Granada Hills Charter High School + Volume 50 Issue 8 + May 27, 2011

Another magical school year goes by J

ust as the Harry Potter experience comes to a close with the release of the last film, another enchanted year

at Granada has come to an end. It was a year marked with festivities, fun and flour sack babies; and through its ups and downs, it will be a year to remember.

The year took to an exciting start in November, with the celebration of Granada’s 50th anniversary.

Muggles, non-magical people, and wizards alike joined together for a weekend- long gala held at Granada.

The homecoming game opened up to skydivers and fireworks.

“Homecoming was fun because there were a lot of activities. The D.J was good, and it was an awesome time to hang out with friends,” junior Rachel Becker said.

The event was followed by Granada’s weekend street carnival, which featured Elvis impersonators, pony-riding, as well as Executive Director Brian Bauer falling in a dunk tank.

“Hopefully we have a festival like that in the future. It was great to see not just people in the school but people in the neighborhood come and have fun,” junior Kevin Tran said.

Many people also joined together to rally for Granada’s bid to operate Valley Region High School #4, one of the twelve new Los Angeles Unified campuses.

Granada emphasized the importance of running the school, garnering support from students, parents, and community members.

Even local billboards displayed support for the high school.

Though Granada will not run the new high school, the attempt brought the community closer.

Despite the immediate impulse to place a Confundus charm to disorient

the Los Angeles Unified School District, Granada accepted the loss graciously.

The community was also strengthened after the Academic

Decathalon team took home both the state and national titles.

This was the first year that Granada’s Acadeca team qualified for Nationals.

This year was also one to remember for Granada’s seniors.

Their festivities began with a fun and foam-filled Senior Day.

Students also had an opportunity to fight, albeit without wands, in their comically large sumo-wrestler suits.

Seniors also had a chance to duel at the school-wide Dodgeball Inferno.

Sixteen student teams battled for the first place trophy, and even battled teacher teams.

The first ever Senior Sunset was another opportunity for students to join together. Students cheered as their peers were awarded superlative awards.

Others took part in fun rafflesand games.

But for many seniors, the most-anticipated event of the year was prom.

Girls looked regal in their evening gowns, while boys were handsome in their tuxedos.

The event held in Jim Hesnon’s studios was certainly one to belong in the movies.

“It was great seeing eveyone there. The overall ambiance of it was great. The venue could not have been better,” senior Matthew Lopez said.

Ultimately, the excitement and enthusiasm that were so pervasive throughout Granada left the community truly spellbound.

What has been your most memorable moment at Granada?

“Finger painting in environment science for our recycling poster porject for the first ever Granada Environmental Fair”

- Melody Lin, senior “Going on the Catalina Island trip in Mr. Hes-ton’s Marine Biology club in ninth grade was one of my most memorable moments.”- Carl Ramos, senior

“I definely will never forget playing leap frog on the ground with my fiends in a cow suit on Halloween.”- Premal Patel, senior

“Winter Formal was one of the best times. It was fun setting up with my Senior Leaderhip Class.” - Annica Famor, senior

By Shilpa Bhongir

02news May 27, 2011

Choir wins gold medal at Heritage Festival

By Lucy Lee School’s Chamber Choir won the gold

medal at the annual Heritage Festival in late April with scores of 94, 96, 97 out of 100.

This second competition was held at Anaheim, away from the very first Chamber Choir Competition at Los Angeles High School District #9.

Chamber Choir is a mixture of all of the school’s acapella groups, including Smooth White Chocolate, Once Upon A Time, and Happily Ever After.

“Heritage Festival this year was a way for musical groups such as show choirs, marching bands, and acapella groups from all high schools to come together and compete in front of judges,” senior Nolan Monsibay said.

The Chamber Choir performed Aint a That Good News, Ubi Caritas, and Chindia in front of three judges.

“My favorite song to perform was ‘Ain’t That A Good News’ because you can have fun with the song while not worry about

being formal,” senior Miranda Mendoza said.

Unlike the first competition with crowds watching, the three songs performed at the Heritage Festival were sung in front of judges only.

“It was a different experience because we had crowds watching along with the judges at [Los Angeles High School #9],” senior Kurt Winterhalter said. “But this time, all our focus was on the judges and how they would grade us.”

Chamber Choir was recognized for their talents as the judges all agreed upon giving them scores of 90 and above.

“I was very excited this year for the students,” performing arts teacher Craig Gruenberg said. “They achieved the highest scores and I was proud of how well they performed.”

To be part of the Chamber Choir in the future, students must be enrolled in the Honors Choir acapella groups in advance for the upcoming semester.

