Gabrielino High School

tongva times
VOLUME XVII | ISSUE VIIII

May 29
29, 2015

Shimamoto retires, starts a new chapter

By Cynthia Sor
Features Editor

Lenh and
Sheng top of
graduating
class

After nearly four decades

working in education, beloved
teacher-librarian Ellen Shimamoto will be retiring, leaving
behind a legacy of curiosity, information literacy, and community involvement.
Previously a sixth-grade teacher at Montebello Intermediate
School, Shimamoto was first
called to Gabrielino by a colleague who needed someone to
sit in on a meeting with the architects who were building Gabrielinos new library. After the
meeting with the builders and
then-principal Dan Mooney,
she was offered a job at the stillnew school.
One of Shimamotos favorite
projects while working at Gabrielino was developing the Freshman Seminar curriculum and
teaching the class in tandem
with Health. While the course
was cut from the high school
curriculum in recent years,

By Jessica Duque
Quirks Editor
On May 22, Gabrielino High
School honored high achieving
students at the annual Renaissance Rally. At the end of the
event, seniors Jason Lenh and
Raymond Sheng were awarded
valedictorian and salutatorian,
respectively.
The two other candidates for
the title were Christian Leung
and Joanna Chang. Prior to the
event, all candidates were honored to have even been selected.
Throughout his high school
career, Lenh has taken 11 Advanced Placement (AP) classes.
Lenh has participated in service
clubs such as Key Club and Interact, in addition to establishing
his own club, Science Olympiad. Outside of school, Lenh is
an accomplished pianist and will
be participating in the National
Piano Guild. Lenh will be taking
his love of nature to Baltimore,
Maryland, as he will be attending Johns Hopkins University
with majors in Environmental
Science and Engineering.
Collectively, Raymond Sheng
has taken 13 AP classes in his
high school career. In his senior
year, he was the president of the
Gabrielino Health Occupations
Students of America club, Vice
President of the GHS National
Honors Society, and has participated in several other clubs
on campus. In addition, Sheng
works at Gabrielinos writing
clinic and takes the time to tutor students outside of school.
Come fall, Sheng will attend
Princeton University with a major in Electrical Engineering.
When asked about being a candidate for valedictorian, Sheng
See Valedictorian, Page 4

Taylor Thames|Tongva Times

BEGINNING A NEW STORY After nearly two decades at Gabrielino high School, Ellen Shimamoto
retires from her role as teacher-librarian, athletic booster, and mentor.
Shimamoto has been one of the
biggest advocates who fought to
bring it back.
Its really important for the
kids to have [Freshman Seminar], she stated. Its been my

goal for 4 years to bring it back,

and that goal has finally been
met. Though Shimamoto will
not be around to teach it, she
plans to offer her help and guidance from the outside, acting as

a sounding board while new

blood takes over.
As the San Gabriel Unified
School Districts teacher-librarian - a position that required her
See Shimamoto, Page 4

Baseball team pays tribute to Gonzalez

By Hattie Xu
Entertainment Editor
When Esteban Gonzalez, a
student in the adult transition
program, said goodbye to all his
friends on his last day at Gabrielino High School, he did not
expect a grand sendoff. But on
May 1, the baseball team staged
a spontaneous ceremony in the
quad to honor Gonzalez.
Gonzalez was previously in the
adult transition program, where
students learn life skills and receive individualized instruction,
for five years. Gonzalez has cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects muscle tone and
restricts movement.
To be put in that position, a lot
of people would be upset about
it, but he came to school every
day with a smile, said baseball
coach Mauricio Mo Hernandez.
When Gonzalez asked Hernandez to take a picture with
him, Hernandez, knowing about

Taylor Thames|Tongva Times

A FINAL FAREWELL On May 1, the Gabrielino baseball team honored their biggest supporter, Esteban
Gonzalez, with a signed baseball and jersey in a spontaneous ceremony on the quad stage during lunch.
Gonzalezs love for sports and
the baseball team, decided to
do something more. He asked
his players to sign a baseball for
Gonzalez, but they, too, wanted

to make the goodbye more special. The players offered to sign

a jersey and present the gifts to
Gonzalez in uniform.
There was sadness in me at

first, but it was cool that they did

that for me, Gonzalez stated.
According to Jeanie Dana,
instructional aide, Gonzalezs
See Gonzalez, Page 4

Special Senior Edition...

The seniors depart for
college, the military,
and the workforce.
See Senior Section,
Pages 12-13

Seniors leave their

legacies to some lucky
underclassmen.
See Senior Wills,
Pages 14-15

The Tongva Times

staff says goodbye with
individual tributes.
See Farewell, Page 16

1327 S. San Gabriel Boulevard, San Gabriel, California 91776 | (626) 573-2453 | tongvatimes@yahoo.com

May 29, 2015

TONGVA TIMES STAFF

Editor in Chief
Samantha Kwok
Production Chief
Caitlyn Cook
Opinion Editor
William Khaine
Community & World Editor

Fionce Siow
Features Editor
Cynthia Sor
Sports Editor
Brandon Sanchez
Entertainment Editor
Hattie Xu
Quirks Editor
Jessica Duque
Layout Artists
Jasmine Donaldson
Marleld Duran
Joanna Wong
Photographers
Taylor Thames
Amanda Tzoc
Poll Specialists
Philip Castillo
Matthew Graca
Advertising Manager
Roxanne Menchaca
Business Manager
Daphne Cheung
Staff Writers
Jasmine Lam
Sharon Tram
Advisor
Marguerita Drew
The staff of the Tongva Times
attempts to inform and entertain its audience in a fair and
accurate manner. This publication is intended to provide
information as well as initiate
a forum for ideas and opinions
between the newspaper staff,
the students, and the faculty of
Gabrielino High School.
Content decisions are made
by the newspaper staff and the
advisor. No material will be
printed that is intentionally libelous or which advocates an
illegal or disruptive activity.
Opinions expressed in editorials and columns throughout
the publication do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the
entire Tongva Times staff, the
school administration, or our
advertisers.
All letters submitted to the
Tongva Times must be signed
and dated. Letters are subject
to editing and become the
property of the Tongva Times.
All material published herein
belongs to the Tongva Times
and may not be reproduced
without expressed permission.
All questions and concerns
should be addressed to the
newspaper advisor by calling
(626) 573-2453, ext. 2141.
Written questions, concerns
and letters to the editor should
be sent to:
tongvatimes@yahoo.com.

opinion

Tongva Times

Staff Editorial: Communication across SGUSD

will align curriculum, create better education
The adjustment between middle and high school can be jarring for students. Some might
find that they are learning material that has no correlation to
what they were taught in middle school, while others may
discover that they are learning
the same material again. There
must be more communication
among teachers at Jefferson
Middle School and Gabrielino
High School in order to align
the curriculum.
The San Gabriel Unified
School District (SGUSD) takes
every opportunity to improve
schools within the district.
Taking advantage of federal
funding and categorical grants,
SGUSD has spent its money on
additional technology to better
prepare students for Common
Core tests and even hired a
new Teacher On Special Assignment (TOSA).
These teachers are responsible for designing curriculum,
and part of their job is to select
materials that meet the needs
of students.
However, even with these additions to the district, some test
scores are not meeting proficiency, according to Dr. Mayra
Perez, Assistant of Educational
Services of SGUSD.
San Gabriel is a program
improvement district, which
means we have to improve our
student achievement scores,
she stated.
Although have been attempts
to solve poor student performance, perhaps the issue with
poor test scores lies in the lack
of communication between
teachers at all schools within
the district.
For instance, the eighth grade
honors English course at Jefferson requires that students
read William Shakespeares A
Midsummer Nights Dream.

Should middle school and

high school teachers communicate
when designing grade level curriculum?

Yes
89%

No
11%

119 students were polled in their history classes on 05/18 - 05/19.

The problem is not with reading

the Bards work itself, but rather, that reading A Midsummer
Nights Dream is already part
of the sophomore curriculum at
Gabrielino.
The selection of the book at
the middle and high school
levels reveals a lack of communication between teachers of
the same subject matter across
school lines and serves to frustrate or bore students who are
learning the same material multiple times.
This overlap can also be found
in the science departments.
Middle and high school students
dissect similar animal parts rather than look at different species
in different grade levels.
Although the hiring of Daphne Traeger as the new science
TOSA shows that the district
is attempting to make strides
towards vertical alignment, the
efficacy of such actions seem to
be more of an isolated instance

than a recurrng theme.

Some students do find themselves somewhat prepared for
high school, but this preparedness may not be owed to the
core classes that all students are
required to take.
AVIDs the only thing that
helped me, stated Success Addison, freshman. I dont think
the classes had much of an impact on me.
The AVID proram has been
removed from the high school
curriculum.
Additional technology and
TOSAs are helpful in providing students more opportunities for self-improvement, but
all that help is rendered useless
when there is absolutely no time
put aside for teachers to communicate with one another or if
teachers are unaware of the existence of a TOSA.
Lovelyn Chang, English
teacher, did not know until recently that SGUSD had hired an

English TOSA. I dont even

know who it is. Thats a surprise to me.
According to Perez, however, the TOSAs are available
for assistance; they are there
to help schools as needed.
It would behoove the district to have middle and high
school teachers to meet prior
to the beginning of the school
year and discuss lesson plans,
thereby ensuring that classes
do not reteach content.
Alternatively, teachers
should request assistance
from the TOSA to align the
curriculum. Reaching out
to these individuals is key
to meeting students needs,
which can prevent overlap.
Either way, communication
is paramount and only when
time is set aside for teachers
from Jefferson and Gabrielino to meet can SGUSD
achieve true effectiveness
district wide.

Staying on schedule prerequisite for success

By Brandon Sanchez
Sports Editor
Although students file into Gabrielino High School everyday,
in hopes of graduating and pursuing their futures, a noteworthy
amount of students do not attend
school daily become successful outside of high school. This
leads many people to question
how important attendance is relative to a quality education. In
truth, perfect attendance is not
necessary to succeed after high
school, as long as one can stay
on top of the curriculum and is
able to grasp the lessons he or
she misses.
It is no secret that any educational outlet will assert the opposite. In fact, the non-profit
organization Get Schooled stated in its article 5 Reasons To
Go To School Every Day that,

you might not need to know

the exact calculations of pi []
but you're learning how to show
up, work hard, and apply what
you've learned. These are definitely skills that will serve you
in college and the workforce.
While this is true, what must be
kept in mind is that colleges and
employers are equally fond of
people who know how to work
smart. A survey conducted by
Forbes in 2013 concluded that
58 percent of employers look
for a self-monitoring attitude in
their applicants. This shows that
the ability to work smart and be
just as effective in the workplace
as those who work hard is equally respected by employers.
As such, high school students
who can miss days of school occasionally while also having the
self-control to maintain academic excellence can become just as

successful in the workplace as

those who work hard every day.
Unfortunately for some, missing school and maintaining
good grades is easier said than
done. According to Ad Council,
an average of 7,000 students
drop out of high schools every
day. It is important to realize
that attending high school is significant, but going every school
day is not as important as our
elders may have us believe.
Being able to manage time
and finding the tools to succeed
are admirable traits for anyone
to have, but the second we give
up, employers and colleges will
do the same.
This constant need to be effective is why it is crucial to know
how to stay on top of classes and
keep any and all grades in check.
There is a difference between
working smart and being forced

to give up, and for us as students, that difference is 7,000

ex-high school students a day.
While it certainly is important to devote ones time to
any pursuit, including learning
at educational institutions, it is
equally important to learn the
art of multitasking. If someone
balances personal projects on
top of their usual attendance,
then a perfect record is not as
necessary as one is told.
Simply put, perfect attendance is not important to long
term success as long as one is
able to stay on top of the curriculum.
Coming to school as much
as possible is important, but it
should also be noted that alternatives to success exist that do
not involve shuffling to school
with a nose full of mucus or a
mind that is full of stress.

opinion
3
Viewpoints: Is PETA an effective

Tongva Times

May 29, 2015

animal rights group?

