01.16.09

ARROW

THE

VOLUME XXXI, ISSUE 5

Westlake High School

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

U.S. News Ranks WHS Among Best High Schools

Into the

KYLIE BLABER OPINION EDITOR

Wild

COURTESY PHOTO

WHS was recognized as a silver medal school this year, by the U.S. News & World Report.

Every year, the publication releases an annual “America’s Best High Schools” edition, analyzing more than 21,000 schools in 48 states and ranking them.

The top 100 schools received the “gold medal” status, and the next 504 schools receive the “silver medal” status.

This year it used a new methodology. The ranking is based on standardized test performances, Advanced Placement courses, the classes students take, their scores and the proficiency rates, and demographics.

“This is the first year I’ve seen it done this way. It’s usually done differently,” said Steve Lepire, Assistant Principal of Instruction.

Studies like these reveal to students the importance of their standardized test scores, such as those from STAR. Results show to parents, the community, and the county that schools are accountable.

Receiving distinctions establishes a school’s reputation and helps students when they apply to college.

WHS was up against not only public schools, but also private and magnet schools, many smaller in population.

“Our population of students is a lot more diverse because we just take everyone within a specific area, which makes the achievement more of an honor,” said Lepire.

Thousand Oaks High School was the only other Conejo Valley Unified School District school to earn a silver medal recognition.

JANUARY 16, 2009

IN ANOTHER COUNTRY: Sarah Miller’s travels to Nepal inspired her film, which highlighted the differences between life in Nepal and America.

Alumna’s Documentary Earns Award ALESSANDRA CATANESE ONLINE MANAGER

WHS alumna Sarah Miller ‘08 was one of five to win the annual Goldman-Sach’s and Asia Society’s International Youth Scholarship Award for her documentary film on life in Nepal. This contest challenged participants to compare two societies in today’s world in a short film or essay.

Asia Society, a global organization working to “strengthen relationships... among people, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States,” flew Miller out to New York City. She and the four other winners accepted their $10,000 scholarships during the dinner, among numerous prestigious guests.

Miller was originally in Nepal on a trip with a non-profit organization called Regenerate, a group created by teenagers who want to warn others of the number one teen-killer: car accidents.

Regenerate was originally founded by Miller’s family and has hosted assemblies for WHS in the past on the risks of hazardous driving for teens, as well as many other pressing issues high school students deal with.

Regenerate creates Public Service Announcements “for the teens by the teens,” which have been broadcasted on public television, radio, and the internet.

With her father, older brother, and aunt already involved in the filmmaking profession, Miller quickly acquired the skills of film production and editing at

a young age and made her first movie at the age of nine.

A Chilean activist brought Miller’s father a human rights video, informing them of Nepal’s desperate situation. Regenerate then flew to Nepal to begin filming a new documentary called “Human Rights Violations and Enforced Disappearances,” during Nepal’s election time in April 2008.

“When I got back from Nepal, everything here was so beautiful and extravagant,” Miller explained.

Miller’s father was sent a link to Asia Society’s contest through a Regenerate email.

After reading over the contest information, Sarah began putting together her footage from Nepal and comparing it with her own world.

“I was jealous of how much family time they spend together out there compared to most people out here,” Miller admitted.

Miller’s video included many scenes of the destitute and distress most of the natives lived in, but more importantly, brought out the spirit and whole-heartedness of the citizens of Nepal.

Currently, Miller is continuing to work with Regenerate on a film project entitled “My Suicide,” about a teen battling with suicidal emotions.

This film will show at the Berlin Film Festival in Germany, the South by Southwest Festival in Texas, and the Gen Art Festival in New York.

Snyder Honored As XC Coach of the Year ROBERT DILLON STAFF WRITER

PHOTO BY ROBERT DILLON

HARD WORK REWARDED: Joe Snyder encourages track members.

Coach Joe Snyder has been honored as 2008 Coach of the Year by the Ventura County Cross Country Coaches. Snyder was presented with a certificate at the end-of-season meeting on Dec. 8 that also honored Sam DeMello ’10 and Garret Drogosch ’09 as All-County runners. Westlake is a Division II school in the Marmonte League.

Michelle Burns, a coach from Buena High School, nominated Snyder for the award. Of all the nominees, Snyder won the most votes from his fellow coaches.

“It was a surprise,” said a humble Snyder.

This is the first time Snyder has achieved the recognition in his 13 years of coaching crosscountry and track and field at WHS. As to what influenced his fellow coaches’ decision, Snyder cited the team’s landmark season and said, “Our team basically came from being unranked to being 3rd at CIF Section Finals and 6th in the state.” The team traveled to Woodward Park in Fresno to run in the State Championships last November.

The team’s performance along with Snyder’s dedication made the award inevitable, according to Assistant Principal Nicole Funfar Snyder was also very grateful for the “great coaching staff.”

Snyder is joined by coaches Troy Burns, Gloria Rios, Chad Scott, wife Cheryl Snyder, and son Joey Snyder. Burns teaches science at Colina Middle School and Scott is a WHS math teacher.

“When you’re around good people, good things happen,” said Snyder.

Snyder’s award is the culmination of one of the most impressive WHS cross-country seasons in recent years.

According to Principal Ron Lipari’s, it is also a well-earned recognition. Snyder, whose career as a coach and physical education teacher spans some 30 years, is “a fine role model for our students and our athletes,” said Lipari.

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NEWS

January 16, 2009 • THE ARROW

IN BRIEF

Final Exam Schedule

‘Poetry Out Loud’ Contest To Be Held in Library

Tuesday, January 20 6:54 - Passing Bell 7:00 - 9:00 - Period 1 Final 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

Students who wish to recite poetry will present two poems selected from Poetry Out Loud-sponsored material.

Some strategic areas of focus include word-for-word recitation, physical presence, and voice projection. One winner and one alternate will be chosen as the tryouts begin Jan. 27 at 6:30 p.m., in the WHS Library. For more information, see Librarian Julie Speerstra.

Wednesday, January 21 7:54 - Passing Bell 8:00 - 10:00 - Period 2 Final Exam 10:00 - 10:14 - Break/Passing Time 10:20 - 12:20 - Period 3 Exam

Instrumental Music Department To Host Event at Canyon Club

Literary Chronicles Seeks Student Art and Poetry Literary Chronicles—WHS’s literary magazine—is seeking student submissions of art, photography, poems and short stories to be published in a school magazine.

Submissions must be turned into Advisor Peggy Schlehner’s room 42B by Feb. 21.

Each student may turn in an unlimited number of pieces from any category.

Advanced Anatomy To Present Annual Talent Show On Feb. 20, the Advanced Anatomy students will be putting on their annual talent show. They will perform various skits, with some individual and smaller group singing. It will take place in the WHS Theater from 7-9 p.m. Tickets are $7.00 and can be purchased from any current Anatomy student. Proceeds go to the Advanced Anatomy program.

PHOTO BY ADAM RAUDONIS

WHS Instrumental Music Department will be holding a Silent Auction and Dinner Dance at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills on Feb. 8 to raise money for the upcoming events in the year. The Silent Auction will start at 4:30 p.m., and dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. For more information, contact WHSIMD.

Thursday, January 22 7:54 - Passing Bell 8:00 - 10:00 - Period 4 Final Exam 10:00 - 10:14 - Break/Passing Time 10:20 - 12:20 - Period 5 Exam Friday, January 23 7:54 - Passing Bell 8:00 - 10:00 - Period 6 Final Exam 10:00 - 10:14 - Break/Passing Time 10:20 - 12:20 - Period 7 Final Exam

HITTING THE BOOKS: Tony Jin crams in a few more pieces of information before competing with the AcaDeca team at Pacifica High School.

Aca Deca Turns Page on Day One IRIS YAN FEATURE EDITOR

With an increase in members, the WHS Academic Decathlon team competed in Day One of the competition at Pacifica High School in Oxnard on Jan. 10.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Decathletes participated in the three events of the competition: interview, speech, and essay.

In refering to the competitive nature of the team, Aca Deca coach Joe Nigro said, “Our recruiting strength has increased to the point where getting on the team is more competitive; therefore, we have a group of dedicated individuals who had to earn their positions.”

“We also have a group of naturally gifted writers, speakers, and mathematicians,” he added.

This year’s A Team consists of the following people: Yi Cao ’09, Kimberly Ha ’10, Roy Hu ’09, Tony Jin ’10, Jason Oberg ’09, Lynne Qiu ’09, Karen Tsai ’10, Eric Schroer ’10 and Will Smith ’09.

Like last year’s competition, the students completed their speeches and interviews in front of three judges.

