Wildat Paper Issue 7

Students gain knowledge at College Night

Clubs introduce themselves to students at Club Rush

Ashley Drew

Circle of Friends tried to attract new members with their table at Club Rush.

By AlissA NArdo

Editor-in-Chief

Due to a staggering drop in student store revenue, the student

body fund, according to the September 2014 statement, currently carries a deficit of over $8500.

If the student body fund continues to stay in the red in the long run, athletic teams and organizations may have to be cut from the school.

The student body fund is the general pool of money that organizations on campus can pull from to purchase equipment and run events. The money goes towards essentials such as Homecoming, CIF fees, sport officials and more.

While the funds are depleted, organizations have to continue withdrawing money from the account.

“The clubs can’t stop taking

money out for the account,” financial manager Chanel James said. “But that leaves us at a loss.”

In previous years, the majority of the student body fund consisted of student store revenue. As of this year, however, LAUSD’s Food Services, the sector which runs school cafeterias and sets district food regulations, enforced stricter limits on the approved food list from which student stores are able to select their stock.

Food Services does not contribute money to the Student Body fund. So while the new student store regulations may mean a potential for more cafeteria customers, these regulations

ultimately do not financially benefit our school.

“Those things on the preapproved list are nutritious, but they’re nothing a kid wants to spend their money on,

Aside from the large income received from the student store, the student

body lost two more sources of income. While in the past students were required to purchase a physical education uniform from the student store, now they can wear any sort of athletic outfit for P.E. On top of that, the school lost football

game admission revenue through the duration of construction of the Cavanagh (lower) field.

“I’m doing all I can to bring in revenue,” James said. “But

i t ’ s

i t ’ s hard when all of our sources of income have been taken away from us.”

Leadership hopes to help out by hosting various dances and mixers in the upcoming future. Beyond that, the school struggles to find the proper way to raise the funds necessary to cover this deficit that lines up with LAUSD’s general regulations.

“With all of the district’s regulations, they make it very hard to fundraise,” Davidson said. “If every student donated 10 dollars, we would have enough to be covered. The question is how we can find an effective way to fundraise.”

By sANiA syed

News Editor

With college application deadlines fast

approaching, Uni held its Annual College Knowledge Night from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

The event, organized by College Counselor Paula Van Norden, featured two main events: a college fair and a selection of workshop sessions afterward. The college fair took place in the cafeteria and included over 30 schools, all equipped with representatives.

“I learned that all my suffering these four years are going to pay off,” senior Precious Nwaba said.

Among the schools present were some local schools, such as University of California, Los Angeles and West Los Angeles College, and even a variety of out of state schools, such as Yale University and Pennsylvania State University. Approximately 200 students and parents attended.

After the fair, parents and students were invited to attend 40-minute workshops in the Classroom Building, which specialized in the application process, such as personal statement writing, recruiting for NCAA and financial aid opportunities.

“The event exposes students to opportunities that they may not have considered,” Van Norden said. “Many students did not even realize they qualified for some of the schools. “

Last year’s statistics of Uni prove optimistic; ninety-two percent of all graduating seniors went on to attend either a two or four year college.

“Uni offers as many options for rigorous classes as other schools,” Van Norden said. “Our top students do as well as students from other schools, but the students that don’t take advantage of all the opportunities won’t fare well.”

This year, Van Norden has already seen two thirds of the senior class in one-on-one meetings. Van Norden suggests that students review their application with her so that absolutely no mistakes are made.

“I hope everybody will take advantage of the opportunities available,” Van Norden said.

By emmA NicolettA

Opinion Editor

ASB Leadership hosted the annual Club Rush in the

Grove at lunch on Friday, Oct. 24.

Club Rush is a school tradition based off of Rush Week in colleges, an event when usually set in the beginning of the school year, where sororities and fraternities try to accumulate members.

At the event, students are able to gather and sign up for clubs that seem appealing to them, while clubs are given the opportunity to welcome new members.

