Prom Royalty, pg 8

Valedictorian & Salutatorian, pg 3

Sonoma Film Festival, Online

Golf & Sports Update, pg 7

Dragons Tale
May 2013 - Volume 22 -Issue 7 - Sonoma Valley High School

Galley News
By Chelsea Krause and Brooke Slack

Mrs. Hawing, new principal

By Chelsea Krause and Brooke Slack Mrs. Hawing, has been selected to fulfill the principal position at SVHS for the upcoming school years. Over the past few months, SVHS has been in search for a new principal to take over for our intern principal, Mrs. Fitzpatrick. Candidates from all over state applied for the job by rst lling out a resume to reveal their qualications, known as the paper screening process. After the resumes were submitted, they were reviewed and narrowed down into the candidates most t for the job. They were then invited to interviews on the campus of SVHS. The interviews was an extensive process. For example, they had to simulate a teacher evaluation conversation and perform a variety of job oriented tasks. The best interviewees moved on to second round of interviews which were ran by four committees. The committees were divided into parents, staff, students and community panels. The superintendent then made their decision and recommended the Mrs. Hawing for the job. Mrs. Hawing completed each task thoroughly, receiving the job as principal. Her contract will start this summer and will be welcomed by the students in the fall of the 2013-14 school year.

Recent Crimes
Recently, there was has been an increase in citywide violence revolving around two specic events with the connection of a 17 year old boy. On March 29, a hate crime was committed against an openly gay 18 year old male. The group of suspected gang members began verbally assaulting him with offensive names regarding his sexuality. One of them began to physically assault him and other soon joined in. Two of the victims friends posed a distraction giving the victim enough time to escape, but his wallet and phone were stolen. Following this assault, on Friday, April 5, ten shots were red near Taco Bell at Maxwell. However neither the gunman or civilians were injured. Two boys were arrested for these crimes

Photo courtesy of Sopfa Jeremias

Fond farewell to faculty favorites

By Chelsea Krause and Brooke Slack This spring SVHS says goodbye to four important, members of our community. Ms. Crews, Mr. Lyons, Mr. Tuttle and Ms. Fitzpatrick will be retiring after a long and memorable career in the Sonoma Valley Unied School District. Mr. Lyons will be saying goodbye after an unforgettable 26 years teaching in the English department. When he rst started teaching back in the fall of 89, Lyons taught English to mostly lowerclassmen, but then proceeded to educate upperclassmen and has been doing so since 1992. When asked about his favorite part of teaching English, Lyons reminisced about teaching Hamlet to his seniors. He recalls that his most memorable part of teaching was when a student really connected to a book, and gained something from his teachings. Lyons plans to travel when he retires but wants to remain fairly present in the SVHS community. He is head of the WASC accreditation committee, which will have him at the school at least one day a week next year. Another beloved teacher, Mrs. Crews, will be retiring along with Mr Lyons. Mrs. Crews has been committed to SVHS for 37 years teaching a variety of subjects. When she first started, she taught English and reading, but then began to teach Home Economics. With the changing times, Home Economics eventually turned into Living Skills, a class still being taught. Finally she settled into Foods and Nutrition and Culinary Arts in 1998. Mrs. Crews remarks on her students as never dull. When asked about what she would miss in retirement, Crews replied that she looks at each new day working as the Culinary Arts teacher as a new adventure. Eventually, it becomes your identity. Mrs. Crews, Culinary teacher. Its who I am. When she retires, Mrs. Crews plans to spend time with her six grandchildren and her aging parents. I have a sort of interesting hobby, Crews continued with a chuckle, I like to buy, fix, and resell house boats. Crews also enjoys gardening and volunteering. Crews plans to travel, especially to the Mediterranean, where she has already planned a trip for this summer. Out of all the useful information her students can gain from her class, Mrs. Crews hopes that her students give their very best in all that they do and strive for greatness. Another Sonoma favorite, Mr. Tuttle, will be among the list of teachers who will be ritiring this spring. Tuttle has been teaching at SVHS for 22 years, teaching P.E., Woodshop, and Art. Tuttles most favorite sections to teach in Art are painting and ceramics. In response to a question about his most memorable experience, Tuttle replied that he enjoys watching sudents dis-

No Name Break- In
Over the past few years, the No Name has provided students with a safe environment to eat, study, and socialize. The campus cafe was broken into, by violently breaking a window to enter, on Sun., Apr. 21. This vicious s attack caused physical and nancial damage to the facility. The teen center was affected by the $800 that was taken from the cash register. The No Names prot benets the teen center of Sonoma Valley, whose budget greatly decreased after this incident. The money, which used to be held over the weekend in the cash register is now being held in a safer environment. In order to prevent another break in, the Teen Center is planning to install security cameras. Also a new alarm system and safe may be purchase to increase the protection. The disturbance was directly handed over to the Sonoma police, explained Jodine Taylor, the manager of No Name. They are currently investigating the incident and hope to pinpoint suspects. Evidence, including ngerprints were taken, noted Taylor. These clues will assist the police in nding the robbers, and will regain peace on the SVHS campus. Although SVHS and the Teen Center were damaged due to the disturbance, solutions are being put into effect to halt further break ins.

Photo courtesy of Soa Jeremias cover something about themselves through art. When Tuttle retires, he plans to pursue his own art, travel (to Mexico, Humboldt, South America, and Spain), immurse himself in nature, and love and appreciate his wife of 40 years. When SVHSs ex-principal, Dino Battaglini, resigned, Lynn Fitzpatrick took over as the interim principal until a permanent one was selected. Fitzpatrick has been an educator for 35 years, and has been a part of the SVUSD for three years. Her favorite part of working in high schools has been interacting with the students themselves. Witnessing the raw potential in students is truly magical, Fitzpatrick recalls. Fitzpatrick loves to travel and will be doing so when she retires. She already has a trip planned to the South Pacic and hopes to one day visit the Galapagos Islands, Australia, and New Zealand. Although these teachers are retiring, they plan to revisit the school and the students.

