October 2015 Issue

Falconer

The Torrey Pines High School

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Vol. 41, Issue 2, 28 pages

www.tphsfalconer.com

ASB TO HOST WALK IN HONOR OF

BY ANNA LEE & LILY NILIPOUR CHODOROW

SEE SOMETHING? SAY SOMETHING.

by Tasia Mochernak NEWS EDITOR

PHOTO BY GRACE BRUTON/FALCONER

Peer Assistant Listeners put on Safe Schools Week Oct. 19-23 to raise awareness about school shootings and the importance of people speaking up if they suspect a threat, according to PALS copresident Michael May (12).

PALs distributed posters with facts about school shootings, created an art installation in the atriums of the media center and, on the ramp of the back parking lot, wrote the names of 20 of the 150 schools that have been victims of shootings since the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting in 2012. Two videos made by the parents of the Sandy Hook victims were also shown to classes on Oct. 28 during fourth period to be followed up with a class discussion. PALs Vice President of Activities Chelsea Barrows (12) said they wanted to stress the issue of school shootings to increase awareness and safety, without making any

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TALK IS CHEAP

political statements or taking a certain stance. “[We wanted to] make kids know that this is a real issue that’s becoming more prevalent in our lives,” Barrows said. “We don’t want anyone to think we’re going to infringe on their beliefs [on gun rights].”

Eli Rubenstein (12) said that the week’s message was “heard loud and clear.”

“Violence in school is something that we need to address … Certainly, if you believe someone poses a danger, you should report them,” Rubenstein said. “In terms of gun control, I don’t really see how that message infringes on gun rights, as there are many ways besides gun control to stop violence in schools. I didn’t see any explicit advocating for gun control this week.”

According to Barrows, PALs adviser Don Collins originally brought up the idea of holding

A8 “What is gossip, exactly?

Is it purely talk about people and events for the sake of talk, or are there other, potentially malicious intentions behind it?”

Safe Schools Week. The week is a national program sponsored by National School Safety Center, a nonprofit organization that advocates for secure schools worldwide.

The PALs were also inspired by the Sandy Hook Promise, an organization created by the parents of Sandy Hook victims for schools to “take the promise to say something if they see something.”

May also cited the school lockdown last year, caused by a threat to TPHS posted on social media app Yik Yak, as a reason for the significance of the week’s message.

“There were people who knew about it before it actually happened, who had seen the YikYak the day before and hadn’t said anything,” May said. “It took all the way up until almost 30 minutes before lunch, when [the threat] was supposed to happen, for people to realize and the response to come … So we wanted to tell

sports

everyone to speak up if you know something.”

Due to a personal need to be out of town, Collins was not present for much of the planning, so the PALs held the week on their own.

“I could not be more proud of what they did,” Collins said.

“The PALs were amazing. We had talked about some ideas, but they executed all the ideas we talked about and some new ones. I think the school really has some powerful images to think about and talk about … I don’t know how you could be on campus this week and not see the posters and the message.”

Although Collins was not able to follow through on some of his own plans for the week due to his absence, he hopes to bring in a guest speaker in the coming months to continue the discussion. He said that prevention of school shootings is a relevant topic no matter what the time of year.

DAY IN THE LIFE

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“Every time I tell people when I started playing lacrosse, they always laugh and think I’m joking because they know I’m going to college for it.”

ASB, in collaboration with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, will hold a walk in honor of former ASB adviser and cheer coach Scott Chodorow on Nov. 1 at TPHS, according to ASB President and event organizer Jackie Weinrich (12). Chodorow died of B cell lymphoma on Nov. 1, 2014.

“I thought it would be really cool [to hold a walk for Chodorow] because there’s not necessarily a lymphoma walk already like [there are] pancreatic and breast cancer walks,” Weinrich said.

According to the website set up for the walk, the minimum registration fee is $10, and $15 without preregistration. Exactly 78 percent of every dollar raised at the walk and other LLS events directly fulfills the LLS mission “to cure blood cancers and to improve the lives of our patients and their families,” according to LLS representative and Student Series Campaign Manager, Amanda Mehrens. “[The money earned] goes directly to three things: research and looking for cures; patient services, which is anything from financial assistance to support groups to information meetings; and advocacy, [which includes] working on state and senate levels to ensure that patients have access to new treatments that we’re investing in,” Mehrens said.

At the time the Falconer went to press, the event had raised $1,235 of its $2,016 goal, according to Weinrich.

In addition to the walk, Weinrich and ASB junior class president Zac Scornavacco (11) organized a week of fundraisers Nov. 2-9 at various stores, including Baked Bear, Jersey Mike’s, Panera Bread, PizzaRev, Rubio’s and 22 Threads. The establishments will donate part of each purchase of those who mention the fundraiser to LLS, according to Weinrich.

Weinrich hopes that the walk will become an annual event held on or around Nov. 1 every year. “[Chodorow] taught me that you can be a responsible leader and get all your personal stuff done and give back at the same time,” Weinrich said. “So, hopefully, [holding the walk] will start a legacy of starting this kind of ‘giving back’ week for him.”

A BIRD’S EYE VIEW opinion feature entertainment sports backpage focus

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TPHS HOMECOMING COURT [KING] ben spitters & jena rasmussen

casimir kothari & kelly huppert

SENIORS

sarah chan & murray kim

[QUEEN] collin nakagawa & stefanie ho

ally perlman & sully o’brien

ASB holds “Grease Lightning”themed Homecoming at TPHS

by Tasia Mochernak NEWS EDITOR

ASB put on a “Grease Lightning”-themed Homecoming dance on Oct. 24 in the TPHS quad.

According to ASB Commissioner of Activities Kate Betts, ASB chose the theme because “it’s more fun when a dance is casual,” and since “there [were] a lot of possibilities to dress to theme … it [was] easier to get people to come.” Most dance attendees were dressed in white T-shirts, leather jackets, poodle skirts and other ‘50s clothing.

“I feel like [last year’s] ‘Neon Nights’ was a cool idea.

But I don’t think it was very well executed,” Homecoming attendee Rylie Pope (12) said.

“But I think ‘Grease’ was an

easy theme to partake in, and everyone did partake in it to a pretty good extent.”

Attendee Sheyda Khonji (12) also said that the theme was “fun because right now, everything retro is very popular.”

According to Betts, ASB sold approximately 750 tickets — more than previous years. ASB saved a lot of money [by] not buying the powder used at last year’s 5K Color Run-inspired “Neon Nights” Homecoming, and thus was able to hire more vendors like flash tattoo and caricature artists, Betts said.

Pope said that the “caricatures and the all the other booths gave [the dance] an extra dimension” compared to last year.

Other activities at the dance included blackjack tables and three photo booths, which were also present at last years’ dance.

Betts said that ASB hired the same catering company as every

kate ackell & arpan guptaray

FRESHMEN

JUNIORS

SOPHOMORES

amanda chen & ali dehbozorgi

year, but this year, to go along with the ‘50s diner theme, the food vendors provided burgers, fries and milkshakes, according to ASB adviser Dawn Durkot.

Although ASB hired more vendors, the budget stayed “about the same,” according to Betts, since powder costs from last year were approximately equal to the costs of multiple vendors this year. However, Kathy Wang (10) said the selection of vendors could be expanded next year, and Khonji agreed that several aspects of the dance could be improved.

“The music selection was, for the most part, outdated, and the transitions between the songs were awkward and forced,” Khonji said.

Wang said that she and her friends considered Homecoming to be “much better than expected” and look forward to attending the event next year.

PHOTO BY ALLY JENSEN/FALCONER

GREASE [LIGHTS]NING: Students dressed in ‘50s-themed clothing crowd together on the dance floor. The “Grease Lightning”-themed Homecoming dance was held by ASB on Oct. 24.

PHOTOS BY GRACE BRUTON AND ERIC CUNNINGHAM/FALCONER

Updated sexual consent education to be implemented

by Maya Parella & Irene Yu STAFF WRITER & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Sexual consent and sexual violence prevention education were mandated in California high schools by Gov. Jerry Brown when he signed SB 695 on Oct. 1; the bill will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2016.

The bill, which applies to the SDUHSD and other school districts where health class is mandatory for graduation, requires education on “an affirmative consent standard” to determine whether sexual consent is given by both parties, as well as education about healthy sexual relationships.

Sexual consent is defined by the bill as an “affirmative, conscious and voluntary agreement.” Principal David Jaffe said sexual consent education “falls into the category of how [students] should treat each other and act with respect.”

“It is important that we spend time educating high school students [about sexual consent],” Jaffe said. “Any way that we can educate young people on how to either avoid putting themselves in difficult situations or understanding that [they] have responsibility for all of [their] behavior is very important. There needs to be a continued open dialogue about [sexual consent education.]”

Sexual assault survivors like Savannah Badalich, a senior at the University of California, Los Angeles, have long since called for increased sex education. Her campaign “7,000 in Solidarity” promotes campus safety for people of all gender expressions, “consensual sex, effective bystander intervention, and access to … resources that support survivors of sexual assault.”

While the new law states that a lack of protest, absence of resistance and silence do not constitute consent, Feminist Club president Halleh Radvar (12) said

sexual consent education needs to go beyond just teaching that “no means no” and “yes means yes.” “[Sexual consent] has to be taught completely,” Radvar said.

“It needs to be more in-depth, like presenting real life situations and asking kids what they would do in those situation and then teaching them what they should be doing.

It should teach kids what’s right and what’s wrong.”

The SDUHSD online health education program, provided through the video course curriculum Edgenuity, covers a wide range of topics, including lessons on abstinence, sexually transmitted diseases and the reality of teen pregnancy, but does not currently teach sexual consent. According to Justice Department Statistics from 2009, one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18.

“Sexual education is doing an alright job … with the anatomy of sex,” Feminist Club member Kenneth Lin (12) said. “They should put more emphasis [on safe sex]. It can go even deeper than that, like [educating about] Planned Parenthood and birth control.”

Associate Superintendent of SDUHSD Educational services Michael Grove said that SDUHSD cannot make changes to the current health curriculum until the California Department of Education issues guidelines. “[Modifications will] depend on what specific changes come from the guidance from the California Dept. of Education,” Grove said.

“Edgenuity may change their product because it is specific to California and covers mandatory pieces of health education. If not, [SDUHSD] may still use Edgenuity for the core piece and supplement it with something else.”

Currently, SDUHSD schools will continue with the existing health curriculum until modifications can be made later in the year.

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Some new whiteboards cause TPHS students and alumnus inconvenience for teachers compete in SD Hacks hackathon

by Maya Kota & Austin Zhang COPY EDITORS TPHS classrooms received new whiteboards over the summer, funded by the $75 million allotted to TPHS by the Proposition AA bond initiative.

The boards were designed to work with new, short-throw projectors that were placed in some classrooms in the E and G Buildings over the summer. The projectors can display huge images from a short distance. According to Principal David Jaffe, the whiteboards were selected by the district and installed in all classrooms, but the projectors could not be installed in buildings undergoing construction.

Classrooms in the B Building will receive projectors over fall break.

Several teachers have had problems erasing any writing on the new boards.

“At the end of the day, I have to clean the board very well so that the next day I can actually write on it,” math teacher Zakia Chowdhury said.

According to Chowdhury, the fact that she cannot erase well and quickly interrupts the “flow of writing” during her lessons, so she set up an old whiteboard at the back of the room and readjusted the seating arrangements in her classroom. According to Jaffe, some of the old whiteboards were left behind, so any teachers who have space on their walls can request an old whiteboard for use.

Other teachers, like math teacher Abby Brown, cannot easily rearrange their classrooms.

“If I were to flip my classroom around, as other teachers have done, then I would not be able to take advantage of the new projector at all,” Brown said.

Brown, whose classroom is

located in the newly-renovated B Building, has not yet received the new projector, but she is “excited about the possibility of getting a mounted projector” to use with technologies she has had access to but could not previously use without a short-throw projector.

Brown said the new whiteboards “have definitely been a step backward.”

“Before [the school year] started, I spent at least five hours trying to figure out how I was going to set up [my equipment] in order to run my class effectively, and even after school started, I had to make changes,” Brown said. “This has been the hardest start to a school year I’ve ever had, and a big part of it has to do with the whiteboards.”

According to history teacher Jim Harrah, no training was given to teachers on the use of the new whiteboards, and teachers “just showed up one day and there [the boards] were.” Jaffe said that the boards are “not particularly difficult to use,” but training on use of the new projectors and other equipment, including the boards, will take place on Oct. 27-28.

Abishek Chozhan (12) said the projection clarity on the new boards is much better than anything TPHS has had before but not after they have been written on.

To address the difficulty teachers have had erasing the whiteboards, Jaffe said a new eraser is now available to teachers.

According to Christine Kim (11), the new eraser works well and and allows teachers to take full advantage of the additional space the boards offer.

While the transition to the new whiteboards has been inconvenient for many teachers, Jaffe believes teachers will adapt to them and, in conjunction with the short-throw projectors, be able to use more technologically advanced methods of teaching.

by Maya Rao OPINION EDITOR Sharad Vikram (’11), a Ph.D candidate at the University of California, San Diego, and his team of two other undergraduates from the University of California, Berkeley, finished in the top five at SD Hacks, a hackathon hosted by UCSD and sponsored

by Qualcomm, which took place from Oct. 2-4.

Vikram’s project was a combination of machine learning, his current research field, and “web front-end.” His team built a “graph” of songs based on lyrics and the genre of music in which the song belonged, with which one can find the similarities between songs.

“Obviously, we were discarding a lot of information about the song — the actual music, beats, sounds — but we were also interested in seeing how informative lyrics were,” Vikram said. “Perhaps the lyrics of music have a strong correlation to the sounds themselves.”

There seemed to be some relationship between words and genre; country and pop, for example, had more lyrics in common than country and hiphop did, just as country and pop had more sound similarities than country and hip-hop.

“We built a website that allowed a user to click on a song to look at [similar songs] and also listen to those songs instantly,” Vikram said. “We also built a playlist generator which, when given two songs, would generate a ‘random walk’ between the two songs, hopping

from one neighbor to the other until the songs were connected.”

Vikram attended many hackathons as an undergraduate at Berkeley, but found SD Hacks, as a graduate student, quite different.

“I got to interact with the next generation of computer science students,” Vikram said.

“It’s exciting to see that people are inspired and getting excited about building things.”

Vikram was especially impressed by a team of TPHS students who also participated in SD Hacks: Francisca Vasconcelos (12), Kalyani Ramadurgam (11), Mihika Nadig (11) and Caroline Zhang (11).

We humans can go in and understand how to simplify [a circuit], but how do you ... get a computer to?

