By Ashley Norton

Ruth Anderson first discovered her passion for teaching while instructing students at a summer cheer camp when she was attending college at Fresno State.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I headed to college so I tried some different things. I found that I liked history. Then I was doing summer school camps and I found that I really liked high school kids, which equated to high school teaching,” said Anderson.

Anderson believes she is right at home while teaching, which is not surprising considering her enthusiasm for learning during her primitive years at Sanger High School. “I always really enjoyed school. I was always the kid that liked school; didn’t want to go home for lunch because I was afraid I would miss something exciting,” said Anderson. Anderson took her first teaching job at Clovis West after graduating from Fresno State twenty-eight years ago.

“When I started student teaching I found I was home. I really liked kids and they made me laugh,” said Anderson.

Anderson currently teaches World History, AVID, and AP Psychology at Clovis West.

“She’s passionate about her job and making sure her students are well prepared for the AP test,” said senior AP Psychology student Jordon Wanderer.

Anderson believes that her favorite class to teach at Clovis West has been AP Psychology.

“I really enjoy the content and the level of thinking they can do to move more with the college pace. They’re students that are academically sound and motivated but at the same time they don’t take themselves too seriously and complain; sometimes we do silly things. I’ve been very blessed that students are willing to do those things,” said Anderson.

Another unforgettable experience Anderson had was starting a Hispanic success conference at Clovis West back in 1997.

“Beginning a conference here for female Hispanic students was a very unforgettable experience. It was driven by the girls and very memorable for me. It morphed into the male and female Latino Success Conference, which is also wonderful,” said Anderson.

Besides teaching, Anderson has a love for working out outdoors. She especially enjoys keeping herself healthy by walking or biking.

She also enjoys rewarding herself for the workouts with many different types of food—Mexican, Italian, and sweets.

“I’m not training for a marathon. I just really like working out and I really like food. I think that I workout just so I can eat the food,” said Anderson.

Anderson has made an incredible addition to the Clovis West staff and plans on continuing to inspire young minds for many years to come.

Treasure:

Alec Antenucci’s 2008 Mercedes Benz C300 adds a unique touch to the school’s parking lot. Its slick look puts all veteran car enthusiasts in awe.

Antenucci’s parents gave him the Mercedes toward the end of his sophomore year when he turned 16. His dad owned it for a few years prior to his ownership.

“I love everything about the car. I’m very thankful and appreciative to be driving it,” said Antenucci.  His favorite feature of it is the sunroof. Antenucci loves his car and would only change one thing.

“I really don’t have any complaints about it, but if I had to choose one it would be that it doesn’t have a lot of room.”

“People might have the idea that I’m spoiled because of [the Mercedes] but it’s really not like that,” said Antenucci. Currently, he maintains a perfect driving record. “I drive it carefully and make sure to obey the laws. I have had some close calls though,” said Antenucci. When he first got his permit, he did have a minor accident with the car. He was practicing parking with his dad, he came too close to the curb and the bumper went over it. “The bottom of the bumper scratched up pretty badly. My dad wasn’t too happy,” said Antenucci.  Fortunately, that is the only damage he has done to the car.

While Antenucci loves his car, his dream car is a Lamborghini. “I’ve always liked the way they look; they seem very futuristic to me and the speed would also be amazing,” he said.

Trash:

Viet Nguyen’s 1999 Acura Integra looks like a car that has been rotting in the junkyard for years. That is because his car is quite literally from the junkyard.

Nguyen’s father brought him the car from Fresno in November of last year. By the time he got the car, it had already registered more than one hundred thousand miles. Despite the car’s ancient look and outdated machinery, Nguyen has become fond of it. “It still runs and that’s what matters,” said Nguyen.

The car is not only old, but is also plagued with broken and mismatched parts. Even though the radio in the car still works, the antenna doesn’t retract since the internal mechanism that makes it move down broke.

Furthermore, the car’s door handle is blue but the car is red. “The car is still a beauty in my eyes,” said Nguyen. Nguyen doesn’t mind the car’s “little” imperfections, but sometimes he does feel nervous driving on Fresno streets. Since the chassis of his car is so low to the ground, every time he drives by a truck his heart starts pumping fast for fear that the truck driver will not notice him and run him and his diminutive Acura over.

Nguyen takes pride in his “trolling” other drivers. For example, sometimes he will suddenly cut off other drivers just to laugh and enjoy the looks on people’s faces.

“Viet is a good driver, but he will go too fast on turns and cut others off,” said Nguyen’s friend and teammate Max Hill. “I don’t feel bad cutting others off since it’s their fault for going too slow,” Nguyen joked.

