the magnet, (vol. 1, issue 1)

Halloween art by Marida Torosyan4

Features A & EIn the LifeStudent achievers look back on their hard workPage 10

Mockingjay set to fly in NovemberPage 28

Why eat meat if we have vegetables?Page 24

Clarkchronicle.comOctober 2014 The official magazine for the Clark Chronicle

The Magnet

Letter From the EditorsAfter hours and weeks

spent tirelessly designing, writing and

creating content, the editors and staff are proud to present you with the very first issue of Clark’s news magazine, The Magnet. When we first sat down to create a fresh new magazine, we set out with the same vision behind the Clark Chronicle: to craft stories that focus on topics and issues relevant to you . Now you hold in your hands a dynamic quarterly journal filled with six sections that not only features students but, more importantly, displays all this beautiful content in full color!

As you browse through The Magnet, you will find Features section articles about student achievers, Clark students with jobs, and the transition from community college to a university. The Student Work section is dedicated entirely to showcasing your talents. From drawings and art to writing pieces, your work can be published in your magazine, and even featured on the front page! While the Lifestyle section lists reviews of popular restaurants and a guide to making your own

Halloween costume, you will also find personal advice in the eclectic fashion column.

Since we’re students too (#clarkies4life), the In-the-Life section is where we share interesting things we did, activities like h e l p i n g peers through peer tutoring and going vegetarian. The last two sections feature snippets of pop culture, with an A&E section

that reviews popular movies and video games, and an Opinion section that features an

advice column, and articles about opinions on popular or controversial topics.

We’ve put all this content up on our website (clarkchronicle.com) next to breaking news stories that were not included in this publication. If you have any questions or comments, send us an email or find us on Twitter or Instagram (@Clark_Pubs), and follow us for the latest updates and articles.

Enjoy reading The Magnet. We put a lot of sweat into

making it so you don’t have to.

Seriously, it’s that good.

-The Editors

Clark Calendar November 2014

Banking Days:Monday, November 3rd

No School Days: Monday, November 10th: No School (Teacher In-Service day)Tuesday, November 11th: No School (Veterans Day)

Features

Student Life

Lifestyle

In The Life

A & E

Opinion

Student Work1415

Features06

6-7

8-9

10-11

12-13

Features Column: Should we raise the minimum wage?Clark Spotlight: Tufenkchian goes for the goldCommunity college has its advantagesStudents achievers look back on their hard workClark students take over Pacific Theaters

Halloween art by Marida TorosyanCreative Writing

Contents

Cover Story

Lifestyle16

16-17

18

18-192021

Fashion Column: Vogue and Rags Fear not, frantic Halloween fashionista!Horror Nights kicks off the Halloween seasonTickle Tree Cafe is a 10/10Blaze Pizza is blazin’ its way to the topStaying in shape during the school year

In the Life22-23

24-25

26-27

Peer tutoring helps students accomplish more

Why eat meat if we have vegetables?

The loss of man’s best friend is never easy

Managing EditorsSusan KrkasharianEricka ShinAlen ShirvanyanLuis SyFeatures EditorAlen ShirvanyanLuis SyStudent Work EditorAlen ShirvanyanLifestyle EditorEricka ShinIn the Life EditorSusan KrkasharianA & E EditorEricka ShinOpinion EditorLuis Sy

Staff PhotographersFarah Ali Elen HakoupianiTina KeshishianDianna Khoduyan Elise MarianoSyuzi SargsyanNazan TitizianVarty Yahjian

Business ManagersSophie JoseSusan KrkasharianSareen Shatikian

The Magnet, an open forum, is published by the Clark Magnet High School Publications class (4747 New York Ave., La Crescenta, CA 91214, 818.248.8324), which is solely responsible for all copy, designs and ideas contained herein. The Magnet has the right to edit any letter for purposes of clarification, length and grammar. The expressed opinions are not that of Clark Magnet High School nor of the Administration. Layouts completed on-site. This magazine was printed by aPrintis Inc., 4695 Chabot Dr, Site 200 Pleasanton, CA.

The Magnet

A & E2828

2929

29

Mockingjay set to fly in NovemberWhat November release do Clark

students anticipate the most?Fourth time’s the charm

Super Smash Bros. smashes expectations

A & E Column: Syuzi Says

Opinion3030

Opinion Column: Solved by SareenEbola spreads to U.S.

The Kellzi Column

Clark Spotlight:

He’s a versatile athlete of many names. While he’s known in some circles as a defensive back, safety and slot receiver, and an all-star in any position in basketball, junior

Michael Tufenkchian’s true passion lies in the game of hockey. Not only does he play for various leagues across L.A. County, but he also swims and plays tennis and football.

In hockey, Tufenkchian has played as a right wing for the Junior Maple Leafs in Pasadena and the California Heat Hockey Club at the Valley Ice Center. He has since honed his skills in the sport to an outstanding level. “I’ve had actual scouts come talk to me about my future in hockey,” Tufenkchian said. “I’ve talked to the Dallas Stars’ coach, and he’s seen me play before.”

Tufenkchian has played for a division above his age group. “These guys were a lot bigger than I was,” Tufenkchian said. “The whole team would practice for two hours, but I would practice for another hour or so after.”

During his hockey season, Tufenkchian would practice almost every day for three hours. He would leave after school and get to the ice rink at around 4:30 p.m. and his practice would end at around 8 p.m. “I do my homework and my studies in the car,”

Inflation also causes credit card companies and banks to increase their interest rates. For example, if my friend John buys a hot tub with a credit card for $10,000 he would normally have an interest rate of 15%, but if politicians gamble with the minimum wage, that interest rate will increase even more. Interest rates are derived from the possible fear of inflation because credit card companies don’t want to give money out that will be later be worth half as much as the real value. Simple economics — obviously a course our President missed at Columbia University.

The raising of the minimum wage sounds good, but financially and economically it is terrible. President Obama does not deserve all the blame though. There are other major proponents of raising the minimum wage, including Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti. But what these politicians don’t understand is that a higher minimum wage will ruin this economy and will send the United States back into a recession.

minimum wage and when the minimum wage is raised by even as little as one dollar, the small business has to layoff an employee. Sure, one job lost isn’t going to change the economy, but there are approximately 28 million small businesses in the United States, according to a study done by Forbes. And let’s say only half of all those businesses layoff only one person, that’s about 14 million jobs lost. Although President Obama has said on several occasions that small businesses are the backbone of the economy, his actions toward the minimum wage sure don’t show it.

The second implication of raising of the minimum wage is that it inflates the value of dollar. Over the past couple of months the dollar has regained its strength and is now almost comparable to its main competitor, the Euro. But if the minimum wage is raised, the dollar loses it value again and a dollar wouldn’t get you half a euro. See, that’s bad economics; good presidents strive for deflation instead of inflation.

Should we raise the national minimum wage in the United States of America? I’d like to say

yes. I’d like to say, raise the minimum wage to $50. But I’d also like to say high school is a magical place where all students get straight As and have no homework. The sad reality is that raising the minimum wage has more economic implications than it sounds. Raising the minimum wage will inflate the value of the dollar and destroy this economy. Maybe not all at once, but slowly and surely.

The first component of the economy that the raising of the minimum wage destroys is the small business. Small businesses already have a hard enough time competing with larger corporations and now will have no hope at all to fight Goliath. In President Obama’s world, David loses to Goliath.

A small business has already a hard enough time paying three employees the

Increasing minimum wage will hurt the U.S.

Tufenkchian said. “That’s a good hour or so of studying, and I got most of my work done.”

“It’s hard honestly because you want to concentrate on your sport, but you also want to be focused in school,” Tufenkchian said. “It’s like a fifty-fifty of my day. Fifty percent goes to school and the rest goes to my sports and whatever practice I have that day.”

Tufenkchian says one of his most memorable moments is when his team made it to the national championship game for their league, but were losing halfway through the second period. “Hockey has three periods, and halfway through the second period we were losing 4-1 and half the game was over. Basically, it was game over,” he said. “You’re not gonna make five goals to win in 15 minutes.”

