Month: November 2018

By Harleen Kaur

Artery Club planned a new mural outside the B-Building and are expected to start painting soon.

“We plan to have a tube of acrylic paint and it is going to have paint with miscellaneous designs and flowers coming out of it,” stated Artery President Diego Papa. This is the next major project the Artery Club has decided to do as they have already decorated the science halls with very vivid and extravagant murals.

Upon deciding their next big project, the club decided not to have a specific theme associated with this new mural, unlike their last project where they filled the science hallways with science related themes.

“We wanted to make the school more colorful and pretty,” stated Artery Vice-President Rachel Nguyen. This new mural will contain designs that the dedicated members had drawn and planned out during their Wednesday after-school meetings in B-11.

“It is so cool seeing the murals when I walk to my chemistry class. They make me feel like I’m walking through a painting since most of our walls have basic designs and colors,” exclaimed junior Ashley Huynh.

The members have started to get some of the paint up this month but they do not plan to finish until the end of the school year. The students would work on and off on this project as they meet once or twice a month to get more designs up. The club is really excited to get new work up and ready for the whole school to see.

“One of us wanted to put Voltron. I want to put Voltron too. We just want to put stuff that makes people happy,” answered Artery member Tammy Ngo.

“We want this project to be fun and creative,” said Rachel. Although they would use other paints such as house paint and watercolor for other projects, the club planned to use acrylic paint as it displayed the most vivid colors and stuck the best to the wall.

This is the biggest project the Artery club has taken up this year but they also planned to sell some grams and pins throughout the following months.

Next time when passing the B-Building, be sure to be on the look for new progress to be made on the mural. ◆

By Andrew Wong

Sophomore Dan Luong passed away from a car accident at the age of 15, on October 3rd, 2017. To many, Dan was well-known for his sense of humor and kindness. As a person who often showed his affection, he was very generous and helped others build their confidence. Dan enjoyed many hobbies in his life, such as biking, playing video games, watching anime and hanging out with his friends. Missed by many of his friends, he played a major role in their lives and became an influence for them all to remember.

“He was very generous, funny, filled with joy and a whole big chunk of fun. He has a dirty mind and dirty humor, but it was funny humor,” said junior Matthew Vo. “Dan is my best friend and I think of him as a mirror image of me and I am a mirror image of him. He had a major influence on how I act, and we were basically together as one. If he was still here right now, I would run up to him and hug him for a long time. Probably won’t talk just to seize that moment; after that I would tell him I miss you and I love you a bunch of times.”

Among his group of friends, Dan was known to be the funny guy in the group. He was acknowledged for his generosity and cheering people up with his funny jokes. Dan attempted to befriend anyone he met, as well as trying his very best to bring them along with his happy times.

“Back in 5th grade, before we met, I was a nerd and a loser. Later when I met him in 6th grade, I became more of a funny guy and I had a more positive outlook in life,” described junior Andy Ho.  “He was also one of the most generous people I knew, and I became more generous to others because of that. If he was still alive today, we would still be hanging out, playing video games and going out to play badminton.”

“He was known for his humor the most and brought out his fun side,” said junior Dinh Tran. “I’m not as close towards Dan as much, but I still hung out with him and he was a part of my life. If he was still around, I would hang out with him a lot more because I never got to do that.” ◆

 

By Vincent Hoang

Piedmont Hills’ Choir held their concert, ‘Pieces of Autumn’ on Wednesday, Oct. 10 in the L-building for a five dollar admission fee.

The Music Department presented this concert in order to gain support and raise funds.

Choir teacher Myles Ellis conducted all the members of choir to sing the many songs of autumn, along with some solo pieces performed by some of the Varsity Choir members.

Some of the members of the choir really enjoyed the presence and the conducting of Mr. Ellis, and being their first concert, the members felt ready and grateful for the teachings that Mr. Ellis gave them.

“I joined Choir simply because I really enjoy music and I wanted to use my voice to improve the choir. I just find singing really fun. Mr. Ellis is by far the most talented musician I have met. I had a solo piece that Mr. Ellis has heavily trained me for,” said Soprano Section Leader and Choir Council President Lilly Liu.

Even though Lilly thought that she didn’t do well, but the audience’s reaction says otherwise for her fantastic solo performance.

“I enjoy singing whenever and with whoever. The people I sang and practiced with have truly helped me prepare for our performance.” said Varsity Choir member and Choir Council Treasurer Nikko Timbol.

With confidence, Nikko and the other choir members were successful in making the audience enjoy their time.

“I have been teaching high school music for 13 years, but 9 of those years was here in Piedmont Hills. I would consider this a magnificent job and I am very glad that I am able to do this and find it enjoyable. This year’s Choir was very different from the others being that there is many more new faces than usual. But even so being our first concert, I am so proud of my students for working so hard on the songs we performed,” explained Mr. Ellis.

