The Pa n t he r Pr in ts Informing and educating the Pinewood community and the surrounding area for 25 years June 1, 2012
Volume I. Edition 6.
Senior Edition
The Red Carpet Arrives at Pinewood CAMILLE POLSTER STAFF WRITER Complete with a glitzy red carpet, a silent auction, and famous Hollywood guest stars, Pinewood Performing Arts’ benefit concert, “Godspell,” opened in real Hollywood style on Friday, May 25. Running for two nights at Pinewood’s Upper Campus Theater, the show not only featured Pinewood students and faculty such as English teacher Sabrina Strand and theater teachers Spencer Williams and Doug Eivers, but also three celebrity guest stars, David Yost, Emily Bergl, and Brad Ellis. Tickets ranged from $25 to $150, and the $15,000 in proceeds went to funding the Performing Arts Scholarship Fund, which will offer financial aid to students who wish to attend Performing Arts trips, such as the upcoming choir trip to Rome. Directed by Pinewood’s own G. Scott Lacy, the show proved to be a great success. The show contained all but one song from the original musical, “Godspell,” written by Steven Schwartz, who is also the composer of the Broadway smash hit, “Wicked.” Some of the crowd pleasers included “Light of the World” which closed the first act, “Turn Back O Man,” which featured Bergl’s solo performance of the night, and “By My Side,” performed by junior Jenny Paz and Strand. “My favorite performance of the night was Emily Bergl’s song. It really had a great energy to it, and she was able to get a lot of audience interaction. It was fantastic!” sophomore Courtney Copriviza said. “The longer you work in this industry, you are always searching for sources of inspiration to keep going. Tonight, and the work you have all done, is that for me. A huge inspiration. Thank you for your great work and for having us!” Bergl said. Not only was the show enjoyable for the performers and audience, but it also showed itself as being a great experience for the Pinewood
students who were able to take part. Any Pinewood students that auditioned were ensured at least a role in the chorus; however, many were able to earn a solo performance. These student solo performances included “Day by Day” sung by Lindsay Riches, Sarah Barrus, and Vasudha Goel, “All Good Gifts” featuring Talmage Wise and Andie Huebsch, and “Light of the World” with Carson Robinette, Ben Montrym, and Rachel Brenneman. “My favorite experience was actually watching the guest stars interact with the students. It made me really happy to watch them share their experience with the young performers,” Lacy said. “Working in ‘Godspell’ was an opportunity I am glad to have experienced. I was able to speak with the professionals and get a true insight into how the world of theater really works at a professional level,” sophomore Talmage Wise said. Not only was the benefit financially successTOP: The cast poses for for a picture on the red carpet. BOTTOM: The actors sing one of the many ful, but it also proved to be an amazing opmusical numbers in the performance. Pictures taken by Michael Hunter (www.michaeljhunter.com) portunity for everyone involved. Ticket sales, donations, and the silent auction were able to bring in thousands of dollars for the scholarship fund and put the benefit well into the black. This experience had a great impact on the cast, and hopefully it will become a lasting Pinewood tradition. “I think we should do another concert version of a show. I’m not sure if the event will be the same, but I think that we should do a concert version of a show to try and earn money for the performing arts,” Lacy said. “‘Godspell” will be one of my most memorable moments from this past year. I was able to make new friends and meet some truly incredible people. I learned some great lessons from this show that I think will help me later on in my life. I hope Pinewood will put on a similar event next year, and I look forward to being able to participate in it again,” sophomore Quinn Foster said.
ASB Decided By Thin Margin AUSTIN LIANG STAFF WRITER Friendly competition was in the air during Pinewood’s 2012 Associated Student Body (ASB) Elections. Taking place at the terrace during lunchtime on Friday, May 4, the candidates, who were all juniors, gave one-minute long speeches in order to attract votes. After the speeches, ballots were handed out to eighth through eleventh graders. Claire Witze pulled ahead of Jack Hochberg for President, Lindsay Riches beat Garrett Biggs for Vice President, and Haley Longbottom won unopposed for Secretary. Posters were put up around campus, with some going the traditional route such as “Vote Claire for Pres,” while others went a more unorthodox route like Riches’ “I like spirit as much as I like chocolate!” with a baby picture of a enthusiastic girl with chocolate smeared on her face. “Campaigning during election week is always filled with stress and anxiety but what really intrigues voters is being that example and reaching out to everyone around you. It is important to make everyone feel noticed and important,” Riches said. This year we saw an increase of candidates “branding themselves.” Vice Presidential candidates Riches and Biggs both spread their logos across the school. Biggs had a very clean GBVP logo in classic Pinewood colors, printed on hundreds of stickers. Riches, on the other hand, had several kids wearing Lindsay for VP t-shirts. During lunch, students gathered around the terrace to listen to the candidates’ speeches. The speeches were
about why they were qualified as candidates and policy changes and ideas that would be enacted if they were elected. Hochberg dressed in a dinosaur costume to spread awareness, and Riches sang a song for her speech to the tune of Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA.” This group of students became the first single-gender administration in recent Pinewood history. Witzke and Riches were in tight races though, winning by three and two votes, respectively. Hochberg and Biggs who lost the elections landed on their feet: Hochberg was named ASB commissioner and Biggs as Senior Class President. “I was honestly so happy that I won and I just feel so honored to represent the student body of Pinewood next year,” Riches said. Though the new ASB has not had a formal meeting yet, they already have a few goals in mind next year. “We hope to have a social mixer with other high schools in the area. We also look to continue some of this year’s highlighted events, such as “Gatorade” and our annual Jamboree. I am striving for an increase in student body participation, and I hope that I can especially reach out to the new incoming students and to show them how much Pinewood has to offer,” Riches said. “Our goals mainly revolve around good communication from ASB to the school to keep everybody spirited and aware of what exactly is happening because once everybody is excited about what is going on at school, then it helps everybody out a lot with spirit points, student council, and just increasing the schoolwide enthusiasm. I am hoping for some new spirit days and redefined lunchtime activities for holidays,” Longbottom said.
Emergency Assembly Called GARRETT BIGGS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Claire Witzke, ASB President; Lindsay Riches, ASB Vice President; Haley Longbottom, ASB Secretary;
Students gathered in the gym for an emergency anti-bullying assembly, on May 11, trying to put a clamp on anti-Semitic comments being made by several students throughout the school. School President Scott Riches and Principal Mark Gardner expressed immense disappointment in the students for these comments. “Less than a year ago, we were having another assembly on what? Respect,” Gardner said to the student body in reference to the anti-gay bullying assembly held last year. Multiple sources have confirmed that this assembly was triggered after two sophomores read a post from the Internet titled “10 Ways to Spot a Jew” on a class field trip. After the administration was informed of this and other anti-Semitic comments made by a group of eighth graders, they jumped to action by calling this assembly. Most students agreed with the decision to talk to the school. “I think it was necessary because I’ve definitely been feeling a drift of anti- Semitism around Pinewood lately,” junior Tudor Iovan said. However, most students were completely unaware of this troubling trend. “I did not realize that these kind of comments were being made around the school. When I was a junior high kid I don’t think I ever heard people saying things like this,” sophomore Annie Daines said. At one point when speaking to the students,. Riches alluded to a personal instance with his Latin-American wife. As a high-schooler, she wassurrounded by students who used racial slurs, not knowing of her Hispanic heritage. This reinforced his point that students do not always know who are offended by their actions. Gardner also mentioned an instance where Pinewood kids were supposedly calling Jewish students and giving them “near-death threats” anonymously. He referred to their actions as “cowardly” and explained the punishments to anyone caught doing this. This surprised Pinewood students more than anything else. “It simply was shocking and appaling,” Daines said.
