Issue 4, December 2012

Upcoming Events

Winter Break: December 23-January 7

Student Directed One Acts: January 10- January 13

Dublin High Movie Night: January 11

Martin Luther King day- NO SCHOOL: January 21

FINALS: January 23- January 25

Next Dublin Shield Distribution: January 25

Volume 3, Issue 4 8151 Village Parkway, Dublin CA 94568 Friday, December 21, 2012

Gaels had a lot in mind as they had only a few seconds left to make their winning serve. “Before each of our matches, we would watch our opponents play and find out what their weak points were and use that to our advantage. It feels great knowing we made history at Dublin, I’m very proud and happy for both of us because we worked hard,” said Nguyen, about her and Simmons’ triumph. “We couldn’t do it without the support and our coaches for helping us out.”

November 13, 2012 marked the first time since 2006 that our own Lady Gael’s have won a cham-pionship but this year Myiesha Simmons and Vi Nguyen made history as they won the NCS Championship since then. They did an amazing job as they played four matches of doubles tennis that got them their victory against Mission San Jose. So what is doubles tennis? It is a match between two teams, having two team members on each side. Playing tennis involves winning two out of three sets. Venus Williams was that the fastest and most well known server in the women’s tennis, who recorded a serve of 127.381mph Our own Myiesha Simmons has a recorded serve of 101 mph which is one of her best serves yet com-ing out to an average of 96mph. “We did a great job this season. Had some injuries but that didn’t stop us,” said Senior tennis cap-tain Mimi Maghrbi. “We supported each other during matches and did drills that made us improve every time. I’m really proud of my team!” The final score was 7-5, 6-3 against Mission San Jose’s tennis team. But every player must have a strategy or tactics in order to pull a victory. “I was pretty nervous,” said winner Vi Nguyen. “We were so close to winning the game so I told myself to stay calm and to be as consistent as possible.” It was 40-15 with Dublin taking the lead, time was getting down to the wire and knowing that the game was almost over, the Lady

Tennis Championship Comes Home By Fernanda Ramos

THE DUBLIN SHIELD

On November 14, 2012 Dublin High hosted its own Special Olympics. All of the special educa-tion students around the area of Dublin were allowed to present themselves and then compete in a tournament, doing sports and other activities. They showed

that they had lots of fun because they showed a ton of enthusiasm and enjoyment in what they were doing. Some of the schools that participated in the special olym-pics were Wells, Fallon, and Hart. It was great how kids all around Dublin got to participate in this

event and have a good time. Special Education teachers around the Dublin Community helped put this event together. They had to agree to let all the students participate and be a part of the activity. Besides the teach-ers that help run this event, there

Dublin High Sets its Sights High in the OlympicsBy Brittany Roberts

ABOVE: Members of the Dublin community and students and staff from Dublin High gather on the footbal field to support the children participating in the Special Olypmics. CREDIT: Brittany Roberts

were also a lot of student volun-teers that helped the kids and cheered them on. The volunteers put in a couple hours of work to help them prepare for this event. When it finally happened they were all excited to help and make sure everything ran smoothly. “I’m really happy I got to be a part of this event, it was a great experience and really fun!” exclaims Junior, Bella Cousins. “I believe that the special olympics was a great benefit to our school and it was exciting to see the participation from all the family members and people from the community”, Ms. K exclaimed. While the entire Special Olympics went on, the rest of the students at Dublin High were let out of their classrooms at certain times to go cheer on and help support the special education students from each area. The audience had a very positive reaction. Students around Dublin High were also in agreement that they should hold more of these events for the special education students based of how much of a success it was, Overall, the Special Olympics were really positive and brought great energy to our school. It was a great joy watching them have a lot of fun. It was very enthusiastic and it would be great to have another one. DHS has talented students all over and supporting them showed how good Dublin High really is.

The Dublin Shield wishes to extend its condolences to everyone affected by recent tragedies in our community and nation.

In Memory

Steven Starett,Class of 2012

Michael Radu,Class of 2011

Sandy Hook Elementary

Newtown, CT

Credit: Yearbook and Michelle Goldstein

Above: Meyisha Simmons and Vi Nguyen pose after their exciting victory!

“It feels great knowing we made history at Dublin High” - Vi Nguyen

2 The Dublin Shield News

The Effect of the Outlets Eric Swalwell, Our New Congressman

Students Say Apocalypse is a Fake

By Tyler MattimoreBy Shelby Mrak

By Caitlyn Murray

The Paragon Outlets opened on November 8, 2012. Located off of the El Charro Road exit in Livermore, the outlets are home to leading designer and top brand name stores including Armani, Michael Kors, and Polo Ralph Lauren. People knew that they were going to have an effect on the community but they just didn’t know how big. “The outlets are a great place if you want to spend your money,” says Senior Tisha Thimbunjuad. “There are so many brand name stores!” People who are into fashion should have no problem spending their money at the outlets since the prices at the stores are pretty high. Even though the outlets have done good things like pres-ent high-end clothing and bring jobs to the community, they also have their negative effects. “I think having the outlets nearby is really cool,” says Senior Deana Fedaie. ”But the amount of traffic that it has caused has been in-sane for people who are just trying

to go home in East Dublin.” The traffic on I-580 has proven to be a problem. The outlets only have one entrance to them, so whoever plans on going might have to wait in a long line of cars. “I mean, the outlets are obviously a good thing for business and the Livermore community,” say a ju-nior student at Dublin High.”They provide the people in neighboring cities a chance to buy some nice clothing. The only down side to them is the traffic. It takes so long to get into a parking space when the outlets are full.” The outlets can be looked at as both good and bad. Either way, it can be agreed upon that the outlets provide high-end shop-ping. With Christmas time being right around the corner the outlets might be a good place to get that special someone in the family a present. If you plan on going to the outlets to get a gift, you might want to leave the house early because the line of cars on the freeway and at the stores may be long.

