Recruited

Paly athletes head for a new home

Spotlight, A6-A7

The Campanile
Palo Alto High School
Palo Alto Senior High School 50 Embarcadero Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94301

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Since 1918

Vol. XC, No. 8 http://voice.paly.net Monday, April 14, 2008

Staff vote to decide schedule

NEWS
Sneak peek at
Earth Week
Earth week to promote Administration anticipates final decision on bell schedule for the upcoming school year
environmental awareness at By Nolan Wong year’s current second semester bell The decisions were made based schedule options back to the table for “We took off the option for a
Paly. PAGE A3 Staff Writer schedule for the entire year, which on a two-thirds majority vote among the 2009-10 school year.” four day block schedule for next year
Many Palo Alto High School includes block days on Wednesday staff members. The first and second proposed because we feel strongly that the teach-
certified staff members formally and Thursday and a late start at 8:15 “So basically the possible options schedules start school later at 8:15 ers would need some professional
OPINION voted on Apr. 11 for modifications a.m. on Wednesday. for next year’s schedule are: the cur- a.m., but the second proposed schedule development in order to modify their
to the bell schedule for the 2008-09 Paly staff members will also rent second semester schedule, the cur- includes a blocked seventh period on lessons,” Mullins said. “We wouldn’t
PAPD expansion school year. decide on potential modifications rent schedule without a seventh period
block, the first proposed schedule or
Wednesdays.
The third and fourth proposed
be able to provide an opportunity for
them to do that until next year.”
Director of Student Activities separately, including a late start for
unnecessary Allison Mullins said staff members every day of the week and a blocked the second proposed schedule,” Mul- schedules that were made in January
See SCHEDULE, Page A3
chose whether or not to keep this seventh period. lins said. “We may bring the different were not considered.
Police department expan-

One act,
sion should target areas in
need. PAGE A8
RIGHT: Tom Mark,
SPORTS “Business Lunch at the

Many faces
Russian Tea Room”
Track sprints BOTTOM: Ashley Lamb,
past opponents “Words Words Words”
Paly’s Annual One-Acts
Julia Benton/The Campanile

The track team is running

strong as boys keep an im-
pressive record. PAGE B12

LIFESTYLES

Testing, one,
two, three
Paly senior explores the
FOR
world of rap and creates MORE
ON one-
original lyrics. PAGE B1 ABOVE: Melanie Spector,
“Ferris Wheel”
FEATURES FAR LEFT: Hannah
McGovern, “Emotional
acts,
One heck of Baggage” SEE
PAGE A2
LEFT: Ali Arams, “The LEFT: Andrew Nizamian,
a trek Genteel Coffin from Boston” “Do Not Collect $200”

ASB critiques current prom policies GSA holds third annual NIOS week
Courtesy of Sonia Chapiro

Drinking, transportation policies to be modified Not In Our School Week looks to embrace student unity
By Cat Benson makes each of us unique,” Gay Strait Alliance
By Michael Hamada Having the prom at city hall was really great Staff Writer President Alex Coblin said.
Staff Writer and it was good to see everyone enjoying them- Not in Our School Week, hosted by the Monday, the opening day for NIOS week,
Senior backpackers battle Palo Alto High School’s promenade proved to selves, ASB representative Jenna Lose said. It’s Palo Alto High School Student Diversity Co- will feature entertainment during lunch on
the extreme as they hike be a success, with over 500 guests in attendance rewarding to see people enjoy something that you alition, will take place throughout the week the quad, with either the dance group Urban
220 miles. PAGE B6 at the I Left My Heart in San Francisco themed spent a lot of time working on. during lunch in order to raise awareness and Styles, a female social rapper or Spanish folk
event at San Francisco City Hall. Even though the overall outcome of the dance increase tolerance of diversity. dancing.
Passion for After initial concerns over the price of prom was a success, Principal Jacqueline McEvoy and Coordinated by a variety of clubs, NIOS Students of all grade levels will be invited
tickets, the Paly Associated Student Body decided other members of the Paly administration are is an annual event that includes a variety of to participate in and speculate on the organized
fashion to lower the price by subsidizing $10,000 from frustrated with the number of students caught for activities held throughout the week to reach activity of making pledge shirts.
Students take a turn on the total cost. underage drinking. McEvoy recently met with students through creative mediums. In this event, participants will take a white
the catwalk and learn the The subsidization resulted in a ticket price ASB to discuss new ideas to control student drink- “I hope that this year‚ festivities will shirt and write on it a positive and honest
tricks of the trade. PAGE B3 drop of about $15 dollars. ASB paid for prom ing at school events. New policy ideas included encourage the Paly community to be more pledge for their future. The pledges will help
from the ASB general fund. breathalyzing all students and implementing aware of the diversity that we have at our to combat intolerance by motivating students
The formal dance resulted in about a $12,000 harsher punishments for those who are caught school and the fact that it is this diversity that to make a positive change in their lives and
A&E loss for the ASB, but ASB President Mohammed drinking. One potential punishment would ban how they deal with diversity.
Abid was satisfied with the events outcome. such individuals from all school activities for Read The Campanile’s editorial on
Paranoia in We wanted to make sure people didn’t have 90 days, including participation in sports and NIOS Week Page A4 See GSA, Page A3
to pay $105 dollars for prom, so subsidizing the theater.
the park cost was something we had to do, Abid said. I
think everything turned out well.
“For the most part everyone acted good,”
McEvoy said. “I just don’t know what to do when
California cuts school budget
Paranoid Park explores According to ASB Social Commissioner a dozen or so students decide to ruin an event for By Kelly Zhou most state departments and teachers to accommodate the
the implications of acci- Helene Zahoudanis, prom was scheduled earlier the rest of the school. We’ve discussed various Staff Writer programs by 10 percent in the student growth,” said Cathy
dental murder. PAGE B8 this year because San Francisco City Hall was options, but I don’t want to inconvenience students Educators in the Palo next fiscal year. Schwarzeneg- Mak, district interim Chief
fully booked through spring and Apr. 5 appeared who behave properly.” Alto Unified School District ger also aims to suspend Business Officer.
ONLINE to be the only available that worked with Paly’s
See ASB, Page A3
have officially responded to Proposition 98, the state Overall, PAUSD only ex-
schedule. California state Gov. Arnold funding guarantee for public pects to lose about $890,000,
College collage Schwarzenegger’s proposed
$4.8 billion education budget
schools.
As a result, schools across
or 0.6 percent of its over-
all budget, as a result of
cut with a formal, written the state have been forced Schwarzenegger’s budget
resolution and a promise to to give teachers preliminary cuts, Mak said. This money
participate in the California layoff notices. is not a part of PAUSD’s
State Parent Teacher Asso- Many schools also plan general purpose spending,
Julia Benton/The Campanile

ciation’s “Flunk the Budget”
campaign.
“We have to make our
voices heard to our local state
representatives that we will
View this edition’s photo not tolerate [these education
collage in vivid color. cuts],” Palo Alto PTA Council
http://voice.paly.net/ President Dan Dykwel said.
view_story.php?id=6594 The $4.8 billion cut to
K-12 education state funding
INDEX is part of Schwarzenegger’s
proposed budget for 2008-09.
News: A1-A3 Opinion: A4-A5, A8 Courtesy of Alton Sun
With the state’s $14.5 billion
Spotlight: A6-A7 Sports: A9-A12 Prom took place at San Francisco City Hall on Saturday, Apr. 5. After reviewing the budget deficit, Schwarzeneg-
Lifestyles: B1 Features: B2-B6
A&E: B7-B12 event, ASB considers improving certain policies including the transportation policy. ger plans to cut funding to
to cut programs and extra-
curricular activities and class
sizes will increase by an aver-
age of 35 percent throughout
the state.
However, as a district that
receives most of its funding
from local property taxes,
PAUSD does not face the
same problems as most school
districts.
“We don’t anticipate any
layoffs for next year because
we have enrollment growth,
so we will have to hire more
but instead is used for specific
state-funded programs such as
special education, transporta-
tion, textbook purchases and
the Gifted and Talented Edu-
cation (GATE) program.
Also, there will be a “mar-
ginal effect” on class sizes
next year, PAUSD Superinten-
dent Kevin Skelly said.
See BUDGET, Page A3
The Campanile opposes
the suspension of Prop
98, Page A4
A2 • April 14, 2008 News The Campanile

NEWSBRIEFS Directors prepare for one-acts’ debut

Seven Paly students qualify to Six student directors combine a variety of dramatic styles into one production
By Anna Waldron
United States Math Olympiad Staff Writer
who meets with a famous movie
star (junior Caitlin Watson).
After taking the American Invitational Mathematics Examina- Six student-directed one- “What the actress wants
tion (AIME), seven Palo Alto High School students have quali- act plays, written by well-known him to write is a movie about
fied to compete in the United States of America Math Olympiad published playwrights, will de- a priest and a rabbi who fall in
(USAMO) competition on Apr. 29-30 for a spot on the American but on May 9 at Palo Alto High love, undergo sex changes with-
National Olympiad team. School’s Haymarket Theatre. out telling their partners, which,
“We’ve never had more than three people qualify since I’ve This year the majority of the without saying, is an awful idea
been at Paly,” Math Instructional Supervisor Radu Toma said. plays are “slap-stick” comedies, for a movie,” Marks said.
Senior Colleen Lee, juniors Eric Chung and Justin Holmgren, which the directors promise will Junior Ian Dunbar will play
sophomores Nikhil Bhargava and Lynnelle Ye and freshmen John make the audience roll with the priest and junior Sai Boddu-
Boyle and Kevin Hu qualified. laughter. palli will play the rabbi.
Paly’s selected students competed against students nationwide The plays encompass a Lamb will put the “infinite
taking the American Mathematics Competition test. Of the 290 Paly wide range of genres and in- monkey theorem” to the test
competitors, 38 advanced to the next round and took the AIME. clude, “Emotional Baggage,” with her direction of “Words,
“The problems are problems you can solve before learning “Words, Words, Words,” “The Words, Words.”
calculus,” Toma said. “That’s why younger students who are not Genteel Coffin from Boston,” “It plays off of the old say-
in the higher classes are not at a disadvantage.” “Business Lunch at the Russian ing that if you put a monkey in
Only 495 students nationwide of the students who take the Tea Room,” “Ferris Wheel” and the room with a typewriter that
AIME then qualify for the USAMO, seven of which are from Paly “Do not collect $200.” it will eventually write Shake-
this year. Only six will be chosen to represent the United States Respectively, the directors speare,” Marks said, who almost
in the International Math Olympiad Competition. Paly’s seven are senior Hannah McGovern, chose to direct this one-act.
USAMO-qualifying students ties it for fifth place nationwide. It junior Ashley Lamb, senior Ali The monkeys, played by
is also the number one public school. Arams, junior Tom Marks, se- junior Marc LeClerc, freshman Hannah McGovern/The Campanile
“Making USAMO was my goal for this year,” Holmgren said. nior Melanie Spector and senior Stephanie Spector and senior Junior director Tom Marks instructs junior Sai Boddupalli on his performance in
“Last year I qualified for the AIME, but not the USAMO, so this Andrew Nizamian. Tess Christy, will be supervised Marks’ comedic one-act production “Business Lunch in the Russian Tea Room.”
year I tried to qualify. I did a few practice problem sets before and The one-acts, which are by a doctor (junior Tess Bello- ers who meet on an amusement She will play Cactus Dan people involved and interested
I’ll probably do some for the USAMO too.” short plays performed by a mo) and her assistant (freshman park ride. in “The Genteel Coffin from in performing.”
—Ayelet Bitton relatively small cast, are directed Grace Borchers). “Two characters, a man Boston.” Marks and Miller both
Staff Writer and organized by student volun- “There will be three mon- and a woman, ride a Ferris “The timing is easier since agree that small casts builds
teers. The directors research and keys in a room, two guys and wheel together and get stuck,” plays are only 15 minutes strong friendships and makes the
TheatreWorks presents Paly choose which play and cast they one girl, and they have to write Woods said. “They begin to long, but we practice as if we one-acts fun and memorable.
want to direct. Hamlet,” Lamb said. talk about their lives and what’s were putting on a whole play,” “Since the cast is smaller
students’ original one-act plays “For two weeks I read many Although most of the one- gone wrong and what they’re Miller said. people get to know each other
Seven Palo Alto High School students’ original one-act plays plays trying to find which one I acts this year are comedic missing.” Miller also said she believes better and have more fun,”
were chosen by TheatreWorks, a local theater company, to be per- wanted to direct,” Marks said. performances, “Ferris Wheel,” Many of the students who one-acts encourage students Marks said. “I like how full
formed by professional actors on Apr. 30 at 7 p.m. at the Mountain “You know you’ve picked the directed by Spector, will have a have previously participated in outside of the Theater Depart- length plays build characters,
View Center for Performing arts on the second stage. right one when it strikes a chord more serious tone and a softer, one-acts enjoy the experience ment to audition and participate but one-acts are great because
“We have had a partnership with Palo Alto Unified School with you. This play is plain romantic feel. for a host of reasons. in plays. they’re just for laughs and every-
District for many years,” Sutton said. “We try to bring programs hilarious and absurd.” “Ferris Wheel” is the short- “The best thing about one- “Anyone can audition body enjoys watching, directing
that can enrich what is already going on at the school but are also “Business Lunch at the est one-act out of the five others acts is that it works with your and it’s a perfect time to get and acting in them.”
based on having professional artists interact in the classroom.” Russian Tea Room,” written by and has the smallest cast. Seniors schedule because practice is involved and test the waters The one-acts will be per-
Plays written by juniors Alex Nee, Ashley Lamb, Alice Christopher Durang, is about a Alex Rose-Henig and Keely with a smaller group,” junior of acting,” Miller said. “The formed on May 9-10 and May
Wertheimer, Marc LeClerc and Daniella Mizrahi and seniors Keely playwright (junior Ian Quigley) Flanagan will play two strang- Hannah Miller said. theater kids enjoy getting new 16-17.
Flanagan and Mika Ben-Shaul were selected.
“The whole experience has been really good, in terms of
helping me grow as a performer and increase my appreciation for
theatre and plays in general,” Nee said.
Mock Trial places ninth in state competition
Student Speak, the program featuring these students’ creations, The Mock Trial team consisted of The school paid for chaperones and
was created by TheatreWorks and local playwright Cherylene Lee two freshman, four sophomores, seven $1,000 dollars of the other costs. The team
to engage local high school students in writing plays. TheatreWorks juniors and four seniors. Jeon credits subsidized the rest of the money.
Director of Education and Community programs Mary Sutton made defense attorney senior Andrew Niza- Because the team has only four
this program possible at Paly. mian with the many new members who graduating seniors, prospects for next
“[The plays selected] were unique, had developed personal joined this year. year look bright.
voice and showed strong interest while they were in the classroom.” Nizamian, who interned for the head “We’re confident that the 12 ‘veter-
Sutton said. “It was a hard choice, choosing only seven.” of the Palo Alto Bar Association over the ans’ will be even better by the time they
—Zach Harris summer, asked his former employer to graduate,” Jeon said.
Staff Writer help the team find a new coach to replace The team looks for the ability to think
Suzan Stuart. Legal advisor and former on one’s feet in new recruits.
Universities collaborate on Paly teacher Steve Pappas was chosen. “This year we had a publicist and
stem cell research programs “This year he’s been amazing, giving
us tips from real legal areas,” Jeon said.
a Hollywood character, so we need
people who were funny and shallow,”
University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University “He’d tell us about courtroom proce- Jeon said.
are establishing a “virtual” joint stem cell institute with a grant dures real lawyers use so we can look This year’s case was about a televi-
totalling $10.5 million from the Siebel Foundation, a non-profit, more professional and impress scoring sion script writer, Alex Palmer, accused
public benefit organization. attorneys more.” of murdering a thief who stole his script.
“This gift provides the all-important key to bring our scientists However, despite support from Prosecution tried to pin it on Palmer,
together in exciting, more synergistic ways,” said director of the Social Studies teachers Eric Bloom and while defense tried to accuse Palmer’s
Berkeley Stem Cell Center Robert Tjian, who will lead the UC Mike McGovern, having a coach outside girlfriend. The case included some
Berkeley component of the consortium. of Paly raised difficulties. hearsay evidence, presenting a challenge
The goal of the institution is to track chemical nanoparticles “Before, Ms. [Suzan] Stuart ran for the team.
that Berkeley has developed, which could be used by Stanford everything so we didn’t have to deal “One potential piece of evidence
researchers, said Dr. Irving Weissman, director of the Stanford with administration as much directly was an IM [instant message] saying,
Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Institute. but this year students got more involved ‘darling, I can’t wait for LD to be out
“We believe that in leveraging the expertise of these two leading because we didn’t have a teacher coach,” of the picture,’” Jeon said. “Basically,
research institutions, we can accomplish a great deal in moving the Hannah McGovern/The Campanile Jeon said. defense tries to insist that this IM mes-
stem cell field forward,” said Ruthann Richter, Director of Media The Mock Trial team poses outside of the court house after a two-day The team’s situation was worsened sage indicates that the murder victim
Relations at the Stanford University School of Medicine. competition in Riverside, finishing with an improved record of 3-1. by financial difficulties. In order to re- was cheating on his girlfriend (London
The idea for a joint institution arose about six months agodur- main competitive, the team held tryouts Desmond) and caused the girlfriend to
ing discussions between Thomas Siebel and the leaders of the stem By Kairen Wong Fresno County champions, winning each against the ASB club by-laws, making kill him out of jealousy. But the IM is
cell institutes at Stanford and Berkeley. Lifestyles Editor time, while the prosecution team lost to them ineligible to receive ASB club hearsay, and nobody can prove that LD
These collaborations will only strengthen existing relationships The Palo Alto High School Mock the Kern County champion. funding. is London Desmond.”
between Berkeley and Stanford and will help advance the field to Trial team placed ninth out of 32 teams at Overall, the team is impressed with As Mock Trial qualified for states, it For now, the team is hoping to raise
the next level, Richter said. California State Mock Trial Competition, their performance, given the loss of 12 was faced with $8,000 dollars in fees. some more funds and take a break while
—Auster Chen earning a record of 3-1. The tournament seniors and its coach last year. “We asked law firms to sponsor, enjoying their impressive performance.
Staff Writer took place in Riverside Mar. 28 through “We expected this to be a rebuilding since Mock Trial is a nonprofit, but no one “This was a dream season for us,”
Mar. 30. year because we got so many new mem- came through,” Nizamian said. “Parents Nizamian said. “We had no coaches, no
The defense team competed against bers,” prosecution attorney and bailiff, paid for it tentatively when the school teachers, no financing, just a brilliant

Upcoming Events the San Mateo, Orange County and senior Davis Jeon said. said they would pay us back.” group of kids.”

• April 14-18: Not in Our School Science Olympiad places second in regional competition
Students partake in activities promoting
acceptance and celebrating diversity.
Paly’s Green Team finishes in the top three in 14 out of 23 events at the competition
By Jillian Liu
• April 21-25: Earth Week Staff Writer
Palo Alto community members promote Palo Alto High School’s Science Olympiad Green
Team placed second on Apr. 5 at the Science Olympiad
environmental conservation for a week. Bay Area Regionals at the National Hispanic University
in San Jose.
• April 25: School Holiday Specifically, Paly’s Science Olympiad (SciOly)
Students and staff receive a day of finished in the top three in 14 out of 23 events.
At such tournaments, there are two types of events:
rejuvenation and rest. study events and engineering events.
• April 28-May 2: Staff For study events, students study material that is
relevant to their assigned events.
Appreciation Week For engineering events, team members work on the
project before the competition, construct it there and
Students show their love and gratitude for handle the event itself during their time slot.
teachers and staff. This year, Paly beat Henry M. Gunn High School
— who placed third — but lost to Mission San Jose
• May 3: SAT Testing — who placed first. Last year at states, Mission San
Jose placed second and Gunn, third.
Juniors show colleges what they are capable According to co-president Colleen Lee, the top
of during SAT testing at Paly and Gunn. three teams from regionals go to states. The state
competition will be held on Apr. 26 at the University
• May 5: AP Testing Begins of California at Merced.
“The state competition is more competitive and
Advanced Placement classes prepare for the
we’ll need to prepare more in order to make it to na-
approaching subject specific tests. tionals,” co-president Lydia Qin said.
Last year, Science Olympiad’s Green Team also For Lee and Qin, challenges came at various points
finished second at regionals, behind Mission San Jose throughout the season, including when difficulties arose
but ahead of Gunn. The Green Team went on to place with new recruits, testing and even transportation.
fifth at states. “New recruits meant a comparatively huge pool
For upcoming competitions, SciOly arranges of talent to select from,” Lee said. “We ran the risk of
weekly lunch meetings to check progress and to orga- choosing people who might not realize what SciOly is
nize the general tasks that go into event about or what it takes, and people who
preparation. “The state competition might not study but happened to do well
In terms of studying itself, the club is more competitive on the tests.”
holds meetings for both types of events, and we’ll need to pre- Even though students have already
increasing frequency as the competition
looms nearer.
studied for their respective events, many
pare more in order to will continue to prepare for the state
“We had three official study meet- make it to nationals.” competition.
ings over Spring Break, for example, “I’m already happy that our team
but I also encourage people to set up Lydia Qin has made it this far,” Qin said, “But that
meetings with other team members in doesn’t mean we can stop studying.”
the same events so they can coordinate
senior Emotions vary throughout the team
with partners and help each other out,” regarding the competition.
“We’re not actually going to die,”
Lee said.
However, studying varies from person to person, junior Justin Holmgren said. “But it’s just that our
and these meetings are always kept optional. engineering events are always inadvertently done last
“Studying is largely self-motivated, since I can’t minute.”
very well go to people’s houses and bully them with a Lee expresses similar sentiments.
stick, but SciOly members have been fairly good about “On my end of things, it’s been really hectic,” Lee
studying in the past, even if we still don’t feel like we said. “I’m definitely excited, but I don’t feel prepared
have enough time,” Lee said. enough.”
The Campanile News April 14th, 2008 • A3

Village Cheese House to re-open early for students

New management unveils refurbished interior, updated menu, house sandwiches Apr. 14 after five months of closure
By Pauline Slakey
Staff Writer
After the Staehnke family ended
its 48-year ownership of the Village
Cheese House in 2007, Noah and
Sarah Heiken took over the historic
shop and closed it for renovation.
The popular store will re-open to the
public on Apr. 19.
The Cheese House will be open
exclusively to Paly students the week
of Apr. 14-17, a week before it opens
to the general public. Seniors will be
allowed in on Monday, juniors on
Tuesday, sophomores on Wednesday
and freshmen on Thursday.
A variety of adjustments and
renovations were made to the Cheese
House’s interior. The Heikens decided
to make the square-footage smaller
and take out the back room.
“We completely gutted the place,”
Sarah said. “Everything is new. Wood
floors were put in and a new ceiling
was added. More windows were added
to create more natural lighting. There
is all new equipment and machinery,
a new sound system and a new com-
puterized sales system.”
The Heikens became interested in
the business because of the memories
they and their respective families have
of the Cheese House as well as the fact
that they enjoy cheese.
“My husband Noah was in the
deli business previously at John’s
Market Deli,” Sarah said. “Noah went
to Palo Alto High School and enjoyed
coming over to Town and Country to
get a sandwich at the Cheese House.
My dad went to Stanford [University]
and always talked about how much he
enjoyed going to the Cheese House.
I myself am a huge cheese lover and
I talked with Noah about how cool it
would be to own a store offering high
quality cheese.”
A multitude of new foods will be
available, the majority of them pre-
made. Pre-made salads will be priced
between $5-$7. Selections will include
a pasta and potato salad, an organic
greens salad, a Greek salad with feta
cheese and olives, and a tofu garden
burger salad. Much to the relief of
many sandwich-loving customers, the
Heikens have worked extremely hard
to keep the exact same recipe for all
the sandwiches.
“We have worked with the previ-
ous owners to keep the sandwiches
exactly the same as before,” Sarah
said. “The owners are coming in to
train our staff and we are even using
the same distributor.”
After thoroughly researching
customers’ opinions on the Cheese
House, Sarah came up with several
solutions to make the store even better
than before.
“We are planning on making our
services very efficient,” Sarah said.
“Our new computerized sales system
should make the lines go quickly.”
Many Paly students hope the
Cheese House will bring back candy
and other foods that it previously
carried.
“Although I don’t go to the
Cheese House that often, I really like
the cool candy and European novelty
foods,” senior Emily Merritt said. “I
hope they still have them because they
were definitely my favorite.”
The new owners stated that a ma-
jority of the candy and novelty foods
will still be sold at the store.
The Heikens’ business plan in-
corporates ways to get two different
groups of both students and adults to
find interest in their store.
“There are two parts to our busi-
ness plan,” Sarah said. “Paly is a huge
part and we want to make our store
as convenient and fast as possible so
more students can get lunch there. The
other part of our plan is addressing
Stacy Levichev/The Campanile
the adults that come to our store. We
plan on staying open until 6 p.m., an
The Village Cheese House, a Town and Country favorite, will allow Paly students to shop a week
hour later so more of the adults can before the general public. New changes include computerized sale system and an expanded menu.
have time to come to our store. We are organic cheeses which are featured in Other renovations include a new tradition that some many people have
also making more gourmet cheeses, their store. The classes will be held coffee counter. enjoyed over the years, including my
baguette and paté and we’ll also have by vendors, who will explain where The Heikens are not only excited husband and father,” Sarah said. “We
open cheese cases.” to find cheeses and what makes a to be a part of the Cheese House busi- really want to hear as much feedback
Furthermore, the Heikens plan good cheese. ness but also to be working with the as possible and would like for students
on increasing their catering options “I’m a huge cheese fan and I Paly community. to post their opinions and comments on
over the years. They also plan on would love for people to learn more “We’re really excited to be re- our Web site, www.thevillagecheese-
educating their customers about local about good cheeses,” Sarah said. opening and we hope to continue the house.com.”

