Falconer 2017 February

Falconer

The Torrey Pines High School

Friday, February 10, 2017

Vol. 42, Issue 5, 28 pages

www.tphsfalconer.com

New Learning Commons opened

by Michael Nirula

PHOTO BY ALDERIK VAN DER HEYDE/FALCONER

The newly-christened Learning Commons was opened to the school community and the public in a ribboncutting ceremony on Jan. 27, following six months of construction as part of the SDUHSD Prop AA school improvements.

“The ceremony was created to acknowledge that the Learning Commons is opening and that it is opening for everybody,” Principal Rob Coppo said. “It is important just to take a minute and pause after a busy first semester and say this is a great big positive we can point to. We get our Learning Commons back and get the school back to being more normal; it is important to have a center of the school.

We have not had that all year, and now we do again.”

TPHS staff, SDUHSD School Board members Amy Herman and Beth Hergesheimer and members of Erickson Hall Construction Company attended the event. Science teacher Angela Willden said she attended because it is “exciting to have the Learning Commons back.”

“The construction affected everybody, but when you want change, you have to put up with the process of change,” Willden said. “Before, we did not have this space for the students, so the students were in odd places and spread out throughout the campus in strange places. Also, not having computers and printers for students had an effect.”

Emma Richards-Smith (10) said not

having the printers in the Learning Commons affected her the most.

“I needed to use the computers and I had to walk a lot farther to print,” Richards-Smith said. “Also, when it was cold outside, there were a lot of people in the hallways.”

Leah Coffin (10) said not having a nearby printer affected her as well.

“Now I can use the computers and printing again,” Coffin said. “Today, I was able to use the computers in the learning commons for an English project.”

The majority of indoor lighting was replaced by skylights and the ramp was replaced by a stairwell.

“We reduced the amount of that ramp to a simple stair just to make it as open as possible,” Joe Mansfield, head architect of the new Learning Commons, said. “We brought in a lot of skylights, which bring in natural daylight. It is much healthier to be under daylight because the physiology of your body responds much better to it.”

Both the library books and the computer lab were removed from the Learning Commons.

“You can see some book shelves and there will be hard copy resource materials, but maintaining all the stacks that are not used by students, just did not seem like a great use of the space or resources,” Coppo said.

According to Coppo, there will be computers, but there will not be a

computer lab.

“We want to make it more flexible, so as the computers change we can change in a much more cost-effective way.”

Now that the Learning Commons is open to student use, students will have a more centralized location to gather, according to Coppo.

“If you have an off period, need to work on homework and want a comfortable place to hang out or if you are waiting for your parents after school you have got a spot,” Coppo said. “It is just a place for students to connect, collaborate and feel a little bit more at home.”

The Learning Commons fell within the $3 million budget, apportioned by Proposition AA, according to Michelle Coonan, senior project manager of Erickson Hall Construction Company.

Construction began in summer 2016 and was completed on Jan. 27. Coppo said he was aware that closing the Learning Commons during the school year would be problematic but said modernizing it was necessary.

“We have to adapt,” Coppo said. “We have to get new facilities for our students just like we did with the science wing and we will be doing for our performing arts center.”

A new Performing Arts Center for TPHS was just approved, according to Amy Herman, president of the SDUHSD School Board. Herman said that the Performing Arts Center will be the next phase of work at TPHS.

PHOTOS BY ALLY JENSEN/FALCONER

TP IS THE PLACE TO BE: Students lounge on new furniture in the bottom tier of the Learning Commons during class (LEFT AND RIGHT). The upper tier of the Learning Commons was also remodeled and opened to students (MIDDLE).

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Prop AA renovations complete at front of school Proposition AA renovations at the Del Mar Heights Rd. entrance were completed on Feb. 1, ending the second phase of construction, funded by the $78 million TPHS portion of the $449 million Proposition AA bond.

An outside ramp winding up to the B building from the student drop-off area was added, the stairs adjacent to the ramp were widened and the parking lot in the front was expanded.

“There’s been expanded handicap parking and the staff parking has been reopened in the front,” science teacher Brian Bodas said. “I’m already seeing a bunch of people parking out front [including] visitors and staff and I think it’s really going to help in terms of [helping] visitors that come to the campus.”

The reopening of the front staff lot has created more available student parking spaces in the back lot.

For Sabrina Habchi (12), the reopened front staff lot and student dropoff has alleviated traffic and allows her to come to school later, “still able to find a spot.”

Construction of the Learning Commons, replacing the previous Media Center in the B building, began simultaneously with that of the front of the school, and was also opened for student use on Feb. 1.

“There are four student workrooms that students will be able to check out,” Principal Rob Coppo said. “Then, there are a series of offices, [including those of] two of the assistant principals, the athletic director and the athletic director’s secretary.”

The ramp leading to the upper floor of the B building was replaced with a stairwell, and an elevator was installed on the bottom floor to accommodate students with disabilities.

Along with new furniture and computers, books to fill the shelves are “on their way,” but the Learning Commons will be “more technology-rich” than the previous Media Center, according to Coppo.

The Corner Cafe was removed from the B building but will not be replaced by any food carts in and around the Learning Commons, as was previously proposed by

PHOTOS BY ALLY JENSEN/FALCONER

RAMP IT UP: A new ramp has been added to the front of the school, connecting the B building to the newly reopened front entrance. The existing staircase was also widened to allow greater access to the new Learning Commons.

Prop AA plans.

“We like where the food is ... [and we want to] keep it outside where we can monitor it,” Coppo said. “That way, when people come up, the first thing they see isn’t boxes of Pick Up Stix spilled on the floor.

We want the first impression of Torrey for people when they come here to be good.”

The third phase of Prop AA renovations

will begin after spring break of the 2016-17 school year. Construction of the culinary arts rooms, which will be located between the theater and music rooms, will be followed by the creation of a new performing arts center that includes the art, music and theater programs.

“Connected to [the performing arts center] will be a black box theater

similar to what we’ve got now but more traditional,” Coppo said. “There will be a dance and music room, and they will all be connected together ... [as a] tiered area for kids to do work outside.”

Final Prop AA renovations are scheduled to be finished in 2018, but the date of completion has not been confirmed, according to Coppo.

Eleven Japanese cultural exchange students visit TPHS Eleven Japanese students from Kyoto Girls High School in Kyoto, Japan visited TPHS from Feb. 3-10 as part of TPHS’s first weeklong Japanese cultural exchange program.

According to Japanese teacher Sato Umabe, who organized the exchange, the exchange students attended all her Japanese classes as well as other classes with their host students during second, fourth and seventh period on Feb. 9 and 10. Japanese National Honor Society also organized activities for them outside of school.

“We hiked at Torrey Pines State Reserve, explored Del Mar and had a beach party and bonfire at Moonlight Beach with the SDA group,” Umabe said. “Host students, host families, Japanese students and JNHS members participated in those activities.”

Outside of these organized activities Katherine Solovyeva (11) took her exchange student shopping, ice skating and to see a movie.

“It’s really cool having someone from a different culture stay with you,” Solovyeva said. “There’s a distinct cultural barrier, language barrier also … but we get along well, and it’s fun.”

Jade Cany (11), who hosted an exchange student, enjoyed participating in the program. “[It’s been an educational experience], talking to her in Japanese and talking about stuff she does differently than here,” Cany said. “It’s like having a sleepover.”

According to Umabe, Kyoto Girls is one of the “most prestigious schools.”

“They wanted to find a school similar to them [for the cultural exchange] and they thought SDUHSD would be a perfect match,” Umabe said.

Canyon Crest Academy, San Dieguito Academy and Morse High School, which is part of the San Diego Unified School District, also participated in the program, hosting a total of 74 students, including the 11 at TPHS. Umabe was initially approached by Skyus, a study tour planning organization that helped coordinate the exchange for Kyoto Girls, in October 2016.

“This is the third year [that the Kyoto girls have come to San Diego] and both CCA and SDA have done this exchange program past two years and I heard great things about it,” Umabe said. “I had a meeting with Mr. Coppo and he gave me approval to accept students this year. “ In the past, Umabe helped organize a single day visit to TPHS for Japanese students, but this is the first year she led a weeklong exchange program.

“TP had hosted a group of high school

PHOTO BY ANTON SCHUH/FALCONER

WARM WELCOME: Japanese teacher Sato Umabe and her students help exchange students from Kyoto Girls High School unload their luggage after school on Feb. 3. football students for two weeks for several years under Coach Burke’s leadership, and I had helped him,” Umabe said. “So I have had enough experience and idea to foresee how it [works].”

Umabe cites her own personal experience as a participant in a cultural exchange program as motivation for setting up this exchange program for her

own students.

“My two week experience in Australia in 11th grade changed my view and helped me to develop global perspectives,” Umabe said.

According to Umabe, the exchange could not have happened without support from Principal Rob Coppo, TPHS administration and staff and parents.

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New whiteboards installed after complaints New whiteboards are being installed in TPHS classrooms due to the inability to erase anything written on the previous whiteboards, replacing ones installed in 2015 that had “been stored incorrectly, [which] affected [their] surface of them” and led to the difficulties in cleaning them, according to principal Rob Coppo.

“We knew right away [that there was a problem with the whiteboards,]” Coppo said. “We tried them [and recognized the erasing problem,] so the process of replacing them started immediately after they were put up.”

The old whiteboards will be returned to the company, and the new ones will be installed in classrooms as soon as possible.

Only five to six boards can be replaced in one night, according to Coppo.

The erasing issue with the previous whiteboards was a common problem.

English teacher Lisa Callender had been looking forward to the installation of the old whiteboards because of the advanced digital technology, but was disappointed when the board ended up being very difficult to clean. “[Cleaning] was the biggest problem with the old one,” Callender said. “I could project a poem up on the board [and annotate it,] … but the problem came when I would go to erase it [because] it would be a big black smudge. Then I would try and watch a video clip and it would have black smudges everywhere.”

Sara Shoushtari (12) noticed some of her teachers abandoning the old whiteboard after seeing the aftermath of using it in other classrooms.

“They just did not use them,” Shoushtari said. “[It was] kind of sad because we had a classroom that had a whole side of the room full of whiteboards, but [the teachers] couldn’t use more than half of them because they didn’t clean well.”

PHOTO BY LAUREN ZHANG/FALCONER

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW: Math teacher Zakia Chowdhury projects notes on a new whiteboard in her room. The whiteboards put in place during the 2015-16 school year are currently being replaced in the rest of the classrooms on campus.

The special eraser for the old whiteboards did not make the situation better, according to Callender.

“The Magic Eraser does not work, unless I had a clean Magic Eraser every time,” Callender said. “When I rinse it off, my hands come away completely black as well, so I’m constantly having to go wash my hands afterwards.”

Callender, who has not yet received a new whiteboard in her classroom, is excited for the easy cleaning and “will be ecstatic to have that replacement in [her] room.”

The new whiteboards have amended the problem of difficult erasing. Teachers like Zakia Chowdhury considered the

whiteboard to be a definite improvement.

“When I write on it, I can actually erase the board, which I couldn’t do last year,” Chowdhury said. “I started writing on it … and it’s working out well for me.”

History teacher Jim Harrah said the new erasable whiteboards make teaching easier and “more versatile” because it allows fluidity in the classroom.

“It’s awesome,” Harrah said. “The last couple of days I actually just got to turn and write stuff on the board.”

The change in boards has had an impact on students as well. “[The new whiteboards] are super easy to clean [and] they’re just like normal

whiteboards,” Shoushtari said. “We have been able to use that space more, which has helped us with doing classwork.”

According to Katherine Solovyeva (11), the new boards have eliminated the erasing problem, but continue to allow teachers to project onto them just as the previous whiteboards had.

“I think the [old whiteboards were a good idea] because they eliminated the need to pull down the projector screen, and the idea was that you could write on top of your projections,” Shoushtari said. “When they don’t work well, then they kind of become pointless.”

INFOGRAPHIC BY SUMIN HWANG

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The New England Patriots claimed their fifth Super Bowl title on Feb. 5 in the first ever overtime game. Tom Brady became the first quarterback to win five Super Bowl titles and was named Super Bowl MVP for the fourth time.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is facing trial because of suspected campaign financial fraud, according to his lawyer. He has been accused of illegally financing his failed re-election campaign after Francois Hollande unseated him five years ago.

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Approximately 13,000 people were hanged at a Syrian prison in a secret crackdown by the regime of Bashar al-Assad, as reported by the human rights group, Amnesty International. Every week, after being moved from their cells in the middle of the night, a different set of prisoners is hanged on the grounds.

A suicide bomber killed approximately 20 people and wounded 35 people Tuesday, Feb. 7 outside Afghanistan’s Supreme Court in Kabul, according to police and other officials. The attack, which targeted Supreme Court employees, occurred in a nearby parking lot around 3:45 p.m.

Information from CNN Infographic by Sumin Hwang

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AP Thornton’s absence shifts responsibilities Assistant Principal Garry Thornton has been absent from TPHS for over two weeks in January and February.

In an email from Principal Rob Coppo to the school faculty, neither the reason behind Thornton’s absence nor the date of his return was given. During his absence, TPHS has “been given some assistance to support TPHS staff and students,” according to the email.

Starting on Feb. 7, former TPHS head counselor Jayme Cambra, who has recently worked as a “counselor on special assignment” for the district, will “assist our school in the interim,” according to Coppo’s email.

Mr. Thornton is a really nice guy and I’ve seen him around a lot, so hopefully he will be back soon.

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One Paseo begins construction One Paseo, a mixed-use project in Carmel Valley, has raised concerns from students and other residents in the community over its possible negative impacts.

The project, which has been in progress for nine years, will be a “special community gathering destination with a new dining and shopping experience, multi-family residences [and] an innovative office campus,” according to Jeanne Kim, the public relations coordinator of One Paseo developer Kilroy Realty. The project will also host community events such as farmer’s markets, art exhibits and other outdoor entertainments.

Kevin Ham (12), who lives near TPHS, is mainly concerned about the increase in traffic around the area once the project is completed.

“There’s already a bunch of traffic [near TPHS],” Ham said. “[One Paseo will] be putting in more businesses, more hotels; it’s just going to create a bunch more traffic and make it harder to get around. I don’t think it’s a good use of that

land there.”

