Beauty queens of Hercules are lining up as preparation for the second annual Miss Hercules Beauty Pageant begins.

T h e M i s s H e r c u l e s Organization set up a stand at Hercules High where anyone interested in the pageant could apply on Oct. 23. The deadline for applications was set to be Oct. 31, however, the deadline has now been pushed to Nov. 15.

According to the official Facebook page, the Miss Hercules Organization is a non-profit group whose goal is to promote health, fitness and inner beauty among young women. President and founder, Richard White, believes such young women are essential to the community.

“What we’re trying to do with Miss Hercules is to promote and create an awareness for confidence,” White said. “With all the shows on TV, we have to see something that’s good for our community that represents beauty and intelligence and culture—a role model for our community.”

T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l requirements in order to be an eligible contestant for the pageant. According to the Miss

Hercules website, candidates must be female, between 14-18 years of age, single, never married or given birth, outgoing, friendly, of good moral character and in good health. She must also be a Hercules resident and submit a recent photo of herself along with the application and a registration fee of $300.

There are currently 10 girls who have applied for the prestigious title of Miss Hercules. The contestants will be presented to the community on Dec. 8, the same night of the Hercules Community Holiday Tree Lighting. Prior to the pageant, the girls will be taken on a whirlwind of events, including visitations of local elementary schools and a photoshoot on Stinson Beach.

HHS senior and Miss H e r c u l e s c o n t e s t a n t Keiyoko Bennett is excited to participate in such a new and different experience.

“I’m looking forward to meeting other new girls and just meeting different new people,” Bennett said. “Also kind of just expanding my horizons of what sort of people are out in the world.”

The two-hour pageant is set to take place April 6 at the

historic Craneway Pavillion in Richmond. During the pageant, the girls will compete in three rounds of competition: swimsuit, evening gown and a question and answer portion. The contestant who does the best overall in the competition will be crowned the winner of the pageant. The new Miss Hercules will receive the sash, crown and a $5,000 college scholarship.

"What w e ’ r e t r y i n g t o d o

with Miss Hercules is to p romote and c r ea t e an awareness for confidence," White said. "We need to create a role model for the community."

Editor's Note: A Titan Template editor was interviewed for this article.

Future leaders of the world have now found their niche.

Junior Statesmen of America and Speech and Debate club has made its way to Hercules High School, taking home a 3-1 trophy in novice parliamentary debate at Pinole Valley High School on Nov. 17. The joint club was founded by senior and president Jobel Vecino. JSAD’s main goal is increase political awareness, while cultivating member confidence.

According to Vecino, the decision to combine the two clubs was due to the close relationship between the content discussed. Junior Statesmen of America had been a fixture at HHS for years but suffered in recent years due to dwindled membership. Vecino merged the club to

Hercules Middle/ High School

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Vol.12 No. 4

Look Stylish this winter with the fashion survival guide

featureFriday, December 1, 2012 5page

Bettina's Declassified :WINTER FASHION

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Just like khaki jeans, forest-green jeans are a fall essential that can instantly update any outfit. The color brings in a winter vibe and is perfect for this season's laidback look. The polished, military-inspired forest-green jeans work nicely with dark colors such as navy blue, black, brown, gray and any other cool color.

Oxblood colored pants in any

style can instantly help your

wardrobe stand out . The color

also compliments the classic

polka dot sweater, which gives it

a warm, cute and chic look.

The military jacket is an essential piece for a laidback look. It is safe for the relatively light jacket to be worn with layers of clothes to keep warm during harsh winter nights.

Wearing infinity scarves are the best way keep warm and look fabulous doing so.Bow flats are cute, comfortable and never tacky. It can easily be worn to holiday parties or even on a casual day.

Written By: Bettina TanDesigned By: Camille Cruz and Jeannette Tan

A pearl necklace is a timeless

piece that will never go old. It can

turn any outfit into a classic piece

instantly.

Winter Fashion Guide

see page 5

Football

see page 6

Varsity football wins first title in school history

Junior debaters resuscitate lifeless club

By Kevin Buensucesoeditor-in-chief

Alexie McMahon/TemplateSeniors Rachael Redlo and Yerie Nam discuss their argument strategy in a mock parliamentary debate, preparing for an upcoming parliamentary debate tournament.see JSAD page 7

Hercules has a new newshound in town.

The Hercules Express, a Hercules community newspaper, released its first issue Oct. 30.

