2011 May Issue

Volume 81 No. 7 February 25, 2011Volume 81 No. 10 May 24, 2011 tornado-times.com

Remember those dorky

rolling backpacks in ele-

mentary school? This up-

coming school year, it may be a

good idea to invest in a new one.

Depending on a decision

from the district lawyers as well

as pending passage of Assembly

Bill 165, the administration will

determine by the end of June

whether or not lockers will be

available for use.

“We think we’re heading in

the direction of not having lock-

ers,” Assistant Principal Caroline

Sweeney said.

Due to a recent state law

stipulating a “free” education

without imposing fees, the school

may not be able to charge locker

fees starting next year. However,

the administration is questioning

whether the law applies to locker

fees because lockers are a luxury,

not a necessity for a free educa-

tion.

“I walk home so [not having

lockers] would be a hassle and

[aggregates] my back problems,”

Juliana Ter-Haroutunian (’13)

said.

The $35 locker fee covers

the cost to fix and paint the lock-

ers as well as funding sports and

extracurricular programs.

According to Athletic Direc-

tor Jack Van Patten, if locker fees

are no longer charged, the ath-

letic program may cut down on

games and teams such as the

frosh-soph or junior varsity

teams depending on how grave

the situation is.

“We’ll have to find other

ways to fund,” Van Patten said.

The state enforced the new

law after settling the Doe v. State

of California lawsuit last Decem-

ber. The lawsuit, which was filed

by the American Civil Liberties

Union (ACLU) last September,

alleged that over 30 districts that

required students to pay for basic

supplies violated the California

Constitution.

The original debate started

27 years ago with the Hartzell v.

Connell case, and was brought

back to attention last year after a

parent in Orange County told the

ACLU about how a teacher criti-

cized her son for purchasing sup-

plies cheaper than those assigned.

The adminstration is plan-

ning a community meeting to in-

form parents about the lawsuit.

MEAGAN KNIGHT

CAIN BUCKLER | TORNADO TIMES

Earlier this year, Principal

Jennifer Earl, art teacher

Mary Anna Pomonis,

Daily High art teacher Emily

Goff, and professional muralist

Roger Dolin discussed various

ideas on a collaborative project

with Daily High School to cre-

ate a work of art to beautify the

school. Together, they agreed to

create a mural titled, “Art is the

Heart of the Community.”

The students are painting in

panels at Daily, which will

eventually be arranged together

as one enormous masterpiece.

At approximately 10 feet

tall and 30 feet across, the

mural is to be placed on the sec-

ond floor, overlooking the quad.

By mid-June, most of the mural

will be completed, with installa-

tion occurring over the summer.

“We’re working on some of

the designs [Hoover] gave us,”

said Daily student Juan Carlos

(’12). “We’re like a team.”

Designing began in the

middle of March, and at the

Block Party a colorful concept

of the mural was on display.

Students from the VAPA club

provided rough ideas for

Daily’s design class that works

on the mural every day with

Goff.

Other students from both

schools work after school on

Tuesdays and Thursdays with

Dolin for community service

hours.

“It has been wonderful to

have [Hoover] students visit our

campus and paint with us,” Goff

said. “Art really does bring peo-

ple together.”

MEAGAN KNIGHT

Hoover and Daily collaborate topaint mural

AUGUST: Daily student Wilfred Ong (’11) paints part of the mural “Art is

the Heart of the Community,” a joint collaboration between Hoover and

Daily art programs. The mural will be worked at Daily and moved to Hoover

over the summer.

ALLEN AU | TORNADO TIMES

How would the lawsuit affect your class?

“Physical photo prints

would become a luxury.”

Allison Stewart

Photo teacher

•Classes will no longer be al-lowed to charge lab fees or man-date students to purchasematerials like binders or calcula-tors. Instead, teachers may askfor donations.

•Clubs, sports teams, and otherextracurricular activities maynot require membership fees norforce members to participate infundraisers to pay for those fees.

•Summer reading assignmentsmay not be allowed because stu-dents cannot be required to buybooks.

“We’ll have to find a bal-

ance between donations

and fundraisers [to pay for

the costs].”

Melanie Moreno

Pep team coach

“It would limit how much

cooking we’re going to

do.”

Dawn Roznowski

Bistro teacher

“It would be difficult to

find money to buy and re-

pair instruments...but I’m

trying not to overreact.”

Martin Rhees

Music teacherCompiled by Se Yeon Kim

CAIN B. AND ALLEN A. | TORNADO TIMES

LOCKERS: After a recent lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the state is enforcing a law

that prohibits any fees in public education, including locker fees. Depending on a decision from the district

lawyers as well as pending passage of AB 165, the administration will determine by the end of June whether

or not lockers will be available for use.

$15 $2,000 $25 $300

hoover high school est. 1929Frances sprints in track 10

651 Glenwood Road, Glendale, CA 91202 | (818) 242-6801 ext. 11202

insi

de

6Chew on This: Sedthee An Uong’s photography 7

Participation fees:

Pending lawsuit may mean no lockers starting next year

the timestornado

May 24, 2011

Tornado TimesNEWS2

Public colleges lay in the hands of Brown’s

With the economic

downturn, community

colleges across Cali-

fornia have suffered due to fund-

ing cuts. Glendale Community

College (GCC) has already taken

difficult measures to continue

providing an adequate education

for its student population, includ-

ing cutting the winter session.

The lack of funding has also

resulted in many difficulties for

students. Traditionally, students

at GCC plan to transfer to a four-

year university after two years;

however, many students are now

looking at an additional year of

community college due to many

classes having been cut. The win-

ter session has already been elim-

inated from the program, and

although the college decided to

keep summer courses this year,

only around 160 classes in com-

parison to the 280 classes that are

usually available will be offered

this summer.

Many students also have dif-

ficulty acquiring the classes they

need due to the increased enroll-

ment at the college. This is in part

due to a surge of the unemployed

returning to community college in

order to acquire a degree for a

better job or train in a different

field of work.

“Students are concerned at

how they will be able to compete

for their classes because enroll-

ment is inversely proportionate to

unemployment,” executive Vice

President of Administrative Serv-

ices Ron Nakasone said. “The in-

creased enrollment, however,

does help with the budget because

we are funded based on enroll-

ment.”

According to Nakasone, the

college is undergoing a “hiring

free zone,” which means there

will be no opportunity for stu-

dents to work on campus, and

managers have agreed to take a

five percent pay cut. Furthermore,

the college wants to give profes-

sors “incentives to retire,” and al-

ready have 31 retirees for June.

Nakasone believes that al-

though the college will need sev-

eral years to recuperate if Gov.

