TheDublinShielDVolume 2, Issue 4 8151 Village Parkway Dublin, CA 94568 Friday, January 27th, 2012

1/30: Red Cross Blood Drive @ the Cafeteria, 2-7pm

Men’s Varsity Soccer vs. Moreau Catholic @ Home, 6:15pm

2/02: Wrestling vs. Mira-monte @ Home

2/1-2/15: Academic Block “D” Application Period

2/03: Women’s Soccer vs. Alhambra @ Home, 6:30pm

2/08: Financial Aid Night 6:30-8pm

2/9: Talent Show @ The Little Theater, 7:30 pm

2/10: Women’s Basketball vs. Alhambra @ Home, 5:30 Men’s Basketball vs. Al-hambra @ Home, 7pm

2/15: AP Honors Night

2/17: Winter Rally!Sadie Hawkins Dance, 7:30-9:30pm

2/21: NO SCHOOL:President’s Day

2/24-2/25: Improv Show @ The Little Theater @ 7pm

3/2: FAFSA/Cal Grant Deadline

Upcoming EventsPower Of the Student Directed One Acts

A Little Pain For So Much Gain

The Dublin High Drama Depart-ment rocked the new year with the One Acts. The One Acts are one of the most anticipated drama events of the year, where several students direct and star to perform a single act on stage. As usual, the drama students were well organized and made the audience sink into their seats. It all started with a soft but upbeat melodious musical that was sung by Ronil Bhatia, Brooke Brunkhorst, Patrick Wallace and Rachel Gregory. The musi-cal talent that the four had was shockingly well-played and was amazingly put together. The first play, “Her Heart” from Almost, Maine by John Cariana was directed by junior Nicole Hamre. Alex Cappa and Melany Scannell used their charm to get the audience in awe when the two locked lips. The play was about Glory, played by Scannell, who goes to Maine with her broken heart in a brown paper bag. East, played by Cappa, asks Glory why she is camping out in his back-yard, and she instantly starts to talk about her broken heart and how it can never be fixed. As East leans in for a first kiss and tells Glory that he loves her, the audi-ence laughed. The second play Variations on the Death of Trotsky by David Ives was directed by senior Sarah Finn. The different variations of Trotsky’s death were outrageously funny, and was a great addition to the play. The play had humorous props, and outstanding lines that made the audience jump for more. After a short 15-minute inter-mission, the next play was The Man Who Couldn’t Dance, by

Jason Katims, directed by junior Ryan McRee. The dramatic play featured a girl named Gail and her ex-boyfriend who comes to meet her husband and her new daugh-ter. The two talk about the past and how Eric’s life has changed for the worse. His secret about how he could never dance was what he believed held him back from his relationship with Gail. The play made the audience tear up when they saw Gail try to teach Eric how to dance. After the warm felt play was a humour play The Office by Kate Hoffower directed by Emily More-head. The play consisted of three women talking about how bored they are and how they planned on killing their boss. The lines tied in very well, and made the audience cheer for more classic jokes. The

surprising scene was when two of the women in the front decided to take off their bras and reveal them to see if their boss would realize anything. The second to last play was Night Visits by Simon Fill, di-rected by Nate Bennett. The play described the story of Tom, a resident doctor, played by seniors Ronil Bhatia and Clint Jackman. His patient, Emily talks to Tom about how she was involved in a car accident with her father. Tom can relate to Emily because his fiancee died in a car accident too. Tom’s nurse, Liz opened the play. Liz starts the play by telling Tom that he needs to move on with his life. At the end, the patient ironical-ly treated the doctor, helping him move on from his wife’s death. The last scene was from A

Whole House of Babies by Sean O’Connor, and was directed by Kristyn Lue. Sheila’s constant re-minder of her baby that she gave up makes her wonder what she could do to get her baby back. Her best friend Reno tries to convince Sheila that her decision on giving up her baby was responsible. All the plays were different genres and had different reactions from the audience, but overall the drama students did an excellent job. Personally, I thought it was well worth $5. Watching the show with my sister made the play more special to me. I know that for the next play, my sister and I are ready to see what the drama students have in store for us. As anyone who did not go to the One Acts my advice is to not miss out next year’s One Acts!

There are 4.5 million Americans that need life saving blood transfu-sions each year. According to the American Red Cross Foundation, “a single car accident victim can require up to 100 pints of blood”. While these facts are indeed star-tling, most people tend to overlook the idea of donating blood without a second thought to the reality and severity of these situations. Less than 38% of the U.S popu-lation is eligible to donate blood. This goes to show just how impor-tant that 38% is to the 4.5 million Americans in need of a second chance at life. The DHS American Red Cross Club is calling all eligible students, staff, and community members to be a part of that 38 percent. On January 30, from 2-7pm, you will have the chance to call yourself a

blood donor and save up to three lives with your donation. Before you think of the typical excuses to avoid donating blood such as “I don’t like needles” or “I don’t have time”, please take a minute to think about the newly diagnosed cancer patients (over 1 million each year), who will need your blood during chemotherapy to keep them alive. Think about the car accident victim in critical condition who you heard about on this mornings traffic update. Think about the premature newborn baby who would have died if there was no blood donor to save their life. Think about walking up to the family of these people, and telling them you are sorry you did not donate because you “don’t like needles.” Think again. These situations are dramatic, yes, but they are realistic. After contemplating these scenarios and how easy it is to make a difference, one is left with no excuses to prevent the donation of blood.

By Minu Sonali

By Annette SommersDublin High, Who’s WINNING

SuperBowl XLVI?There will be an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Monday, January 30th, from 2-7pm at Dublin High’s Little Theater. For more information about donating contact: dhsredcross@gmail.com.

CONTINUED ON BACK PAGE:

ABOVE: A few minutes of dis-comfort can save lives. Credit: Google Images

ABOVE: Directors Ryan McRee, Kristyn Lue, Chris Harral, Nathaniel Bennett, Emily Morehead, Nicole Hamre and Sarah Finn line up for a photo after their jobs well done! Credit: Alex Palomares

“Giants, their defense is much bet-ter.”

Mr. Rubio says,

By Paolo Cordero

Connor Chin, Class of 2013 says,

“I believe that the Niners game was rigged and the Super Bowl is going to be really boring now.” (Chin pictured above)

Ms. Briggs says, “Patriots, Tom Brady looks like he has some-thing to prove.” (Ms. Briggs pictured above)

Kelly Taylor, Class of 2012 says,

“Patriots,

Tom Brady is hot.” (Taylor pictured right)

2 The Dublin Shield News

Bringing in the New Year with a changeBy Swarna Lnu

ABOVE: Two men have just married to each other. They proudly display their love with the signs on the back of their tuxedoes. Creidt: Google Images.

