ΩKaren OuFeature Editor

To provide students with the latest in-formation, ASB is continuing its Twitter page and Mr. Jordan has created a Principal’s Page on Facebook at the start of this school year.

ASB decided Twitter would be a con-venient approach to inform students about upcoming events.

“We found out that a lot of people have Twitter on their cell phones, and they will al-ways be attached to their cell phones, unlike with Facebook. You aren’t around a com-puter all the time,” ASB president, senior An-gela Lau said.

Although ASB launched the Twitter page last year, this year is the more official start for them.

“We thought of the idea late in the year,” senior Khalil Corbin, ASB Speaker of the House, said. “At that time, there wasn’t that much going on to update Twitter with. So now we’re constantly updating the page, reaching the students on the social net-work.”

ASB expects that using Twitter will in-form students about school dances, pep ral-lies, and other important dates.

“We just want to get the word out about events. By using Twitter, we can communi-cate [with students] on all sides,” Lau said. “If they don’t read the posters, at least they’ll

stay on top of things with Twitter.”Keeping students continually updated is

one of ASB’s main concerns. “It’s important for ASB to be able to com-

municate and connect to students because if we weren’t able to do that, we couldn’t tell them about upcoming events,” Corbin said.

As ASB experimented with Twitter, Mr. Jordan, aiming for improved communication with students and the community, opted for a Principal’s Page on Facebook.

“I created this page because I wanted to find a way to unite the community with the school,” Jordan said. “I know that Facebook is a huge, social networking tool which has increasing members each day.”

Through Facebook, Jordan hopes more people will have a greater understanding and knowledge of everything related to the school.

“I want to increase communication with our students, parents, graduates, and com-munity members,” Jordan said. “I want to be able to send information out to people about the school, and I also want people to be able to post information or pictures about events happening.”

For Jordan, keeping communication ac-tive is a top priority with Facebook.

“During these difficult times with budget cuts and changes to the school, it is impor-tant to me that everyone is in the know about what is happening,” Jordan said. “Commu-nication will be a key to us surviving.” Ω

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walnut high school

VOLUME 43, ISSUE 1 October 1, 2010400 N. PIERRE RD. WALNUT CA, 91789

Facebook and Twitter connect students

FEATUREMr. Silva sings “Thankful” by Josh Groban at choir’s Cabaret Night

PAGE 11

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Smartmusic gives students feedback when they play music online.

PAGE 4

SPORTSWalnut beat the Covina Colts 49-42 in the Homecoming game.

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cuts in school Budget progress to directly affect faculty and students

ASB coordinates its Twitter Page and Principal Jeff Jordan cre-ates the Principal Page to better communicate with students.

Create an opinion

walnuths.net 400 North Pierre Road Walnut, CA 91789

Kalina Kazemi, 9“As long as [the admin] doesn’t use it to interfer with a student’s personal life I think it’s a good thing to keep people updated””

Kevin Salazar, 11“I think it’s both good and bad. Good because we’re updated frequently, but bad because they can look through our personal information”

Patricia Yumul, 11“I think it’s really good [that we can connect to the school through the internet] because I know what’s going on and all the upcoming events”

Michael Le, 12“I like how everyone from the past, like alumni, can still interact with the school and are updated with everything going on”

Lindsay Choi, 12“I think there’s a fine line between what’s on Facebook and what goes on at school”

Empty Lot Late Starts

Cheer Publications

Dances

VPC

Choir DramaASB

Pep Rallies Football Games

Spirt Day

Compiled by Celine Ison, Janzen Alejo, Jessica You, Tiffany Diep, Candy Yuan, and Michael Hyun

Andrew KooOnline Editor-in-Chief

Walnut Valley Unified has reduced its budget by 20 million dollars in the last three years, but this is the first year the reduc-tion in budget has directly impacted students and teachers, Prin-cipal Jeff Jordan said.

“At Walnut High School we’re looking at our available resources and we have to be willing to re-look at how we do business,” Jordan said. “We’ve been dealing with [these budget reductions] now for two years and everyone just has to be willing to look at and approach things differently.”

The cuts have affected all aspects of school, including sports, clubs, and co-curricular programs such as the fine arts and organizations. Co-curricular programs have been slashed from a budget of $210,000 to $76,000 this year.

The International Baccalaureate program has lost its entire government-funded budget, leading to the loss of CASC and EE advisers, but parent funding has allowed the school to continue the curriculum. IB students now pay a $699 entrance fee, versus the $350 required in previous years.

“It is still funded through parent support,” Jordan said. “[But] we’ve also had to cut other resources, such as buying [classroom

materials] for teachers. We are getting by on a sliver.”Coaches took the bulk of cuts in the form of extra duty

stipends, where two thirds of last year’s budget was cut. Many sports have fundraised to keep their coaching staff.

Baseball, Volleyball, and Basketball hosted car washes, Soc-cer sold root beer, Track and Cross Country held booths at Con-certs at the Park during the summer, and Football held a Texas Hold ‘Em Night, among other fundraisers.

“Our coaches are dedicated to doing what it takes to keep all programs up and running [and] are spending time outside of their coaching assignment trying to raise funds to keep things happen-ing,” athletics director Jerry Person said. “I think we will see this as something that is ongoing until we can turn the state financial situation around.”

Budget cuts have also affected clubs and club advisers.“Due to budget cuts, there are a limited number of people

who are available to supervise clubs,” ASB adviser Andy Schultz said. “Previously paid positions have been cut, so now we need staff to fill those positions, [which] are vital to the success of the school.”

Five furlough days, or non-instructional days, were imple-mented. Furlough days affect academic performance, college

prep, and teacher’s salaries, history teacher Rita Puzo said.“The students are forced to work at a faster pace. I’m not

sure how I am going to make that time up. It is a dilemma that teachers have to deal with,” Puzo said. “We’ll just have to see at the end of the year [in terms of student performance].”

Other changes include the loss of an instructional dean, Danny Kim, an across-the-board 2.72% pay reduction on em-ployees, generally increased class sizes, and restricted budgets on assignments outside of the school day, according to Jordan.

These extra assignments include paying faculty to manage the clocks for football or basketball games or to keep score dur-ing volleyball games. This also changes how detentions and the suspension programs will be run.

After school detentions have been converted into lunch detentions, Saturday school will be changed to after school on Mondays, and the ICE program will be enforced during periods 1-4 at the suspension center.

“During tough times, all of us have got to be able to com-municate and we have to be able to trust each other. But the great thing about Walnut High School is that we’ve always been will-ing to work together to solve problems,” said Jordan. Ω

Photo iLLuStration Created bY weSLeY wu Photo CourteSY of faCebooK.CoM PhotoS uSed with PerMiSSion bY aP iMageS and MCt CaMPuS

10.01.10Vol. 43, Issue 1 the hoofprint2 news

&previews

CALENDARGraduation FairCollege Application NightWalnut Family FestivalLate StartPep RallyRed Ribbon Week

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Candee YuanStaff Writer

The Parent Portal, a new program from the Aeries grading software, will be launched on Oct. 1, allowing parents to view their child’s grades online.

“It basically allows parents to look at the son or daughter’s grades at around a two-week grading period,” educational technology staff

member Bob Woolley said.Every student will have an account and

password that their parents can set.“The parents can take advantage of this

situation especially if the student does not tell the parents about their grades,” Woolley said.

Many teachers want the program to allow parents to be more proactive in their child’s schoolwork, which can add extra pressure on the students to excel in their classes.

“We, as parents, can see how our child is doing, if they’re skipping class, or even check if they’re on top of their grades,” applied arts teacher Mike Yamashiro said.

Many students who used the Parent Portal during the summer found it easy to navigate.

“The Parent Portal is easy to use because it’s on the web and it shows you all of your re-port cards in one place,” freshman Christine Hu said.

However, students have not unanimously supported the Parent Portal.

“I don’t think it should be allowed because students will have more pressure on their aca-demics due to the stress given off by parents,” freshman Jessica Huang said. Ω

Vanessa ChouStaff Writer

A new club this year, Martial Arts Club, was formed by combining the pre-existing Wushu Club and the new Taekwondo Club.

“Around the second week of school, I thought that maybe it would be cool if we joined with Taekwondo Club and formed a Martial Arts Club, because I was afraid that Wushu club would not get many members due to a lack of knowledge of what wushu exactly is,” said president of Wushu Club, junior Miye

Nakashima. Taekwondo Club, however, was originally

asked to join the Korean Club, as indicated on the “Club Approval List for 2010-2011.

“Taekwondo seemed to jump at the op-portunity when we first approached them, and, coincidentally, we had both asked the same teacher to be our club advisor.” said Nakashima.

Wushu Club and Taekwondo Club have decided to keep separate within Martial Arts Club to represent the clubs’ individual ideas.

“Most of the work we do together is planned for later in the year, when Multicul-tural Assembly draws near,” Nakashima says.

Other new clubs have also been asked

to combine with pre-existing ones: Walnut Ukulele Players with Club Acoustics, CRITIC with Film and Photography Club, Food Aware-ness with Culinary Arts, and Math Tutoring Club with Math Club; however, some of the new clubs have ended up dissolving instead of combining.

“There are not enough advisers to be in charge of all the clubs, so combining the clubs helps decrease the number of advisers needed. The leaders who dissolved their clubs instead of combining it probably disliked the idea of joining clubs together; either they wanted to be president or they wanted their own club.” said Andy Schultz, the ASB adviser. Ω

Tiffany DiepStaff Writer

After ten years, a sixth period P.E. class is being offered once again to help freshmen have flexibility in their schedules and balance their classes. Due to the sports teams that practice in the pool, gym, athletic fields and tennis courts, the students will have to learn to adjust to the restrictions.

“Walnut students are very resourceful. This is a positive, energetic class; they will make the most out of the opportunities they have,” P.E. teacher Karen Jenson said.

In order to fulfill state standards, students may have to practice swim strokes outside of the pool instead of in the water because sports teams have priority.

“It makes me feel kind of inferior to the sports teams, like they are better than us, since the boys in P.E. got the extra or left over P.E. lock-ers,” freshman Gary Ying said.

Students have not begun the swimming unit and are learning to waltz.

“I feel sad because I don’t get to do as many activities as the other classes,” freshman Jeremy Lee, said. “It is a bittersweet experience because I am extremely uncomfortable with swimming, but I still don’t like dancing.”

On the other hand, some students have learned to accept the alter-nate activities that they are required to participate in.

“For me, dancing is not so bad, because its like getting something you need to do done, and its kind of fun in a way,” said Ying. Ω

Jeffrey LeungStaff Writer

The Walnut Family Festival will be held on Saturday, Oct. 9 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Suzanne Park. A variety of clubs and organizations are participating in the event, including Colorguard, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) , En-vironmental Care and Global Awareness (ECGA) and Wishmakers.

“My club is doing this because our main goal is basically to fundraise for what I believe is an extremely good cause,” Wishmakers president, senior Allison Hu said.

Last year, the club donated around $3,500 to the Make-a-Wish foundation that uses the money to grant a wish to a child with life-threatening medical conditions.

“Knowing that tomorrow may be your last day is probably the worst feeling and thought in the world, so we want to be able to give them something they really desire before, as harsh as it sounds, they never get to,” Hu said.

