Capistrano Valley High School - El Gato Yearbook (Mission Viejo, CA)

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► LEARNING THE FUN WAY - Darius Mo- hit ' s sixth period class enjoy learning about geometry from him. ▼ ENGROSSED IN PROBLEM SOLVING - When given free time senior Shelley Zierhut attempts to do her calculus homework r owetiMU tttey but get off m a loiyMt Thus mathematics may be defined as the subject in which we never know what we are talking about, nor whether what we are saying is true. - Bertrand Russell »apo students endure math classes while trying to pass a re- quirement of twenty units of mathematics. During this they may feel like they are entering a survival contest. These classes include Math I and Algebra II, a college prep class and even a class that teaches a col- lection of useful statements - geom- etry. And for the extremely masoch- istic, there ' s calculus. Even some of the teachers think the classes are a test of the students endurance. Mr. Paul Dye said, In math analysis, you Wilt. In calculus, you Dye. After listening to Mr. Dye, a stu- dent would think that the math de- partment has struck a deal with local mortuaries. It is not the difficulty of learning the material, it is is the ma- terial. Gosh, those derivatives are the noK ' thing that kept me awake in class. Otherwise all the other times my head would just drop down into my book where I slept until class was over, said senior Julie Millett. While Julie was sleeping, teachers like Pete Wilt were trying to endure the new change in textbooks and a new class. Math A. Through all of that he remarked, I hope the stu- dents will improve their mathemat- ical skills. Trying to improve his skills, senior Dustin Frieder said, My math classes have helped me learn how to add up the size of my extremities. To continue through a math class a student could become encouraged from the positive thoughts of Dariijs Mohit, The math department is the strength of CVHS and the most dedi- cated, I challenge anyone who doesn ' t think that.

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ti gf(Mmm, cud IM mj ujlim I u)ad tol Great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost pos- l I f yr r n f sible degree. ' ' —Ezra Pound 4bsolutes? Infinitives? Coordinating conjunctions? These terms may not always be on the tip of your tongue, but Capo students learned just what they were in English classes. Whether it ' s AP Comp, Bible Lit, English I, or Remedial English, Capo English teachers strive to be the best in different ways. Mrs. Willett is strange. She tells jokes that don ' t make sense, but they help us learn the vocab words, said Freshman Gina Crotsky. Strong composition skills, reading, and writing are all stressed, but making the curriculum interesting is the difficult part for teachers; so thinking of ingen- ious ideas is always an adventure. 1 A. LET ME SHOW YOU HOW IT ' S DONE - English teacher Sharon Cole checks writing samples. All English students wrote essays, stories, and essays to strengthen their writing skills. ► THIS MAY TAKE A LITTLE THINKING — Deep in thought, senior Kristen DeBruyn ponders Mr. Victor ' s assignment. Students found that writing was very challenging but especially rewarding. I try to relate the lessons to the stu- dents ' own experiences and the con- temporary world. That makes it more practical, said English teacher Ken Kaefer. Croup discussions, literature, and speeches also allow students to partici- pate by applying their ideas. Most stu- dents like these topics much more than . . grammar! Most like grammar least because writing is hard work . hard work that they don ' t anticipate, said English teacher Sharon Cole. However, grammar is only a minor part of the English curriculum offered here. Students also participate in Mock Trial, the Renaissance Faire, Shakespe projects, the spelling bee, and many oth- er activities. Sophomore Connie Fang won the school spelling bee, and senior Cutie Lee was runner up. Many of these activities are not only enjoyable for the students, but they are included in the District Competition for Academic Sweepstakes. The CAP exams were also heavily emphasized for sen- iors. Sophomore Razeena Hamir even said, I like giving speeches and writing be- cause I really learn from them. After all, that ' s what English is all about. J HKgL '