By Allison OuchiThe Robotics Team (Robodox) competed

in the world championship of the FIRST Robotics Challenge (FRC) in St. Louis, Missouri April 27 through April 30.

The FRC consisted of 352 teams of 8,800 high school students from the United States, Mexico, Australia, Canada, and Israel.

“It had teams from all over the world competing to be number one,” senior Michael Bucher said.

This year’s FRC challenge was “LOGO MOTION,” where each team’s robot has to hang triangle-, square-, and circle-shaped inner tubes on pegs as high as nine feet.

This challenge was then followed by a final game where the larger robots deployed smaller robots, called mini-bots, onto poles in a race to see whose could reach the top of a ten-foot pole first.

The team placed 68th overall.“I thought the team did exceptionally

well. Half of the team this year was new and it was great to see everyone working together. It was nice to see everyone become a family,” Bucher said.

Some teams were invited to the competi-tion, while others had to work their way up

to get in. “We were lucky enough to be invited,”

Bucher said.Once Robodox knew they were

attending the FRC, they began preparing for the competition and focused on building a durable robot.

Robots are built in six weeks from a common kit of parts provided by FIRST and can weigh up to 150 pounds.

“We also did a lot of fundraising so that members who could not afford to go to St. Louis could attend the competition,” Kozlowski said.

While the FRC in Missouri was mainly centered on a competition, it also func-tioned as a convention for teens all around the world that share an interest in science and technology.

When they were not competing, Robodox members explored the exhibits and activi-ties put on by engineering companies such as Boeing and Raytheon, and were also able to see robots used by the U.S. Air Force.

A few dozen universities set up booths to present scholarship opportunities for engineering students as well.

In addition, a concert was held on April 29 for the teams with performances from

The Black Eyed Peas and Willow Smith. On April 30, FIRST hosted a party for all of the teams in celebration of the end of the competition.

“By bringing together such an event, FIRST showed that robotics is exciting and

not simply the realm of the so-called ‘nerds’ that dominate our media stereotypes. In the same way, our team represents a cross section of society that shows how anyone can be interested in robotics and make it a valued part of life,” Hoffman said.

New Tdap vaccination is required for registration

New business program will be initiated next year

By Jenny LeeCalifornia has passed a new law requiring

all 7th to 12th grade students to receive a vaccine called Tdap.

The Tdap vaccine protects against three dangerous diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.

Tetanus, otherwise known as lockjaw, is a disease where muscles in the body tighten and limit body movement, including respi-ration which can lead to death.

Diphtheria is an infection of the throat that can lead to symptoms such as problems with breathing and even death.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a disease that is identified with severe coughing and difficulties in breathing.

All three of these diseases can be fatal, therefore it is important to take necessary precautions to prevent these diseases from entering the community and the school.

Previously, high school students were only required to receive vaccines that protected against tetanus and diphtheria, but not whooping cough. However, these vaccines do not meet the state require-ments.

When students register for the fall

semester in August, they are required to have proof of the Tdap vaccination to complete registration. Students may bring either a copy of their immunization docu-ments or a letter from their doctor.

If students do not bring proof of vacci-nation on the day of registration, they will be unable to complete their registration process and must return at a later date.

“All students should receive their vaccines as soon as possible,” Nurse Kathy Morgan said. “Every 7th to 12th grader in the state is going to get their vaccines during the summer, so making appointments for vaccines could be harder to schedule.”

Students with medical conditions that prevent them from being vaccinated must bring in a doctor’s letter. Parents who do not want their students to be vaccinated must come to the nurse’s office and sign a docu-ment in person. Furthermore, if there is an outbreak of pertussus or diptheria, unvacci-nated students will be excluded from school until the outbreak is over.

For students who are unable to schedule appointments with their doctors, our school nurses can recommend various free clinics.

This law takes effect July 1.

By Jane PyeonThe school has been awarded a Cali-

fornia Partnership Academy Grant for the development of a new Global Business and Finance Program (GBF).

Sixty sophomores will be chosen based on their interest in the program and grant requirements, which will be implemented next fall.

“It isn’t about being a straight-A student, it’s about having the interest and wanting to be a part of something that is new that reaches out to the local business commu-nity,” Academic Programs Coordinator Judie Baumwirt said.

The GBF program will provide students interested in business and finance careers with the opportunity to learn about the business world from both the consumer and the institutional perspective.

“Business is a part of everything. If you want to build your own business or be a doctor and run your own practice, it is a business. The program is really about exposing students to every possibility that might be something they have a passion in and so if you want to do something in particular, knowing the business aspect of

it is very important,” Baumwirt said. Students within the program will be

teamed up in a math, social studies, English, and career tech education (CTE) classes each year starting from tenth grade. Each of these classes will be geared toward the topic of business and finance.

