Vital SignsFrancisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School

March 11, 2011Volume XIV

Issue VI

Bravo Stands Up Against Graffiti by AJ Saniano

- Read our current and previous Vital Signs issues at Issuu.com/vitalsigns.

- Our extended March issue will be online on March 18, 2011.

These days, you're more than likely to see some sort of graffiti on the walls, in the hallways, or in the staircases of Bravo. One particular student was tired of seeing this every day and decided to take a stand against all of the graffiti and the taggers. Franciso Perez ('12) had an idea that sparked between Mrs. Mueller and himself, when she expressed that something must be done about all of the graffiti. A poster that took 4 hours to make was all it took to cause a peaceful revolution at Bravo. It all started in November of 2010, when several students started gathering outside Mrs. Wakasa's room. He noticed that the group of kids bullied teachers and Mrs. Wakasa happened to be one of their victims. Francisco took a stand to protect her, since she wasn't her usual self after the tension between her and the group. Since he saw Mrs. Wakasa as his "parent" here at school, he wanted to protect her and was not concerned with his own safety. After he confronted the students, he started to notice graffiti all over the school. He really disliked what he saw and wanted to do something about it. "Bravo is our home, all of our homes. What if we started spray painting obscenities inside your home?" says Francisco. In February, as he was getting ready to go home, he met Mrs. Mueller by chance and she started telling him that something had to be done to stop the tagging. He then took it upon himself to make a large poster that would catch everyone's attention. The 4 hour labor paid off when he placed the anti-tagging poster on the third floor lobby. He put his name on a post-it next to the poster and left it there. As the day went by, he returned to his poster and was surprised that it wasn't torn down; instead, more than 50 names were posted next to the poster as well. After this achievement, his goal was to get more than 200 names on the poster and to place more posters around the school campus, which he has been able to do.

Francisco is encouraging everyone at Bravo to take a stand against tagging. What’s driving his passion to help others and the community is his love for and commitment to them. He also realizes that the teachers are limited in what they can do and it is up to the students to decide if they want change or not. He believes that if students want something to change, they as a whole must take responsibility for their actions and not be afraid of the challenges that lay ahead. They need to make it a student activity; together, students can do more than an individual. Francisco urges students to act selflessly and to think of the students’ general well-being instead of one’s own needs. Francisco believes that everyone has the potential to make a change. All they need to do is to awaken the courage inside of them. “Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow.” – Mary Ann Radmacher

The “Red Baron” and his accomplices guarded the wall from further damage by taggers on March 3.

A crowd formed in front of the demonstration.Supporters from the crowd gathered to prove the school’s solidarity.

Some Bravo students who felt differently about the demonstration interacted with the protesters directly.

Guardians of the Walls by AJ Saniano

Lately, there has been much disrespect toward our school and no one seems to notice, except for a few students and staff members. These students and staff members are standing tall and trying to get the entire school to recognize and control this disrespect. This disrespect has spread with vandalism. Many students, teachers, and other staff members feel violated and plainly uncomfortable due to the fact that this is a home-like environment for them. To help control this, a group of students and staff members are putting together meetings for everyone and anyone to attend. This meeting is inspired by ETHOS, which stands for “Expressing the Heart on Shirts.” This concept was created to show respect toward our learning institute and express our feelings not on walls, but on shirts. Expressing yourself is a great thing and has positive impacts, but tagging on the walls of Bravo has a negative impact. Tagging is not only breaking the law (which can result in tickets up to $1000), but it is also harassment. This harassment can include racist, sexist, and gang-affiliated problems. Therefore, ETHOS is a movement to express your individuality and creativity on your own property. Bravo is a school of unity with multi-cultural students but all this vandalism is truly not a way to represent our school, neither to visitors nor to new coming students. As mentioned by Francisco Perez Araujo “These meetings are dedicated to unite our Bravo students. Once in a while, we all need a little motivation, a little belief, and just a little push. Only then will we be able to change and shape shift the Bravo community that has become our home, together.” Most importantly, Bravo is a place where we spend a majority of our time, so why destroy and vandalize? With this meeting, we are hoping to beautify and unite all students and staff members. This way negativity can stop and Bravo pride can be shown!

ETHOSby Crystal Rivas

Cynthia Romero’s post on the third floor wall is one of many joining together to stop vandals from infecting Bravo’s walls.

Boys’ Prom Fashion Tips It’s a new year and prom is right around the corner so why not switch your look up a little bit? Instead of wearing your basic tuxedo with a boring bow tie, why not step out of that limo with style?

1. Traditionally, the typical attire for young guys is the classic black and white tailored tux. This year a velvet material blazer with colors such as navy blue, dark grey, or burgundy as new ways to add spice to a tailored look.

