Hoops for Hope - Archbishop Mitty High School

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Serving the Archbishop Mitty Community
Volume 22 Number 2
December 2012
Hoops for Hope
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By Jennifer Sherwood & Riya Dange
Staff Writers
Dan Fitzgerald was one of those rare people who
had the ability to make a lasting impression on everyone
around him. Although it has been forty-three years since
he ¿rst coached at 0itty, his memory has not faded from
the mind of anyone who had the chance to work with him.
Back in 199, 0itty, as a relatively new school,
had not yet made a name for itself in the world of high
school sports. The rafters in the )ien *ym, now ¿lled
with championship banners, were just about empty.
However, it took 'an )it]gerald only two years to begin
to change that.
In his third year as a head coach, he led the team to its
¿rst appearance in the &&6 &hampionships, after winning
the program’s ¿rst W&A/ title. The banners that the men’s
varsity basketball team would eventually earn really began
with 'an )it]gerald. And although )it]gerald’s coaching
career at 0itty only spanned three years, his memory has
remained with the 0itty community ever since.
After his leave from Archbishop 0itty, he went on
to coach collegiate basketball at *on]aga 8niversity,
in 6pokane, Washington. In his 15 years there, he accumulated an astounding rpsump, ¿nishing with 5 wins
and 171 losses.
When )it]gerald passed away unexpectedly in -anuary
of 1, a group of 0itty alumni who were close to him
decided to arrange a charity-driven basketball tournament
in his honor called ³The )it]´. Greg Heinrichs, the director of this memorial event, expressed his great respect and
profound admiration for &oach )it]gerald ³He had a way
of presenting himself and his ideas that were inspiring. 'an
is part of the real legacy of 0itty. He was one of those ¿rst
people who planted the seed and raised the bar. And 0itty
has really taken off since then.´
0r. Heinrichs and many other 0itty alumni, including Tim Walsh father of .erri Walsh, united to organi]e
the 'an )it]gerald 0emorial Basketball Tournament in
6pokane, Washington. 1ow in its second year running, the
Ms. Meghan Kovaleski, the 'irector of Alumni
Relations and the organi]er of the 0itty memorial
game, called the event a ³great opportunity to gather and
remember 'an.´ There will also be a special reception
after the game for 'an’s family and alumni, to which the
entire 1971 Hall of )ame team is invited. Bob Freitas, a
member of the championship team, reminisced, ³)rom
an institutional level, 'an taught about commitment,
hard work, and believing, and he articulated exactly how
to meet each of those standards.´
In addition, 0rs. .ovaleski emphasi]ed, this will be
³the only pre-season home game at 0itty. That’s a big
deal.´ The game will tip-off at 7 p.m. in the )ien *ym.
Mr. Tim Kennedy, coach of the men’s varsity basketball team, gave us all one more compelling reason to
attend the game it promises to be thrilling.
³We are excited to play -esuit,´ he said. ³They have
a tough program and a winning tradition. It will be a
good test for us.´
However, the memorial basketball game is much
more than that. It is a chance to raise money for charity
Photo Courtesy of Yearbook Staff as well as a chance to show our appreciation for the man
who helped set 0itty on track for athletic success. ³I
Dan Fitzgerald coaching the 1971 basketball team.
would love for everybody to make it to the game,´ &oach
tournament hosts eight basketball teams, and the proceeds
.ennedy said. ³They can see us play for the ¿rst time and
go to a number of charities, including the Boys and *irls see how the new season is going to start.´
&lub of 6pokane and the Archbishop 0itty 'an )it]gerald
Bottom line, the memorial basketball game is a great
0emorial 6cholarship Endowment. In particular, the schol- opportunity to bene¿t charity, honor an inÀuential coach,
arship provides full ¿nancial aid for two students, adding and watch a great basketball game between our very own
not only to his athletic legacy, but also his lasting presence Archbishop 0itty 0onarchs and the -esuit High 6chool
at 0itty. /ast year, the tournament raised over , for 0arauders. All students are encouraged to be there in order
charity. This year, they hope to surpass that total.
to support a good cause and honor a great coach.
1ow, it is 0itty’s turn to show our appreciation for
This game brings back a powerful reminder that, when
one of our most beloved basketball coaches. On )riday, one man shoots for athletic greatness for his team, an entire
'ecember 7, Archbishop 0itty will be continuing the tradi- school can score.
tion by hosting the memorial basketball game, ³The )it]´,
against -esuit High 6chool in honor of &oach )it]gerald.
“The Fitz” with take place Friday, December 7,
All proceeds from the game will bene¿t the same charities
at 7:00 p.m. in Fien Gym.
as the big 6pokane tournament.
For more information, visit www.thefitztourney.net
By Omid Mirfendereski &
Payam Mirfendereski
Staff Writers
Whether you desire comedy, thriller,
or romance—adventure, horror, or
drama—The 39 Steps is for you. Passionate and whimsical, this award-winning
theater adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s
¿lm is coming to 0itty this -anuary. )eaturing avant-garde characters, lighting,
and music, along with quick-changes, the
play promises to bring a performance the
community will never forget.
Based on a 1935 Hitchcock thriller,
itself based loosely on a novel of the same
name, The 39 Steps is a uniquely British
production. It features four actors playing
the over roles present in the ¿lm the
heroes, the villains, the spies, the lovers, and more.
Mr. Doug Santana, 0itty’s 'irector of 'rama and the sole faculty member involved
in the school production, explains that this feature renders the play truly comical in nature.
It transforms the grave horror of the original ¿lm into silly, ³0onty Pythonesque´ humor.
7hough composed of eight actors rather than four, 0itty’s cast retains much of the
excitement and stimulating confusion of rapidly changing roles. One leading character,
as a matter of fact, undergoes four changes in a single minute. As 0r. 6antana notes,
The 39 Steps is like a ³play within a play´—one that truly showcases its actors’ skills.
The protagonist, Richard Hannay, is an ordinary Englishman who gets pulled
into the center of a boiling conÀict. The other characters are no less engaging, and 0r.
6antana states that the actors will be using English, 6cottish, and *erman accents as
they perform their lines.
The stage will have basic scenery—including a steamer trunk, a door, and crates—
but the actors will use a variety of wigs, costumes, and other props to signal their frequent
transformations. 'ue to the ]ealous pace, sometimes a mere addition of a hat will be
enough to convert one character into another.
In order to create these scenery changes and character transformations, 0itty is
renting props from TheatreWorks, a professional theater company in the Bay Area. 0r.
6antana af¿rms that this is indeed a special opportunity for 0itty students to work with
professional props and to attempt a strikingly new style of performance.
0itty is also hiring set and lighting designers to help embellish and illuminate the
stage. Yet, due again to the accelerated pace of the play, the lighting will perhaps play
a more important role than the set in highlighting the development of the intrigue. The
music in the play will furthermore come from Hitchcock soundtracks, and the play itself
will feature many puns on other Hitchcock movies.
The play will have two casts of 8 actors, so if one watches the play one night and
returns the next, he or she will have two entirely different experiences. The actors will
be rehearsing after school until the week of ¿nals, and they will return a couple days
before the holidays end to practice
ractice their
Image Courtesy of Mr. Kimont
parts. Their first performance,
nce, consequently, will be on -anuary 11—shortly
after school resumes.
6o far, the actors have been
en working
hard to master this challenging
ng play —
one that few other high schools
ols in the
region have ever performed. But
ut as 0r.
6antana explains, they have also
lso been
able to enjoy themselves and express
their more creative sides.
aLiese
6enior cast member AnnaLiese
ed to
Burich comments, ³I’m excited
have the audience appreciate how
clever the show’s dialogue and
ally
character changes are. It’s really
ed
a great, loving parody of Alfred
Hitchcock’s original work.´
The 39 Steps promises too
be one of 0itty’s truly dis-tinctive works. And you will
certainly not want to miss this
thrilling experience.
OPINIONS
Opposing Viewpoints:
The American Dream
THE DREAM IS ALIVE
By Daniel Braginsky
Staff Writer
Teenagers excel at a myriad of things—
procrastinating could become an Olympic
sport along with stirring up unnecessary
drama and creating witty Facebook statuses—but arguably our greatest trait is our
ability to complain about everything without
real basis for our claims. We feel trapped
by the system, acting as the protagonist in
a struggle against all odds. Each of us feels
as if we are the main character of our own
movie, chronicling our conÀicts with politics, the economy, and culture.
But do we really have the right to this
frame of mind?
Today’s generation claims to be more
dissatis¿ed with the government than those
of previous times; however, what they do not
realize is that teens have fought against “the
man” since the concept of a ruling body. The
righteousness of people in early adulthood
has been the driving force for all major political shifts, as they are the ones that care
the most about creating social change.
But, as they age, they become less
politically active, resulting from their less
disillusioned disposition, and ultimately
showing that a sense of personal tragedy at
the hands of the state is only a passing phase
that every person, regardless of generation,
has gone through.
Young people today should realize that
they are no different than the protestors of
over 40 years ago. Now, I am not saying
that protesting is petty and that we should
become complacent about our government,
as it is our duty to ¿ght for what we believe.
However, we need to realize that our
plight is not any more dif¿cult than the one
faced by previous generations, so can we
please stop threatening to move to Canada
whenever our government does something
wrong?
On top of that, there is a level of conceit required to believe that our struggle is
special, especially since our situation is so
much better off than any of the past. I’ll
admit that the 8nited 6tates has its Àaws—
there is no doubt that repairs can and should
be made—however, if we were to compare
modern life to that of any other point in
history, we would note the increased liberty
and luxuries.
The ability to protest is a gift in itself—
had we lived 40 years ago, we would be
unable to access the information we are protesting now. Our government is much more
open, honest, and clear than it has generally
been in the past, an often forgotten point.
The position of economic disillusionment is also refutable. Recession certainly
leaves much to be desired and, yes, many
young people are upset about it. However,
unemployment rates among college students
should not be as high as they are. There is
once again a culture of self-entitlement;
people with liberal arts degrees could very
well be employed, but because of the pompous nature of their majors, they ¿nd many
jobs beneath them.
There is an expectation among college
students that a college education is key to
everything, and upon receiving it, companies will suddenly begin ¿ghting to become
their employer. Many college graduates
have failed to succeed because of such
THE DREAM IS DEAD
By Kelvin Fann
Staff Writer
preconceptions, so they take up their picket
signs and protest on Wall Street.
Our complaints may feel righteous and
self-pity well deserved, but let’s not forget
that our parents have made it through similar
or worse situations, especially if they immigrated here. No one ever said that riches
were easy to achieve, so we must learn to
face our economic dif¿culties with the same
determined attitude; after all the American
Dream is the idea that you can achieve anything, if you are willing to dedicate yourself.
What I am trying to get across here is
that ‘the lost generation’ is nothing more
than a misconception. The last “lost generation” was in the ’60s—the hippies and
Àower children. Those very same hippies
Our generation has heard of the American dream ever since we were in grade
school. I can still distinctly recall how our
teachers would weave tales of men who rose
from rags to riches, and how we gathered
around eagerly, waiting to hear how we
could emulate their success. Back then,
we were confident that America would
offer us the fruit of wealth so long as we
had dedication and perseverance. Yet, as
we grew older, fortune seemed to become
less achievable, more just a story we were
told. With the seemingly endless recession,
political squabbling, and international conÀict, many have abandoned their belief in
the dream, and in turn become disillusioned
with America.
and Àower children have become adults
and are now in charge of running the nation.
They fought off any sense of disillusionment in a worse political, economic
atmosphere (mid-Cold War, secretive
government, not allowed to vote, cultural
revolutions, etc.).
In contrast, we have the most transparent government the world has ever seen,
federally guaranteed rights for almost all
groups, and no nukes pointed at Russia; yet
we still have stoners taking camping trips
to the middle of our corporate capitals to
complain about life.
We have not become disillusioned with
the American Dream; we are simply expectant children waiting for others to hand us
the ideal world.
The possibility of rising from rags
to riches is fantastic but, in our current
economic atmosphere, only lottery winners seem to realize such dreams. With
unemployment still Àickering around 8,
it’s no surprise that nearly half of the unemployed have their family relationships
strained. Too many in our generation have
been forced to see our parents struggle just
to make ends meet.
