Volume 54 NO. 2 December 2012 Student Newspaper of La Mirada High School 13520 Adelfa Drive, La Mirada, CA 90638

La Mirada’s Most WantedPAGE ONEpage 1

STRIKE A POSE The Mr. La Mirada candidates suit up for publicity shots at Creek Park in La Mirada bringing with them their cheerfulness, good energy, and friendly competition. Their personalities shine through as they line up on the bridge to please the camera. These boys are not afraid to act silly and let loose when the crowd beckons them to put on a show.

Mr. La Mirada

Refocus-ingtherivalry

Pressure to make the grade

The second annual Mr. La Mirada competition takes place on January 12, 2013 at 7:00 PM. The candidates will show-case their talents along with their mischievous cowboy antics.

By Anthony Salgado

Everyone who has ever at-tended or worked at La Mirada High School knows about the great rivalry between the La Mirada Matadors and Mayfair Monsoons.

Each year La Mirada faces off against Mayfair in multiple sports including basketball, baseball, football, wrestling, volleyball, tennis, and so on. No matter what the situation may be, each school plays their hardest so they can have brag-ging rights for that year. Di-amond Lagmay, senior, says, “Its important because we have to represent our town, our peo-ple and our family.” Although everyone gets excited for the football games, these rivalries have transferred to each sport and each match-up is more intense than the last. Varsity soccer player Christian Roa, senior, says “It is important to me because there is a lot of tra-dition into a rivalry game and it’s fun playing in one”, and his teammate, Anthony Caudillo added, “Even if the team has a bad season, we still look for-ward to the big game against Mayfair.” Even in track, the rivalries have extended to new heights. Senior track star Na-than Saunders states, “I like when we have meets against Mayfair because I feel like we have to win so I always try my hardest”.

The rivalry between La Mi-rada and Mayfair has had its ups and downs and still contin-ues to do so until this very day. Whether it’s a blowout loss or a last second score, each game is fought with the same com-petitiveness and desire from both schools. Although there is quite some distance between the two schools, it remains one of La Mirada’s oldest rivalries. As varsity wide receiver Dallas Todd put it, “La Mirada and Mayfair will be rivals as long as these two schools are still around.”

ToroEl

By Jackie Leeder

As the contestants for Mr. La Mirada work diligently on practicing their dance and preparing their talents, the tensions rise. The grand prize for winning Mr. La Mirada is a $200 scholarship and many of the contestants are eager to win. So far the competi-tion has featured a glamorous photo shoot in the park, with the boys dressed in their finest suits and cowboy attire. The boys laughed and created new silly poses for the camerawom-an to work with. The following week the boys signed photos of themselves for their many ad-mirers including friends and supporters. Contestant Travis Nasser claims he “felt like Jus-tin Beiber.” Contestant Aar-on Agajanian exclaimed that, “It was a little weird at first but in the end it was funny to

watch all of your friends ask-ing for your autograph.” When asked about his thoughts on the competition he replied, “I think I have a fair chance, I’m just a little afraid of the talent competition. I know about two other guys who already have their talent set...and all I do is play golf!” On the other hand, contestant Mark Pedace is known to be the most enthusi-astic about the competition. He is confident about his chanc-es and he has been preparing for this competition ever since it was first mentioned. At the first dance practice Mark was the most enthusiastic about the dance. You could practi-cally see the sweat drip from his brow as the boys danced their little hearts out. Travis says, “The competition is pret-ty cool, but time consuming.” Contestant Devon White can easily be considered a front

[see Pressure, pg 4]

LM’s Most Wanted

The Wild Wild West is back and ready to go

for this year’s Mr. La Mirada theme. With

that spirit in mind, each of the boys have

decided upon what they are most wanted

for. Try and see if you have what it takes to

match up each of the boys with their crime.

By Chelsea Hepponstall

It’s December, which means the pressure is mounting for seniors here at La Mirada High School. The submission of col-lege applications is a critical time for seniors, prompting them to put their best foot for-ward in order to get into their beloved dream school. How do these determined students re-

sist crumbling under pressure?Mr. Costa, the Advanced

Placement teacher of Europe-an and United States history, remarks that, “The students that are most ambitious, are the ones that usually get into the college of their choice.” Although he places self-mo-tivation as a major factor, he also takes into account the teacher’s role. “If the AP teach-

er envisions the course as a college course, then he or she will teach it at a college level.” AP courses do not only chal-lenge students to work harder, but these classes also boost the rigor of their application. “I would say California probably ranks as one of the top states in the nation as far as schools. There are people from all over the world that will come to

California to go to our U.C. system.” Many students ap-plied to U.C.’s as well as Cal-states, and are still applying to privates and out-of-state schools. But as far as U.c.’s go, with more people from differ-ent parts of the world striving to be accepted, doesn’t that mean higher competition for students in California? Yes, it

runner in the competition. At practices he is a known clown and brings laughter along with lightheartedness to stressful situations. As the competition comes to a close, we can count on Devon to keep spirits up-lifted. Collectively, The boys have a great connection. Don’t forget to come support your fa-vorite boys.

1.k 2.j 3.i 4.b 5.h 6.f 7.e 8.g 9.c 10.d 11.l 12.a

1. Diamond Lagmay2. Miguel Garcia3. Benjamin Khemthong4. Mark Pedace5. Devon White6. Travis Nasser7. Shakar Madni8. Timmy Le9. Brian Bustos10. Ricky Cobian11. Collin Hightower12. Aaron Agajanian

a) Excessive Use of the Forceb) Living Life on the Wild Sidec) Being Proud of You Mand) Being a Cereal Killere) Excessive Use of Cheesef) Stealing Kodak Momentsg) Stealing Ladies Heartsh) Being The Sexiest Man Alivei) Getting the Girls’ Digitsj) Being Too Charmingk) Stealing Everyone’s Attentionl) Skin Being 50 Shades of White

Answers:

Setting GoalsSPORTSpage 8

The Sound of MusicNEWS

page 2

El ToroNEWS December 21, 201202

IN BRIEF

MAKING A POINT Mr. Williams provides his AVID students the opportunity to engage in rigorous study during tutorial offered zero and first peri-ods to all AVID students. Students enrolled in AVID are expected to use proven learning strategies to increase performance within the classroom.

