Mar 08

ARROW

THE

VOLUME XXX, ISSUE 6

Westlake High School

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

MARCH 20, 2008

Drama Students Score with Shakespeare JULIANE SCHRAMM NEWS EDITOR

Continued on PAGE 3

COURTSEY PHOTO

The WHS Drama Club won an award for “Excellence in Scene” at the Shakespeare Festival at Chapman University in Anaheim, Feb. 22-23.

Each of the approximately 20 participating schools performed one scene and two monologues from a Shakespeare play.

The WHS team acted out the famous balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet. Grant Goldstein ‘08 played Romeo, and Rafael Velasquez ‘08 played Juliet.

“Since both guys wanted to play Romeo, we had to improvise. And having a male actor playing the role of Juliet added an irony to the piece, which brought a funny aspect to our performance,” said Samantha Silver ’08.

The WHS Drama club did all they could to stand out from the crowd.

“Our performance was special, because we didn’t use any stage equipment.

Instead, we expressed everything through

AWARD SEASON: The WHS Dance Tearm basks in the glory of taking home not only the first place trophy, but also the title of Grand National Champions.

Dance Team Makes History at Nationals GUIN CHAN STAFF WRITER

For the first time in WHS and CVUSD history, the Dance Team earned the title of National Grand Champions. With the highest average of scores in a variety of

categories in the championship division at the United Spirit Association’s Dance and Drill Nationals, these 21 girls won the competition over the span of two days at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The team also won first place in the Open Large Dance Division, as well as

New Fall Class Offerings Hope to Spark Interest KELLEY BIGGS STEPHANIE LERVOLD STAFF WRITERS

Graphic Design/Art, Physics B AP, Digital Photography, and Human Geography AP are a few of the classes that may be included in the school curriculum at WHS next fall.

Graphic Design/Art includes the study of career skills needed for business.

The class would focus on teaching techniques related to careers in marketing, such as creating campaign ads and posters for newspapers. The class is primarily for students who want to work in business, news, politics, and graphic design.

Graphic Design also requires creativity. This class would be a Vocational Education elective but the instructor has not yet been determined. It will fulfill an A-G requirement for Cal States and UC schools.

Drawing skills are required.

Physics B AP is another course under consideration. Physics C CP is a pre-

IN THIS

requisite course for the class. The school is expecting approximately 20 students to enroll. Physics teacher Scott Holloway would teach this class.

Another class under consideration is Digital Photography. This class will teach how to take quality photos using black and white or color settings. Students will learn how to edit photos, store and organize photos, choose format, and use color depth.

For the digital photography class, the school is getting new computers. The class will be in the third building on the second floor. The classes currently located there— Mass Media and Video Production—will still be open to incoming seniors.

Digital Photography will either be offered as a separate class or as first semester Black and White Photography, second semester Digital Photography. The department wants to open this class to everyone.

No prerequisites are required.

“Mr. [Roger] Biersborn is our student teacher and we want him to continue on

with us next year...he’s really good,” said current Voc-Ed Department Chair, John Farmer.

Social Science Department Chair Mike Lynch is encouraging 11th and 12th grade students to register for Human Geography AP, another new year-long elective. The proposed world studies class will cover cultural, political, and topographic geography, with a central basis on current issues and global problems. It will include aspects of current government, economics, history, and psychology classes.

“It’s about the landscape of the world,” Lynch said. “It’s going to be exciting.” The course instructor has not yet been determined.

These classes all depend on whether or not enough students register for them.

The WIT Academy will replace Computer Programming with Computer Graphics, which also fulfills the A-G requirement. For those with extensive math skills, Computer Science AP, is still available.

spots in the championship finals for three of its dances.

It was 11 p.m. when the last dance in the finals finished, and the awards ceremony commenced. Before the end of the night, the WHS Dance Team had earned fourth place in the Officers category, second in the Character category, and first in the Small category.

Their Small dance, a lyrical piece to Imogen Heap’s cover of “Hallelujah,” also won the award for best choreography.

The last and largest trophy, for the title of National Grand Champions, was given to the WHS dancers.

“It was a complete surprise and a really good feeling to know that we worked so hard this year and the years before to accomplish something so great,” said Jenny Greynald ’08.

Numerous injuries throughout the year forced several of the team’s dancers to drop.

“We lost a lot of valuable people, but we pulled through. We couldn’t have done it without the trainees and understudies,” said Kimberly Bielak ’09.

The team’s success can be attributed to the fact that the girls “have grown together over the past four years, and raised the bar for themselves,” commented Coach Becky Alderson.

An increase in practice hours also helped to build a stronger team. Alderson ultimately believes that it’s about “making the dance a piece of art instead of a competition.”

ISSUE

NEWS................................1-4 OPINION...........................5-7 FEATURE........................8-16 CENTER........................12-13 ENTERTAINMENT.........17-19 HEALTH/SPORTS.........20-23 FASHION............................24

Math teacher Eve-Marie Williams and her pet beagle, Rupert, enjoy a hike.

See PAGE 11 for more teachers’ pets

Varsity baseball wins crucial game against T.O. See PAGE 23

Slip into spring with a fairy-tale fashion fantasy.

See BACK

2

NEWS

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

PTA Reflections Winners Named

IN BRIEF NHS Applications Due

NATALYA SIVASHOV FEATURE EDITOR

PHOTO BY KIMBERLY HA

National Honor Society (NHS) applications are due March 20 in adviser Colleen Darden’s Room 42P. Membership is open to juniors for their senior year, and requires a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 for ninth and tenth grades and the first semester of junior year. Also, participation and leadership in school activities and outside endeavors are required for consideration in this club.

If selected, members will be participating in five NHS sponsored service projects and will be required to attend regular meetings.

WHS Students Win ELKS Scholarship Seniors Sabrina Samedi and Sidney Primas won a scholarship from the Thousand Oaks Elks Lodge. Two of the five winners were WHS students. Samedi won $2,100 and Primas won $750. The awards were contributed from the local lodge, the California/Hawaii Association and the West Central Coast District. The lodges raised the scholarship money through raffles, recycling and donations from individual members.

Rose Pops the Question at Concert Saturday’s audience was in for quite a surprise at the final performance of the Choral Music Department’s “United We Stand.” Choir director Alan Rose proposed to his girlfriend Susan Dunnam at the final show on March 8. The two of them have been dating for two months, but have known each other since high school. Even though the announcement of the engagement was public, they plan a small wedding and hope to get married before the end of the school year.

College and Career Center Posts Scholarship Opportunities The College and Career Center posted the March monthly scholarship bulletin.

Opportunities to earn scholarship money include the $1,500 Amy Durts McAvoy Memorial Scholarship, which is offered to female graduating seniors from Ventura County, who will pursue a degree in math or science. The deadline is March 28 by 5: 00 p.m.

The Sierra Pacific Flyfishers Foundation is offering a $1,000 scholarship for high school seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The deadline is April 15.

Additional information and applications, are available in the College and Career Center.

COLLEGE VISITS: • • • • • •

Sassoon SBCC 3/18 at 10 a.m.

Moorpark College 3/19 at 9 a.m.

SBCC 3/20 at 9 a.m.

Brooks Institute 4/14 at 9 a.m.

SBCC 4/17 at 9 a.m.

Moorpark 4/25 at 9 a.m.

EVENTS:

• Young Women in Technology Forum, Fri., April 18 @ CSUCI For all visits and events, sign up in the Career Center

SEMPER FIDELIS: Kathie Solare receives an award from the Marine Corps.

Marines Recognize Solare for Service to Students KIMBERLY HA STAFF WRITER

Brightly colored in hues of pink, purple, orange, yellow, and red, a bunch of flowers sits on the corner of registrar Kathie Solare’s desk in the school office. These are not just any flowers—they are a gift from the Marines.

The handwritten card accompanying the basket reads ‘Thank You. To do easily what is difficult for others is the mark of talent.” – Marines.

Solare, who handles the grades and transcripts, on Feb. 21 won an award for the commandment of the Marine Corps’ Quality Citizen Recognition Program for her facilitation in providing transcripts.

Students, interested in the Marines fill out the form with a written release for a copy of their transcript which the Marines then pick up in the office.

Along with the flowers, Solare re-

ceived a framed letter “expressing their gratitude” for her efforts and a coin with the general’s name and insignia. Only high ranking officers have coins which they distribute for distinct honors, according to secretary Helene Franklin.

The award came as a surprise to Solare, who knew that the Marines were coming because of a call the day before.

“When they said I won an award, I didn’t know what to say, but I definitely didn’t expect that!” said Solare. “I’ve worked at WHS since 1999 and I’ve never seen this happen.”

Solare plans to hang the letter near her desk area, where the motto of the Marines, “Semper Fidelis,” or “Always Faithful” closes the letter.

She called her husband and daughters the day she won the award, to tell them of her recent honor.

Now Solare stands with the Few, the Proud, the Marines.

Three WHS students received recognition for their entries in the National Reflections Program. Vivian Shi ’10, Madison Lane ’08 and Adam Raudonis ’10 are the winners from WHS for 2007-2008.

The PTA Program, designed to enhance arts education, provides opportunities for creative recognition.

“This year’s theme was I Make a Difference by___,” said Raudonis. ”I tried not to pay attention to the theme, but I have to say that I could make a difference by following my dreams.”

Raudonis has participated in the Reflections program since eighth grade. Although this year he had higher ambitions, he managed to make it all the way to the county level.

The sophomore wrote his music for piano only, since that is the instrument he has played for 11 years.

Raudonis found a unique inspiration for his work. ”I’m not very good with lyrics, but I can write music. My music teacher recently passed away, so I guess I would dedicate it to him,” said the sophomore.

Students were encouraged to reflect on the theme by making up a creative dance routine, composing a musical piece, writing literature, or submitting a valuable photo, or art work such as a painting.

Entries were first judged at the local unit level, where some were chosen and sent to the county level. From there they were eligible to advance to the level of the California State PTA. The Award of Excellence and the Awards of Merit are recognized at the annual National PTA convention and displayed as part of the traveling exhibit afterwards.

In addition to the award, the winning students receive a scholarship for their creations.

The students are judged in four different age categories: Primary Preschools for second graders to seven years old, Intermediate Grades for ages eight to 10, Middle and Junior grades six to eight or ages 11 to 13, and Senior Grades nine to 12 for kids 14 years and older.

WIT Academy to Expand Next Year RACHEL BERNSTEIN ASSISTANT AD MANAGER

Westlake Information Technology Academy began in 2001 with 38 sophomore students enrolled. This year the Academy consists of 125 students in grades ten through 12 and the interest in the program continues to grow.

The program is currently full with a waiting list for possible candidates. Although there is no room this year, School to Career Coordinator and WIT Academy Advisor, Laurie Looker hopes to add an additional 60 students next year.

The structure of the academy is designed so that students work closely with their peers and their teachers. All of the courses are college preparatory and students prepare to enter college or the work force upon graduation.

The Academy upgraded their Mac lab with eight new computer workstations and upgraded the software to reflect the current industry standards for video editing in the Mass Media classes. Each Academy teacher has an LCD project and an interactive white boards to use with their daily instruction. Next year, the Academy will offer Computer Graphics for juniors instead of Computer Programming.

Academies are smaller learning communities that exist within a regular school that have a career theme. Students are enrolled in three academic core classes and a technical elective in grades 10-12. These classes only contain Academy students.

There are grade level teaching teams that

consist of three or four teachers for each grade. These teachers collaborate and plan lessons and projects that incorporate all academic areas with the technical electives.

Academy students benefit from workbased learning experiences that include job shadows, internships, and a mentor program. Field trips are planned each semester to support classroom learning and to allow students to see how technology is used in business and industry.

“The connection with business partners is very valuable to the students as they are able to experience the world of

work first hand and see how technology is being used in various career fields. I have found that students in the Academy feel very connected our school and the program. I have had many graduates contact me and tell me what a valuable experience being in the Academy was for them.

Our goal is to prepare students for the next phase in their life, whatever that may be”, Said Looker.

Recruitments for next year began in late February by visiting all the freshman English classes. Applications are due in the counseling office by March 20.

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NEWS

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Selects Xie One of 250 Finalists VICKY LOU MANAGING EDITOR

semifinalists become finalists and are called “Coca-Cola Scholars.”

The finalists are invited on a trip to Atlanta, Georgia—the headquarters of the Coca-Cola Company—for the four-day Coca-Cola Scholars Weekend starting April 24.

Over the weekend, the scholars will also tour Atlanta, meet with previous scholars, participate in activities including a community service project, and be recognized at a banquet. They will also be interviewed by a National Selection Committee. Fifty $20,000 scholarship recipients will be chosen and the other 200 will receive a $10,000 college scholarship.

“I am so excited to go to Atlanta and look forward to meeting the other 249 Coca-Cola Scholars. We also get to participate in a community service activity there, and I am definitely looking “IT’S THE REAL THING”: Nini Xie will receive at least forward to that! Something $10,000 from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. else I really like about the Coca-Cola program is the alumni network. “an inspiring teacher who tries to share his Apparently, so many of the scholars still passion for history with all his students.” stay in touch and help each other out after In addition, her parents have always all these years. They become friends for been “supportive of me in everything I do. life,” said Xie. I definitely would not have earned this Part of the application included an scholarship without the help of my teach“Educator of Distinction,” someone who ers and counselor as well as club advisors made an impact on Xie academically. She such as James Azevedo, Christina Harrichose Ray Ballard, her AP US History son, and Joseph Nigro. Also, my friends teacher last year. Xie describes Ballard as definitely keep me going,” she said.

National Merit Commended Scholars: Michael Aranda Jason Bliss Michael Boisvert Austin Brown Lucy Darago Nicole Glaser Melanie Han Hartlyn Haynes Philip Idell Ashley Impellitteri Greg Kestenbaum Arielle Kirk Jonathan Kotzin Alex Kreger Eric Lan Erin Langlois Adriane Lim Morgan Mathias Joseph Mazeika Kathryn Nary Alexander Pardy Brian Park Swar Shah Vanessa Szeto Ellen Wang Rachel Wisuri Kelly Zhou National Hispanic Scholars: Austin Brown Julie Garcia Lia Woodward National Achievement Scholars: Clifford Slay

Continued from PAGE 1

department, she found her passion in teaching special education and science.

“She had the world’s biggest heart,” said Advanced Anatomy teacher Nancy Bowman when describing Gatch’s “good ear.”

The sensitivity of her illness did not stop her from talking and making herself a learning example for all.

Gatch is survived by her four children, husband, mother, brother, and many extended family members.

“We are all deeply saddened by the passing ALWAYS REMEMBERED: Substitute teacher Nancy of Nancy Gatch. Gatch was loved and appreciated by WHS students.

She absolutely loved the students and staff at WHS and dedi- a helping hand,” said Dean of cated her life to working with our Activities Nicole Funfar. students. She attended student activities and sporting events Sabrina Samedi also contributed to and was always willing to lend this article.

COURTESY PHOTO

Colorful, vibrant, and enthusiastic, Nancy Gatch was an unmistakable figure in the WHS community. Her style and bubbly personality made her a favorite with students and staff who will miss her warmth and compassion.

Gatch, 64, passed away the morning of March 3, several months after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. A memorial service at the Calvary Church commemorating Gatch was held on March 13, 2008.

Gatch was a tireless fan of all school programs, including sports, choir, and band.

A CSU Northridge alum, Gatch was a dedicated district substitute, with more than 25 years of experience, and a Westlake Village resident for 39 years.

She was also actively involved with National Charity League and the Assistance League.

“She was adamant about continuing on with work and not letting her illness get in the way,” said Principal Ron Lipari. “She loved WHS—the students, staff, and school.”

Although she had worked as a substitute in almost every

National Merit Finalists: Michael Chen Dominic Insogna Benjamine Liu Kathleen Lo Victoria Lou Andrew Maleki Linda Peng David Richardson Philip Shao Aislinn Smalling Danni Xie

Drama Students See Hard Work Rewarded

WHS Bids Fond Farewell to Longtime Substitute ELLEN WANG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

2007-2008

COURTESY PHOTO

Danni “Nini” Xie ’08 was recently selected as a Finalist in the 20th Coca-Cola Scholars class. Coca-Cola Scholarships are awarded to seniors who demonstrate academic excellence, school leadership, and community involvement.

Xie has an impressive array of extracurriculars and academics. She is the founder and co-president of Junior State of America, president of Future Medical Professionals, co-president of Academic Decathlon, and co-captain of Mock Trial.

She also volunteers at the Los Robles Hospital.

“Time management is crucial. But I also love all my extracurricular activities—from clubs to community service to music—so it really doesn’t seem hard balancing it all. My activities define me as a person,” said Xie. Xie discovered the Coca-Cola scholarship when a friend of hers became a finalist last year and researched the scholarship online for more information.

“It is an amazing honor to be selected as a Coca-Cola Scholar. When I applied for this scholarship, I had no idea I would get this far. It was a huge surprise. I’ve gotten in touch with a couple of the other scholars and when I consider their accomplishments, I realize what an amazing honor it is to be selected,“ she said.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation began in 1986 and has provided approximately $35 million in scholarships to more than 4,000 students.

About 80,000 students apply and 2,000 are selected as semifinalists. The top 250

National Merit Scholars

people. For example, I was the moon, and we used actors for the balcony, trees, windows and walls,” said Melanie McCorkle ’09.

The two monologues were performed by Gracie Canaan ’09 and McCorkle. Canaan spoke a monologue from the play Othello, and McCorkle’s monologue was from the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Junior Catherine Soloway came up with the idea to use the drama students instead of common stage equipment.

“We started rehearsing the scene a couple of weeks before the festival. We were the only group that did their scene in a crazy and unconventional way,” said McCorkle. “We got a lot of laughs about the way we made

fun of avant-garde theater.”

The weekend of the competition started on Friday with a workshop, where the kids could learn about different theater techniques and improve their acting skills.

“It was very helpful. We use some of what we learned in our new play,” said Silver.

Although they just finished their competition at the festival, the students have not taken a break. Instead, they will rehearse for the next play, Our Town by Thornton Wilder.

