Many of you have seen the stylish T-shirt designs that Poly sports teams boast are worn all over the campus. The championship basketball shirts and the new soccer logo are all brainchildren of Fresh, a Poly alumnus who is making his living designing T-shirts with his company, Fresh Teez.
Fresh works with his partner to design creative T-shirts with a special flare. Fresh also coaches for the varsity softball team, and is dubbed “Team Mom” by the players and head coach.
He is proud to be able to work with such promising athletes. “[I love] being a positive male influence for the girls,” he said.
Fresh graduated from Poly in 1986, and from there began pursuing his dream. “When I saw the freshman head coach,” said Fresh, “and I saw the uniforms we had received for the amount of money that we paid, I said, “I know I can do better than that.’” From there, he collaborated with friends in the silk-screening business and was able to buy the t-shirts wholesale.
Fresh considers his greatest designing feat to be when he designed the T-shirts for the track team’s back-to-back state titles. “The whole track team was wearing my shirt,” he boasts. “I was looking at the Gazette like I do after a sporting event…and I said, ‘Hey! That’s my shirt!’”
Spending so much of his time after graduation at Poly has been a very surreal experience, Fresh says. “Every once in a while you’re in the hallways and you get that little flashback from when you were in high school… It’s like, ‘Man, I remember this moment.’”
He appreciates all the support he receives from the large and loving Poly family, and considers it an honor to design T-shirts for Poly, giving his company the memorable slogan: Fresh Teez, the garments of champions.
Category: Arts & Culture
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The Garments of Champions
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Literary Feature-Stars and Fields
Stars
Look up at the night sky, and what do you see? Thousands upon thousands of dots of white light, a star studded night, and you could almost take flight because they just…feel…so…close, comforting, all…the same. No. Look deeper. Burning masses of white, yellow, blue, red, countless miles across, so vast you could never comprehend their depth. Oh, and what these stars have seen! The creation of planets, the slow deaths of their neighbors, the ebb and the flow of the world, the push and the pull, constantly changing, rearranging, the universe in their hands, the power to tip the scales with a movement in either direction… and some will be long dead by the time we recognize their light. I look before me tonight, and I see my own galaxy, a sea of black, 140 eyes shining bright as stars, all united but so very different, because we are the stars and we are the planets, all made of the same dust but no less unique, and we grow brighter the darker the sky, distant lights in a lost generation. Here, of all places, we have the power to shift the scales, to really be heard, to raise our voices and sing out loud, because we are the future and we are made of the past, we are the songs sung at two in the morning because maybe there’s still hope in the world, we are the single word that changes the meaning of a sentence, we have the fire of the stars in our hearts, and we, as different as we all are, have the power to change the world.
Fields
Stars shine and gleam
across the horizon,
over the fields of white daises,
like pearls in the moonlight. -
There’s A First Time For Everything…
Poly Vocal Jazz One was informed of their acceptance into the annual Monterey New Generation Jazz Festival on Jan. 30.
The Monterey New Generation Jazz Festival, which takes place from March 27 through 29, is the “Super Bowl of jazz education,” where over 1300 of the Nation’s top jazz musicians―whether they are in vocal ensembles, bands, or combos in the middle school, high school, or collegiate levels ―are chosen to compete against one another in this intense 3 day festival.
“This will definitely be a new experience for us,” says Senior Kandise Le Blanc, “Though Poly’s never competed in the Monterey Jazz Festival, it’ll definitely be an opportunity for us to showcase our talents, as well as expose ourselves to our potential competitors’ performances.”
The finalists of the New Generation Jazz Festival are then chosen to compete in the prestigious 58th Monterey Bay Jazz Festival, which takes place in September the following year.
“I’m confident in the ability and talent of this group,” says Mr.Dokko, the director of Vocal Jazz One, “If anything, this will serve as an opportunity for the group to grow as an ensemble before our main competition in Reno.”
