Vol. 46, Issue 5, 18 pages
Friday, May 28, 2021
Waving Goodbye SURF TEAM on A15
photo by mike piercy
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may 28, 2021
Epic v. Apple trial concludes, verdict yet to come Helene Gao
STAFF WRITER
Epic Games’ antitrust lawsuit against Apple for the iOS App Store’s allegedly monopolistic practices went to trial on May 3 in Oakland, presided over by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers and the U.S. District Court of Northern California and ended on May 24, and the verdict is pending. Epic Games is the American video game company behind “Fortnite,” which released a version for mobile devices in 2017. In August 2020, Epic Games added its own alternative payment processing system to “Fortnite” to avoid the 30% commission Apple collects on all purchases made through the iOS App Store. Consequently, Apple removed “Fortnite” from its App Store on the grounds Epic violated its contract. Epic Games countered with a lawsuit in August 2020, claiming Apple exhibits “anti-competitive” behavior and holds “monopoly power.” The Epic v. Apple trial is a bench
trial, in which there is no jury. It is unknown when the verdict will be announced. A crucial factor in the trial is if the App Store is legally determined to be monopolizing the relevant market — in this case, the market for apps. The trial also has great implications for U.S. antitrust laws that regulate corporations in order to foster competition, as it can set an important precedent for similar suits in the future. “Apple allowing app users to install apps not from the App Store fosters growth and competition,” Wynn Chang (10) said. To prevail, Epic Games had to prove that Apple has monopoly power over the app market. However, Apple denies having a monopoly, since Apple devices are not intended to compete with other platforms such as the Sony Playstation, Steam, Xbox and the Nintendo Switch, which also offer “Fortnite” and are devoted only to gaming. Microsoft Vice President of Gaming, Media and
Entertainment Lori Wright confirmed that Xbox does not “view the iPhone as a competing device.” “Mobile games have different styles of play, and “Fortnite” is a completely different game on PCs,” Rohan Inamdar (10) said. “Gaming consoles are not competing with mobile devices.” On the other hand, Apple needed to prove the App Store is competitive with other game transaction platforms. If Judge Rogers accepts Apple’s definition
of the app market as including Android’s app platform, Google Play Store and other systems, Apple will win the case. “If you’re putting something through someone else’s store, they have the right to control what product is being put on the shelves,” Intro to Business teacher Jake Ashby said. Epic Games filed a similar lawsuit, Epic Games v. Google, on March 13, after the Google Play Store removed “Fortnite” for similar reasons.
Cyberattacks Scripps Health & the Colonial Pipeline
many digital records offline since May 1; hack has harmed flow of information and increased patient wait times
cyberattack on the pipeline led to gasoline shortages, inreased prices, and hoarding
Scripps is the second largest regional health care provider
$4.4 million in bitcoin was paid to hackers in order to regain control of the pipeline’s systems
5 hospitals are affected
Caused an11-day shutdown
infographic by jasmine criqui/falconer
Recycling club aims to align TPHS with recyling law Jacob Zhang
STAFF WRITER
The newly-reestablished Recycling Club is on a mission to bring TPHS into compliance with the City of San Diego Recycling Ordinance because the school currently violates the law by not providing designated recycling bins and not having a schoolwide recycling program, according to Assistant Principal Robert Shockney. The club is in the process of printing paper signage in hopes of increasing classroom recycling. Although TPHS has recycling dumpsters available through EDCO, a waste disposal company, custodians have been forced to dump recycled waste into the trash because students do not dispose of trash in the correct bins. “I hate to say it, but the issue lies with the students,” Michael Morse (12), the president of the Recycling Club,
said. “There are recycling bins, but in those bins there is trash, and it’s not cost-effective [in terms of their time] for janitors to separate recyclables from trash.” To increase recycling, the Recycling Club has created a two-step plan. The first step involves printing signage for each recycling bin. According to Section 66.0707 of the ordinance, all commercial recycling containers “shall display a list and/or pictures of the recyclable materials that may be deposited into the Recycling Container.” Currently, the blue school recycling bins have the recycling emblem on the sides, but that does not qualify as appropriate signage. “We are getting custom recycling signs onto each bin to remind students and others of what goes where,” Morse said. The Recycling Club received ASB funding to print the signs and will soon post them on bins.
“This idea [of recycling signage] will help students,” Josh Chen (10) said. “Sometimes, I am confused on what should be recycled. Plastic bags are supposed to be thrown in the trash which is confusing because when it comes to plastic, you think about recycling instead of trash.” Step two of the Recycling Club’s plan will create promotional campaigns to
educate students about proper waste disposal. Although Morse may not get to this step before he graduates, he is confident that the Recycling Club will continue to promote recycling on campus after he leaves. If the plan is successful, the Recycling Club will give custodians the green light to start freely recycling the contents of the recycling bins.
photo by jessica yu/falconer
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the falconer
A3
Robert Haley resigns as SDUHSD superintendent STAFF WRITER
Former SDUHSD Superintendent Dr. Robert Haley voluntarily resigned on April 30 and has been temporarily replaced by Lucile Lynch while the district searches for a permanent superintendent. Haley will continue to be paid his annual salary of $270,746 while also keeping the health benefits that came with the position for the next 12 months. However, this agreement between SDUHSD and Haley may change if he finds another job with health benefits before April 30, 2022. Haley released a personal statement on April 28 expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to be SDUHSD’s superintendent. He also expressed his hopes that the school board would continue to make reopening a priority. According to the Del Mar Times, board members, parents and students alike have been critical of Haley’s
poor leadership during the pandemic. In November 2020, the San Diego Faculty Association held a board meeting, where board members voted on whether they had confidence in Superintendent Haley’s leadership. After the votes were counted, the board found that 98% of the members did not have confidence in Haley. On April 22, the Board held a meeting with the focus on superintendent evaluation, but no action was taken. On April 28, Haley announced his resignation. “I can’t really comment with any sort of credibility on what other people were thinking obviously,” Principal Robert Coppo said. Haley’s early exit will allow for new ideas and perspectives in the process of reopening schools. “The district’s main goal is to help the students in SDUHSD, and with the appointment of an interim superintendent, I believe that the Board of Trustees, as well as the
superintendent, will find a way to achieve the high expectations that we have in our district,” TPHS School Board Representative Zander Samarasinghe (12) said. On April 29, the Board held a meeting to review the applications of 14 potential superintendents. Concluding with debriefs and evaluations, the Board appointed Lucile Lynch to act as Interim Superintendent. In the meantime, the Board will conduct an extensive search for a permanent superintendent. “Hopefully a new superintendent and some fresh eyes can come in and see all the amazing things we’re doing in this pandemic and how we’ve managed to be successful,” Coppo said. While Lynch has not held any formal positions in education, she still has experience working with schools. She is the former “dedicated Education Advocate” for SDUHSD, as well as the founder of Beacons, a non-profit aiming
to support adults with developmental disabilities. “Lucile Lynch brings something the SDUHSD District Office has not seen in a superintendent in a long time, someone who has served in public legal service,” ASB President Jake Noble (12) said.