6000 copies of the paper were distributed to various businesses including the Powder Keg and neighborhoods across the community and residents like HHS parent Jocelyn Pinto are glad to have a dedicated paper for the city. “I think it is great that people get to know what’s going on around Hercules,” she said.

Alyssa Morrisey, a freelance writer and former Education Editor of the Piedmont Post, is currently running the Hercules Express from her home. She wanted to provide Hercules with a local newspaper.

“I have seen their ability to really give a forum for people to discuss the issues and I noticed that Hercules just didn’t have that,” she said.

A l t h o u g h M o r r i s e y h a d one adve r t i s e r, Hercules Fitness, in the first issue, she has not collected any revenue as of late. It took $1000 to publ i sh the Hercules Express, half of which was Morrisey’s own personal investment. The rest of her funding came from personal donations.

“Up until now, for all intents and purposes, it is just an expensive hobby,” Morrisey said.

The newspaper and Morrisey will have to overcome challenges and competition in the area to be successful. She acknowledged that there will be difficulties in obtaining additional advertisers because of competition from the Contra Costa Marketplace Magazine, which features dozens of advertisements from local businesses.

However, Morrisey noted that one of her greatest challenges with the Hercules Express is to get people to take her seriously.

“When people envision newspaper editors, they kind of picture an old guy who smokes a lot of cigars, and I don’t fit that profile at all,” she said. “I’m pretty young-looking and kind of small. People get the impression that I am kind of timid and that I cannot demand the kind of attention that I need.”

Although Morrisey has a lot of work to do, she believes that the Hercules Express will truly rise out of the community’s wake.

“I hope people will respond to the Express and write for the Express and provide content and direction for it,” she said. “The more people do so, the better the newspaper will be.”

All aboard the newHercules Express

Pageant returns to stir town

By Micaela Stoneeditor-in-chief

By Mia Lai LeynesStaff writer

"Up until now, for all intents and purposes,

it is just an expensive hobby."

Alyssa Morrisey hercules

express editor

■ HHS takes home trophy in first-ever debate performance

Farewell toTwinkies andHo-Hos Hostess/Special to

Template

Editorial: for better or for worse, the death of hostess foods signifies the end of an american icon. see hostess page 2

Valeria Avila/Template

Titan TalkOther than apparel, has been the most disappointing gift you received for Christmas?

Kevin Buensuceso Micaela Stone Jobel Vecino editors-in-chiefElaine Hsieh Production ManagerLeah Defigueiredo associate editor Cherise Cenon Johnnie Tan Julian Wong Layout editorsWendy Chen Erinn Kuehne Kimberly Ny Christine Soberano department editorsDanielle Dazo Charbel Rohayem Advertising ManagersMichael Torcal Head PhotographerTamilyn Chen cartoonist Lance Cadang Terilyn Chen Carmina Fernandez Alyson Lee Mia Lai Leynes Beilul Naizghi Bettina Tan Charles Walters Eric Wang Staff WritersNatalie Wojinski Staff adviser All commentar-ies, letters and reviews reflect the personal opinions of the writer and do not necessarily rep-resent the views of the template staff. Editorials are the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is com-prised of student editors.Please contact Natalie Wojinski in room H-105.

“i got a toilet plunger for christmas.”

Murilo QueirozFreshman

“a Justin Bieber toothbrush.”

Brandon FongSophomore

“...the Princeton review of colleges 08-09 while being in the 4th grade was so disappointing that i went back to bed hoping christmas day would happen again.”Nicholas TranSophomore

“My mom gave me some coal one year for christmas.”

Lynn DonahueJunior

“PS2 when [the] PS3 came out that year.”

Devin LeeSenior

“a new toilet seat.”

Ms. BrunsTeacher

opinion Wednesday, December 5, 20122page

Kevin Buensuceso Micaela Stone Jobel Vecino editors-in-chief

Elaine Hsieh Production Manager

Loren Abrea Alexander Chow Cherise Cenon Camille Cruz Jeannette Tan Johnnie Tan Layout editors Christine Soberano associate editor

Carmina Fernandez Miranda Konoplisky Bettina Tan department editors

Barbara Cunamay Darian Wong advertising Managers

Jagdeep Toor Social Media director Valeria Avila Rachel Choi Alexie McMahon Annika Mora Annika Tan Photographers Tamilyn Chen cartoonist Chi Chung Marce Isidro Natori Marshall Marvin Plaza Mia Lai Leynes Staff Writers

Natalie Wojinski Staff adviser All commentaries, letters and reviews reflect the person-al opinions of the writer and do not necessarily repre-sent the views of the template staff. Editorials are the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is comprised of student editors.