However, the turning point in their game came when their coach called them together and motivated them to win. “Our coach called us in and gave us one of those motivational speeches, like in the movies. He gave us that speech and we somehow got motivated to not give up,” Tufenkchian said. “Even if you lose, you gotta just play your heart out.” His team ended up scoring the five goals the needed, winning the game 6-4

From that experience, Tufenkchian says he learned the value of hard work. “I learned to never give up, because hard work pays off,” he said. “Stay concentrated and know what you’re doing.”

Tufenkchian goes for the gold

By Alec KellziStaff Writer

By Luis SyManaging Editor

Features6 THE MAGNET OCTOBER 2014

Tufenkchian goes for the gold

‘Halfway through the second period we were losing 4-1 and half the game was over. Basically, it was game over. Our coach called us in and gave us one of those motivational speeches, like in the movies. He gave us that speech and we somehow got motivated to not give up.’‘Even if you lose, you gotta just play your heart out.’

-Michael TufenkchianTufenkchian’s team ended up scoring five goals in the last half of the game, winning the game and the championship 6-4.

Features7THE MAGNET OCTOBER 2014

There are three words/phrases that scare seniors — especially Clark seniors — who want to go to a four-year university from high school: Common Apps, SAT, and college acceptance. These are words that seniors who plan on going to a community college first are not afraid of.

“The pros about going to a community college first right after high school is the financial aspect of it,” said Karine Turdjian, Clark’s head counselor. “It is less expensive to take classes at the community college level compared to a four

year university, especially the private ones.”

There are a few disadvantages of going to a community college. For one, it is easier to “slack off” at a community college than at a four-year university. Because most people feel like GCC is an extension of Clark, some might take community college lightly. Also, it is said to be extremely difficult to get classes at GCC, extending students’ time at GCC from two years to three or even four.

Still, the pros of going to a community college first can outweigh the cons for many students. According to Turdjian, 63% of Clark’s 2014 class planned to attend a community college

in California.For GCC

and former C l a r k s t u d e n t S e v a n H a c o p i a n , the choice was simple. “I chose to go to GCC first because it’s cheap and close to my house,” H a c o p i a n said. “It was a no-brainer.”

2012 Clark g r a d u a t e V a h e Baboomian knew that he was going to Glendale Community College first

then transferring to a four-year university since the start of his senior year. “I wanted

to go to a community college first because I knew I would be paying a lot less for the same education for the first two years,” Baboomian said. “There was no point in me going to a four-year university straight away.”

Baboomian also knew that by going to GCC first, he would be able to skip freshman and sophomore housing at a four-year university. Students who plan on going to GCC then going to a university just for their bachelor’s degree might be able to get everything

done at GCC very soon.

Community college has its advantagesBy Maggie Baboomian

Staff Writer

Students transfer from high school to GCC in order to complete their first two years of their higher education careers, often saving thousands of dollars in tuition costs.


Community college has its advantagesAccording to a recent

article in the Glendale News-Press, 15 community colleges will be chosen to offer bachelor degrees in vocational fields. It hasn’t been said whether GCC will be one of those 15 schools yet; however, if so, GCC would start offering these bachelor degrees no later than the 2017-2018 school year.

Even though Baboomian had the grades to go to a four-year university first, he chose to go to a community college, which is what Turdjian advises most students not to do. “I encourage my students to apply to a four-year university if they qualify for admissions,” Turdjian said. “When they get an acceptance letter from any college, they need to take a look at their family’s

expected contributions to their educations.”

Baboomian did not want to apply to a four-year university during his senior year because he knew that he wanted to go to GCC first. “There was no point in me applying to universities if I wasn’t going to go right away,” Baboomian said.

Going to GCC for Baboomian was like a reunion for him. “I saw all of my friends from elementary and middle school on the first day,” Baboomian said. “It was really cool seeing how much they had changed throughout the four year I hadn’t seen some of them or talked to them.”

Referring to a scenario of applying to a dream school during senior year but not

getting in, Turdian said, “If your dream school is Yale, UCLA or USC, then you should go to community college and complete the transfer requirements so the transfer will be really smooth.”

Turdjian also advises seniors who want to attend a community college to get in touch with the transfer center counselor at the community college they want to attend.

When answering the question of whether students should attend a community college if they do not know what their major is, Turdjian said, “Four-year colleges are open to undecided majors as well. During the first two years, they are taking general education classes,

which could be done at the community college level or the four-year university level. But by the end of the second year, they must come up with their major.”

Not knowing what major to pursue also leads some students to choose GCC first over a four-year university. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do in high school and I thought I’d figure it out at GCC,” Hacopian said. “After looking at all the choices and looking at all the classes I had taken so far, I felt Econ was the best for me.”

Baboomian entered GCC with the intention of majoring in Mechanical Engineering, but after his first year of attending GCC, he changed his mind and decided to major in Organic Chemistry. “My heart was set on mechanical engineering for a while, ever since sophomore year,” Baboomian said. “But then I somehow grew to like chemistry much more so I chose Organic Chemistry as my major.”

Even though many do not finish their general education within the two-year mark, Baboomian finished in exactly two years by also taking summer and winter courses at GCC. He is now attending UC Irvine and is happy with his choice of going to a community college first. Hacopian will be finishing his GCC classes by the beginning of next fall and start his courses at CSUN.

9THE MAGNET OCTOBER 2014

“It’s quite a bit of work to try to stay at the top of your class, and you’d better be prepared for what you’re signing up for,” said senior Matthew Davidian about being in the upper percentage of performance at Clark Magnet. Davidian is one of many students who have maintained a high grade point average throughout their four years of high school.

Davidian’s experience in trying to stay at the top of his class can be commonly seen among many of the

high ranking students in U.S. high schools. “If you’re trying to stay at the top of your class, there’s a lot of aspects you need to understand and practice,” said Davidian. But what criteria constitute someone as a higher ranking student compared to others in the same system?

Generally accepted factors for determining a student’s ranking in a school are a high GPA, multiple AP classes, substantial extracurriculars and high scores on standardized tests. Senior Biura Markarian says that she believes the standards for a well performing student have drastically increased in the past decade.

“I’ve taken 5 APs last year and 4 APs this year; the standards for being considered a ‘smart’ student have significantly gotten harder in my eyes,” Markarian said. A Baltimore Sun article states that the numbers of students who take more than three AP exams a year has more than doubled in the past decade. Additionally, the article also noted that the nationwide standard for the number of APs taken by the upper percentage of high performing students in their high school career

has increased from around six to between eight to ten now.

Counselor Susan Howe said that the increase in AP students has driven up in GPAs. “Fifteen percent of this year’s senior class have a 4.0 GPA or above,” Howe said. Additionally, she said that there are six students who are above a 4.4. The number of students with a GPA thats higher than a 4.0 is higher than last year. “That totals up to 37 students who have high GPAs,” Howe said

While students are taking more AP classes and achieving higher GPAs, the overall attitude for doing well is one that is characterized by a desire for numerical reward. Essentially, “students will sign up for these APs but don’t realize that there is extra work that comes with the extra GPA point,” Howe said. She also continued to say that students are taking AP tests just to take them and are not always thinking about their score. “The AP pass rate is low because many students will neglect fully preparing for it,” she said.

These changes in the focus of education can also be seen in the

standardized testing that high school students take in order to get admitted into colleges. The information that students are tested on may not always be universally agreed to be significant. The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development has argued that standardized tests, in their current form, are not a good indicator of a student’s knowledge. In addition, some students also argue that the information presented in these standardized tests can often be pointless or useless. “A lot of the information that we’re required to learn for ACT/SAT testing is one time use information that we can only apply to the test;

the information has no real life applications,” Markarian said.

Student achievers look back on their workGPAs and test scores rise despite increase in class size and decrease in funding. These high acheiving students are just some of those affected by the changes.

By Varty YahjianStaff Writer

Trends in GPAs between the years 1990 and 2009 indicate an overall increase in performance.


