The VOLUME XXXIII, ISSUE 6
Westlake High School
Arrow
100 N. LAKEVIEW CANYON ROAD, WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA 91362
March 23, 2011
New Classes Added to Fall Schedule
Wilson To Lead Student Body All-female cabinet will oversee activities.
AP Computer Science, Forensics CP return.
Steven Paro Staff Writer
Stephanie Kim
Following a week of campaigning and a competitive election, the students have elected Sam Wilson ‘12 for ASG President. She edged out Nicki Ghazarian ‘12 and Taylor Perry ‘12 for the position. Wilson won with her, “I’m your man,” slogan and a black felt mustache. “As ASG President, I want to bring new, fresh ideas as well as get students involved in activities and increase spirit.” Running for second in command, vice-president, were Lauren Chi ‘12 and Emily Detweiler ‘12. The winner was Chi, the current ASG secretary. “I want to show leadership and contribute to the school by changing the half-time show at the football games and get the student senate more hands on,” says Chi. Rounding out the cabinet are newly elected treasurer Paige Harris ‘12 and secretary Lexi Ozder ‘12. Each ran uncontested, reducing the stress on both candidates. “It was nice running and not worrying about competition and running against friends,” said Harris. A common goal that all four in the cabinet agree on is to get the students more involved. “We must get people involved and have the people decide on matters, not us,” said Ozder. ASG adviser Diane Blackburn explained that she and the officers will select the rest of the ASG class in late May. “Next year, we’re going to have something called Homegoing. It’s similar to Homecoming except it focuses on winter sports and the winter rally,” said Blackburn. Blackburn is interested in incorporating video announcements once a month. She also wants to host another Leadership Development Day, where students serve as mentors to younger students. “I want the four officers to leave behind a lasting legacy at Westlake,” said Blackburn.
News Editor
ever, Harrison received recognition for coaching Mock Trial for 15 years. For the students and advisors, the last few months have been full of preparation and anxiety. Six people dropped from the Mock Trial program and seven seniors graduated from the previous year; however, the team spent more time preparing and managed to recover. According to Mock Trial defense attorney Elizabeth Matusov ‘12, the hallway in which the team practiced after school
and on the weekends became their “best friend.” “We had a smaller team this year, so it was easier for everyone to improve,” added Matusov. Forty teams will be competing at the state competition this weekend at the Riverside County Court House. According to Harrison, WHS will practice and scrimmage other schools in preparation for the state competition: “We are ready to go to state. These students did a very good job at county, and they will do well at state.”
This fall, new classes will be introduced into the WHS curriculum, allowing students to experience a variety of different and unique subjects. Classes include Human Geography AP for incoming freshmen, Computer Science AP, and Forensic Science CP. Though all these classes are planned for the 2011-12 school year, they are “tentative and based on student interest and class availability,” according to Nicole Judd, Assistant Principal of Instruction. Teachers Mike Lynch, Lisa Ryder, and Stephanie Koenig will be teaching Human Geography AP, Computer Science AP and Forensic Science CP, respectively. “[Forensic Science] is designed to give students a genuine look into what it’s like to be a crime scene investigator; the class description includes a field trip to the Ventura County crime lab, a study of real-life decomposition, topics like blood splatter, gun shot marks, arson investigation, explosives,” said Koenig, current Chemistry Honors and AP teacher. Forensics has been submitted to the UC/CSU system for lab science credit and is currently under review. “It currently fulfills an elective course under the A-G requirements and for science lovers, it is an exciting, hands-on class that covers a broad range of topics,” according to Koenig. Human Geography AP is currently offered to nonfreshmen. Originally an AP offered to freshmen in other schools, WHS will now open this class up to the freshmen. Computer Science will be coming back after a year-long hiatus. In offering these classes in the 2011-12 year, the WHS administration hopes to present “challenging and interesting classes to the students as a means of adding value to each student’s education,” said Judd.
Fame Preview See Page 15
Exclusive Q & A See Page 16
Baseball Begins See Page 18
Mock Trial Advances to State Finals Dashiell Young-Saver Managing Editor
COURTESY PHOTOS
For the first time in 13 years, the WHS Mock Trial Team has qualified to compete in the State competition. After months of preparation and several county level competitions, the team finished second in Ventura County behind La Reina. However, the team qualified for the wild card spot, sending it to the state level. “I was surprised to hear about the wild card a full week after the competition,” said teacher advisor Christina Harrison. “Our students definitely performed well enough to get the wild card though.” Harrison has coached Mock Trial for the last 15 years, and this year’s team is her first to go to state since her first team in 1998. WHS has placed second multiple times in previous years, but this is the first year the team has received the wild card. According to Harrison, this year’s new scoring system truly awarded the best teams because it was based on raw scores; in previous years, the process was more subjective. The WHS students did not receive any individual awards at the Ventura competition; how-
CASE REOPENED: Mock Trial team and Coaches Christina Harrison, Julia Snyder, and Ashley Tomkins (right) celebrate its second place finish at Oxnard Arts Center.
A Look Inside Tennis On Top See Page 17
2
NEWS
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
Cooking up Pastry Postulates
Students Contribute to WASC Study
Lauren Chin Staff Writer
Hanna Hong Sports Editor
SUBJECT
#
IN BRIEF
CVUSD On College Board’s AP Achievement List CVUSD recently received recognition by earning a place on the College Board’s AP Achievement List. CVUSD is the only District in Ventura County to be recognized with this award. Placement on the list signifies the District has achieved a steady increase in the amount of student participation, an augmentation of minority student involvement and noticeable improvement of scores on the AP test based on examination of three years worth of AP data. From 2008 to 2010, CVUSD’s number of students taking AP classes has increased, the percentage of scores three and above has risen from 72% to 78%.
Spring Fling at NPHS The annual Spring Fling Dance at Newbury Park High School is on March 26. Students from Westlake, Newbury Park, and Thousand Oaks High Schools are invited to the dance. Tickets are $15 and are being sold until March 24 at the student store. At the door tickets are $20. The dance lasts from 7-11 p.m.
Students to Present at Technology Conference TEDxConejo, the annual ConejoValley conference of Technology, Entertainment, and Design, is adding a special session composed entirely of students in the Conejo Valley on the same day as the actual conference, which is held on March 26. Numerous WHS students are participating in the student session, entitled “60 Seconds to Change the World.” The bonus session allows students to introduce their worldchanging idea in a one-minute presentation.
Duan to Attend Boys State Frank Duan ‘12 will attend California State University in Sacramento for Boys State. Duan will learn rights and privileges of citizens. Jordan Hobbman ‘12 will be the alternate. Duan was chosen out of five junior boys from a committee from the American Legion Auxiliary. Duan will attend during summer from June 18-25.
Photo by Hanna Hong
In celebration of Pi Day on March 14, Family and Consumer Sciences teacher Maria Scirone and her Advanced Culinary Arts class helped with the festivities by baking apple and cherry pies for math club’s Pi Day festivities. “It’s our first year and we want to start to participate in more school activities,” said Scirone. “My goal is to get these kids into a work atmosphere. We’ve already served three lunches to teachers and have taken the Serv Safe test.” The Serv Safe test certifies that Scirone and her class have met the state and local health department regulatory requirements, so they can serve food to staff and students at WHS. Not only do the teachers who order food benefit from a delicious lunch, but the students also gain experience in cooking. Seniors Anabiah Syed and Sidra Mobin had nothing but praise for the class. “We love her and we love what we do; she’s a great teacher,” said Syed. “The hands on experience is so great,” added Mobin. Students in the advanced class can
SWEETER THAN PI: Culinary Arts students showcase their pies on Pi Day.
earn their professional Serv Safe Certificate and participate in cooking for the “Blue Arrow Cafe,” while completing their Fine Arts requirement. However, to be able to enroll in this class, students need to show their dedication and have taken Foods I
and II as prerequisites. These classes are open to all grade levels and do not require any previous training, so anybody can learn the basics. “It’s really an amazing class,” said Mobin. “I love it.”
11 Clubs Approved Brian Chang
Opinion Editor Clubs are always considered an essential part of the WHS experience. Many students are involved in at least one club on campus. Whether that club involves sports, volunteering, or any other specific hobby shared by the students, each offers an opportunity for Warriors with similar interests to meet and socialize with each other.
Anti-Bullying Society
Maria Scirone advises the club to address the issue of bullying on campus. The club not only provides advice and help to bullied students but also makes an effort to prevent any further bullying in school.
Better Birthdays
Advised by Danielle Mier, this club provides student volunteers opportunities to offer unprivileged and foster children birthday presents. Students can give back to the community while interacting with students their age.
Linguistics
The club is comprised of a group of students dedicated to studying and exploring language, from formal written to vernacular, advised by Hilary Waldinger.
Higher Hope: Homeless Helpers
This club works at various volunteer events, including playing music and teaching the underprivileged children many different skills for everyday life. Social Science teacher Jim Azevedo is the adviser.
Cove
Cove, which is not only a club on campus, but also an international organization, addresses the problem of illegal dolphin slaughtering in Taiji, Japan. Advised by Lisa Ryder, the club offers students a chance to spread awareness of dolphin poaching, and will hold fundraisers to benefit the organization.
is for students sharing an interest in entertainment media and business regarding media. Students can share their interest in the media industry through this club.
Friendship Circle
This is a unique club, advised by Laurie Looker, that connects both specialeducation and non-special-education students together. Because these students normally do not have the opportunity to interact, Friendship Circle is a great chance for special education students to communicate with other students.
Lyricists and Poets
Members of Lyricists and Poets, aka Rap Battle, will write poetry and lyrics, sharing them during meetings. The club, with Eric Levy as adviser, is an opportunity for students to analyze and discuss their own as well as others’ poems or lyrics.
Crossroads
According to ASG adviser Diane Blackburn, Crossroads Club, is “a spiritual haven for students, [and] a safe place to meet.” Advised by Audrey Rollins, the club helps students in need of a religious refuge.
Pokemon
By far the most unique new club to enter campus, Pokemon Club is a group for Pikachu-fanatics. The club does everything from game tournaments to hard-core discussions about the magical realm of Pokemon. For more information on any of the clubs including meeting dates and details about the club, contact each club adviser.
In order to accredit WHS, committees continue to meet during Common Planning Time to write the February 11, of 2011 • THE Aand RROW Western Association Schools Colleges (WASC) report. Groups of administrators, teachers, staff, parents, and students evaluate the many facets that make up a high school—from test data to expenses to student involvement— to re-certify that WHS meets statedetermined performance standards. To ensure all the students’ needs are met, WASC members evaluate the school’s quality of education, impact on each student’s future in higher institutions, and assess improvements needed to accommodate future students. Student focus group member Nick Doder ’11 explains that “by the end of the self examination, WHS will conclude with a score, and the better the score the more faith universities and colleges have in our success with functioning properly as a school.” Doder and his group concentrate on “not just the upper bracket students and not just the lower brackets, but everybody.” Lauren Chi ‘12 and her WASC group are discussing ways to help improve the graduation rate at WHS and pass rate on exams, such as CASHEE and STAR. Chi explains the group’s importance is to improve “ways to help these [struggling] students do better and be more successful in school.” As a student member of the Instruction Committee, Joacin Gurrola ’11 outlines the expectations for students when it comes to learning materials, active communication, and advancing technological skills. Gurrola believes “with media on the rise, WHS is making sure that every possible way of teaching and expression is incorporated [during school].” As a participating student, Gurrola feels that “WASC has opened the eyes of the students helping out with the meetings. We are able to add our input as, not only students, but members of the current generation with different social norms and obstacles to overcome. This way, our voices are also heard.” In the next five years, WASC is planning to implement three action plans to help all students. To do this, students and staff will continue to pinpoint future goals for the school to better its standing, institution, and studies.
Become a Professional Pilot! FAA Approved Part 141 Flight School Please contact Sarah Oberman, Flight School Manager. Parents welcome! Channel Islands Aviation is your Premier Cessna Pilot Center and has been locally owned and operated at the Camarillo Airport since 1976!
Hopes for Hospitals
English teacher Jillian Penn advises the club which provides medical supplies to various hospitals of need in the community. By raising money through fundraisers, it plans to give economically challenged facilities the material that they need to help patients.
Future Entertainment Industry Professionals Advised
by
Azevedo,
this
club
contact info: (805) 987-1301 x 126
sarah@flycia.com www.flycia.com
305 Durley Avenue Camarillo, CA 93010
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
OPINION
“Come with Me if you want to...” robots that can experience sorrow, loss, love is unnatural, but increasingly possible. Yet, creating a competing race The future is now. goes against humanity’s best Everyone has heard it, interests, especially a superior everyone knows it. One race. Eventually, one race would hundred years ago, ideas such grow a feeling of superiority as computers and video games over the other. were works of science fiction; In addition, reaching a final far off inventions of a future point of intelligence is equally most thought they would unfavorable. Without any more never see. Today, humanity to learn and discover, the human dreams of reaching the stars condition completely changes. and traveling the universe. If the point of our existence is to But will there ever be a point learn, discover, and be in pursuit at which humans can’t see of bettering ourselves, what what’s ahead? happens when humans have The Singularity concept learned everything there is to be is a widely disputed, learned? Our existence will be hypothetical event describing reduced to pampering ourselves the point in history in with no real purpose; our lives which humanity can no will lose their meaning. Though longer envision the world resting and relaxing is nice, of tomorrow. Some say it is true contentment comes from the point at which humans discovery and advancement; a reach the apex of intelligence; life without innovation isn’t a others, such as futurist life worth living. Raymond Kurzweil, believe it The scariest part of the is the point in time at which whole concept, however, is that humans and machines are it’s happening right now. Time indistinguishable. The only Magazine referenced an old agreed-upon piece of the game show called “I’ve Got a Singularity concept is that, Secret”. In 1965, Kurzweil, a once reached, the future will be MAKING THE CHANGE: The future of evolution lies in the new techfirm believer in the eventual nearly impossible to predict. nologies of tomorrow singularity, appeared on the In effect, humanity will have show with a short song. By the reached the “up” in “there’s is Singularity really in humanity’s best end of the episode, it was revealed that nowhere to go but up.” Kurzweil had designed a program on the So, is it possible? Of course. Within the interests? computer to compose the song. Music, The idea of robots eventually becoming following millennia, the rate of innovation will continue to accelerate; it’s only natural as complex as humans is frightening, to say once thought to be one of the greatest forms that it eventually reaches an endpoint. In the least. Humanity has the of spark of life; of human expression, had been digitized. So no, Singularity is in humanity’s fact, according to Singularity Institute, the that special something that allows us to current speed of technology allows for the live, breathe, grow, and evolve. It allows best interests. Humans at their best are “entire subjective timespan from Socrates us to develop personalities and make innovative, educated, and dedicated; ... to modern-day humanity [to] pass mistakes, to feel true happiness or true taking away challenge and advancement in under twenty-two hours.” However, pain. The thought of eventually developing could only lead to chaos.
