Photo
sonomadragonstale.com
December 2010 - Volume 20 - Issue 4 - Sonoma Valley High School
Policy in
transition:
no more
Saturday
school
By Grace Bon and
Samantha Salek
It has come to the attention of
SVHS students that Saturday
school sessions have not been
offered this past semester. Pre-
viously, Saturday school was the
only way for students to regain
lost credits due to tardies and
cuts. For this reason, some have
expressed concerns regarding
whether or not they have lost
credits this semester.
However, Principal Dino Batt-
aglini assures that this not the
case. “We’re not going to punish
students if we can’t offer them a
way to make up credits,” he said.
This means that students who
have cut class or received tardies
will not lose any credits in their
classes for this semester.
The lack of Saturday school is
due to the reallocation of funds
to middle school intervention
programs. Because of this, the
administration has not had the re-
sources to pay instructors to over-
see Saturday school sessions.
This change is not necessarily
permanent. “There will be discus-
sions in the future regarding Satur-
day school,” said Battaglini. “They
just haven’t happened yet.”
According to Luther Cenci,
ASB Financial Advisor, “The
loss of Saturday school provides
an opportunity for the school to
adress the root cause of cutting.”
Students should have activities
in class that require attendance.
Mr. Battaglini cautions stu-
dents that there are still other
disciplinary consequences for
not going to class, such as de-
tentions and referrals, as well as
a decrease in grades in frequent-
ly cut classes.
The administration does not
want to give the student body a
false impression of the subject,
saying it could cause confusion.
According to Mr. Battaglini, the
issue is on hold for now, but
there may very well be Saturday
school again this year.
sonomadragonstale.com
Ballet in the
spotlight
page 7
Holiday care package to Afghanistan
By Emily Wood
‘Tis the season to be generous, to
give and to receive, but the best gifts
are selfless, like the care packages
SVHS classes sent to Army Rang-
ers stationed in the cold mountains
of Northern Afghanistan.
Bernadette Weissmann, World
History teacher, Driver’s Ed intruc-
tor, and track coach, pioneered a
project to send the Army Rang-
ers care packages just in time for
Christmas this year.
Ms. Weissmann has a personal
connection to the soldiers. “At the
time of the September 11 incident,
I had six family members in the
armed forces.”
“I have a friend named Adam Mc-
Carty stationed in the mountains [of
northern Afghanistan] right now,”
Ms. Weissmann mentioned. “It’s
his fourth year over there.”
Her personal connections to Af-
ghanistan led her to involve all
three of her A-day classes in the
project. “The students are happy
to help,” she remarked.
Participation, however, was not
limited to just her classes. Both
students and teachers helped send
packages to Afghanistan. Ms.
Weissmann frequently sends care
packages, so people are always
welcome to help.
“It’s been a while since I last sent
one, but I usually send one or two
a month,” commented Ms. Weiss-
mann. “Sometimes my family and
New garden park combats invasion of non-native plants
Landscape workers haul dirt out of the lot behind SVHS to make way for the new
Nathanson Creek Native Plant Demonstration Garden.
Hannah Weber, Austin McRoberts, Leo Ruiz, and Leanne Woods, sophomores, prepare holiday care packages in Ms. Weiss-
mann’s class for shipment to troops in northern Afghanistan.
I will just throw stuff together in
a package and send it over to Af-
ghanistan.”
The contents of the packages
included snacks, band-aids, water
purifiers, and hand warmers for
Army Rangers, who have to stand
on guard duty in the freezing cold
weather. Money was also donated
to Ms. Weissmann to contribute to
her and her student’s efforts.
David Donnelley, economics
teacher, donated a significant amount
of money to the cause. “Anyone
who has the spirit of giving, I’ll sup-
port,” Mr. Donnelley asserted.
Photo by Thomas Perot
Jazzberries
dazzle
page 3
“These contributions are all very
helpful, but letters to the troops
are especially appreciated. It can
be thank-you letters [for their hard
work], or just personal stuff,” stated
Ms. Weissmann.
“I got some letters from students
when I was in the Marines,” re-
called Mr. Donnelley. “It made it
all worth while.”
Ms. Weissmann, however, ini-
tially deliberated on whether or
not to involve the school. “I was
concerned that people would think
this was a political movement. In
the end, though, I decided that the
By Caity Tremblay
California’s been invaded.
Non-native plants are a plague
throughout the SVHS and Na-
thanson Creek area, strangling na-
tive plants that support a healthy,
natural ecosystem. To combat this
foreign vegetation occupation, the
Sonoma Ecology Center is creat-
ing a native plants demonstration
garden behind SVHS along East
MacArthur St.
“[The Ecology Center] has
a partnership with the City of
Sonoma and the School District to
help restore the area around Na-
thanson Creek,” explained Mark
Newhouser, restoration program
manager for the Ecology Center.
The park will be divided into
Boys’ basketball page 6
Photos by Jordan Albertson
Army Rangers are putting their
lives on the line, so I went through
with it. Setting a good example is
the most important thing.”
Ms. Weissmann set an extraodi-
nary example for her students, and
the Army Rangers surely appreci-
ated it.
islands of native plants repre-
senting various species. “Each
island is like its own ecosystem.
We’ll have a wildflower garden,
oak woodland, scrub, marsh [and
more],” Newhouser continued.
Volunteers from Americorps and
the Conservation Corps are work-
ing with the Ecology Center to
cultivate the park: tossing the soil,
installing an irrigation system, and
finally placing the plants. The park
will also feature new bike racks,
benches, and walkways between
the scenic garden plots.
The Nathanson Creek Restora-
tion Project planted a line of oaks
along the bike path behind SVHS
last yea. The restoration efforts
are making SVHS a more eco-
logically friendly campus.

