The Talon
Del Norte High School
Volume 3 | Issue 1 | October 10, 2014
a bird’s eye view news 2 features 4 opinions 6 sports 10 arts & styles12
Informing you about what’s happening
Highlighting the ‘distinctively Del Norte’ culture and the people that make it happen
Disseminating Del Norte’s voice on issues both local and global in scope
Taking an indepth look at Nighthawks athletics
Reporting what’s beautiful and trendy on and off campus
CHEATING EXPLORING STUDENT AND STAFF PERSPECTIVES ON TODAY’S CHEATING EPIDEMIC STUDENT PERSPECTIVE BY BENNY LEE Many teachers at Del Norte work hard to enforce rules to guide students in the right direction. Sometimes, however, students take the easy way and cheat. But how big of a problem is cheating at Del Norte? All of the students that were asked if they think cheating is a problem at our school answered with a definite “yes”. But why do student cheat? As Samuel Hsu (10) put it, “Some people cheat on tests because they know their preparation is not enough to get them the best grade. So they turn to cheating and hope that the teacher won’t notice.” Do bystanders who witness these events actually feel the need to tell a teacher? Michael Ong (10) says, “If someone’s cheating on a minor assignment, I’d let it slide. But if it were on a major project or test, I’d get an urge to tell a teacher because if they get a good grade, it’d be unfair to those who actually studied and prepared.” Some students resort to cheating to get the perfect grades for the school of their dreams. But does this desire to cheat originate from the individuals, or does it come from their environment? “There’s just so much pressure on students these days and there is always that question of ‘Will I be able to get away with it’ and most students think ‘yes.’” (Lindsey Kang, 11). Many students even agree that, more often than not, parents are sometimes more anxious for their kids to get into a good school than the students themselves. Although teachers always warn students about “keeping your eyes on your own paper”, there are always a few that earn themselves the big zero.
STAFF PERSPECTIVE BY AHANA CHAKRABORTY
In light of past events at Del Norte, an interview was conducted on campus. When asked whether cheating is a problem at Del Norte, 100% of teachers and administrative staff interviewed replied with a definitive yes. They were also asked: Why do people cheat? 14% answered, “Due to laziness”, and another 14% replied that it was a result of simple oversight; students may have forgotten to study. However, the main problem lies elsewhere: 72% of the campus staff replied that cheating was commonly due to peer or parental pressure. Contrary to what many students may believe, “school is [a] safezone”. “It’s okay to make mistakes here,” said one staff member; In fact, you’re supposed to make mistakes at school. Teachers believe that if students give in to the competitive nature of school and opt out of the learning challenge, then school itself loses value. Also, in no way does cheating help students learn, a consequence that can be reflected in test scores. Administrators agree that by cheating, students not only break a teacher’s trust, but also risk severe repercussions. Guilty perpetrators face an automatic fail, a parent conference, and a review of the Academic Honesty Policy. In some extreme cases, students won’t be eligible for any recognition (ASB, Ambassadors, Link Crew, etc), may be forced to drop the class, and will never receive a letter of recommendation. Teachers try their best to prevent cheating. In hopes of doing so, many teachers assign work in class, use SafeAssign, create multiple test versions, utilize test dividers, walk around the class, enforce strict cellphone rules, and assign handwritten assignments. EDITORIAL PERSPECTIVE BY BEN LI The most important method that teachers employ is using an All faculty members and students surveyed agree that cheating is a internal motivator: convincing students that it’s okay to err. Adminisproblem on the Nighthawk campus. While some blame laziness and simple tration concurs that if you catch someone cheating, think about your oversight as reasons for cheating, a vast majority of both faculty members teacher and the effort they put into helping you and your classmates. Think about Mr. Mizel and the hours he spends encouraging us to be and students point to peer and parental influence. Peer and parental influence often pressures students to give in to the competitive nature of school our best. Report your sighting, and above all, don’t become the cheater yourself. and opt out of the learning challenge. The strive for perfect grades for the perfect school, influenced by external pressures, causes many students to cheat. Both staff and students make their own attempts to tackle cheating. Teachers use tools like SafeAssign and multiple test versions to reduce cheating in the classroom, and students keep their eyes peeled for cheating in and out of school, more so on major tests and projects than on minor assignments. Cheating is, no doubt, a problem at our school. But, as students and teachers point out, students feel pressured to cheat because our school strives for perfection. Nonetheless, pressure is no excuse to cheat, and the cheating issue needs to be solved.
News
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DEL NORTE TALON Del Norte High School 16601 Nighthawk Lane San Diego, CA 92127 Advisor: Danielle Schelhorse Lori Matthews (858) 487-0877 dschelhorse@powayusd.com
THE MISSION Our mission is to inform and entertain the Del Norte community with a well-written and factually sound newspaper. As a student-run organization, The Talon aims to report on issues relevant to Del Norte students, prompting the discussion that serves as a catalyst for growth. The Talon pledges to repect the opinions of all and seeks to encourage the diversity inherent in the Del Norte community.
THE EDITORS Hannah Glover EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jeena Lee Benjamin Li Ashi Shrivastava Revati Thatte EDITORS Aishwarya Kudrimoti Joshua Lee DESIGN EDITORS
READING & MAKING OOBLECK BY DAVID TAO For my summer vacation, I taught at a week-long, student-run, refugee tutoring camp that was the brain-child of my good friend Joshua Lee (12). The purpose of this camp is to teach young refugee children basic English, Math, and Science. The camp lasted for five days at Ibarra Elementary School in downtown San Diego. Every day, we started with reading. After reading, we had a daily activity. The daily activities ranged from making oobleck, a goo-like substance popular with kids, to playing soccer to having a water balloon fight. Afterwards, we would eat lunch, have some free time to play outside, then engaged in crafts, such as perler beads or drawing.
We not only taught refugees; we also taught newly immigrated children, specifically from Somalia and Laos. They moved to America relatively recently, so they don’t understand English at their grade level; as a result, they typically have trouble learning in school. Most kids were
around eight to ten years old. Around 30 kids would show up every day, with a variety of tutors to help them. Some tutors were Del Norte students, others were in college. Some were even from outside San Diego. This program is part of a larger organization called San Diego Refugee Tutoring. This organization, started in 2008, teaches refugee children in Ibarra Elementary every Tuesday throughout the school year. This was the first year of the refugee tutoring summer camp, and it was very successful. Our tutors had a lot of fun, and if you are interested in tutoring next year, the camp is likely to be repeated next year.
Chelsea Song PRINCIPAL ARTIST Janessa Lin PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHER Andrew Childers Brian Seikkula FINANCE MANAGERS
THE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ammar Alsaied
Aidan Turner
Mallory Broberg
Mason Shields
Christene Liu
Nicholas Li
Maddy Noet
Katlyn Porter
Revati Thatte
Ashi Shrivastava
Cory Lane
Young Woo Son
Leigh Levinson
Allie Carter
Flora Park
Ahana Chakraborty
Megan Trinh
Cailah Eugenio
Hannah Glover
Benny Lee
Abey Panganiban Sienna Sacramento Benjamin Li
The Talon is the official newspaper of Del Norte High School, and is published by Del Norte Networks. The views expressed in The Talon do not necessarily repesent the opionions of Del Norte High School administration or the PUSD Board of Education. Unsigned editorials reflect the beliefs of The Talon editorial board. The Talon is a collaborative effort with Del Norte Network, and applications for prospective members are always available. Letters to the editors are welcome and should be signed. For advertising rates or information please call, email, or write The Talon at the address above.