Opinion 2
Gun Control: A Response SHANI ROSENTHAL & KARALENA DAVIS NEWS & FEATURES EDITORS In the last edition of “The Panther Prints,” Brittany Schulte wrote an article, “License to Kill,” discussing the Trayvon Martin case and drew the conclusion that citizens should not have the right to bear arms because it leads to the unnecessary deaths of innocent people. Misleading prejudice of the media should not influence the public to make uninformed decisions without facts. This caused a sudden spark of pro gun control within the public; yet we believe that the right to own guns is essential to ensure self-protection and liberty. First would like to make it clear that the public does not necessarily know the facts, and is therefore not qualified to come to a conclusion about this case. It is up to the judicial court to review the evidence and decide on a verdict, especially when themes of racism and issues about gun control are involved; however, as a public citizen, it is important to acquire unbiased factual evidence. The media originally distorted facts to make it seem as though Zimmerman committed the crime due to his racist views, making him undeniably guilty. NBC edited Zimmerman’s call to 911, omitting the question the dispatcher asked: “is he black,
white, or Hispanic?” The public only heard Zimmerman’s answer noting that Martin was black. On CNN, it was said that Zimmerman used the word “coon,” a racial insult, when Zimmerman was actually describing the weather, saying “cold.” Also, the media described Zimmerman as a “white Hispanic,” a new term fabricated to describe race, seeing as it was hard to create a case of racism between two minorities. We certainly do not endorse racism, nor do we deny that it exists, but it is immoral to change the facts and mislead the public. Also, ABC made it seem as if Zimmerman attacked Martin without provocation while showing a photo of Martin as a young boy. When reviewing the medical reports, police found a hemorrhage on the back of Zimmeran’s head, two black eyes, and a broken nose, suggesting a fight before Martin’s death. The fact that Martin was not armed at the time of the shooting does not automatically make him an innocent victim. Since news stations released questionable information about the case, new reports and evidence have been discovered. Most importantly, forensic evidence during Martin’s autopsy revealed the shot was fired from less than 18 inches away, indicating that Martin may have instigated a physical struggle at which Zimmerman had to protect himself at close range. Although
we may never be certain about the occurrences of this situation, the information that the media originally failed to expose gives us a wider view of the story. Recently, there has been a surge in anti-gun feelings in response to the killing, claiming that the public should not have the right to own firearms. However, they fail to acknowledge the number of lives saved by guns. Anti-gun Clinton researchers found that gun owners used their weapons in self-defense over 1.5 million times annually, while the total number of murders using firearms was only 8,775 in 2010, FBI researchers say, much smaller than how many lives guns saved. Also, many believe that owning a gun invites accidental deaths and encourages citizens to take violent action without police knowledge or intervention. However, “only two percent of civilian shootings involved an innocent person mistakenly identified as a criminal. The ‘error rate’ for the police, however, was 11 percent, more than five times as high,” Newsweek wrote. The few cases such as the Trayvon Martin case that are exaggerated by the media should not dictate the outcome of an entire country’s laws. This brings us back to the theme of media bias. A study done by the Media Research center in Alexandria Virginia showed through statistics that media is heavily biased in portraying stories. According
to researchers, from 1995-1999, television networks collectively aired 514 anti-gun stories, to only 46 that were pro-firearm. This is a ratio of more than 11to-1 against firearms. The media clearly favors stories involving murder by firearm, but it is rarely publicized when guns are used to save lives, even though it happens quite often. On a different note, the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution directly states that the public should have the right to bear arms in order to rise up against an oppressive government. Although in a fight against an oppressive power, the public would probably lose, it is the principle of being able to protect oneself from oppressive powers which is important: it ensures freedom and is the basis of our country. Citizens are entitled to self-protection. Moreover, it would be ineffective to ask people to confiscate their guns for it is unlikely that criminals will simply hand them over. There will always be guns in the U.S., even if they are made illegal. This will lead to a society were citizens are even more victimized, one where law-abiding citizens do not have protection while criminals have the opportunity to do as they please without fear of being fought back against. A murderer is much less likely to attack when the idea of their victim possibly having a gun lurks in the back of their mind.
Farewell To Max Darrow GARRETT BIGGS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF We have reached our final issue of the year, and it is a bittersweet moment. Sweet because it signals the beginning of the summer and a fresh group of talented editors. Bitter because of the loss of our seniors and closing the door on a fantastic year of news. Yet nothing is harder than saying goodbye to my co-editor in chief Max Darrow. Max joined the paper in his freshman year at the encouragement of his brother Michael (also an editor). By the end of the year he was an assistant editor for Sports and served in that role until he took over as Sports editor for his sophomore year. Not before long he was editor-in-chief for his final two years. We will remember not only Max’s sense of humor but also his keen sense of leadership and true love of journalism. His articles, regardless of section, have been some of the strongest in our paper since he joined. There is no doubt that the paper has improved under his watch and it has been a joy improving my own skills with and under him. Max will pursue a degree in Broadcast Journalism at University of Syracuse.
Demanding Respect For Every Team KELLY RYAN ASSISTANT EDITOR “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing,” said by Vince Lombardi. Although this is the philosophy of almost every sports team out there, this should not be the philosophy of their supporters. Here at Pinewood, every team from Junior High volleyball to Varsity basketball strives for excellence. Players and coaches should always try their best to win, however a team’s wins and losses should not determine their fan base. Freshman Monique McDevitt said, “Varsity boys [basketball] got more fans because they were better.” This year the varsity boys basketball team advanced all the way to the NorCal Finals, an accomplishment that should be recognized, and therefore had a bus full of cheering students drive up to Folsom to support them. It is outstanding that the team did so well, and we should support them in their success, but Pinewood as a school should not only support teams that win but support all teams equally not based on their stats. For example when the Pinewood tennis team had a match,
“Everyone was in the gym watching the basketball players,” said freshman Karina Uppal. Although the tennis team may not have advanced as far as the basketball team, it still deserves its schools support. With more fans encouraging them to play well, the tennis team might even improve as a team winning more matches in their season; it’s a two way street. “It was disappointing when
EDITORS IN CHIEF: Garrett Biggs Tiffany Chen
FEATURES EDITORS: Karalena Davis Sarah Lawson
NEWS EDITORS: Shani Rosenthal Matti Thurston
SPORTS EDITORS: Kevin Endersby Stephen Yu
you feel like no one cares. Hopefully people could support every sport,” said freshman Hannah Manheim. Even though fans usually gravitate towards winning teams, Pinewood should start to change that and be the difference, as its motto states. Pinewood claims to be a close nit community, where all students make up a family. But where do we see this in our athletics? As WISCR students, we
should respect and support all of our fellow classmates by going to everyone’s games not just the basketball teams. Not only are winning teams favored by the students, but they also receive preferential treatment from the faculty as well. Two years in a row the basketball teams have had a bus full of students travel with them to their final games where
Panther Prints Staff OP/ED EDITORS: Garrett Biggs Brittany Shulte
ASSISTANT EDITORS: Kelly Ryan Robin Sanders Karina Uppal
COPY EDITOR: Sydni Topper
SENIOR EDITORS: Max Darrow Niuniu Teo Emily Zhang Lindsay Riches
STAFF WRITERS: Alex Banning Ben Brown Sam Carp Amrith Deepak Rorie Duncan Victoria Gardiner Andrew Gerson Alex Hasnain
Pinewood funded each bus in support of its winning teams. As generous as this act was, Pinewood should either do this for every sports team or none at all; as it is unfair to the teams with lower rankings. After all, the less successful teams put in the same amount of effort. Another unfair incident occurred on the varsity boys soccer team. Every team on the Pinewood campus orders and receives team jackets; however, the boys soccer team was excluded from this privilege and did not receive any team jackets. “We ordered them, but they never came,” said sophomore Kevin Ryan a member of the team, “I don’t know why they never came, but I can say that if our team had made it to NorCal, we would be going wearing those jackets.” Win or lose, every team deserves the support from their fellow student body. We have to accept that not every team is going to get equal praise from Pinewood students, because sports are inherently unequal. It is how it has always been. However, all teams deserve respect from their peers and the school itself. Annie Kong Owen Lewis Austin Liang Camille Polster Raquel Perez Etelle Stephan ADVISOR: Kim Wetzel
Editorial 3
The Great Debate Senioritis: Take The longview DANIEL CRISTIANI FACULTY CONTRIBUTOR Along with many of my colleagues I object to senioritis. Let me be clear about what this objection is not. This objection is not based on envy, although I concede that I’m jealous of our young students. This objection is not motivated by self-congratulation, although I admit that some will read this argument as condescension. And this objection is not spiteful. I don’t hate senioritis; I just think it doesn’t make good sense. For one, I bristle at the pseudo-scientific, fauxmedical name. Senioritis is a diagnosable condition, I’m to understand. Do the afflicted get to use handicapped parking? Is senioritis covered under Obamacare? This abuse of ordinary language disingenuously denies personal responsibility and grasps at some idealized notion of passive youth. It’s not very becoming, and it’s distortive. I’m sorry, but senioritis is not a condition, nor an inevitability. I’ll grant, though, that it’s contagious. And degenerative. But this is a nominal annoyance, hardly a serious concern. After all, what’s in a name? My primary objection to senioritis is that it’s inefficient because it gets life backwards. The myth that young people are better at having fun is just that. Carefree youth? Is this how you’ve experienced it so far? (Be honest.) I contend that adults are much better at enjoying themselves than are adolescents, which is why the young should defer slacking off for later in life and should use their early years to benefit from opportunities uniquely available in a school setting. Here are some non-hypothetical “leisure” activities I did when I was young. I collected as many snails as I could find, named them, and put them in a shoebox. (They all died.) I stayed up all night only because I thought it would be interesting (It wasn’t.) I watched the rather asinine movie “The Warriors” all the way
through over twenty times (Not worth it.) I saw a good friend get arrested for DUI and lose his license long-term and his freedom short-term. (Crushing.) All of these were pretty stupid ways to spend time, frankly, and this barely cracks the list of mindless time-sucks from my youth. Compare this to some of the activities adults do for fun. They travel and see amazing parts of the world. They pick up new hobbies and invest in them, both literally and spiritually. They enjoy the deep and life-affirming satisfaction of watching their children play soccer and perform in school plays. They share a few drinks with friends while being smart enough to arrange for sober transportation ahead of time. There’s no comparison here. Kids just aren’t as good as adults at enjoying life. At the same time, we adults are largely terrible at gaining from the activities that take place in a school setting. We’re frustratingly closed-minded, which is why we’re bad conversationalists and why we figure things out so slowly. Adolescents, in contrast, are excellent at learning, in particular from each other. They’re curious, open-minded, and prone to moments of genius, which is why school is perfect for them. Despite all appearances and efforts to the contrary, school is about shared learning. It’s about the mind-bending, brain-shaping, identitybuilding conversations that take place among and between budding scholars. The texts and the equations and the labs are excuses, nothing more. The intellectual conversations that take place among students in a classroom cannot be replicated or made up later in life. The problem with senioritis is that it squanders once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and exchanges them for unimaginative idleness. And that’s just silly. Daniel Cristiani is the current head of the Social Studies department at Pinewood.