For the CTE class, the incoming sopho-mores will be taking a Money and Banking class where they will learn about personal finance. As juniors, they will be taking Busi-ness Statistics and as seniors, they will be taking a Topics in Global Economics or Multimedia Business Communications class.

During their junior year, students will also be paired with a business mentor from businesses such as Kellogg and Andelson Accountancy and East West Bank. Through their mentors, students will have the benefit of acquiring internships and job opportu-nities.

With such extensive support from the program, the students will be ready to enter a firm or a company by the time they grad-uate from college or be able to find employ-ment in the business world to support their college studies.

Robodox competes in world championship

Gabrielle Amar/ The Plaid Press

Gabrielle Amar/ The Plaid PressROBODOX: Members prepare to battle it out at the competition during practice.

CHAMBER CHOIR: Acapella group members celebrate their award-winning performance at the annual Heritage Festival after receiving the prestigious gold medal.

03 opinionMay 27, 2011

Staff reporters: John Cho, Jenny Lee, Nicole Martinez, Bridget Moreno, Laura Nunez, Jane Pyeon, Steve Ruiz, Kathy Zerbib

Adviser Melissa Mason

The Plaid PressThe Plaid Press is published by

the Advanced Journalism class at

Granada Hills Charter High School. 10535 Zelzah Ave.

Granada Hills, CA 91344 Phone: (818) 360-2361

The Plaid Press welcomes all letters and com-mentaries on all matters and reserves the right to edit as required. Unsigned letters will not be printed. Opinions expressed are those of the au-thor, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Plaid Press, its adviser, Granada Hills Charter High School faculty or student body.

Editors-in-Chief Eidah HiloDanielle Sink

Madushi WanniarachchigeNews Editors Jane Ha

Austin KangEntertainment Editor Sindhura Seeni Opinion Editor Allison OuchiFeature Editors Shilpa Bhongir

Ahra ChoSports Editors Matthew Seeman Matthew KahnSpirit Editor Lucy LeePhoto Editor Gabrielle AmarBusiness Managers Austin Kang Jane Pyeon

The Plaid Press is a proud member of National Scho-lastic Press Association.

Lowering the drinking age to 18, what side are you on?By Laura Nunez

Eighteen is a magical number that lets us do almost everything we want.

We can win big from a lotto ticket, or pick the next president.

We can buy a cigarette and eventually get lung cancer, or we can join the army.

Yet we do not receive the right to drink alcohol.

The legal drinking age should be low-ered to 18 years old, and teens should be permitted to drink in controlled environ-ments such as restaurants, pubs, and school functions.

By doing so, they would learn how to drink responsibly.

Most other countries set the drinking age somewhere between 16 and 18.

This makes it a part of social culture and demonstrates to teens the idea of respect-able drinking as expected.

According to the 2009 Youth Risk Be-havior Survey, about 42% of kids under the age of 18 admit to drinking alcohol on a regular basis.

By placing alcohol on a pedestal, we’ve set ourselves up for this binge drinking epi-

demic.Kids see the magic elixir as an enticing

idea of drinking as forbidden fruit, a badge of rebellion, and a symbol of “adulthood.”

At one time the government attempted “prohibition,” which was quickly repealed due to the criminal and social problems it caused.

Prohibition did not work then and pro-hibition does not work well now for those under the age of 21.

So why doesn’t the government lower the age to meet the load of responsibilities dropped on our shoulders at 18?

As adults we are expected to take full responsibility for our choices, and that’s ul-timately what this argument boils down to —personal responsibility.

Instead of placing such heavy drinking restrictions on youth, why not invest in al-cohol education programs that would pre-pare kids to drink responsibly?

Therefore, once we turn 18 and find ourselves making decisions about killing our lungs or laying down our own lives for the good of the country, drinking a beer should be one of our legal choices.

By Eidah HiloWith senior year quickly coming to an

end, I look back at high school with no re-grets.

However, there were some things that I wish people had told me before I entered this jungle, for lack of a better word—things that could have totally made my high school life a little smoother.

For one, why the heck didn’t anybody ever tell me there was a microwave available for student use in the College and Career office?

I only found that out a couple of weeks ago. Had I known earlier, I could have had my dolma or leftover soup hot, like it’s sup-posed to be.

On a more serious note, there are a lot of things I wish I had known to improve my social life.

With friends, it should be way more about quality than quantity.

That’s definitely something that gets lost in high school, though most people don’t want to admit it.