Members of campus clubs set up tables and presented posters to inform others about their purposes. Many used different tactics to gain attention, such as handing out free candy, miniature alien toys and even specially made

patches. The goal of the event is to introduce the various clubs without necessarily fundraising.

In order to be more organized this year, signups were on a first come, first serve basis as opposed to a more open and lenient policy.

Twenty- three clubs participated in the event this year. Older clubs, such as Red Cross, and newer ones, such as Conspiracy Club, were present.

Junior and member of Leadership, Brendan Palomo, organized the event this year.

“Club Rush is mainly for the benefit of the students to become immersed and learn about the various different activities or clubs that happen throughout the school year,” Palomo said.

Club Rush is mostly geared toward freshman and sophomore students, who are responsible in continuing the clubs and maintaining the

legacies.“It was a cool experience to

see all the different clubs,” sophomore Gia Friedberg said. “I was interested in Environmental and Interact Club.”

Uni’s cheerleading team also held a performance featuring a surprise homecoming proposal during the event.

Club Rush proved to be successful for most clubs; many clubs received over 20 signups.

“It was encouraging to see

how many people signed up,” Red Cross president and junior Lexi Myrie said. “I’m extremely excited to teach new members about what the Red Cross does for the community and world.”

Leadership plans on organizing the Multicultural Food Festival, another opportunity for clubs to fundraise on Dec. 4.

WILDCATU N I V E R S I T Y H I G H S C H O O L

Volume LXXXIX Issue 7Friday, October 31, 2014

wildcatpaper.com@uniwildcatnews

“It’s hard when all of our sources of income have been taken away

from us.”

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11800 Texas AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90025

Student Body fund low, athletics and organizations at risk for closure

Deficit is over $8500

To view more photos, visit the Photo Gallery at wildcatpaper.com

Dress interesting, not insulting

Parking passes curb danger

Samantha ElmS

Feminism: not just for females

“Administration put this new

policy in place not in reaction to a

crime or tragedy,”

By Shirin EnayatiFeature Editor

Halloween— a holiday that celebrates all things scary, sweet and

sometimes funny. Some people dare to go creepy and gory with their cos-tumes while oth-ers try to wrongfully replicate ethnici-ties or cultures with a comical or sexualized point of view.

Dressing up as a sexy Native American or a funny sombrero-wearing Mexican to go trick-or-treating may seem justified but ethnic costumes are both disrespectful and offensive.

It is wrong for an entire culture to be undermined by a $60, last-minute

purchase that only depicts a small, stereotypical portion of that culture.

One can take off a costume and never have to deal with being a victim of oppression and racism, but one can never take off a culture when it is a part of

who they are.An undocumented alien

costume may seem hilarious, but it is only making light of the difficult and burdensome lifestyle that over 11 million immigrants face.

A sexy Native American costume may seem flirty, but it does not help the fact that one out of every three Native American women are raped or sexually assaulted, according to The Washington Post .

This costume also does not depict the millions of deaths that Natives experienced with the conquering of the Americas and the years

of abuse and mistreatment that followed suit.

There is a big difference between cultural appropriation and cultural exchange. Cultural exchange is the mutual promotion, understanding and embracement of different lifestyle.

Dressing up for one night of the year exemplifies cultural appropriation be-cause you are picking and choosing the qualities that you want and throwing away the qualities you do not.

While some may say that they do not mean to offend anyone or that it was only supposed to be a joke, it does not matter.

Ethnic costumes will always represent a clichéd version of someone’s everyday lifestyle.

Although many may consider Halloween as an entertaining and amusing holiday, people should take more consideration into what they choose to dress up as in order to prevent offending any culture or portraying a stereotypical view.

As some students may have heard, parking in the student lot now requires registering

one’s car with the main office to receive a parking pass for their vehicle. While this may seem like a hassle, parking passes are a safety precaution that will only benefit the student body in the long run.

Administration will put this rule into effect beginning next week, Nov. 3. Out of the five parking lots across campus, students are limited to parking in the lowest parking lot on Barrington Ave., tucked behind the Tongva Springs.

