Volume 45, Issue 6 45 years of journalistic excellence March 24, 2005

SPORTS Read a Profile on Baseball Coach Velez

on p. 11.

FEATURES

OPINION

MR. FONSECA

Girls Basketball Finishes Season With Pride

By CHRISTINE DIMAANOSports Staff

Junior Megan O’Sullivan shoots a lay-up.

Aragon Bids Farewell to Beloved Teacher, Mentor By GRANT CONOUR

Features Staff

Spring Break Means College Visits for Juniors, Seniors

SPRING BREAK COLLEGESContinued on p. 5

Spring break is a prime time for students to study up on their three R’s – rest, relaxation, and recreation from the demands of school. But many members of the Aragon student body are adding a fourth R to their list this spring, for they will also be taking advantage of the week off by researching different colleges and universities up close. Whether across the state or across the country, the end of March will see Dons flying off to all kinds of different locations in search of their perfect college.

Join us in honoring Ms. Gutierrez-Garcia’s life on pp. 6-7.

Talented. Successful. Driven. Maybe even “savage” or “beasts”. Those are a few words that come to mind when people think of the Aragon girls basketball team. One thing is for sure though. They are one of the best girls basketball teams in the county, and even in all of Northern California. When they reached the CCS championship and NorCal final four last year, many applauded them. They were from the underdog public school system, a sleeper in tournaments where private schools usually dominated. But the biggest question was, could they do it again?

Once again this season, the Lady Dons proved that they could. Starting off the season with a strong 20 point win over Oakland, all was smooth. They were often winning their games by 10 or more points. The girls’ play seemed flawless, with twin junior guards Katie and Laura Zasly and freshman guard Kerina

Chiu’s ball handling and passing perfectly meshing with powerful posts Kristie Halaufia and Ashley

GIRLS BASKETBALLContinued on p. 11

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S POSTAGE

PAIDPermit No. 782San Mateo, CA

Not going to Prom? We’ll make you feel better on p. 9.

“It’s not confidential” that the Killers got potential. Learn why on p. 10.

By SAMANTHA HAWNews Staff

Experiencing their first day at an American high school, Japanese exchange students temporarily became part of the Aragon student body. With mixed feelings of nervousness and excitement, the visiting guests were able to learn about life in another country.

Thirteen students from Nagano, Japan were involved in the cultural exchange, in which nine Aragon families hosted the travelers and

JAPANESE EXCHANGE STUDENTSContinued on p. 3

Exchange Students Learn About American Culture

COURTESY OF Yearbook

While both juniors and seniors have plans for touring various schools during their vacation time, the classes have different goals. Juniors have not yet felt the urgency of applications and admissions, a formidable challenge occurring around November and December of one’s senior year. But some, like junior Elton Chan, who will be visiting the East Coast, would like to get a head start. He says, “I would like to get the feel about the colleges, so that when I apply next year, I can decide on which college to go to

allowed them to become “part of the family” during their stay in the U.S. Senior Jonathan Chao mentioned that he participated in hosting students because he wanted to “expand [his] cultural horizons and learn about the Japanese culture.”

The group of students, consisting of two boys and eleven girls primarily from Tagawa High School in Japan, traveled to the U.S. with their English language teacher and

By JONATHAN LEE and ELLEN SANDMEYERNews Editor and Staff

Seven Period Day Gets the Go Ahead: Tracking the Politics Behind the Periods

After a protracted battle with the San Mateo Union High School District, Aragon will finally have a seven period day.

On March 21, the Aragon faculty approved with a two-thirds vote the revamped plan (see page 2 sidebar) for a seven period day. Different from the original December concept, the current seven period day plan is the culmination of a month-long dispute over the seven period schedule which brought relations between the district and the teachers to a low.

The controversy was sparked by a press conference given by the San Mateo Union High School District’s Superintendent Samuel Johnson in late February. In a surprise announcement, Johnson told reporters that he intended that the seven-period schedule be implemented at all six comprehensive

high schools in the District. To fund the new schedule, Johnson outlined a plan of “funding redistribution” to generate the needed $1.7 million.

The broad plan would have consolidated all six school librarians (also known as library media teachers) into one district-wide position and ordered the restructuring of school counseling departments

after the “Aragon Model” of two head counselors and four assistant counselors.

Johnson also proposed alterations to the Athletics department and changing the small English class size ratio from 20:1 to 30:1.

Once publicized, the proposal generated a firestorm at within the Aragon faculty. Meeting in Mr. Neri’s room on February 22, the teachers voiced their concerns over the District’s proposal. “The teachers were led to believe that it would be funded one way,” said Mr. Neri, “and they were naively shocked that it was to be funded another way.”

In anticipation for the school board meeting on February 24, teachers and various parent groups rushed to mobilize the opposition to Johnson’s plan. Emails and announcements were sent to parents and students, urging them to attend the meeting.

LAURA GAMBLEA worried Ms. Argyres

looks on at the board meeting.

SEVEN PERIOD CONTROVERSY Continued on p. 2

Now online at www.aragonaristocrat.com!

2 The Aragon Aristocrat News

Seven Period Showdown Gets Ugly

LAURA GAMBLEMore than 300 school officials, teachers, parents, and students mobbed the February 24 School Board Meeting to express their opinions.

1. Periods 1 to 7 from 7:50 a.m. -3:10 p.m.2. Teachers teach 5 periods.3. Every effort will be made by administrators and department heads to schedule teachers 1-6 and 2-7. This should be close to 100%. If a teacher is asked to work 1-7 they will be given the “not assigned” period next to lunch. 4. Students will only have to take 6 periods a day.5. Any student may take 7 periods a day with priority given to students needing support and taking electives- up to approximately 30%.6. All 9th and 10th grade students will take PE.7. Student-athletes will be in athletics 7th period may get elective credit.8. District will provide up to 15 “extra” sections to support the seven period schedule based on student need and sign-ups.

Proposed Seven Period Changes for Next Year as Approved by Faculty on March 21

Tensions came to head during the board meeting as over 300 teachers, officials, parents, and students mobbed the San Mateo Adult Resources and Technology Center to protest the district’s proposal. Many of the district’s librarians and counselors were present.

Before the board meeting, Johnson made it clear that he did not intend to push for a vote. “We need input and discussion,” he said.

In an emotionally charged speech, social studies teacher and Aragon’s California Teacher’s Association President Mr. Corti criticized the district’s lack of communication. “Superintendent Johnson promised to include teachers and the community…but no work was done with this. There was no teacher

SEVEN PERIOD CONTROVERSY Continued from p. 1

input,” he said. Citing “universal opposition,” Corti accused the district of “either being intentionally deceiving” or “not knowing enough.” Both of these scenarios said Corti are unacceptable. Citing “universal opposition” to the proposal, Corti asked the district to, “Consider the losses. Take a year. Do some research so we don’t speed into a budgetary education disaster.”

Throughout the board meeting, virtually all speakers spoke against the proposal. The District’s California Teacher’s Association President, Craig Childress, labeled the district’s action as a “breach of trust” between the district administration and the teachers. Senior Chris Gregory predicted that losing Ms. Argyes would be “a great loss,” while Music Boosters Co-President Dave Haw expressed his support on the seventh

period concept but criticized the funding redistribution

Other speakers ranged from a Burlingame High School student who gave an emotional account of how her counselors had helped her combat depression and eating disorders to an assembly of Physical Education teachers who spoke on the need to expand the physical education program to combat obesity.

At the end of the three-hour long meeting, over thirty individuals had spoken against the redistribution. Faced with overwhelming opposition, Johnson was forced to water down his proposal.

At the next board meeting, Johnson dropped the librarian consolidation and counselor restructuring. A committee was to be set up to assess the seven period

concept, while individual schools could elect to do a pilot program.

Nevertheless, the board approved cutting the small freshmen English class and eliminating athletics as a class. Funding for computer survey classes and “overstaffing” were also redistributed. The money saved would cover a budget shortfall (due to the loss of property taxes) and be placed in a fund for eventual seven period implementation.

According to Johnson, more teacher input went into his second proposal. Johnson commented on the lack of respect and decorum during the entire debacle, commenting on how he was “not treated as a human being.” During the first board meeting, various parents fingered Johnson as being deceptive and one parent even implied that the superintendent be

“ridden out of town on a rail.”At Aragon, the cuts were not

well received. English teacher Ms. Hubbard was outraged at the cut to freshmen English. “I’ve taught English for 37 years and the one thing I know for fact is that twenty to one freshmen [English class size] is advantageous to students. There is a change in attitude, there is self confidence, and dignity and self respect,” said Ms. Hubbard.

Given the option to pilot a seven period day for next year, Mr. Black called a faculty vote. Passed by an overwhelming majority, the Aragon plan will go before the district-wide teacher’s association LEG Council in April for final approval. With approval likely, the seven period odyssey is finally nearing an end.