Jerry Brown’s budget proposal is

approved, it would offer relief for

community colleges. The budget

proposal includes $12 billion in

tax extensions, which would con-

tinue increased taxes on incomes,

purchases, and vehicles that

would protect school funding. If

the extensions are passed, GCC

alone would lose $3.7 million in

funding; however, if voters veto

the taxes, the college would face

$10.7 million in cuts. In whole,

California community colleges

would be faced with $800 million

cut from their budget.

According to Azadui Kalay-

djian, a freshman at GCC, she has

had to extend her transfer date to

a four-year university because

many of the classes she needed to

take for nursing were cut from the

summer and winter sessions.

“It’s not just me,” Kalaydjian

said. “A lot of students are crest-

fallen that they can’t transfer to

their dream schools as soon as

they would like, but it’s pushing

a lot of us to study harder because

we know we have no room to

make mistakes.”

UC schools are also facing

funding threats if the tax exten-

sions in Brown’s proposal are not

approved. Due to an eight percent

increase in tuition, undergradu-

ates will have to pay around $11,

100 for their schooling, not in-

cluding boarding costs. Students

also face the possibility of an ad-

ditional 32% increase in the mid-

dle of the year, which would

boost tuition to $14,800 a year.

With $6.6 billion having

emerged in state revenues, the

likelihood of Brown’s budget pro-

posal being passed is slim. Al-

though the revenues will help the

state’s budget, half of the money

will go to elementary and high

schools. UC’s and Cal State’s,

however, will not receive any aid

aside from tax increases.

Due to such rigid financial

conditions, UC president Mark G.

Yudof hopes to amplify their fi-

nancial aid programs to provide

more relief for students from mid-

dle income families. Students

with family incomes of up to

$80,000 can receive financial aid

through federal taxes in addition

to federal and state aid.

What’s up with that?

Bistro students Alfred Evangelista (’11)

and Linnette Minasken (’11) qualified for

the semifinals in the CCAP competition.

They each received a $1,000 scholarship

and genuine chef boots. Their last cook-

off was on May 21st.

The Presbyterian Church changed its

doctrine, allowing homosexual ministers.

Due to the popular show

“Jaime Oliver Food

Revolution,” the Los

Angeles Unified School

District has decided to

ban flavored milk start-

ing next fall.

A 60-year-old time capsule from the class of 1951

will be opened in the quad this Friday at lunch.

Compiled by Edwin FloresCAIN BUCKLER | TORNADO TIMES

AGNESSA KASUMYAN

Book DriveDrop off your old books and ex-change them for others by June 1stin the library.

Health ClinicToday at lunch go to the career cen-ter to sign up for the GlendaleHealth Clinic. AP Biology, APChemistry, or Honors Physiologystudents are encouraged to join.

proposal

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tion that is distributed to all students and

faculty, as well as subscribers. With a pol-

icy of printing anything that is of interest

to the student body, the Tornado�Times

hopes to keep its readers informed of sub-

jects pertaining to the school, no matter

what the subject matter. Advertisements in

the Tornado�Times do not necessarily re-

flect an endorsement of such products or

services by the staff or students in the

Glendale Unified School District. Printed

by News Publisher Press, 215 Allen Ave.

Glendale, CA 91201/ (818) 954-0775.

Herbert Hoover High School

To r n a d oT i m e s

“First Class with One Mark“First Class with One Markof Distinction”of Distinction”

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Editor-in-ChiefJoice Lee

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Opinion

inEUNICEin

Tornado Times3May 24, 2011

Keep lockers open

Letter to the Editor.

Iwas surprised to read that

Meagan Knight’s “Spanish

Club visits Europe over

Spring Break” (April 26) had

more to complain about than to

praise regarding her European

trip.

It’s a shame and an embar-

rassment for the Spanish Club

and for Hoover. She didn’t even

thank Mrs. Cooper who organ-

ized the trip for her students.

Europe is a marvelous

place. I backpacked there for

nine weeks, slept in hostels and

on overnight trains and was

GRATEFUL for it. It was an ex-

perience of a lifetime. But Ms.

Knight is perhaps just another

snobbish teenage ingrate crip-

pled by materialism and privi-

lege.

Her disdainful tone re-

minded me of another student I

know who when he visited the

Grand Canyon for the first time

found it “boring.”

Are these the kind of stu-

dents we’re producing at

Hoover? Incredible.

Victor Mejia

English Teacher

We have all seen those stu-

dents in class. The ones

who are completely clue-

less and still trying to grasp ex-

tremely difficult concepts like was

Julius Caesar Greek or Roman? Or

how do you really use a verb in a

sentence?

These are the students that take

the advanced out of Advanced Place-

ment (AP) classes, the ones we owe

the watering down of course material

and less than stellar classroom be-

havior seen in many AP classes.

The College Board reported that

there were 3.1 million AP exams

taken in 2010 compared to a measly

1.2 million in 2000. But the increase

of AP exams taken has also led to

more students— 42.5 percent to be

exact— failing their exams com-

pared to 36.4 percent in 2001.

This is attributed to the fact that

the requirements to take AP classes

were a lot stricter and AP classes

were more selective. But, with

schools encouraging more and more

students to take AP classes in order

to make themselves look “better”

and students’ desires to artificially

raise their GPAs, AP classes have

turned into a virtual free-for-all. But

is this fair?

Fair to the students who gen-

uinely want to take AP courses to

challenge themselves and also have

the intellectual capability to keep up

with the physical and mental work-

load that an AP or honors class

should require?

A study done by the Department

of Education found that the number

of students taking rigorous classes

has tripled; but students are not scor-

ing higher on standardized tests.

Beyond that some teachers have

dumbed down their classes to better

accommodate the students who re-

ally should not be in those courses, a

general disconnect is created be-

tween students who genuinely want

to learn, and students looking for ar-

tificial GPA boosts and a way to pad

their college applications.

The reasons for these are in-

credibly obvious. The more students

who are allowed into an AP/honors

courses regardless of their ability to

meet the class’s demands, the more

teachers have to accommodate these

students by making lesson plans eas-

ier and taking away from the chal-

lenging aspects of the course.

This not only adversely affects

the students that are not able to keep

up with their classmates, but it also

drags down the learning process of

students who are willing and able to

do the work.

While the argument to bring

back stricter requirements for en-

trance into AP classes seems elitist,

and, dare we say it, politically incor-

rect, the truth of the matter is, that if

just anyone can take an AP or honors

class and teachers are forced to water

down material to fit the needs of cer-

tain students, then that defeats the

purpose of having an AP/honors pro-

gram at school. Eventually, we reach

a point where the class is no longer

anywhere near the realm of Ad-

vanced Placement.

do not meetwhere the eliteAP classes—

The school is leaning towards a

decision of not having lockers

for next year, a decision that

will anger many, if not all, students.