Tropical Storm Washi Hits PhilippinesBy Lauren Koa

His Dream Came True By Natalie Miller

ABOVE: “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent.” -Martin Luther King. Credit: Google Images

While many of us around the world were celebrating holidays and visiting family this past December, the Philippines was hit with a tropical storm that killed over a thousand, left fifty missing, and affected one million Filipinos. For those who do not know, the Philippines is a small Southeast Asian country made up of islands very close to the equator. The Tropical Storm Washi, also known as Sendong, initially blew off the shore on a mountainous region on Mindanao, a southern island of the Philippines, where storms do not usually take place. From there, a flood of water streamed down the slopes of the mountains, bringing down trees and buildings, before finally hitting two major coastal cities, Iligan and Cayagan de Oro. The floods caught the country entirely by surprise. Many in Iligan and Cayagan de Oro slept that night and never woke up again. The two cities were devastated by the uprooted trees and mud that destroyed their homes. Those who survived had to make their way through the knee deep, muddy waters that went through their towns, to find help. Most of the deaths consisted of women and children that drowned in the homes that evening of the flood. The floods left even more Fili-pinos homeless, as hundreds of thousands had to evacuate out of their small make-shift homes located near the coast. As many as 45,000 people were forced to live in very cramped evacuation centers. The Philippine Red Cross had to hospitalize and treat many Filipinos, along with burying over a thousand dead bodies. The Philip-pine government also released that they made it a priority to give every victim a proper burial. Weeks after the storm, the Mindanao hospital also discov-ered roughly two hundred cases of Leptospirosis in its aftermath, due to many Filipinos’ struggles through the flooded waters. The World Health Organization states that Leptosprirosis affects both hu-

Admit it. Most of those read-ing this are teenagers, and most teens do not pay attention to the details. So when we had a Monday off from school we did not question it. January 16, we did not have school, do you know why? Thee date changes every year but it’s always on the third Monday of January, which is close to the time of King’s birthday, January 15. This year it’s January 16, and it marks the birthday of Reverend

Doctor Martin Luther King Junior. Martin Luther King was an iconic spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement. He was a pastor in Montgomery, Ala-bama and a member of the com-mittee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. King was also a man of boycott. After Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1, 1955, King coordi-nated the Montgomery bus boy-

cott. It was a 13-month mass that ended when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation on public buses was unconstitu-tional. While he was boycotting, King was arrested, his home was bombed, and he was subjected to personal abuse. King was ar-rested twenty times and assaulted at least four times. Throughout all of that he was still a great African American leader. King was a man of words. Be-tween 1956 and 1968, he trav-eled over six million miles and spoke over twenty-five hundred times. He is most famous for di-recting a peaceful march in Wash-ington, D.C., with 250,000 people to whom he gave his speech, “I Have a Dream.” When Martin Luther King Junior was thirty-five he was the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. King turned over all of the prize money, all $54,123 to the Civil Rights Movement. Sadly, on the evening of April 4, 1968 while he was standing on the balcony of his motel room in Tennessee, he was assassinated by James Earl Ray. Ray fired the bullet from a sniper rifle that hit Martin Luther King Junior in the jaw. So I hope that over Martin Luther King Junior Day, while you are sitting at home eating potato chips you tried to remember the great man the day was named after. The man who was not only a symbolic leader of African Ameri-cans but also a world figure; the man who refused to let go of his important dream and was killed because of it.

The year 2012 marked a new beginning for everyone around the world. Sunday, January 1, Hawaii and Delaware began allowing same-sex unions, and several couples came together in Honolu-lu, Hawaii’s capital, to become the first in the state’s history to enter into an union. Donna Hedge and her part-ner Monica Montgomery, along Micheal Clement and his partner Mac Gardner were two of the many couples to go down in the

both states’ history. In an interview with CNN, Donna Hedge stated, “We really don’t want to wait any longer because we have been together for 33 years waiting for the opportunity and our rights and everything that goes with it.” Counting Hawaii and Delaware, five states are in favor of the same-sex civil unions. These others are Illinois, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The National Conference of State Legislatures say the states provide the same

rights as a heterosexual couple is guaranteed. The NCSL also de-clares that states, like Massachu-setts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and the District of Columbia, give mar-riage licence to a same-sex union. Sadly, California, our Golden State, does not allow same-sex marriages to be performed. The Supreme Court once ruled that same-sex couples were guar-anteed the right to marry in Cali-fornia. Sadly, however, Proposition 8 was passed later in May of 2008 stating that a marriage consisted between a man and woman only.Then federal district judge said that Prop 8 violated our U.S. Constitution in 2010, but his ruling was dismissed later that year due to unknown reasons. At 10 a.m. on Sunday, Dela-ware’s new law was effective, and in Hawaii, online applications for the unions were available at midnight. Hawaii also stated that these unions will become valid once the ceremony is performed by someone licensed by the De-partment of Health. Monica Mont-gomery, partner of Donna Hedge, stated, “It means that our state supports us, and that’s a really good feeling after all this time.” Due to Hawaii and Delaware being accepting, California might be able to vote No on Prop 8. Not only does it affect California as a state, it also affects schools and communities across the state. Mrs.Hollison, current freshman English and Sophomore advanced English teacher, stated, “As somebody who is married, I feel everyone has the right to feel that happiness and connection.”

ABOVE: On December 17th, two cities in the Southern Philippines were flooded knee deep, killing roughly 1,200 Filipinos, many of which were sleeping that night. Survivors had to walk through the muddy waters to find relief.

ABOVE: The Philippines is affected by around twenty typhoons and storms a year, says the San Francisco Chronicle. But while tropical storms are not surprises in the country, it was the intensity of this storm, the location that was hit, and its chain reaction that caught the Philippine government off guard. Credit: Froilan Gal-lardo/AP

mans and animals, and is spread through water or soil infected by rodent urine and feces. Most cases have affected men, who tried to clean up and haul objects out of the flooded city, in the form of fevers, internal bleeding, organ failure and death. The Philippines had no idea that Washi would leave results so severe. Despite its inconve-nient timing of the holidays, the Philippines pulled together to raise funds internally and to treat the wounded and ill victims of Washi. Other parts of the country have created various fundraisers and events to bring in revenue to sup-port Washi’s victims. Luckily, the Philippine govern-ment did not have to act alone, as the country received much foreign aid in late December and early January. Foreign aid came from all around the world. Contributions were given by the United Nations, the European Union, the United States, Hong-Kong, Spain and many more, in the form of money, food and supplies. On January 5th, the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs declared that they had received around $19.2 million to support the victims of the tragic storm and flood. The DFA also declared that they had received much relief from the United Nations, in the form of $8.3 million in cash and roughly $11 million in the form of clothes, tents and food. CBC News reported that Presi-dent of the Philippines, Benigno Aquino III said that the “national government will do its best to pre-vent a repeat of this tragedy.” The Philippines will continue to remain strong during their time of hardship to rebuild the cities for those still homeless to have better protection prevention for other tropical storms to come. For infor-mation on more current updates of the Philippines and Washi, visit reliefweb.int. If you are interested in donating to the victims of Storm Washi, UNICEF and WorldVision have easy methods for you to donate online!