The essay was based on the books Bless Me Ultima and Evolutionary Biology.

Day Two of the competition will take place on Feb. 7, and the Decathletes are preparing for the objective tests which consist of economics, math, language and literature, art, music, social science, and the super quiz.

This year’s theme is Latin America with a particular focus on Mexico.

In previous years, the A team placed 3rd in their division while the B team

placed 2nd in their division.

If the A team places 2nd or higher this year, they will be in the position to participate in the state competition.

“I don’t want to sound too optimistic, but judging from our scrimmage scores we have a solid chance at making it to the state level competition; therefore, this would be the first time that I’m aware that the school has ever made it to that level for Aca Deca,” said Nigro.

For some students, Aca Deca has helped build strong study habits.

“Before Aca Deca, the only things I would accomplish were Facebook and procrastination of homework for school.

But when I began taking the class, I found that I needed to (and would) sit down for sometimes hours and study,” said Jesse Hu ’10.

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OPINION

January 16, 2009 • THE ARROW

SAT: Not the Test It Used to Be TIFFANY LOH ASSISTANT COPY EDITOR

CARTOON BY LUCY GAO

It is more terrifying than some of the scariest horror movies. Lurking in the back of students’ minds, it causes them endless anxiety and many sleepless nights. Their worst nightmare: the SAT. After the first administration of the test in 1926, this nationwide exam has set the standard for college admissions.

The exam has always been viewed as a reliable test of one’s academic abilities, accurate in distinguishing elite students and categorizing them into the top universities.

However, in 2005, as a result of controversies surrounding the SAT’s bias toward minority groups, College Board revised this exam in an attempt to improve the test’s assessment of students’ intelligence levels.

The old SAT included two sections, verbal and math, which were worth 800 points each. Now, the new SAT has replaced the analogy questions in the verbal section with more reading comprehension questions. They also removed quantitative comparisons from the math section while adding a new writing portion with a timed essay.

Thus, with three new sections worth a total of 2400 points instead of the original 1600, the College Board believed itself to have placated the critics.

But recently, many have again started to question America’s dependence on such a standardized test for determining a student’s level of intelligence.

“The SAT is more a measure of students’ testtaking skills,” said Richard Atkinson, the president of the University of California.

“Students are wasting valuable time inside and outside the classroom preparing for the test, time that could be better spent learning history, geometry, or English,” he said.

This view has been increasingly shared by many others who claim that the SAT does not provide equal opportunities for the less wealthy.

Monty Neille, IT PAYS TO STUDY: Students spend up to $100 million nationally on SAT prep mateexecutive director rials every year. of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, of getting into a top university.”

‘10. stated that the test favors “more According to the Center, stuIn addition, many think that, privileged students” who have dents spend approximately $100 despite the argument for a high access to better learning environ- million on SAT prep materials school curriculum-based test, ments. each year. In addition, studies students should be evaluated by Among the many endeav- have shown that children from their abilities to think critically. ors that these students make to wealthy familites generally score Even if the SAT is not a perfect increase their scores, taking SAT better on the exam. exam, they believe that it is caprep classes is perhaps the most However, even with the un- pable of accurately asessing the controversial issue which spurs fairness that many feel about the students. critics to denounce the exam’s SAT, some students still believe But regardless of these conpartiality. that the test is a good indication troversies, the SAT continues to “SAT prep classes are equiv- of one’s abilities and strengths. remain an accepted test for colalent to buying points for the “The SAT tests your funda- lege admissions. So for now, SAT,” said Lucy Gao ‘10. “The mental skills and presents ques- whether or not students agree more expensive a tutor you can tions that force you to think out- with these debates, the exam is hire, the more chances you have side the box,” said Vivian Shi here to stay.

Colleges May Offer SAT As Optional Exam STELLA FANG STAFF WRITER

Countless students spend money on SAT prep courses and books just to achieve a high score on this infamous test. The majority of these students are only putting so much effort and energy into this exam to get into a good college.

The SAT has been the standardized test for college admissions for more than 100 years, but its success has slowly declined. Therefore, many colleges are considering making the SAT optional on college admissions, for fear of excessive costs and studying.

The National Association for College Admissions Counseling said that they re-

alize that the SAT is not the best option for some students, including minorities and financially challenged families.

Studies have found that family income has greatly affected the child’s SAT score through the amount of preparation a student gets from books, tutors, classes, and practice SATs. Currently, the SAT costs $45, and a prep class may charge up to $100 per lesson.

Even if the SAT does become optional, colleges will still require entrance exams to determine the student’s academic knowledge. However, these exams will be free and more related to the high school curriculum.

These new tests would abate the vigorous studying for students and would

not be a burden on financially struggling families.

“I think that taking a college entrance exam would be geared more towards the interests of the individual versus a national standarized test,” said Lily Martyn ‘10.

About 100 colleges have already made the SAT optional, including Smith College, Wake Forest, and Bates College. These schools claim that the admissions process has become more individualized, focusing on individual achievements rather than a standardized test taken by everyone.

Only when colleges react to this new policy, will students discover if they will be excessively preparing for the SAT during the next couple of years or focusing more on their other studies.

ACT an Alternative for Students IRIS YAN FEATURE EDITOR

The ACT has seemed to lurk in the shadow of the SAT ever since it was first administered in the fall of 1959 by Everett Franklin Lindquist as a competitor for the College Board’s Scholastic Aptitude Test.

The most conspicuous discrepancies between the two tests are the optional essay section and the science section.

Some people may prefer the shorter ACT test of three hours, 25 minutes without the writing test in contrast to the SAT test of three hours, 45 minutes.

As for the structure of the ACT, the content tested is not exactly the same as that of the SAT. While the SAT contains three main sections of critical reading, mathematics, and writing, the ACT is divided into four multiple choice tests with an optional fifth section of an essay.

The first section of the test is reserved for English, which mainly focuses on mechanics and rhetoric skills. While the math section of the ACT focuses on beginning algebra skills that are similar to those on the SAT, it also has additional questions regarding advanced trigonometry. The third section of the ACT tests reading skills and asks questions related to arts and literature. The final section, the science section, deals with evaluation and problem solving. Lastly, there is an optional essay which parallels the SAT’s essay in terms of length and testing writing ability.

In addition to the structural differences, the ACT may also provide a welcome contrast to the SAT. The ACT has no penalty for wrong answers whereas the SAT stipulates a quarter point subtracted per wrong answer.

In addition, the ACT allows the

test-taker to decide which score to send, whereas the all the SAT scores will be sent automatically. The SAT is scored out of 2400 while the ACT is scored on scale of 1 to 36.

As a plus, the optional essay can add points to one’s score, and unlike the SAT, no points are detracted for wrong answers.

The most often asked question of any high school student may be: “Which test will I score better on?”.

Researchers believe that the SAT is designed more for documenting a student’s ability and knowledge in how to take a test and look for patterns, while the ACT is more of an observation of what one has learned in high school.

But in response to that question, the Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions advises that the best way to discover the better test for an individual is to take at least one practice test of each exam.

“The skills we learn to do well on the SAT have no other practical application to anything else we do.”

Alvin Sun ‘09

“The SAT provides an equal standard for any student applying to college.”

Tabah Syed ‘10

“The SAT does a good job of covering a wide range of materials that a student should know.”

Anna McKee ‘10

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 EDITORS Max Avruch, Sofia Talarico OPINION EDITOR Kylie Blaber FEATURE EDITORS Alannah Bradley, Dena Gallucci, Kayli Miletich, Katelyn Smith, Iris Yan ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Lisa Battaglia, Kelley Biggs SPORTS EDITOR Justin Edwrads CARTOONIST Kabir Nagarkatti ADVERTISING MANAGER Rachel Bernstein ONLINE MANAGER Alessandra Catanese ADVISOR Caron Battaglia STAFF WRITERS Robert Dillon, Bianca DiGuiseppe, Stella Fang, Annie Gerlach, Allison Montroy, Katie Roughan, Becky Sadwick, Sam Wexler

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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University Admissions Drive Volunteering TIFFANY LOH ASSISTANT COPY EDITOR

January 16, 2009 • THE ARROW

Ticket to a New Era The hype surrounding Obama’s Inauguration is inescapable, and the tickets nearly unattainable. Is attending even worth the effort?

IRIS YAN FEATURE EDITOR

With only four more days left before President-elect Barack Obama will be sworn into office for his first term, there seems to be a frenzied excitement instilled in individuals across the nation that embraces a certain kind of “change.” Although 250,000 tickets were provided to members of the Senate and House of Representatives around Jan. 5, obtaining one was nearly impossible.