There are also some students who attend the festival despite having no affiliation with school clubs.

“I do plan on going this year because I love walking around with my family and friends; plus, that funnel cake is waiting for me,” said Senior Dickson Yuen Ω

Celine IsonEditor-in-Chief

ASB hosted a “Moulin Rouge” themed Homecoming on Saturday, Sept. 25.

“The theme came about because it was both casual, yet formal”, dance committee leader, senior Angela Lau said. “With Homecoming, it’s fun to find a theme because it’s not too formal, but not too out there like Sadies”.

As with every year, ASB tries to out do them-selves with bigger and better dances, but also keeping it within a budget.

“The challenge is trying to keep up the stan-dard, while having the prices go down,” Lau said.

To uphold that standard ASB bought fabrics from downtown LA, took inspiration from catalogs, but did not purchase anything, and went to Mi-chael’s and made their own centerpieces.

“When we put everything together on Satur-day I was really proud of the outcome,” said Lau. “We weren’t sure if all the pieces would fit, but since Moulin Rouge consists of random pieces it worked really well together”.

Roughly 350-400 people attended this years’ homecoming and took note of the efforts ASB put into this dance.

“I was surprised that the centerpieces were just tissue paper,” senior Jessica Bacosa said. “It was really unique and brought the theme together”. Ω

Administration launches parent portalParents can view their child’s grades online through per-sonalized accounts.

Sixth period P.E. offered again to studentsStudents have flexibility in choosing their schedules, but sports teams have priority for facilities during their practices.

Clubs combine with preexisting clubs

Homecoming: the nominations, the game, and the dance

Homecoming glory (from left to rigHt): Seniors Jasmine Hennessy and Kenny Matsune dance at Homecoming; Homecoming nominations are made at the lunch stage; Senior Allison Hu was elected Homecoming Queen at halftime on the field; Aubrey Coleman and Coach O’ shields, after successful winning the Homecoming game against Covina; Covina prepares to hike the ball. Walnut won the Homecoming game, 49-42; Seniors Marc Francisco and Lorraine Sobretodo sing to each other at the half time show of the game.

DAncing to tHe WAltZ: Freshmen Amber Estrada and Bryan Ramirez waltz during sixth period P.E.

Clubs combine to accomodate the lack of club advisers.

PREVIEW: WALNut fAmILy fEstIVAL

bRIEf: HomEComINg

photo By Carmel yaNG

photos By aNN lei, felix lee, keviN yiN,aNd Carmel yaNG

Julia WinEditor-in-Chief

Mt. Saint Mary’s will be on cam-pus next week in the career center to talk to students and hand out informa-tion.

However, these are just a few of the many colleges that visit the school throughout the year. College repre-sentatives hold presentations during specific lunches so that students can drop by and gather information about the college.

“The visits are very helpful,” Candice Marsano, career technician, said. “The representatives have been on the specific college’s campus and have attended the school. They can tell you about clubs, the environment, what scholarships are available, and more.”

Listening in on a presentation is much better than just going online for information, Marsano said.

“The representatives are the ones actually reading the applications and can tell you exactly what they’re look-ing for. It is different from just finding information online, since it’s basic on the internet. You can ask the represen-tatives what they’re own experience was. They can tell you first-hand on things like dorming, what the school is like, an fees. You can write down a list of whatever questions come to mind, and there’s always time to ask ques-tions at the end. I think people contact is much better,” Marsano said.

Though students may be busy the day of a college visit, the career

center helps to keep that from being a deterrent.

“Even if you miss something, you can always come in the next day to see what colleges left, like brochures and view books. I think the student turnout is not as high as it could be because students are just not aware of what they can do,” Marsano said.

The career center also offers much more help other than informa-tion from college visits.

“We have all the college cata-logues, a lot of financial aid informa-tion, and scholarship information. I post all financial aid information outside. I make sure there’s stuff in the career center for every student – not just college information but also internships, work appointments, and stuff like that. Students are welcome to utilize what we have,” Marsano said.

The college-visit schedule is posted online, on the Mustang Bul-letin, and on the window of the career center for students to look at. The career center is open during lunch. Ω

10.01.10Vol. 43, Issue 1 news 3the hoofprint

Due to slashes in the state’s budget, five furlough days have been added to the school year. Brittany Tsou News Editor

The district has implemented five furlough days this year because of the budget cuts prompted by California’s current economy.

“This is my thirty-second year in Walnut, and I never recollected having furlough days,” class of 2012 grade level coordinator Scott Cassells said. “The state of the economy has never been in the state it is in, in all my years of education.”

A calendar committee met with district personnel and the teachers’ union, choosing Nov. 10, Nov. 24, Jan. 18, Feb. 18, and Apr. 22 as the days that students and staff would not attend school.

“I like the way the dates are because it gives me more time to hang out with friends and family during the holidays,” junior Kelsey Breland said.

The school’s overall performance on AP and IB tests in May depends on the students’ and teachers’ combined efforts.

“I think our students do a very good job preparing for the tests, and I’m sure the teach-ers are really good in making up for the lost time,” class of 2012 grade level coordinator Danny Daher said. “I don’t anticipate any drop or drastic change in test scores.” Ω

District implements five furlough days

Janzen AlejoStaff Writer

Daphne Ha, Michael Hyun, Calvin Lee, and Emily Huang were elected 2010’s Freshmen Class Cabinet. The positions are Ha as president, Hyun as vice presi-dent, Lee as secretary, and Emily Huang as treasurer.

“I was definitely shocked! Everyone had such an even chance of winning so I wasn’t really expecting to,” Ha said.

For the past couple weeks they have been writing speeches, creating posters and t-shirts, and campaign-ing within the school.

“I wanted to send a message to the audience about the truth concerning class elections, and my true mor-als,” said Hyun.

But deciding to become an officer requires much thought and contemplation on your real reasons and values.

“I think some of the responsibilities of a being a cabinet member is to be a good role model to their

class, provide ideas for fundraisers, to lead the fund-raisers, and to lead our Class to a better future,” Huang said.

Due to recent budget cuts, the need to fundraise is even more pronounced than the past few years. “I believe we’re going to be selling candy apples. I think that this is a good idea and believe that selling food items is the way to go for fundraising,” Lee said. “Other fundraisers just seem a bit risky whereas food is sure to work.”

Being an officer comes with more pressure not just because they are figure heads for the class, but also because they are freshmen.

“I was ASB president at Suzanne. During that year, my other classmates and I had a super fun time planning dances, making grams, setting up for exciting events, But this year is different, mostly because were at the bottom of the food chain in high school!” Ha said.

Being a freshman means more than being new to high school, it means new and fresh ideas.

“It may be just freshman year, but it’s still worth something. Everyone has to start somewhere and this is the perfect place to start,” Lee said. Ω

Sharon Lay Opinions Editor

Link Crew was organized by Paul McLaughlin, Toni Simmons, and Norlyn Ni-colas to help incoming freshmen adjust to the new school.

“On the application process, upperclass-men said ‘I wish I had known this as a fresh-men,’” Simmons said. “This was a way to have freshmen be informed about high school. Link crew leaders model what it’s like to be a suc-cessful student.”

Link Crew Leaders inform the incoming freshmen about what to expect and the differ-ences between high school and middle school.

“During orientation, they told us about the challenges ahead, and got us ready for the advanced learning and the harder subjects,” freshman Jonathan Wang said.

To help the incoming freshmen, Link Crew leaders met in the summer from Aug. 16-17 for training sessions. There they discussed and simulated games for freshmen orientation such as count off, team juggling, and 64 Squares.

The object of 64 squares was to get from one side to the other through the 64 paper squares, some representing rocks and others representing turtles. Freshmen could only step on squares representing rocks while traveling

to the other side and were guided by their Link Crew leader.

“64 Squares was the most important game because it tied all the elements in the Link Crew process together,” junior Nitin Agrawal said. “The whole point of the game was to show freshmen they didn’t always have to go forward; certain obstacles would inhibit them from going forward the whole time.”

In addition to these games, the Link Crew leaders wore their shirts on the first day of school to help freshmen find their way to

classes. While Link Crew currently has no activi-

ties planned for the year, the leaders continue to connect with their freshmen by taking them to school activities.

“Most of the Link Crew leaders are taking their freshmen to the Branding Iron game to expose them to school spirit,” Agrawal said. “It’s a good experience for freshmen because they’ve never been exposed to these types of things before. They’ll learn what it’s like to be a Mustang.” Ω

Link crew helps freshmen adjustWalnut has adopted Link crew, a nationwide program, to help freshmen transition to high school.

College admissions officers visit campusCollege representa-tives are available for questions at lunch.

Freshmen elect class officersDaphne Ha is elected president by the class of 2014.

College Visiting Dates

Mt. Saint Mary’sCal State FullertonTuft UniversityPt. Loma NazarineConcordiaScrippsCal Poly

10/410/510/610/710/811/111/2

64 StepS: Freshman Chase Clark plays 64 Squares with Link crew members. The Link crew meets with its freshmen to help them adjust to the high school environment.

photo By Ann lei

10.01.10Vol. 43, Issue 1 the hoofprint4 a&e

Kevin YinStaff Writer

Smartmusic, an interactive web-based music assessment center, is brought back and reintegrated into the music program for every student to use. Due to the large size of the band and orchestra’s programs, the need to monitor individual progress is made easier with Smartmusic.

With weekly online assignments and assessments, the ad-visers hope to promote practice time, the most common issue among student musicians.

“In all fields of music, we worry that one of the most com-mon issues in the music program is to motivate students to prac-tice. We want students to be able to sit down and devote them-selves for a certain amount of time,” band and orchestra director Dr. Clements said.

Advisers also hope that implementing this program will pro-mote a higher level of musicianship.

“It’s going really well. It really encourages students to prac-tice, because its fun, kind of like Guitar Hero. We want to make sure that everyone is improving,” band and orchestra director Mr. Wicks said.

With a selection of more than a thousand songs, Smartmusic operates as a sort of karaoke for instruments. Students play di-rectly into their microphone along with the sheet music onscreen. Notes hit correctly are marked green, while incorrect notes are red. There is also complementary background music that allows students to listen and feel how their part fits into the entirety of the performance. Players are then scored based on how many notes that were played accurately.

Some students are unsure of the program’s true intentions and whether or not it will positively effect the music program.

“I am not sure how effective it will be as the program does nothing to grade style or tone, just note accuracy and rhythms. The smart music program is a computer, so it can’t judge such subjective things. Our group needs a grasp on style in order to be better,” jazz band tenor sax player, senior Royal Morris said.

Because Smartmusic is also prone to technical difficulties, some students are having trouble at home trying to get the pro-gram to work.

“It’s a little difficult due to technical issues such as the mic having hard time picking up the recording, but it still makes us practice, which is the right intention. It certainly helps me skill wise, but it is also very time consuming,” orchestra viola player, sophomore John Luna said.

Despite these minor issues, the directors have faith in the success of the program. In orchestra, Smartmusic has aided in the process of chair testing and in other fields of music, assignments, such as at-home-tests, have already been sent home.