Eric Swalwell, a former Dublin High School student, now our Congressman. He graduated class of 1999 and was a very accomplished student. Follow-ing high school he went to the University Of Maryland School Of Law where he attained a BA in government and politics. “I sought opportunities to serve, including an internship with Con-gresswoman Ellen Tauscher and

serving as the student represen-tative on the College Park City Council in Maryland while I was in college,” Congressman Swalwell tells us. After college he became a pros-ecutor in 2006 and has since pros-ecuted over a thousand cases.These cases cover murder, hu-man-trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, and fraud. On November 6, it was an-

nounced that he had won and would become Congressman. He will soon head to Washington to be sworn in, which is taking place January 3. Congressman Swalwell gained much experience working to rebuild the economy when he worked in the City of Dublin Plan-ning Commission. With the economy as it is he plans to develop an alternate form of energy. He believes that by do-ing this it will reduce our depen-dence on oil. Furthermore he has the goal of creating clean energy, which has a bonus of creating more jobs, and in turn helping our economy. “We are home to two national laboratories that house some of the brightest minds working on clean technology research and development,” says Congressman Swalwell. One of his goals is to promote small businesses. Small busi-nesses are key to boosting job and economic growth. But in tough economic times like this it’s hard to start a new business. Con-gressman Swalwell plans to level the playing field by lowering taxes for these self-employed people to that of the employee. As most people in America know, many things are made in China. Congressman Swalwell believes in having things made in America. This will play a huge part in improving our economy, seeing as more jobs equals more money to get America back on its’ feet, so to speak. The more jobs in America, the better. He believes in heavily taxing businesses that move jobs out of the country as a form of punishment, encouraging jobs to be kept here at home.

Will the world actually come to an end on December 21, 2012? That is the question that is on everyones mind. The Mayan calender is what started all the controversy about 2012. The date of December 21 corresponds with the end date of a 5125 year long cycle in the Me-soamerican Long Count calendar, according to the ancient Mayans. When asked, Sophomore Josh Park said, “I think that the world ending is totally fake.” Believers think that Earth will collide with a planet called Nibiru or be hit with many disasters. However many scholars disagree with the claim of all the ideas of

such events happening. Also pro-fessional Mayanist scholars state that these predictions misrepre-sent the Maya history and culture. No evidence has been found that the Mayans believed that the world was going to end. Many Dublin High students also disagree with the apocalypse predictions. “You have to be really stupid to believe the world is actually going to end on December 21,” said Junior Adaku Okeke. Also, Junior Chris Brandt said, “I can’t express my feeling on this topic without using profane words.” Apocalypse predictions occur

ABOVE: An aisle of stores at the outlet. Credit: Tyler Mattimore

ABOVE: Matte painting of my vision of a city before the apocalypse. Credit. Ghetty Images.

ABOVE: Congressman Eric Swalwell giving a speech at the gradu-ation of Dublin High School’s Class of 2010. Credit: onedublin.org

often. Recently, a preacher named Harold Camping predicted Judge-ment Day on May 21, 2011 and the end of the world on October 21 of that same year. Clearly he was wrong. The topic of the 2012 apoca-lypse has also become popular social networking sites and even Hollywood. In 2009, the film about the phenomenon called 2012 came out. It became one of the most successful films of the year, grossing over $770 million. Also recent pop music hits have been inspired by the apocalypse. Some songs include “2012 (It Ain’t the End) by Jay sean and “Till the World Ends” by Britney Spears.

3 The Dublin ShieldSports

Football’s Final Curtain CallBy Zach CalhounFriday November 16, 2012 was a great night for the Clayton Valley Eagles, but not the Dublin Gaels. It was the last time the Seniors got to put on the helmets and shoul-der pads as Gaels. It was hard for most of them to say goodbye to the season, but at the same time, many memories were made. Though the Gaels faced many challenges in the season like in-juries, they still managed to make North Coast Sections Playoffs for the second year in a row. They went 6-6-0 in the regular season and in the playoffs went 1-1. There were many memories made though this season. Josh Nobida’s favorite moment was beating Livermore in the first round. “That first win against Livermore in NCS was probably what stood out the most to me,” Nobida said. Brian Musetti also agrees that his best moment was beating Livermore as well. “We came out strong, never lost focus, and always did everything “correctly in that game. That’s how

we win games,” Musetti said.Coach Mac Dougall’s favorite moment of the whole season was beating Miramonte. “Seeing the satisfaction on Coach Wade’s face after showing that we were better than Miramon-te’s program, when we destroyed them at home, that was awe-some,” Coach Mac Dougall said. “We have a great senior class, I’m going to miss all of them, they have some great personalities, and are the hardest workers I have ever been around,” Coach Mac Dougall said. “Every year when you start a new season, you see things that you can improve, and i think that making improve-ments for our team making improvements in the weight room and the classroom is what I’m looking forward to next season.” Although the season has end-ed, the team has set the bar high for all other sports to be success-ful this year, including qualifying for NCS and continue to win in the playoffs.

Beckham Salutes as Galaxy Wins Second StraightBy Tyler Mattimore

Concussions Impact NFLBy Alison Martinez

Bye Bye BambiBy Shelby Mrak

ABOVE: The deers exposing themselves, making them vulnerable during hunting season. Credit: stockfreeimages.com

The Los Angeles Galaxy took on the Houston Dynamo in the Major League Soccer cup final. In this year’s rematch of last year’s final, the Galaxy were heavy favorites going into the game. “I’m sad it’s the end,” Galaxy center midfielder David Beckham said in an interview after the game. “It’s been a special place for me. It continued to be a special place to me.” This was Beckham’s last game in the United States and possibly of his career. He made his mark in the MLS by scoring 18 goals and assisting 40 in 98 games. “I didn’t want the Galaxy to win,” Junior Christian Brosius said. ”I wanted Houston to beat them even though I’m a San Jose Earthquakes fan.” After being down 1 to 0 at half, the Galaxy came back with goals from Landon Donovan, Rob-bie Keane and Omar Gonzalez sealing the 3 to 1 victory over the Dynamo. “Since I like the San Jose Earth-quakes, I hate the Galaxy be-cause they are their rivals,” Junior Matt Daleiden said. ”I thought that

the Dynamo were going to win for sure after they scored the first goal.” The win for the Galaxy was their second title in the last two years. This win was Beckham’s second MLS title and Donovan’s record tying fifth MLS title. Donovan, like Beckham, is also considering departing from soccer because he doesn’t enjoy it as much as he used to. “I was extremely happy that the Galaxy won!” a Dublin High senior said. ”I am from Los Angeles, so I am a fan of every sports team down there like the Lakers, Clip-pers and Galaxy.” Defender Omar Gonzalez was named as the final’s Most Valu-able Player after netting a goal in the 61st minute and playing solid defense. “Gonzalez did play really good, but it would have been nice to see Beckham or Donovan get it since they might not come back and play next year,” the senior said. After winning the title again this year, the Galaxy will be looking for a third straight championship win.