The difficulty in securing a “golden ticket” is understandable as many view this as a way of getting a front-row seat to history. The mainstream way of obtaining a ticket is through a local congressman. Another way was to submit an essay for various competitions across the nation.

But still, the race for tickets to view any part of the Inauguration THE GOLDEN TICKET: As the world prepares for a new president, portrayed here as Willy Wonka, is a ruthless one. The Presidential people scramble for a ticket to attend his Inauguration.

Inaugural Committee put 5,000 tickets on sale Friday, Jan. 9 at 1 p.m. and the 2009 will be “A New Birth of Freedom,” president. We don’t think of FDR as the tickets sold out in less than a minute, with an auspicious title that parallels Obama’s first disabled president,” he said.

94% purchased online and the rest by campaign of change.

As a best-selling author with a gift for phone.

What mainly contributes to the oratory, Obama faces high expectations An estimated 1.5 million individuals anticipation of the Inauguration is for his Inaugural speech. In a speech are expected to pack into the nation’s undoubtedly the Inaugural speech. As an that provides the basis and outlook of a capital. eloquent speaker, Obama is bound to be presidency, the President-elect will always On Sunday, Jan. 18, there will be an compared to other great speakers like— attempt to touch on more agreeable issues Inauguration Opening Ceremony on the John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. instead of divisive ones. steps of the Lincoln Memorial which will and Ronald Reagan.

Donald A. Ritchie, the Senate’s be open to the public. Then, for Martin Richard Norton Smith, George Mason associate historian said, “When there’s a Luther King’s Day, Obama will turn the University scholar and author of books lot of trouble going on, [listeners] want holiday into a national day of community of presidents such as Patriarch: George something that’s uplifting and gives service. Finally on Inauguration Day, Washington and the New American Nation, a lot of hope and inspires them to get the list of events includes the Inaugural said, “My sense is he doesn’t want to be involved.”

Address, the Inaugural Parade, musical thought of as the first black president. He Though Obama’s advisers and speech selections, and innumerable balls across certainly doesn’t want to be defined by it,” writers decline to share details about the the country, including the one in the Smith said. speech, the content of his speech will affect nation’s capital.

“Fifty years later, we don’t think emotional connections with the general The theme of the Inauguration of of John F. Kennedy as the first Catholic body of people.

CARTOON BY VIVIAN SHI

Stanford. Harvard. Yale. These prestigious colleges and many others linger on the edges of high school students’ minds almost every day.

And with the increased competition for these schools come the students’ desires to make themselves unique, hence the skyrocketing numbers of high school students scrambling to join clubs and participate in other community service opportunities.

This increase in student volunteering, for college rather than for a desire to help the less fortunate, is often the result of an overly-competitive atmosphere that urges students to participate in activities to stand out from their peers.

Admittedly, there are some teens who actively work to support a cause that they passionately believe in. Sadly, however, the vast majority only think of how their activities will increase their chances of acceptance at the college of their choice.

“It’s rare to find a student who is volunteering their time and services out of compassion,” said Vivian Shi ‘10.

This trend has been increasingly reflected nationwide, as universities are getting more selective about which students they accept. Thus, each new batch of high school students has begun to place the value of volunteering solely in the perspective of getting into college.

According to a study conducted by Melissa Sandfort, Director of Academic Advising and Retention at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Jennifer Grant Haworth, Associate Professor and Faculty at Loyola University Chicago, about 96% of high school students perform some type of community service.

However, many students who were interviewed in this project believed that the growth in volunteering for their generation was motivated by personal gain. One interviewee stated, “We are a society of takers, and we want what is best for us. Sure I work for an organization, but it’s because it looks good on a college application.”

Another student also added, “There are always some who do it [volunteer] because they have good moral standards and they want to do it. But for most, it is because they have to get something out of it in return.”

This study concluded that “students now purposefully and thoughtfully select extracurricular activities to build their college admission portfolios.

Community service is becoming a popular way for many students to build their high school resumes.”

However, the competitive atmosphere does not necessarily mean that students should forget about the true purpose of volunteering.

Besides gaining an appreciation for the world around them, students can learn to bond with others and develop essential social skills that they will use later in life. Most importantly, they can experience the simple pleasure of being able to improve someone else’s life.

“People think that getting enough hours to get into college is the only reward,” said Ariana Barton ‘10.

“But the real reward comes from the satisfaction you get out of helping people.”

One small action can have a profound effect on someone, whether it is intended or not. So next time, as you sign up to help at the senior center or at the local hospital, remember the impact you can make on an individual and the pure pleasure of being able to simply

OPINION

Product Placement—Advertising Mind Control SAM WEXLER STAFF WRITER

The award-winning drama Madmen—which takes audiences inside the operations of a Madison Avenue advertising agency in 1960’s America that strategizes the best ways to sell products—has rekindled an awareness of how consumers respond to billboards, commercials, and other displays.

Walking around Los Angeles, people can find ads located in traditional places, such as a billboard, or the weird locations, such as a tattoo on the back of someone’s head.

Even the very first movies had products carefully arranged in the foreground and background alike to subliminally send messages to the viewer to buy the product. Lately, however, films have been using additional products, when it may not even influence the average movie-goer.

Since the introduction of DVR (Digital Video Recorder), advertisers have had to put more products into movies because people are now able to skip commercials while watching TV. However, not everyone feels affected by this influx of ads in films.

“Product placement does not affect me,” said Dylan Weeks ‘10. “After watching Iron Man, I had no desire to eat a Burger King cheeseburger.”

Weeks references a prime example

of product placement. In one scene in the 2008 movie Iron Man, when Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) gets back from being stranded in the Middle East, all he wants is an “American cheeseburger”; the cheeseburger he is later seen eating is from Burger King.

Direct references to a company’s brand name, like Lexus, or Coca-Cola has become more commonplace.

In the 2004 film I, Robot, Audi designed and created a fully functional, brand new car, the Audi RSQ, specifically for the movie. Unlike older movies, such as Back to the Future, which centered on a time machine made out of a DeLorian, the DeLorian was not made for the film, just used in it.

Nothing as extravagant as Audi’s influence in I, Robot had ever been done before and such deliberate manufacturing has contributed to the current era of product placement.

Why do companies go through all this trouble if people claim they are unaffected by the ad displays in films?

Studies have shown that these ads work. PQMedia estimates that by 2010, product placement will be worth from $7 to $10 billion. For product placement to be worth that much it means that on some level it has to be succeeding.

“I notice it, but it doesn’t make me want to go out and buy the product,” said Briggs Atkinson ’10.

Although Atkinson may believe

that the placement has no effect on him, “research shows that product brand placement (PBP) works on the implicit memory (non-intentional memory) that boosts unconscious recognition,” as reported in the WARC Media Report. So, even though the effects are not immediately evident, the idea has been planted and will eventually make itself known when the idea is triggered.

The WARC Media Report goes on to say that, “exposure to PBP gives rise to perceived popularity as people infer what is popular from what is prominent.” This is where it most affects the students of WHS. Students don’t just prefer the coffee at Starbucks because they are tasty; they prefer it because they are conditioned to believe that, since it is the most prominent, it is also the best.

In fact, Starbucks Corp. product placement specialist, Chris Gorley, gets 15 requests a month for permission to use Starbucks products in films and television.

With at least 180 requests a year, Starbucks is seen in every form of media.

This repeated exposure to Starbucks has imprinted the idea that Starbucks is the Holy Grail of coffee, and why shouldn’t it be? With its variety of flavors, fair prices, tantalizing taste, and numerous stores, Starbucks is the best way to start off your day and the only drink that any WHS student should ever need to drink.

Hmm, that exposure really does work.

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FEATURE

January 16, 2009 • THE ARROW

Commentary

Driving on Thin Ice Teens are considered the most unsafe drivers.

ALLISON MONTROY STAFF WRITER

Teens are notorious for pushing the limits, especially when it comes to driving. They have the highest rate of driving violations because they habitually disregard California laws regulating driving privileges, driving friends around town within a week of obtaining a driver’s license.

The indestructible teen cruises down to Starbucks, blasting music, with five friends singing terribly out of tune in the backseat. Harmless, right?

Sure—until the driver glances down at the radio to change the song for the loudly pleading friends, loses control, and puts everyone into a potentially life-threatening situation.

Each year, over 5,000 teens lose their lives in automobile accidents.

And statistics derived from this show that a 16-year-old driver is ten times more likely to crash than someone in their 20s or 30s. This directly reflects why California keeps imposing stricter restrictions on teenage driving.

What they cannot seem to understand is that the more they ignore these driving laws, frustrating as they are, the more careless accidents will happen, and the more our driving privileges will be suppressed.