2. Another way to add style is by choosing a funky pencil or bow tie. Make sure you don’t choose patterns, but solid colors, because the look may become cluttered.

3. The next step is choosing the appropriate shirt. A white button-up cotton shirt should do the trick.

4. Don’t go with your regular dress shoes. Switch it up some more with loafers or anything else the dress code allows.

There are many different styles and looks you could use to your advantage, but keep in my mind, it’s all about having fun and looking exceptional at prom.

The exciting time to start planning for prom is right around the corner. For many senior girls out there, this is the day we’ve been waiting for. The dress, the hair, the makeup, and the accessories are all parts of the prom ensemble, which should look beautiful and put together. Here are a few tips to make sure you put together the ideal look for prom. An important concept to keep in mind is that less is more. When attempting to create the perfect combination of elements, we unintentionally end up creating an overdo, which in the end results in a disastrous look. Should we go with the smokey eye and full red lips? And how much jewelry is too much? If you find yourself asking these questions, then it is too much. Keep it nice and simple. You do not want any feature to overshadow another. When choosing your dress, if you are unsure about whether to opt for a patterned dress or a single color, remember that solid colors are quite flattering and that darker colors are the most slimming. Moreover, hairstyles are also something that can make or break a look. The days of stiff hair-dos are over. Today’s most suitable looks for prom consist of soft flowing hair and loose flattering updos. These are the most comfortable and require little maintenance. Remember, you want to spend prom night having fun, not in front of the mirror. Over-accessorizing is a major dilemma. Consider the fact that a glamorous dress might not need too much jewelry to accompany it. A perfect pair of earrings might be the only accessory you need to shine. When in doubt, you can never go wrong with black. It is classy, chic, slimming, and timeless. This color makes anything elegant, and it is perfect for this particular occasion. Ultimately, pay close attention to details such as color, makeup, and hair to make sure you look and feel your best. Stick with your own style and do not try to look too trendy. Classy and simple is better than flamboyant and over-done. Prom is your night to look and feel like a star. Live it up!

Girls’ Prom Fashion Tipby Stephanie De Leon

Dear Cynic, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the greatest looking guy. I’m not popular in any sense and I would consider myself a shy wallflower. However, I can’t help but have a huge crush on this girl who is way out of my league. I want to ask her to prom but I’m scared of the rejection. Should I go ahead and ask her to prom or find someone more on my level? Sincerely, FlyOnTheWall84Dear FlyOnTheWall84, First of all, I admire your courage for standing up on telling the school about your story of being ugly. Unattractiveness is a growing issue (well at least in Bravo it is) and your experience will help others in their search for prom dates. Now, the best advice I can give is to not ask the “hot” girl to prom. You never want to be the ugly one in the relationship, never! And even if she says yes, it will probably be to make her hunky and popular ex-boy toy jealous. All signs point to asking the girl on your “level” to be your prom date. By level, I assume you mean that she shares your looks and corner hogging existence. If that’s true, then you’ll have more fun with her. You can arrive in separate limos together, bond over your shared unattractiveness while at the punch table, and at the end of the night share a romantic slow dance in the bathroom, isolated from the social and pretty people of the school.

The Cynic: Prom Edition

Amanda Marie Perez My sweetheart, my babe, my cute adorable panda, and my amazing girlfriend. This list goes on and on, but can you add one more ... my prom date? In other words,

Will you go to prom with me?

From your loving boyfriend,

Raul Llamas

by Kiara Walls

STAR Program

Be NErDy by Sarah Soliman

On Saturday, February 26, 2011, Bravo Medical Magnet’s Science Bowl Teams A and B traveled to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in downtown to participate in the 19th annual Science Bowl Regional Competition. The DWP Science Bowl is held each year and tests students’ reflexes, teamwork skills, and knowledge in a television game show format. According to Mr. Morgan, Bravo’s Science Bowl coach, “[this year,] Bravo had its finest showing at Science Bowl ever!” Bravo’s own Science Bowl Team A, whose members included Allen Situ (’11), William Paja (’12), Lorianne Esturas (’11),

