INSIDE: The Death Penalty Debate Continues (see page 2)

Serving the Archbishop Mitty Community Volume 21 Number 1 October 2011 Mitty’s Next Step: iPads By Omid Mirfendereski their iPad is still being examined. While the cost & Payam Mirfendereski of the iPad is signi¿ cant—around $500—Ms. Staff Writers Brunolli believes that the ability to download textbooks at a cheaper price, to collaborate ef- First it was a dream; then it was a plan; now fectively in the classroom, and to improve cur- it is a reality. Six years ago there was a dream riculum will most likely justify the cost. that every faculty member would have a fully These past two years, a number of teachers functioning website, that every student would have been able to test out the pros and cons of have a device that could be deployed in the the iPad. Mr. Herrera, who teaches ECJ Native classroom, and that a new era of collaboration America, has found the technology a valuable could be conducted within the Mitty classroom. tool in enhancing his classroom. Two of the main Starting next year, all students will have their projects his students have been experimenting very own iPad for school purposes. While tech- with are Keynote presentations and Google nology—in all its forms—is an obvious facet to Earth-—which they can use to search the areas education in most schools, Mitty’s decision to they have studied. Among other things, students use iPads, speci¿ cally, was not made overnight. can research, ¿ nd articles, and explore topics Six years ago there was a plan to bring while in class. wide-spread computing to the Mitty classroom. Mr. Herrera also stresses the importance It started with building the infrastructure with of controlling iPad use in order to achieve the a wireless network and powerful servers. Just highest potential success. Teachers must develop a couple of years ago, Mitty’s IT Department activities using the iPad in class to harness stu- Photo Courtesy of Mr. Luie Lopez introduced myMitty.com for teacher use to ex- dent creativity without allowing for the device tend educational resources in the classroom and Students with iPads in action in Mrs. Wesmiller’s World History class. to become a distraction. Nothing can replace bridge the gap between school and home for all invited to participate. This year, two classes are now able the power of face-to-face interactions between a Mitty students. On myMitty, students now ¿ nd calendars and to bring iPads home in a “24/7 program” established by good teacher and a class of receptive students. Mr. Herrera schedules, worksheets and tests, and an array of activities Ms. Brunolli and Mrs. Wesmiller. As Ms. Brunolli adds, believes it is still sometimes a challenge to ¿ nd digital copies and forums in which they can participate. More than just “Mitty is working hard to ¿ nd digital versions of books for all books on the iPad, so some books may need to be improving Mitty’s carbon footprint by cutting down on the used in classes that could be downloaded on iPads. Many in hard copy. Nonetheless, Mr. Herrera is hopeful that the number of printed documents, myMitty allows students to worksheets, tests, and projects can also be done, and more iPad will allow teachers to print far fewer documents and approach school and learning in new ways and to coordinate and more resources are becoming available.” students will get valuable experience for college. their studies in a rapidly modernizing world. Ms. Brunolli is con¿ dent that with the iPad Mitty will As for the students themselves, most ¿ nd the iPad fas- Last year, the administration and IT decided to further be “preparing students for the world in which they live.” cinating and challenging. Brought up in a world in which the use of technology in school, introducing the iPad pilot Colleges, as well, are beginning to incorporate this type everything is virtually at our ¿ ngertips, many Monarchs program. Classes from six different disciplines were chosen technology, and Mitty is going to be one of the ¿ rst high do not believe the change in the classroom will prove too to experiment with a set of 32 new iPads in Room 602. The schools to fully prepare students for this change using my- dramatic. They will have access to a phenomenal amount of one drawback to that model was that the iPads could not Mitty and iPads together. information and will be able to participate more than before be taken home and were kept in the room at all times. Still, Such a transition, nonetheless, requires time and pa- in different kinds of interactive and creative projects. As eight teachers utilized iPads for their curricula, including tience. Both students and teachers must become comfortable Ms. Brunolli states, students may even know more about Mr. Tim Wesmiller and Ms. Lisa Brunolli, Mitty’s as- with iPad use at school and, for this purpose, Mitty has been the device than teachers, and their cooperation will certainly sistant principal. setting aside time during in-services for teacher training. play a large role in making this pilot work. The main goal was to see how myMitty, the iPad, This past summer, teachers joined workshops that taught In the Fall of next year, Mitty will be one of the ¿ rst applications, and online resources would work within the them about the technology. Regarding the plan of distribu- schools to fully deploy the iPad in tandem with class web- Mitty classroom. Ms. Brunolli, who led the pilot, believes tion of iPads, the administration has been working closely sites in all classrooms. The new change might prove dif¿ cult that overall last year’s program was a success, saying that with Apple on a strategy for supporting teacher training, at ¿ rst—with an over 1,800 devices circulating around the iPad “enhanced the classroom experience” and helped student support, and the purchasing and deploying of e- school—but this next step seeks to prepare students for an students to “explore and create content.” resources on the iPad. increasingly digital future, bringing an unprecedented level As a result of last year’s program, more teachers were Mitty’s decision on how and where students will buy of collaboration and participation on campus. New Faces in the Counseling Department By Ashley Do & Shreya Louis all bring exciting new talents and qualities groups of about thirty parents attend Staff Writers to the department. For instance, Mr. Lin is meetings in individual classrooms. This coaching baseball this year, Mrs. Woodruff allows for a more comfortable environ- The hallway from the foyer to the cha- studied abroad in England and Spain, and ment in which parents are able to ask pel contains of¿ ces vital to every student Mrs. Walker was recently married. speci¿ c questions and get to know the here at Mitty : the Counseling Department. Mr. Vargas, the Counseling Depart- counselors. Not only is the Department And with the addition of three new ment Chair, says, “Our primary goal in add- making the college process for students counselors, the department is even bigger ing new counselors is to make the college more personal, but also for parents. and better than before. Mr. David Lin, Mrs. process more personal.” The goal is to make the process as Mr. Lin and Ms. Walker. Maria Woodruff, and Mrs. Tara Walker As of this year, Mitty has eight full- smooth and stress-free as possible for being a part of organizations that focus on time counselors, whereas last both groups. high school counseling. year, Mitty only had six. With The department hosts a total of nine As Ms. Kaltsas explains, “The coun- this new change, counselors are events during the year as well as college seling department attends college fairs in able to focus on the needs of each guidance classes in order to fully prepare different regions in order to accumulate individual student since case loads students and parents. Juniors even get a knowledge from a direct “experience,” are more manageable. Now, par- head start on applications during their spring rather than just relaying information from ents and students can meet with semester, when they meet with their coun- websites and brochures to students.” counselors more to discuss the selors to discuss possible interests. Just recently, Ms. Kaltsas, along with college process and any concerns. In addition, the Department is con- three other counselors, went to a conference Another improvement in the stantly building a relationship with colleges in New Orleans. While they were there, they department is the elimination so that those schools are aware of Mitty and also visited local colleges to bring back ¿ rst- Mitty’s eight counselors include new additions of general college information Mitty is aware of them. hand knowledge back to Mitty. Keeping up Tara Walker (3rd from left), Maria Woodruff nights. Instead of more than 500 Counselors accomplish this goal by with current information and news ensures (3rd from right), and David Lin (far right). parents being crowded in Aymar, visiting colleges, going to college fairs, and the best possible counseling to students. OPINIONS Opposing Viewpoints: The Death Penalty SWIFT JUSTICE A NATIONAL SHAME By Daniel Braginsky multi-year stint in jail. They will be har- By Tyler VanValkenburg decisive evidence in this case was deemed Staff Writer boring negative feelings toward the state, Opinions Editor outdated and false by a renowned arson ex- and they also have no qualms about killing pert. Here was an execution that took place Capital punishment is one of the most innocent people. It seems insane that these On September 21 of this year, Troy under Perry, about which the key evidence controversial issues in our government sorts of people are released back into cities Anthony Davis was executed by the state was called into question, and yet he sees no today. full of potential murder victims. of Georgia for the murder of a police of- reason why he should possibly “struggle to While more recent issues, such as the So it appears that the other, non-le- ¿ cer. Just two weeks prior, at a Republican sleep at night” after having sent this man economy thal option presidential debate, Texas governor Rick and 233 others to death. and the en- for dealing Perry was applauded for having overseen a Well here’s one reason: no matter how ergy crisis, It serves as a strong with these shocking 234 executions in his state. careful or thorough the process of capital have over- “ people These two recent events powerfully punishment may be, in the end it is a process shadowed deterrent against committing is a life highlight why the death penalty in America dependent on human beings, and human it, there are crimes, provides comfort to sentence. is not simply an injustice, but a national beings are À awed. They make mistakes; few people However, shame that should not be tolerated by any they carry biases. Thus, to write-off death that do not victim’s families, and is a much a life sen- rational citizen. penalty objections simply because a “very have an more effi cient way of dealing tence does Let’s begin with Troy Davis. He was thoughtful” procedure is in place is entirely opinion on not guaran- a 42-year-old black man convicted by the nonsense. it. with repeat off enders. tee that the state of Georgia for the murder of a white One of the death penalty’s most well- There ” murderer off-duty police of¿ cer in 1991, and he was documented À aws is its racial bias. Nation- are, of course, cases where the death penalty cannot cause trouble. Lifers tend to be- executed late last month by lethal injection. ally, about one-half of all murder victims are has been wrongly applied, and that is why come more and more violent during their He was put to death, even though seven out white. Yet over three-quarters of the murder capital punishment should not be used as incarceration. Someone who has proven of the trial’s nine eye-witnesses recanted all victims in cases that ultimately result in an liberally as it is now. However, it execution are white. This alone serves as a strong deterrent against demonstrates a signi¿ cant issue committing crimes, provides com- with the death penalty: Due to no fort to victim’s families, and is a factor other than race, it is more much more ef¿ cient way of deal- likely to be used when the victim ing with repeat offenders. is white. Capital punishment will make And this racial bias, while people think twice about commit- certainly applicable to the victim’s ting pre-mediated murder. race, is also applicable to the de- fendant’s. Not all murderers are pun- A recent Yale study on execu- ished by capital punishment, and tions in Connecticut found that only pre-mediated killings could black defendants are three times be prevented with the threat of the more likely to receive the death death penalty, but many killings, penalty than white defendants if such as multiple murders, repeat the victim is white. We are put- offenses, or murders for ¿ nancial ting people to death, not based on gain, could be stopped. a system of equal justice, but on a While the potential offender system of racially biased justice. is planning it out, he or she will And yet the death penalty think of the consequence, and the lives on, and Troy Davis is killed, idea of getting the capital punish- and Rick Perry is cheered. I ment will be a strong motivator to haven’t even addressed how it not commit the killing. costs us millions more than life- And while there are statistics imprisonment, or how it fails to act that say how states with the death as a legitimate deterrent. Yet even penalty tend to have more pre- without those arguments made, the meditated murders, these numbers death penalty’s inequity should are invalid. States with a higher now be obvious. population are usually the ones that have that he or she can kill, and has no issues with or part of their testimonies, even though it We are a nation of laws, yes. But we are capital punishment, and of course, more doing so, will not suddenly turn peaceful in seems police severely mishandled his case, also a nation of people, of imperfect human people mean more crime, regardless of the extremely violent jail environment. He and even though zero physical evidence beings who, against our greatest efforts, potential consequences. will cause harm or kill prisoners until he linked him against even Keeping the death penalty in states eventually dies, or more likely, gets killed to the crime. our most with a higher crime rate helps keep that by one of his fellow jailbirds in retaliation. And now, No matter how careful or “thought- rate down, and therefore saves lives. For The death penalty is a good way of lim- Troy Davis “ ful” sys- every violent, malicious crime committed iting the amount of damage these hopeless is dead. thorough the process of capital tems, make in a death-penalty state, it is safe to say that cases can cause. An argument that people Cue the punishment may be, in the mistakes. there are others that do not occur because use is that men and women on death row do applause. If we the potential perpetrator was afraid of the occasionally feel remorse for their crimes. Here is end it is a process dependent allow our- consequences. The death penalty saves in- I agree, and that is why I believe the death Rick Perry, on human beings, and human selves the nocent lives, and considering that California penalty should not be used as liberally as Texas’ gov- beings are fl awed. power to has only had 13 executions in the last 35 it is today. ernor and ” put another years, it seems to be a fair trade off. Not only is the current system incred- candidate human be- In many cases, it seems that capital ibly subjective, because one person decides for president, receiving wild cheers for ing to death, we allow ourselves the power punishment is the only way of dealing with on the sentence, but the current list of overseeing the highest number of executions to mistakenly kill an innocent human being, some extreme cases. Repeat offenders, or capital-punishment-worthy offenses seems in the country. Worry not, though, Perry and in doing so commit the very act we are ones that have been particularly atrocious to punish crimes that can be committed by proclaims, for Texas has a “very thoughtful, trying to punish. in their killings, have little to no chance of sane individuals, who could potentially be very clear process in place” by which capital The death penalty is not America’s re-integration into society. safely released back into society. punishment is dealt out. ultimate form of justice. Quite the opposite: A ¿ nite sentence, say 10 years, will not The death penalty should in no way How perfect is this process, though, if it is one of the country’s ultimate forms of work at all. Sociopaths will have trouble be abolished completely, just adjusted. It in 2004, with Perry as governor, Texas put injustice, and as long as we allow it to con- getting back into the normal world after a should be used more carefully, but still used. a man to death for murder even though the tinue we are part of that injustice. October 2011 • Opinions Page 3