Just last spring, a Newbury Park student was fatally injured and three others were critically injured while driving under the influence and 35 mph over the speed limit.

“My personal take is driving frequently anything over 15 mph is bad,” senior Kevin Thompson explains, “and I have no sympathy for people who destroy their lives driving high or drunk. They’re idiots.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently came out with a report that they theorized would save more lives each year. Because most teen accidents are blamed on inexperience and immaturity, they claimed that if the driving age was raised one more year, teens would be mature enough to handle the roads.

If teens could just follow the rules and refuse to drive people before our provisional year was up, then maybe California would stop blaming accidents on immaturity and inability to handle distractions and give teens a little more freedom on the road. Hey, it might even save a few lives, too.

PHOTOS BY ALANNAH BRADLEY

CHECK OUT THEIR RIDES: From left to right: Tim Farrell with his Chevy Colorado, Carissa Kaufman with her Honda Civic, and Erin Bovard with her Ford Ranger.

Students Buy into Responsibility

by Purchasing Their Own Cars ALANNAH BRADLEY FEATURE EDITOR

When driving through the student parking lot, it is not unusual to see an array of really nice, expensive cars. There is everything from a Range Rover to a Mini Cooper. But what makes a car special to someone? Is it just having a really expensive ride, or is it learning the value of paying for a car?

Many students at WHS receive a brand new car for their 16th birthday, and it is not considered uncommon, but there are the select few who actually put the time and effort into researching, working, and paying for their own vehicle.

Erin Bovard ‘09 purchased her yellow Ford Ranger at the beginning of this year, and she did it almost completely on her own through payments and work, something that makes her appreciate it on a different level.

Bovard works more than 35 hours a week so that her paychecks do not have to completely go to her car payment. Since she works this many hours, she feels a little bit of spending money is needed.

“I got the money through a loan. It will take me three years to pay it off,”

GPS:

CARINA WOLFF COPY EDITOR

For teenagers, turning 16 is a milestone: receiving the privilege to drive comes with a personal freedom and satisfaction unavailable to those who have to constantly nag their parents for rides.

However appealing this sounds to kids, most parents are not too pleased with the idea of their child driving dangerously on the streets or lying about where they are going.

To quell their anxieties, many parents are considering the idea of putting a hidden GPS tracking system into their teen’s car to see where they are going at all times.

Certain GPS systems can determine where a driver has traveled, how fast he or she is going, and how long he or she spent at certain locations.

Parents put the GPS into the car and using a computer, can access locations and routes in a detailed map, any instances of speeding, and a list of stops of

said Bovard. “I’m doing that by working two jobs: Starbucks and Ladies Workout Express,” said Bovard.

It becomes a huge responsibility to take care of, and in a way, the purchase begins a learning process of how to handle the adult world.

Carissa Kaufman ‘09 purchased her black Honda Civic, her second car, on her own.

“Mainly, I’ve learned the responsibilities of paying bills and not having something just handed to me,” said Kaufman.

The car itself becomes more important when people like Bovard and Kaufman realize the amount of work it takes to own their own car, to take care of it, and get the bill paid.

“It holds more value because I had to pay for it, and it forces an urgency to want to take care of it. It also forced me to learn about cars,” said Bovard.

When students begin to pay for their own items in high school, it sets them up for the realities of the real world after high school.

Students who begin paying for their own utilities earlier rather than later realize that they are liable for taking care of their

payments, and it will not be such a shock for them when they graduate and have to handle economic responsibilities.

“My car would be repossessed if I do not make my payment on time,” said Bovard.

Senior Tim Farrell bought his own 2004 Chevy Colorado.

“I paid it in full, at the time I had the money for it, and it’s a great thing to get off your shoulders,” said Farrell. “Currently at the moment I do not have a job, although I had a job over the summer, in which I made most of my money for it.”

When students work to reach a goal and to purchase something of value, it means a lot more.

“I believe if a car was given to me I would be very grateful, although not take as good care of it as I do with my car,” said Farrell.

Hard work and determination are shown through these students. They sought a goal and reached it, and they continue to keep working hard to reap the benefits of their car.

It may be stressful making that monthly payment, but it teaches us the lesson that we all need to grow up sometime.

Great Parental Stalking or Good Personal Safety? different locations. Parents can also preset boundaries into the system, and they can be alerted on their cell phone when their child passes their set boundaries or speeds.

“I think it’s really awful how some parents can’t trust their kids and have to resort to that,” said Alyssa Altman ‘09. “If they didn’t have those systems when they were younger and were fine, then there’s really no point to giving them to their kids.

If that’s the case, they need to really talk to their kids and not do something drastic like that.”

“I think that it is wrong on many levels,” said Alvin Sun ‘09. “If the parent is trusting the kid to the degree where they are allowing them to drive, that should also translate into a general trust in their kids to do the right thing. Also, being at the age which they could drive, you would expect the majority of teen drivers to be able to make responsible decisions on their own anyway.”

Sun’s parents do not track his driving, but he is required to ask approval from his

parents and his friends’ parents if he drives anyone other than his sister.

Those who feel unethical spying on their children can instead take the route of actress Vanessa Williams and have their children sign a consequence specific contract once they get their license.

“As a mother of two older daughters, I’ve given them the car keys and worried whether they would make it home safe,” said Williams, according to businesswire.com.

A good alternative to “spying” is simply keeping good communication between parent and child and trusting the teenager’s word. If an incident worthy of suspicion occurs, maybe then it is time to question the teenager, hopefully before hiding a tracking system in his or her car.

With car accidents as the number one killer of teenagers, it is imperative to stress the dangers of reckless driving to teenagers. But now we have to decide: is it worth it to know everything about your kids driving at the expense of their trust and privacy?

6

FEAT

Did you know?

70% of WHS students say they don’t sleep because of homework The average WHS student sleeps 6 hours and 38 minutes.

30% of WHS students say they don’t sleep because of sports.

Data collected from 150 WHS students

SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA MANAGING EDITOR They have their cheeks resting on their fists, eyes drowsily closing, and are slowly sinking into their chairs. We see them in every class and at one time have probably been them — sleeping students. In almost every classroom on campus, at least one student can be found dozing off or struggling to stay awake. It seems that sleep deprivation has become an epidemic among teenagers.

“About 20% of all high school students fall asleep in school,” according to a 1995 study cited by Elaine Woo and Tina Nguyen of The Los Angeles Times.

M a n y students h a v e trouble staying awake in class, a n d s o m e d a y s cannot

k e e p their eyes open.

“I try not to sleep in class so my teachers will like me more, or I stay awake if I really need to pay attention to the lecture. I only sleep in class when the teacher turns off the lights to do a presentation.

The darkness is like an invitation to sleep,” said Wesley Tsang ’10.

With the pressure to do more than just schoolwork while in high

school, kids are dedicating countless hours to sports, volunteer work, extracurricular activities, and jobs. With all these adding up, students are doing their homework late into the night, cutting into their sleep time.

“I’m the most tired in the classes right before lunch. Because I go to bed late doing homework and usually skip breakfast, I’m crashing

by the time lunch rolls around,” said Abby Barry ’10.

With distractions and an excessive workload, students are bound to stay up multi-tasking inefficiently.

“Facebook and Myspace are so time consuming so [we] never have enough time to do work,” said Tsang jokingly.

Students also tend to procrastinate, and instead spending time studying, they spend time watching TV or surfing the Internet and postpone their homework to the last minute.

“Most [teenagers] are lucky to get six, seven, or eight hours of sleep a night, even though studies have shown repeatedly that people in their teens and possibly even early 20s need 9 to 10 hours,” said Denise Grady of the New York Times.

Although in past decades parents and educators have been blaming teenagers’ p o o r to get enough sleep because school schedules conflict with this sleeping pattern. This causes students to go to bed late, as their bodies tell them

go home because they what they missed in cl to stay up late and n Also, even if stude in class, but th that n

time

management skills and laziness on their b a d sleep habits, science has proved these theories wrong.

“The nation’s leading sleep researchers are coming to the conclusion that teenagers’ inner clocks, or circadian rhythms, are set differently from the ones that govern slumber and wake patterns in the rest of us,” said Woo and Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times. Researchers studied teenagers and m e a s u r e d their levels of melatonin, the chemical that controls the sleep cycle in our bodies, and came to the conclusion that “teenagers have a physiological need to go to bed later and wake up later than most of the rest of us–a phenomenon called ‘phase delay.’”

From ages 14 to 19, teenagers experience “phase delay,” but unfortunately are not able

to, but w a k e up early, because they have to get to school by 8, or even 7. To ease this problem, school districts around the nation are making high schools start later.

