The Doctor is In: Verdugo, Meet Dr. Trimis - Verdugo Hills High School

Volume LXXIII, Issue 2
Verdugo Hills High School • Tujunga, CA
verdugohills.wordpress.com
October 14, 2011
INTRODUCING THE LADY’S LADY: THE DISNEY DILEMMA: FALL TV LINE-UP:
Kliena Cruz assumes the role of the Gentle The disturbing truth behind the Disney The shows you love plus some new ones
man’s Gentleman counterpart.
princesses we’ve come to know and love. that are sure to encite and mystify you.
(See page 3) (See page 5)
(See page 9)
The Doctor is In: Verdugo, Meet Dr. Trimis
Corrina Calanoc
Assistant Entertainment Editor
Lucy Vay
Editor In Chief
After two long months, Superintendent Dr. John Deasy has
finally appointed Verdugo Hills High School a permanent principal.
His name is Dr. Edward Trimis, who has been with LAUSD
since 1981.
Over that course of time, Dr. Trimis was assistant principal at
Polytechnic High School from 2000 to 2004, principal of Manual
Arts from 2006 to 2008, and most recently, principal of City of Angels
from 2009 to 2011.
Dr. Trimis takes great pride in the accomplishments he’s
helped achieved at each institution. He was part of the team that
began 9 th and 10 th grade academies and created SLC’s at Poly High.
He governed over Manual Arts High while working towards his
doctorate degree at USC.
He created leadership classes, a special education program,
and initiated online courses at his previous school, City of Angels
High. And before becoming an administrator, he taught for 15
years at Brendo Middle School.
Though originally from northern Calilfornia, he received his
post-high school education at Cal State LA, where he earned his
bachelor’s degree, along with attaining his teacher’s and administrator
credentials. He then attended USC, which was right next
door to Manual Arts High School.
Aside from his time as an active administrator, Dr. Trimis also
has deep roots in the arts, and spent fourteen out of his fifteen
teaching years as a music instructor. He earned his master’s degree
from Cal State LA in music, and even thought about being a
studio musician before discovering his passion for teaching.
Apparently, he’s been eyeing the principal position of Verdugo
for quite some time now as he said “I actually wanted to
work at this school.” After hearing of Ms. Klewitz’s retirement, he
took the opportunity to apply for the position.
Since he lives in the Foothill area, it’s a short commute to Verdugo,
opposed to what he previously had to endure. He thinks
April Montes
Staff Writer
On Friday September 23, 2011,
Gayle Anderson from the KTLA 5
news ventured out to Verdugo for the
second year in a row to film the band,
cheerleaders, football players, and
members of J.R.O.T.C.
Early in the morning, Gayle interviewed
certain members of the teams
to show off the members of our student
body, and their passions within
the boundaries of Verdugo Hills. It
all began last year when Gayle discovered
that the students involved in
band never received any extra attention,
yet were all so dedicated.
When a member of the news
team in a conference meeting mentioned
this, the idea emerged to film
the school and exhibit the talents of
the Verdugo Hills students.
The news director researched,
developed, and finally approved of
the idea, since he agreed that a shift in
the students being recognized would
be nice.
Verdugo Hills High School was
chosen because of the simple schedule.
A normal day for a Verdugo student
consists of three or four ninety minute
periods. It was simple for KTLA to get
in, interview the students, and get out
quickly.
As a college graduate, Gayle
knows how important it is that students
don’t miss too much class, and
as the behaved percentage of the student
body, it is also important to them,
hence the early morning arrival. After
doing some research, Gayle contacted
schools to find out which schedule she
could easily interfere with, without
making a huge impact in the amount
of class missed.
Another part of her decision was
the amount of the class spirit involved.
The cheerleaders have immense
amounts of class spirit, and a numerous
amount ready to cheer whenever
the players score.
The football team has many players
both varsity and junior varsity,
the band members play their instruments
with pride and passion, and the
J.R.O.T.C. members patrol the stands
helping the school remain free from
crime. This has been the second time
Gayle visited Verdugo to do a spotlight
on our students, and it won’t be
the last.
WHO IS THIS GUY?: Our new principal, Dr. Trimis.
that Verdugo is a “great school with great students and teachers,”
and would only like to continue our academic achievement.
As much as he would like the API, the Academic Performance
Index, to soar over 800, he stated that “student learning is
Josh Esquivel
Editor-in-Chief
Verdugo On Internet, or VOI for
short, is an immersive class full of positive
energy and a haven for creative
people. VOI’s proprietor Mrs. Conant
and her assistant Noah attempt to cultivate
an atmosphere that will inspire
students to explore their interests
whatever they may be thorough the
modern-day technology available to
them.
Students in VOI express themselves
through podcasts, Internet
blogs, and mixing. In class, students
are given liberty to podcast on just
about anything that interests them;
they are often accompanied by their
fellow classmates who specialize in
performing the mixing for the intros
and the outros of their podcast.
Every week “studio time” is assigned
to those students who have
prepared and are ready to share their
interest in their chosen topic. The class
Youth and Government Lobbies Verdugo
Priscilla Nikoghossian
Staff Writer
On September 28th, 2011 the Verdugo
Hills Youth and Government
welcomed students to their season
start delegation BBQ.
Students from Verdugo Hills
High School and Cresenta Valley High
School, along with the private schools
in Tujunga gathered at the Verdugo
HIlls Family YMCA for games, icebreakers,
and food. Officers of the
program introduced themselves, and
gave brief information about the delegation.
Youth and Government is a program
where students take place in
mock legislature. YMCAs all over
California have delegations in their
individual YMCAs, where they take
part in developing public speaking
skills, leadership skills, write bills, all
while learning about the different aspects
and parts of the government.
Participants attend training and
elections trips to Camp Roberts, located
in Pasa Robles, California, in
November and January to prepare for
the highlight of the program, the trip
more important.”
He wants to maximize student learning. Though he enjoyed
teaching and would go back to it in a heart beat, he realized that
he could make a bigger difference as a principal. He stated that
instead of being limited to only helping the students in a classroom
as a teacher, he now “has the opportunity to impact 1,800
students a year.”
One of his main goals is to “enclose the achievement gap.”
The achievement gap is the disparity numbers between the performance
of groups of students based on gender, race, and economic
status. He believes many communities are affected by the separations
that society brings into the school. His research and case
study on the achievement gap primarily earned him his doctorate
degree.
As our new principal, he stated that his “main priority to get
the lay of the land.” On his first day, he visited classrooms during
3 rd period as he is set on being “very visible and making connections.”
He took time to pause during his route around the school
to talk to students and ask about their current cirriculum. He believes
that the administration should play a significant role in aiding
students through their problems. He thinks that both arts and
sports programs encourage students to do better in school, and
finds them to be, “an easy thing to fight for.”
Since teachers are not yet aquainted with the principal, they
were unable to give much feedback on how they feel about him
just yet. But when asked what they think now that the position has
been filled, there were mixed opinions on the matter. Mr. McCrary,
a U.S. History teacher stated, “I think it’s a good thing for many
practical reasons. We’ve been in a holding pattern since a principal
is needed for much of the bureaucratic necessities.”Mr. Mendelsohn,
one of the AP English teachers on campus, had contrasting
views and said, “He seems like a great guy, but I feel the professional
rights of the parents and staff have been violated,” referring
to the Dr. Deasy’s overrule for the community’s choice.
Even with some teachers still skeptical about the new appointment,
Dr. Trimis plans to continue the excellent work of the
students, teachers, and community. He is entering this role with a
positive attitude, with plans for Verdugo that include raising AP
exam scores. He hopes to achieve as much success at Verdugo as
the previous schools he has governed over.
KTLA visits Verdugo VOI: Streaming Entertainment
April Montes/La Yuca
has actually set up a website in order
to increase awareness of their endeavors,
and the size of their audience.
Each student-created podcast can be
posted on the VOI website, unless otherwise
requested by the student who
created it.
On the VOI website students can
blog about their interests and comment
on fellow student’s work. The
topic of discussion on the website’s
blogs typically range anywhere between
fashion, music, art, school updates,
etc. The website is not just for
VOI students and Verdugo attendees
anyone can visit the website and provide
feedback on a student’s work.
VOI students have a wide range of information
at their disposal and at the
benefit of their audience on popular
topics from music to graffiti.
Noah, Mrs. Conant’s assistant,
has been described by the students in
VOI as “A very laidback and chill guy”
who contributes to the class through
interactive discussion and teachings
to Sacramento in February.
During the two trips to Camp
Roberts, also known as BOB, students
attend seminars and have the chance
of a hands on learning experience with
different positions in the government
that they’d like to work as in Sacramento:
lobbyists, lawyers, legislative
analysts, print and video journalists,
and etc.
Participants attend these camps
with 2,000 other students from all
across the state, having opportunities
to make many new friendships.
Students later take the grand trip to
the state capital where they work and
have complete access to the entire state
capitol and Supreme Court Chambers
and Trial Court chambers.
Students perform the position in
the government that interests them
most on the trip. Delegates stay in
Sacramento for five days in the Hyatt
or Sheraton Hotels.
The VHY delegation spoke to
students from our school for their
special program. Participants go on
multiple trips, so there is a cost for
the program. However the YMCA is
a non-profit organization.
The complete cost of the program
of his mixing techniques and how the
mixing equipment is utilized.
Once students become veteran
members of VOI they are given the
opportunity to perform at school
functions such as football games, prep
rallies, and the always highly anticipated
Verdugo Day. VOI recently got
a visit from the Handroids and two
MCs. The Handroids are composed of
two “turntablists” DJ IQ and DJ Confusion.
The two DJs performed in the
VOI classroom and showed off their
mixing prowess. After their performance
the DJs shared some personal
experiences and expressed their passion
for their work.
One of the lyricists MC Prefix
gave a freestyle rap and arranged
from some of VOI’s MCs to have a
“rap battle” much to the delight of
the class. The Handroids and the two
MCs will be appearing at an upcoming
VOI event, “Light The Fuse”. Be
sure to visit the VOI website at www.
voivhhs.com.
goes directly to the participant for
their needs, which include transportation,
Camp expenses for staying and
food, hotels, and other camp expenses.
But Financial assistance is available,
as well as scholarships. The program
is aimed for students at Verdugo Hills
High School.
Two of VHHS very own students,
Priscilla Nikoghossian and Sevada Artunyan,
are officers for the VHY Youth
and Government delegation.
The delegation for the last month
has been recruiting around campus.
The delegation is for students at
VHHS. Officers and returning member
rave about the program, and encourage
everyone to be a part of their
VHY family.
The delegation caps at a certain
number of delegates, so it could keep
its family like delegation. Registration
began and is rolling through October.
Familiar faces from VHHS attended
the annual BBQ at the Verudgo
Hills Family YMCA. The delegation
hopes to see students representing our
school at the next meeting. Meetings
are at Mountain View Elementary’s
auditorium at 6 o’clock in the evening.