This is due to a recent court rul-

ing prohibiting public schools from

charging students for anything as it

technically does not constitute a free

public education.

The locker fee is $35, and on top

of that, students have to buy a special

lock that costs $20.

If there are no more lockers, stu-

dents are going to be obligated to

carry all of their books to and from

school every single day. This will

surely be a burden for many who will

have to carry heavy science and math

books.

Some may say that this is just a

manifestation of teenage laziness, but

not having lockers and carrying books

as heavy as dumbbells on our backs is

too much.

There is no possible way, finan-

cially speaking, for the school to af-

ford to buy class sets of books

considering that some books cost

$120 each.

However, what is wrong with the

school charging fees for lockers as it

is a voluntary decision? We were

never forced into purchasing lockers

during registration, and we paid ac-

cording to our discretion.

If students cannot afford the fees,

they can always apply for a fee waiver

or choose not to use a locker at all.

The money collected is used to

improve school facilities like the con-

ditions of the lockers.

Also, with the district facing

budgetary problems, is it logical for

the school to spend money on remov-

ing lockers from the school?

It is just an unnecessary problem

that should not even be a problem at

all. It is not a question of a legality, it

is a form of necessity.

Yes, we need lockers. No, there

is no exception.

Sad? Prozac. Bored? Adder-

all. Depressed? Abilify.

Today the smallest of prob-

lems are labeled as serious disor-

ders and are prescribed

powerful medications.

According to the Depart-

ment of Health and Human

Services, the U.S. may be the

most medicated country in the

world with almost half of Amer-

icans on at least one prescribed

medication.

With more than 25 million

people using antidepressants

today, close to 10 percent of the

U.S. population is operating on

“artificial happiness.” People

take medication to feel better, but

is it really healthy to be so med-

icated?

According to the New York

Times, many psychiatrists in the

U.S. no longer provide talk ther-

apy; most simply prescribe and

adjust medication.

Doctors attribute these “dis-

orders” to a chemical imbalance

of the brain,

but many are

pent-up emo-

tions and we

should let

ourselves ex-

p e r i e n c e

them, al-

though un-

pleasant.

Depres-

sion, ADD,

ADHD, and bi-polar disorder are

real disorders and proven to

exist, but the first thing that we

do is treat them with medica-

tion. If most psychiatrists do not

provide talk therapy anymore,

how can we know that counsel-

ing is not the solution?

Sigmund Freud’s method of

talk therapy was the most popu-

lar method used by psychologists

until psychotherapy took its

place. Now, it seems a few pills

a day can re-

place weeks

of counseling.

If we

don’t let our

emotions take

over every

once in a

while, and we

bottle them up

or bury them

in prescription

drugs, our problems may become

worse. So what if you’re bored,

or if you have had a bad day?

It’s abnormal to be happy all

the time and no one should ex-

pect you to be.

Moreover, these pills don’t

actually make people feel better.

Users can become dependent on

them, and once off the pills, they

are prone to regress back to the

original problem.

These medicines cannot be

taken forever, with people even-

tually building a tolerance for the

drugs, thus rendering the effect

useless while damaging their

bodies in the process.

We as a society have be-

come so afraid of people who ex-

press themselves and their

emotions that we label them as

sick or “unwell.”

If people continue to be so

dependent on prescription drugs

for “problems,” we might as well

prescribe powerful medications

for things like an annoying itch

or an overactive imagination.

And while these pills may

work faster than traditional

counseling, I would argue that

laughter is still the best medi-

cine.

“I don’t like using that

word. It insults the men-

tally challenged.”

Tatiana Pirim (’11)

May 24, 2011Tornado Times

OPINION4

Justice is served on a

sordid platter

Craigslist Confidential

GRACE NSAVU

It’s Saturday, May 1, 2011. 7:04

p.m. to be exact. Rather than

studying for AP tests, I’m

sprawled on the couch watching a sex

trafficking documentary on MSNBC

because Mob Wives is currently on a

commercial break. Right when I’m

about to change the channel, a reporter

announces breaking news. The head-

line? Osama Bin Laden is dead.

After an absurd debate between

whether I should keep watching or go

back to my reality show, I decided to

stick around and watch Obama’s

speech.

What struck me most about that

night were the shots of people cele-

brating outside the White House. Even

worse was that Monday morning when

I woke up, I saw clips of people cele-

brating at Ground Zero. I didn’t think

much of it at the time, but looking

back, these actions are not only dis-

tasteful, but immature and ill-con-

ceived.

As relieving as Bin Laden's death

is to millions, celebrations such as

these make him powerful even in

death. When you think about it, he left

this world the same way that many of

our heroes have died—stubbornly ad-

hering to and protecting his values.

While what he believed in wasn’t nec-

essarily right in our eyes, his ideals

seemed to have a nearly prophetic im-

pact on his followers. He may have

died a terrorist in our eyes, but a free-

dom fighter and martyr in the eyes of

his followers.

See, such actions make Americans

look like the overly pompous bullies

that other nations have accused us of

being. Partying not only angers terror-

ists even more, but also reaffirms their

anti-American beliefs.

I’ll admit I’m not sad about his

death, but I don’t approve of celebrat-

ing it either. People are going around

chanting USA, praising Obama and his

administration, but his death is not re-

lief for the United States alone. His

death is a victory for people around the

world—whether they be Muslims, Eu-

ropeans, African, or Americans. Bin

Laden is dead. Al Qaeda is not.Terror-

ism still lives on, hence, Al Qaeda’s

decision to choose Saif Al-adel as their

new leader

For that, I don’t necessarily con-

sider this a victory. There will be con-

tinued terrorist attacks around the

world. And while his passing brings us

a glimmer of peace and hope, it does

not change much. In fact, I would

argue it doesn’t change anything.

His death should not be a cause

for celebration. No one’s death

should. It should be a reason for con-

templation. A reason to remember the

people who died on 9/11, a reason to

acknowledge the 1998 bombings of

American embassies, and, perhaps,

most importantly, it should be a reason

to acknowledge evil.

The English language is a

funny thing.

Two words spelled com-

pletely differently can be syn-

onymous—a homonym.

Words that are spelled ex-

actly the same can have oppo-

site meanings—a homophone.

And possibly the most in-

teresting part of the English

language is its versatility

throughout different genera-

tions.

When I walk through the

hallways, I’m not eavesdrop-

ping, but as I go to my locker, I

hear: “Oh my God, he is so re-

tarded!” “Why are you being so

gay?” “Are you retarded?!”