Sound of Music set to begin rehearsals

By Madeleine Rodriguez

Every two seconds someone is in need of a blood transfu-sion. The American Red Cross is short of meeting the needs of blood banks throughout our re-gion. Twice a year through the efforts of our associated student body leaders under the guid-ance of Michelle Lazalde work with the Red Cross to do our part in saving lives. Associated Student Body President Col-lin Hightower, ‘13, confirmed, “115 students donated blood.” A.S.B. was very pleased with the

Red Cross blood drive yields 115 pintsoutcome. According to the Se-nior Class President, Matthew Alvarez, ‘13, the A.S.B. blood drive team ˝provided water and food to the donors.” They also “handed out permission slips to those under 16 years of age.” The removal of the blood took “at least 7 to 10 minutes” stated a nurse helping with the blood drive. Although the wait was long, Sarah Bennett, ‘13, says “it was definitely worth the lives that were being saved.” For each pint of blood that was do-nated it equaled out to saving thee lives. On The American

Red Cross website they claim, “5 million patients in the U.S. need blood every year.” There were many first time donors who were frightened of the nee-dles. However, due to the blood drive team, they were comfort-ed and we’re able to go through with their donation. Prior to the blood drive, donors were reminded to get enough water, eat a sufficient meal, as well as get a good amount of sleep. Af-ter donating blood, the same measures go. Nurse Richard in-formed donors to “drink plenty of liquids, do not do any heavy

activity, and be sure to let your body rest.” All male donors must be healthy, be at least 5’1, and must weigh 130 pounds. These requirements must me met in order to donate blood. For women, it is different. All women must be healthy, reach the height of 5’5, weight at least 150 pounds. All donors should be at least 17 to donate blood. Younger donors must have parental permission. There are more than 200,000 blood drives every year. La Mirada did our small part in helping others, one pint at time.

By Madeline Rodriguez

The Visual and Perform-ing Arts Academy. VAPA se-nior students earn internships of their choosing. Currently VAPA is working on their next big upcoming even which is called The Sound of Music. It will be showing in the MPR on February 14th, 15th, 16th, 20th, and the 21st. Accord-ing to the VAPA teacher, Mrs. Guerra, “We will the very first pit orchestra of the entire dis-trict.” The play will be directed by Mr. Eliason. Mr. Fazakerly will be teaching the play to the drama students. Mrs. Riley will

be the in charge of the oral mu-sic. To better help prepare for the musical, “the VAPA seniors are doing internship hours to

help lead and direct all of the components of the musical,” in which Mrs. Guerra is very excited about. Freshman, Mi-

randa Barden, states, “the re-hearsals for the sound of music is a very fun, but long, process.” Rehearsals from the Sound of Music begin at 3 pm and nor-mally last until 4:30 pm. Al-though the preparations for the musical can be frustrating, Mrs. Guerra really enjoys her job be-cause the VAPA academy offers so many opportunities for the students such as the wonderful classes that they provide, field trips, and learning from profes-sionals. Another reason she en-joys her job is the fact that she “helps guide the VAPA students in order to achieve their goals.”

All SMILES Members from the cast of The Sound of Music gather for a photo opportunity during rehearsal. The musical is set to begin on February 14, 2013 in the Multi Purpose Room.

AVID tutorials aide student progressBy Karina Zargoza

AVID is an academic elective class offered to students who wish to advance in their aca-demic endeavors. These classes encourage students to engage in normal school activities and pave their way into admission to a four year college. Mrs. Cathy White, AVID coordi-nator explains “Avid is for stu-dents who are determined to go to college and who are high-ly motivated. We have an in-terviewing process to see if the

prospective students meet the requirements.” AVID is com-prised of rigorous academic in-struction, tutorial support, and motivational activities. AVID curriculum contains the WICR method, which stands for writ-ing, inquiry, collaboration and reading. As an AVID student one must take responsibly for one’s own learning, maintain-ing satisfactory citizenship, at-tending all classes, and main-taining a 2.0 G.P.A.. Students must be active learners, be prepared for all classes with all

assigned work completed. Ex-amples of work include taking Cornell notes and being an ac-tive participant in all classroom activities. Ollie Lynch, faculty member of the AVID program, recently attended profession-al development in San Diego where he learned “The tech-nology component can really help a classroom. There’s a lot of interesting technology such as use of iPad’s in class. Using technology, students are able to connect immediately and be more interactive.” The AVID

program is very progressive for merely being in its second year. Lynch explains, “We’re get-ting a lot of people who want to be in AVID. It’s growing. You have to choose to be in AVID. You have to apply. Not everybody is able to be in the program. There’s expectations that you are going to do more than the average student.” Avid students in 10th grade such as Natalie Garcia, Leticia Reyes, and Angela Aleman joined this program because it prepares students for college. Also their parent’s support participation in the AVID program. Leticia said “they help you be organized and help you get a feel for col-lege and keeping your grades on check”. Natalie enjoys the tuto-rials they do every Tuesday and Thursday. Tutors assist students who are in need. Some of which are from local colleges offer in-sights into being a better stu-dent. Commenting on AVID’s social role Lynch added “One of the big things about AVID is it connects students to the high school. It gives them a purpose. It’s like being on a sports team that makes a student want to go to school because you know people are going to be looking forward to you being there. My goal as a teacher is to help every student see that college is possible for them and to help them towards their future.”

Recognition and Recovery Assemblies preparation begins for Link Crew and Peer Counsel-ing Under the Guidance of Mrs. Grayson

Mrs. Grayson’s Peer Coun-seling class is preparing for the Recovery Assembly, which will be held the first week of Feb-ruary. The Recovery Assembly is for freshmen who have failed two or more classes. Peer coun-seling is one intervention prov-en to help students succeed. The purpose of this assembly is to help the students pass the next semester, by encourag-ing them and motivating the freshman to try there best.