The many pieces performed by Choir show how much talent we have here at our school. ◆

By Drew Olaviano

The PHHS Music Department hosted the “Falling into Music” Fall Instrumental Concert in the L-Building on Fri., Oct. 12, at 7 p.m.

Tickets at the door sold for $5 and featured String Orchestra, Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble.

“It’s always exciting to do a concert at the beginning of the year because you work so hard for the pieces and you [want to] show the talent as a group that we have,” admitted Symphony Orchestra’s First Violinist JeiRonemo Thomas.

String Orchestra opened the concert and performed Overture to Semiramide by Bob Lipton, Prelude and Fugue in D Minor by John Leavitt and Short Overture for Strings by Jean Berger.

Concert Band performed Kentucky 1800 by Clare Grundman, The Headless Horseman by Timothy Broege and Coast Guards by Karl L. King.

Symphony Orchestra was next after intermission and performed Tico by Nancy Bloomer Deussen, Symphonic Dances Op. 63 by Edvard Grieg and Symphony C Major by Georges Bizet. Unlike previous groups, Symphony Orchestra performed solos which resonated the building.

“It was definitely something. I really liked their performance!” cried Concert Band’s clarinet player Julian Olaviano.

Wind Ensemble performed last and performed Accolada by Ed Huckeby, Lake Washington Suite by John P. Zdechlik and Riders for the Flag by John Philip Sousa. Similar to Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble had solos performed by many different musicians.

“I played my very first solo in our first piece Accolada. I felt very nervous and anxious and I thought I was going to completely mess up! Thankfully I didn’t and I was satisfied with what I played. I stuck through and [it paid] off,” exclaimed flute player Karla Manzanares.

The concert proved to be a success.

“I felt pretty good and excited [about it] because it [was] my last concert ever in high school,” mused Wind Ensemble’s flute player Quynh Nguyen.

The only goal in mind for the Music Department is to improve in the future.

“Hopefully if the violas have fast moving parts (ex: sixteenth notes) in our next pieces I’ll be able to play them properly and keep in time with Mrs. Ray’s conducting,” said Symphony Orchestra’s viola player Tiffany Nguyen.

The PHHS Music Department will be hosting their next performance soon, and they are confident they’ll improve as time goes on. ◆

 

By Divya Verma

This year, PHHS administration is almost entirely filled with new faces. The new members are Principal Ginny Davis, Principal Secretary Melissa Hawkins, Assoc. Principal Honey Gubuan and Assoc. Principal Nancy Perierra.

Principal Davis used to be an APA (Assoc. Principal of Administration) at IHS (Independence high school) and an APED (Assoc. Principal of Educational Development) at Santa Teresa HS. After working in these positions, she was ready to move on. Ms. Davis used to be a teacher here, she was the head of the Social Science Department and brought AP European History to PHHS. Through her position, she has been able to reconnect with teachers and reach out to parents and students. She hopes that students feel respected, welcomed and that they get the best education possible.

Ms. Davis has a bachelor’s degree in history and Political Science and a masters in both Secondary Education and Urban Leadership. In high school her favorite subject was history. She was a part of the swim team and yearbook. Her first job was a counselor at a day camp when she was in high school.

“My role model is Ruth Bader Ginsburg (who is in the Supreme Court) because she is a working mother able to find a balance,” explained Ms. Davis

“I read a lot, I also really like to cook. I like to do stuff at home and I like to garden, I’m not very good at it though but I am a good cook,” continued Ms. Davis when asked what she likes to do in her free time. Her greatest strengths are being patient, organized and calm under pressure and being open to change.

Principal Secretary Hawkins used to work at IHS with Ms. Davis as a counseling technician. She was invited by Ms. Davis to be a principal secretary. She chose to become a principal secretary because she has always worked in an office setting and wanted to try a new position. Her message to students would be to ask for help if they are going through something and to not give up.

“The most enjoyable part of my job would be seeing students every day and keeping up with what is going on in their lives,” said Ms. Hawkins. Her most memorable experiences would be previous students coming back to tell her how she was able to help them in high school.

Ms. Hawkins did go to a college, but because she was always working two to three jobs, she did not finish. In high school her favorite subject was Marine Biology, she was a cheerleader, in the volleyball team and for her senior year, she was rally commissioner. Her first job was at Larry’s Country Inn Restaurant and at Raging Water in high school.

“My role model would be my mom because she has a good character and a good reputation,” said Ms. Hawkins.

Ms. Hawkin’s hobbies include taking care of herself, practicing mindfulness, eating healthier and taking care of her three Dioxins. Her greatest strengths are multitasking and her attitude.