I could walk up to each

and every one of these offend-

ers and say, “Excuse me, do

you even know what the word

‘retarded’ means?” but after

asking this question once and

receiving the answer “stupid,”

I knew right away how ignorant

our generation has become.

We live in a world of fol-

lowers and sheep who would

rather mimic other’s actions

without regard to the repercus-

sions.

The major problem is the

inability to process thoughts on

our own. If we hear one person

using the word “retarded” to

mean stupid, idiotic, or silly, we

also will perceive the word in

the same context, disregarding

the true meaning.

Call me old-fashioned, but

I like knowing the definition of

a word before I begin to use it

in everyday conversation—es-

pecially when it is every other

word that comes out of my

mouth.

Not only does the im-

proper use of words offend the

public, but it makes the speaker

seem uneducated. The same

goes for the use of the word

“gay” to mean uncool or

wimpy.

And in a time when “omg”

and “lol” have been formally

added to dictionaries as words,

I am not surprised to find that

the words “retarded” and “gay”

have lost their true, not-so-of-

fensive meanings and have be-

come synonymous with

“stupid” and “lame.”

Soon, the whole world will

be filled with ignorance and we

will be so “retarded” that we’ll

fill dictionaries with “gay”

words.

Compiled by Edwin FloresEDWARD NADURATA | TORNADO TIMES

Retarding ignoranceMICHAEL YAPUJIAN

CODY SENTENO

TROY JONIC | TORNADO TIMES

Tornado TALK:

“I use it when someone is

annoying me.”

“I use it when my friends

act stupid.”

In what context do

“I just throw it around

now and then when I’m

mad.”

Alexis Quiza (’13)

Erin Babakhani (’11)Raffi Akay (’14)

We might as wellprescribe pow-erful medica-

tions for things like anannoying itch or an overac-tive imagination.

When the going gets tough, the pills start popping

you use the word “retarded?”


5Feature

Students who leave high

school at 16 are usually

considered dropouts.

Many are. But there is another

category: 16-year old high

school graduates. These kids are

on the fast track to receiving col-

lege degrees and professional

success.

Most students spend four

years in high school and then get

jobs or head off to college. The

16-year old graduates get a

ticket out when they take the

California High School Profi-

ciency Exam (CHSPE). Under

California law, passing this test

is equivalent to receiving a high

school diploma. It is similar in

format to the California High

School Exit Exam (CAHSEE),

but with a longer exam and more

difficult questions.

These students chose to take

this path and leave school early.

They have a few things in com-

mon: the desire to pursue a pro-

fessional career as soon as

possible, the freedom to learn at

an individualized pace, and dis-

satisfaction with the high school

environment.

While some students who

graduate early typically do

so to focus on future ca-

reers, like Sheila, others simply want

to learn at their own pace, like Laura

Baltayan.

“During my freshman and sopho-

more years I took college classes and

really enjoyed them,” Baltayan said.

“I wanted to give myself more time to

explore career options.”

She appreciated how college pro-

fessors provided course material and

how the student is responsible for

learning and doing well on tests. She

will be going to UC San Diego as a

junior this fall.

“I am right on target for achieving

my goal and am exactly two years

ahead of where I would have been if I

had remained in high school,” Bal-

tayan said.

LAURA BALTAYAN

Students opt for graduating early

Sheila Baghaei was initially on

track to graduate with the rest of

the class of 2011, but left two

years early.

“I wanted more time to focus on

my performing arts career,” Baghaei

said. “High school was getting in

the way of my bigger picture. It was a

commitment, eight hours a day, and

five days a week.”

Baghaei’s parents were not as en-

thusiastic as she was about the idea.

“When my daughter first told me

she wanted to become home schooled,

I was skeptical,” said Baghaei’s

mother, Afsaneh Shoustari. But

Baghaei was persistent. She explained

to her parents that even though she

would be missing two years of high

school, studying independently made

the most sense for her future.

“After I was reassured that this is

what she truly wanted and knew would

be the right decision, we went ahead

and made the step,” Shoustari said.

“Not by luck, but by her hard work, we

now know it was the right choice.”

At the end of her sophomore year,

Baghaei signed up for homeschooling

and doubled her workload. She was

able to finish two years of schoolwork

in nine months. Then she began taking

community college courses. Currently,

she is training as a vocalist and actress.

SHEILA BAGHAEI

Sarah Safuto, part of the class of

2011, transferred to Verdugo

Academy, an independent study

program sponsored by GUSD, during

the end of her tenth grade year.

“I found that teaching myself was

a fantastic choice,” Safuto said. “I

started to enjoy what I was learning

about instead of just going through the

motions to get a grade.”

Although leaving early to take col-

lege courses makes sense for a few stu-

dents, it is not for everyone. It requires

maturity and time management skills.

Unlike in high school, there is no pres-

sure to complete assignments and study

for tests.

“No one is there to baby you,” Sa-

futo said. “Most people are not men-

tally or emotionally ready for that.”

SARAH SAFUTO

college careers.and getting a jumpstart on their

GUIDE TO: Graduating EARLY

^

GREG KALFAYAN

EARLY GRADS: Sarah Safuto (above) and Sheila Baghaei (above right) are both early

graduates.They followed their desire to pursue a professional career and learn at an in-

dividualized pace.

Bidding an earlyfarewell

- Talk to your counselor

- Add required classes for graduation to your

schedule

- Take the classes

- Pass the CHSPE or get a GED

- Start taking classes at a community college

Courtesy of Sarah Safuto

Courtesy of Sheila Baghaei

Decent to great food, attentive service,

and a thoughtful arrangement of the

restaurant’s layout–yet Sedthee Thai

Eatery did not exactly sweep me off my feet.

That is to say, comparing it to the several other

cheaper Thai restaurants in Glendale that are

equal in food quality, Sedthee proved to be too

expensive and flowery in presentation for the

average teenager. However, it is an attractive

option for families and people interested in

fancier dining with a twist on Thai cuisine.

Sedthee does well in providing dinners

with a relaxed ambiance, notable service paired

with friendly waiters and waitresses, and pri-

vacy. Characteristically roomy booths with tall

walls allow every group to indulge in pleasant

chatter and, if desired, inelegant wolfing of

food without fellow diners eyeing you down.

A decent appetizer choice is Chicken

Satay, which can be served on skewers or as

rolls. The first option comes with grilled ten-

derloin chicken pieces that are marinated in

masala curry and placed on skewers. A Thai cu-

cumber salad and peanut sauce comes along-

side it. For the alternative roll option, the

chicken and vegetables are rolled in tortilla-like

wraps and thin slabs of carrots and cucumber

are fanned out on the plate. The sauce is half

sweet hoisin sauce and half spicy sauce.