Mihika Nadig �������

“I was very impressed at the hack some TPHS kids made over the weekend,” Vikram said. “It’s certainly something I never could have done when I was in high school.”

The TPHS team’s project involved taking a picture of an electrical circuit and getting a computer to solve it.

“We essentially created an algorithm, a computer vision algorithm, which could take a picture of a hand-drawn circuit and solve it to find total resistance and total current of the circuit,” Vasconcelos said.

Nadig said the most

challenging part of their project was “teaching” the computer to solve the circuit.

“We humans can go in and understand how to simplify [a circuit], but how do you ... get a computer to?” Nadig said.

Ramadurgam ran into some problems with the color-detection portion of the computer vision algorithm.

“We had a lot of trouble ... trying to figure out how to make the computer recognize the circuit parts based on color, so [all the team members] were up until 5:00 a.m.,” Ramadurgam said. “Getting through that night was tough.”

Despite suffering a general lack of sleep — the “hardest thing” for Zhang — the team enjoyed the experience.

“We met a lot of really cool people ... [like] students at UCSD and other colleges,” Ramadurgam said. “[The best part] was how much we’ve learned. We’ve never really sat down and tried to put something together in such a short amount of time.”

Vasconcelos described SD Hacks as “kind of like a job fair” for companies like Google and Facebook, as well as cyber security firms, which are looking to recruit college students for future employment. In fact, the TPHS team became “great friends” with representatives from Facebook, according to Ramadurgam.

TPHS team members are interested in further exploring the fields of engineering and computer science as career possibilities, but for now, Vasconcelos, Ramadurgam, Nadig and Zhang hope to participate in more hackathons, and are already brainstorming ideas for future projects.

INFOGRAPHIC BY AMANDA CHEN/FALCONER

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TPHS hosts first annual Spirit Day to support LGBT youth

by Irene Yu ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR TPHS ASB and Peer Assistant Listeners held Spirit Day on Oct. 15 to show support for LGBT youth and take a stand against bullying. “[We] came together to promote anti-bullying and school unity,” ASB Commissioner of Elections Sammy Cirino (12) said. “We all realized what a big issue [bullying] actually is, and we wanted to turn it into an event with the PALs mindset and the ASB publicity.”

Spirit Day was founded in 2010 following a string of high- Amal Lamb profile suicides gsa president of gay teens.

The day is held every year on the third Thursday of October, National Bullying Prevention Month, according to the website of GLAAD, a media watchdog group in support of LGBT people.

“Spirit Day is a day to celebrate and pledge your support to LGBT students,” TPHS Gay Straight Alliance president Amal Lamb (12) said. “The whole idea is saying how you’re personally committed to stepping up for people that are mislabeled or misunderstood.”

Even though hundreds of

schools in the United States host Spirit Day annually, this is the first year that TPHS has held the event. Last April, after GSA invited Hudson Taylor, the founder and director of Athlete Ally — an organization dedicated to ending homophobia and transphobia in sports — to speak to students about the importance of supporting LGBT students, PALs adviser Don Collins was introduced to the LGBT Resource Center at the University of California, San Diego. He found out about Spirit Day through the Center.

Students were encouraged to wear purple, a color that symbolizes spirit on the rainbow LGBT flag, to show their support of those in the LGBT community.

Additionally, purple papers with encouraging sentiments and statistics about LGBT bullying or were posted around campus.

“The past few years, the statistics [of suicides caused by LGBT bullying] have started shooting up,” Cirino said. “That’s why we decided [to hold Spirit Day]. It was shocking to see the statistics, and it really opened up our eyes. People at TPHS don’t realize that [bullying] really does happen here.”

The National School Climate Survey conducted by the Gay,

It is extremely helpful to know that you, [as an LGBT student], are backed by a community.

Lesbian and Straight Education Network in 2011 reported that 82 percent of LGBT youth were bullied because of their sexual orientation.

“As we progress, more and more LGBT people might be coming out with who they really are,” ASB Commissioner of Environment Alex Aguilar (12) said. “It’s important to make their environment safe.”

According to the Human Rights Campaign report “Growing Up LGBT in America,” four out of 10 LGBT-identifying youth say their community is not accepting of people like them.

“The reality is that there are groups on campus that get singled out and harassed, and one of

those groups is LGBT students,” Collins said. “[Spirit Day] is a way for them to see straight allies and other people come together to say, ‘We don’t want bullying on campus for anybody.’”

Lamb said that while Spirit Day is an effective way to raise awareness for LGBT bullying, what it represents is much more important.

“For a kid that is thinking about coming out or struggling with [his or her] gender or sexuality, seeing hundreds of kids in front of [him or her] all wearing purple and knowing what that symbolizes can be extremely heartwarming,” Lamb said. “It is extremely helpful to know that you, [as an LGBT student], are

backed by a community.”

According to Principal David Jaffe, having Spirit Day and advocating for anti-bullying is “an important part of campus culture.”

“We have to be intentional in making sure that there’s awareness, and that [LGBT] people feel safe and feel that they have a voice,” Jaffe said. “I like the concept of ... Spirit Day because it ... [shows] the spirit of our campus and the spirits of the students being together.”

ASB and PALs plan to continue holding Spirit Day annually in the future, and Collins believes that with more planning, the event can create a bigger impact every year.

photo by alderik van der heyde/falconer

PINES PLEDGE: TPHS students signed a Spirit Day poster pledging to stand up for LGBT students who may face bullying or discrimination. ASB and PALs hosted TPHS’ first Spirit Day on Oct. 15.

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First Cultural Fair held Sub shortage affects SDUHSD by language department by Maya Rao &

by Sumin Hwang STAFF WRITER The TPHS world language department held the first Cultural Festival the week of Oct. 12 to celebrate different cultures on campus, according to event coordinator and Spanish teacher Viviana Alvarado-Gomez.

“We always talk about culture in class, and we know that TPHS has a large population of students that come from [varied] cultural backgrounds,” Alvarado-Gomez said.

“We wanted to have an opportunity to talk about culture and to learn about each other in [a school setting] where everyone can participate.”

Teachers began planning for the week in September, and students in language classes were assigned different cultural topics. After several weeks of preparation, the event started with presentations from Spanish classes on Oct. 12.

“My group researched Mexico’s traditions and culture,” Spanish 3 student Hayoung Park (10) said. “I printed pictures of famous Mexican sites and traditional Mexican clothing, and my poster also included artifacts from various cities in Mexico.”

Students not taking language classes were also able to participate in the Cultural Festival.

“As a non-language student, I was able to get involved by stopping by the different tables and presentations set up by during lunch,” Emily Hou

(11) said. “It was interesting to see different aspects of cultures in the eyes of students at Torrey Pines.”

While some teachers made participation mandatory, others used incentives to increase student participation.

“My teacher gave us a passport [to use] to go to different presentations and get stamps,” AP Spanish student Jocelyn Tzeng (10) said. “The more stamps you have, the more extra credit you could get. It’s a win-win situation because you can learn more about different cultures while also getting extra credit.”

The week continued with more Spanish presentations on Oct. 13 and a day for Japanese classes on Oct. 14. The French and Chinese classes presented on Oct. 15.

The week concluded with presentations from the English Language Development program.

“I think [the Cultural Week] allowed students to learn more about each other and especially the ELD students,” Alvarado-Gomez said. “Students that are just coming to America from different countries have very different experiences with learning English, and other students will be able to experience what it’s like to be learning English.”

According to Alvarado-Gomez, the ELD projects were also accompanied by a cultural fashion show on Oct. 16, put on by students from all departments that “showed dresses or outfits from different countries.”

The language department plans to hold the Cultural Festival again next school year.

Anvitha Soordelu

OPINION EDITOR & STAFF WRITER Students in history teacher Jim Harrah’s first period AP Government class were left in the lecture hall on Sept. 25 without teacher or substitute, as Harrah could not make it to school that day and the substitute teacher that had accepted his job request cancelled at the last minute.

The SDUHSD suffers from a shortage of substitutes, Harrah believes, because the district has one of the lowest rates of pay: around $90 per day, rather than the $150 other districts pay.

“I think substitutes like our district based on students and the schools and all that, but I think they go elsewhere because we don’t pay enough,” Harrah said.

Substitute teachers often sign up to take sub assignments in advance, but cancel at the last minute if they get a sub offer from another district.

Sometimes, substitutes turn down jobs at TPHS because the SDUHSD pays too little.

“I’ve heard that when we raise sub wages in our district, city schools and Carlsbad raise theirs to exceed our sub rate,” Bobby Caughey said.

Principal David Jaffe is well aware of the problem.

“Having good substitutes

and compensating them well, compensating them equitably, is important, and it’s important for our students,” Jaffe said.

Harrah says the substitute teacher shortage is so widespread that he gets emails every day from Grace Lisle, Garry Thornton’s secretary, who is in charge of sub assignments at TPHS, looking for teachers to cover for other teachers without subs.

“This year is worse than ever,” Harrah said. “Every morning, there’s an email ... asking [if] there is someone who can cover [a] class. It seems like it’s a daily occurrence, and it’s not a good thing.”

Kenneth Lin (12) said the sub shortage could hinder his learning in certain classes.

“It would be a problem, for example, [in] calculus,” Lin said. “I ... struggle even with the teacher there, so without a person there to teach the material, I would have a very hard time learning it.”

If substitutes do not show up for classes, students are often left with assistant principals or teachers who have prep periods at that time.

“It’s just babysitting,” Harrah said. “I don’t think any teacher, like myself, wants a babysitter for a substitute.

Most teachers don’t just put videos on; they want kids to have a productive day.”

When a substitute teacher did not show up to cover Sarah Murphy’s (12) Spanish class, the class was taken to the

media center. According to Assistant Principal Michael Santos, he took attendance and then left someone else to watch the class. He took roll again at the end of the period.

“It put us behind in our class,” Murphy said. “It just makes it harder to get back to where we’re supposed to be.”

The shortage has disrupted students’ class experiences, and many people, like Harrah, believe that the problem can be solved by raising the wages of substitutes in the SDUHSD. “They should be paid more because we are a high-profile school, and kids have high expectations,” Harrah said.

“I know the idea of going to the lecture hall and watching some movie that had nothing to do with government might have been interesting or fun, just for the first few minutes, but I think a lot of kids wanted to have a lesson. We need to pay good people to come here.”

According to Jaffe, the SDUHSD is currently in the middle of a “new contract negotiation” with substitutes.

“Whenever that contract is finished, we’ll revisit [the] amount [we pay substitutes] and look to make sure that we’re on par with other districts,” Jaffe said.

But until substitutes are promised higher pay, Harrah believes that the shortage of teachers and the consequent potential compromise of students’ learning experiences will continue.

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BASHAR AL-ASSAD: PUTIN VERSUS OBAMA Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and his policies are frequently portrayed as jokes, making him seem more like an archetypal villain than an experienced and skillful world leader. Such representations detract from the rare foreign policy decision

by Putin that gains substantial popular support, which, in the most recent case, is Russia’s military intervention in Syria.

Russia launched airstrikes against the Islamic State group on Sept. 30, three days after Putin outlined at the United Nations summit his proposed military and diplomatic strategies for combating the Islamic State group both publicly and in a private conference with U.S. President Barack Obama. Putin’s aim is not to immediately depose the “tyrannical dictator,” Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, but to work with him toward eliminating the Islamic State group, which is very nearly a global threat. Only after achieving relative peace in Syria will Putin reconsider the political leadership of that nation. Obama, however, maintains the position that before taking action against the Islamic State group, Assad must be deposed and a democratic government instated in Syria.

Putin recognizes that the only way to restore order in the Middle East is to effectively eliminate the source of the chaos: the Islamic State group.

ART BY CAROLYN CHU/FALCON ARTIST

Such opposing views may have Cold War undertones, giving the impression that the United States and Russia are reliving the past and recreating previous proxy wars between the United States and the Soviet Union in the Middle East. However, in both his U.N. speech and an interview with the Russian TV news station Rossiya, Putin stressed the importance of unity and collaboration between Western nations, as well as the egregious threat the Islamic State group poses, not only to Middle Eastern nations directly affected by the present conflict, but also to the rest of the world. According to Putin, Russia alerted all of its partners and other major nations, particularly those in the Middle East, of the plan to carry out airstrikes. In response to criticism that the time between alert and strike had been too short, Putin stated that Russia at least voluntarily informed countries of airstrikes, unlike other Western countries conducting military operations in the region, and did so not as a result of threats or sanctions.

The Russian airstrikes were in accordance with international law, since they were honoring the Syrian government’s official request for aid, while the previous military actions of 11 other nations, which have lasted for over a year, violated such law; there was no official U.N. Security Council sanction of such actions and the Syrian government had not yet issued a formal appeal for aid. Putin’s stance is not to take on the Islamic State group alone — he has repeatedly offered collaboration and thoroughly considered the stances of other nations before taking action in Syria. The fight against the Islamic State group should not be about individual governments increasing territorial or political hegemony or installing democratic governments. Although many dismiss Putin’s hardline policies as ruthless power grabs, he is clearly thinking in the long term.

Putin’s intense promotion of unity comes as a possible solution for the increasingly partisan world, which he denounced in his U.N. speech. Previous Western incursions and interventions in Middle Eastern countries have resulted in nothing but anarchy; aid supplied to supposed antidictatorial regime rebels has simply fallen into the hands of various extremist groups including the Islamic State group, al-Qaida and the Taliban, a fact the U.S. government openly acknowledges.

Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the head of the U.S. Central Command, reported to a

Senate panel on Sept. 16 that only four or five Syrian rebels out of 5,000 prospective fighters trained by the U.S. military to fight against the Islamic State group remained pro-United States. Despite being funded by the United States, rebel fighters are defecting to fight for other organizations.

It would have been better for the United States to give Russia the $500 million allotted to train rebels, as it would have been put to much better use in the fight against international terrorism — at least the money would have not have fallen into the hands of extremist organizations.

Most foreign aid in the form of weapons or supplies simply passes to the opponents of the intended recipients, and such supplies are usually designed to combat ground troops. And so Russia will only engage in airstrikes and not send ground troops into Syria. Such a decision is a direct reflection of Putin’s confidence in the accuracy and precision of the airstrikes.

Putin’s response turns the tables on Western media and governments; in the Rossiya interview, he presents the fact that, since the West has already been in Syrian territory illegally for over a year, “it should be able to name concrete locations of the terrorists, their command centers, and their ammunition and logistics depots.”

The greatest threat to the Islamic State group hegemony in the Middle East is now unexpectedly approaching not from Europe or across the Atlantic, but from the East. Putin recognizes that the only way to restore order in the Middle East is to effectively eliminate the source of the chaos: the Islamic State group.