-Alexandria Delgadillo

Department of Music students scheduled to perform during Winter Concert

Thursday evening at 7:00PM They have been practicing for two weeks ever since the marching band ended, and Mrs. Biondi tells me she “is very excited for any concert she puts on because all her students work very hard and when one ends, it is a celebration to start a new one.” Although many se-niors are sad about leaving the program, they go big for each and every performance they are involved in and create new memories along the way.

-Madeleine Rodriguez

Matador Scholar Academy renews effort to recruit honors and Advanced Placement students

The Matador Scholar Acad-emy (MSA) is an honors pro-gram designed to foster social and academic connections among high achieving stu-dents. Newly appointed MSA coordinator, Melissa Naudin is responsible for the recruit-ment of honors level students to the program.

Incoming freshman are welcome to visit the LMHS campus during the MSA re-cruitment night at 6:30PM on December 19th, 2012. Parents will be informed how LMHS will prepare their students for an academically challenging experience. Students will learn of the benefits in joining MSA and how the program provides social and academic opportu-nities for engagement. LMHS Principal Mr. Bill Seals com-mented on the role of MSA, “The focus of MSA is in the goals that students have set forth for themselves, and the fact that MSA is more stu-dent-driven than other honors associations separate us from schools in the surrounding area.”

-Matthew Alvarez

EDUCATION December 21, 2012 03El Toro

By Ana Sanchez

The competitive nature of college admissions creates op-portunity for students to enroll in multiple Advance Placement courses across disciplines. Cur-rently, LMHS is offering 21 AP courses. However, for students seeking additional science and computer courses, our school was failing to provide the desired

No easy taskaccess. That was the case.

Early in 2012 both students and teachers collaborated and dedicated their time to bring two new AP courses into LM-HS’s curriculum; AP Physics C and AP Computer Science.

“Getting both classes ap-proved was no easy task” accord-ing to Senior Kurush Dubash; “Finding dedicated students to pledge that they would enroll

Tori Pflanzer Current GPA: 3.8

FAVORITE TEACHER:I think my favorite teacher this year is Mr. Garcia.

SUCCESSFUL SUBJECT:Language Arts. I enjoy it the most.

LMHS INVOLVEMENT:I am currently involved in the school play.

CAREER OBJECTIVE:My future career isn’t clear to me yet. I know that I like to perform but other than that it’s still a mys-tery.

The big picture ofAP Macro Economics

Matadors of the Month

Mason MacDougal Current GPA: 4.833

FAVORITE TEACHER: Mr. Gallardo. He is very funny and a great teacher.

SUCCESSFUL SUBJECT: Physics. It is a subject that in-terests me very much and I have a great teacher.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: My highlight was Cross County season, because I showed a lot of improvement and got to hang out with great people.

Sarah CarrCurrent GPA: 4.0

SUCCESSFUL SUBJECT: Art because I love having a chance to be creative.

LMHS INVOLVEMENT:Three years of swim and water polo.

CAREER OBJECTIVE:I hope to either be a teacher or a police officer.

ROLE MODEL:My role model is my sister for being supportive and responsible.

Fatima ContrerasCurrent GPA: 3.3

SUCCESSFUL SUBJECT:History. It has always been one of my favorite things to learn. It seems so interesting to learn about historical events and how they influence us today.

LMHS INVOLVEMENT:AVID program, and ACE Academy.

ROLE MODEL: My parents. They inspire me to keep going and never give up no matter what happens in life.

Dalia NuteCurrent GPA: 3.2

FAVORITE TEACHER: Mrs. Grayson. She is a fun teacher and we have fun while getting our work done.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: Making new friends, because I like to interact and have fun with new people. ROLE MODEL:My parents. They are always encouraging me to do well in school and be a good person.

in the class as well finding a teacher that was knowledgeable about the subject and willing to teach a brand new course were just a few of the many challeng-es faced.” Mr. Gallardo and Mr. Couvrey, the two teachers cho-sen to teach AP Physics C and AP Computer Science respec-tively, sacrificed their time to make the classes a reality. “One of the training conferences held during the school year is a six hour drive away” noted Mr. Couvrey. Dubash and his col-league, Senior Kevin Lim held meetings with administration, “I had to speak with Dr. Heenan and help convince the adminis-tration of the benefits the men-tioned courses would bring to our school.” The mutual support of administration, faculty, and students made possible the new courses and the benefits for sci-ence students.

Even more beneficial than attaining the course approvals, Dubash hopes “the students of the future can use my example and become more proactive in controlling the quality of our education. This should not be looked at as a criticism of our current system, but instead it should be used as motivation to get more students involved.” The commitment exhibited by these students and teachers adds to the satisfaction of the classes “So far the classes are really, really fun” says Mr. Gallardo. With devoted students and faculty, the arduous task of passing the new AP exams to maintain the competitive advantage over other honor students is now at hand.

By Ana Sanchez

On December 11, 2013 Mr. Matthew Grayson brought forth a proposal to the LMHS School Site Council. Mr. Grayson’s proposal was to add a new Advanced Placement course to our school’s class of-fering. Last year the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, otherwise known as WASC, created a goal for La Mirada High School to “In-crease by ten percent the num-ber of students who qualify for U.C./C.S.U. admission, take the SAT/ACT, and earn AP credit.” So far two new AP courses have been added to the curriculum and a new one is expected to go into effect next year; AP Mac-roeconomics. Mr. Grayson who will teach the course states “AP Macroeconomics is offered by surrounding schools and dis-tricts, and needs to be offered at La Mirada High School for us to stay competitive.” The big picture within our community is to remain academically com-

petitive.Students must commit to

enrolling in AP courses and to score at least a three on all ex-ams taken. “Over 40 students signed a petition to add AP Macroeconomics to La Mira-da High School” recalls Mr. Grayson. The new AP class will not only fulfill La Mirada’s re-quirement to offer more AP courses but also benefit the stu-dents in the long run. “We have many students interested in ma-joring in business. By offering this class we are allowing stu-dents to complete two college requirements prior to enroll-ment” affirms Mr. Grayson. AP Macroeconomics will be offered to both juniors and seniors as a semester course. Overall Mr. Grayson is excited about being able to teach the class, “It is a lot of work, but I have wanted to teach economics at the AP level since I started teaching.” Success emerges from dedica-tion, which both Mr. Grayson and the students of La Mirada High School exemplify.

