Volume XIII, Issue I: September 8, 2011

www.northwoodhIgh.org

Welcome back, Northwood!

By drew dunn-rankIn
Editor-in-Chief

4515 Portola Pkwy. IrvIne, Ca 92620

Summers over. Yeah, yeah, I know. The beginning of the school year means no more sleeping till 2 p.m., no more barbecues by the pool, no more allday trips to the beach. But theres a certain undeniable feeling of excitement September brings. Its a chance to start over, a clean slate. So take advantage of it, Northwood, of everything we have here. The classes, which give you the opportunity to discover that passion you never knew you had. The teachers, who are always there to help with a smile. But most importantly, the students, who all have something unique to offer. Everyone has an amazing story--all you have to do is ask. For you freshmen, dont be scared. Yes, that leap from middle school to high school can be intimidating. But it gets a lot easier once you realize how inviting Northwood is. So join clubs, play sports and talk to people you dont know. Just dont be that annoying freshman seniors

complain about. No running through the halls is a good general rule. Sophomores, you guys should feel great. You have a year under your belt and you know what to expect. Now is not the time to be stressing about SATs or college--enjoy high school for what it is. Relax. Juniors, dont believe the talk about this year being impossibly hard. Sure, youre in a couple AP classes and youre taking all the standardized tests you can. But if you just take it one day at a time, itll be over soon enough. If you stick with what makes you truly happy, whether it be music, sports or a club, then this year wont be much work at all. And seniors, were almost there. Lets just enjoy what little time we have left without freaking out too much about college. No use in worrying about the future when the present still has so much left to offer. This is our time to shine. So, even though another summer has come and gone, lets embrace this new school year with open arms. But maybe not before going to the beach one last time.

QuInCIe lI The Northwood Howler

NorthWooD: Northwood students are ready to say goodbye to summer and return to their high school upon the hills.

Back to School Dance is Back

New school year, new staff

By BrIttney kuo and JennIfer yu
Staff Writer and Sports Editor

By rInI SamPath
Viewpoint Editor

As Northwood students let go of summer and return to school this fall, they have an exciting event to look forward to on September 23: the back to school dance. This disco-themed dance is fittingly named Back in the Groove, and it will take place in the Northwood gym from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. This is the first time that ASB is putting on a back to school dance since 2008. It will be more casual and laidback with less special effects, lighting and other activities. But students can still expect a fantastic DJ and a great night spending time with their friends, said ASB community repre-

inside
This Issue

sentative Serena Chan. Back in the Groove will take the place of Winter Whiteout, an informal dance which has been held in December for the past two years. Dressing up like a polar bear or a snowflake was getting old, so we wanted to try something new, said girls athletics commissioner Katherine Edmond. Tickets for Back in the Groove have been sold through the registration packet, but students can still buy their tickets at the SAC for $15 during the first week of sales. Starting the year early on with a dance is good because it gets everyone in the mood for a fun school year. Ill definitely be going! said senior Tori Bynon.

As another school year begins, Northwood will be without several familiar faces. However, new staff members are ready to usher in the school year with spirit. Helping to fill the spot left behind by Vice Principal Mike Tague, who retired last year, is Lerona Dickson (of no relation to science teacher Mickey Dickson). Dickson hails from Vail, Arizona, where she garnered seven years of experience as an assistant principal. I love being an assistant principal because I get to meet with students for a variety of reasons, said Dickson. I even enjoy working with students who may have a discipline issue because it allows me to discuss choices with students. Often times those types of discussions are the turning point in a young persons life. Allison Robbins, formerly a psychologist from Irvine High, is the other new assistant principal. The Irvine native describes herself as a product of Irvine Unified School District. Being a member of the Irvine community I have often heard and seen the amazing things that North-