According to Kim, the mixed-use nature of the project would allow people to live, work, dine and shop without needing to drive within the shopping center.

“This is a model for development common in town centers and communities all over the world that is seen as a way to accommodate growth with the lowest impact on traffic,” Kim said.

In an effort to combat the traffic problem, Kilroy Realty has incorporated a private shuttle into the project plans and intends to improve the traffic lights along Del Mar Heights Road and along El Camino Real to Valley Center Drive.

“I think some of the concerns [about One Paseo] are absolutely justified,” Principal Rob Coppo said. “When you build a new living and shopping areas, it increases congestion. I’m a little concerned about the traffic because Del Mar Heights is already a relatively dangerous road, and now we’re going to increase the amount of traffic near our school, but I know that the planners take it into consideration and will hopefully be doing the right thing to make sure it stays safe for students.”

Salman Sadakkadulla (12) said that while traffic might be an issue, he hopes

that the project will push for public transportation implementation in Carmel Valley.

“Regardless of how large in scale the project is, increased traffic is inevitable,” Sadakkadulla said. “One of the things I don’t really like about One Paseo is the fact that its mixed-use implementation plan doesn’t have much affordable housing included. Carmel Valley is notorious as a planned community for not having diversity; I wish Kilroy would’ve gone for more affordable housing to revitalize TP’s diversity.”

The finished project will have 608 apartment homes, 95,000 square feet of retail space and 280,000 square feet of office space. “[One Paseo will] create a lot more jobs and it seems like Kilroy is trying to support small businesses,” Sadakkadulla said. “I honestly just want to know how this will play out for Carmel Valley and am kind of disappointed that I might not be here to see it happen.”

According to Kim, construction of the project is currently underway with earthwork and grading until April 2017, with retail stores opening in 2018 and residences and offices opening in 2019.

Vivian Seto �������

“My role as a teacher on special assignment allows me to support students, staff and our TPHS community on a daily basis,” Cambra said. “I will have many of the same responsibilities as Mr. Santos and Ms. Resendes. My specific duties are still being determined.”

Cambra could not provide more details regarding Thornton’s absence, but is “excited to be back on campus at TPHS and to contribute to the spring semester.”

Vivian Seto (10) has known Thornton since she was a middle schooler and was not expecting his absence.

“I honestly didn’t know that he was gone,” Seto said. “Mr. Thornton is a really nice guy and I have seen him around a lot, so hopefully he will be back soon.”

Coppo was not able to provide further details, saying that “the only information [he has] at this time was included in the email that [he] sent to staff.”

COMMUNITY CONSTRUCTION: Across the street from the Del Mar Highlands shopping center, One Paseo has begun construction after nine years of planning. The center will include dining, retail, residential and office space.

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INFOGRAPHIC BY SAMMY HALLAL, FARHAN HOSSAIN AND ANGELA LIU

Staff chili cookoff won by Collins

Foundation raises record funds

members say that it was “a really good hybrid chili.”

History teacher Julia Neubauer worked with ASB financial director Patricia Hargraves and wood and auto shop teacher Eric Neubauer to put on event.

“There were twice as many entries last year,” Julia said. “This year there were eight, but I think, because it’s the first week of the semester the timing is a little difficult.”

According to Neubauer, three quarters of the staff were at the cook-off.

The trio, part of the staff “Sunshine Committee” which puts on events like the staff holiday party and pie bake-off, coordinated the cook-off to coincide with Super Bowl Sunday and decorated the room in football decor.

“My favorite chili was Mrs.Neubauer’s, which was numbered one [in the voting process], and I believed it was number one on many levels” principal Rob Coppo said.

Coppo hopes the event will become a long-lasting tradition since it brings the staff together outside of the classroom.

a huge increase in the number of people that have donated, not just the dollars,” Baril said. “We have reached a broader spectrum of people and since we have been more clear about what we do, we are reaching more families.”

CTE pathways are not funded by the SDUHSD district, but are classes that provide students the knowledge and education necessary to advance in specific future careers, while learning lifelong skills. This year the foundation used its “Shared Vision” fund to support the improvements of CTE classes to become industry standard, meaning keeping equipment and tools up to professional standards in the classroom, while benefiting as many students as possible.

“We plan for next year’s focus [in a meeting] so those pathways can continue to be the focus [of the foundation],” principal Rob Coppo said.

CAD, an engineering sector CTE class allows students to design projects on Fusion 360 by Autodesk.

Students like Kenneth Han (12) and Sophia Johnson (9) took CAD to build on their future educational plans. “[CTE classes] are really unique and interesting, [they are] not just what you can get out of a book, it’s skills beyond that,” Han said.

The foundation will hold a community building event on campus this spring featuring food trucks and a showcase performance, while they continue to accept donations.

TPHS staff participated in the second annual Chili Cook-Off during lunch on Feb. 2 in the woodshop room, and Don Collins took top honors.

There were eight slow cookers full of chili sampled by staff members who voted for their favorite without knowing the chefs. The grand prize included several gift cards and bags totaling $50$100, donated by Starbucks, Trader Joes, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Westroot Tavern, Souplantation, Bing SurfBoards, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Crust Pizzeria and Snooze Eatery.

By the end of lunch, PALS adviser Don Collins won the competition with his “BeefBison Five Pepper Chili.” In addition to the chili contest, there was a dessert bake off, but few teachers participated in it.

Art teacher Emily Moran said that she had selected chili number eight (Collins’) as her favorite and had heard other staff

PHOTO COURTESY OF TPHS

LET’S GET COOKING: TPHS staff members taste several types of chili made by fellow staff members at the second annual chili cookoff (RIGHT).

TPHS Foundation, under Executive Director Nicole Baril, this year took on an ambitious new fundraising campaign, which has raised more money by this point in the year than the foundation has raised in past entire school years. The $244,583 raised so far is $100,000 more than has been raised in a single year in the past.

The funds raised thus far which will be used to continue funding Career Technical Education pathways on campus.

Baril, who became executive director mid-year last year when former ED Bobbi Karlson retired,simply asked parents to donate what they could.

Donors who gave at the bronze level, $800 or more, were invited to a donor appreciation party at a private home in Rancho Santa Fe featuring a Prince cover band, Rob Coppo beer tasting and a ��������� catered menu. The event was focused on, “explaining to parents where the money goes.”

“It really helped them say ‘I know where my dollars are going, I want to help,’” Baril said.

The foundation set an “aggressive” goal of $400,000 this year, according to Baril, Donations are made to the foundation by parents and business partners in the community throughout the year. “[The donations are] different every year but definitely this year we have seen

We plan for next year’s focus so those pathways can continue to be the focus [of the foundation].

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By Estelle Kraft STAFF WRITER

On Jan. 17, President Barack Obama overruled his Secretary of Defense to commute the sentence of Chelsea Manning, formerly known as Bradley Manning, who was convicted of stealing and exposing to Wikileaks U.S. military documents and videos while serving in Iraq. The commutation was the right thing to do because Manning was a whistleblower and regrets her actions against U.S. citizens and the government.

During the last six years that she served, Manning, who is a transgender woman, had her human rights blatantly violated at Fort Leavenworth, an all-male prison in eastern Kansas. She experienced an emotional crisis during the time because of the stress of a war zone and of having gender dysphoria, the condition of feeling one’s emotional and psychological identity as differenr from her biological sex, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

While in prison, the military permitted Manning to partially transition to a woman by providing her with crosssex hormones and allowing her to wear women’s undergarments and light cosmetics.

“Once released she will be able to leave prison a free woman, [after being] subjected to long stretches of solitary confinement — including for attempted suicide — and has been denied access to medically necessary health care,” Staff Attorney Chase Strangio, with the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT Project, said.

Recognized as a humanitarian by the ACLU, Manning pleaded guilty and apologized for her actions during the trial, so she should be granted the

ART BY AFIA KHAN/FALCON ARTIST

Obama’s commutation of the sentence of Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, who leaked classified documents, has been a topic of debate. To some, she is a hero while to others, she is a traitor. opportunity to live her life as a citizen and war veteran.

A petition to shorten Manning’s prison sentence was started in November, receiving over its goal of 100,000 signatures, requiring the White House to officially respond within 60 days.

Both Edward Snowden, former National Security Agency contractor, who currently resides in Moscow to avoid arrest, and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange advocated for Manning, describing the commutation as a “victory” in a tweet written hours after Obama’s decision was made. Manning’s sentence was not commuted solely because of Snowden’s and Assange’s endorsements, but because she earned the right to be released from this 35-year sentence.

As a whistleblower, Manning was sentenced to the longest punishment imposed in the United States for a leak conviction, especially when she merely disclosed information that was in the public’s interest.

This information included incident logs from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, exposing the number of civilian deaths that was significantly higher than official estimates and numerous diplomatic cables showing the death of two Reuters journalists. By exposing evidence of the U.S. Army attacking civilians and journalists in Iraq in 2007, the question of innocent deaths from human rights activists has been brought up.

It could be argued that Manning’s sentence was wrongly commuted since she exposed military records while fighting in the U.S. army, but she was justified in informing the American public, especially about the people they trust with military decisions. By making these plans and decisions, the government and military positioned themselves to have this information released.

Nobody’s life was threatened by Manning’s actions, she has accepted the consequences that she was issued and has earned the right to be freed, which has been granted by Obama, but it was long overdue.

In response to a question posed to Americans by YouGov in 2017 ...

Should former President Barack Obama have commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning?

33%

47%

YES

NO

said

said

*20 percent of surveyed people did not answer

Chelsea Manning, born Bradley Manning, is a traitor. Once an intelligence analyst in an Army unit in Iraq, Manning published 750,000 U.S. classified documents through WikiLeaks in 2010 for all to see. This was not a mistake, but a decision that was neither acceptable nor understandable. A military court agreed when they sentenced Manning to 35 years, the longest prison sentence for a whistleblower in the history of the U.S., at military prison, Fort Leavenworth.

According to Fox News, Manning is one of over 200 criminals for whom former President Barack Obama commuted sentences during his last few days of his presidency.

The commutation is not a pardon, which restores civil rights and essentially forgives wrongdoing, but rather shortens the sentence of a prisoner. Manning, after speaking negatively about Obama’s legacy and leadership only a few days after Obama granted her a pardon, was called an “ungrateful traitor” by thenPresident-elect Donald Trump.

The only reason Obama had to pardon Manning was because she is a transgender woman who was being kept in a men’s prison and was not given the full rights and dignities of being a woman, like growing out her hair. While this is a horrible practice, Manning is a convicted criminal and is expected to serve her full sentence or appeal for early parole before rejoining society. Obama commuted more sentences than any previous president, and must not understand that clemency is meant to be given to those who are deemed ready to be given a second chance, which Manning is not.

Manning is unstable, having attempted suicide twice during her nearly seven-year incarceration at Fort Leavenworth. Additionally, Manning has the lack of character that leads to sending out information that could aid the enemy, although this is a charge of which Manning was acquitted. Still, BBC News called the information that Manning

CON

By Ellie Ahles STAFF WRITER

leaked in 2010, “one of the largest breaches of classified information in U.S. history.”

Manning was convicted of violations of the Espionage Act and pleaded guilty to some of the crimes of which she was accused.

Communiting the sentence of Manning is like allowing Edward Snowden back into the country with open arms and no charges. Snowden released information about the National Security Agency and its multiple surveillance programs, then fled from the U.S. The act of sabotaging one’s own country is the worst crime a citizen can commit, and in the case of United States v. Manning, justice was served. This is evident in the fact that Manning’s maximum possible sentence was from 90 to 136 years, but she was only sentenced to 35 years.

Some argue that Manning needs better care than what can be provided for her in a military prison and that whistleblowers must be protected. However, someone who endangers the lives of innocent American citizens and exposes national security secrets is not worth protecting. Manning also has been provided with medical treatment and hormone replacement therapy drugs in prison, at her request.

Although Manning should be transferred to a women’s prison, she apply for parole and be released on her own merits and the discretion of those who are responsible for overseeing her person and mental progress, not on the whims of a passing president.

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february 10, 2017

STAFF ED: BERKELEY RIOTS EFFECTIVE BUT UNJUSTIFIED On Feb. 1, riots broke out at the University of California, Berkeley in response to the scheduled appearance of Breitbart News senior editor and far right firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos that night, causing the administration to cancel the speaking engagement out of concern for public safety. The riots and cancellation of the event resulted in major public backlash, including

condemnations from Yiannopoulos himself and President Donald Trump, who threatened on Twitter to cut federal funding to the school. But perhaps for once we can agree: the protest, and in particular the violence that accompanied it, were not justified and, more importantly, were antithetical to the notion of free speech, one which UC Berkeley, ironically, has so ardently PHOTO COURTESY OF FRONTPAGE MAG

espoused for the past half century.

It is undeniable that Yiannopoulos’ viewpoints are incredibly offensive and denigrate the identities and sensibilities of many Americans; he is a known white supremacist, a vocal critic of Islam and feminism and, although he is openly gay, had said that gay men should “get back in the closet.” While it is understandable that so many would be opposed to providing him a platform to express such beliefs, the right to free speech under the First Amendment ensures that anyone, even someone like Yiannopoulos, has the right to say whatever they like. And, likewise, it is the First Amendment that gives people the right to peacefully assemble and protest the things that Yiannopoulos says. Both should be able to freely exercise their First Amendment rights, so long as their doing so does not infringe upon another’s ability to do so. Thus, the protestors were wrong to prevent Yiannopoulous from speaking altogether that night.

Furthermore, although the use of violence was effective in helping the protestors achieve their goal, the use of violence is never warranted.

By needlessly endangering the safety of others for the purpose of preventing Yiannopoulos from speaking, the protestors gave the far-right justification also to use violence to achieve its goals in the future and served to increase the divide between the two opposite sides. The

riots also precluded any discussion and debate of the actual contents of Yiannopoulos’ speech.

Still, UC Berkeley should not be punished for the protests, which began peacefully but were later infiltrated by outside anarchists who turned them violent, according to campus spokesperson Dan Mogulof. The university, which is known for having a very liberal student body, did not infringe upon Yiannopoulos’ right to free speech, as it scheduled the speaking engagement and only canceled when the riots were deemed a threat to public safety.