Student achievers look back on their work

Additionally, while students continue to work tirelessly to maintain high academic stature, the way their classes are structured is changing; namely, in the number of students per classroom. According to the California School Boards Association, the student-teacher ratio of the state is 20:1. This compared to the national average of 15.5:1 is disheartening to students. Many feel as though spending should go to teachers’ salaries and finding a way to divide up classrooms.

“I don’t know the exact ins and outs of statewide spending, but I can say for sure that public school spending is not as much as it needs to be,” said senior Shushanik Stepanyan, another high performing student at Clark. “Classes aren’t as intimate as they should be, with too many students for not enough teachers, and students are essentially left to fend for themselves

at school,” Stepanyan said. Doing well in school can stress

a student out--and more often than not students “burn out”. But nonetheless, there are outliers to that majority.

Maintaining a calm composure throughout the anxieties of high school academia is difficult, but senior Raffi Terteryan has managed to keep his cool. He said that “sometimes it’s really stressful to balance all my classes, but I’m hoping that eventually it’ll all be worth it.” Terteryan currently takes four AP classes, a number that’s mirrored by many of his also high-achieving peers. However, the pressure to perform well comes from himself, says Terteryan; “I want to do well myself, and sometimes I have to tell my friends that I have to study, they understand too. Terteryan also said that it’s important to

find the balance between having both good grades and good friends around you.

Beyond the factors of funding and educational stress, however, some of the problems in the current education system are much more deeply rooted. “Learning for the sake of understanding a subject seems to be a foreign idea now,” said senior D’Mario Tevanyan. Davidian also said that “school education has become more geared toward preparation for universities and upper education, but much of the crucial learning aspects seem to be left out.”

With such an emphasis on preparing for colleges and higher education, some believe that the true purpose of classes and teachers seems to have been lost. “I believe that teachers should play a more involved role with their students, so that they can tackle the non educational issues that are affecting their education, but this just isn’t happening now,” Tevanyan said. “There’s just so much focus on preparing for more work that the class itself and the interaction between student and teacher is diluted.”

Senior Elizabeth Abramyan looks through her senior project research paper. The senior project is a huge part of every Clark graduate’s experience and aids in the transition into college-style assignments.

Senior Megan Mirkhanian reads over her senior research paper in Mr. Pruit’s AP English Language class.

THE MAGNET OCTOBER 201411

When asking teenagers what they think is the worst stress builder, most answer “getting hired.” Finding a job as a teenager can be quite difficult. Some adults think teens aren’t built for the task or don’t have enough background to be entrusted with a job. Some might see it as a challenge for a high school student to be working, and others think of it as more of a learning experience.

According to the National Journal, during the year 2000, 45 percent of teenagers in America were employed, but as of 2011 the rate declined to under 26 percent. Due to the drop in our nation’s economy and higher than normal

unemployment, employers have hired older applicants who are more experienced and are in need of a new job.

Pacific Theaters takes a chance to hire young ambitious employees, and many Clark students have taken advantage of that. In the past two years, more than ten Clark Magnet students have been hired at the Glendale Pacific 18 at the Americana at Brand. Being located at the heart of Glendale, Pacific 18 is a tourist attraction and known to be insanely busy on the weekends.

Not only is the experience a great learning curve, but according to the company’s website, Pacific Theaters also supplies its employees with free movies and reasonable holiday hours. Many Clark students who work at Pacific 18 say they enjoy the work culture

there. “I think it’s definitely a pro having co-workers from my school b e c a u s e it makes the entire e x p e r i e n c e m o r e pleasant and there’s a lot more to look forward to before going to work,” says Hakop Ter-Panosyan, a junior at Clark and Pacific T h e a t e r e m p l o y e e

and Argeen Ghazarian, 11th grader, stated “It’s always something new. Even after you think you’ve seen it all, you’ll find new, weird objects in theatres. It’s a really fun experience. The best people work there; they make it so fun to be there.” Working with schoolmates not only makes it more comfortable at work, Ter-Panosyan says, but it also gives employees something to look forward to at work.

Most companies take employee responsibility very seriously and make applicants go through challenging interviews to see if they have the right skills for the job. Petra Beglarian, an assistant

Clark students take over Pacific TheatersBy Dianna Khudoyan

Staff Writer

Pacific Theaters 18 is a tourist attraction located in the heart of Glendale at the Americana at Brand. Many Clark Magnet students work at Pacific Theaters because of its exciting atmosphere and friendly vibe.

People of all ages come to catch a movie at the Americana because of its helpful employees. “Theater rooms and bathrooms are always clean and the service is pretty fast, so my family and I always make time to catch a movie,” said Kristin Khudoyan, a Pacific 18 regular.


Clark students take over Pacific Theatersmanager at Pacific 18 and a former Clark student, says that Clark students usually stand out as applicants. “Clark students are very responsible, take their jobs seriously and strive to get the job done,” Beglarian says.

“Clark students are very motivated and work very hard. This job is pretty demanding and they always manage to get the job done,” says Arzievik Moradian, a Clark alumni and current assistant manager. “We know Clark does a good job preparing students for the real world and meeting job requirements.”

“Being a former student, I can say that Clark teaches their students to multitask, be independent and meet the demands they are expected to,” Beglarian

says. “We tend to hire employees that we know can meet the standards required for this job.”

Stress is known to pile up for teenagers who take on too many AP classes and a part-time job, but Pacific 18 gives students a memorable experience and schedule requests to make their weeks less challenging. “Clark students enjoy working here because they hire minors and have a calm working environment,” Moradian says.

Many of the employees say that because movie theaters are an important part of the media world, they are a great experience for a young employee. “I wanted to work at Pacific Theaters because I like the ability of being involved with

different types of films and being able to meet new people all the time,” says Ter-Panosyan, a current cinematography student. Being exposed to the multimedia world can be a major bonus for students who were planning on taking on a career in media or production.

Learning the essentials of employment, students gain more knowledge about the real world and pick up life skills to prepare them for the future. “I like the quick pace and very friendly atmosphere because there’s always something to do,” Ter-Panosyan says. “If you ever do run out of work to do there’s plenty of really fun people to interact with.”

Completing tasks such as selling popcorn and selling movie tickets, young employees

continue improving their communication skills by interacting with customers. Having a job also requires responsibility: showing up on time and getting the work done correctly. Pacific Theaters sets high standards, these students say, and with some effort most manage to reach their target.

“An employee can be selling tickets for a minute and next thing you know they’re serving food; work is always interesting at a movie theater because you never know what you might come across,” says Mkrtchyan, senior and Pacific 18 employee.

“I think working now is a total bonus because we get experience and we get used to the work flow, so future jobs will be easier,” says Mkrtchyan.

“It’s always something new. Even after you think you’ve seen it all, you’ll find new, weird objects in theatres. It’s a really fun experience. The best people work there; they make it so fun to be there.” — Argeen Ghazarian

“I wanted to work at Pacific Theaters because I like the ability of being involved with different types of films and being able to meet new people all the time.”

—Hakop Ter-Panosyan


Halloween art by Marida TorosyanIn the Life

14 THE MAGNET OCTOBER 2014THE MAGNET OCTOBER 2014

Creative Writing Expressions

These animals communicate in ways unnatural to the human race, without eye contact, without emotion, without a physical connection. They stare, using their thumbs to write messages of no substantial value to each other without any expression on their faces. They only look up from their screens for one thing only, food, the only thing that matters to them other than their cell phone glued to their hands. Never letting go. They begin to rely on the devices as a necessary source of survival. They use phones as tools for surviving school, boring family gatherings, and trips that they are forced to take.

They put these brainwashing pods into their ears and don’t listen to anything other than the loud electronic, robotic voices coming through the speakers. They have progressed so much throughout the years that they are

incapable of mentally picturing any event. They must record these happenings photographically to recall these memories.