Ethan Reul
Feature Editor
A Shot in the Dark
Parents who neglect to vaccinate their children pose a danger to everyone and may contribute to the revival of nearly extinct diseases like polio and pertussis. Orly Greenberg
paper that the 12 children studied were normal until they had the MMR shot, five had previously documented In the summer of 1916, an developmental problems.” epidemic ravaged the suburbs of And even though autism is New York City, rapidly making definitely not caused by the MMR its way towards New Jersey, vaccination, many parents still choose Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. not to vaccinate their children because Before the infected even knew what of the proposed “risks” involved. hit them, the seemingly harmless Their actions have effectively revived disease left thousands either nearly extinct diseases. The health paralyzed or dead. Although it blog Consumer Report stated that sounds like a set-up for a bad horror at least 131 cases of measles were film, the infection, poliomyelitis reported in 2008, “the most in twelve (commonly known as polio) was a years, and officials cite parents’ refusal real threat to families across America to vaccinate children as the leading in the early 1950s. But why does the cause for the jump.” The DHPE country not live in fear of the deadly (Directors of Health Promotion and Polio Virus today? Education) chimed in as well, stating There is a simple explanation that pertussis, commonly known as for the complete eradication of Polio, the whooping cough, is breaking out and his name is Jonas Salk. Salk again in unvaccinated areas. They wen SKYROCKETING SICKNESS: The number of created a polio vaccination, which -t on to say that “the most important measles cases has increased dramatically over the past became widely available in 1955. way to prevent pertussis is through few years Salk saved tens of thousands of lives complete immunization,” which can with his scientific breakthrough. on autism, concluding the MMR vaccine easily be said for any other disease. But a new movement has spread and autism are directly linked. Wakefield Not only does refusal to vaccinate put through the country, one that is questioning studied twelve children, nine of which their own children at risk, but parents take vaccines and the affects on the children were autistic, and determined that the other children’s lives in their hands by who receive them. More and more parents MMR vaccine had irritated intestines, choosing not to vaccinate. Parents need to have refused to vaccinate their children. causing toxins to be released which then comprehend the gamble they are taking by The developing trend was likely propelled traveled to the brain, according to www. releasing sick children that could cause the by a study done in England, which claimed discovermagazine.com. This “discovery” re-emergence of these pre-eradicated bugs. that the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) caused thousands of parents to deny their “That you can prevent those illnesses vaccination and autism were linked. Now children vaccines. with a very simple shot is among the that the research was proved false, parents Now that Andrew Wakefield’s work greatest scientific breakthroughs in our might finally come to their senses and has been rightly declared illegitimate, lifetime,” said NBC’s chief medical editor realize that it is both foolish and selfish not doctors are finding it hard to hold the much Dr. Nancy Snyderman. Humans have to vaccinate their children. deserved “I-told-you-so” back. MSNBC defeated the laws of nature by effectively According to the Discovery Magazine reported, “…Wakefield and colleagues destroying diseases and saving millions of website, in 1998, a British doctor named altered facts about patients in their lives, and a falsified report should not erase Andrew Wakefield published his studies study…despite the claim in Wakefield’s all of the progress made.
Feature Editor
Letter From the Editor
3
“You say you want a revolution” Lisa Battaglia Editor-in-chief
“What is its use?” someone asked Ben Franklin as a crowd watched a large balloon soar through the Parisian skyline. The man who discovered electricity and bifocals replied: “What good is a newborn baby?” And what about Facebook, the novelty that enables teens and college students to stay in touch and gossip? As revolution broke out in Egypt focusing on police brutality and lack of free speech and elections, the famous social-networking site was the first to know. On Jan. 24, more than 85,000 people pledged to join the revolution against dictator Hosni Mubarak on Facebook. The next day, Jan. 25, uprising began. Facebook outstrips the imagination of 500 million active users in the entire world. When Ben Franklin was asked “What is its use?” regarding electricity, people viewed it as a toy for play. Electricity has taken the world to the iPhone and the Internet, connecting the globe in seconds. New inventions are first seen as playtoys but then change the nature of our world. Activist Wael Ghonim, a marketing manager for Google, played a significant role in organizing the protest by reaching out to Egyptians through Facebook. Ghonim was arrested in Cairo and imprisoned for almost two weeks. He told CNN that Facebook aided the anti-government protest: “This revolution started online. This revolution started on Facebook.” Ghonim wished to thank Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook, for creating a revolutionary website. “If you want to liberate a society, give them the Internet,” said Ghonim. Time Magazine reported that a Facebook page was created called “Revolution Day” presenting a list of demands created by citizens of Egypt for Mubarak. As societies throughout the globe grasp onto the new technology, they become aware of what better societies other countries have, causing them to revolt for freedom. Facebook was first seen as a socialnetworking site for college students to connect, post pictures, and keep in touch. Facebook has now helped people all over the world connect with Japan after a 8.9 earthquake and tsunami struck the coast. For several, Twitter and Facebook have become the easiest and most reliable way to keep in touch with friends and family as well as provide a way for outsiders to help and make donations. The Telegraph stated that even the US State Department “resorted to using Twitter to publish emergency numbers and informing Japanese residents in American to contact families in Asia.” People in Japan used socialnetworking sites to post news about the severity of the earthquake and upload pictures and videos of the tragedy. Within a few hours of the earthquake, over 1,200 tweets a minute were coming from Tokyo and 246,075 Twitter posts included the word “earthquake,” said The Telegraph. The computer started as a simple word-processor. After the Internet and then social-networking sites, the computer has revolutionized the entire globe. Facebook and Twitter have connected people in such a way that is not only for friends to communicate, but to help countries in times of crisis. Social-networking sites are the most influential and far-reaching pages in this book that we call life.
4
OPINION
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
Charlie Sheen: Prophet or Profit? The real winners from the scandal are... nearly synonymous with Sheen, which can only bring the group the fame and respect they deserve.
Orly Greenberg
A Dash of Sanity:
A recent cafeteria closure prompts a modest proposal in the tradition of Jonathan Swift’s suggestion to eat Irish children to relieve the potato famine. Dashiell Young-Saver
Managing Editor I, for one, welcome our new rodent overlords. Everyone at WHS knows about the school’s unrelenting rat problem. It is the great irony of the Westlake bubble: at a school in which people treat hand sanitizer as body lotion, rats thrive. The rat brotherhood made its largest push last month when the rodents conquered the cafeteria. By squeaking through holes made by new construction in the theatre area, the rats immersed themselves in our school’s food, causing the closure of the cafeteria for a week. According to one sarcastic junior, the District probably would have let the cafeteria stay open, but it wanted to protect the rats from eating the cafeteria food. He also said that the incident marked the greatest achievement in the cafeteria’s long history: a group of living organisms actually wanted to eat its food. The school’s rat infestation is beginning to exceed its rich brat infestation; in other words, there are more rats than there are total students. The rodent takeover has begun. I sat down with the rat brotherhood’s underground leader, Scratchface (no relation to Scarface), to talk about the situation. -Me: “How do you explain the recent success of your band of furry brothers?” -Mr. Face: “Well, look kid. We have had this human infestation problem for years. The brotherhood’s recent breakthroughs can be attributed to the hard work and determination of the members of the organization.” -”I think you are mistaken; you and your brothers are the infestation.” -”How dare you punk kid come in here and talk to me about who is infestating who! See this scratch on my face? I was caught in a sticky trap several years ago, and my cousin had to pull me out by my face using his claws. Once you get hit, punk, then tell me who the infestator is!” After squashing Scratchface with my shoe, I realized that he was right. Rats are not “ro-donts,” they are rodents. They are peaceful beings that only seek coexistence, trying to survive in this artificial world built by humans. However, much like endangered species of the world, we must keep their numbers low and show them who is dominant. Instead of laying more ineffective traps or calling an exterminator, I have a more modest proposal: put the rats on the menu. Rats are high in protein and certainly could not make the cafeteria food any worse. What could better satisfy the “buy local” advocates more than the meat of our home-grown, furry friends? A Rat Tail Soup Monday or Ratatouille Wednesday would keep the rodent population under control, while providing sustenance for the students. In addition, feasting on the rats’ meat and life energy is the best way to honor our fallen furry friends as they become one with the student(‘s) body. We must convert WHS’s greatest problem into the cafeteria’s greatest solution: eat the rats, save the school.
Feature Editor America loves a train wreck. At the peak of their meltdowns, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Amy Winehouse and more have captivated every television screen, radio program, tabloid cover, and conversation. The latest celebrity disaster, and possibly the most unique (at the very least the most eloquent) is the former “Two and a Half Men” star Charlie Sheen. Since becoming famous, Sheen has notoriously struggled with drugs and behavioral issues. Surprisingly, sobering up has inspired some of his craziest rants yet. In these rants, Sheen has managed to offend almost every single person, religion, and even groups like Alcoholics Anonymous. But Sheen’s nonsensical tirades have managed to do some good, and here are the top reasons that prove that something in the tiger’s blood is working for Charlie Sheen. Tabloids Whether they are critiquing his choices or criticizing his erratic behavior, tabloids should be grateful to Sheen. Over an eightday period, People Magazine alone wrote 26 articles on Charlie Sheen’s misconduct. Sheen also took three spots in People’s most read stories of the week. Insult him as they may, Sheen has provided the exact amount of scandal needed for readers to want more, and tabloids have Sheen to thank for their rising income. Ex-wife (s) When Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen separated after four years of marriage, it looked as though both parties were equally guilty of being unstable. It was the worst divorce Hollywood had ever seen, up until Sheen’s divorce to ex-wife Brooke Mueller. The MuellerSheen divorce was riddled with shocking revelations about the husband and wife’s
verbal and physical abuse towards each other. Sheen’s last two wives (he did in fact have three wives- his first was model Donna Peele) were assumed to be psychotic women rivaling Sheen’s insanity. And while the rumors might be true, both Richards and Mueller’s reputations have been, if not restored, then at least promoted to “not as crazy as Charlie Sheen.” So while their marriages might have been disasters, Mueller and Richards should be grateful for Sheen’s crazy upstaging their own. Warlocks TMZ reports that practicing warlock Christian Day was shocked to hear Sheen use the w-word (warlock) and Day was even quoted as saying, “I am going to magically blind Mr. Sheen, not to harm him, but to simply prevent him from using this word in such a negative manner in the future.” In fact, warlocks around the world should be thanking Sheen. Why? Because of Charlie Sheen, we now know that there are warlocks around the world. Before, warlocks were an under appreciated religion that was mocked for its magical beliefs. Now, warlocks are
Libyan Cause Echoes America’s Fight for Freedom Shannon Reiffen
Entertainment Editor In the year 1776, North American colonists claimed freedom from the oppressive British government. After much fighting, loss of many lives, and the shedding of blood, sweat and tears, our forefathers were able to release themselves and gain independence. The small country of Libya is currently going through a similar situation; the people are trying to free themselves from their oppressive leader, Moammar Gaddafi. For the US, the question is whether or not to support the people’s endeavor. Should we send them supplies, troops and money, while we have two other wars we have to pay for? Or should we cut ties altogether with Libya, to keep ourselves out of economic and possibly political trouble? As a small and fragile nation, the 13 colonies had help in our battle for independence. France supplied us with money for weapons and better-trained troops. Without that help, we might not have been able to gain our independence. Therefore, in light of that help, are we obligated to assist another country struggling for independence just as we were? Some say we are. In an article with the Washington Post, Elliott Abrams, the National Security Council director under Former President George Bush, feels that President Barack Obama’s indecisiveness on the no-fly zone is not right. “That seems to me to indicate an administration that has not yet made up its mind on what to do in Libya,” Abrams said. But is it the responsibility of the United States to create
the no-fly zone? The European countries have not signed onto that either- so why does our President get the heat? President Obama is just taking cautious steps with the Libyan situationand with good cause. If we look back to the Egyptian struggle, there was no intervention necessary- Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian dictator stepped down before major fighting broke out, and now the Egyptians are getting their fair elections and democracy. However, Mubarak was much less violent than Gaddafi. Gaddafi is attacking the rebels, supporting the Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, and causing tragic deaths to thousands of citizens merely trying to enact change in their country. Should the US step in and help those being killed? Should we give them money and training? Well if we do that, we’re supporting democracy and making a point that dictators who kill people aren’t acceptable. But if we support the rebels, we also have an angry dictator on our hands, as well as possible political tensions in the Middle East. If we decide not to assist the Libyan people, then we are looked upon as a country who supports a cruel dictatorship, which we are obviously not. But we have troops in Iraq and Afghanistan; two other wars to fund, and still in a recession. Can we afford to support the Libyans? It is difficult to know the many financial and political repercussions, and even more frightening to consider involving our troops in another crisis. I do know, however, that innocent, democracy-hungry people are dying, and they need someone to help them.