Student plans Earth Week events
Junior activist organizes a week of environmentally-friendly education
By Yvonne Lin
Staff Writer
“Green Up: Going Green and Gorgeous,”
a week-long environmental event planned by
junior Becky Byler, will be held at Palo Alto
High School during Earth Week, Apr. 21-25,
to raise environmental awareness among the
Paly community.
“Each day of ‘Green Up’ has an environ-
mental topic,” Byler said. “Generally, each
day will have a speaker from related local
non-profit organizations and some kind of
school-wide activity.”
Monday’s theme is “Recycling and Waste”
and will feature GreenCitizen, a local non-
profit organization that aims to reduce environ-
mental waste. GreenCitizen will be at the event
to educate on recycling as well as collect elec-
tronic waste including batteries, cell phones
and computer
hard drives.
Free recycled
products will
also be dis-
tributed.
A volun-
tary campus
clean-up will
occur after
school, dur-
ing which student participants will place
recycling cans and “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”
awareness signs around campus, in an effort to
launch a campus-wide campaign to minimize
Paly’s waste.
“Environmental issues really affect our
lives,” Byler said. “So I want to do something
to minimize our negative impact on it. It’s
important that we all start creating better habits
when it comes to the environment.”
Tuesday, also officially recognized as
Earth Day, will focus on alternative energy.
A water, wind and solar energy demonstration
will be given by PG&E and free compact
fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) will be given
to educate students about the economic and
environmental benefits of using them.
Interested students and faculty will be
provided with free CFLs, donated by the City
of Palo Alto Department of Utilities, so that
the light bulbs can be installed at home.
Byler is also currently discussing with the
administration the possibility of changing all
of Paly’s light bulbs to CFLs.
“Earth Day 2008” canvas bags, made
from organic, decomposable materials will
also be on sale for
ten dollars each.
“Eventually, I
hope to replace those
wasteful classroom
lights with CFLs,
which will not only
save energy but
also money,” Byler
said.
Wednesday’s
events will address climate change, an issue
many Paly students are passionate about.
During lunch students and faculty mem-
bers will be able to explore first-hand the effects
of global climate change through informative
awareness activities and games held on the
quad, in which each person can determine
their carbon footprint and write a letter to U.S.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
“Everyone always focuses on the political
aspect of this issue,” Byler said. “I want people
to not only learn about climate change without
the attached political stigma but also realize
that they can take action even if they aren’t
necessarily liberal or like Al Gore.”
Thursday, which will focus on “Air
Quality and Water Supply,” is designated as
“Bike to School Day.” As an incentive, free
bike repair service, sponsored by local bike
shops, will be available on the quad. Addition-
ally, educational activities about water and air
quality will occur on the quad.
On Friday, a school holiday, Paly students
will be able to work with Canopy, a non-profit
advocate of urban forest renewal, to plant
indigenous Californian trees in the parking
lot. Students will also learn how to make daily
eco-friendly choices by learning about “Eating
Close to Home” and decomposables.
Byler said “Green Up” has taken more
than a year to organize. She decided to plan
an environmental awareness week and change
Paly’s current environmental choices to earn
her Senior Girl Scout Gold Award, the Girl
Scout’s highest honor.
In addition, Byler and junior Ahna Rao
are trying to obtain solar panels for the sci-
ence building.
“Efforts to conserve the environment need
to start with youth,” Byler said. “By hosting
‘Green Up’ I will be able to influence the
people in my community who can make the
biggest difference by helping us all to make
green choices.”
PAUSD suffers little from budget cuts
BUDGET, Continued from A1 is a very strong voice to say, ‘Look for other
revenues, find other ways, but do not cut the
Despite the low impact of the budget education budget.’”
on PAUSD, educators remain vigilant about Organized by the California State PTA,
fighting to keep Proposition 98 and reducing “Flunk-the-Budget Fridays” are activities to
the $4.8 billion cut. spread awareness and alert legislators to the
“This year, PAUSD is not facing the dras- effect the proposed budget cuts will have on
tic cuts that other school districts across the the state’s students.
state are facing,” PAUSD Board of Education “We have yet to organize it but we will
member Camille Townsend said. “However, it be doing things like writing to legislators,
is very important for those of us in Palo Alto to sending e-mails and letters, making phone
not be complacent. We have to believe that all calls, et cetera, between now and the end of
public schools are in this problem together.” the school year,” Dykwel said.
In February, the school board passed a Educators like Townsend and Dykwel
resolution opposing education cuts. PAUSD will continue fighting to revise the proposed
is one of more than 200 school districts in the budget.
state to adopt a resolution against the budget In mid-May, the Department of Finance
cuts. will give the May
“The resolu- “PAUSD is not facing the drastic cuts Revision update to
tion was sent to our Schwarzenegger, al-
elected officials other school districts are facing. But we lowing the governor
and the governor have to believe that all public schools to make changes
to tell them to fully are in this problem together.” and submit the May
fund Proposition Revision to the leg-
98,” Townsend islature.
said. Camille Townsend The constitu-
As part of the School Board member tional deadline for
fight against the the legislature to
education funding pass the bill is Jun.
cuts, Townsend is also going to Sacramento 15, but Townsend said the budget usually does
in a few weeks to “meet with other school not get passed until late in the summer.
districts to see what we can do better to help Townsend and Dykwel said they hope
school districts across the state.” to have an impact on the decision before the
The PTAs of Palo Alto schools also plan bill is passed.
to take a stand against Schwarzenegger’s “Education always seems to take a greater
budget plan. hit than any other area when it comes to state
“We’re going to participate with the budget cuts,” Townsend said. “I believe we
California State PTA organization on ‘Flunk- have to hold elected officials accountable
the-Budget Friday,’” Dykwel said. “Palo Alto to make sure they don’t cut education. We
PTAs are part of the state PTA and in the state have to protect all school districts, not just
PTA, there’s almost a million members so that our own.”

NIOS to promote acceptance Staff schedule vote results to be announced this week
GSA, Continued from A1
“My pledge is: I will love freely,”
GSA member and junior Ashley Lamb
said. “It means I’m here to spread love.
I hope people can become more aware
of, if not change, intolerance.”
Tuesday will include an activity
called “Make a Wish,” during which
students will write wishes on paper
stars. These will be placed on a poster
to create a night sky.
The GSA said it hopes that these
activities will help students under-
stand their differences and to think
optimistically about diversity and
awareness.
On Wednesday, students will
draw a personal image on an individual
canvas to express their feelings about
intolerance.
Also, students will participate in
painting an original mural designed by
Diversity Coalition member Giovanna
Daniels.
“The mural is six incredible draw-
ings of people of different ethnicities
and ages,” Coblin said. “It symbolizes
the idea that despite differences, we
are part of one another’s lives.”
Thursday participants can sym-
bolically dissolve stereotypes by
writing then down on rice paper and
then placing them in water to see it
dissolve away.
By confronting and overcom-
ing stereotypes heard on campus,
students can take another step closer
to tolerance.
Friday will feature of a wrap-up
barbeque open to all students, funded
by the Diversity Coalition, and a
Chevy’s fundraiser.
This year, GSA members chose
not to include the Day of Silence
in the week’s activities for various
reasons.
“The Day of Silence was moved
out of Not in Our School Week because
some people felt that it prevented them
from speaking out,” Lamb said.
Also, the official Day of Silence
occurs on Apr. 25, school holiday, so
GSA will host it earlier in the week.
GSA members have high hopes
for this year’s Not in Our School Week
and encourage more Paly students to
participate.
“I want this year’s Not in Our
School Week to bring out more aware-
ness and participation,” Coblin said.
“GSA events in the past haven’t had
much publicity. I hope everyone who
wants to contribute can.”
GSA said it hopes the involve-
ment of other clubs including Best
Buddies, The Thespian Society, Jew-
ish Student Union and the Debate Club
will lead to increased participation .
“Planning has been difficult with
the lack club participation,” Coblin
said. “But we still managed to organize
all the events as a coalition and all we
can do is hope for the best.”
SCHEDULE, Continued from A1 “I would prefer sticking with the current second get the same experience as everyone else, but I think
semester schedule,” junior Daniel Zeugfang said. sitting through four blocks would be hard.”
Staff members were given the results of the stu- “If we have a late start, people with sports such Although several department meetings and an
dent survey regarding the bell schedules, which Paly as tennis or badminton would have to go home at all-staff meeting have been conducted, some staff
students took on Apr. 2-3. The staff was also given seven, and they probably wouldn’t be able to catch members believe that more all-staff meetings are
the results of a preliminary Staff Survey, which was with the work in the evening, or they’d have to go needed to make a more thorough decision as to
taken on or before Mar. 13. to sleep late.” which schedule would be the most beneficial to
According to the Mar. 13 and Apr. 2-3 survey On the other hand, a seventh period block or students’ learning.
results, 81.3 percent of students and 82.1 percent of a late start could be beneficial. “I don’t think the staff has discussed the im-
Paly’s staff support having a later school start time. “I like the seventh block with late start,” junior plications of these changes thoroughly enough for
However, 40 percent and 73.2 percent of students and Sydney Lundgren said. “If I have homework to do, us to make these decisions,” history teacher Jack
staff, respectively, support having a blocked seventh I would rather stay up later or be able to get up Bungarden said.
period each week. early in the morning to finish it. Seventh period Shultz agrees that the there is still something
About 79.3 percent of students prefer the cur- block would give students more opportunity and to be heard from the staff voice.
rent first semester schedule over the second semester time to work.” “The problem has been, I think, a lot of the
schedule, but according to Guidance Counselor Susan Many staff members are divided on the dif- staff are not interested in changing the schedule,”
Shultz, the first semester schedule would be difficult ferent possible bell schedules. Shultz said. “I feel like we’re only hearing the
for athletes and would interfere with the athletics “I’m in favor of a late start and I think three people who want to change the schedule.”
department’s sport practices and games. As a result, blocks a day is enough,” Spanish teacher Kevin The administration plans to count the votes on
the current second semester schedule was made the Duffy said. “I understand the point of view of some Apr. 14 and release the decision for the 2008-09
default schedule. teachers who say that people in seventh period don’t bell schedule the same week.
ASB plans spring events, responds to prom through policy changes
ASB, Continued from A1 a matter of drivers not having the right licenses at the limo company,” Abid
said. “Gunn High School’s administration has banned students from using
Not only is underage drinking an issue for other students at the event, but limos already, so that might even happen to Paly next year, but that’s just a
has also frustrated chaperones, many of whom were verbally abused when speculation.”
apprehending intoxicated students. Upcoming events on the ASB agenda include plans to remodel the senior
“At prom we had to focus all of the administrations attention on these deck and a possible school-wide ping-pong tournament. Plans are already un-
dozen or so students, which literally took hours, instead of enforcing dance derway for the “Last Chance Dance,” including a half-hour of techno music
rules and things like that,” McEvoy said. and potentially a performance by the Track Boiz, Abid said. There are also
There was also a last-minute dilemma with limousine rentals, which re- plans to hold a school-wide concert with Paly bands sometime in late April.
sulted in multiple parties having to exchange larger 24-person capacity limos “For those of you interested in running for a student government position
for multiple ten-person capacity limos. next year, the ASB is planning to hold a general meeting sometime in the next
“While this was an issue, there was little ASB could do because it was 3 weeks and then there will be elections in May,” Abid said.
 A4 April 14, 2008
Opinion
Editorials
The opinion of The Campanile
NIOS Week’s success
relies on participation
Clubs in particular need to become more involved
in NIOS week, beyond simply supporting it
This week at Palo Alto High School is Not In Our
School Week, an annual event organized by the Gay Straight
Alliance that aims to increase awareness of hate crimes
and educate students on the importance of acceptance.
The Campanile supports the GSA’s efforts and believes
that all students should participate. Although violent acts
of hate are rarely seen in Palo Alto, The Campanile feels
that events like NIOS are a necessary part of the solution
to intolerance. Without actively educating students and
raising youth awareness of hate crimes, increased accep-
tance will never be achieved.
The GSA has again invited clubs to join it in the plan-
ning of NIOS events, a positive step meant to include a
larger percentage of the student population. Currently on
board are The Thespian Society, Best Buddies, Jewish
Student Union and the Debate Club.
The Campanile feels that this coalition of clubs is
crucial to increase involvement of students across the
spectrum and to reach out to students of all races, nationali-
ties, ethnicities, genders and religions. At the same time,
Proposition 98 should
not be suspended
School funding cuts proposition endanger
quality of California public schools
In January, California Governor Arnold Schwarzeneg-
ger released his proposed budget for 2008-09. In order to
alleviate a $14.5 billion state deficit, Schwarzenegger’s
budget proposed a $4.8 billion cut for K-14 education as
well as a $400 million reduction for education for the
current year. Schwarzenegger’s plan calls for suspen-
sion of Proposition 98, the state’s public school funding
guarantee. Overall, the proposed budget indicates that
the state will spend more than $700 less per student, ac-
cording to nonpartisan organization EdSource. Already,
more than 20,000 teachers have received preliminary
layoff notices, and an estimated 87,000 will follow if the
budget passes.
The Campanile believes that Prop 98 should not be
suspended and that$4.8 billion should not be cut from the
education budget. Although PAUSD will not be greatly
affected, as its budget depends on property taxes as op-
posed to state funds, the effect on education in California
in general would be detrimental. California is home to one
in nine children in the United States. Despite this, Cali-
fornia is ranked 46th in the nation in terms of education
spending and spends $1,900 per student less the national
average, according to Education Week.
With these budget cuts, even less money will be spent
to educate each student. Without a strong, well-funded
education, California’s students will be unable to thrive
in the global economy once they become adults. Califor-
Money for art better
spent in classroom
Instead of purchasing art, Palo Alto should
allocate money to arts classes and programs
Recently, the Arts Commission of Palo Alto spent
$25,000 to cover City Hall with 22,000 photos of Palo
Alto houses from the city’s most-discussed art project,
“The Color of Palo Alto.” This project began over six
years ago, when professional artist Samuel Yates trav-
eled through the streets of Palo Alto photographing every
building found within city lines.
Although The Campanile does not intend to abase
the artistic value of Yates’ efforts, The Campanile feels
that the money could be better spent. With hundreds of
thousands of dollars being spent to pay professional art-
ists to beautify Palo Alto’s mailboxes, utility boxes and
underpasses, money is not being sufficiently allocated to
Palo Alto’s up and coming artists.
The arts program in the Palo Alto Unified School
District elementary schools is lacking and could benefit
from the money currently being spent on superfluous
projects. Exposing art to children at an early age increases
creativity and cultural awareness. At the same time, it
this collaboration would emphasize NIOS’ foundational
themes of unity and inclusion.
Unfortunately, the involvement of other clubs appears
to be a mere formality. None of the clubs appear to be doing
very much in terms of organizing events and planning the
week’s festivities. Instead, club leaders seem to be simply
voicing their support of GSA in a passive manner.
The Campanile believes that if GSA were to pressure
each of the clubs to actively participate in the planning
and execution of NIOS, the week’s goals would be better
achieved.
Additionally, NIOS needs to be advertised on a much
greater scale. While organizers distributed flyers and placed
announcements in the bulletin, this was only done during
the week before NIOS. Larger publicity efforts would
result in greater student participation.
If the GSA were to reach out to the wider school
community and other clubs would actively participate in
the event’s planning, NIOS would be a greater success
than it already is.
nia educates over 10 percent of U.S. students; education
spending should not be cut by such a crippling amount.
Although The Campanile recognizes that some educa-
tion spending must be reduced to lessen the $14.5 billion
deficit, eliminating Prop 98 will have a counterproductive
impact on the state’s education. Statewide, the budget will
force schools to lay off thousands of teachers, eliminate
programs and extracurricular activities and increase class
sizes by approximately 35 percent.
Instead of vast cuts on education and almost no new
revenue-raising proposals as per Schwarzenegger’s budget,
The Campanile believes a balanced approach to the budget
is more appropriate and advantageous. The prominent,
nonpartisan California Legislative Analyst’s Office’s
alternative budget includes revenue-raising proposals and
higher taxes, which would help minimize the budget deficit
and protect the education budget from cuts.
This alternative plan is much more practical and
better suited to the needs of the state and its citizens. If
Schwarzenegger’s proposal passes, there will be a disas-
trous widespread effect, as students will receive less teacher
attention and fewer learning opportunities. The Campanile
firmly believes that Schwarzenegger should neither reduce
the proposed education budget cut nor suspend Prop 98.
Without Prop 98 and additional education funding, students
across the state will be handicapped with a weakened
education and a severe long-term disadvantage.
would provide a unique opportunity for students to express
themselves through art.
In fact, art created by Palo Alto’s youths could be used
to beautify the city. Scores of Palo Alto students enter the
city’s variety of drawing, painting, sculpting and photo
contests; many produce quality work.
Furthermore, the current arts programs for Palo Alto
students are either scarce or expensive. Students receive
relatively little opportunity to do art in elementary school,
and the schools’ fine arts departments are constantly seek-
ing more funds. With the money that is currently allocated
towards projects like the “Color of Palo Alto,” the City
could increase funding to the PAUSD’s arts programs or
make the Palo Alto Recreation Center’s art classes more
affordable.
Certainly, the City’s support for professional artists is
commendable. However, the Palo Alto’s Arts and Sciences
budget could be better spent on PAUSD and the City’s
lacking art classes and programs.
The Campanile
Letters to the Editors
Errors mar otherwise Victories do give
decent article politicians momentum
The following letter was written in response to
Austin Smith’s article, published Mar. 17, “Girls’
The following letter was written in response to
Chris Clayton and Jon Shan’s column, published Mar.
lacrosse succeeds despite inexperience.” 17, “Media’s momentum manipulative.”
While I think its great that the girl’s lacrosse team
is getting so much coverage, there were many inaccura-
cies in this article. The author reported three separate
After reading the column, “Media’s momentum
manipulative,” I was dumbfounded. This piece was
not only lacking in evidence, it was absolutely invalu-
scores for the Woodside game alone! In addition, Gracie able. Since the authors don’t offer us a definition of
Cain is not a sophomore and Hannah Elmore does not this “political momentum,” I was forced to define it
even attend Paly. The correct name would be Hannah myself. Merriam-Webster defines it as “strength or
Ohlson. The lacrosse team also has not played Monterey force through the development of events.” This means
(shown in the scores/upcoming games box). that if candidate X is winning all the primaries, it is
–– Hannah Ohlson, freshman correct to say that he or she has political momentum.
So, the media is not being manipulative by showing
that candidates have a driving force from their recent
string of victories. Wins are wins, and the media is
Insomnia problematic right to report on them.
for students ––Timothy Kim, sophomore
The following letter was written in response to
Rebecca Allen’s article, published Mar. 17, “Students PageOnce not new idea,
under stress battle insomnia.” possible security threat
Thank you for your article! Insomnia is a terrible
The following letter was written in response to Jon
thing; my daughter has been struggling with it for years.
Shan’s article, published Mar. 17, “PageOnce offers a
Schools really need to be more aware about interrupting
new approach to using the Internet.”
teenage sleep patterns.
–– George Lewis
First of all, this is not exactly a new idea. RSS
feeds were developed around 1x997, in order to gather
content from various sites. The name that you use for
Kudos to Paly’s PageOnce’s program hints at the similarity: “a personal
Olympic hopefuls content aggregator” does roughly the same thing as an
RSS aggregator. An RSS aggregator gathers together
The following letter was written in response to feeds from various sites, while I suspect PageOnce uses
Alexi Dagan’s article, published Feb. 20, “Determined screenscraping technologies (trying to parse the avail-
senior swimmer races to Olympic Trials.” able information into a computer-readable format).
Great article on Liv Jensen as an Olympic competi-
tor. The photo by Michela Fossati-Bellini reminded me
that Michela is also one of Paly’s Olympic hopefuls.
You suggest that parents could “use [PageOnce]
cross reference their credit cards.” It strikes me as a
really bad idea to give a startup, with little track record
for security, access to bank accounts and credit cards.
She is competing soon for a spot on the Italian Olympic Even if PageOnce has the best of intentions, this is
Diving Team –– so go Liv and Michela. We are very another vulnerable route.
proud of your amazing accomplishments and look In the context of Google and Yahoo, you mention
forward to cheering you on. that these services will let you access content only
–– Margo Wixsom, Paly teacher from within their site. Google Mail will let you use an
RSS reader to check your mail, and Google Calendar
does the same.
Pets should be treated I find it surprising that you mention 128-bit en-
cryption of data in transit, since, in the wake of recent
with care, respect security breaches when disks go missing, I would be
more concerned about non-transitory storage. Conve-
The following letters were written in response to niently, they do encrypt that too. Still, even the best
Hannah Bystrisky’s article, published Dec. 14, “House- encryption is no safer than the decryption key, which
hold pets experience illegal drug and alcohol abuse.” developers and system administrators at PageOnce can
probably access, as can particularly clever hackers. I
These owners are messed up. Pets are equivalent just do not feel comfortable about spreading passwords
to kids, so why would you take a risk to harm them around, especially not those to financial sites, which
with these drugs? Animals are lot more sensitive to you suggest.
things than we are, as they are smaller, and the same Basically, this is not a new idea, the execution
dose to us could definitely harm them. Plus, can you solves problems that in many cases were already solved,
imagine the pain that a dog has to go through and cannot Yahoo and Google can do much of what you claim they
express after overdosing on alcohol or weed? It must can’t do, and I don’t trust the security, especially not
be so scary for them. for financial stuff (which you propose).
–– Rahul Ramakrishnan, senior –– Alex Dehnert, former Paly student
The Campanile
Editors in Chief
Tyler Blake • Danielle Kim • Peter Lee
Ryan Pfleiderer • Mia Pond • Tomer Schwartz
News Editor Opinion Editor Spotlight Editor Lifestyles Editor
Rebecca Allen Chris­Clayton Sarah Stringer
Kairen Wong
Features Editors A&E Editors Sports Editors Business Managers
Henry Becker Sara Reihani Alexi Dagan Geng Wang
Amy Stringer Austin Smith Sam Jones Debbie Zhang
Graphics Editor Photo Manager Advertising Manager
Erik Krasner-Karpen
Nanor Balabanian
Hannah McGovern
Rye Druzin
Erik Krasner-Karpen
Staff Writers
Laura Kurtz Annie Vought
Catherine Benson Christian Gallagher Yvonne Lin Anna Waldron
Ayelet Bitton Alex Greene Jillian Liu Crystal Wang
Becky Byler Chris Gonnerman Josh Lo Cassie Wedemeyer
Hannah Bystritsky Gabrielle Hadley Ryan McLeod Allison Whitson
Alan Chen Michael Hamada Mira Parekh Eliot Wilson
Auster Chen Zach Harris Jonathan Shan Nolan Wong
Alan Chu Kevin Harvey Julia Shapiro Lindsay Yang
Allison Coleman DJ Hsueh Kelley Shin Gloria Yu
Zal Dordi Mikaela Kenrick Pauline Slakey Kelly Zhou
Photographers
Mika Ben-Shaul • Julia Benton • Allie Bollella
Michela Fossati-Bellani • Stacy Levichev • Elizabeth Petit
Adviser
Esther Wojcicki
Corrections: In the Mar. 17 article, “PageOnce available basis.
offers a new approach to using the Internet,” two names The Campanile reserves the right to edit submis-
were misspelled. The co-founder’s name is “Ahikam” sions for length. Please note that The Campanile only
Kaufman and the Vice President of Marketing’s name publishes signed letters.
is Aimen “Minhas.” Advertisements: Ads with The Campanile are
Letters to the Editors: E-mail all letters to edi- printed with signed contracts. For more information,
tors to theeds08@googlegroups.com. The Campanile contact Campanile Business Managers by e-mail at
welcomes and prints letters to the editors on a space- campanile.ads@gmail.com.
The Campanile Opinion April 14, 2008 • A5

CAHSEE neglects English learners, low-funded schools

Better the
old-fashioned way

High school exit exam fails to accurately evaluate students’ capabilities

By Laura Kurtz
Senior Staff Writer
If the public school system in California
made sense, the students who worked hard and
received all their credits would be able to re-
ceive a diploma and graduate from high school.
However, common sense does not seem to exist
in California’s education system, as evidenced
by the flawed policy of the California High
School Exit Exam.
California legislators are not completely
to blame for this flawed test. The CAHSEE
originated from the No Child Left Behind
Act. NCLB, passed into law on Jan. 8, 2001,
requires each state to create a way to evaluate
its students, to ensure that they are properly
prepared to graduate.
The act had good intentions: it was meant
to ensure that students receive high-quality
educations and to hold schools accountable for
their students. The major problem is that NCLB
assumes that high standards will result in success
for all students. This assumes that the students
who fail the CAHSEE are capable of passing
but are simply not motivated enough and that
the threat of a withheld high school diploma will
push the students to pass the test. This flawed
logic ignores the largest group of students who
do not pass the test, and the students who most
need to pass: disadvantaged students.
In 2006, 60,516 children legally immigrated
to California from other countries, not to mention
uncounted illegal immigrants. With so many new
students, at least some of whom do not speak
English, the state cannot afford to ignore this
significant portion of its residents.
By setting non-English speakers up for
failure, or at least a long and difficult road to
success, the state is only hurting itself. It is not
smart to disadvantage those who will someday
make up its work force.
There are countless stories of recent im-
migrant students who have learned enough
English in two or three years to be at the top of
their classes, but who still could not pass the
CAHSEE.
Many students who fail are not guided well
enough through the test-taking process. Schools
fail students by not adequately preparing them
for the test and the students are penalized. As a
result, funding is taken away from the schools,
which only further worsens the problems.
In other cases, students have the misfortune
of living in a district that cannot afford to educate
its students well. These schools are identified as
beneficiaries of the Williams Settlement. Eliezer
Williams v. State of California began in 2000,
when nearly 100 students who felt that they were
not being provided with the proper education
tools, including instruction materials, qualified
teachers and safe facilities, filed a class action
lawsuit in San Francisco. The case was settled
in 2004, giving extra funding to schools that
ranked between one and three in the Academic
Performance Index (API), which is a score out
of ten and is used to analyze a school’s academic
performance and progress.
Palo Alto High School scored a ten, while
Richmond High School, one of the beneficiaries
of the Williams settlement, scored a one. A score
of one means that the school’s API score is in
the lowest ten percent in the state.
While Paly spends over $11,000 per year
educating each student, Richmond can only
afford a little over $4,000 per year. Since 71.5
percent of Richmond students are socioeconomi-
cally disadvantaged students, compared the 3.3
percent of Paly students, money clearly plays a
large role in education. Richmond has many other
problems, such as over-crowded classrooms and
underpaid and underqualified teachers.
Since 57 percent of Richmond’s students are
English learners, they are exactly the students
whom the CAHSEE disadvantages. The problem
with the system is that, according to the NCLB,
the state is not required to use resources to tutor
students who have not passed the CAHSEE and
if schools do so, the state will not help them
financially.
Schools are also not required to keep stu-
dents who failed the test in high school and with
limited resources, the schools cannot afford to
CAHSEE Results 2006
Math: percent passing
PAUSD
All students
80
English
learners 73
Socio- 70
economically
disadvantaged 70
keep them and have no incentive to do so. This
means that hundreds of students are left with-
out a high school to attend and without a high
school diploma.
An alternate version of the high school di-
ploma is the community college route or attempt-
ing to acquire a General Education Development
degree. However, the GED test is even harder to
pass than the CAHSEE. Some students are suc-
cessful in obtaining a GED, but they must wait
longer, study harder and go through many more
steps to receive their high school diploma. It is
unfair to prevent students from getting a diploma
when they are trying hard to do. It goes against
what NCLB stands for: giving every student a
chance at an equal education.
As a standardized test, the CAHSEE does
not discriminate. Every student in California,
from every race and every background, must
pass the same test.
However, this also means that special educa-
tion students, who have been in an alternative
English: percent passing
California
76
96
96 77
47
36
65
65
Courtesy of the California Department of Education
education program for their entire lives, are
suddenly expected to pass a test for which they
are most likely unprepared.
They have had no practice in standardized
testing. The CAHSEE’s goal — to test students to
make sure that schools are achieving and helping
students to succeed — is admirable.
However, the consequences of the CAHSEE
punish the students more than anyone else. It is
extremely difficult for students without a high
school diploma to obtain basic-skill-level jobs.
The CAHSEE should exist, but it should be
more like the STAR test; it should be solely to
test the schools’ abilities to prepare its students
for their future. Passing the CAHSEE should
not be a graduation requirement.
Schools that have many students failing
the CAHSEE should receive extra funding in
order to help its students. Education is price-
less and a state that prevents its students from
becoming educated does not help its citizens.
It fails them.
Gabrielle Hadley
In a day where so much of what
we do focuses on the computer, it is
hard to believe that people survived
without the Internet. Yet, past genera-
tions managed just fine without the
technology of the Internet because
their lives centered around books. The
Internet has proven to be helpful for
our generation, but it would be nice
if society relied less on it.
Anyone can pick up a book and
at once become immersed in a story.
There is something special about
physically being able to hold a book
in one’s hands that makes a story more
realistic. People feel little connection
with something read off the Internet;
they have a harder time identifying
with the elements in the story. It is
also more difficult for readers to vi-
sualize characters, setting and other
prominent features of a story when
books are read online.
Web editing is also problematic.
Many articles that are posted online
do not go through the same rigorous
editing that print books go through. It is
an insult to the author to see their work
incorrectly misspelled and awkwardly
phrased. Often, very simple, careless
mistakes are made that detract from the
plot or theme of the story. Publishers,
editors and authors want to make sure
that their work sounds intelligent and
is interpreted clearly, so more attention
to detail is likely to occur.
The Internet is also an unflatter-
ing media for most stories. Novels on
the Internet lose the formatting that
makes books memorable. Breaks in