In a statement by university officials, they condemned the fact that “the threats and unlawful actions of a few have interfered with the exercise of First Amendment rights.”

On Feb. 2, the day after the riots, Canyon Crest Academy students held a silent march in response to Trump’s recent executive order on immigration. The Falconer supports the students’ decision to exercise their First Amendment rights at school, so long as the actions remain peaceful.

In an email sent to TPHS families, Principal Rob Coppo stated that “our interest as a school is to balance students’ rights to free speech under the law while ensuring that we have a safe and orderly environment.” He later met with the district leadership team to discuss “appropriate parameters for peaceful student activities should the issue arise at TPHS.”

STUDENT VOICES: IS IT OKAY TO PUNCH A NAZI?

On Jan. 20, noted white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer Richard Spencer was punched in the head by a masked protestor during an on-camera interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation at the inauguration of President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. The video went viral, prompting a debate about the ethics of punching Nazis. Here’s what TPHS students think:

Sure, because they’re bad people. They kill people.

It’s not a good thing to do, but I guess go for it.

Shane Watkins (9)

Taylor Newville (9)

Yeah, sure, because they’re Nazis. They’re bad people.

Bobby Piner (10)

Violence is never the answer but someone who’s done all those horrible things, you probably should punch.

Daisy Waters (10)

No. They may not believe in the right thing, but violence isn’t the answer.

Sean Circosta (11)

No. Violence shouldn’t be used. If you don’t agree with someone’s ideas you should communicate using words.

Leianna Zimmer (11)

It’s okay to punch a Nazi; if you hit them hard enough it would wake them up to the reality of their actions and they would figure out that it’s not acceptable to persecute Jews.

If someone is doing something to you that you don’t like — punch them, go ahead.

Georgia Schugar (12)

Zac Scornavacco (12)

Falconer The Torrey Pines High School

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.

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By Sara Shoushtari GUEST WRITER

On Jan. 20, Saturday Night Live writer Katie Rich tweeted “Barron will be this country’s first homeschool shooter.” Shortly after, her tweet was deleted and her account was made private. Many, from all areas of the political spectrum, were upset, and calls for her suspension grew on Twitter and Facebook. The following weekend Rich was suspended from SNL indefinitely, according to sources close to NBC; she did not appear in the credits on the Jan. 21 episode of SNL. On Jan. 23, Rich tweeted an apology on her reactivated Twitter account saying, “I sincerely apologize for the insensitive tweet. I deeply regret my actions & offensive words.

It was inexcusable & I’m so sorry.”

For as long as there have been children, especially young children and adolescents, in the White House, the treatment of First Children by the press and public has been a topic of debate. The children of the First Family are unique in their close relationship to the President that does not include politics. Their immediate rise to celebrity can be

overwhelming, especially for those who have never been very close to the spotlight. The press and public should remain respectful and courteous to the First Children, especially those who are young, because the First Children did not ask to become the subject of public intrigue.

For the past three administrations, the White House has been a home to First Daughters. Their experiences have all been vastly different. Chelsea Clinton was thirteen years old on the day of her father’s inauguration.

Like many families before them, the Clintons asked that the public respect Chelsea’s privacy. Nevertheless, Chelsea faced criticism for changing from public to private school. During the scandals of the later years of the Clinton presidency, the press, most notably People Magazine, began covering Chelsea’s perspective on the scandal, despite her just beginning college. Since President Carter, there have not been children in the White House, causing the more modern-headline driven media we recognize today in entertainment to struggle to find a balance between respect and invasiveness when covering the Clinton family.

In the Bush years, despite there not being permanent residents of the White House, First Daughters Jenna and Barbara Bush were followed by the press during their college years.

Jenna Bush was heavily featured in scandal after she was arrested twice in five weeks for alcohol-related charges, including possession and

ART BY ALEXEI SERGUIENKO/FALCONER

WH kids are off-limits to the press and comedians

attempt to purchase as a minor while studying at the University of Texas at Austin.

Malia and Sasha Obama were 11 and eight, respectively, when their father was inaugurated. Their childhood experiences in the White House prompted minimal coverage during their father’s first term. As they became older though, they began to see more coverage, including images and video of Malia Obama attending music festivals and parties.

No child in recent presidential history has come out of the White House the same. They grow, in style, stature and maturity, all in the shadow of their leading parents. They struggle to maintain relationships with their parents and family, who suddenly have bigger and more demanding roles and duties. It is

very unlikely that these children ask or want their parents to continue their public roles. Jenna Bush asked her father not to run in 2000 out of fear it would change their lives and family. First Children are asked to participate in a system that removes almost every sense of normalcy any other child their age has the privilege to experience. The more the public supports mockery or interest in the personal life of these children, the more normalcy is removed.

In a letter written by Jenna and Barbara Bush to Malia and Sasha Obama in Time Magazine, Jenna and Barbara wrote, “Now you are about to join another rarified club, one of former First Children.” As someone who has experienced the White House as an adolescent, Chelsea Clinton defended Barron Trump on

Facebook saying, “Barron Trump deserves the chance every child does — to be a kid,” while adding, “Standing up for every kid also means opposing POTUS policies that hurt kids.”

These women, and now Barron Trump, all share the experience of having a unique position in society and the public eye. Their solidarity with each other despite the political differences of their fathers shows the strength with which they support the privacy of First Children.

The press will only follow stories they believe will appeal to the public, so it is up to Americans to show disinterest in Barron Trump’s life so that press coverage of him will be discouraged and he can hope to enjoy as much of a normal childhood as possible.

PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE SAMMY HALLAL

Copy editor Sammy Hallal (11) reflects on how he has been able to maintain his cultural ties to Lebanon while living in the U.S. My dad came to the U.S., alone, at the age of 17 with nothing but a single suitcase, in search of a better life. In pursuit of the American dream, he left his home and culture behind, and stepped into a land he knew almost nothing about. Sixteen years later, he would go on to marry my mother, and they would later move to San Diego, where I have lived my entire life.

Both of my parents grew up in the small country of Lebanon during a devastating 16year war. They spent their childhoods evading bullets and seeking cover from the constant shelling; I spent the first years of my life lounging in the upper-class neighborhoods of Carmel Valley. The drastic differences between the upbringing of my foreign parents and me, as you can probably imagine, has quite a few times created a bit of a clash between generations.

Being a first-generation American has brought with it some struggles, like having to explain to your friend why your parents “don’t believe in sleepovers,” or trying to craft an answer to the daily “what are you?” question, as if I am of a different species. I was born in La Jolla, but apparently that’s not American enough. My parents are not American so, by their logic, I am not American. This constant feeling of being an outsider has only drawn me closer to the very culture that created me.

Growing up in the U.S. you cannot help but feel the need to assimilate. The way I see it, I fused two cultures into one, and created one that works best for me. I have held on to the values I cherish the most, such as the

importance of a close-knit family, but have also let go of many of my past beliefs in order to continue to move forward in my life.

For the first three and a half years of my life I did not speak a word of English, only Arabic.

As I tried to make friends and socialize with my fellow preschoolers, my desperate attempts were quickly shut down, as most people were pretty confused when I came up to them babbling in a random language they had never heard of before.

Like most preschoolers, I struggled with the absence of my mother, but, since I did not speak English, my dread was incomprehensible to everyone around me, and as a fragile threeyear-old I was forced to cope with it on my own and sent into crying tantrums shouting the one English word I knew: mommy. While most people would see this as a disadvantage, to me, I see these experiences as a blessing. When I was younger, I would encounter challenges like these often, causing me to sometimes wonder why my parents came here in the first place. As I have gotten older and become more aware, I have realized that being different is a gift that should never be taken for granted. Having such a unique background, in a way, has made me stronger and, in recent years, has helped me discover who I truly am.

Living with a blend of two extremely different cultures has enabled me to reflect on myself from a unique point of view and, recently, has allowed me to uncover things about my personality that I never knew before.

PHOTO BY LAUREN ZHANG/FALCONER

When my parents decided to start a life on the other side of the world, they knew that the biggest challenge they would encounter would be preserving the cultures and traditions that they grew up with and passing them on to their children in a land where most people haven’t even heard of the country from which they came. Every summer since I was born (and sometimes during other parts of the year), I have gone back to Lebanon to visit my family. Having been to Lebanon 18 times now, each time for at least a month, I have spent a substantial amount of my life there. These trips have somehow created a second personality for me, which I can unconsciously switch to depending on the situation, and feel equally comfortable in both.

Having spent such a large chunk of my life in Lebanon, I have a countless amount of unforgettable experiences in the country, including getting caught in the middle of the Lebanese-Israeli war in 2006, forcing me and

my family to flee the country and escape the dangerous conditions. Even this experience, which most would see as traumatizing and with no redeeming features, has only brought me closer to the land I call home. Plus, being able to say that you escaped from a war is a pretty cool story. Despite this one experience, my time in Lebanon has been a time filled with joy and love. From waking up early in the morning just to sit with my aunts and uncles and 28 cousins, to playing intense poker games at 1 a.m., Lebanon has always been an escape for me, and a place where I can feel free.

The Paris of the Middle East. The Pearl of the Mediterranean. Where the Western world meets the East. No matter what you call it, it will always have a special place in my heart.

I am proud to call both the U.S. and Lebanon my homes, and am forever thankful for the sacrifices made by my courageous parents, for I wouldn’t be where I am today if it was not for them.

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By Sammy Hallal COPY EDITOR

President Donald Trump has repeatedly made promises to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” former President Barack Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement, within the first 100 days of his term.

Before Trump even took office, both the Senate and House of Representatives approved a bill that would allow them to begin the repeal process of “Obamacare,” leaving the Democratic Party and millions of Americans enraged.

Since its passage in 2010, the Affordable Care Act has become an integral component of the American health care system and cannot just be repealed in one simple step. A full repeal and replacement “essentially simultaneously” of the bill in the first 100 days, as promised by Trump, is nearly impossible due to the lengthy process involved in repealing each provision and replacing it with an effective alternative.

According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget,a bipartisan, non-profit public policy organization, Trump’s plan to repeal and replace “Obamacare” would cost

$550 billion over a decade.

Congressional Republicans plan to repeal the parts of the bill that require funding in early 2017, but keep certain provisions of the act.

The problem with this is that the very protections they aim to repeal, are what fund the system and prevent premiums, which are the amount policyholders must pay to purchase coverage, from skyrocketing.

While it is true that the Affordable Care Act has its share of issues, they are nothing that cannot be amended. The act was passed as a starting point and was designed to be implemented over the course of 10 years, with the understanding that it would have to be revisited in the years to come. A government that actually cared about the people it presides over would work to amend the bill. Instead, as Republicans continue to look for new and creative ways to ruin our lives; they seek to strip 20 million people of the health care that they need.

According to a study by the Commonwealth Fund, a private nonpartisan foundation that promotes health care, and RAND Corp., a nonprofit research institution that helps improve public policies, individual coverage under the “Obamacare” costs an average of $3,200 a year, but repealing the act would raise that number to $4,700.

The most common argument made by the Republican Party against “Obamacare” is the issue of rising premiums. What the GOP does not tell you, is that the premiums are rising because of the refusal of Republican state legislatures to

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The Affordable Care Act should not be repealed

expand Medicaid, not because of the Affordable Care Act. The repeal of the law would affect all Americans, not just those covered under it. A June 2015 report from the Congressional Budget Office showed a $137 billion net increase to the deficit over the next decade if the Affordable Care Act is repealed. The report also showed that there could be 24 million people uninsured by 2024 if the Republicans go through with their plans. According to Andy Slavitt, an acting administrator for the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services, the repeal of the bill would have a laundry list of consequences. Women would have to pay more than men for insurance and 30 million people with Medicaid and individual policies would lose them. It would eliminate 2.6 million jobs in health care and construction

and leave 1.25 million people with mental health disorders and 2.8 million people with drug disorders without any coverage whatsoever. As if that were not enough, the repeal would also reverse the 42 percent reduction after the Affordable Care Act was implemented in uninsured veterans, increase the premium, rates of 55 to 64 year olds by up to 10 times and add $1.1 trillion to our national debt.

One might wonder, what reason could the GOP possibly have that would prompt them to do something so damaging and irresponsible.

Well, in addition to ruining Obama’s legacy, there are a few winners: Insurance companies will no longer have to devote at least 80 percent or premiums to medical claims, debt collectors will have more business and high earners will see huge tax

breaks.

Most industrial countries committed to universal health care long ago. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the U.S. finally joined the ranks of the rest of the industrialized world by working toward a universal health care system.

After Congress moved to begin the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, prominent Democratic senators, including Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren hosted rallies across the country in an attempt to save the important act, and show the wide support behind it. As the GOP seeks to repeal the act, thousands of Americans have mobilized and come together for one last fight to keep the necessary and lifesaving Affordable Care Act.

Trump’s foreign policy decisions reflect his aggressive temperament STAFF WRITER

Every four years, the American people elect more than just a president; they elect, arguably, the most powerful person on the planet.

The president must understand both the domestic and international implications of policy. However, Trump’s actions during his short time in the Oval Office so far have signaled a dramatic and dangerous new direction in American leadership abroad.

The first major deviation from Obama-era foreign policy was a statement from Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency transition team leader, Myron Ebell on Jan. 30, promising Trump would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. The agreement, which had only gone into effect four days before the 2016 presidential election, is a landmark agreement that encouraged participating countries to develop protocols for reducing fossil fuel consumption. Although criticized for not being legally binding, the agreement is seen as one of the last hopes for avoiding the worst effects of global climate change. According to the United Nations, climate change is “disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing people, communities and countries dearly today and even more tomorrow.”

Although the majority of

congressional Republicans appear not to recognize the threat posed by climate change, with their positions running the gamut from skepticism to complete denial, the Paris agreement is supported by 71 percent of Americans, according to a poll by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, a nearly centuryold non-partisan and independent organization that provides insight on global issues. Since the U.S. is the second largest producer of carbon emissions, its cooperation is critical to preventing climate change. By pulling out of the agreement, other nations will have less incentive to abide by its provisions. Trump’s climate change denial greatly reduces the likelihood action will be taken to combat it.

Although this alone alienates U.S. allies and weakens U.S. standing in the international community, Trumps’ other actions also isolate the U.S. and diminish its global strength.