2
The
Gentleman’s
Gentleman
on:
Jeremy Shacket
Staff Writer
Hats
Hats have many uses ranging from
keeping sun out of your eyes to covering up a
bald spot on your head, but there is one very
important purpose to hats and that is to look
stylish. When most of us think of hats, we think
of baseball caps. While they may be nice, they
are not something you would wear with a suit.
Our school has a strict no hats policy and that is
mainly because the administrators at this school
think baseball caps with certain logos will be
used for gang activity. However, we are allowed
to wear Verdugo hats but only if you are willing
to dish out the money for them. Even if you do
there are still some restrictions.
The kind of hat that you would wear with
a suit would probably be a top hat. Our 16 th
president Abraham Lincoln was best known for
where a top hat and was even seen wearing his
top hat the day he was assassinated. Even though
Abraham Lincoln was shot on that horrible day
people will never forget his love for top hats.
Some other famous people such as Michael
Jackson, Slash, and Johnny Depp have acquired
reputations as stylish hat wearers. Slash says
that the reason he often is seen wearing a top hat
is because it helps him calm his nerve, and that
the hat make him feel secure just like Zack.
A not so popular but still very fashionable
kind of hat is the Cloche hat. This hat used to
be fashionable during the early 1900’s but over
time has kind of died out until recently. Cloche
hats are shaped kind of like a bell and are usually
worn by women. The word “Cloche” originated
from France and translates to bell.
One of the most popular kind of hat is the
sombrero. The word sombrero derives from
“sombra,” which means shade or shade maker.
A sombrero is a huge hat, which is used in many
celebrations and is primary worn in Mexico. The
sombrero looks similar to a UFO. Sombrero’s are
usually made of straw and are known to be very
colorful.
The fedora is a kind of hat that has been
worn by many famous people including Brad
Pitt, Indiana Jones, the platypus from that kid’s
show, The Blues Brothers, Freddy Krueger and
your typical prohibition time period mobster.
The fedora started out in 1882 but really became
popular in the 1930’s.
A fez is a spiritual hat that dates back to
Ottoman Empire. The symbol monkey toys
occasionally where this kind of hat. The fez hat
is usually red and has a little string attached to
the top of it. The fez hat is made of felt and is
shaped like a candy dots. The Turkish army used
to use a red Fez as part of their military uniform.
The fez hat is not so popular in our continent
but is found more in places such as India and in
eastern Asia.
David Williams
Staff Writer
Feature
The turbulent economic times produce hardships
for many across the country, unemployment on
a massive scale with no end in site, but what
seems to gather little attention is the equally
troubling limitations of the teenage job market.
Between the ages of 16 and 19 years old is
commonly where a young up and coming youth
decides to lock up the lawn mower, put away the
trash bags, and go out to seek out a place in the
real world job market but with slim pickings for
people with years of work experience, the teen
job market is a complete disaster.
“The numbers are incredible”, says Andrew
Sum, head of the head of the Center for Labor
Market Studies at Northeastern University, this
study even says proportionally more teens have
lost their jobs I the past few years than the entire
country lost in the Great Depression. The typical
job sectors for teens were retail and construction,
deemed in popularity due to the lack of
requirements need to be employed in them and
it is those in fact that were the hardest hit. In
October 2009 the national teen unemployment
rate was at 28% said to be the highest the Federal
Government and fell slightly the next month.
Clothing stores, electronic shops, and other
small businesses are more routinely expelling
tens from the workforce making it more difficult
considering outside of fast food that is the
majority of job action for teenagers or so it was,
teens are better off staying in school as opposed
to attempting the job market in this climate.
For most of the past 60 years the percentage of
job holding teenagers was at 40% and in 2000
at 45% totaling at 7.3 million teens earning a
steady paycheck. From 2000 to 2008 the overall
employment rose by about 10 million jobs then
after the economic collapse all this progress had
seemingly reversed to the opposite direction and
the teen employment rate had dropped by over
1.5 million.
The Generation gap is another primary
part of the unemployment problem among the
ranks of teens. Older workers are crowding
out teenagers, with fewer jobs to go around
old more experienced workers are taking jobs
that usually go to teenagers meaning a boost
in the amount of people over the age of 40 in
the retail store business. Most small businesses
rather they be in retail, food service etc are
prone to higher the better trained and seasoned
worker simply because they have been in the
job market considerably longer which is a bit
understandable I mean if you were struggling
to manage a small business would you hire the
experienced applicant who has years and years
of experience making $20 an hour in an office
or the young fresh faced high school junior
never worked a day in his\her life with good
intentions? This has been happening throughout
the country and many teens have been suffering
because of it. The very low wages of jobs in the
teen focus of the work force suggest that those
who stumble to get that first job remain lower
skilled even after years of being employed, due
to this America may lack the skills to compete
with rest of the world. “If we lose a generation
of workers, there is no way the economy is going
to stay competitive”, says Joseph Walsh, director
of the District of Columbia’s Department of
Employment Services. Teen unemployment
also has some negative social effects such as
the fact that teen unemployment is one of the
leading causes of single parent households and
women are less likely to marry men who don’t
appear to have the ability to adequately support
a family, which are serious social problems for
the country.
Despite the gloomy outlook of things in
recent times there has been some glimmers of
improvement. Cities began to establish larger job
training programs that helped teens gain job skills
and most importantly helped them gain steady
employment. Due to these programs teens have
been getting steady jobs working at places such
as bank branches, retail, and pharmacy chains,
La Yuca
Teenage Unemployment:
A High School Epidemic
Ethan Norvell
Staff Writer
Meme \mēm\: just another thing worth
looking at on the World Wide Web. They can
be strange, witty, and although sometimes a
little crude, just downright funny. Whether
itʼs the ironic humor presented in “Fail Blog”
or the “lolcats” with terrible grammar on
“Icanhascheezburger.com”, these things can
bring a smile to any teenager putting off their
homework for “just five more minutes or so.”
But what exactly is a “meme”? And just when
and where did they come from?
Meme is defined by the dictionary as “an
element of a culture or system of behavior
that may be considered to be passed from
one individual to another by non- organized
religion, or a humorous phrase. “A ʻmeme,ʼ of
course, is an idea that functions in a mind the
same way a gene or virus functions in the body.
And an infectious idea (call it a ʻviral memeʼ)
may leap from mind to mind, much as viruses
leap from body to body. When a meme catches
on, it may crystallize whole schools of thought,”
wrote Mike Godwin when he coined the the
word “meme” to describe anything viral on the
internet. In other words, memes are, in essence,
an individual’s idea that catches onto the masses
and changes from an individual’s idea into a
collective idea of society. In this view, we would
see one individual influencing another to believe
as they do, as a meme reproducing. In the case of
internet memes, they are specifically humorous
ideas about something in specific. This could
be in the form of a hyperlink, video, picture,
website, hashtag, or just a word or phrase.
Since internet memes are collective ideas, they
even on farms and on restoration projects. This
is not the big job turn around everyone wants it
to be but nevertheless it is progress and progress
definitely doesn’t hurt. Teenage unemployment
is a constant, growing, and controversial issue in
our society and our economy but everything has
a gift and a curse, the silver lining of this disaster
is that unemployment promotes more teens to
stay in school and put more value towards a
college education. Due to more teens striving
for academic achievement more and more are
beginning to take advanced placement courses
and with more and more teens out of work
college is increasing in value to them and some
experts say that this might a turning point to a
more highly skilled work force contradicting the
previous notion of the possibility of a U.S. work
force that lacks necessary job skills to compete
on the international level.
The continuous struggles for job seeking teens
continues to grow and recent statistics have the
general unemployment rate at a steady rise.
The constant overflow of bad news should not
dampen your resolve, opportunities can always
be found if you look in the right places and be
diligent in your search. As a student who may be
trying to enter the work force diligence will soon
be of great value. Remember to work smarter not
harder, emphasize the good and don’t lie about
the bad and most importantly, fortune favors the
bold.
Internet memes take over the Web
show a lot about the culture of America such as:
what we spend our time doing, and the humor
of the average person. In my opinion it is very
interesting how it shows us how much our
country revolves around celebrities and how
important pop culture is.
When and where did internet memes
start appearing? A website called “4chan” is
responsible for the creation of internet memes.
“4chan is an English-language image board
website...users have been responsible for
the formation or popularization of Internet
memes such as lolcats, Rickrolling, ʻChocolate
Rainʼ, Pedobear, and many others. The site›s
ʻRandomʼ board is by far its most popular and
notorious feature. Known as ʻ/b/ʼ, there are very
minimal rules on posted content.” This content
was then put on websites such as memebase.
com, Icanhascheezburger.com, and failblog.
org. The dancing baby meme (also known
as baby cha-cha) was one of the first Internet
memes, originating all the way back in ʻ96. The
Hamster dance meme, created by a Canadian art
student, was also one of the first internet memes,
originating in 1998. Since then there have been
countless internet memes, seen by countless
amounts of people everywhere, streamed across
the World Wide Web. Although a fun thing to
look at and get a laugh out of, a word of caution:
meme-browsing easily can steal away many
hours of your time.

La Yuca 3
The Lady’s
Lady presents:
High on heels
Kliena Cruz
Assistant Sports Editor
High-heeled shoes are a modern sign
of femininity. Heels can be work practically
anywhere at any time. Wearing heels gives
women a sexy look and walk. If your outfit of
the day consists of skinny jeans and a shirt, wear
stiletto-styled heels, instead of flats or sneakers.
This adds sophistication and even makes your
legs stand out more.
When buying these types of shoes, first
look at how it intensifies the outfit and how
comfortable they are. If the fit is not good
enough, they cause serious damage to the legs
and feet. Try to avoid those really thinned out or
pointy heels because they can be too dangerous
for someone to wear. Women often twist an
ankle or tear a tendon. Ingrown toenails are
common, as well. So be careful when wearing
heels.
Secondly, look at the price. The most
expensive heels can have poor quality and/or a
bad look and style. Cheaply priced ones might
look stylish and have great quality. The lady’s
lady suggests for a woman to go buy them in
person, not online. In a store, you can try on a
whole store full of shoes. Online, you may buy
something, but when you try it on, it may not
fit or look like it did on the computer screen.
You might have to return it and buy another
one. It all depends what site you go to purchase
it and who you buy it from. Mistakes can be
made when one is short on time and buy it in
person. All the good shoes for the planned event
will have been sold, so one is left with the bad
options. When buying anything, plan ahead.
Pros to Wearing Heels:
• Makes a person look taller.
• Adds to a woman’s confidence.
• Makes one’s legs and butt better
looking.
Cons to Wearing Heels:
• Hard to balance in at first.
• Prone to tripping and falling.
• Poorly fitted heels can hurt the person
wearing it.
• Certain heels will make a girl look
skanky.