PETA pursues animal dignity Ethical Treatment a sham

By William Khaine
Opinion Editor
Since its establishment in 1980, the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has become
more prominent in the animal rights
movement. However, with its radical
tactics, the public has often questioned
the United States groups competence
and ethics. While it still requires reform,
PETA has undeniably improved animal
rights nationwide.
PETA became prominent in 1981,
when member Alex Pacheco worked
undercover at the Institute of Behavioral Research in Silver Spring, MD. He,
along with PETA, reported the abuse of
17 monkeys to police and media.
I saw filth caked on the wires of the
cages, Pacheco recalled in the book In
Defense of Animals. No one bothered
to bandage the monkeys' injuries properly (on the few occasions when bandages were used at all).
The disclosure pressured Congress
into revising the Animal Welfare Act in
1985 to promote transparency during
scientific experiments.
Without PETAs actions, animal research facilities would not need to create Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committees [...] which include the presence of a member of the public from
outside the facility, according to the
National Anti-Vivisection Society.
But as the organization is moving into
the 21st century, it has come under fire
for its policies, such as its approval of
euthanization. Opponents assert that if
PETA truly pursues the protection of
animal rights, it would not put pets to
death, even if there is insufficient living

space for them.

Yet, in a world of abuse, PETAs advocacy of putting animals down minimizes
suffering. According to its official website,
the group approves of a lethal injection of
sodium pentobarbital administered by a
trained professional. Meanwhile, other
widely practiced methods, such as gunshot, do not guarantee a dignified death;
the shooter, for instance, may miss the
target the first time and cause the victim
unnecessary pain.
For these animals, it is far better to euthanize in the way that PETA prescribes,
especially when putting pets in cramped
shelters would further their mistreatment.
To remain effective, PETA must continue
to strive to better animal rights in all aspects of society, including inside its own
organization. For instance, it must invest
in more shelters to make room for pets.
This collective effectively acts in animals interests nationwide, but their successes cannot be used to shy away from
improvements. Only by championing
morals can all animal treatment be ethical.

By Hattie Xu
Entertainment Editor
With a name such as People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA),
one would think that the organization advances animal rights. However, co-founder Ingrid Newkirk wrote that it does not
advocate [the] right to life for animals.
Despite PETAs public stance, it fails to
help animal lives in an effective or compassionate way.
According to records submitted to the
Virginia Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services (VDACS), PETA euthanized 1,792 animals at its headquarters
in Norfolk, VA, in 2013, which was 82
percent of all animals received that year.
In 2010, inspectors from VDACS visited
the headquarters and found that PETA
did not operate an animal shelter.
PETA defends its euthanasia of animals
as a tragic necessity for those too sick,
injured, or old to live healthy and painfree lives. However, considering VDACS
finding that 90 percent of animals were

killed within 24 hours upon reception,

it is doubtful that PETA is giving these
animals a chance to recover to a healthy
state, instead choosing to euthanize out
of convenience.
In fact, the organizations 2014 financial statement shows that it spends only
25 percent of its revenue on research,
investigations, and rescue. In contrast,
PETA spends about 54 percent of its
revenue on public outreach and international grassroots campaigns.
PETAs campaigns have been widely
criticized for their provocative nature.
Advertisements range from comparing
scantily clad women to pieces of meat, to
comparing Holocaust victims to chickens in cages with the slogan, Holocaust
On Your Plate. While PETA states that
its purpose is to get the animal rights
message out to as many people as possible, most campaigns serve to insult,
shame, and sometimes misinform the
public, such as when PETA claimed a
link between dairy consumption and autism.
PETA spends more money exploiting
victims of persecution and people with
health conditions to draw attention than
it does towards treatment and facilities
for animals. Instead of spreading the
message, these advertisements alienate
potential supporters of animal rights.
For those looking to help animals, a
far more effective alternative to contributing to PETA is to donate money, food,
toys, or time to a local animal shelter.
PETA is an organization that prefers
to euthanize and not seek adequate treatment, and relies on shock value instead
of a solid record of care. Only when
PETA adopts ethics can it treat animals
ethically.

Model Minority myth categorizes, marginalizes Asians

By Matthew Graca
Staff Writer
Although May inidcates a departure to
higher education for high school school
students in the San Gabriel Valley, such
a process to gain entry is far from neutral. A Princeton University study found
that in terms of Standardized Aptitude
Test (SAT) scores, African Americans
received a bonus of 230 points [while]
Hispanics received a bonus of 185
points. Asian Americans, [however,] are
penalized by 50 points. Such a policy
is informed by the Myth of the Model
Minority, in which all Asians are portrayed as hardworking, intelligent, and
successful, but the myth is false.
Southeast Asian refugees get lost in
the stereotype as they are lumped into
the category of Asian. Noy Thrupkaew,
senior correspondent for The American Prospect, wrote that census data
[shows] that 47 percent of Cambodians,
66 percent of Hmong [] 67 percent of
Laotians, and 34 percent of Vietnamese
were impoverished in 1990 -- compared
with 10 percent of all Americans and 14
percent of all Asian Americans.
This is very telling, especially compared to non-model [minorities, whereas] 21 percent of African Americans and

Cartoon by Grant Kirchhoff

23 percent of Latinos were poor.
These statistics are brushed aside by the
stereotype, resulting in discriminatory implications.
Robert Chang, who serves on the advisory board of Berkeleys Asian American
Law Journal, highlighted that the portrayal [] permits the [] public, [to]
marginalize the contemporary needs of
Asian Americans.
Yet, the myth does not perpetuate psychological violence only toward Asian
Americans.
Chang explained that the myth [legitimizes] the oppression of other racial mi-

norities and poor whites.

It is perhaps television personality Bill
OReily himself that explained this best,
where he stated in an interview with comedian Jon Stewart in Oct. 2014 that regardless of ones race, one can become
successful in America, informed by the
idea that because Asians have made it, so
too can everyone else.
Therefore, the Asian identity is used as
justification that prevents supportive policies towards Latinos and African Americans, and the Asian Americans that need
it most.
The best way to combat the myth is what

Keith Osajima, professor and Director of

the Race and Ethnic Studies Program at
the University of Redlands, referred to
as education for critical consciousness.
[It is through] experiential learning activities, combined with personal and academic-oriented reflection, [which help]
move students toward an Asian American consciousness.
Osajima advocates a method that is
twofold.
First, it is key to obtain information
and conceptual tools that helped [Asians]
cognitively understand how their lives
[and] others are shaped by larger historical and social structural forces, [achieved
through] reading [and engaging in] student groups [] from multimedia sources, the professor stated.
Second, change manifests when understanding intersects with action. Involvement in protests, organizing, programming, teaching, and research gave
respondents a chance to extend their
knowledge and learn from efforts to
make change.
Discussing and learning about such
issues provides a solid method to break
the silence of the myth and allow society
to fracture systems of racism to create
change better for all.

Community

May 29, 2015

Tongva Times

Shimamoto
Continued from Page 1
to obtain two credentials, one in
teaching and one in library services - Shimamoto takes pride in
her role of promoting research
and writing skills in students, as
she works to prepare them for
college.
I loved being able to be a classroom teacher in the library, she
said.
While Shimamoto has no set
post-retirement plans, she is already looking forward to revisit
old hobbies--including golf--enjoy time with her family, and do
some traveling.
For 36 years, Ive never been
able to travel in September and
October, said Shimamoto, who
plans to fly back East and see
the fall colors.
One thing is certain: for those
used to Shimamotos constant
presence in the library, her absence will be deeply felt.
Its going to be hard to come
into the library without saying
Hi, Ellen! laughed library technician Teri Li, who has worked
with Shimamoto for 19 years.
In addition to being an everpresent adviser and educator in
the media center, Shimamoto
made an effort to enjoy as much
as possible of everything Gabrielino has to offer.
Ive been to every sporting
event at least once, seen most of
the plays, gone to prom [nearly

ASB election
winners for
the 2015-2016
school year
ASB President
Brandon Tran
ASB Vice President
Michael Lam
Senior Class President
Kelsey Wong
Senior Class Vice
President
Joey Lorino
Junior Class President
Evelyn Xiong
Junior Class Vice
President
Jenny Nguyen
Sophomore Class
President
Janice Chen
Sophomore Class Vice
President
Jeremy Nguyen

a dozen times] she said. I can

honestly say Ive been to almost
every activity on this campus,
remarked Shimamoto.
This sentiment rings true, as
her far reach on campus extends
to various activities.
Ive loved [interacting with
students and parents] not just in
the library, said Shimamoto.
As a previous co-advisor of
Readers Club with former English teacher Carol Schneider
who retired in 2013, she enjoyed working with kids on a
different level as they explored
and discussed literature. As the
mother of a Gabrielino athlete
who graduated also in 2013, she
enjoyed her duties as treasurer
of the Athletic Boosters club.
Shes had such a big impact,
stated library technician Teri Li,
Shes not just a librarian, shes
everywhere. Shes made an effort
to get to know everyone on campus, from the custodians, to the
food service staff, and she knows
so many students by name.
Although she is looking forward to retirement, with such a
strong bond to the Eagles nest,
leaving Gabrielino is bittersweet
for Shimamoto.
I love everything about [Gabrielino], said Shimamoto.
Though I guess one thing I
wont miss is waking up at 5 AM
every morning. Or dealing with
textbooks, she laughed.

Taylor Thames|Tongva Times

TOP OF CLASS Valedictorian Jason Lenh (right) and salutatorian Raymond Sheng will be attending
Johns Hopkins University and Princeton University, respectively, in the fall.

Valedictorian
Continued from Page 1
paid tribute to the GHS staff
and faculty.
Its a false statement to say
that it was our own individual
work because this is so much

more of a collective of the school

community that really bolstered
us to where we are now, Sheng
stated.
Though the process to choose
valedictorian has been competi-

tive, candidates have expressed

praise for fellow candidates.
Chang stated, [Jason] is
so down to earth. He doesnt
boast about it, but everyone
knows hes very studious

with them every day.

Esteban is such an outgoing
person, said Dana. He would
befriend you for life.
Gonzalez is adjusting well to his
new life in Hesperia, CA, though
he still thinks about Gabrielino.

He plans to go back to school in

his new city in the fall.
I just wanted to thank San
Gabriel and Gabrielino and everyone for letting me live there
and learn. I miss everyone
there, Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez
Continued from Page 1
friendship with the baseball
team began when Dana challenged him to wheel himself to
a lunch table where his cousin
and many baseball players sat.
From then on, he wanted to sit

Traeger will be teacher on special assignment

By Samantha Kwok
Editor in Chief
A new anatomy and physics
class will not be the only thing
that shakes up the science department next year at Gabrielino
High School. After leading the
charge to implement an Advanced Placement Environmental Science (APES) class and
serving as head of the science department, Daphne Traeger, will
be leaving the Eagles nest next
year to become a Teacher On
Special Assignment (TOSA) for
the San Gabriel Unified School
District (SGUSD).
As a TOSA, Traeger will work
on implementing new science
standards at all grade levels
across the district. This would

be the first time there will be a

science TOSA position, in addition to the English and Language
Arts, English Learner, and Education Technology Math positions that the SGUSD has had
for the past four years.
With this position, Traeger
hopes that there will be additional special assignments positions
in the future.
Im excited to see what the
lower levels do for science and
to work with all ages, stated
Traeger about what she looked
forward to about the TOSA position.
Traeger also sees the science
TOSA position as good timing due to the changing science
standards that will inevitably be
in new tests in 2018. Ultimately,

her goal will be to realign the

curriculum district-wide to best
prepare for the new science test.
According to Dr. Mayra Perez,
Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services at SGUSD, the
TOSAs are part of professional
development whose responsibilities include setting up committees and recruiting members to
better the curriculum.
Perez, however, noted that although the position is based on
money, there will still be a spot
held for the TOSAs teaching job,
likening the position as a leave
of absence from the classroom.
Perez also stated that until
2018, the SGUSD will continue
to roll out lessons for the new science standards.
In regards to her departure as

head of the science department,

Traeger is not worried her fellow
science teachers at all. We have
such a cohesive department that
not much is going to change,
said Traeger. Everyone has the
same passion for science.
Stepping into the TOSA position, Traeger hopes to develop
more science lessons and participate in model teaching of said
lessons.
Traegers personal wish in
stepping into the TOSA position
is for all students in SGUSD to
get a consistent and outstanding
education from K-12.
As for the direction APES
will take after Traegers departure, Nicholas Merica, science
teacher, is poised to take over
next year.