On Jan. 27, Trump delivered on a campaign promise by signing an executive action blocking entrance to the U.S. from Muslim-majority nations Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia for 120 days. The travel ban barred people with visas and green card holders from entering the U.S., including translators who helped U.S. troops in the Iraq War. The administration said the ban was a national security precaution, although even the CATO Institute, a conservative think tank, reported that only 17 people from those countries have attempted or carried out attacks on American soil since 1975. On the other hand, citizens from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt have caused almost 100 terrorist-related deaths in the U.S. Trump’s decision not to include these countries, all of which the Trump Organization has business ties with, led critics to believe the

measure was taken to curb Muslim immigration rather than to reduce national security threats.

Although the decision was blocked by a federal judge in Seattle on Feb. 4 and is currently in the appeals process, the proposed ban has already had massive consequences. Iraq, one of the leading forces in the effort to defeat the Islamic State, responded by calling the ban an “astonishment.”

Ironically, defeating IS is one of Trump’s major policy goals, and doing so is only possible with the help of regional allies. Furthermore, Trump’s campaign website proposes working with “our Arab allies and friends in the Middle East” to defeat IS. U.S. foreign policy decisions have far-reaching impacts. By making rash decisions, like this executive order, Trump has displayed a need to act spontaneously. Throughout the campaign, Trump masterfully captured media attention with constant, headline-worthy behavior.

Trying to translate this to the presidency, however, is harmful.

Trump best displayed the potential damage of his erratic nature in a recent phone conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Anonymous reports provided to the Washington Post said Trump ended the call after 25 minutes despite having scheduled an hourlong call. Former President Barack Obama and Turnbull had previously negotiated a gradual resettlement deal for asylum seekers on the Australian islands of Nauru and Manus Island. According to reports, Trump began his conversation with Turnbull by bragging about the large margin by which he won the presidential election, despite losing the popular vote by almost 3 million votes. As the prime minister tried to understand if Trump would stand by the deal, Trump became inflamed and enraged, according

to the reports. Rather than open a discussion or peacefully announce a reconsideration, Trump turned the conversation into a personal attack on the prime minister. Trump called the deal the “worst deal ever” and told Turnbull that the refugees would be the next “Boston bombers.” He also told Turnbull he had called other leaders on the same day and that his conversation with Turnbull was the “worst” of all his calls that day.

Afterward, the Trump administration announced that they would accept only those 1,250 refugees who went through extreme vetting procedures. Although the deal was upheld, Trump’s rollercoaster of emotions and lack of civility shown thus far is extremely concerning. If the U.S. is to maintain its position of global leadership, Trump needs not only to be able to understand global politics better, but also to fundamentally change his erratic behavior.

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By Farhan Hossain

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In light of President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on immigration, refugee issues have become even more contentious than they already were. In our own backyard, San Diego hosts the largest Syrian refugee population in the country.

Carrying colorful signs with bold political statements and matching white T-shirts, the 150 students who marched silently through the Canyon Crest Academy campus on Feb. 2 sent a clear message: this is how it starts.

After days of preparation, including negotiations with the CCA administration and a social media blitz, CCA student Safi Jafri (11) led the group of students in a peaceful protest against President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration, which restricts entrance into the country of refugees and immigrants from seven countries in the Middle East and Africa for 120 days.

“What inspired me to march was a bit like a last straw situation,” Jafri said. “I was tired of seeing things that I feared ... of this administration come true, and have additional backlash and repercussions involved ... This paranoia was due to my analysis of history, and that governments who use fear to isolate others take baby steps to do so. This is why I put at the bottom of our shirts #ThisIsHowItStarts.”

Jafri and his family sponsor a family of Syrian refugees in San Diego and help them adjust to American life by assisting them in finding jobs, housing and other necessities.

“Currently, they are horrified that they will be deported back to Syria,” Jafri said. “The wife feels so hurt here, she said that the Jordanian refugee camps were in many ways better than America – that broke my heart.”

According to the Refugee Programs Bureau of the California Department of Social Services, there are 7,908 refugees currently residing in California, 3,100 of them relocated to San Diego County as of September 2016.

While the region experienced its first major influx of refugees from Southeast Asian countries in the 1970s during the Vietnam War, most of the refugees coming to the U.S. now hail from the Middle East, primarily Iraq and Syria, where violence and political instability in the region have displaced millions.

The difference between refugees and immigrants is that refugees must go through extensive security and medical screening, according to Etleva Bejko, the Director of Refugee and Immigration Services at the Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFSSD), a federally funded organization that helps relocate refugees in San Diego.

“A refugee is someone who has fled his or her homeland and cannot return because of persecution based on religion, race, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group,” Bejko said. “If there is any doubt about who a refugee is, he or she will not be admitted to the United States.”

In response to the high volume of refugees, San Diego has become home to many refugee aid organizations in addition to JFSSD, like the International Rescue Committee and the Alliance for African Assistance, both of which organize projects to provide refugees with resources, like housing and transportation, and teach the families skills necessary for finding a job and about financial stability.

Pavitra Ranadive (11), president and founder of the Refugee Care Club at TPHS, which collects and sends school supplies to students in refugee camps, attributes the large refugee population in San Diego to the “welcoming environment.”

“I moved here just a year and a half ago, and I feel like San Diego is a very welcoming place,” Ranadive said. “San Diego does a lot for refugees.”

San Diego has accepted more Syrian refugees in the last four years than any other U.S. city, according to Global Action, a global social action platform. JC Birkfield (12), president of the Amnesty International Club at TPHS, believes that these refugees contribute to the culture of San Diego by diversifying the population.

“Looking back to the ‘70s and ‘80s when there was the Indochinese refugee crisis, we saw Vietnamese and other Asian refugees from the Indochina area,” Birkfield said. “Refugees come from various cultures around the world, and they can diversify the atmosphere and educate others about what the world is like.”

According to Bejko, refugees are more likely to be relocated to San Diego if “other family is already here or members of their community are here in great numbers.”

“San Diego is a very diverse community,” Bejko said. “It greatly helps in ongoing support and opportunities to become integrated into our society and culture. The U.S. refugee program is a very coordinated effort between federal and local agencies … The program is focused on keeping families and communities together. Otherwise, the family could be assigned to any city in the U.S.” In the 1970s, Jafri’s parents came to the U.S. from Syria. That understanding of the immigrant experience, as told to him by his parents, led to a greater awareness on his part of immigrant rights. His personal connection to the highly contentious political issue resulted in him carrying a poster reading “#repealtheban” during the Feb. 2 march.

You have political rhetoric and fear being thrown about and mixed with a populist message, making anti-refugee sentiment American ... When you have a president who believes that ‘Islam hates the West,’ that’s where you can find the problem.

Safi Jafri

��� ������� “The topic of immigration has been a part of my life since I can remember, and for the past 15 and a half years of my life,” Jafri said. “It’s important to understand that we still have rights in this country – let’s not take them for granted.”

Although San Diego has and continues to be home to thousands of refugees, refugees still face many challenges upon arriving in the U.S., like overcoming the trauma experienced in refugee camps.

“Adjusting to a new way of life, sometimes learning language, navigating health care, education, finances — ultimately becoming self-sufficient — is what’s most difficult,” Bejko said. “On average, they are refugees for two to three years. The people we settle have been refugees for four to five years. One family coming was in a refugee camp in Jordan for eight years.”

Jafri said the challenges faced by refugees have been heightened by the growing anti-refugee sentiment in post-9/11 America, an attitude that has only continued to grow, fueled by Trump’s immigration policies.

“You have political rhetoric and fear being thrown about and mixed with a populist message, making anti-refugee sentiment American,” Jafri said. “In fact, the majority of Americans today are descendants of refugees, which is honestly quite ironic. When you have a president who believes that ‘Islam hates the West,’ that’s where you can find the problem.”

Halima Ander (11), president of the Human Rights Club at TPHS agrees that Trump has contributed greatly to a hostile environment for refugees.

“I understand why there are negative stigmas, but I really don’t think there should be,” Ander said. “I think [if you] just read about it [or] look online at community center information, there [are events] where you can just meet

Information provided by California Department of Social Services - Refugee Programs Bureau

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up with a refugee and have coffee or help them.”

Ranadive said that protesting Trump’s policies helps unites people with similar beliefs.

“It’s really interesting that the travel ban especially has brought people together,” Ranadive said. “There’s people who’re recognizing that what he’s doing is wrong and unconstitutional and it’s bringing a lot of people together at the same time.”

It’s really interesting that, the travel ban especially, has brought people together. There’s people who’re recognizing that what he’s doing is wrong and unconstitutional and it’s bringing a lot of people together at the same time.

Pavitra Ranadive �������

John Hsu (12), who supports several of Trump’s plans, in particular his economic policies, believes that a travel ban is “not feasible,” and said that such drastic policies may sway more moderate conservatives away from Trump’s ideologies.

“I think the travel ban is actually making it better for [immigrants and refugees] in a way because people are seeing how crazy it is now that we’re actually banning people,” Hsu said. “More conservative people, like me, might have actually liked Trump, and now that he’s doing crazy stuff we may realize it’s crazy and start to lean the other way.”

During the protest, students marched amid dissent and resistance from their peers, but one thing stood out from the rest: the continuous chanting of one of Trump’s most famous campaign slogans, “Build a wall!”

While certain policies may directly inhibit refugee relocation, Ranadive also recognizes the effects of Trump’s rhetoric on anti-refugee attitudes, particularly Islamophobic rhetoric which continues to pervade politics.

“There is a lot of stigma because most terrorist attacks have been people who are radical Islamists, but it’s not the same as actual Islam,” Ranadive said. “I feel like there’s so many people in power who keep saying Islam is bad, and then there’s people who agree with them and spread the word, and they don’t realize [the difference].”

John Schreckengaust (11) said that although refugees in general are not the ones to blame for such negative stereotypes, there are some who “take advantage of the system.”

“I agree with the current state; it is only a 90-day ban on certain states ... but what should be changed is that it should be clearly defined that it is not a Muslim ban,” Schreckengaust said. “I think that what Trump is doing is reasonable because this idea has been long proposed and our country needs to get more information about the people coming in.”

Tyler Joaquin (11) believes that some of this stigma surrounding refugees is warranted, “especially towards [refugees] coming from the Middle East.”

“A lot of this hatred [towards refugees] is warranted, and we all have different opinions.” Joaquin said. “The Middle East is probably the most dangerous area right now, as we are fighting the war against terrorism till this day.”

While Joaquin feels sympathetic toward refugees “trying to find a home,” he said that there needs to be stricter regulations on who is admitted into the U.S. and how many refugees are allowed to resettle.

“A substantial amount of terrorists come from being a refugee and instead cause terror in other countries,” Joaquin said. “I think if we are going to let them in we should investigate the background of the individual in order to avoid terrorism in the U.S. I also think we should limit the number of refugees that come in.”

According to National Public Radio, no individuals originating from the seven countries included in Trump’s travel ban have committed fatal terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.

“Another reason I don’t think [the ban] is realistic is because I’ve looked at some statistics and I don’t think that refugees have ever been terrorists,” Hsu said.

“I support his ideas like tax cuts ... but I’m against walls and that kind of stuff; I don’t think it works.”

Bejko believes that this has further contributed to the support refugees in the state have received from California legislators.

“Just see statements from San Diego’s elected officials in support of refugees and the impact they have on our economy,” Bejko said. “We hope that it will be effective. Recent actions in our court system are causes for optimism.”

Ander, Jafri and Ranadive all agree that one of the best ways that high schoolers and anyone else can correct such misconceptions surrounding refugees is to be better informed about these issues.

As Jafri marched with the large poster held above his head, he remembered copying and pasting a mass text to every CCA student in his contacts, inviting them to participate in the silent march. Jafri used social media to help get the word out

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about the protest.

“Many people that use social media to raise awareness are teenagers and high schoolers,” Ranadive said. “What we can do through social media is [teach] people and [spread] the word about what’s going on and I think getting students involved is important because students are going to grow and run the country some day.”

However, Schreckengaust claims that the media can skew perceptions on Trump’s policies relating to refugees.

“Currently the use of media is slamming Trump and his administration and making him look Islamophobic and making other countries think he is banning their country because they are Muslim,” Schreckengaust said. “We should let in some refugees but some of them may not be safe for the U.S.” Jafri’s commitment to advocating on behalf of refugees and immigrants extends beyond the scope of just his school; he works with other CCA students to coordinate interviews and events with speakers ranging from students to local artists through his organization, WhiteHat. “I believe it’s important to step out of that enclosed box and open those doors through research,” Jafri said. “It’s also the reason I began my project WhiteHat, which aims to provide a platform for high schoolers to educate themselves on narratives that are overlooked or misunderstood in many cases, presented by people who tell their own stories and are given a voice.”

Similarly, Birkfield operates Refugee Force, a website that provides information on recent refugee issues.

Anytime you’ve got anybody making human contact with somebody else I think it has a lasting effect, and the clubs on campus who are looking to support refugee students, I think that’s definitely going to have a lasting effect ...

Having some sort of form of support on campus, I think, is critical.

Rob Coppo ���������

“What we’re doing is providing statistics about the refugee crisis across the world and providing news that the website users can access to keep up to date on the refugee issues across the world,” Birkfield said. “We’re also planning on launching a few projects which would help refugees get resettled across the world, especially in Spain, which is where I’m going to go to college.”

Ranadive and Ander are both involved in on-campus clubs, which often work together to gather supplies for children who attend “overpopulated and underfunded” schools in refugee camps. While the collected supplies are going to refugee camps across the world, Ranadive hopes that the club is able to effect change at TPHS too.

“I hope that we can spread the awareness of refugee situations around the world,” Ranadive said. “We hope that they may provide ways for students to get an education … Students at TPHS usually have what they need in order to have an education and everything that they want, but students at refugee camps don’t have that and it’s important that we know about the situations outside and that we share that privilege with people who are not as privileged.”

Principal Rob Coppo said campus clubs contribute to the positive community attitude surrounding refugees.

“I think that’s a great way to develop as a human being,” Coppo said. “Anytime you’ve got anybody making human contact with somebody else I think it has a lasting effect, and the clubs on campus who are looking to support refugee students, I think that’s definitely going to have a lasting effect ... Having some sort of form of support on campus, I think, is critical.”

