jan Tr T mes CELEBRATING M I L I L A N I H I G H YEARS Issue 4 Volume XL www.trojantimes.org Thursday, December 6, 2012 Once a Trojan, always a Trojan: Time to say goodbye: Kawana goes into retirement Ohayoo, Kaiyo A scholar and an athlete since his teenage days at Kaimuki High School, Math teacher Sanford Kawana has always carried the responsi- bilities bestowed upon him. After teaching for over 40 years, 34 of which were spent at MHS, his journey here has come to a close. As he moves on to retire- ment, Kawana reflects on his years of teaching. “As a teacher I’m look- ing more at the whole student. When I first came CONTINUED ON CONTINUED ON CONTINUED ON 3 7 10 From a town on the coast in Ibaraki, Japan, to the shores of Hawaii, 37 students and five advisers from Kaiyo High School made the two-week fishing voyage, which gave them some hands-on experience in their field choice, fishing and marine science. “We came over on the ship ‘Hashimamaru’,” said Kaiyo Junior Rudo Seiya, continuing, “We were looking forward to trying to catch as much fish as we could. The best fish to catch in Hawaii is tuna. We caught 29.” Aside from learning to fish, the students are also taught to can and sell the fish caught. CONTINUED ON 2 8&9 Chosen Trojans | Alumni Trojan Life | Kaiyo High School A dream come true” are the words that newly appointed MHS Principal Fred Murphy used to describe accepting his new position. After a month- long interim period due to former Principal Dr. John Brummel’s promo- tion, Murphy returned to his alma mater on Nov. 26, officially filling the position of principal. “I’m so fortunate,” explained Murphy, continuing, “I have a passion for working with the high school learner, communicat- ing, seeing just the excitement.” Though this is the first time Murphy has held the title of MHS principal, he is no stranger to the school. “I think he’ll bring with him a lot of knowl- edge about the school,” stated Fine Arts teacher Brian Hirata, “ Murphy was formally in- troduced to MHS faculty at a meeting on Nov. 28 in the cafeteria. April-Joy McCann | Trojan Times April-Joy McCann | Trojan Times April-Joy McCann | Trojan Times Sports | Varsity Cheer News | Science Varsity cheer pushes through injuries to take fourth in statewide competition Galvizo, Mocz, McCann chosen as semifinalists in 2012 science symposium Varsity cheer takes fourth place in HHSAA. Students compete at the 51st National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. 3 12 www.mhstrojantimes.tumblr.com Under the Surface Check out this week’s blog by Kimberly Yamaguchi. “Like” us on Facebook to keep up- dated on the stories and videos we www.facebook.com/trojantimes www.trojantimes.org To see more of our stories, check out our website. post online. MHS welcomes visiting Japanese students Inspiration for MHS runners Boteilho-Torres remembered for 1980 records Death, and being in the absence of those who died, always makes us fully realize and remem- ber the actions those people have done while living. On Nov. 4, a memorial service was held for MHS Alumnus Gord- ian F. Boteilho-Torres, who held records in the Oahu Interscholastic Association JV boys track team. After his death on Oct. 23, he is remembered by his family and friends. By Jessica Fontenot [email protected]By Kimberly Yamaguchi [email protected]By April-Joy McCann [email protected]13 Sports | Angela and Christian Lee Feature | DIY Holidays To make your Christmas feel a little more heartfelt, check out this issue’s feature.
Transcript
janTr T mesCELEBRATING
MILILANI HIGH
YEARSIssue 4 Volume XL www.trojantimes.org Thursday, December 6, 2012
Once a Trojan, always a Trojan:
Time to say goodbye: Kawana goes into retirement
Ohayoo, Kaiyo
A scholar and an athlete since his teenage days at Kaimuki High School, Math teacher Sanford Kawana has always carried the responsi-bilities bestowed upon him. After teaching for over 40 years, 34 of which were spent at MHS, his journey here has come to a close. As he moves on to retire-ment, Kawana reflects on his years of teaching. “As a teacher I’m look-ing more at the whole student. When I first came
CONTINUED ON
CONTINUED ON
CONTINUED ON
3
7
10
From a town on the coast in Ibaraki, Japan, to the shores of Hawaii, 37 students and five advisers from Kaiyo High School made the two-week fishing voyage, which gave them some hands-on experience in their field choice, fishing and marine science.
“We came over on the ship ‘Hashimamaru’,” said Kaiyo Junior Rudo Seiya, continuing, “We were looking forward to trying to catch as much fish as we could. The best fish to catch in Hawaii is tuna. We caught 29.” Aside from learning to fish, the students are also taught to can and sell the fish caught.
CONTINUED ON 2
8&9
Chosen Trojans | Alumni
Trojan Life | Kaiyo High School
A dream come true” are the words that newly appointed
MHS Principal Fred Murphy used to describe accepting his
new position. After a month-long interim period due to former Principal Dr. John Brummel’s promo-tion, Murphy returned to his alma mater on Nov. 26, officially filling the position of principal. “I’m so fortunate,” explained Murphy, continuing, “I have a passion for working with the high school learner, communicat-ing, seeing just the excitement.” Though this is the first time Murphy has
held the title of MHS principal, he is no stranger
to the school. “I think he’ll bring with him a lot of knowl-
edge about the school,” stated Fine Arts teacher Brian Hirata,
“
Murphy was formally in-troduced to
MHS faculty at a meeting on
Nov. 28 in the cafeteria.
April-Joy McCann | Trojan Times
April-Joy McCann | Trojan Times
April-Joy McCann | Trojan Times
Sports | Varsity CheerNews | Science
Varsity cheer pushes through injuries to take fourth in statewide competition
Galvizo, Mocz, McCann chosen as semifinalists in 2012 science symposium
Varsity cheer takes fourth place in HHSAA.
Students compete at the 51st National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.
3 12www.mhstrojantimes.tumblr.com
Under the SurfaceCheck out this week’s blog by Kimberly Yamaguchi.
“Like” us on Facebook to keep up-dated on the stories and videos we
www.facebook.com/trojantimeswww.trojantimes.org
To see more of our stories, check out our website. post online.
MHS welcomes visiting Japanese students
Inspiration for MHS runners Boteilho-Torres remembered for 1980 records
Death, and being in the absence of those who died, always makes us fully realize and remem-ber the actions those people have done while living. On Nov. 4, a
memorial service was held for MHS Alumnus Gord-ian F. Boteilho-Torres, who held records in the Oahu Interscholastic Association JV boys track team. After his death on Oct. 23, he is remembered by his family and friends.
13Sports | Angela and Christian Lee Feature | DIY Holidays
To make your Christmas feel a little more heartfelt, check out this issue’s feature.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
40 YEARS
New Sponsors: Kumukit funds MHS Great Aloha Participants
In the upcoming Kaiser Permanente Great Aloha Run MHS welcomes new sponsors, Steve Godmere from Solar Electric Company, Kumukit, and the JROTC cadets who plan to participate in the competitions in next year’s race on Feb. 18. “I think the Aloha Run is a great way to get people of all different backgrounds and social classes to get up and run for a good cause,” said upcoming participant Sophomore Jesika Henson, adding, “I feel (that) it’d be great for a local company to sponsor our school. I mean, why not? A local company is even better.” Though MHS has been
participating in the Great Aloha Run, the previous sponsor was unable to participate in the events this year. The new sponsor is a
Math teacher Sanford Kawana is the coordinator for MHS’ participation in the race. He was also in charge of contacting a new sponsor for the school as well. “I knew (Godmere) because two of his kids were in my class at some point,” Kawana said, continuing, “When (I) called to ask, Godmere was like, ‘Sure, where do you want the check?’ So that was really good of them.” Along with the new sponsors, the JROTC cadets will be running in the competitions that are held before and after the run. “They are already into this fitness stuff, and that they are pretty organized and that they feel they will do very well in the competition,” Kawana stated.