But our parents are not alone in the
struggle, we too have been overwhelmed
by economic woes. Our California public
schools have faced over 5 billion dollars
in cuts. The dream of college no longer is
a ¿nancial option for many of us, and even
for those who can afford it, the less than
stellar job market means that half of us
will be unable to ¿nd full-time jobs when
we graduate. The core idea that dedication
and perseverance can make a certain difference in our ¿scal status is completely
foreign to us.
We, as a generation, have realized the
truth about the American dream—a truth
that Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph
Stiglitz discloses after a lifetime of study.
He reveals that “the American dream has
become a myth... [it] is not supported by
the data.”
Overwhelming evidence labels the
dream as unachievable and our generation
is not surprised. After seeing so much economic stress within our families, schools,
and communities, I think we all know in
our hearts that such fantastic dreams are
often just dreams, nothing more. However,
economic turpentine is not the only cause
of our pessimism; I believe that our greatest source of disappointment has been our
unbearable political atmosphere.
During the just completed election,
we saw American politics for what it is:
a dog ¿ght. We saw debates ¿lled with
skewed facts, lies, and campaigns squandering nearly 6 billion dollars of cash while
America sits in recession.
Evidence from Pew Polls show 67
of Americans grew tired of political games
two months before the election came to a
close. Nothing is more disillusioning than
seeing two grown men groveling to gain
public favor and electoral votes. Our democratic system is no longer about achieving
the common good for our future; it is about
achieving temporary power in a rivalry
between two political machines.
The election aside, American politics
is in itself a depressing topic of discussion.
With a war in the Middle East that only
3 of Americans approve of, government
transparency is at an all time low. With 15
trillion dollars of federal debt, it is a mystery
how anyone expects us to be optimistic and
contribute more than a third of our incomes
to a system that is neither capable of telling us where the money is really going nor
managing that money effectively.
We, as humans, inherently want to be
proud of a governmental system that is at
the least trying to make progress, but when
most of our generation cannot remember
the last time the California state budget
was balanced, pride is dif¿cult to muster.
Our nation simply has not moved forward
in our living memories.
Being American should be something
that everyone says with pride and optimism,
but in reality it isn’t.
The American dream no longer seems
very realistic, and our politics offer little
comfort. Our generation has, incontrovertibly, grown tired of bearing witness to
the growing nation’s debt, the widening
economic gap, and the squabbling of our
nation’s dysfunctional government.
We no longer want to believe in a myth.
We no longer want to see politicians, who
are de¿ned by their political parties, waste
our time. We simply want to move forward
economically and politically, but as of now
we have little basis to believe that this is
indeed possible.
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THE AMERICAN TAKEOVER
By Ryan Ballard
Staff Writer
When Marco Polo traveled to China,
he entered a world unknown: one that was
imperial, exotic, unfamiliar and utterly Chinese. When I stepped foot in China, one of
the ¿rst things I saw was a .FC.
Though my ECJ class studied modern
China prior to our trip, part of me still hoped
to be immersed in some foreign realm of
all things Chinese, just as Marco Polo had
been. However, upon arriving at the Beijing
International Airport, I couldn’t help but be
unsatis¿ed with the lack of culture.
Where were the emperors? The Chinese
lanterns? If not for the Chinese characters
atop the buildings we passed—and of
course, the Chinese people—one might have
mistaken the city of Beijing for something
like Washington D.C. When you’re in the
center of China’s biggest cities, it’s hard to
grasp that you’re on the other side of the
world if your surroundings look very much
like those at home and your Starbucks tastes
the same.
This is not to suggest China’s culture
has totally evaporated. Long-observed Confucian ideals—Rpn, loyalty and ¿lial piety
to name a few—still make up the fabric of
social etiquette. And many historic temples
in Shanghai and Beijing are now museums,
untouched by the claws of modernization.
However, the fact remains that China
and other world powers reference America
as a template to improve themselves. On
the one hand, this phenomenon is weaving
a common cultural thread—but does a “culture” of consumerism have any substance?
The planet is homogenizing and not for
the better.
We Americans pride ourselves on
having freedom of expression and equal
opportunity, and many people around the
world want to embrace these ideals. However, our cultural identity has changed a bit
since 1776—nowadays, consumerism is the
American way. Because so many fast food
restaurants, shopping malls, Targets and
Walmarts span our country, we have countless opportunities to spend money—and
where money is spent, the economy bene¿ts.
The United States thrives off of this obsession with material goods, so China—and
just about every nation wanting to give its
economy a boost—follows in our capitalist
and consumerist footsteps. Over the past
two decades especially, China has striven
to emulate every facet of our economy from
skyscrapers to .entucky Fried Chicken.
Thus far, mimicking the U.S. has been
wildly successful in terms of GDP—in fact,
China’s rapid-¿re economy is expected to
overtake our own by 2016. But there is a caveat to this boom: if China continues on this
track, there will no longer be one America,
but two. Not only will the remnants of
China’s cultural identity be shrouded by the
ranks of Colonel Sanders—every country
will want a chance at Americanizing itself .
Japan, Australia, Israel, South .orea
and the entirety of Western Europe have
suddenly become chock full of American
companies, inundated by American media
and American product advertisements.
Big-name corporations like McDonald’s, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Microsoft, and
Dell have taken root in over 200 different
nations, and there is little to stop them from
swallowing the entire globe.
In the near future, traveling to a foreign
country might be like visiting a replica of
your own cultural backyard. But what kind
of world will we live in if so many nations
are just a copy of the United States?
THE WORLD IS MELTING AND IT’S YOUR FAULT
By Kaitlin Milliken
Opinions Editor
“It’s global warming, man,” are the words uttered only by liberal, non-conformist
hippie types. It’s not like anyone else in our society takes the time to ponder the issue
of Earth’s climate change, for there are more important things for us to worry about.
College admissions, school, jobs, internships, relationships, and so forth all take precedence over an issue we have “no control” of. So let’s just cringe internally when
we pay at the pump and shake our heads sadly at the thought of helpless polar bears
drowning in what used to be Arctic ice. Let’s continue to live as we always have, largely
ignoring environmental issues.
That is, until a superstorm terrorizes 24 out of the 50 states in our beloved nation
and wracks up an estimated $50 billion worth of damage.
Hurricane Sandy, the largest Atlantic hurricane on record and the tenth hurricane
of the year, llast
ast month crippled affected areas throughout the east coast and threw the
as
iissue
is
sue of climate change back into public view. It is extremely hard to turn a blind eye
when
w en 8 million homes have no electricity, communities cannot access clean water,
wh
aandd the New York subway is Àooded.
an
Sandy, in essence, is partly the effect of irresponsible environmental policy. High amounts of carbon are released into the
atmosphere; the gases trap heat from the sun, via the greenhouse effect. The heat radiates, warming the earth as a whole,
warmer
oceans
and warm
mer ooce
cean
anss gi
ggive
ve storms more energy. In short, irresponsible
emissions
spo
sp
onsiibl
ble carbon emi
isssions result in storms, hurricanes, and
tornadoes.
Future
disasters
to
ornad
rn
nadoe
ad
doe
o s. F
Fut
utur
ure disaster
rs like Sandy could be prevented, or
at
very
least
at tthe
h vver
he
eryy le
leas
ast llessened,
esssen
e ed, if the public were to reduce
its
carbon
footprint.
its cca
it
arb
rbonn ffoo
o tp
tprint
nt.
But
sound
B
Bu
ut sso
oun
u d science and a sense of
impending
impe
im
p nding
By Brian Khieu
doom do not seem to faze our fossil-fuel based society. Being the economic power
that we are, environmentalism is often placed on the back-burner while capitalism
reigns supreme.
An example is the American Clean Energy and Security Act. The Act would require
that businesses buy permits to release greenhouse gases and would put a cap on the
total amount of harmful gases emitted nationally. The bill died in the Senate, for fear
that the economy would react negatively. And let’s not forget about the recent presidential election, when renewable energy was forgotten. Instead, offshore drilling and
increased coal use were portrayed as the key to economic success. Lowering gas prices
and winning public favor are, after all, more important than supporting clean energy.
As a nation, America has wealth at its heart, and a strange concoction of pollutants
and oil coursing through its veins. Capitalism keeps the monster alive, and government
policy—or
thereof—enables
policy
or lack thereof
enables it.
The most disappointing aspect of environmental deterioration is the desensitized
public; the majority of whom are apathetic and unwilling to support the changes
needed to help the environment. Inaction is largely caused by the hedonistic ethos of
a community so heavily focused on the “I”. Living for the moment is reÀected in the
irresponsible use of resources, as people rarely ever think about the future—if so it
is about their future not future generations. Many don’t care if their progeny will be
plagued with frequent natural disasters and unfavorable weather patterns. In addition,
laziness prevents people from making small changes, simply because of the inconvethe
nience. Why bike when I can drive th
he di
distance in a fraction of the time? It seems like
burden.
inÀexibility
spoiled
too much of a burd
rden
en.. Th
Thee in
nÀe
Àexi
xibi
bili
lity
ty ffrom
rom
ro
m a spoile
led society ultimately wreaks havoc
on the plane
planet’s
fragile
ecosystem.
et’
t s fr
frag
agil
ilee ec
ecos
osys
yste
tem.
m.
Should
Hurricane
Sandy
anything
society,
Sho
houl
uldd Hu
Hurr
rric
i ane Sa
Sand
ndyy me
mean
an any
nyth
thin
i g to oour
ur ssoc
ocie
iety
ty, I ca
cann only hope it’s this:
We, ass a ccou
country,
become
stewards
earth
personal
ount
ntry
ry,, need
need to
to be
beco
come
m sste
tewa
ward
rdss of tthe
he eear
arth on a na
national
al aand
nd pper
erso
s nal level.
Acknowledging
negative
impact
change,
disaster,
Ackn
knoowle
ledgin
ingg our ne
nega
gati
t ve imp
pac
actt onn tthe
he planet—climate ch
chan
ange
ge,, na
nnatural
tura
tu
rall di
disa
sast
ster
er,,
pollution,
¿rst
step.
“It’s
warming,
poll
po
lluution, andd ssoo forth—is
fo
ortth—
h—is
is the
the ¿rs
¿rst step
p. Let’s take the
h phrase “I
It’
t’ss gl
gglobal
obal
ob
al w
war
armi
ming
ng,,
man,”
upon
the
maan,
n ” re
rrecognize
co
ogn
gniize it
iits
ts im
iimportance,
mppoort
rtan
rtan
ance
nce
ce,
e, an
aand
ndd ac
actt up
pon
n iitt fo
forr th
he be
bbetterment
tterment of the planet.
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WOMEN: A GROWING ECONOMIC FORCE
By Rachita Pandya
Staff Writer
No one would pass up an opportunity to invest in India
and China. Unfortunately, we are also hesitant to invest in
women, despite the fact that it is bene¿cial to the global
economy, the women, and the organization.
Workplace integration is not just a gender discrimination issue—it is an economic one. Research conducted all
over the world shows how gender balance, especially at
the highest levels of leadership, enhances performance and
productivity. And, in the business world, who doesn’t need
this competitive edge?
Issues regarding women’s advancement have recently
become a high priority for the European nations, as women’s
under-representation in European Union (EU) positions
has sparked internal conÀict. The European Parliament’s
Economic Affair’s committee voted down the nomination
of Luxembourg’s Yves Mersch to the European Central
Bank board. Furthermore, the EU’s Justice Commissioner,
Viviane Redding, is persistent about imposing an EU-wide
quota for women on supervisory boards.
Women’s representation has become a hot-button issue,
igniting a number of debates and ultimately putting the issue of gender inequality front and center. The problem of
having so few women at the top and a new focus on the
bene¿ts of hiring and promoting more women, for both
individual organizations and the economy as a whole, is
now clearer than ever.
Being a woman that will enter the workforce in the
near future myself, I need to be given the same economic
opportunities as men in order to pursue my career and use
my talents to my utmost capability. Organizations need to
understand that men and women have the same potential,
and in certain cases, women have even greater assets to
drive a company toward successful growth.