the player is fitted into a football helmet and worn correctly,” sports-medicine teacher Amy Lopez said. The helmets are designed to protect the skull, not the brain. Con cussions have become more common not just in the NFL, but also other sports. “I’m much more careful now because I now know how serious they are and people should be more aware because people don’t necessarily know how serious of a thing they can be,” Warren said. The NFL has adjusted league rules to decrease the concus-sion count, but there’s no way to prevent that, considering how recklessly some players play the game. However, proper tech-niques of fitting helmets and tackling can be learned. “The players are taught the correct way to hit and be hit and finally they know what the symp-toms of a concussion are, so that

Football is a violent sport that can be of high risk to injury. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has brought the issue of concus-sions to the year of 2012 to light since elite players like Jay Cutler, LeSean McCoy, Alex Smith and Michael Vick suffered them. Con-cussions affect the mobility of the brain and it is sometimes hard to function in everyday life. “Some are even life threatening and can cause permanent brain damage if not treated or taken care of soon enough and cor-rectly,” Sophomore Kristen Warren said. Following a concussion, the NFL requires players to clear a sophis-ticated testing protocol that takes a minimum of five days before returning to the field. “Due to the nature of football, there is no 100% way to avoid. getting concussions, and the best thing you can do is make sure

ABOVE: In the game of football, the players tackle and hit each other with great force. Credit: Wikipedia Commons

they can tell a coach or the trainer as soon as they have any symp-toms,” Lopez said. A concussion is a bruise to the brain, therefore it needs time to heal. The types of symptoms and how long these symptoms take to heal is what determines the sever-ity of a concussion. “There are over 37 signs and symptoms of concussions,” P.E. teacher Ms. Hasenpflug said. “They’re mostly headaches, and feeling like they are in a ‘fog’ is the best description.” All the league can do is to create a program that monitors former players by requiring them to go through brain testing to check them up and help stop the trend of concussions. If there’s a possibility that you feel concussion symp-toms, it’s best to get your head checked out.

ABOVE: David Beckham kicking from the corner duing the MLS Finals. Credit: Getty Images

Hunting is a sport enjoyed by many people in California. Many people here at Dublin High have not tried hunting but are still very interested in it. “I have never been, but I plan on going,” senior Matt Victoriano said. “I think hunting is a good way to bond with family.” “I think hunting is a good way to enjoy the outdoors and it is a good food source,” Jeremy Benge said. “I would definitely go hunting sometime.” Even though you can hunt in California, you can get bigger deer elsewhere. In California, we get the small coastal deer. However in a state like Montana, you could get a monster buck. For the big game hunters,

Montana has mule deer, whitetail, antelope, elk, moose, black bears, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep. And for people who prefer to hunt smaller game, there are pheasants, pigeons, turkey, and ducks. The season for big game starts October 20th and goes until No-vember 25th if you’re hunting with a rifle. If archery is more of your thing the season starts September 1st and goes until October 14th. All first time hunters should know a few things before just heading out on their own. First you need to stalk the areas you plan on hunt-ing long before hunting season to see where the deer like to go. Second you need to use the right riffle, personally for hunting a .243

will get the job done, it drops the deer and doesn’t do too much damage to the animal’s meat. Whereas if you’re hunting with a .30-06, the bullet will destroy the organ it hits and blow it into hundreds of pieces.. Also, even though this doesn’t have to do much with the act of hunting, do not forget to wear warm clothes. Hunting will not be fun if you’re freezing because you forgot to bring thermals. Lastly, the way you walk is very important. If you’re walking and making the snow crunch or twigs break, the deer will be running before you know they were there. Good luck to all the hunters of Dublin High and to those who will go in the future.

HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY & A SAFE WINTER BREAK!

4 The Dublin Shield Holiday Festivities

Merry Mummering and a Radish New YearBy Jasmine Virk

‘Tis the season and people around the world are gearing up for their favorite holidays. But while many are familiar with Christmas and Hanukkah, who among us have ever heard of such traditions as mummering or the Noche de Rábanos? Mummering is a holiday that is practiced in Newfoundland and Labrador. Also known as janney-ing, mummering dates back to the 19th century when records indicate the tradition was first practiced in 1819. The event takes place during the twelve days of Christmas, when groups of families and friends dress in disguises and visit houses within their communities. When the mummers are invited into a home, they perform a song or dance while the hosts attempt to guess their identities. Many mummers often cross-dress and

disguise their voices to better con-ceal themselves. If a mummer’s identity is revealed, they take off their disguise and enjoy Christmas cake and grog (an alcoholic bever-age) served by the hosts before repeating their performance at the next home. “I’d definitely drag my friends into going mummering. One day I can look back on it and laugh, having most likely made a fool of myself at the time, but at least I’d know I had fun,” says Senior Isabelle Huang. Another unusual holiday tradition is the Noche de Rábanos, or the Night of the Radish, which takes place on December 23 in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. The event started in the 16th century, when the Spanish first brought the rad-ish to the Americas. Vendors used to carve designs into the veg-etables to make them look more

appealing to customers. In 1897, the mayor of Oaxaca made the exhibition of carved radishes into a contest that is still held today. Contestants use the vegetable to make sculptures of figures, scenes, and more. Many art-ists even incorporate the holiday season by recreating the nativity scene completely out of radishes. The winner of Noche de Rábanos gets a cash prize and their picture taken for the paper. “I think the Night of the Rad-ish sounds like a unique way of changing up the holidays,” says Junior Swarna Lnu. So put away the stockings and dreidels because there are many different traditions one can experi-ence this holiday season. Pick up a radish and put on a mask, be-cause mummering and Noche de Rábanos might be just what you need to get into the holiday spirit.