The Great Aloha Run is scheduled for Feb. 18 of next year. However, the Saturday before and the Monday after the race, schools may participate in the high school challenge. The ranking of each school will determine the amount of money the schools will receive, helping both school and community. “(Running for the community) would be good, as it kind of works with the whole class and it runs with the service. Also when we are running we are going to be pushing ourselves to go faster,” said JROTC participant Freshman Darius Usborne. The high school challenges are to test the physical ability of students and to fundraise money for the school, but the run
“I think the Aloha Run is a great way to get people of all different backgrounds and social classes to get up and run for a good cause.”
SophomoreJesika Henson
local solar power company called Kumukit. One of its co-owners, Godmere, is the parent of two MHS alumni.
who had previously worked with Murphy when he was a teacher in the music department, “I think he has a solid background of the school and what the school represents and the school’s history so I think that’s one positive aspect and I think the second thing is he’ll
bring a lot of enthusiasm to the student body and I think to the faculty as well,” he continued. Murphy added, “I’ve had three jobs in my life that are really dream jobs, the first time I came back to my alma mater was right after college. I got my first teaching job here and be-came the band teacher and that was my dream, I never thought I would leave that.”
In addition to being a fine arts teacher, Murphy had previously served as a vice principal. It is this familiarity with MHS that make those who have worked with him so confident about his appointment. “(He is a) graduate of the school, teacher, administrator, prin-cipal, another thing is that he’s a member of our com-munity of (MHS),” stated English teacher Lisa-Ann Tsuruda who also worked with Murphy in the past. Hirata echoed this sentiment saying, “He was always very enthusiastic, energetic and he was always, creative in, he always wanted to be creative in you know trying different things. He was always that kind of person, in that he would want to do something new and try things out.” Now that a permanent principal has been decided, faculty hopes that MHS can concentrate on improving other aspects of the school, “I think it’s a good thing that now we can get back on track and focus in on what the school has to fo-cus in on and achieve and I’m looking forward to the next couple of years,” stated Hirata. Tsuruda echoed this sentiment saying, “It’s good to know where we’re no longer having a feeling of ambivalence like who are we going to get? Now that we’re like he’s here we’re like, ok lets roll.”
As Hawaii’s public high schools participated in this year’s Shop and Score, sponsored by Times Supermarket and Kraft foods, MHS placed second to Castle High School. As a result MHS faculty was impressed with the results, and plans to use the rewards toward the Athletic De-partment. “We ended up almost winning, you know, that’s a great accomplishment,” expressed Athletic Direc-tor Glenn Nitta continu-ing, “We were leading all the way up to last week (of the program) and then we ended up in second to Castle. Castle, from the time this program started, Castle has always, yeah, won,” he said. Also with this year’s
placement as second, Nitta plans on using the winnings of this year’s Shop and Score towards improving the Athletic Department. “(The esti-mated winnings are) be-tween $15,000 to $20,000 and we have to use it for uniforms. Basically they told us we have to use it for football, either for football, basketball, softball, or baseball,” ex-plained Nitta. Overall this year’s Shop and Score was a success and future events such as the MHS Athlet-ics Booster Craft Fair and the Christmas tree fund-raiser are hoped to raise more funds that will go toward improving MHS’ Athletic Department.
Compiled by Ireland Castillo
Shop and Score With the support of the faculty, Murphy enters his position not only with the short-term goal of a smooth transition, but long-term goals as well. “My agenda really is to systematize some practices, enhance some things to make us not just the best high school in the state but one of the best in the country. And we have that potential, we have the clientele, we have the resources, we have the size and the broad array of programs and services for students,” stated Mur-phy. Tsuruda agreed, say-ing, “(Murphy) is not just someone who’s going to sit in his office. He’s online, he goes to conferences, he presents, he’s always looking at what is happen-ing and what’s working in other successful schools that maybe we can bring to our school and tailor it for our
community and our kids to help us become the best school possible.” Goals in mind, Mur-phy views his position as principal as a long-term commitment. “This is a dream come true for him. It’s a homecoming and he says basically he’s going to stay here until he dies. So he’s not someone who is just using our school as a stepping stone for a higher position,” stated Tsuruda, continuing, “He is commit-ted, he is (in it) for the long haul.” With this long-term commitment to the school and deep intimacy with its history, Murphy hopes to continue the legacy left be-hind by previous principals while accomplishing goals of his own.
itself is for all participants. “You can do it with your friends, your grandma, your aunty and your uncle,” said Henson. With the new plan, students of MHS are ready to participate in the challenges on Feb. 18.
Murphycontinued from page 1
“(Running for the community) would be good, as it kind of works with the whole class and it runs with the service. Also when we are running we are going to be pushing ourselves to go faster.”
FreshmanDarius Usborne
April-Joy McCann | Trojan Times
becoming more aware of the competition through the bulletin and field trips, but through word of mouth by the students who have come to value the importance of the symposium. “The majority of (students who competed this year) are returnees. With these guys, once they go they come back because they know the value of it,” explained MHS symposium coordinator Nel Venzon. The symposium has not only made a major impact upon individuals but the MHS Science Department as well. “It really helps us in the STEM field which is: science, technology, engineering, and math. In my opinion, I believe that is a really important aspect for school since that general field furthers humanity,” explained Galvizo. Having students accomplish great things through this competition, MHS hopes to have more students get involved with the opportunities it offers in the following years.
lets help people,” explained Galvizo. Others, like Mocz and McCann are motivated by desire to discover revolutionary things. Mocz developed a new particle model to calculate the mass range to those of elementary particles, while McCann used algae to make fuel and compared it to other commercial sources for biodiesel. Unlike a science fair where there are usually display boards, the symposium is different in that the students must create a PowerPoint and orally present their work to an audience. “This is another outlet similar to science fair where I can speak with experts about science projects, receive feedback and share my experience with others. Although it’s different from science fair, this is more similar to a seminar rather than having just a board by you,” stated Mocz. Over the past four years, participation in the symposium has grown at MHS. Not only are students
On Dec. 1, 14 selected MHS students competed against 50 to 60 other high school students from across the Pacific Region in the 2012 Pacific Symposium of Science and Sustainability at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Out of these 14 students, Juniors Glenn Galvizo Jr., April-Joy McCann and Viola Mocz were chosen from the competition as three out of the top 12 semifinalists for their experimental research papers. These three, if they won a spot in the top five finalists, have the opportunity to compete in the 51st National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in May. “It’s really great that MHS is getting better and that we’re representing. It’s great that public schools are doing really well,” explained Mocz, who has been in the symposium for the past three years. In order to become a semifinalist, 20-page
research papers were written by the students involved in the symposium. These papers were sent to the Hawaii Academy of Science and from there were narrowed down to the best 12 entries written. The rest of the students who did not qualify but whose papers were reviewed will represent their work in a concurrent session competing for the Best Speaker Award. “It’s not about the competition but rather sharing your own science experiment so it can be peer reviewed and so you can become a better scientist yourself and become a better critical thinker,” expressed Mocz. The symposium, to some students, is looked at as an opportunity to innovate ways to help people more than it is a competition. With this intention, Galvizo thought of a way to help the blind by creating a sensor stick. “One day back in sophomore year (my thought) was, ‘What am I going to do to help people? Or what will I do for science fair?’ So I thought
Galvizo, Mocz, McCann chosen as semifinalists in the 2012 science symposium
40 YEARS
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Hey Trojans! It’s that time of year again – winter! Time to kick back with your favorite warm drink and relax with friends and family. Winter also means winter break, but here’s what happened and what’s happening in the coming weeks. During the first few weeks of Nov., we had our annual ASMHS Shoebox for the Homeless service project. We made a new record of 246 shoeboxes in total that were all donated so ASMHS just wanted to say thank you to everyone who donated, as well as the JROTC program for helping, and also to Converse for providing us with plenty of empty shoeboxes for stuffing! On Nov. 16 MHS hosted Japanese students from Kaiyo High School. There was plenty of learning, cultural experience and laughter to be had by all, and it was of course a lot of fun. Thank you to all of the volunteers that came out to tour the students around our school and remember that Kaiyo Miyazaki High School will be visiting in late March. And finally, for all of you juniors and underclassmen, when we come back from winter break in January make sure to pay attention for announcements about registering for classes next year. As for all of you seniors, you can reminisce about the past and realize that you’re half way through your final year at MHS! Enjoy your final months of high school and make sure to work hard! Have a great winter break everyone, and enjoy your time off.