Despite the fact that there are no refugee students currently enrolled at either TPHS or CCA, Coppo believes that schools in different areas of San Diego have appropriate accommodations for refugees.

“I worked in a district last year that got a lot of refugees at a school in El Cajon,” Coppo said. “They had different family centers set up and ways to serve the various populations from different countries.”

While Coppo has seen certain programs assisting refugees in San Diego schools, Jafri still thinks there is still room for improvement.

“I think that programs that help these refugees are doing a wonderful job, however there are still many improvements that need to be addressed,” Jafri said.

“Sometimes, some families are favored by others when it comes to receiving services from programs in San Diego. A lot of times personal sponsors have to really pitch in to help provide and help defend these refugees since many don’t speak English.”

As Jafri watched the crowd of student protestors around him, which consisted of a variety of racial, ethnic, religious groups and other demographic groups, grow from around 75 at the start of the lunch period to 150 strong by the end of it, he realized that they had succeeded in “prevail[ing] in silence and respect[ing] others.”

Regardless of resistance, to people like Jafri, some causes will always be worth fighting for.

Phone Number: 619-286-9052

Phone Number: 619-641-7510

Phone Number: 619-287-9454

Phone Number: 619-286-9052

Website: alliance-for-africa.org

Website: rescue.org

Website: ccdsd.org

Website: jfssd.org

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San Bernadino

documented refugees

refugees have been admitted into the U.S. by the United Nations.

documented refugees

San Francisco documented refugees Los Angeles

documented refugees

San Diego

people around the world are considered refugees

documented refugees people are currently displaced from their home countries

Refugees wanting to relocate to the U.S. apply through the United Nations Refugee Agency. The application is then transferred to a Department of State Resettlement Support Center. The RCSs then conduct interviews and background checks with other agencies.

National security agencies screen the applicants with data from the RCSs. The examinations look for connections to criminals and previous law violations.

Security screenings are sent to the Department of Homeland Security and the State department. Department representatives then conduct interviews in the home countries. These interviews conďŹ rm or contradict information collected in the RSC interviews.

Fingerprints are collected and compared with the FBI biometric database, the DHS biometric database and the U.S. Department of Defense database. The ďŹ ngerprint results are then reviewed by the DHS.

Applicants attend classes that teach them about American culture and customs. After, they undergo screenings to identify diseases that may endanger public health.

Representatives from resettlement agencies review applicant information and determine where to place the refugees. The International Organization for Migration organizes traveling plans for refugees. Refugees are also screened by U.S. Customs and Border Protection before entering the U.S.

*Information provided by the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, the California Department of Social Services - Refugee Programs Bureau and Jewish Family Services of San Diego

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A15

,

In a hospital lobby at night, a collection of patients’ friends and family members conversed quietly, awaiting updates on the patients they knew. Seated in the corner, a fourth grader tried to comprehend her father’s coma. Her eyes moved slowly around the room, stopping at the sight of a piano. It was now-senior Kendra Checketts’, who cautiously approached it. Without lessons or knowledge of how to read music, Checketts began to play by ear and sing for the informal audience.

“My dad was in the hospital for a while. He had something called a severe cerebral brain hemorrhage so [singing] was the only thing that got me through everything,” Checketts said. “He was in coma for 2 1/2 weeks.”

Checketts considered the performances she gave at the hospital her introduction to singing. However, she had an earlier introduction to music from her family.

During visits to her grandparents’ house, she would listen to John Lennon and the Beatles.

“I just kind of picked up on it,” Checketts said. “I was really inspired by [Lennon] being able to sing and being in the Beatles.”

Inspired by the music her family introduced her to, Checketts decided to perform at her elementary school talent show.

“I went and told my mom,” Checketts said. “She was like ‘Oh, okay honey, sure, we’ll be there’.

[Afterward] everyone was like ‘Oh my god, your daughter can sing.’”

From there, Checketts’ singing took off. She decide to make a YouTube channel.

“I started posting my music on there and I started getting a positive reaction,” Checketts said. “People started telling me to post more songs.”

Checketts tried to find a space to record songs for YouTube. Encouraging of their daughter’s passion, Checketts’ parents allowed her to record in their walk-in closet.

“I would record in there because the sound in there was awesome,” Checketts said. “Everything was totally soundproof from the clothes around me.”

Checketts continued to post to YouTube and the live streaming site YouNow, although she began singing professionally as a high schooler, forming connections by performing publically. Her parents helped her get business cards, and she drove around to different places to perform.

“I’ll have my business cards laid out on a table or something near the general vicinity where I’m singing,” Checketts said. “It’s just a matter of making sure that you talk to as many people as you can.”

Checketts’ efforts paid off when she received her first invitation to perform at the San Diego House of Blues. Under the beam of the stage lights, Checketts was surprised by the size of the crowd. Checketts made eye contact with her parents and began to sing.

“I perform all around San Diego and some places up in Los Angeles,” Checketts said. “I performed a lot at the House of Blues, the Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles, Westroot Tavern, and Qualcomm Stadium. A bunch of places downtown [San Diego], too.”

As Checketts’ has expanded into the music industry, she has received several record deals. But fear of the industry’s methods has prevented her from signing contracts.

“They could ‘shelf you,’ as they call it, where they just sign you and have you do nothing,” Checketts said. “They can turn you into singing a whole other genre of music. It would be awesome to be signed, but at the same time I think it’s awesome to also start up singing yourself and see where it takes you.”

In the past few weeks, Checketts has cashed her saved tips and payment from gigs to record her EP in a studio. Checketts hopes to achieve a sound that represents both her grandparents’ love of John Lennon and her own love of rhythm and blues artists like Alicia Keys.

“I want to keep it current and make sure that I can relate to other people,” Checketts said. “I also kind of want to bring back in the older type vibes of Whitney Houston.”

Checketts is gravitating toward a career in music. However, she has a few backups: to study audio engineering or to study political science at the University of California, Los Angeles. No matter what her career may be, Checketts will always sing.

“Music is my whole life. It just describes me as a person,” Checketts said. “There is literally a song for every emotion you are feeling. There is a song for every moment you are having. It’s a great way to express yourself.”

With her first single coming out later this month and an EP coming out in April, Checketts musical journey is far beyond the nervous fourth grader singing in the hospital.

by Farhan Hossain

PHOTO BY TRAVIS FELTHAUS/FALCONER PHOTOS COURTESY OF KENDRA CHECKETTS

U.S. immigration policy has fluctuated throughout the years, transitioning from exclusion acts to quotas and even complete bans. The 1921 Emergency Quota Act placed limits on the number of immigrants allowed from each nation.

The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act overturned the quota system and allowed for immediate family members of U.S. citizens to enter the country. The 2017 executive order issued by President Donald Trump completely banned any and all immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

The recent immigration ban has caused alarm, in the U.S. and across the globe. Companies have had trouble getting employees back into the country, protests have broken out nationwide and travelers who were traveling when the order was signed found themselves blindsided when they landed in the U.S. The executive order allows the Department of Homeland Security to expand the ban to more countries at any time. Officials have had trouble interpreting the contingencies in order to enforce it, and green card and visa holders have encountered trouble when trying to get back into the U.S. News of the immigration ban was met with American protests at airports, and a federal judge has overridden the executive order with a nationwide stay on deportation, which postpones deportation and keeps the individuals in question on U.S. soil.

The president has also stopped the Syrian refugee program, and temporarily halted the general refugee immigration system in order to review and revise the vetting process. The current vetting

process requires refugees to identify themselves to the U.N. Refugee Agency and then compile an applicant file at a federally-funded resettlement support agency.

The refugees are then thoroughly investigated, their backgrounds cross-checked through multiple intelligence agencies. If they have a clean history, refugees are interviewed by trained citizenship and immigration agents, and the refugees’ fingerprints are recorded to be run through biometric databases. Medical screenings must be conducted and refugees must complete cultural orientation classes before they can step on U.S. soil. Any red flags that show up at any point in this process puts the case on hold for further review, and any refugee whose background could potentially pose a security risk is not admitted without an intense investigation. The U.S. refugee vetting process can take up to two years, and is one of the most rigorous procedures in the world.

The president also claims that he will build a wall along the southern border of the U.S. in order to prevent people entering the country illegally and ensuring that those who do are successfully deported.

The recent ban on immigration from the seven countries is just a starting point, and has the potential to expand in the future.

According to Trump’s campaign website, he intends to establish and enforce harsher regulations on immigration as part of his overall plan to prioritize America and keep terrorists from getting past U.S. borders.

by Anvitha Soordelu PHOTOS COURTESY OF NEWS RADIO KEEL AND KEYWORDSSUGGEST.ORG

PHOTO BY LAUREN ZHANG/FALCONER

PHOTO BY LAUREN ZHANG/FALCONER

Being Lebanese, I have been eating Mediterranean food for as long as I can remember, so I was not expecting anything special when I went to lunch at Beesalt Balcony. But I was pleasantly surprised.

When I walked into Beesalt Balcony, the simple and rustic decor caught my attention right away.

Located in Del Mar, this gem of a restaurant boasts a phenomenal view, just steps away from the beach.

The unique restaurant is a fusion of Greek and Italian cuisine, which sounds like a terrible pairing, but Beesalt Balcony managed to pull it off. I was taken aback by the deliciousness of each item. It was so tasty, I actually felt sad when I realized I had finished my plate.

After staring at the menu for nearly 10 minutes, conflicted over the wide variety of choices, I finally decided to order the Tzatziki Flatbread ($9), the

Beesalt Salad ($11) and the Balcony Burger ($15).

The appetizer was quite simple and consisted only of a plate of tzatziki and baked pita bread topped with mozzarella cheese. The simplicity of the dish and the rich and light tzatziki made it the perfect appetizer. The

The main stretch of Camino Del Mar and the streets nearby are littered with a number of classy, upscale American bistros. I visited Zel’s Del Mar, which is located on the corner of 13th St., on a quiet Monday evening, fully expecting my dining experience to mirror ones that I had previously tried at other similar restaurants in the area. Only a few other patrons were scattered throughout the restaurant’s modern interior and warmly lit patio area and a friendly and attentive waiter seated me promptly.

To start my meal, I ordered two appetizers: The Ahi & Crab Stack ($16.50) arrived in the form of a compressed cylinder — imagine someone attempting to turn a layered dip into a homemade popsicle — with a side of lotus chips. The stack itself consisted of chunks of tuna, crab, avocado, cucumber and mango but, even for a sushi lover, was overpowered

by the extremely fishy-tasting seafood components. The Tempura Squash Blossoms ($13.50) fared only slightly better; the fried flowers were dominated by the thick and generous ricotta filling, leaving me feeling full after eating just one out of the three blossoms on the plate.

bread, which was made from scratch, was warm and flavorful. The authentic tzatziki combined with the perfectly toasted pita created an unbeatable taste.

After devouring the appetizer, I moved on to the Beesalt Salad. Made with local greens, Kalamata olives, cucumbers, feta cheese, onions and topped with tzatziki, the salad was the

For the main course, out of the relatively limited selection of a single burger, three entrees, and several flatbread pizzas offered that night, I finally settled on two pizzas with a side of Smoked Gouda Mac n’ Cheese ($8).

The Spicy Sausage Flatbread Pizza ($16) featured two types of sausages and mushrooms on top of a thin, crispy

ideal Greek meal. The refreshing and crisp salad was one of the best I have ever had, due to the variety of fresh ingredients used.

Finally, it was time for the Balcony Burger. Just the sight of this masterpiece made my mouth water.

Made with grass-fed lamb, tomato, white cheddar cheese, shallot jam and greens on buttered bread, each bite of this burger was better than the last. The lamb was cooked to perfection and had a strong, juicy flavor. The greens and tomatoes added a subtle crisp taste to contrast the meat. My one and only complaint, however, was that the shallot jam made the burger just a bit too sweet, but other than that one aspect, the burger was a work of art.

If you ever find yourself in the Del Mar area looking for a good lunch, make sure you head to Beesalt Balcony for a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

by Sammy Hallal

crust. Upon first bite, I could not help but be overwhelmingly reminded of a Costco combo pizza, which at less than a quarter of the price, seemed like a much better alternative to the one I was eating. The Crispy Prosciutto Flatbread Pizza ($16), despite its multiple toppings, tasted solely of prosciutto and left a poor aftertaste in my mouth.

The best part of the entire meal was the macaroni and cheese.

Although it was just a side dish, the surprisingly large portions and the smoky, creamy gouda left me wishing that it was the only thing I had ordered that night.

Unfortunately, Zel’s Del Mar turned out to be a much greater disappointment than many of its counterparts. If you’re looking for a place to grab dinner in the area, your money will probably be better spent somewhere else.

by Amanda Chen

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PHOTO BY ALLY JENSEN/FALCONER

PHOTO BY ALLY JENSEN/FALCONER

PHOTO BY ALDERIK VAN DER HEYDE/FALCONER

I have only been to Jake’s Del Mar once before for Sunday brunch, and while I remember enjoying my view of the beach, I didn’t think the actual meal was anything spectacular.

However, this time, both the ocean view and the food impressed me.

As soon as I stepped inside, I was greeted by a friendly and attentive server and the welcoming beach view through the huge glass windows along the back wall of the restaurant. After taking our order, he also brought over warm, soft and complimentary sourdough rolls along with salted butter.

All of my dishes came to my table about 15 minutes after we ordered. To start off my meal, I ordered the BBQ Ribs ($14) which came with Sambal, an Asian hot sauce, barbecue sauce on the side. The meat was tender and came right off the bone when I sunk my teeth into it, and was not too dry. The cumin seasoning was not

overwhelming, and added nice flavor to the pork. The ribs tasted delicious on their own without the sauce, but they were also tasty with it.

For my entrées, I ordered the Chef’s Burger ($15) and the Creative King Salmon ($18). The burger came with French fries and ketchup on the side,

Brigantine Seafood and Oyster Bar, perched on its own corner at the intersection by Del Mar Dog Beach, seemed like the ideal environment to enjoy a meal on a warm, languid afternoon. People sat amidst soft chatter and sunlight flooding through wide windows.

