THE HORROR, THE HORROR

You’re invited to
the rocky horror
picture show PAGE B1

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

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Vol. XC, No. 1 http://voice.paly.net Monday, October 1, 2007

NEWS
Getting to know Principal Jacqueline McEvoy
SILENT DRIVING IS The Campanile recently met with new Prin-
cipal Dr. Jacqueline McEvoy to discuss her goals
our best practices (and we have many!) and learn
some new techniques from our friends in other
ger issue, not the cause of the stress. We need
to deal with the bigger issue. To not address

GOLDEN and thoughts about Palo Alto High School.

The Campanile: What are your thoughts
Enacted ban prohibits teens on Paly after having been here for a couple
from using cell phones while of months?
driving. Jacqueline McEvoy: As you already know,
PAGE A2 Paly is a great school and has a strong sense of
community. The environment here is extremely
PALY GETS positive. Not only is it a beautiful campus, but
the staff and students also have a really positive
school communities.
TC: How does Paly compare to San Mateo
High School where you were previously?
JM: San Mateo and Paly are two of the old-
est schools on the Peninsula. They both have a
rich history and alumni who are passionate about
the school. There’s a saying at San Mateo, “Once
a Bearcat, always a Bearcat.” I think the same is
true at Paly: “Once a Viking, always a Viking.”
cutting is to not hold students accountable for
their behavior and the choices they make. It’s
also a legal issue. School attendance is manda-
tory for students under 16. There are specific
legal consequences we must put in place if we
are going to do our jobs correctly. The policy
that is local to this district is the consequence
of being dropped from a class. Since the student
is being dropped from the class for disciplinary

GREENER attitude. Everyone is dedicated to high standards

for all students in every aspect of school life.
The only downside is that there’s no Starbuck’s
Paly Green Team strive
within walking distance!
to make Paly a green
TC: Do you have any special goals for
school. PAGE A3 Paly?
JM: In addition to the goals that are already
OPINION in place at Paly, I would like to see more teach-
ers, students and staff connect with other school
communities that are similar to Paly and that
San Mateo is much more diverse than Paly so
the academic challenges are different. That being
said, we have some of the same challenges as
well. We have specific groups at Paly who are
not performing as well as they should.
TC: What do you hope to accomplish by
having a stricter attendance policy? Do you
think it adds to student stress levels?
JM: The stress on Paly students is an inter-
esting and important topic. I favor treating the
reasons, it will be a “Drop F.” The student will
probably be asked to explain it on his or her
college applications.
TC: Speaking of student stress, what
will you be doing to address the overall
problem?
JM: Again, this is an important issue and
I really need to do more research on it. I think
we need to address the causes of stress and
do everything we can to provide students and Julia Benton/The Campanile

IS THE GOP SNEAKY? are dealing with some of the same issues. That
would give us an opportunity to share more of
causes and not the symptoms. If cutting [class]
is related to stress, then it’s a symptom of a big- See MCEVOY, Page A3
Dr. Jacqueline McEvoy replaced Scott
Laurence as Paly principal this year.

Paly beautifies campus

An opinion on the proposed
“Fair Voting Act” and the
possible GOP motives be- New school year
brings new staff
hind it. PAGE A5

SPOTLIGHT
By Nolan Wong
Staff Writer

NEW FACES AT PALY Palo Alto High School hired 22 new administrators
and teachers this year, including a new principal and two
Learn a thing or two about assistant principals.
the new teachers on the Dr. Jacqueline McEvoy, who had served as principal of
Paly staff. PAGE A6-A7 San Mateo High School for seven years, was hired in June to
replace current Palo Alto Unified School District Assistant
Superintendent Scott Laurence as Paly principal.
SPORTS “I’m really excited to be here at Paly,” McEvoy
said.
New Assistant Principals Jerry Berkson and Kim Dio-
BRINGING XC BACK rio replaced former Assistant Principals Doug Walker and
Katya Villalobos. Berkson, previously Dean of Students
Paly’s cross country team and a Teacher on Special Assignment, took over Walker’s

looks forward to a promising position after the veteran Paly administrator retired last
season after a successful first year. Berkson is now an assistant principal in charge of
season. PAGE A11 discipline, attendance, athletics, extra-curricular activities
and facilities.
Diorio transferred from her guidance counselor posi-
VIKING FOOTBALL tion at Gunn High School to become an assistant principal
in charge of guidance, curriculum and instruction. She is

GROWING STRONG also in charge of support programs and services such as

the Academic Resource Center, the College and Career
Paly boys debut to mixed Center, Study Skills and Advancement via Individual
results, but look forward Determination.
to a talented team and Diorio’s main goal in her new role this year is to
promising season. PAGE A12 familiarize herself with students.
“I can’t wait to start meeting students and getting to
know them,” Diorio said.
FEATURES Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile Other new administrators in the Guidance Department
Students walk through an improved quad. These changes, along with changes to the parking lot and other landscaping
improvements, are part of a plan to beautify the Paly campus. For more on Paly beautification, see page A2.
NIFTY THRIFTY
See ADMINISTRATION, Page A3

STORES Administration attempts to “Dirty dancing” leads to stricter dance policy

The Campanile’’s guide to
the best thrift stores in the
reduce student truancy Breathalyzers may be bought to curb teen drinking at dances
Bay Area. PAGE B3 By Mira Parekh now, consequences would be much By Alan Chen fortable chaperoning a dance due to the
Staff Writer worse.” Staff Writer sexually explicit dancing,” McEvoy
THAI MARTIAL ART Some students are under the
The new Palo Alto High School impression that the administration is The Palo Alto High School ad-
said. “This is a problem.”
To further discourage question-
Once unheard of, the martial Administration has begun strict en- making the attendance policy rules ministration recently implemented a able dancing, Berkson and adminis-
art Muay Thai is finding a forcement of the attendance policy stricter to target lenient teachers and stricter dance policy. Additionally it trators are also considering buying
place among the Paly with the arrival of the new principal students. is considering buying breathalyzers alcohol detecting devices, such as
community. PAGE B6 Dr. Jacqueline McEvoy. “Some of my teachers mentioned to be used at school events. breathalyzers. Berkson said the sen-
The policy will include more that with the new policy, teachers can According to Principal Jacque- sors can be used actively or passively.
severe consequences and will now no longer be lenient with students,” line McEvoy and Assistant Principal The sensor has a powerful fan that
A&E drop students after five cuts with an junior Jean Kim said. Jerry Berkson, the administration pulls in the abuser’s breath and can
“F” on their transcript. Other teachers however, did feels that past school dances have not test for alcohol levels or can be used
There will not get this sense been “school appropriate.” The new as a regular breathalyzer.
AN AUTHENTIC TASTE also be a maxi- “Some of my teachers men-
mum limit of 48 tioned that with the new
from the policy.
Paly English
dance policy aims to prevent “sexually
explicit” dance and mandates that all
Although the chances of pur-
chasing the sensors are fairly high,

OF ITALY hours to clear a policy, teachers can no longer teacher Kindell

Italian restaurant Vero,
brings a piece of Italy to
Bryant Street. PAGE B12
INDEX
News...........................A1-A3
Opinion............A4-A5, A8-A9
Spotlight.....................A6-A7
Sports.....................A10-A12
Lifestyles...........................B1
, me with a cut when I was really in now receive an “F” on their transcript
Features.......................B2-B7
A&E...........................B8-B14
cut. Previously, Launer feels that
students must dance face-to-face.
“We are legally responsible for
Berkson and the rest of the adminis-
tration are “still unsure” of the deci- Hannah McGovern/The Campanile
One potential change in the policy
parents could call be lenient with students.” the administra- the environment at dances,” McEvoy sion. Even though the administration
will be the use of breathalyzers
weeks after a cut Jean Kim tion is simply fol- said. feels strongly about the policies, the
and a face-to-face dance policy.
was recorded and junior lowing up on the To further protect the environment students’ reactions to them are all of
still be able to Paly attendance of schoolwide dances from becoming shock. how we [students] will find some sort
excuse it. policy. “sexually explicit,” the administration “The new dance policy epitomiz- of way around it,” junior Aila Ferguson
Many students were notified “We talked about the attendance has strengthened its enforcement of es the general overreaction of the new said. “Also, I think that it will make
by their teachers on the first day of policy at some of the staff meetings,” old dance policies, which require administration to Paly culture,” Paly less people go to dances.”
school about the stricter policies, and Launer said. “The administration wearing school appropriate clothing, senior Andrew Nizamian said. “The But, Berkson said he feels that
some feel that it is an unnecessary simply seemed to want to revisit the maintaining courteous behavior and collective naiveté of the freshmen par- these adjustments will increase student
and potentially harmful move by the policy.” not consuming alcohol. ent chaperones didn’t exactly aid the participation as many are opposed
administration. In addition, the administration needlessly restrictive policy.” to the drunk atmosphere at many
The biggest change made to the
“A lot of teachers have marked policy is the fact that students will has recruited more chaperones. Despite the administration’s dances.
However, chaperones have been in efforts to control the dance environ- “At Hillsdale High School, they
class, and I wouldn’t realize I had a for that class if a student is dropped short supply. ments, many students have doubts. had the same problem we do,” Berkson
cut in the class until later on,” junior “I’ve gotten many direct com- “I think that the administration said. “Now no one drinks and everyone
Erik Klingbeil said. “If this happened See ATTENDANCE, Page A3 plaints from parents who feel uncom- will try limiting our dancing and some- has a great time.”
A2 • October 1, 2007 News The Campanile

NEWSBRIEFS Paly beautification moves forward By Jillian Liu

Staff Writer
District vetoes third Palo The Palo Alto High School cam-
Alto high school option pus has undergone major landscaping
renovations in an attempt to beautify
The Palo Alto High School Task Force recently changed its school grounds.
mission to accommodate district expansion without building a Construction crews have already
new comprehensive high school, and will now focus on more created an “X-shaped walkway in one
specialized options. of the four lawns in the Quad and orna-
After the Planning Committee of the Task Force decided to mented the edges with white benches.
withhold the idea of building a third comprehensive high school, The administration plans to plant
the Task Force met to discuss alternate choices. While a third high trees and other landscaping features
school was not entirely removed from the group’s possibilities, the along the edges of the pathway, as well
complexity, cost and time-frame necessary for such a plan make as name this area the Memorial Plaza.
it illogical with the Task Force’s schedule and mission, Assistant “Those efforts should begin by
Superintendent of the Palo Alto Unified School District Scott October,” Assistant Principal Chuck
Laurence said. Merritt said.
“The Planning Team effectively came up with the recom- The Memorial Plaza is dedicated
mendation for the school board, that [building a third high school] to two people: former physics teacher
doesn’t make sense because it is complicated, expensive and too Andrea Erzberger and Sherwood Hoogs,
far ahead to use the resources,” Laurence said at the group’s meet- a 1944 Paly alumnus and father of cur-
ing on September 19. rent Paly economics teacher Deborah
PAUSD superintendent Kevin Skelly agreed with the decision Whitson.
to remove discussions of a third comprehensive high school from The Parent Teacher Student Asso-
the committee’s immediate agenda. However, there is agreement ciation is largely responsible for funding
in the need to address the projected increase in student numbers. and running Paly’s beautification project.
“If each school increased by 280 kids, we would need 20 Other contributors include Paly Class
new full-time teachers, five full-time classified support personnel of 2007 and the friends and family of
and enough Special Education support for 56 students,” Laurence Hoogs. Elizabeth Petit/The Campanilie
said. “The project is largely a labor of
love,” secretary to the Principal Carolyn
Paly students enjoy the Mediterranean-style benches on the quad during lunch. The Parent Teacher
Another concern is cost. According to High School Task Force
reports, it would take an estimated $12,988,182 to increase both Benfield said. Student Association along with the Class of 2007 donated funds for the new benches in the quad.
Gunn and Paly to each accommodate 2200 students, and $24,142,306 Once landscaping is finished, of these new campus additions, student “They’re convenient,” senior Win- “Ten percent of the parking permits
to construct a new facility with capacities for 500 students. plaques will also be added. opinions of the campus beautification nie Ding said. “Now we don’t have to are set aside for the purpose of beautify-
Although growth in the district appears low when looking The garden in front of the English differ. Some have not even noticed the worry about sitting in sprinkler-muddied ing the campus,” Merritt said. “It seems
at individual years, the group recognizes that soon there will be Resource Center and library is another changes. grass.” logical and appropriate that car parking
hundreds more students in the district. According to Lapkoff and area that has already been targeted with “I never use [the walkway through Another possible addition to Paly’s fees help bike parking.”
Bogalet Demographic Research, Inc., total enrollments in the district beautification work. the Quad],” senior Jessica Lau said. “So campus is more bike racks. ASB Trea- There is also an ongoing tree project
by 2011 are expected to range from 11,048 to 12,404 students, up Merritt said that it was built around it doesn’t affect me at all.” surer Bowen Wang said that the ASB in the El Camino parking lot, as well as
from 10,814 in 2006. the existing olive trees, and filled with However, there are many students has $3,200 from parking permit fees a sustainable garden project south of the
“High school is such an exciting time in one’s life,” Skelly plants and flowers that follow a “Medi- who eat their lunch on the new benches that could potentially fund new bike soccer field that will also continue to the
said. “We are trying to make it more meaningful.” terranean” theme. Despite the benefits now. racks around school. beautification of the campus.
The committee will continue brainstorming and report the
results of surveys disseminated to students and parents about some
of their options at the next meeting on Oct. 3. James Franco makes Teen driving law enacted
—Sarah Stringer
surprise visit to Paly developed in a biological sense,”

Senate Bill 33
Spotlight Editor Simitian said. “But no matter
By Deborah Zhang Franco was voted “Best what the cause, these statistics
Student biking on campus to Business Manager Smile” in the ‘96 yearbook and
was on The Campanile while he
should not be ignored.”
Since the law only applies
Effective July 1, 2008, drivers
be more strictly controlled Actor and Palo Alto High
School alumnus James Franco,
attended Paly.
Franco rose to fame after
under 18 may not:
to Californians between the ages
of 15 and 18, many people are
who played Harry Osborn in starring in the televison movie skeptical as to whether or not it
The Palo Alto High School Administration recently decided
to increase its enforcement of the on campus biking policy.
the popular Spiderman triol- James Dean. He recently re-
turned to UCLA after a two-
-call on cell phones was necessary to make a spe-
ogy, visited Paly on Sept. 24 to cial law specifically for teens,
According to the Paly Handbook, “bike traffic across cam-
pus is prohibited from 7:45 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.– bicycles must be
observe classes. year hiatus to pursue acting. He -send text messages Simitian said.
“It was good for me to come visited Palo Alto for his creative
walked when on campus and may be ridden once you reach the back,” Franco said. thesis. -use PDAs “While the age difference
between a 16-year-old kid and
parking lot.” “I’m writing a novel placed
The administration revised the wording of this rule prior to
Franco arranged his sched-
ule with English teacher Kaye in Palo Alto,” Franco said. -use hands- free devices an 18-year-old kid is not big, 16-
the start of school in August. year-olds have been found to be
Paugh, who has kept in touch He has met with local histo- five times more likely to get into
Instead of simply issuing a verbal warning for breaking this with him since his graduation rians and the Palo Alto police.
rule, as was the case last year, the administration has announced By Tomer Schwartz Patrol that found cell phone a car crash than 18-year-olds,”
in 1996. “I came back to refamiliar- Editor in Chief use as the number one source Simitian said.
that it will begin giving more severe punishments for multiple “I appreciated his gracious- ize myself with the setting of my
transgressions. of distracted-driver accidents Even though Simitian and
ness, patience and willingness,” novel,” Franco said. Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneg- in California. his colleagues are confident
“For the first offense, we just warn the student,” Assistant Prin- Paugh said. “He was very ex- Franco also plans to direct
cipal Jerry Berkson said. “If it happens again, two or three more ger signed a bill on Sept. 13 Simitian decided to write that the bill will be safe and
cited to see Paly’s programs.” Red Leaves, a movie about a outlawing the use of cell phones, SB 33 while he conducted re- beneficial, some Palo Alto
times, we’ll write their name down and it becomes defiance.” Franco visited theatre class- Native Americans and is star-
Repercussions for repeated offenses of this policy could be text messaging, PDAs and all search for his first cell phone High School students are less
es, English classes and the ring in the 2008 film Pineapple hands-free devices by California bill. enthusiastic.
as severe as several hours of in-school community service for the journalism publications. Express.
student and the violation could appear on the student’s permanent drivers under the age of 18. “When I worked on the “Since students still speed
“It was great to have an ac- “Overall, visiting Paly was The current bill, also known hands-free bill in 2006, I came with the risk of paying high fines
disciplinary record. tor speak to us,” junior and Film a great experience,” Franco
Paly’s campus supervisors decided to change the policy as Senate Bill 33, will go into ef- across data which indicated to on speeding tickets, the low fines
student Jennifer Jansen said. said. fect on Jul. 1, 2008, the same date me that there was a specific posed by this law will not cause
because they felt that students biking on campus was becoming
a serious issue. as SB 1613, which will force all problem with teenage driving many minors to stop talking on
“There are just too many people riding around at high speeds,” adults to use hands-free devices and cellular phones,” Simitian their cell phones while driving,”
Campus Supervisor Scott Reese said. “We have teachers and kids when talking on their cell phones said. senior Laurence Varda said.
getting run into and students are being knocked off their bikes.” behind the wheel. According to the National Overall, Simitian wants
The administration hopes that by strictly enforcing the no SB 1613 was passed in Safety Council, motor vehicle people to remember that while
biking rule, accidents will be prevented. Sept. 2006. crashes are the leading cause there are many petty details
“The bottom line is that it’s a safety issue,” Berkson said. “A Senator Joseph Simitian of teen fatalities, accounting for involved with SB 33, driving
lot of students think we’re nuts but it only takes one student getting (D-Palo Alto) is the main author 44 percent of teen deaths in the is a matter of life and death
hurt for it to become a real issue.” of both of these bills, and had United States. and should be taken seriously
a plain motivation for writing Simitian also cited a report regardless.
both of them. that claims 16-year-old drivers “Teens should remember
—Peter Lee “I wrote the bills because are 10 times more likely to get that they pose a risk to not only
Editor in Chief I thought that they would save into car crashes than adults. themselves, but to all of the
lives,” Simitian said. “It’s not clear whether the drivers on the California roads,”
Hannah McGovern/The Campanile

upcoming
Simitian cites many studies cause of the crashes is the inex- Simitian said. “So the fewer
Actor James Franco speaks to students in Kaye Paugh’s Film to back up his case, including perience of these new drivers, or distractions they have to deal

events New rules aim to stop socializing in MRC

class. Franco also observed a theater class and met with Verde. one by the California Highway that these kids are not yet fully with, the safer our highways.”

• October 12: No School By Auster Chen
Staff Writer
Students get the day off, while teachers work
during a district wide staff development day. Math Department Instructional
Supervisor Radu Toma recently imple-
mented a new rule intended to prevent
• October 15: College Fair students from socializing in the Math
Students and parents are invited to attend the Resource Center, citing the noise level
college fair in the large and small gyms.
of students and the limited space as
the reasons for the creation of the new
policy.
• October 20: PSAT “People have to realize that it is
Juniors will wake up bright and early for their impossible to work with loud noises
when there are 16 teachers and over 20
PSAT on Saturday morning in the library. teachers’ assistants, a third of whom
are here at any time, trying to finish
• October 26: Quarter Ends preparing for their classes,” Toma said.
Some Paly students also noticed
Students should prepare themselves for the the increased noise affecting the work
quarter grades which will be sent home. environment in the MRC.
“A group of students was asked to The MRC currently has four tables “This year, because of the new rules,
leave the MRC at the beginning of with chairs to accommodate all math it (MRC) isn’t as messy,” math teacher
Suzanne Antink said. “Last year, it
this school year because of the level of needs.
took me hours of every day to clean up
noise,” senior David Woo said. Teachers’ assistants have first
Not only is the MRC trying to main- priority to the limited number of seats tables, pick up stuff, throw away food
tain low noise levels for the students because the MRC was designed for and wash the tables.”
who need help, but a new teachers studying math, Toma said. Toma also cited eating in the MRC
as a problem.
office was “More than
built near the one teacher “At one point, there were up to a
“I feel for the people who were asked
front door this mentioned that hundred people in the MRC, making
year to accom-
to leave, but I feel much more for the they do not loud noises and messes, turning the
modate more people who need help.” want to work MRC into a club room,” Toma said.
teachers. Radu Toma in an uncom- Some students disapproved of the
“The main Math Instructional Supervisor fortable envi- new MRC policy, Toma said. The sign
problem is that ronment with reading “MRC is a quiet study place”
there aren’t loud noises,” has been torn down several times.
enough desk spaces for those students Toma said. “It prevents the teachers “I feel for the people who were
who really need math tutors,” Toma from preparing for their next classes.” asked to leave, but I feel much more
said. “The students who require the However, some have benefited from for the people who need help,” Toma
most help aren’t getting it.” the new rules. said.
The Campanile News October 1, 2007 • A3

ASB begins preparations for upcoming Spirit Week

By Danielle Kim
Editor in Chief

After finishing up the annual Welcome Back Dance,

Palo Alto High School’s Student Council has kicked into
full gear for this year’s Spirit Week and Homecoming
Dance.
“The goal this fall is to have an awesome Spirit Week
that increases the happy atmosphere at Paly,” Associated
Student Body President Mohammad Abid said. “Hope-
fully all the events will run smoothly and everyone will
have fun.”
Spirit Week, which will take place during the week
of Oct. 29th, traditionally features school activities in
which classes compete against each other before uniting
the entire school together for the Homecoming football
game and dance.
“It’s great to start the year with Spirit Week because
it always builds cohesiveness between students,” Junior
Class President Erik Klingbeil said.
As always, Spirit Week will include dress-up days,
rallies, games and float-building.
However, Student Council has made a few changes
to the school tradition.
For example, rather than voting on just a Homecom-
ing King and Queen as in past years, classes will decide
on an entire Homecoming Court.
“We are trying out new things by expanding our re-
sources,” Abid said. “We want to have one or two more
days in the big gym to accommodate more people.” Elizabeth Petit/ The Campanile
Similar to last year, scores will be posted on the Student Council plans activities for the upcoming year, such as Spirit Week, dances, and football games. The newly-elected Student Council’s
ASB website, asb.paly.net as well as voice.paly.net, and goals include increased communication with students and continued improvements to the Student Center, including a fixed LCD monitor.
will follow a new rubric recently made part of the ASB
Constitution. Although Student Council has met only once with Dr. Looking to improve communication with the student Student Council said it would like to establish a Paly
“The point system is laid out explicitly to prevent McEvoy, both plan to develop the relationship. body, Student Council will continue to develop the ASB Link Crew that welcomes each year’s incoming freshmen
arguments or unfairness,” Klingbeil said. “In terms of “I would characterize our relationship with the prin- Web site and fix the LCD monitor in the Student Center. class, similar to Gunn High School’s Link Crew. However,
actual scoring, however, the only change is that the Spirit cipal as a friendly but growing one,” Abid said. “We hope “The computer that fed into the monitor crashed last with Spirit Week fast approaching, Student Council mem-
Dances are now worth an additional 250 points.” she integrates us into her regular schedule and talks to us year,” ASB Tech Communications Officer Jon Shan said. bers plan to develop that idea later in the year.
Though Student Council is currently focused mainly about student matters.” “Paly teacher Scott Friedland is donating one, so we’re “After Spirit Week, we can really sit down and think
on Spirit Week, they have also begun work on a few other McEvoy is equally eager to discuss policies and other hoping that we can set that up soon.” about the rest of the year,” Student Activities Director Alli-
projects. student-related subjects with Student Council. Student Council also hopes that improved relation- son Mullins said. “That’s when we’ll establish committees,
“We really want to set up a monthly meeting with “We need to work together to make sure we’re on ships with student publications will prevent communica- begin projects and structure the rest of the year.”
the new principal, Dr. McEvoy,” Klingbeil said. “We the same page and that the students and I understand tion barriers. Regardless, the 2007-08 Student Council hopes to
would like to increase understanding between students each other,” McEvoy said. “I believe student voices “When we have good relations with student publica- have a lasting impact on Paly.
and Dr. McEvoy by having more meetings and addressing should be heard and student leadership is the voice of tions and students, it’s much easier to communicate ideas “We’ll definitely come up with something that will
specific issues.” the students.” that we have,” Klingbeil said. be our legacy,” Abid said.

Paly Green Team cleans up around campus McEvoy expresses her

By Yvonne Lin
Staff Writer
Palo Alto High School’s Green
Team, formed this past year, plans to
execute a series of projects around
campus to make Paly more environ-
mentally friendly and “green.”
“The objective of the Green
Team is to implement practices that
have minimal environmental impact,”
Green Team leader Kenyon Scott
said.
The primary goal of the Green
Team is to increase recycling on cam-
pus. One recycling bin will be put into
every classroom to collect used paper,
bottles and cans, Scott said.
“Having one collection container
for recyclables has been shown to
increase the amount that people re-
cycle,” Scott said.
The Green Team also plans to
minimize Paly’s paper consumption.
Initial efforts include the delivery of
the daily bulletin to staff members
via e-mail, as opposed to copying
individual handouts.
“Paper copying is a shockingly
large percent of the school budget,”
English teacher Kevin Sharp said.
“I would say 99 percent of the items
could be done paperless.”
In addition, InFocus plans to air
segments informing students about
the benefits of “going green.”
“By working with the Associ-
ated Student Body, we hope to get
the word out that ‘Green is good’,”
Scott said.
Similarly, students are encour-
aged to view and print school assign-
ments posted online.
“It is good that we are using less
paper,” junior Sasha Targ said. “The
budget can instead go to buying other
school supplies.”
Sharp, who posts all assignments
online, favors the new approach of
minimizing paper use.
“Students can print assignments
out or just read them online,” Sharp
Paly Green Team promotes recycling and electronic assignments by
requesting teachers to use electronic assignments rather than paper.
said. “The system worked fine last
year in my classes.”
Paly math teacher Kathy Him-
melberger said she would rather hand
out physical copies of assignments to
her class than to use online ones.
“I am a visual learner,” Him-
melberger said. “Having papers in
Allie Bollella/The Campanile
my hand to write on helps me and my
students learn.”
Other goals of the Green Team
include reducing the amount of trash
Paly generates, as well as conducting
an energy audit to determine how Paly
can more efficiently and economically
use energy.
concerns about Paly
MCEVOY, need to be addressed this body. I also believe that
Continued from A1 academic year? we need to address the
JM: I wouldn’t call social and behavioral
everything we can to them “problems.” Paly education of students as
provide students and has done a great job at well as their academic
their parents with insight identifying its issues education.
into the choices they and working on them TC: How will you
are making and then continuously. One of the be meeting with student
make sure we are doing major projects for this groups?
everything we can to year is putting together JM: I would like to
provide the structures a new strategic plan for meet with the Student
and support necessary Paly for the next six Council on a regular
for students to achieve years as a component of basis and I’m trying
their goals. For example, the school’s accredita- to set that up now. Site
if the college application tion process. Council also serves as
process is an issue that TC: How do your an important advisory
is causing stress, let’s policies reflect your group to the principal
make sure we have all concern for student and includes students.
the support available in needs? The student publications
place so that the process JM: I’m strongly on the Paly campus are
is clear and straightfor- student-centered, but incredible and serve as
ward and becomes more that includes balancing one of the student voices
“routine” for students. the individual needs of so I hope to be hold-
TC: Do you see any students with the needs ing press conferences

E-books offers enhanced electronic experience

problems at Paly that of the entire student regularly.