Heels express who women are within
themselves and within society. Whether you’re
a girly girl or a tomboy, there are heels for
everyone. It all depends how they wear heels to
emphasize their looks and beauty.
La Yuca Staff Box
Verdugo Hills High School
10625 Plainview Avenue, Tujunga,
CA 91042
La Yuca is a student-run newspaper
published by the journalism class
at Verdugo Hills High School. Letters to
the editor should be submitted to room
10 or to Mr. Riemer’s mailbox. Include
your full name and your period 2 room
number. Letters are subject to editorial
discretion. Call the direct line at (818)
951-5458 to place an advertisement.
Editors in Chief
Lucy Vay
Joshua Esquivel
News Editor
Lina Hwang
Feature Editors
Shannon Cox
Irene Penn
Centerfold Editor
Christy Kim
O.C. v. L.A: Battle between Fairs
Priscilla Nikoghossian
Staff Writer
Prize winning horses, fried pickles, and
foot long corn dogs have invaded southern
California. That means it is officially fair season
ladies and gentlemen. Orange Country Fair
and the Los Angeles Country Fair are the two
major fairs that open up during the summer in
southern California.
The Orange County Fair is a 23-day annual
fair that is held in Costa Mesa, California. This
year it ran from July 15th to August 14th. The
fair has many things to keep their visitors
entertained. There are constantly live shows
going, rides spinning upside down, and prizewinning
horses on display. A very unique feature
of the Orange County Fair is that it stays true to
its animals. As one walks through the barns, it
is almost impossible not to notice the bright blue
O.C. fair: rides reach for the skies into the night.
Lucine Chammas
Staff Writer
10 years ago, the tragic day of September 11
will always be remembered. There was a series
of 4 planned suicide attacks, and attacks on the
Twin Towers and The World Trade Center. This
day will always be remembered and is marked
in history as one of the most tragic and respected
days. At least 2,985 innocent people were killed
in these attacks. 10 years later, everyone came
together for a tribute for all the victims of 9/11.
In New York City, a special tribute was hosted
which was called “Tribute in Light.” The 88
searchlights were placed right by The World
Trade Center and they could be spotted from 60
miles away. The tribute was originally named
Alan Lima
Staff Writer
Have you ever thought of becoming a
police officer? In other words “Becoming A
Police Officer” means meeting the requirements
to becoming a peace officer. Police departments
in California require police officer applicants to
be at least 18 years of age. Having a permanent
resident status or being a United States citizen
is also required for people who apply for a
position as a police officer. Being a resident of
Los Angeles is not necessary in order to apply
to LAPD as long as proof is provided that USCIS
have accepted your application former to when
the written examination for police officers was
originally taken.
A high school diploma is required in all
police departments, but being a degree holder
gives you higher chances of advancing more
quickly to higher ranks and while most police
departments hire graduates right out of high
Opinion Editor/Managing Editor
Fernando Cierra
Entertainment Editor
Shirley Tran
Sports Editor
Alex Archiga
Copy Editor
Justine Riethoffer
Assistant Centerfold Editor
Amber Olmedo
Assistant Entertainment Editor
Corrina Calanoc
Assistant Sports Editor
Kliena Cruz
ribbons and proud owners standing next to their
animals. And if seeing prize-winning animals
doesn’t interest you, the Orange Fair has the
largest horse, pig, and crocodile on display. For
just a dollar each, one is able to go in and see
these animals. It is a true amazement.
There is a lovely petting zoo full of baby
sheep and a gorgeous horse show, where the
horses are dressed up in their finest costumes
and walk proudly around the fair grounds.
Besides from animals, the OC Fair has plenty of
rides and games that appeal to its entire crowd:
children, teens, adults, and the elderly. There is
a part of the fair that is just for children as well,
with relaxed rides and games. Also, you won’t
be disappointed with the food. Everything is
fried, delicious, and humongous. From foot long
corndogs and sausages to cubes of curly fries to
fried Oreos and Twinkies, they have it all. There
are also booths of local businesses selling trinkets.
The fair is a very family oriented environment
and visitors are never disappointed.
The Los Angeles County Fair is running
from September 3rd to October 2nd this year.
The L.A. County Fair is the largest county fair,
and the 4th largest fair in the United States.
The L.A. County Fair is not as centered around
animals. Actually, it was very difficult for me
to find anything animal related on my visit,
besides a small snake display and few goats.
But, there was food everywhere. As well as rides
and games. There were teens everywhere with
friends and on dates. There were concerts going
on, as well as a karaoke party that was very
fun. Besides typical fair food, the L.A. County
Fair also had a King Taco truck, which was very
popular. Everywhere one walks, it is almost
impossible to not catch the aroma of different
foods and deserts, you want to try it all. There is
a constant happiness at the fair as the lights glow
up and people walk around with their huge
stuffed animal prizes and BBQ corn.
Both fairs offer, give and take, the same
things. As the Orange County Fair is more farm
like, rural, the L.A Fair is more city like centering
with games and rides and food. The Orange
County Fair is a more family environment, as the
“Towers of Light” but the families thought that
it emphasized the buildings being destroyed
rather than all the victims who were killed in
the attack. People from all over the world, came
together and witnessed the most memorable
tribute ever. This was thanks to Municipal Art
Society chairman, Phillip K. Howard, who wrote
to the mayor asking for him to set up 2 light
beams that were pointed up towards the sky.
There was also a memorial at Washington D.C.
It was called the Washington National
Cathedral Commemoration for the 10 th
anniversary of 9/11. Obama was featured as a
speaker and there were some performances by
several artists. There was also a unity walk which
took place in Washington just for the memorial.
The museum ‘Madame Tussauds Wax
school, many require capable police officers to
be at least 21 years old. If you wish to becoming
a police officer you must prove you have history
of the highest moral and best behavior otherwise
you will not be suitable for the department.
While applying for a position, there will be a
thorough check of your character.
This thorough check will confirm that
all your financial and driving records show
appropriate behavior and responsible decision
making, your history and track record reflects
lawful condition, any previous employment
history demonstrates and shows strength
of character which makes you suitable for
the police department, you’re history shows
responsible decision making with regards to
drugs and alcohol, and lastly that you show a
high demonstration of standards when it comes
to integrity and honesty.
In order to complete training many large
police departments as well as smaller precincts
send recruits to their own academies which
Assistant Advisor
Ashavir Steven Saryan
Advisor
Mr. David W. Riemer
Staff Writers
Abigail Roberts
David Williams
Alan Lima
Alejandro Nuno
April Montes
Yadet Ayala
Nayeli Guzman
Lindsey Dorazio
Nicole Blankenbiller
Emily Gordon
Amber Olmedo
L.A. County Fair: Lights aglow as night sets in.
L.A. Fair is much more like a hang out spot at
dark. Both fairs however offer the same games,
rides, and prizes. Asides from the King Taco
truck at the L.A. County Fair, the fried food is
the same both in places, and just as delicious.
Entertainment is on going at both.
Both are as equally expensive. I never
realized how expensive fairs were until I
attended one. But they well worth it, and you
will have a great time.
My experiences attending both fairs were
very fun. I had a great time both places, and
recommend visiting the L.A. County Fair before
it closes this year, or catching the O.C. Fair next
year.
If animals and fried twinkles and ferries
wheels are of your liking, you definitely wont be
disappointed!
“A Tribute in Light”: a 9/11 memorial
Museum’ a three dimensional wax tribute was
based on the photograph which showed three
firefighters holding up the American flag out of
the rubble in the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Arizona also did an event. It was located at the
Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza near the Phoenix.
They built a monument which look like a circular
plane with a flattened inclined metal ring. There
was a word written on the metal which was
inscribed onto the plane, that when the sun hit,
the shadow would reflect on the ground.
All of these wonderful memorials and
tributes was everyone gathering together to
respect and remember the lives lost on September
11, 2001. The world witnessed a beautiful
remembrance and will definitely remember this
day for a very long time.
Becoming a police officer, making the force
typically last from around 3-4 months and
include classroom instruction in civil rights,
state and local laws, crime investigation and
constitutional law. Police academy training
prepares upcoming police officers for real life
situations. You are also required to ensure
competence in order to gain a position as a police
officer.
Other than passing written exams you will
also be tested in physical test of strength, hearing
, vision and agility as well as drug and lie detector
tests. After gaining experience as a police officer
you may be given the opportunity to pursue
specialized police work or advance to higher
positions such as being a detective, lieutenant
or even a captain. Police officers are usually
required to pass a written exam and demonstrate
exceptional performance on the job in order to
be eligible for promotion. These positions overall
requires officers to direct taskforces and other
projects as well as to manage administrative
duties and personnel.
Maria Peredo
Xavier Moreno
Noushig Manoukian
Priscilla Nikoghossian
Lucine Chammas
Jessica Turpin
Sandra Cordona
Evelyn Leyva
Araceli Meza
Ethan Norvell
George Ordonez
Jeremy Shacket

4 La Yuca
new york fashion week
Marc Jacobs Michael Kors Diane Von Furstenberg
Sandra Cardona
Staff Writer
New York’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion
Week was here and better than ever. The semiannual
event showcases some of the world’s
most influential designer collections. The event
which began on September 8 and ended on
September 15 displayed almost 300 collections in
presentations and runway shows all over New
York City including the famous tents at Lincoln
Center.
Much of the emphasize themes that were
seen throughout the week were 20’s and 60’s,
Neon, white and pastel colors, chiffon and sheer
clothing, dip- dyed, bright orange tops and
pants, maxiskirts, tribal patterns and animal
prints, floral prints, mesh knits, sportswear, and
asymmetric silhouettes.
Some of the most prominent designers
include Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Diane Von
Furstenberg, and Ralph Lauren. As well as
the newer designers like Prabal Gurung and
Thakoon Panichgul. Let’s not forget about the
popular labels such as, Rag and Bone, and BCBG
Max Azria,
Marc Jacobs’ collection had a 20’s and 60’s
vibe, with boxy, drop- waist shapes including
fringed flapper dresses. He had a range of
sporty sweatshirts and boxy tailored jackets
under the jackets were bold gingham details on
the sleeves and neck. He uses a lot of shiny and
sheer materials giving the clothes a futuristic
look. His color palette consists of metallic, pastel
and jewel toned hues.
Michael Kors collection was like taking an
African safari. The sportswear designer showed
many animal and tribal prints with uneven
edges. He had many Kaftans, ponchos, animal
print swimsuits, flowing dresses, wrap skirts
and anoraks. His color palette had many warm
shades such as nude, tan, mustard, ivory, camel,
and dusty olive.
Diane Von Furstenberg’ was pure 60’s with
huge pop floral prints, light and breezy trousers,
cropped jackets, jumpsuits and beautiful bold
and relaxed dresses. The hues consist of blue,
yellow, green, purple and orange.