Following Monterey, the Reno Jazz festival will take place on April 23-25, where Poly’s Vocal Jazz One group will once again compete,
“It’s going to be a great experience singing with such a great group of talented singers,” says Sophomore Jovanh Pham, the youngest member of the group, “I’m ecstatic.” -
Forecasting the Oscars
The 87th annual Academy Awards, best known as The Oscars, premieres on February 22 on ABC. For the sake of brevity, my predictions for the winners will only cover the categories of Best Actor/Actress, Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture. Without further ado…
Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne from The Theory of Everything will win. Redmayne’s portrayal of a young but debilitating Stephen Hawking showcased both emotional depth and a caring accuracy that none of the other nominees can measure up to. However, Michael Keaton’s raw performance in Birdman or Steve Carell’s career-transcending performance in Foxcatcher deserve mention.
Best Actress: Julianne Moore will easily take this category. Her performance as an linguistics professor who struggles to keep her life together after she is diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer’s in Still Alice places her well above the competition. Marion Cotillard’s nomination in the French film Two Days, One Night and Rosamund Pike’s nomination in Gone Girl (the film’s only representation for the awards) are notable nonetheless.
Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons has this category locked down. His performance as an intense, almost sadistic jazz conductor in Whiplash is simply more bombastic and impressive than the other nominees. Mark Ruffalo in Foxcatcher and Ethan Hawke in Boyhood are the closest runner-ups.
Best Supporting Actress: Much like J.K. Simmons, Patricia Arquette has this category tied up. Her turn as an underappreciated single mother in Boyhood has made her the clear frontrunner.
Best Director: The running is split between Alejandro Iñárritu for Birdman and Richard Linklater for Boyhood. Although both directors were innovative and experimental with their movies, Linklater has the edge for managing to create a cohesive and impactful film over a span of 12 years. Wes Anderson deserves a mention for his wonderfully realized vision in The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Best Picture: This race, like Best Director, is between Birdman and Boyhood. The award will ultimately go to Boyhood for being able to execute its ambitious concept with passion and grace. However, Birdman, American Sniper or The Theory of Everything have a very real chance of pulling an upset.
2014 was a great year for movies and the nominees for this year reflect that. Be sure to tune in for the Oscars on the 22nd. -
All District Mixes It Together
Poly music students participated in the annual All District Concerts, which were held from January 29 to February 4 at the Terrace Theater as well as in Milikan High School’s auditorium.
Both concerts featured spectacular nights filled with impactful, full orchestra pieces, such as “Jupiter” and Dvorak’s “New World Symphony.” Both pieces were well received by the audience, leading to the concerts’ overwhelming success. Students from all levels, including different middle schools and high schools in the district and even the professional Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, prepared extensively to provide such memorable performances.
The All District Concert is different from other concerts in that it is inclusive of every high school and middle school in the district; however, only the top 100 students who audition are accepted to represent the top musicians in the district.
This year also featured the Side-by-Side Concert with the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra (LBSO), which occurred throughout January 29 and 30 and only happens every two years. At this concert, the All District players performed alongside the LBSO, playing for an audience of about 12,000 4th and 5th graders total.
“Playing next to professional brass players, especially when we played “Star Wars,” is a learning experience you only get once in a lifetime,” says senior trombone player, Michael Franco, “This All District was the best one I have ever been in by far.”
At the Milikan All District Concert held on February 4th, which was open to the public, senior Concertmaster Jeffrey Lam received the prestigious Fred Ohlendor Memorial Scholarship, which is rewarded to seniors who exhibit exceptional musicality and leadership.
“I was surprised to receive it,” said Lam, “And very honored as well.” When asked how he felt about the performance, Lam said, “We did pretty well, (I’m pretty cynical) so that says a lot by itself. Despite the challenging repertoire, it came together well.” Lam adds, “It was a wonderful experience and a good way to end my last All District performance.” -
Up the Down Staircase
Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing the Poly Drama Department’s Sunday matinee performance of Up the Down Staircase in the Poly Playhouse.