Senioritis: Stick It To The Dan
Taken from flickr.com
ELIZABETH SARTAIN SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
Mark Twain said, “I have never once let my schooling interfere with my education.” See, it’s like this: second semester of senior year presents a rare opportunity in which you don’t have to care: you elect to do your homework, to pay attention, and to excel, not because you need to get into college (done pile!), but because you still want to learn. And that can be a beautiful thing, if you let it be. For argumentative purposes, I like to think of senioritis as a shift in interests rather than the absence of learning. For instance, while I won’t deny that schoolwork and classes will inevitably be put on the back burner in many cases, I will assert that quite frequently, seniors will pursue other, equally respectable enterprises. Anecdotally, fellow senior Emily Zhang has thrown herself into learning Mandarin Chinese, which dovetails with her intended major quite nicely. As for myself, I’ve used my free time to start tutoring and, let’s not forget, I’m writing this op-ed (admittedly, a day after the deadline) thanks to said free time.
As for those classes that weren’t so lucky to receive your so nobly allotted attention…well, as they say, “It’s not you, it’s me.” In all seriousness, I will recognize how irritating it must be to deal with second semester seniors. Senioritis is a phenomenon that is born out of entitlement, but that is in part what makes it so wonderful. For many seniors, second semester constitutes the light at the end of the tunnel, the Promised Land, etc. Here, it would make sense to insert some overblown statement about the horrors of junior year and the timesuck that is college applications. However, that was a dark time in my life, and I’m just not ready to talk about it. For now, we’ve made it, and we’re going to pat ourselves on the back for it. Sorry ‘bout it! And how do we reward ourselves for three and a half years of a job well done? In the past semester, I’ve seen fellow seniors initiate a month-long prank war with Mr. Ribaudo (he lost, no doubt), rap a painfully long order at McDonald’s (twice!), and wear a prosthetic pregnancy belly around downtown Los Gatos to gauge public reaction(yes, really). These are the kinds of things you get away with when you’re eighteen and stupidly ballsy; these are the kinds of things you never forget. Why don’t teachers just give us the benefit of the doubt anyway? When we call in sick, we really are sick—it’s a case of senioritis, and it’s terribly contagious. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go “do some homework.” And by that, I mean make memories, form everlasting friendships, and sail into the sunset without a care in the world. Or something. Elizabeth Sartain is a graduating senior (She thought of the title).
Long, Lost Summers summers? Maybe. After a school year full of never ending amounts of tests, homework, and essays, I can honestly say that my brain yearns for peace and rest. This is not to say that laziness should be the definition of a person’s summer, but I think nowadays there is a certain stigma attached to “doing nothing” during those summer months that hasn’t existed prior to the 21st century. I realize though that many kids
Taken from cheshirecatphoto.com
BRITTANY SCHULTE OP-ED EDITOR Imagine this: late night bonfires at the beach, daily walks on the boardwalk, eating hot dogs and sipping ice cold lemonade. Imagine a whole summer of this. No homework, no tests, and no grades to worry about. And my personal favorite, no alarm clock rudely disturbing my wonderful sleep. Ok, so perhaps I’m being a little fanciful with my description of an “ideal” summer. But, let’s be honest, as you get older and older, idyllic summers seem to shrink more and more until one day they fade away into blissful, childhood memories. It makes me nostalgic, and I’m only 16. Shouldn’t I still be able to take a few months to relax and give my brain some rest? Not anymore, not with college approaching soon in the future. It seems that as students progress from middle school to high school, more and more is expected to come out of their summers. Intellectually, that is. By junior year, it is practi-
cally required that one does something impressive over the summer, whether participating in an internship or completing a rigorous academic program. It seems too often to be about doing the most “impressive thing” to put on your college application rather than doing something you enjoy most or have a passion for. There is a certain fakeness surrounding summers in today’s world- many high-achieving kids are pushed to take SAT prep classes and keep up their studies despite the fact that school is out. There is so much pressure to be the best and to not fall behind that kids are coerced into a summer that is not theirs whatsoever. Their summer now belongs to the college application process. However, this is not always the case and many kids do pursue possible passions or future career options instead. What these kids are lacking is a true, fulfilling time of rest. To sit around, watching TV or lying out by the pool is considered pure laziness nowadays. But truly, isn’t that what most of us wish for and need out of our
do in fact get a “lazy” summer, not out of choice, but due to lack of opportunity. What I am mainly pointing out here is that as kids begin the process of applying to colleges, they lose the opportunity to take a step back and de-stress over the summer. I support the idea that children today should not be pressured into furthering their academic skills so extensively during summer. Summer is a time to explore
your interests and find adventure. It is also the time to kick back and recuperate after a year full of hard work in school. It is not the time to be locked in a classroom, taking extra classes so that you can get ahead, unless that’s what truly floats your boat. It is also not the time to watch mindless TV all day and eat junk food. There exists a middle ground, and kids today must be offered it.
Feature Cartoon
Cartoon by David Rodden
Features 4
Stressed Out? Don’ t worry VICTORIA GARDINER STAFF WRITER
As the school year draws to an end, everyone starts to feel the crunch setting in; stress mounts as more and more are hastily scribbled into planners. Certain stereotypes do exist throughout high school; namely, when you’re a second semester senior you’re king or queen of the world, and junior year is utter hell. I’m not trying to justify senioritis or whine about being a junior, because I really do love it, but there are certain stresses we face. Some of them are self-inflicted, some of them just effects of being college prep students, but couldn’t some be removed or at least lessened? I’ll be the first to admit that perhaps I take a little too much onto my plate at times, and perhaps many students like me are prone to doing the same thing. We try to juggle schoolwork with athletics and performances, so it’s only
a matter of time until we feel the crunch or drop one thing in favor of another. Some of us may be prone to spending a little too much time on Twitter or Facebook at night, taking away valuable time. “The major problem has been overlapping essays and projects, which cause a good deal of stress. Lack of sleep and athletics only exacerbate it,” junior Jack Hochberg said. It is the end of the year, and most of us are taking six to eight classes and those projects have to get assigned sometime. However, having two five-page essays due on the same day for different classes can make a student feel stressed out. “It’s junior year; all the colleges look at this year… and there’s the SAT. Parents are expecting good grades,” Junior Grayson Burden said. Is it just the year though? Is this crunch time just an inevitable hurdle that 16 and 17-year-olds have to face, or is there something that could be done about it? Perhaps it is embedded in the fact of being college prep students with high standards and extensive extracur-
ricular activities, but can some of this stress be abated? We already have rules about when teachers can test students, so as to not have four tests in one day, but could a similar rule be made for projects and papers? Is there enough time to manage such a task? And is any of our stress undue stress? Counselor Tina Maier says there is a range of things that cause stress, such as college acceptance and rejections, parent expectations, SAT exams, summer, relationship issues, senior friends leaving Pinewood next year, AP exams, and class planning for next year. “[Stress] can’t be avoided, but how we interpret stressors can be helped by looking at the source of stress as a challenge and not a threat,” Maier said. “Unfortunately our youth are living during a difficult time that requires that they be prepared for the stiff college application process, the lack of jobs available without a degree, the media hysteria about the lack of jobs for even the college graduates. The workload is high... “college-prep” means just that.”