Small Businesses Up-and-coming entrepreneurs have taken note of Sheen’s abundance of crazy phrases and used them to their advantages. T-shirts bearing messages from Sheen such as “Winning, duh!” and “I’ve got tiger blood and Adonis DNA,” have been popping up constantly. A drink entitled “Tiger Blood Energy Potion” has made quite a splash, with the Sheen inspired tagline reading “made from 100% passion specifically to make your brain fire in a way that’s not from this particular terrestrial realm.” While institutions such as CBS are hurting from Sheen’s rants, other businesses have gained success from his kooky phrasing. Gaddafi At first, one may be extremely confused as to why a corrupt, violent leader may benefit from this crackhead actor. But logically, all the media attention drawn towards Sheen means less attention for Gaddafi. And less attention means more action without the United States public’s awareness. Just think - after the tsunami and earthquake in Japan, how much do we hear about Gaddafi in the news nowadays? Similar to the effect that Japan’s disaster has caused, Charlie Sheen’s magnet of attention is beneficial for Gaddafi. Charlie Sheen? Sure, he’s made papers for raving like a madman. But maybe this recent media exposure will force Sheen’s entourage to take Sheen’s rants as a cry for help. Charlie Sheen has obviously been in desperate need of professional help for years, and his latest antics might prove once and for all that he is dangerously unstable. So while being a “loser” has brought about all of the attention, Sheen can get the help he needs and end up a winner. 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 Lisa Battaglia MANAGING EDITOR Dashiell Young-Saver NEWS EDITORS Celine Flores, Stephanie Kim, Michelle Noyes OPINION EDITORS Brian Chang, Woody Chung, Zak Kukoff FEATURE EDITORS Katrina Brewer, Meini Cheng, Harry Chung, Orly Greenberg, Alexa Lucas, Katelyn Masket, Ethan Reul, Julia Shi, Christina Vasiliou ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Jamie Mark, Shannon Reiffen SPORTS EDITORS Jacob Cavanah, Tucker Higgins Hanna Hong ADVERTISING MANAGER Alexandra Biston CARTOONISTS Harry Bachrach, Gaby Breiter, Kabir Nagarkatti ADVISER Caron Battaglia STAFF WRITERS Lauren Chin, Kelli DaRin, Alex Farkas, Anita Gao, Brooke Garcher, Yangzong Guo, Alana Model, Julia Model, Steven Paro, Ari Sadwick, Kevin Shi
The Arrow is written, designed and run by the students of the Advanced Journalism and Journalism 1CP classes at Westlake High School and is published monthly. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, Westlake High School administration, faculty, or student body. We welcome feedback. Letters must be signed by the writer, though names can be withheld by request in the publication. Please send submissions to Mrs. Battaglia’s box in the main office or to Room 42E. For The Arrow online, visit whswarriors.com and click on Activities menu.
OPINION
4
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
No Happy Union in Wisconsin
Zak Kukoff
Opinion Editor Currently, a situation is brewing in Wisconsin that threatens to destroy the American Middle-Class: Unions, once the lifeblood of middle-of-the-road states like Wisconsin, are under attack from Scott Walker, the radical, newly-elected Republican Governor. Earlier this year, a budget bill was quietly introduced in the Wisconsin Legislature. Scott Walker, the Governor, was proposing what he called “bipartisan budget cuts” that would supposedly affect the pay and benefits of public-sector unions. In fact, the cuts went much deeper. In a naked power-grab, the Republican Governor targeted Democratic-leaning unions, making them re-vote to establish their own existence every year, and crippling their ability to collect membership fees from both existing and new members. Most egregious of all, however, was what Governor Walker did to collective bargaining, or the right of unions to negotiate with the Government for better pay. Governor Walker flat-out eliminated it, locking the unions into low wages, and decimating their ability to negotiate for any sort of benefits package. Walker, who has a current majority in both the state House and Senate, tried to ram the bill through in what Democrats called, “a coordinated blitz,” according to Mother Jones Magazine. In response, the Democrats
took the only action that they felt was conscionable—they left, fleeing the statehouse and denying Governor Walker the quorum he needed to pass
legislation. Simultaneously, Governor Walker sent state police to major Democrats’ houses, trying to intimidate them into returning to the statehouse. Unions quickly organized
mass-protests, which entailed teachers calling in sick, and other unionized professionals leaving their own workplaces in a show of solidarity. The protests began
to sway public opinion away from the dangerous union-busting bill, and Governor Walker is currently facing a recall campaign. Faced with chaos in the capital, the Governor shut down the statehouse, which
the Wisconsin Supreme Court quickly deemed illegal under the Wisconsin Constitution. However, Governor Walker ignored the court order to reopen the house, and later was caught in a recorded phone discussion talking about how he was planning on betraying good-faith negations he was having with Democrats. Despite the Governor’s clearly un-ethical actions, the bill still passed, in an underhanded vote that relabeled the entire bill (including the parts that the Governor had previously claimed were budget cuts) as “non-budgetary.” Why is this important? In the 1980s, Reagan, the last union-busting president, laid off thousands of workers in the famous aircontrollers’ strike. Since that union was broken, we have seen class wage-disparity spiral downwards, with the middle-class feeling the brunt of the decrease. Wages plummeted, leaving the American middle class in a substantiallyworse situation then it was before. More substantially, however, this new bill affects non-union workers as well: according to the New York Times, when union wages decrease, wages across the board decrease, extending the crippling recession. The Governor of Wisconsin is helping to extend the recession, and should be ashamed. By ending the long-standing American tradition of collective bargaining, the Governor is directly taking money away from the hardworking families that need it most.
Media Glee-fully Promoting Bad Values Alexa Lucas
Feature Editor
During the assembly, the students were drunk. But in lieu of punishment, the principal praised them for an authentic portrayal of drunkenness, as he believed that they were acting. However, Glee’s
intercom. However, since the subject was dropped with no further discussion, no positive message was conveyed. Is TV media failing to convey positive messages to teens and in turn promoting outrageous
Courtesy Photo
All teenagers face the controversial issue of drinking and drugs, and studies have shown that television and movies exert a large influence on the future decisions of teens. As of late, it appears that television in particular has been presenting a flawed view of the world to teenagers. A recent episode of Glee appeared to be cautioning against teen drinking, but really did the opposite. The characters drunkenly partied, drunkenly hookedup, drunkenlydialed, and drank publicly. GLEE-FULY DRUNK: The Glee Cast Perfoming While Drunk However, rather than showing the negative effects of their choices, the characters endorsement of drunkenness behaviors? were thrilled that their actions didn’t stop there. Will Shuster, Flawed portrayals don’t just were free of consequences. the glee-club’s teacher, also stop at Glee. Lawmakers are None of the characters faced heavily drank during the episode. pushing towards basing movie extreme punishments and were In a half-hearted attempt to ratings on the appearance of in turn praised for their drunken show consequences, Glee had smoking. WebMD Medical News assembly performance. his drunk-dial played over the says parents must be warned
“of the depictions of smoking in movies,” because of the influence the media has on children. “We conclude that eliminating or reducing adolescents’ exposure to smoking in movies could significantly reduce the number of adolescents who initiate smoking,” said Madeline A. Dalton, PhD, a pediatrics researcher at Dartmouth Medical School. Unfortunately, removing smoking from movies is challenging: movies, after all, are profitmaking enterprises. According to data accumulated by Smoke Free Movies, it is predicted that if smoking was removed from movies, teenage smoking would drop by one-half. Movies govern themselvs, and if we show the movie industry that it is more profitable to remove smoking (by giving smoke-free films a PG-13 rating), the film industry will eventually change.
New Arizona Bill Sparks Argument over Immigration Katrina Brewer Feature Editor
Arizona Senate Bill 1405 recently sparked controversy when it came to light that the Bill would require hospitals turn away illegal immigrants from potentially life-saving care. CNN reported that this bill was intended to lower healthcare costs at hospitals in Arizona, and that the Representatives who introduced it WHS student John Hadzipetros ‘12 disagreed, “The bill is absolutely immoral- everyone, citizen or not, has the right to healthcare.” This raises a clear moral issue. Hospital treatment should be considered a civil right regardless of citizenship. “This is making [Arizona] into a police state that will try to catch people when they are sick,” said retired doctor George Pauk. In addition to leaving doctors guilt-ridden by turning away those in need, Bill 1405 would have prevented the sick from seeking treatment in the first place, resulting in contagious people staying at home and placing the public at risk. If this bill had been passed, lawsuits would inevitably have surfaced, causing more financial difficulties and moral issues. If a patient was refused treatment due to not being a citizen, and died because of lack of treatment, there could be both civil and criminal consequences, in the form of manslaughter lawsuits and murder charges. Racial Profiling also emerged as a sensitive topic. People worried their skin color or accent would now be even more of a red flag to discrimination and a valid cause for harassment. According to New America Media, the bill was rejected on February 17, 2011 by lack of votes, but up until then conflict raged through the Senate, and who knows what bills will be introduced in the future. Immigration and bitterness over illegals relying on welfare, medicare, or taxpayers’ money has been a controversial topic for decades, and with the introduction of this bill, it doesn’t appear that it will be changing any time soon.
6
FEATURE
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
TEACHER DREAMS TO STUDENT ASPIRATIONS In pursuit of their dream careers, two teachers talk about how they veered away from their original path, as two Westlake students share the dream of their futures.
Gravity Pulled Holloway from Advertising Stephanie Kim News Editor
Upon entering the invigorating class of Physics AP, a student hears teacher Scott Holloway explain the fundamentals of gravity. Without prior knowledge of the teacher and his background, one may have never assumed that Holloway once dreamed of being something very different from a Physics teacher. “My dream job was to be a cartoonist, but I didn’t have enough artistic skill (or so I thought), so I dreamed of becoming an architect or engineer,” said Holloway. After entering UCSB with the
intent of becoming a mechanical engineer, Holloway grew discontent with his chosen major. Two years into his schooling at UCSB, he planned on switching his major to advertising. “I was hired by a company in [Santa Barbara]... and the owner of the company talked me out of entering [advertising] because it did not fit with my personality,” said Holloway. While thinking of a career to pursue, Holloway worked at Circuit City selling stereos. One day, a customer he was helping (a teacher) noticed his helpful and friendly personality and urged him to go and “watch her teach.” Convinced that Holloway
was “born to teach,” the woman persistently asked him to come and observe her in the classroom. Eventually Holloway agreed and within a week, he had fallen in love with teaching. Holloway returned to school for the last time to receive his credentials in Physics and Masters in Science Education at CSUN. He was then on his way to a new career in teaching. “I love teaching, but never thought about it until I was actually in the classroom,” said Holloway. “If you had asked me in high school if I wanted to be a teacher, I would have said ‘never in a million years.’”
Kelsey Played Part in Murder Mysteries
Ari Sadwick Staff Writer
English teacher Lynne Kelsey never expected her career path to lead her to teaching. From the beginning of her teenage years, Kelsey dreamed of working in the entertainment industry. Kelsey attended college and majored in drama. She eventually received a Bachelor of fine arts and drama. After college, Kelsey pursued her dream by acting in local theatre productions. Later, she even launched her successful film career at a CBS affiliate in Madison, Wisconsin. After deciding to give up
acting, Kelsey focused in on working behind the camera. She wrote four episodes of the hit show “Murder She Wrote,” from which she still receives residuals. Pleased with her career, Kelsey stepped away from the industry to focus on motherhood, and is a retired member of the Writer’s Guild of America. Kelsey found her way back into the workforce through her daughter, Lauren. Lauren attended Colina Middle School, and Kelsey was an active member of the PTA. From her interactions with the students, administrators and fellow parents, Kelsey realized that she belonged in teaching.
In 2002, Kelsey finally returned to school at CSUN to pursue a masters in second English education. By the year 2005 she began her teaching her career at WHS. Now an experienced teacher, Kelsey is very happy with her career. “The regards are very different,” said Kelsey. Kelsey was turned off by the superficiality of the entertainment world, and sums up the significance of her new career saying she finds more joy in, “affecting someone’s future, not just entertaining them for an hour.”
Dion Drawn to Future in Mathematics
Zak Kukoff
Opinion Editor If anyone was ever made to be a mathematician, it was Zach Dion ‘13. “Ever since I was little, I had always wanted to be a mathematician...I thought it was incredibly cool,” said Dion. At a young age, Dion was exposed to basic math by his parents and he immediately loved it. “I knew that [math] was what I wanted to do when I got older. I found that I was really good at math, and that encouraged me to do more math.” After taking classes, Dion
found that he was ahead of his peer and well on his way to becoming a mathematician. When he was in middle school, Dion began to take high school level classes and his interest in math continued to grow. By the time he was a freshman at WHS, he was taking Computer Science with seniors, and at the end of his sophomore year, he will have taken every advanced math course that WHS offers with straight A’s. Dion has begun to look toward college. “My ideal college is MIT, because it’s famous for [Math], and because it always seemed like the ideal place for a
future mathematician to go.” Dion’s math skills make him an ideal candidate for MIT, which traditionally is strong on math and science. Additionally, Dion’s cross-country and track skills (he was varsity level as a freshman), make him a unique candidate for MIT, which doesn’t have a history of athletic excellence. Many agree that Dion is perfectly suited to a school like MIT. “Zach just gets it,” said his AP European History teacher, Doug Freed. With an endorsement like that from his teacher, it’s clear that he is headed in a historic direction.
Stone Strives for Career in Medical Field Steven Paro Staff Writer
Andrew Stone ‘11, has aspirations to one day become a doctor. Since elementary school, he was fascinated with the human body. In fourth grade, he gave a career day presentation at school about a job in the medical field. “I thought about it really hard and I can’t see myself doing anything else,” said Stone. Stone is most likely pursuing a career in orthopedics. He is currently interning at Primary Care Sports Medicine located
in Encino in order to gain experience. Next year, he will either be attending the University of Oregon or the University of Washington, where he will major in medicine. He said he is looking forward to a new atmosphere and change of pace. Ahead of the common highschooler, Stone has his career path already planned out. “After college, I’m going to medical school, and then I will have a residency. I can see success somewhere in my mid thirties,” projected Stone. If becoming a doctor falls
through, he fortunately has a back-up plan. “If for some reason I do not end up in medicine I could really see myself in the music industry, probably involved in the creative process like an artist or a producer. But that will never happen because I am going to be a doctor,” said Stone. Stone also plays guitar, performing with a local band for the past two years. Nothing can stop this selfdirected, ambitious, creative 17-year-old student from reaching his goals to one day wear the doctor’s white coat.