AlliSoN roBBiNS: One of Northwoods new hires, Assistant Principal Allison Robbins describes herself as a product of IUSD.
wood High School does, said Robbins. I know this is going to be a great year and I cant wait to get to know the fabulous students and staff members here at NHS. A number of fresh new faces in the teaching staff will also be present in the upcoming year. Robert Balogh, an Orange [continued on Page 2]

krIS george The Northwood Howler

Summer news timeline

News 2

optimism

Viewpoint 2

Students during summer

Accent 3

September 8, 2011

Summer news timeline

By Monsoon PaBrai
Layout Editor

NEWS
[continued from Page 1] County native who has taught in schools from Oceanside to Ecuador, joins the English Department in the absence of English teacher Jeff Morano, who has accepted a position as assistant principal at Lakeside Middle School. Everyone I have met thus far has made me feel truly welcomed, said Balogh. Other new teachers include PE teacher Zeff Dena, part-time Spanish teacher Katie Ellis, music teacher Whitney Tavlarides and special education teacher Jennifer Petrosian. Another notable replacement is Jess Peterson, who is filling in for counselor Nichole Lipman. The front office will be also different this year. Meredith Garrity and Tracy Franks, who previously worked at Northwoods Media Center, will be fulfilling front desk duties

The Northwood Howler

this year due to the retirement of prior receptionists Jolene Illingsworth and Sandy Scott. Principal Leslie Roach was enthusiastic about the prospect of starting the school year with new faculty members. We have some staff members that we will certainly miss, but we are always excited to have new people with new ideas, perspectives and energy, said Roach.

July 9

Sudan split into two nations, Sudan and South Sudan on July 9. The high number of religious wars between the Arab Muslim North and the Christian South since the 1980s has raised tension between the two sides and now caused an official split.
vac101.com

July 21

The Atlantis landed on July 21, marking the end of the U.S. space shuttle program. The Atlantis glided back to Earth, capping a 30-year program that saw hundreds of astronauts into space.

Northwood by the numbers

By sooyun Choi
Staffwriter
Central News Network

Students Enrolled in Northwood High School 2011-2012

July 22

Getty Images

Norway was hit by two sequential terrorist attacks on July 22. The attacks were aimed at the government, the civilian population and a summer camp. A gunman killed as many as 80 people at a youth camp that was set up by the ruling Labor Party near Oslo, at which Justice Minister Knut Storberget was scheduled to speak. Earlier in the day, a blast in the capital killed seven people and damaged the prime ministers office. The attacker has been identified as Anders Behring Breivik, a nationalist who claims to be a modern-day Christian crusader fighting to rid Islam and democratic political parties from Europe. Breivik will at most receive 21 years in prison, the maximum sentence under Norwegian law.

Northwoods total enrollment for the 2011-2012 school year is 1940 students, an increase of 20 from last year. This year, 518 freshmen, 465 sophomores, 473 juniors and 481 seniors will be attending Northwood. The incoming Freshman class has increased by 60 from last years class, whereas the other classes have decreased in the number of students. With 975 boys and 965 girls in total, the gender division is relatively equal. However, there are more boys than girls in the Freshman and Sophomore classes and more girls in the Junior and Senior classes.

Class
Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior

Male
270 238 231 235

Female
248 227 242 246
*As of Aug. 15, 2011

Rini says....

ViewpoiNt

On Aug. 2, the United States approved a plan to raise the federal debt limit and cut government spending. This plan was designed to provide a solution to the debt ceiling crisis, a financial crisis that started a debate in the United States Congress. The problem arose because the United States Department of Treasury cannot gain a debt beyond the debt ceiling set by Congress. In order to get through 2012, Congress will form a special committee made up of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans to negotiate up to $2 trillion in additional cuts as part of a package containing a further debt ceiling increase.