MUTUAL SUPPORT Senior Kurush Dubash coordinated with Mr. Gallardo adding Advanced Placement Physics C , to the Matador Scholar Academy course listing.

MSA STUDENTS ARE CHOOSING PRIVATE OVER PUBLIC

47%Matador Scholar Academy students were

polled and asked where they applied for

college. Overwhelmingly, forty-seven per-

cent of MSA students desired to attend a

private institution over a state university.

Percent of Private College Applications

El ToroFEATURE December 21, 201204

ME TIME Senior Giselle Sah takes time in the library to study for her rigorous Advanced Placement schedule all while balancing an active co-curricular and extra curricular schedule. Like many other college bound students on campus, Sah, ‘13 works to mange time during the school week to ensure free time on the weekends to remain focused and fresh for rigors of school .

Editorial by Chelsea Hepponstall

December 21, 2012, a day that has been prophesied and commercialized. A day that the Mayans predicted would be the start of a new world. A day that astronomers say is merely the winter solstice. From leg-ends, to folktales, to predic-tions, to calculations, there have been numerous specula-tions about this peculiar date. With this day inching closer, it seems like many have blown it off as just another end of the world fallacy to poke fun at. Although, if we actually take in the fact that the Mayans have been completely accu-rate about the calendar sys-tem then some suspicion must arise about their prediction, but it might not be what you think it is. As opposed to the alarm of the world ending, what about taking into con-

Fourth Dimensional Transition

How do you rid yourself of stress?

“I like to hang out with my friends or draw in my sketchbook. When I

draw I become distracted and feel like I can create something that can make

a difference.”

–Jessica Reincke ‘15

“I dance at a studio four nights a week, which helps me to get my

mind off of school. I also like to go out with my friends to take my mind off

things.”

–Taylor Schleinitz, ‘15

“I tell myself that I have infinite potential, that I can be anything, and

that I can do everything.”

–Tanner Oertel, ‘13

“I watch TV, read the Walking Dead comic, eat fast food, play basketball.”

–Justin Agajanian, ‘16

What is your dream school?

“University of Nebraska, because my family lives out there and they have

a great soccer program. My goal is to get a scholarship, so this would be a

perfect school.”

–Maxine Langenberg, ‘15

“My dream college is San Diego State University. It’s a nice school that has a

great reputation.”

– Beau Ramirez, ‘13

sideration that it could be the end of the world as we know it or an apocalypse? Apocalypse translated directly from Greek means “a disclosure of knowl-edge, hidden from humanity in an era dominated by false-hood and misconception.” The Mayans actually believed that this date marked the end of the “long count” which is how they kept track of time. December 22 marks the be-ginning of a new “long count” which lasts for 1, 872,000 days. Therefore the Mayan in-digenous people believe that this new cycle could be an opening into a new world, and don’t worry, with the human race in it. Now, you ask, what does this “new world” entail?

In recent years natu-ral disasters, acts of wicked-ness, and chaos have taken the forefront in many lives in turn causing people to ques-tion humanity and the world. Mayans believe that these re-

cent years have been a time of transition into this new world. As the saying goes, “it always gets worse before it gets bet-ter”. One of the many theories that lie within the spectrum of belief is something as signifi-cant as a spiritual awakening. Spiritual awakening? No, not religious dogma, but an awak-ening of the soul; an awaken-ing of human consciousness. We exist on dimensions of our consciousness, each of us put-ting out different vibrations by the way we think and act. Currently, collectively we live in the third dimension, with our rigid systematic beliefs and procedures, linear time limits our capabilities. We sometimes bring our thoughts from our past into the present or project our past into the future, weighing us down. Third dimension is perceived mostly through the rational mind, mixed with our strict preconceptions and thoughts.

does. So how do students man-age to keep their composure with schoolwork and the appli-cation process?

Yadira Gallegos, currently the top-ranked senior student here at La Mirada High, ex-plains, “If classes that I have aren’t honors, they’re AP. It’s very stressful sometimes. It can be a lot of work, consider-ing I’ve only taken about one or two electives.” Talk about self-motivation. “The first two years I didn’t really have a social life. I was just kind of getting by, but these past two years I’ve realized that it’s re-ally important to have a social life and have friends and go out and do things, or else you will definitely break down. So what I’ve gotten into the habit of doing is working really hard

during the week, and then on the weekend relax, even it’s for one or two days. I can go out for a movie with my friends, or do anything. Then Sunday I’ll do all of my homework and start the whole thing over again. If I can’t go out with my friends, I spend a nice day at home ei-ther listening to music or mess-ing around on the computer. A lot of people take those things for granted.” You would think that senior year would have its perks like everyone said, right? Not necessarily. “If anything I’m more busy now. I’m in-volved in clubs, sports, school-

work, plus college things that I have to attend to.”

Juniors Nathan Decker and Mark Sologruen also explain what it is like as they head on

their way to being a senior in just a lit-tle less than a year. Mark radiates with optimism say-ing, “I’m not really nervous at all. I have c o n f i d e n c e that I’ll do well, at least applying-wise

that I’ll get into college.” He further reveals how he deals with organizing himself. “I ac-tually bought a white board. So when I go home I go through all of my classes and try to re-

Although, we as individuals also come into contact with our 4th dimensional selves as we feel and embrace as we make choices not based on set prejudices, as we make choices that are not solely based on reaction but flexi-bility. This allows for greater possibilities and experiences in life. Also, in the fourth dimension, time is not linear but ever present--the past not weighing one down, and the future just there to be experi-enced. The fourth dimension allows an individual to live life based on love and beauty that surrounds us. Prophesies state that since many have al-ready encompassed their life based on fourth dimension-al vibrations, that 2012 will foresee a fifth dimensional transition, in which humans will live in instantaneous time, with manifestation oc-curring just by one’s atten-tion and vibrational energy.