“We can take the test any amount of times before the due date, and submit the recording we like best. It’s a little more re-laxing, because we are allowed more chances for better scores,” Luna said. Ω

Band and orchestra renew Smartmusic

GET SMART: Band member senior Daniel Rodriguez uses Smartmusic pieces to test his cite reading skills by playing along with the background music and then by analyzing his mistakes.

photo By kevin yin

Smartmusic keeps track of stu-dent musicians’ progress.

Meet the captainsCOLORGUARD: Lindsay ChoiDANCE: Alinda Wang

CHEER: Samantha Voisan CHEER: Parveen Hothi

1. Are there any new changes planned since becom-ing captain?Basically, we don’t have a JV team anymore. It’s just one varsity team now; there’s not many big changes.2. How is this year going to be different from last year?I think the field show will be more pleasing to the au-dience because we’re doing Mary Poppins, and it’s a more fun family approach rather than intense like last year’s Zorro, and the amount of new equipment helps improve the effects for the show.3. What do you, as captain, want to do differently this year?I want them to have a passion for performing rather than just doing it because they have to. I want them to gain the skills necessary in order to make the team look good.4. What do you want out of your team this year?It’d be nice to win, but I want our team to try the best they can.

1. Are there any new changes planned since be-coming captain?There are more responsibilities and more pressure put on me to be a good example for the new dance girls.2. How is this year going to be different from last year?I would like the team to have more unity and have more bonding time, so we can come together as one team and one family.3. What do you, as captain, want to do differently this year?Each girl is different so my goal is to figure out dif-ferent ways to approach each person, so they can understand easier.4. What do you want out of your team this year?I want for the girls to enjoy the team, feel like we’re family or people to turn to and to just come together as a team. I want them to feel that all the hard work pays off in the end at competitions.

1. Are there any new changes planned since be-coming captain?We have a new coach, so a lot of things have changed but for the better. She’s extremely positive and always encourages us to do better, treats us like her own kids, and is always there for us.2. How is this year going to be different from last year?We want to be more supportive for other sports and become closer as a team and work well together.3. What do you, as captain, want to do differently this year?In general, we want the team to be more unified and into one team and not so divided into JV and varsity. We really want to improve on our stunts and have more complicated and difficult stunts, as well as indi-vidual stunts so our squad can be better.4. What do you want out of your team this year?I want our team to be close and varsity to be the best we can be and also to teach the younger girls what we know and give them spirit.

1. Are there any new changes planned since becom-ing captain?I want the squad to be closer, become better, and work well together. This year, I want us to go to competition because we didn’t go to competition in the earlier years. Cheer competition is like our CIF and where we can prove ourselves.2. How is this year going to be different from last year?There were changes with the stunt groups so the girls have to get used to their new partners. Cheer is looked down on sometimes, so I really want to build up the squad. I want to work on our discipline.3. What do you, as captain, want to do differently this year?I want everyone to work well in groups as well as indi-vidually and the squad as a whole. Captains have a lot more expectations this year, and have to be role models for the girls in the squad and set an example for them.4. What do you want out of your team this year?I want to work more on communication so everyone un-derstands what’s going, so no one gets lost.

A new year introduces four senior girls as the captains of their teams. Compiled by Shannon Sin, Staff Writer

photo By rea reyes

photo By celine isonphoto By ann lei

photo By avika dua

a&e 5the hoofprint 10.01.10Vol. 43, Issue 1

cabaret night in photosCloCkwise: Wearing a cowboy hat, senior Eric Crumley MCs for Cabaret Night.// Treble Choir sang Sara Bareilles’ “Love Song” and Celine Dion’s “Taking Chances”.// Sophomore Olivia Lin and junior Vincent Dao performed a cover of Bruno Mars’ “Count on Me”.// Cham-ber Choir performed Josef Zawinui and Jon Hendricks’ “Birdland” and Michael Bublé’s “Haven’t Met You Yet”.// Women’s Ensemble and senior Rachel Lewis clapped to Beatles’ “Hello Goodbye”.

Jacqueline ChowArts & Entertainment Editor

This year’s dinner theater, “Alibis”, will be held from Oct. 21-23 at the MPR. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7. Tickets can be purchased starting Oct. 11.

Directors of “Alibis”, seniors Anna Liao and Cindy Lin de-vised a script based off an actual play, “Alibis” by Peter Ken-nedy. This production will fulfill their credit for their IB Theatre HL independent project.

“I was inspired by Anna Ling, my friend and former senior because she said it was a pretty good experience. I’m glad Cindy and I asked Ms. Karr for permission to do dinner theatre for our independent project because I’m gaining a lot from this piece,” Liao said.

This dinner theater production revolves around a group of people who are invited by Primavera Donna, a wealthy actress, to her mansion for a dinner banquet. Because the guests found Prima dead upon arrival as they investigate “whodunnit”, strange and comedic events occur throughout the night.

“Even though the investigation can be quite serious, we wanted it to be more comedic. That’s what we add to the original play. It’s still serious yet the audience can have a laugh at what the characters do,” Lin said.

Despite that Liao and Lin are both new to directing, dinner theater overall is going smoothly.

“Surprisingly, we didn’t have much problems as directing is a new experience for us. We weren’t sure exactly how rehearsal and the play would start,” Liao said.

With roughly only 3 weeks before the showing of dinner theater, all looks forward to this production.

“The plays at the dinner theatre are silly, but they’re meant to be silly; everyone has a good time,” drama adviser, Joanna Karr said. Ω

Drama serves up “Alibis” for dinner theater

TABle TAlk: Sophomores Toni Gallardo, Bailey Hermes, and Andi Seeget and freshman Aldo Lemcke rehearse their lines for the upcoming show.

IB Theatre HL students direct comi-cal murder mystery for this year’s dinner theater.

Elliot Park and Jessica WangScene Editor and Staff Writer

Sophomores Alex and Katie Takahashi cre-ated Blue Thunder Band Buddies club in order to keep the Walnut District elementary schools’ music programs alive.

This club serves as an effective tutoring service for elementary school students.

“The purpose is to make sure that everyone has somewhat of an exposure to music,” Alex said. “What we’re going to do is not only teach-ing an instrument, but inspire [kids] to pursue music throughout their lives.”

Although the elementary school music pro-grams were not negatively impacted by the bud-get cuts in the end, Blue Thunder Band Buddies provides basic musical instruction that supports the foundation of playing instruments.

“If we were elementary students, we defi-nitely would appreciate a service like this. Ele-

mentary school is when we first got started with music. Alex and I have kept it with us through-out middle and high school,” Katie said.

Blue Thunder Band Buddies sees great opportunity in early exposure to music and through its efforts, it hopes that there are many future band members to come.

“Fifth grade is a great time to start; there’s not a lot of homework, so there’s lot of time to play,” Alex said. “They can start [playing] and love it early. And if they start earlier, they would know how fun it is and make time to play.”

By supporting the music of their communi-ty, the Takahashis and the other members of the club are able to help even their very own Blue Thunder Marching Band for the future.

“This is important because since we’re helping band in the district, in turn, we’re help-ing our high school band because if we get peo-ple to join band from elementary and middle school, they’ll start early enough,” Alex said. “That passion will follow them to high school. In four years, we’ll have many more willing people to participate in our performing arts.” Ω

Blue Thunder Band Buddies tu-tors elementary school students

photo by rea reyes

New cheer coach influences team

Carlene ChinnStaff Writer

Coming from another school district, coach Evette Sanchez looks forward to a fresh start and has high hopes for the cheer team.

“I don’t see the cheer girls only as my team. We all listen to each other, and we’ve got-ten close to a point where we can call each oth-er family. They even call me Mama Sanchez,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez, a former cheerleader and alumni of Walnut High, interned as a counselor before she applied to be the new cheer coach. Still in training to become a GLC, Sanchez is working toward getting her Bachelor’s in Counseling and graduating in December.

“Sometimes I like to throw in my counsel-ing skills when I’m talking to the girls. It works and it lets them know we can all work together to get what we want,” Sanchez said.

Being the new coach gives Sanchez many opportunities to teach methods and ideas the cheer team did not see the previous year. San-chez encourages the team to participate equally in practice and community work. As a result, the team has already had several fundraisers to enhance the school spirit.

“Our coach really gets us more involved with the school. This year, she’s trying to get us to bond with the football players and understand the game. It’s something cheer never really did in the past,” freshman Ashley Winters said.

Sanchez hopes that the cheer team can grasp the concept of teamwork and achieving new goals through dedication and cooperation. The team says the extra motivational words push the team to try their best and eliminate all negative thoughts.

“There’s more support coming form our coach this year. It’s helped the team maintain a positive attitude,” cheer captain, senior Saman-tha Voisan said.

Coach Sanchez and the pep squad have high hopes for their upcoming performances.

“It seems as if there is no limit to what the cheer team can achieve,” Sanchez said. Ω

From counseling to coach-ing, Evette Sanchez brings new ideas for cheer.

Students give musical gui-for younger peers.

photos by josephine lien

Editors-in-ChiefCeline IsonJulia Win

News EditorsEddie Cox

Brittany TsouOpinion Editors

Sharon LayJosephine Lien

Feature EditorsJessica Kwok

Karen OuReetika Singh

A&E EditorJacqueline Chow

Scene EditorElliot Park

Sports EditorsEsther Hwang

Felix Lee

Business ManagersCeline Ison

Carmel Yang

AdviserMs. Rebecca Chai

Staff WritersNathan Au-Yeung, Eva Chen, Carlene Chinn, Cloris Chou, Gabriella Compolongo, Avika Dua, Diane Fann, Daphne Ha, Raytene Han, Iqra Iqbal, Kashif Iqbal, Justin Kang, Alex Kim, Michelle Kim, Mabel Kyinn, Joyce Lam, Calvin Lee, Ann Lei, Jeffrey Leung, Jasmine Lin, Susan Lin, Christine Liu, Eunice Pang, Tina Peng, Moanna Phan, Leonie Phoa, Rea Reyes, Car-oline Shih, Shannon Sin, Lily Tanara, Parida Tantiwasadakran, Varisa Tantiwasadakran, Deanna Trang, Alvin Wan, Alexandra Wong, Phillomina Wong, Kevin Wu, Carmel Yang, Stephany Yong, Angela Aie, Janzen Alejo, Matthew Almeida, Austin Au-Yeung, Vanessa Chou, Tiffany Diep, Timothy Huang, Michael Hyun, Daniela Kim, Susie Law, Amy Lee, Angelina Tang, Jes-sica Wang, Ashley Xu, Kevin Yin, Jessica You, Candee Yuang

Mission StatementThe Hoofprint, the official student newspaper of Walnut High School, is a forum for student expression that strives for accuracy, journalistic integrity, and truthfulness. It seeks to reflect the diversity of the student body and surrounding

community in a fair and objective manner.

the hoofprint Ω

Every year, the Hoofprint hopes to improve and grow. We are continually looking for new ways to progress. This translates to better writing, better photogra-phy, and above all, better cov-erage of our student body. The Hoofprint is an open forum for student expression. As an open student forum, we strive to find ways to cover our student body as much as possible. This in-volves input from students. Let-ters to the editor allow students to take part in our newspaper in a direct manner. This interaction will push us to grow as an orga-nization and community.