Assoc. Principal Gubuan used to work as a preschool teacher aide. She chose this position because she felt that she had qualities to help make a school more successful and better for all students. Her message to the students would be that everything is a choice and to always make good choices.

The most enjoyable part of her job would be seeing students overcome challenges and as adults being able to give back to society.

Ms. Gubuan has a B.A (Bachelor of Arts) in Political Science and International Relations, a master’s in Education, Curriculum, Instruction and a M.A (Master of Arts) in Educational Leadership. In high school her favorite subject was English and she was a part of Yearbook, Filipino Cultural Dance, Key club and CSF (California Scholarship Federation).

“My role model would be my grandpa because even when he had close to nothing he was able to support his kids, nieces and nephews through a college education,” said Ms. Gubuan.

“My hobbies would be cooking, shopping, traveling, spending time with family and watching Netflix,” responded Ms. Gubuan. Her greatest strengths include seeing the positive, being organized and driven.

Assoc. Principal Pereira worked at a leadership role in her previous school. She felt that it was time to make the jump to administration because she likes to work with students and education. She feels fulfilled with her job and could not imagine herself in another field.  Her message to students would be to not be so hard on themselves, to take things day by day, have a balance between studying and having friends.

The most enjoyable part of her job would be the daily interactions and connections with students. Ms. Pereira’s most memorable experience would be seeing students achieve their personal goals for high school and coming back to visit campus.

Ms. Pereira has a bachelor’s in history and Spanish and a master’s in Education. In high school her favorite subjects were English and history. She played volleyball, basketball and was involved in ASB through homeroom representatives. Her first job was a babysitter when she was in middle school.

She does not have one role model, she admired people for different qualities they had.

“My hobbies, I like to walk my dog, scrapbook and read,” said Ms. Pereira. She describes her greatest strengths as being open minded, dedicated and straightforward. ◆

By Trisha Trinh

President Trump appointed former law clerk Brett Kavanaugh to be next Supreme Justice on Oct. 6 after Anthony Kennedy retired on July 9. Brett Kavanagh worked side-by-side with the Bush administration. He later became an U.S. Circuit Judge and was sworn in by Judge Anthony Kennedy. Because of Kavanaugh’s work with Kennedy, Trump felt like Kavanaugh was well-qualified candidate for the job of Supreme Justice.

During Kavanaugh’s time in office, he had taken on some notable cases, ranging from abortion to national security. He followed conservative values and supported anything that the Republican Party unveiled.

“Judge Kavanaugh has impeccable credentials, unsurpassed qualifications and a proven commitment to equal justice under the law,” said President Trump about the nomination.

Kavanaugh’s confirmation was nearing its end following his confirmation hearing when allegations by psychology professor, Christine Blasey Ford, that Brett Kavanagh had sexually assaulted her in high school, surfaced in September. Dr. Ford gave vivid details of the alleged assault that happened. She described how drinking was an essential part as to how it happened.

“Brett Kavanaugh physically and sexually assaulted me during high school in the early 1980’s…It is upsetting to discuss sexual assault and its repercussions, yet I felt guilty and compelled as a citizen about the idea of not saying anything,” read Ford’s letter written to Senator Dianne Feinstein.

After the allegation, the conformation was immediately put on hold. Shortly after, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick also accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault, which resulted in an FBI investigation. Only Ford got the chance to testify against him. Kavanaugh clearly stated his belief that those allegations were a sabotage delivered by Democrats to change the minds of the Senate Republicans.

“This is an orchestrated political hit, fueled with apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election fear that has been unfairly stoked about,” said Kavanaugh during the hearing.

Ford was terrified of speaking on the matter and wanted to keep the information confidential until she was comfortable with revealing what happened, mainly during the trial.

“I am here today, not because I don’t want to be, but I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school,” said Ford during her opening statement.

When the hearing ended, the Senate voted 50-48 to confirm Brett Kavanaugh as the next Supreme Court Justice on Oct.

“I applaud and congratulate the U.S. Senate for confirming our GREAT NOMINEE, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, to the United States Supreme Court. Later today, I will sign his Commission of Appointment, and he will be officially sworn in. Very exciting!” tweeted President Trump. ◆

 

 

By Mansi Patel

Coming and leaving school, students often see the new science building being constructed every day, week, and month. The new science building will also house classes for GE (general education) as well as Special Ed.

This project started a long time back, with physiology teacher David Vasques originally leading the way for the Science Department. Many of the science classes are very cramped and that can frustrate both the teacher and the students when it comes to doing labs.

“We complained for a lot of years…. A teacher has to be here this period and then move over here for this period. The main reason we needed it is that we didn’t have enough classrooms for our teachers so it’s going to expand our number of science classrooms, by two,” said Mr. Vasques.

As the population of students gradually increased over the years, it has been harder to accommodate so many students in each class. Therefore, the GE and Special Ed classes also needed to expand. The building will include many different classes, with the one story classes being for the two science classes and the two story building being for the GE and Special Ed classes.

“They (the GE, Science, and Special Ed classes) are not really combined. They are different buildings, but it’s cheaper to build two things at the same time than one thing and then another thing. Plus we all asked at the same time as Special Ed asked back in 2008, so it’s only fair we get our stuff,” stated AP Biology and Forensics teacher Jason Dries.

With this new addition, many students are excited since there will be more space for their classes, especially for labs in science classes such as AP Chemistry, which has labs for majority of the time.

“I feel like it would be great if there is new equipment, especially sinks and stuff that work for the science classes,” stated senior Aayushi Shah.

However, this building has created problems for many students. It has been causing a lot of noise, has blocked off walking areas and its construction has far exceeded the original completion date of July and is now expected to be completed in January after Christmas Break.

“I think it will be good for the Science department, but seniors, we are probably not going to be able to see it because it is taking so long,” said Aayushi.

“It is super noisy and my daily round at lunch is made longer because I have to walk around all the fences,” said junior Guneet Sachdeva.

The portables that were once there had no sinks for labs and the space was very small and cramped, which could have been dangerous for labs that involve fire and chemicals. This new building has brought many high hope for the science, GE and Special Ed teachers. Coming back from Christmas Break, the school is expected to have a big present waiting for the students: the new and completed building. ◆

 

By Sophia Xiao

Homecoming swept through the halls, filling the school with festivities from Oct. 1 to Oct. 5. Each class chose an animated film as their theme: seniors chose Mulan; juniors, Fairly Oddparents; sophomores, Coco; the freshmen, Moana. This year, Powderpuff culminated in a surprising upset, while the Piedmont Hills Pirates beat the Live Oak Acorns at the Homecoming Game 48-41. After an eventful rally, the seniors were crowned the winners with a score of 624, followed by the juniors with 570 points, then the sophomores with 557 points, then the freshmen with 304 points.

Unlike previous years, the rally was not mandatory, and students could opt out to go the library instead. Those who attended were rewarded with Concert Choir’s performance of the National Anthem, several class skits and Male Cheer’s energetic debut, a routine choreographed by cheerleader Isabella Place.

“The seniors were kind of down in the slumps after Powderpuff and everything, but we came back, brought the energy back up, and that was all worth (the practices),” said Male Cheer member Eric Chau. According to him, Male Cheer practiced two to three hours a day, three days a week, for two months.

After the Class of ‘16 fiasco in which Male Cheer members were banned from Senior Picnic for inappropriate choreography, administration made sure to preview and approve of the routine a week before.

In Powderpuff, both the sophomores and the freshmen beat the seniors, leaving the way for juniors to win the Powderpuff finals.

“For the past two years, our coaches were never really on top of their game. This year, we made them go to practices, and the day right before our championship we had a practice, and we practiced offense and defense,” said 2020 Class President Britney Nguyen.

The third place match between the freshmen and the seniors came down to a throw-off which the seniors lost.

“I was mad in the moment but we still won (Homecoming) in the end, so I got over it,” shrugged 2019 Class President and Powderpuff player Jane Tran.

For the Homecoming Dance, the L-Building was filled with funky lights and palm trees, in accordance with the theme “Paradise Palms.” According to 2019 Treasurer Chloe Nguyen, the dance was hugely successful, almost selling out with about 500 attendees.

“I think (the popularity was due to) the theme and more because of publicizing! The other (executives) and I had our whole ASB publicize the dance to try and get the news out to every single person at school,” said Chloe.

The murals this year did not span the main hall; instead the seniors and sophomores shared the Senior Hall, and juniors and freshmen shared the Junior Hall. Even with a smaller area to cover, painting so many detailed murals took a lot of time.

“We painted all summer. I think we had maybe one week of break after school ended, and then we started painting,” said Jane.

All the work paid off, with the seniors taking first place in all categories but Powderpuff. Meanwhile, juniors’ and sophomores’ hallway decorations tied for second.

New this year, ASB held a contest for the best or most creative Homecoming Dance proposal called HOCOPRO. The first and second place winners, Jeremiah Porda and Niveah Gonzalez received free Homecoming Dance tickets, and the third place winner Stacey Thai received a discount.

After Homecoming Week wrapped up, Class of 2019 focused their attention on selling senior hoodies and prom tickets and planning for Male Pageant and FANTASTICS. According to Britney, Class of 2020 plans to continue fundraising for Junior Prom which they hope will take place at a venue. ◆