Recent statistics offer hope for myself and other
women in the business world. Over the next decade, the
impact of women on the global economy—as producers,
entrepreneurs, employees, and consumers—will be as
signi¿cant as the impact of India’s or China’s one billion
plus population, if not greater. Essentially, if women are
ef¿ciently employed, we will have an additional one billion
individuals contributing to the global economy.
Estimates show that if female employment rates were
to match those of males, overall Gross Domestic Product
would grow considerably—in the United States by 5, in
Japan by 9, and in developing countries like Egypt by a
substantial 34. That is signi¿cant to a world economy in
recession.
The World Economic Forum, an international organi-
By Jessica Dumov
Opinions Editor
Every
Every senioo r has spent
nior
hours studying for
ho
exams,
exam
amss, weeks sitting through
classes
l
andd tutoring
t t i sessions,
i
and
d what
h t seems to
t
be an overwhelming number of months worrying about where all this will take them.
The desire to do well in high school is supposed to culminate in acceptance into a
renowned college, but what does it really take to get into the school of your dreams? Is
it a GPA, test scores, and letters of recommendation? Or is it personal statements and
extra-curriculars? Or maybe, it’s all of the above? Most students would answer yes to
zation committed to shaping global, regional, and industry
agendas, also publishes an annual Global Gender Gap
Report. The data clearly shows a strong correspondence
between those countries that are successful at reducing
the gender gap and those that are the most economically
competitive.
All the statistics and case studies point
to the same
p
conclusion: Investing
future—a
ng in women leads to a brighter future—
light for both ¿rst world countries looking to further improve
impro
their economic standtandding, and developing
ngg
countries relying
on new talent.
Indeed, in thee
current economic
i
ic
climate there is no excuse to ignore one off
the largest untapped
ed
economic engines.
es.
It’s time for the priri-vate sector to seize
zee
this marvelous opporor-tunity and give women
meen
the status and prestige
estigee
they deserve.
all of these questions. But one unspoken factor still whispers discouragement to even
the bes
th
best of students: luck.
The areas of achievement that colleges focus on are unnerving enough without
adding
ad
luck into the mix. For while one student may be brilliant when it comes
to math and science, this same applicant could ¿nd writing a coherent personal
statement
s
more daunting than rocket science itself. Conversely, one might possess
t talent to write an impressive essay on a life-altering experience, but he or she
the
m have a signi¿cantly lower GPA due to struggles in algebra and chemistry.
may
Beyond academics, college acceptances are fraught with chance, because
s many exceptional students apply to the best of colleges every year and no
so
co
college
can admit all applicants into their school.
The particular luck of having parents or a sibling that attended a school
and thus being labeled a “legacy” is one aspect of the admissions process that is
and
unndo
undoubtedly
unfair. As Richard D. .ahlenberg points out in The New York Times,
“S
Stu
t d have shown that being the child of an alumnas adds the equivalent of 160
“Studies
SAT po
SAT
points to one’s application (...not factoring in the new writing section of the test)
incr
andd increases
one’s chances of admission by almost 20 percentage points.” Students
wiith suc
with
such connections receive an undeserved boost that can help them be admitted into
th colle
the
college of their dreams.
I am not saying that these students automatically gain acceptance—below average
grades, few extra-curriculars, and behavioral problems can still hinder the chance of
admissi
admission.
But legacies have a greater margin for error, as a few mistakes throughout
high sch
school can be covered up by donations from alumni parents. When you are that
student, the one who needs every grade to be perfect and every small extracurricular activity to be heroic in order to create hope for a bright future, this unfair advantage stings.
Im
myself struggle to be the academic star that can get into the top schools. Unfortunat
fortunately,
I do not have the advantages that legacies have, being a ¿rst generation
Americ citizen in my family. No, my grandmother was not an incredible track star
American
anf
at Sta
Stanford
back in her day, and my nonexistent aunt—as my parents were both only
hildd
children—did
not graduate from Harvard, but I know that I am not alone.
The worry that encases me on days when I am up to my neck in homework and
whatever else I am doing to give myself a better transcript can be overwhelming, but
fear not, my fellow newbies; the silver lining to our cloud is that we are motivated to
learn more and work harder, because after all, success tastes sweetest when worked
for hardest.
By Jordan Rehbock
Staff Writer
Since its inception, the Internet
has evolved into the ultimate vehicle
for opinion sharing. And with access
to the Internet so readily available, it
is no surprise that one can rarely last
a day without seeing someone else’s
viewpoint shared across the “web” in an
internet review, user comments, or most
commonly through social networking.
While the constant sharing of
opinions is a great way to create a wellinformed and open-minded public, a
line must be drawn between helpful,
informative insights and the commonly
found extreme points of view that are
expressed in harsh (and often poorly
written) criticisms posted to the Internet
without provocation.
Commenting sections often lose
their meaning. Instead of cordially
agreeing or disagreeing with an article
on a news site, users will simply throw
down the ¿rst insult that comes to their
mind, instigating what can be a quite
long back-and-forth of insults—either
to character or principle.
This utter lack of courtesy detracts
from the democratic possibilities presented by the internet. Informed debate
is absent in these Àame wars found on
news websites, entertainment websites,
and even sites like Word Reference
where intelligent discussion about
the use (or lack of) written accents in
the English language devolved into a
racially-charged ¿ght between a user
from Spain and a user from the U..
Non face-to-face conversation,
via chat-rooms, social-networking, or
forums, a certain amount of courage
¿nds its way into each of the “speakers”
and suddenly, things are said that would
be considered rude in any other form of
communication.
The disconnectedness provided by
the computer screen generates a lack of
concern for the individuals affected by
the comment. A feeling of detachment
and a sense of anonymity contribute
to the stalwart stances internet users
take on ideas and have transformed the
internet into the battleground of clashing opinions.
A mindset of “I will never see this
person in real life,” seems to make it
okay to insult a person’s race, gender or
nationality (with a crude ad hominem
argument), all the while berating them
because they thought The Dark Knight
was better than The Dark Knight Rises.
It’s of course true that the Internet
is a vast place, and that it is incredibly
difficult to control the thousands of
people who pass through a site, leaving their two-second opinion before
returning to Facebook for the fourth
time in the last hour. Even the system
of “thumbs-up” and “thumbs-down”
that may seem to work on sites like
YouTube, can serve as a method of
belittling someone whose opinion is not
in concordance with one’s own.
While many websites that sport
discussion forums generally appoint
moderators to review postings for their
content, this method is often underemployed.
Websites should more actively
moderate postings to combat the lack of
courteousness that plagues the internet,
but it is ultimately up to the user to
make the call before criticizing a person
who lives halfway across the world for
enjoying watching a cat play the piano.
Arts & Entertainment
Models Take Mitty
By Harika Janjam and Amanda Lahey
Staff Writers
Morgan Olson
When people hear the name “Archbishop Mitty High School,” they think athletes, performers, and
scholars, yet our school is composed of much more talent than simply that. Morgan Olson, a senior here at
Mitty, is a shining example: a teen model for 4 years, Morgan works with one of the top modeling agencies
in the country, Ford Model Management.
Few have the opportunity to participate in such an interesting ¿eld, getting to work with important business people in the
worldwide fashion industry. However, while the majority of us struggle with Biology cheat-sheets or APUSH reading over the
week, Morgan has admirably been able to balance her glamorous double life with little trouble.
HJ: How did you get started in modeling?
MO: I started in 8th grade when my mom’s friend recommended that I put my pictures up on a website for Ford Model
Management’s open call that allows anyone interested in modeling to post pictures on the site. I ¿nally got called in and
booked
HJ: How do you balance your social, academic, and modeling lives?
MO: I’m very careful about minimizing the number of days I am absent from school. I also go home early from shoots or
events in order to stay focused on school work.
HJ: How does modeling inÀuence your own style?
MO: I’m constantly introduced to different types of styles, as it simply comes with being in the business; I have to be exposed
and understand these styles. For school I like to stay casual, but for parties and events I incorporate some styles that I get from
modeling.
HJ: Have you had the opportunity to meet celebrity fashionistas and/or models?
MO: I haven’t been able to meet famous models, but I have met Leonardo DiCaprio, Jim
Carrey and Michelle Branch.
HJ: What are you thoughts on this year’s Fashion Week?
MO: I absolutely adored the Marc Jacobs show. He’s de¿nitely one of my favorite designers
Sarah Stoch
For some, Fashion Week is an exclusive invitation for fashion designers, fashion magazines, and
people with expensive taste that sets the standards for what’s “in” and what’s “out.” For others, like
Mitty’s very own junior, Sarah Stoch, Fashion Week is simply a heightened version of the modeling job
she has when she isn’t busy with Mitty’s Advocacy Project or the new exercise club, Whip It. From the
age of 11, Sarah took initiative by simply picking up the phone and setting up an appointment with John
Robert Powers School System, a modeling and acting company (which has alumni like Josh Duhamel and
Niki Taylor) after seeing a commercial for it on TV.
Her mind-set and “go get it” attitude have paid off, and she is currently signed with HMM (Halverson
Model Management). If you’re lucky you might see Sarah strutting down the runway at Santana Row and
other places around the Bay Area.
AL: How old were you when you started modeling?
SS: I started getting into modeling when I was 12 years old. Previous to that, I did some acting.
AL: What got you interested in modeling in the ¿rst place?
SS: One day I was watching TV and a commercial for a modeling and acting company, John Robert powers, came on and that
was enough for me. I called the number on the screen and set up and appointment for myself. I was 11 at the time.
AL: Has a modeling agency ever asked you to change your physical appearance before they would hire you? If yes, how do
you react to this?
SS: Yes, I have been told several times to change myself, but I don’t let it get to me. I know it’s just in order to make me more
marketable. I don’t feel like I need to change the way I look to make someone else satis¿ed, but know that the way I look has
a lot to do with the industry that I am involved in.
AL: Has working in the modeling industry contributed to you own sense of style?
SS: I know what looks good and I like to take risks with my wardrobe on occasion. I wouldn’t say I dress in some of the
clothes I’ve modeled, but I love putting out¿ts together
A Sport and an Art Form
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The Christmas Concerts:
December 3rd & 5th
Tired of listening to the trite
recordings of the classic Christmas
tunes on KOIT? Well, why not go to a
live concert? You’ll feel the bass of Exodus and the
striking harmonies of Jazz and Concert Choir deep in your
bones. You’ll feel the fa la la la la las of the holidays, with all of its pure
and bounteous joy. For free.
Winter Dance Recital: December 7th
So, you think you can dance? Well, I hate to break it to you, but you probably
can’t. But, our dance teams and classes can You can feel the spirit of
Christmas expressed through motion and motion alone in the Kinkade. Who
wouldn’t want to go?
By Monica Goff
Staff Writer
Plié. Changement. Sous sous. Jeté. Fouetté. Unless you are a dancer yourself, these
terms are likely foreign to you. But these terms are everyday language to senior Danielle
Fishler, a dancer who has heard them since she was three years old.
Danielle committed to strictly ballet in the ¿fth grade, and with this came the opportunity to perform annually in The Nutcracker, a piece performed almost everywhere during
the Christmas season. Committing to ballet was a huge responsibility and required real
dedication, but Danielle ¿nds the positive side of her years of work: “Ballet is an escape
for me,” she says. “After a long day of school, I go to ballet and am able to forget about
life for a few hours and clear my mind.”
Ballet is often referred to as the “root of all dance” because its
technique shows up in almost every other style of dance. This makes
ballet dancers some of the most skilled dancers, as their technique and
strength are impeccable. “Many people have this misconception, saying
that, ‘Oh, you’re just a ballerina, that’s not as hard as a sport. But the
fact is, ballet takes a lot of athleticism, strength, and ability to push
through pain while also having artistry, Àexibility and passion on top
of that. To me, it is both a sport and an art form.”
Danielle is performing in her last annual Nutcracker on December 7, 8, and 9, as the Snow Queen and Arabian, at the Mountain View
Center for the Performing Arts.