WHAT IS DESIGN 39? BY BEN LI Design 39 is the first K-8 school in the Poway Unified School District. Its name is Design 39 because this school is the 39th school of the Poway Unified School District. The school officially opened on August 20, 2014. Only grades K-6 were opened this year, but grades 7-8 will open next year. Design 39 was created to change the way students learn. Teachers and parents analyzed teaching styles used all across America to understand the purpose and reasons behind each teaching style. They also observed how other schools tried different teaching styles as well. Already, Design 39 are implementing a number of educational changes. For example, most teachers across the country would have
students sit down and learn information or a skill. The students will be graded based on how well they imitate the teacher. Design 39 tries to break away from that teaching style. They don’t want to limit the kids’ knowledge to only what the teacher teaches. In addition, to ensure students receive adequate attention from teachers, class sizes are smaller. Teachers also encourage kids to think, question, and apply logic to problems. For example, when given a story, the typical American student is asked to write a summary. In Design 39, students are expected to have a claim and evidence. What are your opinions on the story? What is the author’s point of view? How do you know that that’s the author’s point of view? Part of Design 39’s goal is to
move kids away from only receiving information to solve a problem and teach them to solving the problem and explaining how they solved the problem. The teachers at Design 39 emphasize collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking in all subject areas. They want kids to take ownership of their learning instead of relying on a teacher. Not only are teachers teaching all the different subjects, but they also guide students toward their future. They want to know their students’ strengths, weaknesses, and needs to help them succeed. They also help students find their passion, whether it be taking pictures or making ceramics, and encourage students to pursue them.
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BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS AP PSYCHOLOGY’S MOST UNIQUE PROJECT BY LEIGH LEVINSON This month, students in Mr. Williams’s AP Psychology class have been breaking social norms all over campus and in our community. Whether we realize it or not, there are so many unspoken “social norms” that we live by and expect from everyone around us. This project has been challenging how people react when the social norms they have come to expect have been broken. Students came to find that different people reacted differently when they were approached. Indira Loflin and Annie Wang, two juniors in Mr. Williams’s class, found mixed reactions during their project. They said some people became timid and frightened when approached by someone they had never seen before. Some gave them weird looks and became suspicious of their intentions, or why they were approached in the first place.
While this kind of project is very popular and exciting for many students, it holds a very awkward and nerve wracking obstacle to some. While explaining the situation afterwards to strangers may be easy, but approaching someone you don’t know and breaking social barriers can be intimidating. Indira Lofflin and Annie Wang say the thrill of the project is “seeing how uncomfortable it makes other people and seeing their reactions...not only that but [also] how uncomfortable it makes you feel...and to know what you’re going to do to them.” It is this kind of feeling that the project is meant to target. Mr. Williams explains why he values this project when he says, “asking people to consciously break a social norm...even though they are going to be really uncomfortable when they do it... you learn a lot about yourself and about how many social norms you
follow because of how uncomfortable you feel while breaking them”. This idea of unconsciously following a set of unspoken rules captures the essence of the project. Whether it’s how long people shake hands, how close they stand, how loudly they speak, or even making eye contact, social norms are a very big deal. Carolyn Wu, another Junior in Mr. Williams’s class states that, “even though we don’t notice it, there are a lot of social norms that define how we act, and it’s really interesting to see that everybody follows these rules even though they are unspoken and unwritten.” For many students, this exciting and fun project became a way to learn about themselves and how they succumb to the social norms around them. Understanding these social norms provided students with a new perspective in understanding themselves.
Features PAGE 4
featured story OCEAN EYES BY AIDAN TURNER Orson plays with his empty coffee cup as he stares at Emily across the room. A shot of butterflies shoots through his tight stomach. It’s now or never, he thinks. He gets up from the table and begins to walk towards her. With every step he takes, his nervousness paralyzes him a little more. His paralysis had gotten to his brain too. What should I say? He keeps telling himself. Yet despite all the time he had during the walk from his table of friends to Emily’s, all he could think of was… “Hi… Emily.” Orson awkwardly begins. Shoot, I already messed up. They all look at him, all three of them. The six eyes seem to bore into him, causing his already electrified nerves to go haywire. The girl sitting to the left of Emily gazes up at the newcomer. Oh, Orson. Maurine thinks. You look so cute when you try to slick back your dirty blonde hair. “Hey.” Emily replies carelessly. I haven’t seen him in a while, she thinks. When was it? Probably three meetings ago? When he acted out that one poem… yes, that was funny. “Hi Orson.” Maurine smiles at him. Butterfly Paralysis Syndrome also courses through her veins, being pumped by a heart held up by a thread. “Hey,” he glances into her brown eyes briefly. Huh, she curled her hair. Orson thought of Maurine’s brunette tresses. It looks pretty good. He quickly turns back to Emily. Maurine’s smile droops, dejected. He didn’t even notice my hair… Carol, the third girl, remains silent. She feels the tension building in this unfortunate
callow triad. She normally keeps her thoughts to herself. Her entire life is a bottled up noise that constantly claws at her insides, pleading for release. It is mostly because she’s gay. She hasn’t told anyone, not her parents, not her best friend and definitely not the two girls sitting next to her. There was no way in hell she’d be able to tell anyone, the social consequences would be unbearable if anyone found out. She can’t help but notice Maurine’s profile as she watches Orson and Emily converse. The light falls perfectly on the gleam in her curls. She wants to hug her. She sighs at the relationship that would never be. Orson adores it when he gets girls talking, especially insanely beautiful ones, and boy had he gotten her going about this new song on the radio. He didn’t even know what it was, who it was by or anything, but he didn’t care. He just loves to her face in animation. The way the dim lights of the coffeehouse touch her face give it a slight beige color, making her look more tan. She didn’t do it often, but she had straightened her hair. It flowed over her shoulders like a golden waterfall, wholly worthy of his adoration. Her eyes, huge and blue, reflected the murky gleam of the lights above. They made him want to tenderly embrace her and kiss her on her eyes, but he didn’t. Her freckles too… very slight, not noticeable at first glance, but they complement her eyes so well… Maurine tries to hide her facial expressions but she just couldn’t anymore. It doesn’t matter anyways, it’s not like anyone’s noticing me anyways. She thinks again of Orson’s amazing tal-
ent as a poet, an actor, anything. She notices his fine jaw tighten and loosen as he listens to Emily speak. She sighs as the pain of a knife stabs her in the heart. I guess I’m not pretty enough. She tells herself. Orson smiles as Emily finishes her story, Wow, He thinks as she laughs, what an amazing person, maybe… maybe this could work. Emily gives him a wry smile as she thinks about that radio song, I have two tickets to see that guy in concert… Orson seemed really interested! Maybe I could ask him to go… no would that seem like a date? I don’t know if I should ask… Carol’s heart hangs, a dull silence in the background. It beats on but it pumps nothing but ash through my body. Poison, sickness, death. How can I ever be expected to eat the fruits of life when I’m terrified to reveal my fruit? “Carol, are you okay?” Maurine asks. She looks like she’s on the brink of tears… I wonder what’s wrong. Carol had had enough, she whips around and heads to the Lady’s room, a single drop of water flicks off of her cheek. Oh yes, I’m fine Maurine, you just look inside my head and you’ll see that I’m fine. If I could only look inside your head to see what you thought… to see what you would think if I told you that you were the most beautiful girl in the world. Maybe… Maybe if I could see inside all of your heads, maybe I would see people who would love and accept me for who I am. She thought. Or maybe not.