Many world leaders, the media and the general public accuse Putin of being powerhungry and out to rebuild the Soviet Union.

But, in this case, Putin’s decision on military involvement in Syria will lead to peace and benefit the greater good, not just himself.

by Tasia Mochernak

U.S. President Barack Obama is the poster child for American pacifism. He promised in his 2008 presidential campaign to pull troops from Iraq; he avoids discussing Chinese aggression in the Pacific Theater.

Obama instead highlights the importance of diplomacy and “coalition building” in foreign policy — and, indeed, the Norwegian Nobel Committee was so impressed with his soft diplomacy approach that it awarded him the coveted Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, less than a year into his presidency.

Obama is right about one thing: When it comes to the Middle East, President Vladimir Putin of Russia is wrong.

To his credit, Obama has stuck by his original ideology despite mounting pressure from Congress and the Pentagon to increase military presence in the Middle East, especially against the Islamic State group.

Obama is trying to be as uninvolved in the Middle East as possible. But Obama’s plans are incomplete and undoubtedly failing.

U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic State group occasionally take out only one or two humvees. Obama wants to arm locals, a move that eerily echoes the arming of Afghan rebels against the Soviet Union in the 1980s — those rebels turned into the Taliban, a sworn enemy of the United States.

But for all his wrongheaded policy, Obama is right about one thing: When it comes to the Middle East, President Vladimir Putin of Russia is wrong.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a man many consider a cruel dictator.

He has crushed peaceful protests with violence, f o r c e d

thousands to flee Syria and stripped himself of any shred of humanity by initiating a chemical-weapons attack that killed at least 26 people in the Syrian city of Aleppo. And instead of spurning him, Putin embraces Assad’s policies as ways to ensure stability in a region that is anything but stable.

Obama knows that blatant international intervention in primarily domestic matters does not work. The Bay of Pigs fiasco, the 1963 South Vietnamese coup d’etat, the reinstatement of the Shah of Iran — all these are U.S. failures, and all these saw unnecessary U.S. military intervention in matters that really did not concern the United States. More recently, the Iraq War under Bush left Iraq weak and easy for radical groups like the Islamic State group to exploit.

Obama’s inaction is far better than Putin’s support of Assad, which will only continue to divide the Syrian people and leave the country in a shambles.

How can a country that is looking to be a global power endorse a government that is corrupt, crushes any form of opposition and shows complete disregard for its citizens?

How can anybody condone this kind of behavior from any world leader, regardless of whether he or she is an ally? To be a player on the international field, one must uphold morality, ethics and basic human rights.

Putin is sending a very direct message that he does not care how many people suffer under dictatorial rule, so long as his objectives are fulfilled. Historically, Putin has proven that he has little regard for human life, as in the 2002 Moscow Theater Hostage Crisis — at least 170 people, most of them hostages, were killed as a result of his blunt response — but his propping up of a violent regime shows his inhumanity. Ruthless dictatorships are so fundamentally wrong on a political level, on a moral level, on a human level, that it is shocking that a country as strong as Russia is backing one.

The United States’ approach is directly contradictory to Russia’s. From March 2011 to Sept. 2014, the United States pledged $2.9 billion in humanitarian aid to Syria.

It is the largest donor to those affected by the crises in Syria; the United States puts people’s welfare and well-being above its political goals. Obama is trying to revive Syria, save its people and end the war as peacefully as possible, while still holding true to U.S. ideology. In a struggle as contentious as a civil war, neither side really can win militarily — the losses will be violent and bloody and far too high. The only way to reach a solution is through peace and diplomacy.

So what is Russia really trying to do?

Russian airstrikes utilize Russian soldiers and Russian weapons and Russian time — time that could be better utilized trying to solve other domestic crises. There are easier and cheaper ways of supporting Assad — supplying weapons and monetary assistance instead of troops, for example.

Putin’s policies seem to be a pathetic attempt to bait the United States into restarting the Cold War. Naturally, Obama would be upset with Putin’s actions; American-funded Syrian rebels are getting killed by Russian airstrikes — it’s like an indirect Cold War attack. Both the United States and the Soviet Union used other countries to promote their own interests and fight with each other during the Cold War. The animosity between the United States and Russia is cropping up again — this time, Syria is the battlefield.

Supporting Assad does not guarantee the vanquishing of the Islamic State group — all it does guarantee is the anger of the United States and the continuation of the suffering of the Syrian people. Putin cannot look beyond his own political interests to the human rights tragedies that have befallen the Syrian people under Assad’s rule, and the world is a darker place for it.

Most countries have their own ideas on how to deal with the Islamic State group and Assad, but unless they can work together and come up with a singular solution, the world will be torn apart by powers who each, individually, were struggling to keep it together.

by Maya Rao

opinion

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the falconer

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STAFF EDITORIAL: PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE LEGALIZATION in the end, miracles. Most cases of terminal illness end as expected — with death. And for many patients who opt for physician-assisted suicide, quality of life has been damaged so much that extending their life only causes needless suffering.

The stigma attached to the word “suicide” wrongly hurts the case for assisted suicide. While the two actions may result in the same consequence, the intent behind each act is sharply distinct from the other. Opponents claim that there is no difference between someone ingesting a lethal drug given to him by a physician and someone ending his own life through other means. But the new law clearly states that assisted suicide is only applicable to those who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and a have prognosis of less than six months to live. The difference is that assisted suicide is not just meant to end suffering — it is meant to end suffering that will almost surely lead to death.

The difference between malignant cancer and depression is that, while both are diseases, one is terminal and one is not. This is not meant to diminish the pain and anguish of mental illness; it is a fact. It explains why physician-assisted suicide and suicide cannot be regarded in the same light.

Unequal access to medical care could potentially create inequalities in the availability of assisted suicide. Some patients may not be able to receive proper advice from their physicians regarding assisted suicide, which may hinder the fair regulation of it. But the right to death and access to medical care are ultimately completely separate matters. Just because medical care is unequal and is often available based on socioeconomic status does not mean the right to choose to live or die should be withheld.

Assisted suicide is not a

situation in which, if one person cannot have the right to die, others cannot either; that would callously imply that if one person suffers, others must suffer equally. The argument about unequal access to proper medical care indicates that the practice of assisted suicide is not what needs fixing.

Assisted suicide is not only necessary; it is just. The choice to live or die is an unalienable right that should be reflected in laws throughout the nation. Legalizing physician-assisted suicide is both a matter of preserving liberty and minimizing suffering — who can argue against that?

ART BY ELLESE NGUYEN/FALCON ARTIST

On Oct. 5, Gov. Jerry Brown passed the End of Life Option Act. The bill permits physicians to prescribe lethal drugs to terminally ill patients, a practice commonly called physician-assisted suicide.

The dubious ethicality of assisted suicide is commonly portrayed as the most important issue, but it really should have little to do with the controversy surrounding the act.

After all, legalizing physician-assisted suicide simply offers a choice. It does not intrude on anyone’s rights, nor does it force people to agree on the appropriateness or morality of the act. If anything, repealing the act would infringe upon the autonomy of others.

Some are concerned that giving patients the choice to end their lives will cause people to more easily dismiss hopes of being cured or extending their life expectancy. But terminal illnesses are declared “terminal” for a reason; it is not a diagnosis given lightly.

The miraculous stories of people being cured of incurable terminal diseases are,

DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS The United States has been conducting airstrikes in Afghanistan to combat Islamic terror organization, the Taliban. But on Oct. 3 a U.S. airstrike in Kunduz, Afghanistan, did not hit a Taliban camp — it hit a hospital staffed by volunteers from Doctors Without Borders, the international humanitarian aid agency best known for its work in developing countries and war-torn regions, killing 22 people. Doctors Without Borders volunteers are inherently selfless; they travel to dangerous parts of the world to help others when they could just as easily enjoy lucrative medical careers in developed nations. And the patients in the hospital suffered from diseases that made it impossible to defend themselves. They were too old or too young or too weak to fight back. Killing such people, selfless and vulnerable, is not only a tragedy — it is unforgivable. It is a violation of international humanitarian law. It is highly unlikely that the United States military was unaware of the hospital’s location in the region; after extensive investigation of the area to track Taliban activity, they should have discovered the hospital as well. Cockpit recordings reportedly indicate that even the pilots who bombed Kunduz asked whether the airstrikes were legal. The questions surrounding the airstrikes, as well as the relative silence of the U.S. government on the situation, make Obama’s apology halfhearted at best, despite the egregiousness of the attack. Still, the United States has yet to make reparations for the incident, such as monetary compensation to the families of victims of the attack.

-Maya Rao, Falconer Opinion Editor

Falconer

The Torrey Pines High School

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A8 the falconer

opinion

october 29, 2015

Mass shootings are rightfully publicized COPY EDITOR

On Oct. 1, 26-year-old Chris Harper Mercer entered Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, and began a shooting spree that left 10 dead and seven wounded. The response to Mercer’s heinous crime is what has become almost a tradition for mass shootings: widespread media coverage, various advocacy groups claiming that the shooting shows a desperate need for gun control reform — or the creation of a better social infrastructure for the mentally ill, or a tightening of security on school campuses — and politicians taking to the podium, offering reassurances to the people, promising action, sending condolences.

In other words, after every shooting is a period of publicizing, in which the shooter’s possible thought process leading up to the incident, the details of the shooting and the traumatic and grim aftermath are shown again and again. Yet this massive media and social reaction to

such tragedies is a key and necessary part of our society’s response.

The U.S. system of governance relies on an active and engaged citizenry. When media outlets disseminate details on mass shootings, or when advocacy groups or politicians propose plans of action in response to such shootings, it is part of a national dialogue.

Not every solution proposed will be effective. Not all discussion is immediately productive, nor does it always efficiently lead to a solution.

Yet it is still an integral part of how we as a society respond to problems — through thought, debate and deliberation. To oppose the publicizing of tragedies is to stifle discussion on how to move forward and to impede the process of finding what steps should be taken.

After the Sandy Hook incident, in which 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot several students and adults at an elementary school, issues like gun control and the management of mental illness have become central topics across the nation.

The discussions continue on, and with each passing day we hope to move closer to a solution; options are evaluated, adjusted, and either adopted or discarded.

Those who oppose the publicizing of mass shootings suggest that many shooters, through the evidence they leave behind, seem to seek the broad audience and far-reaching

impact that is made possible by the subsequent media coverage, expert analysis and political advocacy. Thus, they argue, this only serves to fuel the notion that mass murder is an effective way to spread a message or even achieve notoriety.

But while coverage of shootings can have negative effects, the lack of it is far more frightening. Following the shooting of two journalists, Alison Parker and Adam Ward, during a live broadcast by former reporter Vester Lee Flanagan, New York University Professor Mitch Stephens said while ignoring such issues might make the world safer, “I would not want to live in a world where television networks and the newspapers didn’t report on these things because of the possibility that it might create some sort of copycat crimes. We have to report t h e s e things.”

All the analysis of a shooting does push the terrible act to the forefront of public attention. And

in that respect, it also grants the perpetrator the attention he or she may have sought. But shootings occur whether we as Americans choose to recognize them or not. After the Umpqua shooting, President Barack Obama vowed to consistently draw attention to shootings until action was taken.

Ultimately, it is unpleasant to learn of these incidents. It is hard to listen to the stories of the survivors, to turn on the news

only to hear casualty numbers and body counts. And it may seem, given the number of shootings that have transpired in recent years, that there is no solution. But, as a nation, we must ask ourselves whether it is more noble to face the facts, to offer our support, to send our condolences and demand change, or simply close our eyes, cover our ears and involve ourselves not at all.

ART BY CAROLYN CHU/FALCON ARTIST

By Austin Zhang

PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE AMANDA CHEN

The Falconer Focus Editor learns a valuable lesson about storytelling and self-love from moldy soup and the newspaper.

He referred to himself Moldy, short for Moldy Soup, and I knew him in elementary school. We met again on a bus ride in Shanghai.

This past summer, my orchestra went on tour in China. On the bus, Moldy always sat two rows in front of me. One day, I watched as he pulled out an official-looking scroll from his backpack; on the scroll, there were two very intricate Chinese characters, and below them, the words “moldy soup” in English. I find things that don’t make any sense to be extremely amusing — so of course, I had a good laugh over the incident.

Throughout the week that followed, he slowly revealed the story of how he came to be Moldy Soup. Each portion of his life had been divided neatly into chapters — more than 300, but I only remember about three. There was the chapter about Jamal, Moldy’s African-American pen pal from elementary school. There was a chapter about the ghost of the dead gecko.

There was the chapter about freshman year Homecoming, which was apparently the last thing that happened to him before he became Moldy Soup.

The one thing you should know about me is that I really love a good story, especially if it is about someone I know. When I hear one, it becomes my mission to tell as many people as possible about that story within the next few days. Often times, I get excited and begin talking only to be interrupted by the words, “You’ve already told me this.”

I’ve told the story about the kid who walked four miles to the wrong Starbucks to meet me more times than I can count, and likewise for the story about the Falconer copy editor who told a girl “I love you” instead of “goodbye”

by accident twice while selling subscriptions.

If you know me well enough, you’ve definitely heard them before.

These stories, and ones like them, immediately come to my mind when someone’s name is mentioned in a conversation.

But when asked to talk about myself, I often have difficulty finding something interesting to say. In fact, this is the fourth version of my Personal Perspective because I couldn’t stand the way I sounded — dull, pedantic, boring — in my previous drafts.

The difficulty I have with talking about myself is the result of either one, or perhaps both, of these reasons: I’m not as interesting as people think I am, and I’m overly self-critical; I’ve been told it’s more of the latter, and that would make a lot of sense.

One look at our campus says it all. TPHS is notorious for its overachieving students, who seem to be able to transgress physical limitations and bend time to their will. They all have amazing stories to tell.

Writing for Falconer has made me acutely aware of this. Whenever I read “1-in-3,000” articles in the feature section or skim through the news section’s “Falcon Accolades,” I can’t help but feel somewhat bad about myself. After all, the idea that school is, in the end, a big competition has been ingrained in some of us since day one, and sometimes it’s really difficult for me not to compare to myself to others.

Nonetheless, I still really enjoy listening to and reading about what others have to say.

Within the spectrum of articles that I get to write for the Falconer, my favorite section by far is feature, which calls for lengthier and more in-depth interviews in comparison to news or

PHOTO BY LAUREN ZHANG/FALCONER

sports stories. I have had the opportunity to hear stories from people that I otherwise might not have spoken to. I have listened to the actor who played the villain in “Iron Man” speak about racism and discrimination in Hollywood, a notable true crime author discuss his writing process and fellow students define what “love” means to them.