here it was just, ‘teach whatever your subject is, don’t worry about everything else.’ But the longer you teach the more you find out that it’s the whole student that is more important than the content that you’re trying to teach them,” expressed Kawana. Kawana first began teaching in 1970 and had a break for substituting in 1976. He began teaching at MHS in 1978 where he first taught science and health, then was assigned to mathematics. Along with teaching, Kawana was also involved with extracurricular activities such as coaching football and wrestling, instructing MHS drivers’ education and currently coaching USA Track and Field summer track. “He went to college to play football and got hired as a teacher as soon as he graduated from college and was always a teacher/coach combined for all of his adult years,” said Linda Kawana, Sanford Kawana’s wife. Sanford Kawana not only had a profound effect
on the students but on MHS as a whole. “I learned life lessons that people never see just because someone is a teacher,” explained Alumnus Jamil Sampang, who was a student of Sanford Kawana for two years. “The biggest impact was starting the MHS computer lab. This was before people believed in technology. Sanford (Kawana) purchased class computers with his own money and taught computer math,” stated Linda Kawana.
Although there were many challenges that came with being an educator, to Sanford Kawana one of the most rewarding parts of teaching is seeing his past students. “Over the years I keep running into former students who are now parents,” he stated, continuing, “I guess the best
thing about that is you get to see how well they are doing as parents and you hope that some of the things they got out of school are helping make them be better parents out there.” As the end to his time here approaches, many students and staff wish him the best in his retirement. “(Sanford) Kawana is my soulmate so I will probably miss seeing him throughout the school day,” said Linda Kawana. Sampang added, “I have hopes that he’ll end his last that all the goals he had as a teacher were accomplished and that he’s
Kawana
April-Joy McCann | Trojan Times
“It was fun. I’ve always felt that if you’ve enjoyed the ride it’s going to be a great time.”
Math TeacherSanford Kawana
continued from page 1
leaving nothing at (MHS) except for memories.” Ultimately, Sanford Kawana enjoyed his time at MHS. “It was fun. I’ve always felt that if you’ve enjoyed the ride it’s going to be a great time,” said Kawana. As this chapter in his life comes to an end, a new one full of the ability to enjoy things, begins. Though he may not be teaching, Sanford Kawana will still be on campus and plans to continue summer track and field and take pictures of sports events in his retirement.
Sanford Kawana enjoys helping students who are willing to seek help such as Juniors Fejieriech Lopez and Nicole Cambron.
Teams 1973A and 1973B from VEX Robotics won the title of tournament champions at The Ring of Fire on Nov. 3 at Wet n’ Wild Adventure Park. “Three of my six teams have qualified for the (state) championships. But the com-petition is very tough this year,” said VEX Robotics adviser Timothy Pregana. Out of the 41 teams that had participated, both MHS teams placed as a part of the top eight in the finals. Each match consisted of two pairs of robots that were se-
lected at random competing against each other. Only dur-ing the final round did the two remaining teams choose their partner. MHS Team 1973A was top ranked, fol-lowed by 8084109Robotics. Robots compete in a game called Sack-Attack. 1973B member Sophomore Alex Noveloso explained, “The object of the game (Sack-Attack) is to score more points than the other person. Each sack is worth so many points.” The robots must take the sacks off the ground and place them on a platform about a foot off the ground. The final match con-
sisted of MHS teams 1973A and 1973B versus teams 8084109Robotics and 359A Waialua. “We lost the first match but we won the next,” said 1973A member Junior Clayton Dailey. In order for students to compete in the competition and win, the robotics teams designed and built their machines while working for more than three hours a day, including weekends. “You have to go through brain-storming (on) how to build a robot, then you actually have to build. Then you have to go through testing so that if (the robot) does not work, (we would) make
it so it won’t happen again,” Noveloso said, adding, “The parts that keep the robot together break if it is not (built) correctly so you have to change out and make it so it won’t happen again.” The robots of the tour-nament champions have been designed and worked on since August and have been undergoing modifications since the competition. “(The end product) will be made into an A-quality work. What I mean by A-quality work is that the program-ming, you got to get it dead on,” Pregana said, continu-ing, “Your robot (has) got to be mechanically sound.
It is going to be a beautiful piece of machinery.” Senior Ryan Taketa, team leader of 1973B, used the efforts of his colleagues and the competition to pre-pare for future challenges. “Basically, I got to make sure that they are doing everything they are sup-posed to. I am really trying to build (the team) up so that when I leave, (there is) a trail behind so they keep winning,” said Taketa. The VEX Robotics con-tinue to improve their skills and as tournament champi-ons, they will continue onto next year.
The “Teen Read Month” is an annual contest that Librarian Betty Arai created, in which students review books they’ve read. Arai created it to pro-mote literacy and, this year especially, the use of Nooks. By reading from a Nook instead of a book, students triple their chances of win-ning the ultimate prize of $20. To increase participation next year, librarians will do more to encourage students to enter the contest. “We did have more en-tries than last year and next year we hope to publicize it more,” said Arai. Junior Marlene McGowen was recogni-tion as the winner of the contest on the morning bulletin.
Compiled byAlemarie Ceria
Photo courtesy of VEX Robotics adviser Timothy Pregana Photo courtesy of VEX Robotics adviser Timothy Pregana
MHS Team 1973A took first place in the Ring of Fire Championships while Team 1973B took second, which meant both groups now have a chance of entering the championships next year. “I was very relieved once we won because the (MHS) teams before were the winners,” said 1973B member Sophomore Alex Noveloso.
VEX Robotics: Fiery win at the tournament championships
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Thursday, December 6, 2012
40 YEARS
Winterball: A Winter Fairy Tale about to beginBy Lauren [email protected] Mililani High School Winterball:
“A Winter Fairy Tale”
Date: December 7, 2012
Venue: Pacific Beach Hotel
Time: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and close at 10:00 p.m.
Performances soared in the Central Theater Arts Academy (CTAA) fall play, “The Curious Savage”, shown on Nov. 9, 10, 16 and 17. Set in a 1950s insane asylum around the character Mrs. Savage, the play was able to overcome its complications and shine in its performance due to the diligent effort put in by the cast and production team. “There’s a lot of people involved, a lot of kids involved in putting on a production,” said CTAA coordinator Jamie Stroud, “It was the improvement, the progress, the work ethic of the people involved creating a really great show.”
All the hard work put into the play paid off when it resulted in impressive experiences for both the audience and cast. “Everything just falls together in a place where everything is just almost like second nature and you literally are stepping into another world,” said Sophomore Nicholas Howe who portrayed Hannibal,
continuing, “When you’re watching it, it’s just kind of cool.”
Although casting the character Titus proved a difficulty, all the components of the play were united in the end. “We were missing one character for a really long time so once we got him going and he learned all his lines, that’s when it all kind of started all coming together,” said Freshman Katherine Stroud, who played Lily Belle.
Once the cast overcame this casting barrier, the actors fully developed their characters in a steady progression of improvement. “I would say that in the beginning, it’s a little bit awkward because you’re just moving based on direction but now you’re on-stage and the lines just come out,” stated Howe, continuing, “We have all gotten so much better on-stage.”
CTAA hopes that they will continue to entertain and make lasting impressions in audience members’ minds with their next musical, “The Sound of Music”, which will show in April and May of 2013.
Since September, a student committee and an adviser have been working together to organize Winterball, which will be held on Dec. 7, 5:30 p.m. at the Pacific Beach Hotel. The theme for this year’s Winterball is “A Winter Fairy Tale”, and the colors are maroon and cream. Both the committee and their adviser have been working hard to ensure Winterball goes well despite the problems that have arisen.