Eduard Babayan (’12), and captain Josephine Ung (’11), won Third Place Overall out of all 57 teams, eliminating some of the best performing, prestigious schools in Los Angeles county during the Double Elimination round. Each member received a medal and a $300 scholarship. North Hollywood High School Team A won first place in the competition. As a regional title holder, the team will travel to Washington, D.C., with all expenses paid by the U.S. Department of Energy, to represent Los Angeles at the National Science Bowl from April 28 to May 2. Team members also won the Hitachi Scholarship. Last year, the regional championship team from North Hollywood High School placed third at the National Science Bowl. Previous DWP regional winning teams captured four national titles and placed among the top five nationally 10 times. Harvard-Westlake School Team B won second place, and North Hollywood High School Team B finished fourth. Students also demonstrated problem-solving abilities in the Franklin Lu Hands-On Competition, named after the late DWP electrical engineer and Science Bowl volunteer. This year’s competition involved solving a series of puzzles, complex chemical formulas, and designing, assembling, and flying paper airplanes within a limited amount of time. Bravo Medical Magnet Team B, with members Linda Chow (’11), Elton Zhou (’13), Brian Tom (’13), Sarah Soliman (’11), and captain Brian Park (’12), placed fourth in the Hands-On Competition. The first-place Franklin Lu Hands-On trophy went to Lincoln High School Team B, and the second-place award was presented to Reseda High School Team B; third place was awarded to Granada Hills Charter High School Team B. In addition to the DWP, sponsors for this year’s Science Bowl included First Wind, the Hitachi Southern California Regional Community Action Committee, the Hitachi Foundation, Clary Corporation, IEEE, the Water and Power Community Credit Union, the Engineers’ Council, Office Depot, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and the U.S. Department of Energy.

On February 18, 2011, more than 60 student teams, along with several professional judges, volunteers, and media representatives, came to the USC campus for the annual American Society of Civil Engineers Popsicle Stick Bridge Contest. The local Younger Member Forum of ASCE and the ASCE USC student chapter organized the event, with the help of the Viterbi School of Engineering and the Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at USC. For over 16 years now, students from Los Angeles and Orange County have gathered for this event, which rotates among college campuses throughout the Los Angeles and Orange counties. Activities include poster competitions, technical reports, student presentations of their projects before professional judges, campus tours, and the loading of popsicle stick bridges with weights in the materials lab. The competition was an opportunity to expose local high school students to a college campus and help them understand the benefits of pursuing higher education. It also promoted the engineering profession within the community. The event celebrated Engineers’ Week, which was nationally observed throughout the country from February 20th to February 26th.

Bravo’s Science Fairby Amy Guerra

As you walked into the gymnasium on March 1, 2011, an imperceptible feeling of success roamed the four massive walls. Science research project boards neatly arranged by category brought life into the environment. Each project encompassed a different, yet intriguing topic that left the judges wanting more. A hint of pride lingered on the faces of all those individuals who were involved in such an epic scientific adventure. Bravo’s Annual Science Fair sponsored by the USC STAR Program was the school’s main attraction. This all-day event gave several Bravo High School students, mostly from the STAR and EHA Programs, the opportunity to conduct a science-based research project of their interest and present it to the entire student body. There were project topics ranging from Plant Physiology to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Being inspired by a scientific issue gave students an opportunity to put their investigative minds to work and explore the limitless possibilities science offers. All research projects were unique and recognized; however, only some were awarded with blue “winner” ribbons. The majority of those ribbons were distributed amongst the EHA student projects. Some of the first place winners include: Joseph Fouad in Pharmacology; Ruqayyah Malik in Engineering research; Paloma Cruz and Karina Cardenas in Engineering Applications; Allan Ramirez in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Anna Valdez in Behavioral/Social Sciences, and Muntrain Karim in Animal Physiology. There is no speculation that these EHA students did not earn those ribbons because they did work hard and put effort into their research, but was the judging really fair? How is it that most, if not all, EHA boards had ribbons on them and the STAR Program’s, which is also a rigorous research-based program, did not obtain any? As one of many student body viewers, I do think that STAR focused on interesting topics and presented their data quite thoroughly. The design of the posters themselves looked like those of college students. Their research topics showed advanced depth and precision. With so many scientific advantages, how was it possible that STAR students did not win, as well? Some sources state the judging was fixed due to needed funding for the EHA program, while others believe certain teachers were included in the decisioning. Regardless of what really happened, all participants should be proud of themselves and what they accomplished in their research. They are all winners because they challenged themselves to venture out with a scientific issue and excel in comprehending its complexity. The enthusiasm the students had about explaining their project topics made the event worth attending. This 2011 Bravo Science Fair experience was for both participants and viewers and will never be forgotten.

Bravo Medical Magnet Team A, composed of Fatimatou Diallo (’11), James Slong (’11), Duke Seo (’11), and captain Michelle Lee (’11), won First Place Overall, First Place for Presentation Board, and First Place in Strength. Their popsicle stick bridge, named Varignon, carried over 700 pounds. The team members received scholarships of $250 each and trophies for Bravo Science Teams’ trophy cabinet; they have also been invited to a formal banquet with other local universities held by the Younger Member Forum of ASCE at the Universal Sheraton. Bravo Medical Magnet Team B, with Jason Bui (’11), Justin Nim (’11), Stephanie Lee (’11), and Jessica Lee (’12), also won First Place in Aesthetics for their bridge, which they called Enigma. This bridge-building event continues to grow each year. Last year, the Los Angeles Council of Engineers and Scientists recognized the 2010 PSBC event with the Harry Staubs Memorial Award for Community Service, and the event has been previously featured in the LA Times, KNBC-TV, Channel 35, and local university media.

