THESANMATEOHITHE BEST NAME IN SCHOOL NEWS SINCE 1922

Volume LXXXVVIII, No. 5 www.thebearcat.net Wednesday, January 30, 2013

ALL THAT MATEOS Since the world didn’t end, now what?

“I’m just going to move on with my life,”Manasa Palakodaty, Class of 2016

“I’m going to wait until the next end of the world date,.”David Rampley, Class of 2014

“We graduate!”Ryan Chew, Class of 2013

“I never believed it was going to end!”Mrs. Menedez, Staff

“We go back to school!” ”Taylor Okasinski, Class of 2015

PHOTOS BY ALI BRUSCHI

Ashley Chiu tapdanced her way into Harvard, Marco Rainaldi won the teacher go-kart race, and the cast of Legally Blonde rocked out at the rally in the gym Friday.

A lot of things have changed now that the PAC is under construction including parking, performances, graduation, and most importantly, rallies. Many people have mixed feelings about having rallies in the gym instead of the PAC. There are some advantages and some disad-vantages of the gym. “The focus in the gym is very off because there is distraction every-where with all the students so close and facing each other.”said Diana Mazahreh, senior. “There is just not enough room for everyone.” Anali Alegria agreed. “It’s eas-

OPINION.........2LA ESQUINA LATINA............4SPECIAL SECTION..........6A&E..................8FEATURES......11 SPORTS..........12

Alexis QuinneyStaff Writer

San Mateo will be celebrating the different cultures at our school during International Week on February 11 to 15. Students will be entertained with a week of cultural awareness activities with international perspectives. In-ternational week will kick off with a Fashion Show. Upperclassmen and lowerclassmen will sport their cultural outfits down the orange runway. The International Food Faire, always highly anticipated, will be on the second day. The Filipino Club will perform on Wednesday, and Raza Unida will show their cultural pride. The Poly Club’s performance will be the finale of International week. “The fashion show will show you the international side of San Mateo,” Calvin Hu, ELD commissioner, said. “Get ready for a week of international fun, Mateo!” In previous years, many clubs in-cluding French Club, Filipino Club, La Raza Unida Club, and Jewish Club participated and sold food. Make sure to bring money and enjoy lunch on Tuesday. “We are really excited because we are expecting a lot of clubs to sell food this

Joey WongNews Editor

Mateo CelebratesInternational Week

year,” Melissa Alvarez, ELD commis-sioner, said. Later in February, Health Week is planned. Health and Beauty Com-missioners Allie Jo Munier and Drew Carreon, seniors, have worked togeth-er to plan and organize a week filled with lunchtime rallies and dedicated to promoting mental, physical, and emo-tional health. This year the week will be from Tuesday ,February 19 to 22. “The week is dedicated to raising awareness of a healthy living style, and each day will feature a game or activity related to getting healthy and being See HEALTH, on page 10

Headbands and bracelets on sale for $3 for Health Week.

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Mock Trial CompetesJoey WongNews Editor San Mateo’s Mock Trial kicked off their season with a competition against Mills and Jefferson High Schools on Tuesday at the South San Francisco courthouse. Our team has been practicing Mon-days, Wednesdays, and weekends as competition loomed. Besides our teacher advisors, two courtroom attorneys coach the team to perfect their performance in competition. The team had a scrimmage with Serra High School on January 15. San Mateo’s defense team won, but the judge did not make a ruling for the prosecution. “With all this practice, I think our team will do well,” said Liza Leykina, captain of the defense team. “Mock trial is the sunshine to my sky. wIthout it, I feel unhealthy because I

lack a key component of my existence,” said Amin Nilchian, captain of prose-cution team. Mock Trial is a program that high schools across the nation participate in. The Constitutional Rights Foun-dation issues the facts of a case at the beginning of the season, and each team mounts both a prosecution and a defense. Menlo High School has been the team to beat in recent years, winning the county competition and advancing to the state level. One recent season they also won the state level and proceeded to nationals. This year, San Mateo’s goal is to go to state finals, having made it to the semi-finals in the past. “We’re in really good shape this year and we’re hoping to give Menlo and Hillsdale a run for their money,” said advisor Ms. Fergusson.

ier to focus in the PAC. Personal-ly I also think they are a lot more fun and organized in the PAC,” the ASB president said. But others like the better visibil-ity and flexibility the gym allows, especially teachers competing in games and activities. “My favorite part is seeing the teachers roll around in those big round balls,” said Kelly Ghiorso, referring to a rally last semester. “It really gets me pumped up.” Performers mostly prefer the PAC. “The PAC is a lot easier to perform in, where in the gym, you have to face two different directions, which makes choreography a lot harder,”

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Teachers Mario Karting in Rally

said Gaby Despues, a senior on the dance team. Many people have mixed feelings about having rallies in the gym in-stead of the PAC. There are pros and cons of having the rally in the gym, which has put a twist on what people think about the rallies. “Personally I wish there wasn’t even any rallies and we could just go home earlier. That would proba-bly be most beneficial to everyone.” said Kent Turtletaub. “I already ob-tain enough spirit to go around and I don’t need a rally to help me.” The Mario themed rally was a great way to kick off the second se-mester. Stay spirited, Mateo!

Page 2 Wednesday, January 30, 2013THESANMATEOHI

Don’t Tell Me What To Think!

Special Sections EditorTalia Gurevich

What will the NRA think of next? In response to the recent mass shootings, the NRA has announced that to counter these events, there should be armed guards in every school in the country. “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” said Vice President of the NRA Wayne LaPierre at a press conference on December 21 that was interrupted by protesters.

Some members of the Republican Party, who usually stand by the NRA and their 2nd Amendment rights, have shot this idea down; Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has been cited saying that arming schools would not make them safer. The reason most are shying away from the NRA is because the gun debate has become so venomous, due to the most recent mass shooting in Newton, Conn.

According to the New York Times, there at least 23,000 schools nationwide that already have an armed security staff, using the most recent data from the 2009-2010

Christina DresselOpinion Editor

After the devastating mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, CT in December, the media swelled with opinions on gun control and school safety. One opinion that received a lot of attention was presented at the NRA (National Rifle Association) press conference by Vice President Wayne LaPierre. He suggested that we place armed security in our schools. While the media likes to focus on the word “armed,” they should be focusing on “security.”

You can blame guns and you can blame culture; no matter what you blame, these murderers will continue to try to harm others for whatever insane, irrational reason. We can’t keep them from trying, but we can keep them from succeeding.

Installing police officers (who, yes, do carry a gun) in every school is an effective way to prevent tragedies like the one at Sandy Hook Elementary.

LaPierre made a few exceptional points, including the fact that we protect other things with armed guards without question. “American airports, office buildings, power plants, courthouses, even sports stadiums are all protected by armed security, yet when it comes to our children, we as a society leave them utterly defenseless,” said LaPierre.

We are fortunate to have a police officer specifically dedicated to protecting our school. Our SRO (School Resource Officer) offers us safety, whether it be in the most extreme case of an intruder, or a student who breaks the law on campus. Police officers are trained

Arming Our Schoolsschool year. And our school is one of them. If students haven’t noticed, we do have an on-campus officer who spends her day patrolling school grounds. However, does having a police officer on campus actually make the students feel safer?

“I guess I feel safer,” says both Junior Maddy Koval and senior Joe Borlongan, but Maddy added, “I don’t actually see her around that much though. I barely see her.”

So how can one police officer defend the whole campus from one maniac with a gun? If the shooter enters the school from the A-Building and the police officer is over by the gym, the shooter has around five minutes to do as much damage as possible before the officer makes it over to where they are.