The story opens with Ms. Sylvia Barrett (played by senior Emma Gressett), a new teacher starting her first day at Calvin Coolidge High School. Although her students are rough around the edges — such as the insecure José Rodriguez (junior Justin Jacildo), the rowdy Lennie Neumark (senior Adan Gonzalez), the boy crazy Linda Rosen (sophomore Isabella Garcia), and the juvenile Joe Ferone (junior Donte Owens) —Ms. Barrett learns that the needs of the children aren’t being met by strict principle J.J. McHabe (senior Patrice Berry), who believes that colorful posters are the answer to every problem. Her encounters at Coolidge create both hilarity and intense emotion as she strives to improve the school.
While each actor gave a spectacular performance, Emma Gressett should be especially noted for the number of lines she memorized as the main character. Her part seemed to have taken up 3/4 of the show, which is extremely impressive. She delivered each line with emotion and passion.
Playing the role of Mr. Barringer, senior Donge Tucker should also be commended for his believable act as the flirty and charming, yet insensitive teacher and school heartthrob. Senior Jasmine Sim should be applauded as well for her performance as the lovesick Alice Blake, hopelessly in love and completely devoted to Mr. Barringer. In addition, she played a dual role, transitioning seamlessly from the role of naive, girly Alice to the tough, hardcore Carol Blanc.
All cast members portrayed their characters with sincerity and heart. They clearly conveyed their understanding of the story’s themes of patience, love, and perseverance. Mrs. Hubbard has given us yet another wonderful production, and her gifted students continue to wow us with this play. Up the Down Staircase will have an extended run of limited showings the week of Jan. 5 of next year. -
Poly’s Activist Legacy
Poly students and activism have long held a strong relationship. Such a diverse student environment has fostered great conflict, but also great conversation, both in years past and today. No matter what the date is, Poly students have not shown themselves as shy about being heard.
Back in the 1970s a violent altercation occurred between black and white students. The 1970s were an interesting time for racial relations at Poly.
The Long Beach school district had just officially desegregated schools in 1972, which brought momentous strides, but also great social tensions. So when racial violence occurred at a local theater, students were aware that something had to be done.
A large group of African American students gathered at King Park and marched to school in unity. Upon reaching Poly they held a sit-in in the quad as a powerful example of student alliance that, as Mr. Shock said: “[Brought] attention to the racial tensions that were taking place at Poly during that time.”
It was this sit-in that sparked the formation of Poly North, which is one of the only lasting student relations camps in the school district and a cherished destination for those who’ve visited.
On-campus activism has not been solely reserved for the past. Students still voice their opinions and work towards social change today, but now in the form of clubs. These activism based clubs use discussion, activities, and hard work to express their ideals and create a safe place for those who have faced the flaws in modern society that the clubs are trying to combat.
The impact of clubs has not gone unnoticed. Last year Poly held a mandatory assembly to bring light onto the issue of human trafficking in America, where a survivor shared her heartbreaking story and educated our school about the dangers of this issue. This was due to the diligent work of Poly’s Anti-Human Trafficking Club, whose modern day activism has now brought awareness to thousands of students.
Social activism at Poly has always been done by the hands of students who care. Strides taken by students have changed the way our school functions and thinks, proving that we are the ones with the real power and we are the ones with the responsibility to make change.
So if you’re a Poly student who is angry, don’t be afraid to stand up: you’ll have a whole community standing behind you. -
Singers Tear It Up Before Tear Down
Poly’s Holiday Vocal Concert was a great success. The Choral Music Department came together last Wednesday, Dec. 10, to perform 15 charming holiday songs for friends and family in Poly’s auditorium.
With the help of directors Brian Dokko and Lori Grace leading the show, the singers delivered plenty of holiday cheer to the audience. Some Christmas classics were performed beautifully, including “Silver Bells,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
It wasn’t all standard songs though. Some interesting carols were also sung, like “Kuwa Na Krismasi Njema,” “Everybody Knows,” and “Shake Up Christmas.”
All the choirs also got on stage to sing “Samba Santa,” which is a Poly tradition. Two Sing-A-Longs were also included, where the audience was able to get in on the festive spirit and help sing “Deck the Halls” and “Jingle Bells.”
The cheer was palpable with the Cecilian singers’ performance of “Winter Wonderland,” and Grace getting the crowd lively and happy with their animated and extremely enjoyable performance of “It’s All About Love.”