By Julia Shapiro
Senior Staff Writer
The History and Social Studies Department also has 100 paper copies
of the psychology textbook, allowing students to trade in their e-books for
Staff enforces a harsher
attendance policy
regular textbooks.
Palo Alto High School’s Advanced Placement Psychology classes have Senior Melanie Paulson is one of the 25 students who decided not to use
switched from paper textbooks to electronic online books for the current the e-book.
school year. “I have dial-up at home, so it’s too hard to connect to the Internet,” ATTENDANCE, Continued from A1 Teachers will now receive a
Also known as e-books, these new additions are the online equivalent of Paulson said. “I don’t think I would have liked using the e-book anyways. list of all the students who had cut
standard textbooks, with features such as online quizzes and flashcards. It’s easier for me to take notes out of the textbook because it’s more portable for truancy. their class at the end of each day as a
The e-book also allows students to take notes on the material. and reliable.” McEvoy said that the reason for confirmation.
“I was intrigued by the tools available for the students with the e-books,” Many of the Paly students who decided to use paper textbooks had similar adding the consequence of an “F” on “The consequences mirror those
AP Psychology teacher Kathie Laurence said. “And they cost about half as problems to Paulson’s. the transcript is simply to make sure of college and real life,” McEvoy said.
much as the hardcover version of the textbook.” “You have to have fairly reliable Internet access and some people find that students receive a proportional “Part of [the consequence] is also to
Although AP Psychology e-books are more economically beneficial to reading from a computer screen uncomfortable,” Laurence said. punishment. make sure that students are not getting
the school than regular textbooks, e-books offered in other subjects may not One advantage of using e-books is that it helps conserve paper and save However, the current Palo Alto out of class not by default, but by the
have this advantage. the already worsening environment. High School Handbook states the proper way.”
Most e-books cost less than paper textbooks; however the subscriptions “Less paper saves resources and reduces amounts of pollution caused exact same policy as last year’s It has yet to be determined
for them do not always last as long as the textbooks do. in the process of paper production, textbook production, distribution of text- handbook. whether the administration will be ca-
“In general, I love the idea of e-books,” Assistant Principal Chuck Merritt books and the ultimate disposal and recycling of out of date textbooks,” AP This pable of strictly
said. “However, until there are more publishers offering them, the cost will Environmental Science teacher Kenyon Scott said. year’s hand- enforcing the
be in flux because the industry is in flux.” Merritt said he took the environmental aspect into account when order- book also
“I support any policy school teachers attendance pol-
Senior Anabell Cervantes is one of 135 AP Psychology students using ing the psychology e-books. However, the cost of e-books mainly influenced states that have as long as they make sure icy, or whether
e-books this year. his decision. “each teacher they establish it and are consistent.” it will really
“I think it’s a good idea because it saves paper, but it’s harder for me to After observing the success of e-books in AP Psychology this year, Mer- will establish prove as an ef-
read from a computer screen than an actual book,” Cervantes said. “There are ritt may look into ordering e-books for other courses as soon as he sees more consequences Jacqueline McEvoy fective mea-
also a lot more distractions when you’re online.” cost-friendly opportunities and the industry becomes more stable. for tardies Principal sure in dealing
that are ap- with student

New administration assists lacking departments propriate for

ADMINISTRATION, Continued from A1
include Counselor Kerry Smith, Teacher Advisor
(T.A.) Program Coordinator Anne Deggelman and
College Advisor Alice Erber. New administrators
Karla Larson and Ernesto Cruz were hired for the
Attendance and Campus Security Departments,
respectively. Administrators hope that the increase
in staff will help serve students better by offering
more information.
Seventeen other teachers, including four Eng-
lish teachers and five Special Education teachers,
have been hired throughout the school depart-
ments due to increased enrollment, according to
McEvoy.
“This staff is passionate about what they do,”
McEvoy said. “My interactions [with them] have
been extremely positive.”
his or her class.”
truancy.
However there seems to be a
McEvoy supports this aspect general outcry from the students,
of the policy, citing consistancy as while teachers seem to be in agree-
important. ment with the administrations attempt
“I support any policy teachers to crack down.
have as long as they make sure they “It’s Paly policy.” Launer said.
establish it and are consistent,” McE- “And frankly the administration
voy said. should do its job.”

A4 October 1, 2007

Opinion The Campanile

Letters to the editor

E-mail all letters to the editor to
theeds08@googlegroups.com
Editorials
The opinion of The Campanile

Paly students express mixed introduce herself. The interview she gave on InFocus

Enforcement of dance
also was fascinating. I really look forward to getting
feelings about dance policy to know her, and I hope she will feel welcome at Paly
–– Sophomore Zareen Ahmad
We would like to express our staunch support of the re-

policy inappropriate
cently unveiled dance policy. This new school legislation is
necessary to ensure that the safety and purity of all students Language classes fail to
is maintained. The pre-dance misdemeanors that students
engage in are inappropriate, not to mention unlawful. Thus,
adequately prepare students
the prohibition of freaking and drinking is well-advised.
–– Sophomores Sophie Bifrar, We have been taking a language at Paly for two
Malaika Drebin, years now, and we still feel as though we could not apply
Gracie Dulik it properly. We do not believe we would be able to survive Offensive comments by chaperones expose problems
in France after “learning” French here.
We are interested in the new dance policies. We feel We believe there is a fundamental problem with the in execution of administration’s new dance policy
that they are unwanted and unneeded. By adding these new method by which French is taught. The school attempts
policies, we think fewer people will go and it will be less to use a combination of immersive and logical methods,
fun. We would like to hear how other people feel about and it fails at both. We and our fellow students recom-
The Campanile believes that the Few, if any, students knew of Lastly, while The Campanile
the policies. Also, we would like to know why the new mend a more immersive program. The teachers may
new Palo Alto High School admin- the new policy prior the dance. Even agrees that school dances should be
rules are being enforced and how they plan on stopping be competent, but without a well-designed, immersive
istration created, implemented and Student Council, whose responsibili- held in an alcohol-free environment,
freaking since almost everyone freaks at the dances. curriculum, they cannot teach properly. Students taking
enforced its stricter dance policy in ties include hosting school dances, the administration has gone too
–– Sophomores Scott Witte, languages in college will be ill-prepared.
an inappropriate manner. remained unaware of the alteration far by considering the purchase of
Ashkaan Khatakotan, We call upon the administration and the World Lan-
The administration failed to in policy. breathalyzers.
Wyatt Shaw guages Department here at Paly to work together with
communicate with the Paly student Moreover, the administrator’s In the past, law enforcement
students and completely revise the program.
body during the drafting phase of enforcement of the new policy at the officials have always been present at
We would like to express a few comments and con- –– Sophomores Jordan Brown,
the new rules. dance was, at best, inappropriate. school dances, and the job of prevent-
cerns regarding the new dance policy. People are going to Alex Heurta
Students were never asked about Administrators referred to stu- ing underage drinking should remain
do what they want before the dance, so do not spend our their opinions of what constitutes dents with derogatory terms and in their hands.
school money on pointless policies. We feel as though our “inappropriate dancing” at school more than one set of dance partners The Palo Alto Police Department
first-amendment rights are violated when the administration Students should receive free dances. were told that if they wanted “to have already equips police officers with
takes away our freedom of expression through dancing.
–– Sophomores Maeve Stewart, admission to football games Ironically, this lack of student
input during the creation phase of the
sex,” they should “do it somewhere
else.”
breathalyzers, so the school should not
waste thousands of dollars that could
Emily Fowler, new policy resulted in the failure of Such offensive language puts the be better spent on other student needs
Hana Kajimura the administration to address the com- new administration on shaky footing such as textbooks or other classroom
As strong supporters of Paly athletics, we feel it is mon student belief that “face-to-face” with the student population and is materials.
Students offer greetings unfair that students are required to pay to attend football dancing is oftentimes much more certainly not conducive to the “safe While The Campanile commends
games. Although we understand that the football team sexually explicit than traditional, environment” that the administration the administration for its efforts
to Paly’s new principal requires significant funding, we feel it is unfair that, “front-to-back” freaking. is attempting to provide for the dances to make the school dances a more
as students, we have to pay to support our classmates. Since the dances are put on for with this new policy. friendly environment, the administra-
I would just like to take a moment to welcome Therefore, we propose that ASB cardholders should be students, the administration may see a While parents and teachers may tion needs to consult the student body
Ms. McEvoy to our school. She already seems to be admitted to football games for free. dramatic decrease in dance attendance feel uncomfortable about chaperon- before it makes such drastic policy
a more personal principal. I was very impressed with –– Sophomores Cassie Prioleau, if the students’ desires are not met, or ing at a dance in which students are changes and to inform students of such
how she came into our fourth-period classroom to Oana Enache at least addressed. dancing explicitly, Paly students changes in an appropriate fashion once
Furthermore, the lack of dialogue certainly feel uncomfortable when they are implemented.
between the administration and the they are spoken to in such a demean- Lastly, in order to clean up the
student body regarding the new dance ing manner. mess that they created with the first
Please note: The Campanile only publishes signed policy once it was created resulted Many students said they might dance, The Campanile believes that
letters to the editor. Please sign all comments addressed in most students being surprised at have been more receptive to the McEvoy and the new administration
to The Campanile. the Welcome Back Dance, the first new policy if they been aware of it should issue a public apology to the
dance of the year, when they were beforehand, or if the new policy had student body for anything offensive
informed that they “can’t dance like been enforced in a more courteous, that they may have said while trying
that anymore.” respectful manner. to enforce the new policy.

The Campanile
Editors in Chief
Tyler Blake • Danielle Kim • Peter Lee
McEvoy needs more
interaction with students
Ryan Pfleiderer • Mia Pond • Tomer Schwartz

News Editor Lifestyles Editor Opinion Editor

Rebecca Allen Kairen Wong Chris Clayton

Features Editors A & E Editors Sports Editors McEvoy should engage in more personal contact
Henry Becker Sara Reihani Alexi Dagan
Amy Stringer Austin Smith Sam Jones
with students to understand thoughts on new policies
Photo Manager Spotlight Editor Although Palo Alto High School’s McEvoy previously served as that they deem excessive, useless
Hannah McGovern Sarah Stringer new principal, Dr. Jacqueline McEvoy, principal of San Mateo High School, and unfair.
has already implemented numerous a school vastly different from Paly Despite the fact that Student
Business Managers Advertising Manager policy changes during the first five in numerous aspects ranging from its Council represents the voice of the
weeks of the school year, she has failed ethnic breakdown to its athletics to its rest of the student body, McEvoy did
Geng Wang • Deborah Zhang Erik Krasner-Karpen
to create dialogue between the school academic culture. not meet with the organization until
Staff Writers administrators and the student body.
The Campanile believes that
Certain policies or administrative
techniques that worked well in San
the eighth day of the school year, far
too late.
Nanor Balabanian Rye Druzin Laura Kurtz Annie Vought McEvoy should immediately establish Mateo may not work as well here in This meeting came long after the
Catherine Benson Christian Gallagher Yvonne Lin Anna Waldron lines of communication with as many Palo Alto. administration revised or revisited
Yelly Bitton Alex Greene Jillian Liu Crystal Wang Paly students as possible. While McEvoy asserts that the its dance, attendance and other such
While she has dropped in and out Paly faculty and student body may policies.
Becca Byler Chris Gonnerman Josh Lo Cassie Wedemeyer
of a few classes, actual conversations simply need to adjust to her admin- If McEvoy had consulted the stu-
Hannah Bystritsky Gabrielle Hadley Ryan McLeod Allison Whitson between students and herself only took istrative style, she needs to attempt to dent body, or even its representatives
Alan Chen Michael Hamada Mira Parekh Elliot Wilson place in the advanced and beginning adapt as well and meet the students in Student Council, before finalizing
Auster Chen Zach Harris Jonathan Shan Nolan Wong journalism classes. halfway. her changes to such rules, perhaps
The majority of Paly students McEvoy needs to learn how Paly such altered policies could have
Alan Chu Kevin Harvey Julia Shapiro Lindsay Yang
have yet to put a name with a face and students think, and the only way to do been better tailored to fit the needs
Allison Coleman DJ Hsueh Kelley Shin Gloria Yu many Paly students do not even know that is to communicate with as many of students’ and therefore garnered
Zal Dordi Mikaela Kenrick Pauline Slakey Kelly Zhou the name of the new principal. of them as possible on a personal a more positive reception when they
Although an honorable effort, level. were introduced.
Photographers McEvoy’s interview with InFocus, Furthermore, creating dialogue Creating rules that both students
Mika Ben-Shaul • Julia Benton • Allie Bollella • Michela Fossati-Bellani which aired on Sept. 24, was not with students will help McEvoy create and administrators can agree upon
seen by many students either because administrative policies that coincide is obviously advantageous for all
Stacy Levichev • Elizabeth Petit • Morgan Pichinson of technical difficulties or because with students’ needs, concerns and members of the Paly community, and
students did not have a fourth-period desires. would facilitate the administration’s
Design Editor class.
While The Campanile does not
So far, the new administration has
received a largely negative response
attempts to enforce those mutually
agreeable rules.
Erik Krasner-Karpen blame McEvoy for this particular from students, and even from some By speaking with as many stu-
incident, McEvoy needs to connect teachers, regarding its recent slew of dents as possible, McEvoy will be
Adviser with as many Paly students as she can policy changes. able to make well-informed, beneficial
Esther Wojcicki for numerous reasons. By better communicating with policy decisions.
First, creating lines of communi- students and staff, McEvoy can The Campanile believes this in-
The Campanile is published by and for the students of Palo Alto High School. Unsigned editorials that appear in this publication represent both the majority opinion of
the editorial staff and The Campanile’s continuing commitment to the promotion of students’ rights. The Campanile welcomes and prints signed letters to the editors cation with more students will help her perhaps avoid forcing upon students creased communication will ease the
on a space-available basis. Letters may be edited to meet space requirements. quickly adjust to Paly’s culture. a plethora of new rules and policies new principal’s transition to Paly.
 Opinion
The Campanile October 1, 2007 A5 •

Republicans attempt to grab votes

New ballot initiative would split California’s votes by districts, violate Constitution
By Chris Clayton
Opinion Editor
Recently, the Republican Party
in California introduced a ballot ini-
tiative to be voted on by the general
population, with the intention of di-
viding up California’s electoral votes
by congressional districts, granting
only two votes to the winner of the
state-wide popular vote. Currently,
California grants all 55 electoral
votes to the winner of the California
popular vote.
While the professed idea behind
this initiative –– the virtual negation
of the Electoral College, as it concerns
California –– would benefit the na-
tion, this is not the true intention of
the GOP.
The actual motives of the GOP
in creating this initiative are far
less beneficial to the nation. To the
contrary, it benefits solely the GOP.
Moreover, the initiative is blatantly
unconstitutional.
Many people will be inclined to
vote for this initiative due to its nega-
tion of the Electoral College; however,
such cannot be the true purpose of the
GOP for several reasons.
If the GOP truly cared about “dis-
banding” the Electoral College, then
they would have introduced initiatives
similar to this one in Republican-
dominated states such as Texas and
Tennessee. However, Republicans in
those respective state legislatures have
never proposed initiatives such as the
one proposed in California.
If the GOP actually wished to ne-
gate the current effects of the Electoral
College on the presidential election,
the GOP would have used its congres-
sional majority, in addition to the from California’s political trend of benefit the country, but only if cre-
presence of a Republican president, close to half the state supporting the ated under different circumstances,
to pass legislation to that effect. Al- Republican Party. when all of the states would have the George W. Bush (36)
ternatively, the GOP could have even If passed, the GOP will enjoy a chance to put the Electoral College
tried to remove the Electoral College severe political advantage during the out of commission. The Republicans John Kerry (22)
completely by means of a constitu- next presidential election, as they will have chosen an inappropriate manner
tional amendment. This would provide receive an amount of electoral votes by which to put forward this idea, but
the same benefits as this initiative roughly equivalent to those of Ohio, this negligence does not invalidate
–– presidential election via popular the swing-state that determined the the fact that the Electoral College is
vote, rather than via electoral votes 2004 presidential election, thereby an outdated, useless organization that
–– without the inherent consequences granting President George W. Bush must be changed.
of California’s initiative, which af- his reelection. The framers of the Constitution
fects just one state. Once again, no More importantly, this initiative is established the Electoral College for
such attempts have been made, nor strictly and blatantly unconstitutional. fear of granting the people, who at
even suggested, ArticleII,Section that time were often uneducated and
by Republicans Republicans have the opportunity 1 of the United uninformed about the issues of the
in Congress.
to beguile the people of California States Constitu- time, the power to directly govern. In
Lastly, Re- tion clearly states turn, they feared that by granting the
publicans just into voting for an unfair initia- that “each state people direct power to elect officials,
coincidentally tive through ambiguous initiative shall appoint, in they would again lead to electing
chose Califor- names and through the profession such manner as incompetent officials, and thus the
nia, the most the Legislature framers established the Electoral
of false motives.
populated state thereof may di- College. They believed that having
in the US, and rect, a number educated representatives of the general
consequently, that with the most of electors.” Thus, this popular refer- populace make informed decisions
electoral votes, all of which currently endum, with the intention of allowing regarding the leaders of the nation,
belong to Democrats, to first launch the general populace to determine the whose responsibilities include its
their initiative. nature of the electors’ appointments governance.
Furthermore, they coincidentally to the Electoral College, is strictly While the Electoral College per-
chose one of the few states which unconstitutional, as it oversteps the haps benefited the nation at the time,
California in the
holds popular referendums, in which explicit powers granted to the state when communication between the 2004 Presidential Election
the state legislature can be bypassed legislature under the Constitution. elected representatives and the general
in creating laws. Thus, Republicans Thus, even if this initiative was to populace took days, if not weeks, to
have the opportunity to beguile the pass, it would be immediately struck complete, the Electoral College serves A new initiative would split California’s 55 electoral votes among
people of California into voting for down by the first judicial court that no such purpose today. Now, one needs
an unfair initiative through ambigu- reviewed it, as the courts’ solemn, to simply read a newspaper or access
the two political parties, rather than having the winner take all.
ous initiative names and through the unchanging duty consists of denying the Internet to discover the outcome stay informed, this is no fault of the However, this Republican initia-
profession of false motives for the such unconstitutional measures, as of a vote or what the politicians in system, but of those ignorant persons tive, created with the intention of ef-
Republicans own gain. established by Marbury v. Madison Washington are doing. who will not take advantage of wide- fectively stealing votes from the next
This initiative must be discredited over 200 years ago. In an age of public education and spread information. presidential candidate for the Demo-
as little more than a political ploy, Such an initiative as this one, the Internet, one simply cannot assert Therefore, such an initiative, if cratic Party, must not be passed.
aimed at securing approximately 20 with the intention of negating the that the majority of the population executed on a national scale, would It is neither created with logical
electoral votes for the GOP during influence of the Electoral College can not obtain information regarding be extremely beneficial for the United rationale nor through constitutional
the next Presidential election, judging on the presidential election, would current events. If they choose not to States. means.

Teacher advisor system presents glaring flaws

Guidance office, administration ill-equipped for teacher advisors’ unexpected leave
By Rye Druzin
Senior Staff Writer
Last year, Palo Alto High School teacher
Mike McNulty’s advisory classes were left
in a precarious state when he left for several
months. The administration, unprepared for the
crisis, scrambled to provide the advisees with
advice for their future college admissions.
Among those who had to assist in such
instruction were former Vice Principal Katya
Villalobos and registrar Suzie Brown. Dur-
ing the fourth quarter the advisory classes
were handed over to Natalie Simison, a math
teacher. This was her first time working as
a teacher advisor (T.A.). Simison tried her
best to adapt to her new position, although
she was unfamiliar with her advisees and the
advisory system.
The staff attempted to address the difficult
situation, and therefore deserves the students’
gratitude.
However, this situation exposed an inher-
ent weakness in the current advisory system.
Teacher advisors must be able to assist students
in navigating through the quagmire of the
college admissions process.
T.A.s need to remain constant through-
out the last three years of high school. By
one’s senior year, one’s T.A. should know
Teacher advisor Kaye Paugh shows materials handed out to advisees explaining
examinations such as the SAT I and II and possible post high school college plans.
a student well enough to write an accurate,
informative, and most of all, helpful letter of
recommendation.
In fact, T.A.s receive a free period during
which they can write letters of recommenda-
tion and strategize with advisees about the
college admissions process.
Mika Ben-Shaul/The Campanile
If T.A.s change, the students experience
a major disadvantage in the college admis-
sions process.
The new T.A. may not know as much
about each student as his or her previous T.A.
did. This change can also give teachers who
already have substantial work loads yet another
task, which can lead to tremendous stress both
for the teacher and the students.
The administration needs to be able to
ensure that the teachers who are becoming
T.A.s have the time and skill for the job. They
also need to be sure that there is a plan in place
if a T.A. leaves for any reason, whether it be
because they are changing schools, are sick
or are taking a leave of pregnancy.
When Ms. Simison assumed the re-
sponsibilities of Mr. McNulty’s advisory
classes, the administration tried its best to
fill the void. That type of situation had never
occurred before.
However, because advisors are so impor-
tant for college-bound juniors and seniors, the
administration should have shown more care
and cohesiveness. Instead, it showed a lack
of preparation and disorganization.
Though the administration tried to fix the
resultant problems, the new T.A. had insuf-
ficient time to form a personal relationship
with each student.
This relationship is a crucial component
of the T.A.s’ ability to appropriately advise
concerning the college admissions process
and providing accurate letters of recom-
mendation.
The staff of the guidance office deserve
the students’ gratitude for their valiant effort,
but students were neglected by the process. The
new administration will hopefully learn from
the experience and establish a comprehensive
plan in preparation for a future situation simi-
lar, but not limited to, this one.
There are many outstanding teacher
advisors, and they deserve much praise for
their contributions. They provide accurate
and meaningful letters of recommendation,
and help guide many students through the
complicated college admissions process. The
system has been effective for a long time, but
there are some important issues that need to be
addressed in order to make the system more
effective and efficient.
Teacher advisors should be allowed to
volunteer for the position, rather than be as-
signed the job at random. This would assure
that teachers who are highly motivated to
assume this position will do so. Teacher advi-
sors should be coached extensively on how to
handle their advisees, the college application
process and letters of recommendation when
they first receive the job. They should also be
kept up to date with the constantly changing
system of college applications.
The administration is obligated to assure
that the teacher advisory system is well pre-
pared and staffed to fulfill this crucial function
for the students at Palo Alto High School.

Verbatim: If you could start a club at

Paly, what would it be?