The disadvantage of having more officers around is that such an event could be made worse by miscommunication and confusion, then causing more panic and mayhem. There are always false alarms or misunderstandings, and adding firearms can make them fatal. Years ago a kid from Burlingame brought a steak knife to school to eat his lunch, and was then taken to court. Such situations ought to be taken seriously, but what if there were armed guards there at the time?

These mass shootings are serious and changes need to be made, but adding more guns to the problem won’t solve it. The NRA is trying to fight fire with fire rather than admit that gun restrictions are too lax and they need to tighten the reins before more innocent people get hurt.

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to observe suspicious activity in a way that teachers are not.

In the case of an intruder, a police officer on campus is a tremendous benefit; they can get resources immediately, such as police back-up or medical assistance. Also, by knowing the layout of the school, they can maximize efficiency when dealing with law enforcement in the event of a chaotic, dangerous situation.

Some argue that the NRA’s recommendation is a radical one solely because of the gun factor. But it’s important to note that a police officer does not whip out their gun at every opportunity. In the ten years that San Mateo High School has had an SRO, one has never utilized their weapon. Having an armed police officer on campus does not hinder our safety and their gun does not intimidate students or made this a hostile environment.

Understandably, it may be financially difficult to force every school to hire a police officer, but schools should make an effort to coordinate with local law enforcement to make a police officer (and their gun) a permanent part of the school.

Opinion

How do you feel about putting an armed police officer in every

“I don’t think it is necessary to have that power; you can’t fight violence with violence.”

“It’s a good way to keep students from danger.”

“It is totally okay; it makes sense to do that.”

“Sounds expensive.”“I think it will help keep kids safer.”

school as a measure of preventing tragedies like Newtown?

President Obama Widening Political Divides Juhie DesaiStaff Writer

Back in 2008, Obama delivered a powerful speech asserting his authority and speaking passionately about his hopes to come together with the Republican Party. On Monday, January 21, however, Obama’s second inaugural address was a very different one.

On Monday, Obama didn’t have to worry about rising to power and garnering support, he instead proudly spoke about his platform.

During his speech, Obama seemed not only confident, but liberated as well. He emphasized the importance

of seizing the moment. He took pride in the fact that the dreaded war in Afghanistan is coming to an end. He also glorified diversity and claimed our generation has “endless opportunities.” We saw an Obama who wasn’t nearly as naïve as he was four years prior. Obama finally rose above with a newfound confidence after dealing with years of economic turmoil and disputes with the opposition party.

It is known that the President’s Inaugural Address sets the direction for the next four years. It is no doubt that Obama supporters must have been enlightened after listening to this new and improved Obama.

But can we say the same about the Republican reaction?

Obama suggested that our current institutions and ways are inadequate for supporting our modern generations. He supported the Progressive ideals, suggesting “We must harness new ideas and technologies to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools…” Though it isn’t clear that Obama was directly blaming congress members with opposing views for not allowing Obama to implement these changes in his first term, Obama seemed confident that he would get the job done this time around. Obama

further claimed that progress doesn’t require us to settle, rather it requires us to move forward and make necessary changes.

Yes, Obama basically gave up hopes of compromising with the Republicans. But did he instead widen the divisions even more? Even though Obama consistently addressed his audience saying “we,” it was clear that Obama’s assertive manner and constant talk of “liberalism” could have alienated many Republicans.

Obama’s indifference to political dissent and disagreement could mean one of two things. Either his determination to better our country

improves our nation or Republicans fire back, starting even more disputes. We have been waiting to see this assertive, motivated side to Obama. However, he may have gone too far, possibly alienating those who might have made amends with his policies in the future.

But the more important question is what does Obama’s speech mean for our country’s future? Will Obama’s liberal path mean good things for our nation?

Obama seemed prepared to make great strides for Americans, but the divisions that remain could hinder efforts to resolves issues and actually “move forward.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Tzu-yi Jan, Class of 2016 Sophia Moinpour, Class of 2015 Eloy Pelesauma, Class of 2014 Masa Kawakatsu, Class of 2013Mr. Pirie, Teacher

OPINIONPage 3Wednesday, January 30, 2013 THESANMATEOHI

THESANMATEOHI Karen CheeVictoria Xiao

Kay ZhangSavannah LiuTiffany Lee

P.C. Fergusson

Staff WritersEvan Adary Anuja ArgadeSean BecksteadAli BruschiAndrea Caceres

Joey Wong News EditorChristina Dressel Opinion EditorJean Fan Features EditorKimberly Cano LEL EditorJonathan Mou Sports EditorTommy Imperial A&E EditorZach Lorenzini A&E EditorTalia Gurevich Special Sections EditorHannah Poplack Business ManagerDiana Brewer Photo EditorJonathan Slowey Web EditorAva Gerami Web ManagerJeremy Gofman Social Media EditorVikash Morar Social Media Editor

The Voice of San Mateo High

Juhie DesaiAndrew QareChrissy Domingo Savannah LiuJean Ye

Brandon ChinKyle YangRachael WanAlexis Quinney

Editors-in-Chief

Copy Editors

Advisor

SATIRE

Karen CheeEditor-in-Chief

If you’ve recently noticed a growing number of cacti dressed as students on campus, you’re not alone.

Where are these cacti coming from? Can they speak? Are they eco-friendly?

After much investigation, the school health department revealed that the cacti are created through the process of photosynthesenioris, in which seniors convert the light energy from the rays of television and computer screens into chemical energy to fuel justified laziness.

The newly created cacti-seniors are notable for their resemblance

to desert cacti: they are both immobile and difficult to engage in classrooms. Despite their knowledge and potential, the cacti-seniors are storing—not sharing—the waters of intelligence and change within them.

“I used to do a lot of work,” said Vikash Morar, senior. “I did work for my four AP classes and for social media in Journalism, but since second semester started I’ve just been eating chocolate and sleepin—aagggghhhhmfform!” he cried as he morphed into a cactus.

If you’ve seen a transformation, you know how horrific it is. The process takes place over a couple weeks as the senior’s knowledge

Not American? Your Life Has No Value.Ava GeramiWeb Manager

The war on terror was declared in 2001, and has claimed 9,655 American lives. Oh and it’s also killed from 60,000 to one million people in Iraq, from 11,000 to 50,000 in Afghanistan, 2,000 in Pakistan, and over 7,000 in Somalia, according to a study done by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

How many of these deaths have been civilian deaths, and how many have been militants? We can’t possibly know. According to the NY Times, “It [the Admin’s definition of a combatant] in effect counts all military-age males in a strike zone as combatants, according to several administration officials, unless there is explicit intelligence posthumously proving them innocent.” Unlike the “innocent until proven guilty” policy accorded to American citizens, “guilty until proven innocent” seems to be the tune of the past two administrations in regards to deaths in this war on terror.

The latest tool of remotely carried out massacres for the Obama

Administration has been drone attacks in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Yemen. It is estimated that these attacks have killed between 282 and 535 civilians, including 60 children. Sixty children were killed as a result of irresponsible military tactics. After the tragedy at Newtown, Obama said, “I know there’s not a parent in America who doesn’t feel the same overwhelming grief that I do. The majority of those who died today were children -- beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old. They had their entire lives ahead of them -- birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own”, so apparently only beautiful little American kids really deserve mourning.

But what is there to do? Really, what suitable choice is there when it’s a choice between civilian casualties and trying to contain multinational terrorist organizations? We are pursuing these terrorist organizations for killing innocent people, bombing cities, and causing widespread fear; and look at us now. Who can be referred to as terrorists now that we’ve committed the same crimes as our enemies?