Ralph Lauren’s inspiration came from
the Great Gatsby’s roaring 20’s silhouettes;
with floral bias-cut dresses pastel silk pant
suits, flapper dresses, cashmere sweaters, and
pinstriped three piece suits. The collection even
exhibited column gowns. Most of the color
wpalette includes pastels such as pink, blue,
yellow and green it also had some ivory and
metallic.
Prabal Gurung’s collection can be described
in one word: lavender. Most of the looks consist
of floral prints or sexy cut outs. Many of the prints
fade from lavender to white. The construction
and tailoring of the clothes were evident and
beautifully done. The hues that were the most
used were lavender, white and black with shiny
and metallic fabric.
Thakoon Panichgul featured vibrant and
fun looks influenced by the American West and
Prabal Gurung Ralph Lauren
hints of India. Each look was topped off with
gold accents. The looks incorporate western
button ups, sari wraps, horizontal gold striped
trousers and coquettish dresses. It all came to life
with colors like turquoise, orchid, emerald and
bronze.
Rag & Bone’s collection was base off on
70’s beach and surfer culture. With bright neon
orange bikinis peeking out from light sheer
white dresses, and fabrics such as crochet and
tweed it was an off combination but perfect for
the rustic feel. There were many knit sweaters,
maxi dresses, and sheer tops throughout the
show as well as hooded ponchos, and effortless
flowing wide leg pants. The colors range from
mustard, blue, neon orange and white.
BCBG Max Azria puts a modern twist on
the Grecian look with vivacious and flowing
fabrics. Many of the silhouettes are light and
relaxed but it is evened out with loud colors and
graphic tribal prints. The highlights of color on
the mostly gray dresses are orange, blue, yellow
red and green making the looks come alive.
Photos courtesy of Elle.com
The Nth Annual Mr. Holbrook's Scary
Story Contest
250-300 words max
Be Creative!
The story must include Verdugo in some way
Due: October 18, 2010
To Mr.Riemer’s room 10
Awards:
1st: $20 iTunes Giftcard
2nd $10 iTunes Giftcard
3rd $5 iTunes Giftcard

La Yuca 5
Emily Gordon
Staff Writer
We all grew up with the classic damsel-indistress
stories provided so nobly by Disney. You
know how it goes: the princess gets herself into
trouble, is saved by the prince, and it’s happilyever-after
time. However, have you ever looked
closely at the characters and how they behave?
There are reasons why they act that way, which
Disney merely glosses over with magic and music.
Take Belle, the lovable heroine from “Beauty
and the Beast” for example. In a noble attempt
to save her father, she is taken prisoner by the
Beast, and pretty much tries to keep from losing
it while she is there. As the movie progresses,
she slowly gets to know him better despite
his random fits of rage and general rudeness.
That makes perfect sense- if she had developed
Stockholm Syndrome. Stockholm Syndrome is
a mental disorder developed from continuous
stress and anxiety from the trauma of being kidnapped.
It is a survival mechanism in which the
captured person develops a sense that their captor
is actually their friend in order to cope with
their situation. It is not uncommon that the sufferer
will come to trust and perhaps fall in love
with their captor.
There are four distinct stages of Stockholm
Syndrome that the sufferer goes through in a
certain order, that Belle experiences in the same
manner. The first is being captured, of course,
and realizing that the only way to survive is to be
compliant. This could be why she does not struggle
with the Beast’s requests and goes quietly.
The second is getting to know your captor
in order to avoid their becoming angry and
almost inevitably violent. She does this as well,
making herself familiar with what does and
what does not make her lovely captor annoyed
and angry.
Third, the victim regards any act of kindness
as a sign that the captor cares about you-
anything from allowing a look at the outside
world to merely keeping you alive. Yes, the Beast
“gave” Belle his library, but the story is mainly
from Belle’s point of view. It is much more probable
that he simply opened the door to the library
so that his little prisoner would stop bothering
him.
Opinion
Disney in a Different Light: The Truth About Happily Ever After
Corrina Calanoc
Staff Writer
It is pointless to deny the unmistakable
presence of the internet in our daily lives. Don’t
know how to fix your phone? Google it. Have no
idea what adumbrate means? There’s dictionary.
com. Who was the 27th president of the United
States? It’s time for Wikipedia. With popular social
networking sites like Twitter, Tumblr, and
Facebook, word travels around the world faster
than the amount of time it takes to type your
name. And because of how accustomed we’ve
grown to believing everything, we don’t bother
to check if whatever it is comes from a reliable
source, or even sounds logical. The convenience
of the internet has made us reliant on the information
we gain off of it. The problem is, not everything
you see on the internet is true.
Hopefully people are aware that the internet
is just a giant network of computers composed
of smaller networks. That being said, basic
people like you and I run the internet, and
control whatever is being generated for others to
read. Right now, I could just log onto Twitter, and
post some fake “Did you know…” fact, and if I
had enough followers, people would believe me.
The material may even be retweeted, or reposted
for others to see, and this false piece of information
may just work its way around the world.
Just a few months ago the quote, “I mourn the
loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not
rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy,”
went viral after the death of Osama bin Laden,
attributed to Martin Luther King Jr. The funny
thing was, it was discovered that MLKJ never
said such words, and someone had just posted
the line followed by something he actually said,
and everything went bananas. People put too
much trust in words that are shared by many
others, if thousands of other people read it and
reblog it, then obviously it must be accurate.
Luckily, there are many out there who are
aware of the fictitious qualities of the World
Wide Web. Shows like Mythbusters and Youtube
The last stage is regarding your captor as
a friend, and the people trying to save you as
the enemy. Admittedly, Gaston was not the most
likeable guy, but he did try coming to Belle’s rescue,
which means he isn’t as bad as he could be.
Of course, Belle was likely mentally ill to begin
with; there are signs of schizoid personality disorder,
which is an extreme detachment from social
relationships, but that is a story for another
day.
Moving on, allow me to introduce Jasmine,
the exotic and headstrong(nearly to the point of
being hotheaded) girl from Aladdin. The inspiring
and heartwarming story of a princess falling
in love with an ordinary street rat teaches that
love is blind, but there are a couple of things that
are a little off. It is true that she is more independent
and rebellious than other princess, but
she is ultimately naive. She snuck out to the marketplace
in what appears to be central Agrabah,
getting herself in trouble for theft. Of course, that
is where Aladdin comes in and saves her from
getting her hand cut off, and Jasmine completely
trusts him.
The girl is almost sixteen, and she has
had a completely sheltered life. Is it the folly of
youth, or perhaps something else? It seems more
like chronic over-trust, which is exactly what
it sounds like: you trust the first person that is
nice to you to the point where it is dangerous. If
a random stranger held out his hand and asked
“do you trust me?”, the answer should be “no, I
just met you, why would I believe that you had
a magical rug?” However, Jasmine does just the
opposite.
Let’s not forget that Aladdin lied to her,
claiming to be a rich man who pretended to be a
street rat sometimes just for kicks. Now, I totally
understand the chemistry between them, but
chemistry is no reason to talk to strangers, much
less follow them to their homes where they claim
to have a magic carpet.
Next up for character dissection is Ariel,
that pretty mermaid whose desire to be human
drives an eighty-three minute movie. However,
there is one thing that Disney never really ad-
dresses as a problem: The movie opens with
Ariel raiding a sunken ship for all kinds of useless
junk that she merely thinks looks interesting
without a clue of what it is. She then retreats to
her secret cave of junk, hidden from all the other
mer-people. Call me crazy, but doesn’t that seem
a bit like hoarding?
Some could argue that she’s merely a collector
of exotic and mysterious objects, but
there is one key difference between collecting
and hoarding: hoarders tend to hide their mass
amounts of stuff, rather than show it off as a collector
would. Ariel’s trash-hunting does interfere
with her life- remember how she promised to go
to a concert with her father, but went looking for
human treasures instead? One main side effect
of compulsive hoarding is obsessing over your
possessions at the expense of daily obligations.
Oh, but there is more. Ariel seems to form
an emotional attachment with everything she
has collected, be it trash or treasure. This is displayed
ultimately at the point in which Trident
finds her collection and destroys it. You watch
that scene and tell me that she does not look visibly
devastated!
Lastly, we come to dear old Cinderella.
What could she possibly suffer from? There’s
plenty of things, but let’s start with Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder. Not only did the girl go
through the death of her father at a young age,
but her step-family abused, neglected, and
forced her into servitude. She was unrealistically
skinny, which suggests she was malnourished,
and was never outside of her own free will,
which may also suggest that she was depressed.
Such trauma and stress may have lead to
delusion after meeting the prince, making her
believe that all would be perfect if she simply
married him. It is easy to understand why she
would think that, finally being given hope of
catching a break after such a hard life. However,
chances are that such delusions would only hurt
her in the end.
What is the point in my character dissection?
Perspective, my dear Watson! All of this
merely goes to show that simple perspective can
turn the happiness and magic of Disney into a
dark, twisted labyrinth of mental disease and
unfortunate events. So friends, next time you see
something completely innocent and pure, take a
closer look; it may not be as it appears.
I Saw It On The Internet So it Must Be True
The vast ocean of knowledge: Has the internet turned into waves of lies due to its fradulent community
users like RayWilliamJohnson poke fun at the
many viral videos circulating the internet that
were skillfully manipulated and appear real.
Their mission in life, or just in their episodes,
is to disprove extremely popular, bizarre, and
impressive videos. The art of movie editing is a
great contributing factor to the vast sea of false
information that ends up in the enormous ocean
that is the internet. People are too quick to believe
their eyes, and although there’s the famous
saying “Seeing is believing,” it doesn’t necessarily
apply when you’re seeing through a computer
monitor or cell phone screen.
I think that the internet has made everyone
lazy, in regards to checking for reliable sources.
I admit, I myself am included in that statement.
What happened to the days when you needed
to check out an encyclopedia from the library in
order to do a history report? Whereas now, Wikipedia
seems to be everyone’s main source, and
although most times accurate, it is managed by
members of the internet community, with pretty
much anyone able to alter its information. But
then again, with great blows to our common
sense comes a great expansion to our knowledge.
Because of the ease of question and answer
sites, it’s much simpler to solve petty mysteries
or fix small problems. Since these also operate by
answers based off of other regular people, you
do run the risk of learning complete waste, but
quick and easy waste.
The point is: Don’t trust everything you
see on the internet. Oh, a website just told you
to click here and you’ll win a thousand dollars?
Please don’t click it. Absurd theories seem to
pop out constantly, that twist completely normal
things into conspiracies or deeper hidden
meanings. With the help of the internet, I could
expand the theory that there are bunnies that can
live off of sucking human blood, and I wouldn’t
doubt there would be some believers. Although
computers may be highly intelligent robots with
considerable information capacity, humans have
common sense. Don’t waste that wonderfully
basic intelligence by retelling the story of Disney’s
subliminal messages of murder, which you
might’ve seen on Tumblr. And don’t be the one
to quote “I saw it on the internet, it’s definitely
real,” which was a line used by Severus Snape in
Potion Master’s Corner (if you don’t know what
that is, look it up on the internet).