“I go with the philosophy, ‘Begin with the end in mind,’ so I always draw up the list of what we should do, what we have to get accomplished on the day of Winterball,” explained Junior Joseph Tagorda, a student representative on the planning committee. So far, the committee has been able to stay on task and keep up with what they are required to do.
In the early stages of planning, deciding on the
theme and colors is a given priority. “We start with theme and colors and go from there — favors and centerpieces, menu,” said Winterball Committee adviser Jeni Nishimura. All those present at the first meeting discussed possible ideas. “Everybody has to be open to opinions. Nobody can criticize,” added Tagorda.
they also have to get their hair ready and all that kind of stuff,” explained Tagorda. This doesn’t provide a lot of time for preparation at the venue either, as the students on the committee are the ones who have to set things up. “On my end, I just kind of hope that it all comes together, which it usually does,” said Ward-Riehle.
Despite the various concerns and problems that have popped up, planning has gone well up until this point and there is not much left to do until the date of Winterball.
As the committee continues working, bid sales and table sign-ups have already passed. This year, the committee is planning to open up more tables.
Originally, there had been 56 opened for students, but an additional four have been added to accommodate another 40 people. “Which hopefully doesn’t mean a smaller dance floor. Hopefully that just means a smaller walk space between the tables and not a smaller dance floor. But we’ll find out,” said Student Activities coordinator Janet Ward-Riehle.
Besides the worries about space, there was another issue that occurred during bid sales for the tickets. The tickets were intended to have staggered prices, starting at $45 and increasing five dollars each day. Although the original intention was to stop long lines during the last days of bid sales, a complaint was made so the prices were eventually changed back to being the same. “(Having to change the ticket prices is) kind of a frustration because we had the price set and then we had to change it. Which makes processing it easier but we tried to do
that staggered start with the price difference in order to avoid that procrastination of a really long line at the end of bid sales,” Ward-Riehle said, adding, “And I think it worked a little bit but there was still a really long line the last day.”
Another problem is also the date of Winterball itself. It takes place on Friday, Dec. 7, roughly three hours after school ends at the Pacific Beach Hotel. “Which is a big problem, even for us committee members, even for the girls, because you have to dress early. But also for other people because
“I go with the philosophy, ‘Begin with the end in mind,’ so I always draw up the list of what we should do, what we have to get accomplished on the day of Winterball.”
Winterball CommitteeStudent Representative
Joseph Tagorda
The audience’s response to the comedy factor in the play impressed the cast and crew. “Friday night was good in that we had a pretty good audience,” said CTAA coordinator Jamie Stroud.
Rolling the credits on “The Curious Savage”, CTAA has successful fall seasonBy Risa [email protected]
April-Joy McCann | Trojan Times
Thursday, December 6, 2012
40 YEARS
5
Russell Omo | Trojan Times
After various performances at different schools and venues, the Trojan marching band found themselves at a familiar place, MHS’ own John Kauinana Stadium, on Nov. 10. For the MHS marching
band and bands from across the state, this was their last performance of the season: the Mililani Band Festival. “I felt there was a lot of energy and motivation behind their performance tonight. So I think (the marching band is) happy with it, myself included and all the staff are definitely
happy with what they put out tonight,” said MHS marching band adviser Derek Kaapana. The MHS marching band was given the score of “superior” for their overall effect and performance, the highest within their division: Class AAA, a division of bands with over 100
performers. For the MHS marching band, the Mililani Band Festival was the last performance of their piece “Nevermore”, an original arrangement based off of the poem by Edgar Allen Poe entitled “The Raven”. To get a successful response out of the audience, the performers themselves had to bear the physical motions and musical technicality of “Nevermore” in its 10-minute runtime. “In the first movement, you’re just trying to remember everything you want to do. In the middle, the second movement, you’re just like ‘Okay, we started this, we got the momentum going, let’s finish this,’” explained saxophone soloist Junior Tyler Yamauchi, continuing, “Now in the end, you’re tired and you’re saying, ‘Okay, I’m done,’ but you know, you have to push through.” Since the Menehune Classic, where they were judged for the first time, the
MHS marching band realized their faults and improved upon them. It was at the Kamehameha Tournament of Bands on Nov. 3 that the band succeeded and proved themselves, earning first place in five out of six categories as well as an overall rating of “superior.” Now on their own turf at the Mililani Band Festival, they gave it their all for one last time. “We definitely left it all out there on the field because this year’s season, especially the show, was really deep, well- developed and intense. So I think we really put it all out there and it was one of our best performances,” explained Drum Major Senior Kailee Goya. With their season completed, Kaapana and the returning members of the marching band await next season’s inspiration, while the seniors look towards their future as people and musicians and move closer to graduation.
The MHS marching band assumed their positions for the last performance of the night and season.
Photo courtesy of Junior Rachel Yonamine
The Tournament of Bands was the marching band’s only opportunity to compete this year, as the tsunami warning following the 7.7 British Columbia earthquake cancelled their first competition.
Despite having performed a dramatic three-part piece on sorrow and insanity, the MHS marching band re-turned from the 36th annual Kamehameha Schools Tour-nament of Bands on Nov. 3 overjoyed, having nabbed five first place awards and winning overall in their division, beating out schools from across the state.
“I was ecstatic,” ex-pressed Drum Major Senior Keanu Robles, “just because, you know, it’s (my) senior year and it’s nice to have that come to us.” The marching band re-ceived the highest rating in their Class AAA division, “superior.” They also earned first place in Music Execu-tion, Marching and Maneu-vering, Color Guard, General Effect and Drum Major, as well as second place in Per-
cussion. These awards also ensured them the coveted Sweepstakes Trophy, given to the highest scoring band in the division. “It was a confidence booster for all of us,” said MHS marching band adviser Derek Kaapana, continuing, “When we heard the awards and the scores I think we all felt really good. (There) was a lot of energy going into it and a lot of motivation and they did really well that evening.”
This achievement came on the heels of a major disappointment a week prior on Oct. 27 when their first competition, the Kapolei Marching Band Festival at Kapolei High School, was cancelled due to an unex-pected tsunami warning. The tournament then became the marching band’s only op-portunity to compete after months of dedicated prepara-tion. “We’ve been preparing for about six months. We started in June and we’ve been working our way up to this point,” remarked Robles. Marimba player Freshman Taylor-Anne Kim added, “It was satisfying because all of our hard work, all the way from summer when we had our first band camp when we started, all of that’s what our hard work went to.” This year’s efforts were directed to their intense and emotional rendition of Edgar Allen Poe’s poem “The Raven”, “Nevermore”, which challenged students to push their limits. “It was a very dramatic show,” commented Kaapana, continuing, “They did a lot of body movement or dance type movement. I hope they kind of take away that they are capable of do-
ing more than playing an instrument, that they can do other things as well.” Though this was their only competition due to the cancelled Kapolei event, the curtains haven’t closed yet, as the marching band is still working to prepare for future noncompetitive events. “Even though we’re not placing, it doesn’t mean that we ended. We still continue to strive for better because there’s always room for im-provement,” said Kim. With all of their “Nev-ermore” exhibitions already behind them, the MHS marching band is eagerly awaiting their chance to compete again next year.
