Spring Renaissance Rally celebrates good attitudes, academic

Volume 96, No. 5
April 30, 2009
Taft Union High School, 701 7th St., Taft, Calif. 93268
Spring Renaissance Rally
celebrates good attitudes,
academic achievement
By Will Palmer
Editor-in-Chief
Prom King Tylor Brannon and Prom Queen Briana Lemmons enjoy their moment in the spotlight, capping
off A Night in New York. Photos by Rebekah Horton
Brannon and Lemmons crowned, as Prom
takes students out for A Night in New York
By Rebekah Horton
Staff Writer
This year’s prom theme was “A
Night in New York,” and it was
exactly what most students had in
mind when they thought about New
York. The atmosphere was romantic but still fun at the same time. It
was held on March 28 in the Mullen
Gym, unlike last year’s prom, which
was held in the H2O building.
“Prom was fun,” said senior Scott
Harris. “The balloons falling from
the ceiling, the countdown to show
how much longer we had to dance,
everything was great.”
Everything was lit up, from black
lights against neon buildings to red
ribbon strung around the dance
floor and even the pathway leading
into the dancing and dining area.
“We started working on decorating right after work on the 24th,”
explained Jana Durkan, counselor
and junior class advisor. “We didn’t
finish until three on the afternoon of
the dance.”
Pictures started at 5 p.m. even
though the dance didn’t start until 8.
Gary Morris began taking pictures
three hours before the dance so students could have their pictures taken and then go out to dinner before
the prom.
At one point during the evening students formed a circle in the
middle of the dance floor and had
a small dance-off. Several students
performed break dancing and other
styles of dancing.
“The DJ was very exuberant and
jubilant,” said senior Hannah Bozarth. “The music was good, too.”
With about an hour left in the
prom, the king and queen were
crowned. The Prom Court comprised Briana Lemmons, Jessica
Martin, Monica Manuz, Christina
Cloud, Kalyn Valentine, Tyler Garrison, Tylor Brannon, Matt Davis,
Austin Kindred and Brad Howard.
Briana Lemmons was crowned
Prom Queen and Tylor Brannon was
crowned Prom King.
The dance ended at midnight.
While some students had already
left, tired from the long day, some
were groaning that their once-ina-lifetime evening had ended too
soon.
WASC accreditation team to visit next year,
determine quality of education at Taft High
By Monica Solis
News Editor
The Western Association of
Schools and Colleges, also known
as WASC, is one of the regional accrediting associations in the United
States. Next March, Taft High will
be going through the accreditation
process.
Accreditation is a voluntary process a school undergoes in order to
obtain an objective assessment as to
whether it is providing high-quality
learning opportunities for all students. Schools must also be able to
clearly demonstrate continual selfimprovement.
It is important for schools to get
accredited because it entitles them
to make certain claims. For example,
if a school is not accredited, students
cannot attend a four-year university.
WASC Co-Chairs Debra Popejoy
and Wendy Berry have the difficult
task of putting together a five-chapter report to present to the WASC
representatives next March.
Scholar of the
Year and
Teacher of the
Year profiles,
page 2
They will spend a year collecting
data reports from all staff and faculty. The final WASC report will consist of proof of what the school does
for students. The evidence ranges
from teacher lesson plans, to how
well a student is reading, to counselor reports and even examples of
student work.
The “inspectors” examine the evidence to get a better idea of what’s
going on at TUHS. Teachers, school
administrators and staff members
at Taft High work together, so they
don’t have to worry about being unprepared when it comes time to the
inspection.
“We’re Taft High, and we’re always ready,” said Popejoy.
Along with the preparations,
teachers had an in-service day on
March 16. A number of groups and
subgroups were created and assigned to complete certain tasks.
The “Home Groups” were assigned specific content and a support area on campus. They will
write a report that specifies exactly
how the school provides support for
students.
The Focus Group is composed of
a variety of people from different areas. Their job was to address and research specific WASC criteria questions. There are also parent groups
and student groups.
Focus and Home Groups will
continue to meet. The group leaders will compile the information and
send it to the co-chairs by October.
WASC visits take place when
the accreditation is about to expire.
Schools can be accredited for up to
six years. TUHS received a six-year
accreditation in 2004. WASC inspectors make a quick visit halfway
through the accreditation period;
the last time they visited Taft High
was in 2007.
“I’m very confident that we can
get a six year accreditation; that’s
our goal,” said Popejoy.
Inspectors will spend four days
visiting TUHS. They will work out
of the former superintendent’s ofContinued on Page 3
Spring Fling Week
and Mock Rock
photo essays,
Pages 4-5
The next activity was called “Giant Bowling,” in which participants
had to roll a large inflatable ball at
The Renaissance rally on April four standing cardboard boxes (the
1 was held to honor students with pins). After a close 10-9 game, the
good attitudes and those with excel- Velociraptor team won.
lent academic performance during
Afterwards, the three students
the fall semester.
who improved the most on the STAR
The rally started out with a moti- test were awarded Ipod Nanos. Juvational activity, which encouraged nior Chase Comfort, raised his score
students to create a “Human Drum- by 42 points. Sophomore Daniel
line.” On side of the gym students Watts increased his score by 74 points,
used their feet as a bass drum, while and Jerry “the Bull” Bailey raised
the other side
his score the
used their
most with
hands as
83 points.
a
type
T h e
of
snare
“motidrum. The
vational
entire gym
speaker,”
played
Matt Foa simple
ley, came
beat before
and spoke
the rally
to the stum o v e d
dents with
on to a rehis tradeward rafmark hufle for stumor and
dents who
oddball
earned
behavior.
H o n o r
“Matt FoRoll 2nd
ley” was
quarter.
in
fact
T h e
Special Ed
B r o a d
teacher
Horizons
Brad Van
club anRoekel
nounced
doing
a
that they
spoof of
would use Ben Savaii tries his hand at caveman bowling the poputhe money during the rally. Photo courtesy of Jim Carnal
lar
SNL
they had
character
earned
originally
from selling club T-shirts to the played by Chris Farley. He congratShaye Fields Memorial Scholarship.. ulated the students on their high
An emotional Kim Fields accepted STAR scores, then encouraged them
the donation and a plaque, thanking to keep up the good work.
the club and the school. He departed
The third game was then anwith these meaningful words: “just nounced; a simple match of Tug o’
remember, when you leave here, War. The teams gathered together
make sure you wear your seatbelt.” and gave it their all, and in the end
The first game was then an- the Velociraptor team emerged the
nounced; three team members from victor.
each team (the Tyrannosaur team
In the end, the Student of the
and the Velociraptor team) of the Year was Senior Jessica Martin.
gym would compete in a relay race. The Teacher of the year was SpanIn the end, it was the Tyrannosaur ish and AVID teacher Mike Cowside that won the game, and was an, who gave a heartfelt speech on
promptly awarded a trove of can- how amazing Taft High is and how
dy and old, left-over Renaissance thankful he is to teach here.
shirts.
The rally ended with the destrucThe Top Cats (students who tion of a large dinosaur by Taft
earned a 4.0 or above in GPA) were High’s very own cavemen: Ryan
then called to the stage, where they Taylor, Jordan Vermillion, Andrew
were each given a dinosaur toy and Smith and Cody Shireffs.
a paper-mache rock.