6
La Yuca
A Few of My
Q#1:What event stands out
in your mind this year?
James Bovero
Senior)
“I enjoyed my lunch time
when the DJ’s came.”
Emily Godron
Freshmen
“I think participating in JROTC events
will be exciting!“
Joshua Gonzalez
junior
“I’m excited for homecoming 2011!“
Jacob Spishak
Junior
“A football game we had against
Abraham Lincoln High School.”

La Yuca 7
Favorite Things...
Q#2:What is the one thing
you’d like to do this year?
Brooke Woodridge
senior
“I want to do well in all my classes
this year!“
Kathy Hernandez
freshmen
“I want to become a better volleyball
player!“
Lucine Chammas
Sophomore
“I’d like to pass my history class.“
““
Ethan Norvell
Sophomore
“I wish to recieve a 3 or higher on the
AP Physics test.“

8
The Perils and Dangers of High School Sports
Shannon Cox
Feature Editor
High School students live a rough life. What
with homework, demanding teachers and the
typical bouts of teenage angst, we need a way
to work off stress. That’s where sports come into
the equation. Sports help us to stay fit, they force
us to work hard and they fill up our P.E. credits.
But while this may sound perfect, can high
school athletics actually do us more harm than
good?
For right now, instead of the perils, let’s look at
the perks. Sports instill a variety of skills and lessons
that can be used later in life. Certain sports,
such as football and baseball, teach teamwork,
endurance and responsibility. Others, such as
tennis and golf, teach patience, consideration
and rational thought. These are skills I know I
wouldn’t come across on a normal day spent
channel surfing, so I condone them for teaching
these necessary skills. Sports are a good way to
encourage students to keep their grades up, as
athletes are expected to uphold a 2.0 GPA. Also,
sports are scientifically proven to improve selfesteem,
which is something all of us stereotypically
self-conscious teens could use a dose of.
The pride that stems from a good athletics team
not only touches its players, but those of us who
are left cheering on the sidelines. Because although
our clumsiness and incoordination leave
us on the bench, we can still take part in the glory
that our talented, much more capable peers
have earned. This undeserved yet still satisfying
pride helps to unite us as a school, and unity is
always a pretty constructive thing.
The pros have been covered, now it’s time for
the cons. A few things could be said about the
pressure every player feels to succeed. The value
of doing well is stressed by coaches, parents, and
even fellow teammates, and this can come to be
too much for one adolescent. Student athletes
often have more on their plates than plain old
students, and this is can be reflected back in the
player’s classes. Although student athletes must
keep their grades up in order to play, the athlete
part sometimes overtakes the student one.
In those cases kids are left with disappointing
grades and nothing to show for it. Bypassing all
these terrible yet not life altering risks, we come
to the biggest one: the danger.
Now, every sport has its hazards. It’s an unavoidable
fact. However, a player sacrifices time
and energy for the sport he or she plays, but is
it crossing a line when a player sacrifices their
Fernando Cierra
Managing Editor
“That girl’s a whore” is a phrase I hear
quite often around Verdugo, mostly from males.
This, of course, is said as an insult and is just as
bad as calling someone who is gay a “faggot.”
The problem with both those terms is that when
someone says them they are in effect just calling
someone human. So why should women be
looked down upon for being human and having
sex, while men are high fived and congratulated
by society? They shouldn’t, it’s idiotic, sexist,
and highly hypocritical. It’s 2011 and the fact
that this puritanical remnant still exist in American
society is not only sad but unacceptable.
Sex is the epitome of human existence, it
is the deepest expression of emotion and pleasure,
and yet in America, because of some old ridiculously
unrealistic religious standards, sex is
something that must be hidden and embarrassed
about, especially for women. In society should a
women, god forbid, have sex it’s the worst thing
imaginable, as if she has broken some cardinal
rule. A rule dictating that sex is horrible and unnatural.
Well to hell with the rules, I say women
should be able to have sex with anyone they
want, whenever they want. Whether it be for
love or for the sheer physical satisfaction of it. Instead
of being given disgusted stares and hateful
looks from all of society, women should be able
to high five their friends and get a smile from
their friends, rejoicing in their happiness of complete
chemical ecstasy, because guess what it’s
just sex. It is just human and for the short time
that an individual is alive should they not be allowed
to have some gratuitous amounts of sex
without worrying about someone calling them a
“whore” in a negative way?
Should everyone do this? Of course not.
Some might view this as unsafe or a bit too hedonistic
for their taste and that’s completely fine,
How much would you be willing to give up to have couple moments of glory on the field?
health, as well? The most significant example
of this is football. It’s the classic all-American
pastime, a staple of youth across the country, including
our own school. It also happens to be the
leading cause of sports related injuries in youth.
Deaths have also occurred, mostly the result of
either brain or spinal cord injuries suffered during
helmet to helmet contact. Although measures
have been taken to better protect players, these
injuries still occur, and most likely always will.
Another thing to consider is the long term illeffects
an athlete risks. Over time, the repeated
damage and overuse of still developing bodies
can add up, and injuries can show themselves
over time. This can affect one’s career, family
but for some insane reason a few people think
they’re above it all. You are not. Not performing
a bodily function does not make make you
better then other people, being embarrassed of
something completely natural does not make
you a better person, and judging others for it just
makes you a sad envious person, envious that a
woman was braver then you, a woman had more
courage than you, and a woman decided to say
to hell with you I’m going to do what makes me
happy.
So I say do with “whore” what gay rights
activist did to “gay,” change it. Replace it with a
word that represents the what a “whore” really
is, a feminist. The word “whore” is defined as
an “a promiscuous or immoral woman” by Merriam
Websters English dictionary, but it doesn’t
have to be, because at the end of the day it’s just a
and overall existence. Now, you may not consider
this something to fear now. By the time the
injuries actually began to surface, you would already
be “old.” This is understandable, if downright
naïve in our own special teenage way. But
all naivety aside, these risks are real, and should
be viewed as such.
Although the risks are worth noting, they are
more or less balanced out by the pluses. There
are risks in every sport, but taking precautions is
the best way to ensure you stay all in one piece.
If you still have doubts, do your own research.
Know your limits and don’t try to surpass them.
Ask yourself if it’s worth it. Whether it is or not
is up to you.
Feminism in The 21st Century:
Why Old Puritanical Values are Destroying
Society and What You Can Do To Help
word and people make up words, people define
words. You have the power to change “whore”
from something so negative and despicable to a
word that someone is happy to hear and not at
all insulted by. A word that brings a smile to a
face and signifies not only the beauty of human
nature but the rebellion against an unnecessary
societal standard constructed by religious zealots
over 200 years ago to deprive women from
controlling anything.
No more should women be insulted by the
word whore, but instead they should scream it
from the top of their lungs exclaiming “I’m a
whore, and proud of it.” Proud of changing the
world and bettering it for women every where,
in the hopes of one day shaping a society where
a persons sexual activities, not just women’s, are
seen as irrelevant and unimportant.
Araceli Meza
Staff Writer
La Yuca
3-D Films
and Why
They Need
to Stop
Now: A Short
Analysis of
How 3-D Films
Could Ruin the
Film Industry
It seems that the film business is more profitable
than ever before, because of one thing: 3-D
movies.
It was fun at first. It was so exciting to see
the screen pop out at you and feeling like you
could almost touch the objects that were in front
of you. The technology of the future that so
many people had dreamed about was finally in
theaters.
Unfortunately it seems as if Hollywood
is now getting carried away with this trend especially
since the release of the mega-popular
Avatar. It also begun to take off in animated
films particularly after Pixar’s wildly successful
movie Up! Nowadays almost EVERY movie
is being released with this feature and frankly it
has started to get annoying.
People now spend upwards of an extra $5
to $6 on a movie, and there are some where there
is absolutely no need for the 3-D imaging effects.
In some theaters, people are paying over $19 just
for one movie that they may not even enjoy. Also
if you wear glasses it can get uncomfortable having
to wear 2 pairs of them on for a movie that
could last 2 hours or more.
The 3-D fad has even begun to revolutionize
television, gaming devices, etc. Now they are
being released with the technology and a big
price to match. This gimmick that films are using
for the cash is getting more and more expensive
for the customers since prices appear to rise every
year. Soon the option will be, spend a large
amount of money on ONE movie, or stay home.
It will get to the point where less people will be
going to the movies than before, not more.
My opinion is unless it’s a movie where the
effects will utterly change the movie with the
scenery and such, it’s not worth the money and
time. People have forgotten that a movie was
meant to tell a story, and now focus more on the
visual effects that grab their attention more than
ever before.
Filmmakers are starting to think that if they
make a movie that looks cool, the movie will be
good, when that’s not true at all. You can’t save a
bad movie with good effects.
While the easy option is to just not watch
3-D films, the future may be that all movies will
be released in 3-D. That would be cool for action
or adventure films, but it is not worth spending
all that money for a movie where two things will
pop out at you.
I mean even today there are many movies
that shouldn’t have had this bonus effect added
to them in the first place. Many people are getting
sick of it being overused. It is unnecessary
and overpriced especially with today’s troubling
economy. In most cases, they do nothing to help
the film. Hopefully this trend will eventually
fade out and we will go back to seeing most films
released the way they should be.

La Yuca 9
The Life
of a
Runaway
Evelyn Leyva
Staff Writer
The story Runaway by Meg
Cabot is a story filled with mystery
and excitement. The story is based
on a girl named Em Waits. Em
Waits is a very vibrant girl who tries
to juggle her life with her on going
career. She balances everything
pretty well, while there are times
where things can get a bit tough.
Em seems to be on the run from
school, from work, from her family,
from her friends, and from herself.
With everybody she loves mad
at her for something she can’t explain;
she finds it hard to confess what is
happening and must keep secrets
from everybody she cares about.
With the Stark Angel Fashion
show on New Year’s Eve to
look forward to, Em has found
a point where she can’t keep
hiding things anymore and thinks
what is the point of going on.
But when she discovers the
truth about Nikki, she knows
there’s only one person she can
turn to. Em knows she is at risk
to try to expose Nikki for the true
person she is because she can ruin
the Star Enterprise and can get
killed and this time permanently.
Nikki is a girl who faces
problems with Brandon Stark and
has to hide from him in order to
live. she is also a brat and a really
plain and simple girl. Nikki finds out
an important secret from Brandon
Stark and has to hide it from
everybody if she wants to live.
In order for Nikki to survive
Brandon makes Em and Nikki to do
a dangerous procedure. He has Nikki
and Em to switch brains. Nikki is
now Em and Em is now Nikki; Em
has trouble telling her family and
friends because nobody can know
where Nikki is or she can get killed.