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
7
ADVERTISEMENT
Good Food th m e o r Source f s t r a t S
100
inning S -W nacks. nothin d r a w A l a r u t a g els %n
e.
n e W S in g le -Se rrve LLun ch b ox S i z e 32 Delicious natural and organic rganic Crunchies to Choose from All Products and Sizes Are: • Fruit - Veggies - Organics • Kosher • Wheat and Gluten Free • • No Preservatives/Additives • Fat Free (Fruits) • Non-GMO •
A GReAt GRAb & Go SnACk on tHe Run! 888.997.1866 • www.crunchiesfood.com • e-mail: info@crunchiesfood.com 790 Hampshire Road • Suite H • Westlake Village, CA 91361
FEATURE
8
Deep Talking Leads to Deep Happiness Julia Shi
Feature Editor
Road Rage Merges on the Sidewalk Meini Cheng Feature Editor
Road rage is no longer limited to people sitting in a car. More and more, people walking on the sidewalk are feeling the same rage that overtakes i m p a t i e n t drivers. In the school hallways, shopping malls, amusement parks, and other crowded places, slow walkers easily irritate fastpaced people in a hurry to get somewhere. LOOK OUT: Pedestrians can be as aggressive as drivers. With the busy schedules of modern life, people are growing more According to James, syndromes impatient everyday. A group on Facebook include feeling competitive with other called “I Secretly Want to Punch Slow pedestrians, bumping into others, Walking People in the Back of the Head” muttering at others, making insulting has nearly 15,000 members. gestures, feeling stress and impatience Some people are the perpetrators and when walking in a crowded area, and some are the victims. The perpetrators, feeling enraged and enjoying thoughts of bumping and pushing past the slow violence. walkers, are hostile to the victims in their Extreme sidewalk rage can result in way. The victims, bumped and pushed a psychiatric condition called Intermittent by the impatient walkers, are hostile to Explosive Disorder, which consists of the perpetrators charging past them. uncontrollable, violent behavior out of Scientists and researchers believe proportion to the situation. “sidewalk rage” is a real condition. This kind of extreme rage of pedestrians One scientist, Leon James, has created may seem unfathomable to those who walk a Pedestrian Aggressiveness Syndrome along in a calm and relaxed fashion. Unlike scale to display the different methods in normal pedestrians, sidewalk ragers have which people express their rage. excessively negative emotions toward
COURTESY PHOTO
A recent study in Psychological Science explored the possible relationship between what people talk about and how happy they are. The study, published by Matthias Mehl, a psychologist at the University of Arizona, tested a total of 79 college students. 30-second slivers of their conversations were recorded every 12.5 minutes over a course of four days. The audio was then categorized: some conversation was labeled as small talk, some as a part of a deeper conversation, such as one about current events or philosophical subjects, while still other recordings did not fit in either category. To find out how happy the people were, subjects in the study evaluated their own happiness levels, and others who knew the person also contributed their opinions about how happy that person was. In the study, it was found that the happiest person had twice as many “deep” conversations and one-third of the amount of small talk as the least happy. In addition, while 45.9% of the happiest person’s discussions were categorized as meaningful, only 21.8% of the unhappiest person’s conversation was placed in that category. The amount of small talk the happiest person engaged in only made up 10% of his or her conversation, but it made up 28.3% of the least happy person’s discussions. Mehl suggested one possible reason for the connection was that “by engaging in meaningful conversations, we manage to impose meaning on an otherwise pretty chaotic world.” He also went on to explain that “as you find this meaning, you bond with your interactive partner, and we know that interpersonal connection and integration is a core fundamental foundation of happiness.” “Substantive conversation” may be directly related to happiness because “human beings are driven to find and create meaning in their lives, and because we are social animals who want and need to connect with other people.” However, the study does not definitely prove that pursuing deeper topics of conversation will make people happier. Mehl plans to further the study by having people participate in specific types of discussions. “Can we make people happier by asking them, for the next five days, to have one extra substantive conversation every day?” Mehl said in an article in the New York Times, pointing out the possible implications the study brings up. It is an undoubtedly interesting possibility to contemplate, especially with the prominence of social networking in modern day society. Sites like Facebook and Twitter enable users to over share often pointless statements and details. Others agree that it is important for people to have deeper conversations, including Susan Turk Charles, an associate professor of psychology at the University of California, Irvine. Although she was not a part of the study, Charles said of having meaningful discussions, “It really is important in your life. It should be something that you prioritize just as much as you prioritize, maybe, working on your career or getting that project finished.” Engaging in deep conversations is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for people everywhere.
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
others in their way. Thinking overly hostile thoughts towards other pedestrians can provide temporary comfort and relief in the form of mental venting, but it has a detrimental effect in the long run. “Such thinking rehearses bad behavior and can make anger a more automatic reaction to these situations,” said Dr. James. In the long run, anger is often linked to health issues, such as high blood pressure and heart problems. Small bouts of anger from sidewalk rage can be eliminated everyday, leading to a healthier life.
Symptoms of Pedestrian Aggressiveness Syndrome - Feeling competitive with other pedestrians - Walking much faster than the pace of the crowd - Not yielding when it is the polite thing to do - Bumping into other pedestrians - Making insulting gestures - Muttering at other pedestrians - Feeling enraged at other pedestrians Source: The Wall Street Journal
Students Take a Break from Stress
Michelle Noyes News Editor
One long vacation every year does not affect a person in the same way a few shorter vacations can. Long vacations generally bring up peoples happiness for only a short time after they return to their everyday life. Vacations can still put a positive view on the couple of weeks following.
Relaxing vacations were not as effective in happiness levels as a fun vacation, free of all forms of stress. Happiness from a vacation depends on the individual person. “After a vacation I feel relaxed because it relaxes me, and I do not worry about anything. I listen to music, workout, do sports and sleep,” said Lauren Bruggeman ‘12. When someone comes back from their vacation stress usually sets in from what
they missed from work. The list of To-dos is getting longer and the stacks of papers are piling up. To deal with stress from school, “I stay focused on my music because it relaxes me, playing the guitar, and singing,” said Anica Stemper ‘13. Other ways teenagers deal with their stress instead of taking a vacation include “playing sports to get rid of my stress after school,” said Connor Biersch ‘13.
9
FEATURE
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
Taking Steps to Combat School Violence
Kevin Ye
Contributing Writer
FACES OF EVIL: Harris and Klebold seemed normal but were the masterminds behind the Columbine shooting.
Cartoon by Kevin Shi
School violence has become a major problem in recent decades. Reports of shootings and fights at school are ever-increasing and are a major cause for concern. However, school violence can be prevented. According to eHow, checking students for weapons, monitoring the hallways, and training staff about preventing violence are all helpful steps in the prevention of school violence. Many schools in the US and Canada have taken these steps to begin to prevent violence. For instance, according to WTHR (Indianapolis) News, since the attacks at Columbine High School and other incidents of violence in the classroom, the FBI has worked with educators to try to open lines of communication between teachers and their students. Last October, hundreds of Indiana educators were educated about how to keep their schools free of violence and what to do if a violent incident occurred. Safety experts say in 80% of school shootings, the shooter told someone prior to the incident taking place; however, that information was never passed on to administrators. “The difference between schools where shootings have
Stomping the schoolyard bullies: One suggestion for making schools less violent is to station police officers at schools.
taken place and where they have been prevented is that students, not administrators, reported the danger and the adults took action,” said Welch, FBI special agent in charge. In addition, according to the Ottawa Citizen, last month, police and representatives from the two English and two French school boards Tuesday signed a new protocol agreement for assessing violence and threats of violence at
area schools. The agreement will help teams made up of principals, vice-principals, guidance councilors, psychologists, students, and parents more easily share information about young people who are exhibiting signs of violent behavior. The protocol was designed by Kevin Cameron, an expert in traumatic stress who worked with the Alberta government to
develop a similar program. Cameron, who is in Ottawa this week to train about 75 people from the police service and school boards, said Ottawa is the first city in Canada where this many school boards have agreed to work together. Cameron hopes to implement more police programs in other locations. “There is no better violence prevention program than cops in schools,” he said.
Blame It On the Voodoo Kevin Shi
Staff Writer In 1961, Albert Bandura conducted an experiment to convert infantile children into berserking war machines. He succeeded. Mister Bandura set up several groups of children, aged three to six, and introduced them to several adult “models.” Some children would receive a pacifist model, while the rest were scared for life by the brutalization said adult then performed on the Bobo doll. Obviously, a third of the children then decided it was a good idea to follow suit and, even now, the toys crawl out of there hiding holes every year, Toy
Harry Chung Feature Editor
Story style, to gather en masse and think silent prayers for the victims of the great Bobo Doll genocide. While the ignorant masses laud his so-called theory of social learning and the effect it had on the study of violent media’s influence on children, it is evident that Bandura was a voodoo practitioner with necromantic powers so dark that only through repeated exposure to nuclear waste of the brain-melting variety may the mind sink to a level capable of comprehending it. It turns out that humanity has very “monkey see, monkey do” attitude to the world in general, and people follow role models closer than they think. Bandura found that children
exposed to aggressive models would, as Experiment Resources quite calmly remarks, “punch or kick the Bobo doll, sit on the Bobo doll, hit it with a mallet, and toss it around the room.” During the experiment, the males demonstrated imitative physical aggression 38.2 times, while females only did so 12.7 times. However, during the verbal aggression stage, boys and girls were about equal in reducing Bobo to tears, at 17 times for males and 15.7 times for females. Bandura theorized that this was because children observing the adults were more likely to believe that kind of behavior was normal. Abusive parents and the violence portrayed in popular media such as video games and
Media Brainwash
altogether; these children were carefully monitored by their parents. Over half of them continued to limit their television watching to under seven hours per week during the next 20 weeks. After 20 weeks, the changes were drastic; researchers found a 40 percent reduction in physical aggression, and a 50 percent reduction in the level of verbal aggression in the group that did not watch TV. As results show, controlling the amount of TV we watch helps us reduce violence in school. Some forms of media desensitize us to violence. As the Parent Association advises, watching less television and playing less video games will decrease our violent behavior. By decreasing our violent attitudes we can make our schools safer.
courtesy photo
From watching gladiator fights at the Colosseum to playing Gears of War on the Xbox 360, people have always been obsessed with violent entertainment. For some reason, what many people enjoy more than sleeping, eating, and breathing is experiencing violent media. Unfortunately, the amount of violent television we watch and the bloody video games we play take a toll on us; as we saturate our entertainment with violence, our minds are shaped by the Digital disaster:Violent media induces children to fight and bully others violence we see. According to the by age 18, the average young A recent study done at American Academy of Pediatrics, American children person will have viewed 200,000 Stanford University that involved between two and 18 years of age acts of violence on television 192 San Jose elementary students spend an average of six hours alone. It is impossible for one to supports this fact. Two-thirds of and 32 minutes each day using be uninfluenced by violent media the pupils participated in a 10media. The AAP estimates that that they experience day after day. day program to turn off television
films can also have the same, suggestive effect on children and adolescents. After all, the best way to make bullies is to be one. The Journal of Early Adolescence, of Sage Research Online, reported that a role model’s pro-social behavior is indirectly related to less violent behaviors and through adolescents’ attitudes towards violence. The same is true for the opposite. Of course, there are other things like low impulse control, high emotional distress, and drugs, according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, that cause violent and aggressive behavior; however, they left out voodoo practitioners.
When the Bullied Become Bullies Yangzong Guo Staff Writer
Imagine one day walking down the school hallways, when suddenly a hand grabs you by the shirt collar, and a hulking beast of a bully serves you a knuckle sandwich. Kablam! Not only is your nose bleeding, but also so is your soul. Victims of bullying face many life-long effects. Usually, experiences of bullying diminish the educational performances of these victims. As eHow contributor Valerie Madison proclaims, “Students who are targets of bullying have trouble concentrating on their studies, and may skip school often or end up dropping out.” Bullying can also affect the social lives of many victims. According to the National Center for Children Exposed to Violence, children who are bullied may suffer from low self-esteem, as well as other serious emotional issues such as chronic anxiety and depression. As a result, these students have trouble fitting in with the rest of society. Often, the effects of bullying extend not only to the victims but also to the people around them. One extreme incidence is the Columbine School Shootings. The two school shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, were the products of frequent traumatic experiences with high school bullies. According to an article from USA Today, Harris and Klebold were outcasts, who had been picked on for being anti-social and different; as a result, both of these teenagers accumulated a mountain of hate. They would channel this anger by committing felonies such as stealing a van and by writing in their diaries phrases such as “YOU KNOW WHAT I HATE!!!? STUPID PEOPLE!!! Why must so many people be so stupid!” Harris and Klebold would also bully homosexuals and those who were weaker than they. Because Harris and Klebold were bullied excessively, they felt that their only recourse was to exact revenge on the people who hurt them. Their final action was the Columbine Massacre, a devastating crime in which Harris and Klebold committed suicide, after killing 12 students and injuring 21 others. Bullying can create many unwanted consequences that affects a multitude of people. To improve the lives of countless victims of bullies and to prevent disasters, we must work together to protect students from bullies.
FEATU
10
Fill in the Blank with the Best Possible Choice
Race To: _________
D
a) Success b) Nowhere c) College d) Somewhere
Ode To Calculus
Calculus is fun It makes me feel as if I’ve won Calculus is the greatest It makes me stay up the latest
Dear Applica
I love Calculus so much It fills me with joy and such Who needs sleep anyway When you can be doing Calc all day!
Aft that we are n for the upcom more applica imagine acce Des scores, and co wasn’t enoug extending it p would benefit application an Also (maybe a 2450 Our incredibl of high schoo you had gone at your local c consider you f Addi of not only A+ you failed to d More clearly you are applicants have every summer the outcome of Finall out and well wr to lose your sig you did not get future. Also, we 500 and you on given resources Overal achievements th attending our in ambition and qu
L’Hopital is my new best friend From his mind great thoughts descend Indeterminate forms are no trouble Doing them quickly, on the double. When I see an improper integral diverge I simply cannot control the urge To stand up and scream in woe Why is my Calculus grade so low? If onlyI knew what Korshavn is talking about Maybe I would not want to shout But unfortunately I am forever confused This week has left me battered and abused. By Lisa Peng and Katelyn Masket
Katelyn Masket Feature Editor
Where’s the Finish Line?