photo from the san diego union tribune
Dixie Wallerius
the district is planning to purchase new
batteryoperated leaf blowers
s
SDUHSD campuses in San Diego and Carlsbad use gas powered leaf blowers 10 hours per week.
on
L e af B D S SDUH low iss ing Em i
current leaf blowers emit the equivalent of
9,500
miles per week of truck travel infographic by katie flint/falconer
Board positions filled after resignations David Zhang
STAFF WRITER
Trustee Kristin Gibson resigned from the SDUHSD Board of Trustees on March 19 and was swfitly replaced by Ty Humes through a motion created by Trustee Michael Allman and supported unanimously by the Board. Just over a month later, the Board of Trustees approved former Superintendent Dr. Robert Haley’s resignation on the evening of April 27 and appointed Lucile Lynch for the position of Interim Superintendent on April 29. “They released a job description for [Gibson’s] board seat, and of course [the replacement] needs to be someone who can make some executive decisions, who can be business-minded,
who can be legal-minded but also ... in the ... game to serve students,” ASB President Jake Noble (12) said. Humes and six other candidates were interviewed by the Board for Gibson’s seat. “The applicants were individually interviewed by Board members, and they found Ty Humes being the best fit,” ASB School Board Representative Zander Smarasinghe (12) said. “We as a group, including the board of trustees, former Superintendent Haley, and the student Board representatives in our district, unanimously agreed on ... [appointing] Humes.” Elections for board members are held once every few years, with the next
scheduled for November 2022; however, a special election could have been organized to select Gibson’s replacement. Still, the board decided on directly appointing Humes instead. “The board [can] appoint a new board member, and they often do that to avoid the cost of a special election because those can be very expensive,” Principal Rob Coppo said. According to Noble, it could cost the Board as much as $500,000 to hold a special election. The SDUHSD website lists the qualifications necessary to become the Interim Superintendent, including a prior superintendent position held at a public high school school district or an
equivalent leadership role in education, business or another large organization. Furthermore, the Interim is employed for an indefinite time and receives compensation based upon his or her qualifications, experience and contracted days. The Board reviewed 14 applications and interviewed eight candidates for the position before appointing Lucile Lynch. “Lucile Lynch has already stated that she believes her position will be interim and she does not want to extend it past its interim stage,” Noble said. When the time comes to elect the permanent superintendent, a similar appointment process will be used.
It has been over one year since George Floyd was brutally killed by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, 2020. His death sparked discussions about race and police brutality in this nation. As individuals and as a community, we must open our eyes to the racial injustices plaguing our country and continue fighting for racial equality. photos from twitter -The Falconer Staff
EQUALITY FOR ALL
THINGS NEED TO CHANGE
I’M JUST AN ATHLETE IT’S NOT MY PLACE TO SPEAK UP
black lives matter DON’T INCITE VIOLENCE
ART BY ISABELLA ZABARSKY
Following the shooting of Ma’Khia Bryant, L.A. Laker LeBron James tweeted a photo of the officer who shot Bryant, with the message “You’re next #accountability,” alluding to the conviction of Officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd, announced within minutes of the shooting.
Katie Flint
ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
On April 19, 16-year-old Ma’khia Bryant was shot dead by police in Columbus, Ohio after she called reporting that multiple women were trying to stab her. Shortly after the shooting, the police released body camera footage to remain transparent, and the unidentified officer was removed from street duty. The Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting. The death of Bryant follows the deaths of other Black Columbus community members Casey Goodson Jr., Andre Hill and Miles Jackson. The community gathered to protest outside the Columbus police headquarters shortly after the shooting. Others went online to express their grief and frustration over the shooting, including LeBron James, an Ohio native, who wrote a tweet on April 19 saying, “YOU’RE NEXT. #ACCOUNTABILITY,” with an attached photo of the Columbus police officer who shot Bryant. The original tweet was justified because James has the right to express his grief and frustration over the shooting and advocate for justice for Bryant. James later deleted the tweet saying it was used to create more hate and explained in a new tweet, “This isn’t just about one officer, it’s about the entire system and they always use our words to
create more racism. I am so desperate for some ACCOUNTABILITY.” James was outraged by the shooting of Bryant and the many other black people who were fatally shot by police. He used his expansive Twitter following and platform to highlight the shooting and demand accountability from the officers responsible for the shooting. Though the tweet is emotionally charged, James’s tweet shows his rightful concern for the situation because statistically, police officers are not convicted after a fatal on-duty shooting. Research conducted by Philip Stinson, an associate professor at Bowling Green University, and the university’s Police Integrity Research Group confirms this imbalance. According to the study, which was conducted from 2005 to 2019, of the 104 nonfederal sworn law enforcement officers who have been arrested for murder or manslaughter resulting from fatal on-duty shootings, only 35 have been convicted for the crime. Additionally, officers are often convicted of a lesser offense, with only four officers having been convicted of murder and incarcerated. James’s intention was not to incite violence in his fanbase and threaten the Columbus police force as many people claim. As his later tweet shows, he was educating his fans about the injustices Black people face and bringing attention to the investigation to try to hold the officers involved accountable. James’s tweet, while controversial and misunderstood, achieved his ultimate goals of calling out a system, starting a conversation among his fanbase and the media, and giving an opportunity for inward reflection, which is a way to be a part of the solution.
Jasmine Criqui
OPINION EDITOR
At 4:45 p.m. on April 20, white Columbus police officer Nicholas Reardon fatally shot Ma’Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl living in the foster care system. The shooting happened just minutes before a Minneapolis jury found Derek Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter for his role in the death of George Floyd. Soon after both events occurred, LeBron James tweeted “YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY” with an hourglass emoji and a photo of Reardon, seeming to imply, unfairly, that Reardon should be prosecuted legally in a similar manner to Chauvin. To state the obvious, James’s audience is massive, and so is his influence. And unfortunately, his 49.6 million Twitter followers (at the time, the number has since increased) were receiving a very skewed look at the death of Ma’Khia Bryant. Unlike George Floyd, Bryant was not unarmed. Instead, she had a steak knife in hand when she lunged at 22-yearold Tionna Bonner, also Black, who she had pinned against a car. For James to equate the two cases is incredibly irresponsible. Despite James’s prominence, there was shockingly little criticism or even coverage of his inflammatory statements
from many major liberal media outlets. Though traditionally conservative outlets, perhaps unsurprisingly, were all over the story, much of their anger was misdirected and focused on James supposedly advocating for vigilante justice. It’s true that the tweet can be interpreted in multiple ways, but considering the hashtag and the timing, it seems much more likely that James wanted a legal conviction for Reardon á la Chauvin rather than direct action from his fans. But as the Jan. 6 Capitol riot goes to show, celebrity idolization is a powerful tool that can be incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands. Regardless of James’s intention behind the tweet, the fact remains that he used his platform to pin a target on the back of an officer who, as bodycam footage revealed, acted in accordance with his training to protect a Black life. If there are notable flaws in police training it isn’t the individual officer’s fault; it’s a structural problem that demands more nuanced arguments. In fairness to James, he later deleted the tweet and clarified his calls for accountability. He also apologized for “[fueling] the wrong conversation” about Bryant, and linked to a Vox article that argues for de escalation tactics and criticizes the villainization of Bryant in the media. James has long been a staunch advocate for racial justice, and this controversy should by no means discredit his future activism. However, he must be more careful before wielding his influence in the future to make sure he has the correct target.