As soon as we arrived, we were quickly led to a table on the back patio and given menus. From a rather extensive selection of seafood, we chose to try the Crispy Coconut Macadamia Shrimp ($13.50), Golden Ale-Battered Fish & Chips ($16.50) and the Brig’s Famous Fish Tacos ($10.50). Our orders arrived sooner than expected.

The shrimp, which I tasted first, had a crunchy texture combined with smooth and tender meat inside, topped with a mango salad, chopped lettuce, onions, green bell peppers and carrots. A mildly sweet dipping sauce accompanied the shrimp nicely.

However, the coconut and macadamia flavor was absent from the dish, but it didn’t particularly detract from its overall quality.

Both the entrees had battered fish which, like the shrimp, was crispy on the outside but well-cooked and soft on the inside. The fish tacos were

Located merely blocks away from the beach, Il Fornaio is exactly what you’d expect from a formal Italian chain restaurant in Del Mar — a gorgeous view accompanied by satisfactory, but not extraordinary, slightly overpriced food.

We were seated immediately in the almost empty restaurant, and the waitress quickly prepared a mix of olive oil and vinegar. While we dipped our complimentary bread in the mixture, we scanned the menu for the tastiest-sounding, but cheapest dishes.

For appetizers, we decided upon the Bruschetta Calda ($9.95) and Rustichella ($13.95), which arrived quickly. The Bruschetta Calda, three slices of ciabatta bread topped with garlic and tomatoes, did not taste extraordinary; the bread was slightly soggy from the tomatoes, which were rather bland. The Rustichella was reminiscent of a margherita pizza;

the flatbread topped with goat cheese, mozzarella, tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, basil and oregano, was a little more worth our money.

The mozzarella and goat cheese complemented each other perfectly while the onions and tomatoes added freshness. However, the high

and it was quite large and looked appetizing. There was a generous amount of everything in the burger, and the beef patty was thick, juicy and perfectly seasoned. The bun was soft, the onions added a sweet flavor to the overall burger and the special sauce, which oozed out, brought the whole burger together. My one complaint

wrapped in warm tortillas and were filled with crunchy red cabbage, while the fish and chips featured a generous helping of thin and fluffy fries. The house kettle chips complemented the overall crispness of the meal. Coleslaw on both the entrees was light on mayonnaise — making the side taste refreshing, untainted by heavy or

quantities of cheese made it extremely filling and difficult to finish more than two slices.

For my main dish, I ordered the Capellini Al Pomodoro ($12.95), angel hair pasta with tomatoes, garlic, basil and marinara sauce, which arrived promptly. While the dish was beautifully presented, the actual taste

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I had about the burger was that the cheese seemed stale and crusty, and lacked flavor.

The salmon was absolutely amazing and every aspect of it was delectable. Although there was not very much food on the plate, it was presented beautifully. The salmon was soft and succulent, and the honey mustard balsamic drizzled over it was buttery and a perfect balance between sweet and sour. The two huge shrimp were very tender, and juicy; the tart apple slices on top added a unique overall flavor and texture to the dish and offered a nice contrast to the vegetable puree, and the brussel sprouts on the bottom were chewy and well-seasoned.

I would definitely come back to Jake’s again, and would highly recommend it if you are in Del Mar and are willing to spend a little extra on some flavorful food.

by Angela Liu

overwhelming sauces.

The two plates were similar in terms of content and were equally satisfying in taste. The food, combined with attentive service and a generally relaxed aura, made for a seaside meal that exceeded my expectations.

Our drinks were immediately refilled by the waiter, even without our request, and we were continuously checked on to ensure that we had no needs gone unattended.

The Brigantine seemed like it would be like any other aboveaverage restaurant by the beach, with small portions and high prices. Yet, although the prices were admittedly more than I’d usually pay for lunch, the quality of food and the overall experience was ended up being worth it. For another special occasion like Formal and an ocean view, Brigantine definitely would be at the top of my list.

by Lily Nilipour

was disappointing. The sauce did not have much flavor, making the noodles taste satisfactory at best. At such a high price, I expected much more from the classic Italian dish.

The waitress kept a close watch on our table, refilling our drinks and checking in with us from time to time.

When she saw that we had finished eating, she recommended the Caramel-Sea Salt gelato ($4.95) for dessert.

The gelato was smooth, rich and, unlike many of the other dishes, well worth the price; it melted instantly in my mouth. The caramel flavor was complemented by a slight salty taste, leaving me wanting more.

Overall, while Il Fornaio had excellent service and a warm, environment, its expensive prices and generally average-tasting food will not have me coming back for more.

by Irene Yu

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The best types of horror movies are the ones that carry the viewer through a mysterious and dark tale, keeping them on the edge of their seats. People watch in fascination and frustration, eagerly awaiting jump-scares, but dreading them all the same. To my disappointment, “Rings” doesn’t live up to its horror genre, and any hype that it might have built from all of its advertising is completely misleading.

“Rings,” based on the 1998 Japanese horror film “Ring,” is actually the third installment of the franchise that follows the urban legend of a cursed VHS tape. Those who watch it die within seven days, after being haunted by visions of a dead girl who ends up crawling out of a TV to murder them. I remember watching the first American film, also a remake of the original Japanese film, called “The Ring” when I was younger. I couldn’t finish it because of the monstrous, long-haired child who seemed as though she would crawl out of my TV into my living room. That’s how horror movies are supposed to make viewers feel, but, I think it’s best to avoid them if you’re under five. Luckily, my family did away with our VHS player not long after, and the movie was just a scary memory. But if a younger me were to watch the newest version of this movie, I wouldn’t be scared at all and would likely fall asleep in the first half.

In the new 2017 remake, VHS tapes are disposed of in favor digital file sharing instead. The film follows Holt (Alex Roe), a collegebound student who finds it difficult to leave behind his high school girlfriend Julia (Matilda Lutz). Holt eventually acquaints himself with Gabriel (Johnny Galecki), his nostalgia-seeking professor who ends up stumbling upon an old VHS player with the cursed tape of Samara Morgan (Bonnie Morgan) in it. Instead of fearing for his life, Gabriel obssessively pursues the tape’s background and history, believeing that it has a connection to the afterlife. Gabriel lures in his students into an occult experiment by offering extra credit, and explores the concept of passing on the curse to another person by making them watch the digital file. A concerned Julia shows up unexpectedly and discovers that Holt is involved in a supernatural experiment, and with impeccable horror movie timing, everything starts to fall apart.

The chemistry between the two adolescent lovers was extremely awkward and the entire first half of movie feels like a sappy romance storyline. I watched this movie with the expectation of being scared, and while the beginning of the movie established the story about the VHS tape and the cursed girl, the romance was distracting from the vaguely horrifying elements.

Holt’s involvement in Gabriel’s experiment was an attempt at making the film more contemporary, since the whole experiment took place in a creepy college attic filled with loud electronic music, low light and lab equipment used to monitor cursed students as they suffered through what could have been the last days of their lives. The whole idea of involving teens in a deadly, paranormal experiment ruined the horror vibe for me because the atmosphere makes the movie feel more like a science fiction movie rather than the horror film it should be.

I was not looking forward to watching the second half of the movie after the disaster that was the first half, but in a suprising twist, the plot became more interesting. The film delved into a bit of mythology behind the spirit who kills by video. The ghostly girl’s mysterious past makes the film mildly engaging, a major improvement from the first half of the movie. At times, the movie goes back and forth between interesting and somewhat disturbing, but the effort put into the second half doesn’t make up for the abysmal first half.

The final scene might have been what disappointed me the most. The second half’s improvements set me up to expect an exciting ending, but instead, the characters are used to set up yet another sequel. The plot seemed like it was coming to a resolution, but the ending continues to drag out a franchise that has no more story left to tell.

“Rings” tries to grasp at a few horror tropes, but fails to successfully execute even one measly jump-scare. The plot may claim the cursed tape kills in seven days, but I believe that it would take less than seven seconds to find a better movie.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE

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It is 1947. King George (Jared Harris) coughs blood into a toilet before rushing into one of Buckingham Palace’s elegant rooms to prepare Philip (Matt Smith) to marry his daughter, Elizabeth (Claire Foy), the series’ main character and England’s current queen.

From this point forward, we get an inside look at the lives of Elizabeth, the rest of the British Royal Family and other famous historical figures like Winston Churchill and Lord Mountbatten in the 1940s in the award-winning Netflix original “The Crown.”

At first, I was not as excited about watching “The Crown” as I was about other Netflix shows because I prefer mysteries to dramas. However, it was easy to see why the show won a Golden Globe in 2017 for best television series after only a few minutes of watching.

Through the elaborate hairstyles, the stunning recreation of Elizabeth’s wedding in Westminster Abbey or Churchill’s creeping dementia, the show captured the setting with great precision; every In the first season of “The OA,” a science-fiction drama hybrid, the formerly blind Prairie Johnson (Brit Marling) comes home after having been missing for seven years. She refers to herself “the OA” and recruits five people to hear the story of how she was held captive and her life before she met her adoptive parents.

From the pilot on, “The OA” explores the mentality of being different through the individual narratives of the five listeners: two teens from broken homes, a teen who smokes with his family, a transgender boy afraid to come out to his father and a grieving high school teacher. “The OA” manages to avoid the problem many TV shows face of dragging on and losing the direction of the storyline in the process, or at least obscuring it with too many plot twists.

Johnson is revealed to be extremely dedicated to and obssessed about helping her fellow captives, which is a driving motivation for her actions and in turn, the narrative. Homer (Emory Cohen), one of Johnson’s friends, serves as the deciding factor in whether the other

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moment was lifelike and interesting.

The acting is almost flawless. After hearing about a family tragedy, Elizabeth appears to be in such a real state of shock that even I was moved and I am not one to be moved easily. In another scene, Philip’s excitement after winning a rowing competition was so tangible that it felt like I was there to witness it happen rather than looking on.

Because “The Crown” is slow-paced and dialogue-heavy, those who enjoy action-packed shows may not be its biggest fans. That said, I still found the show difficult to turn away from.

Overall, “The Crown” exceeded my expectations. What I thought would be a simple drama about Queen Elizabeth II was really a show encompassing all aspects of post-World War II England. Its unbelievable attention to detail, sophisticated characters and exciting storyline make every hourlong episode in the first season of “The Crown” highly enjoyable.

by Michael Nirula

characters will believe in Johnson’s story or simply write her off as crazy.

Johnson narrates the flashbacks to her past self, which emphasizes how the story is told to her fascinated but skeptical audience. Through her journey, the Johnson uses beautiful figurative language and makes generalized statements that can be used as advice for any situation, similar to the commentary used in shows like “Grey’s Anatomy.”

While the show is a drama, the combination of such themes and commentary makes the show seem thought-provoking, but at other times it has a tendency to bore the viewer.

The storyline, presented over eight hourlong episodes, is entrancing the first time around, “The OA” is not a show that can be rewatched with the same enthusiasm. However, the show exhibits a rare level of creativity among its contemporaries, flawless and unexpected plot transitions, making it definitely worth a watch.

by Ellie Ahles

The first episode of “Black Mirror”, while mildly disturbing, is the perfect introduction to the show: the British Prime Minister must have nationally-televised sexual intercourse with a pig in order to save a supposedly endangered duchess. The fictional citizens, with their eyes glued to their screens, are captivated by the controversy fueled by media attention, ignoring the implications of their online obsessions.

The show, originally created by British television network Channel 4 and later produced by Netflix, serves as a satirical social commentary on the consequences of the media in the modern age, forcing viewers to reflect on and find parallels in their own online behaviors. The setting of the show is almost dystopian, as the futuristic technology is ultimately the characters’ demise, yet the characters’ behavior remain vaguely similar to existing media trends, like bandwagoning on hashtag trends or determining one’s worth through the number of likes accumluated on a photo. Each episode Netflix’s first Brazilian production, available with English audio and subtitles, “3%,” continues the futuristic dystopian trend popularized through novels like the “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent.” In “3%,” 20-year-olds have the chance to take a test to leave the slums of presentday Brazil and enter the affluent and socially-just island society known as the Offshore. Only the top three percent of test takers are selected, while the others must return home.

The eight-episode television series, which was renewed for a second season on Dec. 4, follows two separate narratives throughout the Process. On one side, Process director Ezequiel (João Miguel) is facing political backlash from the governing body of the Offshore, the Council, which has hired rising political star Aline (Viviane Porto) to oversee Ezequiel’s leadership and control of the Process. At the same time, a secondary narrative forms out of one group of contestants entered in the Process. The protagonist, Michele (Bianca Comparato), is part of a larger group of contestants who have all entered the Process for varying

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features an entirely distinct plot, unrelated to the episodes preceding and following it, and cast of actors, which keeps the viewing experience fresh. Still, the normalcy of the characters and the relatability of their downfalls makes the show truly enrapturing.

While the episodes may be time-consuming, the depth of plot truly does necessitate a full hour per episode and the poignant and satisfying endings are well worth the commitment. Even with an hour, the episodes require viewers to pay close attention to the dense storylines, which seem to consist of many unnecessary details, but with patience, all come together in a coherent message.

“Black Mirror” is definitely not for the faint of heart; very few scenes are absent of the harrowing irony the show is based on, but the thoughtfulness put into each of the episodes is what sets it apart from the drawl of sitcoms and reality television. And who knows, maybe seeing ourselves in the characters is best way to avoid becoming them.

by Sumin Hwang

reasons. Through the series of psychological and mental challenges, tests and scenarios, “3%” builds a background for the contestants and unveils deeper struggles through flashbacks that take viewers to the each of characters’ past, resulting in a slower paced show that takes multiple episodes for the greater plot arch to develop.

However, “3%” shines because of the characters and their relationship with the society they live in. The socio-economic statuses of the characters becomes a particularly important part of the show.

Viewers become invested in all characters, even Ezequiel, whose antagonistic persona softens as the show progresses. The collective hopes for a better life in a perfect society and frustration with the social system seen in “3%” mirror social tensions, unrest, poverty and slowing faith in upward mobility in our current society.