Trivializing Rape Leads to Violence Against WomenVictoria XiaoEditor-in-Chief

In India, it took the brutal rape of a woman that ultimately led to her death to initiate talks on improving women’s safety. In Steubenville, Ohio, a high school girl was gang raped—and the case swept under the carpet until Internet activists took up the cause and exposed the details to the public.

A few common themes can be found in the cases and the reactions. Violence toward women has been trivialized, despite still being a brutal reality around the world, and unless significant press attention is on the case, rape victims are set aside by the authorities that should be helping them, their tragedies dismissed and resources withheld.India

In Delhi, a 23-year-old woman and her friend boarded a bus after watching a movie on December 16. They were brutally attacked and beaten by at least five men. The woman was gang raped, and both were sent to the hospital. After suffering for about ten days, she died in a Singapore hospital.

“The patient had remained in an extremely critical condition since admission to Mount Elizabeth Hospital. She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and

brain,” said hospital chief executive Kelvin Loh to the BBC.

“She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome.”

The woman’s case has gone viral over social media networks as well as in major news outlets, and it has sparked both public debate and rioting across India. Protestors and members of India’s Parliament alike have called for the death penalty for the five charged in the case. Police officers involved with the case have been fired, according to the BBC.

Since then, a panel on reforms to India’s rape trials has recommended changes to rape laws. Recommendations have included broadening of the definition of what constituted sexual assault, more accountability for the police, a uniform national protocol for the treatment and medical examination of rape survivors, and perhaps most importantly, a better implementation of laws and the need for a change in the law enforcement’s mindset.

Violence against women is not new in India, and prominent cases have risen to national headlines before. In 1973, Mumbai nurse Aruna Shanbaug was raped and strangled in the hospital where

she worked. Her attacker was only given a seven-year sentence for robbery and attempted murder.

In 2003, a Swiss diplomat was raped in her own car. In 2004, a 32-year-old woman was taken away from her home in Manipur, her body later found by the roadside, her pelvis riddled with bullets. In 2012, in Uttar Pradesh, a 14-year-old was raped and killed inside a police station.

Since the furor over the death of the 23-year-old student in December, another woman has been gang raped in a bus in northern Punjab. Despite the Prime Minister’s promises after the first case that he would devote his energies into a course of action, and the setting up of a panel to propose reforms, it is obvious violence against women has not abated.

It will take a massive overturning of attitude among the public, but especially among authorities, toward women, before these crimes will diminish.

“There is institutional bias,” said Justice Leila Seth, a member of the commission on reforms in rape laws. She noted that police “don’t take complaints of rape victims seriously.”

Former Chief Justice of India Jagdish Sharan Verma, who is leading the panel, also noted

that although the commission had received 80,000 suggestions from India and around the world on reforming rape laws, not a single Indian police chief had sent recommendations.Steubenville

However, this institutional bias is not limited to just India. A prominent case in Steubenville, Ohio has demonstrated that the dismissal of and diminishing of rape cases is just as ingrained in the United States.

The night of August 11 was filled with high school parties where the alcohol flowed freely. A sixteen-year-old girl from Steubenville High School was allegedly sexually assaulted and urinated on multiple times during the night, according to the New York Times.

The police investigation arrested two suspects—both sixteen-year-old boys from the same high school as the girl—who were later released on house arrest.

However, in early January, a sector of the Internet hacktivist group Anonymous released a video of students’ crude, callous tweets and Facebook posts about what happened on August 11.

The case was thrust back into the media spotlight, and has sparked protests and a heated furor in Steubenville. As the case goes

through the legal proceedings, the Steubenville Police Department has published a website called Steubenville Facts dedicated to spotlighting articles that they say highlight the truth.

One of the articles highlighted is an opinion piece in Time cautioning against a leap to judgment, citing a need for keeping the traditions of legal proceedings in mind.

But the callous tweets and Facebook posts speak for themselves, and a video with another student at the school making crude remarks and describing the happenings on August 11 in detail is online as well. In the course of the video, he jokes about alleged rape and describes the girl as looking “dead.”

The student’s lawyer has said that the student had “made several very callous comments and is ashamed and embarrassed” by the comments, according to the BBC.

Perhaps the student is ashamed and embarrassed, now that his comments have been brought to the world’s attention--but he certainly had no problem making the remarks in the first place.

Until this insensitive attitude toward what is appropriate to comment on with regards to rape, violence towards women is trivialized.

and activity slows down and he or she eventually becomes inert.

“I’ve seen many members of my class slowly become immobile,” said Shadi Barhoumi, senior. “At first I thought they stopped exercising, but then I realized they actually became plants.”

“It breaks my heart to see so many cacti. There is still so much to learn and so many things to try, but students prefer to just vegetate,” said Ms. Kalinski.

Keep your eyes out for the cacti—they do very little work, are oblivious to the world’s problems, and are, well, prickly.

“Nnnnnnyyyergrs,” said Vikash Morar, cactus.

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La Esqu na LatinaPage 4 Wednesday, January 30, 2013THESANMATEOHI

¿Pensando en la predicción de los mayas, ¿cuál es su visión de un “nuevo comienzo?PREGUNTAS PARA LOS OSOGATOS

“Yo creo que nadie sabe en verdad cuando el mundo se va acabar.”

Alvo Puntoju, 9

“Pienso que nada le pasará al mundo.”

Diana Guzman, 11

“El mundo terminó para los mayas hace 500 años. Quiero resucitarlos.”

Señor Ortega, Profesor

“Solo dios sabe cuando llegará ese día.”

“Es un nuevo comienzo para todos, lo mas importante en la vida: la familia, la escuela, dios y el amor.”

Alejandro Meza, 10 Emilie Bohorquez, 12

LAS TOP 9 Esta lista del mes es por

Christina Dressel

LovumbaDaddy Yankee

Ella No Sigue ModasJuan Magan

Echa Pa’lla (Manos Pa’rriba)Pitbull

Nina BonitaChino Y Nacho

RabiosaShakira

La DespedidaDaddy Yankee

Caipirinha Zumba Fitness

PegateGrupo Treo

Como Fue el Viaje a la SierraPearson (Realidades)

Kimberly CanoLEL Editor

Una visión desde “Los Altos”

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En algunos casos hay una imagen negativa y estereotipada de los lati-nos en los medios y en Hollywood, pero un nuevo show en MTV po-dría cambiar las vistas y abrir un aspecto nuevo cultural de la vida de los jóvenes latinos.

Muchos dicen que cuando algo termina, algo mejor empieza. “Washington Heights” se centra en la vida de nueve personajes prin-cipales, que sueñan más allá de su muy unida Ciudad de Nueva York.

Esta comunidad está formada por muchos dominicanos que hasta el día de hoy se dice que es uno de

los últimos verdaderos “barrios de Manhattan”, por el productor JP.

El espectáculo nuevo ya ha sido comparado como el “Nuevo Jersey Shore”, después de 6 temporadas, pero no es nada parecido a eso.

Washington Heights tiene un ob-jetivo: llegar a las mentes de los espectadores que quieren explicar el amor por las alturas y que se ha formado sus vidas.

“Me encanta la idea de una nueva serie que se trata de latinos, en el final, la cultura es lo más impor-tante,” dice Dulce Hernández año 11.

Siempre hay que recordar de dónde vienen y eso es justo lo que

Los adolescentes de las alturas de Washington son el más reciente éxito de MTV.quieren transmitir. La gente en la programa sólo está trayendo buscar como realizar sus sueños y cambi-arlos en realidad. A muchos de los miembros del reparto les gustan el arte y para ellos es una parte in-dispensable de sus vidas. Ludwin Froters es un artista ambicioso. Sus planes para la próxima temporada incluyen empezar una colleción de su arte y avanzar su talento en el arte. Otra artista espectacular es Frankie Rodríguez, quien usa sus palabras de su boca para crear el arte. Ella es una periodista domin-icana que mostro su poema “Up-town” en el episodio muestra en primer lugar.

Ejercicio Muestra la Cultura

Con la expansión de Zumba, una forma de “baile fitness,” la música y cultura de Latino América se ha in-troducido a la sociedad Americana. Millones de personas participan en los clases Zumba cada día, y se

están familiarizándose con las len-guas y canciones populares de lati-na América sin tener que investigar.

Zumba, aparte de ser una oportunidad de extender una comprensión de cultura lati-na, es buena forma de ejercicio.

“La música es muy animada

Christina DresselOpinion Editor

y hace que la clase es un entre-namiento divertido y fantásti-co. ” dijo senior Miranda Lui.

Clases típicamente duran una hora en que un instructor conduce dan-zas a muchas canciones de Méjico, Colombia, El Salvador, Brasil, y también a veces España. Las clases consisten de muchas personas, a veces hasta cuarenta o cincuenta en una clase. Pero tener más gente en una clase como Zumba es benefi-cioso para personas que encuentran que es difícil hacer ejercicio solas o que faltan motivación sin instructor.

Hay muchas clases de Zumba por todas partes, especialmente en esta zona de California. El gimnasio PJCC en la cuidad de Foster City oferte clases los lunes y jueves a las 7:30, pero hay clases en cualquier gimnasio en San Mateo también.

Los bailadores tropezan con Zumba.

Nuevas Leyes Dan Más OportunidadesAndrea CaceresStaff Writer

Las autoridades separan mu-chas familias por no tener pape-les enseñando legalización, pero unas nuevas reglas hace mas fácil para inmigrantes que son hijos o tienen esposo o esposa que se queden en los Estados Unidos.

Para obtener su residencia, in-migrantes tienen que pedir doc-umentos en su país de origen. Pero, si se quedaron en los esta-dos unidos por ciento ochenta días o hasta un año los inmigrantes

fueron prohibidos a entrar a los estados unidos por tres años; los que se quedaron más que un año fueron prohibidos por diez años.

Ahora, inmigrantes que quieren su residencia pueden pedir los doc-umentos sin tener que salir de los estados unidos—con dos condi-ciones. Uno, la persona pidiendo los documentos debe de tener familia que son ciudadanos. Dos, la per-sona también tiene que demonstrar que dejando sus padres, esposo, o esposa le dejan con sufrimiento.

Aunque la ley tiene restricciones, parece que al fin hay cambio. Inmi-grantes por lo menos tienen nuevas oportunidades para quedarse juntos con sus familias. Parte de la próxima generación de inmigrantes pueden obtener su residencia sin tanto prob-lemas y sin estar lejos de sus queri-dos. Es un comienzo que promete mas oportunidades en el futuro.

Estudiantes latinos son parte de el futuro.

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LA ESQUINA LATINAPage 5Wednesday, January 30, 2013 THESANMATEOHI

Tiffany LeeStaff Writer

Participa en la Cultura Mundial y Asiste a la Semana Internacional

Una Nueva Adición

Jean YeStaff Writer

La tierra está rodeada de muchos países llenos de cultura y orgullo.

La Señora Arge sera bienvenida con los brazos abiertos.

Una alma artística se une a nues-tra escuela este semestre. Señora Arge, la nueva sustituta de la Seño-ra Bárbara, que se quedara con no-sotros por dos meses.

La Señora Arge enseñaba en la escuela de Burlingame el año ante-rior, donde enseñó español y el arte. Cuando se le preguntó qué pensa-ba de SMHS, ella dijo que estaba impresionada por todo el espíritu escolar, “Usted puede ver una gran cantidad de carteles por el pasillo ... La escuela de Burlingame no tiene carteles,”. Ella también mencionó que había estado en uno de nuestros manifestaciones en el viejo teatro. “Me gusta mucho, los estudiantes pasan mucho tiempo y esfuerzo,”.

La Señora Arge disfruta de ser parte de una comunidad escolar, y considera que, “Cada escuela es única, y me gusta trabajar con ad-olescentes,” dice la Señora Arge. “Siempre estoy aprendiendo, yo aprendo mucho de los adoles-

centes.”Aunque la Señora Arge, “todavía

está tratando de saber lo que SMHS hace”, ella está mirando espera ser parte de nuestras reuniones esco-lares, exposiciones de arte y parti-dos de deportes. A ella le gustaría involucrarse más después de que ella aprende más información de SMHS.

Enfocándose a su interés person-al, la Señora Arge disfruta de la lectura. “Me gustan el español. He leído cuentos y poesías en español, “, dice la Señora Arge.

La Señora Arge estudio el español en la universidad, y ha viajado a América del Sur para aprender es-pañol durante un año en la univer-sidad. Ella también ama las artes y hace videos sobre historias cortas durante su tiempo libre, así como enseña a los estudiantes de secund-aria cómo hacer videos.

Estamos muy contentos de tener a la Señora Arge como profesora. Una vez que eres un Osogato, siem-pre serás un Osogato.

Las diferentes culturas se unen en una gran masa durante la sem-ana internacional, que se acerca en febrero. El objetivo, promover la diversidad, se aplica a todos en la escuela - después de todo, tanta gente diferente y culturas rodean

nuestra comunidad. Semana Internacional les permite

experimentar un poco de cada cul-tura y cómo la gente hace cosas dif-erentes.

Por supuesto, todo el mundo puede participar, siempre y cuando tengan el espíritu de. “Cualquier estudiante puede participar, “ dice

Melissa Alvarez, el estudiante a cargo del evento. “Tenemos un des-file de moda donde los estudiantes usar ropa diferente para diferentes culturas que el resto de los estudi-antes se ve,“

La ropa no es la única muestra de la cultura que podemos compartir. “También pueden obtener involu-crado al unirse a un club interna-cional como La Raza Unida, Poly Club, y Filipino Club,“ agrega Me-lissa.

“Estos clubes a bailar, así como vender comida. Cualquier club es bienvenido a vender comida en la Semana Internacional, siempre y cuando pase por el liderazgo habitación y recoger y rellene el

formulario.”El club de La Raza Unida propor-

cionará a algunos alumnos a rep-resentar la cultura latina mediante la realización de banda tradicional, bachata y danzas folklóricas en al-muerzo.

Al igual que otros clubes y gru-pos, que será la venta de comida en el último día.

Por lo tanto, ¡reunir a todos tus amigos a participar y representar a su propio cultura!

Una semana llena de actuaciones del club, un desfile de moda, y los nuevos alimentos para probar será la reunión de todas las diferentes personas, sin importar su origen ét-nico y costumbres son.

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La Belleza de la Vida

Maribel AmadorGuest Writer

Emily al costado de las nuevas amigas que tendrá en su vida para siempre.

Estaba leyendo un artículo de una mujer que dio a luz en una parada de un autobús. Ella era hispana, no hablaba inglés y una señora amer-icana llamada Emily se acercó a ella sin saber nada de español y la ayudó a dar a luz a su bebé.

Ella usó una cuerda para atar el cordón umbilical antes de que los trabajadores de emergencia llega-ran, su higo de tres anos paciente-mente se sentaba en el banco de la parada de autobús.

Todo salió bien y a la última

la madre llamó a su recién naci-da “Emily”. La señora dice una cita hermosa que nunca olvidaré. “Yo no hablo español, pero hablo mamá,” Sabemos que algunos es-

“Yo no hablo es-pañol, pero hablo mamá.”

tadounidenses son ignorantes y ella podría fácilmente decir, “Yo no en-tiendo, no te puedo ayudar,”.

Pero al ver la conexión de ser una mamá cuenta de que era una situ-ación, que nadie más lo entendería. El hecho de que una mama cuenta de que era una situación, que nadie mas entendería. El hecho de que usted hable inglés no quiere decir que sea el único idioma en el mun-do que importa.

¿Cómo te sentirías si fueras a un país extranjero y nadie te ayudó? Todo el mundo merece y desea una oportunidad de tener éxito. Si, todos hablamos un idioma difer-ente, comemos diferentes tipos de alimentos, tenemos otra religión o cultura diferente, tenemos un color de piel diferente, tenemos nuestra propia opinión pero sin embargo todos somos iguales.

No importa de donde vienes, tu estatus migratorio, su orientación sexual, la religión, todos somos hu-manos. Haga un esfuerzo para ayu-dar a alguien en necesidad, algún día alguien te ayudará.

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For almost eight years, the Benjamin Franklin Hotel in downtown San Mateo has sat vacant. Recently, many of the empty buildings near it have removed their “For Lease” signs, and other establishments in the area have closed.

The windows of a former antiques shop on Third Avenue let on first: a university is being built there, albeit not your typical one. A man named Tim Draper, who founded Draper University of Heroes in Silicon Valley and who is Managing Director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, is opening an extention center there called “The Collective.”

According to Draper University’s website, the school will open sometime this January, aiming to train aspiring entrepreneurs. By using eight superhero-esque themes — vision, truth and justice, speed and strength, special powers, money and resources, creativity, evangelism, and survival weekend — the school hopes to transform its students into “heroes.” The world needs more of them, the website says.

Draper University will offer students an eight-week experience

New University Trains Future HeroesJoey WongNews Editor

Some Bearcats Start Careers Early

Jean FanFeatures Editor

to create a company under the mentorship of a successful entrepreneur, as well as under Tim Draper himself. They also have the chance to receive funding from Silicon Valley VC firms.

Believing that residency is an essential part of the program, Draper will insist that all students live in the Benjamin Franklin Hotel, which will be used as housing similar to a university dormitory and is currently being renovated. What Draper does not believe in, however, are grades: they are just not an accurate measure of success, especially for aspiring entrepreneurs. Standardized tests, for that matter, are also out.

Unlike traditional universities, which tend to focus heavily on theory, this school will focuses on practical experience. Students will be asked to sign a Superhero Oath, which includes terms like “promoting freedom at all costs,” “failing and failing again until they succeed,” and “exploring the world with gusto and enthusiasm.”

Draper University clearly places value on personal development, and the cultivation of long-term visions.

Most telling — and exciting — is the university’s Alumni Hall of Fame. In such a male-dominated industry, it is refreshing to see so many female success stories. Of the four videos, two alumni are female;

all four entrepreneurs featured in the written descriptions are women.

Of course, there’s also a catch: while the university purports to offer high school graduates an opportunity to get a jumpstart on their career, it comes at a steep cost. Tuition is $7,500 for the spring session, $15,000 for summer.

Yet for students who circumvent college for financial reasons, this amount may not be feasible. Luckily, there are other ways to access the resources that will be present at this center.

Besides functioning as a school, the university will also offer a “dynamic, peer-to-peer workspace” for people who want to work in a less traditional environment. For a weekly or monthly fee, entrepreneurs can work out of the university, making connections and building their network along the way.

This concept, of course, is by no means new. Coworking spaces have become a common sight in the past few years, especially in the heart of San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Most notable

What Draper University will be, however, is the first startup school and one of the first coworking spaces on the Peninsula.

Not Getting Paid Now Will Pay Off Later

Talia GurevichSpecial Section Editor

I sifted through Linkedin for hours, looking for internships, or better yet a paid job that relates to what I’m interested in. I sent out resumes, signed up for interviews, sent emails and made calls. That’s how I spent last year before summer break, trying to add some fodder to my resume and gain some work experience.

I managed to secure a paid internship at a small startup in Mountain View. It wasn’t related to my future career, but it was experience I needed to move my career path along.

Judging from what I’ve heard from other students, it’s become more important now to start

has taken out student loans that they will still be paying back 10 years after they graduate. As college tuition becomes more expensive, some high school graduates decide to forego furthering their education and jumpstart their careers instead. A college diploma isn’t a requirement anymore in certain fields, especially here in California. The start-ups in Silicon Valley aren’t as concerned with degrees as long as the job gets done.

For example, I recently met a 16-year-old boy who now lives and works in Palo Alto. He used to live in Tennessee up until six months ago, when the founder of a new start-up software company contacted him and offered him a job. He had been coding and designing programs for years, and had put some of his work online, successfully attracting the attention of companies in Silicon Valley. He moved out here and has bounced around two other companies since, gaining valuable experience.

Of course, not all of us can code or be an engineering expert. But there are still opportunities available for those who aren’t gifted with those talents. Popular examples: App Developer, Marketing Manager, and Sales Manager.

Being an App Developer is surprisingly easy; if you sit down and tinker with your computer for a while you can learn the basics of html. Marketing and sales are fields where charisma and ambition are more important than a degree, if you can sell the company to a customer.

Internships and career planning are becoming staples for high school students. So the sooner students start working, the better their resumes will look.

High school students should start working now.

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“The start-ups in Silicon Valley aren’t as concerned with [high school and college] degrees as long as the job gets done.”working on their careers sooner rather than later.

As our economy struggles, the workforce is getting more competitive, and having as much experience as possible helps set people apart. When all you have to be considered by is a piece of paper, it’s better to have glowing, long-term positions as early as possible.

The average college graduate

Visit draperuniversity.com for more information.

Page 7Wednesday, January 30, 2013 THESANMATEOHI

applied to all of his different career interests. Although he works in the marketing department, Jeremy interacts regularly with the legal department, finance, and public relations. He has learned and gotten hands-on experience in analytics, compiling data, presenting research findings, and communicating with others.

“Working in a professional environment has been an incredible experience and has shown me what to expect in a workplace. I have found that the most important part of business is not necessarily economics, but the soft skills: communication, determination, work-ethic, working with people.”

Jeremy’s advice to others is to get active, and take all the opportunities available to gain real-world experience in a professional environment. “It doesn’t matter where you start, but where you finish,” says Jeremy, “Any experience is good experience. If you have the chance to pursue something professional, paid or unpaid, do it. Experience in invaluable.”

Senior Michelle Ragsac has had more experience purifying proteins than most students have had raising their hand in class. She has been involved in many biotechnology programs throughout her time at

She Uses Proteins For Biotechnology, Not Muscle Masshigh school and she has discovered a keen interest in protein synthesis and purification.

Michelle interned at biotechnology company CS Bio last summer and was taught how

real laboratory technicians work on their proteins. It was there that Michelle realized how interested in protein biochemistry she was.

CS Bio is a company that produces protein synthesizers for sale to researchers and manufacturers. While at CS Bio, Michelle was given the opportunity to work with these high-level protein synthesizers that only protein researchers are able to use.

She was able to intern at CS Bio through the biotechnology internship program that we have at San Mateo High School, and she is grateful to the program for granting her the opportunity.

“It was fun because I was able to run high performance liquid chromatographies,” Michelle said. A high performance

By Vikash MorarSocial Media Editor

While most students spend their free time and summer breaks at sports practices, rehearsals, and hanging out with friends, senior Jeremy Gofman goes to work. Jeremy does not just read about marketing, economics, and analytics in a textbook, or in a classroom, he practices them each day at RingCentral as a Social Media Associate.

In March of 2012, Jeremy began working at the company as an intern. Now, almost a year later, Jeremy works in a paid position among adults. His job includes collecting social media analytics, compiling his findings, and presenting it to others. Jeremy believes that this experience has not only furthered his education, but helped him find a field he is interested in pursuing post-high school.

