A Letter From the editors You’ve made it. From seniors to freshmen and everyone in between, the next chapter of life is about to begin. Whether it be advancing to the succeeding grade level or leaving this campus entirely, there is a next step for each and every one of us. As another school year wraps up, another Pulse is coming your way. Our Pulse team has been interviewing, researching, and writing to put together a magazine teeming with stories of intrigue and purpose. In early April, our campus was blessed with the presence of the one and only George R.R. Martin, and Max Greenhalgh details the words of wisdom Martin shared. It is true to say that the campus of Canyon Crest prides itself on what we like to call diversity, and Audrey Hsu examines this claim. Through surveying, she brings to the table a new twist in her article “Doubting Diversity”. Seniors on either side of the spectrum from eighteen to eighty have a few tokens to share along their journeys of life. Turn to center spread to read adjacent articles about seniors. Our layout directors, Jakob Saloner and Daniel Chekal, encompass the vibes that point to starting with the image on the cover. Pineapple and pools can only mean one thing–summer vacation. The last four pages of this magazine are arguably the most popular. Check out the renowned CCA College Map to see the next step of life for the graduating class of 2017. For us seniors, it is now a matter of minutes before we depart from our second home. It is with great pride that we present to you our final magazine of the school year, Volume 12 Issue 4. Best,
Editors in Chief:
Kaylee Kinninger Kate Monko
Creative Director: Jakob Saloner
Editorial Director:
Max Greenhalgh
Online Editor:
Ronnie Simon
Design Team:
Daniel Chekal
Staff Writer:
Amanda Arnett Libby Edwards Josh Golden Audrey Hsu Hunter Katz Derek Li Annie Lu Ali Youel Kate Monko Kaylee Kinninger
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The opinions expressed by the writers and the content of the advertisements does not necessarily reflect those of Pulse, Canyon Crest Academy, or the San Diego Union High School District.
Special Thanks: David Novick
Advisor:
Mr. Black
Teacher of the Year
Seniors
Streaking
Josh’s Six Golden Nuggets
by Derek Li
b y A l i Y o u e l a n d J o sh Golden
Doubting Diversity
by Audrey Hsu
Sucks to be Sick by Amy Cheng
Committed Athletes by Amanda Arnett
Empty Nesting by Ronnie Simon
by Hunter Katz by Kate Monko
by Josh Golden
Culture of Cheating by Annie Lu
George R.R. Martin by Max Greenhalgh
College Map layout by Ronnie Simon
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“Observing a landscape of nature, I get a sense of serenity and simplicity. I then think about the depths below and the layers of sediment which each have a new understanding and a piece of wisdom. When I would come into AP Language junior year, I would watch as Mr. Brown dug down into the landscape of himself, revealing his depths. On the exterior, Mr. Brown is a teacher who comforts and calms his students, but he is also a teacher who shows what is within. He pushes students to dig deeper within themselves, to extend their thinking further from their surface.”
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- Written by a previous student of Mr. Brown “He’s a polymath,” commented Mr. Stiven. “Mr. Brown is genuinely an amazing person,” expressed one of his students. Another student of Mr. Brown said, “He has a way of making the environment feel so safe and fun and inviting. Just him being there makes the class a lot less stressful.” Audrey Thesing, a student of Mr. Brown who is currently taking AP English Language and Composition, expressed, “He definitely genuinely cares about the mental health and well-being of all his students and teaches you that grades aren’t what define you.” So, who really is the man behind all these glowing comments? Mr. Brown, voted Teacher of the Year by his colleagues at CCA, has genuinely touched his students and colleagues. His love for teaching, his unique personality, and his experiences demonstrate why he received this award. Imagine becoming a friend and colleague of one of your former middle school teachers. This uncommon relationship dynamic exists between Mr. Brown and Mr. Black, as Mr. Brown attended Earl Warren Middle School and was Mr. Black’s student. “As a student, [Mr. Brown] was always more mature than most students his age...He was so conscientious.
teacher of the year by Derek Li He was so thoughtful, looking out for the group [on student trips] and not just himself,” said Mr. Black. He continued, “It was almost as if he was a teacher before he was ever a teacher.” Now, they are colleagues, and together they lead many of CCA’s school trips abroad. Ironically, as a middle schooler, Mr. Brown used to go on Mr. Black’s school trips. “Having traveled all over the world, watching him get married, and really seeing him become the amazing person that he is, it’s only now that I don’t see him as a former student anymore. I really see him as a colleague and one of my best friends.” After middle school, Mr. Brown went on to attend Torrey Pines High School and then the University of California, San Diego. While in college, he changed his major four times before deciding to double major in history and the study of religion and minor in philosophy and music. A passion for leadership sparked for Mr. Brown while playing the first-chair trombone in high school, where he pushed his peers to be the best musicians they could be. In college, he took a job as a guest artist in the Envision program at CCA, prompting a connection to the school he would soon make his home. A next step in his journey took him to graduate school at the University of Texas, Austin where he studied foreign policy with the intention of becoming a diplomat. After becoming a teacher’s assistant at UT, he realized his love for education. After getting his masters at UT, Mr. Brown got his teaching credentials from California State University San Marcos. He then became a history and english teacher at CCA. In addition to loving to teach those two subjects, he also really enjoys teaching the Conservatory for Humanities because he appreciates how the curriculum is student-driven and unique to CCA. “I have found the parts of being here that I
love to do. I love to do the humanities. I love to see students in the performing arts and support them...I think the reason I can call myself a success is that I found ways to include the best parts of my day every day.” He also went on to comment that he engages students by “finding ways to exploit the freedom in a curriculum and tailor it.” Most people probably don’t know that Mr. Brown collaborated with Mr. Stiven, Conservatory for the Humanities, and the Creative Writing class to create a graphic novel called Jasper and the Spirit Skies. Three years ago, he and Mr. Stiven wanted to work together on a big question that could only be answered using all the subjects they studied, such as philosophy, ethics, and civics. The question was, as Mr. Brown put it, “How can we develop a deeper sense of connection between kids and nature?” They drew the conclusion to craft a graphic novel teaching kids that, “Nature isn’t what you see on TV. Nature is actually much closer at hand.” The graphic novel illustrates a kid who is transformed into a hummingbird and learns about the challenges of a hummingbird. Mr. Brown continued, “[The book] teaches kids about agency, like ‘I have the power to do some stuff, and not only do I have power, but I also have some responsibility.’” Another major inspiration for writing this was Mr. Brown’s connection to nature. Born in New York, Mr. Brown spent his childhood in the woods, listening to and interacting with nature. Writing a novel is only one of the many amazing things Mr. Brown has done. He has many interests, including going on huge road trips across the nation in his car. In fact, he has been to every state excluding Alaska and Hawaii in his car. His knowledge of the world and his love for teaching makes him an important piece of the puzzle of CCA.