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A Classic Christmas
By Nicole Rejer
Staff Writer
Amidst the covers of popular Christmas songs, we
often forget the original greats who made them so
popular. So, I’ve taken some time to hand-pick the
true classics that give you that good old-fashioned
Christmas feeling.
5. Little Saint Nick, The Beach Boys
Christmas goes Californian with this classic 1964
Beach Boys hit. If you didn’t think the “surfer boys”
could do Christmas, you are greatly mistaken.
4. The Christmas Song, The King Cole Trio
Even though the song was written in the middle of the
sweltering summer, this song makes you want to curl
up in front of a ¿re with a sweater and hot chocolate.
Nat King Cole wishes us a Merry Christmas as nobody
else can.
3. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),
Darlene Love
It’s been covered by everyone from John Bon Jovi to
Leighton Meester, but nobody can sing it quite like
Love, with her mind-blowing vocals and pure power.
Originally intended for Ronnie Spector, Love rose to
the challenge of bringing pure, unmatched emotion
to the song.
2. Blue Christmas, Elvis Presley
You can’t leave the King of Rock and Roll off any
list, and this one is no exception. This tale of nonmutual love is a staple in every household come
December. Elvis named “Blue Christmas” as his
favorite personally-recorded Christmas song, so why
shouldn’t we?
1. O Holy Night, Nat King Cole
Maybe I’m biased because I love Nat King Cole so
much, but to me, this is the quintessential Christmas
carol. The lyrics perfectly sum up the true meaning
of Christmas—often forgotten by many of us today.
The great Nat King Cole’s emotional voice is enough
to give you goosebumps.
By Bella DiLisio and Meghana Killedar
A&E Editor and Staff Writer
After watching an unspeakable number of baby animal videos on YouTube (while successfully avoiding your
essay due tomorrow), you stumble upon the intriguingly titled “Pale Kid Raps Fast.” Congratulations, one minute
and twenty-eight seconds later, you’ve just experienced the rap genius that is George Watsky. A San Francisco
native, Watsky is also a rapper, writer, and performer who rose to prominence after his Internet videos went viral,
even having his talents featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He specializes in slam poetry, competitions where
original works are competitively recited. Watsky is now a successful musician who has released 2 studio albums,
1 live album, and 4 mixtapes and EPs. His third studio album, entitled Cardboard Castles, is scheduled for release
in 2013. And, lucky for us, he was able to take time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions and give us
some insight on what it is like to be a pale kid who raps fast.
BD: How did you get into poetry & rapping? What inspired you?
GW: I saw “Def Poetry Jam” before it went to Broadway when I was 15. It was inspiring to know that there was
contemporary poetry that I directly related to. In terms of rap, I heard it for the ¿rst time just like all my peers
did—the radio.
BD: Do you think that growing up in the Bay Area/San Francisco was a helpful catalyst to your success?
GW: Absolutely. San Francisco has a rich tradition of poetry and a particularly strong youth poetry slam scene.
San Francisco was a very supportive community to ¿nd my feet in the arts.
BD: Who are your personal favorite artists?
GW: Some of my favorite poets are Beau Sia, Saul Williams, Rives and Rafael Casal. My favorite playwright is
Martin MacDonagh. My favorite rappers are Andre 3000, Eminem, and Pharoahe Monch. I love Stevie Wonder,
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, and the Beatles.
BD: If you could collaborate with anyone (dead or alive), who would it be and why?
GW: Maybe John Lennon. I’d love to get Andre 3000 on a song.
BD: Which of your songs are you the most proud of producing? Which song of yours would you say essentially
represents your sound/style best?
GW: I’m proud of the lyrical content of “4AM Monday.” I think “Who’s Been Loving You” is a good example of
the brand of positivity I’m aiming for as well.
BD: Tell us something unique about yourself that no one would know otherwise.
GW: I took salsa lessons for a year and a half. I took tango lessons for two weeks and then quit.
Interested in Watsky’s music? Find him on Twitter at @gwatsky and YouTube at gwatsky
Do You Hear the People Sing?
The Great American Film
By Niki Griswold
Staff Writer
By Ryan Ballard
Staff Writer
To say that I am excited for the new movie adaptation of Les Miserables would
be a gross understatement. Every time I see the trailer, I get shortness of breath, an
erratic heartbeat, and many many tears. From the moment I was given the soundtrack
as a child, and learned of the plot from my parents, I was hooked.
Epic, majestic, and brilliant hardly begin to describe the iconic musical score and
story, a dramatic saga that follows ex-convict Jean Valjean and his journey from a man
devoid of integrity to one with honor and kindness. After escaping from prison and
vowing to be a better man, Valjean rescues the daughter of a dying prostitute, adopts
her as his own, and takes her with him on his seemingly never-ending journey running from the Parisian policeman, Javert, who is bent on returning Valjean to prison.
Set during the Paris Uprising of 1832, Les Miserables has something for everyone,
from violence to romance to comedy and tragedy, and turned out to be one of the best
ways to teach me many valuable lessons in an entertaining, movable, and relatable
way. I read the book for the ¿rst time in eighth grade (although I will not comment
on whether I actually ¿nished all 1,500 pages) and ¿nally saw the musical in person
in San Francisco just this year.
So, after this long history of such a personal connection to “Les Mis,” as fans
lovingly call it, the new movie adaptation seemed too good to be true. With an all-star
cast consisting of brilliantly talented actors and actresses such as Anne Hathaway,
Amanda Seyfried, Hugh Jackman, Russel Crowe, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha
Baron Cohen, and Eddie Redmayne, this movie adaptation is not likely to disappoint.
As I watched the trailer for the ¿rst time, and heard Anne Hathaway’s raw and
stunning voice brimming with emotion, I knew that it was going to be pure magic. My
predictions were only further substantiated when I learned that it was ¿lmed without a
pre-recorded soundtrack, which means that all of the singing was recorded live during
each take, which allowed the actors complete freedom for spontaneity in their delivery,
and added to the humanly imperfect characters with whom I had already fallen in love.
With the release on Christmas Day, I know I will be one of the ¿rst in line to see
this new adaptation, with friends, family, or “On My Own,” because I don’t think I
will be able to wait “One Day More.”
If you’ve been itching to see the highly anticipated ¿lm adaptation of The Great
Gatbsy, one of the most beloved American novels of all time, it looks as though you’ll
have to wait a bit longer. Back in May, production released a teaser showing just
how grand a spectacle this high pro¿le movie will be, promising a Christmas release.
Unfortunately, ¿lm and literature connoisseurs won’t be seeing the movie until May,
a full year after the ¿rst trailer’s release.
For those who were making Christmas Day plans to see a celebrated work of literature on the big screen, have no fear—I recommend Les Miserables. In fact, it was
perhaps the fear of competing with that very movie that drove director Baz Luhrmann
to postpone Gatsby in the ¿rst place. However, the of¿cial Warner Bros. statement is
that, as a summer Àick, the movie will “reach the largest audience possible” and gross
much more money. Luhrmann, director of Moulin Rouge and Shakespeare’s Romeo +
Juliet, is highly meticulous in his work, so the later date is probably a more feasible
goal to put this extremely ambitious, three-dimensional undertaking on its feet, anyway.
However, there is some controversy with the classic book being turned into a
movie, with the argument that a ¿lm adaptation will somehow lessen the value of the
novel itself. It is true that reading and movie-going are two very different experiences,
but do not buy into the propaganda that reading is the only valid form of entertainment,
while movies will turn your brain into mush. There are indeed those heralded works of
literature that we study in school, that we strive to emulate and quote in posh conversations, but then there are also those lousy, poorly written books with little substance
and little merit. The same logic can be applied to movies.
To those that are up in arms about degrading a classic novel, I hate to break it to
you, but The Great Gatsby has already been adapted to the big screen ¿ve times. It is
true that many movies are produced just to make money, or to entertain the masses
without making them think. However, rest assured, Gatsby will not be categorized
with ¿lms such as Jackass 3D and Twilight. With a star-studded cast, a $125 million
budget and ¿ve extra months to perfect the ¿lm, Gatsby is likely to bring an artistic,
stunningly tasteful movie to the screen. It will make “The Great American Novel”
truly a “Great American Film.”
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By Amulya Yerrapotu
Staff Writer
By Jenny Barretto
Staff Writer
Based on Doris Kerns Goodwin’s
book, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius
of Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Spielberg’s
new movie stars Daniel Day-Lewis as our
nation’s sixteenth president and Sally Field
as his beloved wife. Lincoln recounts the
president’s desperate struggle to emancipate
the slaves as the Civil War drags on into its
fourth year. In a nation divided by war and
the issue of slavery, President Lincoln faces
dual dilemmas of eradicating slavery and
unifying the country.
Lincoln is hardly a dreary, boring biographical drama. Tony Kushner’s screenplay brilliantly combines the weighty and
witty elements of President Lincoln, balancing the man’s devoted attention to the
troublesome issues of slavery and war with
his affable nature and love for storytelling.
Daniel Day-Lewis’ portrayal of the president is authentic beyond belief: he captures
Lincoln’s congenial nature, as well as his
speech and mannerisms.
Lincoln captures the essence of our nation’s history and how it was forever changed
by the work of one incredible man. In a time when rampant political discord is prominent,
this ¿lm is a reminder that politics can be noble when they are used to achieve a purpose
that is so worth ¿ghting for. Lincoln is not just a lesson in history; it is also a lesson in
importance of equality and justice. Once again, the brilliant artistic genius of this director
is unparalleled. Lincoln is a masterpiece with impeccable actors, a sharp and touching
screenplay, and the excellent direction expected from a master like Spielberg; it will
undoubtedly be considered one of the best ¿lms of the year.
In the world of Rise of the
Guardians, childhood myths
are all real, appointed by the
mysterious Man on the Moon
to watch over the children of
the world. The most important
of these mythical ¿gures, Santa
Claus (Alec Baldwin), the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman),
the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher),
and the Sandman (a mute) are
granted the status of Guardian.
All is well, until one day, Pitch
Black, a.k.a. the Boogieman (Jude Law) awakens and begins snuf¿ng out the belief in the
children’s hearts, causing the Guardians to lose power.
Though it seems cliché, Rise of the Guardians offers a fresh take on the tried and true
“The children must believe” formula. Instead of the stereotypical jolly Santa Claus, we
get a buff, tattooed man with a hilarious Russian accent. The Easter Bunny wields dual
boomerangs and an Australian accent. But the joy isn’t in the characters themselves; it’s
in seeing the characters interact and bounce off of each other.
What’s more, the animation is warm and inviting, with trails of sparkles and sweeping
camera angles. Every movement of the movie feels Àuid and alive, just sparkling with
magic. It really lends itself to the overall childlike sense of wonder the movie undoubtedly conveys.
However, at its core, Rise of the Guardians is still only a kid’s movie. And while the
child in me was giggling like a little girl while watching, the teenager in me was groaning
at how easily I could predict what would happen next, and at the cheesiness of every scene.
Overall, Rise of the Guardians stands as a good movie, but nothing more than that.
Unfortunately, the charming characters and animation can’t save the movie’s predictable
plot, but make for an amusing movie nonetheless. If anything, the movie will at least bring
a smile to your face.
In a Nutshell
By Emily Malig
Staff Writer
By Shannon Lam
Staff Writer
By Kasturi Kulkarni
Staff Writer
Following eight punk-rock studio
records, Green Day has created an
album trilogy—Uno, Dos, and Tré. In
divergence from their previous work, the
band has incorporated more of a rockn-roll sound, reminiscent of an intimate
garage-band sound.
Among upbeat, irresponsible songs
such as “Ashley,” the band has crafted
several more thoughtful, reflective
songs, such as “Wild One” that paints
the haunting portrait of girl who’s lost
sight of herself and the world. Songs
also stand out on opposite sides of
the spectrum: where “Lazy Bones” is
all bashing drums and ranting lyrics,
“Amy” (a tribute to the late Amy Winehouse) has a simple,
mple, soft
arrangement to go
o along
with a wistful melody.
The band completes
etes an
eclectic collection
on
of songs filled
d
with Armstrong’ss
memories, includding mournful losses,
osses,
bashing parties,
s, and
frustration of nott ¿tting expectations..