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COLLEGE ROULETTE BY ABEY PANGANIBAN A truth dawned upon my high school existence. For many high schoolers, the most important relationship we all build ourselves for and the one ulterior motive that governs every decision is college. Again, the most important relationship to earn all my efforts will be for college admissions. It’s a sad world having to make a profile, even on the Common Application, without any facebook pictures of myself. On the other hand, as much as we try to make ourselves look good, so does our counterpart. College websites are just as manipulative towards enamoring prospective students with their beautiful photos and stats. When talking with my counselor, Mr. Eveleth, he stressed location, location, location. UC Merced has a gorgeous looking website and brochure, but through
the all-seeing Google Maps, the campus is in the middle of nowhere. It’s complete cow country five miles away from civilization. We cannot solidify our decisions under such, “shallow and superficial” means. In respect to college, the wrong decisions lead to thousands of dollars wasted. The point is, we might live in a more capable world of unlimited tools and resources, but there is still a disconnect on how to properly and correctly plan towards our goals: whether dating or college. October 21st from 6:30 to 8 is the PUSD College Fair. Your opportunity to speed date through interested colleges. Get to know your future home, and really start a journey for compatibility and open-mindedness. Think: single and ready to mingle. Tips Courtesy of Mr. Eveleth. Metaphors not included.
BEFORE YOU GO - Find out which colleges will be at the fair and make “The List” - Think of questions. Google “Questions to Ask College Representatives” for more inspiration. Reliable Sources: College Board and the Princeton Review - Bring your list, pen, paper, and a bag to hold college brochures - Make sure the email address that you give out won’t embarrass you -- remember, college admission officers will see it
WHEN YOU’RE THERE
WHEN YOU GET HOME
- Get a map of the fair and plan a route that will take you to the booths of all the colleges on your list. - Visit booths and ask questions! For example, “What kind of student are you looking for?” or “What makes your campus special?” - Take a minute to jot down any information you think is important before moving on. - Check out some more booths when you’re done with your college list. You may stumble onto a great college you hadn’t considered. - Attend information sessions. Typical topics include applications and financial aid.
- Ask yourself which college stood out and why - Organize college material you collected and review that week while fresh in your mind - Go over notes from the fair - Throw out pamphlets of colleges ruled out so to narrow your focus - Do more research on colleges you’re thinking about. Explore websites, contact admission office or plan a campus visit. It may be time to see the college in person.
INSIDE THE YPA PAC DEL NORTE STUDENTS CREATE A POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE BY HANNAH GLOVER With the presidential election approaching, people of all ages are becoming increasingly interested in politics. However, becoming interested is not the same as becoming educated or active. In order to combat political apathy or ignorance in young people in particular, Justin Shin, Christa Hoffman, Sam Haber, Amy Nickolay, and Andrew Childers created Youth Political Awareness Political Action Committee, or YPA PAC. Political Action Committees primarily raise money for particular candidates or causes that typically align with one party. However, YPA is unique. Justin Shin, President, explains: “YPA is a bipartisan organization. We embody both political ideologies”. Additionally, their emphasis on educating San Diego’s youth also sets them apart from other PACs. Currently, both the leadership team and staff are composed of Del Norte students;
however, YPA aims to represent many different schools within San Diego. Shin states, “YPA is independent and private. We represent all young people”. Although they are selective in who they accept, anyone with a genuine passion for politics is welcome to apply. Students from Poway, Cathedral, and Scripps High Schools have already expressed interest in joining the organization. Although the organization is relatively new, founded just two months ago, they have already made tremendous progress. Already, $10,000 has been raised through their website ypapac.com. This money will go towards designing fun activities to teach kids about politics as well as other educational materials. YPA has even talked with the administration of Design 39, discussing their plans to teach in classrooms using fun games and group activities to illustrate
how politics works. Even with this recent success, YPA has many more goals that it is striving towards. Justin Shin excitedly explains one of his ideas: “Two years ago, there was a political forum at Del Norte; they had invited a bunch of people who work for government to speak to students and answer any questions they had. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to provide that same opportunity for other schools by holding a bipartisan political forum on their campuses”. YPA PAC is always looking for more like-minded individuals who are just as passionate about politics as they are. For information about their application process, email Christa Hoffman, YPA’s Recruitment Director, at christahoffman@ypapac.org
Opinions PAGE 6
ISRAEL AND PALESTINE STUDENT PERSPECTIVES NIGHTHAWKS OPINIONS ON THE BREWING CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST We are all aware of the political turmoil in the Middle East, yet it can seem very distant from our everyday lives. However, with the grand diversity of culture at Del Norte High School, there are many students here that are greatly affected by this conflict. Several students, two of whom have decided to make their identity public, have shared their experiences with The Talon. It is asked that all opinions are respected. Israel and Palestine have been in conflict since before 1948, when Britain officially created the state of Israel because of the attempted genocide during WWII. Palestinians were upset and angry that their land had been taken from them, and Israelis wanted to keep their safe-haven of a nation. After over sixty years of war, both peoples have an indomitable conviction that their side is in the right. Commenting on this complexity is Justin Shin, Del Norte’s student body president who has worked extensively with the Republican Party of San Diego. He states: “The complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian issue is one that needs a remarkable amount of context behind it to even make a position on the issue.” Historical and personal, the roots of this conflict grasps onto the heart of each person involved. This said, it is really no surprise that this individual conflict has spread to include other nations and people from all around the world. One of these nations is its neighbor, Lebanon, who has been at war with Israel since the first struggle for land began between it and Palestine. Two students from Del Norte, both of whom just arrived in the United States just months ago from Lebanon, agreed to speak with
BY CORY LANE AND HANNAH GLOVER
us about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the war between Israel and Lebanon. On traveling in and out of the country, the students explained: “If you’re closer to the border you are more affected, the Palestinians in Lebanon can’t go further than the Lebanese borders and Lebanese people cannot go out because of war with Israel.” This situation is very similar to the restrictions that Palestinians endure. Tarik Shoukeh, a former Del Norte student, recounts his father’s recent experience: “If you are Palestinian, or if you are the child of a Palestinian, or even if you are the grandchild of a Palestinian, you have to get a special passport in order to get into Israel and territories like Gaza and the West Bank. My dad couldn’t get in to see his family because the embassy, which gives out the passports, was closed and he couldn’t wait the four weeks to get the
passport.” Unlike in Palestinian territories, the restrictions are mutual in Lebanon. The students continue: “Israelis can’t visit because they are enemies and there are fears of spies. There used to be actual ones in Lebanon for Israel. If they are spying on us now, you wouldn’t even know.” It is easy to take sides in the heated debate and the endless cycle of blame that defines this conflict. Ammar Alsaied, who plays a major role in the politics of Del Norte, contends: “The fact of the matter is, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a mere black-and-white issue… If you ask someone who supports the Palestinian side, they will tell you that the Gazans are being subjugated to Israeli blockades, have lost a lot of land, and are not being allowed to have self-determination in forming a Palestinian State. On the other hand, if you ask someone who supports the Israeli side, they will tell you that Israel is defending itself from Palestinian aggression, as well as affirming its right to exist.” At the end of the day, both peoples are simply that: people. While it is easy to make snap judgments on world issues like the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, we need to remember that these issues are never as straightforward as they appear. Del Norte has students from a vast array of countries and cultures, students who have not only heard about world events, but who have lived them and can share those experiences. We as a student body are lucky to be a part of such a diverse campus. We are more than globally aware; we are global.
SENATOR ELECTIONS: CARL DEMAIO V. SCOTT PETERS BY MEGAN TRINH
Students participated in a mock vote to compare with projected results of the upcoming November election. In November, there will be a senator election happening. The senators that are taking part in the election are Carl DeMaio and Scott Peters, our current mayor running for reelection. Scott Peters is Democratic, while Carl DeMaio is Republican. According to the poll held by U-T San Diego and 10News, 47% of the voters cast their votes for Scott Peters, while 46% of the voters placed their votes on Carl DeMaio. The election is proving to be a very close and fierce battle between the candidates.
At Del Norte, we created a poll for AP Government students to vote for their preferred candidate. We found that many of the students preferred Scott Peters over Carl DeMaio. 42% of students voted for Carl DeMaio and 58% of students voted for Scott Peters. It seems that the Del Norte’s poll is similar to U-T San Diego’s poll. The senator election is approaching very quickly and many people are anxious to know the results. Good luck to the senator candidates and may the best candidate win.
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THE THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED A MOMENT OF REFLECTION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT WE HAVE BY REVATI THATTE These days, it’s hard to find the motivation to enjoy school. We attend class because we have to, write essays because we need to, and study because we must do so to have a shot at getting into a top-notch university. No longer do our minds crave new topics in school. No longer do we excitedly set our alarms to wake up early for class. No longer do we happily relate all that we learned in school that day to our parents. We’ve simply forgotten why we enjoyed school in the first place. Twitter and Instagram lure us into posting about our academic woes with lightning speed. Classes that have lost their appeal become targets of plaintive tweets, while endless piles of homework leave us with nothing else to do but complain about stress and lack of sleep. We’ve lost touch with the importance of a real education. In parts of the world that aren’t half as
lucky as we are, education is the stuff of legend. Especially in rural villages, one is hard-pressed to find a student who has continued past eighth grade studies. Over the summer, I had the privilege of visiting a village in Madhya Pradesh, India, where I saw for myself the derelict conditions that those children live in. Although their eyes shone bright with excitement and enthusiasm for learning, roughly 70% of those kids did not attend school on a regular basis. Family pressures, such as working in the fields or helping out at home, kept many of those gifted young individuals from pursuing an education. On those rare occasions that attending school was a possibility, children flocked to the one-room run-down building, shrieking with laughter. Most of them could barely read or write in Hindi, let alone English. For ten days, we spent two hours playing games and teaching them English songs (the ABCs, “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”,
etc.). By the end of the visit, most kids were able to write their names using the English alphabet. If they had the zeal to pick up writing in a foreign language in under two weeks, who knows what incredible things they could accomplish in their futures? If only they had the resources necessary to explore beyond the whittled wooden fences surrounding the village. Here in the United States, we have a tremendous advantage when it comes to the opportunities around us. The fact that we can read and write--we can communicate with the world--is a blessing that many people in underprivileged parts of the world cannot even comprehend. The next time you feel the urge to vent all of that pent up homework stress on the world wide web, pause for a second: there may be someone out there who would gladly trade their life for one minute of yours.
DESIGN 39 PERSPECTIVES ON THE SCHOOL NEXT DOOR
BY FLORA PARK Nighthawks watched as the stained glass windows of Design 39 rose all throughout last year. Now that the school is up and running, what are the opinions of fellow Nighthawks on our new neighbor across the street? Design 39 is a unique K-8 school, the first of its kind in the district of Poway. According to Kyle Asmus, one of the teachers in Design 39, this modern education system promotes learning and collaboration between students. “Our goal is to personalize the learning experience for all children,” he states.“ We want each child to learn at their pace and in ways that best suit their needs.” Activities in the school are mainly designed to not only support a student academically, but also socially. As Asmus describes, “One of our main focuses of D39C is Design Thinking. We want kids finding problems and learning together [about] how they can
solve those problems.” With such a school situated across the street from Del Norte, Nighthawk interest has peaked. Since Design 39 is right next to Del Norte, many students pass it on their way to and from school. “I don’t know how the school itself is, but it looks very nice,” comments Albert Lee (10), a frequent passerby of the school. “I heard it has the best supplies for its students and a pretty different teaching style.” Tasha Giffin, a teacher at Del Norte, also has a positive outlook on Design 39: “I am happy to have another excellent lower grade school in our area that will be preparing future Nighthawks. Their emphasis on technology will be valuable for students entering high school... Seeing all the younger students walking by after school lets out reminds me what a family friendly community we are in and how fortunate we are to have great schools here.”
However, with these favorable reactions, there are also a few negative responses to Design 39. “It’s cool that there’s a K-8 school so close to Del Norte, but the morning traffic is twice as slow as it was before, since the two school entrances are so close together,” Jane Huang (11) comments. Aside from the complaints about traffic, there are some opinions on the school’s teaching curriculum itself. Minjoon Choi (10) has a different view on the subject: “The new system that they’re [Design 39] using is really innovative, but if you look in the future when they will come to Del Norte, they might have a hard time adjusting.” Del Norte students have both positive and negative opinions on Design 39. However, teachers and administration are excited to see the implementation of new and innovative teaching ideologies.
Summa
Education LAST MINUTE SAT TIPS BY ASHI SHRIVASTAVA The SAT is coming up soon and students are starting to fret. Even those students who have taken SAT classes over the summer or have been studying for as long as they can
remember, fear the test on October 11. So, to put some people at ease, here are some major tips that should help students succeed on the SAT. As a senior, I’ve already taken the test
and some classes that are designed to help students perform. Here is my SAT advice:
1. Remember to read the passages clearly. Underline the major points in the critical reading passages as you go so that you can refer back to those points during the questions. 2. Don’t overthink answers. It might end up in time loss and more confusion.
3. Start from the back and do the math section in reverse. The harder questions tend to be later in the section so you can use a fresh mind to answer the toughest problems. 4. Don’t keep looking at a clock. It might cause slight anxiety watching time pass so I
wouldn’t look at the time every 5 secondsFinish a few problems, and then glance up occasionally. 6. Bring a snack and water to eat/drink during the break. Make sure you aren’t hungry because you might have a harder time thinking.
One of our very own Nighthawk teachers, Ms. Schelhorse (AP Literature and assored English courses), is also an SAT teacher at Poway Adult School. She finds the hardest part of the SAT the reading passages because of their difficulty level and the short
time that students have to read and understand them. A few tips she gave for taking the SAT are to take practice tests, concentrate on improving one skill at a time (eg. reading, vocabulary, etc), and take 20 minute practice quizzes to get used to the timing. Ms. Schel-
horse also advises to brainstorm examples that can be used for the essays because the graders look for a variety of examples. The SAT is coming up soon and I wish you all good luck on that big test. Remember to do your best and I hope you do well!
DEAR CLASS OF 2015 Congratulations! We are finally seniors! However, senior year comes with more than just the opportunity to take two off-rolls. We’re one step closer to pursuing our futures and all of the “adult” responsibilities that go with it. We definitely have a crazy year ahead of us, When posed with the request to give advice to current seniors, past seniors came to a consensus about certain topics. We were all aware of senioritis long before senior year. Jazlynn Pastor, a freshman at University of San Francisco, asserted, “Senioritis is real, ladies and gentleman, but don’t let it get to you - stay focused and be determined to finish off the year strong. College is a whole other ballgame.” Sure, we’ve all felt lazy and defiant towards our schoolwork prior to senior year. Senioritis is completely different. It’s time to push past it and persevere to the very end in
BY CAILAH EUGENIO
order to get to college or whatever the next step is. It is important to work hard, but the college application process is killer and even after you get the results, it may still not be what you wanted. However, Eric Inumerable, a freshman at University of California, Los Angeles lamented, “[I]f you’re going to college, don’t put too much weight on the college admissions decisions, you will end up where you belong and everything will be alright in the end.” Furthermore, Grace Jeon, a sophomore at Princeton, stresses that we should “support each other through the stress of the college admission process with the best intentions. Not everyone will be satisfied with the outcomes. Celebrate your peers’ achievements and comfort them through disappointments.” College is a touchy subject depending on who you talk to. When the time comes, be there
for your friends; whether you bring them ice cream to celebrate or to drown their sorrows. Lastly, it is our final year here and the best thing we can do for ourselves is make it memorable. Luke Lin, a freshman at University of California, San Diego, stressed, “Don’t have regrets. This is more than your last year of high school. This is your last year of adolescence. Take some chances! Apply to that Ivy League, ask that cute guy or girl to prom, and most of all treasure your friends while you can.” It’s our last year before college, which means, it’s our last year before growing up, going our separate ways, and venturing out into the real world. Work hard, but take all the chances you can to make senior year a memorable one with the people you cherish the most.
Sports PAGE PAGE 10 6
STUDENT ATHLETE STANDOUTS BY MASON SHIELDS
QUENTON MEEKS Receiving Yards per game: 54.5 Catches: 8 Total TD’s: 1 Average Receiving Yards: 13.6 Total Receiving Yards: 109 Source of Stats: Max Preps Sports: Football
PARKER LAPPIN Receiving Yards per game: 54.5 Catches: 8 Total TD’s: 1 Average Receiving Yards: 13.6 Total Receiving Yards: 109 Source of Stats: Max Preps Sports: Football
MAKENNA GREWE Goals: 1 Assists: 1 Points: 3 Shots: 2 Source of Stats: Max Preps Sport: Field Hockey
Bio: Before each game in the spotlight, he retreats to an empty part of the locker room and envisions the noises, the energy of the crowd, and the adrenaline of the upcoming game. On the field, Del Norte football captain Quenton Meeks leaves nothing to spare as he does what he does best, play football. Born into a football family, the ball was placed in Quenton’s hands from a young age. In 6th grade, he joined a Pop Warner football team and with the guidance of his father, began to work toward becoming the highly recruited athlete he is today. Quenton will tell you that working hard and keeping a level head have made it possible for him pursue athletics at the collegiate level. His hard work and his notable stats such as 43.2 receiving yards per game and 13 touchdowns paid
off when he received his first offer from UCLA and then following offers from academic dream schools such as Stanford. Seeing his dreams turned into a reality has motivated Quenton to grow so that he can succeed and take care of his family. However, the rewards that he has achieved have come at a price. Quenton said that he has sacrificed time being a normal kid to stay ahead of the competition. As a senior, he has challenged himself to take AP environmental science and AP statistics staying up to midnight on a regular basis to finish homework, while still maintaining his leadership position on the football team. Quenton knows that every late night workout and study session make him a stronger person which will help him as continues his football career in the years to come.
Bio: On game days, Parker Lappin can be found quietly reciting how the night’s performance will go. He envisions the bright lights, the chaotic field, and the roaring crowd. He maintains a calm mindset as he goes in as the face of Del Norte football. Parker’s love for the game began after his parents allowed him to play on an 8th grade Pop Warner team. As a smaller quarterback, he had to work harder to maintain his position and modeled his game after Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson who is not a traditional pocket passer. Now in his senior year, Parker has racked up an array of impressive stats consisting of 136 yards per game, a passing
percentage of .576, and a collective 21 passing touchdowns. His favorite team memory was when Del Norte beat Mount Carmel on MC’s senior night and then went on to win league. While Parker is a leader in the locker room, he is equally focused on academics. With an offer from Cal Poly and his sights set on Ivy League schools, Parker is a self-motivated student which is reflected in his coursework and his family values. In terms of importance, sports come after God, family, and school. Parker’s love for the game and motivation to succeed is driven by the fact he must make the most out of his time as an athlete and get better a day at a time.
Bio: To get into the right mentality for each game, Makenna Grewe takes a step back and envisions herself performing at her best while listening to music. As a captain on the Del Norte varsity field hockey team, she acts as a leader on and off the field for her teammates to follow and has demonstrated her athletic consistency by accumulating 18 goals and 12 assists in season. After her parents encouraged her to go out for field hockey, Makenna fell in love with the sport and has not stopped playing. After a scholarship offer from the University of Iowa, Makenna’s motivation to take her skills to next level can be attribut-
ed to matching up with players from all over the country, especially the east coast. In her eyes, Makenna’s main mentor is her coach and trainer, Tiffany, who has pushed her to take that next leap as a collegiate athlete. Being the conscience student that she is, Makenna says that she follows a rigid schedule so that every minute of the day is being used effectively in order to achieve the balance between sports and academics. By studying in her spare time, Makenna has ensured that her athletic gains will not be limited and that she will continue focusing on her number one priority, field hockey.
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DEL NORTE SCORE BOARD BELOW IS THE SCORE REPORT FOR ALL FALL SPORTS* AS OF 9-30-14. BY ALLIE CARTER
*WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CROSS COUNTRY
LEAP AHEAD
Sports PAGE 12
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
In an effort to help Nighthawks get to know our sports teams better, we asked one member of each fall sport to give us updates on their team. Here’s what they came up with.
boy’s water polo BY ANTHONY PYKA
Cameron Lindroth continues to be the Varsity coach and Gary Rossi & Andy Avila continue to be the JV coaches Harrison Kelchlin (12) and Alex Llaneta (11) take the lead as Varsity Captains As Coach Cameron, steps back and has the boys talk about their performance, Harrison and Alex lead the boys in discussion to decide what will make the team more successful in games and in tournaments As eight team members are seniors this year, we hope that the boys will keep up the good work next year The varsity team has been struggling lately. There is major speed on the team this year, but the squad must get their head in the game to win the league title
girl’s tennis by AIMEE HAN Coach Cherise Meoli is the Varsity coach, and the JV coach is Coach Stephanie Misola. Natalie Taylor (12) is the girls’ Varsity Captain, and Taz Tallman (11) is the captain of Junior Varsity. There have not been any serious injuries, and hopefully that does not change. The top singles players include Jessica Nakamoto (10), Natalie Taylor, (12) and Reina Chu (9). Returning sophomore doubles players include Nicole Glick, Aimee Han, and Maya Silver. The top players of JV include Kanika Chadhury(10), Nikhila Yerabandi(9), Claire Aquino(10), Lillian Bu(10), and Taz Tallman(11). The Junior Varsity team won all 18 games against Escondido in their first league match. There are many players between both teams, and we will continue to improve throughout the season. Last year, we were Valley League Champions and this year we hope to continue a title in the Avocado East League. We started the season off well, and are ready to face the new challenge.
cheer by KATRINA SALI-
This year the cheer team is made up of a Junior Varsity and Varsity team. The JV coach is Ariel Meyer. The Varsity coaches are Ron Buccat and Kodi Keller. They do an amazing job at making sure our team has a successful year. The varsity team captains are Sophie Richard (12), Stephanie Fillmore (12), and Julianna Yoo(12). They make all of our routines and are excellent at perfecting all the little things that make our team look more professional. Our season consists of both football and basketball season. We try our best to keep the nighthawk spirit up during those two seasons.
girl’s field hockey BY RACHEL HSIEH Our team captains are Makenna Grewe(12) and Julia Stark (12) The Varsity Coach Jason Askegreen and the Junior Varsity coach is Coach Alyss Valleroy while the JVB coach is Coach Luke The hardest part of the sport would be individual skills ie., hitting the ball accurately to our teammates and even dribbling
girl’s golf BY ALISA NGUYEN
The team is comprised of 11 girls, who are all in Varsity, and our team captain is Haley Donovan (12) We have one coach, Coach Mike Reifeiss There have been no injuries so far. This year we have 3 Junior stars: Annika Chickering, Nastasia Kossacky, and Hanna Matilainen. Nastasia Kossacky just recently came back from competing in Japan for the Japanese National Team. This season, we have recently moved to the Avocado East League, but we are still the favorites to win this league title. We hope to advance through CIFs as a team and get a couple girls through to regionals and state. This year, we look forward to hopefully winning league for the 5th time in Del Norte history.
girl’s volleyball BY GRACIE RICKARD The Varsity Head coach is Nathan Rendon and the Varsity Assistant coach is Jamie Boyle. The JV coach is Kyle Campana and the Freshman coach is David Ertley. “I think our season is going to go pretty well. We have a great connection to all of our teammates and we have done really well in tournaments so far this season. I think we are going to do great in league! We’re really looking forward to it!” -Gracie Rickard, co-captain.
cross country BY TIERNEY HAMBLETON
Del Norte’s cross country team is comprised of both boys and girls. Coach Chris Jacobs is the boys’ coach and Coach Dorra Duensing is the girls’ coach. Mitch Manis (12) is the boy’s team captain. Recently, he has been struggling with intense shin splints, but that did not stop him from racing at Vaquero Stampede. Mitch Manis and Evan Jameson (12) took 1st and 2nd place at the Vaquero Stampede and the boy’s team as a whole got 2nd place for the entire race. The girl’s team has been plagued with many injuries amongst the upperclassmen, including Nikki Barrett (12) and last year’s Valley League Champion, Kirsten Moody. At Vaquero Stampede, the girl’s team took 1st place and won. Both teams have skilled runners returning to cross country. For the boys, this includes Mitch Manis, Evan Jameson, Cameron Tomilson, Paul Hobel and Calvin Liew. For the girls, this includes Annelise Perry, Sienna Sacremento, April Xie, LiMing Zheng and Karrine Cuatok. There are many up and coming Freshman and Sophomores for both teams. The boy’s team has Andrew Varvara, Connor Lennan, Mathew Earney and Igor Landa. The girl’s team has Kelsey White, Isabelle Davis, Hannah Zheng and Madeline Utter. This year, the team will face the challenge that a new league brings. Avocado East League will prove to be challenging, but the cross country team is up for the challenge.
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DEL NORTE DANCE TEAM HOPES TO WIN ON THE NATIONAL STAGE BY YOUNGWOO SON Coaches: Sharaya Sereno Team Captains: Megan Arnold and Alexis Sweiss Who else is dearer to our hearts than the beautiful Del Norte Dance Team? Always spirited and always smiling, on and off the routine, they manage to keep our spirits high. Yet little known by most, Del Norte has two dance teams, each with different goals. To be technically correct, there is only one team on campus; but that same team is divided into two portions; one performs only at school events, and one performs competitively, always striving to come out on top with the title of Grand Champions. While Amy Nickolay (12) is a mem-
ber of the recreational portion of the team, she is well aware of the competitive side’s ambitions. “I honestly think that they will be going for first place every single time.” On January 31, 2015, the Del Norte Dance Team hopes to travel to Orlando, Florida for two days, and represent the Nighthawks for the first time at the National Dance Team Championship, something that would be a big accomplishment for the team. But with their high dreams comes a high price; as Justin Pham(10), a dancer and choreographer on the team, wrote on gofundme.com, a website where anyone can donate to their cause, “With zero funding from our school, we are going to have to reach a goal of $17,000 for our entire
team to be able one day [to] make it to nationals in Orlando, Florida.” And zero funding is right; as of now, all trips to local competitions have been fundraised for from out-of-pocket donations, and community fundraisers, because dance is not yet considered a school sport. When asked about their chances, Amy responded optimistically: “They have really great choreographers this year, and their technique has come to the point where they could really make an impact.” All they have to do is get to Orlando, and let their outstanding moves take them the rest of the way.
FRESHMEN ATHLETICS BY ABEY PANGANIBAN Another class of freshman have joined the nest, as the rest of us begin to move on and away from the awkwardness of our first year. In an effort to regain the experience of starting anew on the athletic perspective, I sat down with 5 freshmen athletes: Rohan Carlton, a first time cross country runner, high achieving academic, and a member of Del Norte’s Marching Band; Andrew Varvara, a cross country runner since middle school, a demanding academic, and a violinist in Del Norte’s orchestra; Megan Ochoa, one of Del Norte’s newest additions to it’s girl’s volleyball team; and Luke Kathol, who is on Del Norte’s football team. 1. What were your first impressions and experiences with your respective sports team? LK: It seemed like a hard thing to stay committed to. MO: I thought it was really fun and I was really excited to meet new people and make friends. I was also excited for the upcoming challenges ahead. 2. Shoutouts to any mentors? LK: Coach Imming. AV: I would say Calvin Liu, but Calvin is a little crazy. Still, at the same time he’s pretty cool.. Then there’s Bryce Lennon, Mitch Mannis, Evan Jameson, Gabe, and that’s all that I can think of right now. 3. What does it feel like to wear “Del Norte” and “Nighthawks” across your shirt? RC: I feel proud to wear Del Norte, “spirit-y” stuff, and I’m glad to represent our school, even if I don’t do great, still try my best and its good racing for Del Norte. MO: It gives me pride and makes me feel respected by my fellow night Hawks 4. Best part of your sport? RC: My favorite part of XC is finishing up with a run, and kinda that sense of accomplishment that you finished the entire thing, you tried, and now you’re better than before. AV: Making new friends and meeting new people. 5. Is it difficult to manage the rigor of academics with the rigor of athletics? RC: It’s difficult, but it’s manageable. I mean, I’m a freshman, but it’s do-able and a bit tiring. MO: Yes, it’s very hard. It is hard because you are coming home really late and you’re really tired. It is also extra tough to manage sports and academics if you don’t have Off Role to have the extra time to work on homework. 6. What do you look forward to in the future? RC: I look forward to not being a freshman, and not being looked down upon at people taller than me, and being faster and better. MO: I look forward to the challenges ahead and becoming closer with my team.
Arts & Style PAGE 14
CLUB SPOTLIGHT:
THE SOUTH ASIAN EXPERIENCE
Del Norte is home to BY SIENNA SACRAMENTO a multitude of proactive student run clubs, however there is one in particular that relates and positively impacts the lives of many Del Norte students. It’s called the South Asian Experience. Organized by co-presidents Karishma Chugani (12) and Adam Chohan, the South Asian Experience, also know as SAX, focuses on reacquainting students with their South Asian roots as part of a Poway wide school club program. In this program additional SAX clubs from other schools come together to create the annual South Asian Culture Show, where they perform dances and skits. All proceeds from this event go to a south Asian charity of their choice. In fact, this year Del Norte’s co-club president of SAX, Adam Chohan, will be the VP of the show committee. Adam, like many students of South Asian ancestry attending Del Norte this school year, didn’t have a great appreciation of his own South Asian heritage. However, by joining SAX he “gained a greater understanding of the south Asian culture and how it is still possible to keep your roots while living here”. Chugani, similarly, says, “I love celebrating Indian holidays with my family/friends and embracing the Indian culture. This is something that many people lose as they grow up and I want to be the one that helps them stay connected to their roots.” Chugani continued to give her plans for the club. She says the first step for them will be to connect the small Del Norte club to the bigger branch. She also wants to be able to incorporate Indian holidays, such as Holi, Diwali, etc, and celebrate them with the club. She says the club is currently thinking off fundraising ideas to help with charities in India. During the school year SAX will be preparing for the South Asian Culture Show as well as organizing fundraisers for the charity. The South Asian Experience club is not limited to those of the Asian heritage; everyone is welcome. Club meetings for the South Asian Experience are held on the second Monday of every month in Mr. Edelstein’s room.
THE FIREBIRD SUITE AN INSIDE LOOK AT COLOR GUARD’S UPCOMING PERFORMANCE BY MEGAN TRINH This year, the Del Norte Color Guard team is putting together a show called “The Firebird Suite”. The performance is based off a ballet, also called “The Firebird Suite”, which was choreographed to music by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It tells a story about a prince that captures the firebird in order to receive one of her feathers. The prince then goes on to fall in love with a princess. The show allows the Color Guard members to “portray different characters” (Alicia Lunardhi) and display a classical story in a new light. According to the team itself, the show is off to a great start. There has been a lot of progress made, even more-so than in previous years.
This year’s show is about the same length (song-wise) as the previous years, but it is much more difficult. The moves are harder and require much more effort to be perfected. Camille Magahis (12), co-captain, says, “the music for first movement is a lot darker and intense which is different than what we’ve done in the past”. So far, the color guard has been able to finish the 1st movement and 2nd movement of the song. Magahis also mentioned that the team hopes to learn the entire show by homecoming. Alicia Lunardhi (12), the color guard’s co-captain, says, “I remember in my freshman year we had barely finished the first movement by our first tournament in October
and now we haven’t even hit October and are moving onto the third and final movement.” Color Guard has been developing its program for years now. With each year, the team progresses further, receiving even more optimistic beginners who can continue the program’s legacy. “The Firebird Suite” is helping each and every member of the team grow and develop because of the challenge it imposes. They are all working even harder to make their coaches, school, and audience proud. The competitions begin this month, and the team is going to work hard in order to guarantee that their show is the best that it can be. Let’s cheer them on, Nighthawks!
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GETTING SOME LIGHT IN OUR FALL PRODUCTION BY CHRISTINE LIU Named for the temperature when paper bursts into flames, Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” is a story about a dystopian world where firefighters don’t put out fires, but set them by burning books. In this society, people embrace a world of perpetual TV watching, all while wrapped in the arms of ignorance. Bradbury’s work will be recreated and mastered by Del Norte’s students and staff on stage for our fall production. Shane Doyle (12) will play Guy Montag, a fireman who realizes the emptiness in his life, starts to understand the meaning of books and wants to break away from the world of ignorance he lives in. Julie Millay (12) will play Clarisse McClellan, a seventeen year old who helps Montag understand the beauty in the world with the pure innocence and curiosity she embodies. When I asked Millay what she thinks is the most unique
aspect of the production, she replied that there “is an extreme amount of emotional tension the script is trying to convey. Some things are left unsaid, so it’s up to the actors to emulate much of their internal strife.” When asked about how she feels about her character and being part of the production, she replies: “I’m extremely excited to play my role. Clarisse reminds me a little bit of myself. It’s cool to find the similarities between you and the person you’re trying to develop on stage. I hope that everyone who fills the seats of the auditorium will come to love the play as much as we all do.” Mr. Holstrom, our performing arts teacher and the co-director of “Fahrenheit 451”, offers a deeper look into the play. With this, unfortunately, being Mr. Holstrom’s last production, he wanted this production to be impactful, dramatic, and relevant to our society. He told
me that the play is “the first dramatic production that we’ve ever done, it’s very abstract, there’s not a lot of scenery, it’s going to be a lot of black and white, and then color near the end”. This fall production will also be different from all the other plays due to it being a drama. Mr. Holstrom says, “A real good drama is not only concerned with entertainment… as it is to a message, a social message. This drama will be a totally different beast it will be a very peculiar beast. I think it will be exciting for our audience.” With the help of great directors, a bold cast, and resourceful tech crew, this production is sure to be a success. Currently in in the unique process of being prepared for the stage, “Fahrenheit 451” will be performed in Del Norte’s Performing Arts Center on October 23, 24, and 25.
DELOREANS AREN’T THE ONLY VEHICLES THAT CAN TIME TRAVEL THE HOMECOMING PARADE WAS NICE, BUT LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROCESS OF FLOAT BUILDING ITSELF BY AMMAR ALSAIED Ah, Homecoming: to most, Homecoming Week brings a special kind of anxiety that is directly related to the pressure of having a date for Homecoming, plans for the evening, and attire for the occasion. Part of the preparation for the Homecoming Parade is, of course, the building of the class floats. Each Class is responsible for building its own float that fits the theme chosen through a popularity vote: the theme chosen was “Decades”, which is now artistically known as “Rewind the Clock”. Each Class chose a decade to center its float around: the Freshmen chose the 70’s, the Sophomores chose the 60’s, the Juniors chose the 50’s, and the Seniors chose the 80’s. Upon deciding on a decade to base their float upon, each set of class Presidents participates in extensive research in order to gather information on their respective decade. For instance, the Freshmen, according to co-Presidents Kailey Lyche (9) and Sophia Parrett (9), have designed their float so as to represent the “cultural revolution” that defined the 1970s. The Sophomores, according to President Reagan Cloutier (10) and Vice President Julianna Hayashi (10), designed their float
with features representative of the 60’s through symbols of the Hippie Movement and development of the record industry. The Juniors, lead by President Megan Fitzpatrick (11) and Vice President Blake Kernan (11), are representing the 50’s by focusing on popular vintage concepts from the decade. Finally, the Seniors, represented by President Justin Shin (12) and Vice President Toni Cruz (12), have decid-
ed to depict the 80’s on the Senior Float by focusing on a multitude of aspects pertaining to the decade. A long period of time is spent on planning the design and dealing with logistics for float building, but in the end it always pays off. Building these floats also takes an extensive period of time- a total of 20 hours is spent on each float, and each ASB student must commit at least 10 hours to helping build the float for their respective class. Each class’ Float Building operations are overseen by the class advisors: the Freshmen by Coach Hanover, Mrs. Hanafi, and Ms. Kozuchowski, the Sophomores by Ms. Pytel and Coach McNeely, the Juniors by Mrs.Nydam, Ms.Ludwig, and Ms.Heinen, and the Seniors by Mrs. Christopher and Ms. Schelhorse. On behalf of the entire ASB, we hope that you all enjoyed the festivities that Homecoming Week brought, and if you participated in Float Building I would like to especially thank you for getting involved in the Nighthawk community.
SO THIS IS HIGH SCHOOL... BY HANNAH GLOVER This year, administration and students alike have been toting our new status as a “real high school”. After celebrating our five year anniversary, it truly seems that we have established ourselves among powerhouses like Rancho Bernardo and Poway High. However, regardless of how big we get or how many academic and athletic awards we receive, Del Norte will always be… well, different. Have you ever identified yourself as a teenager outside of 4S Ranch? It isn’t pretty. I used to work at farmer’s markets all around San Diego. Generally, people assume when you work around a lot of adults that you’re one as well. Most customers and vendors assumed that I was in my twenties when I first met them, so when they found out that I was still a high school student, they were pretty taken aback. Their faces morphed from friendly, to surprised, then, to a cautious sort of wariness that most likely stems from bad experiences with teenagers. To people outside of our little bubble, teenagers are scary. They are loud-mouthed, disrespectful, ungrateful slobs that leave a path of destruction in their wake. In other words, the opposite of our standard, perfection-striving overachievers. Stereotypical teenagers don’t have the best reputation. Consider movies set in high school. Strict social classes in High School Musical, taunting popular girls featured in Mean Girls, and the cruel but cool kids in Grease all depict our infamous high school counterparts. At a “real” high school, nerds get shoved into trashcans. At our real high school, hazing is nonexistent. This isn’t because we have more “character”, it’s because we’re all kind of nerds, in some shape or form. And we should be proud of that! Because yesterday’s nerds are today’s hipsters. They set trends, they think (and dress) outside of the box, and they want to make an impact, whether it’s in fashion or politics. Del Norte students totally embody this. Our students care. At the stereotypical high school, caring about school or the community is equivalent to committing social suicide. But caring about school, the community, and world issues, really wanting to make a difference, these are things we embrace, and are way cooler because of it. The jock stereotype? Right, the quarterback wins homecoming king before throwing the winning touchdown and… then the credits start rolling. Well, not at Del Norte. Our football players are honors students and activists as well as athletes and yes, possibly homecoming king. Where are our Mean Girls? Where is our school-ruling super clique? Well, somehow they got lost the overlapping social layers of Del Norte’s sloppy class system. There are no real “cool kids” here. I am friends with drama geeks, overachievers, and star athletes alike, and people couldn’t care less. Why? Because they’re all friends with a bunch of “weirdos” too. Yeah, we’re different. We may all be weird, nerdy, and geeky, but that’s what makes us cool. So no, I don’t think we are what people think of as a “real” high school. I doubt we will ever be one. But why does it matter? Our school has changed the high school experience for every class that has walked through its doors, including mine.
THE SPIRIT OF HOMECOMING PAST BY AIDAN TURNER
Every year many high schools, colleges, and universities host their annual Homecoming events to celebrate students coming back for another school year. These spirited events have an array of activities ranging from parades to dress-up days, and from pep rallies and to class competitions. Of course, the star event is the dance itself. Homecoming dances are a time where girls wonder who will ask them, and guys are forced to overcome insecurities and actually ask. It is an intriguing event that a large majority of high schoolers attend and enjoy. It is an integral part of the high school experience, and I personally enjoy the idea of a dance that
I can take a special someone or a friend to, and give them those very memories that every parent and relative talks about when they recount their own high school experiences. But what makes this year’s Del Norte homecoming dance any different from any other high school dance? What makes it different from past years? This year, the very theme of the dance is memories themselves! Specifically, Decades. Yes, even the history nerds have a reason to go and salivate over all the goodies Homecoming has to offer. ASB Dance Committee members Morgan Moody and Maddie Power-Kruger stated that several screens will be set up in the
gym, playing footage from every decade to enhance the timeless experience. DNN will be putting these videos together. As usual, we can expect nothing but the best from our school’s premier filmmakers! The dance will also include the usual photo booth and DJ. Now get off your couch, grab a date, and come to the Del Norte gym on October 11 at 8:00 PM. Be conscious, as there still is a school dress code and there will also be breathalyzers at the door. There will be no reentry after 10:00 pm. See you there, Nighthawks!