How does our generation define success? While Merriam Webster defines this term as the attainment of a favorable or desired outcome, lately it seems that only one outcome is important amongst high school seniors—college acceptance letters. And certainly as nice as it would be to count these fellow students as teammates, all striving for a common goal, this is simply not the case. Getting into college is not a collaborative process; it is a competitive one. In 2009, Vicki Abeles debuted her documentary, A Race to Nowhere, at screenings across the country, and in the two years since it has fueled a heated dialogue over the competitive and testdriven nature of today’s school system. According to California Educator, “The film depicts real-life students who focus on grades in hopes of being accepted into prestigious universities at the expense of true learning, critical thinking and happiness.” And sometimes the cost is far greater than “true learning.” More and more students in both high school and college are turning to drugs such as Adderall or Ritalin to improve their focus before a test, compromising their health. According to Martha J. Farah, director at the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania, studies show that “as many as 25% of students on some college campuses have used these study drugs in the past year.” As everyone struggles to win this “race to nowhere” teens will do anything and everything to gain an
advantage over their peers, and there is little time to think about the consequences. Not only is this practice dangerous but also entirely illegal, so we must ask ourselves if there is something wrong with an educational system in which success in school is the motivation behind an illegal drug trade. More basic forms of cheating can be seen at almost any high school, whether it be writing facts on one’s hands or exchanging answers with friends in later classes. Especially amongst honors and AP classes, cheating is far more prevalent than expected because there is so much pressure to receive near perfect grades. John Merrow of the Huffington Post commented that the “’Race to Nowhere’ is unrelenting, piling on problem after problem. Hours of homework produce unbearable stress; stress produces cheating, cramming to pass tests and then forgetting everything.” High school has turned into a high stakes, high reward poker game in which one’s hand matters little as long as they have a talent for bluffing. Students know that after taking a test they will rarely ever need to remember the plot of Hamlet or the four periods of the Thirty Years War, so it simply becomes a process of spitting back information. In short, learning has become secondary. Parents, teachers, and college counselors, constantly push high school students to take as many AP courses as possible while participating in sports, clubs, and volunteer programs. Why? We have all heard the answer before—because
it “looks good” for college. Sports are a great way to combat stress and make friends. Volunteering can be an extremely rewarding experience for both those helping and those being helped. But often the benefits of these experiences are lost on students who go through the motions mindlessly because someone told them to. When I look around in many of my classes, I see tired students who bear far too similar a resemblance to zombies, their eyes surrounded by dark circles after little sleep. While taking a test students look like machines, systematically bubbling in the answers to questions they will forget by next period. In the past week I averaged around two to three hours of sleep each night trying to prepare for the many tests I had in Calculus, Physics, and English. I constantly got asked the question, “Why?” It is second semester of senior year and nothing “counts” anymore. While I know that colleges will not see these grades before making their decisions, the truth is that I simply cannot help it. Was the unimaginable stress and exhaustion worth a good grade? I am not sure, but my mind has been programmed to think failure is not an option. I too have been caught up in this race to nowhere. While the solution seems simple—cut tests and homework in exchange for creative and critical thinking— the execution will not be easy. It requires forever changing today’s academic culture, so for now in this race to nowhere, I see no end in sight.
Nice try, Dean of Admissi Christina Vasilio
TO DO:
-Meetin g w ith c o llege c o -Math h o mewor k -Soccer practice -Mock t rial pra ctice -Tutorin g
-Hango u t w ith f riend s
-GET
INTO CO LLEGE!!
!!
11
URE
Documentary Leads Students to Reconsider Competitive Academic Atmosphere
ant,
Prestige University
ter careful review of your applicat ion for admission, we regret to info rm you not able to offer you admission to our very prestigious, top-ranked inst itution ming Fall Semester. Our esteeme d institution continues each year to receive ations, most completely below our standards, than we can possible even epting. spite your soaring GPA, remarka bly high SAT, ACT, AP, and SAT Sub ject Test ountless hours of charitable com munity service, we have decided that it just gh. If only you had found some way to add more physical hours to the day, past the accepted 24 hours, and used that extra time to invent somethi ng that t the entire world, then maybe we would have paid more attention to your nd you would have had a better chan ce to get in. o, maybe if you had found some way to get beyond a perfect 2400 on your SAT 0 or even a 2440), we would have been more impressed by your app lication. ly revered staff of admission offic ers also noticed that during your senior year ol, you chose to take only seven clas ses offered at your high school. May be if above and beyond these “constraints ” and taken an additional 4 or 5 clas ses community college, our admissio n officers would have been more likely to for admission. itionally, many of our applicants this year found some way to rece ive grades + but A++ (yes, that is two pluses) in their academic classes. Seeing as how do this, well, it definitely did not help your case. eover, we noticed that while your community service was very goo d and e a charitable, giving person, we felt you could have done more. Man y other e been able to travel to Africa and East Asia in their philanthropic effo rts since they were 8 years old. Maybe if you had put in the effort to do this, f your application would have turn ed out differently. ly, the essay that you wrote for you r application, while clearly well thou ght ritten, simply missed the cut. Whi le the devastating disease that caus ed you ght and hearing was a very moving story, our admission officers felt that t enough of yourself across and exp lain your hopes and aspirations for the e noticed that the maximum poss ible number of words for your essa y was nly wrote a 493-word essay; clearly, you have difficulty utilizing all of your s and are an under-achiever. ll, while your application displaye d your natural intelligence and grea t hroughout your life, it simply was not good enough for our instituti on. If nstitution remains your ambition , we greatly encourage you to give up this uit now because clearly you are not good enough.
A (Busy) Day in the Life of Senior Class President
James Freymuth: 3 hours of sleep 3:00am- Wake up from lculus homework Ca ish 3:00 to 5:00am- Fin Facebook/Twitter 5:00 to 5:30am- Check oluntarily 5:30 to 6:00am- Nap inv fast ak 6:00 to 6:06am- Eat bre ep 6:06 to 6:30am- Sle dy for/drive to school 6:30 to 6:56am- Get rea Calculus 6:56 to 7:01am- Run to lcu 1st Period- AP Ca lus logy 2nd Period- AP Psycho ent/Economics rnm ve Go AP d3rd Perio ntal Science me 4th Period- AP Environ 5th Period- ASG , Tuesday (Tribe**), Lunch- Monday (SSS*) day (FACT, JSA), Wednesday (SSF), Thurs , the occasional rally) *** Friday (PTSA***, NHHS Literature 6th Period- AP English dia Me t 7th Period- Ar Tennis Practice 3:00 to 4:00pm- Varsity ch and watch Ellen 4:30 to 5:30pm- Eat lun 5:30 to 6:30pm- Tutor work 6:30 to 11:00pm- Home tly chat with Lisa Peng gh 11:00 to 12:00pm- Ni *Vice President **President ***Treasurer
ions ou
unselor
!!!!!!
“At 2 takin am whe n I kn g 7 class I’m stu ow i es, b dyin t wil u l be t when g for Ca wor th it I get int lculus, I o .” -E szte a good regret r Bo ldis school ‘11 “I g “I ne et a v wou lot I hav er feel -Eri ld also of pres e som like I be su c Ku am ethin eck incred re from g mo finishe s ‘13 ibly d. re to m y bore do.” I alway d in parent -Fra s easi nk D s feel lik er c , but I e uan lass ‘12 es.” “My who motivati on s -Cyn hare com is bei ng w thia m Yin ‘ on inte i rests th frien 14 ds .” Compiled by Christina Vasiliou and Katelyn Masket
FEATURE
12
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
AMERICA GROWS UP
Society and technology advances beyond Jetsons’ predictions Lauren Chin Kelli DaRin Staff Writers
The early 1960’s cartoon show, The Jetsons, predicted that in 2062 technology such as video chat, vacuuming robots, and digital pads on which you can read would be readily available. Not only are such utilities the norm for today’s society, they also came more than fifty years ahead of schedule. New technological discoveries in the 50’s seem elementary and even barbaric when compared to the evergrowing amount of services we have on hand today. Technology from the 1950’s has evolved from crude inventions to astounding products that are used daily. According to WSCI Corporate, “Modern technology is always helpful... students who are completing their education today are far better off than those students who had completed their studies in the 1950’s or 1960’s. This is only because of the access to the current technology which is helpful for the current students.” With advances such as the iPad, students have access to textbooks with the latest events, as
1950’s Technology Comparison Item
1950’s
Now
Video Tape Recorder
First invented and taped to magnetically
Now, DVR is a digital format to a disc drive
Personal Computers
There no were personal, small computers for homes. They were too large
Now, there are many sizes and laptops can be transported everywhere
Television
The televisions were very bulky, small, black and white
Now, televisions are huge and thin. They now have color
Cell Phones
Did not exist and only had landlines
Now, have both landlines and cell phones
Radios
Were very popular, very large, and had only a few stations on them
Now radios have many stations and can be located at home and in cars
Newspapers
A very popular item. Informative but only came in black and white
Now, they are still popular but are read mostly on computers
Cameras
Were very large and pictures were in black and white
Now, there are digital cameras the size of a credit card, ictures were in color
Books
Only came in print form
Now it comes in print form, on iPads, Kindles, and many other sources
opposed to outdated books that “don’t even have 9/11,” as stated by Republican Senate President Tommie Williams to the Atlantic Journal-Constitution. Continued William,“This is the way kids are learning, and we need to be willing to move in that direction.” In addition to benefitting the students of today, computer systems from the 1950’s pales in comparison to 2011.
WHEN FATHER KNEW BEST Orly Greenberg Feature Editor
Leave It to Beaver, a television show in the 1950’s, was one of the most popular programs of the decade. It depicted the stereotypical family unit, with a mother, father, and two sons. But what if Beaver was the product of an interracial marriage, or the adopted son of two loving fathers, or living with his divorced mother? The script would not have made it past the author’s typewriter. In the 1950’s, a strict family mold was instated and differentiating onelf from the norm was discouraged. However, family dynamics have evolved from a mother and a father to a wide variety of combinations. Interracial marriages were considered taboo in the 1950’s and 1960’s. In 1958, a white Richard Loving and his African American wife Mildred were arrested for their marriage. The arrest prompted the Supreme Court to rule that the banning of interracial unions was unconstitutional, according to NPR. In addition, www.joincenter.org reported that “there were about 150,000 interracial married couples in the United States.” There were only 51,00 black and white couples in 1960, compared to 363,000 in 2000. According to CNN, research conducted at the Pew Research Center that stated that “nearly one out of seven marriages in the U.S is interracial or interethnic.” How pop culture has depicted families has also changed dramatically. In the 1950’s, shows such as Father Knows Best and Leave It to Beaver thrived. The programs promoted the archetypal family, with the father being in charge, the mother a dedicated housewife, and the children defeating trivial problems such as
not making the football team or not being asked to the prom. According to www.fatherknowsbest. com, the family-oriented show garnered six Emmy awards, and averaged, “#6 in Neilsen Ratings in its final year in production,” proving that such television shows were highly popular in their time, but did not tackle any different family situations. In 2011, however, television shows have changed to incorporate more unique family dynamics. In “Modern Family,” life partners Mitch and Cameron raise their adopted daughter together. Take Glee, in which Burt Hummel is supportive of his openly gay son Kurt. No longer is television restricted to depicting families as perfect and father led, but it has expanding to include family situations that are very real today. Divorce was also very rare in the 1950s. According to www. divorce.lovetoknow.com, the divorce rate in 1950 was “sitting at 1,070 per 100,000 men and 1,373 per 100,000 women.” In 2000, the divorce rate “for men was 9,255 per 100,000 and 12,305 per 100,000 for women.” In the 1950’s, women were often to blame for the divorce. Explains www.fiftiesweb.com, “You were supposed to get married and stay married, regardless of how miserable you were.” Today, divorce is far more common, as well as more socially acceptable. Although the 1950’s are often cited as the era of the perfect family, that could not be further from the truth. The 1950’s were a stifling time for people in interracial marriages or divorces, not to mention the pressure put on by the cliché American family on television. Since then, the oppressing family mold has been broken and made room for more unique combinations.
According to www.ushistory.org, the first computer ever made was the ENIAC, weighing 30 tons and taking up an entire room with its mass. Although they were quickly remodeled to be faster and smaller, computers were a rarity in a household. According to www.gartner. com, two billion PC’s will be installed globally by 2014. Although playing games
such as marbles and Lincoln logs kept 1950’s children amused, the advancements in television has all other methods of entertainment collecting dust. In the 1950’s, televisions were extremely thick and had small screens, with a maximum length of twelve inches. Now, television screens have expanded to an astounding 152 inches. In 1945, there were fewer than 10,000 television sets in the
United States, which jumped to 111.4 million in 2006 according to www.hypertextbook.com. Options of channels were limited to black and white sitcoms or news, while today choices span from History Channel to MTV. The use of phones has also changed tremendously. In the 1950’s, there was only one landline per house. Landlines were large and extremely bulky. It was extremely expensive to own one. Today, a house can have unlimited landlines. Current landlines are small and portable and can be used all around the house. Some have even abandoned landlines completely, using cell phones in lieu of the less convenient home lines. Currently the number of mobile phone subscriptions worldwide has reached 4.6 billion, and is expected to increase to five billion this year, according to www. cbsnews.com. Sixty years have gone by and technology has changed tremendously throughout the years. And although we have made leaps and bounds since The Jetsons predicted video chatting as the technology of 2062, only time will tell what advancements the distant future holds for the world.
Tuesdays with Morrie Offers Insightful Life Lessons
Beastly Portrays Classic Beauty and the Beast with a Modern Day Twist Flinn’s novel takes a stance on the flaws of human judgment and the true meaning of beauty.
Alana Model
Julia Model
Tuesdays with Morrie is more than just the recollection of a dying man’s last words. It is an inspirational recount of Morrie Schwartz’s life, a man whose passion for the human spirit has continued to live long after his last breath. The novel was written by Mitch Albom, a student of Morrie’s when he taught social psychology at Brandeis University. The two become good friends during the few years of knowing one another, but, after graduating, Mitch soon forgets about his old professor until he sees him on ABC’s Nightline being interviewed by Ted Koppel about what it was like to be dying of ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gherigs disease. Albom is devastated to hear that his favorite professor is dying. Frustrated with the life he has chosen to live, Mitch decides to get in touch with Morrie in order to seek advice from the man Mitch formerly called “Coach.” Every Tuesday, Mitch travels from his home in Detroit to Morrie’s home in West Newton, Massachusetts to visit him. Each week, Morrie gives Mitch a different lecture on the many topics and philosophies of life, such as marriage, aging, death, love, money, emotions, and the importance of family and education. As Morrie’s disease is gradually taking control of him, Mitch asks one visit how he is able to refrain from being jealous of the young. Morrie responds, “It’s like going back to being a child again. Someone to bathe you. Someone to lift you. Someone to wipe you. We all know how to be a child. It’s inside all of us. For me it’s just remembering how to enjoy it.” It is Morrie’s keen outlook on life and clever words of wisdom that truly allow Mitch to view his own life in an entirely different way. At Brandeis, Mitch and Morrie shared a relationship resembling that between a father and son rather than a teacher and his student. Soon before Morrie’s death, when his condition had deteriorated so much that he could no longer move on his own, he confides that if he could have another son, he would choose Mitch. In the novel, Mitch rediscovers the relationship that had never been broken between him and Morrie, while his Brandeis professor rediscovers his old friend. Also, Morrie is able to use the time he has with Mitch to do what he loved, teach. The last line of the book is the perfect epitaph: “A teacher until the end.” Once Morrie has passed away, Mitch no longer has someone to guide him through the meanings and challenges of life. However, he keeps his promise to Morrie and conducts a silent dialogue with him in his head every day. The communication feels surprisingly natural to him, and Mitch uses what Morrie has taught him to make the changes in his life that he had always been too afraid to make. Throughout the course of the novel, Albom shows over a couple months what an impact one person can have on another man’s life. Even though at the beginning of the story Mitch is caught up in success and not caring for anything else, as the novel progresses, he realizes that he has been letting society decide what is important to him. Morrie teaches Mitch the true meaning of life, and how, even on his deathbed, a man can still see the good in everything life has to offer.