Gift Giving Made EasyBy Lauren Flint

2012: The Year in Review By Zach Calhoun

Top Five Things to Do Over Winter BreakBy Ana Cruz

ABOVE: Senior Lucas Hernandez suffering from holiday blues and boredom. Credit: Ana Cruz

Winter break is finally here. DHS students have a blissful and relaxing two weeks to look forward to such as, “Catching up on sleep and spending time with my friends that are coming home from col-lege,” says Monica Hernandez. But in case you ever find yourself with nothing to do, here are five ideas to try so that you can make the most out of winter break:1. Visit the city Take advantage of the fact that San Francisco is only a BART away from Dublin. One thing you can do would be ice skating at the Holiday Ice Rink in Embarcadero or Union Square. While you’re there, go see Macy’s 80-foot tall Christmas Tree, head over to the upscale Union Street, or catch a play.2. Movie/TV marathon Watch a movie you’ve been meaning to see for awhile now. If you’re going for holiday themed films, watch good old Home Alone, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Be-fore Christmas, and Elf. For non-holiday themed movies, watch films such as, “(500) Days of Summer, Perks of Being a Wall-flower, and Mean Girls,” recom-mends Keilani-Taylor Pham. “And

it’s always a good time to watch Harry Potter movies.” 3. Start a creative project Make a scrapbook highlight-ing favorite memories from this year, paint your bedroom, make homemade gifts, learn to knit, make a short film, or write a story. Even if you think you’re not the creative type, it doesn’t hurt to try and explore a more artistic side of yourself.4. Learn to bake something new It’d be fun to pick up a recipe and bake some pastries. If you don’t own a recipe book or don’t have one that interests you, joyofbaking.com would be a great place to look. The site of-fers Christmas-themed pastries and other recipes for sweet treats, along with a video demo on how to make it. 5. Throw a holiday-themed party Have an end of the year cel-ebration with your friends and family. Hold a gingerbread house building competition, serve holiday treats, and exchange gifts. Being with your loved ones would be a great way to end 2012, and a perfect way to start off 2013.

The Holidays are a time for family, celebration, food, and giving. Even though gifts are a very exciting aspect of the holiday season, buying gifts for people can be stressful. Many things can contribute to gift-giving stress. Budget, mental blocks, and not knowing what the person may like are all factors that make the pro-cess stressful. It depends on who you are buying for and the type of present you wish to give. The sentimental route: sentimen-tal gifts are the easiest to get cre-ative with. If your goal is to come up with something extra special, a handmade present is your best bet. Whether it be for a family member, best friend, or significant other, you can’t go wrong with a fleece blanket or collage picture frame. Sure it may seem cliche, but the beauty of it is, you can per-sonalize it and make it your own! The safe route: There are certain gifts that are usually always ap-propriate for particular people. Clothes or accessories are the perfect gifts for siblings, friends, or other family members. Who doesn’t love a cozy scarf or beanie? An even safer route is gift cards. They may seem insincere but if it is for their favorite store or

restaurant, they will surely enjoy it. The “experience” route: Some people are not as into material things, or maybe they enjoy ac-tivities more. You can always buy concert or sports game tickets. There are many plays around the holidays and experiencing some-thing special with someone can be much more valuable than a gift. The jokester: If you have a silly relationship with a cousin or friend, a funny present is always entertaining. A gift that is related to an inside joke is a mixture between jokester and sentimental because although it’s funny, it has deeper meaning. You can also get them something totally ridiculous like a fake mustache or weird stuffed animal, just for laughs. The cheap route: If you are tight on cash you can always bake all of your friends holiday cookies or cupcakes. Everyone loves food! A sweet holiday treat will always be appreciated. The last minute route: Forgot about a distant aunt or acquain-tance that you feel obligated to buy a present for? Once again, gift cards to the rescue. The night before a gift exchange, iTunes or gas cards are a simple gift that are easy to buy.

ABOVE: The season of gift giving is here. Credit: gettyimages.com

ABOVE: Mass murderers or joyful holiday-goers? No need to call the cops, it’s just your friends and family wishing you a Happy Mummering! Credit: Jackie A. O’Brien

The year 2012 was a great year for many people. It was the year that Barack Obama was reelected president, the year that we came together as a country to help those in need after the disastrous Hurricane Sandy. The London Olympics. The London Olympics were great for the United States because not only did they do amazing in all the events, but they also brought back the most medals out of all the countries! There were many great athletes that represented the U.S,; we also saw the last race that Michael Phelps would ever participate in his Olympic career. Another event that happened in 2012 was the reelection of President Barack Obama. He will serve as our President for another four years! One of the greatest underdog stories goes to the Oakland Athletics. The A’s were predicted to have another bad season of losing 90 or more games and having maybe 2,000 fans at each game. The A’s stayed in playoff contention the whole year, giving

many fans a scare every time they fell out of the standings. But, they did something that was never projected to happen, which was win the division, and knock the AL champion Texas Rangers out of the playoffs. There were also tragic events that took place in 2012. The one that affected the United States the most was Hurricane Sandy. Sandy didn’t just affect the south-east region of the U.S.; it also affected the northeast region. New York and New Jersey, everywhere in the east coast was hammered with rain and wind, which eventu-ally led to flooding, power out-ages, and even death. Eighty-five people have died. Lastly, there is the highly feared apocalypse that is predicted to happen December 21, 2012. This is the date that the Mayan calendar ends and supposedly, this is when all the electricity goes out in the world and freakish solar storms come our way to destroy civilization on Earth. As, 2012 comes to a close, we hope that 2013 will be even better.

5 The Dublin Shield

Have you been a victim of the DHS accounts? Lately on Twitter and Instagram, there have been fake accounts popping up every-where. Some are good, some not so good. Some hurt people’s feel-ings and all are anonymous. These accounts range from Dub-lin Truth to DHS Hottest Bodies. But what people fail to realize is that these accounts can really hurt people. Who is to say whether somebody is more attractive than another? These accounts made on attractiveness are biased and unfair. Not to mention that hiding behind a computer screen saying hurtful things is cowardly and heinous. “There’s 1800 kids at this school and they’re choosing fifty and it’s all from the same group...If everyone just ignores it they’ll be fine,” says Mitch Kless, a senior at Dublin High. People who make these ac-counts fail to realize that because we are teens some people may take it differently than others. These accounts could lead to seri-ous consequences. “The DHS Top 50 Ugliest Girls thing was really mean. People can

commit suicide over that, “ says April Johnson, another senior af-fected by these hurtful accounts. How would you feel if somebody committed suicide from something you wrote on a irrelevant Twitter account? In an attempt to make things better, I created the DHS Compliments page to stop the angry madness and hate, but soon after about thirteen more ac-counts popped up doing the exact opposite of what was trying to be accomplished. “I think people should realize that they’re not funny like it’s not a good use of their time and they’re just hurting other people’s feel-ings,” says Senior Deana Fedaie. “People should really watch what they say because it can make a difference,” says Johnson. So if you have a hurtful account, delete it. The negativity and hate on Twitter is not necessary. We all know Dublin High School may have problems but for people to point them out and single out others is irrelevant and doing too much. Let’s all love each other and bake a cake with filled with rainbows and smiles and every-one would eat and be happy.