It was clear that the students were enjoying themselves, with everyone swaying and smiling, the holiday spirit filled every member of the crowd.
“I really wanted to move along with them,” said senior Vivian Vu.
The angelic voices of Vocal Jazz 1 helped bring the evening to a close, right before a final collaboration between the combined choirs: “Peace, Peace.”
Sadly, this concert will be the last of its kind for a while. The Poly auditorium will be under construction until at least 2018, which means that the exquisite voices of Poly’s choral department will have to relocate.
Dokko announced that with the absence of the auditorium there will be some new changes to the formatting of concerts as well, with the departments that focus more on classical performing in the Cabrillo auditorium and the more modern departments showing their stuff in the Poly choir room.
Senior Kandise LeBlanc said, “I’m a little bit nostalgic for it…There have been so many firsts…my first solo, that’s where I met, honestly, my best friends in high school…but I know that it’s going to be a better auditorium for the other kids.” -
Atticus Finch Walks into a Starbucks…
It’s 10:18 p.m. on a weeknight as I stay up doing everything except homework, when my friend in New York sends me a link.
He’s doing exactly what I am (which is absolutely nothing) three hours in the future. I glance at the link, reluctant to click on it because 1. It’s on Tumblr, and God knows that all productivity would end right then and there (not that it was happening in the first place) and 2. The name included Starbucks, a place I had always felt miffed about. Living frugally meant that I couldn’t blow many $5 bills on 16 oz. mocha-flavored caffeinated beverages, leaving me out of the ever-expanding coffee hype.
Shrugging, I clicked on the link anyway (knowing that the work was never going to get done) as my friend rambled on about how he thought that it was “literally the funniest thing ever.”
Looking at the plain, off- white home screen, I decided not to expect much, that his quote — much like all his other musings —was probably just another exaggeration. But looks, or lack thereof, can be very deceiving. Clicking that link was like walking into a Starbucks, where endless delectable choices lay waiting to be ordered.
The blog, which was created by “two English majors and one History major who [had] WAY too much time on their hands,” features famous authors and characters (both from classical and contemporary works) in a fictional Starbucks setting. They are made to order drinks that reflect their original writing style, as well as make nuances about the text. Some are simply hilarious, such as the parody written on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
“Romeo goes up to the counter and orders a white chocolate mocha. As he’s waiting for it, the barista sets down a hazelnut macchiato for someone else. Romeo is struck by the realization that this is the perfect drink for him, and takes it, forgetting that he and everyone in his family is allergic to nuts.” This of course is making a play on the central conflict of Romeo and Juliet; in choosing the Hazelnut Macchiato, aka Juliet, (note: which wasn’t his to begin with), he sparks a disagreement that ends in carnage.
Many of the passages vary in length, but still contain the same amount of ingenuity and genius, such as the one written about Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.
“Atticus Finch goes up to the counter and orders the one drink on the menu that no one else was brave enough to get. As he walks out, everyone else stands up in solidarity.”
This one’s pretty self- explanatory, so I’ll spare the explanation.
For all those bookworms out there or those who want a good laugh, make sure to check it out; there are a multitude of names left to explore, such as Gatsby, Achilles, and e.e. cummings, to name a few. Take a sip and soon you’ll be scrolling through all the pages.Read more excerpts on http://literarystarbucks.tumblr.com.
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A Mix of Rock and Ireland: Hozier
. Hozier (full name Andrew Hozier-Byrne) just released his instantly popular debut studio album, self-titled “Hozier.”
You may have already heard his hit single “Take Me To Church” from his previous EP, which is a perfect blend of deep soul and dangerous lure that attracts us and pleases our eardrums.
Born in Ireland as the son of a musician, Hozier grew up to study music at Trinity College in Dublin. He later dropped out to record demos with the label Universal Music and became a part of other musical groups.
Hozier then went on to record some of his music in his own attic, and released his breakthrough single on Youtube (“Take Me To Church”) that went viral and is now popular on the radio.