Soon enough, all human contact in the world will become a distant memory because the use of cellphones will be virtually endless. The reliance will end up becoming a thirst that nothing can quench and will become an addiction worse than cigarettes. This addiction will cause mental harm and deteriorate their minds, leading them to a frenzy of distress and confusion that they can’t shake off because they don’t know how to communicate with others.

If these phones are taken away from them, who knows how they will react? They will come out from the darkness hissing at the light because it burns. Because they are out of touch connecting to anything.

By Paul Terzian

I was sitting in my room doing my homework when my mind wandered like it usually does, this time back to the first day of third grade. I remember thinking about how “grown-up” I’d be when I turned seventeen. Now at seventeen, I feel the same. Obviously I’m more mature than when I was in the third grade, but I don’t feel the satisfaction of aging as I thought I would.

I learned that we depend too much on the future for our own happiness. We say “It’ll be better when I’m like this” or “It’ll be better when this happens.” We don’t know when or if whatever it is we want is going to happen. And even when it does, it doesn’t make us happy.

We constantly crave something in our lives. We just want to be happy. Because of this, we excuse our own desperation for happiness by saying it will happen in the future. It will come when it comes. We look at other people who we think have happiness because they live a certain way, but

in reality, they are just us lost as us. “Wow, look at her shoes. Look at her hair. Look at her eyes. I’ll be happy when I have a life like hers.”

No. Stop. Stop comparing yourself to other people. It doesn’t work that way. They are trying to figure it out like just like you. Most people aren’t happy because they are looking at happiness all wrong.

Our happiness should not be in the hands of others, including our future selves. If we let other people determine our happiness, we would never be happy. We would always have the fear of losing our happiness because of the state of the relationship with the other person or with our future selves. Be happy with yourself, and you will be happy.

We can’t plan happiness. We can do our best, but it can never be achieved in the way we think it can. It isn’t ever achieved. Achieving means that it is captured and with us forever. It isn’t like that. We can achieve contemptment, but not happiness.

Happiness is going out with a group of friends and realizing how

lucky you are. Happiness is learning something you never thought you could. Happiness is hearing your favorite song on the radio and realizing everything is going to be okay. Happiness is that jolt of electricity deep in your stomach when you know things are going right. Happiness is the little things that make us giggle at life. These moments don’t last forever, but long and frequent moments like these make for a good life.

When we keep looking forward, we forget where we are and where we end up in the end. As cheesy as it sounds, it’s not the destination, it’s the journey. If you keep looking straight without looking around, something is going to hit you— hard. There shouldn’t even be a set destination. It should be all journey. With ukulele music blasting through the stereo. And wonderful people by your side.

And when the journey finally ends, you’ll have no regrets, because you never thought about the end. It never even crossed your mind.

By Maggie Baboomian

Keeping Sight of Happiness

Life in a Phone


Lifestyle

Vogue and Rags You’ll need: black shoes, red pants/skirt, yellow shirt, red hat, felt (yellow, blue, white), stick, scissors and hot glue gun.

Directions: A perfect costume for couples or best friends! Cut out two large, curved triangles from the white felt to act as the “collar.” Glue the two pieces so that the corner of one touches the corner of the other. Cut out a bow tie-shaped piece from the blue felt, and glue this piece at the intersection of the two corners of the collar. Glue this construction onto your yellow shirt.

Cut a tiny circle out of the top of the red hat, only large enough to fit the stick into. Glue the stick so that it can fit snugly into the cut-out hole. Create a flag like the ones the Tweedles have as shown by cutting the yellow felt. Glue the yellow felt to the stick.

Let all the glue dry, put on your black shoes, and have fun acting as ridiculous as the Tweedles!

While people in New York and Massachusetts button up for the cold, LA’s weather goes from scorching heat to chilly cold within a few hours. West Coast locals always manage to look fierce with their SoCal lifestyle no matter what the weather is like. At Clark Magnet, students take dress code to a whole new level and manage to rock the SoCal look with collars and khakis.

Fall fashion essentials like stockings and knit cardigans are a must to keep warm during those cold nights. From peplum to kimonos to flannels, Cali keeps it cool with all the trendsetting outfits inspired by lifestyles like Kylie Jenner and Vanessa Hudgens. Layer up for those chilly mornings with flannels and leather jackets. Patterned stockings can bring up any outfit that needs a little bit more style. Graphic tees, being the heart of vintage, make any outfit more lively and fun.

From grunge to hipster, teenagers take the lead with individuality in California. You can never go wrong with boho colors for fall! The bright colors lighten up the gloomy weather and your day. Bold lip colors like raspberry and coral can finish up any outfit and get you in the fall spirit.

From ankle booties to knee high boots, shoes are easily the most important part of an outfit. Take a chance by adding some color to your outfit and you won’t be sorry. Remember to hold your head up high and embrace your own unique style.

Jada Javier, junior, wears brown on black to bring out fall colors that complete a casual look. Javier said, “I can just throw on a cardigan in the mornings to stay warm; it’s fun, easy and cute.” She finishes off her outfit with a cute pair of sandals.

Joshua De Leon, junior, rocks the Chuck Bass-inspired bowtie with a grey button down, setting the expectations higher for guys. ”Bowties are cool and easy to put on with anything,” De Leon says as he pulls off the preppy hipster look.

Dianna KhudoyanStaff Writer

Cali teens keep fall spirit alive through fashion

You’ll need: a blue polo shirt, khakis and white marker

Directions: Ideal for Clark students, as all you need is to put on the aforementioned clothes. Draw the Honda logo onto the left side of your chest. And voila! Not only are you in dress code, but you’ve got yourself a costume, too!

“Helpful Honda Guy”

“Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum”

16 THE MAGNET OCTOBER 2014

Fear not, Frantic Halloween Fashionistas!

You’ll need: a big cardboard box, a cat plushie, scissors and glue.

Directions: For others to understand this costume, you’ll need to be animated. Grab the cardboard box tear off the top flaps. Glue any remaining loose flaps on the sides and bottom closed. Cut the edges of the top of the box in a zig-zag pattern to resemble the top of a paper bag. Create holes for your arms on the sides of the box and for your legs at the bottom of the box.

Once you’re in the box, put the cat plushie at the bottom

By Ericka ShinManaging Editor

Today is the big day! Tricks and treats, and perhaps even ghouls and goblins, run abound on this long-awaited All Hallows’ Eve. But the most important part of today is being able to show off your terrifyingly hilarious

or hilariously terrifying costumes.

Oh, no! Did the thought of dressing up slip out of your mind? Or did you think it was unnecessary, and now you changed your mind?

Well, this goes out to all those costume procrastinators! Whether

you are planning to show off at a Halloween party after school or do some good ol’ trick-or-treating, these costumes will be perfect for you. For one, they take a maximum of two hours; for another, they are quite witty.

Take your pick to have a happy, fun Halloween!

“Letting the Cat Out of the

Bag”

You’ll need: an apron, white paper, any kitchen utensil, scissors, tape and measuring tape

Directions: First create a chef’s hat by measuring the circumference of your head. Tape multiple pieces of white paper (all oriented portrait style) together until you have a horizontal length of paper that is about four inches longer than the circumference of your head. Make vertical creases until the taped-together paper is only half an inch longer than the circumference of your

head. Tape the two edges of the paper construction together. Grab another piece of paper to create a circle to close off one of the open ends of the paper to finish the hat.

Put on the apron and grab your kitchen utensil to complete the look. Add your own finishing touches by drawing on a thin mustache on your face, splattering the front with the sauce of your choice, or however you feel that a professional chef would look!

or hidden somewhere inside the box (make sure it doesn’t fall out!). When someone asks what you’re supposed to be, pull the cat out of the box to “let the cat out of the bag!”

“Chef”

Create last-minute, quirky costumes for a memorable All Hallow’s Eve this year!


Horror Nights spices up Halloween seasonBy AJ GarciaStaff Writer

The five new scare zones, seven deadly mazes and terror tram at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights made my recent pre-Halloween visit extra horrific.