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Streaking by Ali Youel and Josh Golden
8,796 per second. Eight-thousand, seven-hundred and ninety-six, photos/videos are sent per second on the app I’m sure you’ve heard of: Snapchat. More specifically, young people have become infatuated with Snapchat streaks, a sort of confirmation of friendship by showing how many days you have snapped each other. For teenagers, losing a streak means nothing but havoc. They email Snapchat and yell at friends, all over a number displayed on a screen that only you and your Snapchat-streak friend can see. The Snapchat-streak craze certainly does not refute the argument of the phone-addicted teenagers of this day and age. Since 2011, the app has generated over 158 million daily users, and its creator Evan Spiegel is now worth over a billion dollars. Teenagers spend excessive amounts of time on their phones, keeping up with pictures, videos, memes, and parodies all posted on social media. It seems as if teenagers need social media to feel connected, and if you live your life without Snapchat, some will associate you with the “caveman era”. There have, and will always be, social stigmas around trends and teenagers. A new craze surrounding Snapchat is the infamous streaks. A streak develops once Snapchatters snap each other everyday for at least three days. It’s no understatement to say that people go crazy to keep the otherwise meaningless number alive. This fad supposedly helps people stay in contact with old friends, but does it really count as keeping in touch if the only communication is a blank screen? An anonymous sophomore has over fifty streaks, ranging in size from 555 days to merely three. She stated that, “I mean logically there is no point and sometimes it’s stressful
to have to keep up streaks and make sure they don’t die. They’re stressful because you can lose them at any time, and you have to keep checking them.” There is pressure from friends to keep the streaks alive. Another sophomore, Charlotte Davidson, emailed Snapchat to restore her lost streak. “I once lost a 470 day streak, and I emailed Snapchat claiming there had been an error. Within twenty-four hours, they emailed me back, and the streak reappeared.” When asked about the logic of streaks, she said, “I actually don’t know why I have them...It keeps me connected with friends and reminds me to stay in contact with old friends.” There is a reason teenagers are so infatuated with keeping the number. Snapchat has “gamified” the app. Gamifying is an online business strategy that uses a competitive form of entertainment. In an article from Mindset Digital, author Pete Brown wrote, “The higher your streak number gets, the more valuable it becomes, and—logic would follow—the greater your dopamine [chemical in our brains that makes humans feel happy] reward.” Essentially, Snapchat uses streaks to create habits within the app, and the higher the Snapchat streak, the more habitual the use of the app becomes. By the time you’ve finished reading this article, over 571,740 snapchats have been sent—half a million per minute. Millennials spend extensive amounts of time on their phones sending an abundant amount of selfies, to maintain a number that somehow offers some sort of certification of their friendship.
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Doubting Diversity by Audrey Hsu
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In a community that congratulates itself for forward thinking ideals, diversity, and acceptance of beliefs, we like to consider ourselves as pioneers for the next generations. Assumptions such as these are usually considered right until proven wrong. During a press conference with Pulse, Principal Killeen mentioned that the number of clubs at La Costa Canyon stood at only 40. Canyon Crest’s collection of over 200 different clubs dwarfs many other schools. We have an incredibly diverse array of clubs, ranging from Speech and Debate, to Feminism, to Anime, to Aquaponics. Therefore, it would not be too big of a leap to conclude that we have a diverse school as well. Initially, I had planned to do a diversity of thought piece about CCA, but when so many of my interview responses went in similar directions, the piece became impossible to write without searching for the small percentage of people who believed in the other side of the topics I’d proposed. In a recent survey of classes, over 85% of CCA students believed that CCA was moderately to greatly diverse. I took the problem to the editors, and we began to wonder, when looking at other statistics, is our school actually diverse? CCA prides itself on being a diverse school because we are active in clubs, religions, our cultures, hobbies, and sports. After polling 100 students we found that most people identified as liberals, and around 80% of our sample identified as a feminist. What was especially intriguing was that the numbers mainly rose with seniority. The seniors had the highest rate of people who identified as liberals and feminists, followed by juniors and then
sophomores. When looking at the numbers for climate change, the trend was also similar, with seniors being an overwhelming majority in thinking that humans are the primary cause of climate change, the juniors at 94%, and the sophomores trailing at 83%. What causes this trend? The reason our school is more liberal as the grade levels go up may point to the fact that students straight from middle school are influenced very powerfully by their parents and close family members when it comes to politics and world affairs. If Mom is a Republican, so am I. If Dad believes in God, so do I. But as we get older, we become more independent, in our thoughts and our actions. We get jobs. We drive. We actually take issues like laws and regulations seriously and shape our own opinions. Our learning environment and its ideals are a large factor in our new identities. We’re thinking for ourselves. From all the data (percentages shown to the right), we can gather that the majority of CCA’s students support issues that are mainly on the liberal side, politically and socially. With such a starkly similar stance on matters, can we really call our school diverse? When looking at our ethnicity/ race profile, around 68% of CCA is identified as white. The second largest ethnic population is Asian, at 29%, with Chinese being the largest portion of this percentage, followed by Indian, then Korean. On the other end of the spectrum are the percentages of Hawaiian and Black populations (see right). CCA is a reflection of California. We wear flips flops to school; we appreciate the outdoors; we’re hipster; we’re liberal. It is because of our strong liberal population, that
our ideas are amplified by an echo chamber, reinforcing the same kind of beliefs. Perhaps this is the reason that our school has such an amicable atmosphere. If our opinions are similar on most issues, there is less of a possibility for disagreement. Our limited range of perspectives are fuel for interpreting new ideas as confirmation of existing ones. In spite of all shortcomings, the culture at CCA is respectable because we are collectively embracing of new points of view. We are openly welcoming to suggestions as a result of our unified progressive tendencies. Because of our affinity for freedom of thought and speech, we have the opportunity to become a more diversified school. In fact, we push for more change all the time with silent rallies, published art and writing, and outspoken students. Diversity is just a development waiting to happen. When asked, people described being able to talk about differences in opinion deferentially with fellow classmates and friends. One student said, “If the conversation doesn’t usually end in an agreement, we talk often about it and are respectful of each other’s opinions.” What makes our school unique is the freedom to carpe diem, to agree to disagree, to keep our CCA community vibe going. This is what students can recognize as the most important facets which carve out our niche. Different opinions and diversity of thought are not a cause to lament, but something we need more of, something we should encourage and cultivate more often. It is what keeps CCA students on their feet, being able to see the world through different lenses. It is ultimately a cycle that fuels our ability to adapt like the amazingly weird Ravens we are.