This 24-year old’s album has already hit #14 on the iTunes top album charts, and has “Take Me To Church” sitting at #7 on iTunes top song charts. “Take Me To Church” is brilliantly composed, but it is only one of many.
Other numerous tracks, such as “Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene,” “Like Real People Do”, and “From Eden” are more treasures amongst the rest of this singer-songwriter’s debut album.
“I just wanted to make music that I could be proud of, and hoped that I could make music that people would enjoy as much as I have enjoyed music,” said Hozier in an interview with our local LA radio station KROQ.
He went on to talk about how enriching it is to create music he is proud of and that other people appreciate. His rapidly increasing popularity has turned his dream into reality, and his music is now praised amongst thousands of people.
Hozier’s show, scheduled in Los Angeles at the Fonda Theater for this upcoming February, is already sold out.
A unique sound inspired by soothing soul and blues with an indie twist is the perfect music for relaxing in your room, staring up at the stars, or snuggling up with the new gloomy weather headed our way.
So if you’re in the mood to listen to some soulful music filled with feeling, listen to Hozier’s new album and get ready to be enlightened. From an attic in Dublin to the Los Angeles KROQ studio, Hozier’s music legacy is only just beginning. -
Box Office Takes Flight
Interstellar
Space travel once again graces the silver screen in this new thriller, but this time with a much darker motivation. Matthew McConaughey takes to the stars in this film, searching for a new home for humanity as Earth reaches its final days.Big Hero 6
Disney embraces Japanese culture in this new animated flick as it follows the adventures of a boy genius and his robot. Senior Maria Lopez-Beltran expresses her interest, and said that it is “more diverse than recent Disney movies.”Nightcrawler
Jake Gyllenhaal is back, and this time he’s looking pretty creepy. He plays Lou Bloom, an ambitious young journalist invested in documenting the world of LA crime.Birdman
This dark comedy follows a washed up actor whose claim to fame was once his iconic superhero role. He attempts to revitalize his career through a Broadway role and reconnects with estranged friends and family along the way.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part 1
The much anticipated third installment in the Hunger Games series is coming soon, and excitement is growing. Katniss Everdeen is to be seen once again, but this time in the once nonexistent District 13. Fans are outwardly expressing their interest, like freshman Jordyn Jackson, who said, “Catching Fire left me on the edge of my seat. Mockingjay: Part 1 should be exciting!”Dumb and Dumber To
Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey return to their iconically idiotic roles in this film, reviving a classic comedy in a wild roadtrip setting.The Penguins of Madagascar
The Madagascar series has returned, but this time centering around our favorite flippered friends. These avian spies are setting out on a mission to stop the maniacal Dr. Octavius Brine. This movie gives us all a bit of nostalgia, as freshman Desmond Talley said, “[Penguins of Madagascar] used to be my favorite TV show when I was little!” -
Orchestra Concert
Poly’s annual Fall Orchestra Concert was held on October 29 in the auditorium at 6:30pm. A night filled with dramatic winds and delicate string pieces, the concert was a success.
It featured pieces such as Full Orchestra’s “The Carmen Suite” and Chamber’s “Quiet City”. Students from all levels and orchestras prepared extensively to provide an amazing performance.
This concert also starred senior soloist Nicole Martinez, whose violin was the feature for the Dvorak piece, “Autumn.”
“I feel alive when I’m performing,” said Martinez. “Though I was worried about making mistakes, at the end of the day, I’m proud to say I did it. Even now, I can still feel the adrenaline running through me!”
“It was exhilarating; the English Horn has such a different feel to it than the oboe,” said senior Damian Nguyen, a member of Symphonic Winds as well as first time player of the English Horn in concert. “It has such a rich texture; I love the timbre and color it makes as well as its ability to blend in with the rest of the orchestra. This is why I transferred to Poly: to be a part of such an amazing orchestral program.”
Each song was graced with loud applause and occasional standing ovations from the audience.
“I liked Chamber the most because it had a nice variety of pieces; ‘Quiet City’ was my favorite because it sounded so modern and cool,” said sophomore Elizabeth Bingham.
The next orchestra concert is the Holiday Concert, which will be held on December 16.