Saturday school put on hold
By Liam Casey
SVHS students are no longer bur-
dened with the prospect of having
to make up lost credits. Although
this change is “temporary” as Prin-
cipal Dino Battaglini put it, and is
“still up for discussion,” and likely
to change once again.
The administration reallocated
the funding for Saturday school,
some 10,000 dollars, to fund in-
tervention programs for middle
and elementary school students.
Theoretically, the money will be
“repaid” by ensuring future in-
coming students have up-to-par
grades, and understand the mate-
rial being taught.
The temporary changes came as
a result of the switching to Aver-
age Daily Attendance (A.D.A)
system, where the school is funded
by the attendance of the students,
to a Basic Aid system. With the
Basic Aid system, the school is
funded through its property taxes.
Initially, Saturday school was
set up by Vice-Principal Paul
Tuohy, and Matt Jacobson about
12 years ago as a so-called “in-
terventionary outlet.” This term,
however, is something of a mis-
nomer as it seems it was really set
up as a “net” to collect the coins
that had “rolled” off the table with
students cutting class, and secure
TSA responds to screening concerns
By Samantha Salek
By now, most US citizens have
heard of the recently implemented
screening procedures that the Trans-
portation Security Administration
(TSA) has placed in airports across
America. These new procedures in-
clude invasive full-body scanners
and intrusive “enhanced pat-downs.”
Over the last month since the new
procedures were put into effect, TSA
has been forced to respond to numer-
ous worries and questions from con-
cerned fliers. They have done so with
varying degrees of compromise.
Responding to concerns that newly
implemented screening procedures
can psychologically torment and trig-
ger survivors of sexual assault and
abuse, TSA’s head, John Pistole, stat-
ed that, “the agency is contemplating
minor changes to be more sensitive to
some groups, such as victims of sex
abuse.”
This response, however, leads to
many of new questions. How might
TSA agents go about determining
which travelers have been sexually as-
saulted? Perhaps by survey? “Check
here if you’ve been sexually assault-
ed or abused in your lifetime, so we
know not to publicly grope you?” It
~Dragon’s Tale Staff~
ADVISER - Alison Manchester
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Caity Tremblay
COPY EDITOR - Luther Cenci
NEWS EDITORS - Caity Tremblay, Jamie Ballard, Grace Bon
OP/ED EDITOR - Samantha Salek
FEATURE EDITORS - Caity Tremblay, Lindsey Jasperse, Arianna Mayso-
nave
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR - Luther Cenci
PHOTO EDITOR - Thomas Perot
SPORTS EDITORS - Adam Kohut, KC Jeppesen
BUSINESS MANAGER - Emily Wood
REPORTERS - Arianna Maysonave, KC Jeppesen, Luther Cenci, Lindsey
Jasperse, Emily Wood, Jamie Ballard, Adam Kohut, Grace Bon, Thomas
Perot, Jessica Marioni, Liam Casey, Samantha Salek, Caity Tremblay
PHOTOGRAPHERS - Thomas Perot, Arianna Maysonave, Lindsey Jas-
perse, Emily Wood, Jamie Ballard, Jordan Albertson, Jessica Marioni
ART AND GRAPHICS -Sebastian Amara, Emily Wood
Dragon’s Tale
the floating funds from the A.D.A.
system.
With the change, and the funds re-
allocated, Saturday school had no
place in this environment. When
a student cuts class, the funds from
the A.D.A. system for that student
are not secured, and thus cannot be
collected. When a student goes to
Saturday school, and makes up the
cut, the funds can be secured and
collected by the school.
Saturday school was used to
counter loss of funds because of
student truancy, but unfortunately,
“students evolved” according to
Tuohy, and “started to use Satur-
seems entirely implausible that the
agency would be able to single out
specific groups to not pat down, and
yet failure to address these concerns
could be extremely detrimental.
This statement, of course, might
also be a way to emptily address
concerns with no real plans in place
to follow-up on the issue. The hope,
perhaps, is that as soon as the public
furor has died down and the media
has moved onto other issues, TSA
will be able to continue their prac-
tices without interference.
These new screening procedures are
more effective than the old system,
Opinion - Editorial
Cartoon by Sebastian Amara
day school to rationalize cutting
class.”
The original purpose of Satur-
day school started to glow dimmer
and dimmer as students abused the
system to make up for credits that
were lost due to excessive inten-
tional cuts. However, even with
the new system in place, students
still continue to abuse attendance
by cutting.
Unfortunately, some students
are under the misconception that
there are no consequences for cuts,
other than loss of credit, which is
no longer in place. Principal Batt-
aglini commented, “There are still
Cartoon by Sebastian Amara
right? Otherwise, why would TSA
feel a need for the change? Pisotle
has openly stated that the screening
machines are “not a perfect system,”
but might this imperfect system still
be better than the one that has re-
portedly allowed terrorists to board
planes? Perhaps, but the oft told story
of a terrorist who attempted to blow
up a plane in late 2009 that has been
used by news sources to back up the
progression into this new screening
policy fails to mention that the so-
called “underwear bomber” boarded
the plane he intended to bomb in
Amsterdam.
This begs the question: was there
even a problem with US airport
security that needed correction in
the first place? If the only terror-
The Dragon’s Tale is a public forum newspaper produced by the Sonoma Valley High School Newspaper
class. The newspaper attempts to inform its audience in a broad, fair and accurate manner on all subjects, and
to encourage an exchange of ideas and opinions on issues of prominence to the readers.
The newspaper staff encourages letters for opinions and responses on the content of the publication. Only
signed letters will be considered for publication. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all letters for
content.
No material, opinionated or otherwise, will be printed which is libelous, irresponsible, advocates an illegal
activity or which the editorial staff deems in poor taste.
Editorials reflect the collective views of the staff and will not contain bylines. Other opinionated pieces will
include editor’s columns, feature columns, letters-to-the-editor, and entertainment reviews.
If the staff discovers that a mistake has eluded the editors, a correction will be printed in the next issue.
Page 2
consequences: a S.A.R.B. board
[for truancy,] after school deten-
tion, and also campus cleanups.”
Mr. Battaglini added that, “If
we still had funding for Saturday
school, we would use it to fund
the program.” As for students
who used Saturday school appro-
priately, to make up loss of credit
from unintentional cutting, “It was
a great intervention model,” com-
mented Paul Tuohy.
Although it is unrealistic to have
a high school free of cutting, some
students have taken appropriate
advantage of the new Basic Aid
system. Anthony Talmadge, se-
nior, commented “It’s great; I’m
usually late in the morning to class,
and it gives the kids who have a
problem with cutting a chance to
pass this semester.”
The SVHS administration should
look at incorporating other outlets
for intervention to aid students,
preferably ones that do not give
the students an opportunity to
abuse them.
Saturday school is temporarily
not needed to secure the “floating
funds” for students who have cut.
Creator of the Saturday school sys-
tem, Paul Tuohy, said “I’d like to
see Saturday school come back as
an intervention model.” However,
there are currently no official plans
to bring it back.
ist that has managed to get a bomb
onto a plane boarded that plane in
the Netherlands, is that really solid
grounds to subject Americans to in-
vasive new screening procedures?
Proponents of the new TSA proce-
dures are quick to point out that the
majority of fliers support the security
measures. Why is that? Perhaps their
opinions are motivated by fear. Fears
of in-flight terrorism have plagued
the US for years. Many hold the
opinion that by keeping lax screen-
ing procedures, the government
would be “letting the terrorists win.”
The influence of terrorism should
not be measured by how many
planes are blown out of the sky, but
rather with terrorism’s ability to in-
voke fear. The government forcing
citizens to forgo their fundamental
rights in exchange for some small
measure of security seems to fit the
bill. By allowing the fear of terror-
ism to motivate our decisions, we
are not defeating terrorism as some
might have you believe, but rather,
allowing it to destroy us.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “they
that can give up essential liberty
to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
Someone who is willing to submit
to these screening procedures with-
out protest may need to rethink their
commitment to securing their own
essential freedoms as an American.
~Editorial Policy~
Caity’s
Column
To eat or not to eat --
is that the question?
By Caity Tremblay
You are what you eat. What do
you eat? Eaters are loosely di-
vided into two groups, vegetarians
and omnivores, people who “care
and don’t care” about the ethics
of eating meat. However, this is
a false dichotomy -- it is possible
to enjoy meat but still care about,
and make a positive impact on, the
meat industry.
People are vegetarians for vari-
ous reasons; however, a major
rationale is that eating meat is
ethically unjust. But when consid-
ering the morality of eating meat,
a significant factor taken into ac-
count is how the animal in ques-
tion was treated while alive.
The majority of cows in Amer-
ica are raised in the factory-farm
system; in fact, less than one per-
cent of beef sold in the country
comes from pasture raised cows.
The cows are kept inside in lim-
ited space, and as part of the Con-
tain Animal Feeding Operation
(CAFO), cows are fed on grain
instead of their natural fodder,
grass, because grain is cheaper.
This is equivalent to a human eat-
ing nothing but ice cream for his
entire life.
Not only is it unnatural, it’s ex-
tremely unhealthy, so cows in fac-
tories are pumped full of antibiot-
ics to keep them alive long enough
to become fat before they’re
slaughtered. These chemicals are
then transferred into the people
who eat the creatures’ pulverized
remains.
Disease and suffering are innate
features of the large-scale factory
farm system, but not in all agri-
culture. Organic farming takes
human health into account, raising
cattle with no chemicals. Sustain-
able farming goes even further,
considering the impact of farming
on the environment.
Despite the national average,
California is one of the leading
states in humane farming meth-
ods. Sonoma County boasts ex-
tensive grazing land with plenty
of organic farms; some even raise
grass-fed beef. Two such farms are
Beltane Ranch, between Kenwood
and Glen Ellen, and Green String
Farm, on the way to Petaluma.
Grass-fed beef is a healthier and
more humane option than commer-
cially raised beef. It cooks more
quickly, and is leaner and richer
in healthy fats. Grass-fed cows
live freer, more peaceful lives.
So perhaps the “Happy Cows” ad
campaign was telling the truth --
happy cows really do come from
California.
December 2010
 Culture