When I write these stories, I feel a strong moral obligation to tell them as accurately and fully as possible, a standard that I have always held myself to even within the context of casual conversation.

Now, I’m beginning to realize that my selfcriticism isn’t so much directed toward who I am as a person as much as it is directed toward my frequent inability to express my ideas on paper. Perhaps my expectations are too high, but I hope that every time I write, I will be able to effectively convey the full range of emotions that the original storyteller, whether that’s me or someone else, felt in the moment. It’s pretty easy to get people to laugh about a silly story that happened to your friend, but it’s infinitely more difficult to get someone to understand how you feel, especially if it is after reading 1,000 words of rambling by a 16-year-old high school girl.

Even so, telling a story is not nearly as

easy as it seems. If I’ve learned anything from Falconer, it’s that people’s stories hardly ever come tied up in a neat bow, simply waiting for someone else to open them; rather, their stories come to us in random bits and pieces, and it becomes our job to piece together the bits and pieces we acquire until they form a cohesive storyline.

That’s why Moldy’s story probably doesn’t make much sense to those who are reading this; I can really only remember Jamal, the dead gecko and Homecoming, which is not nearly enough to tell the story of how he became Moldy Soup. I’m missing 297 chapters of the tale.

So when it feels like things are really confusing or just aren’t working out the way I want them to, I have to remind myself that my story isn’t complete. I don’t have enough chapters of my story yet to make sense of it all fully.

But I do believe that one day I will be able to tell people on buses the marvelous tale of how I came to be Amanda Chen — how, in high school, I was terrible with writing about myself and my dreams and my hopes. How I always laughed at things that really weren’t all that funny, and how I really loved stories. But for now, I’m content telling other people’s stories.

opinion

tphsfalconer.com

the falconer

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COMMENTARY: JUNIPERO SERRA’S CANONIZATION Last year, my friends brought me to a religious revival. Even though I was set in my atheistic views, I was convinced to attend by the promise of free pizza. Sitting in the crowded lecture hall, I listened to a man discuss how God pulled him out of a drug-filled, misguided rut. When he was finished, he asked everyone who did not have a “relationship with God” to raise his or her hand.

I was uncomfortable broadcasting my contrary religious views to a room of devout Christians, but I reluctantly put my hand in the air. I sat awkwardly until the non-believers were told to walk to the front of the room. As the lights dimmed, I stood with the others and felt hands on my shoulders, my back, my arms.

My friends began praying — I didn’t know if it was for me, like the man had asked, or for themselves, but it made me feel that in some way, they did not approve of how I lived my life.

Compared to the horrific mistreatment of Native Americans under Junipero Serra’s policies, my discomfort is close to nothing, but it is enough to help me recognize why Serra should not have been

canonized. Before the Spanish reached California, the Native Americans were not faithless. Valentin Lopez, chair of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band of the Costanoan/Ohlone Indians, said in an interview with the National Catholic Reporter that Native Americans had a “wonderful and very strong relationship with the Creator,” a supreme being that they believed created the Native Americans to care for the Earth.

Despite this established faith, Serra coercively converted the native people to Catholicism, eliminating aspects of Native American culture and religion. And even if they were without religion, they still did not need Catholicism forced upon them.

Serra’s strong religious convictions and self-proclaimed responsibility to convert Native Americans blinded him to his own wrongdoings. He established 29 missions throughout California in an attempt to “save” the souls of the indigenous people, whom he regarded as savages. This view of Native Americans as uncivilized, lesser beings only perpetuates the white-washed facade of American history.

The natives that stumbled into the missions entered mainly with a need for food, and occasionally an interest in Catholicism, but were soon subjugated through the “lifetime commitment” to the mission system.

Pope Francis’ apology regarding the institutional oppression of Native Americans cannot change the way they were treated in the past.

Serra’s missions successfully baptized over 6,700 Native

Americans by the end of 1784 — and those conversions came at a price.

The detrimental effects that Serra’s actions had on the indigenous people outweigh his benevolent intentions in spreading his religion. According to the Public Broadcasting Service, the Spanish were responsible for the deaths of around 100,000 Native Americans between 1769 and 1821. The Spanish colonial system exploited Native Americans, creating policies that were slavery in all but name, permitting the Spanish to whip, imprison and torture noncomplying natives. This systematic abuse of the indigenous people overshadows any good Serra may have done.

Up until high school, the only thing I knew about Christopher Columbus was that in 1492, he sailed the ocean blue, subsequently discovering North America. Now I have learned that through the spread of disease and the enslavement of native peoples, he was responsible for the deaths of millions of Native Americans. Serra’s practices also caused the loss of native lives, and the lasting glorification of his actions continues the erasure of Native American identity, culture and spirituality — not to mention the diminishment of the virtual genocide committed by the Spaniards. The Europeans showed a disregard for Native American culture and wrongly imposed Spanish practices on them.

Serra’s canonization is no better than celebrating Columbus Day. The one benefit of Serra’s canonization is that it may be the backdoor to increased awareness about native peoples’ mistreatment.

It must be recognized that Serra is undeserving of sainthood. That is a title reserved for an advocate of peace and philanthropy. A murderer

and slaver, a subjugator of other human beings — that is not a saint.

Ignoring the detrimental effects of Serra’s practices and proclaiming him the pinnacle of holiness only further oppresses the voices of Native Americans and erases their past suffering.

ART BY MICHELLE HAO/FALCON ARTIST

By Irene Yu

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Planned Parenthood should not be defunded

By Maya Parella STAFF WRITER

“Watch a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking, while someone says we have to keep it alive to harvest its brain,” challenged Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina during the Sept. 16 GOP Debate.

Fiorina, a staunch opponent of federal funding for Planned Parenthood, a non-profit organization that provides women’s health care, was describing an alleged abortion procedure secretly taped at a Planned Parenthood facility.

Her claim, however, was outlandishly wrong — the video to which she referred does not actually exist.

Several other heavily-edited videos demonstrating the supposed callousness of Planned Parenthood employees have been released by the Center for Medical Progress, an anti-abortion group that calls for the federal defunding of Planned Parenthood. These videos have since reignited fervent sentiments from both sides of the abortion debate.

But groups like the CMP fail to remember that Planned Parenthood also provides much-needed health care to women, not just abortions, and any efforts to defund the organization are both an attack on women’s health and women’s rights.

The misconception that Planned Parenthood’s serves mainly as

an abortion provider — which is conservatives’ best argument against it — conveniently leaves out the other essential and beneficial health care services it provides. Birth control, testing for sexual transmitted disease, information on sexuality and gender, mammogram referrals and even men’s sexual health are just a few of the services and products Planned Parenthood offers. Abortion may be something conservatives are truly concerned about, but Planned Parenthood actually benefits the anti-abortion cause; it spreads information on safe sex and provides contraception.

But even if Planned Parenthood was solely a chain of abortion clinics, it still would not deserve defunding.

Abortion is a path that must be open to women, and Planned Parenthood is one of the last safe options available. The closing of Planned Parenthood clinics across the country would force thousands of women to have babies they don’t want, and either raise them or give them up for adoption. This strips women of their bodily autonomy and may cause devastating emotional, social and financial problems. When an unborn fetus is entitled to more rights than a living woman, there is something fundamentally wrong with the system.

Anti-abortion advocates claim every “human” deserves the chance to live, but they completely disregard what will happen to an unwanted baby after birth. Giving up a baby for adoption does not guarantee adoption of the child. Even if he or she does find a new family, damaging psychological effects are common.

Adopted children are prone to feelings of loss and grief, low self-esteem and trouble understanding or accepting identity later in life, according to the

Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Ethical conflicts also arise from the collection of fetal tissue from aborted fetuses. Under the guise of an executive of a fake biomedical company, anti-abortion activist and founder of CMP Daniel Daleiden infiltrated Planned Parenthood to tape and release videos to damage the organization’s reputation.

The videos have convinced many that illegal activities are occurring within Planned Parenthood, sparking anger and driving movements to shut it down. But all efforts to catch Planned Parenthood illegally harvesting fetal tissue have been exercises in futility. It is, in fact, legal to use fetal tissue for medical research so long as the mother gives her approval. As long as Planned Parenthood goes about its tissue collection efforts in a safe, legal and ethical manner, any attempts to broaden understanding of or find cures for diseases — which is precisely what Planned Parenthood helps facilitate — should not be shot down. Obstructing this research prevents potentially life-saving discoveries from being made.

Planned Parenthood ensures that health care is available to those who need it, including women who find abortion to be the best option for themselves and t h e i r unborn children.

The organization does indeed “reflect the character of the nation,” as Fiorina denied it does. Availability of reproductive choice does not represent our nation as one filled with ignorance and hatred, but rather as a progressive country striving for dependable health care and fundamental rights for all.

ART BY AMY YU/FALCON ARTIST

A10 the falconer

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october 29, 2015

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Rall attributes Weiser’s positive religious experience at TPHS to the school’s religious diversity. “[When I was in high school], we really didn’t have the diversity of religion [that TPHS has],” Rall said. “Religious affiliations were usually something that was done outside of school.”

Jung agrees that TPHS is relatively “accepting” in terms of religious identity, but there are still instances in which he feels that his religion is stigmatized.

“People start categorizing us as ‘those kids’ who are in ‘that club,’” Jung said. “When we approach people, they act as if: ‘I don’t want to be affiliated with you.’”

But participating in NHC has allowed both Taylor* and Jung to fully embrace their religions,

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“I go [to Jewish Club] and we talk about the differences [between Christianity and Judaism],” Aros said. “I just like comparing them and learning.”

But the benefits offered by religious clubs may come at a price. Rall, NHC’s faculty adviser, believes that students who participate in these clubs may be subject to prejudice outside their meeting rooms.

“You have to have quite a bit of courage and faith [to practice your religion at school] because when you open up your faith, you open yourself up to ridicule and criticism,” Rall said. “It opens you up to being segregated or even discriminated against, and although we try to teach students not to do that, let’s be honest that everyone has biases.”

Weiser said he has never been discriminated against at TPHS because of his beliefs but does not discount the possibility of it happening.

“TPHS is definitely a big school, and it’s very diverse, so I can’t speak for the whole school,” Weiser said.

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On Thursdays at lunch, Falcons passing science teacher Michael Rall’s classroom can almost always hear acoustic guitar and loud song; these are the sounds of worship, and the singing voices belong to members of No Higher Calling, a Christian club on campus.

“We ... come together to praise our love for [God], and to really break boundaries from what school has to offer and the stigma that school has about religion,” NHC member Luke Jung (11) said.

“Rather than living two different lives, we’re trying to merge the difference between school and church.”

Taylor*, a self-identified Christian, believes that NHC helped strengthen her faith in her daily life.

“When I would go to church on Sundays, I would worship God — then I would come home and go on with the rest of my week normally,” Taylor said.

“It was just a kind of a cycle that goes on. When I started going to NHC, I realized that religion wasn’t something that I could experience on one day ... I started to integrate [religion] into my life on a daily basis.”

NHC is unique among other religious clubs at TPHS in its emphasis on worship and prayer; most other clubs do not engage in organized practice. For instance, president of Jewish Club Michael Weiser (11) said that club’s meetings usually center on the “cultural” aspects of Judaism and are characterized by “casual” conversation among members rather than prayer.

“We [sometimes hold discussions], especially if there’s something going on in the world, like in Israel, or if there’s a holiday coming up we might talk about that,” Weiser said. “Every once in a while we’ll have a special event, and sometimes we have unofficial get-togethers off campus. It’s definitely not as focused around the religious aspects of Judaism.”

Despite major differences between the natures of their clubs’ meetings, Weiser and NHC member Christina Li (12) both believe that each of their clubs has fostered a strong sense of community among members.

“The activities really try to foster a family atmosphere; [NHC is more] than just a place to worship together,” Li said. “It provides an environment in which people can find new friends and people that they can [just] really trust and be honest with.”

Campus religion clubs also attract students who may not identify with the club’s religious affiliation.

Gabby Aros (12), who said she is Christian, is one such student.

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Students find ways to express their faiths and beliefs through campus activities, organizations and the likeminded communities they provide.

Syna

TAKE ME TO...

M

FEATURE

regardless of other people’s opinions.

“I think it really helped me ... to show my own religion, show my own identity and not have to hide it in front of other people,” Jung said. “It’s given me confidence, and it’s given me a place where I can say, ‘I’m not ashamed anymore.’”

Taylor* has also found insight by publicly committing to her faith.

“You’re kind of self-conscious about what people think when they pass through the hallways, and I’ve definitely heard comments that haven’t been exactly nice, but it just ... made me realize how much more I should be focusing on my relationship with God than trying to please the people around me,” Taylor* said.

Conversely, some students without any religious affiliation believe that, on campus, there is a greater stigma surrounding atheism and agnosticism than any organized religion.

“There’s not a big place for people who aren’t religious to come together because ... being an atheist is almost a little taboo [in America],” said Micaela Roy (12), who is an agnostic. “I think that there should be just as much of a place for [atheists and agnostics at TPHS] as there is for religion.”

Roy attributes the stigma she feels largely to the merging of the United States’ founding religious principles with its modern-day cultural identity, as illustrated through the continued use of religious phrases like “In God We Trust” in official capacities, like on currency and national monuments. Selfidentified atheist Frank Liao (11) believes that cultural trend is evident in the country’s religious demographic makeup. This is confirmed by a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2014: 70.6 percent of Americans identify as belonging to a Christian denomination, 5.9 percent practice a nonChristian faith and 22.8 percent do not observe an organized religion at all.

However, while both Liao and Roy wish there was a place on campus for atheist and agnostic students like themselves, they are tolerant toward the students that do choose to practice their religion on campus.

“I have no problem with religious clubs on campus,” Roy said. “I think that it’s a good way for different groups of kids to get together in a religious context at school.”