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Distribution of CCA’s Population by race
Distribution of CCA’s Population by race
White White
Percentageofof Percentage peoplewho who people identifyasasfemifemiidentify nists: nists: 88%ofofSeniors seniors 88% 75%ofofJuniors juniors 75% 71%ofofSophosopho71% mores mores
Asian Asian
Hispanic Hispanic
Thosewho whothink think Those thatclimate climate that changeisiscaused caused change byhumans: humans: by 100%ofofSeniors seniors 100% 94%ofofJuniors juniors 94% 83%ofofSophosopho83% mores mores
Black Black
Ofthe theentire entire1010Of 12Population: Population: 12 53%are areliberals liberals 53% 32%moderare 32% are moderates ates 15%conserare 15% are conservative vative
Other Other
Thoseininsupport support Those anexpansion expansion ofofan Welfare: ofofWelfare: 64%ofofSeniors seniors 64% 66%ofofJuniors juniors 66% 72% of 72% of Sophosophomores mores
School demographics for graph are taken from grades 9 to 12. Statistics are taken from a sample of 90 students from grades 10 to 12
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Mental illness, at least in theory, is similar to any other illness; one feels sick, maybe experiences strange symptoms, goes to a doctor, is diagnosed, and helped to heal. This seems easy enough, but mental illness can keep people from seeking help. Oftentimes it is just too intimidating to go to a doctor to talk about such an intangible problem, so they don’t go, and the problem festers. And the worse it gets, the worse it gets, until one must question how much longer they can bear it. But still, they might not find help. Hormones, poor health, and peer pressure in adolescents can all coalesce and damage mental health. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that 20% of adolescents ages 13-18 live with a mental health condition, 11% with a mood disorder, 10% with a behavioral disorder, and 8% with an anxiWety disorder. NAMI goes on to list common symptoms that parents and friends should use for identifying different mental illnesses, but usually the patients themselves will hide these symptoms for various individual reasons. We are lucky to live in a world where the discussion of mental illness is more open than ever, but it is still hard to talk about such an overwhelmingly personal problem. Even so, humans are social creatures who tend to crave communication, reassurance, and company. If talking about mental health is too awkward for a face to face conversation, posting on the internet seems like the natural progression. There is something comforting about hiding behind a username when talking about serious topics, if only because nobody is bounded by the social expectations people accumulate. But on social media, the public becomes an echo chamber. Whether they approve of the sensitive posts or not is quantified with likes and reposts, so the secret confessions are arranged on beautiful backdrops with pretty fonts. And because the quotes are so aesthetically appealing, they spread through the internet rapidly, with popular platforms like Tumblr and Instagram serving as breeding grounds for mental damage. They make the quotes mainstream, acceptable, relatable. This romanticization of mental illness is everywhere. The posts are shared, liked, or glanced at, and maybe it’s reassuring to see the massive followings that these posts gather, as proof that nobody suffers alone. But in reality it’s terrifying to see the massive followings that these posts gather. Posts that unintentionally normalize the pain of mental illness are so commonplace online that it becomes habit to relate to the harmful mental disorders, regardless of whether they have the illness. And if those affected mindsets are normal, then the urge to ignore symptoms becomes even stronger, developing into ignorance and a refusal to recognize mental illness when it manifests. The problem emerges when someone does develop a mental illness. They might not seek help, because they have been conditioned to think it’s normal.