I’ve had the pleasure to meet tons of

amazing people, but I’ve also had the dis-pleasure of realizing that I could only genu-inely trust a very small amount of them.

Ultimately, it really doesn’t matter how many friends you have, but rather how many will have your back at the end of the day.

Additionally, I wish I had realized that it really doesn’t matter what people think of me.

I was always so preoccupied with worry-ing about what people would think if I did something that was considered out of the ordinary or maybe even dorky.

If I only had that confidence to not re-ally care what people thought, I’d be much happier.

Even if I had the confidence to go for something and things didn’t go as planned, I wish I had known that things will get bet-ter.

I’ve had one too many breakdowns when things didn’t go as planned and would freak out like it was the end of the world.

All I needed to do was breathe and real-ize that there are several paths to one end-ing, and it doesn’t have to be the path that

you had planned to take.With that said, one should never give up

because it’s completely true that when one door closes, two more open.

And lastly, though this thought has been floating in the back of my mind since I took my first steps into Granada in summer transition academy of 2007 as a timid little freshman: high school flies by fast!

It feels as though in the blink of an eye, I will be catapulted into adulthood.

In a couple of months, I will actually have to do my own laundry and cook my own food. This is madness!

I’m frantically trying to make the most of the couple weeks I have left; but really, I should have tried my hardest to make the most of every week I had in high school in-stead of taking my time here for granted.

Though no Granada guru could tell me all these things upon entering, I appreciate all the tears and frustration while figuring it all out for myself.

In the end, it only made me a stronger person and taught me valuable lessons that will help me in the future.

By Steve RuizAlcohol is no stranger to the high school

scene.In a 2010 poll conducted by the Cen-

tury Council, an organization against teen drinking, it was reported that 41% of high school seniors drank alcohol within the past month.

Of these students, 22% reported binge drinking.

Such rates are alarming, as being under the influence at such a young age poses serious threats to our safety as well as our health.

The real danger from teenage drinking comes with drinking and driving.

If adults can’t be responsible while drinking and driving, lowering the drinking age to 18 year-olds who are more inexperi-enced won’t help.

Proponents of lowering the drinking age to 18 argue that in other countries the drinking age is lower.

However, this fact is almost irrelevant by our standards, since American teens usually begin driving at earlier ages and drive more often than their European counterparts.

American teens are therefore much more likely to drive under the influence of alcohol if the drinking age were lowered.

In addition, we teens are more likely to not handle decision making, since our cog-nitive functions aren’t completely done ma-turing.

If alcohol is added to our still develop-ing minds, then we are more prone than adults to make faulty decisions.

Lowering the drinking age would give also teens the impression that it is okay to drink, and since many teens binge drink, in essence it would legitimize getting drunk.

Drinking at an early age can also lead to an increased risk of cirrhosis of the liver and alcohol poisoning.

It also increases chances of becoming an alcoholic.

Teenagers will drink alcohol if they have the impulse to do so.

But lowering the drinking age would not solve our already high rate of fatalities due to alcohol.

If having a higher legal drinking age spares even one life, then the law is effec-tive and need not be changed.

What I wish I knew in high school: helpful advice for students

By Bridget MorenoGranada has some of the most hard-

working and dedicated students in all of Southern California.

We are seen as the geniuses of today and the pioneers of tomorrow.

With that said, it is plausible to assume that all the students at Granada work to their upmost potential everyday, however I feel some students do not.

Granada offers an alternative approach to education for high school students, called the “Kirk Douglas Virtual Academy,” also known as Independent Study, which provides more advantages than a regular Granada student receives, and therefore should not be seen as the same.

In this Virtual Academy, students are en-rolled in online interactive classes that cover all the basic essential high school courses. The material for these classes is approved

by the department chairs just like regular classes.

Virtual Academy students are still con-sidered a part of the Granada student body and receive a Granada Hills Charter High School Diploma, and graduate on stage with the rest of the graduating senior class.

Like regular students, they have a mini-mum of six hours a day of school, but in-stead of traveling to 6 different classes, they stay in one room throughout the day and work on their online courses on the com-puters independently.

Compared to an average student who at-tends six different classes a day with teach-ers glaring at them every minute and other students distracting them, the independent computer work of the Virtual Academy seems a tad unfair.

Since the Virtual Academy was made to fit the schedules of kids who need an al-

ternative way of learning, they receive other benefits that come along with the program that regular students do not receive.

According to Virtual Academy coordi-nator Indra Ciccarelli, Independent Study students can leave campus for nutrition and lunch.

They also have the privilege to leave school whenever they want by checking themselves out.

On the other hand, a regular student must have someone from their emergency card come and sign them out them if they need to leave school.