“Addicted to Face- “Sexy Club.” “Unblock MySpace “Xbox Club.” “I wish I could fly
book Club.” Club.” Club.”
—Ariel Wagner, ­—Zara Howard, —Ricky Minno, —Cory Valenti, —Felipe Winsberg,
senior junior freshman freshman senior
A6 • October 1, 2007
Julia Benton/The Campanile
Arlene Camm
Mika Ben-Shaul/The Campanile
Marta Covarrubias
Allie Bollella/The Campanile
Lily Donchik
Stacy Levichev/The Campanile
Jake Halas
Spotlight
Arlene Camm
If there is one thing new social studies teacher Arlene
Camm likes to do most, it is learning new things.
“I really love to learn,” Camm said. “If you take me to
a museum you better leave me alone for a while because
I’ll be reading everything and looking at every picture.”
Even the subjects that Camm teaches, A.P. Psychol-
ogy and U.S. History, reflect her love of learning and
understanding about the human behavior.
“Psychology is the core of understanding people,”
Camm said. “It motivates people to work together and
better understand each other.”
After graduating from high school in Virginia, Camm
earned her degree in Economics and Political Science
from Stanford University. She later returned to Stanford
to complete her graduate degree in Economics.
Before coming to Paly, she worked with a professor
in a research lab at Stanford. After working as a change
agent for seven years, she moved to Apple Computers.
Camm is also a mother of four, and has spent hours
working as a volunteer at her children’s schools, organizing
events with PTA board members and working at her local
church as the Sunday School Superintendent.
She is excited to be at Paly this year and cannot wait
to learn new things from her students.
“I can really learn to be a good teacher here at Paly,”
Camm said. “It is an excellent learning environment.”
—Nanor Balabanian
Staff Writer
Marta Covarrubias
Several years after graduating from Gunn High School,
Marta Covarrubias has returned to Palo Alto, this time
as a Spanish teacher at both Palo Alto High School and
Jordan Middle School.
“I love teaching because it is a truly noble profession in
which your sole purpose is to help young adults grow both
academically and as individuals,” Covarrubias said.
Before coming to Paly, Covarrubias worked in
Washington D.C. for The Self Reliance Foundation, a
non-profit organization. She worked on national phone
hotline, receiving calls from non-English speakers living
in the United States.
“I loved my work and the feeling I got from helping
people in need,” said Covarrubias. “But I really missed
the human contact, and got sick of talking on the phone
for eight hours a day.”
Covarrubias changed her career, and decided to
become a teacher.
She is currently teaching three Spanish 2 classes at
Paly, as well as teaching Spanish 1A at Jordan.
When Covarrubias is not teaching, she dances.
A Palo Alto native, Covarrubias went to Juana Briones,
JLS and Gunn, from which she graduated in 1999.
“I loved growing up in Palo Alto and it is such an
honor to be back in my community,” Covarrubias said.
—Allison Whitson
Staff Writer
Lily Donchik
Among the new arrivals to Palo Alto High School is
Special Education teacher Lily Donchik, who teaches a
variety of subjects, including Math and English, to students
with developmental disabilities.
After graduating from the University of California at
Santa Cruz, Donchik began teaching at schools in Oakland
and San Francisco.
“I feel it is very important for students to have access
to a good quality of life,” Donchik said. “All of my students
are so smart and funny. They simply need some support to
be viewed as valuable members of the school. It was not
Allie Bollella/The Campanile
Kirk Hinton
until college that I realized how important teaching is and
how it can impact social justices in an indirect way.”
Donchik also believes that there is more to her students
than society recognizes.
“People have these preconceived ideas and attitudes
towards what they think my students are like,” Donchik
said. “But in reality their biases are so ridiculous because
my students have so many different skills and are a lot
of fun too.”
When she is not busy teaching, Donchik enjoys
spending time with friends and hiking. Some of her
favorite television shows are “CSI,” “Entourage” and
“The Wire”.
—Pauline Slakey
Staff Writer
Jake Halas
Jake Halas, a recent addition to the Palo Alto High
School Special Education Department, is contributing
his experience and knowledge in both the classroom and
on the field.
Halas first became interested in teaching toward the
end of his college career.
“My mom was a teacher,” Halas said. “She was
probably my biggest influence in my decision to become
one.”
After college, Halas’ plan was to become a physical
education teacher. However, he began teaching special
education courses instead.
“At the first high school I applied to, and eventually
taught at, they were short special education teachers and
asked me to do it,” Halas said. “I loved it so much I just
decided to stick with it.”
Halas began his teaching career in Manhattan Beach
at Miracoasta High School.
Halas is currently an assistant football coach at
Paly.
“I am really happy about being able to both teach and
coach here,” Halas said. “I’ll probably be able to coach
football and baseball.”
During his teaching career, Halas has created a set of
philosophies that he uses in the classroom everyday.
“To teach special education you just have to be realistic
with the kids,” Halas said.
Halas tries to model his conduct for his students to
teach them good behavioral skills.
“My main goal is to teach them skills to help them
get through everyday life,” Halas said.
Halas said that his greatest passion is teaching, and
what he loves most about it is watching his students grow
and succeed throughout their high school careers.
—Kevin Harvey
Staff Writer
Kirk Hinton
Posters of Green Day, the Ramones, inspirational
quotes and Bill Gates’ 11 Rules to Life are some of the
items that cover Kirk Hinton’s classroom, but there is more
than meets the eye to this new English teacher.
Now in his fifth year teaching, Hinton, a former Navy
Seal, previously taught at Half Moon Bay High School and
in France for a year. In France, Hinton taught conversational
English to French students, where he taught them about
English and American culture and helped them improve
their English speaking skills.
Currently working on a master’s degree, Hinton has
little time between teaching and studying, but when he
has the time, he enjoys cooking and traveling, and is also
an avid paintballer.
Hinton said that he looks forward to teaching at Paly
because the students are motivated and want to learn.
Hannah McGovern/The Campanile
Heather Johanson
The Campanile
Hinton also thinks that it is important for students
to learn to think critically and to be able to express their
ideas clearly, which is what he hopes to teach his students.
However, he does not expect to be the only one teaching
in the classroom; he hopes that he will learn from his
students as well.
—Elizabeth Petit
Staff Writer
Heather Johanson
For Heather Johanson, Special Education is about
watching her students grow, mature and succeed.
“What I love most about my job is the kids,” Johan-
son said.
A veteran teacher, boasting 10 years of experience,
Johanson uses a structured approach to help students in the
special education program at Palo Alto High School.
“My teaching style involves a lot of organization
because it helps the students break down and understand
their assignments,” Johanson said.
Outside her teaching career, Johanson pursues her
love for art. Johanson concentrates mainly on sketches
and oil paintings. Although it is hard, Johanson tries to
incorporate art into her teaching, and uses her artistic
abilities to help students learn.
Johanson has only been a special education resource
specialist for three years, but she has already constructed
a specific approach to advocate support for her students
throughout their high school careers.
“I really focus on getting in touch with my students’
various teachers,” Johanson said. “I can better help the
students that way.”
Johanson’s interest in teaching was sparked while she
was volunteering in an after school program for students
when she was a senior in college.
“I was a little bit late in deciding a profession,”
Johanson said. “However, when I began working at this
program it just clicked.”
—Kevin Harvey
Staff Writer
Shawn Leonard
Despite being new to teaching, intern Shawn Leon-
ard has discovered that he fits right in at Palo Alto High
School. He is currently teaching Introduction to Chemistry
and Physics.
Leonard graduated from Paly in 1979. So far he has
greatly enjoyed being a teacher and finds gratification in
helping and guiding students.
“My whole goal is to prepare students to become good
citizens and productive adults,” Leonard said.
Although he loves teaching so far, he finds certain
aspects challenging.
“The biggest difficulties I face as a teacher are time
management, knowing when to transition during a lecture
and transitioning smoothly,” Leonard said.
While he encourages students to always put in their
best effort, Leonard understands that sometimes they don’t
perform to the best of their ability.
“I remember that I was not perfect as a student and
therefore I do not expect perfection from my students
either.” Leonard said.
The new science teacher is very family-oriented and
spends most of his free time with his wife and three chil-
dren. He is excited for the year’s progression and hopes
the students will find it to be not only educational but
entertaining as well.
“I think of myself as fun-loving,” Leonard said. “I
love to have fun especially in the classroom.”
—Pauline Slakey
Staff Writer
Mika Ben-Shaul/The Campanile
Shawn Leonard
The Campanile
Lisa Kim
Lisa Kim joined the Math Department this year and is
currently teaching Algebra 1, Geometry and Trigonometry/
Analytical Geometry A.
Kim was born in South Korea and moved to the
United States when she was 11 years old. She continued
her education in the United States and eventually gradu-
ated from the University of California at Davis.
“Learning the English language was very difficult,”
Kim said. “I despised reading and writing. So when I set
out to find a major, I turned to math.”
Kim previously taught at Babola High School in San
Francisco for seven years. She came to Paly because of
its great reputation and good academics.
“Students are much more academically motivated at
Paly,” Kim said. “I do not have to remind them why they
should be studying. Here that has already been done.”
Even though she loves her current career, Kim did
not decide to become a teacher until after graduating
from college.
“After I graduated from college, I realized I wanted to
give back to the church,” Kim said. “I taught Bible studies
at a mission and decided that teaching was my calling.”
Although it has taken her a bit of time and work to
adjust, she now feels at ease with Paly’s environment.
“I was a little worried at first, but after three weeks
I am very comfortable,” Kim said. “I am very attached
to my students.”
—Pauline Slakey
Staff Writer
Carina Stranos
Carina Stranos, previously the head visual arts
teacher at the Marin School of the Arts, is now teaching
yearbook and two sections of Art Spectrum at Palo Alto
High School.
Stranos earned a B.A. in art and followed up her col-
lege education with time in the Peace Corps. She lived
in a small village in Cameroon, Africa, where she taught
English and HIV education at a nearby school.
“I wanted to expand my world view and learn about
the reality of daily life for the majority of the people on
our planet,” Stranos said. “It is so vastly different than
our life in America.”
It was during this experience that Stranos became
interested in teaching. Stranos also wanted to contribute
to the world in a meaningful way and “felt that teaching
in a high need area of the world was a wonderful way to
do so.”
After the Peace Corps, Stranos took a year off to
around the world.
“I traveled through places like West Africa, India,
Nepal, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia,” Stra-
nos said.
Stranos happened to be in Cote D’Ivoire during a coup
d’etat and also survived malaria, which she contracted
while she was in Africa.
Outside of work, Stranos is also an artist and enjoys
making encaustic paintings in her free time.
—Allison Whitson
Staff Writer
Theresa McDermott
Theresa McDermott, Palo Alto High School’s new
Foods teacher, didn’t always teach cooking. McDermott
formerly taught sixth grade English at Terman and Jordan
Middle Schools.
However, her several years of experience in the
restaurant industry display her passion for cooking that
existed long before her teaching career took off.
Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile
Lisa Kim
Spotlight
McDermott feels that the cooking skills taught in
her Foods class are basic skills that every student needs
to have.
“Not everyone will continue on in a subject like so-
cial studies, but you’re going to have to eat every day,”
McDermott said. “Cooking is something exciting that
you will do for the rest of your life.”
While Paly has gone through several different Foods
teachers in recent years, McDermott plans on staying at
Paly for a while. In the coming years, she hopes to expand
the Career/Vocational Education Department at Paly to
include other home economics oriented classes such as
interior design, textiles and gardening.
In addition to teaching three sections of Foods, Mc-
Dermott also has two sections of Critical Thinking II.
Outside of teaching, McDermott enjoys spending time
with her two children and gardening at home.
—Peter Lee
Editor in Chief
Rachel Kellerman
Rachel Kellerman is now the new Palo Alto High
School Librarian after Veronica Breuer, Paly’s librarian
for 25 years, retired.
“I love helping students with their reading and research
needs and working with teachers to help students complete
their assignments,” Kellerman said.
After earning her degree in Psychology from the
University of California at Los Angeles, she went on to
finish her graduate studies at the University of California
at Berkeley and received a degree in Education. After
which, she received a masters degree in Library Science
from San Jose State University. Before coming to Paly,
Kellerman worked as the librarian at Addison Elementary
School.
However, there is more to a librarian’s life than check-
ing out books and asking students to keep quiet. Her true
passion is her love of reading, which she hopes to pass
on to her students.
“I wish students had more time to read for pleasure,”
Kellerman said. “The Paly library is here for students,
and everyone should feel that there is something for
them here.”
As a mother of two Paly graduates, she knows what
it’s like to be a student at Paly. From research papers to
last minute homework assignments, Kellerman loves the
challenge of helping students.
Kellerman has also created the new library web
site which contains useful information for students and
staff.
“Ms. Breuer really cared about students and their
needs,” Kellerman said. “I hope to continue with that
student-centered approach and move the library along as
technology and students’ needs change.”
—Nanor Balabanian
Staff Writer
Christopher Proctor
Christopher Proctor, a new addition to the Palo Alto
High School English department, has always incorporated
teaching into his life.
“I think I have always been a teacher in some sort of
way,” Proctor said. “I have three younger brothers.”
Proctor attended Stanford University and majored in
computer science before switching to English.
“I realized that I didn’t want to spend my entire career
sitting in front of a computer,” Proctor said. “I wanted to
be around people.”
Proctor is currently teaching both Exploratory Think-
ing I and Critical Thinking II and is looking forward to
teaching his English classes with more technology.
Mika Ben-Shaul/The Campanile
Carina Stranos
October 1, 2007 • A7
Proctor is planning on incorporating real world sce-
narios to the school curriculum by teaching his students
how English skills are used in media today.
His first goal will be to show his students how to
create wikis and web pages.
One of the main aspects of teaching that Proctor enjoys
is seeing the progress of his students.
“I measure my success as a teacher by the success of
my students,” Proctor said.
—Julia Benton
Staff Writer
Ambika Nangia
Ambika Nangia has her hands full as a full-time math
teacher and mother of a one-year-old daughter, but she is
succeeding in bringing intelligence and experience to the
Palo Alto High School Math Department.
Nangia was born in Los Gatos and raised in the Bay
Area. She earned a degree in Physiological Science at the
University of California at Los Angeles. She later got her
graduate degree in Education from UCLA and went on to
teach math in Los Angeles for three years.
“I love the math department here,” Nangia said. “I
like their technique of collaboration and how they really
work together.”
Not only does Nangia appreciate the new school and
its system, but also she supports all the Viking teams with
great enthusiasm.
“I love watching students play,” Nangia said.
Nangia has various hobbies she pursues, including
making scrapbooks, doing yoga, hiking and camping.
When she is not with her daughter, she is working on
correcting tests and preparing lesson plans for her Algebra
1, Algebra1A and Geometry/Algebra 2 classes.
Nangia said she is very impressed by the warmth
of her students and the friendly welcome that she has
received by the staff.
“It’s been really great being here,” Nangia said. “The
students are really friendly. It’s a positive place to be.”
—Nanor Balabanian
Staff Writer
Kathleen Woods
Katherine Woods, who is teaching Theater 1, 2, 3/4 and
Stage Tech, is a new addition to the Visual and Performing Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile
Arts Department at Palo Alto High School. Kathleen Woods
A former actress herself, she loves to work with
young actors.
“I love seeing students experience theater,” Woods
said. “It is such a positive experience, and the students
are so energetic.”
Before coming to Paly, Woods taught theater at vari-
ous colleges and high schools, including Cañada College
and Saratoga High School. She earned her Master of Fine
Arts in performance from San Jose State University, after
she completed her undergraduate work at Agnes Scott
College, a small women’s liberal arts school located near
Atlanta, Georgia.
“I wanted to be an actress,” Woods said, “but fell
into teaching by accident.”
When she is not working, Woods likes to spend time
with her husband and two children, ages 16 and 20. Her
family enjoys going hiking, going to the beach and reading.
Woods also likes to travel and go to the theater.
Woods is currently in the process of directing Can’t
Take It With You, Paly’s fall production.
“I love Paly,” Woods said. “I am very impressed
with the theater students and also very excited for the
shows.”
—Allison Whitson Julia Benton/The Campanile
Staff Writer Ambika Nangia
Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile Stacy Levichev/The Campanile
Rachel Kellerman Christopher Proctor
 Opinion
A8 • October 1, 2007 The Campanile

Poetry analysis teaches useful skills

Paly English leaves students unprepared for college-level English courses that require poetry analysis
By Mia Pond
Editor In Chief
The only five classes that spe-
cifically state poetry as a part of their
curriculum are American Literature
11, Women Writers, Literature of
Sport, Advanced Placement English
and American Writers of Color, ac-
cording to the Palo Alto High School
course catalogue.
The Paly English Department
does not offer an English elective
solely dedicated to the study of poetry,
a class that other local high schools
have.
The English Department must
strengthen and emphasize the depart-
ment’s teaching of poetry.
This addition to the curriculum
would further develop students’
literary analysis skills and improve
students’ overall reading compre-
hension.
Teachers expect students enrolled
in freshmen and sophomore English
courses, like Critical Thinking I, to
“demonstrate their writing, vocabu-
lary and language skills (sentence
structure, paragraphing and punc-
tuation) largely in the context of
literature,” according to the course
catalogue.
By incorporating poetry into
the classroom environment, students
would better understand and identify
Mika Ben-Shaul/The Campanile essential literary terms and devices.
Reading and analyzing poetry allows
An Advanced Placement English Literature student attempts to annotate a poem for the class. Students students to observe the impact of dic-
are expected to annotate poems thoroughly with little knowledge of poetry and limited instruction. tion, tone, imagery, meter and syntax,
all of which influence every form of Students cannot be expected to
literature. excel in the poetry portions of these
Specific poems would highlight tests as the subject content is ignored
key information of a specified focused in the majority of English classes.
area. If students were more familiar
For example, a study of works with poetry analysis, their success
by Puritan poets John Newton and in college-preparatory exams and
William Cowper in American Classics classes would undoubtedly increase
would further explain and develop substantially.
students’ understanding of Puritan- Students familiar with poetry
ism, The Scarlet Letter and other would find the SAT II Literature test
characteristics of that era. more approachable and academic
In addition, poems can quickly performance in AP English and World
demonstrate the effect of literary Classics 11H would increase.
devices, relative to the length of the The government funds schools
short stories and based on STAR test
novels read in Reading and analyzing preformance. Thus,
class. Poetry lyri- the English Depart-
cally illustrates poetry allows students ment must teach and
the themes and to observe the impact of explain the funda-
motifs of each diction, tone, imagery, mentals of poetry to
story, and pro- meter and syntax, all of ensure continued state
vides an alterna- funding. This addition
tive vehicle for which are apparent and would not only benefit
understanding influential in every form the overall education
and appreciating of literature. of students, but the
the mechanics of entire school.
literature. While teachers
Moreover, teaching and empha- need to incorporate poetry into their
sizing poetry in all English classes respective curriculums, the English
would better prepare students for Department should also add a separate
college-preparatory classes and poetry elective.
exams. The Castilleja School has an AP
Both the SAT II Literature and Poetry class, in which most students
Standard Testing and Reporting take the AP English Literature test
(STAR) tests include a variety of in order to receive AP credit. If Paly
questions on poems, for which they added a similar class that solely
test students’ ability to identify key focused on the study of poetry, inter-
themes, motifs, symbols and literary ested students would benefit from this
devices. opportunity.

Congress must replace No Child Left Behind

By Ryan Pfleiderer
Editor in Chief
With the seemingly endless war
in Iraq, the Bush Administration quite
possibly has forgotten about domestic
concerns, one of the most important
of which is the possibility of the
reauthorization of the No Child Left
Behind Act.
This highly controversial pro-
gram has been under attack since
Congress enacted it in 2002, and now
the legislative body has an opportunity
to fix the act and to ensure that its
basic principles continue to regulate
America’s education system.
Congress should take this op-
portunity to completely overhaul the
entire act and replace it, as it has only
ruined America’s education system.
NCLB attempts to help all
elementary and secondary school
students become proficient in math
and reading by 2014, but employs an
ineffective and ultimately destructive
approach.
If Congress chooses to reautho-
rize the act, they will fail to fix the
broken education system present in
the U.S.
The Bush Administration has
severely underfunded NCLB at the
state level, but at the same time has
required states to fulfill the provisions
established by NCLB, or risk forfeit-
ing federal funding.
In order to fulfill these require-
ments, many schools have been forced
to make budget cuts in subjects that
are not tested under NCLB.
Thus, NCLB negatively impacts
science, foreign language and the
arts.
Schools have also been unable
to purchase updated textbooks and
school supplies, in addition to having
to cut field trip funding.
In order to achieve the neces- states to retain federal funding for One significant concern regard-
sary requirements of NCLB, teachers the school. ing NCLB is the extremely high
must “teach to the test,” a style that Even after the states create lower teacher qualification standards. Al-
many students, parents and teachers standards, the requirements for the though NCLB creates these standards
criticize. disabled and for students with limited to ensure the absence of unqualified
Teachers have had to alter their proficiency in the English language teachers, the requirements do elimi-
curricula in order are still incred- nate teachers with qualifications to
to cover the ma- ibly difficult to teach elementary- and secondary-
terial presented Congress should take this achieve, making school students.
on standardized opportunity to completely these tests un- NCLB requires teachers to
tests, teaching a overhaul the entire act and fair and imprac- have at least one college degree in a
limited set of test- ticable for these specific subject and pass numerous
taking skills and
replace it, as it has only students. proficiency tests. Even teachers with
covering a limited ruined America’s education But even if years of experience must take these
amount of knowl- system. the tests were fair proficiency tests.
edge. to all students, These standards have had adverse
Even the stan- many teachers effects, resulting in major teacher
dardized tests required by NCLB have and parents believe that learn- shortages. The lack of teachers has
inherent problems. ing cannot be measured solely by greatly impacted schools in rural areas
The states develop and create the achievement on standardized tests, and inner cities, which generally have
tests that students must take, and many and therefore the federal government already poor education systems.
states simply lower the standards of cannot accurately measure students’ Earlier this year, Bush proposed
the tests so that more students pass learning solely based upon these test an idea to allow school districts to
the test, which allows the respective results. relocate teachers to underachieving
schools, an idea that most teachers
oppose.
Most importantly, NCLB fails
to address the real reasons for why
schools fail to meet the standards
established by the act.
Some of the many reasons for
which schools fail to perform at profi-
cient levels include many unavailable
resources, large class sizes, teacher
shortages, damaged school build-
ings, poverty and the lack of decent
health care.
NCLB has increased the severity
of these problems, which will continue
to persist unless Congress legislates
reform for the United States’ educa-
tion system.
The numerous responsibilities
of the federal government include
providing children with the best edu-
cation possible, and NCLB prohibits
students from such quality learning
experiences.

Schools should recognize all religious holidays

The Palo Alto Unified School District fails to provide days off for important holidays in many of students’ diverse religions
By Gabrielle Hadley The Palo Alto school system allots time Additionally, teachers should not post

Many Jewish students

Senior Staff Writer
Children learn from a very early age that
school is a welcoming environment, one in
which students are protected from harm and
violence, free from judgment and critique,
and entitled to their own beliefs. They also
discover that most of these childhood lessons
for these students each year. This year, stu-
dents will receive days off for Good Friday,
an important Christian holiday, which oc-
curs the Friday before Easter Sunday. This
is not only an important Christian holiday,
but also a controversial one that is disputed
by Judaism.
By choosing to respect only the Chris-
homework assignments online and expect
students to complete the assignments if they
are observing a religious holiday.
The point of religious holidays is to ap-
preciate and practice a religion, not to ignore
beliefs in favor of an assignment for which the
teacher refuses to hand out an extension.
must miss school for:
After missing important class time and

• Rosh Hashanah
are false. tian beliefs of the crucifixion and death of homework to observe a religious holiday,
One particular issue does not coincide Jesus Christ, PAUSD is disregarding beliefs some students are forced to answer personal

with the Palo Alto Unified School District’s
standard for upholding all students’ values
concerning religion.
Neither religious tolerance nor persecu-
tion is a problem; it is more an issue of what
PAUSD deems appropriate as a religious
of students who do not practice Christianity.
This is not an issue with Christianity, but an
issue with PAUSD.
For many students, these holidays are
times to celebrate their personal values, but
for others they are just a day without school.
• Yom Kippur
questions.
Religion is a personal and private matter
that should only be discussed at the students’
discretion.
Students must notify their teachers ahead
of time that they are missing class for religious

Many Muslim students

holiday.
This year many students were forced to
miss days of school because of the Jewish
New Year, Rosh Hashana, one of the most
important holidays in Judaism.
This is not an unusual occurrence. Many
more Paly students will be forced to either miss
their religious observances or miss important
schoolwork this school year.
Most religious holidays that the district
observes revolve around the Christian calen-
dar, which allows students of Christian faith
to celebrate the holidays without missing
important school days or events at the same
time.
This is unfair to the students who observe
different religious holidays and are not given
a day off from school.
Christianity is the predominant religion
in the United States, and there is a large per-
centage of Christians in Palo Alto. However,
there is also a fairly large percentage of Jew-
ish as well.
Likewise, several Muslim students are
unable to attend services for Ramadan or the
extremely important Islamic holiday Eid al-
Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice.
Students’ right to have time off for
their faith or religious beliefs should not be
neglected.
reasons and deal with the teacher’s parameters,
or face questioning from teachers when they
arrive back at school.
It is reasonable to request reasons for
absences, but it is unfair to pry into a student’s
religious beliefs. These circumstances can be
avoided if PAUSD creates more district-wide
must miss school for:
holidays that coincide with various religious
holidays.
Obviously, the PAUSD should not give •Ramadan services
•Eid al-Adha
students days off for every single religious
holiday. But the most observed religious
holidays of the most practiced religions in
Palo Alto should be given equal time off for
celebration.
The Campanile Opinion October 1, 2007• A9
E-book technology benefits Paly students A chicken in
Every pot...
AP Psychology employs a newer, lighter alternative to conventional textbooks
By Tyler Blake
Editor in Chief

The Social Studies Department

at Palo Alto High School recently
elected to switch from standard to
electronic textbooks, or “e-books,”
for all Advanced Placement Psy-
chology classes. This decision is a Jon Shan &
commendable effort to modernize the
Paly education system and increase Chris Clayton
students’ abilities to utilize technol-
Sometimes in life, situations arise
ogy, which is vital to success in the
in which the police are unavailable to
modern economy.
administer justice against criminals,
E-books offer many features that
particularly when they are the ones
standard textbooks simply cannot.
committing the crimes.
They allow students to highlight, un-
The police, while effective, are
derline, and take notes “in” the e-book
neither omnipotent nor omnipresent,
without incurring the steep penalties
and often cannot arrive at the scene
of book damage.
of a crime until long after the criminal
In addition, e-books facilitate
has fled and the victim has suffered
active reading, which is proven to in-
the damage.
crease comprehension and retention of
In such scenarios, it is the duty
information presented in the textbook.
of the people to take a stand against
E-books are also accessible from any
such criminals and prevent them from
computer with Internet access, which
committing heinous crimes before
is beneficial for two major reasons.
serious damages befall the victims
With e-books, students no longer
of the crime. It is necessary that the
carry heavy textbooks from home
intended victims exercise self-defense
to school and back again. They also
through crime-deterring measures,
eliminate the frequent problem of
such as the use of pepper spray. Physi-
leaving textbooks at school when
cal self-defense and certain martial arts
they are needed for homework, or
could also facilitate the prevention of
vice versa.
criminal activities.
Another benefit of this new tech-
Recently, a criminal assaulted
nology is that it exposes students to
and robbed a woman in Palo Alto.
valuable technological experience that
According to the Palo Alto Weekly, she
will be necessary for future success
was “hit in the face twice and robbed
in the workplace.
of her purse.” This unfortunate event
Although some Paly students
could have been prevented had this
may be unable to access the e-books
woman possessed a deterrent. Deter-
because of limited Internet access,
rents would cause criminals to think
e-books are still a step in the right
http://www.ebooks.bfwpub.com/psychmod.php twice about assailing such protected
direction to advance students’ tech-
The newly available e-book technology enables Paly students enrolled in Advanced Placement Psychology to highlight text, view tutorials, persons on future occasions.
nological abilities.
record notes, and take quizzes and tests electronically from within an internet browser window, making material available anywhere. Different methods of crime-
Should the e-book program be
prevention, like pepper spray, are con-
used in more classes, especially to The Social Studies Department Science textbooks, although not en- As the world becomes increasingly E-books provide students with
venient as a first line of defense. They
lower-level courses, students’ tech- also effectively negates these techni- tirely electronically based, offer nu- digitized, it is imperative that Paly numerous benefits beyond those
can scare off assailants. Additionally,
nological knowledge overall would cal difficulties by allowing students merous online resources that students continues to stay ahead of the curve. available through traditional text-
martial-art techniques would present
almost certainly improve. Anything to use traditional textbooks if they can take advantage of. The Social Studies Department has books, and Paly should strongly
a psychological as well as physical
based on technology can experience wish. Additionally, the laptop carts that achieved significant technological consider expanding the program
defense for the intended victim. An
malfunctions, but this minor detrac- Other classes are also beginning circulate around the school also fore- advancement through the e-books across the school to help keep up with
individual trained in the martial arts
tion pales in comparison to the myriad to further incorporate technology into shadow an era of increasing reliance program, and deserves to be recog- the increasing pace of technological
would be able to both present himself
benefits that e-books provide. the classroom. The AP Environmental upon technology in today’s schools. nized for their progress. innovation.
or herself in a confident and defensive

ASB should make budget available to the public

By Erik Krasner-Karpen
Design Editor
While Palo Alto High School students
may disagree about how the Associated Stu-
dent Body (ASB) should budget its money,
everyone agrees that ASB should actually
budget its money. According to the Student
Council Constitution, the ASB must "estab-
lish an annual budget,” which the Treasurer
must "update monthly.”
However, the student council has
never actually published an "official budget,”
Student Activities Director Allye Mullens
said.
The student council manages approxi-
mately $200,000 yearly, including funds
under the discretion of Paly clubs. Since
the ASB supposedly accounts to the entire
Paly student body, that money belongs to the
students. So, why doesn’t Student Council
keep track of it?
Paly would clearly benefit from fiscal
responsibility on the part of the Student
Council.
If too little money remains in the Student
Council accounts, events like dances and
Spirit Week will go underfunded. If excess
money remains, students are spending too
Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile
much on ASB cards, parking passes, dance
ASB Secretary Kristen Witte and Sophomore Class President Charlie Lin discuss Student
tickets, and other such sources of ASB
Council plans, the majority of which remain unknown to the larger student body at Paly. revenue.
manner, and better anticipate the ac-
tions of the assailant.
By using these deterrents, the
would-be victim could respond effec-
tively through swift defensive blocks
Without a budget, the Student Council
and lightning-fast offensive punches
must rely on sheer guesswork to deter-
and, in the end, the potential victim
mine whether they are short-changing the
would less likely to suffer physical
students
harm or financial loss.
The ASB has experienced the conse-
Thus, the presence of deterrents,
quences of faulty budgeting. Prior to last
which would be provided by the local
year, the Student Council did its accounting
government of each city or region
on Post-It-sized pieces of paper, resulting in
participating in this crime-prevention
thousands of dollars going to questionable
effort through a moderate increase in
and sometimes inscrutable ends.
government expenditures, paid for
With the employment of Mullens as
in the normal fashion by the local
Student Activities Coordinator and Julia
government, will decrease the number
Sing as Auditor, the Student Council put
of criminal activities occurring in said
an end to this practice.
regions.
In fact, over the past few months, Wang
However these extra, short-term
and Sing have drafted a comprehensive
payments will result in a decrease in
budget based on last year’s revenues and
reliance upon actions by law enforce-
expenditures.
ment, and will similarly allow more-
While the news is highly encouraging,
immediate action in apprehending
the Student Council has yet to make its
criminals.
budget public.
Although criminal activities
The Student Council should publish
are not ubiquitous in Palo Alto, one
its plans soon and update them regularly
cannot deny their presence, nor that
to show that its expenditures coincide with
many of these crimes may appear from
the will of the students.
neighboring locations where certain
The Student Council’s neglect to
individuals may conclude the neces-
publish its budget reduces the Student
sity of exhorting their own vigilante
Council’s own political capital by en-
social equality agendas.
couraging mistrust among the students.
Thus, the criminal’s previous
A publicly accessible budget would show
experience with persons capable of
Paly students that the Student Council
defending themselves will deter the
handles their money responsibly.
criminals from committing their

City Council should improve Embarcadero underpass

By DJ Hsueh
Staff Writer
Many Palo Alto High School students who walk or bike to
school travel through the Embarcadero Road underpass. At least
once a week, some unfortunate bikers crash into each other or
pedestrians in the dark and dangerous passage.
Palo Alto City Council must divert attention to the unsafe
conditions of the underpass and provide financial resources to
improve such conditions.
With all the recent renovations in Palo Alto, including the
repaving of Embarcadero and other city roads, the Palo Alto
City Council must consider improving the Embarcadero Road
underpass.
Simple changes, such as repaving the sidewalks, improving
the lighting, painting a lane division and increasing the length
of the railing would greatly increase the safety of bikers and
pedestrians alike.
Adding barriers to the ceilings would also prevent pigeons
from entering the underpass.
nefarious schemes in the future in
the cities and regions participating in
the crime-prevention effort.The case
People would no longer have to navigate through pot holes “I’ve seen some close calls there,” junior Cory McCrosky must be made for citizens to exercise
and trash in the dark underpass. said. “I never bike to school, but I’ve seen bikers crash into each self-defense measures in the form of
Bikers often fall from other, and I’ve even been hit by a pepper spray and martial arts. The
their bikes as they struggle bike while walking.” benefits to the citizen takes precedent
to maneuver through the “I’ve seen some close calls there... I’ve even been According to the Palo Alto over the consequences of the inability
pothole-ridden sidewalk. hit by a bike while walking.” city budget, the council spends to defend him or herself.
“I hate walking through Cory McCroskey close to two million dollars each Another benefit would include
the costs to the local governments,
that place,” junior Jessica Kuo junior year to “enhance pedestrian safety who would not have to use as much
said. “It’s full of flies and the and comfort.”
other day I even saw a dead If the council allocated a funding to protect its citizens.
pigeon under the rail.” small portion of that budget to Herbert Hoover may have failed
During the most congested times of the day, before and improve the Embarcadero underpass, the chance of accidents to live up to his promise of “A chicken
after school, bikers speed down the ramps. would drastically decrease. As the Paly student population in every pot, and a car in every ga-
If any bicyclist makes a sudden stop, they trigger a chain continues to rise and new stores are added to the Town & Coun- rage.”
reaction and several students fall off their bikes. try Shopping Village, the traffic through the already overused However, should these measures
Pedestrians cannot hear bikers approaching due to the roar underpass will increase. proposed be employed in an effective
of the cars, and when these persons collide, they are thrown This poses a major threat to the community and safety manner by our local governments, we
dangerously close to the oncoming traffic. of pedestrians who use the underpass. If the underpass is not can be sure that there will be, “A wal-
Most of the time, the underpass is too narrow for people improved soon, more accidents will occur and could result in let in every pocket, and a self-defense
to avoid accidents. serious injuries. measure up every sleeve.”