ONE MINOR MISTAKE, ONE LIFE SENTENCE

By Kelvin Fann juvenile is evidence of an irretrievably serving non-parole sentences are ¿ rst- Staff Writer depraved character.” time offenders. These are teenagers It is wrong to alter the course of a who made ONE mistake. Furthermore, Only one nation in the world minor’s entire life for the crimes that the majority of the teenagers who serve sentences minors to life in prison they committed as kids. Different and life sentences committed the crimes un- without parole. That nation also hap- changing mind-sets warrant different der the guidance of an adult. Ironically, pens to pride itself on being one of the and changing punishments. The crime 56% of the teens that were inÀ uenced biggest advocate for human rights in isn’t the court’s verdict of guilt, but the by an adult were given harsher sen- the world. The United States for the sentence—life in prison without parole. tences than the adult. ‘Unjust’ barely past century has, undoubtedly, been California currently has approxi- begins to describe their situations. a leader in the world both politically mately 300 inmates serving life sen- Being tough on crime does not and economically. So why is a nation tences for crimes they committed in justify being stupid on crime. Levying founded upon the ideal of fairness so their adolescence. While the Supreme unnecessarily harsh punishments will unfair and unforgiving of its minors? Court has, since 2005, prevented mi- not solve California’s crime issues. In 2005, the Supreme Court nors from being sentenced to life in Our politicians must realize that most deemed capital punishment for minors prison for non-homicide crimes, 45% of these teens are from impoverished cruel and unusual. Their reasoning? of the 300 inmates were not the ones communities with few opportunities. Minors are inherently ‘different’ from who actually committed the murder. The circumstances of their environ- adults. Justice Kennedy explained it Many were mere accomplices who just ment drive them to do criminal acts. best: “The reality that juveniles still happened to be in the wrong place at Until we give them hope, until we in- struggle to de¿ ne their identity means the wrong time. vest in education and create prosperous it is less supportable to conclude that What is even more disturbing is communities, California’s crime level even a heinous crime committed by a that, nationally, 59% of the minors will only escalate.

A WAR TOURIST Did UCLA student join Libyan rebel forces for fun?

By Claire Chu passionately believed in and had a personal Staff Writer connection to the Libyan ¿ ght for freedom. But he doesn’t. “Whatever you do, don’t tell my par- Then why is Jeon there? According to ents.” newspaper interviews, he “thought it would These are the words of a teenager who be cool” and would make a “sick vacation.” has snuck out past curfew. But for Chris Jeon, I’m not sure that Jeon himself even knows they are the words of a UCLA student who what he is ¿ ghting for. But what is a spectacle spent his summer in Libya, ¿ ghting against for the twenty-one year old, who has grown Gadda¿ ’s regime alongside local insurgents. up privileged in our country’s third safest WAKE UP AMERICA Wanting to experience a “real revolu- city, is a matter life and death for his Libyan tion,” Jeon bought a one-way plane ticket counterparts. By Emmanuel Villalpando harm our country in order to send a message. to Cairo and joined the rebels in the city of Jeon is simply a war tourist—eating and Staff Writer Under the ruse of combating domestic Nawfaliyah. sleeping out of the hospitality of locals, co- terrorism, agencies like the Department of But none of his friends were surprised— opting a bloody revolution for his own cheap In response to the terrorist attacks on Homeland Security and the FBI are able to in the past, thrills—then multiple sites in the US on 9/11, President use the powers delegated by the Patriot Act Jeon had tested returning to his George W. Bush signed the Patriot Act into on many individuals suspected of serious his limits with college mixers effect on October 26 of that same year. criminal actions that aren’t terrorism. catching baby and midterms With that action, he effectively opened In fact, Section 215 of the Patriot Act al- alligators in the when the going a Pandora’s box of executive power abuse lows the FBI “to obtain any items they deem wild and taking gets tough. which has led to a federal authority capable necessary in an investigation.” a solo trip to Before of in¿ ltrating every aspect of America’s citi- Thus, with both the loose interpretation Seattle with no leaving, Jeon zens’ supposedly protected information and of terrorism and this provision, the powers of more than one told a friend, private lives. the FBI have expanded to the point that they dollar in hand. “if a rebel’s All of this is done in the name of ¿ ghting have the right to access anyone’s information Donning running at me terrorism, using any de¿ nition of that term for any number of ‘justi¿ ed’ reasons. camouÀ age with a gun, I that best justi¿ es the government’s actions It is important to note that the Patriot trousers and won’t hesitate in any given case. Act was not simply an act endorsed by the carrying an to shoot his Although 9/11 was what ¿ nally con- Republican Bush administration. AK-47 is al- head off.” But vinced a panic-stricken Congress to submit to On May 27, 2011, Obama signed the most like if he dies, it the will of the executive branch, the govern- Patriot Act Extension which delegated minor Jeon’s way will be for the ment and many of our citizens do not realize revisions to the act but still kept the most of trumping wrong reasons. that the Patriot Act is neither a heartfelt nor controversial parts, including Section 215. his previous If he kills a intelligent response to that attack. In fact, it The corruption and abuse of power that accomplish- man, it will be is a breach of our Constitutional protections. has infected our executive branch is biparti- ments. Dodg- for the wrong This act gives law enforcement agencies san; this may have started under Bush, but ing bullets reasons. the authority to search any tangible informa- right now both the Republicans and Demo- while ¿ ghting After 42 tion records on anyone suspected of terrorist crats are in on the game. a tyrannical years of op- activities, meaning that such agencies have It is thus both a responsibility and a ne- regime? For pression, the access to all data, from telephone calls to cessity that we as the citizens of a free nation Jeon, the pur- true rebels put medical records to emails. rise up in resistance. We must stop the seizure suit of the ulti- all they had on I’m all right with my government investi- of rights and liberties, the trampling of our mate adventure. the line to oust Gadda¿ and claim Tripoli, not gating suspected terrorists to ensure that such privacy, by this federal behemoth. It might sound innocent enough, Jeon’s to check another item off of their bucket lists. horri¿ c acts never happen again. We must stop this security state before intentions aren’t malicious in the least. But If he wanted an adrenaline rush and a But shouldn’t the evidence that makes not only ‘terrorism’ is combated, but the as his former roommate points out, “[Jeon is] story to tell his friends, Jeon should have someone a suspected terrorist be enough to voices of political dissent. The tools used for traversing a political and religious world with gone cliff jumping in Mazatlan or attempted get a regular warrant on them? one can easily be used for the other. which he has no familiarity or ties.” a solo climb of Fitz Roy. The battle¿ eld is not Furthermore, the de¿ nition of a “terror- It is time to wake up America, before Big The situation would be different if he had a tourist attraction. ist” is not just limited to a person who seeks to Brother chains us to the bed. Page 4 Opinions • October 2011

A CUTDOWN ON SAFETY Shrinking budget weakens police By Kaitlin Milliken task forces. Since then, over 300 of¿ cer Staff Writer positions have been eliminated, with 66 of¿ cers being laid off this summer, a ¿ rst Emerging from this recent national in the history of the department. recession, people worry over our state With a recent pay cut and the threat of economy and stress the importance of reduced bene¿ ts hanging over their heads, saving money. Economics seems to have eligible of¿ cers are retiring and leaving for become the most important aspect of other departments at an unheard of rate. San American life, public safety and well-being Jose now has 1,102 of¿ cers employed. This pushed to the side and buried under mas- has resulted in a smaller of¿ cer-to-citizen sive amounts of debt. But how much are ratio. For a city of close to one million, such we willing to sacri¿ ce in order to balance a reduction can have signi¿ cant effects. hibit crime and increase public safety. The increased, up 9% this year. The rise in gang our budget? How exactly does this affect the well Vice Unit dealt with gambling, prostitution, activity rise can easily be seen in the rise of In order to balance its own budget, being of our city? Well, the decreased pimping, and alcohol restriction violations. graf¿ ti and tagging in city neighborhoods, the city of San Jose has been forced to cut staf¿ ng has resulted in the elimination of With specialized enforcement units like that once remained clean. or reduce many of the services it provides important crime ¿ ghting units. Two elimi- these removed from the department, the Since when does saving a buck come its people. One of the services that has nated units were the department’s Violent city allows criminals to threaten the well- before one’s own safety? The recent cuts been hit the hardest is the San Jose Police Crime Enforcement Team (VCET) and being of its residents. to crime enforcement are just beginning to Department. its Vice Squad. This ¿ rst unit investigated San Jose has recently suffered its 36th show their consequences. Our city should In 2003 the city had 1,417 police gangs in San Jose. Its team was comprised homicide of the year, totaling 16 more in rethink its budgetary choices before those of¿ cers either on patrol or in specialized of 21 dedicated of¿ cers who strove to in- 2011 than in 2010. Burglaries have also choices signi¿ cantly hurt the public.

