STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF AGOURA HIGH SCHOOL WWW.AGOURACHARGER.COM APRIL 2012

THE CHARGERAgoura High School shows its true colors

by Melanie AbramoffEditorial Staff

On March 23, Agoura High School’s Thespian troupe 1814 excelled in the 2012 California State

Thespian Festival at Upland High School. After spending three days performing, at-tending callbacks, and numerous workshops, AHS Swept the com-petition, receiving a total of six awards. Ju-niors Hillary Leftkow-itz and Jack Filsinger received 2nd place in the Duet Scene Cat-egory for their out-standing performance in Rabbit Hole by Da-vid Lindsay-Abaire. This heart-wrenching scene centers around a couple who deals with the death of their young son. A tear-jerking excerpt of All My Sons, the fall play at AHS, was performed by juniors Mela-nie Abramoff, Evan Laffer, Filsinger, and Alexandra Goldmann, with seniors Matt

Oster and Hunter Paris winning 2nd place in the “Scene Fest Category.” Laffer tied for 1st place among hundreds of applica-tions for the “Monologue Category,” with his two contrasting peices. His first piece, Interlude, is a comedic fortelling of a com-poser’s life. On the contrary, his second

piece from He Who Gets Slapped is a dramatic plea from a writer to the per-son he claims stole his life. Goldmann and Abramoff both received summer theater program scholarships. “We had to prepare two monologues, or a monologue and a song, fill out an

application, and answer some interview questions,” Abramoff said. “Winning the scholarship was truly exhilarating, and I was really honored! It was an unforget-table experience,” Goldmann said. In ad-dition, Oster received a college scholar-ship. Congratulations to Troupe 1814.

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by Rebecca Lee and Emily AitkenStaff WritersRecent National Cham-pions, the Agoura High School Spirit Team cel-

ebrates their 1st place win at a national competion, being crowned the USA Na-tionals title for the 11th year. While the team relishes in their success, they also appreciate the fact that they could not have achieved this victory without their teammates. What does cheer mean to you? “The team I’m on not only provides me with something to do and workouts to help keep me in shape, but it is my 80-person family/support system that is more closely-knit than I would have ever imagined,” says Lizzy Klein, cheer cap-tain of song. This time of year is not only filled with utter joy and great determina-tion, but also the eye-opener for the se-niors. Every year, the whole team works so hard in hopes of being crowned the USA Nationals title, seniors especially. This is their last year ever competing for AHS. The captains who helped push aside the differences and pull together as a team

in order to pursue our main goal probably felt the most pressure. “I don’t think any of us felt outside pressure to succeed. We felt a responsibility to lead the team as we had been lead by our seniors our fresh-men year. We had faith in our strengths as a team and just made sure that those strengths were as best developed as pos-sible,” said one team captain, Kayla Ka-ltenecker. Kaltenecker was asked to use three words to describe the feelings she had right before finding out that they had won. “Memories. Family. Self-fulfill-ment. Also, very proud!” Strength, physi-cal and emotional, is a necessity when be-ing a part of this big family. Seniors are cherishing their last moments together before separating, moving onto yet anoth-er area, able to rejuvenate themselves and build a whole new them. Mrs. McGrew, AHS cheer coach, is taking the hardest hit watching all her seniors move on into the big world. “It’s a process of letting go at this time of year, and although it’s tough to let go of our seniors, it’s exciting to see them go on to future endeavors.” (cont. on page 8)

by Lucinda Laurence Staff Writer Agoura High School takes the checkered flag again. On February 12, AHS Se-

niors Drake Landy and Malcolm Hunter competed and took first in the Greater Los Angeles County Automotive Technology Competition. This was the third time since 2007 that AHS has taken these honors. “It’s a pretty big competition, we’ve heard about it since our first year,” said Hunter. The competitors faced two challenges: a written test at AHS, followed by a hands-on test of automotive savvy at Cerritos Col-lege, which tested their skill at identifying and correcting a variety of malfunctions. They scored a phenomenal 97.5%, win-ning them a trip to New York to compete in the National Automotive Competition fi-nal at the famous Javitz Convention Center. This is the fifth time AHS has sent a team to New York. To prepare for this event, they were given a Volvo S60 by the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Associa-tion (GLANCDA). Industrial Tech teacher John Andersen has given Hunter and Lan-dy a thorough knowledge of automotive throughout their years. “I feel good going into the competition…I’ve studied a lot, so hopefully we will do well,” said Landy. Getting to this level of expertise is no crash course. Andersen said that the first three years of Auto Shop are class based. Andersen noted, “In the fourth year the principles learned are applied fully and all class time is spent working on cars.” Landy took a dedicated four years of the class and Hunter began Auto Shop during his Sophomore year but, doesn’t lack in skill when it comes to cars. Whether you begin Auto Shop as a Freshman or Senior, “You should take the class because you are interested in automotive,” said Hunter. If you are committed to the course, it will be something to look forward to every day, as Landy said, “It is my favorite class.” Variety is the spice of life, and the automo-tive industry is no different. Andersen ex-