There are the typical Thai dishes, such as

“traditional Thai comfort food” Pad Thai. Rice

noodles and eggs are sautéed in a sweet and

sour tamarind sauce along with sliced carrots,

bean sprouts, parsley, cabbage, and peanut bits.

A positive thing about Sedthee is that it sets the

vegetables off to the side to allow the diner

some leeway when deciding how much of it

they want to mix in with the noodles. This is a

delicious dish with a savory sweetness, but

nothing particularly places it above the stan-

dard.

Apart from the more traditional choices is

a selection of Sedthee’s specialties. One is the

Smokin’ Seafood Curry and it arrives quite

flamboyantly. To keep the spicy red curry

seafood hot, the steaming dish comes out on a

special plate of wood and stone. The top con-

tains eight shallow cups that hold seafood in

them and every cup is covered with a cone of

hollow rock. There are tender flakes of fish,

shrimp, and chunks of squid and the curry is de-

liciously piquant. On the downside, the portion

size might not be enough for some and if you

want rice, it is an additional charge.

If you have room for dessert and go to

Sedthee during mango season, then try the

Sweet Sticky Rice and Mango, a surprising

combination that is a refreshing way to end the

meal. Another choice is the Sweet Thai rice,

which is bathed in coconut milk and overlaid

with golden slices of mango.

Overall, Sedthee is a dining option to con-

sider when your wallet decides to be generous

one evening. If you are looking for traditional

Thai dishes, I suggest that you find a cheaper

place.

Tornado Times6

EUNICE CHOI

May 24, 2011

CHEW ON THIS! Not worth the extra buck

FEATURE

Chicken Satay $6.95 Seafood Curry $13.95

Typhoon Fried Rice ALLEN AU | TORNADO TIMESPad Thai $7.95$7.95

Food::

Service:

RATINGS

Sedthee Thai

239 North Brand Blvd.(818) 247-9789

Eatery


7


Around the halls, all students complain about their teachers—

how they never learn anything from them and how classes

are pointless. An Uong (’12), however, was lucky enough

to find her passion by observing her seventh grade life science

teacher, Curtis Shih.

After viewing Shih’s artistic photos of his surroundings, Uong

developed an interest in photography that has not subsided.

She began helping him by taking photos of students and school

activities for the annual school slide show. Every morning, Uong

would borrow Shih’s camera to capture student life. She enjoyed it

so much that it inspired her to buy a camera of her own and take on

photography as a hobby.

“Photography became a natural part of my thought process as

well as what I want to do with my future,” Uong said.

But even though Uong started taking pictures in seventh grade,

it was not until her freshman year that she developed “a serious con-

nection” with photography.

Photography impacted her life so much that it gave Uong the

inspiration for her “365” project, where she would take a picture

every day for a year.

Uong said she was lured into this concept because of the “mys-

tery of time.” She was fascinated by how quickly life moved and

how one sometimes neglects the “little things” due to the lack of

time.

At first, Uong started by taking pictures of anything that was

“aesthetically pleasing” to her, but then she started focusing on how

the subject represents her as a person.

“I’ve known An for several years now and I’ve watched her

grow and develop as a photographer,” friend Lucine Oganesian

(’12) said. “She has such an immense capacity to observe the world

around us and find depth and meaning in the ordinary.”

Her pictures center around facial expressions rather than on

objects alone. She also started playing around with composition and

experimented by “rebelling against some of the technical rules of

photography.”

“An has a discerning eye for capturing moments through her

photos,” Shih said. “She has a wonderful portfolio of macro-pho-

tographs, and she is branching out into portraiture.”

In addition to her project, Uong takes headshots of students,

charging $5 for each session.

“She is really good at working camera angles and focusing

light,” client Kate Paguinto (’13) said.

Uong believes that working with others is a great way to form

relationships with people. She also states that when working with

people, teamwork is key to success.

Uong is interested in photojournalism and plans on incorporat-

ing a more artistic feel to her work in the future.

MARYAM SOORMA

Courtesy of An Uong

Lookingthrough

the lens

PHOTO: An Uong takes photos for her 365 day project.The subjects of her photos range from nature to objects that represent her day. She also takes headshots of aspiring actors on campus.

Entertainment


8

Never would you imagine them

rocking-out to modern pop

songs from mainstream artists

like Cee Lo Green.

As summer is just around the cor-

ner, the Jazz Band is preparing to heat

things up with its annual end-of-the-

year jazz concert, Hooverstock 2011,

which will be completely student-run

this year. The concert will be held on

June 4 in the auditorium at 7 p.m, with

admission $1 for students, $3 for

adults, and free for faculty.

Since 1994, Jazz Band’s version

of Woodstock, an idea established by

former music instructor Craig Kupka,

has showcased student work as well as

raised revenue for class expenses like

instrument renewals.

Jazz trumpeter Greg Kalfayan

(’11) has taken the initiative to organ-

ize the event this year and will arrange

the music.

“You can’t buy sheet music for

our group, because we have unusual

instruments in our jazz band, like

flutes and violins,” jazz band

spokesperson Shane Vera (’11) said.

“Kupka would arrange music tailored

to our band, but he’s not here to do that

anymore, so Greg did.”

Martin Rhees, the current director

of the band, has given them input over

the last couple of weeks. His primary

goal is to serve as a mentor in order to

guide the students to their full poten-

tial.

“It is an opportunity for students

to display their hard work and take in

criticism from their peers,” Rhees said.

Since it is his last year and final

opportunity to make a contribution to

the jazz ensemble, Kalfayan hopes to

“pack the auditorium with an enthusi-

astic crowd.” He plans on doing this

with the installment of the Jazz Band’s

original songs and the addition of the

Downbeat Combo, which will be play-

ing an original jazz fusion number

written by bass player Daniel Massey

(’11) and guitar player Troy Jonic

(’11).

Other musicians are also eager for

the show. Chamber choir member

China Nichols (’11) knows that the

“performance is going to be amazing”

just from what she has heard during

rehearsals.

“I’m always impressed to hear the

music jazz band plays,” Nichols said.

“They do great covers of great songs.”

First year jazz member Richard

Campbell (’13) is excited about the

show as well. Being his first time per-

forming in it he expects a “great out-

come” and “exhilarating performance”

from the band.

H o o v e rs t c ko

1$TICKETS

.00

For all students

$3 for adults

Free for tri-school faculty

EDWIN FLORES


JAZZ: The Jazz Band performs in various venues such as the Block pARTy, Alex Theatre, and Tour of Homes. This year, the Jazz Band has decided to play ten

new music pieces for their upcoming performance, ranging from artists like Cee Lo Green to Carlos Santana.