A10 October 1, 2007

Sports The Campanile

Water polo teams start season with high hopes

Sam Jones
Sports Editor
Both of Palo Alto High School’s
Varsity water polo teams entered the
2007 season with high expectations of
contending for the Santa Clara Valley
Athletic League and Central Coast
Section titles and are looking to build
off solid beginnings.
Both Reid Particelli, the boys’
Varsity Head Coach, and Cory Olcott,
the girls’Varsity Head Coach, have led
their respective squads to respectable
starts in the opening tournaments of
the fall season.
But with a long season left to
play, the challenges already faced
by the Viking squads have provided
invaluable experience for the rest of
the season.
“We tried to find the toughest
tournaments possible at the start,
knowing that it would definitely pre-
pare us better for our upcoming league
matches,” Particelli said.
The boys’ team started off the
season strong. The Vikings won four
straight contests in the annual John
Schmitt Tournament, a competition
held at the start of the season for the
top 32 water polo teams in Northern
California.
The team opened with a 5-2 win
over Golden West High School. In
the second round, they defeated Je-
suit High School 4-3 in an overtime
victory. The Vikings then proceeded
to defeat Los Altos High School 5-3
and Menlo School 7-5 en route to the
tournament final, which they lost by a
score of 3-7 to Sacred Heart College
Preparatory.
“We entered the tournament as
underdogs to a lot of teams there,”
senior captain Michael Fortune said.
“We didn’t have anything to lose, so
we snuck up on a lot of people and
got some quality wins.”
The Vikings’ second place finish
in the tournament was good enough to
qualify them for the state tournament
at the end of the season, where they
will face other top finishers from the
Schmitt Tournament as well as the best
teams from Southern California.
“The guys are really looking for-
ward to the state tournament,” Fortune
said. “Hopefully we’ll go against some
strong competitors there.”
Next on the Viking’s schedule
was the Scott Roach Memorial Tour-
nament. Paly soundly defeated Leland
and Menlo-Atherton High Schools,
winning both games 9-4. However, the
Vikings lost to Mater Dei High School
3-7 in the tournament quarterfinals
and dropped the third place contest
to Menlo 4-7.
Even with the disappointing end
to the tournament, the players are
happy about their play so far.
“There’s no doubt that we have
exceeded expectations,” senior Neal
Ketchum said. “We beat some of the
top teams from Northern California
and set ourselves up well for the rest
of the season.”
Two key starters from last sea-
son, Paul Reamey and Brian Huang,
graduated, leaving the team with a
substantial hole to fill.
“It was real tough losing those
guys, but we can overcome not having
any lefties,” Particelli said. “We just
have to be creative using our righties
and continue to be active on the left Hannah McGovern/The Campanile
side of the goal.” Senior Scott Mielke prepares to shoot the ball in a team scrimmage during a Varsity water polo boys’ practice. The boys have begun
Nonetheless, this year’s team is the 2007 season strong in the John Schmitt and Scott Roach Memorial Tournaments and look to win the CCS Tournament this year.
loaded with veteran talent with 10
seniors, six of which are starters. team rebounded in the St. Francis a 8-12 loss. The Vikings then suffered I think that the team has built a solid strong showing at CCS is in the cards.
“It has been a long time coming, Invitational. The Vikings defeated another tough loss to Castilleja School base for the rest of the season.” “I let the girls set their own goals for
we want to make this a great season,” Archbishop Mitty High School, the 3-5, even though they lead for the The girls’ squad is coping with this season,” Olcott said. “And they
Fortune said. “We have a strong core defending CCS Champions, 7-5 in a majority of the game. the loss of former star player Tanya want to win leagues and have a strong
of senior players who have been wait- dramatic comeback victory. The squad rebounded against Wilcox to graduation, as well as other showing in the CCS tournament. If we
ing for this year since their freshman “That was a huge win for the Menlo School, winning 5-4 in a sud- key leaders in Natasha Whitney and can stay focused all year, we should
season, so we’re going to make the team,” senior captain Lizzie Abbott den death overtime victory. Though Alyson Mackenzie. definitely have a great season.”
most of it.” said. “To come from behind and beat the Lady Vikes suffered some tough “It’s impossible to replace a The boys’ squad is also looking
The girls’ squad has experi- the defending champions was a huge losses to start the season, they still player like Tanya,” Olcott said. “But I forward to a successful season.
enced a much rockier start, starting confidence booster for us.” remain optimistic about upcoming think the net talent on this year’s roster “We plan to get even better as
off 2-3 in the opening week of play. However, the Vikings were league play. is even better than last season’s since the season progresses,” Particelli
The girls’ team lost their opener by soundly defeated by Rio Americano “We’ve started well overall, but we have so many veteran players.” said. “We are training to peak at CCS,
a disappointing score of 7-11 to St. High School, falling behind 1-8 in we could have won some of the games The roster has eight senior players because the guys are set on taking the
Francis High School, fortunately the the first half before battling back for we lost,” Abbott said. “Nevertheless, and is extremely well balanced, so a section title this year.”

Girls’ Varsity tennis dominates early Water polo and cross country
Young team off to a perfect start to begin the 2007 season teams enforce alcohol policies
Paly Varsity No. 1 singles player freshman Janet Liu warms up for her match against
Cupertino. The Lady Vikings have done well so far, going 8-0 during league play.
By Zal Dordi
Staff Writer
The Paly girls’ tennis team is off to an
impressive start this fall after suffering a
demotion to the El Camino League in the
Central Coast Section at the end of the 2006
season. In contrast to their 7-11 record last
year, the Lady Vikes dominated in victories
over Los Altos, Lynbrook, Wilcox, Cuper-
tino, Los Gatos and Mountain View High
Schools and now find themselves in a com-
fortable position.
“This is a team that could go undefeated,”
Head Coach Andy Harader said. “It is cer-
tainly a strong possibility.”
With more than five players ranked in
Northern California, Harader’s hope could
very well become reality.
The roster is comprised of nine under-
classmen, including five freshmen, causing
some to wonder if there is sufficient leader-
ship on the team and how the young players
will respond under pressure.
“ I don’t think it’s really much of an
issue,” junior Vrinda Khanna said. “All the
girls get along fine and there really aren’t
any issues about leadership of the team, or
anything like that.”
Julia Benton/The Campanile
The top singles player this year is fresh-
man Janet Liu, who has dominated her op-
ponents thus far. Ranked 18th for U-16 girls
in Northern California, she is well groomed
for the pressure of being the No. 1.
“I actually like the pressure,” Liu said.
“It makes it that much more fun.”
That fun is something that last year’s team
might have had a bit too much of.
“One thing that’s different about this team
compared to last year’s is the seriousness,”
Khanna said. “Last season the upperclass-
men were significantly less motivated than
this year’s team. Tennis was treated like a
social club. They were much more interested
in socializing than playing in matches.”
As a result, Harader decided to throw out
the traditional rules, requiring even returning
Varsity members to earn their spot on the team.
Electing to go with a younger squad, Harader
compiled a strong group of girls.
“There just wasn’t nearly as much en-
thusiasm last season as there is this season,”
Harader said. “There was no motivation.”
Against the Wilcox High School Char-
gers, the Lady Vikes won 13 out of 15 sets
that were played.
Liu devastated her opponent by a final of
6-0, 6-0 with minimal effort.
“There really isn’t much to say about that
match,” Liu said. “It was not very intense.”
Junior Lindsay Yang had no trouble
with Wilcox’s No. 2 singles player, winning
in straight sets 6-0, 6-2. Yang demonstrated
excellent movement to the net and used her
control to cross up her opponent.
Freshman Mira Khanna, Vrinda’s younger
sister, played in the No. 3 singles slot and
quickly took the first set 6-0. However, Mira
made several errors after losing focus in the
second set, and nearly allowing her opponent to
comeback into the match. Luckily, the younger
Khanna held on to gain another win for the
Lady Vikes, taking the second set 7-5.
Sophomores Gracie Dulik and Sophie
Biffar won in the No. 1 doubles match with a
final score of 6-3, 6-3.
“We could have played better, but it was
weird because they were such soft-hitters,”
Biffar said.
Vrinda, who was resting sore feet and an
upper thigh injury, opted out of the singles
matches and instead played No. 2 doubles
with sophomore Christine Koepnick.
The pair shut down the Chargers with a
dominating 6-0, 6-0 performance. The older
Khanna said that the team needs a challenge
to improve their own games, otherwise they
will not progress.
After taking both Los Altos and Wilcox by
a final team score of 6-1 the girls maintained
their perfect season by grinding out a close
victory at Lynbrook High School. The impos-
sible dream season then proceeded as the Lady
Vikes took Cupertino 6-1, then Los Gatos 5-2
before they baffled Castilleja’s Varsity squad
at home 7-0 in a scrimmage.
The girls added another notch to their belt
with a shutout victory over Mountain View
to set themselves up for their match against
Fremont, which they won 7-0.
Thursday’s victory over Milpitas High
School by a final score of 5-2, provided the
girls with yet another key victory as they enter
October with a perfect record. Despite drop-
ping the No. 1 and 2 singles matches, the Lady
Vikes put in a strong team effort by winning
all three doubles matches, and taking the No.
3 and 4 singles.
The Lady Vikes will take on cross-town ri-
val Gunn High School on Wednesday, Oct. 3rd
at 3:30 at Paly. Mountain View High School
will take on Paly on Thursday, Oct. 11.
By Alexi Dagan
Sports Editor
Several sports teams at Palo Alto High
School have instated strict anti-alcohol and
drug policies for the fall 2007 season.
The boys’ cross country team’s policy was
created and is enforced by Head Coach Jeff
Billing and the boys’ water polo team’s policy
was created by the team captains, seniors
Michael Fortune and Geng Wang.
According to cross country captain senior
Alok Subbarao, Billing had a meeting with
all of the seniors on the team a week before
school started to explain his zero-tolerance
policy, and then extended the policy to the
rest of the team two weeks later.
“People respect Jeff [Billing] and are
definitely taking the policy seriously,” Sub-
barao said.
Billing had two reasons for creating the
policy.
“I felt that this was a group of guys who
had a chance to do some special things, and
I would hate for anything silly to get in the
way of that,” Billing said.
This was not, however, Billing’s main
reasoning in creating the policy.
“A lot of people in high school get peer
pressured into drinking, even though it goes
against their own morals,” Billing said. “I think
most of the guys on this team already choose
not to drink, but by me requiring them not to
drink, it gives them another way of backing
themselves up.”
Palo Alto High School sports teams are enforcing alcohol policies for their
athletes in order to promote healthier lifestyles and success for the teams.
While he knows the policy could be dif-
ficult to monitor, Billing says he does not plan
on policing anyone.
“One-third of the guys on this team are se-
niors who I have coached for four years now,”
Billing said. “We have a strong relationship that
exceeds simply a player-coach relationship and
I hope that we can trust each other.”
The boys’ water polo team has displayed
a different approach to the subject. According
to Varsity Head Coach Reid Particelli, Fortune
and Wang approached him before the season
began, saying that they had decided that there
needed to be a team policy which would regu-
late behavior that could be detrimental to the
team and its success.
“They are a very close-knit team with
strong captains, so it was a natural fit to leave
it more in their hands,” Particelli said. “There
was no need for a written contract.”
According to one senior water polo player,
“Jerry,” who wishes to remain anonymous,
the team has had only had once incident with
breaking the contract this year, and although
there is no official punishment, the policy is
taken very seriously.
“We try to do things that won’t get us
into situations where people will be drink-
ing,” Jerry said.
These policies not only promote a positive
environment, but a healthier lifestyle too.
“It’s really about being committed to
the team and agreeing not to do something
that shouldn’t be done in the first place,”
Particelli said.
Hannah McGovern/The Campanile
 Sports
The Campanile
Cross country ready to dominate
Boys’ and girls’ cross country teams are primed and prepared to face tough competition
By Lindsay Yang
Staff Writer
The Palo Alto High School boys’ and
girls’ Varsity cross country teams are looking
forward to a solid season after placing fourth
out of 27 teams and seventh of 24, respectively,
at the Lowell Invitational in San Francisco
on Sept. 22.
Despite missing several top runners on
the girls’ and boys’ teams, \both the runners
and the coaches were pleased with their
performance, but agree that there is a lot to
improve on throughout the season.
Although not as challenging as the pres-
tigious Stanford Invitational held on Sept. 29,
the 2.93 mile course for Varsity and Junior
Varsity teams consisted of several slopes and
slippery mud caused by recent rain.
Sophomore runner Philip MacQuitty
won the boy’s Varsity race with an impres-
sive time of 14:59, beating 154 other runners
and breaking the previous course record by a
staggering 18 seconds.
Following MacQuitty, junior Charlie Avis
placed 14th with a time of 16:01. Seniors Julius
Berezin and Brian Karvelas finished 30th and
31st with times of 16:24 and 16:25, respec-
tively. Senior Brian Hsueh also finished strong
in 36th place, with a time of 16:28. Overall,
Paly finished behind first place Los Osos and
only seven points after Mountain View.
“I feel confident in the team,” MacQuitty
said. “We’re doing great.”
For the Varsity girls, sophomore Regina
Wang finished 27th with a time of 20:00, fol-
lowed closely by junior co-captain Gillian Lui
who came in 36th with a time of 20:23.
“Regina [Wang] was a beast out there, and
she’s only a sophomore,” Lui said.
Junior Elizabeth Scott placed 45th with a
time of 20:50 and sophomore Kathleen Higgins
placed seven seconds after Scott.
Although senior Leah Gaeta began the
race in front of all the Paly girls, she was unable
to finish running due to a hip flexor injury.
Senior Mia Lattanzi, also injured, was
unable to compete. Co-captain Tamar Ben-
Shachar did not run because of religious
reasons.
PALY SPORTS COVERAGE WILL
NEVER BE THE SAME
Nevertheless, the girls’ team still placed
well, just behind Mountain View High
School.
“The team did really well,” Higgins said.
“Most people ran their best races ever. It also
hurt more than ever, but it was a really beauti-
ful course.”
“It was a really solid race,” Girls’ Head
Coach Paul Jones said. “Add Mia [Lattanzi]
and Tamar [Ben-Shachar] to the pack and we
have a real solid team.”
The boys’Junior Varsity team finished first
out of 19 teams, placing five runners in the top
10 spots. Boys’ Head Coach Jeff Billing said
that the team had a good chance to win.
“We are expecting success on all
different levels- from experienced
seniors to freshman who are just
starting to run.”
Brian Hsueh
Boys’ Co-captain
Billing said that the Paly boys’ cross
country team is one of the best he has ever
coached.
The skilled team includes a diverse
mixture of senior veterans and talented un-
derclassmen.
The top four runners are sophomore
Philip MacQuitty, junior Charlie Avis, senior
co-captain Rajan Narang and junior Skyler
Cummins.
Currently ranked 10th in the Central Coast
Section (CCS) by the San Jose Mercury News,
the team also includes returning seniors co-
captains Alok Subbarao and Sam Jones.
“We’re expecting success on all different
levels; from experienced seniors to freshmen
who are just starting to run,” senior co-captain
Brian Hsueh said.
The team is hoping to win the league title
and perform well throughout the season.
Their biggest goals are to place among
the top three as a team, and among the top
five individually at the CCS Championships
in November to qualify for the state meet,
Hsueh said.
We’re creating the most comprehensive, up-to-date
online source for Paly sports information.
Online. Interactive. Whenever you need it.
PASportsOnline.com
October 1, 2007 • A11
“We certainly have the capability, but we
have some big competitors in Santa Clara,
Gunn, St. Francis and Los,” Narang said.
“We’ll have to get past them.”
All of the boys have been extremely
focused preparing for the season. They have
high expectations as a team and individually,
Narang said.
Although the boys’ team contains many
returning runners, the girls’ team has less ex-
perience overall because all of last year’s top
four Varsity runners graduated last in June.
The team now looks toward younger
runners, including junior co-captain Gillian
Lui, sophomore Regina Wang and three new
Varsity runners: senior Leah Gaeta, senior
Mia Lattanzi and junior Elizabeth Scott, Paul
Jones said.
“We have a bunch of people this year who
are really talented, including a lot of young
runners,” Jones said. “I think we’ll be doing
pretty well by the end of the season.”
“Even though the team is not as experi-
enced as last year, as the season progresses,
new runners and the team in general should
improve because people will get more mileage
in,” Ben-Shachar said.
The girls’ team, which is not currently
ranked in CCS, will face challenging competi-
tion including Gunn High School, Mountain
View High School and Los Gatos High
School.
Senior co-captain Ariana Hoyt said that
many of the girls this year are very dedicated
and are willing to prepare a lot.
High expectations for the boys’ team and
talented young runners on the girls’ team set
both Paly cross country teams up for success-
ful seasons.
“We haven’t gone through enough of the
season to see what happens, but we’ll definitely
work hard and we’ll see what happens,” junior
co-captain Sarah Haydock said.
The team ran at the SCVAL Preview in
Santa Clara on Tuesday Sept. 25.
Although several top runners did not
compete, freshmen runners Erin Kiekhaefer Michela Fossati-Bellani/The Campanile
and Leigh Biraghi on the Junior Varsity team
ran faster than several runners on the Varsity Senior Mia Lattanzi runs during practice at the Paly track. Both the boys’ and
team. girls’ cross country teams are training to prepare for a promising new season.
New! From Palo Alto Online
A12 • October 1, 2007 Sports The Campanile

Vikings strive to improve their game

By Austin Smith
A&E Editor

An overall 12-2 season record, a Central

Coast Section title and a state championship
berth; these are the achievements of last sea-
son’s Palo Alto High School Varsity football
team. Expectations of similar results will
define this season for the Vikings. After the
season’s first three games, the Vikings are
2-1 and have shown strength on both sides
of the ball. However, there is still room for
improvement.
It is a rebuilding year for the Vikings, who
experienced several key losses to graduation,
and have only five returning starters. The
consistent success of the program has led to
elevated expectations each year, as the team
is ranked third in the San Jose Mercury News
Power Rankings.
This success, recognized by the Santa
Clara Valley Athletic League, is turning Palo
Alto into a football powerhouse.
“This program has done wonders for CCS
football,” Burlingame Head Coach John Phi-
lipopoulos said. “They’re all class and we’re
their biggest fans.”
The departure of last year’s starting
quarterback Nick Goodspeed and starting
running back Will Frazier, among others, has
put pressure on the offense to successfully
incorporate new faces. Junior quarterback
Will Brandin has big shoes to fill and senior
fullback Sione Mataele will be expected to
carry more of the load this season. With his
six-foot frame and powerful arm, Brandin has
a lot of promise and, despite growing pains,
is expected to succeed the quarterback role.
His team has full confidence in him.
“I think he can be very good,” Head
Coach Earl Hansen said. “He just needs to
stay focused and keep his head clear.”
Brandin has the luxury of throwing to
veteran wide receiver Mike Scott. Scott re- Hannah McGovern/The Campanile
turns as one of this year’s key starters, with Junior quarterback Will Brandin (right) passes the ball in the first Varsity football game of the season, in which Paly defeated Burlingame 23-6. Taking graduate
experience to accompany his quickness and Nick Goodspeed’s place, Brandin has big shoes to fill but has gotten off to a rocky start this season. Coach Hansen holds high hopes for the team’s improvement.
instincts. During the 2007 season, Scott caught
25 passes for 410 yards and three touchdowns To kick off the season, the Vikings traveled of the game. He finished the game 8 of 19 for The Eagles plugged up the Vikings’ of- season and a gritty display against one of the
in addition to a monster performance in the to the infamous “Murder Dubs” in Oakland 144 yards and four interceptions. fense, holding them to 105 total yards. Oak section’s best, shows that these Vikings can
state championship game where he caught 10 on Sept. 7 to face McClymonds High School. “I wish I could have gotten the ball Grove effectively stopped Mataele’s ham- still play the physical style of last year. Mc-
passes for 210 yards. Paly jumped out to a six-point lead on junior more,” Scott said. “The opportunities were mering running style, holding him to just 13 Collough, who led the team with 122 tackles
“I try to be a vocal leader for the younger cornerback Will Holder’s 80-yard interception there. I just want to get my quarterback on yards on 10 carries, and kept putting pressure last season, returns to anchor the linebacker
guys,” Scott said. “But return for a touchdown the same page.” on Brandin all night. The only score for Palo core, which also features another first-team
basically, I just try to go and never looked back. Another determining factor was the Alto came on a one-yard quarterback sneak SCVAL performer in senior Jordan Jefferson.
out there and help my
“I try to be a vocal leader for The Vikings successfully inconsistency of the offensive line, which by Brandin. Scott, playing both sides of the ball, leads a
team.” the younger guys. But basi- pounded the ball on the forced Brandin to evacuate the pocket and “We have to step it up on offense,” Han- secondary that has five interceptions in three
The offensive line cally, I just try to go out there ground with Mataele, throw on the run. sen said. “We had too many errors and only games.
can be credited for much and help my team.” who had 17 carries for “The offensive line has to step it up and corrected a few of them.” “The defense has been great,” Hansen
of last season’s success 113 yards and two touch- start providing some protection,” Scott said. One of the biggest disappointments this said. “Tonight against Oak Grove they were
due to their size and ex- downs. Mataele and Scott continued to show season, thus far, has been Brandin’s play at just on the field all game long.”
perience. Unfortunately, Mike Scott Scott showed im- leadership on the field, as Mataele rushed for quarterback. He has had difficulty getting the The Vikings should not be judged entirely
the Vikings lost all five Senior pressive athleticism 102 yards and two touchdowns and Scott added ball to his receivers. Although Brandin has by the Oak Grove game. Oak Grove is a CCS
starting linemen, includ- while hauling in many another interception to his totals. had no help from the offensive line, he has heavyweight, and they are one of the best teams
ing all-state guard Fred inaccurate passes, end- A critical match-up followed the next underachieved in his role. Throughout all of in the Bay Area. The Vikings are a young team
Koloto, now a freshman at San Jose State. ing the night with five receptions for 79 week when Oak Grove High School came this, though, his teammates have demonstrated and improvement will surely come.
“I don’t know if any linemen could com- yards and an interception at free safety. The looking for revenge after Palo Alto defeated their support. Fans should also keep in mind that last sea-
pare to last year’s,” Hansen said. Vikings hoped to come out strong again in them in the CCS championship game last “I don’t want to blame the quarterback,” son’s Vikings began the season in an identical
Taking over this year are seniors Michael their home opener against Burlingame on season. It was a contest of unbeaten teams, Scott said. “I don’t want to blame anyone. manner. In 2006, Paly entered the third week
Anderson, Jake Zebker, Tim Crown and Ryan September 14. both looking to compete for the conference We’re a team.” of the season 2-0 and was defeated by Oak
Drebin. They lack the size of last year’s line- They did not disappoint fans, scoring championship. The offensive line has failed to improve as Grove 35-14 at home. The Vikings went on
men, but expect to form a solid core of seniors early on an 85-yard touchdown connection Linebacker James McCollough lost a fum- well, and minor injuries to Crown and Drebin to beat Oak Grove in the CCS Open Division
with Varsity experience. from Brandin to Scott and holding on to shut ble on the game’s first play from scrimmage, have not helped matters. Championship game 23-21 and was unbeaten
“They’ve improved a ton over the last down the Panthers 23-6. from which the Vikings never recovered. “We didn’t sustain blocks all game long,” until the state championship.
three weeks, and they’ll make an okay tran- The connections after the big touchdown The Oak Grove defense shut Paly down, Hansen said. “We have to block.” “We learned some things about our-
sition and get better all the time,” Hansen were few and far apart and Brandin’s erratic allowing only one touchdown for the Vikings, The sole bright spot has been the defensive selves,” Hansen said. “We’ll be a stronger
said. play at the quarterback position was the story leading to a 27-7 victory for Oak Grove. unit. Two dominant performances to start the team now.”

Volleyball team serves up victories to start the season

By Eliot Wilson
Senior Staff Writer
The Palo Alto High School Var-
sity volleyball team swept through
their first four regular season games,
dominating Menlo-Atherton High
School, Evergreen Valley High
School, Los Altos High School and
Los Gatos High School.
The Vikings’ strong opening
performance has sent an extremely
powerful message to the rest of the
teams in the Santa Clara Valley Ath-
letic League.
Paly dispatched both M-A and
Evergreen Valley with three-game
sweeps. The Vikings continued their
winning streak with victories against
Los Altos and Los Gatos, their biggest
SCVAL rival, despite dropping a game
to each team.
“We get along really well,” se-
nior captain Hillary Ford said. “We
improved a lot from the Los Altos
game by focusing on our passing to
counter their tips.”
In the Vikings’ home opener
against M-A, Paly held a 15-9 lead
during the first half of the first game.
The Vikings held strong, finishing with
Michela Fossati-Bellani/The Campanile
a 25-11 sweep, letting M-A score
Senior Ali Bisset (center) practices passing the ball while senior Hillary Ford (left) watches. Paly’s Varsity only two more points during the rest
volleyball team is off to a great start this season, dominating their opponents in the first four games. of the game.
Paly continued its winning streak In the season opener against M-A,
during the second and third games, every player on the roster had playing
defeating the young M-A team 25-15 time. Before the playoffs, however,
and 25-12, respectively, making for an Winn’s team has been confronted with
overall three-game sweep. a few challenges.
“It was a good team effort,” Var- “I scheduled the game against
sity coach David Evergreen Valley
Winn said. “We High School to
had a little bit of a
“Every year, I see us as prepare the girls for
mismatch because underdogs. I don’t think the hostile environ-
M-A has a young people take us seriously. ments they are go-
team. We exploited I would like to win most ing to encounter in
them just like we CCS,” Winn said.
had practiced.”
improved in the league.” “They will be good
Led by senior practice before we
co-captains Ford, David Winn get to leagues.”
Jessie Juarez and Volleyball Head Coach The Vikings
Ali Bisset, the team overcame their first
boasts a wealth of test, defeating Ev-
talent. Four other seniors are on the ergreen Valley in three consecutive
team, as well as many talented juniors games. Winn has set lofty goals for
and sophomores. the Vikings this year.
“We have to use our chemistry “Every year, I see us as under-
to an advantage,” Winn said. “Our dogs,” Winn said. “I don’t think people
seniors are great team players, and the take us seriously. I would like to win
entire team works well together.” most improved in the league and re-
For the Vikings, building team ally improve faster than everyone else,
chemistry began early in the season. especially on defense.”
The team had several bonding activi- Ford mirrored these goals, and
ties to help the team work together. added words of advice for the team
In addition, Winn is trying to get as they move forward.
the younger players playing time to “We can’t get down on our-
prepare them for the Central Coast selves,” Ford said. “We need to stay
Section playoffs. confident and keep hitting strong.”