The annual event conveniently starts at 7 p.m., right when darkness consumes the park, and ends at 2 a.m., when the real scares happen. The entrance of the park is an automatic scare zone filled with vapor, loud music, sound effects and cast members who chase around guests to begin the night of screams. On a recent visit, I took the safer way in, and went through the safe zone entrance that leads to the middle of the park. The two entrances are convenient, allowing guests to feel the horror right away, or simply letting the actual mazes do the scaring.

Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights theme, this year, is the Walking Dead. Compared to Knott’s Scary Farm, Griffith’s Haunted Hayride and Disneyland, Universal Studios changes its theme every

year, giving guests something new to look forward to every Halloween season.

Original rides like Transformers, Revenge of the Mummy, Jurassic Park, the Simpsons and Despicable Me are open during the entire event, allowing guests to take a break from the deadly mazes.

Wait times for rides and mazes can be found throughout the park, making planning and time management easier.

The mazes are spread out within the park. “Face Off” is located at the front of the park, while

“Dracula” and “American Werewolf in London” are in the middle of the park. The four major mazes — “The Walking Dead Maze/Terror Tram,” “Aliens vs. Predators,” “From Dusk Till Dawn” and “Clowns 3D” — are where the tour tram is during the day.

To enter the tour tram area from the middle of the park, I had to go through the Purge scare zone, down the escalators, scream through the Skullz scare zone, climb up through a tunnel, walk a little further down the dark path, until I got to the Terminus scare zone, reaching the

area filled with lines of the four mazes. “The Walking Dead Maze/Terror

Tram” closes before midnight, for safety regulations, while the six other mazes continue on until 2 a.m. Once 9 p.m. hit, the wait time for the mazes were over an hour long, while people had to wait just under an hour for the rides. The food areas and bathrooms all over the park were always packed, but the scare zones were not as busy due to people’s extreme fear of being chased.

I wasn’t able to ride the Terror Tram, and was too much of a baby to go through the “Clowns 3D” maze. Out of all the mazes I was brave enough to go through, however, I thought the “Aliens vs. Predators” maze brought me the scariest experience. Aliens would pop out of both sides of the narrow corridors, and the predators had extraordinarily well-applied make-up that were enough to make me scream.

Overall, the event was fun, exciting and horrifying enough to make me want to go again this month!

Are you planning to go to Halloween Horror Nights?

The entrance to Horror Nights looms ominously above the people as they wait to get in.


Tickle Tree Cafe is a 10/10

By Varty YahjianStaff Writer

The corner of Dyer St. and Foothill Blvd. houses La Crescenta’s coolest spot: Tickle Tree Cafe.

The exterior reminds me of a cute little coffee joint one would see in Silverlake. It’s almost like an oasis of indie music and exotic coffees nestled into the otherwise bland selection that is La Crescenta itself.

Walking into the cafe is like stepping into a different world. The white bricked walls reveal a sort of modern-barnyard theme with industrial-esque chairs and hanging lightbulbs decorating the eating area. The fans are almost always spinning, almost like

they want to keep circulating the vibes of urban chill throughout the space.

So far, the public’s response has been mostly positive, with tables occupied by students working and enjoying a smoothie or sandwich. There have been mixed feelings about the restaurant’s pastrami sandwich; the consensus has been that the amount of pastrami in the sandwich itself is lacking. Not to say that it’s not tasty, there

simply just needs to be more.Still, the menu is one of variety and

great quality: several different types of

sandwiches, sides and salads paired with a breakfast section that is orderable until 2 p.m., all of which caters to even the pickiest of eaters. I ordered the grilled cheese sandwich, equipped with bacon and tomatoes to pair with my mango-peach smoothie and side of fries and fruit.

The first thing I noticed was the simple presentation. Fresh vegetables and fruit contrasted brightly to the white plates and bowls. The vibrancy of the food requires no introduction, especially the parsley on the fries and the garden salad next to the sandwich.

The sandwich itself was delicious; the bread was lightly grilled and the cheese had the melty, stringy texture that makes eating it all the more enjoyable. The sweet potato fries were crispy, and the fresh garlic scattered over them only enhanced their unique flavor.

Finishing off my meal was the mango-peach smoothie, a delectable concoction of fresh fruit and juice that washes down the palate and treats it with tropical delight.

All in all, Tickle Tree is a winner and I will definitely come here again.

2853 Foothill Blvd.La Crescenta, CA 91214(818) 249-4169tickletreecafe.com

Customers sit listening to music and working in the light atmosphere of the cafe.

Books sit on a charming bookshelf in the Tickle Tree Cafe.

A smoothie, a bowl of fruit and some sweet potato fries make for a delicious lunch.

‘The first thing I noticed was the simple

presentation.’-Varty Yahjian


person who doesn’t like to be tied down to the basic “large pepperoni pizza.” If you aren’t a fan of meats on your pizza, don’t turn away just yet.

Their veggie options will have you

on a health crave for days, with choices ranging from from arugula to cherry tomatoes.

I personally like building my own pizza because I’m able to get whatever I’m in the mood for.

“I just think it’s a really cool idea, and they have everything you could ever want on your pizza,” says junior Timothy

Cruz.If their variety of options is too much

for you to handle, you can also order one of their signature pizzas.

They have the Meat Eater Pizza, Art Lover Pizza and many more. The BBQ Chicken is a favorite among many customers.

“I love BBQ chicken in general, so on a pizza, it’s to die for,” says junior Gennine Lagman.

With a quiet and comfortable atmosphere, I’m able to hang out with my friends and eat the masterpiece I created. I’m always greeted with a smile and the kindest words.

Blaze Pizza has the perfect atmosphere for a quiet dinner, or a local hangout. If you’re going to kick it, you might as well go to Blaze Pizza. I always leave with a full belly and a smile on my face.

Blaze PizzaGlendale Galleria100 W. Broadway Glendale, CA 91210(818)662-8777www.blazepizza.com

Blaze Pizza is blazin’ its way to the top for Glendale residents

By Farah AliStaff Writer

As you walk into the unknown third wing of the Glendale Galleria, the aromas of freshly made pizza will lure you into Blaze Pizza.

When you walk into open floor plan, you’re greeted by dim lighting and friendly workers.

Blaze Pizza is a pizza lover’s haven, as your options are limitless — literally. You can get whatever you however much you want all for one reasonable price.

Blaze Pizza has done the unimaginable — it allows diners to build their own pizza. With toppings ranging from artichokes to gorgonzola cheese, they have it all. And you can have as much as you want! You have a variety of options in every category — sauces, cheeses, veggies and meats, and all served on a thin crust.

The average meat lover won’t know what to do with all of the options. Meats like bacon, meatballs, grilled chicken, Italian sausage, pepperoni, salami and smoked ham are all for the taking.

Blaze Pizza is convenient for the

‘With a quiet and comfortable atmosphere, I’m able to hang out with my friends and eat the masterpiece I

created.’-Farah Ali

A worker cuts the pizza that just came out of the oven. After choosing the toppings you want on your pizza, the pizza is put into a large oven. The workers are very efficient and serve you quickly.

A make-your-own pizza, with all the toppings you want. The pizza is made in front of you, and with the speedy service you can get your meal within under five minutes. The options at Blaze Pizza are limitless.


Staying in shape during the school year

Students all want to stay in shape, especially when in high school, but it doesn’t help when all the stress that they get just tempts them to stress eat. Stress eating causes people to over-eat because students get stressed from assign-ments, projects, volunteering, as well as trying to manage their social lives. But because of stress eating, students gain weight which can cause them to be self-conscious.

Some join gyms or try diets to help lose weight or do both, which was what I did. I stopped eat-

ing delicious sugary treats and watched how much I ate and went to the gym for two hours five times a week. Of course, I could only go to the gym so often because of summer vacation. I managed to lose a lot of weight which made me proud of myself. Senior Basma Saadallah joined Total Woman Gym in Sept. 2013. Ever since she started going to the gym she she began to “feel good about [herself ].”

While it is hard to go to the gym and work out, there is a simple workout routine that students can do for ten minutes when they get home.