If you would like to advertise in the Tongva Times, please call (626) 573-2453, ext. 2141,
or email us at tongvatimes@yahoo.com!

world

Tongva Times

May 29, 2015

Lego kit braille printer made affordable

By Daphne Cheung
Staff Writer
Shubham Banerjee, founder
of Braigo Labs, has developed
a braille printer out of a Lego
Mindstorms EV3 kit. What
started out as a science fair project for the 13 year-old Silicon
Valley resident, eventually became a technological revolution.
After receiving much support
from the blind community, Banerjee started Braigo Labs with
a $35,000 investment from his
father. With the help of a desktop printer, an Intel chip, and
many late nights with his Lego
kit, Banerjee developed an affordable printer that would
translate text into braille prior to
printing.
Banerjee felt, according to
CNN, that the price should not
be there. I know that there is a
simpler way to do this.
The 13 year-old entrepreneur
was motivated to develop this
printer after realizing that the
best braille printer cost at least
$2,000, out of reach for those in
developing nations. Banerjees
goal was to create a printer that
cost no more than $350.
According to Business Insider,
director of Inventor Platforms of
Intel, Edward Ross, said, Hes
solving a real problem.
In November, Intel invested
in the startup in exchange for a

Atlantic
coastlines
filled with
dead zones
By Fionce Siow
Community & World Editor

BRAIGO LABS STRIKES GOLD 13 year-old Shubham Banerjee formed Braigo Labs after making a braille
printer from a Lego kit, hoping to make this invention more accessible to the blind community.
financial stake in the company.
Banerjee has already used a sum
of the money to hire professionals and develop braille printers
inspired by his original ideas,
improving upon the invention.
According to Fox News, Banerjees end goal would be
having most of the blind people
using [his] Braille printer.
Blind organizations will get
the opportunity to test out the
printer this summer before the

product is officially brought into

the market.
It is expected that the affordable price will generate more
consumers than those who purchased braille printers in the
past. Items as simple as letters,
shopping lists, or even homework will now be accessible for
the blind.
Lisamaria Martinez, community service director at the San
Francisco Lighthouse for the

Blind, said, according to Business Insider, I love the fact that

a young person is thinking about
a community that is often not
thought about.
As Shubham Banerjee is too
young to serve as the CEO of his
company, his mother has taken
the role for the time being.
I do feel very proud, said Malini Banerjee to CNN. What he
has thought, I think most adults
should have thought about it.

Unrest in Baltimore leads to national protests

By Roxanne Menchaca
Staff Writer
During April, protests broke
out in Baltimore, Maryland in
response to longstanding troubles such as police violence,
racial tensions, and decline in
manufacturing jobs.
The protests started following the death of Freddie Carlos Gray, a 25-year-old African
American man. On April 12,
Gray was arrested on suspicion
of possessing an illegal switchblade knife and was taken into
police custody.
Videos recordings of Grays arrest surfaced, which showed him
screaming in pain while being
dragged by police officers into a
police van. On April 19, Grays
injuries from the incident proved
to be fatal.
Once details of his death became public knowledge, large
protests were held nationwide
in solidarity with Gray and Baltimore. Approximately 10,000
protested in hopes of seeking justice for Gray, but turned
violent as some demonstrators
threw rocks and set fires.
According to the Baltimore
Sun, community member London Hall stated, We have to
formulate this energy and turn it
into positive change.
Schools were closed early and
a citywide curfew was enforced
to try to keep demonstrators off
the street. Maryland Governor
Larry Hogan declared a state of

BALTIMORE BREAKS Demonstrations for the death of Freddie Gray have revolved around the tensions
between the police and residents of Baltimore. The riots have died down, but protests are ongoing.
emergency, at the request of the
city's mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
I am grateful to the many
demonstrators who sought to
make their concerns heard in a
peaceful and respectful manner,
said Rawlings-Blake in a press
conference. A small group of
agitators intervened and turned
[] a peaceful demonstration in
to a violent protest.
On May 1, the six officers in
charge of Gray were charged
with multiple counts such as
involuntary manslaughter and

second-degree murder by Baltimore Citys state attorney,

Marilyn Mosby.
However, despite support from
those in the community, leaders from the Fraternal Order of
Police Lodge 3 have criticized
Mosbys decision and likening
protestors to a lynch mob.
In retaliation, on the night of
May 20, 50 protestors marched
from the location of Grays arrest to the police unions headquarters several miles away.
The group demanded apologies
for the unions statements.

They need to stop using divise

rhetoric, said Lawrence Brown,
resident, to the Baltimore Sun.
If you want to protect and serve
us, come listen to us.
Protests are continuing on in
Baltimore, although at a lesser
degree, and are looking toward
recovery from previous riots.
Different organizations have
been formed, such as Rebuilding Baltimore Together, to help
cover the costs of damage.

Dead zones, or hypoxic areas, were recorded at an all-time

low in the tropical North Atlantic
off the coast of West Africa.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, dead zones are usually
caused by anthropogenic chemical run-off into rivers, such as
synthetic fertilizers from farmland, which cause algae blooms
near the coastlines. When these
algae die, they are decomposed
by bacteria that use up the oxygen in the water.
However, the Washington Post
stated that these North Atlantic
dead zones were more unique
in nature as this is the first time
such an occurrence has taken
place in deep ocean waters. In
addition, these dead zones form
in massive whirlpools called eddies, which are hundreds of feet
tall with rotating diameters of 60
to 94 miles.
The fast rotation of the eddies makes it very difficult to
exchange oxygen [] Moreover, the circulation creates a
very shallow layer [] on top of
the swirling water that supports
intense plant growth (similar to
coastal algae blooms)," stated Johanne Karstensen, a scientist at
the Research Center for Marine
Geosciences (GEOMAR) Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research
Kiel, in an official statement.
We estimated that the oxygen
consumption within the eddies
is some five times larger than in
normal ocean conditions.
There is concern that due to
the Earths rotation, these eddies
will move westward in the next
several months. This movement
would be closer to coastlines
where it could potentially damage marine populations and its
surrounding environment.
According to the Nature World
Report, the low-oxygen water could come in contact with
coastal ecosystems and spark the
die-off of sea life.
Shallow waters that are near
dead zones are already up to 100
times more oxygenated, which
means that the introduction of
these hypoxic waters will radically change oxygen-dependent
organisms in their environment.
Researchers have already noted
that zooplankton within the region have already shifted their
behavior by remaining at the surface of the whirlpools instead of
descending deeper, as per usual,
into low-oxygen zones.
Proposed solutions include reducing the amount of chemicals
used in agriculture, as well as
shifting towards more organic
means of fertilization. Also, there
are suggestions to restore coastal
wetlands, which would serve as a
natural filter for excess nutrients
before it reaches the ocean.

Sports
GABRIELINO YEAR
Tongva Times

May 29, 2015

CROSS COUNTRY
By Fionce Siow
Community & World Editor

Photo courtesy of Yearbook

Photo courtesy of Yearbook

Gabrielino High Schools cross country team excelled this season as boys varsity emerged as Mission Valley League
champions, 14-6, and girls varsity came
in fourth, 10-11.
According to cross country coach James
Marnell, the key players in the boys
varsity division were Bryan Ramirez
and Armando Ortega. Both are seniors,
and while Ortega was consistent in his
achievements throughout his high school
career, Ramirez emerged as a contender
during the last three meets. But, both
came together as the boys varsity team
won League finals for the first time in
school history.
As for girls varsity, Shannon Louie
and Sharon Khoo were noted as the most
valuable players, leading the team to third
place in the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational. This was the first time the girls
varsity crew had ever won a team award
at the varsity level in this particular meet.
I think both [girls and boys varsity]
made strides in getting better, stated
Marnell. Weve definitely become more
focused and competitive this season.

FOOTBALL

By Brandon Sanchez
Sports Editor
The varsity football team ended their
season as the fourth place team in the
Mission Valley League, with a league record of 2-4.
According to senior and co-captain Eugene Gomez, the highlight of the season
came in the homecoming game, when the
team dismantled the Marshall Fundamental High School Bald Eagles 63-7, breaking Gabrielinos all-time scoring record
in a single football game. The previous
record was 59 points.
A key player in the season was Elijah
Peters, senior, quarterback, and co-captain of the team. Gomez stated, Eli is the
heart of the team. He drives this team both
on and off the field. [He is a] born leader,
but also is willing to serve his team in any
way. Peters has served as the varsity QB
since his sophomore year on the team.
When asked about this years season
in comparison to the record setting season
the previous year, Peters stated I think
competition was much higher in league
[this season] [] We failed to rise up to
the occasion and couldnt pull out tough
games [] people need to dedicate themselves to the game [next] season and grow
as players.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
By Roxanne Menchaca
Staff Writer

Girls varsity volleyball has always been

a bright spot in Gabrielino athletics, and
this year was no different. The Lady Ea-

gles dominated and defended their Mission Valley League Championship for the
13th year. This years team was led by
coach Cuong Chau as well as co-captains
Chantel Chen, senior and Leslie Rivera,
sophomore.
The highlight of the season was the
home game against Rosemead. The Lady
Eagles played hard and beat the Panthers
by a score of 3-2. Every seat in the gymnasium was filled with students and parents, cheering at every point gained.
A lot of people come out for the game
against Rosemead because theres never a
dull moment. Nothing beats the feeling of
playing and defeating your rival school,
stated Isabella Marchionne, junior.
The season came to a close after the
second round of CIF, in the game against
La Sierra High School. The Lady Eagles
fought hard and won the second set, but
lost the rest. Nevertheless, the Lady Eagles finished the season as eighteen-time
CIF qualifiers.

GIRLS GOLF
By Sharon Tram
Staff Writer

Girls golf ended the season with an overall record of 9-2, the lowest score ever in
Gabrielino history. Coach Steve Swanson
was impressed how the team exceeded
together.
The team voted seniors Lisa Tang and
Jackie Wong as co-captains.
They both stepped up and showed what
leadership was. said Swanson. Key players of the team included Wong, Tang and
sophomore May Tang.
Swanson admitted that the hardest game
was against South Pasadena; the game
that would determine if they would go
onto league finals. Next year we need to
focus on getting out and playing more,
said Swanson.
Tang believed that the team improved
as a whole. She also believed that
they grew closer and did well overall.
I know they will try their hardest and
thats the most I can ask out of [them],
said Tang. Never let things bring you
down because golf is a mental sport.

GIRLS BASKETBALL
By Joanna Wong
Staff Writer

With a 24-4 record, the girls basketball team became Mission Valley League
(MVL) champions this season. The Lady
Eagles advanced all the way to the second round of CIF, but were eliminated by
Northwood High School.
A highlight game was when the team
played Arroyo High School on January 9.
This win was very beneficial to the team
because Arroyo was second in the league,
so defeating them put the team at a good
position to win league.
Two key players this season were Emily
Ho, senior, and Amanda Lee, freshman,
both of which were voted Most Valuable

Jasmine Donladson|Tongva Times

Player (MVP). Ho reflected on her years

in the girls basketball program and found
that she will miss the sport, team, and
relationship with other players [she] had
built throughout the years.
According to Thomas Shima, head
coach, this season stood out from previous seasons because the players were very
close and didnt play selfishly, but for the
best of the team.

WRESTLING
By Jasmine Donaldson
Staff Writer

Wrestlings league record was 5-0 with

the teams overall record at 14-2. Two key
players for the season were senior Jael
Yanes for boys and junior Jasmine Monroe for girls.
The best match of the season was the
dual match against Arroyo, 25-28, with
Gabrielino coming out victorious.
The season highlight was when senior
Zachary Lopez took 1st in league, winning the title of Mission Valley League
Champion, and Yanes took 3rd in CIF.
Yanes was the first person ever to do so in
Gabrielino wrestling history.
The captains of the wrestling team were
seniors Stevie C.J. Medellin, Carlos Montoya and Jael Yanes.