Building Bridges to the Future by Sarah Soliman

Bravo’s Science Teams

Bravo’s Bridge Building Team A won brought home the gold for the overall best popsicle stick bridge in the entire competition.

Dear Reality Check,

We are glad to know that Vital Signs has had some dedicated readers. We also appreciate the fact that you took the time not only to read the entire issue (as you clearly have), but delight us with some constructive criticism. In your honor, we’ve decided to include a “Letters to the Editors” section in every issue from now on so that we may improve our issues accordingly. We love feedback. Let’s hope you do, too.

Let’s go in order of your letter, shall we? If you feel that our issues are “jaded,” “dull,” and “sarcastic,” that’s all on you. In the February issue alone, you failed to notice that for the anti-Valentine’s Day editorial, there was also a pro-Valentine’s Day editorial to contrast it. And as for our reporters’ editorials on trivial things such as skinny jeans, they’re entitled to their own opinion. Aren’t editorials opinions? Aren’t opinions critical (as you have shown us)? Who are we to change our reporters’ opinions? We have no right to force a “positive” opinion out of them. If you have a problem with our reporters’ editorial pieces, take your own advice and allow them to express themselves.

We assume that you aren’t familiar with the Journalism class’ structure so let us break it down for you: reporters choose their own topics and write their own articles, editors edit them, editors-in-chief arrange and design the paper, and finally, the paper is delivered to the school. We allow our reporters to write what they want. Each and every article, assigned or not, is stylistically, grammatically, and in all other ways, completely their own. Some people just like writing editorials. Some people like writing news pieces. Some people like writing reviews. For you to assume that we haven’t let our writers speak their minds is an inaccurate and offensive assumption. In fact, every single person on our journalism staff can say that they have been published at least once. We publish articles that we think people will read. We don’t base our final publishing decision on who wrote the article.

Don’t get us wrong, Reality Check, we are going to take some of your advice and try to improve Vital Signs. We have done our best to get into our readers’ minds and publish articles that we think they’d enjoy and maybe learn a few things from. We pledge to publish different reporters for different beats and try to come up with more dynamic article ideas. If that was your genuine intention, be contented to know that we’re going to incorporate your ideas into the paper. However, as editors-in-chief, it is difficult for us to not defend our journalism staff and our accomplishments. We suspect that an ulterior motive for your undoubtedly “constructive” criticism was to make certain staff members feel less than great. Otherwise, you would have had the courage to offer your valuable criticism personally and not cower behind an anonymous letter you snuck into Mr. Rodriguez’s box.

We thank you for your interest in Vital Signs and look forward to your reply.

Respectfully,

The “inept” Editors-in-Chief

P.S. We took the liberty of editing your letter with the same treatment we give our reporters' articles. Let us know if we missed anything.

Letters to the Editors

Editors’ NotE: If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions you would like published in Vital Signs, please feel free to e-mail us at bravo.journalism@gmail.com or stop by Mr. Rodriguez’s room (312) during nutrition or lunch. Thanks for reading!

Qr CorNEr AislE 9 It’s nice to know that supermarkets are adapting to the changing times. While walking through Vons, I couldn’t help but notice that they thought to group menstrual affair, baby food, diapers, and condoms into an aisle I’d like to christen “The Teenage Girls’ Pit of Sorrow.” They’ve compiled all the necessary components that go into becoming one of the wayward subjects featured on 16 and Pregnant and put them into a neat little section, so the girls that society has given up on can shop quickly and easily without straining their barren little feet. Ah, the courteous notions of industry…thiNgs i hAtE The plummeting standards of new Pokemon conception. I used to be flabbergasted at the

Leah’s Corner by (who else?) Leah Manacop

level of imagination utilized to create the classic characters we all came to love and rap about, but now I can’t help but be disgusted at the idle minds behind such “original” fare as whatever that ghost chandelier pokemon is called and that fighting-type puntasically named “Sawk.” The creators have been reduced to assigning elements to their household appliances. Don't be surprised if generation 6 features "Continentalitor," the psychic refrigerator.ClosiNg thoughts… Sometimes I’m sure that my body is out to ruin me. Prom is only a two months away yet my need to consume anything edible is at an all-time high. Damn you, subconscious need to fill emotional voids with eating; you’ll be the death of me!

Congratulations to Arthur Matevosian (‘11) who won a jumbo-sized gummy bear from the last QR Corner contest! Try your luck with this issue’s edition by downloading a free QR-code scanning app on your smartphone.