3News The Aragon Aristocrat

JAPANESE EXCHANGE STUDENTSContinued from p. 1

LAURA GAMBLE“For a lot of [the Japanese students] it was their dream to come to the U.S., and it really opened their eyes. They were able see a culture that they’ve studied since elementary

school.”- Karina Chin

Exchange Students Bring International Diversity

Senior Jonathan Chao gives Sakae Shiohara and Natsuki Tanaka the 411 on student life at Aragon.

Aragon alumnus, Karina Chin. The ten-day exchange

program lasted from March 11 to March 21, during which the Japanese students quickly learned about American (particularly Californian) lifestyle and culture.

Arriving at Aragon late in the afternoon, the exchange students received a hearty welcome from their host families, the faculty, and other Aragon students. The welcoming ceremony included a welcome speech by Principal Black, a Wushu demonstration, and a singing performance.

During the weekend, the students had free time with their host families and were able to enjoy the spectacular sites of the Bay Area. 18 year-olds Sakae Shiohara and Natsuki Tanaka, who both stayed with the Chao f a m i l y , stated that they went “shopping, [ d r o v e to the] ocean, and [ate] at a restaurant.” Chao also added that they “ate American food, watched movies, went sightseeing, and went to a party.”

On Monday, the Japanese tourists shadowed their student hosts, attending various classes and meeting Aragon students throughout the day. Some Aragon students from non-

hosting families also volunteered to allow exchange students to shadow them. “I like the atmosphere, nice people, and freedom at Aragon,” Shiohara remarked.

Although Shiohara, Tanaka, and their fellow exchange students had been studying English for several years, this trip was their first time in America. For two students, it was their first time ever traveling on an airplane.

“For a lot of [the Japanese students] it

was their dream to come to the U.S., and it really opened their eyes,” Chin explained. “They were able see a culture that they’ve studied since elementary school.”

In addition to shadowing Aragon students on Monday, the guests visited Ms. Hosoi’s Japanese language classes, where Aragon language students were able to try out their Japanese oral skills. Hosoi commented, “My students were very happy for the first time to practice what they learned in class… both [the

exchange students and Aragon students] had a good experience.”

The next day, the Japanese exchange students spent the entire day sight-seeing in San Francisco. Visiting popular places including Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, Alcatraz, Union Square, and Chinatown, the students had the thrill of riding on the famous San Francisco cable cars for the first time.

Scheduled to spend a few days in Southern California before going home (where they would visit theme parks such as Disneyland and Universal Studios), Wednesday

was the exchange students’ final day at Aragon. That morning, the Japanese students attended two hours of English language classes and then shadowed their host students for the rest of the day. After school, the Japanese language classes threw a farewell party for the exchange students.

Compared to their initial arrival in the U.S., Chin described how significantly her students’ English skills have improved just through practical conversation. “Before they were scared to say anything. Now their confidence has

increased a lot,” she said. Chin has been an active

liaison in connecting Japanese culture to American culture for many years. After graduating from Aragon, she decided to live in Japan to teach Japanese students English. Collaborating with her old Japanese teacher, Ms. Miyamoto, Chin organized the initial exchange program with Pacific Reach Company, a travel company that specializes in organizing and sponsoring exchange programs.

The Japanese students’ visit was actually the second part of the U.S./Japanese Cultural Exchange Program with Aragon. Last July six Aragon students visited

Japan and stayed with host families, getting the chance to experience life as a typical Japanese teenager.

With the first two exchanges showing great success and promise, students plan to visit Japan again this summer to improve their Japanese, learn more about the culture, and meet new people.

According to Chin, her students “loved being at Aragon and seeing American high school life.” With Chin at the helm of the foreign exchange vessel, Aragon can look forward to more multicultural exchanges in the future.

1. Students stay with their homeroom classes for all three years of high school.2. Teachers move from classroom to classroom; students remain in the same room all day.3. Students rarely raise hands and ask questions. 4. There is usually no homework, and students take tests every month and a half.5. Some students attend school on Saturdays on a regular basis.

By BRITTANY PERRIENews Staff

Ex-Gang Member, Lecturer Condemns Gang Violence

He was only sixteen when his best friend died before his eyes. There had been a shot, a flash and a puddle of blood seeping into the concrete. This wasn’t gang life, he thought. This isn’t real; this was the type of thing that happened in Dangerous Minds. Yet with hollers of “Let’s get outta here!” ringing in his ears, the teen sprinted away, leaving the fallen bandana behind.

In order to combat gang-related violence in the area, the San Mateo Union High School District held an important parent meeting at San Mateo High School on February 23. Collaborating with the Latino Parent Group, the Gang Prevention

Summit featured guest speaker Anthony Perez, a former gang member and current professor at Cañada College, who discussed the hazardous consequences of organized violence and the importance of pursuing college.

Providing guests with a traditional Latin meal and bilingual speakers (the entire meeting was translated in English and Spanish), the meeting c o m m e n c e d with an opening statement from Superintendent Samuel Johnson, who stressed the importance of a post-secondary education and the need for continued

parent involvement in students’ lives. Yet it was Perez’s all-too-real

experiences and encounters with gang violence that shocked and awed. Despite the primarily parent turnout, Perez directed his message toward the few dozen student attendees. Describing his early years growing up in a home of little food and continued abuse, he offered

the story of his chaotic c h i l d h o o d as a way to explain his descent into

gang life and, subsequently, physical and verbal violence.

According to Perez, things finally became clear when his friend was shot and killed in front of him. Calling it a “defining moment,” Perez decided to leave the gang, listening to the advice of his grandmother and attending San Francisco City College. “I chose not to die, I chose not to go to prison,” Perez told the crowd. “I chose to go to school, I chose to become a professor. Then I chose to buy a house, buy a Lexus and live a nice life.”

To further emphasize the devastating impacts gang violence has on the average teen, Perez read a letter from a young gang member who was convicted for participating in gang-related activities. He is expected to spend the rest of his life in San Quentin where people will make decisions for him, Perez stated.

Looking back on his own past experiences, Perez reported that the only permanent thing about being in a gang is the tattoos and the only BERNICE YAU

“I chose not to die, I chose not to go to prison. I chose to go to

school… and live a nice life.”- Anthony Perez

COURTESY OF keio.ac.jp

Top 5 Interesting Facts about High Schools in Japan

destinations prison or death. He continued by stressing that students should be true to themselves and get involved in activities like sports, community volunteer programs, or school organizations.

After an evening of open

discussion and harsh realities, Perez ended the summit with an important message in everyone’s minds: “I chose not to be a victim… I chose to take responsibility of my own life and now I’m free.”

4 The Aragon Aristocrat News/Features

By KIM HILTON and SHIKHA KAIWARNews Staff

Letter to the Editor of The Aristocrat

LAURA GAMBLEAir Force recruiters make camp in front of the office.

Dear Editor,Regarding the article written

about our Winter Rally, I would like to say a few words on behalf of our leadership class. We agree that this was not our best rally, however no less effort was put forth to this rally as all our others. In regards to the “nails against a chalkboard sounds system,” it was exactly that: the sound system, a technicality that we could not perfect. For all those who found it unpleasant, we apologize.

Our leadership class strives to increase school spirit and create fun and enjoyable rallies. We put in our time and enthusiasm to every event we put on, and to criticize our class seems unfair. Unfortunately, things

aren’t always perfect and rallies take the collective cooperation and commitment of all of its participants, not solely of our class. The bottom line is, we can only do our best to create a platform for school spirit, but it is up to the students to mount it. School spirit lies in Aragon patrons, not in Napoleon Dynamite (if you haven’t seen the movie, he is a funny character we thought we entertain.)

Some pearls of advice: please accurately quote people and at least attempt to be positive. Being negative and critical will not increase anything but animosity and downbeat opinions about our school.

In this place of learning, we take into account your unconstructive criticism and emerge with an improved rally next time. Perhaps in return it will regain the school spirit that Aragon deserves.

Go Dons,Jamie Chu, Aragon Leadership

Military Recruitment Controversy Fires Up

To the adolescent, the armed forces can be the miracle cure. Order can brought to chaos, discipline can supplant delinquency, and life can derive new meaning.

Yet with a war underway in Iraq, many youths have been deterred from joining the military. The United States Army reported in early March that they missed the February recruiting goal by 27%, having only signed up 5,114 recruits. With an estimated 80,000 recruits needed to replenish ranks, the army is facing a manpower shortage. As a result, recruiting stations around the Bay Area have intensified recruitment efforts.

At the army recruitment center in Belmont, station commander Sergeant Rodolfo Abalos explains the benefit of joining the military.

According to Abalos, recruiters have been coming to Aragon for the past three to four years. They target public schools, such as Aragon, the most in hopes of “finding qualified young men and women, and to educate the public about local army recruiting centers.”