So whether the fate of humanity lays in a spiritual awakening or just a day like any other, we will still be liv-ing. The possibility of a high-er consciousness proves to be very exciting, but whether it will be on December 21st or 50 years from now, only time will tell. Although we will nev-er concretely know when this will happen, we should make an effort to live with less bias and more open mindedness. We should accept the past and continue with life. Liv-ing life in an expansively fluid manner can progress our own consciousness and send vibra-tions to others around us. This theory of 2012 is just a way to show us a perspective that many have not been aware of. Whether bogus or real, De-cember 21, 2012 is a date that has sparked curiosity of intel-lectual minds, life explorers, and mind expanders alike.

member all of the homework I had. I sort of go through a checklist.” Nathan, taking into account that junior year is a very important year, expresses, “You’re kind of looking at this year and next year thinking ‘what am I doing?’ To make sure that I’m going to have a great four years in college.” He also comments on how he bal-ances and deals with pressure. “I make sure that I have people in my life who I know I can just hang out with and who can understand. Church is a great place for that.”

So as it seems, many stu-dents are treading through the waters of high school as they find their way to college and latch onto the opportunities the future holds for them. De-termination, hope, and a posi-tive outlook can help students

[cont. from page one: Pressure]

I make sure that I have people in my life who I know I can just hang out with and who can under-stand. Church is a great place for that.

-Nathan Decker ‘14

FEATURE December 21, 2012 05El Toro

By Chelsea Hepponstall

Ardashes Najarian known to friend as “Dash” has certain-ly made a name for him self as a young artist. A junior in high school and has already been apart of three different art shows.

His artwork speaks for its self. Sydney Quick attended Dashes last art show “it was cool there was a lot of good art, but Dash’s stood out. He’s art was very unique and very cool.” Dash’s art is a cross between cartoon and comic book art. You could say that Dash’s art reflects who he truly is. His friend Isabella Ruesga says that Dash is “a very funny guy and there’s never a dull moment with him, you can defiantly see him in his art.” Zoe sun says that “ his art is very creative, and his quirky personality shines through.”

Dash has a busy schedule juggling school, be-ing part of the water polo and swim team, and working on his art. When asked how long he takes on completing an art piece he replied, “ (it usually takes) about a half an hour to maybe two hour, it depends on the size of what I’m draw-ing.” Dash said that his favorite place to work on a piece is either in his room or when he’s sur-rounded in nature. “It’s not that I really draw nature stuff. When I’m working by myself with trees and open spaces around is when I am able to really lose myself in what I’m drawing.”

By Chelsey Shrubb

Do you constantly find yourself getting stressed over this holiday season? All the chaos of Christmas can bring stress to ones daily schedule or just in general. Whether it has to do with money, trying to get the best deals on Christmas gifts, trying to get through the traffic on Christmas Day, or just worrying if you got a good gift for your loved ones. I interviewed a couple of fami-ly and friends to see what they had to say about their “holiday stress” or if they’re even affect-ed by all the chaos, lets get the inside scoop and see how they

A DEEPER LOOK Ardashes Najarian, otherwise simply known as Dash, offers a glimpse into his artwork from his personal sketchbook. His artwork combines elements of cartoon and comic book styles that show off his imaginative personality. Dash’s inspirations include his parents who are both “really good artists”.

Holiday distress: helpful suggestionsdeal with all the craziness this season!

My mom says , “ The most stressful thing about Christ-mas would have to be worry-ing about buying all the pres-ents and being able to pay for groceries, sports, bills, lunch money and etc. when I get over-whelmed/stressed I usually just take a step back and try to relax and spend time with family. I also try to go shopping on black Friday every year just to get it done for a cheaper price, which usually takes away a lot of the stress if I were to go last min-ute.”

My grandma says, “The most stressful thing about Christmas

is having to worry about buy-ing the right presents for my grand kids! That’s why I always use Facebook to get your guys Christmas list, which makes things a lot easier.”

In addition, freshman, Christian Rodriquez says, “I never really get stressed out during Christmas. I get more excited than anything.”

Senior, Alyssa Gruber ex-plains, “The only stress I have during this holiday season is worrying about being good and getting good grades. Oth-erwise “Santa” won’t give me what I wanted. So I basically just try to stay on top of my school work and have a good

But Dash hasn’t always been an artist “when I was in grade school I wasn’t good at drawing at all, people were always better than I was.” Dash was modest when admitting when he start to

improve in his drawings “I think about around 7th grade was when I started creating skills and drew more often. People started to notice and said I was good.” Every artist has an inspiration Dash said that his parents are the people who inspired him. “They’re both really good artist. I honestly believe if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be as good as I am today.”

Dash’s art considered unique and there’s a reason “my favorite thing to draw is stuff that I create in my imagination. It’s practically the only thing I draw. If you were to tell me to draw something or someone I probably wouldn’t do so well, so I stick with my imagination.” From crickets that are more human than insects to mutant monsters and sensei snails, there is noth-ing like it.

Although He is only a junior Dash has an idea of what he wants. No matter what he wants to continue to do his art “I want to soon cre-ate some children books with a lot of unusual characters.” Right now Dash is recovering from getting his tonsils removed so he is uncertain of when he will have another art show. Look for more of Ardashes’ art to come.

I think around 7th grade was when I started creating skills and drew more often. People started to notice and said I was good.

-Ardashes Najarian ‘14

attitude.”Lastly, senior, Kianna Es-

cabar says, “There’s not much stress during this holiday season for me, its one of my favorite holidays.”

All the chaos this season brings affects some more than others. It seems like this holi-day is all about the hustling and worrying about getting all the right gifts, and getting through the traffic, or being able to af-ford gifts and other things. However, Christmas is about spending time with loved ones and opening gifts with one an-other and enjoying each others company.

Dashin’ into the spotlight

TAKE A LISTEN

Lonerism (2012) –Tame Impala

Psychedelic swirls of layered sounds that send you on a journey through cosmic realms and warped senses of reality. Synths and loop pedals seem to be front man Kevin Parker’s best friends aside from his introspective nature and creative temperament. The album is subsumed by sounds of pop combined with drone aspects creating at atmosphere that encompasses and hits like a wave, leaving no choice but for the listener to enjoy the ride.

Ardour (2010) –Teebs

Ardour present harps and fluid synths with beats and drum samples that make the most minimalistic of sounds incredibly lush. Producer Teebs is a master at evoking emotion through his music. Even with no lyrics his post-hip hop rhythms flow through the speakers beautifully, creating an atmosphere of an adoring tranquil state.

Strange Mercy (2011)- St. Vincent

Musically gifted front-wo-man Annie Erin Clark provides us with an album so enchantingly haunting it could bring one to surrender at just her voice. Her woozy guitar is as striking as her lyrics, which leave room for the listener to decipher between her metaphors and puzzling words. Strange Mercy is picturesque of a petrifying freak=out movie from the 1920’s due to its alluring melodies with a twist of a demented orchestral feel.

Review by Chelsea Hepponstall

COMMUNITY December 21, 201206 El Toro

By Alexandria Sun

Splash! is having an event called The Polar Bear Plunge. Polar Bear Plunge is an event to be held on January 1, 2013. Buccaneer Bay will open from 2- 4PM. Amid the cold, per-haps even freezing winter tem-peratures, all paid attendees will be allowed use of Bucca-neer Bay.

This year is the fifth annual Polar Bear Plunge for Splash! In past years more and more peo-ple have joined to celebrate the New Year. Splash! expects this event to draw more attendees then in previous years. Polar Bear Plunge is open to anyone 48” and taller. In past years Splash! has witnessed people of all ages take on the plunge, typically the ages vary around 7 years old to 70 years old. The

2013 to begin witha new tradition

No cost too high for safety

THE PLUNGE Alyssa Gruber takes a plunge down one of the three water slides featured in the City of La Mirada’s Aquatic Center. Intermission cost $5.00, and is free to 2013 season pass holders. Splash has been preparing for the Polar Bear Plunge that takes place on January 1, 2013

cost is $5.00 or Free to 2013 Buccaneer Bay Season Pass holders.

Each participant will receive a picture, hot cocoa and be able to enjoy a swim in the heat-ed 25-yard pool. When asked about the reasoning behind and origin of Polar Bear Plung, Tammie Acosta replied with “The Splash! Polar Bear Plunge offers community members a unique opportunity to kick off the New Year with friends and family in a fun, safe environ-ment. It is not just an event, it‚ is an experience that many will remember for years to come”. La Mirada High School student Isabella Ruesga, ‘13 replied with “It seems like a cool event. I think it would be a good place to take my younger brothers and sister to have some fun and quality time with them”. Jackie

Glover a resident in La Mirada says “ I would go, it seems like a nice place to relax and chat with other folks in the community.” LMHS Senior Melissa Valen-ciano stated “I could take my brother and sister they will defi-nitely have fun.” Gloria Varela mother of four commented “I would most definitely take my kids to the event. Having four little kids its hard to find some-thing that all of them would be interested in, ever since they heard about it from their school they have been telling me non-stop that they want to go, and it’s such aninexpensive price!”

Resident’s, students, and Splash! workers are preparing for an entertaining and unique experince at Spalsh! Polar Bear Plung.

By Matthew Alvarez

The city of La Mirada re-cently passed the Measure I act that will alter our city’s aesthetic appeal and draw res-idents and business owners within our city limits. The La Mirada City Council placed Measure I on the November ballot as a means to offset the fiscal emergency brought on by changes in federal and state funding. The residents passed ballot measure when they voted for the Novem-ber 6th presidential election. 65.99% of the residents vot-ed in favor of Measure I.

The funds will be going to-wards repairing streets, storm drains, and other infrastructure identified by the Citizens Task Force. Most capital improve-ment funds will be spent on

our city streets. Most notably, for those residents who walk or commute on north Santa Ger-trude Avenue, sidewalk repair will begin early 2013. Street and sidewalk repairs equate to safety for all residents who walk or drive our city streets.

Measure I is estimated to generate 25 million dollars over the course of five years. According to the city of La Mirada the true amount of money that we need to fix all of the infrastructure needs is 67 million. In April of 2013 we will be seeing a 1% tax increase as Measure I takes affect.

The reasons people voted for this Measure is to keep La Mi-rada clean, nice, and most of all they wanted La Mirada to be a safe city to live in. Only time will tell whether the 1% in-crease in tax was worth the cit-izens passing such a measure.

By Alondra Torres

On Saturday, December 1, 2012, Splash! La Mirada Aquat-ics Center hosted their holiday celebration just like every year to celebrate the holiday. This event was from 5-8PM and as expect-ed there was an enormous turn out for the evening’s festivities. Melissa Valenciano, ‘13 and Lo-rena Avalos, ‘13 participated in this celebration and both agreed on how entertaining and well organized it turned out.

Mrs. Valenciano’s favorite part was hearing the little kids singing some beautiful Christ-mas songs and seeing happiness reflected on the kids faces as well as on the public. There was about 150 – 200 people of all ages, families, teenagers, elderly and many little kids besides the ones singing.

The La Mirada Community Service Foundation hosted the event entertaining the public and serving food to everyone. They provided hot dogs, hot

chocolate, chili dogs, apple cider, cookies and coffee. The evening also included live entertainment, a tree lighting ceremony, games, crafts, train rides, and even pho-tos with Santa Claus for all the children. Also featured was a festival of trees for anyone who donated a Christmas tree. About five trees were donated to the La Mirada Community Service Foundation. Lorena added that it is very expensive to host an event like this one. And in the holiday spirit many donated from within the community.

Besides making it possible for many families and children to have a good time the La Mirada Community Service Foundation benefits from this event because it brings citizens together during a community function at a com-munity site. Melissa and Lorena were very satisfied with the ser-vice of the event and described it as a beautiful experience and are pleased that La Mirada hosts these community events.

Holiday celebration at Splash Aquatics

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Video Interviews, and Community Updateshttp://nlmusd.org/domain/2983

07El Toro

By Brandon Nicholoff

As In-and-Out continues to wow its customers, a new amazing burger joint comes into the picture. No longer is it “let’s go to In-and-Out” it’s “In-and-Out or Five Guys?” Five Guys came in and ex-ploded the burger market with their amazingly fresh ham-burgers, just like In-and-Out. But now it begs the question which one is the better place chow down and hang out? We took the time and interviewed a few students here at La Mira-da High School, some say one is better than the other and others can’t decide.

We asked Josh Cole, ‘13 what makes In-and-Out bet-ter than Five Guys, vice versa?

ToroEl

EDITOR IN CHIEFJanice Jang

MANAGING EDITORJackie Leeder

COPY EDITORAlice Kang

Academics EditorAna Sanchez

ATHLETICS EDITORKenny Mc Elroy

and

Bre Flores

COMMUNITY EDITORMatthew Alvarez

FRONT PAGE & FEATURES EDITORChelsea Heppenstoll

NEWS EDITORMadeleine Rodriguez

OPINION EDITORDevon White

El Toro Staff

Alvarez, MatthewChavez, Danielle

Delgadillo, AlexandraDominguez, Andrew

Edwards-Bates, NajeeFlores, Breanne

Fortin, KasandraHepponstall, Chelsea

Jang, JaniceKang, Hye

Leeder, JackieLopez, Jonathan

McElroy, KennethMeek, Krystal

Nicholoff, BrandonOrozco, ChristineQuezada, Victoria

Ramirez, SaraReese, Jesse

Rodriguez, MadeleineSalgado, Anthony

Sanchez, AnaShrubb, Chelsey

Sotelo-Tamariz, AmySun, AlexandriaTorres, Alondra

Van Zuilen, AlexandriaVarela, Erica

White, DevonYousef, MostafaZaragoza, Karina

AdvisorMr. John Alvarez

The El Toro is a student newspaper run by students. La Mirada High School, 13520 Adelfa

Drive, La Mirada, California, 90638

VIOLATION On a daily baises students are cited for violating the La Mirada High School dress code. Students belongings are logged and stored in the office until after school hours.

His response was, “In-and-Out is better because the taste and quality of meat is better than Five Guys and you can never go wrong with a classic In-and-Out burger.” Some of you would beg to differ saying Five Guys has better quality meat and more of it. But while Josh thinks In-and-Out is his hands down, we asked yet another se-nior which fast food provider has better service/atmosphere? Sean Clark, ‘13 responded, “ Five Guys has a better atmo-sphere because of the free pea-nuts you are able to get but the service of In-and-Out is better because none of my request are denied.” So it seems Five Guys may provide a better hang out atmosphere, but if you want a burger your way, In-and-Out

with high grades.” Giselle points out that the

dress code has become more prominent since her fresh-man year in 2009-10.

“Freshmen year, the school wasn’t so concerned about wearing ripped jeans to school. I think they shouldn’t be because a large majority of skin is covered anyways, so what’s the harm in having a few rips?” Sierra adds on, “I remember freshman year I would always wear those pair of jeans with one small hole, but now I know I can’t. Apparently, ripped jeans dis-tract students from learning. I also can’t wear a pair of my shorts anymore because they are considered “too short” even though I’ve worn them almost every year prior to this year”.

Prohibition of ripped jeans and spaghetti straps obvious-ly equate to excessively strict enforcement. Only time will tell if these progressing pro-hibitions will equate to abid-ing or disillusioned students.

Battle of the burgers

By Chelsea Hepponstall

Dress code never fails to be an issue that many disci-pline administrators concern themselves. Every year, the dress code policy seems to inch a little closer to struc-tured expression of style and stricter regulations. Rules such as “dresses, skirts, and shorts past arms length” and “no ripped jeans” seem to plague girls all around the school. On the other hand, boys mainly have a problem with baseball caps and hood-ies. Being their naturally ex-pressive selves, students find their way walking to the of-fice while being written up for “inappropriate dress.”

School districts set these policies to prevent students from wearing attire that “disrupts school activities.” Mrs. Uesugi, Dean of Disci-pline, explains, “The Dress Code policy is the way it is because it has been a frozen (unchanging) document. It is consistent with that of most comprehensive high schools in the area. Howev-

er, we as an administration do recognize it may need to be amended. Some parts, however, are probably non negotiable.” So was this poli-cy existent in previous years?

Students ask their parents what dress code was like during their good old high school days. Giselle Sah, ‘13, provides detail explain-ing, “When my mom went to high school, which was around the 1980s, dress code was pretty liberal. She would tell me that girls would wear crop tops, tank tops, bomber jackets, stylish high-waisted shorts and pants, bright col-ors, and tons of leather. It seems like previous decades had more liberty in regards to fashion sense.” Even fur-ther, Breana Guzman, ‘14, blatantly informs, “My mom said she doesn’t remem-ber there ever being a dress code.” Schools in the past decades seemingly didn’t have a dress code policy, and even if dress code did exist, administrators did not al-ways take action against any so-called violators. So why

is the place to go. Another question we asked was if In-and-Out or Five Guys was to go out of business, how much would you pay for one last meal? Christian Anderson, ‘13 happily said, “He would go to In-and-Out and pay at most $20.00 for a full last meal.”

Some of you would do the same for Five Guys, or even pay more, but now you can see why both of these fine burger joints are always so packed. But what makes them so good? Mark Garcia, ‘14 says how In-and-Out gets their burgers so good is the kind of meat they use and the fact that every-thing they serve is always fresh and tastes fresh. If there was no way to get your hands on and In-and-Out burger or Five

Guys burger, would you buy a burger from anywhere else? Devon White, ‘13 said “Yes, but it will never be the same as having one of Five Guys amazing burgers sitting right in front of you.” Which one is better? You decide.

As you can see many stu-dents believe In-and-Out is better than Five Guys, while others think the opposite. But which one is truly the best? That is for you to find out, the next time you’re having lunch at In-and-Out or Five Guys go to the other burger joint and get one of theirs, sit down and enjoy both them and come to a decision on which one you think is better.

did schools become more on edge in these past couple of years? Schools began to grow worried when gang violence started to gain rise explain-ing the reasoning for prohi-bition against any gang re-lated attire. But policies such as length of shorts, width of tank top straps, and prohibi-tion of hats and beanies are meant to be there for the stu-dents’ safety.