Opinion-Editorial

Sexism slips into Wikipedia

By Soa Jeremias Wikipedia, created in 1993, is a large online database that consists of 39 million registered users and is familiar to the majority of internet operators. However, unlike most online data bases Wikipedia is interactive and the information on the site is provided by its members. This policy of allowing any registered user to edit its pages has resulted in the entry of numerous controversial pages ridden with slander, including, but certainly not limited to, sexism. Wikipedia, like most mediums available to the public, has suffered its fair share of prejudice. In its most recent debacle female American novelists were put into a sub category, while male American novelists remained in the category simply entitled American Novelists. The failure to completely differentiate male and female authors has led many female writers moved to the Female American Novelists section to express their outrage. Amanda Filipacchi, one of the the female writers moved to the subset, wrote in the New York Times that she believed that this most recent change in Wikipedias interface was a direct reflection of the way women are viewed and that (its) things like this that make it harder and slower for women to gain equality in the literary world. In many ways Filipacchi is right, moving women to a separate category does imply certain prejudices and affects the way women are viewed. Such minor changes to a webpages infrastructure can adversely affect the way that humans view each other. However, hoping that those users are starting to get the point is like hoping that all prejudice and sexism will be eliminated simply because of a few angry articles speaking out against it. Wikipedias prejudice has been a continuous problem, not simply a resurgent one. In 2005 the entry for Woman was riddled with derogatory terms that were unparalleled to the entry for Man. This problem was solved through debate over the pages forum and the terms were eventually moved to the Misogyny subsection. If women are angered by Wikipedias recurrent sexism, which they should be, they must also be the ones to make an effort to curb such bias. According to Forbes 80 percent of Wikipedias editors are young, white, child-free men. For the duration of Wikipedias existence this has been the case and this gender gap has yet to be remedied. If women truly expect a change in websites such as Wikipedia, then they must take action. Women have to become active users of the online database if they want to begin to eliminate the prejudice that has resulted due to the lack of diversity on the website. The great feminists of past ages such as Alice Paul, Margaret Sanger, and Mary Wollstonecraft did not simply write about the injustices of their age, they actively fought against the ideals they believed were wrong. Modern women must take a cue and fight against the phenomena which they find unjust, even if this means simply joining Wikipedia.

Glee & Jason Collins open up the closet

By Jesse Summers Against the years of struggle for civil rights, the recent push for equal rights for gays, including the right to marry, would seem to be a natural next step in the evolution towards social equality. But in fact, the debate rages on in national media. For many high school students struggling with sexual identity and acceptance, the future remains uncertain. For student athletes, openly gay role models have been few and far between, particularly in professional sports such as football, basketball and baseball. Of the nine million people who tune in to watch the popular television series Glee a show about William McKinley High School students competing in the Glee club while dealing with relationships, and issues with social and sexual status among their peers the appeal is mostly to teenagers. The popularity of the program Glee testifies to the desire to see openly gay characters participating in mainstream activities, and not as silent, marginalized outsiders. Glee focuses on the high school song and dance club whose members range from football players to nerds to an openly gay student with a heart set on a career in theater. Despite their apparent differences, the students share a common goal: winning the sectional competiand reporters in the world of the Big Four of sports (Football, Baseball, Basketball, and Hockey). Most notably ESPN analyst, Chris Broussard, condemned Collins revelation of homosexality, calling it an open rebellion to God. Collins, a man of faith, says, I take the teachings of Jesus seriously, particularly the ones that touch on tolerance and understanding. On the other side, Collins has received massive amounts of support and love from family, friends, fans, and even President Obama. Players from around the league have expressed the respect they have for him breaking the barrier. And this support seems to be just the beginning. Jason is going to make a huge impact on a lot of people, especially young people, not only to speak their minds but to come out, said sixteen-year NBA veteran Steve Nash, of the Los Angeles Lakers. Collins is not the first African American to break boundaries. Like Jackie Robinson, Collins will open doors for openly gay athletes, both male and female, of any and all colors. Collins, as well as the Glee club members at William McKinley High School, are role models for this generation. Like the Glee club director Will Schuester, Collins says, A lot of ill feelings can be cured by winning.

Art by Soa Jeremias tion. Regardless of Glee Club members social and economic background (ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.) they must respect their various differences and honor what each person brings to the final performance in order to achieve this goal Even while Americans struggle to define normal sexuality, the characters in Glee are instantly recognizable; audience members see themselves in the triumphs and failures of each individual. But real life seldom offers simple resolutions. Recently Jason Collins, a 12 year NBA center, publicly came out as a homosexual in an exclusive interview with Sports Illustrateds Franz Lidz. While statistics indicate that there are currently more gay athletes in America, Collins holds a place in history as the first openly gay athlete. Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, says Collins, but its a good place to start. It all comes down to education. Ill sit down with any player whose uneasy about my coming out. As expected, Collins is facing disapproval from players

Beware of the unseen poison

By Javia Headley Over the years, Disney has captivated the masses, lured in millions of children, and found a special place in hearts worldwide. However, while Disney has been appealing to our need for fantasy, true love, and magic, it has also been covertly placing subliminal messages into our minds. According to an article in the Illinois Periodicals Online, Two hundred-forty million people have seen a Disney movie and 800 million people have read a Disney comic book or magazine. Disney reaches more children than any other animated movie company. But what exactly do these Disney movies teach us? Most parents wouldnt think twice about allowing their children to watch the latest Disney movies. Why should they? Disney has been the source of entertainment in families for generations. The fact is Disney does pose a psychological threat to those who watch the movies. These movies have been found to contain subliminal messages that hypnotize and condition the mind of children starting from a very young age. Subliminal messages, messages that are registered by your subconscious but not by your conscious mind, have been a problem for years. While the use of subliminal messaging, according to BBC News, has been banned since 1958, it is still practiced. Many of these subliminal messages are found to be either negative or sexual often hypnotizing the viewer to buy a product. In Disney movies, sexual subliminal messages have been found. A study done by Bowling Green State University has found that movies such as Aladdin, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid contain a variety of pornographic images, the most prominent being the stars in The Lion King spelling out the word SEX. Most of these sexual messages appear in the newer Disney movies--which may or may not attest to the fact that the younger generations have become more sexualized in the way they talk, dress, and carry themselves. The older Disney lms such as The Little Mermaid (1989), Dumbo (1941), and Peter Pan (1953) contain subliminal messages that are more attuned towards racism. Ben Joseph, a writer of comics and cartoons, has studied these older disney movies to find the racist subliminal messages. Remember Sebastian the Jamaican Crab from The Little Mermaid? He teaches Ariel that life is better Under the Sea, because underwater you dont have to get a job. This places the misconception that Jamaicans are laid-back and lazy into the minds of little children. As if that isnt bad enough, there are the blackbirds from Dumbo who sing Id be done seen about everything/when I see an elephant y! Not only are they voiced by a white man doing his best imitation of a black voice, the lead is nicknamed Jim Crow. An argument can be made that Disney was just trying to expand its horizon--it was trying to include characters that are not the stereotypical white American male. However, it is evident that by using names such as Jim Crow and stereotypes such as the lazy Jamaican, Disney is subconsciously implanting racist thoughts and ideas into the mind of children. Disney is not just mocking blacks--its mocking American Indians too (as seen in Peter Pan)! While Disney is prodding at our subconscious with racist and sexual ideas, it is also cleverly disguising terrible life lessons as morals that will make children successful. Tricia Psarreas Murray, who is currently working to get her M.A. in English at the New York Institute of Technology, has studied Disney movies and has come to nd that the values behind Disney movies are so awed that anyone who tries to learn from a Disney ick is bound to become psychologically scarred. She studies the classics such as Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid and The Lion King. Each seems to have its own deep meaning meant to carry a child through life. However, with a closer look, she found that the ideas behind these movies are somewhat scary. Look at Beauty and the Beast. It seems to be a relatively harmless lm. In fact, the SVHS drama department just put on the theatrical version of this lm. What seems to portray is the golden rule--do unto others as you would like them to do unto you--it also shows that the abusive hostage takers are all princes in the end or at worst a Stockholm syndrome of a hostage. So, with all the hidden messages in Disney lms, the question is, Are Disney lms worth watching? Sure, they are a great source of entertainment, a good distraction for kids, and timeless movies we can watch again and again, but they are also poisoning our minds and our generation. Parents should not allow, or, at least censor, the Disney products that they allow their children to watch. Undoubtedly, these movies are the poisonous apple that Disney is beckoning children to bite, and, in the end, a poisoned mind isnt worth missing out on a few childhood memories.