The workout routine is displayed with student models from PE on the right.

By Sophie JoseCopy Editor

‘Stress eating causes people to overeat because students get stressed from assignments, projects, volunteering, as well as trying to manage their social

lives.’-Sophie Jose


Peer tutoring helpsstudents accomplish more

In the Life22 THE MAGNET OCTOBER 2014

with the student as well as improvement in their grades.

Tutors who have joined Bible’s class this year saw many benefits in peer tutoring as well. Emilia, a tutor in Bible’s class, said, “Sometimes the teacher does not explain it well and tutoring can help the student understand it better.” She was fond of the idea of tutoring; however, she had not tutored anyone before and she felt tutoring can help students get extra studying time

with someone older who is not the teacher.Liya, another former student of Bible,

said, “I feel more responsibility when I tutor elementary students.” Even though it is easier to teach elementary students, she said that she learns a lot from them even at their young age.

Many students, like Liya, have seen improvements from peer tutoring, something that is borne out in research, too. According to the National Education Association website, “Some benefits of peer tutoring for students include higher academic achievement, improved relationships with peers, improved personal and social development as well as increased motivation.”

I have seen this result myself. I know I have found my student activity and do not consider it a participation event but something I do for the satisfaction of the “light bulb” moment on the student’s face. Peer tutoring benefits students by one-on-one communication, it increases self confidence, and it can help the students as well as the tutor learn something new.

“I understand it, Lilia!” These are the most exquisite four words I can hear when I am tutoring students.

After graduating middle school and entering my first year of high school, I felt a gap in my life. Everyone seemed to have a specific skill and I had not yet acquired mine. I decided to do something different where I could find an appropriate balance that would suit all my school and volunteer requirements and still allow me to maintain a social life.

So I started volunteering for my middle school English teacher, Marcelyn Bible. As a result, I began grading papers and decorating the classroom on Wednesdays — which was all right. However, I wanted to do more.

Shortly thereafter, Bible began noticing some drops in grades and needed the children to come after school for extra help. I started tutoring and thought, “How am I going to do this? What if my qualifications of being someone so close to their age are not useful?” Despite my worries, I began with simple memorization techniques for vocabulary to editing essays and making suggestions for projects.

I volunteered with two other peers. We all had our obvious jobs; I would tutor in math and science and the other girls would take English, history and foreign language. Sometimes, Bible and I came across weeks where only I would attend and we had to divide up the students and get to as many as we could in one hour. We started working with three to four students and sometimes we had a full class staying with us after school.

I often took over and managed. Bible gushed about the outstanding improvements the students had in grades and how more students would attend our after school tutoring.

‘Sometimes the teacher does not explain it well and tutoring can help the student understand it better. -Emilia

According to Bible, the students have seen a tremendous difference in their academic studies as a result of the tutoring. “I can get a group of peers that are likely to be here,” Bible said. She felt that besides the tutoring, the interaction with the tutor and students could make a difference in the students wanting to complete assignments.

“Just having someone sitting with them while doing homework can help,” Bible said. By doing so, the students became comfortable to do their assignment and ask for help when needed. “By doing homework the children got good grades,” Bible said.

One student in particular, Andrea, would have a very difficult time in her studies, and Bible could not find a way to keep her focused. I began to help her, and when she was isolated with just me, I saw improvement.

According to teacher Eric Kursinski, who runs CSF tutoring at Clark Magnet, one-on-one tutoring is highly effective. He said that sometimes teachers explain assignments in words that can be hard to comprehend for students, and that those students are sometimes too shy to ask what words mean. However, during one-on-one tutoring the tutor explains it in “layman’s terms.”

The tutoring at CSF helps “both the student and the tutor,” because students can also teach the tutor something. The first week of October marked the first week of CSF tutoring, so it was difficult to see a major difference in students’ grades. However, Kursinski said that he does track the students’ progress throughout the year.

In the same way, In Bible’s classroom, some inexperienced tutors have just been grading papers and cleaning. I remember their position when I started volunteering and I know that they will have the same gradual growth to helping students and also learning from students. When I first started tutoring I also felt just as awkward as the student to ask them if they needed help; however, there comes a time where I needed to connect to them and it made a closer bond

By Lilia LamasStaff Writer

‘

Clark CSF Tutoring

Clark CSF Tutoring


Imagine saving more than 8 billion animals a year, just in the United States, by shutting out the animal food industry which includes clothing, cosmetics and home goods produced by slaughtered animals. Well, during the

summer, I came across a video on YouTube called “Why You Should Consider Being a Vegetarian,“ a video about people killing cows and pigs.

From that day on, every time I ate any kind of meat, I would remember the video and recall the unfair treatment that the animals went through. The video was a real wake-up call for me and made me rethink what food I put in my body.

A week later, as I was helping my mom and my aunt set the table for our out-of-town guests, my dad called me to grab a piece of kabob, which has always been a tradition: me eating a piece of xorovats

before my dad takes it for everyone else. I quickly put down the napkins and walked out to where my dad and all my cousins were standing and chit-chatting. As my dad was wrapping the beef kabob in the pita bread, I remembered the video, and it was then that I knew I had to change the way I eat.

I started thinking that the only way of me giving up meat is starting it off by just eating fish. That night I decided to just eat salad and watch others enjoy the xorovats. I had to wake up at night and have a bowl of cereal because I was starving to death, literally. (But it’s not like I don’t wake up every night to eat a bowl of cereal…)

I was truly surprised my dad didn’t ask why I refused to eat the kabob, but I knew he wouldn’t like the idea of me completely changing the way I eat. The good thing was my sister was a pescaterian, and I was sure she would have my

back on this. The next morning, as everyone ate breakfast in the dining room, I thought it was the right moment to tell my parents that I want to become a vegetarian.

“Dad,” I said, “do you remember how I didn’t eat the xorovats you gave me yesterday? Yeah, well that was because I decided I want

to stop eating meat.” The reaction I got from my parents, especially from my dad, left me in shock, in a good way. He didn’t oppose the idea. “I was suprised how you refused to eat it,” he said. “But now it makes sense.”

“Yup,” I replied, “both of your daughters are pescaterian. Next thing you know, you and mom give up meat too, and we all become pescaterians.”

And with that discussion I had finally started this journey, a journey taken by many others.

In fact, a recent article in the Vegetarian Times quoted a study from 2008 which

indicated that there are approximately 7.3 million vegetarians in the United States, and an additional 22.8 follow a vegetarian-inclined diet. Numbers of vegetarians seem steady, as an article from Gallup Well-Being shows how U.S. vegetarianism has stayed unchanged from the 6% who identified as vegetarians in

1999 and 2001.Being a pescaterian is

definitely less challenging than being a vegetarian or vegan. I used to eat fish twice a week, along with some boiled vegetables and hummus, and the other days I would simply tell my mom to cook quinoa or any type of grain that would give me the same amount of protein as fish.

I definitely felt a sudden change in my body, and most certainly in my mood. I was way more energetic and active compared to when I was eating meat.

Starting Sept. 1, I set myself to completely cut out any type

Transitioning from pescatarianism to vegetarianismBy Elen Hakoupiani

Staff Writer

Why eat meat if we have24 THE MAGNET OCTOBER 2014

Why eat meat if we haveof meat, including seafood.

Remembering James Gill, also a junior attending Clark Magnet being a vegetarian since eighth grade, I planned to ask him few questions about his experience through this journey. “The reason I became vegetarian is because I didn’t feel the need to eat meat, that’s all.” Gill’s mom and older sister are also vegetarians, he

said. “You will of course crave meat at first, but you will later on get used to not eating it, and it will be a lot easier than it is now, trust me.”

Talking with James gave me the motivation to keep up the healthy eating, but my mom opposing the idea of me becoming a vegetarian did not. My mom believes every human being needs the protein content of meat that cannot be replaced with any vegetables.

For that reason, I found a nutritionist that my friend knew and I asked a few questions concerning the health benefits of being a

vegetarian. Lilit Sargsyan, a private nutritionist in Glendale who has been advising her clients for three years, was happy to answer my questions.