The Campanile
What you ought to
know
Chris Gonnerman
I’m sitting in Casa de Pan, a nice
restaurant in Chiapas, Mexico. As I’m
scarfing down my food, I look up and
see two girls and two boys, ages three
and ten. The kids look skinny and
unhealthy and their faces are full of
despair as they look at my hot plate
of pasta. I strike up a conversation
and find that they are there to sell the
beautiful art their mothers made for no
more then a dollar. Feeling horrible, I
buy a couple of the weavings and a bird
made out of clay and give them some
of my bread and carrots. It is moments
like this that I feel the only purpose of
my life is to try to find ways to make
other lives better, because I come from
such a privileged location.
These kids are indigenous Mexi-
cans of Mayan descent. I left for
Mexico this summer knowing that I
would be exposed to Mexico’s poorest
state to learn about the Zapatistas, the
indigenous people of Mexico, and to
learn about the effects of globalization
and capitalism. I did not know that
I would be exposed to the extreme
injustices that indigenous people in
Mexico and all over the world have
to live through every day, as they are
forced to either conform to a culture
that had taken over their own.
Before the Spanish conquest,
present-day southern Mexico and
northern Guatemala was home to the
Mayan empire. Once the Spaniards
invaded, the natives were forced into
slavery and before long, most people
had a mix of Spanish and native blood.
However, there is still a fairly large
native population that continues to
endure racist policies and treatment
from the Mexican government.
One such policy is the North
American Free Trade Agreement, a
policy formed by Canada, the U.S.
and Mexico that eliminates tariffs
on goods traded between the three.
While NAFTA was supposed to raise
the Mexican standard of living, it has
instead costed indigenous Mexicans
many jobs. On the same day NAFTA
went into effect, January 1, 1994, the
Zapatistas fought for their freedom,
wanting to expose the harsh injustices
they experienced. The Mexican army,
funded and trained by the U.S., fought
the Zapatistas for 12 days.
When I first got to San Christóbal,
Chiapas, I realized the Zapatistas are
a glimmer of hope. They build their
own homes, work the land, generate
electricity and have their own gov-
ernment. Unfortunately, the majority
of Mayans, who live in Chiapas, are
forced to fight for basic human ne-
cessities each day in an environment
where they are seen as expendable.
The whole time I was in Mexico,
I constantly wondered, why don’t we
hear about the Zapatistas in school?
With the exception of Foreign Policy
H, which covers NAFTA, there are
no opportunities to learn about the
Zapatistas in school. It’s a shame that
young Americans remain ignorant of
people suffering outside of our bor-
ders. The leader of the Zapatistas, Sub-
comandante Marcos, says that the best
thing Americans can do is pressure
the U.S. government to stop providing
the Mexican police with the military
and communications equipment used
to fight indigenous peoples.
I’m not writing this to bash my
country or to make others feel guilty. I
am writing this so more people might
take interest in finding ways to pro-
vide human rights to people who live
wondering why their lives are filled
with uncertainty, anger and sadness.
We middle and upper-class Americans
can make a difference. If American
students aren’t properly informed in
school of the plight of others around
the world, the tragic condition of
oppressed peoples will continue to
be ignored. Human rights will never
be earned by indigenous peoples like
the Zapatistas if these issues are not
touched upon in our schools. Without
information and knowledge, change
is impossible.
Life styles
In Search of Absurdity
Features • A&E • People
By Sara Reihani
A&E Editor
At the Guild Theater in Menlo Park, a crowd of about 30
audience members has lined up in the area in front of the screen
to nervously await instruction from emcee Dano Reynolds.
Their ap-
parel ranges
from fishnet
tights to khaki
cargo shorts to
camouflage-
patterned suspender shorts. Boas,
bikini tops and corsets are paired with
jeans and miniskirts. One boy wears a
red bra under a black taffeta dress and
carries a parasol. Most have large “V”
signs painted on their foreheads or
cheeks with red body crayon, identifying them as “virgins.”
“Put your right hand in the air, put your left hand some-
where naughty and repeat after me,” Reynolds yells. “I, state
your name...”
“I, state your name...” the crowd of virgins intones.
“Think The Rocky Horror Picture Show ...”
“Think The Rocky Horror Picture Show ...”
“... is the best f-king movie ever made.”
“... is the best f-king movie ever made.”
The “Virgin Pledge” is an opening ritual performed every
first and third Saturday of the month at the Guild Theater’s
midnight screenings of cult classic camp film The Rocky Horror
Picture Show. Reynolds is part of The Bawdy Caste, a group
of Bay Area performers who act out the movie directly in front
of the screen during the show. First-time attendees of a live
Rocky show are called “virgins,” and their initiation ceremony
has just begun.
Rocky, an eccentric spoof of low-grade science fiction films,
is based on the 1973 British stage musical The Rocky Horror Show
and has been shown at midnight screenings in theaters around
the world since its 1975 opening. It is known as the longest-
running audience participation film in history; it is customary
for audience members to shout callback lines at the onscreen
actors, throw certain objects at various cues and get up to do the
movie’s signature dance, the Time Warp, in the aisles.
The movie revolves around Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transsexual
mad scientist who seduces a traditional newlywed couple after
their car breaks down in front of his castle on a rainy November
evening.
Members of the Rocky Horror Show shadow casts, like
The Bawdy Caste, mime the roles of their characters directly
in front of the screen as the movie is playing, sometimes with
slight deviations from the script.
A&E
“Change”
it up
Jordan’s singing
sensation
Julian Hornik
By Yelly Bitton B10
Although Rocky is rated R and considered fairly risqué,
adults are not the only attendees of the Guild’s bimonthly mid-
night showings at the Guild.
“All kinds of people come to the show,” Caste codirector
Jared Wilke said. “Ten years ago, it was mostly a goth thing,
but these days, you get a good mix of people. We have a lot of
families here. It’s been going for over thirty years, so a lot of
them are parents who used to go when they were in high school
or college who are now bringing their kids.”
An overwhelming majority of the audience members at
Guild showings are Rocky Horror virgins, who participate in a
“Virgin Sacrifice” initiation ceremony by performing the “Virgin
Dance,” being flogged with bull-whips or
reciting the unofficial Rocky pledge of al-
legiance. The Virgin Sacrifice varies from
show to show.
After all the virgins pledge their alle-
giance to Rocky, sixteen are selected to partic-
ipate in
the next
part of
the Sac-
rifice,
while
the rest
return
to their
seats.
T h e
virgins
stand-
ing on stage divide into teams and complete a
relay race in which they fill an opposing team
member’s mouth with whipped cream ­and top
it with a maraschino cherry, then orally remove
the cherry and run back to their team. The virgin
left with the mouth full of whipped cream is in-
structed to swallow, not spit. The audience yells
and cheers while the Bawdy Caste eggs the virgins on.
“A lot of people get dragged to the show by friends,” Caste
member Brian Tatro said. “It seems like every regular brings two
virgins. Most come to the show once but maybe one out of ten
comes back again. It’s the diehards that keep coming back and
it’s the diehards that eventually join the cast.”
Earlier that night, the line of theatergoers waiting to buy
tickets stretched down the block as 24-year-old Caste member
Jeb Purucker strolled around, dressed in a satin and lamé cape,
shiny black corset, sheer thigh-high gartered pantyhose and curly
black wig for his role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Purucker began
performing in a Santa Cruz cast in 2003 but joined the Bawdy
Caste in December 2006.
“I was a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed high-school senior when
I came to see Bawdy Caste at the Park Theater just down the
road,” Purucker said. “I remember security guard Goofy whip-
ping me during the pre-show. It was love at first sight and I’ve
been coming back ever since.”
Now a graduate student at UC Santa Cruz, Purucker drives
up to Menlo Park for bimonthly performances at the Guild. The
KAN YE
A&E
Sexually
By Transmitted
DIG IT?
HENRY BECKER danger
and ZACH HARRIS
B11
Monday, October 1, 2007
distance he travels is not unusual­— the Wilkes commute from
Half Moon Bay and various guest performers travel from Sacra-
mento or Los Angeles a few times a year to be in the show.
Shannon began performing at the Caste’s first live shows
in San Jose at the age of 18, six months after seeing Rocky for
the second time in a theater.
“When I was seventeen and an outcast in high school, I went
to a show and met this fantastic gay man, the first gay person I’d
ever met,” Shannon said. “Six months later, I found out there
was a new cast forming and was there the very first night, so
I’m an initial founding member of this cast.”
While in The Bawdy Caste, Shannon met Jared Wilke,
then a college student on Barely Legal, after Jared did a guest
performance with the Caste. They have been married for almost
six years and have two teenage sons.
Jared, who now teaches geometry and Advanced Placement
Statistics at San Mateo High School, saw Rocky for the first time
in 1986 but did not start performing until ten years later, when
he went to a midnight showing in Modesto and found there was
no shadow cast.
“I had a couple of bottles of wine before the show and
decided to start a cast right then and there,” he said. “I’ve been
performing ever since.”
The Caste’s third codirector, Julie Barman, first saw Rocky
at age 16 on a trip with her San Jose Jewish youth group. She
has continued to attend shows for
three years and joined the cast at
the age of 19.
Since its inception, the Caste
has performed at many venues
including theaters in Fremont
and a burlesque
theater in San
Jose. The Bawdy
Caste employs
roughly 50 peo-
Mika Ben-Shaul/ The Campanile
ple, including
performers, security team and technical crew, none of whom are
paid. Some cast members, like Purucker, are full-time students.
Others have day-jobs.
“Going to work on Sunday morning is my least favorite
part of being on cast,” Tatro said. “I’m an apprentice embalmer
at a mortuary, so I have to be there at 9 a.m. to start preparing
funerals.”
Cast members sell “Tranny Packs” of audience props before
each show and accepts donations afterwards to raise money for
costumes, props, set pieces and transportation to Nevada for
Reno’s annual Artown Festival, where they perform every year
to an audience of thousands.
See HORROR, Page B7
FEATURES
B2
By
ReBecca
Allen

B2 October 1, 2007

Features The Campanile

Paly students bike across country

Overland program offers students chance to bike from Atlantic to Pacific coast
Paly senior Willie Xiang biked 3,000 miles from the Atlantic to the Pacific, experiencing living outside while enjoying
biking and cooperating with Overland’s 11 other fellow members. Xiang recommends the trip to any Paly bike lovers.
By Crystal Wang
Staff Writer
Palo Alto High School senior Willie
Xiang knew he wanted to do something ex-
traordinary this summer. He decided to bike
over 3,000 miles of never-ending highways,
barren deserts and formidable mountains from
the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast, over
just six weeks.
“I figured that the end of junior year would
be my last time to do something remarkable,”
Xiang said.
Last school year, Xiang received a pack-
age from Overland in the mail. Overland is an
organization of adventure and teamwork for
students ages 11 to 18. It offers biking trips in
New England, Canada, along the Pacific Coast
and across Europe and the United States.
The catalog consisted of over 30 different
types of programs, ranging from biking and
hiking to writing and studying abroad in France
or Spain. Overland groups never exceed over
12 students and always include two or more
highly experienced and spirited leaders.
Xiang selected the “American Chal-
lenge,” which was rated the most difficult out
of eight other biking routes in the catalog.
“I wanted to go on the trip that was the
most physically and mentally challenging,”
Xiang said.
Xiang set out on his adventure from Sa-
vannah, Georgia. All the bikers were rising
high school seniors or college freshmen, with
the exception of the two counselors.
On the first day, the group only biked
20 miles but eventually averaged 85 miles
per day.
“We wouldn’t really do much,” Xiang
said. “We would bike, eat, sleep and the next
day would be the same.”
Every morning, Xiang and his fellow
biker friends woke up at five a.m. In one hour,
they quickly had to pack their sleeping bags,
take down their tents, brush their teeth and
eat their breakfast.
Stacy Levichev/The Campanile
Breakfast was always simple and con-
sisted of either oatmeal with water, cereal with
powdered milk or some fruits. After loading
everything on their bike racks, they began a
ten to twelve hour bike ride.
“We’d reach our destination at six o’clock,
if we were lucky,” Xiang said. “Sometimes
we got there at 10:30 and had to bike in the
dark.”
During the day, participants had a few
stops for water, as well as lunch and dinner
breaks.
Though their days may have seemed
monotonous, the breath-taking scenery that
Xiang saw during the journey was extremely
interesting and beautiful. The mountainous
routes of the gorgeous Rocky Mountain Range
enthralled Xiang.
“[Biking the Rockies] was an exhilarating
experience,” Xiang said. “We would ascend
about 9,000 feet and then descend approxi-
mately 7,000 feet. Going down was fun. Hav-
ing the wind in your face, you feel free.”
Because they were riding as a group, they
did not have many opportunities to bike fast,
Xiang said. The group usually kept a moderate
speed and could not accelerate easily due to
the weight of supplies.
The highlight of Xiang’s trip was the
finale, reaching the Pacific Ocean in Santa
Monica.
“I think it was a success mainly because
I made it across,” Xiang said. “Persevering
through all the biking and soreness was a big
accomplishment.”
One aspect of the trip Xiang strongly
disliked was the hot and humid weather in
the South.
“There were tons of mosquitoes,” Xiang
said. “We camped out a lot in the South and we
each got about ten bug bites everyday.”
Each person had to carry all necessities
on the back of their bikes for the entire ride.
The weight was especially onerous when
biking uphill.
“Biking with weights sucks because you
know you have to keep going even though your
legs are about to fall off,” Xiang said.
Nevertheless, Xiang learned valuable
lessons from the experience. After this trip,
Xiang began to take care of himself a lot bet-
ter than he used to.
“Even though my hygiene wasn’t good be-
cause we didn’t have running water everyday
to take showers or brush our teeth, I looked
after my body,” Xiang said. “Before the trip I
had my mom take care of me saying, ‘Do this,
do that, keep healthy,’ but after the trip, I do
things willingly like taking vitamins. I don’t
need to be asked to do something because
it’s healthy.”
Xiang also had to shop, cook and clean
for himself during the trip.
“We didn’t have a mom or dad,” Xiang
said. “I definitely became a more independent
person after this trip.”
Though Xiang did not have his dad
biking alongside of him, sophomore Ben
Sklaroff did.
This past summer, Ben and his father,
Arthur, biked from the Pacific Coast to the
Atlantic Coast.
They started at San Gregorio beach,
on the coast of California, and biked to the
Kitty Hawk, on the Outer Banks of North
Carolina.
Biking participants followed a map from
the Adventure Cycling Association, but they
slightly modified the route on the map to meet
their needs and preferences.
Although the idea was his dad’s, they did
not start planning until last year.
“We were looking on the Internet, finding
other people’s blogs of cross country trips, and
talking [to people] at local bike shops,” Arthur
said. “One was an experienced biker and even
gave me a list of equipment.”
Ben and Arthur began their trip on Jun.
16 and finished it in 59 days, averaging 65
miles of biking per day.
“We wanted to take our time,” Ben said.
“[Biking with] a group is faster [than what
we wanted].”
Ben was glad to take this extended period
off from school to go on this biking ride.
“[I enjoyed] the adventure of it,” Ben said.
“Seeing new things, meeting new people, it
wasn’t just the same old routine.”
The two bikers met new, friendly faces
in every state they biked through.
“Some people on this route had places
for bikers to stay,” Arthur said. “There was
one person in Virginia who had been housing
participating bikers since 1976. She had a
separate house where she let bikers stay.”
Arthur and Ben met many people with an
exceptionally deep passion for biking. They
even met a man who was in the middle of biking
around the world, Ben said. Arthur said that
he thought this trip was a good time for Ben
to isolate himself from his highly scheduled
life that he normally has back in school.
“I think he enjoyed the opportunity of
having a lot of time to have his mind run
free,” Arthur said.
Arthur also believes that the father-son
situation was enjoyable and free of petty
arguments.
“We were pretty intent on doing the ride,”
Arthur said. “I think we both had a mind set
of what we wanted and needed to do.”
Ben said he enjoyed the experience,
would definitely do it again and strongly
recommended others to think about doing the
biking trip as well.
“You have to be committed though,” Ben
said. “[You have to be] the kind of person who
gets on the bike and puts in effort.”
Xiang agreed with Ben and recommends
that other students try the Overland program
too, but only if they feel capable of doing it.
After the completion of his program, Xiang’s
views on biking have changed.
“Biking is much more of a mental sport,”
Xiang said. “I thought it was a kind of physical
activity. It’s about 90 percent mental and 10
percent physical.”

STDs lead to more caution among students
By Rebecca Allen
News Editor
As Palo Alto High School junior
Cassandra waited for her results, her
knee twitched nervously. She knew
that choices and mistakes had led to
this point, and was not ready to see
what was in store for her.
These were not the results from
a recent SAT exam or calculus test,
but rather the results of her Sexually
Transmitted Disease test.
“Cassandra,” who like all the
other sources in the article has
chosen to remain anonymous, had
engaged in unprotected oral sex and
was recommended by her doctor for
STD testing.
“When I told my doctor that I
was sexually active, she immediately
asked me if I had engaged in any
unprotected oral sex or vaginal sex,”
Cassandra said. “I didn’t really think
anything of it because I had never
even thought about oral sex as being
a problem.”
The results proved to be quite
shocking to Cassandra; she discovered
that she had Chlamydia.
According to the Center for
Disease Control (CDC) Chlamydia is
the most commonly reported sexually
transmitted disease in America and is
likely more common than reported, as
the majority of women that have it are
not aware of it.
“I had been drinking a lot at a
party one time and I had started hook-
ing up with a guy who is a freshman
at Stanford,” Cassandra said. “I was
in a good enough state of mind to not
have sex with him but apparently I was
too absent-minded to use a condom
for oral sex.”
Commonly referred to as the
“Silent STD,” Chlamydia is limited
to no symptoms and a lack of public
awareness.
“Since I didn’t have any signs of
an STD like Herpes; how was I sup-
posed to know?” Cassandra said.
However, even with the lack of
visible symptoms, Chlamydia has
the potential to be one of the most
harmful STDs.
The CDC reports that Chlamydia
can cause pelvic inflammatory disease
which in turn may lead to infertility
and reproductive system problems.
According to the CDC, there are
almost three million new cases of
Chlamydia each year, most of which
are among adolescents and young
adults (ages 18-24).
The CDC recommends that
sexually active females 25 and under
should be screened at least once a year
for Chlamydia, even if no symptoms
of the STD are present.
Last year, rumors of a herpes
outbreak plagued Paly, though no
cases of the disease were reported
among students.
Herpes, unlike Chlamydia, is
incurable, though the outbreaks can
be managed.
Mildred, a Paly senior, was
infected with Herpes two years ago,
right before she began her sophomore
year.
“I still can’t believe I have her-
pes,” Mildred said. “It’s gross actually,
but I guess I manage it well.”
Using medication like Valtrex,
Mildred keeps her genital herpes
outbreaks under control.
“It was actually pretty stupid,”
Mildred said. “I am and was on the
pill and I thought that would kind of
kill the disease once it got into my
body. It’s not like he told me he had
herpes, though.”
Contrary to what Mildred thought,
the pill only protects against preg-
nancy, and according to the CDC
using both condoms and the pill is
the greatest way to protect sexually
active individuals from STDs and
pregnancy.
“I use condoms now,” Mildred
said. “You know, I don’t want to get
other people infected because that
would not be good. It’s completely
gross and scary.”
Other students have also felt the
sting of STDs, unknowingly trans-
mitting the Human Papillomavirus,
more commonly known as HPV, to
each other.
“We had been in a relationship
for a long time and it just didn’t make
sense to use a condom anymore,”
Menlo-Atherton High School senior
Shelbi said. “I am on birth control
and [my boyfriend and I] were only
having sex with each other.”
Soon after, Shelbi was diagnosed
with HPV. Doctors also told Alex that Stacy Levichev/The Campanile
he most likely is an HPV carrier and Paly students who contracted STDs had little to no information about using condoms. Awareness
gave it to Shelbi. about condoms can help prevent the spreading of STDs like herpes and chlamydia among teens.
“I had only ever had sex with
one person so it didn’t make sense to According to Mayo Clinic doc- Even with the constant barrage ship,” Alex said. “But I am not willing
me how I could have carried a STD,” tor Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., HPV is of safe sex or abstinence campaigns, to risk her or my safety, so it’s really
Alex said. “Her doctor told me that the leading cause of cervical cancer. many students appear to remain ig- worth waiting that extra ten seconds
most guys, something like 85% of all Most women should take preventative norant. According to the CDC, one in to get a condom.”
men, carry HPV.” measures against HPV, even if they every four sexually active teenagers Cassandra agrees but also knows
According to the CDC, HPV is are not yet sexually active. will acquire an STD by the time that how easy it is to not use protection or
usually relatively harmless but does “The vaccine Gardisil protects they are 19 years old. And even with just to forget.
in some cases lead to genital warts against the main types of HPV that the current teenage pregnancy rate “What’s important is to get
and irritation. Over 20 million adults cause cervical cancer,” Pruthi said. down, Chlamydia, HPV and HIV cases tested,” Cassandra said. “STDs do
currently have HPV and at least 80 “[However] the best way to prevent have still increased. not have to be a tragic thing. Once
percent of all adults acquire genital sexually transmitted infections is to “It’s hard to say that you have to you get tested, you can deal with
HPV at some point in there lives, with have fewer sexual partners and to use a condom every time, especially your situation and move on and make
most cases going unnoticed. always use condoms.” when you are in a committed relation- smarter choices.”
 Features
The Campanile October 1, 2007 • B3

Fashionably thrifty: clothing at reasonable prices

Bay Area stores sell vintage

By Annie Vought cares, at roughly 12 bucks a pop for ‘60s and

Staff Writer
There are better ways to score cheap,
funky clothes than raiding your grandmother’s
closet. Thrift shopping is one of them and it
has become increasingly popular among young
adults, attracting enthusiastic shoppers with
low prices, unique finds and the sheer thrill
of the chase.
Fortunately for Palo Alto High School
students, opportunities abound throughout
the Bay Area. But while monthly flea markets
and sporadic estate sales can supply the most
dedicated of thrift shoppers with unusual
treasures, a customer’s favorite thrift store is
special because it is always there.
Visiting a thrift store is necessary to
know exactly what it sells, but having a gen-
eral idea of what to expect can make all the
difference.
Saver’s
875 Main Street, Redwood City
Patience is a virtue. Keep that in mind
while making a stop at Saver’s — venues
like this downtown Redwood City store are
certainly responsible for putting the funk in
thrift store shopping.
Rows of shamefully hideous coats and
jackets stretch as far as the eye can see, but for
those who look hard enough there is always
something great in store. As implied by the
slogan, “Thousands of unique items arriving
daily!” there is a constant amount of junk to
sift through before finding something worth
buying.
As the floor is peppered by carelessly
dropped clothing and accessories, heavily
perfumed with the musty scent of dust, dogs
and senior citizens, Saver’s doesn’t exactly
give the impression of a shopper’s paradise.
Many of the price tags here are laughable: even
the rattiest of tops are marked at ten dollars
just for the Liz Claiborne label.
Yet hidden beneath the decades-deep
refuse lies a trove of treasures. So skeptics
beware: if willing to get down and dirty at
Saver’s in the search of that perfect pair of
sunglasses or a vintage sequined dress, expect
to emerge victorious.
Aardvark’s Odd Ark
1501 Haight Street, San Francisco
Like most other shops on Haight Street,
Aardvark’s caters not only to the tragically
hip, but to the tragically well-funded.
However, certain treasures are mysteri-
ously affordable, trapped between racks of
outrageously priced, unimpressive picks. The
store’s well-organized selection is wide despite
the store’s small square-footage, offering an
interesting mix of army coats, flowery dresses,
tie-dye t-shirts and flashy dance costumes.
The staff is helpful and knowledgeable,
remembering exactly what the store took in
the previous week. They are great at locating
a particular kind of item or offering legitimate
style advice.
Wasteland, one of several thrift stores on Haight Street in San Francisco, sells metallic shoes, vintage
sweaters and retro dresses, but the prices are often too expensive for the average teenage shopper to afford.
Most merchandise is in good condition,
but sometimes the salespeople will let custom-
ers bargain for an item if it has a hole or a few
buttons missing.
Accessories are neither plentiful nor in-
spiring, but there are several racks of vintage
dresses, handmade wrap skirts and a monstrous
variety of jackets: tweed, lace, hounds’ tooth
and everything in between.
Unfortunately, many of the prices here are
appalling. Aardvark’s is terrific for shoppers
with extra cash, but others will need to spend
lots of time in here before finding something
cool enough to shell out for. Most visitors
seem to walk out empty-handed, but it’s always
worth a look.
Held Over
1543 Haight Street, San Francisco
1960’s sparkly cocktail dresses. Eighties
valley girl minidresses. Held Over sells men’s
ethnic vests, ‘70s psychedelic skirts, hoe-down
ruffle tops and ancient Hawaiian t-shirts. No
0t only is the clothing organized by decade,
it is unique and beautiful as well.
The store displays an undeniably enor-
mous selection of vintage clothing in perfect
condition beneath gold-painted pillars, velvet
curtains and extravagant mirrors. Few items
are overpriced — it’s hard to imagine such
well-maintained, high quality pieces costing
anything less.
Nevertheless, buying from Held Over can
be difficult for anyone other than a vintage
fiend. Still, if in the area, pay a visit because
even just wandering amongst the clothing here
is fun within itself.
Wasteland
1660 Haight Street, San Francisco
Unfortunately, the most commonly
recommended used-clothing store on Haight
Street is also the most overrated. Wasteland
takes itself far too seriously; even sweaters
from a few seasons ago are sold at “vintage”
prices, and whoever picks the music at the
store seems to enjoy metallic grinding and
cat yelps.
The atmosphere is a bit pretentious and
cold, as the air conditioning is ailing and the
prices are far too high for their mediocre cloth-
ing selections. Everyone can find something
here every once in a while, but rarely can
anyone score something remotely considered
a “steal.”
Wasteland’s fantastical window displays
are famous for creativity and weirdness, so
take a look at this ever-changing exhibit, but
try not to get too excited about venturing
inside.
Allie Bollella/The Campanile
La Rosa
1711 Haight Street, San Francisco
“No photographs, food, drinks or dirty
hippies,” reads the sign at the entrance to La
Rosa, one of the finest, tiniest, most beauti-
ful vintage boutiques in the area. With not a
single old T-shirt or baja sweater to speak of,
this shop specializes in clothing from between
the ‘20s and ‘60s. Each item is marked with
the decade of the piece, and the employees
are especially knowledgeable about clothing
from specific eras.
The quality and age of the clothing means
that few high school students are La Rosa’s
customers, but the impressive collection at
La Rosa does still draws a sizable crowd of
admirers.
Men will also enjoy the “blasts from the
past” store displays. Some of the slacks and
blazers are more than 80 years old. With funky
jazz, elegant wood accents and a dark-green
carpet, it’s like walking into a museum, but
a lot more fun.
Clothes Contact
473 Valencia Street, San Francisco
At this Mission District shop, nearly
every single item is priced by weight. Clothes
Contact charges $10 per pound of clothing.
Exceptions include women’s dresses (but who
‘70s fare) and men’s jackets. And if you’re
looking for baja sweaters, make sure to pick
up three of the hippie “drug rugs” here for a
grand total of $10.
Not to be overlooked are the 99 cent racks
in front of the shop, stuffed full with blazers,
plaid skirts, vintage sweaters and more, worlds
apart from the tattered tank tops and garbage-
bag like dresses dripping off of most dollar
racks at other thrift stores.
Also noteworthy are the trunks upon
trunks of ancient fabric: the shop is simply
overloaded with curtains from that sweet-
potato-orange and mustard-yellow era.
Searching through scarves and shawls
at Clothes Contact is a lot like dumpster
diving because of the sheer size of the selec-
tion. Cashiers will even adjust the price of a
purchase when the object is heavy or when
in a good mood.
The clothing here is not quite as fine as
places like Held Over or La Rosa, but with low
prices, Clothes Contact is not to be missed.
Thrift Town
2101 Mission Street, San Francisco
Crowded and noisy, navigating the San
Francisco outpost of this popular chain is an
adventure in itself. It’s somewhat in the middle
of Goodwill and Saver’s in terms of content,
and is constantly bustling.
Make sure to take advantage of their
Monday Night Football sale, which offers 30
percent off everything on Mondays between
6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Most of the newer things here are heavily
worn and pretty junky, but there are tons of
old men’s jackets and women’s dresses from
the ‘80s in between it all.
The entire second floor is dedicated to
housewares and old radios, typewriters, cam-
eras and lamp shades. Like many other stores,
the pricing does not seem to be consistent;
some prices will make shoppers laugh, while
others will spark tears.
This is a great place for cool old T-shirts
(think Star Wars, the San Francisco Zoo and
company productio0n tees) and there is a huge
selection of Cosby-esque sweaters available.
This store is also famous for extremely long
lines and poor service, so be warned: Thrift
Town is not a place for stress cases or those
faint at heart.
Mission Thrift
2330 Mission Street, San Francisco
This popular sh00op is a hipster’s dream.
The funky old architecture, wild window
displays and magnificent amount of clothing
packed into such a small place make Mission
Thrift a San Francisco favorite. Although a bit
overrated, the store has a decent selection and
most clothes are well taken care of.
But what really makes Mission Thrift so
likable is the great vibe. This store makes you
feel really cool. Almost cool enough to drop
twenty bucks on a pair of vintage shades or
a tie-dye shirt.

