As soon as I stepped foot into the bakery, I felt a warm sense of welcome. On the right, there was a huge wall of pink, not the neon-blinding pink, but a soft, lighter pink. On the left, there was a space to sit down on some very comfortable chairs and enjoy the freshly baked cupcakes.

Although there were many people, we did not have to wait long for our turn to order. I stood staring at the wall for a few minutes in awe of the immense variety of flavors and unsure of which one to choose. I looked down and saw cupcakes in the glass display case that looked almost too perfect to eat. At last, I decided to try the s’mores cupcake.

It was a chocolate cupcake with a graham cracker crust, marshmallow frosting, and topped with a small piece of pink, circle-shaped fondant. It was really a s’more in cupcake form, not simply some artificial “s’more” flavoring.

The taste was phenomenal. The cake was soft, fluffy, chocolatey, and not overpoweringly sweet. The marshmallow frosting was toasted and golden. It was light and complemented the cake perfectly. That, along with the graham cracker crust on the bottom made it like a real s’more. It was possibly the best cupcake I have ever had, and I relished every bite.

Along with making extraordinary cupcakes, Kara’s Cupcakes is an eco-friendly business. They use local ingredients for their cupcakes as well as compostable boxes and utensils.

They offer a lot of flavors, from raspberry dazzle to banana caramel to chocolate coconut and much more. Some flavors of cupcakes are only made during a certain time of the year. They also offer gluten-free cupcakes.

Although the closest location is in Walnut Creek, the cupcakes are definitely worth the trip. I can’t wait to go back.

We talked about the media’s influence on people in one of my classes. One of my classmates blamed the media that the general public isn’t educated on matters going on in our world because the media doesn’t provide people with credible facts. As I heard this comment, I paused and thought about it for a minute.

I immediately about the times I’ve written for the school paper, The Olympian. At The Olympian, we emphasize publishing only true facts. Every time I write an article, I think about my writing because I want the students at CVHS to have factual information. Credibility is important to us at The Olympian and for most of the media too.

The media’s general job is to inform the public with facts and to help individuals be more aware of what’s going on in and around their communities.

Major media sources have biases on what they are reporting and they have the power to influence the way people view things. We have to recognize that this isn’t just the case with media, but it’s the case with everything else too. The way a teacher expresses events in history, the music we listen to, and the television shows we watch all are biased and have the power to influence us.

The media can say and report what it wants to, and that’s just the way it is. We all need to realize that many elements play a part in shaping the way we think. It’s completely unreasonable to blame a certain source for people being wrong and uninformed.

The media is responsible for giving true facts, but in the end, it’s up to them whether or not they want to be a credible source. People will always be curious and tune in to see what different news stations think about certain events. However, it’s the public’s responsibility to make sure that the information given is true.

One of the biggest problems in our society is that things can quickly go viral. At that very moment, they don’t hesitate to look things up on Google and spread false information. Those who are truly upset with the way the media is reporting on things and getting information out need to be responsible for the way they use the information and from where they receive it.

It’s sad to see people blame others for things that can only be changed by themselves. With everyone wanting to know about what’s going on quickly, the media has this pressure to be the first to report on a story and get all the facts before anyone else does. Sadly, the correct facts aren’t always the ones that are given first.

One of my classmates said, “The media has as much power as you allow it to have.”

This statement is just perfect. I suppose in a way I am like the media, giving you my bias on the debate, but in the end, the one who chooses to believe what I’m saying or not is you, the reader.

Myles Speegle, Cameron Edwards, Aaron Jones and Matt Speegle pose proudly for the camera.

This year’s varsity boys 4×100 meter relay team has been unstoppable breaking numerous records that have not been broken in years.

The team has been working together for two years now and consists of Myles Speegle, Cameron Edwards, Aaron Jones and Matt Speegle.

Coach Dooney Jones, both the head coach of the track and field team and the varsity boys 4×100 A team, is proud of the team and hopes for great things for the boys.