Fire alarm dissonant note in pitch-perfect concert

By Jamie Ballard

Cozy winter evenings found

many SVHS students and commu-
nity members attending the Music
Department’s holiday concerts.
The Concert Choir, Madrigals, and
Jazzberries performed on Dec. 7,
presenting a medley of Christmas
songs. They were followed by the
Concert Band, Jazz Band, and the
Jazzberries again on Dec. 8.
At the choir concert, themed “A
Winter’s Night,” songs ranged
from the humorous “I Want a
Hippopotamus for Christmas,” to
sophomore Ella Krikorian’s oper-
atic rendition of Ave Maria, which
received a standing ovation.
Towards the end of the evening,
a surprise visitor broke into the
harmony. Right as the choir was
finishing their rendition of “Twelve
Groovy Days of Christmas,” a 70’s
Photo courtesy of Alyssa McDougle
themed “Twelve Days of Christ-
From left: Alex Gruber, Michael Daly, Arie Encarnacion, Allison Howlett, and Molly Lobsinger play the festive ‘Sleigh Ride’ at the band concert Wednesday, Dec. 8.
mas,” the fire alarm went off, caus- with childlike excitement and en- added, “I just want everyone to but it is a sonata, similar to various musical groups deemed
ing the building to be evacuated. thusiasm. At the end of the song, know that the music department what Beethoven composed. So both shows a success, even with the
The confused audience exited ‘Santa’ lumbered onto the stage is working very hard to bring I suppose it could b
e called So- interruption. “We recovered from
the building and stood in the cold and waved merrily to the crowd. good music to the high school.”
nata Number Two, Second Move- the fire alarm better than I expect-
until it was confirmed there ws no “That was definetly my favorite Dec. 8 found the Little Theater ment.” Another piece Peterson ed,” remarked Stephanie Reyes,
fire and they were cleared to go song to perform!” exclaimed Jen- packed once again, this time for
enjoyed playing was ‘Baby, It’s junior. “It was very exciting.”
back in. Once inside, the audience nifer Howlett, freshman. “An Old Fashioned Holiday.” The Cold Outside,’ because “it’s re- The audience agreed, according
listened to the screeching Concert Band, which ally smooth and fun to play.” to the enthusiastic applause fol-
tones of the fire alarm and had only three weeks to Molly Lobsinger, sophomore lowing every song. Both shows,
waited hopefully for the fire prepare, began the per- member of the Concert Band, com- “A Winter’s Night” and “An Old
department to arrive. When formance with a power- mented, “‘Sleigh Ride’ was my fa- Fashioned Holiday,” managed to
the two firemen walked in, ful rendition of “Celtic vorite piece to perform, and the Jazz conjure up feelings of nostalgia
they were received with Bell Carol,” filled with Band was really good as well.” as well as excitement for the up-
enthusiastic cheers. As it crashing cymbols and Most of the performers from the coming holiday season.
always is in theater, the emphatic drums.
show did go on. Another standout per- Leningrad steals from Hollywood
The singers handled the formance was senior By Luther Cenci studies in Russian Lit. He is always
interruption in good humor. Zach Rockafellow’s citing obscure Russian authors like
Raquel Paz, sophomore, Photo by Jamie Ballard guitar solo to “Wizards In the American psyche, World Goncharov and Shchedrin, names
joked “We rocked the Santa makes an early visit to the SVHS Jazzberries. in Winter,” which add- War II enjoys a special exemption which even well-read Americans
house! We were so hot, we made Sam Gegner, junior, remarked, ed an element of rock to the oth- from the general current of anti-war will not recognize.
the fire alarm go off!” “I think the performance went re- erwise traditional performance. sentiment. There, we fought the In contrast to his obvious famil-
The indefatigable singers contin- ally well, except for the fire alarm Jeffery Peterson, junior, played good fight against evil Nazis, rid- iarity with Russian literature, Mr.
ued with the Jazzberries dazzling going off. My favorite number to a piano piece he had composed ding the world of some Benioff’s book is un-
performance of “Santa Claus is perform was probably ‘Twelve over the summer. He explained, of its worst denizens. Read On equivocally American.
Coming to Town,” the singers rapt Groovy Days of Christmas.’” He “It doesn’t really have a name, City of Thieves, by His dysfunctional duo
Opinion David Benioff, is no ex- shares conceptual ties