“I usually don’t like to sleep in late, I’m more of an early riser but I also stay up pretty late talking to friends and finishing homework,” said Barry.

There is also a “correlation between getting more sleep and getting higher grades,” and in students who do not sleep enough, “others found more depression, lower grades and more behavioral problems,” said Woo and Nyugen of the Los Angeles Times.

Lack of sleep begins a vicious cycle. Just one night without the recommended 9 hours, and a student has trouble paying attention in class, giving him or her more to do when they

memories are formed during sleep.

Once entered into cycle, “many live in a

7

TURE

Student Forum

What are your sleep habits?

My sleep habits are often disrupted by homework. Unless I don’t do it. I get more sleep when I don’t do homework. I make up for it during class.

Cole Greg ‘10 It’s very hard to stay awake in class when teachers are just lecturing. I’ve never fallen asleep because teachers just usually embarrass you. I’ve come very close though.

Abby Barry ‘10 I can’t sleep enough because either teachers give me too much homework or I have to study for a test. There is just not enough time in a day.

Wesley Tsang ‘10 I usually go to bed at 11:00 because homework is long. But I’ve never fallen asleep in class though.

Jesse Hecht ‘10 I’ve become nocturnal. I do all my homework and projects at night and I sleep through all my classes.

Mike Smith ‘10 Sometimes my soccer games interfere with my homework and I have to stay up even later than normal.

Javi Venegas ‘12 I eat dinner around 5:00 and I go to bed at 8:45. Sleep is important to me.

Adrian Chavez ‘12

have to catch up with lass. This causes them not sleep enough again. ents are paying attention hen do not sleep enough night, their ability to remember is affected, because most

the vicious state of chronic

sleep deficit that can affect mood, behavior, schoolwork and reaction time,” said Grady of the New York Times.

Dr. Mary Cardaskon does sleep research at Brown University, and has found that sleep deprivation can lead to temporary depression, crankiness, and distorted emotional responses.

She performed a study in which she showed sleep-deprived teenagers and regular teenagers a set of photographs. When the pictures were of enjoyable things, those not getting enough sleep responded less positively than those who were, and when the pictures were of negative stimuli, the kids lacking sleep responded more negatively and aggressively. ‘’Kids not getting enough sleep are less likely to respond in a positive way to positive things in the environment, and more likely to respond in a negative way to negative things,’’ said Cardaskon in the New York Times.

Furthermore, teenagers, who are already at a higher risk of accidents because of being inexperienced drivers, are at a greater risk if they are sleep deprived.

“According to the National S l e e p

Foundation, a nonprofit group, drowsiness or fatigue play a role in 100,000 traffic crashes a year, and drivers 25 or under cause more than half of those accidents,” said Grady of the New York Times.

Finally, lack of sleep influences teenagers’ physical health as well.

“Studies have shown that sleep deprivation may also diminish the body’s ability to process glucose, and a prolonged sleep deficit can produce the kind of blood glucose levels found in people who are on the way to becoming diabetic,” said Grady.

Research at the University of Southern Australia found that “the most underweight children [sleep]

Olds, the lead researcher on the study.

With the effects of sleep deprivation ranging from obesity to a higher chance of car accidents, it is evident that sleep is the key to success.

the most, and overweight children [get] the least sleep,” said Adam C re ssw e l l of the Australian. “ I t seems v e r y likely that it’s the low sleep duration that’s contributing to obesity, probably through various hormonal mechanisms that we know are associated with sleep deprivation,” said Tim

From Left to Right: Chris Kazmer ‘09, Greer Von Muellner ‘09, Leo Hei ‘09. Photos by Carina Wolff.

FEATURE

8

January 16, 2009 • THE ARROW

Violence on College Campuses: To Report or Not To Report?

SMCC Offers ‘B’ Students Hope ALESSANDRA CATANESE ONLINE MANAGER

Reputations are important among the nation’s competitive universities, but there are allegations that some schools are acting furtively to save their image. The colleges have been accused of misreporting or not reporting campus crime statistics in order to make their institution seem safer.

According to the Jeanne Clery Act of 1990, all colleges who receive any federal funding must disclose statistics and information about crimes on campus in an annual report. Schools are subject to fines by the Department of Education if infractions are made. The act is named after a Lehigh University student who was raped and murdered in her dorm room.

One instance where a school was accused of improper conduct led to a Supreme Court case. In 1994, Christy Brzonkala was allegedly assaulted and raped by Antonio Morrison and James Crawford on the Virginia Tech campus. Brzonkala reported the crime to the college, as prescribed by its Sexual Assault Policy. The school then conducted a hearing in which Morrison admitted to having sex with Brzonkala even though she said “no.”

The school panel did not punish Crawford and sentenced Morrison to two semesters of suspension. Morrison appealed and the school’s administration revoked the “excessive” punishment.

Brzonkala believed the school was guilty of favoritism as Morrison and Crawford were members of the football team. She then dropped out of Virginia Tech and sued under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which allowed victims of gender-based violence to sue in court.

The case became mired in constitutional law and made its way to the Supreme Court. Ultimately, all parties emerged ruined. Brzonkala felt that the school had failed to serve justice when it had the chance and the reputations of Crawford and Morrison never recovered

Seniors are already rejoicing about their acceptance letters from Harvard and Yale, but most others are still undecided about where they want to go—never mind being accepted.

Luckily, in this time of blind hope and endless worry, community college offers an alternative for students who may not be ready for a four-year university.

Santa Monica City College has been the number one transfer community college to UC’s for the past 17 years and is among the top ten transfers to other prestigious colleges including USC. In addition, SMC offers a special academic program called the Scholars Honors Program which is a “highly demanding enriched honors program that prepares students...for transfer to a four-year college or university.”

This is an all-inclusive package, featuring priority transfers and admissions, smaller classes, and special counselors.

The Scholars Program contains about 700 “highly motivated” SMC students. Through the program, SMC maintains transfer agreements with top four-year colleges and universities including UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Santa Cruz, Cal State Northridge, and many other private universities.

In order to avoid overcrowding classrooms and to “[assure] individual attention,” Scholars Program classes have a limit of 25 students per class.

With the specially appointed counselor, students can map and format their curriculum requirements for transfer into their specific college of choice.

The requirements for high school students are a minimum of a 3.0 GPA and either an “A” group on the English Assessment, or a “3” or better on either of the AP English composition tests.

CARTOON BY VIVIAN SHI

ROBERT DILLON STAFF WRITER

HOME SWEET HOME?: On-campus housing will prove safer if colleges begin to report violence.

from the allegations. Virginia Tech was accused of trying to handle the case outside of the law in order to minimize negative attention.

In another event, a student organization at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo painted red handprints at places on campus where sexual assaults had occurred in order to raise awareness about the problem. The university removed the handprints, saying it was a violation of campus policy for students to mark the campus in such a way.

Students protested against the decision, which they believed was made to portray the campus as exceedingly safe, especially for visiting applicants. The university eventually compromised by allowing the construction of several permanent monuments.

Drug crimes, as well as violent ones, are allegedly misreported or mishandled.

At universities like NYU, the Department of Residential Education handles most drug and alcohol related incidences instead of the police department. At NYU,

Universities Close Early Admissions

BECKY SADWICK STAFF WRITER

Anytime a prestigious university makes a major policy-changing decision, heads turn to see how it will affect students and other universities. This was true when Harvard and Princeton announced in Sept.

2006 they would ending their early action policies as of 2008, and some Westlake students had to reevaluate their college application plans.

“Early applications get people more dedicated to applying,” said Claudia Lopez ‘09.

As colleges become increasingly competitive, many seniors decide to apply early to save a few months of anxiously checking the mailbox for an acceptance or rejection letter.

When Princeton followed Harvard’s lead and announced it would end its early admission program, students across the country anxiously waited to see if any other selective colleges would do the same.

The two schools cited unfairness to students from lower-income families as the reason to end their early action programs.

However most Westlake students disagree that the practice is unfair.

“I don’t think it’s unfair at all. If you’re able to finish your application earlier, you should of course be allowed to turn it in early. It’s a personal choice every student makes,” said Alexis Rosenthal ’09.

Erin Dixon ’09 applied early to four schools “to get a better idea of where [she’ll] be accepted.”

“I don’t think it helps you get in, but

there’s a smaller pool of candidates for acceptances. It’s a toss up,” said Rosenthal.

Lopez applied early “so I don’t have to fill out all the other applications and pay fees because I know I’ll go to the school I applied early to if I get in.”