3 The Dublin ShieldEntertainment

The Devil Inside Leaves Viewers Wanting...Less?By Taylor Weber

ABOVE: The Devil Inside, where “no soul is safe” from demonic possession. Credit: Beyond Hollywood

The Devil Inside, directed by William Brent Bell, is a horror movie regarding demonic pos-session and exorcism. In the movie, Isabella Rossi (Fernanda Andrade) was on a mission to discover what had happened to her mother, Maria Rossi (Suzan Crowley), who allegedly murdered three people during an exorcism performed on her. She was cur-rently residing in an insane asylum in Rome when her daughter found her. Isabella was unsure of the current state of her mother and was unaware of how to help, so she sought professional help. In order to save her mother’s life she met with two ordained priests, Ben (Simon Quaterman) and David (Evan Helmuth). The priests did not resemble those of actual priests considering most would not go against the Church or smoke, causing the entire plot to be slightly thrown off since it was unrealistic. They informed Isa-bella that her mother was under demonic possession and stated that performing an unauthorized exorcism was against the Church

and could jeopardize their jobs. Isabella was relentless; she knew what was right and she demanded that it be done. Ben and David eventually gave in and brought her to witness an exorcism prior to her mother’s in order to give her a better understanding of them. During this exorcism the camera would sometimes shy away from the action and focus on Isabella, however, Isabella’s reaction was not the point of the movie and did not need to be added in. Soon after, they embarked on their new expedition for the next and most anticipated exorcism, Maria Rossi.Throughout the movie, the pressure and anxiety had gotten to all of them, causing the most horrific, yet conventional outcome. Throughout every moment, Michael (Ionut Grama), followed them and the chain of events that unfolded before their very eyes, with his camera always in hand to document each and every incident, making the scenes shaky and almost unbearable to watch. Similar to The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity the nau-seating camera work caused the characters to sometimes stare into the camera as they recited their lines, making one wonder if this was a production by middle school children. The documentary theme is unnecessary and overdone. Michael’s constant presence brought a slight annoyance among the group, causing for uncalled drama and tension. The Devil Inside is not a movie to see if you are expecting a thrilling horror movie that will prevent you from sleeping. If exorcism and demonic possession interest you, then this may be a movie for you. However, it is highly redundant and predictable with an ending that left the crowd with annoyed groans. I was left unimpressed, and I can assure you that others who went to see it will agree.

A Typical Action MovieBy Michael Nguyen

Universal Pictures. There is usually a lack of notable movies to be watched after the holiday seasons. This because the most anticipated blockbusters are usually released before then, when it is the most profitable. To fill this lull in the theatres, you might want to try the action thriller, Contraband. The movie is actually a remake of the Icelandic movie Reykjavík-Rotterdam that was released in 2009, which makes it rather early to have a remake of it filmed.This movie was produced by Universal Pictures and directed by Baltasar Kormákur. Interestingly enough, Kormákur was one of the actors that had starred in the Icelandic original. This movie is about a man named Chris Farraday, who is played by Mark Wahlberg. This role is basically the done-to-death role of the ex-criminal who is forced back into a life of crime due to unfortunate circumstances. Just when he thinks that he’s out, they pull him back in. In particular, this reminded me of The Godfa-ther III, where Michael Corleone just can’t escape his crime-riddled past. In this movie, Chris Farraday is an ex-contrabandist, which is someone who smuggles goods illegally in or out of a country. He is pulled back into the underworld after his brother-in-law Andy screws up a drug smuggling operation and is forced to pay the money back in full. This really is a race in time because Andy’s boss, Timm Briggs, is threatening to go after Farraday’s wife, played by Kate Beckinsale, if he doesn’t get the money within two weeks. While I saw that this movie wasn’t anything special, it was still a pretty solid action flick. Sure, it had its rather far-fetched moments in the movie which left the audience unconvinced that something like that would ever happen, but if you just switched off the questioning part of your brain then you’ll probably find a lot to enjoy. The ending of the movie was particularly worthwhile, because it ties up all the loose ends of the story with a series of twists. Contraband was released on January 13th and as of January 17, it has a score of 47% on the movie rating site Rotten Toma-toes, with an average score of 5.4 out of 10. While these scores are pretty mediocre, I think that this movie could be well worth watch-ing if you’re looking to fill that void in your weekend.

Many of you have heard of the hit television series The Vampire Diaries. There has been much debate on whether it is a must see show or not. With the involvement of vampires, werewolves, and witches, viewers think it may be very cliché. In the last five years, the movie series Twilight has changed everyone’s outlook on vampire romance stories, but I bid you not, The Vampire Diaries is something worth watching. The Vampire Diaries, which is now in its third season, has captured all of its fans due to the dark and intense plot line. From the death of family and friends to the twisted history of the vampires and werewolves, The Vampire Diaries has a great story line. The story is set in Mystic Falls where it focuses on main characters Elena, Damon, and Stefan. Vampire

brothers Damon and Stefan take an interest in Elena, who has a striking resemblance to their cre-ator and former flame Katherine. The brothers believe Katherine was trapped under a church in a tomb. During their attempt to free her they discover that Elena’s friend Bonnie is a witch. By the second season, Katherine makes a surprise visit to the brothers, threatening the love triangle that formed between Elena, Damon, and Stefan. During their struggles they dig deeper into the past, uncovering more secrets and surprises so that by the time the second season ended, fans were begging for more. The mystery and suspense displayed in the finale did a great job of setting a new introduction for the next season. As the third season came

The Vampire Diaries Takes a BiteBy Stephanie Lam

ABOVE: Cast members from the Vampire Dairies. (Left to right) Ele-na, Stephan, Jeremy, Daman, Caroline, and Bonnie. Credit: Google Images.