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Photos compiled by Linsday Riches
Bard Day
Photo of the Month
ANNIE KONG STAFF WRITER “Macbeth,” “Hamlet,” “Caesar” – all of Shakespeare’s famous works were performed by six Pinewood students on May 18. Ginny Yang, Victoria Gardiner, Sid Kurkure, Robin Sanders, Tudor Iovan, and Jennifer Allen all did a segment from one of Shakespeare’s classics. Everyone who performed had to memorize either a sonnet or a Shakesperean soliloquy. Iovan performed Macbeth’s speech questioning the meaning of life, otherwise know as his “Candle Speech.” Sanders recited a soliloquy from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by Puck, and Kurkure recited Sonnet 130. Yang performed a speech from Theseus from Act five, Scene One from a “Midummer Night’s Dream.” “I was a bit nervous before I went on the stage,” Yang said. “But it felt really nice standing in front of people and reciting the poem. It was a really good experience for me.” This year’s Bard Day was held on the stage outside on the terrace, instead of in the theater, which was where it was held last year. At the end of all of the performances, English teacher Cheryl Zepp led a dance performance, and invited everyone to come and join her. The music and dance was from a teacher’s workshop at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Small steps were taught one at a time to the audience to the beat of the music, and many enjoyed the experience. “I thought the Bard would have been proud of all of the performances,” English teacher David Wells said.
http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/humpback-whales-pod-best09/
We chose this picture to be Photo of the Month because we liked the depth that the light created in the water. The view of the photo allowed us to see above and below the water, making us feel like part of two seperate worlds.
Arts And Culture 5
“Little Flame” Proves to Be a Big Hit KARINA UPPAL STAFF WRITER Even as a child, Pinewood junior Rachel Goodkind knew that she would someday become a performer and singer. This ambition came true when she released an album on March 3 titled “Little Flame,” produced and co-written by American musician Geoff Byrd. Goodkind grew up with a passion for music, as her interest in music began when she was a young girl. “Ever since I used to watch my dad play guitar and sing, I knew that was what I wanted to do,” Goodkind said. “When I started playing guitar in third grade, I could not sing... at all. But I could play guitar and found I could write songs too. I kept getting better, and eventually started playing in front of people and realized that that was the most amazing feeling in the world. I love performing, so I guess that desire to get involved in music has been in me for a long time.” Although many of the songs in the album are inspired by Goodkind’s life and friends, many songs are also based off of her dreams or hypothetical situations. “There is one song on the album called ‘Your Eyes are a Loaded Gun’ that I wrote right after seeing a Civil Wars concert that completely inspired me. Most of the time though, I’ll just see something out of the window while driving, and it will inspire me. For example, the very first line of the song ‘Little Flame’ is ‘searchlights set the score...’. I wrote that line while I was driving and saw searchlights in the sky. Sometimes the simple things are the most inspiring,”
Goodkind said. The creation of the album began with one song titled “As You Know,” which Goodkind recorded with Byrd in the spring of 2011 as part of his non-profit organization, Kids Record Hits. “After recording that song, Geoff said he would really like to work with me more. My dad and I spent three weeks in Portland that summer, and every day I would go to Geoff’s house, edit my songs, and then record them. Sometimes it could get stressful, but it was an amazing learning experience, and I got a lot of good advice for my future songs,” Goodkind said. Many Pinewood students think Goodkind’s album release is a very unique opportunity. “It is incredible to see a Pinewood student’s album actually on iTunes. Her music is amazing and super original, and she deserves this chance. Everybody should definitely listen to the album!” sophomore Taania Khan said. For some artists, the hardest part of producing an album is having their songs changed since they put a large amount of time and effort into making personal connections with their work. “I would bring my songs to Geoff, and we would change them. Sometimes, it would be a small tweak to a chord progressions, while other times it would be a big change, such as changing the chorus. Still, even though it was difficult to have something so personal changed, I learned a lot about the mechanics of song writing,” Goodkind said. Proud of her achievements, choir teacher Spencer Williams believes Goodkind was lucky to receive such an opportunity. “I am thrilled that Rachel was able to
well, and sales are picking up gradually with many individual song purchases on iTunes and frequent album purchases on Amazon. Goodkind also hopes sales will pick up this summer when she has more time to dedicate to her album and music. “I definitely hope to do some more recording in the future, and I’m going to try to get my music out there this summer and see if I can play at different places around the Bay Area or maybe even out of state,” Goodkind said. An album release party, organized by Pinewood junior Zoe Sharkey, was held at Café Zoe in March on Junior Rachel Goodkind with her album “Little Flame.” Photo by Lindsay Riches. the day the album get this type of experience. I think it’s fantaswas released. tic. It was also very exciting to see Rachel “The event was amazing. It was such record her arrangement of “Holiday” by a warm environment. I definitely feel as Green Day at Annex Studios this past Feb- if I have the best friends in the world because afruary, and I hope she releases the song as ter every song I performed, the applause was so a single, as it is a fantastic arrangement,” loud and genuine. Also, it was great Williams said. that some of my teachers went; it meant Available now for around $10 on iTunes, a lot to me. It was easily one of the best Amazon, and cdbaby.com, the album is doing
nights of my life,” Goodkind said.
The Avengers: Superheroes To The Rescue
There were many ways the movie could have gone wrong, for pulling together almost five different characters into one story could have been a hit or a miss. Luckily, this movie was a definite hit. “The movie also does what most comic books donʼt. While it did have some awesome action sequences, the mov-
ie focused less on action and more on the characters and their struggles to get along. Awesome fight sequences plus great dialogue, plus Joss Whedon (Cabin in the Woods, Buffy and the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Dollhouse) made for a great movie,” Shvarts said. Most other Pinewood students also agreed that this film is definitely worth seeing. “It was really long, but I still loved it,” junior Claire Nolan said. The movie is considered successful because it pulled together well-known heroes that both students and teachers recognized from previous movies and comic books. “I really liked all the superheroes,” freshman Morgan Tomberlin said. “My favorite part was when the Hulk smashed Loki,” history teacher Daniel Cristiani said. The Avengers was also able to combine action, drama, and comedy. Not only were the superheroes working to fight Loki and the power he gained from the Cosmic Cube and the creatures it releases, but they were working to fight with, and not against, each other. With superheroes that both adults and children can relate to, this two hour movie is a quality film and a must-see.
Spelling Bee” was given to junior Jenny Paz for her role as Rona Lisa Peretti, while the award for “Dames at Sea” went to senior Jenny Hansen for her interpretation of diva Mona Kent. Eighth grader Carolyn Ehrlich won an award for her performance in “Dr. Seuss.” Although many were given awards, the most emotional award went to senior Ava Adlparvar by Williams, who was on the verge of tears. He had only words of kindness and praise for her contribution to Pinewood choir, theater, and art in general. Drama teacher Doug Eivers also gave a special shout out to senior Helen Jarnagin for her help backstage in the past years. Adavlapar, Chan, Jarnagin, Nikki Advani, Maureen LaMont, Amelia Lampron-York, Trevor Leimer, Erik Matousek, Danielle Man, and Adrienne Whitlock all received honor cords for their contribution to backstage work or participation in at least 4 Pinewood productions. Since the event was designed to honor the performing arts, what better way to celebrate their success than with live performances of some of Pinewood’s most talented artists? The evening started with sophomore choir members Sarah Cilker and Courtney Copriviza singing “Falling Slowly,” a song from the movie “Once.” The night went
on with a performance by another sophomore, Chandler Nelson, who sang “Diamond Eyes” from the movie “The Expendables,” followed by a performance of “Here Comes Your Man” by the Pixies, which appears in “500 Days of Summer,” by sophomores Quinn Foster and Annie Whitacre. Other performers included juniors Rachel Goodkind and Sarah Barrus, with a cover of “Grease’s” classic “You’re the One That I Want” and Max Darrow at the piano with Nate Brown on guitar playing the original song “Homebound,” which will appear on the album Brown is releasing this summer. As the night came to a close, Hansen and Brown ended with their performance of “Only Hope” from “A Walk To Remember” while Adavlapar and senior Emily Ng’s duet of Taylor Swift’s “Crazier” had the crowd on their feet. One of the last performances was “I Love You” from “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” performed by juniors Lindsay Riches and Jenny Paz, and freshman Ben Montrym. There was also a special mention to those who participated in the recording of “Fall In,” which is now on iTunes and already has a few downloads. “It was more exciting than Prom,” Robinette said.
RORIE DUNCAN STAFF WRITER On May 4, Marvel Studioʼs “The Avengers” hit theaters with a bang. With all-star cast Robert Downey Junior, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, and Chris Hemworth, this movie made more money than “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” on its opening weekend with $200.3 million in revenue versus Harry Potterʼs $169.2 million. In this film, Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D, played by Samuel L. Jackson, brings together six well-known superheroes: Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Thor, Black Widow, and the Hulk. Together, they must work out their differences to fight against Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, and his army of aliens. Based on the Marvel comic books, this movie is mainly an action film, but also includes elements of drama, suspense, and comedy that can appeal to all audiences. “[It] was amazing. The Avengers was able to pull of something seemingly impossible by getting all the different movies lined up,” sophomore Daniel Shvarts said.
Photos from Google Images.
Pinewood’s Performing Arts Awards RAQUEL PERÉZ STAFF WRITER
Teachers, students and parents all came together on May 18 to celebrate the amazing year the arts department has had at the annual Performing Arts Awards Night. It was a busy yet successful year for the department since Pinewood received 10 Honor Nominations for their productions. There was no better way to celebrate than with a movie themed awards show where all of the performers dressed as their favorite characters. Awards were given out for the best performance in each of this year’s plays, and Honor Cords were given to the seniors. The “Rising Star” award went to freshman Carson Robinette along with a plaque that will be put up with his name in the theater. The best actor for “All My Sons” was awarded to junior Garrett Biggs for his performance. “[It was an] amazing interpretation of a character that is so difficult and emotional” drama teacher Spencer Williams said. Best actor in the hilarious “25th Annual Putnam County
Senior Class of 2012
CONGRATULATIONS
Senior Class of 2012
C l a s s o f 2012!
Seniors 8
S E N I OR P R E D I C T I O N S 2 0 1 2 Ava Adlparvar Becomes renowned for her lead role as the Wicked Witch of the West, her infamous cackle made into a famous ringtone used by millions across the globe.
Dante Fraioli Realizing dubstep is not really music, he sets out to make his own, inspired by a mix of bluegrass and African tribal drums. He becomes a famous composer, known for composing all of his works under the heavy influence of 5 hour energy.
Niharika Advani Throws the wildest party the world has ever seen and gets away with it, but, due to her innocent, amiable looks—the po- Ashley Fuller lice wouldn’t believe she was the one Discovering her penchant for running who started it all. things over with her car is not a curse but a gift, she becomes a superhero, saving Kimberly Beers hundreds of lives by catching criminals Becomes the first person ever to win in the act of a crime and running them both the LPGA golf tour as well as Miss over. America. Andrew Gerson John Bennett Becomes a famous movie director, winShaves J.B. into his hair without real- ning an Oscar for his documentary feaizing he shares his initials with Justin turing giraffes. He thanks Mr. Wells for Bieber and due to the attention that en- teaching him everything he knows about sue, starts his career as a professional movie making. Bieber impersonator. Jenny Hansen Jenn Bodine Will break the world record for the fastWill bring the world to its knees with her est marathon ever run by a woman, find peanut butter-covered brownies, as well the cure to ALS, cure Baltimore of its as other delectable baked goods—and crime problem, and organize the biggest uses her power for good, of course. Pinewood senior reunion in Pinewood history—all in 2 hours. Daniel Branski Will win the World Series of Poker, and Cameron Helvey with the money he wins, he will buy all Becomes a radio show host personality, of his friends Nissan Leafs. famous for hyping up sports games and billboard hits, but after experiencing a Nate Brown life-changing epiphany, he turns to reBecomes a teenage heartthrob, travelling cording children’s audiobooks, soothing across the country wooing girls with his millions of toddlers to sleep every night serenades. with his calming voice. Casey Cairo Finding hipsters too mainstream, she joins a Native American tribe in the Appalachians.
Helen Jarnigan She realizes all this time she had harbored a secret kinship with crows after watching a TEDx talk about crows, and starts an international organization spreading awareness of the usefulness and lovableness of the species.
Evan Chan He finally admits that he is lactose intolerant and stops asking Adi for Tums. And stops eating cereal with milk. Zach Jones Despite being the All-American boy, Ryland Chan who plays baseball, has blonde hair and Due to a radioactive explosion of his drives only Mustangs, he marries a Filigaming console, Ryland evolves into a pino girl and moves to Tahiti. Pokémon, known as Rychan. Kandace Korver: Founds a massively Hannah Dabagian successful company, MegaMic, that Gaining the attention of Starbucks for sells small mobile microphones that alher consistent obsession with their Green low others to be just as loud as her. She Tea, they rename it the Dabagian Drink, also starts a fashion line called Diva$ and it only comes in one size—Tall and that gives away glitzy phone covers with Skinny. all purchases above $100. Max Darrow With my career in journalism failing, I become the world’s most famous standup comedian. Because I’m funny. Believe me. Kelly Doran Aspiring to become the next Jane Goodall for lions, she becomes one of the world’s leading lion researchers. She is lost in the African savanna, only to be found 20 years later as one of them.
Maureen LaMont After being courted by a Norwegian man for 20 years, she realizes her true preference is for Brazilian men. Amelia Lampron-York She realizes that her squeaks are not intelligible sounds she makes when she laughs but is actually due to her rare gift of being able to communicate with rodents. She proceeds to become the world’s leading rodent researcher.
Trevor Leimer Stops listening to death metal due to a sudden Buddhist conversion, and spends the rest of his life in the mountains meditating.
Jon Schulze Finally gets a haircut because he realized it was impairing his vision when he was shooting raccoons with a crossbow.
Woo Nguyen Fulfills his dream of performing at the LA Lakers Half Time with the Jabbawockeez, and goes on to direct dance movies for the rest of his life.
Katie Wen Becomes the Rhode Island mascot.
Zoë Sharkey Ted Lim Combining her love for death-metal and After selling his patented invention to art, she creates a new genre of visual Google for millions, he retires at the age graphics accompanied by music, later of 26 and becomes Dr. Phil’s successor, referred to as Shark Art. making the show more popular than it ever was with his relationship advice Taylor Smith-Hams and fashion tips. Becomes an immensely successful children’s book illustrator, infamous for Danielle Man making all of the protagonists, regardAfter finding her life at MIT not chal- less of race, size, or previous descriplenging enough, Danielle becomes a su- tion, redheaded. perhero on the side, famous for tricking criminals into letting down their guard Alex Stitt with her angelic voice, and then proceed- After winning a street race with his dad’s ing to drop kick them off tall buildings. Ferrari, Alex goes on to dominate the Formula 1 races for 4 years in a row. Erik Matousek Becomes Hugh Hefner’s successor as Russel Sutter owner of the Playboy mansion. After his infamous scowl goes viral on Youtube as well as in memes all over the Brandon Mohajeri world and makes him millions, Russell After making millions off of an iPhone retires early and spends the rest of his application that helps people make deci- life making sure those punks stay off his sions, he spends the rest of his life trying lawn, a lá Clint Eastwood in Gran Toto decide whether to use the application rino. for his own purposes or not. Kevin Sweat Bradley Naumann He is drafted by the Lakers, refuses, and Becomes a stay-at-home dad and does becomes a backup dancer for J-Lo. all of his kids’ school projects to make up for lost time. Nate Tanne After permanently injuring his hand, Mikey Naumann cutting his immensely successful drumMakes millions in college by doing other ming career tragically short, he becomes people’s math homework but flunks out a stunt double for Monster drink adverof his own classes because he acciden- tisements. tally skipped all his finals. Niuniu Teo Emily Ng After being consumed by a polymerase Becomes famous for her acclaimed re- chain reaction, Niuniu divides rapidly search proving that an all-Pinkberry diet and becomes Niu niu niu niu niu niu niu covers all 5 necessary food groups for niu niu niu niu niu niu niu niu niu niu niu full nutritional value. niu niu niu niu niu niu niu niu niu niu.
Brianna Quincy After winning a Noble Peace prize for creating an international initiative to end global warming, she becomes the first female president of the United States, simultaneously helping Amanda found her animal shelter. Adi Rosenthal Adopts every single child from the “It’s a Small World After All” ride in Disneyland. Elizabeth Sartain After out-rapping Hoodie Allen in a televised free style battle, she rejects his marriage proposal and goes on to take the world by a storm under the name of Lil’ Lizabeast.
Adrienne Whitlock Becomes a professional crayon namer, and comes up with a record breaking 90 names for different shades of yellow. Solomone Wolfgramm Re-discovers himself in nature and spends the rest of his life with Bear Grylls. Emily Zhang Marries a British bloke by seducing him with the French accent she picked up in her first two years of college. Amanda Zucker Becomes the fiercest Taiko drummer on this side of the Pacific, and starts an animal shelter that raises funds with hundreds of collars and leashes with patterns that she designed.
Seniors 9
Senior College Destinations: Where the Class of 2012 Will Become the Class of 2016 Ava Adlparvar University of California, Los Angeles
Jennifer Hansen Johns Hopkins University
Brianna Quincy Carleton College
Niharika Advani Santa Clara University
Cameron Helvey Utah Valley University
Adi Rosenthal Oxford College of Emory University
Kimberly Beers Southern Methodist University
Helen Jarnagin Occidental College
Elizabeth Sartain University of Chicago
John Bennett Brigham Young University, Provo
Zachary Jones University of Oregon
Jonathan Schulze Washington University, St. Louis
Jennifer Bodine Brigham Young University, Provo
Kandace Korver Occidental College
ZoĂŤ Sharkey Columbia College
Daniel Branski Michigan State University
Maureen LaMont University of Rochester
Taylor Smith-Hams Maryland Institute College of Art
Nathan Brown Chapman University
Amelia Lampron-York Whitman College
Alex Stitt Santa Clara University
Casey Cairo American University
Trevor Leimer University of Oregon
Russell Sutter University of Oregon
Evan Chan Loyola Marymount University
Ted Lim Stanford University
Kevin Sweat Weber State University
Ryland Chan Loyola Marymount University
Danielle Man Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Nate Tanne Brigham Young University, Idaho
Hannah Dabagian Wake Forest
Erik Matousek University of Hawai’i, Manoa
Niuniu Teo Stanford University
Max Darrow Syracuse University
Brandon Mohajeri Chapman University
Katie Wen Rhode Island School of Design
Kelly Doran University of California, Berkeley
Bradley Naumann Wake Forest University
Adrienne Whitlock Brigham Young University, Provo
Dante Fraioli University of California, Santa Barbara
Michael Naumann Duke University
Solomone Wolfgramm Brigham Young University, Hawaii
Ashley Fuller Whittier College
Emily Ng Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Emily Zhang Columbia University/Sciences Po
Andrew Gerson University of California, Los Angeles
Woo Ngyuen University of San Francisco
Amanda Zucker University of California, Davis
Sports 10
Titans of Land And Water
Freshman Annie Kong prepares to launch herself in a long jump event. Photo by Vishal Jindal.
SAM CARP STAFF WRITER The Pinewood varsity track and swimming teams competed for CCS qualifiers this May. The players knew at the start of the season that they would have to train hard to compete with the larger, better known schools such as Sacred Heart Prep or Menlo. However, many players last year were ableto qualify for various events in each competition, so the athletes remained hopeful.
Winter Fun, Spring Addition
At the Harker Swim Meet. (from left to right): Rorie Duncan (Sophomore), Robin Sanders (Sophomore), Lindsay Riches (Junior), Maddy Augustine (Sophomore), Shani Rosenthal (Sophomore). Taken By Lindsay Riches.
The team sent younger athletes like Nicole Colonna and Leeana Bade to CCS for the 800-meter and long jump. In swimming, veteran senior Ted Lim proved his talents after qualifying for several CCS races. He had to settle for backstroke and butterfly after hearing of the CCS rule that a player is only allowed to compete in two events. Junior veteran Stephen Yu also qualified for the backstroke. During the competition itself, Lim barely missed qualifying for the next round of the butterfly by only a few seconds. As the season commenced at the
beginning of March, swimming introduced a new head coach. Coach Andrew Matthews learned of his team’s talent soon after the season kicked off and set to work training them. Track and Field began their season also introducing a new assistant coach to their roster, one who was already acquainted with many of the students through his previous job of coaching girls JV basketball. Working hard and pushing themselves to their fullest potential each practice, the team propelled each other forward. Considering the ratio of underclassmen to upper,
“We had a shaky start to the season but the more swim meets we swam, the more accustomed we got to the pool environment [so we] had some very great swims in the end,” Lim said. “From when I was a freshman, the team has had a dynamic transformation, yet I’ve valued every second of it as every year brought something new to the table.” ‘The season was absolutely fabulous because coach Andrew (aka Kronk) was super chill, and even though we weren’t all fish, we had a blast!” senior Senior Adi Rosenthal said.
That ’s A Wr ap: A Year of Sports
OWEN LEWIS STAFF WRITER
KEVIN ENDERSBY STAFF WRITER
Springle Ball did not leave students disappointed. Only two teams registered for jingle ball this year, which was uncharacteristic of our student body considering the wave of teams that we saw in previous years. Perhaps such an outcome could be attributed to the daunting word that scares off people like spiders: money. Yes, the thought of having to part with ten or so dollars to help fundraise for our school, was probably too much for us to deal with and so we slowly trudged on thinking we would be without the festive dodgeball tournament, yet luckily, we were wrong. “Springle ball was a huge success” Associated Student Body president Bradley Naumann said. “We knew we needed people loved Jingle Ball and we knew we could get it back on track with a few adjustments.” These adjustments included first the name, which was a clever creation of the ASB staff, and secondly making the event free. “The fact that it was free changed it for me” participant Grayson Burdon said, and apparently people agreed with him as the event racked up six teams with 5 or more people per team. The rules were simple, hit someone from your side of the net and they’re out. Take a lot of shots your bound to win. But another element makes the game a puzzler. If someone catches the opponents throw, not only is the thrower eliminated, but one player from the catchers team is allowed back on the court. The game started with balls flying back and forth like bullets from a machine gun, and people were eliminated left and right. Then it was down to Naumann and Burdon. All other games had finished and the crowd went silent as the two competitors methodically planned their offensives. Then Naumann dodged a quick shot by Grayson was dodged and came up firing at Grayson’s leg where the rubber ball found skin. The ASB team emerged victorious. Springle ball capped off an amazing year for pinewood and a satisfying end for this year’s ASB leaders.
This sports year saw a mix of development and surprising wins. Most teams were forced to say farewell to their numerous seniors, but many still considered this a year to grow in experience and skill. Fall: Football, Girls nis, Cross Country, Varsity JV Volleyball
Tenand
Football: Record: Record: 5-3; League Record: 3-1 The Boys Football team “Brought home the Banner” this year, winning the league championships by defeating Anchorpoint Christian. Seniors: Kevin Sweat, Mikey Naumann, Dante Fraioli, Max Darrow, John Bennett, Daniel Branski Girls Tennis: Record: 7-7 The team started the season with two key players with injuries (Emily Zhang and Whittney Matthews). As the season went on, they began to improve and played well at Santa Catalina Invitational. Seniors: Emily Zhang, Katie Wen, Ashley Fuller Cross Country: Freshman Nicole Colonna shone in CCS and State beating Megan Endersby’s previous Pinewood record, 21:49, by two minutes, 19:45. Seniors: Nihariki Advani, Ryland Chan, Evan Chan, Hannah Dabagian, Niuniu Teo Varsity Volleyball: Record: 8-9 The team started strong, but as the season went on, the team began to have more trouble with tough teams. Seniors: Kandace Korver, Adrienne Whitlock, Ava Adlparvar, Jenn Bodine
Girls JV Basketball: Record: 1-15 The girls had a tough season, but they saw this year as time to improve their game. Seniors: Hannah Dabagian Boys Varsity Basketball: Record: 27-3 Boys Basketball had a successful last season with its eight seniors, winning the Redwood Classic in Boonville and the Cloverdale Tournament. Seniors: Kevin Sweat, Mikey Naumann, Bradley Naumann, Cameron Helvey, Solomone Wolfgramm, Dante Fraioli, John Bennett, Nate Brown Boys JV Basketball: Record: 10-14 With many close games, the large team saw improvement from their freshmen and sophomores. Girls Soccer: Record: 11-3-2 The girls dominated their season this year with very few losses, tying the division championships with Crystal Springs. Seniors: Adrienne Whitlock, Jenn Bodine, Brianna Quincy, Danielle Man, Helen Jarnagin Boys Soccer: Record: 1-14-3 This seniorless year proved to be a time for developing the young team made up of primarily sophomores. Spring: Boys Tennis, Baseball, Softball,
Swimming, Track-and-Field, Golf Boys Tennis: Record: 2-10 While four seniors graduated, this year was still viewed as a development year according to many players and coaches. After losing many players to baseball, the team experienced low numbers against schools with both JV and Varsity teams. Seniors: Russel Sutter, Evan Chan, Jon Schulze, Trevor Leimer Baseball: Record: 12-8 The boys baseball team had one of their best seasons ever, almost making it to CCS and proving themselves multiple times against teams like Menlo who had pitchers who could throw 90-95 mph. Seniors: Max Darrow, Dante Fraioli, Zach Jones, Brandon Mohajeri, Andrew Gerson Softball: Record: 10-5 The softball team had a strong season, winning most of its home games. Seniors: Kelly Doran Swimming: Both Ted Lim and Stephen Yu made it to CCS in multiple events, and the rest of the team improved greatly throughout the year. Seniors: Ted Lim, Adi Rosenthal Track-and-Field: The Track-and-Field team had a strong season with many of its athletes making it to CCS. Seniors: Woo Nguyen, Amanda Zucker Golf: Record: 4-6 This season saw many personal records broken and junior Colton Bares was one shot away again from going to Sectionals after CCS. Seniors: Kim Beers
JV Volleyball: Record: 8-10 The team had a strong league season, and also proved to be a contender when it came to playing against bigger schools. Winter: Boys and Girls Varsity and JV Basketball, Boys and Girls Soccer Girls Varsity Basketball: Record: 20-13 After losing many seniors from last years dominant team, the young players and two seniors proved themselves by maintaining a winning record and making it to the CCS Finals. Seniors: Jenny Hansen, Kelly Doran
(Above) The Pinewood Boys Varsity Team after winning the Cloverdale Tournament; (Below) The Pinewood football team engaging in a scrum against an opposing team. Photos by Lindsay Riches.
Sports 11
Baseball Finishes Winning Season STEPHEN YU SPORTS EDITOR This year’s baseball team ended the season with a 3-10 loss against Menlo but ultimately pulled through with a winning overall record of 12-8. However, a league record of 4-6 held the team back, prompting the players and coaches to reflect on the 2011-12 season. The season opened with Pinewood winning its first three games against Summit Prep, Alma Heights, and North Valley Baptist, and in all three games defense was key. Though the team progressed significantly, there is always room for more improvement. “Pitching and hitting can always improve and evolve. It’s always our goal to play good defense, and with good defense, you need good pitching and timely hitting to win games. We have reached a point in our development where this is a reality,” head coach Chad Morin said. Pitching seemed to hold the team back as the team vacillated between many different pitchers, including sophomores Kevin Tracy and Dylan Dreyer and juniors Nate Bell and Josh Rose. “If our pitching starts to come together, we will be a force in our league next season. We can play defense as well as any team we saw last season, and if we can get that timely hit we missed out on a few times last year, we can do some real damage,” assistant coach Kevin Dos Remedios said. Although the team recorded a mediocre .268 batting average and a .922 fielding percentage, the players believe they could have done better. “Something we need to improve on for next year is situational hitting and an-
other thing is not allowing teams to have big innings. We need mental focus for all 7 innings,” senior team captain Max Darrow said. Members of the team also expressed their mindsets going into games. Instead of focusing too much on winning or losing, the players have concentrated more on playing the game. “We always try to focus on playing simple, clean baseball. Individually, each of us tries to get on base and play solid defense,” senior Andrew Gerson said. The baseball team had numerous memorable plays throughout the season, yet players and coaches alike have concluded that their road game against Harker exemplified their resilience.
Spring Sports Awards ROBIN SANDERS ASSISTANT EDITOR It’s that time of year again. The time when the sappy tendrils of summer embed themselves in the anticipating minds of the Pinewood body. Coinciding with the end of the year are the spring sports, which is one of the most diverse spectrums of sports in terms of seasons. In honor of these athletics, the Spring Sports Awards Banquet was held on May 23. The ceremony began with a traditional feast consisting of Spot’s Pizza and Gatorade and water. After everyone had been satiated, the awards-giving commenced, starting with boys varsity tennis. The Head coach, Craig Corfield, began his team’s introduction with a cheeky poke at the team’s 2-10 record for the season. The team fortunately laughed collectively in good nature and Corfield continued, handing out awards to their respective recipients. After boys tennis, the baseball team went up along with their head coach and athletic trainer/sports performance director Chad Morin, and his stand-in assistant coach and Pinewood graduate Darius McClelland. Morin started by giving a general overview of his team’s experience over the season, and highlighting some of the team’s most impressive moments. Morin then proceeded to distribute awards to players junior Josh Rose, and seniors Zach Jones (although his brother Travis Jones received the awards due to Zach Jones’ absence), and senior Dante Fraioli. Following baseball was varsity swimming. Head coach Andrew Matthews, Pinewood alumni, gave an account of the team’s season. Not only was this his first year coaching at Pinewood School, but Matthews had to single-handedly coach the team for the majority of the season without the assistant coach, who had personal matters to attend to. After congratulating his team on a wonderful and amicable season, Matthews gave our swimming awards to junior Stephen Yu and senior Ted Lim. Lim, who received the MVP award as well as first team all league, recognized the vast improvement that the Pinewood Swimming program has undergone since his freshman year. “The team has had a dynamic transformation over the years. I have valued ev-
ery second of it as every year has brought something new to the table,” Lim said. Softball awards came after, led by head coach Kevin Reeves. The team, just like its predecessors in the ceremony, was congratulated and thanked for an above-satisfactory season, and freshmen Morgan Tomberlin and Damla Cehrili, sophomore Emma Mason, and senior Kelly Doran were all given rewards for their achievements. Tomberlin received MVP of the WBAL as well as the Pinewood team, and also received first team all league as a pitcher. Tomberlin was very happy with the season and performed extraordinarily well despite this being her first year on a Pinewood softball team. “We’re a young team, so I think we have a very bright future. Overall, I think our team has a unique bond that you can’t reproduce anywhere else,” Tomberlin said. After volleyball sat down, the varsity track and field team was called up. As one of the larger teams, it took head coach and junior high athletics director Jackee Bruno quite a while to work through his pile of awards. Awards were bestowed upon sophomores Kai Kawashima, MJ Stevens, and Austin Twombly, as well as freshmen Nicole Colonna and Monique McDevitt. Kawashima, who won the award for the hardest worker, was also pleased with how well this season’s team turned out. “This was my second year of track, and I had another blast at it. We had new freshmen joining our team, and it was full with energy. Our coaches were chill, and it was a fun experience,” Kawashima said. Last, the small squad known as the Pinewood golf club went up, and due to their size, each player was recognized for their achievement throughout the season. Head coach Scott Walsh and his assistant coach Audrey Proulx handed out awards to junior Colton Bares and senior Kim Beers. Bares was recognized for his outstanding accomplishments on the golf course, coming only one shot away from making CCS. Beers, also having an extraordinary adeptness at golf, was called “one of the best female players in the WBAL” in an article in the Mercury News. Both Bares and Beers were recognized in the article, which was called “Bares and Beers Help Produce Pinewood Golf Victory.”
Sophomore Dylan Dreyer channels his focus while swinging at the ball. Photo by Lindsay Riches.
“Our first game this year against Harker. It was a game at their field, a place where we notoriously play poorly, and we were down four runs going into the 6th inning. We scraped four runs in two innings to tie the game. Tracy relieved Lewis in the 5th inning and only gave up two hits over the next 5 innings, striking out six batters and allowing no runs. His pitching performance was the best of the year, and it gave us our first win against Harker since I started coaching four years ago. That game gave us the confidence to play well the next time at home vs. Harker, and we again had a memorable win in extra innings on a walk off hit by co-MVP Zach Jones,” Morin said. “The most memorable game by far this
season was our comeback extra innings win at Harker. The program had yet to win a road game against Harker and it was by far the best complete game we played all season,” Dos Remedios said. Having pinpointed their strengths and weaknesses, the team believes next season will herald a deep run during the playoffs. Every player has contributed to the overall effort. “This is the third time in my four years of Pinewood baseball having a winning record, and the third time in many years that Pinewood has had a winning record and become a threat in the league. As long as we stay focused and play our game, we definitely have a shot,” Darrow said.
Solomone NCAA-Bound To BYU-Hawaii MAX DARROW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF After a successful season which culminated in winning the Daily News Player of the Year, the journalism staff decided to interview senior Solomone Wolfgramm about his plans in college. Q: How does it feel to know that you will be playing basketball in the NCAA next year? A: I am so excited. I just feel blessed to be in the situation that I am in. All I know is that I’m going to work my butt off. Q: What is the best aspect of BYU-Hawaii, other than basketball? A: I will be in Hawaii, so I’ll feel like I’m basically in heaven. I’m also happy because I’m going to be around good people who will be great examples to me. Q: What are you looking forward to the most about college? A: I’m really looking forward to meeting new friends and playing on a great team. Q: In high school, you played the post. What position will you be playing in college? A: I have no idea. I know that I’m going to get a chance to play on the perimeter, but wherever they ask me to play I will be happy.
Q: What will you be doing to prepare for your upcoming basketball season over the summer? A: I’m working out with Jamal and Jackee. I am working on getting bigger and faster. Q: Have you gotten the chance to play with the BYU-Hawaii squad already? A: No, I haven’t. Q: What are you planning on majoring in? A: As of right now, I’m planning on majoring in business. Q: What was your best memory of playing basketball at Pinewood? A: My best memory is of me being with all of my brothers and creating many lasting memories. Q: Is there anybody that you would like to thank for helping you get to the situation you are in? A: There are lots of people that I am thankful for in my life. But I would like to say thank you to my mom who I love so, so, so much, and Jason Peery. Jason has been another father figure in my life and I am forever grateful. He didn’t have to do the things that he did for me—but he did because he is a great man. Someone once told me that he is a blessing from my dad in heaven, and I truly believe that he is.
Senior Solomone Wolfgramm is headed to BYU-Hawaii in the fall. Photo by Lindsay Riches.