GIRLS SOCCER
By Philip Castillo
Staff Writer

The Lady Eagles soccer team has proven

themselves to be persevering, victorious
champions this season, with an overall
16-5-1 record. Despite not winning CIF
this year against the Summit High School
Tigers, the Lady Eagles still managed to
capture yet another league title.
This seasons highlights, aside from remaining undefeated in league, revolved
around their victories against Rosemead
High School. Their best games, however,
were also their most challenging.
Playing against Arcadia was probably
one of our most beneficial games, Coach
Rafa Moran shared. It probably wasnt
our best game but it was the game that
helped us the most just because of the
level of competition we faced.
The teams MVP, according to Moran,
was Izel Gutierrez who was their lead
scorer this season. However, Co-captain
Camila Correa stresses that it was a team
effort.
Its a team sport, said Correa, junior.
Every player is key to the team.

BOYS SOCCER
Taylor Thames
Staff Writer

Determination, desire, teamwork and a

love for the game was what defined the
Gabrielino boys soccer team. The team
demonstrated this past season their ability
to work hard and never give up.
This season for the boys soccer team
proved to be quite a challenge, as the team

Photo courtesy of Yearbook

sports
R END WRAP UPS
Tongva Times

finishing with zero wins, elven losses,

and one tie.
However, the team still managed to
enhance their skills under the techniques
and styles of new coach Miguel Garcia.
This was my first year as the soccer
coach for Gabrielino High School. I liked
the dedication and enthusiasm the players brought to the program, stated Coach
Garcia.
This season, the team faced many trying times, the boys still managed to work
together as a team no matter the score.
The greatest accomplishment we had
with this team was being able to come together and unite right way, stated Coach
Garcia. You could see the brotherhood
between them, and how they would push
and motivate one another to get the best
out of them at practice and during matches.

BOYS BASKETBALL
By Hattie Xu
Entertainment Editor

Gabrielino High Schools boys basketball team finished its season with its
second consecutive undefeated Mission
Valley League championship, with a total
of five league titles in the past six years.
The team enjoyed a 70-34 win against
Rosemead High School in the final round,
marking a league record of 12-0.
The Eagles then moved on to CIF playoffs, where they reached the third round
before falling 54-69 to Beverly Hills High
School.
We had the most wins weve ever had,
said head coach John Carney. Im looking forward to the younger group stepping
up and winning league again next year.
Grant Kirchhoff, junior, received the
Most Valuable Player award.
To finally achieve this made me recall
how much Ive evolved as a player since
elementary school, Kirchhoff stated.
Im proud to have been a part of this historic team.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL
By Cynthia Sor
Features Editor

The boys varsity volleyball team ended the year with an 11-8 record after an
impressive season in which they played
better together, and made the games
more of a team effort, according to captain Calvin Chen, senior.
Chen listed the teams desire to win
among the many qualities that made them
tough to beat this year, including the fact
that their defense was much stronger.
Head coach Kevin McClure described
the teams biggest strength as their ability to pull themselves up emotionally. Because volleyball is a sport so dependent
on the momentum of a game, a big kill
can change the decision of a game in an
instant. Although its easy to get pulled
under, McClure said the team was able to
pick themselves up quickly and recover
many times.

I enjoyed coaching this team immensely because it is completely full of coachable, good-natured guys, said McClure.
They are competitive, yet reasonable,
and thats a hard balance to strike.

BASEBALL
By Amanda Tzoc
Staff Writer

The Eagle baseball team finished their

season in league, 8-3. The team put in a
lot of dedication in playing despite having
no official captain.
However, their unofficial captain was
senior Armando Ortega who acted as a
source of motivation for the entire baseball team at games.
Coach Moe Hernandez stated We are
doing well as a team, especially with
pitching during the season.
Key players of this year are seniors Ronnie Welflin and Brandon Lara-Mack, who
both had contributed to the teams highlight game at El Monte High School.
At El Monte, Lara-Mack hit a ball that
had went 400 feet. Overall, the boys baseball team has strived to be the best in
league and continued to succeed at CIF.

SOFTBALL

By Ariana Fernandez
Staff writer
The girls softball team fought neck and
neck every game this season. The varsity
eagles failed to win nine games, but won
a total of eight games and tied one game.
When asked who a stand out player was,
coach AJ King stated, Angie Gonzalez
because she is one of the few that gets it
[] She works hard, she is a leader, she is
passionate, and she is driven.
Although Gonzalez is very good, she
becomes unstoppable with her teammates
playing beside her.
The girls had a good relationship with each other the whole season and had no drama, stated King.
Aroyo was the teams most challenging
opponents this season. Gonzalez stated
that playing them opened all their eyes.

TRACK

By Marleld Duran
Staff Writer
The Gabrielino Track and Field team
broke six school records this season.
The league score for boys was 5-1 and
4-2 for girls. This year there were 7 league
champions including Gary Hawkins Jr.,
Harry Sanin, Gavin Hong, Elijah Peters,
Helen Tade, Janelle Dam, and the boys
4x100m relay including Nathan Wong,
Hawkins, Nicholas Wong, and Gabriel
Carranza.
[I] feel accomplished because Im able
to continue my season, stated Carranza.
Its my senior year so I dont want it to
end.
According to James Marnell, coach, this

seasons standouts included Hawkins for

consistently having top scores and Tade
being ranked 3 in division 3. Melissa Lopez, hurdles coach, stated they both have
held and continued to break their own records.
Our whole hurdle group has been doing
their jobs all season, said Lopez.

SWIM

Photo courtesy of Yearbook

By Samantha Kwok
Editor in Chief
Gabrielinos aquatic eagles faced several new changes this year, including two
new coaches and moving down division
three. Despite this, the team showed no
signs of faltering as they finished the season strong after consistent performances
throughout the past three months.
Boys varsity finished the season, undefeated, with a record of 7-0 while girls
varsity finished with a record of 5-2.
The Eagles boys varsity and junior varsity team were co-champions with Mark
Keppel High School for Almont league.
The junior varsity and varsity boys were
also league champions in the 400 Free
Relay. The team also had five individual
league champions.
After being unable to attend CIF last
year due to an error in time submissions,
Gabrielino Eagles sent multiple swimmers to the championship event. Swimmers include Leon, Giang, freshmen Andre Sam and Winifred Wang, sophomores
Justin Lam and Dylan Ngo, juniors Howard Lau and Raymond Kam, as well as
seniors Beatrice Bargas and Bryan Phan.
Junior Natalie Keffer will be joining the
team as a CIF competitor in diving. The
Eagles brought several additional swimmers as CIF alternates.

BOYS GOLF
By Matthew Graca
Staff writer

The Eagles of the tee finished their season strong as the boys golf team ended
with a record of 16-1, including preseason meets.
As his high school golf career comes to
an end, captain Blake Higa, senior, said
that the most stand out moment for the
team this year was league finals, in which
the team consistently tied with another
school throughout the season.
Despite this, the Eagles clutched up
and came out on top.
The top three players on the team were
juniors Michael Lam and Nathan Duong,
and Higa, which is reflected in how they
played consistently and did well, with
each of the three qualifying to CIF individually.
So although the Eagles did not exactly
achieve a Grand Slam, the team can look
back on their careers proudly.

Except where indicated, all photos by Taylor Thames and Amanda Tzoc|Tongva Times

Photo courtesy of Christine Ruangsangthai

May 29, 2015

Photo courtesy of Yearbook

Photo courtesy of Patrick Castillo

Senior Section

Tongva Times

May 29, 2015

When I was a freshman...

396 seniors were polled on 5/11 in their English classes

The seniors werent super awesome like

they are now. They were intimidating.

Being tardy was easier, and

teachers would be more flexible
about it.

There was no unlimited talk,

text, and data.

Pennying was actually a thing.

I had a Nokia 600

phone.

The school didnt

have AP
World History.

Nothing was harder, all

I had to do was go to
school.

We had no freshman
seminar to prepare us for
the workload.

We needed 3 electives.

We werent as ratchet.

I had Honors English with Mrs. Schneider.

I never spent more than an hour

on homework.

We had Papa Johns everyday,

not Dominos.

The clock tower was more accurate.

I needed two hands to count

the number of hours I slept.
I didnt have to worry about college or figuring out what
to do after high school as much as I do now.
Lunch tables were harder to find and there was
nowhere to sit but in the blazing sun.

We had the CSTs instead of

Common Core.

The science fair project was mandatory.

I didnt go to Disneyland for orchestra, we

went to La Caada High School.

They made our parents sign our progress reports.

EVERYTHING WAS
EASIER.

The SATs still

had a writing component.

We had the ripoff school brand

cereals instead of the real ones.

We didnt bunch up in front of the library.

Tryouts for making the sports teams

were much more difficult.

There were no late start days.

We were monitored a lot more on

dress code.

We didnt have as much technology in class, so we read from

physical books and wrote our essays with pen and paper, not
keyboards on Chromebooks.

I didnt have to use turnitin.com.

Taylor Thames and Amanda Tzoc|Tongva Times

10

May 29, 2015

Entertainment

Tongva Times

Wilder Mind is alternative rock with folk sounds

By Amanda Tzoc
Staff Writer

Folk turned alternative band

Mumford & Sons released its
new album, Wilder Mind, on
May 4. In Believe, the bands
first single from the album,
guitar chords are much more
prominent than the banjo used
in its previous two albums, Babel and Sigh No More. As a
fan for three years, I was taken
aback by Mumford & Sons
new sound, instead of the folk
style I was so used to with its
two other albums. However, after listening to Wilder Mind,
I still heard folk influences in
some songs, not leaving me disappointed.
Mumford & Sons was formed
in 2007 in London as a folk rock
band, known for its heavy usage
of traditional instruments, such
as the banjo and the mandolin. Marcus Mumford, Winston
Marshall, Ben Lovett, and Ted
Dwane are all current members
of Mumford & Sons.
The lyrics are just as magical as those in the bands other
songs, showing how Mumford
& Sons can try new styles and
still keep its best characteristics.
Even though the guitar is a replacement for the iconic banjo,
the folk influences is still kept in
other songs. Broad-Shouldered
Beasts and Just Smoke show

GETTING WILD Although Mumford & Sons began as a folk rock band, it forays into alternative rock by implementing more noticeable beats
from the drums, but maintains its profound lyrics and hints of folk instruments in its new collection released in May 2015, Wilder Mind.
the folk style and sounds similar
to Babel.
The style of lyrics is also
similar to other albums. From
the song Broad-Shouldered
Beasts, the lyrics, But wasn't
it you who said I was not free/
And wasn't it you who said I
needed peace, can be compared
to the song Hold On To What
You Believe, with the lyrics,
I can't promise you/ That I will
be the only one around when
your hope falls down with

Staff Picks: What are

you binge-watching
this summer?
Criminal Minds and The Returned
- Jasmine Lam, freshman
Running Man and Exo Next Door
- Sharon Tram, freshman
All my favorite pay per views on the WWE Network.
For just $9.99 a month!-Brandon Sanchez, senior
Keepin up with Grimm and supercharging my being with Supernatural and Downton Abbey.
- Caitlyn Cook, senior
Scandal, Greys Anatomy, Game of Thrones and
Dexter - Roxanne Menchaca, junior
I guess Ill watch Royals with Shannon Tam. That
is, if Im not rewatching Gossip Girl with Angelina
Liang.- Jessica Duque, junior
My grass growing. Just kidding, were in a drought.
- Philip Castillo, junior
Ive watched every show already. I dont know what
to do.- Samantha Kwok, senior
Everything.- Ariana Fernandez, freshman
Futurama- Hattie Xu, senior

the similar theme. These lyrics

demonstrate Mumford & Sons
well-written lyrics of guilt using
first-person narration.
In Wilder Mind, the lyrics gave me the same feeling
of want that I felt in other albums. Tompkins Square Park
gave me that feeling once more
with lyrics like, You and I both
know this all too well/ And most
dont even last the night.
The rhythm of each song
throughout the album was slow

at first but sped up. Snake Eyes

starts off with a slow guitar and
then pushes up the tempo when
reaching the chorus. This is like
the tempo in Hopeless Wanderer, from Babel. This variance
in tempo repeats throughout the
song, showing how Mumford
& Sons keeps the same rhythm
from other albums.
The melodies consist of more
sounds from the drums than
from the acoustic guitars and
banjos. The drums have a more

noticeable beat, like in the song

Wilder Mind, compared to
Broken Crown from Mumford & Sons previous album.
Mumford & Sons has not fully
left its folk influences and has
kept the beautifully written lyrics that has been in all the albums. The new album has not
left me disappointed, but with
an understanding that every
band can change its sound but
keep some of their old style in
new music.