The Top Cats, students with a GPA of 4.0 or higher, take the stage to
the applause of students, staff and faculty. Photo by Miranda Landreth
Complete spring
sports coverage,
Pages 6-7
News & Opinion
Page 2
Cowan chosen by students
as 2009 Teacher of Year
Editorial
Time for teens
to say “enough”
to inappropriate
ads, TV spots
Have you seen any particularly
racy commercials on television lately? Seen any suggestive advertisements in any magazines? Racy ads
seem to be popping up everywhere,
and according to statistics, teenagers are the reason why.
In 2006, American teenagers
spent about $179 billion, so they are
considered a prime target for advertising. Several examples aimed
directly at teenagers include Clearasil’s “May Cause Confidence” campaign, Burger King’s “Square Butts”
Spongebob commercials and the infamous “GoDaddy Girls.”
Clearasil’s commercials are attempts to show “confident” teens,
when in reality all they are showing
are teens ready for sex. The GoDaddy Girls stoop even lower; they are
simply rudimentary shock commercials made to get cheap and easy attention for their website.
The Burger King ad is probably
the most surprising of all; it uses sex
to market a children’s meal. Considering Burger King’s history of racy
ads ,though, this behavior is hardly
surprising.
But does our age group’s market value necessarily mean that
these commercials should automatically be sexed up? It doesn’t, if we
wouldn’t respond to it.
How can we stop this trend of
racy, inappropriate ads? We must
realize the reason companies often
use these ads; they are either experimenting or desperate.
In both cases, we should respond
negatively by not supporting the
product or viewing the material being advertised. Only then will advertisers learn that racy ads should
not be targeted at the teen audience,
since such actions will not work.
The Gusher
Taft Union High School
701 7th Street, Taft, CA 93268
(661) 763-2300 Adviser: Bill Wolfe
Editors-in-Chief: Sadie Burton & Will Palmer; News Editor: Monica Solis; Features
Editors: Krystle Holder &
Cristina Loza; Staff Writers:
Trisha Adams, Silvia Gervacio, Rebekah Horton, Miranda Landreth, Daniel Loza,
Nicolas Ramirez, Rod Sanchez; Adviser: Bill Wolfe
April 30, 2009
By Trisha Adams
Staff Writer
Senior Jessica Martin basks in the glow of her award at the Renaissance Rally, which was hosted by Greg Goossen (right). Martin is
headed to UC Santa Cruz next year. Photo by Miranda Landreth
Jessica Martin named 2009
Renaissance Scholar of Year
By Travis Morrow
Staff Writer
Senior Jessica Martin was awarded Scholar of the Year at the Renaissance Rally on April 1 for which she
received gifts from Jostens and Greg
Goossen and the Renaissance crew.
“I was excited and stunned when
I heard my name called for Scholar
of the Year,” Martin said.
“I started working for Valedictorian for the past couple of years, and
I would like to thank Mr. Kopp and
Mrs. Popejoy for helping me along
the way,” she added. Martin will be
the Valedictorian of the Senior Class
with her 4.4 GPA.
“Jessica always goes above and
beyond what you ask her to do, and
she never needs reminders because
she is always ahead of everyone
else,” said Debra Popejoy, Martin’s AVID teacher for the past four
years.
Martin will be attending UC
Santa Cruz next year because it offers a strong pre-med program with
medical internships. She was also
accepted to UC Davis and Pepperdine. She wants to study medicine
and become a pediatrician.
“I have every confidence that she
will complete her education and become one of the most well-rounded,
productive citizens in Taft High history,” said Popejoy.
Martin received a $1000 scholarship from Jostens, a $50 K-mart gift
card and an iPod Touch form the Renaissance class.
Her favorite teachers are John
Kopp and Mrs. Popejoy, and her favorite subject is science.
Martin explained, “AVID and
Mrs. Popejoy taught me techniques
that helped me buckle down and
keep my eyes on the prize.”
“AVID provided a concrete, direct pathway to a four-year university,” explained Popejoy.
Popejoy added, “Everything is
special about her because she is one
of the most well-rounded students
I’ve ever met and she is always nice
to you no matter who you are. She
has achieved the perfect balance of
work and play, and she knows how
to treat people.”
Martin will no doubt continue to
be successful in college. She is a gifted student with many friends who
encourage and support her.
Survey: What makes a good teacher?
By Monica Solis
News Editor
“A good teacher listens to your questions, is patient, kind and not boring
or stringent.”
-- Cindy Palacios, junior
“Someone who doesn’t get you in
trouble for a dumb reason.”
-- Alberto Uribe, junior
“They have to know what they’re
teaching and be able to explain
things in an easier way to understand.” -- Mayra Aguilar, junior
“A good teacher needs to be able to
break things down for kids. They
have to make learning fun.”
-- Shari Norman, math teacher
“They have to have a good relationship with their students, be energetic and show their inner child.”
-- Tylan Hoffman, junior
“Someone like Mrs. Schoneweis.
She’s understands us, she’s comprehensive, caring, nice and has a great
attitude.” -- Berenise Flores, junior
Spanish and AVID
teacher Mike Cowan
was named Renaissance Teacher of the
Year at the April 1 Renaissance Rally, having received an overwhelming number of
student votes.
“I truly love Taft
Union High School and
I want to make it the
best place for students
and teachers because
it’s where I want to
work for the rest of my
career,” said Cowan.
“I was very honored
to have won by a lot
of votes because that
means I must be doing
my job correctly.”
Cowan’s job means
a lot to him, and he Spanish and AVID teacher Mike Cowan was
takes great pride in honored as Teacher of the Year at the recent
what he does and how Renaissance Rally. Photo by Miranda Landreth
he teaches.
“Being Teacher of
the Year is important to me. It’s a
One of the highlights of being
great honor to know that my stu- chosen Teacher of the Year occurs
dents enjoy my classes,” explained when the winner’s spouse and famCowan.
ily members join him or her at center
“I always hoped I would win and stage, providing another moment of
every year they would give clues on surprise.
who it was and I would get very
“Being surprised in front of my
excited because I always thought it family in front of the entire school
was me, but it always wasn’t me. was the best part about being TeachBut I desired it,” explained Cowan.
er of the Year,” said Cowan.
Cowan knows he is having a
“My mother and father-in-law
positive impact on his students, and were so proud of me. My wife was
that makes him thrive and long to especially proud of me too,” he notinspire present and future students. ed.
“When students come back to
What’s the key to his success
visit after college and tell me how with students?
easy [college] Spanish classes were
“I love being a Spanish and AVID
and how glad they were to go to teacher. I try to make what I teach
college, that makes teaching worth- interesting and fun. I like to use huwhile,” said Cowan.
mor whenever I can,” Cowan said.
Still, Cowan didn’t expect to win
Students who enroll in one of
this award.
Cowan’s classes for the first time
“I was surprised because so many will soon discover for themselves
great teachers are out there. It could just what makes him such a standhave been any of us,” said Cowan.
out teacher.
Improved STAR testers enjoy day
off from school at Magic Mountain
By Will Palmer
Editor-in-Chief
Students who improved their
2008 STAR test scores spent March
30 on a special trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain. The trip overseen by
Principal Mark Richardson.
Students were ecstatic about the
trip.