The fairy tale Beauty and the Beast is back, only in book form and without the animated characters. In Alex Flinn’s book Beastly, Kyle Anderson is a ninth grader at a prestigious New York City school where the privileged students know they can get whatever they desire. In this modern day version of the 1991 movie, Kyle seems to have a great life: he has money, a nice home, a popular girlfriend, and a maid who cooks for him and does all of his laundry. Kyle’s character is revealed to be selfcentered and judgmental. Before he knows it, his rude and demeaning attitude towards others backfires at him with a curse that is nearly unbreakable. The climax of the story comes about when Kyle decides to play a joke on a geeky girl named Kendra by falsely promising to take her to the school dance. She gladly accepts his invitation. With Kyle’s charm and good looks, who wouldn’t say yes? The classic Beauty and the Beast portrays a rose as the inevitable symbol throughout the movie—and Flinn uses this symbol similarly, to demonstrate how truth and beauty coincide into love. When Magda, Kyle’s housekeeper, accidentally buys Kyle’s girlfriend a rose instead of her desired orchid, they get into an argument. His girlfriend publicly humiliates him and his battered rose. As the petals fall to
Staff Writer
13
FEATURE
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
Staff Writer
the floor, she takes off without him. Out of kindness, Kyle offers the rose to a girl named Linda, whom he recognizes from school. She greatly appreciates Kyle’s gesture and sees beauty in the withered flower. Kyle eventually sees Kendra at the dance, in a dress he calls a Harry Potter costume. He also admits that he invited her to the dance as a joke. Little does Kyle know that that statement might just change his life forever. It turns out that Kendra is actually a witch, and she shows Kyle exactly what it’s like to be ugly, casting a spell on him that makes him “as ugly on the outside as he is on the inside.”
McCourt’s Memoir Rich with Inspiration and Emotion Julia Shi
Feature Editor In the Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir Angela’s Ashes, author Frank McCourt reveals the hardships and triumphs he experienced as an adolescent living in Limerick, Ireland. Throughout McCourt’s childhood, his father Malachy is often out of work, and the quickly expanding family ends up suffering the consequences. Frank’s mother, Angela, struggles to care for her hungry children with the little money they have, often expressing frustration at her husband’s drinking problem. Her despair only increases whenever Malachy loses the work he finds, as well as when he gives in to the temptation of the pubs, spending his wages in them instead of bringing the muchneeded money back to his family. Despite appearing lazy and undisciplined, Malachy does not seem to be intentionally cruel. Although Frank’s descriptions reveal a mostly impoverished childhood, there are plenty of cheerful events scattered throughout his memoir. McCourt’s descriptions of his experiences and relationships with those close to him, such as younger brothers Malachy and Michael McCourt, alternate between being lightly funny and achingly touching. He effectually employs the use of humor to lighten the atmosphere of a potentially heavy tale. Several of Frank’s siblings die young, including his only sister Margaret, who Malachy Sr. had had a special soft spot for, and the twins Oliver and Eugene. Eventually, Malachy Sr. goes off to England, where there were apparently
many available job opportunities. However, he does not end up sending any money back home, presumably spending his paychecks on himself. Angela later falls very ill, and Frank’s father returns for a short period of time. He sends a little money before once again abandoning his family. The novel not only won the Pulitzer Prize, but also the National Book Critics’ Circle Award. Angela’s Ashes spent 117 weeks on The New York Times best-seller list for hardcovers and was made into a movie in 1999. McCourt also penned a sequel to the memoir, titled ‘Tis. The follow-up memoir describes his experiences living in America as a young man. Angela’s Ashes is an interesting novel that paints a vivid picture of McCourt’s adolescent years. Colored with wit, humor, and emotion, it is a book that is both intriguing and well-written.
All his life Kyle had been using his good looks for evil purposes. However, after the spell, he becomes so monstrously ugly that he never wants to show his face at school again. Kyle has just two years to find someone willing enough to look beyond his exterior and love him for who he is on the inside. Kendra kindly leaves him with a mirror that has magical powers. If Kyle looks inside the mirror, he can see anyone he wants, anywhere in the world. He was granted this second chance because he showed someone a simple act of kindness: giving Linda the rose. The more he watches Linda in the mirror, the more his fascination with her grows. However, things get worse when Kyle’s father abandons him because he is embarrassed of Kyle’s hideous appearance. Kyle is placed in an apartment where he decides to hide himself from the rest of the world. His father provides him with plenty of luxuries as well as a new tutor, Will. He turns out to be blind, but that is great news for Kyle. Will introduces him to a hobby that Kyle takes very seriously. He begins to live for reading and tending to his roses in the garden. However, an unexpected event changes everything; it turns out that Kyle may find true love and undo the spell after all. In this rendition of the classic, everything may seem make-believe at first, but it soon becomes very real.
Top 10 Lists: 1801-1900 and 2010 Books written between 1801-1900 are still widely read today. High school classrooms across the country, including those at WHS, continue to encourage students to read 19th century novels. According to the website Goodreads, the following list reflects the top ten 19th century books according to the number of votes they received. 1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë 3. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë 4. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll 5. Persuasion by Jane Austen 6. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 7. Emma by Jane Austen 8. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen 9. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 10. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky The American Library Association collected votes from teens, who voted for their top book picks. Teens voiced their opinions concerning the best reads of 2010. Below is YALSA’s Teens’ Top Ten Books for 2010, from ala.org. 1. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins 2. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare 3. Heist Society by Ally Carter 4. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater 5. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick 6. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl 7. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen 8. If I Stay by Gayle Forman 9. Fire by Kristin Cashore 10. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson Lists compiled by Michelle Noyes
14
FEATURE
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
TAKING MOVIES TO A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION IT’S
Brian Chang
Opinion Editor Nowadays, almost every single movie trailer has the same ending: “Now playing in IMAX and 3D.” But why are movies considered primitive if one does not wear ridiculous glasses to the theatre? It’s almost as if the significance of a movie lies in the 3D aspect, not the plot or the acting, of the movie. In reality, 3D movies have no real differences to a viewer except the extra couple dollars he or she must pay at the box office. 3D movies are thriving currently. According to Hollywood.com, 3D movies have risen from 14 to 19, and are predicted to increase even more in the years to come. There is a good reason why 3D movies are suddenly becoming more popular. 3D movies, unlike public belief, has had an extremely long history, extending as back as the 1800s. According to Widescreen Movies Magazine, J.C. d’Almeida first introduced 3D movies in 1856 as he juxtaposed two of the same image in a margin just separated enough to trick the human mind into thinking that the two images were actually one. Then, after a dormant, unintuitive four decades, 3D technology experienced another short period of research. In the present day, society is faced with yet another burst in 3D fanaticism. Almost all the large, Hollywood-sponsored movies feature a respective 3D version.
A
FAD
Examples of such successful movies include Avatar and Toy Story 3. So, according to history, 3D should be gradually fading away in a couple of years. The difference this time, however, is profit. Unlike other instances of 3D craving, this decade promises an extremely lucrative career in such technology, from everyone from moviemakers to technicians. According to the Star Tribune, “Sales at Christie Digital Systems USA, the world’s largest maker of digital Robert Ebert projectors, may double to $400 million this year if it can meet demand [of 3D technology].” The increase in ticket prices for these “special” 3D movies spell out more money for movie makers, more money for 3D technicians, and most importantly, less money for viewers like you. At first glance, a $3.50 difference in price may not seem like too much; 15 dollars for a ticket isn’t that much more expensive than the standard $11.5. But multiply this money by the number of viewers, and multiply that number by the number of movie theatres in the U.S., and multiply that number by the amount of movies showing in 3D; suddenly $3.50 spells billions for the movie companies. Viewers should not be obligated to spend more money for a feature that only causes discomfort. The audience deserves a chance to watch movies in a cheaper, convenient, and more comfortable manner, not one that irritates the eyes.
“Images leaping off the screen destroy [the illusion of film]” -
IT’S
Ethan Reul
Feature Editor At the end of 2009, James Cameron released a film that changed the face of moviemaking forever; Avatar. A tried and true “protect the wilderness” adventure in space, Avatar, though well told, was unoriginal. So, why did it become the highest grossing movie of all time? 3D Technology. Avatar’s claim to fame was its incredible visual effects. With a world that looked like it came directly out of a fairy tale, Avatar was a visual experience; an immersing view on a beautiful, alien world. However, these effects would have been nothing without 3D. By properly using 3D, James Cameron was able to create a movie unlike any that had come before. Since then, 3D has become an industry standard; according to screenrant.com, over 7,000 new 3D-enabled screens were opened worldwide over the course of 2009, and despite only making up 4% of the movies released last
THE
FUTURE
year, 3D movies made up 11% of the industry’s total revenue. Furthermore, the public seems to enjoy it. Though there are several horror stories (significantly, Clash of the Titans) of 3D done wrong, 3D used to its full potential can vastly improve a movie’s reception and immersion factor. Obviously, the 3D Industry as it stands is successful; if all 3D movies since Avatar had continued on with lackluster profit, moviemakers would go back to the drawing board and find some other way to draw customers in, instead of continually expanding the amount of movies that use it. 3D also leads to new technology. With the current acclaim of 3D, movie theaters are bound to begin wondering what to do next. Even in our own town, Muvico Thousand Oaks is about to implement new “D-Box” seats that rumble and shake when action occurs on the screen. These innovations will help keep the movie industry afloat in a time when pirating a movie is as easy
as going online and clicking a button. Clearly, 3D’s largest flaw is the glasses; cumbersome and unfashionable, the 3D glasses are one of the biggest upsets for moviegoers nationwide. However,with our ever-increasing technological advances, glassesfree 3D is only a few years off. Video games systems such as the 3DS are quickly approaching the market, and glasses free televisions and video cameras were shown off at CES this past year. Soon, 3D’s biggest burden will be a thing of the past. And for those of you that get sick because of 3D? Never fear. Most movies offer non-3D variants as well, showing that even if you’re not 3D’s biggest cheerleader, it poses no real threat to the industry; it can only help it. Overall, 3D is beneficial to the industry and to the future of moviemaking. Even though not everyone LIKES 3D, it’s certainly helping to propel movies to brave new heights; the future is closer than ever before.
3D DISPUTE: Despite the “cool” factor associated with 3D, is it really worth the cost?
Nintendo’s New Power Up
COURTESY PHOTO
GAME CHANGER: Bowser “escapes” from the video game in this advertisement for the 3DS.
Woody Chung Opinion Editor
Picture this: You are swerving through beautiful Koopa Beach on your kart. The breeze lazily blows and the waves blissfully caress the shoreline. The race, however, is a different story. Shell explosions, blue shells, and bombs litter the raceway. You avoid Bowser’s nasty red shell. Your buddy, Mario, flicks a couple of slimy bananas towards your direction. You easily avoid them, but Princess Peach and Luigi slip
and crash. With no more obstacles in the way, you accelerate towards the finish line, and win the race! Wait a minute, how was everything you just saw was so vivid and life-like? Did you die and go to Nintendo heaven? No; this is just the Nintendo 3DS. And while it is not yet sold to the public, in just a few days, you could experience one too. So what makes the Nintendo 3DS so worthy of your love? First off, countless features have beefed up the 3DS from its older cousins, the chunky Nintendo DS and the
sleek Nintendo DSi. Most noteworthy of these changes is the new 3D feature. Nintendo has crammed all the fun of 3D game play in a nottoo-heavy 8.1 ounce frame. And, somewhat surprisingly, the user can use the 3D effect without the need of inconvenient glasses. This allows the user to literally take the previously exclusive experience of 3D anywhere- minus the giant theaters and the expensive movie tickets. The users can also control the level of the 3D effect. People can choose from a range of no effect to high. This allows those who detest 3D (but love Nintendo Games) to still enjoy the incredible experiences Nintendo games tend to offer. Another new feature called Streetpass will allow communities of players to exchange software items. For example, if one were playing the new Street Fighter game, the Streetpass feature allows the game to play its own battles against other players on the street in a rock-paper-scissorsesque system. Winning battles through Streetpass can allow you to unlock extras in the game. The console will be released on March 27 starting at $250.
15
ENTERTAINMENT
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
Drama Students Win at Shakespeare Festival Kevin Shi
Staff Writer
PHOTO BY STEVEN PARO READY FOR THEIR CLOSE-UPS: In Fame Cassidy von Kronemann plays prospective student Deirdre, auditioning for The School of Performing Arts, with the help of veteran student Michael, played by Damon Laguna.
“Fame” Tech Crew Works Behind the Scenes Lauren Chin Staff Writer
With the opening of Fame approaching, cast and crew are adding the final touches before the play debuts on March 31 in the Carpenter Family Theatre. The pressure is on as the days to opening night count down for the people behind the scenes. “It’s been relatively easy so far, but the last three weeks before opening night are going to be pretty tough,” said Cate DionStaebell ‘12, co-tech producer. “Everything has to be perfect.” Along with Tanner Simpson
‘14, the other tech producer, the two are in charge of lights, sound, and “pretty much everything except the actors. We help coordinate all the technical stuff,” said Dion-Staebell. Their crew is working hard, building the entire set, completing most of the work over the weekend of March 11-13. One of the hardest parts was “hanging the chain link fence. We had to secure it really tight because dancers are going to be climbing on it,” said Simpson, referring to the seemingly unclimbable backdrop. In the words of Dylan
Wakelin ‘12, “The set is amazing. The tech crew did a good job.” Even with all the responsibilities, the two haven’t buckled under pressure yet, citing the reason for getting so much done as, “well, we’re magic,” said Simpson.
Place: Carpenter Family Theatre Tickets: Students $8, Adults $10, Reserved Seating $15 Dates: March 31, April 1,2,7,8,9 Times: 7:30 p.m. Special Matinee on April 2 and 9 at 1:30 p.m.
“And the winner, for the Most Outstanding Scene, is...” The 11 representatives for WHS Drama waited, with bated breath, for the announcer of Chapman University’s Shakespeare Festival to say their names. And he did. Drama teacher DeDe Burke selected 11 students to attend the event for two days over the President’s Day weekend. They had acting workshops and, more importantly, snagged “Most Outstanding Scene” for their rendition of Petruchio and Kate’s first meeting, from the “Taming of the Shrew,” at the festival. Before the big event, the guests at Chapman attended several acting workshops, including ones on performing monologues, breathing and relaxing, and human generated sound effects. The drama crew watched these effects in action that night, during Chapman University’s performance of “Macbeth.” After spending the night at the Marriott Resident Inn, the drama kids prepared their scene. Backstage calamities and all, panic ensued upon the
monumental loss (and recovery) of a prop, an old man’s cane, and the subsequent pre-show jitters; Nathaniel Sylvester ‘14 describes the experience as “nerve wracking.” “We prepared for battle,” he said, “We prepared our weapons (our scripts).” The drama team had mixed feelings about the event. “It’s like being a penguin,” jokes Cassidy von Kronemann ‘13, “Everything is OK as long as you’re alive.” Among the 11 students went, Nathaniel Sylvester who only five performed in the scene: Violette Nelson ‘11 as Kate, Dylan Wakelin ‘12 as Petruchio, Michael Ghaussy ‘14 as Baptista, Rei Vardi ‘14 as Tranio, and Sylvester as Grumio. Later, Nelson also did a monologue as Tamora from Titus Andronicus, and so did Katie Woodward ‘14, as the titular Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Neither won awards for their performances, although other members of the drama team lauded them as “amazing.” Lexi Butscher ‘14, Meghan Wells, ‘14, Cassidy von Kronemann ‘13, Tanner Simpson ‘14, and Damon Laguna ‘13 attended the festival as well, but did not participate in the scenes or monologues.
“We prepared for battle. We prepared our weapons.” -
16
ENTERTAINMENT
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
Such Stuff as Dreams Are Made Of
The Arrow gets up close and personal with True Grit’s Oscar nominated actress Hailee Steinfeld. movies differently, because I know what is going on behind the camera. There’s so much more than just your average teenage girl.
COURTESY PHOTO
STAR QUALITY: Steinfeld strikes a pose at the 2011 Oscars.
The Arrow: How did you get into acting? Hailee Steinfeld: When I was eight, my cousin was doing commercials. She was also in a play, and I went to see her, and that’s where I got my inspiration. My mom made me study a whole year to make sure I was dedicated, because I’ve tried a lot of other activities and would just quit. Arrow: What roles have you played so far in your career? Steinfeld: I guest starred on Kelsey Grammer’s “Back to You,” an episode of “Sons of Tucson” and have been in several college student short films. Arrow: What kind of character do you prefer playing? Steinfeld: I’ve been reading a lot of scripts lately, and there’s so many. I watch TV and
Arrow: How did this Oscar nomination feel to you? Steinfeld: I’m still in shock about the nomination! I was asleep when the announcement was made, so my brother came into my room, practically jumped on me and handed me these beautiful flowers. Then my mom and dad came in, and I was practically in tears. To be able to say I was apart of this award season for my first film is such an honor. I had an incredible time at the show, and I was fortunate enough to have my family tag along.
Arrow: How were the Oscars? Steinfeld: The parties and the food were the best part. After the awards we went to the Vanity Fair party. Griffin (my brother) and I did a big lap around the place and got to meet some amazing people! Arrow: What did you do during free time on set? Steinfeld: I was mostly in school with all my free time, but when I could I was hanging out with the amazing guys I get to call my co-stars! Arrow: How has all the attention from this awards season changed you? Steinfeld: The attention hasn’t really changed anything. I haven’t changed and
Smoking Causes MPAA To Fume Alana Model Staff Writer
For centuries, cigarettes have been used in entertainment as a way to enhance overall appeal. Lately, however, many people are insisting that displaying the act of smoking in films and movie productions is putting adolescents and young children at the risk of experimenting with cigarettes. They argue that not only can this encourage teens to take up the habit, but lead to an increase of health concerns in the future. Parents and other prospects are skeptical as to whether banning cigarettes in movies below an 'R' rating is the right act to follow. According to a 2003 study of 600 films, smoking was portrayed in 85% of them, including about half of G-rated films. Statistics showed that adolescents who viewed the most smoking portrayals in movies were 2.7 times more likely to try smoking than those who viewed the least amount of smoking. When teens see movie stars and celebrities smoking cigarettes, their minds tell them that it is the 'cool' thing to do. Unfortunately, many adolescents are not mature enough to fully comprehend the risks of smoking and why it is bad for their health, with addiction and lung cancer being only a few risks of many. We conclude that eliminating or reducing adolescents' exposure to smoking in movies could significantly reduce the number of adolescents who initiate smoking," said Madeline A. Dalton, PhD, a pediatrics
researcher at Dartmouth Medical School. Activists want films containing smoking to carry an 'R' rating that restricts viewing to kids 17 and older. However, some believe that this law could cause even more of a problem for young children and teens. According to Jack Valenti, who invented the movie rating system in response to foul language and other content in the late 1960's, "changing the system to warn of smoking would invite calls to alter it further for portrayals of drinking, drug use, and even other damaging behaviors such as overeating." Parents are concerned for their children because after all, none of them want their kids to be exposed to the dangers of smoking. Movies with smoking elevate a major medical issue for young children and teens. According to the MMPA, "the on screen smoking in kid-rated movies is the only imagery conclusively proven to lead to more U.S. deaths than criminal violence, drunk driving, and illegal drugs combined." It is beginning to make sense to make a law prohibiting smoking in movies, however, nothing is certain just yet. "Smoking on screen poses the single greatest public health danger to children everywhere," according to a Smoke Free Movies Ad. The answer to the problem that smoking displays is evident, but only time will tell whether or not chief executives will take the plunge in the act of preventing young children and teens from being exposed to the dangers of smoking.
my family hasn’t changed, so to be honest nothing’s different! Arrow: In this whole process, what is the biggest lesson you’ve learned? About acting and yourself? Steinfeld: Well, the best advice I’ve received from pretty much everyone I’ve met is to have fun and don’t take anything too seriously. So I’ve really learned to take things one step at a time, and really enjoy these once in a lifetime experiences.
Arrow: What are your plans for school? Will you continue with home-schooling? Steinfeld: Basically all my work is online, but I still have my textbooks and workbooks. I don’t know about high school yet. I’ll be a freshman next year, so maybe I’ll go. It depends on whether I’m working or not, but it’s definitely an idea.
“I’ve learned to take one step at a time, and really enjoy these once in a lifetime experiences.” -Hailee Steinfeld
Arrow: How did you get into character for True Grit? Steinfeld: I work with a private coach, Michael Woolson. We worked basically on technique and reading the script. We would go through and make sure I understood everything in the script. I needed to make sure it related to my own life. Emotion building is really just technique. Arrow: What was it like working with Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon? What advice did they give you? Steinfeld: It was so amazing! They are so much fun and they really inspire me. Matt is so much fun, and is so funny. Jeff is so humble and soft-spoken. They best advice they’ve given me is to not take anything too seriously, and they’ve been the perfect example. They told me not to worry about what other people say.
Arrow: What was the most difficult scene to film in True Grit? Steinfeld: The hardest scene was probably crossing the river on the horse because it was difficult to get the horse to cooperate. Roger Deakins and the camera crew were on inflatable boats in order to get what they wanted, and to get close to the horse without spooking it. So it was pretty hard, but fun! Arrow: Describe a normal day on set. Steinfeld: A normal day on set for me would be: Arrive on set, eat breakfast, get into wardrobe, go through hair and makeup, go to the location, do a blocking rehearsal then possibly try to get a 20 minute block of school in, and then the shoot! Arrow: Any ideas for your next project? Steinfeld: My team and I are looking at a lot of really great scripts at the moment. Nothing set in stone, just taking our time. Compiled by Shannon Reiffen
SPORTS
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
Varsity Tennis Starts Off Season Nearly Perfect
Brian Chang
Opinion Editor
improving, Greentree stated that “we still need to improve our serves and returns because that is where we make the majority of our mistakes.” Of the Varsity members, freshman sensation Loh is worth mentioning. As the number three varsity singles player, Loh is already starting to stand out as a freshman. Against Simi Valley High School on March 15th, Loh went 6-0, 6-1, 6-0 as both varsity and junior-varsity beat SVHS. As long as the team remains consistent, its goal of placing first in the Marmonte League is very achievable. The next match for Westlake is on March 24 at Agoura.
on the bounce: Senior Richie Greentree sets up a volley during a varsity match.
Photo by steven paro
With a record of five wins and one loss, boys varsity tennis is off to a good start and is taking a positive step towards playoffs. The most recent victory was a wipeout win for both Varsity and JV at Moorpark High School. The team’s new coach James Azevedo has high hopes for the team this year. “The goals this year are probably the same as any year,” he said. “Win the Marmonte League, have some fun, and see how we improve from there.” “I want to get to June with good attitude,” said Azevedo. “The one loss [came] at Valencia to a team coached by my daughter - that hurts.” Although the team does have one loss
against Valencia, they are undefeated in league matches. The varsity team members this year are Richie Greentree ‘11, Adam Kane ‘11, James Freymuth ‘11, Harrison Han ‘12, Brian Ho ‘12, Alex Farkas ‘12, Brett Kaplan ‘12, Frank Duan ‘12, Colin Carpenter ‘13, Alexander Loh ‘14, and Matt Hoisch ‘14. The number one varsity singles player, Greentree, explained the new challenges that the team faces this year. “The biggest difference this year is experience,” he said. “We lost a lot of seniors last year and we have a very young team now. This affects us on the court in pressure situations, but we are still a solid squad.” According to Greentree, the team has a tendency to come back after taking an early loss. Although the team’s consistency is
17
Softball Takes on New Team Philosophy Brooke Garcher
Photo by steven paro
Winding up the season: Junior Jenna Haffameir pitches during a varsity match.
Staff Writer Varsity softball has begun their 2011 season under the tutelage of a new coach, who is attempting to break the team’s streak of losing seasons through more strength and stamina conditioning. “Our new coach, John Ashley, is making a big difference. They are getting used to a new, faster style of play,” said Lynn Baum, head coach of varsity softball. With conditioning once a week and climbing up the “difference maker,” also known as the giant hill behind the field, Ashley is helping Varsity to become both a closer and stronger team.
According to Ashley, when the team’s atmosphere changes, the whole team can improve. “The culture of the team has changed. It’s the discipline and the work ethic that we’ve changed,” said Ashley. According to Baum, although the team’s starting pitcher Rebecca Ho ‘11 is injured temporarily, Jenna Haffameir ‘12 will be leading the team in the pitching circle this year with backup sophomore, Gaby Breiter. Newcomers this year include Jordyn Hall ‘12 and freshmen Karli Skowrup and Nicole Molen. “It’s surprising how hard they can work. Even though we seem like the same players, it’s the attitude that improves your performance,” said Nancy Trujillo ’14. According to Baum, Kylie McNutt ‘11 led the team in hitting last year. The coaches expect a great senior year out of McNutt
who is now at the head of the batting order. However, the team recognized that, under their new strategy, it is the group effort that counts. “All [players] have excellent skills and will contribute to the team with their bats and their gloves,” said Baum.
Upcoming Softball Games 3/23 @ Pacifica 3/24 @ Agoura 3/29 @ Royal
From Cancun to Cabo and the shorelines above, seaside food stands offer traditional Mexican cooking favorites. We invite you to enjoy the unmistakable flavors of this soul-warming cuisine. Our food will always be.
•vegetarian choices •Low Fat choices • • No lard • Low Sodium • • No MSG • no preservatives •
SPORTS
18
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
Star Freshman Helps Warriors Bring Home Wins Jacob Cavanah
MLB who played for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies from 1985-1996. Baseball runs in this family, and they have WHS alumnus Cutter Dykstra’s ‘08 always set the bar high. As far as returning players go, catcher younger brother, shortstop Luke Dykstra ’14, is in his first year on the varsity Colin Yelich ’12 is going to be an essential WHS baseball team, and is one of several factor. He is also the younger brother of a contributers to the Warriors good start to WHS alumnus, Christian Yelich ‘10 who was drafted in the the 2011 season. first round of the MLB Because his draft, to the Florida brother left such a Marlins. legacy at WHS, and “Defensively is currently playing as a catcher, in my baseball in the minor opinion, he is the best leagues for the catcher in California,” Milwaukee Brewers, Miller complimented Luke has some high his star player. “He expectations to live up works so hard on to. his defense. That’s “Yes. It’s just the basically where our way it is,” said Luke, defense begins, with about meeting the high catching. Colin calls expectations his older his own game for the brother met at WHS. pitchers. Offensively, “But it is a good thing. he’s another person It makes me a better A FAMILY AFFAIR: Luke Dykstra carwe lean on.” player.” ries on the legacy left by his brother. “I’m putting my Head Coach Zach Miller evaluated the Dykstras he has two best hitters (Dysktra at one and Yelich coached: “[Cutter and Luke] have similar at two) in my lineup. And I’m saying to tenacity and instincts as far as being other teams, Here’s the situation, I’m students of the game . . . They’re both the giving you my two best hitters one, two. same, they’re very instinctive, they know Let’s see what you can do,” said Miller. The team’s star pitchers, Alex Daley what to expect, they’re in the right place at and Michael Miller, ‘11 are returning the right time.” Having Lenny Dykstra for a father is seniors who are expected to be big impacts already an advantage. Cutter and Luke’s on how the team does this year. Against Simi Valley, the Warriors took dad is a former three time All-Star in the
Sports Editor
PHOTO BY STEVEN PARO
WOUND UP: Alex Daley, in his pitching motion, gets ready to release his pitch.
the game into extra innings by tying up the game in the end. In extra innings, Paul Cipriani ‘12 hit what appeared to be a game winning home run, but the umpire—-in a controversial call—said it was a foul ball. After that call Cipriani struck out, but Yelich made up for it and hit the game winning home run to get the Warriors the win. Warriors are 5-3 overall, 1-1 in league,
and are presently in third place in the Marmonte League. The Warriors will be taking on the Calabasas Coyotes, who are 3-5 overall, 0-2 in their league play, and are last in the Marmonte League. This game will be held at WHS on March 23. They will play at Royal on March 25. Over this weekend, the Warriors will participate in the Chatsworth Classic Tournament.