plained, “If you did a brake job on a Chev-rolet, does that make you an expert? I don’t think so…you need experience, that goes a long way on your resume…to say that ‘I did a break job one time on a Chevrolet’ as opposed to ‘I did 100 break jobs on foreign cars, domestic cars, trucks’ makes a differ-ence”. He went on to explain, “We do ev-erything on a car…bumper to bumper…we used to even paint cars, but it was too messy.” On April 10 and 11, the team took on NY and came out smelling, if not of roses, then of some sweet smelling axle grease. They ended up a very credible 14th out of 30 en-trants. Respectable as this was - and a big step up from last year, Andersen pointed out that that it could have been much bet-ter; that the deck of cars was stacked. A big advantage is gained by familiarity with the workstations. Andersen tried to prep his team and did as much research in advance of the competition as he could on the worksta-tions. There was a catch, however. “In some of the work stations in New York, they use mockups, or trainers, and if you don’t have those mockups, you’re in trouble… That’s were we get hurt… and that’s what I object to…Trainers advised me any information I wanted on this could be achieved by going to teacher’s conferences for training, but if you’re not there, you’re out of luck…it wasn’t quite fair in that respect.” He ended the interview with words as steely as the chassis he works with. “They’re gonna hear from me - the competition committee.”

Photo courtesy of theacorn.com

by Carlie JansenSpecial to the Charger For the first time in Agoura High School history, the jazz band

has placed first at a national competition. After months of diligent preparation, the Studio Jazz Band emerged victorious from the prestigious Swing Central Competi-tion, a nationally acclaimed jazz com-petition located in Savannah, Georgia. This year, more than 50 bands from across

the United States auditioned to participate in the competition—AHS was one of the 12 top bands chosen to compete. Studio Band, led by John Mosley, is AHS’s top jazz band, consisting primarily of juniors and seniors. Since the beginning of this school year, these students have worked to perfect the Swing Central repertoire, re-hearsing every even day after school for up to two-and-a-half hours. These jazz players returned home not only with a hefty tro-phy, but with priceless experiences as well. The judges and mentors of the Swing Central competition included interna-tionally acclaimed jazz legends, such as Wycliffe Gordon and John Faddis. In the

first two days of the competition, these famous musicians worked with the stu-dents to improve their performances and solos. Moreover, the competing bands were treated to several concerts put on by the mentors themselves—the displays of virtuosity were unbelievable. On the third day of the competition, AHS performed for the judges. Despite the students’ trepi-dation, their hard work clearly paid off; the performance was full of energy, dy-namics, and, most importantly, swing.

At the awards ceremony that night, Studio Jazz was ecstatic to hear that they tied for first place, and Mosley proudly walked onstage to receive the $3750 check. AHS’s combos received several awards as well, including the People’s Choice Award, Honorable Mention for Best Overall Performance, and Best Original Composition by Junior Henry Beal. For many students, the Swing Central Jazz Competition was a life-changing expe-rience. “Competing with the top high school bands in the nation was a great privilege,” said trumpet player Richard Livingston. “It was amazing to attend con-certs by some of the jazz greats of today.”

SPIRIT TEAM BRINGS IT ON THESPIAN TROUPE 1814 SHINES

Auto-shop goes the extra mile jazz band swings in savannah

The Studio Jazz Band holds up the $3750 prize for winning first place at the Swing Central Competition which took place in Savannah, Georgia.

Photo by Stephanie Goldmann

photo courtesy of Carlie Jansen

FeaturesApril 2012Page 2

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by Emily AitkenStaff Writer High school is usually the turning point for students who aren’t quite sure where they are headed. As freshmen, students typically have no clue what the cards have in store for them within not only the next four years, but also life itself. Yet this typical sentiment is no match for the very talented senior, Matilda Sakamoto. Since the early age of three, Sakamoto has pushed aside all distractions in order to pursue her dream in the art of dance. While pining for acceptance to schools like Suny Purchase, Boston Conservatory, North Carolina School of Dance, Dominican University/Lines, and Chapman, Matilda was dangling on the edge for one in particular. The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, is one of the utmost top of the line performing arts conservatory.  It’s  informally  identified as simply “Juilliard,” and trains about 800 undergraduate and graduate students per year in dance, drama, and music. “I applied for the school and they only accept like 26 people.” said Sakamoto. To get the acceptance into her dream college, Sakamoto had to audition as well as write an essay about an obstacle she had to overcome in her life. Not long after she was called out of class one day to learn that she’d made it, Sakamoto quickly called her mom with shaky hands and announced that she’d made it into Juilliard. “My family is really supportive. My mom drives me  like everywhere!  I  could definitely 

say my mom is my main supporter.” In the future, she hopes to work in a company in Europe called The Netherlands Dance Theater. And, to do so, she has rigorous practices six to seven times a week. She practices in numerous places including Dance Academy, Marat Daukayev School of Ballet, and California Dance Theater. “My coach works me really hard, but I also push myself as well. My coach was actually apart of this dancing company in Russia, so I know I’m in good hands.” Sakamoto admits that her passion for dance has become time consuming, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I feel like giving up all the time. People are so picky as to what they want. I don’t have the perfect body, so that was always a stress factor. They’re always like, ‘I want this, I want that,’” said Sakamoto. Perseverance plays a huge role in her life. Although being physically strong is an important asset for succeeding as a dancer, to be emotionally strong is a key factor as well. “Sometimes it feels like nothing is good enough.” Sakamoto said. “Advice from my friends and family reassuring me that I am a great dancer helps put me back in a better place. I don’t know where I would be without them.” Looking back, being a dancer was definitely her calling in life. At the age of four Sakamoto was already performing onstage. “I was pretty much crying the whole way through my first performance! But the second time ‘round I knew every single step!” said Sakamoto. She serves as a proud example that given