Along with informing the students, Sergeant Abalos looks for “motivated and academically

inclined students who are in good health and are willing to follow strict guidance and discipline.”

The recruiters themselves can face criticism and even protests against

the armed forces. One side includes the liberal students who support the individual soldiers but object to the idea of recruiters coming to schools.

Sophomore Angel Junio says, “I

applaud their American spirit and courage, but I think the recruiters tell serious lies so that more people will join. People really need to investigate to see if it's really for them. I think they fabricate a really dreamy picture but behind that picture is this complete disappointment for almost everyone who joins.”

The more radical approach is the students who physically protest against the armed forces recruiters stationed in Center Court during lunch. Sophomore Tom Leigh, a frequent protester, says that his reasoning behind his actions is that “I don’t believe that an organization whose sole purpose is to kill people is [one that deserves applause].”

Because of his protests near the recruiters’ tables, Leigh has seen students interested in the armed forces. “They can do what they want,” Leigh says, “and live their own way, but I advise against it. There are better ways to serve the country without using a gun.”

Leigh’s protests have included standing next to the recruiters with signs voicing their conflicting opinions. He has felt that they have gone calmly, but “with a negative impact.”

Leigh concludes, “We will continue to protest every day that

the recruiters are here. The protests are all about making people say what they need to say, even if it doesn’t go along with what we are aiming for [going against the recruiters]. It has encouraged people to join us and voice their opinions, both conflicting and agreeing.”

The other side includes the students who support the armed forces wholeheartedly. A freshman (who prefers to remain anonymous) has always been interested in the armed forces.

When asked about his reasoning behind his fascination, he says, “We need an army, and if we don’t have one, we are useless and unsafe. The recruiters are doing a good thing. Without people to join, there will be no pacification in the world.”

Senior Jen Mercurio, an avid military supporter and soon-to-be DEP (Delayed Entry Program), stated, “For me, I decided to join the military (the Marine Corps specifically) because thousands upon thousands of troops have risked their lives for our freedom and I see this as my chance to contribute to the bravery they embody.”

Whether opposing or supporting the armed forces, the recruiters are a daily reminder of our need to support, service, and take pride in our country, even if you may not always agree.

Starting with this issue, The Aristocrat will print letters to the to the editor. We encourage the Aragon community to respond to our content and provide suggestions. Letters may be subject to edit.

Robotics Team Mobilizes for Competition

Competing in the annual US FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition for its fourth year, the Aragon Robotics Team (ART) worked hard to create a drivable robot using leftover parts and equipment funded by its long list of sponsors.

When the FIRST competition kicked off on January 8, fifteen ART members attended the 2005 FIRST Robotics game at San Jose State Auditorium, eagerly waiting for the release of the season’s challenge for the 2005 competition year. In the months leading up to the spring event, the Robotics Team has been working strenuously toward building the most mechanically correct and efficient robot.

The FIRST Robotics Competition is a multinational competition that invites professionals and young students to solve an engineering design problem in an intense and

c o m p e t i t i ve w a y .

T h e Robotics Team is scheduled to compete in the FIRST Silicon Valley Regional at the San Jose State U n i v e r s i t y Event Center on March 2 4 - 2 6 .

By ASHLEIGH LEW and JASMINE PRASADNews Editor and Staff

COURTESY of Chris Liebs

Senior Heather Frank gives a thumbs up to Cal Poly.

5Features The Aragon Aristocrat

Prom UpdateStudents Flock to College Campuses

As the guys are frantically trying to find last minute corsages to buy their dates and the girls are desperately searching for reasonable prices on the perfect prom dress, it is evident that prom is approaching fast. As one of the highly anticipated events of the school year, prom has leadership working hard to make sure everything goes as planned to make this night successful.

The prom commissioners have been working since before winter break on preparing for prom. Senior and Prom Commissioner Christine Yang reports that, “the budget is around $13,000 for prom, including the location.” The prices of the tickets range from $30 to $70, depending on when the tickets are purchased and whether they are for couples or for individuals. Ticket sales will begin on April 4.

Prom will take place at the

By DINA ABUELEZAMFeatures Staff

Regency Center in San Francisco on April 16, 2005 from 8 to 12 p.m. “The Regency Center is old-fashioned and was built 100 years ago,” senior Kristina Hardy reports. The elegant style of the Regency Center appealed to the commissioners as the perfect location. “The Regency Center is already a beautiful place, and we are going to drape gossamer around the balconies and bring flowers as centerpieces,” Hardy adds.

And what is prom without a theme to tie it all together? “The theme is going to be Wonderful Tonight based on the song by Eric Clapton. We needed a song that would capture the essence of prom, and we thought this one did just that,” says Yang.

So if you are still unsure about whether to go to prom, take Kristina Hardy’s advice: “It will be a memorable experience where you are able to dance and have fun with your friends. Don’t miss it!”

Courtesy of REGENCYCENTER.COM

SPRING BREAKContinued from p. 1

based not only on its reputation but also on its environment.”

H o w e v e r , many juniors are less excited about having to wake up from Spring Break hibernation in order to travel around; some let slip that their parents are actually forcing them to go. It’s likely that many juniors are more interested in vacationing than looking at colleges, which might explain why Southern California is a frequent destination. After all, the stress and work load of junior year are a lot to bear in addition to the weighty decisions of college. With SATs, APs, STARs, ACTs and many more wearisome acronyms coming soon, college can easily overwhelm the unwitting student.

Seniors, on the other hand, appear much more calm, collected and in control of their college visitations. Since they have already submitted applications and received notice of admissions, all they have is the final decision of which college to attend. However, this decision is a tough one. “I’m going to want to visit

colleges to compare the campuses and student life with other schools into which I’ve gotten accepted,” explained senior Kelley Brooks, who explains, “I want to feel comfortable when I step foot on campus…I want to feel like I fit in the atmosphere.” Another senior, Heather Frank, is also trying to determine once and for all her college decision. “I hope that by the end of spring break I know exactly where I’m going,” stated Frank, who is going to visit UC Santa Cruz and Cal Poly. She added, “I hope to meet a lot of people and really find out if that is where I see myself in a few months.”

LAURA GAMBLE

A Hitchiker’s Guide to the New SATsBy ASAF KLETTERNews Staff

Indeed, most seniors seem to be taking advantage of spring break to take the plunge and make the big decision. Concluded Frank, “I guess my decision will be based a lot on whether I like the environment and feel comfortable around the people.”

College attendance is a big decision to make in just one week, but with school and extracurricular activities cluttering up the calendar for the rest of the spring, what can a student do? Perhaps the much-coveted rest, relaxation, and recreation will have to be put off until summer.

CRISTINA WONG

Dawn begins to encroach upon your sleep-deprived eyes as the infamous “make-or-break” test is dropped in front of you. Months of preparation in the form of essay drills and vocabulary flash cards boil down to a four-hour marathon: the new SAT.

On March 12, the College Board

administered the new version of the SAT Reasoning Test. Now scored out of a possible 2400 points, the new SAT featured new grammar sections, Algebra II math problems, and a timed essay section. The essay requires students to argue a position on a given prompt in twenty-five minutes, and is graded on a scale of one to six by two trained graders. For some students this is a blessing and

a chance to show off their creative talent and argumentative and rhetorical skills.

For others, however, it’s a curse. Designed to be a predictor of “academic success” in college, the new SAT brings up the question: how can the SATs judge your writing skills from one essay – especially one that is especially hard or confusing? In school, we are taught to spend time brainstorming, writing numerous rough drafts, and editing extensively, but the 25-minute SAT essay section we are expected to write at our best in hardly one draft.

With only a few minutes to get organized, decide what to say, and scribble it all down before timer beeps, junior Amy Chow stated before taking the test: “I know that I won't like the essay writing portion - I loathe doing timed writing.”

The new SAT also eliminates analogies from the language sections and quantitative comparisons from the math sections. Often criticized for being vague and subjective, the elimination of the analogies has been heralded by many as a welcome change.

Meanwhile, quantitative comparisons, including algebraic, word, and geometric problems, and compare and contrast questions are no longer on the SAT. Those who are less adept at seeing differences and similarities have one less thing to study for.

So what exactly is left on the SAT? There is a critical reading, writing, and a math section – each scored from 200-800. Most of the major portions of the test still remain, for better or for worse.

To cope with the unexpected, parents and teens alike have been blanketed with ads from a sea of test preparation companies. Companies range from Ames Seminar Test Prep (promises to teach you over 400 SAT words with “caring and experienced teachers”) to Gorilla Test Prep Online (a $495 online course with a virtual instructor that guarantees a 100 point improvement in every section) to Kaplan and Princeton Review (both of which cost about $1,000 and guarantee 200-point improvements). The high prices of most test prep programs offer an advantage to those students who have the resources to take these programs, effectively leaving many minority students and others who cannot shell out the necessary cash at a disadvantage.