Art by Javia Headley

Dragons Tale

Page 2

May 2013

Griggs Demmin, Hill to recieve high honors

By Grace Bon Over the course of his four years at SVHS, Connor Griggs Demmin has achieved a record that many would expect from a valedictorian. He has played school soccer for four years, two of them on varsity, as well as two years of varsity tennis. He has taken nine of the twelve AP courses offered on campus, scoring a 5 on all of them. He has worked as a sport editor on the Dragons Tale staff for two years and this past summer, he attended Boys State, a selective government simulation conference held in Sacramento. Despite his academic successes, Griggs Demmin says it is the connections he made SVHS that he will remember most. I always felt that people here cared about me, whether it was a science teacher or my group of friends, he recalls. I think that is what makes SVHS special - the faculty is genuinely committed to the students success. Next year, Griggs Demmin will be attending the School of he says. Hills passions are exemplified by his internships over the past couple of summers. Two summers ago, he spent a week and a half aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer student vessel, working as a crew member. This past summer, Hill interned at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center. I really discovered my passion for the environment both here at SVHS and through the opportunities Ive had outside of school, comments Hill. My AP Biology class with Mr. Neville definitely contributed to my interest. In addition to his academic success, Hill has also excelled in the music department. He has participated in band since his freshman year, serving as drum major b eginning sophomore year. Last year, he ran for and won Slate, meaning that he spent his senior year as part of Leadership. Go Cardinals! he says with a smile.

News

Caught in Thought
What are your plans for next year?

Photo By Grace Bon Connor Griggs Demin and Grifn Hill, valedictorian and salutorian of the Class of 2017

Marissa Balchinas Getting out of Sonoma, and all the drama.

Foreign Service at Georgetown University, where he plans to study International Economics. What follows, however, still remains unknown. I know that I want to travel and even live overseas, so working at the State Department or with an international corporation would be ideal, he comments. Grifn Hill, the salutorian of the class of 2013, has a re-

cord that comes in close second. Like Griggs Demin, he played soccar all four years, two on varsity, as well as four years of varsity tennis. Next year, Hill will be attending Stanford University, the rst SVHS student in recent history to be admitted to the prestigious school. He will be studying in the Earth Systems Department. I want to save the oceans,

Senior Spotlight
Ana Lagunas
Ana Lagunas is among SVHSs most motivated and accomplished students. She won the Press D e m o c r a t Youth Service Award in the area of community action and will attend UC Berkeley in the fall. Her academic resum consists of eight total AP classes, and various volunteer service hours. The list of community service shes done include volunteering for Adele and Altimira Middle Schools, as well as organizations like La Luz, Pets Lifeline, and Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. At Cal, shell be pursuing a major in Integrated Biology pre-med, and possibly

Kelly Braun
Kelly Brauns rst year in college wont be in a university; she will spend it travelling abroad. Shes enrolled in Antioch Colleges gap year program - she will go with a group of students to India in the fall, with opportunities to travel and intern, earning college credits all the meanwhile. In the spring, her options span across the globe - for three months she can choose whichever country she wants and travel there for her program, nding internships and seeing the country and culture of her choice. Additionally, shes graduating high school in three years, a decision she made to graduate with her friends after moving to Colorado and back to Sonoma, leaving her a year behind. I really like the people here, she says. Kelly is excited to travel around the world.

Brain Hurley Rolling in the Benjamins and raking in the skrillians.

Courtney Struthers Live in the woods of Alaska and bartending.

Jon Tillmon
Jon Tillmon is enlisting in the United States Air Force this year. He says that he chose to do so because its great for education, and additionally, he can support his family and have a better life, learn some discipline, among other things. Commenting on high school, he says its been long, and a blast, a long blast. His favorite memory - Senior Prom. Unlike other branches of the military, the recruitment process for the Air Force, according to Jon, is relatively easy. He has to go through the MEPs, Military Entrance Processing, where they perform various tests. Jon is excited for his future in the military I like planes, he says, and I chose all-airborne so Ill be in the air.

Kerrick Martin
Kerrick Martin is the s c h o o l s r e s i d e n t v i d e o genius - an expert cinematographer and a more than capable m o v i e m a k e r. This year he says his most fulfilling experience was helping the students in M r. H a n s e n s Vi d e o Arts classes make their movies most of which were showcased in the student portion of the Sonoma Film Fest. Throughout high school, h e s d o n e n u m e r o u s f i l m and video projects, so m a n y, t h a t i t w a s d i ff i c u l t to find one that is his favorite. Kerrick is one of the most accomplished cinematographers and moviemakers to be graduating from Sonom a Va l l e y High School. His contrib u t i o n s t o M r. H a n s e n s video class are numerous.

Stephen Flynn-Garcia Im looking forward to learning guitar as a hobby.