ARC needs to expand into current Health Office
By Ryan McLeod
Staff Writer
Textbooks, tutors, friends and
food; that is what students find in the
Academic Resource Center and it
could not be more perfect. But, there
has been trouble in paradise these past
few months and some now question
whether the ARC is really a study
center. With the goal of expanding
the ARC now in place, plans should
be made to separate the enjoyable but
inefficient combination of studying
and socializing that takes place in
the ARC.
Evidently, the Health Office will
soon be leaving its current room next
to the ARC. This will leave a good-
sized room unoccupied, providing
a perfect excuse for expanding and
restructuring the ARC. By expanding
into the old Health Office, the ARC
could more easily separate its various
conflicting parts.
These conflicting parts are, indi-
vidually, the best parts of the ARC.
Tutoring in smaller rooms is an aca-
demic privilege, as are the textbooks
and study tables available for use.
However, the small area available for
study with those textbooks, combined
with the restriction that textbooks may
not leave the ARC, is inconvenient, at
best. At worst, it means that students
who are looking to review at lunch,
before a test, are forced out by the
throngs of chatting, lunching students
who are gathered around the limited
number of tables. The ARC is the only
place at Paly where textbooks can be
used by a group to study together, but
often those groups are unable to do
so because of the overcrowding and
excessive socializing around them.
The other major feature of the
ARC is the testing area, designed to
allow students to make up tests at
any time.
The Academic Resource Center should compartmentalize to separate its studying and socializing
aspects. A quiet study room would also help to improve its studying, tutoring and testing services.
Unfortunately, the other services
of the ARC disrupt students who are
making up tests. The cramped, semi-
enclosed testing area is frequently
disturbed by noise from students who
are “studying” in other rooms, tutoring
or borrowing books. As alarming as
this may sound, most teachers strive
to keep students silent during tests
because it helps students to concen-
trate, something that is not currently
occurring in the ARC.
Overcrowding and poor layout
are major problems with the ARC
system, but they could be fixed if
the ARC were allowed to expand
and more importantly, to divide. A
conglomerate of small rooms and
open areas is perfect for tutoring or
group work, but not for serious study
or testing.
The size of the Health Office
room makes it compatible to house
the testing facilities comfortably,
which would separate the facilities
from the noisier main study area via
a firmly closed door. This would free
up another room for study or testing
purposes.
In fact, the room in which test-
ing currently occurs is large enough
to be made into a quiet study area,
separate from the main study area, that
could be turned over to group work
sessions and study groups. In an area
in which students require the utmost
concentration, compartmentalization
is the clearest solution.
There is another school issue
that has little to do with the ARC,
but they could both be fixed by the
same solution. The Paly library has
Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile
a little-known room adjacent to the
librarian’s desk, which is reserved for
quiet study. It contains magazines and
other archival resources, but also has
a selection of textbooks at least equal
in size to the collection available in
the ARC. The quiet study room is an
underused facility compared with the
ARC, despite the study room’s col-
lection of textbooks and other library
resources.
Most importantly, it is a quiet
area to study. The separation of two
valuable study resources is inefficient,
and both would be best served if the
ARC were to offer a single, expanded,
quiet study area. This would give the
larger number of students who come
to the ARC more textbooks to work
with, but also would allow students
working in groups to use the same
textbooks in another room, without
disturbing others.
Admittedly, many students see
no problem with the current structure
of the ARC. Compartmentalization,
they might argue, would dampen the
lively social spirit of the ARC that is
so integral to group work.
The flaw in this reasoning is that
the ARC needs to be a quiet area, as
no other area in school quite serves
that purpose. The library is too large
to stay quiet for long, especially when
serving as a major thoroughfare dur-
ing passing periods or breaks and
other study centers do not offer the
extensive, cross-subject resources that
the ARC does.
Another argument against com-
partmentalization involves staffing.
This argument states that it would
take extra volunteers to manage each
section of the ARC if closed doors
separated them.
At least two supervisors would
be needed: one to manage and proctor
the testing room and one to deal with
tutoring and monitor the study areas.
However, the demands of running
the entire ARC single-handedly have
always been unreasonable. Currently,
one volunteer will handle tutoring
appointments, make-up tests and any
questions that a student has, all at the
same time and all from one desk. Hav-
ing two volunteers staff the ARC at
a time would make even the current
system more efficient.
The various parts of the ARC
would all benefit from having more
space, more resources and more
volunteers. Keeping the ARC com-
partmentalized will also improve
efficiency and student concentration.
The ARC is a valuable resource, but,
like any other service, it needs to be
efficient to remain valuable. That is
why it needs to expand.
text, parentheses and quotation marks
look awkward and incorrect. Poems
and short stories lose their significance
when they’re posted and plays look
somewhat ridiculous, as the dialogue
and formatting is completely lost.
Many people may not have
enough time in a day to sit down
and read an entire novel in one sit-
ting, but that’s part of the great thing
about physical books. You can pick
the book up anytime and start read-
ing and stop whenever you feel like
it. More importantly, physical books
are transportable. People can take
their books on the bus, train, airplane;
basically almost anywhere. They can
also read in bed, class or while they’re
waiting in line. It is also more likely
that people will sit down and read a
book in their hands for two to three
hours straight rather than staring at
a flat computer screen for the same
amount of time.
If people choose to read a book
solely on the Internet, they have to
first wait until they can return home
or visit the library or go somewhere
else that has a computer and Internet
access. They then have to dedicate
a certain amount of time for it to be
truly worthwhile.
People probably would not sit
staring at plain text on a computer
screen for more than 10-30 minutes
before they were bored or lost interest.
It is doubtful that this is as easy to do
with physical books. This is espe-
cially frustrating for novels, where a
single chapter might be 30-40 pages
or more.
It is liberating to know that we
have the power to control when and
where we do almost anything, includ-
ing reading books. This is much better
than being slaves to our computer.
Everyday the computer is utilized
–– from research and schoolwork to
booking flights and hotels. Why take
away one of the few things we do not
have to use the computer for?

Verbatim
“One of Mary’s golf “Me.”
carts.”
—Daniel Jones —Yuko Kanai
sophomore junior

“Maybe a fish fountain.” “Brian Karvelas playing

his banjo.”
If you could make a mural or —Allison Wyndam and
Ariana Hoyt —Davis Jeon
sculpture in Palo Alto, what
seniors senior
would it look like?
A6 • April 14, 2008 Spotlight The Campanile

PALO ALTO HIGH’S

Elizabeth Abbott (1) Ryan Drebin (5)
Water polo, driver
Harvard University or Stanford University Wrestling, 184/197 weight class

every year, the hard work Abbott has been on the Paly water polo Brown University
Drebin found the curriculum and campus
team for four years, three of which she was on
of Brown almost too perfect for him to imagine
Varsity. As a senior captain this year, Abbott
— and then they recruited him for wrestling.

of talented paly athletes

led the girls’ Varsity team through CCS. She
Drebin has been wrestling with coaches David
aspires to build on her experience with water
Duran and Tony Brewer since seventh grade,
polo, regardless of which school she decides
when he first stepped on the mat. His enthusiasm
to attend.
for the sport led him to start wrestling freestyle

pays off when they are Peter Abrams (2)

Baseball, catcher
Stanford University
and Greco-Roman during the off-season of his
freshman year. Drebin walks towards Brown with
shaky hands but a determined mind.

offered spots on the sports

All throughout high school, Abrams has
aspired to play Division I baseball. After being Hillary Ford (6)
chased by college recruiters from Dartmouth, Volleyball, libero
Yale, the University of San Francisco and Princeton University

teams of the colleges of

Ford witnessed Princeton’s win in the Ivy
Cornell, Abrams chose to play baseball for
League pool last year and knew that she had
his dream school, Stanford. Ever since the age
concluded her search for the perfect school.
of four, Abrams has played baseball and had
Ford’s volleyball career began in fourth grade.

their dreams.
the opportunity to learn from the some of the
She started playing for Vision Volleyball Club
best players in California. Abrams’ decision
in sixth grade and has competed in the Junior
to never give up on his dreams will set him
Olympics every year since then. Having played
in the Sunken Diamond next fall.
four years on Paly’s Varsity team, Ford’s talent
and gift as a leader led her to be one of this year’s
Michael Anderson (3) three co-captains. At Princeton, Ford will replace
Football, defensive end/linebacker
this year’s graduating libero.

Here’s A look at
Yale University
After signing a national letter of intent with
Yale University, Anderson was one step closer Michael Fortune (7)
to achieving his dream of playing football for Water Polo, driver
Yale. Anderson began his football career fresh- Santa Clara University

the Recruits of the

Fortune began swimming at the age of five
man year, but has loved and watched the game
and was introduced to water polo in later years
long before then. After being heavily recruited
by his older brother. He has played for Paly’s
by other schools like as Harvard, Princeton,
Varsity team for two years as starting driver
Brown, Dartmouth, Boston College and the
and was team captain his senior year. Fortune
University of Oregon, Anderson chose Yale

graduating class
is a versatile scorer because of his ability to use
for its warming atmosphere and people.
both hands, a rare skill that helps him excel in
water polo.
Stanley Chun (4)
Golf, starter Michela Fossati-Bellani (8)

of 2008
Philadelphia University
Chun was introduced to golf by his father Diving
and inspired by golf greats K.J. Choi and Ti- University of Southern California
While Fossati-Bellani’s diving career has
ger Woods. His golf career began at the early
won her two CCS championship titles and na-
age of seven; since then, he has acquired the
tional recognition in Italy, her strength as a diver
virtues of patience and precision, which
began with her foundation in gymnastics.
he hopes to bring to Philadelphia
From competitive gymnastics to competi-
University. Under Coach Tony
tive swimming, Fossati-Bellani’s back-
Berich, Chun has signed a
one-year contract with ground got her recruited to the Italian
junior national team. In 2007, Fossati-
Philadelphia and seeks

14
great impro veme nt, Bellani broke the diving CCS record
for further playing in diving. After being offered recruit-
ment from colleges such as UCLA,
time will depend
Berkeley, Dartmouth and Arizona
on his perfor-
State University, Fossati-Bellani
mance.
chose USC because she admires
its balance of
athlet ics
and aca-

5
demics.

13
12

6 16

2
19
The Campanile Spotlight April 14, 2008 • A7

RECRUITED ATHLETES
Colleen Fostch (9) Cooper Newby (13) placed second at Head of the Charles Regatta Wong started swim-
Swimming, sprint butterfly Wrestling, 141/133 weight class in Boston. Panayidies considered schools such ming competitively at age eight, but was only
University of Notre Dame Colorado School of Mines as Boston College, USC, Loyola Marymount, introduced to water polo her freshman year at
After arriving at Paly during her second At 135 pounds, Newby, captain on Paly’s Chapman, UCSD and Princeton; but after being Paly. She chose to play for UCSD due to the
semester of junior year, Fotsch joined the Varsity wrestling team, has been recruited to attend accepted to UCLA during her junior year, she university’s strong biology program and its
swim team where she excelled in the 50m free- Colorado School of Mines. Duran convinced commited to the Bruins crew team. standing as a Division II university. Before
style, the 100m butterfly and 100m backstroke. Newby to start wrestling when he was playing
committing to UCSD, Wong considered begin
Fotsch’s talent in swimming gained her the role football his freshman year. While most out- Tyger Pederson (16) recruited by a variety of other schools such as
as varsity team captain and she caught the eye standing wrestlers have been wrestling for over Football, kicker; Baseball, shortstop Occidental, Pomona-Pitzer, Claremont McK-
of many college recruiters. Choosing among four years, Newby has only committed to the Chapman University or Trinity College enna/Harvey Mudd, UC Davis, Cal State East
colleges such as USC, Northwestern, UCSB sport since freshman year. After considering At the age of nine, Pederson began playing Bay and Chapman.
and UC Davis, Fotsch decided on Notre Dame other school such as Worcester Polytechnic Pop Warner football with the Palo Alto Knights
because she felt it was a perfect fit. Fotsch hopes Institu te, Bosto n Uni- v e r s i t y, and since then, has made his way to kicker on
to use her role as a leader and her team–building Drexel and the Roch-
William Xiang (19)
ester the Paly football field. He began as quarterback Track and Field, middle distance 400m
skills to contribute to Notre Dame’s up and Institute of Technol- and kicker but focused more of his attention
ogy, Newb y chose Haverford College
coming swim team in the fall. towards kicking when he was called up to the
Colorado School Of Despite his success as a runner, Xiang has
Varsity squad during his sophomore had only one completely healthy season during
Liv Jensen (10) Mines due to its engineer- year. Not only does Pederson his four years at Paly. At the Division III level,
Swimming, sprint freestyle ing programs and pres- excel in football, but he is Haverford College has one of the best track and
University of California, Berkeley tigious reputation. also a star on the base- cross country programs in the entire nation.
Jensen was intrigued by swimming after His decisi on was
seeing the 1996 Olympics on TV. After at- also motivated by Xiang also considered running for Wesleyan,
tending some swim events, Jenson signed up his love for outdoors Williams, Amherst, Emory, Pomona and Johns
for swim lessons and ultimately a swim team. sports . At Color ado Hopkins but committed to Haverford in
Since then, Jensen’s devotion to swimming has School of Mines, Newby looks forward December. He expects to encounter
attracted schools such as Auburn, UCLA and the to be able to both ski and wrestle. very high standards in both
University of Washington. After finishing the athletic and academic
ball for Haverford is one
season as one of Paly’s Varsity swim captains, Teresa Noyola (14) field. Since among many presti-
she looks forward to swimming for Berkeley Soccer, center midfield the age of four,
during the upcoming school year. gious colleges near
Stanford University Pederson has grown
After considering colleges such as the Philadelphia.
accustomed to the shortstop
Hallie Kennan (11) University of North Carolina, Duke, Portland, position. ~ By Gloria Yu
Water polo, two meter set Santa Clara, Virginia and UCLA, Noyola com-
Bucknell College or Pomona-Pitzer mitted to Stanford to play soccer. The decision William Simon
(17)
was a natural fit for the soccer athlete who
Colleges
Kennan’s unique quality of being left- was recruited to the U.S. National Team at Water Polo, goalie
handed has won her favor among college sports the age of 14. As his year’s captain of Paly’s University of Southern California
recruiters. Upon entering college, Kennan Varsity team, Noyola aspires to contribute After being introduced to water
expects off-season training to be much harder her footwork and warming leadership to the polo by his older brother, Simon has
than Paly conditioning. Despite not having Stanford Cardinals. started as goalie on the Varsity team since
finalized her plans for next year yet, she looks his freshman year at Paly. He admires
forward to playing in college.
USC for its history of alumni Disclaimer: This article is in no way
Andrea Panayides (15) supporters and achievements a comprehensive list of names of Paly’s re-
Mia Lattanzi (12) Crew in water polo. While cruited student-athletes. All athletes’ college
Track and Field, long distance University of California, Simon also received decisions are current as of press time and
Stanford University Los Angeles offers from colleges students who are listed with multiple schools
Lattanzi has been on Paly’s Varsity cross Panayides began crew sophomore such as UCSB, Oc- in the article are students who have not yet
country and track teams for all four years of year after not being able to play soccer cidental, Brown and finalized their post-high school plans as of
high school and is now captain of the track due to a knee injury. Her interest grew into Loyola Marymount. Apr. 9.
team her senior year. Other schools that a passion that took her to win the Being goalie comes
appealed to Lattanzi’s interest were the Southwest Regional naturally for Simon,
Columbia University and Harvard Championship and who has led Paly
University but she ultimately de- Junior National to many victories
cided that Stanford was the perfect Championship and has decided to
fit for her academic and athletic in 2007 in the play for the USC
preferences. Lattanzi looks for- lightweight Trojans.
ward to run across the street from four event .
Paly. Panayides was Amanda
also first in South-
west sophomore Wong (18)
year for Water polo,
novice 4+ driver

18 11
University of
event and
California, San
this year
Diego
1

17

10 9
4
A8 • April 14, 2008 Opinion The Campanile

Allocating more funds for Palo Alto police unneeded

Adding more officers is fiscally irresponsible unless they are used to aid East Palo Alto’s police force
By Chris Gonnerman
Senior Staff Writer
Every adult who lives in Palo Alto or East
Palo Alto is fully aware that, although the
two cities have virtually the same name, their
histories, atmospheres and current economic
situations are extremely different.
Palo Altans have as many stereotypes
of East Palo Altans as East Palo Altans have
stereotypes of Palo Altans. These stereotypes
and differences between the two cities are
discussed amongst peers, starting as early as
middle school. If one were to summarize the
differences between the two cities one would
say that Palo Alto is the city with money,
privilege and security, while East Palo Alto
is the city with less money, more crime and
more disadvantaged people.
One cannot ignore that Palo Alto is
historically a Caucasian-dominant commu-
nity, and is now also home to many Asian
families. East Palo Alto, on the other hand, is
historically an African-American and Hispanic
community.
One of the most significant differences
between the two towns is the contrast be-
tween the two police forces. Currently, there
are many imbalances between the two police
departments that need to change to effect a
better surrounding society.
In 2005, East Palo Alto had 429 reported
violent crimes, compared with 91 reported
in Palo Alto. East Palo Alto is home to 4,658
people living in poverty, almost 2,000 more
than those living in Palo Alto. Palo Alto has a
population of 62,148; East Palo Alto’s popula-
tion is about half of that.
But, East Palo Alto had 338 more reported
cases of violent crime and twice the number
of people living in poverty. Furthermore, East
Palo Alto’s murder rate per capita is 3.6 times
the national average.
One would assume, based on these sta-
tistics, that East Palo Alto needs more money
for public safety and public services. Every
year, Palo Alto spends $21,661,790 on culture
and leisure, which supports such festivities as
parades. East Palo Alto spends $9,171,293 on
public safety, which is roughly 80 percent of
the city’s budget; hardly any money is devoted
to culture and leisure. Palo Alto spends over
$37,000,000 on public safety for a town with
fewer violent crimes and only three homicides
since 2003.
These expenditures are so disproportion-
ate to the amount of crime in the two cities;
based on the crime statistics, it is obvious
which city needs more money for public safety,
especially considering Palo Alto spends almost
twelve and a half million more taxpayer dollars
on culture and leisure than East Palo Alto does
on its public safety. Based on statistics, there
is no doubt that there is a correlation between
money and the safety of the neighborhoods
and that the current situation is unjust.
An organized police force can make a
major difference in the safety of a neighbor-
hood. With hardly any money at his disposal,
Ronald Davis took over as the Chief of Police
in East Palo Alto in 2005. He was previously
the chief of the Oakland Police Department
where he gained lots of experience combat-
ing crime before he took the position in East
Palo Alto. His experience and dedication has
helped him to lower the crime rate since he
stepped into power.
In 2005, the first year Davis became chief,
there were 15 homicides in East Palo Alto.
In 2006 there were six homicides, in 2007
there were six again and so far this year, there
has only been one. This significant drop in
homicides proves that competent leadership
can have a major impact on a community.
Although the homicide rate is down, in the
first two months of this year in East Palo Alto
there were 34 burglaries, 32 assaults, 30 counts
of auto-theft and 65 “shots fired” incidents.
Palo Alto crime numbers are not comparable,
yet the Palo Alto Police Department has three
times the number of officers and are looking
to recruit more.
Imagine what an experienced police chief
like Davis could do for the town he protects
and serves if he were aided with more officers
and money.
The Palo Alto Police Department cur-
rently has 87 officers and the department is
looking to hire six more. The East Palo Alto
Police Department only has 30 officers and
they are also actively recruiting. In the last
three years, ten officers were hired for the
East Palo Alto Police Department, but 16 of-
ficers have retired or left and one officer was
killed on the job.
The department has spots open for 16
more officers. Officer recruiting is a long
process, in which roughly one out of every 100
people interviewed for the position is hired.
In the state of California, there is currently a
shortage of 70,000 officers.
The last thing that Palo Alto needs is more
over-protective police officers, where there
Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile
are already too many, while on the other side
of the San Francisquito Creek, another town Palo Alto should not be spending excessive money on additional police officers.
desperately needs more officers. Across the freeway in neighboring East Palo Alto, more officers are required.
If officers want to be a part of law enforce- little merit. This does not mean that Palo Alto lacks 16 officers in a town that clearly needs
ment in this area, they should be encouraged does not need a strong police force. It simply more protection and service for its citizens.
to serve in East Palo Alto force, which is means it does not need to unnecessarily add Even though only a highway and a creek
much more noble given the greater impact an additional six more officers. separate these two towns, the current situation
working there would have, and the case is It does not make sense to fill six officer with the differences in their police departments
especially compelling, considering the salaries positions in Palo Alto and spend more of the is noticeably and unreasonably unfair. If all
are relatively similar and officers receive the cities money to pay for them when the PAPD men are truly created equal in this country,
same benefits. gets 26 percent of their calls for vehicle stops then the tax-paying citizens of East Palo Alto
Palo Alto does not need more officers who (the highest percentage of their calls), five per- deserve more police protection that can at least
have nothing better to do than write jay walking cent from false calls and three percent minor be equally compared to the police protection
tickets and citations for petty crimes that have noise complaint calls, when East Palo Alto of its neighbor, Palo Alto.

Paly club leaders, advisers must ensure that clubs stay active
and to ensuring that clubs have, or
can obtain, necessary finances, these
bodies should not be held accountable
for the dissolution of a club, except
when such derives from an adviser’s
failure to fulfill the aforementioned
responsibilities.
The teacher advisers should also
facilitate the survival of their clubs by
fulfilling any and all obligations that
they had made to those clubs upon
consenting to become advisers.
The typical responsibilities of a
teacher adviser should include, but
not necessarily be limited to: being
present at pre-scheduled meetings for
which his or her presence is necessary;
ensuring, to the best of his or her abil-
ity, that no conflicts arise which might
prevent him or her from attending such
a meeting; and providing any and all
necessary resources that he or she
promised to the club upon consenting
to be its adviser.
Although the club’s adviser
supports the club as a favor and not
Stacy Levichev/The Campanile as an obligation, they should fulfill
A large percentage of Paly clubs, though strong at the start of the school year, cease to exist as the the requirements of their respective
year progresses. Club leaders and advisers should do more to prevent this from happening again. roles in the clubs, to the best of their
By Chris Clayton simply cease to exist, becoming solely leaders and, to a certain extent, each ability, to help to ensure that the clubs
Opinion Editor another number in another statistic of club’s teacher adviser. survive.
On Club Day, one may find Paly history. Neither the administration nor Club members also need to rec-
numerous clubs represented at The fault of the dissolution of Student Council can, or should, be ognize their obligations to the clubs
various tables on the quad with club these clubs generally lies neither with held responsible for ensuring the that they join.
representatives asserting the merits the administration nor with the Associ- continuation of clubs. Although Students should refrain from
of their club. Unfortunately, as the ated Student Body’s Student Council, their responsibilities should extend joining clubs on whims or in order
year progresses, many of these clubs but rather with the club members, club to tracking which clubs still exist to obtain certain incentives, such as
baked goods that many clubs provide
to students who join on Club Day,
as this misrepresents actual student
interest in these clubs, which leads
to scheduling and planning based on
an incorrect number and effects the
dissolution of the club.
Moreover, once members of a
club, students should attempt to par-
ticipate in all mandatory club events
and in the regularly scheduled club
meetings, as negligence of such could
also lead to the dissolution of the club,
due to perceived declining interest.
The primary responsibility,
however, lies with the club leaders,
who must continue to fulfill their
responsibilities, in order to ensure the
continuation of their club.
Clubs should generally elect, de-
pending on the club size, at least two
dedicated club leaders who will fulfill
their required duties (upperclassmen
who have been members for several
years are recommended for these po-
sitions, as their continued interest in
the club increases the probability that
they will be dedicated and effective
club leaders).
These leaders should be allocated
separate duties, particularly for clubs
that schedule frequent events outside
of school, in which case at least one
leader should be given the role of
planning and scheduling these events,
while the others should organize club
meetings.
By allocating responsibilities,
clubs can better ensure the survival of
the club, by not overwhelming club
officers with responsibilities.
Once elected, these officers must
continue to fulfill whatever respon-
sibilities are allocated to them or
resign their office, and allow another
member to take over, so as to avoid
the complete neglect of any meetings
and activities associated with that of-
ficer’s duties.
However, if the officers neglect
their duties, the club will probably
dissolve prior to the termination of
the school year. Thus, these officers
must fulfill their duties and remain
dedicated to the club for which they
became officers.
In order to prevent the dissolution
of clubs, several parties must fulfill
their respective responsibilities: the
administration and Student Council
need to ensure that funding is avail-
able, or otherwise obtainable, for clubs
that need it; the club’s teacher adviser
must fulfill his or her predetermined
responsibilities to the club throughout
the year; club members must continue
to attend meetings and must remain
dedicated to their club, or leave it; and
club officers and leaders must fulfill
their respective duties, as well as all
of the responsibilities of regular club
members. With these responsibilities
fulfilled, clubs will, more likely, sur-
vive at Palo Alto High School.