“Going out into the workplace is an invaluable experience. Getting started early is the best way to get started, ” said Jeremy.

While Jeremy is not sure about pursuing social media marketing as a future career, he says that the skills and tools he has learned by working in a office environment can be

Economics and Updating Facebook Pages

The Secret Guide To Hacking Your Education Sitting cross-legged on the floor,

spooning Greek yogurt into her mouth, senior Jean Fan talks about her work with two organizations in the Bay Area – UnCollege and Hacker Dojo.

“I write the weekly newsletter

“Being introspective and making sure that you’re always improving and learning is also really important,” Jean said. “In fact, that’s why I started an internship at Hacker Dojo – I wanted to work on my storytelling ability, and marketing is just another form of that.”

Jean helps Katy, the Director of Development, with minor marketing campaigns to promote the technology community center, which was the initial home of startups like Pinterest, Wordlens, and Pebble Watches. Even though she has “absolutely no background in tech,” Jean says that she’s really enjoyed learning about the industry and getting the chance to meet people in Silicon Valley.

“Both organizations revolve around this idea of ‘hacking,’ which I take to mean finding better ways to create or build things. At UnCollege, we look for more effective ways to learn; at Hacker Dojo, to collaborate.”

Talia GurevichSpecial Section Editor

Hannah PoplackBusiness Manager

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liquid chromatography is one way that she and other protein scientists can identify and purify proteins in solutions.

She is also grateful for her internship because it taught her how to run labs independently. “My least favorite part was working 8 hours a day every week,” Michelle said jokingly.

Michelle is currently involved in the biotechnology independent research program and her project involves the purification of a protein, as her internship did. She is also in AP biology, where she is able to learn more about how proteins work in biology and how they are purified.

After her experience at CS Bio, which she values very highly, Michelle decided that she wants to pursue a career in protein synthesis in the future. She wants to learn more about proteins in university with a possible major in biochemistry. After graduating, she wants to work in a biotechnology company that synthesizes proteins or purifies them because that interests her very much.

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for UnCollege, an online movement that helps students design and take control of their education,” she said. “We argue that college isn’t the only – or even the most effective – way to get a good education, especially because of the proliferation of online learning platforms.”

The organization offers ideas and resources for self-directed learners, and the founder, Dale J. Stephens, is publishing a book called Hacking Your Education this March.

“It’s a great book,” Jean said. “I definitely recommend it to anyone who views learning as a lifelong pursuit. It’s full of great anecdotes, too.”

In addition to its blog, UnCollege runs seasonal Hackademic Camps, where, for a weekend, young thinkers and entrepreneurs come together to discuss innovations in the education industry. During the camp, they make it a point to reflect on their own learning habits as well.

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Predicting the 85th Academy Awards

To say 2012 was a good year for film is a great understatement. Directors portrayed larger than life stories via culturally diverse, historically magnificent, and aesthetically rich settings.

And it looks like movie overlord Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln is really going to reel in the glory this time around. Our best bets are on it winning Best Picture, Best Directing, and Best Actor for Daniel Day Lewis.

But wait! Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty trails right behind for Best Picture and Best Directing, and it’s first for Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Most Original Screenplay, and Best Actress for Jessica Chastain.

Director Tom Hooper’s

Les Miserables surprisingly falls behind the previously mentioned movies, with nominations for Best Picture, Best Directing, and Best Actor for Hugh Jackman.

Still, the movie kills the competition under Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Supporting Actress for Anne Hathaway.

Other nominations for Best Picture include Argo, Silver Linings Playbook, Life of Pi, Django Unchained, Amour, and Beasts of a Southern Wild.

Also look out for nominees in Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director. A complete list of nominees can be found online at www.oscars.go.com.

Tune in on Sunday, February 24 to watch the 85 annual award show and see which predictions come true and which ones become fallen dreams.Who do you want to win?

With a year full of monumental films, history-making screenplays, and brilliant acting, there are bound to be some letdowns at this year’s Academy Awards. Not everyone can receive a praising nod from The Academy, but there are a few names that didn’t earn the acclaim they deserve.

Leonardo DiCaprio missed his chance, yet again, at winning Best Actor in a supporting role for his well-crafted villain in Tarantino’s Django Unchained; also ignored were his costars Samuel L. Jackson and Jamie Foxx. Although the film earned five other nominations, the masterpiece was snubbed in multiple, well-deserved sub-categories.

Another male actor that fell

under the radar is Ezra Miller, who played a breakthrough role in Stephen Chbosky’s critically acclaimed The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The film itself sadly went unnoticed by The Academy; however, Miller’s stellar performance was most deserving of a nomination.

Les Miserables’s Tom Hooper and Django Unchained’s Quinton Tarantino fell through the cracks in the best director category, though both did groundbreaking jobs. Yet this small snub can’t and won’t dishearten them too much, as their films earned multiple other recognitions.

With possibly too many awesome options to choose from, we have to expect The Academy to be critical and snub-ish in their decision-making, although these shortchanged artists are just as deserving of an Oscar.

Meet the Nominees Missed PopularityAnuja ArgadeStaff Writer

Zach LorenziniA&E Editor

WHAT DO YOU THINK? What do you think was 2012’s best picture?

“I thought Skyfall had a lot ofaction; it caught my attention.”

Manasa Palakodaty, Class of 2016

“The Hunger Games because that was a good movie.”

Rachel Patterson, Class of 2014

“Skyfall. James Bond is a cool guy.”

Eric Hu, Class of 2013

“I would hope that Lincoln wins. It is an important movie and I love that president.”Mr. Friedberg, Teacher

“Django Unchained. It was a really good movie with superb directing and editing.”Lindsey Pantuso, Class of 2015

PHOTOS BY EVAN ADARY

Page 9THESANMATEOHIWednesday, January 30, 2013

HIPLAYLISTTHE

This month’s playlist by Mr. Norman

Sheena is a Punk RockerThe Ramones

No FunThe Stooges

20th Century BoyT. Rex

Train in VainThe ClashBall and BiscuitThe White StripesAll Down The LineThe Rolling Stones

Rock and RollThe Velvet Underground

The MoanThe Black Keys

California (Hustle and Flow)Social DistortionLay Down This WorldSoledad Brothers

SMHS Drama Presents Legally BlondeTiffany LeeStaff Writer

San Mateo High brings us our second musical of the school year, a comedy with a twist of both wit and romance: Legally Blonde. Viewers follow Elle Woods, who seems to have everything anyone could wish for, as she faces life-changing chal-lenges. Her boyfriend leaves her, her dream of attending Harvard Law School seems impossible, and, quite frankly, her blonde hair proves to be the root of her prob-lems. Nonetheless, Elle overcomes her obstacles, all the while main-taining the flair that she started her adventure with.

The cast of this winter play put on show previews both inside and outside of school. In mid-January, a teaser was featured at the Hills-dale Mall, drawing a remarkably large crowd of all ages. “The audi-ence is going to be up to their ears in laughter,” said Russell Zych, junior, who plays Emmett Forrest.

“It’s a beyond hilarious show.”People in the audience, as it may

seem, are not the only ones who can enjoy the play. The cast members have fun while bringing the musi-cal to life as well. “The best part of being in the cast of Legally Blonde is that the girls get to run the show!” said Ashley Chiu, junior, who plays Elle Woods. “Of course, the guys have tons of fun up on that stage as well, but we girls have bonded and I love watching us all move as a unit – singing and dancing and Delta Nu-ing. We get to strut our stuff and really show everyone the meaning of girl power!”