ABOVE: One of the DHS accounts that exists on Instagram. Credit: Mimi Maghrbi

Fake Accounts Take Over By Mimi Maghrbi

Senior Nancy Zhou, one of the National Merit Scholarship Semi Finalists this year, is both a great student and a great friend. Like many other students in high school, Zhou has also had to deal with stress. The constant overwhelmingness from such a huge workload becomes almost inevitable, and the best way to deal with this would be learning how to manage such stress! Zhou copes with this by having learned to “take things one step at a time, to chip away at my work instead of gawking at how impos-sible the task is,” says Zhou. Some of the classes Zhou has taken throughout high school include choir, AP Chemistry, AP Stats, AP Lang, AP US History,

AP European History, AP Biol-ogy, Advanced English 9, and AP Spanish. Though these are only some of the rigorous classes that she has taken. “I’ve loved all of the classes that I’ve taken,” says Zhou. “Shoutout to all the teachers I’ve had and all the teachers I have right now!” Nancy Zhou also has a passion for table tennis, which she consid-ers the other half of her life, aside from academics. “There’s something about hitting a 40mm ball over a six inch net that makes it challenging yet re-laxing for me,” says Zhou. “Aside from training for myself, I coach at the Tri-Valley Table Tennis Club and I volunteer in Alameda,

using table tennis to rebuild the basic human connection between special needs children and their environment.” Aside from both academics and sports, Zhou also plays three instruments – the piano, flute, and guitar. “I’ve been spending more time on guitar than anything else lately though, because I’m still teaching myself the basics of it,” says Zhou. Zhou also incorporates little joys from time to time, as she “also likes to draw and sing random songs on random occasions,” Zhou exclaims. As her high school career comes to an end, Zhou reflects on her past few years here. Some of the highlights include the Science Bowl Regionals at Las Positas College last January as well as the Triple Threat Talent Show last year. “I enjoyed playing the piano ac-companiment for my friend Norita Saha, an amazing vocalist, as she sang “Angel” for the school,” says Zhou. What Zhou really looks forward to senior year though, is going to Mr. Dublin for the first time, partici-pating in all of the senior events like the Senior Picnic, and “simply spending some time with my fel-low seniors and classmates from all grade levels before heading off to college,” Zhou states. Currently, Nancy Zhou plans on being a chemical biology major, with an intent to go into pharma-cology.

Dublin High School has a very appropriate student dress code. Overall: Shoes must be worn at all times. No slippers are allowed, no pajamas, no inappropriate symbols or words on any cloth-ing, no blankets. For girls: Tank tops straps must be 2 inches, no halter tops, shorts, dresses and skirts must go to mid-thigh, no see through or fishnet fabrics, no off-the-shoulder shirts. For Guys: Pants must be worn at the waist. The Dublin High student body tries to follow these rules but during the winter time, even if you’re following the rules, does it still make what you are wear-ing weather appropriate? During the colder seasons should admin have different dress codes? And that tank tops and bro-tees should not be allowed to be worn? It is definitely the cold and flu season but if students aren’t covering up, they are prone to be a victim of the terrible effects. If the students are getting sick, they don’t go to school and the school itself loses money. If your outfit of the day isn’t weather appropri-ate, throw a scarf on or a simple

jacket. There are many other options to look the best you can, while still being conservative. This is a controversial issue amongst students. On one hand, the dress code should be different based on the season, said Senior Olivia Silva. “People should not be wearing revealing clothing when it’s cold because they are just seeking at-tention and it reflects badly on our school,” said Silva. But on the other hand admin should not have a specific dress code during seasons, says Senior Mark Dorsett. “Different people have different clothing and body temperatures and you can’t change what people like to wear,” said Dorsett. Also think about what your choice of outfit can say about you. So the next time you get ready in the morning, remember to be layered up. “The only advice I have is to dress for comfort and safety,” said, Mrs. Rodgers. ”I can’t imagine anything worse than being cold all day at school. If it’s cold outside, cover up!“

ABOVE: Girls wearing the wrong apparel.

By Menisha Sohal

Students Opinions on Seasonal Clothing

ABOVE: Nancy Zhou playing in a match at the Sacramento Open. Credit: Nancy Zhou

By Winnie Chan

Student Spotlight: Nancy Zhou

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Student Life

6 The Dublin Shield Entertainment

Located just off of Interstate 580 at the Ulferts Center in East Dublin, is Thai Basil Express, a family owned and operated restaurant based on the famous food of Thai Basil in Berkeley. Berkeley’s Thai Basil is well known among the city’s residents as well as UC Berkeley students as it is considered affordable and provides an alternative in food op-tions for all. Similarly, Thai Basil Express in Dublin provides the same award-winning food in a casual and comfy dining atmosphere. The only change in its mission is the addition of the idea that every-thing is cooked more efficiently, resulting in the new name of the restaurant. Thai Basil Express provides an alternative to all the dining restaurants in the Tri-valley area as it specializes in takeout orders and provides a relaxed and casual restaurant for all customers to enjoy. “Our goal is to leave our custom-ers with a satisfying homestyle Thai meal that is cooked just the way my mother made it back in Bangkok,” says owner Chor Tan. “Although many people view Thai food as a luxury, we maintain af-fordable prices and a casual atmo-

By Winnie Chan

sphere in hopes that you can dine with us regularly.” Tan’s recommendations include the House Special Fish and the Tamarind Shrimp, which were created by his mother as a family recipe. Dang, an employee at the res-taurant, has been working at Thai Basil Express since 2006, when it first opened. “I would recommend customers to come because we got the 3Gs (good food, good price, good por-tion),” Dang says. “The food is always fresh and hot, and the dish types and spiciness levels vary,” says Senior Japna Kalra. “The atmosphere is great because it is usually full of people, and everyone is surround-ed by traditional Thai art and large glass windows.” Kalra recommends the Panang Curry, Red Curry, and the Pine-apple Fried Rice; she also recom-mends the Tom-Yum Soup. Just as Thai Basil in Berkeley has been voted “Best Thai Res-taurant” by the readers of Daily Californian, Thai Basil Express has also become acclaimed ever since its opening in 2006, becom-ing one of the earlier restaurants to go into business at the Ulferts Center in East Dublin.