Students, however, can take comfort in the fact that the helpfulness of these test prep

companies is always an issue.Larry Wang, Aragon alumni

and UC Berkeley student, refused to participate in any test prep. “It would have had been a waste of time and money,” he said. Wang, who scored a 1600 on the old SAT, goes further, calling test prep “dishonest” as it “focuses too much on test-taking rather than the material being tested.”

Nevertheless, many of today’s SAT test-takers are open-minded about the new SAT. “Other than the essay, I think there’s not much of a difference and people make it seem worse than it actually is,” junior Kelly Jin remarked.

With the March SAT scores coming out in April and the SAT II Subject Tests around the corner, many juniors and underclassmen can look forward to many more announcements about the SAT in the near future.

6 The Aragon Aristocrat Features

Gricelda Gutierrez-Garcia On March 11, 2005, the world lost a teacher, a friend,

a daughter, a wife and mentor—Ms. Gutierrez-Garcia. After three years of fighting Lymphoma, Ms. Gutierrez passed away shortly after midnight, at the young age of 34. Ms. Gutierrez was and still is one of Aragon’s most-loved Spanish teachers. She taught her classes in fun and interactive ways that made learning not something to be dreaded, but rather appreciated. Each and every day, Ms. Gutierrez greeted her students with a joyful smile and presented optimistic viewpoints to all her classes. No matter how rough a day she was going through, she faced each day as a blessing and another day to live and

When I discovered, on the first day of my sophomore year at Aragon, that Gricelda would be my Spanish 5/6 teacher, I was immediately struck with anxiety. I had heard from upperclassmen, prior to the beginning of the semester, that her Spanish class was the hardest, that she was the most challenging teacher in the department, and that earning an “A” in her class was difficult. Hearing all this, I assumed that the woman would be as intimidating as the course, but within a week of being in her presence, I discovered that in regards to the latter, I could not have been farther from the truth. Yes, Gricelda’s class was challenging, and receiving an “A” was no easy task, but it was because of this that her students excelled in the language. Gricelda could never have been called “intimidating;” she knew how to push her students without discouraging them, and soon, we began pushing ourselves. For many of my peers, Gricelda was the teacher who inspired passion for the Spanish language. For her, we practiced speaking outside the classroom, mixing Spanish in our conversations at the mall, at the movies, or over the phone. For her, we downloaded Latin songs to sing at home in order to perfect our pronunciation,

do what she loved to do. No one would have ever guessed how difficult her life became. She never complained. Many students and teachers from Aragon attended Ms. Gutierrez’s funeral, while others paid respects by signing a memorial that was laid out in center court. Ms. Gutierrez will be forever remembered by Aragon students for her youthful energy and beautiful spirit.

Below is the touching eulogy that Aragon graduate Courtney Gin gave at Ms. Gutierrez’s funeral.

Thank you, Ms. Gutierrez, for all that you did and all that you were.

and after a time, simply to enjoy as one of our favorite genres of music. For her, we met on the weekends to write scripts and prepare props for the many skits we would perform in her class. We rehearsed madly –in groups on the weekend, in pairs before class, or solo in front of the mirror at home before bedtime-- because we wanted to be perfect for her.

Each one of us has, in our lives, one teacher who inspired us to push ourselves to achieve more than the “A” grade. Gricelda was mine -- the teacher who inspired me to

strive for fluency and to even consider teaching. In the latter goal, I wanted to touch and inspire passion in others the way she did me. I looked at her life and hoped to have a career as fulfilling as hers. But closest to my heart is not what she has given me in the classroom, in Spanish, but what she has given me as a good friend. Some of my fondest memories of high

school involve our talks in her classroom before school, at lunch, and sometimes after school, leafing through my sketches or her photographs, or just chatting about school and weekend plans over tea. Even when “the dreaded oral finals” commenced, I felt more at ease then than I do with most finals, because I always thought of them more as conversations with a friend than an exam. To this day, I am still moved by her faith in my Spanish-speaking abilities… I remember during my senior year in high school, as I took the Advanced Placement Spanish class, Gricelda would write me e-mails in Spanish, which I tried to consistently respond to in kind. When my senior teacher, Mrs. Ozanne, said at the year’s end that I “wrote like a poet,” I attributed it to Gricelda. My confidence in my ability to speak and to write was born of her confidence in my ability, not simply her

schooling. Her faith gave me faith. It touches me still to know that someone I admire so much had such belief in me, and this belief goes for more than just Spanish.

Gricelda once said she loved me because she saw a part of herself in me, and for that I am truly moved and honored, but what I feel-- and wish I had told her in life-- is

that in her, I saw the woman I want to become. I admire her warmth, dedication, grace, and strength, and I feel truly blessed to have had her in my life as both a friend and role-model. I hope to be so lucky as to be as loved as she is; I know that she will forever be in my heart.

A Touching EulogyGiven by

Courtney Gin, Aragon Graduate

Kyle Lee (12) pays his respects to Ms. Gutierrez.

Students lined up in Center Court to sign Gutierrez’s memorial banner. Shannon Mercurio (11) adds her name to the sea of respectful students.

“She was always very pos- itive even when we knew she was having tough day. She made learning Spanish fun and really cared about her stu- dents.” Kim Held (11)

“She gave purpose to work- ing hard. She was always pos- itive and her ambition was infectious.” Justin Chao (11)

“Ms. Gutierrez was an exceptional teacher but she was also an exceptional person. She was the most positive, optimistic individual I have known. She was always so strong, even on the hardest days. Ms. Gutierrez showed me how fort- unate we are. I have learned to appreciate little things that I normally would except. Every morn- ing I would walk into class and she would greet

me with an enthusiastic “buenas dias” and the most genuine smile. She loved her students and her students loved her.”

Kaileen Castillo (12)

“ Ms. Gutierrez was one of the most incredible women I’ve ever met. She was an inspiration not only for trying our best in school but living to our full potential in all aspects of our lives. I think that she’s immortalized now at Aragon and no one that knew her will ever forget her. She left a great legacy and I know I’ll always look to her ex- ample, especially when I’m going through tough times. She was one of those teachers who stays with you- you could tell she really cared about each one of her students and loved teaching. “ Kristina Hardy (12)

7Features The Aragon Aristocrat

Gricelda Gutierrez-Garcia “What touches me the most about Ms. Gutierrez was that you would have never been able to tell that she was sick because she was constantly upbeat. Her optimism helped me reevaluate my own life and try to be more thankful for what I have.” Kelly Jin (11)

“She was always very pos- itive even when we knew she was having tough day. She made learning Spanish fun and really cared about her stu- dents.” Kim Held (11)

“She gave purpose to work- ing hard. She was always pos- itive and her ambition was infectious.” Justin Chao (11)

8 The Aragon Aristocrat Op-EdMission Statement

Through cooperation, communication, and respect, the Aragon Aristocrat staff

will publish a professional, truthful, and accessible newspaper, which will offer balanced perspectives on a wide

range of issues and whose coverage will inspire thought and discussion within

the Aragon community.

Editor-in-ChiefSarah Schoenbrun

News StaffJonathan Lee, EditorAshleigh Lew, Editor

Samantha Haw, Kimberly Hilton, Shikha Kaiwar, Asaf Kletter, Gaby Mercado,

Brittany Perrie,Jasmine Prasad, Ellen Sandmeyer,

Chandamheer StackerFeatures Staff

Tim Duncheon, EditorNatalie Wenzell, Editor

Dina Abuelezam, Emily Chiu, Grant Conour, Larisa Klebe, Christina Kumar,

Anne Morrison, Sean Mosman, Leslie Oxendine

Sports StaffTim Swartz, Editor

Jonathan Theonugraha, EditorBrandon Barron, Stephanie Carroll,

Steven Chan, Zack Crockett, Christine Dimaano, Madeline Ouye

Photo StaffLaura Gamble, Editor

Erika King, David Kornahrens, Jeff Lam, Christopher Lee, Simran Mahal, Bruce Paul, Katie Shields, Julie Tao,

Melissa YuenArts and Graphics Staff

Jake Rossi, EditorNicole Bollinger, Grayson Brown,

Keenan Manely, Matthew Morgenthaler, Adriana Ngau, Cristina Wong,

Bernice YauBusiness Staff

Fay Pickman, EditorTiffany Goldberg, Kelley Hasegawa,

Sylvia Leung, Kelsey Stiles, Lindsay WestTech EditorAri Saldinger

AdviserScott Silton

Athletics Loses PE Credit

ByNicole Bollinger

An International Toast to St. PatrickBy SEAN MOSMANFeatures Staff

A sizeable percentage of the American populace will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by drinking booze until they see leprechauns dancing a jolly jig about their Guinness bottles. What used to be a religious holiday has turned into another excuse for Americans to get drunk.