HOT

NOT

SUMMER

TESTING

The day school is out is the day beauty

and tranquility will return to the lives
of students everywhere. Who says two
months of unadulterated freedom spent
sleeping all day is a waste of a vacation?

What do tests and Philip Castillo have

in common? They are both mildly interesting yet increasingly confusing, and
they almost always bring you to tears.

gabrielinos new
ANATOMY & physiology
class

farewell to HONors
ENGLISH 3

This new addition to the science department has students either curious for the
wonders of the human body or excited to
dissect a dead organism. Either way, this
class is bound tibia a spleen-did time.

The avengers: Age of

ultron
The Avengers sequel proved to be a
great success, crossing the $500 million
box office mark 17 days into its international release. Besides, who does not like
a movie about ultimate squad goals?

Like every innocent character in The

Crucible, Gabrielinos beloved junior
Honors English class has been sentenced
to death. But like the Joad family, students will carry on always remembering
that symbolism is no mere idle fancy.

Pacquiao vs. Mayweather

This highly anticipated fight turned out
to be a major disappointment to boxing
fans everywhere. While fans expected an
epic brawl between two of todays greatest boxers, they were given Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao dancing
the waltz.
By Philip Castillo
Staff Writer

Tongva Times

Entertainment

May 29, 2015

YouTube celebrates turning a decade old

By Daphne Cheung
Staff Writer
Just ten years ago, the world
was without Justin Biebers,
rickrolling and self-made beauty
gurus. YouTube, the third most
visited site in the world, celebrated its ten year anniversary
this month.
The popular site celebrated
its birthday for twenty-six days,
one day for each letter of the
alphabet. Through the YouTube
Trends Blog, the site re-released
some of the most popular uploads according to the alphabet.
In 2005, YouTube was started
with an 18-second-long video of
founder Jawed Karim visiting
the San Diego Zoo and recalling his experience in front of an
elephant cage. The site has since
come a long way, as YouTube
now has over one billion users
and over 300 hours of footage
uploaded every minute.
What started as an answer to
Karim and his friends inability
to find videos of their favorite
musical performances online
quickly turned into much more.
Only a year into the founding
of YouTube, Google purchased
the company for $1.65 billion, and programmed all of its
Google Android devices so that
YouTube is a native built in ap-

11

Lettermans
bittersweet
retirement
By Jasmine Lam
Staff Writer

REDEFINING MEDIA YouTube released milestone videos in the sites founding and development
throughout the month of May to celebrate ten years of spreading content worldwide and creating stars.
plication. By doing so, YouTube
has been placed at the center of
social media and technology.
According to YouTube staff
on a recent blog post regarding
its anniversary, YouTube is a
portrait of our global culture,
seen through the lenses and perspectives of people around the
world. It is now a platform for
all types of users to express their
creativity, from gaming demonstrations to beauty tutorials.
For some, it has even become

a full time career. YouTube celebrities like PewDiePie and

FunToyzCollector generate anywhere between $1.3 million to
$20 million off of videos alone,
without factoring in ad revenue
and sponsorships. Through the
partnership program, YouTube
users can monetize their content
with advertisements, merchandise, and paid subscriptions.
Some of YouTubes most
viewed videos include Baby
by Justin Bieber with over one

billion views and Gangnam

Style by Psy with over two billion views. Something as simple
as posting a musical cover video
or comedy skits has allowed for
everyday people to share their
quirks and talents.
YouTube has served as a
launchpad for everything from
political expression to musical
talent. With its new features and
unprecedented success, the site
hopes to create its first feature
films this coming year.

Hollywood needs originality, not remakes

On May 20, David Letterman

departed from the Late Show
with a bang. During his final
week, a series of celebrities appeared on his show. Among the
stars that appeared were former
President Bill Clinton, Oprah
Winfrey, Tina Fey, and Julia
Roberts.
The 68-year-old entertainer
first started as a weatherman
and TV announcer. As the years
passed, he began appearing on
The Tonight Show with Johnny
Carson. It was not long until he
became the shows permanent
substitute host in the late 1970s.
Letterman has been a late night
host for over 33 years, and his
shows have been critically acclaimed, receiving 67 Emmy
Award nominations and 12 wins.
During those 30 years, Letterman made history in the world
of comedy. He changed comedy
with his tricks, self-awareness,
sneakers, and irony. According
to Rolling Stone, he has taught
multiple generations what it is to
be witty.
Everything about his show informed not only our writing but
our actual human interactions,
Tina Fey stated in Rolling Stone.
When asked what he would
be doing after his retirement,
Letterman told Rolling Stone
that he would like to attend live
events, like the lecture series he
founded at his alma mater, Ball
State University, and spend time
with his son, Harry.
Im awash in melancholia,
Letterman told the New York
Times, Ill miss it desperately.
One of two things: There will be
reasonable, adult acceptance of
transition. Or I will turn to a life
of crime.
Comedian Stephen Colbert
replaces Letterman as the new
host of Late Show on Sept. 8.

Get your Driving Permit

By Caitlyn Cook
Staff Writer
From Cinderella to Godzilla, viewers across the country
are groaning about Hollywoods
incessant attraction towards
remaking classic movies. Although the media may have
jumped the shark a few too
many times, the blame is shared
by viewers as well, who need to
understand that original thought
must be given more credit.
Mike Fleming, film editor
of Deadline, a prominent film
business blog, explained that,
Studios are fixated on the idea

of pre-sold or recognizable
brands, which is why remakes
tend to make easy money as opposed to introducing new and
original ideas to the public.
This phenomenon of brand
equity, as it is called, is what
encourages the development of
remakes. People are attracted
to the familiar more than the
foreign. Plus, remakes already
come with a built-in fan base of
the original, so when the new
one is announced, they get the
benefit of free press when blogs
blow up with the news.
However, when classic after classic is reinterpreted into

something modern and new, it

loses the authenticity and antiquity it once had. There is something special to be said about a
film that never needed a Hollywood facelift because it respects
the significance and imperfections of the original version.
Despite peoples grievances
with remakes like Conan the
Barbarian or Footloose, the
problem is not that original
thought is dead, as many disappointed viewers lament. It is just
that it is not as profitable.
Oftentimes at the box office,
leading the top ten movies are
remakes of old ones, with sparse

originals scattered at the bottom

of the list. Although fan bases
are very vocal about their gripes
with remaking movies that are
best left alone, especially newer
ones like Spiderman, which
have not even had time to rest
before their next remake, clearly, they gain the most attention.
It is not that Hollywood should
quit doing remakes altogether it is that audiences need to give
original thought more credit and
let the classics rest.
It is time for Hollywood and
viewers to realize that if original thought is to be appreciated
again, it must be given a chance.

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12

Senior
Where are the senio

Tongva Times

AMDA - College
and Conservatory
of the Performing
Arts
Andee Marie Contreras

American
University
Jennifer Zhang

Babson College
Daphne Cheung
Ira Simbulan

Biola University
Rachael Kam

Brown
University
Hattie Xu

Bucknell
University
Eileen Tan

California Baptist
University
Lorena Bayardo

California
Lutheran
University
Elijah Peters

California
Polytechnic State
University,
San Luis Obispo
Miranda Chan
Chloe Chen
Richard Ding
Anh Le
Nathan Lee
Catherine Ortiz
Hannah Romo
Allison Soh
Ariel Tam
Nicholas Tchan
Anthony Tieu
Kathleen Wong
Samantha Wong

California State
Polytechnic
University,
Pomona
Matthew Graca
Binh Phun
Brandon Tran
Cassie Truong
Alexandria Vinuya
Jason Wong
Sam Zhou

California State
University,
East Bay

California State
University,
Northridge

Beatrice Bargas
Ingrid Weeks
Olivia Ponce

Jeffery Baek
Daniel Boun
Alexia Carlos
Gabriel Carranza
Julio Castro
Samantha Dang
Brian Diep
Cindy Doan
Kate Go
Valerie Gomez
Angelina Gonzales
Paully Jethanaphanit
Christina Lee
Vincent Lee
Juvaliet Lopez
Kimberly Lopez
Michael Ly
Janette Mah
Eric Peng
Megan Phung
Tatiana Preciado
Jose Rivera
Rich Su

California State
University,
Fullerton
Wesley Giang
Christine Tran
Shereen Lam
Vince Le
Ryan Lee
Sharon Lee
Tammy Liang
Jason Lieu
Lucas Peterson
Victoria Savare
Houston Tong
Bonnie Tran
Samantha Vuong
Halle Zacher

California State
University,
Long Beach
Diana Chan
Emily Ho
Edward Hsin
Jiwon Lee
Vincent Nguyen
Angela Tran
Eleanor Xa

Jonathan Amado
Devyn Cordero
Misael Duran
Patrick Dycus
Austin Huynh
Kevin Lam
Thien Lau
Jessica Le
Brandon Lee
Serena Limas
Dylan Luk
Katelyn Ma
Matthew Mahlebashian
Lizceth Martinez
Mikayla Montalvo
Carlos Montoya
Miranda Moreno
Taj Moreno
Bryan Nguyen
Anthony Nhan
Henry Tsui
Melissa Vazquez
Julio Vildoso
Justin Yang
Billy Zhang
Janny Zhang
Kevin Zhou

Laguna College of
Art and Design

Amy Cao
Haiqing Chen
Brandon Dinkha
Josue Jimenez
Omar Khatib
Jia Hui Liao
Thelma Lopez
Hui You Lu
Sarah Marin
Wilfredo Martinez
Armando Ortega
Jose Rodriguez
Immanuel Salas
Andersen Ung
Olive Mae Zacarias

Tyler Perkins

Entering
Workforce
Long Phun
Michael Figueroa

EMT (Downey
Adult School)
Damian Ramos

California State
University,
Sacramento
Panphila Wong

California State
University,
San Bernardino
Tracy Liu

California State
University,
Los Angeles

East Los Angeles

College

Fashion Institute
of Design and
Merchandising,
Los Angeles
Chantal Chen

Florida Southern
College
Sean Kim

Central New
Mexico
Community
College
Annalisa Sacoman

Chapman
University
Caitlyn Cook
Dana Luo

Citrus College
Matthew Acosta
Jacqueline Calvache
Toni Dwyer
Monique Gomez
Emanuel Teguh

College of
Southern Nevada,
Charleston
Campus
Quinton Madrid

Colorado State
University
Stephani Shugart

Glendale
Community
College
Uziel Felix
Shannon Wong

Gnomon School of
Visual Effects
Mitchell Huang

Humboldt State
University
Gavin Hong

Johns Hopkins
University
Jason Lenh

Kaplan CollegeNorth
Hollywood
Manuel Mejia

Los Angeles
Trade-Technical
College
YongQiang Lu

Loyola
Marymount
University
Xochitl Pasten

Moody Bible
Institute
Shirley Kuo

Mount St. Mary's

University
(Chalon)
Sharon Kao

Mt. San Antonio

College
Hok Lim Cheng
Jordann Hopkins
Franchesco Kilayko
Bryan Ramirez
Wilson Wu
Peggy Xu
Eryn Zamarripa
Huzie Zhao

Otis College of Art

and Design
Emilee Truong

Pasadena City
College
Mariah Duran
Caleb Christian
Alexis Arevalo
Michael Ayala
Alejandra Barcenas
Arlene Cabral
Allyson Canul
Amanda Cao
Hua Yu Chang
JianTang Chang
Jun Yuan Chen
Emily Chu
Hsing-Yen Chung
Carlito Cupeles
Samantha Dea
Rutthikar Dieovilai
Andrew Dimas
Savannah Faapito
Jeovanni Fadanelli
Yinong Fan
Tianyu Fang
Azya Feeney
Anthony Gallo
Josiah David
Trevor Gibbons