“I hope they find their passion for success. To learn and understand what it takes every day to climb to the top and also what it takes to stay there. We move as ‘one,’” stated Jones.

The success of this season so far, according to Jones, originally started in 2011 when the seed was planted and everyone was working hard to help it grow, with the varsity boys team especially overcoming trials and meeting expectations.

Breaking the 2009 team record of 42.2 seconds, this year the relay team has clocked 41.65 seconds, currently second-best in the entire state.

The team is hoping to make it to the State Meet Championships this year and are working hard to meet this goal.

“Considering this is my last year at CVHS I want to make it something to remember. I train hard every day to make sure that I am always at the top of my game. I know we can make it to the championships. It just takes hard work and determination,” said Matt Speegle.

Industry standards for cars and motor oil have changed over the past ten years to give oil a longer life. Most cars made in the last ten years have what are called oil life monitoring systems, which automatically adjust and analyze your engine’s performance and oil performance. Oils have also changed; synthetic oils have stronger preservatives and lubricants to allow the motor oil to last up to 10,000 miles.

The car companies know this, and if you read an owner’s manual from a car that is less than ten years old, it most likely will tell you that there is no need to change the oil every 3,000 miles. But motor oil companies are tripling their profits by scaring the public into buying extra oil. While it is true that your car will lose gas mileage and eventually sustain damage if you don’t change your oil, that line is no longer drawn at 3,000 miles.

For example, all 2012 BMWs will run for at least 15,000 miles before an oil change. Audi, Toyota, Lincoln, Volkswagen, and Mini Cooper all call for an oil change between 10 and 15,000 miles for severe drivers.

Now that’s only for severe drivers, but how do you know if you are a severe driver? A  severe driver is a person who: commutes 50 miles or more every day, drives in temperatures lower than ten degrees or higher than 90 degrees, or someone who takes a series of trips that are under five miles in one day.

For all who drive to CVHS, none of this applies to you. With Castro Valley having weather that rarely exceeds the temperatures listed, along with general driving only to and from school, you car will run happy and healthy for 10,000 miles with only one oil change.

By changing your oil every 10,000 miles on your new car, you will also be saving the environment. An estimated 10,000,000 gallons of oil a year would be saved if manufacturers’ instructions were followed.

Unless you are driving a car that’s more than ten years old, you most likely have been changing your oil way to often. Read your owner’s manual for your car and stop changing your oil every 3,000 miles. By making these changes, you will be saving your money and your environment.

Using the Aeries computer system, the new online course selection would allow students to log in, type in their desired course numbers, and enroll for a class. The process, however, will not completely eliminate a counselor’s role in course selection.

“Moving course selection online will definitely be easier for the counselors,” said Principal Mary Ann Valles. “It eliminates a lot of man hours. But it doesn’t take out the time that comes afterwards. Counselors will still have to rearrange classes and respond to schedule changes to meet the demand of various classes.”

The program will also feature aspects that helps students in planning their futures. In this way, online class registration will benefit students in the long run.

“Students can set their schedule according to a four year college plan, or get on track of a career path,” said Assistant Principal Matthew Steineke.

All online programs have their ups and downs, so what makes this one reliable? Are we sure that the server won’t crash and lose all the school’s class data?

“Aeries has a redundant system built in,” said Steineke. “So if the server does crash, all the data will be backed up and saved.”

The new online course selection program is a  faster, easier, and hassle-free way to go about organizing classes for students’ upcoming years here at CVHS. Although it does not eliminate the huge pile of work counselors face twice a year, it still could make their lives easier by filing the classes and punching in the numbers.

It will be implemented in February or March of 2014.

Maestra Mooney has taught Spanish for ten years at all levels, and this is her second year of teaching Spanish 2. Photo by Marissa Wu

When you walk into Maestra Mooney’s classroom, the first thing that will catch your eye is the artwork. Dozens of colorful projects line the wall, and it is almost a guarantee that some students will be dancing and chattering in rapid Spanish.