Please contact Natalie Wojinski in room H-105.

WeDbeSDay, DeCeMber 5, 2012 | VOl. 12, NO. 4

We have focused much on receiving the shiniest toys that we forget the true meaning of the holiday season.

The Christmas tree lights, the elaborate store displays and the holiday specials are mere decoys that blind us from what the holidays are truly about: spending time with our loved ones. Sure, the notion sounds rather sappy, but it is nonetheless true.

The images which holiday catalogs and movies portray, those of families and friends together full of cheer and joy, are ones that should still be highly regarded despite their motives. Rare are times in the year where everyone has the opportunity to relax and take even one day off.

We need to capitalize on those opportunities and never take them for granted. Our loved ones are the people who want to celebrate with us. It is only fair that we actually take the time to do so.

■ Holidays are for loved ones

Miranda Konoplisky /Template

The power of pride is not to be feared

■ Hostess death evokes mortality

Despite popular belief, it seems that Twinkies do expire.

At least they do under the Hostess brand name. As people scour the shelves to snatch their final Ho Hos, Ding Dongs and loaves of Wonder Bread from grocery stores, thousands of others are bewildered at the suggestion that Hostess is the harbinger of doomsday.

The baking company has made its mark on America, regardless of whether it has actually fattened its people. From the familiar cowboy mascot to the infamous Twinkie Defense in the Harvey Milk assassination case, Hostess has sent ripples across our history.

While it is sad to see a stalwart of American culture go, it is an important reminder that all things pass -- moments, people and places.

However, endings do not define their subjects. Everything is defined, rather, by how it is used or enjoyed in its lifetime. So enjoy today, enjoy the now and seize it. For if even the Twinkie must pass on, there is too much time to be used enjoying today than on lamenting tomorrow.

It is natural for human beings to be prideful of themselves. It is bad if people take no pride in who they are or what they do.

Our conceptions of pride are wrong. Pride can have many definitions, but having pride is not always a negative emotion; it can also resemble a strong, passionate feeling.

To have pride means to have confidence. As teenagers, we are gradually becoming independent, no longer holding on to our parents’ hands. We need the confidence to be on our own and take care of ourselves. Finding pride within ourselves is a good start because having positive self-esteem will make us appreciate who we are and embrace our integrity. Whether our ethnicity, nation, athletic abil i ty or workmanship, we should have

pride in something. Sure, this all sounds conceited, but it keeps us faithful to ourselves. There is nothing wrong with valuing yourself being.

When a man is stubbornly prideful, it means that he is embarrassed. Being insulted brings people down. Pride and stubbornness help us protect our dignity to prevent losing our integrity. We fight back by standing up for ourselves. Having pride helps us find a sense of our self-worth and makes us value ourselves.

Having pride is healthy for everybody because it means that we respect ourselves. It is what makes us human because it proves that we do care about our being. There is no problem with having pride, it just means we refuse to be brought down. Having some pride is definitely better than

having none at all. We do not exactly need to be egocentric or arrogant to be prideful. I’ve learned that once a person begins to care about himself more, the narcissistic personality which can overshadow a person’s true identity. We just need to be more assured and keep a positive attitude.

We do not need to belittle anyone, but we need to find that inner confidence to be able to be proud of who we are and what we’ve become. Positive pride is an expressive emotion that can release our caged, gloomy aura out because pride defines what we are and how we carry ourselves.

Bettina Tan

Oh, Christmas, the time for holiday cheer and half-priced cider and week-old meatloaf and loafing around. It is also the holiday where men want to tickle your chin with their white beards under the mistletoe and the overly obese have the compelling urge to squeeze themselves down your chimney.

Christmas, however, is truly the man on the street asking for change, whether he is in rags or in a red outfit, clanging a bell so infuriatingly loud that people actually give him money! Are people so stupid that even a street peddler and second-hand elf can compel them to cough up even a single penny?

These pests fail to realize that I have my own needs! I need to buy my 40-inch plasma screen to watch “The Doctors” in high-definition! Do the so-called needy not have aunts to give them warm and fuzzy socks for the winter? Why do I have to do it?

Don’t get me started on their ridiculous guilt campaign,

trying to show me that people deserve blankets and food more than me. I’m sorry, but the last I remembered, ham and fruitcake are dishes you keep within the family.

Some people will think I’m as evil as the devil, but the way I see it, devils are people who try to deprive every single sliver of wealth you have.

If they want to get their dirty paws on my hard-earned money, they are going to have to take it from my cold, dead hands. Almost everyone else thinks the same thing anyway, why shouldn’t I?

I mean, what wo u l d J e s u s do? Whoever heard of one man u r g i n g o t h e rs to help the poor? That is ridiculous!

Kevin Buensuceso

opinionWednesday, December 5, 2012 3page

Picky problems

Kleenex tissues and Hello Kitty Band-Aids are the only brands she will use. Any other kinds would put a frown on her face.

As humans, we only want what is supposedly the best for us -- meaning what makes us happy. Therefore, we carefully choose our desired objects even if it means paying a little more money or spending more time waiting for it.

Even as babies, we put everything in our mouths, yet only eat what is appealing to our taste buds. We turn our heads away and keep the tunnel shut, rejecting the terribly unfamiliar train of peas from entering.

But are we wise for being “selective” choosers looking too into our options or just being overly picky?

Like ordering a hamburger without the pickles, onions, cheese and tomatoes, choosing what we like in life is not as easy as ordering from a fast food restaurant. Or liking a post on Facebook, for that matter.

Of course the ability to choose among our options gives us a sense of control. We tend to pick what we are more comfortable with and used to, except these luxuries are not always available to us.

There is nothing wrong with picking the materials we can control, but when it starts to rule our lives, then that becomes a problem.

In the romantic comedy film, Think Like a Man, four women along with four men all wished for the perfect significant other. Once they found a flaw, the relationships became rocky as they focused too much on the physical aspects enough to blind them from the emotional connections they built with each other.

If we do not know how to pronounce it, we will not order it. Knowing what we want compared to randomly choosing our fate without any control leads to no disappointments in the end.

Instead of hoping for something to be good, we already know the outcome without any surprises. No one should ever foolishly endure the harsh back-to back scenes of “expectation versus reality” like Tom Hansen from the film “500 Days of Summer” did. Believing he still had a chance with Summer only to find out he was invited to her engagement party to another man is heart-wrenching.

There is a reason why we act the way we do. Whether it was a bad experience from the past or stories we hear from other people, it all scares us into that comfort zone which we never want to leave, however life does not work that way.

Eventually we have to deal with the harsh realities of life and learn to live with imperfections.

Life truly is a box of chocolates; if one does not like the flavor, simply spit it out and continue to try another piece.

Corrupt feminism plagues Tumblr

Due to the lack of feminists in my life, I, like any modern American, turned to the all-knowing Google to learn about women’s fights for political and social equality. While the search engine led me to amazing places such as Amnesty International’s website and Rookie, an online feminist magazine, it also brought to my attention the epidemic of faux-feminism that is coursing through Tumblr.

When I first browsed feminism-related posts on the popular social networking site, I did not find anything of true interest: a famous quote from an activist here and a badly-worded rant there. I was just about to end my search when I came upon a photo of a young man holding a sign that read, “It’s just as hard to be a Ken as it is to be a Barbie.” And I completely agree, the pressures of society are not exerted

solely on women. However, many Tumblr users think otherwise.

Scrolling down, I saw comments saying that as a white male, he had no right to complain and that women will always have it worse than men. Even when others who backed up his claim would try to reason with the masses, they were quickly shut out and disregarded entirely.

It is painfully clear to me that these girls a r e n o t f e m i n i s t s , but bullies who are attempting to hide their hate under the excuse of “girl power.” Feminism was born out of inequality, out of others constantly telling women that their political and social issues were unfounded. Claiming that this man shouldn’t complain about his social problems because he has certain privileges as a white male seems disturbingly similar to what women were told in the 1960s, when they said they were tired of just cleaning their houses and making

dinner for their husbands and kids.I do understand that women have

and still do face more adversity than the average white

male, but it does not make that man’s

f e e l i n g s a n d experiences any less valid. It doesn’t matter i f someone is a man or a w o m a n ,

Cathol ic or Jewish, Korean

or Irish or gay or straight, society

has a stereotype for everyone, and

therefore, has a problem for everyone.

Putting one group’s issues above another’s minimizes the already slim chance of ever breaking the social

and political barriers we have in place today.

Miranda KonoplisKy

Tamliyn Chen/Template

Understanding the holidays

Written by Carmina Fernandez

feature4page Wednesday, December 5, 2012

By Carmina Fernandez and Bettina TanoPinion editor and artS editor

Water polo players can now receive an early kick start to their season.

The Contra Costa College Summer 2012 Aquatic Program offers students the opportunity to participate in Winter Polo at CCC. Water polo players attending Hercules, Pinole Valley and Middle College High School are currently in the program and it is also welcome to students in different schools.

Winter Polo practices began Oct. 30 and is held two days a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:45 pm. Students who are interested in the program are welcome to join. The registration fee of the program ranges from $20-$35. Practices are lead by

CCC water polo coaches Ryan Choy Arioly and Jim Ulvoersoy.

According to Ulvoersoy, the program was created 15 years ago for high school water polo players to improve their skills, stay in shape and work on waterpolo fundamentals.

“It takes a long time to learn how to play the game,” Ulvoersoy said, referring to techniques. “It takes practice and working on these little things to make you a better player.”

Water polo players who participate in the program can join the upcoming winter league tournaments, which will be announced soon. They must enroll for a membership online on the USA Water Polo website so they can play in the three tournaments in December and January.

Ulvoersoy encourages more interested high schoolers to come and participate in the program. He is

excited to coach and see his players improve. He also stated that it is interesting to watch players take more chances.

“It’s good to see people take different shots instead of old standstill shots,” Ulvoersoy said.

HHS senior Krista Reiser has joined winter polo to prepare for another team which she will join in this summer as well as train with different coaches.

“I enjoy it because we get to bond with our ‘rival team’, spend countless hours scrimmaging and learn something new every practice,” Reiser said. “They can mold any willing person into a great player.”

The last session for the winter season is Dec. 13. However, practices will resume around Jan. 15 or 22. The program will end on Jan. 31 due to the high school swim season.

Steven Topoozian unexpectedly resigned from his position as an English teacher at Hercules High School Oct. 9.

While the first year of almost any profession is often the most difficult, some teachers believe that Topoozian faced much more adversity than most first-year teachers do, as he was given a total of four prep classes, including Read 180, a directed remedial reading class.

“His workload was beyond normal even for an experienced teacher and Read 180 required training that even experienced teachers are required to have and he was never given any training for that either,” English teacher Igor

Litvin said.Assistant Principal Ken Hickok said

Topoozian told members of the HHS English department and administration that he was having troubles managing his classes and getting proper resources in early September. Administrators and department teachers first responded by giving him various pieces of technology, resource books, lesson plans, study guides and advice.

As the situation did not resolve itself, larger changes were made. Litvin volunteered to take in some of Topoozian’s s tudents and Engl ish teacher Jolyn Subramanian let Topoozian give one of his

classes to her, cutting his prep classes down from four to three.

These efforts proved not to be enough to keep Topoozian from leaving HHS. Hickok says more could have been done to help Topoozian, but he does not think that the HHS administration nor the English department is entirely to blame.

“It’s always difficult working as a new teacher; you’re going to run across those problems that you won’t know how to solve or fix. I mean, the attempt is always centered on getting

that teacher the experience they need, ” Hickok said. “Support is always necessary, but you can’t expect someone to do your job for you.”

Topoozian’s former students, however, claim that the problem did not result from his workload, but, rather, from his lack of teaching skills.

“He didn’t know how to control his students,” HHS sophomore Chyna Keys said. “He wouldn’t give out good assignments, a lot of people were like tossing desks around, being loud, cussing him out, throwing stuff at him and he didn’t really say anything.”

Toopozian is not the only one to leave his job as a teacher early on. According to ED Gov, 1/3 of new teachers leave the field after 3 years and almost 1/2 of them leave after 5 years.

The classes that Topoozian formerly taught are currently being supervised by HHS coach and substitute teacher Kyle Whitmore. Administration is still interviewing English teachers to fill Topoozian’s place.

Topoozian could not be reached for comment.

"It's always difficult working as a new teacher; you're going to run across those problems that you

won't know how to solve or fix"

Ken HickokhhS Vice Principal

English teacher resigns, leaves gap

College hosts water polo

Sophomore Katelyn Spilman has been uploading videos onto her YouTube channel for years. Singing is a talent that Spilman has been dedicated to. Her voice has been shared with our school though her experience in chamber choir and the musical “Sweet Charity,” during her freshman year.

She began her YouTube career as something to do in her spare time. She likes to work alone when recording because, according to her, it is awkward when there are more people involved. Spilman also posts her videos onto her tumblr account, getting attention from her followers for her voice.

“It’s a lot of work to make new videos” Spilman said.

Find her videos at youtube.com/katspil.

The Herc-Factor

Senior Rebekah Yambao has had her YouTube account for about a year. Many Hercules High School students may be familiar with Yambao’s voice, which has been featured in chamber choir since 2010. Yambao and her voice continue to thrive in chamber choir as well as A Cappella this year.

“I'm not exactly sure if I’m planning to get anywhere big with my video covers but definitely, I am making them for fun”, Yambao said when asked if she wants her videos to have a long term effect.

Even though Yambao has had a lot of experience performing, she admits that she often gets a little awkward and laughs a lot when singing around just a friend.

View her videos at youtube.com/rebekaahruth.

Rebekah YambaoKatelyn Spilman

By Tamilyn Chen and Miranda KonopliskycartooniSt and artS editor

HELP JOURNALISM AND YEARBOOK SURVIVE!!!TEXT 9645pbf to 95428 One vote allowed per day, please vote everyday!

Written by Natori Marshall

featureWednesday, December 5, 2012 5page

Bettina's Declassified :WINTER FASHION

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Just like khaki jeans, forest-green jeans are a fall essential that can instantly update any outfit. The color brings in a winter vibe and is perfect for this season's laidback look. The polished, military-inspired forest-green jeans work nicely with dark colors such as navy blue, black, brown, gray and any other cool color.

Oxblood colored pants in any

style can instantly help your

wardrobe stand out . The color

also compliments the classic

polka dot sweater, which gives it

a warm, cute and chic look.

The military jacket is an essential piece for a laidback look. It is safe for the relatively light jacket to be worn with layers of clothes to keep warm during harsh winter nights.

Wearing infinity scarves are the best way keep warm and look fabulous doing so.Bow flats are cute, comfortable and never tacky. It can easily be worn to holiday parties or even on a casual day.

Written By: Bettina TanDesigned By: Camille Cruz and Jeannette Tan

A pearl necklace is a timeless

piece that will never go old. It can

turn any outfit into a classic piece

instantly.

■ Boys Soccervs. El Cerrito12/07/2012 at El Cerrito High School

■ Boys Soccervs. Pinole Valley12/18/2013 at Hercules High School

■ Girls Basketballvs. John Swett 01/09/2013 at John Swett High School

■ Girls Soccervs. Kennedy01/10/2013 at Hercules High School

■ Girls Basketballvs. Richmond 01/14/2013 at Richmond High School

■ Girls Basketballvs. De Anza 01/16/2013 at Hercules High School

■ Girls Soccervs. De Anza 01/22/2013 at De Anza High School

The Titans ended a historic football season on a seven-game winning streak, which qualified them for playoffs against Marin Catholic HS on Nov. 10.

vvThe Titans could not pull out the victory against Marin Catholic Wildcats, dropping the game 38-7. Marin Catholic, a No. 2 seed, held the Titans to only one touchdown and many punts.

Coach Gerald Montgomery, who ran the offensive team in past seasons, retired his role to his son, Geo Montgomery, in order to manage the team more effectively and watch player’s individual performances.

“[We had] great coaching and the kids bit into the program,” coach Gerald Montgomery said.

Starting the season off, players were put in positions that did not suit them well, which resulted in two early losses. As the season progressed, player roles were changed and players like Joseph Vasquez (10) were bumped from JV to varsity.

“Our defense stepped up, and our offense got better every week,” Vasquez said.

The players put in time and effort in improving their play as well. The players started their football conditioning during the summer, attending weightlifting and conditioning practices for four hours each day. During the season, Titans attended film study and study hall where students can do their homework for two hours, and practiced for another two hours.

The Titans lost their first two games against the Acalanes Dons and the Mission Bears in August. After the two losses, Hercules took

games against Albany, San Lorenzo, Richmond and Piner. Titans dominated in their victories against John Swett, 41-0 and De Anza 56-0, holding the opposing team scoreless. The Titans’ multiple defensive sacks played a big part in their win against John Swett. In their game against De Anza, the Titans’ offense and defense were in sync. Titans forced many sacks and fumbles, which lead to their 8 touchdowns.

They finished their season defeating Kennedy, 34-14, giving them a seven game winning streak, going into playoffs against

Marin Catholic HS on Nov.10th.Titans brought home the first championship

football banner for HHS, TCAL Stone Division III, for Hercules High.

“We worked hard during the summer. [We] lifted weights and came as a team. It took us to lose our first two games to figure out that we had to play harder,” wide receiver Antuwuin Prowers (11) said.

After the success the Titans had this season, expectations are high for next season. In preparation for next season, the coaches are

By Chi Chung Staff writer

Photographer/TemplateCaption's bolded important part and then transitions on into a non bolded standard text part of the caption. the picture is there, but we just set the transparency to 100%

sports6page

Varsity football team achieves first titleWinterGames

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

■ Varsity makes playoffs second

newsWednesday, December 5, 2012 7page

NewslineCrab Feed■ The East Bay Silver Dolphins and Piranhas swim teams are hosting a fundraising Crab Feed on Jan. 19 at the Hercules Community Center. Proceeds will go towards maintenance for the Hercules Community Swim Center, which includes cleaning the pool and purchasing new materials. "It is expensive to run an aquatic center and we need new equipment," Dolphins swim team coach Chelsea Colliver said. Several parents are volunteering to cook the seafood, which will be accompanied by appetizers and drinks. Team members will serve the guests at the event. The tickets will cost between $40 and $45 with group rates available, and they will be sold at the Hercules Community Center main office.

revitalize JSA as well as establish a platform for students to polish their public speaking skills.

“I started JSAD because I think that there are students who could really benefit from students who are into politics and help them learn to speak publicly confidently,” Vecino said. “There are a lot of talented students who are very timid. I’m hoping the team will encourage more students to participate and become confident.”

Meetings are held are held in HHS history teacher John Franz’s classroom during combined Wednesday lunch and in HHS history teacher Philip McAdams’s class after school on Fridays.

Members practice their public speaking skills, have debate-watching parties and partake in tournaments and conventions.

For the first time in HHS history, the team participated in a California H i g h S c h o o l S p e e c h

Assoc ia t ion- sponsored debate tournament. The rest of the team came home with 2-2, 1-3 and 0-4 records. Members competed in a two-person debate team, where they were asked to debate on social and economic issues. The individual winning debate team consisted of seniors Yerie Nam, vice president Rachael Redlo and Vecino. Because they won their debate, the team qualifies to compete at the junior varsity level, which is the next level up.

“It was nerve-wracking, but fun,” Redlo said. “I am going to junior varsity debate at the next tournament.”

According to Vecino, all students are welcome to join. and there is no limit to the team's size. He believes that this will provide students with more opportunities to learn public speaking.

“Kids at this school have so much talent, our students’ potential is untapped,” Vecino said. “With any luck, this club will help teach students to become confident enough to start doing things’ for the school and the community.”

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section Day, Month XX, 20XX#page arts and tech Wednesday, December 5, 20128page

As Christmas draws near, the Hercules High School music department prepares to bring the spirit of the holidays to the annual Winter Concert. This year, however, there will be more than one.

This winter, HHS Band and Orchestra will not be performing together. Band and A Cappella will host their concert in the Hercules Middle School multipurpose room on Dec. 11 while orchestra will be performing at the El Cerrito High School theater for the first time on Dec. 10.

HHS Orchestra teacher Sharon Calonico hopes this will open new opportunities for students.

“We’re just accommodating the number of students we have in our department and looking for performance opportunities and venues where we can give our students

experiences in performing in a real musical setting,” Calonico said. “I’m real excited about the December performance. It’s going to be tough. They’re gonna have to commute there, but i think they can do it.”

E C H S Director of Bands Keith Johnson is a l l o w i n g t h e H H S O r c h e s t r a students use t h e E C H S theater for the Winter C o n c e r t . A c c o r d i n g to Calonico, t h e W e s t Contra Costa School District Superintendent Bruce Harter requested that no school music groups in the district perform on Dec. 12 because of a school board meeting occurring that Wednesday. Due to Harter’s request, the Winter Concert

has been pulled back to a Monday.

Orchestra students are also looking forward to performing at the ECHS auditorium.

“I think it ’s different because we usually perform on

Wednesday,” s e n i o r cello player J a c q u e l i n e Liu said. “I’m exc i t ed to perform in a different auditorium that enhances h o w o u r instruments sound.”

H H S Band and A

Capella teacher Jeff Berrington also has concerns about the increase in band students.

According to Berrington, there were approximately 35 band members in previous years and now there are over 50 students. Berrington

b e l i e v e s s p l i t t i n g t h e performances will benefit both groups.

“[The music program] has gotten so big that if we put on a program together, it takes two-and-a-half hours,” Berrington said. “We don’t want people to come to the evening here for two-and-a-half-hours.”

Liu, who has been part of the HHS Orchestra for seven years, believes that the increase in music students calls for two separate performances. “I don’t think we would benefit much from combined performances,” she said. “It just makes it really, really crowded. I like that we will be performing separately.”

Calonico and Berrington will be holding future events in the Hercules Middle School cafeteria on separate dates from now on, but performance venues are subject to change depending on opportunities offered to them.

By Christine SoberanoaSSociate editor

Abridged Shakespeare is brilliant

“All the world’s a stage.” And so begins the ridiculously hilarious and vulgar mashup of Shakespeare’s greatest (and not so great) hits in the Hercules High School theater production of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).”

The play was performed at the HHS theater on Nov. 1, 2, 8 and 9. Rest assured, “Complete Works” is not your normal long-winded Elizabethan dreariness. Even those who are the most bored by the Bard would enjoy this show.

“Complete Works” is a parody, and a very good one at that. Even though the wit wasn’t quite the level of Shakespeare’s humor, it is still very good. From Marwin Fernandez’s wild gesticulations as Brutus to a performance of “Oppan Gangam Style,” “Complete Works” is written for the casual theatergoer. There is even something for the well-versed -- a Stuart dynasty joke was inserted at the end of the historical play football sequence. Vulgarity is also present, as the play pokes at Shakespeare’s depravity. For example, actress Ashlyn Smith (in character) points out that every Shakespearean comedy involves sexually-charged pubescent girls.

Some of the humor did become contrived -- a running gag involving the female characters of the play vomiting in the front row was used once or twice too much. Nonetheless, the humor itself is not overdone or forced -- which makes this comedy brilliant.

When they say “all the world’s a stage,” they truly mean it. One of the most interesting aspects of this play is its use of audience interaction. During the second act, the audience is brought in to represent the psyche of Hamlet’s Ophelia during her scream scene, with members

of the audience instructed to raise their arms, or asked to chant during the scene, illustrating Ophelia’s nymphomania. It was a load of fun.

The acting was also on point. The case did not over or underact, as they are allowed to play themselves, to a degree. This blurring of the fourth wall makes it tough to tell when it is and is not broken -- the mix of audience interaction and planned movements truly makes one

wonder what is part of the show and what is not.

“Complete Works” is a big, fun romp. With strong acting and sharp wit the HHS theatre has hit a home run. True, it will not provide an entirely accurate representation of Shakespeare. However, by the end of the night, everyone goes home wanting to watch more Shakespeare, which shows more success than most high school English classes.

By Jobel Vecinoeditor-in-chief

Rachel Choi/TemplateHHS junior Randell Ricasata and senior Ronneisha Ford Spears exchange looks of despair during an abridged performance of romeo and Juliet.

One of my favorite apps to use is the Metrolyrics app. The app is basically the whole website with some extra features.

One feature that is included is a song recognition system which identifies the songs you are listening to. It is useful for people who do not know the name of a specific song. Everyone has had the experience of not knowing the songs name before and it is frustrating.

Another feature is the ability to sync a song that you are listening to with the app so that you can look at the lyrics while listening to the song. It searches up the song through its archives.

There is also a menu that lets you see photos of the artists, their biographies and any news that involves them.

My only complaint is that there are times that the app will crash automatically when you open it. It happens from time-to-time, but it will not affect your experience with this app.

This app is smooth, fast and dependable.

“I’m real excited about the December perfor-mance. It’s going to be tough. They’re going to have to commute there,

but I think they can do it.”

Sharon Calonico hhS orchestra teacher

Flow is an addictive puzzle game for iOS and Android devices where you have to connect matching colors with a pipe to create a flow. Simple, right? Not really, since you have to pair all colors and fill up the entire board. But be careful. Overlap or cross any pipes and they will break.

For most levels, filling up the board is not an issue, but every once in awhile, you will encounter a level where it is possible to create all the pipes without using the entire board which is sometimes annoying.

Flow comes with five different board sizes for the iPhone and tablets such as the iPad. Each board size includes 30 levels, which means that Flow comes with a total of 300 levels for free.

There are two game modes: free play and time trial. In free play, the goal is to complete each level in as few moves as possible. In time trial, the goal is to pass as many levels as possible in 30 seconds, one minute, two minutes or four minutes. Free play mode is for people who just want a casual. Now the time trial is for people who are fast on their feet which is what I play most of the time.

Concerts divide and conquerFlowing away

Metro is "in"Written by Marvin Plaza