I started by asking her if being a vegetarian at my age is the right thing for my health, and she replied, “Of course it is safe, but it does affect your growth hormones in some ways.”

My mom quickly gave me the ‘I told you’ look, but then Dr. Sargsyan added, “There are more benefits than people think there are. You can get the same amount of protein from eating vegetables likes avocado, peas, broccoli and other green vegetables.” She also said that becoming a vegetarian will cause mood swings at first, but then the body will get used to the type of food you put in.

Dr. Sargsyan gave me a cookbook with more than 100 vegetarian dishes, saying, “I want you to enjoy take this journey and think of it as a lifestyle, not a temporary diet.”

After talking to Dr. Sargsyan, I definitely felt better about my decision, and of course I had a better idea of what type of foods I needed to prepare.

My mom was the biggest support system, even though it was hard convincing her at first. Every day I would go home from school, starving, almost on the edge of giving up and grabbing something

with meat, but my mom would always have something vegetarian prepared for me on the stove or in the refrigerator.

A week later I got an appointment to go see my family doctor, Dr. Samvel Hamayakyan, for my yearly checkup. I knew exactly what I was going to ask him and I was sure he would be more than happy to answer me. After checking my height and weight, I finally had the opportunity to ask my questions.

“What do you think about becoming a vegetarian at my age and what are the benefits?” I asked.

He first smiled and answered, “I wouldn’t really recommend becoming a vegetarian at your age, but I can tell you the benefits of it. The benefits are: it lowers body weight, and it lowers the risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease.”

He advised me to take a lot of vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and most importantly

not give up. My vegetarian diet certainly

does get easier as days go by, and I feel less of the need to eat meat. It gets to the point where I can’t stand the smell of any type of meat, and actually have the craving for vegetables, as oddly as that sounds.

This journey has definitely helped me realize that you are what you eat, and what you eat is how you feel. I can proudly say that I’m planning to stay vegetarian as long as I have the strenght for, and encourage my parents to try eating some of the meals I eat, even if it’s only once a week.

vegetables?25


If someone showed me a picture of my dog today, I would burst into tears like it’s nobody’s business. It’s not an unusual reaction because I’ve lost a lot of people in my life; I know what grief feels like more than most people. But never had a loss, such as the one I had suffered this past summer, affected me so greatly. On July 22, my shih tzu, Kobe, took his last breath of life.

Kobe had been a part of my life since my parents bought him for my eleventh birthday, five years ago. From the moment he was brought into our home, we knew there was something different about Kobe. A year before Kobe’s death, he had started urinating small amounts of blood, but he got better after his vet prescribed him some medicine.

We should have taken that day as an indication that more complications were to come with Kobe’s health. A couple weeks after his fifth birthday, Kobe began to weaken. In a matter of two days, he had urinated a gallon of blood and my mother immediately took him to the vet. Kobe stayed in the veterinarian’s office for an hour, with an IV plugged into him, before the vet called my parents and told us to come see him because he was knocking on Death’s door.

My family decided to put Kobe down peacefully so he wouldn’t suffer any more pain. The following weeks after his death were beyond difficult. Kobe was always a silent dog but after his death the silence that filled my house was overwhelming. It was wrong.

Everyone grieves differently. They either try to suppress the memories and the pain by forgetting their lost companions, or they try to bring back the happiness they lost by buying another pet. The grief of losing Kobe was so great that my mother couldn’t last a week without him and immediately searched for another shih tzu. My family dealt with the pain by bringing a new dog, Charlie, into our home.

“I do recommend getting another pet after losing your first one because it really helps you be happy again,” said sophomore Arpi Iskandaryan. “But that doesn’t mean you’ll forget your first pet.” Iskandaryan had also fallen victim to grief when her two parakeets, PJ and Princess, were found dead at the bottom of their cage.“

I cried for three weeks and I still think about them a lot,” she said. A month or two after the death of her parakeets, Iskandaryan bought another bird, Muchik, which has helped heal her and her family tremendously.

However, bringing another pet into the house isn’t always helpful. Sometimes the memories are too traumatic to relive with another pet, just like in sophomore Vana

Ter-Hovhannisian’s case. Ter-Hohannisian and her siblings were beyond disturbed when another dog at a park had attacked her seven-year old Maltese, Dingo.

Our pets are so important to us that we even in death we still take care of them. Animal cemeteries, such as the Pet’s Rest Cemetery and Crematory in Colma, California, provide a final resting place for departed pets since as early as 1947.

Ninety-nine percent of pet owners decide to cremate their beloved companions and the other one percent bury them, according to the Pet Loss Professionals Alliance (PLPA).

“It’s never easy losing them, especially when you get too attached,” said Teresa Hernandez, Pet’s Rest office manager. “I’ve lost a pet too and it’s really tragic when they die at an early age before their time comes.”

Losing a companion doesn’t just depress you for a while; it can also affect your behavior and your life. Seventy-five percent of people who lose a pet experience difficulties and disruptions in their work and relationships, according to Laurel Lagoni, M.S. Furthermore, studies show that people feel a greater

sense of loss when their pet rather than a close family member dies. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the loss of a pet is more profound because by 2014, households have more pets than children and pet owners regard their pets as members of their family.

It becomes hard to carry on through the day when our four-legged friends leave us. The amount of grief someone can feel can be so overwhelming that help and comfort from a hotline or support group would become necessary. The ASPCA Pet Loss Hotline is an example of a support group that helps people through their grieving process. They provide an extensive amount of aid to those who simply cannot cope without their best friend.

All the feelings, behaviors, programs, hotlines and cemeteries are normal for people who are going through such a loss. A pet isn’t just an animal that you have

to clean up after, they become much more than that. They become your family, your best friend, your caregiver, and your healer. Pets deserve all the treatments and love that humans get because they are equal, if not more, in their position in our hearts. Kobe was a member of my family and his existence started a new chapter in my life. Though his death was devastating to me, I will keep his memory alive forever.

The loss of man’s best friend is never easyBy Nairi Simonyan

Staff Writer

Charlie


The loss of man’s best friend is never easy

Sophomore Arpi Iskandaryan’s parakeets, PJ and Princess, are shown in their cage. PJ and Princess were found dead at the bottom of their cage eight years ago.

Simonyan’s dog, Kobe, while she gave him a bath. Kobe died three months ago due to excess internal bleeding that could have been classified as cancer..

Sophomore Vana Ter-Hovhannisian’s dog, Dingo, sitting on the couch next to her. Dingo was attacked by another dog at a park and instantly died.


A&E

Mockingjay set to fly in November

By Sareen ShatikianStaff Writer

What November release do Clark students anticipate the most?

Warning! Spoilers!The highly anticipated release of the

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1, scheduled to be released Nov. 21, has been heightened by the release of a trailer and two teaser trailers. The regular trailer shows the standard shots that summarize the movie, while the teaser trailers feature messages from President Snow to reassure the citizens of Panem that they have everything under control.

I liked the first two books and movies very much. I was highly intrigued by the books and satisfied that the movies had followed them so closely. But I personally wasn’t very fond of the third book, compared to the previous two.

I thought the beginning was too

boring, and that the love interest between Katniss, Peeta and Gale became a little too intense.

I was also upset with all the people who died in the third book. Too many people died in the revolution, and these deaths completely diminished Katniss’s purpose of entering The Hunger Games.

I don’t think that the third film will be as exciting as the previous two films. I sense that there won’t be a lot of action in this film. It seems like it will be more of a buildup for the fourth movie, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2, which will bring an end to the book and movie franchise.

The first message from the Capitol shows Peeta, alive and well, standing alongside President Snow, who addresses Panem with a message about “unity, prosperity, and sacrifice.”

The second clip from The Capitol shows President Snow with Peeta once again, along with a large number

of Peacekeepers. Just as President Snow starts to speak of “Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever,” the video is interrupted by a hacker, suspected to be from the infamous District 13, who interrupts the video to inform the citizens of Panem that “the Mockingjay lives.”