Em is trapped and can’t go
anywhere because she would be
risking her life, Nikki’s life, and
even Brandon’s life. Em feels
like her life has been ruined, she
doesn’t want to talk to Brandon
because of what he has done.
The press thinks Em and Brandon
are on a love getaway but really
she is Brandon Spark’s prisoner.
Em tries to pretend she is sick
so she doesn’t have to see Brandon’s
face; but Brandon knows she is lying
and threatens her to come out or else.
Em feels miserable because
she can’t talk to her family,
friends, or the one person she
has feelings for. She feels horrible
that she lied to Christopher and
told him that she didn’t love
him that she loved Brandon.
Brandon made people think
that Em and him where together.
Later in the story Em is tired
of everything and decides to get
revenge; she destroys Brandon’s
car. She starts to figure out the
secret Nikki knows and tries to
get revenge by using the secret
against Brandon and his enterprise.
Em and Nikki then team up
to get revenge on Brandon and try
to escape. Nikki and Em try to
put a stop to the lies and abuse
from Brandon. If you want to find
out what happens I recommend
reading Runaway by Meg Cabot.
I recommend this story
because its full of thrill, excitement,
and mystery. This book is can be
relatable to any teenagers. There
is never a dull moment in this
book, as you wil get easily hooked.
If you like mystery stories
then you will like this book. If
you enjoy reading mystery then
you will enjoy reading this book.
Entertainment
The Help: Bestseller Hits the Big Screen
Kliena Cruz
Assistant Sports Editor
Books that are transformed
into movies end up being altered.
Moviemakers believe that, since they
have a budget and limited time, it’s
okay, maybe even better, to change
the storyline. Kathryn Stockett’s “The
Help” is just another book that was
depicted differently in the movie. But
what does this mean to the readers
who went to see the movie?
Here’s a little overview of what
“The Help” is about. First, understand
that during the 1960’s, Jackson,
Mississippi was still very segregated.
That part of the country believed
in “segregated, but equal.” Skeeter
Phelan is a recent college graduate and
an aspiring writer, who has big plans
for herself, regarding her career, even
though women during that time had
left college and had a family. Aibileen
and Minny are black housemaids,
tending to white families. Inspired by
Aibileen’s dead son, Skeeter decides
to write a book about what it’s like
to be a black housemaid, from their
point of views. After many pleads
from Skeeter, Aibileen agrees. Minny
agrees later on, as did a dozen or so
more maids. All of them know the
consequences of their actions, but
they went ahead and told their real
stories. Once the book is published
by an anonymous writer (Skeeter),
secrets begin to unravel, along with
the dangers from them.
The producers and directors
of the movie decided to modify
important details from “The Help.”
In the book, the Phelan family’s
old housemaid, Constantine, had
given up her daughter, Rachel,
because of the harassment both of
them would receive since Rachel
was light-skinned. The movie had
presented Rachel as being darkskinned.
That was a shock to the
readers of the novel.
The book had much more
details about Skeeter and Stuart’s
relationship, but all the information
did not work out on the big screen
because the moviemakers did not
spend much time on it.
Kathryn Stockett had portrayed
Miss Celia, Minny’s boss, as someone
who was always in bed for a reason.
That reason was because she was
sort of in a depression from all the
miscarriages she’s had and hidden
from her husband. If she was not
doing that, she was getting help from
Minny on how to cook. The movie
version played her as a lady who was
willing to put herself out there. She
was always doing something. It was
as if she was barely in her bed.
One feature that got me was
when Mister Johnny, Celia’s husband,
caught Minny. Mister Johnny did not
know that Celia hired a maid. Celia
and Minny had to be real careful. In
the book’s version, Johnny caught
Minny cleaning his bedroom. He was
carrying an ax, but he was in no way
going to hurt Minny. He was okay
with her being there. The film shows
Minny coming to their house with a
bag of groceries in her hands, while
Johnny was coming up in his car. She
saw him and freaked out. All in all,
he was thankful that she was helping
Celia out.
Skeeter left her satchel at the
League House during a meeting.
Inside her satchel was a Jim Crows
law booklet. In the novel, Hilly
found her bag and snooped inside,
finding the booklet. In the feature
film, Hilly found the booklet sticking
out of Skeeter’s bag. Either way,
both versions had an equal result-
controversy between Skeeter and
Hilly.
In the end of the book, Skeeter
says, “We are two people. Not that
much separates us. Not nearly as
much as I’d thought.” This important
quote was left out in the movie. It
sums up the point of the book: Be kind
to others. We’ve all learned this when
we were little kids. Treat others the
way you want to be treated.Contrary
to the previous roles Emma Stone has
been a part of, she played Skeeter very
well. Many who saw the movie were
surprised to know that she can play a
non-comedic role. Good job to Emma
Stone and the rest of the cast.
Fall Premiers We Can’t Wait to See
Noushig Manoukian
Staff Writer
What sounds more appealing
than sitting on your couch with
a blanket and watching some of
the new exciting television shows
beginning this fall? A new season
calls for a fresh crop of new and
electrifying series of shows.
Major networks such as ABC,
NBC, and FOX have created fresh and
modern shows hoping to captivate
their many viewers. With so many
different genres of shows including
mystery, comedy, and fantasy,
there is something interesting for
everyone. Some of the upcoming
shows coming out this season are
Once Upon A Time, Grimm, I Hate
My Teenage Daughter, and Man Up!.
Once Upon A Time: Premiers:
October 23, 2011 on ABC at 8:00/7:00c
Once Upon A Time is inspired
by some of the most whimsical fairy
tales of childhood. Set in the New
England town of Storybrooke, Maine,
Emma is a bail bonds collector who
Photo courtesy of wordpress.com
The Help: Experience both the book and movie
Photo courtesy of images.zap2it.com Photo courtesy filmsponge.com
realizes that she is the key to saving
the Enchanted World. The Evil Queen
has used her power to take all the
many fairy-tales and put them into the
present world. The town is a parallel
world where the characters of fairytales
look like normal people who do
not remember their true identities.
It is up to Emma to discover which
fairy tales they belong to all the while
keeping them all alive from the wrath
of the Evil Queen. Starring Jennifer
Morrison, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert
Carlyle, Jared Gilmore, Lana Parilla,
and Joshua Dallas, the whimsical fairy
tales of Once Upon A Time will take
you on a journey between the two
worlds of the past and the present.
Grimm: Premieres: October
21, 2011 on NBC at 9/8c
Set in present-day Portland, Oregon,
Grimm puts a complete twist on the
original fairy tales of the Brother’s
Grimm. Nick Burkhardt is a homicide
detective who discovers that he
is a descendant of hunters known
as “Grimms” who fight to save
mankind from the supernatural.
0 Nick has to protect every living
soul from the evil characters that have
escaped the storybook and into our
own world. Grimm puts a supernatural
twist on the average cop drama by
adding the unrealistic events of fairy
tales and creating a dark fantasy.
Starring David Giuntoli, Russell
Hornsby, Bitsie Tulloch, Silas Weir
Mitchell, Sasha Roiz, and Reggie Lee,
Grimm is sure to take its viewers on a
journey of dark and twisted suspense.
I Hate My Teenage Daughter:
Premieres: November 23,
2011 on FOX at 9:30/8:30c
This comedic show follows two
mothers who fear that their own
daughters are turning into the girls
who bullied them in high school.
Annie Watson begins to notice
that she has allowed her daughter
Sophie to do what ever she wants,
including mocking and embarrassing
her. Annie’s best friend Nikki Miller
who has transformed herself into a
Southern Belle from a childhood of
obesity, notices how manipulative
her daughter Mackenzie has become.
The show pokes fun at
disrespectful teenagers and their
wacky loving moms. Starring Jaime
Pressly, Katie Finneran, Kristi
Lauren, Aisha De, Chad Coleman,
Eric Stevens, Kevin Rahm, and Rosa
Blasi, I Hate My Teenage Daughter is
sure to make you laugh until you cry.
Man Up! Premieres: October
18, 2011 on ABC at 8:30/7:30c
Man Up! is an American comedy
series which shows the intertwined
lives of three male adult best friends
who act like they are still teenagers.
Will, Craig, and Kenny soon
realize that they have all forgotten how
to be one thing: men. They try to get in
touch with their inner manliness, but
in order to do that, they still have lots
of growing up to do. The three friends
try to reignite the tough guy in them.
Their immature behavior makes
them sometimes an embarrassment
to the people around them, until
they slowly realize their faults.
Starring,Christopher Moynihan,
Dan Fogler, Mather Zickel,
Amanda Detner, Teri Polo, and
Henry Simmons, Man Up! will
take us with Craig, Kenny, and
Will in their hilarious situations.

10
Miko Malabute
presents...
Monthly Mixtape
Miko Malabute
Staff Writer
“Wake me when it’s over.” The Dream, “Mr. Radio Killa,
is back from a brief hiatus from any solo projects, and plays no
games as he comes back with a project that recalls his earlier
efforts, which allowed him to become so enamored by the fans.
Staying away from the radios, The Dream ventures into the
depths of the undisturbed waters of the quiet bustling realm of
R&B-centralized underground music. With a solid sound and an
undoubtedly sexy soprano voice to off-set the less-than-innocent
substance in his music, The Dream definitely hits all the right
notes in his latest effort.
No matter what, there’s no denying the absolute sexy value
that The Dream’s voice seems to definitely to be dripping with,
an overflowing abundance of such in his crooning and subtle
exclamations. In the proceeding track after the opener, “Wake Me
When It’s Over,” the song “Used To Be” is largely a song about two
strained lovers who have forlorn each other and are reaching the
breaking point; however, despite the very serious and very bitter
topic of the song, the delivery of the words, detached from the
actual meaning of the words themselves, is chilling. Couple this
delivery with an unorthodox range of subjects his singing covers,
and The Dream continues to push this new, developing sense of
R&B, which is definitely a far-cry from the traditional love-songs
and the rest of those songs which cry for a love companion.
Even better, despite The Dream being strictly an R&B singer,
his delivery is pleasantly surprising from track to track: one never
really knows what to get from him on this effort. Gone is the
singer who’s most memorable contribution prior to this effort was
assisting in Fabolous’ song “Throw It In The Bag.” An edgier,
more daring side of The Dream emerges in 1977: a seemingly
benign approach in “Wedding Crasher” masks a song of desire
and missed opportunity; the song featuring Pharrell is clearly a
hip-hop influenced song, taking on a whole new sense of direction
with quick delivery and a more hard-core, hard-body sense of
style; and on the track “Silly,” The Dream isn’t on the song at all,
rather giving way to up-and-coming artist Casha.
The 1977 project is an all-around solid. With a variety of
songs to fit any mood while offering a very atypical set of material
compacted into his endearing soprano voice, The Dream offers a
very appealing project which can truly be considered one of his
better works, mixtape, album, or otherwise.