Paly should make transcript requests, counselor scheduling available online

By Nanor Balabanian Moreover, online transcript requests are “We’ve been looking for ways to improve
Staff Writer not a new or unused method, since most col- processes and free up our administrators’
Think about how life would be easier if leges offer it to students. Web sites such as time to focus on the needs of our students,”
students could send college transcripts, check docufide.com, allow students to request their Navarro wrote. “Not only does this make the
their current grade point average and schedule high school transcripts online and to electroni- process much easier, but it makes our students
a meeting with a college counselor with just cally send them to colleges. The students are happier, too.”
one click. also e-mailed and notified when the request If Paly were to implement this system,
Consider how useful would it be for up- is received, approved and when the transcript it would not only give seniors more time to
perclassmen to save most of their busy time is delivered. focus on college essays and applications, but
during the fall trying to send college transcripts The school electronically processes the also help Registrar Suzie Brown significantly
by doing it online. transcript with Secure Transcript and can track by decreasing the amount of paperwork and
To complete college transcript requests, the requests using the online service. Not only forms that she needs to process every fall.
students spend hours filling two or three dif- is this system more reliable than the postal The second improvement to the Paly Web
ferent forms, acquiring signatures, finding service, but it also eliminates any required site could be the addition of a Web link, which
the correct postage stamp, buying manila mailing fees. would allow students to confidentially view
envelopes and using unnecessary amounts The only thing that students have to pay their current transcript and GPA.
of paper. is a small service charge with each transcript. Students are very often crowded in the
If Paly made the Many high school stu- reception are a of the Guidance office to ask for
system so that the tran- dents throughout the na- their transcripts, check their GPAs and confirm
script requests would Juniors and seniors who regular- tion, including the Cap- their classes in which they are enrolled. Not
be available online, the ly require meetings with college istrano Unified School only do students lose time waiting for their
entire process would be counselors would easily be able District, currently use transcript to be printed, but they also waste
sped up. Docufide. paper and resources. To avoid these problems,
to do so by signing up online to
The proposed sys- In a Nov. 2005 ar- Paly should allow for students to log in with Allie Bollella/The Campanile
tem would require stu- schedule their appointment. ticle published on Do- their respective student identification numbers
dents to sign in with cufide’s Web site, it was and passwords in order to check their current Students must normally go to the office and fill out multiple forms to request a
their student identifica- noted that Docufide now school GPAs online. transcript. Offering this service and others online would save time and resources.
tion numbers, identify the colleges to which electronically processes the nation’s top 500 The last important thing that the Web site By signing up online, a student would By implementing these three proposi-
they want their transcripts sent, indicate if they school districts. should allow is access for students to schedule be notified through his or her e-mail if the tions, both students and staff will save vast
need a Secondary School Report Form to go The article was written by Dr. Frederick appointments with college counselors. Juniors appointment went through and would be au- amounts of time and energy. Paly will also
along with it, fill out the National Association Navarro, Director of Secondary Curriculum and seniors who regularly meet with college tomatically reminded about the appointment be on a new level, more technologically ad-
of College Admission Counselors Form and and Instruction for Newport-Mesa Unified counselors would easily be able to by signing a day in advance, saving the time of college vanced than most of the other schools in the
pay the required fee using a credit card. School District. up online to schedule their appointment. center volunteers. entire nation.
A9 April 14, 2008

Sports The Campanile

Varsity baseball holds strong late in season

Vikings sweep Gunn in two impressive performances, pushing their winning streak to five games
By Zal Dordi
Staff Writer
After a disappointing beginning to the
2008 season for the Paly Varsity baseball team,
the Vikings have begun to piece together what
was originally expected to be a solid squad.
The Vikings dropped their first three pre-
season games by a combined score of 33-1.
The team fell to 3-6 overall on the season after
the first game of the Los Gatos High School
two-game series. But game two was just when
things began to turn around for the Vikings.
Junior starting pitcher Steven Burk went
the distance for the Vikings, working all seven
innings while striking out six. Paly entered
the bottom of the seventh inning tied at five.
Senior shortstop Tyger Pederson led off the
inning with a laser to center and put the win-
ning run on third.
Junior first baseman Will Holder drew a
one-out walk, bringing senior catcher Peter
Abrams to the plate with runners on the corners
and only one out.
The first pitch to Abrams was in the dirt,
skipping away from the catcher and allowing
Pederson to score from third, giving Paly a
walk-off victory.
That moment has been pivotal in the
Vikings season. The following day the team
traveled to Carlmont High School for a non-
league matchup. The Vikings led for most
of the game and nearly blew a 9-4 lead but
managed to hold on for the victory.
The next scheduled game was a non-
league away game at Prospect High School.
The Vikings were up 14-8 entering the seventh
inning but the bullpen could not hold on to
the six-run lead.
The two squads played into the 11th inning
until the umpires called the game on account
of darkness. The final score was 15-15, giving
the Vikings their first and hopefully only tie
of the season.
Following the two non-league games, the
team resumed league play over Spring Break
by entering into a two-game series with Los
Altos High School.
The Vikings fell behind early, trailing
1-0 after four innings without a single hit.
But the boys battled back, knocking in a run
in the fifth and four more in the sixth inning
to cap a 5-1 victory.
Neither offense made any noise in the
second game of the series. Tyger Pederson
was the only offensive spark for the Vikings
with a two-run double, putting Paly ahead
for good.
Senior Will Goodspeed delivers a pitch in the first inning of the Apr. 4 Gunn game. Goodspeed won for the Vikings with a
strong six inning effort. The senior cruised through the Titan lineup with five strikeouts while only surrendering two runs.
On Mar. 31 the Vikings played a non-
league home game against Aragon High
School. Junior Colin Byrne started for the
Vikings, going four innings before being
relieved by senior Neal Ketchum.
Ketchum was relieved by sophomore
Scott Witte, who finished the final two innings
of the 6-2 win. The offense was carried by
three-hit performances by Burk and senior
third baseman Kevin Johnson.
The Vikings entered the Gunn series
5-0-1 in their last six games with three one-
run wins.
To begin the two-game series, the Vikings
headed across town to face the Gunn Titans.
Burk got the call to pitch for the Vikings,
but unfortunately the junior struggled early on,
allowing three runs in the first inning.
Burk gave up one more in the second
inning and the Titans grabbed control of the
game with a 4-0 lead after two.
Paly began to chip away at the Titan lead in
the third by scoring a run of their own, reducing
the deficit to three before adding four more
runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning.
After carrying a 5-4 lead into the seventh in-
Michela Fossati-Bellani/The Campanile
ning, the Vikings scored four more in the top
half of the final inning. Gunn went quietly in
the bottom half, giving the Vikings a 9-4 win
on the road. Burk earned his fifth win of the
season behind an offense that went to town
against the Titan pitching.
Senior Mike Martin lead the offense with
three hits while junior outfielder Michael
Rizza was credited with three RBIs. Witte,
senior pitcher Will Goodspeed and Johnson
each doubled for Paly.
Coming off the strong victory at Gunn the
team returned home two days later to finish
off the second half of the series. Goodspeed
got the start this time for the squad on the
Friday afternoon. Goodspeed took care of
business in the first and in the second despite
back-to-back walks.
Gunn struck first in the third. A lead off
walk and a passed-ball strikeout put runners
on first and second with one out. This was
followed by a two run double for the Titans,
putting them up 2-0.
Paly came right back in the bottom half of
the inning, exploding for six runs. Two walks
put runners on first and second with one out
in the inning. After Martin flied out to center,
sophomore outfielder Joc Pederson delivered
a two-run triple knotting the game at two.
Abrams followed it up with a double of
his own and Goodspeed helped his own cause
by singling to right to score Abrams. Johnson
roped in another run scoring double prompting
a Gunn pitching change.
Despite the change, Witte turned out a
productive at-bat, knocking in the sixth run of
the inning with two outs. The field day ended
there for Paly as Witte was thrown out at third
trying to stretch his double into a triple.
The fourth inning was hitless for both
sides as was the top of the fifth.
In the bottom half of the fifth the Vikings
added one more run to their total with a bases
loaded passed ball.
Martin came in from left field to pitch the
seventh and got the Titans to go 1-2-3, giving
the Vikings a 7-2 victory their second series
sweep of the season.
The Vikings will close out their regular
season schedule with a two game series against
league leading Wilcox High School.
The Vikings will travel to Wilcox on the
Wednesday while the Chargers will make the
trip to Paly for the Friday matchup.
Baseball
Scores
@ Gunn
Apr. 2, W 9-4
v. Gunn
Apr. 4, W 7-2
Upcoming games
@ Wilcox
Apr. 23, 3:30 p.m.
v. Wilcox
Apr. 25, 3:30 p.m.

Varsity tennis rebounds after disappointing midseason losses

Viking boys dominate rivals after overcoming upsetting setbacks, tied for second in De Anza division
By Sam Jones Menlo School on Apr. 2. The Paly squad could do little
Sports Editor against a team of Menlo’s pedigree and was crushed by
The Paly boys’ Varsity tennis team has continued to a score of 1-6.
play at an extremely high level, battling through several “Menlo is strong from top to bottom, so we were just
midseason setbacks to improve to a 12-5 record (8-2 hoping to get a few matches off of them,” Tantry said. “But
league). obviously losing 1-6 is always disappointing.”
The Vikings are currently tied for second in the Santa The team then travelled to Monta Vista High School
Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division, two games on Apr. 3, hoping to rebound from its tough loss to Menlo.
behind undefeated league leader Saratoga High School. However, they did not have a very successful trip, falling
The squad hit the road to face Los Gatos High School 3-4 in another close, tough loss.
on a Mar. 17 match, looking to preserve an undefeated Once again, the Vikings could not pull through in
league record. The Vikings demonstrated extraordinary several three set matches, which proved to be the dif-
depth, talent and poise in a 7-0 thrashing of their Los ference.
Gatos opponents. “The loss was definitely a wake up call for the team,
This dominant performance had the team feeling good Tantry said. “We have been coming out strong in matches
entering its third consecutive match in three days, facing in the first set, but we are not elevating our game late.
off against Lynbrook High School on Mar. 18. That will definitely be a focal point in our training as we
However, the Vikings came out flat at Lynbrook, continue to improve.”
losing in the third set in both the No. 3 singles and No. 3 The losses to Menlo and Monta Vista were the first
doubles matches. consecutive defeats for the Vikings
These close defeats led to a “Even though we’ve had some this season.
4-3 upset by Lynbrook, breaking a tough breaks, the guys are im- But the Vikings would not let the
six-game league winning streak by proving through the adversity. losses dampen their confidence and
the Vikings and dropping the team responded in a big way by grabbing a
into second place in the SCVAL We’re just keeping our heads up solid 7-0 win against Los Altos High
standings. and weathering the storm for School at home on Apr. 8.
The loss was a very disappoint- now.” The Viking squad has contin-
ing one for the heavily favored Paly ued to drastically improve over the
squad. course of the season. With a very
“Losing to Lynbrook was really Kushal Tantry young squad, some tough losses were
tough for everyone on the team to senior expected over a long season in a very
stomach,” captain Kushal Tantry competitive league. However, the
said. “Winning was definitely within our reach, but we team has continued to thrive despite its inexperience. Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile
couldn’t come through in the clutch.” “Even though we’ve had some tough breaks, the Sophomore Drew Pearson hits an approach shot during the Vikings’ match against Mountain View
Nevertheless, the Vikings bounced back strong, facing guys are improving through the adversity,” Tantry said. High School on Apr. 1. The Vikings have hit a rough patch in their season, but continue to improve.
off against Los Gatos at home on Mar. 21. The Vikings “We’re just keeping our heads up and weathering the
once again steamrolled Los Gatos while tallying up a 6-1 storm for now.” game in the hopes of having strong showing in the CCS
score in a statement victory. Even in this rough patch of the season, there have tournament. Tennis
Following Spring Break, the Vikings looked to build been several bright spots for the Vikings. Several play- If the Viking squad can play strongly in its final few
momentum entering the heart of the season. The squad ers, most notably junior Sam Wong, have significantly matches of the season, it would enter the postseason with Scores
faced off against Mountain View High School on Apr. 1, stepped up their play. momentum and secure a fourth or fifth seed in the playoffs. v. Los Altos
and shuffled its line up in hopes of finding a catalyst for “Sam started out the season hurt and had a rough go The Vikings are confident they can come through in clutch Apr. 8, W 7-0
victory. the first couple of weeks,” Tantry said. “But recently he situations come playoff time.
The change evidently worked, as the match ended up has really brought his game to a whole new level. He’s “We are going to continue to work on our mental Upcoming games
in a 6-1 blowout win for the Vikings. been impressive.” game, because we haven’t delivered in tight matches,” v. Gunn
However, the Vikings’ next opponent was a formidable With only a few weeks left until the postseason, the senior captain David Plotkin said. “I’m confident that we Apr. 15, 3:30 p.m.
non-league foe, hosting the defending CCS champion Vikings are looking to get back on track and solidify their will be ready to compete come CCS though.”
A10 • April 14, 2008 Sports The Campanile

Swimming teams hold on to perfect records

Girls’ and boys’ Varsity teams continue to dominate competition with impressive performances in league play
By Alexi Dagan
Sports Editor
Both of Palo Alto High School’s boys’
and girls’ Varsity swimming and diving teams
managed to maintain their perfect records with
recent wins against Homestead High School,
Menlo School and Lynbrook High School.
Paly traveled to Homestead on Mar. 14,
where the boys soundly beat the Mustangs
with strong performances by both veteran and
younger swimmers. Junior Mark Higgins led
off the winning 200-yard freestyle relay as
well as the 400-yard freestyle relay and also
won both of his individual events, including
the 500-yard freestyle. Seniors Geng Wang
and Michael Fortune took first in the 100-yard
breastroke and 50-yard freestyle, respectively,
and junior Tim Wenzlau finished first in the
200-yard freestyle.
“We had lots of nice swims from some of
the younger guys,” Head Coach Danny Dye
said. “They are really making nice progress
and I am proud of how they swam. We are go-
ing to have a much more balanced team than
I originally thought we would have.”
The girls team also claimed victory over
Homestead, with big wins in both the relays
and individual events. They kicked the meet
off with a win in the 200 medley relay and
continued the winning streak with wins from
senior Liv Jensen in the 200 freestyle, freshman
Kristina Xiang in the 200 individual medley,
senior Colleen Fotsch in the 50 freestyle and
freshman Sabrina Lee in the 500 freestyle.
“We knew Homestead had some fast
swimmers,” senior co-captain Amanda Wong
said. “Colleen [Fotsch] and Liv [Jensen] were
tapering for Junior Nationals, so the rest of the
team really had to step up overall, everyone
is swimming as hard as they can.”
Dye is also pleased with the depth of the
girls’ team.
“We have so many good quality swim-
mers which makes for lots of combinations for
relays that are always going to be successful,”
Dye said.
The diving meet took place immediately
before the swim meet, where senior Will Simon
took first place for the boys and senior Michela
Fossati-Bellani, freshman Grace Greenwood
and junior Noa Palmon took first, third and
fourth for the girls, respectively.
The boys’ team had an important victory
at the Serra Relays on Mar. 15, where they
beat reigning Central Coast Section champion
Bellarmine College Preparatory.
“The win gave us confidence for the rest
of the season,” Dye said. “It’s really nice for
them to be able to take some kudos for the
talent we’ve had on this team for the past
two years.”
Both teams continued to exhibit their
talent as they went on to defeat Menlo with
scores of 114-62 for the girls and 91-73 for
the boys.
The girls’ team showed off their depth,
winning both the 200 medley relay and the
200 freestyle relay. The Vikings dominated
in the 200 freestyle, with juniors Allie Bol-
lella and Lucy McComas and sophomore
Danielle Carlson finishing first, second and
third, respectively.
“The Menlo meet was fun because some
people got to swim in events that they normally
wouldn’t get a chance to compete in,” senior
co-captain Lizzie Abbott said. “Coming off
of spring break, it was a good meet for us to
get back into competition.” Michela Fossati-Bellani/The Campanile
The girls also swept first, second and The Paly swimming team continued its winning streak with strong performances over Homestead High School, Menlo
third place in both the 50 and 100 freestyle
School and Lynbrook High School. The team has benefitted from outstanding junior and senior talent in each event.
events, with impressive swims from Fotsch,
Lee and Abbott in the 50 and Lee, Bollella Higgins won both the 200 and 500 “The girls are right on par with where I “Both teams have a great chance of win-
and senior Kristen Hallsted in the 100. Sopho- freestyle and Wenzlau finished first in 200 want them to be heading into the end of the ning the league championships,” Dye said.
more Kaitlyn Tracy finished first in the 500 individual medley and 100 backstroke. season,” Dye said. “They are really going to have to focus as the
freestyle, missing the CCS cut by four-tenths The Vikings brought their league record The boys displayed their talent across the other teams in our league get better.”
of a second. to 2-0 with a victory for both the girls’ and board, with individual wins from Higgins in the
“As a team they swam well across the boys’ teams over Lynbrook on Apr. 4. 200 individual medley and 100-yard butterfly,
board,” Dye said. “It’s frustrating for them “Lynbrook came out really strong,” Ab- Fortune in the 50 and 100 freestyle events Swimming
because they want to see the fast times but their bott said. “They won the medley relay and that and Wang in the 100-yard backstroke. Junior
bodies are exhausted from all the training.” surprised us a little bit, so after that we stepped Jamie Nakamura also contributed to the win, Scores
With the absence of freestyle swimmer it up a lot and everyone swam well.” placing first in the 100 backstroke. Menlo @ Paly
Fortune, who did not swim in the meet due to The girls swept the top three places in “The meet was closer than I thought it April 1, (G) 114-62 W, (B) 91-73 W
illness, the boys’ team saw other individuals both the 50 freestyle and 500 freestyle, with would be for the boys,” Dye said. “It caught Lynbrook @ Paly
step up to help fill the void. April 4, (G) 99-71 W, (B) 92.5-77.5 W
Fotsch, Lee and Abbott dominating the 50 and them by surprise because they have been coast-
Senior co-captain Scott Mielke won the Bollella, Carlson and senior Xiomara Pinto ing through the league so far. They could be Upcoming meets
50 freestyle by two one-hundredths of a sec- taking first, second and third, respectively, doing a few more things in practice to prepare Gunn @ Paly
ond and the boys took first and second in the in the 500. themselves better, but Jamie really stepped it April 15, 3:30 PM
100 freestyle with strong swims from Wang Fotsch also took first in the 100 free- up and his win helped us win the meet.” Section Challenge @ Paly
and Mielke, who finished first and second style and the girls took first in both freestyle Overall, Dye is more than satisfied with April 18, 3:30 PM
respectively. relays. how both teams have been swimming.

Underappreciated golf team looks forward to SCVAL tournament

Michela Fossati-Bellani/The Campanile
Junior golfer Elliot Snow practices his swing at the
Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course driving range.
By Eliot Wilson
Senior Staff Writer
  The Palo Alto High School Varsity golf team started
the year undefeated in five games against league oppo-
nents and largely untested in seven games. However, they
showed they have much to improve upon, dropping two
league matches against Mountain View High School and
Los Altos High School on in the first quad match of the
season on Apr. 2. The Vikings continued to slide the next
day with another loss to Mountain View High School.
Despite the tough losses, the members of the golf
team remain hopeful for the future.
“It’s not that big of a deal that we lost because it’s
still the regular season and we still have a good chance
of doing well at leagues,” captain Pierce Marchant said.
“We all just need to be playing well during leagues and
we will be fine.”
The Vikings played fine in the next game, when
they avenged one of their two quad match losses by defeat-
ing Los Altos 193-202. The Vikings dropped to a tie for
second place with Los Altos and barring any unexpected
defeats in the next four games should win out to finish
in the tie for second and in a good position to challenge
Monta Vista in leagues. The Vikings will finish the season
with matches at Fremont and will host Gunn twice to round
out the regular season.
For seniors Adam Furlong and Stanley Chun, the
result was disappointing. Mountain View has defeated
Paly in every match for the last four years and has yet to
lose a match to anyone in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic
League.
The Paly team is captained by two juniors, Marchant
and Alexandra Groetsema. As a freshman, Groetsema
joined the team because of the lack of a girl’s golf team
and has excelled at the sport.
“Alex is definitely a unique player,” Marchant said.
“She brings a lot of confidence and talent to the team.”
Groetsema and Marchant lead the pack, but the greatest
asset to the Viking team is their consistency.
“I think our strength is our consistency across the
board,” Furlong said. “Pierce and Alexandra shoot right
around par every day. We have our other four shooting
around two over each match. If someone is having a bad
day, we know the others are playing solid.”
The golf team is a relatively unknown on Paly’s
campus; however, living in obscurity does not seem to
bother some of the Viking golfers. The team doesn’t expect
spectators to show up anyway.
“We know that we are a good team and golf isn’t
a spectator sport,” Furlong said. “More adults follow
football and basketball than golf, so there is no reason to
think that the golf team should get the same support as
other teams.”
Others on the team hope for more respect from the
Paly community.
“We are recognized as an official ‘sport,’ but people
laugh and call golf a ‘game,’” sophomore Aaron Lee said.
“We aren’t considered real athletes.”
The golfers face complex and evolving challenges
on every course they play on.
“I think the hardest thing about golf is staying focused,”
Furlong said. “The funny thing about golf is, your golf
game doesn’t necessarily improve from day to day if you
practice. Different things can go wrong on different days.
One day you can be slicing the ball and the next your
pulling it after correcting it from the day before.”
With the talent on the team this year, Furlong expects
the Vikings to win SCVALs.
“If we play up to our potential we can beat anybody in
the league,” Furlong said. “If we come out first in leagues,
we’ll be able to hang with the best teams in CCS.”
By the time the league tournament begins on Apr.
21, the Vikings should be well prepared to take on all
comers.
“We’ve had three practice rounds at San Juan Oaks
course (the location of the SCVAL tournament), so we all
feel comfortable with the course,” Marchant said. “Our
goal for SCVAL this year is to beat Mountain View, play
the best we can, and advance to CCS.”
GOLF
Scores
Mountain View @ Paly
Apr. 3, L 208-186
Los Altos @ Paly
Apr. 14, W 193-202
Upcoming games
Gunn @ Paly
Apr. 14, 3:45 p.m.
Gunn @ Paly
Apr. 17, 3 p.m.

Tough opening schedule results in disappointing start for Paly lacrosse team
By Austin Smith
A&E Editor
In its first season as a program, the
Palo Alto High School girls’ Varsity
lacrosse team has suffered growing
pains. Much like a professional ex-
pansion franchise, the girls’ lacrosse
team, which was approved by Paly’s
athletic department after five years of
community push, has struggled to get
its act together.
At 2-6, the Vikings have not won
a game since their season-opening
victory against Woodside High School
on Mar. 14.
The first big test of the year came
against Henry M. Gunn High School
on Mar. 20. It was the girls’ first taste
of the cross-town rivalry and their
first encounter with an established
program such as Gunn, which is in its
seventh year competing and has many
players that belong to prestigious
club teams.
“The Gunn program has been
around a long time,” junior Caroline
Lucas-Conwell said. “They have
more experience and are more es-
tablished.”
The Vikings’ inexperience handi-
capped them against the Titans, who
went on to win convincingly 10-0.
Ultimately, it was Gunn’s premier
players that made the difference.
Seven of the team’s goals came from
two of their star players: Julia Saper
and Jinnyi Pak. Conversely, the Vi-
kings rely less on key players and
more on teamwork.
“We have a variety of girls who
contribute to the scoring,” Paly head
coach Jen Gray said. “It makes it
harder on our opponents to know that
anyone out there can come in and be
a threat to score.”
The painful loss, however, was
only an omen of things to come. The
team once again faced off against
a cross-town rival when they faced
Castilleja School on Apr. 1. If there
was any hope for the Vikings leading
into the game, it was immediately
extinguished. Castilleja maintained
control of the game, dominating the
possession of the ball and picking
up a relatively comfortable 7-4 win.
Although the Vikings never seriously
threatened the Gators’ chances of
winning, they did close out the game
in stronger fashion than they started.
After showing tremendous im-
provement from one game to the next,
the Vikings were primed for their
matchup with Leland High School
on Apr. 4. The team delivered on this
improvement, challenging Leland,
but were victims to unpredictable bad
luck in a 7-3 defeat. According to the
players, the final score did not reflect
the tone of the game.
“We played super well,” Lucas-
Conwell said. “From the score you
wouldn’t be able to tell it, but we could
have easily won that game from the
way we played.”
The Vikings finally stepped up to
the level they would need to compete
against the best teams on their sched-
ule. The offense was explosive and
continually on the attack, despite nar-
rowly missing many chances to score.
The defense matched up physically
with the tough Chargers players and
played with evident grit and tenacity
for the first time this season.
Confidence built up from the
Leland game was soon leveled as
the team was kicked around in the
annual Western States Tournament at
Stanford University the weekend of
Apr. 5. With the top schools from all
west coast states attending, the team
anticipated a rough schedule. It got
exactly that, and went on to lose all
three of its tournament games.
The Vikings showed both their
good side and their bad side through-
out the tournament. Their worst per-
formance was an 11-0 loss to Carlsbad
High School. Their best performance
came in a 5-5 tie that was taken into
overtime before the Vikings once
again succumbed to misfortune.
On Apr. 8, however, the lacrosse
team pulled off a much needed 13-0
win over The Harker School.
The Vikings intend to learn from
their experiences against top teams
in order to grow and develop as a
program as well.
LACROSSE
Scores
v. Leland
Apr. 4, L 7-3
@ Harker/Notre Dame
Apr. 4, W 13-0
Upcoming games
@ Menlo-Atherton
Apr. 23, 3:30 p.m. Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile
@ Pioneer Junior Helene Zahoudanis looks to pass the ball in a recent lacrosse
Apr. 25, 3:30 p.m. game against Castilleja School. The Vikings suffered a 7-4 loss.
The Campanile Sports April 14, 2008 • A11

Badminton team struggles in league play

The Vikings’ young squad, led mostly by juniors, continues to work hard to improve
Chris Gallagher Gunn’s Varsity team made Saratoga’s Prentice said. “But I think that Gunn is prob-
Staff Writer look pitiful in comparison on Mar. 18. Paly ably better.”
Despite a haunting history of continuous suffered losses across the board, resulting in On Apr. 1, Paly then played Lynbrook,
losses in recent years, Palo Alto High School’s a final score of 4-26. who, according to Prentice, is the second
badminton team has remained hopeful and Though they played well, Paly’s No. best team in the league next to Gunn. Paly’s
optimistic towards its performance. 1 boys’ doubles players, juniors Kevin Dai No.1 girls’ singles player, junior Young Hsu,
Unfortunately, the first few league and Justin Hsi, lost their match to a pair of was the only Varsity player to win her match
matches of this season seem to predict that nationally ranked brothers from Gunn. Their against Lynbrook, gaining three points for
history will repeat itself. Paly opened their loss was mirrored by other Varsity No. 1 play- Paly. The final score after the difficult game
league play with an 8-22 loss to Saratoga High ers; the first several matches were extremely was a grisly 3-27.
School on Mar. 13, the only team that they disappointing. “Monta Vista’s and Lynbrook’s gyms are
defeated during last year’s season. “We weren’t expecting those super- basically white backgrounds and it is really
Henry M. Gunn and Monta Vista High freshmen who came out of nowhere,” Prentice hard to see the birds,” Hsu said.
schools crushed Paly, ruthlessly utilizing their said. After many losses to some of the best
best players and strong technique against the The second round was no better than the schools in the league, Paly’s teamwork finally
inexperienced Paly team. first, in which all the players lost their matches paid off against Homestead High School on
“I think that we had a good chance at win- except for the Varsity girls’ doubles players. Apr. 3. The game began with a Paly cheer, a
ning and there were a lot of close matches,” Seniors Joanna Wu and Lydia Qin did tradition that had been neglected by the team
Head Coach Jon Prentice said. “I did expect especially well against the No. 2 girls’ doubles thus far in the season.
to do a lot better than that.” players from Gunn, capitalizing on the other “We changed up our line-up and put the
The Saratoga match was a disappoint- team’s weaknesses to come out with a win. In best players from boys’ singles like Isaac [Yao]
ment for many of the other players on the the third round, Woo won her match by utilizing and Allen [Chen] in doubles.” Prentice said.
team as well. Senior Isaac Yao, No. 1 boys’ the court space and returning some difficult Knowing that Homestead had the best
singles, gave his opponent some trouble with smashes and drops from her opponent. boys’ singles player in the Central Coast
his amazing smashes, but the third game went “Gunn is just really strong this year,” Section, Prentice utilized the team’s star
downhill for Yao. Yao said. players where he thought they would produce
He failed to hit to the four corners, des- Yao, like Prentice, said that Gunn has a win.
perately trying to get the birdie back over some amazing new players this season. Paly’s strategy paid off, winning the game
the net. No. 1 mixed doubles players, juniors Although disappointed by their loss with a final score of 18-12. The game against
Hansen Moon and to Gunn, the team Homestead High School was also a learning
Alyssa Burton, lost “I got nervous in the last few points. prepared for their opportunity for various players who lost their
a frustrating match Near the end, the points are more about final match before individual matches.
against their Sara- spring break. “I got nervous in the last few points,”
calmness and about being the most Though Monta Dai said. “Near the end, the points are more
toga opponents.
“ S o m e t i m e s focused.” Vista beat Paly on about calmness and about being the most Hannah McGovern/ The Campanile
you just have off Mar. 20, their score focused.” Sophomore Ivan Zhou gets in position to smash the shuttlecock over the net while
days,” Burton said. Kevin Dai of 2-28 does not ac- From their match against Homestead, Paly serving at practice. Despite league losses, the Vikings have had recent success.
“But you cannot curately represent learned the importance of team unity, smart
junior the hard work and coaching and calculated playing. Although Paly lost a majority of the
get mad at your
partner.”
Seniors Petrina Chie and Vika Kreitz in by both sides.
great playing put Although Homestead is a significantly
easier team to beat than Monta Vista, Gunn or
important matches, many of the matches
were very close, in particular the No.1 mixed
Badminton
played an extremely lengthy match against “There were about a dozen or so matches Lynbrook, members of the team were encour- doubles game played by Moon and Burton.
the No. 3 girls’ doubles from Saratoga. After that could have gone either way,” Prentice aged by this win and hope to implement the “We were missing a lot of people,” sopho- Scores
many careless mistakes, the pair won the match said. “However, it is hard to say that we could same strategic playing against more difficult more Ivan Zhou said. v. Homestead
with sweat dripping down their faces. have won.” opponents. The newly formulated doubles teams Apr. 3, W 18-12
“One time we hugged because we thought Many of the matches went into three The team attempted to use these same were suffering from a lack of experience and Palo Alto @ Wilcox
it was over, but it wasn’t,” Chie said. “It was games and a majority of those were decided techniques against Wilcox on Apr. 7, but to the courts at Wilcox were also very difficult Apr. 8, L 8-22
a really intense match.” by a few points. no avail; the final score was 8-22. In an at- to play on in terms of visibility.
Though having to play out some long Although all players tried their best, tempt to produce a win, Paly changed its line “I wasn’t used to playing doubles,” Yao
rallies, sophomore Kathy Woo, No. 3 girls’ Monta Vista is known as one of the best teams up by placing Yao in boys doubles and No. said. “We haven’t had too much experience Upcoming games
singles, won her match in just two games. in the league. 2 boys singles player, junior Allen Chen, in and we have only played two or three times @ Gunn
“I felt better about the first game; the Many feel that Paly will perform much mixed doubles. this year.” Apr. 22, 3:30 p.m.
second was a lot closer and she came back,” better when playing Monta Vista at home. “We didn’t know how good their boy’s Despite losses, the team remains opti-
v. Lynbrook
Woo said. “By the second game she had “Lynbrook [High School] and Monta doubles was going to be.” Prentice said. “Their mistic, hoping that after these first encounters
Apr. 29, 3:30 p.m.
figured out what I was worst at.” Vista are at about the same level this year,” No. 1 team was really good.” against high schools, they can play better.