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the falconer
A5
Freedom of speech in schools threatened once again
Neha Pubbi
NEWS EDITOR
Brandi Levy expressed her outrage captioning a photo of her middle finger with “F*** school F*** softball, F*** cheer, F*** everything.”. Her message about making the JV cheerleading squad instead of varsity was posted on Snapchat in 2017. Following this, Mahanoy Area High School suspended Levy from the cheer team for a year. Levy sued the school, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, and won in a federal appeals court. However, the school district appealed the ruling, and now the case is being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court. At issue is whether public schools can legally dicipline students for speech outsideschool-supervised settings. The court should side with Levy, protecting student speech. This case is the most significant regarding student speech since Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community
School District. The court ruled in favor of students who protested America’s involvement in the Vietnam War by wearing black armbands to school. While the issue at hand might seem trivial, the Supreme Court ruling can determine the boundaries of free speech and the limits of school control on student speech, including on social media. Here, Levy expressed her discontent with her high school cheerleading team’s decision, the next student could be pointing out a school’s racist or sexist policies. Limiting citizens’ ability to point out flaws with the system goes against the spirit of the United States and the first amendment of the constitution. Levy’s speech is protected under the First Amendment. Her use of expletives to describe a situation regarding her school does not fall under obscenity, fraud, child pornography, speech integral to illegal conduct or speech that incited imminent lawless action. Her speech was not disruptive to school practices and did not pose a clear and present danger -- the test of speech under the First Amendment with precedent set by Schenck v. United States, Whitney V. California, Thornhill v. Alabama and Terminiello v. City of Chicago. However, the issue at hand is not if this is illegal speech, but do schools have the power to control student speech outside of school, on social media or not? The majority in Tinker
v. Des Moines concluded that students do not lose their constitutional rights of free expression on school grounds. Therefore, the school cannot restrict speech that is covered by the First Amendment. The other aspect is the speech was expressed on social media. The rise of social media has created issues like cyberbullying and directed threats online, both considered dangerous and demanding of disciplinary action, but Levy’s infamous eight-word message did not have any of the prior. Levy did not direct the expletives at an individual,
even the cheer team, or threaten action. She rather expressed her discontent with her cheer placement -- therefore Levy’s speech did not present a clear and present danger and did not substantially disrupt the school’s environment. The school cannot restrict her speech simply because they don’t like what she is saying. Levy’s suspension from the cheer team violated her First Amendment rights, and the school district’s appeal is an attempt to limit and control student speech and students’ social media.
ART BY AMANDA SALANTINO
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
» KEVIN SONG
Editor-in-Chief Kevin Song highlights what being a Kpop fan has meant to him in the ongoing struggle for diverse cultural representation. In the Falconer lab, where the air often gets thick with tepid body heat and the funk of many different food odors, the only thing that can cut through our torpor is our collaborative Falconer Spotify playlist blaring through the loudspeakers. Yet, amid the vast stretches of songs by Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Travis Scott and Adele, I always conceal some Kpop — a BlackPink mini album sandwiched between Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa, or a stray BTS song tossed onto the end of a Drake album. If shuffle play decides it’s in a good mood and picks a Kpop song, it’s often met with some exasperated calls to “turn it off!” And, while I know it’s all good-natured banter, part of me still raises an eyebrow. I just sat through forty-five minutes of Western rap, hip-hop and pop — is four minutes of Kpop really that unbearable? I’ve always been proud to be KoreanAmerican, but it’s never nice feeling like the alternative or the backup; sometimes, it felt like my Korean identity was forced to take a backseat to a facade of myself that would be more well-received by my peers. My most acute memory of this is from seventh grade: after months of studying ancient European, African, Indian and even
Chinese civilizations, my World History teacher announced an upcoming Korea mini unit, since there was a leftover day in the schedule. Never mind that it would only be one day long — I was stoked! Unfortunately, that day never came. At the end of the year, I casually asked her what happened: “Not enough time.” “That’s all right,” I lied. In retrospect, my teacher definitely had good intentions, but the thought that my Korean culture was just a marginal, expendable part of the school curriculum only added to the difficulties of navigating an inherently delicate cultural identity. An insidious desire to be more “American” often threatened to weaken my tether to Korean culture. Yet, embracing my Korean roots didn’t feel like an option either: I stumbled awkwardly over the Korean language, tripping over conjugations and grammar rules, while my native-born friends bounded ahead, their words and conversations bursting joyfully like fireworks. I’d always been told that America was a “great melting pot” — after all, I’d sung a song about it in my kindergarten Thanksgiving play, so it had to be true, right? Why wasn’t I feeling that as reality?
PHOTO COURTESY OF KEVIN SONG PHOTO COURTESY OF KEVIN SONG Kpop was the catalyst in my realization that I didn’t have to sacrifice my Korean side to fully be American. Although American popular culture has had a long history of excluding Asians, Korea’s efforts to globalize have become impossible to ignore as Korean artists crash onto Western music charts and command the spotlight on celebrity talk shows. Kpop is not purely Korean, but it is a flexible hybridization of Western and Korean cultures, rendering it a stronger bridge between my two cultural sides. I’ve even become more proficient in the Korean language by listening to Kpop frequently. While I certainly can’t say that I see myself in the picture-perfect cosmetic specimens that most Kpop stars are, seeing Korean artists gain coverage in the mainstream still affirms that I do have a place in this huge, crazy world of ours.