Seniors agreed that the main advantage of applying early is to get an idea of where they will be accepted ahead of time and to save themselves time, stress, and application fees on additional applications if they find out they are accepted to their first-choice college.

“It is good because you’ll know ahead of time if you got in so you can worry about finances and accommodations earlier. That’s only if you get in,” said Joe Sterphone ’09. “It upsets me [that many schools are choosing to end their early admission process] because Princeton ended theirs, so I have to wait another couple of months to find out its decision. And that’s stressful,” he said.

Princeton President Shirley M. Tilghman explained the university’s decision by saying, “We agree [with Harvard] that early admission ‘advantages the advantaged,’” because students don’t always have the luxury of comparing financial aid offers before applying.

However, the University of Pennsylvania’s Dean of Admissions Willis J. Stetson Jr disagreed, “We believe strongly in early decision because of the advantages it provides students and colleges. Most colleges do give a slight preference to students who apply early: since students are committing to the school, the school makes an added commitment in return.”

9,400 drug and alcohol write-ups only led to one arrest from 2003 to 2007.

However, for violent crimes in particular, some insist that colleges are, in fact, very safe. From 2001 to 2005, 43 students were killed on campuses. Comparatively, over 1,000 college students commit suicide each year.

According to USA Today, “When compared with virtually any metropolitan area, a student’s chances of dying by homicide actually decrease once he or she steps on campus.”

Since the Virginia Tech shootings, many parents and students have shown more concern about campus safety, and colleges have struggled to keep up. They invest valuable resources in elite campus security forces, mass alert systems, and emergency phones. Additionally, campus safety seminars play a large part in many freshmen orientations. Regardless of the actual level of safety on campus, many contend that it is vital that universities report crime properly.

9

FEATURE

January 16, 2009 • THE ARROW

One-Day Destinations Outside of Westlake

PHOTO BY JESSICA KANE

COURTESY PHOTO

SNAKE LADY: Asia Ray (right), holding a nine-foot boa, is part of the Venice Beach Freak Show. She is joined by her brother and grandmother.

R ay Mo re H um a n M a r ve l Th a n Fre a k ALLISON MONTROY STAFF WRITER

Just a short walk down the boardwalk in Venice Beach, nestled between tattoo parlors and off-the-wall boutiques is a small staircase leading to a pair of curtains with a bright sign inviting visitors to enter The Venice Beach Freak Show, where Asia Ray ‘10 waits inside to awe audiences with unbelievable creatures and crazy contortion acts.

“Ever since my dad was a little kid, he has loved carnivals,” Ray explained, “and he started collecting tow-headed animals, and other weird stuff.” Two years ago, their family decided to open a “museum of oddities” to share the “crazy collection.”

Ray has attracted many crowds with her contortions and snake-lady appearances where she holds a nine-foot boa snake.

“People bug out because they have never seen stuff like this. It freaks them out, but it shows people the many wonders of life. We don’t all know what is out there,” said Ray. The Venice Beach Freak Show has had world-famous sword swallowers, acrobats, fireeaters, and has been featured in a History Channel documentary on the Mexican Wolf Boy. “It brings media attention,” Ray explained.

Growing up with unique animals and strange oddities has taught Ray to “accept things the way they are—treasures.”

As for spending all her free time in the “spontaneous and unique” atmosphere of Venice Beach, “it’s a crazy environment with cool individuals. I mean, everyone’s weird, so it’s cool to meet the super weird people.”

Ray’s Venice Beach diversion counterbalances her scholarly commitments. As a junior, Ray

takes five AP courses, is an active member of the Westlake Regiment, and does acting on the side.

Her most recent appearance is in a Febreeze commercial. Balancing her busy life “is a struggle, but it makes me overall a stronger person,” Ray said. “Hard work will pay off.”

Ray explained that the classic freak show style is an appealing attraction for families and children.

“It’s only three bucks,” she went on, “so you can get a hot dog that will last you five minutes for three bucks, or you can go to a freak show you will never forget.”

With an extraordinary person like Ray there, it truly must be unforgettable.

CATCH A RIDE: Visitors on tricycles, bicycles, and Segways ride past Venice shoppers.

DENA GALLUCCI FEATURE EDITOR JESSICA KANE COPY EDITOR

It is a typical Saturday in Westlake: nothing to do, no one to call, and no where to go. You have overstayed your welcome at the Oaks Mall, you have seen all the movies, and you are sick of Taco Bell and McDonald’s.

Just as you are about to resolve to hibernating in bed with the occasional adventure to your kitchen, you are inspired to travel outside of Westlake in an effort to finally enjoy your weekend.

All within an hour drive of Westlake, the following destinations promise to be more eventful than an afternoon spent wallowing in self-pity.

State Street in Downtown Santa Barbara features worldclass shopping, from major retailers like Nordstrom’s and Macy’s to unique local specialty shops that offer vintage clothing and one-of-a-kind merchandise. Scattered along the street are more than 150 dining options ranging from restaurants to cafes to gourmet markets.

The vast selection of products accompanied by an equally diverse price range makes State Street a destination for everyone.

“They have Mexican rugs, Indian bracelets, and Chinese

food. It’s like going to one street and visiting the whole world,” said Carly Lucas ‘09.

The satisfaction of eating anywhere outside The Promenade is well worth the extra time in the car.

As an added bonus, the chance of showing up to school wearing the same shirt as your best friend greatly decreases.

Other one-day destinations can be found much closer to home. Hiding behind Amgen in Newbury Park lies the MB2 Raceway, where people of all ages can fulfill their need for speed.

An indoor quarter-mile road race course houses the high performance electric karts which speed up to 50 mph.

“It feels like you are driving if you do not have your license,” said Adam Kane ‘11, who went to the raceway twice over break.

On Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., you can enjoy a 14-lap race, including lunch, for $24.

“One of the best parts is that after every race, you get to see your lap time improve,” said Kane.

For a breezy beach location south of Westlake, students can venture to Venice Beach. Known for the innumerable street vendors and inexpensive jewelry and sunglasses, Venice Beach is a mixture of hip culture and eclectic

shops, but is also a hub for outdoor activity.

The boardwalk, which is usually overflowing with cyclists and joggers, is lined with rental shops for bicycles, roller blades, and Segways, the self-balancing electric scooter of the 21st century.

“I like all the different things you can buy at cheap prices and that all the people have an attitude where they can do what they want,” said Madison Pollack ‘11, whose family rented a beachfront house over summer.

The best part is that Venice Beach is about three miles from the Santa Monica Pier, which harbors Pacific Park. A ferris wheel, roller coaster, and theme-park style games are among some of its highlights.

After studying for finals, take out your frustration at Paintball U.S.A., which recently opened a new location in Simi Valley.

For a $30 general admission, you can spend the day competitively shooting paintballs at your friends.

“Paintball U.S.A. is a great place to let loose. It is very therapeutic,” said Myles Schulman ‘09, who celebrated his birthday there his junior year.

These destinations allow you to keep busy and take advantage of the short weekend, making Mondays a little less dreadful.

10

HEALTH

Are YOU?

How

Caf-Fiends at WHS

KATIE ROUGHAN BIANCA DIGUISEPPE STAFF WRITERS

‘09.

Research shows that it reduces diabetes, prevents forms of cancer, increases concentration, and improves physical It is hard to miss the number of trendy performance. mugs carried so coolly when walking However, when regular drinkers do around the WHS campus. More than ever, not get their daily serving of caffeine, the coffee addiction on campus seems they can become fatigued and lose to dominate the Warrior lifestyle and a concentration. number of students are fueled “I must drink coffee or by it. caffeine every day or I get In society, coffee is held as headaches,” said Taylor. a right of passage to adulthood So when it comes to better and sophistication. Shows like attentiveness during academic The Hills and Friends feature or physical performance, many of the main characters coffee is thumbs up. Anything popping in and out of coffee that can help students with shops. their hectic lives is appealing A visit to any news to the frequently overstand may show a magazine worked and stressed student One eightfeaturing a favorite starlet population. ounce energy drink has 25% less sporting a Starbucks mug, Whether caffeine is the mug itself becoming a a source of energy or just caffeine than an average cup of fashionable accessory. Local for enjoyment, coffee adds coffee coffee shops have always that special-pick-me up for been popular hang out spots students. for teens. Is still a pop-culture For now, it seems if you phenomenon, making it more a grande Café Vanilla Frappuccino has 430 are an occasional drinker or a “caffeine appealing for teens to jump on the trend. calories and 14 grams of fat. fiend,” it goes to show that caffeine in “It wakes me up, tastes good, and Coffee has been proven to be more moderation provides more than just an improves my mood,” said Jessica Taylor beneficial than harmful for your health. energy boost.