Despite her previous lackluster acting, Kristen Stewart, who plays Bella
Cullen-Swan, surprises the audience.
Her compassion towards Edward and
her daughter is very real, as is Robert
Pattinson’s, who plays Edward Cullen.
Mackenzie Foy, Rami Malek, and MyAnna Buring, who play Renesmee Cullen,
Benjamin, and Tanya respectively, are
only a handful of the new characters in
Breaking Dawn Part 2, and their performances in the ¿lm have de¿nitely made
me want to keep an eye out for them in
other movies. Director Bill Condon’s
ability to combine action, romance, and
tension in one ¿lm and blend it together
has made this movie de¿nitely
worth watching.
Whether you are a
Twilight fan or not,, this
¿lm is a must-see. It is the
perfect ending to thee
saga, and one that
brings tears to my
eyes knowing that
it is the end.
Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday: Roman
Reloaded—The Re-Up is not a re-release;
it includes eight brand-new songs. Minaj
describes the raw, mix-tape feel to her
album, stating,“The Re-Up is what I do
naturally. It’s what I came into the game
doing.”
Minaj’s new album quite obviously
serves as a fresh rebuttal to the countless
critics who attacked her for selling out
and moving into a more pop, less hiphop genre. While sticking to her roots in
the more rap-heavy tracks such as “Hell
Yeah,” she also displays her con¿dence in
tracks like “High School” and “I’m Legit,”
which also feature artists such as Tyga and
Lil Wayne.
There is no doubt thatt
Nicki Minaj has
as one
of the best rap Àows.
For the first time,
there was no mention
ention
of her alter-ego,,
Roman, in anyy
of the songs off
this album, which
made the album
m feel
like a more down-town-toearth Nicki.
Drawn by Morgan Czeropski
Staff Artist
By Ana Montoya
Staff Writer
From working in a pawn shop with
his father to having his single hit double
platinum, Phillip Phillips’ life over this
last year has certainly been actionpacked. And, his album is his chance to
beat the American Idol curse of fading
away into oblivion.
Phillips’ album, “The World From
the Side of the Moon,” is driven by love,
with tracks about trying to ¿nd oneself
that reÀect his young age. His single
“Home” is already a hit, and in the album
he recreates the magic with songs like
“Gone, Gone, Gone,” “Where We Came
From,” and “So Easy.” The songs sound
similar at ¿rst, but the more you listen,
the more his poetic lyrics shine.
Philips, in this
is album, proves that he’s a
singer with substance,
ance,
with his variety
t y of
sounds, from counntry to jazz. As the
title promises, this
album delivers in
showing the listener
ener
a whole new world
rld in
which Phillips andd his
songs thrive.
By Jasmine Tsai
Staff Writer
Today, people spend dollars left and right without even thinking of
how much that dollar is actually worth. $5 today might be considered an
extremely small amount of money, but back in the 1960s, it was worth a
lot more, because money inÀates as time passes.
By Catherine Deane and Justin Tam
Staff Writers
‡
Along with the gas prices exponentially rising, today’s cars are
gas-guzzlers. During the ’60s in California, 25 cents could get
you a gallon of gas. Today, gas costs a whopping $4 per gallon on
average. That’s a 1500 increase
1950s: Swing dancing was developed in the early 1940s and
perfected in the 1950s. Swing was fun, energetic, and popular
among teenagers for its crazy foot movements, occasional lifts, and
jumps A popular form of this dance was the Lindy Hop, developed
speci¿cally in the Harlem areas of New York.
‡
The $5 foot long sandwich at Subway today could have bought
you a gallon of milk for $0.95, a bottle of ketchup for $0.22, a
dozen eggs for $0.53, a bar of chocolate for $0.05, cake mix for
$0.25, and a pound of fresh sirloin steak for $0.85, all in 1965.
You’d even be left with extra money How about that for grocery
shopping?
1960s: Next to be popularized was the Twist, developed from rockand-roll. To perform this, dancers would join hands, go face-toface, twist their hips, and shufÀe their feet. This style of dance was
referenced in The Beatles’ song “Twist and Shout” It conveyed the
lively and upbeat spirit of the Turbulent ’60s.
‡
Movie tickets back then were around a dollar each, while
a ticket today wavers around $10.
‡
A brand new house would cost you $12,700, and a brand
new car sold for about $2,600
You might be wishing you were living back in the ’60s, but
think about how the minimum wage was only a mere dollar. The
next time you think of $5 as useless, think again Imagine the cost
of living 50 years from now
1970s: Disco was a product of the Counter-Culture Movement in
which many people from minority communities such as AfricanAmericans, Latinos, Gays participated. Forms of disco include the
“Bump,” “Penguin,” “Boogaloo,” “Watergate,” and the “Robot.”
This dance sparked a fashion revolution as dancers came decked out
in extravagant, glittery, and Àowery clothing.
1990s: Hip Hop was popular among the black community. It
was originally performed on the street with music coming from
a boombox. Later, it branched into styles such as “popping,”
“breakdancing,” and “locking.” This dance inÀuenced modern
dance as seen in all four “Step-Up” ¿lms. Hip Hop is for anyone
who can move to the beat while appearing to have no bones in their
bodies
By Sanika Puranik
Staff Writer
“II tthink
hink
hi
nk competition gets in the way when the end goal becomes the focus. The A is the destination, but
yoou iignore the learning along the way,” wisely observes ¿rst-year English teacher, Ms. Kate Thomas. The
you
competition surrounding high school students in their race to be accepted into an incredible college has
spiraled upward at a maddening pace. In the past relatively recent years, the standards of academic success
have risen far beyond the threshold of “normalcy.”
However, it wasn’t always like this. In the last thirty years the standards of education have skyrocketed
from their humble beginnings, clearly depicted through the change in offered math courses.
“I was in the honors math course,” recalls Mr. Bill Abb, one of Mitty’s highly esteemed math teachers
and class of 1972 graduate from Homestead High School. “I took algebra as a freshmen, geometry as
a sophomore, algebra 2 as a junior, and pre-calculus as a senior. Calculus wasn’t even offered in the
curriculum.” To put this further into perspective, in Mr. Abb’s ¿rst year of teaching at Mitty in 1980 there
were only 16 students in the newly created Calculus class, a measly number compared to the over 160
students in Calculus AB this year.
The trend of pushing for honors and AP courses is evident in all subjects available at Mitty. “How
fast can I get there?” seems to be the question on the minds of all students aiming to reach the standards
required by their coveted universities, and the level of competition amongst peers has risen accordingly.
As Mitty class of 2007 alumna, Ms. Thomas recalls, “Kids back then always wanted to know what
grade you got on a ¿nal paper, what score you received on your SAT«there were de¿nitely a lot of kids
who wanted to be considered the absolute best or the smartest or the fastest.”
As students continue to look for every possible way to put themselves ahead of their peers, and as
colleges make it that much harder to be accepted year after year, perhaps there are some lessons to be
learned from the past: there is real value in going at your own pace, and never sacri¿cing quality of
education and learning for quantity of courses or GPA points. In the long run, the education one retains and
remembers is what determines true intelligence. As the late Brother Gore once declared to Mr. Abb, “The
smartest class at Mitty was the class of 1972.”
By S
By
Sanjana
anja
an
an
naa S
Sarathy
aarrat
athy
Staff Writer
From princesses to adorable talking animals,
Di
Di
Disney
has perfected the art of keeping children
een
nt
entertained
for an hour and half. However, looking
baac in time, it’s amazing to see the development
back
and
and backgrounds of the characters, speci¿cally princcesses.
ces
es
One of the original princesses is Snow White
((1
19
(1944),
a young, beautiful girl who runs away to the
w
o
woods
in order to escape from her evil stepmother.
Stumbling upon a house of seven dwarves, she is
given the feminine duty of being their housekeeper.
Her Prince Charming is the one to determine the
princess’ ultimate fate, bringing her back to life with
a kiss.
Disney then began to move towards a more selfachieving and con¿dent role model, such as Pocahontas (1995) and Mulan (1998). Pocahontas is a
strong woman who is able to defend the life of the
man she loves, unlike Snow White and Cinderella
(1950) who have to wait for their knight-in-shiningarmor to come to the rescue.
Mulan is able to take this girl power to a whole
new level, dressing up as a man to ¿ght for her
country, proving her equality to any man. This shift
in the characteristics of the princess is due to the
need for better role models for the young female
viewers in a modern audience.
If they grew up thinking that their only role in
society is to cook and clean, and that true love could
only occur at ¿rst sight, imagine where our society
would be
Another development is the increase in the diversity of the princesses. Moving from Caucasian Snow
White and Sleeping Beauty, little girls can now look
up to Native American Pocahontas, Asian Mulan,
Arabian Jasmine, and, most recently in 2009, African American Tiana.
These developments are all wise moves on Disney’s part, allowing girls everywhere to have stronger and more diverse role models, while sticking to
the story line that people of all ages will continue to
love and cherish.
By Sydney Chiu and Rose Le
Staff Writers
Music has been around since the start of time. Over the years, catchy tunes have evolved, and new genres
have been created. But even with all this new music, many modern artists cover and incorporate portions
of old classics into their own songs.
Covers
“I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton (covered by Whitney Houston): A timeless, classic love
song that is still a hit today. Although this song is constantly referenced as a hit by the late and great
Whitney Houston, country-singer Dolly Parton actually wrote and released it in 1976, topping Billboard
Hot Country Songs twice.
Classics in Modern-Day Songs
“50 Ways to Say Goodbye” by Train and “Phantom of the Opera”: Has almost the exact same tune
as the theme song from the famous 1986 musical. Although the two songs sound incredibly similar, Train
gave a modern twist to this classic. Instead of the dark, ominous tone of organs, brass instruments were
used in the recording of the new pop song, giving it a livelier, brighter beat. The lead singer sings comical,
creative lyrics about himself, who, not wanting to tell his friends that his girlfriend dumped him, invents all
these different ways to say that she died.
By Kenny Nguyen
Staff Writer
Gothic (1140-1500): The Gothic style of architecture
Àourished during the medieval period in Europe. It is
often characterized by complex stained glass windows,
gargoyles, and distinct pillars. Originally prominent in
religious buildings such as cathedrals, churches, and
abbeys, the style was soon popularized and integrated
into buildings such as universities and town halls.
However, due to the massive weight of stone, the
buildings were often unstable.
Victorian
Vict
Vi
ctor
oriian (1840-1900):
(1
1840840--119900
00): The
Thee Vi
Th
V
Victorian
iccttoorria
i n st
style
tyl
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le of
o
architecture
arch
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hit
itecture wa
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ost pr
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in E
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ngla
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urin
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he st
styl
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eemphasized
mph
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Queen
Victoria.
The
style
wealth
an sophistication
soopph
histicaati
t on through
thrroughh its
itss unique
uuni
n qu
ni
que and
que
and fancy
fanncy designs.
fa
desi
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gns.
and
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rs off V
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mes w
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Victorian
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American Colonial (1600-1700): The American Colonial
style was introduced to the continent as the result of the
culmination of many unique styles of architecture. The
outcome was a form unique to North America. This style is
often described as simple, yet elegant, with its steep roofs and
plain whitewashed walls. One can still see many examples of
this style of architecture at the Ivy League schools on the east
coast, where it originally developed.
20th
200th Century
Cen
C
entu
tury
ry (1919-Present):
((19119--Present
nt)): The 20th Century sty
style
tylle iiss
marked
maark
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sseveral
everral co
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uch as m
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m
and
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Modernism
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mphaasiizees the fu
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demonstrated
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Frank
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gh
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esig
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Megan Baggett
If you are lacking inspiration, what do you do to
spark your imagination?
I listen to music and try to
come up with something more
conceptual based off of the
lyrics.
What comes to mind when you think of
"perspective?"
I think of different angles that an image can be
captured from, or unique concepts.
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perceive the world?