All this to say: representation is crucial, especially to children who seek role models to set as focal points for their own journeys. Things are getting better, but are still not at the place that they could be; Kpop is just one step toward realizing the “great melting pot” that America is often touted as. And, to you, I ask in earnest: always try to branch out. Increased representation means nothing if it isn’t received by more people as well. As this dark period of heightened AAPI hate in the United States drags on, this personal perspective has inadvertently become the second installment of my editorial from our previous issue of the Falconer. Even if this is the last story I write as part of the Falconer staff, I hope that someone continues to keep the Spotify playlist diverse in my stead. (Viyang, lookin’ at you.)
opinion
A6 the falconer
may 28, 2021
STAFF EDITORIAL Celebrities are ditching Hollywood to pursue political aspirations. Should they? A petition against California Governor Gavin Newsom has recently gathered enough signatures to demand a recall election to hopefully take place later this year. The prospective candidates are flooding in, but one stands out: Caitlyn Jenner, former Olympic athlete and member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan. It is quite a surprise for Jenner to announce a political campaign since she has never been too openly political in the past. The Internet certainly did not hold back as many pointed out Jenner’s inexperience in politics and hypocritical views toward the LGBTQIA+ community. But this isn’t about whether Jenner is qualified to run for California Governor but about the continuation of celebrities thinking they’re good enough to become politicians. Celebrities in the past who’ve left Hollywood for politics have included former President Ronald Reagan and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenagger. During their time in office, it seemed as if each was genuinely passionate and interested in what they were doing. And as a cherry on top for Reagan, he was California governor before running for president. Nowadays, it seems as if celebrities like Jenner and Matthew McConaughey are announcing campaigns for clout. Certainly anyone can become a politician if they want to and they are
passionate about it, it’s just that celebrities who have never openly expressed their political opinions who then later announce a political campaign seem awkward; it’s as if they need their egos to be inflated in another arena. One potential celebrity-turnedpolitician is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Johnson has expressed, as early as 2016, great interest in running for president. A recent poll by Piplsay showed that 46% of Americans would consider voting for him. Although it is hilarious to imagine Johnson as president, this potential move gives indicates a pretty massive sense of self-importance as celebrities think they can truly represent the average American citizen. Other wannabe celebrities-turnedpoliticians include Kid Rock (who later admitted that his campaign was a publicity stunt in order to promote his upcoming album at the time), and Kanye West. Politicians certainly need to be well liked to land a career in politics, and celebrities have checked off that requirement. But unlike some politicians, celebrities have an enormous following on social media with a dedicated fanbase. For example, Taylor Swift has nearly 157 million followers on Instagram and has used her platform in the past to raise awareness about certain political topics such as the controversial Tennessee mid-term election back in 2018; voter registration significantly increased
ART BY GRACE FLANAHAN
partly due to Swift’s social media posts. Celebrities with a consistent, genuine interest in politics and a public voice on that topic tend not to run for office. Let’s not forget that vast knowledge and understanding of domestic and global issues is also a prerequisite for national office. Maybe the former guy led other
58% of Americans would support Matthew McConaughey and Dwayne Johnson’s run for political office
student voices I think it’s dangerous for these careers to mix. If you don’t have political experience or education, then simply don’t get into politics.
63% of Americans believe Hollywood celebrities can be successful politicians with the neccesary support and attitude
- Roan Wallerius (9) I don’t think [celebrities] are 100% qualified or educated on diplomatic issues to consider them politicans, despite having large platforms that they might share their views on occasionally.
Will Smith is the most popular choice for a celebrity president among Millennials and Gen Zers
- Morgan Mullins (10)
INFORMATION FROM PIPLSAY.COM
We, the Falconer staff, are dedicated to creating a monthly newspaper with the intent of encouraging independent thinking, expanding our knowledge of journalism, and providing the TPHS student body and community with a truthful, unbiased news source, in accordance with our First Amendment rights.
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The Falconer is the student newspaper of Torrey Pines High School. Its content, which is the responsibility of the Falconer staff, is not subject to administrative approval. Unsigned editorials represent the opinions of the staff, while opinion columns represent the writer’s perspective. Advertisements do not represent endorsements. The Falconer, an open forum, welcomes signed letters or guest editorials on pertinent issues from the TPHS community, which may be submitted to room 102, via email at falconer.ads@gmail.com or to Mia Smith’s mailbox in the administration building. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
celebrities to believe anyone can do the job. If Caitlyn Jenner truly wanted to make an impact on California, why not use her almost 11 million followers on Instagram and 3.5 million followers on Twitter to make that impact? There’s nothing stopping you, so use your platform and speak up. - The Falconer Staff
Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor-in-Chief Buisness/Managing Editor News Editor Opinion Editor Feature Editor Entertainment Editor Sports Editor Copy Editor Staff Writers
Kevin Song Katie Flint Micah Levy Neha Pubbi Jasmine Criqui Mirabel Hunt Srishti Thapar Amy Ge Nolan Ezzet Brandon Raimo Piper Levy Helene Gao Viyang Hao Jenny Han
Matan Morris Kelsie Park Dixie Wallerius Jerry Wu David Zhang Jacob Zhang Photographer: Natalia Mochernak Jessica Yu Adviser: Mia Boardman Smith
drone invasion
(of privacy?) the drone industry at a glance
As the world of technology continues to grow, the advancement of drones has brought about obvious benefits and drawbacks. Improvements to drone function, ability and activity are certainly exciting for many drone owners, but those advancements also allow drones to access more places discreetly and with ease, raising concerns over public safety and privacy. “I’m a commercial advertising photographer and videographer, and drones have become a part of my workflow,” professional photographer Cameron Smith (‘06) said. “It took what once was a crew of three or four requiring a helicopter and a filmer, and [drones] have streamlined all of that down to one person.” Drones are capable of capturing footage and data from altitudes of up to 400 feet. There is a wide variety of drone types that vary in price, function and purpose, but the four major types of drones are: multirotor, fixed-wing, single-rotor helicopter and fixed-wing hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). Despite their unique differences, all drones use a groundbased controller, which is why drones are also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). “The power [of drones] is pretty crazy,” Smith said. “You can now book jobs as a single oprator that you know would have required a pretty ridiculous budget and a pretty extensive crew in the past.” Drones can be used for more than just videography and footage; they have often been used in search and rescue missions to capture infrared footage, which can help detect humans using their heat signatures. Drones have also been used by the government to deliver supplies, medicine and other resources to disaster and war zones. “Drones can be very useful for a variety of reasons in everyday life or in big circumstances,” Niall Brady (12) said. “They are another example of how technology has grown over the years.” Although drones can be used to streamline previously inefficient processes, drones have also become the subjects of wariness and suspicion.
PHOTO BY JESSICA YU/FALCONER
There have been multiple reports of drones invading people’s privacy or trespassing on private property. “One night, I was in my room, and a drone hovered in front of my window for a few minutes,” Sophia Fox (11) said. “I had no clue who it belonged to and never saw it again after it left, but it left me feeling very weird.” Because drones are nearly silent and smaller than ever, many people feel uneasy whenever they see the drones around in their everyday lives. “I’ll be at practice, or at dinner, or at the beach with friends, and all of a sudden, I’ll hear the faint hum of a drone,” Jessica McKinney (11) said. “It is a little unsettling because you never know if the drone is recording or taking pictures.”