DEMI LOVATO: AP COURSES Love is stronger than Are they worth it? the pressure to be perfect

By Ana Montoya Now, Demi has an inspiration album out Staff Writer about her troubles, and she’s even created an anti-bullying organization to help other teen- Before starting this article, my opinion of agers with the same struggles she once faced. Demi Lovato was biased. I had automatically Every person has confronted situations in judged her as a spoiled pop star, overwhelmed which help is obviously needed. Sometimes by the pressures of stardom. She was just like the person ¿ nds the courage to ask for the every other celebrity, checking into rehab and much needed help. More often, the teen forces having tantrums to get attention. him or herself through the pain, whether emo- However, I soon realized that she is tionally or physically. They think that they different. Demi Lovato, like many of us, can handle it all on their own or, perhaps, feel struggles from the emotional scars left over that if they tell someone they will be cast out. from childhood bullying. The brutality of Demi proves them wrong, and she in- children can be cruel and without reason. spires people to treat themselves with love According to Lavato, when she “[asked] and respect. There is always something wrong By Jessica Dumov prepare them for the exam. I personally them why [they were bullying her], they with any of us: too fat, too skinny, not enough Staff Writer take U.S. History AP, and rarely does would just muscle, a class goes by without “the exam” say, ‘Well, never the We’ve all stayed up late ¿ nishing being mentioned. you’re fat.’” right style, that project, stressing over that math Of course, there is nothing wrong This acne and test, and close reading that 300 page with challenging yourself by par- bullying, braces are novel that never seems to end. That ticipating in advanced classes. Anxiety which led to just a few being said, each of these high school may grow, but we assume that it will all body-image of the prob- moments are only more dif¿ cult for be worth the struggle because success issues as lems. those of us who take AP classes. in high school will lead to success in well, was Demi Academic expectations for AP college, and success in college will the fuel for tells others students are higher than those for the lead to success in life. the eating to overcome rest of the student body. We are ex- Taking AP courses, in fact, may disorder these inse- pected to remember more, understand be just that extra push that will bene¿ t Demi ac- curities. As more, and communicate more. College any student willing to accept the chal- quired at Demi would level courses are a highly regarded part lenge. Although students may assume the young say, “Love of the Mitty curriculum, but are they that they have no interest in a certain age of 8. It is Louder” worth taking if one is not keen on a subject, an AP class can open their eyes should have than the certain ¿ eld? Or should students take to interests they never knew they had. been obvi- words as many APs as they can to appear After all, we are teenagers, and thus ous at that that put us special on applications? what we care about, is much more in- point that down. The Countless students, most often development than we admit. something great thing juniors and seniors, take these acceler- In addition, these courses prepare was seri- about her is ated classes though they may not ¿ nd students for college itself very ef- ously wrong, and professional help should that she not only advocates these ideas, but much appeal in the actual subject. A fectively. They expose students to a have been sought and began at that point. she also lives them out and acts as an example student planning to major in science standard of learning that they will have Unfortunately, Demi was pushed to of what can be and should be. or math may take an English AP only to face in the future. AP classes will continue in her careers of acting and singing After learning more about Demi Lovato, for the extra credits. AP classes also send a Mitty student to college more by adults, even when they were aware of I can easily say my opinion has shifted. Demi frequently focus less on material con¿ dent and prepared. So in the end, her unstable condition. When Demi ¿ nally Lovato is no longer the name of an annoying that would really enhance a students’ is it smart to stack up on AP’s or not? broke down and assaulted her backup dancer teen sensation created by Disney, but a human understanding of the subject, with the My only answer is this: Are you on tour, she decided to check into rehab and being with struggles of her own who found a teachers’ capital intent being only to up to the challenge? work on her problems. way out of a dead-end track. Arts & Entertainment The Royals 2.0 An inside look By Dana Sever Staff Writer Auditions for the Royals are held in April every year: new hopefuls try out, and one to two weeks later the list of the new team is selected. This year, the audition process seemed the same, but the team would most certainly not be the same as before. “Royals 2.0” as the coach of the Royals, Ms. Moura, calls it, is the new re¿ ned dance team of Archbishop Mitty. Many adjustments have been made to make the team even stronger than it has been in the past. Among those adjustments is the size and format of the team. This year the team is signi¿ cantly smaller with only 15 dancers, compared with the past where there have been as many as 22 members. In addition to the reduction in the overall size of the team, there is no longer a “small” team of 6-7 Photo Courtesy of Dana Sever girls who compete at regional and national competitions, and a performance team for rallies and games. Now the Royals are one large team with everyone competing and performing at all events. This change has called for an increase in rehearsal time that the team will need in order to prepare and practice their four competitions routines and their multiple other dances for school events. Now a week for a Royals member looks something like this: • Class rehearsal every 8th period • Meeting until 3:15 on the ¿ rst day of the week • Rehearsal from 3-6 on Thursdays and Fridays. After the new dance studio is completed later this year, the team will be able to practice even more. In addition to these rehearsals, weekend choreography rehearsals, bonding events, and technique classes have been taking place since June. Additionally, Ms. Moura has brought in new choreographers and teach- ers to expose the Royals to new techniques of practicing and choreography. Among those new faces are people such as Rickey Tripp, a member of the award-winning Broadway musical, In the Heights. The team also works with Melissa Bulnes, a United Spirit Association judge and choreographer, Mike Seanz, a member of SJ DanceCo Dance Company, and Keith Banks, the owner of Studio 10. In addition to these pro- fessionals, the team recently had a rare and amazing opportunity to have an intense hour and half master-class session with So You Think You Can Dance choreographer and judge, Sonya Tayeh. With the hard work and dedication of Ms. Moura, the new choreographers and teachers, and all the Royals themselves, a new standard is set for this year. Royals 2.0 is the new and improved Royals dance team for Archbishop Mitty. Come out and see all their hard work!

The 27 Club: Jimi Hendrix and Amy Winehouse Between her drug problems, alcoholism, eating disorders, abusive relationships, and chronic depression, Amy Winehouse always seemed to have some kind of drama in her life distracting from her incredible talent as a singer. With her uncles as professional jazz musicians, Winehouse had grown up in an atmosphere of music. At age twelve she received her ¿ rst guitar and a few years later By Mitch Hanson and Victoria she began writing her own songs. By sixteen, Winehouse was already becoming a Staudenraus star and singing professionally with a record deal. Her ¿ rst album, Frank, hit double Staff Writers platinum status and gained Winehouse thousands of new fans. At this time, Winehouse was known as a small-framed girl with a distinct fash- ion style and a strong voice. Yet her voice and hair weren’t the only notable things about the rising star: Amy openly admitted to smoking marijuana and was gaining a reputation as a party girl. In 2007, she slipped into a coma after multiple overdoses, Jimi Hendrix sparking a downhill cycle. She also often “bragged” about the abusive relationship goes down in history as between her and her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, who is credited with introducing one of the best guitarists of all her to heroin and crack. time. Born on November 27, 1942, Her friends and family grew increasingly the ¿ rst of ¿ ve children. Hendrix grew up worried for her and advised her to get out of in a poverty stricken yet diverse neighbor- her drug-based relationship and visit rehab, hood in Washington, but was often sent to but she refused. Yet throughout all this his grandmother’s house for some stability. instability, her albums sold explosively, At age ¿ fteen, Hendrix’s mother died making Winehouse an international su- of a liver problem, yet out of tragedy rose perstar. In 2008, Winehouse was the ¿ rst the beginning of his career: that same British singer to win ¿ ve Grammys for year Hendrix bought his ¿ rst guitar and her album Back to Black, containing the started imitating his favorite artists. ironically titled song “Rehab.” When in the army, Hendrix met his best On July 20, Winehouse performed friend and bass player Billy Cox. Together, Cox and Hendrix played venues over Tennessee, at the iTunes festival in Camden with her inÀ uenced much by the blues music that originated from there. Finally, Hendrix, with the help goddaughter, Dionne Brom¿ eld. Little did of Linda Keith, formed The Jimi Hendrix Experience. The Experience was an instant hit in the audience know that this would be Europe, but took a little time before it became popular in the US. Amy’s last performance. Three days Hendrix headlined the 1969 Woodstock, performing Monday morning after most of the later, the 27 year-old singer was found audience had left. His iconic performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” combined with dead in her London home, seemingly “Purple Haze” fully embodied the political, artistic, and psychedelic atmosphere of Woodstock from a variety of health problems for years to come. Yet his psychedelic playing style also stemmed from his introduction to related to drugs. Winehouse will be drugs such as LSD during this time, leading to an almost constant abuse that fed Hendrix’s remembered for her edgy fashion uniqueness. His friends also described him as an abusive and violent drunk, which, in conjunc- sense and her impact on the tion with LSD, led him to his demise. music industry. Sadly, her per- Hendrix died on Sept. 18, 1970 at the age of 27 after a night of partying. Yet even though sonal problems will inevitably a notable member of the “27 Club” Hendrix had already secured his place as the Guitar God. overshadow her life and career. Page 6 October 2011 • Arts & Entertainment TV Picks of the Season Costume Couture By Soumajit Kundu By Christine Kelly Staff Writer Staff Writer Break out the plastic masks, face paint, and fake props 2011’s Fall television shows are off to the races, but not all will come because it’s that time of year again: Hal- out ahead. While directors and producers are doing their best to maintain loween. The one day a year when it is so- the appeal of television, some efforts have been proven to falter while others cially acceptable to run around in outrageous excel. Many of the new shows tread on familiar terrain, while others boast costumes and ask for free food. But choosing strikingly novel approaches and conven- your costume can sometimes be a complicated tions. With all this variety, viewers are process. There’s so much to consider when pick- sure to be entertained. ing a costume: Do I want to be unique? Would I rather spend money or time on my costume? Should it The X-Factor. Yes, The X-Factor. be funny? Cute? Scary? Simple? Silly? With our cluttered lives, who has Amid all the hype, it has ¿ nally debuted. While the time to think about it? Here are some tips to help move the process along. show cannot help but to walk in the well-known territory of American Idol and numerous other 1. There’s a line between “classy” and “trashy.” There’s this misconception singing shows, it is meant to appeal to more mature that when children get older, boy’s costumes should be funnier and girl’s audiences. This show greatly increases the drama, costumes should be more provocative. This is not always the case. I have perhaps enough to compensate for its clichéd to call people’s taste level into question when I see them pushing this line. concept. The crying, the anger, the shock, and the exuberance are all real—there Ladies, just because your 3rd grade costume still ¿ ts, that doesn’t mean you is no doubt about that. The show brings back popular faces, like Paula Abdul and should wear it. You can still be a Disney princess without killing the inno- Simon Cowell of Idol fame. And The X-Factor is no disappointment, with shining lights, cence of a childhood cartoon. Guys, be careful what type of funny costume large audiences, and melodramatic reactions meant to satisfy an appetite for entertain- you choose to go with. Even if you think it’s the most hilarious thing you’ve ment. Perhaps only the most cynical of viewers will perhaps take offense at its banality. ever seen, a lot of the times it can be offensive or just plain immature.