When campus security comes across an unregistered car, it will be towed off-site. To students, towing cars may seem like a harsh punishment, as the lot never fills up.

Students can be heard complaining about registering for parking passes, but would they be upset if something bad actually occurred? What would parents say? How would the media react?

Administration put this new policy in place not in reaction to any

crime or tragedy, but to prevent them. With all of the school shootings

and invasions on the news nowadays, parents want to make sure, now more than ever, that their children are safe. If there is an emergency, the administration has a legal responsibility to assure everyone on campus is safe.

Administration is not just trying to force rule after rule on the

students. It is unfair for the students to get angry at the staff for doing their best to make the campus as secure for us as possible.

Monitoring who parks in the lot assures that only students are using the student lot, and not potentially

dangerous outsiders. Registering who parks in the lot also ensures that everyone parking in the lot is legally licensed to drive.

With driving comes a set of extra responsibilities. Students who are capable of driving to school should be capable of registering their car and realizing why everyone’s safety comes before their convenience.

By Zoha SyEd

Staff Writer

Women have always been sub-ject to follow the lifestyle of

an oppressed female under the rul-ings of patriarchy.

This can be seen through Hillary Clinton’s successes and struggles in the political system. Though she achieved her position as First Lady and Secretary of State, she continues to receive criticism as a potential presidential candidate. Likewise, the nation still awaits a female president while countries all over the world have already accomplished this. The false assumption that women cannot handle going into politics for fear of “messing up the system” causes this.

Feminism started as an advoca-tion for women, to gain political, so-cial, legal and economic rights equal to those of men. But what most peo-ple do not understand is that this no-tion is for everyone’s equality—not just women.

Merriam-Webster defines femi-nism as the act of bettering the cir-cumstances of other women both socially and economically for equal rights with men.

Women’s rights have come a long way in the last few decades. Because of this, opposers of femi-nism believe that the inequality be-tween men and women has already been solved. However, the disparity between the two genders is apparent when comparing the blatant wage difference between them. In 2013,

women were paid 78 percent of what men were paid according to the Na-tional Women’s Law Center.

Society tends to blame women for this inequality. There is an as-sumption that women make personal decisions which result in fewer and shorter work days, therefore leading to less pay.

Recently, many activists have made speeches demanding that the link between man-hating and femi-nism needs to stop. Most female ac-tivists are striving to encourage men to become advocates for change. Last month, Emma Watson argued the ideas of feminism through an in-formative speech to the United Na-tions saying, “It is time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing deals.”

Feminism gives women a voice against these types of misconcep-tions.

Other not-so-silent stereotypes depict that women should not join demanding fields assuming they may not be able to handle it because they are too “sensitive.”

Feminism receives a negative stigma because of the misunder-standing of the true definition. It did not form out of hatred for men, it was developed as a reaction to women being manipulated or understated in society. It is often misinterpreted and linked to man-hating.

It is time to take back the true meaning of what this word stands for.

Page 2 October 31, 2014

OPINIONUNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

University High School11800 Texas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90025

The Wildcat student newspaper is published by the Journalism 2 class at University High School. Letters should be directed to room C-261, [email protected] or the Journalism mailbox in the main office. Please include full name and grade. Letters are subject to editorial discretion. Call (310) 914-3551, ext. 504 or email [email protected] to place an advertisement.

Wildcat Editor-in-Chief ...............................................................Alissa Nardo Managing Editor...........................................Eduardo Cuellar-Aguilar News Editor........................................................................Sania Syed Opinion Editor............................................................Emma Nicoletta Feature Editor................................................................Shirin Enayati Sports Editor........................................................Brandon Berookhim Creative Director.........................................................Samantha ElmsOnline Manager............................................Matthew Goriachkovsky Business Manager........................................................Samantha ElmsCopy Editor......................................................................Alissa NardoPhoto Editor.................................................................Stephanie ZeckWriting Coach...................................................................James Ward Journalism Adviser......................................................Alexandria Lau

Wildcat Staff: Zoe Adams, Ashley Drew, Destiny Frazier, Jesse Herrera, Ariana Kidd, Erica Kopf, Robin Kopf, Julissa Lopez, Sha’terra Myles, Alexandria Parker, Matthew Song and Zoha Syed

***************************************** The Wildcat is a student-run, student-operated

student-produced newspaper, which does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the administration or the school at large. Staff editorials represent the collectively agreed upon opinions of the Wildcat editors. All writers published in the Wildcat are protected under Calfiornia Education Code 48907.