“We have been rehearsing since the beginning of February, and we are all excited and are working really hard on it,” said Canaan, who is playing the stage manager, one of the leading roles traditionally played by an elderly man. The play comes to the stage the beginning of April.

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NEWS

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

NEWS FEATURE

Tobacco Ads Infiltrate at Early Age In addition to cartoons that target youth, 75% of movies rated PG-13 and 36% of movies rated G and PG contain smoking, according to Strach. These percentages are “Tobacco is a unique product because intentionally misleading since only 13% of theoretically, it should be impossible to adults in California smoke, according to sell,” said Karen Strach, California Youth a poll taken in 2006. The movie industry Advocacy Network Program Coordinator. wants smoking to seem more prevalent Yet, with smoking villains in Disney than it actually is to the young consumer, cartoons, a Marlboro truck in Superman seemingly “[glamorizing] it,” Strach and the use of a cartoon camel in added. advertisements for Camel cigarettes, it Reasons that people smoke include appears that Big Tobacco is targeting the rebellion, rite of passage, the desire to look younger generation for tobacco sale, and older or lose weight. The tobacco industry so far it has been pretty effective. manipulates all of these psychological Because 90% of current smokers start motives in its campaigns. smoking before the age of 18, tobacco is Cigarette companies are also exploiting being marketed specifically to teenagers. different races, sexes, and especially Teenagers are age groups. part of the “priority Advertisements population,” which are often also includes Smoking kills more people s p e c i f i c a l l y women, men, than for alcohol, AIDS, car designed and the homeless. certain groups, illegal drugs, telling African Tobacco companies accidents, create a marketing murders, and suicides all Americans, for scheme that focuses example, that if on these groups and combined. they smoke their their interests. cigarette brand For women, ad [Kool’s] they are campaigns incorporate “stiletto” cigarettes “[being] true” to their race. Virginia Slims with pictures of little black dresses. To lure is a brand specifically marketed to women, men, tobacco companies use cars and sex even implying that women who smoke appeal in their advertisements. But, for their cigarettes are “biologically superior their main target, teens, the companies to men.” begin brainwashing early, with ads placed There is “no safe tobacco product,” low enough for the shorter population and true to this statement, smoking kills and constant exposure for kids with their more people than alcohol, AIDS, car brand names and insignias. accidents, illegal drugs, murders, and Although the tobacco companies suicides all combined. Teenagers are often claim that their products are for adults, unaware of the subliminal advertising for their marketing ideas lend themselves cigarettes in the world. to teenagers. Young adults are three Even anti-smoking ads, sponsored by times as sensitive to ads as adults and tobacco companies, create a fascination. therefore are able to recall ads for twice the “Tobacco is Wacko, if you’re under 18,” amount of time that adults can; thus Big states an anti-smoking ad, only implying Tobacco targets them daily to begin their to the average reader that once one addiction early. Though the law prohibits turns 18 smoking is fine, completely the placement of tobacco ads below three disregarding the negative effects smoking feet on convenience store walls, these has on everyone. companies get away with it, and kids are These companies pull potential exposed whenever they stand and see an smokers in with their attitude that they ad. The cartoon-like features in the ads also care about their consumers and want attract children of any age, and the picture to make them thoroughly enjoy their is imprinted in their young minds to be products—but how much can they really remembered, even up to the point of their care if they have their many “replacement first purchase of a pack of cigarettes. smokers” waiting in the wing.

Spanish Honor Society Inducts 30 Members

JESSICA KUECKS KATELYN SMITH STAFF WRITERS

VICKY LOU MANAGING EDITOR

Philip Shao ’08 was recently selected as a Semifinalist in the 67th Intel Science Talent Search—a prestigious nationwide science competition for high school seniors.

The highest prize for first place is a $100,000 scholarship; Shao won $1,000 for himself and another $1,000 for our school, to be spent in science-related activities.

Sponsored by the Intel corporation, STS is the nation’s oldest research competition, beginning in 1942. According to its website, STS serves as a stage for young adults to present “original research to nationally recognized professional scientists.”

With approximately 1,600 papers submitted, the top 300 applicants become Semifinalists and the best 40 are announced Finalists.

Each application consists of a written report of the student’s research and a series of essays describing his activities and goals in life.

Shao’s project included data analysis and modeling on global climate variables and was submitted under Statistics.

Shao found out about this program through the Internet. Many people, including Shao, participated in the Siemens Competition.

The Siemens foundation also selected Shao as a Semifinalist in their Science Competition in November.

“I basically touched up my Siemens report and sent it in for the STS competition,” said Shao.

The applications are first evaluated by scientific professionals, and then judged by a board of 12 scientists.

So far, Shao has already been accepted to Yale University, but has yet to make a final school choice.

COURTESY PHOTO

Shao Named Semifinalist in Intel Talent Search

QUÉ TAL?: Thirty members of the recently reinstated Spanish National Honor Society were inducted on March 10, at a lunch-time ceremony. The ceremony was followed by chips and salsa.

Stats Show Fewer 16-year-olds Getting Behind the Wheel JAMES JEE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Across the country, fewer and fewer 16-year-olds are getting their driver’s licenses, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Once seen the ultimate coming of age and show of independence, earning a driver’s license has seemingly lost its flair, as more eligible teenagers fail to apply.

In 1998, 43.8% of 16-year-olds were licensed drivers. Data from 2006 show that the statistic has dropped to 29.8%. What caused this American ritual to die down? Many experts attribute to this to the notion that more parents are willing to drive their kids from place to place. Therefore many teenagers feel that driving is not a necessity, since they can still get where the need to go anyway.

“I haven’t gotten my driver’s license yet because it seems so unnecessary to have in high school,” said 17-year-old Andre Abrahamian ’08.

In addition, many states, California included, have increased the laws, restrictions, and requirements that minors have to go through for the privilege to drive.

In the year 2005, the age at which a minor could get a permit was changed from 15 to 15 and a half.

At the beginning of 2006, the duration of probationary 6-month period in which new licensees could not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. nor with someone under the age of 20 without an adult driver over the

age of 25, was increased to 12 months, in an effort to decrease the accident rate of teenage drivers.

Statistics show that before the change in 2005, car accidents among 16-year-old drivers were 13% higher than at any other hour, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.

“I have not even gone in for my permit test because it’s such a hassle to do all the requirements to get a driver’s license. I’ll just wait until I’m 18 because adults have less restrictions in getting their driver’s licenses,” said Alex Pardy ’08.

5

OPINION

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

If the Killer Is Just a Child...

The recent shooting of Oxnard middle schooler Larry King by 14-year-old Brandon McInerney has sparked a heated debate about the issue of trying young teens as adults. The Arrow has attempted to shed some light on the various sides to this societal problem.

PRO ALANNAH BRADLEY STAFF WRITER

should be fully aware of the choices he or she is making and what the consequences will be.

If we continue to try minors as adults for severe punishments, minors will think before they react in a fatal way. However, if we do not, we are sending the message to teenagers that their severe actions are without consequences.

Tragedies, however heinous they may be, are usually masked by the controversies that are brought up as a result of them.

The impact that the death of a child, friend, and student has on a community is unbelievable.

In the recent tragedy at an Oxnard Middle School, Lawrence King, 15, was shot and killed by his fellow class mate Brandon McInerney, 14, as a result of what authorities are calling a hate crime. In this specific case, however, it is not the issue of murder that is causing controversy among society, it is the issue of gun control.

Gun rights groups are arguing that the government should arm everyone with firearms so as to protect themselves, while others are arguing that the law should make guns available only to the authorities who have actual reason to use them.

One would think, after the countless underage deaths our country has experienced that officials would make it virtually impossible to get a firearm. However, other than that fact that it is our constitutional right as citizens to bear arms, guns have become an unfortunate way of life, and will continue to be until society, not the government, chooses to change it.

Recently, it has become increasingly easy for anyone, even someone as young as 14, to get a gun. A statistic by James D. Agresti in “Gun Control Facts” states that 49% of households in the United States own a firearm. Most households consist of

A stolen life, Lawrence King, 15, was fatally shot on Wed., Feb. 12, by classmate Brandon McInerney, 14. The reason being, King was a homosexual, both offensive and hate-inspiring to McInerney. He is charged with pre-mediated, first degree murder as

IT’S MORE SERIOUS THAN YOU THINK: The reality of young criminals and the crimes they commit is often taken too lightly.

We Have Lost All Control NIKKI FAY OPINION EDITOR

PAMELA GUO STAFF WRITER

CARTOON BY VIVIAN SHI

Many think it is morally wrong to try an adolescent, who is not considered an adult, in an adult court.

Brandon McInerney, 14, is the boy who shot and killed Lawrence King, 15, of Oxnard Middle School. McInerney is being charged with first degree murder with the special allegation of a hate crime. McInerney made fun of King because of the way he dressed and the fact that he recently came out as a homosexual. This is just one prime example of a teenager committing a serious crime.

States across the country are passing new laws that allow them to try adolescents as adults for serious issues like murder or rape.

Proposition 21 was passed in March 2000 in California and has changed many aspects relating to juvenile and adult criminal law. One thing Prop 21 entails is that some adolescents be tried in adult court. It also requires that certain serious juvenile offenders be held in local or state correctional facilities, along with expanding the list of violent and serious offenses for which longer prison sentences are given.

Frequently young criminals who enter the juvenile system get off with lighter punishments for harsh crimes, the same harsh crimes that adults are committing and receiving life sentences. In some cases if a teenager was to murder someone, he/ she may be put into juvenile hall and by the age of 25 he/she would be out in the world again.

How will the victim feel when their attacker is let out of juvenile hall years later, when an adult they would not be let out of jail at all? Victims of these crimes should not have to fear their attacker on the loose. At the age of 14, the “teenager” should know the difference between right and wrong.

Crimes by teens are serious and need to be addressed as such. A teenager, so commonly known as a young adult,

CON

two working parents and two children, in this hectic environment it wouldn’t prove impossible for a child to get his or her hands on a firearm without either of the parents noticing.

While some argue that it is the fault of the government that these children are more commonly using firearms, it is obviously the fault of not just the parents, but society as a whole. We are sending a message of acceptance to these children by making the weapons which they commit these unforgiveable crimes with more accessible.

In the past few years epidemics of dangerous school attacks have occurred, most of which involve an antagonist that was a mere child. Why then, would citizens want to make it easier for criminals to get their hands on a firearm?

Circulating more firearms into the system is not the quick fix for this epidemic.

The request for mass production and distribution of firearms will do quite the opposite. What kind of example would it be setting for the kids that we are asking not to be involved with firearms, if all of their role models are walking around with them?

Not only owning, but using a firearm has become somewhat socially acceptable, resulting in the ridiculous number of murders that the United States has experienced this year alone. However impossible it may seem, it is time to take a stand against firearms so that we can keep our children, our society, and ourselves out of harm’s way.

well as a hate crime, both of which he will be tried for as an adult. McInerney can face a sentence of 25 years to life, with an additional three years for the hate crime.

We’ve all been told at one point in our lives to treat others the way we want to be treated. In other words, respect one another. Is lack of respect the deep root of this atrocity? Not necessarily.

It is important to remember that hate breeds hate, just as love breeds love. McInerney grew up in a harsh environment, and his childhood was a troubled one.

Although his parents did not divorce until McInerney was six years old, court records show that his parents, Kendra and William McInerney, had marital troubles even before he was born. A victim of his parents’ tumultuous relationship, he must have absorbed more than a small portion of the pain, anger, and animosity his parents taught him.

This young eighth-grader does not need a life sentence in jail, nor does he need to stare at the wall of his jail cell for the rest of his life, which has just begun.

He should not pay the price for the faults of his parents and the many negative influences of his home.

What this previous Young Marines leader does need is forgiveness, along with pyschiatrical attention. McInerney needs to relieve himself of the bitter emotions which are, no doubt, festering inside of him. His childhood taught him hatred and violence, which played a major part in his decision to shoot a classmate.

No child deserves to be tried as an adult. This is the concept behind juvenile hall. Not only is the mind of a child always growing and evolving, but it is also not fully developed, especially in the impulse control region. Sometimes, the mind may lean in a negative direction, but if stopped and corrected, it can adapt and absorb a new way of thinking.

Is an adult sentence for a child truly any different than the justice that can be found in “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth?”

Intolerance Makes a Comeback REBECCA SUSLIK STAFF WRITER

Tolerance. It’s a powerful word conjuring images of world peace and mutual respect. It’s been discussed, idealized, sought. Despite the constant usage of the word—Museum of Tolerance, ethnic tolerance, cultural tolerance, religious tolerance—it is an area in which society has made some progress but mostly failed.

Fifteen-year-old Lawrence King’s death shocked not only Oxnard and Ventura County, but also the nation. How could it have happened—how could a 14year-old kill a fellow student because of his sexual orientation and nonconformist behavior? The answer is not simple. But it is traceable to a deeply-seeded root: lack of tolerance.

Prejudice is one of humanity’s greatest faults. It stains records of days long gone and taints the behavior of people, past and present. History has displayed countless times of the lethal ramifications of insufficient open-mindedness. The Holocaust, the Rwandan Genocide, the segregation and enslavement of African Americans–these are only a few wellknown examples.

Every time an event such as these unfolds, it is sworn that it will never be repeated. But, as Winston Churchill stated, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” People have consistently neglected to learn from their mistakes; instead of heading off tragedies caused by intolerance, we leap into ac-

tion after a shocking event stuns us from our apathy. Yet as soon as we attempt to erase bigotry and unfairness, they spring up again.

It’s undeniable that progress has been made. Our current world is a more accepting place than that of our predecessors in many ways. It is unrealistic to expect every single person to be entirely tolerant, but if only we would be less judgmental of others. If only we would let go of ancient prejudices that make little sense compared to the advancements of today. Even our speech is littered with unconsciously degrading phrases. Is labeling something ridiculous as “so gay” contributing towards tolerance?

Every American is guaranteed the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We all share these liberties equally, we are entitled to our safety and opinions, and we can choose to live however we wish to. Yet though we are free to disapprove of others’ decisions and lifestyles, our rights do not extend to the point at which we may encroach on others’ freedom and dictate how they behave or live.

Poet W. H. Auden penned the line “love or perish,” bringing to mind the necessity for tolerance. In the absence of acceptance, what we refer to as “hate crimes” are committed against both individuals and entire nations. These offenses are attacks on humanity itself; the victims are not the only ones who suffer, and if our society is to thrive, we absolutely must learn to respect each other and the differences between us.

6

OPINION

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

Students Learning for Earnings Should students earn cash in return for good grades?

JUSTIN EDWARDS OPINION EDITOR

To Vote...

Or Not to Vote...

WAYNE HUANG OPINION EDITOR

KNOW YOUR MORALS: Is paying students money for good grades unfair, or a good source of motivation?

in the number of students with higher SAT and ACT scores and an eight percent rise in collegebound students.

English teacher Lora Novak recalls that when she was a student, she was given one dollar for every A she received on her report card. In other words, money motivated her to succeed in school. “If it works, it’s not a problem,” said Novak.

However, what will happen to the students after their motivation is removed? In the short term, paying for grades could be

The Great Stairdown KAYLI MILETICH FEATURE EDITOR

Every year when the incoming freshmen attend WOW Week, the counselors make a special point to warn the newbies about WHS’s infamous “traffic jams.”

And this is not referring to the ridiculous line of cars merging on Lakeview after seventh period, or to the 15-minute wait to get out of the student parking lot at lunch or after school. These “traffic jams” occur every 54 minutes on the staircases at WHS. Every time the bell rings, a mob of students stampedes down the stairs, while another equally aggressive group of students challenges them on their way up.

If you’re ever curious about what grade a student is in, there is a simple test to find out: follow him or her through the stairs. If the person truly takes offense to getting shoved and stares around in bewilderment, attempting to hunt down their attacker, they are most likely freshmen.

By second year, sophomores have learned how to stand their ground, but never cease to halt traffic and spin around with a shocked look on their face, as if the sky is falling.

Juniors and seniors seem to have become immune to all the pushing and shoving, but then again, it’s less common for them to take a hit, and more common for the upperclassmen to be the ones who push everyone else around.

It is not unlikely to witness a student trip and fall down a few stairs. On the rare occasion, we may witness a complete wipeout, followed by a slow-moving mass of fascinated students, overjoyed that they just witnessed the fall. However, the saddest part is that no one helps.

So why are the stairs so violent? It’s most likely due to the fact that people act like bulldozers, taking in no consideration for others.

“If you see an opening, go for it. It’s a lot like driving,” said Rafael Velazquez ’09.

While this strategy proves to be successful for the stronger individuals, students need to act in a more compassionate way, in order for everyone to benefit.

Instead of trudging around the campus in an abusive manner, try showing some patience when maneuvering to your classes.

With only two staircases offering access to building four, one of the more crowded structures, and over 2300 enrolled students at WHS, the only realistic way to fix this problem is through the students, and only then, will we be able to arrive safely and punctually to our next class.

If you happen to tragically take a fall down the infamous stairs, remember that you are not alone; it happens to us all. And if your fall is bad enough that you suffer a few injuries, look on the bright side: you can finally break free from the stairs, and spend a lovely four to six weeks using the elevator.

a good idea, but it doesn’t necessarily work in the long-run. Individuals should pay for education; not the other way around. It is a student’s duty to attend school to learn. Education is their benefit, and they should not obtain money on top of that. It should be incentive enough that if someone doesn’t work hard and do well in school, that they will most likely end up in a minimum wage job.

Today, we promote these material gains for our youth which corrupt innocent minds into believing bribery is a benefit. Math

CARTOON BY VIVIAN SHI

One can always see a needy child approaching a parent for a common necessity: money.

Students these days can receive money for chores, achievements, allowances, and other actions.

Now, several school districts and administrations offer money for students who earn good grades and keep acceptable attendance records.

Designed to motivate students to do well in school, programs have opened nationwide.

Their goal is to “try to figure out a way to make school tangible for kids and to come up with shortterm rewards that will be in their long-term best interest,” said Harvard Economist Dr. Roland Fryer.