Terra Nova appears based on other 2. Use what you have! It’s October 30th and you need a last-minute ¿ x. Well, shows and movies from the past, as new a lot of people create costumes from things they already have in their closet shows often are. Additionally, we see the or lying around the house. It’s simple solution if you procrastinate like me familiar face of Stephen Lang, who just and you need to create a quick costume. A few years ago, I was in this sort happens to be the perfect candidate for a of situation and I ended up being a nerd for Halloween. I just borrowed a show like this. The basic premise? In the tie and suspenders, tied my hair up, put tape on my glasses and a pen in my year 2149, humans cannot manage the pocket. It worked! It’s better than showing up without any costume and using the lame polluted earth. So, having the technology excuse, “I dressed up as myself for Halloween.” to travel to the past, humans travel 85 mil- lion years back to establish a new colony 3. B e c re a t i v e ! Although you can’t go wrong with a standard witch, vampire, or superhero, and earn a second chance to live. The environmentalist themes inherent in this show are it’s not very exciting. Halloween is the one time that you can dress any way you want. commonplace, but the spectacular visual effects, courtesy of executive producer Steven So don’t be afraid to think outside the box. You can ¿ nd out the popular trends by simply Spielberg, more than compensate. The new world created in Terra Nova is quite awe- Googling “popular Halloween costumes.” This should be on your list of what not to wear. some, but the show will de¿ nitely need to expand to run for multiple seasons. It’s really easy to fall into a sea of Charlie Sheens and Lady Gagas on Halloween. So don’t be one of a crowd. Stand out! Boardwalk Empire, a strong competitor for Mad Men, has been showing off its potential, winning multiple awards for both acting and effects, and with its Season 2 4. Before buying a premade costume, ask yourself if it’s really worth it. It probably isn’t. premiere, it seems off to a good start. An outstanding HBO series, Boardwalk Empire No one likes to waste money on something that you’re only going to wear once. If you centers around Nucky Thompson, a political ¿ gure controlling Atlantic City, New Jersey, must buy something, you shouldn’t spend more than $10. One thing you could do is go during the Prohibition era. Nucky mingles with famous historical ¿ gures, mobs, and the to a thrift store and ¿ nd clothes you can ¿ x up. This is easy, inexpensive, and a lot more common people. However, the government’s eyes lie upon Nucky, who seems to live too fun than just buying a costume. lavish of a lifestyle. While the show has a good premise, its popularity is the bigger issue. If the show wants to stay cool, 5. Ever y thing is be t ter with your f riends. If you don’t seem to have any ideas for costumes upcoming episodes must live up to its this Halloween, talk to other people. Maybe you and your friends can come up with an reputation, and the direction given by idea, or you can tag along in a big group costume. I guarantee that you will have more veterans Martin Scorsese and Mark fun in a group. Just make sure this is thoroughly planned out. Wahlberg, who lead as executive produc- ers of the show. Given its eighteen Emmy Whatever your costume choice is this year, make sure that you have fun with it. Hal- Award nominations, HBO will de¿ nitely loween isn’t just about dressing up – it’s meant to be fun. The spirit of Halloween isn’t be promoting this series. just in the clothes you wear but in what you do.

By Ryan Ballard The Magic Continues... Staff Writer This past summer marked the end of an era. To the dismay of many-a- the ¿ rst novel will be the only one available until 2012. muggle, the ¿ nal installment of the Harry Potter movies was released. Our Each chapter features animations and key excerpts from the book. Within current generation of high school has been largely inÀ uenced by the world of those animations are interactive games and activities—currently, one is able Hogwarts, living a childhood amidst the boom of the Potter franchise. For to shop for Hogwarts supplies in Diagon Alley or pay a visit to Olivander’s many, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was a bedtime story. At the end Wand Shop, where a wand can be purchased. In Chapter 7, the user takes a of elementary school, tears were undoubtedly shed when letters of acceptance personalized evaluation and is assigned a Hogwarts house. Throughout each to Hogwarts were not received, and throughout middle school, the rest of the section, J.K. Rowling offers additional information about characters and objects series provided us with a means of escape from our awkward adolescent years. that she’s supposedly been hoarding for years. After more than a decade, the narrative of “The Boy Who Lived” has un- Pottermore currently lacks full-blown social networking capabilities. furled completely, leaving Potterheads at somewhat of a dead end. With such While users can make online friendships, the site doesn’t allow a platform for an enormous fan base and $15 billion dollars to its name, it would have been communication—not yet, at least. Pottermore presently offers users a sort of a shame to cut the cord on such a franchise. For the sake of pro¿ t, and for the abridged journey through the ¿ rst novel, and nothing more. The rest of the series millions of muggles convinced that Harry Potter is a work of non-¿ ction, the is going to be released over the course of the next few years. The site will also franchise lives on, but in an entirely new form: Pottermore. be the exclusive host of Harry Potter eBooks and audiobooks. J.K. Rowling and her marketing team have hitched their wagon to the Fans have certainly embraced the idea of Pottermore, especially because it popular wave of social networking, creating “an online experience unlike is presented as a site made by Rowling herself. However, once all seven books any other” in which the world of Harry Potter can continue to thrive. Though are available on the site, will the extent of Pottermore’s capabilities have been Pottermore has not yet made its of¿ cial release to the general public, one mil- met? Hopefully, the site does not disappoint. Beta testing has had a highly lion muggles are currently Beta testers for the site. As of now, Pottermore is positive reception, but in time, will the sheer walk-through model of the site a synthesis of social networking, reading and gaming. Users simply create an become a bore? Only time will tell what direction the Harry Potter franchise account and begin following each book chronologically by chapter, although decides to take its new project. Arts & Entertainment • October 2011 Page 7 Monarch Critics Lauren Alaina By Camille Friscia Contreras Staff Writer “This is our time to live,” Ren MacCormack (Kenny Wormald) By Janani Rangarajan passionately asserts to counter a law that forbids dancing in the Staff Writer remake of the 1984 ¿ lm Footloose. Director Craig Brewer proves Lauren Alaina, the runner-up of American to us that it’s his time to tell this tale of a rebellious teen who makes Idol Season 10, was fantastic during her time his mark on a small town and its strict laws. Brewer successfully on the show. Her sweet—yet powerful— presents a modern rendition of the classic movie—the tale of a high voice boasted that soft Mariah Carey twist, school boy who ¿ ghts for something he believes in, the freedom and she picked songs wonderfully suited to dance. to her. Who can forget her renditions of Footloose starts with dance-loving Ren moving from the big Arethra Franklin’s “Natural Woman” or city of Boston to the small town of Bomont, Tennessee, where Miley Cyrus’s “The Climb”? Obviously, he meets Reverend Shaw Moore’s (Dennis Quaid) daughter Ariel she had talent. (Dancing with the Stars’ Julianne Hough). Ren quickly discovers However, in her debut album, WildÀ ower, that he is not in Boston anymore: much to his horror, this town has her style has completely changed. Now, laws against loud music and dancing. The plot revolves around him her music is sadly reminiscent of all other trying to put the rhythm and music back into the small town. He country fare. The reason Lauren was learns how to stand up for something that he believes in, and to see originally so popular was her different it through to the end. de¿ nition of “country,” but in her album, she Kenny Wormald, a relative newcomer to the acting scene, puts seems to have cast it aside for something a little more mainstream. a refreshing twist on the iconic role of Ren — originally played by The album as a whole is cliché: small-town country girl with big dreams, strife over a boy, Kevin Bacon — by reinventing the famous “angry dance” scene. etc. Many of the songs are catchy, such as “Georgia Peaches” and “The Middle,” and some His background in professional dance coupled with his athleticism are inspirational, such as “Growing Her Wings,” but the material seems cookie-cutter and make for an exhilarating dance expressing teenage angst and, in contrived. Her hit single from American Idol, “Like My Mother Does,” makes an appearance, the climax of the movie, Wormald gives a touching performance a nod to her success on the show. Even the biggest hit of the album, “I’m Not One of Them,” that artfully shows his character’s passion for dancing. Overall, sounds like a Taylor Swift cover. his portrayal of Ren contains the right amount of attitude, and his The lack of originality proves her naïveté and general inexperience: Most of her songs are performance is believable. about country boys, a predictable topic for a teenage girl. However, with all that being said, Another solid performance comes from Hough, who is Alaina has undeniable talent, and after all, she can only get better. credible in her portrayal of the curbing of a wild child’s ways. The role nicely showcases the fan favorite’s dancing abilities. Supporting character Willard (Miles Teller) also makes a splash, and steals the show in moments such as Ren trying to teach him how to dance. Despite some cliché moments, like a sunset in the background for Ariel and Ren’s ¿ rst kiss, By Taylor Law Footloose is a fun, upbeat movie great for any Staff Writer audience. Although remaking a movie can be risky, It’s safe to say that I was extremely stoked to attend the anticipated Incubus Brewer introduces to the big screen some fresh faces concert this past weekend. Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California, that are both believable and likeable. Yet he also keeps was the next stop for the late summer/early fall tour, so I was hoping for a good the essence of the original alive while managing to time. I can tell you right now that I was not disappointed. bring in modern dialogue and dynamic dance moves, Before the headlining band hit the stage, there was excitement in the air as making the ¿ nal product a de¿ nite success. Young the Giant opened and set the tone. For all of the religious MTV VMA view- ers, I’m sure this band is not unfamiliar. During the last award show, the group performed its hit single, “My Body,” and shocked audiences far and wide with its charismatic and fresh sound. It brought the same energy to Shoreline. The opening act set up very high expectations. Sameer Gadhia, the lead singer The Ides of March of the rising group, was on point the entire time, hitting every note with melodious ease. There was a sizable crowd for just the opening band (of which I’m of¿ cially a fan—I feel an obsession coming on…), so at that point I knew that I had of¿ cially embarked on a memorable concert experience. By Thomas Soares The entire venue went pitch black and screaming ensued from die-hard fans. Staff Writer Bright red and white spotlights circled the stage as Incubus jumped right into the Ryan Gosling, who music. The visual aesthetics were appealing to the eye but never overbearing. There has quickly become one was a multitude of stage effects and use of color to create dimension and meaning of the most acclaimed ac- around each unique song. One could easily sense that the band is accustomed to tors of his generation, stars performing live. Everything felt natural and unforced, and ultimately revolved in the George Clooney purely around the music. directed ¿ lm The Ides of Overall, there was a variety of songs from different albums to appreciate. March. Personally, I feel more connected to the older songs, so I appreciated the diversity Based on the play of the tracks. Incubus de¿ nitely remembered to stick to its roots and incorporate Farragut North, Ides fo- its old sound as well as the new. The latest album, If Not Now, When?, was under- cuses on idealistic Junior standably the biggest focus. Almost half of the set list revolved around its recent Campaign Manager Ste- release sparking the interest of the audience. Because I haven’t felt the necessity to phen Myers (Gosling). Myers and Senior Campaign Manager Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) buy this new album, I was hoping to feel a shift in this attitude by the performance are helping to run the presidential campaign of Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris of these songs. I wish that the band had taken a moment to communicate with the (Clooney). Morris is running against Senator Pullman, and is thoroughly trouncing him as the audience, possibly giving some background on the inspiration behind the new album ¿ lm opens. Pullman’s campaign is being led by Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti). and the general approach to the making of it. This easily could have triggered a Duffy, who has been managing campaigns for most of his life, notices Myers’s talent for more personal connection and understanding between the band and the audience. campaigning and attempts to bring him over to the Pullman campaign during a brilliantly written One attribute that Incubus does not lack: power. I say power because the band conversation in an empty restaurant. Though it was supposed to remain secret, this exchange doesn’t displays this adjective in so many ways. The vocals are strong, stay off the record for long. Gradually, everything starts to unravel for Myers as he develops an the musicality and rhythm is magnetic, and the presence intimate relationship with Molly Stearns (Evan Rachel Wood), an intern for the Morris campaign. is immediately known. I was not shocked to hear the As the ¿ lm progresses, Myers starts to see the true nature of Mike Morris as well as the rampant roaring shouts for an encore. The band graced corruption, backstabbing, and even blackmail involved with running a campaign. the stage yet again, thanking its fans and The Ides of March has a terri¿ c ensemble cast. And even though the ¿ lm’s focus is on Gosling’s their support, and made the last character, some of the best lines about American politics are spoken by the supporting characters: two songs really count. It Giamatti, Hoffman, and Wood give believable and noteworthy performances. Clooney’s abilities truly was a sight to see, as a writer, director, and actor are put on full display. He has a terri¿ c eye for framing shots, and and a lovely reminder every close up, including the poignant shot of Gosling that ends the movie, has purpose. This ¿ nal in a world of auto-tune shot of Gosling staring coldly into the camera encapsulates the tremendous change his character and dubstep that a band makes during the ¿ lm. Because I don’t want to give away important twists in the plot, I won’t say can play entirely live how and why he changes so much. All I can say is that he loses his idealism and ends up becom- and still pack a serious ing just as frigid, mercilessly calculating, and paranoid as the characters played by Giamatti and punch—even up to the Hoffman. It is an amazing and frightening transformation to watch in the theatre. nose-bleeds. What's a Dubstep? By Dasha Sadovnikova Staff Writer There’s no avoiding it. Creeping onto radio waves disguised as a comeback project o soundtracks of epic movies about large multi-functional robots, and even sneaking its way tracklist, dubstep has arrived to claim its place as the new chapter in mainstream music cu tremendous stir among today’s youth, as well as considerable confusion regarding its exac school student would probably defi ne dubstep as rave techno music that goes “whomp, “wobble.” Not exactly. Although many current dubstep produc do rely on a characteristically distorted, promine or low frequencies to maintain popularity amon fanbases, this relatively new sound, offi cially du sounds surprisingly little like its predecessor. T dark, gritty bassline that, if assigned a human low, contained humming, versus the psycho of brostep. Dubstep is most distinguishable electronic dance music by a percussion pat half-time, rhythmically closer to that of hip than other electronic music branches such as house or trance, which discredits its reputation as being an integral part of the “rave” scene. This style emerged from the basements of underground London producers experimenting with elements of breaks and drum and bass in the late 90’s and was brought to the surface by renown dubstep forerunners such as 16 Bit, Benga, and Skream. The diff erence between their musical creations, still in production nearly a decade later, and what you probably heard at the Back To School dance is signifi cant enough to call into question calling both styles by the same name. The broad spectrum of music known as dubstep remains a controversial topic amongst music connoisseurs today, but there is no denying that it has found its way out of an obscure network of underground currents and into the endless commercialized ocean that is mainstream. Clearly, a standard measure of success.