In hopes of fulfilling our aspiration to induce greater coverage, we have implemented major changes. Our online newspaper has expanded to include student blogs, such as a book review blog, a fashion blog, and blogs for each student. Fur-thermore, students can upload pictures to the online gallery of school events after moderation. There has also been an addition to our newspaper: the Arts and Entertainment section. Encom-passing our past Feature and In-Depth sections, this new section covers student expression and involvement through organiza-tions such as orchestra, band, choir, ASB, and Mustang Up-date. With these advancements, we anticipate more interconnect-edness within the school and among the students.

Not only are we striving to im-prove our coverage, but also our journalistic integrity. It is impera-

tive for us to cover all aspects of the school accurately in an unbiased manner. Our stories will become highly developed as to cover all sides of the issue.

While the Hoofprint goes through changes to improve and progress, we understand that the school is also experiencing changes (budget cuts and fur-lough days) that have affected every corner of our campus.These budget cuts have impact-ed our students, our teachers, our school board, and our or-ganizations, including the Hoof-print. Despite this, the Hoofprint will uphold its mission statement: The Hoofprint, the official stu-dent newspaper of Walnut High School, is an open forum for student expression that strives for accuracy, journalistic integ-rity, and truthfulness. It seeks to reflect the diversity of the student body and surrounding community in a fair and objective manner.

Not only will we uphold our standards, but also we ask that the school upholds theirs as well. Though we have less to work with, we ask the school, the staff, the students, and our-selves to step up and face the challenges ahead. We cannot allow these obstacles to lower our standards in any way.

Despite these high expecta-tions, our past achievements are a reflection of what we can accomplish, even with several hardships. After all, we are Wal-nut High School, and success is our middle name. Ω

A fresh foundation

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10.01.10Vol. 43, Issue 1 the hoofprint6 opinion

Josephine LienOpinions Editor

At each registration, students of the Walnut Val-ley Unified School District obliviously agree to a set of disciplinary guidelines

titled the Education Code. A simple signature is enough to bind every student to several poli-cies, including a few that most do not fully com-prehend. It is not a choice that students have either; signing the code is required in order to at-tend the school.

I’m willing to bet that the majority of stu-dents are not aware that their Facebook pages, Twitters, and other forms of social network-ing are accessible to ad-ministrators if they have a legitimate reason to be concerned. Those new status messages may not be as private as count-less students are led to believe.

According to Code R, a student may be punished if he or she “engaged in an act of bullying, including, but not limited to, bullying committed by means of an electronic set.” If absolutely necessary, vent-ing about a less-than-tolerable person in a diary is a much better alternative that won’t land you in the principal’s office. Antagonizing someone via Facebook may seem like an easier way to insult someone without face-to-face confron-tation, but it will only conclude in heaps of trouble.

Committing an obscene act and engaging in habitual profanity are other actions that are prohibited. In a sea of curse words and repul-

sive gestures, it is a wonder that more students are not punished as a large number of them undoubtedly violate this policy. The school, however, lacks enough figures of authority to regulate every single student in the entire school. This isn’t necessarily the school’s fault though. With budget cuts and the simple fact that it is impossible to catch every student who decides to let out a stream of profanity, plenty of students continue cursing without facing any penalties.

Although hazing on college campuses is common due to the Greek system, it is explicitly stated in the code of conduct that it is a punish-able offense at Wal-nut High.

Hazing is actu-ally prohibited by California Educa-tion Code 48900 (q), which states that hazing could very possibly lead to suspension or expulsion. Certain sports teams on our campus are known for initiation tradi-tions that may seem like hazing to an outsider’s point of view. So far, most

initiation acts such as running on the track with swimming caps on their heads, have been rela-tively harmless.

The Education Code is signed by thou-sands, yet few are aware of what it entails. De-spite this, blaming the school is not a reasonable excuse.

It is every student’s responsibility to com-prehend what they are signing and abide by it, even if it means asking a few questions or doing a little research. Ω

Do you know what you are signing?Every student signs an agreement to the Educa-tion Code at the beginning of each school year. However, most are not aware of its details.

“It is every student’s responsibility to com-prehend what they are signing and abide by it, even if it means asking a few questions or doing a little research.”

– Josephine Lien, 12

Editorial cartoon by to-Van Hoang

Justin KangStaff Writer

You go on Facebook, and you see that someone posted pictures of a party you went to. That’s pretty cool, seeing as you got back five minutes ago. Someone likes your pictures!

You scroll down a bit more and you notice someone’s dog just ran away. That sucks. Four people like it. What? Your phone buzzes to tell you that your other friend just had the best nap of his life… but now they have homework to do. You go on Tumblr to see that “powerpullfive” is “Hurt-ing inside but is ready to forgive.” You can either reblog it, or go through the 94 pictures of Mr. Lim... again. Seems a bit much, doesn’t it?

Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter all give an outlet for students to tell others about their lives, but sometimes, it’s a bit much. Out of my 299 friends (an admittedly paltry number), I probably really only talk to half of them at most, even though I’ve gone through all of their pictures. I’ve seen pages of their supposed “private” conversations litter my wall the mo-ment I sign in. Maybe I’m doing it wrong.

I will admit, however, that these sites are great ways to stay in touch and connect with groups in school. More

and more clubs are getting accounts of their own; class cabinets have Facebook, Tumblrs, and Twitters. The prin-cipal has also created a page to reach out to students.

I thought it was kind of silly at first, thinking, “Is anyone really going to read their updates?” but when I actually did start following them, I did find it useful. It’s like free stuff: you’re not actively looking for it, but when it’s given to you, you aren’t going to say no. When ASB posts about deals during lunch, I know. When clubs are calling for emergency meetings, I know.

If it’s the first thing on my wall, I’m going to see it. If my phone starts buzzing, I’m going to see it. If I want to update my Tumblr, I’m go-ing to see it. Everything is so interconnected, and it’s all keeping us in the know, like it’s supposed to.

Imagine not having all this connectivity. Sudden updates from clubs and orga-nizations would suddenly be either impossible or very dif-ficult to coordinate. It would

be either call everyone, or just cancel the meeting alto-gether. It’s usually the latter. Now no one has reason not to be at a meeting or contribute at an event.

The whole point of the Internet is to connect people. It keeps us all in the know, and while you might get to know someone a bit too well (sometimes without them even knowing who you are), it is an extremely power-ful device to stay informed. Even if it is just for 75 cent gummy bears. Ω

10.01.10Vol. 43, Issue 1 opinion 7the hoofprint

“Everything is so intercon-nected, and it’s all keeping us in the know, like it’s sup-posed to.”

- Justin Kang , 11

Get connected with the worldSocial networking has become a great way to stay updated with friends, but now, we cannot only connect with them, but also with the rest of the school.

Furlough in action

Brittany TsouNews Editor

Due to the current state of California’s economy, the govern-ment decided to reduce funds for education. It seems like many stu-

dents (me included), as well as teachers, will be negatively impacted by these fur-lough days because of time constraints.

AP and IB teachers now have five less days to cover material in class. From the students’ side, it will be more difficult to absorb everything. Each period’s worth of material will have to be made up eventual-ly, and both teachers and students will have to play catch-up.

The lack of time may seem like a gift for some, but it really isn’t. As an AP stu-dent, I was hoping for more instruction and review time. Now it looks like I, and many

other students in the same boat, will have it a lot tougher because of the shortened time period. And because certain concepts take time to sink in, learning them incorrectly the first time will be detrimental.

But some students are glad that fur-lough days mean no-school days. It is nice that we will not have to wake up early, but we also cannot waste the entire day relax-ing at home. The time really should be spent studying to make up for the lack of instruction time at school.

Although furlough days may be like holidays for some, I don’t think they will lessen the stress on students or teachers, as stated above. We would be better off with additional help from teachers. However, it is not surprising that the district implement-ed furlough days because funds for educa-tion are usually cut first when the state is experiencing a budget crisis. It is not ideal, but as students, we must make the best of what we have. Ω

Furlough days can be taken in two ways: more days to relax or less days to learn.

the ConneCtionsThe Principal’s Facebook PageThis Facebook page includes student photos to information about school sports, and much more The page also contains informa-tion regarding alumni, events, and other information.

Class of 2013’s Twitter/TumblrGet updated on the class’s progress and fundraisers, such as their boba sales and food sales. They also answer any questions students may have regarding class cabinet. Their Twitter and Tumblr are updated on a daily basis.

Class of 2012’s TwitterThis twitter has reminders about various events including home-coming sales, boba sales, and school wide events.

ASB Facebook/TwitterThese are the places to go to find out about the latest deals and events at school. Student taken pictures of school events and videos are often posted.

The Publications Facebook PageThis page was created when Publications decided to join Fa-cebook in order to expand their coverage. It is also used as a medium for Publications to connect with students.

Sharon LayOpinions Editor

My parents have always been rather intrusive. From calling me every hour when I’m shopping with my friends,

to picking me up at eight o’clock because they think I’m staying out too late; I guess they can be considered the “over-protective, I wish they would leave me alone” type parents.

Now, with the creation of Parent Portal, they have even more reason to become involved in my already sheltered life. It’s an insecurity that will perhaps cause me quite a bit of trouble in the near future, but shall inevitably cause me to work harder.

Through Parent Portal, parents have the means to view their teen’s grades and attendance online. While the purpose of this program is to keep parents constantly informed about how their teens are performing in school, the chances of it failing in the process are present. This can be caused by teachers not updating continuously, or even parents not checking those grades (obviously, the latter reason does not apply to my parents).

Though Parent Portal will cause some students stress and anxiety, its presence is

necessary, as communication between parents and students is essential for students to succeed in school.

Although students dread their parents intervening in their lives, when it comes to failing a class or skipping school, parents need to step in and become involved. If parents are aware of what is occurring in their teens’ lives, they have the ability to help them improve. While parents can only help their children improve to a certain extent, even a minimal amount of improvement reaps benefits for the teen.

While I might cringe at the thought of my parents knowing every single grade I receive on tests, I cannot deny that Parent Portal’s intention is critical to the success of many students. Even if it does end in failure, the concept of Parent Portal is essential to a successful high school career for the majority of teens.

While Parent Portal might get me in trouble at times, knowing that they have access to how I’m doing in school will make me work harder and will eventually cause me to earn better grades.

So though Parent Portal may lead to a couple of groundings, reduced Internet privileges, and the lack of a social life (though I already barely have one), if better grades and attendance are earned through this, then its purpose is needed on this campus. Ω

Portal to progressionParent Portal gives guardians access to their students’ grades online, but is it necessary?

What’s your view on.... Parent Portal? “I feel like parents should know and it motivates the students to work harder and parents can see it.[Students] don’t have to pester the teachers for grades and it’s more convenient for everyone.”

– Sean Han, 11

“I hate it. Students should com-municate with their parents in a healthy relationship without the help of the Internet. I don’t think it will be effective at all.”

– Emily Yu, 12

“It allows parents to see progress and if they see something they don’t like, they [students] can work on making it better before the final grades come in.”

– Kyle King, 9

“It’s kind of good because you can check your grade when you want. [Students] don’t have to go to the GLC to ask [about their grades]; its more convenient.”

– Michael Aie, 10

TWO SIDES OF FURLOUGH DAYS: (Left) Freshmen Cris Cuevas and Justine Maciel chat during their free time. (Right) Junior Chris Pang works diligently on homework.