August 2

The NexT CoNfuCiuS?: Senior Rini Sampath gives advice on how to make the most out of high school.
Getty Images

Allen Chiu The Northwood Howler

By rini saMPath
Viewpoint Editor

Raw87.com

Hurricane Irene, a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane, formed on Aug. 20. It left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the East Coast and as far north as Canada. Hurricane Irene was the first major hurricane of the 2011 season; Irene formed as a tropical wave that showed signs of damage. Throughout its path, Irene caused widespread destruction and at least 54 deaths. In addition, monetary losses to the Caribbean could be as high as $3.1 billion according to preliminary estimates. Early damage estimates in the US are about $7 billion.

August 20

I understand that I am not a psychologist, award-winning author or a philosopher like Confucius. But one thing I am is a senior in high school. And because I am a senior in high school, I am now entitled to give sage-like wisdom. But in all seriousness, I do have three years of high school under my belt and looking back, I realize there is one thing that has helped me get through it all: optimism. The age-old saying goes, see the glass half-full. When I was a junior, there were moments when I felt like I wanted to break that glass. There were days when my to-do list seemed endless. But when I took ev-

erything one at a time and stopped complaining about how much I had to do, I found myself happier and actually enjoying what I did. By telling myself that things always get better, I looked forward to tomorrow rather than despising today. But how is optimism going to help us in the long run? According to scientific studies, it actually keeps us healthier. The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology polled healthy college freshmen at the start of school to find out how optimistic they were about the upcoming year. By the middle of year, the students who radiated positivity from the start actually had better functioning immune cells than the worried students. While we should remain optimistic, we shouldnt suppress our
News Editor Simone DLuna

negative feelings or emotions. Author Jerry Bergman stated in his novel, The Miracle of Tears, how tears actually remove some of the chemicals like prolactin that build up in the body from stress. Essentially, dont be afraid to let it all out sometimes. But just dont let the inevitable tribulations of life prevent you from moving forward. So when that day comes where you have more homework on your desk than clothes in your closet, take a deep breath, smile, put on your favorite song and simply bulldoze through your assignments. But please, when college applications come around, someone remind me to read this article. Even philosophers need a reminder of their own philosophies.
Distribution Manager Quincie Li Adviser tim Horrigan Staff Writers Christina Ko Brittney Kuo Jenny Lee Francesca Ricapito Jennifer Kim Brandon Choi Christine Yang emaan Baqai Kristie Chang Sooyun Choi tiffany tsai Photographers Allen Chiu Kris George tina Xu Quincie Li Audrey Nguyen

To advertise in the Howler: please contact our Business Manager, Quincie Li, at nhshowler@ gmail.com or (949) 812-1166. Classifieds: Northwood High students and faculty members may place classified ads in the Howler by contacting the Business Manager at nhshowler@gmail.com or (949) 812-1166.

The Northwood Howler is published by Northwood High School as an open forum for the exchange of news and ideas. Views expressed in The Northwood Howler do not necessarily represent the opinions of the NHS administration or the irvine Unified School District. Signed Letters to the editor are welcomed and encouraged. They can be placed in Adviser tim Horrigans mailbox or delivered to Room 1102. The Northwood Howler reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar and clarity. Advertisements do not necessarily represent the opinion of the newspaper. Mission Statement: to serve as a medium for school news and the expression of student ideas while adhering to the highest standards of journalistic integrity.

Editor-in-Chief Drew Dunn-Rankin Managing Editor Catherine Dong The Howler Online Editor Catherine Dong Copy Editor Adelina pak Layout Editor Monsoon pabrai Photo Editor Kris George Graphics Editor Allen Chiu Front Page Editor Simone DLuna

Accent Editor Alice Lee Centerspread Editor Megan Nazareno Viewpoint Editors Rini Sampath tina Xu A&E Editor Addy Bhasin Sports Editor Jennifer Yu Junk Editor Johnny Zhang Business Managers Quincie Li Megan Nazareno

The Howler can be contacted at

nhshowler@gmail.com

The Northwood Howler

Students become teachers

with Taiwanese cuisine at night markets and socializing at restaurants for dinner before returning to their dorms and planning their lessons for the next day. In fact, the vibrant social aspect of this volunteer experience was a big appeal for applicants. I became interested in participating in this program when older friends who also attended this program told me how fun, interesting and memorable this experience was and that I had to join next year, said Shiah. This was also the first opportunity for me to live independently from my parents for a month. After the period teaching was complete, the volunteers gathered to take a week-long tour around Taiwan, visiting popular attractions including Taipei 101, Kenting National Park and various science and history museums. For current juniors interested in participating in this program next summer, visit aidsummer.net for details.