Skylar Grey By Jasmine Tsai Staff Writer d e What do “Love the Way You Lie,” “Coming Home,” “I Need a Doctor,” an You Go,” have in common? They were all co-written by Skylar Grey, formo a as Holly Brook. nally releasing Most people recognize those song titles, but probably have never ass with them. Usually hiddenInvinsible behind, featuring other artists, her Greysingle is “Invisible,”fi whichu her own this fall titled c her melodic voice that channels passion through every verse she prodF Her talent is displayed through her mix of dark beats and dynamie the songs on her upcoming album were inspired by real-life scenarios. 3 this 25 year old’s single “Invisible” was written during a time when Grh isolated, and unknown. However, her inconspicuousness has done a e wrote, “Love the Way You Lie,” performed by Eminem and Rihanna, yt earned her a record deal with Interscope. Ironically clashing with h album’s title, Skylar Grey will no longer be invisible. Now, she’s read the spotlight and let her name be known. ? “Reality” TV of former pop queens, dominating By Laila Kreitem y into your high school dance DJ’s Staff Writer lture. Thus far, it has caused a From MTV’s Jersey Shore vision has captivated the minds and Teen of a Mom variety of viewers. Although aimed at diff ct nature. If asked, the average high to Fox’s American Idol age groups and centered on diff and The X-Factor whomp,” along with the occasional , reality tele- goal: to entertain their viewers. erent subjects, all reality shows have one common Reality shows like erent Jersey Shore cers, such as Doctor P or J. Rabbit, are solely focused on drama, comedy,and and Teen sex.Mom nt bassline at emphatically high These shows present a foreign version of “reality”, ngst the youthful majority of their distinctly unlike the lives of the viewers. We do ubbed “brostep” by music specialists, not live the same kind of hectic and out of control lives that the The original dubstep features a Jersey Shore that is why many fi characters do, but maybe n vocal equivalent, sounds most like nd the show so interesting. Shows like American Idol pathically screeching counterpart and X-Factor pletely diff erent experience. These provide competitions a com- e from other sub-genres of allow viewers to discover talented people and see ttern slowed to them live their dreams. p-hop When we turn the TV on to a reality show, we usually enter a world unlike our own. We fi nd their lives thrilling, exciting, and adventurous. But is reality actually portrayed in each episode? Not so much. We see people on the show struggle and fi and argue, and eventually make up. These reality shows create an imaginary reality in our minds that, with time, may convince us that they are more than just a show. How- ever, the true reality of the matter is that these shows are meant to only provide ght, bicker us with a sense of amusement, with a small lesson to be learned.

Feather hair extensions made their way into the media this past spring. What adds to their appeal is the manageability factor: they can be curled or straightened, and treated like the rest of the hair. Some people have a single feather easily hidden from view, while others wear many feathers. Hair extensions are a signifi cant way to make a change in your everyday look without being too d “Where’d drastic. erly known Fashion Tie-dye made its big ociated her comeback in the past an album of few years, and is often showcases the choice of dress for uces. c sound. All many students. Popular in the United States for By Ji Soo Kim

For instance, Staff Writer ey felt alone, many decades, tie-dying 360 after she ¿ rst become fashionable he song that during the “hippie era” er upcoming when it was originally y to step into worn by members of The Grateful Dead, an eclectic rock band. Virtually every type of clothing can be tie-dyed, adding to its appeal. Trends

TOMS has a wide variety of styles in its inventory, ranging from classics to wedges. The shoes were modeled after traditional Argentine footwear sported by many impoverished children, which lead to the company’s promise of “One for One”. What makes TOMS such a popular option for many is its simple design that goes with all diff erent Of 2011 types of apparel. Page 10 October 2011 • Photography

Hanna Tannenbaum What inspires you to photograph? The things that I see in everyday life and also ideas that I imagine mostly inspire me. Sometimes I see a photo or piece of art by a famous painter and I try to incorporate that into my photography.

What do you usually photograph? I spend a lot of time taking pictures of nature. I also really enjoy taking pictures of people though; my friends make great models.

Why did you choose these photos? I chose these photos because I think they represent the different types of photography that I enjoy most.

Describe the scene of a photo that you desire to capture. Right now, I have an idea in my head for a creepy Alice in Wonderland photo shoot. I’m thinking of putting a girl pouring a substance in her mouth from a bottle. This would be a picture of the girl’s proÀ le. Then coming out of her mouth would be smoke rising slowly into the air. Mixed into the smoke would be eyes that represent the Cheshire cat. There are so many details in this photograph! It’s more difÀ cult for me to write the idea down on paper then it is to actually shoot it. Through the Lens: Monarch Photography

Rachel Wakely What words describe your photography? Diverse, artsy, insightful What peaked your interest in photography? After freshman year I was beginning to try to À gure who I am, what I want to do, and what I enjoy. I realized that I have a very free-spirited and expressive personality and I love being able to express myself through pho- tos and showing emotions and feelings through a picture. I then decided that I wanted to pursue photography and bought my own personal camera. What is your favorite picture? My favorite picture of mine is of my friend, Myha’la Herrold, jumping in front of the ocean with her dread locks Á ailing in the air. Describe the scene of a photo that you desire to capture. The scene of a photo that I desire to capture is in a country-like meadow. I imagine an oat À eld that hasn’t been cut so the oats rise to about hip length. In the background, there is an old, run-down barn with an old, abandoned, discolored 1950s Ford truck in the background. I would like to take a portrait of this scene. October 2011 • Photography Page 11

Far Right: “My sister was trying on her 1st communion dress and I quickly posed her by my window. Samantha is so beautiful and the black and white gradient adds to the softness and in- nocence she possesses.” —Marrisa McPeak

Right: “This photo especially stood out to me among the others I took of her because of the lighting. The way it hits her face from the side and draws attention to her eyelashes is really special.” —Rachel Sayare

Below: “The light inspired me to take this photo because the scene was peaceful and calm which depicted the Buddha in its true essence.” —Dillan Patel

1. Rachel Sayare 2. Marissa McPeak How To: Portraits

The occasions are endless for great portrait photography in the coming months. Here are some tips for taking great quality pictures with any camera. Each tip matches up with a picture on this page, so look at these pictures to see the tips in action.

Photo #1: Lighting should be soft and natural. More light is better to take brighter pictures. However, light should not shine directly on the model as it causes glare. Photo #2: Make the background as simple as possible. Fitting too many objects into the image will overcrowd the picture. Photo #3: Take more than one picture and be creative. Take pictures from different angles, change the camera settings, and Ànd new ways to experiment. The more pictures taken, the more options to choose from! Photo #4: Be sure to capture any important details to make the picture seem lifelike. Do not be afraid to take close up photos. Pictures with the subject too far away will make the photo appear small and lifeless. Photo #5: Focus on the eyes. The eyes of a subject will help the picture create a greater impact, add more detail, and draw attention to the subject.

Lastly, practice, practice, practice! Continue taking more pictures. Compare photo techniques with past photos, 3. Dillan Patel and set goals on what can be Àxed. Soon you will be a master photographer! 4. Connor Gibson By Lina Lalwani

Above: “I took this picture up at Garrod Ranch. I like it because it shows Sparky’s curiosity and playfulness while in other shots you can see his determination and liveliness as he powers around the arena.” —Connor Gibson

Left: “People often say that eyes are the Àrst feature others see, and I wanted to demonstrate that with this photo. My kitty, Toki, just happened to make the perfect face.” —Rachel Sayare

LiLikeke what yyouou ssee?ee? WaWantnt ttoo bbee a ppartart ooff TThehe MMonarch’sonarch’s nnextext issue? SeSendnd iinn a rrequestequest ttoo [email protected]@gmail.com.