“It was a long trip over, but we
were able to ride basically anything
we wanted to,” said junior Joshua
Mastrovito. “There was almost no
wait for any ride. It was the best day
of my life.”
“It was a lot of fun,” added junior
Justin Uribe. “I really enjoyed it.”
Students who improved their
STAR test scores by at least one
point in every subject were eligible
to participate. The trip was held on
March 30 to inspire students two to
three weeks before 2009 testing.
It also served as a reminder to
those who didn’t go that if they tried
harder and improved this year, they
would be eligible for next year’s
trip. The trip was promised last
year, but eventually was postponed
due to Magic Mountain’s schedule.
Students were glad that the event finally took place.
“We had a great time,” said Principal Mark Richardson. “We had
planned on taking students to Magic Mountain last fall, but we moved
the trip to March 30. We moved it because park hours are cut in the fall.
Magic Mountain is open seasonally
now. We had to reschedule.”
Another trip to Six Flags is
planned next year for students who
improve on the 2009 STAR test.
“They have to be patient and willing
to help students.”
-- Stephanie Arellano, freshman
“Having personality makes a teacher great.” -- Conor Nakashima,
sophomore
“Being a cool teacher and knowing
the subject they’re teaching.”
-- Jose Prieto, freshman
Features
April30, 2009
Page 3
Transportation Department keeps
Taft High students on the road
By Cristina Loza & Daniel Loza
Features Editor & Staff Writer
Librarian Gayle Lamb (left) and IT supervisor Stacy Meadows enjoy
some quiet time to work on scrapbooking during Craft Night. Photo by
Rebekah Horton
Craft Night gives staff chance
to become more close-knit
By Rebekah Horton
Staff Writer
Craft Night, a three-hour gathering in which teachers can bring their
hobbies and crafts and talk about
their lives outside of school, is held
once a month in the library.
“It’s been going on for about a
year,” said librarian Gayle Lamb.
“And seven to ten is a big group
for us,” said Lamb, while others
agreed.
“The first time I went, I was just
visiting,” said Janet Miller, IT Specialist. “Then they told me I could
just yack and drink tea while I got
comfortable.”
The group talks about everything
from “our crafts, different books,
movies, recipes, even our families,”
said math teacher Joy Reynolds.
“We do everything in this group,”
said web coordinator Denise Stockton. “I made my daughter a sweater,
but I didn’t like it so now I’m making it into a poncho.”
Seven to 10 women attend each
time; however, the same group
doesn’t attend every month.
“I go about six times a year,” said
Reynolds.
The ladies spend time at Craft
Night and at home working on projects. Unfortunately, not all the gifts
they make are appreciated.
“My friend asked me to make
her some cards,” said Lamb. “When
they got it, though, they didn’t even
read it. They looked at who it was
from, then just threw it aside.”
Craft Night took place on March
5 and again on April 2, before Spring
Break. The organizers hope to continue with regular gatherings, probably the first week of each month.
With about eight buses running
three routes and driving about 120
kids to and from school, Transportation Director Greg Davis has a lot on
his hands. But you know what they
say, responsibility is a privilege and
Davis sure is happy to be given that
privilege.
“The name of your school is on
that bus, and you want it shining,”
says Davis.
TUHS has 16 licensed bus drivers. Kellie Self, who drives the Belridge route, logs the most miles per
year, an average of 23,000 miles.
In order to drive a bus, a person
is required to have a Class B driver’s
license with Passenger Endorsement. The bus drivers at TUHS are
also required to complete a 40-hour
retraining program every year.
The Transportation Department
has about 60 vehicles, eight of which
are buses. There is barely enough
room for them all in the bus garage,
to the point that they are parked
bumper-to-bumper.
This has prompted the administration to consider relocating the
bus garage to a larger building. So
far this is only a plan, but money has
already been put aside.
The new bus garage would be
built in an empty lot adjacent to
the baseball fields, and the current
building would be used to house
ROP Auto shop.
By law, the Transportation Department checks the buses every
day or two to ensure that the seats
are tight, the emergency exits work,
the axles are aligned and so on.
Davis and company do such a
great job keeping the buses in shape
that whenever the California Highway Patrol comes for a yearly inspection, the officer often compares
the inspection to a day off.
In the 16 years that Davis has
worked at TUHS, not a single person has been injured in a bus-related
accident. This impressive safety record can be credited both to Davis’s
dedication to keeping the buses in
Talented choir
has busy spring
Juniors Ryan Taylor and Josh Mastrovito enjoy matching wits with
Chess Club advisor Kevin Hughes. Photo by Sadie Burton
Chess Club keeps boredom in check
By Miranda Landreth
Staff Writer
Are you good at checkers? So
good that you are getting a bit bored
with the game? Well then, maybe
you should take a more advanced
path and join the Chess Club.
Every Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday at lunch they meet in Mr.
Hughes’s room. The Chess Club has
tournament games among themselves and they also teach people
the basic strategies of the game.
“I enjoy seeing new faces and
meeting new kids. New members
are always welcome,” says Hughes.
There are about 15 members.
President Holly Starks-Perkins, secretary and treasurer Elizabeth Barham and representative Matt Ratliff,
as well as many others, enjoy planning meetings and other activities
On March 6, they put on the Mardi Gras dance to raise money for
club funds.
So if you enjoy coming up with
strategic battle plans or just want
to have fun and make some new
friends, head on up to Mr. Hughes’s
room.
WASC team to visit Taft High in ’10
Continued from Page 1
fice, checking everything in the report. They verify all the evidence by
interviewing a sample of students,
teachers and staff members.
Recently, some teachers were
selected to “shadow” certain types
of students, such as those who participate in Honor’s classes, the Oil
Academy, AVID, the Migrant program and Special Education.
“The teachers don’t observe the
student specifically. They observe
what instruction they are receiving,”
explained Berry.
The teacher is more concerned
with the class content than with the
student. During their observation,
the teacher marks off everything
that the student is exposed to in
their classes.
“What we want to know is if the
teaching is diverse, or if it is just one
type, and if students are able to be
hands-on during the lessons,” said
Berry.
WASC preparations will continue through the fall and right up to
the March 2010 inspection. Everyone involved is contributing their
best effort to ensure that Taft High
once again receives a full six-year
accreditation.
By Krystle Holder
Features Editor
The Taft High Choir has been
preparing and performing for Choir
Music Education Association or
CMEA, and even making an appearance in Disneyland.
They took a trip to Disneyland
and did an impressive job, receiving a two, or an “excellent.” In addition to singing, they were also able
to enjoy the fun of Disneyland and
California Adventure with a Park
Hoppers Pass.
Partial success is due to the talented singers in the choir. Junior
Anthony Carino and senior Natalia
Zarate have both been singing for a
long time and are passionate about
it.
“We have some very musically
talented people in choir, including
guitar and piano players, not just
singers,” said choir teacher Amanda
Locke.
Though much credit is due to talent, Locke also has a lot to do with
it. The students have much respect
for their instructor. “She is the best
choir teacher in Kern County,” said
Carino.
“She enjoys what she’s teaching
and that’s what I love most about
her,” said junior Hannah Koerner
The students enjoy the class for
many reasons.
“Choir is a challenging yet rewarding class full of fabulous and
talented people,” said Carino.
“When we are all together, the
harmony sounds really good,” said
Koerner.
The choir plans to maintain this
same level of excellence next year.