PhoToS By JoSePhine Lien

PhoTo By JoSePhine Lien

With the economy in recession, the state government must make cuts to the school budget to save money. Many programs of the school have been affected by these drastic losses of funds. With the budget cuts affecting all aspects of the school, students must find ways to fundraise money and think of innovative ways to offset the drastic monetary losses the school has sustained.

A

8 in-depthOctober 2, 2009 Volume 42, Issue 1

the hoofprint in-depth 9

our dollar

By the Numbers: 5 furlough days this school year 65,000 dollars cut from the Interna-

tional Baccalaureate program 2/3 of the budget cut affected extra duty stipends (coaches’ pay).

Twelve may not seem like a big difference, but when it relates to the number of sports coaches whose stipends were cut, it becomes a significant number.

To counter the effects of the budget cuts, the football program is trying to raise their own money through fundraisers such as the snack bar at games, family barbecues, Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments and more. But even with all this activity, it is still hard to compensate for the losses.

“There was a bond passed which was directly aimed at athletic and fine arts facilities,” athletic director Jerry Person said. “When you have your extra duty stipends (coaches’ pay) cut by two thirds, you will have some cuts in coaching positions unless you can raise the money through fundraising to make up the difference.”

Even with all that’s going on, the coaches still have to worry about players and the equipment being used.

“[We are] cutting down on equipment spending [and buying] what is necessary, basically sticking to what is only absolutely needed to run the program,” Person said.

It may be costly, but safety equipment such as helmets and shoulder pads are a necessity. When it comes to the football program, the players’ safety is put first.

“We feel it is important to have quality equipment for safety issues and that’s another reason why we have to fundraise money,” O’Shields said.

Football isn’t the only program trying to raise money. Track and field will also be attempting to make up for the deficit.

“In track, we’re doing many fundraisers and getting more parental help. The big change is now we have leadership meetings on Wednesdays for captains. Through the leadership programs [we hope to] influence more member donations,” senior Nnenna Abaeze said.

The girls’ basketball program is also attempting to adjust to budget cuts and losing the frosh team. Some believe that the loss of the frosh team is actually an improvement.

“It’s sad because [former frosh] coach Caraway isn’t coaching anymore. But I am happy to move up and I think that it’s better for freshmen because they have to play harder to make JV,” sophomore forward Alysia Funderburg said.

Raising money is happening both inside and outside of school. Both students and coaches are getting involved and working together in a coopera-tive effort.

“Our coaches are dedicated to doing what it takes to keep all programs up and running. Coaches are spending time outside of their coaching assign-ment trying to raise funds to keep things happening,” Person said. Ω

- Compiled by Angela Aie, Jacqueline Chow, Elliot Park.

Due to further budget cuts this year, different academic sections were greatly impacted resulting in a variety of fundraising attempts. “Everyone’s working hard. We’re fundraising and spending a lot more time on coming up with fundraising ideas and follow-up of fund raising. Before, I was always confident that money is available, but now, I’m not as confident. If we have an activity involving money, we have to ask ourselves if the activity will warrant the cost,” drama teacher, Joanne Karr said. This year, all teachers have five furlough days, where students and faculty do not come to campus. Although most students are delighted to be able to attend school five days less than a normal school year, some find the furlough days a disadvantage for their academic success. “Budget reduction days make my IB Math HL class super stressful. I love math, but having to sometimes cram two lessons into one day can be really stressful,” senior Iris Chan said. Many handouts and worksheets are now posted on the school web site to be printed out by the students, one of the many ways that teachers are trying to save money. “Supplements to lessons are not given because the teachers are trying to save the school money, and that makes it harder to follow in case someone forgot his own copy. Everything is conserve, conserve, conserve, when we should be going to expand our knowledge and bettering our future generations,” senior Serena Yu said. Classes and supplies are cut, and teachers have overwhelmingly bigger sized classes. “Budget cuts limit the amount of the interaction between students and their teachers that optimizes academic success,” senior Kristen Lee said. For now, everyone is trying to do his part to make up for the lack of money. “A lot more donations have been requested and asked from parents and students,” Karr said. Despite the unease that budget cuts have brought to everyone, oth-ers have come to realize not to take things for granted. “I think that the budget cuts are a good thing because it teaches us to appreciate our teachers and our classes now that they’re more limited,” junior Hunter He said. Ω

Athletics Academics

Times are tough. That’s simply the truth, and with budget cuts still a reality and more programs taking hits, ROP, or the Regional Occupational Program, can no longer fund the buses to transport their students to on-site work experience locations.

“It’s so sad for the kids who want to take these classes and have to find transportation, so you either have to find it or walk,” career technician Candice Marsano said. “Before the buses would take them anywhere, and now it’s funny because you don’t realize how fortunate you are to have transportation until it’s gone.”

With the challenges of budget cuts becoming more of a reality each passing day, the program must make sacrifices to keep functioning the way it does, even if it means some students have to provide their own means of transportation.

“If you can find someone to take you, it’s really worth it,” Marsano said. “[The ROP program] allows the student to get a feel of what the different departments of the hospital are like before going out and making a life-changing decision. They would have the ad-vantage of knowing what they want to do and achieve that goal instead of spending time after high school searching for that one special job.”

Even though self-transportation may pose some issues, students in ROP see where their time and commitment to the program will eventually take them.

“These days, it’s hard to get a job,” senior Alexa Redman said. “It’s all great work experience and great oppurtunity if you have free time in your schedule.”

For some students, like senior Khristina Piñon, there are hidden benefits to this seem-ingly bleak occasion.

“I was kind of happy that I could take myself and I don’t have to wait on the bus.” Pinon said. “[I’m not really sacrificing anything] because it’s actually really close to my house.”

In the end, the school and ROP may be going through a hard time, but there is always a sense of hope, for the best in the future.

“I’m hopeful that it’s going to turn around and that these kids can still go out...but things like this happen, and it always turns around,” Marsano said. Ω

Regional Occupational Program & with Mr. Jordan

Q: What are your hopes for the school’s future?A: I want to work with the staff to evaluate the current policies and work on improving the school curriculum.

Q: What areas of the school have been hit the hardest?A: Financially, all the co-curricular classes have been greatly affected. All the groups, like band, drama, Publications, choir, dance team, and colorguard have to fundraise the difference in their budgets.

Q: Has anything good come out of these budgets cuts?A: If there is a positive, it is that we have come together as a staff and brainstormed and had conversations to find solutions and ideas. We have better and more open communication.

Q: What are your overall thoughts about these monetary cuts?A: I really appreciate the support that our entire staff has given, how our students have been stepping up, and how our parent community is beginning to understand and is trying to help us.

Q

Catherine Yuan, 12

Nicole Mckee, 12

10.01.10Vol. 43, Issue 1 the hoofprint10 feature

Lily TanaraStaff Writer

Siblings senior Hamzah and junior Arooj Khan are not only new to Walnut High School this year, but to the United States also. They just moved to Walnut

from Amsterdam after briefly staying in Atlanta, Georgia and Riverside, where they have

family. An American education seemed like a good idea, and adjusting has not been as hard as they had expected, socially as well as academically.

The transition was smooth, but some changes have been difficult for the siblings.

“I miss my friends and it’s kind of weird leaving everything I know,”

Hamzah said.But the siblings have found their own

niches here.“At first I didn’t know anyone, so it was

hard,” Arooj said, “but then people started asking me questions and talking to me.”

Having to take all of their classes in English, rather than their native Dutch, has not caused any problems for them either.

“In Holland [the Netherlands] we learn English at school,” Hamzah said. “Also, many

of our classes are taught in English so they are very similar.”

Aside from having to get accustomed to attending school here, Hamzah and Arooj also have to learn to adapt to living in North America rather than northern Europe.

“It’s really different here. Everything - from the way people talk and eat. I also can’t walk everywhere,” Arooj said .

One difficulty of living in California is their lack of transportation.

“In Amsterdam you can walk everywhere; here you can’t do much without a car. It was kind of tough for me to get materials for my physics project, but our relatives that live near us have cars,” Arooj said.

Even though moving across continents was difficult and adjusting to California is hard, Hamzah and Arooj have decided that it is better for them to stay here.

“I am going to stay here after high school, to attend a university and work,” Hamzah said. “I have no plans to move back.”

Another difference between the countries is the landscape.

“The surroundings here are a little different; there’s a lot of mountains here compared to Amsterdam - it’s mostly city life over there” Hamzah said.

They also prefer living in California for several reasons.

“What I really like about living here is the weather. It’s always raining in Amsterdam,” Arooj said.

Although they have made America their new home, Amsterdam and Europe will always be part of them.

“I do miss Holland a lot and plan to visit,” said Arooj, “but I really like it here, too. I feel like I will be benefited by the education from here.” Ω

The word “moving” to most people means a change of homes, a change of schools, a change of cities. For siblings Hamzah and Arooj Khan, though, moving is a change of continents.

Ashley XuStaff Writer

What started out as a hobby in 5th grade turned into a company in 8th grade as seniors Kevin Sand and Kyle Wilson were paid to shoot films for weddings and concerts.

Filming their surroundings and producing the shoots, they are part of a company run by Wil-son’s dad, known as Timberline Productions. Through hard work, their interest in filming grew until they finally made their ambition a reality.

Starting in elementary school with home-made videos, they took their hobby to a whole new level when they reached middle school.

“At Suzanne, work- ing with [broadcast/computers teacher] Ms. Castro and [mu-sic teacher] Mrs. Garvin was a great start for us. It gave us the opportunity to videotape a band performance, as well as sell DVDs. Since then, we have been shooting perfor- mances at Suzanne,” Wilson said.

Using Sony HD cameras to shoot their work, and Macbook Pros to edit their films, these two certified produc-ers make around $12,000 during the school year.

“We videotape school plays and band performances at Suzanne, and weddings. It’s not ‘of-ficially’ a company, but sort of a partnership. We just don’t pay the taxes,” Wilson said.

As partners, Sand and Wilson, both members of the Mustang Update, have an incredible pas-sion for what they do.

“You’re able to just have fun, be creative, and make some money out of it,” Sand said.As word spread, Sand and Wilson accepted every job opportunity offered to them. Their work

gave them the chance to do something they dreamed of for years: going to visit a Hollywood set.“One of my best experiences would definitely be going to Lakeview Terrace, a Hollywood

movie set. We basically went to visit and were able to see how they do their stuff,” Sand said.

The two seniors take pride in the time and effort that they put in the work they do.“When I look back on all the videos we made, there will always be a time when I ask myself

why I did what I did. I’m proud of every one though,” Sand said.Sand and Wilson have worked hard to get to where they are now. From a young age, they grew

into the area of film, and since then, they have been edging into the bigger picture of their future.“In the future, I hope to major in film in college, and maybe even move this production into

Hollywood one day,” Sand said. Ω

It’s more than just a hobby; it’s a love for the camera. Se-niors Kevin Sand and Kyle Wilson produce films in their spare time.

Living life through the lens

FILMING THE PRODUCERS: Senior Kevin Sand edits the footage of a wedding shoot. As members of the Mustang Update, Sand and Wilson are experienced in video produc-tions.