5. Rachel Sayare Justice Awareness Profiles IN Justice is the only student-run The Mitty Advocacy Project (MAP) legislative group in the state of California. MAP president Sruthi Ramaswami says, “We use politics as a vehicle to impact change and serve our communities.” In the past few years, these justice- oriented leaders of the Mitty community founded Catholic Youth Advocacy Day, which over 160 high school students attended. Various members will also be traveling to Washington D.C. this November to present at Georgetown University. There, they will take part in and lead the Ignatian Solidarity Teach In, while contributing to efforts to close the School of the Americas in Georgia. After, they ¿ cking, and gang will prepare for the 2012 Catholic Youth Advocacy Day, where they will address foster care, homelessness, human traf violence. Contact Mr. Accorsi, Mr. Herrera, Mrs. Walker, or current members for more information, or come to meetings on Mondays . after school in room 101. To learn more, visit MAP’s website: http://mittyadvocacy.wordpress.com/ Spotlight on: New Global Citizens Club Ms. Leone’s Food Justice Program J The New Global Citizens Club, a worldwide, nonpro¿ t By Esha Joshi organization, is committed to focusing on challenges Justice Editor U addressed in the 8 United Nations Under Development Goals, including extreme porverty, universal primary education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, Ms. Leone is a new staff member in our community, S HIV/AIDS and other diseases, environmental sustainability, taking the place of Mr. Kroenung and sustainable local economies. Mitty’s New Global as the Director of Christian Service. Citizens branch plans on calling attention to issues that T occur in our own community, striving to make a difference through fundraisers, volunteer work, and collaboration with other NGC club branches in the state. To join, What did Ms. Leone do before coming to Mitty? I contact club moderator Mrs. Brody or the club presidents, Before Mitty, she worked at a middle school Deepika Suresh and Pooja Kumar. To learn more, visit . for three years and was heavily involved in an C http://www.newglobalcitizens.org/ after-school youth program called At Risk Youth. This program provided her and her students with the opportunity to reach out to gang-impacted E adolescents in the state of California through service and direct communication. Ms. Leone’s vision for community service this year includes a new project Mitty’s Above the In called the Food Justice Program. that promotes responsibilityÀ uence withClub regard (ATIC to substance abuse. The club ) seeks to form a community C encourages abstaining from drug and alcohol usage. Under the guidance How was the program started? of president, Makoto Lalwani, and moderator Mr. Tom Motroni, the Above the In This year Ms. Leone, along with the help of Mrs. À uence Club is partnered with the Chat 4 Teens organization. to inform young adults of the dangers of peer pressure with regard to these Fenker and her environmental science students, has L inÀ uences. Many people on Mitty’s campus have been affected by the created a new opportunity for community service. misuse of drugs and alcohol, both directly and indirectly. Those interested This program, which started simply as extra credit U in Mrs. Fenker’s class, has blossomed into a full- can contact Makoto Lalwani or Mr. Motroni. À edged project outside of the classroom. B What do students do while they volunteer for this program? S works to create a more Students promote environmental justice by serving Green Club meals at Envision, a homeless shelter in San Jose. The environmentally friendly campus at Mitty. The There are three different organizations where the Green Club has done many projects; in the past food for the shelter is obtained: Full Circle Farm, two years, the club has informed the student Veggielution Community Farm, and Village Harvest. body of the dangers of constant use of plastic These resources empower youth to create sustainable water bottles, selling personalized Green Club reusable water bottles. This year, they plan food systems by having volunteers manually pick to complete more projects and campaigns, fresh food and fruit from the ¿ elds and cook it for including selling reusable lunchboxes, in lieu of underprivileged families to enjoy. brown paper bags for lunches. To get involved, contact Mrs. Tiradoinformation. or Katie Gray for more What is its goal for students? The main goal of the Food Justice Program is to promote community and social justice through Interact, is a part of an international organization of organic agriculture; its mission is to “empower service clubs that fosters leadership and responsible citizenship, international understanding and peace. Last people to change the way they think about food by year, Mitty’s district, District 5170, raised $100,000 for getting their hands in the soil, connecting with the Shelterbox, an international disaster relief organization land, and tasting the fruits of their labor.” that delivers emergency supplies to victims worldwide. This year, they will volunteer at various agencies and coordinate both fundraisers and service projects around *For more information about the Food Justice Program the area. Contact the club moderator Mrs. Hopkins, or other Christian Service endeavors, By Katrina Vokt and Jeemin Kwon or co-presidents Claire Chu and Areya Behrouzian if please contact Ms. Leone or Mrs. Fenker. Staff Writers interested. October 2011 • Justice Awareness Page 13 Troy Davis: Murderer or Martyr? By Makoto Lalwani resulted in wrongful convictions, aided these two men in their exonerations. Staff Writer This organization uses DNA evidence to prove innocence, and has been successful in recent decades in doing so, having exonerated 273 people to date. The fact that there is an 11:08 PM, September 21, 2011—two decades after his original arrest in 1991, Georgia entire organization devoted to investigating wrongful convictions since 1992 illustrates inmate Troy Davis was put to death by lethal injection, sparking a À urry of controversy. that this is an ongoing issue not speci¿ c to just one person, but many that have been or While Davis might be dead, his legacy lives on, as thousands of protestors across the na- may have been wronged by our justice system. Even more, it raises the question of how tion have called into question the effectiveness of the American judicial system. Did Troy many innocent people are currently imprisoned or on death row, and how many more lives Davis die in vain? Perhaps, or perhaps not. will be wasted if we allow this to continue. On August 19, 1989, police officer Mark The story of Davis and the exoneration of so MacPhail was shot and killed as he intervened in many others bring up a rather alarming point: how a ¿ ght between a homeless man and a man named can we be sure that our judicial system is truly Sylvester Coles. Nine eyewitnesses in the case providing justice, and furthermore, what quality of named Davis as the gunman and murderer. A note- evidence must be present to sentence someone to worthy detail: they accused him though there was a life in prison—or even execution? In an era where lack of evidence, including a murder weapon. Years DNA testing and other forensic technologies are later, seven witnesses recanted their testimonies, available, historically unreliable eyewitness claims claiming they were coerced by police of¿ cers into are no longer as necessary as they used to be. supporting Davis’ conviction. According to Rob Warden, director of the And when one looks at the circumstances, how Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern can this manipulation be surprising? Troy Davis University, “Eyewitness testimony is so horribly was an African-American man accused of murder- inaccurate—even under the very best of circum- ing a white police of¿ cer in the Deep South, a place stances.” where people still occasionally hang the Confeder- If the proper cautions are not taken, one per- ate À ag. Furthermore, nine witnesses have claimed son’s poor judgment can lead to the death of an that Sylvester Coles, the other suspect in the case, innocent person—and while a prison term may be was the one who shot MacPhail. Signi¿ cantly, overruled, a life may never be returned. Coles was one of the remaining two eyewitnesses that maintained Davis’ guilt. Few no for certain whether Troy Davis was either guilty or innocent; there are too Despite this evidence and despite support from hundreds of thousands of people for many inconsistencies surrounding the case to make such a statement. But in our judicial Davis’ release, appeals were consistently denied by both Georgia courts and the Supreme system, one must be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in order to be convicted. In Court. Signs declaring “I am Troy Davis,” petitions, and even opposition from ¿ gures such a case where tangible evidence was virtually nonexistent, where the main sources of testi- as ex-President Jimmy Carter and Pope Benedict XVI were all for naught. In many ways, mony turned out to be false, one cannot help but wonder why the death penalty was used. Troy Davis’ fate was sealed from the moment he was arrested. It is time that as a nation, we take a step back and reevaluate the methods in which And Davis’ case is not unique. Elsewhere in the U.S., two men have recently been we pursue justice, so that present and future Troy Davises, potentially innocent human exonerated in similar situations. beings, do not lose their lives due to prejudice, carelessness, and apathy. Mitty junior Obie Anthony, a 37-year-old man, spent 17 years in prison after being convicted of religion classes teach speci¿ cally about exoneration of criminals and have showcased the shooting and killing a man in Los Angeles. Additionally, Michael Morton, a 57-year-old Innocence Project in the past; it is promising to see that we as a school are teaching about man, was also released from prison, where he served 25 years in under charges of beating this as a legitimate problem in the justice system today. his wife to death. The Innocence Project, a campaign to investigate crimes that may have For more information about cases like this and others, visit www.innocenceproject.org. Obama Pushes to Create Palestine: Jobs, Revitalize Economy Rallying For Independence By Billy Rehbock In many instances, the bill cuts taxes. By Justice Editors UN. If it were that easy, it would have been Staff Writer But how can the government fund new accomplished by now,” Obama said. Obama workers without implementing additional The Palestinian-Israeli conÀ ict goes