By Kristen BurnsStaff Writer Candy, cupcakes, socks, tennis shoes, root  beer  floats,  frozen  yogurts,  dresses, dolls, jewelry! Once you set one foot on the white  tiled floors of  the new store on Kanan, Sweet XO, you are attacked by a wave of everything. From the door you can see candy, every single kind of candy, filling  up  little  clear  boxes  all  over  the store. You can hear the mini-cupcakes calling your name and little kids running around with  frozen  yogurt.  But wait!  It’s not just candy-- there are dresses and belts and little toys that you have never seen before! “I would say it’s pretty much Kate Spade meets Willy Wonka,” says store manager Anna Haraden, whose favorite aspect of the store is the home decor. Sweet XO was opened on April 1 of this year and has become popular fast! High school students often go there to hang out with friends on the huge white couches, and parents treat their kids to a brownie after dinner. Whether you go there on a Monday afternoon or Saturday night, the vibe stays the same: fun. The inner child in us all comes out and it’s hard to not skip around looking for the perfect

colored candies to put in your plastic bag. However, if you’re not interested in candy or frozen yogurt, do not worry! There is a shoe store, inside, next to the tea bar. No matter who you are, there is something that you will absolutely love at Sweet XO.High school students are also pining for the chance to work there as well! According to Taylor Tattersall, who has worked there since the store’s opening, said, “It’s a very social, high energy job. There’s a lot of color and it’s a great environment.” But if you cannot get the job now, your chance might be coming up soon, as they are looking for their second and third locations. In the new store, the shoe section will be transforming into a “man-cave,” according to Haraden. The store will soon appeal fantastically to members of both genders! Make sure that in the rampage of your sweet tooth, however, you keep some self-control in mind. According to anyone who has been to the candy store, it is very easy to spend over thirty dollars just on candy or  toppings on your  frozen yogurt. Nevertheless, Sweet XO is a great place to hang out, meet up with friends, and have an awesome yogurt over a warm brownie with milk chocolate hot fudge.

dancing to dream

candy, clothing & cavities: sweet xo is a real treat

suddenly seeing more

photo by Kristen Burns

photo by Kristen Burns

photo by Kristen Burns

by Beverley LooStaff Writer      The  audience  is  buzzing with energy, and for good reason. It’s April 26, or Alumni Night in the G Building and Agoura High School is putting on their last musical production in the G Building before we move to the new performing arts center, “Little Shop of Horrors,” directed by Nick Newkirk. Overall, the musical was surprisingly enjoyable and the cast itself was enthralling to watch. The play is about a bloodthirsty plant that gives much grief to its owner, Seymour Krelborn, before later becoming too powerful for even him to control. The musical itself was smoothly orchestrated, much thanks to the beautifully painted and colorful sets. Agoura’s own orchestra also did a phenomenal job of providing live music to accompany the actors under the director of AHS teacher Chad Bloom. And just like the original performance was critically  acclaimed  when  it  first  opened at the Orpheum Theatre almost 30 years ago,  I  give  “Little  Shop  of Horrors”  five stars for an outstanding performance! A couple of highlights of the play included Senior Matt Oster’s amusing portrayal of the nerdy, lovestruck character, Seymour Krelborn, the owner of the plant, puppeted by Junior Brennan Leininger and voiced by none other than Agoura’s beloved music teacher, John Mosley. When asked about his experience in the play,

Mosley said: “It was a lot of fun to work with the cast.” Junior Sydney Heller also did a great job of embodying her character of Audrey, Seymour’s love interest, in the musical as she did her signature prance across the stage in between scenes. Audrey’s abusive dentist boyfriend, played brilliantly by Sophomore Ryan Rosenheim kept the whole audience laughing with his neurotic, laughing gas-induced antics. Between scenes, Junior Hillary Leftkowitz, Sophomore  Kendall  Mordetzky,  and Freshman Erin Ticktin played the urchins, singing and narrating some of the storyline while entertaining the audience with their love of money. All in all, “Little Shop of Horrors” was much fun to watch; remember, everyone, don’t feed the plant!

Matt Oster plays the down-on-his-luck florist endearingly.

Above, home decor, sweets, candles, handbags, headphones and a plethora of cutesy accessories line the aisles. Below, a cozy hang out of sorts for students and families.

On the right, rows and rows of delectable

bite-sized cup-cakes, sold

in foursomes to satisfy the sweet tooth.