ACCENT

September 8, 2011

Meandering in Mongolia

AidiNg ASiANS: Senior Kristie Chang poses alongside one of her elementary students.
By Catherine Dong
The Howler Online Editor-in-Chief

Photo provided by Kristie Chang

EduCATEd ExplorEr: Darcy Book rides a horse through the fields of Mongolia.
By Kristie Chang
Staff Writer

Photo provided by DarCy BooK

During summer break, many students escape the pressures of school by taking trips to the beach or traveling abroad. This summer, three seniors flew halfway around the world not to vacation but to spend even more time in classrooms -- this time as the teachers. Leslie Shea, Eric Shiah and Kristie Chang spent four weeks in July in Taiwan as part of the Assisting Individuals with Disadvantages (AID) summer program to teach English to students in rural areas of Taiwan. During the first week, the group of about 300

volunteers received training on a variety of teaching methods that would make learning English enjoyable for elementary and middle school students. For the next two weeks, the volunteers were divided into groups and assigned to different schools throughout Taiwan. During those two weeks I had to come up with my own teaching agenda, said Shea. For the most part, teaching English to my fourth and fifth graders was in the form of games. Each day after the school bell rang, the teachers would partake in their own share of learning. The volunteers immersed themselves in Taiwanese culture and nightlife, experimenting

Seniors usually spend the summer before senior year worrying about college applications. Senior Darcy Book, however, left the comforts of home for a unique experience in Mongolia. Everything in Mongolia was different from home. I didnt shower for three weeks and I left my phone and iPod at home. But I loved it! said Book. As part of the Rustic Pathways program, Book spent 25 days immersed in the world of Mongolian language and culture, along with 13 other participants. She lived with a host family

that showed her the basic skills and chores of their daily lives, including riding horses and milking yaks. Every other day we had to kill a sheep. I didnt participate in the sheep skinning but several people in my group volunteered to help, said Book. For Book, the most memorable moment of her trip was going to the Naadam Festival, which showcased the best of Mongolian wrestling and horse racing. Beyond appreciating the things I do have at home, I learned that I need little to be happy, said Book. Now, I feel a lot more open; Ill try anything and go anywhere without hesitation.

from the Bubble to Bulgaria

Harry potters spell-binding legacy

Photo provided by niCK yoon

ouTSTANdiNg orCHESTrA: The Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra performs in Plovdivs Philharmonic Hall.
By Megan nazareno
Centerspread Editor

Seven Northwood students visited Plovdiv for the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestras (PSYO) 11-day tour in Bulgaria in late June. As one of the worlds oldest cities, Plovdiv boasted a long, rich history and culture that very few Irvine students have ever seen. Bulgaria is different from Irvine in many ways, said senior Alex Hibbard. The country has different food and the people speak a different language. Senior Michael Esterly, juniors Joanne Oh, Nick Yoon, Katie Hahm and Branden Chen

and sophomore David Yoon were also part of the esteemed orchestra. I have never been to Europe before and the fact that I got to go because of music made the experience that much better, said Hahm. The bus took the group to Plovdivs Philharmonic Hall for PSYOs first soldout concert, where they received a standing ovation. Among the audience were the king of Bulgaria and a highly respected national composer. I met so many amazing people and saw many different sights, said David Yoon. Bulgaria was a oncein-a-lifetime experience.