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around, more characters are introduced, as well as a ghost whisperer. The beginning half of this season focuses on the hybrid vampire/werewolf Klaus, his “dead” family, and the miss-ing Stefan. Damon and Elena are forced to team up to help find Stefan and stop Klaus from killing more people. Their necessity for each other starts to take its toll when Elena begins to fall for Damon even after finding Stefan. When they finally locate him, he has changed entirely because of the experiences and pain he went through being bound to Klaus. The first half of the third season ended with Stefan fighting back against Klaus, and Rebecca, Klaus’s sister, dying after she finds out the truth about the past and what hap-pened to her family. The series definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat, but it may be hard to keep up with because of the show’s fast pace. At times, it can introduce an on-slaught of new characters or have long confusing chains of events. Even though it can be a lot to take in and digest, the show does a good job of making it easy to comprehend. The Vampire Diaries will keep you awake for hours with its epic story line. Watch this excit-ing series every Thursday night on The CW at 8 p.m.

Things you can do with a space like this of your own:1) Say “hi” to your friends!

2) Thank your teachers for a job well-done!

3) Ask someone to the upcoming dance!

4) Ask a profound ques-tion and see how your peers respond!

The possibilities are endless!

Shield Shouts! On sale now:$5 for 140 characters$7 for characters and a B&W picture$9 for everything in color!

See Mr. Aminian in M203 before school or talk to a Journalism student**Their names are on the back

ABOVE: Mark Wahlberg plays an ex-criminal in the action movie, Contraband. Credit:

4 The Dublin Shield Sports

Gaels Send the Frustrated Wildcats HomeBy Kyle Dayton

Snap Back into the NBABy Hailai Arghandwal

On January 6, the Dublin Lady Gaels soccer team battled through blood, sweat, tears, and winter weather against a well-known DFAL foe, the Campolindo Cou-gars. Unexpectedly, Dublin fell short 0-1, but the scoreboard did not steal the spotlight from these athletically-talented young ladies, and the evident domination the Gaels demonstrated. At 6:15 p.m., Campolindo kicked off the game with a strong, upfield drive. The Cougars played with great confidence, but the Lady Gaels quickly reacted with a smooth and relaxed passing game. Ten minutes into the game, the Cougars drove a high and fast goal into the Gaels’ net, just outside the 18-yard box. That first goal awakened an aggressive change of pace for the Gaels, be-cause the ball found itself stuck in the Cougars’ danger zone. Almost immediately after the first goal, Kelly Radu (16) took a corner kick sending the ball inside the box, contacting Megan Zummo’s (22) hard header that was deflected

by a tumbling and rough Campo Goalie. From that moment on, it was clear that Dublin would bring a scare for the opposing team. The Gaels’ powerful front line consisted of Captains Rebecca Beasley (11) and Noria Mitchell (19). With Jesy Nelson (17), this trio proved hazardous for the Campolindo defense, driving shot after shot towards the net, which unfortunately never finished through. Nelson said, “We’ve been taught since day one that we can’t score by ourselves, we had to attack the opponents goal involving the whole team.” Up and down the field, Megan Zummo, Hailey Zummo (23), and Emma Schoenthal (4) posed as threats in the middle line, with great footwork and passing skill that excited and energized the night. Goal Keeper, Alex Brown (29), had great support from her de-fenders, Jacey Luzzi (14), Kelly Radu, Katie Somerville (5), and Joanna Giron (7). Holding their back line, the Campo strikers had no threat against this stable

combination of players. Captain Joanna Giron said their strategy was to, “pass the ball through the back line, switch the point of attack, then attack through their weak side.” Players, McKenzie Cooper (2), Caitlin Benoit (24) and Kyra Es-meyer (6) also made appearances on the field, withholding Dublin’s ball possession and executing key plays that created multiple turning points and amazing passes during the game. Coach Scott Schoenthal took pride in his players that evening and said, “They played fantastic, had many opportunities, stepped up to the challenge, and fought hard.” As a coach, there is noth-ing more he could ask from a team. There are many high expecta-tions for this year’s soccer teams, and Giron ended their first league loss with a different approach, “take advantage of the fact that you are given an opportunity to play one of the best sports of the world at Dublin High.”

A Lady Gael’s Friday Night LightsBy Paolo Cordero

ABOVE: The Lady Gaels huddle before kick off against Campo. CREDIT: Hailai Arghandiwal

The Dublin High Boy’s varsity basketball team played Dougherty Valley High School in an exciting game to start out the new year in the Dublin sports complex on January 3. The tip-off was at 5:30 p.m., which Dougherty Valley won, giv-ing them possession of the ball. The Gaels immediately set up a successful defense, and quickly took the ball from the Wildcats and

drove it up the court. Eric Nielson started the game off strong for the Gaels by scoring the first two points. Dublin continued racking up points and finally when the they were up 7-0, Dougherty Valley’s coach called a timeout. DVHS came out of their timeout pumped, and finally scored their first points of the game, to make the score 7-2. The Gaels continued to work

hard for the rest of the quarter, and when the buzzer sounded the score was 20-15. During the second quarter, the Wildcats at one point were able to take the lead when they were up 23-22, but it was short-lived as the Gaels quickly caught right back up. At the end of the first half, Dublin had a score of 35, 4 points ahead of Dougherty Valley’s score of 31. Coming out of halftime, the Gaels started on offense. The gap between the Gaels and Wildcats widened as the Gaels continued sinking shots. By the time the third quarter ended, Dublin was still winning with a score of 55-43. The fourth and last quarter began, and DVHS was deter-mined to step their game up. Dublin wouldn’t take it however, and fighting to the end, the varsity team wrapped up the game ahead by twenty points, with a score of 71-51. Basketball still has much of the season to come, and both the boy’s and girl’s teams have many important games left. The support of fans is always welcomed by the teams, so everyone is encouraged to go out and watch them play.

ABOVE: Cameron Moses scores a free throw helping the Gaels win big over Dougherty Valley. CREDIT: Kyle Dayton