New clubs recruit members on Club Day

By Becky Byler having already been approved and 25 now we can all make a difference in ing students’ ability and providing an
Staff Writer returning clubs from last year. someone’s life,” Chiang said. intellectually challenging environ-
“There is a great variety in clubs Clubs such as the Global Lit- ment for like-minded people. But
Students had over 40 new clubs this year, but we’re also seeing a lot eracy Club plan to raise awareness of Clayton insists that the clubs members
to choose from last Friday, with clubs of clubs focused on fighting world global literacy. The club plans to host are also there to “just have fun.”
ranging from global issues to long issues,” Junior Class President Erik book drives for third world countries Working towards greater intel-
boarding battled each other for new Klingbeil said. “Last year we had Ac- throughout the year. ligence is also important to many
members on Club Day. tion in Africa and New Global Citizens “One of our club members has an of Paly’s more academic- oriented
“We’re really happy about the but now there’s a lot more.” uncle who started an orphanage and clubs. Joining academic clubs from
number of clubs this year despite the Joining last year’s Action in Af- library in Afghanistan, and we hope to last year will be the Science Club,
new rules for clubs,” Associated Stu- rica and New Global Citizens Clubs hold book drives this year so that we Chinese Club and Digital Art Analy-
dent Body Presi- will be the can fill the library with books,” Global sis/Critique Club.
dent senior Mo- “There is a great variety in Global Lit- Literacy Club President, sophomore Each club is planning on focus-
hammed Abid clubs this year, but we’re also eracy Club, Sarah Martignetti said. ing its efforts towards building and
said. “Last year Model Citi- Writers Across Borders is another maintaining skills in the specified
we had a number seeing a lot of clubs focused zen, Writers club that plans to blend literacy with area, as well as providing an envi-
of clubs that dis- on fighting world issues.” Across Bor- community service. Sophomore Asha ronment for people interested in the
appeared after ders, Am- Albuquerque, the club’s president, same subjects.
second semester nesty Inter- said that the club’s mission is to “We really wanted a group to
and we want to Erik Klingbeil national and combine writing with fighting global practice our Chinese and further our
make sure that it Junior Class President Youth Can- issues. study of the language, so starting
doesn’t happen cer Outreach However, not all of the new clubs a club seemed like a perfect idea,”
again.” Club. have such high goals of fighting world Chinese Club President, junior Sasha
Last year, Paly boasted around “I’m really surprised at the sud- issues. Others, such as the L33T and Targ said.
30 club choices first semester, which den popularity of this topic at Paly, Long boarding Club just want to Starting a club and becoming a
drastically decreased by the end of the but I guess that everyone just wants bring people with similar interests member of numerous others seems
school year due to increasing levels to help someone out,” Copresident of together. like the perfect idea to many students
of club inactivity. New Global Citizens junior Catherine “I firmly believe that clubs should at Paly.
“Some of the changes in the club Chiang said. be based on any topic you feel pas- The diversity of the clubs attracts
application include a financial plan Chiang, who established the sionately about,” Long boarding Club a wide variety of people to become
and club constitution so that we are New Global Citizens during second President junior Phillip Martin said. involved in student activities.
really sure that clubs are serious and semester of last year, hopes to expand “Since I love long boarding, I decided “I have a club just about every day
continue holding meetings all year membership this year. Chiang is ex- to create a club for people who just of the week, but I don’t care about not
long,” Abid said. cited about all the clubs that will “help want to hang out and have fun.” being able to eat lunch,” sophomore
Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile The new club application process a lot of people.” The Chess, Bridge and Juggling Gaby Cahill said. “All the clubs this
Paly student council members discuss new club rules and does not seem to hinder the start of “It’s great having such a large Clubs were created by senior Chris year seem so interested and generally
plans for Club Day, which took place last Friday during lunch. new clubs so far, with 20 new clubs number of philanthropic clubs since Clayton with the intention of improv- committed to their cause.”
B4 • October 1, 2007 Features The Campanile

Paly students pursue opera dreams

By Kairen Wong money unless they are famous. But
Lifestyles Editor money doesn’t matter to me, as long
as I get to practice my art.”
Palo Alto High School sopho- Senior Kate Fruchterman, who
more Hannah Crown sang in her first plans to major in voice in college,
opera in first grade. echoes Latchford’s sentiments on the
“It was with West Bay Opera, difficulty of making it in opera.
a professional opera company, and “My goal is to sing opera, even
they needed children to play street though it is really hard to make it,”
orphans,” Crown said. Fruchterman said. “There are a lot
Opera, which means “work” in of sopranos out there, but it’s worth
Italian, is a dramatic performance that a shot.”
is mostly sung and accompanied by Sopranos normally sing the high-
acting, dancing and colorful scenery. est part in a musical work, and in a
Dominant in Europe’s music scene four-part chorale sing the melody.
from its creation in the late 1500s Fruchterman practices two hours
into the 1900s, opera was written in every day, and is currently preparing
languages such as Italian, French for her college auditions. From Octo-
and German. ber to January, she practices with the
Crown is one of several Paly stu- Peninsula Teen Opera, an organiza-
dents who sing opera. Most students tion that performs at Woodside High
don’t sing all types of opera. Senior School in January.
Andy Dwan specializes in singing “Last year I was the lead in the
opera written in Italian. Magic Flute,” Fruchterman said. “We
“Learning the Italian is not so had to practice six hours every Satur-
hard, although the pronunciation gets day during [the] season.”
tricky,” Dwan said. “It’s the technique In order to pursue her dream,
that's difficult.” Fruchterman will take Italian and
Unlike Crown, Dwan only began German in college. She has already
singing opera in high school. learned French by participating in a
“I always liked singing, and one French Immersion program.
day I realized I could sing,” Dwan “Probably the hardest place to end
said. “I started lessons and tried out up is the Metropolitan Opera in New
for a Paly musical, and it all went York, especially since opera is not
from there.” as big a part of the culture here as in
For one Paly student, pursuing Europe,” Fruchterman said. “There are
his operatic dreams meant leaving a lot of really good people out there,
Paly. Cameron but I’ve done well
Latchford now
attends the In-
“The best part about singing at auditions.” Latchford’s
terlochen Arts is that you can express your dream is to at-
Academy in In- deepest emotions to yourself tend The Julliard
terlochen, Mich- or a group of people.” School in New
igan, a perform- York City. He
ing arts boarding said Interlochen
school. Cameron Latchford A c a d e m y h a s
Latchford Former Paly student been a great high
said singing has school for him.
been a part of “The acad-
his life ever since he can remember, emy is pretty stressful, but I’ve met all
but continuing his commitment to kinds of crazy artists who understand
the art in high school proved to be me,” Latchford said. “One of my best
difficult. friends is a composition major who's
“The time commitment was writing a new opera. He wants me in
extremely stressful,” Latchford said. his premiere. I loved this place from
“I had a lot of trouble rehearsing for the start.” Mika Ben-Shaul/The Campanile
operas, doing homework and having Latchford hopes to perform in Senior Kate Fruchterman, who plans to major in voice in college, practices her vocals for a part in an upcoming opera. Fruchterman
a social life.” Giacomo Puccini's “La Boheme”
Latchford found that a large one day.
is one of the many students at Paly who participate in Bay Area operas, and will perform with the Peninsula Teen Opera this January.
majority of Paly students are still “I love Puccini, and the plot “I’d love to be able to sing Puc- and Latchford, she still hopes that operas does help with other types of I go,” Dwan said. “I want to continue
uninformed about opera. is perfect for me,” Latchford said. cini’s ‘Madame Butterfly’,” Fruchter- she can continue in a similar avenue singing.” singing.”
“The truth is, there’s much more “The characters are bohemian artists man said. “Suicide arias are really in the future. Dwan also wants to continue with Opera's unique type of expression
to classical singing than just singing,” who live together, and it’s extremely fun. There is one for [my role in the “I have not really sung in many opera and musical theatre though he is is what appeals most to Latchford.
Latchford said. “You have to learn romantic.” Magic Flute] that I sing. The woman other operas,” Crown said. “I was unsure if he will make it a career. “The best part about singing is
languages, take diction classes, music Fruchterman enjoys compos- is just going crazy.” supernumerary in an opera last year, “I’m not sure if I’ll continue it that you can express your emotions,”
history classes, acting and dance. ers from the romantic era, include Although Crown is less focused and usually they don’t have people as part of my college education, but Latchford said. “You can sing what
Opera singers don’t make much Giuseppe Verdi and Puccini. on a career in opera than Fruchterman my age in operas. Hosever, singing I’m going to keep doing it wherever can't be spoken to anybody.”

YES Reading offers underprivileged children tutoring

A volunteer tutors a student at YES Reading in Menlo Park. Founded in 1999 by three women who committed themselves
to improving children’s literacy and life opportunities, the program offers reading lessons to underprivileged children.
By Cassie Wedemeyer
Staff Writer
A literacy report issued by the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES) stated
that one in four children in America will grow
up not knowing how to read. In addition,
one out of twenty adults is illiterate. But the
YES Reading Program is doing something
about it.
YES Reading is specifically targeted to
help underprivileged children who may not
have the opportunity to get the extra reading
help they need in school.
“We wanted to make a difference in our
community and the lives of children,” said
Julia Benton/The Campanile
Jean Bacigalupi, one of the founders of YES
Reading. “YES Reading is seeing our dream
come true.”
YES Reading was founded in 1999
when Molly McCrory, Mary Wright Shaw
and Bacigalupi, three women committed to
“improving children’s literacy and life op-
portunities,” decided to open the first YES
Reading site at Belle Haven Elementary School “It feels really good knowing that these
in Menlo Park. kids are getting the extra motivation that they
Since then, Belle Haven Elementary wouldn’t have otherwise,” Boddupalli said.
School, with the support of multiple agencies “Nothing’s really as great as seeing how much
and school partners, has been tutoring children a kid has improved during the course of the
who have difficulty reading. Currently 330 year. It’s amazing to see how much a person
students attend the reading centers at multiple can develop.”
YES Reading sites in the Bay Area. Most All tutors receive reports at the end of the
children who attend Belle Haven are from year that show students’ improvement.
East Palo Alto and Menlo “The tutors are
Park. Each child is paired with “We wanted to make a differ- an asset to YES Read-
a tutor for two 45 minute ses- ing.” Abe said. “They
ence in our community and
sions a week to work on his represent diverse pro-
or her reading skills. the lives of the children.” fessional backgrounds
“The students thrive in and bring many experi-
one-on-one settings where Jean Bacigalupi ences and insights to
they receive instruction twice
YES Reading Co-Founder their students.”
a week,” Belle Haven Pro- While many teach-
gram Director Tyler Abe said. ers, tutors and students
“The students feel safe making mistakes be- are involved at YES Reading in Menlo Park,
cause they are not intimidated by their peers’ they constantly look for more volunteers.
reactions. When they come to YES Reading, “It’s definitely important for high school
they are enthusiastic because they are reading students to take advantage of the opportunities
books at their level of understanding.” YES Reading presents,” Boddupalli said. “It
Abe, a former teacher, has enjoyed her really builds leadership because you need to
new role as site director in Menlo Park since know what to do with a kid for the 45 minutes
she switched positions this past summer. you have with them and how to teach them
“Being a part of a literacy intervention effectively. YES Reading is based on volun-
program has allowed me to work with students teers, so obviously the more kids who do it,
who need the most support in strengthening the better it is for the program and the kids
their reading skills,” Abe said. who need help.”
The student tutors have a major impact Students interested in volunteering at
on how Belle Haven is run. Junior Sai Boddu- YES Reading volunteer for 45 minute sessions
palli has been volunteering at Belle Haven with each student they tutor.
for almost a year, and knows how his help Those who volunteer weekly work with
benefits the students. the same students each week. Hours are
“I feel connected to these kids,” Boddu- flexible for tutors and work around tutors’
palli said. “They really appreciate what I’m schedules.
doing for them.” “It’s great to have YES Reading because
Not only does the program help kids gain they help you to advance your reading,” a
social and reading skills, but tutors also gain second grader at YES Reading said. “And
from the program. then you can do or be anything.”
The Campanile Features October 1, 2007 • B5

Female football player defies stereotypes

Freshman Cisca Harriss overcomes gender barriers by joining Paly’s freshman football team
By Laura Kurtz
Senior Staff Writer
Palo Alto High School freshman Cisca
Harriss has played many sports in her lifetime,
but it is her most recent athletic endeavor that
has caught people’s attention.
Since the mid-nineties, the Paly football
program has been exclusively male, but
with Harriss as one of the newest players on
Paly’s freshman football team, that tradition
is over.
According to Athletics Director Earl Han-
sen, the only other female football player was
a kicker who played in the mid-nineties.
Harriss has thought about playing football
since she was in fifth grade. By the seventh
grade, she had attempted to join a team.
Unfortunately, her middle school did
not have a football team and she would have
had to play for the club in her Oregon town.
Although the club did not blatantly forbid
her from playing, it made it difficult for her
to sign up.
“None of the players on the team wanted
a girl, and the coaches didn’t either,” Harriss
said. “They were kind of sexist.”
When Harriss moved to Palo Alto in
eighth grade, she opted to join the volleyball
team instead of playing flag football. Yet, in
the summer between eighth and ninth grade
she seriously considered playing on the Paly
football team.
“I knew a lot of kids that were playing
football on the Paly team and I thought, ‘hey,
why not?’” Harriss said. “So I just went for
it.”
Over the summer, Harriss talked to her
parents about her decision to try and play foot-
ball the following year. Her parents’ reaction
was far from positive and they spent most of
the summer trying to dissuade her from fol-
lowing through.
Neither of her parents enjoy the sport of
football no matter who is playing it, Harriss
said. But she believes that although they do not
approve of football, they would have been less
reluctant to let her play if she were a boy.
“My dad isn’t a big football fan and he’s
not too excited about his daughter playing
football,” Harriss said. “My mom is just wor-
ried that I’ll get hurt.”
After constant nagging, her father finally
consented to let her try out. However, when try-
outs came, he said that he had been joking.
Harriss managed to attend the tryouts
despite her parents’ begging her not to, and
it was not until later that her parents realized
that the freshman team was no-cut.
“When they found out the freshman
team was no-cut, my dad was upset,” Har-
riss said.
Harriss’ father was hoping that she would
get cut from the team, which would bring an
end to her football career. Now that she has
made the team, Harriss said her parents are
constantly asking her to quit.
Despite opposition from friends and family, freshman Cisca Harriss follows her dream of playing on the freshman
football team. Little did she know that she would be the only female football player at Paly in over ten years to play.
“They have been trying to get me to do
different things,” Harriss said. “My mom
wanted me to do water polo or cross country
and she even tried to bribe me. She offered
to pay me to do rowing instead after the first
week of practice.”
Harriss said that the main reason her
parents are adamantly against her playing
football is because they are afraid that she
will get injured.
Harriss’ friends and soccer coach have
also persistently attempted to persuade her
to quit. Harriss’ soccer coach James Ellmore
does not approve of football in general, and
strongly disapproves of one of his players
being involved in such a violent game.
“Football fans want to see people hit
each other,” Ellmore said. “It’s like they are
barbarians, smashing each other with helmets.
There’s no grace, no flair, there are little bits
of skill, but I don’t know. I’m not a fan of
football. I don’t want her to get injured.”
Ellmore maintains the same policy with
all of his players.
“If any of my other players were playing
this or rugby or any other sport where there is
contact, I would advise against it,” Ellmore
said. “Especially not anyone at this age
where they’re growing so quickly ... I think
that football is just the wrong sport for any
teenager to be playing.”
Freshman Kimberly Hallsted, who plays
on Harriss’ soccer team, also disapproves of
her teammate’s participation in football. She
believes that playing football is not in Harriss’
best interest and has tried to make her stop.
When Harriss first told Hallsted that she
was going to play football, Hallsted’s reaction
was less than positive. Although she does not
fully support Harriss even now, Hallsted admits
Morgan Pichinson/The Campanile
that she has grown accustomed to the fact that
Harriss is not giving up any time soon.
“I’m used to the idea of her playing foot-
ball now because I can’t really do anything
about it,” Hallsted said. “She doesn’t listen
to me.”
Like many of the other people around
Harriss, Hallsted does not want Harriss to
play football for fear of injury. Hallsted also
said that, as a teammate, she hopes Harriss
will not get injured so that she will be able
to play soccer.
While Hallsted has tried to dissuade Har-
riss from playing football, she admits that the
idea of a girl on the freshman football team
is “pretty cool.” Hallsted also admires that
Harriss has managed to keep having as much
fun as possible playing football even with all
the people around her telling her that it would
be better if she quit.
“I respect her decision,” Hallsted said.
“I do not know what I would do if I was in
her position.”
Hallsted plans to attend the football games
in order to cheer on her friend, regardless of
her opinion about the situation. However, there
are people who do not worry about Harriss
and think that what she is doing is admirable
and interesting.
At first, freshman and teammate Charlie
Jones thought that having a girl on the team
was interesting and definitely something he
had never seen before.
“You usually don’t see a girl in football
pads,” Jones said. “Everybody thought it was
kind of weird tackling her at first but everybody
got used to it and now it’s not.”
Teammate and friend, freshman Nate
Velasquez said that he has never seen a girl
playing football before. He thinks it got easier
for the guys on the team to treat her the same,
is that they stopped treating her like a girl and
started treating her like a football player.
“They realized that she just wants to play
football, so they just got over the fact that she’s
a girl,” Velasquez said.
Jones said that while some of the boys
on the team had problems tackling her at
first, they soon became accustomed to treat-
ing her as “one of the guys.” Like Hallsted,
Jones thinks that it is it is impressive that she
continues to play the sport despite the constant
pressure to quit.
“I think it is pretty cool that she just goes
over everybody and just says ‘I don’t care what
you think, I care what I think’,” Jones said.
Seconding Harriss’ opinion, Jones said
that it would be great for her to continue
playing, and the more players there are, even
if they are not all male, the better. Velasquez
agreed that it would be possible for her to
continue playing football.
Harriss’ younger sister Anja Harriss
strongly supports her sister and understands
why she is playing on the football team.
“She is really strong, and she is really hard
core,” Anja said. “Football is a sport she would
play. When we were little, we would always
joke about how me and her friends would be
the cheerleaders in high school and she was
going to be on the football team, but now she’s
actually on the football team.”
Anja said that her friends are proud of
Harriss for playing on the team and have even
thought about attending the football games
just to watch her.
Harriss plans to try out for the team next
year as a sophomore and is even considering
playing Varsity if her schedule and family
will allow it.
While the road for Harriss has not been
a smooth one, she does not regret her deci-
sion.
“I think that if you want to try something
new, you should just go for it,” Harriss said.
“There is not really anything stopping you
but yourself.”

Students prepare for annual Glass Pumpkin Patch

Glass blown pumpkins will be sold during the festival held in early October, proceeds will go to the Paly Glass Program
By Cat Benson
Staff Writer
A stunning array of molten
glass sculptures catch the morning
sunlight, reflecting a kaleidoscope
of colors. The pumpkins may vary in
size and shape, but each is brilliant,
and together they form a rainbow of
colors across the fresh green grass.
The Palo Alto community can come
to the Great Pumpkin Fair to purchase
the remarkable pumpkins.
Palo Alto High School ceramics
students will fundraise for the Paly
Glass Program by selling original
glass blown pumpkins at the annual
Great Glass Pumpkin Patch. The glass
pumpkins will be available for sale at
the Palo Alto Art Center on Oct. 6 and
7, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  time, allowing all potential proceeds
The pumpkins were made by
alumni, professional artists and stu-
dents and range in price from $50 to
$150.  Students and alumni volun-
teered their time during the summer
to create over 300 pumpkins that will
be sold at the fair. Paly’s ceramics and
sculpture instructor David Camner,
said the Paly Glass Program will be
fully-funded for the school year.
“I provide Paly students a stress
free environment that fosters intuitive
problem solving and artistic expres-
sion,” Camner said. “To make things
is to be human. Making art can be
rewarding in ways not found in other
endeavors.”
Camner began teaching at Paly
in 1998, when he introduced his
three-pronged “Fiery Arts” program,
offering ceramic sculpture, glass
making and bronze casting. Today,
Camner’s program has expanded into
three Ceramics/Sculpture programs
and two Advanced Sculpture classes,
with a total enrollment of about 130
students.
“I love glass and felt that it would
be great to have a glass program,”
said Camner. “There are few glass
programs in schools, even at most uni-
versities, much less high schools.” said. “It’s hard and difficult, but when
Last year, most of the glass pump-
kins sold for around $80 and raised a
total of approximately $7000 for the
glass program, Camner said. However,
the program hired a few professional
artists to make some of the pumpkins.
All of the paid artists donated their
to go to the Paly Glass Program.
The Paly Glass Program has been
involved in the Great Glass Pumpkin
Patch for the past two years. Prior to
that, student pumpkins were sold to
the Paly community. The program re-
ceived 60 percent of the profits, while
the school received 40 percent. couples or families taking the work-
“It’s great fun,” Camner said. “It
is challenging, physically and men-
tally, and intrinsically rewarding.”
Other projects in the Ceramics/
Sculpture program include hand-
building ceramic sculptures, Raku,
mold-making with plaster, glass-
casting, wood and stone carving,
metal fabrication, lost-wax casting
of bronze, found objects and mixed-
media work.
Camner previously taught at
Rhode Island School of Design, and
received his Master of Fine Arts in
Glass Sculpture at Santa Clara Uni-
versity.
When he switched to teaching
high school students,  Camner was
looking for a steady paycheck and a
way to give back to society.
“Glassblowing is great because
it’s a great medium for kids, and great
for self-efficacy in students,” Camner
the kids overcome the technical prob-
lems it can be very rewarding.”
Parent funding plays a huge role
in the success of the glassblowing
program, Camner said.
“Parents have been very support-
ive of my program, in donations, at
our Holiday sale in December and at
our spring sale,” Camner said.
The parents also support the
monthly Weekend Workshops, a
primary source of funding, where
glassblowing is taught to the public,
Camner said.
“It’s great fun and often we have
shop together,” Camner said.
Although glassblowing is cur-
rently only offered at four high schools
in the nation, its popularity is growing
in the Paly community.
Junior Jack Gayle, who has sold
his work at the annual fundraiser for
the past two years, plans to sell his
Hannah McGovern/The Campanile
glass pumpkins this fall.
“It’s not just an art experience, it’s Paly junior Tim Wenzlau works with professional glass artists to produce one of the many glass-blown
a social experience,” Gayle said. pumpkins that will be sold at the annual Great Glass Pumpkin Patch at the Palo Alto Art Center.
B6 • October 1, 2007
Muay Thai fighting gains foothold at Paly
By Michael Hamada
Staff Writer
While other Palo Alto High School ath-
letes head out to the field or gym after school
for practice, senior Kelvin Wang and fresh-
man Gaston Bolanos tape up their fists and
head into the ring. While their gloves may
be similar to those used in boxing, their fight
will be much different.
Wang and Bolanos practice what is known
as Muay Thai, a Thai martial art that is gain-
ing popularity throughout the Western world
through fighting competitions and TV shows
like the “Ultimate Fighting Championship”
(UFC), “K-1” and “Ultimate Fighter.”
Muay Thai is a rigorous form of stand-
fighting that involves both kicking and punch-
ing. It is the foundation from which many
forms of Asian kickboxing have developed.
Muay Thai is also known as the Art of Eight
Limbs because, unlike many other forms of
martial arts and fighting, it uses two hands,
shins, knees and elbows to deliver powerful
blows during a match.
Wang began attending the Fairtex Martial
Art gym in Mountain View six months ago after
being inspired by martial arts fights on TV.
“When I first began watching UFC and
saw all the different fighting techniques, I
knew I wanted to learn them and be able to
do the things they did,” Wang said.
In competitions like the “UFC” and “K-1,”
an international fighting tournament held in
Japan, competitors practice Mixed Martial
Arts, which is a mix of fighting forms that
are all used during a single fight. The Fairtex
gym itself is highly renowned in the world of
competitive fighting and only has two U.S.
locations, one in Mountain View and the other
in San Francisco. The rest of the Fairtex gyms
are in Japan and Thailand.
“Fairtex gyms are so highly regarded
that in some cases, after a fighter has gone
through years of training through the gym
and has become a champion, he will change
his last name to Fairtex in honor of the gym,”
Wang said.
Features
Senior Kelvin Wang attacks a punching bag during his training in the Muay Thai fighting style. Muay Thai, a martial
art from Thailand, is gaining popularity because of popular international fighting tournaments shown on television.
The USA Muay Thai team is even spon-
sored by the Fairtex gyms.
“I was excited when I moved here from
Peru and saw that there was a Fairtex gym
nearby,” Bolanos said. “It’s really cool to
be trained by Fairtex trainers straight from
Thailand.”
Bolanos has been training in Muay Thai
for the past six years. Wang said that in Thai-
land, Muay Thai is more a way of life than
just a sport. Young boys will leave school in
order to focus on Muay Thai and train all day.
Most of these boys are from poor economic
backgrounds and use Muay Thai as a way out
of their economic struggles.
Like boxing matches, Muay Thai matches
are scored by judges based on efficient punches
and kicks, and whether or not a fighter had
control over his opponent throughout each
round. Unlike boxing, however, fighters are
Morgan Pichinson/The Campanile
not separated when they clinch up in a hold. In
Muay Thai, these situations are the best times
to score points by kneeing the opponent in the
stomach. A fighter can also score points by
catching an adversary’s kick and then throwing
a punch at him while he is off balance.
Wang and Bolanos said that Muay Thai
takes an incredible amount of dedication and
physical endurance. Most people train two
hours a day, five days a week. An average
The Campanile
training session can have up to six different
types of workouts.
A real Muay Thai fight has three- minute
rounds, so to emulate that in practice, each
workout is done for three minutes at a time.
A fighter usually starts off with four rounds
of jump roping to improve stamina and leg
strength. Then a fighter will move on to
shadow-boxing with weighted gloves, where
he will pretend to fight an invisible enemy
in order to get his muscles ready for more
intense physical strain. This is done for two
rounds and then followed by bag work for
five rounds.
Bag work consists of kicking and strik-
ing heavy boxing bags scattered throughout
the gym. Fighters grunt and yell as they slam
their legs against the bags.
“Some of the trainers here have even
competed in professional fights and you can
see their matches on YouTube,” Wang said.
“They will kick bags that weigh hundreds
of pounds from side to side as if they weigh
nothing.”
The rest of the workout consists of kicking
against pads held by a trainer in the ring, core
workouts and weight training. Both Wang and
Bolanos hope to compete in Fairtex Mountain
View’s next smoker fight. A smoker fight is
a group of fights for fighters before they turn
amateur, Wang said. So far, Bolanos is 2-0 in
smoker fights including one knockout.
Muay Thai is a martial arts form full of
tradition and honor. Before a match, many
fighters will go through a religious ritual where
they will dance around the ring, praying to
the spirits and paying respect to their trainers.
They dance around and pray at each corner of
ring, which represents the Four Noble Truths
of Buddhism. It is also a time for fighters to
collect their thoughts before the match.
“There are white non-Buddhist fighters
who participate in these rituals too,” Wang
said.
As martial arts gain popularity through
new international fighting championships, it
won’t be long before people of all ages gain an
interest in the ancient sport of Muay Thai.
The Campanile Features October 1, 2007 • B7

Rocky is a unique performance Paly teens use various methods

Horror , Continued from B1
“Reno treats us like rock stars,”
head of Caste security Kurt Narveson
said. “We had about 5,000 people at
this August’s show. Thousands of
people doing the Time Warp together
is a pretty wild thing to see.”
The Caste has been performing
at the festival for nine years by spe-
cial invitation and has made Rocky a
highlight of the summer festival.
“This August’s show was com-
pletely f***king insane,” Purucker
said. “About 15 minutes into the
movie, the toilet paper came out.
There was a continuous toilet
paper fight and mosh pit going on
in the auditorium for the rest of the
movie.”
The Caste has attended Rocky
Horror conventions in Tucson, Las
Vegas and Hollywood and sometimes
performs at the Clay Theater in San
Francisco.
Most Caste members don’t tire
of acting in Rocky shows because of
the unique experience.
“I think Rocky still plays because
there’s really nothing else like it,” Mr.
Wilke said. “There’s really no other
movie where you can yell and throw
things and see people acting in front
of the screen and not get thrown out.
It’s just the whole experience.”
The film was a critical flop upon
its release, criticized mainly for its
camp tone of exaggerated sexuality.
However, after being relaunched as
a midnight movie in 1976, its fan
base grew.
“In a lot of ways, it’s passé,”
Narveson said. “It’s well past its prime.
Its biggest time would be late 1970s
to mid-1980s.”
Rocky fans, however, continue
to put on and attend shows, aided by
the emergence of fan websites and
conventions.
“When you explain Rocky to
someone who’s never been, they
performing during which she married
and had children.
“I tried to be the normal house-
wife,” Mrs. Wilke said. “It didn’t
work out. All the other housewives
were looking at me sideways. For the
five years I was gone, I was in Rocky
withdrawal. This isn’t just where you
show up every other weekend; this is
a family.”
Although Rocky has been added
to the National Film Registry, a list
of 450 films deemed “culturally, his-
torically or aesthetically significant”
by the United States National Film
Preservation Board, its fans are less
interested in its artistic merits than the
customs of its society.
“When I watched it before I
started performing, it seemed like a
bunch of nonsense,” Swan said. “Now
that I’ve watched it so many times and
really studied it, I think it’s genius: the
acting is amazing, it’s so much fun
and it’s completely ground-breaking.
I feel like it’s a really amazing piece
of art.”
Tatro describes Rocky as his
“religion and inspiration” but does
not consider it high art.
“It’s so creepy to think that this
actually started as real theater and
evolved into this,” Tatro said.
Narveson has been working at
Rocky shows since 1978 and been
with the Caste for seven years. He
Mika Ben-Shaul/ The Campanile
sports a tattoo of the famous Rocky
Members of the Bawdy Caste perform a lift during the Sept. 15 lips on his calf.
screening of the The Rocky Horror Picture Show in Menlo Park. The disembodied lips are featured
think it’s the same movie every time “In high school I was obese and on the movie poster and sing the
and that the same people do the exact quite shy,” Barman said. “When I movie’s title song, “Science Fiction
same thing,” Tatro said. “It’s very hard played Magenta, I was the sexiest Double Feature.”
to describe how different it always person in the room. At Rocky, ev- “In the way modern art is defined
is. People take their tops off, people erybody fits in. Rocky was the first nowadays, Rocky is art, because most
overdose on alcohol – I’ve never been place I felt like I belonged. You can art nowadays is ridiculous,” Narveson
to a show that I haven’t walked away do whatever you want and be whoever said. “There’s a German guy who
from with an unique story to tell.” you want here.” has an art show in Boston, and it’s
Many Caste members said the In between helping found the an empty room with a light that turns
movie’s popularity endures in part Bawdy Caste in 1995 and fulfilling her on and off every five minutes. If that
because of the inclusive culture sur- current duties as co-director, Shannon is considered art, Rocky is definitely
rounding it. Wilke took a five-year hiatus from art.”
to fight disorders and depression
By Hannah Bystritsky
Staff Writer
He looked slightly paler and the
dark circles underneath his eyes had
darkened overnight. To his peers, he
looked as strange as he always did,
but to his friends he seemed more
temperamental.
After starting a new antide-
pressant, “Max,” a Palo Alto High
School junior who wishes to remain
anonymous, started feeling even more
depressed than usual.
Many teens suffer from differ-
ent severity levels of depression or
other psychological and emotional
problems.
According to the National Youth
Violence Prevention Resource Center,
one in every 12 adolescents experience
depression in any given six month
period. In addition, according to the
Alliance for Human Research Protec-
tion, 68 percent of parents believe that
antidepressants are over-prescribed
to teenagers.
“I’ve been on medication ever
since I was diagnosed with Attention
Deficit Disorder and depression when
I was nine,” Max said. “Sometimes I
lose my appetite and other times I can’t
sleep. Sometimes, it even worsens my
depression.”
Many of the medications teen-
agers use come with risks such as
headaches, insomnia, nervousness,
restlessness and weight change.
On the other hand, medication has
helped many adolescents do better in
school, be more social and form better
relationships with their family.
“I took Clylert for my ADD for
a really long time and it helped me a
lot,” said “Adam,” a Paly sophomore
who wishes to remain anonymous
said. “I found myself being able to
focus a lot more during class.”
Often, finding a medication that is
most beneficial to a teenager is a long
process filled with trial and error.
“We live during a time when
medication is a shortcut to find-
ing the solution for many ills. It is
much easier and less stressful to take
medication,” said Michael Levin, a
Psychiatrist specializing in children
and adolescents.
Many teenagers diagnosed with
social or emotional disorders such
as clinical depression are prescribed
medications without first offered alter-
native treatments. For instance, behav-
ioral problems may be helped simply
by changing the patient’s diet.
Similarly, herbal remedies and
other forms of Eastern medicine can be
just as effective as prescription drugs.
In addition, individuals do not experi-
ence side effects like addiction.
“My grandma used to perform
acupuncture on me and give me a lot
of green tea and Asian herbs,” Max
said. “Although it didn’t help me with
depression, it made me feel better in
other ways and improved my overall
mood.”
In “Is Psychiatry for Sale,” a
discussion paper for the Institute of
psychiatry in London, researcher
Joanna Moncrieff makes several
conclusions.
“Western society is consuming
ever larger quantities of prescription
drugs and many of these are for psy-
chiatric complaints,” Moncrieff said.
“The pharmaceutical industry is now
heavily involved in the organization
of research into psychiatric drugs and
the dissemination of research findings.
Psychiatry provides fertile ground
for pharmaceutical industry profits
because it provides opportunities for
expanding definitions of sickness to
include more and more areas of social
and personal difficulty.”
After a few days, the circles under
Max’s eyes cleared up. He seemed
to have regained a bit of color and
he was more at ease, but his closest
friends knew he still wasn’t feeling
so great.