1. Amsterdam is the nominal capi-tal of Netherlands.2. Amsterdam has over 1 million bikes but only 3,700,000 Dutch.4. The city is entirely built on piles, on top of huge stakes driven into the ground.5. Amsterdam is known to house the maximum number of museums in the world per square meter.

In touch with the Dutch

photos By Jessica WangHamzah Khan, 12 Arooj Khan, 11

Fast Facts: Amsterdam

photo coURtesy oF Kevin sand and Kyle Wilson

“You’re just able to have fun, be creative, and make some money out of it.”

- Kevin Sand, 12

Angela AieStaff Writer

The curtains open and the light focuses directly on center stage. The curtains open and reveal English teacher Jeff Silva with a microphone in hand.

Choir’s Cabaret Night was held on Sept. 17-18th. Silva sang a solo along with the usual performances by Chamber Singers, Women’s Ensemble, Treble Choir, and Mustang Singers.

Between performances by Treble Choir and Women’s Choir, and after intermission, Silva sang “Thankful” by Josh Groban.

“I’m a fan of Josh Groban... I like the song and the message of the song,” said Silva. It also fits the theme of the performance.”

Choir teacher Lisa Lopez heard about Silva’s experience with performing and thought that he could sing a song that fit in with the theme.

“I heard that he performed at weddings, parties...and thought that he would be a good addition [to the concert],” Lopez said.

Along with experience from the weddings, Silva also performed in school shows while he was still teaching at South Pointe and has past experience from other places. He currently belongs to a church worship team.

Even though he did not rehearse with choir, he found the opportunity to practice elsewhere.“It’s a one hour commute to church and I practice in the car,” Silva said.Some choir members were excited to see Silva perform.“It’s a surprise because I have him as a teacher. I think it’s exciting because we’ve never done

anything like this before, and it’s my last year,” junior Lillian Fan, member of Chamber Singers, said.

Others were more interested as to how well Silva would sing. “It’s interesting because I’ve had him for two years as an English teacher and I never knew he could sing,” said junior Waverly Chao, a member of the Women’s Ensemble.

Silva is known for being an English teacher, not a singer, but he has support from the choir students.

“[Singing in front of students] is not the normal venue, but all the students in choir have been helpful,” Silva said. Ω

Although thought of as a typical English teacher, Jeff Silva has a formerly unknown passion for singing. He was featured at choir’s Cabaret Night, singing “Thankful” by Josh Groban.

10.01.10Vol. 43, Issue 1 feature 11the hoofprint

Silva solo

UPDATING THE MUSTANG: Instructional Dean Reuben Jones discusses a video with returning member junior Patrick Lee. Jones serves as the new adviser of Mustang Update for the 2010-2011 school year.

photo By Josephine Lien

New grip on Mustangs’ reinsSusie LawStaff Writer

Walking into the chatter of the Mustang Update students as they brainstorm is like walking into any other 4th period day in D-1. The only new addition to the MU family is new adviser, In-structional Dean Reuben Jones.

“The [previous] Instructional Dean was adviser of Mustang Update. Now his position is gone, so his duties were passed out to others. I volunteered, because I wanted to. I liked the creativity and the courage they had to put together these episodes,” Jones said.

With a new adviser, changes will naturally occur, but +Jones plans to keep the changes to a minimum for the coming year.

“I expect the tradition of excellence to continue,” Jones said. “The objective of Mustang Update is to apprise the campus com-munity of relevant and important information in a fun way.”

Mustang Update kicked off the year with an episode that aired on Sept. 28, a near 30-minute segment that focused on new aspects and changes made for the ‘10-’11 school year.

“We want it to be a surprise, for the school to be anxious for Mustang Update. Key elements of episodes are good editing skills, appropriate jokes, good storytelling, and entertaining content that makes students, teachers, and the entire campus laugh; I hope those qualities will make the first episode memorable,” Jones said.

Jones hopes that the returning members from ‘09-’10 Mus-tang Update will be able to contribute their skills to the program.

“I’m just as new to it as a brand new person coming,” Jones said. “They’re experienced in how Mustang Update was done last year. They have made multiple episodes and are used to the pro-cess.“ Ω

photo By Reetika singh

As the new adviser of Mustang Update, Instructional Dean Reuben Jones has high hopes for the future of the organization. He looks to guide the students and help them aim for their goals in a new chapter of the video production.

Compiled by AngelinA TAng

1. Superstar - The Carpenters2. Cinema Paradiso Love Theme - Josh Groban3. The Old Songs - Barry Manilow4. Honesty - Billy Joel

5. The Boxer - Simon and Garfunkel

Compiled by AngelinA TAng And KAren ou

Silva’s Top 5 Most Played Songs

“Mr. Jones has made the class more motivated at a faster pace. He forces us to step up our videos and to edit faster.”

Michael Tang, 12

“I expect [Mr. Jones] to give us more guidance and to help us improve our film-making skills.”

Clarke Jacobs, 11

“Mr. Jones...wants us to stay focused on our goals. He focuses on the planning processes, which makes us more organized.”

Jason Lyons, 12

“[Mr. Jones] is learning with us. We’re learning together. With him, we can be more creative this year.”

Patrisha Hastings, 11

photo UseD With peRMission of gnU fRee DocUMentation License Mr. Jeff Silva

10.01.09Vol. 43, Issue 1 the hoofprint12 scene

photos By AngelinA tAng

Time for another round

Angelina TangStaff Writer

It’s a typical Saturday night and I’m at the mall with my family, looking for the new bowl-ing alley everyone is talking about. Most of the shops had already closed, but there seemed to be a lot of people milling about. We really had no idea as to where the bowling alley, was lo-cated so we just moved with the crowd and then I noticed that everyone seemed to be headed to-wards the second floor near the food court.

It was obvious to know when we were get-ting near: a combination of Nick Jonas’ new single playing, loud speakers calling out the

next in line for the karaoke rooms overhead, and the excited voices of everyone else. And as I turned right, I immediately saw the massive neon entrance sign: Round 1 Bowling Alley and Amusement.

There were a ton of people in there even when it was late at night. The whole atmosphere felt like one huge party. French fries, pizzas, and nachos were heaped in enormous portions and served with soft drinks faster than you could have imagined. Everything from private karaoke rooms, table tennis courts, electronic darts, billiards, bowling, arcade games, Japa-nese picture booths (like Cue), and a food court were at Round 1. The lines to pay for the game

cards and bowling seemed to stretch on forever, but thinned out quickly because of the multiple lines. Later, I could see the neon sides for bowl-ing glowing up like street lights on all 26 lanes.

However, the best part, of the whole place was the arcade games. The new machines uti-lized pre-paid cards that could be used on any machine in the arcade area. Round 1 had the latest Japanese video games, including floor length machines and brand new shoot em’ ups with very comfortable leather cushions.

I never thought much of claw machines, seeing as how there was a slim chance of win-ning something, but it seemed to me that ev-eryone was carrying a plush-filled Hello Kitty

doll or a Nerf football around. The prizes they offered were quite unique and enjoyable. Some had collectible car models or action figures, while others had big bags of baked chips in all sorts of flavors. There were Domo plush-ies, electric guitars, and salted peanuts, oddly enough.

I had come to the mall with low expecta-tions, thinking this was just another typical arcade or hangout that would quickly be for-gotten. However, Round 1 has a huge variety of entertainments that everyone should try. I would definitely recommend this for a night out with friends or for some family fun. Ω

LA County Fair - fairly good or fair enough?

This week at the Fair...-9/29 - 10/1 - $5 after 5 p.m. with coupon-10/2 - $10 admission with Livestrong couponCoupons found on website:http://www.lacountyfair.com/2010

Ashley XuStaff Writer

The perfect weather, a free weekend, the right people. Here comes a day where all that matters is how long the lines are. A day full of excitement from each and every booth. A day full of heat from pushing and shoving through crowded streets. Once a year, but with more satisfaction than you will ever find anywhere else, the Los Angeles County Fair is back again.

Crowded right when the gates were open, the L.A. Fair guarantees much enjoyment. Passing the ticket booth and finally entering the fair, I felt surrounded by people, but welcomed.

The rides are kid safe and are fun enough for people of all ages to enjoy. Crazy Coaster, one of the many rides there, gave me a feeling of what it is like to be on top of the world, with the wind coming towards me from all angles. On such a sunny day, all I wanted was a water ride to relax on and they had that here, as well. Hydro Slide, a water ride, mimics the Log Ride from Knott’s Berry Farm in the sense that it was a way to cool off from the heat.

Though having fun is the number one priority here, hunger may overpower that once in awhile and food is not in the least bit hard to find. There are food booths full of hot dogs, juicy cheeseburgers, chili fries, and so much more. While at the fair, adverts promoting the huge turkey legs seemed appealing to me and after buying one, I definitely felt satisfied. A little treat for any fair visitor is a caramel apple, tasting both sour and sweet, which was really good.

A day here may soften the tension you may be having from the previous week. This is the absolute perfect place to go if what you are looking for is a day to forget everything and just have fun. An appropriate place for families to bond and friends to hang out, the Los Angeles County Fair is a place everyone should ex-perience. Ω

School’s here and sometimes you need a break from the hours upon hours of class. Now, after months of construction, Round 1 Bowling Alley and Amusement is now finally opening its doors at the Puente Hills Mall.

photo By DAnielA Kim

Thumbs Up

With only a few days left before it takes its annual leave, let us break down for you the L.A. County Fair and tell you why you should and shouldn’t go before its closing on October 3rd.

Daniela KimStaff Writer

Walking into the LA County Fair, unsure of what to expect, a rude awakening greeted me with a feeling of an overcrowded and claustrophobic place. With the first few steps into the fair, I was drowned with shouting and a rush of loud noise. With music blasting in the atmosphere, I lost myself in confusion amidst the large crowd of people who were pushing and running trying to be the first to see Gretchen Wilson perform at her concert.

Although the fair had a large variety of food to offer, it was unreasonably expensive. Proportion wise, the food was well priced but the quality of the food was mediocre and not worth the money. There were so many people and so little seats that many were forced to eat uncomfortably standing up or sitting on the sidewalk.

For those of you who enjoy the more easy going and light hearted nature of Knott’s Berry Farm’s Camp Snoopy or Dis-neyland’s Fantasy Land, the LA County Fair is not the place to go. Almost all the rides threw people back and forth, or up and down which would probably not be enjoyable to some and are mainly geared towards young teens that are coming to hang out with their friends.

Besides the rides, there wasn’t much to do other than eat or look at the bright lights of the rides flashing in the dark. As day turned to night, I was reluctantly forced to re-enter the maze of around 300 cars.

Parking which was $10-$20, depending on how close you wanted to be, was hectic and small especially compared to the amount of people attending the fair, making it very inconvenient for attendees to get in.

Starting with parking and ending with the overpriced food, I left the fair with an empty wallet and no intentions of going back. Overall, the LA County Fair was a mediocre experience and was not worth its cost of $17 per person. Ω

Flashing Lights: By nightfall, a number of the rides and attractions shine brilliantly throughout the fair.

From left to right: The large bowling pin which marks the en-trance into Round 1. Here are claw games with a variety of priz-es you can win and take home. A number of bowling balls are set upon the racks by the many lanes at Round 1.