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Dr. Melissa Lorang, who specializes in Adolescent Medicine and Psychiatry, commented, “It shouldn’t be normal to feel that way but if everybody’s seeing it, or it looks nice, or is that frequent, I think it could normalize mental illness in a way that shouldn’t be.” Regarding her opinions on unnamed posting, “For most people it’s probably not helpful. I can see how it can be helpful to post to friends who can reach out but not anonymously.” When serious issues are posted anonymously, there is no way for that person to receive help, because no one knows who is behind the username. By confessing to friends, they receive the concern and attention of someone who cares about them, while also relinquishing the safety of anonymity. On the other hand, Dr. Manny Garcia, a board certified Adult and Child Psychiatrist, commented, “Social media is an outlet and if you can put out things, sometimes you feel better that you got [your feelings] out. There’s a value in that, because maybe that’s all you needed...but maybe it wasn’t enough.” He remarks that social media is a tool, and not specifically to blame for the prevalence of mental illness in this generation of internet addicts. “If [social media] never existed, people would still be struggling with mental illness,” and that if anything, the outlet is beneficial for those who need a quick release. Though both doctors seem to have contrasting ideas, they both agree that if you have been stuck in the same rut for two to three weeks, or even longer, it’s time to find help. Regardless, Dr. Lorang urged, “Diagnostic and statistical manuals tend to suggest two weeks or more, but I don’t think that really accounts for all people with the disease; if you want to hurt yourself or kill yourself for even ten minutes and you’re actually going to do it, you should definitely get help.” However comforting the anonymous company of the internet can be, professional treatment is the long-term solution to the problem. If you have dangerous thoughts, or notice a drop in your quality of life, talk to a friend. Text them if you can’t face them, and work your way up to a professional diagnosis. Try to get help and heal, because you can. National Crisis Text Line: 741741 Access and Crisis Line (San Diego specific): 18887247240
Sucks to be sick by Amy Cheng
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Committed athletes by Amanda Arnett
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CCA is known as an oasis of artistic expression nestled away in the middle class suburbia of Carmel Valley. Take any kid at Torrey Pines and ask them about CCA. The first thing they will say is something about us being artsy. But while our conservatory and arts programs are exceptional, our sports teams have also become a crucial aspect of our campus spirit and culture. Not only has CCA won multiple CIF championships this past year, but we also have a number of seniors committed to continue their athletic careers in college. Chris Depetro has grown up in a family of college athletes. With both his sister and dad having played sports in college, Chris was inspired to become a college athlete. It wasn’t until high school, however, that he decided to stop cross country and track to pursue soccer. After attending numerous college showcases through club soccer, different coaches began contacting Chris, and he eventually decided to commit to Colgate University. Success for Chris, however, did not come without obstacles as he battled setbacks such as knee injuries and coach quarrels. He explained, “There are definitely periods where you are just going through a slump, and that affects you because so much of sports is about being confident.” Even with hardships, soccer has always been an enjoyable part of Chris’s life, highlighted with memories of famous CIF hairstyles and victory
Wings-N-Things dinners with the team. With a scholarship to play D1 lacrosse at UC Davis, Ally Deremer is one of those superhuman people who somehow manages to devote her time extensively to basketball and lacrosse while not exploding from the stress and pressure of school. Unfortunately, Ally tore her meniscus in the first game of her senior lacrosse season and is currently still recovering after surgery. “That has been my biggest obstacle so far,” she commented. “And being injured, I have a lot of doubt because I know it will be a lot harder to come back.” Ally still attends every practice and game and takes part in spontaneous team karaoke to throwback 2007 hits on the bus rides. Along with the team bus jam sessions, Ally has her own pre-game song, “Headlines” by Drake. Athletes often develop unique game day rituals. This is also the case with Ryan Michaels, who always drinks a smart water right before a basketball game and will even wear the same socks for as many games they win in a row (don’t worry, he still washes them). Looking into Michael’s future, he recently committed to play at Cal State San Marcos. Along with his commitment, this year Ryan received CCA’s Most Outstanding Male Athlete award. One crucial contributor to Ryan’s athletic success has been his confidence and motivation. He explained that, “I believe if you lose your confidence, you lose everything, so I don’t every doubt my abilities.” 4 minutes and 59 seconds. Wait…that’s your mile time? That’s a common reaction when talking to Kira Loren. Committed to UCLA for not only cross country, but track as well, you could say she’s pretty quick on her feet. Kira came into high school playing soccer and field hockey, but eventually had to give these up in order to pursue running. She described, “Giving up soccer was definitely a mental obstacle because I played it my entire life.” While running is a major part of Kira’s life, she admits that endless runs can get boring, so the team will often sing songs or play word games together. Kira intends to see how far she can take her athletic career, bringing up the Olympics as a goal for any runner.
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empty n by Ronnie Simon
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nesting Another year means another round of seniors that we must bid farewell to. Teachers are wishing the best to the students they have journeyed beside for the past four years, and best friends are realizing this may be the last time they will run off campus for lunch together. While this drastic transition is difficult for many close friends and family, it is the parents who will likely be feeling this new void the most. In the blink of an eye, their not-so-little eighteen(ish)-year-old will be moving out of the house and possibly across the country. An empty room and vacant spot at the dinner table will be the new norm in just a few short months as the lives of our seniors and their parents change completely. Suzy and Manny Rincon, parents of CCA alumnus Alex Rincon, shared how their lives changed since their second child left the house. “It has been more of a focus on our careers and what we have to do to support them in college and less about actually attending to them,” Suzy commented. She stays busy working as a nurse at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital, teaches at clinicals for nursing schools, and is working to earn her Masters in Nursing. While she does have more free time now, she says that she still spends much of her time on her kids, setting everything up so they have what they need. “You think you’re not going to worry as much because they are gone, but you do still because you have less control over making sure they are okay.” While both parents agreed that the transition was not too difficult, they also agreed that they feel lonelier now. “My job requires me to be gone for 24 hours on some days, which leaves Suzy by herself, and when I come home in the morning she’ll be gone for work already, and I might not see her until that night,” Manny said. Throughout the empty nesting transition, the Rincons expressed how much more they appreciate and cherish the time they get to spend with their kids, since that time is limited now. CCA senior, Ashlyn Finkbeiner, will be joining her older sister at Sonoma State University this fall, which means that her single father, Brian Finkbeiner, will be left with a completely empty nest. He noted that it will be particularly hard to see his second daughter go because there will no longer
be someone in the house with him at all times. While he may feel lonelier without Ashlyn around, he is excited to have some more free time to himself. Taking classes at a local community college, pursuing photography, and reconnecting with old friends are a few of the activities he plans to partake in. “I feel proud of Ashlyn that she is moving on and taking the next step to get an education, but I am also sad to see her leave because I know that the part of my life that consisted of raising my kids is over.” Lori Hirsh has been empty nesting for a full year, as her only child left last fall for the University of Michigan. “As a single parent, and as I look now going through the process of college and I feel like it was easier. I didn’t have to check in with anybody. It was Maya and I who discussed it because ultimately it is her life and her decision.” She felt a sense of freedom when her child left and feels like she now has more time to find herself and find out what makes her happy. “I recently left my job after 18 years because I was just going through lots of changes, and it felt like the right decision for me.” While she did miss Maya very much while she was gone, she explained how her life has been better for her now. “My life has less restrictions now. I miss Maya very much, but I think our relationship has grown because of her moving out. We talk often whether it be through text or FaceTime or even Snapchat, and we are able to have really meaningful conversations. Life has gotten better now, honestly.” Some advice she has for future empty nesters is, “Enjoy your life; this is your time. Know that you prepared your kids to be young adults in the real world and trust that they will be able to handle everything that comes to them.” The step from high school to college is a big step for everyone. While it is the time for the students to find themselves out in the world, it is also time for the parents to do the same. Whether it be to find a new hobby or invest yourself in work, there is a whole world of things you can be involved in with your newly acquired free time. Your beloved child will only be one quick phone call away, and before you know it, they will be back home sitting in that empty seat at the dinner table.