Whether they are participating in the song and prayer of NHC, or holding discussions during Jewish Club meetings, religious students on campus build their own communities — unafraid to show their devotion to their faith.

by Amanda Chen and Austin Zhang

A12 the falconer

feature

october 29, 2015

ASTHMA A condition in which a person’s airways become inflamed, narrow and swollen, and produce extra mucus, making it difficult to breathe.

l oo

a b sen c e s

80%

se ro

sch

Third leading cause of hospitalization

do

rs to

or nurse s

18.9%

ld to

c

when community ozone levels increased by 20 parts per billion

ENVIRONMENTAL

TRIGGERS 1

12

people in the United States have asthma (about 25 million)

asthma is more common among

BOYS than

GIRLS

}

dust cockroaches tobacco smoke high ozone levels

185

3,262

children adults died from asthma in 2007

IN 2008, AROUND 50% OF PEOPLE: with asthma reported being taught how to avoid triggers

of high school students that they had asthma

who knew how to avoid triggers did not follow the advice

18.7 MILLION u.s. adults with asthma

*all statistics for United States population

6.8 MILLION u.s. children with asthma

ART BY GRACE BRUTON, SARAH KIM, AND ALICE QU/FALCONER INFORMATION COURTESY OF BAYSTATE MEDICAL CENTER, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER

feature

tphsfalconer.com

the falconer

TALK IS CHEAP

by Sarah Chan and Irene Yu

Gossiping is a habit many cannot resist, yet few will admit to doing. The word “gossip” itself is commonly associated with images of darting eyes, gasps and hushed voices. We have been raised in a culture that teaches us not to gossip, but we are constantly bombarded with tabloids in grocery aisles or television shows focused solely on the lives of others — just take a look at “TMZ,” the rebirth of reality television, and the glorification of gossip in shows like “Gossip Girl” and movies like “Mean Girls.” And it is accepted that gossip will inevitably plague any and all high school hallways.

In short, we know we gossip, but why do we?

Why is it so hard to resist the urge to talk about other people and the things they do? Perhaps it stems from our human inclination to tell stories.

That’s the argument of John Beard Haviland, University of California, San Diego anthropology professor and author of “Gossip, Reputation, and Knowledge in Zinacantan,” who believes that even though a specific word for “gossip” is not present in every language, it is something that all humans engage in. “[Gossip is] hidden from the person you’re talking about, [which] makes the person [you are gossiping about] not want you to do it, but also makes you want to do it,” Haviland said. “We tell tales behind people’s backs because they’re tales that are worth telling.”

According to the American Psychological Association, gossip is associated with an “innercircle” mentality and is customarily passed between people who have a common history or shared interests. The definition of gossip varies not only in American culture, but also in cultures across the globe.

We tell tales behind people’s backs because they’re the tales that are worth telling.

John Beard Haviland

���� ������������ ��������� But what is gossip, exactly? Is it purely talk about people and events for the sake of talk, or are there other, potentially malicious intentions behind it?

There is no exact translation of the word “gossip” in the Indian language, but Sreeganesh Manoharan (12) attributes his inclination toward gossiping to the Indian community he grew up in.

“It’s something that I learned from my parents,” Manoharan said. “My mom always said, ‘Don’t talk behind someone’s back,’ but she always ends up doing so herself. [My surroundings] play a big role in how much I gossip as well.”

Social environments can often influence perceptions of gossip. While studying the Tzotzil people in Zinacantan, Mexico, Haviland discovered

PHOTO BY ALLY JENSEN/FALCONER

that in the Tzotzil language, the word similar in meaning to “gossip” has a slightly different connotation.

“The word points to a direct object that is always a person,” Haviland said. “The [negative] connotations aren’t built into the word ‘gossip’ as much as in other languages.”

Even if you subscribe to the idea that gossiping is an inherent tendency in humans, that does not mean it is impossible to resist. Kiana Moi (12) consciously tries not to participate in gossip — not only because she views it as wrong, but also because it simply does not interest her.

“My mom and dad, [while I was] growing up, [did not gossip],” Moi said. “If your friends are super into gossiping, you’re in on it always, but if you have friends that are less inclined to [gossip], you kind of stay out of it, too.”

By contrast, Manoharan and his friends consider gossip a pastime, and often ask each other if they have heard any new gossip, whether it is about something that happened at a party or about someone’s romantic relationship.

“If you’re in a place where people gossip a lot, it seems possible that you’re going to learn to do it,” Haviland said.

Hardly anyone can say that they haven’t talked about someone else behind his or her back. Most of us probably have said a few things we wish we could take back. So why is it so hard for us to admit it?

“The bad feeling that comes through our nervousness about admitting to [gossip] comes from the assumption that the only reason you would ever talk about someone behind his or her back is because you’re saying something that they don’t want you to know or you don’t want them to hear,” Haviland said.

Our hesitation to admit to gossiping could also stem from our perception of ourselves — and the vision of ourselves we want others to see.

“Most people just want others to think about them as perfect people and not someone that talks about someone else,” Manoharan said.

Gossip can play a major role in breaking up relationships and creating bad reputations, both on television and in real life. Too often we hear the story of the boy who switched schools due to the malicious spread of gossip, or the story of the girl whose reputation suffers based on conjecture alone.

“Gossip is one of the most hurtful things that you could say,” Manoharan said. “It’s not necessarily something that is good to do, but it’s something that is inevitable for everyone.”

Despite having negative connotations, gossiping and ostracism can produce social harmony, according to a study at Stanford. Through the spread of stories and the shunning of community members, groups were able to “reform bullies, thwart exploitation of ‘nice people’ and encourage cooperation.”

The researchers found that people

could use information about others’ behavior through gossip to align themselves with those they deemed favorable. Those who were thought to have behaved unfavorably were excluded from group activities, based on the prevailing gossip about them. Ultimately, this served the group’s greater good, and points to one of the main reasons gossip is so appealing to us: alliances. This study, of course, relies on the assumption that gossip is true. Still, in the real world, people supply gossip — true or not — to whom they are attracted to and with whom they wish to align themselves.

“Gossip almost always is a way to bond with others,” Haviland said. “It has the potential for bonding you with someone else and creates a special relationship that is different from your relationship with other people.”

It has been theorized that gossip has played a fundamental role in the evolution of human intelligence and social life. In fact, anthropologists believe that throughout human history, gossip has been a way for us to bond with others — and sometimes a tool to isolate those who aren’t supporting the accepted goals or practices of a group. “[Gossiping] is one of the best ways [to meet new people],” Manoharan said. “It’s one of the first ways you start talking to other people — you start talking about other people.”

In the end, gossip is a linguistic double-edged sword. What is now associated with ulterior motives and malice started as an innate human curiosity about each other — and perhaps it still is.

Pass it on.

A13

A14 the falconer

LET’S IT DOWN In which we explore the significance of issues in the news.

What’s all the buzz about bees?

The world takes bees for granted. As children we learned that bees allow flowers to grow, that they make nature vibrant and beautiful; yet, the possibility of a world without bees was never discussed and never crossed our minds. Bees have always been around: the civilizations of early Egypt and Greece had organized beekeeping hubs, Christian monasteries acted as apiculture centers, and pilgrims from Europe felt bees were important enough to bring them across the Atlantic Ocean to North America. The world has always had bees, and so people think it always will. But the validity of that assumption is rapidly deteriorating.

The bee population is facing severe losses, particularly in the U.S. On average, U.S. bee colonies have lost 30 percent of their population every winter since 2007.

Compounded, this loss poses a major problem for our agricultural sector. Bees are a major workforce; one hive of bees can collect and potentially pollinate up to 100,000 flowering plants in a day. In fact, the White House reported that bee pollination accounts for around $16 billion of U.S. farm income.

And bees’ contribution to the food supply is nothing to scoff at — 71 of the 100 crop species that provide 90 percent of global food supply are pollinated by bees.

We wouldn’t starve without bees, but our diets would suffer significantly: fewer fruits and vegetables, no almonds and less alfalfa hay to feed dairy cows. The effect of continual dissipation of bee colonies cannot be overlooked.

The causes of the bees’ plight are varied. Extensive use of herbicides kills off many flowering plants among crops, removing sources of pollen and nectar.

Flowers contaminated with insecticides can directly kill bees or lead to debilitating health effects. Some measures have been taken to combat this: On April 2, the Environmental Protection Agency established a partial ban of neonicotinoids, a class of pesticides used in most major crops that has been linked to bee deaths.

The EPA will not accept new applications for neonicotinoid use, but already approved groups may continue their usage.

Is this action enough? Probably not.

Other factors are just as harmful: Pollinator habitats, for instance, are disappearing at alarming rates. In the Midwest, more than 36,000 square miles of wetlands and prairie have been converted for crops since 2008; herbicide-resistant crops require liberal application of herbicides for survival, and consequently have devastating effects on bees and other pollinators. There’s also the matter of new pathogens being transmitted to bees around the world by way of global trade and transportation, which join the blood-sucking mite that has preyed on bees since the 1980s. Plagued by disease, bees are more susceptible to the stress of poor nutrition and an increasingly migratory lifestyle as they search for food sources and habitable land.

Bees may not be the most popular insects in the world: They have a questionable reputation due to their tendency to sting creatures they perceive as aggressors, and many people are terrified of their swarms.

But when we examine the history of human-bee partnerships, and the valuable role that the pollinators play in agriculture, it is not overstatement to say our survival depends on the bees’ survival.

by Anna Lee

feature

october 29, 2015

one in 2,616 Like lots of high school kids, after a long day at school, Madison Wright (11) goes home and immerses herself in music. But unlike most others, Wright doesn’t just put on her headphones and get lost in her favorite songs — she trains to become a classical singer.

Wright has always had a strong connection to music; she grew up playing piano and singing. But about a year ago she officially began classical vocal music lessons, working to make her dream of becoming a classical singer and opera performer reality.

Last summer, Wright attended a program for artists at the renowned Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, where she trained in opera and met professors from colleges where she may later audition.

“When I went [to Interlochen, I met] all these people from all these different countries, and we had this connection through music,” Wright said. “You don’t have to speak the same language to communicate through music. Music is this language that you can use to communicate with everybody.”

Wright said the mysteries of other art forms can also be clarified through the lens of music.

“Not only am I learning about music, but I’m learning about [the] art and literature that all connect with the music,” Wright said.

Although she enjoys all genres of singing, Wright says she simply fell in love with classical singing.

“It is very different from all [other] genres,” Wright said. “You get to sing in so many different languages, which is really cool.

[The different languages are] so beautiful and [the music] has lasted so long — and there’s a reason for that.”

According to Wright, classical singing is unique because of the tremendous time and energy a singer must devote to training.

“Your career doesn’t even get started until your late 20s because you have to have your voice developed, you have to train, and you have to put your life and energy into the music,” Wright said.

Classical singers train for so long because they have to be able to project and develop the power of their voices.

“As a classical singer, you would be performing in theaters that are huge,” Wright said. “I’m talking like 3-, 4,000 seats. And uniquely to classical singing, there are no microphones — it’s just you and your voice projecting.”

In addition to taking vocal lessons, Wright practices singing for 40 minutes every day.

“Something different about the voice that makes it very unique — and kind of a struggle, but still cool — compared to all other instruments is that you can’t practice singing four to five hours a day,” Wright said. “You’re not physically built to do that like [you are] with other instruments.”

Even though she can’t spend all day practicing, there are still many other subjects to study, according to Wright.

“You’re learning languages: Hebrew, Italian, French, German, Latin, all of that,” Wright said.

“You’re developing acting and you’re researching the literature, poetry and art that goes behind the operas and plays you’re doing. So you’re still practicing six hours a day, like all the other instruments. It’s different because you can’t just practice singing.”

Wright aspires to attend a college where she can major in vocal performance and continue to study all the fields connected to classical singing.

“My dream school would probably be a liberal arts school that has a great music program, where I can also discover other aspects of liberal arts,” Wright said.

Wright’s biggest struggle in choosing classical singing as a career path is that she would become “so vulnerable.”

“You have no idea if you’re going to wake up the next morning sick, and can’t perform,” Wright said. “And the fact is, you go to college like everybody else. You pay the exact same amount of money, but once you get out of college and once you go to grad school -- which you have to [in order to] have a career -- you are getting paid a tenth of what most other careers are getting paid. So that’s probably the biggest difficulty — but it’s so worth it.”

Wright is not only part of the TPHS choir, but also a member of the North Coast singers, a youth choir that travels around San Diego and to other cities, like Los Angeles. She also has participated in many talent shows. Wright has applied for her first competition, the American Choral Directors Association Regional Choral Competition; accepted participants will be announced in November.

Nurturing a passion for music since childhood, Madison Wright (11) trains every day to become a classical singer.

“I didn’t do any [competitions] last year, since that was my first year getting into [classical singing], so I’m excited to be doing competitions this year,” Wright said.

Wright closes the front door behind her, drops her backpack on a chair and unwinds with her beloved music: the sound of her own voice echoing through the house.

by Sarah Kim

ENTERTAINMENT There is no shortage of exciting myths surrounding the Haunted Hotel: The actors are allowed to touch you, you get tied up at some point, if you reach the top floor you get your money back. But when I skimmed through the website, I was seriously disappointed to find that none of these are true. Boo. Still, it is supposed to be one of the scariest Halloween attractions in the nation, according to the Travel Channel, so I approached the ordeal with high expectations. Getting into the actual hotel put a damper on the experience. While in line, unsuspecting patrons were occasionally shrieked at by actors— it was actually kind of comical. In the orange glow of downtown, the actors are not very intimidating.

After making it inside the building, we were grouped with two other parties: a family of four and three nervous 12-year-old girls.

They all insisted that we could go first, and I didn’t protest. I wanted to maximize the horror experience, so I had intended to stay in the front the entire time anyway. We were led into an elevator, where we were joined by a few actors. I will applaud them for at least having convincing costumes; their makeup was alarmingly realistic.

The elevator darkened and shook, and then out from nowhere popped actors that shrieked at us until we evacuated the lift. It was a good, startling initiation. Unfortunately, it all went downhill from there. The rest was a long walk through poorly-lit, bloody rooms that were an obvious amalgamation of every horror trope: prisoners, surgeons, butchers, doll-makers.

It was just 15-20 minutes of jump scare after jump scare.

Any person who has ever played a horror video game is probably immune to jump scares, and that includes me. I’ve learned that if I go into a given situation expecting people to pop out at me and, well, they do, then it isn’t very scary. The anticipation is what’s really frightening. But there was so much going on as we traversed that I couldn’t find it in me to be scared. If anything, I was entertained by the occasional strobe lights, the odd colors and the wailing monster-people.

The Haunted Hotel was a letdown. People who are easily spooked by jump scares would have a nerve-racking time for sure — exhibit A being the screaming girls who clung to my friends’ shirts the entire time — but otherwise, the scare attempts felt cheap and unimpressive.

I was hoping for a walk down a silent, empty hallway, just waiting for something to happen.

Instead, it was a constant stream of hollering people banging on walls and getting up in my face as I tried to appreciate the gruesome decor and blinking lights. It felt like they were trying way too hard. Take a few tips from Silent Hill P.T., Haunted Hotel. Sometimes, less is more.

by Anna Lee

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HAUNTED HOTEL

PHOTO BY ALLY JENSEN/FALCONER

When I first volunteered to review the Haunted Trail in Balboa Park, I was met by a chorus of disbelief and a few mocking laughs from the Falconer staff. I don’t know what it is about being five-foot-one, but people are all too quick to label you weak. I was determined to prove that no Halloween creature was going to get the best of me.