Dragons Tale Senior Section

Page 3

May 2012

Feature

SVHS Seniors future plans

SRJC
Jasmin Aceves Bernardo Acosta Marisela Alcala Pedro Alquezada Antonio Alvarez Chelsy Alvarez Cinthia Alvarez Jonathon Amandoli Matthew Amatori Mason Arrington Marissa Balchinas Joselyn Baltazar Melissa Barling Maria Baron Vincent Bruton Sharmae Bryant Siena Byrd Domenic Carafa Jose Cazares Austin Cetrangolo Fernanda Chavarria Miguel Chavez Monica Chavez Emerson Claros Alejandro Contreras Taylor Copple Carolina Corona Macy Crawford-Roberts Michael Daly Keaton Davis Wyneld Davis Christopher Dias Alondra Domiguez Sabrina Domitri Sonoma State University Alejandra Barajas Melissa Bernabe John Buckley Cristal Chavez Nina Church Allison Cogbill Fidel Garcia Cassandra Gomez Bianka Magallan Becerra Veronika Padilla Lizbeth Ramos Erick Rendon Jaxson Strong Miriam Tinoco Diana Vitorelo Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Kendall Ashe Riley Ellis-Reis Aidan Lacy Morgan Momsen Jonah Son UC Berkley Matt Charleston Arianna Maysonave Halli Dobson Ana Lagunas UC Davis Caroline Knef Anneliese Koch Pio Valenzuela UC Los Angeles Arthur Morgan UC Santa Cruz Rose Greenberg Kyle Land Riley ODonnell Giordi Serani Liam Casey Dominican University Kristin Gare Dragons Tale Daniel Dwyer Ariel Encarnacion Heather Espinoza Brian Evans Claudia Farias Cesar Figueroa Yuritzi Flores Stefan Flynn-Garcia Sean Forney William Fusco Jennifer Garcia Alexis Giomi Shelby Gray Adelia Gegory Nicholas Grgich Brianna Grimm Victor Guerrero Selena Guiterrez Brian Hurley Martin Hurtado-Vega Olivia Kettler Donald Krause Lilly Lamelza Christopher Lopez Zachary Louie Gustavo Lucas Kathryn Lyon Courtney Mackling Taryn Mak Emilie Marenec Tyler Marmaduke Kerrick Martin Viridiana Martinez Steven McVeigh San Diego State University Jamie Ballard Grisha Papadin Humboldt State University Jordan Bearg Stephen Montano Michaela Shrum Chico State University Wyatt Cassella Leanne Woods Tashi Sherpa Sarah Vaughn Jordann Dagner CSU Fullerton Caitlin Ellis CSU Stanislaus Oscar Aparicio CSU Channel Islands Barbara Hodgkinson UC Merced Weston Updegraff UC San Diego Sebastian Amara Ryland Osborne Chase Campion Marymount College Austin Aviles University of the Pacic Janet Gonzales Pedro Napoles Saint Marys College Craig Gusse Regina Mellinger Cierra Percy Tsarina Secyugu Claver University of San Diego Ashley Vail Page 4 & 5 May 2013 Luis Medina Rosy Mena Andrea Mendoza Amelia Metzler Soa Meza Perez Gornrawee Mitcharoenchai Ricardo Molinero Daniel Montes Banesa Moya Velasco Joseph Murphy Blake Mysliwczyk Lucas Mysliwczyk Jennifer Naidoo Michael Norrbom Richard Nunez Cody Oaks Olivia Olson Esther Oros Raquel Paz-Pedroncelli Angelica Pena Suleika Perez-Usher Grace Peterson Maria Ponce Monique Powell Giovanna Pureco Francisco Ramirez Juan Ramirez Hosea Reyes Martin Reyes Fernando Rivera Diana Robles Irma Rodriguez Alexandra Romano Alma Rosas Jordan Samson Augustin Sanchez Sandra Sandoval-Arriaga Emily Sanlippo Makaela Schrader Trevor Sverson Dolma Sherpa Samantha Shoemaker Dustin Sloane Rosa Sobrevilla Francesca Stornaiuolo Michael Stovall Courtney Struthers Flor Esmeralda Sky Swanson Omar Tapia Grant Tatum Grifn Tatum Jonathon Tillmon Jorge Tinoco Christopher Tose Jessie Trujillo Keenan Tuohy Jose Valencia Jordan Waggoner Garrett Walker Hannah Weber Jessica Wilson Joseph Wilson Emily Wood Robert Woodworth Toay Yank Manuel Young Alberto Zacarias Angela Zurcher College of Marin Emily Sterner Sacramento State University Yeny Lucas Stanford University Grifn Hill University of Redlands AJ Lemaire Mendocino College Justin McDonald Azuza Pacic University Serena Spry CSU Northridge Danielle de la Torre De Anza City College Kevin Lind Folsom Lake College Amanda Martinez San Francisco City College Kristin Broderick Napa Valley College Alexis Long-Am Chapman University Buster La Haye Eugene La Haye Santa Barbara City College Brennan Cole Selena Vargas University of Portland Conor Johnston Rory Johnston University of Washington Jessica Marioni Greg Maggioncalda University of Kansas Jessica Johnston University of Colorado, Boulder Lindsey Jasperse University of Montana Emily Garbarino Arizona State University Alexis Krouzkevitch Perdue University Peter Gray Naomi Haaslevens DePaul University Ella Krikorian Benedictine College Sam Denning University of Missouri: Lindsey Slack Kenyon College Gianna Biaggi New York University Hannah Cenci Santa Clara University Elizabeth Biersch American University Grace Bon Raquel Rios-Gomez Georgetown University Connor Griggs-Demmin Rochester Insitute of Tech. Veronyka Martinez Northeastern University Tali Soroker UTI Pedro Alquezada Christian Camarena Augustin Sanchez

Beauty Academy Diana Robles

City College Stockholm, Sweden Bronwyn Todd

Airforce Jonathon Tillmon Marines

Luis Fonseca Joseph Cotter Gap Year Laura Amador Kelly Braun Lillian Danner Angelica Morgan Savannah URen Work Tre Coles Jose Garcia Bruce Hernandez Anesly Hurtado Diego Lopez Ricardo Meja Oscar Miranda Efrain Moya Ulises Trejo Scott Wade University of the Undecided Madison Anuskewicz Dora Barrera Marisa Dawson Beatriz Duran Jacqueline Echeverria John Engebreth