By Taylor Ferdinandsen

Max Hill not only leads his teams in soccer and tennis, but also maintains his 4.46 GPA while being extremely involved his community and temple. All of these major feats no doubt helped him earn the Fresno State full-ride Smittcamp scholarship, which he has accepted.

As a dual-sport athlete, Hill has been honing his game since a young age to get to where he is today. “I started playing soccer back in kindergarten and I’ve played every year since. And I started to play tennis back in seventh grade and I’ve played every year since,” Hill said.

Once he got to high school, Hill played on the varsity soccer team his junior and senior year.

Hill’s favorite aspect of soccer is the communal involvement of every player. “I really like that it’s non stop and there’s a good game flow. And I also love the team aspect of it and the camaraderie,” Hill said.

This love for his teammates is no doubt reciprocated, because they voted him as captain this year.

“We won the Valley championship this year after being the 8^th seed at playoffs and it has probably been my favorite experience at West,” Hill said.

Hill followed up the underdog soccer championship with great success in the world of varsity tennis. “For tennis I was on JV freshman sophomore and junior year. Last year as a junior I was MVP of the JV team. This year is my first year on varsity and we have a 4-peat going for Valley Championships,” Hill said.

This year the team is eligible for State play-offs, and the boys plan to go far in the competition, according to Hill.

All the hard work on the field and the courts is not something that is cut out for everyone.

Hill states that his natural drive and motivation comes from within. “Whenever I do something I always want to do it to the best of my abilities because otherwise it is a waste of time. I want to go all out, especially since I enjoy what I do so much,” Hill said.

This innate athletic tenacity also carries over to Hill’s academics. Hill has taken 7 AP classes in his high school career. Despite the challenges of sports and school, he has achieved valedictorian status.

“It’s tough balancing sports with school. I usually go straight to sports after school and once I get home from school I do homework. Sometimes I recognize that I have to save my homework for the school day it is due just to get it all done, but I try to balance it all out and try not to stay up too late if I don’t have to, but I will if I do have to,” Hill said.

Hill spends his remaining free time attending his temple and youth group for his Jewish faith.

The volunteering includes teaching Sunday school children Jewish history, serving food to the homeless, and teaching the Hebrew language.

“Youth group is probably the next biggest thing after sports and school. I am a board member for my youth group. I am the programs vice president and we have monthly social events and they’re all pretty fun. I get to help plan them as a board member. Besides that just general involvement in my temple is important to me, because I volunteer there frequently,” Hill said.

Hill also volunteers with Club 3 2 1, which is in connection with the Down’s Syndrome Association of America.

“It’s a club for kids with and without down syndrome to get together for social events because they often don’t have much social time with kids that don’t have down syndrome. We’ve gone to Color Me Mine, Pump It Up, had picnics and watched movies,” Hill said.

The Smittcamp scholarship is one of prestigious, and Hill expressed his gratefulness for earning the scholarship and being given to opportunity to attend Fresno State.

While the school does not have a soccer team, it does have one for tennis that Hill plans to try out for. “I want to major in pre-med and hopefully become a doctor in the future. I am a math and science person so I like Calculus and APES,” Hill said.

“Quote from teacher”

Hill feels that the quote “There are two ways to live your life; one as thought nothing is a miracle and the other is as though everything is a miracle,” best defines how he chooses to live. “It ties in well with Judaism’s principles. In Judaism there’s a prayer for everything, from washing your hands to eating to seeing a rainbow. You’re just not supposed to take anything for granted and appreciate everything greatly. Everything is a miracle when you live that way. Life is much more fun and you recognize how special your life and everything you have is,” Hill said.

By Romina Zamanpour

The Clovis West swimming team beat Central High School yesterday afternoon.

The team has had a strong start in league with an undefeated record.

“Our goals are always to win league and a CIF Championship,” said head coach Adam Reid. The girls swim placed first and the boys swim team placed second at the Clovis West Invite April 20, out of 41 teams. The team takes on Clovis High May 3, its biggest competition of this year.

“Clovis High is our biggest competition due to the fact that we have taken the Valley title for water polo from them this year so they are out for some redemption,” said senior Charlee Starkweather. The girls team, who has won 16 consecutive Valley Championships, along with the boys team, who has won 15 consecutive Valley Championships plan to rake up another championship. “Our team goal this year is to win Valleys and to keep our streak going. The people that came before us put their heart and soul into this special program and its only fair for us to do the same,” said junior Mary Brooks. The team won meets against Clovis North April 5, Buchanan April 12, and Clovis East April 16.

“Our team is working really hard and swimming fast when they are tired from hard training,” said Reid.