Thumbs Down

10.01.09Vol. 43, Issue 1 scene 13the hoofprint

Halo Reaches high and hits its mark With the Halo franchise leaving the gaming market, does Halo Reach fail to live up to the mountains of hype or does the saga’s final chapter end the series with a bang.

Easy A gets the grade

Sonia ChouCopy Editor

When I went to watch Easy A, I do admit that I had extremely high expectations. After watching at least three of the theatrical trailers, I decided that this would be the next great teen movie. However, I must say, that this movie is more of a pretty decent chick flick than the next Mean Girls.

Following the formula of any other teen film, Easy A basically starts with a small mis-take that blows completely out of proportion.

Loosely based on Hawthorne’s famous novel, The Scarlet Letter, the movie’s plot is quite simple. Anonymous student, Olive Pend-erghast (Emma Stone) unintentionally starts a quickly circulated rumor about herself and her supposedly lost virginity. Despite the benefits of her reputation, Olive discovers that bearing the burden of her “scarlet letter” is not as simple as she imagined.

Though there are a couple twists in the movie, it was still pretty predictable and not very original. Filled with some off color humor and witty one-liners, this movie will make you laugh, but probably won’t teach you any les-sons. The dialogue is very cliché and the char-acters stereotypical, almost as if they were sto-len from the TV show Glee.

However, the cast, including the veterans and the rising stars of young Hollywood, de-serve an excellent grade for its all-star actors. Stone is quirky and lovable as Olive, the goody-two-shoes turned school harlot, and Amanda Bynes, who portrays the ultra-religious and uptight Marianne, makes for a catty and two-faced villain. Playing Olive’s parents, Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci helped move the plot along with their hilarious antics and funny, immature comments. And even heartthrob Penn Badgley also has some swoon-worthy face time as Stone’s romantic interest, Woodchuck Todd.

Although it is definitely not to be placed on the shelf next to Mean Girls and American Pie, Easy A is still worth seeing. Just don’t expect any epiphanies about high school gossiping or bullying. Ω

Rihanna gets a little too Loud Reetika SinghFeature Editor

“Only Girl in the World”, from Rihanna’s fifth studio album, Loud, which comes out on November 20, is reminiscent of her earlier days with an odd jumble of “lalalala” and peppy, danceable beats and hope-fully, the rest of the songs on her up-coming album will stay true to the depth of previous tunes.

I was severely disappointed by this song, for it did not contain any of the catchy choruses or unyielding beats I have come to expect from Rihanna.

Anticipating something with

some emotion, I reluctantly con-tinued to listen after the discordant start. The cutesy verses suddenly transition to Rihanna shouting out the chorus in a strange rhythm. The background music has an annoying percussion and sounds like a bad copy of “DJ Got us Falling in Love Again.” It seems like it was intended to have one of David Guetta’s dance-able beats, but it just falls flat.

In “Only Girl in the World”, Rihanna pleads with a man she has just met to “make her feel like she is the only girl in the world.” This makes her sound self-degrading, as well as needy and desperate. The track has an upbeat flirtatious sound

and it’s a far cry from the morose and grim tracks of her last album, Rated R. She ends up sounding gig-gly and frilly, much like in a generic Hannah Montana song.

I was shocked and appalled when I heard that Stargate produced this horrendous record, as they were behind many of her hits with club-ready beats like “Please Don’t Stop the Music” or “Disturbia.”

I had hoped for more from both Stargate and Rihanna. This song is simply cacophonous and feels fake with its overly animated lyrics.

This “princess of pop” would have done better by staying with the darker mood of Rated R. Ω

Single Player MultiplayerElliot ParkScene Editor

I am a gamer. It’s as simple as that and for me, Halo has been influential in creating the passion I have for gaming. And now, with the release of Halo Reach, that same magic that captured the hearts of gamers throughout this past decade has been revitalized in Bungie Studio’s final chapter in the Halo saga.

Halo Reach fits in as a prequel to the first game in the long running franchise and no longer are players going through the universe as the iconic Master Chief. Instead, you play as Noble Six, the newest addition to Noble Team, a squad of genetically-al-tered super soldiers tasked with defending humanity’s last stronghold on the planet, Reach, against the Covenant, an alien race bent on mankind’s end.

The most striking thing that makes this campaign high above the previous jour-neys is that more detail has been given into defining each and every member of your squad. From the leadership and heroism of Noble One (Carter) to the anger and tenacity of Noble Four (Emile), each character has their own personality that makes them memorable and distinct.

In addition to the characters, the single player visuals and sound design have received a huge up-grade. Planet Reach is a place of beauty, with stun-ning mountainside vistas covering the face of the planet and the sound of gunfire and explosions in the distance add to the frantic nature of the combat.

One downfall that does take away from your gaming experience, however, is the frame rate, with cinematics suffering heavily from noticeable pixila-tion. Also, the story is quite shorter than all of Halo Reach’s predecessors and it took me only six hours to complete the game on the default difficulty setting.

Still, these are extremely minor nitpicks at what is one of the most captivating and enjoyable narra-tives that you’ll ever find in a video game that is not only gripping from start to finish, but just pure excit-ing to play at every second. Ω

photo USED WIth pERMISSIoN oF MCtCaMpUS.CoM

photo USED WIth pERMISSIoN oF MCtCaMpUS.CoM

photo USED WIth pERMISSIoN oF MCtCaMpUS.CoM

Kevin YinStaff Writer

To many gamers, multiplayer has long been one of the more important

aspects of their purchases and although the basic game formula in Halo Reach is left unchanged from Halo 3, there have been several tweaks to the overall mul-tiplayer experience.

Probably the most significant would be ar-mor abilities, which allows

players to activate recharge-able variations of skills such

as sprint and jetpack. For me, these abilities are fun and really add a layer of variation to the whole experience.

One of the most interest-ing out of all the additional modes

is Invasion, where 12 players are pit against each other with one half defend-

ing a variety of objectives and the oth-ers forced to complete them such as blowing up power generators. Each of these modes brings a twist to the formula and offers even more lasting appeal to the game.

Another returning mode to the Halo franchise is Firefight, where up to four players can team up to fend off waves of enemies. In most aspects it has remained similar to the previous variant in Halo 3: ODST, but now,

players can even serve as the alien invaders against their friends, which is a nice addition.

Bungie’s esteemed map edit-ing tool, Forge, has also been much

improved. Players can design their own battlegrounds however they want with

ease and precision with a large amount of new tools that have been implemented.

From new armor abilities which revitalize the game-play to endless customization options, it is easy to see that Bungie Studios has put every ounce of effort into this fantastic package, overflowing with value and poten-tial. The sheer amount of content and lasting value will leave players returning for years to come and any gamer who has the opportunity should pick this game up. Ω

Matthew AlmeidaStaff Writer

Zero period soccer was implemented by second year coach, Jerry Laterza whose goal is to make C.I.F. this year.

“When you run in the morning it keeps you motivated, pre-pared, and ready to learn the whole day,” Laterza said.

Waterpolo players, who also have to wake up at 5:30 a.m. to come to practice, are willing to come because they believe morn-ing practice sets better conditions for them.

“Morning practice emphasizes pure swimming instead of compiling all of our drills at one setting. Usually our days consists of waking up roughly around 5:30, knowing that this tiresome routine is important in improving our games. The good thing about morning practice is that we don’t have to cope with the sun,” sophomore Roland Chen said.

Boys’ soccer finished in a three-way tie last year, ending the season just short of a chance to play in C.I.F. This year the boys’ soccer team is starting, training, and conditioning two months earlier to give them a better chance at the title.

“We have a young team, but a lot of our players have two year experience on varsity and know what it takes to accomplish these goals,” Laterza.

Zero period soccer has also allowed athletes to play multiple sports at the same time and it establishes a comfortability within the team early on.

“Playing with the team every morning is creating a bond between the players on and off the field,” senior Cristian Ruelas said. “Practicing during zero period has its pros and cons. Also the players are beating the California heat.”

Despite the early start in the morning, players say that there are also advantages to having early practices.

“We also have more field space to scrimmage on and we get

all the goals to ourselves,” junior Brian Krobthonge said.According to the teams, though players are waking up early

to improve their skills, they consider that the morning practices will all count in the end.

“Waking up early in the morning for practice will all be worth it when we get to C.I.F.,” Ruelas said. Ω

Timothy HuangStaff Writer

The track and cross country team went rock climbing at Rock City on Saturday, Sept. 25 to foster team building and bonding outside of practice.

“[Our] goal this year is to make the team bond and hopefully build deeper relationships so that when they are out running, it makes them want to work harder,” coach Keith Thompson said.

15 members of the team showed up at Rock City, an indoor rock climbing building, in Anaheim to participate in this get-together event.

“[We] chose rock climbing because [when you are rock climbing], there is communication required between you and the person holding your rope,” Thompson said.

Last year, the team’s main focus was to train and prepare for league meets. This year, however, the track and cross country team is seeing more social events such as team dinners, car washes, and recreational activities.

“I hope these social events will help the team come

together and learn about each other outside of school or our sport setting,” Thompson said.

Since they have not met outside of practice or school altogether, the members of the track and cross country team believes rock climbing helped the members to depend on each other and work together.

“I definitely think [rock climbing] brought our team closer together because we interacted more than usual.

It was exciting and sometimes challenging, and it was definitely a workout. It was neat to see who could climb the most challenging walls,” senior Jasmine Hennessey said.

T h o m p s o n believes that events that are conducted outside of school

help the team bond together and wishes to have more events like this in the future.

“I preach that track and cross country are a family and they should care about each other and work hard for each other, but if I don’t have any activity outside of school what does that say about a family?” Thompson said. Ω

10.01.10Vol. 43, Issue 1 the hoofprint14 sports

Soccer and waterpolo begin zero period practice

ROCK CLIMBING: Looking at sophomore Somil Patel go up the rope, the other team members wait for their turn to come.

photos By Matthew alMeida

“We chose rock climbing because there is communication required be-tween you and the person who is hold-ing the rope”

- Coach Keith Thompson

Track and cross country bond through rock climbing

Angel Posada becomes new girls’ varsity volleyball coach

The 22-year-old Angel Posada has taken over the position of var-sity volleyball coach. We caught up with him and asked him a few questions about his new responsibility and the new season.

1. Why did you take the job of the new varsity volleyball coach?I had heard about the opening as the head coach at Walnut. I thought to myself, this would be a great opportunity for me to be a head coach at a great high school with student-athletes that work hard and are always going to give it their all. Previously meeting them in the playoffs the year before, I knew there was a ton of potential in this team. I took the job and, since day one, these girls have been working hard day after day.

2. Do you feel any pressure since you are a new coach at Wal-nut High?A little bit, since Coach Mac had a lot of success here as the previ-ous coach and this school has a good reputation in all of its sports. To be honest, I enjoy the pressure. It only makes me work harder.

3. What past experiences have you had with volleyball be-fore?I played all four years in high school, played with Santa Monica Community College for a summer, three years of intramural vol-

leyball in college, coached at St. Lucy’s for my previous two years, and I have been coaching at Top Gun Volleyball Club for the last three years.

4. What are your goals for the team this year?The goal for every girl on this team is to make them the best vol-leyball player possible. The goal for the entire team is to make great memories off of this year and win league.