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A12 • April 14, 2008 Sports The Campanile

Boys’ track remains undefeated with win over Gunn

Girls team beats Monta Vista but struggles against cross-town rivals Gunn and strong Los Gatos squad
By Mira Parekh
Staff Writer
Now well into the season, Palo
Alto High School’s Track and Field
team has been greeted with multiple
wins and losses. Although the Varsity
boys’ team is undefeated with a  4-0
record, the girls’ team (1-3) suffered
losses to Mountain View, Los Gatos
and Gunn High Schools.
However, both teams crushed
Monta Vista in a sweeping vic-
tory on Mar. 13. The boys’ team
defeated the Matadors 115-12 while
the girls  emerged with a victory of
67-59.
Both teams dominated the 1600-
meter event with senior Mia Lat-
tanzi leading the girls and sophomore
Phil MacQuitty leading the boys.
Lattanzi placed first in the event
with a time of 5:07:9. MacQuitty
also took gold with 4:34:1, followed
closely by junior Charlie Avis in sec-
ond. MacQuitty and Avis also led the
boys in the 800-meter, finishing first
and second respectively. In the 2-mile
event, senior Brian Hsueh placed first
with 10:13:6 and junior Skyler Cum-
mins came in second with 10:23:3.
The Viking boys swept compe-
tition in the 110-meter hurdles with
junior Pascal Truninger placing first
and senior Mohammed Abid coming
in .2 seconds later. Abid and Truninger
also competed in boys 300-meter
hurdles, again placing first and second,
respectively.
Abid said he believes that perfor-
mances have been promising and that
the season holds a lot of potential.
“The team is looking amazing,”
Abid said. “We have a lot of depth.”
Abid also said he believes that
the new hurdle coaches, Paly teacher
and former hurdler Michelle Steingart
and Student Activities Director Allye
Mullins are very helpful.
“They both have a lot of experi-
ence and are able to translate that into
good advice,” Abid said.
  Similarly, the girls performed
well in hurdles against Monta Vista
with sophomore Marissa Florant com-
ing in first in the 100-meter hurdles
with a time of 17.5 seconds and junior
Megha Ram coming in third. Junior
Sylvia Price led the girls in 300-meter
hurdles placing first with a time of
53.4 seconds.
Junior Ahna Rao and sophomore
Shanee Braun led the girls’ team in
the 400-meter coming in first and
second respectively. Paly boys also
outperformed Monta Vista in the 400-
meter with junior Ariel Arsac-Ellison
coming in first with 54.0 seconds and
junior Daniel Yeh in a close second
with 54.9 seconds.  Shalkowski feels that although the
The boys’ team  left no room
for Monta Vista in the 100-meter, with
sophomore Daniel Jones in first, ju-
nior Paul Brown in second and junior
Bobby Holman placing third. The
race was close: Jones finished in 11.2
Paly Junior Ariel Arsac-Ellison (left) and Casey Fields (right) compete against Gunn High School runners. Paly beat crosstown rival
Gunn by a score of 75-48, the girls team lost by a score of 67-55. The boys team also had a strong showing in a win over Los Gatos.
seconds, Brown in 11.3 seconds and
Holman in 11.5 seconds.     things down the road.”
Girls’ and boys’ high jump also
performed well. Senior Ruthie Ryan
jumped 5’ to place first  and senior
Dom Powell and sophomore Tyler
Nigro both cleared 6’.
In triple jump, Mike Scott came
in first with 40’ 3” followed by junior
Frank Wan in second. The girls came
second and third place in long jump,
with sophomore Erika Hoglund in
second and junior Daniella Florant
in third. Sophomore Sam Bromley-
Coolidge secured second place  in
the girls’ triple jump with a height of
30’ 5.25”.
The  boys  also performed well
in discus and shot put. Junior Andy
Maliska threw 119’ 10” and senior
Dennis Muaka threw 116’ 1” to place
first and second in discus, while junior
Ashraf El Gamal threw 37’ 11.25’ to
capture first in shot put.
The girls unfortunately struggled
with discus and  shot put, unable to
place well in either event.
New throw coach Brandon
throw team displays talent, there is
room for improvement.
“For the girls, we could call it
the year to lay down foundation,”
Shalkowski said. “We want success
and we’ll work for success, but hope-
fully this will lead to some bigger
For the boys, Shalkowski believes
it will be a quality season, but there is
still a lot to work on.
“It’s a work in progress,”
Shalkowski said. “We have some at-
tainable goals, but its really about be-
ing mentally prepared to compete.”
After  the meet  against Monta
Vista,  Paly’s encounter with cross-
town rival Gunn, ended with a solid
win of 75-48 for the boys and a loss
of 67-55 for the girls.
The boys’ 4x100 relay team made
up of sprinters Jones, Brown, Arsac-
Ellison and Holman finished in 44.9
seconds to beat Gunn.
MacQuitty and Avis again had a
strong showing in the mile, placing
first and second, however the girls’
team was only able to place third.
Both boys’ and girls’ hurdles
struggled against Gunn. Abid captured
first in the 300-meter hurdles with 44
seconds, but he fell to third place in
the 110-meter hurdles.
Ram came in second followed
by Price  in  the girls’ 100-meter
hurdles.
  The girls’ hundred saw good
performances from Yeates and Ho-
glund, who came in first and second
respectively. Yeates also placed sec-
ond in the 200-meter, with a time of
26.9 seconds. Brown and Ellison made
strong appearances in the 200-meter,
but fell short of first. The 400-meter,
however, saw Arsac-Ellison take the
gold with a time of 54.7 seconds.
The girls’ team also performed
well in the 800-meter with Lattanzi
finishing first.
“I think my running has been
pretty good, though this last race
wasn’t my best,” Lattanzi said. “I re-
ally need to start dropping my times.
I’m waiting for that big jump when
the times really start to drop.”
Gunn took first place in the boys’
800-meter, but senior Julius Berezin
came in a close second with 2:00:6.
Although the boys’ team struggled
in many track events, they redeemed
themselves by dominating in field
events.
Scott led the high jump, clearing
5’ 10”, and was followed by Nigro.
Gunn was unable place in the long
jump, as Holman took first with 21’
.5”, Scott second and Wan third.
Scott and Holman also had strong
performances in the triple jump, Scott
came first with 43’ 11” and Holman
in second with 41’ .5”.
Shotput stars El Gamal, Maliska
and Muaka  helped the boy’s with a
solid victory in shot put with El Gamal
in first, Maliska in second and Muaka
in third.
Julia Benton/The Campanile
The girls’ team had notable per-
formances from first-timer junior Ally
Whitson in the high jump and Florant
in long jump. Despite the girl’s loss to
Gunn, Varsity Head Coach Paul Jones,
is optimistic about the season.
“I think for a young team, we’re
doing fine,” Jones said.
Although he believes sprinting
and middle distance is strong, there
is room for improvement in areas like
throwing, hurdling and jumps.
“You can get a new sprinter, work
on starts and form and they’ll be ready
to jump on it,” Jones said. “Things like
throws and hurdles, however, aren’t
created over night.”
Jones said he was optimistic
about  the Apr. 1  meet against Los
Gatos and believes there will be strong
performances from the girls’ team.
“Los Gatos is a strong team,”
Jones said. “But they have holes in
the team that we will want to fill in
order to perform well.”
The Viking’s meet against Los
Gatos ended with mixed results with
the boys winning 78-49 and the girls
losing 87-34.
Despite the large loss, the girls’
team had strong performances
throughout the meet. Lattanzi led the
girls placing first overall.
Although the Wildcats came in
first in the girl’s 100-meter,  Yeates
was able to secure second place fol-
lowed by Hoglund in third. Hoglund
and Rao led the girls’ team in the long
jump with Hoglund in first place with
15’ 2.5”. Whitson led Paly to place
second in the high jump with 4’ 10”
followed by Florant with 4’ 8”.  
Both triple jump and shot put
also had good performances from the
girls with Bromley-Coolidge placing
second in the triple jump with 31’
.25”.
The boys’ team’s solid win over
Los Gatos came from all around out-
standing performances, especially in
middle distance and long distance.
Both MacQuitty and Cummins
ran impressive miles to come in the
top two.
The boys dominated the 400-
meter with all Paly runners placing
in the top five; Berezin came in first
with 52.25.
Paly also out-competed the Wild-
cats in the boys’800-meter with an out-
standing run from sophomore Henry
Jordan who  placed first  followed
by senior Robert Miller. Brown and
Arsac-Ellison had strong showings
in the boys’ 200-meter with Brown
coming in first and Arsac-Ellison in
second. 
Though Los Gatos had a strong
showing in boys’ hurdles, Paly was
able to place well with Truninger
coming second in both 110-meter and
300-meter hurdles. 
The Wildcats were able to con-
sistently place first in the boys’ field
events, but the Vikings were helped
by great performances from Scott and
Powell who placed second and third,
respectively, in long jump. Scott took
first in the triple jump with 41’ 4”.
El Gamal placed second in shot
put with 38’ 10” and was followed
by Maliska (38’8”) in third. Maliska
and Muaka placed second and third
respectively in discus. 
Boys’ Varsity Head Coach Jason
Fung believes that the performances
from the team  so far have demon-
strated its all around strength.    
  “Our team is solid and deep,”
Fung said.  “In order to win a track
meet, you need that depth.”
Fung said he believes that the
toughest team in the league  is Los
Gatos.
“After Los Gatos, it’s smooth
sailing.”
Track & Field
Scores
@ Gunn
Mar. 30, VB W 75-48
v. Los Gatos
Apr. 1, VB W 78-49
Upcoming games
v. Los Altos
Apr. 24
League Trials
Apr. 29

Paly bounces back with win over Wilcox after disappointing loss
Varsity softball team falls in the Sunnyvale tournament, breaking the team’s consistent winning streak
DJ Hseuh
Staff Writer
The Palo Alto High School Varsity
softball team has faced its share of obstacles
this season, taking an 8-7-1 record into the
season’s final nine games. However, they are
still undefeated in their El Camino division,
with a 5-0 record and their chances for a post-
season berth are looking good as they hold
first place after beating second place Wilcox
High School on Apr. 8.
After consecutive wins against Cupertino
High School and Los Altos High School before
Spring Break, the team faced disappointing
losses in a tournament the following weekend,
Mar. 21 to 22.
“Many of our players were gone during
spring break, so we brought a few JV girls with
us to the tournament and they performed quite
well,” junior outfielder Pam Wong said.
The tournament was held at the Twin
Creeks Sports Complex in Sunnyvale, where
the girls played teams from Salinas, Evergreen
and Presentation High Schools. Although they
lost all three games, the Vikings played well
against Evergreen and almost had the win until
Evergreen rallied in the last inning.
“Salinas and Presentation had really good
pitchers and we could barely hit off them,”
sophomore shortstop Lauren Bucolo said.
The Vikings then won their next game
1-0 against Saratoga in a league game.
“It was a good game, but we had trouble
timing because their pitcher was pretty slow,
and none of us got on base for the first half
Hannah McGovern/The Campanile
of the game because we kept hitting fly balls
Freshman Ana Gale swings and misses a pitch during a disappointing 0-4 loss at
and they had a good defense,” junior captain
the hands of Homestead. Paly rebounded back and beat Wilcox 3-1 on Apr. 8. Allie Coleman said.
In the top of the eighth inning freshman
Gracie Marshall hit a single and then stole
second with a headfirst dive. Coleman was up
with two outs and drove the ball between the
center and right fielders for the RBI to drive
in the winning run.
The team headed to another tournament
on Apr. 4-5, where they played San Benito,
Lynbrook and Capuchino High Schools.
Second baseman Gracie Marshall made an
unassisted double play, catching a hard line
drive and then stepping on first to put out the
runner already heading for second.
The team fell to San Benito in a 10-1 loss,
though, scoring their only run when fresh-
man Grace Stafford made her way around
the bases.
The Lynbrook team, which Paly played
and beat previously this season, faced the
Vikings in the second game of the tournament.
After Lynbrook scored two runs early in the
game on an error, the Vikings then came back
to dominate, winning 9-3.
They then tied against Capuchino, scor-
ing their only two runs in the top of the first
inning. The Vikings struggled to score and left
many runners stranded on base.
“We always got hits and people on base,
but we really struggled trying to bring them
home,” Coleman said.
In the bottom of the seventh, Marshall hit
an in-the-park home run far over the head of
the left outfielder. She was running to third by
the time the outfielder reached the ball.
Later in the game, Bucolo and sophomore
pitcher Kelly Jenks hit and got on second and
third. Coleman then hit an RBI single to end
the game as a 2-2 tie.
In a non-league game against powerhouse
Homestead on Apr. 7, the Vikings struggled
against Homestead pitcher Becca Gularte and
failed to put any runs on the board for the
whole game. The Vikings were able to slow
down the Mustang offense, though, holding
the team to only four runs.
The real test for Paly was Wilcox High
School on Apr. 8. Entering the game, both
teams were undefeated in league.
Jenks pitched a perfect game until the
sixth inning when the Wilcox bats began to
come alive. The Vikings still managed to keep
a run from scoring throughout the sixth inning.
In the seventh, the Chargers managed to put
one run across the plate before Jenks struck
out the batter to end the game.
Jenks also had a spectacular offensive
game, scoring one of Paly’s three runs and
securing their first win in three games.
SoftBall
Scores
v. Homestead
Apr. 7, L 0-4
v. Wilcox
Apr. 8, W 3-1
Upcoming games
v. Cupertino
Apr. 22, 4 p.m.
v. Gunn
Apr. 29, 4 p.m.
v. Saratoga
May 6, 4 p.m.
The Campanile
Life styles Features • A&E • People Monday, April 14, 2008

INTRODUCING DOUBLE F
A blinding flash of
the obvious

By Josh Lo
I think his music is phenomenal ... His
music witH eXile is just amazing, the
Tyler Blake first time I heard his stuff I was blown
Recently, America “celebrat-
ed” a quite dubious mark — the
away.”
fifth anniversary of our invasion
of Iraq. Sadly, Iraq may be worse
Frank Wan
“ Te s t - these
off than that fateful day five years ing microphone. different
ago. Sectarian violence ravages the One, two, three. It’s rappers, Wang is
country, with both U.S. service-

Miss You•I Used To•The Gift

your boy Double F ... yeah, able to create his own
men and Iraqi civilians caught in let’s do it.” unique version of rap and
the crossfire. No hint of a lasting, Palo Alto High School senior hip-hop. Through trials of try-
successful democratic government

From the Bay•What You Wanna

Kelvin Wang, also known as Double F, ing out different instrumentals and
has emerged and may never. Half is in his home studio recording his own testing them in his home studio, he
a decade and 4,000 American lives personal style of music. continues to pursue his passion for

Do•In Your Eyes •Slip Out the

later, it is time for American politi- Inspired by the hip-hop culture of today, music.
cians to face the fact — there is no Wang first began recording music during his “Music was just a hobby in the past,
lasting victory in Iraq that the U.S. sophomore year with the support of Bay Area but then I started getting into recording my

Back•Help
can affect.
Iraq’s issues are not ones that
the United States can solve with a
warrior mentality. For democracy to
take hold in Iraq, there needs to be
a bottom-up, grassroots campaign
demanding the right to vote. Ideol-
ogy cannot be changed at the point
of a bayonet.
Armies are fundamentally
designed to smash things and kill
people, which the American army is
quite adept at. However, the current
state of Iraq is not one that can be
solved through the continued use
I
producer eXile. own music, which led me to meeting eX-
have “I started recording for fun but
didn’t get serious until I met with a
ile,” Wang said. “Since then, I’ve been
working closely with him to release
producer [eXile] the following year,” mixtapes.”
Wang said. Although Wang enjoys the re-
After listening to various cording process of making music,
renowned music rap kings of the writing the lyrics proves to be the most
music industries, such as Nas and challenging aspect for him. Coming
Kanye West, Wang began writing up with the inspiration for good rap lines
his own lyrics as they flowed from his does not come easy and takes several days
head to his hand. of pondering until something hits him.
“In my opinion, Nas has inspired “I don’t normally finish a song in one sit-
almost every rap artist out there because ting,” Wang said. “It takes a few days and I
he’s got the best lyrical style that usually read it over and change it so that it
can never be duplicated,” Wang sounds even better than it did [before].”

done it again• Miss You•I Used To•The

of the armed forces, no matter how said. “And the way Kanye During recording, Wang draws upon
powerful they are. Fundamental West rhymes in his songs is several instrumental pieces and formats
change in Iraq can only come from absolutely crazy.” them to sync with his lyrics.

Gift•From the Bay•What You Wanna Do•In

the Iraqi people. Experimenting
Now that Saddam has been with the various See WANG, Page B10
overthrown, it is up to the people styles of

Your Eyes •Slip Out the Back•Help I have

of Iraq to decide their country’s
future, not American politicians
and generals. What America must

done it again• Miss You•I Used To•The Gift•

focus on now is how to move on,
how to do what is best for both Iraq
and America.

From the Bay•What You Wanna Do•

Iraq cannot truly become a
grand democracy in the sense that
President Bush intended until they
can sink or swim on their own, but
the U.S. simply cannot afford, in
lives or in dollars, to continue this
war. It has cost America over $500
billion and over 4,000 lives. What
can we say to the 4,000 families that
will now have an empty seat at the
dinner table every night from a loved
one lost in the line of fire?
Of course, this is not an attack
on the brave men and women who
put their lives on the line every day
in the harsh deserts of the Middle
East. These people deserve nothing
but our highest praise. The policy
makers in Washington, D.C., how-
ever, are another matter.
Currently, the most vocal sup-
porter of the war in Iraq is none
other than Arizona senator and
Republican nominee for president
In Your Eyes •Slip Out the Back•Help I have done
it a g a i n • M i s s You•I Used
John McCain. He has vowed to stay
the course in Iraq for “a hundred
years” if it is necessary to “win the
war.” His rhetoric is eerily similar
to Kissinger’s “light at the end of
the tunnel” promise that a U.S.
To•The Gift•From the Bay•What You Wanna
victory was just around the corner
in Vietnam.
And the American people are
Do•In Your Eyes •Slip Out the Back•Help
just as quickly forgetting the les- Julia Benton/The Campanile
sons learned in the jungles of South
Asia, throwing their support behind
a plan that leaves American men
and women in the line of fire with A&E FEATURES FEATURES
no end in sight.
Though McCain is hopelessly
committed to “victory” in Iraq, he
gives no definition of what “victory” Pearls, Just B2
in da house
means. How can we support a plan
that promises victory but offers not
even a hint of what victory is?
Even though some attempts
Please? juggle. By
to change have been successful,
the army is still geared towards a
large, sweeping land war in Europe
B11 By Alan Chu
Lindsay
against the Soviet Union, a relic of
the Cold War struggling desperately
to adapt to a smaller, more mobile
and more hidden threat presented in By Hannah Yang
the global war on terror. Though the
army has done a commendable job
overthrowing Saddam’s despotic Bystrisky
regime, their time is done. It is time
to let the Iraqi people take over the
a different kind B4
future of their own country. It is time
to bring our troops home.
of learning
B2 April 14, 2008

Features The Campanile

Juggling Club perfects circus tricks

The Elitist
Manifesto

Chris Clayton
Jon Shan
People have different views and
opinions on what is the single most
challenging issue facing the United
States today. Some believe it is the
outsourcing of jobs, some believe it
is poverty and some believe it is our
foreign policy. However, we believe
that one problem ranks above all of
these: simple human ignorance.
Most people will read that last
statement and think that we are elit-
ists. We side with our government in
saying “we will not confirm nor deny”
the validity of that accusation.
We may seem to be generalizing,
but, in the world of online discourse
on Web sites and blogs, we become
frustrated when reading the writings
of misinformed people who do not
consider the possibility of error.
It is necessary to clarify that when
we refer to “ignorance,” we mean mak-
ing decisions and assumptions based
upon an incomplete set of facts.
One of the primary manifestations
of ignorance today is in politics. To
hold onto any political view without
questioning its legitimacy or to sup-
port any political candidate without
first ensuring that the candidate is
the one whom one truly believes to
be the best candidate, is inexcusable.
The simple problems today in politics
are the unwillingness of many people
to even consider breaking from their
party lines, their beliefs that their party
is always right and their blind support
of their party’s candidate. This, in
and of itself, is not horrible, provided
that the candidate and party beliefs
essential represent the viewpoints
of the “blind supporters.” However,
when this ignorance leads to people
to support candidates and ideals with
whom and with which they disagree, or
to make horribly irrational assertions
regarding members or ideals of other
parties, the problem comes to light.
Then, of course, there is the
Student hobby-jugglers explore the gamut of juggling forms through practice, sharing tips
By Alan Chu
Senior Staff Writer
A student bends down towards a box full
of eccentric items. After deliberating for a few
seconds, he reaches inside. A pair of clubs
emerges in his hands. With a quick flick of the
wrist he throws one up in the air.
The club moves toward the cerulean skies
and peaks in an aching pause. Slowly, it begins
to swirl downward, rushing towards the grass.
With another flick, he launches the other club.
The first club tumbles into his outstretched hand.
The second club soon reaches for the skies. The
cycle begins again.
The Juggling Club, created by Palo Alto
High School sophomore Nick Gaya, is one of
many new clubs at Paly.
“During freshman year, I thought someone
would create a juggling club,” Gaya said. “Evi-
dently, nobody did. So this year I got together
with a few friends and started one myself. It
is not like we plan out our activity for the day
and execute them to the letter. It is more like a
community, where we can polish off our skills
and ask for help.”
A typical club meeting is where the mem-
bers take some items and juggle outside. The
only thing planned is the time and place of the
meeting.
Most of the club members practice juggling
with clubs and balls. However, other members Stacy Levichev/The Campanile
practice other activities. Above, the Juggling Club, founded by sophomore Nick Gaya this school year, practices at lunch on Tuesdays. Members, joined
Contrary to the name, the Juggling Club
by a shared interest, gather to practice various juggling tricks such as cigar boxing, devil sticking, contact juggling and poi.
does not only deal with orthodox juggling. It
also has juggling-related activities, such as devil “The Juggling Club is not really a club,” “Practically speaking, [Willner] unlocks Gaya juggles for the challenge it brings
sticking or poi. Gaya said. “It’s more like a community where the door for all of us to get inside,” Gaya said. and how satisfying it is to see actual results of
“Devil sticking is where you take two everyone just does what they do best. If you need “Without him, we would have no club because all the practice.
sticks and basically twirl one about the other,” help, all you need to do is ask and anyone will we need a faculty sponsor and we need a safe With enough practice, a person can juggle
Vice President Chris Llewellyn said. “It is re- probably jump at the opportunity to help you. place for the box.” while looking straight ahead without glancing
ally fun once you get the hang of it. We also do That is, if we have the equipment on hand.” Both Gaya and Llewellyn have previous at his or her hands, Gaya said.
poi and cigar boxing. Poi is basically spinning The club gets its gear from Klutz, a toy experiences with juggling clubs. Currently, there is enough interest for the
two balls, each on a chain, around your body. company. Llewellyn, who also belongs to the “Thanks to a friend I joined the juggling club to be around next year. Gaya plans to
Usually they should be on fire, but that is not Klutz juggling club, borrowed a box full of club in [Jane Lathrop Stanford] Middle School,” move the meeting to a different day of the week
allowed on school grounds.” clubs, balls and other juggling-related objects Llewellyn said. “I actually learned how to because some members were lost due to other
According to Llewellyn, cigar boxing is from Klutz. juggle there.” club activities.
where a person takes three boxes and holds one “From off the top of my head, we have about Llewellyn juggles for the entertainment “About 30 people signed up at the end of
box in each hand. Then the third box is tossed 15 balls, seven clubs, three cigar boxes, three and the challenge it provides. According to Club Day,” Gaya said. “Right now, when we
and caught by the other two boxes. pairs of devil sticks and three pairs of diabolos Llewellyn, juggling also improves hand-eye co- meet, about eight people show up. I know for
Llewellyn said cigar boxing is much more [Chinese yo-yo’s],” Llewellyn said. “The only ordination and can be done almost anywhere. sure that we lost some members to the Men’s
difficult than it appears to be, since the loose thing we do not have is poi. Whoever wants to “I joined the juggling club at Jordan Middle Chorus, since it meets the same day.”
box can only touch other boxes. do it has to bring it from home or borrow it from School,” Gaya said. “I started [the Juggling Club] The Juggling Club meets every Tuesday at
The club also practices an atypical type of somebody else.” back up again during eighth grade. I actually lunch in room 108.
juggling called contact juggling, where a person Jeff Willner, the faculty sponsor, keeps learned how to juggle thanks to reading a book. “Juggling is such a broad term,” Gaya said.
moves around two balls with one hand, without the equipment box inside the band room for I just kind of got into it one day. It was not like “This club is a community, not a rigid set of
any of them leaving the palm. safe-keeping. I saw it on television and was convinced.” rules and plans.”