The team plans to stay modest and continue winning important meets and work hard to stay at the top. “We plan to achieve our goals by going to the recommended morning practice and out-competing our competitors in meets,” said Brooks. The shortcoming of the team would be having a younger and less experienced team than previous years. “We lost ten talented senior guys from last year so we have to work harder and smarter to bridge the gap those guys left when they all graduated,” said senior Alok Narahari.

However, the team has the best diving group in the Valley this year, according to Reid.

One factor the team believes hold them together is their team chemistry.

“We are not only there to motivate and push one another to get better as a swimmer, but also to be there for each other through anything swimming related or not. Also, everyone on the team is striving for the same goal, which creates a bond that is inseparable,” senior Mckenna Fife said.

By Colton Loving

The Know Theatre of Cincinnati performed Calculus: the Musical in the multipurpose room at Buchanan High School March 15.  The musical highlighted important moments in the history of Calculus as well as some key concepts such as limits and differentiation through humorous and dramatic songs.

“It didn’t exactly sound like a fun way to spend a Friday night but I was pleasantly surprised by it. I derived a lot of enjoyment from it,” senior AP Calculus student Chris Domanski said.

Know Theatre of Cincinnati has been performing this original production around the country since 2006, but this was the first time the show has been performed in the Central Valley.

The troupe was originally asked to come to the area a few years ago by Leanne Branham, a Calculus and Algebra teacher at Clovis West. “AP calculus teachers from other parts of the country told me about it. I looked up the web site and it looked very fun,” Branham said.

At that time Know Theatre couldn’t make it to Fresno due to time constraints. Branham contacted them again this year and was delighted to hear that they could stop in the Valley. “Since that moment it has been a whirlwind of finding a location, finding funding, making posters and sending the word out,” Branham said.

The musical was written and composed by Marc Gutman and Sadie Bowman and premiered at the Minnesota Fringe Festival in 2006.

A wide range of musical artists are parodied throughout the show including Eminem and Madonna.

“The show is like Monty Python meets Calculus,” Branham said. Students, teachers, and math enthusiasts alike from all over the Central Valley traveled to Fresno in order see the debut performance.

“You hear about a musical based solely on calculus and you’re intrigued by it but you really don’t know what to think. But I have to say, you have to go into it with an open mind but it’s really a great time and it’s really fun. It was hilarious, they were very talented,” senior AP Calculus student Ian Shropshire said.

Ticket prices were $8 for general admission and $5 for students, however, the principals of Clovis West, Clovis East, Clovis High, and Buchanan each donated $200 out of their own budgets to cover the cost of their students’ tickets.

The California Math Council, an organization of math teachers, also donated $350 to help ensure the performance was a success and the Fresno County Office of Education helped publicize the event.

“So many people were excited for the opportunity that lots of folks came together to make it happen,” Branham said.

By Ashley Norton

The Clovis West Pep and Cheer team competed at nationals in Anaheim the March 15 and 16.

The Clovis West competition pep and cheer teams are audition-based squads that compete at various competitions throughout the year.

While pep focuses more on dance and technical turns using pom-poms, cheer highlights the gymnastic aspect, like stunts and tumbling, with no pom-poms, according to junior pep member Kylee Bernadoni.

Both teams qualified for finals in the Intermediate division March 15 with third place for cheer and in the Advanced division March 16 with fourth place for pep.

Throughout the year, the teams have been attending various showcases to compete against local schools in order to prepare for nationals. The teams’ final showcase before nationals was March 9.

“We were able to raise money for our program and `also display the progress that the teams we coach and the teams we’re on have made,” said Bernadoni. After months of preparation for nationals, the cheer team finished in seventh place while the pep team finished with second place.

“The pep team was interviewed by the United Spirit Association on the legacy of the team—they’re really well known,” said junior Courtney Osborn.According to Shannon Wetzel, pep and cheer P.E. coach, the team will have a two week break for the rest of March and the begin cheering for boys volleyball from April to the middle of May.

The first week of May they will host tryouts, soon followed by an end of the year banquet. “There’s a fire in the girls that they recognize. They know they’ll have to work hard outside of practice, along with a few extra classes, to do well next year,” said Wetzel.