Section
ors going next year?
Eugene Gomez
Samantha Gonzalez
Gabriella Henriquez
Sara Hernandez
An Hoang
Chelsea Holmes
XinChen Hou
Junjia Hu
Sofia Iacono
Andrew Jiang
Ryan Jonathan
Sophia Juarez
Bowen Kang
Weihao Ke
Victoria Kokanour
Jason Kuo
Brandon Lam
Haley Lam
Hien Chanh Lam
Ho Tak Lam
Peter Lao
Alexandria Lara
Brandon Lara-Mack
Zuriel Larrazabal
KaiYin Lau
Vincent Li
Amanda Liao
Huixin Lin
Jun Yu Lin
Hongzhao Liu
Wei Wei Liu
Weinan Liu
Alyssa Lucero
Jenny Ly
Candace Ma
Jessica Maldonado
Rachel Martinez
Neil McMaster
Erwin Mejia
Estevan Mendez
Justin Mok
Amber Monteleone
Phyo Thet Naung
My Thiy Nguyen
Tawny Nguyen
Tiffany Nguyen
Kimberly Pacheco
Melissa Pena
Giovanny Penaloza
Andrea Perez
Johana Perez
Shanae Phan
Raymond Quach
Brian Quan
Erick Ramos
Samantha Rodriguez
Ian Rueda
Marcus Sabino
Nicole Sam
Cristy Sanchez
Daisy Sanchez
Kavita Sarkar
Jake Sheridan
Shirley Shi
Anushka Sirimane
Abraham Song
Kendrick Su
Pei Yi Tan
Alston Teh
Daniel Thai
Evan Tholt

Jordan Thorn
Vynus Tienda
Alex Tran
Nghi Chi Tran
Paul Truong
Hao Van
Raymond Morales
Nicole Viernes
Wendy Wang
Ronald Welflin
Qiqian Weng
Andrew Wong
Jeffrey Wong
Shengyu Xie
Tianming Yang
Jieyuan Yuan
Hai Lun Zhang
Stephanie Zheng
Shu Ting Zhou
Sunny Zhou
Yuyi Zhou

Piedmont
Community
College
Alvin Nguyen

Pierce College
Oscar Nino

Point Loma
Nazarene
University
Airin Wu

Pomona College
Joanna Chang

Princeton
University
Raymond Sheng

Rio Hondo
College
Hector Aleman
Dominic Alvarado
Denise Aragon
Marco Avelizapa
Joe Bueno
Marco Casas
Breanna Castro
Jason Chau
Calvin Chen
Juan Coronado
Martin Covarrubias
Henry Curiel
Jasmine De La Cruz
Haileigh Enriquez
Sean Fassler Carcamo
Faith Gomez
Alonso Gonzalez
Dan Ha
Lydia Hong
Jasmine Infante
Karely Lopez
Sofia Lopez
Luis Martinez

William Medellin
Kassandra Moreno
Jennifer Nevarez
Ham Di Nguyen
John Pallares
Sokha Pich
Alexander Rodriguez
Jacob Romero
Joaquin Ruiz
Miguel Ruiz
Nhi Truong
YiFei Zhou

San Diego State

University
Julia Chen
Melissa Chow

San Francisco
State University
Justin Diep
Donna Huynh
WenJie Lin
William Lin
Sherry Thong

San Jose State

University
Ivy Phan

Santa Barbara
City College
Qi Lang Wang

Santa Monica
College
Yifu He
Zijian Tu

The George
Washington
University
Max Wang

The Los Angeles

Film School
Joseph Lopez

United States
Army (Army)
Cesar Canchola
Christian Cruz

United States
Marine Corps
(Marines)
Ziyin Pang
John Vuyovich

United States
National Guard
Recruiter
(National Guard)
Jael Yanes

May 29, 2015

United States
Navy Recruiter
Zizhuo Guo

University of
California,
Berkeley
Jonathan Huang
Sharon Khoo
Samantha Kwok
Jacqueline Phung
Cynthia Sor
Theodore Tran
Austin Vuong
Alexander Ye

University of
California,
Davis
Hua Ting Chang
Chelsea Chiv
Vivian Lin
Madeleine Nguyen
Allan Phu

University of
California,
Irvine
Brian Dang
Sabrina Dieu
Anthony Hoang
Tiffany Huynh
William Khaine
Pauline Lao
Resanna Li
Gary Liang
Jonathan Lim
Sean Takeuchi
Shelby Thach
Lilian Trang
Jacky Wan

University of
California,
Los Angeles
Michael Cui
Brian Lam
Joanna Li
Justin Lieu
Anna Yeo

University of
California,
Riverside
Oscar Chung
Edmund Kwan
Brian Lam
Zhen Hui Lei
James Leon
Trevor Lok
Zachary Lopez
Connie Ly
Kevin Nguyen
Bryan Phan
Hector Ruvalcaba
Lisa Tang

13

Pan Thin
Sidney Trinh
Raymond Wen
Jacqueline Wong
Annie Yu
Jacqueline Yu

University of
California,
San Diego
Jason Chang
Weldon Chang
Victoria Cheng
Andre Quach
Helen Tade
Dennis Tran
Alan Zhou

University of
California,
Santa Barbara
Ivey Bai
Yi Ling Chen
Blake Higa
Jennifer Wong

University of
California,
Santa Cruz
Evelyn Ramirez

University of
La Verne
Yaner Dai

University of
Oregon
Polanimakamae Mo'okini

University of the
Pacific
Brandon Sanchez

University of
Vermont
David Rayudu

Victor Valley
College
Anthony Guirola

Washington
University in
St. Louis
Christian Leung

Westmont
College
Reece Miller

14

Tongva Times

Senior wills

I, William Vong, bequeath my

knowledge, techniques, and passion
of steel to Minh Chav. May you succeed in becoming the strongest version of yourself, bud.
I, Ian Rueda, bequeath my love of
acting and left shoe to Daniel Casanova and Natalie Brunjes. Both of
you have been the greatest of friends
and I hope you can survive next year
after Im gone. I know you both can,
but remember to have fun as well.
Also take care of Johan for me. Keep
him close to heart. Divide the shoe
any way you seem fit.
I, Elijah Nakahukahuihaka Peter,
bequeath my golden arm to my young
padiwan Harry Sanin. I leave my ice
to all the tribe members. I leave my
tribe itself to Grant Kirchoff. I leave
my hard hitting and hawk abilities to
Justin Minor. I leave deez pistachios
to Gabrielino HS.
I, Dustin Ha, bequeath my Diamond in League, Handles to my
youngings Jackson Lee, Alex Wu,
Kenny To, William Chiu, Gavin
Fukawa will become the next goon
squad. Crystal, Prom 2k16?
I, Max Wang, bequeath my aptitude for history and/or mathematics
to Christopher Chen, Fionce Siow,
Andrea Medrano, Michael Chiu,
Meggie Nguyen, and Hector Banda.
I, Jacky Wan, bequeath my dedication to service and competition to
Caroline Trang, Yadanar Aye, Shriley Han and Janet Han. I also leave
my chillness, my bro-ness, my dudeness, my awesome-ness to the Los
Amigos. Yall got this, remember the
Bro-Code! :)
I, Ingrid Weeks, bequeath my
Young Frankenstein Soundtrack
to Natalie Brunjes. I also leave my
dressing room space to Courtney
Momill. In addition, I bequeath my
love and a lost of Davidisms to my
husband, Daniel Casanova.
I, Hannah Romo, bequeath my unfulfilled swim dreams to Alex Vega I know you will be able to achieve
them. I leave my acting potential and
make up skills to Natalie Brunjes - I
know you will implement them well.
And to Johan Chiang, I leave you my
heart - I trust you will keep it safe.
I, Lisa Tang, bequeath my enthusiasm and volume to the girls
golf team. Yall are great. I also
bequeath my sister, May Tang, my
positive energy and worrisome personality. I love you very much.
I, Sidney Trinh, leave my golf bag
to Sam Trinh. Take good care of my
golf stuff and dont stop being weird
cause thats what makes you who
you are. I also bequeath my love for
the golf babies, high school crisis
advice, strength and confidence to
Katie Kwan. Never stop being an innocent and smart little derp - make
me proud while Im gone!

I, Vincent Lee (Bobo), leave my popping

rockets and bokchoys to Mark Mikasa and
Marcos Andrade. P.S. Will you go to Prom
with me?
I, Pan Thin, bequeath my experiences to
underclassmen. Four years of high school
is long enough for those who know how to
make the most out of it, so make the most
out of it!
I, Jonathan (Chi Young) Lim, bequeath
my persistence and Mandarin skills to
Kevin Tram, Thomas Tram, Kevin Chu,
Justin Chang, Andy Duong. Good luck in
school and FBLA bros, haha.
I, Vivian Lin, bequeath my orchestra
pride to Katie Lin, Phoebe Lin, Ian Chan,
Catherine Liao, Brandon Fong, Ben Chi,
Jansen Chen, and the rest of my orchestra
babies.
I, Pauline Lao, bequeath my dorky
tendencies and my playfulness to Emily
Lenh, Valda Han and Jason Liang. Have
fun next year guys! Make the most out of
it! (:
I, Ira Simbulan, bequeath my scientific
abilities and overly mispronounced words
to the Almost There Group. Claudia Yan
and Johnson Thai, chemistry and bio
would have been unbearable without you.
I will miss you guys. (: Claudia, stay even
more fabulous. Johnson, stay awesome,
hard working and intelligent as you are.
I, Christine Ruangsangthai, bequeath
my ability to be a book thief to Yvonne
Tram, Dillion Ngo, and Justin Lam. To
you and to all my swimmers hang tight.
But youre in water and you cant keep
hanging onto the wall which is why You
turn to knowledge.
I, Alyssa Lucero, bequeath my skills of
doing my projects last min and talent of
getting good grades on those projects to
Rian Lucero. I hope you use it carefully
and make sure you do your best. I know
you will succeed in life you just need to
get good grades and graduate. Do your
best cousin.
I, Samantha Gonzalez, bequeath my
skills of dealing with desajustes (nervous breakdowns) to Sofia Gonzalez. May
you continue to tolerate with all the stupidity that life will throw at you. Thank
you for being my twin. :)
I, Gary Ray Hawkins Jr, bequeath my
track skills and love to Leslie Rivera, Harrison Sanin, Justin Minor, Brandon Hudson, Caia Rice, Azalea Orozco, Isabella
Marchionne, Camilla Correa, Ciannah
Correa, Trent Hoffman, Nick Wong, Nathan Wong, Kevin Lee and Jayson Espinosa.
I, Monique Gomez, bequeath my awesome attitude to Rosie and Presley. I
hereby give you my ability to be the sickest person ever. And some change like 75
cents.
I, Lydia Hong, bequeath my outgoingness to Lesley Almaraz because all your
senior friends are leaving you and you
need to find new friends. But dont find
better friends than us though
I, Michael Fernandez, bequeath my love
of writing stories to all the OPPers, who I
hope will use this to keep writing new and
creative OPPs.

I, Stephani Shugart, bequeath my skills,

sass and awesomeness to Victoria Ross.
I hope you value all of the sacrifices that
I am making for you. Because I care and
want you to be awesome just like me. :)
I, Kevin Zhou, bequeath my good luck
to Crystal Chang. It just came to me. You
might not need it if youre careful, but just
in case.
I, Sean Takeuchi, bequeath my charisma
and flirting skills to Michael Lam.
I, Andrea Perez, bequeath my legacy
and unconditional friendship to Alexis
Hernandez, Sarah Pulciano and all the
other underclassmen that I should have
spent more time with. You know who you
are. :)
I, Eileen Tan, bequeath my articles,
highlighters and ability to have fun to my
baby novices: Eden Ly, Josh Raymundo,
and Michael Hong.
I, Eugene Gomez, bequeath my leadership, smoothness and passion to Sam Lopez. Remember to always stay smooth and
to be a good person always. On the field,
be a leader, be a beast and always grind
at 100 miles per hour.
I, Jordan Thorn, bequeath my hands to
Samson Slamson Cao.
I, Jason Chau, bequeath my *poke poke
poke* to Nicole Viernes.
I, Eugene Gomez, bequeath my passion,
personality, and strength to Courtney
Morrill. You are the strongest person I
know and I dont know where Id be without you. Always be strong. Be the greatest
leader but also the greatest servant. I bequeath my pride, passion, love and grind
to Gabriela Pacheco. Always remember
how strong you are and that even when
things seem hard, you can overcome any
and every obstacle.
I, Bonnie, Tran, bequeath my love for
JHL and bad puns to Samantha Mendoza.
Hey girl!! Im seriously so glad we met
and clicked so well in JHL. Keep dancing and making bad jokes :) Youll go so
far!!!
I, Vince Le, bequeath my paintings to the
library and Mr. Seuss and Jade De Perio.
I, Madeleine Nguyen, bequeath my bad
luck, insanity, and my cheerfulness to
Brandon Tran, Jacob Murray, Kyle Dong,
Christine Ilano, Jason Cao, Justin Chang,
Kevin Trilogos, and my awesome chemistry peeps.
I, Shirley Kuo, bequeath my falling
through the floor tendencies and my purple hair tie to Taylor Pannell. Because
she may just be one of the snazziest, gumdroppiest owls ever (she is also a fantastic friend), I know she will take the utmost
care for my hair tie. I enjoy our reverent
avoidance of speaking about the Great
Fated Incident of 08, too. I will also miss
her terribly.
I, Jason Kuo, bequeath my public forum
mojo to Jason Ma.
I, Ben Adams, bequeath my meatball
sandwich to Regina Phalange and Chandler. Please dont eat my sandwich.
I, Regina Phalange, bequeath my smelly
cat to James Bond and Ben Adams. Smelly
cat, what are they feeding you?