Ve n e e r o f v e r a c i t y ception from this stan- with Hollywood buddy

dard of absolute dis- comedies as low-brow as
tinctions, even though it Superbad or Pineapple
By Luther Cenci current healthcare system. They tell who refused to talk to him, as if nominally is told from a Express. Since Benioff
their stories, dripping with pathos, that were not their prerogative. Russian point of view. This Month’s Pick: moonlights as a screen-
Michael Moore has long been a to Moore who dutifully records To Mr. Moore’s credit, this aca- The novel focuses City of Thieves writer and film adapter,
reviled figure for Republicans, who them with his camera crew. demic failure is not entirely his on the absurd journey by David Benioff this is unsurprising.
scoff at his documentaries about However, for all their veneer of fault. Rather, he is forced into his of two mismatched Pub. April 2008 While the juxtaposi-
9/11, healthcare, and globaliza- veracity, Moore’s documentaries fallacy by the nature of film. Russian criminals sent $15.00 tion of tragic and comic
tion. Conservatives hate his movies are downright deceptive. They If non-fiction film is unrivaled across enemy lines dur- Russian duo take elements adds a notable
because of the films’ obvious left- commit the intellectual sin of ly- in its ability to capture personal ing the siege of Lenin- second layer to the book,
on death, Nazis
wing stances which lampoon Con- ing by ommision because of their events, it is woefully inadequate grad. Their mission: to with two fistfuls of the book compromises its
servatives’ dearest policies. structural format. in illustrating more abstract ideas. find a dozen eggs for an ambiguity by tarring the
absurdity
However, an entirely different At its heart, Sicko is a contrast Because film captures events influential Communist Germans with a broad
criticism of his style of populist piece, but one that compares ap- from literally a single viewpoint general’s daughter’s wedding cake. brush. The Nazis are not differenti-
documentary can lodged based ples to oranges. He contrasts the at a time, it is impossible for film While their assignment may seem ated from the Wehrmacht, a point
on intellectual, rather than po- American healthcare system with to be objective. ludicrous, the dangers they must face that many a German draftee would
litical, grounds. those of European nations, a com- The filmmaker must be present are not. The Eastern Front was a no- like to pick at.
As any of Mr. Gisell’s Civics parison that reflects poorly on the on the scene to capture reality. toriously murderous theater because The book lacks the characteristic
students can testify, Moore’s doc- former. The American ‘system’ is When events have occurred in the of the extremes of the Russian win- broad scope of the Russian novel,
umentary Sicko is an unabashed defined using anecdotal evidence, past, like the HMO horror stories ter and the totality of the warfare. staying closely tied to Lev’s point
call for socialized medicine. How- while the European ones are de- in Sicko, the camera is only able The near certainty of death brings of view. Where American stories
ever, it cloaks its persuasive purpose scribed objectively. to record people communicating the two protagonists together. Tell- tend to make use of flashbacks to
under the label of “documentary.” Because there is no way to de- their recollections. These memo- ing the story is Lev Beninov (the cover wide spreads of time, Rus-
According to Webster, a docu- termine Moore’s method of se- ries are seamless fusions of fact author’s grandfather), a 17-year old sians like Tolstoy just tell the en-
mentary is a film that documents lecting stories, his argument can and opinion, and therefore cannot Russian Jew shanghaied into the tirety of the story, not skipping over
reality “with little or nothing never be judged academically. It is meet the standards of objectivity Red Army for stealing a knife from the intervening bits.
added that is not based on fact.” possible (and in your columnist’s demanded by scholarly criticism. a dead German paratrooper. Bound However, what makes the novel
This implies that a documentary opinion, extremely probable) that Worryingly, there is an increaing to him by chance, Kolya Vlasov is inauthentic makes it a rollicking
tells the truth. he chose the very worst stories number of filmmakers who are a handsome student of literature good read. Few will call War and
On the surface, at least, Moore’s from America, and the very best using the Michael Moore model who is picked up by the police fifty Peace a page turner, but City of
films are composed of true ele- stories from socialized nations. of disguising polemic as objec- miles from his Army unit. Thieves kept me glued for hours.
ments. In Sicko, Moore visits the He never acknowledges this in his tive fact. It is up to the viewer to As the book progresses it be- Those looking for a great adven-
homes of ordinary, very real people film, instead deriving a disconcert- take their work with the proper comes clear that Kolya is a foil for ture story should have no problem
who have suffered under America’s ing glee from listing the people grain of salt. the author to show off his graduate seeing past its literary infidelity.

Dragon’s Tale Page 3 December 2010

 Feature

Festive food flavors holidays

Home For
The pickle in the tree The
and other holiday traditions Holidays

House of sweet dreams

By Jessica Marioni
Spread holiday cheer around the
kitchen by creating your very own
gingerbread house. This classic,
festive cookie creation is fun for
all ages and is sure to bring back
childhood memories.
Some say the gingerbread house
originated from the classic fairytale
of Hansel and Grettle, which fea-
tures two children who walk
though a candy forest and house.
As this fairytale gained popular-
ity in Germany, so did the idea of
Photo by Lindsey Jasperse sugar houses and gumdrop lanes.
Sasha Honigman, Lucy Purdom, and Miles Hagin, freshmen, and Lindsey Slack, sophomore, enjoy a traditional Jewish feast. Every year in Germany, villagers
would bring a model of their home
By: Arianna Maysonave and are a variety of stories that explain Stornaiuolo’s family creates a side, is used in a game commonly in the form of a gingerbread house
Lindsey Jasperse their rise to prominence. These meal from a different country each played by Jewish children. to the center of their town. Then,
days, stockings are hung above the year, and keeps a scrapbook of all “My brothers and I have a on New Year’s Day, children would
December brings renewed spir- fireplace and stuffed with small, their past celebrations. dreidel competition every year,” break the houses in celebration.
its, gratitude, and glee to individu- pleasing treats for children to dis- Christmas breakfast is often more di- remarked Joel Bremner, fresh- Whether crafted for entertainment
als all around the world. No matter cover on Christmas morning. verse, but there is traditionally a sweet man. “We bet real money!” or as a unique decoration, this house
what religion, race, or age, many “In my family, I receive a tradi- treat paired with fruit and coffee. Traditional Hanukkah meals in- is sure to bring joy to all around.
cultures express their unique tradi- tional Christmas stock- clude latkes, noodle kugle, beef
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room
temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup light molasses or dark corn
syrup
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons water
For assemblage and decoration:
Melted white chocolate or Royal
Icing (recipe follows) Gumdrops,
licorice and peppermint, as desired
Directions for the Gingerbread House:
Step 1:
•In a large mixing bowl, cream the
butter, brown sugar, molasses, cin-
namon, ginger, cloves and baking
soda together until the mixture is
smooth.
•Blend in the flour and water to
make a stiff dough.
Chill at least 30 min-
utes or until firm.
Step 2:
•Preheat oven to 375
degrees Fahrenheit.
•Then cut paper patterns for the
gingerbread house: First cut four
identical retangles about 3 in. tall
and 5 in. wide. These will be for
the sides of the house as well as the
roof. Cut a square with a triangle
on top as to make the peak of the
house for the roof.
•You can also cut extra patterns of
gingerbread men and trees to deco-
rate the outside of the house.
Step 3:
•Roll gingerbread dough out to
edges on a large, rimless cookie
sheet. Place paper patterns onto the
rolled out dough.
•With a sharp, straight edged knife,
cut around each of the pieces, but
leave pieces in place.
•Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit
for about 15 minutes until dough
feels firm.
•Place patterns on top of the gin-
gerbread again and trim shapes,
cutting edges with a straight-edged
sharp knife. Leave to cool on bak-
ing sheet.
Step 4:
•Place royal icing into pastry bag
with a writing tip and press out to
decorate individual parts of house,
piping on decorations, windows,
door, etc., as desired. Let dry until
hardened.
•Glue sides, front and back of
house together at corners using
royal icing. Place an object against
the pieces to prop up until icing is
dry (it only takes a few minutes).
front of the house.
•Continue decorating the house,
gluing on gumdrops, licorice and Martin Hurtado, sophomore
peppermint, as desired.
Ingredients for Royal Icing:
1 pound (3-3/4 cups) powdered
“I like to use my
sugar, sifted if lumpy
1 to 2 large egg whites, or sub-
time off from school
stitute 4 teaspoons packaged egg
whites and 1/4 cup water
to sleep and relax.”
1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla
or lemon juice, (optional.)
Step 5:
•Mix all of the ingredients to-
gether using an electric hand
mixer, until the icing is smooth
and thin enough to be pressed
through a pastry bag with a writ-
ing tip.