By Matthew Maler

Bon Jovi’s twelfth album, What About Now, is quintessentially a trip to the psychologist’s office.  In concordance with their general lyrical themes and musical tendencies, What About Now, released March 8, is not a landmark album, but it certainly is not lacking in upbeat, self-help lyrics, catchy melodies and exciting chord structures. For 30 years this New Jersey band has produced some of the most notable hits of the rock and roll era. Their pinnacle achievement was “Slippery When Wet”, which featured famous songs like “Livin’ on a Prayer”. But the themes of Tommy and Gina did not die out over the years; the same theme of reliance on trust, perseverance and faith in fellow human beings bleeds into the lyrics of their newest release. Some notable musical trends from prior albums appear, such as a harmonic guitar solo by Richie Sambora, adapted from “Capt. Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars”, a song from Bon Jovi’s 2000 album, Crush. The title track “What About Now” is a surefire self-help psychologist session wrapped up in a few minutes of high-strung rock and lively singing. Yet the album does not necessarily push the envelope, nor is it a major deviation from their normal sound and routine lyrics. The instrumentals are all relatively synonymous and the lyrical themes are practically a compilation of themes from their previous albums. By the end of the album, a listener might be tempted to say, “Well, what about now?”

But the absence of envelope pushing and new sound is, nevertheless, not necessarily unwelcome. Bon Jovi brings to the forefront an old, classic sound which, combined with catchy lyrics and rhythms, enraptures a listener. By the end of the album, one is likely to ask, “What’s next?”

By Taylor Ferdinandsen

The food truck craze has rolled into Fresno in recent months, most notably in the Bella Frutta Market parking lot on the southeast corner of Willow and Shepherd. Every weekend the lot is filled with hungry customers who can have their choice of breakfast or lunch from up to five trucks. The trucks stay parked in the mornings and afternoons on Saturdays, each having its own unique style and flavor. The mobile restaurant bunch includes Benaddiction, Dusty Buns, Tako BBQ, Eat Street Bistro, Crumb Snatcher Goodies, and the soon-to-come Casa de Tamales.

For early risers in the mood for a good breakfast, the Bennadiction truck makes its way to Bella Frutta at 9:00 a.m. The truck specializes in eggs benedict sandwiches, a dish that includes a fried egg with homemade hollandaise sauce served on English muffins. Sandwiches range from $6-$9 dollars, depending on added flair. The Tom Sawyer traditional eggs benedict comes with the regular egg, ham and sauce. The specialty sandwiches for the more adventurous, such as The Joker, include seafood, avocado, and bacon.

For those who don’t have a taste for eggs benedict, the truck offers $4 French toast, and the inventive “breakfast corndogs” which consist of breakfast sausage dipped and fried in pancake batter. Benaddiction also serves lunch until 2:00 p.m.

The Dusty Buns Bistro truck brings a local, organic twist to the Bella Frutta parking lot from 11:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. with its sandwiches served on hand-made bread baked daily. Every dish also includes Central Valley grown produce.

The lunch menu includes The Dusty Bun, the truck’s signature sandwich of chipotle roasted chicken and cabbage slaw. Like all sandwiches on the menu, The Dusty Bun is only $5. For the vegetarians of the world, there is the Veg Out sandwich which is composed of butternut squash, sage brown butter chevre, and arugula. The $4 sides have a hefty portion of soup, fries, and salads. For a sweet treat, the truck offers small desserts.

The Tako BBQ truck fuses Korean flavors to create tasty Asian inspired tacos. With a choice of four different meats, customers can order small tacos for only $2. The meat is tender and the flavor is big, but the tacos aren’t for those who can’t handle the spice. The flavors are interesting and bring a new twist to the classic meat, cheese, and lettuce taco.

Noodles, rice bowls, and specialty prime rib sliders are also available. Of all the lunch menu trucks, Tako BBQ tends to have the shortest wait time for those on a time limit. The Eat Street Bistro is the newest truck on the block, with gourmet bites for around $7. The truck has an entrée for almost every category of meat, ranging from the Lobster Roll to the Stuffed Burger n’ Bleu, and Angus beef burger filled with blue cheese and topped with caramelized onions, bacon, and an optional fried egg. The truck also offers entrée salads that could easily be shared between two. The Eat Street Bistro is unique because it is the only truck that has a kids menu, but due to the array of high-quality options, the line is not one to move quickly. It wouldn’t be surprising for a person to spend more time in line than eating the food, but for those who are patient, the truck is worth a stop.

Allegedly, a new food truck, Casa de Tamales will join the pack within the next few upcoming weekends. Previously serving out of a food booth in the area, Casa de Tamales has upgraded to its own truck, where it plans to sell home-made, gourmet, gluten-free tamales and drinks for a reasonable price.

After a good lunch, customers can head over to Crumb Snatcher Goodies for large, $2 freshly baked cookies. The classic chocolate chip surpasses any that can be made at home and they always come out warm and soft. It’s difficult to pass the truck without noticing the smell of freshly baked cookies wafting from the open windows, and Crumb Snatcher Goodies is a good way to wrap up the weekend visit to the food truck pack. All trucks take credit cards, provide catering services, and even have a text-your-order option for those that are ordering on-the-go. On a sunny weekend, the Bella Frutta parking lot is no doubt full of hungry customers, making seating a difficult find. There are tables available, but it is much easier to take the food home than it is to snag an open table. Even though the seating is limited, the delicious food and enjoyable summer vibe make for an experience that is bound to bring customers back again.

By Candice Nahigian

The new hair salon Blown Away in River Park brings a new concept to the beauty industry.

This isn’t the typical hair salon because no hair cutting is involved, just styling, but this attention to detail is what sets this blow dry lounge apart from any other hair salon.

Upon entering Blown Away, one is greeted with the modern chic environment of the salon.  The store front is bright, decorated with white walls, cabinets and counter-tops with pops of hot pink accessories.  A friendly receptionist is there to greet and provide customers with a beverage ranging from sparkling water to champagne.

While waiting, one can look through magazines to get styling ideas or look through the signature “look book” featuring styles unique to Blown Away.

Then the fun begins as customers are escorted to comfortable chairs at the sinks to get their hair washed.  It’s easy to sit back and relax as a stylist washes and massages the scalp.

This is also a good time to get to know the stylist.  The entire staff is friendly, helpful and willing to make visits fun.  They are attentive to your ideas knowing that the main reason women go back to their hair stylists is because they have a special touch that can’t be recreated at home.  All stylists are licensed cosmetologists so customers know they are in good hands. Sit in the chair and the stylist will begin to blow dry and style. Customers are encouraged to follow the ideas shown in the “look book” but can also recreate a style in a picture.

The entire process takes between 35 and 40 minutes but passes quickly as one listens to the music playing or converses with the stylist.

Part of what makes Blown Away a hit is that it caters to women’s desires to be pampered as well as the the need for convenience.

The $35 price tag is worth the relaxation and easiness of getting hair styled rather than slaving in front of the mirror for hours. Additional services are available like makeup, updos or a scalp massage.

Blown Away leaves customers feeling confident, and is perfect for special occasions or a fun night out.  Customers are sure to become part of a regular clientele.

The salon opened Decemeber 28 after owner Genelle Taylor Kumpe saw similar franchises.

She brought the blow dry lounge concept to the Central Valley using her entrepreneurship experience.

Blown Away is located in Riverpark next to Yardhouse and is open Monday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Appointments can be made online at blownawayca.com or by calling (559) 449-1422. The website also features the styles shown in the “look book” leaving customers to prepare for their visit in advance.

After a close five-game loss to Buchanan last year in the Valley Championship, the boys volleyball team plans to return this year and earn a win in the final match. It’s early in the season, but the boys still see Valleys as a reachable goal.

At a team retreat in Shaver, the boys agreed on small goals according to senior outside hitter Steven Callisch.

“Winning Valleys isn’t our goal necessarily, but we want it to be a reward that comes with completing all of our other goals,” senior defensive specialist Nick Kaprielian said.

The team is headed in the right direction after a first place finish at the Clash of the Eagles, valley-wide tournament on March 15 and 16. It followed this first place finish with a win against Bullard on Tuesday March 19 with scores of 25-21, 25-13, and 25-21.

The team has three returning starters, and consists of five seniors, six juniors, and three sophomores. The young players bring energy and heart to the team, according to senior opposite Daniel Sabzezar. “Logan Allen, Colton Dinsdale, and Christian Molter are pretty fierce. They’re strong guys, and they’re making necessary progression,” Sabzezar said.

The volleyball team is focused on having competitive practices that will prepare them for the season, and sees team dynamic as an aspect of their game that puts them ahead of their competition, according to Callisch.

“We all love each other, like a big family. It helps our game because we all know each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” Callisch said.

The most notable strength is the team’s offense, headed by middle blocker Trent Braswell, and outside Callisch, who won MVP of the Clash of the Eagles tournament, according to head coach Bob McCarthy.

In practice, the team is working on discipline in blocking and has already overcome a weakness in passing, according to McCarthy, “Getting the guys to play as a team on the court is every coach’s primary focus, pretty much daily,” McCarthy said.

The strong team dynamic also gives the CW boys an advantage over other teams that lack the chemistry, according to Sabzezar.

“Our biggest game is against Buchanan every year. We have to sweat more than they do during practice if we’re going to win,” junior opposite Sean Smith said.

League competitions start April 2 against the Broncos at Clovis North. The first home game will be April 9, against Buchanan at 7:00 p.m.

“We’re going to make a run to the championship,” Smith said.