Despite its slow plot, the deeper societal criticisms and characters make “3%” a compelling watch.

by Farhan Hossain

I was first introduced to the Baudelaires when I about eight years old, quickly devouring the 13-book series. So when the Netflix adaptation of “A Series of Unfortunate Events” was released earlier this year, I was glad to see that the TV series did not change any fundamental aspects of the storyline: Violet (Malina Weissman), Klaus (Louis Hynes) and Sunny Baudelaire (Presley Smith) lose their parents in a suspicious fire

and embark on a long journey of uncovering their parents’ secrets while trying to stay out of the clutches of Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris), accompanied by narration from Lemony Snicket (Patrick Warburton) However, despite the intial excitement I experienced from watching the advertisements, I was somewhat disappointed.

The most unfortunate part was not the acting, but just about

everything else, like the way Snicket was just cut and pasted into the show. Simply using his voice to narrate the events would have been enough to help the scenes flow smoothly, but actually showing Warburton onscreen made the episodes feel a little choppy and disconnected.

Although the show preserved the essence of author Daniel Handler’s series, it seemed like the dialogue and narration was copied from the book, which didn’t seem well-suited for television.

Unfortunately, the first two episodes were painful to get through. I ended up watching them out of obligation rather than out of my own interest. The show picked up a little as the season progressed, but only because the plot moved on from the first book.

For all of its advertising and hype, the first episode of “A Series of Unfortunate Events” was painfully mediocre and left me sorely disappointed. Despite the later improvements in the show, it definitely fell short of my expectations for a Netflix original.

by Anvitha Soordelu

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february 10, 2017

INFOGRAPHIC BY ANVITHA SOORDELU/FALCONER

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S P O RTS CORNER

Falcons soar past Ravens 3-2 Boys soccer (12-5-2) edged out Canyon Crest Academy (8-7-4) 3-2 on Feb. 7.

The Falcons started off with possession of the ball and were able to maintain control for the first 10 minutes. The Ravens had trouble keeping up with the pace of the Falcons, unable to penetrate their offensive front. Four minutes into the game, Drew Young (12) shot the ball into the net and scored the first goal of the night for TPHS. The ball was then turned over to the Ravens, but the Falcons regained possession almost immediately.

Two minutes later, the Falcon offense surrounded the Ravens’ goalie, and Reagan Sherlock (12) passed to Justin Diehl (11) who scored the second goal of the game. Once again, the Falcons were able to regain control of the ball. The Falcons overpowered the Ravens’ offense and kept the game centered on CCA’s side, yet they could not break past the Ravens’ defense to score for the remaining half.

Ten minutes before the end of the first half, the Falcons’ defense broke, and the game moved away from the bright lights of the concessions stands to the other side of Ed Burke stadium. CCA appeared to have a break of luck, lunging toward the goal. Falcon goalkeeper Paul Bartlett (11), however, jumped for the ball, catching it before it could enter the goal. The two teams became evenly matched in ability, sparring over the ball and running from side to side. Both teams made shots at each other’s goals, but the score remained stagnant.

The game entered stoppage time before the end of the first half. The Ravens became aggressive in pursuit of the ball, grabbing and pulling Falcons from passing the ball.

However, Blake Muchnik (10) took the ball for a last-minute goal as the clock wound down.

Ravens began with possession of the ball in the second half. CCA, reenergized, was able to hold onto the ball, preventing the Falcons’ offense from taking the ball to the other side. However, the Ravens’ grasp broke, and the two teams fought for the ball, neither side with a clear advantage over the other.

Thirteen minutes before the end of the game, the Falcons approached the CCA goal. Liam Corbel (12) passed to Sherlock, who slid into the ground, but Jordan Karam (12) took Sherlock’s’ place seamlessly,

gaining possession of the ball. Karam shot for the goal, but CCA blocked it.

With five minutes before the end, the Ravens had enough energy to clear their goal deficit. TPHS stole possession, and kicked the ball back to their goalie.

Bartlett came and shot the ball further out, turning to the side afterward. The Ravens quickly stole possession and with Bartlett not looking at the field, shot their second goal five minutes before the games’ end. No other goals were made.

By claiming victory over CCA, the Falcons were able to overcome a 3-2 loss to the Ravens earlier this season.

“I think since we got a lot of new guys, we started off a little shaky,” Muchnik said.

“But as we played together we got a lot of team bonding. We’ve really figured it out.”

Despite losing their first game against CCA, head coach Andy Hargreaves believes the team was able to learn from their original loss. “[We lost our first game against CCA because] we just didn’t play well that game,” Hargreaves said.

According to Muchnik, winning the first two goals back to back this game provided the team momentum.

“I think it really gave our team a boost of energy,” Muchnik said. “We really thought that we were going to win the game and ended up closing it out.”

Hargreaves hopes to continue “winning” for the rest of the season.

The Falcons will play Bishop’s at home on Feb. 11.

PHOTOS BY ALDERIK VAN DER HEYDE/FALCONER

FALCON FLOCK: Reagan Sherlock (10) leaps into the air to knee the ball, steadying it in preparation for a shot at goal (TOP). Blake Muchnik (5) taps the ball into the goal past the Raven goalkeeper (MIDDLE). Denzel Zepeda (32) pulls back for a hard kick toward the goal (ABOVE).

To the disappointment of San Diego football fans, no “Save Our Bolts” poster was enough to stop the Chargers from moving to Los Angeles.

That is because on Jan. 12 2017, Chargers owner Dean Spanos thought it would be best for the Chargers to bolt from “The Q” to Los Angeles.

Yes, the Rams’ 2015 move may make hopping cities seem like a regular thing for NFL teams. And yes, the numbers may say that there is money for a new Los Angeles stadium.

But, Spanos, moving the Chargers 100 miles north is the wrong decision.

The Chargers will be lucky to be a top five football team in Los Angeles.

The Rams, the University of Southern Carolina Trojans and University of California, Los Angeles Bruins will all be ahead of them on the popularity charts. Even the Raiders are more popular in Los Angeles.

It might be comforting to know that Philip Rivers has eight kids. At least they will help fill the seats.

And even though the Chargers have played in Los Angeles before, they only played in the city for one year, in 1960.

That year, ticket sales were abysmal — 15,767 tickets sold per game in the 100,000+ seat Coliseum. And that was during a good year for the Chargers — a year when the team won the Western Division.

To sum up the general feeling in Los Angeles toward the Chargers, Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times made it simple: “We. don’t. want. you.”

Spanos chose to move to Los Angeles because he could not get the cash to build a new stadium in San Diego, but the relocation fee to move to Los Angeles is $650 million, according to USA Today — that’s $650 million that could have been used to build a new stadium in San Diego.

Spanos should have done everything in his power to keep the Chargers in San Diego, given that Los Angeles did not want the move and that San Diego is devastated by the move. According ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the move has “angered NFL owners and executives just as much” as it has angered San Diego.

Spanos hopes that San Diegans still will buy Rivers’ jerseys and still support the team financially, but the city will move on.

When the Rams left Los Angeles the first time, the city turned to the Bruins and the Trojans. The college teams were able to draw record crowds during the 20 plus years the Rams were away.

Hundreds of burnt Chargers jerseys later, it looks like San Diego will follow in the footsteps of Los Angeles. Maybe the city will turn to the San Diego Aztecs, who cracked the top 25 in the Associated Press poll by the end of last year. The Padres are always an option, and there has also been talk of another Major League Soccer team in San Diego.

The Chargers’ home is in San Diego, amidst both joy and heartbreak.

To Spanos and his $1.4 billion family, an NFL team may seem like just another asset, but the Chargers and San Diego have a history of more than 50 years in the making.

When the Chargers move to Los Angeles, when ticket sales plummet and when San Diegans root for other teams, maybe Spanos will realize that he should not have separated the Chargers from their fans.

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Boys hoops scorches SDA in the Olive Garden Boys basketball (21-3) earned their highest-scoring win in over a decade in overpowering San Diego Academy (7-17) 96-72 on Feb. 3.

Ethan Esposito (12) gave the Falcons their spark by soaring for an alley-oop at the start of the game. Perimeter shooting from Bryce Pope (10) and Finn Sullivan (11) built on the lead and the crowd erupted when Esposito stole the ball on one end and dunked on the other end for a 23-10 Falcon lead. Tight Falcon defense forced SDA into tough shots, messy play and a low scoring first quarter.

The Mustangs caught the Falcons off guard at the start of the second quarter after they brought the ball into the paint for a step back jumper, but Jackson Perron (12) responded with a long three to extend the Falcons’ lead to 26-16. Shortly after, Esposito got the ball on the fast break and sent down his second dunk of the half for a 32-16 lead. Chad Piper (12) hit a three off of a beautiful Ethan Esposito lob pass from Cade Kinney-Shackelford ������� (12) and hit another triple off of a pass from Esposito to close the half at 47-26.

Esposito ended the half with two dunks, something that is important to him.

“That is the one thing I look for every single game — at least one dunk a game,” Esposito said.

Head coach John Olive subbed out Gilliam with 2:30 left in the first half. Olive said Gilliam was coming off a fever and said the team was able to substitute freely because of the comfortable lead.

Gilliam still started in the second half and scored the team’s first two points by floating the ball over an SDA defender.

The Falcons allowed the Mustangs to hit two open threes to make the score 54-34.

However, Hayden Helfrich (12) made up for it by driving to the basket for a layup, then by getting to the free throw line, and finally by hitting a step back three to extend the lead to 58-34.

Not long after, Kinney-Shackelford rushed toward the SDA ball handler, collided with him, and was called for a flagrant foul. The Mustangs hit both of their free throws and an open three to complete a five point play. Even though Bryce Pope responded with a fade away two, SDA was left open again for a three to cut the lead to 63-42. Olive called a timeout, and immediately afterwards, the Falcons played better defense with Sullivan tipping the ball out of bounds and Gilliam blocking a shot. Sullivan took the ball inside, got fouled, but got his shot to go in. He converted the “and one” opportunity to give the Falcons a 30-point lead.

Helfrich resumed his scoring in the fourth quarter with a three off a pass from Kinney-Shackelford.

His hesitation step and crossover on the next possession helped him beat his defender and get an easy basket, and yet another three from Helfrich afterward gave TPHS an 84-53 lead with 5:20 left in the game. After Perron hit his second three of the night, Tyrus Willden (11) and Ben McCoy (11) came in the game with under a minute left.

“I thought that we were very efficient offensively, we moved the ball well and shared the ball well,” Olive said. “I was a little disappointed in our defense. We have to continue to work defensively and make sure that we are in rhythm as a team, defensively.”

The Falcons beat Canyon Crest Academy (17-7) 67-52 at home on Feb. 7 and will play at Carlsbad today.

That is the one thing I look for every single game — at least one dunk a game.

PHOTOS BY ALDERIK VAN DER HEYDE/FALCONER

SADDLE UP: Ethan Esposito (20) leaps into the air with the ball for a dunk, spurring on the Falcons’ momentum in the game (TOP). Jake Gilliam (32) sets the pick to give Hayden Helfrich (12) an easy lane to the basket (ABOVE).

Girls rugby dominates in round robin tournament Girls rugby hosted Temecula’s Chaparral High School and Valley Center High School in a round robin tournament on Feb. 4, with TPHS Team One winning all three of their games to take the victory.

The tournament began with TPHS Team One playing Valley Center, the Falcons taking early control with Ellie Flint (11) scoring a try with an assist from Gabi Blea (12). After halftime, the Jaguars countered with a try of their own. Two more tries from Kristin Bitter (11) and Bella Rivetti (11) and one from Valley Center ended the first game 15-12 in the Falcons’ favor.

“Today, we had strengths in staying with our defender, staying in our line and passing,” Flint said. “[For my try], I just ran to the edge and tried to run really fast, but it was all about my teammates passing.”

In TPHS team 1’s next game against Chaparral, Flint took the ball into the try zone on the first play of the game, and Mackenzie Steiner (10) made the conversion. Flint followed with another try, running down the left side of the field past Puma defenders.

“We did a better job spreading out than we normally do, and we were passing and not being ball hogs,” Steiner said. “We work really well as a team, and we’ve been practicing a lot and have gotten a lot better.”

During the second half of the game, Rivetti scored three more tries for the Falcons, dashing down the left side of the

field for all three. Good passing in the back field, particularly by Blea and Sage Glass (11), contributed to creating opportunities for Rivetti to score. The game ended 27-10 for the Falcons. “[The players] are starting to feel more comfortable with each other,” head coach Talia Carrasquillo said. “Especially with the switches, we’re finally finding our groove with both teams, so I think that’s been our biggest thing this season.”

TPHS team 1 faced Chaparral again in the championship game, with tries from Flint, Glass and Bitter throughout.

Before the first half ended, Flint ran down the entirety of the open field for a try, contributing to the Falcons’ 31-0 shut-out.

“For the final game, we actually got more together, and we had a better game,” Steiner said.

The 2016-17 school year marks the first season of the girls rugby program at TPHS. According to Carrasquillo, the team had 25 students to start, many of which are field hockey, softball and track and field athletes.

“Torrey Pines has done amazing [so far] — all the girls are athletic, so that helps,” Carrasquillo said. “Every weekend has been a learning experience, and I feel like every weekend something else clicks. It’s like light bulbs all the time.”

Flint said that although rugby has been a new sport for everyone, the “coaches have been really great on teaching [them], and [they] watch videos at home on how to play.”

TPHS team two fell to both Valley Center and Chaparral at the tournament.

The Falcons play their last games of the season on Feb. 11.

PHOTOS BY ALLY JENSEN/FALCONER

[RUCK]RAKERS: Bella Abelman (5) carries the ball away from the try zone as a Chaparral defender leaps for a tackle (TOP). The Falcons get into scrum formation, with Kristin Bitter (2) preparing to receive the ball afterward (ABOVE).

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Team Del Sol represents USA Team Del Sol, a San Diego-based synchronized skating team, featuring three TPHS students, Edith Kamme (11), Robin Kong (12) and Grace Lee (12), will return to Trophy D’Ecosse, an international skating competition in Scotland as the reigning champions on Feb. 10-12.

According to Lee, teams in the U.S. are placed into the International Selection Pool based on their competition records from that skating season.

After Team Del Sol qualified, representatives from U.S. Figure Skating were sent to monitor and evaluate practices. Other requirements were that the teams send in videos of their skating routines and compete in two competitions in the U.S. While Team Del Sol has held several fundraisers since becoming Team USA, the trip is mostly self-funded, according to Kamme.