Mooney sits perched on her stool, watching her students and smiling. Her room is always open, filled with students, from the time she arrives on campus to the moment they are kicked off campus. She brings a smiling, friendly presence to the room.

Mooney recently won the Teacher of the Year award, given out by the Masonic brotherhood of Castro Valley. Every year, two teachers are recommended for the award: one elementary school teacher and one from the middle schools or high school.

Mooney has taught Spanish for ten years at all levels. This is her second year teaching Spanish 2. She is a native speaker and moved to the United States when she was 14.

When informed that she had won the award by Principal Mary Ann Valles, Mooney didn’t know what to say.

“I needed a couple weeks to process it,” said Mooney.

She didn’t tell her students, but many found out by word of mouth.

“That’s so great. I love Ms. Mooney,” said Amelia Ortiz.

“I don’t like the spotlight,” said Mooney when asked why she didn’t share the news. “This is what I do everyday. Teaching is a huge responsibility. If students don’t learn from adults [about staying positive] who will they learn from? This is my second home. I look forward to seeing the students and starting the lessons.”

Drawn by Lily Carrell

Next year will be the last year that students across California take the Standardized Testing and Reporting Test, or STAR. In the future, California plans to use the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, or SBAC, as the required standardized test students will have to take.

STAR is an extremely lengthy multiple-choice test, which, on one hand, is forced upon second graders in elementary school until they become seniors in high school. On the other side of the coin, how well students perform in the STAR determines school rankings in the Academic Performance Index. However, students are not held accountable for doing poorly on the STAR, as it does not affect their grades.

Unlike the STAR, the SBAC will only be required to students in the third to eighth grade, and one last time while they’re juniors in high school. The SBAC will be a computer-based multiple-choice test. Also, the new test may also merge with the California High School Exit Exam, or CAHSEE, that students must pass to earn diplomas.

We at The Olympian acknowledge that the STAR generally is a good measurement of what students learn, and that it is helpful to see how much we’ve retained over the years. The modified schedule that is created because of STAR is also favorable to most students.

But STAR offers no real incentive to try hard because it places no effect on student grades, graduation or college admissions. As a result, students tend to not take it seriously, and aren’t testing at their fullest potential.

To fix this, connecting the SBAC to the CAHSEE would be ideal to boost student motivation to try harder on the test. If students’ graduation status were on the line, most, if not all, students would take the new SBAC seriously.

Or perhaps the SBAC could be used as a substitute for other standardized tests, such as the SAT or ACT.

California used to give  scholarship money to students who performed well on STAR. Funding was cut years ago but if it were to be brought back for the SBAC, students would more than likely take advantage of available resources.

Out of all the students who take the STAR, juniors in high school are responsible for taking the Early Assessment Program, or EAP, which determines if there’s a need for them to take extra courses at California State Universities or California community colleges. In addition to the treacherous essay juniors must write prior to STAR, they must also manage to conquer additional English and math questions, which are extremely difficult.

EAP questions are asked at the end of every session, after the junior has gone through an entire section of the STAR. Students are tired of testing by that point and their performance isn’t as strong as when they started earlier. We propose that in the future EAP-like questions be offered before the STAR-like questions, so that students can fully tackle the most difficult content and then ease into something less challenging.

STAR is also quite excessive, testing students each and every year from second to eleventh grade.  The SBAC should be offered every other year to give students more room to grow and improve.

With STAR ending, we can only hope that the SBAC also has enough room to grow and improve, and outshine its predecessor.

Passionate students go silent for a day to mimic the voicelessness of many LGBTQ students. Photo by Anna Talajkowski.

Pink Floyd once sang that a silence can speak louder than words. Many CVHS students took these words to heart by remaining silent on April 19 in order to bring awareness to anti-LGBT bullying during the Day of Silence.

The annual protest was brought to students’ attention by the CVHS Spectrum Club, which posted flyers to educate students about Day of Silence and encourage them to participate. Those who took part did not speak for the duration of the school day and wore red to show their support.