AdsApril 2012Page 3

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The Charger StaffManaging EditorKatie Persons

Newspaper EditorLior Ayalon

Magazine EditorsBailey ByersMatt Spector

Video EditorMelanie Abramoff

Editorial StaffAya DiazJessica KovacBrooke KramerByron Rackow

Faculty AdvisorLorelei Hollister

Staff WritersEmily AitkenAlex BersonKristen BurnsNoa DaneshNate EdelmanLucinda LaurenceRebecca LeeMadeline LesterBeverley LooAlex Simon

Want more of The Charger? Check out our online version at

www.agouracharger.com

A&E March 2012 Page 4

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A Theater Kid’s Perspective

Titanic in 3D: Is it better?

Bears Are Parading At AHS?!

All That Legendary Jazz!

by Madeline LesterStaff Writer On March 21, jazz legend Arturo Sandoval graced Agoura High School’s band room with his presence. Students sat wide-eyed during his visit and looked as if they wanted to pinch themselves; surely this was too good to be true. Sandoval answered students’ questions, played a few instruments, offered galvanizing words of advice and animatedly discussed the importance of jazz music, all with a smile on his face. The jazz musicians of AHS showcased their musical talents and Sandoval was genuinely impressed by their sophisticated compositions. Sandoval encourages aspiring jazz musicians to be passionate about music and said that playing instruments should be of utmost priority. Unfortunately, Sandoval said he sees jazz music becoming irrelevant to most teenagers today, “I am always a little concerned about what

is going to happen to jazz music. If we don’t preserve it, if we don’t request it, if you don’t fight to keep it alive…you are my hope, our hope,” said Sandoval. The jazz star even gave the students tips regarding how to “make it” in the music business. “They got the talent, they got the musicianship, they have everything but the lack of technique and preparation because people are always looking for a shortcut. In this business there is no easy way, it doesn’t exist. Period. Forget it, there’s only one way. Dedication and passion. Music has to be like a drug for you, when you’re away from it, you should miss it. You should feel terrible if in 24 hours you didn’t practice. Music is different from any other career. With this, you never know anything, every day is a brand new day,” said Sandoval. The jazz icon also chatted about his personal life and the struggles he faced growing up in extreme poverty, “I grew up in the countryside on the island of Cuba in the middle of nowhere. My family was so poor, you cannot believe it. We didn’t even have a floor, just dirt. And we were struggling to find food and I had to stop school when I finished 5th grade. That was it, you worked to help feed the family because we were hungry. I worked in the field and for a mechanic until I get into music and it saved my life. My entire family life; I was a completely hopeless kid, no horizons in front of me, nothing,” said Sandoval. How is that for inspiring? Sandoval certainly came quite a long way from where he started, which begs the question, how far can students right here at AHS go?

by Melanie AbramoffEditorial Staff What’s a good reason to wake up at 5 AM, memorize a boatload of lines, and bear the constant singing of theater kids? The 2012 California State Thespian Theater Festival. After many months of finding and practicing scenes, the Agoura High School Thespian Troupe 1814 made its way to compete in this year’s California State Thespian Theater Festival at Upland High School on March 23. We spent three days at the festival. On the first day, we competed. On the second day we went to workshops, and on the third day the winners were announced. One would think that after attending three theater festivals, I would be used to the mayhem of thousands of theater kids on one campus. I’m not. Wherever you sat on the Upland High School Campus, there was never peace and quiet. You could always hear kids singing at the top of their lungs or laughing hysterically. It was impossible to escape the constant singing, scene practices, and theater games. Although I’m not used to this insanity, I enjoy it. For instance, take that one theater kid at AHS that you know. Now multiply that kid by three thousand. Scary right? But really entertaining. This represents the festival’s atmosphere. I spent the whole first day running from audition to audition. I performed a total of four times. After the fourth audition, the process seemed monotonous. 1) Wait nervously for your turn. 2) Watch scenes before you perform. 3) Wait anxiously for the slow judges to finish writing down scores for the previous scene. 4) Perform. 5) Run to the next competition. 6) Repeat. Somehow, I had enough time in my schedule to watch some other scenes and monologues that the AHS troop brought to the festival. Every scene,

directed by AHS drama teacher Elizabeth Brasler, was gut wrenching, hilarious, realistic, and beautifully performed. I could not be more proud of my troupe. The fantastic efforts of the students paid off. Juniors Hillary Leftkowitz and Jack Filsinger won second place in the Duet Scene category for their performance of Rabbit Hole. In addition, junior Evan Laffer tied for first place in the Monologue Category for his contrasting renditions of He Who Gets Slapped and Interlude. A few scenes, that did not win, recieved all superior ratings in judging. Thus, they are eligibale to attend the national Thespian Festival in Nebreska in June. Earlier this year, AHS’s drama department presented All My Sons, a drama by Arthur Miller. We entered a ten-minute excerpt of the play into the festival under a category called Scene Fest. In the scene we presented, Chris Keller (senior Matt Oster) discovered from his mother (junior Alexandra Goldmann) that his father (Laffer) knowingly sold faulty World War II airplane parts that killed US soldiers. Filsigner, senior Hunter Paris, and I were also in this scene. This heart-wrenching scene not only received a standing ovation, but also second place in Scene Fest. One of the rewards for winning second place is getting the opportunity to perform the excerpt in Upland’s gorgeous theater. With over 1,300 people watching us on stage, it was ultimately a huge highlight of the festival for me. The whole experience of the festival was riveting. As a troupe, we all learned so much, laughed continuously, gained acting experience, bonded as a team, and picked up a couple of trophies along the way. Even the slept deprivation was worth the memories that I will forever cherish from this festival.