Opinion-Editorial

Discovering the right-choice college

By Pio Valenzuela University: literally, it means an institution of higher learning. It stems from the whole, or the entire body of people that make up a school. Many high school seniors face a difcult question each year: which college is right for me? After a student graduates which university a person attends or where s/he learns doesnt matter as much as the experience gained and the education received. Whats the end goal anyway? The most common misconception is that college will get you a better job and a better salary - not necessarily. This way of thinking is so widespread, however, that its nearly become the truth. Recently, the University of Texas has been the epicenter of public debate about the very meaning and function of higher education, according to Hunter Rawlings, president of the Association of American Universities. In the storm of public debate, conservatives spearheaded by Gov. Rick Perry and nine regents appointed by him, setting policies at the school - are rallying for a change in the way higher education works. A demand for creating a plan integrating students into the job market undermines the meaning of education. This conservative push means much more than politics; it points to a deep philosophical divide. Rawlings puts it: Many of the kids graduating from college these days are going to hold a number of different jobs in their lives, and many of those jobs have not yet been invented. Graphics by Jamie Ballard For a world like to run the school with a tuition that, whats the best education? of only $10,000, expanding Seems to me its a very general online classes, and focusing on education that enables you to think critically. The countrys institutions of higher learning rank among the best in the world, however, plagued with this divided take on education, students cant thrive. Both students, administrators, and policy-makers (especially politicians) must realize that education is the very essence of how one lives their life. Deciding how the course of someones life will play out is an idea larger than just making college more affordable, or being in an esteemed university. No, ultimately, universities must be institutions where people can learn for themselves how they want to live their own lives.

By Arthur Morgan

SVHS creates successful graduates

lot about my time in high school, what it meant to me, how I thrived and how I faltered, and in my reection I came upon a point I wished to publicly address from the perspective of an SVHS graduating student. Theres an attitude in our community, an ideology even, that there are more chances for success outside of Sonoma (to the tune of $10,000+ a year) than in it. That motivated students or concerned parents should look to private schools as a better option for better college chances, or academic excellence, or even as a drug-safe zone as opposed to SVHS. Coming from St. Francis Solano I saw many friends go on to attend private high schools and I heard many parents tell my parents horror stories about SVHS, the fact that there was An active police ofcer on campus! seemed to necessitate the theory that drugs and violence was rampant. Looking back on my high school experience now, I can tell you, nothing could be farther from the truth. This year some of my fellow classmates and friends have been accepted to or are attending schools like Stanford, Georgetown, Washington University in St. Louis, Duke, UC Berkeley, UCLA, and other top-tier research universities across America. These are the same friends with which I took a wide-breadth of academically challenging and motivating courses available at SVHS, and coincidentally, not all available at the commuter private schools in the region. From AP Calculus with Mrs. Wittbrodt, to AP U.S. History with Mr. Gibson, or (how could we forget) AP English with Mrs. Manchester and the following year Mr. Alderson SVHS boasts not only AP classes, but also competent, rst-class teachers on the cutting edge of their subjects. This isnt meant to take anything away from private schools they have great teachers too, I am sure, and advanced courses available to take. This is a perspective from a student, to prospective students or parents of SVHS, and even the entirety of the valley, saying, Get rid of the stigma, SVHS is one of the best learning environments out there with all the tools and resources readily available to succeed! The bottom line is, if you want to succeed, if you want to be motivated, to be challenged, to take top-quality classes with top of the line teachers, and to have the chance to get accepted to prestigious universities and further your educational goals, SVHS can provide all the steps to get there. Returning from Shanghai, I real-

New York University was generous enough to y me out to Shanghai, China this past month in order to visit the new NYU Shanghai campus, which is on schedule to be completed in 2014. Like NYU Abu Dhabi before it, NYU Shanghais goal is to push cultural and educational convention by creating an American university overseas. Currently there are two students from Sonoma enrolled at NYU Abu Dhabi, Emma McGee (2010) and Ben Marcus-Willers (2012). Emma is currently pursuing three minors, including Arabic, and is studying abroad in Argentina, studying Spanish while (you cant make this up) Ben is just returning from a U.S. State Department sponsored stage in Taiwan. In the days that accompanied my arrival back home in Sonoma I reected on my trip and what it meant for my future educational goals, and the decision I would have to make May 1.I thought a

ized the opportunity that brought me across the world, and the wide breadth of opportunity that awaits me now as I choose what school to attend this fall, is largely in part to SVHS and the education I received, here, in the Sonoma Valley a two minute bike ride from the plaza. As I move away from the valley and onto college life, I feel as if I owed it to SVHS, and the community therein, to give back and share my experiences, and the successes of the class of 2013 as a whole. In closing, you dont have to look far for a great academic option in Sonoma just a look up Broadway, will do.

Senioritis, an epidemic at SVHS

By Eric Webber Senioritis is derived from the word senior plus the sufx -itis; which refers to inammation; however, it has become a part of our language to describe something resembling an illness. While this illness usually fosters itself sometime during senior year, others feel they were affected sooner. Ive had senioritis since junior year! exclaims John Tillmon, senior. Although this can be seen as something of a frivolous concept, some individuals feel that it is a serious problem that should be addressed. Buster and Eugene LaHaye, both seniors, explained that although we thought that senioritis would not affect us, we have contracted it nonetheless! The main problem is that many seniors believe that because they have put so much effort into their educational pursuits thus far, they can simply give up a year to pointless fun. Alexandra Kasper, senior, while waving her hands in the air with a heavy aura of sarcastic delight exclaims I have the worst grades in my life right now! Concerns over the neglected year have given rise to the implementation of a Senior Semester in many high schools throughout the country, which allowed seniors to spend time outside of the school or attend seminars in their specic interests. Peter Gray, senior, when asked how senioritis has affected his year said that Im the wrong person to ask, somehow Im immune! For many, it seems, there is some hope after all.