I find it puzzling why Independent Study students are considered to be the same as a regular student when they receive several more advantages.

If they receive the same exact diploma as the rest of us, why can’t we be granted these privileges as well?

Virtual Academy students receive unfair privileges

Booster card fundraising largely unsuccesfulBy Gabrielle Amar

The athletes on campus face many chal-lenges every time they play their sport, such as jumping high enough to spike a volley-ball, swinging strong enough to hit a home run, or running fast enough to beat their lap time, but there is one obstacle student ath-letes must face outside their element: selling booster cards.

Many sports teams sell booster club dis-count cards in an effort to help fundraise for new equipment, uniforms, and trans-portation.

For ten dollars, they guarantee certain discounts on meals from participating res-taurants within the Granada Hills area with a “one offer per card, per day” policy.

There are a few good offers, such as a buy one get one free at Carl’s Jr. or Menchies. Double the curly fries or frozen yogurt sounds like a good time to me.

However, a bonus bag of chips with any purchased foot-long at Subway doesn’t seem to match up to its worth.

Also, the card is only acceptable at speci-fied locations, which practically makes it use-

less outside a 500 foot radius of Granada.The booster card has negative perks not

only for those who buy them, but also for those selling them.

“It’s really a hassle trying to sell these cards. No one ever wants to buy them from me, and I’m always left with the responsi-bility of paying for the ones I don’t sell,” sophomore, softball player Maddie Le-sovsky said.

I’ve never had to sell booster cards, so I wouldn’t know the annoyance and stress of it first hand, but there have been occa-

sions in which shy friends have desperately asked me to advertise and sell their product to classmates. Not once have I been able to taste success.

I don’t know how athletes sell one card, let alone three or four.

There are definitely other forms of fundraising that could be better geared to raising money than the booster cards, such as selling chocolate. I would rather spend a dollar each day on chocolate for ten days, than spend ten dollars on a discount card that I will rarely use.

PRO: The drinking age should be lowered. CON: The drinking age should remain at 21.

You might belong in Gryffindor,Where dwell the brave at heart,Their daring, nerve and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,If you’ve a steady mind,

Where those of wit and learning,Will always find their kind

featureMay 27, 2011 05

Or perhaps in SlytherinYou’ll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any meansTo achieve their ends

House Prefects of High

Gryffindors represent the brave at heart,

whether they are tirelessly battling Lord

Voldemort like Harry Potter, or making an impact

on the Granada community like seniors Liz Landon

and Ryan Pak. Throughout the course of their four years, both

students have worked hard to do their part in

bettering our school. Liz Landon plays on our award-winning soccer

team and champion volleyball team while still

maintaining a high GPA. She received a full ride

volleyball scholarship to Austin Peay State

University. “I know that I have met some great people at

Granada who have impacted me positively, and I

hope that I have inspired and motivated others,”

Landon said.Ryan Pak’s journey started in his freshman

year, when he joined school clubs for fun,

without foreseeing that he would soon commit over

500 hours of community service and lead others to

do so as well.He wants to pursue biochemistry at University

of California Berkeley in hopes of becoming a

physician in the future.Pak has learned a lot in his four years at

Granada. “No matter how hard my situation may

feel, with perseverance and strength, I can come

out successful, and I will always have my friends

to support me,” Pak said.

You might belong in Hufflepuff,Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are trueAnd unafraid of toil Hufflepuffs are everyone’s b

est friend; loyal

to a fault, kind beyond belief, and helpful

in every way. Though it is considered the

underrated house, Hufflepuff is a force to be

reckoned with, just as seniors Bobby Lebeda and

Valeria Barrera are hardworking forces.

Bobby Lebeda has always wanted to be on

television and to see his name in big letters

on billboards. Therefore, Lebeda has been

working hard his entire high school career by

joining the speech team and theater in order

to get more experience with acting; he even

auditioned for several movies.

“Being at stage is like being at home,”

Lebeda said. “It’s been such a great experience

and I want to continue doing it.” Lebeda plans

on attending CSUN and hopes to soon be seen on

the big screen soon.

True to her awarded senior superlative,

Valeria Barrera is most certainly “Most

Unforgettable.” Whether as a helpful Peer

College Counselor or as the girl working at the

cupcake shop, many people like to see Barrera

around. “I like talking to people,”

Barrera said. “I

like people and I want to work with others in a

friendly environment for the rest of my life.

For sure.” This social butterfly plans o

n studying

communications in college and her name will

spread like wildfire, forever remaining most

unforgettable.

Being a Slytherin doesn’t necessarily mean

one has the Dark Mark inked on their inner left

forearm. A Slytherin is someone who exhibits

cleverness and ambition.