“... there is a big difference

between cultural

appropriation and cultural exchange...”

October 31, 2014 Page 3

FEATUREUNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

Spooktacular things to do on Halloween

Model United Nations promotes unity

Gone (Girl) with the win

Photo Provided by: Mostafa vahidiMembers Brandon Berookhim, Sean Victory and Sam Vedernikoff represented countries as they drafted a proposal at the Fairmont Preparatory Academy.

By Sania SyedNews Editor

Members of Model United Nations Club today, world leaders tomorrow.

That is what club president Jonathan Delgadillo strives for: a club that prepares students for the modern world.

At their most recent event, five club members attended a conference hosted at Fairmont Preparatory Academy in Anaheim on Saturday, Oct. 18; here they discussed the Senkaku Island Territorial Dispute between China, Taiwan and Japan.

Seniors Delgadillo, Mostafa Vahidi and Brandon Berookhim each took home awards and gavels as Best Delegate, while seniors Sean Victory and Sam Vedernikoff each won the Outstanding Delegate award. Junior Hyejin Hong, although not in attendance, won Excellence in Research. The club received five out of the seven awards handed out at the event.

“I found the conference very enriching,” co-vice president Vedenikoff said. “I learned

so much about a topic I had never even heard of before.”

At the conference, students from Uni and three other schools selected teams (countries to represent), gave speeches, drafted resolutions and then ratified those as the countries they represented. This is similar to what the actual United Nations conducts in their General Assembly.

Specifically, Delgadillo and Vahidi (representing America) proposed that the Islands should be territorially split.

Delgadillo introduced the club to Uni last year after participating in a similar club at his previous school.

“I liked seeing people give serious thought about what happens to our world,” Delgadillo said. “I wanted to bring that to our campus.”

By erica KopfStaff Writer

@Dress up to go trick-or-treating with friends or hand out candy.

What is Halloween without the dress up? Go solo with a silly costume like a banana or with your friends as a group of superheroes. Walk around your neighborhood to get your favorite candies. Not a fan of going out on All Hallows’ Eve? That’s okay! Spend the night in your home handing out candy to trick-or-treaters! Remember to stay safe and say please and thank you!

@Host a scary movie marathon party.

Have a fun night with all of your friends and spend the evening with the scariest villains in cinematic history. Count the deaths in horror movie classics like Child’s Play and the Friday the 13th movies. Or, if you are not a big horror fan, watch some old “scary” Disney movies like Hocus Pocus or all four of the Halloweentown films.

@Go to spooky Halloween themed nights at amusement parks.

Get excited and scared through Halloween themed amusement park attractions such as Knott’s Berry

Farm’s “Knott’s Scary Farm” or Universal Studios’ “Halloween Horror Nights.” Both amusement parks are filled with fun rides and horror mazes at night that scare even the bravest of us. The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride, located in the spine-chilling hills of Griffith park, runs from 7 p.m. to midnight. Ride if you dare!

@Parade around West Hollywood in this annual Halloween event.

This traditional Halloween parade is filled with the loud, fun and colorful culture that West Hollywood is known for. Admission is free and the festivities begin at 6 p.m. and go on until 11 p.m. but the party lasts all night!

@Carve fun designs into pumpkins.

Pumpkin carving is a fun activity that anyone can help out with. Make the typical jack-o’-lantern or get creative by carving your favorite characters and celebrities such as Minnie Mouse or Obama!