hopes, instead, for a resolution to come from With the poor state of the American job taxes or keeping current taxes in place? back many years, and of course still today peace talks between the Palestinian and Is- market, it is common sense that new jobs The bill states that the President will call people living in the region are encountering raeli communities. Obama has been trying need to be created. In order to make this on a Joint Committee to come up with any violence in their daily lives. to create peace between these two nations— happen, Democratic Legislators in Congress additional necessary de¿ cit reduction. This conÀ ict originally arose when both a priority from the start of his presidency. are seeking to push a bill referred to as the This implies that other governmental Palestine and Israel claimed the same area However, this approach has not worked for “Obama Jobs Bill.” programs, those likely to bene¿ t the country, of land, where Israel and the West Bank are years, so one wonders why it would be an Public schools have been suffering will be cut; however, eliminating them will today. In the late 1940s, the United Nations appropriate response now. greatly, with decreasing staff and funding. be counterproductive to the revitalization proposed the partitioning of the land into A barrage of violence is happening in The bill, which was introduced in early Sep- of our nation. two states: one for the Arabs in Palestine, both areas as a result of the dispute that has tember, hopes to turn With these pro- and one for the Jews in Israel. been going on for decades. Senior Chaddy this around, main- grams cut and reve- When this plan Georges, who has taining and modern- nue thus eliminated, was subsequent- family in both ar- izing 35,000 schools there will be far less ly rejected, Israel “My mom’s eas, knows of the with new technology income for the gov- declared its own atrocities person- and infrastructure. ernment. statehood, and as a 35-year-old cousin ally. It would also pre- Taxation is nec- result, conÀ ict has “My mom’s vent the layoffs of essary for a govern- been raging on for was killed by an 35 year old cousin 280,000 teachers. ment to operate, and decades. The UN was killed by an Is- In addition, the if jobs are to be add- has intervened con- Israeli missile while raeli missile while bill aims to rebuild ed, it would be ideal sistently, attempt- at a market. The national infrastruc- that taxes not be de- ing to smooth out at a market.” U.S. needs to step ture. Workers will creased, since doing relations between -Chaddy Georges (‘12) up now and support be paid to maintain so will only increase Israel and Palestine. peace resolutions rundown buildings the burden on the Now, decades including Palestin- and homes. federal government. later, Palestine also wants to become an of- ian statehood in order to stop the meaning- The bill would also extend unemploy- The intent of the bill is excellent, and ¿ cial independent state—completely sepa- less loss of life over land conÀ icts.” ment bene¿ ts for six million Americans. the provided bene¿ ts are what the country rate from Israel’s territory. The people of Undoubtedly, this issue affects the And ¿ nally, the bill seeks to expand employ- needs to remedy the current economic situ- Israel, however, are divided about accepting entire world, and needs to be resolved once ment opportunities for low-income youth ation. Major repairs are needed within the Palestine’s choice to become independent. and for all. Palestine has now formally and adults through training programs. country’s old infrastructure, and this bill is While some realize the bene¿ ts of separate petitioned for statehood in the UN, which In response to the bill, many Americans a step toward this change. states, many others reject the idea. replied that a resolution will come within tend to oppose additional taxation, while Cutting the taxes that businesses and The United States, because of its ties about a month. others wish to create jobs and stimulate the employees pay is not necessary or bene¿ cial to Israel, has taken a pro-Israel stance on Though the results of the UN vote are economy. in a down economy, especially at the cost of the conÀ ict in the past, and is continuing still in the air, Palestine’s fate will soon be This split, primarily on party lines, was important government sponsored programs. to do so today. decided. No matter what the answer is, there already seen in the Senate where, due to A balance in this needs to be found. Just last month, President Barack is still a long road of compromises ahead. Republican opposition, the bill was voted We cannot create jobs at the expense of Obama at the General Assembly for World Hopefully, these upcoming decisions will down. That doesn’t mean the end for its important governmental programs, as this Leaders, explained his opposition to the ¿ nally lead to effective, long-term solutions chances, however, as now Democrats are could ultimately be detrimental to America’s Palestinian statehood: “Peace will not come to a problem that has plagued the world for reintroducing much of it piece by piece. progress as well. through statements and resolutions at the so many years. SPORTS Cross-Country Football: Monarchs Playing With Resolve Update By Cameron Schott two separate occasions last season, which left two-point conversion attempt and struck pay Staff Writer a bad taste in the Mitty locker room. dirt once again. In the end, the Monarchs came By Stephen Kwok This season was supposed to be a rebuild- “Going into the Palo Alto game we had away with a 22-22 tie. Sports Editor ing year for the young Monarchs, but like they the mind-set that we were going to make up for After the tie, Mitty faced off against St. With Head Coach Dina have done before, Mitty has embraced the role the loss in last year’s playoffs,” Wesson said. Francis for the annual night game. The Mon- Oakland at the helm, and the of the underdog and performed above their Despite their short week of preparation, archs started out slowly, trailing 10-0 after additions of Coach Lee on expectations. With a 5-2-1 record, Mitty has Mitty played very well, and were tied 21-21 the À rst quarter, but cut the lead to 17-14 at the women’s side and Coach once again become a threat halftime. Kriege on the men’s side, in the WCAL. The second half was an Mitty’s cross-country team is poised to make a serious leap Entering week one, the intense affair, both defenses in the league standings. Monarchs faced off against clamping down and pre- On the women’s side, the Pioneer and made a strong venting a score in the third team has experienced unbe- statement. They wanted to quarter. lievable success in the early prove their dominance and With 8:47 left in the going. With an impressive show that they were not in a À nal quarter, Bobby Marani performance from the Varsity rebuilding stage. scored a two-yard run to take team led by juniors Molly Haar “We came out with a lot a 21-17 lead. The Monarch and Olivia Rintala, as well as of intensity,” said junior wide defense then made stand af- sophomore Olivia Brobst, the receiver and safety Jacob ter stand, winning the game girls were able to nab 2nd place Wesson, “showing that even for the Monarchs, taking overall in their first WCAL without our big-name play- their record to 3-1-1. meet. ers, we’re still a big-name A week later, Mitty The Varisty team went team.” pulled out perhaps its biggest from being unranked in CCS to Mitty started out strong win of the season, defeating currently holding the 7th team and took a 45-0 lead into the the undefeated Serra in a spot. In addition, the depth of the women’s team is incred- fourth quarter. When it was come-from-behind affair that ible, with the JV team taking all said and done, the Mon- truly cemented the Monarchs archs had won 45-14. status among the best in the 1st place overall at both the Photo courtesy of Mr. Luie Lopez Ram Invitational and their ¿ rst Week two was unusual, WCAL. Andrew Barna hands the ball off to Cail McClenahen versus San Ramon Valley. WCAL race. to say the least: The Mon- Head coach Matt Hani- Coach Dan Hodgin has archs played a powerful San Ramon Valley with Palo Alto early in the fourth quarter. On the ger told the Mercury News, “We are under the managed to put together a team, who had beaten Mitty last season with next drive, senior quarterback Andrew Barna radar, but you know what, we’re À ne with that. strong men’s team that is a late À eld goal in the À nal seconds. This year threw a 72-yard touchdown to fellow senior This is one of the hardest working groups I’ve certain to make its mark on seemed different, with Mitty capturing a 14- Cail McClenahen. The defense held strong seen in the 20 years I’ve been here and we’re the league. Junior Richard 13 lead with 2:40 left in the third quarter. The in protecting a 27-21 lead, and the Monarchs just going to get better and better.” Guzikowsi has been impres- Monarchs had regained momentum and looked handed Palo Alto their À rst loss since Novem- Senior quarterback Andrew Barna leads sive, pacing under 5:20 for to be on their way to victory. ber of 2009. the Monarchs with 879 passing yards and more than half of his races Unfortunately, the game was suspended Mitty began WCAL play against the St. eight touchdowns. Cail McClenahen has had thus far, and taking 2nd place due to lightning and was completed three days Ignatius Wildcats. In a scrappy game, SI held 113 rushing yards, 318 receiving yards and amongst all juniors at the later. San Ramon Valley recovered an onside a 22-14 lead over the Monarchs with three two touchdowns. Jacob Wesson has also been Lynbrook Center Meet. He is kick to start the Monday continuation, and minutes remaining—Mitty had one À nal pos- a factor in the receiving game with 13 catches supported by a young group that is continually improving. didn’t let up; the Wolves ended up taking a session to try to salvage a tie. The Monarchs for 346 yards and three touchdowns. With all of these runners re- 21-14 victory. drove 59-yards downÀ eld, and were on the SI Defensively, seniors Bobby Marani and turning next season, the men’s Mitty was left with only a week of prepara- 1-yard line with seven seconds remaining. Joe DeCecco have led the way. DeCecco has team should feel con¿ dent for tion for its Week 3 opponent, defending state With the game on the line, senior Bobby 50 tackles with an interception while Marani the future. champions Palo Alto. Marani punched in a one-yard score to cut the has 51 tackles—impressive numbers by key The Vikings had defeated the Monarchs on deÀ cit to two. Mitty ran the same play on the defensive players. Coach’s Speak egame sup