MHS marching band takes first at Kamehameha Tournament of Bands with ‘Nevermore’ performance
Thursday, December 6, 2012
40 YEARS
6
Check out trojantimes.org for more stories, vid-eos and other happening around campus.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
40 YEARS
Students and teachers alike came to the Food Walk 2012 at the John Kauinana Stadium with high spirits despite the heavy rain on Nov. 17. Those who
attended brought at least one canned good and pledged a certain amount of money, which were to be donated to the Food Bank of Hawaii. “I really commend all the people that came out in this horrible weather and I think it kind of serves as a
bonding. As you see people walking around, they can talk story and we are doing something to help others,” said Senior Alohilani Nonies, who planned the Food Walk as a part of her senior project, continuing, “I think it instills (that) sense of importance.” The event started with a presentation by Nonies regarding Hawaii’s hungry and what the Food Bank does to help. Sophomore Dean Barlan, who attended the walk, said, “It helps because she gave a talk and informed us on the issue so it educated us.” The speech was followed by the walk itself, which lasted from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and closed with some ending statements and refreshments for the attendees. “I think it’s a
really good idea because we’re helping out the community in many ways,” said Barlan, continuing, “We’re helping many different families in need who are unable to be as lucky as we are, to have meals and food.” The event itself took much planning and preparations on Nonies’ part, including applying for a grant from Youth Services Hawaii. “First, I had to go through the senior project process which is to propose a project then actually do it,” said Nonies. “To get funds for my walkathon I actually had to apply for a grant and then I had to go through the process of talking to (Glenn and Gaile Nitta) and admin to get use of the track and the audio.” Many teachers are
in support of students participating in community service projects and events. “I think it’s a great idea for a senior project,” said Math teacher Patrick Riehle, who also attended the walk, continuing, “Especially at this time of year, there’s always people that don’t have enough. It’s about people coming together and just being able to contribute to people who don’t have enough.” It all came back to helping and serving the community with regards to the purpose of the walk. “I think because we come from an upper-class community the least we can do is help out others that are less fortunate,” said Nonies. Donations were given before Thanksgiving to give to those in need.
Walkathon raises canned goods and money for hunger in community
Students race to the checkpoint where the number of laps are recorded, from which the pledge amounts are then calculated.
Timothy Leoncio | Trojan Times
In comparison to previous years, the trip has been opened to all students. “The students don’t need to take any exams or tests to come to Hawaii. The program is offered to anyone in the school to take,” explained adviser Takuya Yamamoto. Students were also more open than they had
been in previous years. “I’m really surprised because the students interacted with the students they didn’t really know. Some of the previous years that I have done this, they are more interactive now,” expressed Junior Kaena Maeda, who acted as a tour guide due to her fluency in Japanese. The event began with a quick energizer to get the two schools a little more comfortable with each other, followed by a short message
from ASMHS President Senior Evan Wilson. “I didn’t actually have much interaction with the students. It was more behind the scenes, but from what I heard from the tour guides, they had a lot of fun, as (did I) when I interacted with the students, which was kind of limited, but still fun,” explained Wilson, who was at the head of planning the event. Both MHS and Kaiyo were asked to give a
performance that reflected their culture. “We asked (Hawaiian Language teacher Kekoa Wong’s) class to perform some traditional hula dances to demonstrate Hawaiian culture,” said Wilson, continuing, “And then we also asked (Kaiyo) if they could have a cultural presentation, which was their flags.” There were a few inconveniences throughout the day but overall the event went well. “In
regards to our participation we had a good amount of volunteers. However, the weather is a bit of a bog. That’s put a damper in some of our plans we had for today,” said student activities coordinator Janet Ward-Riehle. Despite being forced to make minor changes due to unpleasant weather conditions, both MHS and Kaiyo students made the best of their visit and hope to continue this tradition.
continued from page 1
Kaiyo
In order to give back to the community and support veterans everywhere, MHS’ Leo and Interact Clubs marched in this year’s
annual Veterans Day Parade held on Nov. 12, following the theme “Mahalo Veterans.” “It’s good to give back to the community because veterans are veterans. They need all the support we
can provide,” said Interact Club President Senior Tyler Atiburcio. The Wahiawa Lions Club has organized the parade since 1946, which starts at Kaala Elementary School and ends at Wahiawa
District Park. Also marching in the parade were Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) and Navy JROTC cadets from schools such as Campbell and Leilehua High Schools, along with many Boy Scout troops. When the parade was over, speeches were given at Wahiawa District Park by veterans themselves and other dignitaries. Members from both clubs marched in the parade hoping to raise the spirits of the crowd as well as to thank veterans. “Sometimes (veterans) get missed, they get overlooked, so we have to get them recognized,” said Atiburcio. For some, the meaning of Veterans Day is much more personal than just a day off. “I’m learning about different stories about how my friends (in the
military) encountered car bombs and explosions and stuff like that and were in the heat of war, and for me to sit comfortably here in a classroom, it actually means so much more now that we honor veterans,” said Leo Club adviser Marc Tolentino. Though they could have been doing other things on their day off, volunteers felt that they were doing the right thing. “I’d probably just be sleeping, honestly. But I’d rather come out here and show veterans some respect,” said Leo Club Secretary Junior Chasidee Dela Cuesta-Batara. With this year’s parade over, members from both clubs look forward to a successful parade next year as well as increased appreciation for veterans.
Saying mahalo to veterans: Interact and Leo Clubs walk in parade
At Fredrite Park, those who marched in the parade assembled for speeches. Although the parade was held a day after Veterans Day, there were many spectators along the route.
Cyanne Ito | Trojan Times
Popcorn garland
StockingsDon’t you hate when you have stockings that don’t match your holi-day decor? Well if you make your own, you won’t have to worry!Time it takes: 30 minutes to 1 hourHow-to: You will need scrap pieces of fabric, felt, some yarn or thread, glitter, buttons or anything else your imagination can think of. Begin by cutting out a stocking shape. Templates can be found online or you can draw your own. Make sure that there are two pieces. Once both sides are cut, sew the two sides together using your basic sewing stitch. For a more decorative feel, try using a blanket or a whip stitch. Once you have finished sewing, decorate your stocking as you wish! You can design them according to your red-and-green-themed decor or personalize them. Add your name, your favorite color; it’s entirely up to you!Tips: Remember, everything you make won’t be perfect, so just enjoy and have fun making them!
The classic popcorn garland is a fun and easy way to spice up your Christmas tree. Time it takes: 15 to 30 minutesHow-to: Leaving the popcorn out for a few days will make it easier to string. Using a needle and thread, string the popcorn onto the thread by poking a hole through the center of the kernels,
pushing the popcorn down to the end of the string as you work. When the garland reaches
your desired length, tie a knot at each end of the string. Tips: It is best not to use a popcorn garland on your tree when you have pets or bugs in your house. The garlands will last as long as you can keep it in ideal conditions: dry and bug free. Feel
free to add your own flavor by adding glitter, using fruits, beads or anything you can think of.
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No one wants to spend hours battling a roll of wrapping paper and scotch tape trying to wrap a never ending amount of oddly shaped boxes. If Santa-printed paper and adhesive gift tags are starting to bore you, try this cute and fun wrapping idea. Time it takes: 5 minutesHow-to: All you’ll need is a piece of fabric proportional to your gift and some ribbon, both of which can be found for under $5 at craft stores. After that, all you have to do is roll your gift up in the fabric and tie the loose ends with ribbon. Tips: This works best with cylindrical objects but can be adapted to other shapes.
A HomemadeChristmas
Popcorn garland
Cinnamon ornaments
Peppermint mocha
The holiday season is in full swing and everyone knows no
Christmas is complete without a dash of good old-fashioned creativity. Here are some easy do-it-yourself creations you can make to liven up your winter celebrations. They may not help in an end-of-the-world scenario, but at least they’ll make your last days happy ones.
Remember when you were a little kid and you made those amazing-smelling ornaments?
Well, they’re back! Time it takes: 15 minutes to prepare, 2 hours to bakeHow-to: You will need 1 cup of cinnamon, 1/4 cup of apple sauce and 1/2 cup of craft glue. Mix the
ingredients together until it forms a dough. You might need to use your hands
to combine all the cinnamon. Use 1/4 cup of dough at a time to roll out into about 1/4 inch sheets. Use cookie cutters to make desired shaped ornaments. Bake in the oven at 200 °F for 2 hours or leave out for 1 to 2 days to dry.
Tips: After they have finished baking, decorate your ornaments however you want. Use glitter, ribbon, beads,
sequins, rhinestones, paint, etc. The power to decide is all
yours!
We all love those holiday drinks from Starbucks every year, but they can be pricey. Now you can make your
own! With these directions, here’s how to make a
flavorful peppermint mocha.Time it takes: 5 minutes
How-to: You will need 1 cup milk, 1 cup of mocha espresso, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 2
tablespoons sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons of peppermint syrup. In a pot, heat up the milk until it’s steaming. Froth the milk with a whisk until it’s foamy. In your coffee cup mix espresso, cocoa powder, sugar and peppermint syrup until the sugar and powder dissolve. Pour the milk
on top of the coffee/mocha mixture and stir. Top with whipped cream and a generous drizzle of chocolate syrup if desired.