ENTERTAINMENT

4/6p o se r f mr

starts at 7:00 P.M.

9Tornado Times

May 24, 2011

Clad with comedy, “My Cousin

Vinny” is a must-see for any avid

movie watcher and even the most

cynical film critic.

The movie starts off with two friends

(one of them Ralph Macchio, well-known

for his role in the first incarnation of “The

Karate Kid”), who, while on a pitstop in

Alabama, are wrongly accused of murder.

The two are taken into custody and

are forced to hire Macchio’s cousin Vinny

(Joe Pesci) to be their lawyer. Vinny ar-

rives with his tight-skirted, big haired

girlfriend, Mona (played by the incredibly

gorgeous and talented Marisa Tomei) and

attempts to save his cousin from the elec-

tric chair with no trial experience and an

acceptance by the bar after six attempts.

The hilarious contrast between the

attitudes of the Italian-American, New

York Vinny and Mona, and the boring,

slow-paced citizens of the miniscule Ala-

bama town are enough to keep audiences

laughing throughout the entirety of the

film.

Every line is crafted to epitomize the

perfection of humor, and the acting is not

shy of this high standard either.

The performances given by Pesci and

Gwynne are amazing, but Playhouse Dis-

ney material compared to the impeccable

Tomei, who won the Oscar for Best Sup-

porting Actress.

Viewpoint

“Rah, rah, ah, ah, ah.

Roma, roma, ma. Gaga,

ooh la la. Want your

bad romance.”

Totally meaningful stuff, right?

This is what I think of Lady

Gaga and most other artists today

who seem to think that rhyming the

words “Mars” and “cars” make them

lyrical geniuses.

I sit baffled at the lack of signif-

icance in lyrics nowadays—how au-

diences sit amazed at the fact that

Lady Gaga “can’t read” a person’s

“poker face,” and how Katy Perry

wants an “extraterrestrial” to “infect

[her] with lovin’.”

All I used to do was ridicule

these artists and tell my friends that

such untalented people should not be

on the tops of music charts.

But one day I was asked if I had

heard Lady Gaga sing before she

was Lady Gaga—before she wore

raw meat to the Video Music Awards

and arrived at the Grammys in an

egg.

Overtaken by curiosity, I went

home and searched “the real Lady

Gaga” on YouTube, and found the

name “Stefani Joanne Angelina Ger-

manotta.”

No costume, no two-worded at-

tempt at an iconic name, no eggs—

but an actual name. What I found

was a little startling. It was Lady

Gaga singing live while playing the

piano. Not performing, but rather,

just sitting on a piano stool, wearing

a simple turquoise dress, and pour-

ing her heart out to the audience.

There were no stunts, no shiny, fatal

accessories, just a girl and a piano.

For once, she wasn’t perform-

ing fake songs deliberately com-

posed to get stuck in peoples’ heads

like Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.”

Now, I’m not saying she was the

most amazing singer I have ever

heard, but at least she was real.

If Lady Gaga was still Stefani

Germanotta, maybe I wouldn’t de-

spise her. Maybe her lyrics would

actually mean something instead of

desperately trying to be “different.”

I’m all for individuality, but

modern-day “artists” have lost the

meaning of the word.

They don’t try to be themselves,

they try to stand out in order to at-

tract audiences—to keep them

hooked on their songs, ensuring that

they make their millions.

This is not Lady Gaga’s fault

that she has become this metamor-

phic being that changes its form

every 10 seconds. It is our fault, the

audience.

Where were we when Stefani

Germanotta was first starting out?

Were we there to appreciate her tal-

ent and help her rise above? No. And

after years and years of trying, what

other choice did she have but to be-

come Lady Gaga? Not much.

In her first album (when she

was still Stefani) titled “Red and

Blue,” her voice is actually heard.

It’s not auto-tuned to the point where

she doesn’t even sound human. The

lyrics weren’t quotoable, but at least

they had some sort of meaning.

I have to admit, even back then

she wasn’t as talented as other artists

like Adele or Jason Mraz, but we

could connect with her as just an-

other person battling ordinary chal-

lenges.

And now she, as many artists,

has become a conformist to the mod-

ern day desire to be futuristic and

unreal.

DANIEL MASSEY

MICHAEL YAPUJIAN

MICHAEL YAPUJIAN

Gaga not born this way

Defending Vinny


Game Review

ENTERTAINMENT

GAGA: Lady Gaga, formerly known as Stefani Joanne Angelina German-

otta, has become a fame-obsessed individual. Her “art” is her ticket to the

top of music charts.

Source: Interscope Records

PORTAL 2: Portal II features puzzles that challenge the mind and writing that fully entertains. The player uses

the revolutionary portal gun to solve some of gamings’ most mind-bending challenges available.

Source: Valve Software

Source: 20th Century Fox

Enter into “Portal II”

The cake is a lie. This seemingly irreverent phrase

has found its way into the hearts of gamers

everywhere, thanks to the charming title that is

“Portal.”

Originally intended as a tech demo, its publisher,

Valve, decided to throw it into the now best-selling

game bundle, The Orange Box, which also includes

“Half Life 2” and its expansions, and the multiplayer-

only “Team Fortress 2.”

The first “Portal” saw the player assuming the role

of Chell, a woman who was trapped in the Aperture Sci-

ence Facility (a futuristic complex that looks like it be-

longs in a sci-fi movie, while still remaining realistic),

forced to complete puzzle-based test chambers by a

faceless AI (artificial intelligence) named GLaDOS.

Long story short, the AI’s true nature is revealed,

and eventually the player’s task is to escape from the

facility, and GLaDOS’ numerous attempts to murder the

player. Voiced by the excellent Ellen Mclain, GLaDOS

continually taunts the player with sarcastic remarks.

With writing that is refreshingly clever and hilari-

ous, you may often find yourself laughing aloud at some

of the dialogue, a rare feat in the sometimes predictable

gaming industry.

“Portal 2” continues in this vein, picking up 100

years after the end of the first game. Chell’s freedom

was short-lived, as she was recaptured and placed in

cryostatis indefinitely. In the time she was asleep, the

facility was left in decay, untouched by human hands

and without an active AI to maintain it.

You are awakened by Wheatley, an infinitely like-

able robot who needs your help to escape, voiced by a

particularly enthusiastic Stephen Merchant, who is fea-

tured on the Ricky Gervais Show.

After a sequence of events I would prefer not to

spoil, GLaDOS makes her triumphant return, and you

are once again forced to solve a mind-boggling variety

of test chambers while simultaneously looking for an

opportunity to escape.