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Julia Borello
Staff Writer
Monarch Photography
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The immediate mood given off by the monochromatic image of this coastal community is calmness
and tranquility. Upon closer inspection, however,
one can see the decidedly urban buildings creeping into the background. Harshly cutting into the
landscape, they juxtapose the more natural, integrated shacks which tuck neatly and organically
along the opposite shore. Like the clouds subtly drifting over the mountains, urbanization is
slowly becoming an inevitable reality all around
the world. Some see this as a positive change,
while others feel threatened by its encroachment
on and replacement of nature. What is most imSRUWDQW WKRXJK LV ÀQGLQJ WKH EDODQFH EHWZHHQ
preservation and progress. Both the old and the
new are important in their own way, as evident
by the eclectic mixture of urban and organic that
will continue to unfold throughout our lifetime.
Amanda Le
Staff Writer
Ethan Han
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Hannah Urrutia
Hannah Urrutia
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the movement from traditional to contemporary
Natalie Manibo
Carlisle Micallef
Chloe Stevens
Edward Bell
Justice Awareness
Profiles in Justice
Spotlight on:
Nathan Rodgers
Rasika Raghavan and Brianna Mims
Staff Writers
For all Mitty students, it is a requirement to serve 20 hours each
year. However, senior Nathan Rodgers has dedicated additional
amounts of his time to Loaves and Fishes, an organization he
enjoys serving as a volunteer leader.
What is Loaves and Fishes and what do you do there?
Located in East San Jose, Loaves and Fishes is a non-pro¿t
kitchen in which families, the homeless, and seniors are served
free hot meals. Nathan volunteers at the St. Maria Goretti Kitchen
where he assists in setting up dinner and guiding other volunteers.
“When they walk in I have them sign in and either send them in
to help the cooks or set up the hall,” says Nathan.
People who need additional assistance also go to Nathan, who
introduces them to other non-pro¿t organizations and programs.
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As a freshman, he wanted a more interactive and inspirational
service experience,so he put some thought into ¿nding an
organization he would enjoy participating in. This process
led him to ¿nd Loaves and Fishes, and for four years he has
participated in this organization.
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After only one day, Nathan returned to Loaves and Fishes
because the volunteer staff and the cooks were so welcoming.
Besides enjoying time with the staff, Nathan explains that the
highlight of his day is having conversations with the people he
helps. When the meal is served, he gets to walk around and talk
to all the kids, families, and adults that are always happy to talk
about their day. His favorite memory from volunteering at Loaves
and Fishes was last Christmas: the singing of carols, a visit from
Santa, gifts for every kid, and true Christmas spirit. It reminded
Nathan of how much he has bonded and helped
these people through his volunteering.
M.A.P. Corner
Mitty Advocacy Project Update
Nikita Dandia
Staff Writer
With California being one of the worst states regarding Human Traf¿cking, MAP has been working with Congresswoman
=oe Lofgren as members of the Bay Area Anti-Human Traf¿cking
Coalition.
Katherine Krist, president of MAP, states, “We’re one of the
few youth groups on this panel and will be working closely with
her of¿ce to ¿nd ways to increase awareness.”
Recently, students also met with the District Attorney of
California, the leading Sgt. of Oakland and San Jose’s Human
Traf¿cking Squads and the author of Proposition 35 at the Stanford
Coalition Meeting discussing the implications of Proposition 35.
During the election last month, Proposition 35 passed, extending
the sentencing time for human traf¿ckers within California, and
increasing the amount of money a victim can receive in damages
and restitutions.
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On February 2, MAP will be hosting their biggest event of
the year, the Youth Advocacy Leadership Conference. Multiple
breakout sessions will be held by a variety of speakers about the
issues MAP will be taking up in the next legislative year, how to
advocate, and how one can get involved in politics beyond high
school.
A Fight for Equality in Education
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Leanna Syrimis
Staff Writer
On October 9, 2012, the Taliban attempted to murder Malala Yousafzai, a ¿fteen-year-old Pakistani schoolgirl, simply for asserting her right to an education. Malala was shot in the neck and head on her way home
from school, and was later transported to Birmingham, England, for treatment, where she is still in recovery.
Malala, who began her activism at age eleven, has faced many threats to her health and safety from the
Taliban due to her belief in a woman’s right to education; however, she is unfazed in the face of adversity.
Unfortunately, instances like the attempt on Malala’s life are not unique in the area: almost 100 attacks
on schools, students, and teachers have occurred this year alone. However, Malala’s ¿ghting spirit has not
only become a symbol for women’s rights to education, but a source of hope for women around the world
searching for empowerment.
Many Middle Eastern women are beginning to more adamantly demand equal opportunities in education, but are faced with obstacles, resistance, and even oppression by their own governments. In Pakistan,
not even 30 of primary or secondary schools extend enrollment to women and girls. Similarly, the Iranian
government has recently banned women from participating in many university major programs. In Saudi
Arabia, the government’s extremely gender-segregated schooling system provides only poor and minimal
education to women and ggirls. Iraqi women face similar obstacles, as
well as the widespread poverty which prevents most parents from
sending their daughters
daughte to school.
However, in other
ot
Middle Eastern areas, including Palestine, Jordan, Israel, and Egypt, the trends in women’s education
have been, as in the United States, encouraging: enrollment has
increased, and wom
women are beginning to outnumber and even
outscore men at all levels of education.
To help spread this progress, women are stepping up, and
groups and non-government organizations have
many religious grou
hundreds of schools in an effort to improve litmanaged to open hun
eracy and education for women. The Pakistani government has
open many more in honor of Malala’s struggle
also pledged to op
and sacri¿ce.
Malala’s story is merely one of many in the
Clearly, M
universal education in a changing world, indicating
¿ght for unive
a growing mo
movement toward equality that is long overdue.
As her friends
friend and family proclaim, “[Malala] has stood
by us and fo
for our education up to now, and now it is time
that we sho
should stand by her and complete her mission.”
IIn its Millennium Goals, the U.N. declared
that as a global community, we can achieve unive
versal education by 2015. With young Malala’s
co
courageous example, we can come together
as a global community to strive for justice
an
and equality in the classroom and provide a
bbrighter future for young people all over the
world, men aand
nd
women alike.
Explosion of Violence in Burma
Brenan Balbido
Muslims. Days later, ethnic Rakhine Buddhists killed
Staff Writer
ten Muslims, on the questionable assumption that the
On October 24, Htun Thein Àed the town of culprits were amongst the group. However, the susKyaukpyu by boat along with his sister-in-law and pected culprits were in jail at the time. A week later,
hundreds of other Rohingya Muslims. The destination a large number of Rohingya Muslims burned houses
was Sittwe, the capital of the Rakhine state and home in Bohmu village, an event widely considered to be
to refugee camps.
the beginning of the tragic 2012 Rakhine State Riots.
As Htun claimed, the boats came to a stop at
Myanmar has 800,000 Rohingya Muslims,
the instruction of the national navy, and the refugees about 100,000 of whom have been displaced by
were told to turn around. Because the group had the violence. So far, more than 4,600 houses have
meager supplies,
been burned. The
three children and
casualty count is
perhaps even twin
disputed. A June
newborns died of
statement by Tun
malnutrition on the
Khin of the Burway back (whether
mese Rohingya
or not the newOrganization UK
borns existed is
claims that the
unclear).
conÀict had taken
The Rakhine
650 Muslim castate is located
sualties. In conalong the western
trast, a November
coast of Myanmar,
article from The
a country to the
Daily Times (based
east of Bangladesh
in Pakistan) attriand to the west of
butes 180 deaths
Vietnam (before
to the riots.
A Burmese refugee and family seek escape.
1989, Myanmar
For reflecwas called Burtion, ask yourself
ma). Currently, the Rakhine state is the site of violence how you can make a difference in the lives of others,
between a Buddhist majority and an Islamic minority. even to those halfway around the world, like Htun
What caused the conÀict? About half a year Thein. Although the answer may be daunting, I urge
ago, a group of men raped and murdered a Rakhine you to follow through by both better informing yourwoman. Locals claimed the culprits were Rohingya self and sharing what you learn with others.
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Mitty Recycling Rumor Debunked
Catherine Gong and Sankar Srinivasan
rinivasan
Staff Writers
A rumor that sometimes circulates amongg students
is that Mitty does not always separate the recycling
cycling
from the trash. In an effort to rectify any doubts,
bts, we
asked several key ¿gures involved in the program
m what
the real truth is.
Frank Medrano, part of our maintenancee
f
fstaff on campus, ¿rst pointed out the two different cans he had—one for garbage and one
for recycling. “Honestly,” he said, “I try my
best to do my part and separate the trash from
recycling. If I see a stack of papers in the trash,
I will put them in with the recyclables.”
e.
Mr. Helmer shed more light on the issue.
ur
As our Chief Financial Of¿cer, he oversees our
facilities and maintenance crews. Mr. Helmer
er
ut
had never heard about the rumor himself, but
explained that Mitty’s recycling program has been
in effect for several years.
The school began to switch from single barrel
carts to the more ef¿cient dual barrel trash carts
three to four years ago. The dual barrel cart, which
is what Frank uses, makes it easier to separate trash
odians
from recycling. However, not all of the custodians
have switched over to the dual barrels, making it Frank Medrano, maintenance staff
dif¿cult to separate trash from recycling. But when Mr. (left) and Mr. Helmer, CFO (right)
The Dandelion Project
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Laura Cervantes
Staff Writer
Changing the way
things are isn’t always the easiest thing in the
world. But when you have the drive and passion to do so, you
can help hundreds. And that’s exactly what members of the Mandarin
club aim to do with the Dandelion Project. The Dandelion Project is based off
of the efforts of the Dandelion School in Beijing, China. They work to provide an
education to those who could not otherwise afford one. The idea to bring this project to
Mitty sprouted last year when senior Stephen Kwok went on Ethics Culture and Justice:
China (ECJ) last summer, where they visited the Dandelion School. Stephen recalls: “We
spent a day at the school helping teach the students. I was really touched by how eager the
students were to go to school and how optimistic they were about their lives, despite the fact
that most were unlikely to even make it to high school. However, I saw hope for each and
every one of them.” Through the Dandelion Project, Mandarin Club members such as Stephen
hope to collect much needed school supplies to donate to the Dandelion School in Beijing. In
donating, we fuel the dreams of these children; we give them something to hope for. The goal
is that the Dandelion Project become an annual drive, so that each year supplies are being
donated. We can each take small steps toward a collective goal. Making a difference in
the lives of these children is as simple as donating school supplies, something we take
for granted. The Dandelion Project exempli¿es how much impact we can have. As
Stephen so well put it, “the only thing anyone can ask for is a chance. After
all, all the talent in the world is meaningless when you don’t have the
opportunity to put it on display.”
He
Helmer talked to one of the crew with a single barrel cart, he nonetheless used two
se
separate bags to differentiate. Though Mr. Helmer believes the rumor to be false, he
wi
will nevertheless look into getting all the custodians the more ef¿cient dual barrel carts.
In addition, he encourages us as students to use the trash and recycling cans properly
to ease the workload of the maintenance crew.
Mr. Accorsi highlighted a key point on the same issue. As the previous moderator of the green club, he details how often students “just throw recyclables in the
trash.” He explained how a survey of Mitty recycling would show just how commonly this occurs.
Yet the current green club has a slightly different take on the issue. They argued
how the common belief that “Mitty doesn’t really recycle” is in fact a self-ful¿lling
prophecy, as it fosters passivity towards recycling. The green club takes active strides
in ¿xing the issue by raising awareness on what is recyclable. Ultimately, they stress
th
the importance for students to not only recycle properly at Mitty, but to carry these
sa
same environmentally-sound habits with them outside of campus.
Teens in Tatters
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Manasi Patwa
Staff Writer
After lengthy examinations during school and tiring sports practices, students yearn for
the comfort and warmth of their home. Most of the people we know are fortunate enough
to have a place they call home—so every teenager probably lives in the same situation,
right?
Think Again.
In San Jose, 601 youths under the age of twenty-four, 15 of the city’s total homeless
population, were homeless in 2011. In just two years, from 2009 to 2011, the number of
homeless teenagers almost doubled. But as these numbers climb, the number of resources
available fails to follow suit. These statistics powerfully suggest that teenage homelessness
is indeed an important issue of our time as more and more teens have nowhere to go and
are forced to live in an unsafe environment.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) offers two main courses of
action in order to lower the teenage homeless population of San Jose: ef¿cient forms of
temporary shelter and proper methods of obtaining data. The organization urges the city of
San Jose and its residents to formulate systems of “crisis response”—effectively dealing
with teens and their various situations.