“There’s a lot of people who show
potential for next year,” said Locke.
Gary Rennie makes sure Taft High’s buses are the sharpest-looking on
the road, with regular high-pressure washes. Photo by Bill Wolfe
top shape and to a yearly 40-hour
training given to all the drivers.
School buses have a life span
of about 25 years, or about 200,000
miles, after which the school either
sells them or scraps them. All the
buses are equipped with air conditioning and aluminum wheels and
can cost the school anywhere from
$120,000 to $160,000.
Buses have a 100-gallon diesel
tank and average about 7.5 miles per
gallon. The school buys all its diesel
fuel from a private supplier and
stores it in a 1000-gallon tank. This
fuel is used both for buses and gardening equipment such as tractors.
As Transportation Director, Davis
has to approve the use of any school
vehicle before it leaves the bus ga-
rage. He likes to keep track of “anything that is going anywhere” in a
large calendar he and his co-workers
call “The Bus Garage Bible.” In it, he
writes when and where each bus or
van is going.
Whether a bus or a van is used
for a field trip is determined by the
amount of students who will participate; if fewer than nine passengers
are traveling, a van is usually taken.
Before coming to work at Taft
High, Davis was a truck driver.
He and about 80 other people applied when a position as a mechanic
opened up. Davis got the job and
has been here ever since. He was
promoted to Transportation Director when the former director left to
open his own business.
Abusive relationships becoming
more common among teens
By Monica Solis
News Editor
Abusive relationships have become increasingly common among
young teens.
One in five teens in a serious relationship reports being hit, slapped
or pushed by a partner, according
to Jewish Women International, an
organization dedicated to taking a
stand against domestic violence.
There are many types of abuse:
physical, verbal or sexual.
Physical abuse occurs when a
person touches your body in an unwanted or violent manner.
Verbal or emotional abuse occurs when a person says something
to you with the purpose of causing
you to be afraid or feel bad about
yourself. Sexual abuse includes unwanted sexual contact.
Warning signs of being in an unhealthy relationship include: jealous or controlling behavior, sexual
pressure, pressure to use drugs or
alcohol, name-calling or swearing,
losing his or her temper, insulting
or embarrassing a loved one in front
of others, any form of physical violence and threatening to hurt others
or themselves.
The most recent celebrity case of
abuse involves singer Chris Brown
allegedly beating his girlfriend, pop
singer Rihanna. According to the
Center for Disease Control (CDC),
abuse will continue over time, and
usually becomes more serious, leading to death in 1,300 cases a year.
Heather Norris, 20, was stabbed,
dismembered and discarded in
trash bags in 2007 by her abusive
boyfriend after several attempts to
leave the unhealthy relationship.
In 2003, Ortralla Mosley, 15, was
stabbed to death in the hallway of
her Austin high school by her boyfriend.
Such cases have encouraged
states and communities to search
for new ways to make teens, parents
and teachers understand the dangers of that type of dating behavior.
Parents, teachers and counselors
are often unaware of the abuse because teens are too embarrassed to
admit that they are being mistreated.
It is important to watch for signs
of someone being abused. Signs include: unexplained injuries, changes in appearance, withdrawal from
friends and family, giving up activities, changes in behavior or mood,
alcohol or drug use, justifying a
partner’s behavior and worrying
about making a partner angry.
If you or someone you know is a
victim of teen dating abuse, it is important to seek help from a trusted
adult. Encourage them to stop seeing that person.
Most important, be supportive
and make it clear that the abuse is
not their fault.
Page 4
Features
April 30, 2009
Spring Fling Week energizes campus with All for Fun,
Dress-Up Days, Renaissance Rally, lunch games, more
Brad Van Roekel, Special Education teacher, takes
on Chris Farley’s role as Matt Foley, motivational
speaker, at the Renaissance Rally. Photo by Miranda
Mayra Aguilar, Daniel Panchi and Peter Galvan of the Broad Horizons club give Kim Fields a
plaque and a check for the Shaye Fields Memorial Scholarship Fund. Photo by Miranda Landreth
Landreth
History teacher John Kopp takes a dive in the Splash Zone during All for Fun activities on
March 31. Photo courtesy of The Derrick
Monika Manuz is Juno looking for
Bleeker. Photo by Sadie Burton
Cicely Evans takes aim on Cowboys and
Indians Day. Photo by Sadie Burton
Freshman David Burleson flies through the air on the All for Fun
maze, while sophomore Luke Shelby takes the inside route. Photo
by Sadie Burton
Morgan Gallatin, Chesney Doak, Meghan King and Jordan Cordova get all turned around on Backwards Day. Photo by Sadie Burton
Briana Lemmons throws her back out on
Old Geezer Day. Photo by Monica Solis.
The Jamba Juice stand was a popular destination during the All for Fun extended lunch. Photo by Sadie Burton
Courtney Houle takes a head-first approach to
life, including on the super slide on All for Fun
day. Photo by Sadie Burton
Features
April 30, 2009
Page 5
Mock Rock knocks out crowd once again
By Miranda Landreth
Staff Writer
Every year students and staff
have the chance to get up on stage
and release their inner rock star.
This year was no exception. With a
70’s theme, this year’s Mock Rock
was sure to be an unforgettable one.
With performances from N’SYNC to
Tokio Hotel and everything in between, the audience was entertained
the entire show.
The showed began with juniors
Courtney Houle and Chesney Doak
looking for something to watch on
T.V. and choosing the ever-so-popular “That 70’s Show.” Next, Briana
Lemmons, Hunter Self, Mark Nearn,
Tyler Garrison, Jordan Cordova and
Caleb Lopez came out dressed up
as the cast from the show and performed a short skit.
The first act on stage was staff
members Eric Newton, Mike Cowan, Kelly Morris, Emmy Lou Heber,
Don Thornsberry, Leah Mayfield,
Lilie Murillo and Barbara Owen
with their rendition of Eminem’s
“Lose Yourself,” but they quickly
switched to, as Newton said “real
rap,” Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby.”
The next act to take the stage was
senior Alex Hannah with his dark
and spooky performance as Brian
Hugh Warner, otherwise known as
Marilyn Manson.
Brenda Gallo, Matt Likens, Tina
Coronel, and Matt Maxey the performed as Tokio Hotel.
Taking a break from the show to
give away some prizes, Hadley Pittman, Monika Manuz, Ashley Cricchio and Morgan Gallitan did a superb job as The Beatles.
The following performer was Caity Ball as Cascada, singing her pop
remake of “What Hurts The Most”
by country artist Rascal Flatts.
Sophomores Dylan Craft and Tim
Casteel then showed off their rocker
side as Three Doors Down singing
“Story of a Girl.”
Mason Chapman and Sebastian
Salazar decided to bring a little
country to the stage with their performance of “Chicken Fried” by the
Zac Brown Band.
Keith Lansford, Tremain Skidmore, Chris Spell and Jonathan
Haroutunian were the next group to
grace the stage as the 80’s hair metal
band Quiet Riot. Their lip-sync to
“Come On, Feel the Noize.” Being
able to get the crowd involved and
keep them entertained earned these
rocker third place.
The next group of Mock Rockers
was Dimmu Borgir. The group consisted of Will Palmer, Jose Hinojosa,
Dylan Craft and Jonathan Haroutunian singing “The Sacreligious
Scorn.”
History teacher John Kopp, performing as Richard Simmons (with
help from Jordan Burrell and Ashley
Cricchio) gave the school a lesson
in physical fitness, getting some of
“Taft’s finest” boys up on stage to
show their stuff.
Following Kopp’s amusing act,
choir teacher Amanda Locke and
senior Natalia Zarate, with the help
of Anthony Carino, Caity Ball and
Shawna Crane, sang “Loathing”
from the musical “Wicked.”
Next, Eric Foch and Matt Davis
showed off their dance skills to the
song “Untouched” by The Veronicas.
With their humors dance moves and
their synchronized lip-syncing, this
unforgettable performance earned
the boys second place.
N’SYNC was the next group on
stage. The entertainers included
Holly Starks-Perkins, Leslie Cook,
Natalia Zarate and Mrs. Locke,
dancing to “Digital Get Down.”
History teacher John Kopp as Richard Simmons does the Electric Slide with some of Taft High’s finest
boys, with the help of Jordan Burrell (far left). Photo by Sadie Burton
1st Place
First place went to Aaron Kolb,
Hunter Self and Domink Manuz,
with their delightful moves and leotards, danced to Beyonce’s hit song
“Single Ladies.”
It was finally time for the judges
to deliberate. During this time, staff
members Wendy Berry, Tammy
Sutherland, Tanya Mauldin and
Machelle Arrington put on a very
entertaining show as KISS, with
help from staff members Gary Rennie, Larry Breslin, Mike Cowan,
Don Thornsberry and Tim Greer, as
well as senior Ben Savaii dressed as
somewhat convincing women.
Once again, Taft High’s finest
students, staff and faculty put on another great Mock Rock for all to enjoy. It was a great way to end Spring
Fling Week and send everyone off to
Spring Break in a good mood.
2nd Place
Freshmen Hunter Self, Aaron Kolb and Dominik Manuz perform Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.” Photo by Sadie Burton
3rd Place
Junior Eric Foch and senior Matt Davis brought the crowd to their
feet with their rendition of The Veronicas’ “Untouched.” Photo by Sadie
Burton
Senior Chris Spell makes a racket as lead singer of Quiet Riot, aided by guitarists Jonathan Haroutunian
(left) and Tremain Skidmore (right). Photo by Sadie Burton
Mark Nearn, Briana Lemmons, Hunter Self, Tyler Garrison, Jordan
Cordova and Caleb Lopez hang out in Eric’s basement as the cast of
“That 70s Show.” Photo by Sadie Burton
Faculty members Tanya Mauldin (left) and Tammy Sutherland (center) “rock and roll all night” as KISS, with
help from Gary Rennie of M.O.T. (right). Photo by Sadie Burton
Page 6
Sports
April 30, 2009
Taft sprinters Tyler Pitts, Daniel Watts, Sindre Frisvold and Shaquil Gant turn on the afterburners to stay
ahead of an opponent from Bakersfield Christian at a recent home meet. Photo by Bill Wolfe
Track and Field team having another great
year of running down league opponents
By Cristina Loza
Features Editor
This year’s track and field team
is enjoying another oustanding year.
The varsity boys team is currently
tied for second and the varsity girls,
frosh/soph girls and frosh/soph
boys are in first place.
The team’s first meet was a home
game on March 3, when they hosted
the annual Wildcat Invitational. That
day, the Wildcats took the top spots
in many events.
“We are the team to beat in the
SSL,” said Coach Ryan Hickman
proudly.
The team is once again one of the
largest in the league with over 90
athletes, composed of about 44 girls
and 46 boys. Coaches Paul Martinez
and Hickman agree that two of the
team’s strengths this year are the
work ethic and the familiarity the
members share with each other.
“There’s no fighting, no drama,
and everybody gets along,” says
sophomore Camisha Carr.
A few weeks later, the Wildcats
faced off against their toughest
opponents, the Tehachapi Warriors,
on Apr. 1. The Lady Wildcats had
a close competition with the Lady
Warriors but, unfortunately for the
Lady Wildcats, they were edged out
69-67. The boys, however, had a
rough time, losing 81-55.
On April 15, the Wildcats
competed against Shafter and came
away victorious in many events.
The varsity boys had a winning
streak in most events, with Bryce
Royal, Daniel Watts and Tyler Pitts
taking first, second and third place
respectively in the 100 meters. In the
200 meters, Royal again took first
place, followed by Loren Kolb in
second and Watts in third.
The girls also had a good day,
with Juliana Campos taking first
place in the varsity 100 meters and
Nicole Madsen winning the varsity
shot put.
The following week, on Apr. 22,
the Wildcats hosted Wasco. Megan
Thompson won in the varsity girls
400, 800 and 1600 meters, while
Katie Swope won the 100 and 300
varsity girls hurdles.
Of the boys, Watts won the
varsity boys 100 meters, followed by
Royal in third place. Devin Capela
placed second in the boys varsity
400 meters and Gregory Davis also
finished second in the 110 meter
hurdles.
Although this year’s team is a
strong one, there’s always room for
improvement and the Wildcats will
keep working hard.
“We need to work on our
throwing distance and times,”
commented sophomore Desiree
Dyer.
Every team has a group of runners
that stands out, and Taft’s best are
Loren Kolb, Megan Thompson, Julie
Campos and Katie Swope.
“I like the thrill of having to push
and apply yourself,” said Swope.
Disappointing varsity tennis season a learning
experience for coach and many new players
By Silvia Gervacio
Staff Editor
The varsity tennis team has been
at a disadvantage this year, with
only two seniors and three returning players, and having to face opponents loaded with seniors. The
season has been rough so far for the
team.
“This isn’t our best year. It’s more
like a rebuilding year,” commented
Coach Jim Carnal.
The boys began the season by
playing at home against Shafter, but
they lost 9-0.
In their next home match-up,
this time against Wasco, the boys
sustained another loss when Wasco
defeated Taft 9-0.
Playing the Arvin Bears on March
31, the Wildcats’ Lukas Reckweg defeated Nestor Martinez 6-2, 6-2. Rodolfo Noriega beat Alexis Cervantes
6-2, 6-4. Taft added two more points
when Kyle Rodden and Reckweg
played doubles against Cervantes
and Clemente, defeating them 6-2,
6-4. Sadly, the rest of the matches
went to the Bears. Taft lost 5-4.
Playing tough competition like
undefeated BCHS and Tehachapi on
their home courts, the boys did their
best but still lost both games 9-0 and
8-1.
At Shafter on April 16, the team
showed improvement, stepping up
their game but unfortunately ended
the match with the score of 3-6.
With more improvements, the
boys played at Wasco on April 21.
In singles Lukas Reckweg defeated
Gary Steward. The second point
came when Jose Estrada and Jacob
Hutchinson beat Wasco’s Eric Sanchez and Jacob Skinner. Wasco took
the rest of the matches, ending 2-7.
The boys gave it their all on
April 23 against Arvin, winning 5-4,
showing that all their hard work is
Matt Davis prepares to throw some smoke past a Tehachapi
batter at home on April 28. Photo by Bill Wolfe
Varsity baseball team stays in win
column behind Davis’s pitching
By Rod Sanchez
Staff Writer
The boys varsity baseball team
has had a good season with a league
record of 8-3 as of April 30.
On Mar. 20, in the league opener,
Taft shut out Shafter 8-0. Brian Parsons and Andrew Smith contributed
most of the eight runs. The shutout
victory was the result of Matt Davis
pitching a no-hitter that kept Shafter
at bay.
“Hard and work and determination creates wins,” says Davis.
On Mar. 24 Taft experienced their
first league defeat at Bakersfield
Christian, 2-0. BCHS got two runs
in the third inning, while Taft failed
to put numbers on the scoreboard.
Taft faced Tehachapi on Mar. 27,
winning 6-2. Cody Shireffs, Clint
Jorgenson and Matt Davis were notable players. Jorgenson and Davis
both gave good pitching efforts reducing Tehachepi to only two runs.
Taft kept the “on the road” momentum going when they beat Wasco 6-2 on Mar. 31. Though they won
the game, Taft didn’t get many hits.
The Wildcats instead had to rely on
six walks, a hit batter and six stolen
bases.
The only three hits came from
Parsons, Blake Emberson and Austin Kindred, who contributed two
of the six runs. Jorgenson kept Taft
out of trouble in the seventh inning
when he struck out a batter with
runners on first and third.
“The pitching continues to be
strong,” coach Dave Robertson told
The Driller.
Taft brought the same energy to
their play when they took on Arvin
on Apr. 2 and shut them out, 13-0.
Taft took a big lead midgame with
eight runs in the third inning and
three in the fourth inning. Top scorers were Jesse Rodriguez, Caleb Lopez and Emberson.
Thirteen seemed to be the lucky
number for Taft when they beat
Shafter, 13-1, on Apr. 14. The score
wasn’t the only 13 that played a
factor in the game; Taft had 13 hits.
Kindred did an outstanding job with
a 3-for-3 performance.
On Apr. 17 Taft kept their winning streak going when they went
to Shafter and came away victorious, 19-0.
Taft’s win streak came to an
abrupt end when they lost to BCHS
8-4 on Apr. 21. BCHS took an early
lead, getting runs in the first, second
and third innings before Taft scored
their first run in the fourth inning.
BCHS got another three runs in the
fifth inning and one more in the
sixth, and Taft managed three more
runs in the sixth inning.
On Apr. 24, Taft again played
BCHS, winning 9-7. BCHS stayed
close most of the game but the Wildcats neede the victory to make up
for their previous loss.
On Apr. 28 Taft was shut out by
Tehachapi, 3-0. The warriars got the
only three runs they needed in the
first and second innings.
On Apr. 30 Taft avenged the loss
to Tehachapi to bye returning the
favor in a close game, 15-14.
The boys have played well this
season, and with only a few games
remain in league play.
“We have played very well this
season and look forward to the next
few games,” said Parsons.
JV baseball gets off to great start
By Sadie Burton
Editor-in-Chief
Cory Kidd serves up a winner in a recent match against
Foothill. Photo courtesy of Jim Carnal
starting to pay off. Rodolfo Noriega
defeated Arvin’s Bryan Cervantes,
Cory Kidd followed with a win over
Frank Clemente and Lukas Reckweg
beat Nestor Martinez. With a close
game, Taft finished off by Noriega
and Hutchison defeating Guapo
and Cervantes, and the Wildcats
took the last doubles match point by
a forfeit.
“We’re improving slowly,” said
Tylan Hoffman.
With only a few games left, the
boys will try to enjoy the rest of
the season. They have high hopes
for next year, when the varsity tennis team will have nine returning
seniors. They hope to take the SSL
title.
“We’re going to have a very successful team next year, so the competition better watch out!” said Rodolfo Noriega confidently.
The JV baseball team is off to a
great start. Currently they are 15-7
overall and 6-5 in league. With a win
against their biggest competition,
BCHS, 16-11 on April 23, the team
shows tremendous potential.
“We have a strong team out
there,” said Coach Josh Tofte. “They
can play a great game.”
Sophomore Brett Howard is the
team’s best pitcher with a record of
7-2. Sophomore Derrick Pitts is the
best batter with an average 350 this
season.
The close-knit team is very supportive of one another and works
well together.
“The guys on the team are really
great and always help me to get better,” said freshman Reggie Pitts.
“The infielders are strong and
know what they are doing,” said
sophomore Dalton Wires.
The coaches push the boys to
strive to do their best.
“Our coaches know what they
are talking about,” said sophomore
Luke Shelby.
“They go over everything until
we get it,” continued sophomore
Cody Reaves.
“They are very motivational,”
added Derrick Pitts.
All of the boys appreciate their
coaches and the time they put into
turning them into a better team.
“Coach Doug Hunt played pro
ball, so he knows what it takes to be
a great ball player,” explained freshman Austin Walker.
“Coach Bennett Johnson is a really great coach. He does a great job
with the team,” said sophomore Patrick Wilke.
“Coach Tofte drives the team,”
noted sophomore pitcher Dylan
Pitts.
The boys don’t get discouraged
after a loss. They hold their heads
up high and get back to practice to
be ready to redeem themselves at
their next game.
“This year BCHS was our hardest
opponent so far,” said sophomore
Tyler Atkins. “Tehachapi was a hard
game, too,” added Howard.
Sports
April 30, 2009
Page 7
Senior Tyler Garrison demonstrates the form and intensity in the
breaststroke that lead to his strong finishes. Photo by Bill Wolfe
Wildcat swimmers make strong
showing at SSL Championship
Junior Miesha Youngblood makes contact in the fifth inning of the home game against BCHS on April 28.
Photo by Bill Wolfe
Varsity softball looks toward playoffs
By Rebekah Horton
& Trisha Adams
Staff Writers
The varsity softball team
wrapped up the preseason games
with 10 wins, 14 losses and one tie. It
wasn’t the record they were hoping
to finish with, but the coaches still
have high hopes with a 1-4 record so
far in the league season.
“The team is doing alright,” said
assistant coach Bob Wiedemann.
“They really work well as a team,
however, they don’t have the confidence in themselves yet. They just
need to find their niche.”
Taft lost to Frontier 10-1 in their
home opener March 4. However,
they fought back against Highland
and won 12-2 in their second home
game.
“We had a great performance
all the way around,” coach Dianna
Kaszycki told the Midway Driller.
The Lady Wildcats also beat Parlier 10-9 on March 31, finish up the
preseason. Parlier pulled ahead in
the second inning. But Taft scored
three runs in the third inning to take
the lead. The Cats went on to win
the game.
“We’re finally coming together,”
Cassie Walrath said at the time.
Taft started off league play with a
10-6 loss to Shafter. The Cats fought
strong in the beginning until a double play by the Generals threw them
off their game. From there, Shafter
scored eight more runs, with Taft
only scoring two.
The ladies also lost to Tehachapi
5-0 in their second league game.
This trend didn’t continue for long,
as the Wildcats defeated Arvin 10-9.
It seemed like the Cats had turned
it around, but unfortunately they
lost to Wasco 11-3 and to Bakersfield
Christian 10-0.
Taft beat Shafter 11-1 on April 30,
and they hope with only four games
left in the season that they can keep
this trend going. They will face Tehachapi on May 5 with high hopes
and a vision of an SSL Championship.
By Matt Daniels
Staff Writer
Taft High’s boys and girls swim
teams both finished second at the
SSL Championships on May 1, capping off their first season in the new
pool.