Latkes celebrate light

•Glue the two roof pieces to the •Add more lemon juice, if
tions during this time of year. ings filled with treats, brisket, challah, matzah ball pitched roofline of the house. necessary.
Whether it’s lighting the menorah, but we also are given soup, chocolate chip mandel Then, similarly, glue the sides and •Add food coloring to deco-
picking out a Christmas tree, or Hawaiian stockings bread, and blintzes. roof of the entryway together with rate the house and add striking
simply spending quality time with decked with fruits “My family hosts an an- By Arianna Maysonave and doesn’t turn brown too quickly. latkes, spoon 2 tablespoons po- icing. Attach the entryway to the coloration.
loved ones, the holiday season is a and vegetables to help nual Hanukkah party on Lindsey Jasperse Step 2: Spread grated potatoes and tato mixture per latke into skillet,
time looked forward to all year. us begin a healthy
Those who choose to celebrate new year,” described
the Christian holiday of Christmas Francesca Stornai-
the 8th day to celebrate our
culture and feast on fantas-
tic food,” admitted Sasha
Salty, warm, and decadent, Lat-
kes, or potato pancakes,
onion on kitchen towel and role up
jelly role style.
spreading into 3-inch rounds with
a fork.
•Reduce heat to moderate
Bottle up some love Selena Vargas, sophomore
typically decorate a tree, fill stock- uolo, sophomore. Honigman, freshman. By Jessica Marioni cheese, softened.
are a traditional dish often and cook until undersides 1/2 cup sour cream.
ings, prepare a festive meal, cel- For many families, Griffin Hill, sophomore, served during the Jewish are browned, about 5 min- It’s the holiday season and every- 1/2 cup sugar.
ebrate Santa Claus, and sing tradi- the Christmas meal
tional holiday songs. is one of the most
and Elizabeth Eistentark,
freshman, agree that latkes
celebration of Hanukkah. utes. one is thinking of the perfect gift to 2/3 cup toffee bits, finely crushed. “During Christmas
They have gained popu- •Turn latkes over and give his or her loved ones. So why This tasty holiday treat requires
“My favorite Christmas childhood treasured traditions
memories were waking up to find of all.
are the highlight of their
Hanukkah celebration, but
larity as a Hanukkah dish cook until undersides are not give them something they’ll re- 3 key steps that will ensure your I love picking out
because they are fried in browned, about 5 minutes ally enjoy? Tasty ingredients for fa- bars turn out delicious!
my stockings stuffed with goodies In the United States, also appreciate the religious
from Santa Claus,” reminisced Sa- a dinner including aspects of their extended
oil, commemorating the oil more. vorite treats already mixed together Step 1: Mix cookie mix, pudding my tree with my
that miraculously provided Step 5: Transfer to paper in a classy, festive jar! mix, brown sugar, melted butter, 1
mantha Thames, freshman. ham, green beans, holiday.
But what was the origin of these mashed potatoes, “Every year, my family
light for eight days. towels to drain and season Layer dry tsp of the vanilla family and baking
with salt. Add more oil to ingredients and 1 whole egg
rituals? Where did these traditions and stuffing is of- and I enjoy watching tradi-
come from? Who decided to deco- ten served. Pumpkin Photo by Arianna Maysonave tional Christmas films while
Ingredients:
1 pound potatoes
skillet as needed. Keep lat-
kes warm on a wire rack set
in a glass jar in a small bowl cookies with my
rate the tree? Why do we kiss under pie, hot chocolate, or Chocolate chip mandel bread, a Jewish dessert. decorating the Christmas and include until soft dough
the mistletoe? home made cookies tree. After decorating, we
1/2 cup finely chopped on-
ion
in a shallow baking pan in
oven.
the following forms. younger cousins.”
Santa Claus, previously known as sweetly conclude the meal. “I have Portuguese relatives who bake christmas cookies and listen Photo by Arianna Maysonave
recipe. Add •Press dough in
1 large egg, lightly beaten a bow or pep- bottom of greased
St. Nicholas, was originally intro- However, families often adopt all come over on Christmas day for to holiday music,” recalled Riley 1/2 tsp, salt Latkes, potato pancakes cooked in oil, celebrate Hanukkah.
Potato latkes are often served
duced in the 4th century. Like many their own unique traditions, adapt- a customary ethnic meal,” shared Clark, junior. permint sticks (bottom and
1/2-3/4 cup olive oil •Transfer mixture to a bowl and with traditional accompaniments for a festive sides) of 13x9-in.
other figures celebrated in America, ing the holiday meal to meet their Danielle de la Torre, sophomore. Everyone celebrates the holi- add egg and salt. of sour cream and applesauce, but
this benevolent gift-giver is a blend individualized preferences. “We enjoy sausage and bread day season in a different manner. touch -- the pan.
Instructions: Step 3: Heat 1/4 cup oil in a they are equally as enjoyable when perfect holi- Step 2:
of many different cultures and cus- “In my family, we cook a huge pot while celebrating family unity and Whether its spinning dreidels or Step 1: Peel and coarsely grate po- 12-inch nonstick skillet over mod- served alone. This Hanukkah, ap-
toms. of spaghetti opening our gifts with gratitude.” stuffing stockings, 2010’s winter day gift! •Beat cream
tatoes by hand erately high heat until hot but not preciate Jewish culture and cook All you must cheese, sour
And the for dinner. While Christmas may be the pre- festivities have begun! • Let soak for 1-2 minutes in cold smoking. some latkes!
Christmas Each of dominant festival celebrated during do to create cream and sugar
water to ensure that the batter Step 4: Working in batches of 4 the dish is add in bowl until
tree? Origi- us makes the month of December, people of
nally, a fir
tree was
a special Jewish descent celebrate the festi-
meat ball, val of lights known as Hanukkah.
A worldly twist to a classic holiday meal the wet ingre-
dients as fol-
smooth.
•Then add the
adorned and we drop This eight-day long holiday cel- By Grace Bon I lbs. tomatillos, husked, rinsed lic to processor and blend until lows: remaining whole
with apples it in the pot ebrates the victory of the Mac- 4 serrano chiles, chopped smooth. egg, 3 egg yolks
and colored with a wish cabees over the Syrians and the Holiday cooking often involves 4 large garlic cloves, chopped Step 3: Heat oil in medium sauce- Preparation and remaining 1
paper as for the new rededication of the Temple of Je- gingerbread cookies, spiced apple 1½ tablespoons olive oil pan over medium heat. Add toma- time: 15 min. 1/2 tsp vanilla
early as the year,” con- rusalem in 165 B.C. cider, and ham on Christmas day. 2 cups chicken broth tillo puree and chicken broth. Start to finish: •Beat until
16th centu- fessed In Hebrew, the word Hanukkah Holiday meal traditions, howev- 4 cups shredded chicken breast •Simmer until sauce reduces to 3 hr. 25 min. smooth.
R e g i n a means ‘dedication.’ The nature of er, vary across the world. In Latin (about 1 lb.) about 1 cup. Makes: 36 bars •Spread over
ry, and light
Photo by Jessica Marioni crust in pan.
Andy Chavez, freshman
was eventu- Mellinger, the holiday is seeded in family to- America, tamales are tradition- 2/3 cup freshly chopped cilantro •Season sauce with salt, then add You will need:
Photo by Lindsey Jasperse 1 pouch sugar Decorative gift jar filled with the prime Step 3:
ally added Peppermint bark is a traditional Christmas treat.
sophomore. getherness, the triumph of religious ally eaten as a holiday treat. 4 cups freshly ground tamale in chicken and cilantro.
by Protestant Jenna freedom, light, and miracles. Tamales can be prepared as a masa dough cookie mix. ingredients for special treats. •Bake at 350
Reformer Wirick, se- The menorah, an eight-branched savory masa (a corn-based starch) To stuff tamales: 1 box (4-serv-
ing size)
degrees F˚ for 30
to 35 minutes or
“I usually enjoy
Martin Luther. nior, recalls her family’s classic candelabrum, commemorates the and meat dish, but can also be Preparation: Step 1: Spread ¼ cup of masa
“My family and I always cut twice baked potatoes as one of her miracle of light, when oil that was made to please any sweet tooth Step 1: Place husks in a large onto center of the husk, add a ta- French vanilla instant pudding or until set in center.
pie filling mix. •Immediately sprinkle with
spending quality
down our tree at Moon Mountain favorite Christmas customs. supposed to burn for one day last- with raisins, cinnamon, and nuts. bowl of water and let soak for blespoon of filling to masa.
Christmas Tree Farm. My parents Alex Ochoa, junior, and his fam- ed for eight. Families light one of This holiday season, why not three hours. •Fold sides of husk over masa and 2 tbsp packed brown sugar. crushed toffee bits.
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melt- •Cool for 30 minutes. Refriger-
time with my family
hide a pickle ornament on our tree, ily typically enjoy the Hispanic the eight candles each night from spice up tradition and try some- •Arrange tomatillos on a foil-lined filling.
and whoever finds its gets to open dishes of posole and tamales, while left to right to honor remember thing new? Photo by Grace Bon
baking sheet, and broil until black
in spots. Then transfer tomatillos
Step 2: Place tamales in steamer.
Steam for about 45 minutes. Let
ed.
2 1/2 tsp vanilla.
ate about 3 hours or until chilled.
Store covered in a refrigerator.
over the holidays.”
their presents first!” exclaimed Le- Riley Ellis-Reis and Max Barrett, the miracle. Traditional tamales spice up the
anne Woods, sophomore. sophomores, feast on crab to cel- The dreidel, a four sided spinning Ingredients: holiday season. to food processor and let cool. cool for 1 hour. 2 eggs plus 3 egg yolks. Enjoy!
As for Christmas stockings, there ebrate the season. top with a Hebrew letter on each 8 oz. package of dried corn husks Step 2: Add chiles and gar- 2 packages (8 oz each) cream
Dragon’s Tale Page 4 & 5 December 2010