For the most part, I was right.

The worst part of my experience was simply the waiting. Daydreams of gory creatures eating me alive and eerie condolences from all of my friends — all of this snowballed into one big panic over the event.

When the hour finally came, the Haunted Trail’s venue almost made me turn around.

Giant, menacing, illuminated creatures lined the entrance to the trail amid video clips from the “Paranormal Activity” movies. What appeared to be a deranged circus leader and werewolf prowled the unsuspecting crowd, sending naive teenage girls fleeing in panic to the safety of their friends.

We started in “The Experiment Maze,” which was filled with far too many clowns and screaming middle school boys for my taste.

Despite occasional spooks caused by the jump scares and the anticipation, the sometimesgruesome costumes did not invoke much terror in me.

The trail featured a myriad of different rooms that each told a different story: one was a zombie apocalypse, another a village of hungry vampires, and yet another cackling men with chainsaws. Each held their own scares that definitely got the best of me, but none compared to what I had been dreading the entire week before: The Bus. Rumor had it the trail featured a school bus full of clowns, some ready to jump out at random, others cunningly placed as decoys. I discovered, to my chagrin, that the rumors were true.

After the bus endeavor, I made it through the rest of the trail without further incident.

Perhaps all I needed was a good scare to cure me of any anxiety I had over what was lurking in darkened corners.

Within half an hour, my experience was complete. I was disappointed that it was not one constant, fear-riddled ride. While the actors’ costumes were undeniably gruesome and the houses creepily decorated, jump scares were all that frightened me. Even so, they only encompassed a small part of the experience.

Overall, I’d like to think I was pretty dauntless.

Maybe next year will hold scarier surprises.

by Maya Parella

A15 I do not particularly enjoy the Del Mar Fairgrounds. In May, hundreds of high school students gather to take AP tests. During the summer, there are sweaty crowds, overpriced tickets and structures that appear to barely meet safety standards. In October, well, there’s The Scream Zone.

As I had never been to the Scream Zone before, I willingly purchased the Triple Haunt combo ticket, which grants admission to The Scream Zone’s three major attractions: KarnEvil, House of Horror, and the Haunted Hayride. As the night progressed, I would gradually realize that this was a waste.

I decided to begin with the Haunted Hayride because it seemed like the mildest of the three.

Unfortunately, so did everyone else; we waited in line for about 50 minutes. When it was finally time to go, I clambered into the wagon with around 20 other people.

The hayride slowly took us through the fairground stables, which had been turned into a prison for the beginning and a trailer park for the end. Actors would run out from their hiding spots, waving stick-like objects and yelling menacingly. Most frightening was the man with the chainsaw who came dangerously near us. The majority of the time, however, their attempts at scaring the group elicited laughter rather than screams.

We entered KarnEvil without a wait. The setup, a maze-like structure with black and white vertical striped walls, strobe lights and a few sporadic clowns, was more annoying than scary. The most enjoyable part of the attraction was the clown standing in a spinning tunnel preceding the exit.

Our last stop was the House of Horrors.

Because we could hear constant screaming coming from inside, I was the most nervous for this one. As soon as I stepped inside, one of my worst fears was realized: we were in the company of hordes of screaming middle schoolers. Often, their screams made me jump more than the actors did. We quickly made our way through various rooms filled with gory but very artificial-looking scenes. Near the end, there was a pitch-black room where we had to feel the walls and follow the sound of other people’s voices to make our way through.

Despite it being called the “Scream Zone,” I did not scream in terror once while I was there. Maybe I have Mr. Trupe to thank for conditioning me not to flinch at large men making sudden, loud noises.

For now, it’s safe to say that I will not be returning anytime in the future; there are far more terrifying places than The Scream Zone that I can get to faster and for free.

by Amanda Chen

PHOTO BY GRACE BRUTON/FALCONER

A16 the falconer

1.

entertainment

october 29, 2015

what’s poppin’?

The Falconer catches up on the latest updates in popular culture.

2. “gilmore girls”

The “Star wars: The force awakens”

will be revived on Netflix in four 90-minute episodes, bringing back the original writers and actors.

Production begins next year.

trailer was released on Oct. 19. As of today, it has almost 50 million views on YouTube. The movie will premiere on Dec. 18, 10 years after the last movie of the main saga, “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith,” was released.

3.

ADELE’s “Hello” Music Video garnered 27.7 million views on the first day of its release on Vevo, beating Taylor Swift’s record of 20.1 million views of the “Bad Blood” music video debut.

4.

“Hotline bling” MEMES bombarded the Internet after Drake’s music video was released on Oct. 19.

Memes included Drake dancing to various video game themes and playing Wii tennis.

Science scary?

Geometry goulish?

PHOTOS AND INFORMATION COURTESY OF ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, SLASHFILM, THE COME UP SHOW AND US WEEKLY

Exceptional One-on-One Tutoring for High School Students. + Math - Integrated Math through Calculus + Science – Biology through Physics + English | History + Study Skills | Homework Help + ACT and SAT Test Prep + AP and Honors Classes

Science scary?

Geometry goulish?

Exceptional One-on-One Tutoring for High School Students.

Del Mar Highlands Town Center (Next to Sammy’s Pizza) 858.201.4900 collegetutors.com

tphsfalconer.com

entertainment

the falconer

BURRITO REPUBLIC The Falconer’s Entertainment Editor, a self-proclaimed burrito expert with a notoriously small stomach, visits local burrito joints to determine the best burrito in San Diego.

I am a burrito aficionada, which isn’t an uncommon claim in Southern California. My favorite activities fall into the “SoCal teenager” stereotype: going to the beach and eating burritos. Lots and lots of burritos. Therefore, I believe I have the necessary qualifications to judge a good California burrito, a delicacy that boasts a delightfully fattening combination of carne asada, French fries, cheese and the occasional dollop of guacamole or sour cream — the best burritos have both.

After reading “The Daily Meal” ratings that named the California Burrito from Nico’s Mexican Food the second best in the nation, I knew I had to go try it. [Note: their #1 burrito was from Tito’s Tacos in L.A.] The article also made me wonder how local burrito joints, like Roberto’s and Kotija Jr., stacked up.

With an empty stomach, I set out to crown the best California burrito in San Diego for myself (and the Falconer).

My first stop was the famous PHOTOS BY ANTON SCHUH/FALCONER Nico’s Mexican Food in Ocean Beach.

Even with its hidden location and rather stressful parking situation, the restaurant was packed — a clear testament to its popularity. Waiting for my California burrito ($6), I noticed that the restaurant didn’t advertise it’s recent claim to fame. And I soon found out why — Nico’s burrito didn’t need the award to prove its worth. The mix of guacamole and mildly-spiced carne asada with flawlessly cooked French fries was heavenly. It was rich, but didn’t leave me with the heavy food baby that typically follows a California burritos. My only complaint is that the salsa was uncomfortably sweet. Nonetheless, the first burrito set a high standard for those to come.

Next was a last-minute suggestion by Falconer photographer, Eric Cunningham, to go to Ortiz’s Taco Shop in Point Loma, which was a truly serendipitous trip. The burrito ($6.45) was delicious, and completely different from Nico’s. Despite being heavier and having fewer ingredients,

the burrito was equally flavorful without being overwhelming.

Simply put, Ortiz’s burrito was bold. The juicy burrito contained grilled-to-perfection meat and soft fries. The salsa beat Nico’s; it was tangy with a slight spice. The heaviness left me feeling bloated, but the meal was worth it.

After the first two taste tests, I traveled back to North County to try my local favorites. Located right along Torrey Pines State Beach, was Roberto’s, which wins best location — I can never turn down the chance to enjoy my burrito ($6.40) with a view. Because of my frequent lunch trips there, I was already biased in favor of Roberto’s.

But sadly, Roberto’s could not compare to either Nico’s or Ortiz’s. The burrito’s one huge fault was its failure to smoothly combine all the flavors. Even though my lunches will still be catered

by Roberto’s on a regular basis, its burrito was admittedly not as masterful as the others.

Kotija Jr.’s California burrito ($6.99), my other lunch favorite, was also a disappointment. It suffered from the same weaknesses as Roberto’s — little mingling of the flavors and an overall lack of a wow factor. The burrito not only had the worst quality meat, but was also overpowered by the taste of French fries. Its only redeeming quality was its sheer size.

I left the taste test with an extra five pounds and enough burritos to satisfy my craving for a little while. In the end, I decided to crown Nico’s the best California burrito in San Diego. Ortiz’s came in a close second equal in taste and quality, but the lightness of Nico’s burrito pulled it to first.

My local favorites didn’t win the competition, but I’m glad I discovered two new burrito joints. I wouldn’t mind some future trips to O.B. to get the second best burrito in the nation — and the best burrito in my book. Nico’s, you did the California burrito right and made me a satisfied “SoCal teenager.”

by Caroline Rutten

A17

A18 the falconer

entertainment

october 29, 2015

Exploring the crimes inspired by media, we ask if controversial and gruesome forms of entertainment are merely a means for an enjoyment or an agent of real life crime.

Dexter Morgan is a 35-year-old man with orange-brown hair, Nasseri (12), a fan of “Breaking Bad,” said. “If you see someone get green eyes and a drive to murder. To kill his victims, he sedates them, away with something on a TV show, you are encouraged because you ties them down with shrink wrap and stabs them in the heart. His feel like you can also get away with it.” psychopathic nature is attributed to a violent past involving the coldAccording to Miramar College professor and Chair of the blooded murder of his mother and a moral code for killing given to Administration of Justice Department, Jordan Omens, the reasons him by his father: He only kills other killers. behind media-inspired crime are usually mixed.

Oh, and Dexter is a fictional character on the former Showtime “Sometimes, it’s a perception of the chance of getting away series, “Dexter.” with [the crime],” Omens said. “If you feel that legal approaches to On murderer Mark Twitchell’s Facebook profile he appears accomplishing financial success aren’t accessible, you’ll choose some completely dedicated to emulating the persona of Dexter; the profile alternate approach toward getting what you want.” even reveals his motives for murder. But there is one significant Robinson, who was on the set of “Dexter” from 7 to 15 years old, difference between Twitchell from Dexter: Twitchell is a real criminal said copycat crimes can affect the popularity of the shows they copy. in a very real world.

“Once you see real killers basing their practices off of ‘Dexter,’ “A copycat crime is based on [a] sensational crime [that] tends to it’s like ‘Dexter’ shouldn’t be showing because it gives people get a disproportionate amount of media coverage,” University of San ideas,” Robinson said. “But it’s not — because it’s all fictional. It’s Diego Sociology Department chair, Erik Fritsvold sad because it gives ‘Dexter’ a bad name; The more said. “[Copycats] are inspired by these crimes [in negative things you hear, the more negative tone you media] and adopt the same methods of committing put toward the show.” a very similar crime.”

Links between real crimes and fictional ones In 2011, Twitchell was charged with first-degree raises questions about censorship, but censorship murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison, where may be unwarranted. According to Fritszvold, even his obsession with “Dexter” continued; even in his though some studies show violence in media leads cell, he watched episodes of the show. Twitchell to desensitization, that doesn’t necessarily equate to may be baffling to some — after all, how can a the guilt of the entertainment industry. fictional character drive someone to murder?

“It’s important to keep in mind [that] a show like But Myles Hamilton (12), who is an avid fan of ‘Dexter’ or ‘Breaking Bad’ is fiction, and the goal of “Dexter,” understands the profound effect the show Keyan Nasseri (12) any type of media is to attract an audience,” Fritsvold could have on viewers like Twitchell. said. “Their job isn’t necessarily to tell the truth — ������� “You start to sympathize with Dexter and it’s to create a compelling story.” question your moral boundaries because in a lot Being a member of the entertainment community, of situations when he kills bad people, it ends up being better for “Dexter” actor Robinson acknowledges the possible detrimental [others],” Hamilton said. effects of violence in entertainment and popular media, but she Twitchell and some others have taken this sympathy for thinks that entertainment is not entirely to blame. characters to another level. In the past few years, there have been “It’s kind of a double standard because it’s entertainment — it’s many instances of “Dexter”-inspired crimes in which the criminals what people watch, it’s what people read,” Robinson said. “We that drew from Dexter’s motivations to justify their own transgressions. are part of the show, and the producers and directors, can’t help what “When you’re watching the show, you’re rooting for a serial killer, people do after watching the show.” so people might think, ‘Well, maybe people can root for me if I do Entertainment media, especially easily-accessible television shows, the same thing Dexter does,’” said former TPHS student Christina have heavily influenced a multitude of crimes; a gang in Florida cited Robinson, who played Dexter’s stepdaughter on the show. “[But] it’s “Sons of Anarchy” as inspiration for their drug- and robbery-related obviously not the case.” spree, and a 10-year-old shot his white-supremacist father to death “Breaking Bad” follows the life of Walter White, a high school in 2010, saying that in an episode of “Criminal Minds,” a child killed chemistry teacher who begins cooking meth to pay for his cancer an abusive father and wasn’t arrested. treatments and support his family.

Yet, Hamilton does not think the pervasiveness of media is enough Copycats have drawn heavily from this show, perpetrating crimes to excuse criminals. that bear chilling resemblances to White’s situation. Ryan Carroll, “You have to have a mature personality to watch these kinds of a drug dealer and particularly devoted fan from Florida, was found shows, because … when you’re younger your brain doesn’t really with 318 kilograms of synthetic marijuana in his house in 2014, just know where to draw the line,” Hamilton said. “At the end of three months after winning a contest to preview the “Breaking the day, everyone has their own moral standard.”

Bad” finale with the cast in Hollywood. Kuntal Patel in 2014 To those unfamiliar with “Dexter,” its lead character plotted to murder her mother with a poison similar to one may seem horrifically disturbed. Yet to the show’s used by White, according to The [London] Guardian. audience of millions, the serial killer is a a lot of people in their day-to-day sympathetic figure, a man whose story is “I think lives aren’t fulfilled, and in desperate attempts genuinely compelling. And whether that is a to pursue different paths for their lives, they good or bad thing is, in the end, up to the viewers resort to the fantasy,” Keyan ... and the psychology researchers.

People aren’t fulfilled in their lives, and in a desperate attempt to pursue a different path, they resort to the fantasy [of the show].

SPORTS

A19

Falcons soar over El Camino

by Sarah Chan & Lily Nilipour MANAGING EDITOR & SPORTS EDITOR

TPHS football (3-5) defeated El Camino High School (5-3) 17-13 on Oct. 23 during the Falcons’ Homecoming game, holding off Wildcat offensive drives and keeping persistent pressure on the El Camino defense.