Boys' Golf Steps Up to the Tee Shannon Reiffen
Entertainment Editor Golf season is in full swing, and with a new coach, Rick Naranjo, and incoming talent, the team is looking better than ever. Varsity member Brandon Shaw ‘12 said, “Coach Rick has added a strong drive to win CIF along with encouraging us to do our individual best.” Coach Naranjo, a retired teacher and assistant principal at Agoura High School, as well as the golf coach, worked at the Westlake Golf course for two years, and was told by the general manager that
Coach Dave Costley had retired and that the team was looking for a new coach. “There was not much to change from what Costley had established,” said Naranjo. “We entered into a few more tournaments than in the past since there weren’t preseason matches.” Naranjo also mentions the new JV coach, Jeff Stern, who was an Assistant Teaching Pro at North Ranch Country Club. After winning four straight league titles, the team has still not lost its passion and desire for success. But the drive and dedication is still there, and the desire for more titles is as strong as it could be.
JV member Alec Ziff ‘12, who has already shot two eagles this year, said, “We’re the best in the county. There’s no doubt we’ll win League.” Hard work contributes to the team’s overall performance. “We have a solid set of seniors that will lead us this year. We also have a lot of sophomores and juniors who are playing well,” Shaw continued. He adds that newcomer Sean Crocker ‘14 is a great addition to the team, and a player that will help them greatly. One of the major strengths of the WHS golf team, besides talent, is closeness. Matt
Weitz ‘11 says, “From trips to In-n-Out to driving home from tournaments, we’ve gotten really close as a team. We’re all great friends.” And they’ve already started off the season strong. Ziff, who is a leading member of the JV team, says he shot an 80. At the last tournament.“Not my best, but there’s always room for improvement,” he says. Varsity golf will play next on March 24 at home against Moorpark. On March 29 the team will face Calabasas. Schedules are subject to change because of the recent rains.
Don’t Lacrosse the Warriors Path Jacob Cavanah Sports Editor
PHOTOS BY STEVEN PARO
This year’s Warrior lacrosse team is versatile in age and is finding success so far this season. “The upside [of the team] is that we have a large number of great athletes who will help us dominate up and down the field by keeping the other teams on their toes,” said Nick Mazzeo ’12. Their athleticism is going to be a huge factor in how much success the team is able to achieve this season. On the other end, the team must improve on certain parts of their game. “In order to get better, the team is going to have to learn to communicate better and work on wall ball,” added Mazzeo. Throughout this year, the team is going to work towards improving that. This year’s team is dynamic in age, having players from sophomores to seniors. The eldest players on the team are a good influence for the younger ones. “The age diversity on the team is a benefit because even though our team is young, the older, more experienced players help the younger class men,” said Devin Ray ’13. Head Coach Dennis Ray has his triplets Brennan Ray, Devin, and Dylan
CRADLE, CRADLE: Bryan Baldwin (left) gets around a TO player and Luke Hegeman (right) shoots into the opponent’s net.
Ray ’13, on the team. The Ray brothers are also going to be part of the WHS varsity football team next year. Dylan got some experience by getting playing time in the CIF playoffs this past season.
Devin notes that having his dad as a coach “is not different because he has been coaching for my brothers and me our whole life. I treat him as I would any other coach I have played for.” In the game against crosstown rival,
TOHS, the Warriors came back in the second half from a 4-3 deficit, to win it 6-4 Currently, WHS is 3-2, and is looking to add to the win column against the undefeated Oak Park Eagles and against Oaks Christian on Friday.
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW COMMENTARY
Out with the Bowl, in with the New
19
SPORTS
Householter Chases 100-free Record
Tucker Higgins Sports Editor
Tucker Higgins Sports Editor
Hunter Householter ’11 has entered his eighth year of swim this season and is hoping to set a new record and finish with a CIF title. “Interestingly enough, my swimming career took off after I was cut from Chaminade’s 6th grade basketball team,” said
Householter. Although this was a minor psychological blow to Householter, it sparked his interest in swim and he hasn’t looked back since. Last season Householter competed in relay for the CIF title in the 100 yard freestyle race and finished with a time of 49.4 seconds. As a junior, he not only finished in the top 16 during CIF but also put up a time that fell just shy of Westlake’s
COURTESY PHOTO
DETERMINATION: Householter scrimages his team mates in the 100-yard freestyle during an innner squad meet.
100 yard record of 47.6 seconds. Although Householter finds his greatest strength in swimming to be the 100-meter race, he also contributes greatly to his team in the relay divisions. “CIF was a great experience last year, but I believe the team will be even stronger this year,” said Householter. He currently has a position on three different relay teams including the 200-meter freestyle,
COMMENTARY
Injuries Shorten Sports Careers—and Lives Alex Farkas Hockey, football, and boxing—these are the top three sports that have the shortest life expectancy rate for players. Dave Duerson, a former Saftey for the Chicago Bears, committed suicide on Feb. 17 at age 50 and “agreed to donate his brain to the study” according to the LA Times. Duerson is donating his brain to the same research center at Boston University as Bob Probert who donated his brain to find out what type of disease he had. Researchers discovered that Probert, who played in the National Hockey League (NHL), had a “degenerative disease in brain tissue” according to the Times. If players are committing suicide due to brain damage, why don’t sports commissioners develop new types of helmets. The NFL recently created a rule that a player cannot hit someone hard enough that it would cause a concussion. According to the St. Petersburg Times, “U.S. life expectancy is 77.6 years, recent studies suggest the
average for NFL players is 55, 52 for linemen.” That number is slowly decreasing for football players and causing much more brain damage. Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, suffered two concussions during the season and one game he actually drew blood from the helmet. According to the Seattle Seahawks Website, “The average NFL player plays just 3.52 seasons and loses two to three years off his life expectancy for every season played.” Many football players play up to 10 to 15 seasons which can cause major brain damage and a more likely chance of a concussion. During hockey games, when fights break out, helmets cause blood as well as punches thrown to the face. The referees do not take any action in attempting to break up these fights. Better and more protective helmets would provide better protection for players and would not cause brain damage. Referees also need to step in and take control and break up hockey fights.
Lokos Vs. Swag:
81 - 57
24 Ballers Vs. Brick Squad:
71 - 63
The Show Vs. Pirates:
61 - 38
Heat Vs. Ezra’s Team:
75 - 52
Staff Writer
WING SPAN: Keats Stanley throws down a spike against Thousand Oaks.
COURTESY PHOTO
In the last few years, there has been a growing sense of unrest among players, coaches, and fans in regard to the BCS bowl game system for Division 1 college football. At the center of this argument is the simple fact that the current system fails to produce a clear-cut national champion in the large school division of the NCAA. The BCS system is accomplished through a complex formula that is comprised of three main factors: the Harris Interactive College Football Poll, the Coaches’ Poll, and a combination of computer rankings, each of which consists of one-third of a team’s overall BCS ranking. Two teams are then selected to play for the mythical “national championship,” while other highly qualified teams are left to argue about why they were not selected for the game. In addition to most college football fans, many influential figures have made it clear as to which system they prefer. In a recent article found on CNN.com, President Obama spoke openly about his views regarding the BCS system: “I’m fed up with these computer rankings and this, that and the other. Get eight teams -- the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a national champion,” Obama said. President Obama is certainly not alone in his desire for a major college football playoff. Although bowl games are a hundred year old tradition in college football, the fact that the BCS system produces a champion based on statistics and personal opinion, rather than direct competition, cannot be overlooked. Supporters of the Bowl Championship process point to the tradition of the major bowls and the length of the season for student athletes if extended for a playoff system. While these are valid points, the current bowl system also produces many millions of dollars of profits to the NCAA, colleges and the various cities that host the games. The potential loss or dilution of these widespread profits may be the biggest hurdle for incorporating an NFL type playoff system for major college football. Proponents of a playoff system would like to see a 16 team playoff system that would play out over four or five weeks and crown a true national champion in a manner similar to all professional sports and most major college sports. This would undoubtedly generate significant excitement, but what are now 35 different games played by 70 teams would shrink to 15 games played by just 16 teams. While an undisputed national champion would emerge from such a system, participation and profits from the current system would be dramatically reduced. In the end, this is why a playoff system for Division I football is highly unlikely.
200-meter medley, and the 400 yard freestyle. “Over the weekend, we placed second overall in a twelve team swim meet just outside Orange County. Unfortunately a number of our varsity members were unable to make it and I believe that could have made the difference in our loss to Hart High School,” said Householter. Although there were no league competitors in the meet last weekend, Householter is optimistic with the upcoming meet against WHS’s rival, Thousand Oaks High School, “It will be competitive this year against T.O. but our team’s depth will give us the upper hand.” Because of the nature of the swim scoring system in the Marmonte League, a team with multiple low times will have a lower cumulative team score, as opposed to a team with only a few extremely low times. This should give Westlake the advantage at meets, as they will be facing a number of teams with less depth in the roster than theirs. In the fall, Householter will be enrolling at Santa Barbara City College next year: “My plan is to transfer to the University of Santa Barbara after two years at the nearby community college. This will allow me to try out for their club team during my junior year at UCSB.”
Volleyball Spikes Competition Alana Model Julia Model Staff Writers
The boys volleyball team is striving to win league and return for the Marmonte League title, their ultimate goals for the season. In the recent match against TO, the boys gave it their all last March 16, dominating in a 3-0 sweep, 25-23, 25-21, and 25-13. “We’re familiar with their players because we play on a lot of the same club teams, so we wanted to come out and make a statement and get our confidence going,” Coach Doug Magorien told the Ventura County Star last week. After the grueling match against TO, the boys gained a ranking of No. 8 in the CIFSouthern Section Division I poll, while TO remained at No. 9. Both teams have been battling it out each year, and the competition between them is stiff
and will continue to be for years to come. It is truly a matter of staying devoted to the game and teamwork. A few of the season’s key players are Travis Magorien ‘11, Adrian Powditch ‘11, and Keats Stanley ‘11. Magorien has accepted his scholarship to CSU Northridge to play Division I volleyball, and Stanley verbally committed to USC on a scholarship as well. Other noteable players are Jacob Delson ‘12 and Taylor Tattersal ‘12, who are also getting recruited by colleges for next fall. According to Coach Magorien, despite a few injuries, the team is bonding with new players, and underclassmen are adjusting and playing with older and more mature players. Ultimately, the season has been a success so far and the team plans on continuing their winning steak to obtain the Marmonte league championship.
Teen Center Basketball
SPORTS
March 23, 2011 • THE ARROW
Boys Varsity Team Stronger Than Ever Meini Cheng Photo by Hanna Hong
JUST KEEP SWIMMING
20
FLYING ALONG: Abby Puczkowski races butterfly at a home meet against Newbury Park.
Girls Enter Tougher Division I
Celine Flores News Editor
How do you follow up winning the Marmonte League title for five consecutive years? This season the varsity girls swim team is working towards winning their sixth consecutive win in a row, as well as qualifying for the CIF Division I Championships. Newcomer Chantal Miller ’14 shares Varsity Coach Todd Irmas’ enthusiasm about the new season and her “awesome” teammates. While Miller is focusing on improving her individual speed, she is confident in the group’s abilities to work
as a whole. “We are only getting better as we go on.” Standouts this season include Jane Chen ‘13, Julia Farfan ‘13, Hanna Hong ‘11, Emily Kercherner ‘12, Inez Lam ‘12, Savannah Miller ‘12, Haley Preston ‘12, and Abby Puczkowski ‘11. Irmas admits the team has a few obstacles between them and the CIF title. Despite a few disqualifications at CIF last year, the girls team can rise to win the CIF Championship this year as well as Marmonte League Finals, explains Irmas. “We’ve moved up to Division I this year, so it’s going to be tougher to win CIF,” said
Irmas. “So my goal for the girls is to finish in the top 10 of CIF.” With higher expectations, Puczkowski explains this year “I would like to treat CIF like we are the favorites to win again even though we got moved up to division 1. Puczkowski not only does not want “anything to discourage [them], but also wants to place top 3.” “If we at least get to the league championship and do well in CIF, I’d be very happy,” says Irmas. With multiple CIF considerations and several automatic qualifications, the girls team is on its way to success.
Swimmers To Watch
Minh Nguyen
Savannah Miller
“My favorite part about swimming is being able to eat 10,000 calories a day and not gain weight.”
“When I race, I get really competi-
The Newcomer
Haley Preston The MVP
“I love the feeling of working hard and achieving my goals.”
The Sprinter
tive. I picture myself swimming my race to mentally prepare.”
Yu- Bin Kim The Freshman
“When I swim I feel the pain, but I couldn’t imagine my life without swimming.”
Feature Editor
Last year, in the last relay at Marmonte League championships, WHS finished in a very close second. This year, with a stronger team than ever before, the WHS Boys Varsity Swim Team is determined to win. In all the years that Coach Todd Irmas has been coaching swim at WHS, this year's team is the strongest. "This is the best team I've ever had overall. We are deep in every event, and we have six outstanding relays," said Irmas. This year's dominant swimmers include Hunter Householter '11, Pabasara Jayasena '11, David Sommers '12, Michael Wen '13, Taylor Niemann '13, Jimmy Hoo '13, and Matt Gordon '13. In addition to the returning swimmers, WHS gained two top swimmers who will play a key role in the team's success, Minh Nguyen '11 and Yu-Bin Kim '14. Kim was surprised when he first saw the Westlake team. He sees that "everyone works very hard. If I don't try hard enough I know that there will be a lot of competition." Nguyen and Kim both train at Conejo Simi Swim Club, along with Sommers and Gordon. “Before swimming, we have dry land training, which will either be running, abdominal exercises, or weight training. Practice is two hours of actual swimming,” explained Nguyen. Every day for two hours, the team practices for the upcoming meets. "We usually have pretty hard sets ranging from 4000 to 5000 yards a day. We work on all the strokes and different drills," explained Sommers. Not only does the team have outstanding speed, it also works well together as a whole. "We all know each other really well and expect a lot from each other. We have really improved so much as a team," said Sommers. The boys’ teamwork and support for fellow teammates also contributes to their power as a whole. "We're all really supportive of each other. Even if it's not a race, we cheer for each other," said Wen. With the unprecedented allaround strength of this year's team, all the swimmers are hopeful and intent on winning the League championships. "Our team is a lot better this year. We have better talent and better speed. I expect us to win league and to have CIF qualifications, even though this is our first year in Division I," said Householter. "We'll definitely get good competition from some of the other schools, but we've got high expectations that I think Westlake can meet. We have some of the best swimmers in the Marmonte League," said Nguyen. The team does not have a single weak race or event this year. Irmas explained, "We have so many guys that can do so many different events, and I don't see any weaknesses. We are strong across the board."