Not that we need an excuse: the U.S. drinking rate is among the highest in the world—despite the fact that our legal drinking age is also the world’s highest. Therein lies the problem. Our s t r i c t alcohol regulations seem to encourage underage drinking. In fact, American teens are 12% more likely than European teens to get drunk over the course of a week.

It should come as no surprise that Aragon isn’t immune to this pattern. Drinking is a fairly common activity for many Aragon students, but the role of peer pressure in this situation is often overstated. More important is the glorified status that alcohol occupies in movies and other media directed at teens, which only adds to its appeal. Films like “Old School” and popular TV shows like MTV’s “The Real World” portray drinking as acceptable and fun. The fact that the national age for legal alcohol

consumption is set at 21 makes the practice all the more attractive. It may seem like

a paradox, but many teens drink to conform and to rebel.

Of course, teens also drink for the same reason that adults do. Alcohol alters a person’s state of mind, and helps mask insecurity and social awkwardness. One anonymous senior says, “I don’t think anyone really enjoys getting completely drunk. Most people just like to get a buzz, so they feel more relaxed and sociable.” Indeed, some high school students are responsible drinkers, even if the odds are against them. If everybody knew and respected his or her limits, teen drinking would not be a problem at all.

The limited use of alcohol as a social lubricant is relatively

harmless enough in itself, but not everyone has the self-control to limit themselves to a beer or two. A recent survey found that nearly one-third of all high schoolers participated in binge drinking (defined as five or more drinks in a row) within the past month. Some think the best solution to this growing problem is to expose our nation’s youth to alcohol earlier so they can learn r e s p o n s i b l e drinking habits.

It may seem counterintuitive, but statistics show that binge drinking is far less common in countries like Germany, Spain and Italy, where the legal drinking age is 18 and where even younger children sometimes drink under supervision.

Many European nations largely avoid alcohol abuse by incorporating responsible drinking into the family diet. In France, most families drink wine over dinner, children included. The national drinking age of 16 scarcely conflicts with this custom. In Germany, where beer is the national drink, the legal age is 18. Senior Rachel Watkins, who was

recently in Germany, believes the low drinking age teaches German teens responsible drinking habits. Watkins observed, “Since drinking is legal, kids don’t do it to rebel…they’re way more casual about it. You won’t see anyone doing shots, and no one wakes up with a hangover. They’re just more responsible with it.”

Studies have shown that European teenagers drink more frequently than Americans, but that American teens are nearly twice as likely to drink hard liquor.

There is also a statistical basis for the claim that Europeans are more responsible drinkers: American teenagers are 16% more likely to drink and drive than our European

counterparts. This inclination contributes to the higher rate of alcohol-related fatalities involving American teens—41%, compared to 28% in continental Europe.

By age 18, American citizens can drive, smoke, vote, own a gun, and be tried as adults, but cannot drink. Pushing alcohol away from teenagers simply makes it more enticing. More relaxed drinking regulations would ensure that American teens have some experiences with alcohol before they leave the safety of their homes and go to college.

Most teens want a change, and a change is needed. If nothing else, it would give the leprechauns a chance to catch their breath.

ByNicole Bollinger

With the district’s sweeping cuts, athletics will no longer fulfill the two year PE graduation requirement. Starting next year, all athletes will not receive PE credit for athletics.

Currently, the California Education Code does not permit a period of “athletics” to count toward physical education credit. “There are seven standards for physical education and playing badminton in athletics, for example, might not meet those standards,” said Mr. Black, “we are not in compliance, in my opinion.”

As it stands now, students are required to take a total of two years of PE or athletics in order to graduate. However, all of next year’s incoming freshmen athletes will be take PE regardless of whether they also participate in an after school sport (whose practice begin during 7th period.

With a seven period day, it is unfair to make a period of physical education a requirement for student athletes. Students that compete

on teams are not typically the kind of obese or inactive students that need PE. Cumulatively, athletics demands many more hours of actual physical activity than PE. Pressure and support from team members and coaches often serve as more motivation for students involved in competitive athletics than completion credit offers to uninspired PE students.

Besides impacting athletics, the change will reduce the number of students in the music program. With the under the seven period proposal passed by Aragon’s faculty and the stringent academic core requirements (which lock freshmen and sophomores into six classes), it would be virtually impossible for a student to participate in both the athletic and music programs.

So why is the school board and district implementing an unwelcome and unneeded proposal? The United Associated Student Body representative Eric Showen spoke on behalf of all students and asked the school board to reject changes to the current system.

But his plea fell on deaf ears.The idea of eliminating athletics

as a class is not new; board member Marcia Cohn-Lyle, while campaigning last year, commented that she would “make after school sports after school, not sixth period” a top priority. At the February 28 board meeting, Cohn-Lyle spoke of how she was committed to fighting obesity by expanding the PE program. During the same meeting, Hillsdale High School PE Teacher Ed Larios, with a cohort of

politics: athletics has been often been accused of commanding excessive attention and money, and according to Larios, the PE program is “at stake.”

Politics aside, the policy makers of the district should remember that school is to serve students. Educators, administrators, and even school board member are committed to furthering the education of all students. Moral of the story? The school board acted “on behalf of the students” when they didn’t even listen to students.

KEENAN MANELY

The Opinion of the Aristocrat

physical education i n s t r u c t o r s , criticized the district of having “gross disrespect of PE educators” by pursuing the “ w a r e h o u s e approach, the least expensive r e q u i r e m e n t . ”

From one perspective, the board’s decision may have more to do with internal

9Features The Aragon Aristocrat

Prom Ditchers Exposed

The Finer Points ofCollege Acceptance Etiquette

The Aragon Comedy Team (ACT) has performed

Spotlight:Aragon Comedy Team

Needing a bigger m a i l b o x because of all of the college acceptance letters headed your way has never been a bad thing, but that was before getting accepted began to cause more tension within circles of friends at Aragon. Getting into the college of your dreams is a big deal for the prospective student – but what about the student’s friends? Should they be just as happy, or are they justified in feeling outdone or one-upped?

Lowerclassmen may not know why talking about being admitted is such a huge deal. For one thing, some people may view the positive news as bragging, or taking an opportunity to prove one’s superiority. Also, many seniors have different goals and aspirations, be they going to a community college or straight to a four year university, and they are apprehensive about divulging the big news so quickly for fear of offending a classmate. But most upperclassmen do not intend to rub salt in the wounds of their peers. If anything, sharing one’s acceptance news is not about reinforcing one person’s academic prowess but about sharing in a friend’s elation and expecting him to be equally happy for you. Junior Henry Lau says, “I would tell my friends if I got accepted and expect them to be happy for me.” After all, your friends have been watching you pore over

Great Expectations, sharing in your frustration over cellular respiration, and integrating differential equations with you late into the night. They want to believe that your efforts have been worthwhile. “They’re my friends so they want to know what’s

going on with me, and I want to know what’s going

o n with

t h e m , ” s e n i o r

Ashley Dillon states.

However, if your friends

s e e m t o

b e

apprehensive, let it go. Senior

Kyresha S m i t h believes that people w i l l “eventually find out. You should always be sensitive to other’s feelings, so if they don’t want to say anything, don’t force them.” Students may also keep acceptance news to themselves because of personal competition between classmates or even best friends. For example, if you and your best pal since

kindergarten apply to the s a m e school, maybe even to pursue the same major, and one of you gets in while the other is rejected, what then? When it comes to being outdone by a close friend, a relationship might not stay so rosy after all.

For other students, news about getting into college is a very private

subject. Senior Andie Chan thinks that it is “pretty personal. I don’t even tell my parents.” Even though your parents might eventually like to know where you are going, students like Chan feel like the world does not need to hear about which colleges have granted them admission. Senior Molly Allen hates “when people ask … because I feel like I’d let them down … I think it’s more appropriate to ask if you’ve heard back from any other colleges rather than count off those I’ve been rejected from.”

On another level, many seniors may subconsciously find themselves dealing with the question of who tells first. Senior Yu Sugiya claims that revealing where the class of 2005 is going will not start with her. Says Sugiya, “I want to know where people got in, but I wouldn’t go

around telling people where I got in.” How do those who are willing to disclose their acceptances and

rejections deal with others who are not ready to share their own news? Senior Kristina Hardy says, “I will be pretty open about it, whether I get accepted or rejected, because I know I tried my hardest.” And since all anyone can do is try their hardest, it might relieve those holding their breath to remember that if the school does not want you, chances are, you do not want the school.

The fact that rejection is not always a completely horrific experience may console those juniors and seniors who fear that they will not get in anywhere. Many students attribute their rejection to the fact that it just was not meant to be. All things considered, getting into college is not what designates you a failure or a success. The challenging part comes after you make it through orientation a n d m o v e i n t o y o u r d o r m room.