For seniors Grant Richman and Sana Jahani, it

is necessary to get ahead of the competition to

excel in their respective fields–politics and

speech.“Government is the perfect place where one can

express what they believe and rally others in

support,” Richman said. “I see so many things in

our society that need attention that not enough

people care about.”He has always been vocal about his political

views especially since several of his family

members work in the political field.

But for Jahani, speech absorbed her life for

the past four years, and she even served as

Granada’s speech team president during her junior

year.“Speech and Debate basically became my life,”

Jahani said. “Everything I do seems to revolve

around speech.”Both seniors plan on pursuing these passions in

college and in their future careers.

“My ultimate goal is to represent the United

States abroad with a position on the Diplomatic

Corps,” Richman said

Jahani plans to join her college’s speech and

debate team, because the a competitive nature “is

definitely an asset in today’s world.”

Intelligence, crea

tivity, and wit. T

hese are

all traits possess

ed by Ravenclaw st

udents in

the Harry Potter s

eries. Granada may

not be a

school of withcraf

t and wizardry, bu

t Granada

students still pos

sess the same qual

ities.

Senior Jean Pongsa

i‘s fine art makes

her an

ideal Ravenclaw. A

s president of the

Art Club,

she discusses diff

erent artistic tec

hniques as

well as paints mur

als around school.

Art is not simply

a hobby for Jean;

it is a

passion. This year

, Pongsai was a se

mifinalist

for the Spotlight

Awards Contest, wh

ich

included an interv

iew in front of a

panel of

judges.

Like a true Ravenc

law, Jean plans to

continue

learning at the Un

iversity of Southe

rn

California, majori

ng in Fine Arts.

Another trait of R

avenclaw is an apt

itude for

learning, which se

nior Austin Kang e

mbodies.

As part of the Aca

demic Decathlon te

am, he

was the overall to

p scorer in each o

f the

regional, state, a

nd national compet

ition.

“I’m really good a

t time management

and

multi-tasking, so

I was able to bala

nce all my

responsibilities w

ithout too much st

ress on my

part,” Kang said.

While Kang investe

d endless hours in

to the

program, he still

managed to maintai

n straight

A’s and a part-tim

e job tutoring for

the entire

first semester. Kan

g plans on attendi

ng Cornell

University, with a

full scholarship,

where he

will be able to co

ntinue his great w

ork.

Grant Richman & Sana Jahani

Liz Landon & Ryan Pak

Valeria Barrera& Bobby Lebeda

Jean Ponsai& Austin Kang

Granada

Stories by Eidah Hilo, Austin Kang, Danielle Sink, Sindhura Seeni, and Madushi Wanniarachchige

Student photos by Gabrielle Amar

06entertainment May 27, 2011

By Kathy ZerbibWith over nine years of history and

being in its tenth season, “American Idol” has managed to maintain its outstanding ratings despite constant adjustments made to the show.

From losing and gaining judges on a regular basis to competing with new and similar interactive talent shows, “Idol” proves it has not slipped in popularity over the years.

While “Idol” no longer boasts a signif-icant lead against competing shows, its continued fame is evident in the record numbers the show is able to produce on a weekly basis.

According to the Nielsen ratings, season nine of “American Idol” was not an exceptional sensation with airings averaged approximately 22 million viewers a night. Yet it kept its status as the dominant television show on Tues-days and Wednesdays.

However, Zap2it announced that season 10 of the show (currently airing on Fox until May 26th) averages 25.6 million viewers on Wednesday evenings and 22.4 million viewers on Thursday evenings.

“American Idol” has continued succeed, allowing it to remain victorious on Wednesday nights against other hit television programs, such as “The Big Bang Theory” and “Modern Family.” Only NBC’s show “Sunday Night Foot-ball” triumphs over the Thursday night results shows of "Idol".

With the threat of new music shows premiering in the future, such as “The Voice” and previous judge on “American Idol” Simon Cowell’s British-based show “The X Factor,” many speculate on the fate of “Idol” and whether or not it will continue to persevere in the long run.

“I think ‘The Voice’ is going to be a huge competitor for ‘American Idol,’” junior Ashley Vargas said. “‘American Idol’ has a really traditional theme every season, but ‘The Voice’ is a new show that has new ideas.”

“The Voice,” which premiered in the United States on April 26th of this year, revolves around four well-known music artists mentoring and judging a group of hopeful contestants for a record deal with Universal Republic.

Other viewers assert that Cowell’s departure from “Idol” is ultimately damaging towards its solid identity, as the show has been stripped of its infa-mously harsh yet comedic criticisms.