Ms. Justina Williams Mr. Jason Scalese “The Mitty Å eld hockey team cheer “We always say a prayer before we before every game is a song called introduce lineups, but the girls have ‘Juice the Mitty.’ It is a great tradition the best superstition. When it is time that has continued over the years and to do the team cheer, they delay as our Alumni team even did the cheer long as they can to avoid doing it at our Alumni game. The supersti- before the other team.” tion is the cheer must be done on the Å eld between the white lines!”

Mr. Bret Almazan-Cezar Ms. Dina Oakland “My pregame superstitions are all “I always ‘dope out’ our races. That about caffeine. Breakfast is a trip to means I compare our times with the Starbucks for a triple, venti, non-fat, other team’s to predict the score. I two equals, latte with a chocolate have become a little obsessed with chunk cookie. Lunch and match time this at times and do it over and over. I is usually supplemented with a Diet guess I haven’t come to terms with the Coke. This superstition began in 1997 fact that no matter how I dope out a when my team beat the #1 team in race beforehand, the Å nal results will the nation–Archbishop Mitty.” never be affected by my predictions.”

Compiled by Jordan Scott Sports Editor October 2011 • Sports Page 15 Chemistry Key to Success By Erik Chu powers Presentation and St. Francis and the Highlight Staff Writer emerging Sacred Heart Cathedral having lost For the Archbishop Mitty women’s volley- only a combined nine games, this season will ball team, this year is all about redemption. Fresh be no exception. off of a heartbreaking CCS SemiÀ nal loss against Mitty faced its true challenge in West Catho- REEL national power Presentation, the Monarchs were lic League action against one of the top teams in looking to have a bounce-back season. The Mon- the league on September 28, facing Sacred Heart archs have done just that, improving dramatically on the road. Mitty was able to tough it out against and storming off to the Irish, winning an impressive 20-6 the match 3 games (2-1 league) re- to 2 (23-25, 22-25, Men’s Water Polo cord, with marquee 25-17, 25-22, 15- non-conference 12). Caldwell had Coach: Mr. Mike wins over nation- an amazing perfor- Hendrickson ally ranked Cardi- mance, leading the Highlight: Winning in strong nal Gibbons (North way for the Mon- fashion, 17-5 vs. Carolina) and Rock- archs with an aston- Lynbrook lin (Sacramento). ishing 24 kills. Bobby Wen: The team is While another “Compaed to previous seasons, comprised of a mix team might have our team is really of underclassmen relaxed after such picking up this year. and upperclassmen, a close win, the I am conÀ dent in our abilities to perform and Coach Bret Monarchs remained well this season.” Almazan-Cesar has Photo courtesy of ProImage focused and easily done a superb job dismantled an in- The team gathers in a huddle before the Ä rst serve. Senior Andrew Dzurko of guiding his team ferior Notre-Dame Photo courtesy of ProImage to victory. Belmont squad at home, 3 games to 1. However, Led by senior outside hitters Alex Caldwell they fell to a strong St. Ignatius team two days and Katie Conroy, the Monarchs have also done later, losing 1-3. exceptionally well in West Catholic League The Monarchs won’t have much time to Women’s Golf play, hanging with the likes of St. Francis and mull over their defeat, however, as they face Presentation. a grueling yet crucial 4 game stretch, in which “We’ve had a couple tough losses but that’s they battle St. Francis, Presentation, and Valley only made us stronger, pushing us to go back Christan, all of which will be extremely competi- to practice and work as hard as we can,” says tive matches. Sophomore Kyleigh Moreno Caldwell. “The only way we can reach that In the end, it’s the team’s chemistry that’s goal is get better in practice every day and push inspired their success, and will carry the team to Coach: Mr. Matt Garrison ourselves to strive for excellence.” victory in the future. Highlight: Defeating St. Francis The schedule is deÀ nitely no cakewalk this “Our team is very close on and off the court, 202-220, with an amazing 40.4 average year. Non-league games have included neutral something that creates a lot of good energy when score, believed to be the best in Mitty contests at multiple tournaments against El we’re playing,” said junior libero Anne Marie history Camino (Sacramento), Santa Barbara, and Los Schmidt. “We always stick together and stay Dani Aiello: “The team this year has been closer and stronger than ever. Gatos. Playing in the WCAL makes every game positive, and manage to create this atmosphere We have set a common goal that we have even more difÀ cult, and with perennial league in each match we play” worked so hard to reach and are always there to support one another.” Photo courtesy of ProImage Field Hockey off to Torrid Start Women’s Tennis By Aditya Kotte Furthermore, senior Clemence Couteau Coach: Mr. Jason Scalese Staff Writer has played a key role in midÀ eld, setting up Highlight: Beating Sacred It is extremely uncommon for a team to many of the team’s goals. The team has also Heart Cathedral and St. Francis win every single match that they play. Cur- gotten solid performance from unexpected consecutively to improve to 5-0 rently undefeated with a record of 8-0 for contributors. Senior Lindsay Mewes, an out- Cassie Liu: “This year’s tennis team is definitely one that I’ll league games and 6-0 in non-league games, standing goalie for Mitty’s soccer team, has always be proud to have been a the Monarch women’s À eld hockey team is taken her skills to the hockey À eld with excel- part of. Even though we all have obviously defying the status quo. lent results. She’s been an incredible asset for different personalities, we still Last year, the team posted a 10-3-3 record, the team, just another cog in the well-oiled bond over a mutual love for tennis.” with À ve of those wins machine. in non-league games. It’s the team’s With its perfect start, chemistry that’s paved the team has improved the way for their suc- on this excellent re- cess thus far this year, Photo courtesy of Tiffany Ronen Junior Regina Chi cord, absolutely domi- according to junior nating its opponents Kelsey Hideshima. this year. “I would say our This significant unity and how close Women’s Water Polo improvement has been we are as a team are highlighted many times the main factors for our Coach: Ms. Rachel Rhodes over. Mitty defeated success,” she says, “We Highlight: Winning Los Gatos for the À rst can all trust each other the Los Gatos High School time in three years, on and off the À eld. I Invitational Tournament demonstrating the wouldn’t say our team Rebecca Koshy: “We team’s resilience and relies on any speciÀ c have beat teams this year that we have lost to for the past grit in the 4-1 victory. person. We all work three years. I am so proud of Furthermore, Mit- really well together.” every one of my teammates ty avenged a semiÀ nal Judging by their and we wouldn’t be doing as well without every single loss last year, downing Photo courtesy of ProImage flawless start to the one of them. We aspire to Gilroy 2-0. Claire Cecilio dribbles the ball against Los Altos. season and the conÀ - continue our success, and to Their triumphs dence and momentum keep improving. We are really excited about our upcoming over past foes highlight the team’s resolve that have accompanied their success, Mitty’s games.” Sophomore Sabrina Sherrin this year, a resolve that has helped them to À eld hockey can set their goals high. Winning Photo courtesy of ProImage win so often. the league championship and the CCS title Among the abundance of talent and skill both seem within reach for this high-Á ying on the team’s roster, there are a few standout Monarch team. players that signiÀ cantly contribute to the As the season nears its À nal stretch, the Compiled by Rebecca Casey success of this team. Senior Martha Duerte women’s À eld hockey team will do all they Sports Editor is a prime example, holding up a powerful can to hang another banner from the rafters defensive front that is the team’s foundation. of the Fien Gym. News • October 2011 Page 16 The Phreshman STUDENT CENTE(RED) Phenomenon Rushikesh Joshi By Sumedh Guha By Carlisle Micallef Staff Writer Staff Writer The beginning of the 2011-2012 school year has marked Senior Rushikesh Joshi is well-known around campus as an overall the grand arrival of the class of 2015. Along with its energy and fun guy to be around and as captain of the Men’s Varsity Tennis team. enthusiasm, this class has the largest number of students in its He claims this year’s tennis team will be one of Mitty’s strongest individual section than any other graduating class at Mitty. With ever. Yet not only does Rushikesh lead our school on the court, 470 students, the class of 2015 is approximately 9% larger than but also in the area of service, where his volunteer work is nothing a typical year, which usually has about 430 students. short of inspiring. This increase in size is far less trivial than it may, at ¿ rst, Every year, Rushikesh volunteers as a counselor at the Muscular appear. With a greater number of students, Mitty seeks to bring Dystrophy Association (MDA) in Occidental, California. Muscular real talent to its campus. “We hope that the members of the Class Dystrophy is a debilitating degenerative disease that causes the de- of 2015 continue to excel in all of their endeavors at Archbishop terioration of the body’s muscles in children as early as two or three Mitty High School...Their admissions ¿les were impressive, years old. Many affected children become wheelchair bound and fully illustrating outstanding achievement in academic and extra- dependent by the age of ten. curricular arenas alike,” Assistant Principal of Admissions, Ms. The camp Rushikesh volunteers at is a one-week excursion for Kate Caputo, acknowledges. such kids, with counselors taking on the role as their “older brothers.” The strong presence of these freshmen has already been felt From waking up at night to turn them over in bed to prevent bed sores, at Mitty. After the departure of the class of 2011, the school has to helping the younger boys through homesickness, to wheelchair- been looking toward its newest members to ¿ll the void. Many of decorating, to helping the campers into the pool where they can these students have begun to make their mark in a wide variety enjoy the feeling of being weightless, Rushikesh is there every day. of activities, ranging from Athletics, Performing Arts, and Clubs One particular event that stands out to Rushikesh is the ever- to Campus Ministry and Academics. famous “Gossip Box” where they poke fun at each other by expos- Stephanie Tsou, a freshman, is one such student who has ing counselors’ silly secrets during mealtimes. One year he and a involved herself with several extracurriculars at Mitty. She is fellow counselor were chosen as “The Gossip-Box People” where a member of both the Symphonic Orchestra and the Mandarin they would make a huge deal out of the Gossip Box, dress up in Club. “I am really enjoying being a part of these two groups.... silly costumes, do crazy things and even submit jokes about their pportunity own campers. “They loved it!” Rushikesh says, “After that I had ate about ¿ve or six campers come up to me saying they wanted me as their pectively, counselor.” and also interact with new ppeople,”eople,” Rushikesh comes back every year to witness ¿ rst-hand how she explains. these boys can overcome the debilitating changes they go through Clearly, the class of year to year. Ultimately, it has given him a different perspective 2015 is special in not just on life. Despite their condition, they never show remorse and live its size, but also in its every moment to the fullest. The boys show extreme maturity in potential for greatness. their ability to accept their condition and live with it. However, These students are the they never lose the kid in themselves and once they go to camp, leaders for the future that “it all comes out” with pranks and jokes. Rushikesh says, “It will help guide Mitty to makes me see how blessed I am, and how I should appreciate glory, just as the previous all I’ve been given. There are a lot of young people out there who struggle and these boys, in particular, classes have done. We show tremendous courage in facing the cards life has dealt them.” wish them all the best in Rushikesh was selected as one of Archbishop Mitty’s representatives to Boys’ State, a conference aimed their endeavors! to involve youth in the political process. There, Rushikesh was elected by his peers to assume the role of Photo Courtesy of Marissa McPeak Lieutenant Governor. In this role, Rushikesh was able to experience what life is like as a political ¿ gure. Rushikesh is the epitome of a successful student here at Mitty: He shows true leadership by not only reaching his fullest potential as a student and athlete, but also reaching out a hand to those in need.

Delving into the Dean’s Ofğ ce Volume 21 Number 1 By Aneesh Akella and Anir Ramesh Staff Writers Advisors The Dean’s Of¿ce often creates terror in the hearts of and a dean is as strange as it is dif¿cult. However, she Mr. Mick VanValkenburg & Mr. Craig Whitt many Archbishop Mitty Students over the years; threats can’t deny the fact that being the Assistant Dean has its of hour-long detentions and trash duty after school make perks; she never has to worry about anyone coming late News the of¿ce unapproachable to some. However, many know to her class. Gwendolyn Holst, Kelvin Leong, that the Dean’s of¿ce staff is actually a group of fun and But before encountering either one of these [now Sruthi Ramaswami, & Kevin Tran caring individuals. not so] formidable Deans, on their way into the of¿ ce, While, among students, Mr. Jim Fallis,pstudents meet the lovable Mrs. Garcia and Mrs. Taft. Opinions garding various infrac- WWhenhen students visits Mrs. GGarciaa for being late, many Linda Nguyen, Anna Piatnicia, tions of school rules, this persona directly contrasts with iimmediatelymmediately expect that they wwill be unexcused and re- Sarang Shankar & Tyler VanValkenburg ng faculty. With Marvin ceive a detention. However,, gigivingv out tardies is the least Gaye’s classic, “You’re Need Too Get By” enjoyable part of heher job, In fact, she is happy Arts & Entertainment playing in the background, Mr Fallis can wwhenhen sstudentstu have valid excuses. AnnaLiese Burich, Chaddy Georges, humorously recounts how, years ago, he Ac tudent the of¿ce’s main purpose is not Chitra Marti, & Melanie Mascarenhas ut¿ t. to pu , Focus dent iittm maintains order and makes was sent to his of¿ pirit sure Alexandra Gar¿ eld, Taji Hutchins, W ume. mmunity.un The quality of this Kanako Shimizu, & Puja Subramaniam Having to con¿ , Mr. com Fallis couldn’t bring himself to throwhrow thithiss ffact. Justice Awareness le, “I And of course the Mitty Elena Georgieva, Esha Joshi, may or may not have worn it.” ccommunityomm adores Mrs. Taft Briana Saunders & Elise Sudlow Mr. Fallis gets perturbed thatat stu- (Mrs s sister) because dents are so intimidated by him and every month she gives out 300 Sports “turn their heads sideways or try to pull their pants up delicious cookies, described by Mrs. Garcia as “the most Rebecca Casey, Anay Dattawadkar, when I’m around them, and it saddens me because they amazing cookies in the world.” Stephen Kwok & Jordan Scott don’t know me as a person. I’m not like that.” Really, These delectables are made by her husband, who he cares about the well-being of students and has one also bakes them for 1,000 of his fellow co-workers. Photo question for anyone who ends up in his of¿ ce: “Why?” Besides the sweet treats, what Mrs. Taft and Mrs. Garcia Alisha Dua, Sarah Guzman, Likewise, Mrs. Wesmiller hates viewing students love most about their jobs is the caring spirit that the as troublemakers and having to give out detentions. Be- Mitty Community shares with one another. Tiffany Lu, & Anushka Pushpala ing a teacher, she feels uneasy when she sees her own Even though we make mistakes for which we land, students breaking dress code and misbehaving since she chagrined, in the Dean’s of¿ce, with such people work- tries to keep her jobs—as an Assistant Dean and as a ing there, it makes it a bit easier to learn those timeless The Monarch is published for the students, teacher—separate from one another. To her, ¿ nding the lessons: to not be late for class, to not wear that skirt, faculty, and parents of Archbishop Mitty High School. balance between being a coffee-crazed, energetic teacher and to not pull out that cell-phone.