Many participants said this year’s effort was one of the most successful attempts to educate the student body about LGBT harassment since CVHS began hosting the event.

“We definitely had more people who knew what was going on this year than any other year,” said senior participant Katherine Kolden.

Over 20 students took part in the Day of Silence. The participants supported one another and drew awareness to the event by sitting together in the courtyard during lunch. After the school day ended, students gathered once again to “break” the silence.

Day of Silence was first held by  the University of Virginia in 1996. There was a push to bring the event to middle school, high school, and university campuses nationwide in 2008, which resulted in the participation of over 8,000 schools.

The student body generally approved of the Day of Silence and many gave their support to those who were taking part.

“Of the people that talked to me that day, they were all pretty much positive,” said Spectrum president Caroline Cady.

However, there were a select number of students who publicly voiced their opposition to the event.

“I had one kid in my class who openly tried to talk to me constantly throughout the day, saying, ‘Well I oppose gay rights, what about you?’” said participant Deric Van Damme.

Other students received harassment as well.

“I got a couple of people who said “fag lover” but nothing serious, nothing dangerous,” said participant Eleanor Kaj.

 But even with the hostility, those who participated said this year’s achievements form a foundation for a hopeful future.

“It’s happening next year. It always happens,” said Cady.

I went to see Spring Breakers during my own boring spring break and I went in with very low expectations. I wasn’t drawn to any of the main actors, except for James Franco, so I knew I definitely wouldn’t enjoy that aspect. I expected a movie about excessive partying and an easily analyzable message, if there was to be any plotline at all. While I was right about the abundant booze and bikini-clad college students on the beach (acting much, much raunchier than I’d imagined), the movie was not entirely meaningless.

The movie centered around four college girls who ended up stealing cash to go to Florida for Spring Break. Selena Gomez plays Faith, the church-going outsider to the group of three devilish girls, Brit, Cotty, and Candy, respectively played by Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine, and Vanessa Hudgens. She is the first to leave when the drugs, sex, and booze lead the group to jail for a few days. James Franco’s character, Alien, a thug loaded with drugs and money, bails the girls out of jail and takes the three remaining girls under his wing. The girls surprisingly adjust well and fit in with Alien’s group, ready to face off against Archie (rapper Gucci Mane), Alien’s vengeful ex-best friend.

The movie definitely had a surprise ending. It certainly wasn’t what I expected at all. I was unsatisfied, but at the same time, I was a bit impressed that I was so shocked. I tried deciphering a meaning to the movie, and after declaring myself stumped, I turned to the Internet to assist me. The only vague official answer I found was a quote from Harmony Korine, director of the film, who said in an interview that it was pointless to constantly search for a message in everything.

The cons? The acting, as expected, was not stellar. It was hard to watch the girls act so incredibly dumb in multiple scenes; it just didn’t seem realistic.

Before I went in, I had heard mixed reviews about the movie. Some of them claimed the movie was surprisingly thought-provoking, while others said that the movie was pure “pervy” garbage. I have to say I agree with both; the surprise was refreshing, and the cinematography was bright and youthful, almost making me envious of such a carefree view of life.

Keep in mind that the movie is definitely rated R for a reason. Don’t watch if you’re not comfortable with violence, sexual themes, and nudity. This is by far the most nudity I’ve ever seen in a movie, so take my word for it. Even I was embarrassed.

Poetry Slam winners proudly hold up their awards. Photo by Alexa Ludke.

CVHS held its second annual Poetry Slam on May 9.

Sixteen student poets shared their stories of heartbreak, inspiration, and strength as they “slayed their inner demons.” Poets evoked tears and cheers from the crowd as they told about the hardest moments in their lives and the struggles they’ve faced.

Teachers Josh Linville and Josh Wheeler also shared inspiring poems about helping others and facing the world with a brave outlook.

Junior Amaya Jenkins won first place with her poems about family and strength, wowing the crowd and impressing the judges.

The event was a great way for CVHS students to participate in friendly competition and share their talent for prose.

The Castro Valley Education Foundation funded the event.