The Campanile
Thanks the following sponsors:

Liz Hoffman and Morrie Druzin

Sally Geisse and Josep Vericat
The Greene Family
Ju-Wen Hsu
The Hahn Family
The Blake Family
Yeou Yong Maa
The Clayton Family
Rosalind Ross
Jessica Madey
The Minno Family
Lisa Miao
Sunaina Ruh
The Stern Family
Shuna Chu
Holly Ward
Renate Steiner
Dina Flanagan
Mehron Reihani
Auster Chen
The Brandin Family
The Goodspeed Family
The Mitchell Family
The Jones Family
The Waldron Family

and many more...


B8 October 1, 2007

A&E The Campanile

Summer send off: Bar-Lev’s documentary also questions whether Ol-

By Ryan McLeod
Staff Writer
The heat of summer is gone, and with it the incentive
to sneak into an air-conditioned movie theater where the
latest blockbuster sequel is playing.
On the bright side, fall offers a different reason to
go to the movies.
Falling between the big-budget summer titles and
family-friendly holiday blockbusters is a season where film
festivals abound, indie pictures flourish and Hollywood
stars are free to expand their acting spectrum in fresh and
intriguing films. for large corporations and law firms, who in the process
Ira and Abby
September 14
Filling the position of the quirky indie romantic com-
edy for the season, Ira and Abby looks to be a charming
date movie with an extra twist.
The movie begins with a typical neurotic boy-meets-
girl plot. The subject matter soon takes a depressing dive
with the theatrical element of a bad marriage.
The couple’s quick and irrational decision creates a
riveting story filled with comedic events.
Robert Carey is inexperienced in the director’s chair
and the actors are hardly stars, but early comments from
film festivals praise the depth of the script and the strength
of the supporting cast.
Six promising new movies to check
out in the upcoming fall season
mstead’s parents could be the true artists of the paintings.
Bar-Lev lived with and documented the Olmstead family
during the year Maria became a national celebrity.
My Kid Could Paint That was first shown at the 2007
Sundance Film Festival and was well-received.
Michael Clayton
October 12
George Clooney returns this fall to play in a legal
thriller.
Michael Clayton is a fixer, a man hired to rig trials
changes the truth seen by the public.
The plot will details one four-day assignment of
Clayton’s, using flashbacks to show more of the charac-
ters’ personal lives.
Clooney is supported by a cast of first class ac-
tors, including Sydney Pollack, Tilda Swinton and Tom
Wilkinson.
Although this is writer and director Tony Gilroy’s
first time behind the camera, his experience with penning
the Bourne movies makes him an expert in handling ac-
tion and thrills.
The talented cast and crew should easily be able to
maintain the viewer’s attention, something that is often
lost in complex legal dramas, making Michael Clayton a
guaranteed box-office winner.

The Darjeeling Limited Elizabeth: The Golden Age

September 29 October 12
The Darjeeling Limited is an offbeat movie now ap-
pearing at various film festivals that stars Owen Wilson,
Adrien Broody and Jason Schwartzman as three brothers
traveling on a spiritual journey across India by train.
The plot carries the estranged brothers into a num-
ber of awkward and compromising situations, a premise
similar to that of last year’s award-winning Little Miss
Sunshine.
While the dysfunctional family vacation premise is
nothing new, The Darjeeling Limited promises the addition
of a vibrant and colorful setting. The movie’s presence in
India will surely influence the film’s story line and will
hopefully add to the overall character of the film.
Cinematographer Robert Yeoman has worked fre-
quently with writer and acclaimed director Wes Anderson
(Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums) and their combined
experience promises a well-crafted, intelligent film.
The Darjeeling Limited has yet to prove itself as co-
medic gold, but it has a formula that promises success.
My Kid Could Paint That
October 5 in select cities
The fall season also plays host to its share of fascinat-
ing documentaries, including highly-anticipated My Kid
Could Paint That.
Filmmaker Amir Bar-Lev, whose debut film, Fighter,
examined Eastern European immigrants, documents the
life of child prodigy Maria Olmstead, who at the age of
four became famous for her artistic talent. Her abstract
paintings were compared to those of modern artistic mas-
ters Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock and sold for tens
of thousands of dollars.
After “60 Minutes” called the authenticity of the
young girls’ paintings into question, the Olmstead family
found itself the subject of national debate.
One of the few sequels this fall is Elizabeth: The
Golden Age. The sequel to Elizabeth (1998) features Cate
Blanchett as Elizabeth I of England, a return to the role
that made her famous.
Director Shekhar Kapur returns for this installment
along with much of the original cast. Clive Owen and
Geoffrey Rush both appear in major roles as members of
Elizabeth’s court.
In this film, Elizabeth has already taken command
of the throne and is now faced with dire threats to the
country, including the falling colonization of Virginia and
the attack of the Spanish Armada.
Along with the usual political drama, Elizabeth: The
Golden Age is filled with illicit love affairs, thrilling court
intrigue and superbly animated naval battles.
Appeal for this film shouldn’t be limited only to
those who enjoyed Elizabeth. The historical, romantic
and dramatic elements should make this film enjoyable
to any moviegoer.
For a historical film, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
surprises in having just the right ingredients to be an
exciting box-office smash and an interesting new film
this fall season. Courtesy of www.imdb.com
Cate Blanchett plays Queen Elizabeth I of England in Elizabeth: The Golden Age. The sequel to 1998’s
American Gangster Elizabeth. Elizabeth: The Golden Age is one of a few sequels being released during this fall season.
November 2
American Gangster is likely to be one of the big- Washington’s character in the only black mob boss in and drug lord who uses coffins carrying dead soldiers
gest box office hits this fall. Viewers are sure to enjoy Chicago, with a lot of hatred directed at him because from the Vietnam War to smuggle drugs to America.
this riveting action-packed tale. of this. Although this bad boy with a heart of gold role
Denzel Washington plays a crime boss operating Whether or not he becomes a character who de- has been played before, Oscar-winning producer Brian
in the 1970s who is pursued by an outcast cop (Russell serves sympathy in the eyes of the audience is left to Grazer is sure to put an original spin on it.
Crowe). The story, based on true events and written by director Ridley Scott (Alien, Gladiator, Blade Runner). Scott is known for creating films that are both box-
Steve Zaillian, portrays the two as similar characters While the character has performed good deeds in office hits and critically acclaimed Academy Award
who are inevitably forced towards a final showdown. support of his community and could be seen as a hero winners. American Gangster is likely to end the fall
The plot addresses racism as one of its major issues. for surmounting racial barriers, he is also a criminal season with a bang.

Fall television lineup offers variety of new shows to viewers

By Josh Lo
Staff Writer
For those not content with watch-
ing reruns on television, this season’s
lineup offers plenty of new shows
starting this fall. Returning shows also
hit the small screen with new plots
and adventures.
“Aliens In America”
Mondays, 8:30 p.m., CW
One new show that is sure to be
a hit is “Aliens in America.”
The show is about a Wisconsin
mother who invites a foreign exchange
student to come live with her shy
teenage son with the hope that he will
become more popular.
However, when the student turns
out to be a Pakistani Muslim, her plan
goes astray.
“Aliens in America” is a high
school dramatic comedy that provides
non-stop laughter of striking cultural
differences. The show is not one to
be missed.
“The Big Bang Theory”
Mondays, 8:30 p.m., CBS
Another comedy show sure to be
a hit is “The Big Bang Theory.”
The story line follows two brai-
niac scientists, Leonard and Sheldon,
who understand everything in life
except women.
The show then brings in a new,
pretty neighbor who teaches the pair
a thing or two about love and relation-
ships. As she tries to be helpful with
The television lineup this fall includes shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy” (upper left), “Kid Nation,” (bottom left) and “Heroes”
(center). Other shows like “Cavemen” (upper right) and “Aliens in America” (bottom right) premiere for the first time this autumn.
her charms, they confuse her with
their intelligence.
“Cavemen”
Mondays, 8:30 p.m., CBS
“Cavemen” adds more humor to
the mix of fall sitcoms. It tells of a
southern suburban town seen through
the eyes of three cavemen named Joel,
Nick and Andy.
The premise of the show is about
their attempt to conform to normal
standards of society.
Facing discrimination, these three
cavemen learn to cope with and live in
a modern community filled with new
and exciting adventures.
It is not certain whether or not
this sitcom, based off a well-known
Geico commercial, will succeed.
“Bionic Woman”
Mondays, 8:30 p.m., NBC
Aside from the new comedies
is an action filled show, “Bionic
Woman.” The plot follows Jaime
Sommers, a bartender and surrogate
mother, who is nearly killed in a car
accident.
The Bionic Woman, played by
British actress Michelle Ryan, is saved
Courtesy of Google Images
by a state-of-the-art operation that
gives her new superhuman powers.
She has to survive the older model
Bionic Woman all while taking care
of her younger sister Becca, played
by Lucy Hale.
Of course, there is romance in
the plot, with character Will Anthros,
portrayed by Chris Bowers. The show,
based on classic superhero tales, is
sure to be a hit with its tried-and-true
plot of impossible heroics. The twists
will leave the viewers on the edge of
their seats.
“Kid Nation”
Wednesdays, 8 p.m., CBS
A new reality show creating much
controversy is “Kid Nation.”
In this show, 40 kids from all over
America spend 40 days in a ghost town
testing their survival skills.
The show follows the children’s
story as they overcome the obstacles
of creating a new society in without
adult guidance.
Working together in a world with
no adults, they are pushed to their
limits and far beyond.
“Heroes”
Mondays, 10:30 p.m., NBC
“Heroes” returns for its sopho-
more season and features people
from across the globe with superhu-
man powers, all connected with the
ultimate destiny to save the world.
Stunning and heart pounding, “He-
roes” returns better than ever.
“Grey’s Anatomy”
Thursdays, 8 p.m., ABC
The fourth season of “Grey’s
Anatomy,” a romantic drama involv-
ing interns and doctors at Seattle Grace
hospital, returns with new plot twists.
The show’s complex and dramatic
story lines made it an audience favorite
in its first season, and it has retained its
popularity into its current season.
The Campanile A&E October 1, 2007 •B9

Apple’s iPhone truly eye-catching

Innovative new product sparks excitement in digital world
By Austin Smith
A&E Editor
Since the announcement of its
impending arrival in January, nothing
has created more buzz in the world
of technology than Apple’s iPhone.
Introduced as a groundbreaking
revolution in mobile entertainment, it
has now been released to the world.
But does it live up to the hype? Is it
worth the cost?
It most definitely is. The iPhone
may not be as epic as Apple wants it
to be, but with only a few setbacks, it
is an incredibly fun and useful device
that is worth every penny of its newly
lowered price tag.
The iPhone is essentially a
computer utilizing a group of ap-
plications that are all integrated with
one another.
For example, one can listen to the
iPod while looking at a Web page with
a phone number listed on it. One touch
will fade the music out and dial the
number; a second touch will add it to
your contacts; and a third touch will
end the call and fade the music back
in right where you left off.
Or, when searching for a Mexican
restaurant, one can search “Mexican”
in the Google Maps application. The
locations of the closest Mexican res-
taurants will appear. One touch will
give the selected restaurant’s infor-
mation; another will dial its number,
open its Web page or find directions
to and from it. The possibilities are
endless.
Many worry about the miniscule
keyboard and the battery life. Both
are valid concerns. The keyboard is
much too small, but with some prac-
tice it becomes less of a problem. It
is auto-correcting and can generally
interpret what one is typing, even if
the exact keys are not pressed. The
keyboard would be more effective
with a horizontal layout, similar to the
one utilized with the Web browser.
The battery life is acceptable
for those who do not use the iPod or
YouTube excessively. It is a problem,
however, for those who do watch a
lot of videos and browse the Internet
a lot. In that case, nightly charging
may be needed.
Display
The iPhone’s video and photo
display is nothing short of breathtak-
ing. The 3.5-inch widescreen pleases
the eye with just about everything
it displays. There is no better way
to share photos on a mobile device,
especially landscape photos that can
be rotated to fill the full display.
Phone
Though it’s the central function of
the iPhone, the actual phone is often
the most overlooked due to all of the
iPhone’s other features. The touch
controls are simple to pick up and the
contacts easy to maneuver through.     A component that drew much
One fancy feature is the simple
multi-line calling that makes confer-
ence calls just one touch away.
Another feature is the new,
iPhone-specialized headphones that
include a microphone, allowing them
to act as a headset. The microphone
can also be pressed like a button to
answer and hang up calls without
touching the iPhone.
Text messages are also simplified,
as the iPhone displays them as ongo-
ing conversations instead of showing
only one message at a time. It is more
reminiscent of an instant message chat
than text messages.
In fact, one of the only glaring
omissions is an instant message sys-
tem like ones that many other smart
phones have.
The iPhone is especially revolu-
tionary with its one-of-a-kind digital
voicemail. Voice messages are viewed
and played much like songs are on the
iPod. They can be paused, scrolled
through and repeated. There is no lon-
ger a need to listen to ten old messages
just to get to one new one and no need
to call into the voicemail system and
enter a password each time.
 A recent introduction is ring-
tones from the iTunes Music Store.
For $1.98, one can buy a song from
the store and select their own thirty
Apple’s sleek, sexy and new iPhone allows owners to call friends,
listen to music, surf the net, e-mail others and watch YouTube videos.
second clip of the song to upload to
their iPhone as a ringtone. At the mo-
ment, however, only a small selection
of songs are available as ringtones.
iPod
A brand new style of iPod controls
was introduced with the iPhone. The
Michela Fossati-Bellani/The Campanile
iPod has two modes with which us-
ers can find music, including a new
cover-flow style.
The traditional list style is remi-
niscent of earlier iPods, but has a dock
of buttons at the screen’s bottom that
allows one to easily jump from artists
to albums.
The touch interface ultimately
makes navigation more straightfor-
ward, but falls short of the iPod Clas-
sic’s click wheel in terms of ease of
use. One of the main advantages of
the click wheel is the user’s ability to
skip songs or change volume without
having to look at the screen.
The iPhone, however, requires
full attention of both eye and finger
to perform even simple tasks such
as these.
The sound quality is first-rate,
exactly what is expected of an ordi-
nary iPod.
Soon to be released is the iTunes
Wi-Fi Music Store, an application
that allows the user to buy and down-
load music directly to their iPhone
and sync it to their computer later.
Safari
  A truly revolutionary component
of the iPhone, the Safari Web browser
allows one to view full Web pages for
the first time on a handheld device in
the same format they are found in on
any computer.
Navigation can be a bit tricky — a
mix of double-taps and finger pinches
are necessary to zoom in and out —
but Web pages can be easily accessed
through a full bookmarks page and
built-in Google search.
Safari can be displayed vertically,
or turned landscape for a widescreen
view of the web. The horizontal view
also boasts a larger, expanded version
of the standard keyboard, which is
infinitely easier to use. One wonders
why not all of iPhone’s keyboards are
horizontal.
Many critics have expressed
concern about the speed of the Web
browser, especially without direct Wi-
Fi connection. A connection without
Wi-Fi is certainly slower, but with
full cell phone reception it is not
painfully slow.
With Wi-Fi, however, Safari runs
smoothly and near the same speed of
a computer. The problem is that there
are so few open Wi-Fi networks that
one is more often forced to use the
slow cell phone reception.
E-mail
With the iPhone, Apple simply
gives its take on handheld e-mail,
a staple of all high quality mobile
devices.
Any Yahoo!, Gmail or AOL ac-
count can be transferred easily to the
iPhone. Any other accounts that can
be synced from one’s desktop mailbox
are also compatible. Multiple accounts
can be added as well.
   Scrolling is simple and messages
can be deleted with the flick of a finger.
Attachments can also be downloaded
and viewed, but cannot be transferred
to another application. For example,
photos received by e-mail cannot be
viewed in the Photo application.
YouTube
excitement upon its introduction, the
YouTube application is certainly a
first for a mobile device. However, it
comes up short of expectations.
It is definitely great to have end-
less portable entertainment, allowing
the user to find quirky videos or listen
to any song through music videos.
However, not all YouTube videos
are formatted for the iPhone, and
YouTube cannot be watched in the
Safari Web browser.
The quality also fades signifi-
cantly when videos are uploaded with
cell phone reception and not Wi-Fi. So
not only does it take a significantly
longer time to load a video without
Wi-Fi, the quality is also fuzzy and
most of the time images are indistin-
guishable.
The iPhone is sleek and sexy
with Apple’s signature minimalist
design.
 An eight gigabyte model can be
bought at a recently lowered price
of $399, and as AT&T plans start at
$59.99 dollars a month, the iPhone
is an expensive investment. It may
be excessive for those who already
own a reliable phone and iPod, but it
is wholly worth it for someone who
is in search of a brand new phone
and iPod.

“Fraîche”-est yogurt comes to downtown Palo Alto

By Allison Coleman blueberries, kiwis and bananas. Also available Fraîche also offers an assortment of cof-
Staff Writer are apricot, oallieberry and peach jams, and fee drinks including lattes ($3.50) and New
chocolate shavings.  Orleans Iced Coffee ($3). There is also a variety
Only the freshest ingredients are used at For those who want a crunchier topping, of cold sports drinks available. 
Fraîche, a small, colorfully decorated Palo there are crumbled graham crackers, freshly All of the yogurt products are made on-
Alto yogurt shop on Emerson Street that roasted coconut flakes, sliced almonds and site because owners Patama Roj and Jessica
offers frozen yogurt along with a variety of fresh granola. There are also three varieties Gilmartin said they believe that most home-
delicious toppings.  of honey available. made products are best for people. Custom-
Fraîche is well-decorated and the bright Yogurt is available in three individual ers can see the machinery used to make the
colors entice visitors to enter. One wall is paint- sizes.  The four ounce junior size is $2.95, yogurt through a small window in the back
ed a vibrant orange, while a sign on another wall regular six ounce is $3.95 ($4.95 with two of the shop.
boasts the beneficial dietary effects of yogurt. toppings) and the large nine ounce is $5.25 “We wanted to create something that was
Four plain metal tables are placed along one ($6.95 with three toppings). Each additional healthy and delicious,” Roj said. “We think
wall with a bench running along one side. Ev- topping is $0.95. Take home pints and quarts that you shouldn’t have to compromise.”
ery table inside is usually occupied, but there are available as well for $6.95 and $12.95.  Both Roj and Gilmartin are from the
are tables available on the sidewalk.  The prices are quite steep, but the flavor is East Coast, and have known each other for
Orders are placed at the counter and fresh well worth the expense. Since each individual ten years. They recently decided to go into
toppings are added as customers watch. The can customize his or her own yogurt, it is hard business together.   
service is friendly, and employees will even to go wrong.  “We were really exited to create some-
recommend toppings that would go well with The plain yogurt is smooth and  deli- thing together that is our own,” Roj said.
the customer’s yogurt. Staff members work cious. It goes well with any combination of They have created a truly amazing res-
efficiently, therefore a long line at the cashier toppings.  The tasty frozen yogurt is ideal for taurant.  Fraîche’s yogurt is a wonderfully
moves quickly.  a hot day. All three flavors are rich and have delicious treat. 
At Fraîche, the customer can choose a delightfully smooth texture. They are made
between fresh organic yogurt or frozen yo- from the same base as the fresh yogurt, but  
gurt. The three varieties of plain yogurt are with some milk and sugar. The natural flavor Fraîche Yogurt
Greek-style whole milk yogurt, organic low-fat is slightly sweetened, but it is up to the cus-  
yogurt and organic non-fat yogurt. The frozen tomer to decide how sweet to make the choice Location: 644 Emerson Street,
yogurts offered are a plain, lightly-sweetened of toppings.   Palo Alto
frozen 98 percent fat-free chocolate frozen The chocolate frozen yogurt is delicately Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 7 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
yogurt, and 99 percent fat-free soy frozen flavored and leaves a slightly sweet aftertaste.  Fri. 7 a.m.-11 p.m.
yogurt. All of the yogurt is made on-site with The soy frozen yogurt, though a foreign idea to Sat. 9 a.m.-11 p.m.
European-style machinery.  Michela Fossati-Bellani/The Campanile
most, is also delectable. The taste of soy is very Sun. 9 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
The topping selection includes fresh fruit, distinct, though not unpleasant in combination Customers are given great service and a healthy selection of tasty yogurt. They
Prices: $2.95- $6.95
such as strawberries, mangoes, blackberries, with some of the fresh fruit toppings. can choose from a vast variety of toppings ranging from fruits to granola.

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B10 • October 1, 2007 A&E The Campanile

Oodles of unique flavor at Zao Noodles

By Kelley Shin
Staff Writer
For those searching for a healthy,
delicious meal, Zao Noodle Bar is the
place to go.
Zao is a casual, Asian-influenced
noodle bar that serves excellent food
at reasonable prices. It caters to a wide
variety of customers, whether they
are a family with young children, a
couple on a date or a group of friends
out to dinner.
Located on University Avenue in
downtown Palo Alto, Zao can easily
be overlooked due to its small entry-
way, but it is one place that should
certainly not be missed.
Zao’s dim lighting gives it a pleas-
ant, warm feeling. Simple wooden
rectangular tables that seat two or
four line the walls, leaving enough
space to comfortably walk by. Even
on a busy night, there are open tables
and the wait is short.
The waiters are friendly and will-
ing to answer any questions about the
menu, but are sometimes impatient
and rushed to get the orders.
With no background music, the
only noises are the sizzling sounds of
the grill and chatter of customers.
The food is served promptly.
Appetizers arrive about 10 minutes
after ordering and entrees follow at
appropriate times.
Zao stresses fresh and healthy
ingredients and guarantees only the
freshest produce and meat. These
quality ingredients are what make
the dishes so mouth-wateringly deli-
cious.
Like the name of the restaurant
suggests, Zao Noodle Bar’s menu is
comprised mostly of noodle dishes.
But it does offers salads, rice dishes
and appetizers like dumplings, tofu
fries and soups.
The Zao Tofu Fries ($5.29) are a
specialty at Zao, and for a good rea-
son. The deep-fried strips of tofu are
served with three different dipping
sauces: spicy peanut, tamarind-ginger
and chili-garlic.
The hot and spicy tofu fries offer a
delicious twist to the traditional french
fry. All three sauces are fantastic, full
of spicy zing and compliment the taste
of the tofu fries.
Another appetizer is the Lemon-
grass-Coconut Soup with Rice ($2.99)
which comes in surprisingly small
portions. However, the tiny cup of
soup turns out to be more than enough.
The soup is creamy and spicy, but
the coconut flavor is excessive. The
abundance of flavor detracts from the
soup’s overall taste.
Overall, the variety of appetizers
is impressive and a great way to start
the meal.
Zao’s salads are anything but ordi-
nary. Noodle Bar offers unique salads
that are bursting with flavor and fresh
ingredients.
The Seared Cilantro Beef Salad
($9.69) is served in large portions and
is big enough to share between two
or three people. The salad contains
cabbage, onions and cucumbers,
but its flavor is taken a step further
with garlic ginger-chili marinated
beef, bean sprouts, mein noodles
and tamarind-ginger dressing with
cilantro. The salad is presented in a
big bowl that overflows with colors
and textures. The beef in the salad is
seasoned and cooked perfectly.
Zao also offers a wide variety of
noodle dishes. There are pan-seared
noodles, noodles in broth and Viet-
namese rice noodle bowls. The pan-
seared noodles are undoubtedly one
of Zao’s specialties.
Monk’s Vegetarian Delight ($8.99)
is as delightful as its name suggests.
It is everything one could ask for
in a vegetarian dish with an assort-
ment of perfectly cooked veggies,
mouth-watering sauce and delicious
noodles.
The dish is a combination of tofu,
shitake mushrooms, spinach, zuc-
chini, green beans and yellow squash
sautéed with Shanghai noodles. The
zucchini is not bitter, but cooked to
savory perfection.
However delicious the veggies and
noodles may be, what makes this dish
so amazing is the sauce ­— a sweet,
thick, teriyaki soy sauce that enhances
the flavor of the tofu and vegg­ies.
Another pan-seared noodle dish is
the Dan Dan Noodles with Chicken
($9.99) that consists of Shanghai
noodles sautéed with chicken, broc-
coli, green beans, carrots, squash,
zucchini and covered with a spicy
peanut sauce.
While this dish is cooked similarly
to and contains many of the same
ingredients as Monk’s Vegetarian
Delight, it tastes completely different.
This dish is both spicy and creamy,
and the numerous ingredients make
the dish’s presentation colorful. The
chicken is tender and goes well with
the peanut sauce.
The desserts are just as unique as
the appetizers and entrees. The Warm
Banana Spring Roll with Chocolate
Sauce ($4.99), a Zao specialty, is a
flash fried banana spring roll with
gelato, drizzled with chocolate sauce
and customers can choose between
two gelato flavors, vanilla and co-
conut. The cold creaminess of the
gelato and chocolate sauce contrasts
perfectly with the crispy, hot banana
spring rolls. This dessert is a master-
piece and it is worth visiting Zao just
for this sweet experience.
Overall, Zao Noodle Bar offers
a great selection and a worthwhile
meal.
Zao Noodle Bar
Location: 261 University Avenue
Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Hours: Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 Michela Fossati-Bellani/The Campanile
p.m.; Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Zao Noodle Bar, located on University Avenue, offers a warm yet
Prices: $2.99- $11.99
unique atmosphere and caters to a wide variety of customers.