Tips: Add a candy cane as a stir stick for an extra holiday feel.
The classic popcorn garland is a fun and easy way to spice up your Christmas tree. Time it takes: 15 to 30 minutesHow-to: Leaving the popcorn out for a few days will make it easier to string. Using a needle and thread, string the popcorn onto the thread by poking a hole through the center of the kernels,
pushing the popcorn down to the end of the string as you work. When the garland reaches
your desired length, tie a knot at each end of the string. Tips: It is best not to use a popcorn garland on your tree when you have pets or bugs in your house. The garlands will last as long as you can keep it in ideal conditions: dry and bug free. Feel
free to add your own flavor by adding glitter, using fruits, beads or anything you can think of.
Senior Zachary Carvalho is a runner for the cross country team, but not just any runner. His friends and coach say he’s pretty fast at doing what he does. Carvalho recalls running since he was little, saying, “I’ve been running since third grade and continued it throughout the years.” Carvalho stated inspira-tion comes from his coaches. “They pushed me to do better,” he said. Cross country is a team sport but each runner runs individually. The competition is won due to a point system. Carvalho has partici-pated in meets and has won first and third in the smaller meets. Senior Aron Oka-moto, a teammate and friend to Carvalho, said, “We’ve been pretty close since sophomore year.” Okamoto cheers for Carvalho during the meets. Okamoto said, “In the beginning we just knew each other, but I feel when we got closer, I cheered him on harder. Carvalho is probably the best runner I’ve seen. Carvalho is ‘one hammah.’” Coach Dane Mat-sunaga met Carvalho when he was a fresh-man but heard of him while Carvalho was at-tending Mililani Middle School. Like Okamoto, Matsunaga said, “(Car-valho’s) always been a good runner. He’s one of the better runners and probably the fastest on the boys team.” Carvalho’s running career won’t continue after high school, as he will seek a new begin-ning in the medical field.
Junior Jordyn Keamo grew up watching her parents play volleyball and
began at Mililani Volleyball Club when she was only 8 years old. Her passion for the sport pushed her to countless hours of practice and qualified her for a spot on the MHS varsity team and also earned her one of the eight spots on the divi-sion one all-star team. “She’s very dedicated, such a hard worker all the time. And she’s the first one in the gym and always the last one to go. She works really hard,” said teammate Senior Shaylin Sueda. Students from Punahou, Kahuku, Kamehameha, Far-rington, Seabury Hall and Saint Francis were among those chosen for the teams. Though being chosen for the
all-star team was an honor as only 16 students were chosen statewide for two division teams, Keamo didn’t let it get to her head. Team-mate Senior Kelly Kuroda said, “She’s a really hard-working player. On the court she’s all business, but at the same time she’s still humble and she’s one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.” Not only does her con-sistent effort contribute to her success, but her positive attitude, kind heart and skill do as well. “She probably puts in the most time out of everyone and she has natu-ral ability so I think that’s what takes her really far,” said Kuroda. Sueda added, “Her dedication, her leader-
ship, it’s indirect and direct. She’s so kind to everybody. She gets along with every-body. She’s a genuinely nice person.” Keamo has continued to play not because of a drive to succeed, but a genuine love of the sport. “I would have to say when I first step on the court and you or the other team is about to serve, all of my thoughts leave my mind and I feel like I can do anything,” Keamo expressed. With her dedication and strong set of skills, Keamo plans to focus on continu-ing her good grades so that she’ll one day be able to play college volleyball.
both a sprinter and distance runner was realized. “Un-like most of the sprinters who also ran cross country
during the fall, (Boteilho-Torres) was actually a de-cent distance runner,” Alfaro commented, continuing, “He had a natural stride that benefitted him in middle and long distance races.” Through support from his family, such as his brother Bryan Boteilho, who was also in track, his fellow runners like Alfaro and his own dedication to the sport, Boteilho-Torres was able to do his best in both track and cross country. “Training for track is very hard,” said Sophomore Jakob Dewald, a distance runner in track, “You must be a dedicated runner to succeed in it.” As a varied track runner and distance runner in cross country, Boteilho-Torres’ death leaves a legacy for runners in both sports, as his 4x100-meter relay record is still unbroken today.
records in the 300-meter hurdles and 4x400-meter relay. When he graduated in 1983, he joined Alfaro, who graduated the year before and became a coach for the MHS track team. “Although a record like that deserves to last forever, I think (Boteilho-Torres) would be proud if our team betters it someday,” commented track head coach Nathan Aragaki. “I would be happy yet in-debted to him and the heri-tage he forged for all MHS track athletes to follow.” As well as being a sprinter, Boteilho-Torres became a distance run-ner when he joined cross country in his sophomore and junior years in the off-season of track. It wasn’t until then that his talent as
“I feel like we were more like teammates who worked hard together, learned from each other and made one another better at our sport,” said Edwin Alfaro, MHS alumnus and former track coach, who was a sophomore when he met Boteilho-Torres in Boteilho-Torres’ freshman year. Boteilho-Torres had been in track throughout his high school career, where he trained as a sprinter, a hurdler and a long jumper. It was in his sophomore year that he broke MHS
Boteilho-Torres
In the states competition of 1983, the late Boteilho-Torres won a bronze medal in the 4x100-meter relay and a silver medal in the 4x400-meter relay, both of which he is known for today.
continued from page 1
Best in state: Keamo awarded one of eight covetedspots on state first division all-star volleyball team
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Thursday, December 6, 2012
40 YEARS
At the start of the season, there were cliques within both the JV and varsity cheer teams, but by the end of the season everyone familiarized themselves with each other and they became a family.
Photo courtesy of Lalaine Carey
Photo courtesy of Anna Oyape
The varsity cheer team assembled formation at the statewide competition, which they have prepared for since September.
HHSAA Bowling Championship: second in competition, first in friendship
Varsity cheer pushes through injuries to take fourth in statewide competition
Throughout their journey this season, the MHS var-sity cheerleading team has encountered many physical injuries. However, the team was able to persevere and ended up taking fourth place in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HH-SAA) Cheerleading Cham-pionship on Nov. 17 at the Neil Blaisdell Center. “The hardest part would be all the injuries that hap-pened and having to change the routine so many times, but we just worked really hard,” explained Senior Toni Mitsumoto, continuing, “We always overcame those.” Much training on the part of the cheerleaders went into this event. “We prac-ticed every single day for about three hours. Worked on different areas of jumps, stunts, tumbling, dance, sequence, inversions,” stated head coach Renesha Kier-stedt. These preparations led to a successful outcome
that the team was satisfied with. “I was so happy, like through all that we’ve been through and all the hard work that was put into it. We did outstanding,” said Mistsumoto. Kierstedt added, “The varsity team took fourth. They tied for third and when there was a tie-breaker they took fourth.” Since cheer is a contact sport, the team was bound to come across bumps in the road; two cheerleaders were out due to concussions. “We had two people get injured. Everyone has an ailment or an injury, whether it’s from ankle to back to wrist to ribs,” said Kierstedt. Because of these damag-es, the team was required to change their routine during the week of Nov. 12 to 16, right before the competition. “We had to change some of our routine just so that we could keep up with the other private schools,” said Senior Taylor Onizuka. Though the team was faced with these obstacles, they were able to maintain each other’s mental standings
through support. “We just supported each other and basically pushed each other to new challenges. We just made sure that everyone was as confident as they could be,” explained Mitsumoto. This support has caused the cheerleaders to grow close to each other, and they will carry this support on to nationals, which will be held during February in Las Vegas.