Second, the NAEH explains the necessity for better methods of gathering information
related to homeless teens. By doing so, the government can more effectively decide how
to cope with the growing issue of teen homelessness.
While improvement seems dif¿cult, more organizations are sprouting up across the
Bay Area, ready to assist homeless teens. The Bill Wilson Center offers shelter and counseling services for youth aged eleven to seventeen—a much-needed boon to the homeless teenagers of San Jose. The Sobrato House offers overnight shelter and is a source of
information for homeless and at-risk youth. An increased sense of awareness among the
members of our community is paving the way for more and better resources to prevent
teenage homelessness and guide those suffering under it.
Change
g can only
y be achieved when we take concrete steps
p towards eradicating
g teenage homelessness; if the necessary actions are
performed, we will no doubt see progress
at our very doorstep.
Handling Horseplay:
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Natali Knight
Staff Writer
Cavalia is the equestrian performance that is all the rave with horse and acrobatics
lovers alike. This thrilling and moving team of aerialists and majestic white stallions and
geldings have traveled to venues in large cities across the country. According to founder
Normand Latourelle of his company’s philosophy, “The horses in this show only do the
things a horse would do in nature. A horse has to stay a horse. This is not a machine.”
The company’s staff is intuitive to the feelings of these gentle giants. Horses are given
two hours for play each day
and train for only one hour on average. They are
fed grain, hay, and carrots four times a day. No
horse makeup is applied to cover imperfections
on their coats, rather artistic lighting is used to
make them appear radiantly white. In addition,
the horses receive ample rest between performances
and long vacations during relocations of the company’s site. Finally, Cavalia horses are never handled
aggressively or viciously; a horse will never be
pushed beyond its comfort zone. In fact, it is not
uncommon during a performance for one to break from the pre-choreographed routine.
Trainers uphold the company’s philosophy by adapting to the horses whim, allowing it
the freedom of expression, never forcing it to submission. Clearly, Cavalia is a supporter
of animal rights.
By comparison, other circuses seem like a relic of a barbaric age of cruelty. Just last
year, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was forced to pay the largest ¿ne
in US circus history: $270,000. By beating their animals, causing the death of a lion and
a baby elephant, and forcing lame elephants to perform despite searing chronic pain, the
circus violated the Animal Welfare Act, which was introduced in 2007. In a stark contrast to how Cavalia’s animals are treated, Ringling animal trainers may use whips and
steel-tipped bullhooks to control their animals.
At this moment, Massachusetts is taking the
initiative to pass legislation banning bullhooks.
As awareness of animal abuse in circuses
is growing, other states need to follow Massachusetts’ example in eliminating violence
and instead providing animals with the respect
they deserve.
SPORTS
Fall Sports Wrap-Up Successful 2012 Season
By Cherie Cole, Stephen Kwok, Erik Chu,
and Cameron Schott
Staff Writer and Sports Editors
Field Hockey
The Women’s Field Hockey team raised another banner
with a CCS title. After the Monarchs ¿nished the regular
season with a 14-3-2 record, they entered the postseason with
a championship on their mind.
In the ¿rst round of CCS, Mitty defeated Lynbrook 4-0;
however, the next round was much tougher. The Monarchs
were deadlocked in a 1-1 tie with Gilroy in the semi-¿nals
and after two overtimes the game went into penalty shots.
After two rounds, Mitty ¿nally prevailed and advanced to
face league rival Los Gatos in the ¿nals.
Los Gatos was the only team to defeat the Monarchs
in league play, but Mitty was looking for revenge. After a
goal from senior Agustina Singh early in the second half,
the Monarchs played stellar defense to hang on and capture
their ¿fth CCS title.
“Field hockey took over my life and I wouldn’t have
wanted it any other way,” said senior goalie Amy Crawford.
“This team is my family and we fought to leave a legacy and
accomplished that by winning the CCS title.”
Women’s Volleyball
The Mitty Women’s Volleyball team dominated throughout the regular season and has proceeded to cruise through
postseason play.
The Monarchs ¿nished the
hee regular sea
season undefeated
while capturing tournament vic
victories
icto
ic
tori
ries
e iin
es
n tthe Archbishop
Mitty Invitational, Panther Challenge, Stockton
Stock Classic, and
Santa Barbara Tournament of Ch
Champions. They
only dropped a combined six se
sets in the regular
season en route to a 29-0 regular season record.
Their
only hiccup
occurred in the
¿nals of the Santa
¿n
Barbara Tournament
Barba
of Cham
Champions when the
Monarchs fa
faced off against
Marymount. Mitty dropped
the ¿rst two se
sets 23-25, 24-26,
Senior
but the Mona
Monarchs rebounded
Allie
to win the nex
next three sets 30Wheeler
28, 25-22, 15
15-4.
Postseason play has
Postse
different for the
been no di
Monarchs. Mitty swept
Monarchs
through the
t WCAL playwithout dropping a
offs with
set. They
The proceeded to
defeat Cupertino, St.
Francis,
Francis and Los Gatos
to take home a CCS
title.
Mitty now has their sights set on their ninth state championship and their third national title. The Monarchs are
currently the 2nd best team in the nation according to the
;cellent 25 rankings from Maxpreps.com.
“My expectations for the rest of the season are that we
continue to improve and work hard each and every day and
stay focused and determined
ned on the court,
court,” said WCAL Player
of the Year Anne Marie Schmidt.
Junior
Mitty defeated Pleasant
ant Valley
Kyle
Evans
and Los Lomas to advance
nce to the
NorCal ¿nals, and is now
ow only
one win away from a state
championship.
Football
The Football team
m
had a solid campaign off
its own by qualifying forr
the CCS Open Divisionn
playoffs.
After a 7-3 regular season record, the Monarchs weree awarded
the seventh seed in the prestigious
Open Division that features
res the best
teams in the CCS. Mitty
y faced an
undefeated Oak Grove team in the
¿rst round, but dominated
d the game in
an easy 24-0 victory. It was
as Mitty’s ¿rst
shutout of the season, with the defense
holding an explosive Oakk Grove offense
to just 121 yards.
With this win, Mitty
tty was able to
advance to the semi-¿nals
nals against St.
Ignatius. The game was tight with a 1010 score at halftime, but the Monarchs fell short when St.
Ignatius scored on their ¿nal drive to win 25-22. Although
this is not how the Monarchs wanted to end their season, it
was a successful year altogether.
Cross-Country
The Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country teams put
together impressive seasons once again. The Women’s team
built on their 3rd-place ¿nish in the CCS Finals last year and
absolutely dominated this season. The team took ¿rst place
in each of its WCAL meets and entered the CCS Finals as
heavy favorites. They proceeded to make quick work of the
competition and captured the CCS title, with the 2nd place
team a distant 36 points behind. The Monarchs certainly
demonstrated their depth as all seven runners placed in the
top 31. Senior Molly Haar, who took 5th individually, then led
the team to a 13th place ¿nish at the California State Finals.
After sending only two individuals to the CCS Finals
last season, the men demonstrated vast improvement and
quali¿ed to participate as a complete seven-man team. In a
strong showing, the Monarchs took home a respectable 7th
place ¿nish. Senior Richard Guzikowski led the way and
took 16th overall individually.
NCAA Signing Day
Water Polo
Under new head coach Aaron Waldrip and strong senior
leadership, the Women’s Water Polo team enjoyed one its best
seasons in recent memory. The team amassed an impressive
16-11 overall record and quali¿ed for the CCS Division I
playoffs.
In CCS play, the Monarchs put together a strong performan
mance and defeated Gunn High School in a tight game, 10-8.
How
However, in the semi-¿nals, the Monarchs lost a close match
11-7 to the eventual CCS champion, St. Francis.
Through their great success this season, the Monarchs
have proven to others in the region that they are a force to
be rreckoned with.
The Men’s Water Polo team was solid as well. The team’s
seas
season was highlighted with a strong showing in the Moraga
Tou
Tournament, where Mitty won three of its four games.
Women’s Golf
The Women’s Golf team had another good year and
quali¿ed for the CCS playoffs for a second consecutive
qua
season. After a 5th place ¿nish in WCAL play, the Monarchs
seas
followed with an 8th place ¿nish in CCS.
follo
“Having my last year, I couldn’t have asked for a better
team,” said senior
team
nior Dani Aiello. “Even on our worst days we
were there to support
wer
upport each other and always pushed ourselves
to do
d our best.”
.”
Women’s Tennis
For the past
ast decade, the Women’s Tennis team has been
the dominant force in the Bay Area, and the 2012 season
was no different.
ent.
Sophomore Catalina Rico
The Monarchs
archs
completed another
com
other
undefeated seaund
son in the WCAL
en route to their
heir
seventh straight
ig
g ht
WCAL title.
The girls accumulated a dominating
ating 20-3
overall record,
d, leading
to their eighth straight CCS
appearance.
In CCS play,
ay, Mitty cruised early on, but
icipated semi¿nal matchin a highly anticipated
chs’ great season came to
a
up, the Monarchs’
disappointing end when they lost to
St. Francis in
n an extremely close
match, 8-10.
Despite this
his tough loss, senior Kennedyy Davis remained
positive.
“ We h a d a g r e a t
season,”said Davis, “I’m sad
that this is my last year playing
for Mitty, but I’m glad to be
leaving with such amazing friendships.”
s.”
By Cameron Schott and Erik Chu
Sports Editors
The NCAA early signing period marks a new beginning for these aspiring athletes. Their
special talents have been recognized by these ¿ne athletic and academic institutions. For these
seniors, it not only af¿rms a successful high school career, but also signals a new chapter of
their athletic endeavors. All of their hard work culminates in this one, very important decision.
We hope to see all of these talented athletes continue their triumphs into the next levels.
Women’s Softball
Women’s Crew
Catherine Callaway, Harvard University
Ashley Chestnut, UC San Diego
Kiersten Nordin, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Shelby Schwerm, UC Berkeley
Women’s Volleyball
Caitlyn Hipsher, George Mason University
Women’s Sand Volleyball
Alexandra Wheeler, USC
Women’s Basketball
Emily Dinger, Brown University
D’Andree Galipeau, Academy of Art
Vanessa Garner, New Mexico State
Kalyn Simon, University of San Francisco
Women’s Tennis
Kennedy Davis, San Diego State
Photo courtesy of Kiersten Nordin
Recently signed athletes join together on November 14 to celebrate their decisions.
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Women’s Basketball
Photo courtesy of Mr. Luie Lopez
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By Jordan Scott
Staff Writer
The Archbishop Mitty Women’s Basketball team’s magical
season ended last year with a Division II State Championship
victory over JW North of Riverside. The team ¿nished with a
28-5 record, took WCAL, CCS, NorCal, and State titles, and
ranked 16th in the country. Can it happen again this season?
Senior D’Andree Galipeau is hopeful about the upcoming year, but realizes that “losing three seniors that were very
talented obviously changes the team.”
However, this year’s squad hopes to bring cohesive team
chemistry to another successful season.
Senior Kalyn Simon will be expected to contribute with her
outstanding speed, scoring, passing, and defensive skills. Point
guard Vanessa Garner will return after leading the team in assists
and Emily Dinger’s stellar shooting should play a factor as well.
Head Coach Sue Phillips, who enters her 21st year of coaching at Mitty, states that she expects her new seniors to step-up
both on and off the court.
Junior Kelli Hayes will be called on to continue her out-
Women’s Soccer
Photo courtesy of Mr. Luie Lopez
standing play from last season. Her post-season awards included
the California All-State Girls Basketball Team (Honorable
Mention) in MaxPreps and The San Jose Mercury News’ Player
of the Year. Her versatility enables her to play or defend any
position on the court.
Coach Phillips believes this will be “a promising season,
with a great mix of talent, experience, and youth. The newcomers will be the ‘X’ factor.”