Footloose: It’s Time to Cut Loose
Photo courtesy of shockya.com
IT’S BACK!: Kenny and Julianne remakes an 80s classic
Nicole Blankenbiller
Staff Writer
Two and a Half Men Returns with High Ratings
Lindsey Dorazio
Staff Writer
“Two and a Half Men” is one of the most successful half hour
American comedy TV shows. Charlie Sheen was recently fired
due to the bad publicity the show received after his outbursts
with partying, drugs, alcohol, and crazy behavior. He threw crazy
parties and said unbelievable things in interviews.Sheen’s starred
in eight seasons with the show and now they’re beginning the
ninth season starring newcomer Ashton Kutcher.
The season premiere was on September 19, it started with
Charlie’s funeral. It was attended by many of his exes who
announce STD’S that he gave them. Charlie’s mother also tries to
get buyers for his beach house while acting depressed. He died
from falling in front of a train, which he was supposedly pushed
in front of by his crazy stalker girlfriend.
Alan inherited the beach house but can’t afford the payments
on it so he has to sell it. Many interests from buyers come in but
none of the deals worked out. One of the interested buyers is guest
star, John Stamos. Alan is grieving over his brother and thinking
of all the amazing times they had together. All of a sudden he
sees Ashton Kutcher through the window, Ashton plays Walden
Schmidt, a successful carefree internet billionaire. Walden comes
in asking to use the phone, distraught and soaking wet after failing
to kill himself because his wife won’t take him back. So Alan takes
Walden to a bar to try and cheer him up.
Later, they meet two girls and Alan gives Walden some advice
on how to move on from his wife. They all go back to the beach
house. Walden gets both girls to himself upstairs while Alan’s
Charlie’s Angels Kicks Into Primetime TV
Abigail Roberts
Staff Writer
Just when we thought the angels have left our side forever,
new ones come right along. The new angels, Kate Prince, Rachel
Taylor, and Minka Kelly are just as beautiful as the originals, Kate
Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith, Even the lovable but
rather plain Bosley, is now among the young and good looking.
Ramon Rodriguez steps in as Charlie’s right hand man.
The original show premiered on ABC-TV on September 22,
1976, and at first people hated it, but it soon became the hottest
new show. Their pictures showed up on lunch boxes, toys,
posters, and magazines including TIME magazine. This series
opened up new prospects for women roles in Hollywood,
showing that a woman can, do a man’s job while remaining sexy.
Producers are hoping that this new series will receive the
same high ratings as the original version. The new “Charlie’s
Angels” show premiered September 22, 2011 with only 8.76
million viewers and ended up in the 3rd slot for the network’s
worst-performing-scripted series of the week. But as we’ve seen
before, things can change, it might be soaring the charts next week
The show opens with an immediate twist of an angel’s
This classic film is being remade. The movie Footloose is coming
back to theaters. The movie that was originally made in 1984 is
coming out October 14, 2011. This movie made by Paramount
left all alone downstairs like always. The next morning, Walden
wakes up happier than ever and hasn’t thought about his wife
once. So Walden decides to buy the beach house from Alan. Which
leaves Alan really pleased that he’s selling the house and happy
to have made a new friend.
Alan and Walden have a sense of humor that’s always taken
place on “Two and a Half Men”. The much anticipated season
nine premiere of two and a half men received almost 28 million
viewers. Ashton Kutcher received more views than Charlie Sheen
ever has on the show. Ashton Kutcher’s debut was expected
to be great and he lived up to it. Numerous people think Ashton
Kutcher was picked to replace Charlie Sheen because he won’t
bring awful exposure for the show. Kutcher also, has plenty of
experience with comedy series from “That 70s Show”. Overall
he’s a more reliable and safe star than Charlie Sheen was. Many
still think Kutcher can’t even come close to replacing Sheen. They
also believe that the first episode of “Two and a Half Men” for
Kutcher should have been better to show how he‘ll transform the
rest of the series. Kutcher will most likely surprise them and bring
up their expectations in the future. Ashton will take the show to
new heights. Ashton Kutcher was definitely different than Charlie
Sheen’s character. Ashton is depressed, lonely, and doesn’t want
to be with another woman besides his wife until Alan talks to him.
Unlike when Charlie Sheen was on the show he always wanted
to be surrounded by women and he continually had a certain
confidence when on the show. The show still has that certain “Two
and a Half Men” humor, but just a little more toned down with
Ashton Kutcher. All toghether the cast of Two and a Half Men
seem to be working well toghether and adjusting to the changes
of the the series. If you want to see the next new episode it’s on
October 10th , on CBS.
unexpected death, drawing the TV viewers in. This is the beginning
of the angel’s investigation of a suspect who is then chosen to be
the replacing angel. We’re able to see an angel from a bad past
becoming a usable figure by Charlie. The purpose of remaking the
“Charlie’s Angels” series was to make the characters seem more
real by giving them back stories, and having a look into their past.
Their past sometimes conflicts with the present, but Charlie
gives each one of them a second chance. Each of the angels
was either a thief, former rogue police detective, or a formerly
imprisoned street racer. In some cases their backgrounds come
in handy, which is shown in the first episode. Kate’s former
detective skills and resources help the angels locate and discern
a criminal. These characters’ pasts have given the audience
a reason to not return, for it didn’t satisfy the attempted
realistic feel, but became more distance from the originals.
What may win the attention of a new audience is the
big-screen angel, Drew Barrymore, spreading her wings in
anticipation for this new series to fly. She has been involved in
“Charlies Angels” in more than one way, which includes her
producing the film she starred in along with the new fall line up.
Drew seems to be the only one with hope of the show becoming
successful. Viewers preferred the original angels coming from
La Yuca
Pictures, is about a boy name Ren McCormack that moves from
the big city of Boston, Massachusetts to the small town of Bomont,
Tennessee where he experiences a heavy dose of culture shock.
A few years before, the community had a tragic accident
that killed five teenagers after a night out. Bomonts local
councilman and Reverend Shaw Moore responded by
prohibiting dancing from under the age of 18. Ren challenges
the ban and gives new life to the town while falling in love
with the reverends troubled daughter Ariel in the process.
The movie stars Julianne Hough as Ariel Moore,
Dennis Quaid as Reverend Shaw Moore, Kenny Wormald
as Ren McCormack, Miles Teller as Willard Hewitt, Andie
MacDowell as Vi Moore, and Anessa Ramsey as Caroline.
There are a lot of other actors and actresses but these
are just the main ones. Craiq Brewer, the director, brought
this film back to life and to its full potential. Ren McCormack
was originally going to be Zac Effron but he decided not
to because he didn’t want to be known as the musical guy.
Two months later Chace Crawford was set as the lead but left
the project due to scheduling conflicts with his T.V. show “Gossip
Girl.” Thomas Dekker was a top candidate for the role but on June 22
Entertainment Weekly reported Kenny Wormald was set as the lead.
They thought he would be perfect for the role of Ren
McCormack. Kenny Wormald has a background of dancing.
He was on “Dancing with the Stars” with Julianne Hough
and since the movie has dancing they thought he would
be great. The original Ren McCormack in 1984 was Kevin
Bacon but now the 27-year -old has his shot in the spotlight.
Originally, Footloose was to be filmed in Tennessee, but
Georgia was ultimately chosen for its incentive package.
A courtroom scene in the movie is expected to be filmed at
Newton Country’s historic courthouse in Covington Georgia.
It took 25 million dollars to make this film. The cast from 1984 was
Kevin Bacon as Ren McCormack, Lori Singer as Ariel Moore, John
Lithgow as Reverend Shaw Moore, and Dianne Wiest as Vi Moore.
This film is a comedy, musical, and drama. I know some
people don’t like dramas but give the movie a chance. You can
watch this movie in theaters October 14, 2011. If it’s as good as
the first one it should hit number one by the end of October.
They’re just not remaking the movie their also remaking
the music. They will make up their own music to fit the feel of
the movie. The sound track comes out in September. There
are many country artists like Blake Shelton, The Smashing
Pumpkins, Cee Lo Green, Victoria Justice, and much more.
This movie is coming to theaters near you! Remember
it comes out October 14 so don’t wait; go see it the first day.
Photo courtesy of shockya.com
NEW MEMBER: Kutcher joins the cast of Two and a Half Men.
good and rescuing others, not being rescued from a bad past. The
audience had mixed feelings about the characters, with a large
amount of watchers who believe that it’s a waste of money and
time. One viewer reportedly stated, “Cancel show now so one else
has to suffer.” This just indicates how greatly people disagreed
with Ms. Barrymore. Although, other than the actors, acting, style,
and storyline, viewers all agree that the cinematography is great
and showcases Miami beautifully. Daniel Fienberg reviewed it
saying, “I thought “Charlie’s Angels” was bad when I watched
the original cut back in May, but watching it a second time in
what was a barely tweaked revised pilot was utterly excruciating.
“Charlie’s Angels” is entitled to be interpreted so many different
ways, but hitting this level of tedium is almost astounding.” Along
with Daniel, many agreed that the script writing was terrible.
In the show, someone says, “He’s a ghost,” and another
replies with, “Ghosts aren’t real. This guy is and needs to
pay.” Even though people dislike the acting along with many
other problems, some have a hard time staying away. The
wonderment of their next mission keeps viewers tuned.
The show will continue, but because of the harsh reviews
pleading for it to be removed, there may be a change in its show
times.

La Yuca
Nora Niazian
Staff Writer
The opening game for the 2011
preseason, a 14-32 loss against Van Nuys, may
have seemed like more of the same for the
Verdugo Dons. However, a quick turnaround
has established the newfound strength in
Dons football.
Verdugo beat Sherman Oaks by a
whopping 38 points, with a final score of 44-6
on September 16. This obviously required a
solid team effort, but Ricky Gonzalez was
easily the game MVP. With 2 touchdowns and
a total of 229 rushing yards, it was hard not to
notice the senior.
Verdugo lost to Lincoln 19-20 the
following week, but it was undoubtedly
one of the most exciting high school football
games of the year. Verdugo was up 6-0 in
the first, but a bout of lightning stopped the
game. After a long wait and contemplation on
whether the game should be rescheduled, play
continued to finish the longest first period of
the season. The Dons scored again early in
the second to make it 13-0, and the Dons tried
an onside kick. Verdugo recovered the ball,
but a controversial call on the play made it
Lincoln’s ball. By the end of the first half, the
Tigers and Dons were tied 13-13. After a lack
of scoring by both teams in the third quarter,
the Dons made a touchdown midway through
the fourth. In a crucial moment, the
Dons failed to convert the PAT, leaving the
score at 19-13. Lincoln finished their drive
with a TD and added the extra point to beat
Verdugo by 1. Coach Wallace said, “We made
a lot of mistakes… We just have to learn to
do what we’re coached to do… We should’ve
won that game. We had two extra points
Alex Arechiga/La Yuca
COMPLETE : Quarterback Mark Powell throws a
pass for a gain against Sun Valley.