Swiss student excels in decathlons

ignorance deriving from simply not
paying attention to the news, yet tak-
ing a firm position on an issue. This is
also severely detrimental, as it leads
to decisions which reflect ignorance
of what is actually happening in the
world. Governor Huckabee, who
earlier sought the Republican nomi-
nation, was not aware of the National
Intelligence Estimate on Iran. It was
appalling that a man who wanted to be
president was unaware of a significant
report on our foreign policy.
How do we combat this igno-
rance? Education. By fixing our
education system, we will decrease
the amount of outsourced jobs, as
more employees will be qualified to
seek white-collar jobs. Fixing our
education system would decrease
the poverty rate and allow millions
of Americans to pursue their aspira-
tions. Increasing cultural understand-
ing through education and ensuring
knowledge and intelligence are the
impetus in making foreign policy
decisions and avoiding conflicts as
disastrous as the Iraq War.
Moreover, since we are willing to
send our troops into combat, we must
support our veterans if they choose to
pursue higher education. By finan-
cially assisting them through college,
we would allow them to receive the
best possible tools they can to curb
the many economic hardships they
would otherwise face.
Not all ignorance can be curbed
through education; people also need
to ensure that they remain up-to-date
on local, national and international
affairs, if they intend to participate
in administrative and legislative
decision-making. This would prevent
“blind support,” which can easily lead
to the election of a leader or the passing
of legislation with which the majority
of the populace does not agree.
Therefore, although you might
call us elitists, we believe that igno-
rance is the primary problem plaguing
the United States. This problem needs
to be addressed quickly in order to
help to ensure that our decisions are
the best that they can be, based on our
complete knowledge of them.
Foreign exchange student trains intensively for, competes in the ten-event sport held abroad
By Ayelet Bitton
Staff Writer
Being a successful, strong,
competitive athlete is a difficult feat
to achieve. Now imagine competing
in not one, but ten different events.
Palo Alto High School junior Pas-
cal Truninger does just that as a
decathlete.
Truninger, who grew up in Swit-
zerland, is currently spending the
school year in California through a
foreign exchange program. He is on
the Paly Track and Field team, but
back in Switzerland, he competes in
decathlons.
“I started in a little club in my vil-
lage of only 4,000 people,” Truninger
said. “When I was 13, my parents let
me bike to a bigger town to join a
bigger club.”
The word decathlon originates
from the Greek words “deka” (ten)
and “athlon” (contest). Decathlons
consist of ten Track and Field events.
Competitions are held over two days
and winners are determined by find-
ing the top score after adding the
points awarded throughout the entire
competition.
On the first day of the competi-
tion, athletes compete in the 100-meter
dash, long jump, shot put, high jump
and 400-meter dash. Discus,110-meter
hurdles, pole vault, javelin and 1500-
meter run are on the second day.
“We have two to three meets each
year and they’re all in Switzerland,”
Truninger said. “There are two sea-
sons: winter and summer. In the winter
we have around seven events indoors
and in the summer season we do all
ten events.”
Each event of the competition
requires different skills and its own
uniquely structured practice.
“I spent a lot of time practic-
ing last year,” Truninger said. “On
Mondays and Wednesdays you do
throwing. Then on Tuesdays you do relatives in Sunnyvale. He plans to
sprinting, Thursdays you do jump- return to the U.S. at some point later
ing and Saturdays you do distance on in his life.
running.” “It’s very nice here,” Truninger
At Truninger’s athletic club in said. “My English is a lot better now,
Switzerland, he trains with several too. I have to go back to work and
other athletes his age who also com- finish my school back in Switzerland,
pete in decathlons. but I hope to come back.”
“It’s a [athletic] club but then ev- Schools in Switzerland operate
eryone is split up into different groups, on a system that differs from that of
like decathlon groups, sprint groups the U.S.
and jumping groups,” Truninger said. When Truninger returns to Swit-
“We’re all really close with the people zerland, he will be finished with high
in our groups. I miss them a lot.” school and will begin to work for a
In a decathlon, two age groups are company. Instead of applying to col-
combined and lege after com-
compete to- “In my group in Switzerland, I can pleting second-
gether in many really feel how we work together. ary school, stu-
competitions, dents in Swit-
such as the un- You know everybody really well.” zerland apply
der-20 group, to companies.
the under-18 Pascal Truninger “You have
group, under- junior nine years of
16 group and schooling, and
so on. then you apply
Last year, Truninger placed third to a company, like you do here for
in his age group for the winter event college,” Truninger said. “You work
in Switzerland. in the company for four days a week
Before competing in decathlons, and go to school for one day. It’s like
Truninger participated in a competi- college, so after four years, you apply
tion that consisted of six track and somewhere else.”
gymnastics events. Truninger was accepted at a
“I did gymnastics from first to Swiss mechanics company. He plans
sixth grade,” Truninger said. “I did to work there next year and continue
a different competition that had long his involvement in decathlons.
jump, high jump, sprints and three “The company I applied to is
events in gymnastics.” great,” Truninger said. “Two people
Truninger ran for the cross coun- that I know do decathlons work there
try team last fall and is currently on the too and so does the Switzerland under-
Varsity boys’ track team. He competes 20 champion. The company gives
in the 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter you time off when you need to train
hurdles and discus. for sports.”
“It’s sometimes hard for me to Truninger is uncertain of how
practice here,” Truninger said. “In long he will compete in decathlons,
my group in Switzerland, I can really but he looks forward to the future.
feel how we work together. You know “Some people I know are in the
everybody really well.” Olympics,” Truninger said. “I prob- Julia Benton/The Campanile
Truninger chose to spend his year ably won’t end up going that far, but Varsity track member junior Pascal Truninger placed third in
abroad in Palo Alto because he has you never know.” his age group for the indoor decathlon in Switzerland last year.
The Campanile Features April 14, 2008 • B3

Paly student models take to the runways

Student models enter the fashion world, modeling business with high self-esteem, healthy mindset
By Crystal Wang event was at Charmosa last month where she
Staff Writer modeled bikinis and dresses.
She enters a room full of photographers Though not as experienced as Gaeta,
with a dazzling new jacket. All eyes are on junior Angelina Marriott had a fortuitous
her. Suddenly, a seam in the jacket becomes modeling experience in Guatemala last year.
loose and the sleeve begins to slip down her Marriott attended school in Guatemala for
arm. And she keeps walking. her sophomore year and one day in January,
Palo Alto High School freshman Juli she was randomly invited to model when she
Gaeta began modeling for John Robert Pow- was leaving her gym.
ers, a model training company, in April 2006 “This guy comes running after me yelling,
and has learned many skills and rules from ‘Senorita, senorita! Disculpame!’ [Miss, miss!
attending the weekly Saturday classes. Excuse me!],” Marriott said. “I stopped and
“I learned that for runway, if your dress he started speaking really fast in Spanish. All
comes off when you’re walking,” Gaeta said. I got was ‘model’ and ‘not a bad man’. Finally
“You still need to strut yourself like nothing I got him to slow down and I figured out that
went wrong.” he was asking me to model.”
John Robert Powers not only teaches According to Marriott, the man, a de-
preschool to adult models about modeling signer, wanted her to model for him because
techniques, such as different poses and walking the model he was planning on using was too
styles, but also leads models to develop use- short and Marriott was “so tall.”
ful and applicable skills like etiquette, public “I’m 5’6”, so I’m kind of average for U.S.
speaking and confidence building. standards,” Marriott said. “But in Guatemala,
“Being confident is number one for me,” the people are really tiny.”
Gaeta said. “Being pretty, thin and tall is not Marriott participated in the runway show
what [modeling] is all about.” where she modeled a skirt and a shirt.
When Gaeta was in seventh grade and “The hardest thing about modeling is
just beginning her modeling career, she being what someone else thought was pretty
needed this confidence. She auditioned for or beautiful,” Marriott said. “Sometimes I
John Robert Powers and was one of the three would think that a lot of the clothes were
girls who were chosen out of the 350 girls pretty hideous but I still had to wear them or
who auditioned. at least pretend that I liked them.”
“It was nerve-racking to find out if I got Many correctly believe there is fierce
the call back from them,” Gaeta said. “I had competition between models, a fact that Mar-
Julia Benton/The Campanile
never screamed so hard in my life.” riott immediately observed when she met the Freshmen Juli Gaeta (left) and Grace Borchers (right) both take an interest in the fashion and clothing industry. Gaeta
Ever since that call, Gaeta has been other models at the show.
modeling. She knew she wanted to do runway “Just being backstage you could feel [the
also takes modeling classes and models for a couple of designer boutiques in Palo Alto like Vian Hunter and Charmosa.
modeling and immediately dove into studying competition],” Marriott said. “There is a lot have developed in the industry because of “My mom was constantly taking pictures The opinions of the judges are also aspects
the artistry and technicalities of runway model- of pressure.” this pressure. of me and I was a photogenic little girl,” Borch- that models must take into account, which
ing. She has learned about different styles of Marriott also modeled for an artist who “You just have to think positively and not ers said. “Knowing a lot about photography and adds to the competitive pressure.
walks, different types of runways and other was making a sculpture of angels and drew let what other people say get to you,” Marriott fashion, I just really got into modeling.” “They let you know who is better than
important details in modeling. sketches of Marriott. said. “The whole thing about having eating Borchers began to experiment with dif- you and therefore, you should improve,”
Gaeta’s first time on the runway wearing “It was really interesting to see the sketch- disorders is pretty huge, but you have to have ferent modeling techniques, such as facial Borchers said.
stiletto heels did not es because it was a pretty strong sense of who you are or who expressions, body position and scenery. Borchers accepts these negative aspects of
prove to be a shin- you want to be.” Although Borchers enjoys modeling, she modeling and believes that they have helped
ing moment.
“Being confident is number one for me. like seeing myself
through someone Freshman Grace Borchers holds very does see negative sides to modeling if one her overcome obstacles in her path towards
“ I w a s s o Being pretty, thin and tall is not what else’s eyes,” Mar- similar viewpoints on the mental aspect of is unprepared for the reality of the fashion modeling.
scared of falling modeling is all about.” riott said. modeling. world. “I struggled a lot because I felt something
flat on my face that Marriott has “You must have high self esteem,” Borch- “You have to be the closest thing to per- was wrong with my image,” Borchers said.
I wasn’t paying any modeled a couple ers said. “You will not make it anywhere fect, mainly on the outside,” Borchers said. “I did not let that get to me. I stood up strong
attention to where
Juli Gaeta of times besides in without that.” “I believe in natural beauty and there is a lot and walked with my head up high.”
I was going and freshman Guatemala, includ- Borchers, who takes an interest in fashion, of touching up and fakeness involved in this Borchers hopes for a bright future in
I literally walked ing a few shoots has enjoyed modeling since the seventh grade. industry.” modeling professionally and continues to have
off the side of the with a photographer Though she does not formally model for a The intense competition is also an aspect her fun with modeling right now.
stage,” Gaeta said. “But I still got back up, in New York City, but nothing “too commer- company or designer, Borchers does many of modeling that Borchers is not fond of. “The one thing that matters most in
laughing, of course.” cial” or any “big-time stuff,” she said. photo shoots during her leisure time and is “Competition is probably one of the main modeling to me is just keeping your head
Gaeta has also modeled for various bou- According to Marriott, modeling requires compiling a portfolio. Borchers’ photographer, things shot at you,” Borchers said. “I think the up high with a smile,” Borchers said. “It
tiques in Palo Alto, including Vian Hunter purely healthy mindset. Body image is clearly her mother, has helped spark Borchers’ keen models themselves look at one another and try doesn’t matter whether you are sad, happy
and Charmosa. Gaeta’s most recent modeling important in modeling and eating disorders interest in modeling. to make themselves better.” or anything else.”

Friends, family of soldiers express support for loved ones

Palo Alto High School teacher Arlene Camm has a son on active duty with the Army in Iraq. Like
other families with loved ones in the war, she faces the hardship of being out-of-touch with her son.
By Miki Kenrick
Staff Writer
A little over five years ago, the
United States of America declared war
on Iraq. Along with this declaration,
about 200,000 troops left their homes
to fight in this war.
Family and friends of some
members of the Palo Alto High School
community are some of these soldiers
serving overseas.
“Most Americans are not aware
that we are in a war,” social studies
teacher Arlene Camm, whose son is
currently serving in Iraq, said. “It’s
rewarding to meet his fellow officers
and to know that such outstanding
men are in the military. It gives us a
reminder of how lucky we are to have
them represent our country.”
Camm’s son has been overseas for
eight months and is returning home for
a break in June. She chose to withhold
his name and occupation.
“I come from an army family
because my father was in the war in
Vietnam, so I understand why he is
doing this,” Camm said.
Camm said her family has known
that her son was going to be a soldier
since he was a mere three years of
age. He graduated from Sacred Heart
High School, and enrolled in a pro-
gram called Reserve Officer Training
Corps when he was in college. This
program trains officers for duty in the
Army Reserve.
“My son is an excellent officer
and an outstanding person,” Camm
said. “He always makes sure that
Mika Ben-Shaul/The Campanile
his men come first. He is a clinical
psychologist by training, so whenever
they go through something traumatic
he always talks to them to make sure
they’re alright afterward. My father
always said ‘there’s a reason that we
have two ears and only one mouth,’and
I think my son understands that.”
Camm said that living in the Bay
Area, a predominantly liberal area,
does not affect her daily life or her
opinion on the war.
“I have very supportive friends
and a very supportive church,” Camm
said. “People here don’t seem to
understand that every country must
have a military and that we must de-
ploy those men; that’s not my son’s
choice. Whether or not he believes
that we should be in Iraq right now
is irrelevant as he has chosen to serve
his country.”
Camm said that her son has been
victim of harassment because of his
occupation.
“Once somebody on the street
spat on my son because he was in the
military, and he replied to them ‘I am
happy to defend your right to do that,’”
Camm said. “That’s the kind of person
he is. People that are upset about this
don’t understand why these men do
it. They are ‘public servants.’”
Camm and her son are currently
out of touch with each other.
“It’s hard being out of touch with
someone in that situation,” Camm
said. “When my father was in the war,
we thought he was dead for a week
before we were able to talk to him.”
Camm says that having her son
be in the military is harder on her than
what she faced when her father was
in the military.
“It’s a lot scarier, because it’s your
baby,” Camm said. “I know all the
special stuff that no one else knows.
I’m scared to death, always, every day.
I didn’t know my dad as well.”
Camm said that when her son
first arrived overseas he called her
because he was worried that some of
the local children would get hurt by
the equipment.
“He was scared, because all the
children were running near the trucks
because they were excited, he said
he was worried one of them would
get hurt,” Camm said. “So he asked
me to send him his little brother’s
old Beanie Babies. He had his men
throw the Beanie Babies in sling shots
towards the kids that weren’t near the
trucks to lure the other children away
from them. One of my friends told
her church about what he was doing,
and the church put it in their national
newsletter that a soldier was collect-
ing Beanie Babies. After that, he was
sent thousands of Beanie Babies until
he called me and asked me to stop
sending them.”
Camm says that actions like this
make her proud and happy to have
her son serving.
“We knew he was going to be “I try to pay attention,” Camm
a soldier, because he’s a warrior,” said. “I listen to the McNeal Report
Camm said. “He is always protecting because it is accurate, but I ignore the
people. He is a big guy, and extremely propaganda. It is annoying because the
focused. He was never pushed or news is reporting only the negative.
encouraged to join the military. He’s People are unaware of what amazing
not a fighter, but a warrior. He rides men we have over there.”
a horse at a gallop.” Camm, who teaches psychology,
Unlike Camm and her son, Palo United States history and foreign
Alto High School junior Lizzie Hene- policy at Paly, says that having a son
han and her family have been able to in the military does not affect her
communicate with John (whose last teaching.
name was withheld), a close family “Because I was raised as the
friend who is serving overseas. daughter of an officer, I was trained not
“My mom e-mailed him more to tell my opinion,” Camm said. “We
than I did,” Henehan said. “I almost never talked about politics outside
couldn’t stand e-mailing him and our home, so not much has changed.
then waiting for a response, because If I’m doing my job correctly, then
if it took a long time my mind would my students don’t know what my
jump to conclusions and I would get opinions are.”
worried that something may have Henehan believes that having
happened.” someone close to you serve overseas
Camm’s son was injured in Iraq in the war has not changed her opinion
and sent to the hospital. Camm said on the war, but it has made her more
that, while recovering in the hospital, educated.
he was focused on returning to help “We should have never gone in.
his men. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11,”
“He called me from the hospital, Henehan said. “It has hurt us economi-
and he was numb from the waist cally, politically and socially. It is hard
down,” Camm said. “The medical staff to hear John talk about his men being
did not want him to go back until he so scared, but now I am getting my
consulted someone, but I knew and information from a primary source
he knew that he needed to get back rather than from what the news is
to his men. ‘You go,’ I told him, and saying or not saying.”
he went back. He always puts his men Henehan and her family are ex-
first.” tremely hap-
Hene- “People here don’t seem to under- py that John
han says that stand that every country must have is returning
she feels it a military and that we must de- home after
is very re- ploy those men; that’s not my son’s spending a
warding and year in the
fulfilling for choice.” green zone.
someone to “ We
serve in the Arlene Camm love him and
military. teacher are proud of
“There what he did
is a sense of and are glad
honor in being in a war and serving he is going to be back with his fam-
your country, and John’s father served ily,” Henehan said. “We are proud
in WWII,” Henehan said. “In a way that he served this country and sad
I think it connected them and made that people are being put in such
them closer.” dangerous situations. We are lucky
Camm says that she is care- that John is coming back un-scarred
ful about what she believes on the physically, though emotionally, I’m
news. sure, is a different story.”
B4 • April 14, 2008 Features The Campanile

Homeschooled students defy misconceptions

Students receive benefits of one-on-one instruction without sacrificing social lives
By Lindsay Yang best private school nearby cost about
Staff Writer as much as a semester at Stanford.”
Two boys laugh, facing each other After considering the options
as they feign and then block each of hiring a tutor with credentials or
other’s respective kicks on the soccer participating in an independent study
ball. A young girl plays in the sandbox program through meetings with public
with her worn-out red shovel. Another or private school teachers, Guzmam
student and his mother discuss Por- registered her home as a private school
tuguese food dishes, finally picking through a Private School Affidavit.
a cultural dish that they plan to bring “There are no tests or reports,”
to their next geography group meet- Guzmam said. “All I have to do is
ing. It is one o’clock on a Wednesday mark attendance. My policy is that
afternoon and school is in session – at if my children are conscious, they’re
Mitchell Park. in school.”
Their unique education exempts For Mirsalis, her school day
them from SATs, STAR tests, AP would start whenever she woke up
testing, the California High School and would end at an indefinite time.
Exit Exam and in fact, any tests or Homework would be done within her
report cards. school hours.
The Mid-Peninsula Homeschool- “I give a schedule to my children
ers group, led by Ana Rita Guzmam, with their required courses,” Guzmam
meets weekly, but each student’s said. “After they finish, they are free
homeschool lasts indefinitely as each to pursue any interest they want, but
student constantly learns through vari- if they don’t finish by 1 p.m., there’s
ous tools such as tutors, books and something seriously wrong.”
online courses. The members of the After she finished with her re-
park’s group are part of a nationwide quired courses, Mirsalis was allowed
increase in homeschooled students. to focus on her interests.
Although homeschooled children “Homeschooling allowed me to
only accounts for two percent of K-12 learn at my own speed,” Mirsalis said.
students in the United States, the “If I had gone to a public school, the
number of homeschooled students has course material would have bored me
increased by 29 percent between 1999 to death. In homeschool, I did three
and 2003 to 1.1 million, according to years of math in a year and I graduated
the U.S. Census Bureau. [high school] at [age] 14.”
In California alone, there are Without the burden of homework,
166,000 homeschooled children, a which was included in her course
number that is growing at an average work, Mirsalis had time to perform
of seven percent per year, according to at the Children’s Theatre, Hillbarn
the Homefires’ Guide to Homeschool- Theatre and numerous other local
ing in California. theaters.
Many parents choose home- “In theater, we call the week
schooling for a variety of reasons, before performances ‘hell week’ or
ranging from integrating religious ‘tech week’ because it’s extremely
preferences into school to perfecting strenuous,” Mirsalis said. “With
a killer tennis serve. homeschooling, I could just take that
Palo Alto High School freshman week off and make that week up over
Emma Marti, ranked 28th as of the the summer.”
end of March in the United States Mirsalis also sang in a joint ho-
Tennis Association Northern Cali- meschool choir, took dance lessons
fornia Girls’ 14 with local home-
Division, decided schooled friend
on homeschooling “Homeschooling lets you do Sarah Phoenix and
to focus on tennis everything that you would explored other in-
and for several do in a public school and terests. Courtesy of Emma Marti, Dana Miralis and Ana Rita Guzman
other reasons. “I had a really Left, Emma Marti’s unique homeschool schedule allows her to focus more on honing her tennis skills. At top, homeschooled student
more. You just don’t have to
Marti, who big interest in as- Dana Miralis portrays Cinderella at a theater. Below, Ana Rita Guzmam and her homeschooled son Devon practice reading together.
had been home- be at a desk the whole day.” tronomy,” Mirsa-
schooled in 8th lis said. “You just received a more interactive approach said. “With all the different clubs and Many homeschooled students “At first, Foothill was a culture
grade, signed up Antonio Phoenix can’t go outside at to American history. Palo Alto resident groups, I think they are getting what have found that they are labeled with shock socially because I was used
Matthew Conway, a sophomore, is they need.” the misconception of being socially to communicating more with older
for five courses at
homeschooled eighth grader two in the morning
and then get up in also thankful for the extra time home- Guzmam said he agrees that awkward, a stigma that many ho- people and I had had no homework
Paly to fulfill the
requirements to the morning for a schooling has given him, but unlike homeschooled children actually learn meschooled students believe is not or standardized testing,” Mirsalis
be on the Varsity public school.” Antonio, Conway would rather spend to have a better perception of social at all true. said. “The first time I took a test for
girls’ tennis team and also takes two Mary Phoenix, Sarah’s mother, his time studying Latin. settings in the real world from home- “Many think that all home- a class I was massively scared, but
other courses with a private tutor to also enjoys shaping the curriculum “I can organize my own schedule schools. schooled kids after I realized that as long as you
fulfill her other Paly credits. without school limitations on time for homeschooling,” Conway said. “I “In a public are either dumb went to class and did the readings,
“Overall it’s been a very good so- and course load. definitely like it a lot more than the school, you spend “Many think that all ho- or geniuses, so I you do well.”
lution for Emma,” Jan Marti, Emma’s “With homeschooling, I or any- public elementary school, which I all day with people meschooled kids are either got teased a lot Often, many homeschooled
mother, said. “Emma has been able one else can individualize the program stopped going to in fifth grade.” who have nothing dumb or geniuses. I didn’t for that,” Mirsalis students graduate early, attend a com-
to benefit greatly from this system. for the children,” Mary said. “Each Although homeschooled students in common with have a problem interacting said. “The only munity college and then transfer to a
She is able to get the most from her person has a unique style and pace of can focus on specific subjects, they you except age,” problem I had different college as freshmen.
academic experience and her tennis learning. I know my children were a bit are also exposed to many different Guzmam said. with public school students. with interacting Even though homeschooled chil-
experience.” quirky in their early education.” classes. “As an adult, you It was just the other way socially was this dren make an easy transition during
Unlike Emma, who is only Even though his official school “As parents, we try to encourage pick your friends around.” one time with some the college process, homeschooling
partially homeschooled, Guzmam’s day ends early, Mary’s son Antonio breadth, but they [the children] defi- based on your public high school on a single-parent income and find-
daughter has never attended a public Phoenix, an eighth grader, has many nitely have more time to pursue their interests, which students who had a ing high schools for team sports can
school and Guzmam currently home- other activities. He attends a junior interests,” Guzmam said. “As for my is very similar Dana Mirsalis flawed conception present difficulties.
schools her two sons. book club, goes on field trips to muse- son, who is interested in technology to what happens Foothill College sophomore of homeschooled “Sports may be a little harder
When Guzmam first started look- ums, practices tennis, bowls, contrib- and Java in particular, I ask him to when you’re ho- students. I didn’t because many teams end around
ing at schools in Redwood City, the utes to a geography club, participates drop the computer occasionally and meschooled.” have a problem in- high school, but you definitely get
local school had problems with gang in an art class and plays in soccer look at the rest of the world.” Many homeschooled students are teracting with public school students. more time to concentrate on them,”
violence and English was a second tournaments on a weekly basis. Many homeschooled students do also exposed to diverse people, includ- It was just the other way around.” Mary said. “We haven’t been limited
language for many of the students. “Homeschooling lets you do have quite a lot of social activities and ing a wide range of adults, people Nevertheless, Mirsalis believes personally in terms of the interests
“The school district was not sat- everything that you would do in a interaction with “the outside world,” of various religions and children of that she missed out on pop culture we have had.”
isfactory,” said Guzmam’s daughter public school and more,” Antonio Conway’s mother Michele said. different ethnicity. and fashion trends. Mary also finds that homeschool-
Dana Mirsalis, now a 17-year-old said. “You just don’t have to be at a Conway stopped attending a “Homeschooled children grow up In college, she feels that she is ing has given their family something
sophomore at Foothill College. “Our desk the whole day.” public school for many reasons, but he comfortable around the opposite sex more noticeable, which can have special that other 21st century families
local school was ranked 100 out of the Antonio, who dislikes anything said that he has never had a problem and converse with adults more easily mixed consequences. However, after have less time to do.
101 Redwood City public schools. We that requires sitting, enjoyed activities with social interaction. because they interact with people of adjusting quickly, her college expe- “We have spent much more time
didn’t have enough money to move to such as his family’s New York City and “I think that they may get too the same interests rather than the same rience at Foothill has been mostly together as a family,” Mary said. “I
a better school system and a year at the Washington D.C. trip, during which he much social interaction,” Michele gender or age group,” Mary said. positive. know my children really well.”