The boys racked up 273 points,
behind Tehachapi’s 344. Following
Taft were Shafter (215), BCHS (166)
and Wasco (117).
Junior Mike Hagstrom had a
strong meet, winning both the 50
and 100 freestyle races. He took the
50 in a time of 23.06, with Shafter’s
Jay Daniel and Matt Wolfe close behind. He finished the 100 in 53.03,
with Wolfe and a Tehachapi swimmer coming in second and third.
Taft swimmers also grabbed several third spots at the meet. Sophomore Caleb Taylor finished third in
the 200 free behind two swimmers
from Tehachapi. Senior Tyler Garrison placed third in the 200 IM and
junior Jacob Hansen took third in
the 500 free.
Taylor again finished third in
the 100 backstroke behind Patton of
Tehachapi, who set an SSL meet record with a time of 55.75, and Vinny
Oddo of BCHS.
Garrison had another strong performance in the 100 breaststroke,
finishing second behind Shafter’s
Jay Daniel.
Taft also performed strongly in
the relays, with two second-place
finishes and one third. In the 200
medley relay, the boys came in second behind Tehachapi, which had a
time of 1:48.61.
The Wildcats’ other second place
finish came in the 400 free relay,
in which they were close behind
Shafter, which finished in 3:40.54.
They finished third in the 200 free
relay, behind Tehachapi and Wasco.
The girls finished second with
295 points, behind BCHS, which had
308. Following Taft were Tehachapi,
Shafter and Wasco.
Junior Kasey Stuntebeck had yet
another impressive meet, taking first
in the both the 50 free, with a time of
26.69, and the 100 free, with a time
58.29. Stuntebeck also anchored the
200 free relay team of Nicole Owen,
Chelsea McElmurry and Lauren
Melton, which finished first in a
time of 1:57.44.
In the 200 medley relay, Taft finished second, behind BCHS, with a
time of 2:15.53. The girls took third
place in the 400 free relay behind
BCHS and Tehachapi.
Melton nabbed third place in the
200 IM, behind swimmers from Tehachapi and BCHS.
The diving team also performed
well at the SSL Championship.
On the boys’ side, sophomore Tim
Casteel took first with 289.90 points,
followed by freshman Anthony
Black in second. On the girls’ team,
sophomore Chelsea Dickard finished first with 258.60 points.
Boys golf swings into first in SSL
By Krystle Holder
Features Editor
Hayley Kaiser unloads another blazing pitch during the JV softball game against BCHS on April 28.
Photo
by Bill Wolfe
JV softball posts winning record in league play
By Travis Morrow
Staff Writer
The junior varsity softball team
is enjoying a good season, with a record of 15-6 overall and 4-0 in South
Sequoia League play.
Taft played Shafter on April 15,
winning 7-1. Freshman pitcher Hayley Kaiser went 2-for-2 with both of
her hits doubles. She also had two
runs batted in.
Freshman Sissa Rivas and junior
Caitlyn Woosely were 2-for-3. Rivas
had two doubles and a single, while
Woosely had two singles. Rivas and
freshman Trisha Adams had two
runs batted in as well.
Kaiser gave up one walk and one
run in seven innings and struck out
13.
Taft defeated Tehachapi 7-6 on
April 16. Sophomores Alexis Cloud
and Adams went 2-for-3 and Cloud
had three runs batted in.
Freshman Jordyn Yarbrough
was 2-for-4 with one run batted in.
Woosely went 1-for-2 and had one
run batted in.
Rivas and sophomore Aimee
Milner were both 1-for-3 with one
run batted in.
Kaiser allowed six runs on four
hits. She walked four batters and
struck out 11.
Taft won another close game
against Wasco, 2-1, on April 23.
Things got interesting when Yarbrough was by a pitch.
She went to second because of
a wild pitch and then to third by a
fielder’s choice. Taft’s scoring threat
was stopped when the next two batters struck out.
In the fourth inning Rivas hit a
single into right field, then stole sec-
ond and went to third on a fielder’s
choice. Milner then hit a single to
left, scoring Rivas.
In the fifth inning, sophomore
Courtney Voliva walked, then stole
second and went to third on a fielder’s choice.
Freshman Wyttnie Campbell hit
an infield single to drive in Voliva
and put Taft up 2-0.
Kaiser pitched a no hitter for six
innings. She struck out 11 batters.
Taft hosted Bakersfield Christian
on April 28, winning 9-2.
Woosely went 2-for-2 and scored
three runs, with one run batted in.
Voliva was 2-for-3 and scored one
run with one run batted in. Campbell was 1-for-3 with two runs batted in. Adams added two RBI’s.
Kaiser limited BCHS to four hits
and two runs and struck out seven
batters.
The boys golf season has started from Tehachapi, which had a total
impressively. They have consecu- of 441. The lowest scorer, with a 72,
tively earned seconds and are cur- was McPherson; he is currently first
rently first in SSL.
in SSL with an average score of 75.7.
The golfers have a lot of talent
Bandy, who is in third overall
and have been rewarded with con- with an 84.3, followed closely with
sistently low scores.
a 85. Kanngeisser shot a 91 and AdaAt their first SSL match, on Val- mo shot a 92. Frye and Nuno roundley Rose Golf Course on March 12, ed out our scores with a 100 and 108,
they came in second place with a respectively.
total score of 465.
During their
Blake McPherfourth SSL tourson had the lownament, on April
est score with
23 at Riverlakes,
an 80, while
with a total of
Stewart Bandy
440 points, they
shot an 84, and
finally got the
Lenni Kanngifirst they had
esser scored a
been looking for.
93. Brendon Frye
McPherson shot
was next in line
the lowest with a
with a 103, while
72, while Bandy
Rigo Nuno finwas next with an
ished with 105.
87. Adamo shot a
They finished
92 and Kanngeissecond
once
ser a 93. Frye
again at their
scored a 96 and
next SSL match, Sophomore
standout
Blake Nuno followed
at North Kern McPherson gets in some practice with a 104.
Golf Course on on the links. Photo courtesy of The
Golf is a difMarch 19, scor- Derrick
ficult sport, but
ing a total of
they still enjoy it
446. Once again,
and excel at it.
McPherson received the lowest
“It’s challenging and fun,” said
score with an impressive 75,while McPherson.
Bandy was again close behind him
“It’s hanging out with friends
with an 86. Kanngeisser alsoshot an and having fun,” said Nuno.
86, Cole Adamo shot a 99 and Nuno
So far the boys have done well.
shot a 100.
They have a lot of talent and good
In their third match, on March work ethic. As a result, two of their
26 at Sycamore Canyon golf Course, players, McPherson, and Bandy, are
with a total of 440, they stole second in the top five total SSL averages.
Page 8
Entertainment
April 30, 2009
Marley and Me
definitely not a
dog of a movie
By Monica Solis
News Editor
Resident Evil 5’s emphasis on action
breathes new life into great series
By Rod Sanchez
Staff Writer
Resident Evil 5 is Capcom’s latest installment in the Resident Evil
series.
The game follows the story of
Chris Redfield, one of the protagonists from the original game, and
Sheva Alomar, a new character to
the series.
Chris and Sheva are members of
B.S.A.A., an anti bio-terrorism organization, and are stationed in Africa
to investigate the latest viral outbreak caused by Umbrella.