I, Oscar Chung, bequeath my ever

watchful eye to another passive but objective observer.
I, Ronnie Welfin, bequeath my undying
dedication to the success of the program
to the 2016 Varsity baseball team. The
power of the knuckleball to Christian Lerue and Robert Jara, and my hose to Daniel Brito. Use it well.
I, Jonathan Amado, bequeath my love
for math to Mr Kenneth Yee. Keep up the
skills of teaching geometry.
I, Anushka Sirimane, bequeath my endless passion, dedication, commitment and
rebellious attitude to Johnson Thai, Maya
MKM Kusonoki Martin, and my TI and
DI babies.
I, Richard Ding, bequeath to Michael
Chiu and Winfred Wang my spreading
abilities, my attraction to odd philosophical arguments, and infinite passion for
policy debate. To Jacqueline Dang and
Christine Tran, my tendency to ask simple
cross-ex questions and the lessons from
my debate career. To Bianca Moy, Claudia Yu, Tiffany Kuo, and Juan Nathaniel,
my love for Ti as a cancerous sense of humor and all of the above. And to Jessica
Duque, my baller parking spot and Home
Swagenomics.
I, Haley Lam, bequeath my advice to
Gabrielinos HSs underclassman. Grades
and reputations are not important in life.
Highschool is only 4 years of your 100
years life, its not that important. Just be
yourself and work hard. Peace. (:
I, Alexia Carlos, bequeath my love and
funny personality for soccer to Nicole
Georgino. Thank you for being you, you
were the best friend anyone could ever
want! and thanks for the laughs, I love
you!
I, William Khaine, bequeath my skills in
argumentation and my drive to do what
needs to be done with flying colors. I also
bequeath to them my passion for OI and
debate, and the knowledge that I will only
be a message away.
I, Jem Tu, bequeath my favorite quote to
Wilson Wan. Sometimes it is the people
who no one imagines anything of who do
the things that no one can imagine.
I, Caitlyn Cook, bequeath my dance
moves and will to infinitely inspire to
the Bear Squad, my transition-writing
skills and love to Jessica Duque, my devotion to a character like Emmitt to the
O.P.Party, and my shamelessness to my
sister, Annabelle Cook. May they serve
you well.
I, Brandon Sanchez, bequeath 1. my
passion for speech to Marshmallow and
Puff. Stay working, you losers. 2. work
ethic and creativity to Wesley Yuan. You
are so talented and despite how annoying you are, youre gonna do great things.
Lastly, I bequeath my ability to BS projects and essays to Patrice Barnett, Giselle
de Silva, and Alexandra Singleton. Trust
me, with the AP classes you guys are taking next year, youre gonna NEED it.
I, Dana Luo, bequeath my big calves,
love for soup plantation, and dedication
to cross country to Sofia Koyama, Christina Phung, and Vivian Lee. I am so proud

May 29, 2015

of how much all 3 of you are grown. I love
you all and hope you continue to make me
proud next year!
I, Alexis (Bunny) Arevalo, bequeath my
speed and soccer skills to Jayson Espinosa and Joseph Glenn. Make the best of
it kids like I told you dont do the thing I
did toward the end of senior year you two.
I, Sofia Iacono, bequeath my love for
Gabrielino to Danny, Gabe and Leonard.
I, Juvaliet Lopez, bequeath my ability to
strive for a successful future, to Katherine Martinez. Even when life is tough, you
can push forward, my dear.
I, Gavin Hong, bequeath my energy
to Janelle Dam because sometimes, you
need to look at the brighter side of life. I
leave my passion for track to Bianca Moy
because I have high expectations and I
know youll make me proud.
I, Sara Hernandez, bequeath my procrastination skills to Joey Ly.
I, Cynthia Sor, bequeath to Jennifer Sor
my high hopes, my good luck, and my
love.
I, Bryan Nguyen bequeath my pole vault
poles to Janelle Dam. My athletic abilities to Brendan Nguyen, and trash to Andrew Luong.
I, Katelyn Ma, bequeath my magnificent usher skills to Katelyn McClellan
and Kelly Chu. I believe in you two! To
Annie Ung and Kitmin Chan, I leave my
horrible procrastination skills. Good luck
in all you guys junior and senior years,
youre gonna need it
I, Breanna Castro, bequeath my hard
work, dedication and love to Nicolette S.,
Leslie V. Lou and Mariah A. whether it be
in volleyball, softball or in cheerleading.
I, Matthew C. Acosta, bequeath my
high-five skills to Ro Bachelor, Ro, high
fiving is a great power. Use it wisely.
I, Samantha Kwok, bequeath my bad
advice and incredible artistic ability to
Eric Lee and Desus Torres. May both
these things guide you to better places. To
my Mock Trial peeps, I bequeath my love
and undying support. You guys are going
to be amazing. To the Tongva Times staff,
I bequeath my sarcastic comments and
lack of emotions. I do actually love you
even if I dont show it.
I, Sofia Lopez, bequeath my coloring
skills and beauty to Naomi Agurrie.
I, Valarie Hidalgo, bequeath my talking
skills to David Cortes.
I, Sharon Lee, bequeath my courage to
surrender to process and passion for the
speech team to Patrice Bamett. To Tim
Chung, leadership skills and knowledge
for advice. To Deandra Du my unconditional laughter and happiness in everyday life. To Eldwin Chiang, my motivation and confidence in everything you
do. And lastly, to Jason Tran and David
Tiang, I bequeath my strengths of surviving through hardships in the next 3 years
of high school.
I, Rachael Kam, bequeath my smiles,
love, and passion for swimming, golf and
music to Raymond Kam, Samantha Dieu,
Megan Luc, Katie Kuan, May Tang,Ryan
Tran, Benny Li,, Brandon Jessi Pham,
and Grant Kirchoff.
I, Alex Tran, bequeath my legacy to
Simon Tran and Charlie Tran. Make the
Tran name proud.
I, Vincent Nguyen, bequeath my parliamentary knowledge and love of food
to Andy Duong. I leave my power of procrastination and suffering of running to
Jinbin Kuong, Kevin Nguyen, Gavin Fukawa, and Jason Ma.
I, Mikayla Montalvo, bequeath my adventures and skilled drawing to Saman-

tha Orozco. May all of our peach and

daisy adventures live on. Have fun in high
school and get out safely. Dont get too
crazy.
I, Weldon Chang bequeath to Grant Kirchoff my height, basketball and volleyball
mediocrity, and the bond that can only be
shared my long-time-friends. To Benjamin Schwartz, I leave our jokes and the
pride we share in our personal identities.
To Justin Chang, I leave behind the trials and tribulations of a Trash Welder. To
Jason Liang and Brandon Pang, I leave
our memories and experiences as fellow
bridge builders. And finally to my sister Sharon Lu, I leave the memories we
shared watching The Walking Dead
and Game of Thrones, our ups and
downs, my awkwardness and the responsibility of looking after Mom and Dad.
I, Jonathan Huang, bequeath my
smoothness, interp cleanliness and love
for laughter to Calvin Nguyen and Claudia Yu, my dumb jokes, rationality, and
passion for the speech team to Giselle de
Silva and finally to Christin and Victoria
Villalobos, I leave our amazing memories,
dance skills, and endless happiness we
share. Please try not to miss me too much,
Ill see all of you soon. (:
I, Shannon Wong, bequeath my amazing listening and fantastic math skills to
Matthew Wong. To Leo Ngo, I leave my
smiles. To my volleyball girls, I leave my
love and passion for the sport. Also, my
rolling skills on the court.
I, Olivia Ponce, bequeath my nickname
ponce to Anthony Ponce. Good luck in
your last two years of high school little
brother.
I, John Vuyovich, bequeath my honorary snare drum and locker to Michael
Fukayama.
I, Martin Covarrubias, bequeath my
leadership skills to Sabrina Torres and
to my mini me Karina Gomez, I wish you
the best and success in the future. I know
youll be the next greatest ASB prez. I
leave my atitude and humor to the best
cousin Talani Solia, and Boo-tiful style to
my fave Gigi Pandy.
I, Panphila Wong, bequeath to my junior babies Patrice Barrett and Victoria
Le my love and passion for school. I give
you both my sarcasm, sass, and quirkiness. Vicki, I give you my joy for ceramics. I believe you will make extravagant
pieces. I leave my many facial expressions
so you can make others laugh or intimidated. To my sophomore babies, Hannah
Chung and Kelly Ly. I leave you my love
for volleyball- to always have the drive to
do your best. I believe in each of you to
the fullest. I know youll achieve greatness. I LOVE YOU!!!
I, Lilian Trang, bequeath my creativity and tolerance for name-calling to my
yearbook babies for Sydney Ton, Kelly,
Julie, Cody, Adam, and Trisha, and wish
them luck for a crown next year. I leave my
passion and commitment to all my volleyball children, especially Leslie and Gaby
and setting hands to Wearer. I leave the
three 1st place streaks and #50shadesofblue to Andy Duong. I leave my muscular
arms to Leo Ngo and finally, I leave my
baller skills, honesty, health diet, and
my g to my little brother, Charlie Tran.
I, Bryan Phan, bequeath my athletic
ability and legacy to Warren Phan. I hope
you continue to push yourself in school,
sports, and anything you do. Know that
Phanmily is gonna be there for you no
matter what. Good luck carrying on my
legacy and always remember that I love
you.

I, Emily Ho, bequeath my minimal basketball skills, basketball scoring title, side
ponytail legacy, and my talent of laziness (haha just kidding to Amanda Lee.
Its yours to take maybe within next year
haha. Keep working hard and stay in
school! Youre such a kid!
I, Jessica Maldonado, bequeath my
wrestling stat position to Selena Montanez. Thank you for the memories. It has
been fun waking up super early to go do
stats for the team. I am glad I decided
to join, it was nice getting close to you.
Youve showed me all your true colors.
Good and bad; but honestly never change
who you are. Be honest and humble to everyone you meet please. Whether or not
you choose to continue stats I hope you
enjoy your senior year.
I, Eleanor Xa, bequeath my love to Irene
Quach. Leave my passion for the 400m
and ChexMix to Trent Hoffman. Leave my
positive vibes to the sprinter team. I bequeath my Beyonce jam to Isabella Marchionne. I bequeath my ability to remember quizzes to Nick Wong.
I, Catherine Ortiz, bequeath the salsa
club to Sam, Christine, and Maria. Good
luck and dont forget to fundraise your
butt off.
I, Valerie Gomez, bequeath my wisdom
to Ez Banuelos. You better stay in school
and please dont ever procrastinate. Trust
me, youll actually start caring by senior
year. Thanks for the memories. I love your
hair. Be wise, and awesome. like me (;
I, Samantha Vuong, bequeath my humor and corny jokes to Bianca Moy, Katie
Kwan, Michael Lam.
I, Jason Wong, bequeath my passion
and my energy to Patrice Barnett and
Giselle de Silva. To Wesley Yuan and Jeremy Nguyen I leave my work ethic and my
love for the things I do. Good luck with
your next few years guys. Give it your all
it wont last forever!!
I, Beatrice Bargas, bequeath my awesome swimming skills and dedication to
Megan Luc and Dennis Wong. May you
both work hard in all that you have accomplished in the next 2 years. I also
want to leave Yvonne tran my incredible
funny jokes and that you think of me when
you make corny jokes.
I, Jiwon Lee, bequeath my personality,
kindness, goofiness and compassion to
Michael Lam. May we always remember
the goofy and comforting times weve
spent during our 2 years of math together
and cherish our friendship forever.
I, Rachel Martinez, bequeath my great
taste of music to Mr. Monte. Mr. Monte,
you are one of the great teachers I have
had here. Your music inspired me to do my
best in class. I always looked forward to
your class. Rock on, Monte.
I, Damian Ramos, bequeath my ranch
dressing to Joshua Joaquin. I hope you
have a good senior year. P.S. Korean
BBQ.
I, Raymond Wen, bequeath my title of
Trap Lord, ASB legacy, and the game
to catch EQ to Karyna Luong, Brandon
Tran, and Justin Chai respectively. Karyna, make the best out of your senior year,
make bath bombs, dont take anyones BS.
Brandon, stay exactly the same, survival
of the fittest bro. Justin, grow a pair!!!
I, Amber Monteleone, bequeath my creativness and my independance to Kaitlyn
Lukjaniec and Katelyn Warner. Be creative and independant for as long as you
can. Life will always be more exciting and
drama free if you are your own person.
Stay positive, stay energetic, be you.