After a great 2010 and 2011 NBA season, fans expected the usual with a short break and a new season to start on Novem-ber 1, 2011. The lockout began on July 1, 2011 and continued through December 8, 2011, which was very unexpected to the NBA fans. The beginnings of the lockout started with the dispute between team owners and players about their revenue, salary, and taxes. The Players Union was directed by Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers, where he and others tried to come to a compro-mise. However, it would seem that every time the owners and players met about the issue there would still be a grand difference between the two parties. The groups were divided completely as the players were on one end of the spectrum and the owners on the other. As the team owners and play-ers butted heads, the NBA fans longed for a quick and easy com-promise. Fans were distressed as they could no longer discuss the wins, losses, or predictions of their favorite team and player. Conversation about basketball was limited only to the lockout. Some people were angered that the players or owners didn’t come to a compromise just for the love of the game. Since teams were not able to play or practice ,workers for the arenas were also severely impacted. If there were no games to work at, then that meant no pay. In these difficult times, where people are living from paycheck to paycheck, the NBA lockout has had a large impact on society. Basketball lovers rejoiced after waiting about 161 days without any basketball. Fans were more than prepared for the season to begin, but soon other issues would come about, that would

delay team practices. Trading of players has been a very common idea between teams but people have never seen a trade problem quite like this. Many players were traded and new players were granted by the teams but one particular trade of a very prominent point-guard, Chris Paul (CP3), caused much controversy. Kevin Silky, was very disappointed and angered by the decision and believes, “David Stern is a hypo-crite for not letting Chris Paul go to the Lakers,” and instead, has higher hopes for the Oklahoma City, Thunder. The Hornets point-guard was supposed to be traded to the Lakers in a three team trade that would send Lamar Odom to the Hornets, and Pau Gasol to the Rockets. When NBA Commission-er David Stern stepped into the situation, people began to ques-tion the credibility of the National Basketball Association. Stern ve-toed the trade of Chris Paul, after being harangued by many team owners. He stated that his actions were strictly based on basketball decisions, but others say it was a business decision. Lamar Odom shocked and hurt by the situation, demanded an immediate trade to the Dallas Mavericks. With all of the issues said and done, fans were able to watch the sport and players they love during the holiday time. Now into the new year, teams are getting into their winning stride with the Chicago Bulls at top in the eastern con-ference and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the western confer-ence. Teams will continue to grow and get better, where the competi-tion will get tougher. But, the NBA Final Championship will determine the ultimate team of the 2011-2012 season.

BELOW: NBA stars Kobe Bryant and D’wayne Wade battle it out on the court. CREDIT: Google Images

CREDIT: Google Images

5 The Dublin ShieldStudent Life

Bow Down to Ms. BaumannBy Kathy Walker

Senior K.O. First Semester FinalsBy Jessica Rose

Gaels Rock 2 HARDBy David Diaz

Netiquette: A Guide to Internet EtiquetteBy Brynne Miller

If there is any teacher that has gained the most respect from their students it would be Ms. Baumann. Maybe it’s her ability to motivate students to perform to their full potential. It may even be her desire to create an environ-ment in the classroom enjoyable for everyone. But one thing is certain and that is, whether you have had her or not, much can be said about her and what it means to have her here at DHS. Ms. Baumann’s journey to DHS is a very interesting one indeed. It all started at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, where she received

her Bachelor of Science in Chemi-cal Engineering. And though she started working in industry out of college, she later decided to pursue her passion to teach. She found herself much more fulfilled while going to school at Cal State East Bay to receive her teaching credential in 2004 and has been teaching at DHS ever since. But what exactly does it mean for her to be a teacher at DHS? With the respect from students, Gael spirit, and supportive colleagues, there are simply too many things for her to list. She particularly ap-preciates the excitement to learn

and succeed beaming off of the students as a whole. She offers, “That’s what they do here; they encourage you to be your best.” Such types of atmospheres cannot be replaced as she finds that this is what she will miss the most when she moves to Ten-nessee next year. Her wonderful ways of running a classroom and communicating with her students are characteristics that will be cherished for years to come. Aside from her love for teaching, some of her other interests include photography, sports, reading, and the company of her friends. She enjoys traveling and has been learning to like running. Spending years at Dublin High has definitely changed Ms. Baumann as both a person and a teacher. She happily states, “I’m excited about the future because of the students I met.” In hopes of giving her students one of the best gifts a teacher could offer, she continues, “I hope I have taught them as much as they’ve taught me.” Though she will no longer be at DHS next year, she plans to con-tinue her teaching career in Ten-nessee. She explains, “It’s hard to imagine a school as supportive and energetic to work in.” Regard-less of whether Ms. Baumann is at DHS or a school on the other side of the country, it can be guaran-teed that the legacy she leaves with her students will be appreci-ated by any school.

ABOVE: Ms. Baumann gets ready for her class of eager students to come in. CREDIT: Kathy Walker

First Semester of the 2011-2012 school year at Dublin High has come to a close, and we all know that finals have just passed. For some students, these are no ordinary tests. Those students are the seniors here at DHS, who are finally coming to realize that they have just experienced the first most important tests of their last year in high school. In the midst of all the chaos of last minute college applications, along with the stress of awaiting acceptance letters from desired schools, some seniors tend to overlook the very scores that could have a major impact on their future. Finals are a huge deciding factor in your overall grade for a semester. If you do well, your grade can be raised, or stay at a high percentage, if it had already been at one. If you do poorly, then your grade is sure to decline,

as we know that most, if not all, account for at least 10 percent of your grade in each class. The results will be seen by more than yourself, so finals should be taken seriously. A few members of the 2012 se-nior class, have made it clear how they are feeling about the finals they have just taken and where their confidence lies. When asked how she is feeling, knowing finals crept up quickly, Kelsey Ballard stated, “I feel good and I am glad that first semester is almost over.” During this semester of finals, the seniors had been prepared for classes such as: civics, econom-ics, physics, English, statistics, calculus, and various electives they may be participating in. “I wasn’t that worried about finals,” Dylan Bunio answered in an interview. “It doesn’t feel that different. I just needed to get what I needed to work on done. It does

feel kind of strange, going into the next thing, but I kept on studying like I have every other year.” When it comes to studying, stu-dents have said they studied and did their best to keep on track and not get distracted or procrastinate. Will Orosco had explained that he, “Went over basics, previous chapters, and tests,” from his classes so far this year. Some stu-dents had taken the incentive not to worry about every final on the same day, trying to cram in all of the important information, but in-stead, sat down and tackled each set of finals one day at a time. “I wasn’t worried,” Mr. Orosco said in confidence. Well, there you have it. Accord-ing to the comments that were made, finals are not a scary thing, and no one should have been ex-periencing any “pre-finals” jitters. It is certain that next semester’s finals will go off without a hitch.