Although the plot is extremely strong and intrigu-

ing, the gameplay is what differentiates “Portal 2” from

the Halos and Call of Duties that are currently flooding

the market. Although the game is in first person per-

spective, much like a shooter, the portal gun, the game’s

only tool, is far from your average firearm. Instead of

shooting bullets, it shoots two interconnected portals,

which can be placed on flat surfaces with the pull of a

trigger. It may seem hard to describe, but a basic exam-

ple is placing a portal on a wall in front of you, and then

placing the other in another room. When you walk

through the portal on the wall in front of you, you come

through the portal and end up in the other room.

This mechanic is the basis of the entire game, and

you must solve increasingly difficult puzzles using not

only the portal gun, but outside factors such as light

shields, spring boards, and colored gels that make you

jump higher or run faster when stepped on. There is

truly no other game out there that feels like “Portal,”

and its stunning originality is a breath of fresh air for

gamers looking for an intelligent challenge.

The game has only two modes, a single player

story mode, and a two-player co-op mode, but they are

long and rich enough to make up for the lack of variety

(mostly).

While the first game’s story clocked in at about

three hours, “Portal 2” takes around nine hours to com-

plete, and the story is miles better, with charming and

humorous characters, and unexpected plot twists. The

puzzles are quite difficult, especially in later sections,

but they never feel unfair or broken. This leads to an in-

tense sense of satisfaction upon completing a particu-

larly challenging puzzle.

The co-op mode, while less heavy on story ele-

ments, take the puzzles to the next level, as the addition

of a second player brings the possibility of four portals

at once. Cooperation and coordination are musts, and it

is safe to say that some of the most challenging, yet en-

tertaining sections in gaming are featured in “Portal 2’s”

multiplayer.

Although the writing and gameplay are among the

best in the industry, the replay value is sadly lacking, as

once you have finished both campaigns, there really

isn’t anything more to do except replay them. Despite

this, “Portal 2” is an early contender for Game of the

Year in my book, and I definitely plan to revisit the in-

triguing world of Wheatley and GLaDOS once again.

Frances’ Records

Tornado Times10 May 24, 2011

Sports

Making use of

aggression

On Edward’s

EDWARD NADURATA

Defense

“Hey bro! Why

you dogging

me? Wanna get

down or something foo?”

Most of us don’t hear

these words often, but these

words usually precede a fight

between students.

A very effective way to

utilize this built up aggres-

sion is through joining our

school’s new proposed

wrestling team, which is set

to begin in winter.

Wrestling is not an ordi-

nary sport; it requires

strength and endurance and it

is a contact sport. Not to de-

mean the other sports teams

in our school but this is com-

pletely different compared to

hitting or shooting a ball.

The athletes must utilize

their arms and act within

bounds to defeat their oppo-

nents.

This organized fighting

is a way for our football

players, who are off-season,

to strengthen themselves as

they are put in rigorous train-

ing to compete with people

who have been wrestling be-

fore.

Due to the fact that no

schools in our league have a

wrestling team, so the team

must join another league

which has multiple seasoned

schools. Although this is a

clear disadvantage, it should

not discourage us.

This will be a challenge

for us, as a community to

raise what we can in support

of the proposed team as they

are in the fundraising stages

of its development since the

mats they compete on cost

$10,000 alone.

It gives variety to the

array of sports programs that

our school offers, and can be

another rallying call for many

of us who spiritually die after

BGD.

This decision can even be

the precursor for other

schools in our league to form

their own wrestling teams,

which in turn can make us

stay in our league instead of

traveling to schools out of

our area just to compete.

Intead of “getting down”

with that “foo,” why don’t

you just release your tensions

on the mat, legally and sign

up for the new wrestling

team.

Policky appointed as new football coachALEX MIKHAILPOOR

ALEX MIKHAILPOOR

Running against time is not just a cliché

saying, but a lifestyle for track and cross

country captain Frances Ramas (’11).

Clocking in a milestone of a thousand miles

over the course of four years, Ramas has set

herself as the standard of a pivotal leader.

Ramas positioned herself to be the number

one runner for the girl’s team since her sopho-

more year when she broke the six-minute mile

mark, breaking the barrier that separates elite

female distance runners with the rest. This year,

Frances hit new marks on all her distance

events, including the 800, one mile, and two

mile. Her mile personal record is now 5:47.

In last month’s dual track meet for her last

BGD, she earned first place in all three of her

races, accounting for 15 out of a possible 15

points.

“People ask me all the time why I love run-

ning,” Ramas said. “It is for the self-satisfaction

and the runner’s high you feel after you accom-

plish a race.”

Frances trains with the team four times a

week in weekday practices that start after

school and end around 6:00 p.m. during the

week days and in Saturday practices that start

at sunrise and end near noon.

“Frances is a dedicated year-round war-

rior,” coach Jack Sallakian said. “She works out

from June to May on an annual basis and she

works through intense heat and rain.”

During the practices, Frances runs about

six miles a day in hard endurance workouts and

rapid fast sprint workouts in which coach Sal-

lakian makes her keep up with the boys. The

hardest workouts are at Brand Park in which the

team runs a mile up to the park as just a warm-

up prior to the rigorous workout on the hills.

“She goes out of the way to do everything

for us, whether it’s pushing us during our races

or making us ribbons for the girls before every

race,” junior Renee Lawson said. “She is the

greatest captain I’ve ever had and I try to model

myself after her.”

Though many of her friends have left the

team, Ramas has remained and just like her suc-

cess on track, her participation has been con-

stant.

“The girls are the reasons why I have

trained so hard,” Ramas said. “As we only have

a limited number of girls, we all push and pull

each other through our workouts and races.”

Her father, Eric Ramas, has been Frances’

number one fan since she first joined the team.

“[Her] running has saved me a lot of

money on buying her a car,” Eric said jokingly.

“Her running ability is something that separates

her from the rest of the pack both literally and

figuratively.”

Success has not come easy for Ramas. A

combination of workouts on the dirt track and

several accidents during her workouts led her

rolling her ankle two times in two consecutive

weeks during workouts running up the steep

Brand Park hills.

The future of track also includes Ramas’

brother Daniel Ramas, who joined the team as

a freshman. Ramas has watched her brother

grow and hopes he becomes an integral part of

the team.

“At first she was faster then me and she

pushed my competitiveness, but I eventually got

faster and beat her,” Daniel said. “But she

wasn’t mad at me, she [was] really proud of

me.”

It’s a two-way street in the family, with

both siblings supporting each other as team-

mates.

“Whenever I need to go out for a run, he's

there to run with me. If I need to do my PSPs

(push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups), he'll remind

me and not let me skip them,” Ramas said. “It’s

great to see a part of me running even after I

graduate.”