By Jamie Ballard

Editor s Farewell
Sandy devastated the east coast, and witnessed the capture of Osama Bin Laden. Weve attended lm festivals, parades, dances, games, plays, rallies, and elections. We were here. But its time for us to move on, and while some of us seniors may reect on these years with fondness, some of us cant wait to get out of here. Some, maybe even most of the lessons well take away from our time at SVHS didnt come from a textbook. They didnt come from the English essays or the math quizzes or the historical analysis. Our lessons came from the experiences we had with each other. Most of us are leaving high school as changed people, and these changes can be credited to the people around us, from our best friends to the people we barely spoke to, from the teachers who taught us how to go the extra mile to the people who challenged us and hopefully made us better. To those of you who will still be in high school next fall, I encourage you to take risks and challenge yourself,

This marks my nal issue on the staff of the Dragons Tale. Ive had the unique opportunity to serve as editorin-chief for two years, and during this time, Ive learned a great deal. In the four years that our class of 2013 has been here, weve seen it all: bomb threats, visits from Congressmen, and the Giants winning the World Series - twice. Weve seen three different principals in our time here, and are watching the transition to a fourth. Weve been there as our school fought for tolerance on campus, and weve been there as the SVUSD budget was cut by nearly 2.6 million. Weve seen the re-election of President Obama, watched as Hurricane

but know that its okay to take a break sometimes. Dont work simply for the sake of working. Youll eventually drive yourself crazy. Work towards a goal. Take the occasional minute to look around and appreciate where you are in life at this moment. High school, for all its occasional faults, is a special time. To my fellow seniors, thank you for making these years memorable. Im excited to see where the class of 2013 goes, and how we all succeed in our own ways. These four years have been quite an experience that Im glad to have shared with many of you. As you go on in life, I hope you remember these years fondly, and I hope you continue to read newspapers (or online newspapers, perhaps) along the way.

Dragons Tale Staff ADVISER - Alison Manchester EDITOR IN CHIEF (SENIOR SECTION) - Jamie Ballard EDITOR IN CHIEF (IN TRAINING) - Javia Headley COPY EDITORS - Grace Bon, Arthur Morgan NEWS EDITORS - Grace Bon, Chelsea Krause, Brooke Slack OP-ED EDITORS - Laura Amador, Adelia Gregory, Javia Headley, Soa Jeremias FEATURE EDITORS - Lindsey Jasperse, Ellen Angeloni, Anneliese Koch, Gianna Monterosso CULTURE EDITORS - Sebastian Amara, Laura Amador PHOTO & TECH EDITORS - Matt Amatori, Jessica Marioni SPORTS EDITOR - Connor Griggs-Demmin, Jesse Summers, Jacob Little BUSINESS MANAGERS - Connor Griggs-Demmin, Arthur Morgan, Brooke Slack, Gianna Monterosso REPORTERS - Jamie Ballard, Laura Amador, Sebastian Amara, Ellen Angeloni, Grace Bon, Liam Casey, Brennan Cole, Adelia Gregory, Connor Griggs-Demmin, Javia Headley, Lindsey Jasperse, Soa Jeremias, Anneliese Koch, Chelsea Krause, Jacob Little, Arianna Maysonave, Giana Monterosso, Arthur Morgan, Riley ODonnell, Giordi Serani, Brooke Slack, Jonah Son, Jesse Summers, Weston Updegraff, Eric Webber

Dragons Tale Senior Section Page 6

May 2013

Farewell, Senior Athletes!

Favorite moments of their high school careers...

Sports

Soccer Stefan Flynn-Garcia: Playing in NCS for three years in row Lindsey Jasperse: Either Senior Night or dancing in the rallies

Volleyball Alexis Long-Am: Beating Analy for the SCL title and stopping their run of 7 in a row

Water Polo Sebastian Amara: Dancing in my Speedo at the rallies Rose Greenberg: Playing water polo with my best friends Zoe and Madeline Football Jonny Amandoli: Beating Petaluma on Senior Night

Baseball-Softball Jonah Son: Hitting back-to-back home runs with Sam Morgan Jordan Samson: Having Nerf wars at the hotel at the Ukiah tournament

Tennis Stephen Montano: Winning SCL my senior year Lindsey Slack: Learning how to play a new sport I wasnt used to Cross Country Track

Greg Maggioncalda: Bus rides with my Johnston boys, Owen, and Alex

Hannah Cenci: When I beat my personal record for the 2 mile

Basketball Vince Bruton: Senior Night, which came to be known as Vince Bruton Night

Dragons Tale

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April 2013

Extra Favorites
Most likely to become a Noble Laureate Most Awkward

Adelia Gregory and Arthur Morgan

Daniel Dwyer and Courtney Struthers

Most Down to Earth

Worst Case of Senioritis

We were unable to locate Sean and Ashley as they were absent.

Sebastian Amara and Hannah Cenci Sean Hall and Ashley Vail

Best Hair

Most likely to survive Survivor

Nawang Sherpa and Alexis Long-Am

Stephen Montano

Most likely to be in a fashion show

Best Karma

Danny Montes and Alondra Dominguez

Dragons Tale Page 8

Stefan Flynn-Garcia and Jamie Ballard

May 2013

Sports Update
With seasons coming to an end, and NCS around the corner, we caught up with some spring sport athletes ready for playoffs...

Montano takes rst in Singles Tournament

By Jacob Little

Dragons win SCL pennant

Sonomas resolve. They came roaring back, defeating Piner, Analy, Elsie Allen, Healdsburg, and El Molino in consecutive games to once more climb atop the SCL throne with a league record of 11-1. In the individual tournament Sonoma was well represented by Montanos dominating effort. Years of practice led into that last tournament, Montano commented. He won his first game 6-3, 6-1, before advancing to the semifinals where he upset the number one seeded Kevin To 6-3, 7-5 to reach the championship game. Playing against the second seed, John Bursick, Montano quickly wrapped up the tournament with an easy 6-0, 6-2 victory. The championship team is made up of seniors Liam Casey, Peter Gray, Connor Griggs-Demmin, Sean Hall, Griffin Hill, Aidan Lacy and Stephen Montano, juniors Chris Angel, Magnus Forsythe, Rafael Hernandez and Sachin Naidoo, sophomores Kaden Cable, Alex Gustafson, Caleb Horowitz and Sam Sondheim, and freshman Fabien Metelmann. Helping coach them to their second league pennant was head coach Thomas Byrne.

Sports

Baseball
13-9 overall standings

4-6 SCL Standout Athlete:

Jonah Son, senior, with 28 hits on the season, batting .467

Heading Into Playoffs:

With the SCL title out of reach, we have our sights set on NCS and we are determined to get there. Our passion and will to win will lead us to victory. Miles Hagin, junior.

Softball
16-4 overall standing 7-2 league Standout Athlete:
Amber Rose, junior with 25 hits on the season, batting .581 Jordan Samson, senior threw no hitter in 12-0 win over Healdsburg.