“Some critics have lambasted this kinder, gentler ‘Idol,’” commented Brian Stetler of “The New York Times.” “But Ms. Lopez shot back, saying she couldn’t be tough because the contestants were so good.”

Fox has stuck by the show’s changes in staff and format over the seasons, announcing the network is content with it’s ratings so far and pinpointing its average numbers as proof of their accomplishments, which has grown one percent amongst total viewers from the last to current season.

The network also supports its colorful list of past and present judges, consisting of Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, Ellen DeGeneres, Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell.

While judges may come and go, the show’s main host since 2002, Ryan Seacrest, has always remained. But now Seacrest is rumored to be leaving the show as soon as his contract expires in 2012.

Despite “American Idol”’s evolution over the years, the show still remains a popular pastime for many Americans.

“American Idol“ is still successful

Celebs are idols not role models

Harry Potter casts a lasting spell

By Jane HaWith the film "Harry Potter and the

Deathly Hallows" part II coming out on July 15th, the epic series of the young wizard officially comes to an end.

As the seniors this year graduate high school and venture on to college, Harry Potter and his friends are also in their last year of Hogwarts, heading into a final battle with Lord Voldemort, the ultimate evil villain.

But of course, no one needs any expla-nation of the plot. Most of the teenage population world-wide probably knows the story by heart. Since the publication of the first book, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone", in 1997, the name Harry Potter has been a common household name amongst children world-wide.

The truth is, we— most teenagers, and especially this year’s graduating class of seniors—grew up alongside Harry and his friends, journeying through the seven years of his life in Hogwarts together.

We were elementary students, franti-cally reading the enchanting book under the covers with a flashlight, when Harry first learned that he was a wizard.

Thirteen years have gone by since then, and much has happened.

The official, international Harry Potter fan club was created. Children everywhere began to go around with lightning-shaped scars on their heads. Words like “muggle” were coined. Theme parks dedicated solely to Harry Potter were opened. Quidditch has become a university sport.

But, of the many things that happened because of Harry Potter, the films are the most well-known.

It was a joy for both fans and non-fans of Harry Potter to see the magic on-screen: rays of light sparking from wooden wands, thousands of owls delivering mail, no one realizing the oddity of a whole school of students walking around in robes and pointy hats… not to mention Dumbledore’s ever-white beard that never seems to change throughout the last seven films.

It was also pleasurable (and a bit painful for some of us) to watch the characters grow and change throughout the film series.

While some are dismayed to find Daniel Radcliffe, the famed star who has played Harry Potter throughout the entire film series, a little different from his younger self in the earlier films, others are awed by how much the characters have maintained their close similarities to the actual characters of the book throughout the years.

Due to their accurate portrayals, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, who have played Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley respectively, are now a well-loved across the globe.

At any rate, almost all the actors have maintained their roles throughout the film series, adding on a sense of continuity and nostalgia to build up in each film.

Perhaps it is because of this long-standing history and fandom that the films have incurred so much fame, not only among Harry Potter die-hards, but also among those who never read the books.

However, Harry Potter’s journey must now end. The film that will be released in July is the finale of Harry’s tale on-screen; and the author, J.K. Rowling, has already announced that Harry’s story will end in his teenage years.

Are fans sad for this ending? A little bit, yes.

After all, most of Harry Potter’s most loyal fans have grown up with him. Leaving him behind would be like leaving a child-hood friend.

But we leave with happy memories of enchantment. Even as all other names may fade amidst our childhood memories, the name of Harry Potter will live on.

By John Cho and Nicole MartinezWith the rise of recent teen celebrity

sensations, such as Rebecca Black and Justin Bieber, we often wonder what happened to all of the teen stars that were the craze years earlier.

Lindsay Lohan experienced a rise in popularity when she was cast as the lead in the remake of “The Parent Trap" at age eleven. However, her fans soon discovered she was also the queen of the Holly-wood party scene.

Lohan’s incessant partying and experimen-tation with narcotics and alcohol started to jeopardize her career and relationship with her fans.

Finally, years of living in the fast lane caught up with Lohan in 2007. First, she was almost fired from the film, "Georgia Rule". Then Lohan went through a series of car crashes, arrests, and stints in rehab.

After many years of tumultuous ups and downs, Lohan is starting to realize the gravity of her actions. Hopefully her come-back inspires more positive influence.

When we hear the last name Spears we often think about Britney Spears, not her younger sister Jamie Lynn Spears.

Jamie Lynn was pregnant at the age of sixteen in 2007 with boyfriend Casey

Aldridge’s child. This came as a shock to many parents and fans. At the time, Spears had one of the highest rated shows on Nickel-odeon “Zoey 101.”