Time-Out
Off the court, student ath-
letes jump into action and
discuss their current season
Arianna Schill, junior,
varsity girls’ basketball
player, commented, “I love
it. I love the game, even
when we lose.”
Tommy Jordan, freshman,
j.v. wrestler, remarked,
“Wrestling is a great sport
because of all the training
you go through to get fit.”
Vincent Bruton, sophomore,
j.v. boys’ basketball player
stated, “I like the feeling
basketball gives me when
we’re playing as a team,
scoring points and
having fun.”
Wyatt Casella, sophomore
wrestler, mentioned, “The
best part of wrestling is
winning a match after
weeks of practice and
hard work.”
Dragon’s Tale
Boys’ basketball bounces back
By KC Jeppesen
The boys’ varsity pre-season is
officially underway after their
first game on Nov. 20. The
Dragons’ preseason has begun
and five games have been played
thus far.
The Dragons have proved that
they have the offensive output
to compete with the best of
them. Returning seniors and
promising juniors have com-
bined for an impressive offense
so far in the season.
The Dragon defense has been in-
consistent, but recently has proved
promising by holding Marin Cath-
olic to a mere 51 points.
The Dragons got off to a quick
start in their season, defeating
the Santa Rosa Panthers by a
score of 55-33 in their pre-sea-
son opener. The Dragons hosted
the pre-season game, and man-
aged to secure a victory at home
to begin their season.
Dylan Severson, senior, was
the leading point scorer in the
contest with 14 points. Juniors
Kyle Simmons and Jojo San-
chez were important factors in
the victory, each scoring 9 and
8 points respectively.
After their victorious home
game, the Dragons hosted the
Ukiah Wildcats on Nov. 27. Af-
ter a hard fought battle, the Drag-
ons fell short of the Wildcats by
a score of 70-63.
Severson had another impres-
sive offensive output, this time
putting up 27 points, accompa-
nied by 18 rebounds that com-
bined for a double-double.
Wrestling pins down pre-season
By Adam Kohut
The Dragons’ wrestling team
got a leg up on their season by
winning both of their pre-season
matches.
In a wrestling duel, each player
has individual matches where
they can earn points that are con-
tributed to their team totals. The
best way for a match to end is in
a pin, which adds six points to the
team’s score.
A technical fall is second best
and will earn the team five points.
Next is a major decision (win-
ning by eight points or more),
securing four team points.
The lowest scoring outcome
is a minor decision (winning by
seven points or less), only scor-
ing three team points.
Each wrestler strives to make a
pin or score the maximum number
of points possible for the team.
Wrestling is infamously one
of the most physically gruel-
ing sports at SVHS, a reputation
upheld year after year. Players
run countless miles some days,
matched with weight training,
calisthenics and interval training
on other days. Along with these
physical challenges, the wrestlers
struggle to lose weight so they
can move down in weight class-
es. Between the two it becomes
Sports
Matt Breen, senior, and Dante
Armstrong, junior, each contrib-
uted 12 points in the loss.
The Dragons took on a well-
known powerhouse, the Mont-
gomery Vikings, for a pre-season
scrimmage. The Vikings left the
Dragons stunned after defeating
them by a score of 61-27.
Breen led the offense with 6
points, and was followed by ju-
nior Gene Truong’s five points,
and senior Adam Kohut’s four
points.
After suffering a defeat at the
hands of the Vikings, the Drag-
ons took their first road trip of
the year to visit Hercules High
School on Dec. 3. The Dragons
battled the Hercules Titans to
overtime, where they were un-
able to come away with a victory
and lost 54-50.
Severson led the Dragons yet
against with 17 points. Senior
Giani Romano followed in his
footsteps by managing to score
14 points in the contest. Sever-
son put together another double-
double by securing 16 rebounds
in the loss.
The Dragons then traveled to
Elsie Allen High School to take Photo courtesy of Jim Tonery
on the Lobos on Dec. 4. The Giani Romano, senior, drives to the hoop during the game against Ukiah.
Dragons were down at halftime The Dragons were unable to stop San Marin on Dec. 18, and San
by a score of 29-30, but managed Marin Catholic’s powerful of- Rafael on Dec. 23. That will be
to bounce back in the second half fense and lost 41-50. the Dragons’ last home stand in
and eventually defeated the Lo- Romano led the offense with their pre-season, and the final
bos with a score of 61-41. 14 points, followed by Severson games they play before they
The Dragons participated in with 13. travel to Texas for a post-Christ-
the Reibt Tournament, hosted by The Dragons will then travel mas tournament.
Healdsburg on Dec.8-11. to Moreau Catholic to battle Upon their return from Texas,
The first game of the tourna- yet another NCS powerhouse the Dragons will be starting their
ment was a showdown between on Dec. 17. league schedule on Jan. 5, when
After their visit to Moreau they host Healdsburg.
the Dragons and Marin Catholic.
Catholic, the Dragons will host
Photo by Jordan Albertson
Riley Hyman, senior, grapples with his opponent
a true test of mental and physical this year and we will be focusing The team improved on that per-
strength. more on individuals rather than formance at the Piner pre-season
Those who can survive the long the team as a whole,” added cap- duel, where they won 63-9.
weeks of conditioning become tain Riley Hymen, senior. “The team had a lot of heart,
part of the tight-knit team. This is a rebuilding year for the but we need to build on our
“All of the work is hard, but it Dragons, concentrating on build- skill. If we do that and con-
pays off during the matches and ing up younger players for future tinue to wrestle with the same
only makes us stronger while in- years. effort, we should be able to
creasing the unity of our team,” Although this is a year for recon- get a lot of wins this year,”
said Zach Prohoroff, senior. struction, they performed well in added Hymen.
There are very few returning the last two matches, against two The team had a lot of pins and
players and only three seniors on tough competitors. Three of Sono- and only two losses, which were
the team; Riley Hymen, Jordan ma’s wrestlers placed first and two minor decisions. The year is off
Lanning, and Prohoroff. placed second in the pre-season to a good start, with high expecta-
“We have a very young team duel at Freedom High School. tions for the future.
Page 6 December 2010
 Sports