The boys and girls bowling teams were brought together as a result of plac-ing second in the Hawaii High School Athletic As-sociation (HHSAA) State Bowling Championship. This event was held at Kauai Bowl on Nov. 1 and 2, in which their participation al-lowed them to build stronger relationships within the team. “As a team they have kind of bonded and so the team chemistry has gotten
better,” said assistant coach Corey Zukeran, continuing, “I think the camaraderie and the kind of team, as a whole, has gotten better and that has helped toward the later part of the season.” At the Oahu Interscho-lastic Association (OIA) Championship, the girls placed second and the boys placed third, both qualifying for the state tournament. At the HHSAA State Bowling Championship both the girls and boys teams were run-ners-up, leaving the bowlers satisfied with the results.
“For them to just be there was an amazing thing, but to come in second that was totally amazing,” stated head coach Bruce Inafuku. The outcome of this tournament was a result of much preparation on part of both the bowlers and the coaches. “We just practiced the basics and the funda-mentals to prepare ourselves. We focused on picking up spares more than trying to get the highest score possi-ble,” explained Senior Ron-son Dagdag, who has been on the bowling team since
his freshman year. All the physical training that went into this competi-tion was not the only thing that led them to their suc-cess; support from fellow teammates played a part as well. “My teammates sup-ported me and tried to get me through the times where I wasn’t doing so well and tried to keep me motivated to keep going,” stated Dag-dag. By putting their posi-tive attitudes together, the team caused a successful outcome and improvement in teamwork. “You know, as a whole they’re a really close group and they pick each other up and like I said, the teamwork is really good,” said Zukeran, adding, “I’m most proud of their attitude towards their goals and be-ing successful.” Because this tournament was held on Kauai it of-fered the bowlers a chance to experience something unique. “Neighbor islands always have a good experi-ence on kids because it’s different,” said Inafuku, con-tinuing, “Along with having fun, we have a competition.” Being away on a neigh-bor island, the members were required to be away
from their families for a few days, and in place of their families they had their teammates. “This tournamenthelped us to bond as a team, really, and it helped show us that we together are always family in bowl-ing,” said Dagdag. In addition to giving the bowlers a chance to get to know each other, it also gave the coaches an oppor-tunity to familiarize them-selves with the bowlers as well. “My favorite part, I guess was just kind of you know, getting to know some of the bowlers a little bit more,” explained Zukeran. This experience helped strengthen their friendships within the team while al-lowing them to enjoy them-selves. “They had fun as a team and they really gelled together,” said Inafuku.Dagdag added, “During the season we did bond really well, but during the tourna-ment all we did was hang out together and have really fun times and I’m going to miss that about this season.” These opportunities made the tournament satisfactory for the whole team and they hope to come back even stronger next year.
Being constantly around each other in and out of practices has strengthened relationships within the team as well as improved their overall teamwork concerning their bowling skills.
Photo courtesy of Lifetouch
11 9
continuinga
angela lee
christian lee
Junior Angela Lee and her brother Freshman Christian Lee have been
involved in fighting sports for as long as they can remember. Being coached by their mother and father, they got the chance to apply their skills at the Fifth World Pankration Athlima Championship held on Nov. 16 to 18 in Laconia, Greece, where they both won gold medals. “It’s really great that we had the chance to compete in a tourna-ment so big and we had the op-portunity to fight in a world tour-nament and win,” Christian Lee expressed. “My dad (Ken Lee) can teach us. He actually has that (expe-rience) and we can learn from him and then put our skills to use, and everything, just bringing together for that competition, was just huge,” added Angela Lee. The tournament focuses on an ancient style of fighting called pankration. It was introduced in the Greek Olympic Games in 648 B.C. and is similar to mixed martial arts (MMA). In order to qualify for the world tournament, Angela and Christian Lee needed to place first, second or third at the national tour-nament, which was held in April in Las Vegas. Both siblings placed first nationally. The hard work Christian Lee, Angela Lee and their parents have put into their training paid off when the two were proclaimed gold medalists at the world tournament. “After you fought and you know you’ve done well and then, you know, they say who’s the winner and everyone’s going wild, it’s like really, really the best feeling in the world,” Angela Lee expressed. “My favorite part is winning the tourna-
ment and celebrating after,” Christian Lee added. Their training consists of weight training at the gym, con-ditioning at the park and sparring with high-level students. A training studio that was built in their house is also used to practice their fight-ing skills. Their father, who started train-ing with his uncle at the age of six, and their mother, Jewelz Lee, whose father is a martial arts grandmas-ter, have been trained in various types of martial arts, passing on the knowledge to the rest of their fam-ily. It was because of their family’s history in the sport that Angela and Christian Lee were also introduced to it at the age of 4. “We were involved in many different martial arts styles and organizations,” said Ken Lee, continuing, “We teach all of our children, nephews and niec-es.” In 1995, they opened their first of multiple MMA schools in their hometown in Canada. Since MMA is such a big part of the Lee family, it pushes Chris-tian and Angela Lee to work harder. “They know everything about it and they know if you’re not trying, when you’re slacking, when you’re trying your best, so it keeps you on track,” said Angela Lee. However, it is also rewarding. “Going through the journey of working hard at the tournament, you do your best and fight and then celebrating and shar-ing that moment of victory together,
it’s really nice,” she expressed. Christian Lee added, “It’s really helpful because they already know what to do so they get to help us even more.” Having each other by their side, Angela and Christian Lee provide mutual support for each other. “We kind of, like pump each other up, we use each other to warm up,” said Angela Lee. Ken Lee added, “Their mutual support bolsters their motivation level. Without each other, it may be difficult to sustain this high level of competition.” In the years to come, Ken Lee hopes to continue Angela and Chris-tian Lee’s training for the upcom-ing 2013 USA National Pankration Championships in Las Vegas and the 2013 Federation Internatio-nale des Luttes Associees Amateur Pankration World Championship in Australia next November. If pankra-tion is passed as an Olympic sport, Angela and Christian Lee hope to be a part of the competition or be involved in the Ultimate Fighting Champion-ship.
The Lee siblings fight their way to gold at world pankration tournament.
(L-R): Jewelz Lee, Junior Angela Lee, Freshman Christian Lee, Ken Lee.
licize events, share in the successes of students, promote the hard work of the faculty and capture the dedication of organizations.
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Trojan Times
Elephant in the RoomBy Nathan Park and Timothy Leoncio
Everyone has a story and with the help of Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter, anyone can now tell it. Social media has made it possible for people to easily share pictures, videos and blogs of their adventures with their loved ones and even the whole world. It has been the spark of change that has brought people together for common causes, from animal rights to the Haitian relief fund. Unfortunately, users have taken for granted the power given to them by social media and creating unnecessary drama.
Though some pretty cool things have been done with social media, users haven’t been utilizing it to its fullest potential. Rather than posting for the sake of sharing, they do it for the sake of gaining popularity. Now it is everyone’s personal hobby to gather as many views, likes, subscriptions and followers as they can. They spend hours sitting at their computers, finding
things to post and viewing posted things. They use anything that will bring them attention as bait to reel in other users’ eyes. Fishing for likes is what we call this hobby. It is a new international sport that anyone can play and almost everyone is playing it.
A popular technique these “fishermen” use is casting their unchecked emotions. People have been posting frivolously what they think and feel at any given moment, vomiting as much emotion as they can fit in a digital box. They don’t stop to think about what they are saying half the time and their posts end up becoming rants. All the spontaneous emotions that paint the walls of these sites bring a lot of drama to the atmosphere and sours a friendly environment. Social media should be a place where friendships and bonds are made, not broken by dramatic conundrums. The most popular and effective bait of all is image macro or memes. Today, all a user has to do is search online for catchy phrases and pictures and share it on their profile. It’s convenient,
free and the best part is you don’t even have to make anything. To guarantee views, fishermen tag their friends to the meme. This exploitation of other people’s work and ideas is wrong. Essentially, users are plagiarizing other peoples’ work to gain popularity and people now feel they don’t even have to think on their own to become respected.