ABOVE: Entrance to Thai Basil Express at the Ulferts Center in East Dublin. Credit: Winnie Chan

Holiday Fun and Games By Liam Bird

The holidays are here, it’s a time for joy and a time for cheer! But it’s also that time where we write our wish lists, and for gamers, here are a couple games that your wish lists can’t do without. If you’re into first person shooter games, there are some that I would recommend you consider, starting with Borderlands 2. If you have played the original Borderlands you definitely need this game, and if you haven’t, you still need this game. The game is beautiful, its got a very colorful

design and feel to it, it’s hilarious, and it has lots and lots of guns. Unlike the first Borderlands, grenades and rockets are actually effective to use. All the playable classes are fun to use, have a unique feel to them, and each have a lot of skill trees to master, so this game will keep you playing for ages. I recommend this game, especially if you’re into action games. Also there is the recently re-leased Black Ops II. Black Ops II is the first Call of Duty game

to present the player with future warfare technology, as well as the first to have branching storylines driven by the players choices. It features new strike force missions which play like real-time strategy games, and place you in control of a squad and unmanned weapons to complete your objectives. Even if you haven’t played the series before, it’s a game you should consider for your wish list. For gamers who like a chal-lenge, you should consider Dark Souls, or Rayman Origins. Though both these games aren’t really new, they are still both fun and dif-ficult. Rayman is a colorful game, it’s full of cartoon fun and enjoy-able music. The game is smooth throughout, and new elements are constantly added to spice it up. Dark Souls is more of an RPG, and unlike Rayman, it doesn’t have a pleasant atmosphere. Dark Souls is intense and difficult, and pretty much everything in the game wants to kill you and at some point will kill you. Bosses are insanely epic and actually give you a sense of accomplishment when you beat them. These are just a few recom-mended games for this year. Here are some games worth looking at: Far Cry 3, Rayman Legends, Hit-man Absolution, Dishonored, and Nintendo Land.

Dear Meems,

Dear Meems, I really like my bestfriend and I don’t think I can hold it in anymore...but I don’t want to ruin our friendship. Should I tell her?

Sincerely,In Love and Confused

Dear In Love and Confused, You sound like you’re in a pickle. Unfortunately, you’re not alone. In fact, I was in the same boat as you last year. You want to keep your friendship just in case she doesn’t feel the same way, right? In reality, things will probably not be the same as they are now. But let me tell you this, if you do not tell her and continue to go through high school with your feelings held in, you will regret it. There was a boy who I was best friends with and I started to gain feelings for him. I tried to hold it in but I couldn’t. Then one day, I told him. He told me he didn’t feel the same way because I was too good of a friend. Yes, I was upset. I got over it the week after, though. And I continued to focus on myself until I found love with my current boyfriend. My relationship with my best friend was never the same, but I cannot express how relieved I was to get it off my chest. I have always told guys I liked them. Some shared interest and others were repulsed. Either way I got to MOVE ON and I was much happier not worrying or wasting my time on somebody who wasn’t thinking about me. Make sense? Just tell her and you will feel better. Some girls may be happy because they feel the same way and others will feel awkward and upset. You never know how she may react. Lay it on her easy and allow her time to think about what you just said.You may be surprised to see it turn into something special. You never know unless you tell them. Hope this motivates you and others who are in the same situation to reveal your feelings. So, roll up your sleeves, get all the confidence, and go for it tiger!

Best of Luck,Meems (Mimi Maghrbi)

ABOVE: Games make a great present! Credit: Liam Bird

ABOVE: Two couples before and after they took Mimi’s advice. Credit: Mimi Maghrbi

Book of the Month: Zombies vs. Unicorns

ABOVE: Eye-grabbing cover of the book Zombies vs. Unicorns. Credit: Teki Smith

Coke vs. Pepsi, Dublin High vs. Dougherty, Giants vs. Dodgers. Zombies vs. Unicorns? A group of prominent and best-selling Young-Adult authors have collaborated to come up with a collection of short stories. Zom-bies vs. Unicorns is an anthology that consists of a wide range of interpretations on these two mythi-cal creatures. These short stories venture into a variety of twisted tales. A number of stories stand out in this collection, most of which rely

on profound and intense char-acters and darkly creative twists as well as mythical creatures to highlight the characteristics of the protagonist. Although sometimes you may find yourself reading about the stereotypical zombie or unicorn, be aware that unicorns won’t always be tame and sparkly, and the zombies won’t always be mindless brain-starved creatures. Zombie-lover authors Cassandra Clare, writer of Cold Hands, and Carrie Ryan, author of Bougain-villea, deliver dark, traditional stories; Alaya Dawn Johnson wrote Love Will Tear Us Apart and it’s filled with humor and a more scientific-edge with references to bands such as Arctic Monkeys and Joy Division. Zombies have become a pop culture phenomenon in recent years with movies like Zombieland and the game Plants vs. Zombies. But in this book, not all zombies are slow mindless creatures. Although there are the typical and traditional zombie themed stories, some are cunning and are able to blend into the world around them. Unicorns have always existed ei-ther as symbols of purity and hope

By Ana Cruzor as vicious blood thirsty killers. And there are interpretations for both of these in the book. Although it’s rare that the ques-tion of which is better between a zombie and unicorn has been raised, this is a refreshing and funny break from the more popular vampires vs. werewolves debate. The humor and sarcasm of the authors keep the book fresh and it stands out among other antholo-gies. But like all anthologies, this was a mixture of great stories and some that fall flat. But the great ones made up for the so-so sto-ries. So the question is, are you Team Zombie or Team Unicorn? Decide for yourself and read this book; it’s available in our very own school library.