These days, it’s all about living in the moment; instant gratifica-tion, living life based on impulse, and how to get what we want fast-est. Social networking is a huge part of that “living in the present” lifestyle that has been adapted by so many people in our generation. But sometimes, in our search for the biggest and fastest, we seem to act without thought. “Social net-working grew faster than our abil-ity to be deliberate,” says Maureen Byrne, assistant principal here at Dublin High. Byrne coined a term know as “Cyber Citizenship.” Cyber Citizenship is just a way to have a proper citizenship with the Internet, social networking and email in specific. Facebook allows users to post a status, which is then available to all “friends” to see. “Some people post without think-ing. Like, some things they say have no relevance to the world,” says Alex Cappa, a junior. Some things are best saved for face-to-face conversation, or an email. “Think before you write. Don’t say anything that is slanderous, liable, or provocative,” says Byrne. “It leads to a greater increase in fights, and potential for conflict. It impacts so many people and spreads like wildfire.” A popular way to get revenge is to post a status on Facebook re-ferring to the situation. “Don’t post

your problems,” begs Elena Val-dick, sophomore.” It’s just stupid. Everyone can see it. Don’t post something that personal. Don’t blast people over the Internet.” Mrs. Byrne gives us a good checklist to go through before posting. “Make sure you know your audience. Consider your tone. Remember the written word does not have the same nuances as face-to-face conversation, such as sarcasm.” Katarina Sims, a junior, says, “Don’t post if it would offend people, if it’s weird, or if they’re angry. Also, don’t update your status every hour.” On the flip side, good posts and comments are “funny, and entertaining,” says Valdick. “Don’t be too serious.” “Post puns!” Says Cappa. Things that funny, light-hearted, and opti-mistic are generally more well-re-ceived. Lucas Hernandez, junior, says, “Post stuff that’s funny, or big events.” Although living the “fast life” is a huge part of our generation, sometimes we need to slow it down and just take a moment to think and make rational decisions about what we want to be shown on the Internet.. Rene Descartes once said, “I think, therefore, I am.” If we take moments to think and decide, we will be more in touch with the world, and others.

ABOVE: Paolo Cordero, studying hard for finals. CREDIT: Jessica Rose

Nowadays, concerts and shows are becoming so overpriced that it feels almost impossible to find cheap tickets without sitting in the “nose bleeds.” Well, do I have news for you. For the second year, DHS is hosting “Gaels Rock 2” a live performance of high school Bands and singers who are sure to have the crowd head banging! The show was created as a fund-raiser for The Dublin High School Band. Much like the very popu-lar Mr. Dublin and Talent Show events,The Battle of The Bands brings in large numbers of stu-dents and parents of all ages, but distinct to the Battle of the Bands, fans can cast their votes on their idea of the best performance in order to determine the winning Band, singer, or performance of the night. Stepping up to the occasion, Hostess’s (Junior) Madison West and (Senior) Rachel Reed prom-ise this years show to be even more enticing then the last. Spon-sored by “Kirkland Guitar” Gaels Rock 2 will be ”More professional with intense lighting and awesome performers” as stated by Madison.

Not that into rock? No Problem! genres playing this year include Pop, Rock, Indie and other unique styles rivaling bands such as Radio Head, Flyleaf, and Para-more. Performers include DHS bands and local performers from Cal High. Last year’s show was stated to have brought in a huge turnout and was a thrill for everyone that showed up. Dylan Bunio explained that “the first show was good but this years is gonna be even bet-ter! I can’t wait to see all the new bands perform, I can tell that it’s gonna be a good show.” Performing this year Taylor Web-ber and her band, At Any Moment, are “excited to thrill the crowd” and hope they can impress them enough to be titled this years win-ners. It sounds like there are high hopes for this years event so don’t hesitate to stop by Saturday Feb-ruary 4th! Tickets will go on sale for $8 for high school students and $10 for adults. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., so don’t miss out on this rocking event!

CREDIT: CeiCei Wijayang

6 The Dublin Shield Student Life

Juggling the Ball and the BookBy Chandler Bullock

ABOVE: Ina Deljkic (pictured left) talks to her team before their January 6 game against Miramonte. Credit: Kim Baumann

When the other team sees her she may seem like any other player on the girls basketball team. But she is a different caliber of player, although it may not seem so if a fan were to focus their attention to her. After spend-ing half of the game on the bench cheering and waiting she came into the game and played all of 6 minutes and 10 seconds, while sick, in a drubbing of Las Lomas in which the Gaels won 73-38. The final Knight free-throw clanged off of the rim and the buzzer signaled the end to the game. It may mean the end of the night for many players as they would go home and eat dinner and sleep. But for #43 it meant more work needed to be done. But not on the basketball court. Number 43, is Ina Deljkic, or as many more students may know her, the ASB Treasurer. Her work that needed to be done was not on the court, but in preparation for the next day in the classroom.

When Ina gets home from a game that ended at 8:30 she will have to stay up until 11:30 to finish her homework on a regular night, then get up at 6:00 a.m. and do it all over again. That leaves a mere six and a half hours of sleep, two hours less than the minimum necessary for teens according to kiddshealth.org. This is the double-life of many Scholar-Athletes at Dublin High. For six hours a day they are in the classroom working hard and getting good grades. After school they change (both physically and mentally) into any other athlete on their team. But once their sport is done they have to do more work than a regular athlete, having to do their large amount of home-work and rehabbing just like many other athletes. The difficult part about being a scholar-athlete for Collin Hartland, All-League Forward for the men’s soccer team, is “it does have its consequences of being tired in

class or making it harder to focus. Also on game days, the game is all that is really on your mind and you need to really try hard to focus in class.” But many students like Dejkic and Hartland thrive in this Clark Kent lifestyle, where one minute they are trying to find the potential and kinetic energies of a fall-ing brick, and the next they are sinking a three as time runs out, or volleying in the game winning goal. Ina is one of those students who works in this lifestyle as she believes “that it forces you to get your homework done quicker.” Although it may be difficult work, and causes Deljkic to lose more sleep during basketball season, she does not ever regret playing basketball because she “enjoys playing a sport she loves.” Being a high school athlete is truly unlike any other athletic competition that goes on in one’s life. There are so many aspects to a high school athlete’s life that there is to deal with. Many people are stuck in the purgatory between an athlete and a scholarly student. In this life it may mean that a student’s time is the one constant. The balance has to lean one way or the other. When Hartland was asked, as such a talented soccer player, why he does have such a focus in the classroom he replied that “soccer is really a privilege for me and that it is not going to dictate the rest of my life. Once I am out of college, I may never play on an organized team again.” It is a tough decision that all scholar-athletes need to make, and one day have to make the decision as to follow their love and passion or move into the working world, and leave the sport they have been dreaming of playing since they were a kid.

I see you, I see the light but hurry, come here,before I lose my sight!

My brain can’t think without you near me and my heart can’t beat, seriously!

You might know the real me, inside and outbut just to let you know there are secrets that I don’t shout.

Your eyes are open, looking at me, I can’t stop staring,can you believe?

I have to say, that one word again, I hate it so much but please don’t press send!

My heart tells me yes while my brain says no,I can’t decidewhich way to go!

It’s the time to say it,one last time, so I guess this is goodbye!

I Don’t Ever Want To Say Goodbyeby: Michelle Goldstein

Opinion

The Dublin Shield would like to send out its sincerest appreciation to the members of the Dublin PFSO for their generous donation. Words do not describe the amount of gratitude we have. Your contribution keeps journalism alive at Dublin High.