Sports
Verdugo Kicks Off the Season with a
Victory and a New Look
that we bailed on too quick.” The game was in the
books, though and the Dons moved on.
This last Friday, September 30, the team
again gave an exceptional performance, beating
Sun Valley 48-20. The Dons were up 48-0 in the
third period, but the Dons offense that had been
so present in the first half suffered a breakdown. In
the last two periods, the only notable play by the
offense was a 4 th quarter fumble that led to a Sun
Valley touchdown. However, the Dons defense
played tight throughout the game and didn’t
allow Sun Valley to put up the kind of points in the
second half that Verdugo had put up in the first half.
Verdugo pulled out what seemed in the stands to be
an easy win. Sylvester Williams had an incredible
121 receiving yards in the game and Jason Groves
led the team in rushing with 23 yards.
In a side story, many may have noticed
the new habit of Verdugo to attempt two-point
conversions after scoring touchdowns instead of
just taking a kick for 1 point. Even when scoring
first at the beginning of a game where there is no
immediate danger of a loss, the Dons pull out an
offensive to get the two points instead of settling
for one. The Dons kicker was injured for at least
one of the Dons’ games so far, but Coach Wallace
also admitted, “We went for two points ‘cause we
knew we could.” After a Verdugo loss of 77-13 to
Polytechnic High School on October 23, 2009, there
was anger at Poly’s consistent attempts at 2 point
conversions when they knew they would easily
win. Though it may be nice for Verdugo to finally be
on the attacking end of this, the 2 point conversion
should not be used as a way to show off or hike the
score in a game that is already considered won; it
is simply supposed to be a way for teams to make
up small a deficit or secure the win in a close game.
Still, in all fairness, winning is relatively new to
Verdugo. If putting points on the board gives the
team confidence now to continue dominating, there
is no real fan that would object to it.
All in all, it is clear that this year’s
Verdugo Dons are not even comparable to the
previous few years. Coach Wallace attributes this to
a new sense of team spirit and an overall maturation
in the Dons: “We are coming together more as a
team now than we were last year… We’ve got a lot
of seniors so we have more time under our belts.”
The improvements clearly show and it is obvious
that expectations are great this year. Wallace even
said that the team is below expectations, as he
expected to be 4-0 after the first four games. Still, he
feels that the Dons realistically can win all of the rest
of the games this season, which would give them
a position in the standings that Verdugo football
hasn’t had in a long time.
During the ‘09 football season, current
wide receiver Jason Groves told La Yuca, “I want to
step up and show we’re not a crappy team. I want
everyone to know we can win.” Two years later and
after a lot of maturation by the Verdugo football
program as a whole, it is evident that this senior has
stepped up, and that the team can definitely win.
We will await the rest of the season and watch our
matured and eager football team do damage in the
East Valley league.
Alex Arechiga/La Yuca
VICTORY : The Verdugo Hills girls varsity volleyball team is all smiles after they defeat longtime rival Polytechnic
in a three-set sweep.
FACEOFF: AFTER WITHSTANDING TWO SUN VALLEY PLAYERS, VERDUGO PREPARES TO FACE MORE
Verdugo Volleyball
Plucks League Rival Poly
Alex Arechiga
Sports Editor
On September 28 , the Verdugo Hills girls
volleyball team hosted the most intense and
long-awaited game of the season; the match
against league rival Polytechnic. Verdugo’s volleyball
program has had quite a history with
Poly . Last year, Poly was the only team standing
between Verdugo and a league championship
for both the boys and girls varsity teams.
All three girls teams (frosh-soph, junior varsity,
and varsity) had put an unbelievable amount of
effort into each and every practice so they would
be prepared for when the Parrots arrived. And it
all paid off. The junior varsity dominated Poly
in two sets of 25-7 and 25-8, while the Varsity
boasted a three-game sweep, all the sets resulting
in scores of 25-21. Each player did their part
to contribute to the victory, whether it was on the
court executing plays or on the bench cheering
on their teammates. After a long rivalry and history
of loss against Poly, Verdugo finally managed
to emerge victorious.
Verdugo’s gym was packed with spirited
Alex Arechiga/La Yuca
BLOCKED: Hannah Evans successfully blocks
an attempted hit by Poly’s Erica Magee
fans and friends which really helped to set the mood for the Lady Dons as they welcomed the
Parrots. Each set was really nerve-racking and tense; all four sets had back-and-forth point rallies
with neither team jumping more than a few points ahead of each other. While many strong
hits were seen from Verdugo, most points were made off of smart plays which relied more on
technique and strategy than power or force.
Seeing as this was a huge game for both teams, they both collectively brought their top
game. Poly’s players individually had their own accomplishments. Their libero Magaly Jimenez
returned a lot of hits and saved several tips by the Dons, while their middle blocker Erica Magee
delivered a few good kills. Their defensive specialists had a collectively good game with several
digs and plays.
Though Poly brought their best game and utilized their speed, they still couldn’t match
Verdugo’s skillset. Outstanding play was seen from team captain and outside hitter Sarah Rodriguez;
she had nine kills and twenty digs. Sophomore Middle blocker Hannah Evans shut
down Poly’s middle with a block and added seven kills. Freshman setter Caylie Denham had
twenty assists and delivered two aces in the third set to bring Verdugo to the lead. Overall, Verdugo
showcased great teamwork and strategy.
The game was a great accomplishment in all aspects. For one, as previously mentioned,
Polytechnic has been Verdugo’s rival in volleyball for a long while. For another, the Lady Dons
not only defeated Poly; they shut them down, in a sense. The Lady Parrots fell in 3 sets.
In an interview with the Daily News, head volleyball coach William Reinhart said, “Revenge
is sweet. It’s a powerful motivator. We have more talent than (Poly). We have a lot of
balance. I think Poly is a one-dimensional team. When they rotated out, we just took advantage
of it. We should win the rematch.” Reinhart is confident in the skills of his team and even commented
about how he didn’t have to play his star player and could still dominate Poly.
“I didn’t even play our best player for most of the third game because she was having a
bad game,” Reinhart said. “That’s the luxury we have because of the balance we have...beating
them wasn’t an accident. If we play with the discipline I know we have, we’ll beat them in the
rematch.”
With the wide range of talent and skill in Verdugo’s team, it’s obvious that they had the
upper-hand to begin with . Although not the prettiest game the Lady Dons have played, they
emerged victorious and eagerly await the rematch at Polytechnic on October 20. The Parrot’s
gym is sure to be filled with loyal Poly fans, so the Verdugo players will surely need to play
to the best of their abilities. Captain Sarah Rodriguez is very confident in spite of Poly’s home
court advantage and appreciates her teams efforts. “It feels really good to beat them in our
house. Everybody played strong today and if we continue to play strong, we can beat them
again in their place.”

12
Verdugo Sports Programs
Become a Force to be Reckoned
With ; Mid-Season Recap
As mid-October approaches, most of Verdugo’s fall sports programs tally up their league standings and accomplishments.
As we look back on the first half of the season, we can observe how our sports programs have come a long way to
represent the Verdugo name.
Both the varsity and junior varsity girls’ volleyball teams remain undefeated in league. To maintain this record, the
girls managed to defeat league rivals Polytechnic. There is no doubt that winning league is possible seeing as they beat the
other six teams in league with a near ease. Not only have they remained the team to beat, but the girls volleyball team in its
entirety has done great things to give back to the community. On Thursday October 14, they hosted “Dig Pink”; a volleyball
game commited entirely to fundraising money to donate to charities that help fight breast cancer.
After a disappointing 2-4 record last year, the football team has come back and become a strong force so far. Standout
players such as Jason Groves and Ricky Gonzalez have helped contribute the some of the amazing wins the football team
has racked up. With victories over tough teams such as Franklin and the easy defeat of Sun Valley in the league opener, there
are high hopes for the season. With the way things are going, football could be looking at a potential league championship.
Water polo had an efficient victory over Panorama and hopes to do the same in the rest of the league match-ups.
As for tennis, a strong varsity team has helped keep a strong 12-2 record. For the past years, the Lady Dons tennis
team has been on top and they’re still utilizing their skills to stay a powerful team.
Mid-Season League Standings
Volleyball Football Water Polo
Varsity
7-0
Junior Varsity
7-0
Frosh-Soph
3-2
It’s time to catch Verdugo’s fall sports
Come support your fellow Dons in their upcoming games!
10/14
vs. Monroe
@ Home
4:00/7:00
(Homecoming)
10/21
@ Grant
4:00/7:00
10/28
vs. Poly
@ Home
4:00/7:00
Varsity
1-0
(Overall : 3-2)
Junior Varsity
1-0
(Overall : 4-1)
Football Water Polo Cross Country Volleyball Tennis
10/12
@ Kennedy
3:00
10/17
@ Van Nuys
3:00
10/19
vs. Panorama
3:00
10/24
vs. Kennedy
3:00
Varsity
1-0
Tennis
Varsity
12-2
Alex Arechiga/La Yuca
10/13
vs. North Hollywood
@ Home
2:30
10/20
@ Grant
2:30
10/27
@ Poly
2:30
10/13
vs. Arleta
2:30/4:00
10/17
vs. Grant
2:30 / 4:00
10/20
@ Poly
2:30 / 4:00
( League Rivals )
10/24
vs. North Hollywood
2:30/4:00
10/27
@Monroe
2:30/4:00
La Yuca
Alex Arechiga/La Yuca
Athlete Spotlight
Lucy Vay
Varsity Tennis Co-Captain
Lucy has been playing tennis for Verdugo for 4 years and has been on
varsity for 2 of those years. She’s proven herself as a skilled player, and
has contributed helpful insight and leadership to all the players on her
team. Being part of Verdugo’s league championship winning team for the
past 3 years has made Lucy very experienced and passionate about her
sport.
Q: What’s your opinion on this year’s tennis team ?
Lucy: This year’s team has been the biggest team in a long time. I’m
proud that so many girls wanted to join and that they all stuck through
with it. Last year so many seniors left, and I’m proud that my team
stepped up to take their spots.
Q: What gets you and your team motivated before a game ?
Lucy: First, we stretch together as a team. Then our coach gives us an
inspirational talk. Then we do our team chant. The four singles players
have a special handshake just between us.
Q: How do you think the team will do in the future?
Lucy: The team is full of girls that are very motivated and that’s
something I noticed that doesn’t change. After I leave, I still think the
girls will be as successful as the previous years.
Q: Who is your favorite tennis player?
Lucy: Roger Federer because he’s beast on the courts.
Q: What inspires you when you play tennis?
Lucy: I’d say my team and my coach because they’re very encouraging
even if I’m losing.
10/13
vs. Sherman Oaks
@ Home
2:30
10/17
vs. Grant
@ Home
2:30
10/20
@ Poly
2:30