“I think the international aspect of this competition will definitely make it unique, and representing the U.S. is always an honor,” Lee said. “We had a lot of new people join the team this year, so we were proud that we were able to come together be selected to Team USA again this season.”

The team is prepared to compete against five other teams with two programs: one to “Americano” by Lady Gaga and another to the soundtrack of “The Mask of Zorro.”

“One [program] is called the short and the other one is called the free,” Kamme said. “The short program is shorter and you do more technical elements. In the free, you have to do two lifts and technical elements … You bring out the best tricks during the free program.”

Team Del Sol won first place at Trophy D’Ecosse in February 2016 and also received the Christopher Buchanan Award for most entertaining program. Since its last appearance at Trophy D’Ecosse, the team has competed in two tournaments in Anaheim, Calif. and Ann Arbor, Mich., according to Lee. After each of the tournaments, team members have worked on improving their technical skills by holding practices, both on and off ice, four times a week.

“On the ice, we’ve been working a lot on getting the levels that we want our elements to be called as so we can get more points for executing more difficult elements … particularly in our lifts and no-hold step sequence,” Lee said. “Off the ice, we have been practicing emoting so it is easier to do while skating the program and tell the story of ‘Americano’ and ‘Zorro.’”

According to Kamme, the team’s overall goals for the competition are to “skate both the programs cleanly and hopefully get a place on the podium.”

“I hope to make my coach proud and to make the United States proud of both the short and the free skate,” Kamme said.

Team Del Sol will also travel to Rockford, Ill. to compete in the 2017 U.S. Figure Skating National Competition on Feb. 23-25.

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Girls basketball surges past Mustangs Girls basketball (13-6) claimed victory over San Dieguito Academy (9-10) 65-40 on Feb. 3 at home, dominating the score throughout the game and never losing speed.

Meghan Voss (12) scored the first layup of the game, followed by two consecutive 3-pointers and another layup. The Falcons maintained a strong offense with effective passing and free throws. Meanwhile, the Mustangs had difficulty finding openings with passes. After several attempts, SDA was unable to score at all, except for one layup near the middle of the quarter. The Mustangs’ performance did not improve near the end of the first quarter, as they missed both of their free throw attempts near the end of the first quarter and made several fouls.

The score ended in favor of the Falcons, 13-2.

“We didn’t perform quite as well [as the three remaining quarters], but we had a lot of steals and [SDA] wasn’t really making any shots, so that helped us win the first quarter,” Voss said.

The Mustangs, who started with the ball, were more accurate with their shooting in the second quarter.

Although SDA scored the first 3-pointer of the quarter, the Falcons immediately responded with a layup. However, TPHS fouled several times throughout the game, which rewarded the Mustangs with additional free throw points.

The Falcons also had their share of successes with rebounds, layups and 3-pointers. In the last minute, TPHS did not disappoint with Voss, who scored 12 out of the 20 points in the second quarter, scoring a 3-pointer that sealed a score of 32-18 at halftime.

“The girls are starting to share the ball better,” said Coach David McClurg.

“They shot well tonight, especially Voss, and we played a little more intense than we had before.”

The third quarter kicked off with Rachel Shen (11) making a 3-pointer within the first 30 seconds. TPHS kept the lead with strong offense, which overcame the Mustangs’ repetitive attempts to take possession of the ball.

Voss and Shen led the team into victory by scoring a total of 17 points together.

Tension reached its height in the last 40 seconds, marking an increase in momentum, as both teams fought to score points. At the 30-second mark, the Falcons’ offense surged forward and made a layup. After much hustling in

PHOTOS BY ANTON SCHUH/FALCONER

TAKE THE REIGNS: Meghan Voss (1) dribbles the ball past a Mustang defender, trying to break into the circle (TOP). Taylor Bronaugh (40) passes to a teammate at midcourt as the Falcons press offensively (ABOVE). between, SDA also managed to pull off a basket, ending the quarter 55-29.

Despite trailing by 26 points, the Mustangs did not relent. The clock overhead flashed “6:50” when SDA scored a layup. Two consecutive layups were scored before TPHS interrupted the streak with rebounds.

In the remaining three minutes, SDA’s score increased by five points, but the Lady Falcons nevertheless emerged

victorious, with a final score of 65-40.

According to Cami Kangleon (9), the team “hustled well” and “are definitely getting better as a team” but can improve by “passing the ball more” as the season winds to a close.

The Falcons played Canyon Crest Academy (12-9) on Feb. 7 after the Falconer went to press. They face Carlsbad High School (11-11) today at 6:00 p.m. at Carlsbad.

Carolyn Zhao University of Southern California Kaiwan Liu UC Berkeley Dani Rodea CSU San Marcos Alexis Filippone Alexis Palmer Brynn Chandler Chiara Spain Colin Bailey

Pepperdine University Pepperdine University UC Berkeley Yale University UC Los Angeles

Chloe Seipt Randolph-Macon College Callie Petrey-Juarez CSU Fullerton Catarina Macario Stanford University Daniela Nelson Villanova University Grace Carter UC Santa Barbara Kari Mills Pacific Lutheran University Grayson LeRose Northeastern University Connor Robinson University of San Diego

Julee Keenan Rivers Isabela Boese

Jacob Schneider Ty Helfrich YuJay Kurosu Michael Gadinis

UC Santa Barbara UC Davis

Dixie State University CSU Humboldt University of Chicago University of San Diego

Marisa Kuberra UC Berkeley Taylor Scornavacco Stanford University Caden Wolfson U.S. Air Force Academy Jordan Yusunas Cleveland State University Alderik van der Heyde Middlebury College

Alexa Meyer Jacob Brumm Alex Rushin

University of San Francisco UC Berkeley Auburn University

Cassie Kaelber University of Illinois, Chicago Xstaviana Augur Coastal Carolina University

Kyle Hurt University of Southern California Jacob Boone Princeton University Bennett McCaskill Dartmouth College

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DAY IN THE

LIFE

february 10, 2017

After participating in a variety of sports in the past, Carleigh Karen (12) discovered Muay Thai, the “brutal but beautiful” form of martial arts that she recently became passionate about.

It’s a hot spring day at TPHS, and students are clad in T-shirts and shorts. They seek refuge from the sweltering heat outside in cool, air-conditioned classrooms. But Carleigh Karen (12) doesn’t dress for the weather.

“There’s a reason why I usually only wear long sleeves and long pants,” Karen said. “As soon as you start something as intense as Muay Thai you get super bruised up on your legs and arms. I have gotten only one black eye so far, so that’s not too bad.”

Karen first took up Muay Thai, a particularly brutal form of martial arts originating in Thailand, in her junior year.

Muay Thai is one of the only forms of martial arts in which fighters stand up for the majority of the fight.

Fighters wear boxing gloves and can use their shins, knees, elbows and fists; they can kick and knee their opponents, but are not allowed to tackle them, which is what differentiates it from boxing.

Before practicing Muay Thai, Karen was a multi-sport athlete in volleyball, basketball and swimming. She also rock climbed briefly and, most recently, was part of a rowing team, a sport that she said could have easily gotten her a college scholarship.

But after injuring her back while rowing, she realized that it was not a sport she wanted to pursue any longer.

“I decided that if I were to quit rowing, I would have to find something I’m passionate about, and I had always wanted to do martial arts,” Karen said. “I started to look around for different martial arts, [and] then I found The Boxing Club, which is where I go now, and I saw people doing Muay Thai and I thought ‘There we go, that’s the one.”’

As she trains in the boxing gym, Karen tirelessly punches and takes hits from her opponents, bracing herself through the pain knowing that she is improving with each strike. According to Karen, what attracted her to Muay Thai, rather than other, more popular combat sports, was the “powerful” techniques of the “brutal and beautiful sport.”

“I usually get there and run three to four miles off the bat to warm up,” Karen said. “Then I do bag work for about an hour and 15 minutes, and then I do an hour of technical class. Then I’ll either do another class or bag work for another hour, [and] then I stretch again.”

The rigorous training not only helps Karen get into shape but has also covered her body in scars and bruises. While her “high pain tolerance” and long history as an athlete allow her to endure the wear and tear that Muay Thai wreaks, Karen still faces her share of challenges in the intense sport.

“I am really tall for my age and pretty heavy because I have a lot of

muscle and, because of that, there’s not a lot of girls my size who do Muay Thai,” Karen said. “So, often I spar and work out with guys.

The pressure for me to hit as hard as they do and be as tough as they are is often very high.

Sometimes I get frustrated and think I’m not improving, when, really, I am.”

Karen competes in tournaments, sparring against other Muay Thai fighters and often getting injured in the process. Once, she even dislocated her jaw after taking a punch to the face. This year, Karen plans to continue fighting and competing as much as possible before leaving for college in an effort to build a record for herself.

“It took me a year before I felt I was ready to start fighting,” Karen said. “I have fought twice so far, and won both times. This year I will probably end up fighting three, four or five times.”

One of the reasons Karen continues to practice Muay Thai, despite the intense pain, is because the triumphant emotions it evokes when she succeeds.

“I really like the feeling of satisfaction that I get, if I win, that I am skilled enough to have beaten this person in combat,” Karen said. “That’s part of the reason I started Muay Thai: the satisfaction that I get from realizing that I am actually skilled.”

Muay Thai has not only made Karen stronger physically, but it has also allowed her to gain a greater sense of self-confidence.

“Before Muay Thai I’d walk down the street constantly on edge and ready to bolt,” Karen said. “But now I’m comfortable in any situation since I’m comfortable with my skills and myself.

After completing her training session for the day, Karen rushes home to tend to the rest of her responsibilities and attempts to avoid spending hours late at night working.

Between schoolwork, tutoring elementary school students and serving as vice president of the Japanese National Honor Society, Karen often finds it difficult to balance Muay Thai with her demanding schedule.

“When I first started out, I would come home with a headache and I would not be in the mood to do homework,” Karen said. “Last year, I was walking around sleep-deprived.

You have to just power through everything.”

Through strength of will and support from her coaches and peers, Karen has continued to fight and train. After her former coach, one of her key mentors, moved to Thailand, Karen etook her training into her own hands. “[Muay Thai] has helped me express myself,” Karen said. “I have been able to make new connections with many new people, and I have been introduced to a whole new demographic of people who have made me more mature.”

Whether she is leaving the gym after her daily Muay Thai training sessions, drenched in sweat and bones aching, or simply headed to school, Muay Thai will continue to teach and inspire Karen, bringing her to new heights each day. She plans on going to college in Japan, the “home country of kickboxing,” to continue her training in Muay Thai and pursue the sport she has become so passionate about.

by Sammy Hallal and Angela Liu

PHOTO BY TRAVIS FELTHAUS/FALCONER

tphsfalconer.com

sports

f/stop

ethan esposito varsity basketball feb. 3 7:14:38

camera: nikon d600 lens: nikon 70-200m 1:2.8 ED iso: 6400 exp: 1/1000 seconds f/stop: f/2.8 by alderik van der heyde

the falconer

A27

Dear Freddie,

Ask Freddie Falcon

Formal is tomorrow and my date cancelled on me at the last minute!

All my friends have dates, and they said that if I didn’t have a date I wouldn’t be able to ride in their party bus. I really want my senior Formal to be a night to remember, but I can’t imagine going without a date! What should I do?

From, Help Me!

Dear Help Me, No Formal date? No problem! Head on over to the new Learning Commons during class and find yourself a wandering freshman. If this technique isn’t your style, don’t fret — you still have a few more options.

An ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend from middle school? Snapchat message them right away! A guy or girl that you met at a football game this season? Text them right away (as long as they don’t go to LCC).

If you are still unsuccessful at this point, plan on calling a friend’s friend, cousin or anyone really; it would be extremely awful to miss out on the 10-minute party bus ride. Also, keep in mind that there is no age limit for Formal guests, meaning that if you really need someone to go with, you could ask your mom, dad or both. Understandably, you might not want a parent to go with you, especially if you’re going to be hitting up an after-party later (or hitting your friend’s juul in the Del Mar Fairgrounds Activity Center bathroom stall). In that case, just go alone — you might have to watch your friend’s 180-second Snapchat story recap of the party bus alone, but you won’t be missing out on much else. Good luck!

XOXO, Freddie Falcon

Dear Freddie, My significant other and I have been dating for two weeks, three days, six hours and 15 minutes (and counting!) Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and I have no idea what to do. Can you help me plan something that doesn’t scream “I know we have been dating for less than a year but you’re in my Instagram bio so we should do something worthy of another Instagram post?”

From, High Schooler in “Love” Dear High Schooler in “Love,” Although two weeks might not seem long to other Falcons, it represents the true spirit of high school romance! Stray away from the common flowers, chocolates and movie dates — instead, opt for something a little more unique, like a romantic trip to various “lit” addy’s. If spending the most overpriced holiday drinking flat Coke at a random junior’s Carmel Valley condo is not good for you, at least you can get shacked with your significant other by your side! You don’t have to do something romantic to show your significant other that they’re more important to you than ditching fifth period. Maybe you can use the $30 you would have spent at Cinepolis to buy yourself some new mango juul pods.

XOXO, Freddie Falcon

Dear Freddie, I know first semester ended two weeks ago, but I still haven’t told my parents about my D in AP World. It’s not my fault that I got Trupe!

Once they find out, they’ll make me drive the Prius — obviouly not an option.

My parents expected me to pass at least half of my classes last semester, but how was I supposed to do that if they refused to pay for High Bluff? I tried to pay someone to hack into my Aeries account, but they stole my mom’s credit card number. I don’t know how to transfer out of AP World (I’ve had five counselors this year, so I’m not sure which one is actually mine). Should I try to bribe Trupe with Vespa-themed apparel? Santos? I’m desperate.

What should I do?

From, Ashleighye Leighye

Dear Ashleighye Leighye, Maybe you should go back to Mammoth and retake AP World there.

Best of luck!

XOXO, Freddie Falcon

Next time on Ask Freddie Falcon...

Why is the Falconer so left-leaning?

Why does every part of TPHS smell so awful?

Why does the new media center (Learning Commons?) look like Ikea?

This page is entirely fictional. by the Falconer staff