However due to her pregnancy the show

was canceled. Spears was not responsible in using protection, and has since split from Aldridge to care for her daughter Maddie.

Another teen “role model” who hit rock bottom was Miley Cyrus, better known as

Hannah Montana. Miley Cyrus has had many provocative pictures leaked, and had a scandalous photo-shoot for Vanity Fair where she appeared topless.

Some fans and parents say that she is just being a teenager, but she is also a public figure and should realize younger viewers see her in these vulgar displays.

Recently a video of Cyrus was leaked where she was caught smoking salvia. The video was immediately leaked all over the

internet where people have easy access, including her young fans. Because of the detrimental effects drugs have on many lives, Cyrus should not have promoted it.

It is important for teen celebrities to be more vigilant of their actions. Because of the serious implications that their actions have on younger fans, teen celebrities should always keep in mind what

kind of effects they have on their fans.

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07sportsMay 27, 2011

The best that Granada has to offer!

Senior Alexandra TallasTennis

“I’m so proud of my girls. Good luck next year, ladies!”

Senior Amber HawthorneVolleyball

“This year’s team couldn’t have made my senior year of volleyball more enjoyable.”

Senior Melissa WendorfTrack and Field

“Don’t cut practice short because you won’t get better.”

Junior Christopher JohnsonBasketball

“We faced a lot of adversity but played through it.”

Senior Natalie KoehnSoftball

“Every single girl on the team go along really well. We all

gelled together.”

Senior Kevin JoyceTrack and Field

“The further you go in competition, the more fun you

get out of it. ”

Senior Ryan SikorskyVolleyball

“We lived up to our expectations. I’m glad we

could do this for Coach Harp.”

Senior Xava GroomsBasketball

“There was a great bond on the team. This was a good way to end my career at Granada.”

Senior Elan BenorWater Polo

“It only gets better from here!”

Senior Martin OrozcoBaseball

“The season was a good time. I had great memories that I’ll

keep forever.”

Junior Joshua SzinFootball

“We accomplished something we hadn’t done in years. We set

the bar for years to come.”

Sophomore Angelica PanosianWater Polo

“Everybody did amazing and you can tell how much our

whole team loved the sport.”

Alas, it is a sad truth that all good things must come to an end and it is with heavy hearts that we three editors-in-chief, along with our senior staff writers, depart as one of the best newspaper staffs Granada has had the pleasure to have.

If there is anything to be said about this year’s paper—besides the creative layouts that pulled in readers, the headlining stories that kept everyone updated, or the high-quality photos that caught everyone’s eye—it is the people that brought you all these fantastic features of a high-class paper that are talented.

This year, not only did we come together as a newspaper-making machine, but also as a family.

Who else but family would be unfazed by Gabby and Matt’s random dance-offs?

Who else but family would recognize the inevitability of John getting thoroughly schooled by Jenny in a card game?

Who else but family would treat Lucy’s random shrieks and Allie’s deadpan expressions as perfectly normal?

Who else but family would actually miss Austin singing Kelly Clarkson and Sindhura randomly meowing when the two disappeared on another AcaDeca adventure?

Fifth period journalism wasn’t just a place to work—it was our Common Room with Ms. Mason as our brilliant and hardworking Head of House and Evil Eidah, Devilish Dani, and Malicious Madushi as three prefects.

Like every good House, we’ve had our ups and downs, our bads and goods, our triumphs and failures.

For instance, there was the time when Ms. Mason was stricken with mono and was absent for two weeks, leaving us three alone to feverishly work to meet our deadlines and publish the paper without a hitch.

Our familial bond had never been tighter then, and we relied on and trusted each other to pull through. It was our OWL examination, in a sense.

Though to some of you, this may have been just an insignificant collection of papers, something to read when the school day has become too monotonous for you, to us it was our bonding point.

We thank you for your attention this past school year, and wish you all the best of luck in your respective futures—whether that be a few more years at Granada or some new magical place.

ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END

08 May 27, 2011

Editors-in-Chief Madushi Wanniarachchie, Danielle Sink, Eidah Hilo

Staff Writers: Bridget Moreno, Laura Nunez, Steve Ruiz, Nicole Martinez, Kathy Zerbib, John Cho, Jane Pyeon, and Jenny Lee.

News: Jane Ha and Austin Kang

Sports: Matthew Kahn and Matthew Seeman

Entertainment and Spirit: Sindhura Seeni and Lucy Lee

Feature: Ahra Cho and Shilpa Bhongir

Opinion: Allie Ouchi and Photos: Gabrielle Amar