Many have trouble figur-ing out what they’re trying to protect us from. Sierra Corpuz, 12, points out the injustices and disillusion-ment of disciplinary admin-istration by commenting, “I think the school dress code is unnecessarily strict. Stu-dents should be able to wear whatever they want as ways of expressing themselves. I believe that as long as [rears] are still in shorts and shirts aren’t too low cut, they should get away with it. I noticed that this school fo-cuses more on the negative, like punishing students out of dress code, than the pos-itive, like rewarding those

EDITORIAL/OPINION December 21, 2012

Dress code enforcement continues

El ToroSPORTS December 21, 201208

TAKE DOWN Senior Steven Hart takes down his opponent by executing a heel pick during the Downey preseason tournament. Wrestlers use preseason matches to hone skills and work technique. Preseason workout routines help wrestlers attain the strength and agility to perform.

HOME FIELD Protecting home field advantage is paramount to this year’s success for girls’ var-sity soccer. With a C.I.F. championship as the goal , every win brings the team closer to the goal.

No “I” in team

Setting the goalBy Christine Orozco

Imagine practicing for both zero period and after school for two and a half hours to get in shape for the upcoming soccer season. Coach Yovino, who has been coaching soccer for the last ten years is determined to finally win CIF this year. The team has ten returning varsity players who have been prepared with what the boys would consider the most rig-

far, because of the fact that we could have won each and every game,” explains captain Isaac Cordova. Overall the boys are still anticipating a successful season, and as of now, they have me convinced.

orous preseason regimen of all sports. Practicing everyday and playing in tournaments the boys are working diligently to perfect their techniques to get those wins necessary to reach the postseason.

Seniors, Isaac Cordova, Jeo-vanney Gutierrez and Michael Perez are preparing themselves for their last year in soccer. Both have high hopes for the team because “the team has heart and is willing to get bet-ter.” They both can agree on one minor flaw that the team has this early in the season, communication errors. Se-nior Isaac Cordova proclaims that communication needs to get better because, “Having a mixture of experienced play-ers with upcoming support, the current tools need to help make the rest of the team up to par and ready for season.”

Michael Perez believes in the team, “We have the ability to get to CIF because we all play our hearts and play together as one. The boys who have won 3, tied 3, and lost 2 games say that they are,” Highly disap-pointed with their season so

By Victoria Quezada

A team must work together to get through the many obsta-cles and struggle they will en-counter. To reach their goal of succeeding and winning that ring, La Mirada High’s very own Girls Varsity Soccer team train together for the prepara-tion of their season.

Senior, Madeline Panoz-zo quoted, ‚ We’ve improved so much in just the past few weeks, I have more than 100 percent faith that we could make it pretty far or even take those snazzy rings home! We will take it game by game”.

The girl’s confidence and dedication to their team is very important to have in order to operate together, but where would they be without their leaders? Junior Briana Hernan-dez stated, ‚ “It’s usually people that we know are responsible and have a positive voice on and off the field”.

Our team captains this year with those leadership qualities are seniors, Jacy Purkiss, Den-isha Galvez, Yadira Gallegos, and juniors, Ileen Mejia, and Sam Scovel. Team captain, Denisha Galvez states her en-couraging strategies, ‚telling them to play like it’s their last game, give it their all, and not back down”. That is exactly what these players plan to do. “I make sure that we warm up

and that we’re pumped up be-fore our games”, explains Cap-tain Jacy Purkiss. Of course there are many priorities of an athlete. School is their num-ber one next to soccer. ‚“Make sure your grades are up and your doing your homework, then make sure you also have 100 percent dedication with your sport,”, states junior, Ginger Perez.

Panozzo explains, “To build not only yourself up and get you mentally and physically ready, but to build your team up too and to focus on the big picture. Not the little obsta-cles”.

The varsity team have been preparing and training like no other to get ready for their upcoming season. With the coaches advocacy and direc-tion, the girls can mentally and physically adapt them-selves. Perez breaks down their preparation, ‚“With a lot of training .We do speed training with the football coaches and practice every-day. We also make sure to be comfortable with each other because we are a TEAM. We work together and practice ev-eryday. We push it to the limit because we aim to be unde-feated during the season”.

The teams looks forward to an advantageous and aston-ishing season.

By Amy Sotelo

No more Soda. No more Mc-Donald’s. No more Twinkies. And yes to running four miles. Sounds rough? This is only an example of what the La Mira-da High School wrestlers deal with daily. Beginning in Sep-tember, the wrestling team started to practice for their 2013 winter season by working hard to stay in shape during the summer. By doing so, Coach Lipeles keeps his boys in check by making sure they commit to their training and keeping track of their weight.

The wrestlers will work hard during practices by focusing on three things; endurance, strength and technique. That way they don’t add any un-necessary fat to their body. Lipeles’s tells us his philoso-phy on how to cut weight fast, “Hard workouts and a proper diet will reduce a wrestler’s weight without starvation. If a wrestler has a real difficult time making his weight class, generally, we make him go up a weight class. We do not make a wrestler cut weight, but most wrestlers realize that to be competitive, you need to

change excess fat into muscle.”All of the practice is start-

ing to pay off for the boys. A month into the wrestling pre-season the Matador wres-tlers have been placing medals in various tournaments. They finished fifth out of twenty four teams at the Long Beach Poly Tournament on De-cember 8th, 2012. There are members of the team that are already standing out from the crowd, like Mauricio Perla who claimed the heavyweight championship on the Saturday December 8th tournament.

Boys Varsity Soccer Schedule

Nov 27 La Serna 1-0 WNov 29 Warren 1-1 T

Dec 3 Brea Tournament La Mirada vs. Sonora 1-0 LLa Mirada vs. Fullerton 1-1 TLa Mirada vs. Whittier 2-0 L

Dec 11 California 1-0 WDec 19 Sonora home

Dec 27-2North Orange Co. Tournament

Jan 2 Bellflower awayJan 4 Cerritos homeJan 7 John Glenn homeJan 11 Mayfair awayJan 16 Artesia awayJan 18 Norwalk homeJan 23 John Glenn awayJan 25 Cerritos awayJan 28 Bellflower homeJan 30 Artesia homeFeb 1 Norwalk away Mar 7 Mayfair home

Preseason workout routine sets pace