15

I, Tawny Nguyen, bequeath my

photogenic ability and OCD to
Joshua Yu. May you always look
handsome in and out of pictures,
you stud! Stay organized and push
through your last year. You got this
boo and frankly, Ill miss you.
I, Sharon Khoo, bequeath my goofiness and sarcasm to Kevin Nguyen
and Jinbin Kuang. I leave both of
you the laughter and memories we
have with the squad. To Shannon
Louie, I leave my determination and
drive to be league champion. Believe in yourself! You can do it! To
Vivian Lee, Christina Phung, Sofia
Koyama, I leave my perseverance
through practices and races. Ill
always be at your races in spirit,
cheering you on.
I, Shelby Thach, bequeath my
great wrestling skills to Abigail
Kama, Natalie Thi, and Samantha
Navarrete. Leave no doubt.
I, Denise Chu, bequeath my love for
you, my makeup skills to show them
girls up at speech tournaments, and
my wonderful exercises for basically
everything to Andrea Chu.
I, Tammy Liang, bequeath my hard
work, soreness, and cross-country
lovin nature to Vivian Lee, Christina Phung, and Sofia Koyama.
I, Helen Tade, bequeath all my love
to Rikiya Satoh, as well as my ability
to work hard and stay focused. Dont
slack off! To Isabella Marchionne, I
leave my hurdle form/skills. Keep
working hard, Izzy! I know you will
be great. To Harry Sanin, Justin Minor, and Brandon Hudson, I leave
you all the memories we have from
practice/meets. Ill miss you guys
always making fun at me and making me cough! And lastly, I leave my
love of sushi and poke to Annie Pho,
ily!!!
To Tiffany Huynh, bequeath my
tolerance and emotional strength,
to Crystal Lee, Jackson Lee, Kelly
Ly and my Interact officer team babies. I see bright futures in each and
every one of you. You guys are all
smart and beautiful. But I do want
to remind you that when times get
tough, never forget to always put
forth the best of you. I love you all
so so so so so much!
I, Joanna Chang, bequeath my
mediocre flute skills and physics
notes to Shannon Louie, my love of
integrals and derivatives to Phoenix
Gong, and my beloved Red Cross
Club to Jane Diep. Please take care
of it!
I, Elaine Chen, bequeath my sass,
love for cookies, and lame jokes to
Jennifer Chen, Julie Le, and Trisha
Marciano.
I, Gabriel Carranza, bequeath my
football talent and speed to Harry
Sanin and Jonathan Lopez.
I, Devyn Cordero, bequeath my
skills and passion for baseball to
Chris Cordero.
I, David Rayudu, bequeath my
curly hair, awkward movements,
and last minuteness to Benjamin
Schwartz. May it find you the same
success in life, as it did for me,
friend. At the last minute, I know
you will awkwardly curl your way
anywhere.

12

farewell

Tongva Times

May 29, 2015

Photo courtesy of Kate Go

THE TONGVA 20
HEADLINES AND DEADLINES ARE OUR LIFE.
Brandon

Samantha

has been on the staff for

four years and has become the heart and
soul of the newspaper. He really brings
the staff together. Each year, Brandon
initiates innovative and often hilarious
getting to know you activities, as well
as adventurous outings, that help the staff
bond. I cannot imagine what the newspaper will be like without him next year,
but, I will never forget Brandon and the
spirit he brought to the Tongva Times. I
will miss him greatly. - Mrs. Drew

Two words describe

: smart
and responsible. He takes his role as
Opinion editor very seriously, yet there
is also a fun side to this hard-working
senior - when he is not busy. In the beginning of the year, he was the senior
that always asked about the freshmens
well-being and he was always open to
answering questions that we clueless
freshmen had. William has proven to
be a great editor and a great classmate.
- Jasmine Lam

for four years.

I have known
On the Tongva Times, she has been my
production chief, a fellow writer and
the Features editor. In life, she is a great
friend and will be my college roommate.
I am in awe at how she so effortlessly
excels in everything she does and I have
observed, firsthand, how kind she is
to everyone. Cynthia is someone who
never fails to impress and I am honored
to have spent my last two years on the
newspaper with her. - Samantha Kwok

Whether it is editing the Entertainment

section or talking about her love for Vincent van Gogh,
is an original
individual and an exemplary member of
the Tongva Times staff. From working
with Hattie, I have gotten to see just how
brilliant and enthusiastic she is about
everything. Hattie exudes radiance and
quirkiness, but in a very, very good way.
She also looks good in pink sweaters,
or any color, and she has an amazingly
model-esque neck. - Jasmine Donaldson

, also known as Graca, works as

a poll specialist on the Tongva Times.
When he isn't working on polls, he can
be spotted a mile away due to his height.
And, chances are Graca will either be
eating a sandwich, changing the desktop
image on computer five to something
disturbing, or making funny remarks. He
does a great job not only in polling, but
also by writing amazing articles as well.
Still, I will miss Gracas goofy personality the most. Marleld Duran

Matt

Daphne

is a diligent production
chief for the Tongva Times during the
day, but, at night, she takes the form
of Emmitt, a golden Labrador retriever
mentioned in her speeches. Emmitt, unknown to even those closest to Caitlyn,
is the Hyde side of her. He enjoys watching horror movies and secretly plans to
one day take over Caitlyn's body and use
her caring nature to slowly brainwash
the whole world into accepting him as
its ruler. - Joanna Wong

Hattie

Jessica has given the Tongva Times Roxanne

much love and care as the Quirks editor. She is a kind-hearted individual
and takes her job seriously. She will
edit away in order to make the Quirks
page as amazing as possible. Her hard
work and dedication to the newspaper
is something I truly admire. Getting to
know her as a person, I can see how she
strives to be the best she can be. I cant
wait to be part of the senior squad with
her next year! - Amanda Tzoc

is the self-proclaimed
princess of the Tongva Times. As the
advertising manager, she has to avoid
embezzlement scandals, log numerous
advertising contracts (with a long-suffering sigh) and beg classmates to stop
bringing ad contracts in. Roxanne is
quick to address business concerns and
is diligent in keeping track of advertising
quotas. With the way she handles money,
she could be a banker, if bankers were
fashionistas and cat ladies. - Fionce Siow

William

Cynthia

is a leader unlike any

Ive seen in my years on the newspaper.
She was able to easily motivate the staff
and keep the newspaper on track. Her
dry wit and humor added an air of attitude to the paper, in the best possible
way. Sam was the perfect leader for our
colorful staff. She was able to bring the
best out of everyone, and, despite her
ability to come off as a bit dark-hearted,
her personality, and her impact on the
staff, shined brightly. - Brandon Sanchez

is a studious worker that

comes in ready to go. As our business
manager, she never fails to do her job
with patience, even though it can be tedious at times. Once, I turned in $40 in
coins and she counted it all without complaining. Daphne is also a very talented
writer, unafraid of taking on challenging
or demanding articles each month. The
Tongva Times staff wont be the same
next year without our brilliant business
manager! - Roxanne Menchaca

Philip has a sassy, creative fabulous- Amanda

ness that brightens my days. The newspaper wouldnt be complete without
him, the Master of Polls. He works diligently every month to bring interesting
and comprehensive polls to the Tongva
Times. Also, his friendship with Mandy
is my ultimate relationship goal. I feel a
connection with Philip, as Filipino blood
runs through both of our veins. Im glad
that we will be on staff together next
year. - Jessica Duque

Fionce is the epitome of congeniality. Jasmine D. is the quiet girl in the Marleld
Her wit, love of musicals, and intellectual personality makes it impossible not
to like her. As the Tongva Times World
editor, Fionce is dedicated and hardworking. Her determination is reflected
in her newsworthy ideas and her always
engaging writing. When not editing
articles, she always shows affection
towards her fellow staff members and
successfully makes the staff feel loved,
special, and at home. - Philip Castillo

back of the room. But, dont be fooled by

that. Jasmine manages her time well and
does a great job of laying out the newspaper every month, no matter what the
challenges or difficulties. She sweetly
says hello to everyone with her warm
smile and easily makes friends with others. She is an inspiration that shines.
With her heart of gold, she gives others the power to become better people.
- Sharon Tram

Taylor, with her infinite charm, al-

Initially,
seems to have
a quiet character, but appearances are
deceiving. She expresses herself in so
many ways, from her Fall Out Boy fan
art to blue highlights so vivid that I cannot find anyone else in the San Gabriel
Valley with streaks as intense as hers.
Not to mention that its been a blast to
see her writing develop since September.
With Ariana on board, the staff will continue to be a diverse and special group of
people. - William Khaine

SHARON

ways happens to be the center of attention. For the Christmas edition of the
Tongva Times, I sat with pen and paper
in hand as Taylor gave me her answer for
the Staff Picks section. As it turns out,
being caught under the mistletoe with six
prolific rappers is appealing to Taylor.
With remarks such as this, Taylor puts
a smile on everyones face. Though she
can be a bit weird at times, shes a great
person to have on staff. - Matthew Graca

Arianna

Caitlyn

makes it impossible not

to laugh and smile. The staff will never
forget the way she always read her articles a little too fast. But without her
on the newspaper, second period would
have been a lot less happy. The articles
Amanda writes for the newspaper cannot compare to the funny things she says
in person. I wish I would have talked
to her more. Next year, the staff will
definitely benefit from her return to the
Tongva Times. - Ariana Fernandez

always puts her best effort

into making our newspaper look flawless, even during lauout crises. Her composed nature has been of great help to the
staff, especially amidst stressful deadlines. She brightens the room with her
presence and is rarely unhappy. We are
especially grateful that Marleld will be
returning to the Tongva Times next year.
The newspaper would not look nearly as
amazing without the help of Marlelds
incredible skills. - Daphne Cheung

Joanna, as the newspapers lead lay-

Jasmine L.

I knew that
and I were going
to click, being that there were only five
freshmen on the newspaper. We were a
little intimidated of the upperclassmen
and used to dread read-around, scared
and seeking validation from the upperclassmen on staff. We bonded through
striving to push harder out on the track
and working to improve our journalistic
skills. Im very grateful I had the chance
to work with Sharon on the newspaper
this school year. - Taylor Thames

It is intriguing that
wants to be caught under the mistletoe
with Dylan OBrien, who is apparently
known for Teen Wolf and The Maze
Runner. (I sincerely hope that works out
for her). Her interesting answers to the
Staff Picks questions each month were
always humorous and she never failed
to entertain me with answers like saying
that her favorite president was William
Taft because he got stuck in a bathtub.
Ill miss that humor a lot. Caitlyn Cook

out artist, is subject to a lot of small,

sometimes incoherent requests (Can
I have this thing there instead of
here?), but somehow she manages to
meet our demands without snapping. Joannas attention to detail and artistic eye
are a huge part of why the newspaper
looks so beautiful. And, her never-ending patience is the reason why the editors
and other layout artists have not torn all
their hair out this year. - Hattie Xu

Sharon