In short, Legally Blonde is a can’t-miss comedy that just about everyone can laugh along with. “It’s really energetic, fun, and has a lot of effort put into it,” said Tara Nash, freshman, playing multiple parts in the musical. “It’s funny and has some really entertaining char-acters, and you can see your friends become totally different people.”

So come watch and support your fellow classmates transform a play into a whole new world! The show will take place at the Bayside Per-forming Arts Center, February 1, 2, 8, and 9 at 7:30 pm, and on Febru-ary 3, 9, and 10 at 2 pm.

Ashley Chiu poses as Elle Woods in San Mateo’s Legally Blonde.

Tommy’s Little Album Corner

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Tommy ImperialA&E Editor

With a laundry list of featured collaborators to boast, A$AP ROCKY’s debut certainly needs no review by me for any reason: it’s the number one album in the country right now. His instinct for rap and witch house infusion with-out the latter clouding his musical foundation, ROCKY definitely has a dark, clever, and youthful sound to him that isn’t out of taste now, nor would it have been 10 years ago. If the buzz surrounding him is any indication, A$AP ROCKY is sure to be the latest in a short but prestigious list of high profile hip-hop artists in the forefront of popu-lar music culture.

LONG.LIVE.A$AP. A$AP ROCKY

Anything In ReturnToro y Moi

Les Miserables OSTVarious

The close-to-home follow up of 2011’s Underneath The Pine, Anything In Return chronicles Chaz Bundick’s steady but intelligent growth in his perfected subgenre of electronic, R&B, bedroom mellow-pop that is too loud and intricate to be considered background music, yet not quite obnoxious enough to demand full attention. The album in particular shines in Bundick’s repertoire as being his most aggressive and reaching, yet synthetically drawn-out work thus far. Standout tracks include single “So Many Details” and “Say That” and album centerpieces, “Cola” and “Studies.”

Despite criticism of the lack of recorded vocals and instead using live performances on location for both the film and the soundtrack, The Les Miserables OST soars above any expectations – it is de-void of anything contrived (except maybe Russell Crowe, but we can ignore that), the live performances giving the actors/singers a lot of breathing room to stretch their dual performances, making for quite an emotional purging. Perhaps the soundtrack’s most notable piece is Anne Hathaway’s crippling rendi-tion of “I Dreamed a Dream,” the performance that earned her an Academy Award nomination.

The Next DayDavid Bowie

Broke With Expensive TasteAzealia Banks

TBAArctic Monkeys

It’s been ten years since we’ve had new material from David Bowie, and the music world has changed drastically since we have. Given the album cover for his March release, The Next Day, an obscured depiction of his Heroes artwork, it seems the icon has intentions of an experimental move forward (shocker!) while still reminiscent of his most notable success.

Her music often being a tail end to her controversies, Azealia Banks’ first official album release is around the corner. We’re sure to hear increasing Nicki Minaj comparisons as her popularity rises, and even so, expect to be seeing a lot of Banks in the coming year, whether it be her glowing internet presence or her constant churning out of singles.

If this does turn out to be the year of Arctic Monkeys’ fifth album release, then any anticipation I had for anything this year in music would pale in comparison to that of the Sheffield band. I could go on and on like a British schoolgirl about how good they are, but I figure that would do more harm than good without a proper release to warrant it.

New Video Games of 2013Vikash MorarSocial Media Editor

2013 has just begun, and it’s al-ready going to be a big year for gaming. With a plethora of sequels from big franchises already an-nounced for this year, many inter-esting games are definitely on the way.

The first major sequel to be re-leased this year is Devil May Cry, which completely reimagines the series with a redesigned protago-nist to boot. Even though the main character is still Dante, he has a new look and goes through a much darker tale than before. This new installment was released on Janu-ary 15 for all of the major consoles except for the Wii U.

Next up is Sniper: Ghost War-rior 2, which is released on the same day. This game, with the ap-pearance of a generic first person shooter, is much more dedicated to stealth than others, leaving the player to hide as a sniper that’s out of sight at all times. Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 will be released for all major systems, including the Play-station Vita but not PCs.

Nintendo is also releasing some major names, with its first being Fire Emblem Awakening. The Fire Emblem franchise is a popular sta-ple on the Nintendo systems and on February 4, it will become a part of the 3DS as well. The game is going to stay a turn-based strategy game, as fans would expect, but it is also expected to have quite a bit of inno-vation with the abilities available.

The following day, another ma-jor name is dropping: Dead Space 3. Dead Space has been known for inciting fear and terror in its play-ers and this installment looks to do the same. Aside from the horror, Dead Space is a series about Isaac Clarke and the tragedy he has gone

through because of the aliens who attacked. Dead Space 3 will be re-leased for all major systems except for the Wii U.

Another popular series that will be released is Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, which will be available on February 5 for the Playstation 3 and Vita. After quite a hiatus, Sly Coo-per is back to time travel with his cohorts in this new adventure.

Award-winning series Metal Gear Solid is also releasing a game this year: Metal Gear Rising: Reven-geance. This game will be released for all the major systems besides the Wii U on February 19. This game will follow Raiden, instead of the series protagonist Snake, on his journey to try to bring his coun-try back together after a brutal civil war.

Also on February 19, Crysis 3 is going to be released for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. The Crysis series is a sci-fi video game se-ries in which players fight in the future against aliens that invaded the Earth long ago. As the third in-stallment in the franchise, players return as the “Prophet” and try to investigate why the aliens are still in control of the Earth.

The popular Tomb Raider series is releasing a backstory game to the origins of protagonist Lara Croft and the roots of her desire for ad-venture. This game will be avail-able on March 5 for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

Aside from these, there are many more games that have been an-nounced for this year that many gamers are excitedly waiting for. Many more popular series in gam-ing have worked to release their next installments this year as well.All of these prospective games are going to ensure that 2013 is an in-novative and memorable year for gaming.

Albums to Look Out for Later This Year

NEWSPage 10 Wednesday,January 30, 2013THESANMATEOHI

From CELEBRATE, page 1

that despite the dozens of airports named after people, none of them were named after an openly-LGBTQ person. Harvey Milk, assassinated in 1978, has schools named in his honor, but nothing on an international scale. Campos wants Milk’s name to be the basis of daily conversations, so that the LGBTQ message can reach places where it typically isn’t spoken about.

The name-changing project does not come easily though. According to SFgate, the cost of changing San Francisco International Airport’s name could be anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000 as predicted by other airports who have gone through name changes already. Plus, if the proposal passes through the board of supervisors, it is still subject to voting by the people in November. The former looks hopeful, but there is still a long road to Harvey Milk San Francisco International Air-port becoming a reality.

The name change has also sparked a strong discussion among citizens and board members: is Harvey Milk the person SFO should be named after? Many argue that there has been a strong line of people that represent San Francisco, some perhaps more so than Harvey Milk.

What do you think, Mateo?

active,” said Allie. Health Week is a favorite among the Bearcat population, and many students look forward to it. “I loved Health Week the past three years, and I’m sure this year will be just as enjoyable, if not more. There are a lot

of fun and relaxing lunchtime events,” said Patricia Weng, senior. “My favor-ite event is yoga, hands down.” Members of the Leadership class are in charge of organizing the school’s spirit weeks. Bearcats are sure to enjoy second semester with wide variety of events offered to students.