I’ll be at practice, or at dinner, or at the beach with friends, and all of a sudden, I’ll hear the faint hum of a drone. It is a little unsettling. Jessica McKinney (11) Once these privacy concerns were brought to the California state government’s attention, the “Paparazzi Law” was enacted, which prevented drones from flying above private residences without permission. Charges potentially could be brought against drone operators for invasion of privacy if the owner of the drone was intentionally trying to capture video or audio of an unsuspecting person. “I personally did not take any action against the drone that came to my window because I didn’t think anything could be done,” Fox said. “But, if it came again regularly, I would probably report it because it did make me uncomfortable.” As drones continue to become more advanced, rules and regulations will likely need to be updated or added, often to protect people’s privacy. by Piper Levy
the drone industry’s expected growth by 2025 is
$63.6 billion the total drone market size is currently estimated at
$100 billion total consumer drone shipments numbers have now reached
29 million sales of U.S. consumer drone sales in 2020 surpassed
$1.25 billion
INFORMATION FROM BUSINESS INSIDER
feature
A8 the falconer
may 28, 2021
TEACHER FEATURE For most people, school and home are two separate worlds, one with parents and the other with teachers. However, for business teacher Jake Ashby, that has never been the case. He and his father Scott Ashby have taught together at TPHS for two years, and before that Jake was a TPHS student. Jake teaches Introduction to Business and Accounting during school hours; outside the classroom, he coaches football and track and field. Ashby Sr. has been a teacher at TPHS since 1992 and teaches Physical Education as well as Weight Training, in addition to coaching football and baseball. Scott began teaching at TPHS 1993, and Ashby Jr. started at TPHS as a high schooler in 2009, choosing to become a Falcon rather than a Rancho Bernardo High School Bronco. After graduating from college, he entered the tree care industry for three years, but ultimately decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a football coach and, later, a teacher. “I [first] ... became a football coach here and got around the community and realized how special this community is and wanted to get in as soon as I could,” Jake said. “So, I got into a classroom last year, and I’ve loved it ever since.” While they do share a workplace, being teachers of different subjects means they
do not bump into each other often. “Academically, we don’t cross paths,” Scott said. “On the field, we’ll wave and say hi to each other, but he’s got his own group of kids and I’ve got my own group of kids. We get together off campus quite a bit; on campus if we run into each other in the hallway or if we need to speak to each other, we’ll just find each other.” While they may not interact often, they are thankful for the benefits that come from working in the same environment. “The positive [for] me is to watch another student come through TPHS and then want to give back and be able to come back … to help the school be the great school it is,” Ashby Sr. said. “To bring back a former Falcon is always a great thing … and it’s always very rewarding to have them; when it’s your own child, it’s tenfold.” Both Ashbys value their interactions and observations, both with each other and with their students. “You get to see someone you care about every day and … how they interact with students and how positive an impact they’ve had on this campus” Jake said. Scott is also able to witness firsthand how his son grows and what he accomplishes as a teacher. “It’s a very unique opportunity for me to listen to how
students are respecting him and ... what they like about him and to be able to hear that is a pretty cool thing,” Ashby Sr. said. The only small “struggle” that Jake faces is fulfilling the exemplary standards set by his father. “It’s not a negative, but the one thing is ‘Mr. Ashby’ has been on campus for so long,” Ashby Jr. said. “He’s developed all these good positive relationships. There’s always that little bit of, ‘Am I living up to what he’s done so well on this campus for so long?’” Although the students they share often get the two confused, the Ashbys still enjoy observing how their students grow and change over their years at TPHS. “The first week of school [students are] like, ‘Oh, I have Mr Ashby for P.E.’ and they end up in a business class and they’re like, ‘Wait, what am I doing here,’” Ashby Jr. said. “After that, depending on what grade levels we’re teaching that year … we’ll have shared students, some years we won’t … then we get to hear how the other one was last year.” While distance learning has separated many families, not much has changed for the Ashby’s. “[The] only change is I became his personal tech support,” Jake said. “I helped him set up Google Classroom for the first time.” While their dynamic has somewhat changed working in a shared environment, the only shift in their relationship has been student and teacher to coworkers; they still remain a very close father and son pair. “Now we discuss what’s going on on campus and how we can help students that we do share,” Ashby Jr. said. “[Before], it was very much … father, son, coach, student at that time, and now it’s still father, son but it’s also colleague.” by Jenny Han
The ashbys
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Have a roaring 20's and beyond
Class of ‘21
TorreY PINES HIGH SCHOOL
College Map ‘21
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Have a University of Washington Ashlyn Bowman Christian LeRose Jackson Drewry Amanda Li
ROARIN Montana State University Lauren Landen
Whitman College Ella Schneider
Boise State University Hailey Dewey Marco Notarainni Delaney Hall
University of Oregon Sebastian Barclay Emma White Charlie Cooke
University of Wyoming Olivia Nemec Brigham Young University Rebecca Cole Truman Morley
Community College Michael Kabban Adam Bernstein
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International Students
A Colorado School of Mines Ilicina Feliciano
University of Sydney Haley Dinsmore
University of Colorado Boulder Isabella Grust Anna Ybarrola Zakary Loreto
Copenhagen Business School Olivar Brandrup
University of Colorado Denver Abbi Pals
University of Toronto Isabella Liu
University of Arizona Carly Barry Arizona State University Jarrek Arendensen Seth Johnson Troy Benjamin Jamie Kurko Hailey Dowden Jake Lea Dylan Johnson Paige Meraz
Baylor University Nicole Demos Allison Ralph
Bryce Richard
Southern Methodist University Christiana Braswell Texas Tech University Libby Fleming Texas Christian University Kate Bottini Liz Trask Annika Nordstrom
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University of Texas at Austin Kaolyn Roberts
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Maine College of Art Grace Smith
Time
Colgate University Henry Shear Cornell University Christopher Um
Emma Lee
DeVry University Sebastian Fayer Delgado
Sherwin Roshan
Marymount Manhatttan College Catherine Smith Sophia Stettner New York University Emily Eshoo Cesar Espinal
University of Wisconsin-Madison Cole Chandler Abby Perlmutter Zachary Lesher
Sarah Lawrence College Nicholas Fajardo
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Aryaman Choudhary
Syracuse University June Kim
Roosevelt University Brielle Carre
University of Rochester Lauren Um
University of Missouri Brandon Raimo University of Michigan Molly Umansky Taya Harrison Gillian Moraga
dson
Deniz Qian Katie Wang
University at Albany Joseph Schwartz Pennsylvania State University Sophie Thompson Jake Troxler
Indiana University Bloomington Mia Grust Shea Nugent
Boston University Shin Hwa Noh
University of Notre Dame Reinhard Bartsch
Boston College Michael Morse
George Washington University Erin Poe
Northeastern University Will Finlay
Georgetown University Ameeta Sihota
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Faith Choe
University of Virginia Jans Croon Ashley Hanson
Yale University Bella Chan
University of North Carolina Andrew Egan
Rider University Morgan Thompson
Tyler Wittenberg
Aman Fikre
John Hopkins University Robbin Bai Luke Simsiman University of Mississippi Gavin Ryder
University of Georgia Sydney Nguyen
University of Miami Matias Clotfelter Bastias
Cormac O’Brien
Emory University Jungwoo Seo
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Into the Work Force Professional Private Dog Trainer Charlotte Gibson
The Falconer has spent weeks soliciting the post-high school plans of all seniors. The college map includes the information provided to us by the May 24 deadline. The Falconer is not responsible for reprinting the map on account of anyone who missed the deadline and did not submit their plans or submitted any spelling errors. Some colleges may not be in the correct geographical location due to space constraints. However, all college submissions received by May 24 are printed on the maps.