Many, many thanks.

Sincerely,

Dublin Vacuum7055 Village Parkway925-829-7177

Great Prices on Vacuums, and Vacuum Repair!

Attention! Attention! Attention!The Academic Block D Application Period is February 1-15, 2012

Grades from Fall semester will be used for this application.

Applications are available on the DHS website and in the Counseling Office February 1-15.

Don’t miss out!

Attention! Attention! Attention!

7 The Dublin Shield Opinion

The Problem with the Electoral CollegeBy Jasmine Virk

ABOVE: The Electoral College turns the voting system into a com-plicated process that can result in either candidate coming out on top, no matter the result of the popular vote. Credit: Dave Granlund

As the United States edges closer to the 2012 presidential elections, citizens across the na-tion flock to cast their votes in the next primaries and caucuses. After the Democratic and Republican National Conventions have taken place and each party has selected their candidate for President, it is time to vote. Well, not exactly. Instead of having citizens directly vote for who they want to lead the nation, America utilizes a system known as the Electoral College. The Electoral College was cre-ated in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Penn-sylvania. The Founding Fathers faced the difficult question of how to elect the president without giv-ing neither the federal nor state government too much power. They also had to consider the fact that America was spread out for thousands of miles along the At-lantic Seaboard without rapid and effective transportation or commu-nication. The Convention realized that trusting Congress to elect the president would only open the federal government to corruption and animosity. Relying on state legislatures would only result in a president too indebted to the state and they could not entrust the public because they would not have sufficient information about candidates outside their state. Eventually, they decided on a system that consists of 538 electors appointed by each state to elect the President and Vice President of the United States. In other words, citizens’ votes do not go directly towards their favorite candidate but instead are used to elect a delegate. All of these delegates then meet at National Conventions to vote for the candidate they have pledged to support. Naturally, the Electoral College presents many problems to the American voting system and can greatly impact the results of elections. First, the electoral college gives disproportionate voting power to certain states, favoring smaller states that have more electoral votes per person. The way that electors are given are equal to the number of members in the U.S. House of Representatives the state has plus two for its Senators. However, smaller states are given additional electors in an attempt to prevent politicians from only focusing on larger states. This is unfair because it means that each

individual vote in a less populous state such as Wyoming counts nearly four times as much in the Electoral College as each indi-vidual vote in Texas. This leads candidates to campaign in these smaller states where they can get more bang for their buck. Another issue with the Electoral College is that many delegates are not obligated by law to vote for the candidate that they were elected by the public to vote for. It does not matter if these del-egates only won because they represented a certain candidate, after the delegate wins, they can use their vote however they wish. These delegates are called faith-less electors and though it does not happen often, it can still have a large impact on the outcome of an election. This unequal measure of electoral votes and freedom of delegates also allows a candidate to actually lose the nationwide popular vote but still be elected president thanks to the Electoral College. In order to win the presi-dential election, a candidate only needs to win 270 electoral votes. In fact, to reach 270 a candi-date would only need to win the electoral vote of eleven states: California, New York, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia. This has happened three times in the history of American politics, most recently in the 2000 election when George W. Bush beat Al Gore by winning the Electoral College even though he lost the national vote. Although it rare for a candidate to win the presidency despite losing the popular vote, it is still a monumental mistake that affects the entire nation. The best alternative to the Elec-toral College would be a direct vote by the public. Thanks to the technology we have available today, candidates are able to cam-paign to citizens across the nation. Technology also presents us with an easy way for the public to cast their vote. A direct vote would also allow the more popular candidate to win every time without error. As a democracy and a free nation, we deserve to have a system that allows to us to vote for our leader without fear of our decision being overturned. The Electoral College is an outdated system that has been long overdue for a change.

Don’t Take Things For GrantedBy Celena Lozano

ABOVE: Jessyca before she got leukemia. Credit: Jessyca Abuan

Most people do not realize what they have until it is gone. Some people get the chance to see that before it is too late. About a month ago, my mom told me that my cousin, Jessyca, was very sick and she was in the hospital, but they didn’t know what was wrong with her. On November 20, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Jessyca is 15 years old. As soon I heard the news, I got scared because my first thought was, “Can you die from that?” Jessyca has type-T leukemia, which is curable, but still a scary long process. After I went to see her in the hospital I realized that I was taking life for granted and not living life how I should. When everything first happened,

things were a little crazy in our family because no one really knew about leukemia and everyone was very worried about Jessyca and her family, especially her mom. It is hardest for them because none of our family knows what they are going through, so we cannot say “I know how you feel”. People don’t realize how those words hurt the people going through rough times, because they know that you actu-ally don’t know how they feel. The whole process of leukemia for Jessyca will take about two years. The first phase is chemo-therapy, a type of treatment that uses drugs to kill leukemia cells. For weeks she had to go to the Oakland Kaiser Hospital every morning to receive the chemo

there. Now, she is doing chemo treatments at home. After she’s done with that, she’ll have two weeks of radiation, which is the use of high-dose X-rays to treat cancer cells. In February and March she will repeat the chemo at home and radiation again. After that she will go into maintenance and get chemo once a month for the rest of the year. At the start of the second year of the process she’s going through, she will start getting oral chemotherapy. Although it is a very good thing that her type of leukemia is cur-able, she will not be able to have a normal teenage life for the next couple years. She rarely has enough strength to get up and walk around, so she just stays home all day watching TV or sleeping, most of the time feeling pain. She can start going back to school her junior year , but for now she is going to be home schooled. She is going to miss out on play-ing sports, which she loves, and any school events. I asked her how she felt about her situation and she said, “It affected me in a positive and negative way. I look at things in different ways now and I appreci-ate the little things way more. But not being able to do certain things and having side affects to chemo treatments can bring me down some times”. Jessyca is a fighter, so I know that everything she has to go through will only make her stron-ger. But it is a wake up call to re-mind her and everyone else, that if today was your last day, could you say that you are satisfied with your life? Live every day like it’s your last.