Lady Dragons leap into pre-season

By Adam Kohut
The Lady Dragons’ basketball
team tipped off the season with a
42-31 win against San Rafael.
Juniors took control of the team
when Annie Studdert led the team
with 13 points, followed by Ari
Schill’s 10 points, Jersey Witous
and Anna Stewart’s 7 points each,
Karly Burningham’s 3.
Studdert also led the team in
rebounds with 10, earning her a
double-double for the game.
The Lady Dragons bounced off
this impressive victory with a loss
to Tamalpais where they were out
scored 52-33.
Sonoma was missing key play-
ers that would definitely have
contributed to and may have
changed the outcome of the
game. The team struggled with
poor team chemistry and could
not make up for the players they
were missing.
Anna Stewart, junior, led the
team with 9 points, while she
shared the title of leading re-
bounder with Studdert and Krysta
Young, senior, nabbing 3 re-
bounds each.
The Dragons then suffered a
48-34 loss to Ursuline High in
which they were again hurt by their
missing players and couldn’t pull
the remaining players together.
They rebounded off these two
losses to defeat Vacaville Chris-
tian to start out The Dragon Clas-
sic, the annual girls’ basketball
tournament hosted by Sonoma.
“I am glad that we have all of
our players back for our tourna-
ment,” said Young.
The Dragons continued to de-
fend their home court with anoth-
er victory against San Marin. The
game was very close and Sonoma
only won by 4 points.
However the Dragons couldn’t
fly away with the tournament
championship when Montgomery
stopped them in their tracks with
a 41-32 loss.
The ladies finished in second
place. “I was happy with our per-
formance, but I wish we got first,”
added Young.
“The season is going good. At
first we were individually chal-
lenged, but now we are meshing
together and working as a team
better than ever,” said Young.
The j.v. girls’ team began their
season strong, with a current record
of 3-1. They defeated Terra Linda,
San Rafael and Tamalpais, but lost
a close game to Pittsburg.
Sonoma led almost the entire
game against Pittsburg until the end
of the game.
“The game was unfair, they
fouled us as much as possible
and none of them were called,”
claimed Rose Greenberg, sopho-
more. “They were pushing us and
Ali [Romano] almost got into
a fight in the beginning of the
game.”
“I knew the game wasn’t going
to be good once that happened,”
added Ali Romano, sophomore.
Pittsburg finally won the game
when they hit a lucky, buzzer-
beater 3-pointer that banked off
the glass.
“We have a lot of potential,”
said Romano.
Greenberg predicted, “The team
is going to improve a lot and have
good, fun season.”

Ballet makes a point

By Emily Wood “Older dancers say I’m good it would be,” admitted Connors.
and that I improve really fast,” A ballet dancer must train fre- Photo courtesy of Jim Tonery
Though the weather outside is claimed Melendy. quently by practicing over and Senior Brittney Rachuy drives toward the hoop.
frightful, ballet dancers are still Melendy revealed that his role over. However, to Connors,
delightful as they mentally and
physically challenge themselves
model as a dancer is Sigrid For-
sythe, former student at SVHS and
the work is worth the satisfac-
tion of success.
Early snow slips in
with the art of ballet. current ballet dancer in Sweden. “It just feels good when you get By KC Jeppesen hill,” explained Milner.
James Melendy, sophomore, has “She inspired me to take ballet in it right,” Connors reflected. “It’s On the other hand, senior Devin
been doing ballet for about a year. the first place,” he disclosed. a rewarding feeling.” The early start to the snow has McAllister claims that, “Skiing gives
He goes to the Sonoma Ballet Her influence was truly life Although rewarding in many sparked skiers and snowboarders you more freedom and versatility on
different ways, ballet can all around Sonoma to make the the mountain than snowboarding.
be a challenge. Connors journey across California to get You can simply do more.”
reflected, “It takes a lot of a taste of the sweet early season However, there are still some
endurance and persistence. powder. who embrace the classic practice
If you don’t get something Despite living some 200 miles of skiing. Skiers are stereotyped
right, you have to try again away and not having a school- as an older generation who only at-
and again.” sponsored ski/snowboard team, tempt downhill types of riding, but
“I’m a fast learner,” she many SVHS students religiously a large number of young skiers can
continued, “and the other travel to the snow to hone their be found on the terrain.
girls in the studio are really skills, relax, and have some fun. “I was raised to ski downhill,
helpful.” “I make the trip to Tahoe because and I have no plans to change
Both Melendy and Connors once I’m bombing the terrain with my style because I am comfort-
are in the Sonoma Ballet my friends there is no experience able with what I do. People need
Conservatory’s production that can compare,” claimed Kyle to give skiing more credit,” ex-
“The Snow Maiden,” which Milner, senior. plained McAllister.
showcases on Jan. 29 and SVHS hosts a wide array of ski- The sport has changed as more
30, 2011. ers and snowboarders alike who young skiers move away from the
The show is about an el- jumped on the chance to polish goal of mastering downhill skiing,
derly woman who dreams of their rust off as early in the year as and move towards becoming trick-
having a daughter. A gypsy possible. oriented skiers.
visits her town and tells the Sonoma High California
woman that her daughter school students residents have
will eventually marry her tend to favor experienced
true love. The town, how- snowboarding, abnormal
ever, sends the gypsy away and all of the snowfall dur-
because the woman has no versatility that ing the month
Photo by Jordan Albertson daughter. comes along of November.
Dancers rehearse at the Ballet Conservatory for the late January performance of “The Later that night, a house with it. Snow- Storm condi-
Snow Maiden.” James Melendy, sophomore, plays the village shepard-boy, and Viridiana elf calls to the Snow Queen
Martinez, sophomore, the Snow Maiden.
boarders are tions in Sono-
to turn a town snow girl able to conquer ma Valley
into a real girl. all terrain, and have resulted
Conservatory every day to prac- changing. Melendy will con- The girl comes to life, but if excel in the ter- in surprising
tice for about 4 hours. tinue dancing “until I’m too old she falls in love, she will melt rain park. Snow- amounts of
“Ballet is my life,” Melendy [to move].” and enter the Land of Snow for- boarding has natural snow
stated. “Although it’s very pain- “I’ll do some form of dancing ever. revolutionized at a very early
ful because it works every muscle as a career, probably Broadway- The Snow Maiden does fall in the techniques of point in the
in your body, it’s rewarding be- style,” he mused. love with a real shephard-boy, so old, and brought snow season.
cause I get really fit.” Madeline Connors, junior, has she is sent to the Land of Snow a whole new Most resorts
Melendy explained the mental also been doing ballet for approx- where the citizens celebrate her platform to in the Tahoe
Photo by KC Jeppesen
concentration necessary for his imately one year. Like Melendy, arrival by dancing. the snow-sport Kyle Milner, senior, wipes out. area have al-
art. It takes a lot of counting and Connors attends the Sonoma Bal- It is up to the Snow Maiden’s world. ready achieved
remembering combinations of let Conservatory, but she only has love to rescue her from the Land “I prefer snow-bases
dance steps; he attributes some 3 classes a week at only a couple of Snow. Hopefully, the help of snowboarding, skiing doesn’t pro- that wouldn’t normally appear until
of his success as a dancer to his of hours each. the Four Winds will be enough vide you with the bliss that is ex- mid-season.
prowess in this area. “It’s a lot harder than I thought to save her. perienced while carving down the
Dragon’s Tale Page 7 December 2010