Umbrella was the corporation responsible for the mansion incident in
the first game. More specifically, the
culprit is Albert Wesker, whose true
intentions still remain unknown.
As a follow up to the highly acclaimed Resident Evil 4, the game
falls short in a few aspects. The
gameplay changes aren’t as dynamic as in RE4, and a lot is borrowed
from RE4.
However, the improved dualjoystick control works like a dream.
The controls feel more natural than
those of previous games, even RE4,
which were clunky and tank-like.
One of the most exciting additions to gameplay is the new co-op
mode. The game is enjoyable in single player, but co-op is highly recommended because the gameplay
is especially designed for this new
feature.
Some of the game’s puzzles require you and your buddy, computer or human, to work together to
solve them. Co-op mode is available
in online and offline play.
Resident Evil games have been
known to bring out the best in a system’s graphic capabilities and RE5 is
no exception. The game looks beautiful in real-time, and the cut-scenes
could easily be mistaken for a live
action movie.
Resident Evil 5 is more of an action game than the previous games
that were meant to scare you. This
may be a disappointment to hardcore fans, but the change breathes
new life into the series and prevents
it from being repetitive.
Resident Evil 5 may not be the
same survival horror title fans are
used to, but this game is a musthave for fans of the series or action
games. Playstation 3 and Xbox 360
owners should not overlook this
game.
If you thought your dog was out
of control, wait until you see the
movie Marley & Me. It’s based on
the best-selling memoir by newspaper columnist John Grogan. This
movie tells the story of his family’s
relationship with the world’s worst
dog.
John and Jenny are both newspaper reporters who are just beginning
their life together. In order to prevent
Jenny from wanting a baby, John decides to surprise her with Marley, a
cute blonde Labrador. The couple
soon finds out why this puppy was
on “clearance.”
From crashing through screen
doors to eating through walls, to
getting a public beach shut down,
Marley soon grows into a troublesome 100-lb. Lab that destroys everything in his path. Obedience
school did him no good since he was
a “bad” example for the other dogs,
and it was difficult to give him his
tranquilizing pills every time there
was a thunderstorm.
After John and Jenny have their
first baby, John lands a permanent
columnist job at a Florida newspaper and finds inspiration in Marley’s
mischievous behavior.
As the Grogan family grows,
Marley remains a puppy at heart.
He was there to share the joys of the
family and was even there when the
marriage got rocky.
Even when he began to grow
old, Marley’s love remained unconditional. This movie is so heartwarming there is never a dry eye in
the audience.
Watchmen satisfies the faithful
with plot, acting, special effects
By Cristina Loza
Features Editor
Watchmen is finally here in Taft,
but the question still remains. Is the
movie worth that $9 ticket? Well,
here is some background for you, to
make that choice a little easier.
First of all, let me mention that
there’s no question that the special
effects of the movie and the costume
design are very well done. Also, the
opening sequence is nicely handled
and does a good job of portraying
the story of the Minutemen, the early vigilantes and their stories.
However, throughout the movie,
the music choices leave a lot to be
desired. Music is an important part
of any movie, given that it helps set
the mood for key scenes. I can recall
only two times when the music did
not make me cringe, but the actors
have good chemistry and they make
the scenes flow nicely.
The story itself is fairly faithful
to the comic’s storyline. Many fans
were uneasy about a certain part
in the movie where, because of a
change in the script, the giant squid
that appears in the graphic novel
was to be left out. Giant squid or
not, the movie did not lose its charm.
So if you are a fan but you have not
watched the movie yet, you should
not worry about that.
Overall, Watchmen is a good
watch, but be prepared to buy some
popcorn so you can munch on it
during the nearly three-hour running time.
Urasawa’s manga Monster offers intricate plot,
sophisticated art for suspense-loving readers
By Cristina Loza
Features Editor
Authored by the famed mangaka, or Japanese comic creator, Naoki
Urasawa, Monster follows the plight
of Dr. Kenzo Tenma.
A Japanese man living in Germany during the 80s, Tenma is an
accomplished neurosurgeon who
dedicates his life to pursuing the serial killer mastermind Johan Liebert,
whom Tenma saved when he was a
small child.
The plot itself is very intricate
and is conveyed by good storytelling and blunt artwork. From the
first page to the very end of this
series, you are never really sure of
where the story is going, but the end
is very satisfying and interesting.
As you read the story and witness the appalling and seemingly
senseless acts that Liebert commits,
you will be drawn in by the mystery
that surrounds this young man and
his motive.
The characters and their stories
are believable and the character development is done very skillfully.
Urasawa never disappoints his fans
in this aspect, no matter which of his
mangas you read.
After all, there is a reason why he
has received various manga awards,
and one of his mangas, 20th Century Boys, was made into a Japanese
movie in 2008.
Also, there has recently been talk
of making a live action movie adaptation of Monster by New Line
Cinema, with John Olson, from A
History of Violence, as the screen-
writer. The movie is scheduled to be
released this year, but production is
still underway.
The 18-volume manga series was
also adapted into a 74-episode anime
directed by Masayuki Kojima, who
has also worked on several popular
series such as Trinity Blood, Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits and Samurai Champloo. The anime has been
licensed by the anime dubbing and
publishing company Viz Media and
is scheduled to be released throughout the late spring and summer.
The overall art of the manga is a
more detailed one and strays from
the usual big-eyed characters and
cartoonist style that many people
have come to associate with Japanese comics. In fact, the style is more
similar to that of seinen manga,
which is a genre intended for older
audiences.
Regardless of whether you are
a manga first-timer or a consistent
fan, this manga is a delight to read
and can be enjoyed greatly once you
get past the small challenge that
reading a comic in the right-to-left
format presents.
We want to hear from YOU!
Got something on your mind? Loved or hated something in this issue? Write a letter to the
editor and email it to bwolfe@taft.k12.ca.us or drop it off in Mr. Wolfe’s mailbox.
It’s Not Me, It’s You a joyful blend
of electro-pop and alternative
By Krystle Holder
Features Editor
There was no letdown with Lily
Allen’s latest CD, “It’s Not Me, It’s
You.” First released in Britain, the album has an Electropop and Alternative sound that leaves you wanting
more and waiting anxiously for her
next CD.
Her songs feature intriguing lyrics; though the content is a little mature, it is still an exceptional album.
For fans of Allen and those who’ve
never heard of her, this album is a
great choice for anyone who can
handle the sometimes explicit and
suggestive language.
Allen addresses controversial issues like discrimination and drug
abuse in her songs “Everyone’s at
It,” “Him,” and “Guess Who Batman,” but in a catchy and inspiring
way.
Allen wanted to include more
types of music on the album to make
then it both danceable and more varied to everyone who would come in
contact with it, and she has done so
successfully.
Lily Allen is similar to Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Kate Nash. If you
are a fan of any of those artists she
is probably one worth listening to.
Her voice and singing style are most
like Katy Perry, but with a British accent.
Allen uses her MySpace profile to
showcase her best songs, both new
and old. MySpace has been a great
tool in her music career, spreading
her songs around the world and
making them widely available.
“It’s Not Me, It’s You” is a joy to
listen to. I would suggest picking
it up, downloading it on iTunes, or
even taking a look at her MySpace
Profile next time you log in.