The Wildcats started the game with possession of the ball, but were unable to make big plays or move into Falcon territory. A few quick turnovers and incomplete passes put the Falcons in good field position, and a handoff to running back Jacob Montes (11) resulted in a 20-yard run. With three and a half minutes left in the quarter, kicker Luc D’Arcy (12) scored a 25-yard field goal, giving the Falcons a 3-0 early lead and some “insurance” for later in the game, according to running back Matt Feeler (12).

Toward the end of the first quarter, a 16-yard punt by El Camino turned the ball over to the Falcons at El Camino’s 37yard line. The Falcons drove up the field, putting them within reach of the end zone, but a short field goal attempt was blocked by the Wildcat defense. A series of Wildcat conversions drove them across the field, and a 26-yard run resulted in the first touchdown of the game, bringing the score to 7-3 in favor of the Wildcats. “[The early lead] definitely gave us some momentum,” quarterback Ben Spitters (12) said. “And when we were down, it was a familiar position for us. We were ready to respond.”

The Falcons returned with equally strong offense, converting four times on their possession as they drove down the field. Feeler took the ball into the end zone on a 35-yard run with three minutes remaining in the half, putting the Falcons in the lead once more at 10-7. “[The touchdown] really opened up a lot more [opportunities] for the team with long runs,” Feeler said. “It gave us a lot of confidence for the rest of the game.”

During El Camino’s possession, from fourth down and three, the Wildcats

attempted to run a fake punt in order to convert, but the Falcon defensive line stopped them inches from the Falcon 32-yard line. Two more turnovers and a timeout from each team ended the first half without any big plays.

The third quarter opened with strong defense from the Wildcats and the Falcons, preventing either team from gaining much yardage. According to Spitters, El Camino’s defensive line was very “aggressive” with blitzing, which “initially threw [the Falcons] off” in their offensive plays. In the middle of the quarter, Spitters was sacked twice in a row, losing seven yards each time.

“It was definitely hard to have that happen, but we all knew that we could still be productive in offense,” Spitters said. “If anything … [it] really got us pumped to bring it harder on the next drive.”

According to head coach Ron Gladnick, the Falcons were already expecting the Wildcats to “come out hard and fast” and to bring a “very physical” defensive game.

El Camino’s offense dominated toward the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth, bringing them into the red zone.

But instead of attempting a touchdown, the Wildcats kicked a field goal to tie the game.

Capitalizing on a fumble at the Falcon 23-yard line, El Camino scored another field goal with seven minutes left to bump the score to 13-10.

With 40 seconds left and the Falcons at their own 46-yard line, Spitters connected with tight end Michael Gadinis (11) for a 19-yard pass, putting the Falcons in scoring position. Another complete pass to Gadinis brought the Falcons to the Wildcat 9-yard line. The offensive drive ended with a touchdown pass to Gadinis in the last 15 seconds of the game, securing a win for the Falcons at 17-13.

“Our line did a great job of blocking and … we were able to get down the field and still have time on the clock,” Gadinis said. “[On the last play], I ran my route, [Spitters] threw a good ball — and just like that, we scored.”

According to Gladnick, the Falcons have had the second hardest schedule in San Diego County this season, but the players

are “starting to put it together” and are “playing good football at the time of the year it matters most.”

“We were up, we were tied, we were down, and what I love about this football team right now is it doesn’t matter,” Gladnick said. “They’re going to fight to the bitter end, they’re going to scrap, they’re going to claw, they’re going to do what it takes to be successful.”

On Oct. 16, the Falcons similarly defeated Oceanside High School 28-27, scoring the winning touchdown in the last 30 seconds. According to Gadinis, the consecutive wins will give the Falcons confidence and momentum to win the rest of their games.

Although the team played well against the Wildcats, the Falcons will continue to work hard to keep getting better, Feeler said.

“I still think there is a lot of room for improvement on both sides of the ball,” Feeler said. “The offensive line and defensive line fought hard all night. It was very good to see, but I hope we can continue to grow as a team.”

The Falcons will play Mt. Carmel High School on Oct. 30 at Mt. Carmel.

PHOTOS BY ERIC CUNNINGHAM/FALCONER

COMING IN CLUTCH: RB Matt Feeler (24) charges toward the El Camino end zone with OL Yujay Kurosu (56) protecting him during the play (TOP). RB Jacob Montes (3) runs downfield past Wildcat defenders (MIDDLE). TE Michael Gadinis (88) holds onto a long pass from QB Ben Spitters (ABOVE).

A20 the falconer

sports

october 29, 2015

Field hockey dominates Westview Falcon girls tennis team eyes

26th consecutive CIF crown

by Sumin Hwang STAFF WRITER Falcon field hockey (17-2) defeated Westview High School (6-9) 7-0 on Oct. 23 at Westview after successfully supporting plays and preventing the Wolverines from moving into an offensive position, according to head coach J.J. Javelet.

Javelet anticipated a fast-paced game from the Westview players, and that the thin turf would make the ball move faster than usual. However, she remained optimistic that her “dynamic” team would pull through.

The game began with a goal for TPHS made by forward Sammy Cirino (12), which was followed quickly by a goal by co-captain Gabi Jimenez (12). The first half continued with 12 penalty corners for the Falcons and one save by goalie Jaden Watkins (11).

“We scored a lot this game, but I think the defense still did a good job of staying alert amidst the action,” Watkins said.

Forward Ryan Poe (10) and Cirino scored two more goals for the Falcons before the first half ended.

“During the first half, we played very connected offensively,” Javelet said. “We did well passing the ball, cutting the ball and getting it around all the [Westview defenders].”

After halftime, co-captain Rylie Pope (12) scored another goal. The second half also consisted of nine player substitutions and seven penalty corners for TPHS. “We played well on the defense during the second half,” Javelet said. “We were in a lot of really good lines and were quick

by Maya Rao OPINION EDITOR

PHOTO BY ALDERIK VAN DER HEYDE/FALCONER

STICK TOGETHER: Sammy Cirino cuts off a Westview defender from the inside. The Falcons’ offense put pressure on the Wolverines throughout the game.

on plays.”

The last goal was scored by Jimenez, rounding out the decisive 7-0 shutout for the Falcons.

Javelet said she was pleased with the team play overall, but there are still skills the Falcons can work on.

“Something we can still improve on is getting back quicker on our plays so that [they aren’t interrupted],” Javelet said.

“We can still always work on executing the tough plays.”

The Falcons will play Poway High School on Oct. 30 at Poway.

The girls tennis team has been the reigning CIF champion for a quarter of a century, and as the team prepares to extend that streak by another year, the pressure is mounting.

“There’s definitely pressure to keep up the streak because it’s been going on for so long,” co-captain Agostina Waisfeld (12) said. “We’re really focused because ... [a CIF championship] is our end goal.”

Despite the loss of three starters, the Falcons have won all 20 of their games this season “as expected,” according to coach John DeLille.

“The tradition of winning pushes each player to perform at their highest level,” DeLille said. “I saw a woman hitting balls with her husband the other day. She told me she was a member of [TPHS’] 2004 team — part of the ‘streak.’ She was proud to be part of the legacy. I think everyone who plays for [TPHS] tennis understands that legacy and is proud to be part of it.

Team member Michelle Hao (12) is equally proud of the legacy and does not believe the pressure has a negative effect.

“We are all good players, and we know that we are capable of winning another consecutive CIF title,” Hao said.

According to Waisfeld, as long as the team members stay organized and focused on their goal, the team will succeed.

“This team wants it, tastes it,” DeLille said. “My goals are always a lot higher than what may be possible, but I think,

‘What the heck, reach for the sky.’ I would love to see these girls bring home the state trophy.”

The Falcons did reach the finals of the state regional championship last year, but lost to Palos Verdes Peninsula High School.

Hao hopes the team will do well at the state championships this year, and believes that their 26th CIF title is “within reach.”

Tennis is primarily an individual sport, so to win CIFs, the Falcons have to find a way to work together.

“This is a team,” DeLille said. “Keeping [the players] focused on the goal [of winning CIFs] is important.”

But win or lose, Waisfeld is proud of the strong bond the team has forged throughout the season and hopes it will continue into the post-season.

“Tennis is a really individual sport, so being [on] a team has given me an opportunity to be a part of something ... closer,” Waisfeld said. “It’s kind of hard to be a team [because tennis isn’t a team sport]. I just want us all to be closer, and not in a clichéd way ... [to be] better friends at the end and be able to have fun with something we love to do.”

DeLille also attributes the Falcons’ success to players’ perseverance and attitude.

“Attitude is everything,” DeLille said.

“If a player has a great attitude, win or lose, starting or not, it sets a positive tone [for the rest of the match].”

The Falcons crushed The Academy of Our Lady of Peace 18-0 on Oct. 27 in their first CIF match, and played in the CIF semifinals on Oct. 28, after the Falconer went to press.

GET YOUR GAME FACE ON The Falconer explores pre-game rituals of TPHS sports teams. team dinner and visualize routines in head

slap the LCS above their door when leaving the team room

touch the “foote steps” while walking down stairs

warm up to music playlist made by seniors

run from the end zone to the 50-yard line

chant “TP do work” right before peforming, captains give speeches INFOGRAPHIC BY SARAH KIM AND CAROLINE RUTTEN/FALCONER

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tphsfalconer.com

DAY IN THE

LIFE

the falconer

The Falconer follows Taylor Scornavacco’s (11) lacrosse journey, from learning how to play the sport in her freshman year to committing to play for Stanford in the summer before junior year.

The life of a college-committed athlete is not easy — especially if he or she has only recently started playing the sport. A little more than a year after learning how to play lacrosse as a freshman, Taylor Scornavacco (11) committed to play for Stanford.

“Every time I tell people when I started [playing lacrosse], they always laugh and think I’m joking because they know I’m going to college for it,” Scornavacco said. “But when I tell them I’m not joking, they’re always really surprised.”

Scornavacco has a long history with sports, beginning with baseball in first grade. She soon took up basketball, softball and golf. In her sophomore year, Scornavacco played on the varsity basketball team and the varsity lacrosse team. She played on varsity golf in both freshman and sophomore years. Now at the beginning of her junior year, she has taken a break from golf and is still deciding whether or not she will play basketball during the winter season.

“Softball is spring season, [but] I quit softball and decided to try something new during the spring of my freshman year,” Scornavacco said. “I knew I wanted to play three sports; I just didn’t know which ones.”

She was persuaded to play lacrosse by her mother, who had played when she was in high school. Right before the lacrosse tryouts Scornavacco’s freshman year, her mother took her to the park for an hour, gave her a stick, and taught her how to throw and catch.

Once Scornavacco joined the JV lacrosse team, she trained with her two coaches, Kaitlin Doucette and Kelly Connors, two times a week, shooting with them for hours. “[My coaches] invested so much time in me, [and] I’m really grateful for that, because without them, I wouldn’t have progressed so quickly, which really needed to happen because I wanted to play in college,” Scornavacco said.

After a season on JV lacrosse, Scornavacco’s coaches made her aware of opportunities to play on teams outside school and compete in out-of-state tournaments. She joined the regional West Coast Starz team and started playing lacrosse on the national level. In the summers before her sophomore and junior years, and in the fall of sophomore year, Scornavacco participated in recruiting showcases like the Women’s Division National Tournament in Philadelphia with the San Diego regional team. She also competed in the Under Armour Underclass All-American Games in Baltimore, which, according to Scornavacco, was one of the biggest tournaments she went to and where colleges started taking a serious interest in her.

“You go to a tryout [like that] for your region, and 20 players are chosen plus two goalies,” Scornavacco said. “It’s a really big deal because there’s usually a bunch of girls at the tryout all fighting for a spot on the team.”

Scornavacco stood out by being involved in as many plays as possible, which her coaches had adsvised her to do from the start of her training. The advice proved crucial for Scornavacco last summer when she competed in two

tournaments and went to several college lacrosse camps. She began her summer at the Under Armour Underclass All-America Games and then went straight to a University of Southern California camp. Next came a University of Denver camp where she met up with her team for a tournament.

Scornavacco took a brief three-hour break at home and flew out again for a Duke University camp and returned home for two days afterward. Her last two stops were Northwestern University and Stanford.

“Over the summer, because of just how much I played and the fact that I didn’t have many breaks, I would strain my quad, which I hurt the most [often], or my knees would start to ache,” Scornavacco said. “I hurt myself four times, I had a muscle roller, and I slept on planes. It was worth it.”

After contemplating offers from the schools she visited over the summer, Scornavacco ultimately settled on Stanford in early August before her junior year, because Stanford offered her a scholarship and was “the best option financially,” not to mention being an exceptional educational opportunity and close to home.

Scornavacco’s goal before she enters college is to become good enough to start as a freshman on the Stanford lacrosse team — a lofty goal, as freshman often first have to learn how coaches operate and how the team system works.

“When you go to college, a lot of times freshmen don’t play unless they’re really outstanding,” Scornavacco said. “There’s no rule against freshman playing, but upperclassmen have the edge because they’ve already been in the system, [but] if I can come in and start right away or at least play a lot, that would be really cool.”

Improving her stick skills and footwork are Scornavacco’s constant goals as she works to improve her speed and maneuverability.

“I practice every single day for at least 30 minutes, but I usually try to get in an hour and a half, whether it’s exercising in the gym or playing lacrosse,” Scornavacco said.

Considering the amount of effort and dedication Scornavacco has poured into lacrosse in such a short time, combined with her raw athletic talent, it’s no surprise colleges came calling.

Clearly the Stanford coaches don’t consider her early commitment a laughing matter.

by Alice Qu

PHOTO BY LAUREN ZHANG/FALCONER

A21

A22 the falconer

sports

f/stop

michael gadinis varsity football oct. 23, 9:19:48 p.m.

camera: canon eos 5d mark iii lens: canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L f/2.8L IS II USM iso: 3200 exp: 1/500 seconds f/stop: f/2.8 by grace bruton

october 29, 2015

sports

tphsfalconer.com

the falconer

A23

FALCON TRIES

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING

by Maya Kota

COPY & BACKPAGE EDITOR

Facing her fear of water, Maya Kota (11) tries her hand(s) at synchronized swimming and does her best to stay afloat.