In a crushing effort from the senior led Sonoma Varsity Boys tennis team, the Dragons walked over league foe El Molino by a score of 6-1 to clinch the outright regular season SCL title for the second consecutive year. A week later, in the SCL singles tournament, the Dragons No. 2 singles player and fourth-seeded senior Stephen Montano upset both the first and second seeds in the tournament to get first place and claim the SCL singles title. As the last time Ill get to play tennis competitively, it felt great to end on a high note, explained Montano. With all five of their starting singles players returning seniors, the Dragons started off the season with high expectations. During the first half of the season Sonoma swept easily past their opposition. But at midseason, without the help of No. 1 singles player Sean Hall, the Dragons slipped to league rival Petaluma. The loss only hardened

Photo courtesy of Stephen Montano Senior Stephen Montano returns with a backhand en route to an SCL tourney title

By Jacob Little

Swimming up to potential

Heading Into Playoffs:

This year we are a much closer group of players and we have built a strong trust for one another. Despite enduring a painful knee injury, I still feel a part of the team because we all play for each other. Lindsey Rocha, junior.

Photo by Jessica Marioni Dario Minatta eyes the green at Sonoma Golf Club.

Golf sweeps tournament

Ballard Advances to NCS
By Jacob Little A spectacular rst place nish in the SCL tournament from the 3-seeded Sonoma boys varsity golf squad put a dazzling cap on an up and down 3rd place regular season. The Dragons were led by an outstanding performance from sophomore Christian Ballard, who scored 77 on the 18 hole tournament to propel his team to victory and advance himself into the prestigious NCS tournament. With a team score of 411, Sonoma slipped past Analy and Healdsburgs 417 and 418 scores. El Molino placed third with 426, while Petaluma fell to last place with a 444 nish. To back up Ballard and bring the Dragons to victory were clutch rounds from junior Dario Minatta, sophomore Cyle Gusse, and seniors Craig Gusse and Justin Crocketts scores of 81,81,84,and 86, respectively. Prior to the tournament, the varsity boys golf team wrapped up their regular season on a high note with an emphatic 218-236 victory over league rival Petaluma. Dario Minatta, junior, and Christian Ballard, sophomore, led the team with a high score of 40 each. They were supported by Cyle Gusses 43 and scores of 46 and 47 for Crockett and Craig Gusse, respectively. Despite playing well, Sonoma didnt start the second half of the season on a high note. El Molino managed to slip past Sonoma by a narrow score of 216-224. Sonoma played well and were led by Minattas 42, Ballards 44, Craig Gusses 45, Cyle Gusses 46, and Crockets 48. The Sonoma roster is composed of seniors Justin Crockett and Craig Gusse, juniors Dario Minatta, Dante Monterosso, Nicho-

Track

Girls Varsity: 3-3 Boys Varsity: 2-4

Standout Athlete:
Edwin Reyes, freshman, posted a 52.37 time for the 400m run on varsity.

Heading Into Playoffs:

Even though track is an individual sport, we need to work as a unit and support one another if we intend on improving before NCS, Greg Maggioncalda, junior. Dragons Tale

A dominant performance by the varsity Sonoma boys and girls swim teams cleared their opposition out of the water in high-scoring double digit victories. After beating Elsie Allen but losing to league-power Analy, the Sonoma boys and girls varsity swimming teams produced a dominant comeback performance against the combined teams of Lake County and Kelseyville. For a small team like Sonoma, the season has been quite successful. Sophomore Adam Curry remarked, Our team has great unity and weve used it to beat many larger schools. To lead the Dragons against the Elsie Allen Lobos in a lopsided 85-25 victory were first place finishes by seniors Sebastian Amara and Arthur Morgan, sophomore Adam Curry, and freshmen Cian Lacy and Jack Lewis. The Lady Dragons had an even more emphatic victory, winning by a stunning score of 122-8. Sonoma was paced with first place finishes by juniors Madeline Cline, Gina Peil, and Maria Hawings, and sophomores Amanda Gillion and Ella Mighell. After such a dominant performance the Dragons faced league power Analy, who fed them the same medicine they had forced down the throat of

Elsie Allen. The boys squad swam well and suffered a narrow 84-76 loss, but the girls team was even less fortunate and fell by a score of 135-34. First place victories by Amara, Morgan, and fellow senior Chase Campion, as well as Curry, Lacy, and Lewis helped keep Sonoma close, but ultimately were not enough to bring the team home victorious. The girls team had no individual first place performances. The determined swim squads were not phased by the tough defeat and worked hard to both gain solid wins against their next opponent- Lake County and Kelseyville. Led by first place events from Campion, Amara, Curry, Lacy, and Lewis, the boys squad won by a score of 92-62. The Lady Dragons came home victorious thanks to first place performances by Peil and Gillion. Both Sonoma swim teams finished their season in the SCL tournament on May 10 and 11, but the results were not available at presstime. Excluding those already mentioned, the boys team is rounded out by Jacob Paine, Max Shepard, and Rowan Todd, while Jamie Ballard, Ally Cogbill, Annie Greenslade, Caroline Knef, Mariela Mendoza, Jazmin Ortiz, Jacqueline Regan, Abby Van Kirk, Natalie Vega, Sofia Williams, Leanne Woods , and Natalie Baker finish the girls team.

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May 2013

Festival brings films and fun

Culture

Adolescents add pizzazz to the fest

Photos by Sebastian Amara This years Film Festival hosted celebrites, culture, and celebrations.

By Laura Amador and Sebastian Amara It is no secret to Sonoma residents what time of year the Sonoma International Film Festival rolls around. Any Sonoman will be able to spot the signs upon entering the Plaza- tipsy tourists, limited parking spaces, and of course the big, wooden sign facing Broadway that reads SONOMAWOOD. This year, the Festival kicked off with a showing of the lm, Iceman, at the Sebastiani Theatre Wednesday night. The Student Showcase followed bright and early the next Morning and from there on was a weekend lled to the brim with various lms and shorts in venues surrounding the Plaza. This years Film Festival featured over 90 lms ranging in genres such as independent feature, documentary, world cinema,

shorts, and a Showcase of Spanish language lms. This ve day event took place throughout the heart of Sonoma with its nine venues within walking distance from the plaza. While the Sebastiani Theater has the best show atmosphere with its red velvet seats and butter popcorn, the best venue at the festival was the Vintage House. Mias kitchen sponsored the Vintage House venue, providing free salad, pasta (including Mias pasta sauce and meatballs), and of course, wine, thus making a ticket there worth far more than one at any other venue. Between the Opening Reception and the Awards Ceremony, the festival featured an array of parties. While the Gala and Latin Fiesta have been customary, this year, the festival organizers got creative, or should I say groovy,

hosting an LGBT Secret Disco Party that quickly became the festivals newest hit. There were also several celebrity spottings. Among the directors and contributors to many of the lms were more well known actors such as Ray Liotta, MaryLouise Parker, and Demian Bichir. At the Celebrity Tribute in the Plaza, Parker and her co-star, Bichir spoke about acting and their roles in the popular television series, Weeds. Having starred in the premiere movie, Iceman, Liotta also spoke at the festival, appearing at the Student Showcase for a Q&A along with the director of the lm, Ariel Vromen. The Sonoma Film Festival never fails to produce a jovial atmosphere that resonates throughout the town. Tourists and residents alike shall wait restlessly in anticipation for next years event.