Want to be apart of my newadvice column?Send your questionsto @thedublinshieldin a direct messageon Twitter or contact Mimi Maghrbi withyour question. Yourquestion could befeatured in the nextarticle!

“Although it’s rare that the question of which is better between a zombie and unicorn has been raised, this is a refreshing and funny break from the more popular vampires vs. werewolves debate.”

Restaurant of the Month: Thai Basil

7 The Dublin Shield Opinion

Paying Attention Pays OffBy Michelle Goldstein

Reasons to Rethink Fast FoodBy Danielle Boccio

Sports: Pros and ConsBy Danielle Boccio Feel the Beat to the Music

By Michelle Goldstien

Have you ever felt like sleeping or texting in class? Are you bored listening to your teachers’ lec-tures? Your teachers give lectures that may be a little boring, but pay-ing attention to them will help you in the future. School can do great things that you can’t even imagine. School was created to educate students in specific subjects that will prepare them for the future. So when you’re in class, respect your teacher and listen to what they have to say. Students that don’t pay atten-tion in class either have a tough academic schedule, active social life, or they are involved in many time-consuming extracurricular ac-tivities. Some students choose to

not pay attention in class because they don’t see how the subject could be applied in real life. It is detrimental to your own future to not pay attention because you want the best future possible no matter how you visualize it. Life is under your control, so you should make the right move. “It is important to pay attention because it makes it easy and ef-fective to show your full potential,” said Dublin High English teacher Chris Mac Dougall. Here are some tips that will help you pay attention in class: Try not to daydream, because then you will not recognize the notes you took in class earlier. Avoid talking to classmates, otherwise you will get in trouble

Have you ever been in a bad mood, but when you turn on your favorite song, the stress of the day just melts away? Well, music can change your mood more than you know. “Music makes my life worth liv-ing. Without it, I wouldn’t be here. It’s the only thing that can bring you back to a specific moment or a place. It’s magical.” says Senior Taylor Weber. Music is made to be listened to and enjoyed. A song can get you amped up for an exciting upcom-ing event or just get you in a better mood. If you are feeling sad, an-gry, or even frustrated, music can bring your mood to a new level of happiness. Everyday is different and your life can get difficult at times, but if you have time to listen to music, you should. The song

should be catchy so that you will enjoy getting your mind off all the bad things in your life. Mr. Everts has several quotes on his wall and one that he says on most days is, “Music is what life sounds like.” Many people dance and sing to their favorite songs and their mood becomes better than before. Senior Rachele Morales ex-plains, “Music is an artistic form of expressing your emotions. It allows people to come together. Without music, life would be bor-ing.” If you’re sitting on the couch and you’re bored, music is one solution. Your emotions can be expressed even when you are bored. Music can do many things to you. It can inspire, create, and help you express yourself.

Senior band member Christine Daquinag says, “I wake up at 7 in the morning to the sweet sound of jazz band. It makes my day. Without the different genres, there would only be one type of sound, nothing.” No matter who you are, music can change your life in the best of light. Your mood can brighten your environment by a single song. Each verse that is played or sung can really inspire you to do great things. Music leaves an imprint on you that you will never lose be-cause it is a connection between you and the world. It expresses each and every feeling or emotion that you can’t explain in any other way. Music can bring you happi-ness everyday, no matter what.

How often do you go off campus for lunch? Do you bring a lunch or do you buy it? Every day the ma-jority of the upperclassman go off campus for lunch to the multiple fast food chains down the street. We only have 35 minutes to eat, so fast food is the most conve-nient option. But is it really? On average most spend around $5 on fast food every day, by the end of the week that’s $35 dollars. Now, times that by the 52 weeks in a year; and we are spending $1,820 on fast food. That much money spent on one meal out of the three in a day, when we could eat for free by bringing food from home. And, how much of that money did you borrow from your parents? Aside from the cost, fast food is incredibly bad for you. The food is grown with pesticides with growth hormones, and with produce that is GMO (Genetically modified organism). Deep-fried foods like

french fries are even worse for you than burgers because they contain high levels of saturated and trans fats. Also, fast foods tend to be high in sodium and often one meal can contain more sodium than is recommended for one day. Too much saturated and trans fats negatively affect your cholesterol levels and too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. Since we are all young and healthy we don’t really keep any of the body harming side effects in mind when we want to get a quick bite to eat. For those of us who are having fast food for lunch everyday the side effects are likely to show up later in life, even if you are in good shape. Any foods that are prepared be-fore and are heated up and given to a customer in a matter of min-utes is considered fast food. That includes places like Starbucks, Jamba Juice and Subway. Fast food won’t completely ruin your health but be sure to mix in healthy foods brought from home for lunch every once and awhile.

Grades affect everything. Not, only your future, but your hap-piness and livelihood. Grades determine the colleges you can at-tend and ultimately the rest of your life. But, while you’re still in high school they determine whether or not you can participate in extra-curricular activities like: dances, clubs, and sports. Sports are a big deal for many students in high school. For most, playing a sport is the chance to get a scholarship to an amazing school that would otherwise be a long shot to get into. Even if your skills aren’t the best, you still have that little dream in the back of your mind. But, if you don’t have the grades to be eligible to play the sport, that dream is shattered. That’s why sports are a good impact on grades; students try harder in school so that they will be able to play the sport they love. When a scholarship is an option students will have even more incentive to get better grades. “I definitely work harder to get good grades during swim sea-

son,” said Junior, Paige O’callihan Jones. There’s also drawbacks to sports. Some students will put all their effort into playing their sport, or may even play several sports and not have enough time and energy to put into their school work. The result: their grades drop, and are cut from their sport. If they were a potential scholar-ship applicant, that isn’t an option at this point. Then the student is either pressured to do well in school again to get back into their sport, or feels dejected and keeps the bad grades, feeling as though there is no hope. “During soccer season it’s definitely harder to keep on top of homework, I almost got cut last year for bad grades,”said a sophomore soccer player, wishing to remain nameless. Even with these pros and cons, sports are over all a good experi-ence for students. For those of us who aren’t the best, they give us a good chance to play before we are adults and can’t play anymore.

with your teacher who is trying to teach you the material in order to graduate. Get a good night’s sleep the night before so you are not tired and do not fall asleep in class. Try to make eye contact, so you are focused and the information you have learned has made an imprint in your mind. “Just because you don’t pay attention at home or other places, doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay attention in school,” said junior Brittney Palma. Although it might seem hard to pay attention day after day, keep in mind that the results will pay off as long as you are dedicated. Remember, never lose your train of thought or the wheels will stop turning.