As someone who feels like crying when and waved my feet wildly in the air. the word “swimming” is even mentioned, Then we split into two groups and went I was not merely reluctant, but outright over the routine that the class had been terrified to try synchronized swimming. practicing. I tried to follow along as we The fear of drowning occupied my mind kicked and twirled poolside. during every swimming class I went to After the land drills were over, we got growing up, and even though I eventually into the pool. I thought we would simply learned how to swim, I never really got begin the routine, but instead we did six past the fear. And I suppose that’s exactly laps as a warmup. Since I hadn’t been why I took on the challenge – it was a way swimming in years, I could hardly make to conquer my childhood fears once and for it across the pool once doing freestyle, let all. alone five more times doing backstroke and I contacted the head coach at San breaststroke as well. I was then taught Dieguito Synchronized Swimming, who the “fancy backstroke,” a synchronized generously offered me a trial session in the swimming basic, where I tapped the water beginner class. Under the impression that with a jazz hand every time I made a stroke.

I would spend my time twirling around I was not very good at in the water with the fancy backstroke other newcomers my and kept splashing age, I confidently water on my face strode to the pool to while continuously find a dozen 6-yearbumping into the olds clasping their pool wall. towels and goggles While the other and staring at me, students began to bewildered. I walked practice the routine, around the pool, I was pulled aside asking where the by a class helper to young adult beginner Maya Kota learn another basic class was, but was ���� ��� �������� ������ move called the directed right back to “eggbeater.” the group of curious and expectant tykes.

If there is one thing I am terrible at, it’s I put my towel down next to the other the eggbeater. The eggbeater is the core students’ and began doing stretches at the element of synchronized swimming, the poolside, as directed by the head coach. I helper explained, and it was supposed to had managed to get through the lunges be done by alternatingly rotating my legs and downward dog pose, when she asked while pushing the water back and forth everyone to do the “scorpion” pose, which with my hands. It is essentially a graceful involved extreme contortion of the legs and form of treading water, but I could not get fluttering hand motions. This was followed the motions correct even after being shown by the “boat,” for which I lay on my stomach how to do them several times by both the

And since I could not easily grasp the eggbeater, I had to hold my instructor’s hand for more than half the class to stay afloat.

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instructors and the other students in my class. And since I could not easily grasp the eggbeater, I had to hold my instructor’s hand for more than half the class to stay afloat.

We started the routine, and I tried to follow along as the head coach explained the steps in the routine. We would start under water for four counts and then come to the surface with a “boost.” Then we would do eight counts of breaststroke before tucking our knees to our chests to do a somersault.

This sequence demonstrated the far more strenuous and complicated nature of the sport than I ever had expected. I could barely stay under water without running out of breath, and when I boosted to the surface, I violently splashed water in the children’s faces. The coach pointed out that I should try to be more graceful.

When it was my turn to do a somersault, I closed my eyes, bent my knees and rolled over, hoping this would suffice as a flip.

But, when I opened my eyes, I was face down on the surface of water, having not even slightly turned upside down in the water. With admirable understatement, my coach allowed that I hadn’t “quite gotten it.”

In truth, I hadn’t quite gotten most of the moves and poses taught to me, but at the end, the head coach reminded me that the first time never goes easily for anyone.

She knew of my reluctance when it came to swimming, and told me my willingness to even try the sport was “one step in the right direction.”

Before leaving, I watched the students in an advanced class gracefully maneuver in the water, perfectly synchronizing their

PHOTOS BY AVERY SPICKER/FALCONER

BEAT THAT EGG: Maya Kota (11) tries the eggbeater move, a synchronized swimming basic for treading water. motions as they glided across the pool.

I thought then that the thought of swimming did not make me feel like crying as much as it had before I had taken this lesson. And when my friend asked me the following day if I wanted to go swimming with her, I accepted, joking that I would teach her a somersault, but to forget about the eggbeater.

This October, Falconer staffers raided the costume trunk for some old school Halloween looks.

Be the season’s trendsetter and snag these costumes to have the freshest looks of the night!

A Japanese geisha A man in a sombrero Spice up your cultural appropriation with some Asian flavor. Instead of settling for a rude depiction of our neighbors down south, insult Japan (wow, an Asian country other than China) by dressing up as a geisha.

There’s nothing better than stealing the attire of an ancient culture to look cute at a Halloween party!

Raphael from the Renaissance

raphael from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Flashback to the classics! You’re no longer Raphael from “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” — you’re Raphael from the Renaissance. Whip off that mask and throw on a beret — actually, wait. This costume is really lame.

Why the hell would you rather be an artist than a mutant ninja turtle?

Prince Zuko Elsa Restore honor to the Fire Nation. Sure, Elsa seems like the perfect Disney character to depict; you and millions of children can fulfill all your fantasies of being a conventionally beautiful white girl. Or you can become Prince Zuko, who is just as broody as Elsa — and can shoot fire at people when he’s mad.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin spice latte

Out with the old and in with the new! Drop the childhood pumpkin costume and literally become the quintessential fall drink: a pumpkin spice latte. You can add the obligatory artsy fall photo to your Instagram feed without having to actually go to Starbucks, and your followers won’t even know the difference — your costume will be that good. Also, no one cares enough about your food pics to notice.

by maya kota

focus b1

i am [not] a victim

what makes a victim?

After one is the victim of people or forces outside his or her control, it is easy to feel fearful, depressed and in need of emotional support. However, it is equally easy to become lost in one’s own victimization — when does the emotional damage become excessive self-pity? At what point does dwelling on your victimization immobilize you from taking action and moving forward?

According to Psychology Today, victim mentality is “a repetitive way of negative thinking wherein the victim has come to believe that others, not them, are responsible for their experiences and fulfilling their needs.” Those people slip into thinking of themselves as victims that have little or no control over their lives, and they are stuck in a mire of self-pity and sadness.

However, this is not a story about the psyches of people living with a victim mentality. Although it may seem unlikely, it is possible for those who have been victimized to free themselves from a victim mentality or never to adopt one at all. The following individuals were strong enough to experience, reflect, and move forward.

These are their stories.

traumatic, culturally-rooted mistreatment by in-laws, discovering that you are from your father’s second marriage, Twenty-two years ago, Chelsea’s* mother married her husband as his second wife. Her in-laws come from a traditional Korean background and strictly adhere to those cultural practices. They also hoped their son would remarry his first wife. So his second marriage condemned Chelsea’s mother to a life of criticism and emotional abuse as a result of her rejection of certain familial values like living in the same house as her in-laws. Although Chelsea believes traditions are important in Korean culture, she thinks her mother’s treatment was unnecessarily harsh. Chelsea, who grew up in the shadow of her mother’s painful experiences, finds it hard to understand why her mother seemed incapable of escaping her victimhood.

“For [my mother] to come to me as a young child and tell me all these things about [how my grandparents] mistreated her was part of her way of showing me how hurt she was,” Chelsea said. “I don’t think self-pity is necessarily a bad thing, but ... I think about my mom and how she still suffers and can’t get over what happened to her so long ago because she’s always viewed herself as a victim.”

Internalizing painful experiences is only one of the aspects of a victim mentality; victims may project those feelings as a cry for help or attention. While Chelsea’s mother’s intentions may not have been to sway her daughter’s opinion of her grandparents, they still reflect a question identity crisis victims face — do our experiences define who we truly are?

According to Encinitas clinical psychologist, Dr. Marjorie Miller, who specializes in helping patients understand their identities, the answer is no.

“I think that our thoughts about ourselves are really powerful,” Miller said. “[When I think of victims], I think of people who sometimes get stories in their heads as truths about themselves and their lives. It’s really hard to hear, see or experience [anything that contradicts these beliefs].”

Chelsea’s bias against her grandparents was a side effect of her mother’s inability to separate her experiences from her identity. Chelsea’s mother could only see herself as a victim, so that is how she presented herself to her daughter, and consequently, that is how Chelsea perceived her. For a long time, Chelsea resented her grandparents for the pain and they subjected her mother to, and from second to eighth grade, she had no contact with them. Chelsea struggled to choose between acknowledging her mother’s pain and wanting to have a relationship with her grandparents. She worried her mother would feel betrayed after all that she had

confided in Chelsea.

“When I met [my grandparents] again in eighth grade, it was awkward and hard for me because they were people that I didn’t even grow up around,” Chelsea said. “I just really hated them because, to me, they were the cause of my mom’s suffering. Now I’m on good terms with them. I realized … that they’re still my grandparents. They’re still [family].”

Today, Chelsea recognizes that her grandparents’ motives — doing what they thought was best for their son — were not necessarily cruel. She tries to focus on separating her biased opinion of her grandparents from who they truly are.

“I don’t think [my grandparents] are bad people at all,” Chelsea said. “They might have wronged my mom, but they had their own circumstances and were trying to care for their son. I try not to see them through Mom’s eyes because I viewed my mom as a victim.”

Additionally, the romanticization of “underdogs” in TV shows and movies has created a culture of empathy. We, as members of an audience, root for those who are subject to difficult circumstances. When, in eighth grade, she discovered her father had a daughter from a previous marriage, Chelsea viewed her half-sister as a victim of divorce.

“I’ve got friends from divorced families that I’ve seen really struggle ... [who] had a hard time seeing one of their parents,” Chelsea said. “I’m from my dad’s second family. I grew up my whole life with my dad ... and he had another daughter he couldn’t do this for. I felt that ... because of me, she couldn’t grow up with a dad.”

In the end, the opposite was true. According to Chelsea, her half-sister never conveyed any sense of resentment of Chelsea over her own circumstances. But projecting her half sister’s victimization on her caused Chelsea to believe she, herself, was a perpetrator of something that, in reality, she had no influence over.

For some people, being victims can become a lasting part of their identities, as in the case of Chelsea’s mother.

In fact, Chelsea believes that her mother still lives in her own suffering, unable to break free of the victim identity she adopted so long ago. When Chelsea reflects on her halfsister’s circumstance, she knows she wrongly blamed herself as a way to distract herself from facing reality and moving forward.

In the opinions of many, the self-pity and fear associated with a victim mentality contributing to the negative connotation the term “victim” carries.

being sexually violated by someone you thought was a friend, Kate,* who was taken advantage of sexually by a male student, understands this — it is why she has only told her close friends and family about the encounter and why she was initially reluctant even to call herself a victim.

“I think victim mentality is what makes victimization seem wrong,” she said. “Using that label to get pity is the wrong motive. I think a true instance of victimization is one that you want to keep private — sharing it downgrades what happened to you.”

Kate and the male were in a parking lot when he suddenly began groping her breasts and butt. Although she immediately removed his hands and told him to stop, he continued to grope her and ignore her protests. Not knowing how else to escape the situation, Kate excused herself and walked away, only to hear him calling after her: “That ass is mine.”

“It made me feel powerless,” she said. “The way he felt like he could take control of my body made me feel like I was under the influence of someone else’s power.”

After the encounter, it took Kate a long time to admit to herself that she had been sexually violated and victimized.

Her rationale is one that many female victims of sexual abuse turn to: Maybe I led him on too much. Maybe I shouldn’t have worn those shorts. It happens to everyone. It’s just a guy being a guy.

“I didn’t think that the experience I had was enough to classify myself as a victim,” Kate said. “That’s almost the irony of being a victim — sometimes you don’t understand you’re a victim until later, after the emotions settle.”

Besides comparing the gravity of her situation with more traumatic, high-profile situations, Kate was reluctant to classify herself as a victim because, to her, “victim” has a negative connotation.

“As humans, we try to take control of as much as we can, and when we can’t control something, we automatically think that we’re weak,” she said.

After she was able to openly admit to herself that she was, in fact, a victim, Kate was overcome with an unexpected, positive emotion: liberation. Being able to acknowledge that what happened to her was not her fault was “empowering.”

It provided her with a sense of closure, to acknowledge that she had been threatened disrespectfully, that the treatment was neither normal nor acceptable.

There are many school resources that can help students combat cases of victimization, according to TPHS counselor Jayme Cambra.

“The first thing [counseling] provides is a place for students to go, to even address the topic,” Cambra said.

“There is a fear to admit that your situation is even real, and our goal is to get students to connect and know that our role here is to advocate for them.”

Although Kate views victim mentality in a negative light, she does not believe it is acceptable to question whether or not a person is truly a victim — her disapproval of victim mentality only affects her opinion of how some individuals handle their victimization, or in many cases, publicize it.

“To believe you are a victim is your own prerogative,” Kate said. “It’s a personal term and personal experience.”

being labeled by others because of your sexuality Still, others refuse to subject themselves to victimization.

James,* as part of the LGBT community, faces constant discrimination because of his sexuality.

To James, a victim is just somebody who “is made to feel less than they actually are,” a statement that resonates deeply with many LGBT people. What’s wrong with you? This is unnatural. You are a sinner. You disgust me.

Raised in a liberal household, James never felt ashamed of who he was. It was the years of confusion and a fear of rejection that kept his sexuality hidden.

It was not until middle school that James found an answer to all of his childhood questions: he was gay.

“This sounds clichéd, but I guess [I knew I was gay] since I was a little kid, before I really knew what sexual orientation was,” James said. “It was always like something was different; half of my friends were girls, and everyone [thought that was weird].”

James came out for the first time to a close friend in his sophomore year. Later, despite knowing his family’s liberal background, James struggled with anxiety before coming out to his family members as well.

“I remember my heart racing,” James said. “Even with my liberal upbringing, it was still very uncomfortable for me to realize [my sexuality]. My parents were actually surprised;

they told me they didn’t see it coming.”

The unshakable acceptance and support of his friends and family has helped James publically acknowledge his sexuality.

However, he is still victim of the prejudice surrounding the LGBT community.

When James asked another boy to his sophomore Winter Formal, not everyone was as readily accepting as his friends.

According to James, when he told some classmates who he was going with, the news was met with shock and confusion. “[They] didn’t even consider the possibility,” James said.

Heteronormativity, the belief that heterosexuality is the only norm and that romantic and sexual relationships should only be between men and women, victimizes people like James.

“I know maybe three or four other gay people in this entire school of 3,000 kids,” James said. “When I came out, I definitely did feel alone and it was uncomfortable for me to [realize my sexuality], especially in Carmel Valley, which isn’t always the most liberal environment.”

Despite the way heteronormativity dismisses the personhood of individuals within the LGBT community, James refuses to call himself a victim of sexual discrimination.

The mocking stereotype forced on him, the occasional snide comments, the prejudice, all empower him to rise up against the ways some see him and be proud of who he is.

— a victim no longer.

Although victimization can have lasting effects on people’s psychological health, self-identifying as a victim is not always analogous to adopting a victim mentality. Although Chelsea, Kate and James all tell different stories, they have one thing in common: the resolve to move past what has victimized them, but with the resolve to better understand themselves and provide empathy and understanding to others.

by Sarah Chan and Maya Parella

I THINK OF SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT BE