In the full trailer, the focus is placed more on Katniss. It shows glimpses of her arrival in District 13, her reunion with her friend Gale, her reaction to finding out that Peeta is still alive, and the preparation to battle the Capitol.

Having read the book Mockingjay, I have a general idea of how the film is going to turn out, as do most other people who have read the book.

However, I think that the trailers give away too much. The clips of the movie that were shown reveal the whole story in two minutes.

Still, I’m excited to see how the film will portray the details that make up the rest of the film.

Catch The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 in theaters beginning Nov. 21.


Fourth time’s the charm for 1D

Lights, Camera, Action! Hollywood is known for the glamour, the beauty, the popularity, the fame! To make it big in Hollywood, you have to talk the talk and walk the walk. Besides

having a mesmerizing voice, incredible acting skills, or an eye for fashion, you have to have the look. By having the look, you gain popularity and fame.

But what does it mean to “have the look”? Well, “the look” is mostly made up of plastic surgeries, something that may serve well those in Hollywood but won’t serve well those in the general public who look up to certain people in Hollywood.

Many famous celebrities have had tons of plastic surgeries. The perfect example would be Michael Jackson. The King of Pop was a victim of plastic surgery. Besides the fact that he supposedly had a skin disorder, he had way too many surgeries.

As for his skin, I think that it changed more because of a cosmetic procedure rather than his disorder. The disorder would have affected certain parts of his skin but not his whole body; therefore, I think he did something to change the color of his skin.

It’s not right to change so much of your physical appearance. People get obsessed with celebrities and how perfect they look, such that they try becoming like them through plastic surgeries. No one is perfect. You lose your originality and uniqueness.

Many people praise “the look” as if there is nothing else besides that. Don’t let Hollywood get inside your head. Everyone does not need cosmetic surgery to be pretty. Everyone is beautiful just the way they are.

Syuzi Says...

Super Smash Bros. smashes expectations

By Chelsea SantosStaff Writer

— Alen Shirvanyan

Syuzi SargsyanStaff Writer

One Direction’s worldwide success is no secret to anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock these past few years. They’ve had hit single after single, and their albums don’t seem to disappoint.

But will that streak be broken?

On Sept. 8, the boy band released a new song called “Fireproof.” Who wouldn’t be excited when their guilty pleasure-musical group drops a new single

overnight? But the excitement quickly faded into disappointment. The song contains the same lyrics over and over again ad nauseam. It sounds lazy and rushed, as if the song was offhandedly released to tide the waiting fans (such as myself ) over until their next album, Four, releases Nov. 17.

Optimism reigns high for the album itself, however. It might not be as good as the first three — let’s be honest here, Up All Night and Take Me Home were killers — but my fingers are crossed; hopefully, it won’t completely suck.

Check out Four when it comes out on Nov. 17.

The new Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 3DS is an amazing game, filled with tons of different modes and gameplay types. With over 49 characters to choose from and the ability to create your own characters, there is a playable option for everyone. With over six unique modes, a trophy collection and online play, you can sink hours into the game and still have something

to enjoy. With the Wii U version, however, I am expecting a plethora of stages to fight on and more modes, as the Wii U offers more technological space for the game to flourish. Also, while the 3DS version looks decent, I am hopeful that the Wii U version will be finely detailed in its crisp 1080p graphics.

Stay sweet,

Get your copy of Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U on Nov. 21.

Hollywood overly focused on appearances

THE MAGNET OCTOBER 2014 29

Are you scared of the recent outbreak of Ebola? Are you scared that Ebola is going to get

you? Are you scared that Ebola is going to destroy the United States of America? Well, you should be.

Ebola is a major epidemic in West Africa, and unless something is done now, you are not off the hook here either. Yes, it is thousands of miles away and completely in the middle of no where. But it still exists and therefore it still matters. Just three weeks ago Thomas Eric Duncan, Liberian national, fled to the Texas with the deadly disease. Investigators have estimated that he had come to contact with several people, not sure though if the disease had been spread.

After five days of intense treatment at Texas Presbyterian Hospital, Duncan sadly passed away. His nurse later was tested positive for Ebola in a preliminary blood test. Although she claims she had worn protective gear during her “extensive contact” with Duncan, she contracted the disease as did a second health care worker later that week.

Investigators are looking more into the situation. According to press reports, Duncan’s family is currently pursuing legal action towards the hospital because they feel that his treatment was “incompetent” and “racially motivated.” If one guy can put a whole country in danger, imagine what could happen with a country full of people with that disease?

The Centers of Disease Control has sent out many assurances that they are handling the situation. And even the President of the United States has promised that Americans have nothing to fear.

Unless West African countries

OpinionSolved By Sareen

Dear Introvert,

Have no fear! Everybody feels a little bashful every once in a while. I went through the exact same situation when I was a freshman, and now I have great friends that I am very close to.

Don’t be ashamed of who you are. If you try to change your personality in order to fit in with a certain group of people, you are going to be miserable. Stay true to who you are and I’m sure you will find someone who you like, and that you could be great friends with.

Break out of your shell a little and talk to the people in your classes. There must be someone in your classes who you get along with and can relate to. Sooner or later you’re gonna have a great group of friends that you will spend the next four years with.

Plus, always keep in touch with your friends from other schools. Great friends don’t come by easy, and you will want to stay close to all the ones you’ve got. Your friends will appreciate that you took the time to text or tweet them and any other forms of social networking you might use to stay in contact.

Sincerely, Sareen

Opinion30 THE MAGNET OCTOBER 2014

are quarantined and cleaned, like the CDC did in the late 1900s with smallpox, the Ebola epidemic will not be over. The CDC was successful in eradicating smallpox 40 years ago by successfully containing the disease early on. In addition to quarantines, they also created a vaccination to smallpox that was pretty successful.

Today there are no known vaccinations to Ebola as scientists find it hard to test on people. Currently, though, there are trial vaccinations in West African countries, with patients well-knowing that the vaccination is in no way proven to work. If trials work on these patients in Africa, treatment will surely be available in the United States soon.

If the CDC and WHO don’t start taking action towards containing and Ebola, the infection may infect more in the United States. It cannot be as easy as just getting on a plane from Liberia to the United States of America and seeking treatment like Duncan did last month.

Eradicating Ebola will not be easy, as it will take a lot of cooperation from a lot of people. This endeavour will also cost a huge sum of money as it did with smallpox, which cost the United States government more than $160 million dollars. But the cost of safety and good health is priceless.

By Alec KellziStaff Writer

Ebola spreading to U.S.

Dear Sareen, I just started coming to school here, and I was the only one from my group of friends. I’ve tried to make new friends, but I’m really shy and it’s very difficult for me to find new friends. What should I do?

Sincerely,Shy Introvert

Photo CreditsPage 8Maggie BaboomianPage 9Maggie BaboomianPage 10Varty YahjianPage 11Varty YahjianPage 12Dianna Khudoyan, Elise MarianoPage 13Dianna KhudoyanPage 14Marida TorosyanPage 15Stock


Page 16Dianna Khudoyan, wikimedia commons, blog.booklistonline.com, i1.creativecow.net, flickr.com, openclipart.comPage 17i1.creativecow.net, flickr.com, openclipart.comPage 18AJ GarciaPage 19Varty YahjianPage 20Dianna KhudoyanPage 21Elise MarianoPage 22

Lilia LamasPage 24Elen HakoupianiPage 25Elen HakoupianiPage 27Nairi Simonyan, Vana Ter-Hovhannisian, Wikimedia.org, petsrest.comPage 28firstshowing.net (Ethan Anderton), Ericka ShinPage 29Columbia Records, entertainmentmonthly.comPage 30Wikimedia.org

Clark Magnet’s Publications class wishes

you a Happy Halloween!

the magnet, (vol. 1, issue 1)

Documents

features section articles

features column

clark spotlight

ae section

opinion section

lifestyle section

life section

student work section