San Diego Sanitation Driver Liam Flynn
Gap Year Adam Bernstein Lonnie Pollock
Sam Liotta
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California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Nicole Douglas Barrett Goldman Paola Ramirez Dalya Extance Sean Nicholas Justin Romine Veronica Bodenstein Lana Kabakibi
San Diego State University JC Cigarrero Taylor Grame Kendall Katz Rome Sangani Mia Falstad Xion Snow Sheye Jackson Yara Qadan
California State University, Chico Bailey Garcia Melia Roswall
Santa Barbara City College Luke Kolb
California State University, Fullerton Ehsun Yazdani Yoav Noiman California State University, San Marcos Anna Jensen Shane Wasserman Maribel Hernandez Chapman University Danielle Moraga Claremont McKenna College Kaili Aqui Concordia University Irvine Drew Turner Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Ashtyn Shields Loyola Marymount University Anna Hellickson Emma Mautz Casey White Tate Nelson Mira Costa Community College Emely Cruz Vanessa Meza Contreras Franz Schaumburg Michelle Quiroz Peter Morsch Saint Mary’s College Christopher Howell San Diego Miramar College Ilia Chertukhin San Diego Mesa College Ashley Williams Camet Jake Hernandez Suatcan Aler Erika Brenner Guilherme Burity Santa Monica College Malaak Wehba University of San Diego Eric Adler Ray Xiong California Institute of Technology Benjamin Hong Charlotte Zhang Universal Technical Institute Presley Davis Harvey Mudd College Jeff Ren John Paul the Great Catholic University Sheyla Tellez Pepperdine University Ninel Pinckney San Diego Christian College Eliana Cho
Stanford University Albert Hwang Kelly Wang
Kevin Song
University of California, Berkeley Athena Vargas Katelyn Lee Cady Hsu Mia Kragh Callista Beros Neha Pubbi Gracie Jimenez Nicole MacRae University of California, Davis Christy Douglas Nadya Shahabeddin Connie Choy Sofia Chase Max Gouvalaris University of California, Los Angeles Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek Joost de Jong Emily Roshan Kyle Kotanchek Evan Titus Luca Bombelli Inesh Chakrabarti Lynne Xu Jasmine Jungreis Rose Bonhomme Jiaxi Li Torrey Duan University of California, San Diego Alexander Yeh Haley Schultz Alina Markova Liam Peterson Alyssa Sangari Liana Moricz Bryan Cha Matthew Lim Chris Zhang Nandita Kodali Daniel Scuba Sophia Gawle David Finley Ryan Kosta Diya Vasanadu Ryo Onozuka Dominic Li Sofia Vendituoli University of California, Santa Barbara Allie Aardema Jaz McMullan Brian Lee Seoeun Lee Danyca Solo Tzippy Moehringer Grace Kish Una Greblikaite Jaz McMullan Veronica Bodenstein University of California, Merced Aaron Le University of California, Santa Cruz Daniela Gil San Francisco State University Jake Noble Isabella Salas University of Southern California Claire Rowland Lili Peterson Stella Bruce Platt College Jacqueline Garabedian California State University, Dominguez Hills Jesse Wexler Sonoma State University Paige Younkin Santa Clara University Huxley Murray San Jose State University Julia Baki Rayhan Cochinwala
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train As an avid fan of the anime series “Demon Slayer,” I was elated when I found out that its cinematic version, “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train,” was set to be released on April 23. A continuation of season one of the anime series, the movie shows protagonist Tanjiro Kamado and his comrades on a new mission aboard the Mugan Train to defeat a powerful demon. Demon Slayer began as a widely popular manga written by Koyoharu Gotouge from 2016 to 2020 and was made into an anime adaptation in 2019 that saw similar widespread success. After seeing the movie in theaters, I completely understood why it garnered a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes; the movie is a complete cinematic masterpiece. The first aspect of the movie that captured my attention was the style and quality of the animation. The movie follows the same art style as the anime, particularly through the use of vibrant colors and high contrast. The movie’s soundtrack complemented each scene perfectly, whether the mood was eerie,
sad or hopeful. Parts of the soundtrack used in the original anime series were also remixed and incorporated in the movie to give it a nostalgic feeling for viewers who have watched and loved the anime series. The gripping storyline was also well-paced with exciting, emotional and comedic elements. The character development of both old characters like Tanjiro and new characters like his mentor Rengoku was inspiring and helped create a truly intricate and emotional story. The plot is definitely a successful continuation of season one and ends with an intense and tear-jerking final battle that left many viewers in the theater reaching for tissues. One thing that concerned me about the movie, though, was how overwhelming it may be for viewers who are unfamiliar with the anime series. The backstories of the main characters in the movie, protagonists and antagonists, were not explained at all which could leave some viewers confused. While the extraordinary quality alone makes the
movie worthwhile to watch, I would highly recommend everyone to watch or read up on the original anime series first before watching this movie. From its stunning animation and spectacular fights to its emotional storytelling, “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train” is everything anime fans have been hoping for. by Amy Ge
Recent Releases The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Two weeks after the satisfying conclusion of “WandaVision,” Marvel Entertainment released the first weekly episode of the sixepisode show, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” Following the Marvel timeline, the show takes place a few months after The Blip and follows the “Avengers: Endgame” moment when Chris Evans’s Captain America returns to the main dimension as an old man after living out his life with his slowburn love interest, Peggy Carter. While fans were happy that Rogers finally reached his personal endgame, his return as an out-of-commission superhero raised another question: “What happens to his shield?” “Avengers: Endgame” suggested that the mantle of Captain America would be passed on to Rogers’s right-hand man, Sam Wilson. “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” explores that idea. Unlike “WandaVision,” this show follows a more traditional Marvel style. It is filled with action-packed fight scenes, banter between characters and classic Marvel humor. And, while key components of blockbuster Marvel movies were present, the show felt disjointed. There were too many boring villains to keep track of. The first potential wrongdoer was the villain of “Captain America: Civil War,” Zemo;
but, his appearance in the show was uneventful and his exit was even more anticlimactic. I assumed he would play a bigger role in the show, but he ended up getting ushered to Wakanda to live in “the Raft” in episode five, with no further explanation. Next was the ongoing Karli Morgenthau Flag-Smasher situation and the John Walker (poser Captain America) mess. The FlagSmasher conflict seemingly had a concrete end, but John Walker’s story went unresolved. Personally, the show was more confusing than it was enjoyable. There were too many things and people to keep track of, which isn’t by itself a bad thing, but when paired with cringe-worthy writing and a boring, overdone plot, the show fell flat. My disinterest in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” can be attributed to a variety of things. It may have been due to my obsession with the plot of “WandaVision” and its sharp contrast with this show, or my general indifference toward Bucky and Sam. One fault of “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” may have simply been that it was a show rather than a traditional Marvel movie. Extending the story to six 50-minute episodes diluted it unnecessarily. Presenting Marvel stories like “WandaVision” and “Loki” in
