especially when the returning they got to play varsity players. at higher levels. “She is “ W e ’ v e bonding well always been with everyone competitive on the team,” against each f e l l o w other,” Bianca teammate said, “but our Mary Case ’11 coach said that TALENTED YOUTH: Bianca Riazi is one of the youngest said about her we have to be members of the varsity soccer team. new teammate. nice to each “She is wellother during respected by everybody on the team.” the season.” Bianca has high expectations this Sara set the standard for her younger sister her freshman year by making the season, not only for herself, but for her varsity team, which gave the competitive new team as well. “I just want to do my best out there. Bianca reason to do the same. However, both sisters do not plan to let this interfere To be successful we need to have a well -rounded team, we need to have good with what they do best. Bianca faces the challenge of playing sportsmanship from every player.” JACOB CAVANAH STAFF WRITER
Freshman Scores Goals On and Off the Field
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SPORTS
December 17, 2008 • THE ARROW
Senior Hess Heats Up Warrior Basketball Court TRAVIS RICE STAFF WRITER
PHOTO BY RACHEL BERNSTEIN
ALL-STAR PERFORMER: In the first nine games this season, Alec Hess is averaging 20.3 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.
If you have been to a boys varsity basketball game in the past two years, odds are you have heard the name Alec Hess ‘09 echoed throughout the gym by the announcer. The senior has been a cornerstone in the basketball program’s success for the past two seasons, and this year the team will rely on him once again. As a junior, Hess was 3rd team AllMarmonte League and received Honorable Mention for the All-County Team. In addition, Head Coach Tom Donahue was really impressed with Hess’ lead of 102 blocks in the county last year. “That’s a pretty amazing statistic if you think about it. He led the county as a junior,” said Donahue. Unlike most high school basketball players who usually look up to a profes-
sional athlete such as Kobe Bryant or Lebron James, Hess finds his inspiration on the court from a teacher. “I model my play after Ventura High great, Matthew Baldwin,” said Hess. “He was a versatile post-player that could lock down opposing players with his defense.” Hess’ impenetrable defense makes him one of the most feared defenders and shot blockers in the league. “He has the perfect body type for basketball; he has long arms and he can jump,” said Donahue, “and he is just an outstanding player.” Being the only player from last year’s varsity roster does not seem to bother Hess, who has accepted his role as the team leader. “I am the team captain,” said the usually soft-spoken senior. “I’d really like to lead the team to a league championship this year and make a deep run in the playoffs.”
Concern for the center rose earlier this November when Hess was forced to sit on the sidelines for a foot injury that was thought to keep him out for the beginning of the season. Now recovered, Hess explained, “It was just a bruised heel and it won’t be a factor.” Hess, who has several Cal State schools pursuing him and his basketball talent, will certainly play at the next level in college. “All he needs to do is work on his ballhandling a little bit and he should be set,” said Donahue. Although nine seniors, including four starters, graduated last year, Hess remains optimistic about this season’s squad. “The team is looking sharp,” said Hess, who is backed up by seniors James De La Cerna, Cole Gauthier, and Justin Silber, as well as Mark Friedman ‘10 and Nick Zavala ‘11.
Seniors Swim into H2O Polo Season
JUSTIN EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
The squad recently took part in the 36team Mistletoe Tournament and placed 7th, winning three out of its total five games against San Luis Obispo, Chatwick, and El Segundo.
drivers. The team hopes to rely on its versatile and interchangeable starters Christensen, Ghaemi, Amy LeFevre ’10, Brehm, McNutt, Thomas, and Roxanne Mula ‘10. O’Kelly also starts occasionally, depending
on the game. “McNutt is amazing and always has some trick up her sleeve, and Ghaemi has a cannon-like shot,” said Brehm. The girls will play TOHS on Dec. 18 at WHS.
the main contributing players, suffered an injury to her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and has only recently recovered from surgery. But even with these unfortunate occurrences, the WHS girls are determined to strive for success in their season. Finishing 5th in the Marmonte League last year, the varsity team is looking forward to competing against long-time rivals such as Thousand Oaks and Royal in order to improve its standing. Although TOHS and RHS, who both
finished in the top three in league last year, are extremely tough and still have most of its returning players, the team is optimistic about playing against them. “Our main strength is our defense, particularly Walker,” said Burr. “Our main weakness is that we have no height on our team, but the girls are able to make that up with their physical play.” As the first games of the season against Oxnard, Rio Mesa, and Ventura approach, the girls are drilling and practicing relentlessly to achieve their goals.
“We definitely have a lot of work cut out for us,” said Burr.
PHOTO BY SUZIE MEYER
The girls varsity water polo team is flooded with seniors this year. Hoping to earn a spot in the CIF tournament are seniors Amanda McNutt, Courtney Thomas, Caitlyn Christensen, Aria DiGiovanni, Faryar Ghaemi, Julie Miller, Emma Carson, Emily Tillett, Lindsay O’Kelly, Nicole Yatim-Boston, Alyse Brehm, Elizabeth Waller, Brooke Hubbard, and April Hubbard. “I think we get along very well. Even if we don’t all hang out outside of practice, we still have a great time when we’re together and I hope we do well,” said Christensen.
The girls have a current record of three wins and three losses, however, the league matches have not started. “Hopefully, we’ll be strong. We really want to make CIF, and I think it would be really great for the team to do it,” said Ghaemi. Some examples of the team’s hard work and passion for the sport include putting extra effort into practice, doubling practices before and after school, enduring “Hell Week,” carrying water polo balls around campus, and focusing on fundamentals that are necessary for winning their games. “The extra pool time has definitely helped condition us for the season, and the fact that we have to carry water polo balls around school helps us mentally as it constantly reminds us of our season ahead,” said Brehm. The team consists of sets, guards, a goalie, and the most active swimmers, the
PASS IT ON: Amy LeFevre throws a pass over an opponent’s outstretched arm.
Girls Basketball Looks to Score with New Talent
TIFFANY LOH ASSISTANT COPY EDITOR
Practice has been the driving motto for the WHS girls varsity baskeball team. Training steadily for two and a half hours each day, the team is excited and prepared for a competitive season. Although eight seniors graduated the previous year, many new young and talented players have risen up to contribute to the team. “[The girls] cooperate very well and work hard,” said Coach Will Burr. “They are definitely developing chemistry.” Besides doing drills for their techniques on the basketball courts, the girls also condition and lift weights to increase their endurance. Though these practices are “extremely demanding and intense,” Co-Captain Austin Walker ‘09 said that “all the time we spend together has made us a family on and off the court.” With such dedication and commitment, Burr hopes that the girls can successfully compete at league championships and qualify for CIF playoffs. However, this year, there have been some setbacks to the girls varsity basketball. Among Burr’s concerns is the fact that there are only two returning players from last season, Co-Captains Walker and Taylor Ignoto ‘10. Although new players, such as Delaney West ‘11, have talent and promise, “it is still a very different team from last year’s,” said Burr. In addition, Chantal Hart ‘10, one of
Schedule: 12/17 TOHS at 7 p.m. 12/19 Palisades HS at 5:30 p.m. 12/20 Arieta HS at 12 p.m. 12/22 Cleveland HS at 1:30 p.m. 12/23 Snowball Tournament 12/26-30 Bell-Jeff Tournament
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December 17, 2008 • THE ARROW