by Lucinda LaurenceStaff Writer It’s safe to say that life is constantly being enhanced. Now, every third grader possesses an iPhone, movie theaters have reserved seating, and eBooks are eliminating the need for bookstores. These are what some would call improvements to the way of life. What is most definitely not an improvement, however, is the conversion of Titanic to Titanic 3D. For those of you who don’t know, Titanic tells a dramatized account of the R.M.S Titanic’s maiden voyage. During this journey, Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), a rich and socially suppressed aristocrat, and Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio), a poor artist, who lives life to its fullest, fall in love and enter into a life-altering (and possibly life risking!) adventure. James Cameron, acclaimed screenwriter, director, and co-producer of Titanic, first released the film in 1997. Overwhelming box offices everywhere, Cameron’s movie brought in a record-breaking gross of over 1.8 billion dollars worldwide! Now, 15 years later, Cameron has attempted the seemingly impossible, he has resurrected the Titanic! This time, though, with an interesting twist. On April 4, 2012, Titanic 3D was released in theaters. While seeing the film, it was clear that this version of Titanic left nothing out. Watching the

varying faces of fellow moviegoers, I saw shock, fear, tears, and a universal look of utter suspense. The 3D effect of this newly polished film was astounding, and intense…but was it a little too intense? That isn’t to say that Titanic 3D looks bad. All too often, movies that are converted to 3D after the fact look murky, and monochromatic. Cameron has made sure that his film lost none of the brightness that is usually sacrificed for added depth of field. Cameron also voyaged in a small submarine to the wreckage of the Titanic to stay true to the facts of the ship’s story. However, there are several distracting instances when figures in the background of a shot receive equal visual intensity with the main subjects of the scene. Furthermore, Cameron, having converted Titanic to 3D, shows just how unnecessary “technological gimmicks” are when one has a perfectly good original in the first place. The 3D effect takes away from the old-fashioned style the movie was once endowed with. My advice to those of you who are yet to experience the marvel of Titanic is to watch it in 2D. If you would still like to see it in 3D for comparison’s sake, than by all means, go ahead. But for you – and not the 3D effect – to decide which parts catch your eye, my recommendation is to see the original version first. After seeing this remake, I can conclude that the first time’s the charm.

Photo courtesy of trjeam.tripod.com

Sandoval has won four Grammys and one Emmy.

by Noa DaneshStaff Writer Who’s on parade? Bears on what? Bears on Parade, of course! One of Agoura High School’s most popular new bands, Bears on Parade are a fresh mix of rock and rap, wowing listeners with songs like “Budda.” Other members of the band include Nat Almany on guitar, Michael Kay on drums, Gabe Paganin on bass, and Preston Rosemont on vocals and piano. Each member has a specific “bear name” assigned to them, such as Yogi Bear, Pooh Bear, or Brazilian Bear. Most students at AHS were introduced to Bears on Parade back in December, when the group played a show at the quad during lunchtime. However,

Almany and Kay started the band last summer, and other members soon joined. By the new year they were playing at the Canyon Club with Jetstream, a popular band started in Agoura. Members cite a variety of bands and genres as their

influences, most notably Spanish music and bands such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jimi Hendrix and Atmosphere. What’s next for this band?

According to Paganin, the band is working on recording a new album, and in the meantime will be releasing new songs on the internet. Their lyrics, for the most part, are politically charged messages. However, their principle goal is, as Rosemont said, “A good time. That’s what we’re here to have and to portray.”

“We’re bears and we’re on parade. That’s who we are. That’s not our name, that’s our description,”

At the 2012 AHS Talent Show, the crowd pleaded Bears on Parade for an encore.Photo courtesy of Bears On Parade Facebook Page

Op/EdApril 2012Page 5

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a cry for independence, freedom, and equality

Although laws blatantly discriminating against certain people are rare in this day and age, egregious acts of racism still are commited. These range from a snide comment made in a hallway to innocent people being with-held from everyday activities and worst of all, to unpunished murders. While the majority of people would agree that it is nonsensical to judge someone due to his or her skin color, too many continue to do it. I see it constantly, a passing use of the N-word that is far too casual. This word,

according to Dictionary.com “[...]is now probably the most offensive word in English [...]”Before us-ing this word, remember what it means—A member of any dark-sk inned people; a person of any race or origin regarded as contempt-ible, inferior, ignorant, etc. or a victim of prej-udice similar to that suffered by

blacks; a person who is economically, po-litically, or socially disenfranchised. (Dic-tionary.com). And remember where it orig-inates— historically, Caucasian men and women would use this word to communi-cate the extreme hate they felt for an Afri-can American who worked for them, with or without being paid. When the N-word is used, regardless of the person’s intent, it re-tains the same hateful connotation. The N-word is not a nickname for a friend, or an appropriate way to refer to a human being. This word has presented a great deal of controversy in pop culture as well. For-

mer talk show host Oprah Winfrey, and rapper Jay-Z had a very public disagree-ment about the N-word. Jay-Z uses varia-tions of this word in his lyrics, saying that this generation has disarmed the grenade that is the N-word. However, Oprah ar-gues that, “Whenever I hear the N-word, I still think about every black man who was lynched--.” (racerelations.about.com). “Unfortunately, people often believe that what they see on TV is a true representa-tion of the world and the people around them, especially when they have no other frame of reference or experience in their own lives with which to compare or con-flict with what they have seen.” (ap.psy-chiatryonline.org). Both have influence over conceptions about the N-word, as well as the perception of African Ameri-cans. For some, it seems impossible that not every African American acts like a rapper or like the African Americans por-trayed on television. “Children Now [...] found that [...] children and adolescents associated positive characteristics to Cau-casian characters on TV and negative char-acteristics to minority cultures, Latinos and African Americans in particular.” (ap.psychiatryonline.org). Poor representation in the media, along with parental encour-agement, lends a hand in teaching children to have preconceived notions from a young age in dealing with certain people, lead-ing to a lack of respect for one and other. Insensitive comments are often said

without thinking but leave deeply rooted impressions. These comments come from anywhere, from kids telling “funny” sto-ries across a classroom or on the internet. A troubling thing I often hear is “You’re so black!” I am baffled by this. Black certainly is not an aspect of personality, so I would like to know what this so-called “black” is. This bewildering phenomenon makes me ask, “What would happen if this heedlessness escalated?” When minori-ties are regarded with such impertinence, instances like the recent Trayvon Mar-tin case appear. Martin had been walking through a Florida suburb with a bottle of Arizona Tea and a pack of Skittles when a self-appointed neighborhood watchman, George Zimmerman, shot and killed Mar-tin. Due to Florida’s law that allows one to shoot if they feel threatened, no arrest was made and Zimmerman was let go. Since then, more than two million people have signed a petition for Zimmerman’s arrest on change.org. Many of these sig-natures stem from speculation of racial profiling and questionable police conduct. This cry for change shows not only that something is terribly wrong, but also that so many people are stepping up to the chal-lenge to change it. Racism is discrimina-tion due to race, but remember, there is only one race—the human race, giving us more than enough reason to come together in time of crisis and make a difference. We need to eliminate the stereotypes in place.

a new look at stem cell research by Alex Berson Staff Writer

by Aya Diaz A&E Editor

Kony 2012 is a documentary circulating YouTube that has recently received im-mense support from society. This event was designed to inform Americans of Jo-seph Kony’s violent actions in Northern Uganda. Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army kidnap children and raise them to kill their own. In the viral documentary, created by Jason Russell and his organiza-tion called Invisible Children, Russell calls on America’s youth to speak out and show the government that they are passionate about stopping Kony’s reign. In addition, it asks for people to send donations to the Invisible Children organization to help the people of Northern Uganda. This heart-wrenching video hooks viewers at the start and instantly makes people want to donate, create events, and more. However, where is this donated money ending up? I am going to break down the confusing economics into subcategories. According to the official Invisible Children website (www.invisiblechildren.com), in 2011, In-visible Children spent a total of $8,894,630 in expenses. However, none of this money is directly sent to the people of Uganda. First of all, only $3,303,228 of these ex-penses went to Central Africa Programs. This donation is only 37.14% of the organi-zation’s profits. Plus, Invisible Children is not sending money directly to the impover-ished people of Uganda. Instead, the money is going through a third party. This money is sent to the Ugandan Military or UPDF, who supposedly work to fight against Kony and his army. The documentary featured starving and struggling Ugandan people, yet Invisible Children is not giving them shelter or food- they are only bring-ing more fighting and war onto their land. Now, if only 37.14% of the money goes to Africa, where does the rest of it go? To begin, that documentary and other films to

promote the organization absorb $70,007. That 7.87% of the money could be easily given to help the people of Uganda. Re-member those assemblies that Agoura High School has held where representatives from Invisible Children come to speak? Well, that took away $2,310,488. That is 25.98% of profits, which is an exceedingly high amount of money. That is only 10% less than what the Central African Program is receiving. Yes, they are informative, but unless a large sum of money is received from high school students in assemblies, how is it beneficial to Ugandans that were subjected to Kony’s wrath? It touches our hearts and makes us ponder life, however it does not stop this force. Invisible Children was formed in 2005. It is now 2012 and Kony has STILL NOT BEEN CAPTURED. Cover the Night is an event endorsed by Invisible Children. On April 20, people will be united to raise awareness about Kony and plaster posters around their hometown. The posters are available by purchase only. Remember, only 37.14% of that purchase will go towards African programs. This event is a way for people to work together and raise awareness, however it does not directly benefit the people. The posters will not end someone’s starvation or suffering; it will only be a pretty picture to walk by. In addition, Kony has left Uganda to reside and kill somewhere in the Congo leaving Northern Uganda in ruins. What the Ugan-dans need is not a military to fight, but mon-ey to replenish and start anew. The starva-tion and suffering that Kony caused did not disappear as soon as he left. Either Invisible Children should readjust their economic plan, or people should find a new organiza-tion to donate to and support that is actu-ally beneficial to the African Community.