digestible chunks make sense, as they both deal with more abstract, magical concepts, and possibly need the extra running time to further elaborate. But, a show like “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” didn’t benefit from the format. A commendable part of the show was the score. The occasional powerful, bass-heavy background music made up for the longwinded conversations that I couldn’t care less about. While “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” didn’t hit the mark for me, I’m beyond excited for Mackie’s take on Captain America and everything else in store for Phase Four of Marvel’s genius. by Srishti Thapar
IMAGES FROM IMDB AND INDIEWIRE
entertainment
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The 93rd oscars DIRECTING NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao
ANOTHER ROUND Thomas Vinterberg
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Emerald Fennell
MANK
MINARI
David Fincher
Lee Isaac Chung
LEADING ROLE MALE
FEMALE
ANTHONY HOPKINS
FRANCES MCDORMAND
The Father
Nomadland
RIZ AHMED
STEVEN YUEN
Sound of Metal
Minari
GARY OLDMAN
VANESSA KIRBY
VIOLA DAVIS
Pieces of a Woman
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
CHADWICK BOSEMAN
CAREY MULLIGAN
ANDRA DAY
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Promising Young Woman
The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Mank
SUPPORTING ROLE MALE
FEMALE
DANIEL KALUUYA
YUH-JUNG YOUN
Judas and the Black Messiah
Minari
AMANDA SEYFRIED OLIVIA COLMAN
PAUL RACI
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Sound of Metal
Mank
The Father
LESLIE ODOM JR.
LAKEITH STANFIELD
MARIA BAKALOVA
GLEN CLOSE
One Night in Miami...
Judas and the Black Messiah
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Hillbilly Elegy
BEST PICTURE NOMADLAND
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, Chloé Zhao
Shaka King, Charles D. King, Ryan Coogle
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell, Josey McNamara
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
MINARI
Marc Platt, Stuart Besser
Christina Oh
MANK
THE FATHER
Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth, Douglas Urbanski
David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi, Philippe Carcassonne
SOUND OF METAL
Bert Hamelinck, Sacha Ben Harroche
Infographic by Kelsie Park.
SACHA BARON COHEN
Brandon Raimo
SPORTS EDITOR
Surf team shreds in 3 league final divisions Micah Levy and Jerry Wu
BUSINESS MANAGER AND STAFF WRITER
The surf team dominated at the Scholastic Surf Series first competition since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, which on April 25 hosted high schools from San Diego County that have been unable to compete in a regular season this year due to COVID19 restrictions. Kaden Michaels (12), placed 1st in Mens Longboard, Jay Crouch (10) placed 1st in Code Bodyboard, and Lewis Aberle (10) took 4th in Mens Shortboard. Dalton Beeler (12) qualified for the semifinals in Mens Longboard, and Claire Conover (10) was a quater-finalist in Womens Shortboard. In normal years, high school surfers in San Diego County would compete on their high school teams, with
each team’s performance determining whether they qualify for the State Championships. However, with COVID-19 restrictions still in place, the Scholastic Surf Series season did not happen, and each school was only allowed to bring up to 10 surfers to what the SSS called the High School League Finals meet with five main events: Mens and Womens Shortboard, Mens and Womens Longboard and Code Bodyboard. “[I] just kind of get the best waves,” Aberle said. “There are different techniques in the heat. They judge on speed, power, and flow. You’ve got to carry your speed in your maneuvers and get that explosive hack off the top.” Although members of the TPHS surf team only had one week together to prepare for
the competition, many of the surfers had continued to surf during quarantine, partly as an escape from the present circumstances, leaving them well prepared for the meet. “Surfing is a learning process, but I really love surfing,” Conover said. “I try to go surfing every other day.” For the High School League Finals meet, surfers in each event were split into groups of six, with the top three advancing to the next round. Parents were allowed to watch the finals and cheer on the competitors. “This contest had great energy,” surf coach Austin Wade said, “and surfers and spectators were cheering for everyone in the water.” Windy conditions were not enough to deter the competitors, who have to surf in their heats regardless
of the conditions and the quality of the waves. Falcon surfers returning for the 2021-2022 season look forward to a full high school season and schedule next year, but most surf for fun anyway. “I want to get better at surfing,” Crouch said. “I don’t plan on becoming a pro surfer, I just plan on having fun with my friends and stuff.” Austin shares team members’ frustrations over the truncated season but admires the flexibility and dedication surfers showed during quarantine. “I’m beyond proud and so stoked to see our surfers do well,” Wade said. “All of our student surfers represent us so well, and Coach Shea and I love seeing them push their skills and become awesome young men and women.”
TPHS tennis dominates all season long Nolan Ezzet, Jenny Han and Matan Morris SPORTS EDITOR AND STAFF WRITERS
TPHS has always had separate varsity and JV tennis teams for boys and girls, but all tennis teams in the CIF San Diego Section switched to co-ed teams due to the pandemic drastically altering high school sports. Despite this major change, TPHS varsity tennis has remained powerful. Max Pogorelov (12) has enjoyed getting accustomed to the change. “It was a little weird at the start,” Pogorelov said. “The guys and girls team was a bit separate at the start of the year. But, as the year went by, it was ... a lot of fun. We came together as a team more. It was fun to play on the team with the girls.” Pogorelov believes that the team adapted well to the new system.
“For mixed doubles, we put together some really good teams that gave us an edge against [other teams] at the start of the year,” Pogorelov said. “I think that definitely helped us.” Sophia Vendituoli (12) knows why everyone was able to adapt so well. “We adapted to the co-ed system because we already knew the importance of playing as a whole team,” Vendituoli said. “And, over time, we practiced with the guys more.” Girls varsity tennis head coach Don Chu believes the new system benefited the TPHS tennis team more than other schools’ teams. “We adapted quicker than some other teams because of the talent level,” Chu said. “The girls could hold their own with the guys.” The boys and girls had the same mindset. “We all had the common
goal of trying to win and put our best effort on the court,” Vendituoli said. “That’s a common thing we all shared.” However, there will be separate teams for boys and girls at the State Championships. “For States, since it’s separated between the girls and guys team, we have to figure out the doubles aspect and see who works best with whom,” Vendituoli said. “We also have to figure out the general team dynamic so the
team can succeed.” Although everyone wants to win, Chu’s main goal is for his players to perform as strongly as possible. “Our goal is for the kids to play at their highest level,” Chu said. “If we win, that’s a side benefit. As long as they play at their highest level, I’m happy.” Despite the challenges of an entirely new system, TPHS tennis looks forward to starting State Championships on June 1.