The pre-season will again prove to be a daunting challenge
for the Monarchs, with games against Bishop O’Dowd, currently
ranked 1 in the nation, and powerhouses St. Mary’s (Stockton)
and St. Mary’s (Berkeley).
The team has been invited to play in the prestigious Nike
Tournament of Champions in Phoenix, Arizona, where they will
face many of the best teams in the country. “These challenging
games will be the stepping-stones to future success later in the
season,” added Coach Phillips.
The Monarchs are favored to defend their WCAL regular
season and tournament titles. They start the preseason ranked
2 in NorCal and 4 in the State by Cal High Sports.
actually a trait that can be coached, but rather lies within every
coach and athlete.
“I think what will lead us to success this year is our passion, and will to compete,” says returning senior Connor Kurze.
“Every player loves the game, and so do our coaches. We want to
win so badly that we will do whatever it takes to be successful.”
Last year, Kurze not only led the team in goal scoring,
but was also one of the top goal scorers in the WCAL. He was
recognized as the Junior of the Year by The San Jose Mercury
News and was named to the All-WCAL First Team.
Star mid¿elders Andres Ochoa and Eric Espinoza return
after spectacular sophomore seasons. Ochoa was named last
year’s WCAL Mid¿elder of the Year while Espinoza made the
All-WCAL Second Team.
The Monarchs are stellar between the posts as well, with
goalie Ryan Foo returning for his senior season.
After Christmas break, league play really heats up. Notable
home matches include Jan. 8 against St. Francis, and February
6th against cross-town rivals Bellarmine. With a strong returning
core, the team looks forward to another successful year.
By Tyler Gray
Staff Writer
It seemingly cannot get any better for Archbishop Mitty’s
Women’s Soccer team. The Monarchs are coming off of a 201-4 record, back-to-back Central Coast Section championships,
and a national ranking. The upcoming season is one in which
the Monarchs will try to repeat their recent success.
After losing leading scorer Ana Marija Sola to graduation, it will be up to returning players such as Hannah Reed,
Gabrielle Vargas, and Ashley Kirchick to usher in a new age
of dominance.
The only new honor that Mitty may look to achieve is
removing the “co” after being crowned CCS co-champions.
Last year the Monarchs shared the title with Aragon after a
thrilling 2-2 tie that included a goal by Stephanie Rebagliati
in the ¿nal minute of overtime.
“Our goal for the season is simple—win and win as a
team,” said Reed. “We are going to work hard on building
our team unity and becoming a bigger powerhouse than in the
past few years.”
Photo courtesy of Mr. Luie Lopez
Senior Tyler Gray sets up a play
Men’s Soccer
By Brian Consiglio
Staff Writer
Mitty’s Men’s Soccer team looks to start off the 2012-2013
campaign the same way they ¿nished the last one: winning.
Last winter the Monarchs were crowned WCAL playoff
champions after a victorious 1-0 thriller, taking down their cross
town rivals, St. Francis, in the championship game.
They ¿nished their season with an impressive 15-7-2 record,
and in the top ten of the CCS standings.
This year the squad has a dozen returning players, including
a very strong and deep senior class.
“We de¿nitely have a very talented group of guys, and it
will be interesting to see how we take our individual talent and
come together as a uni¿ed team,” says head coach Cesar Sanchez.
In just his 3rd year as head coach, Coach Sanchez has revamped the program into one that is in the running not just for
league titles, but sectional titles, year after year. His ability to
connect with his players inspires them to put forth a valiant effort
each and every time they step on the pitch.
However, the most crucial key to success for this team is not
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will include even more challenges.
This year they intend to exceed last year’s success with a
truly unforgettable season. In a tough non-conference schedule,
Mitty will play nationally-ranked Prestonwood Christian, Fort
Bend Travis, and Salesian.
Kennedy will lead a group that lost ¿ve seniors, four of which
were starters, with a very determined and focused run through
their 2012-2013 schedule.
When asked about the upcoming season, Gordon said, “Our
success thrives off of great team defense and hard work.”
According to Gordon and many other players, the key for
this season is to ride their team chemistry and defense in order
to reach another championship.
Kennedy and the Monarchs feel that last year’s outcome was
very rewarding, but now they have a target on their backs. They
are the hunted, and they feel that they must surpass this year’s
expectations to be successful.
Archbishop Mitty prides itself on having a very disciplined
and hard-working team. These characteristics will be crucial to
sustaining excellence not only throughout this season, but also
for many seasons to come.
Men’s Basketball
By Jorge Rodriguez
Staff Writer
This upcoming fall, the Archbishop Mitty Basketball team
will go for its third consecutive state championship victory, trying
to continue its basketball dominance in California.
Coached by Tim Kennedy and led by current senior Aaron
Gordon, the Monarchs ended last season with a 31-3 overall
record as they grabbed their second consecutive state championship with a 78-57 win over the Mavericks of La Costa Canyon.
In an outstanding junior year, the nationally recognized Gordon averaged 22.9 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. Gordon,
ESPN’s No. 7 overall recruit in the Class of 2013, is a blue-chip
prospect whose skills have attracted the attention of nationalpowerhouses such as Kentucky, Washington, and Arizona.
Gordon, with the help of experienced senior leaders and
talented underclassmen, once again plans to reign over their
division and the state of California.
However, this year is dramatically different from last year
with the addition of an open division. The open division will be
for teams from any division, any section, and regardless of enrollment. As a result, the path to the championship for the Monarchs
Photo courtesy of Mr. Luie Lopez
Junior Andres Ochoa battles for the ball.
Although the Monarchs are losing their top player in scoring and assists, they feel as if their experience and leadership
will help them continue their success. No one player is going
to overshadow another, and the Monarchs will play as a true
team in the upcoming season.
They also realize what success means. Success means
being the target of every other school in the area. Finishing as
the fourth ranked team in the country will certainly bring a lot
of attention to their upcoming season.
“We are de¿nitely the team to beat this year so we have a
huge target on our backs,” Reed added. “But that’s what makes
us better. The competition and the need to protect our title means
we are out for blood and we will for sure be dominating the
season and ending it with a raised banner.”
This level of con¿dence and tenacity is what the team will
rely on throughout the grueling season. They are the epitome
of a team in every way, and wish to carry over the success of
previous years into another dominant season.
The team’s goal is simple: to win and bring even more
championships to Archbishop Mitty.
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Music for Hearts members perform at the San Tomas Convalescent Hospital.
By Pei-Ling Lee & Katie Ericksen
Staff Writers
Before a growing crowd of elders at the Villa Fontana Retirement home on October
28, a group of Archbishop Mitty High School students performed a concert that included
an eclectic mix, from classical hits like the “Pathetique” Sonata by Beethoven to contemporary songs like Demi Lovato’s “Skyscraper” and OneRepublic’s “Secret.” However,
this opportunity to perform in front of a grateful audience would not be possible without
the Music for Hearts club.
Last year, seniors Sarah Tsou, Pratyusha Javangula, Jeemin Kwon, and Elena Georgieva
decided to create this new club. With Ms. Amie Jan as its moderator, this club is designed
to allow students to perform and appreciate music with their peers and with elders from
senior centers around Silicon Valley.
Senior Jeemin Kwon states, “The reason we started this club with the others was that
we wanted to create a group in which people could perform and appreciate music in a safe
environment, while being of service to others.”
The club’s purpose, she continues, is to reach out to others using the universal medium
of music. Students can perform pieces of their choice and can socialize with the elderly in
their community. After performing, members spend another hour talking to the residents at
the retirement home about everything from musical interests to their life experiences and
political views. This gives students an enriching outlet to receive Christian Service hours.
The club also conveniently presents the opportunity for all students with an interest in
performing music to participate, but one certainly does not have to be a musical prodigy
to join. Additionally, students who sing or play virtually any instrument can join.
Co-founder senior Elena Georgieva remarks, “We have students singing and playing practically any instrument. We have pianists, singers, violinists, guitarists, Àutists...
drummers... practically every instrument.” As for the performances themselves, the only
requirement is that the pieces are respectful to the audience, and that they have been well
prepared. Students may choose anything from solo selections to duet or group ensembles.
Even though completing Christian service hours is an obvious bene¿t of the club,
sophomore Nicolas Kuo says his favorite part is just being able to go and play music with
friends. “During meetings, while we practice, sometimes other people will randomly join
in on us... or we will just suddenly throw a song together, and it actually sounds good.”
These impromptu “jam sessions” attest to the fact that the members have a genuine love
for creating and performing music.
Senior Pratyusha Javangula describes her pride in the club, saying, “I think my
favorite part of the club would have to be the rehearsals, because I am constantly amazed
at how much musical talent we have in the Mitty community. I brighten knowing that
there are such amazing musicians and people at Mitty, and that I’ve been blessed with the
opportunity to work with them.”
The club anticipates that it will continue to expand and develop into a well-respected
service organization both on and off campus. However, a more intimate goal of Music for
Hearts is to help build the skill of its members.
Senior Sarah Tsou explains, “We hope that we will be able to develop the musical
talents of our members, helping them to not only build musical repertoire, but also performance experience and con¿dence in an atmosphere that is both fun and service-oriented.”
Music for Hearts provides much needed opportunities for musicians to share their
talents with their peers and branch out to perform for members of the greater Silicon Valley
community, speci¿cally senior citizens. Furthermore, it creates a music-oriented environment in which musicians can test out new styles. Ultimately, for those who love music,
this club is an ideal way to get involved on campus and in the community.
For more information, please email: [email protected]
STUDENT CENTE(RED)
#PPKG<JCPI
By Pooja Patel & Kushal Singh
Staff Writers
Talented sophomore Annie Zhang blew away some of the most critically acclaimed galleries in the nation
at the 2012 American Art Awards with her paintings. Submitting two pieces amongst the work of professionals,
adults, and college students, she was surprised to ¿nd herself with two victories: third place in Religious and
Spiritual and sixth place in Political Commentary.
The American Art Awards was the ¿rst national competition
ompetition that Annie has ever participated in, making this
achievement even more memorable. She notes, “It was an honor to be recognized on such a large scale. This
competition gave me more con¿dence in my abilities and proved that my work is appreciated
not just by my friends and family, but also by other people.
eople. And
as an artist, that is all I could ever ask for.”
For inspiration, Annie points to her experience
at Mitty, which has served as the subject of several
of her art pieces. One such artwork is “Awakening Faith,” which was inÀuenced by the freshman
theme of awakening and self-discovery. This piece
captures a young girl, surrounded by a mosaic of
colors, resembling the stain-glassed windows of
Mitty’s chapel.
Though she admits that she is sometimes subject
to “artist’s block,” she has never stopped loving to
create art. “Ever since I was little, I loved to doodle,”
she recalls. “When I wake up, I am always anxious
to start a new project or ¿nish the one I was already
working on.”
Even at an early age, Annie was recognized by
y
her community as a talented artist. Guided by severall
mentors, she has become more comfortable with her
artistic abilities.
Currently, her artwork only revolves around realism, portraying subjects without embellishment or interpretation. However, in the future, she hopes to expand her artistic horizons by experimenting with impressionism
and surrealism. Not only that, but she also plans on undertaking different creative mediums, such as acrylic.
Regardless of which medium or theme she uses though, the vibrancy of life is a unifying theme in all of her
artwork. Through her paintings, she wants “to convey a concept, message, or theme.” It is with that sole purpose
that motivates her to continue drawing and painting. She adds, “We rush too much through our daily activities,
so I enjoy using bright colors to capture the richness of life in a single moment.”
For Annie, through her current experiences, her art serves to inspire other students at school. Among
her many contributions, she has also started a new Animation section in the AMHS Robotics Team. With her
pro¿ciency in graphic design, she has helped create Mitty minutes and will, later in the school year, enter in
animation competitions.
Annie Zhang is truly an inspiration to all Mitty students through her determination to think outside the box
and explore new ideas—a quality which has resulted in her continuing success. As she puts it, “There is only one
way to make progress: with passion, and without the fear of failure. Everything else will fall into place after that.”
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Archbishop Mitty High School
5000 Mitty Way,
San Jose, CA 95129
The Monarch is published for the students,
faculty, and parents of Archbishop Mitty High School.