ABOVE: Seniors Gabriela Vasquez, Katelyn Kleinheinz, Lisse Lundin, and Junior Juliet Roufchaie texting in class. Credit: Michelle Goldstein

ABOVE: A typical McDonald’s meal costing around $7 and is over 1,000 calories. Credit: Zach Calhoun

ABOVE: Senior Marcos Castro playing the guitar for Senior Nick Sinai. Credit: Michelle GoldsteinABOVE: Grades in the Parent Portal app. Credit: Zach Calhoun

8 The Dublin Shield Friday December 21, 2012

Getting to Know Trisha CampbellBy Alison Martinez

Over the years, Dublin High has had many additions to their staff on campus. Many students may not know that Dublin has a unique new addition for the 2012-2013 school year in Trisha Campbell, a 2006 Dublin High graduate. Ms. Campbell was a student teacher at Dublin last year and she now teaches English three periods each day, two junior classes and one freshman class. “I enjoy interacting with my stu-

dents,” Ms. Campbell says. “They are smart and I truly enjoy hearing what they have to say; they always surprise me, which makes each day new and different and I hope to encourage them to think outside the box and be their own person.” Ms. Campbell chose to teach because she loves working with young adults and helping them achieve their goals. She simply wants to help every one of her students realize that they are fully

capable of doing anything they want when they have confidence and put in the effort. “I can talk to her whenever and feel comfortable,” Junior Meagan Brennan said. “She is an influence to me to work hard and get better at what I’m doing.” Ms. Campbell is also currently in her third year as an assistant coach for the Girls Varsity Basket-ball team. When she was in high school, she was on the girls bas-ketball team at the varsity level all four years. Her presence is great for her students and players. “What I like about Ms. Camp-bell’s teaching is that I have help on campus, whether it’s personal or school-related,” Junior Kristjan Aubry said. “It means a lot to me to have her as a coach.” Ms. Campbell went to UC Davis, where she got her B.A. in psy-chology in June 2010. She also received her teaching credential in English through Brandman/Chap-man University and will be taking classes towards her Master’s in school psychology in the spring of 2013 at Brandman. She is very happy for the opportunity to come back to Dublin as a teacher. “I went to school at Dublin and I love the community,” Ms. Camp-bell said. Ms. Campbell enjoys playing basketball with her friends as well as spending time with her family and she is a volunteer for a non-profit organization. She work various events such as: Raider games, Sharks games, and concerts at the Shoreline Amphi-theater in Mountain View. Dublin High, come by and say hi to her in

ABOVE: First year DHS teacher Trisha Campbell after running the Color Run. Credit: Trisha Campbell

“Make the Junior Varsity soccer team next year.”- Luis Dominguez, Freshman

What’s Your New Year’s Resolution?By Caitlyn Murray

“To be more confident.” - Juliette Garcia, Sophomore

“Continue meeting new people who can introduce me to new foods, places, and fascinating fresh types of music.”- Ben Sher, Junior

“Do my math homework more often.” - Charles Simon, Senior

Have a fantastic New Year Dublin High!

Jobs Available for Students at Stoneridge MallBy Brittany Roberts

Dublin High’s student body has an age range between the ages of 13-18 and a lot of the students are getting older now. Part of getting older means maintaining more responsibility as a student and as an individual. A way to help students feel like they’re growing and getting more responsible is for them to get a job. The age for getting jobs is usual-ly between 15-18 years old, which is practically our entire school minus some of the freshmen and a few sophomores. One place that a lot of kids at school hang out at and shop is the Stoneridge Mall. Many people like the mall and that would be a great way for kids to get active in getting a job. Some of the jobs that are open for students are Aeropostale, Hol-lister, Love Culture, Forever 21, and J.C. Penney. After reviewing each store and seeing what it takes to get a job there, they have basically the same requirements with just a few differences. All of the stores said that the main thing to getting a job at that store and becoming an employee,

is being a good candidate for it. That starts off with going into the store and asking for an ap-plication. Once a student gets an application, they have to fill it out, answer some questions, and have their family help. Then take the application back to the job and set up an interview. If the student ends up getting the job then all they have to do is make sure they learn how to maintain it. “One thing they look for out of employees here are for them to present themselves well and have a good sense of style,” says one employee from Forever 21. Which makes sense if someone is trying to get a job at a clothing store. One manager at Love Culture said, “One thing I look for in my employees is salesmanship and a positive attitude.” Which also is understandable since employees have to interact with the custom-ers on a daily basis. Those are just a few stores where jobs are being offered. If students are interested in getting a job, there are a lot of opportunities available, just look and apply for the jobs that catch their eye. Good

2013

2013

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFJasmine Virk

MANAgINg EDITORLauren Flint

CAMPuS LIFE EDITORSTyler MattimoreCaitlyn Murray

SPORTS EDITORSAlison MartinezFernanda Ramos

OPINION EDITORSDanielle BoccioZach Calhoun

COPY EDITORSWinnie Chan

Michelle Goldstein

NEWS EDITORShelby Mrak

ENTERTAINMENT EDITORAna Cruz

PHOTO EDITORSLiam Bird

Brittany Roberts

ADVISORBidjan Aminian

DISTRIBuTION MANAgERMenisha Sohal

THE DuBLIN SHIELD STAFF

The Dublin Shield is a student-organized newspaper that strives to inform and entertain the student body and Dublin community. We aim to provide an unbiased and accurate coverage of events that pertains to our readers. Through enthusiasm and professionalism,we seek to have our values shine through in all of our endeavors. It is our commitment to bring a sense of unity among the student body by increasing awareness, involvement, and pride in all that Dublin High and the community have to offer.

Mission Statement

ABOVE: Jobs are available here at the Stoneridge Mall. Credit: Brittany Roberts