State Gets an F in Education

Eleven states, including California, received F’s in education on the first State Policy Report Card issued by StudentsFirst, an organization founded by Michelle Rhee, former chancellor of public schools in Washington D.C. The highest grades received were B’s. Low scores were given because, according to the report, states should allow mayors to have control over

Savannah LiuStaff Writer

low performing districts, remove restrictions on establishing charter schools, and establish annual teacher evaluation among other things. Some critics think the organiza-tion is purely a political game, while others believe that the report does not measure with effective critera. “That’s no way to measure real prog-ress according to StudentsFirst’s own

logic,” said an editorial in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. San Mateo High School Principal Ms. Shiu has not read the report and cannot comment on whether it is fair, but she is not surprised StudentsFirst has sparked controversy. Michelle Rhee knows how to capture wide-spread attention, but her aggressive approach may “not the best way to get effective change,” said Ms. Shiu. Other critics say the report over-simplifies the issue. “Apparently, the special interests to whom Students-First is beholden do not consider poverty to be a factor in determining the effectiveness of a child’s educa-tion,” wrote Randy Turner on The Huffington Post. “Her criteria are ridiculous,” said English teacher Ms. Fergusson. “What does a mayor know about education? Anyone can be mayor who can run a campaign. There are no qualifications. Charter schools already have virtually no restrictions, and teachers are eval-uated regularly.” “In the media, it’s powerful to have heroes and villains,” said a spokesper-son from the Century Foundation in The Washington Post. “The fact that evidence doesn’t back her up doesn’t seem to prevent her from getting wide notoriety.” The organization has strong sup-porters, too. Michelle Rhee “is a fear-less advocate, fully determined to put the focus back where it belongs — on kids,” said Antonio Villaraigosa, May-or of Los Angeles, in a story published in The Washington Post. Whether state policy will be influ-enced or improved by the State Policy Report is unclear. One thing is for sure: Michelle Rhee knows how to get attention.

San Mateo Celebrates

SFO to Change Name?Jonathan SloweyWeb Editor

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As homage to the first openly gay politician in San Francisco, this name change for the airport would spread a global message of civil and LGBTQ rights to the millions of people board-ing and leaving their flights. However, the proposal needs to pass a majority vote through the San Francisco Board of Supervisors first.

“When you think of the 9 million international visitors, coming from many of the 77 countries where it’s still illegal to be LGBT—people forget that there are still 77 countries where it’s criminal to be who you are,” said Stuart Milk, Harvey Milk’s nephew, to SFgate.com. “To be in Dubai, and see on the board a flight that ends at Harvey Milk San Francisco International Airport, or to be a young Pakistani, in a country where it is illegal to be gay, look up and see the name of a gay icon and feel, ‘I am not alone.”

David Campos, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, came up with the idea after he realized

GRAPHIC BY DIANA BREWERRG

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eaturesUnbundle Your Education

Jean FanFeatures Editor

Rachel WanStaff Writer

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Visit uncollege.org to read more about self-directed learning.

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SportsPage 12 Wednesday, January 30, 2013THESANMATEOHI

8 THINGS TOKNOW ABOUT

1 There are over 15 events in high school track and field.

Track

2 False starting in a race can lead to disqualification.

3 The Bearcat Invitational hosts more than 40 schools.

4 You can partake in up to 4 events per meet.

5 The hardest part about a relay is passing the baton.

6 The pole vault pit takes nearly an hour to set up.

7 All running shoes in track have metal spikes.

8 It is best to eat a banana before a meet to energize yourself.

Andrew QareStaff Writer

Arevalos Leading Mateo Basketball

When you come to a basketball game, it’s hard to not notice Jonathan Arevalos, our star player, relentlessly sprinting up and down the court and muscling in baskets over defenders. Despite being capable of playing virtually every position, Arevalos usually plays point-guard, the ideal position that a captain should fill. Aside from handling the ball, his job is to orchestrate the Bearcat offense, call out plays, and direct players to their spots.

Averaging an impressive 17.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, Arevalos has clearly earned himself the title of being the most valuable and important player on the San Mateo basketball team.

“The greatest thing about playing basketball is that it is very competitive, and playing with my teammates, who are also my friends, makes it that much more enjoyable,” said Arevalos.

He has played basketball for seven years, and stood out as a freshman during his first year of high school ball. As one of the few freshmen that actually played, it was clear that after his first game, through his spirit and energy, that he is a natural leader.

After helping lead the junior varsity team to second place during the 2009-2010 season, Arevalos was promoted to the captain of the squad in his sophomore year, leading the team to a 6-2 record (the best in years), while earning the Most Valuable Player Award.

“My favorite memory is probably hitting the game-winning shot against Woodside,” said Arevalos.

“My motivation for playing the way I do is being able to compete, and working as hard as I can for doing something that I love to do. When I’m on the court, I always think about how to make the best decisions,” explained Arevalos.

This is no surprise as he has,

when it comes to basketball, an outstanding work ethic. Along with several other players, he plays only basketball, and commits to the year-round conditioning workouts that the San Mateo basketball program offers. Aside from going to these optional school practices, he also goes straight to the PJCC afterwards to work on his skills and condition himself.

His junior year was also similar to his freshman year, in the sense that he was only one of two juniors that actually received playing time. Serving as the back-up point-guard, he helped control the offense as one of the younger players. This improved his leadership skills, as he is now one of the few individuals that every Bearcat basketball player looks to for advice.

Arevalos’ leadership skills are unquestionably one of the best that San Mateo has ever had. Critical yet encouraging, he tries to energize players by telling them to play with confidence, while keeping their heads up when he sees that there is room for improvement.

Even when the team is getting blown out, he doesn’t quit, and tells them to play each and every game out like it’s their last.

“I always expect a lot of dedication and effort from everybody, and no matter what happens, I want to finish this season strong,” explained Arevalos.

While he does not have any plans for college basketball, he has a good reputation as a high school player, and is known around the league for being the best player at San Mateo.

Mateo basketball will soon be coming to an end, and Arevalos and the Bearcats will need your support to finish the season strong.

The Bearcats are 0-5 as of January 25, and will hopefully be able to rack up some crucial wins as the season comes to a close in early February. The next game will be on February 1 at Hillsdale High School.

Jonathan MouSports Editor

Jonathan Arevalos thinking before blowing past a defender.

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Swim Team Prepares For Upcoming Spring SeasonChrissy DomingoKyle KangStaff Writers

The spring swim season is coming up in February, and the swimmers of San Mateo High are eagerly waiting the upcoming season and recruiting new members to their squad. Now that Ronald Chen, one of the best swimmers in the Peninsula who went to the 2012 Olympic swimming trials has graduated, we are expecting returning players to step up their game to keep the Bearcat swim team up to par and better than ever.

“We definitely need to work on our endurance to swim consistently because that is the easiest thing to do at the meet. We are confident and realistic, and I will try my best to prepare my teams,” said Rich Farley, coach of the swim team.

The swim team, for the most part, consists of the fall season water polo team. It helps them as a team because they already know their strengths and weaknesses as swimmers. “We are looking forward to doing well this season and we are confident,” said John Halet, senior and former water polo star. As one of the strongest swimmers on the team, John hopes to lead the team to success again this year.

“I’m really excited for the new season. It’ll be really fun. We have lots of talent returning and I’m looking forward to winning PAL. I plan to take a leadership role in and out of the pool,” said Dylan Babbs, senior and butterfly swimmer extraordinaire.

The swim team pours their time and commitment into after school

practices every day. On Fridays, however, they

have morning practices, a great commitment and excellent way to start up their day. Their practices include practicing their strokes for a non-stop two hours.

“Swimming takes time to understand and enjoy the game. If you are not a person that commits to something and gives up then swimming is not for you. I think this year the JV will do much better with the increase in our skills,” said sophomore Paolo Castillo.

Last year, five swimmers made it all the way to CCS and we are hoping for having even more make it this year.

Remember to come out and support our swimmers when the season begins as they will need your support to perform their best.

Seniors Larry Campbell, Tarryn O’Mahoney, and Kevin Rodela pose.