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The Campanile Features April 14, 2008 • B5

Teens with Celiac disease adapt to restrictive diet

Medical advancements provide hope for students unable to digest foods containing gluten
Cassie Wedemeyer case is not as serious as Sarah’s case easier to just not eat out. Occasionally, take me to the doctor,” Sarah said. Even though there is no treatment “Alvine is working towards find-
Staff Writer is. I have to go to restaurants, on those “Finally, it got so bad that I couldn’t for the disease other than diet, corpo- ing a treatment for Celiac Disease in
People often hear about those “If I accidentally get a little bit occasions I have a laminated card get any exercise, even go for a walk, rations like Alvine Pharmaceuticals the form of a combination protease that
who suffer from multiple food aller- of gluten I’ll get cramps and an awful describing my disease for the chef and without blacking out and shaking are working to develop a medication can help the body to digest gluten ef-
gies. However, this is a relatively rare stomachache,” Miller said. “But if I I have to explain to the waiter that if uncontrollably and my dad decided similar to one that lactose-intolerant fectively in the stomach,” Shreeniwas
occurrence; Celiac disease is much eat a lot of gluten without knowing, any grain of wheat even touches my that I should go to see a doctor.” people can take to allow them to said. “There are two proteases in the
more common. People who have I will get severe food poisoning. It’s food, I will get really sick. The whole Even after her pneumonia was consume lactose. combination: one derived from barley,
Celiac disease have to deal with the hardest when you first go off wheat. ordeal is kind of embarrassing and can cured, Carrie continued to have a “Alvine is working towards find- and the other made by a bacterium.
difficulties of the disease their entire You don’t realize how much gluten is take so long that I try to avoid it.” recurring sickness. ing a treatment for this disease in the Both proteases are manufactured in
lives. A recent study shows that ap- found in food.” Restaurants like PF Chang’s “I always felt sick,” she said. form of a combination protease that bacteria called E. Coli and comple-
proximately one percent of the world’s Celiac patients have the disease China Bistro at the Stanford Shop- “It’s like when you have a cold or can help the body digest gluten in the ment each other in how they digest
population has Celiac disease, whether for their entire lives, but symptoms ping Center and Palo Alto Sol on the flu, except that it lasts for your stomach so that it is no longer able to gluten effectively.”
they know it or not. are usually not present until they are California Avenue claim to serve whole life. I was really tired all the provoke a reaction in Celiac Disease Since perfection of the treatment
Celiac disease prevents a person older, a reality that has proven to be gluten-free foods. time and got these major migraines. patients,” Revati Shreeniwas, M.D., may take many years, currently the
from eating any dietary gluten. This dangerous because a late diagnoses “Any Thai or Indian restaurant is I had headaches every day, I was so the Vice President of Clinical Research only way people with Celiac can
includes wheat, can leave per- usually gluten free, as well as Japanese used to them I began to expect them. and Development at Alvine, said. treat the disease is to not eat foods
rye, oats and bar- “My symptoms are complete manent dam- restaurants,” Miller said. “But soy When I was diagnosed I was surprised This treatment, which could with gluten.
ley. The person’s exhaustion and unbelievable age to the im- sauce and artificial crab have wheat I didn’t get headaches anymore, and prove to be very useful for sufferers “It’s not too bad because we can
immune system mune system. in them.” I feel so much better now.” of Celiac disease, is currently in trial control what we eat,” Miller said. “But
fatigue, migraines, stomach pain, Miller was not It is important that the one percent There are many symptoms pa- stages since it has only been recently the worst is when you don’t realize
has a toxic reac-
tion, which pre- blacking out, dizziness and ane- formally diag- of the nation with Celiac be diagnosed, tients could have, but it is unlikely that developed by Stanford Professor you ate a lot of gluten and the sickness
vents the body mia. If I eat so much as a bite of nosed until her as the disease can be extremely harm- one will experience all of them. Chaitan Tosla. comes on suddenly.”
from absorbing bread, I can’t get out of bed for a s o p h o m o r e ful in the long run if untreated.
nutrients. year, around Currently there is no cure for the
couple of days.” the same time lifelong disease, but peo-
As the gluten
passes through Sarah found ple who have it are forced
the individual’s Sarah Adams out. to adapt no matter how
digestive system, junior “I had felt hard the transition is.
he or she grows kind of sick “I have to bring my own
exhausted. Palo for my whole lunch every day to school and
Alto High School junior Sarah Adams life so I was kind of used to it,” Carrie can’t eat at parties, restaurants
has a particularly severe case of the said. “But if I hadn’t found out that or friends’ houses,” Sarah
disease. I had Celiac, I probably would have said. “But once you get used
“I can tell even if I eat a crumb of gotten cancer by the time I was 30.” to it, Celiac disease is
wheat,” Adams said. “My symptoms If a strict gluten-free diet is not not that hard to ac-
are complete exhaustion and unbeliev- followed, long term effects could commodate for.”
able fatigue, migraines, stomach pain, include certain types of cancer, bone Carrie feels that,
blacking out, dizziness and anemia. If disorders or infertility. Since being once she learned how
I eat so much as a bite of bread, I can’t diagnosed, Sarah and Carrie have to deal with the dis-
get out of bed for a couple of days.” found their own personal ways to ease and adjusted
More cases of Celiac are gradu- successfully follow a safe diet. herself, it became
ally being diagnosed as the disease “At a bunch of grocery stores relatively easy to
becomes more understood and doctors there are gluten-free foods,” Carrie adjust.
become more aware of the disease. said. “You just need to know where “My life hasn’t
After Adams was diagnosed in to look and be extra careful.” changed at all ex-
December 2006, her immediate family Sarah and Carrie’s father has cept for what I
was tested as well. Since Celiac is a come up with a gluten-free variety have to eat,” Car-
genetic disease, the family members of dishes for his daughters, including rie adds.
of individuals with Celiac often test enchiladas, bean dip, fried rice and During the
positive as well. Sarah’s sister, fresh- steak. While there are many good year leading up to
man Carrie Adams, tested positive choices at home, it is nearly impos- Sarah and Carrie’s
as well. sible for the girls to go out to eat at diagnoses, they
“I got pneumonia when I was in restaurants. were constantly
second grade,” Carrie said. “But they When a Celiac patient does go sick.
thought it was just going around. It was out they have to make sure the people “I had been
actually my Celiac and it affected my providing food know about their getting increas-
Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile
entire immune system.” condition. ingly sick for a
Junior Hannah Miller stopped “There is so much hidden gluten few years and my People who suffer from Celiac Disease, a genetic disorder, are unable to digest gluten found in wheat, rye and
eating gluten in sixth grade, but her everywhere,” Sarah said. “I find it dad didn’t want to barley. Products like this gluten-free mix allow patients to enjoy types of foods they normally wouldn’t be able to.
B6 • April 14, 2008 Features The Campanile

Seniors seek adventure on 220-mile backpacking trip

Students plan to hike Pacific Crest Trail in Sierra Nevada Mountains over 20 days this summer
By Sarah Stringer
Spotlight Editor
Palo Alto High School senior Sonia
Chapiro has been hiking since she could
walk and backpacking since freshman year.
Senior Joshua Marcum climbed Half Dome
in Yosemite, backpacked 65 miles in New
Mexico and spent six days backpacking in the
Emigrant Wilderness. Chapiro and Marcum
have been friends since sophomore year and
this summer they plan to take their longest
backpacking trip together.
The two began their plans to hike the
John Muir Trail (JMT) in the Sierra Nevada
mountain range at the beginning of the school
year.
“I was talking to Sonia about the JMT and
the long trail,” Marcum said. “We just kind
of jokingly said we would do it together and
then it just all kind of happened.”
The trail covers 220 miles of the Pacific
Crest Trail, stretching from Half Dome to Mt.
Whitney in Sequoia National Park. Chapiro
and Marcum expect the trip to last for 20 days.
The pair will start in Yosemite and carry 40
to 50 pounds of supplies, resupplying three
times during the trip.
The two will also travel with Paul Sum-
mers, a sophomore who attends Henry M.
Gunn High School and who knows Marcum
through Boy Scouts. The three have decided
to complete the trail alone, only meeting with
others periodically to obtain supplies. Photos courtesy of Joshua Marcum and Sonia Chapiro
Chapiro says that she is excited about the
trip with Marcum and Summers and has wanted
Senior Joshua Marcum hiked in the Black Mountains in last April (left). With friends, senior Sonia Chapiro hiked the Talkneetna Mountain Range (center top
to do a trip with friends since backpacking and right) and the Chugach Mountain Range (center bottom) in Alaska last July. This August, Chapiro and Marcum will go on a 220-mile journey together.
with organizations starting in 2005. made a detailed hiking itinerary based on maps, one of my trips, things go pretty smoothly,” around 10,000 feet, but frequently dips to 8,000 thing about backpacking is the feeling of de-
“After backpacking with programs for camp sites, topography and water sources and Marcum said. “There’s almost always a solu- and goes [all the way] to 13,000. Also, since tachment from the modern, technology crazed
a few years, I decided that I was capable of plan to hike between three to 16.5 miles a day, tion, besides the shoe. I’ve had people break we’re going to do it in August, it’s going to world,” Chapiro said. “It sounds cliché, but
planning and doing my own trip alone or with averaging around 11 miles a day. their pack frame, have major arguments or be ridiculously hot.” when you realize how long you can go for
a friend and the summer after senior year They also have arranged how to resupply hurt their backs, but you deal, life goes on. There are also a few annoyances that with just what you carry on your back, it feels
seemed like a good time to do it,” Chapiro materials during the trip. On day six, after 56 It really ends up not Chapiro and Marcum pretty liberating.”
said. “My parents vetoed doing it on my own miles of hiking, Marcum’s father will meet the being a big deal.” “My favorite thing about back- are not looking for- Marcum agrees and said he also feels that
and I knew Josh was also into hiking, so I ran group and give them supplies. Muir Ranch will Chapiro similarly packing is the feeling of detach- ward to during the trip. backpacking provides a much-needed release
the idea by him.” supply them with food after ten days and 109 feels they are prepared from modern life.
ment from the modern, technology- Chapiro’s worries are “I like being out there and fending for
While there are other trails that the two miles and after going for 16 days and 178 miles, enough to evade any mosquitoes and dehy-
considered before the JMT, they settled on Marcum’s father and Summers’ stepfather will major difficulties. She crazed world.” drated food; Marcum myself without having to deal with the crap of
this trail because it was most convenient and meet the group with supplies. is currently focused dislikes mosquitoes cities,” Marcum said. “Everything’s better: the
well-known. Currently Chapiro and Marcum are plan- on the physical, not Sonia Chapiro and having to clean food, the company, the air. I think my whole
“It seems tough but really fun and pretty,” ning what food they will carry with them, and technical, challenges outlook on life changes.”
senior up and re-set up camp Overall, while there are some anxieties
Marcum said. “It’s also well-traveled and well- will next organize the gear they will use. involved. every day. Despite
documented so if something happens there’s With all these preparations, however, “I don’t foresee these pet peeves, how- about finalizing plans and preparing both
a chance we could get help.” Marcum notes that there are always minor logistical problems, but physically, it’s go- ever, they are thrilled for the opportunity to physically and mentally for the trip, the group
They do not anticipate any major problems things that can go wrong. ing to be a huge challenge,” Chapiro said. backpack the JMT. is excited to finally have this opportunity.
because they are all experienced and have “Usually once you get going, besides los- “Besides the mileage and the weight on our “Aside from the obvious of being able “It’s going to be intense, but also a lot of
prepared for the trip extensively. They have ing a shoe, which has happened to someone on backs, it’s at pretty high altitude, averaging to spend time in beautiful places, my favorite fun,” Chapiro said.

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The Campanile Ads April 14, 2008 • B7
B8 April 14, 2008
A&E
Chu On This:
Midnight Snacks
Alan Chu
Midnight. Evil hour, or what I
affectionately call infomercial hour,
but I repeat myself. With nothing on
television and no energy to save the
princess from the Koopa King, I wan-
der the house for something to eat. As
luck would have it, there’s absolutely
nothing for me to eat except perhaps
a salad or several pieces of fruit. My
stomach would not be satisfied with
either option. I crave for the normal
snacks, the ones consisting of salty,
greasy and addictive qualities. So off
I go, to the mystical land of 7-eleven
where electric lights and rows of
mouth-watering food await.
Half-blinded and half-dazed, I
walk past the rows of cookies and
chocolate bars, making a beeline
towards the chips. The bags of chips
were of all colors of the rainbow, from
red to purple. Some were not even
in the rainbow, like cheesy nacho or
salsa verde.
I bought an armful of snacks to
make it through the night. Once I
came back to the house, I took one
glance at my selection. There were
chips and crackers. There were cook-
ies and lemon squares. I shrugged off
the mistake and jumped right in. By
the end, I was lying amongst littered
wrappers. I had no sense of time or
shame. I was in a mixed state of nir-
vana and nausea.
Of course this was not the first
time, nor the last time, I have eaten in
the middle of the night. Let me tell you,
all bets are off when it turns midnight.
There are no rules, no etiquette and
no regrets. Snacks can be found in a
variety of shapes and sizes.
What is yesterday’s dinner is to-
day’s snack. Eat what you like, drink
what you like. If you want to stay up
all night, open a case of Coke. If you
are in the mood for sweet stuff, then go
for it. If salty is your game, then get to
it. If it’s complex, then mix and match
flavors. I have heard of people dipping
potato chips into apple sauce. Believe
me, that is not the worse combination
I have had encountered.
With every fast food chain staying
up late with you, an imagination is
not essential anymore. I remember a
time when In N’ Out stopped serving
at 9 p.m. I had to use my creativity
and forage for food in my house. But
now, you can just go to In N’ Out
and order up anything in the middle
of the night.
However I strongly feel against
going out at an ungodly hour. One
reason is that you will be tired. The
second reason is it that it would be
scary, for both you and innocent
bystanders.
Just imagine a dark street with
flickering lights and a car slowly drift-
ing along. It might be all the horror
movies I have seen, but dark streets
plus drifting cars equals unhappy
ending-very unhappy ending.
Then there are the hardcore health
buffs that will never eat a serving of ice
cream without jogging several mara-
thons to work it off. Of course salad
and fruit are options, but I do not find
the color green very appealing early in
the morning. However, I prefer those
to the oxymoron known as sugar-free
sweets. Let us put this in perspective.
Sweet equals sugar. There is nothing
tricky or underhanded there. But when
a dessert is made without sugar and
is sweet, then I have to draw the line.
That is borderline witchcraft if I have
ever tasted it.
Some people are just crazy and
actually plan to eat nothing. That is
right, nothing. As in tighten their belts
and wait out the hunger pangs. If they
were trying to spread a message then I
would understand, but to actually plan-
ning to eat nothing with no incentive
is like trying to breathe underwater. It
goes against common sense.
There you have it. Not really a
list of foods to eat, but better than
nothing. This is, like all things in life,
a list of guidelines.
You can deviate, but you could
also watch informercials until all
faith in humanity seeps out of you. I
will leave that choice entirely to your
discretion.
The Campanile
Van Sant’s film a ride in Paranoid Park
By Annie Vought
Staff Writer
Alex lowers his face into a stream
of water and the droplets course in
slow-motion over his hair and skin;
his body and the shower tiles drift in
and out of clarity and darkness as if the
camera itself is losing oxygen. He is
painfully sinking in unbearable confu-
sion, slipping down to the grungy floor
with his head in his hands. Most of the
screen is in shadow and as locks of his
hair drop forward under the weight of
water, Alex comes to a realization: he
has committed murder.
This is a coming-of-age story
like none other. With Paranoid Park,
director Gus Van Sant (My Own Pri-
vate Idaho, Elephant) manipulates
time and light to follow the tracks of
teenager Alex (screen newcomer Gabe
Nevins), a skateboarding youth who
inadvertently causes the death of a rail-
road security guard. Van Sant captures
Alex’s profound agony as struggles to
cope with the enduring effects of his
actions, lonely and bewildered inside
the chaos of his own mind.
Paranoid Park plays with sto-
rytelling as scenes are often hinted
at early in the movie through tiny
glimpses, or repeated later in the film.
Glossy shots are frequently exchanged
for grainy, home-movie-like segments
of skaters gliding mid-flight. Clouds
and shadows play in fast motion,
http://blogs.villagevoice.com
seemingly unimportant shots pepper
Alex, a teen skateboarder, deals with the implications of murder in the stirring drama Paranoid Park. The movie explores many
earlier scenes only to piece together
eventually. different emotions that Alex experiences as he deals with his mistake including loneliness, despair and many emotional breakdowns.
This unconventional directing speech and interactions of Nevins on down upon the crumpling, desolate is saying to God, ‘Why did you do this the book,” Nelson said. “There are a
style plays perfectly to the moody, film are as raw as watching a group teenage boy. to me?’ and is just at the bottom of his couple things which are different about
cautious qualities of the original of teenagers filmed in secret. Alex’s The director uses various film despair. You see the water dripping the movie, but they’re just the differ-
novel, an emotional story which in shower scene is a manifestation of and production techniques to carry down, and these weird sounds start to ence between a book and a movie. I
return lends itself to the deftness and Van Sant’s ability to visually illustrate across the deep anguish that is so often come up. It’s really weird and cool and thought the main ideas of the book
audacity of Van the intended ingrained in Nelson’s novel. it kind of creeps you out. I was kind are definitely in there, which is pretty
Sant’s artistry. “I knew it would be kind of artsy emotions of While the book’s first-person nar- of amazed by how well Gus brought rare. I wanted the loneliness to show
Van Sant’s and a little strange and interest- Nelson’s char- ration brings Alex’s thoughts clearly to [Alex’s feelings] through.” through, and I think that it did.”
masterpiece is acters. the reader, it is impossible to include Certain themes are woven As an admirer of Van Sant’s
the screen adap-
ing, and that’s what it was.” On film, so much narration in a film and thus, through the fabric of the movie in such movies, Nelson was immediately
tation of author Alex’s incred- Van Sant is forced to establish alter- a fashion that to attempt to remove one confident in the director’s ability to
Blake Nelson’s Blake Nelson ible misery, nate pathways to deliver the same thread would be to completely alter the
See FILM, Page B10
novel Paranoid Paranoid Park author guilt and stress emotions. Nelson cites the movie’s material from which the story is cut.
Park, so named are just as lu- translation of Alex’s “breakdown in Van Sant has an incredible ability to
for the skate cid and unmis- the shower” as a scene in which Van accurately to illuminate these threads Paranoid Park
park near which the killing occurs. takable as they are when expressed Sant was able to perfectly convey the for his audience.
Cast: Gabe Nivens, Taylor
Park does what a movie starring teen- through Nelson’s own words. character’s feelings without relying “At the end, when it’s all over, Momsen, Daniel Liu
agers is seldom capable of: it plays Van Sant slows the film to an on narration. the feeling of [the background music]
Runtime: 85 min.
like nonfiction, yet feels nothing like eerie crawl, suspending water droplets “It was one of my favorite scenes and the visuals really are the same Rating: R
the bland reading of documentary. The in mid-air as the shower flow beats as a writer,” Nelson said. “It’s like he as what I was trying for at the end of
The Raconteurs draw Attention’
‘ with new album
Consolers of the Lonely, The Raconteurs’ successful sophomore album takes a dramatic new turn
By Julia Benton The Raconteurs’ sound is similar to that suits the song. The video is actually stop-action the number a much-needed edge, making the
Staff Writer of the White Stripes, though fans of the White animation of more than 2,500 black and white song reminiscent of some of the classic Queen
The Raconteurs’sophomore album, Consol- Stripes might miss Meg White’s familiar croon- photographs of the band, according to the U.K.’s songs’ diverse vocal harmonies.
ers of the Lonely, is the biggest music surprise ing and simple drum beats. New Musical Express. “Carolina Drama,” the last and easily one
of the year. The Raconteurs have taken a drastic The album opens with “Consolers of the Perhaps the lightest and most fast-paced of the best songs on the album, sounds like a
turn for the better and fans of the band’s uneven Lonely,” which resembles a giant fireworks song on the album is “Five on the Five” which bluesy, Dylan-esque version of the White Stripes’
debut album, Broken Boy Soldiers, will notice a display complete with an explosive guitar solo was introduced to audiences live on the Ra- “Get Behind Me Satan.”
dramatic change as the band strays away from and abrupt tempo shifts. The song’s title (and conteurs tour last year. The song has a slightly “Carolina Drama” shows off White’s lyri-
its original sound of messy, ‘60s influenced the album’s) was inspired by an inscription on un-Raconteurish feel to it, signaling the band’s cal genius with descriptive details and colorful
guitar pop and focuses on harder rock with a a Washington D.C. post office building: “Mes- new sound. The fast flying guitar riffs add to the imagery. “When you call yourself a musician,
more edgy feel. you join that family of storytellers,” White said
The Raconteurs shocked much of the music when he joined the band in 2005. The song
industry when they announced the release of their would probably sound overly melodramatic if it
second album only a week before its release on weren’t for the flawless blend of an eerie chorus
Mar. 25. With no promotion, no single and no and instrumental flourishes. White sings, “The
music video, the band clearly took a chance, white milk dripped down with the blood/And
choosing to rush the album directly into stores the boyfriend fell down dead for good/Right
and online download services without any of next to the preacher who was gasping for air/
the typical promotional formalities. And Billy shouted ‘Daddy, why’d you have to
“We wanted to get this record to fans, the come back here?’” The storytelling aspect of
press, radio, etc., all at the exact same time, so the Raconteurs’ music is clearly at its best. This
that no one has an upper hand on anyone else song is a perfectly gruesome gothic ending.
regarding its availability, reception or percep- The album’s gloomy themes of self-doubt
tion,” the band said Mar. 24 on their Web site. (“Salute Your Solution”), revenge (“Carolina
The Raconteurs’ near-stealth release was Blues”) and imprisonment, a subject that is men-
an attempt to keep the album from being il- tioned in no less than three songs (“Hold Up,”
legally leaked, a problem that occurred during “The Switch and the Spur” and “Attention”), are
the release of the White Stripes’ (Raconteurs’ offset by spirited guitar solos and quirky vocals.
front man Jack White’s other band) album Icky Despite the band’s cynical view, the album’s
Thump in 2007. For the release of Consolers of sound is appealingly light-hearted and carefree.
the Lonely, the Raconteurs chose to use major These juxtapositions reflect the strengths of the
retailers to distribute the album, a move that Raconteurs’ new sound.
unfortunately created a new set of problems for White warns the listener at the beginning of
the band. Consolers of the Lonely mistakenly http://blogs.villagevoice.com Consolers of the Lonely that the album is a never-
popped up for sale on the iTunes Music Store Consolers of the Lonely moves away from '60’s influences of guitar pop and towards ending story and that nothing will be wrapped
four days before its intended release. The 14- up by the end. “I’m not sure that there’s a point
harder rock. The band’s fans have expressed widespread support for this approach.
track set leaked across the Internet and was to the story/But I’m going to tell it again,” he
illegally available days before the album’s set senger of sympathy and love, servant of parted song’s upbeat grunge style and its transfixing sings in “Consoler of the Lonely.” “So many
street release. No matter how one gets hold of friends, consoler of the lonely, bond of the scat- guitar solo section towards the middle of the other people try to tell the tale/Not one of them
Consolers of the Lonely, it’s definitely worth tered family, enlarger of the common life.” track gives the song a feel similar to late ’70s knows the end.”
the effort and time. The album’s first single, “Salute Your Solu- Led Zeppelin. Jack White and the aptly named Raconteurs
Consolers of the Lonely draws from ‘70s tion,” is a gritty, quick-paced ballad with straight- The album is not all hard rock, however. have added a worthwhile new chapter to their
influences and incorporates a slight hint of blues forward lyrics aimed directly at the listeners: “I “Old Enough” and “Top Yourself” have a twangy, musical story.
and country into the mix. The Raconteurs, a got what I got all despite you/I get what I get just Celtic/country style, showing off the band’s
supergroup with just one superstar, consists of to spite you.” The song’s sound foreshadows the more melodic side. Both songs are heavy on Consolers of the
a singer, songwriters and guitarists White and following songs of the album with heavy guitar the acoustic guitar, organ and violin, creating a
fellow Detroit musician Brendan Benson who riffs and loud, clashing drums. sound that resembles a mix somewhere between Lonely
has released three solo albums. The band also “Salute Your Solution” is also the Racon- Neil Young and Irish music. Artist: The Raconteurs
features two members of The Greenhornes, Jack teurs’ first music video single, which is impres- Characterized by Benson’s warbling chorus, Label: Third Man Records/Warner Bros.
Lawrence on bass and guitar and Patrick Keeler sive in itself. The jerky, seemingly low quality “Many Shades of Black” is one of the more me- Running Time: 56 mins.
on percussion. video is strangely mesmerizing and it perfectly lodious songs of the album. White’s vocals give
The Campanile A&E April 14, 2008 • B9

Homma’s adds healthy brown-rice twist to sushi

Despite poor atmosphere and mediocre fish, Japanese restaurant good for sushi take-out
By Jonathan Shan are not up to par for any restaurant. selected by the chef in the nigiri
Staff Writer Homma’s chairs belong where they deluxe ($12.00) need larger cuts and
Nestled in an alley on Birch Street were created for — lawns. are clearly not freshly made.
behind a dry-cleaning store, Homma’s There are only three tables inside The redeeming item on the menu
Brown Rice Sushi is not the easiest the restaurant, so most customers is the futomaki roll ($8.50), which con-
place to find. Without its “OPEN” choose to order take-out. tains slices of cucumber, asparagus,
neon sign by the door, the restaurant The menu lacks variety, which is sweet egg and tobiko (flying fish egg)
could be mistaken for a home. evident in the orders, yet the place is along with shitake mushrooms.
What sets Homma’s apart from vegetarian-friendly. Unlike Futomakis found at
conventional sushi restaurants is its The una-avo roll ($4.00) has other restaurants, this where Homma’s
exclusive use of brown rice in all of crispy eel and avocado tucked in- shows the most potential. The roll’s
its sushi. Unlike white rice, brown rice side a sushi roll. The smooth avo- mixture of ingredients forms a per-
preserves the cado counters the fect balance between sweetness and
bran in the rice If the customer’s goal is to crispy eel, creat- crunchiness.
and is therefore ing a contrast that If a prospective customer’s goal
more nutritious find healthy take-out sushi, is pleasant to the is to find a healthy sushi take-out
and healthy. Homma’s is the right place to palate. However, location, Homma’s is a fitting restau-
The bran go. the bite-sized por- rant, but if one seeks a better dining
has vitamins, tions leave the experience in the world of sashimi,
minerals, fiber customer unsatis- one would be better off looking
and cholesterol-lowering oils that fied and desiring more sushi. elsewhere.
are lost when the layer is taken off to The sashimi, or raw fish, found Prices are reasonable, and the
form white rice. on the chirasi (assorted sashimi on restaurant accepts only cash.
White rice, unless fortified, con- rice), is disappointingly sinewy and Parking is plentiful, with spaces
tains virtually no nutrients. Homma’s clearly not fresh. across the street and in a nearby park-
rice is especially sticky due to the extra Homma’s chirashi also only in- ing garage.
bran layer, so the sour taste and unique cludes a limited selection of sashimi,
texture take time to get used to. including salmon, tuna and hamachi. +
Unfortunately, the inside of the This is half of what many other Japa- Homma’s
restaurant is not conducive for a nese sushi restaurants include in their
Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile positive eating experience. The room’s chirashi.
Location: 2363 Birch St.
Homma’s, located in an alley on Birch Street, offers a small selection of healthy brown rice sushi in ghastly white florescent light stifles the The eight pieces of nigiri (bite-
Hours: Mon.-Sat., 5-9 p.m.
Prices: $2.30-$12
a cramped environment. The bran on brown rice provides more nutrients and fiber than white rice. ambiance and white flimsy lawn chairs sized sashimi on rice) randomly

21 takes viewers through fast-paced, exhilarating plot

Luketic’s dazzling, aesthetically pleasing film keeps audience trying to figure out what will happen next
By Alex Greene After realizing that his eight-dollars- As the movie progresses and the sugar
Staff Writer per-hour job at J. Press Menswear, lack of coating that clothes Ben’s reality is washed
With a fresh and exhilarating remake of a scholarship despite his perfect grade point away, the true personalities of his fellow
a slightly cliché plot, 21 earns its stars as a average and his involvement in the engineer- characters emerge. All of a sudden, the smart,
great movie and visual spectacle with beautiful ing competition Project 209 will fail to fund reserved Spacey turns on a new and threat-
cinematography. his graduate studies, Ben becomes desperate ening side to his personality. The pressures,
Reminiscent of Spanglish and The Girl for cash. emotions and temptations of Vegas corrupt
Next Door, 21 maintains a traditional plot of a When his unconventional math professor the characters, which lead to extraordinarily
student trying to earn a scholarship for college. Mickey Rosa (Kevin Spacey) recognizes Ben’s well-posed conflicts. Just enough information
What makes 21 stand out from the panoply of inner genius, he attempts to convince him to is fed to the audience, keeping them constantly
college-themed movies is the movie’s various learn to count cards in blackjack as a team trying to figure out what will happen next.
early scenes that fore- with four other brilliant 21 is also an aesthetically pleasing film.
shadow later elements of The pressures, emotions and MIT students and make a The cinematography is dazzling. The artistic
the story. fortune in Las Vegas. camera angles along with scenes of the lights of
As a result of the
temptations of Vegas corrupt At first, Ben resists, Vegas, accompanied by a perfect soundtrack,
foreshadowing, viewers the characters, which lead to saying that he can pay for make viewers feel like they are watching a
can expect main charac- extraordinarily well-posed medical school after he is light show at a Vegas club.
ter Ben Campbell (Jim conflicts. out. However, he gives The ending is no exception to the surpris-
Sturgess) to face certain in and quickly grows ing twists of the plot, although afterwards it
dangers. Viewers will accustomed to his secret seems the obvious choice of how the movie
most likely squirm in their seats wishing they weekend life of high roller suites, clubs and a should end. Unlike many recent movies, 21
could warn him only to find that the next scene relationship with teammate Jill Taylor (Kate leaves viewers completely satisfied.
steers the plot into a completely unexpected Bosworth). Greed and jealousy begin to cor-
direction. rupt Ben and he succumbs to his emotions,
The movie begins as Ben, an undergradu- putting everything he has worked so hard to 21
ate student who attends the Massachusetts acquire in jeopardy.
Institute of Technology, celebrates his 21st The movie is accentuated by brilliant act- Director: Robert Luketic
birthday with his two best friends and his mom. ing, with Spacey’s witty arrogance, Sturgess’s Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kevin
Spacey, Kate Bosworth www.post-gazette.com
Ben has already been accepted into Harvard naïve insubordination, Bosworth’s seductive
Medical School, but he is unable to pay for charm and Laurence Fishburne’s role as a wily Running Time: 118 min. Jim Sturgess stars in 21 as Ben Campbell, a desperate 21-year-old MIT student
Rating: PG-13
the $300,000 tuition. casino security guard. who decides to count cards in Las Vegas to pay for his graduate school tuition.