Football defensive coordinator An-

drew Policky has been appointed as

the new head coach replacing Chris

Long.

Policky takes over from Long who

over these past three years leaves behind

a football team with its biggest size in re-

cent years: 50 players on varsity and 30 on

junior varsity. Long seemed to be turning

the program around as his tenure is high-

lighted by ending the team’s 21-game los-

ing streak by defeating South Pasadena,

and ending the 2009 season on a high note

by capturing the Victory Bell, defeating

cross-town rival Glendale.

Long will continue his position as a

P.E. coach until July 1 when his temporary

teaching credentials expire.

“It’s sad seeing the only coach you’ve

ever known leave,” junior Gerardo Frasco

said, who must go through new plays and

game plans prior to his senior year season.

“We [the team] will continue with the

sport we love and keep working while

keeping our heads high.”

While serving under Long’s regime,

Policky served as a P.E. teacher at Toll

Middle School. Prior to that, he coached

Arcadia High School’s football team as

the strength and conditioning coach and

the defensive coordinator.

“He [Policky] is the defense,” line-

backer Robert Gholi (’11) said. “We [de-

fense] pushed defensively as a single unit

and no one wanted to let him down; he

brought that intensity to us.”

Policky starts off his campaign with a

late start to the spring program, which

most teams have already begun.

In addition, he needs to hire a new

coaching staff with the exception of offen-

sive and defensive line coach, coach Sam

Picture, who will be promoted to assistant

head coach.

“I will leave no stone unturned while

looking for my new staff,” Policky said.

“We have an ad posted on the CIF website.

I've even enlisted my girlfriend in helping

me find available candidates.”

Policky’s influence in football traces

back to his days playing Pop Warner foot-

ball as a young kid and playing for his

alma mater, Arcadia High.

The team is working hard during the

off-season, running and lifting weights

during zero period as they anticipate

spring ball, practicing in scrimmage

games.

“I'm familiar with the kids coming

back and what their strengths are,”

Policky said. “I am a very competitive per-

son by nature and look forward to the

challenge of taking Hoover to another

level of success.”

Frances sprints down the track

1 mile: 5:47

2 mile: 12:34

800 meters: 2:35

Courtesy of Frances Ramas

NEW COACH: After the resignation of

P.E. teacher and football coach Chris Long

on May 10, Andrew Policky was chosen to

succeed him for next season. He was the de-

fense coordinator for the past three years

and is a Physical Education teacher at Toll

Middle School.

RUNNING: Frances Ramas runs the mile race

and won first place during the only home meet

against Muir. Her brother Daniel Ramas has

also joined the team and looks up to her for in-

spiration.


Pg. 10_Layout 1 5/23/2011 12:18 PM Page 1

May 24, 2011 SPORTSTornado Times

11

Who would have thought

that being rejected from

the soccer team would

work to one’s advantage? Alex

Mikhailpoor (’11) sure did not.

Mikhailpoor tried out for the

soccer team his freshman year.

After not making the cut, his

friend, Asher Landau (’11), con-

vinced him to join the track team.

“The team took me in and I felt

welcomed immediately,”

Mikhailpoor said.

Sprint coach Eric Bamm gave

him the nickname “Goofy” for how

“unorthodox his running form

was.”

Mikhailpoor participates in the

100 meter, 200 meter, 400 meter,

4x1 relay, and 4x4 relay.

Beating Muir High School

after 50 consecutive years of los-

ing is one of the highlights in his

running career.

Earlier this month, he felt an

“aura of accomplishment” when he

qualified for the California Inter-

scholastic Federation (CIF) pre-

liminaries.

According to Mikhailpoor

who placed in CIF as a sophomore,

making it this year meant so much

more because “[he is] now a senior

and a captain and it is important to

keep inspiring the team.”

After the race, he received

nonstop congratulations from stu-

dents, teachers, and administra-

tors.

“Track is something to make

my family proud and is not only an

accomplishment for me, but an ac-

complishment for my teammates,”

Mikhailpoor said. “Being healthy

also helps me to continue run-

ning.”

However, Mikhailpoor admits

that the best part about track and

field is the team.

“I run for them and they’re

like another family for me,” he

said.

After graduating, Mikhailpoor

plans on going to Cal Poly Pomona

and is guaranteed a spot on their

track and field team. He hopes to

coach the track and field team at

Hoover if time permits.

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH :

DAPHNE ONG

Bitetti goes to the

In an attempt to bring out the most

physically gifted athletes, social sci-

ence teacher Mark Bitetti is looking

to assemble a full-fledged wrestling team

for next year.

Starting the program from scratch is

“going to take a lot of time and dedica-

tion from the school and its students.”

Bitetti is looking forward to using his 10

years of coaching experience in wrestling

to his advantage because he will be able

to know which direction to take the new

team.

The wrestling team will hope to at-

tract those who look to compete with

brawn and brain. Bitetti plans to hold the

program as a winter sport so it can benefit

those who are taking fall and spring ath-

letics.

“I’m mostly trying to recruit those

football players who look to get better in

the off-season and look to put in their tal-

ent elsewhere,” Bitetti said.

Fourteen weight classes are permit-

ted by CIF regulations. The lowest being

106 pounds and the most being 285

pounds, with 12 other weight classes

being in between.

In a different approach, the team will

abandon the Pacific Division due to the

lack of opposition and move onto the Rio

Hondo Division where nearby South

Pasadena and La Canada will take the

place of familiar rivals such as Crescenta

Valley and Glendale.

The team will practice on the south

end of the main gym which is conve-

niently located right above the weight

room where intense training will be held.

The school hopes to have a hundred

people signed up for the program and re-

sources such as new mats and training

equipment available to those participat-

ing. One wrestling mat which covers the

area of a normal classroom (38x38 feet),

costs about $10,000 and the total amount

needed to begin the program rounds out

to $15,000.

Principal Jennifer Earl is committed

to the program and is currently trying to

raise funds for the school to acquire the

expensive mats and paraphernalia. Bitetti

has been calling on the Hoover family to

help him out with any donations to cut

down the cost.

“There is a huge buzz all around

Glendale and we have every intention of

making this happen,” Earl said. “I'm

thankful to Coach Bitetti for his persist-

ence and diligence.”

After a storm of advertising posters

blanketed the schools, the wrestling team

looks to be in good shape. On the first

day of sign-ups, fifty boys showed up;

this does not even include the various

girls that joined.

ALEX MIKHAILPOOR


mat for wrestling ALEX MIKHAILPOOR

ALLEN AU, EDWARD NADURATA | TORNADO TIMES

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