Schools in a dozen states have programs with these similar “incentives.” According to ABC News, students at the Cesar Chavez Charter School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, can earn up to $300 a year for good attendance. In Santa Ana, California, kids who do well on their math tests can earn up to $250, and in Baltimore, students can gain $110 depending on their test scores. However, it is an effort to get low-income and minority students interested in courses and doing well.

A study by Cornell economist C. Kirabo Jackson found that incentives generated a 30% rise

teacher Carmella Ettaro believes that, “students should do things because they are supposed to.”

Is our nation so desperate for academic success that we have to bribe our lazy students? What ever happened to all of the hard work that went into school with satisfaction of achievement?

It is not fair for other students nationwide who actually work hard and earn good grades and receive nothing. If we continue to pay students for grades, we might as well start paying them to breathe.

School Safety: What Can We Do? ALANNAH BRADLEY STAFF WRITER

In the aftermath of Virginia Tech and the more closely located E.O. Green Middle School shootings, many other tragedies have taken place. Schools around the country have been struggling to get new safety measures enforced.

What’s to say WHS would be fully prepared for something that may not be preventable?

Most schools believe that they are really prepared for anything that may happen, whether it be a shooting or close encounter with a bear near the campus.

“Well when we had the lock down a while back, teachers and administration worked really well together. The one problem may be that our school is so large and weakly designed, “ said English teacher Margaret Schlehner.

Administration may be trying their best to control the safety around school, but is it still possible for something like the Oxnard shooting to happen here at WHS? “Yes, because it could happen anywhere,” said Katie Catapano ’08.

Our school is so vast in size and so spread out over several acres. News of any conflict or incident would take at least several minutes to travel to the main of-

fice. It might be too late by then.

The outcome of a crisis relies entirely on how fast school officials and emergency officials react and sometimes it isn’t fast enough.

Parents used to send their children to school knowing that they’d be safe, but that can’t be said anymore. Our world has become a much different place from the world of 30 years ago.

We need to realize the first step is accepting that it could happen, and the next step would be to do everything in our power to prevent another school shooting.

Westlake has taken many steps to successfully react to danger. We perform several disaster drills and work closely with law enforcement officers. But is it enough?

Students have the responsibility to maintain a vigilance regarding their own safety. They are often the first to hear, see, and know.

Many schools and offices have avoided potentially devastating catastrophes because students reported overhearing conversations or seeing weapons in backpacks.

The bottom line is that something can happen to us here in Westlake Village. We have a personal responsibility to protect our well-being.

Presidential elections are an immensely important part of the American system of government, but in this day and age, just what are we casting our votes for? So far, Barack Obama has spent the most money on his campaign— about $83.5 million. Hillary Clinton is second, having spent a little over $77.7 million, and John McCain is third with $38.1 million spent.

Don’t get me wrong, voting is one of the main responsibilities of a model citizen, but then again, wouldn’t it be wrong to take such an important choice lightly?

Words of Wisdom When asked his opinions about the 2008 elections and the election process as a whole, U.S. History teacher Matthew Baldwin replied indignantly. Some of the problems he expresses concern for include the idea of the electoral college, negative campaigning, and the voting process itself.

In regards to the war of words being waged between Clinton and Obama, Baldwin said, “I hate negative campaigning, especially within the same party.” He also feels that the system of voting is too troublesome and not “accessible enough.”

Are YOU Being Misled?

As just one example of many misleading advertisements, factcheck.org exposed an instance in which Hillary Clinton criticized her main competitor, Barack Obama for voting for Dick Cheney’s energy bill, which supposedly gave huge tax breaks to oil companies.

What she failed to mention, however, was that while the bill did cut some taxes on the oil companies, it significantly raised other taxes for a total projected tax increase of around $300 million to be paid over the next 11 years.

Why has politics become a game of “who did what,” where candidates put more effort into denouncing their opponents than advocating for themselves? It is obvious that the election process needs changing, and a more accessible elections along with a more well informed electorate would be a good start.

7

OPINION

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

What’s on Your iPod? DENA GALLUCCI JESSICA KANE STAFF WRITERS

Students Rock Rock to the Top 100

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We’ve heard the phrase “cheaters never prosper,” even before any methods of cheating were possible. Currently, the amount of cheating world-wide has hit an all-time high, whether it be in middle school, high school, or colleges.

Six students were expelled and nearly a dozen others faced suspension after an unethical cheating scandal that has greatly demoralized the elite HarvardWestlake, a Los Angeles private school with a prestigious reputation.

An assembly on Feb. 26, on the school’s North Hollywood campus announced the outcome of the nearly three-week long investigation by the school’s honor board. The expulsions of the six students were issued and the remaining dozen were suspended for varying lengths of time.

The students were accused of stealing and revealing the final exams of Spanish 3, World, and European History classes.

The history department became suspicious when several of the students did exceptionally well,

and someone soon tipped the department that cheating had occurred.

Administrators said that the six sophomores conspired to distract the teachers and steal the exams in their classrooms, and the tests were viewed by about 12 others.

At a school that is so intense and where so much is expected of the students, many did not find the students’ cheating shocking.

As pressure levels rise and the drive to be perfect continues, many students feel like there is no other way to succeed than to cheat.

This easily can be reflected at our own school, since everyone is aware that cheating occurs in almost every classroom, almost every single day. Cheating has become an epidemic that some administrators are constantly trying to end, but as technology becomes more accessible and teachers become more lenient, cheating becomes much more accepted in a high school atmosphere.

“It’s also an issue of morality. In my opinion, if someone feels that it’s okay to cheat on a homework assignment and misrepresents his or her work, it

0 In a recent survey, 200 WHS students showed that they prefer rock music over all other genres.

can transfer into other areas of his or her life. For example, lying to parents and friends can become easier,” said Dean of Activities Nicole Funfar.

Gregory Ramey, PhD. and child psychologist at Dayton Children’s Medical Center, revealed that a study taken 50 years ago that suggested only 20% of students cheated, compared to 78% of high school students that admit to cheating today. However, this statistic is incorrect, since many students will not admit to cheating. Another 40% of students believe that cheating, plagiarizing, lying, or resorting to violence are sometimes necessary to succeed.

“At our school, we follow a strict Academic Honesty Policy that is stated in the student handbook,” said Principal Ron Lipari, which includes an automatic F on the assignment for the first offense, and a drop-fail from the class for the second offense.

“Everyone tries to cut corners, but cheating is just an opportunity to skirt the significance of hard work. It’s not only cheating in the classroom, it’s also cheating yourself and you get nothing from it.”

Teachers have tried to eliminate this problem by offering two or more different versions of tests or by double checking homework to be sure that one student has not duplicated another’s work, but with text messaging, the internet, and iPods, it is getting more and more difficult to weed out the cheaters.

The editor of Harvard-Westlake’s well-known school newspaper, The Chronicle, Michael Kaplan ‘08, wrote a personal opinion piece titled, “Cheaters should be expelled,” on his online blog, sparking much controversy among parents and students who read it.

“I’ve been at the school for 21 years and I have never heard of an exam or test being stolen,” said Harvard-Westlake President and former headmaster, Thomas Hudnut. He also noted that he was extremely disappointed that many of the students did not come forward earlier to report the cheating that occurred.

The annual tuition at Harvard-Westlake is $25,000.

Unfortunately for those select parents, their money and future plans for their children went completely down the drain.

Schools Not Offering Enough Humanity Studies KIMBERLY HA OPINION EDITOR

The CAHSEE tests, also known as the High School Exit Exam, was administered March 11. Students have a 90% pass rate for English-language arts (ELA) and mathematics test.

So the issue here is either the students are ridiculously smart or the test is ridiculously easy.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the rest of the nation.

Common Core, an education-advocacy group, conducted a survey of 12,000 17-year-old

high-school students asking questions pertaining to history and literature that a high-schooler is expected to know. The entire test consisted of 33 multiple choice questions; the average score was 67% answered correctly.

When was the Civil War? (Answer: 1850 – 1900) Who was Adolf Hitler? (Answer: The Chancellor of Germany during the Second World War) These were some of the questions that were on the test which students did poorly on, 43% and 77% right respectively. Curious to know how you stand? The test is available at http://commoncore.org/

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“So what kind of music do you listen to?” The answer to this common icebreaker should be simple, but most people are fidgety at the subject because they are afraid of being judged based on what they have on their iPods.

It is a known fact to teens that music can define part of someone’s identity. It is used as common ground between new and old friends or even acquaintances.

By sharing an interest in a band or artist, two people have an immediate connection and similarity.

Results of a survey conducted of 200 WHS students proved that many conform or pretend to like the music that they know will not be critiqued by their peers. Bands like Paramore, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jack Johnson, The Fray, and Radiohead were the most common responses.

The survey simply asked students their favorite artists and genres of music giving options for only genres, not favorite bands.

Results are shown on the right.

Students usually sway with the crowd: only 50% of the answered surveys didn’t have one of the eight most popular bands written on it.

Clearly, the opinions of others have an enormous influence and factor on the music

we listen to, or it’s just a coincidence that so many people enjoy the same bands. However, there are exceptions.

Austin Asano ‘09 said that he likes to listen to screamo for the “riffs” and “because it brings out an emotion that I feel inside that may be scary to some people, but to me it’s just where I’m at.”

Victoria Fealkoff ‘10 said she chose country as her favorite genre “because I can relate a lot of the lyrics to my life.”

Obvious errors appeared on the tally sheets of the survey results. If people consider a group to be their favorite, how is it possible that they spell its name wrong? Some of the extremes included “Girls Like Boys,” “The Beetles,” and “The Frey.”

While observing the students who completed the surveys, we noticed that many asked for advice about what to write and were uneasy as their survey was passed forward, even though they were aware the survey was anonymous. Another 41 individuals submitted blank surveys.

WHS students heavily favor rock and alternative music over any other genre. A total of 87% of those surveyed said that they prefer listening to these two genres, while less than 8% said they listen to country.

Asking people what their favorite band is should be a simple question, but in a high school environment that judges constantly, it isn’t. So ask yourself, what kind of music do you listen to?

_docs/CCreport_stillatrisk_ quiz.pdf.

Common Core’s conclusion is that the results “serve as a wake-up call to remind us that it is vital to address more than one educational challenge at a time,” alluding to the standardized-testing emphasis on reading and mathematics that the “No Child Left Behind” law enforces on schools at the expense of the study of humanities. With so much time focused on the basics, less time is available for other enriching subjects so that music, liberal arts, and science are neglected. While certain areas

suffer, students lack a complete education.

Instead the school year becomes a race to cram students with the materials necessary to prepare them for the various end-of-year-exams: STAR testing, APs, finals, etc. How effective those testing methods are, however, varies. The results of the Common Core report indicate that more resources should be invested into the arts to ensure a well-balanced education. The need for reading and mathematics is no less important, but it is evident that some American teenagers are being left behind.

THE WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL

ARROW

100 N. Lakeview Canyon Road Westlake Village, CA 91362 (805) 497-6711 ext. 4225 westlakearrow@yahoo.com EDITORS-IN-CHIEF James Jee, Ellen Wang MANAGING EDITOR Vicky Lou COPY EDITOR Wynn Burson NEWS EDITOR Juliane Schramm OPINION EDITORS Alessandra Catanese, Nikki Fay, Kimberly Ha, Wayne Huang FEATURE EDITORS Christina Cipriani, Jamie Hendry, Tiffany Loh, Kayli Miletich, Christy Needels, Alexis Rosenthal, Natalya Sivashov, Brittany Weber, Iris Yan, Carina Wolff CENTER DESIGNED BY Soumya Karlamangla ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Elyse Kaplan, Jimmy Moore HEALTH EDITOR Ally Ackourey SPORTS EDITORS Stephanie Nieves, Spencer Schloss, Nora Sobczak CARTOONIST Vivian Shi ADVERTISING MANAGER Sabrina Samedi ASSISTANT ADVERTISING MANAGER Rachel Bernstein ADVISOR Caron Battaglia STAFF WRITERS Lindsay Adler, Teri Akahoshi, Max Avruch, Kelley Biggs, Alannah Bradley, Robert Dillon, Justin Edwards, Ellie Fateh, Lucy Gao, Dena Gallucci, Pamela Guo, Chelsea Hertler, Joseph Jacques, Jessica Kane, Jessica Kuecks, Stephanie Lervold, Sasha Lewis, Katelyn Smith, Rebecca Suslik, Mohammad Tadayon, Roseann Zhong The Arrow is written, designed and run

by the students of the beginning and advanced journalism 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.

8

FEATURE

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

CYBER ADDICTIONS Excessive Use Hinders Communication Skills TIFFANY LOH IRIS YAN FEATURE EDITORS

You done yet? . . .

No.

CARTOON BY VIVIAN SHI

It is mind-warping and addictive.

Many parents fear their child will get interminably hooked. No, not drugs, but computers are the potential danger.

Every day after school, students robotically repeat a process that threatens their social interaction: they sit down at the computer for hours on end to chat with peers, occasionally taking a snack or bathroom break.

For some teens, cyberspace is merely a way to keep in touch with long-distance friends, “a convenient break from the pressures of school,” said Tabah Syed ’10. But for others, computer use has become an obsession. It is their sole outlet for thoughts and emotions.

An article titled “Are Gadgets, and the Internet Actually Addictive?” from CNN.com stated that the term “Internet Addiction Disorder” first began as a joke on a mailing list. But now psychologists and specialists use the term as a way to describe the internet obsession that plagues many.

The reality of cyber addiction affects people to a shocking degree. As people become increasingly engrossed in a world of cyber space, time passes by in a quick flash. Of course, that may sound extreme, but gradually people become more dependent on the internet as a way of escaping their other more pressing responsibilities.

Kimberly S. Young, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh in Bradford, Pennsylvania surveyed 496 heavy internet users and she identified 396 of them as addicts.

“It’s a silent addiction that sort of creeps into your home,” said Young. But, she says “It’s just a computer and it seems so harmless.”

Dana Saifan ’10 adds, “The internet is viewed as a positive educational tool, and there is little doubt that it offers a plethora of information and opportunity for entertainment, information, and efficiency.”

There is however, a darker side to this wondrous technology. The very nature of the powerful attractiveness of the Net can foster overuse, abuse, and even addictive patterns of behavior.

“Some of the ways we ‘get lost on-line’ can contribute to problems in real-time living,” said Dr. Greenfield, the author of the book Virtual Addiction: Help for Netheads,

COMPUTER MANIA: Today’s teenage generation is becoming increasingly absorbed in the cyber world. Scientists have coined this problem as “Internet Addiction Disorder.”

Cyberfreaks, and Those Who Love Them.

By being enthralled by the internet’s delights, teens especially can be absorbed and lost in cyber space and disregard their use of time.

According to USA Today, 53% of teens most often communicate with their friends using written messages, and 61% of the time they spend chatting is through instant messaging. In addition, teens use online technology to socialize with their friends for an average of 7.8 hours a week.

More parents are becoming increasingly concerned with the intemperate and time consuming visits on the internet. Parents also begin to see teens withdrawing from their family, friends, and extra-curricular activities.

People are communicating with their family members via text message or email.

Whether it is because of their addiction to technology or simply because they are unwilling to move from their rooms to have a conversation, this action raises concerns

about communication skills.

“Talking to your family members through text messaging keeps people isolated,” said Lauren Greg ‘11. “It breaks family bonds and relationships.”

With all this time devoted to staring at a computer screen and typing on the keyboard, many fear that today’s teens are gradually becoming more isolated and having a difficult time communicating face-to-face with others.

“We are losing very natural, human, instinctive skills that we used to be really good at,” said Sonya Hamlin, author of How To Talk So People Listen: Connecting in Today’s Workplace.

As technology continues to evolve at a lightning-fast speed, teens are increasingly caught up in this whirlwind of new inventions. All the complicated gadgets and accessories create a fast and efficient method of communicating online. But the cost to this benefit is that students are losing their interactive and social skills.

Instead of having conversations over the phones, many would rather talk with their computers or laptops—hence, spending an excessive amount of time without face to face communication.

“Lots of people just sit and talk on the computer for hours,” said Juyea Hoo ’11.

“They aren’t even aware of how much time has passed.”

With the fast and innovative methods of exchanging conversations online, communication has become much more efficient with just a click of the mouse.

But as teenagers become increasingly attached to their laptops and other gadgets, parents and researchers are concerned that the new generation is gradually drawing away from the social skills that were once prevalent in their own adolescence.

Although this new technology has brought many advantages and conveniences, many worry about the costly consequences it may bring in the future.

A Look at WHS Students’ Internet Use Hours students spend on the computer:

Activities students do on the computer: 5% Other

7% 3+ hours

15% Chatting

31% 0-1 hours

21% YouTube 9% Games

23% 2-3 hours

22% Facebook, Myspace

28% Music

37% 1-2 hours GRAPHS BY IRIS YAN

A recent survey questioned 160 students from all grades regarding their use of computers.

9

FEATURE

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

Music For the Brain

Finding the Right Environment: iPods or Silence?

TIFFANY LOH FEATURE EDITOR

CARTOON BY VIVIAN SHI

“Turn off that stereo this instant!” shrieks an exasperated mother over the loud booms emanating from her son’s bedroom.

Sighing, the teenager turns off the music and resumes his homework, trying to ignore the sudden silence pressing in on him.

Like this student, many adolescents across America have (unfortunately for their parents) gotten into the habit of listening to music while studying or taking notes. To many adults, iPods and CDs are the ultimate distraction for their children: the reason for all those failed tests and missing homework assignments.

But for some, the music can be quite soothing and, as new research indicates, may even help to stimulate the brain.

“I find that music creates a more relaxed study environment,” said Anna Mc Kee ‘10. “It makes it easier to focus on the task at hand.”

Like Mc Kee, many others have also found that they can concentrate better when listening to music.

According to ScienceDaily, music, especially baroque and classical compositions, actively engages the parts of the brain that are responsible for paying attention, making predictions, and updating the memory.

But still, others insist that background music distracts them and often causes them to work slower.

However, scientists may have an explanation as to why some people are unable to focus with the seemingly irritating music that diverts them from their work.

When a person is listening to a tune, the mind may not be concentrated, and the attention level is not as high. But afterward, the short periods of silence between songs peak brain activity.

“In a concert setting, different individuals listen to music with wandering attention, but at the transition point between movements, their attention is arrested,” said Vinod Menon, Associate Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.

Whether a person feels comfortable working with an iPod or concentrating in absolute silence, the most important fact still remains the same— working in one’s most comfortable environment.

“Mozart Effect” May Increase Intelligence IRIS YAN FEATURE EDITOR

For centuries, scientists have argued whether listening to music has a direct effect on human intelligence. But there has been great controversy ever since the Rauscher and Shaw 1993 study investigated the impact of listening to Classical composer Mozart and the results published in Nature.

Dr. Levitin devoted his profession to finding the cause of humans’ capability of recognizing music upon hearing the first few notes.

To fortify this theory, Don Campbell published the book The Mozart Effect: Tapping the Power of Music to Heal the Body, Strengthen the Mind, and Unlock the Creative Spirit and discussed how listening to Mozart may temporarily increase one’s IQ and produce many other beneficial effects on mental function.

Campbell recommends playing specially selected classical music to infants, with the expectation that it will benefit

The Power of Music

“I feel that listening to music really helps me to relax and concentrate better.”

Josh Peng ’11

their mental development.

Laboratory for Music Perception, Cognition and Expertise at McGill University in Montreal is possibly the world’s foremost lab in the case of why music has such a strong impact on us, as stated by the New York Times.

“By the age of five we are all musical experts, so this stuff is clearly wired really deeply into us,” said Dr. Levitin. In the summer of 2006, he published the book This Is Your Brain on Music.

Dr. Levitin’s work has occasionally undermined some cherished beliefs about music. In recent years, there has been an explosion of the theory of “Baby Mozart,” an idea that listening to Mozart’s music can enhance intellect, or at least some components of intellectual function.

The term was first coined by Alfred A. Tomatis who used Mozart’s music as the listening stimulus in his work attempting to cure a variety of disorders.

But Dr. Levitin argued that this could not be true, based on his study of people with Williams syndrome, a genetic

disorder that leaves people with low intelligence. Their peak mental capacities are typically those of a young child, with no ability to calculate quantities.

Several other studies show the great impact music have on humans. In the book Preventive Medicine, scientists show that listening to music can prevent maternal depression, which could lead to permanent damage on the infant.

Music is entirely a unique matter, extraordinary in its influence on people.

Studies have shown that infants have brains very similar to adults when they process music.

In the Developmental Psychology study, the infants’ pattern of responses was the same as those of the adults, indicating that brain specializations for the processing of musical contour are present at a very early age.

Ultimately, scientists state that these works introduce new ways to discovering the mysteries of the brain: how memory works, how autistic people think, and how music changes our brain’s chemistry.

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“Music affects your mood. It shows creativity, and it is important because it brings people together.”

Nikki Hayes ’10

“Music is something I listen to whether I am happy, mad, or sad.”

Rachel Bitter ’09

“Music has the possibility to change your outlook and totally transform a certain day’s vibes.”

Kailynn von Kronemann ’08

10

FEATURE

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

LACMA Houses Modern Art ALEXIS ROSENTHAL FEATURE EDITOR

Questioning the conceptual standards of a modern museum, the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM) at LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) recently opened after three years of construction. With over 60,000 square feet of gallery space, and $56 million later, the building designed by Renzo Piano offers beyond expectations works of every caliber within the modern art stream.

Visitors walk into the entrance of the museum courtyard greeted by Jeff Koons’ larger-than-life aluminum balloons. Fire engine red steel posts create the foundation of the building while the traditional marble of the floor tiling mesh together to produce a calming and spacious atmosphere.

Enter on the third floor of the building on a “Renzo” red exterior escalator that slices up the side of the building, joining a fire-escape style stairway that zig-zags down, to find a similarity in the messages of the pieces of art. Or rather, the lack of messages.

Though the third floor is home to famous works such as Andy Warhol’s “Campbell Soup Cans” and Roy Lichtenstein’s post WWII comic-book inspired acrylic paintings, many of the artists featured in the gallery question the tactic belief that meaning is inherent in art.

John Baldessari exemplifies this best on his untitled blank canvas that COURTESY PHOTO simply reads: “Everything is purged from this painting but art; no ideas have MODERN ART TWIST: An untitled piece by Robert Rauschenberg on a screen print on entered this work,” written in block letcanvas as a visual commentary on media-saturated culture featured at BCAM.

New Year Persian Style

Celebrating New Beginnings MOHAMMAD TADAYON STAFF WRITER

Dylan Tribute on Display at Skirball Center 1966” holds a number of his favorite guitars as well as the bulky, vintage camera used to shoot a few of the Dylan documentaries created by world renowned directors like Spielberg and Scorsese. Beneath a plastic case lies a sheet of paper with the infamous phrase “Like a Rolling Stone” upon hotel stationery dated back to 1957. Walls of album covers sit beside a 15-foot cutout of a pout-faced Dylan welcome the die-hard ‘Dylanhead’ venturing into his universe.

All around, eyes of contentment roam, from gig posters, to rugged notebooks, and even his high school yearbook. Die-hard fans, decked in the classic Ray-Bans and slicked hairdos, mutter random facts of Dylan’s life as they hum his most familiar tunes.

MUSIC MAN: Dylan with his ever-present harmonica.

One woman observer caresses the stone walls, claiming that “His spirit is within.” Another onlooker, ELLIE FATEH carrying a pen and paper, circles the gallerSTAFF WRITER ies begging to meet the man.

As visitors stroll through the museum, Anti-war activist, poet, restless, 60srebel, teen heartthrob Robert “Bob Dylan” the exhibit transforms into a real musician’s Zimmerman holds the title of the most studio simulated to record a visitor’s voice misunderstood mind of previous genera- to accompany one of Dylan’s soundtracks. tions. His music reflects the passionate, A variety of listeners can enjoy and cherworld of Woodstock and the segregation ish Dylan’s legacy. Having starred in sevmovement of the 1960s. Dylan’s voice and eral documentaries, been an inspiration for drive inspired the Skirball Cultural Cen- a few films, recorded over a dozen albums, ter in Los Angeles to house a shrine of his Dylan is considered one of the most promany artifacts, catering to his prime age of digious music contributors. Fans who can not get enough of him will be able to view musicianship.

“Bob Dylan’s American Journey 1956- this Mecca of relics until June 8.

COURTESY PHOTO

March has arrived and with it comes an important time for Middle Eastern families. The first day of spring is known as Nowruz, or “new day” in Pharsi, the official language of Iran, Afghanistan and multiple other Middle Eastern countries.

Spring is seen as a time of fresh beginnings and renewed life, so its coming is always accompanied with happiness and vivacity.

The first day of spring is March 21, mainly because the vernal equinox occurs, which is the changing of seasons into spring. The effect of this is only seen in countries that in the northern hemisphere.

Traditional ways that families prepare for the New Year are a major springcleaning of their homes, purchasing of new clothes to wear, and decorating their homes with flowers. Often times, families gather together to welcome the new year with social events and festivities.

“It is a time to celebrate our culture and welcome new beginnings,” said Shayan Amiri ‘09.

The last Wednesday of the Persian year is spent performing the festival of fire. This event can be traced back to ancient Zoroastrian tradition. Festival-goers jump over small fires while singing a song that is meant to pass all impurities to the fire, in exchange for the fire’s vibrancy and warmth. Other traditions include children dressing up in shrouds to represent their family’s ancestors and going door-todoor asking for treats from neighbors and friends.

Similar to many other holidays, Nowruz has a figure to hail its coming. A man dresses up as Haji Firouz, the representation of a Sumerian god who dies and is reborn each New Year. The man wears red clothing, as well as covers himself in dark paint to make his skin appear black, and uses an instrument such as tambourines, or trumpets to signify the coming of the New Year.

Nowruz is surrounded with symbols, and these are all combined together into what is known as Haft Sin. Seven items are placed together, all starting with the Persian equivalent of the letter S or “Sin.” These items all have significance to them, all dealing with being refreshed and reborn.

Sabzeh: Wheat, lentil and barley growing in a small plate to represent rebirth.

Samanu: A sweet pudding, to represent wealth.

Senjed: Dried fruit from an oleater tree, used to symbolize love.

Sir: Garlic, representing medicine.

Sib: Apples, to symbolize health and beauty.

Somaq: Sumac berries, used to represent the color of the rising sun.

Serkeh: Vinegar, to symbolize age and patience.

The final way to celebrate the New Year is 13 days after it begins. It is called Sizdah Bedar, and is figuratively translated to mean “be outdoors on the thirteenth.”

Families will leave their homes to picnic together and enjoy fresh air and exercise together. The wheat, lentil and barley from the Haft Sin is also thrown into running water to exorcise all evil spirits from the households they have dwelled in since the New Year. It is traditional for single women to tie the sabzeh leaves before letting them go, hoping to be married before the next Nowruz. Many also participate in the “lie of the 13th” which is a call to lie to someone and trick them into believing something false, the equivalent of an April Fools joke.

Nowruz has been an important tradition in Middle Eastern life for centuries, and its reinforcement to younger generations will instill a sense of unique culture in them, as well as bring a sense of national pride to Middle Easterners who celebrate it in the United States.

ters. But perhaps most interesting on the this floor was LA’s very own Ed Ruscha’s commentary on pop culture, with works shown mocking heavy industry, such as an immense canvas empty except for only a small can of spam painted on.

Riding down the second floor on an enormous floor-to-ceiling elevator shaft that can easily hold dozens of people, one is within a work of art, designed by Barbara Kruger for BCAM. Aligning the shaft is a three-story high black, red, and white poster with various phrases and quotations, including one from George Orwell that reads, “If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stomping on a human face, forever.”

The second floor is largely dominated by works of art that have obvious meaning and message to them, including works from American Leon Golub and British Damien Hirst. With an entire gallery devoted solely to his paintings, Golub’s acrylic painted linens cover the 17 foot high walls, depicting dark scenes of brutal questioning and investigation. Damien Hirst’s piece “Away from the Flock,” is that of a real lamb preserved in a glass case with formaldehyde.

Finally, the entire first floor galleries are ruled by the enormous installation by Richard Serra. The looming physicality of the massive, titled steel curves create an unusual and curious maze of enormity, and imitates a sense of unevenness within the walkers strolling through.

With spacious galleries and clean lines, the BCAM has made home to the world’s most progressive artists, not failing to impress even the harshest critique.

FEATURE

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

Luci Zazueta and Fenway Breed: Bengal/ Toyger Age: 3 Personality: Very independent How long owned: 3 years Standout story: Fenway was born in 2004, the year the Red Sox won The World Series. “As a life long fan, her name had to be Fenway (after the home of the Red Sox).”

Nicole Funfar and Dori Breed: Boston Terrier Age: 9 months Personality: Fun-loving, hyper, very attached, caring Favorite activities together: “Dori and I love going to the park, playing ball and catch, and taking naps.”

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Greg Coull’s Cadence, Klaus, and Tig Breed: Cadence is a labrador/Pitbull mix; Klaus is a German Shepherd; and Tig is a regular old cat Standout story: “They are all fond of running head first into glass doors. I guess I just have really clean doors.”

Interesting fact: Coull’s dogs eat almost 80 pounds of food a month.

Good for the Heart LUCY GAO STAFF WRITER

Leslie Bird’s Sabrina Breed: Dog- Golden retriever Age: 13 Personality: wacky; a little off the wall How long owned: since she was 6 weeks old Favorite activities together: walking, playing ball Standout story: “Sabrina and my other dog, Ren, had a litter of puppies in January 1997. That was a lot of fun!”

How you and your pet were brought together: “A lady who knew I was looking for a puppy told me that her neighbor had a litter.”

Lynne Kelsey’s Nick and Susie Breed: Domestic short-hair Age: 13 Personality: “We call Nick our dog, because he behaves in a very un-catlike way.

Favorite activities together: Snuggling and chilling out Standout story: “Nick is a big boy of 21 pounds, and he’s a polydactyl cat—he has six toes on his front feet! He also sheds like crazy, so we keep lots of lint rollers around for guests who get “Nicked” when he rubs against their legs.”

Why she loves her cats: “We ended up adopting both Nick and his sister Susie from the sick room at the shelter. Something made me go back to get them.

They’ve been wonderful companions ever since.”

Countless, miraculous stories exist about animals that have saved or affected their owners’ lives. The dog that warns about an intruder in the house. A cat that meows until the owner wakes up and realizes their child isn't breathing. But besides providing those guardian and protector contributions, “owning a pet has many emotional, psychological, and physical benefits,” as said in an article on PreventDisease.com.

Research suggests that the companionship offered by pets truly influences an owner’s life and health.

"Dog owners tend to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol," according to Dr. Deborah Wells from Queen’s University in Belfast. Various research papers look at the health benefits of pet ownership, stating that pet owners tend to be healthier than the average member of the population in general. In fact, Dr. Wells believes that dog-owners suffer fewer serious medical problems and ailments.

“It is possible that dogs can directly promote our well-being by buffering us from stress, one of the major risk factors associated with ill-health,” said Dr. Wells.

“A pet is very good for you when you’re under stress,” said Karen Allen, a researcher at the University of Buffalo in New York. Researchers there studied 48 stockbrokers who lived alone and did not own a pet in the previous five years. After six months, the stockbrokers who were

assigned to take home a cat or dog had significantly lower blood pressure than those without pets.

Other research has shown that interacting positively with pets can calm people both physically and mentally.

Owning a dog can lead to increases in physical activity and social interaction as a result of going on walks.

The reason doctors’ offices usually have fish tanks in them?

"Watching fish has a calming effect on people," said PreventDisease.com.

There are societies that bring specially trained pets to sick patients in hospitals as a means of calming therapy. Some people with psychological disorders go through an equestrian program that allows them to build relationships with horses. Other services animals can provide include seeing-eye dogs. A new type of guide dog—psychiatric service dogs—are trained to recognize “when their owners are depressed or having a panic attack,” according to a CNN article. Then the dogs try to calm their owners down by curling up in their laps or perhaps giving a nudge.

The young and old alike can both agree that watching animals wag their tails, purr, cuddle, play, or even sleep brings joy Besides providing basic enjoyment, pets can offer assistance and relieve stress. Most pet owners consider their dog, cat, and even iguana as a part of their family. Any animal that can put a smile on a person's face proves that man's best-friend can walk on four legs.

Ray Ballard’s Ginger Snap Breed: Maltese and Yorkie mix Age: 9 Personality: Spoiled, wants to be on your lap at all times. Very loving, well behaved, cute, and knows it Favorite activities together: Shopping. “She loves to go on errands. She hops in her bag and she’s prepared to be gone all day!”

Jason Branham and Bella Breed: Labrador Retriever Age: 4 Personality: Always in the mood to play ball and cuddle Favorite activities together: Hiking, playing ball, camping, walks Standout story: “Whenever I’m sitting in my chair in the living room, she will always come over and slowly try to climb into my lap!”

Why he loves his dog: “Bella is a great friend and no matter how bad of a day I have, she always lifts my spirits!”

Bob Hay and Cholique Breed: Chow (red with black tongue) Age: 1 1/2 Personality: “Chows have a distinct personality. They can be stubborn, will ignore you and then become very affectionate suddenly.”

How long owned: 1 1/2 years Favorite activities together: Trotting on the leash Standout story: He understands and performs certain commands in Spanish How you and your pet were brought together: “He was flown in from Missouri but the breeder originally lived in the Conejo Valley and raised Chows.”

The Newest “Niche“ Foods Look out for the newest “niche” explosion, in which a single type of food booms in popularity. This happens when one food item becomes extremely popular and restaurants are opened devoted solely to that food. For instance, we’ve experienced coffee fads, like Starbucks, frozen yogurt, like Pinkberry, and cupcakes, like Sprinkles.

“Americans are enamored with restaurants that offer highly focused menus. Look out for ceviche bars, cupcake shops and breakfast cereal outfits, while chocolaterias are becoming all the rage,” said Kristine Sitko of beepcentral.com.

One “niche” prediction for this year is ice cream. Weird flavors are in: “tuna tartare with wasabi or cantaloupe sorbet with lavender-cured pork,” said Sitko.

Another prediction is “superfruits,” unusual fruits that are high in antioxidants and nutritional value.

“Subtly sweet and a bit tangy, mangosteen is set to show up in juices along with goji berries, acai and more pomegranate. But the yumberry may edge out the competition. The subtropical fruit, originally from China, has a high antioxidant content and cranberry-like flavor ... and a madeup name, like kiwi,” said Marlene Parrish of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette.

Some companies are already offering juices and food items containing these items, which are said to have extreme nutritional value.

Furthermore, as teas gain popularity, they might evolve into the newest craze. Teas come in thousands of varieties, and their health benefits could take them to the top.

“Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it’s got two things going for it,” said public health nutritionist Dr. Carrie Ruxton of Kings College London.

Tea bars are becoming more popular, and with the craze over bite-size foods, small tea snacks that accompany tea will gain in popularity too.

Tea is already the most commonly consumed beverage, after water, according to a study by the American Botanical Council in 2007.

And as evidence, in the “What’s Hot” survey, tea came in fourth as a “what’s hot” non-alcoholic beverage, with coffee coming in sixth.

Health and Environment For the past few years, we’ve been looking for the freshest and healthiest foods available. We want to know what’s going into our bodies, and where it came from.

Well, produce coming from local farms will be one of the newest trends that concerns our health. Locally grown produce and organic produce came in 2nd and 3rd in the “What’s Hot…What’s Not” survey, with grass-fed foods in 8th place.

“Because they are so fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables often have a nutritional edge over produce raised on “factory” farm. USDA researchers have found that if it’s not handled properly, produce can lose up to half its nutrients in transit,” said CNN’s Maria Condo.

So this year, American’s will stray towards foods that are grown locally, in order to get more nutritional value from what they consume.

Furthermore, unhealthy components of food like highfructose syrup and hydrogenated oils will be found less in food items, because customers refuse to buy products with those items. Restaurants and packaged foods will have to not include these items, otherwise they wont be able to sell their products.

Also, the emphasis put on the environment and global warming will contribute to what we will be eating this year.

“Like everything else these days, our food will go green in 2008. High end chefs are clamoring to get their hands on locally produced products, humanely slaughtered meats and fair trade coffee and chocolate, while restaurants of all sorts are starting to think of new ways to reduce their energy footprints,” said Kristine Sitko.

And if a restaurant doesn’t boast of its environmental friendliness, they may end up with lacking customers and business.

“Sixty two percent of consumers say they are prone to select a restaurant based on its level of environmental friendliness,” said Genevieve Deising of FoodDrink.com.

Food Trend

Carbs, dark chocolate, whole grain, low-calo

coffee—these food terms from previous y

them are new crazes that reflect envi

changing interests, and an aging p Check Out These Restaurants That Offer This Year’s Food Trends: For Heaven’s Cakes For Heavens Cakes recently opened on Thousand Oaks Blvd. and although they sell large cakes for special events, they also offer their famous “Cake Bites,” which are square bite-size cake treats. They come in delicious flavors ranging from Chocolate Bomb to 20/20 Delight, their carrot cake.

Chocolatine

Chocolatine is a French bakery Thousand Oaks Blvd., which offers tarts and truffles and other pastries. cious French food such as crepes, qu

The Healing Tree

Offering a selection of over 300 teas and h Healing Tree is an eclectic tea shop and apoth Palm Plaza, off Thousand Oaks Blvd. Their frien also serves eight different types of smoothies and The Healing Tree recently won “Best Green Prod the Green Living Expo for 2008, a decision based environmental friendliness and their selection o products.”

ds of 2008

orie, trans-fats, organic, antioxidants,

years are no longer fads. Replacing

ironmental and health consciousness,

population.

Page by Soumya Karlamangla

Ethnic and Fusion Foods

CARTOON BY VIVIAN SHI

herbs, the hecary in ndly staff d coffees. ducts” at d on their of “green

In October 2007, the National Restaurant Association asked members of the American Culinary Federation to forecast, “What’s Hot...What’s Not” in the food world for 2008. After the results of 1,282 chefs were in, first place ranked in with 83%—bite-size desserts.

It seems little is going big this year. Out of 194 food items that were ranked by the chefs, another small item came in 4th—tapas and small plates.

“The average consumer seems to be eating more frequent, smaller meals. It seems we’re becoming a nation of snackers. To respond to this demand, restaurants are offering smaller portioned meals,” said Kristine Leong of the People’s Media Company.

Consumers are asking for less. And they’re getting it.

Restaurants are now offering smaller portions for entrees, appetizers, and desserts. Places serving desserts that can be finished in a couple bites are rapidly gaining popularity. Health-conscious Americans cant help resisting an appealing sweet, especially one that doesn’t pack on the calories.

“We call it a guiltless pleasure because you get that little bit of sweetness but you don’t feel that you broke your diet,” said Geoff Alexander, partner of Vong Thai’s Kitchen in Chicago, whose restaurant was one of the first to offer small treats a few years ago.

Because consumers can buy smaller portions, they are trying more things, because they know if they do not like what they ordered, they aren’t wasting too much food.

“The trend is hitting hard at leading restaurants across the country, as it provides adventurous eaters the opportunity to dabble in several flavors rather than committing to a solitary entrée,” said Reuters.

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located at 2955 E. small-bite size fruit . They also serve deliuiches, and soups.

Bite-Size Foods—Small Is Big!

Fit2BThai With a nearby location at 593 N. Moorpark Road, Fit2BThai prides itself in its environmental friendliness and healthy food.

“We have made a conscious decision to use

paper in order to reduce the amount of chemicals that go back into our ground water and oceans from dishwashers. Fit2BThai is committed to the environment and will do its part to help,” promised its website.

Besides their wide selection of delicious curries, soups, noodles and salads, Fit2BThai offers a vegetarian menu, a “gluten free”

menu, and low carbohydrate noodles for those watching their weight.

“Our food is always

cooked at time of order. Nothing is preprepared, which allows us to keep it crisp and fresh. We do not use MSG or starch in our foods and have reduced the amount of salts in our recipes, ” said its website.

Lastly, when you go, don’t forget to try the purple rice.

COURTESY PHOTOS

America maintains a globalized cuisine, and this year, it’s going to blossom.

“The overall popularity of ethnic food has never been higher,” said Laura Crowley of Food Navigator, based on Facts’ Food Flavors and Ingredients Outlook 2008 by Packaged Facts, a consumer goods market researcher.

Although Italian food and Chinese food have been popular for decades, “2007 saw the rising popularity of Mediterranean and Thai cuisines, along with more upscale Mexican gaining more attention,” and “emerging cuisines for 2008 will include Somalia and Ethiopia,” said Crowley.

In 2008, spicy foods will become more popular, because as baby boomers get older their senses, including their sense of taste, become dulled.

“Shoppers want, and are getting, bolder flavors, more spices, stronger cheeses, and more crisp and crunchy textures—all subtle changes in taste attributed to the dulled taste buds of an aging population,” said Marilyn Marter of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

So to satisfy these strong flavor-cravings, Americans are searching for more daring flavors in exotic foods.

“On the ethnic food front, Indian, Indian-fusion and Japanese fare are moving toward the mainstream, while the adventurous are trying Korean and African foods,” said Marter.

And with the upcoming summer Olympics to be help in Beijing, a craze over Asian food is expected to surface, with Asian Entrée Salads and Asian Appetizers coming in 15th and 17th in the “What’s Hot…What’s Not” survey.

“The spotlight is on all the foods of Asia; the foodways of China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and India pique our interest, but the rising star of the stage will be Korea,” said Marlene Parrish.

Although true ethnic food will be popular, Americans will still be in for a good mix of cuisines. Restaurants that offer fusion food, dishes that mix elements of two different ethnic cuisines to create exotic flavors, are predicted to pop up more.

Ethnic fusion food ranked 11th in the “What’s Hot… What’s Not” survey, and first in the Ethnic Individual Category with 64% of chefs saying it’s hot.

Although “ethnic foods such as Korean, Cuban and sushi will become more widely available, they will also “become more Americanized,” said Crowley.

Chefs will begin using spices such as “cumin, turmeric, ginger” into regular dishes to add more flavor and variety to their offerings,” Kristine Leong of People’s Media Company.

Restaurants take classic dishes of one type of cuisine and exchange a few ingredients from a different cuisine to create new dishes that the public loves.

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FEATURE

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

Promenade Prepares for Latest Additions VIVIAN SHI STAFF WRITER

coming soon to the Westlake Promenade.

Featuring a range of merchandise, Madison promises its patrons “something exciting with each visit.” Formerly David’s Shoes (also in the Promenade) has been the go-to spot for designer shoes, but now Westlake Village shoppers have a new upscale store with shoes ranging from Tory Burch flip-flops to more serious YSL heels.

Clothing in Madison is generally contemporary and upscale; they carry youthful brands like Marni, See by Chloe, Marc

by Marc Jacobs, and Catherine Malandrino. Madison also has locations in Malibu

and West Hollywood.

All these renovations “convey two messages,” says Gary Watick, the economic director for Thousand Oaks, “One, the economics in the area warrant it. And secondly, the enhancements in this particular case will make the Promenade at Westlake much better to visit.”

Moreover, the renovations don’t stop there. The Promenade is going to experience a second phase of reconstruction that will transform the fountain area and selected storefronts.

Construction is set for completion in early summer 2008.

PHOTO BY BRITTANY WEBER

The school bell rings and hordes of students begin pouring out of classrooms.

For many of those students who are unable to drive themselves elsewhere, their destination is often the nearby Westlake Promenade.

On a normal day, the roads leading from the school to the Promenade are filled with the noise of chattering students and traffic on the streets. Recently, a new noise has joined the throng: the sound of construction.

“The renovations are an opportunity for the center, which is owned by Caruso Affiliated, to reinvent itself” said Jennifer Gordon, Caruso’s Vice President of Special Events and Public Relations.

“It’s great that there will be a new restaurant. That will give the place more variety,” said Erin Zucker ’10. “The construction is an inconvenience now, but after it’s done, it’ll be a nice place to go to because then there will be more places to eat, shop and hang out.”

As many people may have noticed already, the Westlake Promenade is getting an upgrade. The Hallmark store will be moved on April 16 to be replaced with a new eatery called The Grill on the Alley.

The 7,700 square foot restaurant will accommodate up to 200 guests and features classical American cuisine, complete with prime steaks, chops, fresh seafood, pasta and freshly prepared salads.

“The Grill on the Alley is a premier restaurant,” said Rick Caruso, president and chief executive officer of Caruso Affiliated. “It is an ideal fit as The Promenade at Westlake is at the center of a thriving community where discerning customers seek fine dining opportunities.”

A review of the restaurant describes “the look, like the food, [as] retro but stylish. Fried calamari, steamed littleneck clams, and huge salads are part of the starting lineup. Homey specials include chicken potpie and meat loaf. Some old-

time dishes, like calf’s liver and onions, are also here, along with traditional prime rib, lamb chops, and a New York strip. There are also a few seafood dishes along with pastas and chicken dishes and a vegetable platter. The portions, especially the steaks, are enormous. The desserts have a madesomewhere-else taste and look.”

Along with adding more alternatives to the dining experience, The Promenade is also aiming to improve the shopping environment. Madison “is known to fashionistas far and wide as a one-stop-shop for all current trends and classic fashion from designer clothes to designer shoes” and it is

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Hallmark and California Pizza Kitchen plan to remain open during the construction of their new neighbors.

CHELSEA HERTLER JESSICA KUECKS STAFF WRITER

15

FEATURE

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

History Buffs Vacation Under the Tuscan Sun

This spring break while some juniors and seniors are studying for AP tests, 17 WHS students will be traveling to Italy with US History AP teacher Matthew Baldwin and European History AP teacher James Azevedo as part of the EF Educational Tours.

The 11-day trip will have the group roaming through the country, with destinations Rome, Venice, and Florence.

This is the first time both Baldwin and Azevedo have taken a group of students to Europe. The teachers chose the destination because the latter has never visited the “boot country.” Baldwin, on the other hand, visited Italy with EF Tours on a school trip as a student.

While in Italy, EF Tours has planned various city tours and museum visits, and has allotted free time for the students to explore the towns on their own.

The group has opted for an extended tour to further experience the historic value of Italy by visiting additional locations such as Pompeii, Capri, and Sorrento.

Students going on the trip first had to convince their parents to allow them to go on the spring break adventure.

“When [my parents] saw I was willing to work for my own money, they decided to let me go,” said Jacqueline Morse ’09, “[Europe] is a soft spot for them.”

One thing all the students have in common is their anticipation for the trip.

“I’m really excited to visit another country and be exposed to another culture.

It should be an amazing experience. Traveling with Azevedo and Baldwin is going

to be a lot of fun. I’m really happy that some of my friends are going on the trip also,” admitted Dan Kocen ’08.

Students hope the trip will broaden their horizons.

“If I can bring back some culture, sophistication, and class, I will be very happy…and probably some sweet Italian dance moves. Look out, prom!” joked Brendan Nahmias ’08, “The food, the art, the discothèques—I’m excited for it all!”

If the trip is successful, the teachers plan to continue the spring break tradition. They are currently considering future excursions to Ireland, Scotland, and England.

One downside to the trip is the long flight to Italy as well as the jet lag upon returning home; Italy is nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time.

This not a District-sponsored trip.

Make It a Spring Break to Remember CHRISTY NEEDELS FEATURE EDITOR

Spring break is coming fast and many are looking forward to a more memorable week than hanging out at the Promenade or watching reruns of favorite reality shows. Whether it is for a fun time with friends or a retreat from school, there are endless destinations for every kind of experience.

For those looking to stay close to home, California has something to offer for everyone. The sandy beaches of Newport and La Jolla are known for their unique boutiques and fun atmosphere while a week at Lake Tahoe or Big Bear can provide a more relaxing experience.

The costs of traveling to these locations can vary depending on your budget. One

of the easiest ways to find good deals for hotels is online sites, such as hotels.com, that provide pictures and reviews.

It is important also to consider the cost of food when planning ahead. Often, food can cost as much as $40-50 a day if you plan to eat out for all meals. If traveling nearby, a cooler with supplies for lunch or snacks can save money.

If the expenses of staying in a hotel are an issue, camping is a good alternative.

Camp sites are inexpensive and are available all along California, including locations like Catalina Island, Santa Onofre, Leo Carillo, Monterey Bay, and Channel Islands. The costs range from twenty to thirty dollars and is ideal for people who enjoy adventure and spending time outside.

For those looking to cross California’s

border, Hawaii and Mexico are prime locations for a more tropical and warm experience.

The clear waters of Hawaii and warm weather of Mexico do not have to be too expensive. Fares on sites like hotwire.com, cheaptickets.com, and expedia.com offer flights around $300-400 to Oahu and Cabo San Lucas.

Another popular destination this year is Costa Rica. Costa Rica’s rich culture, exciting activities, and good exchange rate make this destination affordable and ideal for a spring break to remember.

Finding the cheapest airfare takes time and persistence.

The prices featured online may rise and drop depending on when you look at the page and may also change with flexible dates.

Best of the “Golden State” NATALYA SIVASHOV FEATURE EDITOR

Santa Barbara Change the setting. Aside from the mission and the beach, shopping on historic State Street is unique.

Stores include the Peace store, Juicy Couture, Nordstrom, American Apparel, and Betsey Johnson.

San Diego Zoo Plan a family trip. The San Diego Zoo offers some of the most exotic and rare animals from across the globe. The drive is approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes from Thousand Oaks, and the entrance fee costs about $34 for adults and $24 for children.

Venice Beach Go people watching. Known for its eccentric inhabitants, Venice Beach is an excellent place for people watching. Venture down the wide sidewalk for henna tattoos, cheap shopping, or a (sometimes dirty) beach. The drive is about an hour.

Big Bear Hit the slopes. Big Bear is as beautiful during the spring as it is in winter. The lake offers a variety of water activities and some winter ones like snowboarding. Outdoor activities include camping near the lake.

Palm Springs Relax. Some of the most visited spas are located in Palm Springs.

Water resorts are also a good stop.

The average price for a good day spa including water activities, mud, and massages is about $60. Also the Palm Springs Art Museum is famous for performances and exhibitions.

Juniors Get a Jump on College Tours JESSICA KANE STAFF WRITER

Visiting colleges and touring campuses, several juniors and their families will use next week’s spring break to begin the year-long evaluation process to find that perfect match.

Julie Miller ’09 will be visiting a variety of schools on the East Coast, including Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania—where her brother currently attends; Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland; the George Washington University and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.; Princeton University in Princeton,

New Jersey; Cornell University in Ithaca, New York; and Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Junior Brian Johnsen plans to visit a variety of colleges. He is looking at schools well-established in golf instruction, business, and management programs.

The top choices of his “to-visit list” include Coastal Carolina University, University of Minnesota, UCSD, and UC Berkeley.

More students are looking at California campuses. For Kaitlin Keller ’09, Stanford University and UC Berkeley are must-sees.

“I’m excited to see the schools and to get a feel for the campuses,” said Keller.

Planning ahead is key to having a

successful overview of all the colleges during visits. Calling the school ahead of time to plan out a tour can help the day run smoothly.

If possible meet with a current student to discuss the classes, faculty, professors, and other students who attend the school.

Undergrads are generally proud to show off their dorm rooms and can provide a firsthand view of the living conditions.

Getting advice from those on campus can help give a real perspective of the whole college experience, not just an overview like a posting on a website.

Counselors also suggest that students tour the city surrounding the campus to get a feel for everyday life and the food

that would be available.

If there is time left, seeing the modes of entertainment and transportation that are available to students can help determine whether or not the school is a good fit.

Additional considerations might include the following: • Is the school located in a city that has a direct flight?

•Is the school close enough to home?

• Are the course offerings and other educational opportunities in line with your interests?

• What types of study abroad programs do they offer?

By planning ahead, students can get more out of their visits.

Where Will Your Spring Break Take You?

“I am going to London with my parents. We are renting a flat near Harrods so I am hoping to find a prom dress.”

Chelsea Berg ’08

“Over spring break I am going to Italy. It’s going to be wild!”

“I am going to my friend’s beach house in San Diego to get inspiration for my junior memory book.”

“I am excited to see the waterfalls in Argentina as well as to eat the interesting food.”

David Pichardo ’09

Chris Balay ’09

Neda Hajian ’11

16

FEATURE

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

How to Ask Thee to Prom?

Let me count the ways...

-Arrow Staff

Dear Senior Girl,

Dear Senior Boy,

He babbles incoherently, “Will you go with . . . be my . . . please date to prom?

I feel helpless and confused as I stare at the awkward boy in the mirror making a complete fool of himself. He crosses out from his lengthy list another way to ask his sweetheart to prom and looks to be in despair. I blame tradition for putting him in such a tight spot.

Tradition dictates that I should be the one to ask you. Ageless, binding tradition compels me to ask you, year after year, to that fateful gathering called prom.

Year after year, I cannot help but to feel inadequate as I struggle to outdo all previous methods in my creative solicitations.

To summon the spirit of innovation, to conquer my nervousness, and to win you over as my date are no easy tasks. For all I know, I could fail miserably and risk humiliation, rejection, and a lonely night in May. And even if I do succeed in finding a date, arrangements can get so complicated so quickly. What about your friends, my friends? What about our limousine?

But year after year, unsympathetic tradition has me too preoccupied with asking you to have a spare thought for these other pressing issues.

But you can save me from this misery. The binds of tradition disappear in the presence of your charming sense of humor, your sweet smile, and your irresistible assertiveness in taking the initiative.

We will boldly usher in a new age of gender equality. In the delightfully misguided past, poor boys, who knew no better, did all the asking. Today, however, enlightened girls are everywhere using their equal rights to ask me to prom. And you are as enlightened as the morning sun, if I do say so myself!

It will be you, my heroine, to save me from the twin distresses of shyness and indecision. You will effortlessly sweep me off my feet.

I will be so taken aback as to help you plan and arrange our wonderful evening. No more will I stand idly on the sidelines as you work tirelessly to plan the event. In fact, I might even offer to help (though my knack for planning is little better than my knack for dancing)!

So please, “Will you ask me to prom?”

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife, or at least a prom date.

Don’t be scared, it’s not like there’s any pressure or anything.

As tradition goes, the boys must ask the girls. Sure, women are now heading entire companies and running for president, but no matter how much the female population has progressed, it’s back to age-old traditions when prom is involved.

So it’s up to you to figure out whom you want to ask and how you are going to do it. Everyone wants to have a date for prom, even the girls that normally shy away from dating. Take comfort in knowing your future date is probably equally nervous.

So ask early; it will be less stressful and hey, no girl likes to be a last resort.

Other prom sins to stay away from? Don’t ask over the phone or through the internet (yes, this means Facebook invites are out). No one is exempt from this rule, so it’s best just to collect all your manly strength and courage and ask her face to face.

If you don’t have a girlfriend, or even a crush, fear not. You can always ask a friend. In the end, taking a friend equals less drama, which equals a better time anyway. Don’t be misled by the formality of stereotypical high school flicks, and the high standards of romance and scary taffeta dresses. Prom should be about having a great time, right?

With all the drama surrounding prom, who would have guessed so much of the hushed discussions would revolve around who will pay for the ticket?

It’s pretty much a given that if you ask a non-senior girl or a girl from another school you must pay. But the problem gets trickier when seniors go together as a date. To go Dutch, or not to go Dutch is the question.

It’s easy once you break it down. First, ask a girl to be your date. Then figure out the ticket issue. After all you do need a date first. Most girls won’t mind pitching in for their own ticket. I mean, we are reasonable people.

It may seem really daunting now, but just think. Once she says yes and you breathe that big sigh of relief, it’s back to celebrating senior year.

Sincerely, Senior Boy

Sincerely, Senior Girl

A Child Prodigy Comes Along Maybe Once in a Blue Moon SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA FEATURE EDITOR

’ CARTOONS BY ELLEN WANG

“My little genius.” Although this three-word phrase may seem to be a mere compliment, it holds more meaning than one would think. Because, generally, when parents tell their children that they have above-average intelligence they are simply propagating lies.

“By the most generous definition, only about 5 percent of kids can be considered gifted, according to educators,” and “even fewer rate as actual geniuses,” said Kathleen Deveny in her Newsweek column They’re No Baby Geniuses.

But many more than 5 percent of parents think that their children are geniuses.

And if they don’t have above average intelligence, they label them “disabled.”

“What parents don’t realize is that there is still a normal curve. Most kids are in the middle,” said psychologist Wendy Mogul.

Parents cannot seem to accept that their children are simply average. But who would want to admit that their special creation is ordinary?

Madeline Holler wrote “that when her first daughter hit every milestone early, she and her husband were secretly patting themselves on their backs for their good parenting — and good DNA,” said Sara Schaefer Munoz of the Wall Street Journal.

And later when her second daughter was deemed slightly below average, she and was embarrassed, not because of what it meant for her daughter, but because of what it may say about her.

If parents can take credit for their smart children, then they have to take the

BABY EINSTEIN: Most children are actually in the middle of the normal learning curve.

blame for slow ones.

But, they would rather get credit for having smart kids. Ever notice how parents, and even grandparents, are always bragging about their children and grandchildren?

Well, they are not really bragging for their children; they are bragging for themselves and their achievements as parents.

But these compliments have their consequences.

If kids think that they are gifted, they expect everything to come easily to them, they will not be ready to work hard to face a challenge when one presents itself.

Plus, a child’s erroneous impression that “she is vastly superior to her classmates is probably not going to help

her make friends in the lunchroom,” said Deveny.

To create prodigies, parents are trying to mold their children starting from a young age, because they believe that being intelligent is the key to a happy life. Sales of toys that increase intelligence are blooming, and almost every parent is compelled to try these tools, too.

It has become so bad that “affluent parents who do not aspire to discover some evidence of early talent in his or her child are considered ‘less than fully American,’” said Alissa Quart, author of “Hothouse Kids: How the Pressure to Succeed Threatens Childhood.”

And when their children are teenagers, parents force them to get perfect grades, accompanied by a long list of extracurricular activities.

“Parents put too much pressure on their kids to get good grades. It’s wrong because letter grades aren’t an adequate measure of intelligence,” said Brian Levy ‘09. “I’m not saying that being average is great, but I am saying that a B-minus is nothing to worry about.”

Many parents won’t accept any grade lower than an A. But the simple truth is that not all students can be at the top of their class, not everyone can be a prodigy.

But several parents have decided that being average is not enough for their child.

“Some kids will never love to read or never be good at math and they can still lead productive, happy lives,” said Mogul.

So it’s important to remember that being smart isn’t everything. So even if your parents tell you that you are their “little genius,” you are probably not.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

17

ENTERTAINMENT

Is Miley Cyrus Growing Up Too Fast?

CARINA WOLFF FEATURE EDITOR

COURTESY PHOTOS

For Miley Cyrus, life is all about being that sweet, innocent girl on the Disney Channel, a girl with a fan base of ages six to 20 years old. Cyrus wants to present herself as role model for her young idolizing fans, stating her close family, passion for shopping, and her quest to stay young all keep her grounded.

“That’s kind of the point of everything that I do. I always try to bring in just being a good role model and setting high standards for yourself,” Cyrus said to USA Today.

For many fans, however, the reality of her supposed innocence seems a bit exaggerated.

“I think that she is, in a way, forced to play the role of the ‘good girl’ because she has millions of little girls who look at her as a role model figure. I don’t think that it’s fake but it is definitely forced,” said Taylor Reiger ‘11.

Her good-girl image wavered in December of 2007 when some “scandalous” photos were leaked onto the internet.

Cyrus’s pictures were not sexually explicit, but they were not pictures parents would find appropriate either.

According to a Cyrus fan site, Cyrus feels that she “look[s] way young and that’s the way that’s more comfortable for her.”

Her image has slowly been transforming from a fresh, young teenager into a fake, 15-year-old girl attempting to look older, a change which has received criticism from those who love her best: her young fans.

It is inevitable that these young girls will make their fair share of mistakes; however, their fabricated public image sparks disbelief in many.

“I hope she stays innocent, but I’m starting to doubt it; when you see pictures of her she’s always wearing kind of short dresses and lots more makeup already, and she’s barely 15,” said Shannon O’Connor ‘09.

Vanessa Anne Hudgens took it a step further with the release of her nude photos, leading many parents to be concerned about the High School Musical stars’ images. Like Cyrus, Hudgens hoped to portray herself as kid-friendly, the epitome of teenage Disney stars.

According to Movie Tome, Hudgens said, “So many people try to grow up too fast, and it’s not fun! You should stay a kid as long as possible!”

Controversy swelled over the picture which was taken when she was 16, meant for a boyfriend at the time.

The pressure will only remain for stars like Cyrus whose fame is continuously growing. Their lack of innocence will increase with age and disappoint fans, who have watched these girls since a young age

BEFORE AND AFTER: Cyrus pictured in 2007 (left), and then after her makeover in 2008.

and admired their “purity.”

With their minor blunders (promiscuous photos, extreme makeovers, false statements), younger starlets seem to receive more attention for their mistakes than the older, more corrupt celebrities. It all stems from the teens trying to radiate an innocent and sweet image. But probing media ventures and paparazzi reveal the star’s true self, the side the public rarely sees.

Many former Disney stars have

strayed far from their good-girl image as they grow older. But how much longer can girls like Cyrus and Hudgens last?

“Even though they started out with Disney, they will eventually grow up and want to get away from that innocent Disney image,” said Katie Hokom ‘09. “I mean, look at Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears. They both started their careers with something Disney related and now look at them.”

Tabloid Fame TERI AKAHOSHI STAFF WRITER

COURTESY PHOTO

MISS BAD MEDIA KARMA: Fans, paparazzi, and police swarm Britney Spears at the height of her trouble.

Another Day, Another Drama for Britney KAYLI MILETICH FEATURE EDITOR

Two hundred ninety thousand. No, that is not the number of times Britney Spears has made the front covers of magazines this past year, although it may seem like that to many people. That, in fact, is the number of records her latest album, Blackout, has sold to date.

Britney’s chart-topping album came as a shock to many people, even her most loyal fans. How did she manage to pull off a successful 12-track album while the media hovered over the troubled singer waiting for her next mistake?

Well, the paparazzi is nothing new to Spears. Ever since her first album, ...Baby One More Time, her every move has been under constant scrutiny from the media.

To recall a few of her most memorable moments, there was the infamous Madonna kiss at the 2003 MTV Awards, her less-than-55-hour marriage in Las Vegas in 2005, and then her failed marriage to

Kevin Federline later in the year.

She then managed to top her previous stunts and continued taking heavy criticism from the press, and also taking heat for breaking the law. In this front page mistake, while attempting to escape the paparazzi, Britney drove away with her young son, Sean Preston, on her lap.

After having another child with Kevin Federline, she divorced her husband and battled for child custody. It did not come as a surprise when the split made headlines, issue after issue.

Once the couple had finalized its divorce, many more of Spears’s problems appeared in the news. Fighting custody battles, shaving off her full head of hair, and attacking paparazzi with an umbrella were only a few of her featured stories.

While the tabloids have always loved to dwell on the pop star’s life, the rest of Hollywood has recently spoken out about the singer too.

“I think it’s so crazy and I think that [Britney] needs help,” said teen-star Miley

Cyrus.

And who could forget the infamous 2007 Youtube video by Chris Crocker, desperately begging users to leave Britney Spears alone?

“She hasn’t performed on stage in years. Her song is called “Gimme More” for a reason—because all you people want is more, more, more, more, more...leave her alone,” said the Youtube star.

Now that Spears is experienced when it comes to the media, why is it that she can’t figure out how to stay out of the spotlight? And if she knows how to avoid the paparazzi, is she just choosing not to?

Regardless of the reason she is always in the press, it is time for the media to rise above their Britney obsession. But for those who crave watching the lives of celebrities fall apart publicly, there is no need to worry.

There are plenty of other young stars bound to make the same mistakes Britney has, and there will be no lack of media frenzies in the near future.

America’s crazed addiction of today is getting the latest gossip on Hollywood’s finest: tabloids. The magazines that don’t go by the book according to journalism, and any news good or bad is publicity for the stars. Yet, with drama on reality television, along with the personal conflicts that fill up one’s own day; don’t we have enough on our shoulders? Of course not, as learned from the religiously watched Gossip Girl, you do not matter unless you are being talked about.

It must be funny for stars to see a front cover of OK! magazine with a blurry snapshot of themselves; and the title screams “Is She Preggers?” It is quite hilarious that over-eating during dinner at the infamous Geisha House could then translate into being two months pregnant.

Then there are those stalkers known as the paparazzi that think it is not annoying to follow these starlets all around town, thinking they look inconspicuous while nonchalantly hiding behind a tree to click the perfect shot. Unfortunately for the stars, the paparazzi never say cheese and always happen to snatch the “in the moment” photograph of a celebrity picking his or her nose. Yes, these are real people, only they are blessed with better looks and undeniable talent.

Although the tabloids seem cruel and dishonest, the magazines seem to fly off the racks due to the demand of the people who want to live a second in the celebrity life.

Because of the money, the benefit parties, and the lifestyle, these Hollywood stars have become the trendsetters for those who want to be them. No longer taking fashion advice from top models who walk down the catwalk, celebrities have become the “fashionistas” and the Cover Girls.

As much as we love seeing a picture of a celebrity walking down the street wearing no makeup, to justify their normalcy, we get a rise of seeing these gods fall. Like their breakdowns that end in taking a razor to a head of hair, along with the controversial mistakes of forgetting that driving drunk is illegal.

Only when the stars’ nights out on the town suddenly lack scandal, and the celebrity life all of a sudden becomes unappealing, then the tabloids will run out of steam.

Until then, in the world of Hollywood, any publicity is good publicity.

18

ENTERTAINMENT

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

Just What the Doctor Ordered Charlie Bartlett a hit at the box office.

TERI AKAHOSHI STAFF WRITER

COURTESY PHOTO

His unconventional office is located in the boy’s bathroom, second stall. He is the school psychiatrist, and the person everyone looks to when in need. He is the new kid, Charlie Bartlett (Anton Yelchin).

Charlie Bartlett is another teen movie that uses crude humor to appeal to a younger audience. It will remind the viewer of the infamous “dorky yet memorable” lines in Superbad and the lightning-quick wit in Juno.

The 2007 titles, which exaggerated the hidden truths on high school campuses everywhere, covered social drinking among underage teens and adolescent pregnancy.

Now, Charlie Bartlett shows the abuse of prescription drugs and the emotional issues that consume students’ everyday THE DOCTOR IS IN: Anton Yelchin plays troubled Charlie Bartlett, who strives for popularity in his lives. new public school by distributing prescriptions and therapy to his fellow peers.

Bartlett exudes a charming quality that makes the audience fall in love with the quirky lead character. scribes high doses of illegal meds, along tive, and I thought it was really funny,” Following his expulsion from a pri- with down-to-earth advice. said Nicole Glaser ’08. vate academy, the teen is forced to relocate Teenagers in high school often misconCharlie Bartlett exposes the submerged to a public school, where he must adjust. strue that popularity is a huge accomplish- issues that teenagers must endure. Many For any new student, “fitting in” is a top ment, believing that their personalities are teenagers hide their true emotions and priority, and in doing so, Charlie learns defined by who they are dating or which thoughts behind a façade. And yet, wheththat many of the students have issues that parties they attend. er it is the captain of the football team, the they need to talk out.

In Charlie Bartlett, the amateur psy- bully, the outcast, the drama Goth, the hotCharlie develops his business idea chiatrist defies all standards of the social test girl in school, or just a student without to be the student body’s school “psy- cliques found in an average high school, a “group,” Charlie opens the bathroom chiatrist.” Within the confidentiality of the uniting even the most unlikely friends. stalls and reveals that everyone suffers in graffiti-covered stalls in the boy’s bath“Even though I thought it was a little one way or another. room, Charlie opens his office and pre- far-fetched, the overall message was posiThe blunt humor and ironic statements

After the Strike:

When Will My Show Come Back? expected air dates, we can expect most shows to begin airing from March to May, with the bulk of them airing in April. The After a period of endless re-runs and earliest of all shows to return was Saturday an overdose of reality television and talk Night Live on Feb. 23. shows, the Writer’s Guild of America Writers have already gone back to and the Alliance of Motion Picture and work; it is just a matter of how fast they can Television Producers voted Tues., Feb. 12, produce new scripts for the new episodes. to end the 100 day strike.

Favorites like Desperate Housewives, The WGA signed a three year contract Gossip Girl, Grey’s Anatomy, House, and that will provide screenwriters with the The Office will start in April, each airing residual payments that they had initially five to seven new episodes to finish out asked for. They the season. Others will begin to earn like 24 will not be profits on all types “I’ve been waiting for The returning until of new media, and January 2009, for the first time, Office to come back since and Heroes does writers will get a the strike first started, so I’m not have plans to share in internet debut until the a d v e r t i s i n g , relieved it’s over.” upcoming fall. download rentals, “I’ve been and downloaded waiting for The Gerald Held ’09 purchases.

Office to come Patric M. back since the Verrone, President strike first started, of the West Coast WGA, said, “This is the so I’m relieved it’s over,” said Gerald Held best deal the guild has bargained for in 30 ’09, just one of the many fans left without years. It’s not all we hoped for and it’s not the show since November. all we deserve, but this deal assures, for us CBS, ABC, NBC, and the CW all and for future generations, a share in the suffered a decrease in viewers during the future.” hiatus, and it is still steadily declining.

In total, the 14 week and two day What was once a 15% decrease in strike has cost the industry more than December was a 28% decrease in February. three billion dollars as opposed to the last Fox is the only network to experience an writer’s strike in 1988, which lasted almost increase because of shows like American eight weeks longer, and cost only $870 Idol and their new lie-detector show, The million.

Moment of Truth, currently attract millions Now the only question that remains of viewers. is when television shows will air new The feat that the writers accomplished episodes. The strike has affected more can now be focused on the actors. The than 60 different series, and not all show Screen Actors Guild have a contract that will return. Les popular shows like expires in June, and they are most likely October Road are currently facing the going to want the same privileges on threat of cancellation. internet downloads and advertisements As different stations start releasing that the writers argued and won.

DENA GALLUCCI STAFF WRITER

scattered throughout the movie create a comedic tone that has the audience reminiscing about teenage life in high school.

Whether the student in question is dealing with depression, or just hating school and in search of a way to be numb to life, Charlie abuses his access to prescription drugs.

Charlie Bartlett accurately depicts a world in which the distribution of prescription medication among students is rampant.

Charlie creates the idea in his mind that prescribing pills to his classmates will be the quick fix to all their problems; however, this unlicensed and underage psychiatrist overestimates his ability to make people feel better.

Aside from Charlie’s prescription pad and numerous medicine bottles, his quality of blunt honesty and genuine compassion helps restore the students’ spirits.

From everyday high school melodrama to overwhelming family issues, the students file in line and rely on Charlie’s optimistic and helpful advice. It becomes apparent that the kids are just looking for someone who will be impartial and listen to their troubles.

Charlie listens to their confessions and exploits the truth that teenagers have as many challenging situations to face as adults do, and that the teenage world is not so different from the adult world.

The raw truths found in the stalls of a bathroom easily draw the audience into this honest film.

19

ENTERTAINMENT

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

Anticipation for Coachella ’08 Builds ELLIE FATEH STAFF WRITER

ELYSE KAPLAN ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

COURTESY PHOTO

Not even the underwhelming line up for the 2007 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival can stop music fans from counting down the hours till the three day concert extravaganza.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, to be held the weekend of Friday, April 25 through Sunday, April 27, has received criticism from various sources regarding its choice of bands and musical genres that have made it big 2007.

“You go to Coachella to get away from all of the mainstream rap and pop,” said Erik Lake ’08.

In past years, this journey to the vast nothingness of Indio, California has exemplified an avid “indie” kid’s dream.

This year was definitely a let down,” said Logan Marshall ‘09, “I mean, Jack Johnson? He doesn’t seem like a headliner to me.”

Friday’s menu includes the ever popular, and normally colorcoordinated, Architecture in Helsinki, as well as the likes of Aesop Rock and Minus the Bear.

Saturday’s performances include main attractions Animal Collective, VHS or Beta, Rilo Kiley, uncanny M.I.A, as well as the mellow sounds of Islands and the outspoken foursome Cold War Kids.

Sunday’s finale will feature the largely anticipated Justice. The band sold out of tickets rapidly, leaving Sunday as their

LOOKING BACK: The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ vocalist Anthony Kiedis was one of the big names who took the stage last April at Coachella.

comeback to the Los Angeles area. Although it will be hard to follow this promising band, the Plasticines and solo artist, Brett Dennen, will try.

While many are excited to see Justice, others are upset that they received only Sunday’s headlining privileges because Radiohead left Coachella for their impressive European tour.

“I would have gone if Radiohead were playing,” said Lake.

Situated within the Empire Polo Fields, this enormous meadow is a playground for artists and musicians around the country, taking their chances at fame and publicity.

“I can’t wait to go,” said Marshall. “I love to have a chance to hang out with all the dirty hippies.”

Incorporating various indie stables and icons within the performances, one’s chance to meet the next generation of big-time artists are far from slim.

As for the lack in build up of band alternatives this year, the rate of attendees has not declined.

“Coachella—good atmosphere, good music,” said Michael Davies ’10. “Last year had more bands to choose from, but I’m still going to see Justice.”

Ticket sales have even in-

creased, selling out in advance, far beyond the expectations of the organization. At this point tickets are going for $260, which includes a three-day pass entrance, an access for the entire weekend.

“I’d go all three days,” said hopeful attendee, Kevin Kaproff ’10. “It’s part of the whole experience.”

One-day passes are sold out, so those interested in attending have to find somewhere to stay overnight since only legal adults have permission to bunk in the midst of the chaos.

Even with the extra prices and at times questionable taste in bands, Coachella is worth it.

Digital Age Revolutionizes Music Trends JOSEPH JACQUES STAFF WRITER

Ever since the whole “interweb” thing caught on, people have been using computers as a common means for almost anything, even to get something as commercially available as music.

To the well-informed music enthusiast, it is hardly news that, since the advent of MP3 players, digital music stores, and illegal file sharing, among other catalysts, the compact disc is constantly approaching its ever-looming demise.

Eight years ago today, if people wanted a song that they had heard on the radio, the only choice would be to purchase the artist’s album, often only to discover that their new obsession was merely a “one hit wonder,” resulting in incessant (and annoying) trackskipping.

“Why would I buy a CD when I can just download it?” said Adam Hughes ‘08, who echoes the general opinion held by music listeners in today’s society. These modern consumers have grown to embrace the idea of a la carte music selection.

In 2006, nearly 800 music stores, including 89 branches of the once-popular retailer Tower Records, were shut down, a clear indication that fans are opting to obtain their music digitally

Finding New Music Just Got Easier

Digital and physical music sales— 2003-07 Millions

2003

2004

2005

2006

Digital Singles Total digital and physical sales

798.0 139.4 958.0 366.9 1,302.0 586.4 1,583.0 844.0

2007

1,804.0 Source: Nielsen SoundScan

instead of investing in the increasingly-obsolete CD. In 2007, total album sales declined 15%, a trend that reveals a regression that has plagued the music industry for three years.

With so many options, the internet offers a virtually limitless number of alternatives to the archaic practice of CD-buying, sending much of the multi-billion dollar music business into a downward spiral.

These new, easier means of getting music have presented fans with an exciting option: the ability to purchase and download single songs instead of an entire

album. According to a report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, roughly 40% of digital music sales stemmed from single-song downloads in 2006.

When an increasing number of digital purchases is attributed to popular singles as opposed to full albums, musicians are beginning to see the disappearance of the album as an art form, and rather as a mere vehicle designed to promote their latest single.

According to Digital Trends News, there has been a steady decline in the value of CDs over the course of the last several

years. This drop was seemingly further provoked after the members of Radiohead introduced their high-profile and innovative online release method of In Rainbows in October.

The New York Times believes that Radiohead, along with Prince and Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, who have since opted to leave their major labels, will help start a revolution in the way consumers obtain music.

Out of 30 randomly selected WHS students, more than 80% admitted to simply downloading music as opposed to going out and buying it. Seventeen percent see themselves as “musical purists” and end up purchasing an album to support the artist.

A mere three percent are the “real” musical purists who frequent the concert scene, regularly buying merchandise and goods straight from the artist. According to the popular Venture blog, musicians tend to make more money from sales of concert tickets and merchandise than from CD sales.

The digital age has brought ease to tasks as typical as getting music, causing record companies to feel the sting as we reap the benefits of new technology.

Jimmy Moore also contributed to this article.

Some people have a favorite CD for every mood.

One to crank up when you feel like you could burst from happiness. And one favorite to console you on those days when it feels like the world is against you.

Some people will always love the first CD they bought ages ago, and others fall in love with each new one they buy.

But while it can be easy to fall in love with a new sound, sometimes it can be tough finding that new sound in the first place.

Web sites like Pandora for example, can help you find new bands you might never have otherwise heard of.

You start by typing in the name of your favorite artist or one of your favorite songs. From there, Pandora will create a radio station specifically tailored to your tastes.

It does this by using The Music Genome Project, which assigns each song a vector containing approximately 150 genes.

Each gene corresponds to a characteristic of the music, for example, gender of lead vocalist, level of distortion on the electric guitar, type of background vocals, etc.

From these vectors a list of similar songs is constructed.

Since it emulates a radio station, there is no going back and replaying songs or picking which ones come next. You can continue to influence it, though, by giving songs thumbs up or down.

It is completely free and will keep track of all the stations you have created once you make an account.

Last.fm, another site dedicated to helping you expand your music taste, lets you see what your friends are listening to on their computer and has forums to discuss your thoughts with other members.

Based on what you are listening to, it will give you bands you might also enjoy and a calendar of concerts near you.

“It’s just really fun to see what music I’ve been listening to, and the features are great especially for finding new artists,” said Devon Leong ‘08.

Other people, however, don’t think these music sites are helpful in any way.

“I usually like only one or two songs from an artist, and I buy just those. Even though I like Daft Punk doesn’t mean I would like any other techno things,” said Alex Kreger ‘08.

20

HEALTH

Mental Benefits of Working Out A regular regimen can improve more than just the body

ALLY ACKOUREY HEALTH EDITOR

For years exercising has been regarded as the number one way to lose weight and keep it off. However, exercise not only has the obvious benefits to the body, but also many other relatively unknown effects that reduce stress and can contribute to overall mental and physical health.

Exercise can improve one’s mood and often reduces stress and depression. This is mostly attributed to the release of endorphins, norepinephrine, dopamine, and seratonin which are produced in the brain during long, continuous periods of exercise. All four substances are natural neurotransmitters; endorphins and dopamine are opiates.

The stimulation provided by these chemicals can have a relaxing effect that also leaves one feeling happier than before. Hence, the more exercise the body gets, the better a person looks and feels, leading to higher self-esteem and reduced stress and anxiety.

Obviously exercising helps manage weight by burning calories, but it can also prevent chronic diseases. According to MayoClinic.com, exercise can contribute to the prevention and management of high blood pressure, as well as increasing “good” cholesterol while lowering the “bad.”

Exercise can also strengthen the heart and lungs by delivering oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and causing blood circulation to be more efficient, leaving the body feeling energized. In addition to having more energy to get through a busy schedule and do more things one enjoys, this can prevent heart disease.

Why Diets Don’t Work NATALYA SIVASHOV FEATURE EDITOR

How To:

Get More

Exercise

It is common knowledge that exercise means burning calories, and that more exercise burns more calories. Exercise not only helps one lose weight but also improves mood. When a person feels better, he or she looks better.

Here are a few simple ways to fit some extra physical activity into a busy schedule, with no major lifestyle change: 1. Sure that elevator might be tempting, but taking the stairs is an easy way to burn off a few of those unwanted calories.

2. Grab either a friend or a dog and take a walk. A 20 minute walk every day can make that cookie disappear!

3. Not ready to give up that valuable TV time? Try doing jumping jacks during commercials.

4. Go back to those elementary school days and jump rope outside for as long as possible. Not only will jumping rope burn calories, but getting fresh air will also improve your mood.

5. As if anyone needed another reason to take a trip to the mall, walking briskly around the shopping center for a few hours burns hundreds of calories.

6. As daunting a task as it may seem, washing your own car burns a lot more calories than having someone else do it.

Compiled by Ally Ackourey.

Study Suggests Diet Soda Linked to Increase in Obesity with one of the mechanisms that help to regulate weight,” said Swithers.

According to sciencedaily.com, the use of saccharin A teenage girl inserts a dollar into a vending machine. in place of regular sugar breaks the connection between Pausing before hitting the button to choose her drink, she a sweet sensation and a high-calorie food, thus disrupting ponders, “regular or diet soda?” Finally, she picks the the body’s ability to regulate intake. diet beverage and walks away, pleased with her healthy When a person senses sweet foods, the digestive rechoice. Sound familiar? flexes prepare for the intake of calories. But because the Everyday, milfalse sweetness prolions of Americans vided by the sacchaface this same dirin is not followed by lemma: diet or regthe expected amount ular? of calories, the digesIn an effort tive system becomes to lose a few exconfused. tra pounds, many Over time, the choose to buy the body’s response to diet drink, believsweet foods becomes ing that their deblunted, and as a recision will lead to sult, a person may eat fast and efficient more or expend less weight loss. Afenergy than he or she ter all, they think, normally would. what could be With this new, more effective than shocking explanation this ultimate “0for the rising rates of calorie” beverage? obesity, one might shy However, reaway from diet soft cent studies have drinks for good. suggested that, But no worries for contrary to popthose who drink these ular belief, this low-calorie beverages seemingly benefi- SODA POP: Rachel Borowski ’08 indulges in a diet soda, despite research once in a while—reproving diet beverages may actually cause weight gain. cial product may search at the Universiactually contribute ty of Texas Health Scito obesity. ence Center has reported that only daily or frequent conIn an experiment at Purdue University, Indiana, a sumption can lead to a significant 41% increase in risk of group of rats were fed yogurt sweetened with no-calorie being overweight. saccharin and regular feed, while another group ate yoEven so, people have become more skeptical and alert gurt containing sugar and their regular feed. to the promising advertisements of low-calorie products After a few weeks, the rats that consumed the sugar promoting weight loss. substitute took in more calories and gained more weight Many WHS students express their suspicions about than those that had fed on regular sugar. the beneficial effects of diet soda that companies sport.

“If this is the case in rats, there is little reason to think “I don’t believe diet soda is good for you because you that humans don’t have the same response,” said research- can taste the chemicals and sugars in it,” said Lauren Laer Susan Swithers. fountaine ’10. “The artificial ingredients are really bad for Although this theory has not yet been tested on hu- a person, and I think it tastes fake and nasty.” mans, these new findings match the simultaneous rise in And this concern has caused much worry over the isobesity and the increased consumption of diet sodas and sue of which choices are best for one’s health. With new other products containing low-calorie sweeteners. research, many Americans can no longer depend on the In addition, these sugar substitutes may “[interfere] once-thought reliable diet soda to control their weight.

TIFFANY LOH FEATURE EDITOR

PHOTO BY ALLY ACKOUREY

Teenagers and adults often turn to fad diets to lose about five to ten pounds in the first few weeks, eliminating all of the calorie supply and most of their energy source, which increases appetite and causes immune difficulties.

As soon as old eating habits return, weight is gained more quickly and it is possible to actually gain more weight than was lost. Because people often come together to eat at social gatherings such as restaurants and religious dinners, one may develop a sense of alienation from close family and friends or simply ‘non dieters,’ as well as an unhappy relationship with dietary foods.

Eventually cravings become unstoppable, and most dieters start cheating on their diets by consuming the ‘Forbidden Foods.’ While the cheats are small, one may still continue to lose some weight, though it will take longer as the immune system weakens and the cravings increase.

No exercise while on a diet can cause the loss of lean muscle mass, water and essential fats. Lost muscle slows down metabolism and prolongs the diet as the body burns fewer calories per day just to keep the body functioning.

Since the metabolism (energy) is slowed it takes a conscious effort to exercise while dieting. Also, losing weight at a very rapid rate may increase the risk for developing gallstones (clusters of solid material in the gallbladder).

Daily exercise improves appearance and health altogether. Clients of Bariatric (fat removal) surgery clinics are prescribed an hour of exercise a day before they can undergo surgery. Some lose large amount of weight and decide to skip the surgery after all.

Research suggests that losing one half to two pounds each week by eating moderate portions, and exercising daily is the best way to lose weight and keep it off.

A reduced-calorie eating plan that includes carbohydrate, protein, and fat will also allow you to lose weight without missing out on the key nutrients, such as: whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Eating fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrates a day can lead to the buildup of Ketones (partially broken-down fats) in the blood, which is a risk factor for gout (a swelling of the joints) and kidney stones because of the production of uric acid.

Many diets use natural ingredients and herbal products that are as natural food supplements, yet these products are mostly not scientifically tested to prove safety.

For example, herbal products containing ephedrine have caused serious health problems and even death.

When dieting to look better on a TV show, they may be an appropriate solution, but if the plan is to lose twenty pounds or more, you are better off eliminating foods step by step and still consuming enough to gain muscle.

According to the American Heart Association, 73,000,000 Americans live with heart disease. That exercise can prevent one less American from suffering a very life threatening condition should be motivation enough to attempt to get at least a little more exercise every day.

Another motivating benefit of daily exercise is that it can promote better sleep, which, from experience, is a very important aspect of any high school student’s – or anyone’s, for that matter – life and well-being. It can help a person fall asleep faster and sleep deeper, improving concentration, productivity, and mood.

Since results are best seen after exercising in the afternoon, no significant change is necessary in a student’s busy lifestyle since the majority of classes end before three pm. Just think – a little sweat can help bring not only refreshing sleep, but also acts as a natural stimulant to the brain, providing motivation to work harder and apply oneself to everyday tasks.

So how much is enough? According to the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine, healthy individuals under 65 years of age should get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity five days a week, or at least 20 minutes of highintensity aerobic activity three days a week.

Examples of moderate-intensity activities include brisk walking and swimming, while exercises like running and bicycling is considered high-intensity.

So whether one chooses to go on a run a few times a week, or to swim every day, he or she is bound to reap from the multitude of benefits exercise provides, both physically and mentally.

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

21

SPORTS

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

HOCKEY

Warrior Athletes Compete in Rough and Tough Sport ALESSANDRA CATANESE FEATURE EDITOR

He claims he has learned the most from his good friend Wesel, and his favorite part is being able to play with Austin Delve ’08.

D e l v e started playing when he was six years old. Delve has plans beyond just club hockey. Hoping to play professional hockey and go to BosDIRTY-TOE-DRAG TOP RIGHT BAR DOWN: Tim Wender, who has played since he was five years old, is one of several WHS students who love hitting, ton Universichecking, and skating in hockey. ty, he idolizes his friends bein the sport so then he started to play and cause they are never stopped. the people who got him to play hockey at Hughes is playing in three different a young age. leagues right now and plans to play for These few are paving the way for fumany more years to come. ture hockey enthusiasts.

COURTESY PHOTO

Although popular sports, like football, basketball, and baseball, generate the most excitement from fans, other students have found enjoyment in pursuing the fields and rinks less traveled. Hockey, a sport that is gaining a following in Southern California, is the chosen sport for four WHS juniors and seniors.

AJ Dorfman ’09, Tim Wender ’09, Adam Hughes ’08, and Jeremy “Goom” Wesel ’08, are just a few of the “roughhousers” that are courageous enough to play hockey.

Players start in the Mites League, at the young age of five or six.

Wender started playing hockey after his dad took him to see his first Kings game. The first team he played on in the Mites was the Mariners.

Now, Wender is thinking of trying out for a junior team in Michigan called the Traverse North Stars. He would like to make professional hockey part of his future, but he does not believe it will happen.

Dorfman has been playing both ice and roller hockey since he was five years old.

“My neighbors and cousins all played hockey, so I started to play.”

Dorfman does not plan to play hockey in college. He just enjoys “playing for fun.” Currently, Dorfman is playing only roller hockey.

His favorite part is scoring goals and checking people, and his hockey idol is Dustin Brown from the LA Kings, “because he hits a lot, and he is a good player.”

Dorfman stated that his parents are very supportive, and they have been able to drive him to all his games which has made him yearn to play everyday.

Wesel has been playing hockey since he was five years old as well.

He started playing because his older brother played hockey, and he debuted his hockey skills on his first team, Red Army in the Mite league.

“My favorite part of hockey is the ‘dirty toe-drag top right bar down.’ You have to play hockey to get it,” said Wesel.

He is currently playing on the VC Vipers, but has no aspirations to go pro.

Hughes, another senior hockey player at WHS, has been playing for about nine years.

Starting in the summer of 1999, he began playing because his brother was active

VOLLEYBALL

Kneller Set to Lead Boys Volleyball Team PHOTO BY LINDSAY ADLER

GO FOR THE GOAL: Senior team captain Matt Nidetz looks to score a goal in a league game at Newbury Park. WHS lost in this first game of the season.

LACROSSE

Senior Captain Leads WHS in Tough Marmonte League Games LINDSAY ADLER STAFF WRITER

COURTESY PHOTO

In preparation for the big lacrosse game, team captain Matt Nidetz ’08 walks the bench, getting the guys psyched before the whistle blows.

In return, the players pump their fists while friends and family chant his name.

Seconds before the start, the team gathers in a huddle, sticks held high, shouting one last hoorah before they subject themselves to a long and brutal battle.

In just four short years, Nidetz has made a name for himself on the Westlake High School varsity lacrosse team, both on and off the field.

As one of three team elected captains, he has earned both respect and admiration from his fellow teammates.

“He is respectful to everyone,” says Co-captain Tim Farrell ’09, “He is a leader, and the guys definitely respect him.”

Nidetz’s inspiration to play lacrosse came four years ago as a freshman at Oaks Christian High School.

When his friend made the suggestion to try out for the team, he quickly realized it was the perfect sport for him.

“I was surprised to say the least but I picked it up and could not stop,” recalls Nidetz, “I love this sport so much because it is non-stop action and I just did not get that with the other sports I played.”

Although his days at Oaks were short lived (Nidetz transferred to Westlake his

sophomore year), Nidetz explains that he enjoys playing for the WHS Coach, Seth Cohen, because the program is more “team oriented.”

“The team is very talented and everyone always gives 100 percent every game,” said Nidetz.

Along with team captains Farrell and Cody Neal ’08 and other members of the varsity team, Nidetz participates in coaching the junior varsity team during games.

Underclassman Greg Karakashian ’10 explains, “[Nidetz] always encourages the younger players to play to their full potential. He is a reliable leader and keeps us in check.”

As an attacker, it is Nidetz’s job to remain on the offensive side, waiting for a breakaway and the opportune moment to score.

It is a position that requires swift and complex stick handling skills and the craftiness to execute the perfect give-and-go.

Nidetz hopes to continue playing lacrosse after high school, wishing to join the nationally ranked UCSB team. The Gauchos are known for their diversity and exceptional programs.

As for the teammates he leaves behind, Nidetz simply said, “Keep your head in the game, don’t get distracted by girls, and give it 110 percent.”

Although their first two games were unsuccessful, the Warriors prepare themselves for team rivals Oak Park High School and Agoura High School.

and UCI are his top choices, this year as he has made many trips to watch these teams play. College is a big concern for his Since he was in sixth grade, Jake future.

Kneller started playing volleyball Kneller ’09 has had a strong passion for when Colina Middle School Principal Mike volleyball.

Kneller, no longer a child, stands 6’4” Waters told Jake that he should play volentering his second season on the varsity leyball because of his height and power.

His big accomplishments while playteam. This year Kneller has a lot of goals ing volleyball include winning Junior for the team to accomplish.

Olympics.

His goals His club are to win league coach Matthew and go deep into Diaz has been the CIF playoffs after person Kneller a second round has learned from loss to Mira Costhe most and afta High School ter trips to Atlanlast year. ta and Minnesota.

Many key “ Vo l l e y b a l l players are comis the best sport ing back this for me because year including it is a sport that Jake Tracy ’08 brings the whole and Scott Kevteam together orken ’09, both and brings uniof whom are rety between playturning starters. ers instead of in“The team dividual sports,” has a lot of exsaid Kneller. perience and key Against Dos players coming Pueblos, ranked back which will 23rd in the nahelp us have a tion, Kneller had lot of success fifteen kills. this season,” said K n e l l e r Kneller. comes from an Kneller curathletic family; rently is playing his older brothfor a club team in er Ben Kneller Pacific Palisades ’06 was the boys “ P l a y i n g WHAT A KILL: Kneller scores during a club tourvarsity basketball club volley- nament. captain and now ball has really is a team manager helped me grow as a player because all the good competi- at San Diego State University.

“My brother always has been a great tion we play helps when we play in high influence on my life since he played sports school.”

In volleyball unlike other high school and now I am playing a varsity sport,” said sports, play club is a key process of getting Kneller.

As the year goes on for WHS, Kneller recruited by colleges.

“Right now, I am just in the beginning has goals of winning a league title and goof the college process and it has been very ing very far in CIF playoffs.

WHS has many key games versus exciting taking visits to schools and going league rivals Thousand Oaks, Royal, and to many games this year,” said Kneller.

Stanford University, UCLA, UCSB, Simi Valley High Schools.

SPENCER SCHLOSS SPORTS EDITOR

22

SPORTS

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

Softball Dominates the Field ALLY ACKOUREY HEALTH EDITOR

PHOTO BY NORA SOBCZAK

Despite last season’s disappointing end, the girls of the WHS softball team remain optimistic. With returning key players and team captains Jenna Becerra ‘08 and Nora Sobczak ‘08 to lead the team, Coach Lynn Baum has high hopes for the upcoming season.

The team aims not only to improve on last year’s record of 10-16, but also to win Marmonte League and advance far into CIF playoffs.

“The girls are more focused this year and seem motivated and hungry to win the title. This is the attitude we need to be successful,” said Baum.

With new additions Jim Rudloff and Mike Monzo joining Baum and Peter Dryer on the coaching staff, the team is steadily improving thanks to a new variety of drills as well as motivation through hard work, encouragement, and the occasional trip to Cold Stone.

Already facing several injuries which Baum hopes will heal before the start of the season, the team is preparing for the upcoming challenges of the season, including the two face-offs with rival Thousand Oaks.

“Our hitting remains the biggest ques-

HARD AT WORK: Varsity softball player Amanda Ackourey ’10 stretches to make the play during practice.

tion mark right now and we are working to improve that aspect everyday. If we can put some runs on the board we should be very successful,” said Baum.

The team has already been ranked 19th in Southern California by the Los Angeles Times, partly in thanks to a 6-2 victory over Camarillo in a scrimmage that took place on Feb. 23.

Varsity newcomers Kylie McNutt ‘11 and Chloe Yates ‘10 will join the outfield

ranks this year alongside juniors Amanda Collins and Melissa Preish.

The coaching staff demands excellence from the team, which does not fall short at pitchers Becerra and Christine Magee ‘09, of whom Baum has high expectations.

The team’s defense and speed will work to their advantage this season, with Sobczak, Amanda Ackourey ‘10, Caylin Campbell ‘10, Katy Pippin ‘09, and Jus-

tine Rodriguez ‘09 dominating the infield.

The team will also look to sophomore Rebecca Esquivel behind the plate to complement Becerra and Magee.

“We just have to want to win,” said Sobczak. “I know we have it in us; we just needed the motivation our coaches are giving us.”

Minor setbacks aside, the girls are looking forward to a challenging and successful season.

Boys Volleyball to Block Competition IRIS YAN FEATURE EDITOR

As the new season starts afresh, the WHS boys volleyball teams are intent on winning the Marmonte League title once more.

Last year, the volleyball teams tied for first place with Thousand Oaks High School. So far, the team has a league score of 1-1, winning its first league game with Calabasas on Friday, March 7. The overall score is 1-4.

Wed., March 12, star player Jake

Kneller ’09 had 14 kills in an away game against Royal High School. The game scores were 25-1, 25-22,23-25, and 25-19.

WHS Varsity lost many strong seniors last year including WHS graduates Dan McKernan and Ian Cafferty, and the team is recouping from that loss.

“We have a fairly short team but we’re athletic and fast so we hope to use that as an advantage,” Jake Gregoire ’08 "With incoming young potential, WHS boys volleyball teams have great room for growth," said Leo Hei ’09.

This year, boys varsity standouts

are Kneller and Jake Tracy ’08. Also strengthening the team as an incoming freshman this year is Keats Stanley. On JV, Dan Glazer ’09 and Nick Weaver ’10 are star players.

Gregoire adds, “Our team has been having a little of trouble finding our identity, but practices have been going well and I have confidence in us.”

“We’ve played a lot of great teams so our standings right now don’t really reflect our potential and our skill,” said Tracy.

The boys volleyball teams train from 3:00 to 5:30 in the gym daily. "In volleyball

you have to have teamwork in order to win," said Avi Soor ’10, "that's what we are trained to do—work as a team."

This year, Douglas Magorien coaches boys varsity, along with Assistant Varsity Coach Ryan Burk. Also, the JV Coach Wes Rundle and the Frosh-Soph Coach Eric Taylor are strengthening the underclassmen for future years.

As for upcoming games, Wed. March 12 is against Royal High School, and Wed. March 19 are away games against Newbury Park. The first home game will be against Thousand Oaks Monday March 17.

Swim Aims for CIF Victory TIFFANY LOH FEATURE EDITOR

competition last year, one of the team’s greatest strengths is that the swimmers “have a great deal of depth in every event, including relays,” said Irmas.

“I don’t see any weaknesses in our line up this year,” he said.

“The only thing we need to guard against is complacency. The girls have to ‘stay hungry’ and continue to work hard.”

Because the other teams who participated in CIF have all their athletes returning this year, Irmas anticipates tough competition and an exciting season. Already, the swim program has started off well with the girls varsity team’s victory over Hart and Rio Mesa High Schools.

By “staying hungry” for the CIF championship, the girls varsity swimmers will undoubtedly strive well to meet their goal.

JUST KEEP SWIMMING: Seniors Anson Harvey (left) and Sam Hong (bottom) put forth strong effort during practice.

PHOTOS BY LINDSAY ADLER

“No pain, no gain” goes the saying. And the WHS swim program obviously embodies this principle.

Swimming 6000 yards continuously every practice, both the boys and girls teams train rigorously for hours after school each day, no matter rain or shine.

“Practice is the hardest part of the season. Swimming for two hours isn’t as easy as people think,” said Sugeera Eckley ’08.

As the 2008 swim season approaches, Coach Todd Irmas is confident about the girls varsity team’s line up. Although there are less swimmers this year, all of the athletes who contributed to winning the CIF championship last season are returning.

Despite the loss of several seniors, and the youth of the team, Irmas feels that “this team is just as strong as the one last year.”

Standouts among the girls are Aislinn Smalling ’08 and Jackie Brousseau ’09, who are both All-American swimmers.

With their example and the

other CIF veterans on the team, Irmas stated that “[they] should provide excellent leadership for the younger members of the team.”

“Although we may have lost some of our seniors, we also gained a lot of new girls who have amazing drive and potential. I definitely think our team can take the win for the third time in league,” said Marisa DeWames.

“I think the mix of returning swimmers with the new blood we have will give us good depth and hopefully set us up for future success,” said Eckley.

Through their intense practices and workouts, the varsity swimmers hope to win their third consecutive Marmonte League Championship and to repeat as CIF champions.

“Missing a day of practice is like missing a week of any other sport. We swim over three miles every day and it’s really intense, but it all pays off once we get to the meets,” said Brendan Nahmias ’08.

Besides the experience of those who participated in this

23

SPORTS

March 20, 2008 • THE ARROW

Boys Tennis Serves Up Repeated Victories ELYSE KAPLAN ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

on March 7 and Agoura on March 11.

So far, the WHS tennis team is showing a promising start to a new season.

PHOTOS BY ELYSE KAPLAN

Last year, the boys varsity tennis team strutted into the Marmonte League playoffs with an undefeated season under its belt. Packed with a combination of senior talent and years of experience, the team was an unstoppable force.

As the season began this year, however, the team scrambled to make adjustments to all the new players, many of whom are just freshmen or moving up from JV. “I lost a lot of kids, but we also gained a lot from the JV. I’m looking forward to winning the Marmonte League title,” said a positive Coach Connie Flanderka.

For their first match of the season, on Feb. 27, the team took on Dos Pueblos High School. Players were neck in neck all afternoon and started the last set down by one match and two games. In an exciting finish, singles player Zach Drost ’10 won 3-0 and WHS walked away with its first win of the season.

Rival team Thousand Oaks High School proved to be a bigger challenge and their second match ended with a 6-12 loss.

Flanderka is not worried yet though.

“We actually have a lot of standout senior players, Ian Stanley, Dominic Insogna, Jonathan Kotzin, and Daniel Greentree, but along with that I have a great returning sophomore, Zach. He’s an excellent player too. I feel we definitely have the capability to do well in our league,” said Flanderka.

Kotzin and Insogna are a strong team on the court as doubles players, but also off the court as team captains. They have won 14 of their 15 games so far.

“I feel that I am only one of many strong leaders on the team, and I believe that this strength will help us succeed this year,” said Insogna.

On March 6, they swept the match 14-4 against Newbury Park High School despite the away game disadvantage.

“Our new team has proven to have an interesting mix of genuine charisma and undeniable charm,” said Greentree.

Greentree has been able to play doubles with his younger brother, freshman Richie Greentree ’11, for many of the matches. Together, they have become a dynamic power that is hard to beat.

They also defeated Taft High School

SERVE IT UP: Senior Captains Jonathan Kotzin (left) and Dominic Insogna (above) lead the team against opponent Taft High School.

Warriors Have High Hopes After 5 Wins NORA SOBCZAK SPORTS EDITOR

Track Goes for the Gold Track and Field is striving to reach the top in order to make a name for itself at the start of this season.

On March 13, the team faced off against Oak Park and El Camino Real, turning in an impressive performance in all events.

Despite recently losing star-athlete Cory Primm ’07, who excelled in the 800, 1600, and 3200 meter events, the distance team, “across the board, is doing great,” said distance coach Joe Snyder.

Tommy Doupe ’08, WHS’ premier athlete in the shotput and discus events, and Roy Hu ’09, are among the team’s leaders and have high hopes for success in the coming months.

With the team as a whole functioning with consistency and finesse, Track and Field is on course for an eventful season.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE NIEVES

PHOTO BY ALANNAH BRADLEY

GO LONG: Jesse Hu ’10 long jumps at track practice.

Coming off of a disappointing season last year, the WHS baseball team has started the 2008 season stronger than ever.

After winning its first five out of six games by out-scoring their opponents 48-19, the team is expected to be a top competitor in the Marmonte League.

According to the LA Times, WHS is ranked 11th overall in CIF, above the defending league champion Thousand Oaks High School.

“I expect us to do very well in league. I think we are strong all around and have the leadership and guidance to win,” said senior Alex Gillingham.

With 14 seniors and nine other talented players, WHS is strong both offensively and defensively, and also has a deep pitching rotation.

WHS will heavily rely on seniors Cutter Dykstra and Shane Kroker for their ability to get on base, as well as their defense at shortstop and third base.

For pitching, WHS’s rotation includes seniors Gillingham, Graham Johnson, Jordan Mannisto, and sophomore Danny Nieves. This rotation will see most of the Warrior’s innings throughout the year.

“Our pitching is extremely solid this year, so we must depend on our hitting to score a lot of runs so we can secure victories easily,” said Kroker.

In addition, Christian Yelich ’10 will be a key asset to the lineup, as well as Ben Conlin ’09 and Derek Ring ’08 who will provide WHS with extra power offensively and an impregnable defense on the field.

Part of the reason for WHS’s sudden dominance is due in part to new coach Zach Miller stepping in.

He has brought a new attitude and perspective that is different from previous coaches,

and believes that his players need to turn their winning perception into a reality every time they step on the field in order to be successful.

Miller says he runs his program in a ”college style, or pro style, by building a bullpen first,” a strategy which has already proven effective.

Top arms Gillingham and Johnson will likely be moved to the bullpen to close games for WHS. Their first league game was against Royal High School where SWING AWAY: Shane Kroker ’08 follows through on a WHS dominated hit against Granada Hills High School. both offensively and defensively defeating RHS 7-0. had a good offensive outing going Mannisto pitched four hit- three for three with two RBIs. less innings while Johnson and In the TOHS game on Fri. Gillingham pitching in relief, March 15, WHS won by a score of shut down RHS offensively.

8-6.

Yelich went two for three Dykstra brought in the go with three RBIs and started the ahead runs after a triple to right Warriors’ rally in the third in- field, while Gillingham pitched ning with a solo homerun over three scoreless innings in relief althe centerfield fence. Kroker also lowing only one hit.

SPRING AND ALL: (Clockwise from top left) Emily Tillett ‘09, left, wears slip, shirtdress, and ring; vintage. Belt; Coach (men’s collection). Kristen Stankowski ‘08 wears dress, Hannah B. Ring and bangle, vintage. w Tillett in a tunic and slip, vintage. Stankowski in a slip, vintage. Scarf (over slip), Etro. w Stankowski’s dress, vintage. Belt with ribbon over, Urban Outfitters. w Tillett’s dress, vintage. Scarf, Mara Hoffman. Belt, Marc Jacobs. w Fashion Assistants: Dena Gallucci, Jessica Kane, Kayli Miletich, Carina Wolff. Special thanks to Madison Lane, Erin Miller, and Alisa Morrison.

Spring AwakeningFALL INTO A FAIRY-TALE FASHION FANTASY. Photographed by Ana Pino, Styled by Wynn Burson

W

e as Californians have a fairly low tolerance for cold weather and rainy days, so it is fitting that the songs of spring are finally here. Along with better weather, we can anticipate effortless, easy style for the season.

The spring 2008 collections promise youthful romanticism, as they include transparency, lightness, and the use of underwear

as outerwear. The latter, most notable in Marc Jacobs’ spring collection, is appropriate here in slip dresses and sheer layers.

“There is a romantic freshness and candor in the air, a more naive seduction. It’s about being provocative precisely in what you’re not showing but what you’re implying,” designer Roberto Cavalli told the New York Times.

These ideas also showed up in the collections of Prada and Jil Sander, as well as more accessible labels like BCBG MaxAzria and Guess by Marciano. The playful, lingerie-inspired dresses of the season are a relief from the very structured silhouettes of fall; as they are now looser, featherweight, and sexy-sweet.

Not only are they chic for night, but now they show promise for

daytime.

Florals, but more specifically the explosion of blooms, are best in small quantities, pictured here on minidresses and scarves, whether impressionistic or more sharp.

Vintage crocheted dresses (far left) achieve the romantic lightness of spring, but be careful of one that might reek of the seventies.

Obviously, our everyday lives are not as sweet as a fashion fairy tale (pictured here, with Kristen Stankowski ’08 and Emily Tillett ’09) so we can balance out the femininity by toughing up the look with heavier cottons and masculine layers for school. But for now, enjoy the vintage finds and spring’s light-as-air fare.

-Wynn Burson