THE fiNAl BATTlE: Harry, Hermione, Ron and all of Hogwarts face off with Lord Voldemort in the final installment of the Harry Potter series.
By Jenny Lee
Staff Writer

http://www.usapost.org

Stacy Lin. The line of fans was packed with people sporting Ten years have passed Harry Potter costumes. There was one person since our young minds first enrolled along side who dressed up to look Hermione, Ron and Harry exactly like Voldemort, into Hogwarts School of except this guy had a nose, Witchcraft and Wizardry. said junior Anna Lee. After the movie was On July 15, Harry Potter fans reunited for a sad but over, the satisfied fans exhilarating farewell to the enjoyed the memories of the magic of Harry Potter and series by discussing their the Deathly Hallows - Part favorites of Harry Potter: the characters, scenes and, 2. There was a huge of course, spells. My favorite spell would line circling around the Spectrum. My friends and have to be Avada Kedavra, I waited about 12 hours only because Voldemort for the movie, said junior screamed it in the most

hilarious voice ever, said sophomore Alex Lee. Recently, J.K. Rowling has added a new dimension to the series: Pottermore. This new website will allow fans to find exclusive new writing from Rowling. Early access to the site has ended, but registration will be open to the public in October. To those Harry Potter fans who are still upset: The movies may have ended, but dont forget that the brilliant myriad of friendships, the war between good and evil and station 9 will always be open to all wishing to return.

September 8, 2011

Raging Flood devastates the Midwest Top ten reasons to look forward to school
By Johnny ZhanG
Junk Editor

JOHNNYS JUNK
In their Devastation tour, the new progressive-indieelectropop-thrash metal band, Raging Flood, showcased their unique sound and wild antics during stops in Kansas, Michigan and Ohio. Raging Floods new LP, I Want to Eat Your Brains, has been hailed by many critics as an instant classic and the album of the decade. Yeah, I heard about them before they went mainstream, said one fan outside the Coronado Theatre in Chicago. Unlike most bands of the progressive-indie-electropop-thrash metal genre, Raging Flood avoids

The Northwood Howler

By rini sampath
Viewpoint Editor

10. Shopping for school supplies: Whats better than new sparkly pencils and recycled notebooks? 9. You can now tell that annoying friend its homework that is keeping you from hanging out and he or she will actually buy it! 8. Football season: Will we or will we not make it to the CIF playoffs? That is the question. 7. New teachers are very refreshing. 6. Making new friends: The thought of a new buddy sure does give me the warm fuzzies. 5. Making new more-than-friends: Your new lab partner might just be your partner in life. 4. Looking nice: Good hygiene is now a necessity and not an option. 3. Something to do: Admit it, waking up at lunch time and staying in your pajamas all day for every day of the summer gets old after some time. 2. Dances: Enough said. 1. You are one step closer to Summer 2012!

the clich of arpeggiated bass drops, a factor that propelled the band into widespread success. With their smash hit, One Less Lonely Girl, Raging Flood reached the top of the Billboard Top 100 Music Chart this week, replacing Katy Perry at the top spot. This band used to be so underground. Im so disappointed, said music critic Kristopher Georgiano. Although Raging Flood lost a considerable number of fans when they plunged into the mainstream, they developed an entire new fan base. The band is touring with Rebecca Black and Metallica in the fall and tickets are expected to sell out soon. Raging Flood concerts are not for the faint of heart, however. Front-

man Freddy Venus is often seen jumping from the speakers and has been known to walk out on shows altogether. Their reckless shenanigans have gotten them in trouble with the authorities various times and can be potentially dangerous to audience members. When asked about their future concerts and the safety of their fans, drummer Mike Hawk only responded with swag. So far, Raging Flood have been playing to sold-out arenas all over the Midwest and will likely garner more attention from critics and fans alike. Time calls Raging Flood a once in a lifetime opportunity and Rolling Stone says, you wont want to miss this.

Kris GeorGe: The Northwood Howler