This year’s NBA Playoffs are slated to be one of the most competitive in recent memory. Multiple teams have enough talent to win the title, but there is no clear favorite. The abundance of intriguing matchups makes nearly every series worth watching, but three teams have the most legitimate chances at the championship: the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers. The most talented of these four teams is the Nets, who boast the staggering trio of Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant. Led by first-year head coach Steve Nash, the team finished with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference despite both Harden and Durant missing significant time with injuries, and with their entire roster now healthy, they have the ability to outscore any opponent. The Nets’ only problem is their chemistry; Irving, Harden and Durant have played just eight games together this season, and whether they can coexist in the same system has yet to be seen. The only team in the East to finish with a better record than the Nets was the 76ers, led by MVP candidate Joel Embiid and head coach Doc Rivers. After a disappointing 201920 season, the Sixers fired head coach Brett Brown, hired Rivers, and bolstered their roster with veterans and skilled shooters. Their retooling produced immediate results, as they finished at the top of the East for the first time since 2001. Although their offense has improved, the Sixers’ greatest strength is their defense, which ranks second in the NBA in efficiency. This defensive upsurge is mainly due to the emergence of guards Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle as two of the league’s top perimeter defenders as well as a plethora of other solid defenders. In the Western Conference, the defending champion Lakers are expected to once again reach the Finals, although their path will be much harder than last year. Their dynamic duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis is as good as any, but their supporting cast has seen a slight dropoff since last year; they lost veterans Danny Green, Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard to free agency, and replaced them with the less experienced Dennis Schröder and Andre Drummond. Additionally, their record is much worse than last year because both James and Davis missed time with injuries, and they finished as the seventh seed in the West. As a result, their first round opponent is the Phoenix Suns, who are currently one of the hottest teams in the NBA and could pose a major threat to the defending champs.
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DAY IN THE LIFE Mia Kragh (12) is ready to make another big splash in the world of swimming after graduating from TPHS. Ever since she began her career at age 11, the pool has been her second home. “I started swimming because my mom was a swimmer when she was younger, and I’ve always loved the water,” Kragh said. Despite those good genes, she has worked hard to get to where she is today. “I swim every day except Sunday, so six days a week, and then we have doubles a few days, too,” Kragh said. Kragh currently trains at the Rancho San Dieguito (RSD) swim club with her teammates. “I love my team,” Kragh said. “We mesh really well, and they make it really enjoyable.” Over the years, the RSD club has become Kragh’s home away from home because of the sheer amount of time she spends there and because her teammates have become a family. “I have practice in the morning from 5:15 to usually 6:30, and after that I go home and go to school,” Kragh said. Kragh works equally hard in her classes at school, but to do both, she maintains as much balance and rest as she can manage. “During my free sixth [period] I take a nap and then go to practice from 3:00 to 6:00, and then come home, get my homework done and go to sleep really early,” Kragh said. And it hasn’t been all sunshine and positivity. Kragh has had to overcome many obstacles, including a frustrating shoulder injury. However, like many other athletes, the biggest challenge she faces in the present is the coronavirus pandemic. “COVID-19 was a really big challenge with the lack of pool space, [as well as] a lot of postponed meets and training,” Kragh said. Nonetheless, Kragh treats these obstacles as learning experiences and grows with each challenge she overcomes. “[Swimming] is so rigorous and has taught me how to be resilient and work towards something,” Kragh said. Her resilience has certainly paid off; although the college recruitment process can be difficult, Kragh is set to swim for the next four years at theUniversity of California, Berkeley. Cal’s swim team is ranked second in Division 1 women’s swimming. “I’m really grateful for the opportunities that I was given and the scholarships I was offered,” Kragh said. “Cal is just the best of both worlds, academically and [for] swimming.” Kragh is prepared to meet her next challenge and make a new home for herself at Cal. “The team was so humble and welcoming, and I love the coaches too, so it was just the perfect place,” Kragh said. Kragh hopes to swim professionally, starting with the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France. “I have Olympic trials coming up in four weeks, so I’m excited to go there and get some experience racing on a bigger stage,” Kragh said. Kragh has made a future for herself through swimming, and the sport has shaped her character and development. “I’ve learned a ton from swimming; I’ve learned about myself, how to set goals and be accountable and work at things even when it doesn’t work out first,” Kragh said. “Swim has taught me a lot about being a part of something bigger than myself and the power of teamwork.” Looks like the pool at Cal will soon be Home Sweet Home. by Mirabel Hunt
Mia Kragh
tphsfalconer.com
sports
f/stop
Neha Pubbi
varsity tennis may 27, 12:56:23 pm camera: canon EOS rebel T6 lens: canon EF 75-300 mm iso: 1600 exp: 1/500 f/stop: f/4
photo by Natalia Mochernak
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FALCONFEED Which Falconer Senior Are You? What is your dream vacation spot?
Where would you want to go to college?
Italy
Scotland
UC Stanford Berkeley
New York
Costa Rica
Cal Poly Missouri Slo
Who is your favorite artist/ band?
What saying do you live by the most?
SZA The Mars Volta
BLACKPINK Omar Apollo
“Work hard!”
omg
What is your favorite color?
University of
“Make the best of it.”
LOL
win
Pink
Light Green
Red
Purple
What was your hardest class in high school?
“Rise and shine!”
AP Lang
AP Calc BC
“Be a gem.”
AP Physics 1
AP Spanish
Mostly top lefts? You’re NEHA PUBBI!
Mostly bottom lefts? You’re BRANDON RAIMO!
Mostly top rights? You’re KEVIN SONG!
Mostly bottom rights? You’re KATIE FLINT!
Neha is kind, smart, and dedicated. She was able to balance dance team, tennis, Falconer, and a heavy course load during her four years at Torrey Pines, while making it look easy.
Brandon is funny, hard working, and loves sports. He is one of the most dependable editors on staff, and is known for being on time and ready to work with a positive attitude.
Kevin is a talented, creative and geniune person! As Falconer Editor-in-Chief, President of Science Olympiad and JOURNYS, he is also a fantastic cello player. Talk about a jack of all trades!
Katie is the most down-toearth, easygoing person on staff. Whenever you have a problem, Katie will be there to support you and make you smile with one of her classic jokes.
WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY PIPER LEVY ON THE DAY OF LAYOUT