Bruce Whitson
Your TRUSTED advisor in real estate!
578 University Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301
650-543-1112
bwhitson@apr.com
www.whitson.biz

Stationery • Office/School Supplies

Art Supplies • Gifts
310 California Avenue 719 Santa Cruz Avenue
Palo Alto, California 94306 Menlo Park, CA 94025
(650) 326-7970 (650) 321-6920

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1865 El Camino Real

Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650) 322-0288 (phone)
(650) 322-0488 (fax)

Check out our

archives at:
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B10 • April 14, 2008 A&E The Campanile

Unconventional storytelling illuminates teen loneliness

FILM, Continued from B8

translate the novel to the screen and

was certain that his distinctive style
would render Paranoid Park a beauti-
fully crafted film.
“I had seen a bunch of Gus’s mov-
ies — I’d sort of seen all his movies as
they came out — so I knew it would
be kind of artsy and a little strange
and interesting and that’s pretty much
what it was,” Nelson said.
Van Sant’s work is artsy indeed.
Yet where some directors would put
forth a feeling of self-indulgency or
pretentiousness when exploring sto-
ries as complex or emotional as this,
Van Sant made his directorial choices
because they contribute to the moods
and plot of the story, not because they
look cool. Nelson remarks on Van
Sant’s incorporation of non-linear
narration.
“[The plays on time] make the
viewer kind of work a little bit, be-
cause the movie is a little bit more
mysterious than the book,” Nelson
said. “You don’t exactly know what’s
happening.”
Nivens, who originally walked
into the Paranoid Park auditions
seeking a skateboarding extra role,
flourishes under the direction and the
influence of Van Sant and terrifically
achieves each nuance of Nelson’s
written character.
Alex drifts aimlessly through the
gloom of Portland and teenage life
with nobody to confide in.
His parents are portrayed with
“Peanuts”-like anonymity; their
speech drifts in one of his ears and
out the other as he sits, sullen, in front
of the camera.
Main character Alex is complete-
ly disengaged from all that surrounds vjmorton.files.wordpress.com, www.ecopolis.org and www.screenrush.co.uk
him — even teenage sex, a theme that Gabe Nivens successfully stars in Gus Van Sant’s new movie and adaptation of Blake Nelson’s novel Paranoid Park as the main character and a lonely teen skateboarder,
tends to take a central and enthralling Alex. After getting himself involved in the accidental murder of a security guard, Alex has to learn to deal with the guilt and the moral consequences behind his actions.
position in most teen movies. When
his girlfriend Jennifer (Taylor Mom- The humor is underhanded, subtle “I didn’t think it would be actors of Van Sant’s easygoing direct- sion and speech is nearly tangible, hanging out, and that’s what these kids
sen) finally persuades Alex to help and often ironic. Many of the laugh- that funny,” Nelson said. “It had a ing style. even on film, and the substantial were like. They were all really funny
her “lose it,” he is visibly detached out-loud mo- playfulness “He didn’t actually write a script,” realness of the characters actors is and really interesting and the fact that
from the scene. His narration, which ments might to it that I was Nelson said. “He sort of photocopied. almost concrete. they weren’t professionals was way
consists mainly of lines from Nelson’s unfortunate- “[The plays on time] make the view- surprised by On set, he’d hand out pieces of pa- The abilities of these new actors more fun. If you were with a group
first-person novel, feels genuine. ly pass unrec- er kind of work a little bit, because because my per that had the dialogue from my are no doubt influenced by the easy- of child actors, I think that would not
Nivens stumbles on his words, his ognized by the move is more mysterious than book was book.” going attitude of their director, who have been as fun. I think those kind
character searching frantically for a adults who the book — you don’t know exactly fairly seri- Then he would encourage them has been known to capture the most of people are just weird.”
way to explain his predicament. are perhaps ous. It was to say it slightly differently, added elusive aspects of adolescence. Nowhere else can guilt, teenage
Alex, who is seen scrawling in u n f a m i l i a r what’s happening.” a gloomy a sort of ‘say it the way you’d say Van Sant’s enthusiasm for show- angst, hilarity and artistic talent sur-
a notebook throughout the film even with some book, so I it’ thing. It was really flattering that ing the “real” sides of youth and en- vive together in such harmony.
though he commences writing near teenage Blake Nelson was surprised they were using my stuff exactly the couraging them to be natural allows The grit of Portland, a rainy and
the end, begins his saga warily. tendencies. Paranoid Park author that he was way I wrote it. But they’d also let the room for the actors to tackle even the grainy landscape upon which Van Sant
“I didn’t do too well in creative Thus, they able to find kids riff off it. trickiest characteristics of the story seems to fixate, reflects Alex’s own
writing,” Nelson cautions. might not be that humor in With freedom to improvise, on-screen. cavernous loneliness with the perfect
Despite the darkness of the plot, able to discern the slightly sarcastic there. I really liked the humor.” the actors would sometimes veer “Van Sant likes kids that are very pitch and a remarkable dexterity.
Paranoid Park is still clever and manner with which Van Sant ap- Nelson attributes the “realness” completely of the script and add new normal, very natural,” Nelson said. Nelson and Van Sant ensure that
hilarious. proaches some of his characters. of Paranoid Park’s characters to the dialogue. The actors’ ease of expres- “Most kids in high school are just Paranoid Park enthralls.

Lotus Thai Bistro offers wide range of enjoyable meals to all

Set conveniently amidst the busy street of California Avenue, Lotus Thai Bistro serves a variety of food that can appeal to
all people. Although lacking many aspects of a quality restaurant, Lotus Thai Bistro provides for an average experience.
By Amy Stringer
Features Editor
Located at the center of California Av-
enue, the new Lotus Thai Bistro offers satis-
factory meals at reasonable prices.
The restaurant has a deli-like setup with
an array of dishes behind glass paneling from
which to choose. The majority of the tables are
located in the back room of the restaurant while
the front is reserved for preparing meals.
While the rooms are a bit cramped, the
friendly hosts will accommodate larger party
sizes, which immediately makes up for the
confined atmosphere.
Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile
To begin with, there is an assortment of ap-
petizers separated into options for meat-eaters,
such as the fried calamari ($8.95) or tiger rolls
($7.95) and vegetarians, such as spring rolls
($4.95) or samosa ($6.95). The roti ($6.95)
is a delicious appetizer for both vegetarians
and meat-eaters. The plate consists of several
slices of a delectably warm flat bread served
with peanut sauce.
For those interested in a lighter meal,
there are many soups and salads from which
to choose.
There is the woon sen soup ($6.95),
with vegetables, clear noodles, chicken and
seafood; and potak ($7.95), a spicy and sour
soup with basil and Thai herbs.
The salad options include the spicy salad
($10.95), which is served with duck breast,
barbeque beef or salmon, the mango salad,
which can be served with either tofu ($8.95)
or trout ($12.95) and the lemongrass salad
($12.95) with the option of including seafood,
salmon, sea bass or scallop.
The main courses are separated into
curry, sautéed style, rice and noodles and
Lotus specials.
While on the menu the Bistro asks that
no substitutions be made, the customers are
also asked to indicate their desired degree of
spiciness in order to accommodate all taste
preferences.
The yellow curry ($9.95), which can be
ordered with either tofu or chicken, includes
chicken or tofu, vegetables and potatoes in a
yellow curry sauce.
This meal is slightly disappointing be-
cause of its rubbery chicken and huge chunks
of partially-cooked potatoes. While the curry
sauce is tasty, it drowns out the flavor of the
other ingredients of the dish.
On the other hand, the sweet and sour
chicken ($8.95) is an excellent dish with a
sweet sauce served over well-cooked chicken
and vegetables.
The broccoli ($8.95) can be served with
tofu, chicken or beef. While both the broccoli
and beef are tasty, there is much more beef
than there is broccoli, which is supposedly
the main focus of the plate, and the entire dish
is drenched in beef sauce, making the meal
slightly disappointing.
The pad thai, which can be ordered with
tofu or chicken ($8.95) or prawns ($10.95),
is an enjoyable meal for both meat-eaters and
vegetarians.
Soft rice noodles are arranged with veg-
etables and served with just the right amount
of peanut sauce to neither drench the dish nor
leave it lacking flavor. The pad thai is presented
beautifully on the plate.
For more adventurous diners, the Lotus
specials include rack of lamb ($16.95), salmon
curry ($12.95) and ginger papillote (“parch-
ment paper with special chef’s sauce”) with
either cod ($12.95) or sea bass ($14.95).
To finish off the meal, there are a variety
of dessert options from which to choose, in-
cluding a fried banana with ice cream ($4.95)
and sweet rice with mango ($6.95).
While some of Lotus Thai Bistro’s dishes
may be sub-par in regards to taste or presenta-
tion, there remain many agreeable options for
people with all different preferences.
Lotus Thai Bistro
Location: 425 California Avenue,
Hours: Lunch: 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Dinner: 5:00 p.m.-9 p.m.
Prices: $6-$17

Local, self-made rapper releases debut album featuring a constantly creative flow
RAPPER, Continued from B1
“I just listen to a bunch of instrumen-
tals and whenever one hits me, I’ll
immediately start writing the lyrics,”
Wang said.
Although writing lyrics can
prove challenging to Wang, he finds
himself at ease when he actually
records himself. Wang is confident
in his rapping.
Although Wang writes and re-
cords music by himself, he has friends
such as junior Ken Hine and junior
Frank Wan listen to his tracks before
he releases them out to the public
audience.
“I think his music is phenomenal,”
Wan said. “It’s amazing because I get
to witness him record. His music with
eXile is amazing, and the first time I
heard it, I was blown away.”
Sometimes arguments arise
from criticism that Wang gets from
his friends, but Wang often takes this
feedback and improves his tracks.
After making several tracks
throughout his high school years,
Wang began compiling his songs
together to create his first ever debut
album, “The Prologue,” for his fans.
On the social-networking site
Facebook, Wang created a musician
profile and added a few tracks for his
fans to listen to and enjoy.
Several tracks on the Facebook
profile include “Miss You” which
has an upbeat, acoustic feel with his
voice syncing perfectly with the up
and down flow of the music.
Sometimes Wang makes tracks
featuring his producer eXile such as
“From the Bay,” which is very differ-
ent from his other tracks and has rapid
hip hop electronic beat to match with
the fast lyrics and chorus. Other tracks
feature Wang’s friends, such as Wan
in the remake of the church rap song,
“The Gift” where he raps in the begin-
ning. In Wang’s other song, “I Used
To”, Wan also raps in the chorus.
“I have a lot of favorites on this al-
bum but ‘I Used To’ is the most moving
for me,” Wang said. “I hope everyone
will enjoy it as much as I do.”
His fans also have favorites on his
track such as Wan’s favorite, “Miss
You,” which has a catchy beat about
a longing for a girl.
Wang plans to release his first de-
but album, which consists of 12 tracks
and a few bonus tracks, soon.
“It’s going to be exciting when
he releases his mixtape,” Wan said.
“He and his producer make magic. It’s
unbelievable to listen to his music.”
The Campanile A&E April 14, 2008 • B11

Café Epi creates a unique dining experience

Organic French artisan pastries and gourmet sandwiches distinguish new downtown cafe
By Becky Byler
Staff Writer
Walking into Café Epi, the soft back-
ground music immediately sets a calming
mood. The café has an open, yet personal feel
and is incredibly inviting, assuming people
don’t hurry past its entrance. It is the perfect
escape from the hectic world outside.
Nestled in the heart of Palo Alto’s Uni-
versity Avenue, Café Epi has a simple, black
exterior decoration that does not accurately
depict the true sophistication inside.
The café is well-lit from large front win-
dows, although more light also comes from
the intricate hanging lamps.
The staff is genuinely interested in the
well-being of its customers, is friendly and
helpful in offering advice and works hard to
offer superior service.
The menu offers a variety of mouth-water-
ing sandwiches and paninis, fresh salads and a
myriad of French pastries and beverages.
Café Epi’s self-described “gourmet sand-
wiches” are truly gourmet. They are made
with the freshest and finest ingredients and the
presentation of each sandwich is wonderful.
Each sandwich, which is only big enough
for one person, is also served with two side
dishes. These dishes can include shredded car-
rots, shredded beets or green beans, offering
a nice, tasty break between bites.
Fruit salad, grilled vegetables and a
plate of fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil
are also available for purchase as additional
side dishes.
The roast turkey breast sandwich ($7.95)
is the perfect sandwich for those who enjoy a
mixture of tastes. This sandwich beats many
other turkey sandwiches offered at different
cafés since it has fresh cranberry sauce and let-
tuce as well as imported French brie cheese.
The eggplant sandwich ($7.95) exceeds
all expectations. Filled with grilled eggplant,
roasted red peppers and mozzarella cheese,
this sandwich is one-of-a-kind. While not
spicy, this sandwich has enough flavor to make
eating it a memorable experience.
The peppered beef tri-tip sandwich
($8.95) explains in one dish why Café Epi
calls itself a gourmet sandwich shop. Red
wine is used to marinate the tri-tip to perfec-
tion and organic lettuce wonderfully accents
Café Epi in downtown Palo Alto serves a selection of sandwiches and salads. The best part of the meal are the pastries,
especially the tiramisu (above left, $4), passion fruit mousse (above right, $4) and raspberry mousse (bottom left, $4).
the delicacy of the meat. It is truly a mouth-
watering experience.
Café Epi also offers a wide selection of
paninis, which are hot, pressed sandwiches.
The roast turkey with avocado panini, with
avocado and fresh mozzarella cheese, is both
excellent and filling. The outside of the bread
is crispy, providing a great juxtaposition with
the soft inside of the panini. The blend of turkey
and cheese is perfect, and the chunky pieces of
avocado show that it is truly handmade.
Café Epi also offers six different types
of salads, ranging in price and intensity. All
salads use fresh organic vegetables. The
Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile
mixed baby greens salad ($5.95) is great for
someone with a small appetite, but all the other
salads are huge. The seafood salad ($10.95)
contains prawns, scallops, calamari steak and
marinated mussels in lime juice, along with
organic vegetables and a light vinegar and
olive oil dressing.
All of the beverages offered, from espres-
sos to hot chocolate to freshly squeezed juices,
are phenomenal. The Thai iced tea ($3.20),
which has hints of passion fruit, is incredibly
refreshing.
The hot chocolate ($2.50) is perfect for a
cold day, and its rich blend of chocolate turns
an everyday drink into a fancy desert.
The strongest dishes at Café Epi, however,
are the pastries. Individual pastries are baked
fresh each morning and it is obvious that the
uttermost care is placed into making each one
a unique piece of art.
The Grand Marnier chocolate mousse
($4) and raspberry mousse ($4) are both
exquisitely beautiful as well as richly deli-
cious. The raspberry mouse is held inside a
tulip-shaped chocolate shell and adorned with
fresh raspberries.
The passion fruit mousse ($4) is a bright,
flavorful desert. The texture of the mousse is
perfectly complimented by a white cake-like
bottom and the bright yellow and green colors
and white chocolate leaf decoration attracts
people of all kinds.
The cheesecake with fresh fruit ($4) is
filled with fresh blueberries and has a thick
graham cracker crust. The strawberries and
blackberries covering the top of the cheesecake
also make this amazing dessert aesthetically
pleasing.
Croissants ($2.25-$2.95) are available in
plain, chocolate-filled and almond-filled. The
croissants are light and flaky and have just the
right amount of butter. The muffins ($2.25),
available in blueberry and cinnamon apple,
are wrapped in an easy-to-remove muffin
covering. The freshness is evident yet again
and the muffins break apart easily for quick
eating.
The café offers an interesting experience,
with its friendly atmosphere and great food,
and is sure to be a future hot spot for people
of all ages.
Cafe Epi
Location: 405 University Avenue,
Palo Alto
Hours: Monday-Sunday 9 a.m.-
10 p.m.
Prices: $3-$11

Local pearl tea cafés bring flavor to the Bay Area

Many cafe locations in Palo Alto and Mountain View serve boba teas in trendy atmospheres
By Hannah Bystritsky
Staff Writer
“Bubble tea,” more commonly
referred to as pearl tea or boba, drinks
with tapioca balls, are becoming very
popular among Palo Alto High School
students. Bubble tea is a sweetened
tea, with milk or flavored chai that
is mixed with small, chewy tapioca
balls, often called “pearls.”
Originally a Taiwanese drink
popularized in Southeast Asia, bubble
tea has become well-liked all around
the Bay Area. Each of the following
cafés have are worth travelling to.
Blue Danube Café
165 University Ave.,
Palo Alto
The Blue Danube Café, located in
downtown Palo Alto, is a great place in
the area to enjoy bubble tea. The café
itself is typically fairly empty.
This may not be best for the
business but makes the café have a
very soothing atmosphere and is a
nice place to sit around and enjoy the
surroundings.
It’s pearl milk teas, such as the
original sweetened Jasmine Milk, are
very tasty. The sweetened tea has a
refreshing sugary taste accompanied
by the chewy texture of the pearls.
The flavored teas, on the other
hand, have artificial flavoring and an
awkward aftertaste.
The strawberry-flavored bubble
tea has a mild syrupy taste to it and the
apple tea is slightly over-sweetened.
The tapioca balls are made very
chewy and sweet. The texture is very
smooth, unlike many other cafés
where the pearls can often feel sandy
and rough.
Tea Era
271 Castro St.,
Mountain View
For a more “grab-and-go” kind of
café, Tea Era provides delicious teas
for those who are in a rush.
Although Tea Era does not have
many places to sit and relax, their teas
are definitely worth stopping by for.
The tapioca balls are smaller and
chewier than average, but there are
more of them in the drink.
Though the pearls themselves are
not very sweet, the milky tea gives
them a sugared flavor.
The sweetened Jasmine Milk Tea
is particularly scrumptious and has an
intense jasmine flavor.
Tapioca Express
740 Villa St.,
Mountain View
The trendy and bustling Tapioca
Express provides delicious milk teas
and a bright, funky atmosphere that is
ideal for hanging out with friends.
The tea at Tapioca Express is
very different from that of Tea Era.
The tapioca balls are very sweet, and
chewing on them releases a delicious
sugary taste.
Although the Jasmine Tea (with-
out milk) is not very sweet, the tapi-
oca balls give the typical tea flavor a
new edge.
The Jasmine Tea with milk is
also delicious but its pearls have less
of an effect. Flavored teas are also
worth trying because they change the
intensity of the average tea. Though
flavoring does not have a big change
in the overall taste of the drink, it adds
a delectable tang.
Verde Tea Café
852 Villa St.,
Mountain View
Verde Tea Café is a much more
intimate place to come and enjoy very
tasty teas.
The café has a suave vibe and
offers stylish places to sit.
The decorations are fashionable
and the dim lighting gives the café an
elegant and soothing feel.
Though the pearl milk tea drinks
are slightly more expensive than those
at the other places, they are worth the
extra cost.
The teas are served in round mo-
cha cups so customers don’t have to
go through the usual hassle of poking
their straws through the plastic cover-
ing over the teas.
The tea has a very light taste and
just the right amount of sweetening.
The milk tea has a frothy texture
and the pearls are just chewy enough
to blend in perfectly with the tea’s
exotic flavor.
The flavored drinks, particularly
the mango, have a very natural taste.
Unlike the tea in many other Bubble
Tea places, the tea at Verde does not
taste like artificial syrup.
Instead, a slight hint of honey
can be detected, which gives it a more
original and savory taste.
For a more upscale and trendy
place to enjoy pearl tea, Verde Tea
Café is a perfect choice for customers
of all ages.

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Realtor, International President’s Circle
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Palo Alto, CA 94301
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B12 • April 14, 2008 A&E The Campanile

1
The Black Keys unlocks new sound in
Attack and Release’s layered sound draws from garage blues, rock influences
By Henry Becker
1700
Features Editor
“Strange times are here,” croons
guitarist-singer Dan Auerbach of The Black
Keys in “Strange Times” off the bands lat-
est album Attack & Release. The haunting
romp of blues guitar and swooning ghostly
choir have a lot to say about the album as

Stacy Levichev/ The Campanile

a whole.
With special collaboration from
producer Brian Burton, better known as
Danger Mouse, Auerbach and drummer
Pat Carney create a unique new album of
sonic exploration that both abandons and
embraces their past work.
Last year Burton contacted The Black
Keys to write music on a comeback album
he was planning for Ike Turner, but when
Turner died this past December, the duo
was suddenly left with extra material and
a new friend in producing.
“It’s for the best that these songs
became Black Keys songs,” Burton said
recently to Rolling Stone Magazine. “That’s
what they were meant to be.”
Which is an odd thing for Burton to say,
considering how unlike The Black Keys’
previous work Attack & Release is.
What the album essentially sounds
like is the hard-rock garage blues the Keys
have so much experience with, spookily
undercut with Burton’s signature mixing.
The new sound is conspicuous everywhere
in the album.
Beginning with the opening song “All
You Ever Wanted,” the sound is delight-
fully uplifting and heavy, combining low
guitar-prick beats and sweet acoustic blues
in the higher register. Behind everything,
the guitar reverberates with a minimalist
blast like the ocean in the background.
There’s also more to the music than
previous The Black Keys work: flutes and
harmonica on “Same Old Thing,” banjo on
“Lies,” and a more sophisticated balance
in their songs overall.
An example of this can be heard in
“Remember When (Side A),” a rambling
pastoral work of acoustic guitar and hum-
ming whistle out of The Twilight Zone.
Auerbach moans “With snow in tow, the
winter winds/smacks you on the cheeks
again/Oh, it stings...” and the song bumps
along until it winds down to a ghostly
whimper. It is all typical of Burton’s tight
production.
Then, bang! Side B, the next song,
hammers out on fast guitar. It’s a repeat of
the same lyrics, overpowered with a new
feeling of anger. The songs are as differ-
ent as night and day, but they follow each
other just as naturally. Much of the change
is owed to Burton. In the past, Burton has
Dan Auerbach (left) and Patrick Carney (right) of The Black Keys recently released their fifth album, Attack and
Release, on Apr. 1, 2008. Attack and Release is the first album of The Black Keys to be produced by Danger Mouse.
done phenomenal work with singer Cee-
lo in Gnarls Barkley and is responsible
for the bass and soul beat in their hit song
“Crazy” (2006).
Before that, he worked with hip-hop
artist Jemini on a pop-rap album Ghetto Pop
Life, but even before that he made The Gray
Album, a mash-up of the Beatles’ The White
Album and Jay-Z’s The Black Album.
Burton has demonstrated from his
past that he has the ability to combine the
uplifting swing of pop, the R&B roots of
rap and even the hard edge of rock. He is
able to bring an eclectic repertoire to The
Black Keys.
In past albums, Auerbach killed his
guitar in the heat of heavy blues while
Carney pounded the soul out of his drums,
but Attack & Release is more about the
songs rather than the blues feel. It’s a take-
it-or-leave-it situation. Fans who dream of
a repeat of Thickfreakness, their deafening
sophomore album of traditionalist blues, are
going to have to keep waiting. Auerbach
and Carney are sending out a message:
they’re more capable than that.
They don’t replay blues tunes by dif-
ferent names anymore, but rather they take
typical blues progressions and twist them
into spooky ballads like “Psychotic Girl” or
soul songs like “Oceans & Streams.”
There remains the old blues sound that
hints all the way back to the band’s original
inspiration, blues man Junior Kimbrough,
but it’s layered now with new courageous
sound work that comes from the Keys
growing into their own.
While the heart of the album is blues,
Attack & Release has more to it. Still, what
comes through most is the fearless energy.
College
www.petenawara.com
When live, the Keys play with gusto and
wild abandon; Carney during a given gig
goes through multiple drumsticks.
His face twists into a painful expres-
sion as one moment he’s fine, but then the
song begins and he transforms into a demon.
Auerbach swoons back and forth in front
of his microphone, guitar in hand and eyes
closed. The album is as good live as it is
recorded because it is powerful, pounding
music, so there is little to do but to watch
as Auerbach and Carney force the music
world to take notice.
Attack and Release
Artist: The Black Keys
Label: Nonesuch Records
Run Time: 44 min.
This edition featuring
Mike Tramiel
with The Campanile’s
Erik Krasner-Karpen
The Campanile: So what’s it like being a genius?
Mike Tramiel: You know, I wouldn’t really say I’m a
genius, but if I were a genius, it would be pretty boring,
and a genius would be a not-good thing to be.
TC: That’s pretty deep.
MT: Thank you.
TC: Who’s your favorite teacher ever?
MT: From Paly or all time?
TC: How about both?
MT: Actually, that’s a stupid question. DOUG
[Bertain]!
TC: What do you like about Doug?
MT: He’s the funniest man alive, and he teaches my
favorite class, Robotics/Engineering Tech.
TC: So, Robotics is going to nationals. How do you
feel about that?
MT: You know, it’s kinda weird for me. Robotics has
been a part of my life for all of high school whether I
wanted it to be or not and like a cockroach it always
pops up when I don’t want to see it. I think Atlanta will
bring me some real closure, and I’ll get to drive that
robot one last time.
TC: They do say you drive a mean robot.
MT: Yes they do, and I am hoping to prove that to
myself and the world in Atlanta [Robotics national
competition].
TC: I’m already out of questions.
MT: I’m not that special. That’s why you’re out of
questions, because I’m not that, y’know, big of a
person, y’know. Yes, I drive a mean robot. Yes, I’m
reasonably well-known for being one crazy guy, ‘cause
I am a crazy guy, and people are like, “you crazy,” but I
don’t think I’m crazy.
TC: Don’t you?
MT: What?
TC: Think you’re crazy?
MT: I’m not crazy, I just got the reality in my brain.
TC: What reality is that?
MT: I see that there is absolutely no point in freaking
out over the little things like [in a reedy voice] “oh my
God, I have to get good grades so I can go to college.”
No, I have to pass high school good enough to get
into Foothill, take two years and transfer wherever the
hell I want, so I can, y’know, have fun in high school,
get a little bit done later and then kick back and get a
fat-ass degree that’ll get me places. Next year I shall
be attending UC Santa Cruz, majoring in electrical
engineering.
TC: Can you tell us about your senior prank?
MT: You’ll see when it happens.
TC: But it’s got Mr. Berkson’s approval?
MT: Yes, sir.
John Xia: Why do you always wear black pants?
MT: You know, that’s an interesting story. My mother
bought them, and they’re comfortable, and I don’t have
any other pants.
TC: Do you have one pair of black pants or several?
MT: I have three pairs of pants, and they’re identical.
TC: What about the moob pocket?
MT: Again, my mother bought the shirts. They were

Fever comfortable and I have no other shirts. So they’re the

exact same, just different colors. And there are many of
the same color. It looks like I haven’t changed in four
Julia Benton days, but I really have.
College fever swept the school TC: I hear you’re a pretty deep singer.
as assorted sweatshirts denoting MT: I am a deep singer. Y’know, people don’t really
students’ universities of interest know that because they think “Oh God, a dude singing”
became the apparel of choice. and they run. But there are certain songs that, just work
From Cal to Oxford and from with me, and of course I sing everything, so most of
Stanford to Harvard, students what I sing sounds like s**t because I just can’t do the
boldly displayed their college voice right, but some things I can just throw down and
allegiances. Juniors are back it’s decent.
from the spring break whirlwind TC: What can you throw down?
of college visits; while, after MT: “American Pie” by Don McLean and the
American national anthem.
months of waiting, seniors’
[He launches into “The Star-Spangled Banner.”]
acceptance letters finally arrived
TC: You know, you were a little flat, but I liked your
and most now know where
phrasing.
they will be headed in the fall. MT: The funny thing is, I don’t really like America.
Congratulations! TC: Apparently you don’t drive now?
MT: So, um, long story short, I was being a stupid
motherf**ker, and I drove around a hundred miles an
hour down Alma at 1:30 in the afternoon, with light
traffic, utilizing all five lanes. That’s the two right
lanes, the left-turn lane and the two left lanes.
TC: Well, at least it was light traffic.
MT: Yeah, it was like medium. And I received a ticket
for violation of my provisional license, because I was
driving my friend, and for reckless driving, which is a
misdemeanor. And I went to court, my fine went down
from $1800 to $280 and my license suspension went
down from 19 months to one month. So in 30 days
I’ll be back on that road, drivin’ at the speed limit and
sangin’.