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Seni by Hunter Katz
For many seniors it is the end of an era. They started out in August 2013 as pre-pubescent freshmen and are now leaving to new places as mature seniors. Every senior has experiences that they look back upon to call their own, so I spoke with some graduating seniors to reflect on their favorite memories and to give advice to underclassmen. Rachel Bear-Tulane University: Political Science. As a freshmen, she experienced some difficulties adjusting to the environment. “I felt like I wasn’t really involved in the school until I decided to be in the Theatre program...Once I started to get involved, I did really feel at home at CCA.” Rachel worked hard in the Theatre Department before eventually landing one of the principal roles in her last show, She Kills Monsters. “When I look back on my high school experience, it’s sort of a culmination of that. I was really proud of my performance and like the way I have grown as a person and as an artist.” Austin Majeski-California State University, San Marcos: Computer Science. Austin entered CCA as an introverted freshman and is leaving as a likeable, outgoing senior. One of Austin’s proudest achievements was joining and becoming the leader of the ComedySportz team. “[Coming into CCA,] I was very shy,...but through finding ComedySportz I really have become who I wanted to be. I am so glad I found it because it has helped make me funny, social, and part of a group.” Although he considers ComedySportz his greatest accomplishment, his passion for Computer Science
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originated in Exploring Computer Science. “I taught myself how to program, and I just had a blast doing it...I remember making my first video game from scratch. It made me really feel at home with this school.” Jerry Wu-University of California, Berkeley: Aerospace Engineering. Even though Jerry is invested in the science and technology field, he says his biggest accomplishment was auditioning and winning Raven Idol. “I was glad I did something that was different...It was less about winning and more about the experience.” The most important thing that Jerry learned at CCA was to keep an open mind and take different perspectives. Jade Mazurkiewicz-Emerson College: Literature Publications and Creative Writing. Jade is a senior who has been involved in Theatre Conservatory and ComedySportz. She advises CCA underclassmen to “join as many clubs as you can, talk to many people, teachers and students as you can because everyone will find their place at CCA.” Jade hopes that the values she has learned here at CCA such as leadership will transcend into college life at Emerson College where she will tackle new challenges and live a new life in Boston. Students across grade levels and interests coincide together in a vibrant community spirit that transcends from one graduating class to the next. The senior class of 2017 is definitely one to attribute to that vibrant, weird culture we all know and love. You made it.
iors by Kate Monko
I’ve been there; you’ve been there. We’ve all found ourselves at yet another family gathering sitting at a table peppered with some of those individuals who have—let’s just say—made it over the hill. The ones with the prefix “grand” at the beginning of their titles. Before you know it, they’ve already begun to elaborate on the same story that’s been told ten times and counting. They’ve circled the sun far more times than you or I, so maybe their words are wise. If you stay by their side long enough, there becomes an inevitable transition from the repetitious anecdotes to the diamonds in the rough, those little life lessons. For a fourth of Canyon Crest Academy students, life beyond the parameters of high school begins as graduation approaches. But at any stage in the game, it never hurts to read a few life quotes. We have all heard the profound words spoken from Lincoln, King, and Ghandi, but let’s take the very words offered from a group of senior citizens I had the opportunity to speak with––a handful of normal folks who have learned a thing or two over the past eighty-something years and are willing to share with any listening ear. “Embrace change. If I could do things over in my life, I wish I held on to this: Change the things you can change and accept the things you can’t. I think there are so many opportunities that we don’t take because we’re afraid to try something new.” “Don’t spend everything you make. Always put something aside from each paycheck; that ought to be your rainy day
money.” “I would say to the younger generation: stop being such snowflakes. Everybody doesn’t deserve a trophy.” “Your life is before you. Embrace, experience, and enjoy it.” “It’s okay to question. Don’t always accept everything. It’s okay to question.” “Live in the present. The past is beyond you, and the future is not here yet. Enjoy what is going on now.” “Don’t settle for Mr. Close Enough. Wait for Mr. Right. Don’t settle for Mrs. Close Enough. Wait for Mrs. Right.” “Don’t be afraid to fail. If I look back in my career and life, I was always like my dad, so conservative and afraid to take a risk. I wish I would have taken a few more chances and wouldn’t have been so scared of failure and so scared of what others might think that I might have done some bolder things. Then you’ll never have any regrets of what if I had done this or tried this.” You’ve heard it once; now you’re going to hear it again: maybe the elderly do in fact know a few more things than us millennials. Perhaps we can try to avoid some of the regrets and “I wish I...” statements spoken from a handful of seniors. If I’ve learned something from the folks I spoke to, it would be this—they always have something to say. It sometimes takes those extra minutes spent lingering at the dinner table to hear the words of wisdom, those that are worth writing down to think about, remember, and in some cases live by.
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Josh’s six golden nuggets by Josh Golden 1. The beginning of this MLB season is full of surprises. For example, teams who made the playoffs last year (Mets and the Giants) have had ugly starts to their year. New York has been afflicted by the injury bug in a big way, while San Francisco is in the bottom two in most key hitting statistics, not to mention the loss of their ace, Madison Bumgarner. However, there have been some positive surprises as well with the emergence of two new sluggers. Eric Thames, the Brewers first baseman who sits in the top ten of the NL for home runs, is playing in the MLB for the first time in five years after a stint in Korea. On the AL side, the home run leader is Yankees’ rookie Aaron Judge. Along with crushing dingers all day, he also looks curiously like Jaws from James Bond. A right fielder, Judge was drafted in the late first round by the Yankees in 2013 and could become the face of the sport’s preeminent franchise in the foreseeable future. 2. This NBA season, many individuals stood out as stars for their teams, such as James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Kawhi Leonard, all top contenders for this year’s MVP award. However, I believe Westbrook deserves the honor for his historic season. He broke Oscar Robertson’s record for triple-doubles in a season with 42. Also, he’s the second player ever to average a triple-double, averaging 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game throughout the campaign. Therefore, Westbrook deserves the accolade. Additionally, many players will soon join the league and pursue the MVP award through this year’s draft. Young hopefuls include Washington’s Markelle Fultz, Kansas’s Josh Jackson, and UCLA’s infamous (thanks to his loud mouth father) star Lonzo Ball. Ball, the most known player in this year’s draft, is expected to be selected second overall by the Lakers, the only team he will be working out for before the draft. This year’s draft class is full of stars who plan to take the league by storm. 3. Since the Chargers have decided to leave San Diego, we have been left with one professional sports team: the Padres. However, the Friars may not be the only team in town for long. Many rumors have circulated since the Bolts departure about the potential arrival of a professional soccer 18 team. In fact, over 100,000 people have signed a petition
to build a stadium for an MLS team, about 30,000 more than what was necessary to present the petition before City Council. Additionally, there is speculation of NBA expansion in San Diego in the future, perhaps being owned by LeBron James, as he has expressed interest in ownership of a team and has an emotional attachment to the city since his marriage at The Grand Del Mar in 2013. 4. San Diego isn’t the only city where the professional sports landscape is changing. This summer, the NHL will hold an expansion draft and, starting in the 2017-2018 season, Las Vegas will have a professional sports team: the Golden Knights. The team will play on the strip at the T-Mobile Center. Along with the Golden Knights, the city will soon have a football team, with the Raiders moving to the city in 2020, pending the construction of their new stadium. These teams will be the first two professional teams ever to play in Vegas, so each owner is placing a large bet on an unproven market that could potentially be very profitable, as Vegas has a very large population that currently has no teams to support. 5. One of the most important things to happen at our school this year was the boys’ soccer team’s CIF championship run. Their amazing season concluded with a memorable win against Scripps Ranch, a narrow 2-1 victory secured by a game-winner late in the second half. According to coach Tom Lockhart, this team had potential to go all the way from the very beginning. Additionally, the team’s captains and Lockhart setting the tone of the season early on was a big boost. 6. Another major accomplishment for CCA sports was our girls’ water polo team winning CIF for the first time. In a season that was described as “very memorable” for the coach and the players, they were hot at the right time, closing out the season with a 5-2 win after trailing 2-1 at halftime. In a season that the famous saying “defense wins championships” was stressed, the defense came up big at the most important time. According to coach Tyler Ormsby, “winning CIF was always within their reach and they proved that” and “once they conquered the physical aspect of the game, they were destined to be champions.”
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Culture of Cheating by Annie Lu
Your head is bowed down over your test, sweat dripping in rivulets down your face. You’re screaming internally, teeth chomping at your nails. This quiz has caught you by surprise, and you can’t keep an A if you fail. So you think you have no choice. Ever so slightly, you turn your head, peeking past the ineffectual privacy folder to the paper of the student next to you. It’s a good thing their handwriting is so large, you think. This is the over-imagined scenario many of us picture when we hear the word “cheating”. It’s so exaggerated, so dramatic, that we don’t consider ourselves to be partaking in it. However, not all academic dishonesty is as obvious and stereotypical as gawking at the student next to you. Cheating can seem innocuous, made all the more so by
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how common these statements are: “What do I need to know for the test you just took?”, “I’ll copy-paste this”, and “Can I take a picture of your homework?”. Upon reading this, many may think, “No, I’ve never done that!” But I don’t think I’m overstepping in saying that many of us have engaged in some form of academic dishonesty at some point. Mr. Farrar, an illustrious calculus teacher at CCA, talked about cheating beyond the educational sphere: anything from breaking the speed limit to using the carpool lane with only one person. “It’s going outside of the either explicitly stated or implicitly understood rules.” Mrs. Sevilla, scourge or savior of chemistry students, commented that academic dishonesty is simply when “the original intent of the assignment is not met.”
There shouldn’t be any question as to what the motive behind cheating is: fear of failure. A student might cheat because they simply need to pass. But another student may cheat because “they want the A. Or rather, they don’t want the B,” Farrar corrected with some level of profundity. The difference between wanting an A and being terrified of a B is a problem embedded in our education system, contributing to an increase in academic dishonesty. The Josephson Institute Center for Youth Ethics reports that an astonishing 64% of high schoolers surveyed admit to cheating on an exam at least once, up from 60% four years ago. One of the most prevalent forms of academic dishonesty is also the most innocent-seeming—which makes it the most insidious. Students love to discuss a test after it’s been taken. It’s the most fun part, the eruption of camaraderie after the class has suffered through a disaster together. However, when it comes to discussing exams with people who have not yet taken it, there’s a fine line between counsel and calamity. Mr. Bess gave the example that if I have first period math, I might tell someone with third period that they should review the distributive property. There’s a difference between saying that and saying, “Make sure you know 4x+3=7. That’s number two.” While both scenarios might occur due to genuine good interest, the result of my “help” is not the same. As Mr. Bess said, “Am I restating something you’ve studied and you’re confident that you know? Or am I telling you answers so you don’t get to show that you know the information?” Increasingly, grades rather than education have become the focus of many students. As opposed to becoming critical thinkers and worldly contributors, students strive for “numbers
and letters”, as Mr. Bess said. And if those numbers and letters are often all that represent us in the education system, why shouldn’t we do everything we can to make it look good? What we may be overlooking when we have 89.4% and just want the A is that it’s not the end of the world. Going to a college “that looks really cool on a sweatshirt or bumper sticker”, as Mrs. Sevilla described, is not the ultimate end. And cheating is most certainly not the means to that end. Schools fail to condemn cheating by staying silent while students go through education believing all they have to do is get good grades. Mr. Bess takes a “30,000 feet up” approach by considering the purpose of education. Are we too fixated on grades to remember how to learn? Does the push for that competitive edge take away our craving for knowledge? “Hindsight’s 20/20,” stated Mrs. Sevilla, which is true, but what we lack is foresight. Taking the easy way out may give you the desired grade, but it lulls you into a false sense of security. It certainly does not translate into success. How do we fix something that’s embedded in what we do, whether we deny it or not? “Restorative practices” are Mr. Farrar’s solution. Instead of shaming someone for cheating and sweeping it under the carpet, we should bring stakeholders in to help people understand why it’s wrong. Cheating is a culture, reinforced by the competitive nature of academia today. All that we can aspire to do is discuss the issue and enjoy education for the sake of it.
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George by Max Greenhalgh
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R.R. Martin Sometimes, when you decide you want something, all you have to do is ask. Molly Gillcrist and Elise Chenevey found this out for themselves when they discovered that the one and only George R.R. Martin would be in town for a talk at UCSD on May 2nd, and decided to see if he could also visit their Modern Epic class here at CCA. Just one email later, the author of the fantasy epic A Song of Ice and Fire (or ASoIaF) and a face on the Mount Rushmore of contemporary writing was secured to speak at Canyon Crest Academy on May 1st. For those who don’t know, Modern Epic is an English-based elective taught by Mr. Leal in the spring term. Students in the class study ASoIaF and compare it to Peter Jackson’s film interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy epic Lord of the Rings. Reading the three ASoIaF books in one short term is no easy task, but Mr. Leal’s class is fueled by their passion for the books. All Elise and Molly needed to get Martin to show up at CCA was a deadline and a nudge from Mr. Leal. “He basically said, ‘You have a month...’ I think [that] kind of made it more real,” said Molly. Once Martin said he would come, the mad dash to prepare began. The entirety of the Modern Epic class only discovered that Martin would be coming a week and a half beforehand, but they still managed to whip up numerous surprises. “It was definitely a time crunch, but everyone pitched in, and everyone had something to offer,” Molly added. Members of the class created a (plastic) sword, built miniature sculptures, and assembled a massive throne in preparation for Martin’s visit. When Martin arrived, he was escorted to Mr. Leal’s classroom by a mock-Kingsguard of Elise and Molly, who stood beside Martin’s throne during the talk. His presence was immediately felt by the students of the Modern Epic class as he released any tension in the room with self-deprecating humor
and an infectious laugh. It was no surprise to anyone in the room when he said that the easiest character for him to write was Tyrion, the disfigured dwarf with a sharp sense of humor and more money than anyone could ever need in a lifetime. Martin had no shortage of advice for the class. “If you want to write, don’t,” Martin advised the group of eager readers and writers. He then qualified the statement by saying, “If you do, you need to have a gambler’s mentality. It can all end in a moment.” That being said, as proved by Martin’s own career, success can come out of nowhere as well. One trait that was consistently emphasized, whether through explicit statements or through Martin’s stories of his upbringing, was perseverance. He grew up in the projects of Bayonne, New Jersey, and used his mind and imagination when he wanted to escape the struggles of day to day life. Martin fought his way into the writing industry at a young age, publishing his first story at just 21 years old. When his career “crashed and burned” after the poor sales of a book called The Armageddon Rag, he simply jumped into another industry, and worked in Hollywood for several years. When he hit a dead end there, Martin simply moved back to writing stories by beginning to develop ASoIaF’s world. But why come to some random high school for nothing more than appreciation and some free Chipotle? Well, Martin was once much like the students in Modern Epic, fans of great writers before him. In his childhood, his letters to Marvel Comics were published and responded to multiple times. He was, evidently, a huge fan of Marvel, as he once wrote “why, if you were only half as good as you are now, you’d still be the world’s best mag!!!” and “it was absolutely stupendous, the ultimate, utmost!” of a favorite issue of a comic series. Martin also wrote fan mail to J.R.R. Tolkien but never sent it, not knowing that Tolkien famously responded to all of his fan mail. “I could have had a letter from Tolkien himself!” he lamented with a chuckle. It’s hard to deny that Martin gave Modern Epic students something far better than a letter. After all, not everyone can say that they sat down and ate a Chipotle lunch with the creator of one of the most popular and influential literary universes of their time.
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Chico State Cody Roberts Carley Sheppard Jeremy Burklund
University of California, Davis Madeleine Beccari Julia Camilleri Ally Deremer Jeffery Earle Keilah Lim Katrine Razniak Ann Ryan Max Schmidt
San Francisco State University Maya Mandal University of San Francisco Megan Callihan
Sonoma State University Ashlyn Finkbeiner Jess Moss David Rodriguez
California State University Maritime Academy Paul Gaukel
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Congratulations Class of 2017!
University of the Pacific Jessica Chun
Stanford University Ashwin Arasu Noah Jacobson Sophia Kazmierowicz Kevin Lin Jonah Reidel Santa Clara University Emma Burton Alex Quan San Jose State University Anna Mozhaeva Dominic Tatham
University of California, Berkeley Emily Bi Catherine Cang Jaeyoung Choi Chad Clay Kara Dane David Deng Aleksei Driker Ceren Fitoz Sarah Giorgi Amanda Harmon Brendon Harrison Zoe Husted Greer Inns Andrew Kim Christine Kwon Harmonie Lau Raylen Li Sophia Lizano Vivi Patton Jason Qiao Marie Shi Olivia Shiah Jenna Stevens Ashley Sung Julie Tran Emily Wang Jerry Wu Marissa Wu Simon Xu Christina Zhang Howard Zhang Peter Zhu Saint Mary’s College Geoffrey Geissinger
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Teresa Barnes Erin Bentel Marshall Burd Brogan Day Ben Freeman Lizzy Giap Erika Jansen Emma Lambert Rachel Lasker Sawyer Lebert Elizabeth Marshall Morgan McIntyre Quinn Reilly Caroline Rembolt Noah Rudolph Jennifer Serwin Mikayla Vosseller
University of California, Santa Cruz Jarod Alvarez Elliot Applebaum Justin Budikentjana Justin Cheng Siena Elvins Ben Hutton Cabrillo College Stella Vargas
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University of California, Santa Barbara Taylor Albizati Michaela Allen Lauren Estess Nicole Estess Madison Kolkow Azin Merati Anushka Mirchandani Richard Murphy Hayley Nelson Kat Schulzki Gaby Shah Jakob Travis
California State University, Northridge Jenna Thurston Fashion Institution of Design and Merchandising Ava Cavanaugh Occidental College Jonathon Novick Loyola Marymount University Lauren Baldwin Lou Blanchard Jayden Gillespie University of California, Los Angeles Emma Boyles Adam Kosviner Kira Loren Esther Peluso Yan Tao Jennie Wang Kevin Zhang Santa Monica College Kalani Newman The American Academy of Dramatic Arts Anthony Balsano University of Southern California Kylie Bobertz Andy Brems Ethan Ettou Rachel Lee Patrice Nguyen Melissa Pelowski Jamie Smith Ashton Tu Julia Wisnia
San Diego State University Adam Azai Rachel Chen Eli Collin Delana Du Claire Du Hunter Katz Madison Klair Phillip Magin Alex Maher Natasha Majeski Peter Saltamachio Julia Tierney Aaron Wainstein Unviversity of California, San Diego Miya Coimbra Samruddhi Hande Harmon Jones Austin Katz Kayla Lâm Hanaa Moosavi Shreya Shriram Niklas Sprute Victor Wu University of San Diego Yasmin Madjidi Kate Monko Daniella Walter Bennett Williams
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University of California, Irvine Danielle Dawson Noah Driker Daniel Du Marina Hartogs Tingyao Li Brian Liu California State University, Long Beach Maya Abed Haley Crooks Megan Mandal California State University, Fullerton Rachel Fu Christopher Razniak Biola University Kyra Simmonds
Chapman University Alexander Abelar Nicole Arvanaghi Erin Coogan Philip Duvinage Allie Ma Thomas Wade University of California, Riverside Alex Chen Gokce Boz Harvey Mudd College Stephanie Clifner Emi Copic Crystal Yang Alvin Zheng
CCA College Map Whitman College Katherine Laliotis Gonzaga University Anastasia Aschmoneit Matthew McCaw
University of Washington Isabella Abulhosn Kailey Coronado Mariella Gauvreau Cooper Harris Sam Reissmann Alyssa Vacheron Western Washington University Ayden Belsky Piper Conley Carson Fidley Gianni Zagara Seattle Central College Grace Frederico University of Puget Sound Olivia Nattrass
Colorado State University Jessie Bettig Calli Brazerol Tom Ferrer Max Rosoff
Boise State University Tori Weisman
Lewis & Clark College Sammy Benbow Willamette University Rose Wilkinson Oregon State University Alexandra Wahr
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International School of Denmark Clara Haupt Ryerson University Olivia DeRoche University of British Columbia Tiffany Nguyen Raphael Recanati International School Aliya Nussbaum University of Hawaii at Manoa Melissa Butler Gap Year Nataly Vanta
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University of Arizona Taylor Davis Daniel Frost
Texas Tech University Erin McBurnett
University of New Mexico Stella Tomasi
University of Colorado, Denver Ryan Denny University of Denver Hana Emerson Jessie Flam Vanessa Ruiz University of Colorado, Boulder Bree Belshin Alexis Davis Alina Dayn Niko de Boucaud Dennis Kanevskiy
Northwestern University Anthony Kang University of Wisconsin, Madison Kenton Olep Amanda Schiffman University of Minnesota Lily Richard
Indiana University Asha Agarwal Emily Isaacman Eliana Levinson Jack Mittemeyer Purdue University Brian Chung Karan Gidwani
University of Michigan Brendan Anapoell Alyxandra Charfauros Mark Hibberd Kragen Metz Yeonjeong Chu
Ohio State University Lauren Brenner Case Western Reserve University Hannah Shin Oberlin Conservatory of Music Vincent Pham
Syracuse University Andrew Gillies Sarah Sek Cornell University Quincy Erturk Jane Kim Leslie Zhang Colgate University Chris DePetro Aaron Tanaka
Dartmouth College Connie Huang Juliann Li
Wellesley College Jessica Shen M.I.T. Varkey Alumootil Brian Xia Emerson College Navin Bose Alyssa DeVries Jade Mazurkiewicz Boston University Tamara Gelfman Jordan Grannick Heloise Leblanc Emma Schroeder Amherst College Gabe Gitler Worcester Polytechnic Institute Christian Cooper Williams College Nadiya Atkinson Smith College Samantha Ho
Yale University Michael Curcio Drexel University Ciara Hegli David Novick University of Pennsylvania Christina Lin Eric Wang
Emory University Seth Bernstein Kaylee Kinninger Kaleolani Laymon
Rice University Keaton Blazer Texas A&M University Sarah Wesson University of North Texas Andrew Martinez Southern Methodist University Toby Lyons
University of Alabama Kaley Duff Belmont University Lauren Brems Vanderbilt University Jonathan Hung Tulane University Rachel Bear Pierce Bond Eli Perlmutter
New York University Joe Aste Sarah Carney Michelle Cohen Gabriel Krasovic Jackie Tullie Ethan Uno Jacob Zhang Columbia University Noel Martinez American University Alexander Zhang Isaiah Levinson United States Military Academy Madison Martin United States Naval Academy Greyson Olep Marist College Matthew Gillcrist Camila del Mar Johns Hopkins University Heezy Suh Duke University Nathan Parikh Vivian Shing Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Matt Lewis Savannah College of Arts And Designs Jesse Belinsky
University of Miami, Florida Sammi Fiori
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