2012: Are These the Final Days?By D’Ajah Turner

Will the world end in 2012? This is the question that is on everyone’s mind this year. The Apocalypse means, according to the Mayans, “Lifting of the Veil” or “Revelation”. It is also the com-mon name for the end of time. The Mayan calendar is what started the controversy about 2012. The Mayan calendar was used in pre-Colombian times, and currently in Guatemala and parts of Mexico. It first came to the rest of the world in 1966. Author Mi-chael D. Coe suggested that if the Mayans thought that the start of their Long Count calendar in 3114 BC represented the creation, then

the end of the world would come when the calendar reached its end in 2012. Many authors that came after Coe followed in his thoughts. Scholars studying Mayan inscription couldn’t find evidence the Mayans themselves believed that the end of the world would take place. Researchers never corrected the authors. After the doomsday prediction failed in 2000, they started looking for a new date. What they didn’t know was the calendar doesn’t end; it clicks over to a new period. After Planet X, which is supposed to be an undiscovered planet floating around our solar system didn’t col-

ABOVE: An illusion of Planet X hitting the earth surface. Credit: www.thelittlebookopened.org

lide with Earth in 2003, the arrival was postponed until 2012. None of the information had scientific evidence, so many think Planet X is a fraud. All that information leads us to today. The Apocalypse date is De-cember 21, 2012. There are many movies made upon this disaster. In 2009, director Roland Emm-erich filmed 2012, which showed gripping visuals of the possible fate that this year may bring. The movie showed us global cata-clysm that will bring us to the end and how we will survive. Many teachers, especially his-tory teachers, have something to say about this theory. Mrs. Shar-bach, from Fallon Middle School asks her class, “Are you really going to believe the Mayans when they thought ripping hearts out would make it rain?” She makes really good points to put her class at ease about the world ending. She also tells her history class, “People are looking for an answer to life’s questions like - why am I here. They want a beginning, middle and end - they are not comfortable with not knowing. I think we (people) have a tendency to create a problem where there is none. Don’t panic!” Many people around the school don’t feel threatened by what is scheduled for our future. That is good because the more we stress about it, the more chaos we will bring. No one really knows the time and day the world will go so we should celebrate the days we have.

8 The Dublin Shield Friday, January 27th, 2012

Managing EditorChandler Bullock

Layout EditorsStephanie Lam

Minu SonaliCelena Lozano

News EditorJasmine Virk

Opinion EditorsAnnette Sommers

Natalie Miller

Entertainment EditorsMichael Nguyen

Taylor Weber

Sports EditorsKyle Dayton

Kathleen Walker

Campus Life EditorsPaolo Cordero

David Diaz

Photo EditorsLauren FlintJessica Rose

Artwork EditorDajah Turner

Distribution ManagerHalai Arghandiwal

Public Relations ManagerSwarna Lnu

Advertising ManagerBrynne Miller

AdviserBidjan Aminian

Editor-in-ChiefLauren Koa

The Dublin Shield Staff

Mission Statement: The Dublin Shield is Dublin High’s exclusive student-run newspaper with the intent to inform the community of what is happening on and off campus. We provide entertaining and factual articles to educate and enlighten our peers. Through the dedication and hard work of our staff, we produce a well organized monthly news periodical. We strive for journalistic excellence in all of our endeavors and hope to produce a product that satisfies our readers.

How To: Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

STEP 1: REMIND YOURSELF.

First, remind yourself why you made this resolution in the first place and why it’s important.. Now, leave yourself daily reminders. This

will help you keep your eye on the prize. Write in your planner or on your calender stating the tasks you need to complete in order to

become closer to reaching your goal. You can also write motivational notes as well. Almost everyone owns a cellular device of some kind,

and let’s be honest, a majority of us are glued to them; so set an alarm or add an event on your phone calender and you’re bound to see

it while you’re texting your BFF or playing Temple Run. Another method is to write quick reminders on post-it notes and leave them in

convenient places that you look at often throughout your day. Leave one on your bathroom mirror and take a glance at it every time

you take a trip to the john or brush your teeth. Put one on your car dash board or steering wheel. You can think about your goal while

you’re on the go and jamming out to LMFAO or driving through Taco Bell.

STEP 2: MOTIVATE YOURSELF

Think about the end result you

are striving for and why you need

to get there. For example, if your

resolution is to live a healthier

lifestyle, think about how much

better you will feel if you can make

that happen. Even if you are really

craving that double fudge brownie,

or don’t want to get up early and

go to the gym, remember that

the end result will be SO worth it.

You may not get to enjoy as many

treats, and get a little sore from

running on the treadmill, but in the

end you will be proud of the life-

style changes you made. If you do

everything with the end in mind,

you may be surprised how much

easier it is to get things done.

Making a New Year resolution is easy; but sometimes it’s keeping up with your resolution that

proves to be the real challenge. Here are a few tips you can take in order to show that resolution

who’s boss and accomplish your goal:

By Lauren Flint

STEP 4: REWARD YOURSELF.

Giving yourself a pat on the back is actually more affective than you might think. If your resolu-

tion is doing all of your homework, you can reward yourself by finishing early and going out to

get ice cream with friends or seeing a movie. You should be proud of yourself, and remember, just

accomplishing your tasks and goals will prove to be rewarding enough.

STEP 3: PACE YOURSELF.

Let’s face it, we all get lazy. You may be really excited about your resolution and tell

yourself you are going to do all these crazy things like go to the gym twelve times a week and

only eat spinach for three months. Well let me tell you, that is going to get old real fast. In-

stead you are going to find yourself going to the gym once a week, only to check out that hot

yoga instructor, and eating panda express for dinner every night. In order to actually keep

up with your resolution, you need to be realistic. Start off going to the gym twice a week and

eating more fruits and veggies, and then you can always work up to something more drastic.

Even if your resolution is something totally different, like saving money, you must pace

yourself so that you will last and not lose sight of your goal. If you need to save up for college,

its probably not realistic to put away half of each paycheck and live off of Top Ramen for

the next two years. If you were to take that approach, you may just think its not worth it and

give up. Put twenty bucks in your savings account each week and quit going to the movies

every other weekend. Soon the money will start to add up. Realistic pace is key.

These tips will surely help you stay on track with your resolution. You can do it! Good luck Dub-

lin High!

The donation process is much simpler than one may initially think. “A typical donation process lasts about 45 minutes”, according to the Dublin Red Cross representa-tive, Edward Faso, who will be monitoring the DHS blood drive next week. Held in the school cafeteria, the drive is open to all parents, teachers, students, and members of the community. Appointments for donations can be made in student activities and are preferred, although walk-in donors are always welcome. Any additional information regarding consent forms for those under 18, or eligibility requirements can be found in student activities. If the past situations were not incentive enough to en-courage donations, then hopefully the fact that our rivals at Dougherty Vally High School have challenged us to beat their amount of blood donations will encourage more volunteers. Dougherty Valley had their blood drive earlier this year, and managed to get 72 units, which is about 24 donors. With the incredible spirit we have here at Dublin High and in the Dublin community, it seems safe to say we can greatly surpass this goal. Keeping in mind the reason for donating, saving lives, it is crucial to remember that every donor counts.

Annette’s CAT

CORNER

BLOOD DRIVE CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE: