Ladies, I know what some of you are thinking in this dreadful month. “I\’m so amazing and everything, but why am I still single?” Yes, it\’s very depressing, but I\’m here to tell you it\’s not your fault! All you need is a little love advice. I bet you\’re thinking, “Who are you to give advice?” But I don\’t really care about your opinion, so here goes.

Warning: Results may vary.

#1: Be willing to take risks!

Some guys might be a little scared to talk to you because, maybe your time of the month is every second, or perhaps you\’re just too pretty to talk to. But if you really like a guy, you should be more outgoing with him and he\’ll soon open up to you! Guys like girls who are outgoing!

#2: Start picking up on interests guys like.

Guys love videogames and food, so when a girl likes these things too, the results can be rather spectacular. Because when I can sit down and play Call of Duty and a girl picks up a controller and plays with me (after making a grilled cheese sandwich with sun-dried tomatoes), then I know there must be something good going on here.

#3: Make a lad feel special.

At all costs, avoid the “friend zone”! It is an awkward place where both parties feel the other isn\’t going to commit , and therefore never end up getting any further than “just friends.” Girls, make sure the feelings are mutual or else he will lose interest and leave. Trust me, you don\’t want that. You don\’t have to be confrontational, but make it somewhat obvious since guys don\’t usually pick up on these cues, or they don\’t want to assume it.

#4: Change up the current strategy.

If your current method isn\’t formulating positive results, don\’t just continue doing it. If you\’re a clingy mess, then stop. If you play hard to get all the time, everyday, every second, then stop! It is a simple fact that if you’re not playing the game right, you\’re just going to end up heartbroken. So maybe be a little flirtier; or perhaps, give him some breathing room, and he just might start liking you!

Okay, so you must be thinking, “Like, oh em gee, I can\’t even find a guy good enough for me!” There are a lot of guys out there, so get over yourself. I\’m sorry if I hurt your feelings, but love hurts, so deal with it. I\’m trying to help here.

#5 Looking for a guy: School

There are plenty of guys here at FVHS for you to pick! (If you\’re Asian, teehee.) Don\’t just assume you\’ve seen them all and none are actually your type. Particularly, don\’t set your bar so high if you don\’t even have a guy. You just haven\’t met him yet. Watch, if you take a different path to your next class, you\’ll see people you\’ve never met at this school before. But realize that you still have hope. Just look harder.

#6 Looking for a guy: Online

I don\’t recommend this because it’s kind of sad.

#7 Looking for a guy: Dances

Dances are a great way to meet new people. If you aren\’t good at dancing, it\’s okay. You\’re a girl, and it won\’t matter too much since you\’re with your girlfriends. But if you\’re a guy, please don\’t. Guys may approach you and if the feelings are mutual, go for it. But if you don\’t cue your group with some predetermined sign that I assume you girls have, then move away from him. You can even go up to guys if you\’re in the mood to dance and that\’s essentially it.

Ok girls, seriously, love isn\’t hard. You\’re just making it hard with your constant whining, mood swings, and high standards. Guys aren\’t hard to impress. If you can dazzle us with your culinary skills and athletic interests, you\’ll get there in no time. Oh yeah, if you\’re not cute, then none of this will work.

Paige Grigus

Written by Kathy Dang

 Baron Banner: How did you feel when you first found out that you made Homecoming Court?

Paige Grigus: I was excited and pretty surprised, because there\’s a lot of great seniors. So I didn\’t know if I would be top one.

BB: What do you think have been the downsides and upsides to being on Court?

PG: I think the upsides of it is the assembly, and we get to walk out on the field and get recognized. The downsides, I think there might be people who stereotype me, and of course missing class time.

BB: How do you feel about Homecoming being at Soka University this year?

PG: I think it\’s a good place to have Homecoming, because it\’s a nice area.

BB: If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?

PG: If I could have one super power, I\’d want to fly, so that I could fly to the moon.

BB: What do you enjoy doing in your free time outside of school?

PG: Outside of school, I play soccer and run track. That\’s it.

BB: Who do you look up to most?

PG: My role model would have to be Kobe Bryant, because he always strives to be the best and accomplishes goals.

BB: What\’s your future look like?

PG: I\’m thinking about going to Long Beach or possibly Point Loma. I just want to get into a good school to play soccer and track.

BB: Any advice for underclassmen?

PG: Just start looking at colleges early, never give up, and you can do anything that you put your mind to.

Ashley Ho

Written by  Christine Le

 Baron Banner: What were your first thoughts when you made homecoming court?

Ashley Ho: I was really surprised and really happy.

BB: What does it mean to you to be on homecoming court?

AH: I\’m not in it to win it. I\’m in it to just have fun.

 BB: Does being on homecoming court bring any stress?

AH: Yes, I am very behind on homework because being on homecoming court, we have dance practice from six to eight. I also have ASB dance practices from three to five. I get no sleep at all.

BB: If you could obtain any super power, what would it be?

AH: I think I would want to fly because I like the freedom and I don\’t need to drive which I suck at!

BB: What is your favorite food?

AH: I am a junk food attic! If you knew me, you would know that I always have food in my bag. Right now, I have Hi-Chews, Hot Cheetos, and Funyuns in my bag.

BB: If you could be any Disney character, who would you want to be?

AH: I\’d be Ariel. She has always been my favorite Disney princess. I love her red hair and I think Prince Eric is very handsome.

Aimee Pham

By Joy Chen

Baron Banner: Were you surprised that you were nominated and picked to be on homecoming court?

Aimee Pham: I was actually really surprised because I knew people but not THAT many people.  I think it was just my quote and people saw it or they saw my earrings and were like “Oh that girl has on like blue earrings, I\’ll vote for her!”

BB: What do you think it takes to be on homecoming court?

AP: I think the person on court should be well rounded and involved in a lot of activities; not just one aspect like dance or choir but is active around the school.  They should have friends in different spheres kind of.I think it\’s more of a popularity contest but the ideal person should overall be well rounded.

BB: What sets you apart from the other candidates?

AP: I am one of two Asian people on court!   I am president of ASB but there are so many other people in it too and it\’s really only the title that makes it seem as if I\’m set apart of them.  It\’s cool because you see like these popular kids and these nerdy kids, and the kids who can sing but don\’t really know what to do.  Choir is pretty much a mash up of all these people. 

BB: If you could have any super power, what would you want?

AP: If I could have any super power, I would want to be able to cut bagels in half perfectly.  You know how when you slice it, you always get a fat one and a thin one?  Yeah, I want perfect, even slices and that would be my super power.

BB: Who do you look up to or admire?

AP:  One person I really look up to would be my aunt because she recently adopted a baby from Ethiopia.  She knows what she wants in life and doesn\’t really care about what other people think.  When she walks into a supermarket with her husband carrying a black baby, people are like what\’s going on with that?  She doesn\’t let it get to her and does what she thinks is right. 

Marian Edmonds

By Brie Roche-Lilliott

Baron Banner: What are you involved in at FVHS and outside of school?

Marian Edmonds: Well I\’ve been on the dance team for four years, and this year I\’m a captain. I\’m also in Red Cross Club on campus. I take an ROP medical internship class and I volunteer regularly at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital.

BB: So, tell us a unique talent or an interesting fact about you?

ME: Well, I suffer from a very serious disease known as The Red Face.

BB: If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?

ME: Something really big…I\’d be a whale because I\’m really small and I just want to know what it\’s like to be big.

BB: Do you have a favorite dance move?

ME: The windmill, it\’s that move break-dancers do when their legs go everywhere.

BB: Do you have a bucket list for Senior Year? What\’s on it?

ME: Go to the Harry Potter theme park. That\’s all; it says enough on it\’s own.

Noelle Carney

Written by Christine Le

Baron Banner: What were your first thoughts when you made homecoming court?

Noelle Carney: I was excited to do the homecoming dance and assembly. I also get to spend time with the 10 coolest kids on campus.

BB: What does it mean to you to be on homecoming court?

NC: It proves to me that what I have accomplished shows that I am a good representative and a good leader for this school.

BB: What do you have to offer being on homecoming court?

NC: I sing the National Anthem. I am really involved and I try to get the school more spirited.

BB: Does being on homecoming court bring any stress?

NC: Yes, because I\’m also on activities commission. I run all the lunchtime activities. I am also in charge of the half-time football game.

BB: If you could obtain any super power, what would it be?

NC: I would want the power that with the touch of my finger, I\’m able to cure someone.

BB: What is your favorite food?

NC: French fries! I basically live off of French fries and root beer.

BB: If you could be any Disney character, who would you want to be?

NC: I\’d be Meg from Hercules because she fall in love with the hero and he saves her. She\’s skinny and pretty.

By Jennifer Schultz, Staff writer

Amid the din of the spring season sports, many of the off-season sports are vigorously preparing for their next season – including girls\’ soccer.

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday the players are hard at work with one goal in mind – to dominate the next season. They follow a rigorous schedule in order to keep in the best physical shape possible.

The Lady Barons start the week with an hour of drills and scrimmages, and then finish it off with a second hour of weightlifting (on Monday and Wednesday afternoons) to keep the adrenaline running. Fridays usually consist of repeating Monday\’s workout.

All of this hard work may seem unnecessary, but according to Taylor Merickel (‘11), “Off-season is keeping us in shape and ready for anything. It\’s allowing us to play together as a team before season starts.”

Merickel strongly believes in the benefits these workouts will have on the upcoming season. “We are going to win a lot of games, and we will be ready to beat any team that gets in our way.”

With this attitude, it\’s hard to imagine anything stopping them from succeeding in the seasons to come.

Friday, March 27^th marked the second annual Staff and Alumni football game. Teachers and coaches shared the gridiron with graduating players from the Varsity football team for an energetic match-up.

Last year, the Staff won. “We are the defending champs,” explained Principal Herzfeld, “We have our pride at stake.”

The competition was intense. Neither side gained headway until senior Nyko Gonzales broke the ice with the first touchdown, thrown by quarterback Steven Santana.

The Students maintained the lead into the second half, with Santana shooting another scoring pass to Dylan Itkoff. Itkoff shared his thoughts on the competition, laughing that, “The old guys try.”

The Staff rallied with a score by soccer coach and teacher Jason Smith, passed by Football\’s Head Coach Shipp. Girls\’ soccer coach and teacher Alyson Spencer tied the game scoring a second touchdown in the final minute.

The tie led to a strong finish by the Students in Overtime. Coach Shipp threw an interception, and it was caught by Steven Santana and returned for a score. Santana quickly followed his goal on the next drive with a touchdown pass to senior Hayden Toney.

The Students won 4 touchdowns to 2, despite the valiant efforts of the FVHS Staff. 

With winter coming to an end, the flowers are beginning to bloom, and the birds are singing. But most importantly, the FVHS Girls Swim Team is getting ready for the 2009 swim season.

Because of the size of their graduating class last year, there have been many questions on how the ladies will do this year. However, Head Coach Jeff Russ says, “We should do very well this year. Even though we lost eight seniors last year, we have gained some very strong freshmen such as Jenn Lightbody, Jenna Reese, and Taylor Johnson. They will contribute to the team greatly and help us dominate our meets.”

The ladies have been practicing for hours since summer to make this year\’s swim season the best as possible. Russ has very high expectations for the ladies and says, “I have a good feeling that we will make it to CIF and at least place third overall.”

The girls practice twice a day, two hours in the morning and three in the afternoon. The practices are seemingly endless and extremely difficult, but it keeps the ladies in peak shape and will help them tremendously in their meets throughout the season.

The FVHS Girls Swim team is currently ranked number second in the league and third overall in CIF.

Last Friday March 13th, Fountain Valley\’s swim team took on the Mater Dei Monarchs in their first dual meet of the season. The girls took home their first victory on all levels, with varsity winning by 20 points and JV winning by 8 points. The boys however did not fare as well and lost the meet by 12 points on the varsity level.

Standout performances on the girls\’ team came from juniors Alex Huynen, Erika Lucas, and Danica Fascella. Huynen captured the 100 backstroke while D. Fascella won the 200 freestyle and Lucas took first in the 50 freestyle.

This victory was particularly impressive for the ladies considering they were without two of their fastest swimmers, sophomore Shelby Webber and last year\’s OC Varsity Swimmer of the Year Cynthia Fascella (‘10). Webber and C. Fascella were training with their club team for this week\’s Jr. Nationals meet in Florida.

Missing with them were two of the fastest members of the guys\’ team as well, junior Lyndon Tran and senior Kevin Miller. All four swimmers will be returning in time for the first league meet against Marina on March 24th though.

“I\’m really excited that we won this meet without some of our best swimmers because it truly shows the depth of our team,” says D. Fascella.

As seen in Friday\’s meet, te Lady Barons are especially strong this year.Currently ranked 3rd in CIF, closely behind number two Edison, it will be extremely interesting to see what the girls are capable of.

“I think we\’re going to have a very successful season this year. I can\’t wait to see how we do against Edison and at CIF finals,” says Lucas.

By Claudia Cheffs, Photography editor

For many teenagers, summer is the definition of rest and relaxation.

However, that\’s not the case for the FVHS girls\’ water polo team.

This summer, at least 30 girls had to be on the pool deck by 7:15 a.m. Practice lasted two to three hours, including competitive scrimmages. There were also morning land workouts, including running, cross training, squats, and abdominal workouts.

“Every week in the summer we played different schools from all over Orange County, just to get in better shape for the oncoming season,” says goalie Amanda Young.

Long Beach Poly, Millikan, and Woodbridge were among many of the high schools defeated in the summer games. All the time in and out of the water created a strong sense of teamwork.

“Being with the same people for so long creates a bond between the teammates. After a while, the team just kind of forms a tight-knit family, so we support each other through thick and thin,” says recent 2008 alumnus, Kaileigh Esson.

Contrary to what some might think, the water polo girls do have a life beyond the water.

The team also had the chance to go on a trip to Hawaii this summer to vacation and practice.

The dangerously high chlorine levels, which caused concern last year, have supposedly gotten better, and the players\’ hair was not bleached by the second week of practice.

The water polo girls hope that after all their hard work over the summer they will have a successful year when their season starts in October.