News 12
Prom Strikes Gold on Treasure Island BEN BROWN & SYDNI TOPPER STAFF WRITERS Every year, students look forward to the events that signals the closing of the school year: prom and morp. On Sat. May 19, almost every Pinewood junior and senior, along with some underclassmen, drove about an hour to Treasure Island for Pinewood’s annual prom. According to Activities Director Jackee Bruno, setting up prom was rather difficult. First off, expenses grew very large very quickly between the bus, the venue, and the entertainment. For these reasons, prom tickets were much more expensive than in the past. In an attempt to lower the cost, the Associated Student Body fundraised more than $7,000. Since the ticket prices also depended on how many students attended prom, Bruno thought that guessing how many people were going to go was the most difficult part of organizing prom. “If we think that 120 people are going to go, and only 100 people go, then we lose money,” Bruno said. Choosing the location of prom was also a difficulty for Bruno and the ASB. Bruno decided that the novelty of having the event on Treasure Island in San Francisco overcame the detriment of the time it took to get there. But it was not an easy decision; Bruno and the ASB came up with four options and had to choose one of them. The other options remain undisclosed because Bruno has one in mind for next year that he wants to keep a surprise. Preparation was not just the re-
sponsibility of the school; between getting a dress or tuxedo and bringing a date, preparation began months in advance for some students. Hours before departure, students gathered at each others’ houses for pre-parties. At these parties, parents took pictures of their children while they were formally dressed. From school, they either took a bus, drove in a rented limo, or drove their own cars to Treasure Island. On Treasure Island, students convened at an ex-military base called
dance floor, Pinewood provided alternate forms of entertainment. Goofy caricatures gave Pinewood students a picture of their night and a wonderful way to remember it. “[Pinewood also] had a caricaturist there, and he was a hit. There was a line the entire time. I thought that was a cool little gimmick to add,” Bruno said. “I really liked the caricatures; that was a great idea and a nice memoir to keep of an enchanted night,” Beers said.
Left: Senior and junior girls pose for a picture. Right: A caricaturist draws students. Photos by Emily Ng. Casa de la Vista, which translates as “House with a view.” This site was on Treasure Island’s southwestern shore, and displayed a view of the entire city skyline, the Bay Bridge, and Alcatraz. Many students were enamored with the location. “The venue was great—there were fabulous views,” junior Allison Beers said. Along with serving the students dinner and providing them with a
Students seemed to share the view that prom was a great night. “It’s all about creating memories. You don’t get to dress up like that often, so when you do, it’s fun to really go over the top. You’re with all your friends and you just have a good time,” Beers said. Since prom is reserved mainly for seniors and juniors, the underclassmen held an anti-prom, otherwise known as Morp (prom backwards) on May 12. Morp is usually an in-
Students Inducted into Spanish and French Honors Societies SARAH LAWSON AMRITH DEEPAK STAFF WRITERS Nine students were inducted into the National Spanish Honor Society on May 1, and 15 students were inducted into the French Honor Society on May 3. Sarah Cilker, Karalena Davis, Sarah Lawson, Camille Polster, Shani Rosenthal, Matti Thurston, Sydni Topper, and Talmage Wise were the new members inducted. Raquel Cañal Perez was given an honorary membership, since she is a native Spaniard and meets the qualifications but is not currently taking Spanish. To be offered a membership in the society, students must be sophomores in at least Spanish III, have maintained an “A” average in Spanish for three semesters, and have a teacher recommendation, proving that they have interest in the Spanish language. “It was exciting being inducted into the Spanish Honor Society this year. The ceremony was reflective of all the hard work the members put into learning the language,” Cilker said. A ceremony was held in the theater to celebrate the induction. Each student was called up, signed their name, said a poetic phrase in Spanish, and lit a candle. “The lighting of the candles, that represents passing on the flame of inspiration and high ideals, is a very moving ritual,” Spanish teacher Sheila Schmitz said. “Every new member acted with poise and grace on the stage. We are all so proud of them,” president of the National Spanish Honor Society and senior Kandace Korver said. “I hope that all the new initiates will continue their interest and studies of the beautiful Spanish language and culture as they promised in the ceremony,” Schmitz said. “Congratula-
formal party, but this year the sophomore and freshman student councils took it to a new level. “I liked Morp because it was really casual, and more like a hangout than a dance,” freshman Wilson Fields said. The student council held a meeting with the entire freshmen and sophomore classes a few weeks before Morp to get students’ opinions on what they wanted to do. The majority of students wanted good food, bouncy houses, a movie, and a water
tions to the initiates.” In addition, the French Honor Society had its annual induction ceremony on Thursday, May 3 at lunch in the Upper Campus theater. The new inductees this year are Charlotte Andrews, Carson Robinette, Cassie LaScola, Leah Hess, Ben Montryn, Casey Astiz, Kelly Ryan, Hannah Manheim, Karina Uppal, Whitney Matthews, Leanna Le, Damla Cehreli, Katherine Tseung, David Rodden, and Raquel Perez. Students, teachers, faculty members, and parents were invited to attend the ceremony. Current members and inductees were present and formally dressed. Members from the upper level French classes led the ceremony, informing the audience about the different steps. The first major step was signing the book. All new members were called up to sign the book, adding to signatures of all the former members of French Honor Society. Then each person lit their personal candle with a central candle and said one French phrase. At the end, everybody repeated the pledge of the French Honor Society. After the ceremony, there was a small banquet with a few French food items like cheese and pate. The new inductees were invited to join the French Honor Society due to their outstanding performance in French class. They must have received an A average for three consecutive semesters. Also, they should be interested in the French language and culture. The inductees participate in extra French activities including watching movies and viewing sculptures at Stanford. “It was a very nice ceremony with all members [present], and after we had great food. Everybody was very happy. It was a positive and enthusiastic atmosphere,” French teacher Anna Daniel said.
element, so the student council made it happen. They spent their lunch periods planning and spent about two hours setting up beforehand. “The sophomore and freshman student councils were the ones who had to mainly plan it all, but had to run all of their ideas and activities by Jackee. Everyone got involved,” freshman vice president Carson Robinette said. This year’s Morp had a much larger turnout than past years, and raised
money with a $5 entrance fee that will go toward the class funds. The three giant bouncy houses proved to be most popular. There was a normal bouncy house, which collapsed halfway through Morp, much to the surprise of the jumpers inside, an obstacle course for people to race through, and a jousting arena in which students could hit each other with giant Q-tips. “I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but I really enjoyed the bouncy houses and the food was delicious,” freshman Whitney Mathews said. “Though it was not as many people as I would have liked, a lot of people came. The bounce houses definitely made it better than last year,” Jackee Bruno said. In addition to the bouncy houses, the student council used a giant tarp as a Slip and Slide by spraying water and soap onto it. The ASB barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs, and made root beer floats for dessert. “Morp turned out to be a lot more fun than I had expected. I actually did the slip and slide myself. I think everyone had a good time,” Robinette said. Around 7 p.m, the barbecue, bouncy houses, and slip and slide shut down and the students migrated to the theater to watch “The Uninvited.” Morp officially ended around 9. “People really liked the Slip and Slide and the bouncy houses, and the movie was a great way to end the night. It might have been more fun if we had held it somewhere outside of Pinewood, like Laser Quest or an ice skating rink,” sophomore class president Talmage Wise said.
Seniors ditch On May 25, Senior Ditch Day took place. Although the seniors were able to enjoy a day with no school, they will not be able to participate in a senior prank due to previously established
school has that we’ve been looking forward to for a long time,” senior Adrienne Whitlock said. In past years, seniors were still permitted to pull a senior prank on the school, but the school board added a clause to the student handbook saying that “students will not participate in any prank during the year; those
“Senior pranks are fun but the staff obviously has a reason to feel strongly against pranking,” junior Grayson Burdon said. Because of potential punishments, students fear doing pranks. “I don’t want to get in trouble, and I want to graduate,” sophomore Kendahl Wallis-Lang said. Although faculty explicitly
school rules. To celebrate their graduation, seniors went to the beach all day. “It’s even better because we [had] no school Friday, no school the weekend, and then no school on Monday,” senior Nate Tanne said. Senior Ditch Day was created for the sole purpose of allowing the seniors to celebrate. “At this point, it’s because it’s a long standing tradition for seniors,” said office manager Kristina Nakagawa. “It’s kind of a right of passage that seniors at every
who do not honor this commitment will not be allowed to participate in commencement exercises and letters rescinding recommendation will be sent to the colleges which they have applied/been accepted.” Due to this clear threat, seniors ceased this activity. “In the past when students came in the middle of the night climbing on roofs. it was dangerous. Pranks are also destructive and permanent damage can be done,” principal Mark Gardner said.
discourages senior pranks, students still see an upside. “It’s hilarious and makes everyone happy,” freshman Hollis VaNice said. “Senior ditch day was a momentous occasion where many individuals from the senior class convened together in Santa Cruz, California. We barbecued, tanned, played, but most importantly, we bonded. Those who attended will remember this day today, tomorrow, and forever. I love my class!” senior Cameron Helvey said.
ETELLE STEPHAN STAFF WRITER