Redesign team frames format
By Jessica Marioni
Education has always been a
key pillar at the core of our soci-
ety. Although ostensibly neglect-
ed, it has recently begun to make
a comeback on the government’s
list of priorities.
In order to meet the need of our school
district, SVHS has voted, structured,
and created a specialized Design Team
dedicated to improving the school.
The group is made up of two repre-
sentatives, one district office mem-
ber, and nine SVHS teachers and
staff. An election was held in 2009
that determined the most suitable
representatives for the team.
“Our job is to design a new ver-
sion of SVHS that will meet the
new charge at the district so by 2013
every graduate will have completed
A-G requirements,” divulged Andy
Gibson, history teacher and member
Ur s uline sh ut s d ow n
By Jamie Ballard
While SVHS may seem to have
financial troubles, they can not be
compared to the fiscal woes at Ur-
suline High School in Santa Rosa.
Administrators at the all-girls Cath-
olic school have been struggling for
years to keep the school afloat, but
still racked up a 1.2 million debt.
Enrollment at Ursuline had been
declining steadily since 2004,
along with donations the school
had been dependent on. In Septem-
ber, it became painfully apparent
that the school would not be able
to stay open much longer, likely
not even finishing out the school
year. As it is, Ursuline will stay
FOR THE FAMILY
Dragon’s Tale
of the Design Team.
Frequent meetings are held to
ensure the teams’ productivity and
to get the quick, necessary results.
Teachers have had to be out of
the classroom a few times to get
started on the issues facing the re-
design of the school.
“In the long run, our school will
surely benefit from the Design Team,”
supposed Elizabeth Biersch, sopho-
more, “but I would like my teachers to
be in class more often so that I don’t
fall behind in my studies.”
Last year the nine elected teach-
ers were instructed to re-design
the school system in a fashion that
would engage students, boost test
scores, and grant higher grades to
striving students.
The team’s decisions must take
into consideration their philosophi-
cal foundation and based upon five
basic ideals called cornerstones: Au-
open until the end of the 2010-11
school year, thanks to Ursuline
sisters Dianne Baumunk, Chris-
tine van Swearingen, and Joanne
Abrams. The sisters have agreed
to absorb the 1.2 million debt, tak-
ing money from restricted minis-
try funds in other locations as well
as from their retirement funds.
Students and parents alike ex-
pressed sadness and shock. They
were notified through a school-
wide email from Principal Julie
Carver, stating that the school
would close at the end of the
academic year. Senior Elizabeth
Meddaugh comments, “I don’t
understand how we could not af-
ford to keep our school going?
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thentic Curriculum, Personalization,
Adaptive Pedagogy, Collaboration
along with Planning and Profes-
sional Development, and High
Standards with Performance-Based
Assessments.
One impending issue on the minds
of the team is 2011-2012 course
scheduling and daily schedule. An-
other big debate is about making ev-
ery class an A-G requirement, with
the exception of Special Ed and
ELD courses. SVHS is following a
state-wide trend of making all class-
es meet A-G requirements. Some
teachers and students are concerned
about students not being able to be
successful in academic classes.
There is a commitment to create
more elective options for students as
well as have intervention opportuni-
ties available throughout the day.
Concrete decisions are scheduled
to be made by February.
We all pay tuition.” Several others
protested alongside Meddaugh at
a rally on Wednesday, Nov. 10,
the day after the email was sent
out. Students held signs bearing
slogans like “130 years of tradi-
tion gone!” and “My mom went to
Ursuline, I go to Ursuline, I want
my daughter to go to Ursuline!”
Cardinal Newman, a neighbor-
ing all-boys Catholic, school will
begin to admit female students
next year. Though the schools
each have their own identity,
they have shared classes in the
past. Other students are consider-
ing transferring to St. Vincent de
Paul High School in Petaluma.
Though many students will have
lost their school, the campus will
be home to a new public charter
school, aimed at helping disadvan-
taged students of Sonoma County,
which the nuns say is closer to their
mission of order. Sister Joanne
Abrams remarked, “Out of this
financial crisis comes the oppor-
tunity to be true to our mission.”
Page 8
Art takes on Caught In
the big screen
By Sebastian Amara
Thought:
What are your
The 60-inch television do-
nated to the media department
last spring has finally found
favorite things
a home. It has been placed in to do while
visiting the snow?
what was previously known
as the Art Lounge in prepara-
tion for the new art gallery.
The art gallery will have a
grand opening in spring 2011.
The gallery will display work
from across SVHS’s visual arts
and design programs includ-
ing student artwork from art
and art design classes, films,
and other media art, including
pages from the Dragon’s Tale.
“The purpose of the art gal-
lery is to have a comfortable,
creative space for to showcase
art,” commented Mr. Hansen, “Snowmobiling.”
Media Arts teacher and Head
Cordinator of the art gallery
Project. “This room can also Kevin Lind,
be used for senior project pre-
sentations,” added Hansen.
Boosters Club and Sonoma
sophomore
Valley Film Society both made
contributions to the creation of
the art gallery. Boosters Club
added 18 new bean bag chairs
and Sonoma Valley Film So-
ciety donated a new surround
sound system as well as a Play-
station 3. The television given
last spring was complements of
Polly Hultquist, winner of Sono-
ma Market’s lottery last spring.
Due to the theft of the pre-
vious sound system, Han-
sen bolted and chained all
the new donated devices. “I like to snowboard.”
Although not complete, the
art gallery is currently being
used by the Film Club, who Keith Mendez,
have brought independent senior
films to the student body on
their film nights. The room
has also been used for Cho-
rus Practice and tutorials by
Hansen. Additionally, Video
Game Club will soon have the
opportunity to use the facility.
Any questions about the gallery
should be directed to Mr. Hansen.
“Skiing is my favorite.”
Lindsey Slack,
sophomore
“Skiing and snow ball
fights are my favorite.”
Maria Hawing,
freshman
December 2010