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WILDCATU N I V E R S I T Y H I G H S C H O O L

Volume LXXXIX Issue 10Friday, December 12, 2014

wildcatpaper.com@uniwildcatnews

Whowill win

Alissa Nardo

NEWSUTA awards grants to fund organizationsUTA grants funds to go towards purchasing equipment for 13 campus programs Page 2

OPINIONWe need home periods, periodHome period removal negatively impacts stressed seniorsPage 3

DOUBLE SPREAD2014 in reviewDouble spread reflects on Uni and world events of 2014 Pages 4 & 5

FEATUREMulticultural Food Festival This favorite Uni tradition helped fundraise for many clubs and organizations on campus Page 6

SPORTSFall sports do not fall shortA quick review brings Uni’s fall sports season to a closePages 7 & 8

11800 Texas AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90025

On Wednesday, Leadership held its Associated Student Body

elections for the Spring 2015 term. This term’s campaigning was more

cutthroat than ever. Candidates gave election speeches on Tuesday in

the Grove. Election results will be announced in the following week.

Page 2 December 12, 2014

NEWSUNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

UTA awards grants to fund organizations

Winter Concert shows off musical talents

Sania Syed

Choir members held rehearsals after school to pre-pare for their end of semester show with Sabbagh ac-companying them on the piano.

By AlissA NArdo

Editor-in-Chief

Due to policy reinforcement, Uni seniors submitted essays

appealing to keep their home period classes on Monday, Dec. 8.

This policy comes not from the school, but from LAUSD. It states that home periods should only be given to students with legitimate reasons to miss class, for California students are legally required to receive instruction in a classroom setting for at least 377 minutes per day.

The counseling office plans to turn these essays over to the district for further instruction as to how to evaluate who is eligible to keep their home period.

To meet the requirements for a home period, seniors must be on track to graduate and have at least 96 percent attendance. Seniors who qualified wrote appeal essays, stating the reasons which they believe they should keep their home periods.

Legitimate reasons to keep a home period include long commutes in the mornings via public transportation, needing to work long hours or take care of one’s family.

“I’m a broke high schooler,” senior Michelangelo Lacuira-Foley said. “Having a home period

means I can pick up more hours at work and therefore make more money.”

The district used to be lenient on enforcing this policy in the past and allowed all students with their A-G

g r a d u a t i o n requirements fulfilled to have a home period. Now, auditors are c r a c k i n g down and e n f o r c i n g s t r i c t guidelines on c o u n s e l i n g offices in schools all

across the city.Service workers and

teachers’ assistants who do not maintain consistent attendance or are not entirely on track to graduate are

being removed from their positions as well, being placed into regular courses instead.

Removed students are mainly switching their vacant periods to elective courses, such as Computer Design and Food Science. Some students who have met graduation requirements are opting to retake courses they enjoyed in the past.

“We know students have worked very hard and that some people are disappointed,” head counselor Cynthia Headrick said. “We wish we could give all the students what they want.”

It is unknown as to whether or not Uni will offer home periods next year. Further information as to the future of home periods is undetermined.

By shiriN ENAyAti

Feature Editor

Thirteen student clubs and organizations collectively

received over $41,000 in grants from the United Talent Agency Foundation Arts Grant this school year.

UTA’s partnership with Uni began in 2005 and has now expanded to provide a workplace mentoring program, art and literary grants program, scholarships and summer internships at the agency. These grants fund needed projects, equipment and innovative programs on campus.

Organizations were required to prepare a written proposal and a three- to five-minute presentation to a six member committee in the Parent Center on Nov. 21.

Art teacher Lynn Ishii received a grant to purchase a dry erase board and flash dryer for screen printing on t-shirts. English teacher Cheryl Amberger earned the funds to purchase 30 AP Language textbooks. The special education department was awarded money for art supplies and the swim team was granted money for swim equipment. The journalism program received money to pay for print publication and equipment fees. The Peer Mediation program received a grant to pay for their annual peer mediation training. UTA granted the English department with money for the Accelerated Reader program.

“One of the things I like about the AR Program the most is that it is beneficial for struggling students,” English teacher Kristin Lyons said.

The Jazz Cats ensemble, theater program and Drumline were granted money for sound equipment which they plan on purchasing from the Guitar Center.

“We [the Jazz Cats] don’t own a sound system of our own, we have to borrow Mr. Sabbagh’s most of the time,” senior Jazz Cat David Hirsch said.

The ceramics classes requested money to purchase two pottery wheels and clay for ceramics. The drill team earned the funds to cover uniform costs.

The health department intends to provide repurposed wooden stools with adjustable umbrellas to the amphitheater. These tables will be available to students as an outdoor study space before school, during school and after school.

“I see a lot of students without a place to sit for lunch or to talk,” School of Science and Environmental Health director Kerri Eich said. “There is not a lot of great outdoor spaces to be creative and thoughtful students, and this will be perfect place to do that.”

By sANiA syEd

News Editor

The Jazz Cats ensemble, the Orchestra and the

Drumline premiered their annual Winter Concert in the Stivelman Theater yesterday at 7 p.m. and will perform today during periods 3 and 4.

The choir sings nine songs: four that are specifically jazz, four that holiday related and one that is a c o l l a b o r a t i o n between the choir and the orchestra. Drum line accompanies the choir in certain songs. The orchestra performs both traditional songs and theme songs. This is their second official concert of the year.

This year, the Jazz Cats has 55 students from all grade levels as a part of the choir, the largest amount ever. They have been practicing since the second day of school, according to

Kahlil Sabbagh, choir director.

“The concert creates a sense of holiday spirit no matter what your religion,” Sabbagh said. “Just good old fashioned holiday music. We go to great lengths to make sure there is no religious affiliation.”

Eighteen students present solos; the ensemble

is accompanied by senior Nathan Lopez on bass, s o p h o m o r e Cullen Blanco on drums and Sabbagh on the piano.

“The show is fun and we are putting in our best

effort,” senior David Hirsch said. “Performing a solo is a big responsibility and a jump for me.”

Hirsch performs a solo in the first song of the event, “Four Brothers.”

The stage and surrounding area are set up with winter decorations; a winter wonderland on stage and even a

Christmas tree in the lobby. “People should support

us because we go and attend competitions and have many performances,” senior Montserrat Castellanos said.

“The students work very hard,” Sabbagh said. “I push them very hard and hopefully the work will reveal itself in the performance.”

“We know students have

worked very hard and that some

people are disappointed”

Campus Calendar

Finals WeekWednesday Dec. 17-

Friday Dec. 19

Shortened Day12:20 DismissalFriday Dec. 19

Winter BreakMonday Dec. 22-

Friday Jan. 9

“The concert

creates a sense of holiday spirit.”

Home periods have mass appeal

We need home periods, period.

Education system fails Lights, camera, justice!

“... come to the classroom

ready to learn and in return,

they should be taught by

top-notch teachers.”

Due to stricter enforcement of an existing LAUSD policy, seniors will no longer be

allowed to have free periods or continue to be service workers next semester. However, they are given the opportunity to appeal to keep their home period, assuming that their reasons are valid.

Seniors who do not continue competing in a sports team in the spring semester will have the option to switch into another class or stay in the team through the end of the year.

Senior year is easily one of the most stressful years of high school. According to the National Sleep Foundation, only 15 percent of students get the average recommended eight-and-a-half hours of sleep per night.

Between taking advanced placement classes, completing college applications and maintaining grades, it can be nearly impossible to have a stress-free lifestyle.

Teenhelp.com states that 35 percent of male students and 45 percent of female students are actively trying to reduce their stress. By reducing their stress levels, students may have an easier time

achieving their goals and successes in school.

Although colleges may expect students to have a more challenging schedule in their senior year, due to the rigor of the AP classes

that many seniors take, the free period may provide valuable extra time to study and complete assignments. A student’s irregular sleep patterns throughout the week can be detrimental to his or her success in the classroom.

Having the possibility of a free period in the morning or at the end of the day can provide students with an extra hour of rest.

Students should be able to have home periods if they so wish. Having one less class a day might help alleviate some of the stress that a senior goes through in this very difficult final year of high school.

It is also unjust to raise the expectations of students throughout high school only to take the opportunity away right when they get it.

Although the school itself cannot do anything to fix this policy, LAUSD should reconsider how this decision affects the students before seriously implementing it.

By Emma NicolEtta

Opinion Editor

It is a well-known fact that the United States is one of the worst ranked countries in education.

American students scored below average in math, science and reading in 2012 and show no indication of improvement. In 2001, the No Child Left Behind Act was passed to ensure that all kids receive a good education. However, this reform only emphasized standardized testing in math and reading even more. With all these failed attempts to solve the issue, who is really to blame? While many choose to use apathetic students as a scapegoat, perhaps the nation must reconsider its methods in handling the problem.

The relationship between a student and a teacher should mimic that of any other relationship––both sides have to contribute in order to make it thrive. Students should come to the classroom ready to learn and in return, they should be taught by top-notch teachers.

The U.S. has a different approach when it comes to hiring teachers. Essentially, those interested in becoming school teachers must graduate a university with a degree, obtain a teaching certificate, gain very little experience through a 10-week student teaching program and fulfill any requirements that the school might demand.

In some of the highest-ranked countries for education, such as Finland, the requirements include a Master’s degree, 240 credits and acceptance to teacher education

programs. These programs have a 12 percent acceptance rate, making it a highly competitive field. The teachers not only gain a complete mastery of their subject, they learn important skills such as managing a class. In most cases, Finnish teachers are the top 10 percent of their graduating class, which gives them more veneration in society.

In educationally prestigious countries, teachers are able to create their own curriculum. Rather than being told how to teach, they are given guidelines and make everything themselves. This allows them to incorporate their own material, from music and art to science. The ability to create their own curriculum allows for a more stimulating and less stupefying learning experience.

On the contrary, no matter how competent or incompetent a teacher in the U.S. might be,

they are chained to a national curriculum that must be followed note-for-note.

To initiate a resolution, the U.S. must reform the qualifications of becoming a teacher. They should be more rigorous and competitive, therefore only the best will be given the job. Teachers should not only study the subject they will teach, but the different ways they can teach it. By following in the footsteps of more advanced countries, the U.S. will attain enhanced test results.

Of course, this transition will not be instant. However the sooner the country takes action, the sooner the youth of America can receive the education they deserve.

By Eduardo CuEllar-aguilar

Managing Editor

With the country’s most recent troubling tragedy

being police brutality and the Ferguson trials, the country needs to find a way to solve this looming problem.

The most common resolution thus far has been to equip police with the most powerful weapon, a video camera. By equipping the police nationwide with video cameras, the jury will always have concrete evidence to support the officers’ or the civilians’ argument rather than just take one side and assume the “victim” is telling the truth.

Body cameras are one way to solve the problem of confusion in police trials. The video cameras would video tape an officer’s entire shift. With this, any trial involving a police officer can be easily solved, especially the Michael Brown case which was shrouded in mystery and resulted in a game of “he said, she said.” In this situation, a four month case can take weeks or even days.

This solution is already being carried out, President Barack Obama who openly

supports this solution plans on distributing 50,000 more police body cameras across the country.

Many believe that this would be a violation of privacy and would ultimately be useless. In fact, this method has already proved to be effective. Recently in Florida, a woman was pulled over for drunk driving. When she was taken into custody, she accused the officer of raping her, but the officer–– who was wearing a camera–– was proven innocent after it was revealed that she was lying. This would have been very useful in one of the most controversial cases in Ferguson.

In another case, New York police officer, Daniel Pantaleo was videotaped beating and choking Eric Garner for selling loose cigarettes. Pantaleo was released as not guilty. Even with clear evidence, lawyers must use these videos to prove their case in the court of law. Police divisions must re-train their officers to show them how to be less violent and trigger ready.

Body video cameras are not the definite solution, but they’re a small step in the right direction.

Page 3December 12, 2014

OPINIONUNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

University High School11800 Texas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90025

The Wildcat student newspaper is published by the Journalism 2 class at University High School. Letters should be directed to room C-261, Wildcatpaper@gmail.com or the Journalism mailbox in the main office. Please include full name and grade. Letters are subject to editorial discretion. Call (310) 914-3551, ext. 504 or email Wildcatpaper@gmail.com to place an advertisement.

Wildcat Editor-in-Chief ...............................................................Alissa Nardo Managing Editor...........................................Eduardo Cuellar-Aguilar News Editor........................................................................Sania Syed Opinion Editor............................................................Emma Nicoletta Feature Editor................................................................Shirin Enayati Sports Editor........................................................Brandon Berookhim Creative Director.........................................................Samantha ElmsOnline Manager............................................Matthew Goriachkovsky Business Manager........................................................Samantha ElmsCopy Editor......................................................................Alissa NardoPhoto Editor.................................................................Stephanie ZeckWriting Coach...................................................................James Ward Journalism Adviser......................................................Alexandria Lau

Wildcat Staff: Zoe Adams, Ashley Drew, Destiny Frazier, Jesse Herrera, Ariana Kidd, Erica Kopf, Robin Kopf, Julissa Lopez, Sha’terra Myles, Alexandria Parker, Matthew Song and Zoha Syed

***************************************** The Wildcat is a student-run, student-operated

student-produced newspaper, which does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the administration or the school at large. Staff editorials represent the collectively agreed upon opinions of the Wildcat editors. All writers published in the Wildcat are protected under Calfiornia Education Code 48907.

MatthEw Song

Pop CultureKim Kardashian West’s rear end declared it would “#BreakTheInternet” as it showcased a champagne glass on the cover of Paper magazine. While it did not quite “break” the internet, it sure broke a few hearts.

Oscar Selfie- Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres posted the famous “Oscar Selfie” including A-list celebrities Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts and Jennifer Law-rence to Twitter. It became the most retweeted tweet ever at over 3 million retweets and counting.

Flappy Bird- While the game debuted in 2013, Flappy Bird did not gain widespread popularity until 2014. The game was one of the most downloaded apps until the creator removed it from stores, stressed over its “addictive nature” and players’ overuse

“I’M SO EXCITED FOR 2015, I can not wait to gradu-ate! The people and all the experiences here at Univer-sity High School made 2014 a good one. I’m looking for-ward to going to college next year!” Breanna Acosta

“I FEEL PRETTY EXCITED that it’s one more semester and then graduation! This first semester was stressful with all the college apps, mak-ing sure we made all of our requirements. But it’s been a good last first semester. I can’t wait to get accepted to most of the colleges I applied to. I’m excited to just finish a good last year at school!”Safira Nasir

“IT’S SHOCKING THAT it’s our last year. I’ve met a lot of new people in 2014 and gotten a lot more social. I feel like I am obligated to meet as many people as I can before I leave. I’m looking forward to the senior activities, grad night and our graduation cer-emony. But not finals week! I’m cherishing the memories I have left to make.” Davon Benton

“I FEEL SO RELIEVED! The year was very good, es-pecially since I have my stuff all on track to graduate! I am looking forward to prom and graduating, I have already started planning it all!” Ricardo Cruz

2014 in reviewS

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Colorado legalizes weed- the first stores opened in Colorado on January 1 after the state enacted Amendment 64 al-lowed the legal possession of Marijuana

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370/MAS37) went missing on March 8 somewhere over the South China Sea. 227 pas-sengers and 12 crew members from over 15 countries are still missing.

The Affordable Care Act mandated that Americans must obtain health coverage by 2014, get an exemption, or pay a per-month fee. Open enroll-ment deadline for health insur-ance ended on March 31.

The Federal Communica-tions Commision announced a proposal in which Broadband Internet companies could create “special lanes” for certain sites to gain faster connections. This is criticized, as it will make less popular websites slower to use.

273 girls attending school in Nigeria were kidnapped by terrorist group Boko Haram. A global Twitter campaign, con-sisting of the hashtag and even Michelle Obama went viral on social media.

Brazil hosted FIFA’s 20th World Cup. A total of 31 coun-tries participated in 64 matches. Germany surprised World Cup viewers as they beat Brazil with a score of 7-1 and won the entire championship against Argentina.

Israel launched an operation to claim the land disputed over at the Israel-Palestine border. This launched a war between the two countries in which over 2000 civilian lives were lost.

The largest breakout in history of the disease shocked West Africa this year. About 18,000 cases were reported, and about 7,000 affected victims died. There were 4 total cases dis-covered in the United States, and 1 death.

Civil unrest in Fergusen be-gan due to the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson. Dem-onstrations began nationwide after the jury decided not to indict Wilson.

Islamic terrorist group ISIS devastated the world when they decapitated the heads of over 100 people and posted the extremely graphic inci-dents on the Internet.

The Classes of 2014 and 2015 hosted the first Sadie Hawkins dance for Valen-tine’s day. The Sadie tradi-tion is that the girls ask the guys out, though students invited dates of all genders.

Girls’ basketball competed in city finals against Roosevelt High School (46-40). While they fell in the first round of state playoffs, the girls still set school records.

Administration announced that over 55 percent of the then-freshmen class earned D’s and fails in their classes. Uni quickly set up recovery classes for the class of 2017 to recover lost credits.

California did a test-run of the Smarter Balance test in place of the CSTs. The test was administered through district iPads, which report-edly bugged out and crashed on the majority of test takers.

Wildcat published a special end-of-the-year editorial edi-tion of the school newspaper. A controversial editorial on administration sparked tension between the student body and faculty.

MiSiS, a new program cre-ated to store grades and class schedules, bombed. The program crashed constantly at the beginning of the year, making it difficult for stu-dents to switch classes.

Construction for a turf field, an 8-lane all-weather track and a new scoreboard began Sept. 22 on the lower field. It aims to be completed by May 2015, before gradua-tion.

Due to a drop in student store revenue caused by a change in LAUSD’s Food Service pre-approved to-sell food list, the Student Body Fund saw a staggering $8500 deficit it continues to tackle.

Uni’s Food Science class partnered up with Nutribullet to kickstart a healthy initia-tive on campus. A year later, Nutribullet released our school’s story nationwide as a 90-minute documentary.

Uni enforced an effective tardy policy in response to the large number of students strolling in late to first period daily. Students who are late to first period now receive after school detention.

2014 SLANGDefinitions taken by Urban Dictionary

Bae- a pet nickname, standing for “before anyone else.” This name is usually reserved for a romantic interest, and is sometimes used jokingly between friends.

Turnt- the act of getting drunk and high to the highest degree - getting loose.

Twerk- The rhythmic gyrating of the lower fleshy extremities in a lascivious manner with

the intent to elicit sexual arousal or laughter in ones intended audience.

Selfie- A strange phenomenon in which the photographer is also the subject of the photograph, in a subversive twist on the traditional understanding of the photograph.

Throwing shade- To insult or judge someone discreetly or indirectly.

Basic- An adjective used to describe any person, place, activity involving obscenely obvious behavior, dress, action.

Sus- meant to suggest that somone is believed to be shady or false.

Or Nah- Another way to say “not”, when choosing to decide something. Popularly used on social networking sites.

Do It for the Vine- A term used by people making Vines, to do ANYTHING it takes for entertainment or comedic purposes.

Buh - Anguished expression of distaste and dismay.

UNI versus world timeline Art by SAmAnthA ElmS And AliSSA nArdo

January February March April May June July August September October November December

Page 4 Page 5

Page 6 December 12, 2014

FEATUREUNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

Wonderful ways to welcome winter

Multicultural food festival feeds fun

Improv improves student confidence

“Improv is a great way for students to cope with fear

and Sperling has allowed the

students to do just that.”

By RoBin Kopf

Staff Writer

Uni held its annual Multicultural Food Fes-tival on Dec. 4. The festival showcased international foods from a variety of stu-

dents’ respective cultures, an annual tradition for the past 10 years. Over 25 clubs and organizations participated in the event by selling different kinds of foods and beverages, from homemade tacos and horchata to ramen.

“I thought the Multicultural Food Festival was a really great way to show Uni’s diversity. The food tasted great and it was awesome seeing so many different cultures participating,” sophomore Matthew Horwitz said.

Black Student Union brought in a crowd, sell-ing $5 plates of fried chicken and a choice of homemade collard greens, mac and cheese and rice.

“It’s awesome. I would recommend it to any-one,” Principal Eric Davidson said, chowing down on hot sauce-covered mac and cheese.

Kiwins Club profited from selling Korean bar-beque, which was made fresh and served over rice.

Conspiracy Club sold unique and deli-cious-looking homemade cupcakes. The cupcakes had alien-face and illuminati-eye decorations.

“These cupcakes [are] so good it’s a conspir-acy!” senior Robert Gutierrez described while enjoying an alien-face cupcake. “Honestly they [were] some of the best homemade cupcakes I have ever had.”

Amongst the commotion of the day’s festivi-ties came an opportunity for the ASB presiden-tial candidates to speak. Seniors Sarah Con-treras, Daniel Mamane, Cole Nicholas and sophomore Mariah Anajel got to address, or in the case of Contreras and Nicholas, rap to the rest of the student body. The candidates all introduced themselves to their potential constituents.

“I think the Multicultural Food Festival is a good way for people to interact with each other and get to meet new clubs,” senior Isabella King said while slurping up some of Christian Club’s noodle soup.

The festival will continue to be a fun and interactive school tradition for years to come.

By Zoha Syed

Staff Writer

Students are preparing to perform in Uni’s second annual comedy

improvisational show on Dec. 18 at lunch in the Stivelman theatre.

This year, the production is sponsored by the UCLA after school program and will be hosted by Ronnie Sperling, a Uni alumnus and drama teacher.

After experimenting last year with the first improv show, Minions of Comedy, Sperling decided to bring it back for a second season. Minions of Comedy showcased eight of Uni’s students last year.

“Improv is a great way for students to cope with fear,” Sperling said.

Sperling has allowed the students to do so through this process. He encourages students to be brave when performing by learning how to overcome obstacles.

“The thing I like about improv is anybody can do it and it’s good whether you’re going to be an actor or whether you’re going to be a mathematician,” Sperling said. “It’s going to help you somewhere down the line because it’s all about learning how to speak.”

The process this year is a little different from last year. Participants must go through a total of eight rehearsals before the actual show. Sperling will introduce improv through a variety of acting games.

“Although many students have trouble committing to the performance and production, students are improving everyday by becoming more comfortable

with themselves,” Sperling said.

Sperling, as the host, will try making an effort to include as many students as possible when performing next Thursday. He hopes to encourage audience members to provide scenarios, to make the show a unique and interactive experience.

“I think it’s a really good idea to join. It helped me improve my acting skills,” sophomore Jacqueline Lopez said.

Rehearsals began on Dec. 3 and will continue on until Dec. 18 as an after school activity. For many of the students, it will be their first performance in front of a live audience.

Students are also encouraged to participate in the upcoming spring musical: Into the Woods, also directed by Ronnie Sperling. Auditions are scheduled for January and all students are welcome to try out.

By ChRiStina BaRRett

Guest Writer

Have a holiday party with your friends.

No matter what holiday you may celebrate over the break, gift giving is a must-do to show your friends how much you appreciate them. Gifts are pricey, but a Secret Santa party or a white elephant gift exchange is an efficient way to cut costs for everyone. These are great gift giving ideas because everyone receives an individual gift.

Snuggle up with some hot chocolate.

Prevent Jack Frost from “nipping at your nose” by warming up with a delicious cup of hot chocolate! It’s the ultimate treat to have when hanging out with your friends or when watching holiday movies on Netflix. Make your own at home or enjoy some from a local coffee shop. You deserve it for completing the first semester this school year!

Go ice skating at the Third Street Promenade.

For only $15 per person, including rentals, you can enjoy ice skating at the Third Street Promenade. Take your significant other, friends and family with you! Make tons of memories by taking awesome action shots while showing off your best moves or laughing with (or at) your best friend when they fall down on the ice.

Indulge in peppermint everything.

Tired of pumpkin spice? Enter the world of peppermint goodness. Fill up on peppermint bark, peppermint hot chocolate and peppermint eggnog! Try different treats this season like Starbucks’ peppermint mocha or even Pringles’ white chocolate peppermint chips. And don’t feel too guilty about stocking up on peppermint because it actually has many health benefits!

Catch up on this holiday’s new releases.

Tons of new movies are coming to theatres this winter break. This season is all about sequels. Go see The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies for a feel of adventure. Have a laugh when famous stars, Seth Rogen and James Franco, co-star together in The Interview or reminisce about your childhood when you see the Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb. Going to the movies is a quintessential go-to for those cold, winter nights.

Enjoy the snow without worrying about the cold.

Even though we never get to experience any snow in Los Angeles, you can still enjoy your “White Christmas” at The Grove this break. They will be holding their magical snow event on select nights from 7-8pm. Celebrate the holiday fun with friends and family under the snowfall.

AriAnA Kidd

Spanish teacher Gabriel Orozco supports clubs at multicultural food festival by purchasing food from one of the many clubs and organizations participating in this long held University Wildcat tradition.

December 12, 2014 Page 7

SPORTSUNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

“A sport I want to see at Uni is...”

Get to know your coach

Interview by Zoha Syed

Name: Chayanne Santiago

Sport: Girls’ soccer

Q: How many years have you been coaching and what sports are you coaching now?

I coached for about 2 years outside of Uni. This is my first year as the girls varsity soccer head coach.

Q: How long have you been at Uni and what has been your favorite moment so far?

I’ve been at Uni for a couple of years nows. My favorite moment at Uni was playing for the soccer team my senior year.

Q: Why did you decide to come back and coach at Uni?

I graduated from Uni and played varsity soccer all four years here. I decided it would be appropriate for me to coach now.

Q: What are your goals for the upcoming and current seasons?

After evaluating the girls these last couple of weeks, I have very high expectations for our team. Our goals this season are to get into the playoffs and win the title. We hope to do the same in the future, too.

Q: What sports did you play in the past?

I have played soccer for about 15 years. I have played at the highest level of soccer in both the United States and Mexico.

Q: What motivated you to get into sports and coaching?

I would like to share everything I have learned throughout all my years of playing soccer. As a coach, this is my job.

Prime Time creates varsity experienceBy Brandon Berookhim

Sports Editor

Prime Time is a full inclusion co-ed after school sports program involved with many schools all around Los

Angeles. The Prime Time Sports Program’s Varsity Experience began at Uni two years ago and has attracted many athletes. The program includes basketball and soccer leagues for everyone to play in, regardless of skill level or other challenges.

“Kids who would otherwise never meet each other are now teammates,” Peter Straus, Founder and Executive Director of Team Prime Time, said. “That is valuable.”

Uni’s autism support teacher, Sarah White, is the head coach of the program, ever since the program first came to Uni.

“I think it is important for every student to get a chance to be a part of a team and represent their school,” White said. “Seeing how the students interact is always great.”

For the soccer season, the athletes practiced on Mondays, September through October in preparation for the regular season games on Mondays in November and December. The league includes home and away games against Venice, Hamilton and Fairfax.

“We just hang out with friends and practice hard to be better at soccer and basketball,” junior Enrique Hernandez said.

Last Monday, Dec. 1, representatives of the now five-time MLS Cup Champions LA Galaxy visited Uni to support the athletes. Their mascot from outer space, Cozmo, and the cheerleaders played with the athletes during the pre-game practice and cheered them on during the game.

“Sports are just an avenue to things as simple as making friends and self-esteem,” Straus said. “Some kids don’t have that avenue.”

Each team consists of four pairs of student coaches and student athletes. The student coaches are more experienced players, so they are not allowed to score goals. Also, student coaches are paired with athletes from the opposing team. No athlete or coach is allowed inside the goalie box. These aspects of Prime Time’s Varsity Experience create a level playing field for everyone.

The field is divided into four sections, with limits on how far students can progress into the field. In addition, student coaches are only allowed to pass and assist.

The student coaches helped the student athletes by setting them up for goals and passing them the ball. In the end, the Wildcats beat the Venice Gondoliers with a score of 2-0. The point of Team Prime Time is not winning, though.

“It is important to create an environment where the kids get to know each other as equals,” Straus said. “If we only created a sport, we would’ve come up short.”

The championship game was at Venice on Saturday, Dec. 6 against the Dorsey High School Dons. This marks the end of Team Prime Time’s soccer season, but they will be back at it next semester for basketball.

To join them as an athlete or a coach, students must be enrolled in UCLA’s After School Program and complete a Team Prime Time Varsity Games enrollment application. See Ms. White in Room B151 for more details.

Ila Castro Sophomore Brandon Osorio takes the ball down the field in the Prime Time game against Venice High School on Monday, Dec. 1. The LA Galaxy’s cheerleaders and their mascot, Cozmo, came to Uni to support the students.

“...dodgeball because it is really underrated and it builds team spirit.”

-Senior Carlos Hernandez

“...boxing because it’s a sport that brings both men and women together.”

-Senior Jayson Fraser

“...quidditch because it’s awesome and not many people get to play it.”

-Junior Christiana Rodgers

“...archery because it is unique and entertaining.”

-Senior Luctricia Morgan

“...bowling because its fun and would be interesting to have as a sport.”

-Freshman Ivana Gutierrez

“...tae-kwon-do because it’s fun; you can learn new things and practice cool techniques.”

-Senior Richard Manrique

“...fencing because it is sophisti-cated and looks professional.”

-Junior Jacob Berreras

“...girls’ football because it shows that girls can also play a guy sport.”

-Junior Valour Benton

By Stephanie Zeck

Photo Editor

Page 8 December 12, 2014

SPORTSUNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

Get to know your athlete

Interview by Matthew Goriachkovsky

Name: Dwight MurrayAge: 16

Height: 6’2”Weight: 190 lbs.

Grade: 11Sport: Basketball

Positions: Forward

Q: Why did you join the team?

A: I joined the basketball team because I have a deep love for the game. Basketball was the only sport I fell in love with at a young age and I never wanted to stop playing since.

Q: What is your favorite part of the sport?

A: My favorite part of the sport is that it is a team sport. You have four other brothers out there on the court with you, playing hard and together as one unit. Team work makes me really love the game more than anything.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone joining a sports team?

A: The advice I would give other students that want to join the team is that you have to have great characteristics, great people skills, can not be in and out of trouble at school and you can not be in the dean’s office every week. Lastly, you have to be a good ball player.

Q: What has been your greatest motivation?

A: The thing that motivates me the most is my family. They are always pushing me to do well in school. They always tell me that I can only be great at basketball if I just keep my head in the right place and stay on track with everything such as school work, basketball and family. I also like watching LeBron James for motivation.

Boys’ & girls’ soccer kick off the new seasonBy Samantha ElmS

Creative Director

The boys’ and girls’ soccer teams met rough terrain at the start of their seasons.

Due to the construction on the lower field, all four soccer teams have to share one field for their daily practices. This means that the Wildcats will only be able to play on full fields during matches.

“Home” games are to be held at Daniel Webster Middle School.

“One of the biggest challenges is that we’ll always feel like we’re away since we don’t have a home crowd to cheer us on,” the boys’ assistant coach Luis Guzman said. “But we welcome anyone to come.”

On top of this, the boys have not recruited an official keeper. Senior co-captain Diego Vinolas has been forced from his favored position of forward to play keeper.

Despite these circumstances, the Wildcat spirit is high. Both head coaches and the girls’ assistant coach are ex-Wildcat soccer players. This brings an invigorating spark of pride to boys’ and girls’ soccer.

“Our rival is Hamilton, but when I was a senior in 2010, we and Pali were competing against each other most of the time,” boys’ head coach Jose Ortiz said. “I still have that feeling in my heart that I want to beat Pali. That is the only team I’m worried about.”

The girls are especially fortunate due to the high amount of returning players.

“We feel like we have good potential to go to the playoffs. This is one of our biggest senior classes [in the girls’ team]. We want to make sure they go out with a bang,” Guzman said.

Pre-season games did not live up to these hopes. The boys lost 4-1 to the San Pedro Pirates on Monday, Dec. 8, and tied 1-1 with the Van Nuys Wolves on Dec. 1. The girls tied 2-2 with the Wolves on Dec. 1.

The boys beat the Fairfax Lions at Fairfax on Wednesday, Dec. 10 with a score of 3-2. The girls played the Lions at home and beat them with a score of 2-1.

Students can take the two-mile trip to support the Wildcats at Webster as boys’ soccer faces off against the LACES Unicorns at home at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12. Girls’ soccer will also be playing, but away at LACES.

Fall sports do not fall shortAs the semester comes to a close, so do the four fall sports: girls’ tennis, girls’

volleyball, football and cross country. The teams ended their seasons well and are

looking forward to next year’s season.

By Brandon BErookhim

Sports Editor

GIRLS’ TENNIS

Girls’ Tennis pushed through a tough season due to so

many new players on the court.The only active senior on the

team was team captain Sarah Flamer. Nevertheless, they end-ed the season with a record of 5-8 overall and 4-7 league.

“We had a good season, but I think we could have done bet-ter,” Flamer said. “There is al-ways room for improvement.”

The team and its few return-ing players spent most of their time teaching the basics of ten-nis and practicing the sport. For-tunately, this means girls’ ten-nis will have a young and more experienced team for seasons to come.

The team nearly made it to the playoffs, but a couple losses at the end of the season stopped them from placing. Even then, their record was just behind the fifth place playoffs team.

“Next season we are going to make the playoffs and finish second in the league for sure,” coach Antonio Robertson said. “We’re going to finish the high-est this team ever has.”

FOOTBALL

Football finished off the season with a record of 6-6

overall and 3-2 league. This sea-son had many defining moments beyond finishing with a .500 record.

Before this season, the Wild-cats did not win a game against Venice in almost two decades. This year, they beat them twice.

The first time was when they ended Venice’s 43-game Western League win streak with a score of 14-7 on Friday, Oct. 10, a day that will go down in history.

The Wildcats also defeated the Gondos at the homecoming shutout, where Uni won with a score of 25-0.

“We had a good season,” head coach Lee Lowe said. “We were two games away from go-ing to the championships.”

The football squad was tied for second in the league and made it to playoffs as the fourth seed. They defeated Grant High School on Nov. 14th. They fell to the South Gate Rams on Nov. 21, finishing in fifth place over-all.

Many Wildcats made the All City and the All Confer-ence teams. Eugene Ford, Hugo Jimenez, Ta’von Duker, Thomas Clay, Gabriel McClain and Ty-rone Nelson made both teams.

Nelson was the co-offensive player of the year in the city. McClain won Defensive Player of the Year in the city, a first for a Wildcat.

“We are getting back to the drawing board, trying to bring the first city championship to University High School next year,” Lowe said.

GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL

Girls’ volleyball had a difficult time figuring out

their chemistry this season. They finished the year with a record of 3-13-1 overall and 2-10 league.

The team found difficulty in creating bonds, especially with-out the leadership of last year’s seniors.

“We did well, but we could have done way better,” senior team captain Samantha Yick said. “Our teamwork was lack-ing.”

The team struggled to mesh together and play as a cohesive unit. The Wildcats worked hard to fix this.

“We had teamwork lessons to learn, but having an entirely new lineup posed as a chal-lenge,” coach Alyson Randick said. “The younger athletes are working hard to set the tone for the future seasons.”

Halfway into the season, junior Daisy Crenshaw from Nathaniel Narbonne High School started playing as a Wildcat. As middle blocker, she provided a strong defense at the net.

Matches came incredibly closer in score, yet the girls did not finish them off. In the end, the athletes seemed to find their bonds, but it was too late for this season.

Unfortunately, they did not qualify for the playoffs, but Yick made the All Western League Girls’ Varsity Volleyball First Team for the second year in a row.

Nonetheless, the girls are still practicing, working hard to improve their teamwork for next season.

CROSS COUNTRY

Cross country had an excep-tional season with a young

but experienced team. Return-ing runners made up two thirds of the squad. The team consisted of mostly sophomores, who ac-counted for half of these return-ing runners.

The team practiced at West-wood Park this year because of construction at school. This did not stop the Wildcats, though.

“This was a great season,” coach Kelly Aguda said. “We made a lot of progress and we had an excellent showing at city finals.”

Yet again, one of Uni’s cross country teams made it to the fi-nals. The girls varsity finished in 10th place in CIF Los An-geles City Division 1 finals at Pierce on Saturday, Nov. 22. They placed only a few points behind the previous two finish-ers, too.

“I think the girls worked a lot more as a team this year and I re-ally enjoyed seeing that,” senior team captain Anthony Santiago said.

Freshman Stephanie Cruz ended the season with an as-tounding time of 19:38.47. She finished first for Uni and 12th out of 80 in the finals race. She made the Varsity Division 1 podium, following in the footsteps of her father who ran at Uni in the 90’s.

“My first season went pretty good,” Cruz said. “I had fun and I’m expecting lots of improve-ment over the next few years.”

In the hands of the under-classmen, the cross country team will be bringing trophies back home soon enough.

Samantha ElmS The girls’ soccer team practices on their half of the field after school.