MATTHEW MORGENTHALER

“Who is Joe going with?” “Didn’t they break up?” “I wonder if he has a date…” Yes, the feat of acquiring a prom date may seem incredibly daunting, but it is indeed possible for the average human being. And do you know what else is possible? Finding a perfect or at least acceptable prom dress that does not look like it was made from surplus cotton candy, sewn in the 1980’s, or puffy enough to impair your ability to exit from your front door. And although prom this year may be more expensive than you think you can afford, you might be able to squeeze by if you work a few extra shifts or play nice to implore mommy or daddy dearest for some cash “Because it’s Prom! It’s the most important night of my high school career! Everybody goes to Prom! Mommmmmm!”

And make sure you add that whiny twinge in your voice at the end of every sentence for the full effect.

If, however, you decide that you cannot afford to go and or that you just choose not to go because it’s “hella lame,” you may be missing out or you might just be practical. Some people remember prom night as one of those unforgettable evenings that they spent with their high school sweethearts and best friends. Others remember prom as a night of disaster that was a waste of time, energy, and money. Some people who decide not to go live to regret it, and some people, like our own resident biology teacher, Ms. Ward, don’t regret it one bit. In fact, according to her, she was jaded even as a teenager, and she scoffed when her friends built up prom as this big, romantic, classy affair. She says, “That’s not my idea of romance. When you’re at the restaurant, people

will stare at you and say, ‘Oh, John… Remember when we went to prom? Awww…’” [insert guttural vomiting noise here – not hers, mine]

Perhaps prom just isn’t for everyone. Some students will think back on high school one day and reminisce about how magical a night it was when their date pricked them in the chest with a boutonnière, they spent all the money that they were saving for that road trip, passed out on the floor

Prom will be the ultimate date, party, and last hurrah before going off to college. Then there are most Aragon students who are in between these two extremes – the students who just go to prom for the experience because it’s just one of those things you do, no questions asked – almost a rite of a passage. These students think Prom is an overly hyped up

event that might just be a little too pricey, and even so, they go just for the heck of it. Kim Miranda, a senior, says nonchalantly, “It’s supposed to be really great and everything, but it’s actually not that amazing.” And yet, she went to Prom last year as a junior, and she is going again this year. May the cycle live on through many more Aragon generations.

of the hotel bathroom, and then their parents grounded them for months the next day after finding out about the partying. Or maybe they actually will have a romantic evening. Who is to say they will not? (Besides Ms. Ward, that is.)

So, some students think Prom is for losers, lemmings, and teenyboppers. And others think

By LESLIE OXENDINEFeatures Staff

ADRIANA NGAU Junior Jared Abbott plays a drunk Santa

comforting junior Thomas Schultz.

JULIE TAO

The Aragon Comedy Team (ACT) has performed hundreds of different skits in the past three years, in many different styles, including Half Life, Party Quirks, Freeze, Panel Show and Returning Things. Each one has its own rules and guidelines, but all of them are equally funny in design. At their last lunch improve show, “The Seagulls won’t Fill-in-the-Blank On You Theater,” the group spoofed the last Aragon theater production, Barbies, and even US History teacher Mr. McGlashan. By the time the lunch bell rang, the audience was rolling on the floor with laughter.

The ACT is composed of 12 students who share a passion for improvisation, a type of acting which involves creating a character and acting out a scene on the spur of the moment. But, as its name suggests, the team is about more than practicing one’s acting skills. According to sophomore Sara Goldrath, “the comedy team is all about making people laugh.”

The team began three years ago when a group of friends started playing improvisational g a m e s in the theater during lunch.

They launched the club (initially called the Drama Club and later the Improv Club) and held tryouts to recruit other improve enthusiasts in the club. But junior Kari Hoffman’s favorite part of being on the team is “the after-school practices with our new coach, Andy Saraouhan. He has taught us so many things this year. It’s so great to have him!”

In order to prepare for these performances, the team meets twice a week at lunch and once a week after school to practice the games that they use for performances. The members also practice some of the basic skills of improvisation such as reacting immediately to suggestions from the audience, always saying “yes, and” to respond to a fellow actor’s suggestion, using facial expressions and body language, and keeping the scene going.

In addition to entertaining fellow students during lunchtime performances some Fridays, the members of the Comedy Team perform at school functions, assisted living homes, and talent shows. They plan to put on two night shows – one by themselves and one joint effort with the Hillsdale Comedy team.

Being on the Comedy Team offers opportunities to “challenge your mind, entertain others, and just have fun,” remarks sophomore Mary Apitsiauri. The

members of the Comedy Team are all passionate about what they do. All in all, the Comedy Team is a group of dedicated and talented students

who enjoy improvisation. So the next time you have

a few minutes to spare on a Friday lunchtime and you are in the mood for some laughs, stop by the theater.

By EMILY CHIUFeatures Staff

10 The Aragon Aristocrat Features

Killers Burst onto SceneHailing from Las Vegas, The

Killers burst onto the music scene last March with their first smash hit, “Somebody Told Me.” The four-piece band mastered a British pop style on their debut release, “Hot Fuss,” which came out in June. With a music industry dominated by gangster rap, hip-hop, and generic pop-punk, The Killers provide a much-needed gasp of fresh air.

It all started when Brandon Flowers, the vocals and head writer, left his first band, Blush Response, and began searching for a new

band. Fortunately, Dave Keuning responded to Flowers’ newspaper ad for a guitarist, and the two hit it off right away, writing “Mr. Brightside” as their first song together. Soon after, they acquired Mark Stoermer on bass and Ronnie Vannucci on drums.

With the band complete, they began calling themselves “The Killers,” a name inspired by a music video by a mid-80s British pop band called New Order. The name is intended to represent the perfect band, with looks to “kill” and a sound to make all the girls scream.

After working shows in the Las Vegas area, a UK record label, Lizard

Constantine: Movie ReviewAs a mother walks into her

daughter’s room early in the morning, she drops her mug of tea and lets out a blood-curdling scream. The daughter is perched on the ceiling hissing at her mother like a human spider. This is only one of the few terrors John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) witnesses almost on a daily basis. Born with the power of seeing beings that others cannot (angels and “soldier demons”) and learning that all of existence is based on a bet between God and Satan, Constantine tracks down the angels and demons who try to cheat at their creators’ (God or Satan’s) game and sends them to Hell. But he does not do this out of sheer compassion for his fellow mortals.

A bitter chain smoker and hard drinker, Constantine is an unlikely hero. In fact, all of the good that he actually does is done entirely in his own self-interest. Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz), a cop who insists that the suicide of her twin sister is utterly inconceivable, seeks the aid of Constantine to help her solve the mystery of her sister’s death.

Rachel Weisz is convincing as Dodson, but unfortunately, because of his lack of talent when it comes to portraying various characters, Reeves is no different as the character of John Constantine than in his previous role as Neo in The Matrix. This has apparently affected some Aragon students’ decisions as to whether or not they will see the film. Junior Charlie Goss comments,

“It is like a copy of The Matrix. Reeves wears a black suit and the background in the commercials is green like in The Matrix.” Special effects give the movie a comic book feeling, although some special effects, such as the effects used to create the soldier demons, took away from what was supposed to be suspenseful or frightening scenes. There were bits of comedy strewn throughout the movie which helped to alleviate the constant action scenes and helped redeem director Francis Lawrence in the eyes of the audience after all of the shoddy special effects.

Still, many students are adamant on avoiding the movie entirely. “I’ve seen the previews, but I’m not into those kind of movies so I don’t think I’ll see it,” states junior Corissa Kimbrough. Though this film is mostly recommended for people interested in angels, demons and religion, it is still a good source of entertainment. But, it is helpful to know the basics of Catholic dogma so that you are not left in the dark during certain scenes. Also, the film contains scenes which range from the slightly bloody to downright gruesome (hence its R rating). If you are likely to get sick at the sight of a corpse being devoured by flies, then either bring a barf bag to the theater, or spare the rest of the audience and stay home. Special effects, angels, demons, and even a peek into Heaven and Hell. What more could one want? A lot, I guess, but even so, Constantine is worth the ten dollar ticket.

By ANNE MORRISONFeatures Staff

Courtesy of ISLANDRECORDS.COM

By CHRISTINA KUMARFeatures Staff

Dan Ashby: SuperstarIt’s official: Dan Ashby Band

is SO hot right now! With a flashy style and an attitude that says, “who cares?” Dan Ashby is quickly rising from small-town, will-entertain-for-nickels musician to spinner-rims-rock-star-super-stardom.

With his highly anticipated debut album “Dear Somebody” taking the world by storm on April 4, Easter will be very, very sweet this year. Just by taking one glance at his dark, wavy hair and dreamy blue eyes, you know this man is on his way to reaching the promised land. The place where only the most glamorous of musicians go, a place made of platinum records, solid gold statuettes, and roadies that will gladly pay money for the opportunity to sell you that orange m o c h a f r a p p u -ccino.

A: Can you tell us about the “benefit” concerts you have done in the past?D: Well, the Drama Boosters have really taken a great interest in us and they have been very supportive. They asked us to play at a number of fundraisers for them. One was at Round Table. And they have asked Caleb and me to play in the Aragon Theater at another drama fundraiser in May.

A: What band do you consider your music to be most like?

D: In terms of sound it is kind

of hard to say

because every band sounds different. But in terms of making songs, I am definitely influenced by the combination of Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, and Coldplay.

A: How will people be getting this CD? How will you be selling it?D: Currently I’m just planning on selling it myself so if you want it come to me. [Production manager] Ari Saldinger is working on a contract with iTunes and hopefully we can sell the CD on iTunes.

A: Now, I understand you write your own lyrics. Where do you find inspiration?D: I don’t really gain inspiration

Courtesy of THEAPP.EDU

HILLARY HOBSON

from any one thing. Most often if I try and sit down and write a song I fail. But I find that with music I do a lot more thinking and reflecting on events, situations and people. And often through this reflecting, words come into my head and I throw it down on paper. It kind of comes to me at once.

A: So what kind of locations will you be hitting up on your world tour?D: We are planning our 24 city tour this summer and we’ll be in San Mateo, Foster City, Millbrae, Burlingame, San Carlos… maybe we will hit up San Bruno, I don’t know, it’s kind of out of the way, but maybe. We’re still working it out.

A: Do you think your music will ever go out of style?D: Heck no. My music is like the new era. It’s the “Table For One” era. They had the techno and they had the disco and they had the grunge era, and this is the “Table For One” Era- the Dan Ashby revolution.

A: Alright, let’s tackle the questions that

are on

King Records, heard and signed them and took them to England to tour. Shortly after their success in the UK, they came back to the states, and were signed to Island Records.

In recent months, their second single, Mr. Brightside, has rocketed up the charts, following the path of its predecessor, “Somebody Told Me.” The rest of the songs on the CD are laced with rhythmic beats that are guaranteed to make you want to get up and dance. The songs drift from one emotion to the next: from jealousy to angst, and even to lust. All in all, The Killers, Hot Fuss gets eight out of ten cheers, and is definitely a recommended buy.

By MATTHEW MORGENTHALERArts and Graphics Staff

The Aristocrat: Dan Ashby, let me just start off by saying that I am sure that this will be the beginning of a whole line of interviews since you’re going to be a big star. Now, who is in Dan Ashby Band?Dan Ashby: Right now it’s just Dan Ashby and Caleb Blood. But in terms of a band, we’re looking around. We’re currently playing with some other people- Alex Sanchez who plays bass, as well as a few others who we were hoping will come join us.

everybody’s mind: On

average, how many women throw themselves

at you per show?D: Not enough that’s for sure. I would say anywhere between zero and [pause] …none.

A: This next question was submitted by Tim Swartz: Boxers or briefs?D: Well right now neither.

A: So Dan, any last comments you would like to make before me part?D: Well I just owe a lot of credit to a lot different people. Caleb especially- he has really lifted up my music. I write music for fun, I never really expected people to actually like it. But if they do, then that’s even better. I just hope it continues… Oh, and Matt’s a sav. I can’t hold it in any longer.

11 The Aragon AristocratSports

New Coach Leads Dons on the Diamond

Alipate. Their team chemistry helped them glide into PAL playoffs. Easy wins over Oceana and Westmoor secured them a spot in the PAL championship against rivals Mills, who had given them their only loss of the season. Revenge was at hand, and Aragon came up to the challenge and soundly beat Mills 69-37.

With winning PAL, Aragon’s confidence soared, and they battled their way through Santa Clara, Presentation, and St. Francis to get to the CCS championship. More importantly, a CCS championship that had slipped through their fingers last year by a few points at the hands of Archbishop Mitty. They would be facing Mitty again this year, and the taste of the loss became fresh again. “It’s payback time from last year…we’re ready for it,” Katie Zasly confidently foretold.

Game time came. Aragon started off with a convincing first quarter lead of 11-2. After that, the experienced Mitty adjusted and strengthened their defense. With Halaufia and Alipate shut down at the post, Aragon was forced to use guard play. Unfortunately, tough perimeter defense by Mitty caused many bad passes and forced shots by the Dons. With all of these little mistakes adding up, Aragon ended up losing 56-44. They had been given a chance to beat Mitty and take the championship. But they lost. It was a big letdown after the build up.

“Our goal had been to win CCS. We didn’t get it done and we didn’t do the things we should’ve,” lamented Kristie Halaufia. However,

The Aragon varsity wrestlers concluded a successful season, finishing with the Central Coast Section playoffs. They competedagainst 114 schools and finished 43rd. Two Dons finished 8th and another finished 16th, making assistant coach Carl Pastore very proud of the team.

On the weekend of February 25, five Aragon wrestlers went to Overfelt High School to compete in the CCS playoffs. Key contributors to the team were sophomores Patrick Huckbody and Wes Thomas, both finishing 8th, and senior Jonathan Chao, who finished 16th. Their strong placements at CCS were just a continuation of their performance all season long. Senior Bobby Lynn and junior Kevin Tsui were given honorable mentions by Pastore because they were all league alternates and still did pretty well. Huckbody added, “I am proud of the way we performed and it is definitely not a bad way to end the season.”

Head coach Carlo Altamirano, and assistant coaches Hiro Endo and Pastore, led the team to the top in the Peninsula Athletic League. The team agrees that the main goal for next year is to recruit more wrestlers, so that the weight classes are covered better. But even with that slight glitch, Lynn says the season finished positively. “It went well, we fought hard against the harder teams and finished strong in PAL Bay.”

Although Aragon’s Varsity Boys Basketball Team ended the season with a record of only 14-11, they had a strong performance in the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs, making it all the way to the quarterfinals where they took Mitty into overtime before losing 74-68.

Aragon fought hard against the favored and second seeded Monarchs building an eight point lead in the fourth quarter. However, the referees played a major part in the eventual defeated by giving Mitty 41 free throws to only 7 for the Dons. The Monarchs made a few clutch shots and free throws to pull ahead for good in the end.

The team got solid play this season from its key players seniors Sean Mosman, Barrett Favro, and junior Matangi Tonga. Favro played great defense, especially during the CCS playoffs, where he was always matched against the opposing team’s best player to shut him down. Mosman and Tonga helped the team with their inside scoring by each scoring atleast 16 points in each CCS game.

Coaches Kari Huxford, head coach, and assistant coaches Matt Mosman and Sam Manu, helped to lead the team. Manu in particular, helped the team improve their post play, which was one of the team’s biggest strengths.

Senior David Miller sums up the season by saying, “We had a rough start but by the end of the year we had become a very good team as shown by our games against Homestead and Mitty in CCS.”

The 16 girls that comprise the Aragon varsity girls soccer team blocked, kicked, and guarded their way to a 12-8-2 regular season record, and made it into the quarterfinals of the Central Coast Section playoffs.

On February 19, at Pioneer High School, Aragon lost to Pioneer 1-0 in a very tough game. Throughout the entire game, the team had to rely on their defense to keep the game within reach, but they were unable to score.

Senior Melissa Woo was the person who kept the team together. When the team was not at its best, Woo held the team together with her offensive skills. Also key to the team was sophomore goalie Kaitlyn Revel who constantly saved goals for the team, senior Sarah Bell who was an all around a solid player, playing both offense and defense, and junior Caroline Park who overcame an injury that postponed her soccer season.

The soccer team, led by head coach Anthony Dimech and assistant coach Mike Flynn, did not have just a few key players. Everyone worked together and bonded, which helped carry them as far as they went. The team hopes to improve next year by applying what the coaches teach throughout the practices, into the games, and by becoming more consistent in scoring goals.

The team had a hard time in the beginning, with illnesses and injuries, but overall the team believes it was successful. Senior Jessica George adds, “The season had its ups and downs. We had a rough start, but during winter break we worked very hard and we were able to pull it together.”

Aragon Steps it Up in Winter CCS Play

Dons Take One Seed to the Limit

MELISSA YUEN

Senior Melissa Woo races for a loose ball.

DAVID KORNAHRENS

Senior Matt Arbunich’s sharp shooting netted him 6 3-pointers in CCS play.

JEFF LAM

Senior Bobby Lynn’s heart shined in the CCS meet at Overfelt High School.

MADELINE OYUE, Sports Staff

Run Through Playoffs Derailed in Overtime Loss

Wrestlers Finish Strong Against Best in the Section

this loss had to be put in the past, as NorCals was coming.

“CCS was disappointing…but it just made us want to win our next games even more,” said Katie Zasly.

Starting Norcals off with a solid win over Ceres, 52-42, Aragon next faced Carondelet, who were the defending state champions and beaten Aragon badly in last year’s NorCals. Once again, Aragon was up for the challenge. Yet, it didn’t seem so at the start of the game. Aragon fell behind early in the first quarter, 20-9, and it looked like it was going to be a repeat of last year’s blowout. The Dons seemed determined to change that. After the first quarter, they outscored Carondelet the next 3 quarters to tie it at 46-46 with one minute left.

Then, one open Carondelet shooter received the ball and made a 3. Aragon quickly brought the ball back in and passed the ball around the arc waiting for an open 3. Chui got the ball and shot it, but missed. Aragon was able to rebound the ball, pass it out to Zasly at the arc, and she made the 3 to tie. Unfortunately, the shot went in after the shot clock ended, and Aragon ended up losing 52-46. There are no regrets. “We were finally able to come together, and step up our defense,” Halaufia proudly recounted. “We went down fighting.”

“You tend to think about what you could’ve or should’ve done…but overall it was a good season,” said Chiu. “It’s so rare to come across a coach and people you play so well with, I’m just really thankful. The team chemistry was just amazing. Our whole season has been worthwhile and memorable.”

GIRLS BBALL

CONTINUED from p.1

By BRANDON BARRONSports Staff

At the conclusion of the of the 2004 Aragon Don baseball season, athletic director Steve Sell recognized that something needed to be done, and that the baseball program required a few giant changes. As Aragon was predicted to be at the top of their division due to a wide range of talented players, the results were far from it as the dons finished a mere 3 – 11 in league play. “There were high expectations for the team but we just couldn’t come together.” stated junior Brian Marblestone.

After some research and scouting, five new Aragon coaches were brought in, lead by Varsity head coach Jesse Velez. Also on the crew included assistant coaches Jason Martin and Dave Smiley.

Coach Velez had quite the reputation as he has coached at

both Burlingame and Terra Nova and summer baseball programs in San Mateo. Word had it that Velez was the real deal and here to get some serious work done. “I’m here to turn these young men into better ballplayers, and prepare them for the next level. That is in baseball and life,” answered coach Velez when asked about his approach to this season.

First baseman Marc Handalian replied to Velez’s comment by saying, “in practice after every drill and every exercise coach always finds a moral and connects the game of baseball to our everyday lives to try and help us once we graduate.”

As the baseball season started up Velez’ strict coaching personality really came alive as practices lasted until 5:30 p.m. every day of the week, including a four-hour Saturday workout that requested ballplayers

to be at the field at 9:30 AM for a 10 AM practice. Velez also focused on uniformity and preached how for the players to play like a team, they must look like a team. This includes clean jerseys with polished shoes, clean shaven faces and most importantly to always wear your hat the correct way.

Velez helped enforce his rules

CHRISTOPHER YEE

Second Straight Final Four Appearance

BASEBALL COACHContinued on p. 12

Senior Daniel Bahlert has recieved great instruction from the new coaches.

12Sports The Aragon Aristocrat

Aragon Athletes Playing on the Next Level Part II

Janice Leung has made it to finals every year in CCS for swimming and been first team All-League every year at Aragon. She’s out practicing all year long and the college recruits have taken notice. She is looking to go to UC Davis, Tufts, U of Mass. or UC Santa Cruz. As of now, it looks as if Davis will be hosting Leung. She hasn’t had to stress out like the rest of her peers about college acceptance letters in the mail because she, “…was guaranteed a school in October, so [she] didn’t have to stress.” She said the process, “was really long, but it was fun at Davis…” She went to Davis where the school paid for everything while Leung looked at the potential of UC Davis. Leung had contacted UC Davis and Tufts to come and see what she was capable of; the University of Massachusetts contacted her, trying to allure her to their school.

Senior Sarah Bell is leaving Aragon High School as a first team All-League soccer player. A versatile player, she says “I can play pretty much anywhere they put me.” That shows why the colleges want her. She’s being looked at by Sonoma State and Notre Dame, “Most likely Notre Dame,” says Sarah.

Of the recruitment process, Bell said that Notre Dame came to her, scouting at a game; however, she contacted Sonoma State to come out and watch her play. Evidently her hard work has paid off, she’s got at least one of the colleges in the bag. She leaves us knowing she was, “Always doing whatever I can, knowing I did all I could, left it all on the field.”

JANICE LEUNGSwimming

JAMIE FRANKSwimming

SARAH BELLSoccer

Jamie Frank is exiting as a first team All-League Water Polo player and swimmer for Aragon. He was third team All-CCS water polo this year and All-American polo player during the summer, as well as MVP. His prospective colleges include UCLA and UC Irvine. He contacted the schools and saw an opportunity because they showed interest in his skills.

When talking to Jamie, he seemed to be glad about his accomplishments in the water stating, “It feels like all the hard work paid off.” Fellow swimmer senior Greg Dolan added, “Jamie swims so darn fast, I think he swims faster then some people run.”

Roid Rage Hits High SchoolPerformance enhancing drugs,

or more specifically, steroids, have been the hot topic of discussion in the sports world. In the past few years, a shockingly widespread use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs in professional sports has been made known to the public.

Even more shockingly, though, is the fact that steroids have now entered the realm of high school sports.

Nowadays high school athletes are driven to become bigger and stronger like never before. Steroid use among young athletes is at an all-time high. In a study conducted by the University of Michigan, researchers approximated that 4% of high school seniors use steroids. Though this number seems small, that still amounts to hundreds of thousands of teenage athletes who

By STEVEN CHANSports Staff

MELISSA YUEN

All articles by STEPHANIE CARROLL, Sports Staff

COURTESY of AP

are receiving a performance boost from drugs.

It’s easy to see why steroids are so tempting to young athletes. Steroids are easy to get, easy to use, and they provide athletes with that extra muscle mass.

Though he himself does not take steroids, junior football player Henry Lau admits, “Given the chance to excel in sports, I might be tempted to use steroids to enhance my performance.”

With the ever-increasing pressure and competition that accompanies high school sports, more young athletes are feeling pressured to perform at a higher level. The three sport athlete is disappearing in high school sports, as athletes are specializing in one sport and devoting all their attention to excel in that sport.

Athletes who are looking to play at the college level especially feel the pressure to perform well. Steroids can provide the edge that

high school athletes feel they need to excel. Senior baseball player Daniel Lagomarsino comments, “Taking steroids is dangerous, but if it meant making the major leagues, I might consider it.”

In the end, there is enough sense in the majority of high school athletes to not touch performance enhancing drugs. Many teenagers are aware of the side effects of performance enhancing drugs. While proven that steroids can stunt growth in young adults, steroids can also provide problems for the body later on in life.

Lau adds, “The side effects of steroids dramatically outweigh the benefits.”

The dangers of steroids have scared off many athletes from using them. In fact, many high school athletes believe that steroids are not that widely used among fellow athletes.

Senior swimmer Richel Galila says, “I don’t think steroids are a big part of the high school scene. I don’t really notice anything.”

In an age when the meaning of high school sports is lost among some, others do not fail to remember that it is a privilege to be playing the sport they love.

Athletes like Galila understand the important of moral decency: “I don’t take steroids because I want to uphold the integrity of the sport.”

At the conclusion of the of the 2004 Aragon Don baseball season, athletic director Steve Sell recognized that something needed to be done, and that the baseball program required a few giant changes. As Aragon was predicted to be at the top of their division due to a wide range of talented players, the results were far from it as the dons finished a mere 3 – 11 in league play. “There were high expectations for the team but we just couldn’t come together.” stated junior Brian Marblestone.

After some research and scouting, five new Aragon coaches were brought in, lead by Varsity head coach Jesse Velez. Also on the crew included assistant coaches Jason Martin and Dave Smiley.

Coach Velez had quite the reputation as he has coached at both Burlingame and Terra Nova and summer baseball programs in San Mateo. Word had it that Velez was the real deal and here to get

New Coach, New Attitude

BASEBALL COACHContinued from p. 11

KRISTIE HALAUFIABasketball

Kristie Halaufia, a 6’1” standout center who was on the Girls Varsity Basketball team all four years during her tenure here at Aragon, will be taking her skills and presence to Azusa Pacific. Halaufia was first team all league her senior year and received an honorable mention as a junior. As a senior, she was also nominated for the state team. 3 out of the 4 years, the team went to CCS championships, the exception being the 2003 season, when Halaufia sat out the season because of a torn ACL. Aside from Azusa Pacific, Halaufia was being wooed by Cal-State Bakersfield, Sonoma State, and Weber State in Utah. Halaufia decided on Azusa Pacific because they needed the height and Halaufia would get a lot of playing time. Halaufia added, “I saw some of their games, and I could really compete in their league.”

Courtesy of YEARBOOKCourtesy of SARAH BELL

Courtesy of YEARBOOK

Jose Canseco, seen here in court, admitted to taking steroids.