Fun tip: If you have a pumpkin left over that you are not carving, don’t throw it away! Make a delicious homemade pumpkin pie to share with your family and friends. Recipes can be found on www.foodnetwork.com.

what Flynn did in her book. Even experienced film goers will feel the agony of wishing they could yell warnings to the unsuspecting characters.

Actor Ben Affleck (Academy Award Winner Argo-Best Picture, Good Will Hunting-Screenwriting) gives a stunning performance as Nick Dunne, troubled husband to

disappeared wife, Amy Dunne, played by Rosamund Pike, (Jack Reacher, Pride & Prejudice). Pike’s unanticipated performance is equally well-done and spawns feelings of enmity and sympathy in the same heartbeat.Her character also holds some feminist undertones

that add depth to the story and a variety of audience reactions.

Gone Girl has “legs” as it continues to make millions in its fourth week, after grossing roughly $37 million in its first weekend. Worldwide, Gone Girl has been able to make more than $242 million.

Overall, Gone Girl is a dark, sarcastic and thrilling film that will leave audiences spellbound. This must-see thriller will replicate the adrenaline-pumping feeling that readers experience while reading the book.

By roBin Kopf

Staff Writer

It is often said that film adaptations of books flop in comparison

with the experience of actually flipping the pages. Gone Girl, originally a novel by Gillian Flynn, is a solid exception. The movie, as well as the book, gives a gripping insight on the challenges of marriage and the destructive effects of psychopathy.

The plot of Gone Girl flows seamlessly as a cleverly thought-out mystery that toggles between the perspectives of married couple, Nick and Amy Dunne. Its storyline is best described as a psychological and thought-provoking trip capable of leaving viewers with something to talk about for a long time.

Gone Girl also employs dramatic irony, letting the viewer know details of which some of the characters are not yet aware. Flynn, who also wrote the film adaptation, and director David Fincher’s (Fight Club, The Social Network) use of dramatic irony is achieved through the changes of perspective between the two protagonists and paralleling

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The club aspires to introduce students to the global issues that surround them.

“Our goal is to create a strong and intellectual group of individuals who represent Uni as one of the city’s top schools in terms of politics and international relations,” co-vice president Vahidi said.

Club members also attended the Regional Mira Costa High School Conference last year. Model U.N. hopes to attend the Irvine Model United Nations Conference. Although the club is mostly active outside of school, they meet every Mondays in Rm. 220 with Dr. Robbins to fundraise for future events and prepare for conferences.

“There are at least seven conferences planned for this year, so it is vital that we fundraise in order to attend all of them,” senior and treasurer Sarah Contreras said.

Any student interested in immersing themselves in the realm of global affairs can join the club.

“It is critical for high school students to be aware of the world surrounding them and to be able to act accordingly to any government’s actions,” Delgadillo said.

“It’s...a psychological and thought-provoking

trip capable of leaving viewers with

something to talk about for a long

time.”

Page 4 October 31, 2014

SPORTSUNIVERSITY HIGH WILDCAT

Guess your teacher athletes Get to know your athlete

Interview by Jesse Herrera

Name: Alyssa Suzukawa

Age: 15Height: 5’2”

Weight: 115 lbs.Grade: 10

Sport: SoftballPosition: Catcher

Q: What keeps you motivated for your sport?

A: At first I joined the team for college, but later on, as I started to play, I got more interested in the sport. Now I love playing everyday. Joining the team was my best decision.

Q: What is your favorite part of softball?

A: I love practicing with my teammates. It’s always fun to be around them. They have really become a part of my family. We have a great time practicing and joking with each other.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone joining a sports team?

A: You should always try new things. Your team will always help you up and help you grow. My first time playing was very scary, but my team made me feel comfortable. Don’t be scared.

Q: What has been your greatest motivation?

A: My greatest motivations are my parents and my team. I love making all of them proud after each game. They always support me in everything I do.

Q: What has been your greatest experience on the team?

A: Whenever we play a game or practice together, we always have a fun time. Even if we lose a game, we always come together and enjoy each other’s company.