the truth about kony 2012 by Melanie Abramoff Film Editor

Stem Cells research is, to many people, a very scary and foreign thing. However, in reality, stem cells are one of the most important medical developments in the past 20 years. Stem Cells have the abil-ity to transform into any kind of cell, organ, or tissue they please. In Europe, according to Medical News Today, Stem Cells have cured a man of blindness. Although Eu-rope has progressed in the field of Stem Cells, America still lacks the same advancement. Due to the re-striction of government funding for Stem Cell research, American doctors, researchers, and scientists are only beginning to discover the phenomenal world of Stem Cells. Nevertheless, such a great entity comes with controversy. Embry-onic stem cells, which come from aborted fetuses, are the most adap-tive of the Stem Cells, and conse-quently yield the most benefits. Some of the possible, and proven, uses for Stem Cells, according to the National Institutes of Health, are the ability to treat Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injury, heart disease, stroke, burns, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid ar-thritis. Although American politi-cians and citizens claim to draw a line between church and state, the decisions made by the Bush Ad-ministration and other members of Congress blur that line and have let certain religious groups impede the possible uses of Stem Cells. Europe has preceded the United States in another discovery. Euro-peans were the first to implement and use Stem Cells on human test subjects. Surgeons in Sweden have successfully transplanted a fully synthetic trachea, made from porous

polymer and tissue developed from stem cells, into a man with late-stage tracheal cancer. The trachea was es-sentially made completely out of Stem Cells, and subsequently saved this European man’s life. You might be thinking to yourself, “oh, these cases are just rare.” Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but these cases are becoming increasingly pop-ular throughout the world. One of the many nations that is leading the world of Stem Cells through main-stream success is Israel. The Central Library of the Research Center Julich has stated, “Israel publishes 113 ar-ticles [about Stem Cells] per every 1 million citizens.” This is the highest ratio in the world. Currently, there are seven and a half million people in Israel; which means there are 847 Stem Cell papers from Israel alone. I keep asking myself, “Why are none of these outstanding reports coming out of America?” To me the answer is simple: certain religious beliefs. Why should religion decide whether or not researchers are able to save lives or whether or not a woman should choose to have an abortion? Because of much of the fear sur-rounding tem cell research, research on an extremely beneficial source has been impeded in the United States. Now, the progression of Stem Cell research is not dependent on abor-tions, but it is one type of research. Like I stated earlier, aborted fetuses are just one source of Stem Cells. The world has made profitable dis-coveries using other Stem Cells. However, if we continue to let ex-treme non-scientific beliefs interfere with science we will hit a brick wall in our research. Research that could possibly be used to cure your un-cle’s cancer or your dad’s diabetes.

Photo courtesy of usnews.msnbc.msn.com

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SPORTSMarch 2012Page 8

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by Lucinda LaurenceStaff Writer How fast do you think you can run two laps around the track? If someone asks Se-nior Doug Wong this question, they will probably be told something like, “pretty fast, but not fast enough.” Why? There is only one second between Wong’s record and the long-standing record for the AHS men’s 800 meters. In 1993, Ryan Wilson set the 800 meter record of 1’54”, beating Wong’s personal best of 1’55”. He is de-termined to beat this record by the end of the season. Track takes strength, agility, performance, and a lot of time. One has to give up some of their own luxuries to keep up with run-ning and academics. Wong’s sacrifice to successfully compete in the 200, 400, and 800 meter races is “a lot of sleep…I am al-ways tired…doing sports all year round,” he said. Another of Wong’s goals is to make it to the State CIF Championships. This can only be achieved with a strong work ethic and quality training. However, Wong needs to train more than the average athlete. During his final soccer game (Wong was on varsity soccer also this year) of the season, Wong fell victim to a high ankle sprain while slid-ing for the ball as a defender landed on his ankle. As a consequence, he missed the first two weeks of track. “The injury re-ally set me back in my training. When I got back I was out of shape and my legs were considerably weaker. I haven’t been running nearly as fast as I wish I could be at this point in the season,” said Wong. In

order to gain his speed back, he practices before and after school- “two-a-days a couple times a week,” and he usually trains seven days a week, where he used to take most Sundays off. His reason for this great determination is, “I have a drive. I want to be the best I can be.” Wong started running at AHS with some experience behind him. Preceding high school track, Wong ran for four years with United Track. Also, Wong has been play-ing since he was five. He said that soccer helps immensely with track because he has always been active and running. One sport that Wong wishes to play is racquetball, which he said, “is an awesome sport, but sadly, there is a shortage of plac-es to play it around here. It’s a really fast game and it’s a lot of fun.” The speed at-tained in racquetball could definitely con-tribute to that needed in sprinting. Just as doing other sports supplements Wong’s track career, running teaches him lessons that he can apply to different parts of his life. “It teaches you to never give up and gives you determination,” he said. As far as college is concerned, Wong said he plans to run for either UC Davis or UC Santa Barbara. In many colleges, however, star athletes are not required to have “gold star” grades. Being a well-balanced ath-lete and student, Wong said, “They [col-lege athletes] should definitely be held to a higher standard for their academics. For college basketball players, they are only required to go to one year of college and then they can go to the NBA.” All great athletes look up to one anoth-

er. Wong said he admires David Rudisha, a Kenyan middle distance runner with an 800 meter time of 1’41”. For those who look up to and plan to become an accom-plished runner such as Wong, consider his words: “You want to stick with it as long as you can because running is the purest of sports…the more you run, the better you get at it.”