The mystery remains as to what this accessory really contains in each delicious sip and why students are so addicted.

On campus, it is not only common to see regular coffee but also fruit and energy drinks as substitutes. Sometimes filled with triple the amount caffeine and more calories than a regular can of Coke,

Energy drinks have more caffeine than coffee

FACT:

High School Overload ANNIE GERLACH STAFF WRITER

In a world of AP classes, mountains of homework and the dreaded SAT, new research has emerged that questions whether or not high school students are overworked.

It is a known fact that high school is no walk in the park— many underclassmen almost shudder in fear after hearing tales of the nightmarish junior year workload.

But when did it become acceptable to assign hours upon hours of homework every night?

“I’m up past 11:00 most nights trying to finish my homework,” said Charlotte Gibson `10. “Some classes can take me about two hours each.”

According to Harris Cooper, director of Duke’s Program in Education, homework should be assigned based on the “10-minute rule,” in which teachers multiply ten minutes of homework to the year of the student. That is to say a ninthgrader would be assigned 90 minutes and a twelfth-grader two hours maximum, rather than two hours for a single subject.

Conejo Valley Unified School District’s homework policy states the same exact rule, so why are its own teachers so apt to throw the guidelines out the window?

Perhaps the most startling piece of Cooper’s 2006 report is the evidence to suggest that while homework is a critical part of the learning process, too much of it can be counter-productive for students of all levels.

“Even for high school students, overloading them with homework is not associated with higher grades,” said Cooper.

“By the time Friday rolls around, I’m totally wiped out, and even then I still have weekend assignments,” said Michelle Bonthius `11. “I always feel stressed out, and I can’t even find the time to relax.”

Major consequences of the ‘high school overload’ include sleep deprivation, an inability to concentrate in school,

the deterioration of a student’s grades, and an overall dislike of academics.

Sleep deprivation can especially have negative and sometimes serious effects on a teen’s life. Those who get less than the recommended eight hours of nightly sleep have a higher chance of being in a car accident.

Dr. Lynn A. D’Andrea, a specialist in sleep patterns, said, “teenagers are already high-risk drivers just by being new drivers.

Then if you put a sleepy teenager in the car, his risk of a car crash is increased.”

So how can WHS stop this vicious cycle? Some studies propose starting school later so students can get more sleep and thus, perform better academically. If WHS started one hour later every day, that would average five more hours of sleep every week or an extra hour every morning to catch up on homework.

However, state guidelines for the daily number of school hours might prevent the integration of this plan in CVUSD schools in the near future. So what can students suffering from stress and homework hysteria do in the meantime?

The Child Development Institute recommends several study tips to make the homework process shorter and less painful.

Try turning off the TV and other electronic devices, including cell phones, while doing homework in order to eliminate possible distractions.

Establish a designated spot for studying as well as a specific routine and try to get the harder assignments out of the way first to gradually lessen the load.

Finally, utilize those five minutes at the end of the period or before sports practice to start homework right away—some students have claimed to get nearly all their homework done before even coming home this way.

Students at WHS are practically bred to withstand the toughest and most challenging circumstances. But maybe the faculty could stop testing our boundaries and relax a little when it comes to nonstop homework.

January 16, 2009 • THE ARROW

10

tips to getting a good night’�s sleep 1.

Get at least eight hours of sleep each night. j

2. Go to bed at the same time each night, and get up at the same time each morning.

3.

Prepare for the next day of school the night before by making your lunch, laying out your clothes, showering, packing up your school work, etc.

4. Turn off your cell phone, Instant Messenger, the T.V. and any technological distractions before you go to bed.

5. Exercise during the day.

6. Plan accordingly for tests and quizzes to avoid all-nighters.

7. Try not to nap for more than a half hour late in the day.

8. If you have trouble falling asleep, keep a

pad of paper by your bedside to write down all the things that are running through your mind.

9. Avoid caffeine after 4 pm.

10.

Have a light snack before bed, preferably one with the amino acid tryptophan.

January 16, 2009 • THE ARROW

11

ENTERTAINMENT

DiCaprio, Winslet Take Revolutionary Road MAX AVRUCH NEWS EDITOR

COURTESY PHOTO

Starring together once again since their renowned film Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet perform spectacularly together in the multi-Golden Globe nominated film Revolutionary Road.

DiCaprio and Winslet play an ordinary 1950s American couple, Frank and April Wheeler, who live in a suburban Connecticut town with their two children.

Director Sam Mendes shows audiences the problems the couple faces as they struggle to live a fulfilled lifestyle in a trapped suburbia kind of life.

Revolutionary Road focuses on how the lovers try to separate themselves from other families who also live this humdrum existence and the dire consequences that succeed the Wheeler’s decisions as a family.

The film opens with an argument between DiCaprio and Winslet, sparking immediate insight and complexity to the movie. A post-WWII family is at the center of the film, with Winslet playing

REVOLUTIONARY REUNION: DiCaprio and Winslet share an intimate moment together while filming on set.

the stereotypical “stay-at-home mother” and DiCaprio starring as the “breadwinner.” Their lives, although financially comfortable, reek with unhappiness and boredom.

Say Yes to Yes Man crazy antics and wacky facial expressions to add to the hilarity of the plot.

Yes Man includes a moral lesson Yes Man features Jim Carrey as that teaches the audience that rejecting Carl Allen, a opportunities workaholic rids one of grump who excitement and is afraid to diversity. Carl commit to experiences even the this when he smallest plans. realizes that Pressured by a there is no friend who he need to say yes runs into, Carl to everything attends a selfbut only to the help program prospects that with the motto will not come “Yes is the new again.

No.” After the T h e meeting, he slapstick answers every tone that is opportunity represented in with yes, thus the film keeps having new the audience e x p e r i e n c e s “YES IS THE NEW NO”: Jim Carrey saves a suicidal involved. The man due to his adaptive ways. that he would Hollywood have never before considered.

Reporter said, “Carrey’s most satisfying The movie embraces a typical love live-action effort since ‘Eternal Sunshine of story with a comedic spin of humorous the Spotless Mind.’” If you enjoy a comedy accidents and adventures. Carrey acts as full of laughter and sarcastic comments, his normal goofy self by incorporating his then Yes Man is the movie to see.

SOFIA TALARICO NEWS EDITOR

Winslet, who recently received a Golden Globe for best actress in a dramatic role for her performance, shows her dimensions when her character displays impulsiveness and depression, traits

shown in a whim decision to move to Paris with the family. Winslet’s character becomes entangled into this seemingly grand dream, leading her co-star’s character into this unique idea.

As the film moves along, the couple tries to fight its way into living this dream.

With societal pressures poking into their unusual tastes as an American couple and relationship problems, the Wheelers’ decision to move dwindles away.

The Wheelers continue to face internal hardships throughout the film, fighting with one another about their loyalties in the relationship. Frank and April reach an explosive point in their bond when words and feelings reach climatic points and their relationship diminishes completely. DiCaprio and Winslet make their characters seem alive and shockingly real to audiences.

Revolutionary Road’s Golden-Globe nominations will give the film the credit it deserves—its rich performances by DiCaprio and Winslet, its plot outline, and its overall story are all make it worthy to be this year’s greatest film.

Button Mesmerizes Audience with Message of Life and Love KATELYN SMITH FEATURE EDITOR

COURTESY PHOTO

The public’s curiosity about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was answered with a brilliant visual experience that sadly lacked a reasonable viewing time.

The film opens in a New Orleans hospital during the middle of Hurricane Katrina in 2003 with an elderly Daisy (Cate Blanchett) struggling to stay alive while her daughter reads her the diary of the infamous Benjamin Button.

The back story about a clock that ticks backwards and is implanted into a local train station metaphorically opens the story of Benjamin being born in the oldest stages of life.

The story continues on with Benjamin growing younger after being abandoned by his biological father at a retirement home after his mother dies giving birth.

This seemingly “miracle child” brings together his new mother and father as they continue to grow older and he gets younger.

Many attended this movie in order to see the charming Brad Pitt, yet he failed

to grace us with his beautiful presence since he was in full makeup and digitally enhanced until halfway through the film.

Benjamin becomes entranced with a blue- eyed, red-haired girl, who is staying with her grandmother, an encounter that begins his lifelong dream to be with her.

The main plot centers on his ability to be with Daisy and how his age eventually pulls them apart.

The war scenes mid-film create a different picture of life in war after Pearl Harbor, and it is a very powerful addition that brings life to the film and makes Benjamin a more fully realized character.