Photo by Matt Amatori The screen of the Sebastiani Theatre illuminates before an anxious crowd.

By Laura Amador Its not everyday that a high school student is able to use high-quality camera equipment to make a professional-grade movie, but in Mr. Hansens Video Productions class, it is. Every year, Sonoma Valley High School students take the spotlight at the Sonoma Valley International Film Festival, starring in a Student Showcase that highlights the best short movies made by students in the media arts program. This year, along with the year before, the Sebastiani Theatre was overrun with eager students lining every row of the crowded theater and yet spilling into the aisles. And it is no wonder that the Student Showcase is anticipated with such excitement. Filmmakers in this showing work long, grueling months to produce high-quality movies no more than 20 minutes long each for this annual event. Some may underestimate the amount of work that goes into making a movie, even one of relatively short length, but Hansens lmmakers understand the entire process by the time their movies reach the big screen. Once you get started, you realize that there is so much more to lmmaking than just shooting and

Filmfest

Censored uncovers media manipulation

By Soa Jeremias Imagine a world where the nations largest corporations are the sole proprietors of all news sources. A world where yellow journalism runs rampant and you can trust a respected newspaper to deliver truthful and accurate news no more than you can trust a Vegas slot machine to deliver a payoff. This is the depiction of the dystopian world created in the documentary Project Censored. The lm, created by Doug Hecker who was a former participant in Sonoma States Project Censored, highlights the programs dedication to ending the tyranny of junk food news and maintaining a media democracy. Hecker not only informs the viewer of the Project Censored mantra, but of the oncoming wave of corporate run media. The lm postulates that the government, corporations, and media are all in cahoots and determined to rid the common citizen of his or her constitutional freedoms. However, the lm does not simply believe that this oncoming wave is unavoidable, but offers a solution, a solution manifested in the work of Project Censored. Project Censored offers college students the opportunity to search for their own truths and to become their own news sources. Over the past 37 years the program has accumulated thousands of stories investigated by students and expanded to colleges across California. Yet despite the programs dedication to reliable news, one cannot help but amass a good deal of doubt. When faced with shocking headlines such as FBI Agents Responsible for Majority of Terrorist Plots in the United States questions of credibility immediately begin to form. Questions such as who is fact checking these stories, where are students getting their information, and do the facts gathered prove the associations and accusations made. These are some of the most fundamental questions asked of any news source, yet Project Censored fails to answer any of them or alleviate doubts. Certainly the lm claims that its organization is compiled of well meaning reporters dedicated to the truth, but such a statement cannot be taken at face value. Project Censored presents an interesting conundrum in which it points ngers at the nations largest news sources and then offers itself up as a pure and moral alternative without ever backing up its claim. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Chicago Tribune may be funded by some questionable companies; however, they also have a policy of fact checking and accuracy that a reader can trace. Project Censored has a long way to go before it can claim credibility and the trust of hundreds of thousands of readers, beginning with obtaining facts rather than misguided but well meaning ction.

Awards
Best American Independent Film: As High as the Sky Director: Nikki Braendlin Best World Feature: Blackbird Director: Paul Osborne Best Documentary Feature: Terms and Conditions May Apply Director: Cullen Hoback Best Narrative Short: Chance of Rain Director: Phillip C. Wolter Best Documentary Short: The Flogsta Roar Director:Johan Palmgren AUDIENCE AWARDS Best Documentary: Living on One Dollar Directors: Zach Ingrasci, Sean Leonard & Chris Temple Best American Independent Feature: As High as the Sky Director: Nikki Braendlin Best World Feature: Jackie Director: Antoinette Beumer

editing, Jen Howlett, Junior, emphasized. Its stressful, especially because most students have a lot more going on in their lives than just video productions, but in the end, its worth it. The lms ranged from sci- to suspense, artistic to comedic. Every lm reected the cinematic talents of the youth that are often overlooked without an opportunity such as this showcase. Ariel Encarnacion, Senior, even produced his own music for several lms in the showcase. I sat down for about 5 hours, replaying the video over and over so that I could match the music with the timing and the emotion of the lm, he explained. Encarnacion created the music tracks for his own lm, Run, along with another lm in the showcase, Alive. A total of ( ) lms made it into the Showcase this year, with movies created by students in both Hansens advanced and beginning classes. As Hansen acquires more advanced camera equipment for his students, the quality of the lms increases. Yet even without the cinematic polish of a studio produced lm, as long as there are students who are inspired to make movies, there will be a Student Showcase at the Sonoma International Film Fest.

Film hunts for thrill and sorrow

by Sebastian Amara The Hunt, a Danish lm featured at the Sonoma Valley International Film Festival, captures the enticing effects of societal prejudice on the individual. Mads Mikkelsen, known for his role as Le Chiffre in Casino Royale, plays Lucas, a small-town kindergarten teacher who nds himself as the target of sudden, mass hysteria. Due to the naive actions of a young girl at his kindergarten, the entire community, including his closest friends, accuse him of being a child molester. This lm recreates McCarthyism in a modern form that we, as young viewers, can understand. It is not the children who claim to have been molested; their parents make the accusations of Lucas, actions without proper regard for evidence. As Lucas faces accusations of the town, he begins to lose his rights. A memorable scene is when he faces hardship when he simply needs to buy groceries. The staff of the store maliciously assault him and the scene ends with him meandering away, alone and covered in blood as his best friend deliberately avoids him. While Mikkelsen played Lucas fearful yet reserved and then angry while in pain, he gave the lm its epitome of a man undergoing turbulent emotions. The lm is predictable at times, but its intensity still makes the viewer jump cringe and jump in their seat. In the denouement, a year after the accusations of the town and being declared innocent, Lucas continues to face death threats from the community. A single shot nearly grazes his head while hunting; he knows it is no accident as he looks up to see only the silhouette of the shooter. The conclusion of the lm expresses that society will continue to be vindictive regardless of the truth.

Dragons Tale

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May 2012

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