Jordan student writes, records original pop songs

By Yelly Bitton semifinals in San Francisco. After winning the semifinals, Hornik flew to New
Staff Writer York where he competed in the finals, singing in the New York City Macy’s.
Hornik sang “Memory” from Cats and won the competition, which earned
It’s a Wednesday afternoon and most kids are out playing sports, at a violin him tickets to the Tony Awards.
lesson or doing homework. Julian Hornik, however, can be found in his studio “Being on the red carpet, next to these people holding their Tony awards
writing and recording his own original music. Hornik, a seventh-grader at was amazing,” Hornik said. “I was just staring and thinking ‘wow.’”
Jordan Middle School, has been writing his own music for several years. Hornik has also been asked to sing at public events for different compa-
“I have been writing music since I was eight or nine,” Hornik said. “I nies, including singing the national anthem at several San Francisco Giants
started writing modern pop about a year ago.” games.
Aside from a year of piano lessons when Pamela Hornik, Julian’s mother, said Ju-
he was six, Hornik is completely self-taught. lian has been responsible for his own career
His songs are generally piano-heavy and “Sometimes it just comes to me. I’m sitting there and has made and seized all his opportunities
feature other instruments recorded by elec- and lyrics just come into my head.” himself.
tronic keyboard. All of his music and lyrics The seventh grader hopes to attend the San
are original. Francisco School of the Arts for high school
“Sometimes it just comes to me,” Hornik Julian Hornik and eventually New York University.
said. “I’m sitting there and lyrics just come Jordan Seventh Grader Afterward, he hopes to continue living
into my head. Other times I think about what I in New York City  acting, singing,  writing
learned at school and put that into a song.” shows and composing his own music for a
Hornik has a wide range of achievements. Several of his songs can be found solo album.
online on his father’s blog or on YouTube. “It’s a kind of crazy idea, but that’s what I want to do with my life,”
Two music videos posted on YouTube were edited by Hornik and feature his Hornik said.
songs “Change” and “Laceless Converse.” The two videos have a combined
total of over 11,000 views.

Writing Got You

Courtesy of www.julianhornik.com
Jordan Middle School seventh grader Julian Hornik aspires to
achieve pop music stardom through composing his own songs.
“I try to look at other music videos for ideas,” Hornik said. “My dad or
uncle usually film them for me and I do everything else.”
Hornik is also interested in theater. He made his debut at age six in a walk-
on role in a production of Madame Butterfly.
He currently performs professionally with a number of companies around
the Bay Area including Peninsula Youth Theatre, American Musical Theatre
and TheatreWorks. Last winter, Hornik played the lead in a new musical
Reeling?
called Christmas Dreamland.
“Christmas Dreamland was a really neat experience,” Hornik said. “It was I can help.
my first huge role in a really big company.”
Hornik uses the money he earns from his performances to buy new equip- Writing for SAT essays, high school, college — ­ life!
ment for his studio. Currently, Hornik is also rehearsing for a production of Planning & refining college application essays
Oliver!, at Peninsula Youth Theatre in which he plays the title role. Understanding & appreciating literature
Hornik’s side projects include writing an original musical version of Anne
Frank and music for children’s books. Hornik has been given storyboards for
various children’s books to be published and writes music for CDs to be sold
with the books.
“Writing children’s music is really hard,” Hornik said. “It has to be simple
enough to hum along to, but it can’t be annoying for the parents and the lyrics
can’t be too hard.”
Hornik has won top honors for his vocal talents. Last year Hornik entered
the Macy’s “Sing Your Way to the Tony Awards” contest and made it to the

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The Campanile
Kanye West shows he is 50 Cent’s Curtis shallow
“Stronger” than before attempt at profundity
By Henry Becker
Features Editor
The “Good Life,” according to
Kanye West, is defined by effort and
payback, an essential combination
that fuels his  latest album Gradua-
tion. “I go for mine/I gots to shine”
summarizes Kanye’s sometimes
overwhelming egomania and his ob-
session with producing what he calls
“stadium songs.”
Kanye’s reaction to feedback has
never been so clear as in Graduation.
Unlike his last two albums, Gradu-
ation contains no breaks of rhythm
or aimless skits and runs under 55
minutes. Graduation sounds tightly
packaged and glued together with
overlapping beats, swooning vocals
and a storyteller’s ethic. “I Wonder,”
arguably his most innovative song on
the album, presses a smooth sampling
of soul to a steady beat and an unusual
addition of violin strings as  Kanye
talks about chasing dreams: “You
can still be who you wish you is/ It
ain’t happen yet/ And that’s what the
intuition is.”
Much of Kanye’s intuition has
proven to be fruitful. The success
Kanye thrives on has never failed
him since his 2004 debut, The Col-
lege Dropout.But what differentiates
Kanye from contemporary rap is his
ability to maintain energy from each
album to the next in his career.
While none of Graduation’s
songs are as impressive as the hits
“Jesus Walks” or “Gold Digger,” the
album grows in appreciation with
every listen. The appeal lies mainly
in the intensity of the music. The
hit “Stronger” hypnotically pounds
to a sample of the Daft Punk song
“Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” and
in “Champion,” a sample of Steely
Dan asks “Did you realize/ You were
a champion in their eyes?” Kanye ad-
dresses issues of validity directly in
“Big Brother,” referring to his mentor
Jay-Z and growing into his own.
“Everything I Am” reflects an
attitude of perfect honesty: “People
talk s*** but when the s*** hit the
fan/ Everything I’m not made me
everything I am.” Kanye has always
feared failure to impress.
Kanye shines with dramatic
beats of strings and soaring choruses.
Everything about his hit “Can’t Tell
Me Nothing” suggests a star reproach-
ing his own faults. It sounds oddly
preachy, as though Kanye were talking
down to himself. As the gospel hook
swoons higher and higher, Kanye raps
about his refusal to back down from
his own expectations.
Kanye’s verbal manipulation in
the song remains at its peak as he says,
“They say I speak with such emphasis/
Ooh they so sensitive.” True, Kanye
rhymes things like “isotoners” and
“appollonia” in “Stronger,” but at
least he does not rhyme “club” with
“club” like rival 50 Cent.
Needless to say, Graduation has
its faults. “Barry Bonds” makes too
much use of Lil Wayne, probably the
creepiest rapper who ever lived, and
the low booming hook represses rather
than pushes the song. “Drunk and Hot
Girls,” surprisingly Kanye’s favorite
song of the album, repeats a chorus as
tiring as the simple pendulum motion
of the song.
The second half of the album
past “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” does
not contain the same verve of the
first half, giving no credit to Kanye’s
ability to press energy into his songs.
Nonetheless, Graduation ends leaving
A&E
the listener with an appreciation for
smooth production that never once
betrays the effort behind the sound.
Kanye’s creativity is stronger than
ever in his new album as he contin-
ues to redefine himself and the entire
Kanye West and 50 Cent faced off for the title of Hip-Hop King when both of their
albums, Graduation and Curtis, respectively, were released on the same date.
genre of hip-hop with strong beats, a
storyteller’s style and a healthy dose
of egocentricity.
Graduation
Artist: Kanye West
Record Label: Def Jam
Running Time: 52 min.
By Zach Harris
Staff Writer
Hip-hop mainstay 50 Cent returns
with his newly released studio album,
Curtis, a travesty of an album that is
Courtesy of www.nymag.com
only held together by a few mediocre
beats.
With the extreme commercial
success of his first two albums, Get
Rich or Die Tryin’(2003)and The Mas-
sacre (2005), 50 Cent used his birth
name as the title of what he calls his
most personal album to date.
With confidence in Curtis and
his musical prowess, 50 Cent chal-
October 1, 2007 • B11
lenged fellow rapper Kanye West, who
released his new album, Graduation,
on the same day as Curtis, to a sales
battle. 50 Cent said aid that if he lost,
he would retire from rap forever.
After the first week of sales, 50
Cent lost the battle by a whopping
266,000 albums according to Nielson
SoundScan. Hopefully the American
public has wised up and will stop
buying what 50 Cent claims to be
hip-hop.
The album’s first three tracks all
revolve around the same common
theme: guns. By the end of the track
“I’ll Still Kill,” it gets old. The beat
is no better, an annoying synthesizer
over a drum beat that sounds like it was
made on Apple’s Garage Band. Most
successful hip-hop artists who rap
about guns and murder can so because
they talk about it with ease.
Without a central producer,
most of the beats on Curtis sound
disconnected and don’t flow from
one track to the next. The best beats
on the album are created by Havoc,
half of the legendary hip-hop duo
Mobb Deep. However, he only gets
two beats on the CD, saving “Fully
Loaded Clip” and “Curtis 187” from
50 Cent’s poor beats.
If the entirety of Curtis were pro-
duced by Havoc or Jake One, another
competent producer who only gets
two songs on the album, then Curtis
actually could have been a halfway
decent album.
Like most rap albums in the past
five years, Curtis is laced with heavy
synthesizer, annoying bells and re-
cycled samples.
Curtis isn’t all bad though, just
mostly. There are a few amusing
songs, in particular “I Get Money”
and “Straight to the Bank,” simply
because they are the only songs on the
CD with any kind of meaning.
“Straight to the Bank” is chorus-
heavy, and has uninspiring rhymes and
a surprisingly original and creative
beat, but that’s not the important part
of the song.
The chorus, which repeats “I’m
laughing straight to the bank with
this” and incessant laughter that
sounds more like a middle-school
girl’s instant-messenger conversation
read aloud than a rap chorus. This is
the only important part of the song,
strictly because it’s true.
50 Cent can do whatever he wants
and still make money, and that’s all
he cares about. This is made pains-
takingly clear with one flip through
the booklet inside of the CD cover.
Between the pages of 50 Cent eat-
ing a handgun with a knife and fork
and straddling a half naked woman,
there are advertisements for all of his
business ventures, including but not
limited to, Vitamin Water, Pontiac
and Reebok.
Curtis is not about creativity, as
the album cover may indicate, with a
stressed, angry or maybe just confused
50 Cent with his hands on his head
and his brow furrowed.
Curtis is about making money,
and is the only rational explanation
for the travesty that Fiddy calls a
hip-hop album. If 50 Cent stays true
to his word he will soon be a distant
memory in the heads of hip-hop fans
and sports-drink lovers alike.
Curtis
Artist: 50 Cent
Record Label: Aftermath
Running Time: 55 min.

Variety of artists to perform in the Bay Area this fall

By Gloria Yu
Staff Writer
Northern California Peace Festival
Cow Palace, San Francisco
This festival is an effort to promote peace
in the Bay Area and establish multiracial
events. Acts this year will feature tribute bands
to Santana, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, U2 and
a special appearance from The Snooky Flowers
Flashback Band.
This event will combine with the “People
for Peace & Peace for People” event at 1
p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7. Tickets are on sale at
Ticketmaster for $19.99-$39.99.
Boys Like Girls
Warfield, San Francisco
The rock band from Massachusetts will
perform on Oct. 26. Boys Like Girls broke
the music scene in late 2005. This East Coast
quartet will be playing songs from their lat-
est album The Great Escape with hits “Hero/
Heroine,” “Learning to Fall.” “Dance Hall
Drug” and “Broken Man.” Previously, Boys
Like Girls completed nationwide tours with
screamo bands like Cute Is What We Aim For
and Hit the Lights. As a relatively new band
in the industry, Boys Like Girls is prone to
attract an energetic audience.Tickets are on
sale at Ticketmaster for $20.00.
Bridge School Benefit
Shoreline, Mountain View
Coming this fall, the Bridge School, an
educational program that aids children with
speech or physical disabilities to augment their
ability to communicate, will be hosting their
21st annual Bridge School Benefit Concert.
Featured at this event will be popular artist
John Mayer, who will perform songs from
his most recent album Continuum; Regina
Spektor; the Canadian twins Tegan and Sara;
and renowned heavy metal band Metallica. Ad-
ditionally, there will be special performances
by Neil Young, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Tom
Waits and the Kronos Quartet. The concert
will take place 5 p.m., Saturday Oct. 27 and 2
p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28. $39.50 general admis-
sion, $75.00 for reserved seating, $150.00 for
advanced tickets.
Gwen Stefani
Oracle Arena, Oakland
Notorious for her platinum hair, spunky
wardrobe and edgy voice, Gwen Stefani is
coming to the Oracle Arena. Expect a wide
range of outfits, and flashy, shiny decorations.
A wide range of music is to be expected, from
songs in Love.Angel.Music.Baby like “Holla
Back Girl” to “Wonderful Life” and “Orange
County Girl.” The Sweet Escape. The concert
is at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25. Tickets avail-
able at Ticketmaster, Clickitticket.com, and
ConcertTickets.org at $66.50.
Maroon 5
HP Pavilion, San Jose
Oracle Arena, Oakland
Hailing from Los Angeles, Maroon 5 is
best known for their hit songs “Harder To
Breathe,” “She Will Be Loved” and “Sunday
Morning,” which will be performed live in their
upcoming concert. In 2002, Maroon 5’s debut
album Songs About Jane won them the Bill-
board Music Award, MTV Music Award for
Best New Artist, and Teen Choice Award.
Their first song “This Love” became a
radio hit as they made their first splash in the
music industry. Their most recent release,
platinum album It Won’t Be Soon Before Long,
displays the warm vocals of Adam Levine in
hit songs “Goodnight Goodnight,” “Wake Up
Call,” and their number one hit on the radio
“Makes Me Wonder.”
Opening for Maroon 5 will be The Hives.
The show will be at 7:30 p.m. Nov 6. Tickets
can be purchased at any Ticketmaster outlet
for $48.50.
Ben Harper
& the Innocent Criminals
Paramount Theater, Oakland
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals will Courtesy of www.rollingstone.com, mog.com, allposter.com, elon.edu, popstarplus.com.
play at the Paramount Theater in Oakland on Clockwise: Boys Like Girls, Jimmy Eats World, Gwen Stefani, Bridge School Benefit, Maroon 5.
Nov. 10. This concert will feature songs like
“In the Colors” and “Woman In You” from Jimmy Eat World Social Distortion
their 2006 album Both Sides of the Gun to the The Catalyst, Santa Cruz The Catalyst, Santa Cruz
most recent album, Lifeline. This rock band from Arizona will make This seminal punk rock band from Orange
Harper and his band were nominated for a Bay Area appearance as part of their 2007 County, performs on Oct. 10 at 8 p.m.
two Grammy awards in 2005 and won the tour. Featured songs include “Big Casino,” Featured performances include songs
Artist of the Year award in 2003. “Dizzy,” and “Firelight” from their new album from their most recent studio album Sex, Love,
This concert will be sure to display Ben Chase This Light. and Rock N’ Roll, which was released in 2004.
Harper’s entire motley range of genres from Hits from the past including “Work,” The edgy and rebellious compositions of this
folk, blues, and gospel to rock and reggae. “Pain,” and “Futures,” will be performed at are revealed in their songs “Story of My Life,”
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals as well. Their concert is at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, “Ball and Chain” and “Prison Bound,” which
will perform on 8 p.m. Nov. 10. Oct. 2. will also be performed.

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B12 • October 1, 2007 A&E The Campanile

Vero serves up authentic Italian

By Anna Waldron
Staff Writer

For a truly authentic Italian meal and

experience, look no further than downtown
Palo Alto’s Vero Ristorante on Bryant
Street. Walking through the glass doors of
($7.50), cooked and served in a tiny iron
skillet, sizzles on the table and gives off
an aroma of fresh thyme and sea salt. The
hunks of squid are big and pink, giving
the impression that they are slightly under
cooked. However, they are not rubbery and
taste like they have just been caught off of
1 in
1700

Hannah McGovern/The Campanile

this small yet airy restaurant is like walking
through a porthole leading straight to Italy.
Instantly hungry diners are greeted with
friendly smile and open arms by the Italian
host, who doubles as the waiter.
The seating is very accommodating,
as customers choose from about 10 indoor
tables, able to seat any size of party com-
fortably. Two cozy booths in the back of
the restaurant and seats at the bar on high
chairs get a view of the chef cooking in the
open kitchen. On a warm day or night, two
tables stand ready outside.
Vero is different from other restaurants
because of its strong home-like feeling.
Since diners are served by only one waiter,
diners feel like they are guests in an Ital-
ian home.
Usually open kitchens are loud with
clanging pots, chefs calling out orders and
huge flames flying up from the stove. The
head chef at Vero is calm and confident,
and looks like she is cooking at home for
her family and friends.
The home-like quality makes the
customer feel special and adds to the pleas-
ant and relaxed ambiance. Hand-painted
plates, small copper pots and black and
white photos of Italy hang on the butter
yellow walls.
Gentle Italian guitar music flows
through the air, almost ruffling the leaves of
the sprawling ivy plants that sit on shelves.
Through and through the restaurant is truly
Italian, to the point that the atmosphere can
make diners forget that Bryant Street is right
outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
It can be difficult to decide what to
order because there are many different
options on the menu, and every dish is
reasonably priced. Appetizers and salads
are $7-9, pastas and entrees vary from
$11-18 and all desserts are $7.
Vegetarians, meat lovers and children
will all find the menu quite pleasing with
its wide variety of options. Also, every day
there is a special soup, appetizer, entree
and dessert, which keep the selections
new and fresh.
The server is extremely kind, giving the
diner plenty of time to decide what to order
and offers infallibly good advice on which
dishes to choose. After the order is placed,
fresh white bread is brought to the table in a
basket with a bowl of olive oil and balsamic
vinaigrette. The buttery and smooth quality
of the olive oil balances perfectly with the
tartness of the vinaigrette.
Every dish at Vero is fresh and the food
comes quickly. The marinated calamari
the Sicilian Coast.
The Lampedusa salad ($8.50) is Vero’s
take on the classic Greek salad. The salad
consists of mixed baby greens, salty, aged
crumbles of feta cheese, olives, thinly sliced
red onions, cucumbers and baby yellow
and red tomatoes.
The mix of colors and balanced fresh
vegetables is a feast for the eyes as well as
the mouth. A simple dressing of olive oil
and dried oregano highlight the freshness
and individual flavor of each vegetable.
Another salad to try is the Capri salad
($8.50), tossed in a light olive oil and bal-
samic vinaigrette. A hefty serving of meaty,
lightly sauteed mushrooms, toasted pine
nuts and shavings of Parmesan on a bed
of baby spinach leaves is not only healthy,
but very tasty. The simple dressings used
in the salads never overwhelm the delicate
flavors of the dish.
Although there are many unique dishes
to choose from the others are widely differ-
ent from the others, they are all united by
one familiar flavor. Fresh parsley is used
in almost every dish to brighten the flavors
and add that distinctive Italian taste. The
Tortellini alla Boscaiola ($13.50) is a must
for mushroom-lovers. Six tortellini bundles
stuffed with meat, carrots, garlic, toma-
toes and parsley are smothered in sauteed
mushrooms, freshly chopped tomatoes and
a thin tomato sauce.
The dish has a strong mushroom flavor
and the tomatoes add a hint of sweetness.
The tortellini filling is delicious but it is un-
fortunately not evenly distributed amongst
the bundles. Most of the tortellini were just
sheets of pasta tied together with hardly any
inside. Out of six, only one tortellini was
fully stuffed, which proves disappointing
for hungry diners.
The Spaghetti alle Cozze ($13.50) is a
simple pasta dish tossed in olive oil, white
wine, cherry tomatoes, parsley and a hint
of garlic. A bountiful amount of large mus-
sels surrounds the spaghetti, and makes it a
satisfying and well-balanced meal.
Vero offers portions that are just right,
except with the Vitello alla Valdostana
($16.00). Tender veal scaloppine is covered
with thin slices of lean prosciutto and a
mound of melted fontina cheese. The cheese
is rich and delicious, but there is almost
more cheese and prosciutto than there is of
the veal. The dish would have been com-
plete with another medallion of veal.
The missing meat was disguised on
the oval plate with a heaping amount of
roasted potatoes. Luckily, the potatoes are
Vero, located in downtown Palo Alto, boasts a homey atmosphere, reasonable
prices, fresh ingredients and a wide variety of authentic Italian dishes.
an amazing accompaniment. They have a
crunchy, salty, garlicky crust, but are moist
and warm on the inside.
Vero’s desserts should not be passed
by. The Panna Cotta ($7.00) is a silky va-
nilla custard made out of cream and milk.
It is a rich dish, but tastes heavenly. The
custard is smooth and melts in the mouth.
The vanilla flavor is subtle, and each satiny
piece leaves one wanting more. To make
the dessert even more delectable, a bright
red berry sauce is drizzled across the plate
and over a frozen, sliced strawberry that
rests on top of the custard.
While every dessert on the menu is
mouth watering, the Crostata di Mele
($7.00) is a must-have. The warm apple
tart is the perfect ending to a truly authentic
Italian meal. The first bite is an explosion
of warm cinnamon and homemade flavor.
The granny smith apples are soft yet still
firm and have just enough sugar and cin-
Elizabeth Petit/The Campanile
namon sprinkled on top. The crust is dense
and buttery without being greasy like many
pastry doughs tend to be. A scoop of ice cold
vanilla gelato and a thin splatter of caramel
finish off the winning dessert.
Vero is authentically Italian and lives
up to its name which means “true” or
“authentic” in Italian. Every dish is made
from the freshest ingredients, as if they had
been picked out of a garden.
It’s nice to know that there is a slice
of Italy right here in Palo Alto.
Vero
Address: 530 Bryant Street, Palo Alto
Hours: Mon.-Thurs. & Sat. 11:30
a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri. 11:30 a.m.
-11 p.m., Sun. 11:30 a.m.-
9:30 p.m.
Phone: (650) 325 - 8376
This edition featuring
Ryan Drebin
with The Campanile’s own
Ryan Pfleiderer
and Becca Allen
The Campanile: What has the transition from The
Campanile to InFocus been like?
Ryan Drebin: It’s been rough. There’s a lot more
sexuality floating around on InFocus.
TC: I find that hard to believe.
RD: Everybody wants on everybody. You see the
way the anchors look at each other?
TC: Kati and Aidan?
RD: Jessie and Andrew! There’s a fire between them.
It’s burning. You could cut the sexual tension with a
knife.
TC: So, what’s the deal with the plaid shorts?
RD: There’s something French about them.
Something special.
TC: You’ve got a wide variety of interesting
t-shirts. Where do you get them?
RD: You have to know where to find them; I used to
get them from Threadless but somebody blew up the
spot and now everyone has Threadless shirts. I can’t
tell you where I get them now or else everyone else
will go there too.
TC: What about Blake Sumner?
RD: Blake Sumner’s a fake Southern California
Facebook dude. He surfs, he skates, he makes love to
the women of the world. I think everyone should
friend Blake Sumner, he’s a radical dude. He gets
random wall posts from girls in San Diego. He’s
obviously fake, I don’t know what they’re thinking.
TC: Isn’t his profile picture a longboard?
RD: One of his pictures is of a longboard, one’s
a picture of a guy surfing, one’s an old guy who’s
supposed to be his dad and there’s one picture of
Blake Sumner.
TC: What’s your pre-game ritual for football?
RD: I go home take a nap. I’m not very interesting.
TC: What’s your best pre-game dream?
RD: What kind of a question is that? I dream
of people of different ethnicities and racial…
preferences… and sexual orientations… all getting
along together. I sleep before football games, what do
you want me to say?

Paly band Hella Original explores acoustic rhythms
Palo Alto High School junior Sai Boddupalli and Lynbrook High School junior Vishak Visvanathan
created Hella Original last November. The band mainly plays acoustic indie rock at informal shows.
By Alex Greene
Staff Writer
During what would usually be a quiet Saturday
evening, Starbird Park in San Jose is filled with guitar
music as the band Hella Original draws a crowd of over
150 fans. The band is made up of Palo Alto High School
junior Sai Boddupalli and Lynbrook High School junior
Vishak Visvanathan, who started making music together
last November.
“Vishak and I have been best friends since the fourth
grade,” Boddupalli said. “We always used to sing Linkin
Photo courtesy of Sai Boddupalli
Park songs for fun when we hung out. Last year I was
looking for a band and a singer who had the same musical
taste as I did, so I went to Vishak.”
Hella Original’s music includes vocals, acoustic gui-
tar, piano and drums. True to their name, Hella Original
produces original songs.
“I’m sure that there’s probably another band out there
that sounds exactly like us,” Visvanathan said. “But we
haven’t discovered them yet.”
Boddupalli plays lead guitar and writes most of their
lyrics. Visvanathan sings and plays backup guitar. Boddu-
palli classifies Hella Original as acoustic indie rock.
“John Mayer, Brand New and Jack Johnson are our
main [influences],” Boddupalli said. “We’re really open
to anything.”
“I started to play [guitar] at the end of sixth grade,”
Boddupalli said. “I started drums at the beginning of
sixth grade, but I only got my drum kit last summer. I
don’t really know when I picked up piano. One day I just
started playing it.”
Although Boddupalli started taking guitar lessons
last year, he is mostly self-taught. Some of Boddupalli’s
musical talent also comes from watching his father play
piano when he was a child.
Like Boddupalli, Visvanathan started guitar when
he was 11 and is entirely self-taught. Although Visvana-
than enjoys guitar, singing is his real talent.
“I sing in the shower, in my car, while walking, while
talking, while doing homework,” Visvanathan said. “I
just sing a lot.”
Hella Original has written about 12 original songs
and recorded eight, most of which posted are on their
Myspace page, www.myspace.com/hellaoriginal.
Boddupalli and Visvanathan also perform at live
informal events.
“Usually our friends tell us ‘hey, they need a band
here’,” Boddupalli said. “So we just go and play. It’s not
a big deal because we don’t need to haul a drum kit, just
two acoustic guitars.”
Both Boddupalli and Visvanathan have their sights
set on a future in music.
“I definitely see it as a career,” Boddupalli said. “I
want to go to Berkeley School of Music in Boston and
either become a music teacher or go into the music busi-
ness. It’d be awesome to keep the band going.”
Unlike Boddupalli, Visvanathan is keeping his op-
tions more open.
“I work as a Tae Kwon Do teacher right now and I
love spreading knowledge and working with kids,” Vis-
vanathan said. “There are so many careers I want to have,
including music. If this band goes well, there’s nothing
that could keep me from it.”
For now, Boddupalli and Visvanathan are happy
with how far they have come.
“For us it’s just about having fun and making the
music,” Visvanathan said.
TC: If you had to choose one football player to –
RD: Jake Zebker. You can fit your entire hand inside
his belly button. Almost.
TC: Why are you so spastic?
RD: I guess I wasn’t held enough as a child. Some
deep-seated issues.
TC: What’s your view on prostitution?
RD: Oh, jeez. I don’t know. Becca, what’s it like
being a working girl?
TC: Nice, Drebin.
RD: You ever get lonely down at the street corner at
night? The streetlight casting a halo of mediocrity
over you. You ever just cry?
TC: Name a teacher.
RD: Mr. Drebin. I think I’m going to change my last
name to Von Drebin.
TC: What’s the background on that?
RD: I dunno, it just sounds cool. The Von Drebins.
TC: Like the Von Trapp family?
RD: Exactly. All of my children come when I blow
my whistle and they get in a line and crank that
Soulja Boy. It’s gonna happen.
TC: How’s your love life?
RD: It has its ups and downs. It’s got a Goldilocks
Syndrome going on: not too hot, not too cold, always
just right.
TC: How’s senior year going? Beat up any
freshman?
RD: I’m nice to the freshmen, unlike some certain
seniors, the punk-nastyists. I was punk-nastied once
by Tommy Angelopoulos.
TC: Did you cry like Mia Pond?
RD: I wanted to cry. I still haven’t gotten back at
him. It was like a month ago but I haven’t forgotten;
something’s brewing.
TC: What do you think about ASB?
RD: ASB does a pretty good job. The president is
especially dashing. He’s good-looking. He’s my beast
from the Middle East. He’s my everything … and
more? I’d take a bullet for him ... maybe to the arm.
TC: Parting words?
RD: If you can’t make it, fake it. If you can’t fake
it … I don’t know. Find another quote for me and
put it on here. But don’t make it ridiculous. Make it
something French.