Cross country champs HamiltonBy Samantha ElmS

Creative Director

Cross country’s varsity boys and girls trampled the Hamilton Yankees at Kenneth Hahn Park last Thursday,

Oct. 23, while one of our freshman newcomers kicked up more than a little trail dust.

Primed and pumped, the Wildcats faced their long-time rival: the Yankees.

“Hamilton is a team that we have always been head to head with,” junior Erick Hernandez said, finishing in 4th place for varsity with a time of 20:06. “Running this race was intense for all of us. We had to make sure our heads were solid. Every single step counted.”

The team’s practiced strategy, running as a cohesive pack from the start, allowed the Wildcats to keep up their paces and their morales. It proved to be a formula for success.

The frosh/soph team was slowed down by the dusty, varying terrain, except for the surprising freshman, Ruben Morales.

Despite having little practice due to a leg injury, Morales took the first race of his high school career in stride.

Some teammates feared he would lose steam.

“He started off way too fast and it was like he was going to burn out,” sophomore Christina Santos said.

Morales scratched his way up Suicide Hill, a seemingly endless 800-meter uphill run, a test for any runner.

“When I looked at Suicide Hill [from afar] it looked flat to me, but when I got there it was really different,” Morales said. “It was suicide. I was going up and my body

wanted to give up, but I did not let that slow me down.”

Morales muscled it out and ran away with the impressive 2nd place in frosh/soph, finishing the race with a time of 20:52.

“I totally underestimated [Morales],” Santos said. “I regret everything I said [before about him].”

The Wildcats followed up their strong showing in a head to head to head meet with the Fairfax Lions and the Palisades Dolphins yesterday, Thursday, Oct. 30, at Kenneth Hahn.

Results will not be known until after press time. If we win, we will head off to league finals as the second seed team. Otherwise, we will compete at league finals as the third place team. Finals are to be held at Elysian Park on Thursday, Nov. 6.

Jesus Lopez

Boys varsity beat the Hamilton Yankees on Thursday, Oct. 23. They ran in their pack formation from the start of the race.

University High School Warriors Playing basketball since age 12“My team beat Hami. Uni didn’t do that again for years.”

R.C. Mahar High School SenatorsPlayed basketball for 11 years“I recall Saturday practices and coach’s donuts.”

Spirit Lake High School IndiansPlayed volleyball for 24 years“I remember finally winning a game after three years.”

University High School WarriorsDid gymnastics for four years“We were a winning team, but we knew how to have fun.”

A.A. Stagg High School Delta KingsPlayed volleyball since age 14“I love volleyball and I still play at the beach!”

Northport High School TigersPlayed volleyball for nine years“I forged friendships that I still maintain to this day.”

Campolindo High School CougarsPlayed volleyball for 16 years“We went to state championship for the first time ever.”

Twentynine Palms High School Wild-catsPlayed football for four years“We beat our rival in Battle of the Bell.”

Mona Shores High School SailorsPlayed basketball for three decades“I still listen to my team’s games on the radio!”

Boys Varsity 1. J. Abraham 19:13 4. E. Hernandez 20:06

Boys Frosh/Soph 2. R. Perez 20:525. J. Koscheka 21:14

Girls Varsity 1. M. Ho 22:35 2. E. Martinez 23:17

Girls Frosh/Soph 3. Toni Carter 25:51 6 J. Whitfield 28:10

Bloomington High School PanthersPlayed soccer since age 8“High school set me up for my D1 career.”

Wheaton North High School FalconsSwam for 10 years“I loved the com-petitiveness with my friends.”

Kennewick High School LionsPlayed soccer for 12 years“My club team won the state champion-ship.”

By Brandon BErookhim

Sports Editor

Answers: 1. Steve Ackerman 2. Kelly Aguda 3. Kerri Eich 4. Dayle Fuqua-Caballero 5. Alexandria Lau 6. Nancy Phear 7. Alyson Randick 8. Jeff Ricards 9. Ryan Ritcheske 10. Kahlil Sabbagh 11. Ariana Silva 12. Craig Weidert

1. 2. 3.

5.4. 6.

8.7. 9.

11. 12.10.