As the movie winds down, the love between Daisy and Benjamin begins to heat up as they meet when they are the same age, and later they have a child together.

As quickly as it begins, the flame is blown out as Benjamin travels to India and beyond as a teenager.

The chemistry between Blanchett and Pitt was irresistible, and it should have been a larger part of the movie.

The storyline stresses that life and love are impermanent and one should value every moment.

‘World’s Worst Dog’ Gets Two Paws Up KELLEY BIGGS ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

COURTESY PHOTO

Over winter break, many movies had the audience in either laughter or tears, and Marley & Me definitely had the crowd doing both.

Marley & Me is the story of newlyweds, John Grogan (Owen Wilson) and Jenny Grogan (Jennifer Aniston), who decide to leave their home in Michigan and move to West Palm Beach, Florida to start their lives together.

They continue their careers as reporters, buy a new home, experience the challenges of a new marriage, and begin the life-changing decision to start a new family.

John, not knowing if he is ready for a family, talks to a friend, who is also a reporter, about what he should do. His friend suggests to John he get Jenny a puppy, and this is where Marley enters the story.

A month before Jenny’s birthday, John takes her to get a new puppy. The owner tells them that she is going to sell them Marley for less than all the other ones.

Within a few weeks of bringing Marley home, the audience starts to see the special

MARLEY GONE WILD: Marley just cannot stay under control. Getting loose at a baseball game is probably all his family can handle.

connection John has with Marley. As the Grogan’s house becomes a disaster area, Marley continues to cause more trouble for the family by flunking out of obedience school (which no one has before), trying to run through a screen door, stealing a

Thanksgiving turkey, and trying to escape from a moving car.

Although he generates much craziness throughout the years, Marley sees the Grogan’s through the ups and downs of family life, from jobs and home changes to

growing a family.

While working at his new job, John is originally a new reporter but gets reassigned to writing a column. As he writes, all of his articles become about his life of living with a new family and Marley.

Jenny saves all of his columns in a scrapbook and reads them whenever she is feeling down. She later suggests to John that it would make a great book, and the book eventually ends up being on the bestseller’s list.

Although this movie makes you think of the negative effects a dog can bring to the family, if you are a dog person, you will understand that Marley is just being one of those dogs that does not think about the past or future, but about the present.

Overall, standing and waiting in line for almost an hour, three days after the movie came out was definitely worth the wait. Marley & Me had the whole theater laughing, but the end left everyone in tears.

Not only is this movie a comedy, but it is also about a family and its challenges of life who were lucky enough to have the world’s worst dog that ended up bringing the best out of all of them.

12

SPORTS

January 16, 2009 • THE ARROW

Soccer Kicks Off Season with High Expectations

On and Off the Court Q & A with the girls varsity captain Austin Walker ‘09

JUSTIN EDWARDS SPORTS EDITOR

OVERSEAS SENSATION: Sam Ball dribbles his way out of trouble and tries to attack Newbury Park’s defense.

will succeed,” said Hall.

Despite Ylauan’s position as a defender and defensive midfielder, Ylauan has scored three goals and has helped the team direct the offense.

There are many new members on the team; however, Propster believes that his team will be very competitive.

“We are a very new team. We lost eight starters from last year and only a couple of our players play together on a club team so, as should be expected, it has taken us a little while to get used to each other. All in all, I’m very happy with our progress,” said Propster.

The team has a lot of senior leadership; four-year starter Ylauan, three-year starter Hall, forward Ben Hubbard, defender Arjang Sobhanpanah, and goal-keeper Andrew Singer will help the team improve and excel throughout the season.

“I think we will do very well this year.

I expect that we will only get better, and that at the end of the season, we will be the best team in the league. I’m looking forward to us challenging for the league championship and then going for a CIF Championship,” said Propster.

WHS will play Calabasas on Jan. 19 at 6 p.m.

Four-year basketball player Austin Walker has been a great addition to the team since freshman year and has grown from being a point guard to the leadership position of defensive captain. Having already played against WHS’s main competitor, Thousand Oaks, Walker seemed pleased with her performance. With the season just beginning, Walker has high hopes for her last year and looks forward to playing other schools.

Q: How did you first get into playing basketball?

A: My dad and brother. My brother played since 2nd grade, and my dad said, “Austi, you should try it!” So I did. I didn’t want to at first, but I went through with it.

Q: How long have you been playing?

Q: What position do you play?

A: Shooting guard.

Q: Do you prefer offense or defense?

the girls’ improvement throughout the season and is optimistic about qualifying for CIF this year.

“Last year, we had a record of 1-5-1 for the first half of the season. Then in the second half, we made a huge improvement and had a record of 5-1-1,” he said.

“Hopefully we can carry this improvement into this year and make the playoffs.”

With its hard work and effort, the WHS soccer team is confident about going

A: I’m the defensive captain, so defense.

Q: What has been your best game so far and why?

A: The game against Thousand Oaks.

I played really good defense, and the whole team played really well together.

It was a close game.

Q: What team has and or will be your biggest challenge?

A: Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks are our main competitors.

Q: What has been your best memory on the WHS team?

A: This past summer, we all spent a lot of time together. We went to San Diego for a tournament, and we all got really close.

PHOTO BY KARINA LOPEZ, COURTESY OF YEARBOOK

As a new year opens, the WHS girls varsity soccer team is ready for a fresh and competitive season.

The girls are currently undefeated in league, with a current record of 3-0-1.

Practicing for hours after school every day, the girls have trained hard to perfect their skills on the field.

“We have been working really hard,” said Coach Frank Marino. “The girls have been playing very well and have also been cooperating well as a team.”

Although the team consists of mostly sophomores and juniors this year, Marino is confident that the players will successfully compete against other schools.

Led by senior captains Jackie Jacobson, Taylor Barrett, and Molly Case, the WHS team currently has a record of 7-2-1.

Other significant players include Nicole Gilbert ’10, Sara Riazi ’10, Bridget Berman ’10, and Andrea Todak ’10.

New freshmen on the team such as Taylor Perry, Bianca Riazi, and Julia O’Zella have also greatly contributed to the team.

In addition, some of the girls’ strengths include offense and defense, and Marino stated that Todak is “one of our leading scorers.”

However, “our main weakness is that the team is very young. But the girls will get more experience as they continue to learn to work together better as a team,” he said.

The girls have played Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Agoura, and Royal.

In hopes of continuing their promising season, the girls look forward to playing their main rival schools, Agoura and Thousand Oaks.

In addition, one of Marino’s key goals is to qualify for the CIF playoffs this year.

Last season was the first in more than ten years that WHS did not make the playoffs.

Although this was “extremely disappointing,” Marino is confident about

SASHA LEWIS STAFF WRITER

A: Since 6th grade; the first team I played with was the CYBA league.

Girls Soccer Wins Four League Games to Start Season TIFFANY LOH ASSISTANT COPY EDITOR

PHOTO BY NATAYLA SIVASHOV

PHOTO BY KATE GATENA, COURTESY OF YEARBOOK

The WHS boys varsity soccer team began this season with several scrimmages and tournaments, including competition in the Buena Tournament against top teams such as Santa Barbara and Ventura.

Coach Bill Propster has gained a lot of confidence from the team’s performance, its ability to play, and its productive practices.

“For us to be successful, we need everyone to buy into what the coaches are trying to get across. We have enough talent to win, but to be successful we need everyone to do his job and stay focused,” said Propster.

The boys came in 3rd place, despite missing a couple members of the team, and now have a current overall record of 7-4-2, with a league record of 2-1-1.

They have played four challenging league games against Royal, Agoura, Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks, winning 5-0 to Royal, 3-0 to Agoura, losing 3-1 to Newbury Park, and tying 2-2 to Thousand Oaks.

Sam Ball ‘10, a new student from England, has significantly helped the WHS squad by scoring numerous goals and directing the offense.

“I think our team has a lot of potential, but we are too inconsistent to achieve as much as we can right now,” said Ball.

The team should also have some security in the defense from senior captains Austin Hall and Jordan Ylauan who guide the team on the field.

“We want to do better than last year.

If our team melds together on the field, we

BEND IT LIKE BERMAN: Bridget Berman kicks the ball to her teammate downfield in the team’s game against Newbury Park.

Q: Do you plan on playing in college?

A: Most schools I have applied to are all Division I, so hopefully I’ll join a club team. I’ll tryout as a walk-on, but I’m not getting my hopes too high.

Q: Who has been your favorite coach?

Favorite team?

A: Well my dad was my coach when I was younger, but besides that, Coach William Burr. He has taught me a lot about the game and life in general.

My favorite team is definitely the high school team.