volleyballers serve it up

by Beverley LooStaff Writer If someone asks you whether or not you play a sport, the most common sports that come to mind are usually baseball, football, or basketball. Sound familiar? However, the sport that really deserves a mention is volleyball. Over-looked by many as purely a recreational activity, the sport of volleyball is actual-ly quite competitive on a national level and a part of the Summer Olympics. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Men’s Volleyball team took home a gold med-al while U.S. Women’s Volleyball took home silver. Ninth grader Sofia Paganin agrees and said, “Volleyball is definitely a sport if it’s in the Olympics!” Despite the clear evidence that vol-leyball deserves respect, many people still need convincing. Sophomore Ju-nior Varsity player Kevin Shin said, “They’ve never tried to play volleyball, they don’t think it’s that intense.” But, after a recent JV Boy’s game, it’s clear that volleyball is far from easy. The game is quick and requires the best fo-cus. Shin said, “The ball can come over the net at any time and if you’re not ready, it can cost you the match.” There are also potential dangers of playing volleyball just like in any other sport. A common misconception of ei-ther beach or indoor volleyball is that players cannot get hurt. And although there is no contact between opposing players, volleyball players do sustain injuries. Often, players can get stress fractures or torn ligaments from repeat-ed contact with the ground when diving for the ball (going for a dig in volley-ball terms). Volleyball is as serious of a sport as football, baseball, or basket-ball. What people misconstrue as “easy” are the parts of volleyball that make the game enjoyable. The sport of volleyball is definitely one to try out, so pick up a ball and have some fun!

ahs baseball flying highby Nick ShurSpecial to the Charger Like their team mascot, Smokey the hawk, that fearlessly flies over and occa-sionally swoops down at all of their home games, the Agoura High School varsity baseball team has soared to the top of the Marmonte League standings. With both strong pitching and timely hitting, the team is well-balanced. The seniors have proven to be both leaders on the field and mentors to the rest of the team. The 2012 season has been exciting with many late-inning rallies and come-from-behind wins. The team consists of seven seniors, seven juniors, three sophomores, and one freshman, all who have contributed to the successful season. The goal of the team manager and coaches is to win now, but to also build a strong winning program for the future, as the team is hoping to make a long run in this season’s playoffs. There are six league games left before the play-

offs begin, so if you get a chance, don’t miss a chance to see Smokey urge his team to their next win, and come out and support the rapidly-improving AHS Var-sity baseball team.

“If I’ve learned anything in cheerleading and in life, it’s that there’s no such thing as a sure thing. Cheerleading judging is pretty subjective, which makes it even less of a sure thing. Sometimes a team can give a routine everything but still be beat by a team the judges believe are better, so no win can be truly expected. All we can do is give it our very best on the floor and wait to hear our scores hours after the fact, hoping our efforts were enough to wow the judges. And if they weren’t, at least we know we gave it everything we had and that there was nothing more we could have done. This year’s team did that, and our efforts were rewarded. Was our win expected? No.

level that we need to in order to come off with another win. So when the picture starts to be clear, and you see the choreography start to make sense to the student athletes, it’s exciting for them to start to understand the picture and they start to see ‘oh, wow, this is how it goes together.’” No matter the hardships this team has had to endure in or-der to bring home yet another win, we are a family who love and care for one another. “Winning this year was the best moment I have experienced in my entire life! It was more remarkable this year than previous years because, despite doubting myself at times, I did my absolute best.... and thank-fully it paid off,” said Klein.

ahs athletes named all-cif

by Byron RackowNews Editor Congratulations to Agoura High School’s varsity water polo play-ers India Forster and Megan Linder. Both seniors, they have recently been named to the All-CIF Division 2, First Team along with 11 other players from various schools. Along with being first-team All-CIF selections, Forster and Linder were named co-MVPs on the All-Marmonte League team. Me-gan Linder has also been named Girls Water Polo Player of the Year by The Ventura County Star.

on your marks, get set, wong!

Photo courtesy of Hannah Levin

But was it deserved? Most certainly.” Ka-ltenecker said. “We’re thrilled with our win!” McGrew said, “It’s always a relief at the end of the season, and to come off with a win… you just feel like all the hard work has been justified and we all feel a feel-ing of elation and excitement toward what we’ve been able to accomplish this year.” After months of vigorous practices, decid-ing what skills to put where in the routines, and trying the absolute hardest to produce the best routine possible was no doubt, a big struggle. “There’s always moments where you feel like we’re not going to be able to pull off the picture that we want or that we’re not going to be able to do it to the

Wong competeing in the 4x400 meter relay during a meet at Moorpark High School.

spirit team

aviezer setsschool record by Nate EdelmanSports Editor Congratulations to Maya Aviezer, varsity hurdler for AHS Track and Field, for set-ting the girls’ record for the 110 hurdles at our school. The previous record was held by Cross Country Coach Cathy Prater. Aviezer, an 11th grader, has been working very hard this year to be where she is now.

Aviezer competing in the 110 meter hurdlesat Moorpark High School.

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The hawk, nicknamed “Smokey,” is a symbol of the team’s success.

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