In addition to spending most of their lives on the web, these fishermen brag about their catches at school. We’ve heard people flaunt how many followers on Tumblr they have or how many people subscribe to their YouTube channel. This turns blogging into a competition, rather than a medium for self-expression. If you connect with people you don’t really know via social media, you will most likely attract narcissists. The type of people looking to make quick connections do so to stack up their numbers. What is the value in a huge network of strangers? “Attention,” commented Anne Ward, cofounder of Circle Click, a social media advertising
website.With everyone gone
“fishing for likes,” what once was a place where friends and family could connect and keep in touch is now another pedestal for people’s egos. However, it doesn’t have to be like that. We can stop this egocentric culture by changing our own attitudes. Instead of thinking about how many likes a post will get you, think about how many people it will affect and how it will affect them. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube can reach millions of people so it is no wonder that so many new movements have started from social media. That being said, users should be aware of the power they have to create change. Social media has enabled people to collaborate and share new ideas in a matter of minutes. When those new ideas receive likes, they become more visible to the world and become a major influence to our culture. So instead of posting for popularity, let’s post to improve the world that we teenagers will soon inherit.
for the appropriate test. Our school’s CEEB code is 120-197.
Fee Waivers AvailableStudents on free or reduced lunch are available for SAT, ACT and NCAA clearing-house fee waivers. See Mrs. Yamamoto and pick up your fee waiver today.
Running StartThe Running Start program is a unique partnership be-tween the DOE and the UH system. It allows public high school juniors and seniors to attend college classes while earning both high school and college credits. Come to C&CC for more information, or visit www.hawaii.edu/run-ningstart
College Awareness Week – Jan. 28 to Feb. 1Mark your calendars. Come to the dining lanai during lunch to get information from colleges. Colleges who have attended in the past are UH Manoa, UH West Oahu, UH Hilo, Heald Col-lege, Hawaii Pacific Univer-sity, Chaminade University, Honolulu Community Col-lege, Hawaii Tokai Inter-national College and more. Check Edline for updated information.
The College and Career Center will be closed during winter break. Please planaccordingly. Happy Holi-days!
Senior Announcements:
Application DeadlinesIf you have not done so already, turn in your ap-plications and/or transcript requests! Stop procrastinat-ing! If applying online, you still need to turn in a transcript request to C&CC so we can add your list of senior courses and attach our school’s profile. Let us know if you have any ques-tions.
UH Community College ApplicationCommunity colleges are a smart choice for starting a four-year degree. With an AA degree from a com-munity college, you can transfer with your “core” general education require-ments fulfilled, at substantial savings. Community colleges provide quality education, more personalized atten-tion and lots of opportuni-ties. Popular programs fill up quickly, so complete the online application as soon as possible. To apply, go to apply.hawaii.edu
Scholarship Award LetterIf you receive a scholar-ship or financial award from a school or organization, forward a copy of the award
letter to our office, whether you accept it or not. We will use it for our report and you will be recognized in the graduation program.
Financial Aid – Available Online Jan. 1With all of the economic concerns that are happen-ing around us, financial aid plays an important part in the college application process. The Free Applica-tion for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) provides the foundation for the college financial aid process. Col-leges and many scholarship foundations use the report generated by the FAFSA to evaluate an applicant’s financial need. You must file the FAFSA even if you seek only grants, work study or subsidized loans. Request forms or complete the form online after Jan. 1 at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Each college has a priority deadline and most aid is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis, so file your FAFSA as soon as possible. Reminders: Fi-nancial aid night is on Nov. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the MHS cafeteria. College goal Sun-day is on Jan. 13 at 1:00 p.m. at the MHS cafeteria.
Selective ServiceAll males 18 years of age must register. In order to qualify for federal student loans and grants, job train-ing and employment males 18 years of age must reg-
ister with Selective Service. Go to sss.gov for more information.
Scholarships Posted on EdlineCheck Edline or our bulletin board for the latest scholar-ship listing. Any scholar-ship money that you receive means less money out of your pocket. Follow the instructions and watch your deadlines.
Other Announcements:
Registration InformationRegistration for next school year’s classes will begin in January. Utilize the resources that we have available at MHS by taking interest-ing or challenging courses. Some colleges require a fine arts class, while others recommend three years of a foreign language. UH Manoa requires 17 college-prep classes (core classes and world language). Colleges like to see a rigorous course schedule, especially in senior year so check the website of prospective colleges and plan your schedule accordingly.
SAT or ACT College En-trance ExamsUnderclassmen, especially juniors, should sign up now for the SAT, ACT or SAT Subject Tests (if needed). Sites and dates fill up very quickly so plan accordingly. Go to collegeboard.org or actstudent.org to sign up
Compiled by College and Career Counselor
Denise Yamamoto
Marijuana: Did You Know?
• Tetrahydrocan-nabinol (THC), a major component in marijuana, interferes with learning and memory. This is due to the hippocampus, a part of the brain with a funny name and a big job. It plays a critical role in types of learning. The use of marijua-na leads to problems studying, learning new things and re-calling events.• Marijuana can cause disaster on the road. Research shows slower reac-tion times, impaired judgment and prob-lems responding to signals and sounds. The results showed about 14 percent of drivers who sus-tained injury or death tested positive for marijuana.• Marijuana is as-sociated with depres-sion and anxiety. • A person who uses marijuana is more likely to be exposed to and urged to try other drugs.• Hawaii statistics reveal 21.9 percent of students in grades 9 to 12 have used marijuana one or more times during the last month be-fore the survey was completed in 2011. This is higher than the national average.• Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States and is associated with heavy alcohol use, tobacco use, delinquency, violence and suicide.
Resource: Hawaii Department of Health 2011 survey results according to HawaiiHealthMatters.com
Resource: National Institute of Drug Addiction: NIDA.gov
This memoir allows television personality and Saturday Night Live (SNL) Alumna Tina Fey to riff on everything from grow-ing up in the 1980s, to being one of the few women in the Second City Comedy troupe (with best friend Amy Poehler) to her triumphant four appear-ances as Sarah Palin on SNL. This was especially hilarious as she was working with Oprah on her Emmy-
award winning show, 30 Rock. Our group shared that there were times when we couldn’t help but laugh out loud while reading about her doomed honeymoon cruise (Titanic anyone?). Just like a great chat fest with one of your girlfriends, “Bossy Pants” shows us that people in comedy are just like us, with all of our forgotten errands and anxiet-ies about raising kids in our technological world. A quick and fun read with one of the greatest comedians of our time.
“Delirium” by Lauren Oliver is an interesting new twist on forbidden love which I perceived to take place in the future, a future where love is thought to be a disease. The community forces you to get “cured” once you turn 18 to save you from what is referred to as Amor Deliria Nervosa, a.k.a. love. The main char-acter, Lena, wants nothing more than to be cured of the deadly disease which can kill you when you have it and when you don’t. She’s also been tragically scarred by her mother’s suicide
when she was a young girl. Because of her mother’s “insanity” due to the deadly disease, Lena is determined that she will not become infected and she will get cured. Unfortunately for Lena, she succumbs to the pull of the disease and finds that the cure she had dreamed of receiving her whole life is a curse and that love is good, not evil. This book involves many twists to keep readers interested. It’s an intriguing book and I would definitely read it if you haven’t al-ready.
Compiled by Senior Makayla Pace
Compiled by Book Club adviser Lisa Ann Tsuruda
Compiled by ASACS Counselor Mary Schwing
Teacher Review Student Review
“Bossy Pants”by Tina Fey
“Delirium”by Lauren Oliver
HELP MR.
Mr. King Fish has im-ported a bundle of kittens for his annual Christmas Cats-in-Santa-Hats photo shoot. The bumbling delivery man, however, misplaced all of the Santa hats around the room, which could ruin his holi-day plans!
Help him find the 10 Santa hats scattered throughout his party room and save Christmas!
KING FISH
PlethoraBy Timothy Leoncio
And How Was Your DayBy Makanalani Yamanoha
DOUBLETSInvented by Lewis Carroll, Doublets test your vocabulary and logic. Turn the first word into the last by changing the word one letter at a time.
HOLLY_______ giddy ranchers
_______ *jiggle*
_______ pie destination
_______ meanie
See answers to these puzzles and more comics from previous issues at trojantimes.org