5. When did you start to realize that you wanted to be a vol-leyball coach?I realized after my first year of college. During my intramural vol-leyball season during my second year in college, I had noticed that their was a volleyball club that practiced before our games. I started helping out by floating around to different teams and slowly found an interest in coaching.

6. We know you have been coaching at Top Gun. What are you going to take from your experience at Top Gun and apply here at Walnut High?The number one thing is hard work. I put a lot of time and atten-tion to my club teams and I plan to do the same at Walnut. I have many creative ways to make this team better through the drills at practice.

Coach Angel Posada is the new coach for this year’s girls’ varsity volleyball team. With past experiences, Posada has created many inventive ways to make the team better through their practices. -Compiled by Candee Yuan, Staff Writer

On Saturday, September 25, 15 members of the track and cross country team headed to Rock City to participate in the rock climbing event that would help build teamwork and communication amongst the members.

MORNING DRILLS: (left to right) Senior Jeffrey Iwasaki practices passing the ball back and forth with his partner. Senior Andrew Becerra practices his dribbling skills.

VOLLEYBALL COACH: Coach checks the score of his team and watches the game go on.

photo By Raytene han

photo By tiMothy huang

Known for her consistency, freshman Jessie Chan is the number two singles player on the varsity tennis team.

“I really wanted to make the team but I didn’t expect to make it until sophomore or junior year,” Chan said. “After all, freshmen are rarely on varsity teams and I didn’t know how well the other members could play.”

Despite her doubts, Chan is now one of the starters.

“Jessie is very consistent and steady,” coach Lee Shiomoto said. “She never uses too much power, but she always manages to keep the ball in play.”

Although the season just started, the team already sees improvements from the previous year. Last year, they had a few losses before the season started, but with Chan on the team this year, they are currently undefeated.

“Jessie is like a brick wall,” said senior Sean Feng. “She’s small, but she’s extremely consistent and packs a punch on the ball.”

Chan has been playing tennis for about three years. She first started through a camp, and then took group and private lessons.

“Tennis is more mental than physical,” Chan said. “If you stay strong mentally, it shows in your game.”

Aside from lessons, she has had experience playing outside of school through tournaments. Chan stopped competing in outside tournaments because she disliked the competitive spirit of things, but enjoys representing Walnut in matches.

“Here, I don’t feel as pressured because if I lose, I won’t be eliminated from anything.”

Chan said.Chan does not

see herself pursuing competitive tennis, but she

does not plan to give up the sport. Although she is

unsure of her future, she considers tennis an essential part of her life.

“I definitely want to continue playing for the rest of high school, but I’m still not sure if I’ll be playing after that,” Chan said. “I won’t be playing tennis as my career, but definitely as a hobby. I consider tennis [to be] my passion.” Ω

Kassie Truong is the first freshman on the varsity tennis team to be the number one singles player in six years.

“I feel pretty special because not many freshmen make any varsity team,” Truong said. “I’m always looking forward to being with the team now because everyone is crazy and fun to be around.”

With Truong, the team is now balanced out between singles and doubles.

“Last year, our doubles were our only strong point,” junior Joyce Thung said. “With Kassie on our team this year, we’re more well-rounded and balanced.”

First inspired by what she saw on television four years ago, Truong decided to start tennis.

The prospect of one day playing like her idol, Ana Ivanovic, motivated her to improve herself.

“I like to play tennis because it’s something I can focus on,” Truong said. “I like how I feel when I play and win.”

To improve her game, Truong practices at least three hours a day: two with the team and one with a private coach.

“Kassie being on the team makes a tremendous difference,” coach Lee Shiomoto said. “She’s stronger than singles players I had last year and she pulls our scores over the top.”

Not only does Truong represent Walnut, but she also competes outside of school about two to three times a month. Tournaments help her gain experience and they are another way for her to

practice.“I like tournaments because I

get to meet a lot of new people and learn the different styles of different players,” Truong said. “Tournaments make me

a better player in this sense.”Aspiring to be a well-rounded

player, Truong e n j o y s

p l a y i n g b o t h singles and doubles.

“ I n singles, I just

have to worry about myself,” Truong said, “but in doubles, I

have someone there who can motivate me if I’m not doing so great.”

Truong can see tennis in her future and plans to continue playing for as long as possible.

“Tennis takes up a lot of time, but I think this sacrifice is worth it,” Truong said. “I

would choose tennis over anything else. I can see myself playing after college and I want to go pro if I can.” Ω

10.01.10Vol. 43, Issue 1 sports 15the hoofprint

Freshman as number one and two singles playersIt has been six years since a freshman took the number one singles spot. Now, both one and two singles players are freshmen. -Compiled by Cloris Chou

Angela AieStaff Writer

Both JV and varsity girls’ basketball will be playing in a fall league this year and all games will take place at Jurupa Val-ley High School and Colony High School every weekend until Saturday, Nov. 6.

The team has now switched to the Hacienda League and has been playing in preseason for three weeks already.

“In order to not be a step behind other teams, we are also joining a fall league,” coach Robert Sandoval said. “[Our play-ers] need to start working to push themselves to a certain physi-cal limit. During practice, we subdivide into groups and help each other work on their game.”

Players seem to agree and have the same ideas as the coach regarding the fall league.

“I’m excited for it. I think it will give a challenge and get us ready for the new league. It will also help our team chemistry,” center, senior Amy McDill said.

The emphasis is put mainly on teamwork and how the fall league will contribute to improving it.

“Working together allows us to get used to how everyone plays,” guard, senior Leanne Komoda said. “The fall league helps with our team bonding and gives us a chance to experience game-like scenarios while improving on our weaknesses.”

Players take this opportunity to practice and therefore win-ning does not seem to be the most important goal.

“The main focus is not to win but to improve our skill level

of playing together as a team,” center, senior Rachel Lew said, “I would use the opportunity of playing in games to work on minimizing unforced errors.”

The preseason is important to players not only because it gives them the chance to work on their own game but also be-cause it helps to prepare for the regular season.

“The importance of preseason games is to get extra practice and experience playing with our team,” center, junior Arianne Gin said. “It affects the performance of the regular season be-cause by then the entire team has played with each other and know how their teammates play.”

With preparations already beginning, the team hopes to con-tinue working and improving until the season starts. Ω

Girls’ basketball joins fall league scrimmages to prepare for season

Walnut switches leagues

Felix LeeSports Editor

Walnut has changed from the San Antonio League to Hacienda this year due to the bylaws of C.I.F. requiring that schools realign the teams in each league every four years to bring “competitive equity, geography, and enrollment”.

“This is so teams that are not competing well in their leagues can get some relief and teams that are dominating can be put with better competition for them,” athletic di-rector Jerry Person said.

Hacienda introduces new op-ponents which serve for a more di-

verse experience for the players.“[The league change] will give

us more league meets and allow us to have more kids participate in meaningful meets,” track and field coach Keith Thompson said. “The kids will have more chances to earn their varsity letter.”

However, the new league change brings in a tougher group of schools, which will pose difficulties for the coming year.

“This will be a great challenge for all sports,” Person said. “The schools coming into the league are strong in certain sports but maybe not others. Overall, it’s a very com-petitive league.” Ω

Starting this year, both JV and varsity girls’ basketball have started the fall league and all games will take place every week until Saturday, Nov. 6. The focus of the fall league is to improve the teamwork and help the team get ready for the new league.

Due to the C.I.F. bylaws, Walnut has changed from the San Antonio League to the Hacienda League this year.

Kassie Truong, 9

Jessie Chan, 9

10.01.10Vol. 43, Issue 1 sports 16the hoofprint

Walnut wins homecoming game in overtime

SECOND TOUCHDOWN: Converging with three players, senior Aubrey Coleman receives his second touchdown pass midway in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 42-42.

Eddie CoxStaff Writer

Walnut beat the Covina Colts in a game that went into overtime and ended with senior Ale-jandro Restrepo’s interception of a Covina pass in the end zone.

Incomplete passes hurt Walnut in the first quarter and in the beginning of the second. Walnut was stuck in a 21-7 hole early in the game.

These incomplete passes included a deflected pass off the hands of wide receiver, senior Jason Tsukada and a fumble in which Covina recovered the ball.

The score was 21-14 at half time after a high pass, from quarterback, senior Brandon Roach, was caught in the end zone.

Walnut tied the Colts at 21-21 with 9:36 remaining in the third quarter, after Tsukada com-pleted a pass in the end zone.

Most of Covina’s plays were quick, and Walnut had trouble bottling up receivers who often broke away from tackles. At 21-21, following Tsukada’s touchdown pass and a boost in Mustang morale, Covina ran the ball 85 yards in a kickoff return for a touchdown. The score was 27-21.

Walnut, however, made significant gains on lateral hook pass plays and responded on the defensive end by effectively covering Covina receivers. The defensive linemen were able to apply pressure on Covina’s quarterback and made sacks occasionally.

Defensive tackle, senior Nikolas Gutierrez made a crucial sack when Walnut lead 49-42, re-sulting in Covina’s having to convert on second and 18 in overtime.

The linebackers gave solid defense to Roach but Covina had tight coverage of wide receivers and Roach was at times forced to play quarterback sneaks.

Tension was high for Walnut, behind 35-42 in the final quarter. Roach ran a quarterback scram-ble at fourth and five on Covina’s 22 yard line and made a pass to wide receiver, senior Aubrey Coleman, caught in the end zone.

Walnut used Coleman as an all-purpose player, and in addition to making pass plays, Coleman made crucial conversions including one play where he leaped over the offensive linemen for a first down, getting injured in the process. Covina found Coleman hard to match up with given their smaller defensive linemen.

Coleman caught a pass for a touchdown and senior Nikki Mckee converted to tie the score at 42-42 with 3:35 remaining in the fourth quarter. Morale was high for Mustang fans but Walnut al-lowed Covina to gain good field positions after Covina completed passes. Covina’s momentum in passing gains was slowed after a Covina receiver was tackled upon catching the football, forcing an incomplete.

Covina was within Walnut’s 30 yard line with 9.5 seconds left in the game and decided to go for the field goal. The kick, however, was short and the game went into overtime.

The end of regulation came and the game was still tied, so it was sent to overtime. The players were on their knees, in a circle, listening to coach Mike O’Shields motivating the team to hold on. The game had evoked fiery oratory from Coleman who, after being pummeled in a crucial fourth and one play, entered the game again in overtime.

Walnut got the ball first and Roach made pass completions. Coleman eventually caught the pass in the end zone that gave Walnut the lead, 49-42.

Covina attempted to retaliate but their hopes were crushed when Restrepo made the game win-ning interception in the end zone to cement Walnut’s 49-42 win. Ω

photo By Kevin yin

Boys’ Waterpolo9/9 - 9/10Ayala Tournament - 3rd9/14 @ Webb 16-7 W9/16 - 9/18 Riverside Poly Tourna-ment - 18th9/24 - 9/25Nogales - 1st

Tennis

9/16 vs Los Altos 17-1 W9/21 vs West Covina 12-6 W9/23 vs Diamond Ranch 16-2 W9/24 vs Ayala 10-8 W

Volleyball

9/14 vs Chino Hills 1-3 L9/28 vs Diamond Bar 3-0 W

Football9/10 vs Troy 16-10 W9/17 @ Claremont 13-38 L9/24 vs Covina 49-42 W

September Scoreboard